🔅 Lagos: A Key Battleground In Nigeria's Election
Plus: Nigerian footballer found dead in Turkey’s earthquake, UK says Benin Bronzes need export licenses to be returned to Nigeria, Mugabe Jnr in hot water, S.Africa vs Israel at the AU Summit... ☕
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POLITICS
Lagos: A Key Battleground In Nigeria's Election
Lagos is shaping up to be a key battleground in Nigeria's upcoming election on the 25th of February.
It’s the state with the largest number of registered voters — seven million — and each side is backed by young people who are either content with the status quo, or hoping for more.
Who's in control of Lagos at the moment?
Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is running for president, and has been backed by many.
Tinubu is selling his campaign on his record as governor of Lagos state, including the Bus Rapid Transit system, a modern bus terminal, a new light railway and a fourth bridge connecting the city's mainland and business districts.
Tinubu has many ardent supporters, who say their lives have been touched by his benevolence. He’s even got a slogan - ‘Emi Lokan’ - which loosely translates to ‘It Is My Turn’, and is basically a call to repay favours.
But others have criticised Tinubu for using his benevolence to entrench a patronage system, and many young voters feel like he has held them back. These voters do not want hand-outs from the state, just a chance for better opportunities.
Who's hoping to unseat him?
Labour Party candidate Peter Obi is Tinubu’s main opposition. Obi has promised to wean the Nigerian economy off its dependence on imports, and build his campaign on the good management of public funds when he was governor of Anambra state.
He’s gained support from younger generations of Nigerians who want Tinubu out of their way.
These elections will be a decisive one - will the old politicians be ousted, or will the old guard remain in power?
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OTHER HEADLINES
Across the Continent
🇳🇬 Soccer Player Christian Atsu Found Dead After Turkey Earthquake | The soccer world is mourning the loss of Ghana winger Christian Atsu, who was found dead under the rubble of an apartment building in southern Turkey last week. He had been missing since a massive earthquake hit the region on February 6th. Atsu had been scheduled to fly out of Turkey the same day, but decided to stay with the club after scoring the winning goal in a match the day before. His body was found with his phone still in his pocket, and his elder brother and twin sister were at the site when it was recovered. Atsu had played for English Premier League clubs Everton, Chelsea, and Newcastle United, and won 65 caps for Ghana. He was 31. The Ghanaian foreign ministry expressed its condolences, and several soccer clubs, including Chelsea and Newcastle United, paid tribute to Atsu. The death toll from the earthquake is expected to rise further, with some 264,000 apartments in Turkey destroyed and many still missing.
🇳🇬 Export Licences: The Last Hurdle to Restitution | Ever heard of the Benin Bronzes? You know, the historical artefacts taken from what is now Nigeria by the British during the colonial period? Well, they're finally being returned, but the UK government is throwing a spanner in the works. Yep, the bronzes will need to go through the same process as any other artwork - export licences and all - if they're to be repatriated. That means the usual paperwork, plus any pricey items will need to be valued in order to be considered for deferral. Even if the British Museum ever decides to lend the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, it'll still require UK government temporary export licences. You really couldn't have made this stuff up!
🇿🇼 Mugabe Jr. in Hot Water | Robert Mugabe Jr., the son of the late Zimbabwean president, was arrested and charged with malicious damage to property and assaulting a police officer. While the alleged offences didn’t quite match the gravitas of his dad’s political career, it still caused a stir when Mugabe Jr. was seen walking to the court in Harare, with a throng of people following him, phones in hand, and snapping pictures. The charges could be dropped if Mugabe Jr. and the complainant, a friend of his, can reach an amicable settlement. Analysts think that Mugabe Jr.’s current situation is likely due to his dad’s political rival, President Mnangagwa, being in charge now. Mnangagwa and the Mugabe family had been at odds, but it looks like Mugabe Jr. and the President have reconciled—at least enough for Mugabe Jr. to be publicly welcomed back into the ruling Zanu-PF party.
🇿🇦 African Union Summit: Israel vs. South Africa | The African Union’s annual summit in Ethiopia got a little heated when a senior Israeli diplomat was removed from the event. AU security confronted the diplomat during the opening ceremony and escorted her out, citing that she wasn’t the “duly accredited” Israeli ambassador. Israel has accused two key AU nations, South Africa and Algeria, of holding the AU hostage, while South Africa claims that Israel’s application for observer status has not been decided upon. As tensions rise between the countries, South Africa has noted that the issue is “not about South Africa or Algeria, it’s an issue of principle.”
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Proverb of the Day
“When you follow in the path of your father, you learn to walk like him.”
— Ashanti Proverb.