NIGERIAN CURIOSITY

OBAMA'S SPEECH IN GHANA (FULL VIDEO & TEXT)

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:29:00 PDT

Please read the full text of President Barack Obama’s speech Saturday in Accra, Ghana.

OBAMA'S THOUGHTS ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 07:31:00 PDT

Part 1:

Part 2:

Thanks to Dr. U.

NIGERIA'S SENATE SLASHES KEY FUNDING

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:00:00 PDT

Although Nigeria's Senators blatantly violated their Constitutional obligation to 'sit' for at least 181 days last year, they are working overtime to ensure that their presence is felt in 2009. On July 1st, the Senate cut N6.2 billion in budgetary allocations for education and healthcare spending in the capital city of Abuja also known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). That money was instead funneled to finance the N25 billion Abuja Road project. N250 million was also slashed from a N350 allocation in the FCT budget to buy "horses and stables" of the FCT for the road construction project. While it is understandable that Nigeria faces a budgetary deficit, and has been racking up more international debt, some of the Senate's budgetary changes are questionable.

THE MAN (MEN) RESIDENTS OF ABUJA HAVE TO THANK
This initiative to fund the Abuja Road project stemmed from the actions of Senator Iyiola Omisore. He defended his actions by stating that the budget cuts "would reduce the existing pressure on the existing facilities in the main city."[sic] Omisore is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. He represents Osun State and is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). According to his personal page at the National Assembly's website, his "legislative interests", (and we can only assume that these issues were the one's upon which he campaigned upon and pledged to his constituents that he would work on), include "Legislation on poverty alleviation, poverty supply welfare issues." If there is any truth to the Senator's publicly asserted commitment, then, the question to be asked is exactly how does cutting spending in education and healthcare achieve his stated goal of "poverty alleviation"? It must however be noted that President Yar'Adua also plays a role in this mystery because his office initially requested that N4.18 billion be cut from the FCT's education budget and that N2.1 billion be cut from the health budget to satisfy the funding needs of the two major road projects that constitute the Abuja Road project.

Senator Iyiola Omisore,
Distinguished Senator of the 6th Assembly (2007 -2011)

Some Senators criticized the cuts. These criticisms came from all political parties including that of Omisore, the PDP. Senator Ahmad Lawan (ANPP) said,

"We cannot wait until 2010 before we treat our citizens and we cannot afford to keep our children or wards illiterate and that they should not go to school until 2010..."

MY THOUGHTS
During tough economic times, it is understandable that funding for very important initiatives will be cut. That is the reality of a global economic slowdown and Nigeria is like any other country that must tighten its belt. However, one cannot ignore the fact that if certain initiatives had not received as much funding in the first time, there just might be more money for the the things that matter the most. The funding for horses and stables at this time seems trivial in comparison to the need for educational and health funding in Abuja. It is understandable that horses are a crucial aspect of northern and therefore Nigerian culture that should be preserved, but what is unclear is whether that is something the federal government and not private investors should back with millions of Naira.

Additionally, Abuja is a city adjusting to its growing popularity and population. As such, roads and other transport-related infrastructure must be maintained and improved upon. Despite this, should education and health be secondary to transportation issues? Considering that quantifiable benefits in education and health are crucial for the President's promised Vision 2020 plans, it is preposterous that the same President who preaches not just Vision 2020 but advocates re-branding would demand a cut in spending for education and healthcare. Particularly if little to no mention was made about alternative sources of support for education and healthcare in Abuja. Add to that, the fact that the individual who presented these cuts in the Senate has publicly committed himself to "poverty alleviation". The unfortunate irony of all this is that the people for whom this money for education and health could have benefited may never even know of these developments as a consequence of their socio-economic position. Something that could have been aided by the money that will now go towards building better roads for all the shiny new cars that many Abuja residents are fortunate to own.

It is no secret that education and health care are key to creating an environment where entrepreneurs can do their part to create employment and other tools necessary for a progressive Abuja and indeed, a progressive nation. Even though the cuts are only from the 2009 FCT budget, it is quite possible that the ramifications of this action will be felt for years. Nigeria cannot afford to not educate its citizens, especially because Nigerians need the educational tools to continue to compete in the global economy. At present they are facing a challenge, what with Nigerian school teachers regularly on strike, educational institutions churning out graduates that are considered ill prepared for the work force and schools apparently churning out more 'prostitutes' than employed graduates. Without the necessary funding and support, how will these Nigerians be able to create and sustain a better Nigeria?

Not to mention that road projects tend to be inefficient, with cost rising quicker than one can anticipate. As such, did it really make sense to take money from education and health care to fund a road project? Could money not have been taken from the various "allowances" afforded the Distinguished Members of the National Assembly? Or, from their still exorbitant salaries?

Cutting funding in the FCT's 2009 budget for education and healthcare seems to make little sense considering the challenges all areas of Nigeria face during these tough economic times. There is still time to announce an alternative source of funding for these initiatives in the near future. Hopefully, some balance can be found between paying for Nigeria's very needed infrastructure and essentials like education and funding that the nation's future will desperately depend upon.

Related Articles of Interest:

- Yar'Adua and the Pay Cut Issue
- How To Become A Millionaire

- Should Yar'Adua Get A Pay Raise?
- Look To The Ivory Coast For Inspiration
- Getting The Senate We Paid For
- Getting The House Of Representatives We Paid For

NIGERIA'S PDP ACCUSES OBAMA?

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:05:00 PDT

The Nigerian president's political party, the People's Democractic Party (PDP), has publicly accused the Obama administration of seeking to destabilize Yar'Adua's rule. According to the PDP, the US Embassy plans to meet with pro-democracy groups and that those groups will seek to convince Obama that Yar'Adua's presidency is "illegitimate". The party warned the United States not to,

"promote the evil plans of these unpatriotic politicians against a democratically elected government as such would raise questions about its respect for the sovereignty of other countries and the international doctrine of non-interference in the internal affairs of other sovereign nations."

This is not the first time that the PDP has slung accusations at political opponents, as was the case in 2008 when they accused other political parties of treason. Such reckless and unsupported talk from the PDP weakens the quest for peaceful democracy in Nigeria and places in question their commitment to working for the people and not their personal needs. Furthermore, such accusations could create an unnecessary international tension between the Nigerian and American governments. Additionally, the language in this accusation is very reminiscent of the Abacha years, when the dictator also made brash statements demanding non-interference in the nation's affairs.

This incident also reflects what is becoming a recurring refrain, that President Yar'Adua is weak. Clearly, his inability to prevent his political party from making such statements against an ally only reinforces the perception of ineptitude. And, that further calls into question any and all decisions or indecisions, attributed to his administration in its 2 years of power. For the sake of the Office of the President and in fact, Nigeria's diplomatic relations, it will be crucial to limit the PDP's public and international microphone. The PDP and Yar'Adua must not forget that Nigeria is the United State's largest trading partner in sub-saharan Africa, and the U.S. is home to a growing number of Nigerians in the diaspora. The U.S. is also the largest foreign investor in the country. In these unsure economic times, Nigeria's leaders should be cautious when they bite those from whom they make a lot of their ~~side~~ money.

There is no need for the PDP or any political party to sling mud at anyone. The only thing necessary is for those elected by the people to work for the people instead of failing to show up to work as required (the Senate), or failing to pass more than 8 bills in one legislative session (the House of Representatives). Individual Nigerians are going above and beyond to achieve incredible things, and they deserve 'leaders' that do not stand in the way of their progress with such remarks.

NIGERIA'S GENERATIONAL DIVIDE & REUBEN ABATI

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:12:00 PDT

Reuben Abati recently criticized younger Nigerians for their shortening of the nation's name from Nigeria, to Naija or Nija, calling it an illustration of a national identity crisis amongst younger generations. While one can understand the discomfort certain more mature segments of Nigerian society might have with regard to this reality, the fact that younger Nigerians are changing Nigeria, its norms and indeed the very name of the nation is not necessarily something to demonize. The time should be taken to understand this change, as it might not be as negative as some believe. Hence, people like Abati should reconsider their views and realize that this transformation in the name younger Nigerians use to refer to their country is actually a good thing that can be beneficial over the long run. The generational divide doesn not have to be wide.

THE NAME 'NIGERIA'
For all intents and purposes, Nigeria is an artificial construct. It is a nation consisting of over 250 different tribal groups. Like in many other African countries, various tribal groups were pitted against each other by European colonialists in an effort to 'divide and conquer'. This manipulation created tribal tensions and suspicions that still exist on some level and affect many national decisions. Presently, Nigeria has a population of approximately 140 million, with thousands, if not millions living abroad. The main religious practices are Islam, Christianity and traditional beliefs wherein ancestral beings and deities are worshiped. The name comes from one of two crucial rivers that flows through the country, the River Niger.

At one point, a large section of what is now considered Nigeria was nothing more than a money producing zone for European corporate interests called the "Royal Niger Company Territory". The name, 'Nigeria' was picked to replace "Royal Niger Company Territory" on the suggestion of Flora Shaw, in an effort to brand the location and make it immediately identifiable and separate from other neighboring European colonies. Although the peoples and land mass that makes up Nigeria today is a nation like any other, working to overcome deficiencies and celebrating its successes, Nigeria's origins had little to do with nationhood but economic interests.

NIGERIA BY WHATEVER NAME
In this day and age, Nigerians young and old (yes, older Nigerians use the term as well), have taken to referring to Nigeria as Naija or Nija. Whatever the reason for this shortening of the national name, it appears that this has upset Abati. In his article, "A Nation's Identity Crisis", he asserts that young Nigerians are losing touch with what it means to be Nigerian. He analyzes many pop artists and their products, concluding that they "try to imitate Western hip pop stars". (This writer must confess that she believes that conclusion is the case for many Nigerian artists, but that is a discussion for another day and well respected crooner Banky W. provided a more than adequate response). He goes on to criticize the 'remixing' of the nation's national anthem, the singing of which, he believes should be "solemn" and "rendered in an unchanging format" not transformed into dance music. (Again, this writer agrees that the rendition of any nation's anthem should be treated with respect and reverence, but can't help but wonder what Abati thinks of the joyous religious-athletic stylings of Brother Franklin at a Nigerian church in Texas).

What Abati neglects to consider is that the penetration of "Naija" into the country's lexicon is an expression of national pride that should not be belittled or berated, but acknowledged and capitalized upon. When most Nigerians use the term "Naija" it reflects patriotism not a mere bastardization of 'Nigeria' or the shenanigans of the silly, to-be-looked-down-upon Nigerian youth as some, like Abati, would like to believe. It is a term which brings young Nigerians together, regardless of tribe, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and social hierarchy. That is exactly why brands like Etisalat have tapped into it - because it creates a common, easily identifiable thread that runs through the fabric of what is Nigeria. Or 'Naija' if you prefer to refer to it as such.

OWNERSHIP OF A NATION
Young Nigerians should be encouraged to take ownership of their country, not discouraged. The term "Naija" can be seen as example of such ownership. Considering that the term "Nigeria" was created by a British woman, who despite her many accomplishments probably never would have been an individual Nigerians of the past, present or future could identify with, begs the question why Nigerians have not decided to actually name their own country almost 50 years post independence. It appears that since the political elite and older generations of Nigerians have chosen to not do this, younger Nigerians have forced the issue and thus, created an unease in a country where the young are expected to not express their ideas, and be subject and unquestioning, out of respect, to their elders. However, the use of "Naija" as a symbol of national ownership amongst the youth should not be considered as a threat, but rather an opportunity to further include the young in the civic framework of the nation and empower them in preparation for when they will be in positions of national responsibility and leadership. That way, they might not repeat the many crippling and self-defeating mistakes of some of those who have come before them. While on the topic of national ownership, this writer advocates a review of the national flag. While the significance of the green-white-green motif is understandable, it could do with a face-lift.

The term "Naija" is not an attempt by young Nigerians to turn their back on the incredible culture and history of the nation. It is a celebration of what is, was and will be Nigeria as seen by the eyes of the very people upon whom the nation's future depends - the younger generation. For Abati and others to dismiss this expression of national ownerhsip as disrespectful is naive and in fact, dangerous for Nigeria. That is because Nigeria need to truly incorporate the young into the civic fabric needed to achieve the yet to be accomplished dreams that Abati's and the generation before him had for Nigeria. Young Nigerians, like Abati said, are indeed "a generation in a hurry". They are in a hurry to satisfy the expectations of their fore-mothers and fore-fathers that lie heavy on their shoulders. Expectations they cannot and will not ignore. Rather than demonize them for finding a way to balance expectations, national ownership and pride in a way that is comfortable and familiar to them, Nigeria should pay closer attention and work collectively, instead of creating unnecessary divisions, to create the nation all citizens dream of.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Much Ado Over A Nickname
- I think Nigeria Needs A Revolution
- The Nigerian Psyche
- Persistent Psychological Paralysis
- The Significance of Persistent Psychological Paralysis

Other reactions to the Reuben Abati article:

Much Ado About An Article - Tosyn Bucknor
Flogging A (Hopefully) Dead Horse - Media Nemesis

AGREEING WITH OJO MADUEKWE

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:03:00 PDT

Despite the issues I have with this administration, I try to acknowledge when something good comes out of Nigeria's government.

At a recent conference, Nigeria's Foreign Minister, Ojo Maduakwe, made the following statement,

"please don't criminalize Nigerians even if they left Nigeria without adequate papers. They are working hard in your economy, they are adding value to your economy, regularize their papers,"

"If a Nigerian is working hard in London, Sweden, United States or any other country but doesn't have papers, give him his papers after all that is a typical case of using diplomacy. Most Nigerians are honest and hard working people. I think I am sick and tired of this criminalization of my countrymen because this is one of the most beautiful countries in the world,"

I am happy to hear someone, anyone, say something good about Nigerians. Some Nigerian officials have no problem disrespecting Nigerians by not only ignoring the people's needs but speaking of them disparagingly like IBB did in 2007. So when a Nigerian official speaks up for the people, he deserves a little spotlight.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Speaking Frankly
- Keeping It Real
- Why I Blog About Africa
- I think Nigeria Needs A Revolution
- The Nigerian Psyche
- Persistent Psychological Paralysis
- The Significance of Persistent Psychological Paralysis

THE BRUTES LOST

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:41:00 PDT

Ayodeji Omotade, the Nigerian man whose protest of the inhumane treatment of a fellow passenger, led to Brutish Airways throwing over 130 Nigerians off a flight, has now been vindicated. Sued by Brutish Airways in 2008, a court recently cleared him of all charges.

When the initial incident occurred, a boycott of Brutish Airways was initiated and I actually suggested a more stringent long term approach to truly impress upon the Brutes and other similar institutions that Nigerians, and in fact any group of people, are not to be treated with disrespect. In spite the boycott, a peaceful protest, empty sanction threats by the Nigerian government and a half hearted 'apology' by a Brutish Airways spokesman the Brutes went ahead to sue Omotade.

Thankfully, the legal system saw the suit for what it truly was - bullying. The airline complained that Omotade Ayodeji Omotade was "a "catalyst" for other complaints". Witnesses for Brutish Airways even went as far as alleging that Omotade behaved like a "raging bull", one can only wonder why they would make such an assertion. The Judge in the case rightfully determined that he simply made a "forcible but polite complaint".

Personally, I hope that Omotade will sue the airline for wasting his time. I also hope he will be reimbursed for the inconvenience of his maltreatment and the harm this unnecessary suit did to his reputation. An actual apology from Brutish Airways would also do a world of good. However, I am sure the brutes will fight tooth and nail to not have to do the right thing.

Hattip to Sokari of Blacklooks who has stayed in touch with Mr. Omotade and who kindly contacted him directly on my behalf to confirm the Court's verdict when it initially happened.

Further Reading:
- Nigerians, 'Brutish' Airways & Respect Pt. 1
- Nigerians, 'Brutish' Airways & Respect Pt 2
- Finally, Some Concrete Nigerian 'Action' on Brutish Airways & BASSA
- "Casual Racism" at Brutish Airways?
- A Brutish Airways 'Apology'?
- More on Brutish Airways
- Brutish Airways Calls Police on Nigerians
- Possible Sanctions on British Airways

POSTURING & THE HALLIBURTON PANEL

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:58:00 PDT

In April 2009, Nigeria's government announced the creation of a panel charged with investigating the Halliburton corruption scandal and identifying those Nigerians who received some of the $180 million the company paid to Nigerian officials in bribes. Given Nigeria's serious 'punishment problem', many wondered whether the panel, given a 8 week limit, would accomplish its goal. The time limit is technically up and not only is there little word on the panel's report, but media reports indicate that the Yar'Adua administration is pointing the blame for possible failure at the United States.

WHAT THE PANEL DID
While the panel, led by Mike Okiro, investigated the Halliburton scandal, various individuals were arrested, others were questioned, and INTERPOL was put on alert to prevent certain suspects that would seek to flee the country. It was also revealed in May that the previous president, Olusegun Obasanjo, would be interviewed by the panel. However, it is unclear whether any quizzing of Obasanjo actually took place. Like other corruption scandals of the past, Nigerians watched the many news reports related to the panel's investigation with interest and expectations.

BLAME EVERYONE ELSE
When the panel was announced on April 21st, the most glaring limitation was its time limit. The panel was initially granted a 6 week time limit, (later extended to 8 weeks). Although the 8 week time limit for the panel has technically ended, no report has been released to the public, nor has there been any indication that the report has been completed. Instead, it appears that the Yar'Adua administration and the Okiro panel has chosen to lay the blame for the lack of obvious results on the United States. A report in Nigeria's Vanguard newspaper indicated that sources close to the panel believe the U.S. frustrated the panel's purpose. The sources alleged that the U.S. is interested in protecting certain implicated parties - particularly "two former heads of state and a former Vice President ... from being exposed." The Daily Independent also reported on June 13th that the U.S. "denied the presidential panel ... access to [the] true identity [of Nigerians involved in the corruption scandal]." The paper quoted a source who said,

"What the panel desires is mere confirmation of confessions made by the suspects that have been interrogated in Nigeria here, to see if they actually tally with what the Americans have in their records ... Other sources will be relied upon to get the job done."

As a result, the panel is now looking to gain information from European countries.

LETTING YOU DOWN SOFTLY
The Halliburton corruption scandal is not a new one. Nigerians clamored for a long time to get the current administration, which holds the 'rule of law' as its mantra, to investigate it and reveal those involved. It was public pressure that forced Yar'Adua to create the panel and this writer questioned the time limit ,

"Th[e] ... time limit appears unrealistic and might be an indication that this Committee and indeed this administration has little intention of adequately addressing the Halliburton scandal."

Additionally, the credibility of many of the panel's members was also an issue. Consequently, it is not hard to assume that as was the case with many other corruption scandals of the past, these "blame the U.S." whispers are simply a typical tactic to do nothing. This talk about the U.S. trying to protect certain Nigerians or the FBI delaying is inconsequential. Firstly, the Nigerian government set its own time limit without consulting with the U.S. which is dealing with issues of its own and cannot be expected to drop everything to address the concerns of a questionable administration's panel. Secondly, as noted by the Daily Independent's source, the panel was only seeking "confirmation of confessions made by the suspects that have been interrogated in Nigeria". If that is truly the case, then the panel already has the information it needs and can release the names of those who have 'confessed' to their crimes. Nigeria is an independent nation and does not need to wait for information from other countries to investigate domestic corruption if it truly wants to. Any and all explanations to the contrary are a stalling tactic and a way to prepare the nation for the panel and this administration's failure. Thirdly, as more time is wasted delaying the release of those tied to this scandal, the more there will be criticism of this administration and questioning of its ability and/or willingness to tackle the difficult issues Nigeria faces. As this administration pushes to 're-brand' the nation's image and re-orientate the psyche of citizens, it should be cautious that its very actions do not hamper its grand objectives.

Hopefully, the hopes of Nigerians who demand that this administration fully commit to anti-corruption efforts by looking directly at the nation's political elite, will not be for naught. There is still time for this administration and the Okiro panel to release the names of Nigerians that benefited from Halliburton's 'slush fund'. The administration must also not forget the individuals already implicated in the Siemens corruption scandal as they should return the bribes they received and face justice in a court of law. Although it is never too late to do the right thing, Nigerians cannot afford for their government to delay on doing what is obviously the right and proper thing to stamp out the scourge of corruption which has benefited a few but left the rest of Nigerians wanting.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Arrests Made In Halliburton Scandal
- Nigeria's Punishment Problem
- Halliburton & Nigeria - Corruption Inc. Pt 2
- Siemens & Nigeria - Corruption Inc.
- Crime & Punishment: The Nigerian Edition

WATCH "DOLLARS & DANGER" RIGHT HERE...

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:59:00 PDT

For those who were unable to catch the showing of "Dollars and Danger: Africa, the Final Investment Frontier" on CNBC, please feel free to watch the entire program, with limited advertising below.

Also, check out my reviews of the program and ensuing discussion -
- Part 1
- Part 2

Related Articles
- A Nigerian Reviews "Dollars & Danger"
- A Nigerian Reviews "Dollars & Danger" Part 2
- Nigerian Ingenuity
- Nigeria's Re-branding Effort
- Using Nigerians to Re-Brand Nigeria
- Re-Branding Nigeria: Success Is The Key
- Rebranding Nigeria: With Britain's Help?

MUSIC XIII: ASA'S "THE PLACE TO BE"

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:41:00 PDT

A reader came to my other blog, 'It Was So Much Easier When I Only Had One...' and commented that Asa had a new song on the airwaves. As Asa is one of Nigeria's most respected contemporary artists, I had to go find the track.

"The Place To Be" is such a smooth and uplifting song and bound to put most people in a good mood. The song is being used by Nigeria's Guaranteed Trust Bank (GTB) in their current advertising campaign. If you notice, the word "Guaranteed" is sprinkled within the song. Being that I am a large supporter of entertainers leveraging their brand to make money and expand their fan base outside of their niche, I commend GTB for taking advantage of Asa's writing and musical talent. I also hope they paid her handsomely, because their association with her highly successful brand only makes them look better.

I desperately wanted a video to put on the blog for readers and so asked fellow blogger Olamild, of Olamild Entertainment to make a video. Thank you, Olamild for kindly humoring my request and making it possible for readers to hear this song and thank you as well for including lyrics. Please visit Olamild Entertainment to gain in depth information and read interviews from your favorite Nigerian artists in the world of music, theater, poetry, film and entertainment.

That being said, enjoy.

And as a side note, I hope that Akunyili and the entire 'Rebrand-22' team (thanks Plastiqq for that term), will soon reveal a little more of how they plan on re-/branding the nation. Regardless of their plans, Nigerians themselves will somehow manage to achieve that goal by themselves is the powers that be stay out of the way.

A NIGERIAN REVIEWS CNBC'S "DOLLARS AND DANGER" PT 2

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:04:00 PDT

As discussed in Part 1, Erin Burnett's program "Dollars and Danger: Africa, the Final Investment Frontier"managed to present a balanced portrayal of the business challenges and opportunities in Nigeria and indeed the entire continent. While my last post focused on the program's discussion of Nigeria, this post will concentrate on other larger issues related to investment in Africa.

Upon watching the program, I was happy that the African continent was not portrayed as merely a poor, dirty continent waiting with an outstretched hand for assistance and salvation. In fact I was satisfied with the range of discussion the show packed into a 1 hour program. For instance, the revelation that during the current economic downturn, foreign direct investment in African economies surged by 16% in 2008, while dropping by 23% worldwide, was eye opening. Africa is indeed the last remaining frontier for potential high return investment. Many are clamoring to the continent because clearly, the profits outweigh the risks.

FOREIGN INVESTMENT & THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY
However, reinforced for me was an issue that continues to puzzle me. Why has the investment in Africa not been maximized to benefit the continent's people? I am not talking about the benefits, or lack thereof, of foreign aid, an issue which has been adequately addressed by writer Dambisa Moyo and many others, who argue that current attitudes toward foreign aid must be reconsidered because foreign aid has failed to truly help the African continent. What I am talking about is foreign money invested not loaned or granted as charity to African countries. Far too often, the investment monies that enter a country fail to make its way down to the majority. This, unfortunately, leaves many Africans poor and without adequate health care, infrastructure and affordable education.

Personally, I believe that the lack of political accountability in many African countries is to blame for the disparity between the possible benefits Africans could have enjoyed from foreign investment and the current reality. The fact that far too many African leaders have historically treated central banks as their personal slush funds, coupled with corruption and the inability to get worthy candidates in leadership positions has prevented the progress that could have been possible. To take full advantage of the many large foreign businesses which come to the African continent for profit, a system that allows the people to genuinely hold their leaders responsible for failures and also rewards them for accomplishments is necessary in most parts of the continent. The will only happen when we Africans realize that we deserve to not be cheated by our leaders and should not be relegated to the scraps from the table.

SELLING YOUR 'SOUL' TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER
Learning that South Korean company Daewoo Logistics somehow 'leased' half of Madagascar's arable farm land shocked me. While I understand that Korea made a business decision to ensure food security for its citizens, I wonder how such "neo-colonialism" (so deemed by the U.N's Food and Agricultural Organization) benefits the people of Madagascar? Keep in mind that the deal is apparently for 99 years and that the only benefits for the Malagasy people will be "employment opportunities" because Daewoo Logistics will not pay fees for the lease, but will only provide "the means to allow exploitation and development of the land."Africa's land is the source of its food and the resources the continent's nations rely upon to finance its economies. That certain governments would therefore relinquish ownership/control of farm land is akin to selling the people's soul to the highest bidder. It is unconscionable. And one cannot help but ask where the money from this deal has gone, particularly as over 60% of Malagasy people live below the poverty level.

But, Madagascar is not the only African country witnessing this new capitalistic approach to food/agricultural security. Saudi Arabia is also seeking to buy land in Africa so as to find locations for agricultural and livestock industries to support its citizens. Saudi Arabia hopes to buy land in Ethiopia and Sudan. It would be redundant to point out that Ethiopia has faced severe famine in the past, is currently is in a shaky peace deal with its neighbor Eritrea and is also neighbored by Somalia. As for Sudan, the continuing Darfur crisis and the many internally displaced men, women and children did not stop its president (for whom the ICC has issued a warrant for arrest) from entering into agreement with China to get funding for a new palace in exchange for oil to fuel China's flourishing economy and growing middle class.

These examples illustrate the dilemma of foreign investment in certain parts of Africa - it props up illegitimate and unworthy governments by putting large amounts of money within their control, to the detriment of the people. That being said, foreign direct investment (FDI) is a necessary element in the modern economy regardless of whether that economy is in the United States, Europe, Asia or Africa. Every nation, regardless of its wealth, clamors for such investment as it benefits their economies and ultimately their citizens. It is just that in too many African countries, not enough citizens benefit from FDI as much as they should. And, this is a problem that Africans themselves must strive to solve or else, the continent will allow certain interests to sign away the continent's future and in the decades to come we Africans will be no better off than we are now.

Ultimately, CNBC's program, "Dollars and Danger: Africa, the Final Investment Frontier", managed to take a frank look at Africa and the incredible financial possibilities it holds for those that , as fellow blogger N.I.M.M.O. commented "dare to come". These same investors that dare to come to the African continent, the money and expertise they bring can be a necessary component for African development. But for African countries to truly become competitive in the global economy they must use the profits from that investment to provide the basics for their citizens. Once that happens, Africa's approximately 900 million citizens will do the rest.

Related Articles
- A Nigerian Reviews "Dollars & Danger"
- Nigerian Ingernuity

- Nigeria's Re-branding Effort
- Using Nigerians to Re-Brand Nigeria
- Re-Branding Nigeria: Success Is The Key
- Rebranding Nigeria: With Britain's Help?

A NIGERIAN REVIEWS CNBC'S "DOLLARS AND DANGER"

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:21:00 PDT

When I first learned that CNBC's Erin Burnett visited Nigeria and would present a documentary on the country, I got worried. Far too often, Nigerians are simplified to fit certain basic stereotypes - corrupt, dirty, poor, corrupt, and the list of negative connotations could go on. Inspite of my concerns, "Dollars and Danger: Africa, the Final Investment Frontier" did not present a negative or overly-simplistic picture of Nigeria, Nigerians and the African continent.

THE SHOW'S FOCUS
I initially considered the title to be unnecessarily inflammatory - this association with danger stems from pre-colonial sentiments of what the 'Dark Continent' represents and has continued through modern media. Despite my reservations, being that I am a writer, I understood the tactic and Burnett's respectful and practical reporting made up for my concerns. The documentary focused on Africa as a potential goldmine for investors in the current economic slowdown. It pointed out that most African nations have large populations with a growing middle class yet to be exploited. It revealed that Africa is not just for safari vacations but has world class attractions and several miles of old Roman cities on the Mediterranean. The program focused on the reality that Africa remains the one continent with a large amount of natural resources instrumental for modern day existence - cobalt, oil, copper, and coltan. The show also noted that most of Africa's citizens lack certain basic necessities and as expected, discussed the battle for Africa's resources being waged by China, the United States and other large economies.

ON NIGERIA...
With regard to Nigeria, Burnett took an approach that I appreciated. She pointed out the reality that fuel scarcity plagues a top global producer of oil and other problems related to the oil and energy (electricity) sector. Yet, she focused on the entrepreneurial spirit of the Nigerian individual. As someone with great faith in Nigerians, I was pleased to listen to enterprising Nigerians and inspired by their ability to be successful despite the odds they face. For instance, Ms. Ayodeji Megbope, an entrepreneur with her own catering business, during whose interview, a generator could be heard whirring in the background. Even though she has to pay exorbitant amounts to provide the electricity necessary for a catering business, she was making a profit and is an independent businesswoman. Mrs. Adenike Ogunlesi was another inspiration, with her 'Made in Nigeria' clothing and bright, captivating advertising campaigns to market her products. Ogunlesi spoke of the realities of enterprise in a country where only 2 textile factories are operational, and certain officials deprive business people of information so that individuals can be caught breaking the law in order to benefit an officials 'pockets'.

Source: Flickr

Looking at these women, I was reminded of the millions of Nigerians, who, in the spirit of entrepreneurship run businesses big and small. Many lack the basic structural support that gives business people in other parts of the world a fair chance to succeed - like banks that make smaller loans, consistent electricity supply, regular security, for instance. Yet, these individuals somehow manage to beat the odds time and time again.

These individuals reinforces my belief that although the Nigerian government has for years failed the very people it is intended to serve, Nigerians, as a people, continue to be ingenious and thrive despite their circumstances. And they manage to do it despite the minority of Nigerians who give the nation a bad name, despite the stereotypes, the unfounded vitriol launched by some who simply seek hits on their web sites, and those who choose, for whatever reasons, to be bigots and condemn an entire nation of 140 million people.

ON BUSINESS IN NIGERIA...
Nevertheless, the program provided a practical look at Nigeria, Africa and the challenges to business. But, with the fact that Virgin Atlantic is looking to sell its stake in Virgin Nigeria, an intriguing question remains, can foreign business investors truly hack it in Nigeria given its political, economic and other related complexities? Clearly, many have, like Coca Cola are doing well. Yet, others like Siemens, Halliburton/KBR have ended up in the news for their criminal and corrupt activities in the country.

A discussion with fellow Nigerian blogger Akin recently compelled me to wonder "Does Nigeria offer a conducive business environment for international businesses?" To which Akin responded, "It takes a particular type of international business to do well." It would be interesting to see who will tackle this question of what kinds of international businesses do well in Nigeria. I, for one, would be willing to watch/read the conclusions achieved in response to this issue. One thinks that if Nigerians manage to run their businesses despite the complexities and unfortunate encumbrances, foreign businesses should be able to do so as well without falling into the corruption traps that befell the likes of Halliburton or Siemens or losing the goodwill of the community as has been the case for oil companies like Shell in the Niger Delta.

The frank portrayal of Nigeria in "Dollars and Danger: Africa, the Final Investment Frontier" spotlighted Nigeria's strength - its entrepreneurial and hardworking people - with an eye towards revealing the potential profit to be made by foreign investors. Certain questions remain, but for now, this Nigerian was happy to see Nigeria not be portrayed in a stereotypical manner.

This post continues with my observations on investing in Africa and the issues it raises for the people of the continent in A NIGERIAN REVIEWS CNBC'S "DOLLARS AND DANGER" Part 2

Related Articles
- Nigeria's Re-branding Effort
- Using Nigerians to Re-Brand Nigeria
- Re-Branding Nigeria: Success Is The Key
- Rebranding Nigeria: With Britain's Help?

MICROSOFT, NIGERIA AND CYBER CRIME

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:06:00 PDT

Whenever there is a discussion of cyber crimes, the word "Nigeria" will soon be raised. This is the unfortunate reality for the country which has a reputation as the home of many online scammers and other criminals. Yet, Nigeria has been in partnership with Microsoft to combat cyber crime for at least 4 years. Unfortunately, it is not clear whether this partnership has produces significant benefits for the country and its damaging reputation.

AGREEMENTS FROM 2005-2007
In October 2005, Microsoft entered into a contract with the Federal Government of Nigeria to help the country "combat cyber crime". At the time, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was hailed as a landmark partnership between Microsoft and an African nation. According to Microsoft, the agreement was to

"help support the Nigerian government’s efforts to create a safe legal environment for technology development and enforce laws that help attract investment and ensure sustainable economical development."

The collaboration was intended to address certain online security issues such as spam, financial scams, malicious programs and counterfeiting. Microsoft was to work directly with the anti-corruption body, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in achieving these goals and the then EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, proclaimed that the agreement would help spur "local software industry growth". According to news reports, Microsoft's assistance quickly led to the shutdown of several suspicious ISPs. The MOU was eventually renewed in 2007.

NEW MICROSOFT AGREEMENT
Despite the 2005 contract, a new agreement was just signed between Nigeria and Microsoft on April 30th, 2009. The EFCC website states that "the new agreement comes with additional benefits that will further strengthen the fight against internet crime and piracy." These new benefits apparently include "an extended scope of the partnership to cover the fight against software piracy across Nigeria and to involve the Advance Fee Coalition" and Microsoft will finance the 1st West Africa Internet Fraud Summit to be hosted by the EFCC in November 2009.

MY THOUGHTS
In 2005, Nuhu Ribadu said that the EFCC had confiscated at least $100 million from spammers and other defendants and by the time he was 'temporarily removed' from his position in 2008, the EFCC had retrieved a total $600 million in dubiously acquired funds (including stolen public assets). In spite of this, and the fact that Microsoft has been an anti-cyber crime partner, Nigeria's reputation as a haven for scamers and fraudsters has barely improved.

And now, a new report indicates that Nigeria ranks 3rd on a top 10 list of the world's worst online crime countries. This begs the simple question - Why is Nigeria still ranked that high? Granted, in comparison to the top 2 countries on that list, Nigeria's statistical numbers are very small (USA (66%), UK (10%), Nigeria (7%)), but this suggests that more needs to be done to lessen the activities of cyber criminals and those who support their activities. There remains little information on the specifics of the agreement between Microsoft and Nigeria and also, there is scant information on particular achievements as a result of this partnership which is going on half a decade.

What are the precise benefits Nigeria has gained from partnering with Microsoft and how much do they equate to?

Related Articles of Interest:
- Nigeria is Not The Home Of Cyber Crime
- Nigeria's Internet Future
- Number One Regional Telecom Market
- 2009: The Year of African Broadband
- Nigeria Is Home To The World's Largest Cyber Cafe

OBAMA'S MISSED AFRICAN OPPORTUNITY

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:11:00 PDT

Even before becoming President, Obama's favorability was high in Africa. Kenyan's lauded him as one of their own, Tanzanians wore his face emblazoned on traditional clothes and fabrics and 66% of Nigerians wanted him to win the Presidential election. Such popularity was the norm across the continent. And when it was revealed that he would be visiting the continent, some thought it was an acknowledgment of the continent's importance, others, like many Nigerians, felt snubbed by his decision to not visit that nation, and others yet, were happy that he would specifically visit their countries. But despite the support Obama receives and the excitement he generates, Obama's first official trip to the African continent is a missed opportunity to endorse the very democratic change he championed on the African continent. On a continent where many countries are struggling to create systems of democratic representation that work for them, this missed opportunity could have dire consequences.

EGYPT & GHANA'S IMPORTANCE TO THE U.S.

Obama visited Egypt and will visit Ghana in July. Egypt sits at the intersection between the African continent and the Middle East and has been a key partner to the United States for many years. However, even before his trip, there was criticism that the visit to Egypt would be seen as tacit support for the Egyptian President. Hosni Mubarak is considered by some to be an African dictator that "has governed the country for nearly three decades with scant tolerance for political opposition."

While in Egypt, Obama reached out to the Muslim world and sought to change perceptions that America is at war with Muslims. His focus on Muslim/Arab relations while in Egypt, is a reflection of the ongoing war against terrorism. The tragedy of 9/11 transformed the way America relates to the Middle East, radical Islam, Muslims and perceived threats in general. Consequently, the Obama administration forwent an opportunity to emphasize the need for democracy, and chose instead to focus on transforming America's image and reputation.

Ghana's history of democratic elections since the transition from military rule is heralded as an African political success story. Unfortunately, Ghana is increasingly considered an "illicit producer of cannabis [and a] major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin." Yet, Ghana's oil deposits, though small in comparison to other top oil producers, make it a strategic energy partner for oil-hungry America. American owned oil company, Chevron, is building the West African Gas Pipeline which will run from the Niger Delta in Nigeria to Ghana, and the West African Gas Pipeline Company is headquartered in Ghana's capital, Accra. Considering America's need for oil, the importance of the energy- and resource-rich West African region, and Ghana's success at democracy, it is not surprising that Obama would visit. Yet, it would be a shame if during his July trip to Ghana, Obama failed to focus on the need for democracy across the continent. His popularity plus the fact that he is America's President gives him the capacity to empower pro-democracy activists and help in building a foundation for political reform in many African countries.

AN OPPORTUNITY LOST IN NIGERIA

Obama's decision to not visit Nigeria is a lost opportunity to encourage a better democratic system that does not completely ignore the will of the people. It is well recognized that the last Nigerian presidential elections were flawed. And, in fact, a report revealed that the ultimate acceptance of Nigeria's 'election' results by the international community encouraged Kenya's political leaders to effectively declare a winner in their Presidential elections even before the elections ended. A visit from Obama, who is so well respected that a spoofed letter from an Obama-imitator caused Nigerian militants to declare a ceasefire, could have been instrumental in advancing the cause of pro-democracy advocates in Nigeria and around the continent.

Additionally, the recent engagement between the Nigerian military and the Niger Delta militants is a situation that directly affects America's access to non-Arab oil and deserves that nation's immediate attention. 44% of Nigeria's oil product went to the U.S. in 2008, and that percentage is expected to grow. Even a powerful American Senator recommended that Obama intercede in the current Delta violence. While there is no word on what, if anything, Obama thinks about the growing violence, a visit from him, and/or attention from his administration, could definitely lead to a ceasefire and encourage alternative means of bringing peace to the Niger Delta region. This peace is necessary because the stability of that nation directly impacts the daily activities of everyday Americans. Nigeria is the United State's largest trading partner in sub-saharan Africa, and the U.S. is home to a growing number of Nigerians in the diaspora. The U.S. is also the largest foreign investor in the country.

Although Middle East relations is a key issue requiring the utmost attention from the American government, Africa's strategic importance to the United States must not be ignored. For too long, America's relationship with Africa has unequal and plagued with inconsistency. The African continent has many growing economies, is a source of many essential natural resources and unfortunately, many people for whom true democratic representation could be very beneficial. Nevertheless, the reality is that Africans cannot wait on Obama or anyone else to help push the continent towards democracy and improved standards of living. It is upon Africans themselves to make that happen, despite the tribulations, natural and man-made, that stand in the way.

NIGERIA IS NOT THE HOME OF CYBER CRIME

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:00:00 PDT

A 2008 report by the Internet Crime Complaint Center, which is a partnership between the FBI and America's National White Collar Crime Center, revealed the top 10 countries of cyber crime perpetrators. They are

United States of America (66%)
United Kingdom (10%)
Nigeria (7%)
Canada (3%)
China (1%)
South Africa (1%)
Ghana (1%)
Spain (1%)
Italy (.5%)
Romania (.5%)

Now, it is rather eye opening that Nigeria came in third at 7% but the average individual, almost anywhere in the world, would assume that Nigeria would be the key location for cyber crime perpetrators. It is also interesting that the USA came in first with 66%. Being that it has a clear majority on cyber crime, why is there even a category designated to Nigeria on the FBI's list of internet scams called Nigerian letter scams?

This disconnect between the reality of cyber crime and the misconceived perceptions of cyber crime highlight the need for more positive P.R. for Nigeria. The country's federal government is in one of the best positions to highlight and challenge such misconceptions. Hopefully, it will do so, or at least take full advantage of some of the recommendations here and elsewhere so as to allow others to do this for the country.

Nonetheless, this new report is not an excuse for Nigerian authorities to slack on finding and punishing those who commit cyber crime and all crime, in general. The percentage of cyber crime perpetrators should go down, what with the continued arrests and prosecution of various individuals for online scams such as Lawal Nurudeen who managed to defraud an Australian of $47,000.

Hattip to Webround, the master at discovering the most interesting and quirky tidbits about everything.

UPDATE: Thanks to reader AL of Agegelabs who noted "the report is specific to the US only. 93% of complainants came from the US. Hence no surprise with the 66% US number." Hopefully that will add some more context to the report and the ensuing discussion below.

UPDATE (6/9/09): Please listen to Fatima Bukar's fun podcast. She made it after reading this post and it really gives you a sense of one person's response to this Cyber Crime report. She also shares her experience at an airport because of her nationality, and shares what it is like to be a Nigerian seeking a credit card in Australia. Very enlightening.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Microsoft, Nigeria & Cyber Crime
- Nigeria's Internet Future
- Number One Regional Telecom Market
- 2009: The Year of African Broadband
- Nigeria Is Home To The World's Largest Cyber Cafe

CHAOS, THE STATUS QUO AND A NATION'S FUTURE

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Sun, 31 May 2009 23:00:00 PDT

The 2nd Anniversary of the Nigerian Proclamation was on Friday May 29th. That day was also a holiday in Nigeria set aside to celebrate the transition to democracy and on that day in 2007, current President Yar'Adua was inaugurated. In 2007, bloggers reacted to the unsatisfactory elections by sharing the Nigerian Proclamation online. Considering that the general and Presidential elections of 2007 were rife with violence and irregularities, there is definitely room for improvement on the quest to a free and fair democratic system. It is also hard to ignore that the most recent elections in Ekiti State reflected a harsh reality - that fair and peaceful democratic elections are still the exception to the norm.

MAINTAINING THE CHAOTIC STATUS QUO
What is clearly the norm is that Nigeria's government and connected elite ensure that the people live in utter chaos so as to deny them the opportunity to think of ways to change their situation. Chaos prevents progress, thus, an individual focused on finding food will not have the luxury to spend time thinking of how to improve his/her situation. All efforts and energies will be spent on satisfying hunger. Likewise, an individual that does not have constant/regular electricity cannot watch the local or international news and will know little of the happenings in his/her own country. How can such a person constructively participate in civil society and or effectively contribute to change when they have inadequate information?. By depriving the people of basic necessities available in most modern societies - electricity, adequate health care (where citizens do not have to fly abroad for care), simple structures that protect the interests of the people and allow for progress and change - the Nigerian government and the super elites maintain a status quo that is detrimental to the majority of the people.

It is not hard to see how this unfortunate chaos is exemplified in Nigeria. Consider the nation's electricity problems. It is well known that certain individuals have become billionaires by taking advantage of and even encouraging or guaranteeing the non-existent state of electricity in the country. Because there is hardly any reliable electricity supply, Nigerians buy generators which are predominantly powered by diesel. Those businessmen and women who supply diesel benefit from the chaotic electricity situation and without adequate regulation, they are in a position to ensure that their income stream does not dry up. That means continued interruptions in electricity supply to make sure demand for their product increases. Consequently, a small group makes a financial windfall off the suffering of the majority. It might seem like basic capitalistic economics, but in a country where politicians are not accountable to the constituents, such a reality - capitalist or not - fosters corruption, limits the democratic right of the people to determine their future and keeps the nation, save for those fortunate enough to afford generators and the fuels that power them, in darkness.

HOW CAN THE CYCLE BE BROKEN?
So, on this, the 2nd anniversary of the Nigerian Proclamation, one cannot help but remember when the simple, but concerted act, of putting up a message on websites, was a way to address the complicated issues of Nigeria and its situation. The question at this point is what factors will break the stranglehold of those who maintain and benefit from the current status quo so as to give ordinary Nigerians a chance to flourish in a country that provides at least the basic necessities of the 21st century.

In addition to the obvious - remedying the nation's electricity, infrastructure and health deficits, a growing middle and upper class will be essential to transforming Nigeria. However, if those who gain financial and career success do not engage in civic and political issues, but align themselves, as is currently the case, with those who maintain the status quo, nothing will change. Additionally, true electoral reform is necessary to create a democratic system where people believe that their peaceful vote and participation in politics can make a meaningful difference. This will not only help to tranform the nation's image abroad, it will equally change the way Nigerians see themselves. There are so many ways, big and small, that Nigeria can become a better nation, and it all depends not on the government, but on the individuals and the choices they make.

THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT
While many assert that for positive change to take place, Nigeria's political elite must first change themselves, the unfortunate reality is that these individuals and groups have no reason to change their modus operandi and as such, any tactic that waits on them for progress will likely fail. As such, average Nigerians must continue to do the little they can to make their lives, and the lives of those around them, better. They must do this independent of the government and the cohorts of those who control Nigeria. If not, the chaotic standards that many Nigerians have become accustomed to will simply continue and they will stall any meaningful progress. If that is the case, Nigeria's children will inherit an inherently chaotic country where things fail to function normally and that will sideline them from becoming competitive members of the highly intersected, global community. Hopefully, chaos will not be the legacy passed on to future generations.

UPDATE: Please read Imnakoya's post on how Nigeria can get to free and fair elections. It makes for very insightful reading.

Related articles:
- The Nigerian Proclamation
- Epilogue: The Proclamation
- Nigerian Proclamation on BBC
- The Nigerian Proclamation: Making A Statement
- The Nigerian Proclamation: One Year
- 2 Years Later: Nigerian Proclamation

NIGERIA'S OIL WAR - A DISTRACTION?

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:22:00 PDT

For some reason, the Financial Times recently attributed Nigeria's fuel shortage to "[a] showdown between President Umaru Yar’Adua and powerful Nigerian oligarchs over his moves to break their grip on the lucrative fuel importation business..." This is positive P.R. for Yar'Adua who is generally considered an inept President that has yet to produce on any of his promises. While I cannot speculate as to why this was the explanation given by such a widely read international publication, I, for one, was immediately curious and began to think critically about the current fuel shortage and resulting violence in the Niger Delta.

YARDY 'FIGHTING' OIL CABALS
Nigeria is a net exporter of oil with 44% of its product going to the U.S. in 2008. Despite this reality, Nigerians frequently suffer from fuel scarcity and must sometimes line up for hours or buy product at the black market price. Civil society and ordinary individuals bemoaned the current fuel shortage and groups like the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) took to the streets in protest. The government soon reached out to explain that the shortages stemmed from its attempts to fight the 'cabals' (or oil mafia, as some refer to those in control of illegal bunkering) and even the NLC gave some limited/temporary support of the government's efforts.

THE PEOPLE ARE COLLATERAL DAMAGE
It seems that to prove its commitment to rooting out the horrible oil cabals, the government chose to start dropping bombs in Delta State. The result is 1000 civilian deaths in the first 5 days of fighting in the state. As was the case with the Odi Massacre in 1999, Nigeria's military has used its weapons against the very people they are supposed to protect - Nigerian citizens. There are people who are trapped, unable to leave the area of the offensive and the fighting prevents medical doctors and other aid workers from reaching those unable to flee the area.

WHAT EXACTLY WILL MEND ACCOMPLISH?
MEND is not helping the situation either. It rejected an amnesty offer, continues to take hostages and its very presence in Delta State has put innocents at risk. For over a month, the group has been threatening war in the region, and most recently, it announced that it will target northerners involved in the oil industry stating,

"Our message to the Northern Sultans and Emirs is this: The period of exploiting the Niger Delta is coming to an end. It is not the birth right of your people to rule the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"The war is just beginning and by the time it ends, Nigeria will practice true federalism such as fiscal federalism which will benefit the entire populace. Let your people brace themselves to develop their resources and such a bold change will be remembered..."

MEND might have started out with best of intentions, but at this point in time, it is just as culpable as the corrupt government and system it claims to fight against. My own family members in another Niger Delta State, Rivers State, are nervous about the killing in Delta State. They fear that MEND will simply choose to return to Rivers State which will then bring down the wrath of JTF, as was the case in 2007 when parts of the state were under siege by dueling militants and the JTF. The fact that MEND just blew up a Chevron station a few hours ago only cements the reality that these fears are valid. , like many others, fear that this oil war will get out of hand. MEND and the JTF will probably not like what develops if this fighting goes on much longer. Neither will the Nigerian people.

A SAD DISTRACTION?
I strongly believe that just as the government has chosen to put on a show of proving that it will root out militants, it must show the people that it will root out those in control of illegal bunkering, and by that, I mean the domestic and international interests who directly impact and control fuel supply in the country.

Personally, I cannot help but wonder if this war with MEND, at this particular time, is not a diversionary tactic to confuse the issues. Yes, MEND's activities affect the nation's ability to meet its OPEC quotas - that the country lost its position as the "African King of Crude" to Angola is no secret, but the government cannot forget to focus on bukering and I definitely would like to hear more of the government's plans to deal with that issue. Furthermore, the simple creation of more schools, hospitals and roads in not just the Delta, but across the nation would do wonders to stem the growing national discontent that feeds the causes of groups like MEND while whittling away at what, if any, goodwill the people have for the federal government. But, of course, these changes can never happen as long as Nigeria's political elite, (Femi Otedola has been fingered by the Financial Times), elected officials and others invested in the status quo continue to benefit from what is the current chaos in Nigeria. Individuas and businesses alike are benefitting from the nation's lack of regular electricity, just as these same individuals make millions from stealing oil and shipping it off to China or whoever is williing to pay the highest to receive it.

The fact that the second anniversary of the President's inauguration is in less than 3 days cannot be ignored. As noted above, Yar'Adua is generally considered an inept president by many and it appears that on the eve of his anniversary, the President seeks to revamp his image and appear more forceful. However, this is the wrong time, and the wrong way to 're-brand' his image, particularly as it comes with the deaths of citizens, the suffering of the poor and a seeming stalling on progress in electoral reform (don't forget the recent Ekiti elections), electricity reform (still no word on improvements to the woeful power situation) and a host of other crucial issues that must be solved for Nigeria to consolidate its many assets and stake its claim as a powerful and successful nation. While no Nigerian President's job is ever easy, the entire world continues to watch and see what will happen with this distratcing oil war and indeed, what will become of Nigeria. The pressure will stay on, so this President must get it right. He only has 2 more years to do something.

Further Reading:
- War In the Niger Delta
- No Longer King of African Crude?
- The Global Food Crises, Nigeria & MEND
- Port Harcourt & Nigeria Under Siege
- Is Nigeria A Breeding Ground for Terrorism?

REBRANDING NIGERIA: WITH BRITAIN'S HELP?

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:33:00 PDT

Minister of Information, Dora Akunyili, met with Bob Dewar, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria on Monday, May 18th, 2009. During this meeting, in Abuja, Nigeria, Dewar stated his country's support of the re-branding project and Akunyili responded,

"We count on you to help us in this journey of rebranding Nigeria and we pray that by the grace of God it will succeed.

"I am happy that you are in support of this rebranding project. I look forward to getting some help from you on this work of letting the world know that Nigeria is not where nothing works..."

To this, Dewar replied,

"We hope to make our own contribution to ensure that the positive image of Nigeria is projected across the world..."

This polite discussion between Akunyili and Dewar begs the question of whether or not Britain will play a role in the re-branding campaign. One cannot ignore the fact that when the re-branding campaign was launched, Akunyili stressed that the 'Good People, Great Nation' campaign was "a Nigerian project for Nigerians" and that it would make no sense taking it abroad.

IS THERE A CONTRACT IN THE WINGS?
So, has there been a change of heart? Will some branding outfit connected to Britain be granted a contract to spearhead the re-branding campaign? It is well known that British branding wizard, Simon Anholt, was one of the first in the branding industry to introduce the world to the concept of nation brands. His company has created the leading poll on national brands and in its most recent edition, Nigeria, one of only 3 African countries included, came in at 49 out of the 50 nations listed.

While it is always crucial to get the best persons to work on projects of such magnitude and importance, it would definitely be a shame if Nigerians are not given the opportunity to 'partner' with the Nigerian government in the fulfillment of the re-branding campaign. A simple online search would point any interested officials to the countless sites on which Nigerians have generated numerous constructive ideas on how to effectively transform the way Nigerians and indeed, the world sees Nigeria. In addition to the numerous individuals who have chipped in ideas for free, ideas that should undoubtedly be implemented, there is also the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria, which undoubtedly has members with the expertise to assist Akunyili in managing this campaign.

STILL NO ONLINE PRESENCE
Akunyili introduced the 'Good People, Great Nation' project earlier this year and almost 3 months later, a website is still not available for interested parties to visit and gather more information. This unfortunate reality is despite the fact that Akunyili promised that this project would be transparent, unike the previous 'Heart of Africa' project. Information such as the names of the members of the 22-man re-branding team has been hard to find. However, the individuals on the Rebranding Nigeria Implentation Committee (RNIC) include -

Dora Akunyili
Lolu Akinwumi
Ahmed Gumi
Julia Oku-Jacks
Peter Edochie
Henry Angulu
Gbenga Adefaye
Bashir Borodo
Auwal Musa Rafsanjani
Tonnie Iredia
Isawa Elaigwu
Hilda Dokubo-Mrakpor
Michael Abe
Sam Amadi
Ikechuckwu Nwosu
Garba Kankarofi
David Oyedepo
Jubril Aminu
Idi Farouk
Abike Dabiri-Erewa
Bilikisu Yusuf
Bashir Borodo

It is crucial for not just the names of these individuals to be available to the public, but other details about the progress of the campaign to be accessible. This is particularly the case because much of the reaction to the campaign's announcement was negative not just from Nigerians, but also from the foreign press, which publicly mocked the initiative. In order to quell the concerns of Nigerians that are worried that this is simply an opportunity to line the pockets of a selective few, Akunyili must continue to reach out to the public and update Nigerians on the project. One of the quickest ways to do this is via the creation of an online presence for the campaign. Radio jingles, newspaper advertisements and television spots would also be extremely helpful for reaching those Nigerians within the country who definitely have a right to know what the money allocated for re-branding will mean for them.

There is no question that Nigeria needs to revamp its international image, and there is no question that the Nigerian psyche needs to be jump started. This re-branding campaign continues to present an opportunity to achieve these objectives, but those charged with managing this quest must not lose sight of the significance of this project and the possibilities it presents. Akunyili and those on the RNIC must not forget that the best way to gain the confidence and good will of Nigerians and others is to carry out their job properly, by successfully using Nigerians, in every capacity and context, to rebrand the country. Such success will be crucial. That and concrete evidence of change from the Federal Government on the issues that count will help transform what for now seems like an almost non-existent project, into a breathing campaign that even naysayers will be unable to publicly downplay or dismiss. Nigeria itself must also change for re-branding to work.

CORRECTION: Thanks to Agegelabs for pointing out that the re-branding effort actually does have a website. I obviously could not find it but it is available here. However, I must unfortunately state that the "Contact Us' information is deficient as it only provides the physical location and phone numbers for the Re-branding Nigeria campaign's headquarters. It would definitely be a good idea to allow for a serious debate and/or exchange of ideas.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Nigeria's Re-branding Effort
- Using Nigerians to Re-Brand Nigeria
- Re-branding Nigeria: Success is the Key
- The Nigerian Psyche
- Persistent Psychological Paralysis
- The Significance of Persistent Psychological Paralysis Read more!

NIGERIA - LIST OF RELIGIOUS INTOLLERANT NATIONS

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:28:00 PDT

Nigeria just made the list as one of 13 countries considered to be "egregious" violators of religious freedom. The list was created by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the Commission recommended designating Nigeria and the other nations - "countries of particular concern" or CPC. The Commission made various recommendations to the Obama administration, Congress and others in the U.S. government and declared that

"CPC designation is not an end point, but the beginning of focused diplomatic activity ... from which important obligations in the form of consequent actions flow."

The countries on the list were -

Myanmar
North Korea
Eritrea
Iran
Iraq
Nigeria
Pakistan
China
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Vietnam

MY THOUGHTS
While I cannot immediately determine the parameters used to designate Nigeria a religiously intolerant country, I can definitely say that Nigeria has a way to go in creating sustainable peace between Christians and Muslims in certain parts of the country. It was only in November of 2008, when political discontent morphed into religious violence in Jos and resulted in the death of many hundreds of people. In fact, it is commonly accepted that most religious violence in Nigeria is impacted by political and economic realities which when stoked can result in life or death consequences. Both the Sultan of Sokoto, a respected political and religious leader in the Muslim North and Catholic Archbishop Onaiyekan, have publicly admitted that much of Nigeria's religious violence is manipulated by politicians. Nevertheless, Nigerian Christians and Muslims live, school and work together in relative peace in countless parts of the country.

One cannot avoid the fact that the mere option of marrying a person of a different religion is not available for many Nigerians. This issue has divided many a family and caused considerable tension for many individuals.

Despite all this, I believe the ultimate goal should be the eventual creation of a more tolerant society, regardless of the issues. Mutual respect for others, even when there are disagreements, will help foster peace and limit the repeat of the violence experienced by the people of Jos in 2008.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Religious & Political Violence in Jos

ARRESTS MADE IN HALLIBURTON SCANDAL

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:42:00 PDT

In April this year, a committee was created to investigate the Halliburton scandal and the $180 million spent by the company in bribes to gain lucrative contracts in Nigeria. The Committee had 6 weeks to determine the Nigerians involved in the crime and bring them to justice. Last week, the Nigerian federal government arrested some individuals linked to the crime.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS
According to news paper reports, some current Nigerian "senators" have been arrested while other high ranking officials are being interrogated for their role in the scandal. Additionally, a former Chief of Air Staff who also was a Managing Director of the defunct Nigerian Airways, A.D. Bello (rtd.),was detained because his account was used to disburse over $150 million of the bribe money to others. Also, $11.5 million of the bribe money was traced to a foreign account belonging to Ibrahim Aliyu, a former Permanent Secretary. Considering the reality of corruption in Nigeria, it can be expected that more names will be publicly tied to the scandal. Nevertheless, a court case will be necessary to determine whether these and other individuals are truly guilty of the allegations against them.

WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN
What remains to be seen is the actual prosecution and punishment of the Nigerians who knowingly accepted bribes from Halliburton. Just as was the case in the U.S. where Halliburton paid a fine for breaking American anti-corruption laws, so also should Halliburton pay fines in Nigeria. But more importantly, those Nigerians guilty of corruption must also give all monies collected from the company to the people. That money would be useful in providing basic necessities in many of the nation's public schools, for instance. These individuals are mainly well connected and even well respected members of Nigeria's political elite and for years, they and others like them have lived well off of their connections and positions while the ordinary people of Nigeria have nothing to show for the large sums of money that passes between hands due to Nigeria's ample natural resources and economic potential.

This Halliburton scandal is one of many ongoing corruption scandals that the Nigerian government is yet to adequately address. These new arrests while encouraging, unfortunately do not mean that justice will prevail particularly when viewed within the context of Nigeria's punishment problem. With regard to the current administration, President Yar'Adua failed to compel the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the nation's decrepit power situation despite very public investigations and probes carried out by the National Assembly last year. Additionally, the health-care corruption scandal which brought down former Heath Minister, Adenike Grange, and led to the temporary disappearance of Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, appears to have stalled while Obasanjo-Bello has resumed her duties in the National Assembly. There also remains the Siemens AG corruption scandal, in which 5 Nigerians have already been fingered for their role by German courts. That scandal, of which very little has been heard of, will now fall under the realm of the Halliburton investigation committee, despite its 6 week time-limit. Finally, far to many well connected Nigerians have avoided jail time via "plea bargain justice" or simply returning some of their ill-gotten wealth. These examples and the many more that cannot be mentioned due to time constraints will remain a blemish on this administration and prevent any genuine jubilation despite the arrests in this Halliburton case. That is, until justice is actually achieved and the rule of law, Yar'Adua's 'mantra', is actually followed to the letter.

Will Yar'Adua manage to compel the prosecution and jail time of those found guilty of taking bribes and failing to honor their duties to the nation? Only time will tell, and while many hope for the best, the most astute observers of Nigerian politics will not take bets on that possibility any time soon.

Feel free to sign the online petition - Arrest Halliburton Bribe Takers Now.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Nigeria's Punishment Problem
- Halliburton & Nigeria - Corruption Inc. Pt 2
- Siemens & Nigeria - Corruption Inc.
- Crime & Punishment: The Nigerian Edition

NIGERIAN COAL POWER TO BE REALITY?

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:41:00 PDT

Since coming to power, Nigerian President Yar'Adua has consistently committed his administration to solving the epileptic state of the nation's power supply. Yar'Adua named 2011 as the year when Nigerians will have reliable power supply. Over the last 2 years, there have been reports on plans to use solar energy and build a $10 million solar energy plant. There have been announcements by the government that it will harness the vast reserves of liquid natural gas (LNG) to remedy the power shortages. But, it seems the government believes that one of the most effective ways to generate sufficient power is through coal and the rhetoric on coal as a power solution continues to increase.

YAR'ADUA'S INITIAL COMMITMENT TO COAL
In April 2008, amidst the 'power probe scandal', the Yar'Adua administration formally announced its intent to use coal power. At that time, the then-Minister of Mines & Steel Development, Sarafa Tunji Isola,indicated that the nation was being wooed by Australian investors, Chinese and Indian mining interests in the hope of developing the nation's mining industry. The Minister also stated that the federal government studied other coal powered countries, such as South Africa and Canada, to ensure that internationally accepted practices and standards would be adopted and observed by Nigeria's mining industry.

2009 - MORE TALK OF COAL POWER
On May 7th, 2009, the new Minister of Mines & Steel Development, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, reiterated the federal government's commitment to developing coal as a power solution. At a meeting with Stanbic Bank where she addressed a future collaboration with the bank and her ministry, the Alison-Madueke said,

"We have worked very hard to put together strategic coal clusters over the last few months and this is very necessary because we want to make sure we have clusters which are strategically positioned to supply the right quantum of coal output so as to give us the right output in terms of megavoltage" [sic].

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
While Alison-Madueke's statement is not immediately decipherable, apart from stating a clear commitment to coal, it is clear that Nigeria must diversify its power-generation portfolio. The reliance on oil and hydroelectric dams have proven insufficient for the nation's energy needs either as a result of corruption or shortages/disruptions in oil and water supply. An American company, Western goldfields Inc., has discovered 62,400,000 metric tonnes of proven coal reserves, worth $1.2 billion (about N165 billion) in Enugu State. The use of coal in some parts of the country would therefore, be a beneficial use of natural resources for power generation.

Considering that neighborhoods in Lugbe, Abuja, and all over the country continue to go for weeks at a time without electricity, one can only wait to see how Yar'Adua will turn coal power into a reality. Especially considering that he will soon have to run for re-election in the next Presidential elections in 2011. However, whether or not he accomplishes the goal of improved power supply, will likely not affect his ability to win re-election if he chooses to run.

***********
Please take the time to read the short article - 'Ekiti Elections: A Review' - which reviews the Nigerian blogosphere's discussion of the election. It includes comments/opinions from new and established Nigerian bloggers, as well as references to opinions shared by some Nigerian users of Twitter.

Related Articles:
- More Solar Energy Plans
- Solar Energy Plans
- Could Coal Be A Power Solution For Nigeria
- Nigeria Is Full Of Gas
- Power Blackouts Loom Across Nigeria
- Nigerian Power Scandal: Authority Stealing

EKITI: 'NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY' 101

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:00:00 PDT

Domestic and international observers declared Nigeria's 2007 Presidential elections "flawed" and the results of many local and state elections have been overturned by the Courts. Unfortunately, Nigerians are increasingly accepting the notion that elections will be rigged to suit the needs of particular political interests. And, the current election confusion in the state of Ekiti, shocks the senses and calls into question whether fair and violence free democratic elections are truly possible in Nigeria.

HISTORY
Ekiti is a very interesting state in which many aspiring political figures have ended up dead over the years and allegations of political corruption reign supreme. A previous governor was impeached, resulting in then President Obasanjo instituting a military administrator to control the state. Ekiti state elections in 2007 brought Segun Oni, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, to the office of the Governor. These election results were challenged by the Action Congress (AC) candidate, Kayode Fayemi who argued that Oni failed to comply with election laws in 10 specific areas in the state. In February 2009, an Appeals Court agreed with Fayemi and ordered the governor to vacate his office. The Speaker of the state house of Assembly,Olatunji Odeyemi, became the interim governor and the court ordered the national elections governing body to conduct a rerun election with 90 days. The Independent National Election Commission (INEC) later declared April 25th as election rerun day for the areas affected by the Court ruling.

EKITI'S RERUN ELECTIONS
While the people of Ekiti prepared for elections in 10, out of 16, local areas, media reports indicated that the Nigerian Police Force would descend on the state to deter violence and ensure peaceful voting. Allegations soon arose that the governor of a neighboring state was taped planning to rig the upcoming elections in favor of his poltical party. And by the time election day arrived, the atmosphere in Ekiti was tense.

The elections took place as scheduled on April 25th but not without theatrics. In certain local government areas or LGAs, there were reports of ballot "snatching". Voting was postponed in one LGA - Oye - due to concerns of possible violence. The results from the other LGAs, at one point declared "neck and neck", were eventually never announced by the local INEC Commissioner. At one point, the local INEC chief, Ayoka Adebayo, resigned stating that she was being "pressurized [sic] to declare fake results in support of one of the two main candidates." She later went missing, was declared "wanted" and then reappeared to conclude her obligation. The national INEC Chairman, Maurice Iwu, then announced that revelation of the results would be postponed indefinitely. In reaction to this and the continued delay in the results, people took to the streets, there were pockets of violence and older women protested partially naked. With all the histrionics, Oye LGA's election was rescheduled to May 5th. However, although results show that the dethroned governor, Oni, the challenger claims he will contest the results.

From Naijablog *

WHY ARE THESE ELECTIONS SO IMPORTANT?
The results from the 10 LGAs participating in the election rerun will determine what candidate and therefore, what party, wins control of the state. The PDP needed to save face as its candidate was forced to re contest, and of course, the AC sought to gain more prominence as a powerful opposition party by 'taking' the Ekiti governorship from the lion's (PDP) mouth.

ELECTION REFORMS: But this belies even greater issues surrounding the Ekiti election. President Yar'Adua came to office in an election that was considered flawed and he publicly committed himself to reforming the electoral process. The Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) recently recommended that INEC be an independent body but the President decided that he would retain control of the organization. The Ekiti election fracas illustrates that a President with a vested interest in seeing his party succeed will not be trusted to control or even influence the political process if Nigeria is to truly become a democracy where votes determine representatives. This lack of trust in the electoral system only stunts Nigeria's progress towards free and fair elections. Currently, new election legislation that contains some of the recommendations from the ERC awaits a vote by the National Assembly. But, even if it is passed, the fact the election body is far from independent suggests that such confusion, lack of trust and tension, as witnessed in Ekiti, will continue.

"DO OR DIE" MENTALITY: Politics have proven to be one of the best legal way for individuals to become powerful and extraordinarily wealthy in Nigeria. Although Yar'Adua finally realized in 2009 that legislators and members of the Executive branch pay must be reduced, politics has become a guaranteed way to become a millionaire in Nigeria. Furthermore, politicians control government money (allocations) and can peddle their influence to legally or illegally benefit their financial bottom line.

It is therefore, no surprise that elections are a "do or die" event in Nigeria inspiring all sorts of machinations in furtherance of one goal - winning. This winner takes all attitude only furthers corruption and mistrust in the electoral process. It can also prevent citizens from having a democractic say in their own communities which in turn causes additional problems.

AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER AREAS & COUNTRIES: Elections in Nigeria obviously have a domestic impact but, some believe that they also affect elections in other parts of Africa. A Human Rights Watch representative revealed that Nigeria's 2007 elections, which despite their significant problems where somehow ignored by the rest of the world, were a guide for Kenya's political elite later that year when fraudulent elections were rammed down the throat of Kenyans. Clearly, the ramifications of election practices in Nigeria can have a widespread effect on the continent.

NATIONAL IMAGE: Nigeria's Federal Government recently announced a re-branding project aimed at reorienting how Nigerians see themselves and dispelling the negative stereotypes attributed to the country in foreign circles. The chaos of the Ekiti elections, and the overwhelming distrust of the process only serves to reinforce for many that corruption and violence continue to play an overwhelming role in the Nigerian politic. It must be restated that to shed the negative image of the country and change the psychological leanings of Nigerians, success will go a long way. Elections managed by a competent and independent body when the people can freely cast a vote without the fear of violence, the threat of election rigging and the non-interference of the Executive and other political players will spell a successful poll. To get there, trust needs to be engendered and that frankly, will require drastic changes to INEC's structure and of course, its independence. These changes will speak volumes for Nigeria's image and reputation.

There are several moving parts to the Ekiti election situation, but what is certain is that this election rerun reflects larger problem for Nigerian politics, and ultimately, those whose lives depends on the outcomes of the political dance. As the nation gears up for the next round of country-wide local, state and Presidential elections it is unclear whether the necessary changes will occur in time to prevent a repeat of the Ekiti situation, or worse as Jos has proven, in other parts of the country.

Related Articles of Interest:
- 'Soiled Hands' & Strategy":What Nigeria Says About Democracy
- Nigeria & Political Corruption
- Is Yar'Adua Committed To Democrcacy?
- On Ticking Timebombs: Kenya, Nigeria Et Al.
- A Nigerian Recipe For Democracy
- The Female Body & Political Protest

SOMALI PIRATES THREATEN NIGERIAN CREW

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:04:00 PDT

Somali pirates are demanding $1 million (US) to release 10 Nigerians recently reported to be in their custody. The Nigerians were kidnapped over 18 months ago when their vessel, the MV Yenagoa Ocean, was seized.

In response to these ransom demands, members of Nigeria's Senate summoned the National Security Adviser and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Interior. This move is in addition to the fact that President Yar'Adua recently set up a committee to retrieve the vessel, and hopefully its crew.

The kidnapped Nigerians are

Graham Egbegi (Captain)
David Akpoguma
Namo Musa
Usman Ochoche Agida
Lucky Edoja
John Nkanu
Effiong Joseph
Emma Okon Timothy
Okuns Kalikio
Bassey Etim

One can only hope that these individuals will be freed in relatively good health and can return to their families and their lives. While it is unfortunate that it has taken 18 months for the Nigerian government to seek the return of these citizens, it is good that some work is hopefully being done to achieve the objective. Issues, however, remain with whether the ransom demand will be paid or not. There is the obvious concern that paying the ransom will only sanction the behavior of the pirates and encourage the piracy problem.

Despite these concerns, it is in the interest of the Federal Government of Nigeria, which is increasingly seen as not being committed to the interests of the people, to bring these individuals home. Such success would advance the government's goals of reorienting the way Nigerians view the government and in fact, would be helpful at changing the nation's image abroad - two issues sought to be addressed by the new national re-branding project.

Being that the MV Yenagoa Ocean is a private vessel reportedly owned by the relative of a powerful current Minister, the owner of the ship should cough up the money. The owner, working with or without the diplomatic arm of the government, should work hard to gain the freedom of these individuals, In fact, it is surprising that the Nigerian press is yet to release the name of the individual or company that owns the MV Yenagoa Ocean and is thus responsible for the safety of the crew. The revelation of such information could have been useful in putting more pressure on all parties to work efficiently for the peaceful and successful resolution of this matter. But, at the end of the day, the most important thing is that these Nigerians return to their families and that this government create and implement a plan that will help to prevent a repeat of this sad situation.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Somali Pirates, Nigerian Hostages & African Silence
- Nigeria's Re-branding Effort
- Using Nigerians to Re-Brand Nigeria
- Why I Blog About Africa
- Who Will Fight For Nigeria? (AFRICOM PT. 1)
- AFRICOM... The Dotted Line Has Been Signed
- Zimbabwe

THE FEMALE BODY & POLITICAL PROTEST

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Sun, 03 May 2009 21:34:00 PDT

African women have traditionally used their bodies as a form of protest for generations. Many have used the threat or actual act of nakedness/undress as a form of effective political protest for centuries. In Nigeria for instance, most believe that their mother's bodies are to be revered. As such, it is taboo for a woman, and particularly a married or older woman, to choose to disrobe in reaction to a social/political situation. In the 1930s, members and supporters of the Abeokuta Women's Union walked naked in protest of the Alake of Abeokuta's political actions and forced him into exile.[1] In 2001, a team of scientists abandoned their research after naked Kenyan women descended on their facility. Similarly, in 2006, female South African prisoners staged a setshwetla - naked protest - to prevent their relocation to another prison facility.

NAKED PROTEST IN ADO EKITI
This peaceful method of protest has most recently been used by the women of Ado Ekiti in Nigeria to protest the recent local political elections. The elections, which were a rerun after faulty elections in 2007, concluded without the results being released and with antics from officials suggesting an attempt to thwart the democratic will of the people. The naked women, who were mostly older women, and hundreds of others, took to the streets to challenge the delay in releasing results from the election. Unfortunately, the confusion surrounding this election continues as the elections are still yet to be released, even after a week, and updates from people in Ekiti suggest that politicians are being arrested while the young and old, male and female, naked and clothed take to the streets demanding democracy.

From Naijablog *

A SAD NECESSITY
It is unfortunate that these women had to resort to this traditional taboo in order to have their opinions heard. However, their protest is crucial for the entrenchment of democratic principles because it fulfills a crucial aspect of democracy - the people voicing their opinion in an effort to affect political outcomes. Far too often, Nigerians complain but their concerns are ignored because those in control can simply ignore the people. But, when the people take to the streets peacefully and strongly express their demands, desires or disappointments, Nigeria's leadership will be forced to listen, even though they might not immediately give in to the people. Most importantly, such protest will act as a cautionary warning that impacts future attempts by 'leaders' to circumvent and subvert the will of the people.

KENYAN WOMEN, SEX & POLITICS
But, if the women of Ekiti and indeed the women of Africa are interested in other forms of peaceful protest, they need only look to Kenya where women's groups have instituted a "sex ban". These groups believe that the wives of Kenya's political elite can effectively influence their husbands to end ongoing political infighting which threatens that country. The wife of Kenya's Prime Minister has also signed on to the ban and women's groups will even pay prostitutes to turn down clients. This is another way that women are using the importance of the female body to send a political message. While I support the 'sex ban', I encourage any other group that will use this technique to ensure that they also find the 'mistresses' whose participation in such a protest would be important, as well.

Ultimately, a confluence of tradition, socio-economic realities and other factors have given African women unique means by which to carry out political protest and hopefully effect change. Considering the various troubling situations on the continent, African women might have to step up the use of these and other specific tools to get their voices heard. It will be interesting to see what tactics women across the continent will use to express their concerns.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] Allman, J. E., Fashioning Africa: Power And The Politics Of Dress: Indiana University Press, 2004, 43

Also check out Akin's post "When women rage with the pudenda and the paps", which reviews the Ekiti situation, women's role in protest and other related issues.

* For an unedited view of this picture and other pictures from the Ekiti protest, please visit Jeremy's Naijablog.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Our Mothers Are Protesting - Naked (2007)
- I Think Nigeria Needs A Revolution
- Putting A Nigerian Revolution in Context
- The Nigerian Psyche
- Persistent Psychological Paralysis
- The Significance of Persistent Psychological Paralysis
- International Women's Day: Women's Health

SATURDAY APPRECIATION 050209

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Sat, 02 May 2009 04:53:00 PDT

This week was a "one post week" because I decided to take it relatively easy. I apologize for not having more posts but sometimes, it is necessary to focus on other things.

That being said, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who visited Nigerian Curiosity and especially recognize those who shared their thoughts. The post this week was not only draining for most of the readers (who said as much), the issues it presented were overwhelming for even myself. But, the truth is that those of us who care about the future of Nigeria cannot avoid facing the realities. And on that note, thanks to the following commenters -

I would also like to thank Denford Magora for considering this blog worthy of the Best Thinker Award. Granted, Denford is undoubtedly biased because we have a good friendship but I deeply appreciate the consideration, anyway.

I, in turn, would like to pass this Award on to some other bloggers whose material I like. As such, Standtall, Shiko Msa of Wanjiku Unlimited, Danny Bagucci and Sokari, whose blogs continue to enrich me on all things. Thank you, guys.

Please enjoy this video. It definitely highlights the emphasis many Nigerian parents place on specific 'prestigious' careers, and it is very funny.

Have a great weekend!