“Be Ready to Fight for Freedom” Bassolma Bazie

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments, Great PeopleLeave a comment
Flag of Burkina Faso

In a recent speech in front of the Burkinabe troops, Minister Bassolma Bazié warned the troops, and all of us by extension, against complacency, fear, treachery, and incompetence. He warned us against being used by the enemy to betray our nations. He reminded us of the French General Rochambeau and how he punished the Haitian slaves who dared fight for freedom. He reminded us that because we stood up against the West, we should be ready, anytime for the enemy’s wrath, and we should be ready to protect our freedom, and that of our children. We should not succumb to “The Cancer of Betrayal” as Amilcar Cabral called it. Stay alert all the time.

Flag of Haiti

Fear, treachery and incompetence are very serious evils at the level of a nation. So let’s make sure that tomorrow, what we are experiencing [today], our children will not come to experience it. In any case, I said that the people have climbed on an explosive device and its fragmentation, if we don’t pay attention, if we behave like imbeciles, even our children who are not yet born, they will suffer the blow. … Look on your phones at the story of Haiti 1803 and the dogs of [Donatien de] Rochambeau the French … when France returned to repress those who tried to revolt, what did they do? It is this single example that I take to show what awaits us if we are not careful. Rochambeau arrived there with a hundred dogs that he had initially taken weeks to starve, and once in Haiti, he took one of the slaves and tied him to a post in the center and made a circle around the city… he used pliers to tear the slave so that the blood would flow… people were eaten alive like that by dogs screaming until they died.  Let everyone understand that what Rochambeau did in Haiti, Norbert Zongo said, “people carry suitcases, … they are not far away”, it has happened… What he [Rochambeau] did in Haiti… if we are not careful, whether we are military, civilian, or VDP, and the enemy goes through us to penetrate the country, there [in Haiti] it was dogs that ate them, for us it is not obvious that we will even have the opportunity to be watched being eaten alive… and that is what they are preparing for us… and as they are preparing this, all of us who are in action must consider that our future, I am not saying that it is over, but we are standing on top of embers so that our children do not experience the same thing, because if we do not assume our history [and take responsibility], the tears of the children we have given birth to will join us in the cemetery. …May God and the manes of the ancestors accompany us…. Our words, our behavior, our gestures, … should respond to true patriotism…

Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso

La peur, la traîtrise et l’incompétence sont des maux très graves au niveau d’une nation. Donc faisons en sorte que demain, ce que nous vivons, nos enfants ne viennent pas le vivre. De toutes les façons, j’ai dit que le peuple est monté sur un engin explosif et sa fragmentation, si on s’amuse, si on se comporte comme des imbéciles, même nos enfants qui ne sont pas encore nés, ils vont subir le coup. … Regardez sur vos téléphones, l’histoire de Haïti 1803 et les chiens de Daniel Rochambeau … quand la France est revenue pour reprimer ceux qui ont tenté de se révolter, qu’est-ce-qu’ils ont fait? c’est ce seul exemple que je prends pour montrer ce qui nous guette si on s’amuse. Rochambeau a debarqué là-bas avec une centaine de chiens qu’il avait d’abord mis des semaines à affamer, et une fois à Haïti, on prend un des esclaves qu’on attache sur un poteau au centre et on fait un cercle au niveau de la ville… on a utilisé des tenailles pour déchirer l’esclave afin que le sang descende … des gens ont été mangés comme ça par des chiens en criant jusqu’à aller mourir. Que chacun comprenne que ce que Rochambeau a fait en Haiti là, Norbert Zongo avait dit « les gens transportent les valises, ils ne sont pas loin ! C’est arrivé »… ce qu’il a fait a Haiti… si on s’amuse, que l’on soit militaire, civile, ou VDP, que l’ennemi passe par lui pour pénétrer le pays, eux c’est des chiens qui les ont mangé, nous ce n’est pas evident qu’on aura même l’occasion d’être regardé en train d’être mangé… et c’est ça qu’ils sont en train de préparer… et comme ils sont en train de préparer ça, nous tous qui sommes en action, on doit considérer que notre avenir-là, je ne dis pas que c’est cuit, mais nous sommes sur des braises pour que nos enfants ne vivent pas la même chose, parce que si on ne s’assume pas devant notre histoire les pleurs des enfants qu’on a mis au monde vont nous rejoindre au cimétière. … Que Dieu et les mânes des ancêtres nous accompagnent…. Il faudrait que nos propos, notre comportements, nos gestes, … répondent au véritable patriotisme…

Be Not Afraid

On By Dr. Y.In Great WisdomLeave a comment
Python

Il ne faut pas s’effrayer d’un python à cause de sa longueur (Proverbe Bété – Côte d’Ivoire).

You should not be scared of a python because of its length (Bete Proverb – Ivory Coast).

Simone Gbagbo, First Lady of Cote d’Ivoire, and Presidential Candidate Forgives France for its Complicity

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments, Great PeopleLeave a comment
Simone Ehivet Gbagbo
Simone Ehivet Gbagbo

There are no words to express my joy at seeing and hearing former first lady of Cote d’Ivoire, and presidential candidate, Simone Ehivet Gbagbo speak during her first visit to France in almost 20 years. It is no secret what Simone Gbagbo endured at the hands of her captors, many of whom acted as proxies for France during the 2010 post‑electoral crisis that shook the country. She was paraded before cameras for the whole world to see as she was abused by forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara, all under the watchful eyes of French soldiers, journalists, and diplomats. It is even said that she was violated in her intimacy, and those present did absolutely nothing (Laurent Gbagbo: Non au Silence Complice! Free at Last: Simone Gbagbo Liberated, Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Ble Goude: Totally Acquitted and Free at Last). I remember how the mainstream media mocked her and placated her images nonstop as if she was not a human being. She was then thrown in jail for several years, during which many of us prayed for her well-being. In 2018 she was finally released from jail. She reinstated her party, created a new one, and re-entered the political life of her country under the gaze of the very people jailers and tormentors. She even ran last year in the presidential election which, without surprise was won by Alassane Ouattara.

During her recent interview with France24, one theme stood out: forgiveness. Simone said she forgave Alassane Ouattara, and if she could forgive him, why would she not forgive France? I applaud Mama Simone Gbagbo’s spirit! And I understand that forgiveness is necessary for her survival and peace of mind.

It is no secret that Africans often forgive easily, even as others continue to hurt and exploit us. If we choose to forgive, we must not forget. We should never forget. That is how we build. Something happened! And although we forgive, we must never return to that place. It cannot be an endless cycle in which others harm us without consequence.

Please enjoy, Simone Ehivet Gbagbo and applaud with me this woman who exemplifies resilience, elegance, and the calm strength of a Black woman. We all can see why the French never liked her!

The power of many

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Elephant

Um único elefante não levanta muita poeira (provérbio Andonga/Andongo/Ndongo – Angola)

Un seul éléphant ne soulève pas beaucoup de poussière (proverbe Andonga/Andongo/Ndongo – Angola).

A single elephant does not raise much dust (Andonga/Andongo/Ndongo proverb – Angola).

“Angola” by Cesária Évora

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments, Great Music, Great PeopleLeave a comment
The album titled 'Cesaria Evora'
The album titled ‘Cesaria Evora’

We talked about Fortaleza de São Miguel in Luanda, Angola, a major slave fort of Angola which today has been turned into a museum and stood the test of times, and show the resilience of the Angolan people and their love of life in spite of adversities. Cesária Évora, the barefoot diva, Cape Verde’s national diva sang “Angola.” As this fortress, she had a breakthrough after years of disappointment, she never gave up. She exemplified endurance, strength, confidence, and perseverance. Just like her song “Angola” is a tribute to the wisdom, resilience, joy, and cultural strength of the Angolan people, celebrating how they endure hardship, war, and colonial trauma while still finding community, patience, and pleasure in life. It’s like a mirror of her life, as if Cesária is singing of her life, and of the beautiful country of Angola, and the resilience of its people.

The repeated line “Angóla, Angóla, oi, ke pove sábe” means: “Angola, Angola, oh, what a wise people.” This is the emotional anchor of the song. She is praising: Angolan wisdom, Angolan strength, Angolan endurance through the civil war which devastated their country and live, Angolan cultural richness, and joy.

Flag of Angola
Flag of Angola

The song emphasizes that Angolans have endured wars, colonial violence, and hardship, yet remain strong and united. Words like konvivénsia (coexistence), pasiénsia (patience), and rezisténsia (resistance) reinforce this.

The line, “Es vida sábe ke nhos ta vivê / Paródia dia i note manxê, sen maka ma ku sabura” celebrate living life intensely, to the fullest, dancing, laughing, enjoying community, even through life’s difficulties.

Reclaiming African History : Fortaleza de São Miguel – Angola’s Largest Slave Fort

On By Dr. Y.In Great CivilizationsLeave a comment
The Transatlantic slave trade

In March, the United Nations (UN) recognized the Transatlantic Slave Trade as the gravest crime against humanity. The fact that it took centuries to reach this acknowledgment speaks volumes about those who benefited from the trade, and about how deeply some countries and institutions resist accountability. Despite its scale, the Transatlantic Slave Trade is rarely discussed with the same global urgency as the Holocaust, even though it claimed over “15 millions” African lives (and we know the math is not math-ing) and reshaped continents. Many Africans can name European concentration camps, yet very few can name the African slave forts where millions were imprisoned before crossing the Atlantic.

Aerial view of Fortalesa de Sao Miguel ca 1950s

If you are like me, you may have heard of Elmina Castle, Cape Coast Castle, Ouidah, Gorée Island, the sites most commonly referenced in West African history. But far fewer people know about Fortaleza de São Miguel, the largest and most politically significant slave fort in Angola. Perched high above Luanda Bay, the Fortaleza de São Miguel or Fort Sao Miguel is one of Angola’s most important historical landmarks which has survived the test of times. It was built in 1576 by the first governor of Angola Paulo Dias de Novais, the grandson of the explorer Bartolomeu Dias; yes that explorer they used to burst our ear drums with in school, the one who rounded the Cape of Good Hope proving that there was a sea route from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. It was the first major Portuguese stronghold in Angola and Central Africa, and the beating heart of colonial power for nearly three hundred years.

Queen Nzingha of Angola
Queen Nzingha of Angola

From the late 1500s through the mid‑1800s, São Miguel became a central node in the transatlantic slave trade. Captives from the interior: Kongo, Ndongo, Mbundu, Ovimbundu, Lunda, Chokwe, and others, were funneled through a network of inland routes toward Luanda. Don’t be fooled by its whitewashed walls made of thick basalt and its cute polygonal design! These were tailored to the hilltop terrain as a defensive fort to guard against any rival foreign invaders, like the Dutch, or local African kings. Among those taken to the new world, it is said that the most traded ethnic groups were the Mbundu and Ndongo people, and we can understand why, when we remember that Queen Nzingha: Great Queen of Angola opposed a strong fight against the enslavement of her people and tirelessly fought the Portuguese for almost a century!

The Cuanza River corridor was the most infamous route: people were funneled through inland forts like Massangano and Muxima (Pope Leo XIV gave his Last Blessing in Angola at an Old Slave Trade Hub), chained in canoe convoys or forced along riverbanks toward the coast. At São Miguel, they were registered, taxed, and imprisoned before being loaded onto ships bound for Brazil, especially Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. São Miguel was thus the seat of Portuguese power, but also a place where human lives were reduced to cargo manifests for colonial profit. Governors lived within its walls; while soldiers and bureaucrats managed the colony from its ramparts. The Dutch seized the fort briefly in 1641, renaming it Fort Aardenburgh, but Portugal reclaimed it 7 years later in 1648, restoring its dominance in the area.

Fortaleza de Sao Miguel in Angola (Source: WelcometoAngola.co.ao)

When Angola gained independence in 1975, São Miguel was transformed into the Museum of the Armed Forces. Today, it houses exhibits on: colonial wars, the struggle for independence, the Angolan civil war, and national heroes and military history. If you are ever in Luanda, remember to visit this site which hosts so much history, history of our tears, pain, exploitation, determination, strength, and resilience.

UN Adopts to Represent Africa ‘Correctly’ on World Maps

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Did you know that Africa’s true size has been misrepresented on world maps for centuries, all the way back to the 16th century? The African continent spans over 30 million km2, making it larger than China, Russia, the United States, and Europe combined. On most maps, Africa appears almost 14 times smaller than its actual size, even though it covers more than 20% of the Earth’s land surface.

Map of Africa from Kai Krauss (Source: allthatsinteresting.com)

To put it in perspective: you could fit China, India, Mexico, the United States, and Japan inside Africa, and still have room left for several more countries. On the commonly used Mercator projection, Greenland appears larger than Africa, even though Africa is in reality about 14 times bigger. The distortion historically served to make Europe appear larger and more dominant than it truly is.

This Friday, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to support having Africa represented accurately on global maps. Many people say this is not an important issue and that there are more urgent problems in the world. However, this is not a question of importance but a question of scientific accuracy and of re‑establishing the truth. If the situation were reversed, no one would have dared to question it. Fortunately, everyone at the UN agreed today that the record needed to be set straight. Centuries of distortion will finally be corrected, and the world can see the true size of Africa with clarity and honesty. But should this really have needed a UN resolution to be sorted out… is it not normal? I guess for Africa, everything has to be restored, especially the truth!

For more, please check out this article on the BBC.

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The UN General Assembly has voted to replace the traditional world map with one that more accurately reflects the size of Africa.

The “Correct the Map” resolution, sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union (AU) members, passed with the support of 164 nations, including France and the UK. The United States was the only nation to vote against it – and there were six abstentions.

The UN vote is non-binding but will see changes to the maps used by institutions around the world.

The Mercator map, which has been in common use since the 16th Century, has come in for criticism as it shows Africa as similar in size to Greenland, even though it is 14 times larger.

Critics say this leads to the development needs and potential for countries near the equator to be minimised.

… Ahead of Friday’s vote, Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey told the Reuters news agency: “A fair world begins with a fair map.”

Earlier he had told a UN briefing: “A map is never neutral. It shapes perceptions, influences how the place of peoples and continents in the world is understood.”

African Joke : The Jollof Challenge

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A plate of Jollof rice

A Ghanaian man asks his Nigerian friend:

“Why do you always argue that Nigerian jollof is better?”

The Nigerian replies :

“Because if I say Ghanaian jollof is better, even my ancestors will appear and beat me.”

New Attacks and Mutiny at the International Hamani Diori Airport in Niger

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Map of Niger

Today, August 29, there was a mutiny at the Base 101 in Niamey, Niger. Mutinous soldiers launched coordinated attacks on both the Diori Hamani International Airport and the city center around the presidential compound in Niamey early Saturday, unleashing hours of gunfire and explosions that briefly knocked the state TV and radio off the air. This is clearly an attack against the government of General Abdourahamane Tiani, who has defied the French and Western stranglehold on the country. Recall that Air Force Base 101 is located within the international airport complex, and is home to the headquarters of Niamey’s Russian Africa Corps partners and the command of the unified force of the Alliance of Sahel States (Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali). So this is a direct attack against the AES.

By late morning, the Niger’s defense ministry said loyalist forces were gradually regaining control of targeted sites, though mutineers remained active around the airport. Witnesses reported heavy pre‑dawn fighting, and security sources noted that troops from Ouallam, Tera, and Dosso, areas hit hard by Islamic State–linked insurgents, were involved in the assault, reflecting growing frustration within frontline units. Security forces were deployed to key locations. A resident stated, “The weapons we’re hearing are not the kind that terrorists on motorbikes can carry. The fighting has been non-stop since last night.” We all know who is behind these new attacks.

President Abdourahamane Tiani of Niger

Let us all pray and support our brothers and sisters of Niger. These mark the third attacks against the government of Tiani since the beginning of this year. As we remain alert, we are also reminded that such attacks against Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, is because the Niger people and Tiani’s government are really fighting for the freedom of their people, and the Black race as a whole. This explains the violence and repeated attacks funded by the Western powers against Niger and the AES. They, the West, have not unleashed anything against those dictators who play in their hands like the 93-year-old president of another African country who has plundered the nation’s wealth, or its neighbors, or even the other puppet from Cote d’Ivoire. The battle is now, and as we are proud of our Niger brothers and sisters, we stand with them, and can all do a little like them so that bit by bit we will free our continent of the barbaric chokehold of the imperialist forces.

To read more, check out NBC, RFI, and Africanews.

Discorde / Discord

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Serpent / Snake

Rats et serpents ne s’entendent pas (proverbe Ambede (Gabon) – proverbe Bantandu (Republique du Congo)).

Rats and snakes do not get along (Ambede proverb (Gabon) – Bantandu proverb (Republic of Congo)).