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SUDAN’S FORGOTTEN WAR
Sudan’s civil war is nearing the one-year mark - but not only does the conflict look nowhere near ending, it’s failed to evoke global concern.
And that is a disaster for the millions displaced and on the brink of a hunger emergency. Aid agencies have been trying to raise funds to meet the urgent need for food, shelter and medicines - but so far, only half of what they judge essential has been raised.
It’s one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history. One year on, why has the Sudanese people’s suffering failed to move the world?
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Sudan’s civil war is nearing the one-year mark - but not only does the conflict look nowhere near ending, it’s failed to evoke global concern.
And that is a disaster for the millions displaced and on the brink of a hunger emergency. Aid agencies have been trying to raise funds to meet the urgent need for food, shelter and medicines - but so far, only half of what they judge essential has been raised.
It’s one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history. One year on, why has the Sudanese people’s suffering failed to move the world?
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Could a new gold-backed currency be the masterstroke to fix Zimbabwe’s runaway inflation? Well, the country’s government thinks so. On 5th April, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)-the nation’s central bank- launched Zim Gold (ZiG). As the name suggests, it will be backed by the country’s gold, along with precious metals and foreign currency reserves. Together, they’re worth around $285m and will easily cover the new currency, according to RBZ governor, John Mushayavanhu.
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Continued…. ZiG will replace the inflation-battered Zimbabwe dollar which has lost over three quarters of its value in the last 12 months, during which annual inflation has soared to 55 per cent. Other factors also make the new currency appealing. In recent years, gold has emerged as one of the country’s leading exports and accounted for nearly 25 percent of export earnings in January, according to government statistics. And then there’s sanctions. For more than two decades, Zimbabwe’s economy has struggled under the weight of unilaterally-imposed measures by the West following Harare’s land-reform programme. In early March, the US government replaced them with a new form of ‘targeted sanctions’ under the so-called Global Magnitsky Act of 2016, used to sanction foreign officials. Washington claims the new measures will have no negative impact on Zimbabwe’s economy. However, Harare says they’re a ‘gratuitous slander’ against its leaders and maintains sanctions are illegal.
Their destructive impact was laid bare by Alena Douhan, UN Special Rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures. After visiting Zimbabwe in 2021, the expert said: ‘Sanctions have had an insidious ripple effect on the economy of Zimbabwe and on the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, including access to health, food, safe drinking water and sanitation, education and employment.’
Given the background, you can now understand Zimbabwe’s incentive to give this new currency a try. It will be used alongside the US dollar as legal tender. The question is, how much of an impact will it have?
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Their destructive impact was laid bare by Alena Douhan, UN Special Rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures. After visiting Zimbabwe in 2021, the expert said: ‘Sanctions have had an insidious ripple effect on the economy of Zimbabwe and on the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, including access to health, food, safe drinking water and sanitation, education and employment.’
Given the background, you can now understand Zimbabwe’s incentive to give this new currency a try. It will be used alongside the US dollar as legal tender. The question is, how much of an impact will it have?
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RWANDA GENOCIDE BLAMED ON ‘COWARDLY’ GLOBAL POWERS
On the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi, the country’s president accused the international community of not doing enough to stop it. Paul Kagame took part in a wreath-laying ceremony in Kigali in memory of over 800,000 Tutsis and Hutu moderates slaughtered in the space of 100 days from April 7th, 1994. He said the world had effectively stood by and watched it unfold either through ‘contempt or cowardice.’
As early as January that year, the UN’s Rwanda mission (UNAMIR) had indications mass killings were on the way. However, its Commander-in-Chief, Roméo Dallaire, was told he didn’t have a mandate to intervene.
A few months later, in April, his request to double the mission’s troops to 5,000 was rejected, and the UN Security Council voted to withdraw 90 per cent of its forces. By late April, UNAMIR had just 450 poorly equipped soldiers.
The following month, France offered to send troops.
On the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi, the country’s president accused the international community of not doing enough to stop it. Paul Kagame took part in a wreath-laying ceremony in Kigali in memory of over 800,000 Tutsis and Hutu moderates slaughtered in the space of 100 days from April 7th, 1994. He said the world had effectively stood by and watched it unfold either through ‘contempt or cowardice.’
As early as January that year, the UN’s Rwanda mission (UNAMIR) had indications mass killings were on the way. However, its Commander-in-Chief, Roméo Dallaire, was told he didn’t have a mandate to intervene.
A few months later, in April, his request to double the mission’s troops to 5,000 was rejected, and the UN Security Council voted to withdraw 90 per cent of its forces. By late April, UNAMIR had just 450 poorly equipped soldiers.
The following month, France offered to send troops.
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Continued…. However, their deployment took weeks after a disagreement with the US over the cost of using military equipment for peacekeeping forces. After their arrival, they were accused of letting those guilty of atrocities escape through the French-controlled buffer zone.
The UN only accepted responsibility for its inaction in 2000. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan lamented in 2004 that he’d not done enough to stop the mass killings. It was only recognised as genocide by the UN in 2014.
During commemorations, Kagame vowed he’d never allow politics in his country to be organised on the basis of ethnicity and religion. He’s been in power since 2000 but has been in de facto charge since 1994 when his rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, seized control to end the genocide.
Critics however, accuse Kagame’s government of participating in acts of mass killing in Eastern DRC under the pretext of hunting the 1994 génocidaires.
What do you make of his comments?
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The UN only accepted responsibility for its inaction in 2000. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan lamented in 2004 that he’d not done enough to stop the mass killings. It was only recognised as genocide by the UN in 2014.
During commemorations, Kagame vowed he’d never allow politics in his country to be organised on the basis of ethnicity and religion. He’s been in power since 2000 but has been in de facto charge since 1994 when his rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, seized control to end the genocide.
Critics however, accuse Kagame’s government of participating in acts of mass killing in Eastern DRC under the pretext of hunting the 1994 génocidaires.
What do you make of his comments?
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REPORT: ILLEGAL WEAPONS SENT TO HAITI
On 5 April, Haitian police forces reportedly uncovered an illegal shipment of weapons from the United States. According to the website, Haiti Libre, the container included 12 assault rifles, 14 9-mm pistol guns, 999 cartridges for various calibre sizes, and 34 chargers (sniper rifles). Haitian officials seized the weapons at the port of Cap-Haïtien. Haiti Libre reported Alliance Int’l Shipping LLC Agency of 6916 NW, 72nd Avenue in Miami, shipped the container to someone named ‘Wilmane Jean,’ described as a ‘customs broker.’
‘A man named Barthol, thus known, was responsible for receiving these contraband arms and ammunition,’ the outlet added.
While all details are not yet known, evidence already demonstrates the United States’ role in destabilising Haiti.
On 5 April, Haitian police forces reportedly uncovered an illegal shipment of weapons from the United States. According to the website, Haiti Libre, the container included 12 assault rifles, 14 9-mm pistol guns, 999 cartridges for various calibre sizes, and 34 chargers (sniper rifles). Haitian officials seized the weapons at the port of Cap-Haïtien. Haiti Libre reported Alliance Int’l Shipping LLC Agency of 6916 NW, 72nd Avenue in Miami, shipped the container to someone named ‘Wilmane Jean,’ described as a ‘customs broker.’
‘A man named Barthol, thus known, was responsible for receiving these contraband arms and ammunition,’ the outlet added.
While all details are not yet known, evidence already demonstrates the United States’ role in destabilising Haiti.
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Continued…. From 1915 to 1934, the United States occupied Haiti, taking control of the country’s politics and finances. Reports say the US Marines violated the human rights of Haitian civilians. From 1957 to 1971, the United States backed President François Duvalier, who ruled over Haiti with an iron fist.
More recently, the United States employed coups d’état twice to overthrow democratically-elected socialist leader, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Since the last coup in 2004, instability has wracked the Haitian side of the Hispaniola island in the northern Caribbean Sea.
The United States has also participated in and sanctioned other military occupations on the island. After UN ‘peacekeeping’ troops poured sewerage into waterways, a cholera outbreak killed at least 10,000 Haitians in the 2010s. Plus, Haitian women and girls have reported sexual violence at the hands of UN troops. An unpopular Kenyan police deployment has yet to take place.
What do you think about this alleged weapon shipment? Let us know in the comments.
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More recently, the United States employed coups d’état twice to overthrow democratically-elected socialist leader, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Since the last coup in 2004, instability has wracked the Haitian side of the Hispaniola island in the northern Caribbean Sea.
The United States has also participated in and sanctioned other military occupations on the island. After UN ‘peacekeeping’ troops poured sewerage into waterways, a cholera outbreak killed at least 10,000 Haitians in the 2010s. Plus, Haitian women and girls have reported sexual violence at the hands of UN troops. An unpopular Kenyan police deployment has yet to take place.
What do you think about this alleged weapon shipment? Let us know in the comments.
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AES FRIENDSHIP SHINES BRIGHTER THAN GOLD
In 1974, boxer and activist Muhammad Ali shared his beautiful poem about friendship in a televised interview.
Today, three countries in Africa are shining examples of what he meant. The Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—established in September by three countries that underwent popular coups: Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—have forged a bond, both at the level of heads of state and at the grassroots among civilians.
In 1974, boxer and activist Muhammad Ali shared his beautiful poem about friendship in a televised interview.
Today, three countries in Africa are shining examples of what he meant. The Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—established in September by three countries that underwent popular coups: Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—have forged a bond, both at the level of heads of state and at the grassroots among civilians.
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Continued….. These landlocked countries in the Sahel, an arid zone south of the Sahara Desert, are closer than ever as they have agreed that an attack on any of the AES member-states is an attack on them all. The countries recently announced they would leave the France-backed regional organisation, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), flustering their Western-aligned neighbours. The AES lays the groundwork for Pan-African unity.
Burkina Faso and Mali are among Africa’s top gold producers, yet they understand their alliance—or their friendship—is more powerful.
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Burkina Faso and Mali are among Africa’s top gold producers, yet they understand their alliance—or their friendship—is more powerful.
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‘THEY TOOK OUR WEALTH’
On what would have been his 126th birthday, we remember ‘Afro-American’ artist Paul Robeson - with a clip from 1960, in which his wit, intelligence and insights shine through.
First broadcast on Australian TV, he explains to host and audience how their country, and the United States too, got its wealth - as well as why he is proud of his African roots, despite institutional attempts to make him ashamed of them.
His outspoken political beliefs got him blacklisted during the McCarthy era, effectively ending his mainstream success. But that didn’t stop him from saying what he thought.
Does he impress you as much as he does us?
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On what would have been his 126th birthday, we remember ‘Afro-American’ artist Paul Robeson - with a clip from 1960, in which his wit, intelligence and insights shine through.
First broadcast on Australian TV, he explains to host and audience how their country, and the United States too, got its wealth - as well as why he is proud of his African roots, despite institutional attempts to make him ashamed of them.
His outspoken political beliefs got him blacklisted during the McCarthy era, effectively ending his mainstream success. But that didn’t stop him from saying what he thought.
Does he impress you as much as he does us?
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How best to test a soldier’s bravery? Well, some senior military officers at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) think pressuring recruits to have unprotected sex with local prostitutes is the way to go.
According to the UK’s Defence Medical Services, the toss of a coin determines whether a recruit wears a condom as part of a hazing—or initiation—process.
A report says prostitution is rife at the Nyati Barracks in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, where up to 10,000 troops train annually. More Kenyan-based UK soldiers reportedly seek medical care for sexually transmitted infections compared to troops in Britain. Defence authorities are now alarmed because of Kenya’s higher prevalence of HIV, at 5 per cent of the population compared to the UK’s 0.2 per cent.
According to the UK’s Defence Medical Services, the toss of a coin determines whether a recruit wears a condom as part of a hazing—or initiation—process.
A report says prostitution is rife at the Nyati Barracks in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, where up to 10,000 troops train annually. More Kenyan-based UK soldiers reportedly seek medical care for sexually transmitted infections compared to troops in Britain. Defence authorities are now alarmed because of Kenya’s higher prevalence of HIV, at 5 per cent of the population compared to the UK’s 0.2 per cent.
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Continued…. Kenyans have accused the British military personnel in Nanyuki of committing murder, sexual abuse and environmental damage. In 2021, a British Army training exercise sparked a fire that engulfed over 10,000 acres of forest and destroyed the livelihoods of 7,000 people in surrounding villages.
According to a UK government website, Britain spends £6.5 million ($8.25 million) annually for its defence partnership with Kenya.
Despite Kenya gaining independence in 1963, Brits still occupy Kenyan land for military and corporate purposes. What do you make of this? Let us know in the comments.
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According to a UK government website, Britain spends £6.5 million ($8.25 million) annually for its defence partnership with Kenya.
Despite Kenya gaining independence in 1963, Brits still occupy Kenyan land for military and corporate purposes. What do you make of this? Let us know in the comments.
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HOW RWANDA’S GENOCIDE DESTABILISED THE DRC
It’s thirty years since the Rwandan genocide, but that grim episode in the country’s history is still having devastating consequences to this day - in particular, in neighbouring DRC, where conflict, atrocities and civilian displacement are facts of life. We examine how the current instability in eastern Congo can be traced back to the genocide across the border.
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It’s thirty years since the Rwandan genocide, but that grim episode in the country’s history is still having devastating consequences to this day - in particular, in neighbouring DRC, where conflict, atrocities and civilian displacement are facts of life. We examine how the current instability in eastern Congo can be traced back to the genocide across the border.
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U.S. IS COMING FOR AFRICA’S MINERALS
The US needs more of Africa’s minerals to lessen its reliance on supplies from China. According to a Washington think-tank, it’s now a matter of national security. A report by the US Institute of Peace warns America needs to engage in aggressive ‘commercial diplomacy’ to secure new deals with the continent. But it also admits none of this can happen overnight.
Well, of course it can’t. For decades, the US-Africa relationship has been exploitative. Washington benefited from Africa’s so-called ‘conflict minerals’ by funding puppet regimes in resource-rich African countries. In DR Congo, which has minerals worth $24-trillion, the CIA killed Pan-African leader, Patrice Lumumba, and propped up compliant dictator Mobutu Sese Seko for over 30 years. Many reports now link U.S. involvement in the ongoing conflict in Eastern DR Congo.
The US needs more of Africa’s minerals to lessen its reliance on supplies from China. According to a Washington think-tank, it’s now a matter of national security. A report by the US Institute of Peace warns America needs to engage in aggressive ‘commercial diplomacy’ to secure new deals with the continent. But it also admits none of this can happen overnight.
Well, of course it can’t. For decades, the US-Africa relationship has been exploitative. Washington benefited from Africa’s so-called ‘conflict minerals’ by funding puppet regimes in resource-rich African countries. In DR Congo, which has minerals worth $24-trillion, the CIA killed Pan-African leader, Patrice Lumumba, and propped up compliant dictator Mobutu Sese Seko for over 30 years. Many reports now link U.S. involvement in the ongoing conflict in Eastern DR Congo.
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Continued…. Finding new and willing business partners won’t be easy and neither will catching up with China. Beijing has stolen a march in Africa with business schemes, like the Belt and Road initiative, viewed as a win-win for all involved. By 2030, it’s forecast China will replace the EU as Africa’s biggest trade partner.
The trend has spooked the US which is now investing in the Lobito Corridor, connecting Zambia, DR Congo, and Angola. But is this just too little too late?
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The trend has spooked the US which is now investing in the Lobito Corridor, connecting Zambia, DR Congo, and Angola. But is this just too little too late?
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BURKINABE PAN-AFRICANISTS RALLY BEHIND PREZ TRAORÉ
On April 6th, 2024, Pan-Africanists took to the streets of Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso - to ‘send a message’ to the world: the country is behind its revolutionary leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
It comes amid a number of media reports, especially by French state-owned outlets, claiming that the revolution in the former French colony is unpopular.
In this clip, the leader of one of the local Pan-African groups rejects that in a passionate speech, in which he says the young people of Burkina Faso are fully behind (interim) President Traoré - and that the Sahel as a whole is leading the way for Africans continent-wide.
Have a watch and listen, and let us know if you’re also fired up by those sentiments!
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On April 6th, 2024, Pan-Africanists took to the streets of Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso - to ‘send a message’ to the world: the country is behind its revolutionary leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
It comes amid a number of media reports, especially by French state-owned outlets, claiming that the revolution in the former French colony is unpopular.
In this clip, the leader of one of the local Pan-African groups rejects that in a passionate speech, in which he says the young people of Burkina Faso are fully behind (interim) President Traoré - and that the Sahel as a whole is leading the way for Africans continent-wide.
Have a watch and listen, and let us know if you’re also fired up by those sentiments!
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PAUL ROBESON RESISTING McCARTHYISM
Here’s another worthy clip from Paul Robeson, as we celebrate his birthday. The Pro-African activist famously schools members of the House Committee on anti-American Activities. It was during the height of McCarthyism, and his anti-imperialist work had brought him to the attention of U.S. officials. Robeson was blamed for persuading Blacks not to fight in imperialist wars and for being ‘a Communist’.
No doubt authorities’ fears also stemmed from his charisma and ability to engage the public. We shouldn’t forget Robeson was a 20th-century icon in sport and film and his talents shone from a young age.
Here’s another worthy clip from Paul Robeson, as we celebrate his birthday. The Pro-African activist famously schools members of the House Committee on anti-American Activities. It was during the height of McCarthyism, and his anti-imperialist work had brought him to the attention of U.S. officials. Robeson was blamed for persuading Blacks not to fight in imperialist wars and for being ‘a Communist’.
No doubt authorities’ fears also stemmed from his charisma and ability to engage the public. We shouldn’t forget Robeson was a 20th-century icon in sport and film and his talents shone from a young age.
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Continued…. He was born on April 9, 1898, in Princeton, New Jersey, to a former slave of Igbo (Nigerian) origin and a mother of mixed ancestry. In his early life, he turned heads on the football field, won a place at Rutgers College in 1915 and was their only student of African origin at the time. He went on to play in the NFL, trained as a lawyer and later became an actor and singer. Robeson died in 1976, aged 77, after suffering a stroke.
Happy birthday and rest in power, champ!
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Happy birthday and rest in power, champ!
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PRISON TO PALACE IN TEN DAYS
Within the space of 10 days, a Senegalese prisoner became president. It’s an amazing story that saw Bassirou Faye go from his cell to the palace and lead his country with fellow inmate Ousmane Sonko joining him as prime minister. In just over a week, they managed to galvanise the youth vote and capitalise on years of popular discontent.
But will this dreamlike rise to the top end well? There are fears Faye’s already back-pedalling on his election promise to ditch the CFA franc as the country’s currency. We look at the duo’s stunning path to power and what lies ahead.
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Within the space of 10 days, a Senegalese prisoner became president. It’s an amazing story that saw Bassirou Faye go from his cell to the palace and lead his country with fellow inmate Ousmane Sonko joining him as prime minister. In just over a week, they managed to galvanise the youth vote and capitalise on years of popular discontent.
But will this dreamlike rise to the top end well? There are fears Faye’s already back-pedalling on his election promise to ditch the CFA franc as the country’s currency. We look at the duo’s stunning path to power and what lies ahead.
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RIDE THE LAGOS SKYLINE!
The Lagos Light Rail is the latest feather in the cap for Nigeria’s commercial capital - as Africa’s most populous city moves to ease its chronic traffic congestion
The 13-km-long metro line has been in operation for almost a year now, but the project - which links the mainland part of the city, where most of the population lives, with the more affluent Lagos Island, where many businesses are headquartered - is still causing a buzz online. Commuters are posting videos of their journeys - taking in the sprawling megapolis’ skyline.
The electric-powered service is helping to cut journey times from Mile 2 near Tin Can Island, the nation’s busiest sea port, to Marina on Lagos Island - from 3 hours to 25 minutes. Construction of the line began in 2009, with services slated to start in 2011, but funding constraints for the $132 million project delayed the plan.
The Lagos Light Rail is the latest feather in the cap for Nigeria’s commercial capital - as Africa’s most populous city moves to ease its chronic traffic congestion
The 13-km-long metro line has been in operation for almost a year now, but the project - which links the mainland part of the city, where most of the population lives, with the more affluent Lagos Island, where many businesses are headquartered - is still causing a buzz online. Commuters are posting videos of their journeys - taking in the sprawling megapolis’ skyline.
The electric-powered service is helping to cut journey times from Mile 2 near Tin Can Island, the nation’s busiest sea port, to Marina on Lagos Island - from 3 hours to 25 minutes. Construction of the line began in 2009, with services slated to start in 2011, but funding constraints for the $132 million project delayed the plan.
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Continued…. Even with the light rail in action for almost a year now, traffic congestion is still badly hurting the Lagos economy: according to Danne Institute for Research, the city’s businesses lose an estimated ₦3,834,340,158,870 a year - that’s almost $3 billion annually!
The second phase of the network should improve things further. It will run from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, on the way to Badagry, the state’s border with neighbouring Benin. It’s currently under construction, and will not only further ease traffic congestion but also provide idyllic views of the Lagos skyline.
Video Credit: (m_fun4)
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The second phase of the network should improve things further. It will run from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, on the way to Badagry, the state’s border with neighbouring Benin. It’s currently under construction, and will not only further ease traffic congestion but also provide idyllic views of the Lagos skyline.
Video Credit: (m_fun4)
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