To put this piece in its proper context, it is best we begin from the first constitutional conference which held in Lancaster House in London in 1953. Leaders from the three regions, namely Eastern, Northern and Western Nigeria had gone to London to discuss Nigeria’s Independence from Britain. While delegates from Eastern and Western Regions demanded for Independence immediately, leaders of the Northern Region asked…
How might Sir Ahmadu Bello’s reaction to news of the discovery of oil in Eastern Nigeria challenge us today?
Today’s post is in two instalments. The next post, with an adjusted title, comes up tomorrow morning. My neighbour preferred Opportunity Mentality versus Threat Mentality as the title for this post. I kind of liked the ring to it but I told him I preferred something that cut to the chase, something that provided some good peep to the subject at hand. Both of us…
Entrepreneurship as Farming
Delivered at Young Widows Empowerment Entrepreneurship Forum, YOWEEF Dover Hotel, Plot 10, Road 16, Olubunmi Owa Street Lekki Phase 1 Lagos Friday 23 August 2019 Opening I would like to thank Madam Diane and the rest of the management of Wicare Lekota Foundation for giving me this opportunity to make a little contribution to the various attempts being made at empowering Young Widows. I commend…
Sanusi Dantata, his son Usman Dantata, and the bit Luther Vandross left out in Dance with my Father
What is more beautiful than a father converting a rebuke to a direct affirmation of his love for his son, in the same breath? What is more beautiful than a son returning the gesture with all the honour he can muster? Does any other moment top this exchange between father and son? Especially from the son’s perspective when he plays back the encounter while lying…
How did they get Lawrence Fishburne when he believed he did not leave any footprints that could be traced?
Short answer: He was suffering from the delusion of presumption Long answer: (In his role as the Bowery king in the third instalment of the John Wick movie), Lawrence Fishburne got carried away by his own inventions. Hear him: “Welcome to my mission control, brain stem of my operation. The information superflyway, from whence I control the word on the street, the way of the…
Those who are too old to have husbands
My neighbour likes to probe complex matters, and he sees me as a sounding board for many of his ideas. Sometimes I wish he would just leave some subjects alone because of how I feel after he has dumped them on me. “How are we going to help those who are too old to have husbands?” he asked me recently. “Did they tell you they…
What two rivals today should spontaneously share a kiss like Idi Amin Dada and Julius Nyerere did in the 70s?
There are many who would say that the incident had little bearing on the eventual beginning of war between Uganda and Tanzania in 1978, a war which led to the ouster of Idi Amin Dada from being Head of State of Uganda. My preliminary interest in the incident derives from what factors made Idi Amin do what he did, and how those factors could have…
Gamalie Onosode, Sam Okudu and Ignatius Olisemeka did not give their 1956 notes to Sowore
It is not because the first three distinguished gentlemen and statesmen were not mates with Omoyele Sowore. Of course they were not mates at all, at all. And it is not because they attended Nigeria’s first University, University of Ibadan while Sowore attended the University of Lagos. The first three greats lived in a different generation from Sowore yet my neighbour insists there is something…
Prime Minister Balewa enjoyed the services of agent 00W. It’s what gave him his depth
Those who do not know that agent 007 is considering the call to step aside for agent 00W should read the earlier post here. Meanwhile, my neighbour, arguably the biggest fan of former Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, I know, has always suspected that Balewa enjoyed the services of agent 00W but he never had proof until yesterday. So naturally he came to share his proof…
Who Col Mohammed Shuwa Epp
The title of today’s post is not a question, as many who are familiar with how the expression is used down town know. For those who are not familiar with the slang, ‘Who you epp,’ it is often cast as a question. It is a protest expression that was added to the popular street lingo many months ago. Not impressed by the usual display of…