CHUBA OKADIGBO: A big tree has
fallen (1941-2003)
Philosopher, scholar, strategist,
wordsmith, publisher, activist, orator, traditionalist (Oyi of Oyi)
and former President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
passes on at 61
Special to USAfrica The Newspaper, Houston
USAfricaonline.com
and Class
magazine
A big tree has fallen in the political and intellectual landscape
of Nigeria; and indeed Africa. Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, philosopher,
master of political intrigues scholar, publisher, activist, orator,
traditionalist (Oyi of Oyi), and former President of the Senate of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, died on Thursday September 25, 2003,
at the age of 61, in Abuja. He was vice presidential aspirant of the
All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) with retired 
Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari, as leader of the ticket.
Chuba, a 
hardnosed
political operator, was a bridge between the transited old brigade of
the Azikiwe and Awolowos and the new, unsophisticated, impatient new
breed of politicians in Nigeria. He was colorful, flamboyant and
sometimes controversial in his activist life. But one of his
misadventures was the oft-cited statements where he allegedly said
that Dr. Azikiwe's opposition to the NPN "victory" of 1982 could be
"likened to the rantings of an ant."
On many issues, he showed rigor and lucidity in intellectual discourses. Chuba was in Kano for an ANPP rally on Tuesday in Kano where federal police sprayed tear-gas to disperse their opposition to the Obasanjo presidency and "reelection." Okadigbo, who holds a doctorate in philosophy, had a health record of respiratory issues.
Meanwhile, a key member of Okadigbo's ANPP in Kano State Hajiya Naja'tu Mohammed has told the Voice of America (VOA) Hausa Service the former senate president may have died from the impact of of an "offensive liquid" which the Nigerian police poured on ANPP leaders dignitaries at the same rally in Kano. "Immediately Okadigbo inhaled the offensive liquid, he was not himself again and party men started administering first aid on him to revive him.... It was something else, I and Okadigbo were soaked, even Buhari was soaked by the offensive liquid. The Police will not say they don't know Buhari. That was the beginning of Okadigbo's travails, because he started behaving like an asthmatic patient."
On his part, durable journalist and nationalist Chief MCK Ajuluchukwu pointedly said that Chuba's death is a "national calamity which was sure to embarrass President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Inspector General of Police (Tafa Balogun). It is a national calamity. It must be an embarrassment to the president and IGP that the police in Kano had to throw teargas at a rally being addressed by the Governor of Kano State and the Presidential candidate of the ANPP (Buhari) and his running mate (Okadigbo). There should be a revisit to the constitutional provision for freedom of Assembly without police molestation. This death is a kind of incident that can bring the North and the East together because they share a common sense of grief. Things like that should not be allowed to happen. The death of Bola Ige is shocking enough, Okadigbo's death is even more bizarre. There should be an investigation regarding the real cause of death, which is now being attributed to police teargas in kano. I don't believe he died a natural death. It seems like a respiratory collapse arising out of poisonous gas."
Also, the Kaduna State chairman of ANPP Alhaji Kabir Umar has said his party "vehemently object to the way and manner Okadigbo was tear gas(ed) during the Kano rally...the death of Okadigbo was unfortunate, this is because we believe that his sudden death is not unconnected with the use of tear gas fired by the police. If they know that a man like Okadigbo was asthmatic and the security men still went ahead to fire tear gas in that environment, what did they expect?"
USAfricaonline.com contacts indicate that Dr. Okadigbo was taken to his Jerome Udoji Close residence in Asokoro, Abuja, the city where he has a home, to get additional medical attention and some rest. He was also planning for next day to see if could make another court appearance in the ANPP's electoral-legal challenge to President (retired (Gen.) Olusegun Obasanjo's controversial reelection of May 2003. The petitioners, the alliance of Nigeria's political parties, the European Union, Human Rights Watch, and many international observers have since described the "reelection" in various terms as "rigged, unfair, and not credible" - citing certain cases of vote inflation and violence.
Chuba's police orderlies were withdrawn recently and he has been getting threatening calls. A number of his supporters are outraged by his sudden death.
Chuba told me in an interview during the 2002 World Igbo Congress in Houston that "Nigeria's President Obasanjo is sorely lacking in the mannerisms of running a democratic government. We fell out because I insisted and worked constitutionally on the principle of separation powers. He believe he owns the government. He's a soldier and acts like one. But this is a democracy." He fell out with Obasanjo and the party, PDP, and said the following in Nigeria "Now, the Nigerian polity is sick of second term syndrome, a threatening political cancer. Sadly, I must say that the PDP, which had been a big party of the people, is fast becoming a problem party for Obasanjo and his associates, which is run by his sycophantic cronies. They now lie prostrate in the trauma wing of a political hospital. Some good persons have been trying to nurse the PDP back to good health. But Obasanjo and his cronies are unwilling to let go, due to their 'second term' mania. So, what next? We all know that nothing succeeds like failure...."
Before then, Dr. Okadigbo informed USAfricaonline and NigeriaCentral.com in another brief interview after his election in 1999 as Nigeria's 7th Senate president that "we'll continue to place the overriding interests of all Nigerians at the top of our legislative agenda. We'll return quickly to the task of rebuilding the country and its democratic institutions."
Chuba was key negotiator for Nigeria's government led at the time (1979-1983) by Alhaji Shehu Shagari in securing the return of Biafra's leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. He was Shagari's political adviser. On the same issue of Biafrans and rehabilitation into Nigeria, he argued in 2001 that calling "ex-Biafran soldiers traitors is nonsensical, as it is inflammatory and unpatriotic....it is an attempt to boost up this anti-Igbo sentiment."
On June 24, 2002, as he was planning to be president of Nigeria, he said "I do not wish to be a South-East nor an Igbo President. Nor do I wish to be a Southern President. I wish to be a Nigerian President, because I am thoroughly Nigerian, very Nigerian. I want my fellow Nigerians to accept me, to endorse me, to vote for me, because I will run a programmatic government which will get things done for Nigerians and for Nigeria and thereby, Move Nigeria Forward- positively."
On the issue of the Presidency of Nigeria, and a subtle dig at
retired Gen Obasanjo, Chuba said elsewhere the same month that
Nigeria "As a country, we have been endowed by God Almighty with so
much resources and potentials to be great. However, we have to free
our Nation from direction-less, authoritarian rulers who are
suffocating our democracy and have arrested our growth. What we need
to do is simple- with our votes; we can free our nation and free
ourselves.
Nigerians, free yourselves and fly!
Nigerians, free yourselves and fly!"
Regarding the ruling PDP which he co-founded with Nigeria's vice president Atiku Abubakar, and others, later joined by Obasanjo, Chuba said, pointedly, "Sadly, the PDP has been unable to manage victory. The party has burst at the seams and has been in persistent trouble, no thanks to self-inflicted wounds. The problem began in June 1999, when President Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP induced Senators in the opposition parties, namely, the All Peoples Party (APP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) to defeat the PDP candidate for the post of Senate President in the person of Dr. Chuba Okadigbo. Thereafter, discord between the executive and legislative arms of government began.
"Next, Obasanjo engineered the ouster of the PDP National Chairman, Chief Solomon Lar, whom he replaced with Chief Barnabas Gemade, whom he again replaced with Chief Audu Ogbe. Then. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo made it known that he wanted a second term as President. So did all PDP Governors and Local Government Chairmen. The APP and AD Chief Executives have followed suit. Now, the Nigerian polity is sick of second term syndrome, a threatening political cancer. Sadly, I must say that the PDP, which had been a big party of the people, is fast becoming a problem party for Obasanjo and his associates, which is run by his sycophantic cronies. They now lie prostrate in the trauma wing of a political hospital. Some good persons have been trying to nurse the PDP back to good health. But Obasanjo and his cronies are unwilling to let go, due to their 'second term' mania. So, what next? We all know that nothing succeeds like failure. What may happen next can be anybody's guess. Bearing in mind the fact that success has many friends whereas failure is an orphan."
In an address to Nigerians in London on July 14, 2002, he directed his sharp mind to the issue of Incumbency as factor in Nigeria's politics, and what Nigerians should learn from the U.S. He noted that "Incumbency is a two-edged sword. It can be quite raw. It can cut an opponent and it can also cut the holder of the sword. If the holder is a good performer, he can use the relevant performance as a sword of incumbency. But if he is a bad performer, that same sword can cut him, even to pieces. In the contemporary Nigerian setting, it all seems that incumbency will hurt many of its holders, due to dubious performances. Remember that George Bush, Snr, was an incumbent President of the United States when Bill Clinton defeated him. Bush led the US to fight and defeat Saddam Hussein and Iraq in 1990 but the American thought he did not perform at home. They turned out to be right in that Bill Clinton gave America eight straight years of unprecedented prosperity and peace."
He continued: "Similarly (at the time) incumbent President Kenneth Kaunda, incumbent President Kerekou and incumbent President Gerald Ford were defeated at one time or the other, when the incumbency sword cut its holders in favour of opponents. When voters are appalled by bad performance and when they are vigilant, watch out for change. Moreover, change is the only thing that does not change. Every thing else is subject to change. No one, no class, no nation can stop the mind of change from blowing when it must and none can halt change itself when it is in real motion."
With an erudite mind and powerful political connections, Okadigbo achieved most of his ambitions. But he could have even been more awith just a little more discipline. Fact is: like or hate him, you cannot ignore Chuba Okadigbo and his imprints on the sands of Nigeria's politics. Goodbye, Oyi. Thank you! May your valiant soul rest in peace!
A thumbnail biography of Okadigbo's and some of his thoughts
will include, the following:
Birth: December 17, 1941
Marital Status:
Married to Margery Okadigbo (they have children and he has other kids
before then)
Education :
Diploma in Trade Economics Blankenburg College of Technology,
Germany, 1963.
Master der Philosophie Karl Marx Universitaet, Leipzig, Germany,
1967.
Master of arts in philosophy the Catholic University of America,
Washington, D.C., USA, 1972.
Post-doctoral fellow of politics the catholic university of america, Washington. D.C., USA, 1973-1975
Teaching experience :
Assistant professor, later adjunct associate professor of philosophy
University of the District of Columbia Washington D.C., 1973-75.
Adjunct assistant professor of politics the Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., U.S.A, 1973-75.
Adjunct assistant professor of politics Howard University, Washington D.C., U.S.A, 1974-75.
Director-general centre for inter-discilinary and political studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1975-1978.
Lecturer in philosophy University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1975-78.
Professor of philosophy Bigard Memorial Senior Seminary [Roman Catholic Mission]. Enugu, Nigeria, 1975-77.
Academic visitor and research scholar [visiting professor] London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Government. London, United Kingdom, 1984-1987.
Author:
Logic for Black undergraduates,
1973 on Hegel's treatment of Egypt: the middle-point between nature and spirit,
1973 Time for change,
1978 The mission of the NPN,
1979 Consciencism in African political philosophy,
1985 Power and Leadership in Nigeria,
1987 Transition to Transition: a senate profile,
1995 -several articles in national and international journals, magazines and newspapers-
Politics :
Organizing secretary, later administrative assistant, NCNC national
secretariat. 2 Ikorodu road, Yaba, lagos, 1959-1962.
Secretary, academic board of NCNC, 1960-1963
Assistant publicity secretary Zikist National Vanguard lagos branch 1961-1963
Special correspondent: the Cock monthly newspaper of the NCNC, 1960-1963
Founder/Secretary, Lagos municipal tenants movement, 1960-1961
Founder/President, Nigeria Tenants movement, 1961-1963
General secretary Nigeria Union of students, East Germany1964-1966
General secretary NCNC, East German branch, 1964-1966
Vice president NCNC, East Europe wing, 1964-1966
Elected member, constituent assembly federal republic of nigeria, 1977-1978 (which framed the constitution of the federal republic of nigeria 1999).
Deputy national secretary later, acting national secretary national party of nigeria [npn], 1978-1979
Special adviser on political affairs to the president of nigeria, 1979-1983.
Secretary elders council [national] social democratic party [sdp] 1990-1992
Senator of the federal republic of nigeria 1992-1993
Chairman, senate foreign affairs committee dec. 1992-nov. 1993
National vice chairman [south east] Peoples democratic movement [pdm], 1993-date
Proponent of the name and title "peoples democratic party [pdp]"
Proponent of the flag of the pdp [green, white, red]
Proponent of the motto of the pdp [power to the people]
Co-proponent of the symbol of the pdp [umbrella]
Chairman pdp national publicity committee, 1998-1999
Re-elected as a Senator of the federal republic of Nigeria, 1999
Chairman, senate foreign affairs committee jun.1999- nov.1999
President of the senate of the federal republic of Nigeria. nov.18, 1999 - Aug. 8, 2000.
Founder/chairman Institute of civic affairs, July 2001 till date
Chairman, senate committee on Riots, crises and conflicts, sept. 2001 till date
Honours:
Ekwueme of Ogbunike, 1976.
Ikenga Iguedo, 1980
Oyi of Oyi, 1992
Ikenga Omaballa, 1999
Okwuluoha Ndigbo, fct, 1999
Orji [okeosisi] of Anambra state,
1999 Ijelle Awka, 1999
Ezeudo na Ihembosi, 2000
Okaome Ndigbo [Orlu], 2000
Ode jim jim [Okigwe], 2001
Enyi Nawfia, 2001
Order of diplomatic merit, gwanghwa medal of distinguished international service of the republic of korea, 1980.
National order of the Republic of Guinea, 1981.
Chuba had his way with words. Remarkable, among many, is an excerpt from his interview with erudite journalist Lewis Obi, in the Concord newspaper in July1982, on Statistics: "Statistics are useful, indeed necessary. But you must examine, indeed re-examine statistics before you take really rational decisions. Let me put it another way. Statistics are like bikinis. What they show are quite interesting. What they conceal is even more interesting. In other words, you must look deeper &endash;beyond the first flash of statistical data.
On Ideology:
An ideology is a world outlook or world view, a Weltanschauug to be
more scientific. From the stand-point of government, you can call it
a framework or the mirror of a leader or ruler for looking at the
State and the world generally. In the specific case of Nigeria, there
is an ideology in the form of the Fundamental Objectives and
Directive Principles of State Policy, given in Chapter Two of the
Constitution. Take note that every councillor, chairman, legislator
and executive in Nigeria must take an oath of office wherefore he
swears to maintain the Constitution. This is mandatory. In ADDITION,
A LEGISLATOR, RULER OR LEADER SHOULD ADHERE TO THE MANDATE given in
the manifesto and Constitution of the party on whose platform he came
into office. Usually, they do NOT contradict any Constitution of our
Fatherland. The central point is that Nigeria should be a welfare
state, as originally ordained by the Founding Fathers of Nigeria and
their political parties. Nevertheless, there is room for
particularisations and rationalised ordering of priorities, according
to existential circumstances. This must include the reality of free
competition, marketi-sm, and the reward of Merit in the contemporary
world.
On Money and Power:
Every body needs money to live and cope with life. You can use money
to do good and you can use government money to do good for the many.
But as they say, money is the root of all evils. Like the incumbency
sword, money can cut both ways, the giver or taker, the rich or the
poor. The worst part of money is to have more than you need. With
respect to power, the greedy but very important personalities (VIPs)
who seek or have more money than they need are among the shamelessly
corrupt. They can do any thing bad to stack money and to induce any
body to do evil. In business, some persons who worship money are
fraudsters, while others may even sell drugs to little, innocent
children. Some of the moneybags have often told me that the only way
to get power is have money or to be a slave of moneybags. I did ask
them how much personal money they think or know that Dr. Nnamdi
Azikwe, Alhaji Tafawa Belewa, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Mallam Aminu Kano and
Alhaji Shehu Shagari had to be Heads of State or Governments. Also, I
told them that it is God, not money that gives or takes power to who
He wills. Furthermore, I know that God provides money through good
men to any one that He wanted to give power.
On Travails and setbacks:
"When one door closes, another opens". A man may rise or fall.
Otherwise, he is static and this can be very boring. When you rise,
try to hang in there but never abandon principles. When you fall,
stand up, dust up, and move. In addition, I always remember the deep
British thinker, Rudyard Kiplins, when I rise or when I fall. He
wrote: if you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two
impostors just the same…if you can fill the unforgiving minute
with sixty seconds worth of distance run, yours is the Earth and
everything that's in it &endash;And which is more-you'll be a Man, my
son!" during a chat with students in Umuahia, June 2001.
On Foreign Policy:
At the beginning, Nigerian foreign policy was non-alignment, with
either the West or East, as power blocks and as capitalist or
communist nations. In 1976, this policy was revised, wherefore Africa
became the centrepiece of Nigerian foreign policy. Thanks to this
doctrine, Nigeria facilitated the independence or liberation of a
host of colonized African countries, including apartheid South
Africa, Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Recently, this policy was
made to include military intervention for unity and peace in troubled
African states, such as Liberia, Sierra-Leone and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo. This has been overly expensive, in terms of
money, human life and property. This spontaneous policy review is in
search of yet a more rational review. In addition, the world is no
longer as ideologically divided as it was before the fall of the
Soviet bloc of nations. It is no longer bipolar or multipolar. The
world is now unipolar. This is an additional rationale for some
inevitable but dynamic review of Nigerian Foreign Policy. Therefore,
I should propose an All Nigerian Foreign Policy Conference, as
distinct from any unilateral and undemocratic decision by any ruler
or group.
On Nigeria's Budget
…In his Budget Address, President Olusegun Obasanjo aptly
observed in page 2: "for this Government and most Nigerians, our
hard-won democracy is yet to translate into significant improvements
in our lives." I completely agree with this. But why? The major
reason for this pitiful failure was given by several Senators who
spoke yesterday. To wit: The Y1999 Supplementary Budget and the Y2000
Budget, with all their Amendments, have not been properly implemented
by the Executive, whose two hands were totally free to implement. You
will recall that a highly placed public officer in the Ministry of
Finance has been quoted as saying that less than 30% of budgeted
money for projects in Y2000 has been spent! Ironically, the Senators,
after all, are right at last.
Mr. President, I hereby suggest that the political economy approach, as opposed to the bookkeeper, is the best way for budget formulation and costing in Nigeria. From this standpoint, our national budget must be made to be consistent with the federal principle. In this connection, no state or zone may have more than the other, excepting when and where the Rationale are clear, empirically verifiable, and socially/morally defensible. Unfortunately, in the Y2001 Budget, there are many manifestation of disproportion, with regard to the allocation of fluids and projects to our Zones and States in several particulars. For example, I cannot find any justification for the reduction of my Zone, the South-East, to the sixth and lowest position in the Y2001 Budget of President Obasanjo. Why can't all Zones have equal share and why must the South-East be at the very bottom of the 'Zonal Distribution of Core Projects'?
Chuba:
pragmatic idealist and political strategist.
By Dr. Chidi Amuta, author of 'The theory of African
Literature: implications for practical criticism.'
How Obasanjo's
self-succession
charade
at his Ota Farm has
turned Nigeria to an 'Animal
Farm.' By
USAfricaonline.com contributor Prof. Mobolaji Aluko
After Okadigbo's death, John Nwodo
alerts 'my life is in danger'
Why Chinua
Achebe, the Eagle on
the Iroko, is Africa's writer of the century.
By Chido Nwangwu
Since 1958, Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" set a standard
of artistic excellence,
and more. By Douglas Killam
OIL
in NIGERIA: Liquid
Gold or Petro-Dollars Curse?
Elections in Nigeria more a
battle of the retired Generals, and votes buying
bazaar. By
Chido Nwangwu
Osama
bin-Laden's goons threaten Nigeria and Africa's
stability. By Chido Nwangwu
Nigeria,
a terrible beauty....
DIPLOMACY
Walter
Carrington:
African-American diplomat who put principles above self for
Nigeria 
(USAfrica's
founder Chido Nwangwu with Ambassador Carrington at the U.S.
embassy, Nigeria)
DEMOCRACY'S
WARRIOR
Out of
Africa.
…The
cock that crows in the morning belongs to one household but
his voice is the property of the neighborhood. -- Chinua
Achebe, Anthills of the Savannah. An editor carries on
his crusade against public corruption and press
censorship
in his native Nigeria and other African countries. By
John Suval.
Why Bush should focus on
dangers
facing Nigeria's return
to democracy
and Obasanjo's slipperyslide. By Chido Nwangwu
Abati's Revisionisms
and Distortions of history. By Obi Nwakanma, USAfrica
The Newspaper contributing editor and award-winning poet
Reuben Abati's
fallacies
on Nigeria's
history and secession. By Bayo
Arowolaju
How Abati, Adelaja and others fuel the
campaign
of hatred against Ndigbo. By Jonas Okwara
"Obasanjo, secession and the secessionists":
A response to Reuben Abati's
Igbophobia. By Josh Arinze,
USAfricaonline.com contributing editor.
Abati and other anti-Igbo
bigots in Nigeria. By Chuks
Iloegbunam, USAfricaonline.com contributing editor and
author of Ironsi
Obasanjo's late wake to the Sharia crises, Court's
decision and Nigeria's democracy. By Ken Okorie
Obasanjo's
own challenge is to imbibe "democratic spirit and
practice," By Prof. Ibiyinka Solarin
Is Obasanjo really
up to
Nigeria's
challenge and crises?
By USAfrica
The Newspaper editorial board member, attorney Ken Okorie.
This commentary appears courtesy of our related web
site, NigeriaCentral.com
Obasanjo's late wake to the Sharia crises,
Court's
decision and Nigeria's democracy. By Ken Okorie
Sharia-related
killings and carnage in Kaduna reenact deadly prologue to
Nigeria-Biafra
war
of 1967. By
Chido Nwangwu.
CONTINENTAL
AGENDA
Bush's position on
Africa
is "ill-advised."
The position
stated by Republican presidential aspirant and Governor of
Texas, George Bush where he said that "Africa will not be an
area of priority" in his presidency has been
questioned by USAfricaonline.com Publisher
Chido Nwangwu. He
added that Bush's "pre-election position was neither
validated by the economic exchanges nor geo-strategic
interests of our two continents." These views were stated
during an interview CNN's anchor Bernard Shaw and senior
analyst Jeff Greenfield had with Mr. Nwangwu on Saturday
November 18, 2000 during a special edition of 'Inside
Politics 2000.'
Nwangwu,
adviser to the Mayor of Houston (the 4th largest city in the
U.S., and immigrant home to thousands of Africans) argued
further that "the issues of the heritage interests of 35
million African-Americans in Africa, the volume and value of
oil business between between the U.S and Nigeria and the
horrendous AIDS crisis in Africa do not lend any basis for
Governor Bush's ill-advised
position which
removes Africa from fair consideration" were he to be
elected president.
By Al Johnson
Jonas Savimbi, UNITA are
"terrorists"
in Africans' eyes
despite Washington's "freedom fighter" toga for him. By
SHANA WILLS
Nelson
Mandela, Tribute to the
world's political superstar and Lion of
Africa
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's
burden
mounts with murder charges, trials
TRIBUTE
A KING FOR
ALL TIMES:
Why Martin Luther King's
legacy
and vision are relevant into 21st century.
ARINZE: Will he be
the FIRST
BLACK AFRICAN
POPE?
By Chido
Nwangwu
HUMAN
RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
How far, how deep will Nigeria's human rights
commission go?
Rtd. Gen. Babangida trip as
emissary for Nigeria's Obasanjo to Sudan raises curiosity,
questions about what next in power
play?
Apple, Steve Jobs extend digital
magic
Lifestyle
Sex,
Women and (Hu)Woman
Rights. By Chika Unigwe
APPRECIATION
A young
father writes his One
year old son:
"If only my heart had a voice...."
Africa
suffers the scourge of the virus.
This life and pain of Kgomotso Mahlangu, a
five-month-old AIDS patient (above) in a hospital in the
Kalafong township near Pretoria, South Africa, on October
26, 1999, brings a certain, frightening reality to the
sweeping and devastating destruction of human beings who
form the core of any definition of a country's future, its
national security, actual and potential economic development
and internal markets.
22 million Africans HIV-infected, ill
with AIDS
while African leaders
ignore disaster-in-waiting
OPINION: 
Destruction
of property and human massacres are always traumatic
events in a community, saddening and enraging, but the
organizers of the beauty contest, as well as the
participants, must understand that they are totally free of
guilt. The guilty are the storm troopers of intolerance, the
manipulators of feeble-minded but murderous hordes of
fanaticism. The nation will mourn the dead and render aid to
the maimed and bereaved, but that same nation must
understand that it will itself join the graveyard of nations
if it fails to uphold the principles of plurality, choice
and tolerance. The phenomenon of intolerance is eating up a
world that can only survive on peaceful coexistence.
By Prof. Wole Soyinka
Debating
Obasanjo's
record
toward Nigeria's South East and South-South. By Pini
Jason
DEMOCRACY
DEBATE
CNN
International debate on Nigeria's democracy livecast on CNN.
It involved Nigeria's Information Minister Prof. Jerry
Gana, Prof. Salih Booker and USAfricaonline.com Publisher
Chido Nwangwu. Transcripts
are available on
the CNN International site.
USAfrica The
Newspaper voted the "Best Community
Newspaper"
in the 4th largest city in the U.S., Houston. It is in
the Best of Houston 2001 special as chosen by the editors
and readers of the Houston
Press,
reflecting their poll and annual rankings.
Tragedy of Ige's murder
is its déjà vu for the Yoruba
southwest and rest of
Nigeria. By Ken Okorie
What has Africa
to do with September 11 terror? By Chido Nwangwu
Should Africa debates begin and
end at
The
New York Times and
The
Washington Post?
No
NEWS INSIGHT
CNN,
Obasanjo and Nigeria's struggles with democracy.
Why Obasanjo's government should respect
CNN
and Freedom of the press
in Nigeria.
Jonas Savimbi, UNITA are
"terrorists"
in Africans' eyes
despite Washington's "freedom fighter" toga for him. By
SHANA WILLS
It's wrong
to stereotype Nigerians as Drug
Dealers
Private initiative,
free
market forces, and more
democratization
are Keys to prosperity in Africa
What
has Africa
to do with September 11 terror? By Chido
Nwangwu
Africans
reported
dead
in terrorist
attack at
WTC
September
11
terror and
the ghost of things to
come....
Will
religious conflicts be the time-bomb
for Nigeria's latest transition to civilian rule?
Bola
Ige's murder another danger signal for
Nigeria's nascent democracy.
In a special report a few hours after the
history-making nomination, USAfricaonline.com
Founder and Publisher Chido Nwangwu places Powell within the
trajectory of history and into his unfolding clout and
relevance in an essay titled 'Why Colin
Powell
brings gravitas, credibility and star power to Bush
presidency.'
AFRICA
AND THE U.S. ELECTIONS
Beyond U.S.
electoral shenanigans, rewards and dynamics of a democratic
republic hold
lessons
for
African politics.
Johnnie Cochran
will soon learn that defending Abacha's
loot is not as simple as his O.J Simpson's
case.
By Chido Nwangwu
110 minutes
with Hakeem Olajuwon
Nigerian
stabbed
to death
in his bathroom in Houston.
Cheryl
Mills' first class defense of Clinton and her detractors'
game