Author: Chidi Amuta
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An epidemic of downward mobility – By Chidi Amuta
It is a sort of sinking feeling. Something like an uncontrolled slide into a dungeon down a slippery slope. You seem trapped as you descend into a hellish pit out of which you are powerless to climb out. The descent is often propelled by a force beyond your control. Government. The IMF. The World Bank.…
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How country? (2024) – By Chidi Amuta
It is that time of the year again for our ritual roadside assessment of the state of the nation from the perspective of the common folk . It is the last quarter of the year, that time of the year when nearly every Nigerian household takes stock of their fortunes in the year that is…
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Pharaoh in Trouble – By Chidi Amuta
Order in every credible democracy is a balance of compassion and hard policy choices. The hard choices, often of a reform nature, which confront new leaders only make sense if they are for the common good. Otherwise, a barrage of crushing
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Good Morning, Mr. Gates – By Chidi Amuta
Perhaps unknown to most Nigerians, the Nigerian government hosted its political opposition in the hallowed chambers of the Federal Executive Council last Wednesday. It was a unique opportunity to hear an opposition perspective on the current state of the nation right in the executive chambers of Aso Villla.
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The Brewing Distraction – By Chidi Amuta
The Nigerian politician is a most futuristic animal. He is above all else a most distractive creature, forever creating political outlets and ventilations. While our civil society remains reactive , our political class is eternally ahead in terms of setting an agenda for distracting the attention of the polity for purposes of keeping itself busy…
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A protest and its aftermath – By Chidi Amuta
The long orchestrated nationwide hunger and hardship protests have come and gone. The protesters have since gone home, mostly bruised , battered and even more depressed than ever before . Some are nursing broken skulls or irritated eyes from tear gas smoke. Quite a bit of public and private property has been damaged or stolen.
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Dangote in battle fatigue – By Chidi Amuta
Africa’s prime money man, Mr. Aliko Dangote of Nigeria, has recently changed from business suit and kaftan to battle fatigue. For a man whose visibility is defined by money and huge investments, this sudden change of costume is important.
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The sporadic presidency – By Chidi Amuta
No one can fairly accuse President Bola Tinubu of inaction or inactivity. On the job that he was elected to do, the man has been quite busy. On a daily basis, his office keeps rolling out innumerable appointments, setting up committees on nearly every subject and generally acting in response to changing national situations.
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Give us Biden – By Chidi Amuta
All it has taken to expose the porous underbelly of American democracy is one bad debate night by an 81 year old incumbent president. President Joe Biden fared poorly in his first CNN debate for this election season. A combination of cold, jet lag and old age troubles made him a bit nervous and uncollected.
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Protest of democracy’s dark offspring – By Chidi Amuta
Between Nairobi’s glamorous city centre and its surrounding inner city slums of tin shacks and shanties, democracy and good governance have been shocked into a rude awakening.