UNICEF Criticizes Sentence
Officer guarding the accused Farouq, 13-year-old
Even though blasphemy is considered a serious offence, it is not punishable by civil law. This is the context for legal action against blasphemy as a right of free speech.
Among many citizens of the 12 northern states where speaking against Allah is critical, it is a case for the Sharia court. But the Sharia court cannot “convict” Omar Farouq of using foul language against Allah.
This last week saw the UN Children’s Agency, UNICIF, opposing the sentence, saying “it contravened core principles of children’s rights and justice in Nigeria.”
Milen Kidane, the chief of child protection at UNICEF, hopes her agency will appeal the court ruling. She did not give a timetable. But she noted that the sensitive judiciary measures that respect the fundamental rights of the child should be brought into play.
Yes, blasphemy in Islam is considered serious. But subjecting people who contravene the law continues to engender strong opposition. The rest of Nigeria, 24 other states, are more accepting, where secular laws are more easily adopted.
Testing in Kano State
Testing during community sampling
There was an early period in the fight against corona virus when few people believed it to be true! In northern Nigeria, among the people of Kano State, many thought it was just a blip on the horizon.
But today, 45,700 cases have been confirmed and there has been a major change. One thousand seven hundred and thirty four confirmed cases, and a total of 1655 people who have been discharged, it is today a very different story.
Fifty four deaths have been attributed to Covid-19.
“Kano’s pioneering community sampling strategy has completely transformed the COVID-19 testing landscape in the state,” the reporter says. This ability to test and transform positive cases has helped stem the further breakout of the virus.
Kano is a major city in the north. It has been a center of the outbreak in the region.
Still, the fact that the community is done with the sampling is significant. The community testing exercises have now been discontinued. Since COVID-19 is still present and no cure for the virus has been found, ensuring the sustainability of the community testing strategies will help safeguard the people. Unless testing continues, it will not be feasible to know how the burden of the virus is still with us.
Passports available from Citizenship by Investment program
Investment in Promoting Tourism
“A year ago, the office of Citizenship by Investment Program in the small Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia had received no applications from any Africans in its nearly five years of operations,” the press office said. But in the past few months the experience has changed dramatically.
It has issued 60 passports to Nigerians in the past few months. Two other firms with the “designation of citizenship” by promotional means have been operating as well.
Apparently only one office, from Henley & Partners, issues passports to the US. But passports to other countries are available.
For a fee from $100,000 to a whole lot more, visa holders can get free access to Canada and Australia.
St. Lucia passport holders have visa-free and visa-on-arrival access to 145 countries. This is more than triple the number under Nigeria’s passport restrictions!
The Slaying of Medgar Evers
Myrlie Evers-Williams
Yesterday I received my AARP.org bulletin. There was one article I kept – the one about Myrlie Evers-Williams.
She writes, “It seems that we may be in a backward trend.” How sad! But she is telling the truth. How prophetic her voice is today.
She says, “Don’t limit yourself because of your age.” I agree with her. “I can’t do what I used to do, but I’m blessed that I can still think and I can still speak!”
When recognizing where we are today, she says we have been more forceful in the past. We may again regain this in the future. A sense of our belonging in the world is important to her and to all of us!
I’m indebted to her for her words of wisdom.
