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We’re Qualified To Represent Africa, Nigeria Makes Case For UN Security Council Seat

Published

5 months ago

January 24, 2025

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has called for a permanent seat for Africa in the United Nations, UN, Security Council while making a case for Nigeria as the country that should represent the continent in the global body.

A statement by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, said Tuggar spoke during a panel discussion on the theme, ‘Africa’s Momentum’, at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Sweden.

Africa has no permanent seat in the Security Council, arguably the UN’s highest decision making organ.

Tuggar decried the exclusion of Africa in the UN Security Council while stating that about 60 percent of the resolutions of the Council bother on issues that have to do with Africa.

He also noted that many of the laws promulgated by the Council have adverse implications for Africa, including the Deforestation Law which bans the purchase of produce from deforested land in Africa while ignoring the technological companies that produce the machineries that enable deforestation on the continent.

The minister further disclosed that Nigeria’s global outlook under President Bola Tinubu’s administration is premised on the accentuation of the country’s strategic autonomy and nonalignment principle in its relations with the rest of the world.

The panel discussion, which featured other African leaders including the Foreign Ministers of Tunisia, Mohammed Ali Nafti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, and the Ugandan Minister of Finance, Matia Kasaija, was moderated by the Director of Chatham House, Bronwen Maddox.

The conversation also highlighted the role of Africa in global governance and the implications of the first 2025 G20 Summit scheduled to be held in South Africa.

Tuggar equally made a case for Nigeria becoming a member of the G20.

“The G20 summit in South Africa presents an opportunity for us to make a strong case, in the case of Nigeria becoming a G20 member and of course, South Africa is a brotherly neighbour, we have strong ties,” Tuggar observed.

Highlighting Nigeria’s significant role in not only supporting South Africa’s liberation from Apartheid but also in providing asylum to Thabo Mabaki during the years of South Africa’s struggle for liberation, Tuggar said Nigeria is the country that should represent Africa in the UN Security Council.

Enumerating Nigeria’s strengths and qualifications, and why the country should lead Africa on the global stage, the minister said, “It is important for a country like Nigeria to be a member of the G20 because we are used to making a case for Africa, we have got a lot of goodwill, we have got soft power.”

The minister highlighted the historical contribution of Nigeria to the struggles for Africa’s liberation and fight against racist regimes in the continent.
Tuggar also disclosed that as part of its soft powers, Nigeria through its Technical Aid Corp sends volunteer professionals including medical doctors, engineers, and university lecturers to other African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries to support their development.

Tuggar further stated that Nigeria is a non-threatening power that is friendly with its neighbours and does not have land or boundary disputes, and when such issues come up, they are resolved in most cases with Nigeria conceding to its neighbours. “Nigeria’s nonthreatening nature has earned the trust of its neighbours who support Nigeria to represent them globally,” he observed.

Speaking further, the minister stressed that Nigeria is the only African country with a permanent seat in the African Union’s Peace and Security Council.

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Furthermore, Tuggar said it is important for Nigeria to be at the table because the G20 was created to review global economic and financial issues such as the utilization of Special Drawing Rights to fund the energy transition in Africa. He called for a return to the promises made by developed nations to developing countries during the Rio Summit with regards to the transfer of technology, which he said has gone quiet and Nigeria using its big strong voice can bring it to the fore as a member of the G20.

Responding to what Nigeria would do with the G20 seat, Tuggar submitted that Nigeria would advocate for the reconsideration of the Special Drawing Rights, and push for the consolidation of the global tax reforms which he said was championed by African countries at the United Nations with Nigeria leading the charge, to make the tax system fairer for the Global South countries.

On Nigeria’s expectation from South Africa at the G20 summit, the minister opined that South Africa can make a strong case for fairness, for the process to be more representative, and to become more democratic. He faulted the argument that because Africa is already represented by the African Union and South Africa, the continent should not demand for more representation, citing South America which representation does not attract the same reaction as Africa.

He emphasized that Africa should not be viewed as a single country but as a continent with 54 countries, noting Nigeria’s over 220 million population with a potential to rise to 400 million by year 2050 and the third largest population in the world.

Tuggar said that Nigeria deserves to be represented, given its track record, the size of its economy, and many other factors. He submitted that he expects South Africa to support Nigeria’s case and added that Nigeria is already being invited as an observer.
(DAILY POST)

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Most Followed Tiktoker Khaby Lame Deported From US Over Visa Violation

Published

4 hours ago

June 12, 2025

Editor

Italian-Senegalese social media sensation, Khaby Lame, known as the world’s most followed TikTok creator, has been deported from the United States after allegedly overstaying his visa, The New York Times reported.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that Lame, 25, was detained last Friday at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.

The agency confirmed the detention in an official statement, stating that Lame entered the country on April 30 but “overstayed the terms of his visa.”

Lame, who rose to international fame for his silent comedic reactions to overcomplicated “life hack” videos, has amassed over 160 million followers on TikTok.

His online popularity led to collaborations with global fashion brands, a role in a Hollywood film, and a reality show on Tubi titled Khaby Is Coming To America.

His deportation has sparked a storm of reactions online.

“Every single illegal alien needs to be DEPORTED. When I found out the biggest TikTok star, Khaby Lame, is an illegal alien evading taxes, I worked with Trump’s ICE to have him removed. He’s since been detained by ICE and removed,” Bo Loudon, a Gen Z Trump supporter and self-styled activist, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Following his deportation, Lame has not issued any formal statement. However, on Monday, he posted an Instagram story tagged in São Paulo, Brazil, marking his first confirmed location since leaving the US

Lame’s former legal representative, Riccardo Lanzo, told The New York Times that the influencer had spent significant time in the US recently but acknowledged uncertainty regarding his visa status.

The case came amid a broader immigration enforcement push under Trump’s renewed administration.
APF

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Trump Unveils Website For $5m US Residency Visa

Published

14 hours ago

June 12, 2025

Editor

President Donald Trump touted a new website for his planned $5 million US residency permit on Wednesday, saying the waiting list for the golden visa has opened on TrumpCard.gov.

“Thousands have been calling and asking how they can sign up to ride a beautiful road in gaining access to the Greatest Country and Market anywhere in the World,” Trump wrote in a social media post.

Trump unveiled the first such visa aboard Air Force One in April, holding a golden prototype that bore his face and promising the special permit would probably be available “in less than two weeks.”

The visas are not available yet, but the website announced Wednesday allows interested parties to submit their name, desired visa and email address under a header that says “The Trump Card is Coming.”

Trump previously said the new visa, a high-price version of the traditional green card, would bring in job creators and could be used to reduce the US national deficit.

The announcement comes as deportation raids are being ramped up across the country, prompting protests, and as Trump’s administration faces ongoing lawsuits and accusations of rights violations over its anti-immigration blitz.

Trump has said the new card would be a route to highly prized US citizenship. He said in February that his administration hoped to sell “maybe a million” of the cards and did not rule out that Russian oligarchs may be eligible.

AFP

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19-year-old Nigerian Artiste Beaten To Death In Ghana

Published

1 day ago

June 11, 2025

Editor

A 19-year-old upcoming Nigerian artiste identified simply as Destiny has been beaten to death in the Volta Region area of Ghana.

According to The PUNCH, the incident happened on May 28.

It was gathered that a yet-to-be-identified Nigerian based in Ghana accused him of failing to remit funds related to a business venture they introduced him to.

The male adult, who was also said to be among those who facilitated his trip to the country, stormed his apartment alongside two others to question him about the funds.

However, Destiny’s failure to provide answers led to a severe assault meted out to him.

A source privy to the incident told The PUNCH on Tuesday on the condition of anonymity because he lacked the authority to speak with the media that the Edo State-born artiste thereafter succumbed to the injuries sustained from the assault.

“Destiny went to Ghana to further his education, and the travel was facilitated by someone he called his street brother. These are the same people who provided an apartment for him over there. Those who broke the news to us from there said the men introduced him to a business, which they later accused him of diverting some funds meant for the business. This angered them, and they went to his apartment and beat him up. The beating was so intense that he felt weak and gave up the ghost in the process,” the source narrated.

It was further learnt that the suspects left the deceased’s body in the room after they discovered that he was motionless.

Another source who spoke to newsmen said the police later discovered the corpse a few days after the incident.

“The police were alerted to the incident, and some officers were deployed to the apartment where Destiny’s remains were found. We were told that no suspects had been arrested since his death. We hope the Ghanaian authorities find his killers and bring them to justice.”

In a video obtained by The PUNCH, Destiny was seen speaking about himself and what his plans were.

He said, “I am Destiny and I am a streamer from Nigeria. I want to apply to Streamers University, and this will be a great joy for me, my mother, and everybody. I am also an artiste and a gamer. I do all sorts of things.”

Recall that in April a 77-year-old Nigerian Uber driver, Olatunji Bolaji, was killed in a shooting outside a hookah lounge in Philadelphia, United States.

Bolaji, who lived in Norristown, Pennsylvania, was on duty around 2 a.m. on Wednesday when he picked up a passenger, a 22-year-old man, outside the Byblos Hookah Bar near Rittenhouse Square in Centre City, CBS reports on Friday.

Police said shortly after Bolaji picked up the young man, another vehicle pulled up behind his SUV, and two men got out.

One of them opened fire, shooting both Bolaji and the passenger.