Image source, Nigeria Presidency

Nigerian media are reporting that President Muhammadu Buhari's campaign for re-election has received a boost from unlikely quarters - namely the son of a former president.

Unlike ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo who last year called on the current president to step down at the end of his term, his son Olujonwo Obasanjo has declared his support for Mr Buhari and leads the Buhari Youth Organisation, the reports say.

"We have Buharists in the United States and all over the world," he is quoted by the Vanguard newspaper as saying, external.

Mr Obasanjo junior is reportedly in the United States drumming up support among the Nigerian diaspora.

"[Mr Buhari] is the one who has made us believe again in our country, who has made us proud of our country," he said, adding that the 76-year-old president "has opened up the space for the youth of the country to participate politically, economically."

Atiku Abubakar, who served as vice-president from 1999 to 2007, is Mr Buhari's main rival in the 16 February election.

Tuesday's African proverb:

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Welcome to BBC Africa Live where we will bring you the latest news from around the continent.

That's all from BBC Africa Live for now. Keep up-to-date with what's happening across the continent by listening to the Africa Today podcast or check the BBC News website.

A reminder of today's wise words:

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And we leave you with this picture from Gao in northern Mali:

Killian Ngala Chimtom
BBC Africa, Yaounde

The Israeli Embassy in Cameroon has said it is outraged at comments made by Cameroon's Deputy Justice Minister Jean de Dieu Momo in which he appeared to justify the Holocaust, in which some six million Jewish people were killed in Nazi Germany.

Asked on state television why he thought opposition leader Maurice Kamto had refused to accept defeat following the 7 October presidential election, Mr Momo used long established anti-Semitic stereotypes:

Mr Kamto, the leader of the MRC, comes from the Bamiléké ethnic group who have a reputation for being successful businessmen.

Mr Momo, who is also an ethnic Bamiléké, said it would be wrong for the group to seek political power alongside their economic influence, and suggested that trying to do so could be dangerous for the entire community.

“Educated people like Kamto should know where he is leading his people. When you are a leader, you lead your people away from danger, not towards it,” Mr Momo said.

The Israeli Embassy in Cameroon said in a statement that "the government official has justified the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany”.

It went on to suggest the comments would have an impact on the two countries' relationship:

The embassy has called for “an immediate apology,” from Cameroon's government.

The government spokesman has not been available for comment.

Milton Nkosi
BBC Africa, Johannesburg

Image source, Getty Images

South Africa's foreign ministry has complained about a joint statement from five ambassadors from Western countries urging the country to clamp down on corruption.

In a statement released today, Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisuslu said she had met with the ambassadors from five countries "to express South Africa’s displeasure" that they hadn't followed "established diplomatic channels when communicating to the South African government".

The US, UK, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands had sent a written memorandum to President Cyril Ramaphosa warning him that failure to act against those implicated in corruption placed foreign investment at risk.

The ambassadors and high commissioner regretted the misunderstanding about a discussion paper they had sent to President Cyril Rampahosa's office to contribute to a dialogue on how the country can attract more foreign direct investment.

The South Africans agreed on the need to fight corruption but had objected to the way the message was delivered. So a diplomatic row has been resolved.

We’re all aware that stereotypes exist but too often their impact isn’t considered.

Trésor Chovu is an investor who works between Europe and Africa.

Here are his thoughts on how stereotypes about Africans affect his ability to do business around the world and what African entrepreneurs can do to challenge negative perceptions:

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

An Egyptian court is seeking the death penalty for eight defendants who allegedly plotted to kill President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.

The accused are said to have formed a terrorist cell that planned to strike in 2014.

They're alleged to have intended to assassinate both Mr Sisi and the former Saudi Crown Prince, Nayef bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, while the Egyptian leader was on a pilgrimage to Mecca.

The case has been referred to one of Egypt's religious leaders, the Grand Mufti - a first step in the legal process required to confirm a death penalty verdict.

As campaigning for the Nigerian presidential election on 16 February enters the final stretch, some are asking who is behind the candidates.

Many believe that so-called godfathers are the ones who decide the election winners and losers.

These are political sponsors, who use money and influence to win support for their preferred candidates.

Godfathers have multiple motivations for backing certain political candidates.

The state is the most important source of income, which godfathers want access to.

Their "godsons", it is believed, are not always selected for their political acumen, but rather on their ability to repay and enrich their godfather.

But it is also a question of ego, some of the godfathers just want to be recognised as the most important person in their community.

Read more about Nigeria's Godfathers in Mayeni Jones' analysis.

BBC World Service

The suspended chief justice of Nigeria has, for the third time, failed to turn up at a tribunal where he is due to answer charges that he failed to declare his assets.

Last month President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Walter Onnoghen over the allegations - a controversial decision which drew sharp criticism within Nigeria and from the US and the European Union.

The move was widely seen as political as Nigeria's most senior judge would play a key role in any disputes that arise from the general election.

Mr Onnoghen has been ordered to appear at the tribunal on 13 February - just three days before the vote.

Image source, Getty Images

The Ghanaian president has apologised to people with disabilities over his use of the words "blind" and "deaf" in a political speech on last week.

Nana Akufo-Addo was at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) rally on Thursday when he said his government had fulfilled 41 promises it made to Ghanaians and added that only the blind and deaf would ignore that the promises had been fulfilled.

The Ghana Federation of Disability Organization expressed their disappointment over the president's use of the words deaf and blind. In a statement published at the weekend, the organisation said:

Mr Akufo-Addo apologised for "any unintended slight" on Sunday night on his official Facebook page, saying that: "If there has been any government that has been on the side of persons with disabilities, it is my government."

The Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed and his wife Zinash Tayachew have been given permission to adopt a child, Fana Broadcasting reports, external.

It adds that the child is named Million and is currently living in an orphanage in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

The couple already have three daughters.

A year ago Ethiopia banned the adoption of children by foreigners amid concerns they face abuse abroad.

Image source, Getty Images

However there was debate when the ban came in about what would happen to the children who were not going to be adopted abroad.

At the time Ethiopia was one of the biggest source countries for international adoptions by US citizens, accounting for about 20% of the total.

Added to that, adoption is not a big part of Ethiopia's culture and many orphans find themselves shuttled between relatives or on the streets.

Some say this adoption could bring in a change in culture.

The adoption could service to be a model to other Ethiopians to adopt disadvantaged children, the President of the Supreme Court Meaza Ashenafi is quoted by Fana broadcasting as saying.

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

France says its air force - working with the army in Chad - has carried out airstrikes against an armed group which had crossed the border from Libya.

A statement by the French military said a fighter jet took off from the capital, N'Djamena, and targeted a column of 40 vehicles with two airstrikes.

Last year, a fledgling rebel movement seeking to topple the Chadian president, Idriss Deby, carried out attacks in the north of the country.

The Command Council for the Salvation of the Republic first attacked last August.

Chad has also been under threat from Islamist militant factions.

France is supporting a regional force, known as G5, fighting the jihadists across the Sahel region.

Read more: The war in the desert

At least nine people were killed and several wounded when a car loaded with explosives blew up near a mall in a busy market in Somalia's capital Mogadishu.

"The blast occurred close to Mogadishu mall and it has caused death and destruction," police officer Ahmed Moalin Ali told AFP news agency.

He said some of the victims died in a building that collapsed as a result of the blast in the Hamarweyne market.

An ambulance service tweeted that their volunteers were helping the victims:

Mogadishu is regularly targeted by Islamist militant group al-Shabab.

From outside Nigeria it might seem that the presidential race is uppermost in people's minds as we approach the 16 February poll, but if campaign material in the main city, Lagos, is anything to go by then the state governor elections, a fortnight later, are more important.

The city is plastered with posters of the candidate for the All Progressives Congress Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

It seems that his image is staring at you from every lamp post, billboard and wall. There are even huge cut outs of the man overlooking some of the city's bridges.

And there are large balloon effigies, including one close to the BBC office, which on Sunday looked like this:

But by Monday morning, it was looking more deflated:

Some Lagosians are joking that when they close their eyes all they can see is Mr Sanwo-Olu

Images of his main rival for Lagos state governor, the People's Democratic Party's Jimi Agbaje, are barely seen.

Image source, AFP

A Maltese port manager has been shot dead in Somalia's northern semi-autonomous Puntland state, officials say.

Paul Anthony Formosa, who was the construction project manager for DP World, was killed inside Bossasso port.

Islamist militant group al-Shabab has said it carried out the attack.

Puntland, an arid region of north-east Somalia, declared itself an autonomous state in 1998, in part to avoid the clan warfare in southern Somalia.

The state is a destination for many Somalis displaced by violence in the south.

Read more on the BBC News website.

Followers of controversial Malawian self-styled prophet Shepherd Bushiri turned up outside court in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, to show their support for him, after he was arrested on Friday for alleged fraud.

A journalist with the local Times Live news site has tweeted a video of the supporters banging drums and cheering outside the court:

Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary were arrested following an investigation which began in 2015.

In court on Monday they were formally charged with fraud and money laundering but were not asked to plead.

Police say the couple's luxury cars, houses and private jet could also be seized pending the finalisation of the criminal case against them.

They have not commented on the allegations.

They've been remanded in custody and are expected to apply for bail on Wednesday.

The church leader is known as much for his lavish lifestyle as for his successful ministry, which stretches across Africa.

He claims to have cured people of HIV, appeared to walk on water on social media and owns four private jets.

• Read more: Meeting the man who ‘walks on air’

Monday's African proverb:

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Welcome to BBC Africa Live where we will bring you the latest news from around the continent.