"Sir Laz lived to be quite old and by far the oldest in his village when he passed at the ripe age of 93, a most fulfilled life in every aspect, a journey with such memorable strides, an exit of a giant among men, a sunset for now, yet a joyfull reunion with God Almighty."
The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the conviction and sentencing of Somaliland journalist Mohamed Adan Dirir during a one-day trial held without the journalist's lawyer.
"the announcement of the proscription of the group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by Governors of the South-east states and the categorization of the group as a ‘terrorist organisation’ by the Nigerian military are unconstitutional and does not follow due process. Our laws make clear provisions for taking such actions and without the due process being followed, such declaration cannot have effect. "
Yet it is pertinent to not to ignore the fact that Nigeria is a blessed nation that has made many strides sometimes giant strides that are so great that one may easily forget that Nigeria has only been a republic for 53 years.
"warnings of such impending demise will always be there, tugging and pulling for recognition, but will always be ignored in the euphoria of the false security or false pleasure temporarily afforded by the selfish machinations to stay in power, maintain affluence, score vengeance, or political advantage....."
"the announcement of the proscription of the group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by Governors of the South-east states and the categorization of the group as a ‘terrorist organisation’ by the Nigerian military are unconstitutional and does not follow due process. Our laws make clear provisions for taking such actions and without the due process being followed, such declaration cannot have effect. "
Ironically, the President has refused calls to dialogue with agitators from the southeastern part of his own country Nigeria and has ignored to address their claims of marginalization, extrajudicial killings, intimidation, and harassment in the hands of the Military and the Police.
"Law Enforcement is the Duty of the police and not of the military. We cannot continue to wake up to people with camouflage and guns every day.
Nigerian Constitution says that “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions. If Kanu has said anything to incite violence, you arrest him and charge him to court. You do not deploy the army to shut his mouth."
This year's festival showcased some of the most cutting edge cinema coming from the African continent and the African Diaspora today, along with classic and archival films...
The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the conviction and sentencing of Somaliland journalist Mohamed Adan Dirir during a one-day trial held without the journalist's lawyer.
"the announcement of the proscription of the group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by Governors of the South-east states and the categorization of the group as a ‘terrorist organisation’ by the Nigerian military are unconstitutional and does not follow due process. Our laws make clear provisions for taking such actions and without the due process being followed, such declaration cannot have effect. "
