By Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde

The resolve of Jonathan and his administration will soon be tested in the area of foreign policy. Nigeria's vote will be essential for the recognition of a Palestinian State by the Security Council. If history is anything to go by, Nigeria will side with the Palestinians. However, I am beginning to sense that the possibility of the Jonathan administration to abandon our historical tradition of supporting the cause of freedom across the world is also high. This short essay is an attempt to alert Nigerians who believe in such a cause of the impending danger that their country stands the danger of becoming the tool that would scuttle the noble objective of Palestinian independence.

By Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai

A worthy opportunity I thank you for inviting me to this conference. I consider the invitation a worthy opportunity to be in the midst of distinguished gentlemen and ladies of the pen who literally have the final say on what appears in our newspapers, and in that sense, to some extent what we know and do not.  Our interactions today would afford me the opportunity to meet with you all under a single roof to exchange ideas not only on the chosen topic but on the efficacious position of the media as the ombudsman of our democracy. This role, if handled responsibly in tandem with the ethics of your profession, should serve as a check on the excesses of those in power.