The Green

Image - lawinaction Much of the conflict that continues to ravage Africa revolves around a singularity known as ‘division’; along with its many cousins and incarnations, these divisions are exacerbated by a brutal scurry for resources and an often rather crude play for power. It doesn’t matter where; the conflicts are usually contended along similar colonial fault lines. The intensifying situation in Cameroon between Anglophone minority separatists and the majorly francophone government is a painfully precise example of this malaise that afflicts the very soul of the continent.   Elsewhere it is Hutus against Tutsis, Amhara and Qimant, Luo, Kalenjin in opposition to Kukuyu, Tigray versus Ethiopia versus Eritrea, Somaliland entangled with Somalia, Farmers clashing with Herders, North versus South, Minorities versus the Majority, citizens and their ruling elite.   Politics is contested along ethnic lines instead of ideological ones. Electoral cycles are quite literally lif...

Photo: WSJ The United Kingdom is set to increase its nuclear weapons stockpile by raising the number of warheads from 180 to 260 by the middle of the decade. The move is part of strategic reforms meant to better position Britain in a rapidly evolving international political landscape that is seeing the tectonic plates of global power realigning and shifting towards the East. The hypocrisy of the Western nations in this regard is astonishing considering the severity with which they pursue programs aimed at stifling and dismantling the nuclear programs of nations seeking to develop one. How is the West morally justified to impose heavy sanctions on countries like Iran and North Korea for daring to develop nuclear warfare capabilities, when they are in fact adding to their dangerously over bloated arsenal? Such irresponsible behaviour is immoral on so many levels. This double standard characterises the relationship much of the developed world has had with everyone else. The world is ...

Image: UNDP One in three women globally, around 736 million, have been subjected to physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes, according to new analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO). What a damning statistic and what a searing indictment of men as perpetrators of such evil against women; indeed an indictment on a society that has failed women. Many of the obnoxious acts carried out against women are etched in centuries of culture where women are regarded as subservient, second-class citizens. And unfortunately our systems have evolved far too slowly to disavow this appalling societal malady. A truly global scourge more pronounced in low-income countries and conflict regions but eerily represented even in the most sophisticated of nations. Violence against women according to the WHO report starts at an early age; the most heinous assault on the purity and foundation of our humanity. How have we allowed this sinful malaise to persist for so long? What lies at the hea...

  All the kinds of news coming out of Nigeria today I believe is precisely why many Nigerians opted for a change in 2015. We were fed up with the constant news of unbridled corruption, kidnappings, bombings and deaths. Alas, things appear to have gotten only worse. It is still the same cycle of injustice, disregard for citizens’ rights and a very lethargic response to tackling institutional corruption. I must say, I truly believed the current administration would go about the task of fighting corruption with such veracity that government as we know it would become unattractive to the kind of folks it usually draws. It however seems like for every step the Buhari administration takes forward, it inadvertently takes two steps backwards. This administration has been a failure on practically every front that I criticized previous ones for. But more fundamentally, a government that is incapable of protecting its own people has failed in one of its most primary responsibilities. The ...

Image: Artsy.net An effortless indication of our sheer creative energy can be seen in our art; both ancient and contemporary. It is a delightfully vibrant, surrealistic exposition of beauty, craft and ingenuity. The fascinating history of our art dates as far back as 500 BC and perhaps the most famous representation of early Nigerian art are the many sculptures from the magnificent kingdoms of old. Some of the best examples of these exquisite works of art can be found in European museums, like the British Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris and Berlin's Ethnological Museum. They are displayed as trophies of a shameful era of exploitation and evil. The many arguments – all silly – as to why these historic gems remain with those that plundered them are still being peddled and it is mindboggling how this is okay even today. This kind of hypocrisy can also be seen in the ease and the scale at which Western governments park looted funds from Africa while labelling the continent ‘fan...

Image: @ayanfeolarinde There appears to be an awakening of sorts in Nigeria. It’s not that we have not had a keen sense of awareness but we are more ready - it seems - to take our collective destiny in our own hands. There is no stronger manifestation of this than the current agitation against police brutality, carried out by mostly young people.   Nigeria has and remains a nation of such great potential, with lots of amazingly brilliant and talented people. There’s no doubt that its people are its super power; what magic we would create, if we could only get out of our own way. This majestic nation with a rich history and abundant resources appears to be stuck in a rut. The curse of political leadership has the nation locked in a vicious cycle of malevolence and deficiency. We are nowhere near what we could be. But we seem to be gradually unlocking the power inherent in bringing our voices together in one accord, to clear away the blockades to our progress, so that we can then...