Tanzania Needs to Learn from Other Regions to Industrialize

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  Tanzania Needs to Learn from Other Regions to Industrialize

  BUSINESS

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• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Unido) has advised Tanzania to learn from other regions if it needs to revive its industrialization.

• Tanzania has been told to study regional, continental and global trends in order to build its competitive advantage.

  The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Unido) advised the east African nation to endeavor to learn from others if it wants its industrialization drive to succeed.

  According to the Tanzania Industrial Competitiveness Report 2015, which was jointly prepared by Unido and the government, the country should think within and outside its borders, particularly now that it seeks to revive its manufacturing sector.

  “The country should promote specific efforts for different markets on the quantity and composition of demand,” reads part of the 135-page report unveiled in Dar es Salaam last Friday.

  The report further called on the country to also look at the policies of other countries which are markets for goods produced in Tanzania.

  According to the report, Tanzania is at crossroads as it seeks to shift gears towards inclusive and sustainable industrialization. As it does this, something ought to be done to deal with the problems in the manufacturing sector.

  The manufacturing sector is of importance to the nation as it will form linkages and value chain, especially of locally produced raw materials.

  Additionally, the country should also consider taking into account its natural resource-based sectors.

  “In the short-medium term, the country should focus on boosting production output and value addition in that sector in which the country has an abundance of natural resources such as agro-industries, extractives, cotton and wood products.”

  The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and investments Dr Adelhelm Meru, said during the launch of the report that the government was aware of the decline in the manufacturing sector.

  According to Dr Meru, Tanzania needs to develop and implement strategies which would enable it to move industrialization to another level.

  He told the Citizen that the country’s value addition declined from roughly nine to under six percent. He noted that the capacity of manufacturing firms to increase value addition and diversify their production outputs towards more advanced products was also lagging behind.

  Technology will play a great role in helping the country build its comparative advantage and build on its competitive advantage by ensuring that their products are internationally competitive.

  Once the country has gained a stable footing in the manufacturing sector, it should shift and start to identify markets that cater for quality and quantity of goods produced locally.

  “Market diversification should be based on the findings of demand dynamism and an understanding of the feasibility of exporting to targeted markets,” says the report.

  
  

  Image credit: Daniel Hayduk/AFP/Getty images

How the Dangote Group Triumphs Over Others in Africa!

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  How the Dangote Group Triumphs Over Others in Africa!

  BUSINESS6

• Due to its expansion inventiveness and achievements in Africa, the Dangote Group owned by Aliko Dangote- Africa wealthiest man- has been awarded the African Company of the Year Award.

• A week ago, Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s group won the African Company of the Year Award at the 2016 Africa CEO Forum.

  The Nigerian based company continues to reap from investing in Africa, a goal pursued and encouraged by Aliko Dangote- Founder and CEO of the Dangote Group.

  Dangote Group, one of Africa’s leading industrial conglomerates has interests in the production of cement, salt, rice, and other goods. Most recently it has also brought on board the production of tomato paste. The tomato paste factory was opened in Kano State to compete with imports of the product in the country.

  Awarding the company, the Founder and President of the Africa CEO Forum, Mr Amir Ben Yahmed, recognized Dangote Group for its achievement and outstanding expansion on the African Continent in 2015.

  Earlier in the year, Dangote was named the wealthiest man in Africa by Forbes Africa with a net worth of $16.4 billion.

  Now is the time to invest in Africa

  According to the CEO of the company, the potential of growing Africa lies within the continent and as such, people should invest in various sectors to safeguard development in the region.
  Speaking to McKinsey last year, Dangote said: “invest now, before it’s too late. The train is about to leave the station.”
  He was speaking about his plan for his company in 2015, which seems to have come to fruition after it triumphed over other nominees including Ascendis Health, Seplat, Safaricom, Ison Group, Maroc Telecom, Naspers and Sanalam at the 2016 Africa CEO event.
  Over the years, the company has transformed its production goals to encompass exports of value-added goods which have not only enabled the company to grow but also transform Nigeria’s economy. By the year 2020, Dangote Group whose market price by 2015 was about $25 billion hopes to have hit a record of $100 billion.
  Dangote emphasizes the need to export goods instead of raw materials alone saying that raw material does not make much money for a country as compared to already processed products- a plan that the company is pursuing and trying to change the mindset of others.
  Other than sugar, wheat, flour, pasta, and cement businesses, which are operational in 16 countries in Africa, the company is also into the production of fertilizer—urea and ammonia. This, they hope to have accomplished in 2017 with an invest of about $16 billion.
  Speaking at the CEO Forum, Dangote also unveiled his plan to expand Nigeria’s sugar industry aimed at satisfying the local needs.
  He called on Africa to learn the ability to connect manufacturing industries with the local feed-stock. He urged, African nations to trade with each other adding that “the more you trade with yourself, the less exposed you are to global shocks.”

  Creating strong partnerships

  “If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk with a group,” an old saying goes.
  Strategic partnerships can propel development further and Dangote believes in partnering with like-minded organizations and individuals to propel Africa’s growth opportunities.
  A partnership between Dangote Group and Blackstone will see to it that $5 billion is invested in infrastructure in Africa.
  Moreover, the company’s innovation strategy calls it to reexamine processes as they are key when it comes to competing with the international manufacturing base, both in terms of quality and producing goods in the most economical way possible.

  Developing and empowering leaders

  “What really matters in human capital: hiring people who are smarter than you,” Dangote said in an interview.
  Dangote invests in human capital because he believes that his success has been contributed much by the management team in his company. He knows and appreciates the fact that the right team helps in delivering the company’s expectations.
  Apart from investing in human capital, Dangote has partnered with former Nigeria President, Olusegun Obasanjo, and the Duke of York KG, Andrew Edward to support entrepreneurship in Africa.
  The African Entrepreneurship Programme (AEP) which is an initiative of the Global African Investment Summit, and Pitch@Palace will support African entrepreneurs and young businesses in need of capital and mentorship. The participants will be given an opportunity to present their businesses and ideas and connect with potential investors.
  The Africa CEO Forum which was themed ‘New reality, new priorities’ comes at a time when Africa is adjusting to falling commodity prices and creating new opportunities out of economic diversification. The forum took place on 21st and 22nd March 2016, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. It brought together the high-ranking business people from Africa and all over the world.
  The forum also discussed how the private sector can lead to the growth of various economies in the continent. This year’s event was the fourth in the series and held on African soil for the first time.
  
  
  Image credit: Africa CEO Forum

Can Blacks be Racist?

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  Can Blacks be Racist?

  CULTURE & LIFE

• Is it the expression of hate for other races by a more powerful race and nothing else? Can the disadvantaged race be racist?
• It reads like a stupid question but it is far from it. The starting point is obviously what racism is. This has become a largely elusive and debatable definition which gains more and more layers of controversy with time. Is racism simply the full conviction and belief in one’s superiority expressed through hate and utter disdain for other races? Is it the expression of hate for other races by a more powerful race and nothing else? Can the disadvantaged race be racist? Can blacks be racist?

  Racism vs Prejudice

  In a scene in the 2013 film, “Dear White People”, a character is heard saying, “Black people can’t be racist. Prejudiced yes, but not racist. Racism describes a system of disadvantage based on race. Black people can’t be racists since we don’t stand to benefit from such a system.” Do not worry, this article is not going to be based on a movie quote but what was expressed here is the new age meaning of racism.
  Zeba Blay, in an article for Huffpost says, “Some people simplify racism as one group not liking another, and think “racist” and “prejudiced” are interchangeable.” If Zeba Blay’s argument and the Dear White People proposition are merged, the aggregate is a semantic distinction between racism and prejudice with blacks incapable of being racist. This idea was first propounded by Patricia Bidol Padva in her book, Developing New Perspectives on Race: An Innovative Multi-media Social Studies Curriculum in Racism Awareness for the Secondary Level. Her views are similar to those of Caleb Rosado in his paper “The Undergirding Factor is POWER” who then says, “Within this understanding of racism, to be a racist you have to possess two things: 1) socioeconomic power to force others to do what you desire even if they don’t want to, and 2) the justification of this power abuse by an ideology of biological supremacy.” He then excludes individual acts of aggression to force white people to do as an individual black desires from the ambit of racism saying the superiority should be a “socially structured power arrangement” not an individual act of violence. With this understanding, racism can be drawn down to a simple mathematical formula: racism = prejudice + power. Some sociologists like Thomas Sowell have however, come out guns blazing arguing this formulation has been the basis for moral intimidation surrounding race issues.

  Growing complaints of black on white racism

  In January 2016, AfriForum in South Africa released a statement saying, “White racism is condemned from all spheres, including AfriForum. Yet it appears as if many of the opinion formers and organisations who speak out against white racism are suddenly quiet when black people are guilty of the same behaviour.
  Just a week after, the FW de Klerk Foundation claimed, “An analysis of Facebook and Twitter messages show that by far the most virulent and dangerous racism expressed in the most extreme and violent language has come from disaffected South Africans. The messages are replete with threats to kill all whites – including children; to rape white women or to expel all whites from South Africa.”
  The world does remember Julius Malema in particular for his “Kill the Boer” song. What is all this? Is it truly racism or just prejudice? If it is not racism, why is the Penny Sparrow post calling blacks –monkeys regarded as racist? In the understanding of racism being the aggregate of power and prejudice, Julius Malema would probably be exonerated while Penny Sparrow is guilty of the charge. One thing becomes clear; hate speech is hate speech and the semantic sensitivities of it being racism or prejudice end up being of little importance. After all, they overly complicate what should be a simple moral and political discussion. The simple moral question is, “Is hate to be tolerated regardless of its name?” The answer is in the non-affirmative.

  Names don’t matter…hate cannot be tolerated

  Everyone should be wary of whites who justify their racist behaviour using the flat “Blacks are also racist” argument. For starters, blacks cannot be racists and secondly, an act of hate cannot be used to justify another; this would inversely provide a basis for black prejudice to avenge the historical racism blacks suffered. However, blacks can still be prejudiced, bigoted, hateful and violent towards other races particularly whites. Does the fact that they are not racists suddenly sanctify their hate and make them better? By no means. It is still as despicable and as disgusting as racism. The semantic separations, dictionary and scholarly definitions should not be abused to foster a culture of repulsive hatred between races in society. The African society should be careful of people who argue that since blacks are not capable of being racists, their hateful prejudices are beyond reproach. Africa is better than that.
  
  

  Image Credit: How Africa

When Church Gets You High: Cannabis Churches Advocating for Legalisation of Marijuana

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  Cannabis Churches Advocating for Legalisation of Marijuana

  CULTURE & LIFE

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• In the 21st century, religion has changed so much that marijuana can be perfect incense and the centre piece of a belief.
• In the 21st century, religion has changed so much that marijuana can be perfect incense and the centre piece of a belief. In Lansing, the capital of the United States of America’s Michigan State, The First Cannabis Church of Logic and Reason opened its doors to the public on Sunday the 26th of June from 1-3 p.m. The inaugural service was held inside the Lansing Herbal Farmers Market, 918 Southland Avenue and almost fifty people attended. Jeremy Hall, the founder of the church is an ordained minister. The Lansing church is only a part of the growing list of cannabis churches in America. Metro reports, “Earlier this year, when the U.S. Post Office seized a reeking package of high-grade weed, they were sued-for intercepting a Church’s ‘sacramental’ cannabis.”
  The Lansing Church which follows the trail set by such churches as The First Church of Cannabis in Indiana which was founded in March 2015. Its main aim was “to turn pot into religious freedom”. The church members are called the Cannataerians and their chief aim is to legalise marijuana as a religious right. Bill Levin, the “Grand Poobah”, leader of the Indiana church commenting on his church said, “We will celebrate life’s great adventures. This is not just smoking pot and getting high. It’s about the birth of a new religion. I’m a smile harvester.” Levin’s group seems to just be a group of people advocating for legalising cannabis in Indiana. At least his church has a “Deity Dozen” note on Facebook which has been called a “stoners’ version of the Ten Commandments”. Hall’s church on the other hand has no specific ideology or texts, let alone figureheads of the religion. Is this even a religious group? That is debatable.
  Speaking to attendees, Hall said, “The question I get is, ‘How can this be a church if we don’t subscribe to a religious theology?’ Well, the reality is it sounded better than a cannabis cult.”
  This is a church where attendees bring their own beliefs and the only common denominator is the use of cannabis…not common values.
  USA Today reports that the Lansing Church has already handed out fans and water to people during the hot summer and also handed out 100 hygiene kits to attendees for distribution to those in need. Hall says, “We’re using our church to elevate the community and to show we aren’t a drain on society or a bunch of unmotivated criminals.” So who are these people? Do-gooders who smoke pot? This could be a step towards legalising marijuana and indeed these churches are grabbing the attention of the world to their plea. 

  

  People attend the opening service of the First Cannabis Church of Logic and Reason Sunday, June 26, 2016. (Photo: Robert Killips | Lansing State Journal)

  The Lansing Church was opened almost exactly a year after Pope Francis spoke at a Rome drug enforcement conference. He said limited steps to legalize recreational drugs were not only questionable from a legislative standpoint, but they also failed to produce the desired effects. The Pope said, “Let me state this in the clearest terms possible. The problem of drug use is not solved with drugs! Drug addiction is an evil, and with evil there can be no yielding or compromise. To think that harm can be reduced by permitting drug addicts to use narcotics in no way resolves the problem.” The legalisation of marijuana has become one of the most debated moot points of modern society. Medical use of marijuana is understandable, it is the recreational aspect that has caused much dissension.
  In the United States, there is a growing drive for the legalisation of marijuana for recreational purposes. Colorado, Alaska, Oregon and Washington have already legalised and regulated marijuana adult consumption and are some of the 24 states allowing medical marijuana. California voters in 2010 rejected the legalisation of marijuana but this November, the proposal will again be taken to a vote. According to the Oregon, if the vote is successful, one in six Americans will live in a state with legal marijuana sales. 
  Uruguay, in December 2013 became the first country to legalise marijuana on nation-wide level. Earlier this year, Canada announced it would be legalising cannabis and all hints suggest the United Kingdom may soon join the bandwagon. The idea is if marijuana use is regulated, dangerous criminals are taken out of the matrix. This of course is an optimist’s view of the whole situation. Legalisation and regulation will not magically annihilate the black market without a well-oiled structural system. A strictly hardliner approach has been known to also drive the drugs underground, playing into the hands of drug-dealing cartels. The debate is one that could go on forever. For now, however, more churches will open in the United States and more conversations about marijuana will be initiated. 
  
  

  Header Image Credit: New York Times

Home World Politics Tech Entrepreneurship Business Markets Culture & Life Blogs About Us Sign In Register Is Rwanda guilty of Training Burundi Rebels?

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    Is Rwanda guilty of Training Burundi Rebels?

    POLITIC

  • Burundi and the Congo are accusing Rwanda of recruiting and training rebels with an intention of overthrowing Burundian president Nkurunzisa. Rwanda has continued to deny the allegations.

  • In the recent past, Rwanda has been in the limelight for all the good reasons including the fact that it one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, but now the country is being accused of recruiting and training Burundian refugees with a goal of ousting President Pierre Nkurunzisa of Burundi.

    According to a confidential report to the United Nations Security Council seen by Reutersin February accused Rwanda of being involved in Burundi’s political violence which has been escalating into mass atrocities. The report was prepared by experts who monitor sanctions on the Democratic republic of Congo.

    The report detailed accounts from several rebel fighters, who spoke to sanctions monitors about the training being done in a forest camp in Rwanda.

    Burundi went into turmoil when Nkurunzisa declared his bid to run for a third term last year. The announcement sparked tension which escalated into political skirmishes after he won in July, bringing back memories of past wars in the country, some of which were termed as genocide.

    The report which has accounts of 18 Burundian combatants in eastern Congo’s South Kivu province, showed that the rebels were recruited mid last year in a Rwanda’s refugee camp.

    "They all told the group that they had been recruited in the Mahama Refugee Camp in eastern Rwanda in May and June 2015 and were given two months of military training by instructors, who included Rwandan military personnel," according to the report.

    In the latest twist to the accusations, The Democratic Republic of Congo has also accused neighboring Rwanda of recruiting former M23 rebels to help overthrow Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza. The new development only makes matters worse as Burundi slowly sinks into ethnically targeted retaliation wars between the pro-government and those against the ruling party.

    The government in DR Congo is also saying that Rwanda has been supporting ex-M23 fighters exiled in Uganda and Rwanda to join Burundi opposition forces in a bid to topple the government in Bujumbura.

    Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende Omalanga said: “We want these people [the ex-M23 rebels] back home. There are some wrong elements from Rwanda who are recruiting them to go and fight in Burundi. We have arrested some of them in North Kivu (a province in eastern Congo), and we shall prosecute them,” Mende told IRIN.

    “We can’t accept any Congolese national participating in the destabilization of peace and security in a neighboring country,” he said.

    Rwanda rejects the accusations

    Rwanda has continued to deny the claims terming them as “rubbish”.
    Speaking to IRIN, the Rwandan ambassador to Uganda, Major-General Frank Mugambagesaid “It’s the usual rhetoric and baseless allegations labeling Rwanda by Congo and others. There is no such a thing [happening].”
    René Abandi, M23’s former foreign minister, also denied the allegations. “All of that is political intoxication,” he told the news outlet. “They are looking for a scapegoat. Time will talk better than me.”
    Alex Fielding, senior analyst at Max Security Solutions, a geopolitical risk consulting firm, argues that the failure of the of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) program for the M23 is the reason why such issues are cropping up, increasing regional insecurity. “[The lack of progress] remains a destabilizing force generally, and a potential recruiting ground for other conflicts, such as the one in Burundi,” said Fielding.
    As elections approach in the Congo and political hostility in Burundi deepens, it is feared that officer from the insurgent groups like M23 could join new groups in the region, according to Jason Stearns, director of the Congo Research Group at New York University who spoke to IRIN.
    “The most important part of the M23 is the core of highly experienced senior officers,” he said. “Their future is uncertain: their host countries refuse to arrest them on war crimes charges in the Congo, and authorities in Kinshasa are unlikely to [give them] amnesty.”
    Even as fingers are being pointed at Rwanda and other external forces, Nkurunzisa also has a major role to play in ending or continuing the crisis that has claimed more than a thousand lives, and forced tens of thousands to flee the country according to latest reports. The conflict which has included an attempted coup and well-documented human rights violations has attracted the attention of the International Criminal Court, which said in April it will open a preliminary probe into Burundi’s violence.
    Nkurunzisa has on several occasions postponed meetings aimed at finding amicable solutions to his country. Last week, he refused to meet with a broad-based opposition coalition dubbing all as terrorists. Peace dialogues with the former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mpaka which were set to begin last week were postponed, leaving Burundians hanging by the thread. There are fears of civil war as the top leader keeps on pushing dates one after another.
    
    
    Image credit: Guy Oliver/IRIN

Buhari Uses The Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) To Fight The Opposition

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  Buhari Has Been Selective In This Anti-corruption Struggle

  POLITICS

• Frankly speaking, the reason this anti-corruption war may fail is because Buhari's political home is also full of corrupt and unscrupulous members.

• Right from the election season last year, it is known that the ultimate mission of President Buhari is to tackle the Everest height of corruption in the country. And since his emergence, several measures have been taken to flush out corruption out of the face of the nation. It is a matter of fact that this war needs be fought because of the ill effects of corruption on Nigeria. All the mess the country is in today is bore out of the ugly womb of corruption.

  However, with the way and manner the 'politics' of anti-corruption crusade are played, Buhari lovers have been left heart broken. Notwithstanding the good intention of the president to fight the monster called corruption, there are many acts and methods used in fighting this corruption that are equally dirty, corrupt and uncalled for. And this particular point is where it seems Buhari and his 'soldiers' are getting it very wrong.

  There are bodies that have been established for the sole purpose of carrying out the fight against corruption. Out of all these bodies, the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) is the one principally used to make the anti-corruption crusade a reality. Sadly, the EFCC, which seems to echo the voice of the president, have also been involved in countless corrupt acts, which cause more harm than good to the health of our dear nation.

  With what holds in the country today, it is crystal clear that Buhari isn't fighting really corruption rather he uses corruption as disguise to fight the opposition. This is understandably so because right from time which this 'holy war' commenced, the attention of the EFCC have been on the opposition parties, particularly PDP. This in essence means that Buhari has been selective in this anti-corruption struggle and has been playing politics of revenge. And being selective itself is the best definition of corruption. Perhaps, Jonathan have been vindicated; 'stealing is not corruption', it is far beyond that.

  Apart from "selectiveness" highlighted above, the government has also been guilty of the usage of EFCC in gagging any form of opposition and criticism. Femi Fani-Kayode, Olisa Metuh and others are testimony to this fact.

  Frankly speaking, the reason this anti-corruption war may fail is because Buhari's political home is also full of corrupt and unscrupulous members. In fact, many of his election sponsors are suspected looters that left the PDP and metamorphosed to angels under the guise of APC's change. Now, waging war solely against the unrepentant member of the PDP showcases the hypocritical nature of our president. This is definitely not how he should address corruption if he is to really eradicate it.

  More importantly, there has been gross violation of the provision of law in the course of fighting this corruption. It seems the rule of law, which is the political principle that stipulates the supremacy of the constitution, have been for long jettisoned and discarded. In fact, fundamental rights of suspected looters have been encroached upon without any form of apology. What saddens me mostly is the fact that many Nigerians seem to care less about this germane issue - disregard for our laws - since they have been blindfolded by the anti-corruption war. Let me put it straight, it is the greatest height of political cum constitutional rascality and insubordination to disrespect the law under the guise of fighting corruption. It is wrong, unconstitutional and evil. The fact therefore is: corruption can be tackled without necessarily violating the law.

  Just last week, the EFCC extended its icy unlawful hands on a sitting governor. Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, have been unlawfully "investigated" and treated under the guise of fighting corruption. His personal account has been frozen for alleged corrupt funds in his account. These acts of the EFCC are highly political and evil by nature.

  It is known in all nooks and crannies that Fayose is one of the leading voices of opposition in Nigeria. He has been able to perform this "function" mainly because of the immunity clause on him. If not, the EFCC might have gagged him by alleging him of an offense or the other. This has been the weapon used by the presidency to gag all forms of criticisms in the country. And it is very unfortunate and saddening that Buhari is unaware or pretends to be unaware of the importance of criticism/opposition in democratic governance. Wait, who knows whether his "no-no" to opposition/criticism is an indication of his dictatorial tendency?

  Looking at the action of the EFCC towards Fayose from the legal angle, it is highly unconstitutional. The provision of the law needs be absolutely respected by any government body. Any act of government or its agencies inconsistent with the provision of the constitution is void. And this is the provision of Section 1(3) of the 1999 Constitution. Additionally, in the popular cases of GARBA VS UNIVERSITY OF MAIDUGURI and A.G BENDEL STATE VS A.G OF THE FEDERATION & OTHERS, it has been decided that when government or its agency is involved in what it has no power to do or that which is not according to the law, and such actions will be declared void.

  Thus, in this case, the EFCC has acted ultra vires by infringing on the immunity clause bestowed on governor Fayose by the constitution. Section 308 of the 1999 constitution grants immunity on some government officials, which Fayose happens to be part of. The purpose of this provision is no other than to prevent the governor from being inhibited in the performance of his executive functions by fear of civil or criminal litigation arising from such performance during his tenure of office. This intention however have been violated.

  It is apparent that "freezing" of a governor’s account by the EFCC is an investigative activity, and investigation that will hurt the “welfare” of the sitting governor is sheer bitterness and disregard for our law.

  It needs be pointed out here that the writer of this piece is not opposing the fact that EFCC should investigate. But, the investigation should be carried out on a low-key. Freezing of the account for any reason whatsoever, therefore, is too harsh a decision and equally against the spirit of law. In fact, the Supreme Court has observed in the case of TINUBU VS. IMB SECURITIES LTD, the essence of immunity is "... to insulate them (those whom the section apply) from harassment in their personal matters." This intention has also been defeated by the EFCC.

  Some have argued that the act that creates the EFCC also empowers them under Section 34(1) to investigate any person whose account is under the committal of an offence WITHOUT exceptions to person. This provision is however clashing with the provision of the constitution, which is the grundnorm.

  Thus, it is a settled principle, by virtue of section 1(3) of the constitution that where there is a clash between any other law, like that of the EFCC, with the provision of the constitution, like section 308, the provision of the constitution shall prevail and the provision of the other law shall be void to the extent of its inconsistency.

  With respect to the principles of law highlighted above, it will be apt to say that the action of the EFCC is unjust and unconstitutional. Without any care about the political reasons behind the "freezing", the bitter truth remains that EFCC have acted ultra-vires and need to act constitutionally if it's ready to fight corruption.

  Let's ponder a minute, why should the EFCC be disregarding the law? This question needs an answer. For in the case of NICHOLAS ASHINZE VS. EFCC, the court has ruled, "EFCC is a creation of the law. The court will not allow it to act as if it is above the law. The EFCC Act is not superior to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria." (Per Justice Yusuf Halilu).

  On the final analysis, it needs to be stated that everyone is a creation of law and nobody, even the president, is above the law. So, President Buhari, Governor Fayose, EFCC and all of us should be law abiding for us to have a better Nigeria and the account frozen should be "unfrozen" as a matter of constitutional urgency.

  God bless Nigeria.

Liberation Movements Have Become Oppressive Governments

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    Liberation Movements Have Become Oppressive Governments

    POLITICS

  • Sadly, governments are not liberation war movements and policies are not guerrilla warfare.
  • In the last half of the 20th century, much of Africa was embroiled in running battles for the overthrow of the oligarchic minority governments. Liberation struggle heroes were the poster boys of the era with such names as Nelson Mandela, Robert Mugabe, Kwame Nkrumah and Sam Nujoma coming to mind. These among many other leaders were the figureheads of the struggle and they led liberation movements to victory. Sadly, governments are not liberation war movements and policies are not guerrilla warfare. A materially different skill-set was needed to build democratic governments but some leaders have remained a deluded lot lost in the distant mirage of liberation wars. Instead of adopting democratic principles, governments have become fiefdoms ruled by army commanders under some twisted military chain of command that crushes dissension. It is not freedom that was achieved but just a replacement of an old oligarchic order with the new. The very men who saved Africa, have enslaved it.
    Vusi Sibisi in an article for the Times of Swaziland said, “For many millions of Africans across the continent liberation from colonialism has meant very little because they remain under bondage of a new kind from their own leaderships. The promise of a new dawn in which everyone would be equal before the law and to pursue a life of happiness and fulfilment has remained just that, a promise that has never been fulfilled. The shortcomings of the OAU was its inadequacy in correcting or vilifying errant post-colonial African leaders who became worse dictators than their departed colonial predecessors.”THE PROMISE OF A NEW DAWN IN WHICH EVERYONE WOULD BE EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW AND TO PURSUE A LIFE OF HAPPINESS AND FULFILMENT HAS REMAINED JUST THAT, A PROMISE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN FULFILLED.
    The major problem Africa has faced is that leaders of the struggle did not take the victory to belong to every citizen, instead, it became their own intellectual property and they were therefore entitled to royalties in the form of power that followed. A report on the Brenthurst Discussion aptly put it this way, “It is very hard indeed for them to recognise that anyone else could have an equivalent right to rule, while for the movement as a whole, its record confers – in the minds of former fighters – a virtually permanent claim on state power: those who did not participate in the struggle including those who were too young to have had any chance of doing so, are expected to take second place to veterans”
    This misguided view did not take account of the fact that bush wars are worlds apart from State office work. A country cannot be run by bullets and threats.
    Mamphela Ramphele, a South African academic and politician once argued along the lines of the liberation veterans being products of a system they sought to dismantle. They were educated by this system, they could see the benefits for the elites of the time and naturally they might have harboured nascent urges to be the elites themselves. Ramphele’s actual words were, “The very fact of African countries today defining themselves as Francophone, Lusophone and Anglophone demonstrates how deeply Africa has imbibed values, systems, languages and symbols replete with white wigs – of their former masters.”
    No one could have said it better. Some African countries identify with European colonialist values and their methods of rule is therefore not materially different. The reluctance by many governments to repeal repressive laws enacted by colonial masters is testament of the lust for days gone by. Colonial Zimbabwe’s problematic travesty of justice in the name of Law and Order Maintenance Act (LOMA) was “repealed” and replaced with its Siamese twin, the Public Order and Security Act in 2002 (POSA). Swaziland is also haunted by ghosts of its past as the Public Order Act of 1963 is still in force. Rhetoric of how Europeans should go is not enough to dispel this very dark undercurrent of inherited injustice. The colonial submarine has not been annihilated, it just has different people on the controls.
    Looting and corruption are the rule of the day in countries where war veterans hold whole states ransom. Instead of focusing on building industry, the leaders are busy proclaiming they will run for Presidency till they die and stretching the malleable constitutions to allow them to remain in power. Once African heroes, the liberation veterans are now enemies of progress. Uganda for example may have deposed of colonial fetters but the post-colonial dispensation looks uncannily similar to the oppressive colonial past. Uganda and its comrade, Zimbabwe have not seen a transfer of power from the liberation war leaders.
    Governments should shift focus from this war mentality to actually running state affairs. The wars ended years ago, people are eternally grateful but Africa has learnt that good fighters do not necessarily make good leaders. Government affairs are not a battlefield.

Rwanda: Africa’s Top Performer in Policy, Institutional Reforms

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    Rwanda: Africa’s Best in Policy, Institutional Reforms

    POLITICS

  • Rwanda has topped World Bank’s assessment of the quality of government policies and institutions that support growth and poverty reduction in Africa

  • In a new assessment of the quality of government policies and institutions that support growth and poverty reduction in Africa, Rwanda has emerged as the continent’s top performer, according to a new World Bank Review.

    The latest report which was released in Abidjan Tuesday shows that Rwanda achieved the highest score in Sub-Saharan Africa in an index named Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA). It also indicates progress for a few countries but minimal or deteriorating scores for the majority of nations on the continent.

    Out of the 38 countries under review, seven registered improvement, while another 12 recorded a decline in their performance.

    “With a series of policy reforms, Rwanda continues to lead the region with a score of 4.0, followed by Cabo Verde, Kenya, and Senegal all with scores of 3.8, while more than one-fifth of countries registered scores between 3.5 and 3.7,” reads part of the statement.“Improvements in several policy areas reversed the slide in Ghana’s score, lifting the country’s CPIA score from 3.4 in 2014 to 3.6 in 2015,” it added.

    To arrive at the findings, CPIA scores assess the quality of countries’ policy and institutional progress using 16 development indicators in four areas: economic management, structural policies, policies for social inclusion and equity, and public sector management and institutions. Countries are rated on a scale of 1 (low) to 6 (high) for each indicator.

    Apart from assessing the level of development in such countries based on their policies and institutional responses to poverty, World Bank also rates the challenges of countries in a bid to determine the allocation of low to zero-interest financing and grants for countries that are eligible for support from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA).

    Conflicts weaken policy and governance

    Countries transitioning out of violence recorded modest improvements, a case in point being Côte d’Ivoire (3.3). Although the country has enjoyed four consecutive years of wide-ranging reforms and improvements in CPIA scores, which saw a stronger performance in equity of public resource use in 2015, this did not translate into an improvement in the country’s aggregate CPIA score, the report showed.
    Countries that have been experiencing unrest such as Burundi (3.1) and The Gambia (2.9) saw the CPIA ratings drop from last year’s, laying emphasis that conflict and weak governance can set back policy gains and development progress.
    “The decline in performance was particularly evident in Burundi and South Sudan,” said Punam-Chuhan Pole, World Bank lead economist and author of the report. “The escalation of violence and political and ethnic conflict underscore the need to address the drivers of fragility and to make public institutions more accountable for delivering human development services, security, and justice to citizens.”
    The report noted that fragile countries continue to lag behind non-fragile countries in the continent as the latter have comparable scores to non-fragile countries around the world. On average, even though “there are a number of highly performing countries, African countries continue to lag behind those in other regions in their policy and institutional ratings,” says Albert Zeufack, World Bank Chief Economist for Africa.
    Zeufack called for urgent action to reverse the downward trend being witnessed in many countries due to “the current account and fiscal balances, declining reserve positions, depreciating currencies, higher inflation, and rising debt burdens.”

Johnston Mwakazi, Kenya's Media Industry Sensation

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  From One Bath a Week To Being a TV Anchor Sensation

  ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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• •  Tue, Jun 21, 2016
• Johnston Mwakazi is a household name in the Kenyan media industry, popularly known for his great voice that is behind numerous TV commercials.

• More than often we see successful people and wish we were in their place. We tend to forget that there is a path they took to get to where they are. This path is often defined by numerous hurdles and tribulations.

  Johnston Mwakazi is a household name in the Kenyan media industry. He is popularly known for his great voice that is behind numerous TV commercials. Johnston considers his life to be a miracle. Born in Kibera slums and brought up by a single mum, Mwakazi knew he had no option but to strive for success. This was and still is his personal motto.

  “I had no one else to depend on except my mother. My father lost his job due to heavy drinking leaving my mother who was a cleaner and earning peanuts to provide and support the family,” he narrates.

  Mwakazi opens up on how he learnt to survive in the slums. He started from pushing carts, to carrying water for sale, to working at construction sites and later on graduated to selling hot-pots and other wares in the city.

  “We lived in a mud house in Kibera, where we had to buy water once a week. This meant I took a bath once a week. When it came to washrooms, we had to help ourselves inside the house and probably in the morning try to sort it out,” he says.

  Apart from these, Mwakazi’s peers introduced him to pornography at the age of 14 which resulted in spending most of his time pursuing the desires of his flesh.

  Luckily for Mwakazi, he was introduced to church by his mother. It is here that he learnt how different the world was from his usual surrounding in Kibera. This realization made his desires to mature and move out of the slum grow stronger.

  “When I joined high school, I gave my life to Christ but I was still serving my addictions hoping no one will find out. I later came to learn that this was a big mistake because I was violating myself and my body,” he said. Mwakazi added that it was at this point that he called upon God and asked Him to remove his sin of flesh.

  His life took a dimensional turn when a facilitator at Kibera theater group, (which he had join to pursue his passion for arts) introduced him to the world of advertising as a voice over artist. This gave birth to his career as a radio news presenter and later on a TV news anchor.

  After a while, Mwakazi felt that it was time for him to grow and move onto something new. He had been an anchor for a while and the need for change kept clawing at him.

  “I was tired of just having a good show and the false sense of security that comes with that,” he said. “I wanted to be involved with something that challenged me to grow, plus my mentor Bedan Mbugua challenged me to step into something new,” he added.

  Mwakazi now owns a Public Relations company known as Royal Voice International and is a director at WTV. His future plan is to get into waste management, renewable energy and water management.

Do You Have ‘Skin Orgasm’? Here Is Why You Do or Don’t

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  Do You Have ‘Skin Orgasm’? Here Is Why You Do or Don’t

  CULTURE & LIFE

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• If you intellectually immerse yourself in music, you are more likely to experience ‘skin orgasm.’ If you don’t, worry not. You are part of the one-third of the population that doesn’t feel the thrill.

• Have you ever sat at a music concert or are listening to some nice vocals, when you suddenly feel a chill run down your spine, or goosebumps grow on your arms and cheeks?

  Then, you must have experienced what some researchers are calling “skin orgasm.” The experience is called frisson, a French term which means “aesthetic chills,” and feels like waves of pleasure running all over your skin.

  There are some triggers that can lead to this effect. For some people listening to emotionally moving music can cause frisson while to others, it can be triggered when admiring the beautiful artwork, watching a great scene in a movie or having physical contact with another person.

  Studies have indicated that nearly two-thirds of the world’s population feel frisson.

  Why do the chills happen?

  Dr Amani El-Alayli, a professor of Social Psychology at Eastern Washington University, sought to find out how frisson occurs.
  Scientists, motivated to unravel the mystery that is frisson, traced its origin to how people react to unexpected stimuli in the environment, especially music.
  According to the researchers, musical performances that include unexpected harmonies, sudden changes in volume or an emotional entrance of a soloist are common triggers for frisson as they violate listener’s expectations in a positive way. One great example is the performance by a modest Susan Boyle at the 2009 debut on ‘Britain’s Got Talent.’
  If a violin soloist executed a beautiful high note successfully, a listener might find this climatic moment emotionally charged resulting in a feel of thrill.
  The thrills and chills are accompanied by goosebumps, and science is still trying to decipher the reasoning behind it.

  

  Basically, most people experience goosebumps effect after a rapid change in temperature (like experiencing a sudden cool breeze on a sunny day), which temporarily raises and then lowers the hairs, resetting this layer of warmth.

  Can skin react to good music?

  Well, the researchers projected that if a person were more cognitively engrossed in a musical piece, then they are more likely to experience frisson as a result of paying closer attention to the stimuli.
  In the research, it was noted that people with a certain personality type were more likely to experience frisson than others.
  On comparing the physiological results of the participants against their personality tests, the scientists drew this conclusion; frisson might be happening more often for some listeners than for others. This, they attributed to a personality trait called ‘Openness to Experience,’ indicating that listeners with this kind of trait were more likely to experience frisson than others.
  People who possess this trait, are said to have unusually active imaginations, seek out new experiences, appreciate beauty and nature, often reflect deep on their feelings, and adore a life of variety. Some of the aspects of this trait are intrinsically emotional (loving variety, appreciating beauty), and others are cognitive (imagination, intellectual curiosity).
  While previous research showed that Openness to Experience could instigate frisson, the researchers also concluded that frisson occurred when a listener had a deeply emotional reaction to the music.
  In contrast, the recent findings published in the journal Psychology of Music, show that those who intellectually immerse themselves in music, might experience frisson more often and more intensely than others.
  The recent study also indicates that: “‘Openness to Experience’ – such as making mental predictions about how the music is going to unfold or engaging in musical imagery (a way of processing music that combines listening with daydreaming) – that are associated with frisson to a greater degree than the emotional components.”
  While some people have the honor of experiencing ‘skin orgasm’ some do not. Those who feel frisson can join other lucky people in the ‘frisson Reddit Group’ and discuss the chill-inducing experiences.
  
  
   Image credit: Shutterstoc