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admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Nigeria is Where it's Happening at

Ever wonder why the very existence of Nigeria seems to be having an impact all over the world. She's so important and vital to the whole world that those who envy it have become haters.

Everyone who can't measure up is out there doing their utmost best to bash it, but all they've succeeded at is making a dent. The glory God has bestowed on it is not only blinding, but shall be everlasting.

Even when some of her impoverished, disgruntled and discontent have taken up negative hobbies to cause denigration to the name of the nation, Nigeria continues to be a great force to be contended with.

She may not always succeed in winning applause, but she makes her impact none-the-less. Some countries even go out of their way to spread negative news to derail some of her projects and endeavours aided and abetted by some of her very own disloyal citizens (as in the case of using Sharia to disrupt the holding of the Miss world pageant in Nigeria), but Nigeria has the strength and resilience to withstand the impacts and excels where she can.

Some foreign newspapers, TV stations and sites even have staff dedicated to searching out and even exaggerating negative news about Nigeria. Why all the hate? ENVY. A black nation standing tall irrespective of all the dirt that's constantly being heaped on her. Hmmmm...!!!!

For instance, the U.S. issues out negative alerts like she's handing out free handkerchiefs to her flu-ridden citizens, yet she has more negative occurences happening daily, that if exposed or made newsworthy vigorously with the same dedication 'internationally', would be serious reasons for concern to those wiling to visit.

These alerts though, suprisingly do NOT stop them from visiting Nigeria when they need to seek their monetary or strategic gains.

Surprisingly, even some other African nations, whom Nigeria has gone out on limbs to help, have joined in the name-bashing, but Nigeria's strong and continues to shake off the dirt and find her way up.

As young as Nigeria is, she has accomplished so much, that to expect her to have accomplished in 40+ years, what some western countries such as the U.S. and some European nations took over 300 years to accomplish would not only be unrealistic, but delusional. The only realistic comparison will be to what they could have accomplished at the same tender age under similar circumstances and variables.

Enough said, it's time for postings of the stories that have done Nigeria proud.

Cxsm
27th Dec. '03

© Cxsm 2009 All Rights Reserved

_________________
May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

President Obasanjo has proven that the ability to use wisdom rather than brawn has more peaceful outcomes rather than deadly consequences for any populace. -cxsm

Obasanjo's personal touch strengthens Nigeria's international role.

Dave Clark
AFP
MONROVIA,
Aug 13 '03

When President Charles Taylor handed over power to his successor at a ceremony in Monrovia, one key player in the moves to resolve Liberia's recent crisis was not there, but he was far from forgotten.

One by one the invited guests -- presidents Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Joachim Chissano of Mozambique and John Kufuor of Ghana -- paid tribute to Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo's "decisive role" in the peace process.

Taylor himself, who left for Nigeria shortly after the ceremony Monday to take up Obasanjo's offer of political asylum, declared: "President Obasanjo has proven that an Africa wanting to be strong, can be strong."

"Nigeria continues to not just the powerhouse of west Africa, but the powerhouse of Africa ... when I 'phone President Mbeki he tells me to call his big brother Olusegun," he joked, to good-natured applause.

Meanwhile a battalion of Nigerian troops is still the only international military presence on the ground in Monrovia, and might yet prove to be the thin line between peace and humanitarian disaster.

Obasanjo's role in deploying peacekeepers and in engineering Taylor's departure has also won high-level backing beyond the shores of Africa.

On a recent visit to Abuja, US President George W. Bush thanked Obasanjo "for his leadership on the issue" and on Monday name-checked his Nigerian counterpart once again as he welcomed Taylor's departure.

Nigeria's diplomatic coup in Liberia was his second triumph on the world stage in two months.

Last month the same presidential plane flew Obasanjo and another embattled president, Fradique de Menezes, back to Sao Tome, where he was re-installed as head of state after a short-lived military coup on the oil rich archipelago.

Nigeria, which is developing a potentially hugely lucrative oil exploration zone jointly with its tiny island neighbour, had taken a lead role in a broad coalition of international powers in pressuring the putschists to back down.

More than anything else, this double victory has established Africa's most populous country as one of its most influential.

It has been a spectacular return to grace for a nation that had been a pariah state under brutal military rule for three-quarters of its 43 years of independence, and is best known abroad for fraudsters and religious strife.

And the avuncular personal style and the energy of President Obasanjo has much to do with that, analysts and observers say.

In his farewell address Taylor told an anecdote about how Obasanjo called him his "little brother" and urged him to accept Nigeria's protection and abandon his increasingly precarious position as leader of a failed nation.

At a joint press conference on the Commonwealth's sanctions against Zimbabwe in Abuja earlier this year, Obasanjo poked fun at Mbeki, boasting that he "would speak for Africa" when the South African leader dodged a question.

Zimbabwe may well prove to be the next big challenge for Nigerian and South African diplomacy, as Obasanjo and Mbeki's "quiet diplomacy" approach to dealing with Robert Mugabe's controversial rule is tested once more.

It will also be a test of how far Nigeria's influence spreads beyond west Africa, where its population equals that of the rest of its Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) partners put together and its oil-fuelled economy dwarfs that of its neighbours.

Obasanjo has opposed extending sanctions on Zimbabwe and isolating Mugabe, who was a guest in Abuja last month, preferring instead to keep open channels and push him towards making accommodations with the democratic opposition.

A similar tactic worked with Taylor, who was allowed to leave office with his dignity intact and with an escort of Nigerian peacekeepers, at a time when the Liberian leader was bridling at blustering pressure from Washington.

Copyright 2003 Agence France-Presse

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Nigeria: What is God Doing In and Through - Nigeria?

Lee Grady
Charisma News
Issue 18,
3 May '02

"What has been described as a 'book of Acts-like' move of God is sweeping through Nigeria and spreading overseas. Large meetings and confirmed healings are order of the day in the western African nation," writes J. Lee Grady in Charisma Magazine."

And: some of the world's largest churches are led by Nigerian pastors. The world's largest church building, seating 50,000, is situated 30 miles west of Lagos, and stadium-sized churches are springing up throughout the nation. Evangelistic crusades with Reinhard Bonnke regularly draw crowds of over 1 million.

The annual 'Holy Ghost Congress' organised by the Redeemed Church of God has become the world's largest Christian gathering, with an attendance somewhere between two and four million last year (2001). In 1980, the denomination consisted of a few dozen churches; today, it numbers some 5,000 churches with 3 million members."

Prophetic mandate for Nigeria.

"Nigeria's Christians have a prophetic mandate," says Matthew Ashimolowo, a former Muslim who now leads England's largest church, the Kingsway International Christian Centre in east London. "God gave us a prophetic word that his servants will go out from our nation and shake the world." The 15,000-strong Word of Faith Bible Church, Ukraine's largest church, was founded by Sunday Adelaja, also a Nigerian, and the largest churches in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Jamaica are also led by Nigerians.

1998: the turning point.

The growth of Christianity in Nigeria continues despite Islamic resistance. A number of Muslim-controlled States have introduced the Sharia (Islamic law), and many churches have been burned down. "Whatever is going on in Nigeria, it must be very special if Satan opposes it so strongly," says Ashimolowo.

Missiologists say that 45% of the population is Christian. "Many Christian leaders point to 1998 as the turning point - the year in which Muslim dictator Sani Abacha died, and born-again military leader Olusegun Obasanjo was elected as President," says Yemi Osinbajo, an attorney in Lagos state and member of a Pentecostal church.

"Happy clappy" isn't enough.

Christians throughout all denominations have a theology with room for miracles speaking in tongues and loud worship. A growing number of young leaders are worried, though, that the problems are growing with the revival. Many say that most Pentecostal churches have become legalistic, and pastors have adopted the American model of the celebrated Senior Pastor, which has been readily embraced by the traditionally patriarchal African culture.

They are also worried about the 'prosperity gospel' being promoted by some preachers for personal gain. "Such things lead to false teachings, spiritual abuse and a faith which is too irrelevant to address complex topics such as social justice, AIDS and hunger."

"If revival consists of jumping, clapping and speaking in tongues, we have wasted God's grace," says David Oyedepo, founder of the Winners' Chapel. "The Nigerian revival is not here to redecorate the church, it is to redecorate the world," he says.

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Sticking to what works for us rather than adopting 'imported models' that lead away from the focus and emphasize prosperity is the key to remaining in the lead. - Cxsm

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

To clear any misconceptions I'm NOT a paid agent of the Nigerian Govt. neither do I ever intend to be one.

I will respond in discussions without blindness, partiality or bias in my presentations even when they are not necessarily favorable to Nigeria, but I will only partake in the discussion of facts, even if and when they are contrary to popular views or expectations. So, I hope no one will misconstrue my love for Nigeria as something which it clearly isn't (blind love).

I also have suffered as a result of some of the ills of Nigeria, but that does not stop me from loving my country and choosing to speak of the good in her, regardless of how much bad may exist in her at present.

If we choose only to see the bad in her, that would be myopic. There are enough people doing the deed of speaking of her ills, that some of us would like to not only hear of the good that does exist, but also bask in it sometimes.

When everything was good for Nigeria, everyone was too busy enjoying, that most failed to plan for our future hence our present position. Most of those who enjoyed the wealth and goodness of Nigeria and their offspring's are the first to complain because they NO longer enjoy the privileges once enjoyed.

The Government alone is NOT responsible for the ills of Nigeria. We as a people, we the citizens all contributed to the ills of Nigeria, either by neglect, passivity, disconcern, greed, discontentment, nepotism, bribery, shortsightedness and all the other ills we presently complain about, because we voted incompetent and self-serving people into government.

It is our relatives who work in the ministries, other institutions and organizations that accept bribes and mismanage our resources. It is our relatives that wrangle their ways into high government offices for the opportunity to squander resources they eventually hide in their accounts abroad.
It is our relatives that obtain contracts and fail to adequate supply the services and products they were paid for, instead choosing to build mansions, buy exotic cars and wear expensive regalia and spray money at parties. Need I go on? Whether they are our direct relatives or not is irrelevant. They are Nigerians just like us.

We all know the stories and it is not my interest or intention to recite what we all know, but I know is that REGARDLESS of Nigeria's present disposition, there is good coming out of Nigeria, and whether some of us choose to recognize it or not, other nations are indeed aware of this and that is why they choose to contend with her. For instance, you don't see some important world Presidents, Queen Elizabeth or other prominent heads of nations visiting Malawi or some of the nations in the world.

When a nation is valuable to others they make it a point to establish and maintain national ties. As impoverished as Mexico and Brazil and some other nations are, even with their own levels of corruption, and concern for safety, people fly there for their business purposes and to secure the national ties, etc., even if they have to travel in helicopters to get around. Nigeria has not gotten to a point where you have to fly around in helicopters to do business because of the concern for safety, and as unsafe as it may be deemed, foreigners still come there in droves to do business and to spend their holidays.

Nobody pays any attention to someone, some nation or some people who they do not deem important or consider irrelevant, and Yes Nigeria is vital in the world, even though some of us may not realize it.

Apart from her resources which include her oil, natural gas, etc., which other nations depend on, her people who other nations recognize their ambition (discounting the no-gooders) usually excel in their fields and vocations in spite of existing racism. Nigerians are notable for excelling in their various careers abroad, hence the reason visas are constantly being extended to attain Nigerians who are in professions where western countries are lacking.

Nigeria is indeed a strong force in and out of Africa, and as disgruntled as some of we her citizens are, those countries who have benefited from her strength and position know what benefits they have derived.

Nigeria is known for sharing her natural resources; providing water, electricity, etc. to neighbouring countries; she provides military strength and support to nations that require it, has participated in, and provided peace making in not only in Africa, but as a member of the UN and other peace making organizations worldwide. Need I go on...

Yes, Nigeria has impoverished citizens, but in a nation of 130 million within a place only the size of Texas where everyone is fighting for the resources she has, considering the present infrastructure cannot sustain the population without years of efficient planning, etc., how much can we expect from her, if all we do is moan and groan, expecting others to fix the problems so it can be comfortable for us all to benefit.

It takes you and I to fix things albeit in little ways, even if it begins with repairing Nigeria's image by pronouncing her positive attributes over her negative ones.

America or any of the western nations did not become what they are today by BRAINDRAIN or self-bashing. Maybe you need to read or go back and reread their history and the sacrifices their citizens made in order to contribute to the building of these nations. Wars evolved out of lack and fights for resources and territories that seemed prosperous. IF the countries were so self-sufficient, why the need for importation of a workforce, even if it came as slavery an unpaid and forced workforce.

Nigeria may not be presently capable of providing for her large no. of citizens, and some may be casualties in her struggle to become a better nation, but at least we are not slaves being forced to work against our wills, and we do have choices and some have exercised that choice to leave and immigrate elsewhere, while those who are willing to stay the race choose to dwell there or support her from wherever they presently reside.

There was a time England expelled all her bad eggs to make her a better place, but are these not the same people that have contributed to what Australia and America are today.

Nigeria on the other hand has been losing a large amount of her good people, resourceful citizens and professionals who are seeking greener pastures elsewhere, yet we expect her to excel to great heights with all the braindrain and without our POSITIVE contribution.

We sit at our desk and grind the rumour mills ourselves, then we expect the world to see us in a positive light. We complain and moan and groan, never to speak of her good, yet expect others to respect us, or do to business with us. We ourselves do enough injustice by the unfairness of our assessments and our judgmental mentality and we then expect foreign investments. We're content to be consumers rather than taking pride in our own, no matter how small it may be, we spend dollars and pounds and invest abroad rather than investing in our own country then we complain that our currency is not strong.

Japan did not become strong by being a consumer nation and buying American, but worked hard and believed in perfecting their own goods, and even this took several years. America instills patriotism by encouraging you to buy American and her people out of LOVE, not obligation, CHOOSE to buy American to help America sustain her economy.

When negative events happen, Americans bind together as a nation out of PATRIOTISM, even if they disagree with some of their leaders policies and position, they don't go around bashing their president and their country in the eyes and presence of foreigners; that is what is called PATRIOTISM, regardless of whether one is poor, rich, employed or unemployed, benefiting from America's resources or not. That is a characteristic that many Nigerians lack. MONEY is not everything, and contentment, with hope for a better tomorrow are virtues that usually go a longer way.

Seeing good in spite of the bad that exists within the same person or nation is NOT delusional, but called PATRIOTISM and grows out of LOVE and LOYALTY. Having the ability to speak and choosing to do so is NOT propaganda but CONFIDENCE in speaking out VERIFIABLE FACTS even if I'm in the minority.

Yes, there are those Nigerians who deny their heritage and call themselves Jamaicans, etc., because they are ashamed to be recognized as Nigerians, but there are also those other Africans that commit atrocities and then claim to be Nigerians when they are apprehended. There are also some foreigners including Caucasians who obtain Nigerian passports illegally just to reside in Nigeria or to avoid paying their due taxes while doing business there, as well as foreigners (including those right here in America) who sit behind their computers sending out 419 letters on the pretext that they are Nigerians.

All these contribute to the denigration of the name of Nigeria, and I have a right to speak about this occurrences because they are INDEED FACTS.

Wealth is NOT the factor that determines a nations STRENGTH or IMPORTANCE in the world, there are many more important factors and Nigeria does indeed possess some of those important enough to make her vital in the role she presently plays. David was deemed inconsequential even by his own family members, until he used his little catapult to defeat Goliath; and as ridden as Nigeria is with her illnesses, (which some of her citizens, such as you who are very quick to point them out and try to shoot her down with), she DOES possess the strengths that other nations recognize.

A man with many children will obviously have more difficulty coordinating and managing his household, and his children may remind him everyday that he is not a good provider, but that does NOT detract from the fact that he might be a strong warrior.

GLORY comes from the ability to be recognized for your positive qualities/characteristics in spite of what you think about yourself and what ill some others speak of you. I'm sure you've at least seen some people that exude brightness unbeknown to others that they are experiencing troubling times or have only had one meal. The ability to shine irrespective of ones real disposition is the kind of glory I'm talking about. I've been there so I know.

Yes, indeed Nigeria does take a bashing everyday, but she comes into the limelight for her positive achievements irrespective, because God has some plan for her.

I'm well aware that negative news does travel fast and that is why I have chosen to be ONE OF THOSE WHO WILL PROCLAIM NIGERIA's GOOD NEWS and other positive information FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE and WANT TO HEAR them.

I have chosen to be a BEARER of GOOD NEWS in my writings, therefore FACTS I can back up I will provide and PATRIOTIC I will remain. I am not a people pleaser and I'm CONFIDENT enough to be in the minority, for greater impacts are made by those disregarded, deemed different and unpopular.

YES, I remain proud of NIGERIA, and we that take pride in her will continue to prove to foreigners that there are indeed good, honest, hardworking Nigerians, a majority who may have suffered but still remain loyal and have pride in her.

Cxsm
27th Dec. ‘03

© Cxsm 2008 All Rights Reserved

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I started this thread to encourage others to reflect on the goodness that comes out of Nigeria, not to complain about its ills, and would appreciate the sharing of such, those with failings to report can contribute to forums designated for such.
_________________
May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Standing Strong in the Face of Adversity

When Putin stated that "The task of regional organisations.. is to minimise possible negative consequences of the military action, preserve stability in the region and ensure the security of our people." and Obasanjo stated that "when justice is denied there is always the danger of people resorting to extraordinary actions in order to seek it." they were speaking from experience as seasoned leaders regarding world affairs, and today we have all seen that wisdom supercedes brawns especially when it comes to international issues and preventing loss on lives.

Resorting to military force has not only caused unncessary loss of lives, but disability of some other previously stable nations, as well as increasing terrorism in the world and less global safety.

Some countries who did not willingly agree to the U.S. stance against Iraq were intimidated into succumbing, but will the U.S. be there for them in their time of need, or would they be discarded like Liberia who fouhgt wars on her behalf and literarily had to beg for U.S. intervention, until Nigeria stepped in to help them expel Taylor and reestablish some peace.

Leaders are people who reason before they stand up and speak for what they believe in, they speak for the collective goodness of all rather than for their singular benefits, and they do not succumb to intimidation.

We Won't Succumb To Intimidation, Nigeria Tells US
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The Guardian
Lagos, Nigeria
March 22, 2003

"NIGERIA is a sovereign country and has a right to take a position on world issues, we must resist any attempt by anybody to undermine this sovereignty."

With these words, Nigeria yesterday told the United States of America that it would not succumb to any subtle intimidation over the country's opposition to the ongoing U.S-led war on Iraq.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Chief Dubem Onyia, had summoned the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Howard Jeter to his office yesterday over what the minister described as the United States decision to suspend military assistance to Nigeria over the Benue killings.

According to Onyia, the US decision, coming so soon after Nigeria's expression of opposition to the US-led war on Iraq is "sheer intimidation."

Onyia added, however, that if the US had indeed decided to suspend its military assistance to Nigeria, "so be it." (i.e. training assistance)

The minister restated Nigeria's stand that the credibility of the United Nations must be preserved and that any attempt to undermine this credibility should be resisted.

In his response, Jeter explained that America's decision to withdraw its military assistance had nothing to do with Nigeria's position on Iraq. He, however, expressed his country's disappointment over Nigeria's stance on Iraq.

A mild diplomatic row had been sparked on Wednesday when Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade backed out of a joint statement he signed with Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo and South Africa's Thabo Mbeki on the trio's stand on the Iraqi issue.

Barely 48 hours after two letters endorsed by the three leaders, were delivered to the United States President George W. Bush and Saddam Hussein of Iraq, President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal on March 16 sent another set to the two principal figures in the war saga, considerably toning down the content of the African voice.

Nigeria and South Africa were not in any way amused by the development.

The three African leaders had in the March 14 letters called for multi-literalism in dealing with the debacle, urging Iraq to disarm as alleged but also pointedly opposing any action outside the sanction of the United Nations.

President Obasanjo had on behalf of the other two African leaders written another letter on March 15 to the U.N Secretary General Kofi Annan, forwarding the two identical letters sent to both Bush and Hussein.

The Nigerian leader had met Wade in Niamey, Niger Republic on Friday March 14, where they both discussed the African voice on the simmering crisis. The Senegalese leader signed the letter at that meeting.

Obasanjo sent the letter to South Africa for Mbeki's endorsement, which Mbeki promptly endorsed and returned to Nigeria on Saturday night.

President Obasanjo on Sunday called the U.S. Ambassador, Howard Jeter, on Sunday and handed over the letter to him. Copies of the letters were published by The Guardian on Monday March 17.

By 11 p.m. on Sunday, however, Obasanjo received a call from Wade saying he was faxing a letter to the Nigerian leader, which he did by 1 am on Monday. The letter was a completely different version of the earlier agreed upon and endorsed by the three leaders. Without waiting for the signatures of President Obasanjo and Mbeki, Wade sent the new version to the White House.

President Bush's aide consequently called President Obasanjo, querying the tone of the first letter. The US aide was said to have said to Obasanjo: "What do you think you are doing?" a question the Nigerian leader immediate took exception to.

Washington, intent on getting allies for its war cause, said the letter signed only by Wade had invalidated the earlier one signed by the three leaders.

A source in Abuja told The Guardian that beyond the US stance, which is unacceptable, Presidents Obasanjo and Mbeki were surprised by Wade's sudden volte face on the mutually agreed position.

The source queried: "What changed Wade's mind? And how can the withdrawal of one signatory invalidate the views of the other two presidents?

"Nigerian and South African officials are at once bemused and angry at Washington's reaction and the cheeky attempt to stop leaders of sovereign nations from making open comments, which in this case is obviously unpalatable to a war mongering US administration," the official said.

The source spoke further: "We have pitched our tents on a popular position. We want to go down in history as recording our position clearly."

The official added: "We have taken a position that is validated by the events that followed. The fashionable thing to do was to play up to the Americans. But it must be noted in history that this is what we want to say on this matter. We have had our say."

In the March 14 letter, written to both Presidents Bush and Hussein, the three African leaders had stated among others:

"At the instance of President Olusegun Obasanjo of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and President Abdoulaye Wade of the Republic of Senegal, we the undersigned African leaders, have agreed, against the background of the crisis in Iraq and the Middle East, to write this letter in expression of our concern for:

The need to preserve the integrity and credibility of the United Nations;

The problem of international terrorism which has shown itself not to respect national boundaries, and thus a threat to peace in any corner of the globe; and

Justice as the ultimate foundation for peace anywhere in the world, and that when justice is denied there is always the danger of people resorting to extraordinary actions in order to seek it."

They added: "In this context, seeking the implementation of the UN resolution 1441 regarding the disarming of Iraq, is not only in the interest of Iraq, but also in the interest of the Middle East, in the interest of Africa, and indeed in the interest of the whole world.
Iraq must indeed disarm transparently and totally to the satisfaction of the UN. The UN should be the authority to ascertain through appropriate agencies, and to certify compliance with resolution 1441."

Meanwhile, Camerounian President, Paul Biya, may be on the verge of signing a military assistance pact with the United States.

US secretary of State, Collin Powell in a live interview aired yesterday on the Cable News Network (CNN), said Biya had a meeting with Bush over the possibility of both countries working together.

"We recognise Cameroun as a country of peace and stability. We will do everything we can to strengthen our relationship with the African country," Powell stated.

The Secretary of State was fielding questions from the media on the current state of the war against Iraq when journalists sought to know the outcome of a meeting between President Biya and President Bush, purportedly held before the briefing.

"Yes, we are also looking at the possibility of providing the country with military assistance," Powell further added.

He had used the opportunity to state that the United States had established communication links between countries close to Iraq and officers within Iraq over the possibility of an in-house coup that would see Saddam Hussein toppled.

In the meantime, as US-led forces continue to pummel Iraq in defiance of UN opposition, Russian President, Vladimir Putin said on Friday the conflict in Iraq could spill over into other regions, including ex-Soviet States, and sow instability there.

"We think that the crisis has gone beyond the framework of a local conflict and is now a potential source of instability for other regions of the world, including the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)," Putin said.

The Russian president, who said on Thursday that the military action against Iraq was unjustified and called for the quickest possible end to it, was addressing senior officials from member states of the CIS, the loose grouping of 12 former Soviet Republics.

"The task of regional organisations.. is to minimise possible negative consequences of the military action, preserve stability in the region and ensure the security of our people." Putin said.

In remarks to senior Russian Political and Security officials on Thursday, Putin challenged the U.S. assertion that Iraq posed a threat to international stability.

But his Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, said that Russia and the United States remained partners and would preserve the new ties forged after the September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. cities.

Russia, along with France and Germany, had stood for a political solution through the U.N. Security Council to the issue of disarming Iraq and had long opposed any resort to force against Baghdad.

www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article01/

© 2002 - 2003 @ The Guardian Newspapers Limited

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Nigerian Troops in UNAMSIL Awarded Medals

Two of the four battalions from Nigeria, the third largest troops contributing nation after Pakistan and Bangladesh to the peace efforts in Sierra Leone were awarded United Nations (UN) service medals in Freetown, Sierra Leone early this March.

The two Nigerian battalions, NIBATTs 13 and 14 deployed in the mission area between October 28 and November 4, last year were so honoured having served in the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) meritoriously and without blemish for 90 days; which is the mandatory minimum period for award of such medals.

Nigeria which currently has four Infantry battalions in UNAMSIL, spearheaded and championed the deployment of ECOWAS monitoring group (ECOMOG) in Sierra Leone, a development that assuaged the detoriating human carnage in that country then and which eventually paved the way for UNAMSIL to deploy in 1999. The Nigerian military personnel also make for over 96% of troops that constitute sector west and additionally contributes staff officers at the UNAMSIL Force Headquarters.

During the parade, the Nigerian born, Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji, who was the Special Guest of Honour commended the Nigerian battalions for their excellent performances and professionalism. He also urged them to continue to uphold this professional competence, which has seen them through in their service to humanity in Sierra Leone.

A Nigerian Army delegation led by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Major General SE Asemota, who represented the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Alexander Ogomudia witnessed the medal award ceremony in Freetown.

The delegation which also included, Major General RI Adoba, Chief of Logistics, Nigerian Army, Colonel Emeka Onwuamaegbu, Director Army Public Relations and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Correspondent, Mr Macaulay Hunohashi equally toured Nigerian contingent troops' locations to ascertain their combat readiness and assess their deficiencies with a view to addressing the short comings.

The officers and soldiers of NIBATT 14, UNAMSIL are today among the recipients of the prestigious United Nations Medal on peacekeeping having fulfilled the basic requirement for such honour. The journey to this historic occasion for the NIBATT dates back to Nigeria when it was selected for a specialist training on peacekeeping operations by the United States Army code named OPERATION FOCUS RELIEF. The training added to the Unit's wealth of experience and further enhanced its knowledge on human rights, laws of war and humanitarian duties. Thus the journey began for peacekeeping mission to Sierra Leone.

The unit had participated in various peacekeeping and peace enforcement operations particularly in the West African sub-region. These operations include OPERATION HARMONY, OPERATION LIBERTY, OPERATION SAND STORM, OPERATION ANDONI and OPERATION HAKURI among others.

192 Infantry Battalion was another battalion was trained for Peace Keeping Mission in Lebanon under the auspices of UN.

The Battalion participated in both Local and International Operations. In 1976, during the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, the Battalion was there as NIBATT 3. In 1993, 192 contributed a Company to form NIBATTT 16 ECOMOG in Operation LIBERTY. In 1998, a Company was also contributed to form NIBATT 29. In the same year, another Company was contributed to 174 Motorised Battalion to form NIBATT 33. Another Company was contributed to form NIBA TT 35.
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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Nigeria's Major role in Ecomog and Ecowas

ECOMOG and ECOWAS

..There were approximately 12,000 predominantly Nigerian ECOMOG troops in Sierra Leone, with small Ghanaian and Guinean contingents.

The cost of maintaining the troops (allegedly U.S. $1 million daily) was borne mostly by Nigeria. ECOMOG troops continued to provide security for the country's highways and airports, and in August began working jointly with the Sierra Leonean Police to combat rising crime.

For complete write-up visit http://www.hrw.org/wr2k/Africa-09.htm
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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Excerpts from "Keeping the Peace in Africa: A Renaissance Role for South Africa?"

Mark Malan
Institute of Security Studies

While South Africa remains extremely cautious in its approach to the issue of regional peacekeeping arrangements, during March 1998, Nigeria became the 15th UN Member State to sign a Memorandum of Understanding formalising its promised contributions to UN peacekeeping on top of the country's heavy commitment to regional peace operations in West Africa.

While South African thinking suggests that regional operations should preferably be UN sponsored and financed, it is largely due to the UN's financial crisis that Chapter VIII arrangements have become an increasingly attractive option for the maintenance of international peace and security. South African insistence on mechanisms to ensure that the country is reimbursed for its participation in any non-UN assessed peace missions stands in sharp contrast to the immense financial sacrifices that Nigeria, Ghana and other poorer countries have been willing to make to keep the peace in West Africa.

......at the continental level, South Africa will continue to be overshadowed by Nigeria, as long as the latter country is revered for its pioneering sacrifices and achievements in the realm of African peacekeeping under the auspices of ECOWAS.
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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm

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Nigeria's Participation in Peace Keeping Efforts in Chad-Libya Conflict

The long civil war began as a tax revolt in 1965 and soon set the Muslim north and east against the southern-led government. Even with the help of French combat forces, the Tombalbaye Government was never able to quell the insurgency. Tombalbaye's rule became more irrational and brutal, leading the military to carry out a coup in 1975 and to install Gen. Felix Malloum, a southerner, as head of state.

In 1978, Malloum's Government was broadened to include more northerners. Internal dissent within the government led the northern Prime Minister, Hissein Habre, to send his forces against the national army at N'Djamena in February 1979. This act led to intense fighting among the 11 factions that emerged. At this point, the civil war had become so widespread that regional governments decided there was no effective central government and stepped in.

A series of four international conferences held first under Nigerian and then Organization of African Unity (OAU) sponsorship attempted to bring the Chadian factions together. At the fourth conference, held in Lagos, Nigeria, in August 1979, the Lagos accord was signed. This accord established a transitional government pending national elections. In November 1979, the National Union Transition Government (GUNT) was created with a mandate to govern for 18 months. Goukouni Oueddei, a northerner, was named President; Col. Kamougue, a southerner, Vice President; and Habre, Minister of Defense.

This coalition proved fragile; in March 1980, fighting broke out again between Goukouni's and Habre's forces. The war dragged on inconclusively until Goukouni sought and obtained Libyan intervention. More than 7,000 Libyan troops entered Chad. Although Goukouni requested complete withdrawal of external forces in October 1981, the Libyans pulled back only to the Aozou Strip in northern Chad.

An OAU peacekeeping force of 3,500 troops replaced the Libyan forces in the remainder of Chad. The force, consisting of troops from Nigeria, Senegal, and Zaire, received funding from the United States.

A special summit of the OAU ad hoc committee on the Chad/Libya dispute in February 1982 called for reconciliation among all the factions, particularly those led by Goukouni and Habre, who had resumed fighting in eastern Chad. Although Habre agreed to participate, Goukouni refused to negotiate with Habre on an equal basis. In the series of battles that followed, Habre's forces defeated the GUNT, and Habre occupied N'Djamena on June 7, 1982.

The OAU force remained neutral during the conflict, and all of its elements were withdrawn from Chad at the end of June. In the summer of 1983, GUNT forces launched an offensive against government positions in northern and eastern Chad. Following a series of initial defeats, government forces succeeded in stopping the rebels. At this point, Libyan forces directly intervened once again, bombing government forces at Faya Largeau. Ground attacks followed the bombings, forcing government troops to abandon N'Djamena and withdraw to the south. In response to Libya's direct intervention, French and Zairian forces were sent to Chad to assist in defending the government.

With the deployment of French troops, the military situation stabilized, leaving the Libyans and rebels in control of all Chad north of the 16th parallel. In September 1984, the French and the Libyan Governments announced an agreement for the mutual withdrawal of their forces from Chad. By the end of the year, all French and Zairian troops were withdrawn. Libya did not honor the withdrawal accord, however, and its forces continued to occupy the northern third of Chad.

President Habre's efforts to deal with his opposition were aided by a number of African leaders, especially Gabon's President, Omar Bongo.
During accords held in Libreville, Gabon, in 1985, two of the chief exile opposition groups, the Chadian Democratic Front and the Coordinating Action Committee of the Democratic Revolutionary Council, made peace with the Habre Government. By 1986, all of the rebel commando (CODO) groups in southern Chad came in from the forests, rallied to President Habre's side, and were re-integrated into the Forces Armees Nationales Chadiennes (FANT).

In the fall of 1986, fighters loyal to Goukouni Oueddei, leader of the GUNT, began defecting to the FANT. Although Libyan forces were more heavily equipped than were the Chadians, Habre's FANT, with considerable assistance from ex-GUNT forces, began attacks against the Libyan occupiers in November 1986 and won victories at all the important cities. The Chadian offensive ended in August 1987, with the taking of Aozou Town, the principal village in the Aozou Strip. Chad Government forces held the village for a month but lost it to a heavy Libyan counterattack.

The OAU ad hoc committee continued to seek a peaceful solution to the Chad/Libya conflict, holding meetings over the years with heads of state or ministerial-level officials. In October 1988, Chad resumed formal diplomatic relations with Libya, in accordance with recommendations made by the OAU.

For complete history visit http://www.worldrover.com/history/chad_history.html
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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Nigeria, Libya to Find Peaceful Solution to Sierra Leonean Crisis

Libya-Africa,
Politics,
4/13/1999

Nigerian Vice President-Elect Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi agreed over the weekend that their countries, which support different sides in the Sierra Leone crisis, should work together to restore peace in that country.

According to Nigerian news agency NAN, Gaddafi said an inclusive government, involving the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) was the only solution to resolving the seven-year rebellion.

Gaddafi, whose country, together with Burkina Faso and Liberia, supports the RUF, said this solution applied to all the crisis points in the continent - Angola, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan.

The Libyan leader pledged to use his friendship with the two sides to contribute to resolving the problem.

The source said the incoming civilian administration in Nigeria would collaborate with Libya in ensuring the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Sierra Leone where pro-government Nigerian-led ECOMOG troops have been battling the RUF rebels.

"We share a common perception of the crisis and enjoy enormous goodwill which necessitates our working together to resolve the crisis," the Nigerian official said.

Atiku who also visited Angola pledged the support of the incoming
administration for ongoing efforts to revive the stalled peace process in that country. He assured that president-elect Obasanjo would be personally involved in the effort.

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Dail...999041346.html

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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm