The Arbiter

General Buhari as an Enigma. On Friday last week, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former House of Representatives Speaker and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i, former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, and former Governor of Kaduna State Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, alongside other political heavyweights, paid a visit …

Rivers must not overflow, Mr President! This is a repeat. It was published on 24/12/2023. Readers may find it still relevant. Rivers, a state so rich because God blessed it with abundant crude oil and gas, is named after the many rivers that border its territory. Forty percent of Nigeria’s crude oil output is produced in the state. It also …

Why America Will Attack Iran, “Today, nearly everything is made in China – except courage; it’s made in Palestine.” – Anthony Bourdain. Anyone conversant with world affairs knows what’s happening in the Middle East. One does not have to belong to a particular faith to take an interest in events there because, where humanity is concerned, all divine religions agree on …

Now, Nigerians will start reporting Nigeria, by Hassan Gimba Nigeria these days reminds me of the popular children’s novel back in the day, One Week One Trouble, written in 1972 by Anezionwu Nwankwo Okoro, a Nigerian writer and medical practitioner. The protagonist, Wilson Tagbo, begins secondary school, but his flaws soon put him at odds with the school system, and no …

The Subtle Foreign Brainwashing of Nigerian Youths Has anybody wondered why the generality of the first set of our educated citizens revered the United Kingdom and aped the white Briton? They saw the mode of dressing, manner of speech, behavioural nuances, and general etiquette of the Briton as the epitome of civilisation. It took some coups and counter-coups, the death …

Nigeria should avoid carrying ants in its pants. Things are happening fast, and in an ever-changing world, keeping track of them is becoming increasingly difficult. This is not particular to Nigeria alone, as we have seen many global shifts that may ultimately spell peace for the beleaguered, even though others may have the potential to exacerbate fragile peace. Russia/Ukraine axis …

Between the Senator and the Soldier, by Hassan Gimba As long as I remain the minister of defence, our soldiers will marry the prettiest women, live in the best houses, eat the best food, wear the best clothes and drive the best cars because when war comes, they will be the ones to die first. – Muhammadu Ribadu. If I did …

Can Buni tame the Lake Chad curse?, by Hassan Gimba That is the question. Perhaps we should first take a look at Lake Chad and Mai Mala Buni, the governor of Yobe State and current chairman of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum. The Lake Chad Basin is an area of about 2,434,000 square kilometres (940,000 square miles), roughly 8 …

Of sons, daughters and preservation of legacies  Throughout history, men have been under immense societal pressure to produce male heirs to carry on their names and legacies. This expectation has often led to strife, stress, and sometimes untoward actions. The preference for male heirs is deeply rooted in many societies, possibly stemming from the belief in male superiority. Historically, patriarchal …

“Breathe in, breathe out, Nigeria,” by Hassan Gimba Some time ago, I had an oblique conversation with Governor Mai Mala Buni about my health condition, and something related to the topic of this piece came out. Sometimes, I get amazed at how he recalls things we see as inconsequential or forgotten because of time and relates them to everyday life. …