₦airaland Forum

Following the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, three countries have pulled out from this year's World Economic Forum on Africa.

The countries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Malawi withdraw from the annual meeting of which was slated to held in Capetown, South Africa, on Wednesday, September 4th, in retaliation to the attacks going on in the host country, Leakers.ng reports.

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

In the “Doing business in Africa: a survey of CEOs.” themed meeting, Leakers.ng gathers that PwC Africa presents the findings of a survey of over 80 CEOs from 19 African countries.

It examines their views of the economy, prospects for revenue growth and the key opportunities and challenges facing businesses today.

It also benchmarks their views against those of their global peers.

The recent xenophobic attacks began last week after a taxi driver was murdered by an alleged drug dealer in Pretoria.

Speculations that the alleged killer was a Nigerian sparked protest, looting and burning of business centres owned by foreigners.

Three Nigerians were said to have been killed in the process with scores injured.

phyya:
RIP dear namesake. May Heaven be your final abode. To be a Nigerian is not easy.

Nigerian soldiers have successfully intercepted the plan of terrorists to cause another pandemonium in the country by planting an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) for commuters and troops' Main Supply Route.

It was reported on the Nigerian Army official Twitter handle that troops of 26 Task Force Brigade under the auspices of Operation HALAKA DODO, Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE successfully thwarted Terrorists efforts to plant Improvised Explosive Device (IED) for commuters and troops' Main Supply Route.

The troops laid an effective night ambush for terrorists in the midst of heavy downpour, encountered the terrorists IED party at Wala crossing point attempting to emplace the lethal device.

Leakers.ng gathers that troops responded swiftly in a fire fight with the terrorists killing three, while others scampered for their lives with likely gun shot wounds under the cover of darkness.

Former presidential candidate, Oby Ezekwesili, has urged Twitter to unfreeze the account of the co-founder of Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement, Aisha Yesufu.

Yesufu’s Twitter account was suspended with a notification that reads temporary restriction.

“Caution: this account is temporary restricted. You are seeing this warning because there has been some unusual activity from this account,” the notification read on Thursday.

Mrs Ezekwesili, in several tweets on Thursday, urged Twitter to release the suspended account, saying Yesufu was only holding the government accountable.

“AishaYesufu is a pain only to those who wish to shut down the Voice of Citizens. She does not deserve the Twitter ‘Temporary Restriction’ at all. Release Aisha’s account, please. Do not cooperate with @NigeriaGov and allies to further repress citizens’ right to Voice. Don’t!” she said.

Ezekwesili, also a co-founder of BBOG before she resigned to pursue her presidential ambition, attacked the Federal Government for the suspension.

“The FG NigeriaGov NGRPresident MBuhari has YeleSowore unconstitutionally detained for more than 3 weeks to shut down his Voice. AishaYesufu‘s Voice expressed daily on Twitter is being shut down with the unwitting action of a ‘Temporary Restriction’. FG, this won’t work,” she said.

About 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a school in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State on April 14, 2014.

Some 60 managed to escape from their abductors while the Federal Government has only been able to negotiate the release of 107. More than 100 other girls are still unaccounted for.

Also, Leah Sharibu and about 110 other students of Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School, Dapchi, Bursari local government area of Yobe State were kidnapped on the night of February 19, 2018.

Yesufu has been very vocal in her criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and his handling of the kidnap of Chibok girls and others who are still in Boko Haram captivity.

There was a disruption in the Imo state Government House in Owerri today as some sacked civil servants visited Imo state governor, Emeka Ihedioha in the Government House to plead for reinstatement.

Recall that the governor investigated several cases of illegal employment in the Imo state Civil service earlier this year which led to sacking a lot of Imo state civil servants.

The Civil servants were seen at the government house pleading with Governor with tears in their eyes, wailing loudly and pleading for mercy. Few moments later, the governor with his convoy bound out.

The governor opened his car door and had a few conversation with his Aides after which he left the area.

These photos showing a 70-year-old emaciated elephant who walked long distances chained while performing at a festival in Sri Lanka has caused outrage on social media.

According to BBC News, the photos were shared on Facebook on Tuesday by a Thailand-based advocacy group that provides assistance to Thailand's captive elephant population through local community outreach, rescue and rehabilitation programs, and educational ecotourism operations, the Save Elephant Foundation (SEF).

In the heartbreaking photos shared by the foundation on its official page, Tikiri appears to be malnourished, with the shape her bones and her ribcage showing evidently.

According to the foundation, "Tikiri walks for miles every night so people can enjoy the festival. Nobody can see thin bodies with visible bones or weak conditions because their bodies are covered with robes.”

"Nobody saw his eyes watering from the lights and because of the accessories that closed his eyes, no one saw him having difficulty walking because the elephant's legs were also chained while walking," it added, referring to the annual Buddhist festival in Sri Lanka.

In reaction to the photos, many expressed anger and sadness after seeing the fate of poor Tikiri. Many users also initiated a petition to help Tikiri.

"Seeing these beautiful creatures being treated and used in this disgusting way shows that humans feel very superior. This must be stopped and I will write to the Sri Lankan government," a user said.

Oby Ezekwesili has rubbished President Buhari's claim of Food security in Nigeria.

Recall that the President yesterday said the Agricultural sector under his administration has recorded massive growth and development as more billionaires have emerged through agriculture and most importantly, there is full food security.

Describing President Buhari as a ''completely out-of-touch leader’', Ezekwesili who was a former Minister of Education, lambasted the claims made by the President, Igbere TV reports.

She described as a ''blunder'' Preident Buhari's directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria not to issue Foreign exchange to importers of food products.

See her tweets below;

“A completely out-of-touch ‘leader’. He is cocooned away in the grandeur of @AsoRock where they serve him delicatessen and praise-sing to him: “Ranka dede Sir, your Agriculture Policy is working wonderfully. All farmers in Nigeria are now Billionaires & exporting to the US”��

We all know that @NGRPresident @MBuhari has absolute contempt for Data but we shall go ahead and put out here some of the Knowledge he should have had before making this latest blunder of ‘Directing’ what should be an independent @cenbank to “not give a cent for food import”.

I will share the latest information on Nigeria from FEWS NET, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, which provides information and analysis on food insecurity around the world.
That our @NGRPresident thinks we have achieved Food Security says a lot about his Policy-Making.

FEWS Net is Famine Early Warning Systems Network. It “uses an integrated approach that considers climate, agriculture production, prices, trade, nutrition, and other factors, together with an understanding of local livelihoods.”

Knowledge that helps Evidence-Based Policies.

In the next few tweets, I’ll share highlights of FEWS Net June 2018 to January 2019 Report on Food Insecurity in Nigeria for many reasons that any reasonable person will easily understand.

“Humanitarian actors have provided sustained food assistance delivery in 2018, reaching 2.5 million people in April 2018 across the 3 northeast states. In May, food assistance deliveries reached 15 percent fewer households, meeting targets closer to what was seen in March 2017”

“With the continuing military offensive, new arrivals continue to be identified in the northeast. As of May, IOM identified 1.8 million people displaced by conflict in northeast Nigeria. Between late Nov2017 &April 2018 an estimated 100,000 new arrivals across Borno & Adamawa...”

“Outside northeast, the main agric season is progressing favorably in much of the rest of the country, &harvests are expected to be average to above-average. Most households will have seasonally typical access to food,income& remain in Minimal (IPC Phase 1) acute food insecurity”

“Various stages of cultivation activities continue throughout the country. In south &some central areas, they have begun harvesting early green maize&tubers. In other areas of central Nigeria, planting, weeding, &fertilizer application for maize, sorghum &legumes is underway.”

“Planting of staples such as millet, sorghum, and maize, as well as groundnut, cowpea, and sesame cash crops, is progressing in most northern areas. Government support through the Anchor Borrowers’ Program continues to contribute to farmers’ access to improved inputs.”

“However, areas worst-affected by farmer/pastoralist conflict are facing greater difficulty accessing basic needs and will be Stressed (IPC Phase 2).”

”In displaced settlement areas and larger cities, affected populations have restricted access to land for cultivation. Additionally, ongoing insecurity is again in 2018 keeping many from engaging or participating fully in cultivation.”

“Heavy conflict between pastoral and farming communities in central and northern areas of the country also continue. These conflicts have left hundreds dead and lead to the destruction of property.”

”These conflicts are also leading to the displacement of households and keeping many from their livelihoods. Both cultivation activities and pastoralists’ herd movements are affected.”

“Main agricultural season: The agricultural season is expected to progress normally. The main season harvests will start normally in September/October across the country. Harvests are expected to be average to above average in most areas.”

“Exceptions are in northeast areas affected by the insurgency and localized areas across the country where conflicts between farmers and pastoralists are disrupting cultivation”

“Main harvests will be substantially below average in the northeast and likely below average in areas impacted by the farmer/pastoralists conflict mainly in the central states such as Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba as well as in Zamfara.”

”As with most years, it is also likely that there will be some crop loss due to excessive flooding along major floodplains.”

I have put out highlights of FEWS Net Report on Nigeria up to January 2019.
As obvious from the Report, there are positives on Agriculture which for example include improved farmers’ access to input from the Anchor Borrowers Scheme.
But, nothing of Food Security yet exists.

What is Food Security, @NGRPresident ?
I will offer the universal meaning provided by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security because that should help a Policy Maker know easily whether such is the case in Nigeria before taking a major Policy stance in Agriculture.

Food security, as defined by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security, means that all people, at all times, have physical, social&economic access to sufficient, safe, & nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.”