Below The Headlines - 17
MC Oluomo is back along with a new phenomenon known as political body language
Welcome to another week of Nigerian news around the world. But first a quick recap of 1914 Reader this week. Lagos now has a new metro system and I wrote about what it means to be able to move people across a city efficiently. I gave a small quote to The Economist about Bola Tinubu’s first 100 days as Nigerian President.
We will do everything to bring you this newsletter as normal next week. But if we can’t, please bear with us.
Inside Nigeria
The Lagos State government has lifted the ban on NURTW in the state. You know what that means - MC Oluomo is back like he never left: “The reinstated Chairman, Alhaji. Musliu Akinsanya thanked the state government and the national executive of the NURTW for their support assuring the state of the Lagos chapter’s cooperation” - Guardian
School of Yahoo: “Four suspected internet fraudsters have been arrested in connection with the detention and torture of three young trainees who were learning the illicit business from them in Ikorodu area of Lagos. The suspects, as gathered, tortured the three apprentices for not succeeding in defrauding a victim they found on the internet” - Vanguard
9 legislators have so far had their elections overturned for various reasons (my favourite remains the guy who lost his seat because he forged his primary school qualification). My heart goes out to this unnamed rep: “It was tough for me during the primaries of our party. I was taken to court but I won. Sadly, after winning the main election, my opponents went to court again. My attention is divided; I am telling you the truth. I am exhausted and concentrating is tough for me even though we are on recess” - Daily Trust
Vanguard investigates the e-corn-omy and finds that people are now buying broken pieces of roasted corn. The irony of this happening when the Agbado Meister is in situ in Aso Rock is a bit too much: “It may sound funny, but it is true that majority of artisans and low income earners cannot buy a whole stick of roasted corn today.” - Vanguard
News from Kwara (Rule of thumb: when Nigerian newspapers report something as a ‘wonder’, ‘strange’ or ‘mystery’, the thing usually has a very simple explanation): “Wife of the goat’s owner, Aishat Umar, who spoke in Hausa language said that the wonder she-goat actually gave birth to two kids. She added that one was a complete goat while the other was in human form, except for the ears and the hands.” - The Nation
Mexico used to buy 85% of Nigeria’s hibiscus production until 2017 when they banned imports from Nigeria over a pest infestation. The ban was finally lifted last year so hibiscus farmers are balling again: “It was gathered that at present, one tonne of hibiscus is now selling at N1.3m to N1.7m. The current price of the commodity has made it very endearing to farmers to the extent that a lot of them have abandoned other crops.” - Daily Trust
If you don’t know what Kayamata is, it is not the responsibility of this newsletter to bring you up to date. All we can tell you is that there are side-effects: “She revealed that the woman gave her oil and face powder to use. The unidentified lady claimed that men’s attention to her increased at an alarming rate and that it got to the point where she had to start declining some men.” - Tribune
Why is the skit-maker Amarachi Amusi still single?: “Most men I meet are making less than what I make in a month. And it feels bad because I want some[one] that will make more” - Leadership
The mother of Nigerians in the diaspora has spoken: “As a mother and Mama Diaspora, fully Batified 1000 per cent. We need to stay focused and concentrate on reviving Nigeria’s economy. We are so blessed to have an American-trained graduate and intellectual as the President of our great country, Nigeria. In the next couple of years, Nigeria will resemble some of the fastest-growing economies in the world” - ThisDay
Outside Nigeria
“The 2023 Mercury prize has been awarded to Ezra Collective, the London band whose propulsive blend of jazz, funk and Afrobeat has electrified audiences and cemented the capital’s jazz scene as one of the world’s most exciting” - Two members of the band are children of the Pastors of London’s Jubilee Church - Guardian
An American alaga?: “The bride and groom and their families wore colorful Nigerian wedding clothes and headpieces sourced from Africa, some of it designed by Anu Oye in Brooklyn. Anita Clegg, an alaga, or wedding M.C., officiated a ceremony that, by the time it wrapped, had included hours of celebratory dancing with friends and extended family.” - New York Times
A debate about reparations in America includes a discussion of what type of black person should be eligible - descendants of slaves only or immigrant blacks as well?: “Because if you’re Nigerian or Cape Verdean or Black Brazilian, you’ve experienced the same things, been stopped by the police, you’ve been denied a job, you’ve been denied that bank loan. This is about repositioning a whole people” - Washington Post
Pictures of ordinary Lagos: “Look through the eyes of the photographer Logo Oluwamuyiwa, however, and a fleet of danfos morphs into a phalanx of intersecting geometric planes, transforming the everyday experience of traffic into a striking modernist composition” - New Yorker
Lex analysis in the FT warns that more multinationals listed in Nigeria will be tempted to follow PZ Cussons example and delist from the stock exchange to prevent it dragging down their share price elsewhere: “Cussons will pay £23mn to buy back a 27 per cent stake in PZ Cusson Nigeria. Doing so should simplify the company’s governance structure. Other companies may be tempted to follow the same route. Unilever, Nestlé, Guinness (owned by Diageo) Cadbury (owned by Mondelez) and GSK are among the western companies that maintain stock market listings in the country.” - Financial Times
The view on the new Lagos light rail from China: “As the train glided along its tracks from the iconic Marina Station on Lagos Island down to Mile 2, a busy district in the city, many Lagos residents on board the China-built electric-powered light rail could not contain their delight. The air-conditioned coaches offered a stark contrast to the daily commuting struggles many had grown accustomed to” - Xinhua
Just as President Tinubu was arriving ‘early’ in India for the G20 summit, Police in Mumbai were doing a blanket crackdown on Nigerians presumed to be drug dealers until proven innocent: “The police had mobilised 600 personnel for the raids including the police teams, fire brigade and ambulance personnel, anticipating a back lash from the Nigerians. However, the raid went ahead smoothly without any scuffle” - Hindustan Times
Hugh Jackman is currently in London filming the Deadpool sequel and he stopped at the Nigerian restaurant Enish for a meal. Pounded yam was involved: “He said it was his first time trying Nigerian dishes and his kids recommended they come there. He enjoyed his meal and we saw him swaying along to the Afrobeats played in the restaurant” - Metro
The State of New York is projected to spend $4 billion on the migrant crisis this year: “From 2015 to 2018, only around 100 Venezuelans were stopped annually at the border. From October 2021 to August 2022, that number stood at 150,000. However, experts and city officials now say most of the migrants come from Africa, particularly Senegal and Nigeria” - Daily Mail
This is apparently a serious research paper with the following recommendation: “Modern policing strategies are not adequately dealing with Nigeria’s crime and insecurity crisis. Notorious criminals are combining the use of sophisticated weapons with spiritual charms. We recommend that Nigeria’s police force should explore any potential advantages that the system of spiritual security mechanisms might offer” - The Conversation
From body language to political body language. The EFCC has quietly lifted the freeze on 3 bank accounts belonging to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa: “But there is no doubting the fact that this is actually connected with the political body language of the president” - The Africa Report
“After filming a music video for his single “Wish U Well” among the Makoko people in Nigeria, the rapper, 38, has donated 500 canoes to the community who live in structures built on stilts off the coast of Lagos.” - People
See you next week!