He is one of those Arthur Brooks says belongs to  a demographic group that can best be described as unhappy. This is despite the fact that his generation has been described as living in an age of wealth, wellness and wonders created and sustained by contemporary science and technology. Arthur’s claim is grounded in his Harvard University backed findings. Asked if he agreed with the Harvard teacher’s presumably presumptuous claim, my young friend said that the man had a point. So, our conversation began.

“Well, yes my generation of young people can be described as a sad one. It is true that we are a highly connected generation, with science and tech at our Beck and call. We are the most connected virtually, but we are also probably the most fundamentally alone in our little corners and trying very hard to pretend that all is well. Genuine, face to face cheerful laughter is replaced with either an emoji face or “LOL”. So, Gen-Z’s can be said to have created unreal alternative comrades in their play and laughter”.

He paused, then said he had been following a lot of literature on Gen-Z issues and has also been monitoring what he called “the really human content” of his generation’s socialization templates and practices. “I find it worrisome”, he muttered quietly. Then he referred to the Global Flourishing Study, a research project that collected data from more than 200,000 people across 22 different countries. He said that he agreed with the findings, especially the submission that inner loneliness, a lack of purpose and a deep sense of hopelessness outside digital reality are the constant companions of many Gen-Z’s.

The United States has been one of the countries where young people’s well-being has declined the most in recent decades, according to the World Happiness Report. Not because life has suddenly become harder out there, but because you have a digitally well-connected world of young people who are also victims of emotional barrenness at the same time. They try to hide this, even from themselves, without knowing it. By forming relationships that are actually more vacuous than smoke, they try to reassure themselves that all is well.

But all is not well. “What does it mean, for instance, to say that someone has ten thousand followers on Facebook, Instagram, etc.?” I asked him. “Yes, what does it mean?” I continued. “And where is the fellow in question going to that they are following him? Yet, the person with more following is deemed superior, deemed more important and seen as someone to be envied by those with fewer followers. Is this not altogether absurd?”.

He smiled and agreed that it was really absurd. Then he said: “To think that someone would envy a person whose superiority is solidly established by a meaningless number?” He laughed.

Then I added: “People will just be strutting about talking of “likes” and “followers”, without pausing to note that some of the followers under reference may be mentally unstable, idlers who are always on their back in some dingy, unswept space fiddling endlessly with their phones”.

“That is why I sometimes wonder if technology has failed the Gen-Z’s”. Then a quipped again: “Could it be that the problem is not technology itself, but the progressive disappearance of real human interactions, as well as its replacement by digital alternatives, which are profoundly inadequate at the end of the day?”

 “Maybe”, I said. They still have physical and emotional exchanges. But please note that “Tell me about it”, and “Trending” things, general gossip and anything that shines for a moment dominate today’s social intercourse. The world is now more of “Fast-Food” generation in  everything, wherein instant pleasures and immediate gratification come first. And it is often all ephemeral and anchored on nothing lasting”.

“Yes, we do not just want things, many things, but we want them here and now”, he said. “We are largely consumption-driven. We create media content, not out of a desire to spread enlightenment, drive any lasting purpose or achieve any clear results beyond making people laugh, or display something shocking or outrageous. We scurry from one distraction to another, in search of something more exciting”.

“And that is how days, weeks and months fly by”, I said. A job becomes boring after a few months, because it doesn’t create the opportunity for “making impact”. It’s as if life should be one “wow” after another, and it is not just tiring, but wearying. Sad.

My young friend was quiet for quite some time before saying: “My generation can be described as more materially comfortable and more harassed. Look at startups, Fin tech, the epidemic of young entrepreneurs and much more. But it is all richer, emptier, less indicative of wisdom. We are a very opinionated lot”. Then he fell silent again.

Anon, he continued: “Do you know that one of the very interesting discoveries of the Harvard study mentioned earlier is that more Gen-Z’s are suffering from a sense of purposelessness? I replied: “It has always been a strongly held view amongst members of my generation, that money cannot buy happiness”. He made to speak, and then kept quiet again.

Finally he said: “We feel more empty than most of you older folks. I see my peers anchoring everything they say on quotations from one motivational speaker or the other. They are all talking about leadership and influencing others. Meanwhile, a motivational speak is not God. Why should his personal opinion be taken as Ultimate Truth, why? Most religious leaders are simply glorified liars and crooks, as far as some of us are concerned”.

It was my turn to be silent and say nothing. The young man spoke from the depth of his soul, and was most probably also trying to further digest his own statement. “Did the book you mentioned not say anything about the way out for Gen-Z’s?” I asked.

“It speaks of three things one can do”, he replied. The first is to do everything possible to have real relationships that involve face to face exchanges, play and real laughter. He also suggested that Gen-Z’s should cultivate their inner life, seek some form of spirituality and look for meaning beyond everyday events”.

The existential nightmare of being lonely in the midst of a happy crowd is the issue here. What can Gen-Z’s, and the rest of us by the way, do about the occasional inexplicable emptiness; of desire to return to genuine friendships, to simplicity, to the ability to play and laugh honestly?

This generation of roughly those born between 1997 and 2012, is immersed in a complex mix of very dynamic social, economic, technological, and cultural influences. Information and technology, overload, constant self-vaporization and comparison with others, the pressure to trying to create a wonderful online life that only exists online, with photoshopped images and curated narratives.

Depression and confusion abound everywhere, with the older generation being more judgmental than understanding towards Gen-Z’s. They need help, but are not getting it from an equally confounded older generation. So, they turn to online Apps on how to settle a quarrel, how to think and even what to think. And that makes it worse, as they download and deploy whatever bunkum anyone puts out there as sure knowledge.

Gen-Z’s walked into a budding world of smartphones, social media, digital convergence, and endless connection and entertainment; requiring them to be perpetually “on”, in order not to miss anything. This fact alone is a major misfortune for any human being. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat often highlight the best moments of people’s lives, leading to unrealistic standards, the desire to out-fake other people’s fake reality, in an endless/pointless competition that only fuels feelings of inadequacy in some people.

Are there Gen-Z’s who are cheerful victims of sleep denial and unconscious patients of Disrupted Sleep and a dwindling Attention Span? Their excessive screen time, particularly at night, affects sleep quality, impairs concentration, induces internal restlessness and contributes to mental fatigue and the desire for “something exciting” when awake.

In the end, many are battling with Identity Struggles. Experimenting with drugs and insane adventures is part of the consequences. Those who zoom off to explore complex identity issues around gender, sexuality, race and much more are all victims of the same malaise. The adventures and exploration accentuates their vulnerability, throws them into the clutches of internet and social media highwaymen who boldly offer their conjectures and unverified opinions as knowledge.

Some Gen-Z’s go into activism and soon suffer Activism Fatigue. Many of them quickly burnout and develop an even greater sense of hopelessness. Being also among the first to hunt for, and get, information on Global Crises, like wars, refugee crises, climate issues and threats to democracy, they have everything needed to maintain the illusion of involvement. Nearly every single one of them will be only satisfied with being the best, getting the first position, being number one. This, the Pressure to Excel, and the search for Credential Inflation, take over from rationality. And because they lack any Clear Paths before them, inner fragmentation and non-linear paths create illusory worlds, which can be exciting – but only because they only exists in the imagination.

We concluded our conversation, the Gen-Z and me, by quietly agreeing that we are all in a uniquely challenging era. The digital saturation, global instability, economic pressure, and a heightened awareness of systemic problems are symptoms of  a much deeper crisis of humanity. Yes, a lot of Gen-Z’s are quite creative, resilient, informed, and socially engaged. They are not simply crumbling before every pressure, no! They are actively struggling, adapting, resisting, and even leading in some ways.

Hear the last words of my Gen-Z friend at the end of our conversation: “You know ” we” don’t give up. I won’t go down. If I must, oh you can be sure that I will go down fighting -and it would be one hell of a fight.

Yes, they won’t go down at all. They shouldn’t go down. They need help, guidance, discipline and humility.

To clear the cobweb of misattribution, let it be known that this piece was not inspired by the 2003 South Korean film, “Song of the bandits”, a captivating South Korean action period drama set against the backdrop of the 1920s during the Japanese occupation of Joseon. Wikipedia describes that movie as “a tale where those who head to Gando, a land of lawlessness, unite as one to protect the homeland of the Koreans… a prelude to the Gando massacre.”

The following is totally different. It is the poetic rendition of a repentant bandit (Oh, that word – repentant – again!), who wonders why we keep beating about the bush while the bush-rat is running rings round us. The Oxford Dictionary does not equivocate about the definition of the word, bandit: A criminal gangster, hooligan, marauder, mobster, outlaw, robber, brigand, desperado, hijacker, pillager, plunderer, villain.

Welcome!

Self Intro

I am proud to be a bandit, dreaded by all, threatened by nothing

I am your worst nightmare, the necro-trance you would rather not have

I used to be a far off, invisible demon, a gnome inhabiting the woods,

I used to be a violent ghost, here today, there tomorrow, with bloody trail,

But not anymore! Now, I’m your personal armageddon, your collective nemesis

If I don’t get you, I’ll catch your relative

Or, are they all wearing armoured vests?

There is honour among merchants of death, that is why I give Boko Haram its flowers;

Ansarul, ISWAP, Lakurawa – localised ‘territorialists’ redrawing the map of terror

Great precursors in this fascinating industry of violence:

Ensuring that the interests of ransom-paying captives are prioritised.

A hostage is more useful alive than dead. Remember, he’s also a plaything.

Have you ever seen the dread in the eyes of a hostage awaiting slaughter?

You don’t know the power in the nozzle of a gun, loaded or blank

Who wants to find out?

Everybody

On the floor!

Close your eyes!

I have news for you: We are all bandits— religious bandits, political bandits,

Material bandits, ethno-national bandits. Our locus may be different

But if I collect my tithes on the highway by kidnapping your traditional ruler

And Lakurawa collects its own through farmers paying protection tax

While the politician collects his through ‘oversights’,

What makes one tithe superior to the other?

While demonising the highway bandit?

Are some tariffs more equal than others?

How many trillions have you thrown at Boko Haram, Ansarul and Lakurawa?

How many more thrown at kidnappers, armed herdsmen, unknown gunmen?

You segment terror because it is an industry;

You feast on calling the same thing by different names.

And designing amnesty as if it was a Niger Delta-type conundrum;

Making a spectacle of ‘Repentant Terrorists’ in resplendent ‘aso ebi’,

As if they were extended relatives celebrating a festival.

Frustrated Citizen

But wait and watch the video of the frustrated citizen who calls out the generals

For using their troops to corner fat budgets

Leading to erosion of morale; just what the terror apparatchiks need

To rout frontline posts and other formations

For, no army is as easy to pulverise as one lacking in collective self-esteem

As borne out by their lack of necessary provisions.

Oh, hear out the frustrated citizen, who dares to ask why, why?

“If you think I don’t know what I am saying, I dare you to come for me”, he declares, looking straight into the camera. “I’ll prove it to you that some of these corrupt military officers and some of these corrupt politicians are sending a bunch of demoralised soldiers, ill-equipped soldiers, to go and face their death in the name of trying to protect the country.

“Are you telling me that the generals are not aware that some of the allowances of these soldiers are still not being paid?

The soldiers are being shortchanged,

They’re ill-equipped and demoralised!”

And the aggrieved citizen rants on and on.

Borrow Some Sense

If you’re not too arrogant to think that you can’t learn anything from a bandit

I’ll lend you some sense –

Terror is terror, be it an armed carjack, hijack, sea piracy, or highway abduction

Ransom is ransom, no matter how lowly or illustrious the hostage

Stripped of its religious veneer and fake spirituality

There is no difference between Boko and Ansarul and bandit and Lakurawa

We are all vendors of violence and death and minters of ransom.

You have a war on your hands

Forget your coinages

We are all agents of death, armed to the hilt

The only difference is that we bandits know we are waging a war

But you think this is just a social kind of fever, an insurgency

Curable with light arms and grammar

And conferences and summits.

Look at the trail of Boko Haram

Since 2009, the group’s terror has disoriented 15 million people,

Displaced over two million and killed over 30,000;

In the name of which God?

They stand excommunicated by respectable Muslims

Who dissociate their faith from such butchery

So, don’t be fooled. We are all bandits!

Did you hear Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi?

“Boko Haram and its ISWAP faction are ramping up attacks, employing asymmetrical warfare tactics with alarming effectiveness…

The brazen assault on the 153 Task Force Battalion in Marte LGA on May 12, 2025, epitomises this alarming trend. Insurgents overran the base, killed and captured soldiers, looted the armoury, and destroyed military vehicles and equipment.”

Understand my position fellow countryman,

I make no claim to being a better person

All I’m telling you is that life tolerates no vacuum –

Too many ungoverned children, ungoverned adolescents

And ungoverned spaces

At the mercy of ungovernable outlaws

Taking advantage of under-governed polity!

Nobody negotiates with evil;

You confront and extirpate it!

Evil has no half measures; it envelopes and dominates

If left to fester, it metastasises—

Like Boko Haram, one franchise becomes, four

And may yet beget more monsters

That will eat up your unborn future.

A New Song

There is no terror that lasts forever

Perhaps you’ll give yourselves a breather?

Project an alternative universe to those of us living outside the law!

Can you return the society to the days of old

When hard work was guaranteed to put bread on the table?

When we did not abandon almajiris to the elements?

When we were devoted to our faith but never grudged other people theirs?

We are not asking for too much,

Just a chance at the normalcy you take for granted

Minimum literacy and numeracy to help us cope with 2025 Nigeria

To return to the human family

Instead of living like cacodemons in your forests and bushes

Plotting the next set of abductions and bloodfest,

Living from ransom to ransom.

I am the ultimate repentant bandit

If you will heed my counsel and keep your part of the bargain

Then, hear this: Throw a combo at the monster:

Re-armed heavily compensated troops; Military contractors;

Civilian vigilantes; forest guards; mobile police; intelligence agencies;

Neighbourhood guards, traditional institutions…

In six months, you’ll sing a new song.

The CEO of Parcels Mart Solutions Limited, Dr. Joe Enobong has been officially inducted into the Forbes Business Council — a prestigious global network reserved for accomplished business leaders across various sectors. His appointment recognizes his outstanding contributions to the logistics industry and positions him among a select group of executives whose companies meet stringent performance and leadership benchmarks.

Reacting to the announcement, Dr. Enobong expressed pride in the milestone, stating, “This is a proud moment not just for me, but for the entire logistics sector in Nigeria and Africa.” His appointment has sparked widespread commendation from industry peers, who hail it as a significant step forward for African representation in global business leadership.

Enobong’s recognition comes alongside several recent accolades, further solidifying his influence in the sector. He has been nominated for the 2025 Young Logistics Leader of the Year by LogiSym and has received several international honors, including the Most Influential CEO 2025 in Logistics and Shipping from CEO Monthly Awards, and the Emerging Logistics Solutions Provider – Nigeria, 2025 from Global Brands Awards. His earlier recognitions include induction into the DHL International Hall of Fame (2015) and a Gold win at the 2018 Stevie Awards for Sales and Customer Service.

A veteran in logistics and supply chain management, Dr. Enobong brings over two decades of experience from leading global firms such as Samsung, UPS, and DHL. He holds a Doctorate in Toxicology, alongside executive certifications from Harvard Business School and London Business School, which he harnesses to drive innovation in sectors ranging from fashion and agriculture to real estate and healthcare.

Since founding Parcels Mart in 2023, Enobong has led the company to remarkable heights, expanding its services to over 1,000 clients across 2,200 cities. Under his leadership, the firm has become known for transparent pricing, specialized shipping models, and cutting-edge technologies such as AI-powered forecasting and real-time delivery tracking.

His appointment to the Forbes Business Council is not only a personal achievement but also a milestone for Nigeria’s growing prominence in the global logistics arena. His visionary leadership continues to redefine the industry, driving innovation, reducing costs, and delivering transformative solutions across borders.

[Leadership]

The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has congratulated an illustrious son of Anambra State and African football legend, Emmanuel Anthony Oguejiofo Okala, on the occasion of his 74th birthday on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

In his goodwill message, Governor Soludo recalled that Emmanuel Okala, born in the historic town of Onitsha, rose to national and continental prominence through his brilliant exploits as the towering goalkeeper of the Nigerian national football team between 1972 and 1980. His dedication, discipline, and excellence between the goalposts earned him the coveted title of Nigerian Footballer of the Year in 1978 and a prominent place in the squad that clinched Nigeria’s first-ever African Cup of Nations title in 1980.

Governor Soludo, while emphasizing that Anambra is a land blessed with heroes and legends, extolled Emmanuel Okala as a towering symbol of Anambra’s sporting pride and Nigeria’s footballing heritage.

So, Governor Soludo once again congratulates Mr. Okala on his birthday and prays for his continued good health, long life, and personal fulfilment.

Signed:

Christian Aburime
Press Secretary to the Governor

... Commissions Building Projects Across Senatorial District  

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio on Friday distributed a massive array of empowerment items including mini buses, cars, tricycles, cargo tricycles, refrigerators, sewing machines, as well as cash grants worth over N2 billion and scholarships to beneficiaries from his Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District and across the other two Senatorial Districts of the state.

The gesture, which formed part of the second phase of his constituency empowerment programme, drew thousands of beneficiaries and supporters to the venue, turning the event into both a celebration and a political statement.

Beyond the material support, Akpabio used the occasion to announce a bold political endorsement ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to him, the people of Akwa Ibom State have collectively agreed to adopt President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno, and himself as sole candidates for the offices of President, Governor, and Senator respectively.

“We have decided, and our people have spoken with one voice. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno, and I, Godswill Akpabio, will go unopposed in 2027,” he declared, prompting a loud voice vote of endorsement from the crowd.

Akpabio lauded Governor Umo Eno’s leadership, describing him as “a man of peace and a man of God in attitude and actions,” whose collaboration with the federal government has brought stability and development to Akwa Ibom.

“President Tinubu is very happy with Akwa Ibom State because of the peace and progress here, made possible by the unity between the state government and the Senate President,” he added.

The distribution of empowerment tools and financial aid is being seen not just as philanthropy, but as a strategic move to solidify grassroots support and prepare the political ground ahead of the next elections. For many beneficiaries, the day ended not only with tools of livelihood but also with a renewed sense of political allegiance.

Items distributed during the empowerment programme included 30 minibuses, 67 passenger tricycles, 50 cassava processing machines, 347 Deep Freezers, 247 generating sets, truckloads of 50 kg bags of rice, over N2 billlion cash grants, scholarships and numerous others.

The President of the Senate along with his entourage consisting fellow Senators, political stakeholders and Local Government Chairmen later visited Ikono, Ini and Obot Akara Local Government Areas where he commissioned some constituency projects ranging from Police staff quarters, a fully built modern market, school blocks among others.

As the memories of President Bola Tinubu’s recent state visit to Anambra State still keep reverberating as a resounding success, the urge for a contemplative reflection on the mastermind behind the event is irresistible. 

Ever cloaked in his inspiring simplicity by demeanour and dressing, Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, today stands tall in being a catalyst of regional progress and egalitarianism, a selfless subnational leader who could pull chestnuts of progressive commitments out of the overburdened hands of a Federal Government. 

Love, envy or hate him, Governor Soludo has proven time and again to be more than a governor. He is an architect of hope, and a luminous star shining a vivid path towards a brighter future for the Southeast and Nigeria at large. 

Without a doubt, Governor Soludo’s commitment to regional development trumps political rhetoric. He is a rallying champion, a tireless advocate for the Southeast’s potential who believes in transforming the landscape with tangible progress. His ambitious vision of Anambra becoming the “African Dubai-Taiwan-Silicon Valley” is an authentic blueprint being meticulously executed, brick by brick. The new roads that stretch across the state, the hospitals that heal, the schools that enlighten – these are not just routine projects; they are proofs of his relentless dedication to uplifting the people.

In Nigeria, many can pay lip service to patriotism. But Governor Soludo’s pan-Nigerian federalist ethos is a force that travels beyond the borders of Anambra to reach hearts across the nation. He understands that true progress lies in unity, in a harmonious symphony of states working together with the centre towards the common good. 

His intellectual acuity, honed through years of dedicated service to Nigeria, allows him to navigate the complex dynamics of Nigerian politics with grace and wisdom. He is a bridge-builder, a charismatic leader who commands respect in different quarters, promoting dialogue and cooperation where others see fault lines.

Of course, his critics may whisper their doubts. Their voices would get lost in the roar of progress. They may question his methods, but they cannot deny the tangible results of his leadership. For Governor Soludo is a man of action, a doer who translates vision into reality. He is a leader who understands the delicate balance between ambition and pragmatism, between dreaming big and delivering on promises.

His relationship with President Tinubu, cultivated in the nuances of shared ideals and mutual respect, is a pointer to his ability to navigate political divides. Their partnership, a sync of collaboration and shared vision, now promises to usher in an era of unprecedented inclusive development for Anambra and Southeast. 

Never a manufactured persona, Governor Soludo always speaks with strong conviction, his words dripping with the hope and aspiration of a people yearning for transformation. He is a leader who inspires, who motivates, who ignites the spark of possibility in every project he touches.

On iconic leadership pedigree, he carries within him the echoes of past Nigerian greats, the Awoist dedication to people-centred development, as well as the M.I. Okpara spirit of industrial and agricultural revolution. His vision for a prosperous Anambra, a thriving Southeast, and a united Nigeria is a destiny he is determined to fulfil.

So, in the quintessential leader called Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo is evolving a vibrant thread, a symbol of hope, a luminance of progress. He is someone who will undoubtedly play a game-changing role in shaping the future of Nigeria, a future where unity, progress, and prosperity shall reign supreme, no matter the odds. And yes, no cacophony of criticism can stall this force of Soludoism, a propeller of the people, and a bridge to a brighter tomorrow.

The phone call came in the afternoon of Saturday, May 10. I was particularly tired and very low in spirit. And, usually, when I’m that way, I don’t take calls. My doctor’s advice. “Comfort, drop the phone, particularly  when you are tired. Rest. Shut your eyes. Don’t talk.” That is the wahala I have been going through since the past four years when my doctors began to, literally, run my life.

But this call was from my maternal home, Ihiagwa. I am proudly Chris Asoluka’s “nwa-nwa”. There are calls one does not ignore. This was one of them. So, I took it. After the initial pleasantries which had began to irritate me because the caller kept asking, repeatedly, if I was okay, the next question “arrested” me. “Have you heard what happened, what we are dealing with now?” I paused. He sighed. And added “life”. So, I thought somebody has been kidnapped, or somebody’s farm has been invaded by rogue herdsmen. I mean, those are usually the most current news from the South-east. Many people, including yours truly, have developed shock absorbers to such news. We just sigh, shake our heads helplessly, and life drags on. But none of those was the case. This was a combination of thunder, lightening, earthquake and tsunami. “Chris Asoluka died”, he dropped the bomb slowly. I had no response. But I slowly sat on the floor to avoid a fall because I had immediately began to sweat dangerously even though the room was cold. My mouth instantly turned dry.  I was just gazing at my phone. Speechless. And then, I screamed: “Nneka!”, and cut off the phone.

The news was difficult for me to process. There must be a mistake somewhere, I finally concluded. Chris called and spoke to me just about a month earlier. He said he and his lovely wife, Nneka, just thought about me; that we hadn’t spoken for sometime; that they plan to come visit me in the house; he was apologetic he hadn’t called for a couple of months but quickly told me he had, also, been out of the country where he underwent surgery. So, we agreed to see as soon as I was back to the country. And now this.

This is not true; there must be some mistake somewhere, I consoled myself. Wishful thinking. But, with faith in God,  I picked the phone and called two people I was sure would know. I called my cousin, Chief Martin Agbaso. As soon as he picked and I heard his voice, soooo very low, I knew Chris had gone. Two of them were great friends and each other’s confidant. I was  reluctant to ask him for details. But I needed to know how and why? So, I called another good friend of his, Nick Oparandudu. We spoke. And my blood pressure shot dangerously up thereafter.  After about two hours, I had the courage to speak with Nneka. It was no use. She was “silently” hysterical. I was loudly hysterical. She was in the village. And would come back the next day, she managed to tell me. I managed to hear that.

Chris always wanted to pass on in his village:

So, Chris planned his own passing, was my conclusion; in his own terms. He always talked about passing on at home anytime it was time for him to go. He would, jokingly, we  usually thought, talk about how he hated it when somebody died, and the body would be wrapped up and transported home in the luggage compartment of an airplane. He didn’t like the hassle or the discomfort and inconvenience the process gave family members. He thought it was a disruption of other people’s lives and activities. Just like him. A gentleman of the first order. He hated hassles. He hated any inconvenience to anybody. So, that must be why it took less than 24 hours after he passed for his family to announce the devil-cursed news,  funeral dates included. That was what he wanted. He hated too much protocol.

Morbid sense of humor

Anybody who knew him knows he had a sense of humor. He spoke slowly. Never raised his voice. Full of wisdom. Played with proverbs. Played with words. Held his audience spellbound with his combination of serious points, words of wisdom, proverbs and  humor that cracked one’s ribs. But atimes, his humor can be morbid.

Take these two.

When he lost his eldest sister in London, and having lost all the others, he became  not only a confirmed orphan but the only one of his siblings alive. So, he would tell his wife: “Nneka, pamper me o. If you don’t, I will join my siblings. And everybody would have a good laugh  and add “Nneka, pamper him ooo!”

And this. One day, after a funeral at a beautiful private cemetery in Lagos, he turned to Nneka: ” I kind of like this place. They are all neighbors. It’s like a Community. When I die, may be you should bury me here so that at night, all of us neighbors will come out, sit down and be telling stories. If you bury me at Ihiagwa, I will be alone there. No neighbors.” From Nneka was “God forbid”

And Asoluka was a consummate family man

He loved his wife and children to the moon and back. He had three children, but particularly had a special bond with his only daughter, Somachi. I remember the day Soma wedded. After the father- daughter dance which we thought he enjoyed, Chris came to where I was, and broke down in tears. He asked me for a handkerchief to wipe his tears  I had a good laugh at him, said ‘shame’, and in addition to the handkerchief handed him his sunglasses which he kept in my custody. “Jealous, protective father,   cover your eyes so Soma will not see them red”, I taunted him.

Chris always wanted his family around him. And, without them knowing, he planned it to be so on his death bed. He made sure Nneka and Soma were around him all through the few days in hospital when nobody expected his passing. He was alert; was never put on oxygen; was discussing with his wife and daughter and his medical team. Soma cheered him on. Hung onto his every word, every movement. Applauded him each time he took his medicines, or when blood was drawn from his vein for different tests. “Good job daddy,” Soma will tell him. “Okwuruoha, Okwuru Owere”, she would hail him. And they would hold hands. Nneka will tell him: “You know I’m leaving here with you. Once you are stronger, we leave.” Nothing prepared her for her husband’s passing.

The man and his books, the mentor

He loved books. He authored quite a few. And was not denied the company of books even in the hospital. Soma was around to read for him. She would sit by the bedside and read since he couldn’t hold the book by himself because of all kinds of medical “gadgets” attached to his hands in particular.

He loved to impact knowledge on others. He did that while in the hospital – to his medical team.

An accomplished development strategist, an accomplished financial guru, Lawyer, Asoluka mentored not a few people. One only needs to go to the internet which has been on fire, literally, since his passing. Testimonies from those he mentored are coming in like claps of thunder. While in the hospital, he continued with his mentoring, guidance of his  medical team in his own field and other fields. He was home to any subject.

The man with a Community spirit.

He loved his community. He was proudly Owere, and proudly Ihiagwa – his community. He, always, thought about things to improve his Community, to improve Owerri. The Ihiagwa -Nekede – Owerri road was one of his greatest worries, his nightmare. As he was being transported to Owerri from Ihiagwa a couple of hours after he fell ill, his thoughts were on that road. As the vehicle, no thanks to the bad road threw him up and down, he said he had discussed the road with his good friend, Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma and was hopeful he would not fail him; that the road will get same treatment as the scores of others the Governor handled.

Now, the urgent prayer is that when his body will be transported from Owerri to Ihiagwa on July 27, the road will not bounce his casket/body around; it will be so smooth so that Chris will be smiling and hailing the Governor for honoring him in death.

The man with a a kindred spirit, proudly Owerri, unadulterated Igbo

Since Chris Asoluka’s passing,   from Lagos to the USA to Canada, it has been all very moody, dreary and long faces for my siblings and I. It has been rivers of tears. One of my younger sisters whose wedding  Chris and Nneka  were sponsors has been inconsolable. A man with a great kindred spirit, I didn’t need to ask him to be the sponsor. It was a role he offered to play, especially, when he knew that my sister’s husband is, like Nneka, Anambra. At the wedding reception, he was all over the place to make sure everything was okay, everybody was comfortable. Aside from my siblings and I being his “nwa- nwa,” we had a special relationship with him. He was “our big brother!” and we are devastated  by this sudden separation.

In Lagos where he lived, he was in the forefront for the fight for the progress of the Igboman. He had been the President of the intellectual engine room of the Igbo,  Aka Ikenga, Lagos. He was a solid Ohaneze member. He had sort, once, to be its President, to give it a new direction, but quickly, and quietly  withdrew when the office became controversial. Chris was a Federal Parliamentarian where he put his people first. He was Imo State’s Commissioner for Finance at a time where he showed unprecedented zeal, patriotism and accountability.

Dr. Chris Chigoziri Asoluka

Why I am angry

My anger over Chris Asoluka’s passing boils to high heavens. I am not just angry, I am incensed. Chis’ passing is like somebody who had crossed the Atlantic Ocean, crossed the Pacific Ocean, only to drown in a stream.

The questions I have been asking nobody in particular are: “What kind of joke did this guy pull  on everybody? What kind of magic is this? What kind of ‘wayo’ is this?” I am not going to lie that his health had been 100 per cent for some months, but whose health in Nigeria is 100 per  cent?  Who is absolutely free from these silly illnesses? We are all dependent on our medications, on the whims and caprices of our doctors.

There was nothing to suggest that Chris was in danger. The time we thought he was bad had since past by months and months. He was taking his medications religiously. He was keeping to his appointments with his doctors- both within and outside Nigeria- religiously. He was strong. He was going about his businesses. He was playing the role of husband, father, grandfather, big brother and mentor to many. There was no sign that it was his time to be harvested from Mother-earth by the great Creator. He was not ripe. If he was not strong, would he have gone home for the funeral of the Traditional Ruler of Ihiagwa, HRH Eze Lucky Ajoku? It was a funeral he ended up even not attending because he suddenly fell ill on its eve.

Why did the devil-cursed illness not begin in Lagos where his doctors were,  even though I understand the hospital he was taken to in Owerri is well equipped. It would have been easier to handle him in Lagos and/or air-ambulance him out. In deed, an air ambulance, provided by a worried friend of his was ready and waiting. But there was so much confidence in the hospital where he was that the air ambulance was asked to just wait, “let’s see.” I mean, from all indications, he was doing very well. Hope was high. Nobody thought of death. Which death? Then, suddenly…

How did we lose somebody like Chris just when Owerri needed him most. Brilliant. Urbane. Dignified. A combination of good looks, brain, wisdom. Chai!

What a waste!! And I don’t mean that his life was a waste. He had achieved all there was to achieve. A family of lawyers – father, mother, children. Beautiful,  loyal and loving wife, successful children.  Academically, Chris was solid; had a couple of Master’s degrees and capped them with a doctorate degree, not honorary! Well respected in the society. Had friends that mattered. Yet, it is difficult not to describe Chris Asoluka’s sudden passing as a waste of everything good. How does one even refer to him in the past?

So, this other day, nervously, I went to see Nneka in the company of Agbaso and lovely wife, Robin. And even though there were a number of people there, the house seemed so empty without Chris. It was so strange. Eerie!  My eyes kept dashing from upstairs to downstairs in a failed expectation that Chris could just walk down donning his infectious smile. His absence was so conspicuous that even the dog in the house noticed. The poor white, fine dog kept looking at faces miserably. He would end up at Nneka’s feet, look up at her face, then walk away to Chris’ usual chair. Sit down. Look up and down the empty Chair. And make the rounds again. An emotional Nneka explained: “He is looking for Chris.”

Weep, Owerri, weep! First, it was Paschal Dozie. Now, it is Chris Asoluka at just 70 years. It is well with our souls. God’s will, we are always told. He just picks us up like that to come stay with Him.

Chris nne m. Nwoke oma. Ome nwanne. Okwuruoha! Okwuru Owere!! Peace. Peace. Peace. Good trip!!!

Obi is the Editor-in-Chief/CEO of The Source (Magazine).

Let me make a confession that Prof. Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede the Registrar and Chief executive of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has been a personal Friend of about 50 years, I need to make this disclosure, so that no one will accuse me of writing this testimonial, without the disclosure of our affinity.

Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede is one of very few individuals for whom I can swear with the Holy Quran about their honesty, integrity, transparency, incorruptibility, Human empathy and selflessness.  

It was unfortunate that technical glitch engendered by 3rd parties, negatively affected the conduct of the 2025 JAMB examination in some places in the South East and Lagos. This unfortunate incident, has led to the decision to conduct new examination for about 300,000 candidates out of the over 1.5 Million candidates that wrote the examination. 

Many of the commentators seem to forget the clime in which Oloyede operates, that he decided not to take the path of most public servants in our  country by treating the complaints about the examination with  impunity, has led a few of the commentators to ask for his head. 

I dare say that, the path he had chosen on this unfortunate matter of admitting that there were mistakes, owing up and showing genuine empathy to the victims of this unfortunate event, is a rare occurrence in our part of the world.

Oloyede has shown that those who operate in our national space are also fallible like all humans and that perfection belongs only to Almighty Allah. 

He has shown candor, honesty, transparency, humanness, and leadership by accepting full responsibility for acts of others because he happens to be the head of the Organization.

We that know Oloyede closely, can attest to the sleepless nights he usually has, at least three months before any of these examinations, moving physically, sometimes at very unreasonable hours of the day to visit the various offices of JAMB all over Nigeria in preparation for these examinations.

No serious leader will abandon his people at the time of a crisis, which is what his resignation at this point will translate to. This unfortunate incident happened under his watch and it makes a lot of sense, that he should not abandon ship but be manly enough to see to the end of the problem. Good leadership is not about taking flight when negative issues arise.

I therefore attest to the patriotic and nationalistic credentials of Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede. We should also remember, this is not his first public duty assignment. He excelled in his former assignments to the admiration of all. In-sha

Allah, his tenure at JAMB will not be different.  

Prof. Yusuf Ali SAN FCIArb 

1st Kuliya Ngeri of Ilorin Emirate           

Say whatever you like about Sule Lamido, but one thing is beyond dispute: he is one of Nigeria's most consistent politicians alive today. Since 1999, Lamido has stood firmly with the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

He has resisted every temptation and opportunity to defect, even when it seemed politically expedient to do so.

In 2013 and 2014, Lamido was part of a faction of the PDP that became known as the "nPDP." It was at odds with then President Goodluck Jonathan. Yet, when most members of the nPDP defected to the then-emerging All Progressives Congress (APC), he stayed put. 

To him, abandoning PDP simply because it was ailing was akin to abandoning a sick child he himself brought into the world.

Today, even as the PDP seems to be faltering and politicians scramble to jump ship to the APC, Lamido remains reliably loyal. 

Recently, I came across a fascinating graphic illustrating the convoluted, often confusing, trajectories of party defections by Nigeria's prominent political figures. If Lamido's name were placed there, his track would feature just one entry: PDP.

I first met Lamido in Jos in 1999 during the PDP presidential primary convention, where Olusegun Obasanjo emerged as the party’s flagbearer. I was then a young reporter with Weekly Trust, keenly observing Nigeria's unfolding democracy. 

Our paths crossed again in 2010 through my good friend Adagbo Onoja, Lamido’s Special Adviser on Media at the time. Lamido warmly invited me to Dutse to condole with me following my wife’s passing. 

On both occasions, I found him sharp-witted, insightful, and intellectually engaging.

I noticed the news buzzing about Lamido's newly launched autobiography, aptly titled "Being True to Myself." 

The title strikes me as profoundly fitting. Here’s a man whose political life embodies solid consistency and fidelity to his principles. 

Once the book hits Amazon, I plan to promptly order it, savor every page, and share my reflections in a detailed review.

Sule Lamido’s story deserves thoughtful attention, whether or not one shares his political stance or his choices while he was in government.