Point One

Anyone who knows jack about political timing knew the proposed removal of subsidy on premium motor spirit this 2022 was a profoundly bad idea. This is an electioneering year in Nigeria preceding the 2023 general election when all intelligent political players should be out to endear – indeed, ingratiate – themselves to the electorate with a mind to secure support in the forthcoming poll. Governance, even by global best practice, makes room for this factor and Nigeria can’t be an exception. You may want to argue that good governance ought to entail measures stemming from hard-headed reasoning with facts and figures, not political expedience; but it is hard reasoning being expedient by not acting on dubious facts and figures to effect measures that draw blood in an election year. And so, it was a matter of expedience, but by no means for lack of hard reasoning that the Muhammadu Buhari administration pulled the breaks on its plan to unleash the price of petrol on Nigerians this year. Gov...

 They say you know a friend when he stands with you through thick and thin, not when he cherry-picks with largesse that holds you in thrall for whatever the motive may be. True, relations between countries are anchored fundamentally on respective self-interest, but there are causes that should inspire alliances and unite objectives at crucial moments – for collective wellbeing, if not in express support for peculiar interest of the other party. Russia and China lately failed this test and betrayed duplicity in their ties with Africa. Not that Russia ever showed much interest in the continent, but China has been a benefactor of sorts: it built the African Union (AU) headquarter complex in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as a gift and is a major lender at concessional rather than commercial rates to many countries, Nigeria inclusive. But it is doubtful it looks out for the continent / countries beyond the gifts and loans that many suspect are for neo-colonial purposes. China and Russia on Tues...

 If you like to see the fascinating power of a determined people in the face of martial tyranny, Sudan is one place to look. The country of some 43million people in northeast Africa has repeatedly proven the tidal force there is in an unarmed revolution. Over recent years, that force has seen an autocrat ruler kicked out of power, a compromise prime minister sent packing and a bullish military institution pitched in uneasy hegemony. Despite many being killed by a repressive military, the doggedness of Sudanese protesters is unwavering.   Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned early last week – the latest casualty of a relentless pro-democracy crusade by the Sudanese populace. Hamdok had been the face of a deal of convenience by the Sudanese military, who are in de facto rulership of the country while pretending to have left a government of civilians in charge. Democracy-loving citizens of Sudan knew the civilian government which had Hamdok as premier was a figurehead, and...

 It’s the dawn of a new year, 2022, and it is by divine mercy we are here. Neither the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic nor domestic challenges of insecurity and other sorts have kept us from coming this far, and whatever it is you believe in shouldn’t hinder you from recognising it is providential grace we’ve benefitted from. So, here’s to say: congratulations and wishes of a bountiful new year ahead. But with the 2023 general elections barely 12 months away, we must also face up to the fact that we are into an electioneering year that promises all the rough and tumble associated with such a period. Welcome, therefore, to a giddy season. The just expired year closed with President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to sign into law the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 that was passed by the National Assembly and forwarded for presidential assent on 19th November. And that denial of presidential assent stalled hopes of drastic reforms expected to further strengthen Nigeria’s electoral system...