Nigeria may yet turn out the one country in Africa to which other Africans can turn to, for answers to the many problems that beset Africa and for much more. We remember only too vividly the violence that followed the last presidential election held in Nigeria in which hundreds lost their lives. We recall the horrible flare of bloodletting that took place in the country in December of 2002 as the sparkling new Capital City of Abuja prepared to host the Miss World contest.
They took one long and collective look in the huge mirror held before them and were horrified at what they saw. A once proud community decimated and wasted and become self hating. What happened? A Ugandan academic and playwright familiar with the history and culture of tribe and himself one of them held the mirror and did not pull punches.
The coalition of Western forces has lost 3,000 soldiers during its 10 years of war in Afhganistan. By comparison the Soviet Union lost 15,000 over 9 year long war in Afghanistan between 1979 and 89. Politically the Soviet Union had little to show for its troubles. It is a safe bet to say that likewise the US and their NATO allies will have little to show for their troubles come 2014, the date they mean to complete their Afghan withdrawal. Unless ...
It was the beginning of a new school year. We were new students, on a new African campus, getting to know one another. Our country was decades into independence, was touted in the West as a new African democracy, led by a new generation of African leaders. Recently we marked our golden jubilee. Our leaders pulled out the red carpet and Champaign and insisted on a celebration though in reality our country was in a pitiable way
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