Cleggmania, the media and election results

The election dust has now settled and Britain officially has a Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government for the first time since the Second World War. Despite disappointing election results the Lib Dems have manoeuvred their way into government with five cabinet seats and the prized role of Deputy Prime Minister going to Nick Clegg. Was this simply a case of excellent opportunism or did the televised debates and social media have a role in creating this new dawn of British politics?

The aftermath of the first televised debate made Nick Clegg the most popular man in Britain and pushed the Liberal Democrats ahead in the polls. Even social media platforms such as Facebook’s Democracy page and the Xbox survey put the Lib Dems 30 per cent ahead of the competition. All these digital votes failed to materialise into actual votes, however, with the Lib Dems losing five electoral seats, despite gaining five cabinet positions as a result of the coalition government.

One positive outcome of the debates and the influence of social media on the elections was the increase in voter turnout from 61 per cent to 65 per cent, particularly among the usually apathetic demographic of students. It is a shame that this surge in turnout was not a victory for democracy but instead exposed the flaws in the electoral system, causing long queues, shortage of materials and, most disturbingly, disenfranchised voters.

It will be interesting to see whether there will be a resurgence of Cleggmania as a result of his newly found importance and whether his party will be able to deliver on their promise of electoral reform, albeit in the less radical form of the alternative voting system. One thing is for sure however: televised debates are here to stay and social media will definitely play a major role in any future election. If Clegg’s story is anything to go by, all future candidates should start practising now how to look straight in the camera and say ‘I agree with Nick’

Why Naija (Nigeria) must GO (forward)

Ghana protests bashing by Nigerian officials

Below is a letter from the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria to a Nigerian newspaper, appealing to Nigerian government officials to refrain from spreading falsehood about Ghana.

SIR: I am compelled to write to express serious concern about a couple of statements by some top Nigerian officials about Ghana in recent weeks. Last month, Defence Minister Godwin Abbe was quoted as saying, "the volume of water generated in Ghana is not enough to flush toilets in Lagos State, the number of teachers you have to pay salaries in the whole of Ghana is not more than Western Nigeria so that is that. And the whole of Ghanaian Armed Forces, if you choose to know, is not more than just two brigades of the Nigerian Armed Forces, period."

Only last weekend, Education Minister Sam Egwu was on national radio talking about the ongoing ASUU strike, and he made the most ridiculous assertion that all the university lecturers in Ghana will not be adequate for a single university in Nigeria! This is a blatant falsehood. Anyone who had been to the University of Ghana Legon (with a student population of more than 40,000), can testify to the fact that probably no university in Nigeria has more space and facilities than Legon. And there are at least five more public universities in Ghana. There are also a dozen privately-owned universities in Ghana, offering quality education to Ghanaians and foreigners alike, including a growing number of Nigerians.

And in the case of the defence minister, we do not know where he got his information from regarding the current strength of the Ghana armed forces. Needless to say that the Ghanaian military is one of the best trained on the continent and had performed exceptionally well in various international assignments. The entire first generation of Nigerian military officers, including Generals Olusegun Obasanjo, Hassan Katsina and Adebayo were all trained in Ghana. Ghanaian army generals have commanded UN troops in Lebanon, Liberia, Rwanda, Darfur, etc over the years.

Information Minister Dora Akunyili also told a local television network at the end of August that the whole of Ghana is not even up to the size of Lagos! Even a child in kindergarten knows that to be untrue. Government officials, unlike private citizens, traditionally tend to be circumspect about what they say about other countries. Ghana is smaller than Nigeria, and I reckon everyone knows that as a fact. And it is certainly not the only country in the world that is smaller than Nigeria. Or is it? Or have Nigerian government officials only suddenly realised how 'small' Ghana is?

Our concern really is that such reckless and unguarded comments could have grave implications for bilateral relations and derail efforts by leaders of the two countries to forge strong bilateral ties. We think President Umaru Yar'Adua should call his ministers to order. The Ghana bashing must stop! Ghana is a well-respected member of the international community, and deserves respect from Nigerians, particularly top government officials.

Nana Yaw Aboagye, Ghana High Commission, Abuja, FCT Tools


Source: GHP


MY RESPONSE


Regarding Ghana - the world cup, oil, good natured manner of Ghanaians, kofi annan - he list goes on has given Ghana a good enough name yes in the uk some ignorant people confuse it with guyana but when they realize it is Ghana - there is no negative stigma attached to it.

On the contrary it is Nigerian that has a behemoth task of cleaning up its name and image - yes its big country - yes it has many resources but what has it done with all of this. No electricity, poor universities, poor airline safety - oppressive military "dem mama dem papa - Timaya', Biafra , nija delta etc Dodgy elections - the list goes one.

As much as I would love a better PR for Nigeria it seems some people in government of Nigeria and some Nigerians at home and abroad need to wake up and actually start dealing with the mess of a country before they complain and belittle other countries such as Ghana.

In 2009 Nigerian ministers are more concerned with tarnishing the image of smaller better functioning nations when the biggest block buster of summer 2009 - District 9 - totally tarnishes and already battered image of Nigeria. This portrayal of Nigerians and infect black people or Africans is sad but it takes behavior like this form Nigeria's to purport and continue this negative image of Nigeria. Nigerians and their government have the biggest branding and PR job to do in the World and it starts with being honest with their problems.

Yes everything about Nigeria is big and yes Nigerians are the proudest people on earth, but what do they have to show for all this pride and opulence.

Constant references of Ghana must go and the meager size or populations of other countries will not solve the huge infrastructural and societal problems nigeria has.

Ghana has gone and is moving on Nigeria pleas wake up and do something with yourself.
p.s I have no beef against honest sensible nigerians in fact I have nigerian family but Nigerians need to stop putting down others to prop up an ego that has no foundation.

Dumped in Africa: Britain’s toxic waste

Taken from the independent website

Special Investigation
Dumped in Africa: Britain’s toxic waste

Children exposed to poisonous material in defiance of UK law

By Cahal Milmo

Wednesday, 18 February 2009

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Scavengers at Alaba market in Lagos, Nigeria, try to make a living from the illegal exports

Greenpeace

Scavengers at Alaba market in Lagos, Nigeria, try to make a living from the illegal exports

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Tonnes of toxic waste collected from British municipal dumps is being sent illegally to Africa in flagrant breach of this country’s obligation to ensure its rapidly growing mountain of defunct televisions, computers and gadgets are disposed of safely.

Hundreds of thousands of discarded items, which under British law must be dismantled or recycled by specialist contractors, are being packaged into cargo containers and shipped to countries such as Nigeria and Ghana, where they are stripped of their raw metals by young men and children working on poisoned waste dumps.

In a joint investigation by The Independent, Sky News, and Greenpeace, a television that had been broken beyond repair was tracked to an electronics market in Lagos, Nigeria, after being left at a civic amenity site in Basingstoke run by Hampshire Country Council. Under environmental protection laws It was classified as hazardous waste and should never have left the UK.
Related articles

* How a tagged television set uncovered a deadly trade
* Following the e-waste trail
* Leading article: A dirty and illegal trade
* Sky News: Scandal of waste sent to Africa

The television, fitted with a satellite tracking device, was bought by a London-based dealer, one of dozens of operators buying up a significant proportion of the estimated 940,000 tonnes of domestic electronic waste, or e-waste, produced in the UK each year and sending it for export.

Investigators bought back the television after a 4,500-mile journey from Tilbury Docks in Essex to the giant Alaba electronics market in Lagos, where up to 15 shipping containers of discarded electronics from Europe and Asia arrive every day. At least a third of the contents of each container is broken beyond use and transferred to dumps where waste pickers scavenge amid a cocktail of burning heavy metals and dioxins. The television is just one example of a broader problem with the enforcement of the legislation, which permits the export of functioning equipment but prohibits broken electronic goods from being sent outside the EU to a country with a developing economy.

Such is the confused state of the recycling industry, with some local authorities collating figures on the amount of waste being exported and others simply handing the task to sub-contractors, that the e-waste body representing the electronics industry admits abuse is widespread.

Claire Snow, the director of the Industry Council for Equipment Recycling (ICER), told The Independent: “It is clear that the system for collecting equipment which UK householders have thrown away is not working as well as it should.

“On the pretext of re-use, equipment which is clearly not suitable for any type of re-use is effectively being dumped in developing countries.”

Government figures show that 450,000 tonnes of e-waste is currently being treated in accordance with Britain’s waste electronic and electrical equipment laws, which place a responsibility on manufacturers to meet the environmental cost. But with the average Briton throwing away four pieces of e-waste every year, approximately 500,000 tonnes is going unaccounted for. Industry research seen by The Independent estimates that at least 10,000 tonnes of waste televisions and 23,000 tonnes of computers classified as hazardous waste are being illegally exported as part of a wider e-waste market worth “tens of millions of pounds”.

Campaigners say dealers offering around £3 for a television and £1 for a computer monitor to waste sites are undercutting specialist recycling companies, creating a “grey market”.

Britain is responsible for around 15 per cent of the EU’s total e-waste, which is growing three times faster than any other muncipal waste stream.

Martin Hojsik, toxics campaigner for Greenpeace International, said: "Companies can stop this illegal toxic trade now by ensuring their goods are free from hazardous components. It is critical they and governments take full responsibility for the safe recycling of their products and put an end to the growing e-waste dumps that are poisoning people."

Bosses at Hampshire County Council last night launched an inquiry into its waste sites but insisted it and its household waste site contractor, Hopkins Recycling, only used dealers who exported functional equipment.

A spokesman for Consumers International, which is campaigning for tightened e-waste controls, said: “The sight of children scavenging toxic wastelands overflowing with the West’s unwanted computers and televisions makes a mockery of international bans to prevent the dumping of e-waste. Western governments, including the UK, have shown little desire to deal with the root cause of this problem.”


please sign the petition here:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/computeraid/

A Nation without Heroes - Ghana Independence Day

On our 52 nd Independence Anniversary I am sad to say that the fervor usually associated with such days has to a large extent escaped me or if I may be blunt I really could not give a toss this year. Why you may ask - well mainly because I believe I live in a country that honors mediocrity, a politics of patronage instead of merit and a nation that believes in the easy way out. Please don't get me wrong I am not one of those Ghana bashers and I am a patriotic son of this nation however my observations how let me come to the conclusion that we as a nation are quite good at being very dependent and to are large extent we render or political independence worthless with our need for dependence on others.

We seem to need someone to tell us that pure water will literally engulf our nation in 12 years and than we would need a loan from a European country t clean up our mess, w depend on even tooth pics from china, we depend on relatives for everything even jobs that we are absolutely qualified for and woe be tide you in case there is a government change then you have t depend on your connections in the opposing parties to ensure that you do not proceed on leave or (in my case) to get you reinstated. So why do we need to always need to depend instead of being independent.

My simple answer is that were are a nation of followers and not leaders and any nation filled with followers is a nation without Heroes. it is sad that a majority of the people in this nation including myself do not really know who the real heroes and sheroes in this country are and if we do not know who they are then how can he create new ones and move our country froward (no pun intended). Put who do I blame when our television sets of full of juju orientated Ghana and Nigerian films, Telenovelas that perpetuate an alien culture and reinforces certain supremacist stereotypes.

No i aint got nothing against foreign material on ur media but why should we be always dependent on someones work when we have not created our own. if we cannot even have cartoons with black people made and shown on or tv's everyday for our kids then we have no right showing them brain numbing content that have no use in making them independent and proud thinkers who one day will be the HEROES in a Nation without HEROES.

Bronya (Chritsmas) - A very political Pantomine

The festive season has always reminded me of food I mean real food - Plenty chicken beef meat meat and more meat.Childhood memories of this time of year can not be recalled without mentioning the famous Piccadilly biscuits , Belgian canned biscuits or the favorite/terror of children Amasi (masqueraders) who troop into town in groups to terrorize petrified kids.Then There is Family and the hundreds of cousins some of which you have never met, As you grow the import(enjoyment) of the festive season may lift - after all the pot bellied uncles no longer doth you with money - or you no longer get presents if you ever got some that is? Plus no one really cares about the decorations anyway if they are finally put up two day before the C- Day it means they will not come of until somewhere in March after Mummy has screamed a thousand times.Do you remember your Bronya atadee (Christmas Dress/Clothes) - The Holy grail of attire that was to be unveiled on that special day - if only everyday was Christmas our churches would continuously look like New York Fashion week after all everyone and their children and children's children wants u to see how fresh they look. At this time of the year we also have to remember those e who don't have and I hope we all do so this year.

Chritmas Interupted - This years Bronya will be a very political affair the Christmas dress has been replace by the political part t- shirt, the fanta has been replaced by political rally pure water (sachet water), jingle bells and co have been usurped by Nana oye winner (Npp political song) and Yeresesamu(we are changing things - the Ndc Song, Sermons of good tidings and peace have becomes sermons of peace and hope.The children's class of 2008 are quite and unfortunate bunch their Christmas will not be the usual affair after all Ghana has an Election run-off on the 28th December.

I wonder who Papa Bronya (Santa) will be voting for - I hope he votes wisely as for me the can only be one choice after all it will be a new year soon - Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year in Advance

Elections

Chale the time has come npp ndc cpp ect - Ghana mus decide and i wish u all a free and fair and peaceful election - As for me I will be voting for the first time Pray for good judgement for me - PEACE

Reverend Jesse Jackson Snr calls me OUT!!!!!!

The Reverend Jesse Jackson Snr. the renowned civil rights leader literally called me out on the london leg (Tuesday 22) of the UK tour with Equanomics UK at Westminster Central Hall.
A write up on the whole event and the 'calling' will be updated soon with pictures and all.

Stay Clicking.
God willing I will also be covering part of this years Carnival.

Sickle Cell Petition

Please sign this petition urgently as adults
(aged over 18) affected by sickle cell disease are not entitled to
free prescription whilst people with diabetes, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis etc which are also long term medical conditions are entitled to free prescription.
It has only 200 odd signatures and we need the rule changed.

Thanks it only takes a minute

Shortcut to:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/RIGHTTOLIFE/?ref=righttolife
Updates on the concert and picnic will be up soon

Reply to Are You a Slave? Post

Original Post

forced multiculturalism is an afront to the human condition. "white privledge" seems to be thrown around a lot without any true evidence to suggest that it exists. anecdotes are not evidence. support for reparations is almost completley an emotional argument and we all know how that is a logical fallacy. slavery is consistantly used as an excuse, even long after its effects were tangible. if you want to keep playing the race card and continue down a path that does nothing to repair the past then keep pushing a devisive issue like reparations. if you want to actually do something for the "black community" attempt to change the culture that places no value on education, hard work, or personal responsibility.

before you get your panties in a bunch about the last statment realize that its not geared towards the entire black community, just most of it. as long as race baiters like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton can continue to have greater influence over the community then Thomas Sowell, Clarence Thomas, Condolezza Rice and a whole host of others who don't portray themselves as victims, the black community will continue to slip downward and demand false entitlement when they should be far more critical of their own culture and put some emphasis on the things that will actually change their lot in life.

11:26 PM

Anonymous said...

I would be interested in hearing your response to this...thank you

11:47 PM

My Response.

Firstly I would like to thank you for coming by and letting me know what you think about the post, I appreciate it. Though it would have been nice to know who this is or where you are (lol).

Secondly no one ever said multiculturalism (UK) worked fully as it is evident with the 7/7 bombings, but I think we can agree that it is definitely better than assimilation i.e. France. With regards to 'white privilege' I would say the state of affairs of the economic and political climate in the world over the past 300 years has largely been dictated by the military might and subjugation of non western countries by mainly European (white) nations. I do believe there is no reason for me to give examples considering that today we still have this western superiority complex evident in Iraq, as was evident in colonial Africa, South-East Asia, the Caribbean and even Pre-Independence America. The only evidence that needs to be provided regarding your stated 'white privilege' is the economic might (quotas, CAP, IMF etc) the west wields as a result of their conquests both legitimate and mainly illegitimate over the years. Some might say it is the survival of the fittest others might say it is blatant opportunism; I would leave you to make your own inferences. Regarding reparations which I personally have not asked for but understand the notion behind it, let me ask you whether it would be an excellent idea to pay the current Iranian government reparations or compensation for 'hosting' the 15 British naval officers for over two weeks or would you say the army is right in allowing them to make monetary gains by selling the stories of their plight to the tabloids. I guess your answer would be an equivocal no because the troops were ‘captured’ and ‘maltreated’.

Following from this question it sound disgraceful and insulting that slave owners were paid 20 million pounds at the time of the abolition of the slave trade. Money helps but in my books the conditions that maintain the neo-colonial economic and societal frameworks that prompted slavery and colonialism need to be removed to enable true self determination of African people on the continent and in the Diaspora. Were not reparations to Holocaust victims partially based on emotional considerations and have the British naval officers not been given the unusual privilege of selling their stories as a form of emotional compensation through vast monetary gains? I have not used slavery as an excuse for anything but an explanation from many things. The effect of slavery are truly with us and will be for a long time, are the effects of the holocaust, the World Wars, and the Cold War not with us today? Also I have not played the so called race card with regards to this blog or to attain or justify any thing I have ever done or achieved in my life. To me that is a creation of people who to not want to be confronted with difficult truths or lies. Man should be judged on their actions and not reactions to their skin colour.

The past should be resolved through dialogue, forgiveness and acceptance of forgiveness which should lead to tangible change for all parties. I am very happy that you have talked about the culture of the ‘Black Community’ is there really a Black Community (UK) that has a distinctive uniform culture? I think the answer is no. Is there an African Culture? I think the answer is Yes! The African culture of which I am a proud product of definitely places absolute importance on the value of education, hard work, or personal and group (extended family and tribal responsibility). It is ironic that you speak of responsibility for actions when Tony Blair and the Queen cannot even accept responsibility for (GB) on behalf of nations in the form of an apology for the role of this nation in Slavery when African nations have done so an initiated programmes such as the Joseph project (Ghana) to correct these wrongs.

Since you have so much insight on the character of the Black Community in which most of them have been stereotyped by your characterisation, I would like to point out that it takes a village to raise a child and therefore ‘Black Leaders’ appointed by black people as true representatives or self made Black people who have ‘made it’ cannot have total influence on Black people as a result of the slave trade which has scattered us on so many cultures effectively destroying our culture and enforcing an alien culture and environment on us. Therefore is the current Black culture you mentioned truly representative of Black people in the Diaspora or is it just the remnants of what could be salvaged from slavery and what is being mimicked form their new ‘homes’?

The Black community has flaws and problems just like any other community and yes we are working on them, not through begging or reparations but through confronting the realities of this world.

May God Bless You.

P.S your post did not have much to do with my video blog but rather inferences on issues such as reparations which require a more intensive forum to discuss through face to face dialogue.

wordsbody: Slavery - Alternative Voices

wordsbody: Slavery - Alternative Voices

ARE YOU A SLAVE



Since most people know its been 200 years since the supposed abolition of the slave trade it is quite refreshing that some one 'Toyin Abegtu' has spoken out for numerous muted black people, most shamefully, black politicians in the UK on the effects of slavery and the shameful nature of the 'celebration' of the abolition. When you have ridiculous, propagandist and outwardly stereotypical and 'racist' programmes showing such as 'The Last Slave' by Channel 4 in 2007 UK then you know there is a problem. Black people in this nation need to wake up a break the mental, economic and behavioural slavery that we are still under today. Until the harsh truths of slavery are dealt with by all citizens in this nation regardless of colour or ethnicity then we will continue to have ten year old black kids being murdered, black kids underachieving in education, a skewed 'hip hop' gangster mentality that is endemic with both black and white youth today. When a society (Blacks youths in the UK) only have African American musicians and British sports men and sports women as their primary role models then you know we have a llllllllooooooooooooooonnnnnnnggggggggg (African accent) way to go. I pray that God will cause a stir that will bring change. Believe me change is coming in this nation that has lost its morals, fails to apologise for the past organised subjugation of other races and has adopted modernity and materialism as its religion.
The REVOLUTION shall be OMNIPRESENT

LINKS ON THE ISSUE - Videos and Print
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6523327.stm
http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?tab=av&q=Toyin%20Agbetu&recipe=all&scope=all&edition=d
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6523327.stm
http://www.ligali.org/index.php