Perspectives
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Wole Soyinka, Gulder Larger Beer, and quest to return as a Monk, by Bamidele Johnson
Late in June 2004, a team from The News starring Kunle Ajibade, our boss and a Soyinka devotee; co-starring myself, Adegbamigbe Ademola and Idowu Ogunleye met Professor Soyinka for a 70th birthday interview.The session took place at the Victoria Island home of Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi. Pleasantries were quickly swapped and we were asked what drink we wanted just as we…
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Kongi’s last decade before his centennial, by Omoniyi Ibietan
At 91, Kongi sets out to revel in the glories coming with his last decade before his centennial but the “drama of existence” continues to unfold in its purity and majesty and immersed in activism (literary, social, political and cultural) in a pure antiseptic fashion. Five years ago, when he turned 86, I wrote the quoted narrative below. “In July…
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Akeredolu’s cenotaph of controversy: a rejoinder, by Bolanle Bolawole
My phone rang on Thursday, 26 June, 2025 and a long-standing friend was on the line. “I know you are from Owo”, he began. “And I know you will want to comment on the ongoing controversy over Akeredolu’s Memorial cenotaph; except I don’t know you! But, be careful! What is involved is deeper than a cenotaph.” I thanked him and…
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We must invest locally to realise our potential, by Aliko Dangote
Today, I want to share a deeply held conviction: Africa is on the verge of awakening. We have the youngest population, abundant natural resources, and boundless entrepreneurial energy. But to realize our potential, we must invest locally, transform our raw materials, and create value here at home. I have dedicated more than $25 billion in recent years to Africa’s development—in…
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Kashim Shettima as VP: the issues, politics and intrigues, by Ismail Omipidan
When American comedian, Groucho Marx defined politics as “the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies,” he might not have had Nigeria in mind. Yet, his definition perfectly captures the current political atmosphere in the country, especially with regards to those bent on forcing us, the narrative of a phantom war…
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Wahab’s cleanup blitz and plastic ban herald a new environmental justice in Lagos, by Babajide Fadoju
Over the past fortnight, spanning late June through early July 2024, Lagos State has embarked on an aggressive environmental transformation under the directive of Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab. This campaign combines rigorous enforcement, proactive cleanups, and a landmark ban on single-use plastics, signaling a decisive shift in the state’s ecological governance. Wahab’s hands-on leadership, amplified by strategic media engagement, is steadily…
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A father’s dream, a son’s journey: mission accomplished, by Osita Chidoka
I graduated with a degree in Business Management and reported for National Youth Service in November 1995. A year later, at our passing out parade, General Useni graced the occasion. He offered automatic employment to award winners — and I was among the fortunate few. That single moment would set my life on a trajectory I could never have plotted…
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Trump and Boakai: when ‘good English’ becomes a matter of diplomatic indignity, by Folorunso Adisa
Donald Trump, ever the high priest of unrehearsed bravado, recently offered what he perhaps thought a compliment: that President Joseph Boakai of Liberia “speaks such good English.” It was said casually, the way one might remark on a parrot’s uncanny mimicry, but it reeked of a far more insidious sentiment. To the uninformed ear, it may have passed as harmless…
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Simi Fubara as a prodigal son, by Azuh Arinze
As Nigerians await the return of Sir Siminalayi Fubara (suspended on March 18, 2025, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu), on or before September 18, 2025, permit me to share this with you: there’s a parable in the Bible that resonates powerfully with the simmering political drama in Rivers State—the popular story of the prodigal son. It’s a tale of youthful…
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A Marxist lens on Nigeria’s political elites: same faces, same failures, by Oluwadare Ayeni
Karl Marx, the 19th-century philosopher and revolutionary, argued that history is a history of class struggles—between those who control the means of production (the bourgeoisie) and those who sell their labor (the proletariat). He also warned about a ruling class that perpetuates its dominance by using state power to protect its economic interests and maintain control over the working masses.…
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