London results in the UK’s “Brexit” vote set the stage for a discussion about autonomy and the economy, writes Ruth Adeyi, 23, a Correspondent from London, UK.  Across London most boroughs voted to ‘remain’ in the EU. Roughly 60 per cent – 2.2 million Londoners voted remain. Polls show that across the 33 boroughs, only …

“Mayor wants power to negotiate for London” Read More »

The strength of an organisation or a home can result from its unifying goals, writes Bryan Obaji, 25, a Correspondent from Calabar in Nigeria, who argues that merging political interests can create strength in a bigger party. Organisations capture our attention and make us believe in their unshaken strength and will with mottos such as “united we stand”, …

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As humans we gravitate toward shared social opinion, but as Will Nicholl, 22, a Correspondent in London, UK writes, populist movements carry with them the risk of political ignorance. Michel Foucault once quipped “[p]eople know what they do; frequently they know why they do what they do; but what they do not know is what what …

“The political problem with populism” Read More »

Youthful enthusiasm and activism have a powerful role to play in Nigeria, according to a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth. As Sola Abe, 24, a Correspondent from Lagos in Nigeria reports, youth engagement can help Nigeria restructure for positive social change. In commemoration of the International Youth Day 2016, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, …

“Clamour for the restructuring of Nigeria” Read More »

Famine refers to a sudden scarcity of food that can result in mass mortality from starvation, but Abdur Rafay Usmani, 21, a Correspondent from Karachi in Pakistan, looks at political and other pressures behind the tragedy. For a majority of our history, we used to think of famines as an ‘act of God’, outside the …

“Food politics and famine in the 21st century” Read More »

Will Nicholl, 23, a Correspondent in London, UK, notes that in the aftermath of the events of the last six months, commentators have done their best to find patterns through which to make sense of the world. He argues for the need to take a longer viewpoint. Tempting though it is to pivot the narrative onto …

“Take your narcissism, the left didn’t do it” Read More »

As the residents of tiny Tobago consider more legislative autonomy, Latoyaa Roberts-Thomas, 29, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Trinidad and Tobago, looks at the practical and legal implications. The island of Tobago, with a population of approximately 60,000 persons, has a unique political arrangement with its counterpart, Trinidad, within in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. …

“Tobago’s quest for internal self-government” Read More »

To help dismantle the silos that plague society’s civil discourse, Mary-Jean Nleya, 24, a Correspondent from Botswana, sat down with Ms. Carol – a woman who sits daily on an Oxford street – to learn about life at the grassroots level. Their discussion covered politics, art, business, the economy and mental health care. Q: Hello. Please …

“I am at the bottom of the pile, but all are equal” Read More »

Recent appointments to the national Senate raise questions about commitment to gender equality, writes Alicia Wallace, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Nassau, Bahamas.  On December 11, 2016, Hon. Loretta Butler-Turner became the first woman to serve as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament in The Bahamas. This followed a petition by seven Free National Movement (FNM) …

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As a new year begins, Oluwafemi Ogunjobi, 25, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Nigeria, takes a look at the successes achieved and the challenges still facing a president who was elected on a wave of expectation for change.  It is now close to two years since Nigeria’s President, Mohammadu Buhari, came into power with an entrance that …

“What is wrong with the president’s agenda?” Read More »