Media captionFather Fidelis Mukonori says he can’t confirm reports that Robert Mugabe was given $10m (£7.5m)
Robert Mugabe will continue to have a role to play in Zimbabwean politics, the Jesuit priest who helped negotiate his resignation has told the BBC.
Father Fidelis Mukonori said he would provide “advice” as an elder statesman, including to the new president.
Mr Mugabe, 93, resigned on Tuesday after a military intervention and days of mass protests.
Mr Mukonori said he could not confirm reports that the ex-leader was granted $10m (£7.5m) to ease him out of office.
Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in to replace Mr Mugabe as president on Friday.
Mr Mnangagwa, long a close ally of Mr Mugabe, was sacked earlier this month, triggering the political crisis that eventually saw his boss’s downfall.
Father Mukonori, 70, who is close to Robert Mugabe and acted as a mediator between him and the military, said the new president would go to his predecessor for political counsel.
“In the African world, senior citizens are there for advice,” he told the BBC’s Richard Galpin at a church outside the capital, Harare, after leading a service that included prayers giving thanks for the peaceful transfer of power.
He referred to what Mr Mnangagwa said about his predecessor at his inauguration.
“When he says ‘he’s my father, he’s my leader, he’s my mentor’, you tell me he’s going to stay off from his father, from his mentor, from his leader? I don’t think so.”
The priest said that Mr Mugabe and his wife Grace remained at their house in Harare and had no plans to leave the country.
The military takeover came in response to Mr Mugabe’s decision to position Grace as his successor and sack Mr Mnangagwa from the vice-presidency.
“We didn’t offer him anything… He resigned for the good of Zimbabwe,” he said.
He added: “What I have read in the newspapers is about immunity [from prosecution], and that he will be looked after like any other former head of state.”
Mr Mugabe leaving power, he added, was the best thing he had ever done.
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Media captionPresident Mnangagwa called Robert Mugabe “a father, mentor, comrade-in-arms and my leader”
Separately on Sunday, Robert Mugabe was described as being “quite jovial” by a nephew in an interview with the French news agency AFP.
“He is actually looking forward to his new life – farming and staying at the rural home. He has taken it well,” Leo Mugabe said.
There are fears that President Mnangagwa, who is associated with some of worst atrocities committed under the ruling Zanu-PF party since independence in 1980, will not usher in the democratic reforms that many in Zimbabwe are hoping for.
But Father Mukonori said he believed the former spymaster knows that democracy is “crucial”.
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Media captionThe Archbishop of York ends his protest over Robert Mugabe
Note: This story is auto-generated from ‘BBC News’ syndicated feed and has not been edited by Africa Prime News staff.
Media captionWATCH: The couple’s first public appearance together in September
Prince Harry is to marry his American actress girlfriend Meghan Markle, Prince Charles has announced.
Harry, fifth in line to the throne, will marry Ms Markle next spring and will live at Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace in London.
The couple, who have been dating since 2016, got engaged earlier this month.
In a statement, Prince Harry said he was “delighted to announce” the engagement and had received the blessing of Ms Markle’s parents.
Only the Queen and “other close members of his family” initially knew of the engagement, which took place in London.
The announcement, issued by Clarence House, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s official residence, said details about the wedding day would be “announced in due course”.
After the wedding, Ms Markle will become an HRH and a senior royal.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh said they were “delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness”, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.
Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, said they were “very excited for Harry and Meghan”, adding: “It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.”
Image copyrightGetty Images
Ms Markle’s parents, Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland, said they were “incredibly happy” for the couple.
“To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents,” they said.
They were seen together at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games, an international sporting event set up by the prince for injured soldiers.
Earlier that month, the actress spoke about her love for Harry for the first time – telling Vanity Fair magazine: “We’re two people who are really happy and in love”.
‘This is our time’
She said the pair were enjoying a “special” time together, adding: “I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time.”
Ms Markle, 36, may not have been a familiar name in Britain until recently, but in the US she is better known for her role as Rachel Zane in TV legal drama Suits.
The Los-Angeles born actress, whose father was a lighting director and mother is a social worker and yoga instructor, grew up in what has been described as the ‘Black Beverly Hills’.
She attended a private primary school before studying at a girls’ Roman Catholic college and later graduating from Northwestern University School of Communication in 2003, just as her acting career was beginning.
Note: This story is auto-generated from BBC syndicated feed and has not been edited by AFRICA PRIME NEWS
Kaduna (Nigeria) — With the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, national convention fast approaching, a group under the auspices of PDP Progressive Forum, has endorsed Senator Nenadi Esther Usman to run for the office of the national Secretary of the party.
In statement issued to newsmen signed by Tanko Rossi Sabo and Umar Muhammad Rigasa, chairman and secretary of the group in Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria said, “Nenadi’s courage to vie for the position as a woman is well commendable and giving her all the needed support will no doubt boost the party’s credential as one that fosters gender equality.
“Senator Esther Nenadi Usman worked hard to achieve her greatness against all odds of life.”
According to them, “At the time many stakeholders were either dormant or deserted the party in the state, especially after the misfortunes of 2015, Sen. Nenadi has been one of the few who kept faith with the party despite the persecution by the ruling APC.
“She has made immense sacrifices to revive and keep the party going. Her active participation in most party meetings and activities; and most notably, Chairing one of the committees for reconciliation of party members in the state is testament to her commitment and sacrifices,” the group explained.
The group added, “Her sterling leadership qualities, which hails from southern Kaduna, the stronghold of PDP in the entire North-west zone since 1999, will therefore be a great deal of wisdom to support the emergence of Sen. Usman as National Secretary of the party.
“You will recall that on Tuesday 21st November, 2017, the senator representing Kaduna South made public a letter he wrote to the National Vice Chairman (North-west) complaining of how southern Kaduna is not adequately given its dues by the party in spite of its outstanding contributions to the party especially in the last general elections.
“While we disagree with the senator’s approach of throwing away decorum by washing the party’s dirty linens in public, we however, share his sentiments that the area very well deserves better; and Senator Nenadi Usman’s aspiration is, without doubt, a pragmatic approach to actualize the dream of the area.”
The group added that, the PDP, is at the threshold of regaining it lost glory by Makarfi-led Interim National Caretaker Committee for making this possible.
They also explained, “Consolidating on the gains of the party, therefore, requires strong men and women with vision, tact, and experience at the helm of the party’s affairs.
“In this regard, Senator Nenadi Esther Usman readily comes to mind. Her virtues and enviable record of service to our dear party and the entire nation speak volumes.
“Having selflessly served as Minister of Finance, Member of the Presidential Transition Committee, Member of the PDP State Caucus, Senator of the Federal Republic, and the Director of Finance Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organization, among others, Senator Nenadi Usman is not new to national politics.
“We are therefore, excited that she has finally bowed to public plea to contest the position of National Secretary of our great party, the People’s Democratic Party, in the forthcoming National Convention slated for December 9, 2017.”
They reiterated that, her ambition to contest for the position of the national secretary of the party would not only be fair to the teeming party faithful and supporters from the zone, but also strategic for winning the 2019 general elections.
“It is on the strength of these facts that we endorse Senator Nenadi Usman’s candidature and call on all well-meaning stakeholders, founding fathers, leaders and the led to give equal support to her,” the statement explained.
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption US President Donald Trump pays close attention to who’s on the cover of Time magazine.
US magazine publisher Time Inc. will be bought by rival media company Meredith Corporation for $2.8bn (£2.1bn).
The deal is backed by the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, who are known for supporting economically conservative causes.
Meredith is an Iowa-based publisher and broadcaster which has made two previous unsuccessful bids for Time.
Time has struggled with declining advertising revenues since it was spun off from Time Warner in 2014.
In November, Time’s third quarter revenue slipped 9.5% to $679m, marking the sixth straight quarter the publisher fell short of analysts expectations.
“This all-cash transaction, and the immediate, certain value it provides, is in the best interests of the company and its shareholders,” Time’s Chairman John Fahey said in a statement.
Meredith owns print publications Family Circle and Better Homes and Gardens as well as local television stations across the US.
The company said the deal will give it nearly $700m in digital advertising revenues and an “unmatched reach” to the valuable millennial customers, in their twenties and thirties.
‘Political activism’
As part of the deal, Meredith has secured $650m from the Koch brothers’ private equity arm, Koch Equity Development.
The two brothers run Koch Industries, which is one of the world’s largest privately-owned companies, with interests ranging from pipelines to paper towels.
According to the Koch Industries website, “to millions of Americans, the words ‘Koch brothers’ and ‘political activism’ go hand-in-hand”.
They’ve long championed economically conservative candidates and causes, but they’ve also pushed criminal justice reform and made large donations to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption Previous interest from the Koch brothers in the LA Times prompted protests from the public who feared editorial interference
Their involvement in a media deal is likely to raise concerns that they’ll use their investment to wield influence.
A suggestion they might attempt to acquire the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune in 2013 sparked petitions and protests from readers concerned about their intentions.
However, Meredith said the Koch brothers won’t be given a seat on the board of Time Inc, and won’t have any managerial or editorial input.
Person of the year
In addition to Time, the company also publishes People, Sports Illustrated, Entertainment Weekly and Fortune magazines.
Meredith says the acquisition will give its brands a readership of 135 million and paid circulation of nearly 60 million.
“We believe this acquisition represents a transformative and financially compelling growth opportunity for Meredith Corporation and will increase shareholder value over time,” Meredith’s chief executive Stephen Lacy said in a statement.
Even if Time Inc has struggled in recent years, its eponymous magazine still holds significant cultural influence.
An example is its “person of the year” issue, which is now in its 90th year.
The issue recognises the person who “for better or for worse… has done the most to influence the events of the year”.
Past recipients have included almost every sitting US president, Queen Elizabeth, Pope John Paul II and Mahatma Gandhi.
More controversially, Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler also both received the recognition.
This year’s choice made headlines last week, after US President Donald Trump claimed he was expected to be given the title for a second consecutive year.
Time magazine disputed the president’s claim, and said it did not comment on the cover story before publication.
Note: This story is auto-generated from BBC syndicated feed and has not been edited by AFRICA PRIME NEWS
The International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) is a global event initiated by Ocean Conservancy (OC) since 1986. The aim is to engage citizens to remove trash and debris from beaches and waterways all around the world, identify the sources of debris, and change the behavioral patterns that contribute to pollution.
“My Environment My Wealth”, a Port Harcourt based environmental group held their 2nd Port Harcourt Beach cleanup event in a glamorous way on the 30th of September 2017. The team leader Wonne Afronelly maximized the day to engage young people in the Cleanup of Port Harcourt Tourist Beach and later celebrated her birthday with the participants, mostly secondary school students.
In this interview with Alli Abiola, Afronelly shares insights on Coastal Cleanup, Environmental advocacy, and youth engagements.
You just had the 2nd Port Harcourt Beach Cleanup. What is your review of the event?
This year’s cleanup had 3 primary schools and individuals from other schools plus adult volunteers. The event was successful especially with respect to kid’s participation as most look forward to another fulfilled cleanup exercise.
With the help of the team members of “My Environment, My Wealth”, we held the 2nd Port Harcourt beach cleanup; I facilitated thefirst few years ago for Clean Coast Nigeria, a subsidiary of Ocean Conservancy.
Port Harcourt Beach Cleanup is not your first, take us memory lane – how you started and what it’s been like.
In 2012, I was the team lead for Clean Coast Nigeria: International coastal cleanup – Lagos bar beach cleanup. The event held in mid-October 2012, organized by Kofi Renner. This was the birth of a strongly Environment Advocacy for me. Afterwards, I introduced cleanup exercises to 2 new states; Rivers in 2013 and Oyo in 2014 for Clean Coast Nigeria.
Furthermore, in a bid to ensure consistency, sustainability, and passion to keep making a continual impact. Despite Kofi Reener’s absence (he was studying in the UK) I was not discouraged as to put activities on hold; I decided in 2016 after my NYSC, to start off an indigenous group that talks about all aspects of environmental education and protection.
You have been very involved in Environmental advocacy – particularly using your radio platform: My Environment, My Wealth. What level of impact would you say has been made?
It has been fun, demanding, challenging, motivating and inspiring! The media environment advocacy program is not just a radio program.
From the interactive session with schools in Port Harcourt, December 2016 to World Environmental Education Day Sensitization January 2017; World Water Day Campaign March 2017, World Environment Day #1000ManMarch #withnature June 2017. We can say – wow, it is right!
My team and I are working on ways to measure our impact – although, it may not be easy or precise, we can say apart from family and friends and get very conscious about littering around us, among many schools we have reached out to, we have captured 10 schools to engage students in good environmental practices. There are still lots of work to be done as we intend to cover up to 50 secondary schools, then move on to tertiary institutions.
There were other options for you to have marked your birthday, why did you devote the day to Port Harcourt Beach Cleanup?
I love the way a team member, Ose Egbie, captures his thoughts: “On the 30th day of September a child (Afronelly) was born and the burden of the environment was gonna be on her shoulders”…. in Merlin’s voice.
When one realizes the purpose for life on earth, it’s best you start living the life already. Point is – I made up my mind to impact as many lives to equal the number of days I have lived on earth almost 11000 days.
So, having this as a priority, it just made sense to mark my birthday in a way that focused on making an impact. Well, a better option – with available cash at hand, would have been a weekend with nature at the Obudu Cattle Ranch.
Beyond a one-off beach cleanup in Ibadan, Lagos, and Port Harcourt, what is the bigger picture?
We are strongly resolute to take the beach cleanup to other coastal regions across Nigeria – Delta, Cross-river, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Edo; then extend our impact to non-coastal regions.
Our waterways are daily flooded with trash; my team and I look forward to a day when there’ll be no (or least) influx of trash from thepoint of generation. Then we can say – OK.
What are some of the biggest challenges you see people facing when reducing waste from the environment?
They are obvious! Poor waste management system or structure takes the lead. To be fair, ignorance on the part of residence takes a large portion in addressing the challenges too. While some communities and neighborhoods have appropriate temporary dump sites, most of the lack appropriate locations – hence, they dump indiscriminately.
In addition, a very poor, (in some cases total absence) of laws and policies to drive proper waste management makes the list ofchallenges in reducing/managing waste.
Imagine the resulting chaos when a state government is bent on single-handedly controlling and managing the entire structure for waste management, ignoring the efficiency of employing Private Partnership. Political bureaucracy!
Can you list some innovative brands positively influencing the environment?
There are a number of them, my top two picks are Waste Revalued and GoGREENwithAfronelly.
Waste Revalued – a group I met at the Port Harcourt environment summit, they convert plastic to interlocking stones, usually mixed with sand.
GoGREENwithAfronelly – An environment club newly introduced to schools to work on projects that convert waste to usefulness withor without recycling.
As a female environmentalist, how do you juggle work and family?
Smiles, I am fortunate to have the best understanding and most supportive family. It is very important for me to have a clear working schedule, it helps a lot. Thankfully, Dad still uses food timetable in the kitchen, so it’s an easy method to adopt. Don’t get it wrong, sometimes house chores suffer because I have to work.
On a final note, What is the favourite way to start your day and what defines a fulfilled day for you?
Favourite way to start my day! – With music (singing), recap previous day, score myself sincerely then add a new schedule for the day to activities. Fulfilled day: when I can count how many lives I impacted in a day, it’s fulfilling, when I can’t count, it is more of a wish I lose track daily.
Kaduna (Nigeria) — Southern Kaduna indigenes resident in the United States of America (USA), have lauded the life achievements of late Professor Jonathan Andrew Nok who died on the 21st November, 2017 in Kaduna, saying he was a prodigious scientist who lived a humbled live.
Operating as Southern Kaduna in the Diaspora and made up of accomplished academics, the body paid the tributes in two separate letters of condolence to Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state and Wife of the late renowned Scientist, Mrs Andrew Nok.
The letter written to Governor El- Rufa’i reads: “In the early hours of November 21, 2017, SOKAD received the news of the sudden and unexpected death of J.A. Nok. We are deeply shocked and saddened by the premature loss of a great man in his prime.
“Prof Nok was a rare gift to humanity as evidenced by his great accomplishments as an Educator, Scientist and Researcher. His seminal work that elucidated the enzymology and biochemical basis for sleeping sickness was a great academic feat in which Nigeria honored him in several ways.
“He went further to develop a candidate vaccine to immunize against the causative agent of the disease, in what is recognized as one of the greatest developments in Tropical Medicine in recent times. Though a giant in the scientific world, Professor Nok did not forget his humble beginning and remained a meek and humble man to his last day on Earth.
“His contributions to revamping the health system of our State when he was Kaduna State Commissioner of Health, and the agenda he has put in place to reform education as Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, is testimony to his love of Kaduna State and the common man.
“His presence in your administration gave hope to the marginalized people of Southern Kaduna; we hope his legacy remain in the collective memories of your government and the state.
“On behalf of SOKAD, we extend our deep, sincere and heartfelt condolences to you and the good people of Kaduna State. His loss has created a big vacuum that will be difficult to fill. We pray that the Lord will grant the government and the people of our State the fortitude to bear this immense loss.”
And to the wife of the Professor, SOKAD writes: “We received the sad news of your husband’s call to glory with shock, more so as this was sudden and unexpected.
“Your husband was a good man; he was God’s gift to humanity.
“Many of us were privileged to have known him personally and his great accomplishments as an Educator, a brilliant Scientist and Researcher. His life’s work has led to many discoveries that will positively impact the lives of many people around the world. In that regard, he will continue to live in the lives and memories of those that will benefit by his work.
“On behalf of the people of southern Kaduna in the United States we are profoundly sorry to hear about the loss of your dear husband.
“We pray for the Lord to grant him eternal rest and to strengthen your family and give you the fortitude to bear this great loss.”
The letters were signed by Dr. Freeman Kamuru, Mrs. D Ngbozi and Mr. S John President, Secretary – General and Secretary respectively.
Kaduna (Nigeria) — Kaduna state chairman of the Jama’atul Nasrul Islam, in northern Nigeria, Jafaru Makarfi has asked all the peace loving NGOs and CSOs in the state to extend their peace mission to rural areas in other to promote interfaith activities.
He made the call while receiving members of Peace Revival and Reconciliation Foundation of Nigeria who paid him a courtesy visit.
Makarfi noted that most of the activities of Peace interfaith and other peace promotion and peace mission do usually take place in the cities, not the rural areas where their services are seriously needed, so as to end all forms of ethno-religious and political crisis bedeviling peace and stability in rural communities.
The JNI Chairman drew the attention of NGOs & CSOs to the importance of taking peace Campaign to Local communities including ghetto, and introduce various peace games and sports which would be used to bring peace and unity among various youth groups that are residing in the rural communities
Makarfi further stressed the need on uniting Nigerians ,while appealing to Government and wealthy individuals to always support in promoting any peace mission by NGOs in the state.
Responding on behalf of the leaders of Muslim and Christian scholars on the visit, Pastor Yohanna Buru told their host that the courtesy visit was to strengthen peaceful co-existence between Muslims and Christians in the state, and also to boost inter-religious tolerance amongst different faith organizations.
Buru said, we are all from one parents, “Adam and Eve” and we all believe our holy scriptures “Bible and Qur’an”
Buru then called on the Federal Government to create institutes of comparative studies which, according to him, can proffer solutions to ethno-religious crises in the country.
The institute, he said, will also help ethnic groups to better understand themselves, promote religious tolerance and how they can live with one another in peace.
Former Vice-President of Nigeria, and PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Mr. Atiku Abubakar
By Ahmad Umar
Gombe (Nigeria) — A Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, Northeast of the country, Adamu Abubakar Moddibo has described the leaving of former Nigeria Vice President Atiku Abubakar, from the party as a blessing towards the 2019 presidential election.
Moddibo who stated this while speaking with AFRICA PRIME NEWS in an interview in Gombe on Saturday, noted that Atiku never contributed anything to APC at the national or state levels.
“Atiku was defeated with all his money during APC presidential primary in 2015 where he came 3rd, Its on record this is the 4th time Atiku is decamping for his political desperation, from PDP to CAN in 2007 and PDM to APC now back to PDP. Atiku is the only known politician that will never realise his ambition.
“With Buhari as our Presidential candidate come 2019, every other candidate from the North is a pretender, Buhari will win all the 19 Northern states including Adamawa — Atiku just committed political suicide.
“Yes, Atiku is finally dead politically! And, in fact, I don’t know how he won’t cut short his own life with all this, because he can NEVER ever smell that seat! Depression awaits him in 2019”, Moddibo said.
Others who spoke with AFRICA PRIME NEWS said, “In politics, there is freedom of choosing whichever party you want to belong to, the only thing wrong with APC today is some PDP elements in it. Atiku is the leader of those elements, to turn around and say APC has failed Nigerians is the highest form of hypocrisy.
“APC met a messed up Nigeria, which Atiku and his likes started destroying since 1999. APC has made significant improvements in trying to free the country out of that mess. If anybody has the right to say APC has failed, that person should certainly not be Atiku.
Extending hand of fellowship to the Former VP, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Northeast zonal Secretary, Kabiru Bappah Jauro urged Atiku to return to the party’s fold, the PDP.
He said Atiku is one of the founding fathers of PDP and contested and won election, as Governor in 1999 on the platform of PDP, before former President Obasanjo picked him as his running mate, saying he is a true PDP member to the core.
“I believe that Atiku has come to know the truth like he said in his statement that he has now known the truth that the APC is not what they call themselves, that platform, APC, is worst in the history of NigeriaN politics from 1960 to date”.
Also Abubakar Sani, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party said Atiku decamping from APC was a very wise decision and bold step towards his political ambition.
“This is a welcome development. What is a visionary person like Atiku doing with those deadwoods and a government of propaganda? Somebody should give me a project that was initiated and has been completed by Buhari or any of his Governors in the 24 APC controlled states”, Sani added.
