SANMI ADEKOLA BLOG

Ordinarily, I won't want to dignify  the President's spokesmen with my precious times, phone battery, and intellect on their latest absurdity; but leaving the matter uncommented on may mean buying into their blatant displayed of errant nonsense. I know one of the hardest jobs to do in Nigeria is for you to be a spokesman for any political leader let alone the President, it has to be done with a lot of caution, for everything you say like when you are arrested by the police will be used against you; yet I expect more from the President spokesmen than their latest balderdash on speaking or receiving text messages from the President. How on earth can you speak on behalf of a man whom you have little or no access to for over a month? To me it is the height of lack of ingenuity,  a demonstration of love for the reward of office than for the job itself; and sheer disregard to the Nigerians sensibility and sensitivity. Or is it blind loyalty? This to me can only explain why the li...

That Godwin Emefiele is the Governor of Central Bank since 2014 is a known fact. That his economic policies have been inconsistent is equally not in doubt. That he was appointed by President Jonathan Goodluck  after Mr Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (now Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi) spoke about the missing $20 billion oil money is also not in dispute. The dollar rate to naira as at today is one Dollar to 500 naira and above, all thanks to experimental economic policies by the Central Bank of Nigeria led by Godwin Emefiele. To a large extent, the continuous implementation of differential exchange rates by the apex bank and refusal to lower interest rate in a recessed economy  like ours, may be doing more damage than imagine. How? The pursuit of different exchange rates has made it possible for greedy investors to buy dollars at cheaper prices for purposes other than what they were slated for. In addition, the conflicting dollars rates is equally sending wrong signals to who-would-be for...

In Nigeria, the more things change the more they remain the same. We are nation and group of people who hardly learn from history. Sometimes, analysing and commenting on national and local issues could be as boring and nauseating as living in this country. (Pardon me, I almost wrote God's forsaking country, but deepest within me, I know things would have been worst, had it not been for the hands of grace over this land). Granted, PMB did the right thing by transmitting power to PYO through the National Assembly as demanded by the Constitution. The question however is whether the transfer of power to the Vice Preaident as Acting President is suffice enough to justify the President continuous silence and incommunicado even in this digital age. Am an ardent believer and supporter of this government, but the President continuous silence in the face of vox Populi left much to be desired. There are just two reasons why I think PMB and his handlers continue to keep mute: one, if  the P...

By postponing the protest,Tuface disappointed me and a number of Nigerians. Not that I would have joined the protest, but I would have been happy to see one of Nigeria most publicized protests becomes a reality with its attendant consequences - good and bad. Unfortunately, the singer turned activist dampened my spirit and other Nigerians. Protests and civil society movements in general are necessary part of democratic growth and development. It always serves as a medium for holding the leaders accountable. While through protest, citizens make known their opinions, government and leaders on the other hand get feedback on their activities, performance and policies in office. Nobody needs explain this to President Trump in the USA especially as regarding his unpopular immigration Executive Order and its fallout. That is what is done in a civilized and organized society. Leaders must be call to question from time to time on the good and bad of their actions. For instance, if we have pro...

The Nigeria political landscape is a beautiful political melodrama, full of intrigues and painfully exciting memories. Hardly will a day goneby, without nauseating political activities to savour and devour no matter your distate for such issue. As dramatic as the Nigeria political scenes, so are its players and characters. It is a made up of a handful politicians whose preoccupation is to milk dry the nation to the bone marrow no matter the excruciating effect on the larger populace. Next to this is the political jobbers who live at the mercy of the political office holders with sole motive of manipulating and undermining the political process for their selfish motives. Everything is right so far there is something in its for me. Their loyalty to the public office holders is on the basis of what they get.  Another set of people within the political landscape is the overnight social critics who see nothing goods in the government of the day because they have lost in the pol...

The Africa continent no doubt is a failure as far as the issue of leadership is concerned, all thanks to self-imposed greedy and selfish leaders. Added to this is the cowardice and passivity of the followers. Every time the continent appears to be coming out of the wood, somebody somewhere will drive it back to the mud. Just hope the continent is not a cursed one? Otherwise,how can individual spent 22 years in Office and still be hell-bent on turning his country to a battle ground? Since the issue of Gambia election has come up, have tried to dissect the raison  detres that Jammeh may have that will necessitate and justify his refusal to hand over power; but none is worthy enough to my rational self. Arguably, power is sweet but the sweetness of power is not a sufficient basis to warrant the mindless wasting of innocent souls for personal ambition, as doing so can only come from a delusioned individual. The fact however is that sit-tight oligarchy is a common currency of...

Good evening, my fellow countrymen and women. A few minutes ago, I made the most difficult phone call I have made, and may ever make, in my life: I called President-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party to congratulate him on his well-fought and well-deserved victory in Wednesday’s election. The win has been emphatic. If anybody has reason to doubt the presidential results, the sheer magnitude of the defeat, which our parliamentary candidates have suffered, is the clearest indication that we have outlived our welcome. Telling the world that I would graciously accept the outcome of the election was one thing, but confronting the stark reality of an electoral defeat is another harrowing experience altogether. But I had no option. The people of Ghana have said emphatically that they are taking away the power they gave to me four years ago, and I have no power to say no. Besides, I love the country that has given me the opportunity to serve in various capacities ...