On this day in 1867, the U.S. formally takes possession of Alaska after purchasing the territory from Russia for $7.2 million, or less than two cents an acre. ($0.02 in 1867 is equivalent in purchasing power to $0.33 in 2017, a difference of $0.31 over 150 years) The Alaska purchase comprised 586,412 square miles, about twice the size of Texas, and was championed by William Henry Seward, the enthusiasticly expansionist secretary of state under President Andrew Johnson.
The news all over town, is the decision of the Oyo State Government to rebuild the demolished Music House of popular Musician, Yinka Ayefele. This came about, after a reconciliation meeting spear-headed by notable, influential citizens of Oyo State and the pictures of the meeting is all over the social media.
While it seems a good gesture from the Oyo State Government, it leaves more questions to be asked about the rational behind the demolition in the first place and more Continue reading
Over the course of the weekend, i had cause to visit my alma mata to celebrate 20 years of graduating from Secondary School. And from Thursday to Sunday, several of us, representing others who couldn’t make it gathered at Mayflower School Ikenne Remo to not only celebrate 20 years, but to give back to the school and above all honor our teachers.
The recent hullabaloo on herdsmen killings took a frightful dimension yesterday with rumours been peddled on the social media that Fulani Herdsmen were shooting pointblank at cars on Lagos Ibadan Expressway and hunting people down. It was accompanied with a purported audio recording of an eye-witness who “managed” to survive the ordeal and pleading with people to avoid the express and the situation was real and purported pictures of “slain people” which ironically was a robbery incident in 2010!
Now, let’s wait a second, what are the facts of the case?
The mirage of problems plaguing the administration of the incumbent President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, cannot be readily quantified nor valued as it has reached astronomical heights that calls for reflection of our electoral process and competence and capacity of would be leaders.
The collective future of a nation, cannot reside in the hands of a few. It can only be in the hands of the “collectinum”, where we decide wholeheartedly, how we want our future to be like.
Nigeria has a nation, will never progress beyond the stages of infancy, if we do not take firm collective decisions to ensure our growth and development.
The recent turn of events in the national polity with calls for restructuring by various groups and Political Leaders brings to the fore, either a deep seated desire and hunger for proper governance and good federal structure. Or a selfish agenda to use it as a cheap route to political notoriety and relevance.
Governance in Nigeria has been acrimonious and caustic as it can get compared to other Federating Nations of the earth.
Its been more of entitlement, appeasement and access to the cookie jar. But for how long can this last? Is there no solution in sight towards it?
The young shall grow, is a maxim we heard back in the days growing up in the 90s. It was a phrase filled with hope and wonder of the possibilities un-imagined in the nearest future we are going to meet.
Its interesting to note that, the crop of generation that grew up hearing that, are now parents, approaching mid life and are caught up in the tide of life that our parents where back then. Continue reading
By Femi Aderibigbe
This is going to get ugly, I might lose a few friends and gain a few enemies after this, but retaining narrow-minded friends is not on my to-do list today and as for the enemies part, please pick a tally number and get in line. Continue reading
