Bits and Bites of Nigeria in the past 10 days or thereabouts
The Climate Change Hypocrisy: Why Nigeria MUST not ignore Coal
The UK will build its first Coal mine in 30 years in Whitehaven Cumbria it has been decided. The coal mine is expected to be an investment of £165 million, create 500 direct jobs and will emit a whopping 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases. Can you all smell the hypocrisy of the west and so called developed economies. The Vice President has called the West out on this double standards, same with Babatunde Fashola when he was Minister of Power, Works and Housing. Same with the Presidential Candidate of the APC, BAT in the famous "church rat" analogy. My take is this. Let them do 'them' and we do 'we'. What is sauce for the goose is definitely sauce for the gander. We have coal, let use use it to generate power or even to fire some industrial activity.
Iran Executes a Protester by Hanging
Iran has hanged a protester by name Mohsen Shakari. The legal justification for the death sentence is that the deceased waged a war against God when he stabbed a member of the Basij paramilitary force an of Iran. Mind you, the man who was allegedly injured did not die and even if the Nigerian Criminal/Penal Code had been the statute of reckoning, Mohsen would have been charged with Manslaughter and not murder or waging a war against God. But, I guess, protesters must know the law of the land in which they are resident and work within its boundaries. It is a harsh punishment indeed and my heart goes out to the family of the deceased. I do thank God that our Nigerian protesters live in Nigeria where their right to protest is protected and honoured. Can someone please bring this to the attention of our protesters in Nigeria! There are laws of the land regarding all conducts in life. Learn them and stay within the ambits of the laws. There is a limit to how much 'activism' through media campaigns can help to free one who is caught within the law. And the quality of clemency differs from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Let me just caution that we have no other country than Nigeria. It is our solace and oasis. let us build it together and not join in any campaign to destroy our country.
Nigeria/Morocco $25billion Gas pipeline project off t o a very good start
NNPC Limited as a private company has new wings to fly being unshackled from the bureaucracy of government that has curbed it with the passing of the Petroleum Industry Act. I have always admired Buhari and Osinbajo as problem solvers and the PIA is one more confirmation of why they have made the best of leaders for our beleaguered nation. The Nigeria-Morocco pipeline will traverse many countries en-route Morocco, the gateway to the European market. Europe is ready for gas from Nigeria as it tries to call off Russia's bluff through the energy war of attrition that Russia has been waging against all who support Ukraine. 5 West African countries (Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone) that will have the pipeline traverse its boundaries have signed the MOU assenting to the project. I pray that God grants my desire for continuity of government of the APC, but I am also very pleased that as a private company, NNPC will be able to complete the project without FGN interference. Amen
On the international scene, I agree with the Time Magazine's naming of Zelensky as the Man of the Year.
Every time I reflect on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and on the punditry of the war which favoured the complete annihilation of Ukraine by Russia, the Biblical Book of Esther comes to mind, particularly Esther 4:14 which states that "perhaps you (Esther) were born for such a time like this"
"This verse was spoken to Esther because she found herself in a position to rescue her people, the Jews, from death. But, if she followed through with her plans to intervene, she put her own life at risk because of the laws at that time. Esther was reluctant, but she trusted that God sovereignly put her in that position at that time to do what needed to be done. This tested her faith, and God was working all things for good in her situation."
There is a near parallel to Zelensky, the comedian who somehow became the President of Ukraine. Yes! God can use comedians as well! The pundits laughed at him and gave him no chance. The West thought perhaps he would be a weakling, they offered him safe passage to asylum in the West. Zelensky refused. This was his destiny-to be the leader at a time such as this. He has shown and continues to show uncommon bravery and this man who was thought to be a joker is confounding Russia and specifically Putin. For this alone, this uncommon bravery and nationalism, I agree that he is the man of the year 2022.
Investors are attracted by the large markets and Nigeria with a population of over 200 million and a GDP of $440 billion is the largest African economy and market. Serena invested in SEARS because the start-up "has grown at around 6.5% month-on-month since 2017 and has doubled its user numbers over the last year. Enterprise customers, mainly employees working in various finance-related institutions across Nigeria, now provide more than 75% of its revenue, up from 45% in 2021."
Stears has also positioned itself as a collector and analyst of African data for international organisations. Its clients include the European Investment Bank, United Nations Development Programme and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Stears uses its data and analysis skills to produce interactive visualisation and created Nigeria’s first real-time election tracker during the 2019 general election cycle.
The company says it plans to use the new seed funding to expand its coverage geographically by establishing a presence in east and southern Africa and by expanding its product offerings."
I just stumbled on this link on Daddy Awokoya twitter handle....happy to read and hear from you once again ma... Please when is the YouTube series starting?
ReplyDelete