On this Democracy Day, I had intended to rest my pen. I wanted to leave the fate written on the walls of history to speak for itself. I thought perhaps the sacrifices of those who fought for democracy were enough testimony. Yet, in the final hour, a thought stirred within me, compelling me to write a message to all of us who have come together to form this sovereign nation called Nigeria. My message is particularly for those who believe that the business of Nigeria lies in the hands of a powerful few. Perhaps they are influenced by what the German sociologist Robert Michels described as the "Iron Law of Oligarchy" ,the tendency for power to concentrate in the hands of a small elite. Looking at our politics, our institutions, and our economy, one may be tempted to believe that the destiny of Nigeria is determined only by those who occupy powerful offices and influential positions. But history tells a different story. Nigeria does not belong to any president, governor, politi...
Dr Kola Oredipe, the Director, New Media to the Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri, has distanced his principal from a leaked sex tape in South Africa. A sex tape of the Speaker of the Free State, Zanele Siftuba, had been leaked and trending on social media in the country early November and there had been speculations that a Nigerian leaked the sex tape. In a development on Friday, a newly opened Facebook page named after the speaker shared a photo of Diri and accused him of being the one who leaked the intimate tape. Oredipe in a statement on Saturday denied the claims, saying the post was meant to tarnish the image of the Bayelsa governor who hasn't travelled to South Africa in 10 years and can't be demanding a ransom of eight million naira. Part of the statement read, "Let it be stated without any equivocation that Governor Diri does not know and has had no contact nor relationship with the said woman at the centre of the scandal. He has also not been to South Africa in...