A tiny slice of South Africa's semi-arid Karoo region was painstakingly recreated at this year's Chelsea Flower Show in London. It was the first time such an ambitious project had been undertaken to display the world-famous Karoo succulents at Chelsea's annual Festival of Flowers and Plants. I caught up with ERNST VAN JARSVELDT a master botanist who spent a lifetime nurturing these hardy plants and trees.

ERNST's passion for succulents is infectious; his knowledge is second to none. When he's not in London, ERNST is at the Babylonstoren Estate in South Africa's Franschhoek wine vally with its world-renowned botanical diversity.

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PETER OBI believes he would have been Nigeria’s president now, were it not for widespread vote rigging at the last election in 2023. It’s a view shared by many of his fellow countrymen and women. In a wide-ranging interview with Africa Here And Now MR OBI confirms that he plans to run again in 2027 and believes that this time the outcome will be different.

He says he’s optimistic that people will vote for the best candidate and not cast their ballot on the basis of tribe or religion – accusing the current political elite of deliberately fuelling divisions. “Nigerians will see that we voted religion, we voted tribe, now let's vote competence, capacity,” he says. He feels people would rise up if there were further attempts to manipulate the vote, knowing that failure to do so would lead to more years of hunger, darkness and disappointment.

PETER OBI outlines what he would do differently if he were in charge, making education a priority to unleash Nigeria’s potential. He wants to see the country move from consumption to production, bemoaning the fact that 60% of Nigeria’s arable land is currently uncultivated. “We can make more money from agriculture than we can from oil,” he tells us.

The former governor of Anambra State – a devout Christian - says despite his personal wealth he has always believed in helping the less privileged in society: “I don’t look down on people unless I am going to pull them up.”

Looking east for inspiration, PETER OBI believe Nigeria could learn from the economic boom of recent decades in Asian countries including China, India and Vietnam. He expresses admiration for the former president of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, as someone who made his country better. It’s an ambition he holds for his own country and one he hopes to have a chance to fulfil after the next presidential election in Nigeria.

We also find out a little about the man behind the politics. Donu asks him who his heroes are and what he is currently reading.

We discover that PETER OBI is not given to taking holidays. ‘Can you take a holiday when your house is burning?’ he asks. He likens the situation to the Titanic sinking while people on the upper decks were dancing!

Asking the questions with me was DONU KOGBARA, Abuja-based journalist and commentator. We chatted with PETER OBI in Abuja on June 11th 2025.

#PeterObi #NigeriaPolitics #2027Elections #GoodGovernance #NigerianGovernment #LeadershipInAfrica #NaijaPolitics #ObidientMovement #AfricanLeadership #ElectionTalks #NigeriaDevelopment

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Has the shine come off the idea of democracy in parts of Africa? The continent's latest crop of military leaders seem to be enjoying immense popularity, like Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore. So are Africans prepared to live under the rule of soldiers. Or is there another way?

I speak to GILLES YABI, CEO and founder of the West Africa Citizen Think Tank in Dakar. And in Johannesburg, independent political analyst, MARISA LOURENCO. We explore what could be behind the recent spate of m ilitary takeovers in Guinea, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Gabon and ask whether democratic forms of government have had their day on the continent.

Both GILLES and MARISA are keen to point out that Africa is not a monolith - each country has had its own distinct circumstances that have led to military coups.

Asked why these young coup leaders appear to be so popular, MARISA explains its because they represent a break with the status quo which had failed to deliver prosperity and security. GILLES makes the point that several of the countries that have experienced military coups are experiencing severe insurgencies often by violent Islamist groups.

We also consider whether the ruling parties that have come to power after waging an armed struggle for independence, particularly in southern Africa, have managed to transition into parties that uphold democratic values of rule of law, strong institutions and individual freedoms.

We are reminded that Afrobarometer polls regularly reveal that a majority of those surveyed are in favour

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