- Error
Goodluck: The myth and magic in names
A good name, the Holy Bible says, is better than great riches. This aphorism, in the opinion of many people, aptly explains why some individuals with great names achieve greatness; while, on the other hand, many people with names that are unpleasant experience uneventful and boring life or even bad fate.
This, indeed, stresses why some people argue that the power, force and beauty in names are evident in the lives of some renowned personalities who bear the names, whether living or dead, across the globe.
Add a commentGovernor Peter Obi: Quitting not an option for a committed leadership
A popular English proverb, “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going” has become a bellwether to rate leadership but it looks like the governor of Anambra is a contrarian to the prevailing proverb. Recently His Excellency Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State was reported in the news that he wants to quit politics for good because his popularity is waning. The reported news has not been vetted or verified but if it’s a true story this may qualify as the lamest joke of the century.
Why will a leader that was supposedly an emerging political figure quit as the polity gets hotter? Peter Obi’s brand that was marketed to Anambrians was rooted on commitment and felicity. Therefore the Peter Obi that wants to chicken out and metamorphosed into a cry baby was not the image of the governor that was propagated.
Add a commentSack This “Diplomatic” Boxer
One of any diplomat’s most important mandates is to present her or his nation in the best light. On this score, Chijioke Wilcox Wigwe, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Kenya and the Seychelles, is the quintessential anti-diplomat. In the typical pomposity that reigns in Nigeria, Mr. Wigwe parades himself as “Chief Dr.” However, given the nature of the man’s recent activities, his more fitting prefixes should be, “Chief Boxer” or “Dr. Pugilist” Wigwe.
In recent days, Kenyan newspapers as well as various websites have reported on the diplomat’s pummeling of his wife, the mother of his children as well as grandmother of their grandchildren. Each report has been accompanied with graphic photos of the woman’s battered, lacerated and swollen face. If the ferocious former professional boxer, Iron Mike Tyson, had cornered Mrs. Wigwe and unleashed his fists on her, her face would hardly look more disfigured.
Add a commentEFCC and Emeka Ugwuonye:How The Internet Saved The Day
The story of my recent experience in Nigeria would never be complete without mentioning in the first paragraph the role of the Internet (the new media). It saved. In the past, the Nigerian government officials had been able to eliminate their opponents, not necessarily by killing them as you may think, but rather often by controlling the narrative. It is incredible how far they would go to control the story, to misinform, disinform, and manipulate what people believe. In my case, the storyline they peddled was how I took their money without authorization.
Even though this is an old story that lost credibility as time went on, they tried to make it believable by distorting it as much as they could. They claimed they still don’t know how much money was realized for Nigeria from the property transactions. They were silent on the 20 million dollars that each Ambassador and the each Foreign Affair Minister have been fighting over. They never said a word about Nigerian government property in San Francisco. They never told you that I have had an active retainer on the matter and that I am still their attorney on that matter.
Add a commentEchoes:Nigeria, Norway and the Lessons of Oil
When I was serving in Nigeria as U.S. ambassador, I once asked a Norwegian diplomat a seemingly simple question: Who became rich from oil in his country? He replied, "Nobody and everybody."
