In the likeness of Obama, Donald Duke’s message of change connects with Nigerians at home, abroad. By Chido Nwangwu

In the likeness of Obama, Donald Duke’s message of change connects with Nigerians at home and abroad.
By Chido Nwangwu, USAfricaonline.com
http://www.USAfricaonline.com/donaldduke-obama-nigeria-chido
USAfrica, March 10, 2010: Donald Duke, the charismatic former Governor of the Cross River State of Nigeria, will speak in the 4th largest city in the U.S., Houston, Texas, on Friday March 12, 2010. The interactive [...]

Dora Akunyili, public service and path of honor

Dora Akunyili, public service and path of honor
By Nkem Ekeopara
Exclusive commentary for USAfricaonline.com and CLASSmagazine, Houston.
I do not give credit easily to public officers, especially the type we have in Nigeria for the obvious reason that only a handful take public office  to serve the common good. Our unfortunate experience is that they come, largely, [...]

Obama health care summit reveals why he should not count on Republicans

As Frank Annunzio, a shrewd former Democratic member of Congress from Chicago – reflecting on how Congress really works – once observed: “All the matters here is the votes. Everything else is [baloney].”

Right now, Obama and the Democrats should be concerning themselves solely with cobbling together bare majorities in both houses to achieve final passage.

Welcome, and Goodbye to Nigeria’s President Yar’Adua. By Chido Nwangwu

Nigerians are moving on, with casual regard for the mysterious presidency of the indisposed Yar’Adua and the man who imposed him and his VP Goodluck Jonathan on Nigeria in 2007, the retired General and former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The truth of the matter is that Nigerians are sick and tired of subjecting our youth and children to compete and struggle for the same political positions with their grand-fathers…. the demands of Nigerians for a responsible and responsive government will not quieten with the return from Saudi Arabia (after 100 days) of the unwilling president of Nigeria ‘Baba Go-Slow’ Umar Yar’Adua. Nigerians say welcome, and goodbye….

Niger’s unpopular President and the military coup makers of 2010. By Chido Nwangwu

Into 2010 in Niger, whether the military coup succeeds or not, Tandja’s age and relevance to Niger’s future and representative democracy are dim and out. In one of his most controversial moves, after more than 10 years in office as commander-in-chief and president, he extended his rule via an unfair referendum in August 2009. The conflicts and rumbles within and outside the military grew….

A few months following the twisted referendum, he dissolved the Nigerien national assembly/parliament and the country’s court for constitutional issues. Soon after, in October 2009, he rail-roaded a parliamentary election which was widely condemned by African countries, the U.S., European countries and donor agencies who for almost 50 years have supported the needs of the poor country which shares borders with Nigeria’s northern region.

Sudan’s 2011 referendum: who’s afraid of freedom?

Sudan’s 2011 referendum: who’s afraid of freedom?
By Prof. Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe
Special to USAfricaonline.com and CLASSmagazine, Houston
Jean Ping, the chair of the Addis Ababa-based Commission of the Africa Union, recently criticised the likely outcome of next year’s referendum by the people of south Sudan on the restoration of their independence. Ping told a French radio station [...]

Why do we celebrate Nelson Mandela’s life?

Why do we celebrate Nelson Mandela’s life?
By Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of USAfricaonline.com
Special to USAfrica The Newspaper, Houston
USAfricaonline.com and CLASS magazine and The Black Business Journal
(First written on April 19,1999, exclusively for USAfrica, updated after his retirement as President and on February 11, 2010 remarking 20th anniversary of his release from apartheid South Africa prison)
http://www.usafricaonline.com/chido1999.mandelatribute.html
Nelson Mandela, preeminent statesman, [...]

Nigeria’s democracy, Anambra’s Governorship election: Winners, Losers and task ahead

Nigeria’s democracy, Anambra’s Governorship election: Winners, Losers and task ahead
By Attorney Chris Aniedobe
Edited version for USAfrica, USAfricaonline.com and CLASSmagazine (Houston) and IgboEvents
USAfrica, Feb 8, 2010: I am satisfied that the re-election of Governor Peter Obi was, substantially, free and fair and does reflect the electoral wishes of the voters/citizens of Anambra State of Nigeria. Many people [...]

Haiti crises, Pat Robertson, Rush Limbaugh and some devil’s pact

Haiti crises, Pat Robertson, Rush Limbaugh and some devil’s pact
By Rev. Nathaniel “Nick” Clayton, II
Special and exclusive commentary for USAfricaonline.com and CLASSmagazine, Houston
I am concerned about the recent snide remarks made by a couple of well known radio and TV personalities in the United States, namely Rush Limbaugh and the Reverend Pat Robertson.
Robertson said on [...]

On Haiti, Tom Barrett’s atrocious bile “Haiti, Government Of The Devil, By The Devil, And For The Devil”- responses

Reasonably, based on facts, I ask: is it too much to ask of these people to minimally show grace and kindness rather be sources of toxic stereotyping of the entire country of Haiti, distorting the entire history of Haitians and viciously assaulting persons who share your own Igbo ancestry and general humanity?? These “christians” largely seat on their hypocritical fannies, speak condescensions and shout insensitive distortions as other less privileged children of God largely die, by the hour, by the minute….

Where’s the Pan-Africanist support needed through Haiti’s dark days?

“Where’s the Pan-Africanist support needed through Haiti’s dark days?”,  asks USAfrica’s Chido Nwangwu

Special to USAfrica and USAfricaonline.com
As the efforts by the greater world community continue to tackle the crises following the hundreds of thousands of deaths and destruction from the January 2010 Haiti earthquake, a call has been made for more persons [...]

USAfrica Flashback: Haiti’s Igbo ancestry and recognition of Biafra. By President Francois Duvalier (in 1969)

USAfricaonline.com Flashback: Haiti’s Igbo ancestry and recognition of Biafra in 1969.
The March 22, 1969 statement by  DR. FRANCOIS ‘Papa Doc’ DUVALIER (April 14, 1907 – April 21, 1971), PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF HAITI (from 1957 to 1971), ON THE RECOGNITION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA AS A SOVEREIGN STATE.
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Special to Houston-based USAfrica multimedia networks, USAfricaonline.com, USAfricaNewsWire, CLASSmagazine, The Black [...]

Wounded Guinea dictator’s arrival in Burkina Faso fuels speculations, threats

Wounded Guinea dictator’s arrival in Burkina Faso fuels speculations, threats
Special to USAfricaonline.com
The arrival (this week) of Guinea’s wounded military junta leader, Moussa Dadis Camara, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, has driven speculations to a new high among Africans, as well as among the Western world which wants to close his page and keep him away from [...]

Haiti needs help, not Pat Robertson’s stupidity, lies…

Go to Hell, Pat Robertson — and the sooner the better. Your ‘theological’ nonsense is revolting. Don’t speak for Haiti, and don’t speak for God. Haiti is suffering a catastrophe and you offer silliness at best, and racism at the worst. Haiti was the first island in the Western hemisphere to overthrow slavery and white oppression — this is what you call a pact with the Devil? God’s heart is breaking with this tragedy, and ours should be too

Nigeria’s Anambra 2010 election, the key players and INEC’s challenge

USAfrica: The News & Opinion Leader for Africans and Americans.
By Dr. Ugorji O. Ugorji
Special to USAfrica multimedia networks, Houston. USAfricaonline.com,  CLASSmagazine, The Black Business Journal,  Nigeria360@yahoogroups and IgboEvents e-group.
There are several reasons why I think the south eastern Anambra State of Nigeria election for governor scheduled for February 6, 2010, will be exemplary in a positive dimension.
First, it [...]

On Harry Reid’s Obama comment, African-Americans and Whites-Caucasians should lighten up.

On Harry Reid’s Obama comment, African-Americans and Whites-Caucasians should lighten up.
By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration
USAfrica: The News & Opinion Leader for Africans and Americans.
Special to USAfrica multimedia networks, Houston. USAfricaonline.com,  CLASSmagazine, The Black Business Journaland Nigeria360@yahoogroups e-group
So Harry Reid spoke aloud what is a prevailing view and practice in America.  Looking historically back to slavery, the offspring [...]

Battling for life and death in Western Sahara. By Stefan Simanowitz

A day that had begun with Haidar’s hospitalisation ended with the 42-year old mother of two being flown home to her family without having made any concessions to the Moroccans. Her homecoming was, in her own words, a victory for ‘international law, for human rights, for international justice” but it was also significant in that it was the first time in the 34 year history of the conflict that the international community had effectively intervened in Western Sahara to persuade Morocco to adhere to its obligations under international law.

Realities of Nigeria’s diminishing relevance to U.S., Africa. By Princeton Lyman

Nigeria is today NOT making a major impact, on its region, or on the African Union or on the big problems of Africa that it was making before. Now, of course, on the negative side, the collapse of Nigeria would be enormous, but is that a point to make Nigeria strategically important?… But I wonder if all this emphasis on Nigeria’s importance creates a tendency to inflate Nigeria’s opinion of its own invulnerability. Among much of the elite today, I have the feeling that there is a belief that Nigeria is too big to fail, too important to be ignored, and that Nigerians can go on ignoring some of the most fundamental challenges they have – many of which we have talked about: disgraceful lack of infrastructure, the growing problems of unemployment, the failure to deal with the underlying problems in the Niger Delta, the failure to consolidate democracy – and somehow will remain important to everybody because of all those reasons that are strategically important.

Nigeria, U.S. and Mutallab terrorism issues: Voice of America’s interview of USAfrica’s Chido Nwangwu.

“Egypt holds a significant number of radical Islamic zealots. (Ayman) Al-Zawahiri, one of the twin leaders of al-Qaida, is an Egyptian. There are radical elements in Egypt. They were not listed. So the Obama administration needs to look a little further. I know they are being sensitive to the fact that the young man was in a transition movement,” he explained.

To counter tighter restrictions, Nwangwu points out that what he calls “evil geniuses” will continue to devise creative, innovative ways to get around the regulations. The Houston journalist says he supports international efforts to plug the loopholes. But also recalling that the September, 2001 attacks all originated within the United States, he contends that there is no substitute for stepped-up vigilance on all possible front.

LIVE on New York’s WWRL, USAfrica’s Chido Nwangwu is guest of CNN & NY DailyNews contributor Errol Louis.

MEDIA NOTES: 
LIVE on New York’s WWRL news/issues show from 6.32am EST on Tues January 5, 2010, USAfrica’s CHIDO Nwangwu
is the guest of CNN & NY DailyNews contributor Errol Louis. Insights n debate of Nigeria, Mutallab n terrorism listing/profiling issues….
plus live streaming via the web…
USAfrica: Our international community’s News & Opinion Leader.

U.S official on ‘Why U.S added [...]