Author: Martins Oloja

AT this time when politicians smile out of meeting rooms where they often bury truth in a grave, it is also the right time for social commentators and oracles to tell them some inconvenient truths that will assist them in their reflection, deflection and even defection.  So, permit me today to begin a serial to our leaders at all levels on the danger of some assumptions that may set off their abysmal failure in office. First, let me confess that this title isn’t original to me. Read below a story of how I got fascinated by the title through a…

GENERAL Abdusalami A. Abubakar’s autobiography, which will be publicly presented on June 13, 2026 to mark the 84th Birthday of the Army General who handed over to President Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29, 1999 is the focal point today. General Abubakar has functioned remarkably as a global Peace Ambassador to several world bodies from ECOWAS to the United Nations as a result of his fidelity to the yearnings of Nigerians who wanted democracy, following years of dubious transition agenda from 1985 to 1999. Inside the autobiography to be unveiled are stories of some African leaders, local activists for democracy and…

THERE are so many issues competing for attention again this weekend. The story of consensus challenges that have plagued the ruling party’s primary is worth discussing. Even the defiance in the ancient city of Ibadan, the iconic J.P Clark once described as the ‘running splash of rust and gold –flung and scattered among seven hills like broken china in the sun’, where Seyi Makinde dared to scorn defection to the land that is flowing with milk and honey is also topical. The three-years old relentless attack on Citizen Peter Obi and his movement is worth deconstructing too. The BUA chairman’s…

THE Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and Founder of Baze University, Datti Baba-Ahmed, this week approved the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor and Registrar for the University following a rigorous and competitive selection process. Accordingly, Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, has been appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja with effect from 6 May 2026. Adeniyi, a distinguished scholar of communication and media epistemology, steps into the role after serving as Registrar of the University. Professor Adeniyi may not be popular with young people and even scholars. He is a product of The Guardian ‘School of Journalism’ we fondly call…

I WAS ruminating over the values, content, context and even competencies around ‘consensus building’ which dominates the ongoing leadership recruitment within the political parties in Nigeria when the question of the whereabouts of the immediate past President of African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina came to the fore. The thought strayed quickly to some of the best brains that I had thought should be part of nominations when leadership recruitment of a great nation like this comes into focus. I had also thought about some significant people who may not be prominent but significant within the political circles who may…

WHILE he was still basking in the euphoria of realising a lifetime ambition in March 2023 as president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu promised Nigerians that his administration would not only be a government of national unity but also of national competence. Specifically, there was a statement to that effect on March 16, 2023. In that remarkable message, there was a glimmer of “hope of a better tomorrow”, which Ngugi wa Thiong’o says, “is the only comfort you can give to a weeping child”. In what looks like Buhari’s “I-Belong-to-no-body” famous speech on inauguration day on May 29, 2015, the president-elect…

THIS is the fourth time that I have written on this same subject, civic incompetence and danger of complacency even as we lament daily about the illusion called ‘dividends of democracy.’ I have written and spoken to this same theme under different titles. One of the titles has been on the danger of ignoring PVC as a weapon of mass destruction of corrupt leadership. I have had to return to this same subject at this time because we are on the march again. The race for 2027 has even taken the steam out of the need to protect the people…

THERE are more reasons to continue with this discussion point this week on strategic and development plans for revival of development agenda and other critical success factors in northern Nigeria. I rounded off the second edition of this serial the other day with what the iconic Obafemi Awolowo predicted long ago if the northern elites failed to have consensus on how to leverage on mass education to develop their region in this complex federation. I hope the message of hope sank in. There have been more suggestions and warnings to the northern elites and leaders about failure to freeze national…

OLUSOLA Oke, SAN will arrive on the 7th Floor on Tuesday April 7, 2026. The fisherman turned lawyer and politician will mark the day in Akure, capital of Ondo State with a presentation of his autobiography titled, ‘From The Ocean To The Bar’.Enjoy some appetizers from the very remarkable book, which promises to be a classic on law, ethics, politics and leadership. The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN wrote the Foreword to the Book. The starters: ‘Political financing and my legal profession’ From the very beginning of my political journey, I made a solemn personal…

GOVERNOR Idris wept this week as terrorists killed soldiers, police in night ambush in Kebbi state… According to a credible report, Nasir Idris, Governor of Kebbi State could not hold back tears in public on Wednesday morning this week after witnessing another devastation caused in the state by terrorists who ambushed a group of security operatives on duty. The deadly ambush resulted in killing nine soldiers and one policeman. The attack was carried out on Tuesday night in Giro Masa community in the Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, where the security operatives, who had responded to a distress…

THIS is another time for me to speak to the powers that be, specifically to the elites in northern Nigeria who don’t appear to understand the times in the country and indeed the world today. It seems to me that the northern leaders do not know the man in office and in power today, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has just been curiously honoured by the British Empire. I am not too sure that the northern elites understand the significance and majesty of the state visit, the colourful reception accorded Nigeria’s leader by the British powers. We will return to…

INCREDIBLE as it may sound, the captive of the terrorists, Citizen Leah Sharibu, The Guardian’s 2018 ‘Person of the Year’ the newspaper’s editorial board aptly as “A goddess of resistance” is still in captivity of the wicked! She has spent agonising eight years in the wilderness of the scoundrels despite a series of promises by Nigeria’s leaders. That is why before anyone would ask this weekend, what is happening in Iran, Israel and indeed the Middle East, let’s spare a thought about a Middle Belt Citizen her nation has forgotten because of too much politics of denial of reality of…

EVEN as the authorities in Nigeria grapple with the expediency of legalising the much talked about state policing as a critical element in the country’s quest for federalism, let’s conclude our discussion points on the lessons we can take away from the Epstein’s Files that have been instructive to the extent of showing us that business and political leadership can’t thrive amidst impurities in their corporate governance systems. Admittedly, we can claim in a sense that the Epstein’s Files have revealed a great deal about the global elite and the western value system. Yes, the partially released Epstein Files depicts…

UNTIL the last syllable of our recorded time, we, as commentators in the media will continue to set agenda, identify systemic rot and contextually report what somebody somewhere is trying to hide; that is the news because the rest is public relations. Whether our political and business leaders like it or not, we will continue to transmit real time to our audiences what is odd, bizarre, unusual about people, places, events and issues. Those in office and power today may not care about what we journalists disclose and transmit in public interest. Media products, especially the news can be transmitted…

WE have celebrated what he created 50 years ago. The seven states he created the same day, February 3, 1976 were celebrated last week. Strangely, only Abuja wasn’t celebrated. But the Minister of Abuja has promised that the birthday of the 50-year-old Territory would be celebrated in May this year when the Tinubu’s consequential three years in power would be marked. But more important, if authorities in Abuja were too busy to celebrate the work of his hand, his family and friends have celebrated the Hurricane General Murtala Ramat Muhammed Lagos, Abuja and Kano, his birthplace. Having contextually reported and…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike are facing criticism for their curious failure in celebrating Abuja’s 50th anniversary, especially since seven other states created on the same day, February 3, 1976, marked their golden jubilee with a great deal of noisy celebrations. According to the constitution, Tinubu is the Governor of Abuja, and so he only delegates his powers to Wike as FCT Minister. It is incredible and painfully so that the landmark anniversary, 50th birthday of Abuja passed with little fanfare, sparking outrage among Abuja’s residents and indigenous communities, who feel insulted. marginalised and excluded from…

IT is indeed a time to celebrate with Abuja and a group of seven states Hurricane Murtala Muhammed who spent barely six months in office created 50 years ago. They will all clock 50 years on Tuesday February 3, 2026. It is also a time to reflect on the consequences of that political choice of creating seven more states (Benue, Bauchi, Borno, Imo, Oyo, Ondo and Ogun,) that joined the then General Gowon’s twelve states. It is worth recalling to younger people who never experienced first-hand the consequences of military rule that before the seven states’ creation and proclamation of…

MOROCCO, the host of the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations, (AFCON 2025) has continued to receive rave reviews over what has been generally noted as provision of world-class facilities. Even Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, couldn’t hide his praise for Morocco’s role as the host of the AFCON 2025, highlighting the country’s organisational excellence and world-standard football infrastructure. In an interview with Al Sharq Sports on the sidelines of the World Sports Summit in Dubai, Infantino described Morocco as a “great country and a wonderful host” for the championship. Specifically, the Italian FIFA boss spoke on the quality of…

IN a representative democracy, a parliament’s primary role is to represent the people’s interests and ensure their voices are heard. Even in crisis times, a parliament isn’t supposed to lose its voice. If it does, the consequences can be dire. The people will suffer, and the very fabric of democracy will be threatened. That is why scholars such as Professor Ben Nwabuezehave always insisted that the legislature is the most important arm of government in a democracy. Which is why when anti-democratic forces strike down democracy, the first institution they want to dissolve is the legislature as other arms, the…

DON’T get it twisted, Hurricane Nyesom Wike, generally believed to be in the eye of the storm at the moment, deserves much more than he is getting from all his political allies, colleagues and even the mainstream media. As for the media chiefs, I wonder why none considered Wike as the “Man of the Year’ last month when they allocated that value. That may have been due to the level of our media development. If the stormy petrel, Wike were to be an American, ‘TIME’ might have considered him as an undisputable genius of our time. After all, ‘TIME’ has…