Why Do Protests Seem to Work In Ukraine But Not In Cameroon?

I have been significantly intrigued by how different protests in Ukraine and an African country such as Cameroon may look like. Protesters in Ukraine have been protesting against the government for about a month or so now and their demands seems to have been shifting, from entry into the European Union to state corruption. The government tried violence on the protesters but the violence did not seem to have worked and the government has been increasingly pushed to a corner by the protesters. Now we hear of warnings of civil war in the country.

If this protest were in Cameroon, for example, Paul Biya would have sent out the army to use overwhelming force to disperse the protesters. Was such overwhelming force used in the Ukraine? If it was, why did it not work? If it was not, why was it not used? Paul Biya has been in power for 31 years now but no protest against him seems to have worked. His regime has supervised massive increase in corruption in the country but people do not seem to be troubled by it. One of the issues that protesters in Ukraine are now raising is the matter of state corruption. Are people are more allergic to corruption in Ukraine than they are in Cameroon? More basic, however, is the question of why protests seem to work in a country like Ukraine but not in Cameroon or Zimbabwe or The Gambia? Do protests only work to unseat a corrupt government if there are already structures that make it possible for protests to work in a country?

How to Eat in a Plane Without Ever Flying

Find out how it works in Ghana.

 

World Staggering Income Inequality in Wake of Davos 2014

Komla Dumor: A Strong Voice that Told Africa's Story

BBC's Komla Dumor died of a heart attack last week. His was a strong voice that told Africa's story clearly and honestly. We remember him for his passion for the story.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Domestication of Prophecy In America

Once prophets were threatening to the powerful because their indictment of iniquitous structures were thought to carry weight. Then prophets dramatized their messages by marching, and praying, and disobeying, and singing - until, until the status quo could no longer take them for granted. When prophets could no longer be taken for granted they were thrown into jail, called names, reviled, and possibly killed. Prophets and various structures of injustice did not go well together. Ask Jeremiah, Jesus, Mahatma, King, Tutu, etc., etc. There was a time when prophets spoke to structural issues that were breaking the backs of the poor and weak and enlarging the coffers of the powerful.

Today, when prophets speak people clap for them and go home to volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club or other charities of their choosing while iniquitous societal structures continue to flourish on the sweat and blood of the weak and expendable people in society. Thus it is that in America, Martin Luther King Day has become a day to play special NBA games, a day to volunteer and reflect on what Martin Luther King means to you (as if Martin Luther King has a different meaning from what he did and stood for!), a day to attend church and listen to preachers. Thus it is that the vision of a beloved community which Martin Luther King lived and died for has been thrown to the side and the voting rights he fought for have been pushed back as many continue to work for pittance, and health care is still out of reach for many.

In America, Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who fought for the underdogs in society, has been given a holiday, made into an elite fit to rub shoulders only with celebrities and talk about John Kennedy, with no reference to the poor people in whose cause he died. And so in America Martin Luther King, Jr., is celebrated even as racism is making a comeback, militarism is running amok, and the poor are becoming poorer. In America, prophets are no longer jailed or killed or even ignored; they are coopted into the system (whatever that means) and what they say or said is interpreted and reinterpreted (what does it mean?) but never actually done! The fate that befell Jesus has befallen Martin Luther King, Jr. - not that both of them were murdered - that would be to take them far more seriously than they ought to be. Both of them have now been coopted into the system to serve the interest of the elite. We now sing about them, praise them, but hardly do what they said we should do. Classic!

What Killed BBC's Komla Dumor?

Komla Dumor, the Ghanaian reporter for the BBC, is dead at the age of 42. His death is reported to have happened suddenly. Words are not enough to express this untimely loss. As a reporter, Mr. Dumor had a heart for Africa and his reports were well rounded, seeking a better understanding of events in the continent. His sudden death comes as a deep shock. It is a great loss for Africa. Never should one so young and so vibrant, full of promise and life, die. Our prayers are with his family. What killed him?

 

A Star Is Born: Meet Lupita Nyong'o

She won the Critics' Award and now the SAG Award. Read more about her here. 

Does President Paul Kagame of Rwanda Kill His Opponents?

Read more of the story here.

Meet the Rt. Rev. Christopher Senyonjo - Ugandan Gay Rights Activist

Gay Clubs and Organizataions Banned in Nigeria

The president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has signed a new law banning public show of gay affection in the country, including gay organizations. Those who show support for gay people, including providing gay-related services, will also be sanctioned under the law. This draconian law in Nigeria comes just a few days after the death of a gay activist in a prison in Cameroon. This is at least the second reported death of a gay activist in Cameroon. It is quite interesting that leaders overseeing massive civil service corruption in their countries, such as Goodluck Jonathan and Paul Biya of Cameroon, are the same ones overseeing draconian laws against gay people. Perhaps they think that we should worry more about gay people than providing decent livelihood for our people. This is one more reason why Africans will be fleeing their countries. Perhaps that is the goal of these leaders.

Work, Community, and the Great Mosque of Djenne

 

Tributes to Eusebio

Death of a Legend - Eusebio the Mozambican

Africa's Words of Wisdom for 2014

Chinua Achebe said that among the Igbo of Nigeria proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten. Among the Yoruba, the matter is put this way: "The proverb is the horse of words. When the truth is missing, we use proverb to find it." Africa's wisdom is often put in proverbs and the BBC collected some in the past year to serve as guide for this year. Here are a few:

"A person who sells eggs should not start a fight in the market." Sent by Francis Kabika, Senanga, Zambia. You can see why in the photo below.