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Nigeria’s Imminent Dilemma: Living Nations (Pour-soi) or the Silent State (En-soi)

Jean-Paul Sartre’s existential distinction between en-soi (being-in-itself) and pour-soi (being-for-itself) offers a striking lens through which to view Nigeria’s present condition. En-soi is static, unconscious, and complete, the mode of being of objects that simply exist. Pour-soi , by contrast, is dynamic, self-aware, and incomplete, the mode of being of conscious beings who must continually define themselves. Nigeria today is caught in a tension between these two modes: the state itself remains inert, silent, and object-like, while its constituent nations: Oduduwa, Arewa, and Biafra awaken as restless, self-defining communities. This existential clash is Nigeria’s imminent dilemma. The Awakening of Living Nations Oduduwa, Arewa, and Biafra embody pour-soi . They are not content to merely exist within the boundaries of a federation; they are conscious of their histories, their marginalisation, and their aspirations. They demand recognition, justice, and self-determination. Th...
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Nigeria’s Scaling Preferences: Either a Failed State or Sliding into State of Nature

Nigeria today stands at a dangerous crossroads: either reform to restore legitimacy and justice or slide irreversibly into the chaos of a failed state and the Hobbesian “state of nature.” Insecurity as the New Normal Another day, another string of kidnappings and killings. How long must this continue? Kidnappings and killings have become routine across Nigeria. In November 2025, armed men stormed Government Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State, killing the vice-principal and abducting 25 students, while another raid on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State saw over 50 pupils and staff taken hostage. Churches have been attacked, worshippers murdered, and ransom economies have flourished. These are not isolated crimes but evidence of organized armed groups acting as quasi-governments in ungoverned spaces. Abuse of Power and Rule of Law Nigeria’s institutions are hollowed out by corruption. Analysts describe the crisis as one of state legitimacy, where insecurity itself has ...
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Choose One – Either Christian Genocide or Pogrom in Nigeria

The language we use to describe mass violence is never neutral. Words like genocide and pogrom carry immense historical, legal, and moral weight. In Nigeria, where Christian communities have endured repeated waves of violence, the debate over terminology is not merely academic; it shapes international responses, frames justice claims, and influences whether the world recognizes the urgency of intervention. To understand Nigeria’s situation, we must situate it within the long arc of history, comparing past pogroms and genocides, and examining how international law defines these crimes. Pogroms: Episodic Violence with Historical Roots The term pogrom emerged in Tsarist Russia in the late 19th century, describing mob attacks against Jewish communities. These pogroms were often tolerated or encouraged by authorities, leaving homes destroyed, synagogues desecrated, and thousands displaced. Example:   The Kishinev Pogrom of 1903 killed dozens of Jews, injured hundreds, and shock...
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Nigeria’s Prerogative: Security of Lives vs. Mineral Resources?

In the heart of Nigeria, where the soil glimmers with mineral wealth and the air trembles with fear, a question rises like dust from a forgotten road: What does a government choose to protect, the veins of the earth or the pulse of its people? This essay explores a troubling paradox: while citizens face escalating violence, kidnappings, and terror, the state appears more invested in safeguarding mineral resources than human lives. Through policy choices, security deployments, and silence in the face of tragedy, Nigeria’s prerogative seems increasingly tilted toward profit over protection. A Nation in Crisis Nigeria’s security landscape is fractured. From the forests of Zamfara, the farmlands of Benue and Nasarawa, to the highways of Kaduna, Anambra, and Imo, citizens live under siege. Bandits raid villages, terrorists strike with impunity, ‘unknown gunmen’ maraud both day and night, and kidnappings have become a grim economy. In the first half of 2023 alone, over 3,000 people ...
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Taciturn Design: A Principle of Sacred Restraint

Taciturn describes someone who speaks very little, often by choice. It’s not mere shyness or social awkwardness, it’s a cultivated quietness, a preference for silence over speech. In design and technology, taciturnity manifests as a quiet intelligence, a presence that knows when to speak and when to hold back. It appears in minimal interfaces that communicate only when necessary, allowing users to breathe and orient themselves without pressure. It shapes feedback loops with poetic pacing, where silence is not a gap but part of the emotional rhythm, a pause that affirms rather than interrupts. It guides session-aware systems that practice restraint, gently inviting rather than overwhelming. Taciturn design is emotionally intelligent. It doesn’t shout. It waits. It listens. It honours the user’s tempo. Before we enter the realm of taciturn design, a principle rooted in sacred restraint, we must first trace the contours of taciturnity itself: as spiritual gesture, as leadership postur...
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