Often the hardest thing is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn – David Russel
Posted in Africa on Oct 24th, 2008
The Nigerian secret service has detained a US-based Nigerian news blogger. Jonathan Elendu was picked up when he arrived in the country on a family visit. No-one has been allowed access to him since Saturday. According to Nigerian law anyone arrested must be charged in court within 48 hours. The secret service has told his […]
Posted in Africa on Oct 17th, 2008
The practice of female genital mutilation has been banned in a district of eastern Uganda. A community leader in Kapchorwa district said the ritual was no longer considered useful for the community’s women. The Sabiny are the only group in Uganda that practises FGM, which involves cutting off a young girl’s clitoris. The local council […]
Posted in Africa on Oct 12th, 2008
Two weeks ago one of Nigeria’s broadcast icon passed on. The news had blown me away mainly because I had felt Uncle Yinka would overcome Lymphoma, blood cancer. Besides, he had been optimistic.
Though, I never got to see him before he died, we kept in touch via email and his up beat attitude left me […]
Posted in Africa on Oct 10th, 2008
Libya says it has stopped delivering crude oil to Switzerland and is threatening to withdraw its assets from Swiss banks. Libya was furious when Hannibal Gaddafi, the youngest son of the county’s leader, Muammar Gaddafi was arrested for assault in July. This sparked a series of diplomatic recriminations which included Libya recalling diplomats from Switzerland, […]
Posted in Africa on Oct 7th, 2008
The recent closure of Channels Television in Nigeria and the arrest of some of its staff met with utmost condemnation by the general public. The reason given was the alleged false report on the plan by President Yar Adua to resign. The act itself takes Nigeria back to its Military days when journalists did not enjoy […]
Posted in Africa on Oct 7th, 2008
The European Union plans to open an immigration centre in Mali to help cut down illegal migration. The centre, the first immigration centre outside Europe, will help people find work in Europe. Thousands of young West Africans try to make it into Europe illegally each year and many die on the way. Just last week […]
Posted in Africa on Oct 6th, 2008
The recent fund raiser organised by the Director General of the Nigerian stock exchange Prof. Ndi Nkereke for presidential hopeful Barak Obama, attracted the “cream de la cream” of the Nigerian society, but the aftermath of the much publicized event was an ugly painting left on the sidewalk. The dinner saw individuals paying as much […]
Posted in Africa on Oct 1st, 2008
As a US military unit designed to run America’s security operations in Africa becomes fully operational, its head says there is no hidden agenda. Many African states have reacted with hostility to the creation of the US Africa Command, known as Africom, seeing it as attempt by the US to protect its oil and mineral […]
Posted in Africa on Oct 1st, 2008
The history of independent South Africa cannot be complete without the narration of the era of President Thabo Mbeki from 1999 till last Sunday 19th September 2008, when he formally announced his resignation from that high office. His resignation came less than seven months to the completion of his full second term which should have […]
Posted in Africa on Sep 29th, 2008
Local residents in Durban, South Africa are taking the owners of two oil refineries to court to force them to cut pollution. Residents and environmental groups have failed over the past decade to persuade the refineries to upgrade their facilities in order to reduce pollution. Activists have been gathering scientific data since 2000 in an […]
