Unongu Shares Mind

The Popular Will By Nasir El-Rufai Any discerning reader that is familiar with this column will have by now been able to see a common thread that runs through this column in the past 30 weeks or so. This week’s column must of necessity be on a subject of popular will with respect to the political turmoil with which the country is currently bedeviled. Let me first commend and salute the people of Nigeria – young, old, middle aged, labour, civil society, employed, unemployed, market women, and youths for summoning the courage to do that which is perhaps unprecedented in the struggle to make Nigeria better and greater during our lifetime. It was only a few weeks ago that President Jonathan dared Nigerians by publicly boasting that he was ready to confront mass revolt rather than defer the removal of subsidy on petrol. It is self evident that no well meaning government would affront us all that way when the foundation for the legitimacy for governance derives from the people. It was Geo...

AN OPEN LETTER TO NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA I would have wanted to also address in this letter, Mrs. Diezani Allison Maduekwe and Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, but, since Nigerians don’t really know who you people are, except that Mrs. DAM was one of the top-staff in Shell, and is the First Minister of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria at least according to her twitter page (@diezanimadueke). And for Dr. GEJ, the only thing we know about you is that you are the incumbent and “SERVING” President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Oh, and also, that you had no shoes. Apart from that, for the two of you, we really don’t know who you are, and we are yet to know what you stand for or against. We are still looking, so, we can’t talk much. As for Mrs NOI, and Mr. SLS, Nigerians don’t really know who you are anymore. Who are you people really? And are you truly for us or against us? Are you black or white? Please let us know. In this letter we will only address Mrs. NOI. Ma, on the 7th of Februar...

BISHOP MATTHEW HASSAN KUKAH’S THOUGHTS ON THE STATE OF THE NATION. Excerpts: The posture of the Federal Government of Nigeria in refusing to engage the populace with regard to the fuel subsidy issue is unacceptable, because the citizens must have a say in how they are governed in every democracy. Dividends of democracy cannot only be measured by the number of infrastructure a particular administration is able to give to its citizens but by the level of fundamental rights of the citizens. Democracy is not about infrastructure. If is measured by infrastructure then South Africa should have continued under apartheid because, most of the infrastructure in South Africa was put in place by the apartheid regime in that country. So also is Germany, if democracy were about infrastructure, the Germans should apologize to Adolf Hitler because Hitler developed Germany. Good governance goes beyond infrastructure, any system of government that denies its citizens a say is courting trouble for the...

It can be reliably reported that the National Merit Awards Committee has compiled a list of 364 recipients for the 2011 National Merit Award. Top on the list is Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Business Mogul par Excellence and foremost richest man in Africa. Dangote is to be honoured with the title of Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON). The recipients included 41 persons for the award of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR); 66 persons for the award of the Commander of the Niger (CON) and 80 persons for the award of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR). There are 102 recipients of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON); 68 recipients for the Member of the Federal Republic (MFR); 27 recipients of the Member of the Niger (MON) and 4 others in the remaining categories. Other notable Nigerians on the list for MFR, MON, and OON awards are: 1.         Lt. Gen. S. Ibrahim, former Chief of Army Staff (CON) 2.  ...