CMPI hosts Forum on Constitutionalism and Leadership Crises in Africa, Oct. 9th
The 10th Anniversary Lecture of Center for Media and Peace Initiatives, New York features Nigeria’s Congressional Leader, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who will discuss the connection between Africa’s flash points and constitutional democracy.
New York, USA – September 27, 2017 – Deputy President of the Senate of Nigeria – Africa’s largest democracy and world’s largest concentration of black people, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu will, on October 9th 2017 headline the 10th anniversary lecture of New York-based Center for Media & Peace Initiatives (CMPI) – a media think tank organization devoted to communicating innovative and peaceful solution to global challenges.
A statement by the President of CMPI, Dr. Uchenna Ekwo, says the lecture is is being convened in response to Africa’s endemic leadership challenges caused by the continent’s struggles to enthrone unique democratic African solutions to Africa’s challenges.
The topic of the lecture “Constitutionalism and the Crisis of Leadership in Africa: An Evaluation of Tested Models” couldn’t have come at a better time given recent political developments in Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, and other places that suggest that the continent’s experiment with democracy remains shaky.
The spate of conflicts and civil wars in most of the countries on the continent are often associated with the quest to establish constitutional regimes that can guarantee equal citizen participation in economic, social, and political activities.
Even though most independence constitutions of most of the African countries came with a flowery package of guarantees to the citizens, the emerging states have become a mockery of constitutionalism and democratic governance resulting in gross violations of human rights across the continent.
Many ruling parties have become intolerant to opposition politics and consequently undermine political participation and constitutionalism.
CMPI is therefore excited to host an outstanding lawmaker and a leading voice in Africa’s contemporary democratic governance, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy President of the Senate of the Federal Government of Nigeria and former Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Parliament.
His The lecture hopes to benefit from Nigeria’s unique experience on democratic governance and citizen engagement and put a spotlight on leadership challenges including elimination of inequality and poverty in the continent.
Ekweremadu, a constitutional lawyer, who was bestowed with a top civilian national honors award in his country – Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) chaired the first successful amendment of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution in 2010, a position he is still occupying for the third consecutive term. He has been a Congressional Leader in his country for over 10 years.
The cream of journalists, business leaders, students, civil society leaders, and scholars including the diplomatic corps are expected to attend the event. Through discussion, debate, and case studies, participants at the forum are expected to dissect contemporary political and economic developments on the continent in relation to political participation of Africans at home and abroad.
About CMPI
Center for Media and Peace Initiatives — CMPI is a 501 (c) (3) independent, nonprofit media and policy think tank in special Consultative Status with the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council. CMPI is dedicated to the promotion of conflict-resolving media practice around the world primarily through training of media professionals. We are fostering more critical journalism devoted to peace building and holding practitioners accountable for ethical journalism. We are building a media system that supports peace, dialogue, nonviolence, and democracy.
With a great reliance on its extensive international network, the center operates as a facilitator and partner in a wide variety of training projects, publishes and disseminates significant communication scholarship and advances the communication discipline through meaningful research, teaching and service. CMPI shares a commitment to make better sense of the role communication plays in global politics and the relationship between communication and conflict.
For more information please contact info@167.99.239.142 or call 917-803-5540
Trump Presidency: Africa’s Gain or Pain?
US President-elect, Donald Trump is a renowned international businessman with investments in different corners of the world except perhaps in Africa where the New York billionaire has little footprints. Throughout his entire campaign, he did not mention any policy towards the African continent- host to nearly a billion people.
As President of the free world and a natural businessman, he might choose to tap on the tremendous investment opportunities in Africa or pursue protectionist policies and scrap the US trade deal with Africa, otherwise called Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. Which part of Donald Trump will show up for Africa?
Will the new president support the elimination of US economic sanctions against some African countries – potential cogs in the wheel of economic progress in the continent? Could Trump’s acknowledgment that he understands how political and economic systems are rigged be useful in eliminating opaque and predatory behavior among public officials in the continent? What about the continued migration of Africans across the West in relation to Trump’s anti-immigration policies?
Some African leaders and policy makers including Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir Egyptian President Fattah al-Sisi, Ghana’s President John Mahama, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa remain hopeful about a Trump presidency. Others are critical of his campaign fueled by divisive and racist rhetoric. Still many have adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
While Trump’s personality is unpredictable, his administration’s Africa policy is even more uncertain. What’s Africa’s expectation of President Donald Trump: a deal maker, policy maker or peacemaker?
Join us at Center for Media and Peace Initiatives (CMPI) as leading public policy experts from America and Africa discuss Africa’s future under Donald Trump’s presidency. This is a free public affairs event in support of our mission of communicating innovative solutions to global challenges.
Please note that registration is required to attend the event.
Join the conversation with policy makers, diplomats, economists, business leaders, scholars, civil society leaders, and students to discuss emerging issues in the US-Africa relations under the Trump administration.
Venue: CMPI Auditorium in New York
Date: Dec. 16th 2016
Time: 5 p.m.