A few days after finding myself out of a job, I stood on the Ha’penny Bridge one afternoon, taking in the view of the River Liffey stretching out towards Dublin Bay. I observed the people and all that transpired around me; I could see the impact of the
The Niger Delta crisis has been a major talking point among interested observers as of late. But in all this discussion, there are some truths that have yet to be told.
Whether you agree with me or not, one of the greatest forces of nature is that of the human spirit. Indeed, many instances have proven that a resolute spirit can tackle issues head-on in spite of whatever trials or tribulations stand in the way. When Barack
Little did I know I would have the time of my life when Ghana’s President John Atta invited me to Osu Castle for an exquisite evening of dining and dancing with selected dignitaries.
Before the local elections last month, many onlookers saw the posters of African faces strapped to the telegraph poles as a signal that we were moving further along the path to integration. But at the end of the day, of the 30-odd Africans who contested the
An old adage says that freedom is priceless. Many freedom fighters died in their struggles and we are aware of the incarceration of more still. In the intellectual realm, debates as to the definition of a freedom fighter have failed to reach a logical
When the parliamentary expenses scandal in the United Kingdom hit the headlines, there were negative reactions from all interested in the former colonial power’s affairs.
Observers of international politics will be aware of self-interested developments in the attitudes of the UN Security Council towards Africa. Indeed, it’s not far off to what happened in Berlin during the reign of Bismarck in the late 19th century. It
One of the first questions often asked between strangers is ‘Where do you come from?’ Considering this makes me wonder: what does your place of birth mean to you?
I feel compelled to write once more about the situation in the north of Sri Lanka, which has become something of a human abattoir in the past few weeks.
There’s a popular saying that wherever you don’t find a Nigerian, that place must be a ghost town.
As we struggle with the downturn, tens of thousands of innocent civilians are battling for their lives amidst the advancing Sri Lankan force and retreating Tamil Tiger fighters in south Asia.
‘Man is a political animal,’ goes the old saying. But what exactly makes him so? To me, politics starts with the family.
Diplomats specialise in diplomacy, but recent events within Nigerian diplomatic circles have led me to think twice.
A friend of mine, Itohan, recently told me that the best thing to do during these troubled times is to travel back to Africa until the economic meltdown has passed over. In our continent, the people can hardly depend on governments to kick-start their lives.
In Nigeria, the people have mixed feelings about their country. A plethora of issues – from the lack of infrastructure to the transparency of democracy, religious conflict and corruption – are stirring disenchantment, and raising fundamental questions
Across the Niger with Ukachukwu Okorie
As people prepared to come back for a recession battle in 2009, Prempe Ayew wrote to thank me for making his weekend stay in Dublin very exciting. Although we talked on many issues including the recent elections in Ghana, Prempe could not hide an important discovery