Nigerian Times

Muhammed Dahiru Abubakar, the current Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) of Nigeria. Nigeria: Religious Irrationality and the New Inspector-General of Police ~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D . Mr. President, the Us vs. Them Religious Irrationality should not stop the Confirmation of the Inspector-General of Police. This is a time when President Goodluck Jonathan is facing increased pressure from those at home and abroad to find immediate solutions to the rising religious violence which is dividing Nigeria apart. Yet, some chapters of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) the main umbrella group that contains numerous Christian denominations in Nigeria will come out, publicly and in a petition form, objecting to the appointment of a veteran police officer who happens to have been born into to earth as a Northerner and as a Muslim. His name is Muhammed Dahiru Abubakar, the current Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) of the nation. One does not need to be a psychological...

In Peace Or In Pieces http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=844936.0;wap2

9 Aug 2011 15:12 Africa/Lagos Japan's Additional Assistance to Peacekeeping Training Centers in Africa TOKYO, August 9, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- On Tuesday, August 9, the Government of Japan has provided additional assistance to Peacekeeping Training Centers in Africa, amounting to 2.7 million US dollars (240.3 million yen). Out of this assistance, 500,000 US dollars will be additionally provided to the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Ghana and the Cairo Center for Conflict Resolution and Peacekeeping in Africa (CCCPA) in Egypt respectively, 800,000 US dollars additionally to the International Peace Support Training Center (IPSTC) in Kenya, as well as 900,000 US dollars newly to the ISS Peace Academy (ISSPA) in Ethiopia. Although a number of conflicts and civil wars are being settled in Africa, there remain volatile countries and regions and six UN peacekeeping operations (one of which is an AU [African Union] / UN hyb...

The African premiere of Emmanuel Itier's multiple award winning movie THE INVOCATION narrated by the famous Hollywood actress Sharon Stone will be at the 2nd Eko International Film Festival (EKOIFF) on Saturday July 9, 2011, at the prestigious Silverbird Galleria, 133 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos. THE INVOCATION is a thought provoking film about God and World Peace. An exploration of the notion of the Divine around the world and through Religion, Spirituality, Science, History, Politics and Arts. It is an invitation to elevate our school of thought and to change the code of human interaction in relation to our perceptions of God. The film proposes answers to universal questions in both a religious and non-religious context: Who am I, where do I come from, and where am I going? Is there something beyond the here and now? What is the global idea of ‘God’ which has presented us with countless conflicts throughout human history? How can we live in Peace? The project was f...

Equatorial Guinea's president Teodoro Obiang Nguema (R) and wife Constancia Mangue de Obiang arrive for the inauguration of South Africa's fourth President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria on May 9, 2009. AFP Photo/POOL/Jerome Delay (Photo credit should read JEROME DELAY/AFP/Getty Images) 30 Jun 2011 19:31 Africa/Lagos President Obiang Urges Unity and Solidarity in Africa PR Newswire MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, June 30, 2011 AU Chairman Stresses the Need to Further Strengthen the Continent's Youth MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, June 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a speech which called on all Africans to work together to solve problems facing the continent, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, addressed leaders from Africa's 54 nations and around the world. President Obiang, who is also chairman of the African Union, told member countries that even though they are "often exposed to pressures created by external nations," they must...

Nigerian soldiers on patrol in an area of conflict. Security Challenges In Nigeria ~ By Albert Akpor Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan says he is determined to improve security in the country with a new administration that takes power with Sunday's inauguration. Security was a driving issue in the presidential campaign following bomb blasts by militants from the oil-rich Niger Delta and attacks on police by members of an extremist Islamic group in the north. President Jonathan campaigned hard to convince Nigerians that his government was meeting those security challenges. But rioting that immediately followed his election raised anew questions about security preparedness. The New York-based rights organization Human Rights Watch says Muslim-Christian electoral violence in northern states killed at least 800 people. President Jonathan says he is determined to protect Nigerians wherever they live. “As president, it is my solemn duty to defend the constitution of this country. That...

The causes and consequences of the recent post election violence in Nigeria The incessant ethnic, religious and political attacks on lives and properties in many states in Nigeria are caused by the appalling intellectual and political ignorance among majority of Nigerians. If the terrorists unleashing their grievances on both their perceived enemies and innocent people have been educated and informed on the sanctity of human life, the values and virtues of peace and stability for mutual benefit of all the citizens, they would not have committed the terrifying and horrifying atrocities in their own regions and other places they have attacked. The ruling political class is guilty of exploiting the ignorance of the poor majority in their power struggle and once they have secured their own families and properties, they no longer care about the fate of the victims of their political battles. • They have misappropriated the public funds for health care and abandoned the broken down public he...

In all contests, there will be winners and losers, no matter whose ox is gored. What makes any leader great is not only the feat of a victory, but the courage to overcome the agony of defeat. Those who ignore an ill wind should be ready for the whirlwind. I said the issues of these elections are corruption, security and energy, but the political aspirants thought their ego was all that matters. Where is the joy of victory in the house of anarchy? I said these primitive natives are not ready for democracy. How can you practice Democracy, when you violate her virtues? Goodbye to all that, but I know that without President Goodluck Jonathan and his kith and kin across the Niger, the People's Democratic Party(PDP) would have lost woefully. And after him, who is next? There cannot be trust where there is no truth and there cannot be peace where there is no justice. Those who do not want peace will end up in pieces. When all have been said and done, we would be gone, but the echoes of...

Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama 3 May 2008 01:37 Africa/Lagos The Dalai Lama Must Be Reasonable in His Demands LONDON, May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Heads of State and the international media should be aware of the facts on the Tibet Issue in order to manage their expectations over the proposed meeting between the Chinese government and the top envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. While China recently announced that they would initiate a dialogue with the top envoy to His Holiness shortly after a meeting with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, Heads of State should be aware that China has always been a willing partner in negotiation with Tibet on all issues apart from the question of territory and political independence. These issues importantly include the protection of ancient and sacred Tibetan culture. The probability of success from these renewed talks however should be viewed as extremely low given the nature of the demands made by His Holiness as part of ...

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran knows that President George W.Bush of the US is only begging the question of the Middle East Crisis in his desperate Middle East public relations conference, Tuesday, in Annapolis, Maryland. The so called Middle East Peace Conference between Israel and Palestine is a waste of time, because without Hamas(Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya)and Iran at the peace conference, there would be no accord. The actualization of peace in the Middle East cannot be realized without these principalities and powers. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas should not be deceived and misled by America and Israel to believe that he is the bona fide leader of the people of Palestine and he is not another Yasser Arafat. Fatah (حركة التحرير الوطني الفلسطيني, Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini) has lost the control and support of the majority of Palestinians and playing to the gallery of America and Israel is not the saving grace for President Mahmoud Abbas. US Presiden...