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Comments Off on Do Africans Still Need Safari Tourists Disguised as International Election Observers?

Do Africans Still Need Safari Tourists Disguised as International Election Observers?

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Do Africans Still Need Safari Tourists Disguised as International Election Observers? 

By Babafemi A. Badejo, PhD & Nana K. A. Busia, Jr., PhD

Since the ushering in of multi-party politics in African states, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, in the early 1990s, observation of elections by external organizations is one of the mechanisms employed to ensure free and fair elections in the respective African countries.

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Do Africans Still Need Safari Tourists Disguised as International Election Observers 

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Comments Off on Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula

Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula

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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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Comments Off on Death at Sea or Slavery for Africa

Death at Sea or Slavery for Africa

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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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Comments Off on Consultative Meeting on AFCFTA in Dakar

Consultative Meeting on AFCFTA in Dakar

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Consultative Meeting on AFCFTA in Dakar

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

With a temporary exit from Addis Ababa on June 23, 2019, a day after the reported coup attempt in that country, I arrived in Dakar late afternoon on the same day. The last time I was in Dakar was on May 14, 2014 as I took my leave from West Africa to return to East Africa, specifically Darfur from where I retired in the quest for peace under the flag of the African Union coupling with that of the United Nations in the only joint operation (mainly in name only) by the two organizations. Being back in the land of la Teranga was nostalgic. From late 2009 to 2014, when I served the United Nations as Chief of Staff of a complex peace operation, I had to transit Dakar to travel home and in fact to most places. This was aside from meetings associated with the UN office for West Africa.

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Consultative meeting on AFCFTA in Dakar

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Comments Off on Consultative Meeting on AfCFTA Held in Ethiopia

Consultative Meeting on AfCFTA Held in Ethiopia

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Consultative Meeting on AfCFTA Held in Ethiopia

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

At the end of the consultative meeting in Dakar from 24-25 June, 2019, I flew straight back to Addis Ababa on June 26, 2019, to participate at the 3rd UN ECA led consultative meeting on the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement. This time, the meeting was titled: Africa Regional Trade Forum 2019: Implementing the AfCFTA for a prosperous Africa, A Focus on the Pharmaceutical Industry. The two-day meeting was from 27-28 June, 2019.

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Consultative Meeting on AfCFTA Held in Ethiopia

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Comments Off on Celebrating The Life of Prof. Adebayo Adedeji

Celebrating The Life of Prof. Adebayo Adedeji

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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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Comments Off on Celebrating Miss Nigeria

Celebrating Miss Nigeria

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Celebrating Miss Nigeria

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

The 43rd edition of Miss Nigeria took place on November 30, 2019, at the Convention Centre of Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. For the first time, I attended such an event.

My attendance was due to the much hype around me on the event. My last child Abidemi left the family educational concern, Yintab Private Academy to go work for the Miss Nigeria enterprise as Manager for Ms. Chidinma Aaron, the 42nd Miss Nigeria. She had given us a lot of sleepless nights driving from work for 2-3 hours to return home from work given the crazy Lagos traffic that has not bothered the Governors of Lagos since when I cannot say. When I came to Lagos as a student of the best University in Nigeria – University of Lagos – in 1973, Lagos was already congested.

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Celebrating Miss Nigeria  

 

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Comments Off on Birth and Naming of A Grand Daughter

Birth and Naming of A Grand Daughter

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Birth and Naming of A Grand Daughter

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

On August 17, 2018, the day after our naming my grand-daughter, Adelayo Badejo at Houston, Texas, my Uncle, Otunba Chris Olukayode Koya led a few family members that gathered at short notice, including the baby’s maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother and friends at our residence in Lagos to acknowledge and pronounce the 15 names that had been contributed by both sides of the family of the little Princess of Odoşęnlu, Ogun State, Nigeria.

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Birth and Naming of Grand Daughter

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Comments Off on Another Nigerian Tale

Another Nigerian Tale

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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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Comments Off on An Exciting End to a Hectic Year

An Exciting End to a Hectic Year

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An Exciting End to a Hectic Year

Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

On Saturday December 8, 2018, I landed back in Eko, Nigeria. The Portuguese had named Eko as Lagos way back. And it attained the status of the capital of colonial Nigeria under that foreign imposed name until Abuja wrested that capital title away from Eko. However, Eko remains the soul and the economic capital of Nigeria. I will hesitate and avoid the arrogance of my fellow Lagosians who easily ascribe the title of economic capital of West Africa to Eko.

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An Exciting End to a Hectic Year

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