Emeka’s haunting elegy of childhood in Biafra
In response to a piece I did on the war drums that seem to be engulfing our collective psyche today, one of my gentle readers, Nnaemeka Nnolim, businessman and media executive, sent me the…
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One step forward, three steps backwards
The Nigerian economy is a series of paradoxes. In the first place, we are a very wealthy nation in terms of natural resource endowment. Yet, we are the poverty capital of the world. In 2017,…
Britain and the new scramble for Africa
Let me place my cards on the table: I have always been partial towards Britain. Apart from my Nigeria, it is the only other place I can call “home”. Sadly, we would never forget that the…
Technology and our post-oil future
One of the great megatrends of our era is the phenomenon of globalisation and deepening interconnectedness. Unfortunately, it is quite paradoxical that some people really want to pull back…
The Angel of History and the Ghost of Biafra
Wednesday 15 January marked 50 years since the end of Nigeria’s bitter civil war. That was the day that Colonel Philip Effiong submitted the articles of surrender to Yakubu Gowon at Dodan…
A plea for economic development planning
One of the popular delusions in our national economic management is that development planning is bad and that all we need are so-called “rolling plans” and mid-term expenditure frameworks.…
France’s currency war against West Africa
On Saturday 21 December, French President Emmanuel Macron and his Ivoirian counterpart, Alassane Ouattara, announced a package of “historic reforms” of the 70-year West African CFA monetary…
Borders and Economic Security
British wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill famously noted that, "you don not negotiate borders – you defend them". Borders are the hallmarks of a sovereign state. Any country that…
Beware, the spirit of Unoka
A fortnight ago President Buhari submitted a request to the Senate to approve an external loan of $29.96 billion (N10.7 trillion). It’s the second time such a request would be presented, the…
Why is it that Africans never plan for the future?
A few weeks ago a dear American friend and former colleague sent me an email. Permit me to quote him verbatim: “Hello brother Obed. I trust that you are fruitfully engaged these days. I read…