The Learner

By Abubakar Atiku Alkali pullozagga@yahoo.com It’s in the news that the IMF is pressurising Nigeria to further devalue its currency. It’s equally in the news that former CBN governor and HRH the Emir of Kano has advised the FGN to withdraw petroleum subsidy, devalue the Naira and raise VAT! With due reverence to the Emir, I personally find these pills unbearably bitter to swallow. I defer to the fact that he’s unquestionably sagacious in matters of finance and economics – I know nothing about either – thus, my arguments may be impressionistic, but I’m sure I know more than the Emir does, how agonisingly painful it would be for the ordinary Nigerian when such policies are implemented. Therefore, even if no one will ever read this, my conscience would have been satisfied that as a Nigerian – one of the potential bearers of the burden of these unfriendly policies, I have cried out. Concerning fuel subsidy removal, I still recall what the Emir said at a debate on this very topic

By Muhsin Ibrahim @muhsin234 A fact known to some of my readers is that: praise-singing of individuals, especially politicians of whatever party, is not what I do. Yes, it is still the same. Today’s article is no different; for, I actually see nothing that extraordinarily admirable with the person of Rotimi Amaechi. He’s much like, below or a little above, his mates such as Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Malam Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano; to PDP) Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto), Kashim Shettima (Borno; from ANPP) and other PDP renegades. To me, and I don’t stand to be corrected, they all deserted their former party after a meticulous foresight that, among other things, they would not get what they wanted in the party, and that could cost them very dearly to the extent of losing relevance in the nation’s polity. Thus, to avoid anything of the sort, they renounced their loyalties and found a niche in APC. Today, many people (supporters) think high of Amaechi as well as others. The re

Muhsin Ibrahim @muhsin234 Lives were lost; people were wounded; minds were, and are, troubled; all as a result of the just concluded Hajj pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Nobody could undo what's already done. Nothing could be done. Those victims need prayers and their loved ones require our compassion. No more, no less. Nonetheless, a fierce argument has been raging on since then. It began like a drama, instigated mainly by the Shi'ite-Iran, blaming the Sunni-Saudis for EVERYTHING. The argument has come to our doors now. Adamu Adamu is doubtlessly an intellectual, a writer par excellence. Dr. Sani is incontrovertibly equally an intellectual and a scholar worth every salt. They differ on this issue. The former, an unapologetic Shi'ite; the latter, a renowned Sunni scholar.