Not a few weddings had been aborted hours to solemnization as a result of vengeful or hurtful reactions by aggrieved partners over alleged acts of betrayal, unfaithfulness or due to ominous signs of impending disaster if the relationship is consummated. The gory experience has landed many jilted lovers in psychiatric hospitals while strong and resilient ones slid into depression and melancholy. They become moody, self-isolate and sickly. It is a harrowing and bitter experience anyone could suffer as a result of failed relationship. It is shattering because hopes, expectations and firm faith in the emerging future suddenly vamoosed into the…

Merriment apart, the Muslim feasts of Ramadan and Eid-il-Kabir have important lessons to teach all faithful. Pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina is one of the five pillars of Islam; Eid-il-Kabir or “Ileya” (Let’s return home) as the Yoruba call it, is when a ram is slaughtered or sacrificed by Muslims to mark the climax of the celebrations. This is symbolic. Abraham is generally accepted as the father/originator of two of the world’s most widespread and accepted religions of Christianity and Islam. There are many other religions, such as Hinduism, Bhuddhism, Judaism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Shinto, Baha’I Faith,…

After reading the narration of the experience of Nigeria Air Force officer, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, who survived an air attack in Zamfara State, do apologists like Sheik Ahmad Gumi, Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, and their southern minion, Joe Igbokwe, still believe that the bandits are merely doing business? For a while now, they have desperately tried to ameliorate the gravity of their incessant attacks by claiming those people were just “bandits.” But bandits do not shoot down airplanes. It is no small effort to direct “intense enemy fire” at a jet in the sky. If they have heat-seeking…

From Lagos to Jalingo, flood news has been reported in parts of Nigeria in the last few days. Streets and neighbourhoods have been submerged after intense rainfalls. Homes have been destroyed with farmlands devasted in rural areas. The socio-economic cost of the destruction is huge. The implications for health, welfare and food security are immense. In Taraba State, at least 4,000 persons have been reportedly displaced in the last two days. About 300 houses have been damaged with some of them now under water in some places in Jalingo, the state capital. Taraba’s northern neighbour, Adamawa, is not spared by…