CC Global Insight
In this interview with Katie Couric, Nigeria's Finance Minister and former World Bank Executive, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala seems bent on promoting the "success" of the World Economic Forum event in Abuja (Nigeria's capital), rather than speak on what concrete steps the government is doing to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped Nigerian girls.
Monday
Thursday
Boko Haram leader Shekau made group more ruthless
 |
| Nigeria's President G.E. Jonathan |
Born in a village in Nigeria's northeastern Yobe state on the border with Niger, Shekau had a traditional Islamic education in neighboring Borno state, where Boko Haram was founded more than a decade ago by the cleric Mohammed Yusuf.
After meeting Yusuf, Shekau joined his movement made up largely of radical youths who believed that the prevalence of Western education and values were to blame for many of Nigeria's problems, including egregious corruption and crippling poverty.
Boko Haram, which loosely translates as "Western education is forbidden", is a nickname that the Islamists have disowned, referring to themselves as Jama'tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad (People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad).
Awareness and condemnation of Shekau spread across the globe this week after he released a video boasting about the April 14 mass abduction in Chibok, Borno state, in which he threatened to sell the hostages as "slaves".
But for Nigerians, the chilling video was consistent with an Islamist leader who is believed to have masterminded waves of horrific attacks since he took charge of Boko Haram several months after Yusuf was killed by Nigerian police in 2009.
"With Shekau at the helm," the International Crisis Group (ICG) said in a report last month, "Boko Haram has grown more ruthless, violent and destructive."
Shekau's extremism is perhaps best highlighted by the decision of Ansaru -- a Boko Haram offshoot which has kidnapped foreigners and published their execution online -- to cut ties.
Ansaru "distanced itself from the rest of Boko Haram because it disapproved of its indiscriminate killings and Shekau's lack of tact," the ICG report said, citing security sources and people with close ties to both militant groups.
There were significant outbursts of violence under Yusuf but the group was nominally committed to spreading sharia (Islamic law) across northern Nigeria, a goal some in the deeply conservative region support.
Yusuf's ideology and anti-corruption preachings have been largely buried by Shekau's repeated attacks on defenseless civilians, including mass kidnappings and the slaughter of scores of students in their sleep, analysts say.
Even before Yusuf's death, Shekau had accused him of "being too soft", according to the ICG, and Shekau signalled the new direction he meant to take Boko Haram roughly a year after taking charge.
Major attacks in Nigeria's capital Abuja in 2012, including a bombing at the United Nations headquarters that killed scores, raised concern that Boko Haram's new leaders had received jihadist training abroad, perhaps in Algeria or Somalia.
The specific details of those foreign links have been much debated by experts but little has been confirmed.
Since 2011, the Islamists have attacked churches, mosques, politicians, police and the military, among various other targets.
The United States has declared Shekau a global terrorist and put a $7 million (5.3 million euros) bounty on his head.
The US Justice Department lists 1965, 1969 and 1975 as possible years of the birth.
And Shekau's videos have become the primary channel through which the insurgents speak.
At times he makes threats against specific Nigerian targets.
At others he seems completely disconnected from current events, threatening world leaders who are dead, like recent warnings against ex-British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, and the late pope John Paul II.
A quote from one his first video, released in 2012, has been cited by experts as perhaps providing a window into his character.
"I enjoy killing anyone that God commands me to kill the way I enjoy killing chickens and rams," Shekau said.
Wednesday
New Star Wars cast finally announced.....
Star Wars fans, your wish has finally been granted. All of the secret meetings Disney and J.J Abrams have had with actors around the world led to the first table read for the new movie. If you’re worried that you might not see Luke, Leia and Han again don’t fear because Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford are officially apart of the main cast.
Here is the official announcement from the Star Wars website:
“The Star Wars team is thrilled to announce the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.
Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker are in the new film.
Director J.J. Abrams says, “We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.”
Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer. The movie opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.”
It seems with the cast list the producers and Abrams are working really hard to link the original trilogy with the newest installment. Beside the veterans, we don’t know yet what roles the Star Wars newcomers will take and how they relate to Star Wars lore. December 2015 will be an exciting month. If you agree with the casting please let us know in the comments below!
Friday
Nigeria vows to protect delegates to World Economic Forum event while its citizens are left to the mercy of Islamist mass-murderers
 |
| Nigerian Special Forces |
Nigeria will mount a massive security operation to protect a World Economic Forum on Africa planned in Abuja next month, following the bomb attack by suspected Islamist militants on the capital's outskirts on Monday, the event's Nigerian hosts said.
"Our security planning for the World Economic Forum on Africa (scheduled for May 7-9) is already well under way and will be the largest security operation ever mounted in this country for an international summit," Nigeria's Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, stated.
Monday's rush hour bomb blast at a bus station at Nyanya, which killed 71 people and injured more than 100 others, was the deadliest ever attack on the capital of Africa's No. 1 oil producer and what is now the continent's largest economy.
With President Goodluck Jonathan pointing the finger of suspicion at Islamist group Boko Haram which is waging an anti-government insurgency in the northeast, the bombing has raised questions about the government's ability to protect the capital.
Referring to what it called Monday's "suspected act of terrorism", the statement said over six thousand security personnel, consisting of police and army, would be deployed to guard the WEF Africa event in Abuja, securing an area the size of 97 square miles.
Assuring participants that they would be safe, the statement expressed "our deep commitment that these tragic events will not stop us from delivering on our promise to host a world-class meeting next month". It was also signed by Nwanze Okidegbe, chief economic adviser to President Jonathan.
Thursday
The NAACP and Donald Sterling
 |
| Lifetime Achievement Award? Guess money talks. |
You've probably heard the tape of what is purported to be Donald Sterling being a belligerent bigot and telling his girlfriend (who is half black and half Mexican) not to associate with any black people.
She’s also not allowed to bring any black people to his games, especially Magic Johnson.
It’s like Sterling wakes up everyday and reads the Willie Lynch letter while watching Birth of a Nation. The dude is such a classless caricature that I bet he has a pet blackbird named Jim Crow.
There are at least 15 messed up issues about this whole situation, including his girlfriend, who was talking about how she wished she could change her skin. Ma’am, who taught you to hate yourself, and where can we find them so we can wish perpetual paper-cuts on their lives? That’s a whole lot of unfortunate that I won’t even go into right now.
Then there’s the glaring fact that Donald the Degenerate sees black folks as valuable only when they bring you pleasure in bed and money for your wallet — but nothing else.
I’m here to side-eye the NAACP’s Los Angeles chapter, which was about to give Donald Sterling a Lifetime Achievement Award. Even though they have made a statement withdrawing it, it feels too little too late. Actually, my judging eyes are for the entire NAACP, who already gave him the award in 2009.
Even if the tape of him sounding like a raging racist never dropped, why would the NAACP want to give this man a Lifetime Achievement Award? TWICE, at that! One wasn't enough. He needed more props, it seems.
This is complete and utter nonsense.
Donald Sterling has been dedicated to the cause of being an intergalactic ignoramus with an aura the color of hot dog water for decades. He was investigated by the Justice Department and fined $2.7 million because he refused to rent his properties to people of color. It was the largest housing discrimination lawsuit ever.
Elgin Baylor, a former player, sued him and the Clippers and said the team had a “Southern Plantation type structure.” Clearly, we see Brother Elgin wasn’t telling lies. Donald has a long history of using racist slurs and just being a horrible human being, and none of it is a secret.
Again, I ask why the NAACP would consider him an appropriate honoree. I don’t care how much money this man has given to youth programs in LA or how many Clippers tickets he’s given to kids. Do I even need to point out that all that “goodwill” was probably tax-deductible anyway?
Yeah … I don’t.
If you are not working towards the advancement and freedom of black people, why would you be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award? Donald definitely wasn't with us shooting in the freedom gym. If you’re going to give a white man an NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award, he better be out on these front lines preaching equality right next to Al and Jesse. He better be taking down the bricks of the house of white supremacy one by one with his bare hands. He better be doing real concrete things that are dismantling the system of racism that his kinfolk work tirelessly to keep in place.
If he’s not doing any of that, there’s no reason for him to be awarded with some lifetime achievement by what is supposed to be the leading black civil rights organization in the country. The keyword here is “supposed.”
Shade.
If the NAACP didn't know of Donald Sterling’s past, then they’re proving that they’re incredibly out of the loop. In fact, it’ll mean that they’re so out of the loop that they must have ended up in a square by way of Apple Maps. And if they did know about his discriminatory deeds and they chose to honor him anyway just because he dropped some coins in a bucket, then they put a price on our people’s worth.
And I’m not sure which is worse, because one is negligent and the other is just shameful. Either way, this is a fail.
Donald Sterling’s recorded statements (and life, really) embodies the system of white supremacy that we live in. I’m less surprised that he’s an narrow-minded nincompoop, because he’s old and white. What gives me the most pause is the fact that he was even given an award in 2009 and then considered for one again. It proves that we’re enablers in this web too, giving positive reinforcement to the exploitation of our people.
America doesn't have to love us, but we need to love ourselves and stop awarding those who make a living out of stepping on our heads to get further. The NAACP is supposed to be a gatekeeper, but they left the gate wide open and took a nap right next to it.
Nigeria to lead others in rejection of EU trade agreement
 |
| Olusegun Aganga (R) says Nigeria not big on EPA with the EU |
African ministers of trade and experts in trade and regional integration have agreed to boycott planned signing of Economic Partnership Agreement, EPA, with European Union. The signing of the agreement is scheduled for October 1, 2014.
Speaking at the Extra-Ordinary Session of the Conference of African Union Ministers of Trade in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the ministers said the trade liberalization deal with the European Union will have a long-term negative impact on the continent's efforts towards industrialization and job creation.
The meeting was convened to discuss Africa's common position ahead of the October 1st deadline for signing of the EPA with EU; the establishment of the Common Free Trade Area (CFTA) by 2015; extension of African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) by the American government for 15 more years and Africa's strategic response to World Trade Organisation negotiations, among others.
While reiterating Nigeria's position on EPA, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said rather than entering into the agreement, African countries should leverage their abundant natural resources and large market to develop industries and create jobs for their people.
"Nigeria's position on EPA is very clear. Africa is on the rise. It is a very big and strategic market for any trading partner. That is what the EU wants from us but Africa must jealously protect what it has.
"We should leverage our abundant natural resources and large market to develop our industries; create jobs for our people; increase intra-African trade and achieve regional integration. We must not be in a hurry to give away what we have. We must not sign an agreement without first of all carrying out a robust economic analysis of the overall impact the agreement will have on the region, our children and future generations," Aganga affirmed.
He, however, cautioned against anything that would undermine Africa's regional integration, saying, "Whilst it is important to look into the October 1, 2014 deadline for the signing of EPA, we should also fully examine the impact of the withdrawal of market access by EU after this deadline. If it is necessary, Africa should look at ways of compensating member countries that will suffer losses as a result of this withdrawal. We must not be in a hurry to sign an EPA if it will not be in the overall best interest of the continent."
Zambian Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Mr. Robert Sichinga, agreed with Nigeria's position, noting that rather than jeopardizing their industrialization and job creation drive by hastily signing the EPA, African countries should work towards enhancing regional integration and intra-African Trade through value addition of their abundant raw materials, "especially in the areas where they have competitive and comparative advantage."
Sovereign National Conference: Yoruba delegates reject provocative and divisive document being pushed by the North
Yoruba young delegates from the South-West on Tuesday rejected an "offensive document" circulated by their northern counterparts.
The delegates expressed dismay about the document titled, 'Issues before the northern contingents.'
Rising from an emergency meeting in Abuja, the Yoruba young delegates said the document was "provocative and divisive."
Their spokesperson, Chief Bisi Adegbuyi, said the document was predicated on "assumptions and outright falsehood."
Speaking on Tuesday night, Adegbuyi said the Yoruba might be pushing for a confederal arrangement in Nigeria.
He said, "In the light of what is happening particularly the provocative, highly incendiary and a disuniting document distributed by northern delegates to all the delegates who are working at the committee level, it is important to say that the Yoruba may be pushing for a confederacy in Nigeria.
"This is predicated on assumptions and lies contained in the document."
Adegbuyi said the front page of the document contained a Nigerian map purportedly apportioning 80 percent of the Nigerian land mass to the North while the whole of the South-West, South-East and South-South occupied just 20 percent.
"We have thought that the essence of this conference was to foster unity and find solutions to the problems confronting the Nigerian state.
"It is extremely provocative for the North to be circulating document purporting that the whole of the South does not matter claiming the North is the backbone of Nigeria."
Adegbuyi said events at the committee level showed that any proposal by Yoruba delegates had met stiff resistance "no matter the merit and benefits."
"There is a mindset and collective decision to oppose it," he added.
He said the parliamentary and state police demanded by Yoruba delegates had been opposed by a voice vote as against the rule set for the conference.
Adegbuyi said there were issues coming up that might make the Yoruba young delegates at the conference to take a hard decision.
"Yorubas have never pushed for secession in the Nigerian state, we have always labored for unity. Our leaders, starting from the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was imprisoned, the late M.K.O Abiola that won the presidential election was not allowed to rule and was murdered," he said.
Continuing, he cited Chief Olu Falae, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Olaniwun Ajayi, the late Bisi Onabanjo and the late Bola Ige, among Yorubas that had paid heavy sacrifices for the unity of Nigeria.
"We are going to respond to the inaccuracies and sometimes outright falsehood contained in the incendiary document.
"The content of the document is divisive and will likely undermine the search for unity in Nigeria.
"The essence of this conference is to put our heads together and imbibe the spirit of give and take so that we can have a very strong, indivisible and progressive country that will cater to the needs of the people.
"A country that will be safe. A country where school children will not be abducted or kidnapped."
Adegbuyi warned that the incident at the conference might tear the country apart if not immediately addressed.
Recalling that a consensus had been built on devolution of power, he stated that the Committee on Devolution of Power had only been able to remove six of the 68 items on the Exclusive List of the 1999 Constitution.
He said, "The problem with Nigeria is that the center is by far too strong. If we don't devolve power as agreed upon, that means this conference might turn out to be a waste of time."
He stated that about 70 percent of Nigerians that submitted memorandum asked for restructuring in governance.
"The committee on restructuring have retained the existing 36 states as the federating units. Are we in anyway restructuring Nigeria by that?" he queried.
He said the conference must consider devolution of power and state police as a minimum irreducible condition.
He asked, "If we can't achieve state police, we can't achieve fiscal federalism, devolution of power, restructuring of Nigeria, then why are we at the conference?"
Calling for regionalism, he said the presidential system currently being practiced in Nigeria encourages corruption and impunity.
"Regionalism is very crucial to us. If some parts of the country don't want regionalism, those of us that want it should be allowed to pursue it.
"We demand for self- determination within Nigeria. Failure to do this, the Yoruba nation would push for self determination.
"We don't want Nigeria to take us back, we have suffered enough. We will push for the right of people to secede from Nigeria if they so desire because if people don't have their wishes and aspirations met, they have the right to pull out. The United Nations guarantees that."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
