In the world of writing, one of the most paralyzing traps is the idea that you must first be “right” before you begin. That everything must be perfect, the facts, the grammar, the tone, the message, even the mood, before you dare to touch the keyboard or pick up the pen. But here is the uncomfortable truth: if you are waiting to be right, you can’t write.

This is not just a clever turn of phrase. It is a hard lesson every writer or aspiring writers must confront. Whether you are a journalist trying to pen an opinion or a feature article, a novelist crafting fiction, or a student struggling with an essay, waiting to be “right” often becomes a lifelong excuse. It is the excuse that kills more ideas than criticism ever could.

The need to be right is a subtle form of perfectionism, and perfectionism is procrastination in a tuxedo. It dresses itself up as noble, but in reality, it is fear masquerading as caution. Without a doubt, the understanding of the foregoing rule of writing might had compelled Louis L’Amour to quotably say, “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

If you want to become a writer and an expert of whatever genre of writing, you must always have it at the back of your mind that writing is a Journey, an art that does not require to be done hastily or without much thought. To aptly put it, it is not a dash off.

As you travel along, improvement comes. For the sake of clarity, this writer started writing for the media almost two decades ago by frequently writing on “Letter To The Editor” Columns of various newspapers in those days, though most contemporary newspapers are devoid of such column, but choosing to be writing short opinion articles to contemporary publishers of both online and offline media platforms is also a good way to master the art of writing.

You do not have to be right to begin writing. You just have to be willing. Willing to explore. Willing to be honest. Willing to be wrong, and to grow from that process. The greatest writers did not arrive at their wisdom before they wrote. They discovered it as they wrote.

The blank page does not ask for perfection. It asks for presence. You do not climb a mountain by waiting at the base until you are sure you will not slip. You climb by taking the first step. So too with writing. When you continue to wait for your tenses to be grammatically accurate, then the fear of being wrong becomes a cage, and you would end up not writing.

Let us face it, many writers do not write because they are afraid of being called out. They fear criticism, judgment, misinterpretation, or even cancellation. So they wait. And wait. And wait. Until the passion fades and the ideas die quietly in the back of their minds.

But the truth is this: you will never be 100% right. Someone will always disagree. Someone will always misread. And yes, sometimes, you will get it wrong. But writing is not a final verdict, it is a contribution to an ongoing conversation.

You do not have to have the last word. Just the next one. This is as the act of writing is well accomplished by rewriting.  Here is a truth every seasoned writer understands: the first draft is never the final answer. The first draft is messy. It is flawed. It is clumsy and incomplete, and that is exactly what it is supposed to be.

If you are waiting for the perfect sentence before you write the first one, you will be waiting forever. Some of the most profound essays, op-eds, and even books began with weak openings and uncertain ideas. But once on paper, they were shaped, refined, revised, and transformed. This is because you cannot fix what does not exist. So write the wrong words first, so you can write the right ones later.

In fact, writing is not about certainty. It is about clarity.  Good writing is not a product of certainty. It is the pursuit of clarity. And clarity comes through the act of writing, not before it.

Some of the best articles I have ever written started with confusion. I was not sure what I thought. I did not have a final opinion. But as I wrote, I began to see more clearly. The words became a mirror to my own mind. The fog lifted, not because I waited for it to clear, but because I walked into it.

If you are a writer, especially a journalist or commentator in Nigeria, you must realize this: you do not need to be the moral compass of the world before you speak. You do not need to hold a Ph.D. in everything. What you need is honesty, empathy, and the courage to speak, even if your voice trembles.

In fact, let us in this context address a core dilemma many writers face: how do you tell the truth without sounding harsh? How do you balance honesty with humanity? The answer is not to dilute the truth, but to frame it with care. Truth delivered with arrogance alienates; truth delivered with empathy resonates.

You can write critically about government failure, societal ills, or personal struggles, without stripping people of their dignity. A good writer is not a judge in a courtroom. He or she is a guide through complexity, and need to be sharp with ideas, but soft with people.

Writing as a Healing Tool. It is not only about reporting, persuading, or entertaining. It is also deeply healing. When you pour your fears, regrets, doubts, and hopes onto the page, something magical happens, you unburden yourself. You process pain. You find language for what once felt unspeakable.

In a country like Nigeria, where many suffer in silence, where therapy is often stigmatized or inaccessible, writing can be medicine. A private journal. A blog post. Even a social media caption. Writing allows you to name your experience, and naming it is the first step toward reclaiming power over it. Don’t wait to be “okay” before you write. Write to *become* okay.

At this juncture, it is expedient to highlight the exercises that break the fear of perfection. For writers battling perfectionism, the kind that keeps you stuck in your head, there are proven exercises to unlock the flow, and they cut across freewriting, morning pages, shitty first draft and writing prompts. For the sake of clarification, freewriting entails setting a timer for10 minutes and write whatever comes to mind. No editing. No judgment. Just pure thought, morning pages, inspired by Julia Cameron, is the practice which involves writing three longhand pages first thing in the morning. It clears the clutter and kick starts creativity. Shitty First Drafts is the art of embracing the idea that your first draft will be terrible. That is okay. It is a starting point, not a statement of your ability. Writing Prompts, on its own, uses prompts to bypass mental blocks. Start with “I feel stuck because…” or “The last time I wrote freely was when…” These tools break the chains of needing to be right before you begin.

Again, as a writer you should stop performing. Instead, start connecting. Too often, writers write to impress, not to connect. Every sentence is calculated for applause, not authenticity. But writing that performs is rarely writing that transforms. Readers do not need your polish. They need your “presence”. They need your truth, not your posture. Let go of the need to be praised or perfect. Just be real.

Your words do not have to be clever. They have to be clear. They do not have to be flawless. They have to be felt.

The Nigerian writer, journalist, or poet waiting for the perfect moment to speak will find himself left behind. The conversation is already happening. The story is unfolding. The people are listening.

You do not need to have it all figured out. You do not need to be validated by institutions. You do not need to be “right.” You just need to write. So stop waiting. The blank page does not need your perfection. It needs your participation. Because if you are waiting to be right, you can’t write.

For decades, the Islamic Republic of Iran has pursued a destructive agenda across the Middle East, fueling conflicts, arming terrorist proxies, and threatening the annihilation of Israel. Yet, despite its aggressive posturing, Iran is fighting a war it can never win—not just militarily, but economically, diplomatically, and ideologically. Israel, on the other hand, has consistently acted in self-defense, employing precision strikes and intelligence operations to neutralize threats before they materialize into large-scale attacks.

Rather than being condemned, Israel’s actions should be applauded. The Jewish state operates with restraint, targeting only military assets and terrorist leaders while minimizing civilian casualties—a stark contrast to Iran’s indiscriminate rocket attacks and proxy warfare. Empirical evidence demonstrates that Israel’s defensive measures have saved countless lives, preserved regional stability, and exposed the futility of Iran’s expansionist ambitions.

Iran’s economy is in shambles, with inflation exceeding 40% in 2023 according to the IMF. U.S. sanctions have slashed oil exports—once Iran’s lifeline—by over 80%. The rial has lost more than 90% of its value since 2018, triggering mass protests. Despite this, Tehran squanders billions on proxies like Hezbollah—estimated at $700 million annually by the U.S. Treasury—rather than investing in its own people.

Diplomatically, Iran remains isolated. Despite attempts to court China and Russia, it is still a pariah state. The Abraham Accords normalized relations between Israel and key Arab nations, undermining Tehran’s influence. Even Iraq, once an Iranian satellite, has moved to expel pro-Iran militias after repeated attacks on U.S. forces.

Israel employs precision over carnage, using advanced intelligence—including Mossad and cyber operations—to surgically eliminate threats. The 2020 assassination of Qasem Soleimani, carried out by the U.S. with Israeli intelligence support, removed a key architect of Iran’s terror network. Compare this to Hamas and Hezbollah, which deliberately target civilians, embed weapons in schools, and use human shields—a blatant war crime.

Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system boasts a 90% interception rate, saving thousands of lives from Iranian-backed rocket barrages. During the 2021 conflict, Hamas fired 4,400 rockets at Israeli cities; without the Iron Dome, the death toll would have been catastrophic.

Moreover, Israel has consistently avoided unnecessary escalation. Even after Iran’s direct missile strike in April 2024, Israel responded proportionally to prevent all-out war.

Iran’s genocidal intentions are well-documented. Supreme Leader Khamenei has repeatedly called for Israel’s destruction. The October 7, 2023, massacre by Hamas—which killed 1,200 Israelis, including cases of rape and child mutilation—was a direct result of Iranian incitement. No nation would tolerate such existential threats, and Israel’s preemptive actions are fully justified under international law, specifically Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Iran’s military strength is largely a myth. Its April 2024 attack on Israel saw 99% of its missiles intercepted. Its nuclear program, though alarming, has faced repeated sabotage, from the Stuxnet cyberattack to the assassinations of key scientists. Israel, by contrast, possesses unmatched regional military power, including a nuclear triad and cutting-edge cyber capabilities, backed by unwavering U.S. support.

Far from destabilizing the region, Israel’s strikes on Iranian proxies prevent wider conflicts. If Hezbollah had retained Soleimani’s vast arsenal, Lebanon would be an even greater warzone.

The world often condemns Israel for acting in self-defense while turning a blind eye to Iran’s atrocities. This is not just hypocritical—it’s dangerous. Iran’s regime thrives on weakness; only firm deterrence can curb its aggression.

Israel’s actions—whether eliminating terrorist leaders, intercepting missiles, or degrading Iran’s proxy networks—have saved lives and maintained a fragile regional balance. Instead of condemnation, the international community should recognize Israel as the bulwark against Iranian chaos.

The choice is clear: Stand with the nation that values life and defends its people, or enable a regime that sows death and can never win. The answer should be obvious.

Jeff Okoroafor is a social accountability advocate and a political commentator focused on governance, accountability, and social justice in West Africa.

Ilorin’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Sulyman Faruq Onikijipa, has revealed that the late Sheikh Isiaka Sulaiman Ajimati, elder brother to the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, once told him he had prayed earnestly for his brother’s rise in national affairs.

Speaking during the fidau prayer at the Sulaiman family house in Oke-Leru, Ilorin, Sheikh Onikijipa, said the late cleric wished his younger brother would attain greatness, including becoming a governor.

Ajimati, who died on June 11, was a respected Islamic scholar known across Cotonou, Abidjan, Lagos, and Ilorin.

A 1987 graduate of Markaz, Agege, he spent decades in Islamic propagation.

“Sheikh Al-Bayan,” as he was fondly called, was deeply spiritual and selfless, the Grand Mufti said, recalling a moment from 1983 when the late cleric confided in him during a prayer session about his dreams for his brother’s future.

“He told me as far back as 1983 that his wish for his brother, who is an academic, was for him to attain a high status in life, including becoming a governor. That prayer was a testament to his love and vision,” Sheikh Onikijipa said, urging the bereaved to stay patient and reflect on the transient nature of life.

He advised Professor Sulaiman to take solace in the will of Allah, assuring him that divine comfort would follow.

Grand Mukadam of Ilorin, Sheikh Sulyman Abubakar Sooro (Dan Borno), also urged the NILDS DG to uphold family unity and continue his legacy of kindness.

The fidau, led by Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Bashir Saliu, drew dignitaries including Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by his adviser, Alhaji Saad Salahudeen.

Others included former NNPCL board member, Dr Ghali Alaya, Grand Khadi of Kwara, Justice Abdulateef Kamaldeen, ex-Grand Khadi Justice Saliu Mohammed, Lagos lawmaker Hon Lukman Olumo, a visiting Minister from Cotonou, Alhaji Sefiyullah, and former state officials.

The list also include former Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Hajia Ayinke Saka; former Chief Press Secretary to a former governor, Alhaji Mas’ud Adebimpe; and former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Bukola Saraki, Alhaji Usman Bibire Ajape among others.

Officials from NILDS and community leaders also attended the solemn gathering.

The Nigerian government has launched the official digital portal for the forthcoming Nigeria Youth Conference, also known as the National Youth Confab.

The government had said that the Youth Confab is aimed at engaging young Nigerians in policy discussions and national development.

The launching was announced on Monday by Minister of Youth Development, Ayode Olawande.

Olawande said the Confab will be inclusive, non-partisan and youth-led.

According to the minister, the theme of the Confab is “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future”.

He said the portal would enable delegates to register, contribute and get real-time updates throughout the time of the Confab.

Olawande said the initiative is “more than just a conference,” describing it as “a generational turning point, a national movement, and a call to action”.

DAILY POST recalls that President Bola Tinubu first announced the planned 30-day Youth Confab during his Independence Day broadcast in October 2024.

Tinubu also officially inaugurated a 44-member Planning Committee for the National Youth Conference at the State House in Abuja in March this year.

[DailyPost]

U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a major expansion of his administration’s travel ban to include Nigeria and citizens from 35 additional countries.

According to a report by The Washington Post, the proposed list was outlined in a State Department memo and would significantly broaden the scope of restrictions introduced earlier this month.

Of the 36 countries identified, 25 are in Africa, underscoring the potential impact on the continent.

The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, gives the affected governments a 60-day ultimatum to comply with newly established security and information-sharing benchmarks set by the U.S. State Department.

It also mandates that each country submit an initial action plan by 8 a.m. on Wednesday, outlining steps they will take to meet these requirements.

The document cited concerns over the inability of some countries to issue reliable identity or civil documents, often due to weak central governments or systemic fraud. It also flagged others for having a high number of nationals who overstay their U.S. visas.

Here are 36 countries facing a potential US visa ban:

1. Angola

2. Antigua and Barbuda

3. Benin

4. Bhutan

5. Burkina Faso

6. Cabo Verde

7. Cambodia

8. Cameroon

9. Democratic Republic of Congo

10. Djibouti

11. Dominica

12. Ethiopia

13. Egypt

14. Gabon

15. Gambia

16. Ghana

17. Ivory Coast

18. Kyrgyzstan

19. Liberia

20. Malawi

21. Mauritania

22. Niger

23. Nigeria

24. Saint Kitts and Nevis

25. Saint Lucia

26. Sao Tome and Principe

27. Senegal

28. South Sudan

29. Syria

30. Tanzania

31. Tonga

32. Tuvalu

33. Uganda

34. Vanuatu

35. Zambia

36. Zimbabwe

Amid worsening insecurity in Benue State, a former Senate President, David Mark, has raised the alarm over the continuous killings in the state, warning that residents may be left with no option but to defend themselves if the government fails in its constitutional duty to protect lives and property.

Mark disclosed this in a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Mumeh, on Sunday in Abuja, as he described the wave of attacks and killings across Benue communities as “senseless, tragic, and unacceptable.”

He cautioned that the deteriorating security situation has reached a tipping point, where citizens may soon resort to self-help to stay alive.

“This is the unfortunate reality the Benue people are confronted with. 

“Government must rise to its responsibility, or risk leaving the people with no option but to defend themselves,” Mark said.

The former Senate President lamented the sustained loss of lives and destruction of property in the state, reiterating that the foremost duty of any government is to ensure the safety and welfare of its citizens.

“Any deviation from this mandate constitutes a gross disservice to the people,” he added.

Senator Mark called on the federal government to urgently fulfil its constitutional obligation to safeguard the lives and property of all Nigerians, stressing that citizens should never be left at the mercy of armed attackers.

He also charged the Benue State government, under Governor Hyacinth Alia, to scale up efforts toward restoring peace and security across troubled communities.

In his appeal for grassroots collaboration, Mark urged traditional rulers, community leaders, and other stakeholders to remain vigilant and work closely with security agencies to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of the violence.

He expressed deep solidarity with the people of Benue, encouraging them to stand united in the face of adversity.

Mark said,”This is a trying moment for our people.

“We must unite, mobilise, and speak with one voice against the invaders. We must refuse to bow to fear.”

While acknowledging the pain and provocation that victims have endured, the elder statesman urged residents to remain law-abiding and not take the law into their hands, but rather continue to exhibit the values of resilience, peace, and communal support.

“Despite the ongoing provocations, we must remain law-abiding, stay united, and uphold the enduring spirit of being our brothers’ keeper,” Mark concluded.

[Punch]

“An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought” – Simon Cameron, c1860, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 190

Cameron, who was a politician, must be pulling everybody’s legs.

An honest politician is almost an oxymoron – a contradiction in terms. As far as I am concerned, Louis M Howe, 1871-1936, was right on the mark when he declared: “You cannot adopt politics as a profession and remain honest.”

Politics and honesty are like two parallel lines which never meet.

That was why, since my return to Nigeria from the US in 1974, I made a solemn vow never to get involved in politics.

No New Year resolutions have ever been required to keep to that pledge. Don’t get me wrong.

There are issues important to me; and politicians are judged by how they conduct their affairs in relation to those ideals. That is, irrespective of nation, time and the personalities involved.

 POWER AND POLITICIANS  

“There is no equality in the world of power…” – Albert Camus.

All politicians are obsessed with only one thing – POWER – and as much of it as they can acquire and wield without restraint.

Any restraint in the exercise of power is seldom voluntary because power respects only power.

That is why admonitions by religious leaders – Popes, Archbishops, Grand Khadi or Chief Imam etc – don’t work.

When forced to, political power-wielders listen politely to the men of God; but, step out to do just as they please.

That is, unless they feel that the religious leader can hurt them politically.

Then they take steps to manage them as best as they can.  

“Power and money, of course, do drive men crazy. So, why shouldn’t people gain power and wealth by being crazy?” – Saul Bellow.

The now open divorce between President Trump and Elon Musk is a conflict that was destined to occur – sooner or later.

In some ways, the two are obsessed with money and power; and they never hide their intention to dominate any group in which they find themselves.

There was a conversion of interests during the last US presidential campaigns.

Trump needed more money to win the election; Musk wanted more access to the White House. Modern day trade by barter took place. Musk forked out the money; Trump made him the second most powerful person in Washington.

That was the beginning of the problems.

Musk thought he had bought the presidency and was entitled to, at least equal rank. Trump, in all fairness, tried to placate his financier by allowing him unprecedented latitude about dressing when coming to White House briefings.

Everybody else came fully dressed in suits with appropriate ties and shoes.

Musk could stroll in late in jump suits; wearing sneakers and dragging one of his dozens of kids with him.

That sort of insult has never been known in the presidency since George Washington – the Father of the nation.

Trump endured the humiliation and still allowed Musk to operate as he bloody well pleased.

That was the beginning of the second problem.

Musk, as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, unleashed a series of demonic policies which quickly made the two unpopular in a short while; and Trump introduced tariffs – primarily aimed at China – which mostly helped to demolish Tesla in global markets and reduce Musk’s wealth by N100 billion. Suddenly, the handshake has become an arm wrestle.

Trump took dead aim at China with several policies without consulting his election bank-roller, who, along with other top tech US companies, had, for years, established supply chains originating in China, with goods delivered by ships made in China. No modern capitalist endures sudden disruptions to trade gladly.

Unintended consequences of Trump’s independent measures threaten the Musk organisation.

It was like being kicked in the prostate by the guy you paid to get elected.

Most people would have accepted their fate and perhaps plead for mercy from Trump. Not Musk; a man driven crazy by too much money.

Just in case you think that I am making up the charge about Musk being crazy, a recent report had this to say: “Elon Musk’s abnormal behaviour linked to hypomania, says Dr Drew Pinsky.”

To save you the trouble of looking up what hypomania is, let me summarise to the best of my ability.

Somebody afflicted goes to extremes in everything – including personal relationships.

They can hug you adoringly one minute; and stick a stiletto into your back the next without remorse.

To them everybody is a tool to be used to achieve their ambitions; and discarded, even crushed, when they no longer serve that purpose.

Loyalty, to them is one way. They demand it and give nothing in return.

Trump also suffers from hypomania.

So, when the two teamed up, bitter divorce was inevitable.

Since neither one of them forgives or forgets any perceived insult, the safest thing to assume is that life-long enmity has started – which would impact US politics in unpredictable but negative ways.

When Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900, said, “A man cannot be too careful in his choice of enemies”, he must have had a situation such as this in mind.

I feel sorry for America; God’s Own Country in the hands of men like these.

P.S. Just as this article was being finished, it was announced that riots involving self-driving taxis in Los Angeles have resulted in Musk taking a step back to protect his investment in that sector. Trump is not fooled. He knows Musk will never forgive him; and he will never forgive Musk. One might die before 2028…

ANOTHER MAJOR WAR IS INEVITABLE

“I am tired of war. Its glory is all moonshine…War is hell” – General Sherman, 1820-1891

I read more about wars than any other subject when compiling the VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, and, if the past is a guide to human behaviour, my instincts indicate that a major war is imminent involving China, Iran, North Korea, Russia and the USA.

Unfortunately, it might not be pre-meditated by any of the nations involved.

Technology, and the total reliance on them for communication systems, has taken a lot of decisions out of the hands of Presidents. Hackers, on all sides, are becoming more sophisticated and capable; to the extent that, one day, a rogue AI manipulator might gain access to a nuclear weapon delivery system and let loose a missile.

The target will be struck within minutes; and automatic response mechanisms will trigger counter-attack – before anybody knows what happened.  

To some extent, the five nations listed are already at war through the preparations being made and investments in arms of all sorts.

Only the shooting war remains. Non-state actors, hackers and AI manipulators might decide for mankind when the real conflict will start.

REMEMBER HOW WORLD WAR I STARTED

 “What experience and history teach us is that people and governments never learn anything from history or acted on the principles deduced from it” – George Hegel, 1770-1831.

World War I did not start with the strongest nations at the time declaring war on themselves.

It started with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist.

From that single act, a chain reaction developed which engulfed the entire world in the Great War, which incidentally got so many millions killed it was declared “the war to end all wars”.

Less than twenty years after, the world was involved in a more horrible war – World War II.

After, that war, Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, the genius whose work led to the development and dropping of nuclear weapons on Japan declared: “I know not the weapons with which World War III will be fought; but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones” (VBQ p266). Einstein known only as a mathematical genius was also astute enough to know that politicians will sooner or later resort to the use of nuclear weapons in conflict. But, even the great one did not foresee the possibility of deranged individuals unleashing absolute destruction on mankind. That possibility exists now; and World War III can start any time from now…  

THE NIGERIAN SCENE

“A politician is an ass on which everyone has sat, but a man” – E.E. Cummings: 1894-1962.

Politicians, to me, are generally terrible people.

There is nothing they cannot do.

I keep my distance from them as much as possible – for the sake of my own sanity.

In Nigeria, they have destroyed more than they have developed – irrespective of the political party to which they belong.

Consequently, only six politicians – three military and three civilians – have received passing marks from me in the 1974-2025 period.

My honourable list includes the following: General Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Audu Bako (Kano), Brigadier Sam Ogbemudia (Bendel), Chief Sam Mbakwe (Imo/Abia), Alhaji Lateef Jakande (Lagos) and Obong Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom).

For those six, I am prepared to argue with anyone till hell freezes over about their unique accomplishments.

They made mistakes, like all human beings, but their errors pale by comparison with their accomplishments.

The current frenzy of political activities, with everybody decamping to APC, reminds me of the remark by Horace Walpole.  

I mourn for Nigeria’s heroes of democracy, both the living and the dead. The recent honors bestowed by President Tinubu on them have left a bitter taste. Wole Soyinka, a literary giant, now shares the same honor as Godswill Akpabio, a symbol of political expediency. Frank Kokori’s posthumous recognition brings him alongside Nyesom Wike, a man whose democratic credentials are nebulous at best. The celebration of sacrifice with the very cheap tools used for political patronage is demeaning. Nigeria, it seems, has bastardized everything sacred. But since we have no pure garlands, why subject the  dead to our tainted and promiscuous ceremonies?

When Tinubu announced the awards, lawmakers rose to sing the international anthem of sycophancy. Beko Ransome-Kuti must have hissed in his grave. Pastor Tunde Bakare had baptized that song at Easter when he warned of the resurrection of dictatorship with the degeneration of the national assembly into a political sewage chamber. The parliament, once a bastion of democratic ideals, has become a stage for court jesters tumbling over themselves, vying to entertain  a pompous presidency.

To add insult to the  injury of the dead, Democracy Day was not celebrated at Eagle Square, a symbol of national unity, but within the walls of a parliament pledging perpetual allegiance to Tinubu—a cruel irony for a day meant to honor freedom. The shift seems  a deliberate ploy to drape  the names of the heroes over the flawed over a purulent institution. The futity of putting a  lipstick on a pig. The lawmakers  reveled in  the occasion, perhaps savoring a rare brush with morality. The visible smugness of a never-do-well when he resists all temptations and returns a lost but found item. Yet, many, simultaneously, twerking so hard  for Tinubu,  perhaps regretting their lack of creativity, might have wished they had worn Tinubu’s mask instead of just his cap to stand out in their fawning competition.

I grieve  for Kudirat, Rewane, and other martyrs of democracy. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but the democratic project for which they spilled their blood is now in the hands of impostors who chant ‘democracy’ while installing the beams and bricks of despotism. The ‘Hope’ slogan that has been usurped and trivialized. Hope is manifests itself in the occasional distribution of a few cups of rice per household. Many political enforcers, modern-day Sergeant Rogers, have been unleashed on the democratic process, dismantling opposition parties, demolishing checks and balances, and defeating the rule of law.

The baton of democracy has fallen into the gutter. Today’s equivalents of Kudirat and Rewane would have trembled and tucked in their tails before Abacha. Or negotiated at night for a political appointment, selling their birthright and the country, defecting to the tyrant, claiming “family ties” or “national interest.” Moles, not heroes, are now the bearers of torch of democracy.

Posthumous national honors, meant as consolatory recognition, are now a provocative sham. I feel for James Bagauda Kaltho. He was awarded an OON posthumously. Wike and Ganduje hold higher honors—and may soon receive GCON at the rate and direction Tinubu is travelling . These honors are no longer laurels but stained flowers, unfit for those who laid down their lives. The Nation must  create and preserve a  distinct class of honors for true heroes.

In 2004, Chinua Achebe rejected the honor of Commander of the Federal Republic for the first time. He accused President Obasanjo of engaging in  motor park politics and conniving with political bandits who kidnapped a sitting state governor and, having failed to force his resignation, set thugs on the state capital to decimate it.

Here are Chinua Achebe’s exact words:

“For some time now I have watched events in Nigeria with alarm and dismay. I have watched particularly the chaos in my own state of Anambra where a small clique of renegades, openly boasting its connections in high places, seems determined to turn my homeland into a bankrupt and lawless fiefdom. I am appalled by the brazenness of this clique and the silence, if not connivance, of the Presidency. Forty-three years ago, at the first anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, I was given the first Nigerian National Trophy for Literature. In 1979, I received two further honors – the Nigerian National Order of Merit and the Order of the Federal Republic – and in 1999 the first National Creativity Award. I accepted all these honors fully aware that Nigeria was not perfect; but I had a strong belief that we would outgrow our shortcomings under leaders committed to uniting our diverse peoples. Nigeria’s condition today under your watch is, however, too dangerous for silence. I must register my disappointment and protest by declining to accept the high honor awarded me in the 2004 Honours List.”

Achebe rejected the honor again under President Jonathan, saying the government was brazenly corrupt. If he were alive today, Achebe would likely see Tinubu’s actions—particularly in Rivers State—as surpassing the infamy of the Uba scandal. Tinubu’s lax approach to corruption makes Jonathan’s era, once lambasted, seem tame by comparison.

I am convinced that Nigeria’s fallen heroes, if they could speak, would reject these posthumous awards. Their sacrifices were for a democratic ideal, not this parody of governance. Tinubu’s administration, visionless and blind to its shortcomings , calls on the youth to bet on Nigeria. But they flee in droves, seeking hope elsewhere. The dead cannot speak, but their legacy screams betrayal. As for the living recipients, some of whom have metamorphosed into the very forces they once opposed, complicit in the erosion of the democracy they fought for, they must speak for themselves.

Nigeria’s heroes deserve better than tainted medals and hollow ceremonies. Their sacrifices demand a nation that upholds justice, accountability, and true democracy—not one that rewards sycophancy and undermines its own foundations. Until that day, these honors will remain a mockery, a painful reminder of a dream deferred.

Poor service delivery in our aviation industry has for long been a daily occurrence that no one does anything about. The level of discomfort that passengers face in our airports gives an impression that Nigeria’s aviation industry has no regulator. It is against this backdrop that the reported uproar last Wednesday at the Lagos airport between the Air Peace airline and the Senator representing Edo North in the National Assembly, Senator Adams Oshiomhole should attract considerable interest. It is not uncharitable to imagine that if more and more of such conflicts do not occur more regularly and with greater intensity, the industry is not likely to change. The point to be made is that last week’s uproar is not about a particular senator or a particular airline; instead, it is an inevitable reaction to an exasperating ethos.

The airline’s argument that it had to lock out Oshiomhole in line with its own supposed policy of keeping to time is laughable. In the entire week of the incident, how many times did the airline in question or any other airline for that matter keep to time? The truth is that lateness of flights if not complete cancellation is the order of the day in our aviation industry making it exceedingly irritating for any airline to occasionally sanction lateness of passengers who are never in a position to similarly sanction the incessant lateness of airlines. In other climes where service delivery is not temperamental, anyone who raises uproar simply because he is locked out for lateness would look strange to anyone who gets to know about it, but not so in our clime that can be described as a jungle.

It is only in Nigeria that a passenger with no luggage and who has already checked in on-line still has to be subjected to an additional visit to the checking counter. What imaginary defects do such passengers need to redress at the checking counter? Why pretend to have an on-line check-in system that is not credible? In another country it is at the boarding gate and not at the checking counter that Oshiomhole would have realized that he was late if indeed he truly was. Those who travel often know that last minute purchase of tickets at exorbitant costs is our airlines’ emergency strategy of exploiting passengers. I used to think that such smart moves were the handiwork of young operators and that their supervisors had no hand in that until I heard that it was an across-the-board practice which those on top also subscribe to.

It is difficult to fault Oshiomhole’s story about the lucrative business around the counters after certain passengers had been declared late and their seats given up and resold for huge amounts in compartments behind the counters. The other day, a friend who was to fly business class in a particular airline was told that the seats were exhausted but that if he paid a particular additional sum, another passenger could be persuaded to give up his seat for the big man. My friend did, only to find after boarding, that he was the only passenger in the business cabin of the flight.  Of the 8 seats in the cabin, 7 were empty.  If by chance some of the airline proprietors are unaware of such sharp practices, perhaps they need to look more closely because it happens daily in line with Oshiomhole’s story. 

Already, several versions of what happened last week are now in the public domain. The airline has not only alleged that the senator disrupted their services, they have also put a lie to Oshiomhole’s defence. The two parties are great unionists and their supporters are currently actively seeking to undo each other. On the side of the airline, there is the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) which has since described the conduct of the former Edo state governor ‘as unacceptable and another example of the growing trend of unruly passenger behaviour towards domestic airlines.’ For two reasons, the AON’s reaction cannot be easily dismissed. First, it was personally issued by its respected AON spokesperson, Professor Obiora Okonkwo. Second, the AON is shocked that days after the incident, the relevant agencies ‘were yet to provide clarity on what transpired.’

On its part, the South-South zonal chapter of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) has decried what it called the alleged maltreatment of Senator Adams Oshiomhole, by operators of Air Peace airline. For the same clarity that the AON is demanding, Blessing Agbomhere, the zonal organizing secretary of the party wants the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to wake up from its long slumber, as the world has gone beyond Nigeria’s poorly regulated airline industry. Agbomhere insists that it is the NCAA which had given “local operators, the leeway to delay, cancel, and roundtrip tickets purchased by unsuspecting customers, thereby denying them the opportunity to travel on schedule without any sort of sanction on erring airlines.”

The above allegations are quite strong and they are capable of creating a situation where the result of the investigations demanded by both sides may not be acceptable to any of them. Ordinarily, one would have asked both sides to sheathe their swords as Festus Keyamo the energetic Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has already intervened. To start with, if the same NCAA that is to conduct the investigation is already condemned by one of the parties, will the same party accept a negative report from the agency?  On the other hand, although Keyamo has done commendably well especially on the international scene to reposition our aviation sector, will he be able to release a result that is against Oshiomhole who is his political associate?

Well, Keyamo knows what it looks like to offend a federal legislator. It is not only the aviation budget of the sector that would suffer, Keyamo himself would ‘hear hot’ as we say in our part of Nigeria. As Minister of state for Labour and Employment during the Buhari administration, Keyamo cannot forget with ease the heated debates between him and the law makers over the recruitment of some casual workers in the 774 local government areas to perform tasks in roads rehabilitation, social housing construction, urban and rural sanitation etc. Keyamo enumerated all the legal provisions concerning the jobs but because N52 billion was involved, the fight never ended. When President Tinubu submitted Keyamo’s name for clearance as Minister in 2023, he would not have passed through if he didn’t pacify the Senate.

What the above suggests is that the current uproar between Air Peace Airline and Senator Oshiomhole is not as simple as it looks. The airline made a tactical error when it sought to present the Senator as a hooligan. It was also too quick with the statements it issued as well as its provocative diction. From his days as President of the Nigerian Labour Congress NLC, Oshiomhole established himself as a leader who fights for the rights of others. It is too late in the day to change the perception because even as governor of Edo state, Oshiomhole led protests in Benin against political opponents and even INEC. When asked if it would not have been neater for others to arrange a protest to call on him as governor to redress the relevant grievances Oshiomhole insisted that no one could change his life style. 

On the other hand, Allen Onyema the owner of Air Peace airline is loved by many Nigerians for his high degree of patriotism. To that extent, the claim that he runs an airline that relishes the exploitation of Nigerians appears contradictory. In between these claims lies the undercurrent of last week’s uproar at the Lagos airport. The way forward is to separate the personalities involved in this instant case. It is also important to recognize that the real malaise in Nigeria’s aviation industry is beyond a particular airline. All Nigerian airlines have the same disposition to the concept of aviation in the country. For example, anyone who buys a ticket on-line must wait for a minimum of 3 months to get back his refund concerning a trip that was cancelled by the airline to the discomfort of the passenger.

Having cultivated the freedom to indiscriminately change flight times “due operational reasons” something drastic must be put in place to curtail such impunity by our airlines. For this reason, Minister Keyamo must constitute a responsive regulatory body that can immediately stop the exploitation of Nigerians in the aviation industry. His efforts at compelling other countries to respect us and our airlines would be in vain if he cannot similarly compel our airlines to operate according to professional standards and also respect our citizens.