Tackling light arms proliferation
The proliferation of small arms and light weapons across Nigeria is not a distant threat; it is an immediate, corrosive reality that bleeds communities dry of security, livelihood and hope. Pistols, assault rifles and improvised firearms have become the currency of violence, multiplying the lethality of banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes and organised crime. Where once […]
Tinubu’s N10 billion Ebola fund
President Bola Tinubu’s approval of N10 billion as emergency intervention funding to pre-empt a regional surge of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a welcome and necessary step for national health security. Announcing the package alongside the creation of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness signals that the administration understands the need […]
Diminishing impetus of June 12
Today, Friday 12th of June 2026, marks the 33rd anniversary of the historic “June 12” phenomenon of Nigerian democracy. On that day in 1993, Nigerians elected a new president under General Ibrahim Babangida’s decreed two-party system. The parties on the presidential ballot were the Social Democratic Party (SDP), with Chief Moshood Abiola as the candidate, […]
2026 World Cup without Nigeria
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off today, Thursday, 11th June, 2026, marking football’s grandest stage. This historic tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, features 48 teams spread across 12 groups labeled A through L, with 16 host cities staging 104 matches. The opening match kicks off at Estadio Azteca in Mexico […]
Protecting our markets from fire outbreaks
The recent fire that razed approximately 15 shops at Akpan Andem Market in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, is a heart-wrenching reminder of the precarious existence of Nigerian market traders. The tragedy is particularly poignant because it was preventable. The fire truck meant to contain the blaze had no diesel, leaving traders to watch helplessly as […]
Need to reform internal party democracy
With the conclusion of party primaries ahead of the forthcoming elections, Nigeria’s political conversation has predictably centred on winners and losers, defections, grievances and celebrations. But beyond the immediate theatre of contests lies a deeper question: are our political parties becoming democratic institutions or do they remain vehicles for powerful individuals and vested interests? The […]
