The German chancellor struck an encouraging tone in what is likely to be one of her last New Year’s addresses. Merkel addressed the challenges of the climate crisis, digitalization and migration. The climate crisis, the digitalization of the labour market, and European solidarity on migration formed the main themes of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s traditional New Year’s address, broadcast on Tuesday evening. But …
Read More »Controversies over drowning of three members of UK-based Nigerian family in Spain
The news of the drowning of three members of a British-Nigerian family holidaying in southern Spain on Christmas eve hit the British press during the festive period. What was initially thought to be an unfortunate accident could also be a case of criminal negligence on the part of the hotel management, according to new reports on the tragic incident. Gabriel …
Read More »N-Word: Noah Becker‘s victory in Berlin and the setback in Magdeburg
The State Constitutional Court of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Landesverfassungsgericht Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), sitting in Magdeburg, ruled on 19 December that sanctioning an AfD member of the state parliament, Nikolaus Kramer, over the use of the word “neger” during a debate in the house amounted to a restriction of his right to free expression. Kramer had taken the leadership of the state parliament to …
Read More »“Stop bastardising Igbo culture in Germany!” – Group warns
“Ndi-Igbo Germany is calling on all Ndi-Igbo, both home and abroad, to join hands with us and halt this cultural aberration which erodes, cheapens and bastardizes our value system of hard work, honesty and enviable benefit-and-reward system."
Read More »Sowore: Nigerian govt bows to pressure, releases activist – but what next?
The Nigerian federal government on Tuesday (24 December) ordered the release of the convener of #RevolutionNow protests, Omoyele Sowore, who has been in detention since August. The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, announced the decision in a statement. The move followed mounting local and international pressure on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari …
Read More »Germany struggles to deport rejected asylum-seekers, says police chief
Germany’s federal police chief said a lack of pre-deportation facilities is hampering the deportation of rejected asylum seekers and illegal foreigners to third-countries. Germany is struggling to deport rejected asylu-seekers, the country’s top police chief said on Wednesday. Federal police chief Dieter Romann blamed a lack of pre-deportation facilities for deportations not being carried out. Speaking to Germany’s Funke media group, he said …
Read More »OPEN LETTER: Germany, We are not your Negroes! – by Charlotte Nzimiro, petitioner against N-Word
Charlotte Nzimiro launched the ongoing petition against the scandalous judgement of the State Constitutional Court of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), de facto recognising that the word “Neger” (Engl. Nigger, Negro) could be used to describe people of African descent in Germany. Nzimiro’s petition, launched on 20 December and which has already gathered more than 42,000 signatures within 2 days, calls for …
Read More »Nominations open for UN’s Nelson Mandela Prize 2020
To commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July) in 2020, the United Nations will confer an honorary award on two laureates, one female and one male who shall not be selected from the same geographic region of the world. The United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize, which is awarded every five years, honours individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions …
Read More »Germany: Black activist petitions against court decision allowing use of N-Word
Activist launches petition campaign for the classification of “neger” as a racist word in Germany after eastern state court gives AfD member the right to call people of African descent by the derogatory word. AfD is a xenophobic, extreme right-wing party. The state constitutional court of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) ruled on Thursday (19 December) that sanctioning the leader of the …
Read More »Angola recovers more than $5 billion from corrupt officials and foreign accomplices — Justice Minister
Since the beginning of this year, Angola has recovered more than $5 billion stolen from state coffers by members of the former government, both at home and from abroad, Justice Minister Francisco Queiroz said on Monday (16 December), amid a two-year crackdown on corruption by the government of President Joao Lourenco. The money, including $3 billion stolen from the sovereign …
Read More »Nigeria has lost $400 billion to corruption and multinational companies – Justice Minister
Nigeria has lost over $400 billion to foreign havens, Justice Minister and Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN) has said. The minister said the cash was stolen by corrupt leaders and their foreign accomplices including multinational companies. Malami spoke on Monday (16 December) at the eighth session of the Conference of the State Parties to the United Nations Convention …
Read More »TANG mobilises diaspora for African development
The African Network in Germany (TANG) celebrated the concluding forum of its municipal development policy (kommunale Entwicklungspolitik) activities on Saturday, attracting participants, ranging from German government officials and communal politicians to representatives of African diaspora organisations. Declaring the event open, Dr Sylvie Nantcha, chairman of TANG, gave a brief introduction of the organization, a network of more than 600 African …
Read More »Reinhard Bonnke: Nigerian recounts his life-changing encounter with renowned evangelist
Nigerian journalist Kayode Oladeji recounts his unforgettable encounter with Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, who died on 7 December, eighteen years ago. And how he and his colleagues who collaborated on the German-born Christian missioner’s crusade experienced an uncommon turn in their lives. I was heading for a social engagement, a wedding program to be specific, on Saturday, 7 December 2019, when …
Read More »Germany-based company builds for diaspora Nigerians at home
Millions of Nigerians live and work in the diaspora and they send billions of euros back home annually. In 2018, remittances of Nigerians living abroad amounted to about €20 billion, according to figures released by the Central Bank of Nigeria in March. Most of the funds are sent to friends and relatives for various purposes, with real estate, food, education …
Read More »German university students flagged off to represent Uganda at United Nations confab
A delegation of 19 students from the Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg on Monday (16 December 2019) paid a study trip to the Uganda Embassy in Berlin where they were met by Mr Fred Moses Mukhooli, Counsellor, on behalf of Ambassador Marcel Tibaleka. The students who will be representing the Republic of Uganda at the simulation conference National Model United Nations …
Read More »Akinwumi Adesina, Wizkid, Thakkar bag African leadership awards
The African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Awards committee has unveiled the winners for different categories in the just concluded polls for the publication’s Persons of the Year Awards, with Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, a Nigerian and president of the African Development Bank, emerging African of the Year 2019. Adesina was also recently chosen as the African of the Year …
Read More »EDITORIAL: Why it’s important to recognise heroes in the Black community
It’s important that the community of people of African descent in Germany recognises Hamado Dipama and his kind for we’re all beneficiaries of the fruits of their labour.
Read More »Russia banned from 2020 Tokyo Olympics
The World Anti-Doping Agency on Monday banned Russia from global sporting events including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics after accusing Moscow of falsifying data from an anti-doping laboratory. “The full list of recommendations have been unanimously accepted,” said WADA spokesman James Fitzgerald, speaking at a meeting of the body’s executive committee in Lausanne. “WADA’s executive …
Read More »German court rules against landlord who refused to rent to an African
Major victory over housing discrimination in Germany as court fines a landlord for refusing to let his apartment to an African. It’s symbolic that the verdict was delivered on 10 December, the International Human Rights Day. A court has ruled that it’s illegal for a landlord or landlady to refuse to rent a flat to a would-be tenant on account …
Read More »Ethiopian prime minister receives Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received the Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, on Tuesday (10 December). Abiy described the award as “a source of great pride and inspiration for Ethiopia and the broader region”, assuring that it would give a significant boost to his “commitment to the twin goals of development in Ethiopia and the entire …
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