Consequent to our critical criticism of the government, some have asked what people like us would do different if we were the President. This specifically in relation to our rejection of the insult to the Martyrs of March 15th, “unemployment day,” who the government in our view further debased the memories of and added pepper to the injuries of their families by throwing jobs at them. If I were president, here is an outline of what I will have done after the many died and many were cheated. 1. I will first give an immediate public address empathizing with not... Continue Reading
By Tejan Mansaray – The national state funeral arrangements underway by government in partnership with the Kabbah family and the SLPP, to honour former President Alhaji Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, is a deserving accolade that will take the strict observation of presidential and state protocols. State funerals the world over are held only by sovereign states, and as the former President and Commander-In-Chief of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, belongs to the state and it is therefore the sacred responsibility of President Koroma to lead the whole process. So whether former President Kabbah be given a state funeral... Continue Reading
A question has been raised on discussion fora; “Is it time to …adopt ‘MANDELANISM’ as the new African religion?” “Love, freedom, forgiveness, humility, selflessness, compassion” have been raised as main tenets of Mandelanism. Others have added stoicism; that he showed an “admirable patience and endurance in the face of adversity without complaining”. Whereas the foregoing may ruffle the feathers of religious ministers, for attentive Judaics, Mara bouts, Theologians, philosophers and politicians, there is no gainsaying that Mandelanism encompasses the main tenets of Jewish and Islamic monotheism, Christian love, Platonic and Aristotelian philosophies, stoicism as well as Western politics. Factually, mainstream... Continue Reading
By Fuambai Sia Ahmadu, PhD – More than twenty years ago, circa 1994, I was sitting in a small seminar room in the heart of London, with about ten or so other people. The topic of discussion was the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Everyone, including me, seemed quite serious and rather perplexed listening to the moderator’s accounts of this horrific hitherto unknown crime against girls and women in Africa. A few minutes into the meeting, an East African looking woman burst through the doors, visibly shaken. She sat down in the back. As the moderator fielded questions from... Continue Reading
Good day and compliment of the season to you sons and daughters of Oyo State. Precisely on the 3rd of February, 1976, thirty-eight years ago, our state, Oyo State was created by the then military government led by Late General Murtala Mohammed, the then old western state was divided into Ogun, Ondo and Oyo states respectively. In 1991, Osun state was carved out of what today is known as Oyo state. Our dear state, Oyo is noted for its prominent historical and physical landmarks in art, science and culture. Up till date, the exploits and brilliance of the warriors our... Continue Reading
