Month: August 2023

Is the Wind of Change blowing in Gabon too?

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments2 Comments
Flag of Gabon

On August 30, 2023, we all woke up to a coup d’etat in Gabon by the army. The military took over, and cancelled the results of Saturday’s election in which Mr. Ali Bongo was declared winner the night before on August 29, but the opposition led by Albert Ondo Ossa claimed it was a fraudulent election. In an announcement on Gabon’s state TV on Wednesday, the coup leaders said their republican guard chief, General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, had been “unanimously” designated president of a transitional committee to lead the country. Note that Oligui is a cousin of Bongo and used to be the bodyguard of Bongo’s father, the late President Omar Bongo. He was also head of the secret service in 2019 before becoming head of the republican guard.

President Ali Bongo

This coup puts an end to 56 years of the Bongo dynasty. Ali Bongo came to power at the end of his father Omar Bongo‘s 42 years in power from 1967 to 2009. Bongo son, Ali, ruled the country for 14 years, and although he had suffered a stroke in 2018, he was vying for a third term in office during these past elections. After his stroke, television appearances had shown him leaning heavily on a silver-topped cane. He had appeared healthier during the latest election when he was again declared victor – until military officers stepped in. Oil-rich Gabon has been known as the piece de resistance of France in the entire central African region.

Map of Gabon

Many who have heard news of the coup in Gabon, which puts an end to 56 years of one family treacherous rule, popped bottles of champagne, and rightfully so. This coup comes on the heels of the one in Niger last month on 26 July 2023, and we cannot help but rejoice and long for genuine change. Is the wind of change really blowing in Gabon as well? or is it simply France understanding that given the current anti-French climate in Africa, and in order to keep control over their biggest cow in the Francafrique’s chessboard, understanding that the people of Gabon had had enough of Ali Bongo, and not trusting that they could control the opposition guy who had been voted by the people, chose to place their very own puppet instead? After all, the day after controversial elections, if the military is there to defend the democracy of the country as they claimed in their speech, why not have votes recounted? Why not have the election results reversed since the people selected Ossa to lead them? Why hold Bongo and son under house arrest, but release the first lady (who is French), Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, who, as everybody knows has been the one leading the country since her husband’s stroke in 2018? Lastly, the new leader is a cousin of Bongo: are we going to have a similar scenario to David Dacko-Jean-Bedel Bokassa of Central African Republic (CAR)?

Upcoming days will tell us which way this wind is blowing. 

To read more, check out this article “A ‘Coup’ in Gabon: Who, What, and Why?” on Al Jazeera.

Africa made us Proud at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest

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Hugues Fabrice Zango (Source: The Straits Times, AFP)

Over the past few days, Africans have made us proud at the 2023 World Athletics Championships which took place in Budapest, Hungary. There were so many outstanding contributions, and amazing firsts.

The list starts with our brother Hugues Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso who dominated the field and took home the gold medal in the men’s triple jump. This is his country’s first gold at the World Championships. Zango has consistently improved over the years from bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, to silver at the Eugene 2022 World Championships, to now gold. When interviewed, he said, “I am proud to be the man who keeps his word. I promised to make history and I did it tonight… We have some troubles in our country now and it is an incredible mission to bring some positive emotions to them.” Keep it up brother, we are so proud of you!

Letsile Tebogo (Source: SportNewsAfrica)

Letsile Tebogo of Botswana made us proud by becoming the first African to win a silver medal at the World Championships ever in the men’s 100 m, and a bronze medal in the 200 m. In events dominated by Americans and Jamaicans, brother Tebogo showed that Africans should not be counted out.

Faith Kipyegon (Source: StarConnectMedia)

We held onto Faith, and Faith Kipyegon of Kenya delivered! There isn’t another athlete as consistently dominant over such a range as Kipyegon. She won gold medals in the women’s 1,500 m and 5,000 m in Budapest, capping a year in which she obliterated world records at 1,500 meters, the mile and 5,000 meters in the span of seven weeks this summer. Her compatriot Beatrice Chebet took silver in the women’s 5000 m; while Jacob Krop took home the bronze medal in the men’s 5000 m. Ethiopia‘s Diribe Welteji took home the silver medal over the women’s 1,500 m distance behind Faith.

Mary Moraa (Source: The Star Kenya)

Kenya Mary Moraa won gold in women’s 800 m defeating favorite Athing Mu of the USA… this has been a long time coming since the Mozambican Maria Mutola, and South African Caster Semenya. Her compatriot Emmanuel Wanyonyi took silver in the men’s 800m.

In the 3000 m steeplechase, the Kenyan women Beatrice Chepkoech and Faith Cherotich took home the silver and bronze medals respectively in the women’s event; while their countryman Abraham Kibiwot took home the bronze in the men’s event. Morocco Soufiane El Bakkali, the Olympic gold winner over the distance, took home the gold medal in the men’s event, while Ethiopia Lamecha Girma took home the silver.

Ladies Gudaf Tsegay, Letesenbet Gidey, and Ejgayehu Taye of Ethiopia dominated their events to give us a trio winning gold, silver, and bronze medals respectively in the women’s 10,000 m. Their compatriot Selemon Barega won bronze in the men’s 10,000 m. Uganda‘s Joshua Cheptegei dominated the men’s event taking home the gold medal, while Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo took silver.

Victor Kiplangat (Source: The Africa)

Ethiopia Amane Beriso Shankule and Gotytom Gebreslase won gold and silver respectively in the women’s marathon; they were followed by Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi of Morocco with the bronze medal. Shankule’s countryman Leul Gebresilase took home bronze in the men’s marathon. Uganda‘s Victor Kiplangat was victorious, taking home the gold medal in the men’s marathon.

Diriger n’est pas facile / Leadership is not Easy

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Vaches / Cows

La vache qui est à la tête du troupeau est celle qui est le plus fouettée (proverbe Zulu – Afrique du Sud, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini).

The lead cow (the one in front) gets whipped the most (Zulu proverb – South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini).

The Lithium of Zimbabwe

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Flag of Zimbabwe
Flag of Zimbabwe

Big deposits of lithium found in Zimbabwe has made it Africa’s largest lithium reserve. It is no secret that there have been big efforts worldwide to develop renewable energy sources, thus leading to a growing demand for batteries to supply the car industry as there is a push for electric vehicles. Zimbabwe hopes to become one of the world’s largest exporters of lithium. In July of this year, a Chinese mining company completed the $300m construction of a lithium mine in Zimbabwe. Presidential elections which will take place this month will determine the future of Zimbabwe’s resources.

To cash in on the global demand, Zimbabwe last year banned the export of raw lithium ore. In doing so, it joined countries like Indonesia and Chile that are trying to maximize their return on deposits of lithium, cobalt and nickel by requiring miners to invest locally in refining and processing before they can export. Let’s hope that these resources will actually help Zimbabweans and not line up the pockets of Mnangagwa and cronies.

Excerpts below are from Reuters. The BBC made a video about Zimbabwe becoming the new Lithium Valley of the world.

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Lithium

Chinese investors racing to secure lithium supplies could help Zimbabwe rise to become the world’s fifth biggest primary producer of the material that’s vital to battery electric vehicles and the green revolution, mining consultancy CRU said.

The lithium industry in Africa’s top producer has rapidly expanded, buoyed by about $1 billion of investments during the past two years by Chinese companies including Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt (603799.SS), Sinomine Resource Group (002738.SZ), Chengxin Lithium Group (002240.SZ) and Yahua Group (002497.SZ).

… The investments could boost capacity to 192,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) per year of petalite and spodumene in 2027, from 13,000 tons per year LCE in 2022, Cameron Hughes, a battery markets analyst at CRU said in a report.

“These investments will place Zimbabwe as the fifth largest primary producer of lithium by 2025, after Argentina, contributing more than either Canada or Brazil,” Hughes said.

…

African Joke: New Creature

On By Dr. Y.In Great Laughter1 Comment
Beer

The pastor baptized Yao Koffi Kan by dumping his head in the water three times. After the 3rd time, he says: “You are now baptized, you are now a new creature; your old creature is dead. No more alcohol. Your new name is DAVID.”

David returns home and goes to the fridge, takes a cold beer, dips it in water 3 times ploo, ploo, ploo… and says: “you are now a new creature, your old creature is gone, your new name is ORANGE JUICE.”

The original in French is found on Nouchi.com . Adapted and Translated to English by Dr. Y. Afrolegends.com

All Eyes on Niger

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Map of Niger

We cannot repeat it enough! All eyes are on Niger, particularly after ECOWAS decided to follow Ouattara who urged for a military intervention, and brought in the African Union with Moussa Faki who authorized the use of military in Niger.

ECOWAS Logo

Can we really be surprised by Ouattara who was installed in Côte d’Ivoire by France’s canons and military joined with the UN? After the ECOWAS meeting last week, Côte d’Ivoire’s president, Alassane Ouattara, said his country would take part in the military operation, along with Nigeria and Benin. “Ivory Coast will provide a battalion and has made all the financial arrangements … We are determined to install Bazoum [prior Niger president and France’s puppet] in his position. Our objective is peace and stability in the sub-region,” Ouattara said on state television. The ECOWAS bloc decided last Friday to deploy a “standby force” aimed at restoring constitutional order in Niger after its Sunday deadline to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum expired. To this, Niger responded by recalling its diplomatic envoy to Côte d’Ivoire.

The African Union (AU) has called for an urgent intervention in Niger to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum to power. In a statement issued in support of resolutions by ECOWAS, AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki (another puppet) said the international community must act to stop an anti-constitutional change in Niger. “The Chairperson calls on the entire international community to unite efforts to save the moral and physical integrity of President Mohamed Bazoum,” Faki’s office said on Friday.

Flag and map of Nigeria
Flag and map of Nigeria

Isn’t it crazy that the AU does not think that the embargo on medical supplies to the whole country of Niger is a problem? Isn’t it surprising that the AU has no voice when it comes to defending Africans from foreign interventions on African soil, but is always on the wrong side of history against Africans?

Now, the newly appointed Niger’s prime minister is in Chad for peace talks. Northern Nigeria’s religious and political leaders are also making considerable efforts for a peaceful resolution of the situation. Similarly, the religious leaders of Togo have asked for a removal of all ECOWAS sanctions against Niger which will then allow for more peaceful talks. Religious and political leaders of Benin and Togo have warned their presidents against any military interventions in Niger, interventions that serve the West. That is why Ouattara had to call on the African Union (AU) trying to find mercenaries from other African countries (not neighboring ones – ECOWAS region) who would not feel so strongly against an intervention in Niger, or have brotherly links that extend beyond borders with the people of Niger.

Flag of Niger

On Sunday night, Niger’s rulers declared they had gathered sufficient evidence to prosecute Bazoum for “high treason and undermining internal and external security“. After all, wasn’t Bazoum working for the West against Niger’s interests? Who knows what sort of back-door deals he made? Then today, Jihadist armed groups have ambushed and attacked a detachment of Niger’s military killing at least 17 Niger soldiers and injuring 20 others near the border with Mali, the country’s Ministry of Defence said.

The situation is very fluid and tense, and requires our entire attention and prayers. Without Niger, France might not have enough electricity this winter (and this will have nothing to do with Ukraine or climate change). Losing Niger is not quite a possibility for France or the West in the region. Niger will be the 4th country in the region and it might not be seen as a good.

Please read the article from the Christian Science Monitor which summarizes the situation well. It ends with, “The putschists’ aim will be to get France and Ecowas to move towards recognizing their de facto regime,” says Mr. Vallet. “[But] France and Ecowas will need to figure out how they can support the Bazoum loyalists if the putschists remain in power and manage to get them reintegrated in any future political process. … This is going to be the condition for their future relationship.” What this article and many fail to recognize is that the era of empty negotiations, or of half governments like France did in Cote d’Ivoire for many years (with Marcoussis I & II, Ouaga, etc) where a legitimate government was forced to share power with military rebels is long gone, as this later led to an un-governable situation and then France installing its puppet Ouattara while bombing the presidential palace… We are no longer negotiating for half territories… we will no longer sit back and negotiate and give away inches upon inches of our territories to satisfy the West.

Proverbe sur les secrets / Proverb on No Secrets

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Silence

Tout ce qui arrive dans le haut pays, sera connu dans la vallée (Proverbe Peul – Niger, Nigeria, Sénégal, Guinée, Cameroun, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritanie, Bénin, Guinée-Bissau, Gambie, Tchad, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire).

Everything that happens in the high country, will be known in the valley (Fulani Proverb – Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Guinea, Cameroon, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Chad, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Ivory Coast).

Niger Coup d’Etat: Airspace Closure, Sanctions, Diplomatic Overtures?

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Flag of Niger

Yesterday saw new turns in the situation in Niger with the airspace closure, and the rebuffing of the west’s puppet organizations that are the AU, ECOWAS, and the UN by Niger. One thing is for sure, everyone is watching carefully, and no one wants a regional spillover; after all, there are a lot of presidents installed to serve foreign interests in many bordering African countries, and many are starting to sweat. As a side note, the U.S., along with France has about 1,500 troops in Niger and Germany with about 100 (and even Italy) use facilities in that country to “combat jihadi groups” (that the West created to destabilize the entire region). The US with Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Wagner (and thus Russia) is misleading the people of Niger… he told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme, “I think what happened, and what continues to happen in Niger was not instigated by Russia or by Wagner, but… they tried to take advantage of it. … Every single place that this Wagner group has gone, death, destruction and exploitation have followed,” said Mr Blinken. “Insecurity has gone up, not down“. And where the US has gone there has not been insecurity, death, or destruction? It is like the pot calling the kettle black! US Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland flew to Niamey on Monday but was denied permission to meet with current president Abdourahamane Tchiani, coup leader, or with former president Bazoum, who is in detention. Instead, she spoke for two hours with other army officers. “These conversations were extremely frank and at times quite difficult because, again, we’re pushing for a negotiated solution. … They are quite firm in their view of how they want to proceed, and it does not comport with the Constitution of Niger,” Nuland told reporters. So when it serves the West’s interests, the constitution of a country is a valid piece of paper, but when it does not like in Ivory Coast in 2010, it is just toilet paper?

Below are excerpts from the Guardian.

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Map of Niger

… Despite the international pressure, [Niger] coup leaders have seemed unwilling to back down, and on Sunday night, they closed Niger’s airspace until further notice, citing the threat of military intervention.

“In the face of the threat of intervention that is becoming more apparent … Nigerien airspace is closed effective from today,” a junta representative said in a statement on national television on Sunday evening [when Africans fight for their freedoms, they are called junta; but when in other countries people fight for their people’s freedoms, they are called patriots] .

He said there had been a pre-deployment of forces in two central African countries in preparation for an intervention, but did not give details. “Niger’s armed forces and all our defence and security forces, backed by the unfailing support of our people, are ready to defend the integrity of our territory,” the representative said.

The coup leaders warned any attempt to violate Niger’s airspace would face “an energetic and instant response”.

Ecowas defence officials agreed a possible military action plan, including when and where to strike, if Bazoum was not released and reinstated by the Sunday deadline.

On Monday, an Ecowas spokesperson, Emos Lungu, said the bloc would hold an extraordinary summit to discuss Niger on Thursday at the organisation’s headquarters in Abuja.

However, the bloc’s unity has been shattered by support for the coup leaders from the ruling juntas in Mali and Burkina Faso, both [sanctioned] members of Ecowas, and a pledge to come to Niger’s defence if necessary.

Flag of Burkina Faso

The Malian army said it would send a delegation to Niamey to show solidarity and a military plane from Burkina Faso was reported to have landed in the Niger capital at about 11.20am GMT.

The coup, the seventh in west and central Africa in three years, has rocked the Sahel region, one of the poorest in the world. Given its uranium and oil riches and its pivotal role in a war with Islamist militants, Niger holds great importance for the US, Europe, China and Russia.

… Gen Dominique Trinquand, a former French military representative at the UN, said the junta was “totally isolated” [yeah right! so why is the West afraid of this seemingly “isolated” force?].

He added: “Nigeria, which supplies 70% of Niger’s electricity, has cut the supply. All aid has been cut while Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world.”

On Sunday, Paris announced it was suspending its €482m (£416m) development aid programme to neighbouring Burkina Faso, which – along with Mali – has expressed its support for the junta. [And Burkina Faso told Paris to shove it!]

Last week Niger revoked military cooperation agreements with France, which has between 1,000 and 1,500 troops in the country.

Africa: Can you Feel the Wind of Change?

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Flag of Niger

In the Lion King, the song goes as “Can you feel the love tonight?” The recent events in Niger have made us, Africans, sing, “Can you feel the wind of change tonight?” A hurricane is passing through West Africa. It has now landed in Niger! Oh yes! Niger! France is seeing red! Over 1/3 of its uranium is coming from Niger. France, the great country of nuclear energy, has been pillaging Niger, taking over the uranium without so much as building simple roads for Niger people; Niger is still the second poorest country in the world. Did you know that France’s nuclear power is funded by the uranium of Niger? and that Niger gets nothing for it? When Mamadou Tandja, one of the former presidents of Niger asked that the French nuclear company Areva start to pay something to Niger, as Areva had enjoyed a de facto four-decades monopoly in the country, he was deposed in a coup. Remember The 11 Components of the French Colonial Tax in Africa which gives France monopoly over riches, resources and mines, in 15 countries?

Map of Niger

The International community, France and its cronies the EU, US, etc, have all condemned the 26 July 2023 coup in Niger. They are all panicking! Let’s just say that this might be the start of a big world War reminiscent of the cold war. Why do I say that? Remember how the Cold War between the East and the West was not really played on their soils but rather on African, Latin American, and even Asian soils? This is it! The war in Ukraine is too close to Russia, and the West has put too much in trying to, unsuccessfully, asphyxiate Russia. Now their new energy routes are in jeopardy of being cut off! This is an energetic war! The great oil pipeline that was supposed to go from Nigeria all the way to Europe passes through Niger [Europe turns to Africa for Energetic Needs to Reduce Reliance on Russia].

Last year, neighboring Mali Rescinded France Defense Agreements, and as ECOWAS Lifted Sanctions, France Moved Troops to Neighboring Niger. Thus Mali forced France to move its troops to neighboring Niger. Since then, there was a coup in Burkina Faso, and France Withdrew Troops from Burkina Faso. At the beginning of this year, Mali – Burkina Faso – Guinea Agreed to form a Tri-Country Axis as a response to all the sanctions from ECOWAS, the puppet organization of the West used in West Africa to put us down.

FCFA Franc map

Can you feel the wind of change? Oh yes! It is blowing through the Sahara. The West asked ECOWAS to militarily intervene in Niger, which it at first agreed to (president Tinubu of Nigeria who is presiding over ECOWAS agreed), but the Nigerian senate said that they would emphasize dialogue over military intervention. Algeria, Niger’s northern neighbor, was tapped in, but they too, prefer dialogue. Chad was called in to intervene in Niger, but Chad said “how can I fight my brother?” The military governments in Mali and Burkina Faso told ECOWAS that an armed intervention in Niger would be met with force. Guinea also sided Mali and Burkina Faso. All three countries plus Niger are suspended from ECOWAS, and form part of a military-led belt spanning Africa’s Sahel from Guinea in the west to Sudan in the east. After the destabilization of Libya by NATO (led by France of Sarkozy, and the US), the entire Sahel region has been unstable. After all, why should neighbors be asked to fight neighbors for foreign interests? We are all African brothers, the fact that we were colonized by different powers does not change the fact that we were colonized by foreigners. One colonizer is not better than another, and we cannot continue to fall over stupid divisions. We are all brothers, the enemy is the same (in the eyes of the colonizer, we are all the same anyways). We have been enslaved for far too long. How can a country like Niger with some of the world’s largest deposits of uranium be the second poorest country in the world (In 2021, Niger was the main supplier of uranium to the EU)? How can it be France’s entire backyard? How can France exploit the country, without so much as building roads, or paying for it? France who has no uranium, no gold, yet is top world producer of all these resources, and gets annually $500 billion from Africa [Africa is funding Europe!] while Africans are impoverished! As you think about it, there comes a time when Bob Marley’s prophetic words ring true “You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the time… Now [we] see the light… [we will] stand up for [our] rights!” Enough is enough! Niger O Bosso! As Agostinho Neto said, “A luta continua, e la vitoria e certa.” Brothers and sisters, let us all unite for the freedom of Niger, and Africa as a whole.

L’Union fait la force/ Unity is Strength

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Regimes de noix de palme

Deux écureuils se rendent facilement maîtres d’un régime de noix palmistes (Proverbe Ivili – République du Congo, République Démocratique du Congo (RDC), Angola, Gabon).

Two squirrels quickly master a bunch of palm nuts (Ivili proverb – Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Angola, Gabon).