Grandiose Parlor

Global Voices Online: This Week on Nigerian Blogs

I have been honored by Global Voices Online to do bimonthly weblog on the Nigerian Blogoshere- an update sort-of. Below is my first post.

There is a huge collection of Nigerian-authored blogs out there and it just impossible to “do justice to the job” using a couple of words, so please realize that this just a tip of the iceberg.

You can also find the update cross-posted at Global Voices Online.

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I’m sure that whoever came up with the phrase: “It is a men’s world” must have turned in his/her grave going by Olaniyi David Ajao’s post entitled: “Female Heads of States”.

"Women rights activists must be grinning from ear-to-ear right now.” He states. “In the past few weeks, a new wave seems to be spreading through the world’s political landscape as more women take up leading roles. Today, a new head of state is being sworn into office, in the west African nation of Liberia. She happens to be Africa’s first female democratically-elected President. I’m talking about Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. Just yesterday, the people of Chile voted-in their first female President - Michelle Bachelet…”

His post also mentions the Chancellor Angela Merkel, and South African Vice President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as other female political leaders.

Still on Nigerians in the Diaspora, Yesi at “NTEX” discusses a collaborative research of Professor Wole Soboyebo, a Nigerian academic at University of Princeton. The Professor has received a set of grants from the United States’ National Science Foundation to “build relationships between African and American professionals, develop a manufacturing base in Africa that will allow the continent to participate in more lucrative trade in the global market…”

Orikinla at the Nigerian Times is elated by the Chinese desire to invest in the Oil and Gas sector of the Nigerian economy. Other Nigerian Bloggers are not so enthused about the $ 2.3 billion dollar deal.

Sokari at Black Looks, states that: “…Judging by China’s track record of human rights and respect of the environment in China and their record in Sudan, I suspect that little will change for the people of the Niger Delta and may in fact become worse.”

Chippla, a Sino-skeptic, who has always made it clear where he stands on Sino-Nigerian trade relationship appears somewhat swayed by the newly revealed China African Policy, stating, “Something new might just come out of the China African Policy…”

“Africa’s development in the 21st century appears inextricably tied to that of China.” He opines on his blog. “Inasmuch as this writer detests a situation where African nations serve as nothing more than exporters of raw materials, something new MIGHT just come out of the China African Policy. For instance, it speaks of medical and health cooperation as well as science and technology cooperation. Now, that’s one part that really interests this writer…science and technology cooperation. For unless a reasonable number of African nations begin exporting more than just “raw materials” to China, skepticism and caution will remain the order of the day”.

Emeka of “Timbuktu Chronicles” showcases a Nigerian entrepreneur who has discovered his niche in the disposal of human waste. “DMT Mobile Toilets is a trailblazer in the field of human waste disposal. Their locally manufactured portable loos are “…FILLING A SERIOUS NEED…Motivated by the recognition that there are fewer than 500 functional public toilets in Nigeria , and that the vast majority of these toilets are poorly maintained and inadequate. With a population of about one hundred and fifty million people (150,000,000), the company has begun to make inroads into the public toilet arena… ”

The sentencing of a Nigerian to 376 years of imprisonment for advance fee fraud is one of the news items reported on Chidi Ezeibe’s “News from Nigeria”Chidi states that “NEMESIS at the weekend caught up with a 32-year old Nigerian, Mr. Harrison Odiawa. He was sentenced to 376 years imprisonment without an option of fine for defrauding an American, Mr. George Robert Blick…” By the time scam was reported to the FBI, Odiawa had obtained more than $ 2 million from Blick.

It seems Blick really got bilked!

In a more recent post captioned: ” Obasanjo pleads for kidnapped oil workers “, Chidi writes about the ongoing unrest in the oil-rich Niger-Delta region of Nigeria:

“Obasanjo yesterday held a crucial meeting with the nation’s political and military leaders over the threat to oil installations in the Niger Delta at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The leaders established a committee to ensure prompt release of the kidnapped oil workers. President Obasanjo, who presided over the meeting, appealed to the hostage takers “not to do anything that might result in the loss of lives…”

“In recognition of the monumental role played by Nigerian blogs in the year 2005 the Naijarita News team has created the Nigerian Weblog Awards 2005 to honour exceptional bloggers from Nigeria. Can you believe that we already have 132 blogs in a country of only 120 million people? Phenomenal, isn’t…” Check out who got what!

Imnakoya @ 1/19/2006
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