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‘Writing is Mostly Editing.’ Grey Atanda's First Draft

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Current Issue COVID-19: Global Lessons from Africa

February 25, 2021

Too Foreign to Vote Diaspora Voting: Where Naija Might Carry Last

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Today in 1885, the Berlin Conference—which facil

Today in 1885, the Berlin Conference—which facilitated Africa's colonization—ended.⠀
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On 26 February 1885, the Berlin Conference—which facilitated and regulated European colonization of Africans—ended after months of deliberations between leaders and representatives from western nations⠀
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In 1884, German chancellor Otto von Bismark had called together 14 of the major western powers of the world to discuss how to share future control of Africa. The conference started on 11 November 1884, with representatives from France, Germany, Britain, Portugal, Austria-Hungary, Denmark, Spain, the USA, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Swedish-Norway, and the Ottoman Empire.⠀
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At the time of the conference, most of Africa was still controlled by its natives. However, the Berlin Conference ultimately resulted in a jumble of geometric boundaries that divided Africa into about 50 irregular countries. The new boundaries did not take into account the cultural and linguistic boundaries or political systems already established by indigenous Africans.⠀
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The outcome of the conference was the 'General Act of the Berlin Conference' through which countries were allocated specific regions of Africa to which they had exclusive rights. A few months after the conference, Belgium—ruled by Leopold II—declared its colonized African territory the 'Congo Free State'⠀
____________⠀
📝: Wemimo, Editorial Assistant.⠀
📷: A map of Africa from 1885. The Scottish Geographical Society

Nigeria has paid over $18 million in kidnapping ra

Nigeria has paid over $18 million in kidnapping ransoms.
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According to a report by a Nigerian consulting firm, SB Morgen, Nigeria has paid over $18 million in ransom from 2011 to 2020. The amount paid between the second half of that period—from 2016 to 2020—was around $11 million, signifying an alarming increase in the rate of kidnappings.
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According to the report by SB Morgen, kidnappers have moved on from abducting wealthy victims to poor people who are often killed when their relatives fail to meet the ransom demands. The increasing rate of abductions has spread from the oil-rich regions to the entire country, raising concerns that kidnapping has evolved into a thriving industry.
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Despite repeated denials by Nigerian federal and state authorities, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) reports that the government often pays ransoms for abductions. In December, 300 boys from a school in Kankara, located in Katsina State were kidnapped by gunmen. The same report suggests that the Katsina State government paid N30 million to recover the boys.
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Aljazeera reports that last week, on 17 February, armed men dressed in army outfits stormed Government Science College in Kagara, Niger State and abducted more than 40 students. In the same state, kidnappers released 53 people who were seized from a state-owned bus. Earlier today, according to the BBC, more than 300 students were kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State, by a gang of gunmen.
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There have been many other mass abductions, none more infamous than the 2014 kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls from a school in Chibok. Although some of the girls recently escaped, more than one hundred girls are still unaccounted for.
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📝: Tomisin, Editorial Assistant
📷: A pillow is left on the cupboard inside the dormitory of the Government Science College in Kagara, Niger State, Nigeria where 40 students were kidnapped. February 18, 2021. Afolabi Sotunde / Reuters

'Love fascinates me.' — Grey Atanda in our lates

'Love fascinates me.' — Grey Atanda in our latest First Draft.
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First Draft is our column featuring authors and other prominent figures on books, reading, and writing.
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Author, Grey Atanda, enjoys reading and writing about love. They explained, 'Love just fascinates me. All types of it. It’s probably the only thing that makes me cry. Atanda is currently 'trying to put a book together'. They explained that the book is going to be about love, and its working title is 'Little Bird'.
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Atanda explained that when they meet new people, they always try to imagine the kind of life they've lived. 'For me, it is a way of reminding myself that everyone is a set of complex experiences. It makes it easier to do what we are here to do, which is to love,' they said.
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If you wrote a book, what would it be about? Let us know in the comments! To read more from Atanda, click the link in our bio.
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📝: Grey Atanda.
📷: Ojima Abalaka.

What can the world learn from Africa's COVID-19 re

What can the world learn from Africa's COVID-19 response?⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀
Order Now: COVID-19: Global Lessons from Africa.⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀
Our first print issue of 2021 is now available and explores Africa’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and lessons for the wider international community.⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Our first 30 orders will receive two months' full access to our website, starting this week. If you already have a subscription, you can gift your free access to another individual. Orders will close at 23:59 (WAT) on 30 April 2021.⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We have also resumed local pickups for readers based in Lagos. To order and for more information on wholesale discounts (for 10+ copies) click the link in our bio. We ship worldwide.⠀⠀⠀⠀
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🖼️: Cover illustration, ‘Distancing', by Adanna O, commissioned by The Republic, with direction and oversight from our founder and editor-in-chief, @wallelawal

Today in 1925, Shehu Shagari was born.⠀ -⠀ On

Today in 1925, Shehu Shagari was born.⠀
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On 25 February 1925, Shehu Shagari, Nigeria’s first democratically elected president, was born. Shagari became president after then military ruler, Olusegun Obasanjo, led Nigeria's transition back to democracy in 1979.⠀
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Shagari started his political career in 1954 when he was elected to the federal house of representatives. He held several public service positions and—until his presidency—had been a member of every administration after Nigeria’s independence in 1960.⠀
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In 1979, he won in Nigeria's first presidential elections as a member of the National People's Party, narrowly defeating Obafemi Awolowo of the Unity Party of Nigeria and Nnamdi Azikiwe of the Nigerian People's Party. A dispute over the election results saw a case presented before Nigeria's supreme court—the court ruled in Shagari’s favour.⠀
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Shagari led the expulsion of over two million undocumented immigrants in the 'Ghana Must Go' campaign. On 31 December 1983, Shagari was overthrown in a military coup led by Muhammadu Buhari, and he was banned from participating in Nigerian politics by the new military government. Shagari died after a brief illness at the National Hospital, Abuja, on 28 December 2018.⠀
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📝: Wemimo, Editorial Assistant.⠀
📷: President Shehu Shagari with Queen Elizabeth II upon his arrival at Victoria Station in London. 1981. David Levenson / Keystone.

Diaspora voting—a way forward for Nigeria? #OnSi

Diaspora voting—a way forward for Nigeria? #OnSite⚡⁠
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In our latest online essay, writer, Muzz Muhammad suggests a way to implement diaspora voting in Nigeria.⁠
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According to Muhammad, progress towards diaspora voting rights in Nigeria has followed the same lethargy as much of the rest of Nigerian legislation. He notes that one way to implement diaspora voting in Nigeria could be to deny lawmakers the opportunities they have so far enjoyed in delaying action on diaspora voting bills.⁠
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In 2009 and 2012, Nigerian legislators rejected a bill to support diaspora voting. They claimed it failed to account for the constitution’s explicit prohibition of external voting. Muhammad proposes that there should be a ‘collaboration between diaspora groups, legal experts and lawmakers to write a comprehensive bill, that includes a constitutional amendment, defines explicitly what elections the diaspora could participate in and how diaspora votes would be cast and tallied.’⁠
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Muhammad explains that work has already been done on some of these fronts, with the House of Representatives currently debating a new diaspora voting bill, which seeks to give Nigerians in the diaspora the right to participate in the upcoming 2023 elections. He notes that this new bill would amend the Nigerian constitution, and allow for external voting.⁠
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Ultimately, Muhammad notes that although this approach seems to address the largest constitutional concern with regards to a Nigerian diaspora vote, it remains to be seen whether this, too, 'is the setup for the death of yet another bill by legislative foot-dragging.'⁠
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For more on this topic, click the link in our bio.⁠
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📝: Muzz Muhammad⁠
📷: Students in England celebrating Nigeria’s independence on Oct. 1, 1960. William Vanderson / Fox Photos / Getty Images

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