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From Our Own Correspondent: Nigeria and the US (Detroit)

Nigeria and the US (Detroit)

19/04/11

BBC World Service - From Our Own Correspondent, Nigeria and the US (Detroit)

Insight, wit and analysis from BBC correspondents in Nigeria and the United States

John Murphy with insight and analysis from BBC correspondents around the world. Dan Isaacs weighs up Nigeria's election and Petroc Trelawny hears why the Detroit Symphony Orchestra went on strike.

John Murphy presents insight, wit and analysis from BBC correspondents around the world. 

In today's edition Dan Isaacs in Nigeria and Petroc Trelawny in the American city of Detroit.

A clean sweep - in a clean election?
This month Nigeria has been involved in a massive democratic exercise. There have been parliamentary elections, voting for state governorships is due in a few days' time and they've just held their presidential poll.  

The incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan, was the country's first president to come from its oil-rich Niger Delta region. His country still faces major problems with a crumbling infrastructure and important divisions between the north and south. 

Despite questionable results in some of areas of the country, and outbreaks of violence, some outside observers have called these Nigeria's best and cleanest elections yet. Dan Isaacs, once BBC correspondent in the country, returned to witness the contest.

Detroit's Symphony Orchestra plays again
It was once America's "Motor City," the home of the mighty US car industry as well as of the famous Motown Music. In recent decades though, Detroit has become synonymous with urban decay - boarded up houses, drug dens and people fleeing the city (Detroit's population is now under half what it was at its peak in 1950).   

But there are signs of change - if not of recovery - then at least of new, creative ideas to solve its problems. As Petroc Trelawny has discovered, there is now reason to celebrate, as one of the country's most bitter labour disputes appears to have been resolved.

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