Marriage, Inheritance, and Identity in Pre-Colonial Igboland LONG before colonial rule, Igbo society was structured around lineage, land, and ancestral continuity. Names were central markers of identity, inheritance, and belonging. Within this framework, marriage did not automatically dissolve a woman’s connection to her natal family—a stark contrast to modern assumptions about gendered identity and property […]
Defending Systems That Were Never Yours ACROSS Africa, a growing debate surrounds those who defend governance systems inherited from colonial powers. Some argue that adherence to law, due process, and democracy signals education and enlightenment. Yet, critics assert that the very systems these individuals uphold were designed not to empower Africans but to control them. […]
By ENGR. COLLINS IFY ELIMANI Ukwuani Identity and the Politics of Ethnic Self-Definition in Nigeria NIGERIA’S ethnic landscape is among the most complex in Africa, shaped by centuries of migration, trade, colonial administration, and post-colonial political restructuring. Within this mosaic, the Ukwuani people of Delta State stand out as a distinct and historically grounded ethnic group […]
Re-Examining Tribalism: A Colonial Construct and Its Enduring Legacy THE widespread belief that Africa is naturally prone to tribal conflict has long shaped global perceptions of the continent. However, historical evidence suggests that tribalism, as it is currently expressed, is less an indigenous tradition and more a political technology introduced and refined under colonial rule. […]
Introduction: Power After Patriarchy IN the mid-19th century American South, widowhood did not always mean vulnerability. For elite white women who inherited land and enslaved labor, it could instead consolidate power. The case of Elellanena Whitfield, a Georgia plantation owner following her husband’s death in the early 1840s, illustrates how slavery enabled extreme expressions of […]
Defining the Difference DESPITE casual usage, the terms “asylum” and “refugee” carry distinct legal meanings. A refugee is someone who has been recognised as fleeing persecution or conflict and cannot return home safely. Recognition often comes before entering a host country, through structured international programs. Asylum, on the other hand, is a request for refugee […]
By MARY EFOMBRUH “Experts and Execution: Can Nigeria’s Tax Law Reforms Weather Ambiguity?” The Stage: Nigeria’s Tax Law Overhaul NIGERIA’S sweeping tax reforms — brought into effect on 1 January 2026 through the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) and supporting legislation — aim to simplify the tax system, eliminate nuisance levies, and make taxation more efficient and […]
Law, Strategy, and the Limits of Silence Calm in the Eye of the Storm GOVERNOR Siminalayi Fubara’s reaction to Rivers State’s political crisis has been striking—not for what he has done, but for what he has refused to do. As impeachment threats mounted, the governor remained measured, almost detached. Is this […]
Investigative / Systems-Focused Beyond the Battlefield FOR more than a decade, Nigeria has waged war against terrorism with soldiers, jets, and armoured vehicles. Forests have been bombed, camps overrun, and territories reclaimed. Yet, despite tactical victories, terrorism persists—mutating, spreading, and reappearing in new forms. Beneath the violence lies a quieter […]
Investigative & Human-Focused A Life Cut Short: Obiademoh’s Story TWELVE-YEAR-OLD Obiademoh (not his real name) was a vibrant boy with a passion for soccer and tinkering with gadgets. His dream of becoming an engineer was suddenly shattered on 22 February 2025, when he developed a sore throat and fever while at King’s College, Victoria Island […]