A Short Biography of Yesterday

In the past, the average Lagosian would have had precious little interest in Icelandic affairs, but this is May 2010, and the world is what it is.

If frigid Iceland can keep it’s temper in check – and desist from volcanic eruptions for the next few days – I should be able to keep an appointment with books in Victoria Island.

And in gratitude to Iceland I shall learn to pronounce ‘Eyjafjallajökull volcano’… I did get a pronounciation lesson from a friendly lady from the Icelandic embassy (who was standing in for her delegation during the London Book Fair) but I forgot everything within five steps of her stall…

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A Draft Corporate Corruption Bill

The text of a proposed law is not the sexiest subject for a blog, but some laws are capable of a transformative impact on society and they should interest all of us. An example of a law that can completely transform society is one that ends Apartheid.

My proposal for a ‘magic bullet law’ aimed at endemic corruption is potentially transformative not just of Nigerian or even African society. This draft law is scripted for Nigeria, but it is relevant to any society whose public institutions are still nascent.

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Yesterday, Nigeria’s House of Assembly appointed Vice President Goodluck Jonathan the  ‘Acting President’ of the federation under the provisions of S. 145 of the Constitution. They acted to fill the vacuum created when President Yar Adua was rushed to Saudi Arabia on a medical emergency some 78 days ago. They are to be congratulated for finally doing something. Sadly, however, their action has created another constitutional crisis. This is section 145 of the 1999 constitution on which they relied:

145. Whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the Vice-President as Acting President. Read more »

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Good wishes were never going to be enough.

The token gesture, even the heart-felt, sacrificial donation… they were always going to be too little, too late, not for that disaster area an ocean away. Thanks to television, the world suffered with Haiti. But Haiti needed far more than tears. Enter America. Never was military might put to better use. Never did an American imperial presidency respond with greater heart and promptitude to the needs of needy humanity than in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake. As in the aftermath of the Asian Tsunami, it is not just the aircraft carriers, ambulance ships, thousands of soldiers or even the pledge of a hundred million dollars that makes the difference. It is also in the raw empathy and generosity of spirit from citizens on the streets (notwithstanding the ever-present lunatic fringe). Read more »

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Human Trafficking.

Chika Unigwe’s recent novel, On Black Sister’s Street, puts some faces on the issues. Yet, the choices that are exercised by the victims of Human Trafficking vary widely: from those seduced by promises of a better life to others who are kidnapped in the first place. All are trapped in situations of inhuman exploitation. All the ingredients of the Great Slave Trade are present: especially a criminal immorality that sits beneath the radar of popular outrage.

Human Trafficking is  a catchall for a wide variety of turpitude, not all of which is sexual.

No country is innocent of the odium of H.T. – some countries are Sources, other are Transit or Destination countries. A few are all three, and we are all essential partners in the fight to end this shameful vestige of slavery.

Here is essential reading if you need to plug into the issues.

Chuma Nwokolo

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There may be ‘just’ wars, but this was simply not one of them. It is difficult to imagine how one can aspire to make the world a better place by blowing  innocents up in the skies.

In addition to the forthrightness of his father, we can also be grateful for the incompetent bomb-making skills of the civil engineer that reserved the fury of his bomb for his own nether regions. And for the swift response of the fellow passengers that may have prevented a larger conflagration over the skies of Detroit. Read more »

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Lionel Shriver, Exchange Rates.

Hitting Trees with Sticks is the title of one of the contenders for the BBC Short Story competition. It is one of five finalists. The winner should be announced by Monday 7th December (listen to podcasts here ). The title, ‘hitting trees with sticks’ comes together with the first and last paragraphs in a circularity that is one of the great techniques of the form.

How can the novel compete? Within the duration of a thirty-minute drive, Jane Rogers takes you, with empathy, into Alzheimer territory. (And when the story’s done, you’ll never leave again.) An elderly woman is losing her mind and she knows it; she putters round  and around her home in an ever-shrinking circle of memory. The story ends as it begins, with a little girl whacking a tree, only this time, we are mentally whacking that tree with her as well. Good stuff. Read more »

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Nigeria’s President, Umaru Yar’Adua has finally released a statement regarding his latest visit to a hospital in Saudi Arabia. It was probably inspired by swirling rumours of his death.  According to spokesman, Olusegun Adeniyi, the President has acute pericarditis, an affliction of the heart. That may not be all that is afflicting the heart of the President. Asked how the president felt about the rumours of his death, Adeniyi said:

He is a human being, naturally he will feel bad. This is not the first time, the President was aware of the rumour. He felt bad about it as any normal human being would

Well, Mr. Spokesman, feed the people with news and they won’t trawl for rumours. The health of the President is a matter of national interest.  Speaking of which, it is obvious that this recent diagnosis does not explain all the many foreign health visits, the lingering rumours, and the presidential health question marks.  Hopefully, this marks a departure from the counter-productive culture of secrecy. Openness is called for here; and courage to take hard-headed decisions in the interests of the nation – and the president’s  afflicted heart. – Two interests that are not necessarily irreconcilable.

Get well, Mr. President.

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Yesterday brought me new insight: war is NOT sexy.

Insight being a YouTube software that gives the uploader of a video interesting statistics about his viewership. One of the stats I found, on the third day after uploading the video of my poem, Sudan. Sudan., is the Hot Spots Chart. I’ll set it out, before explaining further:

YouTube Hot Spots Chart Read more »

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