It is just fitting that several words and expressions, which etymology derive from Nigeria, have found their ways into global dictionaries. As at 2020, nearly 30 such inventions had been accommodated by the Oxford Dictionary. They included: okada, tokunbo, gist, k-leg, mama put, danfo, bukateria, chop, and eat money, among others. Kannywood, ’ember months, to put to bed, non-indigene, next …

When the seven-storey building collapsed at Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos on 12th April 2023, killing a person and – in a quick succession – another one, a three-storey building collapsed on Sunday, 23rd April 2023, at the GRA, Apapa, Lagos (45, Ladipo Oluwole Street), the holy month of Lent/Easter and Ramadan/Eid-ul-Fitri seemed desecrated. Death or injury could have been associated …

Downpresser man/Where you gonna run to/ Downpresser man/Where you gonna run to Downpresser ma/Where you gonna run to/All along that day You gonna run to the sea/But the sea will be boiling/When you run to the sea The sea will be boiling (2x)/All along that day You gonna run to the rocks/The rocks will be melting/When you run to the …

I had planned to write a general article, as usual, to celebrate all those born in March and April which I normally tag “Felicitations: My (whatever the month) People”…even more so when I realised that today, 29th April is also the birthday of the man I consider the most philanthropic Nigerian alive, and truly the richest African whose span, spirit …

What sort of man is Mike Adenuga Jr (MAJr)? Does it sound like a million-dollar question? Don’t worry, let’s get down to it. In answering the question, a biographical account would be appropriate. Indeed, some great story tellers have produced inspiring pen-portraits on him. In 2011, Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe wrote a book on Adenuga who was born 70 …

Obiageli Ezekwesili is like a daughter to me. Even when she was a minister, I treated her the same way I treated my biological daughters. She was a dynamic young woman, who is competent, reliable and very enterprising. As she, therefore, clocks 60 today, I cannot but thank God for her life, as I wish her more fulfilling and glorious …

In the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, I raised a stumper in a column, “If Peter Obi fails, as he certainly would, what next for the southeast?” It was with sincere contemplation and unaffected judgement that I probed the imminent misfortunes of the southeast as fashioned by a star-crossed quest. I had advised we deploy tact with dispatch and …

Nigeria’s February/March elections undid many things. One of them was the 63-year-old myth that no wealthy and ambitious candidate could emerge president. Until the last presidential election. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria’s president between 1963 and 1966, came close. But while ownership of his extensive and authoritative newspaper chain made him influential, he was not wealthy. In any case, he was only a …

The piece you are about to read was first published by me on 30th September 2015, almost eight years ago and  just four months into Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency. With little editing to whittle it down to fit into the space allotted. It is as relevant today as it was then. Enjoy it! “By President Muhammadu Buhari’s own admission, he is …

Access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene is essential for human health and well-being. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 is about “clean water and sanitation for all”. However, in many developing countries, these necessities remain out of reach for a significant portion of the population, particularly those living in suburban and rural areas. The popular thinking is that local …