Democracy for Sale: Buy One Senator, Get a Governor Free by Lawson Akhigbe

Godfather Wike Once upon a time, democracy was sold to us as government of the people, by the people, for the people. Somewhere along the line, the fine print was updated to read: for the people—terms and conditions apply; corporations and godfathers only.In the United States, the Supreme Court performed a miracle worthy of the …

Return to Sender: Britain, Nigeria, and the Fine Art of Exporting Problems (Now With Press Releases and Diplomatic Letters)

If government policy were a Netflix series, Britain’s approach to deporting Nigerians would be deep into Season 12 — same plot, new cast, slightly improved lighting, and now featuring special guest appearances by “UK letters.” From Theresa May to Keir Starmer, the script hasn’t changed much: “Why house them here when we can send them …

Cameras, Constitution and the Constable: Why This Judgment Matters by Lawson Akhigbe

The decision of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/87/2025, delivered by Justice H. A. Nganjiwa, is more than a routine fundamental rights ruling—it is a doctrinal intervention in Nigeria’s constitutional order. At its core, the judgment addresses a recurring friction in Nigerian public life: the uneasy interface between coercive state power and citizen …

Tinubu Between Empires: Nigeria as a Theatre of Franco–British Rivalry by Lawson Akhigbe

There is an old imperial habit that never quite dies—it simply changes accent. In today’s West Africa, that habit is resurfacing not through gunboats, but through influence, access, and elite alignment. And at the centre of this evolving contest sits Nigeria, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as both participant and prize. France’s Quiet Courtship From …