Welcome to Ikenna Ugwu's Blog

Nigeria continues to bleed from the piercing, cruel claws of her sentient venality. In spite of what is read on the pages of newspaper, the disgusting smell and stench of a dying, or is it dead economy hits us in the face every day. It is a pricking reality.   Did you vote in last general election? Unfortunately, your answer, whatever it is, does not vindicate you neither does it immune you from the harsh reality. We are in it together. This is why we must all be active and political; we must be part of the process. The saying that it’s always ugly before it gets beautiful has been used to justify the characteristic slow pace of governance of current administration. But beauty, I insist, does not appeal to the dead. It is the living that appreciates beauty. So, while we still breath, it is pertinent that we make conscious attempt at inspiring the kind of change we desire.

When someone says you are poor, it does not necessarily mean you have a tag of indigence dangling from your neck; lacking food, water or roof over your head and other 'very' basic necessities of life. Poverty too, is the lack of power and choice, especially in a democracy. Last Saturday, Nigerians woke to the dispiriting news of Tuface yielding to pressure; and consequently cancelling the proposed (eagerly awaited by many Nigerians) "one voice protest" that was to hold across major cities in the country. The music maestro was on the verge of making incredible statement, until he burst the bubble that Saturday morning.

Hello friends, hope you've been good. Here's hoping the week brings lots of goodies. So, we have been working, thinking - so much about you. Yes you. It is a passion, and we have been enslaved therewith. Yous faithfully have got some great heads on his team, people with whom together we will bring the revolution you've been dreaming about. But you owe us your patience.

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo ordered for made-in-Aba shoes, and the media went agog. It is not his fault. The media is just so perpetually and unrepentantly clung to the conventional news values of "prominence"; because Obasanjo is involved. It is a ridiculously crazy situation, and the media can be much more responsible and creative. Oh, another news value - "unusual-ness." Because in our clime, it is actually unusual, if not impossible for a "big man" to buy or wear locally made products. "Big men" don't wear local stuffs. No, even the very sense and impression of wearing a made-in-Nigeria clothe or shoe is demeaning. Have you heard the parlance "Aba-made" of "Igbo-made" before? When they say your shoe is Aba-made, it has a social stigma attached to it. It's something that places you a little lower than where you know you belong, makes you feel a little less human. Just because it is made-in Aba, because it

The day Nigeria marked her 56th Independence Anniversary; Pastor Poju Oyemade of Covenant Christian Centre gave us a real treat on The Platform. It was a good moment to reflect on the ordeals and trajectories of our nation. Pastor Oyemade assembled a coterie of highly cerebral speakers who seasoned the event. Ever since that day, an eccentric kind of feeling has filled the air, and the social media is awash with certain impetuous hash tags.