The Voice magazine

ISSN:2588-8807

ISSN:1571-3466

Motto: Actuated towards Africa’s advancement

Volume 21. NO. 181. February 2019

www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com www.thenigerianvoice.com

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First complete African magazine published in The Netherlands since August 1999

NIGERIANS DECIDE! Who will win Nigeria’s Presidential Polls?

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Contents GET MORE ADVERTISING VALUE

FROM THE VOICE MAGAZINE Get fast results by advertising with us.

Call us today on +31684999548 or +31648519292 E-mail: info@thevoicenewsmagazine.com Page 4 – Editorial: Swifts and turns before Nigeria elections 2019 Page 8 – A Historic Acquittal of Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé Page 9 – Feedback – Page for your letters Pages 10 & 11 - Who are the main candidates for the February 2019 election?

Pages 12 & 13 - NigeriaDecides, Countdown to 2019 General Election: Planning, Readiness, Inclusion Critical for Success Pages 14 & 15 - How the African diaspora can help the continent achieve the SDGs 20-24 - Face to face with Councilor Collins Nweke on Voice Chat...

Page 25- CEO of the Diana Award becomes 1st British person to receive Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award Pages 26 & 27 - Nigeria’s 2019 presidential polls: 72 aspirants on ballot - Official Page 28 - Zimbabwe police arrest prominent govt critic Pastor Mawarire Page 29 - Dishwasher wins $21m settlement against Miami hotel for forcing her to work on Sundays Pages 30 -31 - New political party, the African Freedom Revolution, aims to snap up 3 million votes Page 32 – Ambode presents apartment to 11 years old artist and family Pages 38 & 39 - Celebrating Komla Dumor, the iconic journalist Africa will never stop missing.

Page 44 - Column: The prodigal son (Part 1) - Coming to yourself Page 45 - President Obiang in running for the best world leader Page 46 - Algeria to hold presidential election on April 18 Page 47 - Ethiopia grants refugees right to work and live out of camps Pages 48 &- 50 - The chilling details of Patrice Lumumba’s assassination and how he was dissolved in acid South Africa.

Page 51 - Presidential Inauguration to go ahead despite calls for postponements in wake of election Controversy Page 52 - Zuma’s newest wife to act over fake Twitter Pages 54 - 55 - Combating Road Traffic Accidents in Nigeria with Vehicle Inspection Operation as a Vital Solution Pages 56 -57 - UN, Britain express concern as Zimbabwe orders internet shutdown Page 59 - Mercy Muthui - Mysterious death in Holland Pages 60 -62 - The Obasanjo Bombshell By Reuben Abati Page 63 - I’m impressed with INEC’s readiness for elections – President Buhari tells EU observers Pages 64 & 65 - Egypt the right choice as late replacement hosts for 2019 African Cup of Nations Pages 66-68 - My thoughts on the 2019 Heavyweight Division

The Voice Magazine Volume 21. No 181 February 2019 Edition

VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE IN NIGERIA’S FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS, GET YOUR PVC AS IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE AT ELECTIONS IF YOU ARE OF AGE 18 & ABOVE.....

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Living positive

Eliane

Facts about HIV • The WHO recommends a national guideline on breastfeeding as well as support for an individual decision by the mother herself.

• In The Netherlands the national guideline to HIV positive mothers is not to breastfeed, as this guarantees zero risk of transmission.

• There can be good reasons for mothers to decide to breastfeed, like mother-child bonding, nutritional health as well as social and economic reasons.

• For HIV positive mothers an informed individual choice on breastfeeding is possible.

Breastfeeding The risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding when the mother is on HIV medication is small (between 0 and 1%), but not zero.

I believe breastfeeding is a good start of life. I still have a vivid and good memory of being breastfed. Honestly, I remember well! Until I was seven years old, my mom used to lie by my side before I fell asleep and I would hold her breast in my mouth. I was not particularly spoiled as a child. I was simply the last born in a family of 10. When I became a mother for the first time, I breastfed my daughter until the age of 15 months.

That was before HIV came into my life.

When my second baby was born in 2006, I had already been diagnosed with HIV and I was told not to breastfeed because my milk might infect the baby with HIV. It was a very difficult time for me, not to be allowed to breastfeed my baby. It was psychologically damaging and it took a while before I could accept it. The thought that I was avoiding any risk of mother to child transmission by using baby formula supported me.

I regained confidence and used to give my baby the bottle, pretending it was my own breast.

Our beautiful home in Newlands, South Africa, was situated close to Menlyn Park shopping mall. This mall was a distraction for me for the first months after having my son. I spent some time walking around and I would end up at my

favourite place, The Brazilian, for a good cappuccino. Some people would stare at me because I was giving a bottle to my baby instead of my breast. One day a lady approached me and accused me of being a bad mother: “You are a black mother and you are not giving a breast to your child? This is the new lifestyle of white people you are following, right?” I told her that I had medical reasons. I made up the story that my breast dried out because of complications of diabetes. She then apologised and was sorry to judge me so easily.

At that moment I was glad to have my diabetes story as a back up! When the HIV test for my son came back negative, I felt a winner. When our second son was born it had become normal for me not to breastfeed. I trusted my decision and indeed, he is free of HIV too! We shared mother-baby love differently but bonded equally anyway!

Hiv Vereniging The Dutch Association of People Living with HIV (Hiv Vereniging) represents the interests of all people with HIV in the Netherlands, irrespective of background.

We provide information about living with HIV and organise all kinds of meet-ups.

Servicepunt Our team of expert volunteers can be contacted for any question about living with HIV, by telephone on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 14:00 – 22:00 hrs, or by email: servicepunt@hivvereniging.nl.

See www.hivvereniging.nl

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Editorial

Swifts and turns before Nigeria elections 2019.

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s Nigerian election 2019 approaches, there is a lot of comic acts going on and it leaves many to wonder if there is a script that is being followed leading to this elections. Twice we have had to rewrite our editorial because of the constant changes in political activities leading to the elections this month and early March 2019. First was the suspension of the Chief Justice of the Federation on allegation of corrupt practices. According to them, the reports of the investigation has been on for a while now so the question is why wait till few weeks to a crucial elections before suspending the Chief Justice and appointing another in Acting capacity? Who are those advising this President to take such actions at this moment in time; similarly he appoints a new Acting Inspector General of Police; the former accused of corruption and abuse of power but under whose watch has these two public officers operated? The same President Buhari whom is supporters claim to be no nonsense person when it comes to fighting corruption. Whatever the intentions are, the timing is poor judgment and danger to the whole democratic process. It could also be a ploy to distract the electorates from concentrating on the matters affecting the country, after all it is no gainsaying that the President is not prepared or willing to debate any of his challengers before the election. The Vice-president, Osinbajo has been doing all the talking in this second term bid and you will think he is on the ballot for the presidency. Having said this all, we look at the political arrangement and see the chances of the opposition taking over power in May 2019.

Despite our objective coverage of the electoral procedure so far, many of our readers have been asking us to stake our heads out on which party is going to win the elections. We don’t honestly have conclusive opinion polls as in many advance countries where through the preparations you can pre-determine the outcome of the elections. Nigeria is still developing his electoral system so therefore we do not expect a clear-cut answers at this elections. Having said that our objection to the style of the current administration in Nigeria, their inability to tackle the major problems confronting the country which includes lack of security, high unemployment, poverty increase, lack of basic social infrastructure like electricity, water, good roads, equipped hospitals etc. Even the fight on corruption has not been transmitted to better life for the people rather near collapse of middle class society; the rich keep getting richer and the poor getting poorer, a near uncertain future and a sorry state of millions of Nigerian youths – this is the sorry state of the most populous black 6

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nation in the world. This election as crucial as it is does not offer much difference from the previous election in 2015. Rather the two major parties still remains APC and PDP and they are both dominated by individuals whom we describe as a COIN of the same side.

Pastor Amb. Elvis Iruh These are men and women who Editor-in-Chief have carpet crossed from one of these two parties in the last three and half years so we wonder what has really changed after the polls of 2015! One missing ingredient as far as we are concerned is lack of cohesion among the opposition parties to form a strong alliance to challenge the APC. PDP on their own cannot do it as it was in 2015 when APC gathered a stronger opposition alliance to remove PDP from power after 16 years. You will recall that in 2015, there was a grand alliance of the leading opposition parties, which led to the rally point for President Buhari to defeat Goodluck Jonathan.

We have not seen such momentum in less than a month to the polls from PDP. We guess they are expecting sympathy votes; Nigerians are not good at doing that except there is an exchange of something. The handwriting was clearing written on the wall in 2015 that PDP was going to lose; that cannot be said now except that many are wishing Buhari would be defeated in the polls. As at the time of going to press, 72 candidates had been cleared to contest the election although about 25 of the candidates we are informed are forming an alliance or stepping down for the incumbent President Muhammud Buhari to continue his second term and about 30 smaller parties willing to work with PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar; it is not clear the strength of these smaller parties to make significant differences at the polls. With no clear strong opposition alliance willing to give the present President a good fight at the polls, the odds favour Buhari second term bid success.

Enjoy your edition, remember to promote the magazine with your contacts, advertise with us, and promote your businesses and events with us. Send us an email at info@thevoicenewsmagazine.com and let us know your views as well.

Pastor Ambassador Elvis Iruh Editor-in-Chief

The Voice magazine The Voice magazine is editorially independent although we enjoys the support of our readers, subscribers, advertisers, non-­ governmental organizations and in­dividuals of like minds; however the magazine publishers are in no way af­ filiated to any of these bodies or to any other ­publishing institution or political interest or group.

The Voice magazine strives to foster awareness among the African audience and bridge the widening gap between Africans and the rest of the world in news gathering and dissemination.

The Voice is published digitally online except on demand, we print hard copy..

If you want to receive a copy, send us your email address.

On the Editorial board are Elvis Iruh, Jonathan Mgbejume, Sandra Iruh-Monsels, and Henry Oduenyi READ THE VOICE ON LINE AT www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com Our Affiliate partner: www.thenigerianvoice.com Registration NO: (Kvk. Nr. 34.110.928) TAX (BTW) NO: NL806215809B01 ISSN: 1571-3466 (For Print edition) ISSN: 2588-8807 (For Digital edition) For payments, use these bank details: Stichting Paddi Europa SNS Bank Account No: NL29SNSB0908374372 Swift Code: SNSBNL2A OR Stichting Paddi Europa Knab Bank Account No: NL77KNAB0725202238 Swift Code: KNABNL2H

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OUR MISSION STATEMENT

The Voice magazine is published in the Netherlands by Stichting Paddi Europa and it is p ­ ublished online from 2016 around the world. It is registered at the Chamber of Commerce Amsterdam. The Voice aim to serve as a vital link among African readers in the Diaspora and we ­provide ­objective information and organizes opinion exchange among African people both in the ­continent and abroad. Thus it strives to foster and enhance complete understanding of ­developing c­ ountries problems and bring information to help address those issues. TV

Volume 21

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February 2019 www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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news

A historic acquittal of Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé

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CC Trial Chamber I last month acquitted Mr. Laurent Gbagbo, former President of Cote d’Ivôire, and his coaccused, Charles Blé Goudé, former Youth Minister, from all charges of crimes against humanity committed in Cote d’Ivôire in 2010 and 2011, following the disputed Ivorian elections.

Judge Geoffrey Henderson and Judge Cuno Tarfusser (presiding) forming the majority, Judge Herrera-Carbuccia dissenting, found that the prosecutor has failed to submit sufficient evidence to demonstrate the guilt of Mr. Gbagbo and Mr. Blé Goudé.

The Court further held that the prosecutor has failed to demonstrate several core constitutive elements of the crimes charged, and concluded that the prosecutor could not establish that there was a common plan to commit crimes to keep Gbagbo in power; nor could the prosecutor prove that Gbagbo and Blé Goudé were part of a common plan or policy to attack civilians.

Accordingly, the Court ordered the release of Mr. Gbagbo and Mr. Blé Goudé. The Court have heard the observations of both the prosecution and defence on this decision and the court is expected to give his final ruling on the matter so both men can be free again after years of

detention in The Hague, The Netherlands.

Laurent Gbagbo, has been detained by the ICC since 30 November 2011, is the only former Head of State to be tried by the Court.

In June 2018, by majority of 3-2, the ICC Appeals Chamber similarly acquitted JeanPierre Bemba Gombo, a former Vice President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), from the charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Central African Republic (CAR).

These developments should prove to skeptics that the ICC is a serious Court composed of independent judges, who may disagree with their fellow judges. The ICC is not a kangaroo court that is just there to convict.

Eric-Aimé Siemen, President of the Ivorian Observatory of Human Rights (OIDH) had this to say: ‘This is a historic decision, and we applaud the courage of the judges in rendering a decision that reflects what we observed during the trial. The prosecution has once again failed victims and truth seekers. It seems the prosecution focuses first on individuals, instead of the facts’.

Following this ruling the daughter of the Former President demanded the immediate release of her father and that he should be granted the right to return back to his home country of Ivory Coast.

Of course there is objective from the government of the country that his immediate return may lead to violence from his supporters and opposition groups.

FEEDBACK

There is no place for those who fan the flames of hatred.

heard in 2019.

By Solomon Gumede Johannesburg, South Africa.

Aids are not helping Africa!

helping the advanced countries and one of the major reasons for the immigration of young people trying to find better fortune abroad.

Let us establish more businesses and stop playing politics with these under developed countries.

Thank you.

George Smith, London, UK

Dear Editor, South Africa has had a rough 2018. Political uncertainty; friction within political parties; state capture; collapse of state-owned enterprises; ratings downgrade; compromised health services; corruption; corporate governance failures; racism; drought and its effect on humans and animals; job losses; unemployment; crime; women and children abuse; escalating food and fuel prices and so much more.

We look forward to 2019 with a call for political direction from the New President. Many people hoped he would make the difference but he seem not too interested in the common South Africans. Please let make our voice be

Dear Editor, I am in support of Sir Paul Collier for his criticism on the aid agencies and NGOs. If you want to help Africa, let business lead the way instead of aids.

Decades of foreign aid have not helped to steer some of the poorest countries in Africa onto the path of becoming great trading partners with us and the rest of the world. Instead we have created an international welfare dependency culture. As Margaret Thatcher said in 1979: “We must help the developing countries to help themselves.” Throwing money at unjustifiable projects is not helping them at all, and it is not

Top political leaders are not interested in debates!

“We delude ourselves thinking that we choose our leaders.

If we count at all, Buhari won’t be too busy to debate and interface with us. If we are the deciding factor, Atiku won’t walk away from the debate giving Buhari as an excuse.

We complained loudly that the big guys refused to debate. But power seekers know where what they seek is - and they go for it. It is not in debates, not in talking to us. They know. We all know.

It is the reason Buhari has

had only one live media chat (held on December 30, 2015) only one in a four year tenure! Our president does not talk to us and he feels good by it. We are cool with the presidential disdain and disgust for popular communication and with the obvious lack of capacity for governance. It is the reason why we can’t be taller than the pygmies we are.”

Lasisi Olagunju Abuja, Nigeria

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OPINION.

NIGERIAN ELECTION: Who are the main candidates for the February 2019 election?

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e have probably lost count of how many aspirants are there in this month’s presidential election race in Nigeria, we are been told of alliances emerging but no clear indication of how many names would made it to the ballot. Probably about 31aspirants will contest the presidential election. That number will probably be reduced before the elections, as several smaller parties are in talks to form coalitions.

But there are only two leading contenders – the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari, and Atiku Abubakar, who was vice-president under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007.

Both are contesting on the platforms of the two largest parties in Nigeria.

Apart from the two main contenders, other popular names on the list are former governors Donald Duke and Olusegun Mimiko, alongside Obi Ezekwesili. She’s the former minister of education and co-founder of Transparency International; then we have young vibrant candidates like Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Fela Durotoye and Omoyele Sowore.

What are the emerging campaign issues?

The campaign issues are similar to those that featured in the 2015 presidential elections. These included political violence, particularly an end to the Boko Haram insurgency and the recent conflict between herdsmen and farmers, which has

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claimed thousands of lives.

Corruption will also loom large. Buhari claims to have curtailed corruption, particularly since the introduction of the single treasury account that has reduced “leakages” in the country’s finances. But the state of the economy and the increase in youth unemployment has negatively affected the current government’s image. The Atiku campaign has capitalized on this.

Other issues that have emerged include a lack of infrastructure, lopsided political appointments - as the president is often accused of neglecting federal character when making political appointments as well as the president’s health. These are matters that have dominated the campaign since December 2018 when officially the campaign picked off.

Buhari’s health has featured extensively given that he spent about 15% of his first term in office receiving medical treatment abroad. He has avoided any direct debates with his stronger oppositions physically, his Vice-President has been more visible at this campaign and many of the people are worried that they have not been able to assess the President is his ready and physically capable for a second term.

Have there been any surprises ahead of the 2019 ballot?

The first major surprise was the emergence of Atiku as the People’s Democratic Party candidate. Atiku, one of the founding members of the PDP, emerged as the flag bearer for the party despite being relatively quiet politically in the last few years following his movement from PDP to APC and then back to PDP.

The second surprise was former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s endorsement of Atiku. Obasanjo has used his book to condemned Atiku as unfit to govern Nigeria.

Sometime last year, the same Obasanjo wrote an open letter to Buhari advising the president not to seek a second term. He argued that Buhari had under-performed and was incapable of understanding the problems the country faces.

Subsequently, Obasanjo formed a movement to unseat the incumbent president.

Obasanjo’s endorsement of Atiku came as a shock to most Nigerians because of his frosty relationship with the former vice-president.

Obasanjo famously stated in August 2018 If I support Atiku for anything, God will not forgive me. If I do not know, yes. But once I know, Atiku can never enjoy my support.

The sudden turn around by the former president just two months later to “forgive and endorse”Atiku came as a surprise to most Nigerians.

What do the primaries tell us about women’s participation?

Despite the large number of aspirants for the 2019 elections, women and young people remain underrepresented. Although six women emerged before the presidential primaries, the number dropped to three immediately after the primaries. Also, several young people were unable to contest in the primaries because of the cost of nomination forms.

Elections are costly affairs in Nigeria. The ruling party charges candidates $125,000 (£97,000) to be able to stand

for nominations. The People’s Democratic Party also charged $33,000 (£26,000) for its nomination forms. This is in a country where the minimum wage is less than USD$100 a month.

The government’s insincerity in supporting women and young people was laid bare in June 2018 when the president passed a bill titled “Not too young to Rule”. The bill was

designed to support the political aspiration of young people interested in pursuing a political career. Minutes after signing the legislation, the president commended the national assembly for passing the bill – but warned that young people would still have to wait till 2023 before they would actually be given the opportunity.

With just few weeks to the polls, most Nigerians remain frustrated and concerned because neither of the two leading presidential aspirants offers any real hope for change or clarity on their plans for the future of youths.

The president has been accused of being too slow and too ill to handle the rigours of the position. The multiple allegations of corruption and fraud levelled against Atiku, meanwhile, continue to taint his image and hopes of gaining power from the Buhari administration.

Unless a credible consensus candidate emerges, the 2019 presidential elections remains a two-horse race with none of the contenders really appealing to the populace.

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NigeriaDecides, Countdown to 2019 General Election: Planning, Readiness, Inclusion Critical for Success

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he Independent National Electoral Commission has started the countdown to the 2019 general elections.

The INEC chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, made this announcement while meeting with members of the Commission and all Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC), at the INEC Headquarters’ Conference Hall, Abuja.

According to him, the Presidential and National Assembly elections have been fixed for Saturday, 16th February 2019.

elections will hold on Saturday, 16th February 2019, while the Governorship/State Assembly/Federal Capital Territory Area Council Elections will hold on Saturday 2nd March 2019.

In view of the timetables and countdown to the 2019 elections, the impact of election preparedness on the success of the elections cannot be overemphasized. The preceding months before the set dates should be maximized by all stakeholders including citizens to ensure timely and efficient voters

Although democracy in Nigeria is perceived to be maturing, there is need for citizens to be certain about the timetables for elections as it is in other countries such as in the United States (where general elections always hold on the second Tuesday of November in the election year) and in Ghana (7th of December of the election year).[1] In Nigeria, the constitution stipulates that elections should be held not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days to the end of the incumbent’s tenure. Thus, in order to ensure certainty in election dates and to aid proper planning for political parties, security agencies, candidates and all other stakeholders, INEC led by Professor Yakubu Mahmood, decided to fix the date for National Elections every third Saturday in February of an election year and State elections two weeks afterward.

As a result, the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly

registration considering that it is one of the most costly, timeconsuming and complex aspects of the electoral process. The continuous voter’s registration (CVR) is still on-going and so far INEC has been able to register about 2,786,405 Nigerians, nevertheless, there is a need for continuous sensitization to enhance overall voters’ participation; such that willingness would translate into actual participation especially in the 2019 elections. For instance, a past NOI’s election poll revealed a high level of participation willingness prior to the 2015 elections (as shown in the chart below), however, figures from INEC on the actual participation revealed a gap in the number of registered (67,422,005) and accredited voters (31,746,490) as well as the number of votes cast (29,432,083) during the 2015 presidential elections [2].

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Furthermore, inclusion in the electoral process needs to be given priority ahead of the 2019 elections to ensure the active engagement of all eligible citizens. In view of this, strategic steps need to be taken to remove barriers and ensure equal access for the disadvantaged, vulnerable and minority

groups in the society; such as people living with disabilities, internally displaced persons and aged persons etc, in order to increase participation of these groups. Similarly, the activities of insurgency in the North-East may pose a challenge in the participation of its residents in electoral processes; this is evidenced in the chart above which revealed that the zone recorded the lowest proportion of respondents who claimed to have registered ahead of the 2015 elections. Thus, INEC needs to ensure that proper voters’ education and all other election sensitizations are carried out in the region and other vital areas to ensure an all-inclusive 2019 elections.

Finally, as the countdown to the 2019 general election has begun, it is advised that Nigerians who do not have voter’s card and those who just turned 18 years make good use of the on-going registration to get their permanent voter’s card to avoid the 11th hour rush.

In terms of technology, INEC should consolidate the successes recorded in the 2015 general elections with the introduction of new innovations such as the Electronic Voter Register (EVR), Electronic Voter Authentication (EVA) and Electronic Transmission of Results (ETR). The 2019 general elections will be the sixth since 1999, when Nigeria returned to civilian rule. If well administered in terms of fulfilling the most basic democratic requirements of elections, the election will strengthen Nigeria’s prospects for democratic rule and national development.

The Independent National Electoral Commission can also encourage increased political participation by improving on its use of the election technology of Smart Card Readers to minimize the delays that were witnessed during the 2015 general elections due to technical hitches. Finally, INEC should in conjunction with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Media, Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community Associations improve on voter education with particular focus on vote casting to reduce the number of rejected ballots that may occur.

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How the African diaspora can help the continent achieve the SDGs

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here has been a growing interest in the dialogue around the need to include African diaspora in the tapestry of development dynamics of the continent. For the purpose of this article, we shall define African diaspora as “worldwide collection of communities descended from Africa’s peoples.”

With more than 30 million Africans spread across various countries around the world, African diaspora can play a huge part in helping to craft new pathways to socioeconomic development on the continent.

But that’s not all, the World Bank records that remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa reached $466 billion in 2017, and is expected to keep increasing at 4.1% – dwarfing other forms of official development assistance inflows by several margins.

Clearly, diaspora investment could be a way to close the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) financing gap of $3 trillion dollars.

But while the debate continues to evolve, many African countries are still daunted with the task of creating mainstream systems and tools for integrating the diaspora as participators in fostering socio-economic and political development in their countries.

With a progressive awareness of the need for a sustainable African development agenda driven by Africans, African diaspora could provide the other half of the equation needed to turn the SDGs from aspiration to concrete reality. Here’s how: Create Infrastructures for Knowledge Exchange These are uncertain times for many African countries – the confluence of rapid demographic growth, digital transformation, and weak human resource base in recent years presents fresh and critical challenges to Africa’s development dynamics and global competitiveness As the continent’s labor force dramatically expands, so does the need for purposeful investments of human, political, and financial capital. By 2050, Africa’s youth population is expected to reach 840 million. Despite the growth of the GDP of many African countries in recent years, there has been a continuous sharp disparity between the number of active job seekers and available jobs. According to the African Union/OECD report Africa’s Development Dynamics 2018, if the underemployment trend continues, Africa’s young people will feel the adverse effect the most.

Yet, research shows that African diaspora can be a valuable asset for exchanging knowledge, ideas, and technology that could be useful in achieving the continent’s development agenda. And, according to a recent World Bank survey, they are ready and willing to do so.

An immediate example is the recent visit of GermanGhanaian Hollywood actor, Boris Kodjoe and several other A-listers, to Ghana in commemoration of the Full-circle Hon. Kenneth Gbandi, Chairman, and Engr. Cornelius Obot Festival – a year designated to commemorate 400 years (Vice-Chairman) of NIDO Europe working on promoting diaspora since the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade. participation in Nigeria

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Another brilliant example is found in Sierra Leone. The country’s diaspora health workers in the UK created an association to provide annual medical support (in the form of skills, knowledge, and equipment) for the schools and hospitals where they trained or had their initial deployments.

Such forms of exchange, if properly harnessed, could be pivotal in providing pipelines of skills and knowledge transfer, tourism, conflict transformation, and humanitarian support – aspects necessary to fuel Africa’s economic prosperity and global competitiveness.

Enhance Easy Cross-Border Flow of Money Experts and analysts have made several cases about how remittances have proven to be a critical resource for many developing countries in terms of balance payments. According to a review by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), “despite the recent growth slump (in the global south); all regions in Africa are projected to report a positive economic outlook, with remittance income expected to be a key economic booster in the coming months.”

Remittances have become a critical factor in reducing poverty in developing countries.

A similar report by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) clearly shows that remittances from the Rwandan Diaspora contributed at least 2 percent to Gross Domestic Product in 2016 and grew by 34 percent over the last decade. Last year, diaspora remittances accounted for 5.6% of Nigeria’s GDP and were Kenya’s highest foreign exchange earner.

Overall, remittances make up 2.5% of Africa’s GDP. Nevertheless, despite these quanta of remittance inflows, the cost of sending money to Africa continues to be a huge obstacle.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals says that, by 2030, the global average price for remittances should not exceed 3 percent of face value, with even the most expensive countries not being more than 5 percent. But as it stands, sending money to Africa is more expensive than anywhere else in the world.

On average, it costs more than 10% to send $200 to and from a country in the region which is more than 20% higher than the charge send money to any other region. Although informal channels and fintech companies provide cheaper options than official channels, remittance charges often eat into what

beneficiaries would receive.

There is a need for African governments to create systems that, inter alia, allow for an easy flow of money by removing transaction costs and lowering cross-border taxation on remittances.

Include African Diaspora in Advocacy & Policy Programs The understanding that African governments need to facilitate cooperation, trust, and mutual understanding by helping to bridge the two worlds of diasporans and their home country can be actualized by including African diaspora in advocacy and policy programs. For far too long, diasporas often feel their governments only consider them as easy routes for financial capital but do not consider them as development partners.

For example, at the 2017 Ghana Diaspora Homecoming summit held in Accra, one gentleman argued vehemently that diasporans are often treated like white trash or crybabies when it comes to issues pertaining to policy.

Many African countries are progressively engaging with diasporaled organizations and the private sector to create these linkages but more needs to be done.

Mindful of this shortcoming, organizations like the African Foundation for Development (AFFORD) was established to expand and enhance the contributions of the African diaspora to African development. At the core of their work is actively raising awareness of the role the diaspora can and should play in driving Africa’s development, by mobilizing the financial, intellectual, and political assets of the African diaspora and channeling them to drive economic growth and social development in Africa.

To further strengthen the greater goal of shared vision and socio-economic linkages, many African governments have established diaspora engagement offices to facilitate diaspora related issues.

In conclusion, a statement by an AFFORD representative at the Diaspora Homecoming Summit holds true: Even though African diaspora has and continues to contribute to job creation and accounts for huge investments on the continent, these efforts can be amplified by providing the right framework and support.

Africa’s diaspora is indeed the other half in providing human and financial resources needed to create economic transformation, eradicate deadly diseases, protect the environment, provide accessible health-care systems and quality education to Africa’s children.

Surely, these recommendations may require progressive evaluation and fine-tune with continued cooperation between the two worlds – but they provide a clear-cut road map for African governments on how to leverage the huge potentials of its skilled diasporans.

By TOM-CHRIS EMEWULU Contributor www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Victory Outreach is a Pentecostal Church, Bible based believing people in the trinity of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

What would you like to know? Our vision?

Which activities we organize? Or would you like to hear testimonies about how we follow God? One thing is certain, we would like to get to know you and therefore you are more than welcome to visit one of our services. You can visit us every day of the week.

You may have been a believer for many years already.

Or you might still be searching for the meaning of life and asking yourself whether or not there is God. Within Victory Outreach Almere we would like to help you find the answer. We will gladly teach you the exact meaning of “a living faith�. With us you will truly see and experience the supernatural power of the living God. You can always count on love and comfort when you need it.

You will discover that we have a wonderful diversity of people with lots of different backgrounds, characters and personalities. But there is one thing we have in common.

We all follow the same God, Jesus Christ.

In that diversity and love for God we are a family where

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you are more than welcome.

We personally hope to meet you during one of our services.

God bless you as you come in Jesus Christ name. Amen

Pastor Roel & Ida van Rooij Senior Pastor Victory Outreach Almere.

Barbeelstraat 12, 1317 PZ Almere The Netherlands Telephone: 036-8417007; Telephone: 036-7505571 info@voalmere.nl www.voalmere.nl

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Face to face with Councilor Collins Nweke on Voice Chat...

Mr. Collins Nweke was born in Igbuzo, Nigeria. He is a Belgian politician of the Green Party. He was recently sworn in for a third term of office on 2 January 2019 as Councillor for Social Affairs in the government of Mayor Bart Tommelein at the Ostend City Council in West Flanders province. Collins Nweke is of Nigerian origin, and settled in Belgium in 1993. He is the first non-Belgian born person to be elected to political office in West Flanders. He is particularly active in social welfare and ethnic minority issues.

He stood as a candidate for the European Parliament in the 2014 elections. Also, Mr. Nweke has served as Chief Executive and Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora in Europe (NIDO Europe), and has been active in consultancy and advocacy in the field of socio-economic development for Nigeria and for Africa in general.

He holds dual Nigerian-Belgian citizenship. He has a good command of English, Dutch and some German. He lives with his wife, Tonia and two sons, Tonna Jessy (Teejay) Nweke (born 11 March 1994) and Chidi Rae Nweke (born 15 October 1996) in Ostend, Belgium. He is a frequent traveller to Nigeria, his country of origin, where virtually all members of the large Nweke family clan reside. His father, Obi (Eze) Adigwe Nweke, is a traditional ruler and member of Ndi Nze Traditional Ruling Council of his Igbuzo hometown. His mother, Loveth Nweke, died on 5 September 2014. He is a winner of several prestigious awards including The Voice Achievers Award in 2015. He is our special guest on Face to Face as he takes questions from our Editor-in-Chief, Pastor Elvis Iruh.

Enjoy the interview with him.

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V: Introduce yourself to our worldwide readers please?

Mr. Nweke: I am a Belgian politician of Nigerian origin, born 53 years ago and raised in a quiet, hilly Southeastern Nigerian town called Igbuzo in Delta State. As a war-child, being a toddler during the NigeriaBiafra Civil War, I belong in that generation of a lucky few survivors, who lived through the ravages of the war, missed the enemy bullets that sometimes flew over our heads as we played in the farm fields, survived kwashiorkor as a result of food shortage and emerged from the bushes, stronger and more determined to whither more and any storm.

TV: How long have you lived in Belgium?

Mr. Nweke: Belgium has been home for over 20 years now. Home because if after these many years, with two amazing sons born and raised here, I do not have reasons to call this place home, then something must be seriously wrong.

TV: Tell us about your education & training and the career path you have walked thus far.

Mr. Nweke: I have always been keen on acquiring knowledge just as continuous self-development is important to me. I’ve had various trainings in journalism, international business management, social economy and business strategy initially in Nigeria but mainly in Europe. I had real good time teaching English Literature / Literature in English in a college in my

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native Igbuzo and proceeded thereafter to work for 5 years for the United Bank for Africa, first in main banking and in my last years in the Human Resource department. Out here in Europe, I’ve worked as a farmhand in an organic farm. It was an exigency job, but I guess because I always apply myself fully to everything I do, I quickly discovered that been a farmer son, my job as farmhand in Belgium brought me great memories of, and held me somehow closer to, my roots. Being out in the open field, getting my hands dirty, planting a seed and watch it grow and finally the harvest, all held a circle of fulfillment and joy. I also worked in the docks loading and off-loading the ship. The pay was very good! And I needed it at that point in my life. The farm job was becoming increasingly difficult to combine with my studies especially as I got to the stage of writing my bachelor thesis. As dockworker on flexible terms, I could fix my working hours. And a week and half pay in the docks covered a month pay in the farm. My next job was joining a 13-man research team providing comparative research and analysis to the Home & Justice Directorate of the European Commission on the economic integration of Diaspora groups in Europe. Before my appointment as Chief Executive / Executive Secretary at the London Headquarters of Nigeria’s official Diaspora body, I had worked with Ostend City Council’s department for Social Welfare where I was responsible for setting up a Law Research Library for the department.

TV: You are also a commentator on several issues mostly on Nigeria. Why so much interest on Nigerian affairs when you live in Belgium?

Mr. Nweke: This sounds like a question from my political opponents. Meanwhile on the other hand, I get equally berated by some Nigerians who believe that I don’t wade in enough on Nigerian affairs. Not sure who is right or wrong, the truth must be somewhere in-between. Here is the thing: I feature mainly on Television Continental or TVC, broadcasting from Nigeria as Global Affairs Analyst and on TRT World, broadcasting from Turkey as African Affairs Analyst. In these capacities I get to offer thoughts, opinions and analyses on global affairs “through the African eyes” as TVC would fondly say. Given that Nigeria is a dominant force within the African continent, there is a somewhat preponderance of Nigerian affairs in the news coverage but I’d say that there is equitable coverage of other African countries. Take a quick peep at my YouTube Channel to have helicopter view of how balanced or otherwise the coverage is.

That said, I must add that my interest in Africa analysis within the global contest derived from a need for Africa to tell its stories because others have been telling the African story for far too long and have often misrepresented the continent beyond recognition.

This notion was perhaps what drew me to The Voice in the first place because of the way and manner it helps, not just to tell the African story but facilitates the retelling of some distorted narratives on Africa that are already there.

Yes, Africa has a far share of conflicts, corruption, weak infrastructures and thriving strongmen, poverty and so on. In equal measure there are opportunities in Africa, some even refer to the continent as the next frontier. There are unseen hands retarding the continent’s growth, helped of course by some unpatriotic, nasty African leaders. These have got to be brought to the fore, show the other side. When I decided that I wanted to contribute my bit in showing the other side, I knew that to a large extent, I will be doing this, albeit indirectly, in the interest of Belgium, my adopted country. Investment decisions are best based on objective information. Belgians wishing to invest in Nigeria or Africa have the right to objective information. I therefore see a role for myself in contributing to spreading fair and objective information. Finally you’d be surprised at how much some of the negative information about Nigeria and Africa is being

sponsored by businesses and interest groups who are keen on scaring competitors away from the emerging lucrative African market.

TV: We are aware that an election is coming up in Nigeria.

What is your take on the country’s preparation to hold such an election?

Mr. Nweke: There are worrying indications that all is not going well with preparations for the February 2019 general elections in Nigeria. I will underline only two instances to demonstrate or illustrate that the hands of the electoral clock in Nigeria is being turned backwards. Questionable primaries were organized in significant number of States by one of the leading political parties. This raises serious issues around the willingness or perhaps the capacity to organize free, fair and credible elections. As a consequence of this menace, Zamfara State in Northern Nigeria and Rivers State in the South-East have no Governorship candidates for the ruling All Progressives Party while some levels of arm-twisting was said to have taken place in Lagos State and Prof. Pat Utomi, a Governorship candidate for Delta State tells us that there was no primaries in his State.

The debacle around the ongoing removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria under the pretext of fighting corruption is the second worrying sign of questionable, maybe dubious preparations for the elections that I’d like to flag off. Besides these two instances, I have remained concerned about the role of money in Nigerian politics and the tilted powers of the incumbent against its challengers. The playing field was never level for new faces in the political scene but the election of 2019 has seen a record level of the use of state apparatus to subdue and outplay other candidates than the big two. Of course as if these ills are insufficient, the same big two, particularly the current President simply told Nigerians that they don’t matter by refusing to honour invitation to the Presidential debate. When for the first time in history Muhammadu Buhari unseated a sitting president it was thought to be a significant development. Rather than consolidate that gain through credible preparations for the election, it appears all have been thrown to the winds.

Continued on Page 22

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Continued from Page 21 TV: Is it fair therefore to say that you are unsatisfied with the preparations leading to the elections?

Mr. Nweke: Yes indeed I am highly dissatisfied with preparations leading up to the elections but I am hopeful that government could still mend its ways in preventing rigging but more importantly ensure that INEC is truly independent.

Above all, it’s important that all grievances resulting from the primaries are duly and judiciously handled.

Where deemed necessary by the competent authorities, questionable primaries result must be overturned and fresh elections organized.

TV: Do you think the Electoral body is prepared?

Mr. Nweke: Most of the matters in the hands of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC appear to be receiving prompt attention. Take the timetable for the elections and the timelines. These have largely been respected. We can only hope that they will be truly independent such that all machineries are put in place to resist interference and rigging of the elections.

TV: Who do you think would be victorious at the polls as political parties are concerned?

Mr. Nweke: It is obvious that the battle for Aso Rock Presidential Villa is between the power of the incumbent, represented by Muhammadu Buhari and moneybags represented by Abubakar Atiku, which is a shame because new entrants into the political arena, represented among others by Kingsley Moghalu, often with refreshing ideas and a past unencumbered by the

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vagaries of either ineptitude or corruption are, one way or the other, locked out of the system. But never say never, Nigerians may wake up the night after, to the welcoming news that voters have used their voters’ cards to issue Buhari a one-way ticket to Daura and Atiku sent on indefinite retirement while handing Moghalu the keys to Aso Rock.

TV: How is life in Belgium compared to your home country, Nigeria?

Mr. Nweke: Life, be it in Belgium or in Nigeria, is what you make of it. People are quick to base their assessment of where the better life is, on materialistic factors. If that assumption were to be held true, Nigeria would never ever have emerged a few years back as a country with the happiest people on earth. That said, I believe that if the founding fathers of Belgium were to come back to life today, they’d give a pat on the back its leaders for accomplishing their dreams of a decent life for an average Belgian. That can’t be said of Nigeria’s founding fathers, who’d surely scold his sons and daughters for perishing their dreams.

However in my conversations with young Nigerian people, I see and hear and feel hope for a greater tomorrow.

TV: Do you stay in contact with Nigeria or travel there and how often is your traveling to the country of your birth?

Mr. Nweke: Yes I do. Settling down and finding your bearing in Europe is not and has never been an easy task. It took a while but once reasonably settled we quickly reconnected with Nigeria and try to visit at least once a year as family, especially when our boys were younger. It’s different now that they are young adults, making their own plans, which don’t necessarily include mum and dad. Business takes me home as well. All in all, I am sufficiently in contact with Nigeria.

TV: Few years ago, you led an international organization for Nigerian Diaspora. How effective has this group been in your assessment?

Mr. Nweke: Nigerians In Diaspora Organisaion (NIDO) Europe, of which as you pointed out, I was past Board Chairman after serving both as its Chief Executive and later as General Secretary.

As a global network of Nigerian Diaspora and recognized by government as official partner on Diaspora affairs, NIDO remains an important policy instrument whose potentials are incrementally being harnessed but definitely has a long way to go in terms of arriving at what its founding fathers envisaged it to be. There are those who are impatient to see the organisation flourish beyond imagination, which is good but its effectiveness has so far been hampered by a few factors, some of which are internal but mostly external. The internal processes encourage, albeit inadvertently, ineffectiveness. This can be addressed through a purposeful constitutional review. My recommendation will be to engage independent, neutral third party to take care of this on its behalf. Why? There are just too many people involved that have vested interest and can’t be objective. The external forces, ironically are government officials tasked with supporting NIDO but again, the organisation has had the misfortune of steady supply of such officials who feel threatened by a strong and well functioning NIDO and rather work against it. And work against it, they are doing, effectively. It’s not all doomsday scenario because in the midst of these challenges, the organisation has continued to do great things supporting for instance government focus away from oil and helping to deepen Nigeria’s access to global capital and investment. Just envision the places it’d go when it’s restructured and the external enemies sent packing.

TV: You were tipped to be appointed by President Mohammadu Buhari as Director-General of the new Nigerian Diaspora

Commission. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Mr. Nweke: There isn’t very much to tell about that except to say that any opportunity to contribute to the growth of Nigeria as the country of my birth is one that I’d give serious consideration to; be it as D-G of the Diaspora Commission, of which indeed I helped in laying its foundation stones or in any other capacity within my competences.

TV: How best can you contribute to the advancement of Nigeria from your base in Europe?

Mr. Nweke: I am already contributing to Nigeria’s advancement by facilitating increase in understanding about the country and sometimes been brutally honest about the ills and challenges facing the nation. If I can do more, why not? I guess my involvement with NIDO gave me the opportunity to contribute thoughts and advice on policy matters particularly during the administration of President Obasanjo. More could be done and are being done to support any credible agenda of government without necessarily having to relocate to Nigeria but if any assignment requires relocation, why not, it’d be given consideration.

TV: Why is someone like you with political exposure and experience not willing to go and participate directly in politics in Nigeria?

Mr. Nweke: The same exposure and experience were gathered during my most political formative years in environments where things work differently, if not better. Which means that I suffer the disadvantages of an absent observer rather than one with both feet on the ground in Nigeria. I love the life that we have built here in Europe and the career that I have developed. That said, I believe that there are important tasks cut out for Non-State actors in Nigerian politics. We all can’t occupy elective political positions in Nigeria. In any case, I’d say: never say never but as things are currently the odds are against me packing up suddenly, destination Nigeria for the purpose of contesting election. But maybe Kingsley Moghalu, who is currently contesting to be President of Nigeria or Alistair Soyode also made this same statement in the past. So indeed, never say never.

Continued on Page 24 www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Continued from Page 23 TV: What has been your experience working with Belgian politicians?

Mr. Nweke: I would say pretty positive. I enjoy the politics of content here in Belgium. An average politician in Belgium is passionate about what he or she does and is driven by a deep-seated desire to hand a better world to the next generation. Belgium has helped me experience politics as a noble profession. But politics remain a hard, competitive game, be it in Belgium or in Nigeria. Like the saying goes, if you can’t stand the heat, you have no business in the kitchen.

TV: What do you plan to do in the next few years as a politician or where do you expect to see yourself?

Mr. Nweke: My political ambitions are modest and people-centered. My mother of blessed memory always cautioned against raising expectations for yourself and others, so that in the end nobody is disappointed. I was sworn into a new six-year term of office earlier this month as councilman for social welfare. That is the political task that enjoy my full focus as of today and in the foreseeable future. It is becoming fashionable to fight the poor when we should be fighting poverty and its causes.

I want to build positive coalition to change that and focus on building opportunities for people and finding humane ways to get people to take responsibility for their lives as well.

Hopefully there will be ways to foster cross-border Africa – Europe collaborations on these matters. Building on my impressive inroad as candidate Member European Parliament, I had hoped to contest the May 2019 European Parliamentary Elections but due to an unfortunate technical oversight on my part, my candidacy was not in on time. Non-State activism is something I shall be giving enhanced attention to in the

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coming years both by way of transfer of knowledge to Africa – I will be doing some guest lectureship in Africa annually - and facilitating trade and investment activities in Food, Beverages and Pharmaceuticals linking businesses in Flanders with SubSaharan Africa through my deal brokerage firm, Iroko Trade Invest. Finally I see a need to step up my mentoring of young

Africans as well.

TV: You have received several awards for your work, is there any particular one that stood out for you and why?

Mr. Nweke: I’m not sure that so far, I have had a duplicated Award. These Awards mean different things to me and I can hardly see them in terms of one been better than the other, just different. I always feel humbled when singled out because the things I do are things I feel should be done and I do each and every one of them with passion. To then be told by some good hearted person somewhere that it is considered exceptional and deserving of an Award is just dumbfounding. I recall the excitement I got when a few years ago, The Voice informed me of my nomination for the Award of African Political Figure of the year. That same sweet sensation came with the Award, a few years earlier, of Honorary Doctorate in Governance.

TV: Lastly what would be your advice to our readers and followers?

Mr. Nweke: By your patronage of The Voice magazine, you have proved wrong that joke that the easiest way to hide information from Africans is to put it in print. And to The Voice team, I must appreciate your resilience. Keeping afloat and even waxing stronger while others are falling, can’t be easy. The Voice is because its readers are. You complement each other. Keep it that way.

CEO of the Diana Award becomes 1st British person to receive Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award

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essy Ojo was last month awarded the Coretta Scott King A.N.G.E.L Award in Atlanta, USA. She personally received the prestigious award at a colourful ceremony with great world personalities present.

Mrs. Tessy Ojo is the Chief Executive of The Diana Award – a charity legacy to Diana, Princess of Wales’ belief in the power that young people have to change the world. She became the first British recipient of the prestigious Coretta Scott King A.N.G.E.L Award.

The Award was presented to her at the annual Salute to Greatness Awards Gala in Atlanta on 19 January 2019 by The King Centre just two days before Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on 21st January in the United States.

The award recognizes individuals and organizations that exemplify excellence in leadership and have demonstrated a commitment to the principles and philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The King Centre is the official living memorial and non-profit organization committed to educating the world on the life, legacy and teachings of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. Tessy is a passionate humanitarian and campaigner who has gained international reputation for advocating and nurturing change for young people. At the heart of her work is the belief that

with the right support and investment, young people are the best instigators for achieving real, sustainable change in their lives, their communities and the lives of their peers.

“I am absolutely delighted and honoured to receive this prestigious award in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – someone whose journey has truly inspired me both personally and professionally. It is especially poignant to receive this award as we celebrate The Diana Award’s 20th anniversary year. I feel privileged to lead The Diana Award which empowers young people through youth social action; giving them the tools, skills and a voice to create change, the same kind of change Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. campaigned for.”

Tessy Ojo, CEO at The Diana Award The Diana Award benefits from the support of The Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex. The charity fosters, develops and inspires positive change in the lives of young people through three key programmes which include; a mentoring programme for young people at risk, a youth-led anti-bullying ambassadors campaign and a prestigious award which publicly recognizes young people – The Diana Award.

www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Nigeria’s 2019 presidential polls: 72 aspirants on ballot - Official

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igeria’s February 16 presidential elections will have a total of 72 candidates participating, the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, said on their official website as count down begins towards 2019 polls in Nigeria.

INEC released a list that had the name of all aspirants and their vice-presidential candidates. The list also included aspirants for the senatorial and House of Representatives positions across the 36 states in Nigeria including the capital city, Abuja.

Nigeria’s is Africa’s most populous nation and INEC has reported that some 82 million people have registered to participate in the elections. The list also noted that one part, SDF, have yet to submit their candidates owing to a court

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injunction.

The election is the sixth since Nigeria’s return to multi-party rule in 1999. Despite the crowded field, the race is largely believed to be between incumbent Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president.

Atiku was a Buhari ally in 2015 when the All Progressives Congress, APC, became the first opposition party to oust an incumbent. He defected last year to the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and won the presidential nomination.

Atiku served for eight years as veep under Olusegun Obasanjo. He has long eyed the presidency with this shot being one of his brightest according to political watchers.

MEET CANDIDATES AT NIGERIA’S ELECTION THIS MONTH & THEIR PARTY 1. Moses Shipi - All Blending Party (ABP) 2. Samuel Eke - Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) 3. Donald Duke - Social Democratic Party (SDP) 4. Mark Emmanuel - United Patriots (UP) 5. Hamisu Santuraki - Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN) 6. Moses Ajibiowu - National Unity Party (NUP) 7. Nwokeafor Ikechukwu - Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) 8. Aliyu Ibrahim - African People Alliance (APA) 9. Atiku Abubakar - Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 10. Kingsley Moghalu - Young Progressives Party (YPP) 11. Ilongwo John - Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) 12. Obiageli Ezekwesili- Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) 13. Yunusa Tanko - Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 14. Ike keke - New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) 15. Chris Okotie - Fresh Democratic Party (FDP) 16. Yusufu Obaje - Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) 17. Ize-Iyamu David - Better Nigeria Peoples Party (BNPP) 18. Samuel Fagbbenr-Byron- KOWA Party 19. Rabia Hassan - National Action Council (NAC) 20. Nnamdi Edozie Madu - Independent Democrats (ID) 21. Tope Fasua - Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP) 22. Obinna Ikeagwuonu- African People’s Party (APP) 23. Isaac Ositelu - Accord Party 24. Frank Ukonga - Democratic Alternative (DA) 25. Shittu Kabir - Advance Peoples Democratic Party (APDP) 26. Usman Muhammed- Labour Party (LP) 27. President Muhammadu Buhari - All Progressives Congress (APC) 28. Hamza Al-Mustapha- Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) 29. Obadiah Mailafia - African Democratic Congress (ADC) 30. Asukwuo Archibong- Nigeria for Democracy (ND) 31. Chuks Nwachuku - All Grassroots Alliance (AGA) 32. Mercy Adesanya-Davies - Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) 33. Yusuf Yabaji- Action Democratic Party (ADP) 34. Nsehe Nseobong- Restoration Party of Nigeria (RPN) 35. Chukwudi Osuala- Rebuild Nigeria Party (RNP) 36. John Wilson Ogbor- All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) 37. Usman Ibrahim Alhaji- National Rescue Movement (NRM) 38. Apostle Sunday Chukwu-Eguzolugo - Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP) 39. Chike Ukaegbu- Advanced Allied Party (AAP) 40. Omoyele Sowore - Africa Action Congress (AAC) 41. Umenwa Godwin - All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP) 42. Isiaka Balogun - United Democratic Party (UDP) 43. Lewis Abah - Change Advocacy Party (CAP) 44. Babatunde Ademola - Nigeria Community Movement

Party (NCMP) 45. Ahmed Buhari - Sustainable National Party (SNP) 46. John Dara - Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD) 47. Kriz David- Liberation Movement (LM) 48. Isah Bashayi - Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN) 49. Emmanuel Etim- Change Nigeria (CN) 50. Habib Gajo Mohammed - United Democratic Party (UDP) 51. Fela Durotoye - Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) 52. Angela Johnson - Alliance for a United Nigeria (AUN) 53. John Onwubuya - Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) 54. Mashood Shittu- Alternative Party of Nigeria (APN) 55. Yusuf Dantale- Allied Peoples Movement (APM) 56. Ahmed Inuwa- United Party of Nigeria (UPN) 57. Geff Ojinika - Coalition For Change (CFC) 58. Robinson Akpua - National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP) 59. Victor Okhai - Providence Peoples Congress (PPC) 60. Eunice Atuejide - National Interest Party (NIP) 61. Olusegun Mimiko - Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) 62. Adesina Fagbenro-Byron - Kowa Party (KP) 63. Alistair Soyode - Yes Electorates Solidarity (YES) 64. Eniola Ojajuni - Alliance for Democracy (AD) 65. Nicolas Felix - Peoples Coalition Party (PCP) 66. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim - Alliance for People’s Trust (APT) 67. Habu Aminchi - Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) 68. Yabagi Sani - Action Democratic Party (ADP) 69. Peter Nwangwu - We the People of Nigeria (WTPN) 70. Yahaya Ndu - African Renaissance Party (ARP) 71. Davidson Akhimien - Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN) 72. Williams Awosola - Democratic People’s Congress (DPC)

NIGERIANS HAVE ENOUGH CHOICE TO CHOOSE A PRESIDENT FROM. MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE, USE YOUR VOTE PROPERLY. GO OUT & VOTE

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Zimbabwe police arrest prominent govt critic Pastor Mawarire

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imbabwe police armed with AK-47 rifles arrested Evan Mawarire, an activist and pastor, from his home in the capital, Harare as a crackdown grew over protests against dramatic fuel price hikes in the economically shattered country.

He was clutching a Bible when police bundled him into their car.

Mawarire organized what became nationwide anti-government protests in 2016 against mismanagement and then-President Robert Mugabe’s long stay in power. “They are alleging that he incited violence through Twitter and other forms of social media in the central business district,” said Beatrice Mtetwa, the pastor’s lawyer.

There were widespread reports of violence as Zimbabwe faced weeks of protests over what has become the world’s most expensive gasoline. This is the country’s worst unrest since deadly post-election violence in August last year that saw six people killed.

Zimbabwe’s largest telecom company, Econet, sent text messages to customers saying it had been forced by the government to shut down internet service.

“The matter is beyond our control,” it said.

Armed police and soldiers broke up groups of more than five people in Harare, while desperation for food forced some people to venture into the streets. But virtually all shops were closed.

Police fired tear gas after a crowd tried to overrun a shopping centre that opened to sell bread. Soldiers with AK-47s took charge

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of the long line.

“This kind of life is unbearable, we have soldiers at fuel queues and now soldiers again are controlling the bread queue,” one man said. “Are we at war?”

He told The Associated Press that it was the only shop open. “I have no choice but to wait. People are hungry at home,” he said. He spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern about possible retaliation.

Other arrests were reported. A spokesperson for the main opposition MDC party, Nkululeko Sibanda, said in a Twitter post that “party leadership” had been detained. “This is only deepening the political crisis in the country,” he said.

As President Emmerson Mnangagwa makes an extended overseas trip that will include a stop at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to plead for more foreign investment, former military commander and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, a hardliner, is in charge at home.

Twelve people were killed when police and military fired on crowds, according to Amnesty International.

But Zimbabwe’s government said only three people were killed, including a policeman who was stoned to death by an angry crowd.

The anti-government demonstrations amounted to “terrorism,” Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said on state television last month. The protests were “well-coordinated” by Zimbabwe’s opposition, she said.

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights said in a statement that it had attended to 207 patients by last count at the end of January, with injuries including gunshot wounds to the head. It said most cases were in Harare and Zimbabwe’s second city, Bulawayo.

International concern has been rising over Zimbabwe after a burst of optimism when Mugabe stepped down in late 2017 under military pressure.

The British minister for Africa, Harriett Baldwin noted “worrying levels of violence” and urged restraint by Zimbabwe’s security forces. But South Africa’s foreign ministry said in a statement that “we’re confident measures being taken by the Zimbabwean government will resolve the situation.”

Streets were deserted in Harare. “Shops closed, schools closed, no public transport, petrol stations closed,” said Human Rights Watch southern Africa director Dewa Mavhinga.

“Food fast running out in homes,” he added. Zimbabwe’s acting president was “silent.” The President has since returned to the country to ensure that he addresses the issues confronting his government and the people of Zimbabwe.

Dishwasher wins $21m settlement against Miami hotel for forcing her to work on Sundays

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or almost 10 years, Marie Jean Pierre worked as a dishwasher at the Conrad Miami Hotel in Florida.

When she was hired in 2006, the Christian missionary told her employers that she could not work on Sundays because she had to serve in church.

“I love God,” Pierre, 60, told the press. “No work on Sunday, because Sunday I honor God.” For the first seven years, her employers allowed her to take out Sundays from her schedule, but that changed in 2015 after one of her kitchen managers demanded that she worked on Sunday.

Initially, she began switching shifts with co-workers but the kitchen manager, who has been identified as George Colon, later insisted that she worked Sunday shift herself, reports Miami Herald.

When Pierre objected to this, she was sacked in March 2016 for “alleged misconduct, negligence, and ‘unexcused absences.’” After losing her job, Pierre contacted a lawyer who informed her that her firing was a violation of her civil rights and religious beliefs.

She subsequently filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accusing the hotel of “creating a hostile work environment”.

In 2017, the Haitian immigrant eventually filed a lawsuit for violation of her civil rights, citing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans employment discrimination on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex or national origin.

Pierre won the case at the Florida federal court after the jury granted her $21 million in damages, plus $35 000 in back wages and $500 000 for emotional pain and mental anguish.

According to her attorney, Marc Brumer, her client’s dismissal was unfair.

“They accommodated her for seven years and they easily could have accommodated her, but instead of doing that they set her up for absenteeism and threw her out.

“She’s a Soldier of Christ. She was doing this for all the other workers who are being discriminated against,” he

told NBC 6 Miami.

He further indicated that the lawsuit was not about money.

“This was about sending a message to other corporations

whether big or small. Whatever size you are, if you’re going to take the blood and sweat of your workers, you better accommodates them or let them at least believe in their religious beliefs. Not a preference but a belief.”

The management of the hotel, however, disagrees.

“We were very disappointed by the jury’s verdict, and don’t believe that it is supported by the facts of this case or the law,” a statement from Hilton-owned hotel reads.

“During Ms Pierre’s 10 years with the hotel, multiple concessions were made to accommodate her personal and religious commitments. We intend to appeal, and demonstrate that the Conrad Miami was and remains a welcoming place for all guests and employees.”

Media reports state that there is a cap placed on punitive damages won in federal court, so Pierre can’t receive the entire $21 million.

But her attorney said he expects she will receive at least $500,000.

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New political party, the African Freedom Revolution, aims to snap up 3 million votes

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et another prominent religious leader, often seen alongside former president Jacob Zuma when he appears before the courts for his corruption trial, launched a new political party – the African Freedom Revolution (AFR).

KwaZulu-Natal secretary of the National Interfaith Council of South Africa, Bishop Timothy Ngcobo says the ANC no longer feels like home.

Ngcobo, in an extensive interview recently said it was a matter of deciding whether to stand with the liberation movement, which marked 107 years earlier last month, or with the people of South Africa who are suffering from rising costs and lower standards of living.

His is the latest in a string of parties launched by individuals who were either once closely linked to Zuma or have been defending the former president as he faces corruption allegations in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court.

Just last month, former government spin doctor, Zuma defender and owner of the defunct ANN7 television channel and The New Age newspaper Mzwanele Manyi announced that he had found a political home in the African Transformation Movement (ATM), which he joins as head of policy following decades as an ANC member.

ATM is known as a pro-Zuma party, with some of its leaders having been spotted often alongside the former president in the past. Bishop John Bolana, the leader of a church linked to the ATM, is also a close friend of Zuma.

Last year also saw Andile Mngxitama’s Black First Land announcing that it would contest the 2019 general elections while former SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng launched his own political party, the African Content Movement in December 2018.

Another seemingly pro-Zuma grouping, the Mazibuye African

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Congress (MAC), has also expressed its intention to woo South African voters.

While ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa told Ukhozi FM the party was not bothered by the political parties mushrooming across the country, some in the political party view the phenomenon as a plot to make a decisive win for the ANC difficult.

At least three national executive committee (NEC) members said they believe Zuma was at the heart of the trend.

“These are people aligned to the former president who have failed in the NEC, they have failed in the NWC (national working committee) and now they want to destabilize the ANC by forming splinter parties to split the vote. To get a seat in Parliament you need 50 000 votes, these parties are nonfactors,” said one NEC member.

“This is just the work of the old man, you can see it from a mile away,” said another.

But Ngcobo who, like the leaders of the MAC, informed Zuma of his decision to start the party, said it had nothing to do with ANC battles.

He insists the decision was taken by lobby group People Against Petrol and Paraffin Price Increases (Papppi) as part of a stand against fuel hikes, and VAT and electricity price increases.

Ngcobo also complained that because he led the Friends of Jacob Zuma campaign, some in the ANC believed he was using the lobby group to continue defending Zuma.

He claimed the lobby group was diverse, with people from all walks of life as members, and purely about the struggling majority of South Africans.

Ngcobo, who says South Africa is ready for a change, accused President Ramaphosa of not implementing any of the resolutions the ANC decided on at its watershed 2017 national elective conference, where Ramaphosa was elected head of the party.

“Nasrec came with a clear resolution of the land, but who raises it in Parliament? EFF. Why not the ANC?” he questioned.

“While the ANC and EFF were celebrating he was out of the country confirming to investors that their land in South Africa would not be touched, which was contrary to what was being agreed to in South Africa,” claimed Ngcobo.

“People must look at the reason: 80% of our analysis indicates that Cyril’s work is working for the interest of white capital.

“He has no history that explains why he is a millionaire,” he added about the ANC president.

Ngcobo said he believed Ramaphosa sold South Africa out

while part of the Codesa talks during negotiations towards the first democratic elections in the country.

‘We are the voice of God’ The bishop said the political formations being established were not ordinary political parties as most had men of the cloth at the helm.

“Churches are standing up now because we are not just normal political parties but coming as voices of God to respond to the poor,” he claimed.

When asked about the timing, he said it would still be questioned even if the parties were being established 30 years from now.”The country is not improving,” he said.

Ngcobo said he only heard about the establishment of the ATM after Papppi had resolved to become a political party.

He said the difference between the two was that the ATM was a party under the banner of a church, while his formation, the AFR, believed that the doctrine of churches should not be imposed in politics.

The bishop, who said he did not meet with Zuma over this decision, reluctantly admitted that the former ANC president

had been informed about it. “He knows about the party,” said Ngcobo.

“What we are running from is branding this party as a Zuma party,” he said, insisting the AFR was concerned about the challenges South Africans were experiencing.

Ngcobo also acknowledged that the venture could cause a split in Zuma’s beloved ANC. “If you deprive my right of voting for the ANC, who must I vote for? If I don’t vote for you, you are depriving my right and we would all be part of the ANC. We must give people alternatives,” said Ngcobo.

Watch out Economic Freedom Fighters, the African Freedom Revolution (AFR) is hoping to snap up 3 million “voters” in the upcoming elections, says the party’s president, Bishop Timothy Ngcobo.

That is almost three times the number of votes the EFF bagged in the 2014 national elections.

“We are looking at 3 million voters in these next elections and that is possible to us.

“The AFR is going to emerge in the upcoming elections as we are launching our manifesto here – you must know that we have structures in all provinces,” Ngcobo said in Soweto during the launch of the party.

The bishop, who has often been seen alongside former president Jacob Zuma at his court appearances, launched the AFR – a new political party based in KwaZulu-Natal. The party launched its manifesto at the Dlamini Multipurpose Centre Hall in Soweto, Johannesburg.

Ngcobo promised change in various issues, such as bail for criminals, child grants, corruption, immigration, the minimum wage and education.

He further highlighted issues surrounding the abuse of religion in South Africa and said he believed the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) was “overstepping its bounds”.

“The CRL are overstepping. They have got challenges that must be attended to immediately but they are focusing on regulating churches. The CRL must work hand in hand with us. They must not dictate or impose what to do,” he said.

The body has investigated a number of issues involving religious institutions. He further promised that, if the AFR was elected into power, foreign religious leaders would be required to report to South African pastors to avoid abuse of religion.

“We know that there are pastors who are doing irregular things in South Africa. That’ s why we are saying all the foreign pastors must report to the South African pastors when they come to South Africa.

“We must not give them independence to deal with our people without knowing what is happening behind closed doors,” he explained.

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AMBODE PRESENTS APARTMENT TO 11YR OLD ARTIST AND FAMILY The 11-year-old talented hyper-realist artist, Waris Olamilekan, who painted President Emmanuel Macron of France at the Afrika Shrine has been rewarded with a furnished apartment by Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

Olamilekan painted the French president in less than 2 hours during a courtesy visit to Afrika Shrine, Agidimgbi Ikeja last year.

According to a statement copied on the facebook page of the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the Olamilekans had since packed into the new apartment.

As Ayorinde put it, “This is Waris with his entire family in the new comfortable apartment courtesy the Art-Loving Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

He said, “It’s the first time in years that the family will have the privilege of sleeping together under one roof.

The sky is the limit for Waris…and his story sure proves that artistic talent pays in Lagos…”.

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Celebrating Komla Dumor, the iconic journalist Africa will never stop missing

By ISMAIL AKWEI, Head of Content

It’s been five years since the world lost Africa’s finest journalist, Komla Afeke Dumor, who died on January 18, 2014, at the age of 41.

The revered Ghanaian broadcaster suffered a cardiac arrest in London where he was working as the pioneer presenter of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World News programme, Focus on Africa, which launched in 2012.

He was likeable and carried along his Africanness wherever he went and in whatever he did, even at the BBC. It will be an understatement to describe Komla Dumor as a rising star because he was already etched in the galaxy of the world’s big names. He was also a role model and an inspiration to many young African journalists.

The BBC could not afford to let him go out of its heart hence the creation of the Komla Dumor Award which is presented to outstanding journalists living and working in Africa, with strong journalism skills, on-air flair, and an exceptional talent in telling African stories.

The requirements for the award where exactly who Komla Dumor was, as evidenced by his beginnings in the world of broadcasting. Komla was born in Accra on October 3, 1972, to academician parents.

His father, Ernest Dumor, was a professor of sociology and his mother, Cecilia Dumor, was an educationist, editor and writer of children’s books who influenced Komla to take up journalism.

He attended St Thomas Secondary School in Kano State, Nigeria, and then qualified to study medicine in the late 1980s at the University of Jos in Plateau State.

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However, Komla returned to Ghana where he enrolled at the University of Ghana for a degree course in sociology and psychology. He continued his education at Harvard University where he earned a master’s degree in public policy.

While at the University of Ghana, Komla started his career as a traffic reporter with Joy FM where he nursed his goal of challenging corruption in the public sector.

He started by riding a motor scooter through the streets of Ghana’s capital, Accra, to inform Joy FM listeners of how to beat traffic jams and then racing off to attend lectures at the University of Ghana.

He had already become a household name before the station offered him the role of host of its morning show in 2000. It was a memorable Wife of Late Dumor and children period for many Ghanaians personalities in Africa in 2013 by and journalists especially the New African magazine. because of the democratic “There’s so much more to tell transfer of power as the country elected an opposition about Africa than the usual stories about war, famine and leader to succeed former military leader Jerry John disease.”

Rawlings.

“Hire the best talent to tell the story, or the view is great Komla Dumor’s outstanding work as a journalist during from my hotel.” those years won him the Ghana Journalists Association’s “There is only one standard – a global standard. Be Journalist of the Year award in 2003. consistent, operate at 100% every single time you’re To make a global impact, Komla accepted an offer from given an opportunity.”

BBC in 2006 and moved to London to work for the “You can always have big dreams but you also have African service. In three years, he became the pioneer to have the patience to achieve them. You can make it presenter of the monthly Africa Business Report which wherever you are.” took him around the continent.

These were some quotes from Komla Dumor and As a strategy to gain more ground in Africa, the BBC they reflect his fine personality that Africans can’t get launched Focus on Africa in 2012 with Komla Dumor as enough of. The continent is indeed missing him and his it first host. A seat he filled until his death. powerful voice and cheerful smile.

Komla’s moments with the BBC were timeless and Komla Dumor left behind three children: Elinam Africans loved their stories being told in the best light Makafui, Emefa Araba and Elorm Efadzinam. He with a balance, which is exactly what Komla Dumor stood married Kwansema Quansah, a lawyer, in 2001. for. He was listed among the top 100 most influential

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Rwanda Air sponsors World FOOD Day in Nigeria During the World Food Day celebration in Nigeria at the close of last year, one of the sponsors was Rwanda Air and they promised to give away a return ticket to Kigali, Rwanda and there was a lucky winner in person of Ms. Adetoun Abbi-Olaniyan. The ticket was presented to her by Country Manager, Nigeria Rwanda Air, Ibiyemi Odusi.

Congratulations again to Ms. Adetoun Abbi-Olaniyan

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President Kabila’s Last Words As President

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efore the inauguration of President-elect, Felix Tshisekedi, outgoing President Joseph Kabila called for “a grand coalition of all the progressive forces”.

Kabila, in his first speech since the disputed December 30 presidential polls broadcast on state TV channel RTNC, said: “A coalition against the predatory forces that have come together and will always try to join forces to monopolize our natural resources.”

The opposition’s Martin Fayulu lost a court appeal for a recount.

The outgoing leader congratulated Tshisekedi, saying he will hand over power “without regret or remorse”, SABC reports.

He is quoted as saying Tshisekedi “must be able to count on me whenever he wants and that the interest of the country requires”.

The president-elect’s inauguration was earlier planned for January 22, 2019, but was then announced to have been postponed but the swearing in would have taken place by the time this publication is out.

Congratulations to the new President and his team as they try to rebuild the DRC.

Oby Ezekwesili out of the Presidential race 2019 Oby Ezekwesili, the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), has withdrawn from the February 16 presidential election, the Voice magazine learnt as we were about going to press with this edition.

In a statement released via a tweet, Mrs Ezekwesili said she stepped down from the election to help build a coalition to defeat the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election.

When reached to confirm a statement on her withdrawal from the race to become the number one citizen of the country seen on her Twitter account, an aide to Mrs Ezekwesili, Ozioma Ubabukoh, confirmed that the statement was genuine. “Yes, she has withdrawn. It is true. You can run with it,” she said.

A close associate of Mrs Ezekwesili, Aisha Yusufu, also confirmed her withdrawal from the race.

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Your belief in one Nigeria admirable, President Buhari tells Coalition of progressive parties ahead of the Presidential election in Nigeria.

“I respect your consistency, firmness, integrity and steadfastness,” President Muhammadu Buhari Friday told the leadership of the Coalition of Progressive Political Parties, which visited him at State House, Abuja.

The coalition had endorsed the candidacy of President Buhari for next month’s election, just as it also did before the 2015 poll, and a delighted President declared: “I am happy with your decision to continue to support us. I respect your consistency from 2015 to date. Your belief in one Nigeria is admirable.

This visit has raised my morale; you support us quietly, without noise, and it encourages us to press on.”

Leader of the coalition group, Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, said the endorsement of President Buhari for a second term in office was due to the many successes of the administration, including, strides in the fight against insurgency; efforts to redress the country’s huge infrastructural deficit; and the yeoman’s fight against corruption, among others.

He pledged that the coalition would campaign for President Buhari round the country, confront fake news with facts and figures, adding that a formal declaration of their support would be made soon.

Members of Coalition of Progressive Political Parties include: Advanced Allied Party; Africa Peoples Alliance; Freedom & Justice Party; KOWA Party; New Progressive Movement; Peoples

Democratic Movement; Accord Party; Sustainable National Party; New Nigeria Peoples Party; Unity Party of Nigeria; United Progressive Party; National Democratic Liberty Party; Nigeria Elements Progressive Party; and Yes Electoral Party.

After this press release, one of the listed Political party has disclosed that they are not party to the endorsement of President Buhari for a second term. KOWA party through its spokesperson spoke against the misleading information and demanded that their name be removed from the list with immediate effect.

We’ll conduct credible poll next year – INEC Chairman

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is fully prepared towards making the 2019 general election free, fair and credible.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, made this known at the 5th Northern Traditional Rulers General Assembly with the theme “pervasive insecurity in an election year” in Kaduna on Wednesday.

“Our politicians are not democratic and that is the reason why some of them keep crossing from one political party to the other,” he said.

Mr Yakubu assured that INEC would continue to improve on its logistics to enable it conduct hitch-free election in 2019.

He further explained that conducting election in one state is more difficult than conducting general election.

“It is more difficult to conduct election in one state than conducting general election, because people will be more focused on the state where the election is taking place,” he said.

Mr Yakubu said there were improvements in the last Osun election, saying that voting materials arrived at the polling unit early.

He promised to consolidate on that and ensure that the 2019 general election meet the global standard. www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Column: The prodigal son (Part 1) - Coming to yourself

By Evelyn Amo

In the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 are many

lessons to be learned by families. But I want to talk about something in this parable we see unfolding before our eyes. People will always have their reasons for undertaking certain journeys. It may not look or sound good to others but it makes perfect sense to them at the time. The bible doesn’t tell us why this young man decided to break his father’s heart or to put his family through such a stressful period. But we see him leaving for what looked like greener pastures.

What I find interesting is that he also found people to support him.

He made friends and found a bunch of people who joined him.

I wonder how many of these people really knew this young man’s story. How many knew where he was coming from?

How many knew the mess he had created at home?

How many knew he had a grieving father at home?

How many would advise him in that situation to go back and make amends? Well, the story doesn’t say. But the people were there to enjoy him and all he had till the last drop!

You see in life it’s easy to gather crowds when you have something going for you, but don’t make the mistake to think that all have your interest at heart! Wait till you lose whatever drove them to you, even your so called best friends can just vanish into thin air! Some will support your bad behavior, and make you feel like a king, helping you to self-destruct. We often are carried away by the crowd.

JESUS never allowed himself to be carried away by the multitude. Always being aware of the type of people that surrounded him. He knew their motives for hanging around him. He also knew the close ones weren’t there for him but for what he could give them.

One of my favorite part in this parable is the verse that says” when he came to himself” (verse 17). It means

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that he wasn’t himself, he had lost touch with himself.

It means this is not really who he is, something was wrong somewhere. He was possibly under the influence of something. But however the case, HE CAME TO HIMSELF! It’s like saying he woke up. He had a glimpse of light shining through his dark mind and heart. Glory to Jesus for such moments! Two things I want to say here; May every man, woman or child that has lost his mind come to themselves in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

I call forth every prodigal son or daughter to come to their senses!

Wake up and begin to think in the right order. May you find your way back to the mess you left behind and become the very instrument of change.

Secondly every person supporting a prodigal son or daughter to self destruct, repent. If you know you have become part of a crowd enabling somebody to misbehave stop it and repent! If you know you are not helping the situation somebody is running from but to make it worse for your own gain repent. If you know you are fond of only listening to one side of a story to judge matters, you may be guilty of this too.

Especially if you are in the positon to know all facts and refuse. You have the moral obligation to listen to both sides and advice correctly.

If you are an intercessor please remember these people for they are everywhere. All a family needs is for a member to come to themselves. A business awaits somebody to wake up! That ministry needs that minister to come back to their senses. And afterwards return and go clean up the mess they created. Come back to yourself, return and make amends. Remember God has giving us the Spirit of a sound mind.

Let me use this medium to welcome my readers to 2019.

My prayer for you all is that the year would be a special year of grace upon your life and guide you in all your ways.

God will help you!

Stay tuned for part two in the next edition.

President Obiang in running for best world leader

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arious pan-African organizations from civic society throughout Europe are designing a new international award that will recognize the works of a Head of State from Africa on a global stage/level. According to the information reaching The Voice magazine, the award is to be given the title of “Best African President” in the world.

The idea behind this award is to break the circle of stereotypes that refuses to acknowledge the efforts and determination of African leaders to move their countries forward after many years of colonization.

The award, which will be sponsored by the NGO Silidaritynnm, but which will be supported by multiple non-profit pan-African associations and organizations from throughout Europe, will look specifically at the works of any Head of State/President of an Africa country in the world who has contributed to and for the development of his country and Africa in general.

Last month, the first planning meeting for the first gala award towards this recognition took place in Brussels and it was well attended by some of the associations that will organize, the ceremony.

The first meeting in a series of meeting to meet African Ambassadors had in attendance the Ambassador of Equatorial Guinea based in Brussels, Ambassador Carmelo Nvono-Ncá.

He was there to promote the candidature of his country’s President as a possible candidate for this recognition. The first edition of the award, The Voice magazine was told is being planned to take place before the end of 2020 and the first edition would be held probably in Brussels being the capital of the European Union and if that is not possible, it would be held in the country of the winning President in Africa.

The associations putting together this event is also putting in place an organizing council that would screen nominations of Presidents for this award.

The Equatorial Guinea Ambassador hopes that he would convince the award committee that the President of his country should be the first recipient of this prestigious award because according to him, “ I put forward my country’s President, His Excellency, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, for his undisputed leadership role in Africa, and as one of the foremost promoters of the image of a united, collaborative Africa moving along the route of progress, cooperation and democracy”.

The organizers are also looking to other European countries to bring on board other Africans with like minds to promote this great award which they hope will become the biggest on the continent as it seek to recognize the leadership of nations which most of the time are ignored or unrecognized and appreciated.

The Voice magazine will keep you posted on this new initiative and how it develops.

TV.

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Algeria to hold presidential election on April 18

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lgeria will hold a presidential election on April 18, the presidency said on Friday in a statement, but did not say whether veteran leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika would seek a fifth term in office.

Bouteflika, 81, has been in office since 1999 and has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013 which bound him to a wheelchair.

Candidates have 45 days to inform the constitutional council of their intention to take part.

Will Bouteflika seek a fifth term?

Under the constitution the election date was made necessary by the expiry in April of Bouteflika’s fourth term.

Algeria’s ruling coalition and other leading figures in labour unions and the business world had previously urged him to run again for the presidency.

But there have been concerns about his health.

In December, Bouteflika, who has been wheelchair-bound since 2013, was unable to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman when he came to Algiers for a two-day visit due to acute flu.

His last meeting with a senior foreign official was during a visit

by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sept. 17. An earlier

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meeting with Merkel and a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte were cancelled.

Bouteflika’s supporters say his mind remains sharp, even though he needs a microphone to speak. The opposition says he is not fit to run again.

He is unlikely to face competition from within ruling circles.

Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, leader of the National Rally for Democracy (RND) allied to the FLN, has already said he will not run if Bouteflika goes for a fifth term.

What is at stake?

The North African country, an oil producer, avoided the major political upheaval seen in many other Arab countries in the past decade but has experienced some protests and strikes.

Unemployment, especially among young people, remains high.

The economy has improved over the past year as oil and gas revenues have picked up. They account for 60 percent of the budget and 94 percent of export revenues.

The government has said it wants to diversify the economy away from oil and gas, which accounts for 60 percent of budget finances, but there has been resistance from those within the ruling elite to opening up to foreign investment.

That has left the economy dominated by the state and firms run by business tycoons.

Ethiopia grants refugees right to work and live outside of camps

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he Ethiopian government on Thursday passed a law that gave refugees the right to work and live out of camps.

The law, which is in line with the United Nations Global Compact on Refugees, was adopted by world leaders in December 2018. Under this law, refugees are now able to register births, marriages and deaths, and will have access financial services such as bank accounts.

With more than 900,000 refugees in the country, Ethiopia is home to Africa’s second largest refugee population after Uganda. Most of these displaced people are from neighboring countries such as South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea. They are spread out across different camps in the country and are not allowed to work, until this law, which also allows them access to regular

schools and to travel and work across the country.

“We are happy to inform that the new refugee proclamation has been enacted by the House of Peoples’ Representatives of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia…It is strongly believed that the new law will enhance the lives of refugees and host communities,” Ethiopia’s Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA) said.

The move comes at a time when a lot of countries are passing xenophobic laws and policies and has been welcomed by different organisations in the world.

“The law will help refugees feel included and that they can contribute to society,” said Dana Hughes, spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency in East Africa.

Ethiopia is the second African country to pass such a law. In December, Niger passed a law that would see the government help displaced people. Most of the refugees in the country came from Mali and Nigeria, which are grappling with violence from Boko Haram as well as Africans crossing the Sahara on their journey to the Mediterranean

www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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The chilling details of Patrice Lumumba’s assassination and how he was dissolved in acid

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ince January 17, 1961, no one has been held accountable for the brutal murder of Congo’s independence leader and first Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba who was shot dead with two of his ministers, Joseph Okito and Maurice Mpolo.

However, all fingers point to multinational perpetrators who sanctioned the elimination of one of Africa’s bravest politicians and independence heroes who stood his ground against colonizers.

He led the Democratic Republic of Congo to independence on June 30, 1960, after the country was passed on from King Leopold II, who took control of it as his private property in the 1880s, to Belgium in 1908 as a colony.

Lumumba was inspired by the independence movement of Africa after attending the All-African Peoples’ Conference in Ghana in 1958. This spurred him on to organize nationalist rallies in his country resulting in deadly protests that got him arrested and later released to negotiate Congo’s independence.

Independence came with lots of problems including a political divide and an unapologetic Belgium led by King Baudouin who minced no words during the independence declaration while praising his predecessor, the brutish King Leopold II. “Don’t compromise the future with hasty reforms, and don’t replace the structures that Belgium hands over to you until you are sure you can do better. Don’t be afraid to come to us.

We will remain by your side and give you advice,” he said.

An outraged Lumumba rather gave a damning speech highlighting “humiliating slavery, which was imposed upon us by force.” This heightened Belgium’s disinterest in Lumumba whose government was already being opposed by his political rival and president Joseph Kasavubu Only three months into the new and independent Congo, soldiers mutinied against Belgian commanders who refused to leave and some regions, including the mineral-rich Katanga and South Kasai, rebelled against the central government and seceded with the backing of Belgian troops who were sent to

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protect their interests.

The Congolese government called for the United Nation’s help and a resolution was passed by the Security Council calling on Belgium to withdraw its troops. UN peace keepers were sent into the Congo to restore order and “use force in the last resort” to secure the country’s territories.

However, Belgium did not leave and the UN SecretaryGeneral Dag Hammarskjöld failed to provide the Congolese government with military assistance as demanded by Lumumba and sanctioned by the Security Council. He also ignored the prime minister’s appeal to send troops to Katanga but rather chose to negotiate with secession leader Moise Tshombe.

Hammarskjöld died in a plane crash on his way to meet Tshombe in September 1961, winning him a posthumously Nobel peace prize. Meanwhile, the country was in turmoil and Lumumba got no help from the West and the United Nations.

He called on Russia and the Soviet Union sent weapons and “technical advisors” which incensed the United States.

The U.S. was a strong ally of Belgium and had a stake in Congo’s uranium. It is suspected to have planned an assassination as disclosed by a source in the book, Death in the Congo, written by Emmanuel Gerard and published in 2015.

U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower was reported to have given the order without any discussion. Lawrence Devlin, CIA station chief in Congo at the time, told the BBC in 2000 that a CIA plan to lace Lumumba’s toothpaste with poison was never carried out.

By September, the Congolese President Kasavubu dismissed Lumumba as Prime Minister after receiving a telegram from Belgian Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens.

Lumumba also declared Kasavubu deposed. This ushered in the takeover by army chief Colonel Mobutu Sese Seko who placed Lumumba under house arrest and guarded by his troops and the United Nations troops.

Lumumba escaped in late November with his wife and baby son hidden in the back of a car leaving his residence.

They headed towards the east where he had loyal followers in Kisangani (then Stanleyville). He engaged villagers on his way and on the evening of December 2 as they waited for a ferry to cross the Sankuru River, Mobutu’s forces appeared.

He was captured and another plea to the United Nations to save him fell on deaf ears. He was flown to Léopoldville (now Kinshasa), where he was humiliated in public in the presence of journalists, UN officials and his wife, Pauline.

Mobutu ordered his detention at a military prison at Thysville, a hundred miles from Léopoldville. For six weeks, Lumumba was kept in cells and that’s where he wrote letters to the United Nations for help and to his wife to calm her nerves.

While Lumumba’s speeches from prison were creating confusion, Belgian Minister of African Affairs Harold d’Aspremont Lynden was putting pressure on the government to move him from Thysville where he could be freed by his supporters.

Lynden later insisted on Lumumba being transferred to Katanga despite a discussion by the Belgian parliament against the decision that will result in his death, cites Belgian sociologist and historian, Ludo De Witte, who made public the gory details of Lumumba’s death in a book published in Dutch in 1999.

Lumumba and his two former ministers were flown to Katanga on January 17 while being beaten so badly that the pilot warned the violence was threatening the flight, says De Witte.

They arrived at the Elizabethville (now Lubumbashi) airport and taken into custody by Katangese police and military under the supervision of Belgian forces. They were driven to a colonial villa owned by a wealthy Belgian, Villa Brouwe, and the beatings continued by both the Congolese and Belgian forces By that evening, they were semi-conscious and had been

visited by Katangese cabinet ministers and President Tshombe himself. Later around 10, a decision was taken on their fate and they were dragged from Villa Brouwe into a nearby bush where a firing squad awaited them.

The execution was commanded by Belgian Captain Julien Gat and Belgian Police Commissioner Frans Verschurre, who had overall command, discloses De Witte in his book based on documents he discovered in the Belgian archives. They were shot separately by a big tree as President Tshombe and two of his cabinet ministers looked on. The bodies were quickly thrown into shallow graves.

To conceal their crimes the next morning of January 18, the Interior Minister Godfried Munongo called a senior Belgian policeman, Gerard Soete, to his office and ordered that the bodies disappeared.

“You destroy them, you make them disappear. How you do it, it doesn’t interest me. All I want is that it happens that they disappear. Once it is done nobody will talk about it. Finished,” Soete recalled Munongo’s orders.

Soete said he and another helper exhumed the corpses and “hacked them in pieces and put them into the acid. As far as our acid because we had two bottles like that of acid, big bottles, but we hadn’t got enough so we burned what we could in those bottles. For the rest I know that my helper made a fire and put them in and we destroyed everything.

“We were there two days. We did things an animal wouldn’t do.

And that’s why we were drunk, stone drunk. We couldn’t do things like that. Cut your own, your own – no, no, no. Nobody could say now, today, it’s there, it happened. That’s impossible, you couldn’t,” Soete was quoted in a BBC documentary, Who Killed Lumumba?, which aired in 2000 based on accounts from De Witte’s book published in English in June 2001.

Continued on Page 50

Continued from Page 49 Just as planned, Lumumba’s death was announced a month later on February 13, 1961. Interior Minister Munongo announced that the three prisoners killed their guards and escaped in a getaway car before they were recognized by villagers, who beat them to death.

The truth was hidden despite international protests at Belgian embassies nationwide until 1999 when Ludo De Witte’s book titled, The Assassination of Lumumba, presented new evidence taken from documents long hidden in official

archives and interviews of surviving witnesses.

The Belgian Parliament established a commission of inquiry three months after the book was published to determine the circumstances of the assassination of Patrice Lumumba and if the Belgian government was involved.

The report was presented after 18 months of investigation in 2002 and then published as a book in 2004 for the public.

It concluded that Belgium had a moral responsibility in the assassination of Lumumba and that it “acted under pressure from the Belgian public, which had heard for days about violence against Belgian citizens in Congo.”

It said there were plans to kill Lumumba and the Belgian government showed little respect for the sovereign status of the Congolese government. The commission confirmed that secret funds (about $8 million today) were used to finance the policy against the Lumumba government by the Ministry of African Affairs, reports the Brussels Times.

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It, however, stated that execution was carried out by Kantangese authorities in the presence of the Belgian officials and there was no evidence to prove that Belgium was part of the decision-making to kill Lumumba.

The Belgian government admitted to having had “undeniable responsibility in the events that led to Lumumba’s death” but did not take full responsibility and issued a public pardon of the Belgians involved in the assassination of Lumumba.

The foreign minister at the time, Louis Michel, said “The government feels it should extend to the family of Patrice Lumumba … and to the Congolese people, its profound and

sincere regrets and its apologies for the pain inflicted upon them.”

This was accepted by Lumumba’s son, Francois Lumumba, who later filed court cases against Belgium for hiding its role in the assassination of his father.

In January 2016, it was reported that a tooth of Lumumba was confiscated in the former home of police officer Gerard Soete who died in June 2000 during the parliamentary inquiry.

In his 1978 novel, the Belgian who helped dissolve Lumumba’s body in acid described the taking of two teeth, two fingers and bullets from the body, reports Brussels Times. He later declared that he had thrown them into the sea.

By ISMAIL AKWEI , Head of Content

Presidential Inauguration went ahead despite calls for postponements in wake of election Controversy

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emocratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has sworn-in Felix Tshisekedi as new President and he has called for all aggrieved opponents at the elections to work together for reconstruction of Congo. An appeal that the Opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu has rejected saying, “We cannot work together in irregularities”. “We cannot build on falsehoods … we want to know the truth of the ballot box first.”

Congo’s police dispersed a gathering of supporters waiting to hear a speech by presidential runner-up Martin Fayulu who has called for peaceful demonstration to condemn the outcome of the constitutional declaration of his rival as winner of the disputed election.

Dozens of people gathered outside his coalition’s headquarters in Kinshasa before police arrived and canceled the event, said Eve Bazaiba, a spokeswoman for his political coalition parties.

“Our headquarters (HQ) was besieged, our activists began to gather, we began to climb the podium on which our leader should speak, and the police came and took the podium and the speakers,” she said, adding that police had also blocked the entrance and exit gates at the headquarters.

The Constitutional Court last month refused Fayulu’s request for a vote recount and reaffirmed the victory of Tshisekedi in the presidential race, saying he received 38 percent of the vote, while Fayulu received 34 percent.

In his legal challenge, Fayulu said he won 60 percent of the vote according to leaked commission results. The 40,000-member Catholic Church observation mission also affirmed that results from polling stations showed that Fayulu was the clear winner.

But the court said that Fayulu didn’t provide evidence proving

his claim.

Rejecting the court’s decision, Fayulu declared that he is Congo’s “only legitimate president” and called for the Congolese people to peacefully protest what he called a “constitutional coup d’état.”

Congo’s government has called Fayulu’s statements “a shame,” and irresponsible.

“We want the truth of the polls, they stole Fayulu’s victory,” said Jacques Nzita, a Fayulu supporter who was outside his headquarters to hear him speak.

Fayulu had earlier called on African presidents to listen to the voice of Congo people.

“To African presidents who demand the Congolese to respect the Constitutional Court decision, I ask you to respect the sovereign decision of the Congolese people who elected me president with more than 60 percent,” he tweeted. “Don’t encourage fraud, lies and forgery.”

The African Union, which had noted “serious doubts” about the vote and made an unprecedented request for Congo to delay the final results did not fully participate at the swearing in ceremony, only Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta was present although others sent congratulatory messages to the new President.

DRC has witnessed its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence in 1960.

President Tshisekedi’s inauguration took place on 24th January 2019 despite fears of unrest, it went quietly well.

France’s Foreign Ministry said it took note of the victory of President Tshisekedi, as proclaimed on January. 19th by the court, and said it sent its ambassador to represent the government at the inauguration.

“This election permitted Congolese people to express with force and calm their desire for alteration. We hope that the new president will respond to it and call on him to continue the dialogue with all the actors in the country to achieve this,” the statement said.

Also, RFI, CCTV and the television station for opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba came back on the air after being cut two days after December elections.

Internet, also cut before the election, had slowly returned in recent days.

Congratulations to President Tshisekedi www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Zuma’s newest wife to act over fake Twitter

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ormer president Jacob Zuma’s newest wife, Nonkanyiso Conco will be instituting legal action against those behind the fake Twitter account registered under her name.

In an interview with Zulu news¬paper Ilanga, Conco said she has already requested Twitter management to identify the individual behind the fake account. “They are busy investigating as we speak and once the person has been identified we will then institute legal steps,” she said.

This after a Twitter account under the name @MrsConcoZuma had caught the attention of social media users.

Tweets sent from the account include Conco purportedly declaring her undying love for Zuma, welcoming the

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formation of the new political party linked to former GCIS head Mzwanele Manyi and berating the former president’s critics.

The tweets caught the eye of some ANC senior leaders, including National Executive Committee (NEC) member Derek Hanekom, who wanted to know which political party Conco belonged to.

Conco, who has an active Instagram account, said she does not have a Twitter account. “I have never had a Twitter account in my life,” she said.

A radio presenter at regional radio station Vuma FM, Conco said the tweets did not reflect her personality and that any person who knew her would have realized the account was fake.

“What worries me is that even some high profile people were duped into believing that it was me sending those tweets,” she said.

Apart from the fact that she was not the kind of a person who freely shared information about her personal life, Conco said sending out the kind of information that was sent from the fake account would have compromised her professional integrity and tainted the Vuma FM brand.

A former pupil of Haythorne High School in Woodlands, Pietermaritzburg, Conco has a nine-month-old baby boy with Zuma.

Twitter has since suspended the fake account, saying it violated its rules.

The Africa Business: Health Forum (ABHF) aims to strengthen partnerships, promote an ongoing dialogue between the African private and public sectors, and foster opportunities for the private sector to contribute towards the collective efforts of key stakeholders in strengthening national health systems in Africa. Healthy populations matter for Africa’s long-term growth and sustainable development, and can be an avenue for economic gains through raised productivity, job creation and reduction of inequalities.

Africa’s healthcare systems demand significant investments to meet the needs of their growing populations, changing patterns of diseases and the internationally-agreed development goals.

The ABHF will bring together the participation of African leadership – governments, chief executive officers, business and finance leaders, philanthropists and high level representation from the African Union and United Nations system.

Outputs from the Forum are expected to help shape and drive a health-centric agenda for Africa’s accelerated development. The Forum itself will culminate in the launch of a number of instruments to help scale-up investments and partnerships on health.

About the founding partners: The Africa Business: Health Forum 2019 is being organized by GBCHealth, Aliko Dangote Foundation and United Nations Economic Commissions for Africa.

The goal of the Forum is to build a coalition to crowd in public and private sector resources to deliver transformative health outcomes across the continent.

Aliko Dangote Foundation is committed to investing in health and wellbeing, education, and economic empowerment to help lift people out of poverty. As the largest private foundation in sub Saharan Africa, the Foundation has contributed over US$250 million in charitable funds in Africa over the past five years.

GBCHealth leverages the resources and expertise of the private sector to meet today’s most pressing health challenges. Today, it works with organizations globally and in Africa to drive collective action in areas of greatest need.

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa’s development. The ECA is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with offices in Rabat, Lusaka, Kigali, Niamey, Yaounde and Dakar. www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Combating Road Traffic Accidents in Nigeria with Vehicle Inspection Operation as a Vital Solution

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here is no doubt that driving is a complex and task demanding activities that requires a good driving skills and knowledge, road-worthy vehicle and conducive road environment. This mechanical construct called “motor vehicle� is used for both private and commercial purposes on all roads and it plays a vital role in modern industrial economic and social development.

Motor vehicle offers convenient and reliable mobility on demand for daily transactions. You hardly see any person who will not have connection (directly or indirectly) with the issue of transportation in a day.

Recent academic studies have revealed that there is positive correlation between the increased numbers of vehicles and higher rate of accidents most especially in developing countries. Besides, motor vehicles are becoming serious environmental threat with both noise and air pollution because of the petrol fumes which is regarded as poisonous gas. This is a great (un-notice) health hazard to all inhabitants living in both cities and urban areas. Invariably, it is the responsibility of the state government for her citizen to live in an un-polluted environment.

There is rapid growth in numbers of vehicles in Nigeria according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data of the third quarter of 2017 which revealed 11,547,236 motor vehicles in the country.

About 4, 656,725 of these vehicles were privately owned, 6,749,461 vehicles were registered

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as commercial vehicles, 135,216 vehicles were registered as government vehicles and while 5,834 were diplomats registered vehicles. Calculating this figures with 193.3 million Nigerians, the NBS data suggests that the total number of Nigerians available to one vehicle is 16.75. This present great opportunities for automobile production and assembly in Nigeria while at the same time is of great importance for transport sector policy to make motor vehicle inspection administration as state policy in combating road traffic accidents with road worthy vehicles on Nigerian roads. It execution will generate employment and revenue for the State.

In addition to the numbers of registered vehicles in Nigeria, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) also recently disclosed that 2,598 Nigerians died in road accidents between October, 2017 and March 2018 and that 15,815 people sustained various injuries during the six months period data. The WHO published in 2017 the number of causalities as 37,562 deaths on Nigerian roads. Different reasons were attributed as the major causes, which include; speed limit violation, dangerous driving, and loss of vehicle control, tyre bursts, among others. The Corp Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr. Boboye O Oyeyemi revealed in a paper titled; Road Safety Management Policy and Strategy Development: The Nigeria Experience (2014-2018) that a loss of 3 % of Nigeria´s GDP due to road traffic casualties from 1960 to 2017.

Meanwhile, the issues raised and discussed above explain the increase alarming growth in road traffic deaths and injuries due to human errors and bad state of vehicles. This is the reason why it is more important and obligatory to adopt Motor Vehicle Inspection Administration policy in all the States of the federation including FCT as a tool in combating road traffic accidents on our roads. This development will take care of the residual status of the MVIA in the country´s constitution. The MVIA as a directorate of the ministry of transportation should be given full responsibilities of supervision of driving practical and theory examinations, driving school certification and registration, to control (check), inspect, investigate (on accident vehicle) and enforce the road worthiness status and laws of all motor vehicles in each state. Each motor vehicle in the state should comply with the federal Vehicle Safety Inspection Regulation (or National Vehicle Inspection Manual) requirements for testing engine, safety and combustion control standards. The issue of driving theory examinations can be in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), which can as well collate the theory examinations in

different languages spoken in Nigeria. Besides, apart from foreign road traffic safety courses periodically, the NITT, Zaria should be given full responsibilities to train more Motor Vehicle Inspectors, Driver Trainers, Fuelers (concerning all fluid revels), Licensed Technicians, Mechanics and make them accountable to perform their duties in accordance with the national vehicle inspection criteria.

Road worthiness testing has been regarded as one of best ways to improve road safety in developing countries. Nigeria has a bi-annual inspection system for commercial vehicles and these services should be extended to private cars as well as all categories of heavy vehicles plying Nigerian roads. A particular motor vehicle has a lot of components to be in order for safe driving and safety of all road users. Most inspection checklists apart from the basic vehicle background information and maintenance history, should include the following; Footbrakes, Emergency brake (parking brake), Brake lights, Steering mechanism, Tyres condition / inflation, Air filter, Engine oil, Shock Absorbers / Struts, Safety belts for the driver and passengers, Head-lights, Tail lights, Windshield wipers, Horn, Rear-view mirrors, Speedometer, Interior and Exterior rear-view, Chassis / Under-body, Doors (open, close, lock), Bumpers, Muffler, Front Seat adjustment, and Exhaust system. All these should be fairly and carefully examined, inspected and evaluated.

Written by, Adewale T Akande, Road Traffic Safety Consultant and Researcher, Barcelona. Spain.

Tel: +34632511469; follow me @ LinkedIn

www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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UN, Britain express concern as Zimbabwe orders internet shutdown

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n the wake of deadly protests against a fuel price hike, and an ongoing internet shutdown in Zimbabwe, the United Nations has urged the government to stop “excessive use of force” by security forces including firing live ammunition.

The government has said 12 people died during demonstrations that broke out after President Emmerson Mnangagwa raised fuel prices by 150 percent.

Lawyers and activists say the toll was much higher and that security forces used violence and carried out mass arrests to quell the unrest.

In fact the President cut short his oversea trip to come and reinstall orders in the country that has witnessed several high profile arrests and there is no sign that the ordinary citizens will return home without a fight.

The internet was cut off most of last month with critics saying the government sought to prevent images of its heavy-handedness in dealing with protesters from being broadcast around the world.

Leading mobile operator Econet Wireless said the government had ordered it to shut down services.

“We were served with another directive for total shutdown of the internet until further notice,” Econet said in a statement.

“Our lawyers advised that we are required to comply with the directive pending the court’s decision on its legality.”

A fuller internet shutdown also affected emails. Which meant the people could not communicate with the outside world.

Due to the shutdown, Harare banks were providing only partial services and no cash machines were working, a witness said, while long queues formed at petrol stations and shops.

In Geneva, The U.N. human rights office called on the government to stop the crackdown and denounced allegations of “generalized intimidation and harassment” of protesters.

Ravina Shamdasani, U.N. human rights spokeswoman, denounced allegations of “generalized intimidation and harassment” by security forces in night-time door-to-door searches, beatings by police and the shutting down of

Internet and social media.

“Doctors’ associations say more than 100 people were treated in hospital for gunshot wounds, this is not way to react to the expression of economic grievances by the population,” she said.

Britain summoned the UK Zimbabwean ambassador to express its deep concern at unrest that has left at least 12 people dead and many injured.

Minister of State for Africa, Harriett Baldwin said she had watched with growing concern both the behaviour of some protesters and reports that security forces had used excessive violence.

“While we condemn the violent behaviour of some protestors, and unlawful acts such as arson and looting, we are deeply concerned that Zimbabwe’s security forces have acted disproportionately in response,” she said in a statement.

Britain called on the government of its former colony to ensure the armed forces acted professionally and to restore full Internet access in the country.

“The UK government calls on Zimbabwe to ensure its security forces act professionally, proportionately and

at all times with respect for human life,” the statement said.

Activist group Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said it was representing more than 130 people arrested following the protests.

They include activist Pastor Evan Mawarire, who appeared in court last month to answer to charges of subverting the government.

Mawarire, who rose to prominence as a critic of Mugabe and led a national protest in 2016, was tried and acquitted on similar charges in 2017. He faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted.

Mawarire was arrested after encouraging Zimbabweans in social media posts to heed a strike call from unions.

As life returned to a semblance of normality in Harare, civilians ventured outside to stock up on food and other supplies while police continued to patrol the streets.

Jacob Mafume, spokesman for the main Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) opposition party, said he feared the web blackout was a prelude to more violence.

“The total shutdown of the internet is simply to enable crimes against humanity,” he told Reuters. “The world must quickly step in to remove this blanket of darkness that has been put on the country.”

Authorities have yet to respond to the allegations of a crackdown, but many Zimbabweans believe President Mnangagwa is falling back on the tactics of his predecessor Robert Mugabe by using intimidation to crush dissent.

The president has also failed to make good on pre-election pledges to kick-start the ailing economy – beset by high inflation and a currency shortage, and the trigger for this month’s protests.

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Mercy Muthui - Mysterious death in Holland

he Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) has performed a section on the body of the woman from Kenya (32). Because the circumstances around her death are suspicious, her husband is arrested. He is heard as a suspect despite the fact that Mercy Muthui has been killed.

It is striking that the front and rear door of the house are sealed.

Muthui was found in the ditch that borders the back garden of her corner house at the Jagerskreek. Shortly before she had been reported missing by her husband. He told the police that she was not in bed next to him when he woke up and she did not turn out to be home. The police still say that they take into account three scenarios: a crime, a fatal accident or suicide.

Luck The latter does not apply to the neighbors; The couple - who married two years ago in Kenya, have had a son since last summer and ‘really only radiated good luck’, says one of them.

A fatal accident is also questioned in the neighborhood. A neighbor points to the bushes that stand between the backyard and the water. “You can not just fall into the water,” he says. ,, For me it is a mystery how she ended up there. ‘’ Muthui, born in Nairobi, worked since 2012 as a professional singer in her homeland. The photogenic woman performed regularly there and her music was also released.

In 2016 she got a relationship with a man from

Germany and married him. Then she moved in with him in Spijkenisse.

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The Obasanjo Bombshell

By Reuben Abati

“F

ormer President Obasanjo is a courageous patriot and statesman who tells truth to power when he is convinced leaders are doing wrong” – Muhammadu Buhari, March 4, 2015.

“Buhari is sick in the spirit, body and soul. Let’s beg him to go and rest…Let’s give chance to another person” – Olusegun Obasanjo, January 21, 2019.

Last month, President Olusegun Obasanjo addressed a press conference at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta where he gave the equivalent of a state of the nation address which was essentially a testimonial on the performance of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, an assessment of the integrity and credibility of the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) visa-vis the upcoming 2019 general elections, and a general commentary on recent developments in the country and the tactics and methods of the incumbent administration. This is the second time in the last one year that President Obasanjo would be taking on the Buhari administration in an extensive and provocative expose. In his 2018 intervention, Obasanjo had advised President Buhari not to bother to run for a second term in office because his performance was disappointing and even more importantly, he would need more time to go and attend to his failing health.

He accused Buhari of cronyism, nepotism, incompetence and failure to bring about the change that he promised Nigerians.

The former President’s advice was ignored at the time.

Professor Itse Sagay, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption who hijacked the job of the President’s spokesmen launched an attack on Obasanjo. He told Nigerians that Obasanjo is “irrelevant” and he needs to show President Buhari ‘some respect.” Titled “The Way Out: A Clarion call for Coalition for Nigeria Movement” (January 23, 2018), the Obasanjo letter then generated ripples within the polity and energized those seeking a third force as an alternative to the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress.

We should all take special notice of the fact that this was all in the month of January 2018, precisely in the third week. On the anniversary of that very episode, almost exactly to the day, President Obasanjo has intervened again. If his January 2018 letter to Buhari was hot, this one of 2019 is explosive. The 2018 letter was 13 pages long; the 2019 contribution titled “Points for 60

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Concern and Action” runs into 16 pages. But the key difference is not in the additional three pages; it can be found in the fact that Obasanjo’s tone in this latest one is not advisory at all.

This is a brutal, dismissive, utterly condemnatory commentary which seeks to consign the Buhari administration to the ugly chapters of Nigerian history. The style of writing is lucid, frank, assertive, no one is left in doubt that Obasanjo considers the Buhari administration a mockery of sorts, some of its programmes such as TraderMoni “idiotic”, and its management of the country’s security situation, utterly laughable.

Having once declared that this government does not deserve a second term in office, and having shown his preference for the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Obasanjo, without an obvious hint of partisanship, tells us that the Buhari administration is adopting desperate tactics to rig the 2019 general polls. He takes on the Independent National Electoral Commission and accuses it of crossing the “redline” with “blatant partiality, duplicity, and imbecility”. Imbecility!

Now, that is a very strong word.

According to Obasanjo, INEC can only convince us otherwise if it redeploys Ms. Amina Zakari, the INEC commissioner in charge of the collation of results who happens to be related to President Buhari by marriage, and by conducting free, fair and credible elections.

The big take-away from the 16-page commentary is Obasanjo’s concern about how the Buhari administration seems to have compromised all institutions of state, and how in recent times, it has also taken on the task of humiliating and denigrating the Nigerian judiciary. The unkindest cut is the comparison of President Buhari to General Sani Abacha. This comparison is not helped by the fact that President Buhari himself once described Abacha as a “hero”. Many Nigerians consider Abacha a villain. He presided over a period in Nigerian history, 1993 – 1998, regarded as the “years that the locust ate”. When he died, there was ‘dancing in the streets”. The people jubilated and said: “Never Again”. When President Obasanjo says we are back to the Abacha era, he is clearly saying that Nigerians are currently under a military dictatorship. He notes quite instructively, that “criticism, choice and being different” have become nearimpossible under President Buhari. These are very carefully chosen phrases. They constitute the very essence of democracy and fundamental human rights - to deny citizens the right to speak, the right to choose, and the right to be different is an assault on everything that makes us human or a nation.

Why for example should an Igbo person not be good enough for the position of Inspector General of Police or any other security chief position? Why must everyone who criticizes the government consistently suddenly have a problem?

Why should the membership of the ruling party become a form of life insurance? Obasanjo makes a strong case for democratic principles, and the urgent need to protect those principles from being violated by those who are committed to self and selfish interests.

Obasanjo is so impressively quotable, virtually every line from his pen drips with venom and journalistic topicality, his words sound like stones, hitting their targets with devastating force, drawing “blood” and pain. He does the job of the opposition in this January 2019 piece, barely 28 days to Nigeria’s general election, better than the opposition itself. Obasanjo may not always be right, and he has had cause to revise his assessment of people and circumstances when confronted with a different set of facts and variables, but his timing is always carefully chosen, his courage to speak up is unmistakable, and he is probably the only Nigerian statesman alive today who speaks, whenever he does on public issues, with a startling combination of poignancy, histrionics and a ricocheting effect. For this reason, he manages to capture the attention and imagination of both local and international audiences.

His blistering, bleaching, blinding attack on President Buhari is the last thing a sitting President seeking a second term in office, wants or needs at this time. Obasanjo has just told the whole world that Buhari is planning an “electoral coup” against the people of Nigeria: their right to choose, their right to differ, their right to be different. In addition, he says: “It is clear from all indications that Buhari is putting into practice the lessons he learned from Abacha. Buhari has intimidated and harassed the private sector, attacked the National Assembly and now unconstitutionally and recklessly attacked and intimidated the judiciary to cow them to submission.”

So, who is left? Perhaps, the media, wrongly omitted by President Obasanjo.

Whatever happens, Obasanjo has achieved his objectives.

One, he has managed to put down the Buhari administration.

The last time he did that to a sitting President, the opposition quickly rushed to him and made him the arrow-head of the “anybody-but-Goodluck Jonathan” coalition. Their conspiracy succeeded and Jonathan lost the Presidency.

The myth that Obasanjo can make and unmake any Nigerian President became part of the national folklore, and it continues to flourish. The flip side of that however, is that if Obasanjo fails this time around and Buhari for any reason whatsoever wins the 2019 Presidency, and the myth thus evaporates, he, Obasanjo and others who are staking everything on Buhari leaving Aso Rock, may be the ones who may have to leave town. This is what their characterization of

the Buhari administration tells us.

Two, whatever happens, Obasanjo and others who share his views have already raised very serious legitimacy questions

about President Buhari and his party. Less than a month to Nigeria’s 2019 Presidential election, they are already hacking down any claims to legitimacy in the event of an APC victory. The APC can claim all the votes, but the election will be dismissed as fraudulent. Ahead of the elections, the APC has been set up for a post-election legitimacy crisis, the implications of which no one can fully imagine. But if the APC loses, that may well not be an issue. The result will be praised as a true reflection of the people’s wish. You may not like Obasanjo, but he is not just another voter with a PVC, the way many of his critics respond to him simplistically. He has a voice, a voice that resonates across continents. He has international credibility, the kind of credibility that transcends local bickering. The relationship between him and President Buhari has been a stuff of classical romanticism. With his latest commentary, that has ended in a bitter, feuding divorce.

Three, his statement is couched in the language of statesmanship. He is raising “concerns” and calling for “action.” It is not a crime under any jurisprudence for a former Head of State and a former President who is also a global eminent person to raise such concerns about his country. The world will listen. And Obasanjo knows.

However, the standard response from government spokespersons is to dismiss every piece of criticism as sour grapes and to impugn the integrity of the critic. This is a default position in the government-public communication process. It is so, I must explain, because what is called criticism in Nigeria can be sometimes biased, uninformed, partisan, sponsored or downright malicious. This in itself is a reflection of the level of our development. In Third World politics, the stomach rules the head, emotions suppress reason, idiots become kings, imbeciles pose as wise men.

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Continued from Page 61 In practical politics, every political leader believes his own vision of reality. In his mind, he wants to do his best for his people. He wants them to love him. From the little that I have seen, there is no political leader who wants to be disliked.

Power is like an injection: people react to it differently.

It is something about the DNA. It is also something about the level of exposure, belief-system, competence, knowledge, strength of character and the quality of the environment in which the leader finds himself. Nonetheless, when someone comes along and sticks a pin into that balloon, and bursts the bubble, those who protect the leader, and the leader himself are bound to fight back, oftentimes viciously. To that extent I can understand the viciousness with which President Buhari’s handlers have gone after President Obasanjo in the last 72 hours. I have been through that route before.

When President O b a s a n j o attacked President G o o d l u c k J o n a t h a n under similar circumstances a few years ago, it was my duty to put out a quick rebuttal.

I dismissed the attack on President Jonathan as “mischievous and reckless”.

The President himself later took on the battle and responded to every point raised by President Obasanjo in what became a famous epistolary war in Nigerian politics. That war produced at least three books!

Both Presidents have since reconciled, and have been visiting each other, but there are persons in Abeokuta who have not forgiven me till today for responding to Baba because as far as they are concerned, it was wrong of me to support a man they regard as a “kobo-kobo” against a man they consider an icon. The Jonathan administration’s crisis with President Obasanjo had its long-term effect, but when the fire burned, it was Mrs. Patience Jonathan who stepped in to stop further responses from our end. The only witness to that story is Senator Andy Uba. I will tell that story some other day.

Despite that experience, I must confess that I am shocked beyond words by the official responses to President Olusegun Obasanjo’s January 2019 state of the nation statement. The counter-attack is pointless, for it is exactly the kind of tonic 62

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Obasanjo needs. It will be difficult to convince anybody locally or internationally that Obasanjo is uninformed or that he has some ulterior motives, or that he is sponsored. The man has earned a global reputation that grants him the privilege to pronounce on world matters with the credibility of an oracle. The totality of his public career has brought him to that place of security, and that is why his almost life-long spat with his arch-rival, Professor Wole Soyinka has not had any effect on either of the two well-placed gladiators’ reputation.

INEC promised to study Obasanjo’s submissions and has offered a polite, reassuring re-affirmation of its resolve to be independent and run a free and fair election. In comparison, the Presidency has embarked on a name-calling offensive as various officials and party chieftains raise questions about Obasanjo’s moral integrity – his record as military Head of State, and later as President – the usual things – Third Term, Odi massacre, and anything else that can be thrown into the net. They forget that Obasanjo is not running for President.

By calling him names, they merely reinforce his claims and the more they abuse him, the more they give further credence to his declaration that the Buhari administration does not tolerate “criticism, choice and being different.” Obasanjo set a trap for them.

They have walked into it, so unwisely.

In a strange twist, Garba Shehu, the alternate Presidential spokesman, in a written response even suggests that President Obasanjo is sick, and he should “please get well soon”. He refers to him as a “coward” and a “90-year old liar.” Garba Shehu was a Presidential Assistant during the Obasanjo years (1999- 2007). Obasanjo was his boss and benefactor even if he worked directly with Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Now, the same Garba Shehu says Obasanjo is sick! Does he have a medical report to confirm that? Who really should get well soon? Garba Shehu’s current boss or Obasanjo?

By Reuben Abati

I’m impressed with INEC’s readiness for elections – President Buhari tells EU observers

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resident Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja told the European Union Observer Mission (EOM) to Nigeria’s elections starting in February, that he was impressed by the preparations made by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and was optimistic that the electoral body would deliver on its mandate of a credible poll.

Receiving the EOM, led by the Chief Observer and member of the European Parliament, Maria Arena, at the State House, the President said he had listened earlier to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, when he briefed the National Council of State.

According to President Buhari, “I am happy and impressed with the briefing he gave. I hope that the confidence he exuded and the intellect he brought to bear on the report will be justified at the end of the day.”

The President told the EU delegation that Nigeria had grown its electoral system incrementally, getting better year after year.

“Having participated in elections four times in the past, I would say that since 2015, technology has helped the credibility of our elections,” he said.

President Buhari said that Nigeria with over 250 cultural groups across religions and ethnic groups, with each group canvassing for identity and primacy in the affairs of the nation, “patriotism

demands that we identify the nation’s best interest and go with it.”

He stressed that the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, administration had the good sense of identifying the national interest to include security, peace and stability, improved economy, jobs creation and the campaign against corruption, noting that the party was not wrong in 2015, and is not wrong going into the election this year with the same issues in its campaigns.

The President thanked the delegation for taking interest in Nigeria’s elections, and in the affairs of the nation generally.

The EOM team, accompanied by Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, Head, European Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said that the EU had observed every election in Nigeria since 1999, and had come here again for the next one, following an invitation by INEC. The delegation promised impartiality and neutrality in the monitoring of the elections. www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Egypt the right choice as late replacement hosts for 2019 African Cup of Nations

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or the fourth successive tournament, the original hosts have had to be replaced after falling behind schedule It had been a long time waiting, but Egypt on Tuesday finally had their comeback on South Africa for the big result that went against them, back in 2004.

In that year, the Fifa vote for the hosting rights to Africa’s first opportunity to stage a World Cup, the 2010 edition, swung emphatically the way of the continent’s southern tip, with 14 in favour of a bid headed by Nelson Mandela, and no votes for the one supported by, among others, Omar Sharif.

A decade and a half later, the pendulum tilted dramatically.

The executives of CAF, the Confederation of African Football, cast 16 votes in favour of Egypt’s hosting the 2019 African Cup of Nations (Afcon). A single delegate chose the rival, South Africa.

So Egypt, with barely five months’ notice, will organize and stage the most expanded Afcon ever staged, with 24 nations competing, up from the previous template of 16.

The party-giver, as is becoming customary, will have to get its act together fast. For the fourth Afcon in succession, the originally assigned host has not been able to honour the responsibility, Cameroon the latest to fail to meet the deadlines and fulfill the undertakings they signed up to.

CAF were relieved that two heavyweight countries had offered to step in as late back-ups, and chose Egypt, informed sources indicate, because the willingness of government in Cairo to pick up the bill for the June and July showpiece was more firmly expressed than it had been in Pretoria, where accepting an Afcon late - as South Africa did when war in Libya meant a change of venue in 2013 - is viewed as a mixed blessing.

South Africa, with its many fine stadiums, its developed infrastructure, its success as hosts of the 2010 World Cup will doubtless be asked again to take on an Afcon because CAF are acutely aware there are only a limited number of countries with the capacity to stage

a 24-team jamboree, and that Cameroon, now in line to stage the 2021 event, have fallen short of standard once and may fail again.

Egypt has the venues, evidently has the deep-rooted football culture, and it has experience in staging an event that gathers the concentrated interest of the vast continent like no other.

This will be its fifth time of hosting, and if there is a sense of symmetry in that the first was 60 years ago, to look back to the 1959 edition is to be reminded the tournament has suffered a case of extreme elephantiasis since then: a mere three countries took part in the three-match, single-stadium week-long 1959 Afcon, Egypt finishing ahead of Sudan and Ethiopia.

The 2019 Afcon, by contrast, will anoint its champion in Cairo after 51 matches, spread over as many as eight possible arenas in five cities: the capital, Alexandria, Ismailia, Suez and Port Said, to where the return of elite international football will feel especially poignant.

Welcome news to a whole nation as Egypt is awarded the right to host 2019 AFCON tournament, the biggest football event in the continent.

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In February 2012, 74 spectators lost their lives after rioting at the Port Said stadium during and after a match between Al-Masry and Al-Ahly. After that tragedy, the Egyptian league shut down for the best part of two years, and effectively kept supporters out of domestic matches until last year.

“Fans will back in the stadiums which I promise will be full,” said Ahmed Shobair, vice-president of the Egyptian Football Association, which now takes a large share of responsibility for delivering a governmentbacked message that Egypt is safe, welcoming and efficient.

They have a fine global ambassador, Africa’s best current player, Mohamed Salah, who will now find himself leading one of the favourites to win the title.

In 1986 and 2006, Egypt were both hosts and champions. Their football status, having put together a hat-trick of Afcon gold medals up until 2010, was then affected by political upheaval in the country and the post-Port Said damage to the league.

Egypt failed to qualify at all for the next two editions, but, inspired by Salah, reached the final in 2017 and later that year qualified for their first World Cup since 1990.

A fit Salah will be key to Egypt’s ambitions.

A compelling tournament is as crucial for CAF, who have not only enlarged the Afcon but took the decision to relocate in the calendar, from its former January-February slot to June and July, where this summer it will be competing for global broadcast audiences with the Copa America, taking place simultaneously in Brazil.

In Egypt at that time of the year, temperatures will be high, potentially sapping for players coming off long domestic seasons.

Egypt is developing football among their women and there is great support for African football in Egypt.

Cameroon is the reigning Champion and original host of the tournament for 2019 before it was taken away from them. www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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My thoughts on the 2019 Heavyweight Division

Lennox Lewis tells Eddie Hearn to ‘put big boy pants on’ in open letter about Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury

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he former undisputed champion has given his assessment of the current heavyweight division So it’s 2019, and with that comes New Year of expectations for the heavyweight division.

I’m expecting that there will be an undisputed heavyweight champion in 2019…at least that’s what I hope. I’ve been retired for almost 15 years, and yet I still remain the last undisputed heavyweight champion. I think it’s long past time we see another undisputed champion in the heavyweight fold.

Let’s talk Heavyweight boxing!

The way I see it, at the top of today’s current crop of top heavyweights is Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, and Tyson Fury. Let’s call them the big three. They are at the very top of the division, and then there’s everyone else, who can be interchangeable, yet still dangerous, opponents.

You have Whyte, Parker, Brazeale, Jennings and Ortiz. All of these guys are solid fighters that have the potential to break through with a great fight. However, one major difference is that they aren’t physically built like the big three. Heavyweight bodies have grown bigger, taller and stronger over the years.

In order to compete with, or beat any of the big three, these fighters must fight them very smart.

Physically, postmodern heavyweights have broken the mold from the days that 6-foot champions ruled the roost. In today’s world, even my 6-5 frame is on the shorter side of the top guys. It’s getting harder and harder for the competition to physically match up with the big three, much like it was during the Klitschko era. The Klitschko’s dominated through a combination of size, strength and skills,which is a tough combination to beat.

There are others who are also rising in the ranks, like Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois, and Efe Ajagba, but have not really cracked that top tier plateau that’s going to drive pay per view ticket sales at this moment. Keep an eye out for them though.

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So let’s take a deeper look at the landscape. As I’ve said before, Anthony Joshua is the man to beat in the division. He has strategically, and through hard work, collected all of the major belts out there, with the exception of the crown jewel, WBC belt, which is held by American, Deontay Wilder.

You also have to realize that Joshua was in this position because these are all the belts that were stripped from Tyson Fury after his episodes with mental health. Don’t forget, Tyson Fury is still “the man who beat the man”, which still makes him the lineal champ, and that does count for something, especially in the eye of the public.

Joshua and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, saw the opportunity to go get those belts after they were stripped from Tyson Fury, and they executed a good plan to do so. I thought this was a very good move on their part. It was an aggressive move, and it showed the world how hungry Joshua was for getting out ahead of the pack and making history.

But like I said at the time, once he becomes a champion, there is no more learning on the job with lower opponents. He’s going to have to start fighting the upper level competition. By becoming a champion, you put a target on your back. When you’re the king, and at top of the mountain, everybody wants to call you out from your throne, and you have to be ready each and every time. It’s the nature of the life.

I think Joshua has done a great job so far with every opponent he’s been placed in front of. He’s gained a lot of valuable experience, and beaten a lot of very good heavyweights, including Wladimir Klitschko, who looked much better against Joshua then he did against Fury.

At Joshua’s trajectory, I expected him to face Wilder in 2018. To my disappointment, those negotiations fell through.

I’ve placed a lot of the onus on the “A-Side”, Hearn & Joshua for that fight not happening. During that time, when I heard Joshua saying he was in no rush to face Wilder, and might do so in 2019, 2020 or beyond, of course I was shocked at those comments. I understand that boxing is a business, but as a fan, I want to see the best fight the best, when they’re AT their best.

Now I’m not privy to all of the details, and all of the back and forth between the Joshua and Wilder camps, but based on what I’ve heard, my opinion was that Joshua and Hearn needed to step up their game if this fight was going to happen.

I’ve always said Joshua was the A-Side in a fight with Wilder, and as such, he should be able to name the date & place of their first fight. That being said, Joshua v Wilder is the biggest fight that can be made in the division today, and easily becomes one of the biggest in all of boxing.

I thought it was ludicrous that Hearn started off by offering Wilder a paycheck for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world, instead of a percentage, especially when you consider that they did a 65/35 split with Joseph Parker for a unification bout.

It’s disrespectful to the fraternity of boxing, and the gains we have made getting fighters a larger percentage of what they put their lives on the line, and work so hard for. Too many past fighters, and champions, never came close to earning their proper piece of the pie. The game has since changed and fighters now have the ability to earn their proper share. Let’s not turn back the clock to a time where the negotiators are reaping most of the benefits on the backs of the fighters.

I’m not just making a case for Wilder or Joshua’s purse, I’m making a case for ALL fighters who step in the ring. It doesn’t matter who negotiated their contract, at the end of day, the fighters are the only ones who step in the ring, and if things go wrong, are the only ones in the hospital fighting for their lives.

Fighters work long and hard to put themselves into contention for championship opportunities, once you become a champion, of course you should reap the benefits. There is only so much leverage a contender has in earning a shot at the title. When champions meet, there has to be respect, on both sides, for what has been accomplished by each champion.

Event fights are the super fights. They are the ones that seep into the consciousness of the general public. Floyd Mayweather

is an astute businessman who knows the value of creating event fights. His bouts with Dela Hoya, Pacquiao and McGregor transcended hardcore boxing fans and brought casual fans out in record numbers.

In all of those fights, Floyd’s opponents made more money than they EVER had in a single fight during their careers. Event fights need two huge names, in their own right, to come together and

make it something special. If you notice, Mayweather’s PPV numbers fell off dramatically for his last fight with Andre Berto because Berto‘s name was just not big enough.

Hearn’s attempts to simply give Wilder a paycheck seemed a bit ludicrous for a history making fight, between two undefeated champions, for the UNDISPUTED heavyweight championship of the world. I hate this nonsense argument that a fighter’s previous pay should dictate what they should, or could, earn in a potential event fight.

People have argued that this would be Wilder’s biggest payday ever so he should just take the flat fee since it was many times more than his previous purses. Wilder is the WBC World Heavyweight Champion of the World. He holds the crown jewel in heavyweight boxing. He’s not a contender. That in itself deserves respect and a split. Also keep in mind that this would be Joshua’s highest pay day ever too.

I think, in the event that both, Joshua and Wilder, are able to remain undefeated and face each other for the undisputed title, that the proper splits should be around 60/40 – 55/45 in Joshua’s favour for the first bout and 60/40 for the winner of first bout in a rematch.

The boogeyman in all of this has been Tyson Fury, who is now back on the scene and looking like his old self. His bout with Wilder was a great fight, and even though I thought Fury won the fight, the draw with Wilder has created a huge public interest in a rematch. WilderFury2 has the potential to make both, Wilder and Fury, more than either has ever made in a single fight.

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Continued from Page 67 Whatever the case, this leaves Joshua odd man out until we have a winner between Wilder and Fury. It also leaves Joshua and Hearn in a lesser bargaining position with the winner of WilderFury2, which could have been avoided by putting an acceptable deal on the table with Wilder to begin with in 2018.

By not doing so, Hearn and Joshua fumbled their opportunity to maintain full control of the division, and all of its big money, by letting Tyson Fury swoop in and fight Wilder in his own backyard.

Now Team Hearn is doing “everything possible” to make the fight happen at a time when a rematch is of more interest to Wilder and Fury, and could prove to be very lucrative. You can’t tell a man he has no value, then when he goes off to create his own, spout on about how he won’t take your fight now.

With the public interest for a Wilder Fury rematch, and the money that it can make, maybe in the $60m-$90m range, puts Joshua in the waiting game for the winner of the rematch. The winner will be able to go into a fight with Joshua on a much higher split, than what Joshua and Hearn had ever intended to do.

Joshua is the man to beat in the division. He’s a marketers dream and has great looks and personality. All this is great when packaging him as a product, but as a fighter who’s been there, I find it a bit difficult to understand why Joshua wasn’t as pressed to lift that WBC belt from Wilder as he was to get the IBF belt from Charles Martin.

Everybody has the right to be a champion in their own way so I wish him all the best. I just want to see him go after the undisputed title with the same urgency that he did to consolidate all the other belts. Of course boxing is a business, but there was usually no conflict in fighting the best and lining your pockets at the same time. In fact, I’ve found that fighting the best built my legacy, and also did well for my bank account. Fine wine baby!

Right now Joshua is a big fish swimming in a little pond.

They are using the model that the Klitschko’s had in Germany and applying it to England. I’m not mad at that, but even the Klitschko’s fought in other countries. As a world champion, he has to come out of his comfort zone. I don’t blame him for being leery about coming to America, especially if you go by the bad judges’ decisions that happen there in so many fights, but at some point, if he wants to achieve a worldwide box office status, he will have to fight in front of audiences outside of the UK. The funny thing is that Joshua may truly be the best of the bunch, but we won’t know until he starts talking sense for the event fights.

I understand that promoters must have a plan mapped out for their fighters, and Eddie has done well by Joshua up to now, but at some point, you gotta stop milking the cow and let it go do what bulls do. It’s also on the fighter to take the bull by the “Hearn,” and say “make this fight!” That’s how legacies are built.

With Wilder Fury 2 happening, Eddie is now scrambling for a viable opponent for Joshua. If Joshua handles his business in April, the winner of Wilder Fury 2 should take on Joshua for the undisputed title. If that doesn’t happen, then we know

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that it’s just about milking the British fans for as much money as possible, instead of bringing the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world back home to them for the second time in their lifetime. Just that simple.

As for Wilder and Fury, I’m looking forward to the rematch and to see a great fight between two warriors. As a fan, I’m looking forward to seeing how the division gets sorted out, and when we have the emergence of one undisputed champion. I’m hoping the end of 2019, we will have our answers on just who that will be.

I’ve recently heard Eddie Hearn talking about how he doesn’t like what I’ve said in regards to the Wilder negotiations in 2018. In my fighting years, I laced my gloves up in the ring for protection of myself and my opponents. Outside of the ring, there are no gloves. We don’t put pillows on to soften the blow. Eddie needs to put his big boy pants on and understand that criticism and scrutiny are a part of the game. No boxer or promoter is above it. Right or wrong, I’ve had my fair share also. It comes with the territory.

In my career, I created my own path, chose my own destiny, fought for everything I’ve earned, and achieved all I’ve set out for in the sport. In my era, I sought out the best to prove I was the best. So I don’t take it lightly when my hard earned reputation is put in question.

I have no problem speaking my mind, which seems to hurt people’s feelings, but my views are not, and cannot, be swayed by a tv commentating contract, favour for a fellow Brit, jealousy of a new crop of talent, or the opinions of paid keyboard warriors.

I manage my character and everything surrounding Lennox Lewis. (Yep, third person.) There’s no puppet master here. I just call it like I see it, like I always have. For those of you who push this false narrative, I invite you to join me here at my League of Champions Youth Boxing Camp, where, among other things, we teach integrity.

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Edo State to host NAFEST 2019

head of the proposed hosting of 2019 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST), the Director General of National Council of Art and Culture paid a courtesy visit to Governor Godwin Obaseki.

The DG of NCAC, Mr. Otunba Olesegun Runsewe was led

by Hon. Osaze Osewengie-Ero, the Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Diaspora Affairs on the visit to His

ourselves as the home of arts and culture in the world and we invite you including those in the Diaspora to come and attend the NAFEST 2019, we would be giving it more international and local publicity and your medium will be used as well�.

Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki. This event was part of preparation, deliberation and synergy towards the successful hosting of NAFEST 2019 that is schedule to be hosted in Edo state later this year.

The Governor hinted that the state would provide a successful hosting of NAFEST 2019. It would be recalled that the event took place in Port Harcourt, River State last year and where the mantle of hosting fell on Edo State.

The Honorable commissioner declared that his Governor has promised to give his ministry all the necessary support to host the rest of the country in Edo State and showcase the best of Edo culture to the rest of Nigeria. “We proud

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