Archive for the 'AP Nigeria' Category
Sunday, March 25th, 2007
With an ethnically and religiously combustible population of 130 million, Nigeria is lurching toward disaster, and the stakes are high—for both Nigeria and the United States. An OPEC member since 1971, Nigeria has 35.9 billion barrels of proven petroleum reserves—the largest of any African country and the eighth largest on earth. It exports some 2.5 million barrels of oil a day, and the government plans to nearly double that amount by 2010. Nigeria is the fifth-largest supplier of oil to the United States; U.S. energy officials predict that within ten years it and the Gulf of Guinea region will provide a quarter of America‘s crude.
It is hardly surprising, then, that since 9/11 the Bush administration has courted Nigeria as an alternative to volatile petro-states in the Middle East and Latin America. In 2002, the White House declared the oil of Africa (five other countries on the continent are also key producers) a “strategic national interest”—meaning that the United States would use military force, if necessary, to protect it. In short, Nigeria‘s troubles could become America‘s and, like those of the Persian Gulf, cost us dearly in blood and money.
Read more from Jeffrey Tayler here
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Sunday, March 25th, 2007
Paul J. Kaiser of University of Pennsylvania published this briefing paper on Nigeria for AP Central.
read the briefing paper here
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Sunday, March 25th, 2007
Nigeria is ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
Daily, low-level corruption is visible on the street; policeman extorting money from motorists to supplement their meagre wages. But it is in the world of politics and government, where corruption has been most damaging. For decades the government has accrued huge oil revenues, yet the country suffers from a lack of basic infrastructure, and tens of millions live in poverty. At the same time, some politicians and their business associates have amassed personal fortunes.Although accusations of graft have long been a feature of Nigerian politics, as elections approach early next year, the politics of corruption have taken on a new powerful role.
BBC News on the Politics of Nigerian Corruption
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Sunday, March 25th, 2007
The election of Olusegun Obasanjo to the presidency of Nigeria in 1999 effectively brought an end to 16 years of military rule. Obasanjo became only the third head of government to be elected by the people (not counting the election of 1993, won by Chief Moshood Abiola but later annulled). Nigerians greeted the transition from military to civilian rule with widespread jubilation as they looked forward to a new era of stability, peace, and prosperity.
Read Iren Omo-Bare’s assessment as published on AP Central
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Sunday, March 25th, 2007
The contest to succeed Olusegun Obasanjo as the presidential candidate of ruling People Democratic Party (PDP) has reached a critical juncture. Prospective candidates must submit their applications by November 28th, 2006, prior to an internal party screening process in early December and a vote at the PDP’s congress later that month.
Read this short Economist piece
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Sunday, March 25th, 2007
The Niger Delta holds some of the world’s richest oil deposits, yet Nigerians living there are poorer than ever, violence is rampant, and the land and water are foul. What went wrong?
read a Q & A here
for more depth and understanding read National Geographic’s Tom O’Neil on “The Curse of Black Gold: Hope and Betrayal in the Niger Delta”
Sebastain Junger’s February, 2007 contribution to Vanity Fair magazine is also very much worth reading. Read it Here
Not to be overlooked is this piece by Ken Wiwa (the son of the martyr) “Death rules the delta in battle to control oil”
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Sunday, March 25th, 2007
When President Olusegun Obasanjo leaves office at the end of May, Nigeria would have achieved its first democratic transfer of power from one civilian administration to another – in spite of the reluctance of the outgoing administration.
Read about Obasanjo’s legacy to Nigeria
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Sunday, March 25th, 2007
Chronolgy helps. Here’s a breif timeline of Nigerian history
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Sunday, March 25th, 2007
Early one Sunday morning in June, a mysterious text message flashed across Kayode Fayemi’s cellphone.
“Since you continue to oppose Governor Fayose, we shall kill you,” the message read, referring to the bare-knuckled incumbent at the time, Ayo Fayose. It was signed, “THE FAYOSE M SQUAD.”
Read more here
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Sunday, March 25th, 2007
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, born in Abeokuta, Nigeria in 1938, was a singer-composer, trumpet, sax and keyboard player, bandleader, and politician. Kuti was one of Africa‘s most controversial musicians and throughout his life he continued to fight for the rights of the common man (and woman) despite vilification, harassment, and even imprisonment by the government of Nigeria. Born to Yoruban parents, Kuti was strongly influenced by both parents, his mother being Funmilayo, a leading figure in the nationalist struggle. Practically all of his records are dominated by political events and discussions from the approach of Pan-Africanism.
The American Black Power movement influenced Fela’s political views. He was also a supporter of Pan-Africanism and socialism (although in a 1982 documentary he can clearly be seen rejecting both capitalism and socialism in favor of a third way that he described as Africanism), and called for a united, democratic African republic. He was a fierce supporter of human rights, and many of his songs are direct attacks against dictatorships, specifically the militaristic governments of Nigeria in the 1970s and 1980s
Kuti continued his outspoken attacks on the Nigerian government. When the people returned to power in 1979, Kuti began his own political party – MOP (Movement of the People). The military returned to power in 1983 and within the year Kuti was sentenced to five years in prison on a spurious currency smuggling charge. He was released in 1986 after yet another change of government.
The musical style performed by Fela Kuti is called Afrobeat, which is essentially a fusion of jazz, funk and Traditional African Chant. It is characterized by having African style percussion, vocals, and musical structure, along with jazzy, funky horn sections. The “endless groove” is also used, in which a base rhythm of drums, muted guitar, and bass guitar are repeated throughout the song. His songs were mostly sung in Nigerian pidgin, although he also performed a few songs in the Yoruba language.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti died on Saturday, August 2, 1997 in Lagos, Nigeria. It had been rumored for some time that Fela had a serious illness he was refusing treatment for, many said he was suffering from prostate cancer. But as it turns out, Fela died from complications due to AIDS. As Fela’s brother, Olikoye Ransome Kuti, said at a news conference
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