At the inception of the Lagos-Alberta-Diary in 2001, I said among other things that any worthwhile information dissemination medium that is worth the salt for whatever purpose has a bounden responsibility of well educating, entertaining and informing its varied readership or audience and this is what "paxafricana" has set to do all along and from that moment and at least once in a month, our searchlight had been beamed inwardly. We felt at that moment that it was not quite enough just to bring you news and reports of events from the four geographical points of our dear continent and beyond because you had the privilege to know what we are doing, where, when, how, why and who was/were involved for all practical purposes. This is in terms of plans, goals and aspiration for our multifarious projects intended to bring life more abundant not only to our people in the continent but also in the Diaspora as far as peaceful corporate coexistence, progress and prosperity are concerned.

This, in our well-considered opinion, is the unique way to bring you all in closer focus as members of this same global family pursuing identical objectives. In this respect we will continue to jointly strive to share the lofty and realistic dreams of transforming our well cherished crises ridden continent from the present anarchic Utopia to an El-dorado of an inestimable value in life and property of which this and the coming generation will be proud. By this we mean a global community where devotion, dedication, selflessness, self-sacrifice, sense of civic responsibility, patriotism, altruism and peace in all ramification of life will be the norm rather than the exception.

Be that as it may, your ideas and information deserve mentioning to the others across the continents. If, you have any goals, plans and aspiration from which you are convinced that others too can learn please do not hesitate to send them to the list.

It is quite disheartening that despite our umpteenth indication and appeal on the use of the listserv, some of you still fragrantly and ignominiously break the long-standing rule. Last weekend, someone wanted to retrieve a book he had lent to another person by making the irrational request for the return of the material through the list as if he wanted the whole world to know that such mutual private and voluntary transaction took place between the fellow and him. The reason for doing so is best known to him while the intent to the best of my knowledge is an embarrassment to everyone. If this trends continue, we might be forced to choose ourselves what contributions go into the list - an idea that is contrary to our original intention of making it a free market place of idea and intellection.

Since Elizabeth Brown’s announcement of the next year IFOR gender Training of Trainers’ program a couple of weeks ago, the office received a total of 1,256 applications not only from Nigeria but also from other parts of the continent while 427 groups and individuals applied to be part of the PARC network. The most interesting ‘applicant’ is from the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR), a ‘family member’ of which we have been since 1992. We seize this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to those of you that sent in your requests from 12 countries of the West African sub-region. Our main lesson from the exercise is that the figure of those outside our email list outnumbers those in it. We see accommodating you all as a great challenge and a great task that must be done for the pursuit of our common mutual goal which is to create a society in which "lion and lamb will eat grass together".

Just last weekend, thanks to our both sisters Nadine Marshall and Debbie Riopel of the Canadian Kindness Movement in Alberta, Canada, we received a package containing our immeasurably treasured golden coin no. #079 together with the very informative videocassette of the program held earlier on in view of the November 13 World Kindness Movement ceremony. The campaign, piloted in November 2002 in British Columbia, was a heartwarming success with 63 schools registered in Canada with over 100,000 acts of humanitarian service performed, $30,000 raised in donations, 14 countries reached and more lives touched than can ever be measured. Unfortunately because of our erratic postal system, the materials did not come in time to meet our November 13 activities but all the same, it was marked with pomp and pageantry in some local schools. So, Nadine and Marshal, more grease to your elbows as we would wish you keep the flag flying.

More details will be brought to you in the next edition of the "Global Periscope."

Earlier in the month also, we got another package from the United Nations University asking us to take part in the Africa program survey exercise. Just about three weeks ago too, we got a request from the Thaumaturgy Relief Agency Washington D.C. for the purpose of working in collaboration with PARC. TRA is an international non-profit federation that research into public policy, governance, democratization, international system and international diplomacy for human rights. Its center runs seminars, training sessions, international conferences and courses where and whenever required. It also engages NGOs, international agencies, donors and governments in approaches that incorporate protection mechanisms into multi-sectoral program planning, design and implementation.

We still open our doors, minds and arms to any forward looking groups and individuals within and without the shores of Africa that might be willing and able to help in the translation of our lofty dreams of making the continent into a peaceful haven a reality. The harvest is still plentiful but where are the laborers in the process?

The Nigerian Youth Coalition on Information and Communication Technology has called for an increased of their peers in national level processes in order to ensure that current efforts at building an information society in Nigeria can be sustained in the no distant future.

At the end of a "policy train consultation" held respectively in Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt between 11th and 22nd October, the 113 strong participants also requested that the awareness on the exercise be embarked upon as matter of national urgency. The workshop noted that Nigeria "holds high potentials within the global information society and that the country recognized the need for the civil society, academia, private sector and special interest groups to collaborate on effort"

It further declared that: "having considered the aforementioned, along with the opportunities that are provided by commitment to the goals of the United Nations Millennium Summit and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), we realize that the future of Nigeria and its relevance in the information society depend on the commitment of all stakeholders in the present; and in recognition of this, we commit our resources to the accelerated involvement of our nation in the global information society."

The World Summit on the Information Society is an initiative of the UN that seeks to provide a framework for governments, NGOs, associations, corporate bodies and other stakeholders to discuss issues relating to the emerging global digital economy. The first two-phased summit is expected to hold in Geneva, Switzerland later in the month and Nigerian youths have taken part actively in its preparatory meetings.

In conclusion of this novel effort, let me commend to you the ever-cherished admonition of Mrs. Southey entitled:

"Keep pushing - ‘tis wiser

Than sitting aside,

And dreaming and sighing

And waiting the tide.

In life’s earnest battle

They only prevail

Who daily march toward

And never say fail!

With an eye ever open,

A tongue that’s not dumb,

And a heart succumb,

You’ll battle and conquer

Though thousands assail;

How strong and how mighty,

Who never say fail!

Ahead then keep pushing,

And elbow your way,

Unheeding the envious,

And asses that bray;

All obstacles vanish,

All enemies quail,

In the might of their wisdom

Who never say fail!

In life’s rosy morning,

In manhood’s firm pride,

Let this be the motto

Your footsteps to guide;

In storm and in sunshine,

Whatever assail,

We’ll onward and conquer,

And never say fail!

Thanks for the kind attention and the anticipated reaction.

Ade Adenekan,

Director.

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Pan-African Reconciliation Centre,

P.O.Box 9354 Marina,

Lagos city 101001,

Nigeria.

Tel: (234-1)4724197 and 4401152

Fax: +1-208-379-9324

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