Sixty Years On, the Ghosts of January 1966 Still Linger AS Nigeria marked the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day on January 15, the date carried deeper historical weight. It also marked 60 years since the country’s first military coup, an event that shattered the First Republic and set Nigeria on a path to civil war. […]
Law Does Not Manage Embarrassment IN many Nigerian homes, silence is often mistaken for resolution. When a married man impregnates a house-help, families scramble to contain reputational damage. But the law does not exist to protect social standing. It exists to protect rights—especially the rights of a child. From a legal standpoint, pregnancy immediately transforms […]
By MELVIN KOFFA Justice on Trial: When the Powerful Outsmart the Law NIGERIA is steadily sliding into a dangerous paradox: a country rich in laws but poor in justice. Across political parties, regions and administrations, public office has come to be viewed less as a platform for service and more as a gateway to wealth […]
Why the Law Prioritises Boundaries in Child Care CONVERSATIONS about child protection are often uncomfortable, especially when they involve family dynamics. Yet discomfort is not a valid reason for silence. Across legal systems, including Nigeria’s, child protection laws are shaped not by sentiment but by evidence—patterns observed repeatedly in abuse cases over decades. One of […]
By AROH ANTHONY Understanding Ekpeye: Language, History and Misconception THE claim that Ekpeye is merely a dialect of Igbo persists largely because linguistic terminology is poorly understood outside academic circles. A closer look at linguistic research, historical evidence, and cultural continuity shows that Ekpeye occupies a distinct and ancient position within the Igboid family. What Igboid […]
Between Morality and Law: Understanding Domestic Boundaries THE discomfort around domestic workers and marital trust often leads people to ask the wrong legal question. The issue is not whether the law can control intimacy. It cannot. The real question is how law helps households manage risk, power, and structure. There is no law that forbids […]
Rivers Assembly Crisis and the Cost of Political Warfare WHEN Siminalayi Fubara was sworn in as Governor of Rivers State on 29 May 2023, expectations were high that the state would experience a period of consolidation after years of intense political dominance by his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. Instead, within five months […]
By OBIOMA TORI 2025: A Year of Contradictions in Nigerian Agriculture NIGERIA’S agricultural and food systems sector in 2025 unfolded as a study in contrasts. On one hand, the year recorded notable increases in yields of key staples such as rice, maize, yam, and cassava. Improved farming practices, favourable rainfall patterns, expanded dry-season farming, and […]
By IZUCHUKWU CHARLES COLLINS A History of Dismissive Narratives FOR decades, parts of Nigeria’s public discourse have portrayed the South-East, particularly AlaIgbo, as economically marginal, geographically constrained, and lacking strategic natural resources. Terms such as “landlocked,” “unproductive,” or environmentally disadvantaged became shorthand in some political and media conversations, shaping perceptions about the region’s place in national […]
A Contested Claim with Deep Roots THE question of whether Ijaw communities in Edo South Senatorial District are indigenous or merely settlers has re-emerged as one of the most sensitive historical and political debates in southern Nigeria. At its core are competing narratives of origin, land ownership, and sovereignty between the Ijaw people […]