Evening Exchange; Nigeria, Chakufwa Chihana, Rock Newman

The. Fighting in Liberia or the fight for human rights and the men who manage fighters Rock Newman and Dick Gregory all up next on evening Xchange. Good evening and welcome to evening Xchange I'm Cojo Anandi. Nigeria is the richest most populated black nation in the world. It is oil rich and has been free from British colonial rule for over 30 years. Nigeria is in the process of dissolving its military government and is slowly building toward democracy. Nigeria has been making front page news lately because of its role as a peacekeeper in the Liberian civil war. Joining us now to shed some light on Nigeria and her future is Ambassador Zubayr Cozart. Welcome to evening exchange. Mr. Ambassador thank you very much. I guess because Nigeria is such a populous an influential country in Africa everybody is interested in the process towards democracy. At what stage are you now in that process.

Well at this stage now we have already held elections to the local government councils in Nigeria. 1990. Unless we elected the members of the state assembly and there are 30 states correct. There are 30 states that are kept our territory which is not as good. But I know that you need a demonstration. So we are elected to the state governors and members of the state assembly. At the beginning at the beginning of this year we elected members of National Assembly members of the Senate and House of Representatives. These elections had been held on the basis of two parties we have the National Republican Convention and the Social Democratic Party. Now in July we held primary elections but unfortunately because of widespread allegations of voter irregularities. The government

on the advice of the Esperance political aspirants decided to cancel the election and audit investigation into these allegations. People would wonder why is it being done in so many different phases. Why not just have one large election that encompasses local governments state assemblies the National Assembly and governorships and the presidency all at one time. We tried that before and it didn't work. Why not. Because the people of Nigeria and not use to that Western style democracy. We had our own traditional system so it's sad because it is for us Clacton you and for this reason we have to build it gradually so that the people of Nigeria will be landing all along side by side with elections. We have a very comprehensive problem program of political education and also had to agree if we can move with it in order to make

the people out of the right and duty to invest in the future. He does the virtues of democracy and freedom and the need to be patriotic and accountable to the people what the level of participation. Have you had in those elections would have been held so far. I am particularly interested because as you know we just had a presidential election in this country noted for what we consider a large turnout which was just a little bit over 50 percent. Well the level of participation of participation participation is starting at the grassroots not only in the election to government office it was also the political parties people before political parties used to fund it. And then they pulled themselves. But now that on the people of them so came together that it just doesn't the political parties and elected the leaders from the grassroots so it is a sort of grassroots kind of election.

And I know that your president General Ibrahim Babangida recently held a telephone conversation I think with President elect Bill Clinton. Can you share with us what they discussed. Well A I did not have the details of exactly what it is because I know that president congratulated the president elect Bill Clinton winning the election. And that together they agreed to cooperate in the resolution of the problem of. Liberia the president of the United States said he was afraid it was Nigeria and that there was definite plans to find a solution to the problem when he takes office in January. Did they discuss any at all the process of democracy that's taking place in Nigeria itself. Well our motive of those details. One quick question before we go to Liberia and Nigeria and that is it is my understanding that in January of 1993 the military government in Niger will cease to exist and will instead be replaced by what

was going to say that you interrupt me now because of the widespread illegal activities in the conduct of the primary elections the nation and the commission of Nigeria advised the government to postpone the handover of power to August 27 1993. Meanwhile before that time the National Assembly which was elected is going to assume the stated function in December. And the second Gen3 the Armed Forces Council which is a legislative body in the country it will be dissolved indeed to be praised by the National Defense and Security Council and then all civilian National Transitional Council will also be integrated. It is interesting that your president as a military man himself seems to be the major driving force behind this move to democracy. Which is not generally

associated with military leaders. Is he a different kind of military leader. Well our president is very very democratic indeed they are democratically minded. But before he launched this transition program we had a nationwide debate or people submitted memoranda made speeches they wrote articles about the future constitution of Nigeria and the kind of political system that you had going to have and these ideas were aggravated by a political barrow made up of eminent Nigerians and then a constituent assembly which was elected by the people people. This is a draft of a new constitution for Nigeria and then to the present political system which is Peten on that if the United States. Well there is a lot more to talk about Nigeria the economy what's going on in the northern part of the country but the major crisis in your part of the world right now is in Liberia and Nigeria is playing a role leading those 12000 Eco's troops that

are trying to bring some form of peace to Liberia. But it seems that they are not having a great deal of success. Charles Taylor has launched his insurrection again and it would appear that he is not at this point willing to settle for anything less than ruling the entire country of Liberia. Do you see any settlement in the near future. Well we our purpose in joining the Air Force today just have the people of the area still of the carnage again themselves to save the Accomack to save lives and property and to restore that that we have along with other members of the common good be able to separate the forces and they will be able to initiate a peace process which fortunately has not been entirely successful because of the attitude of Mr. Charles Taylor right now a guy engaged in combat support is defending them so that

this defendant said they have not taken offense but they just. I just spoke with the defendant and said I'm hoping that he will come to his senses and agree to the terms of cease fire. Decamping and I mean his forces and allowing the process of constitutional democracy to resume. Forgive me for saying this but that does seem to be a vain hope at this point given Mr. Taylor's attitude and his accusations against some of the Liberian forces which are assisting the peacekeeping forces whom he claims have attacked him. And one would suspect that there needs to be a higher level of either negotiation or military activity in order to resolve the situation. Do you foresee that at all. Well I in this situation and the situation we will see is eventually we believe that peace and normalcy and not

delay is not our intention just to win the long gun is necessary as soon as we are satisfied that she has to cooperate and this engages and allows the peace process. See I think the situation like situation with the country. Let me go to the telephone. Thank you for waiting. Caller you're on the air. Go ahead please. Caller are you there in the conversation that your president had with President elect Clinton. Did Mr. Clinton indicate any possible change in U.S. policy in the Liberian crisis under the Clinton administration. I wouldn't know that. Because of that. But what the countries of West Africa be disposed to a greater role by the United States given its historic ties to Liberia which after all was created by former slaves who had left this country the United States had recently been forthcoming inheriting the force materially extending

support to us and we that this kind of cooperation will continue and expand back to the telephone let's try it again you're on the air. Caller go ahead please. Are you there. If the caller is there I can hear the caller back to Nigeria. There are economic problems in the 1970s as a result of oil prices the Nigerian economy was in a boom state. However in the 80s least a part of the 80s and the 90s the value of your naira has dropped significantly I think it's now 15 to one for a U.S. dollar. What is the cause of that and what can the government do about it. Well the main cause of that is over dependence on petroleum as our main source of foreign exchange. And the government of India in 1980 six to seven years ago might introduce the structural adjustment program which is intended to make us less dependent on

petroleum to move the economy to us. Free market forces to increase the private sector sector and the economy. Just to let that none of the productive sectors of the economy in the process of encouraging investment from any country in the neck and that is to do with is very much behind. Nigeria has many advantages and investment made very a lot of resources in resources agriculture resources. The country is very it and as you know Nigeria is producing a lot of petroleum. We have many downstream opportunities for investment to put in the sector to sector. And we have also we had a lot of emphasis on the development of materials for industries. These are the areas of investment which we're inviting Americans and other.

People to invest in the country. We can supply information on the investment of change in Nigeria by the embassy located on June 30th 16th Street Northwest. The old ready and from that all prospective investors want to invest in that they can call us all ask them in person. All right. And then we should supply information like investments code which was going to be my next question because a lot of people that I know who are entrepreneurs have expressed some interest in investing or doing business in Nigeria. And the ambassador has just pointed out that you merely have to contact the embassy of Nigeria here in Washington and it will facilitate whatever it is that you think you can do in the country of Nigeria. There are those of us who remember with a great deal of unhappiness the Nigerian Civil War in the 1960s and we hear today that there is some fighting in the northern part of the country between Christians and Muslims. How intense is that and what is

being done about it. There are some disturbances in the northern part of the country but honestly I have never thought in my mind I never believed that disturbances were religious. They are really based on some tensions between the Sunni groups and they are not continuous. And that just happens now as if they had noticed that when I was in the country that we tried our best to see that this is see that all these kind of disturbances. That's why we have this very comprehensive program of political education and political mobilization. A decade before the need for political cohesion back to the telephone your your caller. Go ahead please. Hello. Hi. Hi there. Yeah I want to answer two questions. First question is that they are very different people. You know what it's like to be like that people say they work for the TV or for the American

people. Well why not get in. People know what they're not good people. And the second one is Why does not speak in Nigeria. Thank you. That's not that's not true. And the allegation first of all that the freedom of speech in Nigeria ever anybody who knows Nigeria we know that we have one of the freest press Africa. People are pretty concerned that even in those newspaper the majority so all these people have the government and second that we have elected officials that we have in the country we the local council which are now working. We have a chairman. We have state governors and state office members both of whom have been elected. We have National Assembly consistent with the Senate and House of Representatives which was tied up late in December. That's next. So all of that I work in this city would not have been something. She said she's been here for the last 20 years. No wonder. That's because the ambassador would

advise the last 20 years that she doesn't know what is going on in Nigeria. So it's better to go and see what is going on with the country and to participate in a political process. Back to the telephone caller. You're on the air. Go ahead please. Yes my question to Liberia. I'd like to know why Nigeria has become the primary force feeding in and number one and to how the country really afford that much money. Who is paying for it. OK. Thank you. We consider our participation in Liberia. First of all I told you the reason earlier. But for some reason you really assume intervene to help the people of Nigeria of Liberia to end this carnage again themselves. And secondly we are also members of the Ecorse Echo was for a very very important reason organizations television station because it buys a very large market for investors in Nigeria and for us that a lot of trend

to regional integration or oh by the way for us the survival is very very important and we believe that our participation in the Accomack peacekeeping force is less it and is very cost effective. Back to the telephone you're on the air caller go ahead please. Are you like your god that you think will be God's will. It will be become a barrier. And that would be to the economy in Nigeria. Would you want the white population to come in and make it clear to do not get Nigeria like corrupting our faith and keeping it very quiet. I want to add that. The education although in your IT AUTOMATICALLY I ever want that get is a lot in Nigeria like what we are now doing. What are your goals in order to achieve

that. OK OK there's three or four questions you ask. I'll start with the last one first crime and I would add corruption in Nigeria what can be done. What the government is doing its best really to eliminate crime and corruption. We have a number of institutions which take complaints from people. We have the code of conduct bureau. We have the public complaints commission and we have code of conduct that drive the oldest organization. Take this. He has complaints from people who because of corruption or other official malpractices and before so the government is very much engaged in educating the people of the virtues of patriotism and law and order. So I didn't read it quite a lot when it first of all this meant my practice. The other question had to do with intensive U.S. participation in the Nigerian

economy as compared to how the US participates in those economies I guess in the Caribbean and South America. There are a lot closer geographically to this country so I guess it would be much more difficult for the US to have that kind of penetration in the Nigerian economy. I'm answering the question that you were asked. Agreed. Distance can be a factor but in this very small world which is now virtually a global village distant distant did not need to be a constraint. And we really were. Yes investment went to the United States and up for new years to come in joint investment was not debt debt. We believe that investment goes straight and we believe that whether or not is to its. Investors go to Nigeria they will take along with them machinery and spare parts and that will create great opportunities for the United States and they will help also even reviving the it is to the economy. So investment in Nigeria. I believe that it

would be mutually beneficial both both to the people and that is the typical Nigeria and in Africa generally the more you invest in African countries the more likely it is for that economies to recover and this will make it necessary for us to ask for all foreign aid and technical assistance from the United States. So really we believe that investment in Nigeria and indeed in other African countries by the United States is mutually beneficial. Well Mr. Ambassador your last assignment in 1989 to 1991 was in the Soviet Union. It must have been a very exciting time you witnessed the turnover of the political and economic system in the Soviet Union and now in Washington you get to be a part of the first Democratic administration coming in and more than 12 years must be very exciting. Good luck to you. Thank you very much indeed. Later in our program we'll talk with Rock Newman and Dick Gregory about the fight game.

But up next a man who fights for freedom. Come back the fight for freedom and democracy in Africa has been long and

often bloody men and women have fought and died for centuries for the right to self-determination. Our next guest has dedicated his life to such a fight. Chuck Kofa Chhun who is not with us this evening is a leader in the democracy movement in Malawi. He has been beaten and jailed but he still fight song. Mr. Shahana has been honored for his work. He is the 1992 recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. To coup China is virtually a political prisoner in Malawi. Joining us tonight is his son inact Shahana who will be accepting the award for his father. And Iraq is joined by M-word longway who is with the Alliance for Democracy in Malawi. Gentlemen welcome to both of you. If not it would be an indication of just the kind of person your father is if you would tell our viewers why he could not be here tonight. Thank you very much. Firstly I would like to say that

to correct it he told me that my father is has been released on bail since the 9th of April. That's why I say that he is virtually a political prisoner as opposed to being ordered to go Christmas. My father wouldn't come back to receive his award because the government has confiscated his passport. That's what I meant. Yes. So basically my father started his political activities when he was young in the 1950s fighting for corruption and exploitation during the colonial days. He continued with the murder of Congress but the struggle for independence and when they got independence he found out that the American press buddy which is the ruling party which the ruling party inherited this SIM card on your ruse of exploiting Africans. Now that was exploitation between an African and an African African So he decided that that is not good and he wanted to move the

trade union since he was a founder of the first trade union movement in Malawi which was called the General Workers Union. Indeed it was his trade union connection that helped to save him the first time when he had to. Flee to Kenya. He was assisted by Tom Ambuja who was then a well known trade union leader who has now passed on but who assisted your father in the 1960s in Kenya where your father became a trade union activist. Please tell us the circumstances under which his then wife was sent back to Malawi from King. OK. The wife of my father who is my mom is related to almost Abunda. Little brother. Is the president for the life of Malala. He is yes somewhere in the 90s. I didn't know the thrill in 96. We don't know exactly but he's in between 93 and 96. What happened is when my mom was in Kenya with my father

Gamow's Abunda didn't like my mom getting married to my father what he did is he talked to Jomo Kenyatta in French. Jomo Kenyatta to kidnap my mom sent her back to Malawi. So what happened is they can. Government told my mom that your father is seriously sick and you have to return to my house. When my mom returned to Malawi she was told that you have to divorce her now and be are no more going back to Kenya. That's what happened. And my father stayed by himself from 1966 12:33. Then he decided to go back to Florida. My mom and me and my sister because I'm the second one. Then what happened is that during that year or so my father could strike in Kenya and they deported him. But to my knowledge. Well the rest is history because your father went back to Malawi continued his activities

was beaten kept in solitary confinement. Was subjected to all kinds of torture but never quit. He eventually left and went to London and did degrees undergraduate degrees and master's degrees went back to Malawi again. He was jailed again where he was tortured again. And as you pointed out he has recently been released from prison but he has determined to stay in Malawi and continue his activities. And I guess the Alliance for Democracy in Malawi is one of the organizations that he works with. What progress is the alliance making towards democracy in Malawi. Hastings Banda doesn't seem to favor it at all. Yeah right. First of all their alliance for democracy is a pressure group because they don't allow opposition parties in Malawi. Malawi is the one body state. What the Alliance for Democracy is generally doing at the moment is trying to inform and organize. People are calling for a referendum where people will be able to choose

whether they want one. But instead all they want. Margie bodies is dead right now the government of Malawi has agreed to have every friend them but they haven't said they haven't said how the referendum is going to be held. So the Alliance for Democracy has come up with conditions whereby the Malawi government has to fulfill those those conditions before the referendum could be held. And this means you know the monitoring of the independent community from the international community and then the release of all political prisoners and allowing all of the political exiles to go back home the winds of political change are blowing throughout Africa. As you just heard in our segment in Nigeria. But Hastings Banda seems to be resolute in maintaining his and the the leadership of the Malawi Congress

party. What are the pressures on Hastings Banda for democracy are the pressures coming from outside of Malawi or are they coming primarily from the people of Malawi. And will he eventually buckle both the international community as Fred spread very very significantly on this and given the internal pressure. Is this just mean that he's still alive. My love for people to demonstrate this happened in May when my father was released. People demonstrated they did. And. People Merali the peace loving people. And this is the first time in the history of Malawi we are sure that people are frustrated. They want change. Like other countries in Africa. So your father is going to be a part of that movement even though he is not allowed to leave the country at this time. In fact Shahana is here in Washington to receive on his father's behalf the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. Please pass on to your father the congratulations of all people who fight for freedom in

Washington and around the world. And encouragement for him to keep on struggling. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. We do have to take a break now. But up next the fighters behind the fight. Stay with us. Come back on Friday the 13th

Riddick big daddy ball was counting the hours until he would step into a ring and face the Evander Holyfield with a record of 32 and all 27 knockouts. Riddick Bowe won a unanimous 12 round decision against the defending champion. With that win both one new respect and three million dollar purse. The only thing he lost was 30 pounds and preparing for this. But both attributes that weight loss to hard training and drinking a special herbal concoction mixed for him by that well known and nutritionist Dick Gregory Joining us to talk about the future of the new world champion is his proud manager Rock Newman. We also welcome the man responsible for the weight loss. Dick Gregory welcome to both of you. Thank you. Thank you my brother rock for you. This is certainly a vindication of taking on a fighter whom a lot of other people did want to take on. And you must feel really good about this. It's a it's a great feeling. We've had our struggles trials and tribulations. We maintain our integrity. We did not compromise

anything. We just kept working hard kept the eye on the prize and on the 13th when he became the champion. They say that success is that this is the best revenge. We feel pretty good. Everybody knows Riddick Bowe as a big puncher. Everybody thought this fight would last less than seven rounds. If Riddick ball was to win it. When you saw that fight going 12 rounds and everybody feels that this is the best thing since the Thrilla in Manila. And this was a great fight. Everybody felt that after the seventh round you would probably be getting a little nervous were you. No I was not because I stayed the entire two months in camp with Riddick. I saw what kind of conditioning program that he was going through and what kind of nutritional program that Greg had him on. I kept telling people I said Holothele evades Rydex power. For the first seven or eight rounds we welcome round 9 10 11 and 12 because he's got so much strength so much power. So many herbs and vitamins. The good stuff and his conditioning was such that

I knew that he could control those later rounds. He's bigger and stronger anyhow for a champion. Those are what they call the money around 9 10 11. And that ball was certainly there. Dick Gregory before we go to our special guest on the telephone here tell us what was that concoction which Riddick Bowe hate it so much when I drank it. It was a particular sacrifice he had to make which I heard you say today it should be an example for other young people. Let me tell you something that I think I think anything that you take you would hate. When you had to look. You had to be in a camp like you did for eight weeks to see what a human being goes through. We just see the one part of it we see the finale we see if he if he if everything works right he's a champ. We don't work right. He's not. But you have to see the hurt and the pain and getting up in the cold weather early in the morning and running when you don't feel like running and then getting in that ring you see.

We see him that night take some punches gives him a fight over what we didn't see him was taking punches in response from sparring partners every day. I mean every day man he get hit. You have to get hit in the body you have to take all of those shots you have to take everything to be ready. And so into the whole month the whole mind thing. And then every day you have to pump that up and you know you had to sit there to see how rock nobody bothered nobody. Everybody had their job to do and everybody did their job and it would just be which is brilliant in what we were able to do was take a lot of different juices and and I volunteer because there are certain uses you should give here and you get one shot I put it all in and take it in there. And look here when I tell you that when. You know you take someone and they have to take to three of 400 tablets herbs minerals vitamins could you add the cross combinations together.

Well I would say the rock was taken the rock was Rock was on here is this was involved in the body. Everybody was coming in you know taking it was one healthy nutrition you stay up and that's what allowed me to go to our live telephone line because our guest has a lot of work to do the same thing and I know he has to get away on our life line is news channel. GLENN HARRISON why Glenn is with us this evening is because most of what I know about Rock Newman I learned from working with Glenn Harris and his brother Ron Harris who was a boxing analyst W.H. you are whenever anybody would ask Glen Harris for an opinion about Rock Newman Glenwood. All of this started by saying first you got to understand Rock Newman is my friend. So you never get me to say anything and I'm not right ever. He's a loyal type of guy as his rock. Glen what are your thoughts on the rock success on Riddick both success. Hi go Joe. I appreciate you having me on this evening. Rock Dick how are you doing. Fine brother. You know it is amazing. Because when people say something about rock they're talking about him to me that they're talking

to him also because if it's anything negative he will know it instantly because I will play the game with them. They think they want to play again. And I'm in the news media but I'm still part of. The whole family family ball if you will. And of course I can always get to my main man so I have to leave word on his answering service. But it would be most articulate. And we have a little cold. We talk to each other. He will know if it is up or down. So people want to say something negative don't come to me I'm telling you that publicly. Were you surprised about how red bull conducted himself during those 12 rounds. No because rock and I have been talking. My brother Ron who is about as levelheaded as you get for any human being I know. And when I looked at the people around Riddick such as Greg and just some of the other people the intellectual people that rock had installed in the camp just to keep

harmony and keep things going. This is not this is not stumblebum group here we've got people with college degrees of sophistication levels of sophistication. You're talking about a guy like Dick Gregory who has marched with Martin Luther King who's been with Malcolm X who's been with Minister Farrakhan and the Kennedys and the people head of heads of state this man it is mass religion. And I'm saying that great because I respect you so much and be true. There's no way the Rock Newman is going to surround himself with any people stumble bum around. You can believe that no one's perfect that's for sure. But the kind of people that he had around really I mean you want to learn. And the great thing about. Learning something is that when you didn't know something yesterday and you know it today or you didn't know something when you were first starting out all of a sudden that knowledge comes in. Man I tell you it's one of the greatest feelings in the world. And I could see really maturing and getting more sophisticated each and every day when he started learning. You know. I did a show with rock on my show called Sports week on Channel 8

and. Rock n really were my first guess when Chan-Ling opening rock turned down a Larry King interview to come on the show and really hardly said anything. And that's just been a year ago. It's a totally different person. Why. Because he has learned different things about this life that can really be a good life. And with people like Rockridge aside and Greg and some of the others it really makes him a better person for wanting to learn more things. Thank you very much Glen Harris of news channel 8 for joining us. We would not have been able to do this tonight without you. As one former Howard baseball player to another it is my understanding that really Bill has expressed an interest in attending Howard University. Tell us about. Yes both really. And his wife have expressed that interest. I am very honored that they have that they want to do so. And I've been in touch already with the administration to set up whatever the procedure is going to be require

quite to get him involved. He wants to do it because he he is maturing. He has a thirst for knowledge and understanding more and the more you understand the more he wants to learn. And it's just a fantastic thing and I think it will be a great symbol to kids out there who would look up to him. The folks who have been out of frappes high school and figured they couldn't go back to college again or that image of him doing that. I think we'll have a very positive impact. And Greg I heard you and Rock both today at the rally at Union Temple Baptist Church mentioned how rock and Riddick in this fight have managed to bring together a number of political and personal foes. Tell us about some of the people who share that platform with you. You had Mayor Marion Barry Leonard Caffey Hugh. John John Wilson was there everybody was there. But that's what that's what's new. That's what happens when you inject something new. You see we talk about people can come together

in a disaster the earthquake can hit and people rally but this two ends to that. There's also this other beautiful end of the rainbow the rainbow chapel down on both sides and for a split few minutes you can bring people together and who knows what happens in a few minutes when people come to you. It made all of their differences seem petty today when I heard them and I couldn't see them because it was on the radio with when I heard them there. It was obvious that everybody wanted to be there and that everybody wanted to be friendly. A few details before we go to the telephone we know everybody in town wants to talk to you right now. First the controversy over the filing fee and whether or not Riddick will receive his three million dollar purse. Well first of all I was never worried about that because I made provisions that he was going to get paid with the mission. He'll stick up and not Miss Newman didn't raise a little dumb son. That was that was already covered. I will be continuing to speak with the sanctioning bodies. There are some concerns that I have about the way they do business. And before I go and fork over a hundred thousand dollars a piece I want to share those concerns.

That is about how that will work itself out. That is so important because you have entered a business now at the highest levels of that business that has always been associated with several questionable practices and there are a lot of people who are glad that Rock Newman is long right now to question some of those practices. Second the dispute with the Associated Press photographer which we have been reading about in the newspaper which they say can cause you to lose your license in Las Vegas be fined as much as $100000. Can you clarify Coca-Cola. I expect that now that we this is as high as we can go in. In my particular business to represent a heavyweight champion of the world and I expect that there will be efforts many to tear down that particular success. There have been several allegations of me having punched kicked stepped on Nick hand. All of those kinds of things I would have made an octopus to have to have done all the things that have been accused so I did none of those things. And they are clear very shortly. And let me tell you this here.

If if he's banned from Vegas he can go anywhere in the world and let me tell you how much money they can get with that type of fight. So those that I know I say that say they're not just taking on rock when they talk about victory taking on the casinos. If you could look at the action when we first got there you could look out of those places was if you could look at the action and how those rooms start filling up no Vegas would think twice. Will they make that. And finally Lennox Lewis says 12 million dollars on the table right now for you to fight me next. What does Rock Newman say you know that was his manager Frank Maloney playing a little silly public relations game that he doesn't know how to play because he made me an offer that I really couldn't refuse because I can easily refuse the 12 million dollar offer when I can get a for Riddick 18 to 20 million dollars myself so if he was going to try to embarrass me into doing something he would have offered 25 or 30 million dollars. But he does say he's trying to play a PR game that he's really not familiar with 12 million dollars. Can we make news on the exchange tonight.

Who's next. Lennox Lewis or George Foreman. One of the two one or the other. Let's now go to the telephone we know you've been waiting. It is your turn. We're with Dick Gregory and Rick Newman. You're on the air. Caller go ahead please. Well Hello Coach Joe. My name is called Brown and every night I was a freshman up at a slow or late Rock Newman don't count. And he was a great dog. Cause you're doing me to college life. And I had a chance to meet Mr. Gregory in 1985. Why do you have for an hour. SCOTT That's what my college degree got from Scott camp. But now I'm in business but. What I wanted to say you know Rock did a great job and hung in there and I'm really proud of you. And every now and then I get a chance to see Glen Iran Harris. Always after about you know we keep in touch and

doing a great job in our role model. Thank you very much. I really appreciate the call very much brother. I hope that does go to our. No because I'm a proud how graduate. Thank you. Indeed right after the fight I said we need to get Rock Newman on the show and somebody said Are you sure he's going to come. I said Are you kidding. Michael Wilbon has written that Rock Newman is the same guy who used to sit next to him in the press box and when it comes to Howard University Rock Newman don't play. He's very very loyal to this institution. We knew he'd be here. Dick Gregory the same back with the telephone you're on the air. Caller go ahead please. Yeah well I'm a first caller and I wanted to know if. Gregory Craig mentioned it right. Get ready Well you know Dick's been in the book writing business for a very long time I don't know. There are several books.

There's one book that rock needs to write. That's very important. There's a book that read that need to come out about Riddick and then you can there's a there's a nutrition book in this. But let me tell you from the standpoint first 80 percent. When I came in it is 80 years old going to live. Isn't that true. What's so brilliant. I mean he has everything. He don't talk. You don't go through the changes. But Michael you make you seem who just let me say to you we don't see this. What rock has a symbol is a team of people that they know they know not yes. Yes. Both heart beat they know his a be even they when you sit and look at those computers they hook him up when he's out there running when he's in that room. They know how many games he throws out a punch. And when he punches it in Miss they know what effect it has on his arm. I mean I mean this thing is a size now. It made my job easy because all I had to do was go look at it to read. And I knew what it was doing. How

do they know his. I blink. I mean it is down in Charleston and it was people that he's been working since so he's worked with several professional athletes who used to work with Michael Spinks. He first got injured in the boxing but I think that somewhere out there went great spoke of that in the book on nutrition. Somewhere someone has to begin to understand the genius of Dick Gregory because it really was up in the 280 pound range when he went into camp and in eight weeks we talked about losing 50 pounds. And the conventional wisdom was there was no way that you could do that without losing a tremendous amount of strength his stamina condition and strength to 135 pounds 50 pounds later was so much better than when he first went into camp is absolutely phenomenal. And that is a tremendous amount of to do with his nutritional. Do you agree with the caller that at some point there should be a book written about that. I haven't had a chance to think of that yet. It's only been a week after all. Back to the telephone call you on the air. Go

ahead please. Hello caller are you there. Hello. On the telephone. Hi. I have a quick comment and I got a chance to meet with Robert Reich for critics for pure culture. I have to say that Rock Newman class. Class guy. And I think it's. Mainly because. It's not solely that Riddick has reached the level he's reached and it should not be underestimated. The fact they don't really know if people realize that. I think Rydex own determination should not be underestimated Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Because as Greg said you know he was telling the reporters he said I can put you on this diet and you can lose 40 pounds and you can knock out anybody who can do everything. And I really I can talk and I can negotiate and I can do a whole bunch of those things can fight a lot. So it's really Bo who has to climb up those stairs and take his business. You know I appreciate that kind of a compliment.

But certainly Riddick Bowe has done everything he's needed to do to become the heavyweight champion of the world if anyone ever deserved it. This young man deserves and I'm so proud of him. We all are back to the telephone you're on the air caller go ahead please. Mr. Gregory you are always right aren't you. And like to know by chance when will you be back on the lecture circuit again and we missed you. I heard you speak at a press conference. You had a big rock movement. How do you explain that. Like I got it in The Washington Post today. I just make up or what I don't explain it. What I do explain is to say that I didn't do it. I'll leave the rest to. You know everyone else's interpretation lecture circuit. Oh I don't know why. I've been having so much fun out here just what I do. Matter of fact I was on my way to Broadway till I got this call I made on my way to Broadway to do a one person comedy show and at least while I've been away the writer had time to write like that.

Yeah. But that's my next move. Now we can't wait to see what comes out of that. Back to the telephone call you on the air go ahead please. Yes my. Too easy my friends not very easy at all I have. I have been involved in every single phase of boxing from promoting little club shows and losing money putting all four and six round fights to managing and negotiating can million dollar contracts for a light heavyweight champion. First Dwight and Dwight mom and while we and being playing a major part in the negotiations for 13 and a half million dollar contract with Michael speaks and it's been a long grueling 11 year process it's a process that I really needed to be able to take this project from the beginning to where we are now. So we don't have enough time for me to

explain to you all of the things that are needed for that process. And speaking of Dwight Muhammad Kwame The last time I saw him on television he took a bow and said That's it for me. I'm out of here. I've never seen anybody quit so gracefully before. Back to the telephone call you on the air. Go ahead please. Yes I was wondering if you ever mentioned probably Ali Baba. Probably does. I think it's Valma right. Who is he. No I don't. I haven't a clue. Back to the telephone it's your call. We're on the air go ahead please. Oh that call is gone. That was bugaboo. What I find interesting about really Bill was that he said about coming to Howard University he wants something to do between flights. So many times athletes in the off season or when they're not actually actually fighting can fall into all kinds of practices that cause them to lose their both physical and mental condition. So being able to go to school gives him both something to do and puts him on a good role.

I couldn't think of a better example for the Yankees to lose easy getting to the championship really because 432 times in 44 more months. That's a blistering take. Yes. Now though just out of necessity and the way it takes to promote these major showdown mega payday fights you need a long period in between. So I think that he will be served very well by Howard and Howard will be served well by him. We've been trying to do that you know I noticed that and thank you very much you've been wearing it all over the country on television back to the telephone call. Please keep your question or comment brief. Are you there. Oh the color is no longer there. So next up is either George Foreman or Lennox Lewis. The process of negotiation is likely to be long and hard. But Rock Newman everybody in Washington and this has been a great week for Dick Gregory because the X movie is coming out this week and that is his old friend Malcolm X and then he had a chance to be a part of this both stunning examples for our young people and Rock Newman Congratulations. Not enough for you. And Riddick Bowe we offer you our heartfelt thanks. Thank you. Thank you. Got to take a break.

We'll be right back. That's our show for tonight. Our thanks once again to Dick Gregory and Rock Newman for joining us our

congratulations to Riddick Bowe. Our thanks of course to you for joining us from all of us to all of you that night. When