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1200 Days Of Protesting Paul Biya's 31-Year Dictatorship in Cameroon

FlourishingAfrica has been protesting the misrule of Paul Biya in Cameroon since the machinations of the last election that returned him to power. At the time of writing this post, the dictator has been out of the country for a long time, with rumors rife that he is suffering from prostrate cancer. He has been seeking medical help in Europe where he is listed as being on a private visit. His years at the helm of the state in the country has not brought the medical system to a level he could entrust with his own health, that is why he keeps spending more time in Europe for medical purposes. For most Cameroonians, however, this is not an option. Whenever they suffer from a serious ailment, the option left open for them is to pray for a miracle or die.

Even as the country  is currently fighting Boko Haram in the north of the country, with many Cameroonian soldiers losing their lives there, Paul Biya has hardly been engaged in the issue. The country apparently does not even have money to engage in the fight as citizens are being asked to donate money towards the fight. All the while, the dictator is out of the country, minding his own business in Europe. There is no good reason why he should continue to remain the head of state in Cameroon, given that he is hardly present there.

Why Is the Gay Jesus White?

One would think that with all that we now know about the historical Jesus, he would no longer be represented as a white guy in our time. However, it is quite curios that even a gay representation of Jesus pictures him as white. Instead of calling him the white, gay Jesus, however, he is simply called the gay Jesus. And this gay Jesus is taken to represent all gay people, as if all gay people are white. One would think that a group of people who are particular about discriminatory use of images would be sensitive about the portrayal of Jesus. Aren't there Asian or Black gay people? Why should the gay Jesus be a white guy?

In a related development, the Yoga Jesus is also portrayed as a white guy even though a Yoga Jesus would be a blended idea. And there is a nameless black guy, presumably Simon of Cyrene, helping the yoga Jesus.

The Fall of the Statue of Rhodes

The statue of the patron saint of colonialism in southern Africa, Cecile Rhodes, is currently under attack at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. In fact, in his heyday, Rhodes had the "pan-Africanist" vision of uniting the whole continent from Cape to Cairo, for the purpose of colonial exploitation. Now, however, many young South Africans are saying that he should not be honored with a statue on the campus of the University of Cape Town, as is currently the case. As The Guardian reports, "the removal of the memorial of the British colonizer has been approved." However, The Guardian piece goes on to wonder if the focus should be on the statue rather than on Rhodes' "colonial legacy". One wonders whether the statue itself is not part of the colonial legacy.
Rhodes' Grand vision for colonial Africa

Cameroon's Dictator Ignores Soldiers Who Died Fighting Boko Haram

Paul Biya, Cameroon's dictator for 31 years now, has been conspicuously absent from events honoring fallen soldiers who died fighting against Boko Haram. During one of these events, he was not even in the country. All this is being interpreted as contempt for the soldiers who died defended their country.

Lee Kuan Yew, The Man Who Made Singapore

Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew is not an African, so he may seem to have no place in a blog on African issues. However, what he did in Singapore has often been taken as holding lessons for African leaders. This is because, at independence from Britain in 1965, Singapore was in a similar point, in terms of economic development, like some African countries. However, the leadership of Prime Minister Yew transformed the country to the enviable position it holds in the world today. In fact, Singapore appears to be the favorite medical destination for Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and his family. What Mr. Yew built in Singapore, Mr. Mugabe has not been able to build in Zimbabwe, in spite of his loquacious claims to be fighting colonialism. The recent passing of Mr. Yew should serve as opportunity for African leaders to reflect on the miracle he created for his people.

M.anifest: Rapping the Times in Africa