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Why Keep This Transient Spirit in This Perishable Frame? – A Philosophical Enquiry into Being and Nothingness

“For what is man in nature? A nothing in comparison with the infinite, a whole in comparison with the nothing, a mean between nothing and everything.”  –   Blaise Pascal, Pensées What strange defiance is this: that the soul, knowing well its fragility, clings still to life? That we, bound in bodies destined to wither, fight against the pull of the abyss? What force keeps the trembling heart beating, even when sorrow presses against the ribs like an iron band? What makes a man, weary of toil and loss, rise again with the sun, unwilling to surrender? The question – Why keep this transient spirit in this perishable frame? – is not merely a philosophical riddle but a cry from the deepest chambers of the human condition. It is the plea of every suffering soul, the whispered anguish of the broken-hearted, the silent query of the lonely and the lost. It is the question asked in hospital rooms and warzones, in sleepless nights and moments of unbearable grief. It is the unuttered...

COMPLICITY OF THE POWER ELITE, AND THE GRADUAL FULANISATION OF NIGERIA

  In the throes of political apathy and cowardice, Nigeria today bleeds from an incurable wound inflicted, not just by foreign invaders, but by the criminal silence of those entrusted with her guardianship. The systematic infiltration of Fulani herders—many of whom are not even Nigerians—into every crevice of our sovereign land has become one of the most daring episodes of silent conquest in contemporary African history. From Sokoto to Enugu, from Zamfara to Oyo, stories abound of farmlands destroyed, women raped, sons slaughtered, and communities reduced to IDP camps, while their ancestral lands are claimed by wandering cattlemen who wield AK-47s with more authority than our security forces ( Amnesty International, 2018 ). The police pay deaf ears, when cases of Fulani invasions are recorded. But, dare you touch even a cow of the Fulanis who have  caused you severe harm, that is when the police will act, slamming you with several charges. And what do our leaders do? Nothing. ...

DRAMATURGY AND THE NIGERIAN LEADERSHIP LANDSCAPE

  Nigeria’s political stage is a grand theatre, where actors masquerade as leaders, delivering performances tailored for applause rather than progress. Erving Goffman’s concept of Dramaturgy, otherwise called the Conman Theory—where individuals present themselves in ways designed to control and influence their audience—perfectly encapsulates the chameleonic nature of Nigerian politicians. They are not driven by ideological convictions or a deep-seated passion for national development; rather, they are political performers, switching costumes, adjusting scripts, and defecting from one party to another in pursuit of personal gain. The question remains: can Nigeria ever ascend beyond this charade, or are we doomed to a perpetual cycle of deceit?   The Art of Defection: Politics Without Conviction In most thriving democracies, political parties are rooted in distinct ideologies—conservatism, liberalism, socialism—shaping policies and governance. In Nigeria, however, parties ar...

COLLATERAL DAMAGE IN THE WAKE OF RIVERS' TITANIC DUEL

  The clash between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his erstwhile political godfather, Nyesom Wike, has transcended the realm of mere governance disputes to assume mythological proportions. Like the titanic battles of old, where gods waged war upon gods, this duel has left a trail of ruin in its wake. It is no longer a contest of political ideology but an apocalyptic struggle, a modern re-enactment of the Clash of the Titans—where ambition, vengeance, and power collide, and mere mortals suffer the consequences. The collateral damage extends beyond scorched government buildings and fractured alliances; it has rippled into the very soul of Rivers State.   The Smouldering Ruins of Governance In the heat of this epic confrontation, the first casualties have been the very structures meant to uphold governance. In Ikwerre Local Government Area, the council secretariat burned as though consumed by the wrath of feuding gods. Files of administration and governance, the chronicles of...

ECCE HOMO (BEHOLD THE MAN): THE MIGHTIEST OF THEM ALL

"I know my fate. One day my name will be associated with the memory of something tremendous." – Friedrich Nietzsche, Ecce Homo Behold, humanity—the apex predator of history, the cosmic artisan, the harbinger of both creation and annihilation. We are not the passive recipients of divine decrees, but the architects of fate itself. Homo sapiens—the species that tamed fire, split the atom and, now, plays God in laboratories of genetic engineering and artificial intelligence . The ancient sages whispered of mankind’s dominion over the earth, but even they could not fathom the scale of our conquest. We have rewritten the script of nature, bending the elements to our will, transforming deserts into metropolises, and summoning lightning at the flick of a switch. What were once the whispers of gods in myth are now the commands of mortals in computer code . From Bare Hands to Boundless Power For millennia, power was measured in sinew and steel. We carved homes from the wild...

THE AKPOTI THORN IN THE AKPABIO FLESH - ONE ACCUSATION TOO RARE

  Power, when unchecked, breeds impunity; but sometimes, all it takes is a single thorn to pierce the flesh of a seemingly untouchable force. In the hallowed chambers of Nigeria’s Senate, where power is often bartered in whispers and handshakes, a tempest erupted—one that neither tradition nor intimidation could silence. (It may interest you to read: The Mightiest of Them all , which depicts the boundless power of man, or, should we say woman, to do and undo.) Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a woman whose name now echoes across continents, hurled an accusation that cut through the political theatre like a sharpened blade. Her target? None other than Senate President Godswill Akpabio, a master of political survival, a man whose influence is woven into the very fabric of Nigerian governance. What transpired behind the closed doors of Akpabio’s Uyo residence remains shrouded in allegations and counter-narratives, but Natasha’s claim of sexual harassment was more than a personal g...

NIGERIA’S SHACKLED USHIE RITA UGUAMAYE: THE PRICE OF FREE SPEECH IN THE TINUBU GOVERNMENT

In a chilling display of power and oppression, the Nigerian government has once again shown its intolerance for dissent, targeting one of its own – a young National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, popularly known as Raye. Her crime? Speaking out against the harrowing economic reality suffocating the average Nigerian.   Raye’s viral TikTok video laid bare the hardships corps members face under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, exposing the skyrocketing cost of living and the meagre stipend given to NYSC members. From N800 to N6,500 for a crate of eggs, from 100% to 150% call and data hike (see THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST MOBILE NETWORK INTERLOCUTORS )from hope to despair – her lament resonated with millions. However, instead of addressing the concerns of a struggling populace, the government chose intimidation.   The NYSC authorities reportedly sent her threatening messages, compelling her to take down the video. A leaked conversation revealed an offic...

BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA: ATTEMPTING TO SILENCE THE AKPOTI VOICE

The Anatomy of Power and Rebellion Throughout history, power has sought obedience, and where it finds resistance, it seeks eradication. The clash between oppression and defiance is as ancient as governance itself. In the heart of Nigeria’s political theatre, this timeless struggle is playing out once more—a calculated attempt to erase the voice of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Senate, the political space, and ultimately, from the consciousness of the people she represents. But power, like the ocean, is both fluid and formidable. Those who seek to wield it often mistake momentary control for permanence. And yet, the defiant ones—those who refuse to kneel—are the ones history remembers. Today, the battleground is Kogi Central, where the tides of political intrigue are clashing violently, threatening to drown truth beneath waves of deception. The Art of Political Assassination Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is no stranger to controversy. Her journey in politics has bee...

THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNDERLINING OF THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION IN RIVERS STATE

In an unprecedented display of executive overreach, President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State has ignited a constitutional firestorm. The move, described by former House of Representatives member Dr. Fara Dagogo as a slap on the Constitution , has been met with national and international condemnation. From legal scholars to opposition governors, the outcry has been deafening, as the President’s actions flout the fundamental principles of democracy and the rule of law. The Constitutional Crisis at Hand At the heart of this controversy lies Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended ) , which explicitly outlines the circumstances under which a state of emergency may be declared. According to Dr. Dagogo ( as reported by The Guardian ), a state of emergency may only be declared if: -              the Governor, with a two-thirds majority of the State House of Assembly, request...