STORIES & CONVERSATIONS

Last week, many Nigerians piled on Femi Otedola for sharing a video of himself riding a bicycle on the streets of Singapore. Something many claimed he couldn't do in Lagos because of poor infrastructure and security challenges. Many particularly piled on him because of what they considered his political affiliations. But that's not why we are here. We are here because of Singapore. What did Lee Kuan Yew do to move Singapore from a third-world country to a developed and economic power hub? And what Nigeria must learn: ​Zero-Tolerance Corruption: He made public theft a high-risk, low-reward gamble through a fiercely independent judiciary. ​Human Capital over Oil: He realized that a highly skilled workforce is a more sustainable resource than any mineral in the ground. ​Strict Meritocracy: He prioritized technical competence over "federal character" or political loyalty in governance. ​Infrastructure as a Magnet: He built world-class power and logistics to make Singapore an indispensable global trade hub. ​National Identity: He enforced social policies that put "Country First" ahead of ethnic or tribal divisions. How many of these things are priorities to our leaders?

My Most Horrible Dating Experience I had been trying to take this fine church girl out for a while. Every time we fixed a date, something would come up. Work, life, destiny. You name it. Finally, we agreed on a day. Unfortunately for me, that same period, one stubborn flu decided to move into my life. The kind that turns your nose into a weapon. I even considered cancelling, but I didn’t have the strength for another round of “when are you free?” So I showed up. First thing I told her, “I have flu o. I’ve been sneezing.” We laughed it off and agreed to keep the date short. She had barely settled down. Next thing, I felt it. That dangerous build-up. You know that kind of sneeze that gives you two seconds to prepare for your future. I tried to reach for my handkerchief. Too late. Half landed on my palm. The other half… On her face. Silence. The kind that makes you question your entire existence. I spent the rest of the evening saying sorry.

My Most Horrible Dating Experience I had been trying to take this fine church girl out for a while. Every time we fixed a date, something would come up. Work, life, destiny. You name it. Finally, we agreed on a day. Unfortunately for me, that same period, one stubborn flu decided to move into my life. The kind that turns your nose into a weapon. I even considered cancelling, but I didn’t have the strength for another round of “when are you free?” So I showed up. First thing I told her, “I have flu o. I’ve been sneezing.” We laughed it off and agreed to keep the date short. She had barely settled down. Next thing, I felt it. That dangerous build-up. You know that kind of sneeze that gives you two seconds to prepare for your future. I tried to reach for my handkerchief. Too late. Half landed on my palm. The other half… On her face. Silence. The kind that makes you question your entire existence. I spent the rest of the evening saying sorry.

My Most Horrible Dating Experience I had been trying to take this fine church girl out for a while. Every time we fixed a date, something would come up. Work, life, destiny. You name it. Finally, we agreed on a day. Unfortunately for me, that same period, one stubborn flu decided to move into my life. The kind that turns your nose into a weapon. I even considered cancelling, but I didn’t have the strength for another round of “when are you free?” So I showed up. First thing I told her, “I have flu o. I’ve been sneezing.” We laughed it off and agreed to keep the date short. She had barely settled down. Next thing, I felt it. That dangerous build-up. You know that kind of sneeze that gives you two seconds to prepare for your future. I tried to reach for my handkerchief. Too late. Half landed on my palm. The other half… On her face. Silence. The kind that makes you question your entire existence. I spent the rest of the evening saying sorry.