Charles Soludo: Sale of national assets as dangerous policy myopia?

mediaction behaviour, medical system, Nigeria; Hospitals

The Thread: Are you taking your medication?

In this thread, Doc Charlton, who tweets @tweetMOPOL pinpoints a major reason sick folks die in Nigeria. Non compliance to medications is a big cause of death in Nigeria. — COC (@TweetMOPOL) September 25, 2016 I've been a critique of our healthcare while abroad and I've also practiced here. And there are so many things... Read More

Farooq Kperogi: Transformation of ‘change’ from God term to Devil term

Scholars of language and rhetoric have for long identified certain words and expressions that instinctively evoke warm fuzzy feelings in people, that effortlessly sway opinions, and that galvanize people into action. The words are often so broad and so semantically indeterminate that anyone can read any positive meaning into them. In other words, they are... Read More

America, Change begins with me campaign, nigeria, party slogans, Politics, president buhari, President Obama

Opinion: Nigeria’s democratic culture and development challenges

by Jide Ojo The implementation of the Goals must be underpinned by a strong and active civil society that includes the weak and the marginalised. We must defend civil society’s freedom to operate and do this essential job. On this International Day of Democracy, let us rededicate ourselves to democracy and dignity for all.” —... Read More

democracy, independence, nigeria, rule of law, United Nations

The Thread: Before you think of committing suicide…

Kimmy €, who tweets @808s_n_cupcakes reveals what her family has lived through after her brother committed suicide 7 years ago. It is a sad, gripping read. https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779695636111319040 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779696205471289344 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779696785946189824 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779697480380416000 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779698209983717377 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779698786364948482 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779698912160518145 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779699318743789568 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779699677860098049 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779700343118651392 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779700622392188928 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779700733071548418 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779701043110244353 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779701196244283393 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779701643529089024 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779701874500960256 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779702234028335105 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779702476052303872 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779705224160284677 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779705605586051072 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779705718622552064 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779705937238040576 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779706448079183872 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779707138851475456 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779707313997217793 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779707439985766401 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779707844501188608 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779708500129624064 https://twitter.com/808s_n_cupcakes/status/779708797409304576... Read More

depression, grief, mental health, nigeria, suicide

Opinion: Create solutions that are so good they cannot be ignored

by Segun Adeyemi This is a very short story about Sekou. Background info: I run a payment company that helps Nigerian businesses accept and manage recurring payments online. Sekou is a close friend from high school and university. Recently introduced to Uber. Sekou is highly exposed and educated but swore a long while ago never... Read More

economy, entrepreneurship, nigeria, online transactions, start-ups, Uber

Conversations: Nigerians react to Bobrisky’s announcement that he isn’t gay

Following the release of Bobrisky’s interview with TV veteran and TW Magazine publisher, Adesuwa Onyenokwe, the internet has been buzzing about Bobrisky’s emphatic reveal that he is not gay. Popular gay rights activist, Bisi Alimi also put out a video on Instagram expressing his annoyance and disappointment that Bobrisky is not in support of gay... Read More

Bisi Alimi, Bobrisky, cross-dressing, nigeria, Transgender, Transvetite

Opinion: 3 tech products we need built in Nigeria

A few weeks ago Mark Zuckerberg came Nigeria sightseeing and checking up on his investments (Andela and the millions of the ‘un-facebooked’ citizens of Nigeria). It was a good opportunity to showcase tech solutions being built here via Cc-Hub and his meetings with entrepreneurs. He even got to see a Demo Day at the Presidential... Read More

cchub, FIRS, mark zuckerberg, nigeria, Tax, technology, Toy store

Akin Fadeyi, Change begins with me, nigeria, president buhari

Farooq Kperogi: ‘Change begins with me’ campaign is a bait-and-switch scam

The Buhari government’s “Change begins with me” campaign is perhaps the cheekiest bait-and-switch governmental scam in Nigerian history. When I said this on Facebook last week, a few people thought I was being harsh. But my choice of words is deliberate and well-advised. Bait-and-switch scams are kinds of confidence tricks where unsuspecting customers are lured... Read More

Moses Ochonu: Buhari’s problem is unhealthy personal loyalty

Buhari’s problem can be summed up in two words: personal loyalty. He is loyal to a fault to those who are loyal or allied to him. He rewards loyalty with unquestioning loyalty. That is a potentially fatal flaw of leadership. His appointees know this weakness of his. They know that he is too loyal to... Read More

Bbachir Lawal, budget paddingPresident Buhari, Buratai, CBN, corruption, FIRS, nigeria, obama, plagiarism, trump

Pius Adesanmi: Inspired by the proud young farmer

I had barely settled down at work on Monday, Sept 19, 2016, when the young man breezed into my office. It was an African visit: I was not expecting him; he walked in like he owned the space; his decibel level was above the standards officially approved for social interaction by the West. I tell... Read More

agriculture, economy, nigeria, young people

education, public officials, Unilag senate

Ayo Sogunro: Public officials have only 3 reactions to a challenge: ban it, fine it, or jail it

Once again, I am constrained to consider the University of Lagos and its increasingly intolerant attitude towards student rebellion. I have previously written on this in reference to the school’s high-handedness when it dealt with the aftermath of a student protest. I was–and still I’m–astonished by the degree of repression imposed by the university’s Senate.... Read More

Opinion: A prayer for destiny helpers

by Gideon Odoma “Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.” (Mark 15:43). “And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might... Read More

bible characters, Christianity, destiny helpers, God, Religion

Cheta Nwanze: On moving house and how it applies to Nigeria’s recession

Now consider the following scenario — you are moving house, you see a place that you really like, and pay the rent. Then you find that the house has no mosquito nets, in this, malaria endemic region. You fail to buy nets, and move your family in, then worse, do not administer antimalarial drugs to your kids.... Read More

blame game, economy, NEPA, nigeria, Politics, president buhari, recession, sale of national assets

September 24, 2016

The Thread: Humanitarian crisis in North East may claim more lives than BH terrorists

Journalist and Financial Times West Africa correspondent, Maggie Fick, is blowing the horn on the sheer magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in war torn North East Nigeria. She warns that more lives may be lost if the Nigerian government and the international community fails to face this challenge squarely. Do see below: In north-east Nigeria,... Read More

Aid workers, boko haram, Borno, Food Crisis, Maggie Fick, Maidugri, Nort East Nigeria, president buhari, UN

September 24, 2016

Farooq Kperogi: Albert Einstein was a Polytechnic graduate

If you are a Nigerian university graduate who has been socialized into disdaining polytechnics as inferior higher education institutions, think about this: Albert Einstein, the world’s most renowned physicist and one of the most influential thinkers of all time, graduated from the Zurich Polytechnic (now called the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich) in 1900... Read More

ADamu Adamu, education, Einstein, HND, University

The Thread: Are you an entrepreneur? Here’s how to survive in a recession

The Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Comrade Air, Mr. Umar I Mohammed has some advice for entrepreneurs. See tweets after the cut. The first thing to do as an entrepreneur during a recession is to start tracking your finances. Daily. Weekly. Monthly. #UIMBusiness — Farouk (@umarimohammed) September 22, 2016 Tracking your business's finances will... Read More

Business, Economics, profit-loss, recession

The Thread: Is selling our national assets the right thing to do?

Yinka Ogunnubi, author and finance expert, who tweets @yinkanubi, lends his voice to the sale of national assets debate raging around the country. He attempts to explore the the pros and cons of selling our assets. Do see below: 1. I want to share some thoughts on this issue of the sale of the national... Read More

femi falana, national assembly, National assets, recession

Cheta Nwanze: Our National Assembly are mad

First, a disclaimer. This is a rant. It is not a superbly constructed whatever that you can reference in an academic discourse. I am pissed. I got more pissed when I saw pictures of some members of the House of Reps with scarves around their necks printed “Dogara”. I got most pissed when I read... Read More

dino melaye, Dogara, FGN, MTN, national assembly, nigerian senate, recession, Sola Adeyeye

Vera Ezimora: My mommy, her gospel music, her anointing oil, and her church

It’s been almost five years since my mommy and I lived together, so before I even came to Nigeria I told Igwe that my mommy and I would probably be arguing over something every day. Well … On the first night I slept in Nigeria (the day I landed in Abuja), I was shocked when... Read More

africa magic, gospel music, Religion, Vera Ezimora

Gidi Blues to showcase at Int’l Film Festivals across Europe, America, and Africa

Gidi Blues, the much talked about Lagos love story, produced and directed by Femi Odugbemi, has been selected to show at various international film festivals across Europe, America and Africa. The feature film will share the same stage with “Queen of Katwe,” the Disney film directed by Mira Nair starring Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo... Read More

6th Lights Camer Africa, Bukky Wright, Femi Odugbemi, Film Africa, gideon okeke, Gidi blues, International film festivals, Lepacious Bose, nollywood, Queen of Katwe

Opinion: Trivialising justice – a culture of shaming litigants

by Ugochukwu Nnamdi Ukamba I do not know if these events and narratives hereunder are a standalone rare occurrence or if it is an increasing pattern of judicial aloofness to the plights of the ‘common man’. As an aside, I loathe that expression. Why would one individual be referred to as ‘common’? Does that mean... Read More

Alternative dispurte resolution, Federal High Court, judge, Judge's bias, Justice, litigation, National Industrial Court, Poor people

Gimba Kakanda: The partisans’ portrayals of the critic as a hater

Perhaps it’s sub-clinical, but partisanship as exhibited by Nigerians appears to be no more than just uncritical loyalty to a political party. It’s a psychiatric dilemma. Perhaps again this is only my lack of an explanation for, or an understanding of, the kneejerk reference to critics of the government as “haters” by those who were themselves... Read More

bring back our girls, Chibok girls, civic education, critics, Garba Shehu, nigeria, partisanship, Politics, president buhari, sycophants

Mark Amaza: The rise of unconventional brand endorsers

As far back as the 1960s, brand endorsements have become a part of modern advertising where brands aim to leverage on the power and popularity of celebrities by paying them to endorse and promote the brands. Nigeria has not been an exception to this phenomenon, which especially peaked as telecommunications companies with their huge advertising... Read More

brand ambassadors, brand endorsements, debola williams, Funmi Iyanda, Globacom, omojuwa

Moses Ochonu: Bring back corruption – A critique of neoliberal anti-corruption rhetoric

Nigeria is gripped by the familiar anxieties of an economy in distress. This escalating crisis has demystified a president once thought capable of astute, if not magical, economic management. In their desperation for respite, many Nigerians are now paradoxically yearning for the corruption that they and their leaders blame for their economic woes. But theirs... Read More

corruption, Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerian Economy, president buhari, recession