Akinbode's BLOG on Faith, Politics, Science, Engineering, Education and Health

I was a young lecturer at Lautech when GSM was launched in Nigeria in 2001. I could not afford one immediately because of the cost of purchasing a phone and the rates. It cost ₦ 50 per minute to make a call... Many blamed the cost of licensing the telecom providers - Econet , NITEL , and MTN - which was a whopping $285 million. To put the call rate in perspective, the minimum wage in Nigeria was ₦ 5,500 then. If you had one line, speaking for 10 minutes could cost you 10% of your salary. Fast forward to today, the rate is ₦13.80 per minute, a 72% drop since GSM came in 2001. Unlike in 2001, when there were no per-second rates , Nigerians can now make calls for a few seconds without being charged at a per-minute rate. There are also several options for consumers at cheaper rates on the surface - data plans of all kinds, combos of call and data, pay-as-you-go, etc. Many attribute these options and lower rates to technological advancement in the GSM space, including the proliferatio...

APC (the ruling party in Nigeria) has played itself into a corner with its divide-and-rule strategy with PDP , the main opposition party in Nigeria until recently... PDP has now splintered into several other parties, which will make it hard for APC to win in 2027. Because the new parties represent several different political blocks that connote ethno-religious groups that determine two-thirds of one-quarter of the vote for a winner in the Nigerian elections. The frantic effort to ensure these new political parties ( NDC , ADC , APM, etc...) are exempted from the ballots in 2027 is seen as a form of desperation to hold on to power. An incumbent party that is doing well by the people should not be afraid of the opposition. It should engage and not try to disengage the opponents through crooked means... Democracy is supposed to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people ... The people should choose their leaders, and not the other way round. Records and programs of a...

How Many Dangote , Elon Musk , Bezos , Have Been Turned to AKARA (fried bean cake) VENDORS in Nigeria – This Tantamount to “ Brain-Waste ” After watching the video, I did not see any ill advice in the statement made by Nigeria’s first lady, Mrs. Remi Tinubu , which has been interpreted out of context… She was directing her statement to peasant women – the mama l’ojas (uneducated market women). The problem is that she and her spokespeople are embracing the wrong interpretation of the video as a defense… Telling every jobless Nigerian to consider all sorts of menial jobs. Some of her jingoists are sharing videos of graduates frying akara by the roadside and others selling kuli-kuli in fancy-packaged bags… Doubling down instead of providing context and showing empathy for millions of jobless Nigerians that have been disappointed by successive governments in Nigeria, including the current one.   This weak defense demonstrates nothing but a complete disconnect from the reality of Ni...

Every World Cup tells a clear story that extends far beyond football. It tells the story of families who crossed borders, children who grew up between cultures, and nations strengthened by talent from around the world. The 2026 FIFA World Cup offers another reminder that migration is not simply about movement—it is also about opportunity, innovation, and shared success. Case in point - FOLARIN BALOGUN: The soccer world in the US is elated and in jubilation mode because FIFA just cleared FOLARIN BALOGUN to play in their next match against Belgium this week. Folarin is US best striker in the current World Cup tournament with a total of THREE goals contribution (two goals and one assist). One thing the news does not focus on is that FOLARIN BALOGUN is of Nigerian descent . He was born in the US by chance to Nigerian parents. This raises the question of human migration, whether there is benefits to it or not. Does it make sense for America to continue to open its door to those seeking ...

  Now we know why Tyla, the South African singer, beat the likes of Davido, Ayra Starr, Asake, Burna, and Olamide together at the 2024 Grammy - It is Madam Sylvia Rhone Sylvia Rhone is an American record executive and a big influential entertainment ICON in the US music industry. She is the first African American woman to lead a Fortune 500 entertainment company... If she signs you, and you have talent, you will win awards like play.... Those who are familiar with the entertainment culture in the US, they will tell you that when you sign with a big-name producer or CEO or industry heavyweight like the late Clive Davis, the disgraced Harvey Weinstein, or Sylvia Rhone, you will always have a better chance at winning awards... Awards increase the bottom line of artists, so as do the bottom lines of those who represent them. It is a cult... Talent alone is not enough; you need connections to make it big in the US entertainment industry. Two of three Nigerian musicians who have won a Gr...

     While Iran was making all efforts to get nukes to counter their arch rivals possession of one of the most lethal weapons of war that has ever been developed, they completely ignored the leverage they have in the Strait of Hormuz . This has proven to be more powerful and effective than the nuclear weapon that they have failed to develop and lost so much for. Iran’s economy has been decimated over the last couple of decades because of this quest. It took an unprovoked attack for them to discover the magnitude of the noose they hold around the global jugular of world trade. Over 20% of the global energy (petroleum, their products, and gas) and petrochemicals, such as fertilizers, are ferried through the Strait of Hormuz annually. Closing that strait creates panic everywhere, including in the corridors of their enemies. The war in Ukraine has also shown how technology leverage can counter the onslaught of one of the most powerful militaries in the world. Donald Tru...