Challenges Of Doing Investigative Reporting In Africa: ‘Walking Through A Minefield At Midnight?’

By Ikechukwu Amaechi When I was asked if I could do a 30-minute presentation on the topic, “Challenges of doing investigative reporting in Africa: Walking through a minefield at midnight?” my immediate reaction was that whoever framed the question unwittingly answered it. Globally, doing investigative reporting is a risky venture, but it is a nightmare [...]

The Joke Is On Us

On Thursday, June 28, President Umaru Yar’Adua took the unprecedented step of declaring publicly his personal assets. Coming barely one month after he assumed office, the step is unparalleled because he is the first Nigerian president, military or civilian, to declare his private assets publicly. That he is not under any legal obligation to do [...]

Will Peter Obi Ever Get Justice?

Peter Obi   One question that has concentrated the minds of many Nigerians since the April elections is how to avoid, in the future, the colossal fraud that seriously blemished the exercise. To be sure, this is not an entirely new question. Long before the elections were conducted, pundits, with the benefit of hindsight, proffered [...]

Iraq: The making of another Vietnam

In Iraq, as it happened in Vietnam more than three decades ago, the counterinsurgency clock is, slowly but inexorably, ticking against the US _____________________________________________________________________ Robert Gates, US Defence Secretary, is reputed for his level-headedness. Ordinarily, he seldom blows his top even when faced with challenging situations. But the hell-hole that is Iraq is giving him [...]

US-China Dialogue: What Prospects?

Chinese President Hu Jianto (left) with US President, George Bush The US-China dialogue signals desire by both countries to address economic issues that have dogged their relationship for so long. But do they have the political will?  Mr Al Gore, America’s former vice president, reputed for his perspicuity, lived up to the billing recently. Answering [...]

Celebrating Pyrrhic Victory

After five years of sabre-rattling, the Bush administration is surprisingly celebrating the triumph of diplomacy in its dealings with North Korea.  The communist country on February 13, agreed to shut down its nuclear program, an agreement Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, describes as “tentative.” Indeed, when dealing with Pyongyang, no agreement is etched on [...]

UN Job: Did Obasanjo Block Okonjo-Iweala

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s former Finance Minister   A Vietnamese friend drew my attention to the story last week. A politically discerning lady and a journalist with over ten years experience, we struck a relationship in our very first week in Cardiff. Since then, discussion of international politics has become our pastime. When the new [...]

President Bushes Sabre-rattling

 President George W Bush. Source: www.flickr.com Once again, the US President, George W. Bush is rattling the sabre in the Persian Gulf. But this time, he is threatening to attack Iran, having wrecked Iraq.    The cover story of New Statesman magazine last week, titled “Ready to attack,” alleged that the US has completed preparations [...]

US Duplicity In Iraq

 US soldiers abusing an Iraqi. Pix – www.aljazeera.com In many ways, the United States’ misadventure in Iraq and the conduct of some of its troops, continue to question the claim of many Americans to superior moral conduct.  Perception of the US, under President George Bush’s watch, as a rogue state is increasing, and the duplicitous [...]