World

deep into the Malaysian Buru which is ‘famous for bigsnakes and no snake trade’, Twigger enlists the help ofMohammed Ali and a Malaysian poet as translator.Twigger reflects on his role: ‘Maybe I’m no different froma Victorian big game hunter, who employs local guidesand skilled huntsmen, but I like to think of it as more likebeing an architect – you get somebody else to do thebuilding.’ Heading deeper into Indonesia, Twigger isgranted an audience with the King who agrees to assisthim in his quest but only after he has made a religiousoffering. We are told that if the villagers have a goodreason and an illness that needs a big snake, they mightfind one. The villagers use dogs and spears for huntingand Twigger states, ‘It’s a bit shocking to see a deerhunted down and then killed fairly inefficiently...I’mbeginning to understand now one of Wallace’s mainproblems, which was securing live or undamagedspecimens from the interior of Seram, because the firstinstinct of these people when they get an animal is to killit.’ When the villagers eventually find a seven metresnake, Twigger complains, ‘there was nothing I could doto stop the tribe from killing and eating the snake’ andhe states ‘I’d prefer that it was on the way to a zoo’ thanbeing ‘munched on by a whole bunch of bloodthirstytribesmen’ (8.3.99 Channel 4 2000-2100 To the Ends ofthe Earth).Lagos StoriesIn the week which ended with Nigeria going to the pollson 27 February, Channel 4’s Lagos Stories gave voice to fiveNigerians from a variety of backgrounds andperspectives. This short series of films was made byNigerian Stella Orakwue. The ‘access’ style of this seriesresulted in a portrayal which was distinct from mostprogrammes about developing world. In some sectionsof the sample, Africans were portrayed in stereotypicalterms with reference to tribalism (in news coverage oftourists murdered in Uganda) and savagery (in wildlifeprogrammes). However, in Lagos Stories each individualwas allowed to give a personal account of his/her life andhopes, conveying quite a different image. There was nonarrative or voice-over to detract from their stories. Allfive contributors expressed the wish for greaterdemocracy and prosperity for Nigeria. Accompanyingthe series, a Channel 4 website described the politicalbackground and history to Nigeria’s elections(www.channel4.com/nextstep.lagos_stories/intro.html).Channel 4 News ends at either 1950 or 1955. From thenuntil the 2000 broadcast of either Brookside or adocumentary, there is a five or ten minute slot eachweekday. Throughout the first three months of 1999, avariety of week-long series were shown at these times. Forexample, during the sample of 11 – 18 January, there wasa series called Gilbert and Sullivan: the Very Models whichwas an animation about the operatic partnership. TheFebruary sample (16 – 23 February) cut across two weeks.A series called Zoom focused on London Fashion Week,from 8 to 12 February. Lagos Stories was screened thefollowing week, from 22 to 26 February. During the sameweek, Channel Four News reported from Nigeria on 25, 26and Saturday 27 February, the day of the election. TheChannel Four website which accompanied the LagosStories series summarised the situations of eachindividual as follows:Monday 22/2/99: Doyin Abiola runs the ConcordNewspaper Group in Lagos and is the wife of ChiefMoshood Abiola, who won the last Nigerian presidentialelections in June 1993. The military cancelled thoseelections and jailed Chief Abiola, which led to nationalchaos. Chief Abiola died last year still in detention. In herfirst interview for British television, Doyin Abiola talksabout the man she knew as her husband, and attacks themilitary culture which she says has bastardised thecountry.Tuesday 23/2/99: Beko Ransome-Kuti, a medicaldoctor, is the chairman of the Campaign for Democracy– a thorn in the side of the government. He was jailed forthree years for allegedly masterminding a coup attemptand was released last summer. Dr Ransome-Kuti says it’snot elections that Nigeria needs but rather the removal ofthe stranglehold on the country’s institutions by peoplefrom the power-wielding north of the country. DrRansome-Kuti’s brother was the legendary musicianFela, who died in 1997 when Beko was still in prison.Wednesday 24/2/99: Senator Kofo Buckner-Akerelehas just been elected as the deputy governor of LagosState. She was an active campaigner for democracyduring the 1990’s. Now her attention is focused onimproving the appalling infrastructure and socialconditions in Lagos. She believes that attracting Westernprivate enterprise is the way to jump-start the economy.Thursday 25/2/99: Orlando Julius is one of Nigeria’sleading musicians – but he’s been living in the West for 25years. Now he has decided to return to Lagos for good. Hismission is to build a recording studio and to help youngmusicians. He believes Nigerians living abroad shouldreturn home to help their country go forward.Friday 26/2/99: Amos Adetunji is married with twoyoung daughters and lives in Lagos, but thanks towinning a United States visa in a lottery, Amos and his82 DFID – July 2000