Bishop Kukah, Fayemi, Anya, Kyari Mohammed endorse Dakuku Peterside’s ‘Beneath the Surface’

A distinguished group of Nigerian thought leaders has endorsed “Beneath the Surface,” a compelling collection of essays and public policy analyses by Dr Dakuku Peterside. Their endorsements, representing the Church, academia, and public service, highlight the book’s significance to Nigeria’s democratic evolution, governance challenges, and human development discourse.
Bishop Matthew Kukah, a prominent Catholic bishop and advocate for justice and democracy; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Governor of Ekiti State and war studies scholar; Prof. Anya O. Anya, former President of the Nigerian Academy of Science and founding Director-General of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group; and Prof. Kyari Mohammed, historian and former Vice-Chancellor of Modibbo Adama University of Technology as well as the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the Nigerian Army University, Biu, have all praised Peterside’s new volume.
Bishop Matthew Kukah, author of Religion, Politics and Power in Northern Nigeria (1993), Democracy and Civil Society in Nigeria (2001), and The Church and the Politics of Social Responsibility (2007), writes: “Dr. Dakuku Peterside has served us a salad plate of exquisite writing, flowing in prescient prose and narration, an in-depth kaleidoscope of exciting and alluring themes. The author has opened a window for future exploration of the options for a new Nigeria.”
Dr Kayode Fayemi, author of “If This Giant Must Rise” and former Governor of Ekiti State, observes: “Every so often, we come across remarkable individuals who revive the politician as a public intellectual in our challenged polity. With his incisive and irreverent op-eds now compiled in this volume of essays, Dakuku Peterside offers us a valuable opportunity to learn from his fertile mind about our national foibles and the immense possibilities of building a nation where justice and peace prevail. It is a must-read!”
Professor Emeritus Anya O. Anya, national merit award winner, adds: “This book is insightful, incisive, and above all, written from the perspective of Dakuku Peterside’s exceptional experience within the Nigerian context. Only a man of his wide-ranging service in Nigeria could produce such a unique collection of essays that are intellectually challenging yet easy to read. As you journey through this fascinating book, you cannot help but ask: why, despite our rich pool of exceptional human talent and resources, does Nigeria perform so poorly?”

Prof. Kyari Mohammed, historian and former Vice-Chancellor of Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, and pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the Nigerian Army University, Biu, states: “Beneath the Surface -offers an insightful and comprehensive exploration of the complex Nigerian state and society. In this nuanced and engaging appraisal of his country, Dr. Peterside avoids lamentations, instead deftly pointing the way forward. This book is essential reading for policymakers, academics, and the general public.”
“Beneath the Surface” gathers Dakuku Peterside’s most incisive essays on Nigeria’s politics, governance, economy, and society. Combining straightforward storytelling with rigorous analysis, the book examines the causes of national underperformance and charts practical pathways to reform grounded in accountability, institutional renewal, and human development. It is written for public officials, business leaders, scholars, students, and citizens seeking a more precise understanding—and better solutions—beneath the noise.