There seem to be a growing trend. Most of our fabulous african capitals seem to be growing faster than they expected. Sanitation, Transportation, Roadways and Environmental issues seem to hinder the appropriate growth of our cities....
ABIDJAN, LAGOS, DAKAR, ARE ALL MOVING.......
Which one of these cities will be AFRICA'S PREMIER 21ST CENTURY CAPITAL.....(Based on potential, location, ect....)
Yamoussoukro, Abuja, Lompoul ......
I know this is way too premature.....but just give your honest opinion...........

Well, Abuja is certainly well established as the Nigerian capital since 1991 and has a big head start. Yamoussoukro has been the official capital of Cote D'Ivoire since 1983 but most still maintain their embassies in Abidjan. And Lompoul is not yet the official capital of Senegal.

Seriously, there is no stage for discussion on this. Abuja is too far ahead of the others and is set to become one of the premier 21st century capital cities of Africa.

Lompoul is just all talk right now. I hear these types of plans every so often from African countries and most never come into fruition. Whatever happened to the 60 storey Qadathi taower in Dakar?

Yamossoukro?! I wont even begin to start there.

I think Nairobi and Luanda have very good futures. Luanda by 2020 will probably be the most modern looking SS-African capital outiside SA......but Nairobi had a big head start and Kenya's economy is growing again. I think Abuja will be second. Abidjan was on par with Nairobi some years ago and if the problem resolves in IC, then that will be in the race too. More remote possibilities......what happens if there is a change of government in Eq Guinea- it could be like a tropical Dubai were in not for corruption. An independent South Sudan (referendum for independence in a few years) will also have huge oil money beside it- they are in the preliminary stages of building a brand new capital in anticipation of statehood. And if DRC sorts its stuff out- Kinshasa could be up there.

In short- main contenders- Abuja, Luanda, Nairobi
Possible contenders- Abidjan, South Sudan capital, Kinshasa.

I guess we cant really include Abidjan, though it is the real capital.

it's funny,you compared abuja to those cities.

All West African cities...eh?

:runaway:

it's funny,you compared abuja to those cities.

It was not comparing...Just making a "cultural discussion".......Only honest opinions need reply....

From the choices in the poll, clearly Abuja will be dominant. However, Nairobi, Abidjain, Dakar, and Luanda will serve as cultural and commercial centers. In terms of international conventions, Nairobi is the leader at the moment.

As I said in another thread, hopfully Lompoul will never become Senegal's capital. They should expand Dakar eastward and possibly create a New Dakar.

I don't see any of those cities becoming the tru 21st century capitals of Africa anytime soon. I don't see how they could be considered more important as African capitals than places like Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Nairobi.

I don't see any of those cities becoming the tru 21st century capitals of Africa anytime soon. I don't see how they could be considered more important as African capitals than places like Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Nairobi.Pretoria and JHB are geographically out-of-the-way. Nairobi and others will be very important but the sheer size of the financial assets controlled by Abuja and Lagos are, and will continue to be, unmatched.

But then you have to consider stability- Kenya is much more stable than Nigeria, and perhaps even previously war-torn Angola is currently more stable.

I agree on Dakar, extend it rather than try and build a new city. The record of new-build cities around the world is certainly dubious. It would also be more cost-effective to extand Dakar rather than build a new capital.

I don't see any of those cities becoming the tru 21st century capitals of Africa anytime soon. I don't see how they could be considered more important as African capitals than places like Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Nairobi.

Your additions are indeed notable...Thats is why the discussion was engaged....
How absent minded of me to forget those great cities....There is a certain bias involved....I am a fervent admirer of the west (West africa that is)... And I also have to mention the Stratigic position (geographical position, hub port and airport, oh and of course the black gold) of the cities in the western coast are essential....

I shall add a new poll to include the omitted cities......

Initially I made the poll in relation with the lack of proper urbanism in most african cities....Most of our great cities are growing very fast i.e:Nairobi is one of them, Dakar as well...Abidjan is another one... And on that point....Which one of YA'KRO, ABUJA, Lompoul...HAS THE HYPOTETICAL POTENTIAL OF BEING ONE OF AFRICA'S GREAT......

Your additions are indeed notable...Thats is why the discussion was engaged....
How absent minded of me to forget those great cities....There is a certain bias involved....I am a fervent admirer of the west (West africa that is)... And I also have to mention the Stratigic position (geographical position, hub port and airport, oh and of course the black gold) of the cities in the western coast are essential....

I shall add a new poll to include the omitted cities......

Initially I made the poll in relation with the lack of proper urbanism in most african cities....Most of our great cities are growing very fast i.e:Nairobi is one of them, Dakar as well...Abidjan is another one... And on that point....Which one of YA'KRO, ABUJA, Lompoul...HAS THE HYPOTETICAL POTENTIAL OF BEING ONE OF AFRICA'S GREAT......

Actually, I implied from your question that you are not asking to compare ALL, or even many, African capitals but only those that recently became (or possibly will become) new capitals from a previous commercial longtime capital city.

I don't know what Lompoul is. If it's a nonexistant city, how is it going to be developed? Dakar is strangled by lack of space. Is Lompoul an ugly name for a capital city?

I don't see any of those cities becoming the tru 21st century capitals of Africa anytime soon. I don't see how they could be considered more important as African capitals than places like Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Nairobi.
you have to visit abuja to see what's happening there.although capital is not easy to relocate,...but abuja is success.

But then you have to consider stability- Kenya is much more stable than Nigeria, and perhaps even previously war-torn Angola is currently more stable.

I agree on Dakar, extend it rather than try and build a new city. The record of new-build cities around the world is certainly dubious. It would also be more cost-effective to extand Dakar rather than build a new capital.

popa1980, you always throw shit at Nigeria´s house, it really pisses me off! Stop it now!

It just takes a few rich Nigerian in the country and in the diaspora to buy off entire countries in Africa which only shows that Africa is dead without Nigeria , so stop insulting us or I will forget myself on this forum!:devil:

Moreover, Abuja cannot be compared to Yamoussokro, that´s hilarious! You cannot compare dried up cherries to a big, juicy and fresh water melon (=Abuja)! All those silly comparisons

J'bourg,Capetown and Nairobi already have a big headstart, so they should not be considered.But I think Abuja is Poised to be a 21st city soon because it is well planned.never heard of Yamoussoukro and Lompoul.

popa1980, you always throw shit at Nigeria´s house, it really pisses me off! Stop it now!

It just takes a few rich Nigerian in the country and in the diaspora to buy off entire countries in Africa which only shows that Africa is dead without Nigeria , so stop insulting us or I will forget myself on this forum!:devil:
very easy for them!

I also think Harare has potential-after Mugabes gone.:)

Capetown

popa1980, you always throw shit at Nigeria´s house, it really pisses me off! Stop it now!

It just takes a few rich Nigerian in the country and in the diaspora to buy off entire countries in Africa which only shows that Africa is dead without Nigeria , so stop insulting us or I will forget myself on this forum!:devil:

Kenya IS more stable than Nigeria. Accept it. I would consider Angola to be more stable to. Your bragging about it only takes a few rich Nigerians to buy off whole African countries is very immature. Behave yourself.

Popa1980, I believe that Mathias has a point for example I recently understood that last year, Nigerians abroad remitted $7 billion dollars back to Nigeria. This figure I understand exceeds the GDP of atleast 27 African countries

Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Cairo? I would pick one of these over the choices in the poll.

Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Cairo? I would pick one of these over the choices in the poll.

Agreed. I personally havent even heard of two of the cities mentioned there.. That cant be good

Kenya IS more stable than Nigeria. Accept it. I would consider Angola to be more stable to. Your bragging about it only takes a few rich Nigerians to buy off whole African countries is very immature. Behave yourself.

I absolutely agree with you popa....I KNOW THAT THERE IS AN OVERWHELMING ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIANS OVER HERE BUT COME ON.....LETS BE CONSISTANT, rational HERE.....

OH by the way I just saw the list of weathiest africans and there were no NIGERIANS THERE!!.
No disrespect to to all the NAIJAS... in this forum but to make such a claim is indeed immature and irresponsible for that matter.
I think as africans....WE SHOULD FIRST BE AFRICAN, THEN REPRESENT OUR INDIVIDUAL COUNTRY...Only then will we be able to overcome the majors impediments that we face......
Making such a claim is degrading OUR CONTINENT.....IF NIGERIANS ARE SO WEALTHY...THEY SHOULD BE LEADING AFRICA IN RECTIFYING ALL THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT WE FACE.....Money is not the solution to all but in this case it sure can help in Africa.......SO LETS STOP LOOKING TO THE MORONS OF THE G8 AND INVOKE THE "Wealthy" NIGERIAN "conglomerate" to lead our continent out of this decadence..........

I absolutely agree with you popa....I KNOW THAT THERE IS AN OVERWHELMING ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIANS OVER HERE BUT COME ON.....LETS BE CONSISTANT, rational HERE.....

OH by the way I just saw the list of weathiest africans and there were no NIGERIANS THERE!!.
No disrespect to to all the NAIJAS... in this forum but to make such a claim is indeed immature and irresponsible for that matter.
I think as africans....WE SHOULD FIRST BE AFRICAN, THEN REPRESENT OUR INDIVIDUAL COUNTRY...Only then will we be able to overcome the majors impediments that we face......
Making such a claim is degrading OUR CONTINENT.....IF NIGERIANS ARE SO WEALTHY...THEY SHOULD BE LEADING AFRICA IN RECTIFYING ALL THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT WE FACE.....Money is not the solution to all but in this case it sure can help in Africa.......SO LETS STOP LOOKING TO THE MORONS OF THE G8 AND INVOKE THE "Wealthy" NIGERIAN "conglomerate" to lead our continent out of this decadence..........

:ohno: This whole bitch fight and country battle has begun again!! This time let us just grab it by the hip and flling it out the window!! Please no one respond to this and CONCENTRATE ON THE TOPIC!! PLEASE!!

Anyhoo, there seems to be a major mention of Jo'burg, last I checked, Pretoria, CApetown and Bloemfoentin are capitals not JHB, so that arguement doesn't stand. In west Africa Abuja takes the cake hands down. In the north Cairo and in the East Nairobi. Central Africa is Luanda and the south is Cape town!! There is no African capital just such an unstable and ever moving continent to predict something like that, especially as we are just emerging [some countries any ways!!]

Addis Ababa Forever. :banana:

The Independent Ethiopian lioncity should be the capital and its also an indiginous African city.

Lagos 9,229,944
DIDNT REALIZE LAGOS WAS SUCH A LARGE CITY.....

ANYWAYS!


THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT...

Nairobi, 26 September 2006: The European Union (EU) has pledged to increase funding to African cities for projects such as infrastructure, water and health. EU development commissioner Louis Michel made the pledge at the Summit of African cities held in Nairobi earlier this month. "Europe will also work closely together with some marginalized communities in Africa," Michel added. He also urged local authorities to involve their people and other stakeholders from the private sector, civil society and religious organisations in their activities.

At the summit, urban leaders were also told that they could only eradicate poverty if local government was strengthened and given more powers. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of United Cities and Local Government of Africa, said local authorities in Africa needed to be strengthened to tackle the growing urbanisation challenges.

"Unless local authorities in Africa are empowered to achieve their goals and there is a political will between leaders, no progress is going to be experienced," Mbassi warned. He went on to say that local authorities in Africa were responsible for properly managing public utilities, providing clean water and setting up conducive environment for business people

Nairobi, 4 October 2006: In a speech to mark World Habitat Day, which was held on 2 October, UN General Secretary Kofi Annan urged Kenya’s rural population to resist the lure of the cities. "Kenya's towns have become magnets, attracting people from the rural areas in thousands. Yet poverty is increasing in these urban centres," the General Secretary said. According to Kenyan government statistics, the country urban population has increased from 0.75 million in 1962 to 12 million last year.

Kenya’s Housing Minister Soita Shitanda said that Urban centres had risen from 34 to more than 210 in the same period. “This poses a great challenge to urban planners,” the Minister added. He also described how the rise in the urban population had led to mushrooming of slums, increase in crime, environment pollution, poverty, diseases and unemployment. Shitanda called on the private sector and the international community to propose ways to tackle the problem.

:ohno: This whole bitch fight and country battle has begun again!! This time let us just grab it by the hip and flling it out the window!! Please no one respond to this and CONCENTRATE ON THE TOPIC!! PLEASE!!

Anyhoo, there seems to be a major mention of Jo'burg, last I checked, Pretoria, CApetown and Bloemfoentin are capitals not JHB, so that arguement doesn't stand. In west Africa Abuja takes the cake hands down. In the north Cairo and in the East Nairobi. Central Africa is Luanda and the south is Cape town!! There is no African capital just such an unstable and ever moving continent to predict something like that, especially as we are just emerging [some countries any ways!!]

Certainly true, you never know what will happen in Africa. Just 5 yrs ago, the Kenyan economy had almost stopped growing. There are so many possibilities, if DRC becomes stable Kinshasha could flourish. What if Nigeria finally implodes? What if civil war starts again in Angola?
You never really know with Africa.......

If we are talking here about truly global/international political, cultural and economical players or centres in SSA only, rule out French and Portuguese speaking cities, however nice they may be.

Capetown, Johburg have a headstart and if things do not sour in the RSA they should be still ahead by 2020. Soccer and olympics (the only cities capable) will do their work.

Nigerian cities, Nairobi, Harare and Accra will compete in a second league along with some others

Third will be Dakar, Luanda and other francophone and lusophone cities.

If SA would collapse, Capetown will be the leading city by 2020, capital of a tri-cultural, multiracial and democratic Capeland, still with the best international connections.

Where would I put my money? In tiny Cape Verde, close to EU-special arrangement, monetary stable, secure (NATO friendly), sun garanteed, no rain, nice girls all year round :cheers: .

THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT...
In 2030, 62% of the world population will live downtown. This expansion is accompanied by an extension of the zones of precarious habitat, in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia in particular. Difficult to control, they are an obstacle with the development.

Humanity saw an important stage of its history: a person on two lives from now on an agglomeration. The urban population in the world quadrupled in one half-century, passing from 750 million in 1950 to 3,17 billion (on a total of 6,45 billion inhabitants) in 2005. And this growth is not close weakening. The number of the townsmen throughout the world should increase by 1,78% in the years to come per annum, to rise to 5 billion in 2030, that is to say 62% of the 8,1 billion inhabitants whom the planet should then count.
Today still, they are the towns of less than 500.000 inhabitants and those from 1 to 5 million inhabitants who concentrate the major part of the urban population: more than 53% for the first, 22% for the seconds. But the phenomenon marking of this XXIe century is the emergence of the mégapoles (or megalopoles) of more than 10 million inhabitants. New York and Tokyo were the first to reach this threshold. From here at 2020, they will be twenty, including twelve in Asia and only four in the developed countries. Some of these conurbations take such a dimension that one invented the métapoles terms or hypervilles to indicate those which exceed 20 million inhabitants. The first of them is Tokyo. With its 35 million inhabitants, it, with it only, is populated than Canada or Algeria. In 2020, eight other cities will have acquired this statute: Mumbai, Delhi, Dacca, Jakarta in Asia; New York, Mexico City and São Paulo in America; Lagos in Africa. The latter, whose population increases by 5% per annum, knows the fastest growth.

One could be delighted by such an evolution. Wasn't the city always the place of economic progress, the technical innovation, cultural creation? In fact, it continues to play these parts, but its rise is also accompanied by a proliferation of the zones of precarious habitat. The French-speaking people speak about “shantytowns”. The english-speaking use the word slums. Brazil counts among its celebrities the favelas of Rio. Whatever the formulations, reality is the same one.

For UNO-Habitat, the agency specialized of the United Nations on the question, is regarded as shantytown a dwelling not satisfying at least one of the following criteria:

• a durable construction, i.e. built in a suitable place and offering a correct protection against the extreme climatic conditions;

• a sufficient livable space, namely a maximum of three people dividing the same room;

• the access to drinking water in sufficient quantity and an accessible price;

• the access to adequate sanitary facilities in the form of private or public toilets divided with a reasonable number people;

• the safety of occupation to prevent any forced expulsion.

As it is seen, it is not only the quality of the dwellings and their materials, far is necessary some, which are in question. Brick houses covered with a roof tight, but built on a ground deprived of sewerage systems or easily flooded zone belong to the category of the shantytowns.

If Europe and North America knew the phenomenon at the beginning of the XIXe century with the favour of industrialization, it is starting from second half of the XXe century that it became extensive progressively with the urbanization of the developing countries. At a point such as a townsman on three, billion individuals is almost 1, lives today in a shantytown. In 2001, according to data's published by UNO-Habitat in his last report/ratio *, on 913 million bidonvillois, 849 million, is nearly 93%, lived in an underdeveloped country.

It is in South Asia, India and in the close countries, but more especially in sub-Saharan Africa, that the proportion of inhabitants of shantytowns in the urban population is raised, respectively of 59% and 71,9%. More serious, for the second of these areas, the annual growth rate of the shantytowns is there twice faster than the average noted in the developing countries.

It is true that the urbanization of sub-Saharan Africa is more recent than elsewhere and than the current growth of the cities follows a rate/rhythm close to 5% there. At the end of the years 2020, the area should count some 750 million townsmen, that is to say more than the total population of the whole of Europe (Russia included/understood).

The other characteristic of the sub-Saharan urbanization, it is that it was done - and continuous to be done - without significant industrial development. Even if the abstract sector absorbs part of the newcomers, much are without resources and are in the incapacity to get a decent housing. During fifteen last years, the number of the inhabitants of shantytowns almost doubled, passing from 101 million in 1990 to 199 million in 2005. It should still be multiplied by two from here at 2020, to reach 400 million.

The statistics provided by UNO-Habitat are edifying. In the very great majority of the sub-Saharan countries, more than 60% of the urban population lives in slums or the equivalent. Only South Africa and its neighbors - as well as the small archipelagoes of the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean - have rates lower than 40%. In a number of metropolises, the precarious habitat is the standard much more than the exception. More than one third of the 3 million inhabitants of Nairobi is established in a place of the city baptized Kibera, considered to be the largest shantytown of Africa. Addis-Abeba seems to beat the record with less than 10% of its population living under decent conditions… By comparison, a country as the Ivory Coast is not left there too badly with a percentage of shantytowns lower than 50%.

In the north of the continent, the situation is very different. In the area taken as a whole, the shantytowns are in retreat as well in absolute value as relative: of 22 million (37,7% of the town population) in 1990 to 21,5 million (25,4%) in 2005. It is necessary to underline the exceptional success of Tunisia which, although urbanized with more than 66%, arrived to éradiquer almost completely the unhealthy habitat, reducing it to less than 4% in 2001. With a rate of 11,8% the same year, Algeria can, it also, to prevail itself of good results although, in this country, the phenomenon of the shantytowns is in recrudescence lately with an annual growth rate of 3%. Idem in Morocco, where the proportion of townsmen living under precarious conditions remains very high (32,7% in 2001) and continues to increase. In Egypt, on the other hand, the number of individuals living in under-equipped slums or districts fell by 3 million between 1990 and 2005, passing from 14 million to 11 million.

Would there be a receipt to look after or prevent the wound of the shantytowns? Not, explain the authors of the report/ratio of UNO-Habitat, if it is not the will of the authorities to take the problem with arm-the-body. From this point of view, in addition to Tunisia and Egypt, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand and South Africa was distinguished during fifteen last years by improving the services and equipment in favour of the poor townsmen.

Miss drinking water, accumulation of waste, absence of latrines and systems of cleansing, air pollution… Their environment weighs seriously on the health of their occupants. According to UNO-Habitat, the bad conditions of hygiene cause each year the death of 1,6 million people - is five times the number of the victims of the tsunami which struck the residents of the Indian Ocean in 2004. In the disinherited districts, the mortality of the children of less than 5 years is in general twice higher than in the urban zones “normal”.

One has often advanced that, in the poor countries, the inhabitants of the underprivileged urban zones profit, despite everything, of better living conditions that the rural ones. It is not the case. Many studies, in Africa as in South America and Asia, show, for example, that malnutrition as severely strikes the children of the slums as those of the villages. Who more is, during the periods of food shortage, the international assistance often ignores the inhabitants of the shantytowns while at the same time the shortages the prices of the products of first need increase.

It is also known that poverty is the compost of criminality and violences in any kind. To that the risks related to the natural disasters are added. Because of their localizations - depressions, banks of the rivers, inclined grounds… - and this the more so as constructions do not answer any safety requirement, the zones of spontaneous habitat are particularly exposed with the floods, with the earthquakes, the landslides or the lightning…

To the urban world Forum which was held of 19 at June 23 in Vancouver (Canada), Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister South-African for the Habitat, recalled that the international community devoted only between 2% and 12% of its assistance to the urban zones, essence being still affected with the rural surfaces. Before daring a comparison with the Second World war: as the world was mobilized yesterday around the fight against the Nazism, it declared in substance, it must link its forces against urban poverty today. The future of the mankind depends on it, commented on for its part Anna Tibaijuka, director of UNO-Habitat.

..........

popa1980, you always throw shit at Nigeria´s house, it really pisses me off! Stop it now!

It just takes a few rich Nigerian in the country and in the diaspora to buy off entire countries in Africa which only shows that Africa is dead without Nigeria , so stop insulting us or I will forget myself on this forum!:devil:

AFRICA WOULD BE DEAD WITHOUT NIGERIA???? To be brutally honest with you; I could care less if Nigeria went to the dogs. It wouldnt affect me even a bit....

AFRICA WOULD BE DEAD WITHOUT NIGERIA???? To be brutally honest with you; I could care less if Nigeria went to the dogs. It wouldnt affect me even a bit....
You can't be the only person that make up Africa. You are trying to fuel some Nigerian fight here. You can not always reply to every comment.

Where does this thread pop up all of a sudden? This thread is very old and discusiion dates back to

June 6th, 2007, 03:04 AM

You can't be the only person that make up Africa. You are trying to fuel some Nigerian fight here. You can not always reply to every comment.

Not only that, but commenting on a post made almost two years ago...

Nigerians are bragging too much here!! Nigeria is nothing in Africa....Other countries are diversifying their economy, they juz depend on black bloody diamond (oil). Check super projects being developed in SA, Kenya, Angola n others! Angola, Kenya and Ghana are the forces to recognise in Africa. There are mega projects going on in Kenya e.g: Super hiwhways being constructed and second most modern sea port in being developed, thats Lamu, where current n future world's largest ships dock. Modern railway line from Lamu-Juba (Sudan)-Douala (Cameroun). Sea to sea. Another one from Lamu-Nairobi-Kampala-Kigali (Rwanda). An international airport. Also on the pipeline is to make Nairobi Africa's financial centre.

nobleskilly, those things were all developed in Nigeria in the 70´s! and you should take a peeop into our forum.

I do have to excuse for the phrase that I said two years ago, it was unfair but still I stick to the fact that Nigeria´s well-being is quintessential for the well-being of Africa. Statistics say this and . Nigeria and South Africa are important corenerstones of Africa´s development. It is like France and germany...the latter build up Europe and helped the others come to where they are today. This is not bragging , it is a plain and simple fact.

Patriot, you said that you wish to see Nigeria go to the dgs...don´t we have a thread about the so-called “African Unity”? LOOOOLLL

Where does this thread pop up all of a sudden? This thread is very old and discusiion dates back to

June 6th, 2007, 03:04 AM

I just had to revive this thread coz of those stupid comments you made. Nigeria is just one of the 53 countries we have in Africa and is not special in any way; without the oil it would be full of sh*t....

AFRICA WOULD BE DEAD WITHOUT NIGERIA???? To be brutally honest with you; I could care less if Nigeria went to the dogs. It wouldnt affect me even a bit....

THE WORLD; West Africa Trembles With Nigeria

THERE was something more than faintly American about the first speech of Nigeria's new military head of state, following the sudden death on Monday of the country's iron-fisted President, Gen. Sani Abacha.

Much as a new President of the remaining superpower might, upon taking office after the unexpected death of an American leader, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar hammered away at the theme of unshaken adherence to his country's ''international commitments.'' He sought to comfort allies and serve notice of Nigeria's resolve to potential foes.

And as could be expected upon the death of an American President, General Abacha's death unleashed a flood of eulogies praising his immense qualities as a statesman. Fittingly, after the death of the leader of a great country, no fewer than seven African heads of state rushed to pay their respects.

From Senegal to Gabon, the late general's peers spoke glowingly of a man devoted ''body and soul to his country,'' or solemnly regretted the passing of one of ''Africa's most illustrious sons.'' None even hinted that Nigeria is arguably in worse shape economically than at any time since independence from Britain in 1960, that there have never been more political prisoners, that high-level corruption had never been so brazen, or that outside Africa, General Abacha was often dismissed as just another despot plundering an unfortunate citizenry.

Ripples of Concern

In his own country, where General Abacha was loathed far more than admired, many Nigerians undoubtedly scratched their heads in puzzlement over this seeming hypocrisy. But the point that those who disapproved were missing is that for much of Africa, any political transition in the continent's most populous, most complicated and arguably most fractious country -- especially one as unexpected as General Abacha's sudden death by reported heart attack -- is a cause for major concern far beyond Nigeria's own borders.

South Africa and Egypt may have more powerful armies, but no African country is more involved in the security arrangements of its surrounding region than Nigeria. South Africa may have a higher level of industrialization, and tiny oil states like Libya and Gabon much higher per capita incomes, but no African country's economic health is more vital to its neighbors.

Oil-rich Nigeria can submerge its neighbors in its economic woes or float them when it is flush. Beyond that, as the world's seventh-largest oil producer and the United States' biggest trading partner on the continent, it is perhaps the only African country whose sudden disappearance from the map would cause more than a moment's ripple in international markets.

The American Secretary of State, Madeleine K. Albright, has often spoken of the United States as the world's one ''essential nation.'' But in West Africa, such is the weight of Nigeria, with its 105 million people, large military forces and hyperactive foreign policy that many would quibble with America's self-designation.

Just ask Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, the democratically elected President of Sierra Leone, a country 1,000 miles to the west of Nigeria, who was overthrown in a coup 13 months ago by a combination of renegade soldiers and rural rebels who invaded the capital, Freetown, looting and burning all in their path.

Washington quickly sent the Marines to evacuate Western residents, saving them from the mayhem but doing nothing to relieve the country's distress. The United Nations, likewise, took no action. The only country that proved willing and able to help put out the flames was Nigeria.

General Abacha sent warships to blockade the rebels, starving their economy, and airplanes to bomb the insurrectionists' positions. When all of that didn't suffice, he mounted an intervention by land, losing dozens of soldiers but succeeding in the goal of restoring order -- and, by the way, President Kabbah.

Sierra Leone's President showed his gratitude by suspending his attendance at the annual Organization of African Unity summit in Ouagadougou to fly to Nigeria within hours of the news of General Abacha's death; there he expressed condolences and, one imagines, sought security assurances from the new team in charge.

Fears of Chaos

''There is going to be no change in the foreign policy of Nigeria, because like no one else, at the center of Nigerian policy stands Africa, and that will never change,'' the bluff commander of Nigerian forces in Sierra Leone, Brig. Gen. Maxwell Khobe, said in an interview. ''When there is trouble in our region, we will be there, because to go absent would mean letting the fire spread.''

But for all of Nigeria's can-do interventionism in Sierra Leone, and a previous successful, if drawn out, peace-keeping effort in Liberia, the warm words for General Abacha and his nation were motivated not only by gratitude for Nigeria's contributions to regional security.

Just as central in the minds of other regional leaders as they mourned the dictator's passing was the possibility of Nigeria's disintegration amid an anti-military uprising, revived regional tensions and ethnic hatreds. Seen from this angle, Nigeria more resembled another recent superpower, the crumbling and potentially dangerous Soviet Union, than it did a triumphant United States.

Few African countries have experienced anything like the devastation of the Nigerian civil war at the close of the 1960's, which began with a secession bid by the oil-rich southeast. And, as that conflict showed clearly, no other country on the continent has anything like the ability to inundate its neighbors with refugees.

General Abacha may deserve some of the posthumous accolades being given to him by his fellows as a great statesman, pan-Africanist or nationalist, but no leader before him left power with his country in a more degraded and potentially explosive state. Indeed, before an officially declared week of mourning was half over, angry protesters, readily citing the recent example of ''people's power'' in Indonesia, were facing off with soldiers in the streets of Nigeria's capital, Lagos.

Ghana's President, Jerry Rawlings, a former soldier who himself twice took power in coups after uprisings and was only later elected as a civilian, was one of the few African statesmen to speak candidly last week about the downside of General Abacha's legacy: a fractured and volatile nation.

''Let's say a prayer for Nigeria,'' Mr. Rawlings said in an interview with the BBC, minutes after learning of General Abacha's death. ''For the commanders and the politicians not to do anything that could cause the disintegration of Nigeria, which would take us all downhill.''

I am just trying to respond to the ''patriot''. If you can not read everything, then try read the paragraphs highlighted in bold. This article may be as old as 1998 but it says it all about how empty Africa may be without Nigeria

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E05E1DF163DF937A25755C0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1

Load of crap!!! Are we talking about Africa or West Africa?! Ofcorse should any one country in Africa collapse it would affect its neighbours...

We ve 53 independent states in Africa. Nigeria has so many internal problems that they shuld sort out first b4 talking of being a giant. U might be having large population but without peace! Many are still in abject poverty n u ve alot oil!!

Load of crap!!! Are we talking about Africa or West Africa?! Ofcorse should any one country in Africa collapse it would affect its neighbours...

It is crap when it doesn't agree with your opinions! That crap was written by a new york times columnist

Nigerians do not come on here to insult your countries but you always find a way to call us arrogants and stuff. Is it a crime to be in the know? Nigerians are well educated people and will always have healthy arguments but you think its arrogance. Think!!

The thing is we can never keep quiet and it hurts so many people on here. Why? Beacuse we know. I don't come on here trying to appeal to anybody but I try as much as possible to respect each and every one and also your origins. Deal with me individually!

Well, ''if brothers can fight and kill themselves, talkless of neighbours'' The problems with us Africans are Jealousy, Lack of respect for each other, petty hatred and egoism (pride)

You guys stereotype Nigerians like we are all from the same mother. I have asked this question before and will ask again - How many Nigerians have you met in your lifetime? If you are not Nigerian, don't tell me you have upto 100 Nigerian friends or close neighbours. Now, how many of those Nigerians are wayward, bad, dubious, fraudulent or in the negative?

A little bit of respect please

It is crap when it doesn't agree with your opinions! That crap was written by a new york times columnist

Nigerians do not come on here to insult your countries but you always find a way to call us arrogants and stuff. Is it a crime to be in the know? Nigerians are well educated people and will always have healthy arguments but you think its arrogance. Think!!

The thing is we can never keep quiet and it hurts so many people on here. Why? Beacuse we know. I don't come on here trying to appeal to anybody but I try as much as possible to respect each and every one and also your origins. Deal with me individually!

Well, ''if brothers can fight and kill themselves, talkless of neighbours'' The problems with us Africans are Jealousy, Lack of respect for each other, petty hatred and egoism (pride)

You guys stereotype Nigerians like we are all from the same mother. I have asked this question before and will ask again - How many Nigerians have you met in your lifetime? If you are not Nigerian, don't tell me you have upto 100 Nigerian friends or close neighbours. Now, how many of those Nigerians are wayward, bad, dubious, fraudulent or in the negative?

A little bit of respect please

I have no problem with Nigeria but most Nigerians come across as very arrogant and with their 'know it all' attitude. Its quite evident in your text that you had already started talking of how nigerians are smart. Most nigerians think they are better than the other Africans. I cant tell you how many times I have heard 'we are the african giant' 'we are the heart of Africa' 'Africa would be dead without Nigeria' 'A few nigerians can buy off entire african countries' 'Nigeria is the best' 'Nigeria rules Africa' I have heard all that from Nigerians. Nigeria should wake up; there are 53 countries in Africa and they all have something to offer....

Come on guys, it seems the people that post in the African forum never grow up. Please stop getting into these painfully boring taffs. i'm tired of banning people in this section.