LAURETTA ONOCHIE

The attention of Ndi Anioma of Nigeria, the umbrella body covering Anioma people at home and in Diaspora has been drawn to the recent protest associated with a group of people, in the name of Biafra, in which protesters of South East origin are calling for the secession of a separate state of Biafra from Nigeria.  The purpose of this dissent, they have admitted, also relates to the deserved arrest of a UK-based Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the man behind the venomous Radio Biafra. Like most observers who followed the nature of Biafra in 1967, Ndi Anioma is of the view that Biafra died permanently in 1970 with the surrender speech made by Philip Effong in which he emphatically stated ‘Biafra ceases to exist’, following Col. Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu's flee to Ivory Coast.  In spite of this circumstance, a few resentful people of South-East origin who are attempting to exploit a non-existent opportunity to make the present democratic dispensation ungovernable, have keyed into MASSOB’s lon

The more I try to push this man into our recent ignoble past and leave him there,  the more he makes a concerted effort at adding salt to the injury he, by his irresponsible leadership of our nation, caused Nigerians. With the revelation of the shameful and disgraceful diversion of funds meant to equip the Nigerian Army and safeguard the nation, one would have thought that the man who presided over that part of our sordid history, should bow his head in shame and apologise to the Nigerian people. But ex President Goodluck Jonathan has no shame. None whatsoever. He is not perturbed that such roguery as is being revealed took place under his watch. No, he sat calmly while those he appointed, played Russian roulette with issues that were a matter of life and death, preferring instead to lace their pockets with funds meant to secure lives and properties. Where was he when  Air Chief Marshal  Alex  Sabundu  Badeh,  a senior Nigerian Air Force officer and former Chief of

Carol Ajie is a Lawyer. I am not. I am a Lecturer, Carol is not. I took one look at her petition against President Buhari and her call for the respected leader of the most populous black nation to resign and I thought, "Joker, who set her up?". But that's her opinion from the view point of a lawyer. But as a Lecturer, and a layman in law, I would try to teach Carol one or two lessons she missed or even educate her on how not to make herself a laughing stock.  One lesson Carol must learn first is that lawyers are well respected  across the world and Nigeria is not an exception. However, it takes very little for Nigerians to caste anyone from the height of respectability to the abyss of ignominy and notoriety. If Carol was seeking fame and respect, allowing herself to be used by the likes of Femi Fani-Kayode and Oliseh Metuh has obviously done the opposite. She has drawn the ire of Nigerians. This is because many Nigerians can no longer see any line, not even a thin

It appears the 8th Nigerian Senate, an unpopular set of men and women are still battling for relevance in the Nigerian political space. This has beclouded their judgement so much that they cannot articulately separate the wheat from the chaff. While admitting that there is a tiny bit of substance in their desperation, by and large, it's an outright and deliberate effort to gag ordinary Nigerians and give Pres. Muhammadu Buhari a bad name and image at a time he is enjoying local and international goodwill and accolade.  What we need to do is study the Social Media Bill carefully to understand what the Senators are working at and where they have crossed the line by smuggling in repressive parts.  The Genesis of the Social Media Gag Bill: ▓ The Senate had mud in its face, suffering great humiliation when they admitted Frivolous Petitions against the person of Rt. Hon Chibike Rotimi Amechi and others during the screening of the Ministers.  ▓ The Senators were blind

Oliseh Metuh Is there any one left among Chief Oliseh Metuh's friends who can explain to him the true situation of things in Nigeria? I ask because I am beginning to think that the Oliseh Metuh's of this nation, get really upset that not only are Nigerians now in power, they are also happy with the leadership they chose for themselves.  It's true that Oliseh Metuh, who is now sounding like a broken record, did not correctly read the handwriting on the wall before and during the last election that swept him and PDP out of power. They had it coming but they had plans which did not include the Card Reader. Who is to blame for their misreading the mood of Nigerians who were clamouring for a change of direction but were ignored by the PDP administration of Pres. Jonathan? Who is hounding dissenting Voices? It's also true that during the reign of PDP, they hounded those who did not agree with their oppressive regime using EFCC, the police, ICPC, NDLEA, etc. Ca

Many Nigerians have watched with tongue in cheek as the group known as Ohaneze Ndigbo has paraded itself as the group with the interest of Ndigbo. For starters, let us look at the meaning of Ohaneze Ndigbo. Oha means the ordinary people. Eze means King or in this case, Elites. The phrase Oha na Eze Ndigbo as an organisation would mean an association that is for all Igbo people, irrespective of whether they are elites or ordinary Ndigbo or their social status. But what we have seen in Ohaneze is an organisation that is far from representing the interests of the ordinary Igbo people. The 'Oha' have been completely relegated to the background. For many years, children of school age would be seen at various markets in Eastern Nigerian learning how to use calculators and shunning formal education. Their main ambition, or should I say the life plan for such children by their parents is a life in one of those dingy market stalls, with 10,000 power generating sets and no ventil

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and civil society on Wednesday advocated capital punishment for corrupt officials as obtained in China and India. Making the call at a joint news conference in Abuja, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, and TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama, said the campaign against corruption must be intensified and sustained. To drum support for the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari, they said the organised labour would hold a mass rally on Thursday in Abuja. Mr. Wabba said the NLC was in support of whatever would address the issue of corruption in the country, including death sentence. “If such capital punishment can happen in China, India and South Africa, it can also happen in Nigeria; whatever measure that will address the issue of this mind-boggling corruption in the country, NLC will support it,” he said. Mr. Wabba noted that corruption had badly damaged the core of the country’s national existen