By Boma Nwuke
2020, a leap year started on Wednesday, January 1 with expectations of global peace, economic recovery and regional stability .
However,on January 3 , what appeared to be the start of a third world war began in the Middle-East region as the United States President ,Donald Trump ordered the assaination of an Iranian Major General,Oasem Solemani. Solemani was killed by a US drone at the Baghdad airport, He was in charge of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Commander of the Quds Force. Solemani’s death led to massive protests and tension in the region with retaliatory attacks on US facilities hosting troops in Iraq.
Not long,there was the impeachment trial of US President, Donald Trump and the exit of Britain from the European Union which eventually happened after years of debate, negotiations and renegotiations.
While tension was escalating in the middle-east and Brexit attainedment topping discussion worldwide,a sneaky virus was spreading in the city of Wuhan, capital of Central China’s Hubei province. The deadly virus soon became a global threat as it spread across cities, countries and continents causing millions of deaths, hospitalisations and increased wave of infections. The pandemic is linked to recession in many countries as most governmentts strategized on saving lives more than anything else.
The year 2020 was also remarkable in the agitation for racial justice that led to resurgence of protests by “Black Lives Matter in America and many countries around the world.
The protest peaked in July as over 20 million Americans gathered in various cities against the brutal killing of George Floyd and other African Americans.
In August,an attempt by the Kremlin to waste an opposition figure,Alexei Navalny was exposed and codemned.Navalny was poisoned with Novichok (nerve agent) . The poisoning was confirmed by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical weapons.
As though occuring in Biblical times, locusts in large numbers hit countries including Kenya, Somalia,Eritrea,Uganda India, Pakistan and Oman. The insects, more than 2 inches long, invaded farmlands and exposed millions especially in East Africa to hunger.
The United States general elections also defined global moments. The elections were held on November 3 with winners at local and national levels. The Presidential election however sprang a surprise to many as a dangerous build up on democracy was laid and allowed to fester. A winner Joe Biden emerged 4 days after the election scoring the constitutional 270 Electoral College votes but was disallowed recognition by the incumbent President Trump. Biden, in his first speech as President-elect, noted the division in the country and said he would operate a unity government devoid of race,political and religious affiliations
Trump, whose tenure ends on January 20, 2020, left many Americans and people of the world confused as he rejected the election outcome, and sued for recounting in swing states which at the end made his matter more complicated. The Electoral College has affirmed Biden winner of the presidential election yet, Trump still plays the spoiler role and believes he had a chance to overturn the election.
In the midst of the euphoria and quagmire of the US election, were deafening pro- democracy protests in Hong Kong.The Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam’s introduction of a national security law and order of Beijing was seen as an affront calculated to crack down rights and political activists with a view to bringing pro democracy protests to an end. As world leaders and followers pondered on how to solve their economic problems and frontally challenge the virus, vaccine developing companies announced a breakthrough of the vaccines developed. The efficacy of vaccines and roll out for use was the tonic needed to take a nap.
Vaccine makers, Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna and Oxford-Astra Zeneca had and still have a good time supplying vaccines in hundreds of millions to richer countries for the innoculation of their citizens while poorer countries look forlorn not sure of when they would be able to procure it for their citizens.
The joy of availability of the vaccines for use did not last for long as the virus mutated and launched a more transmissible variant in the United Kingdom forcing many countries to close their doors to the UK. Flights to and from the UK were banned so were land borders closed to prevent the variant from entry.
Africa also had a stake in the great moments of 2020, Apart from the problem of hunger caused by rampaging locusts in the East, there were disturbing security challenges in the West. In Nigeria, Boko Haram terrorists and their Ally Islamic State of West Africa and yet to be identified terroriss group- bandits have collectively dealth a devastating blow on the country as kidnapping for ransom and killing became the new norm.
Africa also had its fair share of the coronavirus pandemic as the continent witnessed increasing cases and deaths though far lower than what the situation is in other continents.
Perhaps a major factor underpinning the success story of containing the covid pandemic in the continent was the synergy of countries under the African Union (AU) .
For instance, the (AU), established the Covid-19 fund for member States. An arrangement between the African Union Development Agency and the New Patnerships for Africa Development ( NEPAD),was forged to tackle both the covid challenges and post pandemic difficulties at national and regional levels.
Africa also had change of guards in Presidential and Parliamentary elections in some countries including Burkina Faso,Burundi, Central African Republic,Ghana,Cote D’voire, Seychelles,Niger and Tanzania.The continent also focused on Development priorities which included Poverty alleviation,youth employment, and advancing business environment to stimulate regional integration and creation of Industrial revolution.
The issue of debt management and Debt relief was also on the frontline of most African states.
In all ,2020, was good and bad. Good in the sense that one of the world ‘s oldest democracies, the United States with a culture of unimpaired democracy for more than 200 years would once again respect the core values establishing it which include respect for human lives, human dignity, and equality. The vaccines developed within months and being administered are good for protection of human lives as no cure for coronavirus is yet in sight. Also, heartwarming is the ease of lockdown by countries. Compared to March when various countries began enforcement of total lockdown including private and public establishments(big or small) which created disturbing features of idleness, hunger and anger, there is the need to heave a sigh of relief at least now that some levels of restrictions are allowed. Again those who saw the year from the beginning to end have reason to thank God for wellness and opportunity to steer through the rigors of the year and spared.
The outgoing year was bad because many lost loved ones, lost means of livelihood and got caught up in the deadly coronavirus pandemic. The year changed conceptions to misconceptions, production to ruination . It
was a tough year for parents,it was a tough year for children especially school children. It was a year that demonstrated the good of the Information age. A year where those who were not either conversant with the age and lacked facilities were left out in the scheme of things.
To some, the year was a bittersweet year. That is to say that the year started well before the advent of the coronavirus . The year fostered cooperation and unity of family life, It created and renewed friendships and drew people closer to God. On the contrary it created criminal acts such as rape, and robbery and turned out sickness, depression and the inevitable – death.That is why its 12 calendar months appear longer than expected.
Nevertheless, the clock ticks signalling the end of the year. The new year is in the neighborhood of 48 hours. How the coming year 2021 and the moments that would define it will be is only a matter of time.
