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PoliticsRe: Oil Discovered In Apa, Benue State (Photos) by solbil: 5:56pm On Jan 13, 2017
explorer250:
might be igbo speaking part of benue
you guys and your claiming of other people and territories!

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PART OF BENUE WHERE THEY SPEAK IGBO, FACT! I am sure you are refering to the Utonkon people and those people would swear that they are not Igbo. They don't even speak anything close to Igbo!
PoliticsRe: Oil Discovered In Apa, Benue State (Photos) by solbil: 5:47pm On Jan 13, 2017
Eastactivist:
Is akogwu not an Igbo name. Someone correct me here.

Modified***
Idomas speaks idomoid language which is related or similar to the Igboid language.

So frustrated over ambitious niggas whose level of frustration has reason bc of my inquisitive post should now free me Abeg.
that that name is similar to Igbo name does not mean Idoma people are Igbo and can be part of Biafra. I am sure you also saw a Danjuma there too.
Foreign AffairsRe: African Militaries/ Security Services Strictly Photos Only And Videos Thread by solbil: 10:19pm On Jan 12, 2017
the house of reps wanting Jammeh to have a haven here in Nigeria is a wrong move in my opinion. You are right when you said we should allow institutions to function in Africa. But how can institutions function when the very first one to function, the electoral commission, is being undermined by someone who thinks he is too big?

Also, who would the house of reps want to give him asylum? Won't that be sending a wrong message to the rest of the continent, that you can take govt by force, be a sit tight leader, lose elections after about 30 years, and in order to get away with all your looting and brutality, you cause some commotion between the time you lost the election and when you are to hand over hoping that you will be granted asylum and you can go on ahead to enjoy your loot?

When you give him, asylum, won't that be a sort of injustice to the likes of Gbagbo? Won't we make the likes of Abdullahi Wade et al regret why they didn't cause commotion between when they lost power to when they handed over peacefully? Won't Nigeria be tainting her moral stance, credibility and reputation as a strong supporter of democracy and respect for institutions and peace?

According to Newton's first law, nothing moves until you make it move. In the same way, nothing will change in Africa, including the sit tight syndrome, unless we say NO to it!

If Nigeria can stand her ground and make sure this man leaves, that would spark the same consciousness across the whole of Africa and at this time in our history when we have more elections in a year in the whole of Africa than we have in anyother continent the world over, we can be rest assured that the sit tight syndrome will be put to an end in a matter of 5 years or there about.
Foreign AffairsRe: Photos: Heavy U.S Military Equipments Arrives Germany Against Russian. by solbil: 2:39am On Jan 12, 2017
cstr44:
Yes in your deluded mind.
The US is by far the largest exporter of weapons in the world to developed nations. Developed Nations with established militaries and defence industries lobby congress to have access to american weapons because they respect the technological superiority over any other brand.
If Russia is so good, everybody should be queuing to buy their weapons.
The only people buying russian weapons are third world nations, dictators, pariah states, and china who will never be allowed to buy american weapons for obvious reasons.
the developed countries you are talking about are countries that are US allies. They are tied down to the US for abvious reasons either to offset trade deficit, or are still paying for the war the US fought with them and won.

Surely countries like the UK anD France are not bothered about US weapons, are they?
Christianity EtcRe: FRC LAW: Pastor Adeboye's Words VS The Words Of God by solbil: 12:46pm On Jan 11, 2017
alBHAGDADI:
Below are the words of Pastor Adeboye which he said as a result of the new Federal Government policy which church owners feel is targeted against Christianity. Pls, let's juxtapose his words with what the Bible says and see if he is right or wrong.

His words are Culled from
http://tribuneonlineng.com/adeboye-fg-stop-meddling-church-affairs/

I wonder why his church influences elections and welcomes corrupt politicians to grace the altar when he ought to be condemning them. He failed to follow the words of Christ below which clearly points that no matter how much you meddle in the affairs of the political WORLD as a believer, it will always be for Satan and his wicked kingdom.

1 John 5:19

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

John 18:36

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. IF IT WERE, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”


James 4:4

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.


No matter how much decision you make, as long as you go against Yahweh's words, it will still favour Satan because...


1 John 5:19

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE EVIL ONE.
Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind
Romans 12:2

DO NOT CONFORM to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Corinthians 6:14

...Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

His failure to obey God's word is the reason why he wants Christians to do things in the manner of other religions. But what does the Bible say?

Corinthians 6:14

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?


Pastor adeboye wants Christians to join political parties where they practice lying, murder, corruption and all kinds of evil. Imagine the level at which Nigeria will change if he had said that all RCCG church members should go out and preach the gospel to sinners. He cannot say such. Rather, he prefers to use them to protect his own selfish interest. The real evil doers will be exposed one day.
you are a witness, the Jehova type.
Foreign AffairsRe: African Militaries/ Security Services Strictly Photos Only And Videos Thread by solbil: 12:04pm On Jan 11, 2017
Amd pls tell me about the satellites. What's up with the new ones we are getting? What's their features etc?
Foreign AffairsRe: African Militaries/ Security Services Strictly Photos Only And Videos Thread by solbil: 11:59am On Jan 11, 2017
Henry240:
#CG

Top gun Nigeria

MIG-29 invading Lagos grin
how did you do this photoshop? I would like to have updates on the thunders. When will they arrive?
Foreign AffairsRe: Photos: Heavy U.S Military Equipments Arrives Germany Against Russian. by solbil: 11:50am On Jan 11, 2017
seunny4lif:
grin grin
F22 is not diff from normal jets
Israel has f22 but still get Putin not to deploy S300 to Syria
F22 is just normal US flying coffin nothing else grin grin
the armata is better than the Abrams; the Sukhoi series are better than the othe Falcons; the S-300 is better than any SAM in the US arsenal; the AK series are still better than the m16s. What exactly does the US possess better than Russia? Only thing i can come up with is still the F22 and with the coming of the T50, its doom for the US!
Foreign AffairsRe: Kenya Is Ahead of Nigeria In All Aspect (Facts Don't Lie) by solbil: 10:57am On Jan 11, 2017
Hey guy! What is the title of that nollywood movie someone suggest here somepages ago? He said the picture quality is so clear and that it was 100percent shot in Lagos and it is improved overall.

I would like to know it and see if i could watch it.
Foreign AffairsRe: Photos: Heavy U.S Military Equipments Arrives Germany Against Russian. by solbil: 10:41am On Jan 11, 2017
Just watching how cnn infested brains are here talking down on Russia.

The only military advantage i see US posses over Russia is the F-22, nothing more! Even the F22 will soon be a no threat as the T50 is coming on board.
PhonesRe: Xtouch E1 by solbil: 12:31am On Dec 29, 2016
I am currently using the same Xtouch E1.

My problem is: i can only browse with one browser and that's opera browser. Also, i cannot download on it anymore. This has caused me to watch videos on youtube only.

I solved the problem by restoring to factory setting but just before 24hrs, the problem started again.

If you have a way out, pls tell me. I am already tired of the phone i bought in sept.
RomanceRe: 10 Reasons Why Most Ladies Will Never Remain Virgins Till Marriage by solbil: 7:04am On Dec 25, 2016
Medunah:
True thou but seriously, how many guys of these days are worth keeping the hymen for?
is the hymen some kind of valuable?
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 9:24am On Dec 24, 2016
Yideas:
please don't criticize the girl to me its an achievement
pros and cons of marrying a virgin

you will be sure of her self control ( most of us lost ours to a man not worthy of it or to a high school jerk)

you will be sure of her past life (which in some cases is not necessary)

you will be indebted to her ( guy that's a bad one cos she will always remind you that you were her first guy whenever she's upset or you mess up)

she won't v much experience in bed ( but that is not bad, all it takes is communication and she will be the best for you

she has the fear if God ( its only the fear of God that can sustain her to remain a virgin)

the love will be stronger on her side

she might not have the tendency of going outside to see other men if you r not good enough ( you can't b bad in bed and expect an experienced girl to endure when she has already seen better)

let's encourage sex before marriage and may God bless us
it is not an achievement. Achievement is that which helps to advance civilization and staying out of sex does not necessarily amount to that.

Also, it is not a guarantee that she's got self control. Alot of people who do not have sex before marriage also masturrrrrbate. It is highly possible that she has done that once or twice her entire life. Pls reply me: if a lady has masturrrrbated once or does it a couple of times, would you still consider her a virgin or that she is wasting her time? I would like to get an asnwer to that question.

When you say "most of us lost ours to men not WORTHY of it...", you create the impression that it is some kind of gift and privilege. I would like to let you know that not everyone sees it as a gift. There are many people who see it as a gift, WHICH IS OK, but for the likes of me, it doesn't matter if a woman is virgin or not. I have my reasons. Also, do you think its a gift a guy is giving you if you are the first one he's having sex with? If no, why no? Why the double standard? Don't you think the double standard only shows that the people who clamur for chastity are only wasting their time? Man are the ones who innitiate sex the most. So if you can tell the one who initiates sex to stop doing it, don't you think you will do better in your fight against sex before marriage? But no, the church, mosque and the traditional culture we have in Africa will not do that and that's one of the reasons my likes don't take the virginity story seriously.
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 7:49am On Dec 24, 2016
LordGuru1:
It shows that people that condemn virginity are self-deceiving hypocrites that are unconsciously envious of the Status they've lost and can NEVER regain. Everyone "prefers a new Car to a naija used car" Even I, I pray and hope to marry a virgin, there are so much rewards to it wink.
first, i do not know about other guys, but i do not condemn virginity. I only don't value it. It is not very important to me of a lady or a guy is virgin or not. I have solid reasons to feel indifferent about it and if not because your likes were taught compulsory virginity by the church and some ancient African culture, both of which teach by indoctrination, you would also agree with me why it doesn't matter if one is virgin or not.

Secondly, you assume everyone here ether condemning or being indifferent about virginity has had sex before. Be careful the things you assume.

Thirdly, the human being is not a car so stop comparing. You talk as if when you see a lady with good virtues, you wont propose to her instead of an unruly virgin.

Lastly, i wonder why you and the church and African culture do not really emphasize virginity for boys? I heard it underneath the car analogy you used.
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 7:40am On Dec 24, 2016
LordGuru1:
It shows that people that condemn virginity are self-deceiving hypocrites that are unconsciously envious of the Status they've lost and can NEVER regain. Everyone "prefers a new Car to a naija used car" Even I, I pray and hope to marry a virgin, there are so much rewards to it wink.
first, i do not know about other guys, but i do not condemn virginity. I only don't value it. It is not very important to me of a lady or a guy is virgin or not. I have solid reasons to feel indifferent about it and if not because your likes were taught compulsory virginity by the church and some ancient African culture, both of which teach by indoctrination, you would also agree with me why it doesn't matter if one is virgin or not.

Secondly, you assume everyone here ether condemning or being indifferent about virginity has had sex before. Be careful the things you assume.
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 7:32am On Dec 24, 2016
sarahade:
What is painmentation. How are you sure im not a virgin myself. Because i no carry kakaki dey announce abi Grow up sir
its your beautiful answers i like. Keep it up!
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 10:52pm On Dec 23, 2016
Socratez20:
Ride on Sis, never get discouraged, some folks are simply jealous of your status, God's standard has not changed no matter how the world might want to adulterate it...I take a stand for purity and righteousness!
not everyone who has an opposite view is jealous of her. I am a man and i don't jealous her.

And its so funny how men don't get held to the same standard as women when it comes to chastity. I wonder why the bible should only prescribe punishment for women and not men when they get involved in sex before marriage? The lady brought before Jesus had sex with another man. The question is: where was the man? It is this partiality that has made some of us not to value the virginity thing. Hope you get it now?
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 10:44pm On Dec 23, 2016
Raychellasam:
Many people sneer at 20-30ish
claiming that they are virgins but there
are.
Just like Prophet Elijah thought he
was in the only one serving God in the
whole land. God educated him that 7,000
souls have not bowed to the god of their
time (1 Kings 19).
So let porn be blazing the skies and sex sell even more than garri those that will preserve themselves will
preserve themselves. But above virginity,
I know God values PURITY, in heart, in
mind, in body. He is pleased by it.
you are absolutely right! There are more people who've never had sex than we probably think. But my issue is: the virginity supporters want to force everyone to value what they value and want to make it look like a terrible thing if one decides to have sex before marriage.

You cannot force everyone to take seriously a thing which is only emphasized for a gender, the female gender, and not for the other; making a statement that the whole emphasis on virginity is not only sexist, but also wrongly done. I mean if one is concerned about curbing sex before marriage, what you should do is to emphasize it for the boys even more than the girls. Reason: boys are the ones who inciate sex most of the time. If you attack the root of a problem, then you might be able to solve it.

But of course, all the so called purity thing was made up by mysoginist men so as to keep the women down.
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 10:33pm On Dec 23, 2016
lanre316:
Au contrare. Opportunity to discover yourself and your sexuality. Opportunity to enjoy your life. Opportunity to know your strengths and capabilities wrt sexuality. Opportunity not to miss out on the bloom of youth and regretting later in life why you let these opportunities pass you by. Opportunity to become a expert or should I say sexpert.
i really like the part about losing out on the blooms of youth and later regreting it in life.
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 10:30pm On Dec 23, 2016
Silvereze:
Sexual purity should be placed in high esteem
whats sexual purity?
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 10:28pm On Dec 23, 2016
jmoore:
The bible should have kept the virginity status of Mary secret too, abi? undecided

If your grand mom died a virgin, it means you were adopted.





Opportunity to get STDS, opportunity to get pregnant outside wedlock,opportunity that may lead to abortion, opportunity to be fu*ed by the whole town.

Sounds like a foolish opportunity.
1. I wonder why male virginity is not as important to the bible.

2. All those pregnancy, std etc you mentioned can be avoided. I have friends who are sexually active and are being responsible about it. Ie, they don't get into the issues you mentioned.
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 10:23pm On Dec 23, 2016
sarahade:
I will appreciate if you can give me a proof to your claim.
Which means any man that has had sex is lesser than a virgin man because he has a fairly used manhood
Thank you sir.
good response!
CelebritiesRe: Juliana Olayode: "Being A Virgin Doesn't Make Me Old School" by solbil: 10:19pm On Dec 23, 2016
iykedare:
No matter how the world want to see virgins as lacking opportunities to mess around, it shows that the virgins have self control.

Btw, who wouldn't prefer a new car to a naija used car?
Dont mind the hypocrisy.
but do they also masturrrrbate?
Foreign AffairsRe: Kenya Is Ahead of Nigeria In All Aspect (Facts Don't Lie) by solbil: 8:08am On Dec 23, 2016
obaaderemi:
Okay,boss.but they harped on nigeria's challenges.well,u are right in saying let's judge by numbers and reach.no country in africa has nigeria's reach-even kenya is not spared.take a look at this interesting article by the bbc.I guess it's why their e-thugs are running amuck all over nairaland.u just can't ignore Nigerians. www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-11429067
i followed the Naija @50 programme on the BBC when it was being aired in 2010. I was shocked at the level of cynicism in the country at that time. That's when the Yar'Adua's sickness was well and alive. Many Nigerians were busy washing our dirty linen in public unashamedly. It was so sad.

The BBC's Naija@50 was a two weeks series of programmes done in the run up to oct 1st 2010 marking our 50th aniversary.
Foreign AffairsRe: Kenya Is Ahead of Nigeria In All Aspect (Facts Don't Lie) by solbil: 8:53pm On Dec 22, 2016
Muafrika2:
Kenya should consider donating too.

The problem with African petroeconomies is that while profits from oil, which are counted as part of GDP, are huge create "big" economies, the miners are foreigners and their profits are usually made by their sister companies. let me explain this for the benefit of girls like IanSweet here...

Shell, the mother company with headquarters in tax free places like Switzerland will do the prospecting for Nigerian oil. Shell will then sell the petroleum to its subsidiary, company X. But insignificant profits will be made by Shell company in order to avoid high taxes. company Company X (( these are the companies with stupid local names wink ), Registered in Switzerland, with an office in Nigeria, will sell the oil at the Swiss COMMODITY MARKET, where all countries buying minerals go for the same.

That's why Switzerland is so rich. ALL mineral companies are registered and have headquarters there.

So, is Nigeria worth more, theoretically, yes. Is Nigeria getting any of its worth? No. Reason, they do not profit from their resources. Because their minerals are mined by (and for) foreigners.
yea, you should donate too but its just that you don't have the money.
Foreign AffairsRe: Kenya Is Ahead of Nigeria In All Aspect (Facts Don't Lie) by solbil: 8:35pm On Dec 22, 2016
i think we should give up on the race thing and focus on development only, not challeneges. A man is not known by the challenges he's got, but by the mighty things he's done by numbers and here, Nigeria takes it all.
Foreign AffairsRe: Kenya Is Ahead of Nigeria In All Aspect (Facts Don't Lie) by solbil: 12:28am On Dec 22, 2016
Foreign AffairsRe: Kenya Is Ahead of Nigeria In All Aspect (Facts Don't Lie) by solbil: 12:14am On Dec 22, 2016
Hbuyosh:
Granted, yours is one of the most influential cultures in Africa. U beat us in that aspect!
this is a true Kenyan speaking, not these wreched pretenders.
Foreign AffairsRe: Kenya Is Ahead of Nigeria In All Aspect (Facts Don't Lie) by solbil: 5:31am On Dec 21, 2016
A post to debunk the myth being peddled here by MKenyan that we are not applying techmology in agriculture. The fact is, we are not only applying tech in agric, other countries are copying from us, a thing no one is doing with the overhyped Mpesa.

Published On: Mon, Dec 22nd, 2014
A Slider / Agriculture | By Peoples Daily
Related News
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hope as
pneumonia,
diarrhea
kills more Corruption:
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comment
Agric e-wallet reaches 14m
farmers, says Adesina
By Mohammed Kandi
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina said
that the electronic wallet system (e-wallet)
has recorded the name and location of at
least 14 million Nigerian farmers.
Adesina make this known recently at a
launch of Youth Employment in Agriculture
Program (YEAP) and the Fund for
Agricultural Finance in Nigeria in Abuja.
Recall that the e-wallet system was
deployed by the Agricultural and Rural
Development ministry in a bid to provide
farmers with subsidized farm inputs using
the mobile phone technology.
Adesina said: “Today, our e wallet system
has reached 14 million farmers, and we
have their names and locations. Nigeria is
the first in the world to develop and use e-
wallet to deliver farm input at scale and
several African countries are learning from
us. The agriculture sector has changed,
Nigeria is now export transparency.”
According to him, the country’s food
production had improved following the
launch of e-wallet system. “As a nation, we
have produced an additional 21 million MT
of food within the last 3 years. According
to the National Bureau of Statistics, food
imports declined from N 1.1 trillion ($ 6.7
billion) in 2009 to N 684 billion ($4.35
billion) in 2013 and continues to decline.”
He also informed that Nigeria was able to
achieve improvement in the agriculture
sector due to increased local food
production and reduction in food
importation, especially at a time of falling
oil prices and devaluation.
“Agriculture is now an exciting sector.
Today major local and international
investors are investing in this new
agriculture sector, with $5.6 billion in
investments. The number of seed
companies alone has risen from 5 to 80
within three years. And the banks are
lending to the sector more than ever
before,” the minister said.
He added that, “YEAP will develop a new
cadre of 740,000 market-oriented young
agricultural producers in rural areas.
These will be school leavers and rural
youth leaders and there will be 20,000 of
them per state of the federation.”
Adesina said: “YEAP will also develop 18,
500 university graduates who will be
formed into young agribusiness
entrepreneurs called “nagropreneurs”.
They will develop businesses along the
entire agricultural value chains, from the
farm, storage, processing and value
addition, financial services and logistics.”
The minister also assured that
government would support the youth in
accessing technical, entrepreneurial,
finance, business and marketing skills,
including land and link to major
agribusinesses.

http://www.peoplesdailyng.com/agric-e-wallet-reaches-14m-farmers-says-adesina/
Foreign AffairsRe: Kenya Is Ahead of Nigeria In All Aspect (Facts Don't Lie) by solbil: 5:08am On Dec 21, 2016
We will keep posting evidence of our technological superiority anyway even though the Kenyans in here choose to ignore it due to over bloated ego.

I have personally used this technology myself, so there is no doubting it!

Cutting-Edge Technologies
NAFDAC is spearheading global efforts
in the use of Cutting- Edge
Technologies to fight counterfeiting.
TruScan (Raman Spectroscopy )
Mobile Authentication Service (SMS
TEXT Messaging)
We are the first Medicines Regulatory
Authority to deploy and use Truscan®,
a hand held device, with resounding
success at borders and within the
country to detect counterfeit
medicines on the spot.
Truscan
The Truscan is a hand-held device
used for on -the -spot detection of
counterfeit medicines.
Celebrated investigative journalist, Dan
Rather, formerly of CBS, was in Nigeria
to see this device in use first hand.
Concept of Operations
NAFDAC Central Lab in Lagos
Develops and maintains library of
medicines.
Sends updates to field units.
Collects and analyzes data from field.
Field Inspectors
Perform random and targeted
inspections
Generate and sends reports.
GPHF Minilab Test Kits: We are utilizing
the Global Pharma Health Fund Minilab
Test Kits for speedy evaluation of
medicines. It is a reliable, simple and
inexpensive method for detecting
counterfeit medicines.
Mobile Authentication Service (MAS)
NAFDAC has launched the Mobile
Authentication Service (MAS) using
Short Message Service (SMS).
This technology has put the power of
detecting counterfeit regulated
products in the hands of more than
80 million Nigerian cell phone users.

http://www.nafdac.gov.ng/index.php/component/content/article/187-nafdac-innovations/240-cutting-edge-technologies
Foreign AffairsRe: Kenya Is Ahead of Nigeria In All Aspect (Facts Don't Lie) by solbil: 10:22pm On Dec 20, 2016
to those who think Africa/Nigeria and Science should not be mentioned in the same sentence, this is for you

The truth about Africa’s space
programmes
Posted by Jeremy Williams
Of all the stupid things written about
Africa in the British press, the recent
fussing about space programmes is
among the stupidest. If you’re lucky
enough not to have come across the story,
it concerns countries that receive
development aid from Britain and also
have space programmes of one kind of
another. Outrageous, say UKIP, the
tabloids and the anti-aid brigade.
“If a foreign government has enough cash
to invest in an ambitious space
programme,” says Matthew Sinclair of the
ubiquitous Taxpayers Alliance, “it should
not expect to be receiving cash from the
UK which is earmarked for helping the
world’s poorest.” Tory MP Philip Davies
joins in: “We have got to say to these
countries ‘you have got to spend that
money on your people where it’s most
needed not on some grandiose space
programme’.”
There are a couple of assumptions here.
One is that these schemes are ‘grandiose’
or ambitious. The second is that they
won’t do any good for the poor. Neither
of those things is necessarily true.
First, despite the tabloid talk of ‘joining the
space race‘, these are generally not vanity
projects. Most often we’re talking about
astronomy programmes at African
universities, taking advantage of the
continent’s clear skies. If sending anything
into space is involved at all, it’s satellites,
not space missions. Usually the satellites
are carried on other countries’ rockets,
such as China’s or Russia’s. The main focus
of space initiatives is often academic,
aimed at developing local engineering
expertise and encouraging science and
innovation.
“Space programs in Africa are not focused
on getting men in space,” says Professor
Nithaya Chetty of South Africa’s space
agency. “African governments are finally
coming around to understand the critical
importance of science as an instrument
for development. Training in astronomy,
and training in computing and
engineering leads to skills that are very
wide ranging and are transferable to
other disciplines.”
Some of the countries being talked about
have space programmes, but we shouldn’t
read too much into the idea. Kenya is a
leader in astronomy, but in terms of actual
spacefaring ambitions, it has a disused
Italian launchpad off Malindi that it would
like to renovate as a commercial venture.
Ghana’s Space Science and Technology
Centre did launch its first ‘satellite’ this
year, but it was the size of a coke can,
built by students and was launched by
weather balloon as a demonstration
project.
The Daily Mail was being particularly
disingenuous in its tutting about Uganda
this week. The very same paper ran a
story poking fun at Uganda’s ‘space
programme’ two years ago, under the
headline ‘Not exactly NASA!’. The Ugandan
space project is run by volunteer
enthusiasts, and suggesting Uganda
doesn’t deserve our aid because of it is
self-serving nonsense.
Secondly, satellite programmes can help
the poor. Many parts of Africa, especially
deeper rural areas, are badly connected
and in desperate need of infrastructure.
Satellite technology can open up
communications to those regions far
more cheaply than attempting to cable
them all. This improves governance too,
with governments able to keep in contact
with the further reaches of the country.
Satellites can play a role in monitoring
droughts, pollution, desertification and
natural disasters. One of Nigeria’s satellites
relays images of natural disaster zones to
relief agencies, and was used to study
malaria vectors. They can keep an eye on
conflict zones and border disputes and
track the movements of rebel forces, as
the Satellite Sentinel Project does in Sudan.
Now, that particular satellite project was
set up by George Clooney and friends, so
that’s obviously okay. If an African country
had launched it, would it be a luxury
vanity project that could have been better
spend on the poor? Of course not.
Then there are agricultural and weather
forecasting applications, global
positioning and mapping technologies,
data gathering and climate monitoring.
Africa will benefit from all of these things,
including the poor. Investing in these
technologies is not an either/or decision
between satellites and sanitation, any
more than Britain has to choose between
doing something about youth
unemployment and supporting our own
Space Agency.
British taxpayers’ money isn’t going
towards space programmes in Africa,
though plenty of our aid money does go
astray, I’m sure. And I’m sure that some
developing world space projects are
nationalist ego projects with budgets that
could be better spent elsewhere. But
satellite technology is important and
everyone has a right to it. We should
celebrate African universities contributing
to our knowledge of astronomy, providing
Southern hemisphere platforms for space
observation, and playing an active role in
the advance of science.
Nigeria is even training the first bona fide
African astronaut. Great. What could be a
better symbol of a rising Africa?
Share this:
Nigeriasat-X, built in Surrey

https://makewealthhistory.org/2013/08/13/the-truth-about-africas-space-programmes/
Foreign AffairsRe: Kenya Is Ahead of Nigeria In All Aspect (Facts Don't Lie) by solbil: 9:48pm On Dec 20, 2016
NairobiWalker:
Let me for a minute pretend Nigerians actually go to space.
If Kenya had misplaced priorities like you guys we would have entered space a long time ago but we were busy ensuring everyone has good access to electricity, water, education and improving our HDI.
missplaced priorities you call it? From what you have said, you did not disappoint me when you came up with the usual you are poor, you have to improve standard of life, get your priorities right, mantra that the whole world have made us Africans to always be concerned about.

We Nigerians do not allow ourselves to be defined by poverty, ill health etc and that's why we still go to school anyway even though we may not have eaten in the morning. The result, we are leading the entire African continent and you guys just want to be like us as could be clearly seen from those links i posted here.

But is our involvement in astronomy and high tech physics beyond the stratosphere a misplaced priority? Listen to what a white European is telling you trying to correct your wrong idea of yourself that you should only be concerned about is how to tackle poverty and disease.

Thanks for these comments,
Jeremy. The comments on the
alleged vanity of African Space
Science give me a big “roll eyes”
feeling. If we look back, we
Europeans have a history of 3000
years pondering the Skies and the
origins of it all, and the scientific
revolution of the 18th and 19th
centuries happened with a
backdrop of poverty, hunger,
wars and mass migrations. I can
attest to the fact that studies an
the earth- and space sciences
(both often are closely
intertwined) equip the students
with an understanding of
complexities in general, allowing
them to enter in and contribute
to many different fields.
Astronomy, Physics and the Geo
and Environmental Sciences all
include essential tools for coping
with complex and large scale
development and environmental
issues. A “space project” already
is using, for example, Remote
sensing GIS data from existing
platforms for land use and
regional planning and training
students in geo information
sciences. This is called
development. Capacity building.
Fishing rods instead of donations
of canned fish, so to say. The
opponents appear to have an
interest in keeping Africa low,
keep Africa from developing too
much and thus from eventually
becoming an emancipated
competition for European
companies. And it is ridiculous
and immoral anyway to complain
about Africa receiving too much
aid after European countries
exploited the continent for
centuries. A beautiful aspect is
that all space programs in
developing countries operate on
shoestring budgets and thus are
forced to become immensely
creative to find low cost solutions.
Maybe that feels like a threat to
some folks who are used to the
comfort of monstrous state
budgets…https://makewealthhistory.org/2013/08/13/the-truth-about-africas-space-programmes/

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