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By   Sam Ohuabunwa In the year 2001 or thereabout, I was a member of a delegation of the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) that visited President Olusegun Obasanjo at Aso Rock. The delegation was led by the President of the chamber at that time, Chief (Mrs) Priscillia Kuye (SAN). When Kuye finished addressing the President, she graciously requested if I had something to add. I rose up to grab the opportunity. But before I would speak, she introduced me to the President as a pharmacist and chairman/ CEO of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc, a successor company of Pfizer Products Plc. As I tried to open my mouth, the President charged at me, “You pharmacists, you are the ones that import fake drugs into the country!” I was stunned, but quickly remonstrated that his statement was untrue. When he insisted, I told him emphatically that no trained and licensed pharmacist will deal in fake, adulterated or counterfeit drugs, except if he was insane (mentally deranged) or...

By   Sam Ohuabunwa The drab Nigerian political environment has lightened up. The expected ‘unexpected’ happened. Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria was elected at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries held in Port Harcourt recently. It looked like this was never going to happen. Not just that this was the fifth attempt of Atiku to become presidential candidate, but so much obstacle was put on his way by seen and unseen forces. As if those forces were not strong enough, the competition became even stiff in his new ‘old party.’ For the first time in the history of PDP, there were 12 solid contestants, each who could easily have become a formidable presidential material.  *Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar  Indeed, the choice was a very tough one for the party. The party was very conscious that the country was looking up to it to produce a formidable candidate that will square up with President Muhammadu Buhari who has received endorsement from 15 million Al...

By  Sam Ohuabunwa  Many Nigerians will remember the story of the threat which the Oba of Lagos was said to have issued to Ndigbo who lived in Lagos during the 2015 political season. Those who decide what happens in Lagos State were in great panic. They looked into their crystal balls and found that a majority of Ndigbo in Lagos had planned to vote for Jimmy Agbaje of PDP as governor of Lagos . All the political principalities in APC in Lagos went beserk. *Ambode What to do? Oba of Lagos was recruited. He summoned some of the so called Eze Ndigbo in Lagos and issued the infamous threat. They must vote for Ambode of APC or they better be prepared to be thrown into the Lagos Lagoon. It was a desperate situation that demanded desperate action.  Ambode went on to win the election. I do not know if the threat succeeded in frightening the Igbo Lagosians into voting for Ambode in order to stay alife or if it did not. But that threat actually awakened the Igbo, both in Lagos ...

By   Sam Ohuabunwa Nigeria is an intriguing nation.  A 58- year adult nation that is still crawling like a toddler, while most of its mates are running on sure feet.  Many people including political, traditional and religious leaders have expressed their bewilderment with Nigeria ’s chronic inability to truly rise.    Never mind that a tiny minority including some who earn 12 billion Naira as annual dividend will argue differently that Nigeria is rising.  *Nigerian President Buhari  Many ordinary folks in Nigeria have raised their hands in desperation as they find themselves daily pushed into poverty despite their best efforts.  This is evidenced by the fact that Nigeria the seventh most populous nation with a ‘tiny’ population of about 198 million People has become the global poverty headquarters, beating India (with a population of over 1.2 billion) according to the Brookings Institution.  Nigeria is said to have 87 million of its citize...

By  Sam Ohuabunwa I believe that I am not alone in feeling distressed about the situation of healthcare in Nigeria . Everywhere you look, the problems stare you on the face. In the public health care space, you face poor infrastructure, old or inoperative equipment and generally, poor attitude.  *Buhari  Even skill and competency levels are often suspect. If you have taken a seriously ill patient to our public health facilities – primary, secondary or tertiary institutions, you will know that many more people are healed by faith in Nigeria than by medical care.  If you go to the private healthcare institutions, may be infrastructure and equipment may be better, attitude and skills are subject to national averages. Additionally, in all cases, affordability remains a key limiting factor.  Since managed care and health insurance are still in their infancy or rather has remained in a state of stultified growth, most Nigerians have to deposit cash before they c...