Headline

Democracy Was Forced On Africa — Obasanjo

Published

2 years ago

November 20, 2023

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, said democracy has not been working as a system of government in Africa because it was “forced” on the continent.

Obasanjo stated this in his address at a high-level consultation on “Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy for Africa”.

The former president said the Western style of democracy failed in Africa because it did not take into consideration the views of the majority of the people.

Obasanjo described Western Liberal Democracy as a “government of a few people over all the people or population”.

”These few people are representatives of only some of the people and not full representatives of all the people.

“Invariably, the majority of the people were wittingly or unwittingly kept out. This is why we should have ‘Afro Democracy’ in place of Western Liberal Democracy.”

Obasanjo said African countries have no business operating a system of government in which they have no hands in its definition and design.

“The weakness and failure of liberal democracy as it is practised stem from its history, content, context and its practice.

“Once you move from all the people to representatives of the people, you start to encounter troubles and problems.

“For those who define it as the rule of the majority, should the minority be ignored, neglected and excluded?

“In short, we have a system of government in which we have no hands to define and design and we continue with it, even when we know that it is not working for us.

“Those who brought it to us are now questioning the rightness of their invention, its deliverability and its relevance today without reform,” he said.

Obasanjo explained that the essence of any system of government should be the welfare and well-being of the people.

“Here, we must interrogate the performance of democracy in the West — where it originated from — and with us the inheritors of what we are left with by our colonial powers.

“We are here to stop being foolish and stupid. Can we look inward and outward to see what in our country, culture, tradition, practice and living over the years that we can learn from?

“Something) that we can adopt and adapt with practices everywhere for a changed system of government that will service our purpose better and deliver.

“We have to think out of the box and, after, act with our new thinking.

“You are invited here to examine clinically the practice of liberal democracy, identify its shortcomings for our society and bring forth ideas and recommendations that can serve our purpose better,” he said.

In his remarks, a former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, noted that liberal democracy in Africa was confronted with many challenges.

Fayemi said the improvement of the welfare of the people remained important, saying that democracy faced challenges of delivery in Africa.

“Non-delivery of development outcomes for the people must be adequately addressed so that democracy can deliver,” he said. (NAN)

Headline

Russia, China Afraid Of US Under My Administration — Trump

Published

3 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has said Russia and China fear the United States because of the strength of his administration, arguing that American global influence is driven primarily by its military power and leadership.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday stated that rival powers would not take NATO seriously without the United States, claiming the alliance lacks deterrent force in the absence of American involvement.

He expressed doubts about whether NATO members would come to the aid of the US in a real crisis, despite Washington’s continued commitment to the alliance.

The president credited his leadership with rebuilding the US military during his first term and sustaining its strength, describing this as the key reason adversaries show respect and caution toward the country.

He maintained that America’s military dominance has played a central role in preserving global stability and saving lives.

Trump also argued that his administration forced NATO members to increase defence spending, saying many allies had previously failed to meet financial commitments while relying heavily on the US.

He added that his actions helped prevent further escalation in Eastern Europe and contributed to the resolution of multiple conflicts.

According to Trump, the United States remains the only nation that commands genuine fear and respect from both Russia and China, a position he attributed to his administration’s approach to defence, diplomacy, and global leadership.

“He wrote partly, “The only Nation that China and Russia fear and respect is the DJT REBUILT U.S.A. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! President DJT.”

Headline

Trump To Withdraw US From 66 UN, International Organisations

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has announced plans to withdraw the US from 66 United Nations and international organisations, including key global bodies focused on climate change, peace and democracy.

The decision was disclosed in a presidential memorandum released by the White House on Wednesday evening, following a review of which “organizations, conventions, and treaties are contrary to the interests of the United States.”

According to Trump, the move will see the US end its participation in the affected organisations and cut all related funding.

A list shared by the White House showed that 35 of the organisations are non-UN bodies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Although listed as a non-UN body by the White House, the IPCC is a United Nations organisation that brings together leading scientists to assess climate change evidence and provide periodic reports to guide political leaders.

The memorandum also announced the US withdrawal from 31 UN entities, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Democracy Fund, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which focuses on maternal and child health.

Several of the targeted UN bodies are involved in protecting vulnerable groups during armed conflicts, including the UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

Reacting to the announcement, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a note to correspondents on Wednesday evening that the organisation expected to issue a response by Thursday morning.

Despite repeatedly stating his desire to limit US involvement in UN forums, Trump has continued to exert influence on international decision-making.

In October last year, he threatened to impose sanctions on diplomats who formally adopted a levy on polluting shipping fuels that had already been agreed to at an earlier meeting, a move that stalled the deal for 12 months.

The Trump administration also sanctioned UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese after she released a report detailing the role of international and US companies in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

During his first term in 2017, Trump similarly threatened to cut aid to countries that supported a draft UN resolution condemning the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the US wields significant influence at the United Nations, including veto power, which it has repeatedly used to block efforts to end Israel’s war on Gaza before later mediating a ceasefire.

(Aljazeera)

Headline

UK Supported US Mission To Seize Russian-flagged Oil Tanker – Defense Ministry

Published

17 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

The British Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday that it provided support to the United States in its operation to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic.

US seized the tanker, which was being shadowed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday, after pursuing it for more than two weeks across the Atlantic as part of Washington’s efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports.

According to Britain, its armed forces gave pre-planned operational support, including basing following a US request for assistance.

The UK also said a military vessel provided support for the US forces pursuing the tanker, and the Royal Air Force provided surveillance support from the air.

Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the operation targeted a vessel with a nefarious history linked to Russian and Iranian sanctions evasion networks.

“This action formed part of global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting,” he said in a statement.

According to him, the US was Britain’s closest defence and security partner.

“The depth of our defence relationship with the US is an essential part of our security, and today’s seamlessly executed operation shows just how well this works in practice,” he added.

The British government said that the Bella-1 tanker, now renamed Marinera, is sanctioned by the US under its counter-Iran sanctions,

The MoD statement said the support was provided in full compliance with international law.