Nigeria, Sept. 26 -- What looked like a national conversation on friendship and betrayal led me to an article by Prof. Farooq Kperogi titled "Sanusi and the Betrayal of El-Rufai," published on the back page of the Saturday Tribune. Kperogi argues, and concludes, that: "I would be slow to call self-preservation betrayal."

It is just that the title itself has already done the calling, even though Kperogi's position in the body is fair and clear. My suspicion is that the attempt to attract readers with a catchy caption possibly tempted him to begin by framing the situation as betrayal, before ultimately arguing that he would be slow to call it one.

As soon as I finished reading Kperogi's piece and processing the many lessons it offered, I...