Purveyors of Hate: The US State of Mississippi only just ratified the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery in 2013

Jaclynn Ashly/Al Jazeera

CC™ PersPective

By Ben Waldron 

Two medical school colleagues, one an immigrant from India, the other a life-long Mississippian, joined forces to resolve a historical oversight that until this month had never officially been corrected.

The oversight was no small one either. Until February 7, 2013, the state of Mississippi had never submitted the required documentation to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment, meaning it never officially had abolished slavery.

The amendment was adopted in December 1865 after the necessary three-fourths of the then 36 states voted in favor of ratification. Mississippi, however, was a holdout; at the time state lawmakers were upset that they had not been compensated for the value of freed slaves.

Dr. Ranjan Batra, professor of Neurobiology and Anatomical sciences at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, told ABC News he was inspired to investigate the history of the Thirteenth Amendment in his state after a viewing of the film "Lincoln."

"At the end of the story there was an open question about how the ratification process proceeded," he said. "Living in the South as I do, I found that a pretty big open question."

So Batra proceeded to do some investigating of his own, noticing on the website usconstitution.net, that there was an asterisk next to the state of Mississippi in connection with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment.

"Mississippi ratified the amendment in 1995, but because the state never officially notified the US Archivist, the ratification is not official," reads the statement on the website. Batra felt compelled to act to rectify the clerical oversight.

"Mississippi gets a lot of bad press about this type of stuff and I just felt that it is something that should be fixed, and I saw every reason that could be done," he said. "Everyone here would like to put this part of Mississippi's past behind us and move on into the 21 st century rather than the 19th."

So Batra enlisted the help of University of Mississippi Medical Center colleague Ken Sullivan, who took an immediate interest in the story, calling the national archives to confirm that they had in fact never received the proper paperwork. Sullivan then took a trip to the state archives to acquire a copy of the bill.

"The last paragraph [of the bill] directs the Secretary of State of Mississippi to inform the national archives of the law of the ratification which is exactly the way ratification is supposed to proceed, but that hadn't been done for whatever reason," said Batra.

Sullivan took his family to see "Lincoln," and told ABC News the film inspired him further to correct this historical oversight. "I had that information when I went to see 'Lincoln' that weekend, I knew really what I was fixing to be a part of and it was overwhelming," he said. "It was humbling to know that such a big part of the nation's history and a huge part of my state's history was involved in this, people stood up and applauded at the end of the movie, the first time I have ever seen that for any movie," said Sullivan.

Sullivan then contacted the office of the Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, who quickly agreed to file the required documentation to the National Archives and make the ratification official. On February 7, Director of the Federal Register Charles A. Barth wrote that he had received the notification, "With this action, the State of Mississippi has ratified the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States," he wrote.

"For me it was just important that this part of history was done from our state," said Sullivan. "I know we have some dark spots in our history through the south, it still affects people's opinions about Mississippi today."

Sullivan also remarked on the unlikely pairing of an immigrant from India and a life-long southerner working together to resolve the oversight.

"You have Dr. Batra, who is the immigrant and me who is the native-born, life-long resident of Mississippi, it was a unique pair," he said.

Sullivan and Batra are thankful the ratification question has finally been resolved; now that asterisk next to Mississippi can finally be removed.

CREDITS - ABC NEWS

Ancient Paleo-Hebrew Torah Speaks Yoruba Language

CC™ VideoSpective

The Ivy League - The Shift From Traditional Conservative Values To Populist Megalomania Laced With Tyranny

CC™ Opinion

By Boyejo A. Coker, Editor-in-Chief 

The recent shift in the leadership cadre produced by Ivy League schools, may reflect broader societal, political, and cultural changes, that have evolved, over time. Historically, institutions like Yale, Harvard, and others have educated individuals who went on to hold significant political power and influence. Examples of these include the likes of George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Nelson Rockefeller, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. Now, while these men do represent a wide range of political ideologies and eras, they are often associated with a more traditional, establishment-oriented approach to governance.

In contrast, more recent figures like Ron DeSantis, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, and J.D. Vance are often seen as part of a newer wave of politicians who align with more populist, Neo-conservative, nationalistic, or disruptive political movements. This shift can be attributed to several factors:

1. Changing Political Landscape: Over the past few decades, the political landscape in the United States has become increasingly polarized and acerbically divisive. This polarization has influenced the types of leaders who have risen to prominence, with some appealing to more extreme or partisan bases.

2. Cultural Shifts: The cultural values and priorities of younger generations have evolved, and this is reflected in the types of leaders they support. Issues like identity politics, economic inequality, and climate change have become more central to political discourse, influencing the rise of certain political figures. This has seemed to engender an increasingly polarized political discourse, with little or no room for compromise. 

3. Media and Technology: The rise of social media and 24-hour news cycles has changed how politicians communicate and gain support. Consequently, some of the newer politicians have effectively used these platforms to build their profiles and connect with specific constituencies.

4. Institutional Changes: The Ivy League schools themselves have also evolved. While they continue to produce leaders across the political spectrum, the values and priorities of these institutions and their student bodies, have obviously shifted over time. This has definitely had a huge influence on the types of leaders they produce. 

5. Criticism of Elitism: There has been a growing backlash against perceived elitism and the establishment, particularly in conservative circles. The likes of DeSantis and Vance, have thus positioned themselves as outsiders or critics of the traditional elite, even though they themselves are products of elite institutions.

It's important to note that the impact of these leaders on democracy is both far-reaching and consequential. While supporters of figures like DeSantis, Hawley, and Cruz might argue that they are defending traditional values - challenging overreach by the federal government, or representing the interests of their constituents, critics will point to how their actions and rhetoric do in fact contribute to the erosion of democratic principles, norms and institutions.

Ultimately, while the evolution of leadership from Ivy League schools does reflect broader trends in American society and politics, the jury on the impact of these new generation of leaders, is still out. 

On initial evidence, it does not seem to augur well for the future of the American democratic experiment. 

The Link Between the Modern day Yoruba and the Ancient Egyptians

Ooni of Ife 

CC™ HistoGraphy

By Reno Omokri

The ‘Yoruba’ people are some of the most spiritual people on Earth, (if not the most spiritual bar none). Sadly, however, a lot of Yoruba people do not know that there is absolutely nothing like Yoruba as a people or as a language. Yoruba is a modern creation, from a mispronounced Fulani word. The term Yoruba did not exist before the 19th Century. Yoruba is just like the English language, which was created as a mixture of several Germanic languages, including German, Danish and Dutch, when a mishmash of Saxons came to Britain in the 4th Century and mixed in with the Angle tribe that was native to Britain. When Samuel Ajayi Crowther was captured by Fulani slave traders from his village of Osoogun in 1821 at the age of 12, he reported that he could neither speak or understand the language of the villages they passed through on the way to Lagos. These were villages in present day Ogun and Oyo. Google it yourself. Don’t take my word for it. At that time, there was Egba language, Ijebu language, Owu language, Awori language, Ijesha language, Ondo language, etc. So how did Yoruba come about? When the Portuguese entered Eko and changed the name to Lagos, it became a big trading post and attracted a variety of Edekiri peoples (Edekiri is the actual name for the group of languages now referred to as Yoruba). Gradually, they evolved a mixture of their various dialects and thus began the origins of the modern language now known as Yoruba. As Lagos grew in importance under the British, so did the new language grow in vocabulary and spread. But if you understand the pure root Edekiri language, you will be able to understand bits and pieces of all languages spoken from modern day Kwara, to Kogi, to Edo, to parts of Delta, and to the Southwest states, and to Benin Republic.

Now, in my present pilgrimage to Egypt, a land that was known as Kemet by the original Black inhabitants who were pushed deeper into Africa by wave after wave of invaders, my Egyptologist guide kept on mentioning names that would sound familiar to anyone who is aware of the pure Edekiri language, before it was diluted in Lagos. One of such names is Tiye, wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep III and daughter of Yuya and Tuya. Tiye was Black. This is undisputed in Egyptology. You ought to research this, or at least Google it. Her DNA was tested. But the interesting thing is that the root word of Tiye’s name and the name of her parents (Yuya and Tuya) is Iye or Iya, which is the pure Edekiri word for mother. Do you still doubt me? Okay. Let’s go deeper. Tiye’s son, who succeeded his father as Pharaoh was Smenkhkare. Google it. That is a pure Edekiri name that is still being used as a name amongst the Edo of Benin (also called Bini). You have such similar names as Nosakhare, Nehikhare being used till today. Another of Queen Tiye’s son’s name, who also became Pharaoh is Akenaten. This is also a root Edekiri name that is still being used in Benin till this very day. In fact, the Binis had a king (Oba) named Oba Akenzua. You will also notice a strong similarity between the ancient Egyptians and the Edekiri people-they did not write their history in words. They carved it, in wood, stone, and metal, using symbols.

Now, let’s talk about the pyramids of Egypt (which are in reality the Pyramids of Kemet). They were built 4600 years ago. By who? Google the Groundnut Pyramids of Nigeria. They were built entirely by native Hausa people. They were not built under the direction of the British. Native Hausas built them just like Black people once built the pyramids in Egypt. Do you know that there are pyramids in Nigeria? Google the Nsude Pyramids. These are pyramids built by people of Igbo origin for their god, Ala. it is not known exactly when these pyramids were built, only that they are prehistoric.

I am still in Egypt, and I have a lot more I could write. But I often hesitate, because when I write these things (especially if I don’t step them down), I end up frightening, or shocking too many people and that is not my intention. So, let me stop here and also encourage my readers to not only read, but even more importantly, do their own thorough independent and unbiased research, just like I have done. I will also encourage my readers to read my earlier work ‘The Ijebu, The Yoruba and Their Influence on The Bible and Judaism’.

Trump predicts he will be impeached for a 3rd time if GOP loses 2026 midterm elections

CC™ PersPective

Political News Staff

US President Donald Trump has cautioned Republican lawmakers that failure to secure victory in the 2026 midterm elections could result in another attempt to impeach him.

Trump issued the warning on Tuesday while addressing members at a House Republican retreat held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

“You have to win the midterms, because if we don’t, they’ll find a reason to impeach me. I’ll get impeached,” the president told the audience.

Trump, who was impeached twice during his first term, was acquitted by the Senate on both occasions.

His first impeachment in 2019 stemmed from allegations of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, while the second, following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, accused him of inciting an insurrection.

“I got impeached twice on nothing,” Trump remarked, speaking on the fifth anniversary of the Capitol attack.

Acknowledging the challenges often faced by the ruling party during midterm elections, Trump maintained that Republican policies offered a superior alternative to those of the Democrats.

“They say when you win the presidency, you lose the midterms. But we have the right policy. They don’t,” he said, criticizing Democrats for sticking together despite what he described as ineffective leadership and poor policy decisions.

Trump also addressed the party’s narrow majority in the House of Representatives, which has reportedly decreased following the death of California lawmaker Doug LaMalfa and the early retirement of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Despite the slim margin, Trump expressed confidence in House Speaker Mike Johnson, praising his leadership.

“A lot of times they say, ‘I wish Mike were tougher.’ He’s tough as anybody in the room,” Trump said, noting the difficulties of governing with a reduced majority.

The Dangote Initiative: Investing in Nigeria’s automotive industry

CC™ VideoSpective 

CREDITS: TheNewAfeicaWealth

Super Eagles demolition of Mozambique overshadowed by spat between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman

CC™ PersPective

By Deji Komolafe - Deputy Editor-in-Chief

The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Monday booked their trip to the quarterfinals of the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. 

A brace from star player Victor Osimhen as well as a goal each from Akor Adams and Ademola Lookman, sealed the fate of the Mozambicans, in a devastating display of ruthless attacking verve, by the Nigerians. 

The victory was however overshadowed by a brief spat betweeen Osimhen and Lookman in the second half, with the Super Eagles pretty much out of sight, with a commanding lead. 

Following the incident, there have been several takes from football fans and other commentators alike, on the issue, with some blaming Osimhen for the spat and others equally chiding Lookman for being selfish in the final third, on a few occasions. 

Some sources have even quoted Osimhen with threats to leave the Nigerian camp and return back to his club in Turkey. 

I seriously doubt that Osimhen threatened to quit the team, and adding to this was the rather crass retort from Rufai Oseni, the Arise TV commentator and uncouth purveyor of atavistic balderdash. The latter added fuel to the fire by saying Osimhen can leave and go back to Galatasaray. What utter drivel from the same person that once drove on the wrong side of the road, and when pulled over by law enforcement, verbally assaulted the officer, while touting his purported political connections and influence, as an implied threat to the officer. 

There is no question Victor Osimhen did not handle this the right way, but apart from Lookman himself being at fault here (note that he has always had a penchant for being selfish at his club, Atalanta as well, much to the chagrin of his coaches and some teammates), people are blowing this way out of proportion.

The truth is that all teams have one impact player (regardless of how talented the team is) that sends shivers down the spines of the opposition. 

Victor Osimhen is that for Nigeria and the rest of his teammates need to realize that. 

No team is afraid of a Super Eagles team headlined by Akor Adams, Lookman or Paul Onuachu. On the contrary, once the opposition sees Osimhen’s name on that team list and see him in the hallway as the teams lineup before the game, that is where the game is won. Even the Mozambique players became peacemakers between Lookman and Osimhen during their brief spat. Does anyone think that would have happened if it was between Onuachu and Lookman? 

Nigeria needs Osimhen. His teammates also need him as they are better and more intimidating with him on the pitch.

Victor will grow and become better from this. Lookman must also learn what his role is on the team. He is not there to outshine Osimhen, much like Batistuta never did with Maradona, or Rivaldo (or even Ronaldinho) never did with R9. Henry never did it with Zidane either. Lookman and the other players need to understand in no uncertain terms that they stand a better chance of winning laurels with Osimhen and must learn to put up with his shortcomings. Victor actually has more assists than Lookman and has always been a facilitator for his peers as well. 

The team must block out the noise, stay focused and this is where and how Eric Chelle earns his money (assuming he is being paid of course by the criminal thugs at the NFF). 

Keep soaring Super Eagles!

Colonialism - The precursor to Neo-Colonialism and imperialism, packaged as globalization

CC™ PersPective

By David LaRue

More than stealing the land, colonization was about hijacking the mind. They didn’t just conquer people, they rewired them. That was and is the real psychological warfare - Convincing the oppressed that their suffering was order, that obedience was holy and freedom was chaos.

They used everything - religion, education and even language to program people, in the process, reprogramming their sense of self. They told colonized nations their Gods were devils, their languages were primitive and their traditions were backward. 

Once you believe that, they don’t have to chain you. You’ll just police yourself. They created the civilized versus savage binary, so deep in the global psyche to the extent that even after independence, people still chase Western approval. That is the ‘genius’ of colonial psychology, as it does not end when the flag comes down, but when the mirror changes. 

Religion was (still is) the most effective form of control. They did not introduce Christianity, they repackaged it. 

They replaced the liberating parts with obedience, calling submission divine order. They turned the same book that said ‘let my people go’ into a handbook for staying in line. They further turned that same book that said “the violent taketh the Kingdom of God by force” into a pacifist handbook for promoting meekness. 

They said ‘blessed are the meek’ all while enslaving the meek and inheriting the earth to boot. They said ‘obey your masters’ all while being the masters. 

That is psychological warfare dressed up as morality, not faith. And then came the schools where they taught colonized people that all human history started with Europe and that everything was and is Europe. 

They erased our history and rewrote resistance as rebellion, while also calling genocide progress. They did not have to burn every village, they just had to teach the children to see themselves as less. 

And when those children then grew up and started leading, their already colonized mind became an organic impediment to their vision. You don’t need armies to keep control when you’ve already conquered identity.

And now comes globalization laced with the template of free market capitalism. But it is all the same game, just different packaging. 

Debt traps, development loans, sanctions and the establishment media. They don’t have to occupy you anymore; just convince you that you’re free while they hold all the receipts. Frantz Fanon warned us about this - not because he was violent, but because he understood the violence of being told that your only value is in your proximity to the values of the oppressor. 

Colonialism did not disappear, it just rebranded. They don’t need whips when they have WiFi, they don’t need chains when they control what you see, hear, learn and dream of becoming. 

That is the war nobody sees, the one that makes oppression look like order; because once the mind believes the ‘master’ is moral, the body doesn’t even try to run. 

Therein lies the real battle.

‘President of peace’ Donald Trump and the Venezuelan quagmire

CC™ PersPective

By Foreign News Desk

Global response to the capture of Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro by the United States, has been swift and directed. 

US President, Donald Trump had announced the capture of Maduro and his wife in an operation by American Special Forces over the weekend. 

Russian and China, in particular, accused the US government of “extremely serious military aggression” by Washington, while declaring a state of emergency as several leaders allied with Caracas denounced the US action, calling it an unprovoked armed aggression against a sovereign state.

A statement by Russia’s Foreign Ministry said: “This is deeply concerning and condemnable.

“The pretexts used to justify such actions are untenable. Ideological hostility has triumphed over businesslike pragmatism.”

Iran, on its part, said it “strongly condemns the US military attack on Venezuela and a flagrant violation of the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro called Maduro’s capture as US “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America, which would lead to a humanitarian crisis.

Colombia is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council this year, and leftist leader Petro called for the body to meet “immediately.”

Cuba, an ally of Venezuela, denounced what it called “state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people” according to a statement by President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who urged a “response from the international community” following a “criminal attack” on Caracas.

Driver’s decision that may have saved Anthony Joshua’s life

CC™ PersPective

By Global News Desk

It has emerged that a last-minute decision taken by Anthony Joshua’s driver, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 47, may have saved the life of the two-time Word Boxing champion in car crash that killed two of his friends.

The driver’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, made the revelation in Sagamu, Ogun State, during the hearing for Kayode in Sagamu High Court, where he denied all charges against him.

Abiodun told Daily Mail, “My client has pleaded not guilty. And what happened was an accident. I haven’t had a full chance to speak with him yet, but I know he is saying the brakes did not work.

“I also understand that the journey started in Lagos, and that initially Anthony had got into the front seat. But the driver asked him to swap seats.”

Kayode made the call because Anthony’s big frame was preventing him from seeing the side mirror properly.

The boxer, aged 36, then swapped seats from the front to the back of his SUV before the crash which killed Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele

“From what I understand, (late) Latif was in front,” but he then “changed seats with Anthony,” the lawyer added.

Wife and son

The driver’s bail was set at 5 million Naira, and his case adjourned to 20th January for his trial. 

Outside the court, the driver’s wife was too hysterical to speak. But his son told the Daily Mail his father was innocent and it was ‘just an unlucky accident’.

Ifeoluwa Adeniyi, 19, said: “The family is very upset by what’s happened and we are sorry for the deaths of the two people.

“Dad is not a fast driver, he was following the speed limit and then the brakes failed. He said he was pushing the pedal, but nothing was happening.

“He tries to swerve and avoid the truck parked by the side of the road but hit it. He’s been driving for Anthony for three years, he’s a good driver.

“I know that when the journey started in Lagos, Anthony was sitting in the front by the driver. But my dad asked him to sit behind because he was blocking his view.

“He was taking Anthony to see his family in Sagamu and had picked them up from the airport. They were only a few minutes from arriving.

“It’s not his fault. If the truck wasn’t parked there illegally this wouldn’t have happened.”