Ritual, Authority and the Politics of War IN the pre-colonial Benin Empire, war was not merely a tool of expansion; it was embedded in kingship, ritual authority and imperial governance. Historical accounts, particularly Jacob U. Egharevba’s Short History of Benin (1953), describe a political culture in which most Obas launched military campaigns within three years […]
By NANCY BLAQ The 1767 Voyage of the Lord Ligonier ON 29 September 1767, the British slave ship Lord Ligonier docked at Annapolis, Maryland, after a brutal transatlantic voyage. Historical shipping records confirm that 98 captive Africans disembarked; 42 others had died during the Middle Passage. The human toll reflected the violence and disease that defined […]
Measuring Performance in Nigeria’s States GOVERNANCE at the subnational level in Nigeria presents a complex matrix of fiscal constraints, political pressures, security challenges, and public expectations. Despite these structural limitations, certain governors have drawn national attention for what analysts describe as measurable public impact across infrastructure, economic reform, and institutional governance. While performance assessment remains […]
By OCHUKO EDAFE Wealth Without Work DELTA State stands at a paradoxical crossroads. Blessed with abundant natural resources and steady federal inflows, it possesses the financial capacity to become an industrial powerhouse in southern Nigeria. Yet, large-scale factories remain limited, international investors are cautious, and thousands of young people search for jobs in an economy that […]
A Lunchroom Incident With National Implications WHAT began as a complaint about the smell of reheated Indian food at the University of Colorado Boulder evolved into a federal civil rights lawsuit that ended in a $200,000 settlement and raised broader questions about cultural bias, institutional response and the boundaries of inclusion on American campuses. In […]
A State Once Shielded FOR decades, Kwara occupied a rare space in Nigeria’s security map — a quiet bridge between the volatility of parts of the North Central and the commercial vibrancy of the Southwest. It was agrarian yet cosmopolitan, religiously diverse yet largely peaceful. Violence, many believed, happened elsewhere. That perception has changed. From […]
By IFIOK AKPAN A Soldier at the Crossroads of History ON 15 January 1970, at Dodan Barracks in Lagos, Major-General Philip Asuquo Effiong stood before representatives of Nigeria’s Federal Military Government and formally declared the end of the 30-month Nigerian Civil War. In a brief but consequential statement delivered in the presence of General Yakubu Gowon, […]
Slavery, Power, and the Personal: A Feature Investigation THE American plantation system was not only an economic enterprise—it was a rigid social order in which human beings were commodified and subordinated to the logic of property and dominance. Within these systems, authority was absolute for enslavers and severely circumscribed for the enslaved. Stories that dramatize […]
Why You Can Be Arrested Without Committing a Crime in Nigeria IN Nigeria, and indeed in many legal systems worldwide, arrest does not equate to guilt. The law allows law enforcement agencies to detain individuals based on reasonable suspicion, rather than conclusive evidence. This distinction—critical to understanding criminal procedure—is often misunderstood by the public, with […]
By OCHUKO EDAFE Infrastructure Achievement and Traffic Relief THE DSC Roundabout Flyover in Effurun, Delta State, is on the verge of completion, with contractors reporting near-total completion at 98%. The project, intended to alleviate traffic congestion and improve urban mobility, has garnered praise from civil engineers and urban planners for its modern design and potential to […]