OWOLOWO

M.B.O Owolowo Snr: 25 Years After… 1996 it was and June 25th was the date that changed my life forever. The events of that fateful period still recur in my memory like synaptic flashes. The Premonition Hedonism was the order of that phase in my life, and my mates and I were thrill-seekers who partied hard. Though my family had moved to the mainland after my Dad retired from government assignment, the Island was my theatre of fun. On the night of the 25th, probably before midnight, I felt a sudden urge to go home. My friends thought my decision to go home at that time of the night was insane. Their concern was genuine because as night crawlers, we had encountered armed robbers whilst crossing Third Mainland Bridge in the wee hours, and heard quite a number of gruesome tales around that period. My friends pleaded with me to stay, but to no avail. My mind was made up! A more worrisome snag was that I wasn’t driving a car that night. Also, I didn’t want anyone risking their lives crossi...

Nullifying The Nullifidian    The nullifidian in this context can be appreciated as a catch-all term or symbolic representative of all those with an aversion to religion, and to some degree, God. This grouping includes atheists, agnostics, freethinkers and other forms, combinations and manifestations of supposed irreligiosity. These peculiar groupings have manifested as a religion in their own right. For example, those who say they do not believe in religion, belong to the religion of those who claim not to believe in religion. Also, those who say they do not believe in God, belong to the religion of those who claim not to believe in God. This extrapolative definition is applicable to any group of people, wherever they may exist. From the perspective of the nullifidian, the ‘religious’ dilemma becomes even more problematic particularly because of the laxity or lack of articulated set of rules. There are many human beings existing across the globe who can carry on their dai...

I present to you my book P.R.I.S.M: Primal Religious Instruction Serving Mankind. The paperback version of the book is currently available on Amazon (see links below).  After the coronavirus manifested in 2020, I decided to reflect on life, as I have always done, but from a different perspective. The lockdown afforded the opportunity to be more productive and finally accomplish certain objectives I hadn't the time to execute before the coronavirus outbreak. During the past year, I have lost acquaintances, relatives and family. Those who are still alive, are not better than the dead. Death can befall anyone at anytime - it's no respecter of age, status or wealth. Certain events buttress the ephemerality of life.  Guaranteed, 100 years from now, everyone reading these words at this very moment, will be dead and gone! Therefore, bickering over if or when there's a judgement day, does not change the reality of death. Our primary concern should be when we die, because our death ...

Once Upon A Protest  A protest by its very nature is about challenging an existing order, status quo or constituted authority. In most cases, protests are aimed at addressing the abuse of power by those in authority, and tend to manifest as riots, a revolt or in extreme cases anarchy. Following the protests that rocked Nigeria in October, 2020, it is critical to analyse issues dispassionately, and possibly derive lessons for the future.   Historical Prism From an historical prism, the geographical location that was to be named Nigeria had its fair share of protests since the precolonial era. Taxation was one of the sources of revenue for the British colonial administration, and the diktat often created discordance with the mulcted residents. For example, the Aba Women’s Riot of 1929, was organised by women against what they perceived as the administrative excesses of Warrant Chiefs representing the British colonial administration. The movement was initiated by Nwanyeru...

The Problem Is Systemic Not Acronymic I read with incredulity the change of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT). Whilst the former name of the police unit was not lacking in originality, the latter is simply an imitation of SWAT in the US. Though the scientific analysis of Nigeria’s obsession with imitating things from foreign lands is a worthy discourse, it is not the crux of this piece. Rather than a name change, how about set up a panel of inquiry into the activities of SARS personnel and punish erring officers, and prevent their readmission. Essentially, changing the acronym of an organization does not solve the underlying systemic challenges that manifested the problem ab initio. This action is akin to utilizing a placebo to deal with the symptoms rather than the disease. Furthermore, the SARS issue is a microcosm of wider systemic issues that need to be addressed urgently. Following initial protests, undoubtedly, the response by the Preside...

Black Panther and The Power of Visual Representation I actually wasn't going to write anything about Black Panther after Chadwick Boseman's passing, because I assumed everyone, at least the reasonable ones, got the memo!  However, I read an update today which wasn't only distasteful in its timing, but myopic in its submission. If all that was derived from watching Black Panther is the CGI effects, then may be some people are just lacking in depth.  Beyond the hype, because I am not easily swayed by the media or public opinion, the impact Black Panther had is immeasurable. Black Panther wasn't just about CGI effects, but the nuances of the portrayal. Analysing the movie, there are many lessons that could be derived, but I will highlight just a few.  Pacesetting In an industry where the archetypal cinematic portrayal of the 'White saviour' has been the norm, Black Panther challenged pre-existing stereotypes. There were genuine pre-production concerns about the co...