Featured Article: WHEN A KING SQUANDERED HIS CROWN_By William Z. Bozimo

There was once a man who mistook attention for affection and applause for destiny. A man who believed that generosity without wisdom was a sign of greatness. He often scattered all his money the way the harmattan scatters dry leaves rashly, proudly, and wastefully. People from all over followed him like bees chasing an open pot of honey, and with his wide smile and open hands, Women with all kinds of shapes, complexions, sizes, and from different tribes praised him. 

Friends surrounded him as the man of the people because with him, it is never a dull moment. Strangers also admired him for his friendly nature. He was the king of every room, the ladies' man, the hero of every party, and the man whose pockets spoke louder than his conscience. But he forgot that a king who lives without discipline will eventually dethrone himself. When his river of generosity dried up due to some bad decisions, the world that had enjoyed with him soon developed selective amnesia.

The women who once called him my “darling” when the going was good now became historians and experts in reminding him of all the hearts he broke and how he disregarded them and their kids, ignoring who he was and the commitment he already had when they met him in the first place. The friends who once ate from his plate vanished faster than smoke in a windy market. The strangers who saluted him could no longer even recognise him in the crowd due to the way life had happened to him. 

For the first time in his lifetime, he realised that he had built a kingdom where loyalty only depended on the weight of his wallet and his impact. Life struck him really hard. He didn’t just go broke, he went bankrupt. His wife, exhausted from so many years of betrayal till old age then passed away amidst all the Chaos. His body which was once his instrument of pleasure, became the very battlefield where sickness and grief declared war. Pain became a professor, gradually and mercilessly teaching him what wisdom and self-control should have.

Blindness soon visited him; first of the heart with grief, then of the eyes. And in that darkness, while lying on a bed soaked with regret, he discovered something very frightening: When a man falls, the world watches him, and when a man learns, heaven listens. But as soon as a man repents, God moves. Most of his friends and family deserted him and blamed him for the cause of all his predicaments, but God in his infinite mercy didn’t. God reached for him when humiliation pushed him to the ground. Grace picked him up when old choices tried to bury him.

And from his own lineage and the same bloodline he took for granted, God raised one unwavering soul who refused to let him die in shame. One helper, One voice, One gift disguised as family. That was the beginning of his resurrection. Now, years later, the man who once chased women now chases wisdom. The man who once wasted money now invests in purpose. The man who once lived without caution now writes with conviction. Although, his crown was not returned to him as gold, the Lord God Almighty reshaped it as a pen.

The chronic Womanizer who chased everything and anything in skirts with reckless abandon until he was broke as a pauper and had a near-death experience, has now been given another chance at life to do better. And now, his pen, scarred and humbled, has been resurrected to share stories so that young people will learn from his mistakes and not repeat his errors. This is the tale of a king who squandered his crown but found a kingdom inside redemption.

✍🏽 William Z. Bozimo

Veteran Journalist | Columnist | National Memory Keeper

NIGERIA: DIFFERENT SONGS, SAME POVERTY BAND: - North plays drums, South plays guitar, East plays flute-but everyone dances in hunger

The people at the top know how to sew divisions like expert tailors.  

They cut Nigeria into tribal fabrics,  

stitching invisible seams through our hearts.  

They sit at their machine, crafting suspicion carefully,  

telling us our neighbour’s language is a threat,  

training our eyes to see danger in another man’s skin tone.  

But they know something we pretend not to know --

only one loud, united youth can break the walls  

around their tall palaces.  

They keep us apart by feeding us different songs.  

They play one beat in the East, another tune in the West,  

turn up the talking drums in the North,  

and drop quiet guitar strings for the South.  

We dance out of time,  

never moving in one rhythm,  

never shouting in one voice.  

Meanwhile they sit together in the VIP lounge,  

sharing plates of meat and the fruits of our quiet.  

The more we whisper in different tongues,  

the more their wallets grow full.  

Even the ones who helped them cheat  

now eat the same bitter soup.  

The ballot-box carriers of midnight hours,  

the men who signed bent papers without blinking,  

the loud praise callers who clapped for lies --

all now sit at the table of hunger.  

The thorns they planted  

have grown into a full forest,  

wrapping around their own necks.  

In this land, the sun burns all skins equally,  

there’s no cool shade for any tribe.  

We live in a country that rides on our backs  

like a tired passenger in a wheelbarrow.  

We dig our own wells because water board is on break.  

We light our own houses because NEPA is fasting.  

We heal our own wounds with herbs  

because the hospital pharmacy is just an empty cupboard.  

We teach our own children after long work hours  

because schools are now empty shells.  

Government only comes close to collect and count,  

never to give and share.  

  

Now their pockets are dry like harmattan lips.  

They have borrowed and borrowed  

until even the lenders have left town.  

So they turn their eyes to our pockets,  

already looking like squeezed biscuit wrappers.  

New taxes are lined up like raindrops before a storm,  

ready to fall on every roof in the country --

penthouse or zinc shack.  

No tribe roof will escape it,  

no ethnic face will hide from it.  

 

To those who clap at every speech,  

who wave flags until arms ache,  

who shout “Yes Sir!” until voices crack,

ask your kings if your food pot will escape the fire.  

Ask them if your account balance will dodge their taxes.  

The reply will be the sound of silence  

and the cough of a man adjusting his agbada.  

Hunger is a choir where all tribes sing the same sad song.  

There is strange joy in this season ,  

a festival where pain is the main performer.  

The roads are slow for us all,  

the markets cut our pockets the same way,  

and no one can run faster than the shadow we built  

with our own votes,  

our own careless hands.  

Yesterday planted it, today we eat the fruits.  

And my people,  

the fruits are bitter enough to tighten our throats.  

The heat of hardship covers the whole nation  

like one massive umbrella we cannot close.  

It does not care if you speak Hausa or Igbo,  

Yoruba or Tiv.  

It falls on men in agbada and boys in torn jeans.  

It visits Banana Island and Ajegunle without discrimination.  

We are all travellers inside the leaking canoe we built ourselves,  

laughing until we realise water is already to our knees.  

  

If one day the youth wake up in the same mind,  

this ground will shake.  

No tribal drums, no party colours,  

just one single heartbeat  

from Kano to Port Harcourt,  

from Enugu to Lagos.  

And the stone walls around power will hear  

what they try so hard to silence.  

Then survival songs will become celebration songs.  

What we are paying now is the bill for years past.  

Old decisions are still sending debt letters to our doorsteps.  

We lit fires of bad choices,  

now the smoke lives here with us.  

This is the quiet punishment of a broken country,  

a theatre where the leaders read scripts of promises,  

we clap until our palms hurt,  

and still go home to cook hunger stew. 

Pain needs no translator in Nigeria.  

It speaks every language fluently,  

knows every market woman by name,  

and walks in both city and village with bare feet.  

If someday the youth, the workers, and the forgotten corners  

agree on one chorus,  

we will write the country’s final rescue verse together.  

Until then,  

the printer will keep making the receipt of pain  

in black ink,  

paid for fully by our silence.

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

Chief. Boro Opudu to Grace Ijaw Media Conference as Guest of Honour Schedule on December 17, in Warri

The Chairman Delta State Waterways and Land Security Security Committee, High Chief. Boro Matthew Opudu, shall be among other dignitaries to grace the forthcoming Ijaw Media Conference schedule on 17 December, 2025 in Warri.

Opudu, who is the Olotu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, will serve as a Guest of Honour alongside other distinguished guests.

The second edition of the annual event is organized by the Ijaw Publhlishers Forum with the 'Theme'  "Safeguarding Niger Delta's Natural Resources for Future Generations".

The security expert declared his availability for the much-anticipated event when the Central Working Committee led by Pastor Arex Akemotubo paid him a courtesy call at his office in Warri.

Speaking on behalf of the Committee, Akemotubo cited Opudu's long-standing experience both as a security expert and custodian of traditional values has a prerequisite for his invitation. 

The WaffiTV publisher commended Opudu's influence and role on the protection of lives and public properties over the years, particularly as it relates with the events team.

In his reaction, Opudu rated the Ijaw Publishers Forum highly on its resolve and commitment to propagating the right narrative and stand of the Ijaw people.

Aside from declaring himself available for the event and the conversation around the preservation of the region’s resources, Opudu also charged critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta to throw their weight behind the Forum's well-meaning initiatives.

DR. OTUARO: DEFENDING THE FUTURE OF THE NIGER DELTA - A Leader from the Struggle, For the Struggle

In the heart of the Niger Delta, a land defined by vast mangrove forests, winding creeks, rich fishing grounds, and immense reserves of crude oil, lies a paradox — abundance intertwined with adversity. It is here, amidst the rhythmic lapping of the waters against the shore and the ever-present hum of oil rigs, that a new chapter is quietly but determinedly unfolding. Chief Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, PhD, a son of the soil and a man deeply acquainted with its challenges, assumed office as the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in March 2024. His emergence is not merely an administrative change; it is a symbolic turning point, imbued with the promise of renewed hope for a region that has endured decades of economic exploitation, environmental degradation, political neglect, and social unrest. Yet, change, especially one that seeks to break old cycles, inevitably attracts resistance, and in recent months his bold and reform-focused direction has been met with the cold wind of detractors attempting to fan the flames of division through unfounded and malicious allegations designed to slow the momentum of progress.

As one who has long lived with and deeply felt the pulse of the Niger Delta, I will not stand idle while such acts of blackmail attempt to sabotage the work that must be done. Many of these attacks are rooted in narrow ethnic biases, the kind that threaten to splinter the fragile unity that we have painstakingly nurtured across diverse communities. This unity is essential if we are to confront the far more pressing threats at our doorstep — the rampant theft of crude oil from our pipelines, a scourge that bleeds our economy and deepens local poverty, and the reckless vandalism of crucial infrastructure, poisoning our lands, waters, and livelihoods. These acts have implications far beyond economic loss; they destroy ecosystems, displace families, and sow deeper distrust between our people and the state. Let no one be deceived: the real enemies are the forces that exploit our disunity to plunder both our wealth and our future. The federal government must not allow short-sighted gossip and petty grievances to overshadow the strategic necessity of safeguarding our homeland.

Dr Otuaro is not a distant bureaucrat sent to preside over lives he neither knows nor understands. His personal journey is interwoven with the narrative of the Niger Delta itself. For over two decades, he has laboured in the service of the communities here, navigating the complex terrain of local politics, development challenges, and security realities. Through grassroots engagement and an insistence on practical solutions, he has earned the trust of those who have lived the struggle, not simply observed it. His dedication to educational advancement in the region, his skill in mediating disputes, and his insistence on placing people — especially our youth — at the centre of developmental policy, form the cornerstones of his leadership philosophy. His vision for the PAP transcends its original framework as a mechanism for disarmament and reintegration; he envisages it as a dynamic platform for socio-economic empowerment, vocational training, and entrepreneurial support, offering an alternative path to those whose only opportunities previously lay in dangerous, illicit activities.

The principle behind Dr. Otuaro's strategy is elegantly straightforward yet profoundly transformative — equip our young men and women with the skills, exposure, and self-belief to thrive in sectors beyond oil extraction. By doing so, not only will new avenues of employment be opened, but a more resilient and diversified local economy will emerge, reducing dependency on the volatile oil industry. This shift shall help to reconstruct the broken bridges of trust between the Niger Delta’s communities and the Nigerian state, bridges that have too often collapsed under the weight of unfulfilled promises. It is a journey from a climate of suspicion and tension to one of collaboration and mutual growth, moving our people from a mindset of bare survival toward genuine prosperity and pride.

This moment calls for discipline, resolve, and solidarity among those of us entrusted with leadership roles within the movement, especially the distinguished Big Five camp leaders whose names are etched with honour in the Amnesty Office Database. Your collective responsibility is clear: safeguard the sanctity and purpose of this struggle. You must be vigilant against the intrusion of opportunists and outsiders whose intentions are not aligned with the aspirations of our people. You have long prayed and fought for a figurehead who embodies the pain, resilience, and aspirations of our region. Now that such a leader stands among us, with the mandate to steer us toward a better tomorrow, loyalty to that vision is more than political necessity — it is a moral imperative.

In our cultural heritage, there is wisdom in the belief that if the child does not reach out to the father, the father will inevitably reach out to the child, for matters of family are resolved best by those bound by blood and shared experience. So too should matters concerning the wellbeing of our ex-agitators, our camp soldiers, be decided within the fold, by those who have walked the same treacherous paths and faced the same storms. These courageous men and women, many of whom once stood at the forefront of the resistance, endured privation and risked their futures for the collective cause. Their sacrifices must be acknowledged not just with words but with tangible improvements in their lives — access to sustainable income, healthcare, education, and the dignity of meaningful work.

Thus, this juncture in our history is far deeper than bureaucratic management or abstract policy; it is a test of our fidelity to the vision that fuelled our struggle in the first place. It is a call to block the corrosive drip of division before it erodes the foundations of our progress. And it is a reminder that when our voices are raised together, they carry the power of a united tide, capable of overcoming even the most entrenched obstacles. The Niger Delta, for all its pain, stands as a testament to resilience; it bears the scars of exploitation yet still holds the strength to shape its own destiny when united under purposeful leadership. In standing firmly behind Dr Otuaro’s reform agenda, we are not merely defending the man or the office he occupies; we are defending the vision of a self-determined, prosperous Niger Delta.

The reforms Dr. Otuaro is championing are seeds planted in fertile if battered soil — seeds of opportunity, reconciliation, and sustainable development. If we nurture them with our collective support, persistence, and vigilance, they will grow into a harvest that future generations will look upon with gratitude and pride. And in that harvest shall lie our truest victory: a Niger Delta at peace with itself, thriving without fear, and charting a course defined not by the wounds of yesterday but by the promise of tomorrow

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

2027: Group Commend Dr. Louis Utuisi for Availing Himself to Salvage the People of Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency from Bad Representation

Francis Tayor

In their search for good leadership, effective and development oriented representative in Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, a group under the aegis of the Common Sense Political Mandate (CSPM), has commended the willingness of Dr. Louis Utuisi to serve his people in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

The group made the statement in Warri over the weekend during a courtesy visit to the Angiama, Udophori and Gbaramatu born great philanthropist who has offered himself to serve the good people of Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency.

The group under the leadership of former IYC staunch, Senior Comrade Ramson Erebor, said the body deeply appreciated the gesture of Dr. Utuisi for availing himself to salvage the good people of Bomadi Federal Constituency from the hands of the incumbent sit tight and incompetent representative who over the past six tenure of twenty four (24) years in office without creating any positive impact on the lives of the people.

Erebor stressed that Bomadi Federal Constituency is badly in dare need for positive change of representative, adding that the current bad representative has denied the people of the dividends of democracy for too long. 

He acknowledged the fact that despite the love and support the grassroots gave to the incumbent lawmaker over the past six tenure but he refused to attract even development to the constituency, thereby exposing them to agony, tears and sorrow as a result of bad representation.

However, the Common Sense Political Mandate group urged Dr. Louis Utuisi to be strong in order to galvanize more strength ahead of the great task, adding that with God and the yearning of the good people of Bomadi and Patani, he will achieve his ambition come 2027.

In his reaction, Dr. Utuisi appreciated the group for their time and concern to ensure positive change of representative in Bomadi Federal Constituency, stressing that he was privileged to identify with them. 

Dr. Utuisi further added that he is very much committed to serve his people provided they are ready to give him their mandate at the polls comes 2027 general elections.

Bolouwei of Niger Delta, Tunde Smooth to Attend 2025 ljaw Media Conference as Father of the Day

The Bolowei of Niger Delta, Chief Tunde Smooth, has agreed to serve as Father of the Day at the forthcoming Ijaw Media Conference slated on 17 December, 2025.

The annual gathering, now in its second year, is organised by the Ijaw Publishers Forum and will focus on the theme “Safeguarding Niger Delta’s Natural Resources for Future Generations”.

Chief Smooth received the formal invitation on Tuesday when members of the Central Working Committee, led by Pastor Arex Akemotubo, visited him for a brief meeting.

During the visit, Akemotubo noted that this year’s theme reflects growing concern over the pressure on the region’s land and waterways. 

He stated that the forum aims to deepen public awareness, encourage fair and responsible reporting, and call attention to the duty of leaders to preserve the region’s heritage.

He observed that Chief Smooth’s longstanding contribution to cultural advancement and his steady involvement in regional affairs made him well suited for the honour.

Chief Smooth welcomed the delegation and spoke on the need for cooperation among community groups, professional bodies and traditional institutions. 

He praised the Forum for its efforts to use media as a means of protecting the interests of the Niger Delta and assured them of his full support for the conference.

He also appealed to other stakeholders across the Ijaw nation to join in initiatives that safeguard the environment and strengthen the region’s future.

Oborevwori Woos Investors, Says Time To Invest In Delta Is Now, Orders Immediate Rehabilitation Of Failed Sections Of Ubeji/Egbokodo/Refinery Road

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has called on investors particularly Deltans at home and in the diaspora to take advantage of the state’s steadily improving socio-economic climate to invest in the State. 

The Governor who made the call on Friday in Ubeji, Warri South Local Government Area, while inaugurating a multi-million-naira hospitality and tourism investment, the Swiss International Rancho Valerie Hotel, said; “the time to invest in Delta State is now.”

 

“Warri is rising again, Delta State is progressing steadily. The shadows of yesterday have given way to the bright possibilities of today and the greater promises of tomorrow,” the Governor declared.

 

Saying the hotel is a bold testament to the rising economic profile of Warri, Oborevwori ordered the immediate rehabilitation of failed portion of the Ubeji/Egbokodo/Refinery Road. 

He said the new hospitality facility reflects the renewed confidence investors now have in Delta State, adding that Warri is reclaiming its place as Delta’s commercial and tourism hub.

 

According to him, the establishment of the hotel will not only provide premium accommodation,  but also stimulate local enterprise, create jobs, enhance community peace, and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic growth of the state.

 

He said: “This hotel is not just another project; it is a clear statement that Delta State is open for business. It affirms that our state is safe, investor-friendly, and capable of hosting world-class hospitality and tourism ventures".

 

Governor Oborevwori praised the hotel’s owner, Mr. Mode Akoma, describing the project as an inspiring story of vision, resilience, and determination. 

He commended Akoma’s choice to invest in his home community rather than elsewhere, calling it a demonstration of deep commitment to Delta’s development.

 

“If you had invited me to commission a hotel you built outside Delta State, I would not have attended. But I am proud that you chose to develop your community. This project brings jobs, brings peace, and brings progress,” he added.

 

The Governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to infrastructure renewal, enhanced security, and investor-friendly policies under the MORE Agenda. 

While congratulating the owners and management of Swiss International Rancho Valerie, he emphasized that the success of such projects underscores the limitless investment opportunities available in Delta State.

 

Earlier in his welcome address, General Manager of the hotel, Mr. Todowede Opeyemi, said the facility would provide exceptional hospitality services that meet international standard.

 

He added that the management is committed to contributing to the state’s development by helping unlock Delta’s rich tourism potential.

 

“Every guest who visits us deserves more than just a stay; they deserve an unforgettable experience, one that reflects our culture, our hospitality, and our warmth as a people,” Opeyemi said.

Ekanpou gives mother-inlaw, late Mrs. Margaret Ekotoro a befitting final burial rites at Kalafiogbene community in Delta

Francis Tayor

Kalafiogbene Community in Bomadi  Local Government Area of Delta State was on Thursday filled with personalities from all walks of life across the Niger Delta region, as the remains of late Mrs. Margaret Alhaji Ekotoro Oruserikeme, (Nee Okunbiri), the Rev. Mother of the CDGM Church Worldwide, and a great mother in-law of the famous Niger Delta born award winning literary icon cum member of the Delta State Board of Student Bursary/Scholarship, Dr. Ekanpou Gogi Enewaridideke, as he bids final farewell to his departed mother in-law in historic way to the amazement of family, friends, dignitaries and well wishers that graced the occasion.

The late Margaret Ekotoro was a renowned successful business woman and fashion designer in Western ljaw who lived a well fulfilled life in serving humanity and God over the past Nine decades before passing into eternal glory at age 99.

She was a devoted christian and the Rev. Mother of the Christ Divine Gospel Mission (CDGM) headquarters, Elohim City Zion, Kalafiogbene Community.

Meanwhile, the body of late Margaret Ekotoro leaves Safe Haven Hospital Mortuary Service Okumagba Layout, Warri at about 10:15AM on Thursday 27 November, 2025 in a motorcade to Miller Jetty NPA via speed boat to Kalafiogbene Community for christian funeral/night burial.

The corpse arrived Kalafiogbene at about 12:30AM for a brief stop over at her father's compound before onward procession to Elohim City Zion for lying in state.

Delivering his sermon at the funeral service, His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Emomotimi Felix Timbor  described late Rev. Mother Margaret as a great woman that created positive impact in the church in particular, and the society in general.

Dr. Timbor said resurrection and judgement were at hand, hence he admonished believers as well as sinners for a positive change of heart as there is no repentance in the grave.

While praying God Almighty to grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest, Timbor charged her children to immortalize their late mother legacy by promoting the good traits she radiated while on earth.

Immediately after the sermon and funeral service in accordance to the zion church doctrine, the remains of Mrs . Margaret Ekotoro was taken to the graveside and interred in her compound at about 5:30PM at Elohim City Zion.

However, At the grand reception/night social wake keep, Dr. Ekanpou was joined by family, friends, well wishers among other sympathizers to give his wonderful mother in-law a befitting final burial rites.

The social wake keep  was eventful and colourful as the children and inlaws of Mama danced with their loved ones and well wishers to the melodious and captivating sound beats of the king of ljaw owigiri highlife music South-South Region, Chief. Barrister Smooth alias the Paddle of Niger Delta.

Sympathizers where served with good meal and assorted drinks as Barrister Smooth thrilled guests with electrifying performance at Kalafiogbene community school field till dawn.

Mama was survived by 8 children, 57 grand children and 39 great grand children among which are; Mrs . Evelyn Bekere Kemasuode (JP), Chief. John Ekotoro, Mrs. Queen Makaraba, Comrade Elder Boro Ekotoro, Comrade Seaman Ekotoro, Hon. Monday Ekotoro, Mrs. Lucky Layefa Ekanpou and Mrs. Happy Gbenekama Truston.

Photo credit: Congress Newspaper

CAESAR IN ROME KILLS PIRATES, AMERICA SAVES CITIZENS, NIGERIA HOLDS FUNERALS

--Three Kidnaps, Three Nations  ... and One Giant Slap of Reality -

History has an odd sense of humour. It loves to tell the same story over and over, only changing the names of the characters. More than 2,000 years ago, Julius Caesar was kidnapped by pirates. The pirates thought they had pulled off the crime of the century. They demanded a ransom. Caesar, cool as the moon on a calm night, paid the ransom and walked free.  

But Caesar was not done. He went home, raised a naval force, hunted those pirates down, and wiped them out. Every last one of them. That’s what strength looks like -- it speaks softly, then strikes like lightning. Caesar didn’t send them a warning letter or hold a press conference. He showed them the kind of power you don’t forget.  

Fast forward to our own times. An American missionary named Philip Walton is kidnapped near the Niger–Nigeria border. The kidnappers probably thought it would be a long holiday for their wallets. But within hours, American intelligence was already racing towards the truth. Within days, U.S. Special Forces landed on foreign soil, stormed in like shadows in the night, grabbed their man, and flew him home. No noise. No delay. No excuses. Just capability at work.  

In every age, nations are tested. They face moments when their strength is questioned, their resolve challenged, and their pride wounded. Some rise to the challenge with swift and decisive action, showing the world that their people will never be abandoned or forgotten. Others remain silent, leaving events to write a story of weakness.  

Long ago, Caesar himself showed what strength meant. In distant lands, when Roman pride was threatened, he acted with speed and force so overwhelming that no one doubted his power. His enemies understood that harming Rome came with a cost too high to pay. That was the magic of strength -- it was not just the ability to defend, but to make the very idea of attack seem foolish.  

Today, America still shows that lesson. When her citizens are taken, far away in foreign lands, the weight of the nation is felt in moments. Rescue missions thunder across skies and seas, and everyone -- friend or foe -- knows that American lives are not up for negotiation. They are reclaimed. The act itself is more than a rescue; it is a warning. It says to the world: "We do not ask, we take back what is ours."  

But then came our moment, here in Nigeria. A Brigadier General, Uba -- not just a soldier, but a living emblem of our proud military -- was captured by insurgents. His life was stolen in violence, and his death left more than a family grieving; it left a nation questioning itself. There was no daring rescue. No show of strength to shake the forests and deserts where the killers hide. No retaliation so decisive that it echoed in the hearts of those who would try again. Only silence. Only loss.  

It is in moments like this that the difference between nations becomes sharp and clear. In one place, the enemy feels fear before they act. In another, they act without fear at all. Strength is not boastful. True strength is like a wall silently guarding a city, making attacks rare because attackers know they will be crushed. Weakness invites trouble. Where there is no credible response, danger grows bold.  

We must understand the lesson. Terror cannot be tamed by weak words. Criminals cannot be frightened by polite warnings. Extremists cannot be stopped by hesitation or delay. A state must have speed to move, power to strike, and the will to punish. Without those, nothing is safe -- not the cities, not the villages, not the people themselves. The nation’s pride becomes empty, and its enemies grow in confidence.  

If Nigeria is to change its story, it must embrace the truth: the military must not only defend but deter. Deterrence is like a shadow of power that follows an enemy long before they plan an attack. It is the knowledge that if harm is done, great harm will be returned. Punishment, swift and certain, is what makes the world step back. This is what keeps nations respected, feared, and often left alone.  

In this hard world, there are truly only two kinds of nations -- the ones whose citizens are rescued, and the ones whose citizens are mourned. We must choose which kind we wish to be. Strength is not arrogance. It is survival. History has never been a safe road; it has always belonged to the nations powerful enough to walk it without bowing to fear. And Nigeria must decide -- now -- that it will be one of them.

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

Just-ln: Former Nigeria President, Goodluck Jonathan Caught in a Military Coup, Trapped in Guinea-Bissau

Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, is reportedly among several high-profile leaders trapped in Guinea-Bissau following a sudden military takeover in the country.

Jonathan, who traveled to Bissau on a peace and mediation mission ahead of post-election consultations, finds himself in the midst of a volatile situation as soldiers seize control of key state institutions and abruptly halt the electoral process.

Early reports indicate that heavy gunfire resounded across the capital, Bissau, as the military asserted control, blocking major routes, shutting the nation’s borders, and placing political leaders under heavy guard. The coup leaders have justified their actions by claiming they aimed to “restore order” amid escalating political tensions.

Diplomatic sources confirm that efforts are currently underway to secure Jonathan’s safety, alongside other diplomats and officials ensnared in the turmoil. Negotiations are reportedly ongoing to facilitate his evacuation should the situation deteriorate further.

The atmosphere remains fluid, with regional organizations such as ECOWAS and the African Union closely monitoring developments and assessing potential intervention measures to prevent further destabilization in the already fragile West African sub-region.

The Economic Times Nigeria will continue to monitor the situation and provide timely updates as more details emerge.

Life After Grief: How Loss Creates a New Kind of Strength_By William Z. Bozimo

There comes a season in every human journey when the world suddenly becomes quieter. The phone stops ringing. The familiar footsteps fade. The laughter that once filled a room soon becomes a memory’s echo. In that stillness, we then discover a kind of loneliness that only grief can teach. 

Grief is not a visitor we invite. It often arrives without knocking; sometimes sudden like a storm, other times slow like a long twilight. It then rearranges the emotions of the heart and shifts our priorities. It exposes how fragile and precious the human journey truly is. But beneath its heavy cloak lies a strange transformative truth, proving that grief has the power to remake us.

When we lose someone, we also lose a part of ourselves. But in the process of all the sadness, we inherit something: their lessons, plus all their unspoken wishes; their stories and unfinished dreams. The people that we mourn become the silent architects of our becoming. Their absence in our lives will now become the compass that changes our direction afterwards.

Amidst the sober reflection following every loss, many will discover a new strength. Not loud but steady. That is the strength to wake up to a new day and chuckle without guilt. The peace to honour their memories without feeling like drowning in them. The willingness to fall in love again after the anguish. Grief is a sculptor that chisels away the unimportant and refines the fundamental. 

It also teaches empathy in a world that is so quick to judge and too slow to understand. It deepens the soul and widens the heart. Those who succeed through grief often communicate in a manner that the world desperately needs. If love is the gift that we show to our loved ones while they are still alive, then grief is the proof that the gift was real while it endured. 

And so, life after an intense misery becomes a subtle rebirth, and not a return to who we used to be before grief. But an emergence into who we will now become; an individual shaped by memories, grounded by all the sad experiences, and strengthened by the pain he survived. In the end, grief doesn’t destroy us. It remakes us; calmly, painfully, and beautifully. 

For those loved ones we lost, they never truly leave. They forever take a place in the deepest chambers of our hearts, becoming the invisible companions who walk with us into every new chapter.

✍🏽 William Z. Bozimo

Veteran Journalist | Columnist | National Memory Keeper

HON. TITO ZUOKUMOR: THE RARE GEM OF THE NIGER DELTA SOIL:- The Principal Who Led with a Loving Heart

-- A Sun Over Our Shores: A Brother to All --

Friends, family, brethren of the Niger Delta,  

today our hearts are heavy, yet filled with honour.  

We gather beneath the same clouds that once watched over him ,

a man whose name we speak not lightly,  

but with reverence, gratitude, and the calm pride of memory.  

Hon. Tito Ware‑ebi Zuokumor was not just among us ,

he was within us,  

running through our lives like the hidden streams beneath the mangrove roots,  

streams that feed even the deepest parts of our land.  

Honourable Tito Ware‑ebi Zuokumor…  

a son of Ojobo’s ancient oil‑blessed soil,  

born where the air smells of river and history,  

where the sunsets paint gold across the waters.  

He rose from that soil like the great iroko tree,  

offering shade to the tired,  

strength to the weary,  

and beauty to all who beheld him.  

He was the torchbearer in Oporomo Kingdom,  

a voice pitched strong for the Ijaw nation,  

a pillar who carried the weight others could not.  

Honourable Tito Ware‑ebi Zuokumor…  

our anchor in the tempest,  

that palm tree which never breaks though the wind may rage,  

that bridge over turbulent waters when our creeks swelled with trials.  

A rare gem indeed -- gold refined by fire and struggle,  

yet soft to the touch like morning dew resting on a plantain leaf.  

When storms came, he stood;  

when hope waned, he gave it life again.  

He was a principal by title and a principal by deed,  

for in his classroom of life everyone learnt a lesson  

in dignity, compassion, and the graceful power of humility.  

His authority was never about command , 

it was the natural respect given to a man  

whose every decision was woven with love and fairness.  

He led by walking among his people,  

by sitting under the same sun,  

by listening to the same drums.  

He stood in the Niger Delta struggle not as a distant observer,  

but as one of its sacred lifelines.  

Like the elder in the folktale who wrestled the crocodile to save the village child,  

he risked much to save many.  

His hands worked rough but gave soft rewards;  

his feet walked far but left gentle prints;  

his voice rose clear like the early morning songbird,  

calling all to remember our strength and unity.  

Tito gave without trumpet sound ,

no public display, no boasting.  

His giving was quiet but powerful,  

written upon the hearts of those  

whose cups he filled in their dry seasons.  

He was the bread for the hungry fisherman who returned without a catch,  

the counsel for the young leader unsure of which path to take,  

the laughter for the widow who felt forgotten.  

We called him friend.  

We called him brother.  

But in truth, we called him our own flesh,  

for his heart saw only family, never strangers.  

In the African folktale of the traveller and the hearthfire,  

there is one home where warmth never dies,

Tito was that home.  

He took everyone in, fed them,  

spoke with them as equals,  

and sent them away with courage in their pockets.  

Ah, the Delta mourns tonight.  

The creeks whisper his name like an old song,  

the mangroves bend as if bowing in prayer,  

the waves carry a gentler rhythm,  

as though even they know the water’s chief helper has departed.  

His absence is a hollow no tide can fill,  

a silence deeper than the riverbed where moonlight never reaches.  

We weep… but we remember.  

We remember the man who stood firm in the wind,  

whose voice was a shield when others stayed silent,  

whose courage was the spear that chased shadows away.  

We remember the smile that could lift the tides  

and the words that could steady any sinking boat.  

Even now, his love is a current running through our days.  

Even now, his courage whispers in the ears of young men preparing to lead.  

Even now, his generosity hangs in the air  

like the scent of ripe guava in the dry harmattan season.  

Honourable Tito…  

rare breed among men,  

gold in human flesh,  

sun over our shores,  

teacher of loyalty,  

keeper of hope,  

brother to the brokenhearted.  

We shall hold your name as a prayer in the night,  

as a promise in the morning,  

as a banner in the storm winds.  

We shall tell our children of the man  

who gave without counting the cost,  

who lived less for himself and more for the whole people,  

like the wise elder in the tale  

who planted mango trees not for himself,  

but so another generation might taste sweetness.  

And so, in this hour of remembrance,  

we bow our heads but raise our hearts.  

For though the earth now cradles your body,  

your spirit still hovers over the Niger Delta like light upon water,  

your laughter still hums through the creeks,  

your kindness still breathes in the mangroves.  

Goodbye, dear brother and friend.  

May the tides carry you gentle as a mother’s hand.  

May God’s light guide you safely into His harbour of peace.  

May your golden heart rest knowing it beat with the rhythm of the people.  

And we shall say…  

You were our heartbeat,  

our pillar,  

our rare gem,  

our sun,  

our Angel in human form —  

and your light shall never go out.

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

DR. OTUARO: From Classrooms to Calm Waters: How Education is Restoring the Niger Delta--Planting Seeds of Knowledge to Harvest Peace--

In the oil-rich Niger Delta, where the tides have long carried both wealth and unrest, a quiet but determined force is reshaping the story. That force is Dr. Dennis Otuaro, the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, a man whose vision shines like a lighthouse guiding ships safely to shore. He stepped into leadership not merely to keep the fragile peace afloat, but to anchor it firmly to something lasting -- education.  

For Dr. Otuaro, peace is not an abstract dream but a house built brick by brick. And the bricks, he believes, are not guns nor gold, but minds enlightened through learning. Having lived and breathed the struggles of the Niger Delta, he knows that without developing people’s skills and knowledge, any peace achieved will be like a sandcastle washed away by the next wave of trouble.  

When he took the helm of the Programme in March 2024, he found an existing scholarship scheme, but rather than merely preserving it, he breathed new life into it like fresh rain on thirsty soil. The numbers speak for themselves – in less than two years, Dr. Otuaro has opened the door of higher education to over 7,700 students in Nigerian universities, in addition to sending 162 young men and women to pursue postgraduate degrees in the United Kingdom. His achievements dwarf those of his predecessors, showing his tireless resolve to make education a river that flows freely to every corner of the Niger Delta.

He inherited just under two thousand students in Nigerian institutions and a handful abroad, but he refused to settle for mediocrity. With a budget that was not nearly enough, he sought and secured more funds to reach his ambitious goals. It was as though he looked at the horizon and saw generations of children whose futures depended on his willingness to act -- and he acted.  

Under his watch, the scholarship scheme has been protected from exploitation. No longer can shady hands snatch opportunities meant for deserving youths. With uncompromising firmness, he warned that the Programme’s scholarships are gifts of the people’s trust, not commodities for sale. His administration's insistence on fairness has been like a fresh wind clearing away the dust of corruption from the system.

In person, Dr. Otuaro speaks to students with warmth and conviction, urging them to not waste the rare chance that has been given to them. He reminds them that the government’s investment is a seed they must nurture through diligence, discipline, and a hunger for excellence. For him, each graduate is not just a statistic, but a beacon of hope for their community – proof that knowledge can break chains and open doors to a more harmonious future.  

Beyond the classrooms and lecture halls, Otuaro understands the deeper magic at play. When young minds are sharpened through learning, they return to their families and villages as agents of stability and progress. Poverty is weakened, crime loses its appeal, and communities begin to dream again. This, he believes, is how the Niger Delta will find its enduring peace – in the hearts and minds strengthened by education.

Through his reforms, expansions, and steadfast belief in the power of learning, Dr. Otuaro is not merely administering a Programme; he is writing a new chapter in the Niger Delta’s history. His vision stretches far beyond today – to a time when the children of fishermen, traders, and farmers will walk the halls of universities, their futures lit by the torch of opportunity.  

And so, in the calm glow of his work, one truth stands radiant: peace is not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of hope. Dr. Dennis Otuaro is planting this hope in fertile ground, believing that someday, the Niger Delta will blossom into a garden where knowledge and harmony grow side by side. 

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

NNAMDI KANU: THE IMPERATIVE OF A POLITICAL SOLUTION_By: Senator Henry Dickson

I join well-meaning leaders, the people of the South East, and indeed well-meaning Nigerians to call for a political solution that will lead to the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on terms that will bring about the cessation of violence, the return of normalcy, and full integration for all.

This is not just for the people of the South East; I believe that this is a sentiment shared by all well-meaning Nigerians who want a united, peaceful, and just nation for all.

All Nigerians must condemn violence, especially the type that has occurred in the South East in recent years, as well as the terrorist activities in the northern part. Our sympathy must be for all victims and the losses they have incurred and continue to suffer even to this day. As a former police officer and a senior lawyer (former Attorney General), I feel personally touched when security officers are attacked and killed. We condemn violence and lawlessness wherever they occur.

The Nigerian state and its institutions have reacted in the typical manner every state must respond to a challenge of this kind to its sovereignty. This is the historical reality from Mandela to Boro, and up till date, around the world. The above examples and several others globally also show that reactions by the state, by way of arrest, trial, sentencing, and even conviction and execution of agitators, do not end agitations.

The solution usually lies in the initiation of a political process, midwifed by broad-minded leaders who place the national good over personal, political, and regional biases.

Legal processes do not address separatist agitations that are political and economic in nature. Historically, arrests, trials, convictions, and sentencing—even executions—do not solve these kinds of agitations. After the legal processes, what must follow is a sincere and holistic political solution that will create public confidence and sustain patriotism by all. The challenge is to create a Nigeria that all can trust and believe in, one they can fight and die for if necessary. This is the lesson from the arrest, trial, and sentencing of Nelson Mandela, who was convicted and jailed for 27 years, and that of Isaac Adaka Boro, who led the first separatist agitation against Nigerian statehood. In all these cases, genuine progress only emerged when broad-minded leaders initiated a political process that placed national interest above personal or political grievances and biases.

A more recent example is the peace process initiated by the Yar’Adua/Jonathan administration, during which the government engaged leaders and agitators on resolving the Niger Delta crisis. This led to the establishment of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which has brought relative peace and stability to the region to the benefit of the entire country.

This was what General Gowon did, even after Boro and his comrades had been sentenced to death. He accepted the peace process spearheaded by the leaders of the Ijaw and Niger Delta, led by Harold Dappa-Biriye, and granted Boro full pardon. Not only that—he made it possible for them to join the federal forces to strengthen the defence of the Niger Delta areas which they knew better than the federal troops. And Boro and his comrades died fighting for a Nigeria they initially fought against. I call that leadership, vision, and broad-mindedness. Instructively, General Gowon took these decisions at the age of 32 in the midst of an unprecedented national crisis. 

It was a pleasure that, as Governor, I invited General Gowon, who is a father, to my state to lay a wreath in their memory at the Ijaw Heroes Memorial Park, which my government built, where I buried Boro’s bones after retrieving them from the Lagos cemetery after over 50 years.

At this time, it is the duty and responsibility of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, not as a politician but as a statesman and the leader of Nigeria, to, with this conviction and sentencing irrespective of the outcome of the appellate processes which the defendants are entitled to pursue), begin a peace process that will get Nnamdi Kanu and the tendency he represents in the South East to renounce violence as a tool for pursuing their separatist agenda. The President as a national imperative should Initiate a broad peace process that will address historical imbalances, injustices, and grievances in all parts of the country and lay a foundation of a new nigeria founded on fairness, inclusion and justice for all. 

This is why we have continuously advocated for a restructured Nigeria, and the President—who was one of the leaders of this movement in NADECO and the Alliance for Democracy—is in a better position to make it happen. He will have our fullest support in doing so.

In view of the climate of instability and insecurity in the country, my advice to the government and security agencies is to take utmost care of the custody and safety of Nnamdi Kanu while legal and political processes last. He should not only be kept in a secure facility, he should be treated humanely, fairly, and safely.

With the prevailing security challenges, which have overstretched the security forces, our nation should avoid opening new battlefronts, to enable the security agencies concentrate maximally on flushing out terrorism and banditry ravaging parts of our country, especially in the North.

The President will have my full support in mobilising our national resources and working with allies to stop the ongoing ridicule and attempt to destroy the Nigerian state through persistent terrorist and fundamentalist jihadist attacks and ransom-induced banditry.

I call on the people of the South East, particularly the youths of Igboland, to be calm and join in the political processes that will deliver a restructured Nigeria that will work for all and address all grievances.

As Chairman of the South-South Senate Caucus, and as one of the leaders, I have started the process of reaching out to our colleagues in the South East and across the nation to ensure that the right steps are taken for the good of the country.

As everyone knows, I am available for any engagement that can lead to a restructured Nigeria that will work for all.

HSD.

Takeme and the narrative of Non-performance and Performance_By: Enewaridideke Ekanpou Ph'D.

There is a raging narrative in town. Chief Dr. Julius Takeme, the Executive Chairman of Burutu Local Government Area,  is the centre of this raging narrative in Burutu Council. Among professional rumour-mongers and wishy-washy thinkers, the raging narrative has bred flighty flights that endanger true perceptions and views. From the beloved gramophones of the anchors of this raging narrative no force can drown the resultant  verbal decibel, stridently amplified like the strings of a guitar twanged to capture the attention of all in a gathering. That Takeme the Executive Chairman of Burutu Local Government has done nothing in Burutu Council since he became the democratically elected chairman is quaintly intriguing.

Everywhere one turns to in Burutu Local Government Area, the narrative rages like harmattan fire, conquering and ravaging swathes of raffia palm forests. On the raging narrative that Dr. Takeme has done nothing in Burutu Council I journeyed to Burutu recently. Like the 'Egeretukpa' light fondly used by nocturnal hunters of animals and fishes in Arekandugo creek, I cast my investigative eyes on Burutu and saw the narrative  in clear outlines.

It would not be a fairytale to drum everywhere that Takeme has not done  anything developmentally meaningful and stunning in Burutu when the bandwidth required to trace the marks on the envisioned development  map conceptually created  is visibly beyond reach. On bandwidth deficiency  traceable to gratuitous policy analysts,  it is safer to drum everywhere  like the coucal (Otiti bird) that Takeme has done nothing in Burutu. Rather unapologetically, this is the path we must travel today, but not without the  verifying echoes of my visit to Burutu.

I am a seasoned forester accustomed to walking steadily on forest paths paved with 'Okekeye' wood. The seasoned forester I am for decades, I FOOTED around the headquarters of Burutu Council on 15 November 2025 . This is purposely done to be fully grounded and updated on the drummed developmental nothingness of Takeme in Burutu. Before me stood a 2.1 kilometres of internal roads around the council. Somebody told me it was a project taken on by Takeme. Within the radius of the council stood some new buildings alongside some renovated buildings, all numbering over eight. These buildings were speedily brought into existence within the one hundred days of Takeme's chairmanship. I asked if these were the only markers of Takeme's performance. Without responsive words I was only signalled to continue my 'legging'. So I continued my foot journey like the typical forester on the wooden handle of whose axe carried horizontally on the left shoulder hangs a piassava basket that still cries to be filled with both live and dead grubs

Walking some distance from where I saw both the new buildings and the renovated ones, a gigantic edifice sprang up before me  - a gigantic edifice in its embryonic stage of development. I saw engineers  and many others at work. I inquired what it was. They told me it was the rumoured  secretariat currently taken on by the council's chairman with amazing speed  -  an amazing speed strategically targeted to guarantee a comfortable and spacious working environment for  council staff and visitors. Clearly, this is  bound to enhance the productivity of the workers. It is likely to be a stunning architectural piece where all the departments in the council will be accommodated when completed. 

Some visible  distance away from the ultra-modern council secretariat I was conducted round another architecturally stunning gigantic building. It is another ultra-modern building specifically designed as a building for the conduct of legislative business among the elected councilors representing the various wards. When completed, it will be the centre for conduct of legislative business in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

The headquarters of Burutu Council has a paramount ruler. Darkness walks the streets of Burutu as a paramount ruler at night.Takeme has dethroned this paramount ruler of darkness through the installation of solar-powered street lights. At night darkness no longer intimidates and rules the streets of Burutu since everywhere is now illuminated. Walking on the streets of Burutu, night has become another designated period of brightness that drives darkness from the streets of Burutu.The worrisome arrogance of darkness is no more.

What about the free medical attention given to all sons and daughters of Burutu that suffer afflictions of the eyes. People afflicted with problems of sight are freely given medical attention, including surgical operations where the health conditions demand it. For the poor the free medical attention powered by Takeme is a 'medical manna' from Heaven designed to make them healthful and increase their productivity at work.

Specifically targeted at those  with eye  health challenges, a free eye care programme has actually  kicked off in Burutu . The free eye programme started on 25 November 2025 and will  end in 30 November 2025. Within this designated period, 500 free cataract operations, 1000 free post-op medication packs, 500 free sunshades and 5000 free reading glasses will be given to people whose medical conditions require them. By this approach to health, afflicted people are given hope and lifeline. Even after all these activities envisioned to address the health challenges of Burutu people, some analysts would still deafen the world with the anachronistic mental poison that the chairman of Burutu Council has done nothing for Burutu in development terms. Can an afflicted society grow developmentally when their health challenges are not tackled rightly?

Takeme was democratically enthroned as the Executive Chairman of Burutu based on his promises of rapid development that draws on the resources of technocrats. Yet, even before a year old in his chairmanship, there is already a narrative that he is doing nothing in the council. There are echoes of idiosyncratic pathology in this narrative woven around Takeme.

On earth there are designated policy critics/analysts who who take on their task without a framework that guides their analysis of policies and executed government projects. For such critics and analysts, their success lies in producing acidic fury and the famous Shakespearean nothingness that subvert and derail the developmental trajectory  of a given administrator as this acidic fury and meaningless clangour only provoke distraction and stray from the developmentally healthy path.

The raging narrative on Takeme must be engaged 'juxtapositionally' for the production of healthy, balanced and believable result when one realises that Takeme has a development vision that aligns with the MORE Agenda of Governor Oborevwori of Delta State. Critics without a  theoretical framework required to be drawn on for a believable analysis habitually forget this component of criticism and policy analysis and end up embarrassingly as  jarring notes.

Dispel all hesitations.Let all the Burutus subscribe to the narrative oath that Takeme has done nothing in Burutu. Yes, Takeme has actually done nothing, but I saw gigantic secretariat and legislative house being constructed! I also saw 2.1 kilometres of internal roads completed and other completed projects already highlighted. Could all these existing projects be projects powered by Artificial Intelligence in Burutu Council? Have we progressed digitally to the height where AI-powered projects could be physicalised?

Probably, the critics and analysts of Burutu Council would have struck a chord if they had said Takeme's best in performance does not meet their prescriptions and expectations. The zero-performance attributed to him killed the merit in their criticism of the chairman's approach to council administration because the available performance statistics contradict and invalidate their dramatised categorisation of Takeme in development terms. Could this be the equivalent of baying for one's blood without a just cause?

Some people are blessed with discernment while others labour to have a sprinkle of discernment. To all those endowed with discernment, they know that it is the man on the dugout canoe the hippopotamus seeks to destroy in the guise of searching for the dugout canoe.There is something quaintly interesting about the refrain that Takeme has done nothing in Burutu. To retain the quaint gratification the narrative refrain provokes, let us unceasingly parrot that Takeme has done nothing in Burutu, even when the apostles of this narrative refrain share a buried ironic alignment with it in undertones rather than in overtones. In the deeply buried thoughts of the apostles of the narrative refrain, Takeme is a developmentally healthy tree with buds bound to produce healthy and delicious fruits when his ongoing   pioneering legacy projects are eventually completed.

 Philosophically for Izonebi Alfred, only a ripe bush mango attracts attention. Evilly purposed or benevolently purposed, Takeme perpetually lives on the lips of people because he is a ripe bush mango with a characteristic magnetic pull. Therefore, it must now be comfortably settled that the narrative that Takeme has done nothing for Burutu must be a quote misquoted; it must be the product of a misunderstood phenomenon but now understood and mastered with all the nuances clearly identified, without being further puzzled and gaslighted by bandwith-deprived and vengeful policy analysts strategically at work for spatial visibility.

Dr. Ekanpou writes from Akparemogbene, Delta State