Opinion

As profound as the Covid-19 crisis seems to us now, it pales in comparison to what previous generations faced. Unlike in the past, however, today's biggest threats must be addressed at both the national and global levels, implying the need for political leadership of a kind that is utterly lacking in today's world. To the interwar generation of the first half of the twentieth century, today’s crises would have appeared rather ordinary. They had seen much worse: the two bloodiest wars in human history, mass unemployment and destitution created by the Great Depression (which still dwarfs this century’s recessions), and…
It couldn’t get worse. Like many family feuds, offence festered as quickly as affection grew. In this case, though, there was some hope that the feuding parties had too much going for them to risk losing all. And for what? Adams Oshiomhole was the common glue. A decorated unionist and two-term governor of Edo State, Oshiomhole once made trenches his home. He led the fight to dislodge the principalities of godfather politics embodied at the time by Tony Anenih, a man famous for bringing his own shade wherever trouble offered no trees. Oshiomhole humiliated Anenih and degraded the Peoples Democratic…
Friday, 18 September 2020 05:00

Stop doing business - Jayati Ghosh

The World Bank should no longer publish its Doing Business index, owing to its flawed design and vulnerability to manipulation. The Bank also owes the developing world an apology for all the harm this misleading and problematic tool has already caused. The World Bank’se Doing Business index has been both conceptually and operationally suspect since its inception in 2003, but mainstream economists have only recently started to criticizes it. nk’s own recent acknowledgement of some of the problems is welcome, the index has already caused huge damage to developing countries, and it should be scrapped. The Bank has already been…
The most dangerous phase of the Covid-19 crisis in the US may actually be now, not last spring. If the economy falters a second time, whether because of inadequate fiscal stimulus or flu season and a second Covid-19 wave, it will not receive the additional monetary and fiscal support that protected it in the spring. April marked the most dramatic and, some would say, dangerous phase of the Covid-19 crisis in the United States. Deaths were spiking, bodies were piling up in refrigerated trucks outside hospitals in New York City, and ventilators and personal protective equipment were in desperately short…
Wednesday, 16 September 2020 04:54

The UN’s unhappy birthday - Richard Haass

As the United Nations turns 75, the Covid-19 pandemic is keeping world leader from gathering in New York City to mark ethe occasion and attend the opening of the annual General Assembly. In fact, the pandemic helps illustrate why the UN is not fit to organize and manage the international cooperation that the world urgently needs. The United Nations turns 75 this autumn, and if this were a normal year, many of the world’s leaders would gather in New York City to celebrate this milestone and open the annual meeting of the General Assembly. But this year is anything but…
I am notoriously no fan of Olusegun Obasanjo, General, twice former president and co-architect with other past leaders of the crumbling edifice that is still generously called Nigeria. I have no reasons to change my stance on his record. Nonetheless, I embrace the responsibility of calling attention to any accurate reading of this nation from whatever source, as a contraption teetering on the very edge of total collapse. We are close to extinction as a viable comity of peoples, supposedly bound together under an equitable set of protocols of co-habitation, capable of producing its own means of existence, and devoid…
Strengthening Africa’s agriculture systems will not only make the continent more self-reliant and resilient to future shocks, but will also boost global health, prosperity, and security. The international community therefore has both moral and self-interested reasons to support this process. Over the next 30 years, Sub-Saharan Africa’s population will double to over two billion, and its economies will industrialize. Africa’s development will therefore be critical to the world’s future stability, prosperity, and health. Given this, the continent should be receiving much more international attention. The Covid-19 crisis has highlighted a number of global vulnerabilities, including the uncoordinated nature of the…
The much talked-about Edo State governorship election comes up next Saturday, 19th September, 2020. The run down to the election has exposed the underbelly of the country’s politics, such that it not only leaves much to be desired but also leaves a sour taste in the mouth. This time last year, Godwin Obaseki was in APC’s corner and the then APC outgoing governor, Adams Oshiomhole, was rooting for him. Oshiomhole swore by all the gods that Obaseki was not only the pillar behind his government but also the brain behind every achievement of the administration. Oshiomhole beat his chest before…
For too long, Africa has been a strategic plaything of world powers. By bolstering its internal cohesion and economic integration, the continent can become a strong geopolitical force with an independent and unified voice on important global issues. Africans must take responsibility for our continent’s affairs. We have all the ingredients we need to succeed, starting with a growing population – including a large and increasingly educated cohort of young people – and a favorable trade and investment environment. And now, determined to usher in an era of African peace and prosperity, we have a mature institutional platform through which…
Sunday, 13 September 2020 05:38

Okon forms CAN with Baba Lekki - Tatalo Alamu

Political incontinence and foul distemper has taken over the land. Okon has been adding fillips to the disorder in his own unique ways. When he is not running abusive commentaries about the political elite, he is busy excoriating the major ethnic groups for bringing Nigeria into disrepute. One sultry afternoon, Okon stormed out of the house after a heated exchange with Mama Igosun vowing to form his own party. He had asked the tough matriarch which party she would vote for in the coming election. “Mabolaje Grand Alliance”, the old woman replied with a frown. “Mafoluku abi wetin you call…
November 23, 2024

NNPC not delivering quantity of crude oil agreed on, Dangote refinery says

The federal government's plan to sell crude priced in the local currency is faltering, with…
November 24, 2024

PDP governors urge Tinubu to review economic policies amid rising hardship

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have called on President…
November 24, 2024

Older adults opened up about things they ‘took for granted’ in their 20s and 30s

Last month, we wrote a post where older adults from the BuzzFeed Community shared things…
November 16, 2024

Influencer eats pig feed in extreme attempt to save money

Popular Douyin streamer Kong Yufeng recently sparked controversy in China by eating pig feed on…
November 22, 2024

FG excited as pro-Biafra agitator Simon Ekpa arrested in Finland on terrorism charges

Simon Ekpa, the controversial leader of the pro-Biafra faction Autopilot, was arrested by Finnish authorities…
November 24, 2024

What to know after Day 1004 of Russia-Ukraine war

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Putin signs law forgiving debt arrears for new Russian recruits for Ukraine war…
November 21, 2024

Nigeria comes top in instant payment system inclusivity index in Africa

Nigeria’s instant payment system is projected to advance to the maturity inclusion spectrum ahead of…
October 27, 2024

Nigeria awarded 3-0 win over Libya after airport fiasco

Nigeria have been awarded a 3-0 victory over Libya, and three vital points, from their…

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