Twelve years ago, in 2012, Europe, that continent notorious for wars through the centuries, so much so that one time, they were at war for 30 straight years, and at another time, for 80 years straight, received a Nobel Peace Prize for managing to avoid a major conflict for over 50 straight years. At the time, I thought the award was premature. Europe is a tribal continent, even though they prefer to use that terminology only for African States.
The Nobel Committee may have been bored. They had to come up with a rationale for giving Europe an award it did not merit. How do you account for the slaughter, ethnic cleansing and outright genocide that went down in the old Yugoslavia that led to the creation of 6 new countries? Is/was Yugoslavia not in Europe?
See the justification below:
“The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the EU on the grounds that the organisation had advanced peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe. Furthermore, the EU had promoted friendly relations between the former archenemies Germany and France.”
Well, award or no award, Europe has been at war in Russia and Ukraine now for two-plus years.
But the war is stalled because these two foes know each other very well. They are neighbors. Going back hundreds of years, their history has been checkered. This is why observers were surprised that Ukraine agreed to give up its nuclear weapons in a so-called 1994 agreement in exchange for breeze—imagine accepting security guarantees from an old Cobra! It is important for every country to have forward thinking leaders—people who can see beyond their bank accounts to predict the future. The war in Ukraine could have been avoided if Ukraine had retained nuclear weapons. It should not surprise anyone if the revelation comes out tomorrow that Ukraine has acquired nuclear weapons. They know how to build them very well.
Another war front has opened in the Middle East. Whilst the palaver in the Middle East can be traced all the way back to the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the latest descent into madness was triggered on October 7th, 2023. The war is widening already. The only party in the war that has actually succeeded in achieving anything is Hamas. They launched the attack primarily to scuttle a possible Saudi Arabia/Israeli rapprochement. So far, they seem to have succeeded.
Everyone else in the game is a loser. The people of Gaza are the biggest losers, followed by Lebanon, Israel, and Iran in that order. Israel may succeed in destroying Hamas, the organization militarily, but it will never be able to destroy Hamas, the concept—certainly, not with the high-handed manner with which they treat the Palestinian people in the West Bank, and the dust that they have made of Gaza. If things remain the way they are, what incentive is there for the next generation of young men and women born in war, and nurtured in war to embrace peace?
Israel must change course.
For all it’s worth, it can only be hoped that any new leadership of the Palestinian people in Gaza will pursue nationhood instead of religion. Their long-suffering people need a country they can call their own where every Palestinian child can aspire to be like any other child in Israel or elsewhere around the free world.
The combination of the Middle East imbroglio, and the entrance of North Korea into the Russia-Ukraine war may lead to a world conflagration sooner rather than later. America lacks the depth it once had in terms of Statesmen with chutzpah. It may therefore be hard to see a peaceful resolution to any of these conflicts.
Add to that the possibility of a Trump presidency, which for all intents and purposes, were it to be this time, would feature America’s fifth eleven as Trump may have learned a vital lesson never again to appoint any person of substance into his cabinet. Imagine for one moment that “My Pillow guy” is Secretary of State with Rudy Guilliani as Chief of Staff!
As a Nigerian, the part that concerns me is the possibility of Nigeria being dragged into a war that does not concern us because of our ill-advised membership of the Organization of Islamic Conference. We can only hope that they do not subscribe to a common doctrine such as “an attack on any one of us is an attack on all of us.”
That would be suicidal.
This may be the time to pull out.
THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY.
The Nigerian economy is fast approaching a bottomless bottom. People are watching, and hoping for a miracle. Is the government up to something? Considering how smart we believe the people in government are, they must be up to something. Otherwise, all of us citizens, must at this time, at best, be described as being on a bus with the driver fast asleep at the wheels. Nigerians need to see something for us to build some hope upon. Please, Mr. President, tell us you are up to something so that we will know to be patient.
I was talking to an UBER driver the other day, and he told me that all the noise about the gains obtainable in converting their cars to CNG is a hoax. Firstly, he said, the process costs about N1m and up. Secondly, you have to pay a bribe for your turn to be called. I wonder if Mr. President knows that the initiative is being hijacked? It would appear that the Nigerian environment is wired to impose the maximum amount of suffering on the maximum number of people, and this is sad.
Amidst the hunger, Egogonewshub has cited a document circulating on WhatsApp, a Tax Reform Bill—-essentially, a proposal to find new ways to impose new taxes on an already strapped populace. It speaks to stories we sometimes hear about a man who is rich in cash but poor in compassion. Mr. President, after gathering all the taxes, how many poor Nigerian families will be left to enjoy the “future?”
Mr. President, please disown the document. Tell us it’s not true.
A VERY TIGHT RACE.
He’s old, she’s young.
He is haughty. She’s sweet.
He’s angry. She smiles.
He curses. She blesses.
He frightens. She spreads joy.
He has a concept of a plan.
She has an Opportunity Economy plan.
If all these things are true, why are the polls still close a mere 17 days to the elections? Why is Kamala Harris yet unable to close the deal?
Let’s try this: The economy, and Gaza.
America gets what America gets on November 5th.
Michael O. Ovienmhada.
Great analysis