■ Nigeria—fresh start at the bottom: So certain are Nigeria's military rulers that local government reform is essential, in the words of Brigadier Shehu M. Yar Adua. Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters, “to stimulate democratic self government and to encourage initiative and leadership potential”, ■ Ghana's Inflation: According to Dr Amon Nikoi governor of the bank of Ghana the country now has an annual inflation rate of over 50 per cent ■ UMOA's end of term report: UMOA, the West African franc zone, was established in 1962 to aid the development of the Ivory Coast, Senegal, Togo, Upper Volta, Niger and Benin. ■ "Black Dance" in London: London can now see at least two con trasted aspects of“Black Dance”: Ipi Tom bi, the Zulu dancers, whom I saw perfor ming in King's College Chapel celebrating the 50th anniversary of the International African Institute, are at Her Majesty's Theatre, and The Dance Theatre of Harlem at Sadler's Wells ■ Dirty work at the seaside: Towards the end of April the United Nations Environment Programme sent a two man Exploratory Mission on Manne Pollution Problems to visit the West African coastal states along the Gulf of Guinea ■ Books and publications: Methods of the Military: Coups and Army Rule in Africa by Samuel Decalo ■ Economic and business news: Banking with too much money: Ghana Commercial bank made a net profit of 6.6m cedis (about £3.2m in the 1975-76 financial year an increase of 25 per cent over the previous year's profit