Foreign Policy in Africa

MAGIC IN FOREIGN POLICY

Every sane country existing on the globe fails not to marry its foreign policy and domestic policy. There is an overlap in foreign policy and domestic policy. There is a strong bond and connexion between the two policies. The interconnectedness is such that one can be problematic for another if not properly articulated and coordinated. Foreign policy is domestic policy extended. Domestic policy is foreign policy localised. The two add up to give nations unique bearings. The most common error in Africa is the neglect of foreign policy over the years. It has made her nothing but a puppet in both the domestic scene and international arena.

Foreign foreign according Charles Adenrele Alade is a coordinated strategy with which institutionally designated decision makers seek to manipulate the international environment in order to achieve certain national objectives. Foreign policy is an international translation of domestic. Siamese twins. The long neglect of these two conjoined children in Africa has continued to make the continent a beggar of ideas.

The US from inception weaves her international rapport with all countries around the promotion of democracy. Though she has many waiver especially during the Cold War and among countries who support Israel. In all these cases, she has cause(s) to back autocrats. Despite this, she continues to emphasize on democratic exportation as her foreign policy objective. From isolationism to internationalism and now interventionism, foreign policy is a constant in all her elections and domestic analysis. Russia is no exception. She transcends from Communism International (Comintern) to Communism in one nation and sphere of influence during the Soviet days. In all her elections, her rapport with the West is a recurrence which usually indicates what her foreign policy will look like. How about China? The principle of pure economic contacts with no political pressure underlays her international commitment and she never jettisons such.

Major and lesser powers like India, Japan, South Korea, Venezuela, Brasil, Canada, Singapore, Thailand among others all have domestic ideologies which they import to the foreign scene. The hidden treasure in foreign policy is that it gives domestic policy a plausible direction. If a nation really stands for a particular ideology on the foreign scene, hardly will she neglect the domestic path to greatness and viability. The lack of coherent foreign policies by African states is the bane of their clumsy and floppy domestic policies. They simply have almost nothing worth standing for and defending. Foreign policy comes with a kind of R2P (Responsibility to Protect). Foreign policy comes with commitment and integrity. With foreign policy, a country knows what and when to act in situations affecting it and not just follow others in a gullible fashion. African nations have been gullible followers.

The founding fathers of Africa all had foreign policy acts as part of their daily domestic policy analysis. The need to relate with the outside world and prove that the states they led are not proteges to anybody or nation. This was dominant and crucial to them, hence, foreign policy was a constant. Through their domestic policies, the club in which they belong on the foreign scene can easily be known especially during the Cold War. Julius Nyerere's Ujamaa in Tanzania reinforced the socialist ideology of Africa as well as Kwame Nkrumah's African Socialism. The organisation of their contries then was in line with the professed ideologies. They chose friends and foes on the basis of this. Jomo Kenyatta's Kenya was more of an African Socialist state too. Gamel Abdel Nasser led Egypt as an Arab Giant. The foreign policy of Egypt as at then was to be the foremost Islamic and Arab voice. A model for the Middle East. Ironically, Egypt lost track. Kemal Attarturk of Turkey took Turkey through the tumultous road and sojourn with a secular domestic policy which gave and continues to give Turkey a direction in foreign policy.

Foreign policy protects domestic policy. It is of note that foreign policy gives life to domestic policy. The case of Turkey proves how foreign policy serves as the custodian of a coherent domestic policy. Each time Turkey takes a step against secularism, she is being reminded by many on the foreign scene of her international clout as a model for the Arab World. The focused foreign policy led her to NATO. This is so because foreign policy ensures a nation chooses priorities and aligns with those nations who can make her achieve her aspirations. Most African nations chose non-alignment immediately after independence and this served as the platform with which they relate with the world. Foreign policy is a prism. Nigeria in her early years stood on the platform of Africa as the centre-piece of her foreign policy, hence everything that concerned Africa was her exclusive interest. As inconsistent as she was in implementing this, she at least had a focus. It was only Murtala Mohammed that gave life to the policy.

Today, African states are almost no longer holding any force on the foreign scene because they are directionless. Both the West and East manipulate and controls the continent at will. They give Africa crumbs and use one country against another as well as leaders against their people. The African continent has become so brittle and extremely powerless. Africa is the only continent that has not planned her way out of the Cold war. The lack of foreign policy posture by African states is the major rationale why Africa became the hotbed of war in the Post-Cold war era. Africa simply did not get herself. Conformity seems to be the only watchword Africa knows. If China is the wave today, Africa will follow. If it is Brasil tomorrow, Africa will yield to her demands. If it is Iran that comes later, Africa is always ready to put her hands at the back and trail.

Africa is the only continent where foreign troops dock with little or no regard for possible rejections. Other nations come to Africa when they feel like without anyone talking. In fact, there will not be any debate as to the consequences of any nefarious action taken in Africa by other nations across the atlantic. From Congo to Somalia, to Ivory Coast down to Libya and back to Congo, Africa has always been the playground of Western nations. The lack of foreign policy makes African countries the only countries on the globe that rush to respect international law. This is in no way a campaign for international anarchy but a clarion call for African nations to be weary of laws that entrench the principle of 'might is right'. Africa is the continent that cannot separate the designs of Western countries in making her succumb to their whims and caprices from acts of real of international obligations. Africa must marry foreign policy with domestic aspirations if truly she wants to be relevant on the globe.

Africa: Disease and Resistance

One wonders why drugs are taken and the sickness assumes a superficial dimension of attack rather than subside. Many bacteria have become 'supermen' in the infection game. They have developed powerful resistance to drugs used against them. Tuberculosis has, especially, grown resistance to both orthodox and traditional antibiotics in Africa. Good news has emerged. A new study from Japan and Switzerland has discovered the powerbase of the resistance. Read more

Football Pride

                  
   Balotelli and Mancini                      Mikel and Mourinho

These two are same in early acts. On coming to Stamford Bridge, Mikel Obi had numerous issues with his coach Jose mourinho. He was always raising up his shoulders to the extent that his dad told his coach to whip him. Now, Mario Balotelli is doing exactly the same. While Mourinho was very understanding and capable, Roberto Mancini is rash and harsh.

Pride let Mikel down. He was a favourite after the under 20 World Cup in 2005 to the extent that FIFA President, Josef Seph Blatter remarked that he would one day be great. Blatter never said so to Messi but humility brought Messi to limelight. Balotelli is an adopted child. After his birth, he was taken by an Italian named Mario who gave him the name.

On the main fact, Balotelli should, if not for humility, remember her but everywhere he goes now, he is always having scandals. He impregnated a lady but refused to accept and take responsibility. Scandal. A child who was taken out of orphanage home ought to be humble. He needs to learn from Mikel who has realised his foolery and has become as calm as the sleeping sea.

Aftermath of the Gun Shootings

         
 Sandy Hook and Theatre 16

The two shootings that shook the United States are being gradually forgotten but with mixed feelings. While the pupils of Sandy Hook are very happy going back to school, some of their parents are in doubt. The children waved goodbye to parents amid smiles. On the other handle of the court, Americans  especially the relations of the victims of the Theatre 16 shooting are outraged upon the theatre's re-opening. Many felt it is just too early.

Minister's Press Statement

Friday, January 4, 2013

N60 billion to be spent on cellphones for farmers not true - Minister of Agriculture

                              Press statement from the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina

My attention has been drawn to the issue of 60 Billion Naira to be spent on phones for farmers, reported in some media sites and papers. The information is absolutely incorrect. My Permanent Secretary was totally misquoted out of context. There is no 60 Billion Naira for phones anywhere. As a responsible Minister, who takes public accountability and probity very seriously, there is absolutely no way in the world that I will even contemplate or approve such an expenditure. All our focus as Government is on creating jobs in Nigeria, not exporting jobs elsewhere.

Let me clarify and explain our policy.
Reaching farmers through phones:
The policy the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is promoting is to get mobile phones to farmers, as part of its agricultural transformation agenda, to connect farmers to information, expand their access to markets, improve their access to savings and loans, and help them adapt to climate change dynamics that affect them and their livelihoods. We are also rapidly modernizing agriculture, and have moved away from agriculture as a development program to agriculture as a business, so we must modernize and use new tools to reach our farmers.

The Power of information:
Agriculture today is more knowledge-intensive and we will modernize the sector, and get younger (graduate) entrepreneurs into the sector, and we will arm them with modern information systems. Whether small, medium or large farmers they all need information and communication systems. Connecting to supermarkets and international markets require that farmers know and meet stringent consumer-driven grades and standards. In today’s supply chains, the flow of information from buyers to farmers must be instant, to meet rapidly changing demands. Unless farmers have information at their finger tips, they will lose out on market opportunities.
Our goal is to empower every farmer. No farmer will be left behind. We will reach them in their local languages and use mobile phones to trigger an information revolution which will drive an agricultural revolution.

Why cell phones?
Nigeria has 110 million cellphones, the largest in Africa. But there is a huge divide: the bulk of the phones are in urban areas. The rural areas are heavily excluded. For agriculture, which employs 70% of the population, that means the farmers are excluded and marginalized. In today’s world, the most powerful tool is a mobile phone. As Minister of Agriculture, I want the entire rural space of Nigeria, and farmers, to be included, not excluded, from advantages of mobile phone revolution.

Below are some of them:
Access to inputs:
First, the mobile phones will be used to scale up the access of farmers to improved seeds and fertilizers to millions of farmers, directly. The federal government succeeded in 2012 in getting seeds and fertilizers to farmers, via the Growth Enhancement Support (GES), which used mobile phones to reach farmers with subsidized inputs. The system ended 40 years of corruption on fertilizers and cut off rent seekers and middlemen who – for decades – have entrenched massive corruption of the fertilizer sector. Government succeeded. The GES system reached over 1.2 million farmers in 120 days in 2012.

We succeeded because we used mobile phones to reach farmers directly and cut off the middle men and those who have cheated farmers for decades. We empowered the poor farmers, with many getting subsidized seeds and fertilizers from government for the first time ever. We brought transparency into what was perhaps the most corrupt system in Nigeria. We ended fertilizer corruption of four decades, in 90 days, because of mobile phone tools we deployed.

Revolutionary tool:
This is a revolution. Nigeria is the first country in Africa to develop such a system. The system has garnered international acclaim. Other African countries now want to learn from Nigeria. Major donors, including Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, DFID of the UK Government, USAID, World Bank, IFAD and the Africa Development Bank, want to scale up the GES system to other countries.

How we will operate:
From 2013, government intends to distribute 10 million phones, so we can reach more millions of farmers with the GES scheme for subsidized inputs. We expect to reach at least 5 million farmers in 2013 with GES for access to subsidized inputs. So, farmers who get mobile phones will be registered and we will use their biometric information to reach them with electronic vouchers for seeds and fertilizers.

Second, mobile phones will allow farmers to have financial inclusion, as financial institutions such as commercial banks and microfinance banks will be able to reach them with affordable savings and loans products. The phones will make the financial inclusion of the CBN in rural areas possible.
Third, the phones will make market price information available to farmers nationwide. Farmers lose a lot in marketing their produce. Middle men make all the profits. Farmers end up selling their products at very poor prices. This is because farmers do not have access to market price information. There is asymmetry of market price information. For many farmers their only sources of market price information are the middlemen. Mobile phones will allow us to get market price information to farmers, improve market access and empower farmers. This will allow farmers to have countervailing power in the market place.

Fourth, we will use mobile phones to provide extension information to farmers, as part of our total overhaul of the extension system in the country. With a “Farmer Help Line” it will be possible to connect extension workers, colleges of agriculture, faculties of agriculture, and other experts to provide free extension services to farmers by interactive voice mail. This will include when to plant, what to plant, agronomic practices etc. At the dial of a number, the wealth of knowlege of experts will be connected to the farmers, anywhere they are in Nigeria – free of charge. Such a “Farmer Help Line” system is already in use in Kenya by poor farmers, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Fifth, the phones will allow the dissemination of real time weather information to farmers. It will be possible to alert farmers on drought or floods and reduce vulnerabilities to shocks. In case of the floods we witnessed last year, simple alerts over mobile phones would have saved many lives and helped farmers to know what to do.

Finally, the expanded number of phones in rural areas will support the expansion of rural telephony. Presently, the rural areas are not being served well by mobile operators, and are marginalized. With the expansion of mobile phones to millions of farmers, mobile phone operators will expand the number of base stations they have in rural areas. This will reduce the digital and communications exclusion of rural areas, where agriculture is the main source of income and jobs. The cost of calls in rural areas will also decline.

How will this be financed?
The distribution of the phones will be supported through an MoU signed between the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Communications Technology and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with the Ministry of Women Affairs. Out of the 10 million phones, 5 million will go to women. The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), which supports expansion of mobile operators into rural areas, through a tax, will support this initiative, in partnership with Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. We intend to work with existing mobile operators in Nigeria through a public-private partnership.
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina

Skyfall

James Bond, code-name 007's newest movie 'Skyfall' is all time unique, hitting a $1billion mark. The movie also has the second highest records of mistakes in 2012. Mistakes like 007 falling inside a pool of water and coming out without being drenched. The movie is preparing to be set in China. This will boost its mark also.

Uniting Korea

Jong Tae Se, the North Korean-born football guru has decided to move to South Korea. He is to join Suwon Bluewings from Germany's Koln. He is the Fourth North Korean to make sure move. They all have the same motive; a message to Pyongyang that they need unity but at whose authority? North or South?

Kogi Again!!!

 
           The speaker, Rt.Hon. Momoh Jimoh Lawal at a plenary session

Kogi State speaker, Rt. Hon. Momoh Jimoh Lawal was involved in a fatal auto crash. The speaker had the crash while travelling along Okene-Lokoja road. One of the policemen attached to the speaker's convoy, a constable, Akeem Lamidi driving a Toyota died on the scene.

A truck ran into the convoy of the speaker. The event occured on New Year Day just a week after the Governor of the State, Idris Wada had a colossal auto crash too. Now, the rich also cry. Maybe and still under maybe, they will fix the roads.

Environment Matters Not

In the race to make profits and more profits, the West has lost all respect for the environment and humanity at large. Africa continues to bear the larger of the brunt. The aftermath of their disrespect for the environment affects the continent greatly yet Africa learns not. Africa in her characteristic gullible manner follows all policies meant to satisfy the developed nations alone hook, line and sinker. Environmentalists world-over are against fracking but Africa is accepting it with the usual open arms that will destroy her land again.

This obnoxious oil exploration style is being accepted by the heionous African leaders and myopic policy makers. The West has effective and effervescent crisis management methods. How many African countries can deal with Fukushima? None. Not even South Africa can boast of the fastracked emergency, environmental and technological response. Will Nigeria get out of Sandy within two weeks? They know they are destroying the environment and are working tirelessly to reduce the aftermath in their countries while African leaders continue to jettison citizens' lives. Read more

Destabilizing Africa

Revelation has occured on how the United States has planned how to control world affairs using the so-called war on terror. Al Qaeda as known today is a product of Saudi Arabia and the United States. More.

These two are jolly friends. I wonder why muslims cry when the supposed 'Holy Land' romances the same 'Devil' they feel they are against. Now, it is the turn of Africa with Mali after gradually winding up in Afghanistan with the pipelines of oil already laid. More.

Africa will soon play host to the most destructive segment of her modern history. Counter-Terrorism or War on Terror is an attempt to instil fear around the globe for the sole purpose of hegemony and re-colonisation. More

Death of Aviation

Nigerian Airlines continue to suffer greatly due to improper management resulting into debts, corruption and safety problems. All appreciation to the long years of neglect by the military regime and the lackadaissical attitude of successive civilian regimes. More

Spending More: Earning Less

Nigeria to purchase 30 aircrafts. The nation crying airspace is to be provided with more reasons to shed blood or to smile in good health? More

Islamic Banking in Africa

Experts, financiers, investors, bankers and other stakeholders meet in Malaysia to discuss Islamic banking and financing with the aim of strategically extending it to Africa. Read more

Princess Diana

Princess Diana spotted with another unidentified man close to her wedding ceremony according to the revealing picture. View

Heart of a Leader

The Cote D'Ivoire President, Alassane Ouattara has promised government will foot the bills of the December 31st to January 1st stampede victims while visiting them in hospital. The stampede killed 61 people mostly children. Earlier, a 3-day national mourning period has been declared. Read more

Buying Africa

Japan and China are in the rush to get coal out of Zimbabwe. As in the case of most African countries and more notorious, people in Zimbabwe do not benefit from their natural endowments. That of Zimbabwe is even worse because not a little strand of accountability exists in the country. Despite this, business is booming. View

Africa's Debate

One strikingly recurrent issue and fact is that Africa refuses and is showing everyday that she is not ready to learn. Has Africa fed herself to satisfaction? Why always readily willing to be subservient and serve the interest of other countries and continents at will?. It was Europe before, to America, now those who were at par with her if not below her immediately after independence are buying her up again. Click here

Freedom

Activists in Saudi Arabia have launched a major campaign against the authority in Saudi Arabia for the release of a jailed author, Turki al-Hamad. The Middle East has played home to the highest double standard of the century. If events happen in Syria and Iran not excluding Libya during gaddafi, they catch the attention of the media because their adversaries control the media. Who is talking about the massive clampdown and government onslaught in Bahrain? Saudi has been gauging freedom over the years and all have passed almost unnoticed. Click here

Human Trafficking

Nigeria has been notorious for human trafficking. The last report was the most obnoxious. About 30 Nigerian young girls on a daily basis are transported and trafficked to Mali each day. Improvement is said to be happening now but how plausible is this considering the last and latest nauseous report of Mali. View

Gaddafi and Sarkozy: The Deal

I have said it times without number and evidences are beginning to emerge that erstwhile French President, Nicholas Sarkozy, wanted maummar Gaddafi out because of the funds he is unable to pay. The first bomb to land in Tripoli was from the French attack jet. Sarkozy worked tirelessly at the United Nations towards the ouster of Maummar Gaddafi. He accepted more than 50million euros to fund his campaign from the dead Gaddafi.  Learn More

Baby and Language

The most amazing discovery about babies has just been made public. Babies start learning languages right from the uteros. View

Pregnancy

The usage of antidepressants during pregnancy has no health risks on babies. A new study recently found that the use of antidepressants during pregnancy is not related to higher risk of infant death or stillbirth. Click here

Appreciation and Gratitude

Appreciation, as it has been said goes along with humility and value. It creates pathways for opportunities and blissful advancement because little things count. Appreciation opens doors. It is a good therapy for the New Year. View

Cyberwarfare: Israel and Iran

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at the opening of a new initiative to train young Israelis in cyberwarfare, said that Israel’s defense systems are under attack from Iran and vowed to create an ‘Iron Dome’ for the country’s networks. “Israel’s vital systems are under attack from Iran and other elements. This will only increase as we enter the digital age,” he said in a Tuesday speech at Ashkelon Academic College.

The cyberwarfare training program is three years long and aimed at outstanding pupils between the ages of 16 and 18. The Iron Dome is an Israeli missile defense system that helped defend the country from Hamas rocket fire during the Gaza-Israel conflict in November.

News: Clashes in West Bank

Eight men were reportedly wounded by live fire during Tuesday clashes in the West Bank town of Tamoun, after Israeli troops entering the town were approached by men hurling rocks. The clashes followed the arrest of a man allegedly belonging to militant group Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian source told AP. Israeli soldiers dressed as vegetable vendors arrested the man on Tuesday morning, the source said, adding that the clashes were started by the locals to prevent further arrests.

Gun and Bread

Humans everywhere are fighting two wars in two fronts. Fighting against the gun and fighting for bread. The United States has concealed this reality for long but now she cannot any longer. Click Here

The War Drum: Iran, the US and Israel

The imbroglio between Iran and the United States continues to assume a kind of muscular dimension on a daily basis. Obama instituted a law to stem the growing influence of Iran in Latin America in which the Iranian regime responded with vitriolic attacks. Now, Iran is flexing her muscle in the Strait of Hormuz in a bid to make the US and Israel know that she is not Iraq or Afghanistan. Click Here

Opinion: Who is killing the Internet?

Governments have been blamed everywhere of curtailing information and communication; from wiretapping in the United States and Russia to internet users' identification in China as well as North Korea and Iran's proclamation of national web. Apart from the government, there is a whole new world of internet killers; the trolls. Click Here

News

Luanda — The number of deaths following the tragic incident recorded on Monday at 07:30 pm at the gates of Cidadela Sports stadium, in Luanda, rose from nine to ten, said Tuesday the spokesperson of National Fire-fighters Department, Faustino Sebastião. Click here

News

 

Demonstrators lead protest against African migrants on December 31, 2012

Israelis in Tel Aviv demonstrated on Monday against African migrants after a young Eritrean man was arrested for the alleged rape of an 83-year-old woman. The rape reportedly took place over several hours in the backyard of the woman's building. According to police, the man was identified by DNA at the scene that matched DNA from a prior arrest.

News

Picture showing Venezuela's Vice President, Elias Jaua and Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad {Reuters} Iran has blasted US President Barack Obama for enacting a law aimed at countering Tehran's alleged influence in Latin America, saying it was an overt intervention in the region. "It is an overt intervention in Latin American affairs... that shows they are not familiar with new world relations," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters on Tuesday. The United States, he said, "still lives in the Cold War era and considers Latin America as its back yard". "We recommend that they respect the nations' right in today's world... world public opinion does not accept such an interventionist move." Mehmanparast said Tehran's relation with all nations, in particular with Latin American countries, was "friendly" based on "mutual respect and interest". On Friday, Obama enacted the law which through a new diplomatic and political strategy to be designed by the State Department is aimed to counter Iran's alleged influence in Latin America. The Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act, passed by legislators earlier in 2012, calls for the department to develop a strategy within 180 days to "address Iran's growing hostile presence and activity" in the region. The text also calls on the Department of Homeland Security to bolster surveillance at US borders with Canada and Mexico to "prevent operatives from Iran, the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps), its Quds Force, Hezbollah or any other terrorist organisation from entering the Untied States". However, senior State Department and intelligence officials have indicated there is no apparent indication of illicit activities by Iran. Iran, placed under a series of international sanctions because of its suspect nuclear programme, has opened six new embassies in the region since 2005 - bringing the total to 11 - and 17 cultural centres.

News

Security officials in Egypt say they have detained an Israeli army officer on the Sinai peninsula after he crossed the border illegally.

News

About 60 dead, 200 injured in stadium stampede late on Monday in Ivory Coast's Abidjan - Emergency official, radio

News: Religious Barracks

 

A nation at war with itself. Exactly how did we get here? This is meant to be the first question on the lips of every responsible statesman. It is an ironical irony that those who are meant to ask the question which is a prerequisite for solving the quagmire, debacle, menace and attack inferno are covertly happy with the status quo because it allows them stay longer in power and loot. For how long will tanks line the 'Holy Homes?' Divide and rule.

News

Indian police have said they expect to formally charge five of six suspects with murder in the death of 23-year-old woman who was raped on a moving bus in New Delhi last month.
The sixth suspect in the case that has outraged the country is under 18-years old. Under Indian law, juveniles cannot be prosecuted for murder.

Police ordered a bone test for the sixth accused to confirm his age, according to a police officer who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to reporters.
Rajan Bhagat, New Delhi police spokesman, said on Tuesday that a charge-sheet in the case will be filed in court on Thursday.

Police also said they expected to receive the victim's postmortem report on Tuesday.
The suspects face the death penalty if convicted. The physiotherapy student died last week in a Singapore hospital where she had been sent for emergency treatment after the crime in India's capital on December 16.

News

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pronounced 2013 to be the year of “statehood and independence” for Palestine. In an address celebrating the 48th anniversary of the Fatah Movement, Abbas expressed hope that prisoners will be freed and refugees returned to their homeland in 2013. In November, the UN overwhelmingly voted to grant Palestine non-member observer status. Israel strongly opposes Palestinian statehood, despite the notion’s widespread international support.

Counter-Terrorism: Abuse of Intelligence

ABUSE OF INTELLIGENCE

Redefining Counter-Terrorism Strategy

Nothing, it has been said, is new under the sun but the only thing humans have successfully done is to keep off of the learning game despite the whole projection in education. Terrorism is not new in human history but what continues to be new is the increase brutality of conventional military in response. The world has seen the US embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998 as well as the Bali bombing in 2002 and several other attacks in India with the foremost being the Mumbai twin bombings. Russia has several from Chenchya and in the North Caucusus. That on Israel needs no mention. With all these, the world learns not. What is the marriage between conventional military and terrorism? Clearly limited except to tell the people 'Might is Right.'

If the military is the best panacea for terrorism, Israel today will be the safest place in the world. The US today would have gone to bed with all eyes closed after taking on al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan but instead these countries are becoming increasingly insecure. One does not need a sorcerer or a soothsayer to reveal that conventional military has no strategic and long term cure for terrorism. The only advantage of conventional military is on the tactical side. The tactical side must be backed up by the strategic long-term policies which, based on historical counter-insurgency measures must encompass both intelligence and socio-economic revamp. The most crucial fuel of terrorism is social and economic ostracism. When a people feel they are not really valued, alienated and trampled upon, they result to subversion. Perceived oppression begets terrorism.

In case of the current world terrorist activities, terrorism has largely been associated with religion. It now looks as if Islam is Terrorism. Action and reaction are equal but opposite. Going by global events, it is only a locked heart that will fail to see that Islam has been touched with painful hands by powers of the world. Power lies West, culture lies East. Power and culture are at war. Power has shown the world that might is right, culture wants to prove that all wars are war, either by powerful military force or by selective killings. To win the war on selective killings known as terrorism, intelligence must marry root-causes not conventional military. BUT, the first is for power to check itself. Power needs real and deep introspection. Power must not blatantly oppress culture; either its religion or manner of governance. Ironically, conventional military is the best fuel for terrorism because it makes the terrorists defiant and turns people's hearts to them. It is a case of choosing the known devil than the coming angel.

The strategy of terrorism is a semblance of simultaneous attacks from several directions (SWARM). A good question is: How can conventional military fight these acts in all directions? Almost impossible. They have no uniforms, they are readily among the populace. Some of them are capable of even watching an after-blast, in fact, even sample people's comments. Fighting terrorism means the army or conventional military must create the swarm units to swarm the terrorists. This has cogently been elusive in modern military strategy on counter-terrorism. Terrorism cannot be fought with large mass of troops. Terrorists cannot be defeated with powerful and massive military firepower. Civilian casualties is what this brings. The only thing this can and will do is to alienate the population the more thereby creating more and more fertile grounds for the terrorists. Tactical success no matter how blossoming can be locked by strategic failure. Japan today would have been an indirect enemy of the United States after the American occupation if her economy and leaders are corrupt like Afghanistan and Karzai.. Swarms of attacks would have wearied out the US in Tokyo a long time ago.

The only way to counter terrorism is to combine intelligence and long-term strategy of winning the hearts of the people through the destruction of all insurgents gasoline (reasons for insurgency). The ember of annoyance and ill-feelings must be logically extinguished. Every terrorist cell has reasons for actions, both remote and immediate. Intelligence brings out these causes while strategy gradually eliminates them one after the other. Religion-influenced terrorism is on the highest scale today. Terrorists easily relapse to religious dogmatism to gain converts and spread tentacles. Identification of the rationale for the attack(s) must be the first mission. Rather than wage war on the people or show a strong antagonism of their religious belief and doctrine, a consciously sustained campaign of what the religion really stands for and truly preaches should be sought from well-meaning clerics and must be publicly revealed as well as generally debated. First strategy. This will be the foundation of intelligence gathering.

In state-sponsored terrorism, the first strategy should also be rationale identification. After this, the government of the attacked state must be ready to launch swarms of secret missions on the brains behind the cell(s) within the attacking state circles. A perfect illustration is the death of nuclear scientists in Iran. Be that as it may, government over the years have not learn anything worthwhile owing to the numerous superfluous firepower usually employed. The US failed in Vietnam, USSR failed in Afghanistan. The US is again failing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Russia is failing in the North Caucusus and Nigeria is failing in Borno and the Northeastern States. Kenya cannot close her eyes because of al Shabab. ECOWAS could also be preparing to fail in Mali if it employs massive firepower and makes the rebels turn to swarm tactics using cells.

BRIEF LESSON FROM HISTORY

From 1948, Britain was combated with the Malaya Revolutionary Liberation Army (MRLA) insurgents mainly composed of 99% Chinese and few Malays as well as Indians. The insurgents had drawn a map of a three-stage Marxist revolution. The first attack came in June, 1948. Britain wasted no time in reacting. It was swift, ferocious, good co-ordination and excellent perseverance. Major I A Nass says ' Britain remained an outstanding model of success of regular armed forces fighting low-intensity internal insurgency.' Major Daniel S. Challis, writing in the United State of America Command and General Staff College (USCGSC) journal said that 'no better example demonstrates how properly trained forces, committed to a clear strategic objective, can engage seasoned guerrillas on their own turf and win'. British and Malay troops numbered about 60,000 police and later 40,000 Home Guards. To decisively swarm the guerrillas, another private army of Payan Kampong Guards reaching over 20,000 joined the fight.

The approach of Britain was a combination of economic, social, political, psychological and military means. All these were merged into civil action programmes and combat action activities which were resource intensive, requiring long time planning and co-ordination. Real patience. There was no quick-fix approach which Nigeria is employing in the case of Boko Haram. Military operations were brought under police and civilian (political) control at all levels. There was tough curfew enforcement, amnesty was granted to communist insurgents who freely surrendered and there was a nation-wide registration system. All these made the work of the rebels difficult. Registration in particular made it cumbersome for the insurgents to mix freely with the population. Realising the root causes of the insurgency from assessment of the situation, the British embarked on programmes aimed at addressing the fundamental social, economic, psychological and political issues. All these contributed to the demise of the insurgents as they became brutal in response and alienated the people from themselves.

NO LESSON LEARNED

Numerous wars have been fought after that of Britain in Malaya against guerrillas and terrorists with no lessons learned. The most catastrophic are the ongoing ones in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen not excluding Somalia. Nigeria has double to deal with, Boko Haram in the North and Tuareg rebels of Mali in the Sahel. Nigeria's counter-terrorist measures though not sophisticated tend to mirror and tilt towards that of the US. In fact, US is her role model in all ways but good governance and value of citizens' lives as well as sound economy. Even Sri Lanka was able to decisively ward off the Tamil Sea Tigers rebels when the Sri Lankan Navy shifted to light fleet and swift vessels attacking the Sea Tigers from all angles (given the war back to them the way it was coming). More so, the government was also perfecting its political arsenal as well. It was sharpening its governance polemics to win the people's hearts especially after being accused of human rights violations. The US fought al Shabab in Somalia and the Taliban in Afghanistan without good knowledge of the terrain and with no strategy of winning the hearts of the people. Such blunder she committed too in Iraq. Exactly what Nigeria is committing now in Borno and the Northeastern part and ECOWAS might likely commit in Mali.

The only lesson we have learned from history is that we have not learned anything. Not until when nations learn to study the background rationales for terrorism and come up with broad long-term plans and counter-terrorism strategy based on more police actions and intelligence gathering will terrorism subside. The whole affair now is that with all the mammoth military force being employed and deployed, terrorism is on the rise because the people are terrorised in mostly two fronts (militia-terrorism and military-terrorism). The likely result of this is for the people to accept the 'un-uniformed' ones who are likely to eat and sleep with and around them. They will continue to choose the devil than the deep blue sea unless the sea presents a smiling face and reduce aggression to the barest minimum. Until they realise and know the sea will not swallow and drown them before they can decide to swim in it.

Lost Empire: Conclusion

 Lost Empire

Lacerating Knowledge and Action

'Action without knowledge is futile,

knowledge without action is waste.'

-Confucius

Rather than challenge the system out-rightly, lecturers embark on industrial actions for more funding centred on recurrent expenditure not capital. The students too see no real reason in making the custodians know that their future is in real jeopardy due to their lackadaisical attitude and dispassionate zeal towards researches, mentoring and innovation. Students of University of Lagos trooped out en masse to protest the change of

nomenclature (from University of Lagos to Moshood Abiola University) by the Federal Government, can they ever stage such against the university authority? Can they ever stage such against those who continue to sell and circumvent their future for their personal benefits? Capital NO. Misplaced mission. Teachers are cheaters.

Just like their political mentors, lecturers drive and change exotic cars at will in Nigeria. They complain of lack of funds yet they ride expensive cars creating a cycle of ostentatious competition. Same note of the 80s is given to students in 2012. No change in even the smallest alphabet. Education or Retardation? Lecturers are gods. Challenging them even when they glaringly teach inconsistently is going against one's grade for the job search after school. What a shame! Students want nothing other than money. Well, that is the worship centre of the society. Thinking otherwise is so debilitating and detrimental. Such an individual will become ostracised in a way in the family and among peers. A fact I can attest to personally.

In the other round of the game, if one goes the way of innovation or try to incite the revolutionary spirit for effervescent changes, one will die of paucity of funds and hunger. No one is ready to support the revolutionary or board the train of change. Futuristic plans and projections are anathema to many youths. The syndrome is 'make the cash now.' The system is so bad that the lecturers like the politicians are innately joyous because it brings more financial benefits than an accountable scheme where more will have to be spent on advancement and development and less for the pockets. As at 1986, Nigeria produced an African giant and Nobel Laureate in Literature, Professor Wole Soyinka with worldwide recognition. Long before then, Africa made the world view her force with Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Ngugi wa Thiongo, Peter Abrahams, Leopold Sendar Senghor, David Birago Diop among others gave Africa strength and vigour.

China just got the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2000 with the emergence of Gao Xingjian. Despite this, can Africa states combined raise eyebrow where China is? What went wrong? Avarice. Why has the Nobel Prize in Physics, Medicine, Science and even Economics eluded Africa? Why has Africa not fix names in these fields? Colonial Education. The type of education meant only for slaves is ubiquitous in the continent. Education for clerks and government scribes. Africans have become Doctors and Professors in speaking and writing but toddlers and pupils in innovation and technology. Almost zero in science. Finland revolutionize her educational system and beats the United States at it. Government in Finland has no stand when the US talks but education in Finland now can shut up the US. Singapore saw the need to build the future and it does nothing than massively invest in educating the youths.

Student Unionism back is those glorious eras was to influence policies for the FUTURE. The abrogation of defence pact with Britain in 1962 by the Nigerian Government was due largely to students' objection. How about challenging the military? Students then were simply awesome. Now, students wait to share crumbs. They beg for marks and worship those who continue to make them intellectually handicapped. Those who make them job-search vultures. In Africa today, Kenya is the country with awe-inspiring prospects of fielding names in the nearest future in technology and innovation. Despite being a foremost representation of African Democracy – Politics of the Tribes – she is gradually building a future around technology and innovation. The coming of the 'Silicon Valley' to Nairobi is the gateway. Accra is coming up too.

Students in 2005 made Jacque Chirac abrogate the controversial working policy proposed by the French Prime Minister of employing fresh graduates on contract for two years by companies and they can be laid off thereafter. Cars were burnt and many destruction occurred. Even as a staunch advocate of no destruction in protests, I cannot totally say it will not occur in diehard situations. The only caveat is that all incendiary actions must be on the perverse leaders and thieves. Recently in India, students protested the killing of a teacher who is against government policies that are anti-people. All these show that they are thoughtful of the future. They are strong and determined at heart. North African revolutions as well as the Arab Spring without the youths could have been nothing but bloody lost for the people but the zeal for a better future gingered the youths.

I wonder if Professors in Agriculture Institutes know that robots now work on farms. Well, they can go to Denmark for the latest innovation in robot-driven tractors and planters. Different seed improvement techniques, pest control mechanisms as well as genetic mutation of crops not excluding scientific cross-breeding exist yet none seems to be in reflection in the society with Agriculture Institutes. When all these are mentioned, these professors should have it in mind that they are not mechanisms and methods of the 60s and 70s that are referred to because textbooks on their shelves are dusty and brownish. A signal that they are outdated and out of usage. Graduates in agriculture after years of studying still see the same field as not meant for them. Dirty occupation. Not classy. It is not the oil industry and finance corporations where monies fly around with no records. What an education!

If indeed in Nigeria, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) can consistently, continuously and constantly send students home for them to retire at age 70 and get more raw cash, I do not see reason(s) why students cannot close all gates nationwide and demand government stop their pay till they are committed to sound education. Hold them hostage today because they are holding tomorrow hostage too. They should be committed to giving the future the best and show signs of this before they can have the best too. Law of reciprocity. It is a gargantuan pity that students cannot and will not demand this. At least, they receive the patronage of these ones sometimes as well as the government.

Many of the student representatives go on bulky embezzlement spree. They sometimes do so in connivance with university authorities. Solace in personal deceit is the order. Self deceiving self. Many say they wait till they get around government circles to effect the changes. Laughable. The naked truth is that they wait impatiently to purloin funds meant for the populace. Student activists only wait for government’s employment locomotive to loot. Educated thugs. Becoming executives and representatives of students is the surest way to be in wealth and be patronised in no distant time. All the killers of education, from government to lecturers down to students who are benefiting from the rot are joyous because a decayed system ensures that some microscopic viruses continue to be enriched with unalloyed impunity. Irony is that many wait endlessly because the pen-robbers are replacing themselves with their children and loyal cronies. Foggy future.

This is the major and main reason why they are ready to deploy any and every medium to shut the caves of those genuinely interested in revolutionizing the sacred groove of learning. Nothing can secure the future than the dynamic education of the youths. These destructive elements have tenaciously held on to the instruments of violence and oppression with their corrupt wealth. Any dissenting voice or act will easily be silenced. Only collective actions with the elimination of fear can oust them. African youths wait for old men in their 50s, 60s and 70s to speak for them and their future. They wait for the frail ones whom they are meant to care for to announce protests and declare industrial actions against bad policies jettisoning their own future. Here is a continent where the youths subconsciously do not see themselves as the trustees of posterity.

I know of many a student whose calling is not to read and read, all they know are practicals and they are best at it but the only thing the system allows is theoretical digestion. Tears of pity. The practical inclination gave birth to the Bill Gate of Microsoft and the Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. South Korea closed her borders for ten years and the educational authorities taught the students an important slogan to make up and boost their morale for the temporary inconveniences: 'What we do not have, we do not need it. What we do not need, we must not have it. What we need, we must have it.' This was an anthem. Africa is the poorest yet the headquarters of worst ostentatious lifestyles. Here, youths have been fully indoctrinated in extravagance and profligacy. The victory of the 'terminators' of education are the derailed youths who now constitute the majority. All consciousness now is to swim in money. Get rich at all cost. No humanity. Where is the future? A rotten system has no accountability. Parents pay fees through their noses yet see no reasons to charge the system for efficient and durable deliveries. The submission.

Lost Empire

Lost Empire

Lacerating Knowledge and Action

'Action without knowledge is futile,

knowledge without action is waste.'

-Confucius

There is just about one thing education must teach: question anything and everything. Education like the resource curse has done almost nothing impressive to improve the African standards and exertions. The last time I checked, education is meant to simulate the creativity in students, it is meant to arouse the passion in learners which already is domiciled in their minds. Education sharpens intuition and create thought cycles that fuel polemics. The construction of the brain like a car has different components most centred on the creativity and passion of the mind. Just as it is called 'Automobile' in car manufacturing, it is called 'Education' in brain development.

For every innovation, there is a background knowledge. No one has ever given what he does not have or possess. African education ab initio was designed to produce clerks and colonial scribes. Has Africa moved beyond the prepared agenda? Largely, the answer to this will be unanimous among well-meaning Africans. Africa is averse to changes and dynamism. Policies are for men but in Africa, it is role reversal; men for policies. Stagnation. Viewing the world critically; education, if we question anything and everything should be able to inform us that our brains are designed so that the Supreme Being can be fair. That is why airplanes and submarines can be built, operating in remotest places. The only reason why there exist some events that befuddled man is for the constant and consistent realisation that there is a Supreme Designer. Metaphysics.

Back in the days of folklore and folktales, children and learners were made to answer puzzling questions. The answers supplied, the consistency and accuracy coupled with the acumen employed showcased the knowledge and wisdom of every child. Hence, from the word go, leaders were known. Community heads were closely watched from the outset especially from various royal and blue-blooded families. This is perfectly inherent in American democratic system. Talk of the Kennedy's, the Bush's, the Clinton's among others. Fathers were role models. Children were taken to various traditional icons to learn from though these were exceptions as children more often than not mirrored their parents. Emerging leaders were given special trainings and attention. It was not uncommon to trace adults' childhood days when they were suggested for positions. What is learned today?

Just as it is discussed today in the parlance of development, neocolonialism replaced colonialism and modern slavery replaced the heinous slave trade, brain drain replaced the colonial education of production of clerks and scribes. No war is so efficient and effective as the mental war. Once won, it stays forever or so it seems. For a counter-war on mental slavery, every aspect of the society must be on reset. Africans have believed nothing good can come out their educational systems. Can they be blamed? Appreciation in respect of this goes to the leaders, military and civilian who marvel in the enrichment of their pockets and in the luxury of sending their children overseas to study and still come back to take the places already prepared for them at the expense of the youths in the homeland.

When urine is combined, the foam formed forthwith could be as thick as phlegm. This is no exaggeration as the custodians of education have successfully aligned with those who have axed education and continue to chop it off to make it a brittle broom in the society. What does Professors profess? The educational system just like the society has tormentors in lieu of mentors. These ones internally kill the passion to learn. Failure glorifies them as their acts suggest. Almost all pages of newspapers have them castigating leaders day in, day out yet a cursory look at their own 'country', shows they are worst than the political leaders. Publicly blatantly, they corrupt female students. Sadly, they present the 'money-bag' proposal to male students. Certificates not knowledge.

Theories of the 19^th and 20^th centuries are taught and presented as if there are no advance researches. These lecturers and professors gag memories. Nothing kills curiosity like dead theories. It is just as if they only want to make sure the graduates and products dust their certificates at the end of their academic adventure and beg to be drivers. That they go down their kneels for those who in saner climes will rain accolades on them for making the society enlightened. It seems we hear of people like Bill Gates, John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie from them. If Bill Gate was to be trained in a school meant for clerks from childhood and live in a society where everything encompassing his brain is survival and nothing but survival because of hunger and extreme societal decadence, I wonder what will simulate the innovative spirit in him. Same goes for others aforementioned.

The education of these ones ensures that even at elementary schools, visions already

exist to trail and missions to accomplish. These are the compasses and maps. Without the university degree, they can exert the inner dynamism and draw from the spring prioritized by the sanity of the society to create an ocean of expertise, innovation, investment, invention, creativity, business, development, uncommon and groundbreaking discoveries. Many of these do not get bored by the compulsory study of civics to teach morality when children learn more by what they see. Teaching morality while embezzling billions. Insanity at its worst. In saner climes, children eat and drink technology from the most tender of ages if such is their passion not outdated theoretical physics, chemistry, civics and economics of the 70s and 80s.

African educational system with particular reference to Nigeria is modeled on bombardment of subjects, mostly highly irrelevant. Little wonder while Africans in Africa are never part of world inventors, innovators or discoverers. It is almost in this part of the world that Institutes of Technology have more students studying Accounting and Business Administration than in Science, Technology and Engineering. Where is the connexion in nomenclature and mission? We compound subjects and courses with disjointed and disconnected results. Learning Institutes not Pressure Cookers. Taking a leaf from the research competition organised by Siemens which brought the duo, Katie Barufka and Neil Davey to limelight, one would realise that our educational system is nothing but an avenue to be maintenance and repair experts not inventors and innovators.

The students contested in areas relevant not only to what they learn in school but also the trend in the society. In other words, education and society must marry. The students proved their mettle in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Bringing same competition to Nigeria for example, English Language will be included, in fact, Chinese language also with the growing trend. Engineering and Technology will definitely find their way out. Theories of old are the exclusive preserve of our education. Then we ask, what goal is our education really geared towards? It is just one; to create graduates seeking jobs and teeming employment beggars. If during research fairs in institutions, professors cannot come out with anything innovative over the long years, what future lies in African education then?

What is the basis of a professor retiring at age 70? So preposterous. Greed. Lack of innovation and foresight. Lost belief in self. Absence of managerial and futuristic plans. The foremost are cowardice, complacency and complicity. The Senate President of Nigeria spoke in support and shame engulfed me. Birds of a feather. They have become so lazy that nothing else can they do than to sit and wait for the cool cash even though many do not go to classes. Lords, alpha and omega they are in their institutions. No one dares challenge them. Extremely powerful. All these to the detriment of academic propulsion. To become a Professor is to be versed in politics and political craftiness. Exemptions exist though minute.

As if this is not enough, students have been silenced with failure threats. Really disturbing. Future leaders become so scared to challenge injustice and the unfolding death of their future. All about good grades anyway. Education for jobs. Innovation, no vacancy. Graduates in Agriculture working in banks. Do they plant crops in ATM machines? Only three sectors remain the dream of most African students and youths if given the privilege of choice; banking, oil and politics. Are the Asian Tigers not of earth? They invested in innovative education. Brasil was at par with Nigeria and many African countries in the last decade. Today, Nigeria and African countries buy airplanes and other manufactured goods from her. What went wrong in Africa? Vision-less leaders, depraved lecturers/professors and above all extremely docile, pliant and complacent students/youths. Conformity is the jailer of freedom; Chinua Achebe is right after-all.