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Nigeria's Schism DIALOGUE WITH NIGERIA BY AKIN OSUNTOKUN  F ormer military head of state and elder statesman, General Yakubu Gowon, cuts a quixotic figure of history and complicates the taxonomy of the 1966-70 era of Nigeria’s history. If you have not heard of taxonomy before, you are not alone-you are, in fact, in the majority. ‘Taxonomy is one of those words that most people never hear or use. Basically, a taxonomy is a way to group things together’ and a less specific but more familiar synonym would be classification. So what was the taxonomy of this most problematic era? Originally the taxonomy was the Eastern region versus the Northern region and then it widened to become the Northern region (plus Western region) versus the Eastern region. There was also the overlapping classification of the Army hawks of both Eastern and Northern regions versus one another. The former was headed by the late Ikemba Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, while the latter was...

The Lessons Beyond the Tears The Verdict By Olusegun Adeniyi;olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com "Something interesting happened on my way to Oshodi this morning. At the motor park, this rough mean-looking conductor was screaming for passengers, his vernacular oscillating between Yoruba and Pidgin English. “Oshodi! Oshodi!” he shouted angrily as I, along with some other passengers, struggled for seats. There was this beautiful young lady who couldn’t throw caution and decorum to the wind but waited patiently until the bus was almost filled. Then she pleaded to sit by the conductor until somebody came down, when she would have a proper seat. "The bus conductor didn’t even look at her pretty face; he hissed and shouted at the driver to move, while asking the girl why she didn’t rush like the other passengers. The girl started pleading in Yoruba interspersed with English before saying, “I know you are a good man, never mind the fact that you have been sh...

Ready or Not INEC, the Election Season is Upon Us Legal Eagle By May Agbamuch-Mbu, Email: may.mbu@thisdaylive.com On 8 June 2010 Professor Attahiru Jega was nominated by President Goodluck Jonathan as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). One must add that he took to the job like a duck to water, having previously  been a member of the Justice Uwais led Electoral Reform Committee between August 2007 and  December 2008.The Commission which he heads was inaugurated on 30 June 2010 and had very little time to prepare for the April 2011 elections. In the following 4 years Prof. Jega embarked on a comprehensive reformation of the electoral system. On reviewing the existing guidelines, new procedures for the conduct of elections were introduced, as were Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and the updating of INEC’s register, among many other reforms. Prof. Jega has rec...

A NOTE OF CAUTION TO APC 15 Nov 2014 PENDULUM BY DELE MOMODU, Email: dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com Fellow Nigerians, let me state my interest in APC very clearly and urgently in order to clear any lingering ambiguity on the matter. I’m not a card carrying member of APC and have no intention of being one in the near future. I remain a member of the National Conscience Party despite the fact that we are undoubtedly one of the tiniest political parties in Nigeria today. I’m of the view that the crisis in Nigeria transcends what political parties alone can tackle and handle with requisite proficiency and competence. All hands must therefore come on deck to save this sinking ship before our nation is buried alive by gamblers and vampires. We must speedily correct the terrible impression that Nigeria is the exclusive preserve of politicians and political parties. There is ample evidence that only about 15 to 20 percent of our voting population actually ...

Slump in Oil Prices: A Progressive Way Out Guest columnist Bola Ahmed Tinubu A wash in the great tide of politics, we must not forget why politics can be a noble endeavour.  It leads to governance. When done correctly, governance can reform a nation and improve the lot of the people. In the hands of the ignorant and the mean, governance cast abundant misfortune upon a nation and upon the welfare of its citizens. This commentary concerns governance and policy more than it does politics. I offer it to generate debate on an important economic issue. No matter who is in power, we must do whatever is in our capacity to steer the nation away from economic woe. The people have suffered too much hardship already. Neither side of the political divide should seek to purchase transient advantage at the high price of dousing the people in greater economic calamity. Thus, I suggest this progressive’s position on how best to shape economic policy during t...

Toying With the Fire of Religion c.Don Adinuba                                               guest columnist While retiring as the Chief of Army Staff in 1979, Lt Gen Theophilus Danjuma expressed profound fears about Nigeria’s future. “I am not aware of any nation”, the Daily Times reported him as saying, “which has survived both a civil war and a religious war”. Religious bigotry and manipulation had by this time not become an issue in Nigeria. That was why Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a devout Muslim, who was to become Nigeria’s first executive president on October 1, 1979, appointed only Christians to head the military and the police force.  Lt Gen Gibson Jallo was made the Chief of Army Staff, Admiral Akin Aduwo the Chief of Naval Staff, Air Marshall Dominic Bello the Chief of Air Staff and Mr. Sunday ...