Blessed Iwene Tansi: The Patron Saint of Nigeria's Democracy @ 20 Rev. Fr. FRANCIS A. OBORJI, The Vatican The article presents Blessed Iwene Tansi as a model of reconciliation and spiritual Patron Saint Nigeria needs today in its struggle for survival as a nation state.

The twenty-three "gladiators" ready to take the soccer world by storm, at the 2018 World Cup in Russia! CYRIL C. NWOKEJI, Belgium Yes, yours sincerely calls them the 'gladiators'; because one is sure they will stretch every muscle, they will contest for every ball, they will run on the field for all of ninety minutes, fighting very hard for Nigeria, during the World cup competition.

Fellow Nigerians, don't write off the Super Eagles just yet! CYRIL C. NWOKEJI, Belgium For the Super Eagles of Nigeria, the expectations couldn't be higher! Nigerians want nothing but a successful prosecution of the World cup tournament by their favourite soccer team. The critical question at this juncture is: Are the Super Eagles equal to the task ahead?

The ghost of June 12 and the travails of the "annullers!" YAHAYA BALOGUN, Arizona, USA With Obasanjo and Babangida as friends you don't need enemies for Nigeria. This twosome (individualists) are the ghouls and architects of the state of anomie we found ourselves in Nigeria today.

This is Nigeria, Everybody be criminal - Falz ABI ADEGBOYE Take a minute, an hour, a day - to think, to brainstorm ways to resolve these seemingly intractable problems in Nigeria. When done, tell me how Bukola Saraki continues to Senate President despite the incontrovertible evidence of his connection to criminal gangs?

Buhari's June 12 fulfilment and Confab 2014 promise ADEKUNLE AKINYEMI, Pikesville, Maryland, USA Better late than never is what many Nigerians are saying today. The news of the Presidential honour for Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola ... came to Nigerians as the most surprising and most welcomed news package of the year.

Anniversary of June 12 Presidential Election (4) ERIC TENIOLA, Lagos, Nigeria When I arrived in Lagos in January 1992 after serving three Military governments in Akure, politics was in the air. A friend of mine, Senator Mahmud Waziri had shown interest in contesting the Presidential election under the platform of SDP.

THE CHRISTIAN WALK The delusional saved and Church-going Christians MOSHOOD FAYEMIWO, Cameron, Texas, USA Anyone who says he/she is a Christian, pastor or any title holder in organized religion that doesn't subscribe to the Jesus Christ of Nazareth with the above seven distinct characteristics is not a Christian.

Panel beating Fr. PAT AMOBI CHUKWUMA A forth night ago, the weather was very windy. As I was driving through the gate leading into the church premises, the heavy wind blew the gate and hit it very hard on one side of my car. The car became paralyzed instantly.

Super Eagles of Nigeria lose by the oddest of margins to the Czechs! CYRIL C. NWOKEJI, Belgium The defeat of the Super Eagles of Nigeria by the national team of Czechoslvakia, was as revealing as it was exciting!

What best option for Nigeria: Restructure, Recycle, Revolution or Elections? ADEKUNLE AKINYEMI, Pikesville, Maryland, USA The emphasis of this article is on Restructuring, Recycling, Revolution and the almighty 2019 Elections. These three Rs and E make me want to cry for Nigeria as none of them give the level of joy or sorrow desirable of the actual meanings of the words.

Anniversary of June 12 Presidential Election (5) ERIC TENIOLA, Lagos, Nigeria According to unofficial results, Tofa got a total of 5,952,087 (41.64%) of votes nationwide while Abiola, running on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), scored 8,341,309 (58.36%). The total vote cast was 14,293,396. Abiola won 19 of the 30 states and in the FCT, leaving Tofa with 11 states.

A rascal and desperate government TEMPLE C. UBOCHI, Bonn, Germany The news that President Buhari is about to declare June 12 Democracy Day; and will honor Chiefs MKO Abiola and Gani Fawehinmi are a rascal but desperate move geared towards getting the Yoruba votes in the next presidential election.

FROM THE PREACHER"S LENSES Hon. Justice Mustapha Akanbi (Late)--Tribute SAM AWEDA, Lagos, Nigeria No one can accuse him of using his various exalted position to steal or help himself. He used his religiosity to bear positively on every high position he occupied in his life time.

CHANGEUP TONIC Heated But Toughened… GBENGA OWOTOKI, Florida, USA Having the right attitude during adversity is very important for what happens afterwards. You may go through difficulty, hardship or trial but as long as you put on the cloak of right attitude and have your faith anchored in the Lord, there is hope.

The rising scourge of sectionalism in Abia politics NNANNA IJOMAH, New York, New York, USA It is very disheartening now in 2018, as we approach another election, to hear whispers of a resurgence of the ethnic or sectional discriminatory rhetoric by the same ethnic hustlers in their eternal quest to re-elect Dr Ikpeazu by casting Dr Otti once again as this illegal alien....

The fallacy of gov ikpeazu's town hall meetings NNANNA IJOMAH, New York, New York, USA Lest we forget, the Governor went to Rwanda to give a speech on E-Governance which to me is a joke considering the fact that most Abia ministries and state government operations are still operating on the analog and not digital age.

Man of God versus Man of Satan Fr. PAT AMOBI CHUKWUMA Few days ago, I was behind my four wheels heading to Enugu. At Udi I met a police check-point and I was forced to stop behind six vehicles. The policemen on duty were checking the vehicles and the drivers one after the other. One of the policemen, who was the chief tax collector, had his trouser knee extraordinary pocket already filled to the brim. The naira notes inside it were competing for space.

A leader writes ABI ADEGBOYE Beyond the noise of the soundbite, writing penetrates the minds and hearts of the populace. Written words are the footprints a leader leaves in the sands of time.

Governor Fayose's misplaced priority and nothingness YAHAYA BALOGUN, Arizona, USA Proudly, Ekiti State stands unique amongst its contemporaries in the Federation of Nigeria. It is a state endowed and endorsed with intellectual resources. We are a state mysteriously in the forefront when it comes to showcasing our innate and acquired intelligence.

Peace of the graveyards, or peace at last..???!!! YAHAYA BALOGUN, Arizona, USA Moscow and Washington; are now suitors,; Making advances; To Pyongyang; Pyongyang, a destination; For political toasts.; With Kim Jong-un as the new bride!

A balanced 2018 World Cup list for the Super Eagles of Nigeria! CYRIL C. NWOKEJI, Belgium The final list of twenty-three players recently released by Coach Gernot Rohr indeed represent the best twenty-three players of the moment for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

The two faces of the Super Eagles of Nigeria against the English national team! CYRIL C. NWOKEJI, Belgium What really happened to the Super Eagles in the second half? Me thinks the shrewd tactical master, Coach Gernot Rohr, having quickly analysed the first half, made the following changes:

The difference in quality of life between oil block (Stock) owners and those who bear the brunt of oil and gas exploration in Nigeria PRIYE S. TORULAGHA, Miami, Florida, USA Nigeria exists in a perpetual state of contradiction. It claims to be a federal republic and yet operates under a unitary system. It claims that oil and gas are national resources, yet, oil stocks/shares are given to individuals.

Is Delta APC serious about unseating Gov Okowa? IWEMDI NWAHAM, Asaba, Nigeria The major plank of this article however is the trivialization of the office of publicity secretary of the party in the state, upon which any chance of giving Governor Okowa a scare or even dislodging him from the governor's lodge rests.

THE CHRISTIAN WALK The 7 types of Christians on Earth and salvation MOSHOOD FAYEMIWO, Cameron, Texas, USA Most people aren't aware that sins, which are inadvertent or willful violation and disregard to the commandments and wills of the True Lord God Almighty are equivalent to curses. In other words, the corollaries of sins are inevitably spiritual curses which translate to failures in all ramifications of life, depending on the nature of the sins and curses.

My month of Walking in the Power of Holy Spirit Pastor AMOS D. DADA, Toronto, Ontario, Canada For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person (hypostasis) of the Trinity: the Triune God manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit; each person himself being God.

Wake up, Nigerian youths! (Conclusion) TEMPLE C. UBOCHI, Bonn, Germany Nigerian youths should ask why citizens of a country rich on prodigious oil reserves are getting poorer by the day; the youths should ask why oil is no gift for Nigeria's poor.