Video - UN expresses worry over trial of Boko Haram suspects in Nigeria

In West Africa, Nigeria's mass trial of suspected Boko Haram insurgents, has drawn condemnation from the United Nations Human Rights Agency. There's concern the suspects might not get a fair trial, given the secrecy of the trial.

South Africa president Jacob Zuma honoured with statue in Nigeria

President Jacob Zuma has been honoured with yet another statue, this time in Nigeria.

On Saturday, the Imo State unveiled the giant statue and even named a street after the visiting president during his recent trip to the country.

In addition the state governor, Owelle Okorocha, conferred on Zuma the Imo Merit Award, the highest award in the state conferred on those who have made a difference in the development of their communities.

Zuma was on a working visit to Zambia, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo to strengthen socio-economic relations and other co-operations.

Both Nigerians and South Africans were quick to take to social media to comment about the decision.

Times Live

Video - Farmer pioneering sack farming in Nigeria

A young Nigerian is making waves in the north with his sack farming initiative. Popularly known as the sack farmer, Abdullahi Yakub went into sack farming when he couldn't find a white-collar job after graduating from the University. Today he is making a success out of a farming initiative that is still very new in Nigeria.

Nigerian painter Njideka Akunyili-Crosby wins $625,000 MacArthur Fellowship “Genius Grant”

Njideka Akunyili-Crosby, a painter and daughter of the late Nigerian minister, Dora Akunyili, has been awarded the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship.

Ms. Akunyili-Crosby was described by the foundation as “a figurative painter whose large-scale works express the hybridity characteristic of transnational experience through choices of subject matter, materials, and techniques.”

The fellowship, which is also referred to as the Genius Grant, awards $625,000 to artists, writers, teachers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and people from all works of life, that have shown exceptional creativity.

The grant is doled out in quarterly installments, made over a period of five years. Amongst past recipients is writer Chimamanda Adichie who received the grant in 2008.

The 24 recipients of the 2017 MacArthur Fellowship are:

• Njideka Akunyili Crowsby – Painter

• Sunil Amrith – Historian

• Greg Asbed – Human Rights Strategist

• Annie Baker – Playwright

• Regina Barzilay – Computer Scientist

• Dawoud Bey – Photographer and Educator

• Emmanuel Candes – Mathematician and Statistician

• Jason De Leon -Anthropologist

• Rhiannon Giddens – Singer, Instrumentalist & Songwriter

• Nikole Hannah-Jones – Journalist

• Cristina Jimenez Moreta – Social Justice Organizer

• Taylor Mac – Theater Artist

• Ramir Nashashibi – Community Leader

• Viet Thanh Nguyen – Fiction Writer & Culture Critic

• Kate Orff – Landscape Architect

• Trevor Paglen – Artist and Geographer

• Betsy Levy Paluck – Psychologist

• Derek Paterson – Historian

• Damon Rich – Designer & Urban Planner

• Stefan Savage – Computer Scientist

• Yuval Sharon – Opera Director & Producer

• Tyshawn Sorey – Composer & Musician

• Gabriel Victora – Immunologist

• Jesmyn Ward – Fiction Writer

Premium Times

Video - Nigeria to begin trial for 2300 suspected Boko Haram insurgents

Nigeria's government could soon start a mass trial of Boko Haram suspects it has been holding in custody since the start of Boko Haram insurgency. About 2,300 suspected militants are expected stand trial for crimes committed through out the 8 years of Boko Haram insurgency. More than 20,000 are estimated to have been killed and millions displaced in the northeast by Boko Haram.