Uche Igwe

Unless something urgent happens, the Nigerian state may be headed to complete failure. The worrying signals became more pronounced in the weeks preceding the last yuletide season. Streets in Abuja, Nigeria’s rocky capital, became deserted as early as 6pm everyday; same as in many state capitals.

On 9 December 2010 the harmonised version of the National Climate Change Commission Bill was forwarded to President Goodluck Jonathan for assent. It was received on his behalf by his Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters Dr. Cairo Ojougboh.

The sky was very cloudy that Thursday morning. I decided to go to Lagos after postponing the journey for one week. It has become my habit to take an amateurish look at the weather before heading towards the airport.

I read an op-ed written by eminent economist and special adviser to the United Nations secretary general, Professor Jeffrey David Sachs on the prospects of the Nigerian economy with mixed feelings (New York Times, 30 May 201

The passage of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Act in May 2007 sent very positive signals about Nigeria’s desire to sustain its leadership in the global initiative to the world.

Travelling across the old eastern region of Nigeria can be very challenging. The roads are just very bad. There are also thousands of police checkpoints. You meet one literally every one two minutes.

Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has promised firmly that he will deliver credible elections in 2011. He seems to be working very hard to convince everyone that he means business.

Last October, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) missed an opportunity to join other countries implementing the transparency initiative to be designated as an EITI-compliant country.

The situation in Cote d’Ivoire is extremely sad and disturbing. Since the results of the 28 November run-off election were made public by the Independent Electoral Commission, outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo has defied international pressure and is clinging tenaciously to power.

I visited home recently and had cause to attend the burial ceremony of a friend’s relative in a community known as Famgbe near Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. There were several things that caught my attention during the ceremony, including the rich culture of the Ijaw people.