Headline

Goodluck Jonathan Names One Major Source Of Conflict In African Countries

Published

4 years ago

November 20, 2021

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has insisted that one major source of conflicts in many African countries is the inability to manage diversities.

Jonathan also called on Africa nations to harness their diversities and differences for greatness.

He urged Africans to begin to see a little more than their tribes in all that they do, adding “your tribe alone cannot make a nation.”

The former President made the call at the 2021 “Democracy Dialogue” with the theme “Democracy and the Unity of State” organised by Goodluck foundation Foundation in Abuja.

Jonathan, who is the founder of the foundation, said that the diversity of Africa nations had often been misconstrued to be a source of their challenge, hence if well harnessed, it would be a source of greatness.

“As President and out of office, I have been involved in managing conflicts in many African countries.

“In the course of such missions, I had observed that one of the major sources of problems is the inability to manage diversities.

“In Africa, we need to harness our diversities and differences and translate them to strength for a more peaceful and prosperous future.

“Our diversity is often misconstrued to be the source of our challenges, but I feel, if properly harnessed, it will be the source of our greatness.

“One good way to make progress in this regard is to strengthen government institutions to improve integration, equity, and social inclusion in our various nations,” Jonathan said.

The former President said that to win peace in Africa, countries in the continent needed to constantly engage in meaningful conversations in order to reach a compromise on issues.

According to him, the weapons of warfare for the continent in times like this should be love, justice and hope.

“The pursuit of these virtues will guarantee sustainable peace and unity in Africa.

“While guns, drones and other artillery may win the war, to win the peace, we need to constantly engage in meaningful conversations in order to reach a compromise on issues affecting us all.

“We are optimistic that discussions and suggestions from gatherings like this will help set the agenda for bigger civic engagements for the promotion of peace and good governance in Africa,” he said.

Jonathan said that the dialogue aimed at advancing the course of nationhood and building a consensus around some critical issues affecting Africa unity and development.

According to him, the theme of the dialogue captured the essence of democracy, which drives its steam from productive civic engagements.

He said that the foundation believed that democracy was a nation-building tool, a vehicle for the realisation of such societal aspirations as justice, peace, freedom and progress.

“For us, we carry the burden of promoting peace and prosperity, as aptly captured in our mission not just in Nigeria but in Africa.

“There is no better way to realise this than through consistent engagement with different stakeholders in our democratic space.

“Some nations are going through many challenges that have continued to pose serious threats to their unity and corporate existence.

“Democracy thrives on the mutuality of trust between government and the people and among the different groups within a state,” Jonathan said.

Headline

Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Published

11 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

Headline

US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

Published

11 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

Headline

US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

Published

11 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”