News of a truce in Ethiopia is welcome, but it far from guarantees an end to the Tigray conflict. Last week, good news emerged from Ethiopia. The federal government announced a truce in its sixteen-month conflict with Tigrayan forces, expressing hope that its action would improve the humanitarian situation in the region and pave the way for lasting peace. Tigrayan forces responded in kind, pledging to make the truce a success. Trust is in extremely short supply,...
Akwete philosophy must go beyond looking at who wears these fabrics or does the photoshoot; training, capital investment, and other appropriate support efforts are necessary to initiate technological innovation and process change — Anthony Ogbo, PhD ___________________ The new governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, may have set in motion what might be perceived as the second revolution of Akwete textiles. Throughout his campaign, and as recently as today, he has not just preached...
The internet has been flooded with tons of reactions from the masses since the public fight between the former first lady, Ebelechukwu Obiano, and Lady Bianca Ojukwu at Gov. Soludo’s Inauguration ceremony in Anambra State. The majority applauded Bianca’s action while a few condemned it. According to the video circulated, Mrs. Obiano is seen staring at lady Bianca who appeared to have her gaze fixed on the ongoing ceremony while fanning herself with a handheld...
By Joe C Anatune, Columnist and Blogger The environmental decay in Okpoko, Anambra’s largest urban slum, is huge and poses existential threats to the inhabitants. Anambra State Governor Prof Chukwuma Soludo thinks that the place can still be revamped and made liveable. He is doing just that and steering the world to a desirable upgrading. Typically, he is shooting on all cylinders and the world is taking note. True, hope is akin to the...
In Anambra state the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, can’t get enough of the political symbolism of its late founder and Biafran war hero Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. APGA, the party which has held sway and won successive governorship elections since 2003, has used pictures or videos proudly displaying images of the party’s supreme leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu for years and for good measure. But that’s growing reason to believe that APGA is ready to move...
Her lifestyle and extravagant indiscretion fed comedians, bloggers, and vloggers with endless content Former President Jonathan was liberal to the core. He was one of those laid-back family heads who would overlook a teenage daughter smooching with a male friend behind the big garbage container in the backyard. Not so for the wife, Patience. She was a no-nonsense first lady, conservative to the core, and to a fault. She was domineeringly in control of...
Access to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s natural resources has been largely controlled by a privileged elite, fueling mistrust and violence between competing groups. For people around the world, the past few years have painfully illuminated the toxic effect that mistrust, an inability to access reliable facts, and resulting conspiratorial thinking have on social cohesion and governance. For the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, this is familiar territory. The tremendous potential of their...
“Celebration of the Women’s Day should reflect in our thoughts, interactions and dealings, every single day of our lives” ―Favour Chiagozie Ebubechukwu It is not new to have the walls of social media splashed with pictures to depict how strong, enduring and amazing a woman is. Probably pictures of a woman hawking bread under a very sunny weather with her nose-running child strapped to her back; or pictures of a woman farming or breastfeeding her...
African countries’ reservations on condemning Russia’s invasion to Ukraine can be explored through growing Russian ties with African leaders. Those who did condemn also called out Western double standards on international law. How will African countries react to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and what diplomatic fissures are likely to be opened by the conflict as it drags on? Early indications are that African countries will line up behind the United States and its...
Most Nigerians do not know how to properly engage their leaders so that all can find a common ground upon which to rely and make progress. The video of the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students – NANS, in a meeting with the Minister for Education was an interesting sight that speaks to the predominant conception of activism in Nigeria as disengagement, labeling, and antagonism. Looking at it, the omission of Nigerian students...
