Standing on Living Soils… Looking back from the Future
The Years of Repair challenges us to jump into the future and look at the paths by which we got there. It shows us the power of our imaginations and underscores the fact we can get to our preferred destinations by acknow…
An Eye on Biosafety
The natural world is a resilient world. A major way by which this resilience is built and preserved is through diversity. Diversity raises the chances of survival of species if a part of the group is attacked or altered …
Who Says the Town Crier is Gone (The Life of Patrick Naagbanton)
“Who Says the Town Crier is Gone” is the title of a poem written by Styvn Obodoekwe in the poetry collection “Night has Come Again.” That collection is made of poems written at the passing of Patr…
He was a Man of Peace
It is with deep humility that I address this gathering to mark the 79th posthumous birthday of our great leader, Ken Saro-Wiwa. I thank Ogoni Civil Society Stakeholders’ Forum for facilitating this event. For some of us…
Jesse Pipeline Fire Tragedy: 22 Years of Silence
Pipelines convey goods from one location to another. For example, pipelines are used to convey water to households in cities and other human communities. They can be used for irrigation purposes and for a variety of purp…
The Guardians of Neocolonialism
Unfortunately, many of us are sucked into the “governance” debate without recognizing the tragic reality that neoliberal capitalism deepens the extractive-export model in the Global South that continues to lead to displa…
The Colour Blue is not the Problem with the Blue Economy
The color blue is not the problem with the blue economy. We often hear that sustainable development stands on three legs of social equity, economic viability and environmental protection. The intersection of these three …
Pandemic Tales
We are happy to share this collection of short stories triggered by the The COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has exposed global vulnerabilities and challenged individuals and nations to wake up from slumber and take actio…
The COVID-19 Centre
The aroma from the tilapia on the grill wafted around the street corner. Entering every home through the front door and exiting through the windows. Everyone in the neighbourhood knew when Mama Ogie had set up shop for t…
The Pull of the Mangroves and the Sea
There is something about water that draws humans and other living beings. Could it be the fact that up to 60 percent of the human body is made up of water? When people say that water is life, the meaning goes deeper than…
Rainbows Through the Tears
It is exactly at a time when mass gravesLine the streets as grim markers of a stubborn invisible foe That we understand the need to appreciate little graces It is precisely at a time when we hug and even cry in pityThat …
Alternative Power for Power Alternatives
We need alternative power scenarios to achieve needed power alternatives. The word power has many synonyms. Some of these are influence, authority, control and dominance. The term has interesting definitions in politics,…
In the rear views of life
Nostalgia, memories in the rear views of life Mirrors with many faces and dreams may be rife But focus on the perspective etched by the vista of converging parallels Know that though hopes, visions, dreams and paths ahea…
Don’t Muddy Our Waters
Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems in the the Gulf of Guinea and the Congo Basin face a lot of challenges and this year’s World Oceans Day offers us a good anchor for reflection. The theme of this year’s World Oceans…
We Must Breathe Again
Social distances widen As physical distances shrink We saw this didn’t you As the knees of the murderous cops Dug into the neck and body of George Floyd I can’t breathe! As the fires flash As the bullets fly …
