Nigeria’s Current Articles & News from Sahara Reporters [May ‘11 Series]

[SR]

The Nigerian General Elections of April 2011 have come and gone. But, yet again, like all important functions of the Nigerian political system, they have provoked violent uprisings in parts of Nigeria – this time, mostly in the Northern States of Nigeria – and they have left a legacy of blood and tears, and of inter-group animosity and hate.

A major political party, in support of an eminent Nigerian citizen as candidate, rejects the management and results of the presidential election in its entirety. Massive crowds of citizens exploded and rampaged through the streets; hundreds of people were killed; houses were torched, and places of worship burnt. In some cities, the situation was close to a war.

Nigeria has unfortunately become known worldwide for such periodic self-induced disasters, resulting in massive losses of lives and property, and in significant losses of productivity for the country. Neither the people nor the country is ever at peace in a stable and predictable manner. And the situation has steadily grown worse and worse since independence. In the past three decades, hardly any half-year has passed without a staggering national conflagration.

Nigerians have endured it all – usually assured by political self-seekers and false prophets that such problems are temporary birth pangs of a new country. But the events of the past April, and of recent months, have at last blown away all this self-deception. When we consider Nigeria and other countries of Black Africa, and we compare with other developing countries in other parts of the world, the truth becomes clear and unmistakable. Nigeria's problems are not mere teething problems. They are not superficial or temporary. They are the enduring effects of an original error. They are deep – extremely deep. In the context of Nigeria as it is, they are essentially insoluble.

At different times since Nigeria's independence, different nationalities in Nigeria have reached this conclusion. Most famously, it was called the 'mistake of 1914'. Another personality who was in a vantage position to know, confirmed this when he asserted from the highest position of authority in the land that the basis for Nigeria's unity simply does not exist. Today, most Nigerians are saying the same, even though their voices are not influential enough to reach the airwaves. Most Nigerians murmur endlessly today that  Nigeria is moving from being hurtful to being outright destructive of the human person. All the three original regions of Nigeria at different times have tried to opt out of that 'mistake'. One such attempt even advanced from the drawing board to the battlefield. The move was defeated but the idea lives on.  For more than half a century, Nigerians have been investing on a road that patently, in all sober reflection, leads nowhere. Fifty years into independence, it has been a lot of exhausting motion without movement.

By Tokunbo Ajasin anf Dejo Ogunwande.

Source: A Clarion Call To All Nigerian Nationalities To Take Steps To Save Nigeria Now By Oodua Foundation

[SR]

APGA poor showing on the recent Nigerian elections may be due to lack of
strategic planning and absence of Dim Ikemba Ojukwu.

American President John F. Kennedy once said, "Failure is an orphan, but
victory has a thousand fathers," and with the recent concluded elections
in Nigeria, this may be applicable to the Governor of Anambra State of
whom the center of his political life may be falling apart.  His party All
Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) did not perform to an expectation in
his natural turf of Anambra State. Not only did the party not win any of
the three senatorial zones in his state, APGA whom Peter Obi is the most
visible and highest elected officer in the land could only win 13 out of
the 32 seats in the state assembly.

People especially those who were keen observers of political trends in the
state and in Nigeria were highly disappointed with lukewarm performance of
Peter Obi's APGA. Most of these people were putting the blame and
misfortune of the party squarely on the feet of the governor. They alleged
that he did not care for the welfare of the party and lately the wellbeing
of Anambrarians, for he is waiting according to them, for the appropriate
time to jump boat into another party preferably the ruling PDP.

But the right question must be asked before the right answer is rendered.
Why did people of Anambra State deserted their beloved APGA and voted for
another parties, not just voting for PDP but for ACN?

The speculation is that Governor Peter Obi and his party has disappointed
the people with their stoic development blueprint and its erratic
implementation. Anambra State deserves a serious attention not on pages of
newspapers but on making affirmative differences in lives of the people of
the state.

The entire Anambra real estate is poorly managed; people living in urban
cities of Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka are being overrun with debris and
darkness. At nights the Anambra State becomes one big village thriving in
darkness and devoid of functioning street lights.

Instead of talking to the people and finding out how to improve their lots
and wellbeing, the government is wasting time and money on mass media and
public relation. When the people feels neglected and nobody listen to
them, they will have the last laugh on the ballot paper on the Election
Day.

By Emeka Chiakwelu
Via SaharaReporters.

[SR]

                        Nigerian customs officials impounded 300 T-shirts intended for a youth soccer playoff when former soccer champion Musa Kadiri refused to "settle up" for the so-called "contraband" shirts.

Source: "Contraband" T-shirts For Soccer Kids Impounded By Nigerian Customs Over Refusal To Bribe

[SR]

                 By Human rights Watch           Promptly Prosecute Offenders, Address Underlying Causes

Source: Nigeria: Post-Election Violence Killed 800-Human Rights Watch

[SR]

         
         
         
         
                   
         
             
Saharareporters, New York - 1. Erastus Akingbola, former Intercontinental Bank Plc and Bayo Dada, former ED of the Bank, at the Ikeja High Court, Lagos Nigeria today were docked over fresh charges of N47bn fraud.

Source: SaharaReporters.

[SR]

Lecture delivered by Festus Keyamo on the occasion of the marking of Isaac Adaka Boro Day in Port-Harcourt on Sunday, May 15, 2011.

Permit me to wholeheartedly thank the organisers of this event for having considered me worthy enough to stand before you to say a few things to mark this day. It was only a few days ago that my friend and brother, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari informed me that I have been chosen to say some things on this occasion. He duly informed me that the topic would be "Goodluck Jonathan and the expectations of Nigerians".

It is so apposite that today, being a day set aside to celebrate the life and times of Isaac Adaka Boro,  we are discussing Goodluck Jonathan, the first person (whether military or civilian) from the South-South extraction to become President and Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There is no gain-saying the fact that the central theme of the life and times of Isaac Adaka Boro was the struggle against the marginalisation and oppression of the minorities from the South-South region especially the Ijaw nation. He was prepared to live and die for that cause.

[SR]

                 By Insider Jobman           In an era of social media – Internet journals, blogging and twitting – the flow of information is unrestricted. Even though their enduring impact is yet to be measured accurately, there is no question that their penetration and dismantling of boundaries have empowered many formerly voiceless people. In a country like Nigeria, social media have also stripped away some of the unfair advantages hitherto enjoyed by incumbent politicians in managing and controlling information and how it is fed to the public.

Source: The Role Of SaharaReporters In Ikedi Ohakim's Defeat-An Insider

[SR]

   By Citizen Reports           These are not normal times for Bekee  Anyalewechi, the  Abia State, Nigeria-  born editor-in-chief of The  Neighbourhood, a Port Harcourt-based provincial   newspaper. Is not unto a week when suspected militia of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) started   threatening to eliminate the courageous and enterprising journalist over a story his paper had carried in its front page.

Source: Governor Akpabio's Militia Go After Journalist   Anyalewechi

[SR]

                                               By Saharareporters, New York           Trial will resume on Thursday, May 19 of key suspects in the September, 2009 kidnap of Lotachukwu (Lota) Ezeudu, a 19-year old second year student at the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus.

Source: Lota Ezeudu Kidnap Saga: DPO Chukwu, Desmond Chinwuba Still Fugitives As Trial Resumes

[SR]

   By Emeka Chiakwelu           The reclaiming of Nigerian and African dignity

Source: IMF: The Politics Of Currency Devaluation And Austerity Measures