Ghana's President John Atta Mills has said his government would never legalise homosexuality, no matter the threat of possible aid cuts by the United Kingdom.

Homosexuality is illegal in 37 African countries, where rights groups say gays are often the targets of violent hate campaigns.

Mills said Ghana, seen as one of Africa's most stable and successful democracies in recent years, was committed to upholding human rights as provided by the constitution.

"I as president of this nation, I will never initiate or support any attempts to legalise homosexuality in Ghana," he said.

Britain has warned it will review aid to countries that persecute homosexuals. It has suspended £19 million in aid to Malawi because of concerns including its treatment of gays. Ghana and Uganda have also been linked to the threat.

Ghana, a former British colony, receives around £90 million a year from DFID, Britain's development agency, according to the agency's website.

"Britain made these statements that reflect (its) societal norms and ideals but (it) does not have the right to direct other sovereign nations as to what they should do, especially where their societal norms and ideals are different from those which exist in Prime Minister Cameron's society," Mills said.

In Ghana, the minister in charge of the oil-producing Western region called in July for the arrest of anyone found practising gay sex following local media reports of a supposed increase in homosexuality in the region.

Mills said Ghana recognised the assistance his country received from donors but he said it could not accept it coming with strings attached.

With a Nigerian investment portfolio hovering around two billion United States dollars in the Ghanaian economy, it is not out of place that Accra is closer to the heart of some Nigerians than Abuja the nation's capital perhaps as the second biggest sub-regional economy in West Africa .

Considering this growing interest, Tribe Times senior editors, Bayero Agabi and Hilary Damissah in this interview seeks the views of the High Commissioner of Nigeria to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro in Accra as he speaks on the Nigerian interest in Ghana and other national issues.

Excerpts:

Looking at the Nigeria/Ghana relations under your ambassadorship, what exactly would you tell Nigerians in terms of assessment of your tenure?

I met a serious challenge in terms of the capital base requirements for investment in Ghana. Ghana had passed a law since 1996 making it mandatory for any foreigner setting up a business in Ghana to have a minimum capital base of three hundred thousand US Dollars but this was not enforced until about the time I got here. That really put a lot of pressure on me as the High Commissioner because of the heavy Nigerian business presence in Ghana. So, we confronted it and am pleased to say today that though the law is still in place but they are a bit relaxed in terms of enforcement and that really helped our traders who are residents here in Ghana.

When I came, I think the Nigerian investment here was hovering around 600million US Dollars but today, I can tell you that the same investment has risen to about two billion US Dollars. That alone speaks volume in terms of our activities in encouraging Nigerians to have confidence in this economy and to come in and invest given our position as the leading light within the sub region.

The Nigeria/Ghana relation has come a very long way. What would you say in specific that you have done to promote better ties including cultural and others?

We particularly introduced the Ghana-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce which was not in existence when I came and I have also encouraged a yearly business summit between Nigeria and Ghana and this forum has been very successful. Before I came in, for almost 15 years there was no formal trade meeting between the two countries until I facilitated one last year with a very successful Joint Commission meeting in Abuja. In the area of education, we've facilitated some exchange programmes between some of our universities and University of Lagoon.

As a people, especially in the face of globalization, what do you think of our heritage and value system when our youths now find it difficult to speak their mother tongue?

Well it shows the weakness in our educational system. Am not talking about formal education but even the one we get from home. It makes no sense for someone not to be able to express him/herself in his/her own language. The basis of our existence is our identity and when that identity is lost, then, you are nobody. So I want to believe that emphasis must be placed on language which is so critical to human existence. Unfortunately, we play with it as if it's nothing and for me, if care is not taken, in another 20 to 50 years, our languages will not be spoken anywhere again and if that happens, that again will be very sad.

We should take our mother tongue as our heritage and do whatever it takes to preserve it but we do not seem to have taken it that way and to worsen the situation some so called educated people find it very difficult to allow their children to speak their native language, that to me is a share inferiority complex, I don't have complex, so it doesn't matter to me whether my child speaks French or English but what is most important to me is that my child must speak my own language.

As a public or political figure, if you have to change one thing about Nigeria (ns) what would that be?

Our attitude, we have a wrong attitude to life and I can begin to explain that to you now. If I may ask, tell me how many Nigerians sit down at the beginning of the year to draw up a budget? Hardly will you find one if any. We all live each day as it comes and that explains why public officials even those in private enterprises will remain corrupt because most of us do not plan but we live above what we earn. That attitude needs to be changed. Then, this appetite for ostentatious lifestyle is ridiculous. You know Nigerians with big appearance, we like go out with big serene, police escort…all these things are nonsense that we must find a way to stop.

Senator Babafemi Ojudu is one of those Nigerian journalists who have successfully ditched the news room for the political corridors of power. The Ekiti State born senator tells Tribe Times that he will remain a political activist even in the chambers of the senate just as he promised he will fight hard for the interest of the people. Excerpts

Now that you are into politics does it imply you have completely called a halt on your journalism profession?

Oh sure. I am a full time politician now.

What are those things you intend to achieve as a senator?

Well, I have deep concern for my people, the whole of my constituency. I believe there are a lot of problems in the constituency; problems of infrastructure, problems of unemployment, problems of lack of health facilities and generally all kinds of problems that are facing Nigerian. I believe adequate attention is not being called enough to some of these problems. I believe with my background as a journalist, with a background as a human rights activist, I can do well in the as a Senator to call attention to these problems by networking with other Senators of like mind to ensure that money is well appropriated to address these problems.

What should Nigerians really expect from the passage of the freedom of Information Bill?

Let me just say that with this development probity and accountability has been made easier in the public sector especially. The FOI is victory for the Nigerian people. Now questions can be asked without fear of molestation as it were in the past. Though many anti-progressives never wanted it to see the light of the day, thank goodness the will of the majority has come to pass. Now the benefits the law will bring to Nigerians is not just for journalists alone.

What exactly should the media expect from you as your former constituency now that you are a member of the hallowed chambers of the Senate?

They should know that I am going to be upright. I am going to challenge a lot of bad practices in that chamber and I am going to of course fight on behalf of the Nigerian people. I am also going to fight on behalf of Nigerian Journalists, particularly on any issue that will enhance the effective discharge of their duties.

Many get into politics only to compromise their integrity as one who was a renowned student activist, can you assure your admirers that the same Femi Ojudu as a student activist, a journalist activist will remain a political activist?

I can assure you that if I change at all, I will change for the better. I cannot change for the bad. I remain who I am and I am going to be who I am. I am going to fight hard. I came into politics not because I want to be rich or because I want to have position. I was motivated because I think there is need for change in this country and I will fight hard for that change.

It is no longer news that on the commencement of the ongoing voter's registration, the inability of the finger print scanner to capture the finger prints of prospective registrants almost made Nigerians to lose confidence in the whole exercise. The news however is that barely three days after the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC; Professor Attahiru Jega announced a week extension of the exercise, shortage of printer ink has been identified as another hiccup facing the exercise.

Investigations by Tribe Times reveal that in the last one week, voters' cards have only been issued to registrant at the point of registration only in areas where politicians and other good Samaritans make provision for the purchase of ink cartridges. Some adhoc personnel participating in the exercise who however preferred anonymity told Tribe Times that shortage of ink to print voters cards is raising concerns making some observers to reason that the commission was either ill-prepared for the exercise or ultimately playing out a hidden script.

Tribe Times checks reveals that lack of security personnel at many registration centres has become worrisome as INEC personnel have described the situation as too risky considering the sensitive nature of the materials being used for the exercise. Speaking with a top official of INEC in Lagos who spoke under the condition of anonymity, he said that; “the security situation is due to the fact that the Nigerian Police Force does not have enough officers to be deployed to each polling unit, pointing out that rather they deployed three to four officers to the collation centres where the machines are stored after each day's work”.

When asked if he is aware of the implication that a stolen DDC machine can have on the entire electoral process, he said that the commission does not pray for such but if such a thing happens there are measures put in place to track such machine and prevent it from being used to perpetrate electoral fraud.

In a related development, one challenge that seems to be at the fore according to findings is the issue of lack of payment of allowances by the Commission to the adhoc staff, predominantly the members of the NYSC. Corp members who spoke with Tribe Times alleged that since they commenced the exercise, the commission has not paid them their allowances, pointing out that they were paid two thousand naira as training allowance in Lagos as against the presumed three thousand naira that was paid in other states.

Though the problems of the finger print scanner that was experienced at beginning of the exercise has been addressed, other technical challenges that still persist according to findings cut across inadequate memory which makes the system trip off almost every five minutes, thereby making registration of a single person take a longer process.

Dr Reuben Abatti  has admonished Nigerians on the need for everyone, regardless of status to be committed to the values and ideas that define Nigeria our country stressing that this is pertinent because according to him, we all collectively have a stake the in the nation. ‘'We need to just do our work and be committed to the values and ideas of our founding fathers since this is the only country we can only call our own. The Group Chairman, Editorial Board, Guardian, particularly advised is constituency-the media to ensure they use their duty call responsibly as journalists by deploying their talent and opportunity to defend public interest , defend the interest of the ordinary people; the voiceless, the poor and the needy and to ensure that they, the journalists are also committed to achieving these goals at all times ‘'As journalist, we have the responsibility to use our talents and our opportunity to defend the public interest, defend the interest of the ordinary people who are otherwise voiceless and to ensure that we remain committed to this regard at all times.

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- Bashorun Dele Momodu

In Nigeria's political firmament, the men of the fourth estate of the realm have certainly held their own including the likes of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Lateef Jakande, Segun Oshoba among others. Yet, in the present unfolding political scenario, renowned journalist and publisher, Ovation Int'l Magazine, Chief Dele Momodu tells Tribe Times why he wants to become Nigeria's next president.

Excerpts;

AS A JOURNALIST WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION IN CONTESTING FOR THE PRESIDENCY?

Well, leadership has nothing to do with your profession or career: leadership is about your ability to manage people and resources. I have looked at the political terrain in Nigeria today and I believe I have the best credentials among the entire candidates that emerged. I have been in politics since 1982. By 1983, I was already a Private Secretary to the then Deputy Governor of Ondo State, chief Akin Omoboriowo. The only thing is that I have not been in power because my mission in politics is not really to be in power but to influence whoever that is in power. I have been in all the struggles. There is no struggle that took place in Nigeria that I was not part of. In 1993, for instance, during June 12 crises, I was actively involved. I was one of the media campaigners of chief MKO Abiola to the extent that I was detained by Babangida's administration. Than in 1995 under Abacha, I was forced into exile, even while in exile, I was still fighting. I was one of the presenters on Radio Kudirat .

Now I am at the top of my career and I have operated in over 60 countries. I have met and interacted with world leaders and statesmen. So, I am very prepared for this role. My main reason and motivation for coming out this period was because I looked at those who want to contest and I could not see the quality in them that can meet the modern world.

More so, most Nigerian leaders you find in power today are people that never ran a business in their life. Government has become a business, so a man who couldn't manage a million suddenly finds himself given a trillion budgets to manage and then there is a vacuum. Another thing is the fact that a party has been in power for 12 years and has performed well below average. Elsewhere in the world, that party must go. So, I am in this race to be in the vanguard of those who will definitely get rid of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) government. So my experience in polities has shown that governance is not for politician but technocrats. If you look at the stars of Obasanjo's administration, they were purely those who came from outside; the Okonjo Iwealas, the Oby Ezekwesilis, the El-Rufias, the Chukwuma Soludos.

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In the face of the present socio-political turmoil currently ravaging several African countries as is the cases of Cote d' Ivoire, Tunisia and Egypt, Prof. Horace Campbell an authority in African Politics having worked and researched extensively in East and Southern Africa says African Leaders Are the Obstacles to the Peoples' Unity. The Jamaican-born educator cum activist who is the Director of African Initiative, Syracuse University, United States exclusively tells Tribe Times the connect between the Caribbean nations and Africa.

As an African descent from the Caribbean, tell us how our brothers in the Caribbean connect with their source in Africa. How do they passive Africa as their home?

First of all, I am very happy to meet you, am very happy I have your magazine Tribe Times. We are in the period of revolution that people can produce information and educational materials, be conscious of the centrality of the African people in this time of the last capitalist, black people are at the centre of world revolution. The Caribbean is in the midst of a gigantic tidal wave. It is like hurricane, but it is a hurricane of economic s and politics that is sent to Africa. But the Caribbean people, they know that their future is tied to the future of Africa and whatever level of the society you go to, whether it is the church or school, or even some Mosques, people understands this. The people who are the forefront of this in the Caribbean are the Rastafarians . The Rastafarians view Africa as the cradle of humanity and the home of all people. Bob Marley who was one of the Prophets of the Rastafarians speaks of African unity, sings about love peace and so the spirit of the rasterferia of peace and love unites us as Bob Marley says Africa must unite.

Indeed, the western world often passive Africans with negative connotation, what do we as Africans need to do to correct this wrong impression?

Here in Africa, we have very proud peoples. The whole cultural artistes, film makers especially Nigerian films, writers, rap musicians, African reggae, African Hip-Hop, media practitioners, we are in a revolutionary period when we must use technologies- the information communication technologies to break away from those negative images. If you look at how this young Hip-Hop artiste called Kanaan made a song for the World Cup, “Waving Flag” with the strong subject of freedom, then you will understand how we can break the images that are presented by the west about our cultural via artistes. So you as someone in the media have a very important role to play. We do not concern ourselves about the west anymore; we talk about what we have to do. Young African people showed at the World Cup what we can do whenever our people are given an opportunity in a level playing field, be it in the cultural arena, or as in sports like Usain Bolt , we can excel. Barrack Obama showed that it is possible for Africans to excel in all areas whether it is politics, and as intellectuals, it is our time now.

We have seen the Asians, emerging as strong economic force, what would you advice our political leaders to do in order to drive the desired African growth?

I will tell nothing to the leaders because most of the leaders are obstacles to African unity and true liberation and dignity of Africa. I will rather tell it to the young people, the students, and the teachers. Most of these leaders will be gone by 2015 because we are going to have African freedom and African unity. That is why they keep their moneys in banks overseas, they send their children to schools overseas, and they go to hospitals when they fall sick overseas, they live in expensive houses while other people do not have electricity, water and even shelter. So they are simply not our leaders! They are leaders imposed on us.

The recent controversy over the Lagos State Government clampdown on commercial motorcycles has continued to elicit reactions from different quarters even as the Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN has seemingly absolved himself from the issue of the current ban on the popularly known “okada”

The governor said there is a law in place, which did not emanate from him. “If you do not want the law, you can make presentation to the Lagos State House of Assembly to repeal the law. It is not a question of what I want. The law applies to certain categories on certain routes .I can't led this state with two sets of laws. Clearly, it won't work”. 
Fashola made this known while responding to a barrage of questions recently at a stakeholders' forum organized by the Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ) at the City Mall, Onikan, Lagos. Speaking further, Fashola advised Lagosians to relate properly with regulatory agencies like the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), which he noted serves more positive purposes than negative.

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Like Obafemi Awolowo, Ernest Okoli, Lateef Jakande Segun Osoba among others, former managing editor, The News Magazine and PM News, Babafemi Ojodu has ‘'cross-carpeted'' from journalism to partisan politics in quest for a seat in the senate to represent Ekiti Central Senatorial District on the platform of ACN. He tells Tribe Times that Nigeria needs political change

Now that you are into politics does it imply you have completely called a halt on your journalism profession?
Oh sure. I am a full time politician now

What are those things you think you can achieve if elected?
Well, I have deep concern for my people, the whole of my constituency. I believe there are a lot of problems in the constituency; problems of infrastructure, problems of unemployment, problems of lack of health facilities and generally all kinds of problems that are facing Nigerian. I believe adequate attention is not being called enough to some of these problems. I believe with a background as a journalist, with a background as a human right activist, I can do well in the National Assembly to call attention to these problems by networking with other Senators of like mind to ensure that money is well appropriated address these problems

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Call 08023672168,08055001878 or send an email to
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 Without any doubt, Nigeria is a giant in the comity of nations and if you look at the population of Nigeria, 140 to 150 million people. We are the largest in the entire world when you talk about the black race. When you talk about the land mass, we are quite big. When you talk about the dynamics in Africa, we are very big, when you talk about our people, they are among the greatest, the brightest. But having said all that, we still have issues with matters of leadership. We lack infrastructure, corruption is still very high, security is quite bad, there is still political instability but against all odds, at 50, I believe we have course to celebrate, thank God and to look forward to the future with hope and promise.

For Several Years Now, You Have Been One Of The Icons In The Nigerian Entertainment Industry. How Would You Describe Your Role In The Industry Today? What's Your Take On The Nigerian Entertainment Industry Today?

 Ah, I will definitely say entertainment is one of the things keeping us going at the international scene and sports is another, although our sports sector is practically in shambles in Nigeria, but at the individual level, Nigerians are doing very well but entertainment wise, movies, music, comedy and so on and so forth, we are doing extremely well.  In fact, these days, everywhere you go people are watching our movies and thanks to Africa Magic . In the whole of African continent, people are able to see some of our movies and then the distribution network too has improved drastically. I was in Barbados about two years ago and I was very impressed. Everywhere I went, people were asking me oh do you know Richard Mofe Damijo, do you know Genevieve Nnaji, do you know Ini Edo, do you know Omotola Jolade, Stella Damasus Nzeribe and the rest of them. In fact, I was in a fish bar where we used to have dinner every evening and  there was a night club across the road, every evening, all I was hearing was 2face, 2face and  shortly after I left, 2face came  to Barbados. Also the same two years ago, I was in Canada and I had my birthday on May 16th 2008 in Toronto and you won't believe it, the place was jam-packed to the point that the Canadian Police got scared that they had to fly in their helicopters and floodlights to chase all of us out of the club because they thought there was going to be a breakdown of law and order. 2face came to perform for me that night and Majek-Fashek. And then I travelled again to Australia in October, I think this was October 4, 2008 as well, I was in Melbourne, and 2face came to perform again, and everywhere was packed full and I mean, Australia is like the end of the world, it took me almost the whole day I mean, I was seating in the aircraft for abut 23 hours from London to get to Hong Kong flying through Sydney and then Melbourne and I was very impressed that you know…so, Nigerians are doing very well everywhere, Nigerians are worthy Ambassadors of our country but I just don't know where we got our leaders from but I guess that is another topic for another day. (laughter).

On The Issue Of Leaders, We Have Some Feelers That You Want To Run For The Presidency, How True Is That?

 It is very true, I had already declared my interest in running for the presidency in Nigeria and I don't see what is wrong with it. Some people had said oh, he's not qualified. I don't know what disqualifies me, I turned 50 years Sunday, May 16th, so in terms of age, am older than Obama, am older than the Prime Minister of Great Britain. Nigeria is the only place where we be-little ourselves. So I tell people if you don't know me, why don't you find out and ask questions . Am one of the few Nigerians who cut across the length and breadth of Nigeria. There is no part of Nigeria I have not touched. Ovation has given me a worldwide platform. So until you give people opportunity, you  may not know what they would do. Look at Fashola, a lot of people did not know Fashola until he became the governor of Lagos State, today, he is doing very well. So the same people will say oh we don't know him and in fact, I am known by everybody, I have been able to run an international business for fourteen years. You expect a good reputation, integrity, transparency, honesty and eh, I have not stolen anybody's money, I had never been a contractor, and so , if Nigeria must have a fresh beginning, they must start with people like me. I am a child of independence. My dream, my vision is to give hope to the hopeless, to give help to the helpless and to give Nigerians true and total freedom from servitude, from slavery . Am on the street all the time and I know that Nigerians are suffering and they do not deserve to suffer in the midst of plenty. God has given us a land overflowing with milk and honey so why must our people suffer? It is because of the greed of a few people who now trample on the needs of others and this cannot continue like that and I am very determined without any fear whatsoever, that Nigeria can change and it will change.

You Mentioned 2face, Majek Fashek While Discussing The Entertainment Industry, But We Have Had A Hype Of CD Artistes, I Mean  Those Who Just Have Cds They Don't Have Bands, They Only Do Their Music From Sound Track And All That, Is This Not Killing Our Music?

It is all about Pop culture and there is nothing wrong. Even in America where most of the people that you hear about who are millionaires today and are superstars, some  started from going around with their CDs but with time, after making some money then they always go for bigger things. In Nigeria today, 2face is now playing with his band same thing with D'banj and that's how it will go. Wande Coal is beginning to play with his band so a lot of them are now playing with bands so because of, the search for money, you cannot blame any man if he does anything just to keep body and soul together . In one of my recent columns on Thisday, I wrote there very clearly talking about manifestos, that the manifesto is not as important as the man who is going to execute it. Nigeria is a place where you have to do everything based on money. If you are going to buy a house for one million dollars, you must pay cash. There is no other place in the world where you pay a million dollar for a plot of land in a ghetto. You have no electricity, you have no water yet you will cough out one hundred million, two hundred million just to buy a plot of land, am not talking of building a house, so why will people not steal? If you want to buy a car, you are supposed to go for a car loan; To buy a  brand new car now, you need about three to four or five million naira, so how do you make it? Then you have to pay your rent and quite often, they ask you to pay two to three years advance. Do you collect your salaries in advance? So the society encourages corruption. There is no way you can pay your children's school fees if you do not find another means of making money, it's not possible because these days, you cannot send your kids to government schools. So these are the things we must begin to work on. There must be social welfare. We must create good welfare package for the people of Nigeria like it is done elsewhere. I was a refugee in Great Britain when I arrived in London in 1995, I did not have any plans to live in that country but once the government accepted that I have a genuine reason to live in England, they provided me with accommodation and they made sure that my family was well looked after and protected. Am eternally grateful to them.  The Council flat they gave us in Harmsten which is a rich neighbourhood after four years, they wrote us a letter that we were qualified to buy the property. Ha! My brother, if we have such welfare packages in Nigeria, nobody will have to steal money. Then as a worker, you know that once you work for one or two years, your employers can write a letter for you to a bank guarantying that, if you sell a car to this man or woman, you will get your money because it comes directly from your salary. We must empower the insurance companies to cover everything as much as possible so that if for example, you suddenly lose your job or you have an accident whatever, then you are protected and covered. These are the things that I want to promote in Nigeria.

So I am confident am one of the best candidates today because I am very exposed . I have been working for over 60 countries of the world. I mean, there are not many people who have had such opportunities. I have seen much smaller countries doing it very well and you ask yourself how they are able to do it? Because the government policies allows enterprise.

Talking About Your Investment In Ghana, What Influenced Your Decision To Set It Up Here?

Yes, what happened was that I moved to Ghana about seven or eight years  ago and by the time I came here, there were few Nigerians. I would say I was one of those who actually aggressively sold Ghana to Nigeria and to the outside world. And a lot of people including governors, ministers and all of them used to come to my house to eat. Then one day, a governor came with his entourage, they ate and when they were living, he now said they should give me two thousand dollars and I felt insulted, If you come to my house to eat, then why do you want to give me money? So it then occurred to me that if people like my food so much, why don't I turn it into a business? For me, it is also more of a social service because most Nigerians always complain that they are not familiar with Ghanaian food, because Nigerians are not adventurous when it comes to food. Everywhere I go, I am looking for home food. So it is like that with most Nigerians. I now felt we should have a place where people can just go and relax. You could go there and they give you complementary massage for thirty minutes if you like at the House of Ovation at Osu. It is right at the heart of Accra where most people who come either on business or holiday can just go and enjoy themselves. That was the whole idea and I am happy today, anywhere I am, people call me to say , “oh am being taken care of at your restaurant, I like your ambience and everything” it feels so good.

Do You Encourage Nigerians To Do The Same Elsewhere And Not Just In Accra?

Not just in Accra, I expect Nigerians to go all over and conquer the world. There is nowhere you go today if you mention my name, or you mention Ovation from customs to police, they say oh Chief, everybody knows me as Chief even some presidents. So am a worthy ambassador of Nigeria. If you go to Gambia or Senegal, in fact, in Senegal, if you want to buy a Caftan and you say I want to buy Dele Momodu, they will give you a particular Caftan that I used to wear. So it feels so good like Chief Abiola thought me not to be a local champion and am happy today that people see me as a global citizen.

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