On one hand, it is difficult to bash the Nigerian Armed Forces. They have been, to put it mildly, undercut in recent times by political calculations. They have often been thin on resources, especially when elections are on the horizon. The case against Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) by the federal government hasn’t progressed quickly enough... Read More

Opinion

Alexander Onukwue, Buratai, Nigerian Army

October 15, 2018

0 Comment

With Peter Obi involved, 2019 has effectively become a two-horse race

While he was Governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi says he once gave up his apartment for President Olusegun Obasanjo to spend two nights during a state visit. He had refused to build a Presidential Lodge in Awka at a cost of N1 billion and considerable millions for subsequent monthly maintenance. Going on to spend... Read More

Citizenship, Editor's Pick, Featured

Alexander Onukwue

August 28, 2018

0 Comment

Complicity or negligence: How will Nigeria respond to its silent drug epidemic?

We will never be sure why the suspect arrested by the Police in Ondo on August 5 took that much tramadol to induce a nine-day spate of sleep, or indeed if it was tramadol that induced the overdose that eventually took his life. There has been no post mortem confirming the dose of the substance... Read More

SARS reform has begun, but are there any real plans to ensure police accountability?

SARS will… attend to armed robbery, kidnapping, apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more. That summarizes the directive issued by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday to the leadership of the Nigeria Police on the necessity of reforming its Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit that has become synonymous with everything... Read More

Citizenship, Editor's Pick, Featured

Abayomi Shogunle, Alexander Onukwue, FSARS, SARS

July 21, 2018

0 Comment

Nigeria Air: An outlet for elite interests or an attempt to restore National pride?

Should the Super Eagles become world champions at their next outing in the global games, the team’s captain could be stepping out of an airplane bearing the mark of an eagle on its tail. The young French team did with Air France, so, yes we can. Is that what the now unveiled national carrier, Nigeria... Read More

Featured, Thinking Through

Alexander Onukwue, editorial, Nigeria Air

June 4, 2018

0 Comment

Not Too Young To Run: We finally have our victory, but it is too soon to celebrate

One long battle has been won in a sweet thrilling fashion. The assent to the constitutional amendments contained in the Not Too Young To Run bill by President Muhammadu Buhari last Thursday was the making of history, no doubt. For the first time, Nigerians within a certain age bracket who were previously excluded from seeking... Read More

Citizenship

Alexander Onukwue, not too young to run

May 24, 2018

0 Comment

Nationwide Catholic protests signal how far we’ve fallen as a country

There cannot be a guarantee that evil will not be perpetuated in the world, but we can always determine our response when it happens. For members of the Catholic Church in Nigeria, the April 24 killing of two priests and seventeen parishioners during morning Mass by suspected herdsmen was the egregious manifestation of evil that... Read More

Citizenship

Alexander Onukwue, catholic, killings

May 8, 2018

0 Comment

How did Sani become the voice of reason in El-Rufai’s Kaduna?

By referring to the three Senators from Kaduna state as “useless opportunists” and calling for their heads and beard to be shaved, Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was dishing one of those courses from his no-nonsense menu of political rhetoric. Depending on whom you speak with, El-Rufai is arrogant and super smart, vindictive and revolutionary,... Read More

Citizenship

Alexander Onukwue, el rufai, Shehu Sani

May 3, 2018

0 Comment

Opinion: The snare of a ‘Codeine Diet’

Saturdays in boarding school were the best days. The hours after Inspection were literally the freest and happiest moments of school life. If you had done your laundry the day before, you could play all you want within the hostel quadrangle, on the basketball court, hockey pitch or any little space that could contain a... Read More

Opinion

Alexander Onukwue, Codeine, Codeine diet

April 10, 2018

0 Comment

Opinion: City of soot, are you darkening just for me?

Every morning, for the better part of the past 20 months, the clouds take their time to make way for a bright sun shine day. You would think the day was about to be blessed by early precipitation or that the night was cold and misty, giving off some dew. That would have meant... Read More

Opinion

Alexander Onukwue, Port Harcourt, Soot

March 18, 2018

0 Comment

Opinion: Stephen Hawking – Mind the Mind

I set my Whatsapp status, on Wednesday, to a screenshot of a tweet showing the coincidence of the birth and death dates of scientific geniuses Galileo Galilei, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. A contact’s comment on the photo was “Never knew him” referring to Hawking whose death had been announced early that morning. Given I... Read More

Opinion

Alexander Onukwue, Stephen Hawking, Tribute

January 18, 2018

0 Comment

Opinion: Mr. President, these Fulani killers are not our ‘countrymen’

No one in his right mind could defend the atrocious killings in Benue as justified and still claim to be Nigerian. Such persons, whether they are from the North or South, do not belong to the same society of freedom, peace and unity which the majority of the 180 million persons within these boundaries subscribe... Read More

Nigerian Voices, Opinion

Alexander Onukwue, opinion, The News Blog

December 30, 2017

0 Comment

Fuel Scarcity: The federal government has quietly reintroduced subsidies, what does this mean for the economy?

Have the queues spurred by fuel scarcity around the country disappeared? If the answer is yes, it is likely for two reasons. One, that many persons have given up hope of getting the product after the peak days of travelling for Christmas events have passed. The second reason would be that the Government has waded... Read More

Featured, Thinking Through

Alexander Onukwue, Buhari, fuel subsidy, Refineries, Thinking Through