Muhammadu Buhari | A Legacy of Discipline, Division, and Determination

Muhammadu Buhari: A Legacy Etched in Discipline, Division, and Determination

On July 13, 2025, Nigeria bid farewell to one of its most consequential and polarizing leaders, President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away in London at the age of 82. His death has triggered a wave of tributes, critiques, and soul-searching across the nation, as citizens and analysts grapple with the meaning of his legacy.

A Life of Service and Simplicity

Born in Daura, Katsina State, Buhari’s journey from a young military cadet to Nigeria’s Head of State, first as a military ruler (1983–1985) and later as a democratically elected president (2015–2023), was marked by a reputation for discipline, modesty, and incorruptibility. Even in retirement, he lived quietly in Daura, eschewing the limelight and embracing a life of simplicity.

Age Falsification in Nigeria | A Lost of Self Identity

The Anatomy of Age Falsification in Nigeria: A Multi-Lens Exploration

The Punch Editorial titled "Wanted: Stiff penalties for age falsification" calls for stronger legal consequences to curb the widespread practice of falsifying age records in Nigeria. The editorial highlights recent scandals, particularly within the judiciary, where multiple judges were found to have altered their birth dates to extend their tenure or gain appointments.

Key Points from the Editorial

·       Systemic Abuse: Age falsification is rampant across sectors, including the judiciary, civil service, and law enforcement4.

·       Judicial Integrity at Risk: The National Judicial Council (NJC) recently recommended the compulsory retirement of several judges in Imo State for falsifying their birth records.

·       Civil Society Pressure: Groups like the Civil Society Engagement Platform have petitioned the NJC, presenting documentary evidence against 18 judges.

·       Legal Loopholes: The editorial criticizes the lack of stringent laws and enforcement mechanisms to deter age falsification.

·       Call to Action: Punch urges lawmakers to introduce stiff penalties, including criminal prosecution and forfeiture of benefits, to restore integrity in public institutions.

The Legacy and Passing of Muhammadu Buhari

The Legacy and Passing of Muhammadu Buhari: A Nation Reflects

On July 13, 2025, Nigeria bid farewell to one of its most consequential and controversial figures, President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away at the age of 82. His funeral, held in Daura, Katsina State, was both solemn and politically symbolic, attended by dignitaries from across Africa and beyond. Yet his death did not just mark the end of a life, it reawakened decades of debate about his leadership, policies, and impact on Nigeria’s socio-political landscape.

From Soldier to Statesman

Buhari’s journey to power began with military boots. In 1983, he overthrew the democratically elected government of President Shehu Shagari, citing rampant corruption and national decline. His military regime, though short-lived (1983–1985), was marked by:

• The War Against Indiscipline (WAI), aimed at restoring civic responsibility.
• Economic austerity policies that intensified public hardship.
• Controversial decrees restricting press freedom and civil liberties.
• Attempts to kidnap exiled officials, straining international relations.

Between Culture and the Constitution | Amanda Chakanyuka and Zimbabwe’s Struggle for Justice

Between Culture and the Constitution: The Case of Amanda Chakanyuka and Zimbabwe’s Struggle for Justice

A Shocking Ordeal

On July 12, 2025, Harare was rocked by a disturbing case involving 26-year-old Amanda Chizanga Chakanyuka, who allegedly kidnapped her ex-boyfriend, Linos Gapanga, with five unidentified accomplices. According to police reports and eyewitness accounts, Amanda accused Gapanga of rape and impregnation and then forcibly took him to a lodge in Highfield, where he was physically assaulted and coerced into unprotected sex to “remove rituals.” Following the act, the group stole his wallet and bank cards.

Amanda has been arrested, while her five male accomplices remain at large. The case, still under investigation, has generated intense public debate and media scrutiny, especially given its intersection of cultural belief, sexual violence, and legal boundaries.

The Yelwata Protest and the Broken Promises

Nigeria’s Forgotten Millions: The Yelwata Protest and the Broken Promises to IDPs

🛑 "We are starving. We are sick. We are forgotten." These were the unspoken cries that echoed through the streets of Makurdi on June 19, 2025, as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Yelwata in Benue State blocked major roads, desperate to be seen and heard. Their protest was not just a plea—it was an indictment of a system that has systematically failed Nigeria’s most vulnerable citizens.

🏚️ Life at the Margins

Yelwata’s IDPs aren’t asking for miracles, just the bare minimum to survive. Yet, their camps tell a harrowing story: no mattresses, no medical care, not even mosquito nets to ward off sickness. Children sleep on concrete floors, pregnant women endure without healthcare, and food has become a luxury, not a right.

Public Reactions and Implications of President Tinubu’s Democracy Day Speech

Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebrations took centre stage yesterday, 12 June 2025 as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed the joint session of the National Assembly, highlighting the country’s democratic journey, key policy reforms, and his administration’s vision for the future. His speech has generated mixed reactions across different sectors, with supporters applauding his commitment to democracy and critics questioning its true impact.

Key Highlights of Tinubu’s Speech

President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to multi-party democracy, dismissing concerns that the ruling party seeks a one-party dominance. He paid tribute to democracy heroes, including Chief MKO Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, and others who fought for democratic governance. Additionally, he emphasized legislative-executive collaboration, economic growth, and investments in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure through a national fiber optic project.

In a democracy power belongs to the people - Ohamadike

Prince (Dr.) Chinedu Obi (OHAMADIKE), National Chairman, National Rescue Movement (NRM)

The short video discusses democracy, emphasizing that in a democratic system, power ultimately belongs to the people. It actually suggests a focus on Nigerian politics, possibly advocating for a new direction or movement in governance.

Expanding the topic

Democracy is built on the principle that power ultimately belongs to the people. In an ideal democratic system, citizens have the ability to choose their leaders through free and fair elections, participate in governance, and hold those in power accountable.

TAKEAWAY | Screen Time for Kids

“Screen time”, according to Wikipedia is the amount of time spent using a device with a screen such as a smartphone, computer, television, or video game console. Thus, research has it that “Screen time” is correlated with mental and physical harm in child development. So, we now ask “How bad is screen time for kids?”

While we begin to ponder on that, it is important to note that the positive or negative health effects of screen time are influenced by levels and content exposure and to prevent harmful exposure, some governments and family homes have placed regulations on its usage.

According to a recent publication on Yahoo lifestyle, “Screen time has been a hot-button topic for parents for decades and particularly over the past few years. The rise of personal devices like tablets, phones, and smartwatches, along with the use of screens in schools, has made screen time common for kids. Data also shows that screen time skyrocketed during the pandemic as parents struggled to juggle working with managing their children being at home.

TakeAway | ‘We live a rather lavish lifestyle’: My wife and I are 33, live in New York City, and earn $270,000. Can we retire at 55?

A letter writer on his travel and dining out: “I justify it because we’re saving $50,000-plus a year toward retirement and have zero bad debt.” GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one's active working life.  A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload.

Now that you have an idea of what this write-up is about, check this out: A couple seeks answers for a retirement plan by writing to Quentin Fottrell, a MarketWatch's Managing Editor-Personal Finance and The Moneyist columnist.

‘We live a rather lavish lifestyle: My wife and I are 33, live in New York City, and earn $270,000. Can we retire at 55? We travel a lot, eat at nice restaurants and essentially buy what we want’

Courtesy, MarketWatch, read the letter below and follow up with Quentin’s response, certainly, you would learn something from it.

Dear Quentin,

My wife and I, both 33, are lucky enough to have high-paying jobs in New York City. 

Collectively, we make $270,000 a year.  We own a home in Seattle, worth $500,000, that is rented out and covers the mortgage and cash flow. We have zero debt outside of our mortgage. We have an emergency fund of $45,000. We rent our house in Brooklyn. Collectively, we max out our 401(k)s, and I receive a pension of $8,500 a year, so we’re saving approximately $53,000 a year toward retirement. 

We have about $75,000 in our retirement accounts from our work in Seattle. We have no kids and likely don’t plan on having any. We’d like to retire at 50 to 55. My question is: Are we saving enough? We live a rather lavish lifestyle. We travel a lot, eat at nice restaurants and essentially buy what we want. I justify it because we’re saving $50,000-plus a year toward retirement and have zero bad debt.

TakeAway | SHOULD YOU ADD A BANANA TO YOUR SMOOTHIES?

Banana Smoothie

New research now reveals why you shouldn’t add a banana to your smoothies. Disappointed? Please, don’t be.

A smoothie is a beverage made by puréeing ingredients in a blender, according to Wikipedia. A smoothie commonly has a liquid base, such as fruit juice or milk, yogurt, or ice cream. Other ingredients may be added, including fruits, vegetables, non-dairy milk, crushed ice, whey powder, or nutritional supplements.

On the other hand, a banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguishing them from dessert bananas. The fruit is variable in size, color, and firmness, but is usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh rich in starch covered with a rind, which may be green, yellow, red, purple, or brown when ripe.

TAKEAWAY | DID YOU KNOW that to prepare for her role in the television film Search for Grace, actress Lisa Hartman Black underwent hypnosis?

DID YOU KNOW that to prepare for her role in the television film Search for Grace, actress Lisa Hartman Black underwent hypnosis?

Search for Grace is a 1994 American fantasy thriller television film directed by Sam Pillsbury from a teleplay by Alex Ayres. It was produced by CBS Entertainment Productions and stars Lisa Hartman Black and Ken Wahl. The film tells the story of Ivy (played by Hartman Black), a landscaper who leaves her long-time boyfriend to be with the mysterious Johnny (Wahl). Ivy begins experiencing flashbacks to the life of a long-dead woman named Grace (also played by Hartman Black), whose life in 1927, including her doomed relationship with the gangster Jake (Wahl), mirrors her own.

TAKEAWAY | DID YOU KNOW ... that Ned Beatty turned down the role of John Doe in the film "Seven"?

DID YOU KNOW ... that Ned Beatty turned down the role of John Doe in the film Seven because the script was the "most evil thing" he had ever read?

Ned Thomas Beatty was an American actor. In a career that spanned five decades, he appeared in more than 160 films. Throughout his career, Beatty gained a reputation for being "the busiest actor in Hollywood". His film appearances included Deliverance (1972), White Lightning (1973), All the President's Men (1976), Network (1976), Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Back to School (1986), Rudy (1993), Shooter (2007), Toy Story 3 (2010), and Rango (2011). Beatty was nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, and a Golden Globe Award; he also won a Drama Desk Award.