In today’s hyper-connected world, WhatsApp has become the default tool for everything: family check-ins, class discussions, church announcements, political strategy, and even corporate management. If a committee is formed, there will be a WhatsApp group. If a business is launched, there will be a WhatsApp group. If a community association meets, there will be—of course—a WhatsApp group. This addiction to WhatsApp groups has reached absurd proportions. What started as a...

In today’s world, technology is often presented as the solution to every human problem. From food delivery to project management, there’s an app, a platform, or a framework promising to “disrupt” the way we live. Entire industries are being rebuilt in the name of speed, convenience, and efficiency. Yet, sometimes we need to ask whether all this disruption is necessary—or whether simpler, older systems are already doing the job just fine. A classic example comes...

In the global food conversation, few meats have achieved the iconic status of Wagyu beef from Japan. Renowned for its exquisite marbling, buttery mouthfeel, and rich umami flavor, Wagyu has gone from a local delicacy to a global luxury brand. Today, diners across continents are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a single Wagyu steak. This success did not happen by chance; it is the result of intentional branding, cultural storytelling, and consistent quality control. Nigeria, with its...

In recent weeks, outrage erupted across Nigeria following reports that teachers in Edo public schools were compelled by the Ministry of Education to cut grass and perform menial labour as part of their official duties. It was a disgraceful and demeaning order that not only ridiculed the teaching profession but also exposed the rot in our collective attitude toward education. The truth is simple: children are not meant to cut grass in school, much less their teachers. Schools exist to teach,...

“Leader” is perhaps one of the most overused and misunderstood words in human history. Almost everyone claims the title at some point: politicians wear it like a badge of honor, executives adopt it to validate their authority, activists claim it to emphasize their impact, and even in everyday social life, people casually refer to themselves as “leaders.” But with the term thrown around so freely, it raises an essential question: what does it really mean to be a...

There are many games in the world that test the limits of skill, patience, and intelligence. Yet few compare to chess when it comes to demanding perseverance. Unlike sports where strength and speed dominate, chess places the mind in a relentless contest of strategy, foresight, and resilience. To play consistently is to engage in a battle that often feels brutal, not just because of the complexity of moves but because of the emotional weight of losing. A loss in chess can feel...

As we continue building Niger Delta DevTrack—a civic-tech platform to track and present public projects across the region—we have come across an intriguing and somewhat troubling discovery: almost every Local Government Area (LGA) in the Niger Delta lacks a logo, seal, or any form of cohesive brand identity. We’ve also seen that even among the few LGAs that do have a logo or seal, many of them look outdated, rushed, or unprofessional. Some appear like they were drawn by a...

For centuries, cultures around the world have clung to traditions that are both majestic and macabre. Among the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria, one such tradition is the ritual suicide of the king’s horseman — a cultural expectation dramatized by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka in his acclaimed play Death and the King’s Horseman. But recent history shows that this tradition, while still looming over certain communities, is beginning to unravel under the weight of modern...

In a world that constantly encourages us to chase perfection—perfect bodies, perfect homes, perfect careers—the ancient Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi offers a quietly powerful alternative. Rooted in Zen Buddhism and centuries of aesthetic thought, wabi-sabi is the appreciation of imperfection, impermanence, and the natural cycle of growth and decay. It invites us to see beauty in the cracks, wisdom in weathering, and meaning in the modest. At its core, wabi-sabi is a way of...

Throughout history, some of the most profound artistic, scientific, and philosophical breakthroughs have emerged from moments of deep solitude. From the reclusive genius of Nikola Tesla to the meditative walks of Henry David Thoreau around Walden Pond, solitude has often served as the fertile ground where the seeds of creativity germinate. While modern society often equates solitude with loneliness or isolation, many great minds have instead viewed it as a necessary retreat—a space...

Grace and Peace, First, because I never remember whether to say “grace and peace” or “peace and grace,” I’m starting here to cover my bases. Anyway: grace, peace, prosperity—I’m hoping you’ve got them all in ample supply, even more than the best suya vendor on Lagos Island has pepper. 1. On Zoom Prayers, WhatsApp Blasts, and Digital Harvests To my dear brethren and sistren: I’ve heard about your Zoom vigils at 2 a.m., your 5 a.m. prayer...

In an era where data is king and transparency is the currency of trust, the Mbo Development Union (MDU) is making a transformative leap with the launch of a new digital platform. At the heart of this initiative lies MboDevTrack, a data intelligence subdirectory under the broader MDU website. Together, they represent a shift toward participatory governance, citizen engagement, and evidence-based community development. By making development efforts more visible and inclusive, MboDevTrack and...