Trace

Obasanjo@87: Grand Salute to Embodiment of Africanism and Leadership On August 21, 2017, I held my head high, overwhelmed by the pride of being a Nigerian in the United States of America. Thanks to the portrait of Olusegun Obasanjo, conspicuously hung in an auspicious room called the “Hall of Laureates” at the World Food Prize Foundation in Des Moines, Iowa. …

Contrary to Mark Antony’s statement in Shakespeare’s play in 100 BC, “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is often interred with their bones,” there are certain men whose good was so great that part might have been interred with their bones for heavenly reward. The other part might continue to immortalize them several years after their …

Salamatu-WOFAN: One Woman’s Ferocious Fight against Family Hunger and Poverty in Nigeria Nigeria, as a developing country, has a pocket of rotten eggs but is endowed with kindhearted people who give a helping hand to people in need. Hajia Salamatu Garba is a benevolent personality who founded the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) to provide hope to the hopeless. The …

The late Prof. Mustapha Ahmed Falaki had a larger-than-life personality during his working career that made his name ring the bell nine years after his assasination. As expected, my tribute last week to the academic colossus, social-justice crusader, power of the powerless, and farmers’ general, Mallam Falaki, attracted praise and happy testimonies from those whom his human kindness touched. It …

On Saturday, February 14th, 2015, my phone repeatedly rang in the middle of my lovely squash game. I cursed myself for not putting the phone on silent mode. I hesitatingly answered it. The distance caller said, “Prof, you are in the court playing, so you didn’t hear that Malam Falaki (as we fondly called him) is dead; he was assassinated.” …

By Prof M.K. Othman As time ticks, our university system’s perilous situation is deepening, creating an unpleasant scenario. The current administration seems irresponsive to the happenings on our university campuses. Apart from the sweet-coated but unfulfilling statements, award of 25/35% salary increase, presidential amnesty to release four months withheld salaries of the striking workers, approval to remove payment of university …

In 2001, during my postgraduate program in Montpellier, South France, one of the most observable features of banks in France was the sparse population in banking halls. You can hardly see ten people in the banking halls, comprising bank workers and customers. The only reason for a customer to be in the banking hall is to open a new account …

Today, public university employees are Nigeria’s most disenchanted, discontented, and embittered workers. The segment of the academic staff housing the teachers is at the bottom of the ladder in this villainous classification. The university lecturers are the crème de la crème of the sane society and deserve special treatment to do their best for societal development. For example, before becoming …

Right food Act: Nigerians Must Not go to Bed on an Empty Stomach Professor Gbolagade Ayoola is an obscure personality among the downtrodden Nigerians, the category of people he has doggedly fought for all his life. If Nigeria is a country that recognizes and celebrates heroes and fighters of human rights, Ayoola would have been the Mahatma Gandhi of Nigeria; …

  Un petit pose—to use the French language for a break. Again, this week, I am fulfilling my promise of sharing some of my readers’ views on several issues discussed in this column to provide broader perspectives for clarity. While I sincerely appreciate my readers’ effort to comment on the issues I raised, I cannot publish all the comments because …