Downtown Houston on standstill for official Nigeria’s Independence celebration – spectacular photos and videos
International Guardian – Houston, TX. It was Sheila Jackson Lee, U.S. Representative for Texas’s 18th congressional district who mounted a convertible sports car to lead as the Grand Marshal, the Nigerian Cultural Parade yesterday (September 27, 2019) at Houston’s downtown. Hon. Jackson Lee led a mile thread of other parade participants from various school organizations, businesses including various sponsors and cultural groups representing various organizations in Houston.
The night before this event (Friday, September 27, 2019), the City of Houston honored Nigeria’s Independence Day by illuminating both the City Hall and major Highway bridges “green-white-green”. This was the first time such an honor would be accorded to Nigeria by Houston–the fourth largest city in the United States.
October is officially Nigeria’s Independence month. This country, the most populous in Africa, gained independence from Great Britain in October 1, 1960. Celebrating Nigeria’s 59th Independence in a city – one of most diverse in the United States, stands to promote and advance the cultural, civic and social welfare of this community. Studies show that Nigerians are the single largest contemporary African immigrant group in the United States. In addition, the city of Houston is home to the highest population of Nigerians outside of the country. But the whole idea was not to Africanize the great City of Houston. Nope. Downtown Houston endorsed the parade platform as a city event – thus allowing the Nigerian community to showcase, share, as well as educate the population on the greatness of her art and culture. For those who did not visit last year’s parade, September 28th, 2019 will offer a greater perspective of this community.
The parade started at 10.30 AM and was preceded by other cultural events which lasted the whole day. Attendees had access to various vendor booths and enjoy special Nigerian cuisine by the title sponsor, Wazobia African Market, the Largest African Store in Texas.
Houston City Hall, Highway bridges to be illuminated in green to celebrate Nigeria’s Independence
This will be the first time such an honor would be accorded to Nigeria by Houston–the fourth largest city in the United States
By Anthony Obi Ogbo (International Guardian News – Houston, TX)
One of the facilitators of the Nigerian Cultural Parade, Linda Anukwuem walked out from the Houston City Hall two days ago with some good news. On Friday, September 27, 2019, the eve of the most awaited Nigerian Cultural Parade, the City of Houston will be honoring Nigeria’s Independence Day by illuminating both the City Hall and major Highway bridges “green-white-green”. This will be the first time such an honor would be accorded to Nigeria by Houston–the fourth largest city in the United States.
This might not be a surprise if the social, political, and
economic significance of these people in the City of Houston is placed in the
right context. For instance, information from the U.S. Department of
State indicates that Greater Houston has the largest Nigerian expatriate
population in the United States, bragging an estimated 150,000 residents
scattered in all facets of the economy.
The next day, September 28th, Houston will join Nigerians
all over downtown to mark this country’s national day and showcase a rich
people and culture, International Guardian gathered. October is officially
Nigeria’s Independence month because this country, the most populous in Africa,
gained independence from Great Britain on October 1, 1960.
Thus, celebrating Nigeria’s 59th Independence in a city–one
of the most diverse in the United States, stands to promote and advance the
cultural, civic and social welfare of this community. Studies show that
Nigerians are the single largest contemporary African immigrant group in the
United States. In addition, the city of Houston is home to the highest
population of Nigerians outside of the country.
In an interview last month about the Nigerian Parade, Ms. Anukwuem told International Guardian that “Nigerians are known for their extravagant flair and this event should be no different. So, along the parade route, there will be various cultural groups, associations, and schools marching to showcase their group and display their culture through song, dance, and fashion. Also, attendees will be entertained with special dance presentations from specific groups.”
Currently, a preview of the Nigeria Masquerade Exhibition is
in progress at City Hall leading up to the annual parade. According to Ms. Anukwuem “this Exhibition be held all through
celebration from September 30 – October 2 at the A.D. Players Theater in the
Galleria area.”
The amazing all green-white-green illuminations will appear at dusk, reflecting all the highway bridges. Noted Anukwuem, “We want Houstonians to share with us, our colors, our passion, and our rich culture.”
After an amazing 2018 colorful parade showcasing the Nigerian Culture, Houstonians are desperately looking forward to a 2019 replication at the same location–the Root Memorial Square Park near the Toyota Center. Ms. Anukwuem said that the “Green-White” illumination vigil on the sunset of September 27 will signal the beginning of this great celebration.
Downtown Houston endorsed the parade platform as a city
event–thus allowing the Nigerian community to showcase, share, as well as
educate the population on the greatness of her art and culture. Ms. Anukwuem
said “First-timers would see a street-wide celebration highlighting this West
African country in a unique way. Vendor booths representing various businesses
displaying artifact, costume jewelry, fashion, cookery, and even books will be
on site.”
The last parade was a blast. Downtown wore a distinctive
look as a procession of cultural groups decorated in different traditional
attires and costumes strolled the streets in utter astonishment, sending
onlookers bananas with stunning displays.
■ The parade will start promptly at 10 AM but the Festival ground is open at 9:00 AM. Guests are encouraged to come wearing traditional attires. Information for group registrations can be found at nigeriaculturalparade.com. or call 832-452-7784.
South Africa’s President caught on campaign video encouraging xenophobia
Was South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa shedding crocodile
tears when he swiftly condemned deadly attacks on foreign-owned businesses?
Campaign video may have contradicted his much-admired incorruptibility.
South Africa’s president swiftly took to the media to condemned
days of widespread looting and arson attacks on foreign-owned businesses across
Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria, calling the violence “totally
unacceptable”, but his previous rhetoric, just like most local politicians may
have invoked a deadly culture of xenophobic attacks on foreigners and foreign-own
businesses.
In a recent campaign video, President Cyril Ramaphosa
could be heard addressing thousands of supporters vowing to end foreign
businesses in South Africa. Though Mr. Ramaphosa in most cases made reference
to “illegal businesses” his comments yet were seen to have encouraged and
sustained a practice that has now become a routine in that country. For
instance, over the last decade and a half, there have been several rounds of
violent xenophobic attacks on foreigners, some fatal, especially on those from
Somalia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Malawi, with numerous homes and businesses
torched.
But the attacks last week were a horrific sight. In
Alexandra, for instance, a township in Johannesburg which was in lockdown for days
after the attacks, some foreigners returned to their shops to witness a pile of
ruins and looted empty shelves of merchandizes.
“We are a country that is completely committed against
xenophobia. We do not allow and cannot
tolerate attacks on people from other African countries,” President Cyril
Ramaphosa said in a video statement published on Twitter Tuesday. “
But African leaders are not buying watery excuses any
more. The government of Ghana for
instance, through its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey requested
the government of South African to ensure a total safety of its citizens over xenophobic
attacks.
Consequently, Nigeria has unequivocally confronted
attacks on its citizens. President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to pay a state
visit to South Africa in October to seek a permanent solution through a
collaboration between both countries on fair trade and security. But Nigerians are
demanding more drastic options.
Other African governments have followed suit, warning their
citizens living in South Africa to take safety precautions. The Ethiopian
Embassy in South Africa for example, instructed their citizens to close their
shops “until peace is restored”, whereas Zambia’s Ministry of Transport and
Communications warned Zambian truck drivers not to travel in to the country.
As a matter of personal values–I do not mourn dictators
My job is to comfort their victims, share their horrific deeds, and document their interminable exit
The metaphysical model of death is a three-way process–social withdrawal, biological (organ) shutdown, and psychological departure (mental exit). Former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe has finally fulfilled these conditions at 95–two years after he was forced to relinquish power to end a disgusting 37-year rule.
By Anthony Obi Ogbo
Mugabe’s final moments were a contrast to his years as a
dictator. His physical changes were vivid as he emaciated hourly.
Grounded on his ailing bed in a treatment facility in faraway Singapore, this
dictator watched his external world gradually diminished into a hopeless state
that eventually lured him into his current perpetual sleep.
Do not get me wrong: from that Austrian-born leader of the
Nazi Party, Adolf Hitler, and the Killer-leader of the Soviet Union,
Joseph Stalin, through Benito Mussolini of the Kingdom of Italy, every dictator,
including Mugabe has a success story. He was an icon of freedom in Africa’s
political fraternity. Undeniably, he is a pan-Africanist who once championed
the liberation movement of his people. In fact, his influence on the history of
Zimbabwe remains ineffaceable.
Today, two years after his ejection from office, Mugabe is finally dead. He may not be allowed into Heaven because he would question God on why he created the White Race. Equally, he would be denied entry into hell because he might go there to seize their lands. So where would the almighty Mugabe go?
But why would a dictator who once claimed the ownership of a
country he ruled and abused for 37 years die in a treatment facility in another
country? That is the characteristic of the African dictator who would deny
their constituent healthcare but send their families abroad for treatment; who
consequently would run down their education system and send their families to
the most expensive schools in the west. Mugabe is no exception.
His leadership of the former British colony was red marked with
bloodshed, persecution of political opponents and a pattern of large-scale
election roguery. Mugabe watched his people perish under senseless political,
social, and economic policies that triggered uncontrolled inflation, leaving
his country the worst economy in the continent. He shut down the
opposition and tortured his critics as a hobby. He usually would invoke a
pretentious “Blame-the-west” tactics to sidetrack his leadership woes.
His forced- resignation on November 21, 2017, made good news
nationwide as Zimbabweans took to the street to celebrate an end to Mugabe’s
dictatorship. He was 93 at the time and could not stand on his own for 20
seconds. Today, two years after his ejection from office, Mugabe is finally
dead. He may not be allowed into Heaven because he would question God on why he
created the White Race. Equally, he would be denied entry into hell because he
might go there to seize their lands. So where would the almighty Mugabe
go?
I have nothing to do with their ailing moments. Thus, I have nothing to do with the death of Mugabe. As a matter of personal values–I do not mourn dictators. As a compassionate soul, my job is to comfort their victims. As a journalist, I have a duty to share their horrific deeds and document their interminable exit. I document and share spectacular images of their funerals and compile those deceiving eulogies by hypocrites that grace their funerals. Notwithstanding these values, I would say, Rest in Perfect Peace Mugabe.
Nevertheless such is life–a weird stage where distasteful clowns
make appearances, perform and eventually leave. Mugabe played his role on this
stage as a repentant self-made demigod, who annoyed peace until eventually, the
blows of his wicked powers were subdued by death.
Please do not accuse me of mischievously being insensitive because
that is not the intent. I have nothing to do with their ailing moments. Thus,
I have nothing to do with the death of Mugabe. As a matter of personal values–I
do not mourn dictators. As a compassionate soul, my job is to comfort their
victims. As a journalist, I have a duty to share their horrific deeds and
document their interminable exit. I document and share spectacular images of
their funerals and compile those deceiving eulogies by hypocrites that grace
their funerals. Notwithstanding these values, I would say, Rest in Perfect
Peace Mugabe.
Death of a Tyrant –Brutal former president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe dies aged 95
Robert Mugabe, the dictator who has ruled Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980, has died in Singapore, aged 95. It is believed he had been receiving treatment for cancer there since April.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa confirmed his death on Twitter.“It is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe,” he tweeted.
“Cde Mugabe was an icon of liberation, a pan-Africanist who dedicated his life to the emancipation and empowerment of his people. His contribution to the history of our nation and continent will never be forgotten. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”s
First as Prime Minister and then as President, Mugabe’s rule was a reign of discord and terror for the fledgling African republic.
He presided over periods of hyperinflation and famine, persecuted opposition politicians and homosexuals and was widely regarded as having rigged multiple elections in an effort to hang on to power.
Although Mugabe was given multiple honours by Western nations during the 1980s and early 1990s — including an honorary Knighthood by the Queen — by the turn of the century his reputation was that of a despotic dictator, responsible for massive human rights abuses, including the seizure of lands owned by white farmers.
He was stripped of most of the honours he had previously earned, and in 2005, the White House listed Zimbabwe as one of six “outposts of tyranny”.
Mugabe was finally forced out of office by his own party in 2017 but secured immunity from all prosecution as part of his resignation.
Rumours of ill health have dogged Mugabe for several years.
In 2010 there were reports that he had prostate cancer, and in January 2014, further reports surfaced stating he had collapsed at the State House in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare.
ROBERT MUGABE TIMELINE
1924 Born 21 February. Later educated at Marist and Jesuit schools.
1962-1959 Works as a teacher
1964-1974 Imprisoned for 10 years for his political activities
1974-1979 Released from prison; goes into exile in Mozambique, where he heads up the Zimbabwe African National Union — Patriotic Front (ZANU — PF)
1980 Elected first Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe, representing the Zimbabwe African National Union — Patriotic Front (ZANU — PF)
1987 Abolishes position of Prime Minister; assumes title of President, previously a largely ceremonial role
1996 Marries his former secretary, Grace Marufu, 41 years his junior. It was Mugabe’s second marriage; his first wife died in 1992.
2000 Commences land acquisition program in Zimbabwe, driving white farmers off their lands.
2002 Wins another term in power thanks to another election widely discredited by foreign observers. Defeats opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
2003 Withdraws Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth
2005 As Zimbabwe grapples with rising inflation and food shortages, the White House lists the African nation as one of six “outposts of tyranny”.
2008 Mugabe wins another disputed election, but this time with much greater backlash both within Zimbabwe and internationally. Brokers a power-sharing deal with opposition leader Morgan Tsarivangi which enables him to hang on to the presidency
2013 Mugabe wins an extension to his 33-year rule in general elections, slammed as “a farce” by his rival. Local observers said the elections were fraught with irregularities but the constitutional court declared the elections “free, fair and credible”.
2014 In January, reports surface that Mugabe suffered a collapse in Harare.
2017 Mugabe forced from office after he moved to sack his Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
ABUJA, Sept 2 (Reuters) – Nigeria’s multiple security problems have created a crisis that requires urgent attention and could lead to instability in other African countries if it is not addressed, a United Nations rapporteur said on Monday.
Security forces in Africa’s most populous country are trying to tackle a decade-long Islamist insurgency in the northeast, banditry in the northwest and bloody clashes between nomadic herdsmen and farming communities over dwindling arable land in central states.
Agnes Callamard, the U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said Nigeria was a “pressure cooker of internal conflict”.
“The overall situation I have found is one of extreme concern,” she told a news conference in the capital, Abuja, where she presented her preliminary findings following a 12-day visit to the country.
Callamard said the police and military had shown an excessive use of lethal force across the West African country which, combined with a a lack of effective investigations and meaningful prosecution, caused a lack of accountability.
She said the country required changes in the judiciary, police and military to stop people resorting to violence in the absence of justice.
“The lack of accountability is on such a scale that pretending this is nothing short of a crisis will be a major mistake. If ignored, its ripple effect will spread in the sub-region given the country’s important role in the continent,” she said.
Spokesman for the ministries of justice, military and police did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on Callamard’s findings.
The Islamist insurgency waged by Boko Haram began in northeast Nigeria in 2009 but has spread to parts of neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger where members of the group and militants allied to Islamic State carry out attacks.
The rapporteur also condemned what she said was the “arbitrary deprivation of life” and the excessive use of lethal force in the case of processions held by banned Shi’ite Muslim group the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
Callamard said the move to ban the group appeared be based on what the authorities thought IMN could become rather than its actions. She said she had not been presented with any evidence to suggest the group was weaponised and posed a threat to the country.
It is time to investigate Forbes for deceitful publications and research misconduct
Forbes “who-is-who or who-is-Not” series remain a marketing strategy facilitated through a questionable process to woo the highest bidders, but the repercussions are eating deep into their integrity.
A violation of fundamental standards in professional study experimentation is a big deal. In fact, the integrity of all experiments and professional research studies are often preserved by codes for scholarly conduct and ethical behavior implanted to minimize false reporting and other disreputable activities. Given this circumstance, a chain of publications by Forbes using specific experimental ratings to pronounce who is rich or poor among regions, gender, and other categories of businesses is emitting some red signals.
By Anthony Obi Ogbo
Forbes is an American bi-weekly business magazine reputed for who-is-who features related to finance, industry, investment, and marketing. With outstanding circulation figures, this magazine has been around since 1917, spinning topical feature stories on every subject areas, including communications, science, politics, and law.
However, contradictions and controversies that pervade Forbes
research and publications must not just be ignored. For instance, the
recent arrest of one Obinwanne Okeke (Forbes
100 Most Influential Young Africans 2018) in the United States by
operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has validated every
suspicion. Okeke, an acclaimed global entrepreneur who has long been
celebrated by Forbes was nabbed for allegedly defrauding top American companies
of huge sums of money.
For years, Okeke, chairman ‘Invictus Group’ was Forbes-endorsed
model for entrepreneurial success. He had appeared on the cover of Forbes Africa who named him one of ’30 Entrepreneurs Under 30to Watch’. He was one of the featured
speakers at the Forbes Under-30 Summit
EMEA2017 held in Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem, Israel. This summit convened the greatest young entrepreneurs and
game-changers from America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa to foster
world-changing ideas.
In the age of information technology, the major concern
remains how Forbes could explain this romance without authentic verification of
Okeke’s sources of income.
This article is not intended to attack the fundamental nucleus of the entrepreneurial process or success. In strong words, it is critical of how a few editors can just sit down in an obscure Jersey City office and joggle up figures to control who-is-who or who-is-Not.
In my last book, Maxima
of Political Leadership,” I explained how Forbes controverted its own
grading track with study ranks and figures that were inconsistent with reality.
I faulted Forbes 2018 World’s Most
Innovative Companies because none of the top six made it to the first ten
companies listed in their World’s Most
Valuable Brands. Thus, it would be hard to explain how Forbes top 7
technology-based most valuable firms (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook,
Amazon, Samsung, and AT&T) were not found in its top list of innovative
firms. Strange, isn’t it?
To make its activities more distrustful, Forbes has been
consistent with its promotion and publication of unscrupulous global merchants
with a questionable source of income. The publication would always label their
sources of income as “oil and gas” or “self-made.” But the question is, when
has “self-made” become a source of 10-figure business income?
This might be the case with this woman called Ms. Folorunsho Alakija who was leading a high-volume offshore scheme. Forbes romanced with Alakija’s wealth without appropriately investigating the ethical matters behind her very source of oil and gas business. Yet Alakija made it to Forbes lists of Power Women 2016,Billionaires 2019; Africa’s Billionaires 2019; with her source of income listed “oil and self-made.”
Forbes further totally failed to investigate that this
woman’s wealth was tied to two of the most corrupt regimes in the continent’s
history of politics. Alakija’s fashion business was tied to Nigeria’s president
Ibrahim Babangida family, whereas her oil and gas
ventures were indirectly sourced and sustained by President Olusegun
Obasanjo.
It may be recalled that in 2016, Obasanjo bragged during a public speaking that Mrs. Alakija, was among the 25 billionaires he made during his tenure as President. Alakija,in turn, accused Obasanjo’s administration of forcefully taking back a bulk of the profit generated from the said oil venture. The revelation without a doubt was that these corrupt leaders and business folks were busy enriching themselves off of public funds in a country where unemployment and poverty rate are off the roof.
Aliko Dangote, of the Dangote Group, is no exception.
Dangote is an acclaimed Africa’s richest man who would claim he made his money
being the continent’s largest cement producer. Dangote made it to Forbes lists of Powerful People 2018,
Billionaires 2019, and Africa’s Billionaires 2019, with his sources of
income listed as cement, sugar, flour, and again “Self Made.”
Mr. Dangote was not honest about his business. Dangote has
systematically colluded with various regimes in Africa to stockpile government
contracts; colluded with regimes to quash competition and create a monopoly and
product scarcity to drive price and demand. He had used billions made off of
unscrupulous ventures to conspire with different interests to influence
elections through backdoor donations and sponsorships; and consequently used
his wealth to direct political and economic interests to himself.
With its sloppy features and documentary stories often
promoting crooked billionaires with questionable character, Forbes should be
investigated to determine if there is collusion in the process to fabricate
figures for abnormal profit. Research studies should seek truth and
cultivate new knowledge to grow social development. In modern research, legal and
ethical issues associated with the subject and researcher are a great
component. Fabrication and manipulation of data make up serious scientific
misconduct. Forbes must come clean.
Forbes “who-is-who or who-is-Not” series remain a marketing
strategy facilitated through a questionable process to woo the highest bidders,
but the repercussions are eating deep into their integrity. The
motivation to commit scientific misconduct in these publications are obvious–to
boost circulation, enlarge advertising base, and rake in revenue by auctioning
their ratings.
Africa party in colonial museum sparks anger after partygoers dressed in pith helmets and blackface
Congolese community groups in Belgium are furious after revellers turned up to an Africa-themed party held in the grounds of a colonial museum dressed in pith helmets and blackface.
For more than a century, the Royal Museum for Central Africa has stood as a monument to the worst excesses of Belgium’s brutal occupation of the Congo, which inspired Joseph Conrad’s nightmarish Hearts of Darkness.
On Sunday, about 2,000 people attended an open-air party organised by company Thé Dansant. Photos posted on social media showed one partygoer blacked up and others in leopard skin print and others dressed as colonial era explorers.
“Ethnic, exotic or African is not a costume that you can put on and take off,” Emma Lee Amponsah of the Café Congo organisation told the Bruzz newspaper.
She criticised the organisers for festooning a stage with skulls on sticks for evoking voodoo and cannibalism. “In this way stereotypes are constantly being maintained,” she said, “explain to me how an event like this can still exist in 2019.”
In 1897, a human zoo of 267 Congolese people were exhibited in the grounds of the former Royal estate in the leafy Brussels suburb of Tervuren. Seven Congolese died of exposure after being shown to about a million Belgians during the World Exhibition.
Packed to the brim with more than 180,000 looted items, including the beheaded skulls of vanquished tribal chiefs, and more than 500 stuffed animals slaughtered by hunters, the museum celebrated the exploits of the Belgians who turned a huge swathe of Africa into a slave state.
Primrose Ntumba, a museum spokeswoman, said it could do nothing to stop the event because it did not manage the grounds.
“ I think it is very unfortunate that Thé Dansant does not see that an ‘African fancy dress party’ can cause angry reactions, and all the more so at this location,” she said.
“Even if one person painted his face black, it was not meant to be offensive. Many people of African origin were enthusiastic about the concept and were present,” said party organiser Kjell Materman.
The United Nations has called on Belgium to apologise for its colonial past and accused the museum of not doing enough to exorcise the ghosts of its racist past.
Omowole Sowore – an activist, a revolutionist or an inglorious hooligan?
Revolution breeds anarchy. Political activism becomes hooliganism when they are engineered by unscrupulous political vandals with ulterior motives.
So when the owner of the Sahara Reporters Mr. Omowole
Sowore was arrested by security agents for his planned violent protests against
the Nigerian government, some activists went on the air to preach the civil
liberty gospel. The major argument was that arresting this activist in a
protest that has not occurred is undemocratic because no laws have been broken.
That makes sense, but utterly nonsensical in practical terms.
By Anthony Obi Ogbo
The basic way to manage domestic terrorism is to wrestle the symptoms and mitigate them. Leaders who fail to follow this rule are often caught up with horrendous incidents where they would end up counting dead bodies. As I write, the United States of America are reeling from yet more gruesome sights of violence and death when in less than 13 hours and nearly 1,600 miles apart, two mass shootings left at least 29 dead and 53 injured.
Sowore’s arrest triggered a long thread of disagreement in the social media about the empirical meaning of the term “revolution.” Some defended Sowore’s proposed revolution as a mere protest because there were no violent undertones, whereas others suggested that his call might bring violence and anarchy. In fact, some compared the current administration with the previous regime of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan – arguing that the latter offered unprecedented freedom to his opposition. But democracy does not work like that. If indeed the former President Jonathan failed to prosecute vandals who threatened his regime with violent revolution that might not be democratic but a clueless display of idiocy.
In political governance, the severity of a call for a revolution would depend on the actors, their conduct, and political environment. But for Nigeria, a nation which has endured a horrific civil war, multiple coups, and several destructive and violent protests, a call for a revolution by a controversial group or individual might not just be overlooked by any meaningful law enforcement.
There is no doubt that the word “Revolution” is broad and
lacks unambiguous meaning in basic definition. Also, most scholars would agree
that the universal objective of any revolution would be to facilitate a
transformation from an existing state to a higher level of system success –
which may or may not be violent. However, in political governance, the severity of a call for a
revolution would depend on the actors, their conduct, and political
environment. But for Nigeria, a nation
which has endured a horrific civil war, multiple coups, and several destructive
and violent protests, a call for a revolution by a controversial group or
individual might not just be overlooked by any meaningful law enforcement.
Sowore’s latest case is basically a misleading political venture. From all indications, he wanted to be arrested so as to build a political base from a socially vulnerable populace who would see him as a hero. He was the Presidential Candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC), a party he founded. However, he failed terribly in the election.
His political career crumbled soon after the election, when in July, a Federal High Court in Abuja validated his suspension in his own party. He was suspended February 23, for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities. This was when Sowore switched his title to “comrade.”
His political career crumbled soon after the election,
when in July, a Federal High Court in Abuja validated his suspension in his own
party. He was suspended February 23, for allegedly engaging in anti-party
activities. This was when Sowore switched his title to “comrade.” He quickly
consulted prominent activists opposed to the regime to market his project. He
used his social media platform to share videos advocating a violent revolution
in a proposed nationwide protest scheduled for August 5, 2019.” In his own
words, Sowore vowed, “This is just a rehearsal of what is going to be the
biggest revolution in this country”, claiming that some “big wings” in the
opposition parties especially the PDP had already accepted it as a new face in
the country.
Based on Sowores proposals, we may not need to recite any laws to assess his objectives. He is a self-acclaimed revolutionist who wants to lead a violent rebellion against his government. In some of the videos he posted in the social media, he incited young folks to joining his cause – suggesting unrestricted resistance and possible showdown. Such proposals would definitely leave any law enforcement with several options to mitigate chaos as well as investigate possible violations.
Just a little background – Sowore is not a new name in current Nigeria’s
leadership crisis. He is not a part of the current government, but the role he
played during the electioneering season that elected the incumbent leaves him
without further introduction in the Nigeria’s political history. He operated the Sahara Reporters, an internet
controversial news blog which he started and operated at the time in his
Manhattan’s studio apartment.
He untruthfully claimed that Sahara Reporters was set up to fight corruption and wrong government practices – thus received undisclosed grants from both the Ford Foundation and Omidyar Foundation. Contrary to these objectives, Sowore was accused of using this platform as a bargaining tool to court unscrupulous politicians whom he collaborated with to blackmail the previous regime headed by Dr. Jonathan.
He untruthfully claimed that Sahara Reporters was set up
to fight corruption and wrong government practices – thus received undisclosed
grants from both the Ford Foundation and Omidyar Foundation. Contrary to these
objectives, Sowore was accused of using
this platform as a bargaining tool to court unscrupulous politicians whom he
collaborated with to blackmail the previous regime headed by Dr. Jonathan.
For instance, the regime accused Sowore of receiving a $5m mansion-gift from the major
opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). The regime claimed
Sowore is being bribed to use his online news platform to “mislead and hoodwink
gullible and highly brainwashed Nigerians through highly biased, junk,
sensational and sectional journalism.” But Sowore denied the allegations,
describing President Goodluck Jonathan as a “cheap blackmailer and liar’. In
fact, Sahara Reporters at the time published an unsubstantiated poll which
showed that Dr. Jonathan “would be defeated by 75% if pitched against Buhari” in the 2015 general election.
But besides the aforementioned trade of accusations and
counter-accusations, Sowore’s collaboration with the APC in pulling down the
incumbent at the time to elect this current regime remains as clear as spring
water. He supported unequivocally, all fabricated campaign propaganda
orchestrated by the opposition and promoted editorial columns and video blogs
tailored to frantically destroy the structure of Nigeria’s politics in order to
pave way for his opposition collaborators.
So the issue is how such a character could turn around
and become a “Comrade” overnight in the
same democratic structure he painstakingly destroyed. Do not get this
wrong. Sowore has the right to agitate
his grievances with the regime or their policies. In a democracy, the statutory
functions of civil liberty is not negotiable. The regime cannot authoritatively
interfere with the citizens’ rights to peacefully assembly, protest, speak out,
or advocate a redress of policies. But it must also be noted that in
constitutional democracy where written laws direct all functions of the government,
a call for a revolution could be treasonable, especially where it is perceived
to obstruct national security or public safety.
A protest or call for revolution loses the civil liberty protection where actors and actions or proposed engagements undermine the laws of the land. Furthermore, whereas freedom to protest is unequivocally legitimate, inflammatory communication systematized by actors loaded with ulterior motives to invoke ferocious actions might be subversive and felonious.
Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) – A dispute over money within a Nigerian jihadist faction affiliated to the Islamic State group has spiralled into clashes that has killed “scores” of fighters, sources said.
The infighting — which erupted into gun battles on July 26 — has exposed divisions inside the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group, three sources with deep knowledge of the faction’s internal workings told AFP.
The disagreement centred on sharing income mainly generated by taxing cattle herders and fishermen in areas the jihadists control around Lake Chad, said the sources, who asked not to be identified for safety reasons.
The fighting broke out in the village of Blantougou in Niger before spilling over the border into Nigeria.
It pitted those loyal to tax chief Umar Leni against two other factions, the sources said.
“There was heavy fighting between the three factions which left scores from all sides killed,” one of the sources said.
“They could not agree on a sharing formula after six days of disagreement and resorted to fighting,” he said.
Leni escaped the fighting unscathed and was believed to have fled to Mali with the group’s stash, according to the sources.
The infighting is just the latest to hit the factious jihadist insurgency that has torn apart northeastern Nigeria and crossed into neighbouring countries over the past decade.
ISWAP broke away from Boko Haram in 2016 in part due to its rejection of indiscriminate attacks on civilians.
Last year the group witnessed a reported takeover by more hardline fighters who sidelined its leader and executed his deputy.
The IS-affiliate has since July 2018 ratcheted up a campaign of attacks against military targets.
Military sources told AFP that 25 soldiers from an international force and at least 40 jihadists were killed in fighting Monday near the town of Baga on Lake Chad.
A military source in the region told AFP they were “closely monitoring” the reported clashes within the jihadist group.
ISWAP has sought to fill the void left by the collapse of government authority in the areas it controls by offering basic medical service and providing security, sources and analysts say.
It imposes taxes on cattle herders and charges fishermen for permission to access Lake Chad, sources said.
In 2017 the Nigerian military banned fishing in Lake Chad which it said was being used by jihadists as a source of funding — but fishermen have continued to smuggle their catch to local markets.
Sources said the jihadists are looking to raise cash to buy ammunition for heavy weaponry looted from the Nigerian army.
The group also has a record of raising money from kidnappings. Last month it abducted six Nigerian aid workers.