Is James Ibori the Only Corrupt Politician in Nigeria?

Is James Ibori the only corrupt politician in Nigeria?

The EFCC should also go after all the criminals indicted in the Halliburton bribery scandal.

You can't be looking for scapegoats while former President Chief Olusẹgun Matthew Okikiọla Arẹmu Ọbasanjọ,GCFR, and his former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (Turakin Adamawa),GCON, and the other million dollar bribe takers are still dining and wining in their mansions and VIP clubs in Lagos and Abuja.

NOBODY SHOULD BE ABOVE THE LAW OR THE LAW IS BULLSHIT.


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Before We Sweep the N27 Billion Halliburton Bribery Scandals Under The Carpet

Before We Sweep the N27 Billion Halliburton Bribery Scandals Under The Carpet


It is very funny how majority of people in Nigeria have deliberately developed goose pimples and slowly ignoring the most important and urgent situation, the prosecution of the 81 persons indicted by the United States law enforcement officials for partaking in the N27 billion Halliburton bribery scandals.
Even the dead among them must have survivors who must account for their shares of the bribes.

Americans, Europeans, Asians, Arabs and Australians would have been addressing this preposterous state graft until all the criminals have been punished, but typical of hypocritical Nigerians, they are mischievously turning to less important issues, because many of them, including the electorate are beneficiaries of these criminals who have been destroying Nigeria.

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan does not have the balls and guts to prosecute the criminals and in fact, he recently appointed one of them as his security adviser.

I have been watching how he has been dodging from facing the challenge of their prosecution and this only proves that he is a weakling and cannot be a competent head of state.
It would be better for him to hand over to General Muhammad Buhari (Rtd) who is not afraid to even prosecute himself if found to be complicit in the corrupt practices destroying Nigeria.

We must destory the rule of kleptocracy in Nigeria.

Christiane Amanpour and Dr.Olufunmilayo Olopade to be inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Christiane Amanpour


Christiane Amanpour and Dr.Olufunmilayo Olopade to be inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences


Christiane Amanpour the CNN chief international correspondent and Nigerian born Dr. Olufunmilayo Olopade are among 229 Achievers to be inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences according to a press release from the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.



Dr.Olufunmilayo Olopade


Olufunmilayo I. Olopade, MD, FACP, is a Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics and Director, Cancer Risk Clinic. She has been recognised "as an international leader in breast cancer research."

"Dr. Olopade continues to help scientists gain a greater understanding of the disease. Her current research interests include identifying the source of ER-negative breast cancer--an aggressive form of the disease, which is resistant to hormone therapy. Dr. Olopade aims to improve screening standards and early detection for moderate- and high-risk populations. She has a special interest in women of African descent, who are at higher risk for the more aggressive breast cancer and more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age. Dr. Olopade has lectured on topics such as breast cancer and cancer genetics at several national and international conferences."

The following is the press release.

19 Apr 2010 18:00 Africa/Lagos

American Academy Announces 2010 Class of Fellows and Foreign Honorary Members

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two hundred and twenty-nine leaders in the sciences, social sciences, the humanities, the arts, business and public affairs have been elected members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The new Fellows and Foreign Honorary Members announced today join one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious honorary societies. A center for independent policy research, the Academy celebrates the 230th anniversary of its founding this year.


A complete list of the 2010 class of new members is located at: http://www.amacad.org/news/a2z10.pdf.


The scholars, scientists, jurists, writers, artists, civic, corporate, and philanthropic leaders include winners of the Nobel, Pulitzer, and Shaw Prizes; MacArthur and Guggenheim fellows; and Grammy, Tony, and Oscar Award winners.


Scientists among the new Fellows include: astronomer Geoffrey Marcy, who discovered more than half of the currently known extrasolar planets; chemist Joseph Francisco, whose research revolutionized our understanding of chemical processes in the atmosphere; Evelyn Hu, a pioneer in the fabrication of nanoscale electronic and photonic devices; Chung Law, whose research on combustion has implications for new classes of transportation fuels; Microsoft's chief software architect Ray Ozzie, creator of Lotus Notes; Christopher Field, whose research in global ecology has helped in the assessment and understanding of climate change; Timothy Ley, who led the group that sequenced the first human cancer genome; and physician-scientist Olufunmilayo Olopade, whose revolutionary findings on the genetics of breast cancer were translated into interventions for women around the world.


Social scientists include Nobel laureate economist Myron Scholes; demographer and U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Groves; archeologist Kathryn Bard, who has conducted pathbreaking excavations in Egypt; Edward Glaeser, whose empirical study of urban economics has helped explain housing bubbles in U.S. cities; environmental geographer Ruth DeFries, who uses satellite-imaging to help map and understand the environmental effects of agriculture and urbanization; and legal scholar and Lewis Powell biographer John Jeffries, Jr.


In the humanities and arts, new members include: theologian Harvey Cox, Jr.; Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Daniel Howe; Middle East historian Ervand Abrahamian; philosopher Christopher Peacocke; novelist Marilynne Robinson; installation and conceptual artist Dan Graham; Suzanne Farrell, former New York City Ballet principal dancer and founder of her own ballet company at the Kennedy Center; actors John Lithgow and Denzel Washington; director Francis Ford Coppola; violinist and conductor Jaime Laredo; jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins; and baritone Thomas Hampson.


Among those elected to the Academy from public affairs are U.S. Special Envoy to North Korea Stephen Bosworth; the Archivist of the United States, David Ferriero; National Endowment for the Humanities Chair James Leach; and G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.


Business leaders in the 2010 class of new members include Roger Ferguson, Jr., President and CEO of financial services company TIAA-CREF; Marjorie Scardino, CEO of international media company Pearson PLC; and Samuel Palmisiano, Chairman and CEO of IBM.


Higher education and foundation leaders in the new class are: Joseph Aoun (Northeastern University); Gene Block (University of California, Los Angeles); Scott Cowen (Tulane University); John DeGioia (Georgetown University); Susan Desmond-Hellmann (University of California, San Francisco); Robert Gallucci (John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation); John Jenkins (University of Notre Dame); Jim Yong Kim (Dartmouth College); Morton Schapiro (Northwestern University); and Luis Ubinas (Ford Foundation).


The Academy also elected Foreign Honorary Members from Australia, Canada, Finland, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. They include: the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams; Israeli high-energy physicist and advocate for Middle East cooperation Haim Harari; Australian Academy of Science president, Kurt Lambeck, whose geophysical research elucidates changes in climate and sea levels; Michel Mayor, director of Switzerland's Geneva Observatory; Linda Partridge, specialist in the biology of aging; Spain's former Minister of Education and Science, Jose María Maravall Herrero, who is credited with democratizing the Spanish educational system; British filmmaker and playwright Mike Leigh; Japanese architect Toyo Ito; Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen; and Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group, India's largest conglomerate.


Established in 1780 by John Adams and other founders of the nation, the Academy undertakes studies of complex and emerging problems. Its membership of scholars and practitioners from many disciplines and professions gives it a unique capacity to conduct a wide range of interdisciplinary, long-term policy research. Current projects focus on science and technology; global security; social policy and American institutions; the humanities and culture; and education.


"We are pleased to welcome these distinguished individuals into the Academy," said Leslie Berlowitz, Chief Executive Officer and William T. Golden Chair. "We look forward to drawing on their knowledge and expertise to provide practical policy solutions to the pressing issues of the day."


"The men and women we elect today are true pathbreakers who have made unique contributions to their fields, and to the world," said Academy Chair Louis W. Cabot. "The Academy honors them and their work, and they, in turn, honor us."


The new class will be inducted at a ceremony on October 9, at the Academy's headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts.


Since its founding by John Adams, James Bowdoin, John Hancock, and other scholar-patriots, the Academy has elected leading "thinkers and doers" from each generation, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin in the eighteenth century, Daniel Webster and Ralph Waldo Emerson in the nineteenth, and Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill in the twentieth. The current membership includes more than 250 Nobel laureates and more than 60 Pulitzer Prize winners.


Source: American Academy of Arts & Sciences

CONTACT: Paul Karoff of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences,
+1-617-576-5043, pkaroff@amacad.org


Web Site: American Academy of Arts & Sciences


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Elie Wiesel and 6 Nobel Laureates Counter Desmond Tutu and Noam Chomsky on Israel

Bishop Desmond Tutu

17 Apr 2010 13:00 Africa/Lagos

Six Nobel Laureates, Connected with Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, and Elie Wiesel Counter Desmond Tutu and Noam Chomsky's Statements on Israel Divestment Issue at UC Berkeley


Noam Chomsky


LOS ANGELES, April 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the debate on whether or not to divest from Israel discussed by the student senate at University of California, Berkeley moved toward conclusion, six Nobel Laureates connected to Scholars for Peace in the Middle East and a seventh Nobel Laureate, Elie Wiesel, independently wrote to the senate arguing in opposition to divestment support advocated by Desmond Tutu.


Elie Wiesel


Scholars for Peace in the Middle East represent more than 55,000 academics and scholars on more than 3500 campuses world-wide. SPME opposes boycotts and attempts to divest from Israel as they are forms of the ongoing attempt to demonize Israel. This student legislation rather than fostering dialogue and trust that might lead the Israelis and the Palestinians toward peaceful negotiations only has created an atmosphere of division and distrust. Moreover the one sided nature of the legislation is clearly a cause for concern as pointed out by Kenneth Arrow, Nobel Laureate in Economics, Stanford University.


Peter Haas, SPME's President commented: "The situation at UC Berkeley did not have to reach this level. Had the university administration taken a more principled solid stance against one-sided anti-Israel activity earlier, they could have saved themselves and everyone else a lot of trouble. We hope the lesson has been learned."


Edward S. Beck, SPME's Immediate Past President who coordinated the effort for SPME, added, "It was important that students hear from these Nobel Laureates on this important issue who know and believe that the situation in the Middle East is not comparable to the situation in South Africa and are aware of the real issues and history of the region."


Sam Edelman, SPME's Executive Director worked with UC Faculty during this effort and observed: "The one sided nature of this resolution; the ignoring of massive human rights violations on the part of both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas make it imperative that the AS President's veto be up held."


The full texts of the Nobel Laureates letters are as follows:

Dear Members of the University of California- Berkeley Student Senate:


May I respectfully urge that you not adopt the one-sided and unjust resolution which condemns the state of Israel and urges divestment. The resolution ignores that Israel is a democratic state, respecting the political and civil rights of its Arab minority. Above all, it exists in an environment in which its very existence has been threatened ever since its inception. Proposals and negotiations which would have led to Palestinian independence have always been rejected by the Palestinians from the 1968 "three nos of Khartoum" to Yasser Arafat's refusal to accept President Clinton's very favorable proposals, a refusal followed by a campaign of pure terrorism, directed against vulnerable civilians, called, "the second intifada." A withdrawal of Jewish settlers from Gaza, enforced by the authority of the state of Israel, was followed, not by renewed efforts at negotiation or even by quiescence, but by a steady barrage of rockets against unquestionably Israeli towns.


The world is full of states with abominable records on human rights, including most of Israel's neighbors. A failure to mention Saudi Arabia, for example, must be regarded as approval for discriminatory treatment of women (they cannot even drive!) and, of course, of homosexuals. Hamas, in Gaza, has not only consistently inflicted whatever harm it can against Israel but has bloodily suppressed Arab political opposition within its boundaries. Israel's independent judiciary has no counterpart in the area.


I trust you will reconsider your original vote and uphold the veto.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely yours,

Kenneth J. Arrow
Stanford University
Nobel Laureate in Economic Science, 1972.


Dear Members of the University of California- Berkeley Student Senate:


We, the undersigned Nobel Laureates, urge the members of the UC Berkeley student senate not to adopt an immoral resolution singling out the state of Israel, a liberal and democratic state seeking peace with the Palestinian people and neighboring Arab states, for condemnation and divestment.


We commend your idealism and desire to provide leadership to the university; but true moral leadership requires taking responsibility, accessing knowledge and making correct, not ideological and radicalized, choices. The resolution before you is wrong in many points of fact and it is unjust by intention: Israel is an imperfect democracy defending itself in a threat environment by Western standards of warfare and checking itself constantly by way of a fiercely independent judiciary committed to international standards of human rights.


A decision by the Berkeley Senate to single out Israel for condemnation, rather than any of the myriad real human rights offenders in the world - including the majority of contentious states surrounding Israel such as Iran, Libya, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon is frankly a decision of the highest moral obtuseness, which we trust you will not pursue.


It is our hope that the UC Berkeley Student Senate who represent future leadership in the world will find a more constructive and effective way - but primarily a moral and just way - to address the difficult and complex issues of Middle East peace rather than siding against one side in the conflict. In no way can your resolution advance peace, as it is an expression of the very radicalism and historical blindness that drives the conflict and blocks reconciliation.


We have faith in your ability to rise to the occasion and shed light instead of hatred on this most difficult issue. Please defeat this wrong resolution.


Roald Hoffmann
Nobel Prize-Chemistry, 1981
Cornell University

Claude Cohen-Tannoudji
Nobel Prize-Physics, 1997
College de France Paris

Dudley Herschbach
Nobel Prize-Chemistry, 1986
Harvard University

Dr. Andrew V. Schally
Miami, Florida
Nobel Prize in Medicine 1977

Steven Weinberg
University of Texas
Nobel Prize-Physics, 1979

Source: Scholars for Peace in the Middle East

CONTACT: Samuel Edelman, Executive Director, +1-530-570-8137, or
spmeexecdir@gmail.com, Peter Haas, President, Peter.haas@case.edu, or Edward
S. Beck, Past President, +1-717-576-5038, or ScholarsforPeace@aol.com, all of
Scholars for Peace in the Middle East


Web Site: http://www.spme.net/


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Umuoja Dance Cultural Troupe Performed at the 3rd Lagos Black Heritage Festival

Gabriel Okoro at the 3rd Lagos Black Heritage Festival


Gabriel Okoro and his Umuoja Dance Cultural Troupe performed at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 3rd Lagos Black Heritage Festival. The troupe did the Sango Bata dance.

Umuoja has perfomed other dances such as the popular Ekombi Dance from Akwa Ibom state in South Eastern Nigeria.

The following is the description of the Ekombi Dance by Gabriel Okoro, the Artistic Director of Umuoja.

The Efiks inhabit the coastal area of South Eastern Nigeria and are very well known nationally and internationally partly because of the prominence of Calabar in Nigerian history and also due to their rich cultural heritage.


Ekombi is a very graceful dance from Akwa -Ibom State done by both male and female dancers in very beautiful and colourful costumes and sweet melodious songs. Performed at festivals and social gatherings.


Umuoja performing the popular Ekombi dance.

Votes are in - Best of Citysearch Hotels 2010

SOFITEL, MIAMI, BY THE POOL.

Slideshow
Send a postcard

16 Apr 2010 17:51 Africa/Lagos


Votes are in - Best of Citysearch Hotels 2010

FIND OUT WHO TOOK HONORS IN BEST LUXURY HOTEL, HIGHEST RATED HOTEL POOL, MOST COMFY BED AND MORE

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Citysearch, a leading online local city guide and operating business of IAC (NASDAQ:IACI) , today announced its 2010 Best of Citysearch Hotels winners. Categories ranged from hotels offering the most value for the buck to those with the sweetest poolside views. Users nationwide cast their votes for the best of New York, best of Los Angeles, best of San Francisco, best of Seattle and more best hotel categories, including:


-- Boutique. Small luxury hotels offering premium services, often located
in a fashionable or up-and-coming neighborhood
-- Budget. Affordable hotels with comfortable accommodations perfect for
money conscious travelers
-- Business. Hotels providing quality rooms and innovative amenities for
today's busy executive
-- Comfy Bed. Hotels with beds that leave guests feeling rejuvenated and
well rested every morning of their stay
-- Extended Stay. Ideal for business travel, temporary housing or weekend
getaways, these hotels offer the comforts of home away from home
-- Family-friendly. Hotels and resorts that offer a variety of amenities
that cater to families with children
-- Hotel Pool. The best pools, for when the atmosphere is as crucial as
the swim
-- Luxury. Leading hotels specializing in the finer points of high-end
hospitality

POPULAR HOTELS IN THE US
Aria
Bellagio
Luxor
Ritz Carlton South Beach
Wynn
The Standard
Mandalay Bay
MGM Grand
Fitzpatrick
Belvedere Hotel
Mondrian Hotel
Waldorf Astoria
The Glenn
Parc
Hudson
Warwick
Mission Inn
Aqua Hotel
Rittenhouse
James Hotel
Edison Hotel
The Tides
Hermitage Hotel
Hotel 1000
Chateau Marmont

For more information and the complete list of winners, visit Best of Citysearch.


About Citysearch


Citysearch LLC is the leading online local media company, meeting the changing needs of consumers, publishers and local advertisers. Citysearch LLC enables consumers to stay connected with access to neighborhood restaurants, bars, shopping, beauty and professional services information nationwide through its premium local brands, which include Citysearch.com, Urbanspoon and Insider Pages. The largest local content network, CityGrid, connects consumers and merchants across the Web, by distributing local content to publishers. Citysearch LLC is an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ:IACI) . For more information, visit www.citysearch.com


For more information contact:
Brandi Willard for Citysearch
310-775-3738 or brandi.willard@citysearch.com


(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081119/LAW061ALOGO-b)

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081119/LAW061ALOGO-b
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Citysearch

CONTACT: Brandi Willard of Citysearch, +1-310-775-3738,
brandi.willard@citysearch.com


Web Site: http://www.citysearch.com/


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President Barack Obama Needs Support for Wall Street Reform

President Barack Obama Needs Support for Wall Street Reform

President Barack Obama has called for support for his populist proposal for financial regulatory reform. The Wall Street Reform will end misappropriation of funds by reckless Wall Street speculators who are gambling with the savings of shareholders and manipulating the loopholes in the financial system to exploit and rip-off ignorant depositors and investors. The revolutionary reform is to save American taxpayers from being asked to bail out big banks again when the cookie crumbles, to save Main Street from the greedy king-pins and lobbyists of Wall Street; to protect consumers and American families and prevent future meltdown.
The following is the e-mail from President Obama on the importance, relevance and significance of the imperative Wall Street Reform.

It has now been well over a year since the near collapse of our entire financial system that cost the nation more than 8 million jobs. To this day, hard-working families struggle to make ends meet.

We've made strides -- businesses are starting to hire, Americans are finding jobs, and neighbors who had given up looking are returning to the job market with new hope. But the flaws in our financial system that led to this crisis remain unresolved.

Wall Street titans still recklessly speculate with borrowed money. Big banks and credit card companies stack the deck to earn millions while far too many middle-class families, who have done everything right, can barely pay their bills or save for a better future.

We cannot delay action any longer. It is time to hold the big banks accountable to the people they serve, establish the strongest consumer protections in our nation's history -- and ensure that taxpayers will never again be forced to bail out big banks because they are "too big to fail."

That is what Wall Street reform will achieve, why I am so committed to making it happen, and why I'm asking for your help today.

Please stand with me to show your support for Wall Street reform.

We know that without enforceable, commonsense rules to check abuse and protect families, markets are not truly free. Wall Street reform will foster a strong and vibrant financial sector so that businesses can get loans; families can afford mortgages; entrepreneurs can find the capital to start a new company, sell a new product, or offer a new service.

Consumer financial protections are currently spread across seven different government agencies. Wall Street reform will create one single Consumer Financial Protection Agency -- tasked with preventing predatory practices and making sure you get the clear information, not fine print, needed to avoid ballooning mortgage payments or credit card rate hikes.

Reform will provide crucial new oversight, give shareholders a say on salaries and bonuses, and create new tools to break up failing financial firms so that taxpayers aren't forced into another unfair bailout. And reform will keep our economy secure by ensuring that no single firm can bring down the whole financial system.

With so much at stake, it is not surprising that allies of the big banks and Wall Street lenders have already launched a multi-million-dollar ad campaign to fight these changes. Arm-twisting lobbyists are already storming Capitol Hill, seeking to undermine the strong bipartisan foundation of reform with loopholes and exemptions for the most egregious abusers of consumers.

I won't accept anything short of the full protection that our citizens deserve and our economy needs. It's a fight worth having, and it is a fight we can win -- if we stand up and speak out together.

So I'm asking you to join me, starting today, by adding your name as a strong supporter of Wall Street reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/StandForWallStreetReform

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Highly Recommended: U.S. News & World Report: Obama's Financial Regulation Reform: 7 Things You Need to Know

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Sub-Saharan Africans Deeply Committed to Christianity and Islam

15 Apr 2010 05:01 Africa/Lagos


Sub-Saharan Africans Deeply Committed to Christianity and Islam

New Pew-Templeton Survey of 19 African Nations Finds Signs of Tolerance and Tensions Between the Faiths

WASHINGTON, April 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The vast majority of people in many sub-Saharan African nations are deeply committed to one or the other of the world's two largest religions, Christianity and Islam, and yet many continue to practice elements of traditional African religions. Most people support democracy and say it is a good thing that people from other religions are able to practice their faith freely. At the same time, many also favor making the Bible or sharia law the official law of the land. And while many Muslims and Christians describe members of the other faith as tolerant and honest, there are clear signs of tensions and divisions between the faiths.


These are some of the key findings of a new survey released by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life. "Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa" is based on a major public opinion poll exploring religion and society in the region. It is funded by a generous grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John Templeton Foundation as part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project, which aims to increase people's knowledge of religion around the world.


The survey is based on more than 25,000 face-to-face interviews conducted in more than 60 languages or dialects in 19 countries. The countries were selected to represent different geographical areas and reflect different colonial histories, linguistic backgrounds and religious compositions. In total, the nations surveyed contain three-quarters of the population of sub-Saharan Africa.


While 90% or more of the respondents in most of the countries surveyed identify as Christian or Muslim, many people retain beliefs that are characteristic of traditional African religions, such as belief in the protective powers of sacrifices to spirits and ancestors. Many keep sacred objects such as animal skins and skulls in their homes and consult traditional religious healers when someone in their household is sick.


The report finds that on several measures Christians and Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa hold favorable views of each other, and in most countries relatively few see evidence of widespread anti-Muslim or anti-Christian hostility in their country. But Muslims and Christians also acknowledge that they know relatively little about each other's faith. And substantial numbers of African Christians (nearly 40% or more in a dozen nations) say they consider Muslims to be violent, while Muslims are more positive in their assessment of Christians.


Additional findings from the survey include:

-- Sub-Saharan Africans generally rank crime, corruption and unemployment
as bigger problems than religious conflict. However, substantial
numbers of people (including nearly six-in-ten Nigerians and Rwandans)
say religious conflict is a very big problem in their country.
-- The degree of concern about religious conflict varies from country to
country but tracks closely with the degree of concern about ethnic
conflict in many countries, suggesting that they are often related.
-- Many Africans are concerned about religious extremism, including
within their own faith in some countries. Indeed, many Muslims say
they are more concerned about Muslim extremism than about Christian
extremism, while Christians in Ghana, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia
say they are more concerned about Christian extremism than about
Muslim extremism.
-- In most countries, at least half of Muslims say that women should not
have the right to decide whether to wear a veil, saying instead that
the decision should be up to society as a whole.
-- Religion in sub-Saharan Africa often involves intense, personal
encounters with God, divine healings and other experiences often
associated within the Christian community with Pentecostalism. But
many of these beliefs and practices are common among African
Christians who are not affiliated with Pentecostal churches.
-- Majorities in almost every country say that Western music, movies and
television have harmed morality in their nation. Yet majorities in
most countries also say they personally like Western entertainment.
-- In comparison with people in many other regions of the world,
sub-Saharan Africans are highly optimistic that their lives will
change for the better.


The 19 countries represented in the survey are: Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.


The report, including a summary of findings and an interactive Web component, is available online (http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=515).


The Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life conducts surveys, demographic analyses and other social science research on important aspects of religion and public life in the U.S. and around the world. As part of the Washington-based Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan, nonadvocacy organization, the Pew Forum does not take positions on any of the issues it covers or on policy debates.


The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life.


The John Templeton Foundation serves as a philanthropic catalyst for research and discoveries relating to the Big Questions of human purpose and ultimate reality. The Foundation supports work at the world's top universities in such fields as theoretical physics, cosmology, evolutionary biology, cognitive science, and social science relating to love, forgiveness, creativity, purpose, and the nature and origin of religious belief. It also seeks to stimulate new thinking about freedom and free enterprise, character development, and exceptional cognitive talent and genius.


Source: Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life

CONTACT: Mary Schultz, +1-202-419-4556 or Robbie Mills, +1-202-419-4564,
both of Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life

Nigerian Journalist Attacked during Political Clash

15 Apr 2010 12:43 Africa/Lagos

Nigerian Journalist Attacked during Political Clash / Channels TV Cameraman Felix Vincent taken to Hospital

ABUJA, April 15, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- A cameraman working for Nigerian broadcaster Channels Television was assaulted on Tuesday in a clash that erupted following an attack on the vehicle of the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, according to local media reports, and Channels Television News Editor Ronke Raji.


Felix was attacked when he attempted to film the violence. He sustained a deep cut to the head and was taken to hospital.


In a telephone conversation with IPI, Raji said: “Some thugs were trying to attack the politicians. Felix was trying to film the attack.”


IPI Press Freedom Manager Anthony Mills said: “It is unacceptable that journalists be attacked simply because they are doing their job. We call on the authorities to launch an investigation into the attack and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.”


Asked about the current environment in Nigeria for journalists, Raji noted: “It is better than it was under military rule, although there have been a few cases here and there. But there are no more arbitrary arrests.”

In March, as reported by IPI, two sports journalists – a South African and a Nigerian - were abducted along with their cameraman while travelling to an airport in Owerri city near the Niger Delta region, an area notorious for kidnappings.

Gunmen stopped the bus carrying media professionals from the South African sports channel M-Net SuperSport as it travelled through Imo State. The cameraman managed to escape the following day. His two colleagues were released a few days later.



Source: International Press Institute (IPI)

Beyond the Diplomatic Tête-à-Tête Between Goodluck Jonathan and Barack Obama

President Barack Obama, right, meets with Nigeria's acting President Goodluck Jonathan, left, in advance of the Nuclear Security Summit, at Blair House in Washington, Sunday, April 11, 2010. Photo Credit: Associated Press/Daily Life

Beyond the Diplomatic Tête-à-Tête Between Goodluck Jonathan and Barack Obama


Acting President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was invited to the two-day Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington, D.C., on April 12 and 13, 2010. But before the crucial summit he met with President Barack Obama at the Blair House to discuss the bilateral relations between the U.S. and Nigeria, a week after both countries signed an agreement for the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission.


Bilateral relations between the U.S. and Nigeria have been strained for disclosed and undisclosed reasons of which the most apparent was the case of electoral malpractices masterminded and perpetrated by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP ) during the 2003 and 2007 elections in Nigeria. The U.S. rejected the results and found Prof. Maurice Iwu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wanting and would want electoral reforms to prevent electoral malpractices in future elections. Another problem was the critical case of the Nigerian al Qaeda underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab whose botched attempt to blow up an American plane on Christmas Day shocked the U.S. and increased the suspicion of Nigeria as a vulnerable target for recruiting al Qaeda foot soldiers. The last case actually culminated in the U.S. security warning to all her citizens to relocate from the predominantly Islamic northern states of Nigeria. Moreover, the protracted illness that incapacitated President Umaru Yar’Adua left the U.S. with no better choice but to support Acting President Jonathan in the amelioration of the bilateral relations between the two great countries.

President Barack Obama emphasized that the “United States places great importance on the US relationship with Nigeria and the Nigerian people” and “urged Acting President Jonathan to use his tenure to make historic and tangible progress in strengthening the Nigerian government's commitment to follow through on countering corruption."

Majority of Nigerian news media channels were carried away by the importance of their meeting and seemed to ignore the importance of the Nuclear Security Summit that was attended by 47 nations and was the largest meeting of top global leaders since1945. This was the first summit and will be a biennial event , and the next one comes up in Seoul in 2012. The Summit focused on how to better safeguard weapons-grade plutonium and uranium to prevent nuclear terrorism.

At the end of the summit, there was a communiqué with a seven page work plan.

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

World leaders at the Nuclear Security Summit


Communiqué from Washington Nuclear Security Summit
Nations pledge to strengthen nuclear security, reduce nuclear terrorism

April 13, 2010

Communiqué of the Washington Nuclear Security Summit
Nuclear terrorism is one of the most challenging threats to international security, and strong nuclear security measures are the most effective means to prevent terrorists, criminals, or other unauthorized actors from acquiring nuclear materials.


In addition to our shared goals of nuclear disarmament, nuclear nonproliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, we also all share the objective of nuclear security. Therefore those gathered here in Washington, D.C. on April 13, 2010, commit to strengthen nuclear security and reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism. Success will require responsible national actions and sustained and effective international cooperation.


We welcome and join President Obama’s call to secure all vulnerable nuclear material in four years, as we work together to enhance nuclear security.
Therefore, we:


1. Reaffirm the fundamental responsibility of States, consistent with their respective international obligations, to maintain effective security of all nuclear materials, which includes nuclear materials used in nuclear weapons, and nuclear facilities under their control; to prevent non-state actors from obtaining the information or technology required to use such material for malicious purposes; and emphasize the importance of robust national legislative and regulatory frameworks for nuclear security;


2. Call on States to work cooperatively as an international community to advance nuclear security, requesting and providing assistance as necessary;


3. Recognize that highly enriched uranium and separated plutonium require special precautions and agree to promote measures to secure, account for, and consolidate these materials, as appropriate; and encourage the conversion of reactors from highly enriched to low enriched uranium fuel and minimization of use of highly enriched uranium, where technically and economically feasible;


4. Endeavor to fully implement all existing nuclear security commitments and work toward acceding to those not yet joined, consistent with national laws, policies and procedures;


5. Support the objectives of international nuclear security instruments, including the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, as amended, and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, as essential elements of the global nuclear security architecture;


6. Reaffirm the essential role of the International Atomic Energy Agency in the international nuclear security framework and will work to ensure that it continues to have the appropriate structure, resources and expertise needed to carry out its mandated nuclear security activities in accordance with its Statute, relevant General Conference resolutions and its Nuclear Security Plans;


7. Recognize the role and contributions of the United Nations as well as the contributions of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism and the G-8-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction within their respective mandates and memberships;


8. Acknowledge the need for capacity building for nuclear security and cooperation at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels for the promotion of nuclear security culture through technology development, human resource development, education, and training; and stress the importance of optimizing international cooperation and coordination of assistance;


9. Recognize the need for cooperation among States to effectively prevent and respond to incidents of illicit nuclear trafficking; and agree to share, subject to respective national laws and procedures, information and expertise through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms in relevant areas such as nuclear detection, forensics, law enforcement, and the development of new technologies;


10. Recognize the continuing role of nuclear industry, including the private sector, in nuclear security and will work with industry to ensure the necessary priority of physical protection, material accountancy, and security culture;


11. Support the implementation of strong nuclear security practices that will not infringe upon the rights of States to develop and utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and technology and will facilitate international cooperation in the field of nuclear security; and


12. Recognize that measures contributing to nuclear material security have value in relation to the security of radioactive substances and encourage efforts to secure those materials as well.


Maintaining effective nuclear security will require continuous national efforts facilitated by international cooperation and undertaken on a voluntary basis by States. We will promote the strengthening of global nuclear security through dialogue and cooperation with all states.


Thus, we issue the Work Plan as guidance for national and international action including through cooperation within the context of relevant international fora and organizations. We will hold the next Nuclear Security Summit in the Republic of Korea in 2012.


The list of world leaders and Heads of Delegation who attended the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on April 12-13:


People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
His Excellency Mourad Medelci
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria


Argentine Republic
Her Excellency Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
President of the Argentine Republic


Republic of Armenia
His Excellency Serzh Sargsyan
President of the Republic of Armenia


Australia
The Honorable Senator John Faulkner
Minister for Defense of Australia


Belgium
His Excellency Yves Leterme
Prime Minister of Belgium


Federative Republic of Brazil
His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
President of the Federative Republic of Brazil


Canada
The Right Honorable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada


Republic of Chile
His Excellency Sebastián Piñera
President of the Republic of Chile


People’s Republic of China
His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China


Czech Republic
His Excellency Jan Fischer
Prime Minister of the Czech Republic


Arab Republic of Egypt
His Excellency Ahmed Aboul Gheit
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt


European Union
His Excellency Herman Van Rompuy
President of the European Council


Republic of Finland
Her Excellency Tarja Halonen
President of the Republic of Finland


French Republic
His Excellency Nicolas Sarkozy
President of the French Republic


Georgia
His Excellency Mikheil Saakashvili
President of Georgia


Federal Republic of Germany
Her Excellency Dr. Angela Merkel
Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany


Republic of India
His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of the Republic of India


Republic of Indonesia
His Excellency Dr. Boediono
Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia


International Atomic Energy Agency
Mr. Yukiya Amano
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency


Israel
His Excellency Dan Meridor
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy of Israel


Italian Republic
His Excellency Silvio Berlusconi
President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic


Japan
His Excellency Yukio Hatoyama
Prime Minister of Japan


Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein
King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan


Republic of Kazakhstan
His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev
President of the Republic of Kazakhstan


Republic of Korea
His Excellency Lee Myung-bak
President of the Republic of Korea


Malaysia
The Honorable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak
Prime Minister of Malaysia


United Mexican States
His Excellency Felipe Calderon Hinojosa
President of the United Mexican States


Kingdom of Morocco
His Excellency Abbas El Fassi
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Morocco


Kingdom of the Netherlands
His Excellency Dr. Jan Peter Balkenende
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands


New Zealand
The Honorable John Key
Prime Minister of New Zealand


Federal Republic of Nigeria
His Excellency Dr. Goodluck E. Jonathan
Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria


Norway
His Excellency Jens Stoltenberg
Prime Minister of Norway


Islamic Republic of Pakistan
His Excellency Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani
Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan


Republic of Philippines
Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President of the Republic of the Philippines


Republic of Poland
His Excellency Radoslaw Sikorski
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland


Russian Federation
His Excellency Dmitry A. Medvedev
President of the Russian Federation


Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
His Royal Highness Prince Muqrin bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
President of the General Intelligence Presidency of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia


Republic of Singapore
His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong
Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore


Republic of South Africa
His Excellency Jacob Zuma
President of the Republic of South Africa


Spain
His Excellency José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
President of the Government of Spain


Sweden
His Excellency Fredrik Reinfeldt
Prime Minister of Sweden


Swiss Confederation
Her Excellency Doris Leuthard
President of the Swiss Confederation


Kingdom of Thailand
His Excellency Trairong Suwankiri
Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand


Republic of Turkey
His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey


Ukraine
His Excellency Viktor Yanukovych
President of Ukraine


United Arab Emirates
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces

United Kingdom
The Right Honorable David Miliband, M.P.
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

United Nations
His Excellency Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General of the United Nations

United States
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States

Socialist Republic of Vietnam
His Excellency Nguyen Tan Dung
Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam