WAR mongers and leading candidates for the International War Crimes Tribunal, Tony Blair and George W. Bush were in Nigeria on February 20. The twosome have made our contemporary world far more insecure and turbulent than they met it.

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar’Adua after a 93-day absence was brought commando style into the country last Wednesday under the cover of darkness. The Commander-in-Chief tactically evaded the six-man Federal Government delegation sent to his erstwhile Saudi Arabia base; as the delegation arrived, he took off for Nigeria. The hapless delegation was forced to return home in pursuit of their sick leader.

MAMADOU TANDJA who was removed in a military coup last Thursday, February 18, after being president of Niger Republic for 10 years, was a time bomb. His overthrow was not only unexpected, but was in some circles, eagerly awaited.

ACTING President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday February 16, made his debut on the international stage. It was at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State Summit which had been on hold due to President Umaru Yar’Adua’s poor health. It was a befitting one for him as 10 of the 13 expected ECOWAS leaders showed up and the rest were represented.

I SPRINTED into a shop in Algiers. The weather was very cold. Although it was not raining, people were getting wet. Even in the streets, here and there, you found pools of water. I was fully kitted wearing layers of shirts, a sweater and two trousers. Surprisingly, there were youths with just T-shirts and jackets, some with their trousers not around their waists but their buttocks. This clearly was the American gangster influence.