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Saturday, 5 March 2022
Could Ukraine Be Putin’s Afghanistan?
Thursday, 3 March 2022
UKRAINE:TIME FOR SOLIDARITY
Friday, 18 February 2022
Putin
President Putin sent shock waves round the world when he amassed more than 100,000 troops armed to the teeth to surround Ukraine. Beyond his penchant to bully Ukraine and threaten its sovereignty, many of the experts in foreign affairs are yet to unravel the motive behind the build-up of arms and personnel. Was it for fear of Ukraine joining NATO? An online publication reports a former CIA chief, Don Hoffman, as saying: ‘’First of all, NATO membership is a fig leaf. It’s a red herring. Everyone knows Ukraine isn’t joining NATO anytime soon. It takes unanimous consent; France and Germany won’t give that. Putin uses that as a convenient way to frame the narrative for his disinformation propaganda. NATO is a defensive alliance but it represents anything that scares him.’’ Another expert, Chris Miller who is a former US Acting Secretary of Defence does not see the threat as deep-seated in the psyche of Russians. He believes it has some domestic undertones and calculation. He says: “…that is, that the Russians might seek to invade and occupy the portion of Ukraine that would connect Russia via land to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and which contains a critical Russian naval base and port on the Black Sea. I think he’s just going to keep pushing until someone stands up against him, just like the playground.”
Some others think Putin is trying to reaffirm regional dominance and reassert regional influence in the place such that Russia can exercise veto over Ukraine’s foreign policy. It was also to raise tensions so as to squeeze concessions from the United States. The latter on the other hand sees the Russian action as reawakening old rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, and so Russia went full blast militarizing Ukraine with 11 amphibious ships and submarines and 130,000 troops. From the point of view of some other scholars a gas pipeline from Germany to Russia which is called Nord Stream 2 is the issue; it is the cause of the tension. The United States sees the collaboration as a threat capable of weakening its dominant influence in Western Europe in particular. Germans are eagerly expecting the gas supply to quickly come on stream, convinced that it would be cost effective for them. The energy would be cleaner and cheaper. Reports say once the German regulatory authority issues final certification, the supply would start.
It is seen in parts of Western Europe that the United States is opposed to the budding friendship between Germany and Russia. The chummy relationship in the reading of experts would redefine economic, military and social architecture in Western Europe. When there is economic boom in Europe it would affect the value of the Dollar thus considerably whittling down the United States influence in the region. United States panics as its influence on pristine allies is slipping off its fingers. It is, therefore, goading Russia to invade Ukraine and sour the relationship and the gas supply would be put on hold. It is believed it is an orchestration of an alarm to the American public that war was imminent in that region.
An enlightening commentary, authored by Mike Whitney, says: “The Ukraine crisis has nothing to do with Ukraine. It is about Germany and, in particular, a pipeline that connects Germany to Russia…” He adds: “In a world where Germany and Russia are friends and trading partners, there is no need for expensive US-made weapons and missile systems, and no need for NATO. There is also no need to transact energy deals in US Dollars or to stockpile US Treasuries to balance accounts. Transactions between business partners can be conducted in their own currency which is bound to precipitate a sharp decline in the value of the dollar and dramatic shift in economic power.”
The hype and worry, of Russia invading Ukraine in American Establishment does not appear would wane soon as the issue is not seen by the United States as a drive in search of economic opportunities and advantages for one of its allies, Germany. Not even by acclaimed diplomat extra-ordinary, Henry Kissinger who sees the issue other than from the American lenses. Russia, too, lent itself to a war cry with the massive militarization of Ukraine. Kissinger says: “Public discussion on Ukraine is all about confrontation. But do we know where we are going? In my life, I have seen four wars begun with great enthusiasm and public support, all of which we did not know how to end and from three of which we withdrew unilaterally. The test of policy is how it ends and not how it begins. Far too often, the Ukrainian issue is posed as a showdown: whether Ukraine joins the East or the West. But if Ukraine is to survive and thrive, it must not be either side’s outpost against the other—it should function as a bridge between them.”
What is clear looking at the issue critically is economic interest whether on the part of America or Germany. The United States finds it unsettling that one of its major allies is forging an economic union with Russia which has unwittingly chosen the time to flex its muscles and bare its teeth over Ukraine disguised as military drills. The heavy weaponry displayed was intimidating. Indeed, even the relief that Russia had ordered its troops back to the barracks was giving way to despair as an American official reported that about 7,000 more troops had been added to the 130,000 pack that are stationed at the Ukraine border. The claim by Putin is false, he said. For the United States, in addition to the economic factor, the possibility of it losing influence and its invincibility over Europe is destabilisng to put it mildly. The security council permanent members are undermining United Nations, its appropriate that United Nations should have a standing force. As its now, the sovereignty of Ukraine as a state is undermined and purveyor of the impunity ,Russian government is winning. Like l said, no single bullet would be fired by Russia,Ukraine does not want war either. We must redefined the power of the five security council permanent members.
Olufemi Aduwo
Permanent Representative ,
Centre for Convention on Democratic lntegrity [ CCDI},
A non-governmental organisation in Consultative Status with ECOSOC/United Nations.
Wednesday, 16 February 2022
THE UNITED NATION’s VITAL ROLE IN AFGNANISTAN
Wednesday, 22 December 2021
FAREWELL TO A CHALLENGING YEAR, GREETINGS TO A NEW YEAR OF ACTION
By any standard, 2021 was a challenging year. We miss in-person gatherings, travels, and the sense of normality. We know that we are in a “new abnormal,” a period of disruption of old practices and old thinking. In the past year, the pandemic persisted, politics and geopolitics remained fractious, and the countless world meetings on climate, food, and biodiversity left us aware of how much the world is still held back by old ways. Yet we also detected many glimmers of hope for a better way forward.
Friday, 15 October 2021
HAPPY GLOBAL HANDWASHING DAY
Thursday, 23 September 2021
CSO: CORRUPTION ALLEGATION AGAINST GOVERNOR BUNI, POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.
Governor Mai Mala-Buni, Acting National Chairman of APC
President of Rights Monitoring Group (a coalition of 45 NGOs) and Permanent Representative of a non-profit organisation, Centre for Convention on Democratic Integrity, (CCDI) to the United Nations, Mr. Olufemi Aduwo, has applauded Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State for his political leadership in handling the affairs of APC as Acting National Chairman. Aduwo made this observation in his interview monitored on Radio France lnternationale last night.
I am not an ardent supporter of APC nor a card holder of PDP. Governor Buni was underrated when he took over the mantle of the ruling party leadership, under his leadership APC has remained stable and attracted some notable politicians from the main opposition party, we cannot rule out that some who recently defected to APC may be looking for an escape route because of corruption cases they have, this may not be true across.
A political party is like a church where lepers, thieves, people of low and high virtues are all welcome. Nigerians want those who looted the national treasury to be brought to book, regardless of the political party they belong to. For example, Nigerians are waiting to see how the Femi Fani-Kayode fraud case ends before 2023.On the fraud allegation against the governor, from our preliminary findings, it is fabricated falsehood and is being instigated by some APC chieftains for their own selfish reasons. We will come out with a detailed report on the allegations soon. No doubt he must have taken some bold decisions which some chieftains were not comfortable with since he came to the office as the Acting National Chairman.
Since the return to democracy in 1999, the civil society has provided a veritable platform for the Nigerians to query government policies, actions, inactions, and detection of corruption in the public sector. For instance, our organisation and the media exposed the certificate forgery and perjury of the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Salisu Buhari in 1999. Also, there was the scandalous questionable past of the former Senate President Evans Enwerem. We also exposed the N268m contract that necessitated the removal of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh and many other members of the National Assembly.
Our petition against Bola Tinubu to the Code of Conduct Bureau did not start in 2011, we started the investigation in 2007 when he was still the governor of Lagos State. We sent our petition to President Jonathan in 2011 with pressure from foreign governments. The president summoned courage and directed the Code Of Conduct Bureau to arrange him before Code of Conduct Tribunal, unfortunately the Office of Attorney-General of federation frustrated the case and he was discharged and acquitted on a frivolous excuse that the Code of Conduct Bureau did not interrogate him before he was arraigned. Probably he could have been discharged but not acquitted and that was the position of Larmode who was the then EFCC chairman.
We agree with you that the civil society organisations in Nigeria have been ineffective in uncovering corruption in the country, this is due to lack of capacity as well as being partisan.During the tenure of Larmode as EFCC chairman, we partner with the body and our report made it possible for EFCC to recover the sum of N6 billion. Please note, we didn't demand for any percentage.To reduce corruption, it requires the collective effort of the people and government.
Come the 2023 Presidential election, we are of the view that any tribe regardless of population can be elected president. Trust and political will are the major hallmark qualities Nigerians should look out for. We also also support the call that the presidential candidates should be within 60 and 65 years of age.
Thursday, 16 September 2021
AAUA Don Appointed As Senior Adviser To CCDl.
2021: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY MESSAGE FROM CCDI.
Friday, 10 September 2021
Should Christians Be Opposed To Vaccinations?
Many believers have taken the position that they will not get the COVID-19 vaccine because they believe God will deliver them from this pandemic. I deeply admire that kind of faith. Jeremiah perhaps said it best in Jeremiah 17:7: Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. God wants our faith and trust to be in Him no doubt. With that recognition, please allow me to share my thoughts and faith on this topic.God Almighty has always used men and women, regardless of their imperfection to accomplish His will. Remember the story of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishaal and Azariah in the book of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar called these men Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. While there are good faith lessons from the lives of these men, notice that God blessed these individuals with knowledge, wisdom and understanding as we see in Daniel 1:17: As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Ultimately, this led to King Nebuchadnezzar glorifying God in Daniel 4:37: Now Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
Similarly, in Exodus 35:30-35 we see that God filled workers with skill, intelligence, knowledge and craftsmanship to accomplish his will in building His tabernacle. Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft and he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple, and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver, by any sort of workman or skilled designer.
We know that God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure in 1 Kings 4:29-34: “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. We could see many more examples in the Bible. God uses people to accomplish His will and sometimes He gives them the knowledge, wisdom and skill they need.
Additionally, let us recognise that one of the most remarkable systems in the human body is our immune system, placed there by God himself to help defend us from disease. While mankind has tried for thousands of years to understand how to fight disease, those insights seem to come a little at a time and with each new understanding, we gain a deeper appreciation and awe of the incredible complexity and sophistication of our immune system. Only our God could design us in such a marvellous way! David expressed it well in Psalm 139:14: I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
In March 2020, researchers were telling us that a vaccine was probably three years away. Yet the COVID-19 vaccine was developed in months, based on research that had been going on for years. The developers of the vaccines had hoped for effectiveness in the range of 70 percent, yet the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were both well over 90 percent effective. Given that, is it so difficult to believe that God has provided insight to researchers to give them understanding and wisdom regarding our immune system, so that they could develop a means to end this pandemic? Should we not be filled with praise that his method of bringing the pandemic to an end brings glory to Him for the wonder of the immune system he created in us? Think about Naaman, the commander of the army of Syria. His story is told in 2 Kings 5:1-14. He had leprosy and he went to Elisha for healing. Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman to tell him to dip seven times in the Jordan River to be healed. Naaman was angry that Elisha sent only a messenger. He was angry that he was told to dip in the Jordan River when there were much nicer rivers back in Syria. Why should he submit to dipping in that filthy river and pollute himself?
Perhaps you do not like the people or the organisations that are asking you to get the vaccine. You may be waiting for something special, as did Naaman. Or maybe you don’t like the vaccine, because, like Naaman, you find the solution objectionable. Healing was waiting for Naaman, but he had to do something to receive the healing. The Bible is filled with examples of people of faith being required to do something. Hebrews 11, that well-known chapter on faith, chronicles those who acted. Abel offered, Enoch pleased God, Noah constructed, Abraham went, and on and on.
So here is my perspective: My faith tells me that God has heard our prayers. My faith tells me that God has shared insights with men and women who have created a solution for the pandemic. It was developed in record time and is far more effective than expected. I see God’s hand in all of this. I cannot pray to God, “Please end this pandemic,” and then limit how he should answer that prayer. I cannot ask God for his intervention and then say, “Just so long as I don’t have to get a vaccine.” There is a part for me to complete. My faith leads me to action. My faith in God leads me to get the vaccine. “Our faith and obedience to Jesus in discipleship involves dying to ourselves and taking up the cross to follow him. We are Commanded to love God and love our neighbours as ourselves.
Loving other people can involve many things, but at minimum it involves seeking their good. The general principle of the common good comes down to benevolence, love, care for others and laying down personal priorities for the service of others. Christians thinking about vaccinations must weigh this key biblical principle in their decision-making process. My hope and prayer are that God watches over you and that your faith moves you to action. As Paul told our fellow Christians in Philippians 2:3-4, that you “in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. “Through faith in God, and in love and humility toward those around us, let’s work together to end this pandemic
The question is why is vaccination Important? SARS-CoV-2 is spread from person to person primarily by respiratory droplets exhaled by an infected person. These droplets vary in size from large droplets that fall out of the air within six feet of the infected person to aerosols that can remain in the air over time and greater distances. These aerosols are associated with singing, shouting, and breathing heavily during exercise and can increase viral transmission in poorly ventilated, enclosed spaces. A vaccine reduces the likelihood of a person getting a disease. For example, if a vaccine has 95% efficacy results, then people who are vaccinated are 20 times less likely to get COVID-19 compared to people who are not vaccinated.
Furthermore, healthy people who are vaccinated reduce the likelihood of people unable to be vaccinated, getting COVID-19 through herd immunity, or community immunity. Herd immunity occurs when enough people are immune to a disease through vaccination that the disease does not spread effectively in the population. Researchers estimate that herd immunity to COVID-19 will require 75–80% of the population to be vaccinated. Thus, people who choose to take the COVID-19 vaccine not only protect themselves, but they also help the community stay healthy. Such a choice is a practical way to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Misinformation and conspiracy theories fill social media, making people cautious. Yet all vaccines in the world are required to go through a rigorous process of testing and approval.
Consider some recent statistics from the UK. In a study tracking more than 200,000 people, nearly every single participant had developed antibodies against the virus within two weeks of their second dose and despite initial worries that the current vaccines may be less effective against the Delta variant, analysis suggest that both the AstraZeneca and the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs reduce hospitalisation rates by 92-96%. As many health practitioners have repeated, the risks of severe side effects from a vaccine are tiny in comparison to the risk of the disease itself. Yet, a sizeable number of people are still reluctant to get the shots. According to a recent report by the International Monetary Fund, that ranges from around 10-20% of people in the UK to around 50% in Japan and 60% in France. As of August, only 1,416,623 Nigerians among 200 million, representing 0.9 per cent of the country’s population, have been fully vaccinated against the deadly virus. Experts and WHO says a nation must vaccinate 70 per cent of its population to achieve herd immunity.
It is a fact that some people will not be able to take the vaccine at all due to other serious health conditions. When you get the vaccine, you help build up the “community immunity” that protects others. If large numbers of people are vaccinated, COVID won’t be able to spread to the most vulnerable among us. Many Christians are concerned about the possible use of fetal cells in vaccines. The good news is that no vaccines contain human cells! Moreover, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do not use human cells, even in the production process. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine does use a human cell line in production; this is an immortal cell line that came from a foetus aborted in 1985 (the abortion was not performed for this purpose). Yet, the cells used today are descended many generations from the original foetus and were never part of an actual human body. While the association with abortion gives many Christians pause, there is substantial agreement among Christian theologians and liberalists that the connection to foetal cell lines should not make these vaccines off-limits for Christians.
The disease is riskier than the vaccine
No vaccine is 100% risk-free, just as no medical procedure is risk free. Christians need to weigh the risks on both sides. COVID-19 is a serious disease, much worse than the flu. By now, many of us know or have heard of people who have had it. Some people have mild cases, but others have serious symptoms, hospitalisation, and long-term complications. The risks of the vaccine are less than the risks of the disease. Let’s keep praying for those who have been hit hardest by the pandemic. Let’s keep caring for our neighbours through this crisis.
Many Christians are known as most wise in discerning science, most courageous in fighting for justice, and most compassionate in caring for the sick. We should be the ones most willing to make sacrifices for the sake of others, following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Vaccination is a concrete way you can care for your family, your church, and your community.
Olufemi Aduwo