We heartily welcome Year 2018. It is God’s own making that all of us behind the mask in News in Africa Online publication survived the pangs of economic disorder of 2017 and set our feet squarely into the New Year. The thing is marvelous in our eyes!
However, we should not glorify yet. The UN Scribe has explained why. According to Antonio Guterres, what we have left behind is more of economic/financial danger. There are still clear signs of danger, violence, bloodshed, war, around the globe. They are being perpetrated by us and so, we cannot flee from our shadows. Too bad! See our column on World Report.
We tend to prefer the marked devil, that is, the devil that we already know. Terrorism smacks of sudden happenstance. Many Nigerians know what Boko Haram folks can do. But how about herdsmen who lead their cattle while looking helpless and unarmed? Well, we hear that many of them are simply disguised killers. As we go to press, they have caused mayhem in Benue state – causing anguish, death and destruction.
Journalists are not like medical doctors or commercial drivers. We do have unions but we do not bandy together as easily as our other counterparts do. But when a detained journalist regains freedom, the Body of pen-pushers takes note. Patrice Nganang of Cameroon has just smelt free air after some incarceration. We captured the gist for you in our Central Africa column.
While one ex-footballer is moving from the campaign trail to the State House, another is looking for a life-line. Different strokes for different folks! Do not ask us why. Browse through our reports under West Africa column and you will judge the uncertainties of man’s actions for yourself.
Communication Satellites are no mean ventures. Setting them up can be both technically exhaustive and economically tasking. But the experts know that they are money reapers. Western technocrats worry about transferring their know-how to the developing world. However, the Chinese and Russians do not attach such sentiments to that – they follow the money, so to say. In the matter of acquiring satellites, Nigeria had tried Russia before, now it is turning to China. Find out why.
Board rooms seem to be the opposite of fattening rooms. They are dominated by men. But in so far as the things discussed there are for the well-being of humanity, women should be represented there, even if it is just marginally. Not to have a single woman serving on a board that has about seven or more people is unfair and inhuman, if you will. This is the norm and we join the women in declaring it unacceptable. Click through our entry on Women Issues. It is a must-read.
As we go to press, African football is taking center-stage in Accra, Ghana. We have talked about it before and so in this week’s Sports column, we deliberately decided to stay quiet just at the eve of the show. We do not want to out-guess ourselves about who wins the 2017 African Footballer of the Year Award. We will properly analyse the whys and the wherefores for you in our next edition. However, we are publishing an equally touchy story here.
Our pledge to remain your one-stop-shop still subsists. Welcome again to 2018.
Pat I. Chukwuelue
Editor-in-Chief
