By Jude Ogechi Eze

As the window of his earthly life closed on 31st December 2022 marking the end of a 95-year sojourn, and the door of eternity opens to him, let's take a peep through the pigeonhole of afterlife of Pope Benedict XVI.

By Bola Bolawole

I have deliberately elected not to comment frontally on former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s New Year letter to Nigerian youths, of all segments of Nigeria’s population, because the writer behaves like Satan preaching Christ to unbelievers! I think that is why many have chosen to allude to the dichotomy between the message and the messenger or the baby and the bathwater. And it reminds me of William Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice”.

By Godknows Boladei Igali, Ph.D

             Prologue

Unbelievable, but it's one year gone already!Remember, with the year 2022, still at cockcrow, one of Africa’s most worthy citizens, Professor Lawrence Baraebibai Ekpebu, took a bow from mortal plains on January 2nd. Leaving in his trail at the time, an emblazon of accolades and global reminiscences of an outstanding life including from Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, former Nigerian leader, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and home state Governor, Bayelsa Governor, Douye Diri, amongst others.

By Hassan Gimba

Is it not enough to know the evil to shun it? If not, we should be sincere enough to admit that we love evil too well to give it up – Mahatma Gandhi

By Bolanle Bolawole

Professor Babafemi Badejo is not a stranger to this column. Today he takes a look at the ”japa” syndrome walloping the South-west Nigeria especially as well as regaled us with his findings on a latest trip across the border to neighbouring Benin Republic. Are we making progress in this country or are we regressing? Read on: “Mr. Rufus and Mrs. Esther Sami were our treasured neighbours until the cold hands of death snatched the kind and supportive Mrs. Sami on October 9, 2022. I could not but attend her funeral at Imaka, Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria on November 25th and 26th, 2022. Imaka is next door to Imagbon, where the Ijebu people gallantly fought the British in 1892. The Ijebu tried to resist British colonisation but lost. A few months later, in the same year, the Fon people (a major ethnic group in Benin Republic), fought the French a second time at Adegon, near Cotonou, thinking they could halt the European’s incursion but they also lost in spite of the bravery of a regiment totally made up of women - a special breed known as “Mino” (our mothers) who constituted a third of the Fon fighting forces.

By Leonard Nzenwa

With streaks of high profile endorsement garnered in the last few days, those who hitherto had not given the former Anambra State Governor a chance to win the presidential election may be having a rethink now. It did start as a political tsunami that swept everything that mattered politically in sight few months back, but even at this, pessimism still sat on faces of no-hopers. Ultra-pessimistic Nigerians that long embraced gloomy outcomes as a way of life, and wear same as badge of honour to dispirit others, are now being encouraged that the cloud of disconsolateness can be made candescent, and lacking in promises and hopefulness can be upturned for good where a Will finds a Way. Olusegun Obasanjo demonstrated this Will to pave the Way by his conduct. And it was a stroke of pen through a six-page New Year Goodwill Message delivered poignantly that the two-time Nigeria Leader used to boldly announce Peter Obi Presidency endorsement. That he, further, elected to classify Buhari Administration as one that progressed the country from frying pan to fire syncs deeply with a nation of Nigerians that have gnashed their teeth and wailed in agony over past seven years. General Badamosi Babangida and Statesman Edwin Clarke and others followed through with Peter Obi Presidency endorsement almost immediately.