All Posts in Category: Contributory Reports

Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula

Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

We tend to easily sensationalize and fail to examine history very closely. I don’t know if I am alone but we are, in my view, far from the euphoric commentaries on developments on the Korean Peninsula. Rounds of high-level meetings are not holding for the first time in or on the Korean Peninsula. They are taking place after the ones of 1994 and 2000.

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Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula 

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Death at Sea or Slavery for Africa

Death at Sea or Slavery for Africa

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

On November 7, 2017, it was internationally announced that 26 young women, estimated to be in the age range of 14-18 had been found dead on the Mediterranean Sea inside a capsized boat. They were presumed to have met their fate about three days earlier.

According to Mr. Tope Adeleye Elias-Fatile, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Foreign Ministry, the women were confirmed to be Nigerians by the Nigerian Embassy in Italy. Subsequently, however, the Nigerian authorities claimed only three were confirmed as Nigerians.

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Death at Sea or Slavery for Africa

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Celebrating The Life of Prof. Adebayo Adedeji

Celebrating The Life of Prof. Adebayo Adedeji

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

Arrived Odoşęnlu, my country home yesterday July 5, 2018 with my wife, Prof. Ade Kukoyi and Retired Group Captain Gabriel Eşo. We had come to be part of the four-day celebration of the life of Prof. Adebayo Adedeji, that African icon on integration for development in Africa.

The ceremonies started with service of songs on Wednesday, Christian Wake Keeping yesterday and the burial today. At the Anglican Church conducted Wake Keeping service, I had the opportunity of saying a few words about who Prof. Adebayo Adedeji was.

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Celebration of The Life of Prof Adebayo Adedeji 

 

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Another Nigerian Tale

Another Nigerian Tale

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

When I read accounts on how Nigeria is lagging behind on infrastructural development, I always marvel. A drive to and beyond Nigeria’s Kirikiri: Medium, Female and Maximum Prisons clearly demonstrate the rot on infrastructure. Prisons, an essential part of rule of law need not be a punishment institution. At the UN, the spirit is more of correction/rehabilitation of human beings to return to being full human beings and not wild animals.

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Another Nigerian Tale

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Africa Avoids Accountability on Panama Papers

Africa Avoids Accountability on Panama Papers

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

Indeed, there is quite an expanse of ocean separating the tiny country of República de Panamá (Panama) from the African continent. It is safe to say that many, in fact, most Africans are unaware of Panama, a little stretch of land joining Central and South America, with a population of 4 million people.

Some Africans may have learnt in school about the Panama Canal built over a ten-year period by the American Military Corps of Engineers from 1904. The Canal provides an artificial invaluable linkage of the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.

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Africa Avoids Accountability on Panama Papers

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Kenya: A Plea for Peace Re-Run Presidential Election in October 2017

Kenya: A Plea for Peace
Re-Run Presidential Election in October 2017

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

Two watershed events happened in the recent history of Kenya: the elections of August 8, 2017 and the subsequent annulment of the Presidential Election on September 1, 2017.
Ordinarily, these seem innocuous but anybody conversant with the realities on the ground in Kenya would be concerned, hence the need to call for peace in the build-up to the repetition of the Presidential Elections in less than 60 days and immediately after. The travails and trials experienced in watering the soil of democracy should not always be with the blood of the people of Kenya.

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A Plea for Peace in Kenya 

 

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2018 Nelson Mandela Day

2018 Nelson Mandela Day

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

It is known all over the world that today, July 18, 2018, is Nelson Mandela international day. The UN General Assembly had in November 2009 passed a resolution recognizing Madiba’s birthday as an international event. It was not meant to be a holiday though. In addition, today marks the centenary of the birth of the icon.

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2018 Nelson Mandela Day

 

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Snippets from Memorial Symposium for Prof. Adebayo Adedeji

Snippets from Memorial Symposium for Prof. Adebayo Adedeji

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

July 7, 2018 marked the grande finale of the celebration of the life of Prof. Adebayo Adedeji, this time with a memorial symposium on “Africa’s development agenda: Lessons from the Adebayo Adedeji years and policy options for the 21st century”. The symposium took place at the opulent Radisson Blu, Ikeja, Lagos. Radisson Blu is a brand I like. I had stayed in many around the world including the other two in Nigeria on V.I and Abeokuta. But this really posh one does not come cheap. It has panache. Interestingly, memorial symposium took place in the Awolowo room.

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Snippets from Memorial Symposium for Prof Adedeji 

    

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Snippets from the Magodo Associates Symposium

Snippets from the Magodo Associates Symposium

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

On May 3, 2018 the symposium I had joined others in planning within the Executive of Magodo Associates took place. Magodo Associates, a civil society group currently made up of former and serving intellectuals from the University of Lagos and other experts within in Lagos, has been in existence for over 10 years, see www.magodoassociates.org

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Snippets from the Magodo Associates Symposium    

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The Annual Şęnrolu Day in Odoşęnlu

The Annual Şęnrolu Day in Odoşęnlu

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

Upon landing from Addis Ababa on Good Friday, April 19, 2019, I drove from the airport to my roots-Odoşęnlu. In Nigeria, we wrongly place emphasis on place of origin as opposed to residence. Many civic forms demand this information and it used to be the basis for any stake in the larger system. Though the relevance of place of origin is reducing, it is still very much there. So, we tend to have attachment to where our great, great grandfathers or simply put our lineage is. Hence, Odoşęnlu is where I have my country home. It is where I am also a Prince.

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The annual Şęnrolu Day in Odoşęnlu 

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