The reported arrest and transfer of Cross Riverian, Denis Odama, over allegations relating to his criticism of the government raises a fundamental question about the kind of leadership we want for Cross River. Let me be clear: leadership is not intimidation. When a citizen disagrees with a government, the first responsibility of leadership is to
Nigeria abandoned the parliamentary system after the military coup that ended the first republic and copied presidential democracy from America. Democracy is not African. Democratically elected leaders are not monarchs. They are politically exposed persons, subject to harsh criticism and public opprobrium. In Africa, we revere our elders and monarchs and rarely criticize them publicly.
Activist Citizen Agba Jalingo says arresting critics under the Cyber Crime Act is a "waste of time" that only makes them more popular. Demanding the release of Denis Odama, he warned that using police to silence dissent will breed more bitterness in government’s second term.
Recently, social media usage, especially Facebook, has become so uninteresting to me. Not because of anything else, but because of the disturbing activities of some tribal tsunamistas in some communities, states and nations, indirectly inciting nonindigenes to leave their state and nation. I have tried oftentimes to stay mum, to scroll past the disturbing narratives
Taking from a personal example, I still believe that there was a time when strict merit reigned supreme in the administration of Nigeria’s resources and honors. If not, how could my late Father, Major SSA Agba rtd (MON), the son of an uneducated farmer and hunter, have become a recipient of the prestigious Member of
When CrossRiverWatch started publishing under Governor Imoke’s second tenure, it was a very trying period for us. It was novel to use the social media to hold the government accountable in a very conservative State like Cross River where almost everyone, including those who call themselves comrades, did not have a contrary voice to whatever
Think about this, I do not think that anyone is in doubt about the fact that everything uniformed in Nigeria, stands for extortion. In other words, all uniformed organizations in Nigeria that were created with the goal of serving Nigerians, are primarily extortionist and every day, any of their personnel go out to work, the
In every democracy, criticism is not only inevitable but also necessary. Every responsible government requires the voices of critics to identify shortcomings, improve policies, and ensure that governance remains responsive to the aspirations of the people. Constructive criticism strengthens democracy because it keeps leaders accountable. However, there is a clear distinction between constructive criticism and