Unilag To Maulag: What Is In A Name?

It promised to be a day of reminiscencing over thirteen years of a chequered democratic experience. However, the presidency and his cohorts had other ideas. President Goodluck Jonathan stirred the hornet nest when he vehemently announced that the famous University of Lagos, Akoka, will now be known as Moshood Abiola University, Lagos. In his estimation, this was to serve as a means of immortalizing the late sage. However, thanks to social media, the news went viral within seconds and fierce reactions have since greeted the gesture. Many argue that it is the peak of foolhardiness to take such a drastic decision without informimg all relevant 'stakeholders', connected to the citadel. A more critical view by the cynics is that, changing the nomecleture of a university, whose name has become a brand in the continent, is a sheer case of bad judgement. For the sake of a rehash, protests have since sparked off in the school. A bulk of the it's students and even alumni, cannot just come to the terms with the daunting reality that their most cherished 'Unilag' will no longer be. The conspiracy theorists argue that this was a delibrate attempt to undermine the notoriety of Lagos ever growing influence. So much for a name. However logical these arguements may sound, one should not lose sight of the fact that the university is a federal government property, and they hold the power to name and rename the institution. Moreover, history's wrath will visit anyone that believes that Moshood Abiola is not worth the honour. Suffice it to say, many have used this avenue to open up a can of worms against Jonathan's presidency. Be it Unilag or Maulag, what is in a name? Unfortunately, we live in a clime where we put so much attention on shadows, and lose the substance. Having said that, the Jonathan presidency is not without blemish. It is pathetic that he specializes in doling out critical surprises. In this issue, the sane thing to have done was to consult everyone concerned. Instead, like in the removal of fuel subsidy on January 1st, he acted in a dictatoral form. Whoever his advisers are, they are doing a wonderful job in demeaning his popularity and making a caricature of his already soiled image.

Chelsea: Written In The Stars!!!

It was a fairytale. A script that was conjured by the gods, and a tale that simply encapsulates why we all love football. For nine years since the Abrahmovic era, they had tarried for the holy grail. The anguish of Chelsea's wait is not one that ink can aptly describe. But, victory at last has thrown those tales of despairs into the thrash can. Under the red cloud of the Allianz Arena, and against the custodians (Bayern Munich) of this cloud, Chelsea thruimphed as Champions of Europe. It was a night when Mourinho's invincibility at Chelsea, was replaced by Di Matteo's immortality. Surely, Mourinho's shadow has been fully lifted from the bridge. In sum, football is simply surreal. Three months ago, this Chelsea team was utterly written off. But, sometimes in March, fate made a u-turn, and in that 4-1 win against Napoli, Chelsea altered their fortune for good. Of all the eight managers Chelsea had employed since the Era of the Russian, Di Matteo has arguably the least impressive resumé, but such is Life and it's pandora's box. As he found himself in his own pool of tears, he knew that this was mission accomplished. Di Matteo has done the unthinkable, and in only 21 games in charge, he has written his name in gold, and achieve what the rest couldn't. One man that will bask in this feat than anyone, is the club's owner, Roman Abrahmovic. His obsession for this throphy knows no bounds, and whenever he will die, this success will let him rest well in his grave. The search for the holy grail is over. For Chelsea's old guard of Terry, Lampard, Drogba, Cole and Cech, they will finally shed off the trauma of Moscow two years ago. And as Drogba puts it, 'Life is Fantastic'. It was a night when everyone associated with the Blues, became an instant hero. It will take a while to fully relish this victory. Make no mistake about it, Chelsea's history have been altered for good. Through gritted teeth, eyes drenched with resolve, heart intoxicated with zeal, legs injected with pure passion and crass discipline, the Chelsea players will forever remain legends. There is little solace for Bayer Munich, as they will always pounder on what might have been. Penultimately, whenever this victory is discussed, one phrase will dominate more than any other: 'It was meant to be...que sera sera'.

EPL: 'Noisy Neighbours' Have The Last Laugh

Football has an insane way of toiling with our emotions and altering our hopes. Despite the razzmattaz and glitz that characterize the sport, it is the small details and slight margins that counts at the end. Manchester City became the latest kid on the block to carve it's name in stone and usher in a new dawn in the glamorous history of English football. Bouyed by the unending petro-dollars of the Shiekh, the blue half of Manchester have achieved a feat that they had tarried upon for 44 years. Make no mistake about it, clinching the Premier League trophy in an era when football has attained a competitive peak, is no mere act of heroism. Yet, the manner in which City won the coveted trophy can only be described as the stuff of dreams, and a replica of the miracles of 1999 and 2005 Champions League finals. As captain Vincent Kompany puts it, 'Miracles still happen', and this was one that will forever be written in gold. For Sir Alex Ferguson and his United team, they will have to live through the anguish and agony of beholding their 'noisy neighbours' flaunt 'their' trophy. Though finishing runners up in a stern and rigorous league like the EPL is no casual achievement, United is not a side that is used to playing second best to anyone, and failures at old trafford are measured by a different standard. Like in the days when Abrahmovic's fortunes launched Chelsea as a force in English football, Sir Alex Ferguson will now have to contend with a new foe, a bitter rival, and a glamorous neighbour that has learnt to turn 'noise' into substance.

Short Story: A Harsh Fate 2

She greeted in a way that elevated her manners, but it appeared that her presence was too homely to be noticed. Kunle moved to avert the impending anomalies that this first impression could wrought, but he was soon to find out that it was an effort in futility. Mr Agbaje finally turned off the T.V set. He glanced at Nkechi as if there was something about her structure that was not human, and then he mumbled words that Nkechi took to be in response to her greetings. The body language among the Agbajes was obvious. She was not welcome, and as she stood up to find the knob of the door, Mr Agbaje spoke up 'We are sorry. We hope you understand. This marriage is simply not feasible. The ethnic barrier, class differences and other plethora of factors just makes it improbable. We are sorry'. Kunle sat on his chair. Too devastated to move, and Nkechi hurriedly said 'Thank you', in a voice that was struggling to mask it's trobules. As she walked out of the gate of the Agbajes, the harsh sun only the North can conjure, poured upon her face. Her mind was aching and her feet was moving in a precision that was fretful. Perhaps, it was her fate to remain single, she wondered. And as she moved her body along the tedious street, she soliloquized in breaking and painstaking tears 'Why can't these people from home just leave me alone'.