Solomon's Column

  Nigerians have expressed visible worries over the activities of criminals operating in commercial motorcycles, vehicles with tinted glasses, vehicles with foreign plate numbers, and vehicles without number plates. They argue that most crimes in different parts of the country are committed through these motorcycles and vehicles and express surprise over the way the criminals beat the scrutiny of law enforcement agents along the road. Innocent citizens who reside in Lagos, Ibadan, Benin City, Port Harcourt, Warri, Onitsha, Aba, Kaduna, Kano, and Abuja, among others, have continued to recount their tales of woe to whoever cared to listen. Sadly, the law enforcement agents, saddled with the responsibility of ensuring law and order and the adherence to the road safety rules and regulations, have for long adopted a conspiratorial attitude, mainly because of the benefits that would accrue from aiding and abetting criminals. Nigerians are now of the opinion that the laws of the land are

  Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a political leader of Yoruba extraction who lived by example. His leadership impacted positively on the Yoruba people in all spheres of life. However, it is doubtful if those who hold sway in this dispensation followed in his footsteps. Chief Awolowo had a formidable political structure that outlived him. In his time, political meetings were held at his Ikenne home in Ogun State. After the passing on to glory of Chief Awolowo, in the days of military rule, Chief Adekunle Ajasin took over the mantle of leadership, and meetings were held at his Owo home, Ondo State. During this period, the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) came into being. After Chief Ajasin did his beat, Pa Abraham Adesanya  took over the structure up till the end of the military era. In the course of Pa Adesanya's leadership, those who could best be described as pseudo-Awoists and pseudo-democrats were accepted into the fold; sadly, the true and real progressives were barred du

Cultists have, for over 5 years running now, taken over most of the communities of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. These cultists, who operate with impunity, boast of their untouchable status openly, to the consternation of members of the public. Their presence in the midst of unscrupulous law enforcement agents has not helped matters. Indeed, residents have decided to keep quiet when all their complaints have never attracted any uplifting response from those in charge. Of great worry is the nonchalance of the state government and the state legislature towards breathing constitutional and statutory life into the anti-cultism law in the state. The cultists have, for long, broken into the houses of residents and forcefully made away with property documents. On Monday, at about 7.40 am in the morning, cultists led by one Lekan Adewale made a failed attempt to break into an apartment at 3, Kehinde Aderibigbe Street, Olorunsogo, Molete. Sadly, occupants of No. 5 (a two-story buildi

  We want our heroes to remain on their pedestals, so that we who aspire to be like them may hope one day to share in the honor and privilege they enjoy. Jesus Christ's humility shows itself in his readiness to serve us. Ours shows in our readiness to receive His service. It is said that it is better to give than to receive. But it is sometimes harder to receive; it puts us in debt to the one who gives and robs us of the pride of being in the position of giving to others. Read Joshua 1:6

  Psalm 55-22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.'' Discouragement is a life threatening state of mind, as it renders an individual vulnerable to attacks by enemies of the soul. In most situations, discouragement is inevitable in the life of a believer, however, Jesus Christ is the solution. It destroys the faith of a believer and wrecks havoc on an individual's will power to live. The enemy always makes use of the weapon of discouragement, but it is left for you to ward off same, by having a mindset devoid of resentment and bitterness. The devil makes use of discouragement to destroy initiative and render an individual useless and disillusioned. For these reasons, you must be strong in faith and reassure yourself that all things will continue to be good.

  The consensus among Nigerians is that the arms build-up in different parts of the country has its background woven around the aspirations of actors in the socio-political scene in the land. The arms build-up festers side by side with poverty, hunger, and brigandage, while the land has over time become fertile for trading in illegal arms with evil deeds as the major focus. Indeed, state actors are familiar with the negative effects of injustice, inequality, nepotism, and favoritism, but are, sadly, handicapped by self-centered interests and incurable greed. Interestingly, the competition for power and privilege has resulted in the loss of precious lives and the wanton destruction of the properties of innocent and harmless citizens.  The debate among Nigerians now is on what constitutes the major functions of state actors. The illegal influx of arms and ammunition has continued unabated through constitutional and unconstitutional channels with the active connivance of those who ought t