TresSugar

Next Big Thing? How They're Texting "I Love You" in Nigeria

CitizenSugar — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Maybe you've gotten an email or two from some nice people in Nigeria with a whale of a financial opportunity - but if you get a text from Nigeria titled “I swear, I will make sure I give you HIV," don’t call the police. It may just be someone’s idea of an affectionate overture. When you open the text you'll most likely then read “H is for happiness and joy forever with an I: Incomparable love that will never V: Vanish until death do us part. I love you.”

It’s the new way to wow your mate from the new book Touching the Heart Through Unforgettable Text Messages (Volume 2) written by Femi Emmanuel, who writes text messages for those either too busy or illiterate to express their feelings. The book is marketed mostly to Nigerians, who have been described as obsessive text senders and who are tired of the usual courtship texts littering their phones.

To see where the inspiration comes from, read more.

Femi gets his inspiration mainly from Indian (Bollywood, as some call them) films. He says, “I was watching a Bollywood film and the main actor said to his lead ‘Hey baby, I’m a crazy lover.’ I thought ‘That’s good,’ I paused the DVD and copied down the subtitles.” If you think that’s corny, consider the fact that he has published four volumes of his quotes and has purchased a new car from the profits.

Hey, what ever happened to pager code? 1-4-3? Anyone?

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Too Much of a Good Thing? This Cat Has 86 Wives

CitizenSugar — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:00:19 -0700

While we may have been shocked by the FLDS polygamy case in the US, this Nigerian man has that beat by a harem. Mohammed Bello Abubakar, 84, has 86 wives. Yes, that's right: 86 wives and at least 170 children. Far from recommending the practice to others, he says it takes a very special spirit to be wedded to scores of brides. He says, "A man with 10 wives would collapse and die, but my own power is given by Allah. That is why I have been able to control 86 of them." He has a reputation as a healer, which is why they're drawn to him. "I don't go looking for them, they come to me. I will consider the fact that God has asked me to do it and I will just marry them."

To find out how he cares for an Economy-Sized family, and how the women feel about it, read more.

The Nigerian Archbishop says polygamy flies in the face of Christianity, and Islamic authorities have branded the family a cult, but the big question remains: how does one man provide for a brood so big? Abubakar says by the grace of God. He doesn't work, nor do any of his wives, yet they still manage to pay the giant cost of feeding and clothing an army - they eat almost $1,000 of food per day. One of the wives says sometimes the children are sent out to beg, and the wives live three to a room in an unfurnished house. He doesn't allow any of his family to take medicine, and denies that malaria exists.

The wives, however, seem content. One says, "I am now the happiest woman on earth. When you marry a man with 86 wives you know he knows how to look after them." He's had a lot of practice, to be sure!

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Front Page: Faster Iraq Pullout, Militants Invade Base in Afghanistan, Scramble for Jobs Kills 12

CitizenSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:57:37 -0700

Faster Iraq Pullout:
The withdrawal of combat forces from Iraq beginning in September could be increased under new considerations by the Bush administration, a quicker plan than expected only months ago. The plan for additional troop withdrawals is a striking contrast to the surge in troops during the darkest part of the war in 2006 and 2007, and might lead to an additional 50,000 troops coming home. While the withdrawals will allow more moments like this, captured yesterday at Fort Bragg, the troops are needed for a more pressing concern in Afghanistan. Casualties in Afghanistan we greater than Iraq in May and June, a trend that is continuing this month.

Militants Invade Base in Afghanistan:
More than 100 insurgents invaded a US post in north-eastern Afghanistan yesterday sparking hours of fighting and leaving nine US troops dead. Using rocket propelled grenades and homemade mortars to bombard the base, they attacked the base from several sides near the border with Pakistan. The attack led to one of the single worst losses of life for foreign troops since operations began in 2001.
Scramble for Jobs Kills 12:
A recruitment drive for the Nigerian Immigration Service has left at least 12 dead after a stampede, when recruiters closed a gate to the government building where candidates were to sit an aptitude test. More than 130,000 candidates applied for 1,260 jobs in a country where there are few good employment prospects for the thousands of college graduates each year. The government jobs that caused the panic are prized for their regular salaries and good benefits.

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South Africa's Xenophobic Violence Displaces Thousands

LibertySugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:00:37 -0700

In South Africa, xenophobic attacks on foreigners have left at least 20 people dead and 30,000 displaced. For the first time since apartheid ended, South Africa has deployed its army on its own streets, in an attempt to quell the attacks which began about 10 days ago, and have spread throughout the country.

Taking out their frustration with a 40 percent unemployment rate, inflation, and crime, mobs of locals around Johannesburg are targeting Nigerian-owned businesses, or those who have fled turbulent and nearby Zimbabwe to settle in South Africa. Originally, locals were blaming the migrants for crime and economic hard times; yet, now it appears the violence is purposeless and simply criminal.

While President Thabo Mbeki tries to stop the murdering, abuse, and looting, South African relief agencies are raising funds to help address the long term needs of the thousands of people who have been wounded or displaced. The Red Cross hopes to connect victims with psychological assistance as well as with their families outside the country. The organization also is launching an anti-discrimination campaign in the local communities.

For an inside look at the unrest, check out these pictures. At what point do economic frustration and intolerance turn to widespread violence? How can this tipping point be avoided?

View 5 Photos ›

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Nigerian Archbishop: Polygamy Makes a Mockery of Christians

LibertySugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Polygamy isn't limited to America, where a second child was born to an underage member of the FLDS in custody. Archbishop Peter Akinola, the leader of Nigeria's Anglican Church, is telling Christian polygamists to cut out the big love.

Nigeria is religiously divided: the north is predominately Muslim, while the south is mostly Christian and animist. As a sort of recruiting tool, Muslims converting to Christianity were allowed to maintain their polygamist lifestyle.

Not any more. In a letter to his congregation, which includes 17.5 million Nigerians, the Archbishop wrote:

The observation [of polygamy] will destroy our witness if not firmly addressed. We cannot claim to be a Bible-believing church and yet be selective in our obedience.

Women that give up the polygamous lifestyle - which the Archbishop says is necessary - often remain single, even though they are free to remarry in the church. Their children remain with their ex-husbands.

Should women converts be forced to separate from their husbands and leave their families? Since Christians inevitably are selective in what they follow in a sometimes contradicting Bible, should an exception be made for Muslims who want to convert, but don't want to break up their families? Or, should these converts accept monogamy as a crucial tenant to the faith to which they hope to convert?

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Women Around the World Persecuted For Being "Witches"

TresSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:00 -0700

It's hard to believe that in this day and age, countless women around the world are being accused of something that sounds pretty medieval. According to the UN, women accused of being witches are persecuted and sometimes murdered around the world. Even children thought to be witches are being targeted, too. The UN estimates that this violence is impacting the lives of millions of people.

So where is this unbelievable violence taking place? It's happening in places from South Africa, to India, Nepal, and Papua New Guinea. In Nigeria, homeless children are driven out of towns because they are suspected of witchcraft. While different cultures hold diverse beliefs about witchcraft, UN experts believe that those suspected of having "supernatural" powers are typically targeted when a society faces rapid cultural or social change. In these cases, the vulnerable get the blame for the community's misfortunes.

Violence associated with witchcraft caught the attention of the UN because it's causing an international refugee problem. In addition to being victims of violence, the accused are often forcibly displaced or trafficked. Let's hope now that the widespread witch-hunting has gained international attention, something will be done to help these people.

Week in Weird News: Underwater Volcano Blows Up the Sky

CitizenSugar — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 10:00:53 -0700

Volcano Blows Up the Sky and Wildlife - A volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga destroyed birdlife and vegetation this week.
Woman Says $43 Million Divorce Settlement Not Enough - A 36-year-old Swedish countess who's divorcing an ex-CEO says her $43 million divorce settlement won't cover her $54,000 in weekly expenses. She would like $99 million, which is 30 percent of her husband's fortune.
Woman Bites Her Son's Principal - Talk about an embarrassing parent! A mom in Rhode Island is facing charges after she allegedly punched and bit the principal of her 11-year-old son.
Nigeria Plans National Rebranding - Nigeria has chosen "Nigeria: Good People, Great Nation" as its new slogan, which will be plastered on t-shirts and baseball hats in an attempt to improve its reputation.
Rhode Island Strip Club Plans Job Fair - The Foxy Lady strip club is holding a job fair today, hoping to recruit strippers, waitresses, DJs, and bartenders from the state's unemployed.

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Headline of the Day

GiggleSugar — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 08:47:30 -0800

Goat Detained Over Armed Robbery

You know the trail has gone cold when, in your search for an armed robber who tried to steal a Mazda 323, the only guy you've detained is a goat. Sound crazy? Well, in Nigeria, many folks believe in witchcraft, and when some vigilantes followed a couple guys trying to steal a car, according to one vigilante, one of the robbers turned into a goat while the other one got away. (I have news for you vigilantes - I think they both got away!) Release the innocent goat! Click here to read more.

High Price For Cheap Gas - Would You Rather Pay More?

LibertySugar — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:01:42 -0800

Last Summer the religious prayed for relief at the pump, lawmakers called for a 55 mph national speed limit to conserve fuel, and cash-strapped drivers chanted, "Drill, baby. Drill!" But today, oil goes for $40 a barrel, one-third of what it cost in July. Recently, Salon took an in-depth look into the negative consequences of falling oil prices.

Low gas prices mean economic hardship and instability in oil-producing countries - like Nigeria, Russia, Iran, Kuwait, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico - who use oil revenue to fund education, health care, or to create jobs. In addition, without the pain at the pump, we give less priority to conservation, public transportation, and developing alternative energy sources. Continued dependence on increasingly unstable oil countries could be the high price of low gas prices!

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Good News Out of Africa: The Ten Best Governed Countries

CitizenSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:00:57 -0700

Amid worsening economic news flying at us almost constantly, there is some good news and it’s coming from a surprising corner of the globe: Africa. The continent that has been the metaphor for human misery because of continual wars, poverty, and famine in some respects is recording healthier economic growth than in the industrialized world according to the International Monetary Fund.

The IMF estimates that Africa’s economy may expand by 5 percent this year and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reports that a bigger portion of money entering Africa since 2006 has been investment rather than aid. Even more optimistic is that the Mo Ibrahim Foundation found that 31 out of 48 sub-Saharan African countries, governance is improving. Most improved over the past year was Liberia which saw more than a quarter of a million of its own citizens perish in two civil wars between 1989 and 2003, but has now risen six places to 38th.

To see why some conditions are improving and the 10 best governed African countries, read more.

Among the many reasons for the stirrings of this African renaissance is the end of the cold war where many African nations were torn between American and Soviet backed paramilitary organizations which brutalized their populations with impunity. Adding to that, it appears that liberation movements are slowly ebbing, giving way to more opportunities for grassroots democratic movements reflecting the true will of the people. The Ibrahim Foundation’s director of research said: “...there’s a new generation of Africans who are now saying ‘No. Show us what you can deliver’. You find autocrats are reincarnating themselves as democrats.”

According to an index of African governance released this week, the 10 best governed African countries include:

Mauritius
Seychelles (pictured)
Cape Verde
Botswana
South Africa
Namibia
Ghana
Gabon
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal

Among the worst? Nigeria, Sudan, Chad, Somalia, and Angola.

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