Ochanya: One Rape Too Many

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A 13-year old girl lies six feet under the ground. Dead. Lifeless. Her dreams cut short, her breath snuffed out at a time when she should have no business contemplating the possibility of being non-existent. If she died of some terminal illness or had been a victim of an accident, maybe her death would have been easier to bear…maybe. But none of that is the case. The circumstances surrounding the death of Ochanya Ogbaje is a prospect every female prays against. Many would choose the option of being felled by the bullets of night marauders rather than the victim of serial rape. That frightening possibility of bodily violation that lurks in the corners of every woman’s heart became Ochanya’s reality.

This “Wokeness” Will Haunt Us Someday

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We are a woke generation. We know “What’s up”. Full of spunk and sass and in the loop happenings around us. A set of people who are never bereft of information because we are fortunate to be in our prime during this time of a digital revolution. Our smartphones and other devices are our fast companions and we pride ourselves in being a driven, forward-thinking generation who are vastly different from the older, slower generation. However, the trend of events and recent dynamic in the way we perceive developments, interpret happenings and most critically, behave, is gradually becoming a source for concern; and this development can be tied to the growing belief that nothing is really wrong. The lines between good and bad are blurring daily, and we have “wokeness” to blame for that.

Racism And The Conundrum Of Identity

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The French Ambassador to the United States recently expressed his displeasure about famous comedian and host of the Daily Talk Show, Trevor Noah, arrogating the French national team’s World Cup win to Africa. The players are fully French and should not be associated with Africa in any way, was pretty much the summary of his letter to Noah. It didn’t matter that almost 70 per cent of them were Blacks whose parents or grandparents had migrated from several African countries. Apart from Noah’s brilliant response to the ambassador’s protest, the issue has once again brought up the question of identity, how it is perceived and what its implications are for an individual ora group of people.

What Is The Value Of A Nigerian Life?

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The image above not only represents the heart-rending inferno that consumed some commuters in Lagos last week, it could also pass for the current state of the Nigerian nation. On Saturday, a young man, in an apparent demonstration of his dissatisfaction with the chaotic and saddening reality of the country, stood at the Maryland intersection holding up a signage that asked the government of the day either shape up and fix Nigeria like they were elected to do or resign. He stood there almost all day, alone and stoic in his one-man peaceful protest, braving the odds. When the pictures began to make the rounds on social media, one would have expected everyone to laud his initiative and courage, but that was not the case. Rather, some of the same youths who have been clamouring for a revolution opined he was only wasting his time and would soon tire out.

In Nigeria, The Fear Of “Making It” Is Real

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“Sorry ma,” He said as I alighted from my car while trying to imagine the extent of damage that had just been done to the passenger side of my rear panel. I had been driving towards a T junction and applied my brakes in a bid slow down to assess the traffic situation of the adjoining road before making a turn. As it’s characteristic of them, an impatient tricyclist intended to speed past me and in the process, came a little too close and inevitably collided with me.

Chimamanda: This Feminism Has Become Tiring

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One time someone wanted to know my thoughts concerning roles in the marriage institution. How I thought couples should share responsibilities, especially with regards to either sticking with what tradition defines or embracing more unorthodox ways. I replied by saying each couple should determine how they would like to “run” their marriage. If they wanted to conform to the traditional African narrative that says the man should bear all financial obligations while the woman takes care of the kids and domestic chores, good for them. If on the other hand, they opt for a more unconventional approach or turn tradition on its head outright by switching roles, then, good for them also.

Big Brother Naija, Nigerian Youths, And The 2019 Elections

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With less than three weeks to the end of the third season of the Big Brother Naija reality TV show, there seems to be little to look forward to in terms of entertaining content, no thanks to the curious voting pattern of viewers. Like the previous seasons, the current instalment of the franchise has not been without its own controversies. The social experiment that is Big Brother is premised upon the dynamics that play out when a group of strangers live together in a confined space for 3 months. During this time, they rely on the voting public to keep them in the game for as long as possible. And because every one of the housemates has their sight set on the hefty grand sum that comes with emerging winner, it’s not unexpected that they get up to some mischief in a bid to score points with the voting public.

Bilyamin: The Double Standards That Define Us

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A young man is allegedly stabbed to death by his wife on suspicion of infidelity, and there is silence in the land. Unsettling silence, apart from the usual run-of-the-mill reportage by the media and a smattering of social media posts from individuals. There hasn’t been any outcry over the shocking circumstances that led his death. The human rights activists are silent, “social media warriors” are taciturn, and feminists have lost their voice.

Kaduna Teachers: Between Sentiment And Reason

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We had been given forms to fill as part of the requirements for opening an account in one of the new generation banks. We had only started observing the mandatory one year of national service as fresh graduates and were due to begin receiving the monthly stipends to be paid by the government. I was in the process of filling my form when she walked up to me. Dressed in the traditional light green khaki attire of the NYSC, she was draped in the hijab, and had the unmistakable accent of one from northern Nigeria.

Freedom Of Expression Is An Illusion

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A final year student of a private university was expelled on account of a Facebook post that was deemed to be a campaign of calumny of sorts against the authorities of the school. The post which took a swipe at the management and officials of the higher institution was scathing enough to earn Debo Adedayo, the writer, an expulsion from Redeemers University. Mr Adedayo had concluded his exams and wrapped up his final year project when he was handed what has been widely adjudged to be a harsh punishment by the school.