Author: Osmund Agbo

Religion could be a force for good, fostering community, justice, and moral accountability. Yet, in practice, it has too often served as a tool for manipulation—binding people not in spiritual unity but in psychological and economic chains. As believers and skeptics alike, we must interrogate the true purpose of organized religion: Is it about faith—or fetters? For as long as I can remember, I have grappled with the paradox that lies at the heart of organized religion—its capacity to uplift and unify, juxtaposed with the fractures and conflicts it has perpetuated throughout history. While faith has undeniably served as…

But they knew all too well that the old guard — those who had grown fat on decades of exploitation — would not release their grip without a fight. The question lingered: Would the future belong to the young, or would these relics — the Neanderthals — drag the nation into oblivion? It was a sweltering afternoon in Gbagada, the air thick with despair and frustration. Adamu sat by the roadside, wiping beads of sweat from his brow, his cracked hands trembling from hunger. Beside him, Aisha cradled their baby, who whimpered faintly—a sound more haunting than a full-throated…

You may not always agree with him or his methods. In fact, a popular Nigerian journalist once described Sowore as being “caught at the intersection of neo-liberal complexity and a revolutionary conviction couched in shades of populism and opportunism.” Yet, his patriotism and courage of conviction are undeniably visible—even to the blind. In a land filled with cowards and phonies masquerading as patriots, where political opportunists pose as table-shakers and fair-weather activists sit idle, waiting for their payday, Omoleye Sowore is a unicorn. In 1992, long before vested interests hijacked student union politics in Nigerian universities and turned it into…

In such a precarious position, what does a man have to lose when he has been wrestled to the ground than to fights with every last ounce of his strength. That’s exactly what Fubara is doing. He knows that the Calvary is not coming. The only alternative is to surrender his mandate, retreat to his village, and hope he isn’t assassinated by thugs or imprisoned by the EFCC on dubious charges. This past Friday, under the cover of night, two truckloads of police officers, reportedly dispatched from neighboring Abia State, stormed into Port Harcourt. Their mission could have rivaled the…

In the end, it is not so much a question of whether Mr Elba is a great fit for Okonkwo as it is the need to preserve the cultural essence of Things Fall Apart. In his own words, Achebe observed that “The worst thing that can happen to any people is the loss of their dignity and self-respect.”  In its sixty six years of existence, Things Fall Apart has given us a distinctive identity in the world of letters. It has accumulated a transcendent weight akin to the Bible. May its value not be watered down by a strange desire…

Kagame’s actions critics say, are reminiscent of Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was both a transformative figure domestically and a destabilizing force in Africa. Gaddafi, praised for turning Libya into one of the continent’s most prosperous nations through vast oil wealth, free healthcare, education, and housing programs, also engaged in a series of proxy wars that fueled conflicts across Africa. Rwanda, a country in the Great Lakes region of East Africa, shares striking similarities with the state of Israel. Both nations emerged from a horrific past marked by genocide that claimed the lives of millions of men, women, and…

Despite advancements in technology that have made flights more efficient and reduced costs, the passenger experience has deteriorated. Seats have become smaller, legroom more cramped, and complimentary services increasingly rare. What used to be standard comforts are now often considered luxuries, available only for an additional fee. I can still recall, with striking clarity, my first flight to the United States from Nigeria on a crisp January day in 2001. It was more than just a journey; it was a leap into the unknown, leaving behind the familiar warmth of home for the vast, uncharted territories of a new…

In a society where the roles of kings and commoners (talakawas) have long been viewed as divinely ordained, the power imbalance between the Hausa and Fulani was largely accepted without question. But today, this dynamic is being challenged. The Hausa are now questioning the sustainability of a system that concentrates power in the hands of the Fulani elite. Growing up, I have to admit that I harbored certain misconceptions about people living north of the River Niger. In my youthful naivety, which was not uncommon among those around me at the time, we simplistically viewed the North as more or…

In the words of a British Somali poet Warsan Shire:  “No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark.” As I sat in the pew on that brisk October day, I found myself among roughly thirty graduates in the class of ’97 from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical School. We were undergoing the solemn induction ceremony conducted by the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council (MDCN), a rite of passage that formally ushered us into the esteemed ranks of the medical profession. For my peers and me, this moment signified the culmination of a lifelong ambition—a dream that had…

In the words of the great Chinese philosopher: “A country can be destroyed not by outsiders, but only if it destroys itself from within.” — Confucius This past weekend, I encountered a very familiar debate among Nigerians on Facebook. A well-educated and highly respected Nigerian was seeking to understand the basis for the Nigerian diaspora’s support of Vice President Kamala Harris in the U.S. He couldn’t fathom why any conscientious Nigerian would align with the Democratic Party, which he believes has meddled in past Nigerian elections that resulted in the controversial presidencies of Buhari and Tinubu. Our friend contended that…