The West and hypocrisy in pushing gay practice to Africa

Anti-gay protest in Paris, France, recently

By Paul Arhewe

What will the western world gain when the whole of Africa continent adopt an alien culture of sodomy and gay life styles? Many advocates of anti-gay practices are asking with fewer responses to this question.  The fierceness in which western countries are pushing for the adoption of gay practices in all parts of the world, especially in cultures that abhor it, makes it looks as if the world’s existence depends on a practice that is known to have sent many to their untimely graves.  Homosexuals are known to be among those who had first contracted the Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which took a rapid spread among same-sex partners. Initially, the terminal disease was referred to as homosexual ailment, where it was called Gay-related immune deficiency (GRID). Some commentators have argued that the move of the West remains sinister, as they continue in pushing the wide recognition of gay lifestyle when it brings no positive contribution to humankind and the society, but diseases and deaths.

President Goodluck Jonathan drew the annoyance of some western nations, recently, when he signed the prohibition act against same-sex marriage in Nigeria.

Antagonists of the anti-gay law have described it as obnoxious and draconian. Some Western governments, including the United States and Britain say the enactment of the law is a direct encroachment on the rights of gay people in Nigeria. The views of these opponents are that the law will make the country a barbaric state and relegate it to be slave to tradition, morality and religion.

In its reaction recently, the Nigerian Federal Government said the Western nations are playing double standard with their crying foul of the new law. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, recently, in her trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, told reporters that the president signed the bill into law as a way of protecting Nigerians and democracy. She did not fail in adding that the criticisms of the West are based on “double standards”.

Why Nigerians are comfortable in foreign prisons

 About 10,000 Nigerians are in jail in foreign countries, especially in Europe and Asia. PAUL ARHEWE reports that these citizens who ran away to be free from the economic misfortune at home before they were caught on the wrong side of the law, are, however, rejecting government’s move to bring them back home.

The number of Nigerians serving prison terms in foreign countries continues to rise.
It is estimated that about 9,000 Nigerians are in jail overseas, mostly in Europe and Asian countries.
These Nigerians who have run afoul of the laws of their host countries include the millions who have left the country in droves since the economy nose-dived.
In the 80s and 90s, the exodus of Nigerians to overseas was embarked upon by professionals and intellectuals, in what has come to be known as “


brain drain.” These were class of people that were uncomfortable with the military regimes or those who were being hounded by the military dictatorship of the era.
Since returning to civilian rule over 14 years ago and still without a change in the economic fortune of citizens, the next set of Nigerians “checking out” are mostly youths, who get involved in crimes, especially drug trafficking with a view to amassing wealth fast. In the process, they get caught by the law and are jailed or in some countries, executed.
Investigations have also revealed that among Nigerians in prisons abroad, many are incarcerated because of immigration misdemeanors.

Efforts to transform Nigeria through economic diplomacy

 Cross section of participants at the 13^th Brainstorming Session 

of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs 

on the Plight of Nigerians in

 Foreign Prisons held recently at the Institute.

 By Paul Arhewe
The scorecard for Nigerian foreign policy in harnessing and contributing positively to government’s transformational agenda, since 2011, is adjudged by stakeholders that more impetus is required to garner more dividends in comparative to what is achieved. Identified challenges need to be addressed to make the policy more effective and result oriented.
Economic diplomacy which forms the centrepiece of Nigerian foreign policy is a foremost instrument used by the current administration to propel the attainment of a robust economy.
The President Goodluck Jonathan administration’s agenda which is anchored on attaining specific targets in its vision 20:2020 policy; foremost among these are job creation, poverty alleviation, and the creation of a robust economic growth for the country.

My NUJ Award

Paul Arhewe, Winner of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Best Foreign / Diplomatic Reporter of the Year ( 2012), in March 2013.

Expectations from Obama’s second term

By Paul Arhewe

Obama

There was global jubilation when United States President Barack Obama emerged victorious on Wednesday and was re-elected for a second term. However, there are high expectations as the American leader takes control of the world’s leading economy for another four year.

The unemployment rate in US is still very high with 7.9 percent, which nearly marred his chances of retaining the seat in White House. His second term administration is expected to provide millions of decent paying jobs for Americans.

Also, China that is jubilant at the defeat of Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, may have enjoyed a less or non-confrontational foreign policy from Obama’s regime, resulting in the Asian country’s rising global profile.

Obama’s second term will need to formulate policy that will address Chinese ‘cut-corners’ trades, in order to win over the large supporters of Romney’s intended confrontational policy on China’s trade.

For Africa, Obama , who only visited the continent just once; seven months after his inauguration in January 2009, flew to Ghana and delivered a ‘non-commitment’ policy; urging Africans to fend for themselves. He said Africa didn’t need interference and that the continent’s future should be built by Africans.

Nigeria’s ill timed military foray in West Africa

Nigerian soldiers

By Paul Arhewe

It is rather perplexing that it is when there are knots to untie in the continent that the magnificence and might of Nigeria is overtly and absolutely embraced. Juxtaposing the gains the country has received from her big brother sacrificial roles in Africa with the accruable benefits, what one sees is a non-commensurate reward. Why this assessment one may ask? Nigeria’s past Afrocentric engagements, whether solidarity supports or foreign military pacification operations, are known to attract momentary applause, but quickly forgotten as soon as the problems are fixed. The problems associated with military usurpation of power the West African states of Mali and Guinea Bissau, are engaging the attention of the leaders of the sub region in particular and both the Africa Union and the UN in general.

Ghana: Nigerians must come!

PAUL ARHEWE 04/03/2011 02:47:00

It is amazing how time flies and events change fast. The axiom that what goes around comes around can be linked to the 1983 ‘Ghana must go’ operation under the regime of then General Muhammadu Buhari and his able deputy, late Brigadier-General BabatundeIdiagbon. Many pointers are vividly showing us how Nigerians and many firms are shifting sites and their headquarters to the former Gold Coast.
It was just like yesterday that we witnessed the convoy of trailers, like those used in transporting goats and cows from Sokoto to Lagos, taking the dislodged ‘unwanted Ghanaians’ home. The nomenclature ‘Ghana must go’ bag is now popular with the multi coloured sack-like bag because this was what many Ghanaians then used in packing their little belongings back to the country of Kwame Nkrumah.