OWOLOWO

30 years still seems like yesterday.  We love you and miss you Daddy. Continue to Rest In Peace M.B.O Owolowo Sr (March 24, 1931 - June 25, 1996)

Re: Alan Greenspan (1926-2026)  By M.B.O Owolowo   Personally, the global financial crisis affected my business and investments, though it affected other people in more devastating ways. There were thousands of economic suicides during this period. Depression was rife and the crisis became known as the credit crunch! Coincidentally, the 2008 global financial crisis and its immediate aftermath occurred around the time I was doing my MBA at Imperial College London, so it was a topical issue, with Alan Greenspan at the very heart. In this regard, my MBA thesis concentrated on a dissective analysis of the issue and proffering solutions to such financial crises.  I will quote some excerpts from my MBA thesis below that summarise the genesis of the policy lapses that lead to the global financial crisis. Whilst addressing regulatory ineffectiveness, I highlighted the role of Alan Greenspan in the economic bubble - the boom and bust cycle.  “The financial regulatory cartwhee...

  Language Rationale And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people to state clearly for them, and Allah sends astray [thereby] whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. – Quran 14:4 Why was the Quran revealed in Arabic? To this common question, I could easily respond with: 'Allah in His infinite wisdom knows why or that Allah does what He wills'. However, analysing from a sociological position, the revelation of the Quran in Arabic can be appreciated as a wise decision. Assuming the Quran could have been revealed in any language, the logical and most effective option was the language of the receiving prophet's milieu. In the case of the Quran, the messenger-prophet was domiciled in the Arabian Peninsula, so it was crucial those in his immediate environment understood the message before it was translated and transmitted to others globally. Though a global message, the Quraysh – Arabs, can be appreci...

Superiority Delusion Syndrome In Islam, there is no religious superiority or religious subservience. Prophet Muhammad's last sermon was explicit about equality and the non-superiority of the Arab to non-Arabs. I will cite an analogy to buttress the issue.  The Cantabrigian Analogy: A Cantabrigian from the town of Cambridgeshire also happens to be a student at the University of Cambridge. This particular student is known for constantly boasting about his Cambridge heritage and often informs others at any given opportunity that “my ancestors own this land” and states that “in fact my direct great-great-great-grandfather single-handedly donated the land University of Cambridge was built”. The student was really obsessed about his ancestry.   This student's patrimonial obsession, combined with his arrogance and self-delusion, makes him neglect studying the course material provided by the University of Cambridge. Following this tactless decision, the student fails his examinat...

SIMULATIONS   Vital lessons can be learnt from contemporary technological developments and emerging digital trends. We live in a world of advanced technologies that include artificial intelligence, cybernetics, computer simulations, and the possibilities of quantum computing and simulation. Artificial intelligence or machine intelligence revolves around utilizing algorithms and data that mimic human intelligence. Cybernetics involves systems study and adaption, through feedback, of environments for functional improvement. Computer simulations involve mathematical modelling and are attained by running computer programs. There has been a rapid evolvement of quantum information sciences, and an expansion of frontiers in computing and teleportation. Quantum computing involves developments in quantum mechanics and entanglement for computation, which also includes the theoretical possibilities of simulation.  Technological advancements have evolved to a phase where what humans obser...

 First February 16th without F.A.O The Plan for February 16, 2026 was to celebrate 90 years of our Dear Mother, Falilat Adedoyin Owolowo (F.A.O); Nee Kujore.  123 days later, words cannot adequately capture the new reality since your depature. We miss you dearly.  There was a planned presentation of a protrait based on the original restoration of the iconic photograph of Mum and Dad taken at the Empire State Building, New York, circa 1980. However, we accept The Will of The Creator; The Owner of The Master Plan, The Giver of Life and The Determiner of Death, The Resurrector and Master of The Day of Judgement, The Most Beneficent and The Most Merciful. Peace Be Unto You M.B.O Owolowo Sr. (24 March 1931 – 25 June 1996) and F.A Owolowo (16 February 1936 – 16 October 2025).  M.B.O

Superiority Syndrome The root of certain ideologies can be traced to the notions of ‘White Supremacy’. This recurring trait can be referred to as the superiority syndrome, and it can be analysed as an obsession with pre-eminence. A scrutiny of individuals who harbour such views would reveal they were inadvertently influenced by extremist supremacists. The superiority syndrome reeks of an entitlement mentality. Historically, this superiority syndrome – motivated by self-centrism, and quite possibly a melancholic inferiority complex, led to the destruction, desecration and deaths of many innocent people across the globe. It is a toxic ideology that has been perpetuated via various mediums for centuries. The superiority syndrome inextricably birthed European imperialism and colonialism, and greatly influenced Neocolonialism, Orientalism and Neo-Orientalism. Other ideological by-products influenced by the superiority syndrome include Western pre-eminence, Eurocentrism, and all forms of Eur...

AJ Accident: Tragedy, Trauma, Thoughts By M.B.O Owolowo The December 29, 2025 accident involving Anthony Joshua (AJ), Latif "Latz" Ayodele, and Sina Ghami on Lagos-Ibadan expressway has had a profound effect on numerous people.  Whilst Latif and Sina died at the scene of the accident, AJ emerged from the car wreckage alive and was taken to a hospital in Lagos. On December 31, 2025, AJ was discharged from the hospital in Lagos, and later returned to the UK in time for the burial of his mates - Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami on January 4, 2026. The Janazah - special congregational prayer - for Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami took place at the Regent's Park Mosque (London Central Mosque). Driving towards the venue, we encountered traffic right from Wellington Road before being able to join Park Road, where the Mosque is situated. Seeing swathes of people heading towards the venue was enthralling. People of various social backgrounds - genders, complexions, ethnicities, religions,...

F.A.O Falilat Adedoyin Owolowo (F.A.O): daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, princess, chief, hajjah, etc. My first cheerleader! My Sweet Mother: the nurturer, comforter, and pamperer. The punctualist, trainer, and stickler. The mediator, stabliser, and peacemaker. The well-wisher, supporter, and encourager. The generous, kindhearted, and loving. Words cannot fully capture the magnitude of your impactful essence. You lived a good and exemplary life worthy of emulation. Breaking News  The evening of Thursday, 16/10/25, I received the news of the transition of my dear mother. Following the immediate bereavement and solid bonding with my wife and kids, I was in full throttle mode. My phone was "off the hook" with condolence calls, texts, WhatsApp, Facebook, etc. And the planning was ongoing as well - video call across four continents with my siblings. Since my Mum was to be buried the following day on Friday, 17/10/2025, the exigent task was gett...

Tragedy of July 7, 1998 In the eyes of many Nigerians and some international observers, M.K.O. Abiola was effectively Nigeria’s president-elect – their president in waiting, who vowed not to renounce the mandate, and the day he died on July 7, 1998, cannot be easily forgotten. I was a student at the University of Lagos, and it is worth mentioning that at the time I was just another potential “yuppie” on campus. At that point in history, I had not undergone the process of sociopolitical radicalisation that transformed me into Owoism – another chapter in my eventful life. The June 12 struggle played a pivotal role in my transformation, and the following events were a part of that process.  At that particular moment, I had just entered the main library of the University of Lagos. I was greeted by a family friend who worked as a librarian, and since he knew my family history, he informed me the sad news just broke on TV. The murmuring of “Abiola is dead” increased and reverberated thro...

  Ousting The Military The pinnacle of the June 12 struggle was ousting the military junta after decades of overseeing Nigeria’s affairs. Nigerian Armed Forces were in power from 1966 to 1999 with an interregnum from 1979 to 1983. In their second coming the military were in power from 1983-1999. Following the military’s ouster, Nigeria evolved into a quasi-democracy, founded on a military-oriented constitution – the 1999 constitution has long been a source of contention. Real political struggle was under the military government, especially under Abacha. For those who participated in the struggle, the memories are evergreen. As a youth I became immersed in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) struggles against military dictatorship. My affiliation with the NADECO struggle was through my late Dad, M.B.O Owolowo Sr., family friends, relatives and associates. Many of those affected by the travails of that draconian era survived with various coping mechanisms and are still traumat...

  The Price of Reparations  The reparations cause was given top priority during the 38th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 15-16 February 2025. A Civil Society Pre-Summit Symposium was hosted by the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), to discuss the 2025 African Union Theme of the Year: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.” In recent years, there have been official collaboration between the African Union (AU) and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on slavery and colonial reparations. But the struggle for reparations against former enslavers and colonisers has been on for decades. For instance, in October 1990, Nigerian business mogul, M.K.O. Abiola, attended the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) meeting in Washington, and as the recipient of the 1990 CBC Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Service, he was hailed as “ a hero in the global pursuit to preserve the history and the legacy of the Afric...

I present to you my book R.O.G.U.E: Reality On Ground Undermining Enterprise. African is rich in natural and human resources – with the current youngest population globally. Ideally, these social ingredients should facilitate bourgeoning economies on a massive scale, but there have only been pockets of individual successes. Industrialization and large-scale development with collective impact is pertinent to compete in an ever-changing world.  R.O.G.U.E: Reality On Ground Undermining Enterprise, examines the issues affecting Africa via the prism of foreign influences, whilst also acknowledging the local peculiarities. Nigeria in particular is diagnosticated as a microcosmic representation of the issues bedevilling Africa. Of critical importance are the enduring colonial structures that have metamorphosed into neocolonial entities specially designed to keep the affected countries in a perpetual state of underdevelopment. The Western world especially, cannot complain about immigration...

Forefatherism And Ancestral Worship And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allah has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that which we found our forefathers doing." Even though their forefathers understood nothing, nor were they guided? – Quran 2:170  Forefatherism occurs when the veneration of forefathers manifests as ancestral worship in any society. The institutionalization of forefatherism has impacted all world cultures. The honorific mantra of "following our forefathers" is actually antediluvian, which has been the foundational basis of forefatherism. Based on historicity and exegesis of the Islamic tradition, idolatry foundations were inadvertently laid around the time of Prophet Idris (Enoch), and manifested during the era of Prophet Nuh (Noah). Forefatherism, in the form of ancestral worship, manifested in prevalence, and Nuh was faced with eradicating the embodiment of venerated men as statues, instituted during the era of his predec...