Nigeria

Yesterday was of course the 50th anniversary of independence for Nigeria. It has a population of 155 million, equally divided between two religions and three main tribes, none of whom get on with each other. Corruption is rife. It is the world's 8th largest exporter of oil, but fails to meet optimum production levels due to terrorism.

It is hard to know where to start, but we wish them well. The President is called Goodluck Jonathan.

Nigeria: Goodluck!

I remember back in the ‘70s seeing pictures of cement carrying ships, hundreds and hundreds of them, anchored off Lagos, the result of a largely non-existent building boom for which the Nigerian government had grossly over-ordered, thus increasing their personal take. Many of the ships sank or rusted away.

Since independence Nigeria has been poorly served by its leaders. I had high hopes of Umaru Yar’Adua, scion of an important Muslim family in the North of the country. He seemed honest. But his health was poor and he died yesterday.

Nigeria is the 8th largest oil exporter in the world and has the 10th largest proven reserves. It is the most populous country in Africa, with 155m people, and a virtually even split of Muslims and Christians.

The Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the south, completes Yar’Adua’s mandate which runs for another year.

As the Muslims and the army look on, he will need everything his name implies.

National Day

1st October is national day in The People's Republic of China, Cyprus and Nigeria, each of which has a history of bloodshed, illicit government and cruelty.

Obviously not a good day to start a country.