POLITICS
SOUTH AFRICA – Adetunji Omotola, African thought leader is contesting for the post of chairman people’s démocratic party south africa chapter
African thought leader and media personality Adetunji Omotola is contesting for the position of Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party South Africa Chapter on November 13th, 2021. Adetunji is the Founder of 12 Disciples Leaders, African Wine Circle and Co-Founder of Afrospace Media and African Solutions Express. He is a former Secretary of PDP South Africa and a member of the Board of Trustees of the party. Adetunji’s political ideology is based on proactive development and leadership. The campaign slogan is transforming apathy to action. Adetunji plans to reduce the gap between those who are led and those who lead them. His focus areas for bringing about change are immigration, economy and integration. Adetunji believes his candidacy will energise Nigerians in South Africa as well as other Africans in diaspora to get involved in mobilising themselves as active citizens in the pursuit of good governance and a better democratic order.
The year was 1992 and Adetunji Omotola put himself forward as a candidate for the presidency of the Mass Communication Society at the University of Leicester during his Masters programme. He had always been fascinated by politics since his secondary school days at St. Finbarr’s College One of his favorite subjects was Government. He was a social-science/Arts student. To gain admission into University he wrote Literature, Government, English Language, Economics, Maths, Biology and Commerce.
At University of Maiduguri where Adetunji Omotola first studied Sociology and Anthropology, he took many courses in political science, psychology and philosophy. He had originally wanted to study to be a journalist but after two attempts he decided.
It was during his Masters programme at University of Leicester, his first ever engagement with foreign students from other parts of Africa namely from Uganda and Kenya. There were Ghanaians and Nigerians also but it was Europeans mostly Greeks who dominated. There were also a few British citizens including himself (dual national). Their full Masters Class complement could not have been more than thirty five and there were at least twenty Greek nationals. When it was time for the elections for President Adetunji Omotola rushed to nominate himself out of naivety. He was confident that I could lead the society but he did not read the room very well to realise that the Africans in his class were so few and that the caucasians may not want to be led by an African. He lost and a modest English lady won the elections aided by the large Greek contingent. This was the first election he participated in.
One year later in early 1994 on one bright Summer afternoon he walked into the Conservative Party offices on Walm Lane, Willesden, London. Out of sheer curiosity he made his entrance into the office which was less than twenty metres from the Willesden Lane London Underground Tube Station. Within minutes of my entrance into the office the gentleman had proposed to him that I should run as a candidate for the party in the upcoming local elections. He was very surprised and humbled by his request and decided to accept the same. They first put me on the list for Brondesbury Park which was rather a safe ward and later moved him to Brent which was a marginal ward. He lost the elections in any case because he had not campaigned nor even understood the task that was placed before me. He actually did not take it very seriously at the time but also learnt a vital lesson that elections are not a picnic and one must be in it to win it.
In the same year 1994 he began his three year Law programme at South Bank University, England. During his studies he dabbled in business between December 1995 and November 1996 with trips to Nigeria, Togo and Ghana during the same period with my business partner. After completing his degree in 1997 with a second class Lower division he continued to travel to Ghana on business from the UK until he secured a job as a Stockbroker on June 1st, 1998. As a Stockbroker he found it a little tough to gain clients due to my limited contacts at the time. I also had his late father who was a Professor of Law insisting that he should return to Nigeria to embark upon a two-year Law School programme. The Nigerian Law School is a one-year programme . It is a two year programme for Nigerians who study abroad in order to familiarize them with subjects such as the Nigerian Legal System, The Land Laws and Constitutional Law. He returned to Nigeria in February 1999 to commence the 2 year Law School programme which he completed and was called to the Nigerian Bar on 4th July, 2001. He was now a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The same year he arrived at the Nigerian Law School in Bwari, Abuja is the same year that Nigeria returned to democratic rule after an uninterrupted period of sixteen years of military rule. In the ten years he had stayed in the United Kingdom from 1989 April to 1999 February Nigeria was under military rule.
Firmly back in Nigeria and given that the country was moving towards democracy he began to deepen my interest in the new democratic order that was ushered in. He attended the inauguration of President Obasanjo on May 29, 1999 under torrential rain. When my friends and he visited the Sheraton and the then NICO-NOGA Hilton hotel we gained a strong sense of the joy that many Nigerians felt about our new democratic order.
He joined Peoples Democratic Party South Africa after settling into the Nigerian Law School in 1999. His membership was secured through the assistance of then former Chairman of Bwari Local Government Isah Dara who became a very close ally and friend. He also sought to expand the membership of the peoples Democratic Party on the school premises with great success. As Foreign students our first year programme was a lot easier than the main Law School programme known as Bar Part Two. Most of the 3000-strong students were sceptical about being card-carrying members of a political party and so many did not even vote in the elections and they were still wondering if the new democratic order would be sustained.
By the time PDP held its convention in 2001was now getting more involved in the party’s affairs was also involved in the campaign of Mr. Audu Ogbeh who became party Chairman in 2001 the same year he moved to South Africa. By moving to South Africa it was clear to me that he would not have the same nexus to PDP as he once had and so my quest to run for office in 2003 was not to be and neither was my quest to run in 2007. In essence my stay in South Africa took me away from politics as he was now working in corporate South Africa. Between 2006 and 2009 he lost my father and moved to Ghana to begin a wine business . In 2009 he returned to South Africa.
It was in 2009 that Nigerian President Umaru Yar’ Adua was diagnosed with a terminal illness named acute pericarditis and was flown to Saudi Arabia for treatment. In 2010 on May 6 Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan was sworn-in as President upon the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua based on the doctrine of necessity as per the National Assembly. A few weeks before President Jonathan was sworn-in as Nigerian President he was elected as Secretary of PDP South Africa Chapter. He had sought the position of Secretary in order to make my skills and networks in South Africa and Nigeria available to my party. As Secretary of PDP South Africa he attended President Jonathan’s declaration for President in September 2010 in Abuja. He also attended the National Convention in 2011 which was won by President Jonathan. In 2011, he also supported a PDP candidate for House of Assembly in Lagos who gained 10,000 votes in the Ikeja Constituency. My time as Secretary though short was filled with a lot of activities in Laos, Abuja and South Africa. He resigned as Secretary after one year to fully focus on my media and wine career.
The kidnapping and capture of more than 276 Chibok girls on April 14, 2014 brought me into the limelight of South African media and once again he began to participate actively in politics. The political landscape in Nigeria changed due to the constant attacks by Boko Haram who were now taking territory after territory after territory. In South Africa the media were looking for a seasoned political commentator and it was he who gave deep insights in 2014 and 2015 which was the year of the general election. PDP lost the Presidential elections and the coalition of three political parties which metamorphosed into APC took power on May 29, 2015 when President Buhari was sworn-in.
In 2016, he sought to contest the exalted office of PDP South Africa Chairman however the post was zoned to the South South region. In 2016 he provided an initiative to host an event to honour Nigerian women in South Africa for the first time as a member of PDP. The event was held at a hotel in Sandton and the candidate for Ikeja in the 2011 elections attended the event by flying in from Nigeria and donated $200 to PDP South Africa In 2017 Adetunji was sworn in as a member of the Board of Trustees of the party.
Their party lost the Presidential elections in Nigeria in 2019. The party currently has 43 Senators, 160 members of the House of Representatives and 13 Governors.
Adetunji is keen to contest the PDP South Africa Chairmanship on Saturday, the13th of November, 2021.
POLITICS
SENEGAL Moussa Tine: “We launch a solemn appeal to the diaspora for the International Exhibition of Investment of the African Diaspora – SIDIA
Exclusive interview with Moussa Tine, the Director General of Urbanism and Habit. From September 26 to 28, 2025, at the Domaine de Choully, Africa – and particularly Senegal goes to meet its diaspora. For three days, the event will bring together several hundred entrepreneurs, including 30 from Senegal, investors, policy makers and artists. It is an unprecedented exhibition that brings together strategic sectors such as housing, agriculture, but also industry and commerce.
Why involve the diaspora and why organize this International Diaspora Investment Fair? Why this fair?
This exhibition today is a moment of exchange, an indispensable meeting point for government policy and particularly the policy of these three sectors, namely housing, construction, agriculture, industry and commerce. It is these three ministries that bring together their strategies, their strengths, to go out to meet the diaspora. The diaspora plays a decisive, extremely important role in the country’s economy and in its socio-economic stability. It is an important moment, a decisive moment, a moment that will also help us to financially complete a number of projects that are underway, but also to give the opportunity to the nationals of the diaspora to contribute to the development of their country. Each ministry today develops projects and this fair is an opportunity to give the diaspora the necessary information, either to integrate these projects or to collaborate with the State in the context of public-private partnerships or direct investments under the auspices of the State. Here is, in a global manner, the object of the exhibition. Today, this the exhibition is a decisive moment, an important one, with challenges defined across the three sectors I have just mentioned.
Thus, what is the economic weight of the diaspora?
The weight of the diaspora is well established. Today, it plays a decisive role in our economy. The diaspora is strong and economically involved, not only in a family way, but also through local and international initiatives. Therefore, involving the diaspora means redefining its role in a strategic way, which must no longer be limited to family support but contribute directly to the development of the country. This can be done through financial investment projects through programmes structured by the Ministry of Urban Planning, Local Authorities and Spatial Planning. I take the example of the PNALRU (National Program for Access to Housing), a project designed and led by the Ministry of Urbanism. We know that most of our fellow citizens in the diaspora have a house or housing project because they want to invest in their home. But often, they do not have the necessary information to do it in a secure way, nor quality support. Projects like the PNALRU offer a secure framework at the level of land, construction, but also marketing, in a transparent manner. These are projects that the State has implemented and which allow the diaspora to have easier access to land, and to participate directly in the national economy. The diaspora complains about not having enough information on state initiatives. This exhibition is a way to reach out to her, to provide as much information as possible about ongoing projects and integration modalities. We know that a part of the diaspora already has the initiative to return or to work in collaboration with the State. This show will therefore be a B2B meeting, a space where the diaspora and the State will be able to meet, establish collaborative relationships, and create what I often call a “return ticket”, that is to say an opportunity for many Senegalese to prepare for a secure and planned return.
Mr. Director, what is the direct message you send to the diaspora, especially to that of Geneva, because the exhibition will take place there?
Yes, the exhibition will be held in Geneva. This choice does not come by chance. Geneva is a financial capital and a business hub. Organizing it there highlights a decisive point in the outcome of projects: the financial dimension and the technical dimension. The objective is that from this exhibition, not only do we provide the necessary information to the diaspora, but also that we mobilize its capital to encourage it to invest in real estate, agriculture and industry. Each ministry will present development projects that the diaspora can appropriate, whether in housing, agriculture or industry. These sectors are linked: industry supports habitat, habitat needs building materials, and agriculture requires infrastructure. This sectoral transversality will allow for maximum opportunities to be created for the diaspora. In Geneva, for three days, we will have exchanges, panels, permanent exhibitions (more than 30 planned), and B2B meetings between the state, professionals, the diaspora, and the private sector. The aim is to mobilize investors, experts and promoters to implement joint projects.
Who are the partners of this project?
In Senegal, we have the Ministry of Urbanism, Territorial Collectivities and Spatial Planning, which leads, with the Ministries of Industry and Trade, and Agriculture as co-organizers. We also work in partnership with Me Events, a structure specialized in the organization of events, and with partners in Geneva, such as the African Village Association and Afrique Néon.
Mr. Director, to conclude, what message do you want to send to the Senegalese in the diaspora?
I take this opportunity to make a solemn appeal to all our fellow citizens of the diaspora. This exhibition is made for you. Its objective is clear: to mobilize the diaspora, not only for its expertise, but also for its investments. Invest in yourself. Invest in Senegal. Invest in Africa. This fair is yours, make it your own, and make it a channel for communication and development. The success of this exhibition will be the success of the national policy towards the diaspora. Senegal comes to you, your country comes to you, in order to discuss your projects and those we develop here. Come in large numbers, because together we can ensure inclusive development where every contribution counts. Thank you and I hope to see you very soon at the Geneva exhibition, from September 26 to 28.
Initially scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, 2025, the major march of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire – African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA), the main opposition party in Côte d’Ivoire, will finally take place on Saturday, June 14, 2025. This postponement was announced by the party’s Executive Secretary, who points out that the decision came after discussions between the PDCI leadership and the authorities of the Abidjan department. The details of these discussions have not been made public.
This demonstration, highly anticipated by the party’s activists and supporters, aims to support the candidacy of its president, Tidjane Thiam, in the presidential election of 2025, and to protest against his removal from the electoral list. A decision that the party qualifies as unfair and unacceptable, arguing for the right of all Ivorian citizens, including those with dual nationality, to participate in the political life of the country.
The route of the march remains unchanged: the protesters will leave from the SOCOCE space of the 2 Plateaux, in the municipality of Cocody, to head towards the headquarters of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI). The party calls for a strong peaceful mobilization in order to convey a clear message: demand inclusive, transparent and peaceful elections.
The removal of Tidjane Thiam and other opposition figures is mainly based on the issue of dual nationality, a legal provision that continues to be debated as the election approaches. The PDCI, which sees in Thiam a rally candidate capable of unifying the Ivorians, intends to make this march a highlight of its campaign and its democratic fight.
Photo credit: Tidiane Thiam page
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Morissanda Kouyaté, received this Sunday, June 1, 2025 in Conakry a delegation from the African Union, on an official visit to Guinea. On this occasion, he reaffirmed the commitment of the transitional authorities to respect the deadlines set for the return to constitutional order, while stressing the historical and central role of Guinea in the construction of the Pan-African project.
« I am very happy. The African Union is at Guinea’s side to accompany and support the vision of the head of state, President Mamadi Doumbouya, in favor of Guinea and Africa, in the political, diplomatic, economic, and cultural fields, declared the head of Guinean diplomacy.
This meeting takes place in a context marked by the preparations for the constitutional referendum scheduled for next September 21.
Morissanda Kouyaté also recalled the founding involvement of Guinea in the creation of the Organization of African Unity, which became the African Union. “This visit materializes the commitment of the Peace and Security Council to accompany Guinea in a dynamic of ambitious political and diplomatic transformation,” he stressed.
The minister indicated that all actions related to the transition are currently funded by the national development budget, while calling for a broader mobilization of the international community. “We have requested a round table, called the Basketfront, to seek support to speed up the process. But this does not mean that we will give up,” he said, reiterating President Doumbouya’s willingness to scrupulously respect the scheduled deadlines.
He finally wanted to reassure on the efforts made to ensure an inclusive electoral process. “We are going through a difficult period, and that is why we want all Guineans to be registered in order to obtain a reliable electoral roll,” concluded Morissanda Kouyaté.
Source: guinee360 / Photo credit: Page Ministry of Foreign Affairs Guinea
