Archives
I will never forget the sinking feeling I felt when I turned on my television on Thursday morning, June 18 and heard the CNN reporter announce “Breaking News” from Charleston, South Carolina…it would be a gut wrenching day as nine innocent souls lost their lives in a horrific attack at a historic church. Since that time, we have gotten to know each of the victims in a personal way. Clementa Pinckney was… Read More
No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck. – Frederick Douglass Once again, I am celebrating America’s independence by working to enhance democracy in Nigeria. This past week, I traveled to Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria for work. Calabar is said to be the number one tourist destination in Nigeria (for Nigerians). The city host carnival… Read More
“What Should I Be Afraid Of?…Choosing My Leader Is In My Hand.” Bizun Aduwah, Kaduna State On Saturday, Nigerians went to the polls to select the next leader of the most populous country on the African continent. It was a chaotic day as the new smart card readers used to verify voters failed in some polling units and delayed arrival of election materials forced the accreditation process to start late. Because of… Read More
In this photo, Nigerian women present their voter’s card in the 2015 Presidential Election. They waited in the heat (and some in the rain) to cast their vote for the next leader of Nigeria. They are passionate about moving Nigeria forward and taking the next step towards a democratic Nigeria! Despite the delays, disorganization and heated tempers, these women waited until they were accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to… Read More
Well…a year ago, I was planning to make my return to the Gulf Coast to celebrate Mardi Gras. I had it all planned out but along the way, my return to East Africa never happened and instead I was sent to Nigeria to work on programs in the lead up to the General Elections. Sadly for me, the General Elections were scheduled on February 14, the Saturday before Fat Tuesday. So, I… Read More
I would admit, I am guilty of “googling” people to learn more about them. Especially when I initially meet people, I find myself spiraling down the black hole of the internet – LinkedIn, Facebook, news articles, even Wikipedia if they have a page. But when you discover that someone has googled you, it seems strange and a little intrusive…I know, double standard. But that’s the age we live in… A few weeks… Read More
Earlier this month, I was invited to participate in an Election Observation Mission (EOM) with my organization, the International Republican Institute (IRI). This was my first time as an observer with an EOM. IRI wanted me to gain experience managing and organizing an EOM. In February, Nigeria will hold its Presidential, National Assembly and state elections and IRI is considering an EOM. I was excited and looking forward to this opportunity. For… Read More
My vacation ended when my Lufthansa flight landed in Abuja. It was a bitter sweet moment. While I was sad to leave the confines of the United States, I was looking forward to getting back to my normal routine. Although quick and very busy, my time in the US was very enjoyable. I was able to celebrate the marriage of great friends – Shami and Emily and Ian and Emily – spend… Read More
After four months of adjusting to Nigeria’s unforgiving culture and it’s often chaotic ability of accomplishing a task, I departed on Wednesday night for a well deserve three week leave. It has been one frustration situation after another! I have had to raise my voice numerous times (which is something I do not enjoy doing), my external hard drive meet an untimely death at the hands of a colleague (I was informed… Read More
I have received a lot of “checking in on you” messages so I wanted to let everyone know that I am doing just fine. Earlier today there was a bombing at a shopping center in a neighborhood in Abuja (the capital of Nigeria). My office is located on the other side of town so there were no impact on our side of town. Because of the Nigerian football match today, our staff… Read More
A FREDAY in AFRICA! 