Kenimani Complex, By Sam Omatseye

“Stanley Macebuh, OBJ’s biographer, described the ex-head of state as “crafty, very crafty.” For the former ruler, every good guy must come down… he was a PHD before he had a PHD.The first as spoiler, the second as scholar.“   He was a PHD before he had a PHD. The first is an attitude while the second PHD is a certificate. The first played out as student, soldier, politician, head of state and ex-head of state. The second PHD was bestowed as ex-president. The first came on the street, office,…

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Messi’s Emilokan, By Sam Omatseye

Lionel Messi always inflicted me with a binary disease. I love him, but not his country. Any time I saw him play, he revived the maestro of my boyhood fancy: Haruna Ilerika. He is small, just like Haruna. He is a leftie, just like Nigeria’s former number nine who clutched Africa player of the year honours twice. He enjoys the dribble run, cuts through defences like a tailor through satin (fans often called Ilerika Tailor), browbeats marque defenders, executes an economy of schemes, pearls passes that even his opponent envies,…

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