Houston Nigerian Diasporan on edge over Nigerian presidential elections
This year is a critical year for Nigerians worldwide. On Feb. 25, all eyes were glued to the Nigerian presidential election as millions of registered voters headed to the polls to cast their ballots for a new president.
You might be asking yourself, “Why does this concern us?” Because Houston is home to one of the largest Nigerian immigrant populations in the United States. Whoever is elected into office will impact Nigerian residents and their families with ties to the African nation. This is the most historic election to date because this is the first election with a third-party candidate who stands as an unprecedented threat to the two-party system that has had a firm hold on Nigerian politics for several years.
The third-party candidate is an underdog in the race and represents for most Nigerians a glimmer of hope for a democracy the nation has long desired due to years of corruption, socio-economic instability and a lack of primary education and healthcare structure, among other challenges.
Widespread voting delays and rigging at the polls resulted in the ruling party’s candidate winning as president-elect this week, a tough pill to swallow for many Nigerians at this time. The fight still continues and the people’s efforts will not be in vain.
What about them student loans again?
FILE – President Joe Biden speaks about student loan debt relief at Delaware State University, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Dover, Del. The Supreme Court is about to hear arguments over President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan. It’s a plan that impacts millions of borrowers who could see their loans wiped away or reduced. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File
I’m not sure if you all feel the same way as I do, but if the government wants to pause my federal student loan debt until they can get their act together, I don’t mind it. The issue is back in the news as the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments over President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan. Republican-appointed judges have kept this plan from going into effect, and currently, the court will decide the plan’s fate. This is a high-stakes case for the Biden Administration as the promises of relief for millions of Americans hang in the balance. I’ve said this multiple times before: if student loan relief isn’t possible, they should indefinitely extend the freeze on interest rates.
Saving face on social media
A young man checks his phone by the Tagus river at Lisbon’s Comercio square on a sunny winter day, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Armando Franca
A young man checks his phone by the Tagus river at Lisbon’s Comercio square on a sunny winter day, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Armando FrancaYou’ve heard that cautionary saying about how everything you post or delete on the internet stays there forever? There is a new online tool to help teens take down explicit photos and videos of themselves from the internet. Teenagers sometimes ignore the consequences of what happens when they aren’t careful online. The tool is called “Take It Down,” operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and funded by Meta. The service is free, and it lets minors or their parents anonymously request potentially embarrassing photos or videos be removed from participating social media sites. The hope is all the major social media sites will get on board, especially since this “take it down” option is one solution to the problem of “sextortion” or blackmailing someone using explicit images as leverage for financial gain.
It’s a good step in the right direction. Only time will tell to see how successful this will all play out on the internet beast.
