The Niger State Government has declared today, Thursday, October 30th, and tomorrow, Friday, October 31st, 2025, as public holidays ahead of the local government elections slated for Saturday, November 1st. Across the state, the air hums with campaign jingles, blaring megaphones, and anxious laughter. It is a carnival of democracy, full of drums, cheers, and suspense, a day of reckoning for some, and for others, the beginning of an awakening. It feels, as Jean-Paul Sartre once wrote, like “the hour when men are forced to confront themselves.” As usual, the state is awash with promises, hopes, expectations, and calculations, those…
Author: TheStories
When the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, described Nigeria’s infamous yahoo boys as “geniuses,” it sparked a storm of controversy and a national conversation that refuses to fade. While addressing youths in Onitsha, Obi had remarked that “some of our so-called yahoo boys are geniuses who need redirection, not condemnation.” To him, the creativity and courage that fuel online fraud could, if properly harnessed, drive innovation and national development. His challenge, he said, was to “channel their energy from deception to productive enterprise.” Predictably, the statement ignited both outrage and awe. To some, it was…
At a time when domestic violence stories flood our screens, even among society’s most admired figures, it becomes clear that no social class or personality is immune from the turmoil that erupts when emotions run wild. In the midst of this storm, celebrated Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw has stepped forward with a passionate prescription for women to enroll in self-defense classes as a means of combating abuse. Her suggestion, though well-intentioned, stirs a deeper conversation about the real roots of violence and whether punches, kicks, or physical training can truly tame the wild beast of human emotion. Recent months have…
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has cautioned individuals and groups in the South West against infringing on the rights of Yoruba Muslim traditional rulers, particularly in matters concerning their faith, worship, and burial rites. The Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, made the call on Monday, October 27, 2025, stressing the need to respect the religious freedoms of traditional rulers who choose to live and die as Muslims. Akintola noted that some Muslim monarchs had recently faced criticism for expressing their preference for Islamic practices, with detractors insisting they adhere strictly to traditional customs. He, however, maintained that such…
Between 1964 and now, the Nigerian electoral body with its metamorphosis in nomenclature and name is producing thirteen chairman, not if, but when Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan takes the mantle. Of the thirteen, Professor Amupitan will be the third northerner to occupy that position in succession, coming after two other Northerners; Professor Attahiru Jega and Professor Mahmud Yakubu. Coincidentally, all the three are outstanding academics or repute. Ten of their predecessors were all southerners. Considering Nigerians sentiment for political appointments, imagined if the ten before this last three were Northerners and vice versa. The hubris that some are good at,…
In the intricate mosaic of Nigeria’s socio-political landscape, the convergence of religion and politics often catalyzes tensions that reverberate far beyond its borders. Recent allegations of state-supported genocide against Christians in Nigeria have ignited a maelstrom of controversy, drawing international scrutiny and concern. This narrative gained significant traction following Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima’s address at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2025. In his speech, Shettima underscored Nigeria’s official support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state—a position rooted in Nigeria’s foreign policy yet inadvertently igniting a firestorm of criticism, particularly from…
In Nigeria, the figure of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), stands as a controversial symbol of secessionist aspirations. Advocating for armed struggle since 2014, Kanu’s rhetoric has escalated from calls for peaceful discourse to demands for violent resistance. The growing support for his release, particularly from certain Igbo political and cultural leaders, is not only misguided but poses a grave threat to the fabric of national unity and security. Kanu’s trajectory began with his advocacy for armed struggle, particularly highlighted during the 2014 National Conference. His warnings about the consequences of failing to secure secession…
This article is a sequel to my earlier piece on the need to abandon strikes as a means of bargaining for improvements in Nigerian university education. Here, an attempt is made to analyse the efforts made by successive Nigerian governments since 1999 to improve university education despite the incessant strike actions by ASUU. The Nigerian government’s recurring failure to fully implement agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is a complex issue rooted in political inertia, fiscal constraints, and a perceived lack of political will to prioritise education. This has created a depressing cycle of negotiations, strikes, and…
The Bauchi State Police Command has foiled a robbery attempt and arrested two suspected armed robbers in possession of two locally made guns and a stolen motorcycle, following a swift response to a distress call in Azare town, Katagum Local Government Area. According to a statement by the Command, the incident occurred on October 25, 2025, around 5:00 a.m., when a distress call was received from one Adamu Abdullahi of Gandum Wambai area, Azare. He reported that armed men had invaded his business premises, GKY Food and Oil Mills, and carted away a motorcycle. Acting on the report, police operatives…
When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reshuffled his security chiefs amid swirling rumours of a coup, the move instantly ignited public imagination. To some, it was vindication, proof of a leader’s foresight and strategic acumen. To others, it was an indictment, a silent confession that all was not well within the corridors of power. As Nigeria’s political theatre often reminds us, perception frequently rivals truth in shaping history’s verdict. This reflection is not an attempt to authenticate or debunk the coup whispers. Rather, it seeks to unravel the psychology of power, the anatomy of perception, and the perennial dance between trust and…