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Civil War Looms In Guinea
Observers of Guinea’s political crisis have raised concern that the seeds of Africa’s next civil war are being sown in that country. Giving credence to this alarm is a sprawling camp, where white contractors are getting military training to an estimated 1,500 to 4,000 men from one of Guinea’s smallest ethnic groups.
The trainees, say a camp employee, a government official and several diplomats, are almost all Guerze, the tribe of Guinea’s troubled leader.
The camp is one more sign of the growing instability in this West African nation of 10 million, where President Capt. Moussa “Dadis” Camara was shot at and lightly wounded by his own presidential guard last Thursday. Isolated and increasingly fearful for his safety, Camara appears to be tapping the dangerous sentiment of tribal allegiance in a bid to hold onto power.
Dictators have used such tactics throughout the continent, in some cases plunging countries into civil war. War in Guinea could also spread across the region along ethnic lines, because Guinea shares its largest ethnic group, the Peul, with five neighboring countries.
“We worry that he is recruiting and training this ethnic militia so that it can carry out blows below the belt,” said Mamadou Baadikko, president of the Union of Democratic Forces, an opposition party. “If this doesn’t stop, the risk of civil war is real.”
The 45-year-old Camara led a military coup last December, hours after the death of former strongman Lansana Conte. His first speeches were stirring, promising to crack down on corruption in the dirt-poor country and to hold elections in which he would not run. Many hoped he would reach out beyond his immediate clan because it makes up just 0.05 percent of the population, and because he is Christian in an 85 percent Muslim country.
But nearly all the top ministries were handed to men from his ethnicity. And only a few months later, Camara, 45, began hinting that he planned to run for office.
When opposition leaders led a rally on Sept. 28 to demand he step down, the presidential guard opened fire on the thousands of protesters, killing at least 157. Witnesses say the protesters were mostly Peul, while the soldiers who attacked them were overwhelmingly ‘forestier,’ the ethnic groups from Guinea’s forested southeast, including the Guerze.
It was just a few weeks before the massacre that residents of Forecariah, a dusty town 80 miles south of the country’s capital, began seeing buses arrive loaded with young men who spoke only forestier dialects.
The training camp for the militia is inside the former campus of the national gendarmerie academy in the village of Kalia, 2 1/2 miles up a dirt road from Forecariah, said a camp employee who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation. He said that in mid-summer, the academy’s director and staff were replaced by men from the president’s ethnic group.
Eighty percent of the recruits, he said, are Guerze. The rest are from the related forestier tribes. Only a handful are from the country’s major ethnicities, including the Peul, which make up 40 percent of the population, and the Soussou, which account for 20 percent.
Local residents said the foreign trainers were speaking English and two other languages which sounded like Hebrew and Afrikaans.
Parked outside were several four-wheel drive vehicles and a large bus with license plates beginning with “AG,” designated for the “Armee Guineene,” French for the Guinean Army. Locals say the bus ferries the men to and from the camp.
Idrissa Cherif, the junta’s minister of communication, said media reports that mercenaries are in Guinea are “lies.” He said Israelis are at the camp in Kalia on an official mission to train the Guinean army.
“Yes, there are Israeli citizens here,” Cherif said. “They are training our army … why do they want to tarnish the image of my country by calling them mercenaries?”
But the Israeli government said no permits have been issued to Israeli companies or individuals to operate in the security sector in Guinea. “Those doing so are acting in violation of Israeli law and may face criminal charges in Israel,” said Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor.
My-ACE China, known as the Mayor of Housing, has won the 2024 Man of the Year. The award was announced by board of trustees of the DMOMA Awards Academy in Port Harcourt at the week.
The organisers also declared his company, the Construction and Housing Mayor Limited as the brand promoter of the year, the third in a row.
The award ceremony which was held at the Arena Event centre in the GRA area of Port Harcourt was attended by several dignitaries in the society.
The organisers led by Dr. Ezebunwo Nyeche (chairman) and Stephen Chidiebere Okoye (Awards organizer) said in a statement that China was picked for his support and impact to small and medium enterprises in Rivers State, his media footsteps and his consistent propagation and promotion of Rivers State.
They noted that China won over 10 prestigious awards in 2024 alone on his track to promote Port Harcourt as a brand destination and Rivers as a peaceful state.
Handing the award to China, the organisers said the Mayor of Housing always comes to the rescue of events that aim to promote Rivers State, saying the DMOMA Awards would be held in two more cities in 2025.
Responding, Mr China said there is need for more sponsorship of talents in Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta, saying what they lacked was support.
“There is more talent in Port Harcourt but there is more support in Lagos to artistes than in Port Harcourt. So, the top talents in Port Harcourt work 10 times harder than those in Lagos to attract sponsorship.”
He also said Nigeria has a treasure base which is Port Harcourt but that the treasure is not oil and gas but talents. He said he was highly elated to win the of Man of the Year Award with his firm winning brand of the year.
In an interview, My-ACE China said he was particularly impressed with the diligence demonstrated by the organisers and the processes they used to pick winners every year.
He also said the victory showed attention paid by the organisers to unveil the personality behind the corporate masquerade, not just focusing on the company. “It actually reaffirms one of my quotes that a brand can only grow as big as the character of the visioner behind it.”
On his plans to help Port Harcourt compete with Lagos, China said 2025 will meet him doing things with the youths of Rivers State to push the Port Harcourt brand in the social media and rally the traditional press to create a positive narrative of Rivers State beyond violence and political negativity.
“The Garden City has not been enjoying the best of media perception for some years now but this is the first time we have a governor committed to non-political bias in doing his work. He does not consider whether you are a member of his party or not before doing what is right. For the first time, we have a true father of the state to all, and he has been diligently following the blueprint that stakeholders developed at the last Rivers Economic and Investment Summit, making sure he is doing it without political cronyism.”
He said his company would be building the biggest estate and the best, the ‘Alesa Sustainable Smart City, to move from brand perception to brand experience so as to move Rivers State to the next level.
He appealed to entrepreneurs not to be carried away by the old perception but to join the new way. “Position yourself because there is going to be a boom. People are rushing into Port Harcourt and new entrants may take the ground. Think expansion not contraction, think investment not divestment. Else, you miss it.”
To fellow estate investors, he admonished them to gear up for regulation. “It is no longer going to be business as usual especially for land peddling and land grabbing. Try to grow up because tangible development is going to take over.
“It is no longer going to be who sells the most land but who develops the most houses. The housing deficit in the land requires effective land development strategies. Any serious land seller should grow into a housing developer because developments are going to be coming into Rivers State and a lot of people are coming into the state.”
He said those that have grown to be developers will be many times richer than those that are just starting or are mere land sellers and peddlers. People should also position themselves because all the foreign investments and local ones will take advantage of this influx.
“The value of influx is coming, so prepare and take advantage. Be one of those that are big enough to take advantage. Remaining small will not be good but grow big in your products, in your services, because the market is going to grow big.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed shock and sadness over the death of a former military governor of the State, Major-General Godwin Osagie Abbe (rtd).
Late Abbe, who hails from Edo State, was military governor of Rivers State between August, 1990 and January, 1992.
Governor Fubara described late Gen Abbe as one leader who dedicated himself to the service and wellbeing of Rivers people and humanity during his administration in the State, saying that the death of the distinguished military officer, politician and administrator was a very huge loss to the State, the Niger Delta, and indeed, the entire country, having traversed the length and breath of the nation in the cause of his military and political careers.
“On behalf of my family, the Government and good people of Rivers State, I condole with the family of the Abbes, the Edo people, and the Nigerian military on the demise of this colossus, whose contributions to the unity, peace and development of the nation are legendary.
“While we mourn his painful exit at this difficult time, we pray for the eternal repose of his soul, and urge the family to take solace in the fact that late Gen Abbe lived a fulfilled life in the service of his fatherland.”
Wife of Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, has noted with delight that Rivers children are well behaved, and has admonished them to remain supportive of their parents while striving always to make a difference wherever they find themselves.
Lady Fubara gave the counsel at the 2024 Christmas Children Party, attended by children from the 23 Local Government Areas of the State, including non-indigenes, at Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
The Christmas Children Party also witnessed the presence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who stopped over to share moments with them, walking from one canopy to another, waving at them, and at other times, shaking hands with them to leave lasting memories on them.
The Rivers First Lady pointed to the importance of the celebration of Christmas, which draws attention to the birth of Jesus Christ, demanding that people have a deep reflection of the love that is demonstrated and mission of the birth, which is to redeem mankind.
Lady Fubara recalled how she took out time to visit the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, where she appreciated God for safe delivery of children born on Christmas day while felicitating with the nursing mothers.
She also stated the valuable time spent with motherless babies when she visited the Port Harcourt Children’s Home in Borikiri, old Port Harcourt Township, and celebrated their meekness, innocence and the beauty they bring to the world.
She said, “Even today, as we continue the celebration, efforts were made to extend invitation to our children in all the 23 local government areas of our State. In doing this, children from all classes of society, including the physically challenged, have been offered the opportunity to sit together as brothers and sisters, play, eat and dance.
“Whilst contemplating the uniqueness of celebrating Christmas on a Boxing Day, steps were equally taken to provide gifts for the children who are there, and also to pray for them, a qualitative fun session that will last in their memories.”
Lady Fubara advised all children in the State to remember that Jesus came into the world to make a difference, advising that they must emulate him so that they can positively impact their families and society.
She urged them to pray fervently to God to bless and prosper their mothers, daddies, aunties and uncles to better cater to their needs.
She added, “Be humble, obedient and supportive at home. Do household chores, and don’t forget to make excellent grades in school next academic session. Children are the joy of every home, and we are glad to have beautiful, well-behaved children in Rivers State.
“Thank you all for witnessing this 2024 Children’s Party, and I pray God Almighty to protect, shield and keep you safe from all negative companies in the name of Jesus. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2025. God bless you all,” she said.
Lady Fubara expressed appreciation to her husband and Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for his absolute commitment to the growth of children, and the immeasurable support that ensured that Christmas Children Party was a success.
There were performances by Virtue Dancers, Kalabari Iria dancers, Wonder Time Children of Opobo Kingdom, Children of Rivers State Council of Arts and Culture, Diseye the Poet and DJ Arnold.