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Liberia marks 175th Independence, 200 years of freed slaves: But is the nation really free?

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Liberia, the oldest independent post-colonial African country, on Tuesday, celebrated two major anniversaries, its 175th Independence and 200 years of the arrival of freed slaves to the nation from the United States.

Despite being the oldest African nation to have tasted self rule, the West African country has not fulfilled its potentials as over 80 percent of the population are still grappling with poverty, occasioned by what many call official corruption, unemployment and dwindling economy, as a result of years of war and tribal conflicts.

However, while expressing optimism for a better future, Information Minister Lederhood Rennie, said the celebrations of the anniversaries are necessary to build national pride and honor the work of those who established the nation.

Liberia has a long history with the United States as witnessed on its flag, constitution, form of government and many laws which are modeled on those of the US, thereby still being tied to the apron strings of the US.

Even the capital, Monrovia, is named in honor of America’s fifth president, James Monroe, who was in power when the freed slaves were repatriated to the tiny African country.

According to its history, the freed slaves went on to establish an oppressive regime that ruled the indigenous population with an iron fist from the time of their arrival until 1980, when indigenous soldiers led a military coup against President William Tolbert.

Tolbert, whose family migrated from South Carolina in the 1870s, was gruesomely murdered by the rebelling soldiers led by Samuel Doe, who himself was overthrown years later and killed by another rebel leader Charles Taylor.

The conflict was to later escalate into a full blown civil war which led to the killing of several hundreds of thousands which was only quelled with the emergence of Nobel Prize-winning President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Sirleaf was succeeded by former international soccer star-turned-politician, George Weah, who has been accused of not living up to key campaign promises of waging a war on corruption and ensuring justice for victims of the country’s brutal wars.

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Metro

Following backlash, Nigerian govt withdraws treason charges against minors

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The Nigerian government has officially withdrawn the treason charges it entered against some minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest that spread across the country from August 1 to the 10th.

The nation was thrown into shock on Friday when the Nigeria Police presented 76 protesters at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on treason. Among the suspects were four minors who slumped before they could be arraigned before the court.

This caused serious uproar in the country with Nigerians condemning the government and calling for the unconditional release of the kids and the dismissal of the charges against them.

The decision to withdraw the charges against the underage accused came following a directive by President Bola Tinubu who ordered the immediate withdrawal of the charges and an in-depth investigation into what led to the arrest and detention of the minors.

Tinubu had also ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN) to officially take over the case file as well as review the cases following public outcry that came with the arraignment of the minors.

The charges were finally withdrawn on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja through an application for discontinuance filled by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the AGF.

According to Abubakar, the discontinuance application was based on provisions of sections 174(1), (b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.

The DPPF also applied for further proceedings to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266(b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Childs’ Rights Act.

In response, human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Fanala (SAN), who stood in for the accused as well as other defence lawyers in the matter, did not oppose the applications which promoted the judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, to strike out the charges, while the four affected minors were also delisted from the charge sheet.

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Zambia: President Hichilema urges traditional leaders to invoke rainmaking powers amid drought

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Zambian President, Hakainde Hichilema, has called on traditional leaders to call upon their rainmaking powers by praying for rain as the nation continues to face the menace of drought.

Hichilema, who made the plea while speaking during the Shikaumpa traditional ceremony of the Ila people in Namwala on Sunday, expressed hope for divine intervention and sufficient rains.

“We pray that this year, God will give us rains, sufficient rains, so we can grow more food, so we can take care of the things, the assets that we keep,” the President stated.

He noted that he was informed of certain chiefs known for their rainmaking abilities, including Senior Chief Mwamba of Northern Province, Chief Sailunga of North-Western Province and Mwami Monze from the Southern Province and urged them to use their powers to invoke rain, adding that the chiefs should continue their prayers for rain, believing that “God will hear our cry.”

The President also encouraged not only the chiefs but also the churches and the entire nation to join in prayers for rain.

“All of us, the churches, everybody, we must pray for rains so that we can take care of God’s people properly,” he said.

The head of state further urged farmers to intensify efforts at planting crops and maximizing their harvest for national food security once the rain comes.

The drought in Zambia in recent
seasons have left 84 districts severely impacted, leading to food shortages and a worsening electricity deficit due to low water levels.

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