LAURETTA ONOCHIE

Nigeria is a typical third world country when it comes to issues relating to democracy. It is true that no two nations practice democracy in exactly the same way but some ingredients of democracy, to a great extent are present in democratic America and the West. Every citizen, highly placed or not, rich or poor, is subject to the same laws, rules and regulations; the citizens rights to freedom of speech and association are respected and there is the presence of opposition, whose role it is to keep the government on its toes and hold it accountable to its words, actions and inactions. In Nigeria, there are quite a number of the ingredients of democracy missing so one is left to wonder if its democracy at all. The rule of law only applies to those who are unable to buy justice. Members of the national assemblies do not consult those they represent on any issue or issues affecting them. Evidence of extra judicial-killing abound across the nation. Once you are a public or an elect

I have been thinking of this for a while and looking for an opportune time to air my view on a sore issue that exists among us but about which many of us take a religious stance and others adopt the ostrich dimension by burying their heads in the sand. However, with the sticks and daggers being thrown at Chris Okotie at the recent revelation that his second chance has ended in disaster, I thought that the time was ripe to say some simple things many of us over-look and take for granted. I must state here that I am NOT taking a religious view on this issue but my approach is on the wings of common sense. Marriage in the Nigerian culture is patterned for the woman differently from the way it is for the man, in a slightly sort of way. A female child in our society is expected to be born, go to school (thankfully now), serve her older and younger brothers (as a practice for her lifetime role), marry, endure it whether she likes it or not,  and die (most times from pains of being

I am not sure what informed my decision to watch President Goodluck Jonathan’s arranged third media chat. I guess it was because I had no confidence in the ability of the England football squad to nail the Italians and clinch the opportunity to face the Germans in a semi-final of the on-going Euro 2012 tournament. It was one bad decision that has haunted me since that night. I had also given the lack-lustre president too much credit by assuming that his ignoring Nigerians for many months meant he was learning the art of being a charismatic president; so I wanted to be one of the people to witness the unveiling of a new and improved charismatic and sensitive leader of our nation. His hands flew around freely like those of an angry man who was tipsy at a beer parlour. His nervous smile did him no good. If it was meant to portray him as a man at ease, it did the opposite, it showed a man who is confused and lacks confidence in himself. He latched on words and phrases such as “Body

When I travelled to Nigeria for the #occupyNigeria protests, I was appalled at how Nigerians were disrespected by Services agencies like the Power Holding Company Of Nigeria (PHCN), Communications network providers like MTN,  airlines particularly Arik Air; but I was more disgusted by the way we Nigerians let them get away with blue murder. You arrived at the airport ahead of time, they checked you in late and then more than an hour after you were supposed to have arrived at your destination, you were still sitting at the depature hall of the airport. You were told nothing, you were completly left in the dark as to why you have still not boarded and no apologies either. I was very frustrated that Nigerians just sat there, some sleeping and snoring, some eating endlessly and some sitting comfortably and  feeling relaxed. I looked around and it was absolute peace and bliss. I was raging on the inside wondering what I had done to merit being disrespected by an airline that depended o

 Liberate – Delta People’s Movement condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the speech made by the Governor of Delta State Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan where he made a number of significant threats towards the opposition in the State, civil society activists and journalists. Uduaghan was speaking at Democracy Day thanksgiving held at Ekrejeta, Abraka, where he spoke of personally resisting being more firm with the opposition in the State, activist and Journalists because of his belief in the transient nature of power. He then made the following statements: “The governor has many powers; he can do whichever thing he likes. The governor has powers to demolish any house and he has power to even kill, whatever you can think of…but when he leaves office, all the powers are gone. I have not used up to ten per cent of my powers.” He also said, “If I have to use my powers, many people talking now will not talk, even the journalists won’t be writing what they write now. But the power is bei

Nigerians are angry but not yet very angry, yet. How many times do we have to go through this vicious cycle of lies, manipulations, intimidations and distractions? I am very upset because this crop of rulers in Nigeria thinks and believes that they would keep using the same tactics to keep Nigerians under subjection by manipulating what we should major on at any given time. They are not smart enough to see that times are changing; they have not woken up to the clear reality that Nigerians are coming of age; it has not dawned on them that Nigerians are no longer babies who are easily distracted and enticed away from a dangerous object when they are given a safer toy. When will they learn? When will they realise that while they are satisfying their drunken urges and despicable sexual orgies in Government guest houses all over Abuja and our state capitals that we are busy at work? Yes, we are busy educating Nigerians; We are busy exposing the corrupt practices of this administrati

My ticket No. 10 A relative of mine called last night to say he just saw me on BBC prime time news and as the conversation progressed, he asked, “Now sis, what drives you?” I was taken aback as I realised I did not know the answer but I said, “Whenever I find a man not being treated fairly by a wife whose loyalty lies with the family she came from instead of the one she should be building with her husband, I want to take him home and look after him; When I find a woman who is battered by her spouse and being treated as less than a human, I want to take her home and just protect her and when I find a child not receiving the nurturing love and care s/he deserves, I just want to take the child home and just love him/her. I guess that whatever it is that drives me must have driven me to start speaking up for and become protective towards Deltans and Nigerians generally, from the fraudulent Nigerians that have seized our common wealth. The same force drove me and a few other Nige