The Nation Newspaper

Tag: France

  • Falcons demand $300,000 participation fees up front

    Facts emanating from the Super Falcons’ camp in France on Sunday suggested that the players were not comfortable with the 30 per cent sharing for them by chieftains of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Nigeria’s share for qualifying for the second round from FIFA is $1 million.

    Besides, the players demanded a backlog of allowances owed them in the past which NFF chieftains argued was from different competitions, adding that when the budget for the Olympic Games’ qualifiers (Nigeria vs Senegal and Nigeria vs the Gambia) is out, they would be paid.

    NationSport scooped further that the NFF chiefs offered to pay 30 per cent of what FIFA provided for ($1 million) as participation fees amounting to $300,000, which they said was too small compared to what Super Eagles players got at the Russia 2018 World Cup.

    Read Also: Falcons boss furious after retaken penalty

    In fact, the players urged NFF men to outsource the $300,000 and pay them irrespective of the fact that FIFA’s $1 million will only be paid to all the participating countries in September in line with the world soccer-ruling body’s regulations on competitions.

    The girls alleged that NFF chieftains only paid the foreign-based players their entitlements, which they said was paid in naira, leaving the home-based who were part of the team high and dry. But when NationSport confronted the NFF chiefs with this allegation, they responded by challenging the girls to say that they were not paid $10,000 each for winning the women version of the Nations Cup.

    NFF chiefs insisted the girls were paid $500 per day for the 20 of them in Ghana where the competition held, stressing that it was normal practice both for the super Eagles and Falcons to pay in naira competitions held in the country. and foreign currencies for those competitions staged outside Nigeria.

  • That T.H.E.S.E may continue in Lagos…

    Why should any State in Nigeria want to beat Lagos State to tourism power? Has any in France beaten Paris to the game? Has any in Italy beaten Milan to it? Why should small fries take advantage of the advantages that Lagos has failed to harness to fake a leap to lead spots in tourism and entertainment?

    For decades, Paris, a trendy city in the heart of France has maintained its identity as the art and fashion hub of Europe and a leading tourist destinations in the world; so is Rio, the pride of Brazil which is described as the most visited city in the southern hemisphere, known for its natural settings and carnivals, while Dubai remains the business and cultural hub of the Middle East of modern appeal.

    A comedian while wooing his crowd in Calabar last December said to them: “I’m now getting popular in Lagos oo.” Such is the spirit – you are yet to start for real as an entertainer if you have not been ‘bathed in the Lagos waters’. The State remains the entertainment hub, not just for music artistes who have fought their way to stardom, coming from far away Jos, Abuja, Enugu, Bayelsa, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Uyo, Warri, Kaduna and other parts of the country, but also for the Nigerian motion picture industry called Nollywood. Therefore, if Lagos is where the success of music and film start and end, what there is left for rivals to latch upon?

    The Gambian economy is predominantly dependent on tourism. But what does the country sell other than beach resorts that thrive on serene environment, clean waters, scorching sun and security for revelers. Lagos has more, with potential even for more when you consider its entertainment centers, historical sites, cultural events, natural landscape and topography traversed by sea and lagoon waters, enormous beaches and waterfronts, sea foods and other numerous delicacies that define a true metropolitan city.

    However, the missing gap has been the inability of leaders to harness these beauties for the all-important social and economic benefits, thereby letting these unique materials to continue to beg for a messiah – now we have one.

    For the first time, a strategic programme of action was pronounced as part of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s entertainment and tourism agenda for Lagos State. It was called T.H.E.S.E, an acronym quite pungent in harnessing the creative sector’s variables that are capable of stimulating the economy through alternative IGRs, even empowering the youths and making Lagos a fun city desirable by all.

    T.H.E.S.E – a Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment/Arts Sports for Excellence project took off with a new romance being extended to players in the entertainment industry. Shortly after takeoff, the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), for example, had a different experience in Lagos, hosting filmmakers and enthusiasts from Africa and the Diaspora, who explored as many entertainment centers as possible. Also, with the support given to EbonyLife’s Fifty movie by the Lagos State Government and its Ministry of Culture and Tourism, entrepreneurs who had sought succor for their projects in States other than Lagos appear to be returning to base.

    One major event for which Ambode’s government has walked the talk was the One Lagos Fiesta, a five-day concert staged across Lagos communities annually.

    The event which used to hold solely at the Bar Beach water front, probably partly for security reasons was first test run in five communities, including Ikorodu, Epe, Agege, Badagry and Lagos Island, without a single case of violence. Interestingly, Lagos is fast restoring the confidence of revelers in line with Ambode’s campaign promises. No doubt, the level of commercial activities at the One Lagos Fiesta environs is what the traders would wish a monthly affair, even as the success story remains an attraction and sense of belonging to visitors and tourists alike.

    It is not enough that Lagos was the former capital of Nigeria. The will to keep the aquatic state at the forefront of socio-political and economic relevance in the West African sub region has been a major factor of its success, and the prerogative of visionary leaderships that have continued to play the big brother to other states of the federation and the FCT.

    Situations at last year’s edition of the annual Festival de Cannes in France lent credence to this position, with Lagos playing Nigeria at the festival. The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture had, at the festival, promoted Lagos as Nigeria’s most vibrant city and gateway to the world of cinema.

    Pavilion 210 at the Panteiro-Side of the International Village was home for Nigerian delegates, led by the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Steve Ayorinde who, as a film festival veteran led the new Lagos-Cannes narrative for the second time in a row.

    Recall that like a technocrat worthy of his onions, Ayorinde took the first shot barely one year into his former appointment as Commissioner for Information and Strategy, when he led a similar delegation to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2016 where eight films representing Lagos were showcased as part of the city-to-city focus programme of the festival.

    But for a tourism and arts loving governor in Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, these brilliant propositions may not have seen the light of the day. Hence, in the absence of a Federal Government’s articulated and sustainable blue print for cultural showcase at such global platforms, it is important for filmmakers to seek ways of tapping into this big brother goodwill.

    It is in this regard that I want T.H.E.S.E thing to continue in Lagos…

     

  • Atiku reports Buhari to US, UK, EU, France, Germany

    FORMER Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar took his case beyond the shores of the land yesterday. He reported President Muhammadu Buhari to word powers.

    The presidential contender cited what he classified as alleged constitutional breaches against incumbent President and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.

    He chronicled the alleged breaches in a letter he personally signed and addressed to the ambassadors of the United States (U.S., France, Germany, the European Union (EU) and the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom (UK).

    Atiku accused President Buhari of serially breaching the provisions of the Constitution and undermining organs and institutions of state to advance his personal interest.

    The Presidency had counselled the international community against meddling in what are purely internal affairs of Nigeria.

    Only yesterday, APC National Chairman Adams Oshiohmole reminded the UK, U.S. and the EU Election Observer Missions (EOM) that Nigeria is not a colony.

    Atiku’s letter reads in part: “I am writing you as Nigeria’s international development partner working together to deepen and strengthen our democracy as well as to help in the transformation of our economies and societies for the better.

    “As a presidential candidate in the forthcoming general elections that will be conducted and supervised by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, I feel the urgent need to share with you some of these key violations of the provisions of our constitution and to demand that you pile pressure on the Federal Government to desist from these violations and ensure a level-playing field for the general elections that are only a couple of weeks away.”

    He appreciated the stand adopted by some members of the international community on Nigeria, urging the envoys to speak against the alleged breaches.

    According to Atiku, some of the constitutional breaches allegedly committed by the President, was the recent suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen and his replacement by Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad.

    He said: “For the records, Justice Walter Onnoghen is the head of one of the tripartite but mutually independent organs that form the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “To attempt to muscle out the Chief Justice of Nigeria using phony charges at a time when His Lordship was primed to play a central role in the fast approaching nationwide electoral process represents the boldest steps in the march to undermine our democracy.

    “This is undoubtedly an anti-democratic act which my political party and I reject without reservation and for which I urge Your Excellency to condemn unequivocally.”

    The PDP presidential candidate expressed the fears that the alleged unlawful suspension of the CJN might affect the outcome of the 2019 presidential election.

    He also accused President Buhari of illegal purchase of Tucano Aircraft for the Nigerian military.

    The presidential candidate said the aircraft, valued at $496 million, were bought without seeking prior approval of the National Assembly contrary to Section 80 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    But the National Assembly approved the $1 billion requested for the President to buy weapons for the military, especially the troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast.

    He also accused the President of disregarding court orders on former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki and leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

    He stated: “The enactment of the controversial Executive Order No. 006 as an executive legislation which permits security agencies to freeze the assets of persons standing trial or undergoing investigation without recourse to court orders.

    “This is a usurpation of legislative and judicial powers of the National Assembly and the judiciary as enshrined respectively under Sections 4 and 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and reminiscent of the military era of decrees.

    “The above, and many more that did not make it into this very short letter, are the unfortunate actions of the government of a man who merely pays lip service to being a reformed democrat.”

    He urged the international community to stand by the country. “I urge you to partner with Nigerians to defend our constitution and play an active role in building our country,” Atiku said.

     

  • France named MIPTV 2019 country of honour

    MIPTV has announced that France will be MIPTV 2019’s Country of Honour.

    MIPTV, the international market for entertainment content development and distribution, takes place in Cannes, France from April 8-11, 2019. The MIPTV Country of Honour programme will include a series of conferences and promotional events dedicated to France’s TV industry, with further details due to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

    In September, France’s export promotional association TV France International reported impressive figures for French TV programming in foreign markets for 2017, with total revenue of 325 million euros – the second-best performance in the past 20 years.

    “It could not be better timing to celebrate France’s creativity and savoir-faire on the international content scene. Over the years, French production has taken a growing share of the international market in every genre, from animation to documentary, formats and, of course, drama series. French creators and producers are developing more and more programmes with international appeal without sacrificing that undefinable French touch,” said Laurine Garaude, Director of Television Division at Reed MIDEM, which organises MIPTV. “We are proud that MIPTV can play its part in supporting the French television industry and promoting French programming on the international market via the 2019 Country of Honour project.”

    France is consistently among the leading delegations at MIPTV with 535 companies and 1,420 participants attending the 2018 edition. French exhibiting companies already signed up for MIPTV 2019 include: ARTE France, Cyber Group Studios, Gaumont, Federation Entertainment, France tv distribution, M6 Metropole Television, Millimages, Newen Distribution, Canal+ Group, TF1 Studio, Wild Bunch, About Premium Content Xilam Animation, Banijay, Mediawan, Orange, Eurodata TV Worldwide, Lagardère Studios, PGS Entertainment, Superights, Thema, Futurikon, Mediatoon, ZED….

    Other previous Countries of Honour and Country Focuses at both MIPTV and MIPCOM include China, Russia, Japan, Germany, Turkey, Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden), Mexico, Israel, and Argentina.

  • 2019: Bishop Oyedepo predicts peace in Nigeria

    Bishop David Oyedepo, the Founder and President Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, on Saturday predicted that nothing would disturb the peace of Nigeria and its story would change for the better in the year 2019.

    Oyedepo made the declaration at the just concluded annual prophetic gathering of the Winners’ family, christened the “Dominion”, in a satellite telecast of the church.

    In the telecast monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, the cleric also declared that 2019 would be a year of “I have Dominion”.

    “Nothing will tamper with the peace of Nigeria; the story will change for the better in the name of Jesus.

    “Nigeria shall not see bloodshed, the Prince of Peace will continue to dominate in Nigeria, in Africa and Nigeria is declared blessed.

    “Anywhere you step, accident is forbidden; death will not come near you and our nation.

    “Anything that is of grace in my life, I freely release upon you today.

    “God has opened the year 2019 to us, celebrate Him because its our year of “I have Dominion,” he said.

     

    The Bishop added that the year 2019 would be a year of humbling testimonies for Nigeria and pace-setting testimonies.

    He further declared that 2019 would be a colourful year for the nation.

    According to the cleric, as long as Jesus has the final say on the issues of Nigeria, it will experience greatness.

    Oyedepo said that there would be no more cause of alarm in any area of the nation and its citizens.

    He advised Christians in Nigeria to delight themselves in the spirit of servant-hood, adding that the spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood.

    “The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood. As you keep rising on the ladder of leadership, you must retain our spirit of servant-hood, constantly

    working to add value to others and be kingdom minded,” he said.

    According to him, dedication is at the root of dominion, saying: “Sow yourself as a seed by being totally dedicated to God and His Kingdom’’.

    He told his congregation that sacrificial giving guarantees the meeting of all their needs.

    “When you engage in taking care of the well-being of others, God is also committed to your well-being,” he explained.

    The cleric admonished Christians would engage in meeting the needs of the needy, every barrier on their path of destiny would be crushed.

    “Nobody tampers with your life, your career, your family and goes away with it because you are promoted to God’s kingdom.

    “God will stand for your defence in the day of trouble. Every sacrificial giver has a defence around him in the day of trouble always have that in mind,” he said.

    He reminded his congregation that the Church is not a building; the Church is a people and the Redeemed of the Lord.

    “The Church is the Body of Christ, the fullness of Him that fills all things.

    “We understand that by redemption we have been repositioned far above all principalities and powers. We also recognise that the Spirit of Faith is the guarantee for the dominion of the Saints over all gang ups of hell,” he stressed.

    Oyedepo told his congregation that Shiloh is not a church anniversary, but a place for taking delivery of all their hanging inheritance in Christ.

    “Shiloh is not a Church Programme, but a Mountain of answered prayers after the order of Hannah. Shiloh is ordained a platform for the rise of giants among us. Shiloh is a mountain of vision and revelation.

    “Shiloh is a prophetic platform for the conferment of dominion both on us as a Church and as individuals, so as to subdue the land before us,” he added.
    He said that prophetically, Shiloh was ordained a platform for conferment of dominion upon members of the Winners’ family and Nigeria at large.
    “And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.’’
    According to him, the land was subdued before them “connotes dominion. Therefore, at this event, every participant shall encounter conferment of dominion in all areas of your lives’’.

    The Bishop assured that every participant would have a definite encounter with the word of God for their supernatural change of story.

    Oyedepo said: “While waiting on the Lord back in 1998 and inquiring about God’s master plan for Canaan land, among other things, God said, He would have us gather annually at Shiloh and that as we do, He will subdue the land before us by granting speedy delivery of our enviable inheritance in Christ.’’

    NAN reports that the event which started on Tuesday, would last through Dec. 9, with 55 countries in attendance while 150 other nations watched the proceeding online.

    Angola, Botswana, Cameroun, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, France and Gabon are some of the nations represented at the Shiloh.

    Others are Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and South Africa. While others from Swaziland Tanzania, Uganda, USA, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

    The Shiloh 2018 is the 20th edition of the annual Shiloh event of the Living Faith Church worldwide.

  • Denmark to ban petrol, diesel cars by 2030

    Denmark has proposed a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 and hybrid from 2035, joining international efforts to promote electric-only vehicles to reduce air pollution and combat climate change.

    The government has previously come under fire for increasing tax on electric cars in 2016, sending sales down from more than three per cent of all new cars to almost zero.
    This was now aimed at following the example being set in an increasing number of countries.

    “It is a big ambition that will be hard to achieve. But that’s exactly why we need to try,” Danish Prime Minister, Lars Rasmussen, told parliament on Tuesday.

    The plan requires parliamentary approval to become law and will be presented to parliament next week.

    Read Also: Denmark unveils $650m devt fund

    Britain and France have both pledged to ban new petrol and diesel cars from 2040 in move that could hit the wealth of oil producers and transform a car industry in which global car makers are scrambling to adapt to the brave new world of electric vehicles.

    In Sweden, sales of electric cars make up more than seven per cent of all new car sales while more than half of all new cars in Norway are electric or hybrid vehicles.

    The mayors of Paris, Madrid, Mexico City and Athens have all said they plan to ban diesel vehicles from city centres by 2025, while the French government also aims to end the sale of new gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2040.
    Denmark, the cradle of wind power, aims to become fossil fuel-free by 2050.

    In 2017, Volvo became the first major traditional automaker to phase out vehicles powered solely by the internal combustion engine, announcing that all Volvo car models launched after 2019 would be electric or hybrids.

  • Argentina given wild cards for 2019 Davis Cup finals

    Argentina and Great Britain, recent winners of the Davis Cup, were on Wednesday handed wild cards to compete in next year’s finals of the revamped competition.

    Argentina, 2016 victors, and Britain, who won the previous year, have been selected to join the four semi-finalists from this year’s edition in the climax to the 2019 event.

    The four semi-finalists are: champions France, finalists Croatia, Spain and United States.

    Those nations will be joined in the new week-long, 18-team finals in November 2019 by 12 more who will secure their places from dozen qualifying ties.

    The dozen qualifying ties are to be drawn on Wednesday in London and will be staged in February.

    Argentina and Britain were due to compete in the qualifiers but will now be spared that hurdle after the Davis Cup steering committee gave them a straight pass into the finals.

    Australia and Switzerland, the highest-ranked unseeded nations that lost in the 2018 World Group playoffs, will take their place as seeded nations in the qualifiers.

    Read Also: Two wins in a row for Nigeria’s D’Tigress, beat Argentina

    The makeover of the premier team event in men’s tennis has been made by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), in partnership with the investment group Kosmos.

    Kosmos is founded by Barcelona and Spain football player Gerard Pique.

    The steering committee has given wild cards to two nations with a rich Davis Cup history and a bit of star power.

    The committee is made up of Pique, former Spanish player Galo Blanco, ITF president David Haggerty and ITF vice president Rene Stammbach.

    Argentina, led by Juan Martin Del Potro, won their first title in 2016 in their fifth Davis Cup final while the British team won their 10th title thanks to an inspired performance from Andy Murray.

    Kosmos is promising to invest more than 90 million pounds into the Davis Cup and grassroots tennis.

    The idea of the revamp is to attract the biggest names to the finals, with both Murray and Del Potro fitting that bill.

    With Switzerland and Australia now seeded, it also improves the prospects of the likes of Swiss duo Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, and Australian Nick Kyrgios featuring in the finals.

    The last of the finals to be staged under the traditional format will see France attempting to defend their crown against Croatia in Lille on Nov. 23-25.

  • France Football magazine announces Ballon d’Or for women

    A women’s Ballon d’Or will be awarded for the first time this year with a shortlist of 15 nominees to be named alongside 30 male contenders next month for the global football prize, France Football magazine announced on Monday.

    The annual award, which will be given at this year’s ceremony in Paris on Dec. 8, is a regular feature for men since 1956, with England great Stanley Matthews winning the inaugural trophy.

    “It is a step forward, women’s football is evolving and inequality is shrinking even though there is still room for improvement,” France and Olympique Lyonnais defender Wendie Renard told the magazine.

    Read Also: France boss Deschamps defends ‘misunderstood’ Pogba

    “I’ve always wanted to see a woman win this prestigious award,” Brazil’s Marta added.

    The Ballon d’Or award was partnered with FIFA from 2010 to 2015, until becoming its own entity once again.

    The sport’s world governing body will honour the world’s best players at its Best FIFA Football Awards on Monday.

    American Carli Lloyd and Lieke Martens from the Netherlands have won the FIFA best player award for women since it was rebranded in 2016.

  • Nigeria now 48th in FIFA World ranking

    Belgium, France joint leaders

    Nigeria moved one place from 49th position to 48th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking as Belgium and France share the top spot for the first time in the table’s 25-year history.

    According to the rankings posted on the FIFA official website on Thursday, the Super Eagles amassed 1415 points to finish 48th in the month of September.

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles who defeated Seychelles 3-0 on Sept. 8 to put themselves back in contention for a place at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) improved their position from seventh to the fourth best team in Africa.

    Seychelles dropped one spot from 188th to 189th in the rankings, while Libya, whom Nigeria face in their next group game of the AFCON qualifier next month are placed 99th in the rankings.

    Read Also: NFF Elections, its implication on football future in Nigeria

    Senegal still maintains their number one spot in Africa and 25th in the world with 1492 points.

    DR Congo and Morocco are second and third in Africa, and 40th and 45th in the world with 1447 and 1425 points respectively.

    Russia, 2018 semi-finalists Belgium and reigning World Champions, France are joint leaders in the rankings, the first time the top spot is being shared in the table’s 25-year history.

    Brazil, Croatia and Uruguay round up the top five.

    While England, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain and Denmark are sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th respectively.

    The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on Oct. 25

  • The China largesse

    When was the last time a British Prime Minister embarked on a meaningful visit to Nigeria, Britain’s major former colonial outpost? When was the last time leaders of the most advanced Western nations like Germany, France and even the United States of America do the rounds of Africa in a seeming relay?

    This happened recently and we wager it’s not by chance. As China hosted 52 African countries early September in Beijing for the 7th Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the entire world watched in part apprehension and part bemusement. This is because, at each new summit, China sets new standards in multilateral relations and economic co-operation between a first world nation and a straggling African continent.

    FOCAC which started in 2000 has continued to wax stronger both in terms of quality of participation and quantum of benefits accruing to African countries. With the theme: “China and Africa: Towards an Even Stronger Community with Shared Future Through Win-Win Cooperation,” Chinese President, Xi Jinping announced a unprecedented bumper basket of financial assistance from his country totaling $60 billion over the next three years.

    This huge outlay of funds must have made the jaws of not a few Western nations drop considering their tokenistic aids to Africa which have left little impact.

    And the Chinese are not merely bandying figures because their aggressive infrastructure-backed aids to Africa in the last two decades are quite visible across the continent. The $200m 20-storey state-of-the-art headquarters of the African Union (AUCC), in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia made a major statement about China’s new policy towards Africa.

    China’s strategy is not to hand a few million dollars to African leaders some of who turn round to embezzle most of it. It has been a trend of specific, infrastructure-backed loans complete with equipment and personnel to deliver projects on target.

    Apart from the AUCC, examples of such large projects abound across Africa. The 754 Addis Ababa to Djibouti standard gauge rail line which has linked landlocked Ethiopia to the Djibouti port of Dorelah is one. It must be noted that East African countries of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are among the major beneficiaries of what may be described as the Chinese largesse.

    Coming to Nigeria, the harvest has been bounteous too, especially in the last decade. It is reported that about $5 billion has been committed to Nigeria’s economy in just three years of the Buhari administration. The list of projects, completed, on-going and projected is long. Most of projects are highways, railways, transportation and power related; among the most critical infrastructure requirements of fledgling African nations.

    Some of these are: Abuja-Kaduna Railway which was opened mid 2016 and the Abuja Rail Mass Transit which began operation in July. Other rail projects are the 615 high-speed Lagos-Abuja line; the 312km Lagos-Ibadan line; the 300km Lagos-Benin route and the 675km Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri line.

    Other proposed projects are the $1 billion Abuja-Ibadan-Lagos Greenfield Expressway; $500m new terminals for four international airports; the Lekki Deepwater Port in Lagos; the massive Mambila Hydro Power project in Taraba state; the $478m solar power plant in Niger State to generate about 300mw and the 614 km Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline project.

    Nigeria-China trade finance and corporate banking are being deepened first with the on-going $2.5 billion Naira-Yuan swap and a recent $850m Chinese loan to boost African trade. The Cairo, Egypt-based Afreximbank has recently secured $500m facility from the China Development Bank and another $350m from the Bank of China. While the one would help Afreximbank support infrastructure projects across Africa, the other is for bank-to-bank syndicated loans and for trade finance.

    These are just a few of China’s massive economic diplomacy offensive into Africa. It is at once unprecedented and bedazzling; almost akin to America’s Marshall Plan for Europe at the end of World War 2, 1945.

    While the West is surely in shock conjecturing the new map of the world 50 years hence, Africa seems full of euphoria with a dash of hysteria. China is no doubt picking up an abandoned ‘virgin’ Africa for her global leadership role tomorrow.

    Only smart African countries would understand that these are loans, every kobo of it. If they are not carefully documented, managed and repaid promptly when due, they are bound to compound into trillion dollars of sovereign debts.

    Bottomline: thinking African countries will seize the opportunity of the Chinese largesse to build infrastructure as a fulcrum for industrialization while unthinking ones may end up becoming bonded to China someday.