Bob Dewar

The solar alternative

Also visited a company making solar panel/ power packs. Already making an impact in terms of powering fridges for vaccines, with great potential for street lights, small businesses, offices, isolated communities etc.

The national power grid is not working well up here and many operations in Kano are on 24 hour generators.

Posted at 10:26 19 May 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[3]

Kano, great northern city and crossroads

Visited Kano again, Nigeria's great Northern city and crossroads. Called on the Governor. Discussions included what the UK is doing to help tackle health and education challenges, including malaria and polio, getting girls into school and supporting introduction of modern syllabus- useful to young people when looking for jobs- into Islamic schools.

Also called on His Royal Highness the Emir of Kano.

Posted at 09:57 19 May 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

Remembrance Day: reflection from Nigeria

Yesterday I attended a small but very moving Remembrance Service in the northern city of Kano.This was the first of three we hold across Nigeria each year. The second will take place in the capital Abuja on Tuesday, the third in Lagos next Sunday.

The ceremony took place in a small well kept graveyard,  an island of peace and tranquillity. Our Honorary Consul had done a great job as usual in making the arrangements.  About 60 people attended including senior Nigerian military, the High Commissioners of Australia and Canada, the French Ambassador,  British military and members of the British community and High Commission.

There are Commonwealth War Graves and memorials in 26 cities and towns in Nigeria, marking the sacrifices made by British, Nigerian, Commonwealth and Allied forces in Two World Wars in the cause of peace and freedom. 

But the service was also an occasion to remind ourselves of those who still continue to pay the ultimate price, including Nigerian peace keepers who have died while working to bring peace to the people of Darfur and other conflicts on the African continent.

I personally think our work in the foreign service is all about learning lessons from the past and working for peace, reconciliation, friendship and international co-operation in the future. 

What was it like when the guns fell silent, 90 years ago? Siegfried Sassoon wrote movingly that 'the singing will never be done'.

The service in Kano was simple, including the Act of Remembrance, the last post, the two minutes silence. We stood together under a hot sun. There was no noise except the wind.

Posted at 12:09 10 November 2008 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[1]