Taylor's slip
Ex-Liberian strong man Charles Taylor has "disappeared" in Nigeria, only days after Nigeria eventually announced that it would hand him over to an international court to face human rights charges.

It is certainly not beyond the realms of imagination that the Nigerian authorities "allowed" Taylor to disappear, given their reluctance to arrest Taylor or end his asylum in Nigeria in the first place. If so, it represents another return to "old" African politics that our continent simply does not need, most especially from a key African state. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has been making all the wrong noises as an African leader of late, becoming stubborn on African affairs issues and hinting that he will run for an unconstitutional third term.

Obasanjo leaves shortly to meet US President George Bush, where he will undoubtedly receive a grilling over Taylor. It probably won't be his easiest trip...