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Category Archives: Africa
History of corruption in Nigerian leadership
WHEN BABANGIDA SEIZED POWER ON AUGUST 27, 1985, the country owed $12 billion. The squandering regime raised the national debt to $33 billion in only about six years. When he hijacked power, only N11.8 billion naira was in circulation in Nigeria. At the termination of his misrule, General Babangida, Osoba argues, had injected ‘an intolerably… Read More »
On foreign-directed PR by African leaders
By Julie Owono in a very nice piece for Al Jazeera: On November 11, 2011 the French newspaper Le Monde published two pages advertising what it described as the “free and fair” Cameroonian presidential election of October 9, 2011, which resulted in the election, for the sixth time, of Paul Biya, who has ruled the country since 1982. Frederic Meixner,… Read More »
Friday links
1.Immigrant networks are a rare bright spark in the world economy. Rich countries should welcome them – The Economist 2. What’s your flavour? Italian or Spanish? – BBC Business Editor 3. Black France – Africa is a country 4. The dangerous cocktail of global money and local politics – Moisés Naím 5. On Nigeria’s Petroleum… Read More »
Elder’s Corner: A documentary about Nigeria’s musical icons
This is a synopsis: Elder’s Corner is musical journey through pivotal moments in the colorful history of Nigeria as told through the lives and careers of the nations foremost music legends. It is a story about the eroding effects of colonialism, bitter ethnic clashes, politics, oil, power, money and their combined effects on a nation… Read More »
On Boko Haram
Mao Kaci on NigeriansTalk: Any time I recall scenes from that video showing security officers of the Nigerian state ferret men, young and old, able and disabled, from behind closed doors in their homes and efficiently shoot them to death in the streets of Maiduguri in 2009, I find myself thinking: If that had been… Read More »
What is it like to live in Europe with an African identity? – Aljazeera video
Nigerian bragging right of the day
According to the latest dispatch of cables by wikileaks, the Nigerian envoy told US officials that he was shocked that Zimbabweans spent their time in queues without so much as batting an eyelid. “They line up for hours to get a few dollars from their bank accounts,” Adenyaju said. “Then they go home and do… Read More »
Aljazeera focuses on Nigeria
Dr Okonjo-Iweala, the returning finance minister and new economy Czar (couldn’t resist that one) starts talking at about 4:30. She talks about agriculture, manufacturing, job creation and even Nollywood. I don’t yet have an opinion on her and her new team – it is much too early – but in a few months, one should… Read More »
Senegal hunts for oil
From Bloomberg: Energy companies operating in Senegal will drill three offshore wells next year as the West African nation vies to join a growing group of regional crude producers, according to the state-owned oil company,Petrosen. Senegalese officials held talks with more than 10 oil companies this year in attempts to lure investors to its energy industry, said Joseph Medou, Petrosen’s geologist,… Read More »