Morocco rejoins AU

Morocco has been readmitted as a member of the African Union. 39 of  54 member states approved the return of Morocco to the AU.

What happened?

Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until 1975. When the Spanish left, Morocco seized power. However, the indegenous Sahrawi people fought against the Moroccan rule.

Conflicts arose and the Sahrawi flew to neighbouring Algeria where they lived in refugee camps. A cease-fire was reached in 1991 and the Sahrawi were promised referendum but it never happened. 

Will Morocco's readmittance bring the much-needed peace in the region? 

Source: bbc.co.uk

Many dual citizens vie for Somalia's presidency

Do I smell a revolution here? Africans in diaspora are getting tired of the way things are run in Africa. With all these Trump/Brexit shenanigans, many Africans in diaspora are looking to return home and make it better.

It appears to be the most contested elections in Somalia. The candidates - all male - had to pay a fee of  $30,000 (£23,000) and also get signatures from at least 20 members of parliament.

For the first time, parliamentarians who were elected by selected citizens will elect the president.

For many Somalis, the election represents yet another opportunity to rebuild their country after 26 years of endless civil war.

Could someone in diaspora make a positive change? Some of Africa's Pan-African revolutionaries were actually either working or studying in colonial power countries and saw the way things were and began to agitate for freedom, independence etc.

Perhaps the saying 'all things happen for a reason' is right!

 Culled from bbc.co.uk: Read it from here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-38235373 

Miss Kenya - Trump huhaha!

People on social media are infuriated by the question that Miss Kenya was asked during the Miss Universe beauty contest.

Some people thought that asking her about American politics was unfair.

When asked bout Trump, this was some of the things she had to say:

"Politics … ahh OK let me just start again. Donald Trump, having been elected as the President of the United States, may not have been the choice of many people living in the United States because of the divided support system for the outgoing President Barack Obama, who was supporting an upcoming woman President … who was supposed to be a woman President Hillary Clinton,” she said.

"So, so many people oppose his position. But I feel that once [Trump] took up his position, he was able to unify the entire nation.”

Poor girl! 

On a positive note, she did make the top 6!

You can watch her response here: https://youtu.be/J2zEtrDE0-Q

My early morning commute!

I love and enjoy the commute to work. I love sitting down on the train and looking out the window enjoying some of the most beautiful countryside sceneries.

There is always that one thing that spoils my fun. As you all know, the weather is freezing cold. So, standing at the train station and all frozen, I am expecting to feel human and get warm once I get on the train. But, to my surprise, I get on the train and the air-conditioning units are on full blast. I am thinking and soliloquising if I am on a different planet and if I am the only one that feels cold. To add to this discomfort, some inconsiderate person gets on and opens the windows.


By this time, I am crying with mucus and tears pouring down my face, the wind and noise are going through me, my jacket and scarf are not enough to shield me from the cold. I pray for the journey to be over as I can't bear the cold and breeze any longer. I get up and move to another carriage. I pray that the train I get the next day is warm and that no inconsiderate person gets on and opens the windows. I can only hope. If not, I would just cry!

Saturday night chillng

The weekend is finally here and I am looking forward to some relaxation. I have already danced to some of my favorite songs. I will dedicate some time to read some books. I want to read 'things fall apart' again and 'dead aid' by Dambisa Moyo. I love that lady. I think that I must have watched all her talks on YouTube. She is absolutely intelligent.

I am currently reading a book by Martin Meredith titled 'the state of Africa'. It is such an eye opener.

I am loving reading this book and I am hooked. 

What are you up to this weekend?

Nigeria: Babies used in suicide bombings

There are things I read and I am left dumbfounded! I read that Boko Haram have started using babies to carry out their heinous crimes.

An attack in the town of Madagali on 13 January saw two women detonate their devices, killing themselves, two babies, and four others.

The two women carrying infants, however, were not stopped, and exploded their own devices past the security point.

They had passed a vigilante checkpoint, mistaken for civilians because they were carrying infants.

When things degenerate like this, I begin to wonder where the human is in humanity.


Source:bbc.co.uk. Read more:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38725976

The Bride Price - Buchi Emecheta

I have a large collection of books to read and 'the bride price' is definitely going to be one that I would be dedicating my time to read soon.

The writer of 'the bride price' who is one of Nigerian's prolific writers, Buchi Emecheta, has passed away.

Her story is one of great strength and bravery, and at a time when Nigerian women were brought up to be subservient and stay in abusive marriages, left an her abusive marriage with her 5 children. 

She wrote some of the most enchanting books that told a story that draws the reader into the world of not only the protagonist but other characters in the book.

Some of her books which include 'second class citizen' and 'the slave girl' depict some aspects of her life.

Sleep well Ma!

Nigerian-Turkish school kidnap

Sometimes, some human beings do the most disgusting things and they get away with it. I have been following this news on the school children and staff kidnapped in a Nigerian school and I am just livid!

According to the papers, some gunmen had stormed the NTIC last Friday through a hole dug under the school fence and headed for the female hostel, where three pupils were abducted.

A Turkish teacher, a supervisor, a matron and two intending candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, who worked in the school, were also taken away by the assailants.

The kidnappers had contacted the matron’s husband and demanded N100m while the police were under pressure to rescue the victims safely.

There was also report that the families gathered up to 7million Naira but the kidnappers had the audacity to reject the money claiming that it is too small.

If these kidnappers get away with this, Nigerians should say goodbye to the safety of their children in schools.

Nigerian government needs to shut the creek down and get these children and staff home.


Source: Punch Nigeria. Read more:http://punchng.com/nigerian-turkish-school-warned-imminent-attack/

Friday is here!

I am so looking forward to my weekend! I will be dancing non-stop to soukous and makossa music.

If you want to join me to shake off all the stress of the week, here are some of the songs that I will be dancing to!

https://youtu.be/MCsm7_XaNYc

Have a lovely weekend!

Wole Soyinka - A man that keeps his word! Wole Soyinka confirms he destroyed his green card after Trump win

Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka will add to his accolades, the title 'a man who keeps his words'!

Remember that in November, Soyinka said he would destroy his green card and he got a lot of stick for it mostly from Nigerians?

Well, after threatening to do it a week before the US presidential elections last November,  Wole Soyinka has confirmed he has destroyed his green card because Donald Trump won.  

In an interview with the Atlantic on Tuesday, Soyinka confirmed he had followed through on his pledge to destroy his green card if Trump won.

Soyinka stated that he had made his green card “inoperable”. “I don’t have strong enough fingers to tear up a green card. As long as Trump is in charge, if I absolutely have to visit the United States, I prefer to go in the queue for a regular visa with others. I’m no longer part of the society, not even as a resident.”

I guess he has made his stand for what he truly believed in!

Now what?



Source: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/18/wole-soyinka-confirms-he-destroyed-his-green-card-after-trump-win

Nigeria air strike 'kills 50'

A total of 50 people were killed and 120 wounded when Nigerian fighter jets "mistakenly" bombed people displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency and aid workers in north-eastern Borno state.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhadri is said to be deeply sorry.

The air force was engaged in the "final phase of mopping up insurgents" when "this regrettable operational mistake" happened, he added.

Tanzanian beauty queen left with broken head after horrific attack by robbers

Queen Nazil, who was one of the 2016 Miss Tanzanian beauty contest, was attacked by a gang of robbers last Saturday night after being dropped at home by a friend.

"She had just arrived home after a night out with friends; and when she was waiting for her sister to open the gate, two men on a motorbike ambushed her, demanding she gives them her handbag," said a friend.

"Since the handbag had her phone, iPhone 6 model, TSh200, 000 (KSh9, 400) and other valuables, Queen tried to resist, and that is when one member of the gang cut her in the head with a panga. She collapsed, and was left bleeding profusely,"

She is reported to be responding to treatment.

And news from Africa ...

In Kenya, a female MP has called on women in opposition strongholds to deny men sex if they fail to register to vote in what are expected to be fiercely contested general elections in August.

It would be interesting to see how the Kenyan men take this. Can sex be a provocative bargaining tool or I should be asking, how important is sex to the Kenyan men that it would motivate them to register?

Interesting to see how this pans out!

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In Gambia, President Yahya Jammeh is still very head strong remaining in power even after being defeated! 

What is that African saying again?

He whom the gods want to destroy, they first make mad! Perhaps someone should show Jammeh the history of ex-leaders who defied their people and are now with their ancestors. 

Gambians have had enough! is it not the time to respectfully leave!

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Also in Gambia and a very sad news, the son of Gambia's President-elect Adama Barrow has died after being bitten by a dog.

Eight-year-old Habibu Barrow is reported to have died on the way to the hospital on Sunday in Manjai near the Gambian capital Banjul.

Mr Barrow missed his son's funeral as he was advised to remain in Senegal for his safety.

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Nigeria's militant Islamist Abubakar Shekau has released an audio message, saying his Boko Haram group was behind yesterday's attack on a university in the main north-eastern city of Maiduguri.

Four people - a professor, a child and two suicide bombers - were killed in the twin blasts, while 17 others sustained injuries. 

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Abubakar Shekau, his enablers, supporters and sponsors have a lot of blood in their hands! Mothers, fathers, children have been killed, displaced, raped, mentally and physically tortured and still, there is no end to these unjustifiable killings. 

Are there no other ways to argue and put through their agendas than to kill, maim and destroy innocent people who are managing to survive with the hard life in the country?  

We count the professor and the child among the many victims of the bloodthirsty Boko Haram.  We remember the victims in our prayers!

News from bbc.co.uk. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38641070

Nigeria - Suicide attack hits Nigeria's University of Maiduguri

At least four people have been reported killed and 15 others injured in a suicide bomb attack at the University of Maiduguri according to aljazeera.com.

The blast happened on Monday at a mosque in the staff quarters area of the University and is thought to have been carried out by a teenage girl, a local resident and a lecturer told AFP news agency.

It was also reported that no group has claimed responsibility yet.

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And the bloodshed continues, the death toll continues to rise and there is no end in sight to these unjustified killings by blood hungry criminals. There is no justice in sight for all the souls the country has lost in these baseless killings. No one seems to be telling the world the stories of all the innocent children, men and women who lost their lives! 

Religion is supposed to make people kind, giving, empathetic etc. If religion now makes people kill, destroy and cause unmendable heartache to people, what is the use then?

Sheds tears!

Sourced from http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/01/suicide-attack-hits-nigeria-university-maiduguri-170116112753904.html

O M G!!

Worst nightmare!

Thank God the little boy didn't get hurt!

About 100 migrants feared missing

I feel so sad after reading that 100 migrants are missing after a boat sank off the Libyan coast.

The dangerous journey to the land of 'gold and honey' continues. Many Africans are willing to risk their lives to make that journey. 

Many years ago, they were bound in 'chains' and transported as slaves. These days, no one needs to bind anyone in physical chains. They make the dangerous journey themselves.

More often, there are harrowing stories following why people flee from their home countries - bad governance, war, persecution, lack of financial freedom, genocide, poverty etc.

No one can fully understand what goes on in the minds of these migrants who are willing to die at sea rather than stay in their own countries. One can only imagine that it is never an easy decision to leave everything one is used to for a 'dream' of what might not be.

However, the 'developed countries' have had enough! People are angry with mass immigration and open borders! The evidence can be seen in the rise of right wing movements all over Europe, Brexit and even Trump!

Perhaps, a strong message needs to be sent to migrants before they leave Libya.

Europe is cold! Not just the weather!

Life can be difficult especially if you do not have income.

Life is not easier!

The only people that gain from all these are the smugglers who make money from this!

Let it snow!

It is snowing here and freezing cold. The big freeze is here!

Yesterday, the heavens opened up and poured down like the earth depended on it. My feet were soaking wet by the time I got to the station and home.

Now, all I want is to wear my onesie, have a nice cuppa and sleep.

I am so looking forward to my weekend.

How is the weather where you are?

Word!

Any thoughts on this?

Nigeria - No love affair between Nigeria and Aid agencies!

We might be seeing an acrimonious relationship develop between the Nigerian government and Aid agencies. There seems to be a gap between the activities of Aid agencies and that of the agenda of the Northeastern Nigerian states that these agencies are operating in. One of the state governors,  Kashim Shettima,  was quoted saying "We hardly know what the UN agencies are doing. We only see them in some white flashy bullet-proof jeeps; apart from that, we hardly see their visible impacts."

The governor also stated that most aid groups operating in Nigeria's north-east were wasting funds meant to help victims of the Islamist Boko Haram insurgency and only eight of 126 registered agencies in Borno state were there to genuinely help, said.

The governor accused some agencies of concentrating too much on the camps for those displaced by the conflict.

The Nigeria's Premium Times newspaper quoted the governor stating that "We are in the post-conflict phase of insurgency era where we are concentrating on recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation. But the foreign NGOs have near fixation on the IDP camps,".

Last month, Nigeria's President Muhammdu Buhari accused the UN and aid agencies of deliberately exaggerating the humanitarian crisis and whipping up "a non-existent fear of mass starvation" to get more funds.

Last month, the UN launched a $1bn (£825,000) appeal for those facing hunger and starvation in the region.

Governor Shettima even called for those agencies only there to profit "from the agony of our people" to leave.

The trouble is that the aid agencies often have their own agendas which sometimes, is totally tangent from that of the countries that they go to 'help'. 

Culled from bbc.co.uk

Uganda - Museveni promotes son to special adviser role

Gen Kainerugaba, 42, has been promoted to become a special presidential adviser in a reshuffle of army commanders. 

The question now is if Museveni is grooming his son to take over power from him and become president of Uganda in the future?

Monday morning in London

I got to London at about 9.05 this morning and the amount of people I saw outside the station was incredible. Although I heard on the news that due to the underground strike that there would be overcrowding at major stations, however, I wasn't prepared for what I saw - the crowd. I couldn't even find a space within the human crowd to perch and cross the streets. Crossing the streets was even worse as the crowd was enormous and at a time, I got stuck in the middle of the street with the green lights on and cars beginning to move due to the sheer number of people on the road.


All that being said it looks like it is going to be a lovely day!

Big day for Ghana - Nana Akufo-Addo is sworn in as president!

72 year old former human rights lawyer, Nana Akufo-Addo has been sworn in as Ghana's new president.

I followed the live stream on social media and it was such a memorable occasion. Ghana has retained its reputation for peaceful transfer of power.


Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38539751

My dad's posthumous birthday!

Today I celebrate my wonderful dad. Although he has gone to rest, I still celebrate his birthday. 

I miss him so much. I sometimes want to have a pity party and cry woe is me but I know that is not what he would want.

I have not been able to grieve properly and I do not know if I really want to because I am scared that I may be too weak to face the reality of death and my dad not being here with us anymore.

My dad was a wonderful and special man, with a strong character and personality. A man of great intelligence and well revered by his peers. He was never afraid to speak his mind as long as it was the truth. He was once a student union president in his time at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He fought for people's rights and helped as many as he could.

He taught me quite a lot and was a great motivation and inspiration to me. I remember him today with the fondest of memories. I remember our time spent listening and appreciating music, playing lawn tennis, laughing and even disagreeing.

In this picture taken with my dad, he was already poorly but managed to attend and celebrate my graduation with me.


My upcoming book, details more about the last months spent with my dad. I will post more information about my book in the next coming months.

Happy birthday, dad!

Powerful image!

9th UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (right), the Chef de Cabinet, Maria Luiza Riberio Viotti (left) and other senior members of staff.

Senegal - Good news for Senegalese in diaspora who want to run for parliament

Although, the opposition has criticized this move, Senegalese people living abroad will be able to run for office in their home country for the first time in July's elections, after MPs voted to increase the number of seats in parliament.

The national assembly will add 15 seats for members of the country's diaspora, bringing the total to 165.

The new MPs will have to return to Senegal to serve their five-year terms.

What do you think? Is this a good move?

Culled from bbc.co.uk: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38496786

Happy new year!

Wishing you all a happy New Year!