“Don’t get me wrong – I believe some form of corruption exists in EVERY society, but I happen to be a Nigerian. So, home is my first port of call. I’m sometimes so upset about the “blatantness” (if there is such a word) of corruption in Nigeria. I was pretty miffed last week when our litigation clerk said a typist in the court refused to type a record of proceedings because he gave her only 400 naira as “thank-you-in-advance”. I was so upset. This had occurred before and I personally went to her to inquire. She said: “Don’t mind your clerk. So, he looked at me from up to down and gave me just N200?”

On Sino-Nigerian Trade
Molara Wood publishes a letter written to the Chinese president during his visit to Nigeria. The letter was written by some Nigerian writers ‘in different parts of the world'.

“In the wake of your two-day visit to Nigeria, we the undersigned Nigerian writers could not but draw your attention to and deplore some of the practices of the Chinese government. China is emerging as another economic and political superpower whose foreign policy will bear a vast influence in world affairs. It very unlikely that a government that is repressive at home would have a foreign policy that differs from what it espouses and offers at home…”

Still on the China, Black Looks discusses that incursion of China into Nigeria and Africa, stating: “The West has not given up on Africa but its a hard battle when countries such as Britain insist on conditions like ending corruption and good governance in return for their aid. On the other hand China doesnt offer aid - she invests or rather buys and of course asks no questions. Why should they afterall they have an appalling human rights and corruption record themselves. So on the one hand you have Brown Bono et al with their paternalistic lecturing and threats of bread and water punishment. On the other you have China’s free for all bulk purchase sell and buy anything with no conditions attached. There must be a third way”

Economics, Electric Power and Governance
“Despite debt relief, poor nations back in the red“, states Africa Unchained. “The report by the Washington-based Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) says that in half the countries that received debt relief under the programme known as the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, debt has in fact climbed back up to where it was before the debt relief plan….”

Deni Africa- a new blog created to stimulate the private sector and the African economies announces that the “privatization of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) formerly National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), might have gone into limbo as it was learnt that a powerful cabal consisting of top government officials in the Ministry of Power and Steel and collaborators in the company were frustrating its sale to the private sector. NEPA, now PHCN, arguably received more funds from the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, since its inception in May 1999, than any single government enterprise, yet power supply has remained abysmal, in what has come be seen as, a conspiracy between government officials and generator dealers.”

According to Chippla's Weblog the Nigerian foreign reserve is expected to hit $50 billion by the end of 2006, the author wonders if the Nigerian government should go on saving, “despite the poor infrastructure on the ground or is it about time it adopted a more radical approach to infrastructure decay?”

“…The time has come for the Nigerian government to dip a little bit into its forgiven currency reserve for the benefit of electricity generation. This may not be the classical textbook way of dealing with this issue but face it, imagine the number of homegrown startup companies one would find in Nigeria if an infrastructure such as stable electricity were guaranteed. And that's not even up to a tip of the iceberg!”

Nigerian Patriotism, Unity, and Political Rhetorics
Just Thots by a Naijaman rants about Nigerian patriotism and cohesion in a post titled: “ ‘One Nigeria’” as a paradox”, here is an excerpt:

“Nigeria is indeed not a nation, it's people do not behave as nigerians. Indeed the people care nothing for nigeria, they do not respect it neither do they love it. Citizenship and patriotism has lost its meaning in “one nigeria. Nigerians would rather be caught with a US flag than the green-white-green, millions of nigerians are fans of arsenal-till-i-die yet have no idea about the local soccer team in their local government. The average Nigerian kid with no knowledge of Nigeria's history can boldly tell you all the hottest night clubs in NY despite having never been there. In “one nigeria”, nothing belongs to the people. Public property is no man's property and thus can be vandalized at will. We do not care for our landscape, we don't like our schools, we hate our leaders and most of us would rather sleep at home than go out and vote or for census.”

The blog Exodus also has a posting themed along a similar topic: “What is Nigeria? Exploring questions of ethnicity and national unity”

In a post titled: Too many aspirants dying to rule in Nigeria The Blog- Akin, in response to a topic on NaijaBlog dealing with possible candidates for the presidency of Nigeria states:

“In my humble opinion, I am getting fed up of people who try to express their earnest desire to lead their people through words of martyrdom. It is part of the martyrdom rhetoric used by President Obasanjo in his inauspicious quest for a third term to finish what he has not started to properly to date. Just because you are ready to die for your country does not make you any more earnest or more patriotic than those who are want to preserve their lives in service of their country…”

Unwanted Pregnancy and Adoption Services
The Kids' Doc in Jos writes about Pro-Life Evangel, a program that offers “free pregnancy testing, counseling and pastoral care, adoption services, support of the new mother and baby with supplies and clothes, housing for needy mothers and post-abortion counseling” in the Jos metrpolitan area of Nigeria.

“Wednesday morning we got a wake-up call: a baby had been born Tuesday night, we could come and get her any time… Baby Tina is the thirteenth baby to arrive in this world with the help of the crisis pregnancy program at Evangel Hospital, called Pro-Life Evangel. The program was started in November 2004 by Bill and Dorothy Ardill, after seeing many, many women coming to Evangel asking for abortions while we had little to offer besides some counseling. We were not doing abortions, but we did not have a lot to offer these women, either. Many were willing to have their babies, but were pressured by their families and even churches, perhaps indirectly, to “solve the problem…The program has just purchased a home where some of the young women can stay for a time, it’s called the Miriam House…”

“Rumors have been swirling the past few weeks that Nigerian MPs have been offered land, cars and cash to support President Olusegun Obasanjo's bid to change the constitution to allow him to run for a third term. Quite a few Nigerian newspapers have been reporting this using anonymous or lower-level sources, but today the BBC carried an interview with MP Uche Onyeagucha, who said he was offered a plot of land in the capital, Abuja.”

Financing University Education — African Unchained
Emeka Okafor, a Nigerian blogger at African Unchained, offers some recommendations to address the problem of financing higher education, a problem faced by several African nations:

“Universities must improve on internal efficiencies in the utilisation of financial, human and other resources. Diversification of the revenue base through consultancies and commissioned research. Cost sharing where the beneficiaries contribute towards tuition fees and their personal maintenance on campus. Sale of excess capacity that may be available (rental of lecture rooms, seminar rooms and halls etc.) Fund raising through endowments and alumni associations. Establishment of fee paying continuing education programmes run on a part time basis or during vacations. Establishing independently run and effectively managed joint commercial ventures…”

Beware! SIM card hackers– IT Realms
Remmy at ITRealms muses about some recent trends in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Nigeria.

“Some hackers are on the “prowl probably to take their own pound of flesh in the nation’s burgeoning telecommunications sector. ..The avalanche of calls received by subscribers in the past weeks from some fraudsters claiming to be engineers from various telecommunication companies offering services with the intent that they are checking on subscriber lines. And in the process these engineers would request their victims to press ash-key 90 (#90) or (#09) or even any other number depending on the new codes they may wish to deploy for their tricks. Experts, however, warn that by pressing whatever number given to you by these so-called Telco engineers, would expose subscribers to fraud which includes unveiling the access code to the Subscribers Identification Module (SIM) popularly known as SIM card…”

Lights Out!– Unilag Faces
Power failure is a perennial problem in Nigeria. A blogger at the university blog- Unilag Faces states:

“…Power failure is a major problem in our country, Nigeria. But do you think this should be a problem in the University? Last semester, my class was deprived of some lectures due to power outage. After all, we pay our school fees. I thought UNILAG [university of Lagos, Nigeria] has standby generators to supply the entire school with electricity when PHCN decide to ‘do their job’. A few of my exams in the past have been postponed because the exam hall had no electricity. Judging from the large number of students in my class, the Art Theatre is the only place that can contain us perfectly. Most of my lectures and exams are set in this theatre that cannot be used without electricity. Finding an ordinary class that needs no light will also be a bad idea because none of the ceiling fans are working. All I’m trying to say is that power failure should be the last thing to alter our school schedule.”

Lingua Franca– On a Lighter Mode
Anthony blogging at On a Lighter Mode rants about the mastery of the English language by Nigerians.

“A 30-mins watch of the news will tell you how hard the people are trying to learn another man's language.…Funniest thing is if you make the mistake of making a grammatical blunder (not speak English correctly), you will be the object of scorn and ridicule for as long as the memory of people who heard your blunder lasts. Then go to other countries and see that what we [Nigerians] all carry in our heads to be the language of the intellectuals is not a criterion for achieving astounding feats in fields of endeavour. Or how do you explain the fact that a German Professor who has gotten to great heights in research cannot speak English? How does he teach & learn from science? It's definitely through his native tongue…That's why the Chinese President would not directly speak English even if he can. He would rather do it through an interpreter. Even if people like these force themselves to speak English, they do not bother if their English is of the most impeccable standard. No one boos them for not speaking it correctly. This can't be done over here oh! It's the dailies that will floor whoever the person is and tell him to go back to school to learn English.”

Cameroon
Cameroon 9 still in prison– Black Looks
Sokari, a Nigerian resident in Spain discusses a report that states “that the government of Cameroon continues to refuse to release the 9 men acquitted of homosexuality charges on the 21st April 2006.

“In a further travesty of justice, the government is forcing the men to stand trial again. The men have been detained in Kondegui Prison in Yaoundé for nearly a year. At their initial trial, no witnesses were called and no proof offered by the prosecution, so Judge Tonye, the magistrate overseeing the case, declared the men innocent of all charges. The men expected to be released from prison quickly but the prosecutor’s office has refused to order their release and has said that the men will be retried…”

Senegal
Coming home– Circling the Baobabs
Michelle, an American student studying language and culture in Senegal, shares some of her experience in Senegal via her blog “Circling the Baobabs”.

“I want to say this about our voyage: I've never decided to set out like that, to discover a country on my own, to go without a plan. All of my previous trips have been with a purpose, never to just go on a whim, with no itinerary in mind. We were equipped with a few changes of clothes and an outdated West Africa Lonely Planet. En plus, we were two girls from Senegal making the trek alone, making it after a sojourn of seven months in Senegal lending to our ability to dig deeper than just the topsoil of the place and really try to see it out — within the rights of our limitations in how far you can really know in 10 days. We could shed certain clichés like traveling in a taxi brousse or the feeling of “being in Africa” or of buying a cheesy African souvenirs to take home. Further, we found ourselves embraced constantly by a Senegalese world, one in which we never would have discovered had we set foot in Mauritania cold without a Senegal under our belt. We found Wolof and names we knew to pronounce and family friends who aided and directed and talked to us along the way — it was a home away from home transporting us from familiar to new and back again.”

Ghana
Police, arm robbery and mistaken identity– The Trials & Tribulations of a Freshly-Arrived Denizen…
“This calls to question the vigilante-like tactics of police officers who shoot-to-kill without verifying, plus the hard-nosed attitude of the police these days towards armed robbers. The latter is a very good point, given the spate of armed robbery, but mistakes like these are bound to occur if proper regulation by higher-up authorities is not maintained. My view is that given this attitude by the police, armed robbery has been clamped down considerably, but, as always, the double-edged sword is that innocents get killed….At the time that this was going to “press”, there was news that the occupants of a taxi in Dansoman, a suburb in Accra, had all been killed by policemen who believed them to be armed robbers. It is sounding like a case of mistaken identity, as some of the occupants..were themselves victims of an armed robbery!”

Water Privatization– Akwaabaghana
“A Ghanaian lawyer and human rights campaigner has won recognition for his work to stop water being privatised. Rudolf Amenga-Etego, who is campaigning against a privatisation scheme being backed by the World Bank, has won a 2004 Goldman environmental prize. Rudolf Amenga-Etego founded Ghana's National Coalition Against the Privatisation of Water, an attempt to halt a $400m project which would have meant water being sold at full market rates…”

Cameroun
The Future of the French CFA– France Watcher
“One of the burning issues facing countries of the Franc Zone in Africa today is what to do about this currency arrangement following the introduction of the Euro in 1999. So far the appearance is being given that the problem was solved by simply pegging the CFA to the Euro and renewing the Operations Account Agreement with the French Treasury and going back to business as usual. This is all a way of sweeping a serious problem under the carpet in the living room. But with every passing day a hump is growing in the living room under the carpet and nobody seems to understand what is really going on.”

Guinea
Guinea from the eyes of a South African–Just thinking
“When we arrived here two days ago, I was shocked at what I saw here…With all the natural resources (like gold and diamonds) one would think that this country must be rich. However, I have never seen such poverty anywhere. Not even in South Africa. In SA there might be lot of tin shacks, but the average level of subsistence here seems to be extremely low…Here they even do there garbage dumping by the truck load into the sea. As we were driving next to the coastline, we saw them dumping into the sea and the garbage patches on the sea looked reminiscent of oil slicks. Just this time the patches were paper, plastic, cans and other items.”

Benin
From Liberal to Social Democracy– Ngwane
“Benin is undeniably one of Africa’s most successful stories in liberal or electoral democracy. From 1990 when she became the first African country to institute a sovereign National Conference, Benin has continued to employ all innovative and endogenous democratic strategies that distinguish her from the continent’s identity of political insolvability. The solid foundation laid by the conference in February 1990 provided the Beninese people with a nationalistic vision that focused on the power of alternatives through the ballot box rather than the principle of self-perpetration through constitutional tinkering.”

Liberia
Charles Taylor - Boogeyman Behind Bars Part 1–Jewel In the Jungle

This blog provides further insight into the Charles Taylor’s affair, the author believes that Taylor shouldn’t be tried alone. It provides many links to external sources that yield even deeper insight into story.

“The extensive financial, military and political networks Taylor established range from the Balkans to Central America, Bulgaria to Iran. His inner circle of financial advisers and weapons purchasers include, among others, American, Belgian, Dutch, Israeli, Lebanese, Libyan, Russian, Senegalese, and South African citizens…Documents show that a small group of people continue to insure Taylor receives up to $1 million a month in revenue from his Liberian investments alone. It is also clear that Taylor has sought to and likely succeeded in establishing several front companies to handle his finances during his exile. Numerous individuals with longstanding links to Taylor, now based in Liberia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Ghana, continue to play important roles in Taylor’s financial structure”

Nigeria
Oil for the Lamps of China —IjebuMan
“The Chinese interest in Africa is welcome but we need to 'shine our eyes well well' (like my peeps will say) This time around the relationship has to be of mutual benefit. (No giving away of the family heirlooms for a mirror or was it for religion??)
There's a saying ‘beware of greeks bearing gifts', As long as we Africans are aware that there's no free lunch and we ensure that we actually gain something from the relationship rather than letting China use us as a source of cheap raw materials.”

As Nigeria Becomes Debt Free—Chippla’s Weblog
“To a capitalist purist, the deal between the Paris Club of Creditors and the Nigerian government—in which the latter supposedly got some relief on its debts—may be anathema. But to a realist, it was simply the right thing to do. Locked in a vicious cycle of debt servicing, Nigeria was bound to remain a perpetually unproductive and poor nation, except it found a way of freeing itself from this debt bondage…While the debt deal should be met with rejoicing in Nigeria, the heated and uncertain political terrain may negate its immediate benefit. To most Nigerians, government figures on the size of the economy and foreign cash reserves mean nothing. ‘Why should a country with poor infrastructure be saving some $30 billion abroad?’ some may ask. ‘Wouldn't it be better to make use of the money in building schools, hospitals and roads?”

Rivers State: Cries froma forest of flowers–NIGERIA: long & difficult history; corruption, greed & murder of the innocents!
“Rivers is one of nine states (Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers) traversed into the Niger Delta region, which is the world's third largest wetland, coming after Holland and Mississipi. It consists of relatively small upland with the rest being riverine fresh and brackfish water mangrove swamp hemmed in by sandy coastal ridge barriers. Nigeria is 6th biggest producer of oil in the world and since oil was first struck more than forty years ago, the area has grown to produce most of Nigeria's wealth and oil has become the main source of foreign exchange earnings for the whole country. Yet, the Niger Delta remains the least developed area of the country in physical, socio-economic terms, and her people are some of the poorest in the world.”

“I asked why the Internet connection at the office wasn't working. They said the contract had been given eight months ago. I asked to whom the contract was given. They said no one really knew, but rumors had it that it went to the Minister's son. “Which Minister?” I asked. “The Minister of Science and Technology,” they replied… I was later able to confirm that the contracts to get the internet connection working as well as lay fiber optic cables across the complex were shamelessly given to the son of the Minister of Science and Technology.”

Christians worldwide will celebrate Easter this weekend. Easter is a celebration of death and resurrection of Jesus. Black Looks discusses the holy week (Semana Santa) in Spain:

“Its Semana Santa here in Spain (Holy Week). I love it - 7 days of processions which last for hours until the early hours of the morning, the ritual, the street atmosphere, the people participation, the noise, the music, the rhythm of the swaying pasos de la pasion (floats) with the “imagenes” carried by up to 52 men hidden under red, black or white velvet. I love the lament to the Virgin Mother of the lone singer, the knocking (martillo) by the guides on the pasos, the intermittent shouts of “adelante” (forward) and “Valiente” (have courage) as grown men crawl on their knees in penance carrying the paso and imagene up and down ramps in and out of churches and cathedrals - is that perverse, some sort of sadism rearing its head in my mind? ”

The Black Star Journal gives an update on the Guinean crisis, stating the “political situation in Guinea remains in flux.” This “flux” emanates from the sacking of reformist prime minister Cellou Dalien Diallo hours who ironically was given increased powers via a presidential decree before he was sacked. The blog states the crisis “appears to be merely the start of what could become a prolonged succession crisis.”

Timbuktu Chronicles discusses land management and food production via a post titled “Garden Africa” The blogs states the projects “promote practical solutions emphasising the importance of integrating traditional systems of land management and food production as a means of addressing vulnerability and stimulating localised economic development…”

Notes from West Africa, a blog authored by Scott Harrison , a volunteer photo-journalist onboard a hospital-ship Anastasis stationed in Liberia, highlights the ordeal of Marthaline, a woman afflicted with a oral cancer:

“…The offensive mass was removed by Mercy Ship surgeons in a simple hour and a half procedure. We found her on the outskirts of Monrovia. She lives with 12 people in a house about half the size of my last Manhattan apartment. … The tumor took out almost all of her bottom teeth. The volunteer dentist from America took wax molds and chose 8 false teeth. He asked Marthaline how she liked the spacing, and then made adjustments. She practiced smiling in a mirror. We paid $60 for her new smile…”

Ann, a Nigerian student union activist at University of California and a blogger at Culture Riot, rants about her experience running an African/black student union in her school. She states, in post titled: On The State of the Black Student Union: “A a card-carrying, badge-wearing, banner-flying, skintone-proving member of the African/Black student population at UCSC, I am frustrated, angered and hurt by the sheer amount of drama it takes to run an organization that is supposed to represent Black students…”

Many of her problems stem from low attendance and poor participation by her fellow African/black students. “Last quarter, the numbers of people attending the general meetings dropped to the low teens - sometimes even single digits”, she states.

“I want this community to thrive. I love to be a part of a community that supports its members and makes everyone feel welcome… And I think I've tried. Last quarter, when no one showed up to my event (which I memorized a Yoruba poem for, how tragic!), I was ready to quit. When I my grades were failing, I was ready to quit. But I didn't want to go down without a fight. And I won't let the perpetual self-destructiveness and unwillingness to change stop me now.”

Life in Cameroon authored by Jeniffer, an American teacher living in Cameroon (since August of 2005), shares her experience (and pictures too !) at a Cameroonian wedding she attends recently:

“Two weeks ago I attended my first wedding in Cameroon… There were actually two ceremonies. The first was the “official” wedding at city hall and the second was at the church. I only attended the lively and colorful church wedding. Many of the attendees dressed in fabric according to whether they were friends or family of the bride or groom… Depending on the tradition of the village, the groom may need to offer gifts to the bride’s family if he has intentions to marry her. These offerings may include wood, wine, money, etc. The family will bless the wedding if they are happy with the groom’s offerings… I was also told that traditionally in Yaounde the bride, after marriage, may dance in the street to celebrate her happiness. Sometimes whole roads will be blocked. I have never seen this, but have seen many people drive around through town honking horns, waving, and screaming. It seems that people are truly celebrating!”

The final post on this week's west African weblog synopsis is on water. “How can we harvest more rainwater in our cities to serve our drinking water needs and how can we recycle used bathing and washing water(reuse water) to flush our toilets?” This is gist of the post titled: Reducing reliance on utility supplied water on the African Architecture and Design blog authored by a Nigerian Architect.

“People might wonder if a borehole is not capable of satisfying all there water needs? Well it could, depending on the quality of the aquifers around where the borehole is located (for Lagos it apparently it has to be more than 250m deep so it can hit the Abeokuta formation), the depth of the bore hole, and the frequency of usage. There have also been a lot of cases especially in Lagos and Port Harcourt, Nigeria were some of the boreholes have been contaminated by seawater or crude oil… In Hong Kong they have a system is some areas that uses strained sea water to flush toilets and urinals. Maybe the municipal authorities of the costal cities in Africa could adopt such a system. I don't see the point in spending so much money to purify water only to have it used in flushing the toilet, what do you think?”

“ Nigerian youth in their different communities can form political pressure groups, which will ensure the proper governance at the local government levels, performance of their representatives at the state houses of assemblies and federal legislature’s arms. These groups can mandate themselves to make it a point of duty to meet with the political office holders to deliver the demands of the masses to them and vice-versa…”

“NTA [Nigerian Television Authority] Maximalism” is one of the social commentary on Naija Blog . In this post, Jeremy states:

“If boredom should strike one while in Nigeria, there is always the option to turn to NTA. The news is a constant source of mirth and hilarity, if one knows how to find it. If it is not for the extravagancies of costume (see the fine example of regal agbadahood to the left [picture on Naijablog site]), then one can readily admire the extravagancies of the language. The English spoken on NTA is a uniquely distinct dialect of the language. Its provenance is 100% organic colonial: a sort of Africanised Etonian twang which results in weirdly contorted somewhat nasal locutions and odd syllabilic emphases.”

The incessant power outage in Nigeria is well debated and it’s one of the characteristics of the nation. Nweke highlights this problem in “Power supply: Frustrating ICT diffusion” at ITRealms.

“At a launch of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) product recently in the highbrow area of Lagos State, the Victoria Island, a power outage was experienced suddenly there was a black out in the densely populated conference hall. And what took over was unpleasant screams of all sorts from participants casting aspersions on ‘NEPA' [National Electric Power Authority] despite its change of name recently to Power Holding Company of Nigeria Limited (PHCNL).

Then the voice of the Master of the Ceremony (MC) came up in darkness, “Please remain seated wherever you are. Reports reaching us from Minister of Power and Steal, Senator Liyel Imoke, is that power would soon be restored,” he jokingly assured. But then, the same MC sensing frustration of the participants took on ‘NEPA' with his joke antics; “We thought that NEPA would improve with its new name – Power Holding, but it seems they are living up their new name to the letter – Holding Power”. In the next five minutes when eventually power was restored obviously by a generating set, participants were already sweating…”

In the power of the Sun, the Ijebu Man muses about solar energy and power problem in Nigeria.

“The electric power situation in Nigeria is a joke. There are still no signs of improvement despite the “billions” spent by the current administration since 1999. There are so many generators in Nigeria (no thanks to cheap imports from China) that a lot of people have stopped relying on NEPA (or whatever it is called now) even as a back up supply… I'm aware of companies dealing in solar power in Nigeria, but the cost of installation is still very high. I don't understand why it's still very expensive, the prices of the major components - solar panels, deep cycle batteries and inverters, have been falling for the last few years…”

“Its just crazy, if its so easy and cheap to install here in England, where you'll be lucky to get 4 hours of sun (and that's in summer), then why not in Naija where no one bothers with the weather forecast as you know its always sunny and we're talking 8 and half hours of sunshine every single day, especially in the north where the rainy season is very short.”

The Nigerian Politics blogs about the Nigerian ethnic diversity and sociopolitical advocacy groups (Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Odua People Congress (OPC) and Movement of the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) refering to them as secessionist groups. “Supporting such groups or sympathizing with their cause is tantamount to treasonable felony as described by the law of the land”, the blog states in a post titled: Nigerian Nazi Groups:

If only these tribalists could see beyond their avarice and quest for personal aggrandizement, wealth and power, they would see that there is so much to be gained from peaceful co-existence and diversity. The most advanced and richest nation the world has ever known, the USA, is what it is today because of the degree of diversity of its citizenry and the fact that people are given opportunities to express themselves so long as they exhibit some value-adding talent regardless of race, creed or social class. Most importantly, the rule of law prevails in the USA, and it is applied equitably regardless of status and social position.

The problem with Nigeria today has nothing to do with the various causes for which these rabidly tribalist groups purport to be fighting. It is multi-factored and includes lack of truth and justice, wholesale corruption, gross unenlightenment of the leadership and followership alike, and the abject poverty that has been inflicted on the populace by the devious leadership. By keeping the populace impoverished and uneducated, the ruling class has been able to easily manipulate them for their selfish ends…”

Finally, in Freedom to Abuse, the Black Looks writes about the wild growth of the African blogosphere, “the African blogosphere is one sphere that has seen a huge growth of new blogs in the past 6 months”:

“For example in Nigeria the number of blogs has trebled in the last 9 months and each month new blogs are being created. The majority of African bloggers are still men although the number of women is slowly increasing…”

The blog also discusses the newly emerged characteristics between the bloggers and their readers- intolerance.

“Recently a number of Nigerian and Kenyan bloggers have been speaking out against homophobia and the abuse of women. These blogospheres have become the sight of much intolerance expressed through homophobia and misogyny. The abuse of women has been particularly disturbing. Comments have been left on women’s’ blogs and posts, written using misogynist language against women and lesbians. What is interesting is that posts by gay men on their sexual fantasies are viewed as being entertaining and therefore OK. Whereas writings by female bloggers on homophobia or the rights of homosexuals results in threats of harassment against the bloggers…”

“The key to a long-term suppression of the virus is to keep it from multiplying, because multiplying means mutating, and mutating means developing resistance to the drugs. So a large part of our effort must be directed toward doing everything we can to ensure that our patients are able and determined to take every dose. The situation is so critical that missing one or two doses during one month can spell drug failure and ultimately death for the patient…”

The blog- The Musings of a Naija Man discusses the Big Brother Nigeria, a new TV show in Nigeria. He states :

“I've never understood the fascination with Big Brother, having not watched any of the series shown in the UK since I arrived here. I tried once, but sitting for ten minutes watching a group of people lying on sunloungers and not saying or doing very much soon had me bored out of my skull. It's interesting how here, although everyone condemns the show as mindnumbingly dull and voyeuristic, you can't avoid the hype- in the newspapers (and not just the tabloids), on the radio, everywhere you go, people keep talking about it, and so whether you watch it or not, you get sucked into the drama. Perhaps, the good thing about Big Brother Nigeria might be that it might provide some of the anthropological insights into contemporary Nigerian youth culture which sadly aren't really being documente elsewhere. Sex has always played a big role in Big Brother and so it will be interesting to see what happens in the Nigeria house and how the self-avowedly religious Nigerian public will react….”

In a post titled “Akata…..= to the N word”, the blog Memoir discusses some commonly used words in the Nigerian parlance-

“So Akata is a derogatory word and so are Kokoye and Chinko! I am guilty as charged when it comes to these words. I never used them in a derogatory manner though……at least not intentionally. But one of my girl friends said its equivalent to black people being referred to as Niggars! Well I’ll be damned! I certainly have no desire to make others feel like I would if the N word was used one me! But just think about how many times we drop those words, especially in the Naija community without batting an eye, it’s almost as if we are addressing them by their Government name. I wonder if other folks have a name they use to group Nigerian as well. I know even within our country, we do. An Igbo chick is quick to say “hmm… Yoruba girls” and turn their nose like it’s a bad word! And I know I am guilty of “Omo igbo” then there is Aboki…[slang Hausa/Fulani person] now that is definitely derogatory….. It even sounds bad. The other day one of my best friends who is from Edo State said “Bola, why did you bring all your Ngbati, Ngbati [slang for Yoruba people] people to my house!” LMAO! The nonsense girl has an Ngati husband o! But on the real…I will make a conscious effort, to refrain from using those words. Na wa o…..there goes half my vocabulary!”

Black looks writes about Immigration and the plight of immigrants “Dying to Reach Spain” stating “more than 250 immigrants traveling in 6 small boats have landed in Grand Canaries and Andalucia in the past 24 hours.”

“The numbers of Africans reaching Spain in the past year has gone up by 200%. Spanish TV news reported that there are presently some 10,000 people waiting in Mauritania to make the crossing to Grand Canaries. 45 people men died in two crossing incidents last week off the coast of Mauritania. Many of the bodies were washed up on the beach whilst others were picked out of the sea by local fisherman. Because of the increased security in Morocco and the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, Mauritania and the southern part Western Sahara have become the new departure points for mainly West Africans to reach Spain…The possibility of being sent back or even worse, death is no deterrent. I personally know of one young man who has traveled backwards and forwards between Morocco, Greece, Cyprus, Germany and back again. I am not sure where he is now, but every once in a while I get a text telling me which country he is now in. He is surprisingly optimistic and if lucky he gets to work for a few weeks here and there. Wondering Europe in search of a better life but so far never quite making it.”

The Nigerian Times in a blog titled “Echoes of Civil War in NIgeria” states the “the latest news on the horrifying and terrifying conflicts in Nigeria cannot be waved off in dismissal as another false alarm. Because, the dangers of another civil war erupting in Nigeria are clearly visible as a house on fire at noon.”

“The goriest riots over the controversial Danish Cartoons of Prophet Muhammad occurred in Northern and Eastern Nigeria and over 180 people were killed, including innocent mothers and their children. Then, the daring militants on the prowl in the creeks of the Niger Delta have been holding the nation hostage. Because, Nigeria is actually the real hostage of these invincible militants who have killed over 20 Nigerian soldiers and policemen among other casualties. The foreign hostages are just their bargaining chips. The fact that the Nigerian government cannot address the legitimate demands of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) shows the ineptitude of the leadership of the Nigerian government. And instead of addressing the emergencies in the country, the President is busy using all the tricks of his stock-in-trade as a crooked politician of dubious nature to perpetuate his reign of infamy and ignominy.”

The blog- Oluniyi Ajao uses some Nigerian adages to describe the 3rd term saga in Nigeria stating “ ‘A dog that is about to get lost, does not listen to the hunter’s whistle’. This is a Yoruba adage I have translated into English. In one of Chinua Achebe’s novels, he used a proverb: ‘Those whom the gods want to purnish, he first makes mad’”.

He discusses President’s Obasanjo’s 3rd term agenda further:

“Sadly, some Nigerian honorables have approved the third term bid. In all fairness to the President, he has not publicly declared his intention to go for a third term but the Obasanjo I know would have since come out to tongue-lash the people push him to it, if he didn’t support it. All those doing this should know that the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not an exclusive preserve of one individual, or a particular tribe or political party.”

It is indeed of utmost surprise that the government of Mr. Obasanjo is trying to silence intellectual debate about the consequences of an amendment to the Nigerian constitution that would enable him stay in power beyond 2007. This is reminiscent of dictatorial tricks of the past which several Nigerians fought against, some paying the ultimate price.

Finally, Chippla’s Weblog in a post titled “In God’s Nigeria” states “despite having been ruled for a greater part of its history by military despots, Nigeria has always had a free and vibrant press.”

“…Surprising news from Reuters that the Nigerian State Security Service has “detained a printer and impounded thousands of copies of an essay which was critical of a campaign for [the Nigerian] President Olusegun Obasanjo to prolong his hold on power.” The report further states that the essay : “…warned Obasanjo of the parallels between Nigeria and other African countries such as Ivory Coast and Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire, where leaders' refusal to hand over power had led to civil war.”It is indeed of utmost surprise that the government of Mr. Obasanjo is trying to silence intellectual debate about the consequences of an amendment to the Nigerian constitution that would enable him stay in power beyond 2007. This is reminiscent of dictatorial tricks of the past which several Nigerians fought against, some paying the ultimate price.

Chippla deduces that “you can almost certainly expect the government to say that it prevented the essay from being printed and distributed on grounds of ‘national security’” Such an argument would likely be baseless and fail to win any ground in a court of law.” He muses “what threat could be greater to Nigeria's national security today than the fraudulent manipulation of the constitution by elected officials, which is currently in progress”?

Nneka rants on her blog Confessions of the Mind: “I am really tired of having my continent generalized and also having Nigerian folks here telling me that: “When I go back to Africa”. “Yeah I know Africa”, she writes, “but can you please be specific. You don’t get non-Africans going “when I go back to Europe or something like that. Or say they speak “European”… “In the continent of Africa …Africans come in different complexions ranging from dark-hued to really light-hued.”

“No I don’t live in a tree when I go back to my country Nigeria which is in West Africa…we have malls, supermarkets, cars, roads, buildings. Yes we were thought English, from school, at home, everywhere… 99% of Africans are multilingual, meaning we can speak 2 or more languages. No, not all Africans have flies circling our bellies and mouths. Yes we value our culture, very much, especially when we happen to find ourselves living in the western world.”

Nkem states “International borders are a scourge on the modern world. Just like war, what are borders good for? Absolutely nothing. In the unlikely event that I become Prime Minister of the World, I would get rid of all borders and allow people to roam as freely as the wind carries them.”

“Some see this as a recipe for disaster, but fear not brethren, there's a method to the madness. I've thought about this concept for a long time..” Nkem states. Read more about her desire on her blog: African Shirts .

Yoruba is a language spoken bythe Yoruba tribe found primarily in the south-western corner of Nigeria.

“There are many things I love about the language Yoruba writes Dotun the author of the blog Brosdee’s View.

“A sensible speech is not complete without the infusion of proverbs and analogies… I was born in a land where you are defined by your family history. Your resume is an accumulation of the deeds (sometimes wrongdoings) of your ancestor. People can deduce almost 20% of who you are (or supposed to be) from your name, “ile la n wo kato somoloruko” (visit the blog for the meaning of the phrase) . Hence you live your life not only for yourself but for the generations after you. When my aunty warned me to remember the son whom I am, she is encoding a sermon in history, character and family ethics in the statement.”

David blogging at Just Thots by a Naija Man muses about the just concluded constitutional review in Nigeria and the third term agenda of President Obasanjo.

“It is sad that virtually all (s)elected political office holders who swore to uphold the constitution on whose back they rode into power are now attempting to shift the goalposts at the last minute in order to entrench themselves in power. The popular swansong among most is that “continuity” is necessary to “sustain” the country's democracy. It would be appropriate to ask them how great nations such as the USA have been able to sustain over 200yr old democracies with some presidents staying less than 4 yrs in power. Surely our democracy must be a very different one!”

The music and social blog: Soul on Ice, authored by Obi (of-South-London), has this message for diamond-crusted rappers:

“…Rappers have to take responsibility for their actions. The yoke around your neck may just be destroying the lives of people elsewhere. It's not beyond the rappers to demand info on where the diamonds came from and obtain certificates of authentication. But why floss on diamonds anyway?”

His remarks is made in reference to the Sierra Leone’s diamonds, which have been tagged “Blood diamonds” because the revenue accrued from their sales is used to perpetrate the civil war in the country.

He also recommends reading/listening to a documentary made by Rodney P’s , a “heavyweight UK emcee and dj of Original Fever on BBC 1Xtra”, on his travels to Sierra Leone.

“So this is how I came into the world”, writes the blogger at Reality. He states: “Instantaneously, I felt guilty. The feeling of guilt was not because I saw a woman give birth. But because, I have caused my mama alot pain and embarrassment in the past. In my estimation, all women deserve the utmost respect from their children. And I say mama, I am sorry!“

He describes his experience on his blog, here is an extract:

“I have never seen a woman in the process of giving birth before. But I have seen one or two pregnant women in sporadic pain… in readiness to give birth. Yesterday however, I learnt something new. I watched a woman being delivered. It was not the most pleasant sight to behold though. But, it is something I feel all matured men should see.

This woman, I was made to understand had been in labour for two hours. Her man was by her side. And you could see anguish written all over him. I felt her pain too as I watched. Each time she screams, her husband flinches and I winced involuntarily where I was seated. Eventually, the tiny creature was shot out into the world after about four and half hour of torment. It shrilled with a wail… My attention went back to the woman. The look on her face was that of depletion. And then I focused on the tiny creature again…the cause of the pain and anguish of both mother and father…”

Finally, Emeka Okafor writes about Africa's largest retailer, Shoprite Holdings and its operations in Nigeria, via Timbuktu Chronicles :

“…[The company] actively empowers small local suppliers in virtually all the countries in which it does business in Africa for the delivery of a range of items, mainly fresh produce and perishable products. Most of these suppliers initially need assistance to meet the Group's requirements in terms of volumes and product specifications. To bring them to the required standard, the Group operates extensive support and development programmes aimed at assisting them to achieve the required standards and produce to our needs…”

Jeremy the “English Yoruba Hybrid” at Naijablog muses about Nigeria and the likelihood of staying longer there. He states:

“The opportunities combined with the speed the society is transforming make Ng [Nigeria] an irresistible place to be right now. Give it a couple of years and the country will not be recognisable for people who have been away for a while…Its far more interesting to live in places where the rate of social and economic transformation is much higher. Everyone talks about BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China). If things fall into place in Nigeria, there should soon be talk of BRINCs. To Nigerians thinking of moving back: this is the time to make your move.”

Mutiu blogs about his experience while in northern Nigeria, He is concerned about some of the children attending Islamic schools in northern Nigeria, who seem abandoned and roam about the street fending for themselves. He writes:

“During the fasting period, these children run like a marathoner to one of the Nigerian former Ambassadors to Morocco in order to get what they will use to break the fast. I look at the whole situation, and see that the Nigerian children do not deserve what they are going through. This situation is not only happening in the northern states alone but through out the federation. Children roam the streets without any hope of getting any food to eat or clothes to wear. ”

Emeka Okafor, in his characteristic style at Africa Unchained, writes about development and economic freedom:

“…African leaders need to implement a series of reforms. They need to decentralize the power and ownership of resources, lower taxes, reduce the number of bureaucratic steps for business start ups, and establish an honest means of property acquisition while helping to define, defend and divest such property through the enforcement of contracts…Such an approach would release enormous entrepreneurial energy into wealth creation. The net effect gives power to real people who could then afford efficient and cleaner technologies or save and later reinvest in other sectors of the economy. Generally, the wealthier a country becomes, the more likely it is able to purchase food in the global market and afford more productive technologies that increase crop yields…”

Aaron Rowe, an expatriate blogging about Life in Nigeria from Nigeria points to an ongoing web protest against Internet scam:

“…Please help out by joining a peaceful web protest, either by opening the Lad Vampire web page or if you use windows run the Mugu Marauder software. These tools help shut down the fake bank web sites by downloading parts of the websites repeatedly until the sites reach their band width limit or the people administrating these sites take notice of the extra traffic and our protests and close these Illegal web sites… you should only do this if you have a broadband connection and 24/7 access. If not you can still make your protest by contacting the hosts of these fake banks, the people who get paid by the fraudsters to run the fake web sites, by email or other means and letting them know you how you feel. The contact details will probably be made available when the flashmob starts on the Current Flashmob page”

“Typical days have changed for many in Nigeria whose lives aren't far from the consumption of chicken”, writes Anthony on his blog On a lighter Mode. Pivoting his post on the recent emergence of Avian flu in Nigeria, he states:

“Bird flu is seriously disturbing ladies whose place of amusement is the nearest eatery. Either you are an Aristo/Sugar Daddy (elderly men dating younger ladies) or you are a sugar-mouthed young man who wants to catch some fun, the place you all meet is the fast-food joint where everyone brings his ‘Pacero'. Well, things have changed very much as the sudden emergence of bird flu has incapacitated ladies from having their usual thrills on dates where they stand in front of the counter pointing their slim, long fingers (enchanced by long-fixed nails) at assorted grubs here and there. Men have hereby heaved a sigh of relief that at least it will be cost- effective to date ladies especially around this Valentine season.”

Remmy Nweke states via ITrealms the Nigerian government's plan to forge partnerships among Nigerians in diaspora in bridging the digital and scientific divides, may suffer some set backs due to non-fulfillment of government’s part of the bargain.

“In response to the calls by President Olusegun Obasanjo since assuming office on May 29, 1999, the Nigerian Information Technology Professionals in the Americas (NITPA), Association of Nigerian Physicians in America (ANPA) and Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) are jointly putting up a two-day meeting, to raise the curtain for the deployment of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in nation building.”

Nigerian Times posts these caustic words about some Africans protesting the mockery of prophet Mohammad:

“Most Africans always like to ape others. And they are the worst hypocrites in the world. These same faces you see in this photograph screaming their heads off, “shouting “Kill Danes! Down with Denmark!” will tomorrow be kowtowing like dogs at the various American and European embassies begging for American and European Visas and they are ready to even sell their sisters to Western sex tourists to procure Visas to the same Denmark and America they pretend to hate so much.”

LIBERIA

Scott Harrison an expatriate photo journalist on the Hospital Ship Mercy stationed in Liberia writes about “Mariama”, a women despised “because of a benign tumor about the size of a grapefruit that grew from her mouth. A familiar sad story in West Africa, a body had gone wrong in a land without access to healthcare.”

“For more than two decades, the mass grew slowly and slightly larger, attracting flies and repelling people. It smelled of rot and infection. She'd cover it whenever she came out of her small mud hut to forage for food. People thought she was cursed and avoided her. You would think maybe she'd find kindness from some of the other women her age. You'd think just once in a while, they'd let her eat with them, cook with them, wash clothes with them. Dance with them. But she wasn't one of them. She would never be.”

Molara Wood recounts Ngugi wa Thiong'o’s ordeal in Kenya on returning home after spending 22 years in exile. Ngugi and his wife were brutually assaulted by some Kenyans.

“Two weeks into their visit, the couple were attacked by four men in their high-security apartment complex. Ngugi was beaten and his face burned with cigarettes. Njeeri was sexually assaulted - an ordeal she made public, she says, to combat pressures on women to remain silent about abuse…Three security guards and a nephew of Ngugi's by marriage were remanded on charges of robbery with violence, and one count of rape. The trial, which began in November 2004, is in its final stages, and the couple have returned twice to give evidence.”

Ngugi is the author of “Weep Not Child” and other great books.

Emeka Okafor via Africa Unchained, showcases the Kanu Heart Foundation located in Nigeria. He states “continuing on our theme of indigenous foundations the Kanu Heart Foundation's goals include ‘…to alleviate the problem of heart related diseases in Africa, the Kanu Nwankwo Heart Foundation plans to establish five specialist hospitals in several African countries and dozens of clinics in Nigeria. The Foundation also plans to promote the research for heart disease and other related conditions and disseminate the useful results of such research.' ”

The foundation is the initiative of the Nigerian professional footballer, Kanu Nwankwo. He became the focus of attention when, after a celebrated transfer from Ajax of Amsterdam Inter Milan F.C. Italy, he was diagnosed to be suffering from a weak aorta valve in his heart. For which he was successfully treated.

Superstition is the subject of discussion at the Reality Blog, asking “How superstitious are you?” If you believe in superstition then you can probably relate to these examples listed on his blog:

“Hitting your left foot against any object as you walk along the street”, “making the sign of the cross following flashes of lightning and thunder clap”, “eating in your dreams”, “asking for money early in the morning”, or “being at a road junction (an intersection) where all traffic lights are red”.

The blog- Black Looks in a post titled:Citizen Jury, writes about some Malian farmers voting in a Citizens Jury against the use of Genetically Modified (GM) crops despite pressure from mutinationals to do otherwise.

“African countries are being increasingly pressurized to adopt GM crops. In Mali which is the largest producer of cotton in SSA Farmers in the South West region of Mali have voted in a “citizens-Jury” against the introduction of GM crops. The farmers came to the decision after cross-examining 14 international witnesses representing a broad range of views on GM foods. The jury was hosted by the regional assembly of Sikasso and facilitated by the ‘International institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and RIBios, the University of Geneva's Biosafety Interdisciplinary Network.’ ”

Ore, blogging from Lagos Nigeria, contemplates on the future- wondering if her chances of “succeeding at balancing a work and family life are totally doomed.” In her post- “the Life of a Woman“. An extract of her musing goes like this:

“As I spend more time at home, I feel increasingly weighed down by thoughts of what lies ahead for me in life. Sure, I plan, hope and pray to have a fantastically-fulfilling career, with lots of opportunities to travel! A wonderful family life is also on my wish list and it is this that fills me with worry and (more than a little) dread. All the women I know end up pulling double-duty i.e. working and taking care of their family and home. Even those married to the most progressive, new-age type of men!”

Jeremy at Naija blog captures Africans’ penchant to commemorate important landmarks in a post titled:“Beyond the Pail”. He writes:

“On the side of the bucket is some text, which states the following ‘In Remembrance of Our Father, Asani Olanrewa Aju Oseni, (a.k.a Aram Aram), 1901-1978. 11th August 1978. Presented by Charlin & Children…’ The humble bucket is therefore not simply a receptacle for carrying water; it is also a receptacle of memory. There is something profoundly moving about how humdrum everyday objects in Nigeria are often suffused with meaning and memory in this way. In the midst of banality lie the most precious forms of spirit.”

Using Jeremy’s post as a pivot, Ethnicloft, a recent entrant into the Nigerian blogoshpere remarks :

“Africans have a unique tendency to commemorate historical events, important landmarks and personal achievements. Surprisingly, the vestiges of these endeavors often manifest at the most unexpected times, and in objects and places.”

EthnicLoft features a printed commemorative cloth from circa 1975 supporting the anti apartheid movement and the then imprisoned Nelson Mandela” as an example of this tradition.

Cameroon

Expatriates in West Africa often blog about their experiences at work and about life in general. Jennifer Kennedy and Scott Harrison are some of these individuals.

Life In Cameroon is by Jennifer, an American teacher living in Cameroon since August of 2005. She teaches 4th grade students in Yaounde, the capital city. Jennifer celebrated the Christmas/new year holidays visiting the Northern province of the Cameroon with her boyfriend. This excerpt describes her experience on the trip:

“The next day, we set off (in a 4WD Toyota with a driver) to Rhumsiki. The drive there was gorgeous. We passed many villages with homes made of mud/clay bricks and roofs made of wood and grass. As we drove, children shouted out Bon Anne (Happy New Year) and Cadeaux (gift). We passed beautiful mountains and amazing scenery. When we arrived to Rhumsiki we were immediately given a tour guide who took us on a tour of the village. The most impressing part of this particular village was the landscape of amazing peaks and mountains. We could even see over into Nigeria. On the tour we saw the crab sorcerer who told Darrell and I our future from the movements of two crabs. We learned how some village ladies make pottery from clay. Also, we went to an area where they weaved cotton.”

Liberia

Whereas, Scott of Scott Harrison - notes from West Africa is a volunteer photo-journalist onboard the Mercy Ship Anastasis in West Africa. According to Scott:

“Mercy Ships is the world's largest non-governmental organization of hospital ships, the Anastasis currently the largest operating in the fleet. Since 1978, the organization follows the 2000 year model of Jesus, & brings hope and healing to Africa's poor. The blind see through cataract and other eye operations. The lame walk through orthopedic operations. The mute speak through cleft lip and palate operations. The disfigured are given their dignity back through advanced, life-changing maxillofacial operations. The Anastasis also engages in AIDS education, community development projects, water sanitation and well building, dental & maternity health clinics…”

In additon to their narratives, Jennifer and Scott do have some pictures to share as well. Be warned that some of the pictures on Scott's blog may appear “somewhat unsettling”.

”Women rights activists must be grinning from ear-to-ear right now.” He states. “In the past few weeks, a new wave seems to be spreading through the world’s political landscape as more women take up leading roles. Today, a new head of state is being sworn into office, in the west African nation of Liberia. She happens to be Africa’s first female democratically-elected President. I’m talking about Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. Just yesterday, the people of Chile voted-in their first female President - Michelle Bachelet…”

His post also mentions the Chancellor Angela Merkel, and South African Vice President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as other female political leaders.

Still on Nigerians in the Diaspora, Yesi at “NTEX” discusses a collaborative research of Professor Wole Soboyebo, a Nigerian academic at University of Princeton. The Professor has received a set of grants from the United States' National Science Foundation to “build relationships between African and American professionals, develop a manufacturing base in Africa that will allow the continent to participate in more lucrative trade in the global market…”

Orikinla at the Nigerian Times is elated by the Chinese desire to invest in the Oil and Gas sector of the Nigerian economy. Other Nigerian Bloggers are not so enthused about the $ 2.3 billion dollar deal. Sokari at Black Looks, states that: “…Judging by China's track record of human rights and respect of the environment in China and their record in Sudan, I suspect that little will change for the people of the Niger Delta and may in fact become worse.”

Chippla, a Sino-skeptic, who has always made it clear where he stands on Sino-Nigerian trade relationship appears somewhat swayed by the newly revealed China African Policy, stating, “Something new might just come out of the China African Policy…”

“Africa's development in the 21st century appears inextricably tied to that of China.” He opines on his blog. “Inasmuch as this writer detests a situation where African nations serve as nothing more than exporters of raw materials, something new MIGHT just come out of the China African Policy. For instance, it speaks of medical and health cooperation as well as science and technology cooperation. Now, that's one part that really interests this writer…science and technology cooperation. For unless a reasonable number of African nations begin exporting more than just “raw materials” to China, skepticism and caution will remain the order of the day”.

Emeka of “Timbuktu Chronicles” showcases a Nigerian entrepreneur who has discovered his niche in the disposal of human waste. “DMT Mobile Toilets is a trailblazer in the field of human waste disposal. Their locally manufactured portable loos are “…FILLING A SERIOUS NEED…Motivated by the recognition that there are fewer than 500 functional public toilets in Nigeria , and that the vast majority of these toilets are poorly maintained and inadequate. With a population of about one hundred and fifty million people (150,000,000), the company has begun to make inroads into the public toilet arena… ”

The sentencing of a Nigerian to 376 years of imprisonment for advance fee fraud is one of the news items reported on Chidi Ezeibe’s “News from Nigeria”
Chidi states that “NEMESIS at the weekend caught up with a 32-year old Nigerian, Mr. Harrison Odiawa. He was sentenced to 376 years imprisonment without an option of fine for defrauding an American, Mr. George Robert Blick…” By the time scam was reported to the FBI, Odiawa had obtained more than $ 2 million from Blick.

In a more recent post captioned: ” Obasanjo pleads for kidnapped oil workers “, Chidi writes about the ongoing unrest in the oil-rich Niger-Delta region of Nigeria:

“Obasanjo yesterday held a crucial meeting with the nation's political and military leaders over the threat to oil installations in the Niger Delta at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The leaders established a committee to ensure prompt release of the kidnapped oil workers. President Obasanjo, who presided over the meeting, appealed to the hostage takers “not to do anything that might result in the loss of lives…”

“In recognition of the monumental role played by Nigerian blogs in the year 2005 the Naijarita News team has created the Nigerian Weblog Awards 2005 to honour exceptional bloggers from Nigeria. Can you believe that we already have 132 blogs in a country of only 120 million people? Phenomenal, isn’t…” Check out who got what!