Obadiah Mailafia dies three months to 65th birthday
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Obadiah Mailafia, is dead. The celebrated economist, until his…
Why do states fail?
In this column, we have tried to meditate on the concept of state failure in relation to the Nigerian predicament.…
Requiem for our departed glory
Nigeria is dying. A dying elephant, encircled by vultures and hyenas. Waiting to feast on the carcass. A fractured, broken…
Is Nigeria a failed state?
Nigeria was recently designated a failed state in a joint article in Foreign Affairs by political scientist Robert Rotberg and…
The return of the Taliban
Whilst a young university lecturer in London in the 90’s, I taught many students from influential families across the world.…
On the duties of government and the obligations of the New Prince
In his classic allegory, the Leviathan,the English political philosopher Thomas Hobbes depicts a state of nature where there are “No…
Decline and fall of the Naira
Money makes the world go round. The strength of a country -- its prosperity and flourishing -- is best measured…
Public Finance and the Good Life
The sole purpose of government, since Aristotle and Kautilya, is to ensure the peace, security and welfare of the citizenry.…
Debt and civilisation (II)
AN American senator recently expressed some worries about the national debt. He might as well have been speaking about Nigeria:…
Debt and Civilisation (Part 1)
As long as civilisation has existed on our planet, debt has been a fact of life. It has been suggested…
Jacob Zuma goes to jail
Last week, Wednesday 7 July, former South African President Jacob Zuma finally handed himself over to the police. He is…
The Petroleum Industry Bill and the quest for a new Nigeria
LAST week, Thursday 1st July, the Senate finally passed the long-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). A milestone in the history…
Economics and the better angels of our nature
Economists have become increasingly interested in the factors underlying insecurity, war and violent conflict. These factors include the role of…
Kenneth Kaunda—The last of the Titans (1924-2021)
THE founding-father of independent Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda, passed away last week, Thursday 17 June. He was 97. During 1990, I…
The spirit of democracy and its enemies
AYS have characters of their own. Some are lively, cheery and sunny; others are dull and desultory. Saturday 12 June …
Ikigai: The Japanese secret to success, happiness and long life
ONE of my favourites of all the countries I have visited is Japan. Tokyo is a sprawling city of 13.8…
France and the perils of tributary Pan-Africanism
I went to school in France; the beneficiary of a prestigious French Government scholarship that enabled me to spend some…
`Napoleon Bonaparte and the Black Jacobins
He was a force of nature. He subdued kingdoms and shook down ancient monarchies; including the Holy Roman Empire that…
The Sleepwalkers
Having succeeded in strangling our country almostto death by its wanton profligacy, gross ineptitude and catastrophic incompetence, the APC-led administration…
Central banking as a printing business
Joseph Mubiru (1929-1971), was the pioneer Governor of the Bank of Uganda. A highly competent technocrat; he was once ordered…
