http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7352404.stm
Zimbabwe needs a change of leadership and of direction. This isn't something that became required all-of-a-sudden in the last few weeks - it had been required for some years now. a refreshing of ideas is drastically needed and in any case, all things must end. As such, Mugabe must, and will, leave power.
Nonetheless, one must always look at the "cause and effect" of situations. Zimbabwe did not arrive at this juncture by accident and certainly not because Robert Mugabe is some kind of demon. He is nothing like Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko, for instance, - who enjoyed a nice, long relationship with the West of course - as do most of Africa's tyrants (a man installed in office by Belgium - the latter having assisted him in executing the prime minister and forward-thinking nationalist, Patrice Lumumba).
We should recall that the declaration of election victory by the MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was indeed a criminal offence but more significantly an irresponsible act by a man desperate for power - desperation and the potentiality that he has been "captured" by the West are really the key themes here. Note that in the early 90s, a presidential aspirant (who had a much greater and clearer claim to having won the presidential elections) in Nigeria declared himself winner and died in prison for it.
It was not so long ago that an Englishman, Ian Smith, grabbed Zimbabwe from Britain and held an entire nation to ransom for 14 years before being forcibly removed by Mugabe et al. Perhaps, we should remember also the role played by Britain (esp Thatcher, Major and more importantly, Tony Blair) in the land reform agenda.
I think many people's perceptions about Mugabe betray a lack of understanding of the Zimbabwe condition, one that was started by the "Great" Britain that now seems to be pushing for some kind of moral authority! South Africa understands what its like to be dictated to and humiliated by a minority white government and it was Mugabe and others who ended that for Zimbabwe. That is why Thabo Mbeki will not publicly denounce Mugabe as the dictators in London and Washington would like.
Gordon Brown should shut up and let Zimbabwe sort itself out. And if any external help is required, it will be coming from Africa, not Europe! In any event, since when has Britain cared about any African country? Did it care about Apartheid South Africa, Nigeria, Biafra or Liberia? Does it care about Sudan, Somalia or the Congo? ! ! !
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Private sector operators criticise WTO's pact with Nigeria, others
http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/business/article07//indexn3_html?pdate=110408&ptitle=Private%20sector%20operators%20criticise%20WTO's%20pact%20with%20Nigeria,%20others&cpdate=130408
(SOME private sector operators have condemned the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement for being lopsided and against the interests of developing countries.
The operators, who were participants at the WTO Trade Facilitation workshop, expressed their views in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. A cross section of the participants said that the partnership between the developed and developing countries was that of unequals.
Alhaji Mohammed Abdulsalam, the second vice-president of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), said that the ultimate goal of the agreement was to allow industrialised countries have free access to developing countries' markets.)
One would hope that these types of agreements would receive greater scrutiny prior to being signed. But the failure of leadership continues to plague this huge nation that continues to refuse to be great.
Nigeria seems to positively fight progress. Here's a country that if left without a formal government for the past 40yrs would probably have progressed much further.
Nonetheless, it is encouraging that some vocal opposition exists - an example being the one from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).The time is now for our so-called leaders to act and take the nation forward.
Rise! Nigeria, Please Rise!
(SOME private sector operators have condemned the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement for being lopsided and against the interests of developing countries.
The operators, who were participants at the WTO Trade Facilitation workshop, expressed their views in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. A cross section of the participants said that the partnership between the developed and developing countries was that of unequals.
Alhaji Mohammed Abdulsalam, the second vice-president of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), said that the ultimate goal of the agreement was to allow industrialised countries have free access to developing countries' markets.)
One would hope that these types of agreements would receive greater scrutiny prior to being signed. But the failure of leadership continues to plague this huge nation that continues to refuse to be great.
Nigeria seems to positively fight progress. Here's a country that if left without a formal government for the past 40yrs would probably have progressed much further.
Nonetheless, it is encouraging that some vocal opposition exists - an example being the one from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).The time is now for our so-called leaders to act and take the nation forward.
Rise! Nigeria, Please Rise!
Nigeria: EFCC Probes Past Govts On $500bn Oil Revenue
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804110016.html
(THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said, yesterday, it would soon carry out a critical examination into what past administrations in the country did with the $500 billion generated from oil in the last 50 years, according to its acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde.)
Now won't that be something! I'm pro-probe for sure. Let's probe all of Nigeria's former (and current) leaders. Let's hear what IBB, OBJ, Diya, Gowon, Shagari, Atiku etc all have to say and all the former ministers of oil & petroleum as well.
On a more serious note though - $500bn over 50 years = $10bn a year on average. Imagine if only half had been spent on infrastructure development, that's $5bn a year for half a century...it'll surely be one of the finest, most developed and highly functional nations on the planet . . . instead, we have a cronic lack of infrastructure which in turn impedes commerce, thus retarding development and the result is the chaos we have today!
Well, let's probe 'em all I say!
(THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said, yesterday, it would soon carry out a critical examination into what past administrations in the country did with the $500 billion generated from oil in the last 50 years, according to its acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde.)
Now won't that be something! I'm pro-probe for sure. Let's probe all of Nigeria's former (and current) leaders. Let's hear what IBB, OBJ, Diya, Gowon, Shagari, Atiku etc all have to say and all the former ministers of oil & petroleum as well.
On a more serious note though - $500bn over 50 years = $10bn a year on average. Imagine if only half had been spent on infrastructure development, that's $5bn a year for half a century...it'll surely be one of the finest, most developed and highly functional nations on the planet . . . instead, we have a cronic lack of infrastructure which in turn impedes commerce, thus retarding development and the result is the chaos we have today!
Well, let's probe 'em all I say!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
India to court Africa for business
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7333478.stm
"At the external affairs ministry in Delhi, preparations are underway for what many are saying is India's most important diplomatic event this year - the India-Africa summit which kicks off this week."
One can only hope that African leaders will deal with India (and China for that matter) in a proper manner and from at least an equal footing so that Africa benefits substantially from these relationships. Africa, of course, has a long history with neo-colonialism and will have learnt valuable lessons from dealing with Europeans and later the USA.
I welcome a robust, mutually-beneficial relationship with India - one that is much better for Africa than those forged with Europe and the Americas, for instance.
I hope African companies will invest in India and share in the latter's economic boom as it attempts to share in Africa's renaissance.
"At the external affairs ministry in Delhi, preparations are underway for what many are saying is India's most important diplomatic event this year - the India-Africa summit which kicks off this week."
One can only hope that African leaders will deal with India (and China for that matter) in a proper manner and from at least an equal footing so that Africa benefits substantially from these relationships. Africa, of course, has a long history with neo-colonialism and will have learnt valuable lessons from dealing with Europeans and later the USA.
I welcome a robust, mutually-beneficial relationship with India - one that is much better for Africa than those forged with Europe and the Americas, for instance.
I hope African companies will invest in India and share in the latter's economic boom as it attempts to share in Africa's renaissance.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
War
The chaos in the world today is about power. Religion, like the media and indoctrination etc, is merely a tool. A weapon to be used whenever convenient. Religion is attractive because people are emotional about it - which stems from its very nature i.e. based on blind belief (aka faith).
Emotion, my friends, makes people weak.
No war is fought to achieve peace - surely, that's illogical and any philosopher would tell you that logic is key to problem-solving. War is fought for power and influence, for tangible gains.
The purported reason for war can be anything - the word "terrorism" is just the latest most common pretext. Wars are fought because people choose to wage them . . . because they think it’s worth it ... worth the gains they'll get from it and because throughout history, human life has never been sacred - lives are always wasted because we know that we're continually creating new ones.
Humanity is simply . . . uncivilised. We never left bestiality!
Emotion, my friends, makes people weak.
No war is fought to achieve peace - surely, that's illogical and any philosopher would tell you that logic is key to problem-solving. War is fought for power and influence, for tangible gains.
The purported reason for war can be anything - the word "terrorism" is just the latest most common pretext. Wars are fought because people choose to wage them . . . because they think it’s worth it ... worth the gains they'll get from it and because throughout history, human life has never been sacred - lives are always wasted because we know that we're continually creating new ones.
Humanity is simply . . . uncivilised. We never left bestiality!
Fear of Death
Death is sleep. In sleep, you're not conscious. So, think of death as sleep. However, unlike the others, I don't see how this knowledge can make you feel any better or alleviate your fears about death. Because even if death is like sleep, death is an unending sleep and hence your fears of no longer existing remains because in death, as with sleep, you no longer exist. Personally, I am not afraid of death. I have made my peace with death.
Face it head-on. Think about it. Death is a constant. It is guaranteed. Death, like life, is not the result of choice. Therefore, learn to accept the inevitability of death. As per reincarnation, well, I'm agnostic and so therefore, in the absence of proof, I refuse to believe.
Reincarnation is a way of coping with the knowledge of certain death...of the finiteness of life, so we make ourselves believe that its not really finite, its not really over...we will come back again and again. Others believe that we go to another place after this and in order to encourage "good living", we are told of heaven and hell. Life and death are just two sides of the same coin. Life is simply waiting to die; death is the end of life. They are interconnected and you cannot have one without the other. Learn to accept it. Let it go. Don't love it too much because if you do, then you think you'll miss it and if you think you'll miss it, you don't want it to end and if that's the case, you'll be afraid of it. That fear itself can then affect your ability to live the life in the first instance.
You can at least take solace, as a human, in the knowledge that everybody dies.
Face it head-on. Think about it. Death is a constant. It is guaranteed. Death, like life, is not the result of choice. Therefore, learn to accept the inevitability of death. As per reincarnation, well, I'm agnostic and so therefore, in the absence of proof, I refuse to believe.
Reincarnation is a way of coping with the knowledge of certain death...of the finiteness of life, so we make ourselves believe that its not really finite, its not really over...we will come back again and again. Others believe that we go to another place after this and in order to encourage "good living", we are told of heaven and hell. Life and death are just two sides of the same coin. Life is simply waiting to die; death is the end of life. They are interconnected and you cannot have one without the other. Learn to accept it. Let it go. Don't love it too much because if you do, then you think you'll miss it and if you think you'll miss it, you don't want it to end and if that's the case, you'll be afraid of it. That fear itself can then affect your ability to live the life in the first instance.
You can at least take solace, as a human, in the knowledge that everybody dies.
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