Wangari Maathai: Environmentalist, even after death

By Paul Arhewe

Maathai (C), with President Barack Obama (L) and his wife

The demise of African first woman Nobel Peace laureate last Sunday indeed has left behind a huge lacuna in the continent, especially in advocacy for the protection of environment. Professor Wangari Maathai was not only a forerunner and a courageous environmentalist but one that has invested beyond her life; even in death to propagate this interest. She had projected and made arrangements that would continue the struggle in keeping the course alive in environmental protection.

Maathai’s last wish was to be buried not in a wooden coffin; this she told her Green Belt Movement after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She is of the belief that with the high rate of death from Aids, an alternative to stop the traditional felling of trees to build coffin is needed in order to protect forests.

“She was one of those who did say that we better think of something else besides cutting down trees for caskets” Professor Vertistine Mbaya, who is a treasurer of the Green Movement, told Kenya’s Daily Nation.

The movement is putting effort to make her last wish of remaining green to the grave fulfilled.

Ironies trailing executions of American murderers

Paul Arhewe, WITH AGENCY REPORTS
 Published 23/09/2011



Troy Davis



As US President Barack Obama, including other world leaders was busy with the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York, at the wee hours of yesterday, executions of condemned murderers were enforced in two other American states.

The irony in these two murder cases has to do with differences in race, colour, and the personalities of the villians and the victims. One of the convicted persons was a white American who along other two whites killed an African-American, while the other case involved the murdering of a white police officer by a black American. While, the execution of Lawrence Russell Brewer in Texas neither went with any remorse from the murderer nor clamour to halt it, the other involving Troy Davis in Georgia, indeed, posed a tough task and challenging moments for the US judicial system.


Lawrence Russell Brewer



Davis not only reiterated his innocence, even at the point when the needle transmitting lethal fluid was fixed into his body, but the US judicial system went ahead to execute him despite protests from millions of people across the world because of doubts expressed in some quarters over whether he actually killed police officer Mark MacPhail in 1989. Prominent world figures like Pope Benedict XVI, former American President Jimmy Carter and a former FBI Director intervened but to no avail. This case, that drew international attentions, is one that is full of white spots and the decision in carrying out the execution order is termed as half-baked by some people. Troy Davis lifted his head and declared one last time that he did not kill a police officer before being executed yesterday, while outside the prison a crowd of more than 500 demonstrators cried, hugged, prayed and held candles. “I am innocent, all I can ask ... is that you look deeper into this case so that you really can finally see the truth.

9/11 attacks: Decade of terrorism at its peak

Paul Arhewe

Published 08/09/2011

The first tower of the World Trade Centre collapses after being hit by a hijacked plane How time flies! It was just like yesterday when the world was shocked by the terrorist attacks on the New York Twin Towers and the Pentagon where nearly 3,000 lives were lost. Sunday would make it a decade since that gory experience, which shock Americans in no small measure and tore a once serene environment to one of fear and suspicions.

Two fuel loaded planes were crashed straight into World Trade Centre- housing the two tallest buildings in U.S. within interval of 17 minutes, third plane after about one hour plunged into Pentagon in Virginia (destroying a wing of government’s military headquarters) and a fourth one heading to Washington D.C. about 30 minutes later was prevented from carrying out the suicide mission, as it crashed half way in Pennsylvania, following the interventions of passengers that rushed the terrorists after hearing of previous attack through their cell phones. The attacks killed 2,977 people. The vast majority, 2,753, died in New York, while 184 people were killed at the Pentagon and another 40 at Shanksville. Those figures exclude the 19 terrorists.

Unaddressed issues in the Lagos tenancy bill

 

PAUL ARHEWE 29/08/2011

 

The witty saying that “it is not difficult to come to Lagos, but to return to one’s hometown is very difficult” maybe hilarious but it makes some sense. The cost of living in the state is high and adjudged to be one of the most expensive cities in the world.

 In 2009, the Mercer’s Cost of Living Index ranked The Centre of Excellence as the 32nd most expensive city in the world and the 5th most expensive in Africa/ Middle East continents. According to the rankings, it is costlier to reside in Lagos than to live in advance western cities like Barcelona, Berlin and Brussels, and even U.S. locations such as Washington and Los Angeles!

The Lagos States new Rent Bill introduced by the State Assembly and awaiting the signature of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola is indeed a welcome development. The plight of Lagosians under the compulsory two or three-year advance rents collected by many landlords in the state have really become a burden to many families. Many workers whose wages are not adequate for feeding their families are at disadvantage with the existing practice of advance payment.

I believe no worker in the state is paid one year salaries or more in advance, so why should Lagos landlords request residential tenants for advance rents in multiple years? Even, small scale businesses that should titivate the economy of the country are stifled and rendered passive due to the burden of advance payments and high rents.
I tend to disagree with those who see this bill as anti-landlords. Lacunas and some provisions in the bill have tilted to the favour of properties owner.