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Ekemezie Uche

Giving Voice to One People’s Grief Derek Walcott and the Life-Giving Force of Poetry

Ekemezie UcheApril 21, 2017

Ekemezie Uche

is a graduate of St. John's College and the London School of Economics. His academic interests are in History, Politics, and Literature.

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Can the Labour Party Survive Beyond 2023? #OnSite⚡️⁠
⁠
In the last elections, the popularity of the Labour Party grew sporadically. But do you think the party can stand the test of time? Can the Labour Party maintain its current momentum and cement itself as a major opposition to the APC and PDP?⁠
⁠
In this essay from our latest issue, A Nation Divided, political analyst, Muzz Muhammad, suggests that though the Labour Party has spent much of its energies in the post-election period challenging the outcomes of the 2023 elections, the party has several unique opportunities to leverage its strengths while in the opposition.⁠
⁠
According to Muhammad: ‘Despite Tinubu’s description of his party as “progressive” and interested in the “fairness of prosperity to all of society”, the APC government in Nigeria has generally been ideologically “directionless”––the pro-poor sentiment of initiatives such as the National School Feeding Programme and N5,000 cash transfers to poor Nigerians conflicting with trade and foreign exchange regimes that have broadly limited access to economic resources to the exclusive benefit of well-connected elites, bold-faced state-sanctioned violence against peaceful protesters, and massive expansions of poverty.’⁠
⁠
For Muhammad, the PDP has spent much of the last 8 years reacting ineffectively, if at all, to the APC government’s failures. neglecting visible advocacy for popular youth and other movements, and not articulating any particular direction for much government policy.⁠
⁠
Read the full essay by clicking the link in our bio.⁠
⁠
________________________⁠
📝: Muzz Muhammad (@mshttu)⁠
🔎: Yusuf Omotayo, Editor⁠
🎨 Onyinye Dike, Art Director

Today in 1945, former Ivorian president, Laurent G

Today in 1945, former Ivorian president, Laurent Gbagbo, was born. #RxHistory⏳️⁠
⁠
On 31 May 1945, Ivorian politician who was the president of Côte d’Ivoire from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011, Koudou Laurent Gbagbo, was born in Gagnoa in the then French West Africa.⁠
⁠
In 2000, Gbagbo took over the presidency after the controversial winner of the elections, Robert Guei, fled the country amidst uproar over his win. Though his presidential term expired in 2005, Gbagbo was president for eleven years from 2000 till his arrest in 2011, delaying national elections on several occasions.⁠
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In 2010, Ivory Coast finally held elections with opposition candidate, Alassane Outtara, emerging as the winner. Gbagbo contested the results and paved the way for post-election violence that killed over three thousand people and displaced up to a million people.⁠
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In October 2011, the International Criminal Court opened an investigation into Ivory Coast’s post-election violence and issued a warrant for Gbagbo’s arrest in November 2011. Although he was charged with four crimes against humanity, Gbagbo was later acquitted in January 2019.⁠
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Gbagbo’s case was escalated to the Appeals division of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and IN 2021, his acquittal was upheld. Laurent Gbagbo is the first former head of state to be tried at the ICC, Hague.⁠
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Click the link in our bio to read more stories on African history.⁠
____________⁠
📝: Ibukun Olokode and Ugonna Eronini⁠
📷️: (1) Laurent Gbagbo addresses the UN General Assembly. 29 September 2005. Marco Castro / UN Photo.⁠
(2) People celebrate with a portrait of Laurent Gbagbo on January 15, 2019 in his birth-town Gagnoa after the news that International Criminal Court acquitted Gbagbo. SIA KAMBOU / AFP.

Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Under a New President #

Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Under a New President #OnSite⚡️⁠
⁠
One of the many struggles of the Buhari administration was establishing a solid stance in the international front. The question is: how can the new president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, address issues such as cross-border insecurity and terrorism?⁠
⁠
In this essay from our latest issue, A Nation Divided, researcher, Daniel Whyte, affirms that Nigerian politics matter at home and abroad, particularly for West Africa. Likewise, West Africa’s stability has real implications for Nigeria.⁠
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Unlike the Muhammadu Buhari administration, Nigeria’s new president cannot afford to neglect foreign policy in favour of an overemphasis on domestic issues.⁠
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According to Whyte: ‘Without peace and stable economic growth at home, Nigeria’s international efforts would not be deemed credible. The important thing, therefore, is not to overemphasize one to the detriment of the other. Nigeria needs technocratic and visionary leadership that not only manages the domestic economy but is poised to reposition the country’s standing in the comity of nations.’⁠
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Read the full essay by clicking the link in our bio.⁠
⁠
____________________⁠
📝: Daniel Olaoluwa Whyte⁠
🔎: Yusuf Omotayo, Editor⁠
📷️: Adedire Abiodun. PEXELS.

Today in 1967, Biafra declared independence from N

Today in 1967, Biafra declared independence from Nigeria. #RxHistory⏳⁠
⁠
On 30 May 1967, Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu declared the independence of the Republic of Biafra. The independence declaration sparked a crisis that led to a three-year civil war between Nigeria and Biafra.⁠
⁠
Though Biafra declared secession on 30 May, no shots were fired until 06 July. The period in-between was one of relative calm, with some attempts made to reach a peaceful agreement. Despite these efforts, both sides made the logistic and administrative preparations for war.⁠
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The civil war came on the heels of a series of coups and countercoups which resulted from the corruption and social distress in the First Republic of Nigeria. On 15 January 1966, Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna and Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu led a coup which saw the death of important northern leaders including the Prime Minister and Premier of the Northern Region.⁠
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A successful countercoup that put General Yakubu Gowon in power later in the year brought about an anti-Igbo pogrom in which thousands of Igbo people were killed in five months, forcing almost two million Igbos living in the North at the time to escape back to the Eastern Region.⁠
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The Eastern Region governor, Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu, declared the independence of the Republic of Biafra on 30 May 1967 to protect Igbo people from victimization by the Northerner-dominated Nigerian government.⁠
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The Biafran war, which lasted over two years, is considered to be one of Africa’s bloodiest post-independence conflicts. More than 1 million people died. In Nigeria, today is commemorated as Biafra Remembrance Day.⁠
⁠
Read more about the Biafran war by clicking the link in our bio. ⁠
⁠
____________⁠
📝: Ibukun Olokode and Ugonna Eronini⁠
📷: (1) Ojukwu, as military governor of Biafra, inspecting some of his troops in 1968. Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix /Alamy.⁠
(2) Biafran rebel soldiers parade in a street of a biafran city on August 27, 1968 during the Biafra war. FRANCOIS MAZURE/AFP via Getty Images.⁠
(3) Lt. Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu, leader of secessionist Biafra. Getty Images.

The Anxious Dawn of Tinubu’s Turn #OnSite⚡️ $The Anxious Dawn of Tinubu’s Turn #OnSite⚡️ Sixteen years after he left office as governor of Lagos State, today Bola Ahmed Tinubu has become the president of Nigeria. He inherits a country mired in social fractures, economic crises and unrelenting insecurity. Tinubu’s political journey began in 1991 when he joined the Social Democratic Party. In 1992, he was elected to the Senate, representing the Lagos West constituency in the short-lived Third Republic (1992-1993). Tinubu was a founding member of the pro-democracy National Democratic Coalition in the period after the annulment of the 12 June presidential election. Following the death of General Sani Abacha in 1998, he joined the Alliance for Democracy and became the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos. The rest became history. Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were swift to reject the outcome of the election and head to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. So far, none of the numerous petitions have led to a significant change in the trajectory of Tinubu’s inauguration. Tinubu’s presidency extends Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, the political era that began in 1999 when, following years of military rule, Nigeria returned to democratic government. Since then, Nigeria has had four presidents: Olusegun Obasanjo who served two terms; Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who died in office; Goodluck Jonathan who lost his second term bid; and Buhari who became the second person after Obasanjo to serve as both military and civilian head of state. Read our full report by senior associate editor, Yusuf Omotayo, at the link in our bio. For a deep dive into the meaning of the Tinubu presidency and the Tinubu administration’s key priorities over the coming years, purchase our inauguration issue, A Nation Divided—also available at the link in our bio. ____________ 📝: Yusuf Omotayo 🔍: Wale Lawal$

Today in 1999, Olusegun Obasanjo was inaugurated a

Today in 1999, Olusegun Obasanjo was inaugurated as the president of Nigeria. #RxHistory⏳️⁠
⁠
On 29 May 1999, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Nigeria’s last military head of state, peacefully handed over power to Olusegun Obasanjo. Obasanjo’s inauguration marked Nigeria’s transition to democratic governance after 15 years of military rule.⁠
⁠
In his inaugural speech, Obasanjo pledged to make ‘significant changes within a year,’ including ensuring government transparency and reversing the trend of corruption that Nigeria was known for.⁠
⁠
‘This day, 29 May 1999, must rank second only to 1 October 1960,’ General Abubakar said.⁠
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Did you know that until 2018, 29 May was celebrated as Democracy Day in Nigeria? In 2018, President Buhari declared 12 June, the anniversary of the annulment of the 1993 elections, the new Democracy Day.⁠
⁠
Read more about Obasanjo’s presidency by clicking the link in our bio.⁠
⁠
____________⁠
📝: Ibukun Olokode and Ugonna Eronini⁠
🎥: Footage of Olusegun Obasanjo’s Inauguration. 29 May 1999. AP Archive / YouTube.
📷️: President Olusegun Obasanjo at the River Entrance of the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. May 10, 2001. Helene C. Stikkel. / Wikimedia Commons.

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