Trouble in Africa's Top Two Nations

South Africa is the richest of the African nations and they are due to host the World Cup next year. The Republic of Nigeria is Africa's top populated country and it is also the continents top producer and exported of oil. Both nations are suppose to be the flag bearers of the continent but they are now both involved in social unrest with disturbing images being flashed across the world's media.

South Africa.

The first troubling sign was when workers involved in the construction of the world cup 2010 stadiums went on strike temporary demanding higher wages. That problem was taken care of in a hurry as not just South Africa but the world at large had something at stake in the world cup. The strike moved on to other areas of the work force though and it is this current strike that is having the most negative of images of the South African nation. The images are disturbing to say the least partly due to the history of the nation of South Africa. People are on the streets harassing government vehicles and littering the streets and some of the pictures look like they are going back to the days of apartheid.

Jacob Zuma got elected as President of South Africa last year amid a lot of controversy about his role in bribery and corruption that took place during his term as vice President of South Africa under the then government of President Thabo Mbeki. Jacob Zuma's charges were dropped in the court of law and he went on to become the president of South Africa amid a lot of expectation from the masses that he was going to change their lives. Well so far that has not happened and it seems as if the same people that went to the polls to vote for him are now beginning to demand for real changes to their livelihoods in this nation in which the people have sacrifice a lot. The President has appeared on TV and he is questioning whether people have the right to be littering the streets in a move towards taking strong action against them. What I think he should be going is focusing on trying to find out what exactly the people are angry about and work towards finding a solution to the problem.

Nigeria.

Nigeria's recent problem involves militants that are fighting to get their own nation in the northern state of Bauchi. They are of the Muslim faith and they are looking for a place in which they control and can practice a rigid form of the Islamic law. Some of their demands include no type of western education for their children, restriction on some of the rights for women and the large one is for them to have their own state. That would not happen though.

Nigeria went through a civil war in the 1960s and their leadership are quick to strike down on any actions that could lead the nation towards the path of war. The sect leader has recently been killed and some human rights groups are crying fowl. The reason that human rights organization are complaining is that the initial police report claimed that the sect leader was killed in combat. But later on a police chief said that the sect chief was in their custody when he died. So there is bound to be some investigation before the rest of the world can get a clear picture as to what really happened. The President of Nigeria, Umaru Yar' Adua though is less concern about the group and has ordered a major crack down on them with close to about 600 people now reported dead. The President of Nigeria got elected in a democratic process but there were allegations of election violations once he got into office. He has been a very quite leader of the heavily populated nation compared to Nigerian leaders of the past. He has been working hard though. He has brought the situation in the Delta Region under some sort of control by granting amnesty to their leader and negotiating with the group. Some of their demands are being met as major constructions are ongoing in this part of the country to trickle down some of the oil revenue that is being exploited in the region.