Dream On, Raila, Dream On

Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya, is an optimistic man. His optimism has nothing to do with his dream for the Kenyan economy; it is rather related to his dream for Keyan football. He sees the Kenyan national team participating in the African Nations Cup in 2012 and then in the World Cup in 2014. There is nothing wrong with being optimistic. However, Odinga's optimism with regard to Kenyan football suggests that he has been so busy with political machinations that he does not even know that Kenya really sucks as football. Dream on, Raila, dream on.

Following the Money

It has become customary to trace the financial tracks of former African leaders who steal the money of their peoples and put them in foreign banks. The most recent case is Charles Taylor of Liberia. It is, however, very unfortunate that, in most cases, this happens after said leaders have fallen out of the favor of their foreign patrons. The best time to follow the money trails of these leaders is when they are in power rather than when they are out of it. Perhaps the best place to start is not only with the banks but rather with the companies that sell weapons to, and do other covert businesses with, African leaders. 

Reversing the Brain Drain

Many have recently noted that some African entrepreneurs in the Diaspora are returning to their home countries such as Nigeria and Ghana to ply their trades there. This may reverse the brain drain that the continent is still experiencing.

Democracy and Violence

With the recent violence in Jamaica, a Harvard sociologist has written an interesting piece on the relationship between democracy and violence. It is very relevant to the African context, especially in the current situation in Rwanda.

Sirleaf in the US

Africa's only woman president, Elizabeth Johnson Sirleaf, comes to her base, the U.S., for support, just before elections in Liberia. Follow her here and here.

Israel and Africa

Israel has an extensive military relation with many African countries, ranging from its dealings with the murderous Idi Amin of Uganda and the current dictator of Cameroon, Paul Biya. This book details one such connection with apartheid South Africa.

Like Men, Like Women

Africa's only elected woman president, Elizabeth Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, who promised to step down after one term in office, has declined to do so. She has apparently just recently discovered that there is much work to do in Liberia and that she is the best person to do the work. Her action raises the question as to whether women may do better in African politics. While it is correct that she has improved the lives of many Liberians, especially her Americo-Liberian compatriots, she should still step down as she promised. Her sudden realization that there is much work to be done in Liberia, just like Mr Tanja did in Niger before he was overthrown early this year, is another slap in the face of a transforming African politics. Just like African men, it appears that Ms. Sirleaf also has the inclination to stay in power for as long as possible. There has been some arguments relative to whether women may make better leaders than men in the African context. Ms. Sirleaf makes me begin to doubt that possibility. It appears power corrupts everyone, even women, too.

Africa's Moral Codes

I am not sure how many people are homosexuals in Africa but I can certainly put a bet that there are exceedingly more people who practice widespread corruption in public places such as bribe-taking, stealing of public money, fanning of ethnic hatred, and so on, on a daily basis in most African countries than there are homosexuals. Recently, however, the issue of homosexuality has taken center stage, especially since an American Episcopalian priest, who is a practicing homosexual, was consecrated bishop. Since then, some American Episcopalian churches have demonstrated their outrage by ceding from their American leadership and placing themselves under African leadership. By having a generally unfavorable view of homosexuality, Africans probably see themselves are displaying better moral standards than those Westerners whose societies are seen as corrupted by homosexuals. Robert Mugabe, the current president of Zimbabwe, is known to have described homosexuality as a Western tradition. In sentencing two homosexuals to 14 years in prison for "gross indecency and unnatural acts," a Malawi judge said that homosexuality is "an affront to Malawi's moral code."

While homosexuality is a controversial issue, I am not aware of any African country which is currently being ruined by homosexuality. I am, however, aware of many African countries that are being ruined by widespread corruption in public life evident in unwholesome practices such as bribe-taking, stealing of public funds, promotion of ethnic rivalry, and so on. Africans may want to stake they righteousness by fighting homosexuality but I wait to see that day when African judges would sentence practitioners of widespread corruption in public places, describing such corruption as "gross and unnatural acts," an affront to the moral codes of Africa. It is gross hypocrisy for the moral outrage against homosexuality to be marched only by a deafening silence about evident corruption in public places that ruin the lives of most people in the continent. Unless, perhaps, we are to say that bribery, stealing of public money, fanning of ethnic hatred, and so on, are somehow part of Africa's moral codes.

Francafrique

Here is an important BBC article on current France-Africa relations. Who can blame the French, seeing that they are protecting their own interests! Perhaps African leaders should be protecting the interests of their people rather than selling out to France.

Soccer World Cup Tickets and Africa

There could be more Italian fans at the soccer world cup in South Africa than African fans from outside South Africa. Find out why here and here.

Follow African Teams at the Soccer World Cup

Follow African teams and noted African players at the soccer world cup and learn the world cup Diski dance here.

Rwanda's Irony

One of the greatest ironies in current Rwandan life is that its leadership is fighting nationalism by appealing to nationalism - rejecting the nationalism of Hutu or Tutsi for the nationalism of Rwanda. It fails to see that nationalism is itself one of Africa's greatest problems. Like all nationalism, this new nationalism also trades in lies.

Missing the Point: The World Bank and Africa

Many are currently complaining after the World Bank recently reduced Africa's voting rights in that institution while China's and Brazil's were increased. They complain that the bank is limiting Africa's say in how the institution functions. I see the matter differently, however. The reduction in Africa's voting rights simply reflects the place of the continent in global political economy. Rather than complaining about lost rights, Africa should simply improve its economic condition. China's and Brazil's voting rights were not increased because they protested. Their rights were increased because they became powerful in the global political economy. Africa must shift from protest to improving its economies.

After Uganda, American Culture War Goes to Kenya

Here is the story.

One Month to Go . . .

One month to go and the historic soccer world cup takes place in South Africa. This is the official link to the tournament.

Buy African - At Your Local Store

For those in and out of the continent who want to help Africa, try a product or two made in Africa. It makes more economic sense than aid. Check out this link for a start.

China, the West, and the New Cold War in Africa

The new Cold War between China and the West going on in Africa is unlike that of the 20th century where China and the West were sometimes on the same side. The recent Cold War does not particularly have to do with military might; it has more to do with the fight for Africa's natural resources and, in the process, Africa is again the playground of foreign interests. Their African representatives in the form of current African leaders are only too happy to oblige as China, the West, and African leaders rob African peoples. Here is an example.

HIV and AIDS and Africa: Losing the War?

This recent NYT video report shows how the fight against HIV and AIDS in Africa is being lost. Reliance on foreign donors is partly to blame. And here, George Bush could end up being better for Africa than Barack Obama. This is a glaring example of how Africa's dependency is killing the continent. The greatest goal for the continent should be to come out of this depressing dependence.

Pick Your Issue, Pick Your Country: Western Celebrities and the New Scramble for Africa

In his recent and very influential book, The Bottom Billion (Oxford, 2007), Oxford economist Paul Collier speaks of two groups of people who are very involved in helping the poor of the world but who, nevertheless, fail to understand what needs to be done in order to help the poor get out of poverty. He describes the first group as "development biz." This group is made up of aid agencies and the companies these aid agencies patronize. The "development biz" has made a business out of helping the poor. Thus, instead of focusing on radical policies that may better help the poor, they focus on aid. The second group Collier describes as "development buzz." This group is made up of rock stars, celebrities and NGOs. This group has helped put Africa on world development agenda but Collier describes the group as charactered by "a headless heart," that is, they want to help but they are not aware of how to effectively do so. Today's blog-spot deals with this second group, with special attention to celebrities. Western celebrities are currently mounting a new scramble for Africa as each of them pick their issue and then pick the country they want to be involved in (or, perhaps, the other way around). Click on this link for an interesting interactive map on how this is happening.

A Meditation on Two Deaths

    
    Umaru Yar'Adua             Sani Abacha

During my lifetime, I have consciously witnessed the death of two Nigerian presidents. The first was General Sani Abacha, a military dictator, who came to power by force and died under mysterious circumstances in June 1998. The second is Umaru Yar'Adua, a democratically elected president who died in May 2010, after a very long illness. Both of them were Muslims and both of them were buried in overly simple ways, according to Islamic tradition.

 Funeral of Umaru Yar'Adua

However, while the one robbed his country and terrorized his people (Abacha), the other (Yar'Adua), even though a politician like any other politician, is not known to have been a man of terror. I wonder whose memory humanity would cherish. While the one thought only of himself, the other had a broader vision for his people, even though he did not realize it. I wonder who, among the two, is an example worth emulating? Do these two deaths hold a lessons for African leaders? Do these deaths raise the issue of how African leaders would want to be remembered? In fact, are African leaders even concerned about how they want to be remembered?

The Soccer World Cup (South Africa) Official Anthem

The soccer world cup official anthem has been released but not without controversy. Listen to the anthem and follow the story here. Even though some think the song should have been an exclusively African affair, the collaboration that led to the production of the song should be seen as essential in our contemporary, globalized world. Even though the host of the event is an African country, African hospitality warrants that ethnocentrism be eschewed. Ethnocentrism should be left to the powerful peoples of the world who do not need to collaborate with Africa when they host the same show. For more on the entertainment controversy surrounding the world cup, see this BBC report.

How Uganda Became Ground Zero for America's Moral Problems

Recently, the issue of a bill against homosexuality in Uganda has drawn both praise and blame from politicians and religious leaders in the United States. After strong criticism from gay rights groups in the US, especially Rachel Maddow of MSNBC, some politicians and preachers who formerly supported the draconian bill in Uganda backtracked. However, that has not stopped some US Christians from seeing Uganda as "ground zero" for United States' moral problems, especially those dealing with prayer in schools, homosexuality, etc. And so problems that are central to United States politics are transported to Africa, diverting attention from the deplorable and wretched conditions in which most people live. Instead of talking of Museveni's dictatorship in Uganda, that is pushed to the side because it does not matter to American Christians. When are we going to discuss issues that are "ground zero" for African Christians, such as the fact that most people scratch out a living on less than a dollar a day?

How To Write About Africa

An ironic twist about the images of Africa by the Kenyan Binyavanga Wainaina, narrated by Djimon Hounsou of Amistad fame. Find the video here.