The Learners' Den

Former Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba (Brookings Institute)  A few minutes ago, I read one of the many newsletters I receive from Brookings Institute on Foresight Africa, which discussed and explained how Africans, particularly in the Western region, are tired of their public office holders. This frustration is associated with the recent waves of coups by junta military leaders in countries like Niger, Mali, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Chad.  The author of the article, Ebenezer Obadare, a Senior Fellow at Brookings and a member of the Africa Studies program on Council of Foreign Relations, asserted that for African leaders to regain the trust of their citizens and prevent their overflow abroad to seek better life and working conditions, they must radically change the perception of public office as a center of accumulating public resources without regard for its effect. Additionally, he opined that there is also a need to address the "poverty of physical ...

Firaministan Isra'ila Binyamin Netanyahu Tunda rikicin Isra'ila da Yankin Zirin Gaza ya ɓarke a Gabas ta Tsakiya, ranar bakwai ga watan Oktoba na shekarar nan, duniya ta yi Allah wadai da salon yaƙin da kuma muhimmin goyon baya kamar su tallafin kuɗi, makaman yaƙi, da bayanan sirri da ƙasar Amurka ke ba wa ƙasar Isra'ila. Wannan yaƙi ba ƙaramin sarƙaƙiya ba ne dashi domin a yanzu haka, ƙasar Amurka tana ta ƙoƙarin haɗa kan ƙasashe da ƙungiyoyi masu faɗa aji a wannan yanki don kawo ƙarshen rikicin. Sai dai babban ƙalubale da ake fuskanta yanzu shi ne, Firaminista Bibi Netanyahu ya nuna aniyar dulmiyar da yankin gaba ɗaya cikin mummunan rikici.  Netanyahu ya fahimci cewa rashin wannan rikici zai zama babban kalubale ga makomar siyasar sa a ƙasar. Da zarar an ce yaƙi ya ƙare, za a gudanar da zaɓe a ƙasar Isra'ila, wanda zai iya haifar da rasa kujerarsa ta Firaminista. Amma idan yaƙin ya ci gaba, zai ci gaba da riƙe madafan ikon ƙasar, domin cika burinsa na zama...

Established in 1973, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) aimed to facilitate national integration after Nigeria suffered from a civil war that spanned from 1967-1970. The scheme's objectives were straightforward: to “reconcile, reconstruct, rehabilitate” and mend the lines of divide and distrust among Nigerians. Furthermore, the scheme aimed to instill discipline, a genuine sense of patriotism, and personal development in the youth service corps. Tertiary institution graduates below the age of 30 are the eligible candidates who are mobilized in batches A, B, and C, as well as Streams I & II, to undergo this tasking journey. They are then deployed across the six geopolitical zones of the country to undergo a three-week on-camp orientation followed by a one-year national service.  Arriving at the Orientation Camp Upon arriving at the Kaduna State temporary orientation camp, Government College, Kurmin Mashi, at sunset, I was greeted by different security officials ...

Mentorship has an origin dating back to 800 BCE. This culture has a rich history. And, if you fast forward to the 1980s, studies have shown that people who have mentors are more likely to do well in school, earn more than their peers at work, get promotions quickly, and are better suited to perform at the highest level. According to Prof. Terri A. Scandura, “71% of the US Fortune 500 companies offer mentorship to their employees.” Another study published by Sun Microsystems, a tech company in California, asserted that mentorship produces “employees that are more highly valued” by many organizations. This is to say that mentorship is one of the “three components of learning processes” you can utilize to improve your personal and professional development. However, it's worth noting that there isn't a rule that says one has to have a mentor before one succeeds in life. Still, the bottom line is that mentorship advantages cannot be overemphasized. Before we delve into this importan...

Established in 1975, the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aimed to promote “economic integration,” improve security, and foster regional cooperation to counter common threats to peace and political stability in the region. The bloc included 15 signatory countries. For many years, the region was afflicted by the uprising of extremist groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State, and other minor non-state actors. Moreover, the vast majority of the population is living in abject poverty (less than one dollar per day) due to corruption and economic downturn. This prompted the military officers to topple the civilian governments in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea through coups and counter-coups.  After a diplomatic impasse with the junta officers and ECOWAS delegation, the bloc, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, threatened to take economic and military action. While military action was just rhetoric, the countries faced sign...

A few hours ago, BBC Hausa reported that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would soon open shops specifically selling alcohol to diplomatic envoys in the country. The report was received with mixed emotions from Muslims in Nigeria; some laughed at it, others startled and outraged. But the latter group reacted the most. I know that the revelation rang unbelievably in their heads, looking at alcohol’s prohibition in Islam. Well, it's understandable to be shocked by such a report, particularly if you are not in touch with the country’s ongoing radical economic and social reforms under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS), the incumbent de facto ruler and heir apparent to the kingdom.  Nevertheless, for me, I wasn't startled by the report. It's no longer a secret that we are in an unprecedented period of ambiguous geopolitical rivalry between the most powerful and rapidly growing countries such as Saudi Arabia, China, India, and Russia. This means that Saudi Ara...