Today, I would like to remind everybody that April 11th, 2011 is the day the re-colonization and balkanization of Africa started anew. On 11 April 2011, Africa was raped in broad daylight… the presidential palace of Côte d’Ivoire, the national television, the siege of parliament, were bombed, and the president of the country, Laurent Gbagbo, and his entourage, were captured like vulgar thieves by the French army, ONUCI forces, and rebel forces (Laurent Gbagbo – No to a Complicit Silence, Côte d’Ivoire- 20 ans de destabilisation mis a nu). Many Ivorians had to seek refuge in neighboring countries, Ghana and Liberia, while the genocide of the Guéré and Wê people occurred. All this was done in broad daylight, as other African heads of state clapped and saluted France and the ‘international community’ for restoring democracy (see Africans and the Trap of Democracy)… or rather tyranny in Côte d’Ivoire. One year on, Côte d’Ivoire, the beautiful, looks like a ghost of herself. I remember crying, praying, marching against the inferno that descended upon Côte d’Ivoire the beautiful. Yes… fire descended upon Côte d’Ivoire. Here is the video which Gregory Protche, of Gri-Gri International, published and which I particularly enjoyed, making a retrospect on what really happened during the post-electoral crisis in Côte d’Ivoire: how an entire country was put under siege, embargoed, no banks, no medicine… just bombs, and how Alassane Ouattara never won the elections. A few weeks later, this was also done to another country just north of Côte d’Ivoire, Libya. I still cannot believe that many Africans saw the bombing of a country by external forces as good, and still see it as such… How could anyone applaud when their neighbor’s house is on fire? Today Mali is in turmoil… who will be next (Failure of African Leadership)?
Enjoy “5 reasons not to march for the victory of Ouattara” by Gregory Protche.
Le lion du Boulkiemdé, Boukary Kaboré raconte ses derniers jours avec le capitaine, Président du Faso, le Che Africain, Thomas Sankara, et la largesse d’esprit de ce grand homme. Proche de Thomas Sankara durant la révolution, le capitaine Boukary Kaboré dirigeait une des 4 regions militaires.
Dans les jours qui suivirent l’assassinat de Thomas Sankara, il refusa de faire allégeance à Blaise Compaoré. Il refusa d’organiser une montée sur Ouagadougou arguant du fait qu’il ne voyait pas qui pouvait diriger le pays. Ce sont finalement des militaires proches de Blaise Compaoré qui vont assaillir la ville de Koudougou procédant à un véritable massacre des militaires restés fidèles au Lion. Il réussira à s’enfuir de justesse pour se réfugier au Ghana.
Boukary Kaboré
Il revient longuement sur tous ces évènements. ll raconte aussi combien il a tenté vainement de protéger Thomas Sankara qui ne voulait pas de protection (il dit si bien en parlant de Thomas: ‘comment protéger un président qui aime se déplacer à vélo?‘), les tentatives pour le convaincre de démissionner afin d’éclaircir la situation politique, comment était organisée la sécurité de la présidence, comment on a acheté un des fidèles, etc…
Regardez, écoutez, et que ceci vous apporte un élément de clarté sur la mort de notre héros, et grand ‘Che’ africain, Thomas Sankara.
Le partage de l'Afrique à la Conférence de Berlin de 1884
As we talk about neo-colonialism, and the new conquest of Africa, I thought about sharing this poem ‘They Came‘ by the Cameroonian writer François Sengat-Kuo published in Fleurs de Latérite, Heures Rouges Éditions Clé, 1971. In the poem, he talks about colonization and how Africans were fooled by European missionaries who were always preceding European explorers and armies. I particularly like the sentence: “they came, … bible on hand, guns behind.” How true! In the days of colonization, Europeans claimed to be bringing civilization and christianity to pagans across the globe. Today, they bring development, globalization, and democracy… same ol’ thing → submission and slavery of the people. Enjoy!
I have never been as disgusted as I am with the current African leadership. As I stunningly watch Mali descend into chaos, after Cote d’Ivoire, Libya, Sudan, and so on… I wonder what kind of people are heading our countries. It doesn’t take a genius to see that we are being cheated, abused, and killed by imperialism and those hungry and bankrupt capitalists. As I pondered on all that, I read this great speech by cde Kwanisai Mafa of Zimbabwe delivered in commemoration of the Sharpeville massacre in South Africa this year on March 21st 2012. For the integral speeck, check it out on Mathaba.
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“Comrades and friends,
I bring you revolutionary greetings from the landed people of Zimbabwe, north of the great Limpopo River. By landed people, I mean the people who are now sovereign, who now exercise total control and ownership of their land and the vast natural resources endowed to them by God. …
Land ownership and control of mineral wealth are at the heart of Africa’s struggle for self determination. Land ownership and control of mineral wealth aptly justify the theme of today’s engagement.
LAND IS AN ECONOMIC POWER ….
Nowhere is Pan Africans being severely tested in Africa than in Zimbabwe. The current tidal wave of global pessimism and sanction against the people of Zimbabwe has made life excruciatingly challenging for the common folk. The government of Zimbabwe sought to unlock the value of its people in an exercise dubbed the Third Chimurenga.
Cecil Rhodes with his transafrican railroad project from Cairo to Cape Town - Founder of de Beers diamond company, owner of Rhodesia... - the most imperialist ever
Resistance to this exercise has been fierce as both former colonial settlers (who happen to be white) and their sympathizers sought to discredit it as, illegal and not consistent with human rights. Ironically, where were these human rights watchdogs when our forefathers were butchered and dispossessed of their land. Where are these human rights watchdogs when Israel is daily making the lives of Palestinian a living hell? Where were they when NATO attacked a sovereign nation like Libya violating international law? ….
The United Nations has become a tool of US imperialism for decolonizing nations especially the United Nations Security Council. There is selective application of law. Our leaders are being dragged to Hague to the International Criminal Court of Justice, yet western nations who are killing innocent people in Iraq, Palestine, Libya and elsewhere go with impunity. This is hypocritical. …
Comrades and friends , the levels of mediocrity in African leadership has risen to sanctity. The revolution is now eating its own children. Surely this cannot continue unabated, battle lines must be drawn, be drawn clearly and conspicuously.
Our African leaders are sacrificing our continent and our founding values and aspirations on the altar of narrow, parochial, self serving, personal and selfish interests.Stooges and imperialist lapdogs in form of opposition parties and democracy are being bankrolled by western intelligence organizations to extinguish, purge and obliterate all liberation movements and replace them with their puppets that are prepared to surrender our God given Africa to global imperialism for thirty pieces of silver.
Flag of Zimbabwe
Our African leaders have become our contemporary Judas Iscariot. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi who gave sanctuary and military assistance to African liberation movements especially to South Africa was sold out by those whom he supported.
Who is Judas Iscariot? I don’t need your answer now South Africans?
The late legendary Reggae superstar Bob Marley, who I love so much (peace be upon him), in his song Redemption Song, he asked for how long should we stand aside while our prophets are being killed. No leader said a word against the bombardment of Libya by NATO not even the African Union yet the author and founder of the African Union was Gaddafi.The biggest question we should ask ourselves is who is next ?”
First of all, I would like to praise the victory of Macky Sallin Senegal againstAbdoulaye Wade… Apparently, and the foreign press does not want to give the real results,Wade received a real K.O.… He was apparently knocked out withless than 30% of voicesin thesecond round of the presidential elections in Senegal. Congratulations to Macky Sall and the people of Senegal who defeated the octogenarian Abdoulaye Wade. I am particularly joyous becauseAbdoulaye Wade has viciously destabilized some of the most stable countries in Africa in the past few years: Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Libya, and recently Mali.This man totally served the western interests of stopping the formation of a United States of Africa, or rather the FMA (Fonds monetaire Africain), and the formation of a common currency. He betrayedKadhafi, and many others. I have no pity for somebody who was ready to transform his country into a monarchy… like Togo and Gabon… he just made the mistake of thinking that Senegal was Togo or Gabon. He should pay for his crimes and should also be prosecuted for crimes against humanity in Cote d’Ivoire and Libya. So long Gorgui… You will not be missed!
Map of Senegal
As I said,this is a people’s win… however, history (on the continent) has shown that simple alternance of power does not mean a true system change.Macky Sall may be good willing, full of good intentions, but how can he act if he does not even control his country’s currency? how can he act when the true power resides elsewhere, in the hexagon?Well we wish Macky Sall the best, and all children of Africa rejoice for his victory and that of the Senegalese people.We also hope that there could be light at the end of the tunnel, and give Macky Sall our entire support in leading his country.
African Venus, a sculpture by Charles-Henri Joseph Cordier 1851 (Source: Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD)
In honor of our mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives, and to celebrate this great day, I thought about this great poem I once read. I dedicate it to the women of Côte d’Ivoire and Libya … of all of Africa, and to all women out there who are making a change, however small it may be. This poem is entitled “WOMAN” by Gold Touch International. Enjoy!
I was not planning on writing anything, but then I remembered the blood of Ivorians, and all the big cocoa’s sellers scheme in that country, and their influence in the current bloody atmosphere inCôte d’Ivoire, the world number one producer of cocoa… then I cringed… I had to write. As Hallmark and the media try to make us celebrate a day when Cupidon supposedly hit us with his arrow of love, and we all then run to the store to buy chocolates, and everything lovey-dovey… I remembered that over 3000 miles away some children were dying in some cocoa plantations for people in the developed world to show love to their loved ones.
A box of Valentine's day chocolate
Is it really necessary? do people need all that chocolate to feel loved? do they need the heart-shaped box full of heart-shaped chocolates to feel loved? and why not any other day? could people not renew their love for each other any other day of the year? or fall in love any other day? does it have to happen at the expense of some kid and poor family in another hemisphere? Well…after the event of April 11, 2011in Côte d’Ivoire, I have decided to refrain myself from my love of chocolate… and we all should. We can all refrain from it… there will be less wars!… and less caries!
Zambia’s national team celebrate their win of the African Cup of Nations (Source: Issouf Sanogo/AFP)
Wow, I started watching the finals yesterday rooting for Zambia to win against Côte d’Ivoire… I had watched them throughout the cup, and the last one as well, and knew that they were a young strong team to reckon with. Throughout the game, I prayed that the memory of those Zambian players who died in a plane crash in 1993 in Gabon be honored. At the time when the crash occurred, the Zambian team was on its way to Senegal from Libreville (Gabon) to play a world-cup qualifier. We, Africans, were all stunned, and cried as an entire country had lost their heroes. One of the only survivors was Kalusha Bwalya who would have been on the plane during the crash, but had found his own way to Senegal (he was playing for PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, and had to make separate arrangements to meet the team in Dakar). We watched and cried with Kalusha who had lost all his teammates.
Zambia’s national team, the Chipolopolo
Imagine rebuilding an entire mature team who had just crashed? It will take a lot of years to foster the same talent and train them. The country had just lost a generation of extremely talented football players. Kalusha went on to become coach of Zambia (at the 2006 CAN), and is currently the president of the football association of his country. It is extremely symbolic that Zambia won last night in Libreville (Gabon) against Côte d’Ivoire (who played outstandingly well), only a few hundred metres inland from the crash site. The Chipolopolo (the Copper Bullets) dedicated their victory to the ones who lost their lives in the 1993 tragedy.
The Africa Cup of Nations/ La Coupe d'Afrique des Nations
The quarter-finals to the African Cup of Nations (Coupe d’Afrique des Nations) tournament took place yesterday. The African Cup of Nations is a highly followed soccer tournament to which all African nations participate. In essence, all African nations play qualifiers which ensures that about 16 nations on the continent will get a chance to play at the African Cup of Nations. Since 1968, the tournament has taken place every two years, and every even year during the month of January and ends around mid-February: one month of intense fun. If you are an avid soccer fan, as I am, you would love watching some of the greatest African teams and stars at their best (sometimes, at their worst too). Recently, the pressure of big money FIFA has forced a change into the schedule of the CAN, forcing the tournament to now take place every odd years, so as ‘not to clash with the soccer world cup‘ (this change was forced by European big clubs/leagues to whom many African players belong).
CAN 2012
The African Cup of Nations (CAN) tournament was first held in 1957 in Sudan, and only three countries participated: Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. Egypt has won the cup seven times, making it the record holder. In recent years, Egypt won the cup three consecutive times. Cameroon and Ghana follow behind Egypt and have both won the tournament four times. Cameroon and Egypt are not participating at this year’s African Cup of Nations, but Ghana is… and there is a strong chance that they might win the cup this year. This year’s tournament, the 2012 CAN, is held in two countries: Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. I believe that the final this year will be between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire: the Black Stars vs the Elephants. Although my heart is with the Elephants of Didier Drogba, I have slight edge towards Ghana of Michael Essien.
My dream is to see an African cup of Nations where all the coaches of African teams would be African… I might have to wait a long time to see this, but in the meantime enjoy! Mali just knocked out Gabon in penalty kicks and will be facing Côte d’Ivoire in semi-finals (this promises to be a good game). The face-off to the other semi-final will be Ghana-Zambia, as Ghana defeated Tunisia 2-1. Let’s wait and see!
A group of escaped slaves in Virginia in 1862 (courtesy of the Library of Congress)
A newly discovered letter from a freed former slave to his onetime master is creating a buzz. Letters of Note explains that in August of 1865, a Colonel P.H. Anderson of Big Spring, Tennessee wrote to his former slave Jourdan Anderson, requesting that Jourdan return to work on his farm. In the time since escaping from slavery, Anderson had become emancipated, moved to Ohio where he found paid work and was now supporting his family. The letter turned up in the August 22 edition of the New York Daily Tribune. ENJOY!
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Dayton, Ohio,
August 7, 1865
To My Old Master, Colonel P.H. Anderson, Big Spring, Tennessee
Sir: I got your letter, and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jourdon, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again, promising to do better for me than anybody else can. I have often felt uneasy about you. I thought the Yankees would have hung you long before this, for harboring Rebs they found at your house. I suppose they never heard about your going to Colonel Martin’s to kill the Union soldier that was left by his company in their stable. Although you shot at me twice before I left you, I did not want to hear of your being hurt, and am glad you are still living. It would do me good to go back to the dear old home again, and see Miss Mary and Miss Martha and Allen, Esther, Green, and Lee. Give my love to them all, and tell them I hope we will meet in the better world, if not in this. I would have gone back to see you all when I was working in the Nashville Hospital, but one of the neighbors told me that Henry intended to shoot me if he ever got a chance.
I want to know particularly what the good chance is you propose to give me. I am doing tolerably well here. I get twenty-five dollars a month, with victuals and clothing; have a comfortable home for Mandy,—the folks call her Mrs. Anderson,—and the children—Milly, Jane, and Grundy—go to school and are learning well. The teacher says Grundy has a head for a preacher. They go to Sunday school, and Mandy and me attend church regularly. We are kindly treated. Sometimes we overhear others saying, “Them colored people were slaves” down in Tennessee. The children feel hurt when they hear such remarks; but I tell them it was no disgrace in Tennessee to belong to Colonel Anderson. Many darkeys would have been proud, as I used to be, to call you master. Now if you will write and say what wages you will give me, I will be better able to decide whether it would be to my advantage to move back again.
African Heritage 