Straight From the Heart
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in Straight From the HeartWhen Language Becomes A Barrier
I am sure many journalists have been faced with scenarios where communication and/or dialogue were hindered by a language barrier. As a widely traveled journalist, I have faced several lingua franca hurdles that really stood out in countries where English was not the language of choice. As a very young and impressionable young journalist, I […] More
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in Straight From the HeartWhen Rumour Mongers Flourish
“It’s not mere extremism that makes folks at the fringes so troubling; its extremism wedded to false beliefs. Humans have long been dupes, easily gulled by rumors and flat-out lies!” – Jeffrey Kluger This is the season when rumor mongers are at their very best. They feed on half-truths and lies and make them […] More
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in Straight From the HeartDubai, Then and Now
The last time I vacationed in Dubai, the world renowned Emirates Golf Club was just an open space in the desert and the burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, was not even a blueprint. This was in the 80’s (when I was with Newswatch) when the UK and the USA were the top vacation spots […] More
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in Straight From the HeartThe Young and the Restless
If there is one demographic group that really needs urgent attention from Nigeria’s leaders and educators then it has to be those born between 1980 and 1999, otherwise known as the millennial generation in other climes. I have never found a group of young people so disillusioned, discouraged and easily brainwashed as I have found […] More
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in Straight From the HeartAfrican Journalists In the Diaspora To Monitor Nigerian Elections
A delegation of journalists from the US-based National Association of African Journalists (NAAJ), who are concerned about a successful democratic transition and the entrenchment of democratic principles, is set to visit Nigeria for the national elections scheduled for February 14 and 28. Members of the organization, which has already contacted INEC for accreditation status, will […] More
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in Straight From the HeartThe Nigerian Civil War through the Lens of a Medic
Now that General Muhammadu Buhari has eased fears of a Muslim-Muslim APC ticket inflaming next years’ presidential election by picking Professor Yemi Osinbajo, as his running mate on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform, Nigerians have one less issue to worry about the nation sliding into anarchy on the basis of ethnic and religious divisions, […] More
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in Straight From the HeartRace Relations: Why America Should Begin From the Newsrooms
As America currently struggles with race relations issues, I would like to draw the attention of the US and indeed the rest of the world to an area that needs to be properly addressed if these ugly scenarios are ever to be consigned into the dustbin of history. I take my cue from a horrible […] More
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in Straight From the HeartRace Relations: America At Cross Roads
An 18 by 24 inches poster of Martin Luther King Jr., MLK, making his last major speech in the Bay Area during a May 17, 1967, anti-Vietnam war rally at the University of California Berkeley, has followed me in my travels in the last one year to remind me of the sacrifices this civil rights […] More
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in Straight From the HeartCyprian Ekwensi and the Banana Paradox
Banana or plantain (which some refer to as Dodo when it is fried) is a favorite staple food in Africa and beyond, and also the subject of a musical racial parody by Afro beat King Fela Kuti in the song, “Monkey Give me Banana.” It is however noteworthy that Cyprian Ekwensi, one of Africa’s most […] More
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in Straight From the HeartWhy Obama Is Right on Immigration Reform
I signed on this week (in a letter to Congress) seeking support for President Barack Obama’s effort to reform a flawed Immigration system, because it is the right thing to do. I also indicated my support for Obama’s immigration reform in a separate correspondence with his Organizing for Action (OFA) grassroots movement, where I specifically […] More
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in Straight From the HeartLiving Dangerously In the Inner Cities
I witnessed one of the most bizarre inner city scenes in a Lagos suburb on Sunday as my family pulled out of the driveway to head to church for Sunday morning service. Right smack in the middle of a road sitting on a bench were two young men, also ready for church with Bible in […] More
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Super Eagles: A Big Loss For All
As we begin to come to terms with the Super Eagles’ elimination from next year’s AFCON Finals in Equatorial Guinea, it’s important to focus on the effects this would have on businesses and their sponsors. The Super Eagles are undoubtedly the NO.1 sports brand in Nigeria, followed by the English Premier League. Now, with no […] More