Dethroning Dasuki and cocking a snook at the Commonwealth will not solve the crisis
These are busy days for General
Sani Abacha. Critics of his slow work rate and his indecisiveness are revising their opinions. In one week, he has sacked the Sultan of Sokoto (a historical first), retired 20 of his senior military opponents and sent his Foreign Minister to China in an elaborate snub to Commonwealth ministers meeting on Nigeria. And while Shell dithered about whether to boost its investment, United States' majors Mobil and Texaco doubled theirstooverUS$1,500million. AllthishelpsAbacha,atleastfor the next few months. In the longer term, it looks risky.
The ANC's negotiating star is going into business but not to give up politics for good
Trades union leader, constitutional negotiator, fisherman, devout Christian and now corporate chief, Cyril Ramaphosa looks like the African National Congress' Renaissance man. He was the most plausible alternative...
Two years after it lost power, the National Party seems to have lost its credibility too
The National Party spent ten million Rand (US$2.27 mn.) on its relaunch in February. The main results were more defections and derision from the African National Congress. The...