Discussing Nigeria’s National Assembly at AU – (Healthy?) Intellectual Tensions

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American University, Arsenio Hall, Bridgewater State University, Carl Levan, Joseph Fashagba, Landmark University, Nigeria, Nigeria Legislature, Nigeria Politics, PDP, Shaheen Mozaffar, Tea Party, Yvonne Captain-Hidalgo

From L: Fashagba, Mozaffar, LeVan

My last event of a very busy Tuesday (other posts to follow) brought me to American University, where the energetic Carl LeVan had convened Dr. Joseph Fashagba of Landmark University, Nigeria to speak on ‘Politics and Parties in the Nigerian National Assembly’. Serving as discussant was Shaheen Mozaffar of Bridgewater State University, who bluntly noted that he did not find Fashagba’s analysis ‘very useful.’  All three are scheduled to speak at the National Endowment for Democracy tomorrow on ‘African State Legislatures & Democratic Development: Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia & South Africa.’  I wonder if Mozaffar will be so direct at a more high stakes venue (over half those in attendance were GWU students from a class of Yvonne Captain – Hidalgo).

‘Africans Don’t Need us to Bring Anything…We’re Just the Catalyst’: Bureau of African Affairs Head Speaks at Nigerian Embassy

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Ade Adefuye, Africa Society, Bernadette Paolo, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Embassy of Nigeria in US, Goodluck Jonathan, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Nigeria, Peter Tosh, Power Africa, South Sudan, Trade Africa, US - Africa Summit, YALI

Yesterday, the Africa Society hosted Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, at the Embassy of Nigeria.  The event was originally slated for December, but postponed when the Secretary traveled to the Central African Republic to deal with the crisis there. Although I was fatigued from a new job and illness I ventured out in the evening after work to hear if there would be any interesting observations given the recent suspension of Nigeria’s highly suspected Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi, state criminalization of homosexuality in Nigeria, and the appearance of increasing autocracy from Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.

The ‘Entangled Vocabularies’ of Afrofuturism at the Goethe Institute

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Adejoke Tugbiyele, Afrofuturism, Afronauts, Daniel Kojo Schrade, Janelle MOnae, Kenya, Nigeria, Nigeria homophobia, queer Nigeria, Sun Ra, Will Smith

Yesterday evening I went to a very interesting event at the Goethe Institute on Afrofuturism in Short films.  The event served as a sort of launch for a Goethe Institute exhibit on Afrofuturism that is on display for the month of February.  Goethe appears to hold quite an interest in the continent as I have also been there to attend a screening of the African Diaspora International Film Festival.

Lauren Sinclair at American University on the Role of US Academia in the Nigerian Civil War

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Africa Cold War, African Studies Association, American University, Biafra, Carl Levan, CIA, Congo, Conor Cruise O'Brien, international education, Lauren Sinclair, New York University, Nigeria, Nigeria Civil War

Cold War African history is one of my favorite topics to discuss, so I had to manufacture an excuse to get out of work yesterday and hear Lauren Sinclair, a PhD student at NYU speak at American University on ‘Situating the Nigerian Civil War in US-Africa Cold War Policy.’  My already high levels of excitement soared to even greater heights when I discovered that she is managing to tackle this topic while pursuing a degree in International Education – my ideal career field.

‘The Assurance I Will Give You Here’….Attahiru Jega, Nigeria Electoral Commission Chair at CSIS

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Ambassador Campbell, Attahiru Jega, Brookings Institution, CSIS Africa Program, elections in Africa, Ford Foundation, Goodluck Jonathan, INEC Nigeria, Johnnie Carson, Kingsley Moghalu, Nigeria, Nigeria election, NYSC

CSIS launched its Nigeria Election Forum, with support from the Ford Foundation, yesterday on the theme of ‘Preparing for Nigeria’s 2015 Elections: Key Challenges and Priorities.’  Attahiru Jega, the Chair of Nigeria’s Electoral Comission (INEC) was the keynote speaker and took up well over half of the allotted two hours.  A panel of Nigerian civil society activists followed, alas I had to return to work and was not able to hear their remarks.

DMV Nigerians Rally for President Goodluck Jonathan

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DMV Nigerians, Goodluck Jonathan, GSG USA, Nigeria, Nigeria elections, Nigerian Politics, PDP, Sllver Spring

Browsing the web this weekend, I discovered a Facebook page, as well as a website for a ‘Goodluck Support Group USA – DC/MD/VA’.  With elections due in Nigeria next year, Goodluck Jonathan’s party the, People’s Democratic Party, has been rocked by a wave of prominent defections and the abrupt resignation of its Chairman.  On the international scene, Jonathan has been widely criticized for signing anti-gay legislation.

It certainly seems like Jonathan is in need of some support and good luck.  I don’t see too many specifics on the support group, but they plan to host a politics and pancakes breakfast, hold mobilization meetings, and a town hall gathering in June (which as the Sierra Leone government learned in Silver Spring, has the potential to backfire).  They are also soliciting volunteers.