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British Airways Must Go
Related to country: Nigeria

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

THE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), its president, Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) and a Nigerian citizen, Mr. Ayo Omotade, have dragged British Airways before a Lagos High Court, over the manhandling, molestation and inhuman treatment mated to Omotade, while aboard British Airways, last month for daring to question the inhumane treatment mated out to another Nigeria, being deported to Nigeria from Britain.
Omotade, who had while aboard British Airways, observed the deportation of a Nigerian, who was handcuffed, yet being further restrained and manhandled violently, had gently approached the officers tormenting the deportee and asked them not to kill him.

But was later told to get off the plane and not to travel with the airline because the cabin crew claimed he had been disruptive by questioning the noise being caused by the deportee that was removed.



Omotade, after being prevented from traveling, was later arrested, handcuffed and detained and is being prosecuted in London, over the money found on him, which he was bringing to his family in Nigeria.

Plaintiffs in the suit are further asking the court to declare that the arrest, detention, harassment, humiliation, intimidation, jettisoning, manhandling, molestation, persecution, threatening and tormenting of Omotade on or about March 27, 2008 on board the respondent’s Flight BA075, from London to Lagos without warrant or lawful justification by British police and law enforcement officers, with the assistance, co-operation and support of the officers and crew of the respondent, in the circumstances of this case, are unlawful in the municipal laws of both Nigeria and the United Kingdom.


As well as in international law, and violate Omotade rights guaranteed him by sections 34(1), 35(1), 39(1), 41(1) and 42(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999; articles 2, 4, 5, 6, 12, 16(1), 19 and 23 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights; and articles 1 to 7, 9, 13 and 28 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.



The court is also asked for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondent, its officers or crew or any of them, whether by themselves, their agents, officers, privies or servants, or otherwise howsoever, from doing or attempting or purporting to do, or letting any authority or person do or attempt or purport to do on the respondent’s flights, any of the following: arresting, detaining, harassing, humiliating, intimidating, jettisoning, manhandling, molesting, persecuting, threatening or tormenting Omotade, or in any other manner contravening the Omotade fundamental rights.

The applicants are contending that the suit is predicated on the grounds that the respondent’s grievous desecration of the applicants’ fundamental human rights offends not only the municipal laws of the jurisdictions to which the parties respectively belong, but also international law.



April 30, 2008 | 1:14 PM Comments  0 comments

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The Dominance of the English Premiership
Related to country: United Kingdom

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Soccer’s purists in England will never stop bemoaning the top-heavy nature of the English Premier League until a team from outside the Big Four makes a serious and consistent bid to break up the long-standing status quo.

However, the ongoing dominance of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal is having a knock-on effect on the European scene, and it’s boosting the Premiership’s reputation in the process.

For the second straight year, three of the four teams in the Champions League semifinals are from England, with Liverpool hosting Chelsea on Tuesday and United taking on Barcelona 24 hours later.

If the tournament draw had kept Arsenal away from domestic opposition at the quarterfinal stage, where the Gunners lost a controversial but thrilling encounter to Liverpool, then all four EPL clubs would have made up the final four of the competition. Few could have complained they were not there on merit.

Either way, the makeup of the protagonists in this week’s semifinal first legs is, and will continue to be, used as ammunition for those wishing to highlight the EPL’s strength when compared to Europe’s other top leagues.

The issue is slightly blurred, though, as some will argue that it is actually a lack of depth in England that has carved out a path for this type of European dominance.


The Big Four rarely have much of a fight on their hands to qualify for the Champions League, even though Everton sneaked into the Premiership’s fourth qualifying spot three years ago and Tottenham came within one point in 2006.

That, especially in the case of Liverpool, has allowed the big teams to rest key players in league matches and enabled them to be fresh for Champions League games the same week. In Spain and Italy, the fight for qualification is generally much tougher, and such luxuries are not a realistic option.

There is also the matter of finance and the lavish millions that pour into each club’s coffers from Champions League revenues.


The rich get richer – and therefore stronger – and the Big Four are even less likely to relinquish the grip on their positions of power. Combine that with the experience gained from countless big European matches, year after year, and you start to see why the results of the past two seasons cannot be dismissed as coincidence.


Who will advance to the UEFA Champions League final in Moscow?
Barcelona, Chelsea 16% 16%
Chelsea, Manchester United 33% 33%
Liverpool, Barcelona 13% 13%
Manchester United, Liverpool 38% 38% 4284 Votes


And don’t expect it to change any time soon.

Whereas once English teams struggled to show the sort of sophistication needed to progress through the obstacle-ridden knockout stages of the Champions League, now the blend of British steel and continental flair that courses through the Premiership’s elite seems to be the perfect blueprint for success in Europe’s top club tournament.


At Liverpool, manager Rafael Benitez has proven himself as something of a genius when it comes to European competition and is close to reaching his third Champions League final in four years, which would be a truly remarkable achievement by any standard. He has been able to tap into the homegrown passion of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, while also getting the likes of Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso to buy into the history and spirit of the club.

Down in London, Chelsea boss Avram Grant is in a tough spot, having still failed to win over the fans who pine for a return to the exciting days of the outspoken and charismatic Jose Mourinho. There is a sense that Benitez will have the tactical edge over Grant, even though the Israeli has a deeper talent pool to call upon. Expect Liverpool to reach the final once again and fight for the Cup in Moscow on May 21.

It can be argued that ever since Manchester United’s dramatic comeback victory in the 1999 final, the Red Devils have underachieved in the Champions League. However, Sir Alex Ferguson gives no indication of wanting to step down, and his hunger this season has been as strong as ever.


Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliance has spurred a charge toward the league title that can only be derailed by a late Chelsea surge (the teams meet Saturday), but the threat of Barcelona is real. Even so, Ferguson’s men should have too much momentum and confidence and should book their place in the first ever all-English final in tournament history

April 28, 2008 | 8:04 AM Comments  0 comments

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Nigerians: A People and Their Migration Pattern
Related to country: Nigeria

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic




Aside from the old-Soviet Union, and perhaps, modern Russia , I can think of no other country in modern times that has lived or is living far below its potential. No where on the face of the planet would one find a people as confused and flabbergasted about what to do with and about their country than Nigerians. For Nigerians, Nigeria has become a joke, a riddle, and a source of sadness and disappointment. Frankly, what to do with and what to do about Nigeria is one of the great mysteries of the modern era: a country once destined for greatness is today a brittle skeleton, a dust bowl.



Every now and then, I come across Nigerians who were men and women of substance and great intellect when Nigeria was a hopeful land. These Nigerians reminiscences about a country, a culture and a political space that once was; a land that had so much potential, so much dreams and so many possibilities. Catching up with the West, in terms of growth and development, was one of their mantras. It was not to be. The civil war put a let on their aspirations.



In the years immediately following the cessation of hostility, some of the embers and the energies returned. Nigerian universities and institutions of higher learning were home to some of the continent’s best. And so were the Civil Service and the Judiciary. Rent from oil and other resources made it possible for Nigeria to project herself continentally and globally. There was no doubt that the country’s place within the globally system was going to be secured within three decades. At the very least, the country was going to be the Mecca for the Black race. That was the thinking. The expectation.



However, a series of self-immolating factors, including but not limited to coups, poor leadership, institutional dishonesty, ancient fears and suspicious, along with external interferences, helped bring the country to her knees. The gains of the post-independence and post-civil eras all evaporated. The air was gradually knocked out of the nation’s lungs. And so it was that beginning in the late-1970s, until the present time, the country has been in a doldrums, in a rut: unable to pull itself up from three decades of morbid slumber. In the intervening years, about 1.1 million professionals, along with their kids and spouses, fled the country.



Consequently, the country’s institutions deteriorated; there was and continues to be a breakdown of social structures; mediocrity became the norm; high crimes were legalized; and foolishness and stupidity became fashionable. Not minding the costs and the inconveniences, Nigerians fled to whatever country that will host them. Nigerians fled everywhere, from Israel to Afghanistan , and from Timbuktu to Iceland ; they went everywhere. Today, Nigeria has more “scattered, suffering and miserable people” around the world than any other country.



Some cannot return home; others will not return. Not now, at least. Too many have nothing to return to, nothing to aspire to. It is hard to quantify the cost of such forced-migration on the people and on the country. How do you quantify the psychological and spiritual loss; how do you quantify the economic, social and political loss to the nation? If the current trend is not inverted, Nigerians may be the first and only people -- in the modern era, at least -- with a country, but without a homeland.



Immigration is not new. It is to be encouraged. It is necessary. It is part of the human evolution and human experience. There have been great migrations in history. In Africa for example, there was the Bantu and the Trans-Atlantic Migrations. In Europe , there was the Serb and the Irish Migrations, including the Ostsiedlung Migration (German’s eastward expansion). In the United States of America , there was, between 1914 and 1950, the exodus of African-Americans out of the Southern belt to other regions of the country. When such large migrations take place, the effect can be seen in both the departing and the receiving territory. In the long run, it is always a net-gain for the receiving country.



The problem with the Nigerian-style immigration is the pattern, the scope and the pull-push factors that gave rise to such movements. If Nigeria had not stagnated, seventy percent of those in exile would never have left; what’s more, seventy-five percent of those who left would have returned within a decade. Ten percent or so completely forsakes the country. For the vast majority however, they return or think of returning only after they’ve spent the better and most productive years of their lives abroad. They return to die or to be buried.



Why are Nigerians not returning home in their prime and in great numbers? Well, there are five possible explanations for this trend. The first falls under economic and time factor: It is either they are waiting for their kids to grow and enter college/university; or they have mortgages to offset, or have retirement benefits to look forward to. By the time two or three of the aforementioned takes place, they must have begun to gray and in the fourth phase of their life. Secondly, there are concerns over space and acceptability. In order words, the Nigerian economic, political and social space may not be big or expansive enough to accommodate all those who wish to return.



The space is not big enough, and it is not growing at a fast enough space. Adding to this difficulty is the issue of personal security and basic needs: availability and easy access to education and health care, sustaining infrastructures, social services, and a conducive environment for one to grow and prosper. Why forgo the predictability and comfort of the West for the vagaries of an exhausting and predatory Nigeria ? After fifteen, twenty or more years in the West, it is not easy to just pack ones bag and leave. There are several cultural factors one has to deal with, including reverse-assimilation and or reverse-acculturation. Such fears are not to be minimized.



And finally, there are those for whom the US , Canada , Germany , Mexico , New Zealand , France or wherever they call home is now Home. They have planted their seeds and their roots; they have invested in their new country. For such people, it makes no sense and neither will they entertain the idea of uprooting and returning to Nigeria . For such group of people, Nigeria becomes a distant memory: the land of their ancestors, but not the land of their offspring. There is a subset to this group -- a group that warrants further research: Nigerians who go abroad just to deliver their babies (with the intention of giving such children a better chance at life).This phenomenon says a lot about how Nigerians think about their country. For others, such moves are nothing but ego-trip and or a way to boost their social-status.



As was alluded to earlier, there have been great migrations in human history. Reverse migrations are not that common. They are rare. Still, there was the movement of South Africans back to their country after the collapse of the Apartheid system; there was the reverse migration to Israel when it became a state in 1948 and again after the collapse of Soviet Union . And in very recent years, there have been noticeable movement of people back to Ireland (a move spurred mainly by its economic growth and development). In view of the aforesaid, will there ever be a reverse migration of Nigerians to Nigeria ? It is hard to tell…