Namibia’s president called on Monday for a change to the constitution to allow the government to expropriate land and re-distribute it to the majority black population.

“The willing-buyer willing-seller principle has not delivered results. Careful consideration should be given to expropriation,” President Hage Geingob said at the opening of the Second National Land Conference in the capital Windhoek.

The southern African country wants to transfer 43 per cent, or 15 million hectares (58,000 square miles) of its arable agricultural land, to previously disadvantaged blacks by 2020.

At the end of 2015, 27 per cent has been redistributed, according to the Namibia Agriculture Union.

“We need to revisit constitutional provisions which allow for the expropriation of land with just compensation, as opposed to fair compensation, and look at foreign ownership of land, especially absentee land owners.

“It is in all our interest, particularly the “haves”, to ensure a drastic reduction in inequality, by supporting the redistributive model required to alter our skewed economic structure.

We should all be cognizant of the fact that this is ultimately an investment in peace,” he said.

Namibia’s neighbour and regional economic powerhouse South Africa is also in the process of amending land ownership laws – a move that has shaken investor nerves locally and abroad.

The move led to a controversial tweet by United States President Donald Trump in August criticising the move by Pretoria.

Thousands of black Namibians were driven off their land in the 19th and 20th centuries, banished to barren and often crowded homelands known as Bantustans while being denied official ownership or tenure rights.

In the second quarter, Namibia’s GDP contracted for the ninth straight quarter, the longest such streak since at least 2008.

Reuters/NAN

Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, says there is need to create a `new tribe’ in the country in order to have a country driven by national unity and cohesion.

Osinbajo expressed this view while declaring open a five-day photo exhibition tagged, `ANISZA’ on Monday in Abuja.

ANISZA is a collaborative project between the Federal Government and the private sector, a scheme that showcases the untold stories of Nigeria’s unity since independence in 1960 via pictures.

“ANISZA” was derived from the first two letters of three indigenous Nigerian languages–Anoko Onu – Igbo word for togetherness; Isokan – Yoruba word for unity; and Zaman Tare – Hausa words for one tribe.

Osinbajo had earlier toured the mobile gallery and inspected the photographs on display.

He said that two things struck him about the exhibition – the first being the deliberate attempt to engage younger Nigerians and the issue of promoting national unity.

Osinbajo added that the second thing that struck him was the idea of casting a vision by reflecting Nigeria’s history via a collection of photographs that told Nigeria’s national story as the victories of unity despite the diversities and dissention.

The vice president said that the pictures he saw included the photograph of the Shitta Bey Mosque, which was headlined by Christian leaders who were gladly invited by Muslim leaders to the mosque.

Osinbajo said he also saw the photograph of where Christians formed a protective shield of Muslims at prayer in Abuja in 2012 among others.

“It seems to me to be a good time for me to recall an earlier call I have made for a new tribe of Nigerians to build a new Nigeria.

“It is my respected view that to build a new Nigeria, we need a new tribe; one tribe of men and women of all faiths, of all tribes, of all ethnicities committed to a country run on high values; high values of integrity, of hard work, of justice and of love of country.

“A tribe of men and women who are prepared to make the sacrifices and exercise the self-constraint that is crucial for building a healthy society and who are prepared to stick together to fight injustice; to fight corruption; to insist on the rule of law; even when our friends are the receiving end.

“ A tribe consisting of professionals, of businessmen, of politicians, of students, of religious leaders and all who believe that a new Nigeria is possible,’’ he said.

He said that the exhibition was  a collaboration between the Federal Government represented by the media team in the presidency, the Federal Ministry of Information and the private sector.

On her part, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, said that the event was a thing of joy as it came at a day Nigerians were witnessing the 58^th independence in peace.

She said that the project was noble gesture which had the support of the Federal Government.

The Project Visionary, Novo Isioro, said that the event was Nigeria’s first ever unity photography exhibition.

“On this ground today, we are gathered for one thing; one very important thing; there is a dream which is focused on re-orientating us to a nation that was united; will stay united and will get better.

“Have you noticed that the media is filled with stories of hate, violence and disunity featuring young people?

“Because we are young, most times we under-formed and even misinformed and we become tools or objects of this violence,’’ she said.

She said that if ethic differences were collapsed in the everyday interaction of Nigerians, the citizens would fare better.

According to her, the documentary is about telling the story of Nigeria’s strength in diversity.

The exhibition, which drew students from across the country, had some  members of the Federation Executive Council in attendance. (NAN)

In spirit of Nigeria’s Independence celebration ,Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger has granted unconditional pardon to four prison inmates on death row and two others convicted and kept in prison custody ,  just as his Adamawa State Counterpart,  granted amnesty to 22 Inmates.

Bello also commuted the death sentence of 20 inmates to various term of imprisonment, discharged 40 others and ordered payment of fines for 221 convicts held in various prisons across the state.

A statement  by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor ,Jibrin Ndace  on Monday quoted Bello as saying that “the gesture was in the spirit of the season”.

He directed the Attorney General of the state and the state Council on Prerogative of Mercy to effect immediate implementation of the pardon.

He reiterated that his administration would continue to ensure the progress and development of the state in line with the visions of the nationalists who fought for liberation and sovereignty of the country.

“We are committed to making our state better than yesterday so that tomorrow will be more comfortable for ourselves and the next generation.

“I called on our people to resist any overt or covert attempts by individuals and or groups to cause disharmony in the state as we enter into the next phase of state and national political activities,” he said.

Bello also called on politicians and political parties to avoid acts capable of infringing on the right of the people even as democracy admits protests, rallies and demonstrations.

He said that though democracy admits protest, rallies and demonstrations, such activities should be carried out in a responsible and peaceful manner.

He commended members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for affirming his candidature to contest the 2019 governorship election in the state.

On his part. Governor, Muhammadu Bindow granted amnesty to 22 Inmates serving their sentences in various prisons across the state to mark the country’s 58th Independence Anniversary.

A statement by the Commissioner for Information, Ahmad Sajo said the Governor also granted amnesty to one convict whose death sentence was Committed to life imprisonment.

Former Member of the House of Rep, Mohammed Isa Ashiru is to hoist the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag against the All Progressives Congress in the gubernatorial contest in Kaduna State come 2019 general elections.

He is to face the candidate of the ruling party in the State  APC and incumbent, Nasir El Rufai who also emerged on Sunday to once again, hoist his party’s flag.

Ashiru was the incumbent’s second runner up in the 2015 primaries under the APC which he dumped few months ago.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Sunday  said he is ready for a free and fair party primary elections on Monday.

At  a press conference in Lagos , the Governor said he is under no illusion about the slog ahead in the APC primary for governor,  but said ” We shall overcome.”

He said Sanwo-Olu is not a fit and proper candidate for the position of Lagos governor.