Totally Real with Ikechukwu Amaechi

No one left the auditorium of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs on Thursday, April 23, 2026, unsure of what Abia State Governor Dr Alex Otti said at the 2026 TheNiche Annual Lecture with the theme, “Governing the Economy: Choices, Trade-offs, and National Priorities.” He spoke loud and clear. In a country where political leaders have […]

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It was Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, the French critic, journalist, and novelist, who, in 1849, coined what has become an enduring proverb: plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose – the more things change, the more they stay the same. In matters of governance and power in Nigeria – military or civilian – nothing can be […]

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Last week, I lamented that President Bola Tinubu has hollowed out Nigeria’s democracy. The article generated interested reactions. A regular reader of this column accused me of Tinubuphobia. How is it that you don’t see anything good in Tinubu, he asked. Another sent me a cryptically worded text: “Sour grapes from name-calling!” Some kindred spirits, nonetheless, […]

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I am gravely worried about the 2027 elections. Other well-meaning Nigerians, who want the best for the country, are worried too. And this is not about being an alarmist. No! It is realism. The augury is too stark that one needs not be endowed with the gift of clairvoyance to read the handwriting on the wall. […]

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