LOOSE CANNON? NIGERIA’S NAVY DRILLS WITH FRANCE

As more African nations sail away from French neocolonialism and chart new, sovereign routes, Nigeria is bucking the trend - choosing to anchor itself ever more closely to Paris. The latest example: joint navy drills in and off Lagos.

Sources:

https://dailypost.ng/2024/11/24/nigerian-navy-launches-exercise-crocodile-lift/

https://leadership.ng/tinubu-embraces-france-in-early-foreign-policy-shift/#google_vignette

https://x.com/officialABAT/status/1862203486051467735

NIGERIAN JOURNALIST DISMISSES U.K. COURT ORDERS TO PAY $120,000 FINE

Nigerian journalist David Hundeyin dismisses a recent UK order to pay BBC journalist Charlie Northcott £95,000 ($120,000) as damages for libel. Northcott accused Hundeyin of seriously impacting him professionally and personally following accusations that Northcott used his position as the director of a documentary film to obtain sexual favours from Nigerian journalist Kiki Mordi.

Hundeyin stands by what he published and sees the lawsuit’s outcome as an exercise in colonialism, asking why UK courts have included West Africa into their jurisdiction. 

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Sources:

Original story
https://westafricaweekly.com/journalism-career-graveyard-the-bbc-and-its-west-africa-problem/

Continued……. UK court orders £95,000 fine
https://www.pulse.ng/articles/news/local/uk-court-orders-david-hundeyin-to-pay-over-n200m-as-libel-damages-to-bbc-journalist-2024112411261815891

https://lawbreed.blog/british-court-orders-hundeyin-to-pay-95000-as-damages-to-bbc-journalist-for-libel-see-full-judgment/

RULES FOR THEE NOT FOR ME

While Britain loudly proclaims a ‘rules based order,’ it has no qualms flouting international rulings to retain control over territories. Take the example of the Chagos Archipelago. Despite a 2019 International Court of Justice ruling and repeated UN resolutions affirming Mauritius' sovereignty, Britain resisted compliance until recently. However, a 2024 deal to cede control contains a caveat that allows its main geopolitical ally to retain a foothold - stating that the US can keep its military base on Diego Garcia (one of the archipelago’s islands) for another century. This is a clear continuation of a legacy of colonialism, which saw the forced displacement of Chagossians in the 1960s, facilitated by Anglo-American collusion, and left enduring scars of poverty, displacement and exploitation.

Continued……. Efforts to address these injustices have faced sustained British resistance, from manipulating court rulings to creating a marine reserve as a pretext for preventing the return of displaced communities. While the 2024 agreement between Britain and Mauritius was hailed by some as progress, it has been criticised for excluding Chagossians from negotiations and perpetuating Western dominance through Diego Garcia's extended lease.

IS SOUTH AFRICA CASHING IN FROM GAZA WAR

South Africa is being accused of using one hand to fight Israel's military onslaught on Gaza while using the other hand to count the money it is cashing in from supplying Tel Aviv with coal, some of which is believed to be powering the death and destruction.

According to the Lancet medical journal, by early July, the IDF’s military assault had killed more than 186,000 people. Since October 2023, South Africa has shipped more than half a million tonnes of coal to Israel.

South Africa is currently Israel’s second-largest supplier of coal, and Tel Aviv uses it to generate a significant portion of its electricity. Some of this electricity is used to power military bases and installations that are enabling the onslaught in Gaza.

Continued……Given South Africa's well-publicised stance against Israel's indiscriminate bombardment and starvation of Palestinians, many say the country's decision to continue with coal exports reeks of hypocrisy.

In response, the South African government says the exports are conducted by the private sector, which operates independently of the state’s foreign policy. But activists point to the example of Colombia, which slapped a ban on coal exports to Israel in August.

Is South Africa trying to have its cake and eat it?

Sources:

https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/zaf/partner/isr

https://groundup.org.za/article/glencore-urged-to-stop-selling-coal-to-israel/

https://mediadon.co.za/2024/08/22/cosatu-supports-the-call-on-glencore-to-stop-sending-coal-to-israel-fuelling-apartheid-and-genocide-is-a-crime/

https://www.newarab.com/news/south-africa-urged-end-israel-trade-after-new-icj-submission

https://mg.co.za/the-green-guardian/2024-11-20-sa-accused-of-double-standards-for-selling-coal-to-israel-while-condemning-genocide-in-gaza/

ZIMBABWE COMPENSATING
BRITISH COLONIALISM?

Land and Zimbabwe. Like Siamese twins, the two are often mentioned together. That's because the southern African nation of 16.7 million has had land at the centre of its politics and economy since attaining independence from Britain in 1980. Known as Southern Rhodesia (in memory of British imperialist Cecil Rhodes, of "Cape to Cairo" infamy) before independence, Zimbabwe became home to many White farmers emigrating from the UK, South Africa and some European countries. Under British colonial rule, White settlers acquired huge ranches that contributed to the country's agricultural output, making Zimbabwe the region's bread basket.

Long-serving president Robert Mugabe (1924-2019) skilfully leveraged the land issue to maintain his grip on power. In the early 2000s, he initiated a radical land-repossession programme to bolster support for his ruling party.

Continued……. This move, however, resulted in severe sanctions from Western countries, leading to a prolonged economic crisis.

As our man Kenneth Kaigua reports, Zimbabwe must now address another land-related issue before international creditors are willing to assist in reviving its economy.

Sources:

https://www.news24.com/fin24/economy/zimbabwe-to-pay-white-farmers-r6-billion-in-bonds-20241125

https://www.herald.co.zw/zim-okays-compensation-for-92-bippa-farms/#:~:text=Zimbabwe%20has%20approved%2092%20farms,being%20resolved%20through%20separate%20arrangements

https://www.semafor.com/article/11/26/2024/zimbabwe-plots-return-to-international-capital-markets

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-25/zimbabwe-to-pay-ex-farmers-331-million-in-move-to-rework-debt?srnd=undefined

https://www.ecofinagency.com/finance/2611-46181-zimbabwe-approves-331mln-compensation-for-white-farmers-to-tackle-debt-crisis

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/08/robert-mugabe-slates-tony-blair-over-zimbabwes-land-reform-programme

https://history.blog.gov.uk/2019/12/23/the-lancaster-house-agreement-forty-years-on/

https://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/zimbabwe/ZimLand0302.htm

https://www.cgdev.org/page/scorched-earth-zimbabwe-and-after-satellite-photos

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/08/robert-mugabe-slates-tony-blair-over-zimbabwes-land-reform-programme

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25845845

https://www.africanews.com/2019/04/16/zimbabwe-appeals-for-uk-support-to-compensate-white-farmers//

https://www.economicsonline.co.uk/managing_the_economy/understanding-zimbabwes-economic-collapse-causes-and-consequences.html/

https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/zimbabwes-seemingly-endless-currency-crisis/

https://www.africanews.com/2019/04/16/zimbabwe-appeals-for-uk-support-to-compensate-white-farmers//

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/investing/2024/11/25/zimbabwe-to-pay-ex-farmers-331-million-in-move-to-rework-debt/

https://apnews.com/article/zimbabwe-white-farmers-land-colonialism-mugabe-8ef1747c1f02d92487b0c47bb1be1f4d

https://taxjustice.net/2020/06/09/slavery-compensation-uk-questions/#:~:text=The%20British%20government%20borrowed%20%C2%A3,of%20the%20largest%20in%20history.

This week’s African proverb is a reminder that the same challenge can affect us differently - depending on our constitution. Do we bow to life’s pressures or is our character toughened by them?