Our country is the largest single unit in Africa… we are not going to abdicate the position in which God Almighty has placed us. The whole black continent is looking up to this country to liberate it from thraldom.
Tuesday
Nigeria was once an indisputable leader in Africa: What happened?
Monday
Sowore 'disappointed' Tinubu did not participate in Abuja Marathon
CC™ Politico News
The African Action Congress (AAC) Presidential Candidate, Omoyele Sowore has expressed his 'disappointment' that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu did not participate in the 2023 Abuja Marathon.
Sowore stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Saturday.
He also expressed disappointment over the absence of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mohammed Bello, at the race.
The rights activist was one of the participants in the maiden edition of the Abuja International Marathon.
He said: “This is the first Abuja marathon, I participated and I ran longer than I expected. I expected that the Minister of FCT would be here.
“I was even expecting Tinubu to be here, but apparently, I am the only presidential candidate standing after the election.
“I ran with kids, great kids. I am of the opinion that we are wasting a lot of talent in this country.”
According to Sowore, sports was an important tool towards uniting Nigerians and generating employment for the youths.
Sunday
The Reality of Black life in America
CC™ InfoShots
Saturday
Peter Obi reacts to Buhari’s postponement of National Population Census
Buhari betrayed Jonathan’s Legacy |
CC™ Global News
By Gboyega Sowemimo
Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Gregory Obi, has reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to postpone the 2023 Population and Housing Census, earlier scheduled for May 3-7 2023.
Buhari in a press statement signed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Saturday, officially approved the census postponement.
Mohammed revealed that Buhari gave the approval after meeting with some members of the Federal Executive Council and the Chairman of the National Population Commission, Nasir Isa-Kwarra, and his team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.
According to the minister, President Buhari approved that a new date would be determined by the incoming administration.
Reacting via Twitter on Saturday, Peter Obi described Buhari’s decision as a welcome development, stressing that National Census is a critical development and nation-building tool.
Obi tweeted: “FGN’s decision to postpone the 2023 Population and Housing Census, scheduled for 3-7 May 2023, to a date to be determined by the incoming Administration is a propitious and welcome development. National Census is a critical development and nation-building tool”
It is imperative that the next National Population Census is done right, with a view to addressing past concerns of the exercise being manipulated to favor a certain region of the country.
Friday
Transgender female runner who beat 14,000 women at London Marathon offers to give medal back
CC™ Global News
By Ryan Gaydos and Chantz Martin
Glenique Frank, a transgender woman who ran the London Marathon in the female category, offered to give her medal back after controversy stirred when she beat out about 14,000 women in the race.
Frank sparked criticism after she appeared in a BBC interview and gushed about becoming a grandmother. She told the New York Post that the London Marathon was the first race she was able to pick her own name and gender. Several other races she plans on running need her name and gender given on her passport, including New York City, Tokyo and Boston, among others.
Frank told the outlet she was only sorry for "upsetting" her critics.
"If they want me to give my medal back, I’ll say, ‘OK, fine. No problem,'" Frank told the New York Post. "If they really think I’ve stolen the place [of a female runner], I don’t mind giving the medal back, because I’ll run again next year for charity.
"They’re angry because they’re saying that one of 14,000 women behind me could have had my place. Really? I did [the race in] 4 hours 11 minutes. There’s lots of women that beat me."
Frank said she understood she does not have a "womb" but insisted she did not compete as an elite runner and "didn’t steal any money."
Frank’s foray into the London Marathon irked two-time Olympian Mara Yamauchi, who finished in sixth place in the marathon at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 while representing her home country of Great Britain.
Yamauchi did not mince words when she spoke on Frank's win at the marathon over the weekend.
"Males in the [female] category is UNFAIR for females," Yamauchi wrote in a tweet.
"Nearly 14,000 actual females suffered a worse finish position [because] of him," Yamauchi wrote on Twitter.
Frank said her attention was not to try to trick anyone.
"I’ve known since I was 5 that I was in the wrong body," Frank said.
Frank said she is still planning on running marathons and planned on entering the London race next year as "other" or "male" to "just keep everybody happy."
Frank previously ran at an event in New York City while wearing a bra and a wig.
Frank, who is a British citizen, identifies as a female. After running a 17th career marathon, she excitedly spoke about using "girl power" to help get through the race.
Thursday
Nigeria Completes Gas Pipeline Without Chinese Funds
CC™ Energy News
By Charles Kennedy
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has used around $1.1 billion of its own funds so far and has completed work on 70% of a large natural gas pipeline in Nigeria even after a Chinese loan for the project failed to materialize.
Nigeria's federal government announced in July 2020 that the Bank of China and Sinosure had agreed to finance part of the costs for constructing the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline to the economic hub in the north, Kano. In the summer of 2021, reports started swirling that Chinese lenders were reluctant to increase their exposure and finance part of the gas pipeline project estimated to cost $2.8 billion.
Nigeria has started to look for alternative funding for at least US$1 billion of the pipeline's cost and has started to approach other lenders, including export-import credit institutions, sources told Reuters two years ago.
This week, NNPC Group chief executive, Mele Kyari, said on a site inspection that the AKK Gas Pipeline project was nearly 70% completed, and more than $1.1 billion has been released so far to finance the project. The pipeline is planned to run for 614 kilometers (382 miles) and is currently being financed by the NNPC.
The AKK Gas Pipeline line will flow 2 Bscf/d and will power industries and power plants and create gas-based industries, Kyari said. By the third quarter of this year, NNPC will complete the entire welding job on this line, he said while visiting a construction site along the pipeline's route.
“We have so far spent over $1.1 billion on this project from our cashflow," NNPC's Kyari said.
"We are a commercial company today. We have inter-company loans within our company now. This company can fund this project, so we do not need any support to deliver this project now."
Wednesday
Monday
The forgotten Man who freed Africans from Arab Slavery
CC™ VideoScope
Sunday
Saturday
Egyptian lawyer sues Netflix for depicting Cleopatra as Black woman
CC™ Entertainment News
By Adele James
An Egyptian lawyer has taken legal action against the popular streaming platform, Netflix. The lawyer filed a case with the Public Prosecutor calling for the closure of the platform after the release of the trailer for the upcoming movie, "Queen Cleopatra."
The film depicts the Greek historical figure as a black-skinned woman, a portrayal that has caused controversy and sparked outrage in Egypt.
The lawyer argues that the depiction is historically inaccurate and offensive to the Egyptian people.
According to Egypt Independent, Mahmoud al-Semary demanded that all legal measures be taken against those responsible for the documentary and the management of the streaming platform for its participation in “this crime.”
The complaint submitted against the streaming platform alleged that "most of what Netflix platform displays contradicts Islamic and societal values and principles, especially Egyptian ones.", Greek city times reported.
The case said that the documentary promotes Afrocentrism that is widely spread on social media, which have slogans and writings aimed at distorting and obliterating the Egyptian identity.
The complaint continued addressing Public Prosecution: "In order to preserve the Egyptian national and cultural identity among Egyptians all over the world… we ask and seek you to take the necessary legal measures against this platform."
It demanded stopping broadcasts showing all works aimed at obliterating and distorting the Egyptian identity, through films aimed at falsifying and distorting history in Egypt.