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Farage’s latest stunt, abruptly resigning as the MP for Clacton to trigger a theatrical summer by-election is a masterpiece in the fine art of political distraction.
This story is thoroughly compelling, provided one is willing to ignore how the Nigerian state machinery actually operates.
Street Professor Dave Umahi, Lagos, the Atlantic and the Missing Environmental Impact Assessmen
“...The issue is not whether Diezani Alison-Madueke’s lawyers are competent to file applications from across the Atlantic. The more fundamental question is whether a defendant who has consistently declined to present herself before a Nigerian court should enjoy unrestricted access to its procedural remedies. Can you ignore the coercive aspects of judicial authority while selectively enjoying its protections? The Supreme Court’s reasoning in *Nwaoboshi v. FRN* reminds us that respect for the law is a two-way street. If a high-profile defendant can stay abroad indefinitely, block forfeitures, and tender evidence via proxy without ever standing in the dock, we face a uncomfortable reality: submission to the authority of Nigerian courts is fast ceasing to be a requirement, and becoming merely an option. It turns the justice system into an *à la carte* menu—and it threatens the very credibility of our criminal justice system.”
Daniel Trilling’s book argues that the British far right became “respectable” not through fringe activism but because mainstream institutions gradually absorbed its language and fears. Far‑right ideas about immigration, multiculturalism, and national decline seeped into politics and media until they appeared like common sense rather than extremism. The press amplified moral panic, helping harsh policies seem moderate. The book stresses that Britain is not uniquely immune to authoritarianism; its extremism often arrives in polite, establishment-friendly forms. Trilling’s analysis also resonates globally, showing how cultural anxiety and intolerance are normalised in many democracies. He is criticised for underplaying real social and economic grievances that made people receptive to these narratives. Still, the book warns that democracies erode slowly—through euphemisms, fear, and institutional cowardice.
Centre for Nigeria Progress 