Nigeria, Ghana and the Music Conflict

Recently, Davido, the Nigerian Afrobeats superstar, rewarded a Ghanaian fan, Ananzo, who was seen miming a song from Davido’s latest album 5ive, with $5000. The incident brought to mind the acumen of music superstars, whether from Nigeria or Ghana.

The gift is a show of intelligence because it plays down the feud between ordinary Ghanaians and Nigerians regarding which of the West African nations is musically superior. While this feud lasts, I have watched closely the opinions of the artists regarding the matter. Despite the fussing and fighting at the bottom, you never hear an artist, be they Burner Boy, Davido or Stoneboy, joining the argument –they stay mature. Instead, one hears them talking good of the nations. Burner Boy once said, “When I want quiet time, I prefer to go to Ghana because they have many such places.” But even Davido's gift of $5000 to Ananzo is just another demonstration of wisdom that should be seen from celebrities.  

At the peak of the international feud, some Ghanaian “influencers” did just the contrary, telling Ghanaian music fans that it amounts to stupidity for any Ghanaian fan to support Nigerian music when Nigerians aren’t supporting their own music. Their counterparts on the Nigerian side responded with a barrage of insults.

While the Nigerian response is condemnable, there is also the need to inform their Ghanaian counterparts on how music success works. At the level of nations, music success works like a relay race. Every country has its turn. At some point, it was the South Africans. At another, it was the Congolese. Now, it is the turn of the Nigerians. A Ghanaian turn will surely come.

I always ask Ghanaians whether their music receives rave reviews in every nation except Nigeria. If Ghanaian music is currently making waves around the world, except in Nigeria, then the Nigerians are truly acting in a way that can be considered malicious. If that is not the case, then those Ghanaians need to have a rethink.

The current Ghanaian President, John Mahama, once talked of how he stayed with his step-mum in Ofa, Nigeria, for a few years while fleeing political persecution from his country and how he has come to consider Nigeria his second home. Just imagine what goes through the mind of the President when he hears common people going for each other’s jugular over issues of superiority.  

While receiving former British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House, the American President, George Bush, referred to Britain as the only country that is truly America’s friend. After hearing this, I started searching to see which country is truly Nigeria’s friend. There is none other than Ghana.

Biodiversity Conservation Initiatives in Nigeria: National, Indigenous, and Private Efforts

 Group Discussion

Led and Presented by Dalong Hassan Ishaku

Nigeria is rich in biodiversity, hosting diverse ecosystems such as rainforests, mangroves, savannahs, and wetlands. Conservation efforts occur at national, state, local government (e.g., Qua’an Pan LGA), and community levels, with protected areas like Pandam Game Reserve playing a key role. Below is a structured outline with examples.

1. National (Federal Government) Initiatives

The Nigerian government implements policies, laws, and protected area management for biodiversity conservation.

Examples:

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP)

Aligns with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to protect endangered species (e.g., Cross River gorilla, African elephant) and restore degraded lands.Wildlife Protection Laws

 

Endangered Species (Control of International Trade & Traffic) Act (2016) – Bans illegal wildlife trade

 

National Park Service Act – Manages Nigeria’s 8 national parks, including Gashaka Gumti and Old Oyo National Park

 

Afforestation & Climate Initiatives

Great Green Wall Programme – Combats desertification in Northern Nigeria (e.g., Kano, Bauchi, and Plateau States).

National Forest Policy – Promotes sustainable forest management.

2. State-Level Conservation Efforts

Different Nigerian states have unique biodiversity hotspots and conservation programs.

Examples:

a. Plateau State (Including Qua’an Pan LGA & Pandam Game Reserve)

Pandam Game Reserve

A state-protected area covering 224 km² in Qua’an Pan LGA, home to hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, and migratory birds.

Threats: Encroachment, illegal fishing, and weak enforcement.

Conservation Efforts:

Plateau State Government occasionally deploys rangers for patrols.

NGO partnerships (e.g., Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS) for species monitoring

b. Cross River State

Cross River National Park – Protects rainforest biodiversity (e.g., Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee).

Community Forest Management (e.g., Ekuri Initiative)

c. Lagos State

Lekki Conservation Centre (Managed by Nigerian Conservation Foundation, NCF) – Protects wetlands and wildlife

3. Indigenous & Community-Led Conservation

Local communities, especially in rural areas, use traditional knowledge for conservation.

Examples in Qua’an Pan & Pandam:

Traditional Hunting Bans – Some communities impose seasonal bans to protect wildlife.

Sacred Sites – Certain forests or water bodies are preserved for cultural reasons.

Community Patrols – Local volunteers sometimes monitor Pandam Lake against illegal fishing.

Other Indigenous Examples:

Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove (Osun State) – A UNESCO site preserved by the Yoruba people.

Afi Mountain (Cross River) – Local communities protect drill monkeys.

4. Private Sector & NGO-Led Initiatives

Private organizations and NGOs support conservation through funding, research, and advocacy.

Examples in Plateau State & Pandam:

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) – Conducts biodiversity surveys in Pandam.

Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) – Advocates for better protection of Pandam.

Ecotourism Ventures – Some private lodges near Pandam promote wildlife tourism.

Other Private Efforts in Nigeria:

Shell’s Niger Delta Mangrove Restoration – Replants degraded mangroves.

Dangote Afforestation Projects – Tree planting in Northern Nigeria.

Conclusion & Challenges in Pandam Game Reserve

Strengths: Rich biodiversity, community involvement, NGO interest.

Weaknesses: Poor funding, weak enforcement, encroachment.

Recommendations:

Increased government funding for rangers and equipment

Eco-tourism development to generate conservation revenue

Stronger community partnerships for sustainable hunting/fishing rules

 

How Organ Harvest Overturns Kuru Community

Picture source: Family of victims

I walked into the street of Dankarang in Kuru, Jos South, cautious, almost tiptoeing –journalists have the oxymoronic personality of being hated and admired simultaneously. There is often the question of why you are requesting this information and whether or not you are an impersonator. Sometimes, they believe you are who you say you are but remember something another journalist wrote that worked against them in a way they find difficult to forgive, leading to the transfer of hostility.

I was in Dankarang to confirm the credibility of an alleged story of one Davou Boyi who set the community on fire by abducting toddlers, poisoning them and harvesting parts of their bodies.

The three kids had gone to St. Ambrose Kibuka Catholic Church, Dankarang on Sunday 20th April. Only one was found alive, two days after they had vanished. When the news spread, the parents were informed of a clairvoyant Fulani man. The Fulani man was contacted. He gave his conditions, after which he lived up to his promise by confirming the kids were still within the community and that the community should ensure no comes into the community or leaves while a house-to-house search is conducted. He promised that the culprit would turn himself in. Lo and behold, Mr Boyi approached neighbours, saying, “I have seen some kids in one of my cars and I am not aware of how they got in.”

According to my informant, three plates of meals were allegedly discovered after a search of Mr Boyi’s house. Two of the meals had been eaten while one was untouched, confirming that he was the culprit behind the horrendous incident –two of the three kids had died while one was still alive.  

The enraged community took laws into their hands, setting Boyi’s three-bedroom apartment ablaze and burning four cars that were parked on the terrace of the house. But the worst was the killing of his sister, Mrs. Laraba Gyang, who the villagers claimed was not only unmoved by the horrific act of her brother but arrogantly defended him. She was killed in front of Dankarang Police Station and burnt with a tire. 

The people of Dankarang never trusted Mr Boyi, a man who gallops as he walks because of his bad legs. It is alleged that there used to be a guy who washed his car. The guy is said to have suddenly vanished one day and was never seen again and a lot of people believe that Boyi has something to do with it. 

Despite the cloudy atmosphere around his reputation, Boyi is known to give loans to people and some of the cars that were burnt in front of his house were securities for loans he has given. It is alleged that, during the search of his house, there were about a dozen refrigerators he had also accepted as securities for loans he had issued.   

Dankarang is a Berom community. Mr. Boyi, a former teacher, is also a Berom man, albeit from another community. The incident, particularly the unaliving of his innocent sister, has strained matters among, not just between Dankarang and Vwang (the Berom ward from which Boyi comes) but the Berom tribe as a whole.

The inability of the Dankarang people to restrain their emotions has led to the killing of an innocent person in a manner that is more horrific than the crime that provoked them.