Browsing: Column

While reacting to the verdicts of the court of appeal on the governorship elections in Plateau, Kano and Zamfara States, on 22nd November, 2023, the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo queried the propriety of three to five judges overturning the decisions made by millions of voters during an election and called for an urgent step to stop the trend.

Your Excellency, dealing with criticism may not be pleasant but it’s possible to make the best of it. It’s essential to listen carefully to criticism and develop an action plan for improvement based on the feedback. It’s also crucial not to take criticism personally but to view it as an opportunity for personal growth. Learning how to respond to criticism will help you become a better leader and a better person of faith.

According to the World Bank, approximately 350 million adults in sub-Saharan Africa are still unbanked, accounting for 17 percent of the 2 billion global unbanked population. This has largely been due to a struggle to tap into the continent’s low-income segment, the widest proportion of the population. Consumers within this market feel they don’t have enough money to warrant using a financial institution, that it is too costly to do so, or that they simply don’t have access to financial infrastructure such as bank branches and ATMs due to limitations of geographical reach and lack of proof of identity.

But, life is different strokes, different folks; the style is the man, after all. One man’s suya is another man’s poison.

Life is a bed of thorns, roses and ironies. Nigerian Christians and Muslims won’t disrespect a babalawo as they would disrespect a pastor or an imam. They believe and fear the efficacy of the babalawo’s juju more than they believe and fear the efficacy of their own prayer and God. Ayé Akámarà! This life: thorns, roses and ironies.

Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members of the National Assembly, I commend your swift consideration and passage of the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bills and the 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper. Your prompt action underscores your devotion to economic development and to the greater welfare of our people. It also highlights your desire to work in close collaboration with the Executive branch. We do not serve ourselves. We must always strive to work together to serve and benefit the people of our beloved country.