Olaogun Michael

  By Michael Sunkanmi Olaogun The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was once regarded as Africa's most successful regional bloc. It championed economic integration, promoted democratic governance, facilitated the free movement of people, and earned global recognition for its peacekeeping interventions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, and The Gambia. For decades, ECOWAS stood as a symbol of regional solidarity and collective action. Today, however, that reputation has been severely tested. Military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger have exposed deep cracks in the regional body. The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to establish the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has further weakened ECOWAS' political cohesion. Many citizens across West Africa increasingly perceive the organization as inconsistent in its defense of democracy, selective in applying sanctions, and disconnected from the socioeconomic realities confronting ordinar...

There is a popular saying that "experience is the best teacher." While experience remains invaluable, experience without reflection is merely repetition, and reflection without evidence often leads to assumptions. This is why research should not be confined to universities, laboratories, or academic journals. Research is a way of thinking—a disciplined approach to understanding reality before acting upon it. If individuals, institutions, and nations consistently viewed life through the lens of research, our decisions would be more informed, our resources better utilized, and our progress more sustainable. Research is fundamentally the pursuit of truth through systematic inquiry. It demands that we ask questions before making conclusions, gather evidence before making decisions, and evaluate outcomes before repeating actions. Ironically, many of life's greatest failures stem not from a lack of intelligence but from a failure to investigate. Relationships break down because...

                                                  For decades, Africa has been described as the continent of the future. It is home to the world's youngest population, vast natural resources, and immense entrepreneurial potential. Yet, despite these advantages, Africa remains largely dependent on external sources for the research and innovation needed to solve its most pressing challenges. This dependence is not merely a funding issue; it is a development challenge that threatens the continent's ability to shape its own future. If Africa is serious about achieving sustainable development, economic transformation, and global competitiveness, it must prioritize indigenous research funding. Today, a significant proportion of research conducted in African universities and research institutions is financed by foreign governments, international development agencies, an...

In politics, victories are often measured by endorsements, alliances, and electoral prospects. By those standards, Governor Biodun Oyebanji is currently enjoying a remarkable season sequel to his victory at the gubernatorial election that took place in Ekiti state on the 20 th June, 2026 . No doubt, the wave of support from political stakeholders across Ekiti State and beyond has reinforced his growing reputation as a leader whose style of governance has earned widespread acceptance.Yet, at this very moment, there is a reason why congratulations should wait. The kidnap of sixteen worshipers at Eda-Oniyo about two months ago should bring about a sobering reality into what is seen as a season of celebration. While politicians and supporters exchange pleasantries and commendations, some famil ies are living through uncertainty, friends are gripped by anxiety and an entire community is reminded that insecurity remains one of the greatest threats to public well-being. This is not...

I woke up this morning with heavy burden in my heart on how we get to where we are as a nation.  While few may justify that things are well, I am aware that many are not finding life very easy. In fact, life is not worth living for some.  Look around you, you can visibly see POVERTY, HUNGER, PENURY and HARDSHIP.  I have seen men who are "good" at helping others now in need of help. Not because they were careless, but the negative economic patterns has badly affected them. Sadly, it appears that WICKEDNESS is now normalized among our leaders and their cronies. Their actions reflects "to hell with you all." I am convinced, that something thinkable/unthinkable lies ahead of us as a nation. The signs are clear. The cloud is getting darker and thicker. I hope our duty bearers take the needed actions with compassion. Time is going.

As Nigeria gravitates toward the 2027 general elections, the wave of unregulated force of artificial intelligence is quietly and gradually reshaping the political landscape. While AI promises efficiency, innovation and economic growth, its darker applications , particularly in the political arena pose s a serious threat to the credibility and stability of Nigeria’s staggering democracy. The concern is no longer hypothetical as the e vidence from Nigeria’s 2023 elections and global electoral cycles shows that AI-driven disinformation is evolving fast as it is dramatically lower ing the barrier to producing convincing false content.   Across social media platforms, fake videos, cloned voices and AI-generated images are being created cheaply and circulated widely. Interestingly , AI-generated media contents are becoming so realistic that distinguishing truth from fabricat ed lies often required expert analysis rather than common sense.  In Nigeria, where social ...