Bulus Paul Lolo has been in the diplomatic mission of his country, Nigeria, for some decades now. He had represented his country in Canada and Benin Republic, for which he was credited by his government as being an effective diplomat.
Lately, he also served as a permanent representative to the UN, before he was appointed Ambassador to Ethiopia in 2011. Following his election as the president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, paid a visit to Ethiopia and discussed with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi different topics. The visit resulted in the establishment of a joint ministerial committee, which regularly meets to deliberate on investment and political matters. The purpose of the joint committee was to facilitate discussions on bilateral and continental issues. The common stance on recognizing the then Libyan rebel forces, NTC, was one of the results of the discussions of the joint committee.�
The two countries being power houses in their respective regions, the relationship between the two countries is assumed by some as strategic in the sense that it could provide leadership model to the rest of the continent while doing their part to represent the continent in world affairs.
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What exactly is the status of Ethio-Nigerian relationship at present?�
I would say the relationship is excellent. It has been so for quite some time now and, of course, we have enjoyed very friendly relationships historically. But I think that in the last one year or so, things have been absolute, in the sense that we are going down a different line, where we are focusing on a holistic relationship between the two countries. Being the two most populous countries in Africa, we don’t want to look at the relationship purely from the political point of view but also into the economic, social and cultural spheres and how this will translate into mutual benefits for the people of Ethiopia and Nigeria.
I imagine that there is a big market waiting to be tapped. Only a few days ago the summit of the African Union focused on intra-Africa trade and how to boost it. I believe that Nigeria and Ethiopia, working together as partners, can serve as a vehicle to push for greater integration of the continent. So the cooperation between the two countries is a shining example of what other African countries can do
'Watoto
wa Kazi' Kikosi Maalum cha Jeshi la Wananchi wa Tanzania { JWTZ },
Kikionyesha umahiri wake ndani ya Uwanja wa amani wakijiandaa na sherehe
za maapinduzi zinazofanyika kesho Jumamosi Tarehe 12 Januri 2013,
katika uwanja huo.
Msanii
wa Kikundi cha Utamaduni cha Hiari ya Moyo kutoka Mkoani Domoma
kikipasha moto kujiandaa na utoaji burdani kwenye sherehe za
maaadhimisho ya kutimia miaka 49 ya mapinduzi ya Zanzibar zitakazofikia
kilele chake januari 12 2013.
Kikundi
cha Utamaduni ya mchanga mdogo kisiwani Pemba kikitoa burdani ya ngoma
ya msewe katika matayarisho ya maadhimisho ya sherehe za kutimia Mikaka
49 ya Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar hapo Uwanja wa Amani.
Kamanda
wa Brigedia nyuki Brigedia General Sharif Sheikh, akiwa pamoja na
Makamu wa pili wa Rais wa Zanzibar, Balozi Seif, wakifurahia mwenendo
mzima wa matayarisho ya gwaride la Vikosi vya Ulinzi yaliyokuwa yakifanyika katika uwanja wa amani MJINI Zanzibar.
Makamu
wa Pili wa Rais wa Zanzibar ambaye pia ni mwenyekiti wa kamati ya Taifa
ya sherehe na mapambo Balozi seif, akiwa na Waziri wake Kulia Mh. Mohd
Aboud Mohd na Kamanda wa Brigedia Nyuki Brigedia General Shjarif Sheikh
wakiangalia matayarisho ya mkwisho ya gwaride la sherehe za mapinduzi
katika uwanja wa amani Mjini Zanzibar.
----
Wakati
harakati za shamra shamra za maadhimisho ya kutimia miaka 49 ya
Mapinduzi Matukufu ya Zanzibar ya Mwaka 1964 zikikaribia kufikia
kileleni matayarisho ya mwisho ya gwaride la kuhitimisha sherehe hizo
zimekamilika rasmi.
Matayarisho ya
Gwaride hilo ambalo ndilo linalopamba maadhimisho ya sherehe hizo za
Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar yamefanyika katika uwanja wa Amani Mjini Zanzibar.
Mwenyekiti
wa Kamati ya Taifa ya sherehe na Mapambo ambaye pia ni Makamu wa Pili
wa Rais wa Zanzibar Balozi Seif Ali Iddi akiwa na Wajumbe wa Kamati hiyo
pamoja na Baadhi ya maafisa wa Vikosi vya ulinzi walishuhudia
matayarisho hayo.
Vikosi
vya ulinzi vya Jeshi la Wananchi wa Tanzania { JWTZ } Polisi, KMKM,
Mafunzo, JKU, Valantia na Zimamoto na uokozi vilianikiza ndani ya uwanja
wa Amani wakati vilipokuwa vikitoa burdani ya gwaride la aina yake vikiongozwa na Vikosi vya Bendi.
Wakipita
mbele ya mwenyekiti huyo wa Sherehe na Mapambo Balozi Seif Askari hao
walionekana kuwa katika hali ya ukakamavu baada ya kufanya mazoezi ya
pamoja kwa kipindi cha mwezi Mmoja.
Staili
ya mwendo wa pole na ule wa haraka zikimalizia kwa heshima mbele ya
Viongozi hao ilionekana kukubalika vyema na walioshuhudia matayarisho
hayo kutokana na makofi ya vigeregere wakati wakitoa heshima zao.
Raha
zaidi ilionekana kuwakonga moyo walioshuhudia zoezi hilo wakati
maafandi hao walipomalizia kwa hatua 15 zilizofuatiwa na ule wimbo
maarufu unaomuhusu kila mwanafunzi anayepata elimu ya dunia katika
maskuli wa sisi sote tumegomboka.
Matayarisho
hayo yalifuatiwa na burdani za vikundi vya utamaduni vya Msewe kutoka
Mchanga mdogo Kisiwani Pemba, Mkunguru kutoka Kaskazini Unguja na Hiari
ya Moyo kutoka Mkoa wa Dodoma Tanzania Bara sambamba na Vijana wa
halaiki kutoka Skuli ya Sekondari ya Nyerere.
Akizungumza
na Wajumbe wa Kamati ya Taifa ya Sherehe Zanzibar mara baada ya
kumalizika kwa matayarisho ya Gwaride hilo Mwenyekiti wa Kamati hiyo
Balozi Seif Ali Iddi amewashukuru na kuwapongeza Makamanda na askari wa
vikosi vya ulinzi kwa juhudi zao za matayarisho makini.
Balozi
Seif alielezea matumaini yake kutokana na matayarisho hayo kwamba
sherehe za Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar kutimia Miaka 49 mwaka huu zitakuwa
nzuri na za aina yake.
Wakichangia
kwenye kikao hicho cha mwisho baadhi ya wajumbe wa Kamati hayo
wamewaomba wanachi watakaobahatia kuingia katika uwanja wa sherehe
waache kuchukuwa mikoba ambayo inaweza kuwaletea usumbufu wakati
wanapotaka kuingia uwanjani hapo.
Hata
hivyo wajumbe hao wamependekeza kwamba kikundi au taasisi itakayopangwa
kwa tukio lolote kiwanjani hapo wakati wa sherehe hizo wakazingatia
zaidi wakati ili kwenda vizuri na ratiba iliyopangwa.
Na
Othman Khamis Ame
Ofisi ya Makamu wa Pili wa Rais wa Zanzibar