Amnesty International Calls for the Trial of Gaddafi's Son by ICC; AU to Debate Member States Pull-out

Again the cry is on Africa. After the deposition of Maummar Gaddafi and the turning of Libya into a 'beggar nation' those who never believed anything good can come out of Africa are calling again for the transfer of erstwhile figures of the Gaddafi regime to the Hague for trial. The Kenyan deputy President, William Ruto is currently facing trial at the Hague over the post-election violence of 2007. He is the first serving official to stand trial at the Hague. Uhuru Kenyatta, the Kenyan President is to begin his own trial in October.

Kenya's spokesman for the presidency Manoah Esipisu said the country had not canvassed for the coming AU summit on October 13, but "welcomed the opportunity by African leaders to discuss what is obviously an important matter for the continent". Kenya's Parliament has passed the resolution endorsing the withdrawal of the country as a signatory to the Rome Statute.

"The Kenyans have been criss-crossing Africa in search of support for their cause, even before their parliament voted to withdraw from the ICC," an AU official told Reuters. "An extraordinary summit will now take place to discuss the issue. A complete walk-out of signatories (to the Rome Statute) is certainly a possibility, but other requests maybe made." The summit would be preceded by a meeting of African foreign ministers a day earlier, he said.

Questions continuously have been asked on the real target and mission of the ICC owing to the fact that George Bush and Tony Blair were never even called into question over their involvement in the Iraqi massacre not to talk being indicted by the body. It is always easy pointing to Africa by ICC than to Syria, Britain and the United States because the powers are present there.

Amnesty International called on Libyan authorities to hand over Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, second son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and former intelligence chief Abdallah Senussi to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Both are wanted for crimes against humanity. Amnesty met with both detainees last week ahead of the referral of their cases to the Indictment Chamber in Tripoli on September 19.

However, Libya insists they be put on trial inside the country. “The referral of these cases to the Indictment Chamber brings us one step closer to the start of national trial proceedings for Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, in violation of Libya’s legal obligation to surrender him to the ICC,” Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Hassiba Hadj Sahrahoui, said. In 2012, the ICC charged Saif al-Islam with crimes against humanity during the revolution that toppled his father the year prior. The court also ruled that he be extradited to The Hague.

The perceived selective justice of the ICC is making it lose all credibility if it ever has any in the face of many reasonable African nations. The next AU summit will discuss the revocation of the acceptance of the statute by African states in solidarity with Kenya. No one doubts the fact that impunity of African leaders and their gluttonous acts for bloodshed and wanton desire for destruction all because of greed and avaricious tendencies must be checkmated but it is about time Africans take their destiny in their hands than rely on those who brought the continent to this state since 1443.

Maummar Gaddafi's Stronghold to Become an Amusement Park ~Libyan Tourism Minister

Libyan Tourism Minister revealed that the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi’s residence will be turned into an amusement park. The seat of the ex-leader’s power was reduced to rubble by NATO bombardment and has since been occupied by squatters.

Work is ongoing in earnest to clear the rubble from the ruins of Bab al-Aziziya, which has since been a black spot in Tripoli and a source of concern for residents according to the Tourist Minister, Ikram Basha Imam on Tuesday. She went on to say the space will be converted into “a green area and an amusement” for the entertainment of Libyan families. Moreover, eight private enterprises have already signed contracts for the site’s development Basha Imam said.

When speaking on the squatters that took up residence in the ruins of the former sprawling complex, she said social services were currently searching for new homes for them. The massive compound which served as a military base for Gaddafi was a key bombing target for the NATO 2011 aerial campaign against the former leader. Rebels stormed the fortress on August 23 after guards surrendered aided by NATO aerial cover in a no-fly-zone-turned-invasion scenario. The site was subsequently completely ransacked and vandalized by them.

Premises of high-profile NATO’s enemies are gradually emerging into tourist zones. Pakistani officials announced plans to build a recreation complex with a zoo, paragliding club and water sports facilities in the town where the former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by US navy seals in 2011. Since the 2003 US invasion of  Iraq, the government is still trying to secure international investments to turn some 70 abandoned villas and palaces of Saddam Hussein into tourism sites.

Gaddafi was killed by rebels as he tried to flee to his hometown of Sirte in October of 2011. Libya is still subdued by shackles of unrest and heavily arrested by violence, two years after his demise with the interim government unable to bring the country’s many militia groups under its command. Over the last couple of months locals have clashed with armed militia groups who are a law unto themselves in rural areas of the country. NATO is largely nowhere to be found now.

Angolan President says it’s Human to think about Succession

Perhaps, the thinking of succession blindfolded Maummar Gaddafi to the reality when  protests began and he felt Libya will be left in no capable hands on his departure if sudden and swift as the revolution came, hence, he was extremely defiant.

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, Africa’s second-longest serving ruler, said he has thought about a transition of power almost 12 months after winning another five-year term.

“Yes, of course, it’s only human to do that,” Dos Santos said in an interview with Portuguese television channel SIC posted on the broadcaster’s website. The full interview is set to air today after 8 p.m. in Lisbon.

The 70-year-old won a new term at the helm of Africa’s second-largest oil producer in August 2012 in the first national elections to determine a president in 20 years. Manuel Domingos Vicente, the former head of state oil company Sonangol EP, was named vice president.

Dos Santos, who came to power in 1979 and is currently the longest serving ruler in Africa after President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, said he is in favour of growing Angolan investment in Portuguese companies.

“Sonangol has taken the first steps and in some cases it has been successful and in others not, but what matters is that it advances,” Dos Santos said. Sonangol is Banco Comercial Portugues SA’s biggest shareholder with a 19.4 percent stake, according to the website of Portugal’s second-biggest publicly traded lender by market value.

Angola seems the only African country that appears to be more of a real trading partner now to its erstwhile colonial master than been looked upon as a 'colony' like in the case of former French colonies and indirectly, the former British colonies. Portugal ran to Angola during the financial downturn.

CONSPIRACY OF THE CUSTODIAN

Unearthing the gone glory of the Media

Society grows or retards according to the information available to it and the actions forthwith which the pieces of information engineered. No other sector of the society makes the information available and effectively spread it other than the media. The media is the custodian of the society. Everything about a people is known through no other means than the media. The richness in culture, tradition not excluding the organisation of the country in politics and economics are portrayed to the outside world through the artistic exertions of journalism. The job of the journalist anywhere in the world can never be circumvented. In this, the journalists are committed to two guiding principles which are the umbilical cords of the job. Professionalism and Objectivity. In keeping to these ethics, they shoulder a large and heavy load; balancing facts and fictions, separating lies from truths and also keeping the nucleus of the society alive.

Many a time the journalists have swayed in their quest in the separation of facts and fictions as well as promoting more of lies than truths especially when the lies are paid for or wanted by the government of the host country. Propaganda. Loss of prestige. Fox News in the US is clearly notorious for propaganda in the US. Even the Canadian government rejected it as a local broadcasting station. It can only be watched via satellite in Canada. Aljazeera is clearly quite in the propaganda race too. I took special time to view the Arab Spring from different angles, always switching constantly consistently from CNN to Aljazeera. CNN was simply awesome in objectivity though the impression I had for long had about it was that of a Western media bulldog. Aljazeera clearly made it flagrantly known that the Qatari government did not like Maummar Gaddafi and Bashar al Assad. Marvelous propaganda. 'Un-professionalism' at its heights. When CNN was keen on the Bahrain protest and that of Saudi Arabia, complaining of Western connivance and silence, Aljazeera mentioned them in passing. Despite this, Aljazeera still has more educative, innovative and factual programmes than most international media.

Back home, the media in Africa is nothing but ordinary news arena, mostly imbalanced and uninteresting. Gory tales. Horrific news. The media is clearly more of an horror movie news industry. There is no gainsaying the fact that Africa has more of outrageous events than those that positively catch the mind but the media has forgotten that there is a generation to be nurtured after the heinous thieves ruling the continent might have been deposed or gone naturally to meet their king, Lucifer. I wonder if the tales of woes now are more than those of the past. Definitely by all standard NO. Africa now only needs more objectivity and problem-solving media criticism. Constructive criticism. Africa needs a media that will charge the system and not continue to make the thieves influential criminals. Africa needs a media that will tell the people what they need to do. Africa needs a media that will not be too quick to announce to the world that there is a riot after election as witnessed in Ghana.

During the US election, the Republicans objected to the process in Florida claiming they will contest the result. Many hiccups occurred in the process that produced Obama but all were kept at the base so that distractions will not occur. So also was that of George Bush. The media knows that it is capable of disrupting even the best electoral process in the world. Did we ever hear of the African-like election tales and stories? Rigging is so cheap in the US that only a $2 dollar microchip will perform the magic. Both the Republicans and Democrats know this. Who heard of Patraeus during the campaign and election? How about the US drone fired at by Iran? Media guides societies. Africa does not need a media that only makes bribery and corruption look institutionalised. Africa needs a media that juxtapose facts and developments in different African countries as well as in the world. Africa needs a media that will unearth the past and remake it for the modern age. Africa needs real investigative journalism.

When the continent was really hot with almost 2/3^rd of the wars and conflicts domiciled in it, the media of then still had time to broadcast educative programmes for children and youths. We also heard more from our parents. They contributed to the morals of many today. All these programmes we reminisce today as growing adults and we silently cry. The Tales by Moonlight (traditional African stories of great and dynamic morals), the Village Headmaster (western education in an indigenous act), Checkmate, Palace (showing real fatherly love). There were many too in indigenous languages. How about foreign ones? The most popular was the 'The Rich also Cry'. This movie gave many of us the strong-will that money is not all. We watched 'Passion' and realised the West (US) has charms and voodoo power too. So educative and informative. Programmes with near-adult contents like deep kissing were always broadcast at night where parents would have guided their children to bed. What we have today is extreme adult movies shown in broad daylight even on weekends when children will be at home mostly likely to view them. Where are the 'Power Rangers' and 'Voltron' that simulate a quasi-technology desire in us? All gone. Mexican soaps and even African-style porn mostly coming from Ghana have flooded the media.

We are a continent of great cultural heritage, envied by many in the world. Taking a leaf from China and India, we would see and realise that their cultural pattern influenced their developments. China's censorship of the media is mostly centred on political events. She did not make the mistake of allowing her awe-inspiring culture to be silenced. India is same. Porcelain today is China's traditional commodity and now re-packaged to be accepted in the modern world. Numerous documentaries about great China are shown on CCTV. India is doing same in NDTV. What do we have in Metro TV in Ghana? AIT and many others in Nigeria? Political news on corruption always; making these nefarious ones popular rather than contrast the past and their acts as well as broadcast programmes to show the upcoming ones that this was not the way it was and it can never continue. One day all must be revolutionalised for good. The media has gone along with the society in the extremely colossal search for wealth; thrown ethics, professionalism and objectivity into the thrash bin. No investigative journalism.

Youths need to know that African women were not slaves as portrayed by Western media. They need to know that traditional leadership in Africa was based on the interest of the people not the pockets. They need to know that slave trade and colonialism changed all these. They need to learn about the Amazon of Dahomey. They must know about Queen Amina of Zaria. They should be enlightened about Funmilayo Ransome Kuti. They must know about the Queen mother in the Kikuyu and Ashanti kingdoms. They must know how powerful they were before and immediately after Western-infested contacts. The West bribed African leaders and media not to broadcast 'The Root' again claiming it makes African children and youths hate them. What nonsense! So they never wanted hatred and they destroyed the future from slave trade to colonialism and now neocolonialism. Besides, 'The Root' never made us hate anyone, it built our resolve back then to build our Africa because we could not withstood the sufferings and felt we need to tell the world that Africa shall be free and advanced. I am so sure it will do same magic to the coming ones too.

They must learn that when African women were great traders and farmers, German men used chains and padlocks to lock the private parts of their women till around the 16^th century. They must know that no African woman ever disguised her name to be accepted by the society. The TS Elliot and others of today were women with the pseudonym of men because of the European male stigmatisation of women. African youths must know that all these historical and indigenous feats can be brought back and re-fashioned with modern trends. They need to know that no place is like home. The media needs to bring back the African nucleus for the coming generation if truly Africa must advance.

Pope Benedict XVI's Resignation and African Leaders

Pope Benedict XVI became the first Pope in 600 years to willingly resign from office. The Papal Nuncio has no rival forcing him to quit. There is neither a protest or a mass uprising in the Catholic fold demanding the great hero of Christiandom steps down. Upon the realisation that his health can no longer serve as the foundation of his ordained mission, the Pope, to the amazement and shock of the world announced he will exit the prestigious seat in the Vatican by February 28, 2013.

The Pope is within the age bracket of Robert Mugabe (80) yet Mugabe still seek rounds of years in Zimbabwe. Lacking in ideas and foresight, Mugabe has led flowering and blossoming Zimbabwe into the abyss. So many African leaders exist today who continue to rule and hold on to power despite failing health and lack of sagacity. Paul Biya of Cameroon has no date of exit. Yahya Jammeh has turned Gambia into a personal property.

Eyadema Jnr in Togo does not look as if he is ready at all to consider death not to talk of leaving the Presidential Palace. Idris Deby rules on in Chad despite the growing opposition to his rule. How about Yoweri Museveni of Uganda? He went as far as telling BBC that he is too experienced to leave and exit office. If he will not leave by himself, death will. 

Many African leaders die in office due to stupidity. Umar Bongo of Gabon spent 47 years in office before death bade him farewell. Nigeria's erstwhile President's case is the most pathetic. Despite having good intentions and leading truly with a patriotic mind, Umar Musa Yar'Adua died in office due to pressure within his party or better still pressure from the national 'godfather' Olusegun Obasanjo not to leave the stage so that he can achieve his nefarious whims and caprices.

He was sick like the Pope but never considered resignation as an option. Maummar Gaddafi despite being a leader with good track records in the betterment of the lives of Libyans and advancement of his country was killed due to the sit-tight syndrome of African leaders. They are many. Just too many. Is it Hosni Mubarak of Egypt or Ben-Ali of Tunisia? Too numerous.

One singular error people especially foreigners and their apologists in Africa make is to say the sit-tight syndrome is Africa's culture. During the era of the monarchs in traditional African societies, sick men never ruled. When a leader was sick, he must step down. If a society with a calamitous economy like that of Zimbabwe existed in traditional African societies, the people would have risen against such a leader and in Yorubaland, he would be made to open the 'calabash' as a sign of rejection.

African leaders are nothing but bunch of destroyers. They believe resignation is an act of cowardice. Though I do not subscribe to this because I know resignation is never in their minds not to talk of it as an act of cowardice. All they harbour in their corrupt souls is GREED. The irony is that they have successfully built a team of successors among the youths who cannot wait to continue the plundering. The have trained successors. The Pope's announcement that he will never influence the choice of his successor is not an act African leaders can buy or subscribe to.

Over 40 Nigerians Repatriated from the United Kingdom and Spain

The United Kindom and Spain have repatriated over 40 Nigerians. Speaking at the London Immigration Office, a Nigerian immigration officer, Issa lawal said those repatriated are people who have been jailed for a long time and have completed their jail terms. Others include illegal migrants most especially those with fraudulent papers.

The UK has her own internal economic quagmire. She has not fully recovered from the recession and has been trying to meet the employment demand of her citizens. Spain is also battling high unemployment rate. Her citizens are emigrating more to South America. The last thing they need now is to habour 'misfits' and those who will strain the insatiable social amenities the more.

Nigerians have always being repatriated and sometimes killed with impunity in some countries. The Nigerian government has never seen this as a shame for it to make moves to make the country conducive for Nigerians so as to fulfill their dreams and aspirations in their homeland.

Nigerians are being exterminated in Libya after the killing of Maummar Gaddafi under the watch of the same TNC Nigeria supported because of the West and NATO yet the government remains mute.

More Nigerians will still experience this fate because no country says Nigerians should not determine their destiny by shaking up the corrupt system to its foundation and get rid of the thieves who circumvent the country's bliss and advancement. This must be done for Nigeria to take her pride of place among the commity of nations.