Hot!
Ukraine: Trapped Nigerian on friendship and terror in Sumy
Nigerian veterinary student Samuel Otunla has been stuck in the north-east Ukrainian city of Sumy since the outbreak of the conflict. Ahead of reports that evacuations have begun, he sent the BBC an account of life in a city that is close to the Russian border and frontline.
The whole experience over the past 10 days has been nothing short of traumatic.
In cities further west, civilians have been able to leave and cross the border to safety in Poland, Romania, Hungary or Slovakia but we have been unable to leave Sumy.
The railway has been closed so there are no trains.
The main roads are largely inaccessible – some have been destroyed to stop Russian troops from advancing, while others have been totally blocked and taken over by the Russians.
Nevertheless, there are civilians who have made it out by road managing to negotiate their way through all the checkpoints. Others have tried and have either been shot at and forced to turn back or have reached dead ends where broken bridges have made it impossible to proceed.
Yes, it is possible to leave Sumy but it is extremely risky – and expensive.
Expensive because the Ukrainian drivers who are able to transport students are charging between $2,000 and $5,000 (£1,500 and £3,800) for a drive down south of 200km (124 miles).
After that anyone fleeing needs to catch a free train to a city in the west, like Lviv, and then cross the border.
So, in reality, we can’t get out.
Officials from Sumy National Agrarian University told us a couple days ago that there were discussions to set up a humanitarian corridor to allow civilians to leave Sumy and other areas safely.
On Monday, buses had been prepared so that students could be moved but unfortunately the Russians have not agreed to a ceasefire so the Ukrainian government cannot, for our own safety, transport us.
The Nigerian government has helped students get back home but, so far, only once they have managed to cross the western border, which is 1,300km away – so that doesn’t help us, at least not yet.
The Nigerian embassy in Russia (and other African countries I understand) has offered us the option of being taken to Russia and evacuated from there.
Many students have rejected this idea and rightly so. Russia is the enemy.
The best option is to get us to the west.
Meanwhile in Sumy, we are constantly getting safety warnings from the military. When the siren goes off everyone has to run down to the bomb shelters for safety.
Usually from down in the shelter, we hear the shelling and gunfire.
I, together with over 60 international students, Ukrainian students and hostel staff have spent the past seven nights in a dusty basement that doubles as a bomb shelter. It’s not a good experience.
We’ve received financial help from different organisations and through these we have been able to get groceries and other supplies.
We don’t know how much longer we will be here but we may need more supplies soon.
Source: BBC
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana Tourism Authority is leading Ghana’s participation at ITB Berlin, which opened in Berlin with a vibrant national pavilion highlighting Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, tourism destinations and investment opportunities.
March 5 has been designated as Ghana Day, a special platform to promote Ghana’s languages, cuisine, Kente, festivals and business prospects to the global tourism community. The stand has already drawn strong interest with traditional arts and crafts displays, immersive multimedia presentations and popular Ghanaian snacks.
Seven private-sector players are exhibiting alongside government officials as part of efforts to deepen trade partnerships, expand market access, and attract investment across the hospitality, heritage tourism, ecotourism, and creative arts sectors.
Ahead of the official opening, the Ghana delegation also engaged young Ghanaian investors in Germany in collaboration with V Afrika-Verein and the Ghana Embassy, strengthening diaspora investment linkages and highlighting opportunities within the tourism value chain.
Ghana’s coordinated presence at ITB Berlin 2026 reinforces its strategy to position the country as the Gateway to Africa and a competitive destination for leisure travel and global investment.
