The Edo Governor, Monday Okpebholo, and the Myth of English as Intelligence
When Nigeria gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1960, it inherited more than administrative structures and territorial boundaries. It inherited a psychological framework that quietly positioned English as the language of power, intelligence, and legitimacy. Over decades, fluency in English, especially polished, British-inflected English, became a social currency. It evolved from a communication tool […]
Reimagining Nigeria’s Traditional Rulers as Guardians of the People
Traditional rulers in Nigeria occupy a paradoxical yet powerful space. They wield no formal constitutional authority, yet they command deep, almost instinctive reverence across communities. This enduring bond between ruler and people remains one of the most resilient features of Nigerian society. These figures are more than ceremonial relics of a pre-colonial past. They are […]
Nigeria’s Leadership Vacuum: Who Will Bell the Cat?
On October 1, 1960, as the British flag descended and Nigeria’s green-white-green ascended, hope was not abstract; it was electric. Leaders like Nnamdi Azikiwe and Tafawa Balewa stood at the threshold of a new republic, convinced that Africa’s most populous nation would become a beacon of democratic possibility and economic power. More than six decades […]
Nigeria at the Brink: Insecurity, Power, and the Crisis of Leadership
Nigeria stands at a perilous crossroads. Once celebrated as the “giant of Africa,” the country is today defined by insecurity, weakened institutions, and a deepening rupture between the state and its citizens. Across regions and social classes, fear has become a daily companion, fear of kidnapping, of violent extremism, of arbitrary arrest, and of a […]
GABON MILITARY COUP: HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW
Military personnel who took control in Gabon in a coup on Wednesday appointed Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema as the country’s interim leader. His troops had previously triumphantly paraded Gen. Nguema through the streets of Libreville. Ali Bongo, the ousted president, appeared in a video at his residence, urging his “friends all over the world” to […]