tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61521097934379009642024-03-13T06:48:23.975-04:00(Re)Brand Africa"Until The Lion Learns To Write, Tales Of The Hunt Will Always Glorify The Hunter"
Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-83977800319320349272013-06-25T14:42:00.000-04:002013-06-26T11:32:51.813-04:00Dying for Straight Hair: The Danger of Relaxers for African Women<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13072070@N00/3423221505" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="(intimicacy revealed) homemade hair relaxer by..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="180" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3584/3423221505_050120f972_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="240" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 240px;">(intimicacy revealed) homemade hair relaxer by angela (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13072070@N00/3423221505" target="_blank">celinecelines</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the past few years, more African women with kinky hair are <nobr><a class="FAtxtL" href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/dying-for-straight-hair-the-danger-of-relaxers-for-african-women/#" id="FALINK_3_0_2">opting</a></nobr> to ditch their hair straightening products for ‘natural’ or chemical-free hairstyles. The resurgence of <nobr><a class="FAtxtL" href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/dying-for-straight-hair-the-danger-of-relaxers-for-african-women/#" id="FALINK_2_0_1">natural hairstyles</a></nobr>
by Black African women needs to be unpacked in light of the newly
revealed health risks associated with relaxers. Hair relaxers have been known to cause cancers and fibroids in Black women. Yet, many Black women still use relaxers. To understand why these women are still using them we need to examine the usage of hair relaxers in the back drop of
historical movements in African societies.<br />
<br />
Although it is not often discussed, wearing a natural hairstyle has
been a contentious issue for much of the African continent. During the
colonial era, the Western aesthetic was the dominant standard of <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/beauty/" title="beauty">beauty</a> in Africa. Looking White provided Africans with social and political advantages
under the colonial system where Africans that looked more like
their “colonial masters” were more likely to get work and gain other
privileges.<br />
<br />
This was very evident in countries like <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/south-africa/" title="South Africa ">South Africa </a>wear
the ‘pencil test’ determined your racial classification, and hence your
social, economic, and political standing. Therefore Africans began
using <nobr><a class="FAtxtL" href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/dying-for-straight-hair-the-danger-of-relaxers-for-african-women/#" id="FALINK_1_0_0">skin lighteners</a></nobr> and hair straightening products in spite the knowledge that these products were damaging skin.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cerca_1850_African_American_woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="English: Unidentified African American woman w..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="330" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Cerca_1850_African_American_woman.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="271" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 271px;">English: Unidentified African American woman with Afro-textured hair, cerca 1850 (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cerca_1850_African_American_woman.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
During the late 1800s different methods were derived to straighten
hair. One popular method of straightening hair invented in France made
use of a metal hot comb and oil (pressing). Although this was a popular
method that lasted for several decades, and was less dangerous than
chemical methods, it provided a temporary change in hair texture.<br />
<br />
By 1877 Garret A. Morgan had invented the lye hair relaxer in the USA
and its use soon became the more popular method of straightening hair.
Chemical relaxers offered longer lasting results (often called
‘permanent’ or ‘perm for short’) and soon became the preferred method of
straightening hair. Hair straightening increased immensely in the 1900s
because of Madam C.J. Walker and her multimillion dollar hair
straightening business.<br />
<br />
Walker, an African-American entrepreneur, played a major role in the
promotion of hot combs, relaxers and other hair straightening products
throughout the USA. The use of these products to straighten curly hair
became more popular in the Caribbean and Africa as well because fashion
trends often traveled across seas.<br />
<br />
<b>Politics and Hair</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wild_hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="English: Wild hair" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="311" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Wild_hair.jpg/300px-Wild_hair.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: Natural hair (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wild_hair.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the wake of Africa’s independence in the 1960s and early 1970s,
Africans returned to wearing natural hairstyles. Afros became popular in
the African world as a fashion and political statement. Afros and
natural hairstyles embodied an era of new found freedom and self
expression. As <a href="http://www.jazma.com/black-hair-history" target="_blank">a political statement </a>that grew out of the civil rights era in the USA, there symbolism were perceived as a threat to governments.<br />
<br />
In many African countries another popular natural style, dreadlocks,
were worn by the Rastafarian populations and liberation fighters in the
1960s like the Mau Mau in Kenya. Like with the Afro, this natural
hairstyle became associated with dissidents or ‘trouble-makers’.<br />
The illegal use of marijuana by the Rastafarian also linked locks to
drug usage which is a taboo in contemporary main stream African
societies. Hence, many Africans wearing locks were automatically seen as
criminals and vagabonds.<br />
<br />
Alternative natural styles like cornrows (plaits) and braids have
also faced various forms of opposition over the years in some African
institutions (i.e. <a href="http://www.curlynikki.com/2011/12/african-vs-african-american-hair.html" target="_blank">schools </a>and <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/16/curls-nigerian-women-straight" target="_blank">workplaces</a>).
In brief, the wearing of natural hairstyles in Africa has not been
without its stereotyping and push-back from members within African
societies.<br />
<br />
<b>Return of the Relaxer</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jheri_Curl_Smile_%28395044434%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Jheri Curl Smile" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="236" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Jheri_Curl_Smile_%28395044434%29.jpg/300px-Jheri_Curl_Smile_%28395044434%29.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">A man with a Jheri Curl (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jheri_Curl_Smile_%28395044434%29.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
During the 1980s, straight relaxers became popular again. The <a href="http://blackamericaweb.com/98606/little-known-black-history-fact-the-jheri-curl/" target="_blank">Jheri curl </a>in
particular, became a staple of the 1980s amongst the urban populations.
Natural hairstyles began to fade. In part, this was due to changes in
fashion and taste.<br />
<br />
In part, it was due to the political statements natural hair made. By
the new millennium, Africans that did not want to use processors were
perceived as old fashioned or unwilling to embrace “modernity”. Kinky
hair was associated with “backwardness”, rural areas and <a href="http://www.kisforkinky.com/2012/01/09/nigerian-women-with-natural-hair-deemed-unacceptable/" target="_blank">village life</a>. Those that embraced western aesthetics were perceived as more sophisticated, fashionable, urban, and modern.<br />
<br />
They did not want to get caught with "village hair"! The standard of
beauty continued to be set by the Global North (West) and reinforced
through television, magazines and social practices like preferences in
hiring. Therefore, African hair fashions are influenced by aesthetics in
the west which in turn were dominated by White aesthetics.<br />
<br />
In spite of the opposition faced by those wearing natural hair, in
recent years, Africans in urban areas have been embracing the ‘natural’
look. More Black African women are now wearing afros, dreadlocks and
many other variations.<br />
<br />
Similarly, there has been an increase in popularity of hair
extensions, pieces, and wigs that are kinky or curly or closely resemble
the hair texture of the majority of Black African women. This new trend
in Black women’s hair care that is currently sweeping across the
African continent is a welcome move for many reasons. One pressing
reason is that chemical hair relaxers have been linked to several heath
problems.<br />
<br />
<b>How Relaxers Harm Us - The Medical Risks </b><br />
<br />
Recent studies indicate that there is a link Black hair care relaxers
and health risks. Research in this area has been under researched in
the past but we need to take heed of the <a href="http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/National_News_2/article_8598.shtml" target="_blank">existing research and the new revelations</a>.<br />
<br />
There is a plethora of science-backed concerns about Black hair
products. The Chemicals used in Black hair products such as relaxers, enter the body
through the scalp, particularly when there is a burn or cut on the
skin (this includes non-lye relaxers). They upset the internal <a href="http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/National_News_2/article_8598.shtml" target="_blank">chemical balance</a> which leads to complications.<br />
<br />
These topical applications can also cause <a href="http://thegrio.com/2010/12/15/black-hair-products-may-sacrifice-safety-for-style/" target="_blank">chemical burns or blindness</a>.
Black hair care products (relaxers in particular), have been linked to
ailments such as reproductive problems, fibroids, heart disease,
cognitive disorders, cancers, early puberty, altered immune systems and
other <a href="http://urbanbellemag.com/2012/05/relaxers-linked-to-fibroids-black-hair-products-linked-to-cancer.html" target="_blank">health risks.</a> Many of these health risks are life-threatening and therefore should not be ignored by African women.<br />
<br />
Many African women still do not know that they are risking their
lives by straightening their hair. It is actually a topic that can and
should be addressed with other women’s health issues. The ministries of
health should work to create public awareness about the dangers of
relaxers, and greater regulations are needed of harmful products that
enter the market.<br />
<br />
In the United States, the Safe Cosmetics Act is being debated that
would ban unsafe products in hair care products sold in salons. For
African women living in countries where changes in legislation can be
slow or where regulation can be difficult women need to exercise greater
agency on matters of their health. It is important that African women
pay attention to the labels in the hair products and avoid relaxers
altogether.<br />
<br />
<b>
</b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>“Good Hair”</b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hair_straighteners_%283%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="English: Example:hair being straighten with a ..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="225" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Hair_straighteners_%283%29.JPG/300px-Hair_straighteners_%283%29.JPG" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: Example:hair being straightened with a regular curly iron. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hair_straighteners_%283%29.JPG" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Avoiding relaxers altogether may mean addressing the standards of
beauty that African women are beholden to. This means changing the way
we think and speak about natural hair. Many urban Africans continue to <a href="http://www.kisforkinky.com/2012/01/09/nigerian-women-with-natural-hair-deemed-unacceptable/" target="_blank"> mock natural hair </a>and associate it with being ‘rural’. They also continue to strive to rank straight hair above kinky hair.<br />
<br />
As an example, the term <a href="http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/oct/25/tangled-issue-g/" target="_blank">‘good hair</a>’
is still a part of African vocabulary in many countries. Although some
use the term to refer to hair that is more manageable or easily combed,
it typically means having European traits or “close to white”.<br />
<br />
<br />
This shows that the aesthetics in Africa still place Caucasian hair
as the standard which African women have to live to – even at the risk
of their lives. As Marcus Garvey, the founder of the Universal Negro
Improvement Association (UNIA) aptly notes, “take the kinks out of your
mind…instead of out of your hair.” Our attitude towards natural hair
needs to improve. ‘Good hair’ for African women should ideally refer to
hair that is healthy and free from damaging chemicals.<br />
<br />
There are health benefits to going natural. The resurgence of
chemical-free or natural hair styles should be conceived as a health and
wellness change. There are many alternatives to hairstyles using
relaxers. This includes dreadlocks, corn rows (plaits) and hair
braiding. Various wigs, falls, hair extensions or other hair pieces do
not require chemical hair straightening products and are viable
substitutes. African women should continue to embrace ‘natural’ styles
not only because it is in fashion, but also because of the associated
health benefits.<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">A version of this article was publisehed on <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/dying-for-straight-hair-the-danger-of-relaxers-for-african-women/" target="_blank">Africa on the Blog on May 28th, 2013</a></span></i><br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=150f0821-1f38-4e69-a1a8-aceeea5c7cf8" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-49880376904766828182013-05-28T13:54:00.004-04:002013-05-28T13:56:33.761-04:00Dikembe Unchained: Mutombo’s GEICO Commercial<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dikembe_Mutombo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Dikembe Mutombo, speaking during a press brief..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="255" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Dikembe_Mutombo.jpg/300px-Dikembe_Mutombo.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Dikembe Mutombo, speaking during a press briefing at the New York Foreign Press Center. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dikembe_Mutombo.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Congolese basketball player <a data-mce-href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dikembe_Mutombo" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dikembe_Mutombo">Dikembe Mutombo</a>
has been receiving largely positive responses with regards to his new
advertisement for GEICO, an auto insurance company in the United States
of America. The commercial, <a data-mce-href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_0fyUYB3cA" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_0fyUYB3cA" target="_blank" title="Dikembe Mutombo GEICO commercial">"Happier than Dikembe Mutombo Blocking a Shot"</a> depicts Mutombo running around blocking ordinary people from making ‘shots’ in everyday situations.<br />
<br />
In
the commercial, he blocks a crumpled ball of paper from being thrown in
to a trash can, a boy from throwing a box of cereal in to a shopping
cart and a woman from throwing laundry in to a washing machine and in
other similar situations. During this time, he is making mono syllabic
statements like "no, no, no", "not in my house!" and "ha ha ha."This is
supposed to be a commentary on his defense skills as a basketball player
where he blocked numerous shots.<br />
<br />
For many basketball fans, it
brings about nostalgia from the days that he was playing in the
basketball leagues. However, for some of us the commercial shows an
African basketball athlete, running around town hitting objects out of
people’s hands, who is also seemingly inarticulate. One almost expects
him to yell, “yabba dabba doo!” like <a data-mce-href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Flintstone" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Flintstone">Fred Flinstone</a>
. Simply speaking, the commercial makes Mutumbo look like and oafish
cave man. He evokes images reminiscent of the arch stereotype of the
African male who may not be intelligent, may not be articulate, but ‘can
sure play ball!’.<br />
<br />
<br />
This portrayal of Mutumbo is really unfortunate because Mutumbo is a very <a data-mce-href="http://www.nba.com/playerfile/dikembe_mutombo/bio.html" href="http://www.nba.com/playerfile/dikembe_mutombo/bio.html">accomplished</a>
man. There is an above average brain lurking behind this Neanderthal
representation of him. Mutumbo was the recipient of an academic
scholarship to the highly ranked Georgetown University as a pre-med
student. His original goal was to become a medical doctor! Albeit
playing time-consuming college basketball, he eventually graduated with
two degrees in Linguistics and Diplomacy from Georgetown. As an
entrepreneur, he is the founder of the cable network ‘Africa Channel’
and has embarked on other business ventures. However, outside of
basketball, he is mostly renowned for his not for profit ventures.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dikembe-Mutombo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="English: Dikembe Mutombo speaks to the Senegal..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Dikembe-Mutombo.jpg/300px-Dikembe-Mutombo.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: Dikembe Mutombo speaks to the Senegalese population about the importance of sleeping under mosquito nets (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dikembe-Mutombo.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mutombo is the founder of the <a data-mce-href="http://www.dmf.org/" href="http://www.dmf.org/"><i>Dikembe Mutombo Foundation</i></a>
which builds schools and hospitals in Kinshasa, Congo. In addition, he
has made several donations to charitable foundations both in Congo and
the United States which have earned him recognition as one of the most
generous professional athletes in the world. Due to his <a data-mce-href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/dikembe-mutombo-sets-philanthropist-nba-star-awarded-works-native-african-country-article-1.188151" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/dikembe-mutombo-sets-philanthropist-nba-star-awarded-works-native-african-country-article-1.188151">philanthropy</a>,
he was inducted in the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame and has
received the President’s Service Award. Lastly, not only can he speak
English well, he is in fact a polyglot conversant in many languages. He
speaks French, Portuguese, Spanish, Tshiluba, Swahili, Lingala and two
other central African languages. Multilingualism is useful and
compliments his many international endeavors which involve communicating
in boardrooms, at conferences and with the general public. Therefore,
playing an ‘oafish’ mono-syllabic caricature for the commercial is a
misrepresentation of who he actually is.<br />
<br />
Of course, it needs to be
said that no one should take themselves too seriously. There should
always be room for African athletes to represent multiple sides of
themselves which includes a humorous side. However, we are still in an
era where African athletes continue to be represented as all ‘body’ and
no ‘brains’ as athletes and as scholars. Since athletes are considered
ambassadors for their country of origin, how they are received and
perceived becomes a concern for many at international levels. It is of
particular concern for African athletes who continue to face racism
worldwide when competing in various sports. They are often susceptible
to taunting, heckling and stereotyping by fans based on their ethnicity.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geico_logo.svg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="English: GEICO logo" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="67" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Geico_logo.svg/300px-Geico_logo.svg.png" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: GEICO logo (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geico_logo.svg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Some may recall an <a data-mce-href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2640085" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2640085">incident when a basketball fan heckled racist slurs at Mutumbo</a>
from the stadium stands. This would have been a more opportune time
for him to run around unhinged, feverishly blocking verbal shots and
uttering words from his GEICO ad like, ‘no, no, no… not today… not in my
house!’In response to the heckling incident, Mutombo actually remarked,
“I am not going to take that. He was insulting my race, my family, my
integrity. For him to call me a monkey ... that should not happen
today,"indicating that he is quite aware that racial stereotypes
continue to exist today. It is therefore ironic that he was able to take
the GEICO commercial script as lighthearted humor thereby perpetuating a
popular African stereotype. Players and their agents/managers have
control over the image of a celebrity and his decision partner with
GEICO in this manner is very problematic for his own representation and
that of the continent. Unfortunately for Mutombo, with great fame, comes
great responsibility. Asking the GEICO team for a new concept is
typically an option for stars of his stature that should have been
exercised. In a world where Africans are still battling stereotypes
about Africa, it is too soon for our biggest and brightest stars to be
dumbing <span data-mce-style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">themselves</span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">down for sport.</span><br />
<br />
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This article appeared on <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/dikembe-unchained-mutombos-geico-commercial/" target="_blank">Africa on the Blog , February 26, 2013</a></i></span></span><br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=08eec89b-2088-45f3-ac3c-58d0309bc866" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-76721851074562699312013-03-14T17:01:00.002-04:002013-03-14T17:01:37.679-04:00Fighting Fat: The Growth of Childhood Obesity in Africa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WataahGlove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="English: Fighting Obesity" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="180" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/WataahGlove.jpg/300px-WataahGlove.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: Fighting Obesity (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WataahGlove.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In today’s globalized world, African children living in the cities
are increasingly at risk of contracting middle class diseases. The
lifestyle and eating habits in the urban areas in Africa has been
undergoing transformations over the past few years. Factors such as food
<a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/choice/" title="choice ">choice </a>and
social conditions have contributed to this increase, making obesity
rates amongst middle class African children problematic. Childhood
obesity is linked with serious health problems and increases risks of
contracting premature illnesses later in life.<br />
<br />
Obesity rates are reaching epic proportions in sub-Saharan Africa<span style="font-size: 13px;">. </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">In a </span><a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/92/5/1257.full.pdf+html?ijkey=C5xJj.Ubdr68.&keytype=ref&siteid=ajcn" style="font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">World Health Organization study</a><span style="font-size: 13px;">
published by De Onis, Blossenr and Borghi (2010) in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, they estimate that the prevalence of
childhood overweight and obesity in Africa in 2010 was 8.5% and is
expected to reach 12.7% by 2020. The situation has become so severe
that in countries such as Mauritius, <a href="http://www.africareview.com/News/Obese-Mauritian-children-set-off-alarm-bells/-/979180/1489374/-/nvpr0m/-/index.html" target="_blank">one third of children aged 6 to 19 are either overweight or obese</a>.
Similar patterns of obesity can be seen in the adult populations in
Mauritius. Other countries are experiencing similar trends in their
youth and adult populations.</span><br />
<br />
The growth in obesity has been accompanied by an increase in
lifestyle related to non-communicable diseases in children and adults in
all countries such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension and heart disease.
This is beginning to put a strain on the fragile health systems in
Africa as new health related problems are rising.<br />
<br />
The cause of this increase of obese African children is accredited to
a variety of factors including food choices and social conditions. With
the rise of the middle class, there has been an increase in sedentary
behavior, purchasing power, high fat diets and consumption of low-cost
imported foods in this group.<br />
<br />
The African diet in urban areas is increasingly laden with high fat
foods. There has been a growth in the presence of local, regional, and
international fast food restaurants such as <em>Kentucky Fried Chicken</em> and <em>Steers</em>.
This means many more people are relying on burgers, fries, fried
chicken, and pizza as part of their regular diets. This has been
accompanied by an increase in the availability and numbers of processed
foods in supermarkets, many of which are cheap imports. In Luanda,
Angola, these imported processed foods are at times less costly than
buying healthier locally grown foods. Additionally, vendors in the city
typically fry their street foods in high fat oils making fatty foods
easily accessible to a range of middle class budgets. Furthermore, there
has been more frequent consumption of alcohol and tobacco.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61885596@N00/4611552559" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="A breakfast very high in saturated fat" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="160" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1132/4611552559_cd805727e9_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 240px;">A breakfast very high in saturated fat (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61885596@N00/4611552559" target="_blank">Just some dust</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The change in social conditions has also contributed to obesity.
African children are becoming more sedentary in their lifestyle and
engaging in less activity. Many African children are choosing to spend
their days playing video games, surfing the internet or watching
satellite television rather than engaging in physical activities.
Although this appears to be the same issues faced by their middle class
counterparts in the global north, there are a few social issues that
further complicate Africa’s growing obesity problem. Unlike in the
global north, labor in Africa is less costly, therefore more <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/african-middle-class/" title="African middle class">African middle class</a>
families have domestic workers, which means the children are less
likely to perform chores or other work. Many of the affluent also rely
on drivers and do not engage in much short-distance or long distance
walking. The legal drinking age in African nations is lower (typically
eighteen) than in countries such as the U.S. where the drinking age is
twenty-one. Additionally, those under the legal age are often still able
to purchase alcohol at stores. Therefore, middle class African children
have greater access to obesity causing alcoholic beverages than those
in the global north. In many African countries, cultural attitudes have
lead to overweight people being admired because large size signifies
prosperity. Therefore you are less likely to find mass supporters for
weight loss for young children.<br />
<br />
The growing rate of obesity-related problems coupled by the lack of
awareness of obesity related issues though is concerning and needs
greater attention. Many programs by NGOs, governments and civil
societies do not often target obesity problems for various reasons.
Obesity is a new problem on the continent and data is few. Additionally,
<a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/food-security/" title="food security">food security</a>
has been an on-going problem in many African nations and many people on
the continent still face starvation. This means governments,
international non-profits, and civil society are unlikely to focus on
issues encouraging healthy diets in the middle class. The problem,
however, needs to target both demographics since many of the lower
income classes will move into the middle class.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Soy-whey-protein-diet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="A diet rich in soy and whey protein, found in ..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="191" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Soy-whey-protein-diet.jpg/300px-Soy-whey-protein-diet.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">A diet rich in soy and whey protein, found in products such as soy milk and low-fat yogurt, has been shown to reduce breast cancer incidence in rats. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Soy-whey-protein-diet.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There needs to be a greater focus on creating awareness and
decreasing obesity amongst the middle class. When it comes to serving a
balanced meal, nutritional education at the household level is needed.
Some in the middle class are educated but may be ignorant when it comes
to nutrition. Others may have the income to buy the food but may not
have extensive formal or nutritional education. Therefore nutrition
education is needed across the board. When people belong to the middle
class, their diets sometimes change. In many countries, eating meat is
seen as a sign of affluence as well, therefore it is common to find a
household meal comprised of a starch and several meats. The over
reliance on food like <em>nsima</em> (<em>foo-foo</em>) or rice during
meals is also problematic since they are high in starch (and calories)
but eaten in abundance with the main meal. In brief, nutrition awareness
programs should be targeted to rich and poor alike as they are needed
across demographics.<br />
<br />
Obesity is a growing problem in Africa and needs to be addressed in
the middle class and affluent urban areas. As Africa changes and adjusts
to new lifestyle, there is a need to readjust so that we are not
creating new health problems. We are already witnessing changes in the
types of diseases being diagnosed and need to start to prevent them
early. Middle class African children should be encouraged to engage in
greater physical activity including chores, playing, and participating
in sports at school. They should also decrease their video game,
Facebook and television watching hours. Lastly, they should be taught
good nutrition habits from a young age.<br />
<br />
Although there are health-conscious parents on the continent who
teach healthy eating habits to their children and encourage an active
lifestyle in them, the increase in obesity among the youth signifies
that there is a problem. Globalization for Africa has meant the
acquisition of global health problems in addition to the ones already
there. The government of the island-nation of Mauritius has already
taken steps towards preventative measures by actively managing its
obesity problem and encouraging healthy diets and lifestyles. This
should be emulated in other Africa countries facing obesity related
health problems.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">-- This article appeared on<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Jan 25, 2013 o</span>n <a href="http://www.africaonthebog.com/" target="_blank"><i>Africa on the Blog.</i> </a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;">Add </span><br />
<span style="color: white;"> key worsd "fat African Kids, stravin marvin"</span><br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=b062acd5-3101-4a39-876a-8889f6c6e599" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-75947786719982506422013-01-25T18:59:00.002-05:002013-01-25T19:28:06.411-05:00Africa's Greatest Non-Inventions? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="rg_hi uh_hi" data-height="194" data-width="260" height="298" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSpo66FDiDnJT4EVt5sOU8CAQv3-Sswuh0gNKwPpLVSaYLYg6_8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Africa's Non-Invention: A version of a wireless bluetooth" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This image of an African man with rubber man around his head has gone viral with a new country named in each e-mail in order to ridicule the nationals of that country although it probably originated in South Africa as signified by the references on the computer screen.. Photo credit:<a href="http://www.kk.org/streetuse/archives/2006/10/rubber_band_hands_free_cell_ph.php" target="_blank">unknown</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Many people have received the popular email of the <a href="http://www.kk.org/streetuse/archives/2006/10/rubber_band_hands_free_cell_ph.php" target="_blank">African man with an elastic band and cell phone tied around his head</a> with the caption
reading “hands-free cell phone”. A few weeks ago, I was sent a link to a
blog with similar images depicting African non-inventions, entitled <a data-mce-href="http://blog.africageographic.com/safari-blog/funny/11-amazing-devices-that-could-only-have-been-invented-in-africa/" href="http://blog.africageographic.com/safari-blog/funny/11-amazing-devices-that-could-only-have-been-invented-in-africa/">“11 amazing devices that could only have been invented in Africa”</a>.
The blog consists of a number of ‘inventions’ - or rather African
adaptations of contemporary technology credited to Africa. These
adaptations include a hand held sprinkler system made by attaching the
top of a plastic bottle to a hose pipe; a box ball (foosball) table
carved from an actual box box; and many similar ‘humorous’
non-inventions.<br />
<br />
The latest series of such type of photos were
included on a blog run by the Africa Geographic Safari magazine which
also has some of these images on its <a data-mce-href="https://www.facebook.com/agsafari" href="https://www.facebook.com/agsafari">Facebook page</a>. It credits the source of the photos to another Facebook page, <a data-mce-href="https://www.facebook.com/AfricaThisIsWhyILiveHere" href="https://www.facebook.com/AfricaThisIsWhyILiveHere">Africa, This is why I live here</a> – owned by <a data-mce-href="http://africathisiswhyilivehere.com/" href="http://africathisiswhyilivehere.com/">AfricaThisiswhyI livehere.com-</a>
a wildlife blog that promotes conservation of Rhinos. There is a note
on the ‘about’ section of the Facebook site of the latter, reading “not
intended for anyone with a bad sense of humor”. On the Africa
Geographic magazine, the user comments also make reference to the humor
in the photos and the ‘ingenuity’ of African peoples. Whilst no malice
is intended by displaying these images, the messages conveyed cannot be
viewed simply in jest because of the context that they are presented and
their messages.<br />
<br />
Pictures Worth a Thousand Inventions<br />
<br />
In light of the blog’s content, the title <a data-mce-href="http://blog.africageographic.com/safari-blog/funny/11-amazing-devices-that-could-only-have-been-invented-in-africa/" href="http://blog.africageographic.com/safari-blog/funny/11-amazing-devices-that-could-only-have-been-invented-in-africa/">“11 amazing devices that could only have been invented in Africa”</a>
is problematic. It introduces an element of ‘otherness’ to African
people and products coming out of Africa. It writes that this type of
‘inventiveness’ can only occur in one geographic location, Africa, and
not another. This suggests that Africa invents one type of invention
(makeshift ones) and not any other (true inventions). It implies that
real inventions occur outside of the African continent and not within
it. Furthermore, it implies that nothing new really comes out of the
continent; instead, innovation takes the form of crude adaptations –that
make use of anything in reach-to things already invented elsewhere.<br />
<br />
They
give the impression that Africans simply mimic things without a deeper
understanding of how they function or in what context they function in.
The stereotypical associations that these images conjure have real life
consequences for many Africans in classrooms and in work places that
are prejudged as bringing no real innovation.<br />
<br />
Equally problematic
for Africans are that the ‘African inventions’ photos are presented by
wildlife and safari themed sites in the middle of content primarily
about wildlife. This poses problems because since they primarily focus
on Africa’s environment, and seldom people, the way they present people
makes a more pronounced statement. When a magazine about flora and fauna
frequently depicts people in a similar manner, it creates lasting
impressions in the mind of the viewers of the images of those people. It
contrasts clever animals adapting to nature in their natural habitat to
slow humans trying to adapt technology. Readers of the site are
bombarded with numerous photos of animals doing a variety of tasks,
whilst the few African people being shown are doing ‘silly’ things like
tying numerous tires around a car for ‘safety’ purposes.<br />
<br />
There are
other nuances surrounding the relationship between Africa’s wildlife
and African people that manifest given that these images appear in the
context of ‘environmentally’ – themed platforms. African people are
usually not depicted as part of Africa in much of the popular
imagination of wildlife enthusiasts -Tourists go on Safari to look at
animals and conservationists are looking to save them! When people are
rarely featured in the backdrop of African nature for tourism purposes,
they are usually adding to the ‘exoticism’ of the environment. The
dynamics of the Global North and Global South also play out here because
typically tourists shown are from the Global North or ‘outlander’ types
who are ‘roughing’ it in 'wild Africa'. When depicted in conservation
magazines, people are destroying the environment with their ‘modern
ways’. Conservationists from the Global North are depicted saving the
environment where local people are usually destroying it. Therefore, the
fact that these images appear in the backdrop of many stereotypes and
grand narratives surrounding the romanticism of African wildlife, how
African people are depicted becomes more conspicuous. So, rather than
inventions portraying ‘ingenuity’ ‘humor’ and ‘cuteness’ in the
continent; the photos begin to come across as patronizing and projecting
the idea that when it comes to inventions, Africans are a little dull.<br />
<br />
Africa's Real Inventions<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/18288598@N00/8161674482" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="A urine powered generator" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="240" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7266/8161674482_6afa443513_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 240px;">A <a href="http://makerfaireafrica.com/2012/11/06/a-urine-powered-generator/" target="_blank">urine powered generator</a> was invented by Nigerian teenagers, Duro-Aina Adebola (14), Akindele Abiola (14), Faleke Oluwatoyin (14) and Bello Eniola (15) in 2012. These types of real and useful inventions though are less likely to go viral on social media. (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/18288598@N00/8161674482" target="_blank">whiteafrican</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although
there is little space for these nature-themed sites to focus only on a
presenting a balanced view of people, greater consideration is needed.
Africans have historically been denied credit for their inventions or
receiving acknowledgement for their contributions to civilization. In
the traditional western belief system, Africans and women do not feature
as inventors, innovators, or holders of knowledge. African inventions
are typically given less value or are not seen as significant unless
certified by someone from the Global North. There are a few sites such
as <a data-mce-href="http://www.kumatoo.com/african_inventors" href="http://www.kumatoo.com/african_inventors">Kumatoo</a> , <a data-mce-href="http://www.southafrica.info/business/trends/innovations/inventions.htm#.UNJHDnfheSo" href="http://www.southafrica.info/business/trends/innovations/inventions.htm#.UNJHDnfheSo">South African Info</a>, and <a data-mce-href="http://www.iaimuseum.org/index.html" href="http://www.iaimuseum.org/index.html">International African Inventors Museum</a>,
that aim to highlight genuine African inventions that are rarely given
space nor enough attention to ‘go viral’. Although, the nature sites do
not need to go in to detail about those other inventions since this
isn’t their main purpose, they do need to be more conscious about the
messages they send about the continents people. For a continent that
produced the pyramids, Great Zimbabwe, writing systems, irrigation
systems, vaccines, and more recently, the <a data-mce-href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57547296-1/pee-power-african-teens-create-urine-fueled-generator/" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57547296-1/pee-power-african-teens-create-urine-fueled-generator/">urine fueled generator</a>, reinforcing the stereotype that African’s inventions are rudimentary or lack any ‘real world’ utility is problematic.<br />
<br />
Whilst
all these nature site platforms are enthusiastic about the continent,
its peoples, and its wildlife, the messages they are sending out about
African people through these series of photos needs better reflection.
To the credit of Safari magazine, they do have a blog post about <a data-mce-href="http://blog.africageographic.com/safari-blog/funny/8-recent-sightings-of-santa-in-africa/" href="http://blog.africageographic.com/safari-blog/funny/8-recent-sightings-of-santa-in-africa/">the Mozambican Fashion Show</a> that does show African people in positive light in terms of invention. There is also another post that shows <a data-mce-href="http://blog.africageographic.com/safari-blog/funny/8-recent-sightings-of-santa-in-africa/" href="http://blog.africageographic.com/safari-blog/funny/8-recent-sightings-of-santa-in-africa/">Santa sightings</a>
throughout Africa that is humorous without bordering on offensive.
However, it is important to note that the final video on that page from a
charity called Ripple Africa in Malawi is problematic and needs an
analysis on its own. The majority of the site does not have images of
Africa’s real ingenuity and inventiveness to provide for a more balanced
representation. There are many inventions that came out of the
continent that need greater awareness so that they can balance out such
types of 'non-inventions' that often circulate around the internet. In a
world where both Africans and non-Africans believe no inventions came
from Africa, the popular image of Africa's ingenuity should not be
limited to make-shift non-inventions on the internet for amusement. It
should also incorporate the <a data-mce-href="http://www.kumatoo.com/african_inventors" href="http://www.kumatoo.com/african_inventors">real inventions</a> coming out of the continent that should drive Africa's future.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This ar<span style="font-size: x-small;">ticle also appeared on '<a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/africas-greatest-non-inventions/" target="_blank">Africa on the Blog</a>' on 12/21/2012</span></i> </span> <br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=d846bf58-73d5-47cf-af6c-f7a4f27be9c5" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-2856187925243864342012-12-29T13:01:00.002-05:002012-12-29T13:06:26.201-05:00Africa (Re)invented:Africa's Innovative Past<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/18288598@N00/3832558407" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="Maker Faire Africa: Ghana 2009" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="212" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2585/3832558407_ffbb7523ac_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 240px;">Maker Faire Africa: African Invenmtion fair in Ghana 2009 (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/18288598@N00/3832558407" target="_blank">whiteafrican</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I can’t recall the number of times I have heard people say ‘nothing’
was invented in Africa or that Africa never contributed anything to modern civilization.
Naturally, this statement is far from the truth but is still a popular
lingering stereotype about Africa. Although ‘western’ centered (Eurocentric) history
has taught us that Africa was a dark continent that was underdeveloped until
the European man ‘civilized’ it, this is not the case.<br />
<br />
Africans had a different way of living that was not
understood or valued during the period of renewed foreign contact with Africa. Africans
were just as creative and innovative as any other civilization. Assessing the
continent’s history provides insight as to why there is little knowledge of
Africa’s innovative past,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>why there have
been periods <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in Africa’s history where
few inventions occurred, and why their hasn’t been much recognition for African
inventions where they did occur. The idea that Africa was a place where no
innovation occurred though needs to be debunked and reassessed.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Africa was a continent where the earliest human beings
lived. Therefore many of the <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/african-history-pre-colonial-african-inventions-2006905.html">inventions
made during the earliest</a> moments in human history were made by Africans. This
includes the discovery of: </div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Fire in Southern Africa; </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Palm oil in West Africa which is used in cooking
and as a lubricant; </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Yam cultivation (and hence, modern farming
methods) in West Africa; </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Shaving tools made from glass around the Njoro
River;</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Water pipes (bong) for smoking hashish in
Ethiopia; and </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Iron smelting methods in Nigeria that enabled
tool shaping.</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are many other such types of early innovations by
Africans throughout the continent. Egyptians for example, were the inventors of
papyrus, embalming and medicines. During the same time, Africans outside of
Egypt (Ehiopia, Sudan), were also making their own advances in paper technology
and medicine. Africa was also home to architectural super structures like the
Pyramids in Egypt and Sudan, the trading center at <a class="zem_slink" href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/364" rel="unesco" target="_blank" title="Great Zimbabwe National Monument">Great Zimbabwe</a>, and ancient
mosques. In addition, some of the world’s earliest universities were in Mali
and were the precursors to contemporary educational institutions. Africa was a
center of knowledge in ancient and pre-colonial times and information was regularly
traded between ancient Greece, Egypt, Ethiopia, Italy and the rest of North
Africa. Some of this history has been forgotten or lost due to historical processes
like slavery, colonization or war. Many will recall the famous incident where a
significant amount of history and knowledge was burned in Egypt by Alexander.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7540655@N04/3917658156" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="Slavery Museum" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2466/3917658156_d383a1c165_m.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center;">Slavery Museum (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7540655@N04/3917658156" target="_blank">timbrauhn</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There is evidence that many advancements in Africa occurred in
early human history and Africa’s pre-colonial history. Much of this advancement
faced challenges as foreign contact with the continent began in earnest. The Indian
Ocean (Arab) slave trade and the Trans Atlantic slave trade that began in the early15
century made it challenging for Africans to continue their progression or
continue to innovate. The slave trade led to the forced removal of Africa’s
talent and labor that would have otherwise been contributing to African
advancements in technologies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means
that many of the continents innovators and knowledge were transferred outside
the continent by enslaved Africans. This includes foods, vaccines, and other
methods that they brought from the continent. African slaves were not taught to
read write and were made to work much of the day. This provided little time for
innovation. In the case of the enslaved in the Atlantic, their own struggle for
recognition of their contributions and inventions in their new countries began.
It was not fashionable or popular to give slaves recognition for being smart because
this threatened the slavery system. Some of the few inventions that were made
by enslaved Africans were to become credited to their owners or to the new
world but not to Africa.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Trans Atlantic slave and the removal of Africa’s labor
and innovators left a void on the continent. This trade continued through the
16<sup>th</sup>, 17<sup>th</sup> and 18<sup>th</sup> centuries – roughly, a
period of 350 years and involved an estimated 12 million enslaved people that
made it to the new continents. Many others did not make the journey. Slavery disrupted
the way of life for Africa and affected its knowledge base. There was the
routine looting of Africa’s artistic treasures, items and artifacts that remain
in foreign museums today. Many of the structures, trade routes, villages, and
support systems that were responsible for passing on the knowledge were
abandoned or destroyed. It meant those left on the continent would need to
concentrate on meeting daily needs and on avoiding becoming enslaved themselves.
During this time, the remaining young children on the continent had to fill much
of this labor void. This situation affected the type and quantity of inventions
coming from the continent for nearly 400 years.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The colonial era further placed Africa in a state of
arrested development in terms of innovation. For a period ranging from just
prior to the 1884 Berlin Conference through the 1960s Independence movements,
Africans were under foreign domination. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
colonial system was inefficient for African development. The educational system
that was introduced in Africa was largely centered on Biblical knowledge or on
domestic sciences. The educational system also only catered to a very small
percentage of the African population. In addition, many of the prohibitive
taxes under the colonial system meant that Africans were forced to work for
little money. There was little time to explore formal education in literature,
math, science or philosophy. Much of the knowledge was passed on orally. Many
of the innovations that did occur were not given significant international
recognition in order to help sustain the colonial system of subjugation. Although
there were some innovations that were made during the colonial era, 350 years
of slavery followed by nearly 100 years of colonization took a toll on the
continent’s ability to invent and be innovative. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/18288598@N00/3824151368" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="Maker Faire Africa: Buglabs" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="240" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2473/3824151368_70a493d78a_m.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="160" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 160px;">Maker Faire Africa: Buglabs (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/18288598@N00/3824151368" target="_blank">whiteafrican</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although there have been some low-tech and high tech
inventions in recent years these are not well known. Africans continue not to
receive full recognition or acknowledgment for their innovations. This is a
part of its historical legacy. During the post-colonial era, Africa has also been
plagued with the brain drain. Many of Africa’s innovators are living in the
African Diaspora and contributing to the technological advancement in countries
that they have moved to voluntarily. Therefore some of the greatest inventions
in contemporary times may be coming from Africans in the Diaspora. Africans on
the continent have began to contribute greater numbers of low-tech and high
tech-inventions. They are also more likely to receive recognition for their
inventions. In recent years there have been attempts to chronicle Africa’s
former innovative past and its current contributions. Information about African
inventions can be found on sites like <a href="http://www.afrigadget.com/">Afrigadget</a>
, <a href="http://www.iaimuseum.org/index.html" target="_blank">International
African Inventors Museum</a>, <a href="http://www.kumatoo.com/african_inventors" target="_blank">Kumatoo</a> , and <a href="http://www.southafrica.info/business/trends/innovations/inventions.htm#.UNJHDnfheSo" target="_blank">South African Info</a>. There are many innovations that have occurred
and continue to occur on the continent. The idea that Africa is a place that
has no inventions of its own needs a (re)invention. Africa, like any other continent, has contributed to modern civilization. <br />
<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=0b512b45-ef9c-4c06-90f6-bc067a9556c2" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-43589520818408935322012-10-31T19:16:00.004-04:002012-11-01T12:14:09.716-04:00Afrobloggers in Action: (Re)branding Africa One Blog at a Time!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44071822@N08/4270076026" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="108 Glossy Black Comment Bubble Social Media Icons" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="143" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4270076026_cfe602cc52_m.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="240" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 240px;">Social Media provides a space for African bloggers and micro bloggers to write their won stories (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44071822@N08/4270076026" target="_blank">webtreats</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
The old African proverb “until the lion learns to write, tales of the
hunt will always glorify the hunter” exemplifies literary tradition in
Africa. It is an adage that encourages African people to take action by
writing their stories in order for African stories to be heard from
African perspectives. Since the early days, African communities have
been passing down their histories, cultures, science, technology and
education through the written word.<br />
<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_9688" style="width: 250px;">
<a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/bloggerbadgesmall.jpg"></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
The long history of oral tradition in Africa and the dominance of
colonialism had such a profound effect on the continent that it is often
overlooked that Africa has equally had a long tradition of written
history. Africans began writing on a progression of materials from
rocks, papyrus to paper. African rock “art”, scripts, and hieroglyphics
can be found all the way from the Cape in the south, to the northern
most parts of the continent in Cairo. It is only natural that with
current technological advances, this literary tradition has now entered
the computer age through the blogosphere.<br />
<br />
African bloggers (Afro-bloggers) play an important role in telling
the stories of the continent. They bring African narratives to the
foreground in a continent whose narratives are constantly under threat
by internal forces (government or interest groups) and external forces
(western hegemony and belief systems). They bring the traditional and
contemporary topics in to a new medium. Blogging creates a space where
Africans can write about the issues that are important to them.<br />
<br />
African bloggers are not limiting themselves to familiar
stereotypical themes on the continent that center only on war, poverty,
disease, corruption and European narratives. Topics range from clean
water, female circumcision, starting a business, professional
development, history, their culture or whom they think will triumph in
this year’s Big Brother Africa! Those that do comment on traditional or
familiar narratives about Africa are “writing back”. They represent a
diversity of African voices and allow Africans to write about a variety
of issues affecting the continent.<br />
<br />
Telling African stories has been problematic on the continent for
various reasons including censorship, publishing costs or gender and racial bias. It
was not long ago when enslaved Africans in the Diaspora were not
permitted to read and write. Then this was replaced with a world view
where only one overarching perspective was told – that of the Global
North. The act of writing our own stories or blogging is therefore
important for a continent. It balances ubiquitous enlightenment period
grand narratives that erase the African narrative from world history. It
engages both Africans and non-Africans alike in changing the narratives
of Africa. When Africans ‘learn how to write’ by writing African
stories on the blogosphere, Africans are reclaiming Africa’s place in
the world. They are carrying on the long tradition of sharing ideas,
technology, science, legends, and myths through literary tradition on
the continent. A large source of empowerment on the continent stems from
being able to express our “Africaness” in writing.<br />
<br />
This includes the ability to tell our collective narratives the way
we want them to be told. Our ancestors realized the empowerment that both
oral and written tradition can bring. They ironically used oral tradition
to pass on this idea. The old African proverb is therefore centuries
ahead of its time even though blogging is of our time. Whether
Afro-bloggers are telling stories that are extraordinary or mundane, what
is important is that the collective tales of the hunt are bringing
marginalized narratives to the center.<br />
<br />
<i>- The article,</i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <i>"</i></span><i>Afrobloggers in Action Writing about Hunters and Lions!"</i></span></span><i>was originally published for Blog Action Day in Oct, 2012 for <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/" target="_blank">Africa on the Blog.</a></i><br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=98fd6376-527a-429b-bc7a-9eac748a457e" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-42197619162106563302012-09-30T12:19:00.001-04:002012-10-04T12:25:54.812-04:00Defects in Reporting Olympic Defections<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2012_Olympic_Medals_revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="English: Olympic medals revealed in Trafalgar ..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="224" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/2012_Olympic_Medals_revealed.jpg/300px-2012_Olympic_Medals_revealed.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: Olympic medals revealed in Trafalgar Square, London (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2012_Olympic_Medals_revealed.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
Since the Cold War, athletes worldwide have been using sports to
defect to countries other than their birth countries. During the time of
the Cold War, a number of Europeans would use international sporting <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/events/" title="events">events</a>
to escape the conditions in their home countries. In the aftermath of
the London 2012 Olympic Games, there have been several reports of
“African” Athletes disappearing from the Olympic Village. Many of the
stories are sensational or stereotypical, laced with the familiar
narrative of ‘Africans’, trying to ‘escape’ poverty, war, and disease. I
have found some of this reporting to be sensational and somewhat
removed from the contemporary African experience.<br />
<br />
In the cases where journalists referred to similar European
defections, authors often cited political ideology over economic as the
reason for defection. In contrast, the authors writing about African
defections seem to be overwhelmingly attributing the defections to poor
economic situations. However, we need to look beyond economic factors in
making these claims. In the past, as famously enshrined by the
Economist, Africa was often depicted as an economically ‘hopeless’
continent. This is no longer the case. Africa’s economies are on the
rise and many more Africans have been lifted out of poverty than ever
before. The new economic projections place seven out of the ten fastest
growing economies in the world in Africa. Although there are certainly
economic woes in African countries, economics is not the only reason
these athletes leave. In fact in 2009, an entire Eritrean soccer team
‘vanished’ during a soccer tournament in Kenya. Therefore, the goal is
not necessarily to leave the continent for better economic conditions in
the Global North.<br />
<br />
Additionally, if economic concerns were the over arching reason for
athelte’s decisions to defect, than one should expect defections to be
srpead out evenly across the continent. The 12 defectors came from
countries like Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Guinea, and Congo. The
majority of these missing atheletes came from Cameroon. Cameroon is the 5<sup>th</sup>
largest producer of cocoa in the world and has oil reserves. Therefore
we need to examine what is going on in Cameroon as an independent nation
that has lead to seven of its atheletes leaving. Most likely, the
economic prosperty from Cameroons natural resources is not trickling
down to its atheltes. In other words, political will by Cameroonian
authorities to support sports is key. It is not so much the poverty in
these nations that drives them away, rather the economic system. Many
athletes are not adequately supported by their government in their
profession. The infrastructure, training and even moral support is not
always readily available to the athletes. Likewise, some of the other
defecting atheltes notably came from oil-rich Guniea and the cocoa-rich
Ivory Coast (incidentally also one of the financial capitals of Africa).
Except for the Coltrane-rich Congo, arguably, economic conditions in
these countries are no worse than in other African countries.<br />
<br />
Many of the reports also unfairly refer to the monolithic term
“African”, thereby branding the entire continent as one country whose
inhabitants are all trying to escape poverty. Less than 5 countries out
of a total of 54 African nations have been affected by these defections,
yet the whole continent has been branded. When one delves deeper in to
the countries of origin, one can begin to make a better analysis of this
pattern of defection.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
Out of the 60 athletes that Cameroon brought to the Olympic games,
five boxers, one swimmer and one footballer were reported missing.
Numerically, this is not indicative of the type of reported desperation
by African athletes to leave their home countries. The fact that
Fifty-three Cameroonian athletes planned on returning also
reflects 53 Cameroonian athletes that decided not to defect. In a larger
context, the same argument can be made for the total number of African athletes that came to the games versus the number of total African athletes that decided to go home.<br />
<br />
Many reports have also exaggerated the number of defecting athletes.
So far, the official count of missing athletes is twelve, yet there are
reports of ‘dozens’ of ‘Africans’ missing. Providing a grossly
exaggerated number is disingenuous to the continent as it is simply not
true.<br />
Most articles concentrate on the push factors that lead to defection
but fail to cite the pull factors. African athletes being wooed by
countries in the Global North in order to contribute to their own medal
counts. Much like the brain-drain, Africans are being aggressively wooed
for their bodies, in what I refer to as an ‘Olympic body-drain’. They
are being offered citizenship, training facilities, and contracts that
they find beneficial. African athletes should therefore not only be
viewed as running away from economic problems back home but rather,
running towards economic prosperity.<br />
<br />
Much of the reporting about the athletes provides little insight
about the contemporary economic conditions in Africa or non-economic
conditions that contribute to the defections. Both the push and pull
factors need to be discussed. Lumping all African countries together
provides for an unbalanced analysis too since we are dealing with
individual nations. The journalistic narrative of the defecting African
atheletes at this years games has been problematic at many levels. As an<br />
African I hope to see more journalists stray away from this long travelled path.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*This post was originally published on August 31st, 2012 on <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/defects-in-reporting-olympic-defections/" target="_blank">Africa on the Blog</a>.</span><br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=79f79209-2b81-4b89-803f-246d3087ce2b" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-25167901101140288102012-08-13T00:00:00.000-04:002012-10-04T12:26:27.721-04:00Africa's Olympic Medal Count: London 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:15-11-05_101_Monument.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="London 2012 banner at The Monument." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="225" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/15-11-05_101_Monument.jpg/300px-15-11-05_101_Monument.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">London 2012 banner at The Monument. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:15-11-05_101_Monument.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now that the Olympics are over its time to celebrate Africa's successes at London 2012. This year, we saw 10 African countries achieving medals. Overall, Africa's medal count this year was 34, a decrease from the 40
medals gained at the last Olympics in 2008. Two countries, Botswana and Gabon, won their first ever medals this year. Africa's medals were
disproportionally in the category of Track and Field. As
expected Kenya and Ethiopia, dominated this category both amongst African countries and internationally. They brought a total of 18 medals between
the two countries for the continent. Kenya achieved 11 total medals in Track and field (compare this to Jamaica's 12 medals in Track and Field). Kenyan runner, David Rudisha also managed to break a world record in the 800m dash. Other notable achievements were South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius who made Olympic
history this year by being the first double amputee to compete at the
Olympics along side able bodied athletes. Zimbabwe was expected to win a medal this year but did not bring home any. Zimbabwean swimmer Kirsty Coventry,
who took the world by storm by winning multiple medals at the Beijing
Olympics was one of the few hopeful athletes for that country. African swimmers though were well represented over all but
only swimmers from Tunisia and South Africa earned medals in swimming
events. The youngest competitors in the Olympics were from Africa. The youngest being the thirteen-year-old swimmer from Togo, Adzo Kpossi. In the next age group, four out of the the seven fourteen-year-olds were from Africa. This included swimmer Joyce Tafatatha of Malawi, swimmer <span href="http://www.quora.com/2012-Summer-Olympics-in-London/Who-is-the-youngest-athlete-at-the-2012-London-Olympic-Games#" id="__w2_xuV3EWH_toggle_link">Nafissatou Moussa Adamou of Niger, swimmer </span><span href="http://www.quora.com/2012-Summer-Olympics-in-London/Who-is-the-youngest-athlete-at-the-2012-London-Olympic-Games#" id="__w2_xuV3EWH_toggle_link">Aurelie Fanchette of the Seychelles and fencing athlete </span><span href="http://www.quora.com/2012-Summer-Olympics-in-London/Who-is-the-youngest-athlete-at-the-2012-London-Olympic-Games#" id="__w2_xuV3EWH_toggle_link">Lea Melissa Moutossamy of Algeria. This is an affirmation that the young talent coming out of the continent are competing in more diversified sports.</span>
In addition to Track and Field African countries won medals in fencing, wrestling, swimming, canoeing, and rowing. The Nigerian basketball team qualified for the Olympics for the first time, having beat international Basketball powerhouses in order to qualify for a chance to compete. There team included Nigeria's Diaspora that play professionally and at college level. Although they did not receive a medal, they won one out of four games at the Olympics. A notable mention also needs to be made for the increasing number of
athletes in the voluntary African Diaspora that have citizenship or Dual
Citizenship in countries outside of their birth country that won medals
for non-African countries. Their contributions to sports are also
important for the continent although their efforts would be well
appreciated on the continent. In order of the total number of medals, African nations awarded with Olympic medals at London 2012 include:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Beijing_oly_stadium_track_aug_16_96171_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="English: Beijing Olympic Stadium August 15, 20..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="225" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Beijing_oly_stadium_track_aug_16_96171_o.jpg/300px-Beijing_oly_stadium_track_aug_16_96171_o.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: Beijing Olympic Stadium August 15, 2008 at 9.54pm PDT Track and field event (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Beijing_oly_stadium_track_aug_16_96171_o.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Kenya, 11 medals (2 Gold, 4 Silver, 5 Bronze) - Track and Field.</li>
<li>Ethiopia, 7 medals (3 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze) - Track and Field.</li>
<li>South Africa, 6 medals (3 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze) - Swimming, Rowing, Canoe Sprint, Track and Field.</li>
<li>Tunisia, 3 medals (1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze) - Swimming, Track and Field.</li>
<li>Egypt, 2 medals (2 Silver) - Fencing, Wrestling. </li>
<li>Algeria 1 medal (1 Gold) - Track and Field.</li>
<li>Uganda 1 medal (1 Gold) - Track and Field. </li>
<li>Botswana 1 medal (1 Silver) -Track and Field. </li>
<li>Gabon 1 medal (1 Silver) - Track and Field</li>
<li>Morocco 1 medal (1 Bronze) - Track and Field.<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7471788@N03/4764934100" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="south africa" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="211" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4764934100_66b92f47de_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center;">A South African fan cheers on South Africa (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7471788@N03/4764934100" target="_blank">rafiq s</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Overall, according to the medal count of all nations that participated (a
count that considers the number of Gold medals first), the rankings were:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>South Africa #24</li>
<li>Ethiopia #25</li>
<li>Kenya # 28</li>
<li>Tunisia #45</li>
<li>Algeria #50</li>
<li>Uganda #50</li>
<li>Egypt #58</li>
<li>Botswana #69</li>
<li>Gabon #69</li>
<li>Morocco #79. </li>
</ol>
South Africa is the leader within the continent in terms of the number of Gold medals it has received although Kenya has won the most total medals on the continent. In general, we have seen a number of gains in the past few years in Africa's competitiveness at the Olympics. Congratulations to all those that represented Team Africa this year!<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
</ol>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=79f79209-2b81-4b89-803f-246d3087ce2b" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-87012685547721618262012-08-11T11:46:00.000-04:002012-10-04T12:27:08.662-04:00Africa's Olympic Body Drain (Part Two): Competitive Advantage and Citizenship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.daylife.com/image/082i9Gw9Q61Da?utm_source=zemanta&utm_medium=p&utm_content=082i9Gw9Q61Da&utm_campaign=z1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 03: Zola Budd a..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="134" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/082i9Gw9Q61Da/150x101.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 150px;">DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 03: Zola Budd and Bruce Fordyce finish together during the 2012 Comrades Marathon on June 03, 2012 in South Africa. The 2012 Comrades Marathon is starting at the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg and finishing at the Sahara Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban. (Image credit: <a href="http://www.daylife.com/source/Getty_Images" target="_blank">Getty Images</a> via <a href="http://www.daylife.com/" target="_blank">@daylife</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Taking advantage of
Dual Citizenship is important for African nations wanting to have a competitive
advantage in athletic games. Being competitive at the Olympics in a globalized world is just as much
about having an effective athletic management strategy as it is about the athletic ability of the Olympians. For African countries, getting
medals is not just a matter of poor training facilities, or lack of financial
resources.Its a matter of leveraging all available or potential human resources. Part of an effective global strategy is is inclusive of all of the nations people and thus increases the chance of a country to bring home medals.
Therefore, citizenship matters. In the past few years alone, there has been an increase in African athletes competing for non-African teams. There has also been an increase in non-African nations coveting successful African athletes. There are numerous examples of
African players that have changed their citizenship in order to compete at the
Olympics i.e. South African born runner Zola Budd competed for England; Kenyan born runner Bernard
Lagat competed for the USA; Kenyan born cyclist Chris Froome competed for Great Britain. Many countries in Africa have realized that lack of Dual Citizenship is costing them players and decreasing their competitiveness. Many countries have now taken the important step towards leveraging their athletes. Both Kenya and South Africa now offer Dual Citizenship to their nationals. It
is in the best interest of these countries in Africa to offer Dual
Citizenship so that they can increase their competitiveness at international
events through policies that encourage the retention of athletes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.daylife.com/image/0byy82m24cco3?utm_source=zemanta&utm_medium=p&utm_content=0byy82m24cco3&utm_campaign=z1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 31: Tony Skinn #4 of N..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="135" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0byy82m24cco3/150x102.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 150px;">LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 31: Tony Skinn #4 of Nigeria shoots in the Men's Basketball Preliminary Round match between Lithuania and Nigeria in London, England. (Image credit: <a href="http://www.daylife.com/source/Getty_Images" target="_blank">Getty Images</a> via <a href="http://www.daylife.com/" target="_blank">@daylife</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Many countries strategically
provide citizenship to African athletes as an incentive for these athletes to immigrate to their
country and compete for them in the Olympics. They offer the athletes additional
attractions like training facilities or an opportunity to qualify for the Olympics
in cases where they would not have qualified in their own countries. In the USA alone, fifty athletes migrated to the
USA between 1992 and 2008 to compete for their Olympic team that previously competed
for another country. At the London 2012 games, over 40 foreign-born citizens ran for the United States. This 'body gain' increases the chance for the USA to earn medals, money, national pride and prestige that comes with winning Olympic events. For the African countries that have lost a potential Olympic medal athlete, this is a tremendous loss. Many African athletes
also strategically maintain the citizenship of their country-of-origin or acquire citizenship of new nations so that they
can compete in the Olympics. Nigeria was able to send its first qualifying Basketball
team to the Olympics 2012 due to the contributions of Nigerian Dual Citizens in
the USA. Both Nigeria and USA recognize Dual Citizenship. As Dual Citizens with both U.S.A
and Nigerian citizenship, these athletes are able to compete for Nigeria or USA. However,
basketball is very competitive in the USA and there is a saturation of qualified
players therefore it is more difficult to qualify in the USA team. Many of these
players therefore opted to try out for the Nigerian Olympic basketball team (D'Tigers) and
where able to qualify to compete alongside other Nigerians. A handful of the players were from the NBA professional league, the remainder were from college. Nigeria benefits by
having a Basketball team comprised of all of its best athletes and qualifying
for the first time in this event. It also benefits by having athletes compete
for them at little or no cost to Nigeria. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28567825@N03/5000121560" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="Olympics in Barcelona" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5000121560_4a69b13c69_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="175" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center;">Olympics in Barcelona (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28567825@N03/5000121560" target="_blank">cliff1066™</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although Nigeria's defeat by the USA's dream team was the focus of many, Nigeria's ascendency to the Basketball arena was commendable. They managed to establish Nigeria as
a Basketball powerhouse.They beat established teams like Lithuania, Greece and the Dominican Republic to qualify for the Olympics. Even though the team did not bring home medals for Nigeria, they won one
out of four games. They also lifted the profile of African Basketball. The world hasn't seen the last of teams like D'Tigers that are made up of all of Africa's human resources. Addressing issues of citizenship for all their nationals as part of an athletic strategy is important. Dual Citizenship is important for competing at the international level and building a winning country brand. If African nations want to increase the number of medals that they have, African nations need to leverage their athletic human resources. This will create a situation where both players and the country can benefit. It is a step in countering the 'body drain' of our athletes. It will also create a situation where more Olympic medals can be awarded on the African continent ... and one where more happy Olympic memories can be created for Africa.</div>
<div class="zemanta-related" style="margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;">
<h4 class="zemanta-related-title">
Related articles</h4>
<ul class="zemanta-article-ul zemanta-article-ul-image" style="margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0;">
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://rebrandafrica.blogspot.com/2012/08/olympic-body-drain-part-one-olympic.html" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/103925950_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://rebrandafrica.blogspot.com/2012/08/olympic-body-drain-part-one-olympic.html" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Olympic Body Drain (Part One): Olympic Strategy and Citizenship</a></li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://dualcitizenshipmalawi.blogspot.com/2012/08/africas-olympic-body-drain.html" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/106106635_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://dualcitizenshipmalawi.blogspot.com/2012/08/africas-olympic-body-drain.html" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Africa's Olympic 'Body Drain': Matters of Citizenship</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=79f79209-2b81-4b89-803f-246d3087ce2b" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-18570159036074060982012-08-01T00:30:00.000-04:002012-10-04T13:38:26.632-04:00Africa's Olympic Body Drain (Part One): Olympic Strategy and Citizenship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/87976810@N00/145266916" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="Special Olympics" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="180" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/145266916_8599af3d46_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="240" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 240px;">Special Olympics (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/87976810@N00/145266916" target="_blank">MikeBlyth</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Olympics is the
biggest global sporting event that offers countries an opportunity to show their
talents. It allows nations to brand or promote themselves through sports in a way that expensive advertising cannot – It is what a sport
like basketball has done to raise the profile of the USA, or short distance
running for Jamaica or long distance for Ethiopia and Kenya, respectively. Winning a medal at an Olympic game is the root of envy from other nations. It is a source of pride from the country's citizens. National glory is important for the people of a nation. It is therefore an arena where questions of
citizenship are important and can quickly become contentious. The Olympic
Charter requires that an athlete is a national of the country they compete for.
However, there are restrictions for athletes that change or switch citizenship whereby
an athlete a losses citizenship from one country in order to gain citizenship
of another country. There is a three year time frame that needs to pass in
order for these athletes to compete for a different country. Exceptions to this
rule can be made though by the Olympic governing bodies. Dual Citizens though
have no such restrictions and can compete for either country where they hold citizenship. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.daylife.com/image/097Yd0OcSw39U?utm_source=zemanta&utm_medium=p&utm_content=097Yd0OcSw39U&utm_campaign=z1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 27: Richard Banda, Fir..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="200" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/097Yd0OcSw39U/100x150.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="133" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 100px;">LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 27: Richard Banda is the First Gentleman of Malawi and a former Olympic athlete for Malawi. He arrived in England for the London 2012 Olympic Games to support the Malawi athletes (Image credit: <a href="http://www.daylife.com/source/Getty_Images" target="_blank">Getty Images</a> via <a href="http://www.daylife.com/" target="_blank">@daylife</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">M</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">alawi is one African
country that doesn’t recognize Dual Citizenship. For a country like Malawi that
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">h</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">as had Olympic athletes compete but no Olympic medals, lack of Dual Citizenship laws means that Malawi is decreasing
its opportunity of becoming a medal bearing country. Athletes that have two
Malawian parents but live outside of Malawi are prevented from competing for
Malawi at the international level after the age of twenty-one. Football
(soccer) players like Tamika Mkandawire, who has one Malawian parent but is a
British citizen, is not able to compete for Malawi even though he plays for a
professional league in Europe. Although an athlete like Cate Campbell, a
Malawian-born Australian Olympic swimming medalist, does not have Malawian
parents, she should have the option to compete for Malawi (Even if it is under
a special category of Dual Citizenship for those without Malawian parentage but
has an exceptional talent). There is little doubt that Campbell must have used
some level of Malawian resources in the first nine years of her life whilst
physically living in Malawi. Therefore it is in the best interest for Malawi to leverage the use of those
resources for the benefit of Malawi. This includes human resources. Lack of Dual Citizenship also means that
there is an increasing chance for up and coming Malawian players to be poached
by other countries and thereby creating a situation where Malawi trains athletes but their contribution to Malawi can not be maximized. We need to consider that the ‘body'
drain is just as real and just as problematic as the ‘brain drain’ on the continent. Malawian Athletes such as swimmers
Joyce Tafathata and Charlton Nyirenda or runners Mike Tebulo, and John Kayange are
more inclined to switch citizenship in order to advance their careers due to aggressive recruiting by the Global South. Rather
than abandoning Malawian citizenship altogether, Dual Citizenship would allow these
players to compete for Malawi when needed. Countries like Malawi need to have an Olympic strategy that is beyond the physical aspects of the game. The Olympic games are not just about competing harder, they are about competing smarter. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="zemanta-related" style="margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;">
<h4 class="zemanta-related-title">
Related articles</h4>
<ul class="zemanta-article-ul zemanta-article-ul-image" style="margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0;">
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://rebrandafrica.blogspot.com/2012/08/africas-olympic-body-drain-part-two.html" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/106099135_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://rebrandafrica.blogspot.com/2012/08/africas-olympic-body-drain-part-two.html" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Africa's Olympic Body Drain (Part Two): Competitive Advantage and Citizenship</a></li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://dualcitizenshipmalawi.blogspot.com/2012/08/africas-olympic-body-drain.html" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/106106635_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://dualcitizenshipmalawi.blogspot.com/2012/08/africas-olympic-body-drain.html" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Africa's Olympic 'Body Drain': Matters of Citizenship</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=79f79209-2b81-4b89-803f-246d3087ce2b" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-10270474376475668432012-07-25T14:33:00.001-04:002012-10-04T13:43:42.037-04:00Dual Citizenship in a Post-Federation Era<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53499408@N03/4987904550" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="African students outside of IBM Headquarters" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="236" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/4987904550_a26f0d1537_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center;">African students outside of IBM Headquarters (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53499408@N03/4987904550" target="_blank">citizenIBM</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
Africans have been migrating to neighboring countries and overseas in
greater numbers than before. They have been taking up citizenship in
countries other than the country of their birth. This new African
Diasporas are now increasingly calling for <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_citizenship" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Multiple citizenship">Dual Citizenship</a>.
Dual Citizenship is a situation where an individual can be a citizen of
two countries. The call for Dual Citizenship has been growing in Africa
from the African voluntary Diaspora over the past few years. The
unprecedented voluntary movement of African people within the continent
and outside the continent is being facilitated by increased access to
mass transportation due to globalization. The African Diasporas voices
have not fallen on deaf ears. Currently, nearly half of the African
nations offer Dual Citizenship for their Diasporas. The African Union
has now also officially recognized the economic and social benefits of
engaging the African Diasporas. The AU has gone as far as to recognize
that the involuntary African Diaspora that left Africa in bondage (i.e.
African-Americans, Afro-Latinos, Afro-Caribbeans etc) is the sixth
region of the African Union’s organizational structure. In the spirit
of Pan Africanism, countries like Ghana have extended citizenship rights
to the involuntary African that wish to repatriate to Ghana. In
Southern Africa, the call for Dual Citizenship can be heard in the
countries that formally comprised the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Rhodesia_and_Nyasaland" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland">Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland</a>, namely, Nyasaland (Malawi), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), and Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Federation_rhodesia_nyasaland.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="English: Map of the Federation of Rhodesia and..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="300" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Federation_rhodesia_nyasaland.png" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: Map of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Federation_rhodesia_nyasaland.png" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the 1960s Malawi was at the forefront of dissolving the colonial
Federation that brought modern day Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi as one
nation under British colonial rule. Whilst the hatred for this
federation existed in all three countries, the resistance to the
federation was heard the loudest in Malawi. Malawi was not a settler
colony so Malawians feared white settlers moving in to its borders.
Malawians were also being used as a source of labor for Zimbabwe and
Zambia and this led to the underdevelopment of Malawi. Most of the farms
and industries in the federation were being formed outside of Malawi’s
borders. Therefore Malawians were very opposed to the federation. It was
little Malawi, a country one third the size of both Zambia and
Zimbabwe, that was persistent and instrumental in successfully ending the forced
federation by 1964. It is therefore very ironic that years later, due to
globalization, the people of the same countries are all calling for
Dual Citizenship - a distinct step towards becoming more unified. Migration between the three countries has been profound and large settlements of migrants from the other two countries can be found in each country. In Zambia, Dual Citizenship has already been tabled in
parliament and the first draft of their constitution includes a
provision for Dual Citizenship. In Zimbabwe, a constitutional overhaul
was also supposed to usher in Dual Citizenship as an unalienable right.
It appears that the provision has left aspects of Dual Citizenship open
to subjectivity in the final draft of new constitution. The draft
constitution recognizes that Zimbabweans cannot lose citizenship by
acquiring foreign citizenship but adds that Dual Citizenship would be
regulated by Acts of parliament. For the majority of Zimbabweans, it
means that they can have Dual Citizenship. For Zimbabweans born outside
of Zimbabwe though, it may be an area of concern depending on future
acts of parliament. Lastly, in Malawi, the call for Dual Citizenship is
still in its exploratory phase for the government. No formal bill or
constitutional amendment has been tabled to parliament although various
organizations and individuals have promoted it in the past. The current
call for Dual Citizenship there is being pushed forward by
non-governmental advocacy groups. This includes the <a href="http://www.dualcitizenshipmalawi.com/" target="_blank">Campaign for Dual Citizenshi</a>p,
a transnational advocacy group based in the U.K. that has an online
petition form and is also petitioning the government for Dual
Citizenship. Half way across the globe, the <a href="http://www.malawiwashington.org/" target="_blank">Malawi Washington Association</a> is also advocating for Dual Citizenship through the <a href="http://dualcitizenshipmalawi.blogspot.com/p/about-campaign.html" target="_blank">Movement for Dual Citizenship</a>
initiative. The Malawian Diaspora hopes to have a bill considered in
parliament like in the case of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Dual Citizenship
however is being promoted in all three nations, largely due to the
persistence of their respective growing Diasporas.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Federation_of_Rhodesia_and_Nyasaland.svg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:left;"><img alt="English: Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia an..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="150" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Flag_of_the_Federation_of_Rhodesia_and_Nyasaland.svg/300px-Flag_of_the_Federation_of_Rhodesia_and_Nyasaland.svg.png" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Federation_of_Rhodesia_and_Nyasaland.svg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The concepts of citizenship and Dual Citizenship in particular, have
become problematic for African nations under the nation-state system.
Traditional African cultures in the region allowed for Dual Citizenship.
During the pre-colonial era of kingdoms and chiefdoms traditional
leaders had accepted Dual Citizenship. Belonging to a particular
political unit was not as rigid as it was under the nation-state system
that was introduced in the colonial era. As an example, if one was a
Chewa through one parent, one would also be recognized as a Bemba
through the Kingdom or Chiefdom of another parent. This means that
multiple citizenship across groups were possible. The modern day
movements toward Dual Citizenship for this region are therefore also
rooted in pre-colonial African tradition. Relaxing of rigid citizenship
laws for Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe is therefore a step towards
addressing the malaise of the colonial borders in the region. Although
the idea of the federation itself was not bad with respects to promoting
unification of nation-states, the federation itself was intended to
serve the particular interests of the colonial government. It was also
forced the new political units in Africa that consisted of disparate
people to in to yet another forced political unit. Dual Citizenship
however, will serve the interests of the governments and citizens of the
three countries respectively. It will also bring together Africans in a
voluntary manner. Dual Citizenship can therefore be considered as a
viable alternative to persistent calls to redraw Africa’s borders
altogether. It will help strengthen the region’s economic viability. For
the modern day nations of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi, fighting against
unification is no longer relevant in a globalized world where regional
blocs are being formed. Taking steps toward Dual Citizenship is in the
region is a step in the right direction.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=080202fa-2560-417c-858e-1d02de6c9997" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-8438262336058598152012-05-31T22:27:00.001-04:002012-10-04T13:45:56.566-04:00The Way Forward for Africa? East or West<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Punch_Rhodes_Colossus.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Rhodes Colossus: Caricature of Cecil John ..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Punch_Rhodes_Colossus.png/300px-Punch_Rhodes_Colossus.png" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="246" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">The Rhodes Colossus: Caricature of Cecil John Rhodes, after he announced plans for a telegraph line and railroad from Cape Town to Cairo. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Punch_Rhodes_Colossus.png" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
With <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.9166666667,116.383333333&spn=10.0,10.0&q=39.9166666667,116.383333333%20%28China%29&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="China">China</a> banging on Africa’s doors, the debate on whether
Africa should <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_tasting_descriptors" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Wine tasting descriptors">lean</a> towards the East or <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_world" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Western world">the West</a> continues in many <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Africa">African nations</a>.
This is however a long standing debate that is not new to the continent. Africa
has always been forced to decide between two seemingly opposing philosophies. Through
historical events like colonialism, the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Cold War">Cold War</a>, and now, neo-colonialism, African
countries have time and time again been faced with the dilemma of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choice" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Choice">choosing</a>
allies in a world where those allies are first and foremost looking after their
own interests. This means that Africa has been reactive rather then proactive in deciding its future and alliance. Being caught between a rock and a hard place has meant that Africa has not benefited significantly from
making these alliances and should not expect to in the
future unless it chooses to lean towards Africa. The great philosopher and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-Africanism" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Pan-Africanism">Pan Africanist</a>, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwame_Nkrumah" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Kwame Nkrumah">Kwame Nkrumah</a> summed up the
direction for Africa in a single statement: “<span class="st">We face neither </span><i>East</i><span class="st"> nor </span><i>West</i><span class="st">; we face
Forward”. Through these words, Nkrumah verbalizes where Africa’s focus should be
– in Africa.In this new globalized world, it is ever more important that African
countries look out for their own interest and that of their immediate
neighbors. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="st">Every nation in the world looks out for its
own interests - so does every continent. African countries should also be looking out for their own interests and that of their people. In
the political economy, African nations have become perpetual
pawns in foreign diplomacy. They have been forced to choose a side at times
when they don’t want to and don't need to. During the Cold War African nations were under
pressure to lean towards <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=55.75,37.6166666667&spn=10.0,10.0&q=55.75,37.6166666667%20%28Russia%29&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Russia">Russia</a> or the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North%E2%80%93South_divide" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="North–South divide">global North</a> In contemporary times, Russia
has been replaced with China. This has made it seem like there are only two
choices. African countries should no
longer have to make these tough decisions that don’t benefit them in the long
run. They should band together so that they can speak with one united voice and
so strengthen their bargaining power. There is always an alternative - a third choice when the options in laid out in front of us aren't good enough. There is no reason why Africa has to choose a side. Therefore African countries should consider not choosing at all! They can
take a similar position as Switzerland and remain “neutral” in the
current global world order if they want to improve their situation- but they can only do this together. African nations should create alliances with both
the global North and the Global South and take a position of neutrality. We
should embrace the relationships with China and embrace the relationships with
the West. The West keeps pointing fingers at China and warning African countries about China, however, there was no one there to warn us against the West when it was scrambling for China. Essentially, we are swamping one sphere of influence for another. With regards to Africa, the decision to lean West or East does not make a significant difference if we are not looking out for Africa's interest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="st">China has done a lot for the continent, and we should not be forced to abandon this relationship. However, every African nation should be diligent about negotiating contracts with China so that it is a win-win situation. Similarly, with our long standing allies in the West, African nations should likewise be diligent in the forms of contracts it negotiates with them as well. We would be naive to think that our interests are best served by leaving the terms of the relationship up to others.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="st">This approach however means that African
nations will need to take an introspective look at their own nations and decide
where they want to be in the future. </span>They can then <span class="st">decide
what nature of relationship they want with the East and the West. Then they can
work towards achieving their visions when they sit at the bargaining table. It
is up to the leaders and people of Africa to decide who their allies will be
and what type of alliances they want to create. This begins by first mending
alliances with their immediate neighbors so that they can cooperate on matters
of common interest. Africa should not have to decide on whether to lean East or
West – this is not the only option.</span></div>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=080202fa-2560-417c-858e-1d02de6c9997" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-69214238727839912922012-04-19T22:58:00.000-04:002012-10-05T10:04:32.184-04:00Is Africa Ready for Female Leadership?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Opening_Plenary_-_World_Economic_Forum_on_Africa_2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="CAPE TOWN/SOUTH AFRICA, 4JUN08 - FLTR: Pierre ..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="201" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Opening_Plenary_-_World_Economic_Forum_on_Africa_2008.jpg/300px-Opening_Plenary_-_World_Economic_Forum_on_Africa_2008.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">CAPE TOWN/SOUTH AFRICA, 4JUN08 - FLTR: Pierre Nkurunziza, President of Burundi, Bingu Wa Mutharika, President of Malawi, Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa, Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, John Agyekum Kufuor, President of Ghana, and Raila Amolo Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya, captured during the World Economic Forum on Africa 2008 . Image: Eric Miller (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Opening_Plenary_-_World_Economic_Forum_on_Africa_2008.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Banda" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Joyce Banda">Joyce Banda</a>, Malawi’s First <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_elected_or_appointed_female_heads_of_state" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="List of elected or appointed female heads of state">Female President</a> and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_of_state" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Head of state">Head of State</a>, was sworn in this month, many <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-13.95,33.7&spn=10.0,10.0&q=-13.95,33.7%20%28Malawi%29&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Malawi">Malawians</a> were ecstatic. During the spectacle that occurred after late President <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bingu_wa_Mutharika" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Bingu wa Mutharika">Bingu wa Mutharika</a>’s cardiac arrest which resulted in his death, foreign journalists debated
whether Malawi was “ready” for a female president. Some Malawians asked
the same question, speculating that a constitutional coup would occur
that would prevent her from assuming this role. Forgotten was the role
that women such as former Official Hostess (First Lady), <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecilia_Kadzamira" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Cecilia Kadzamira">Cecilia Kadzamira</a> played in the nation. She was the most powerful woman in Malawi for three decades. Towards the end of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastings_Banda" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Hastings Banda">Kamuzu Banda</a>’s
presidency, she essentially run the country and was the de facto
president. Therefore in recent history, Malawi has had a precedence of a
strong female leader. However, what was also forgotten was a long
tradition of female leadership in Malawi and Africa as a whole that came before her. As
Africans, I think that it’s important for us to have a common, accurate
and collective memory with regards to historical <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/events/" title="events">events</a>
on the continent, including societal issues. As Malawi ushered in the
First Female Head of State in SADC, the media and public were
mis-educating each other about the real progress of female leadership in
Africa in various ways.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Debretberimbau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Joueur d'Uruncungo (Player of Uruncungo)" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="172" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Debretberimbau.jpg/300px-Debretberimbau.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Joueur d'Uruncungo (Player of Uruncungo) Women played an active role in business and trade in the markets (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Debretberimbau.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I will start with the terminology. In order to have a head of state, there needs to be a <i>state</i>.
Prior to the Berlin Conference of 1884, where African states
originated, there were no states in Africa. However, there were other
forms of political units that had leadership like Kingdoms, Empires,
Chieftaincies, clans, or ‘tribes’. Many of these political arrangements
in Africa were matrilineal<b> </b>(traced ancestral descent
through the maternal line), matrilocal (husband goes to live with the
wife’s community), or matriarchal societies (A woman who rules a family,
clan, or tribe). These arrangements lead to a long list in history of
African leaders like Cleopatra of Egypt, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nzinga_of_Ndongo_and_Matamba" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba">Queen Nzinga</a> M’Bandi of Angola, Princess <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/our-bloggers/grace-nakate/" target="_blank" title="Grace">Grace</a> Matamba of Congo, <i>Queen </i>Nana Yita of Nsuta (Ghana), <i>Queen </i>Nana Aberewa Ampen of Juaben (Ghana), <i>Sultan</i> Fatimah of North Zanzibar (Tanzania), <i>Ret</i> Abudok nya Bwoc of Shilluk (Sudan). Over the years this <a href="http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/Presidents.htm">history of female leadership in Africa</a>,
has continued in many rural areas. Therefore, if we are to only look at
our history, we may conclude that Africa has always been ready. <br />
<br />
In fact, prior to colonialism Africa’s real traditional culture, was
more gender progressive then the hybrid system that was introduced
during the colonial era. Traditional <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Africa" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Culture of Africa">African culture</a>
has always been more gender neutral then the cultures of the global
north where patriarchy and capitalism have created inequalities that
have challenged for female leadership. Gender roles in African culture
have traditionally more fluid. Africans women were serving as spiritual
leaders (contemporary day pastors, priests), healers or sangomas,
(midwives, nurses, doctors), herbalists (pharmacists), traders (business
women) and other prominent positions. Women were also able to own
property and had political participation. During this same era, western
women were not able to play these roles in their own societies.
Therefore when colonialism was introduced state sponsored patriarchy,
African women legally lost their social and political positions. African countries became states during the colonial era where Africans were
not in charge of their own states. This made the ascension of African
women difficult because both African men and women could not be heads of
state. They could not practice their traditional leadership roles that included women under this new system. This
means that women’s leadership in Africa has been more about reclaiming
rights we lost under colonialism rather than achieving them for the
first time. In contemporary times, challenged with regaining female leadership on
the continent under new political formations, the modern state, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Africa">African countries</a> have made considerable gains. I compiled a descriptive list of contemporary <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_elected_or_appointed_female_heads_of_state" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="List of elected or appointed female heads of state">women Heads of State</a> in Africa that have been head of state that we can draw on to begin to pull our collective memories together:<br />
<br />
1. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Perry" target="_blank"><b>Ruth Sando</b> <b>Fahnbulleh</b> <b>Perry</b></a> (Liberia) – Appointed, First Female Head of State in Africa, First Female Head of State in West Africa.<br />
2.<b> <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Johnson_Sirleaf" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Ellen Johnson Sirleaf">Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson</a></b>
(Liberia) – Elected, Second Female Head of State in Africa, First
Elected Female Head of State in Africa, Second Female Head of State in
West Africa.<br />
3. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Banda" target="_blank"><b>Joyce Hilda Mtila Banda</b></a>
(Malawi) – Appointed, Third Female Head of State In Africa, Second
Appointed Female Head of State in Africa, First Female Head of State in
Malawi, First Female Head of State in Southern Africa.<br />
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px;">
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rice_Bush_and_Sirleaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rice (left) and Laura Bush (second from the ri..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="211" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8d/Rice_Bush_and_Sirleaf.jpg/300px-Rice_Bush_and_Sirleaf.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Rice (left) and Laura Bush (second from the right) meet Liberian President-Elect Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (center), the world's first black female president, before Sirleaf's inauguration in Monrovia on January 16, 2006 (Photo credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rice_Bush_and_Sirleaf.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In addition, there have been African <a href="http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/Presidents.htm" target="_blank">women that have acted as head of state</a> like President Rose Francine Rogombé of Gabon who served as interim head of state and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvie_Kinigi" target="_blank">Sylvie Kinigi</a> of Burundi, and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen_Pereira" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Carmen Pereira">Carmen Pereira</a>,
of Guinea Bissau. Perhaps, the difficulty in including them on the list
is can be explained by terminology. The titles ‘Interim’, ‘Acting’, and
‘Appointed’ Heads of State may suggests a short term, temporary
arrangement. It can also imply that the person is not the ‘real’ head of
state. What is also problematic is confusion that arises over who is
the head of state in political units. African countries have mixture of
heads of state that have the title of President or Prime Minister – some
countries others have both positions. However there is evidence that
there is room to extend this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_elected_or_appointed_female_heads_of_state" target="_blank">list in the African context</a>.
Therefore, as journalists frantically try to meet deadlines in the
corporate media houses, there is little time for them to take an
accurate survey or analysis of female leadership. In addition, many
journalists in the global North already have a limited knowledge of
Africa. They seldom take the time to do their own research on the
history of the continent outside of highlighting data centered on
societal factors like the level of poverty, disease and women’s
oppression. Therefore, this often leads to the misrepresentations and
distortion about the dynamics of topics like gender and leadership on
the continent. Many have never heard of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Perry" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Ruth Perry">Ruth Perry</a>,
the first African Head of State in Africa (1996-1997) who was succeeded
by Charles Taylor in Liberia. She is sometimes not regarded as Head of
State, however, many do differentiate Sirleaf-Johnson by noting that
Sirleaf-Johnson is the first <i>elected</i> head of state. However we
must decide how we want Perry to be remembered because she is in danger
of being forgotten in our collective memories in spite of this
achievement. In addition, because of the global practice of sourcing
news from a few media outlets like Reuters or the Associated Press, at
times, African journalists often source their material from these media
outlets and end up unintentionally doing the same. This is why Africans
need to have a collective memory about their history in terms of female
leadership.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Queen_Nzinga_1657.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Queen Nzinga in peace negotiations with the Po..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="199" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Queen_Nzinga_1657.png/300px-Queen_Nzinga_1657.png" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Queen Nzinga in peace negotiations with the Portuguese governor in Luanda, 1657. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Queen_Nzinga_1657.png" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It is important to note that there have been a countless number of women
that have been serving as Prime Ministers, Presidents (that may not
necessarily be head of state) or vice-president in Africa in recent
history. However, there needs to be recognition that these women,
including Sirleaf, Perry and Banda, are following in the footsteps and
tradition of Africa’s long record of female leadership. In order to
answer burning questions about our countries’ “readiness” for female
leadership, we need to understand our own histories outside of the
‘popular imagination’ of what Africa is. This question is based on
assumptions on the level of gender equality in Africa. The assumption is
that African men and African societies are sexist due to gender
inequalities inherent or rooted in African traditional societies. This
is simply untrue. African women in traditional societies have been
leaders, healers, priestesses, and property owners. These rights that
were increasingly denied to them under colonial patriarchy, and this
then carried on beyond colonialism. African Women largely lost their
rights and never regained them. There are several accounts of women’s
participating in the political process by signing treaties as well as
accounts of colonialist refusing to negotiate treaties with African
women. These attitudes reflected gender relationship inequalities in
western societies. These attitudes also continue to affect western women
in countries that are highly capitalist and therefore, highly
patriarchal. Therefore, our challenge today is to reclaim and regain
traditional role as leaders for African women. Our challenge is also to see African tradition as progressive in terms of gender equality. However, we must have a
collective memory with regards to our histories and herstories. This means learning
about African history and recognizing the achievements of all our women.<br />
<br />
*A version of this article appeared on the blog <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_273956976" target="_blank">Africa on the Blog</a><a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/africa-ready-for-female-leadership/" target="_blank">. </a><br />
<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=080202fa-2560-417c-858e-1d02de6c9997" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0Syracuse, NY, USA43.0481221 -76.147424443.0017071 -76.2263884 43.094537100000004 -76.0684604tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-87141070266240111112012-03-31T22:08:00.000-04:002012-10-05T10:06:18.217-04:00African Madness: Marching towards the NCAA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.daylife.com/image/0d8N3TAayffRe?utm_source=zemanta&utm_medium=p&utm_content=0d8N3TAayffRe&utm_campaign=z1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="LOUISVILLE, KY - FEBRUARY 12: Peyton Siva #3 ..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="320" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0d8N3TAayffRe/106x150.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="226" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 106px;">LOUISVILLE, KY - FEBRUARY 12: Peyton Siva #3 of the Louisville Cardinals shoots the ball while defended by Baye Moussa Keita #12 of the Syracuse Orange during the Big East Conference game against at the KFC Yum! Center on February 12, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image credit: <a href="http://www.daylife.com/source/Getty_Images" target="_blank">Getty Images</a> via <a href="http://www.daylife.com/" target="_blank">@daylife</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">A</span>s I was watching the American NCAA (<a class="zem_slink" href="http://ncaa.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="National Collegiate Athletic Association">National Collegiate Athletic Association</a>) college basketball tournament, dubbed "<a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.ncaa.com/basketball-mens/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship">March Madness</a>", I noticed that
the team I was supporting, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.syr.edu/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Syracuse University">Syracuse University</a>, had a player with the same last name as great African musician, <i>Salif </i>Keita.
I knew instantly that this player was a son of the continent.Typically,
I am used to seeing several African players in sports like soccer (what
the
rest of the world’s calls football), rugby, and of course, track. As the
tournament went on, I noticed a number of names that stood out as
possibly being of African origin. I started to wonder how many players were of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_people" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Black people">African descent</a> in the tournament. There seems to be a noticeable growth of the number of Africans playing in the
NCAA (see <a href="http://www.overtimeafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=379:2012-ncaa-bball&catid=36:featured">full
list of African players</a> in division one of the NCAA). In looking at the compiled
list of Africans in this year’s NCAA tournament (see below), it looks like players from West Africa
make up the majority of this category - with Nigeria taking the clear lead.
Other players from Senegal and Cameroon are also represented in strong numbers.
There is a noticeable absence from players from Southern Africa (Countries like
Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Zambia) There is only one
player from this region represented who is from South Africa. In part, it seems
to be representative of breakdown in numbers of the wider <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_diaspora" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="African diaspora">African immigrant</a>
population in the U.S. The list of African players in this year’s NCAA consists of 54 African
student-athletes. When considering the numbers of Africans in the U.S., this is a significant proportion. This includes
African-born immigrants and non-immigrants as
well as first generation Africans in America. It is going to be
interesting to
watch how many of these players will march towards the professional league, the NBA. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
It seems that there is corresponding large boom in the popularity of
basketball in Africa, particularly and the (voluntary) African diaspora.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15322733@N05/4903984710" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Day 4 Basketball (18 August 2010)" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4903984710_c34db6c386_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="177" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 214px;">Day 4 Basketball (18 August 2010) (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15322733@N05/4903984710" target="_blank">Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Game</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although there has been
a tradition of basketball on the It seems that there is corresponding large boom in the popularity of basketball in Africa. continent for a long time, basketball
in Africa has marched forward. Basketball however
has not reached the same frenzy and madness centered around soccer, but
is making its mark. Basketball is probably slower to penetrate in Africa
because it requires equipment (the hoop) that cant be easily
improvised. In soccer one can use two bottles, sticks ... etc.. (there
are endless possibilities ) to create goals. Basketball is also largely
dominated
by America and the NBA. An African basketball tournament that has also
been taking
place in Africa since 1961 officiated by the International Basketball Federation or<b> </b><a href="http://www.fibaafrica.com/">Fédération Internationale de Basketball
(FIBA) - Africa</a>. Many African teams also participate in basketball
in the
Olympics. However, the NBA arguably remains the most prominent of the
basketball tournaments. Therefore penetration to the NBA is no
easy feat. Similarly, playing for the NCAA is very competitive. It will
be useful to keep track on this recent surge of players and
how they will influence basketball on the continent. It is worth
considering though
if it is the growing popularity of the game that’s influencing the
number of
players that are choosing to play the game. Whether it’s African players
influencing the popularity of the game or the popularity of the game
influencing a rise in players, basketball is having an impact on
Africans. It will be useful to also keep track of how
many of these player play in the NBA in the future.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mutombo.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dikembe Mutombo playing with the Houston Rockets" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Mutombo.jpg/300px-Mutombo.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="235" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Dikembe Mutombo playing with the Houston Rockets (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mutombo.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
I was able to locate one list of African basketball
players in the NBA compiled in 2008 (See <a href="http://imanafricaninny.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/african-players-in-the-nba/">I’m
an African in New York</a>). I was not able to find an updated list therefore
some of the players on the list may not be playing in the NBA any longer. However,
this list includes the players like: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luol_Deng">Luol Deng</a>, Chicago Bulls (Sudan), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desagana_Diop">Desagana Diop</a>, Dallas
Mavericks – (Senegal), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ike_Diogu">Ike
Diogu</a>, Indiana Pacers (Nigeria), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelenna_Azubuike">Kelenna Azubuike</a>, GS
Warriors (Nigeria), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emeka_Okafor">Emeka Okafor</a>, Charlotte
Bobcats (Nigeria), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thabo_Sefolosha">Thabo Sefolosha</a>,
Chicago Bulls (South Africa), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dikembe_Mutombo">Dikembe Mutombo</a>,
Houston Rockets (DR Congo), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pops_Mensah-Bonsu">Pops Mensah-Bonsu</a>,
Dallas Mavericks (Ghana), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Olowokandi">Michael Olowokandi</a>,
Boston Celtics (Nigeria), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouhamed_Sene">Mouhamed
Sene</a>, Seattle Supersonics (Senegal), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pape_Sow">Pape Sow</a>, Toronto Raptors –
Senegal, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ime_Udoka">Ime Udoka</a>,
Portland Trailblazers (Nigeria) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didier_Ilunga-Mbenga">Didier Ilunga-Mbenga</a>,
Dallas Mavericks (DR Congo). In the next
four years there should be more players that will join this list of Africans in
the NBA. Below is a list of the African players in this year’s
tournament and the countries they represent (the names in bold are rising stars likely to make the draft:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">West Region (U.S.)</span></u></b></div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Teeng Akol Western Kentucky (Sudan)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">O'Karo Akamune (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Kene Ayigbo Western Kentucky (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Melvin Ejim </span></b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Iowa State (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Alex Oriakhi Uconn (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Ehimen Orukpe Wichita State (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Osamuede Egharevba Wichita State (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Teddy Okereafor VCU (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Victor Oladipo</span></b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> Indiana (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Christian Kabongo New Mexico State (Congo) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Bandja Sy New Mexico State</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">(Mali)</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Tshilidzi Nephawe New Mexico State</span><span style="color: black;"> (South Africa) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Brice Massamba UNLV (Congo) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Deuce Bello Baylor (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Michael Gbinije Duke (Nigeria) </span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">East Region (U.S.)</span></u></b></div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Baye Moussa Keita Syracuse (Senegal) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Chudier Pal North Carolina Asheville (</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Sudan)</span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">John Nwannunu North Carolina Asheville
(Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Victor Ojeleye Kansas State (Nigeria)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Festus Ezeli</span></b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> Vanderbilt (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Steve Tchiengang Vanderbilt (Cameroon) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">James Siakam Vanderbilt (Cameroon) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Steve Moundou-Missi Harvard</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">(Cameroon) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Ugo Okam Harvard (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Cheikh Mbodj Cincinnati (Senegal) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Alexis Wangmene Texas (Cameroon) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> Myck Kabongo</span></b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> Texas (Congo) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Okaro White Florida State (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Youssou Ndoye St. Bonaventure (Senegal)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Guy Landry Edi Gonzaga (Cote d’Ivoire) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Mathis Keita Gonzaga (Mali) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Chido Onyiuke Loyola MD (Nigeria) </span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Midwest Region (U.S.)</span></u></b></div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Osas Ebomwonyi Lamar (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Mogboluwaga Oginni Creighton (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Moussa Gueye Alabama</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> (Senegal)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Retin Ojomoh Alabama (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Michael Eric</span></b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> Temple (Nigeria)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Bak Bak California (Sudan) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Jordan Omogbehin South Florida (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Eso Akunne Michigan (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Moses Ayegba – Georgetown (Nigeria) </span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">West Region (U.S.)</span></u></b><b><u></u></b></div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Jamal Olasewere</span></b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> Long Island (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Kenny Onyechi (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Robinson Odoch Opong Long Island (Kenya) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Hippolyte Tsafack Memphis (Cameroon) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Gatete Djuma Long Beach State (Rwanda) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Gorgui Dieng</span></b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> Louisville (Senegal) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Youssef Mejri Davidson (Tunisia) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Frank Ben-Eze Davidson (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Chris Otule Marquette (Nigeria) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Charles Abouo</span></b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> BYU (Cote d’Ivoire) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Nyandigisi Moikubo Iona (Kenya) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Will Yeguete Florida (Cote d’Ivoire) </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Assane Sene Virginia (Senegal) </span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(<a href="http://overtimeafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=441&catid=36">see
detailed list, including stats</a>)</div>
<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"></span><br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=080202fa-2560-417c-858e-1d02de6c9997" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com1Syracuse, NY, USA43.0481221 -76.147424443.0017071 -76.2263884 43.094537100000004 -76.0684604tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-83996046571516236162012-02-29T23:59:00.000-05:002012-10-05T10:08:45.219-04:00Madonna in Malawi: Material Girl Lacks Substance (pt 1)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Madonna_Confessions.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Madonna" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="225" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Madonna_Confessions.JPG/300px-Madonna_Confessions.JPG" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Madonna in concert Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Madonna_Confessions.JPG" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
When the news that <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.madonna.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Madonna (entertainer)">Madonna</a> was going to get involved in Malawi came out, many Malawians were excited. All of a sudden Malawi was on prime time news networks all over the world. Prior to her involvement, many Americans had no idea which one of the Hawaiian Islands it was, “Maui?? … Oh it’s in Africa? … Did you mean Mali?” Although there were people in the country that may have not heard her name, the ignorant clichés stating that Malawians had never heard of her prior to this are largely untrue and serve as ethnocentric commentary on the level of ‘remoteness’ of a country that has never heard of the “<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_Girl" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Material Girl">Material Girl</a>”. In fact, many Malawians were dancing to her hit song, “Holiday” in the 1980’s and her other songs thereafter. Therefore when she actually decided to <i>take a holiday</i>, Malawians thought, <a href="http://www.lyrics007.com/Madonna%20Lyrics/Holiday%20Lyrics.html" target="_blank">"it would be so nice".</a> So it was no surprise that when Madonna’s inner Angelina Jolie came out, so did her Malawian fan base (this now included many new fans). Suddenly the whole country became one big musical. No, not Elvira; Madonna became Malawi's Nancy and David Banda became her <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Twist" target="_blank">Oliver! </a>So Malawians did what came 'naturally', they went into song and dance with their laws in order to accommodate her. Naturally, she came back for an encore, "<i>Chonde</i> Sir, May I have some more?" and then came little Chifundo<i> (err...Mercy for the sake of the countless English speaking editors who couldn't quite wrap their tongues around her real name, and took the opportunity to anglicize it when possibl</i>e). Madonna's adoption all in all was met with relatively little resistance. Malawians supported this – after all, she was just trying to help orphans and the logic of the public was straightforward - if the orphans needed parenting and someone was willing to take care of them, there was no harm.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many Malawians ignored the voices of reason from civic society that cautioned the logic of circumventing Malawian laws on technicalities in order to allow one celebrity adoption to happen. Malawian law at that time was that the adopting parent must have been a resident of Malawi for eighteen months. The judge ruled that she had established residency by owning property there and did not have to live there permanently. Foreign adoptions had been illegal in Malawi because they have lead to child exploitation in the past. Under the guise of foreign adoption, children become victims of human trafficking and are sold as sex slaves, are made to appear in pornographic videos, or have been sold as laborers on farms. Therefore the objections to the adoption were legitimate concerns. Does one subject a child to a childhood full of rationed portions of food in a poor African nation or does one subject a child to a limitless supply of sex in Europe's red light districts? The Oliver Twist type living conditions are an unfortunate reality for many African children (mainly girls) that get trafficked from these areas. Even in the absence of an international trafficking ring, I can recall the story of the Ethiopian girl, Hana, that was adopted by the Williams parents that punished her to death due to their Christian beliefs modeled after teachings of Pearl (<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2011/10/03/did_the_disturbing_philosophy_of_how_to_train_up_a_child_lead_to.html" target="_blank">Read Hana Williams story</a>). She was left to sleep in the barn, not given food for several days, and was hit daily with a plumbing tool. Therefore, whilst not all adoption is bad, not all of it is good either.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29484814@N02/2758081980" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Proud to be a Malawian" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3127/2758081980_6c6ea266ca_m.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center;">Proud to be a Malawian (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29484814@N02/2758081980" target="_blank">cajean2</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The other fear was that Malawi would be branded as a haven for orphans period. There was a fear that it may become fashionable to adopt a Malawian baby. Malawi would be branded as the next "place to adopt orphans" after Russia, China, and Ethiopia. As <a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1939458_1939454_1939355,00.html" target="_blank">Oprah would say in a situation like this</a>, "you get a baby! you get a baby! every-body gets a baby!" It is no coincidence that a few years later, in the show <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey%27s_Anatomy" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Grey's Anatomy">Grey's Anatomy</a>, when <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meredith_Grey" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Meredith Grey">Dr. Meredith Grey</a> was looking to adopt, the writers chose Malawi as the birthplace of the baby (Incidentally, Grey's Anatomy is another popular show that comes on in Malawi, so please hold the narratives about the Grey's Anatomy writers writing a show about adopting a baby from a country that has never seen the show because people are too poor to own T.V's). I am not sure if the writers did their homework on that too. It is unclear if their intention was to highlight the plight of Malawian orphans or if they were trying to encourage adoptions from Malawi (for parents willing to splurge on $20K to home there for the purposes of establishing residency), or if that was just the first country name that came in to their mind, thanks to Madonna. They named the baby Zarah, an atypical name for a Malawian (..and please, its possible but not probable for a Malawian to be named Zarah, the writers corruption of Sahara perhaps?). Interesting to note as well is how little Chifundo is now being called Mercy by the Press (Mercy is the English translation of Chifundo, so this would be like calling a girl named Isabella "Beauty" due to a familiarity with the English version of her name). However, beyond the Malawian baby name games, it seems like the message is quite clear, "Want a Cute Baby. Go to Malawi".<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Madonna-and-child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Madonna and Child." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Madonna-and-child.jpg/300px-Madonna-and-child.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="163" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Madonna-and-child.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The warning signs that all was not right with the whole spectacle were there from the start. Madonna fit right into the stereotypical situation of the unseasoned celebrities visiting Africa. She took photos with orphans. Check. She raised funds for the her Charity "Rasing Malawi". Check. She wore<a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/03/25/us/25madonna_337-395/25madonna_337-395-articleLarge.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/us/25madonna.html&h=315&w=600&sz=72&tbnid=paG31oPmtXIl4M:&tbnh=63&tbnw=120&zoom=1&docid=d661uPN-JwMXaM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KRZPT4jNHYnF0QGAmcnlDQ&ved=0CDkQ9QEwAQ&dur=1096" target="_blank"> a colonial ha</a>t. Check. She wore Khaki and Army pants (was she going to re-colonize us or join an imaginary freedom fighter group?). Check. She wore a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitenge" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Kitenge">Chitenje </a>.Check Plus. She bought souvenirs. Check. She looked up Malawian adoption laws. Uncheck. Madonna publicly stated in interviews that, “Malawi didn’t have adoption laws”. No adoption laws? Had she landed on Pluto I wondered? She played right to the stereotype of the “lawless “African country. Needless to say, Malawi did have adoption laws but there were loop holes which her Malawian lawyer was able to exploit. The laws of course, were more easily exploitable because of her status as an influential celebrity from the global North. So when mother Madge wanted to literally “raise” Malawian children, she was met with a lot of resistance but more importantly, overwhelming support. Her Malawian fan base stirred so that Malawian orphan's stomachs could stir too. It was a hot topic on Malawian listserves, blogs … and the Facebook page, “<a href="https://www.facebook.com/#%21/groups/72549300094/" target="_blank">Malawians in support of Madonna</a>” went up instantly, consisting of Malawians in Malawi and Malawians around the world. Many Malawians even donated money to Raising Malawi. There were a lot of voices trying to weigh in from all ends but the loudest voice weighing in came from the Malawian government’s gavel. Therefore, Madonna ended up adopting a Malawian child, and then another - Raising Malawi. Check.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then Madonna’s inner Oprah came out.<br />
<br />
(Next: Part 2 )</div>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=080202fa-2560-417c-858e-1d02de6c9997" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-29429095600544053262012-01-28T12:20:00.000-05:002012-10-05T10:10:46.556-04:00African Immigrants In North America: Making The Grade, But Not The Corner Office<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:African_convetion_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="English: The African Students Convention 2005 ..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="209" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/African_convetion_05.jpg/300px-African_convetion_05.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">African students play an important role in institutions of higher learning and later in contribution to R&D in the workforce. Together with Caribbean immigrants, they make up the majority of the 'black' minorities at Ivy League schools. Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:African_convetion_05.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_people" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="African people">Africans</a> immigrants to North <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.history.com/topics/states" rel="historycom" target="_blank" title="The States">America</a> are always presented as hard
working, friendly, education-focused minorities that adapt well to their
new host countries. This image of the hard-working African immigrant is
often presented as a stereotype that is in contrast to the stereotype of U.S. born
African (Black) Americans (See: <a href="http://anthurium.miami.edu/volume_4/issue_1/edmondson-themyth.html#ref01" target="_blank">The Myth of the Black Immigrant Privilege</a>). In fact, the majority of Africans come to North America do come for the purposes of education more than any other
reason. This has led to a situation where more than one-third (36.6%) of
<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_immigration_to_the_United_States" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="African immigration to the United States">African immigrants</a> to the U.S. have a bachelor’s or higher degree.
When it comes to education, African immigrants as a group have a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higher_education" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Higher education">higher
education</a> rate than immigrants from the West Indies, Asia, and Europe.
When compared to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizenship_in_the_United_States" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Citizenship in the United States">U.S. citizens</a> more Africans in the U.S report having a
college degree than U.S. born minorities (Asian, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_ethnicity_in_the_United_States_Census" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Race and ethnicity in the United States Census">Latino</a>, and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_American" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="African American">Black
Americans</a>). (See: studies: <a href="http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTDIASPORA/General/21686696/conceptnote.pdf" target="_blank">World Bank</a>, <a href="http://www.epi.org/page/-/BriefingPaper298.pdf" target="_blank">Economic Policy Institute</a>, <a href="http://www.aracorporation.org/files/14._africans_most_educated.pdf" target="_blank">JBHE</a>) In fact, the stereotype in America popular culture of the genius Asian model minority student, is statistically more likely to be an African student from the continent (See: <a href="http://www.asian-nation.org/immigrant-stats.shtml" target="_blank">Direct comparison in Asian-Nation</a>). In fact, in Ivy League colleges in the U.S., recruitment of 'Black' students is made up largely of Black students of African and Caribbean heritage (See: articles in <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/evelyn-hsieh/barack-obama-has-broken-r_b_217965.html" target="_blank">Huffington Post</a>, <a href="http://www.thegrio.com/specials/the-ygb/harvard-has-more-black-students-than-ever-but-are-they-african-american.php" target="_blank">The Grio</a>) . Africans in the U.S. are doing significantly better in
educational attainment rates where 36.6% have a bachelors degree
compared to 29.5% White Americans who are also the privileged majority
and have the most access to the power institutions in the U.S. <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Marriage">Marriage
rates</a> for Africans were also similar to White Americans too (marriage
typically indicate higher income). According to a World Bank study on the African Diaspora in North America, <a href="http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTDIASPORA/General/21686696/conceptnote.pdf" target="_blank">Mobilizing the African Diaspora</a>, similar trends can be seen in Canada. Many Africans use education as a means to finding work and
‘improving their lives’. One would assume that having high educational
achievement levels would mean an increase in economic factors for
African immigrants to the U.S. However, recent studies show the
opposite.<br />
<br />
Contrary to popular belief about affluence levels for African
immigrants in the U.S., recent study has concluded that Africans in
the U.S. are currently not doing significantly better than other
immigrants overall, Black immigrants or U.S. born citizens (Black, Asian
or White). In the Mason and Austin (2011) study, <a href="http://www.epi.org/page/-/BriefingPaper298.pdf?nocdn=1" target="_blank">“The Low Wages of Black Immigrants: Wage penalties for U.S.-born and foreign-born black workers”,</a>
the study concludes that Africans in the U.S are not fundamentally
better off than all other groups including African-Americans. African Americans currently thought of as having the highest rate of unemployment and poverty rates. It also
concludes that Africans are economically more similar to African
Americans. The rate of Africans falling into <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Poverty in the United States">poverty in the U.S.</a> is more
similar to that of African-Americans. Lastly, it concludes that
<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Unemployment">unemployment rates</a> for this demographic are similar to that of African
Americans. Africans in the U.S. are also currently earning lower wages
then African Americans. Whilst Africans are doing better than African
Americans in terms of poverty, unemployment, and marriage rates, it is
not significantly better in spite of higher education rates. It is interesting to note that in the study conducted by the World Bank, <a href="http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTDIASPORA/General/21686696/conceptnote.pdf" target="_blank">Mobilizing the African Diaspora</a>, for African immigrants that migrated to Canada, the high education levels of African immigrants are reflected in the level of pay or opportunities. For the African diaspora in the U.S though, despite high education rates for Africans,
economic factors aren’t tallying up when it comes to getting the corner office. This even though in both countries, Africans were more likely to report having the highest rates of education and higher rates of working as professionals then other immigrant populations. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Seminar2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="English: Mr. Anthony-Claret Onwutalobi deliver..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="139" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Seminar2004.jpg/300px-Seminar2004.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">African students receive the early years of their education from home institutions and are recruited overseas for work and further education. Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Seminar2004.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One explanation for this is that Africans still continue to face
discrimination in the U.S. because of color (‘race’),
nationality, and legal requirements. Stringent immigration laws barring opportunities for legal employment for many students may factor in for U.S. that want to transition to the workforce. The recession has also influences this recent phenomenon. In an article that
appeared in the Huffington Post, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/03/black-immigrants-jobless-rate_n_917406.html" target="_blank">“Foreign-Born Blacks Hit Hardest Of All Immigrant Groups By Jobs Crisis”</a>
it was reported that the U.S. recession that began in 2007, affected
all <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_people" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Black people">Black people</a> in the U.S because they faced similar discrimination
in the job hiring process. For Africans, discrimination in terms of
wage/salary and job hiring was worse than that of African Americans.
There has been increasing unemployment for Africans too. By 2009,
greater numbers of African immigrants than any other group lived in a
household with an annual income below the federal poverty line. The <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201108292426.html?viewall=1" target="_blank">Migration Information Source</a>
reports that based on the U.S. census, the majority of Africans in the
U.S work in service occupations like construction, extraction and
transportation (30%), compared to 12.5% that work in management,
business, and finance professions that pay more. Africans here were more likely then any other immigrant group however to report working in professional jobs. This suggests that
despite high education rates, Africans are getting jobs that are not
reflecting their qualifications and/or that they are overqualified for.
The difficulties faced in legal immigration and/or obtaining work
permits may help explain these patterns as well since we don't see the same phenomena in Canada, where immigration laws allow for smoother and more transparent legal work authorization process. It would also be
beneficial to access other obligations that may contribute towards
Africans living below the poverty line like obligations in their home
country. This may include contributions towards buying assets, homes,
businesses, or other investments and funding education for relatives.
Although the Mason and Austin (2011), suggests that the prominence of
the African degree may be one reason as to why Africans are not getting
higher jobs, it is important to note that many Africans do get in to
Masters/Phd degrees in African institutions and are recruited to higher education or work. In a small poor country like
<a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-13.95,33.7&spn=10.0,10.0&q=-13.95,33.7%20%28Malawi%29&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Malawi">Malawi</a> as an example, many <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malawi" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Malawi">Malawian</a>
doctors and nurses are recruited overseas with their Malawian degrees.
As an example, there are more Malawian trained doctors in Manchester,
U.K than in Malawi itself.<br />
<br />
Education has always been important to
Africans, and it is seen as a ways to upward mobility. But as we can see, there are limits to how far it can take African immigrants. For many this has
been the case, but as immigrants to new countries, Africans will still
always face the same levels of economic discrimination that the native
born minorities face. Over time, we will need to continue to monitor
data to see if factors for second and third generation Africans will
converge with those of native born Black minorities. As Fanon notes:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"</i><span class="sqq"><i>When a bachelor of philosophy from the Antilles
refuses to apply for certification as a teacher on the grounds of his
color I say that philosophy has never saved anyone. When someone else
strives and strains to prove to me that black men are as intelligent as
white men I say that intelligence has never saved anyone: and that is
true, for, if philosophy and intelligence are invoked to proclaim the
equality of men, they have also been employed to justify the
extermination of men.” - Frantz Fanon</i></span></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
-- A version of this article,<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/africans-immigrants-in-th-us-making-the-grade-but-not-the-jobs/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">"Africans Immigrants In The US: Making The Grade, But Not The Jobs"</span></a> was posted on Group blog, <i>Africa on the Blog</i> on Nov 28, 2011. <br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=080202fa-2560-417c-858e-1d02de6c9997" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-83498780603748751452011-12-07T01:41:00.001-05:002012-10-05T10:16:16.641-04:00Miss Fufu Strikes Back: Decoding How Jay-Z and Eddie Murphy (Re)invented An African Archetype<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody style="width: 250px;">
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24400573@N03/2648656319" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Jay-Z" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="135" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/2648656319_afa8c83180_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="240" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 240px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Jay-Z (<span class="st">Shawn Corey Carter)</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> in concert -Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24400573@N03/2648656319" target="_blank">NRK P3</a> via Flick</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As I walked out of a store in Silver Spring, Maryland a
few years ago, a 30 - something African American gentleman,
tried to strike up a conversation with me. Unfortunately for him, the first
words that came out of his mouth were, “excuse me, Miss Fufu…” to which I promptly
interrupted, “I don’t eat <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fufu" target="_blank">fufu</a>, I am not from Nigeria!”. I then continued to walk
past him. His immediate response was apologetic, “my bad … my apologies, I didn’t mean
anything by it”. Even though this misguided
suitor’s intention was not to insult or do harm, his statement carried a lot of
baggage. Firstly, his statement projected the stereotype in America that Africa
was one country - and that country was Nigeria. Secondly, the idea that he
thought I ate fufu because I looked African was misplaced. My denial about
eating fufu to him did not stem from a desire to disassociate myself with
African food, but rather a desire to be didactic about cultural truths. Having
come from southern Africa, I was not too familiar with what exactly fufu was at
that time, but I was able to locate it as a West African, specifically Nigerian
dish. As I pondered on my drive home about stereotypes about Africa, a few
thoughts about African stereotypes raced through my mind. His statement
reminded me of how little Americans new about the continent and made me think
about where there stereotypes originated. In brief, he had stereotyped me as a
young, black, African female - I had become the new stereotypical African archetype, <i>Miss Fufu</i>.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was during this same year that Jay-Z’s hit song “Girls,
Girls, Girls” was playing on the airwaves. The line that stood out to me (and
probably to impressionable stranger) when I first heard this song was:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>I'm like: "excuse me Ms. Fufu, but when I met your ass<u><span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></u>You was dead broke and naked, and now you want half"</i></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These lines from Jay-Z play into popular stereotypes about Africa
in a fundamental way. It speaks to popular stereotypes image of Africans being ‘poor’,
‘primitive’ and lacking ‘civilization’. Through this line, Jay-Z takes on the role of Kipling's ‘<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_mans_burden" target="_blank">White Man’s Burden</a>’ - civilizing his African girlfriend. He also becomes an oppressor
of women because he feels that his wife is not entitled to half because of her
country (continent) of origin – Sending a clear message that African women do
not deserve to have material or emotional support because they are somehow not
deserving of this because of an association with the stereotypes of ‘poverty’
or ‘coming from nothing’. These lyrics follow, and are a response to a preceding
line in the song:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>I got this African chick with <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.last.fm/music/Eddie%2BMurphy" rel="lastfm" target="_blank" title="Eddie Murphy">Eddie Murphy</a> on her skull<u><span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></u>She like:"<a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.last.fm/music/Jay-Z" rel="lastfm" target="_blank" title="Jay-Z">Jigga Man</a>, why you treat me like animal?"</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
These lines preceding lines set up the players in the song,
an African female that is somehow ‘wearing a (bone) skull’ of Eddie Murphy and whom
is being treated like an animal by ‘Jigga man’ (another name for <a class="zem_slink" href="http://jay-z.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Jay-Z">Jay Z</a>). The
description of the ‘skull wearing’ incidentally, is reminiscent of his wife <a href="http://rebrandafrica.blogspot.com/2011/03/going-native-beyonces-tribute-africa.html" target="_blank">Beyonce’s infamous (and equally offensive) ‘tribute to Africa’</a> photo shoot where she dresses in black face
and wears bones, animal print and tribal paint. For well traveled celebrities
that have been to the continent (ie Tanzania, and South Africa), it seems that broadening
of cultural horizons in the Knowles-Carter household, has so far served to reinforce stereotypes.
This line is equally problematic because it plays in to power dynamics between
the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North-South_divide" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="North-South divide">global North</a> and Global South. Here, he presents himself as famous American
rapper in a relationship with a poor African girl that he mistreats. It sends
the message that African women are like animals, and such need to be treated
accordingly. To show how his attitude translates in his everyday actions, it reminds me of a video that I saw years back of Jay-Z literally treating journalist/girl like an animal by physically assaulting (hitting) her for taking his photo (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY6JklZNndA&feature=related" target="_blank">see Video:Jay-Z assaults African journalist</a>). In some reports, <a href="http://www.hiphopmusicdotcom.com/i-love-jay-z-but-what-the-fk.html" target="_blank">critics have said this occurred in South Africa</a> though this is unconfirmed. For young African women, this type of representation can be
damaging at multiple levels ranging from domestic violence to paternalism. From a feminist perspective, it also reminds us of
unequal gender roles in relationships. The African woman in this song gets oppressed
(treated like an animal), for being female, black and African. The rest of this
song is equally ethnically biased and misogynist because he
proceeds to name racist and sexist stereotypes about women from all over the
world. In fact in this song, no woman in this world is left untouched - the Latino
woman who love cooking rice, the Chinese woman bootlegging his music, the African-American
woman that snaps her fingers and swings her neck, the list goes on (<a href="http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jayz/girlsgirlsgirls.html" target="_blank">See lyrics</a>). So how did it come that Jay-Z thought it was okay to treat African women like an animals on video and in real life?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Greatest_Hits_Eddie_Murphy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Greatest Comedy Hits" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Greatest_Hits_Eddie_Murphy.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 240px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Eddie Murphy Image via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Greatest_Hits_Eddie_Murphy.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I found out later that with these lyrics, Jay Z
was making reference to the famous comedy skit in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts4sEBb2K3s" target="_blank">‘Raw’</a> done in the 1980’s by comedian Eddie
Murphy (This was <i>his</i> tribute to
Africa). In this skit, Eddie Murphy recounts
how he marries an African female from the 'bush' called ‘umfufu’ that he can
control. This is a problematic stereotype about indigenous nomadic peoples and
the nature of relationships in Africa. It feeds into the popular stereotype of
the ‘submissive’ African woman and her stereotypical ‘abusive African man’ (She
should be ‘used’ to being treated like that because that how African men treat their
women!) Mr. Murphy’s comedy skit, unfortunately, was reproduced from comedy to
music. Some may argue that it’s 'harmless' entertainment but the problem here is
that in the entertainment industry through Hollywood, music, comedy etc... Africans are
only portrayed in one way (backwards and uncivilized) and it is almost always
negative. Nevertheless, the problem with ethnic comedy is that comedy is relies
on stereotypes. In order for people to find a skit funny, they need to ‘understand’
the stereotype – they need to have a preconceived notion of the subject of the
joke. In this case, it is obvious that Jay Z understood the joke based on his
understanding on Africa. This is a clear example of how popular stereotypes about
Africa are reinforced in mass media outlets like music and live ‘entertainment’
and transferred to the general American public. It is unfortunate that both Eddie
Murphy and Jay Z have a large African fan base too. I find it unfortunate when
Africans are forced to participate in their own stereotyping or when Africans can’t
(or don’t) do more to protest against these offensive stereotypes on music
stations like MTV Base (MTV Africa) and perhaps, Channel O. For some reason,
when it comes to Africa, the entertainment industry in The U.S. thinks stereotyping
is okay. These characterizations are than internalized by the American public, like the man in the store in Maryland. The stereotype is also used as a lens when commenting on the validity of <b style="font-weight: normal;">Nomvuyo Mzamane's case</b> <b style="font-weight: normal;"> against Oprah by another minority blog contributor on the Black Gay Gossip blog article, <a href="http://blackgaygossip.com/index.php/2010/03/16/nomvuyo-mzamaneis-sues-oprah-for-defamation/" target="_blank">"Ms. fufu is Suing Oprah"</a>.</b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"> </b><b></b> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<div class="zemanta-img">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73488908@N00/5278875698" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="I love presents! Especially thoughtful ones fr..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="149" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5206/5278875698_947c937a74_m.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 240px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Jay Zs bestselling book, "Decoded" Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73488908@N00/5278875698" target="_blank">Urban Mixer</a> via Flickr</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
A few weeks ago a flier advertising Jay Z’s book ‘decoded’ was
sent to one of the teaching assistants (and faculty). The Amazon book review by
Juliet Disparte reads “it is a rare glimpse of the unexpectedly deep meanings
behind the most recognizable rap lyrics of the last decade”. In the growing wake of university courses that touch on Jay Z, I wondered what
lessons Jay Z wanted me, as a young African female teaching assistant to convey to students about decoding his lyrics. I
had first heard about the book on a promotional episode of “Oprah”, now I cant help
but wonder in what manner Jay Z and Eddie Murphy would talk to the young ladies at her academy in South Africa there during there publicized philanthropy trips, “Excuse
me, <i>Ms Fufu? I donated school books, now you want half?</i>” <br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=080202fa-2560-417c-858e-1d02de6c9997" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-88690706448097631982011-11-01T14:28:00.023-04:002012-10-05T10:20:36.803-04:00‘Arab Spring, African Fall’: A Reawakening<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="zemanta-img separator zemanta-action-dragged" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Idi_Amin.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Idi Amin" height="121" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/33/Idi_Amin.jpg/300px-Idi_Amin.jpg" style="border: medium none;" width="200" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Image via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Idi_Amin.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></span></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Uganda's infamous dictator, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/idi_amin" rel="rottentomatoes" target="_blank" title="Idi Amin">Idi Amin</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For some reason I thought it would be much easier to find a compiled list of African dictators online. Africa has been branded as the ‘continent of dictators’ along with <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Asia">Asia</a> and Latin America since the waves of independence from foreign control. Even though the world’s dictators are spread across four continents (Europe’s dictators rarely ever get a nod), Africa is more often associated with dictatorial rule than its counter parts. Indeed, the continent has been home to its fair share of notorious dictators like Idi Amin, Kamuzu Banda, Al Bashir, Mengistu Mariam and Robert Mugabe. But African leadership is transforming. By looking online and trying to piece together a complete <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dictators" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="List of dictators">list of dictators</a>, it looks like there are 17 dictators left out of the 48 countries on the continent:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>North Africa – <i>Algeria, Chad, (North) Sudan, Morocco</i></li>
<li>East Africa – <i>Somalia, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Eritrea</i> </li>
<li>West Africa – <i>Guniea, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia</i></li>
<li>Southern Africa – <i>Angola, Zimbabwe, Swaziland</i></li>
<li>Central Africa- <i>Congo, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=4.36666666667,18.5833333333&spn=10.0,10.0&q=4.36666666667,18.5833333333%20%28Central%20African%20Republic%29&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Central African Republic">Central African Republic</a></i></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It should be noted that the classification of who is considered a dictator varies by definition and list (one analyst, went as far as listing the number of African autocratic states as 39). Even though Africa is commonly seen as the continent that wrote the ‘dictator’s handbook’, the majority of autocratic leaders today, are largely in Asia. Across different lists of autocratic governance and across different indices that measure levels of freedom enjoyed by citizenry, Asia seems to currently bear the brunt of tyrannical rule. This is even more so since Africa lost four dictators this year. It’s not often that Africa is given credit for teaching and/or upholding the ideals of democracy. Dictatorships in Asia, which have already been inspired by events in North Africa as seen in the ‘Arab Spring’, can (and should) continue to draw parallels and learn from the long history of anti-dictatorial revolts in Africa by its citizenry.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="zemanta-img separator zemanta-action-dragged" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/38794219@N00/5437528697" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Way to go Egpyt! 02/11/11" height="150" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/5437528697_52bee90150_m.jpg" style="border: medium none;" width="200" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/38794219@N00/5437528697" target="_blank">cactusbones</a> via Flickr</span></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Arab Spring in Egypt was a paramount event.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
African dictators have been falling this year. This year, Africans have witnessed the fall of Moburak, Laurent Gbaghbo, Ben Ali and now, Ghadaffi. Although some African leaders tried to hold out a candle for Ghadaffi, even the African Union has now conceded that the he is no longer the leader of Libya. By examining the list, it appears within the continent, North, East, and West Africa have a lion’s share of countries led by dictators. It is clear that at the beginning of this year, the numbers of dictators within Africa, were disproportionally in North Africa. In fact, according to Judy Smith-Höhn, a senior southern Africa researcher at a Pretoria-based think-tank the ISS Sub Saharan (SSA) countries like Malawi and South Africa, experienced the events witnessed in North Africa this year, in the 1990s and yet people are constantly trying to use protests that occurred recently in countries like Malawi, as southern Africa’s `Arab Spring’ (<a href="http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=93325">Irin News</a>). As an example, in southern Africa (consisting of nearly 14 countries), Zimbabwe, Angola, and Swaziland are the last remaining dictatorships. So it is also fair to say that North Africa too should have been able to draw parallels and learn lessons from the history of anti-dictatorial movements in southern Africa by its citizenry. When protest led to Kamuzu Banda and De Klerk’s National Party left power, we should have also looked to North Africa asking, “is North Africa next?”<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
The events in the Middle East that began in North Africa have to an extent been unfairly called the “Arab Spring”, “Arab Awakening” or “Arab Uprising” which by description alienates African countries. Many of the participants are both Arab <i>and</i> Africans or are Africans who are simply not Arab. This terminology marginalizes the millions of people and perpetrates the stereotype that all North Africans are Arabs or the even more problematic one – the claims that Arabs are not Africans even though they are physically on the continent. It also means that when the ‘Arab Spring’ started, a large part of the world initially looked towards the East (Syria, Bahrain etc...) and not at what was occurring in neighboring countries in the South. African presidents though saw the connection. They knew that their disgruntled citizens could once again take to the streets. African presidents’ continent wide, reflected on their own governance, began to panic and preemptively protect the status quo – even the ones that were not dictators! In democratic Malawi, a university professor was even investigated and fired for comparing the conditions in North Africa to conditions in Malawi. African presidents knew that their sleepy (but not asleep) citizens would rise.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In SSA this year, we have seen an African reawakening happening in Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Djibouti, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, Swaziland and Uganda to name a few. It could have easily been termed the “African Fall”. In fact, the successful revolutions this year, so far have only been on the African continent. However, the power of media attention to sustain a revolt is important to a movement, and without much international support, SSA revolts didn’t turn in to televised revolutions. Instead, the western international media gaze was focused on what their governments have been holding their breaths a long time for - regime changes in much of the Middle East. Although this inspiration to overthrow current leadership has largely been viewed as an impact of the Arab Spring it’s also important to note that many countries in SSA had been ridding themselves of their dictators or other unpopular leaders for a long time. Fighting for democracy on the continent is not something new – it has been only 50 years since the struggles against the colonial rule (essentially, foreign dictatorships) and many of those freedom fighters still remember those battles. The recent struggle for independence seeping across the continent is about gaining independence from our own home bred leadership. We are witnessing, what I hope is the reawakening of Africans and the start of an ‘African Fall’.</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
--A version of this article was published on <a href="http://www.africaontheblog.com/african-fall-a-reawakening/"><i>African on the Blog</i></a></span><br />
<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=080202fa-2560-417c-858e-1d02de6c9997" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-56397760642623104482011-10-07T11:50:00.004-04:002012-10-05T10:22:15.638-04:00Johnson Sirleaf: Transforming Liberia Through Traditional African Leadership Roles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="zemanta-img separator zemanta-action-dragged" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ellen_Johnson-Sirleaf3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf waves..." height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Ellen_Johnson-Sirleaf3.jpg/300px-Ellen_Johnson-Sirleaf3.jpg" style="border: medium none;" width="172" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ellen_Johnson-Sirleaf3.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></span></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ellen Johnson Sirleaf</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This year’s <a class="zem_slink" href="http://nobelprize.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Nobel Peace Prize">Nobel Peace Prize</a> was awarded to Liberian peace activist <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leymah_Gbowee" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Leymah Gbowee">Leymah Gbowee</a>, Tawakkul Karman of Yemen and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Johnson_Sirleaf" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Ellen Johnson Sirleaf">Ellen Sirleaf Johnson</a> for ‘their work on women's rights’. When Liberia’s Johnson Sirleaf was announced as the Nobel Prize winner for 2011, the headlines worldwide noted that Africa’s ‘first’ female president had won the Nobel Peace Prize. Johnson Sirleaf however, is the second <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_elected_or_appointed_female_heads_of_state" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="List of elected or appointed female heads of state">female head of state</a> from Africa. This honor should be rightfully accredited to Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry of Liberia. She was the head of state from 3 September 1996 until 2 August 1997, and succeeded by the notorious <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Taylor_%28Liberia%29" title="Charles Taylor (Liberia)"><b>Charles Taylor</b></a>. Sirleaf Johnson made history as the first ‘elected’ head of state for Liberia. Perry became head of state after <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilton_G._S._Sankawulo" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Wilton G. S. Sankawulo">Wilton G. S. Sankawulo</a> stepped down as head of state (chairman) though the Council of State of Liberia. Liberia has the distinction of being the only African country in recent history to have two female heads of state and this is usually ignored in commentary in efforts to build up the image of Sirleaf Johnson as a pioneer in women’s leadership in Africa. It also reinforces the stereotype that African leadership tradition is inherently gendered (women and men had strict roles), and has traditionally excluded African women until western feminism came to ‘free’ African women from their men. This is the narrative that we usually hear from western countries, unfortunately, it is also the narrative that we hear from within the continent. It is important that when people talk about ‘African traditional culture’, they are not talking about ‘African colonial culture’ and passing it off as an African tradition that is timeless and was ‘always there’. We need to distinguish between African traditional culture and African colonial culture because erosion of leadership roles for African women came at the hands of foreign control, and is anything but ‘traditional’.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="zemanta-img separator zemanta-action-dragged" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cleopatra_novel.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Cleopatra (1962 novel)" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/33/Cleopatra_novel.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="122" /></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Image via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cleopatra_novel.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></span></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Queen Cleopatra of Egypt</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Africa’s true traditional culture has always been inclusive of women’s leadership. The African continent has had a long history of female leadership ranging from Queen Cleopatra from Egypt to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nzinga_of_Ndongo_and_Matamba" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba">Queen Nzinga</a> of Angola. In fact, in traditional African culture, prior to colonialism, female leadership in Africa was not an anomaly. We need to remember that traditional African culture has always been more gender neutral then western culture. Gender roles in African culture have also been traditionally more fluid, and this includes female leadership. Prior to colonialism, women in Africa held roles as priests, spiritual leaders, head of clans or ‘tribes’, and other socio-political organizations (since there were no ‘nation-state’ as we know them today). This is not to say that there was no system of patriarchal domination in Africa. The point is, that in terms of gender equality African women had more equality in the areas of land inheritance, property ownership, tracing lineage (matriarchal, matrilineal and matrilocal residence societies existed), and leadership roles. They also had their own systems of checks and balance so that male power was ‘in check’. For example, this includes traditions like postulating (bowing) to both men and women Priests leadership roles or bowing to females that were older. When foreign influence came to the continent, so did foreign ideas of gendered leadership roles. The European and Islamic tradition of inequality that was strongly patriarchal was forced on African traditional cultures so African women saw that now, they could no longer own land, inherit land, become priests, or trace their heritage through the female’s lineage. This means that African women actually lost their rights to be leaders as a result of colonization.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The gender inequalities that African women are experiencing today in terms of leadership are a result of European and Islamic colonization in Africa. They ‘gendered’ roles in leadership and exacerbated existing gender inequalities. Now, through Johnson Sirleaf, we hear of people celebrating the ‘progress’ African women are making in gaining leadership roles denied to us by our men. The steps that women like Johnson-Sirleaf and Perry are taking, are steps towards reclaiming progressive traditional gender roles. African feminism is about regaining rights that were lost. Perry and Sirleaf are stepping on the shoulders of a long tradition of African leadership that is often overlooked or forgotten because it ‘just doesn’t fit in’ to the stereotype of leadership roles for Africa that we like to cling on to. Just as Perry’s position as the ‘first’ head of state in Africa (which was barely 15 years ago) has just been forgotten by popular media and Africans on the continent, one hopes that Sirleaf’s role is also not forgotten in the near future like the countless African women that were leaders on the continent. At this juncture, questions like, ‘Is Liberia ready for a female head of state?’ shouldn’t have been making headlines in countries like Liberia or in any other country. Traditionally speaking, as Africans, we have always been ready for female leadership.</div>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=080202fa-2560-417c-858e-1d02de6c9997" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0Syracuse, NY, USA43.0481221 -76.14742439999997742.9972541 -76.212620399999977 43.0989901 -76.082228399999977tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-14512660638666214562011-09-15T01:23:00.002-04:002012-10-05T10:46:16.085-04:00Miss Universal English: The Language of Beauty, The Beauty of Language<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1401602290&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Whilst changing the channel on September 13<sup>th</sup> 2011, I stumbled across the 2011 Miss Universe pageant. When they announced that Miss Angola, Leila Luliana da Costa Vieira<b> </b>Lopes, was a finalist and I saw she was getting a lot of the audience support, I decided to watch it until the end to see if the crown would for the fourth time, land on the continent (South Africa, 1978; Namibia, 1992; and Botswana, 1999). Although Miss Angola had a relatively small delegation of 3 people in the audience, I also noticed that she was popular and had support from most the audience and rightfully so. She was attractive, congenial, and seemed to genuinely be ‘true to herself’. So out of curiosity, I went to the web to find out why she was the clear crowd favorite from the beginning and what people were saying about Miss Lopes.<br />
<br />
Amongst the responses were the usual and customary supportive comments that one would expect ‘she’s beautiful’, ‘congratulations’ ‘she deserved it’. There were also the comments from those that had other favorites, ‘I liked Miss China’…or ‘Ukraine was my favorite’ etc… The comments that I didn’t expect to find was commentary over her response to the Q&A since she had answered it decently enough. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Question: </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">“If you could change one of your physical characteristics, which one would it be and why?”</span></i></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Lopes answered: </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">“Thank God, I’m very well satisfied with the way God created me and I would not change a thing. I <span class="ilad">consider</span> myself a woman with inner beauty. I have my principles. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I plan to follow this through the rest of my life.”</span></i></div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0812212495&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>The comments weren’t largely directed towards the content her answer, but towards her decision to deliver her response in Portuguese and through the use of an interpreter. Even though I knew she was from Angola, I thought she would most likely answer the question in English since most Africans are multilingual and are usually conversant in one of the ‘International’ languages like English or French. At international events, African representatives like presidents, government officials, scholars etc…do not use interpreters when speaking to international audiences unless they do so purposefully or strategically. Indeed, the language that one chooses to use in today’s society can be highly political, contributing to how others are going to perceive, and subsequently treat you. For Africans who often get the ‘Me Tarzan, you Jane’ stereotype, language here, is used as a form of cultural imperialism and this makes it even more problematic. So most of the time, we find African representatives feeling that they need to speak English in order to legitimize their ideas, sound intelligent, or simply to be taken seriously by their western counterparts. There seems to be a stigma towards Africans that do not speak the 'Queens English', which is an extension of the colonial cultural legacy. There is also often the associated assumption by non-Africans that one’s ability to speak English is a reflection of one’s ability to think. These negative perceptions seem to be directed disproportionally at Africans (no one vehemently faults Japanese, Polish, Brazilian, French or Iraqi for the same inability). This stigma towards Africa is reflected through comments made by the general public online websites after the pageant (See Comments: <a href="http://showbiznest.blogspot.com/2011/09/miss-universe-2011winner-miss-angola.html">Showbizblog</a>, <a href="http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/miss+universe+2011">Tumblr</a>, <a href="http://www.pinoyhalo.com/2011/09/13/miss-universe-2011-winner-miss-angola-leila-lopes/">Pinoyhalo</a>, <a href="http://www.rickey.org/miss-angola-wins-miss-universe-2011/">Ricky</a>).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0521666295&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>According to the commentary across these blogs, there was a pattern of suggestions from the general public that was advocating an ‘English’-only language policy for pageants. This was problematic because this was not the ‘Miss England” pageant, and the idea that anyone should conform to a hegemonic language at an international event being held in Latin America is ludicrous. It was also problematic that some of these comments were coming form voices in the Global South – notably, the Spanish speaking Philippines (Some going as far as suggesting that Miss Philippines Shamcey Supsup, should have been picked because “she spoke English” (See: <a href="http://www.pinoyhalo.com/2011/09/13/miss-universe-2011-winner-miss-angola-leila-lopes/">Pinoyhalo</a>). For Miss Angola, these comments were compounded by her African identity - Some non-Portuguese speaking, were making reference to her speaking her “native” language over an “international” language (Native here, being a code for ‘African’). They thought she was speaking an indigenous Bantu language of Angola and not the “international” Portuguese language! It is clear from their comments that because she was speaking in her “African” native tongue, this act being frowned upon –These commentators seemed more fixated on the Angolan’s failure to speak English because she was Angolan. It didn’t seem that there real interest was promoting English. There interests were prompting English relative to an African language. Had they known it was Portuguese, I wondered if they would have made assertions over the importance of speaking an “international” language (as opposed to an African one)? I wondered if the same comments were made for the reigning Miss Mexico, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ximena_Navarrete" title="Ximena Navarrete">Ximena Navarrete</a>, when she won and if she perhaps, spoke in Spanish during her Question and Answer portion. Notably, one such comment (that had 13 ‘likes’) came from readers of the online version of the Spanish language television network, Telemundo, which prides itself for its substantial Spanish language programming. I didn’t discount that there may have been other factors. I thought about how much this had to do with the persistence of mental enslavement for previously colonized peoples. As an example, it many have been an epitome or reflection of how people in a country like the Philippines viewed Filipino English speakers - in high esteem and at the detriment of indigenous languages like Tagalog or Filipino. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Statements regarding the idea that the translator somehow “improved” her answer and that her central idea somehow 'gained intelligence' through translation also surfaced. Based on this, there are clear associations that people make about of the ability to speak English and perceived Intelligence. Ability to speak the English language though is not a reflection of intelligence. If Lopes wanted to speak in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbundu" title="Umbundu">Umbundu</a>, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikongo" title="Kikongo">Kikongo</a>, she should have the universal right to do so without backlash or assumptions about her intelligence or linguistic abilities. It is often rare that I hear the same demands to speak English being made to German, French or Portuguese candidates in “international” competitions. If West Europeans are exempt from this lingual scrutiny why are people from the global south subjected to it? Why do people from the global South subject each other to it as well? This keeps these languages (including Portuguese) that were imposed on people dominant in the world. Some argued that most people understand English and that’s why they advocated this, but going by that logic, Miss Universe should be broadcast in the beautiful language of Madarin (See: <a href="http://www2.ignatius.edu/faculty/turner/languages.htm">the top 10 languages</a>). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1592212581&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Its clear was that because Lopes chose to speak in Portuguese, everyone further assumed that she could not speak English – even those on the blogs that defended her right to speak the language of her choice. After some investigation, I discovered that Miss Angola is a business management student at a university in England where she has been residing for a few years. She was also Miss Angola – UK in 2010. As a true diplomat and strategist, Miss Angola made a sound decision and showed her linguistic beauty by speaking to a room filled with majority Portuguese speakers in Portuguese!<br />
<br />
There are around 5000 languages in use today. There is no universal language. There shouldn't be one. language is a reflection of ones culture (See: <a href="http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/relativism/supplement2.html">Sapir Whorf hypothesis</a>). Differences in language lead to differences in experience, thought and ideas. Requiring the world to speak English will lead to a world where everyone think and act like the English. The problem with this being that they are not all English and will never be English. The other problem with that is that it will suppress ideas that can only manifest or be understood in the context of a particular language, and hence culture. The beauty of this world is that we all speak different languages and no one should be forced to speak another.</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0Syracuse, NY, USA43.0481221 -76.147424443.0017071 -76.2263884 43.094537100000004 -76.0684604tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-50950454665849206552011-08-12T16:47:00.007-04:002012-10-05T10:49:14.024-04:00Red, Black, and Green: Why Oil Exploration on Lake Malawi May be a Bad Idea<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0156033720&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new scramble for Africa’s oil can aptly be summed up in the three colors of the Malawian flag, ‘</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Black, Red and Green</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">’. Oil or ‘</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Black</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Gold’ in Africa, makes up about 10% of the world’s proven oil reserves, “Libya's 41.5 billion barrels of oil reserves and Nigeria's 36 billion barrels are both twice the size of China's proven reserves and just under twice the size of US reserves” (AfricatheGoodNews). The current rush for Africa’s oil is proving to be lucrative for oil company investment.The oil exporting countries of Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Chad, Sudan, Nigeria, Congo Republic and Gabon alone have enjoyed an average GDP growth of 7,4% from 1996-2005. This means that there is plenty of </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Green</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> money to be made - and green here doesn’t not mean environmentally friendly nor innocent. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">
It is no wonder then that with the current oil crisis that is on-going in Malawi, Malawians from many sides of the political arena are looking towards oil exploration as a positive solution to the current fuel crisis. Proponents of oil exploration have argued that it will bring prosperity, help improve infrastructure (build schools and hospitals etc…) and more importantly, end the fuel crisis that has been plaguing the country. Opponents of oil exploration are largely citing environmental concerns. Although environmental concerns are important, it is equally imperative that other factors are considered, particularly the political economy. There is need to have further public debate inclusive of social, economic and political concerns so that Malawi does not repeat mistakes made by other African countries that have experienced the ‘curse of oil’. Malawians need to be educated about what becoming an ‘oil producer’ really means so that they can make informed decisions about moving towards becoming an oil producing country. Oil discovery should not be simply seen as the great savior for Malawi’s socio-economic problems. One should not ignore the fact that the discovery of oil (like most mineral resources) in African countries has largely been a curse. Oil prosperity in Africa has been limited to a select few individuals and large oil companies. Studies have shown that in almost all countries where oil has been discovered in Africa, the average standard of living of the majority has gone down and oil corruption has risen (i.e Chad, Gabon and Nigeria). In Nigeria’s case, we should recall that it was revealed that Shell oil had infiltrated every level of the government in order to exert its influence on that country’s government. The practices of oil companies and their Nigerian counterparts have disrupted good governance in Nigeria, business, and civil life. Its discovery is often viewed as a ‘curse’ for many people in that country – Particularly, to the people that come from the oil producing region.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0866225277&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> Although governments argue that they will undergo the necessary environmental assessments, the reality is that assessments are often rubber stamped in the face of the potential for billions of dollars that oil company’s promise to bring or due to corruption (ie Russia’s Sakhalin project went through environmental impact basement but led to the depletion of fauna due to the corruption within the body charged with overseeing the environment). Even when thorough assessments are done, there are no safety guarantees because pipes often burst due to poor maintenance by oil companies. Oftentimes they use old pipes in African countries or just don’t maintain them due to cost or negligence. Oil spills in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region equivalent to the Gulf spill have been occurring yearly. Oil companies have failed to clean up their spills, often blaming sabotage by ‘rebels’ (angry villagers wanting justice and/or militia groups wanting money, many that were initially trained by the oil companies). In the case of the recent court case that the Ogoni people in the Niger delta region won, it is estimated that the environmental impact is so large that it would take years to clean up. In an ocean, spills can spread for miles but it may only take one such spill to cover Lake Malawi with oil. One spill could potentially end aquatic life and livelihood for people that depend on the lake for generations to come. It will also mean the death to the lake-based tourism industry that is supposed to be one of the catalysts for Malawi’s development goals.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1846680972&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Although <span style="line-height: 115%;">the continent is likely to attract $50 billion in investment in the oil sector alone by the end of the decade,</span> Oil does not necessarily mean prosperity and development across Africa. Profit Sharing Agreements that are signed between governments and oil companies often mean that the oil company provides the capital and pays the government back only when they have recouped their costs. Often, crude oil is pumped out of the country and refined elsewhere as an export. Since there are no refineries in Malawi, Malawi would need to buy back its own oil at a premium such a situation would not resolve our fuel crisis. Rather it is reminiscent of colonial systems of mercantilism and extraction. Oil companies have had years of experience in developing extractive practices that lead to underdevelopment in Africa – they have the resources, capital and lawyers to take on many poorer African governments or local bodies. There has been little or no development in the oil rich Niger-Delta region. The Niger-Delta is one of the poorest in the world since oil money doesn’t trickle down to the region. In Gabon, oil has lead to mass importation of costly foreign foods at the expense and/or neglect of local agricultural industries. Most of these imported goods are too pricey for ordinary Gabonese to benefit from them even though the country can afford to import them – again, it is the poor that lose out. Thus a young democracy like Malawi would need to have above average governance in African terms to manage this resource. African countries have failed to manage resources in a way that benefits trickle down to the poor people due to internal and external factors. Malawi’s institutions would need to be mature enough to withstand global forces of globalization, neo-colonialism and western hegemony in order to prosper from oil money. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0822585758&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Lastly, it should be noted that where there has been oil in Africa, there has been conflict or ‘blood oil’. This brings us to the last color- Red. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">red </i>blood of Africans has been shed continent wide over this resource. This includes on-going instability in Nigeria, Angola, and Sudan. It includes countries like Libya and Uganda where oil/oil exploration created environments conducive to government systems of central control. Malawian institutions would also need to be strong enough to withstand these internal forces. The amount of resources and wealth that oil brings makes for a good breeding ground for greedy dictatorships and militarism to rise within a government. Oil has the ability to turn politicians into oil mongers. Control of Oil may be a catalyst for future power struggles and war in peaceful Malawi. The Late President Kamuzu Banda, who ironically was a dictator, intentionally did not allow drilling on the shores of the lake because he knew it would bring instability to his government and to the country. Whether he did this purely to secure his own leadership or for the greater good of the country is debatable. Nonetheless oil exploration needs to be closely examined in 'Red, Black and Green'. . It’s important that the country looks at experiences of their neighbors and not repeat their mistakes so that Malawi’s fuel crisis doesn’t become an outright oil crisis.<br />
<br />
<b>-- A version of this article entitled, <i>"Malawi's Potential 'Curse of Oil' "</i> appeared in the opinoin column <i>My Turn</i> in the Malawi newspaper, <i>The Nation</i> on August 15th, 2011 - Ms Tinga</b></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com2Germantown, MD, USA39.1731621 -77.2716502000000139.1424806 -77.3127577 39.2038436 -77.230542700000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-69171296495546813222011-07-26T04:24:00.012-04:002012-10-05T10:56:18.431-04:00The R/Evolution in Malawi May Not be Televised, But it May be Tweeted!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<div closure_uid_bkjsp8="284">
<div closure_uid_lynr2o="279">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">T</span>he coverage of the protests in Malawi by the foreign (non-Malawian) press has left some Malawians wide-eyed and more cognizant of the international media climate. When the protests initially began on July 20th, 2011 (dubbed 20/11), the internet was ablaze with information from Malawians on the ground, in the diaspora, and friends of Malawi. In addition, many Malawians posted updates from various cities in the country providing eye witness accounts of the events as they were occurring. These early reports proved to be vital for those seeking updates on the nationwide protests on both sides of the political spectrum due to limited coverage on Malawian Broadcasting Channel (MBC) & Malawi Radio which continued with its regular line-up that day. Private domestic mass media outlets like Zodiac Radio, Malawi Voice, Capital FM, Radio Joy, Nyasatimes and others were also successfully doing their utmost to provide detailed up-to-date coverage to the world until they started experiencing broadcasting difficulties. Due to their interrupted service, media coverage was left to private Malawian blogs, and the Malawi online community (including Facebook and Twitter) for parts of the day. <a href="http://habanahaba.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/a-day-of-protests-in-malawi-a-chronological-account-from-afar/">A chronological account </a>of the some of the postings can be found on the blog <a href="http://habanahaba.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/a-day-of-protests-in-malawi-a-chronological-account-from-afar/">haba na haba.</a> The protests began to 'trend' on Twitter - South Africa before they made the news headlines. Ordinary Malawians had proceeded to tweet directly to BBC, Anderson Cooper, CNN, and Sky News during the course of the day to ensure that international attention would be brought on the demonstrations. By day two, Malawi protests began to 'trend' as a hot topic on Google. The online community engaged directly with programs like BBC- Have Your Say (BBCHYS) and France 24, acting much like a watchdog to ensure that the international media was going to cover the protests and was going to cover it with accuracy.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=158046310X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>This revolt was unprecedented for Malawi. Malawi has historically had a reputation as a peaceful country. It is a country that has enjoyed relative peace within its borders since its liberation struggle and subsequent independence in 1964. Even during Malawi's attempts to topple the regime of the infamous dictator Kamuzu Banda, during the 1993-1994 protests for multiparty state, there was relative peace. Banda who ruled the country for the 30 years as a dictator, finally conceded to the will of Malawian calls for multi-party rule as the protests against his regime grew, and held a national referendum. He stepped down peacefully, conceding defeat in the election, and assisted in ushering the transition where he could. According to the 2010 <a href="http://www.economicsandpeace.org/WhatWeDo/GPI">Global Peace Index by the Institute of Economics and Peace</a>, Malawi continues to be the second most peaceful country in Africa (Botswana being the first) and 39th in the world out of 155 countries. </span>Being a country that has not seen war or wide scale violence within its borders, Malawi has also been a haven to refugees from troubled countries like Mozambique and Somalia. It is also host to Zimbabweans escaping Mugabe's reign. Malawi has been long known as the "Warm Heart of Africa" due its friendly people, tranquility and rustic appeal. It is a country where virtues like tolerance, non-violence, humility and community ("I am because we are") are encouraged through the four cornerstones of the nation, 'unity, loyalty, obedience, and discipline'. Hence, when a group calling themselves, 'Concerned Citizens' which comprised of civil society, the opposition, NGO's and citizens called for a national day of peaceful protest, this was what was intended and expected (Read:<a href="http://www.africau.com/1917/africa-insider/malawis-peace-at-a-test/"> Malawi's Peace at Test</a>). Malawians were not initially calling for 'democratically' elected Mutharika to step down. They wanted a change in the attitude of his administration. Attempts had been made by the opposition to engage with the Mutharika administration prior to this, but many Malawians felt that the administration had not adequately addressed concerns. A diverse group of Malawians, including professionals, students, laborers, rural and urban dwellers, and opposed political parties (collectively known as the 'Red Army'), all joined forces to air their grievances and to let it be known to their government and the larger world, that they wanted their concerns to be addressed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0269672141&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>President Bingu Mutharika had had a prosperous first term and was rightfully given much credit for moving the country forward economically. During his first term he had many successes in which Malawi was called the fastest growing economy. The GDP of Malawi had grown at an annual rate of about 7% (peaking at 9.8% in 1998), Malawi became a food donor nation (proving food Aid to Zimbabwe), FDI increased and the Kwacha remained stable. He was touted as an inspirational and democratic leader by many. He was also regarded as a welcome change after the unpopular Muluzi administration that many argued ruined the country’s economy. During his second term however, many argue that his political and economic ideology began to become more distant from that of the population. Malawians in general began to have grievances about the downward growth in the economy characterized by lack of forex and fuel. Other grievances that the anti-government protestors wanted to bring attention to were: increased media regulations for newspapers and national radio/TV; a series of unpopular bills that Malawians claimed eroded checks and balances; Mutharika's increasingly close relations with the Mugabe regime; guaranteeing academic freedom and reinstatement of university of Malawi lecturers, an unpopular flag change who's implementation the public felt they were not involved in; the government consolidation of power through the injunction bill and other laws, including the general direction the country was heading. These grievances were the highlighted in a 15 page petition that Concerned Citizens </span> say they they presented to the President via the City councils. It included <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.maravipost.com/malawi-politics/society/5487-with-blood-and-tears-malawi-has-spoken-mr-pres-you-must-act.html">in 20 actionable points</a></span> some which were printed in the national paper, The Nation on July 18th. The Pro-government group also highlighted their concerns on the same day in The Nation paper.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span closure_uid_6yonyh="329" closure_uid_iw54jd="285" lang="EN">The immediate precursors to the protests were the forex and fuel crisis and the diplomatic row with Britain that resulted in the loss of budget support. Earlier in the year diplomatic tensions grew when a cable from Chocraine-Dyet, the British Ambassador, was wiki-leaked. Dyet had expressed concern to his government over Mutharika, accusing him of being 'intolerant' and of being an 'autocrat'. Accusations that Malawians on the ground were already making due to the change in direction that they felt they were witnessing in a once popular administration. Mutharika felt these accusations were unfounded and declared Dyet persona non-gratia, ordering him to leave the country within 48 hours and asking the UK to send a replacement. Subsequently, a diplomatic row began between Malawi and its former colonizer that resulted in UK ordering the Malawi ambassador to UK to leave (including revoking (arguably) the most coveted invitation - the wedding dinner party for popular British royals 'Will and Kate'). More importantly for Malawians, it resulted in UK cutting aid (budgetary support) for Malawians. Other European countries like Germany (perhaps in solidarity with the UK) followed suite. The World Bank also denied aid to Malawi citing budget problems. The Malawi government than began to take austerity measures that included increasing taxes on the poor (via taxes on bread, flour and milk etc...) and on newspapers. It also included the unveiling of a new aid-free 'zero deficit' budget (ZDB). This budget proved to be unpopular by many Malawians though, and was further compacted by unprecedented fuel and forex shortages. Malawian frustrations continued to grow. They were however not able to air their frustrations due to an unpopular 'injunctions bill' which sought to remove the ability for citizens to 'arbitrarily' get injunctions against the government and the introduction of a fee-for-protest that government said would cover government resources during protests. Civil society argued that protesting against the economic woes was a right and not a paid privilege. Due to debates over the 'right to protest' brought about by injunctions, it was not clear on the morning of the planned protests if they would actually occur. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span closure_uid_6yonyh="289" closure_uid_iw54jd="295" lang="EN"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1553655427&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>When the stories were first being broken by international media, they left much to be desired by Malawians due to misinformation some were providing. Part of this information, understandably may be due to communication from professional journalists on the ground being limited due to an order for them to stop reporting abut the protests. Since a number of issues had led to the protests, singling out one issue was not seen as an accurate analysis. Malawi's protests were about the economy and governance (Read: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=93325">Economic Situation Analysis</a>). Some newspapers reported that Malawi was on strike due to the stoppage of foreign aid by Britain and that Malawians were protesting for commencement of foreign aid alone which is an explanation too simplistic to explain the situation. However, it is important to note that many Malawians do not want to be dependent on 'dead Aid' as an economic policy. They support a 'trade not aid' agenda but they just do not agree that the new ZDB should be sudden or reactionary. Instead, they were calling for it to be strategically and proactively planned over time so that it doesn't hurt the economically vulnerable. In response to the growing problems, Malawians felt that the president had not addressed the issue adequately. Of particular was discontent was the reaction to the fuel crisis that was affecting the bottom line of small, medium and large businesses. It was also affecting dinner plates as maize mills, fishing boats etc... also rely on fuel. With regards to the fuel shortage concerns, Malawians were being told by MERA (Malawi Energy Regulation Authority) to 'get used to it', rather than being given measures MERA was taking to address the shortages which would have been more palatable. Malawi's concerns were and are largely economic at their base - bread and butter issues that don't fall too far from the bread and butter issues that were facing north African countries. A clear difference was that Malawians, at the time were not largely calling for Mutharika to step down until much later in the protest since he is not a dictator and is legitimately serving his term. Closer to home, a country that had watched the economic demise of 'Great Zimbabwe' under the hands of Robert Mugabe, was afraid to see the same happen to them. There was a genuine fear by some in Malawi that that Mutharika was trying to turn Malawi into 'another Zimbabwe' economically (Read: <a href="http://www.thestandard.co.zw/opinion/30794-from-the-editors-desk-the-chickens-come-home-to-roost-for-wa-mutharika.html">analysis from Zimbabwe standard</a>). It was economic woes that made protesters frustrated but It was the failure for peaceful dialogue and /or measures (governance) being taken to address the economic crisis that made ordinarily passive Malawians take to the streets. Governance issues were brought about because Malawians felt their economic issues were not being addressed adequately - the sleepy giants had risen. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN">On the day of the protests, Red Army Malawians wanted to make sure that their voices were heard and make clear their grievances. The demonstrations began largely peaceful with people posing for photos in their 'Red Army' gear and singing the national anthem (see: photo and video footage of protests on <a href="http://habanahaba.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/a-day-of-protests-in-malawi-a-chronological-account-from-afar/">haba na haba</a>). Some even took to South African style Toy-toying. Initially, most Malawians were not calling for Mutharika to resign (he is not a dictator after all but was democratically elected and Malawians wanted to see Mutharika serve out his term (some still do). They wanted their concerns to be heard and to be dealt with. As the day progressed however, and protestors clashed with the police because they were allegedly met with 'extreme force' by the police, more demonstrators began to call for his resignation and /or impeachment and become agitated. They waited to hear Mutharika address the nation in his public lecture (that was planned for the same day), but many felt that the issues they wanted to hear in the lecture were not addressed on the first day which lead to more frustrations. Additionally, many of the leaders of the protests were not available to direct the progression of the protests (some had been allegedly arrested, and the whereabouts of some members of the official opposition where unknown). Without proper direction and with aggression by the police, and pro-government supporters holding their march simultaneously, the peaceful protests then began to get increasingly violent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1583225366&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Prior to the violence, amongst the major international media, there was a single story on Aljazeera that acknowledged that the protests would occur. There was no coverage on the websites or taglines (at bottom of broadcasts) of BBC, CNN, SKY or South African based e-news. Once the protests turned violent, there were reports from Reuters, an hour show on BBC, and coverage on Al Jazeera, BBCHYS, BBC, enews, and lastly CNN. It is important to note that Sky news does not appear to have covered the story at all on either day, and enews only covered it once Reuters had covered it on day two. Al Jazeera appears to be the first of the big broadcasters to have the protests covered as part of their headline news, including live footage. What is also notable is that most news outlets get their news from the same sources, so if an organization like Reuters provides misinformation, this information is spread ten times fold. This is why it is important for Africa to have news broadcasters like e-news exercise more agency in selecting stories that are relevant to them. As an example, the events in Malawi would have a direct impact on South Africa so it would be in their best interest to cover any disturbances in neighboring countries first, and not with everyone else. e-news has an opportunity to fill a gap in the reporting of issues concerning Africa and in the approach to reporting about Africa.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0812220900&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Of particular concern was that when the 'peaceful protests' for sound economic policies and good governance were not being covered until they turned violent. The message behind the protests began being obscured on international news between fevered attempts to capture the death tolls. No doubt, Malawi’s protests were probably seen as 'normal African political unrest in a turbulent African country' and not deemed newsworthy until violence occurred. They also seemed reluctant to report protests as long as they were peaceful - it doesn’t sell newspapers nor attract viewers. Once lives were being lost however, the wider media picked up on the story because it may have fit in to the more comfortable newsworthy stereotype 'death caused by political unrest in violent Africa' which is more suitable for their bottom line. Some went as far as reporting that Malawi wanted to topple their 'dictator', Mutharika which is a comfortable narrative (particularly after the Arab Spring) but an incorrect one. These claims prompted some in the Malawi online community to start defending their estranged leader against the onslaught of foreign misreporting - One person on twitter that was part of the red army tweeted that " they are reporting that Mutharika is a dictator ... Mutharika is not a dictator" . </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span closure_uid_3vqy2k="287" lang="EN">The Malawian online community at first was solely was working frivolously to get the protests covered by sending information about the protests to journalists from BBC and France 24 that asked for it as its own journalists faced challenges in reporting the protests. They then started working frivolously to get accurate information covered. At one stage, when BBCHYS allegedly reported that there was 'Xenophobia in Malawi', appalled Malawians around the world posted "there is no Xenophobia in Malawi" on their Facebook wall (prompted by online newspaper The Malawi Voice's Facebook Page) until BBCHYS - Facebook made an official statement denying that they reported misinformation (Read: <a href="http://www.malawivoice.com/politics/bbc-denies-reporting-about-xenophobia-in-malawi/">Malawi Voice article on Xenophobia in Malawi</a>). Instead, they reported that an Asian Malawian caller concerned that Asian owned shops were now being looted had said it during the broadcast of the BBC show. From most accounts though, the shops that were targeted were those of close business allies to Mutharika and people that Malawians felt had unfairly benefited from business relationships with the president. In addition, the cars and houses that been burned down also largely those of pro-government supporters. Malawians also took to offence when the news outlets began referring to the protests as merely 'riots' a word that denotes anarchy. Hence, implying that Malawians had decided to get up and start looting the country out of anger and to protest through destruction rather than first seek dialogue. As the violence grew, most Malawians on both sides of the political spectrum began to discourage the violence (from protestors and police), looting and destruction that occurred. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span closure_uid_6yonyh="288" lang="EN"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1592211127&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>For two days, pent up frustrations from both pro-government and anti-government supporters were released on the once quiet streets in Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Karonga, Blantyre, Zomba, and Dedza in unprecedented nationwide protests. On the second day protests continued in Lilongwe and Blantyre, albeit less violent. It is surprising that in a nationwide violent protest of 14 million, 'only' 18 reported deaths occurred- this may not have been the case in another nation faced with a similar situation. It is important that reporting of the protest in Malawi occurred, but media must take heed to report with accuracy as opposed to pre-written narratives about African riots, dictators, and causeless violence. Furthermore, not much credit (if any) has been given to the contribution of technology during what some have dubbed the 'African Fall'. During the Arab Spring protests, too much credit was given to the same technologies. There is something to be noted in the way international media may approach the way they source information about sub-Saharan Africa. Whilst technology penetration has not reached the same extent as other regions, there has been an evolution in sub-Saharan Africa with regards to disseminating information. Many were not looking at the impact of the online community (individuals and organizations) were having or considering if cellphone messaging played a role like they did in Kenyans political unrest a few years back. A much richer analysis on the role of technology on information and democracy in Africa would be warranted because technologies are changing grassroots organization in sub-Saharan Africa as well. With increasing media outlets online, they have access to people on the ground, which has been beneficial in some of the reporting on the Malawian events, but more can be done in this era to ensure that African protests, weather pro or anti-government are covered - and are covered accurately. Case in point, there was probably more press on Malawi's problems with Mutharika in the past few years, than there was on Malawi’s success with Mutharika during his prosperity years. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0Johannesburg, South Africa-26.2041028 28.047305100000017-26.2715043 27.949729600000015 -26.136701300000002 28.144880600000018tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-72387974513944315682011-07-15T14:57:00.003-04:002012-10-05T10:52:44.567-04:00The Tribalism Myth in Sudan: Why Can't Africans 'Just get Along'?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0615233163&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><b><span style="font-size: large;">A</span></b>t the dawn of the newly independent South Sudan, some news reports on Sudan have explained that Sudan experienced ethnic cleansing and/or genocide resulting from 'tribal' warfare. It seems that this popular concept of 'tribal warfare' is widely understood by the viewing audience as well as widely accepted. However, it is important to remember that the word 'tribe' itself is problematic. 'Tribe' is a contested term due to its inconsistency in meaning [See definitions on <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tribe">dictionary.com</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribe">wikipedia</a>], hegemonic affiliations, and stereotypical tendencies. As an example, the term 'tribe' presents inconsistencies in terms of location, numbers, and settlement types. Tribes are often restricted to select geographic areas like Africa (but not Eastern Europe) or amongst select nations within a geographic area like Native Americans (but not to Vikings). There is no consistency in number (aggregate) either but 'tribes' are traditionally thought of as a small group. Hence, this becomes problematic when 'tribes' can consist of millions of people or make up the majority of the nation. As an example, the Shona make up the majority of ethnic composition in Zimbabwe so do they numerically qualify as a tribe?. 'Tribes' are also often thought of as people that wander like the nomadic Khoi San or Masaai. In anthropology, social "evolution" is measured (in rank order) by how people live. The idea here is that people "evolve" from hunter-gathers, bands, tribes, Chiefdoms, Cities, to City-States (nations) [<a href="http://www.nsspress.com/shanafelt/ch8/sec5.htm">See:Franz Boaz</a> ]. Again, the Shona live in permanent settlements in towns, cities and states so do they qualify as a tribe? Once the Khoi San or Masaai become sedentary (set up permanent settlements) are they too no longer 'tribes'? There are a plethora of other inconsistencies with the use of this term, but where it becomes most problematic is when a fictitious, human construct like 'tribe' is then used to describe another construct like 'tribalism' and 'tribal' warfare and when tribalism is used to explain conflict. 'Tribalism' is rarely unpacked when it is mentioned but the term carries meaning and implications. Notably, that these warring 'tribes' 'just-cant-get-along' due to differences inherent between those two groups. These explanation rob the audience of a critical analysis on the situation at hand and create an image of a continent whose conflicts bare no cultural or historical roots of significance - they just like to fight. Historically, Africa as a continent has bared the burden of the 'tirbalism' and 'tribal warfare' brand so once ethnic conflict or tensions arise within her borders, 'tribalism' is often given as the reason (and an acceptable one at that). <br />
<br />
It is important that coverage that seeks to explain the birth of the new nation of South Sudan is inclusive of the former Sudan's historical roots. Some of the coverage that I have seen about the situation in Sudan dates the beginning of its troubles in the 1960's when the country gained its independence. It is vital though that we do not brand the balkanisation of Sudan as simply due to 'tribal' conflict between African ethnic groups that just cant get along. Citing 'triablism' prevents a situation from being analysed due to the real socio-economic dynamics that underlies 'tribalism'. Notably, economic policies or bread and butter issues. In most instances where ethnic conflict occurs on the continent, there is uneven access to wealth or the power institutions in the country (judicial system, private business, government, education, etc...). In the case of Sudan, the South was deprived access to the aforementioned institutions. This was also the case in Rwanda and Kenya as well where we recently saw ethnic cleansing that had its roots in economic woes dating back to colonialism. During colonialism, it was often the practice of the colonial rulers to select a single ethnic group (usually a minority group) and give them (limited) access to some of the power institutions. After the Independence movements, nation building became challenging because the suppressed ethnic group became the dominant groups and this often marginalized (socially and economically) the minority groups. Hence, economic issues often are at the center of 'tribalism'. But focusing on 'tribalism' prevents people from getting to the root of the problem - economics, privilege and discrimination in multi ethnic societies. <br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0140233776&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Bringing disparate people together through force and unification processes whose differences outweigh their similarities has always been problematic. This is particularly evident through the examples of countries like Germany, where we saw Hitler's unification process lead to the ethnic cleansing of German Jews. A proper and complete analysis leading up to the genocide would include the overwhelming economic conditions that led to antisemitism in post Wiemar Republic Germany as opposed to viewing it myopically as Aryan Germans simply hating Jewish Germans for their Jewishness or 'tribalism'. In which case, the subsequent World War is arguably the largest display of tribalism in 20th century Europe! In East Europe, the balkanisation of former Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia provides us examples of multi ethnic nations that were forced together that led to continual conflicts. Czechoslovakia was founded in October of 1918 as part of the Treaty of Versailles. It consisted of areas that were once a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire that were ethnically disparate. The ethnically disparate Czechs and Slovaks had been forced together into one country and this arrangement was problematic from the onset. This resulted in the creation of the Slovak and Chech Republics in 1993. Yugoslavia was formed as a result of unifying the Serbs, Croats and Slovenias into one kingdom amongst opposition. Forced arrangements brought about underdevelopment, war, and ethnic conflict. Eventually, Yugoslavia balkanised, and became the independent countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia , and Slovenia. <br />
The current balkanisation of Sudan is hence a formula that we have seen repeated in other parts of the world in recent history. In the case of Sudan, like most African countries, it had been formed at a round table of European nations at the Berlin Conference where all African countries were formed at the stroke of ink. Hence dividing countries based on external forces as opposed to internal unification processes. The problems that arose in the former Sudan are not unique to Sudan nor is the ethnic cleansing that resulted there inherent in the Sudanese people. Similarly, "tribalism" is not isolated to select groups of peoples. The notion of 'tribal' wars seems to be an explanation that is often used to describe conflicts in Africa without fully unpacking the unique situations, conditions, or historical references of that country. This is done by both reporters and journalists from the west and from the continent. All Africans have been told that they have 'tribes', (and everyone belongs to one) and hence 'tribalism' (a natural conflict between ethnic groups for no particular reason) exists therefore it makes 'sense' that since Europe does not have tribes (they have ethnic groups) they cannot have tribalism. Therefore longstanding European conflicts like the plight of the armed movement for Basque independence from Spain and France is not seen as 'tribal' warfare. Few comparisons are made between the conflicts in Africa and other conflicts in the world. <br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00558UM78&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>The history of the Dinka's in South Sudan has been a history of domination -largely for control of resources. They have been dominated by Egypt, England (colonization) and lastly, the South Sudan was 'dominated' by Northern Sudan whom contributed to its underdevelopment. In spite of the presence of oil and fertile soil in the area, during these occupations, South Sudan was left underdeveloped. As a new nation, it will face the challenges of nation building amongst people that historically have had little control over their own society and economy. They will need to build a national identity and establish a "South Sudan brand" and reputation as an independent country. But already, tale tale signs can be seen of domination from someone from within its borders. The new money in the country is of the new president as opposed to a neutral national symbol or an apolitical symbol.This move marks the beginning of South Sudan iconography, where its politics are bound to be centered along the lines of individuals (national political icons) as opposed to shared symbols and ideologies. There national brand or identity is likely to be centered on the current President, Salva Kiir Mayardir. One can only hope that this is not a true sign of what is to come and that the new administration will proceed on a path that is inclusive of all the peoples of the new South Sudan.<br />
<br />
Tribalism, with all its meanings and justifications is a disputed and problematic explanation for a multi-ethnic nation's ethnic tensions. Now that the Sedans have split, one wonders if any tensions that arise will continue to be called 'tribalism' or if it will evolve to a newer term like 'cross border tribalism' or if it will be considered a battle between two opposing nations with histories and dynamics that need to be unpacked to understand its roots.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0Lilongwe, Malawi-13.9833333 33.783333299999981-14.0829418 33.717717299999983 -13.8837248 33.84894929999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-23416533465704647112011-06-30T19:10:00.001-04:002012-10-05T10:55:35.628-04:00The African Journalist's Burden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The relationship between western media and Africa has always left a lot to be desired by continental Africans and African stakeholders. It has always been challenging to get proper stories about events, histories or people in Africa and this has creates a large void in quality reporting on Africa, often resulting in misrepresentation or wide generalizations. In his essay, “How to write about Africa”, Kenyan author and literary critic, <a href="http://www.granta.com/Contributors/Binyavanga-Wainaina">Binyavanga Wainaina</a> sums it up best with the words:<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1555975917&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
<blockquote>
"Always use the word ‘Africa’ or ‘Darkness’ or ‘Safari’ in your title. Subtitles may include the words ‘Zanzibar’, ‘Masai’, ‘Zulu’, ‘Zambezi’, ‘Congo’, ‘Nile’, ‘Big’, ‘Sky’, ‘Shadow’, ‘Drum’, ‘Sun’ or ‘Bygone’. Also useful are words such as ‘Guerrillas’, ‘Timeless’, ‘Primordial’ and ‘Tribal’. Note that ‘People’ means Africans who are not black, while ‘The People’ means black Africans.<br />
<br />
Never have a picture of a well-adjusted African on the cover of your book, or in it, unless that African has won the Nobel Prize. An AK-47, prominent ribs, naked breasts: use these. If you must include an African, make sure you get one in Masai or Zulu or Dogon dress " [<a href="http://www.granta.com/Magazine/92/How-to-Write-about-Africa/Page-1">Read full Essay from Granta</a>].</blockquote>
<br />
What is surprising is that these approaches to writing about the continent are still prominent in many African media outlets (print, radio and television) whether it is written by Africans or non-Africans. As an example, in prominent Malawian papers, topics about aid from foreigners over other issues seem to dominate as well as opinions of those from the west. You’ll often see headlines like, “An American gives Blanket s to x” or “Scots say we need more x,y,z” where what is considered ‘newsworthy’ centers on the relationship between a named foreign national and unnamed ‘local’. Oftentimes their foreignness is emphasized above their qualifications or their knowledge on that topic. Malawian opinions from experts at times get side stepped particularly, when it s a story about aid, skill sharing, or knowledge transfer from the west to Malawi. In many instances the identification of the Malawian is seen as an insignificant factor in the story. Particularly when the ‘local’ is from the rural area, they get labeled, ‘a villager’ (or’ villagers’) and no particular time or effort seems to be taken in identifying this nameless person. This type of reporting sends clear messages that a villager’s identity is not significant. The same trends in reporting can be seen in other African countries. <br />
<br />
Whilst this type of reporting about Africa is more prominent and frequent in the western media both historically and in contemporary reporting, when it occurs by African journalists in Africa it is more so problematic. The way African journalists present and represent events and people from their own countries needs to be considered because of the effects that it has on the African (and non-African) reader’s perception of African culture, history and events. It has profound effects on the populations that read the papers. It does need to be considered for some of these journalists the contribution of training programs by well intending western journalists through transnational journalist networks. Journalism ‘skills’ are transferred from the west that may include approaches to ‘how’ to write (and report) about Africa. It seems that these western approaches to writing about Africa are at times internalized by African journalists who reproduce the type of writing about Africa that Wainaina writes about. <br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=086543901X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Western media reporting (especially in the United States) is a reflection of the western institutions, politics and public policy towards Africa. As an example the coverage of the revolts in the North Africa [Egypt, Tunisia] were reported as events occurring in the “middle east” as opposed to Africans revolting against their leaders for democracy (some African media outlets also similarly reported the events solely as middle eastern news). This is in line with US foreign policy that regards North Africa as part of their middle eastern policy (this can equally be extended to US conglomerates that regard north African countries as part of their regional ‘Middle Eastern business unit). The relationship between western media and its institutions are explored in great detail in the book “Hardened Images: The Western Media and the Marginalization of Africa” by Asgede Hagos. Another contentious issue highlighted in this study is that western media tends to marginalize Africa. This means that some (not all) African journalist essentially participate in their own marginalization and in branding Africa in a generalized, unfavorable way. <br />
<br />
The marginalization of Africa though western media has long been problematic for branding Africa as a place of despair and fostering a paternalistic relationship between Africa and the west. It has also propagated ideas like ‘the white man’s burden’ which reinforces other one-sided journalistic stereotypical reporting i.e. the archetype ‘great white savior’. The problem here is the danger of African journalists contributing to the marginalization of Africa through locally owned media channels creates greater legitimacy for the negative or stereotypical reporting. This means that Africans are only reading about Africa through one dominant hegemonic way due to the absence of credible international mass media venues that can accurately (and credibly) report about Africa . Although television media outlets like BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, France 24 cover African events, questions of depth, scope and neutrality of these outlets needs to be understood since they respectively, primarily cover the issues, interests, and events of their respective place (or ideological blocs). The television outlets also have more extensive networks, researchers and coverage interests outside of Africa. It is important to note that South African based e-news though has proven to provide the most extensive, neutral and non-biased news coverage about Africa. Like its counterparts, its primary interests, also center on its place of origin. <br />
<br />
Although many journalists on the continent have timelessly continued to represent the continent in a neutral manner, greater awareness by some African journalists with regard to the story selection, word choices, and ideologies that represent the continent should be noted so that they don’t inadvertently contribute to its misbranding. There is much room for improvement on how Africa is presented in the media both in written and televised reporting. As journalism continues to grow on the continent, hopefully we will be able to sift through the journalistic techniques that we inherit from the west that may not present Africa in a favorable way and that extend western media hegemony. <br />
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com2Blantyre, Malawi-15.7861111 35.005833299999949-15.8801071 34.927555799999951 -15.692115099999999 35.084110799999948tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152109793437900964.post-66897849912216107282011-04-05T23:54:00.005-04:002012-10-05T10:59:20.988-04:00Gbagbo and the Chocolate Factory: Power & Cocoa in the Ivory Coast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0816524645&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Over the years, Chocolate eggs have been placed in Easter baskets around the world in Europe, America, and other continents across the globe. Chocolate has become a central part of some religious and secular practices during the month of April. Year round, it is used to make chocolate coins for Hanukah or Santa Claus (Father Christmas), for courting on Valentine’s Day, and it used daily to make food and beverages. Not much thought is given by the general public in the west on the African origins of most of the Cocoa they consume or the <a href="http://www.chocolatework.com/index.htm">labor used</a> to obtain that luxury. Instead, when people think of Chocolate, they think ‘Swiss’ or ‘America’ when countries like Switzerland, Germany, and America don’t grow cocoa. Ivory Coast happens to be the world’s largest supplier of Cocoa. This means that the money that Gbagbo is clinging to is being funded by local Chocolate Easter Egg hunts and addictions to high-end chocolate lattes. Needless to say, the chocolate industry is very lucrative and holds the Ivory Coast’s purse strings. Similarly, I would like to point out that the Ivory Coast holds the chocolate industry’s purse strings as well. This is evident in how the current political crisis has impacted on the chocolate industry economically. In recent months, we have seen how the political situations in Libya, Egypt and now Ivory Coast has impacted prices of various commodities around the world. Hopefully, these events have given a chance for Africans across the continent to reexamine (and reevaluate) their central roles in the global economy and how their products affect prices world-wide. The recent political crisis in the Ivory Coast is a clear example of this. The crisis has resulted in the rise of cocoa prices which increased to a 32-year high as a direct result of the political situation. According to <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-04-05/ouattara-may-toil-to-unify-ivory-coast-after-winning-control.html">Bloomberg report</a>, Cocoa prices in New York had risen as much as 34 percent since the disputed elections where Gbagbo refused to step down. Prices only fell for the first time this year on March 4, 2011 because there were signs that Gbagbo’s reign as CEO of this large 'chocolate factory' was finally coming to an end. This shows the impact that the Cote d Ivoire situation has on the businesses on an international scale.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
This raises the question on how we value African produced commodities both in the raw form and <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0500286965&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>manufactured form. Particularly those products that African countries have a monopoly in supplying like chocolate. Since roughly, 50 million people around the world rely on cocoa for their livelihood, this gives Ivory Coast a considerable amount of power. Whilst only a few people will draw the connection between Chocolate producing Ivory Coast and its role in the global economy, and the political crisis, it effects have a real impact on many. Three quarters (67%) of the world’s cacao bean production takes place in West African in countries like Ghana and Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast alone supplies 43% of the world’s cocoa. Many people in the Ivory Coast (or outside of it) may underestimate the impact the country has on global industries and economies, but is is now being made visible. Whenever a large supplier of chocolate like Ivory Coast, cannot provide a regular supply, it will have a ripple effect on buyers all the way up the supply chain. It will also affect all industries connected to chocolates (milk, raisin, nuts, and peanut butter). If Cadbury (See: <a href="http://mba.yale.edu/news_events/pdf/cadburycase.pdf">Cadbury: An Ethical Company struggles to ensure Integrity of its Supply Chain</a>) or Hershey is not able to get a regular supply of cocoa, it will cost them more to make chocolate and hence the price of chocolate will go up worldwide. Regular consumers will feel this impact at grocery stores and restaurants. Thus large chocolate manufacturing countries have a stake in Gbagbo’s presidency and on undervaluing the importance of Ivorian Cocoa to their products.</div>
<br />
<br />
When they restructured the world cocoa market in the 1990s, it left Ivory Coast with little real power over the market. The liberalization policies still don't benefit Ivory coast and have led to large companies having power in the industry (See:<a href="http://afm.cirad.fr/documents/6_DiagnosticsTerr/CD_AFM/textes/502.pdf"> Global Restructuring and Liberalization: Cote d' Ivoire and the end of the International Cocoa Market</a>). <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=rebrafri-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1848130058" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />Realizing the value to African commodities through their effect in the global economy and branding them will be beneficial to Ivory Coast. At this juncture in its economic history, Ivory Coast should be synonymous with chocolate even if it’s not producing a finished product. As a comparative example of the importance of branding raw products, Colombia’s coffee beans are known worldwide as quality beans in their raw form so any product that uses Colombian beans has added value and can fetch a higher price. Ivory Coast is producing more chocolate than any other country, and clearly, their ability to supply chocolate impacts the chocolate industry. Clearly, it should be able to set prices of Cocoa at a fair trading price. Ivory Coast is in a position to negotiate Cocoa prices. The Chocolate companies know the value of their product and of the Cocoa they are getting. The misnomer that large MNCs will simply and easily ‘go somewhere else’ has been used for years but it doesn't make good business sense and is not an easy feat. For businesses, there are large switching costs that they will incur, and getting a new large supplier would change everything from its pricing strategy, production costs, and may cripple that company. MNC’s have been encouraging countries to mass produce cocoa so that they can achieve economies of scale (drive prices for the consumers down due to large supply of cocoa). Even if they were to go somewhere else, will that new country will probably not be able to meet the demand without large investments in infrastructure that many times the MNC is not prepared to pay. It will also mean the end to unreasonably low cost chocolate for customers in the western market.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=rebrafri-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=159084808X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>There are always economic reasons why MNCs enter a certain country initially (and it is clearly not for humanitarian endeavors). There is no cocoa grown in Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania (much less America or Europe) so Ivory Coast has a product that not many countries can supply at that price. Yet, for some reason this adage that African countries are interchangeable and have ‘little’ to offer the world of economic value is persistent and internalized by some African leaders. not knowing the value of their product in global terms affects their bargaining power. There is little reason that Ivory Coast is not in a position to set price minimums so that chocolate money trickles down and can be used for schools as opposed to being used to employ child labor of children that can not afford to go to school. There is also an added need perhaps, for this country to brand itself as the ‘Cocoa Coast or Chocolate Coast’ internationally to help add value to their raw product as is the case with Colombian beans. This can trickle to other industries and create and/or ‘chocolate development’ or even ‘chocolate tourism’. This 'chocolate tourism' though should be done in a way that is progressive and does not result in continued abuse of chocolate farmers. In the event that an MNC does get supply ‘elsewhere’, then that country can concentrate on getting another buyer and/or diversifying its products to make more food products that can be consumed locally or regionally. If Ivorians are unable to ‘feed themselves’ working as laborers on cocoa farms, we then need to question the real life benefits of these farms for them. Their labor is on this farm may be wasted and they may benefit more from selling and growing items that will sustain them or that they can actually eat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
The <a href="http://www.icco.org/about/members.aspx">International Cocoa Organization </a> (ICO) and the <a href="http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/index.html">World Chocolate Foundation</a> (WCF) appear to be the foundations in charge of setting standards and guidelines for the cocoa industry. Unfortunately, the latter <a href="http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/who-we-are/members.html">‘chocolate police’</a> are primarily made up of <a href="http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/who-we-are/members.html">MNC’s</a> and the goal for businesses is to provide value for its shareholders. In the case of the ICCO, Ivory Coast, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon and Sierra Leone are all represented but I think it is also important for regional agreements to made so that work on common issues as a united front in the board. Ivory Coast used to have a Cocoa board (CSSPPA) that was dissolved in the 1990's that was powerful but was dissolved to make way for liberalization. Although this board may not have been perfect, it created some standards within the country and protected farmers at some level. With no real representation, the question of who is really looking after the primary interest of the Ivory Coast needs to be raised? Just like in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, we can see how economic wealth and greed has played a key role in the chocolate industry. A few companies and people are getting rich from the labor of the hard working people in an exploitative way. Currently in these plantations, child labor, debt servitude (‘slavery’) and displacement of people still exists because of the chocolate industry (see: <a href="http://www.chocolatework.com/chocolate-slavery.htm">Chocolate Work</a> or read: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Nations-Living-African-Arguments/dp/1848130058?ie=UTF8&tag=rebrafri-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Chocolate Nations: Living and Dying for Cocoa in West Africa (African Arguments)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=rebrafri-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1848130058" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />). Cocoa does not fetch an economically sustainable price for the farmers who are the suppliers. Gbagbo and his supporters have benefited from this industry and this is evident in his unwillingness to step down. Gbagbo’s Ivory Coast has also not lead to the type of economic growth that the Ivory Coast has the potential to realize. The challenge will be to see how Mr. Ouattara’s Chocolate Factory will look like and if his presidency will mean change for the Ivorian people that rely on Chocolate for their livelihood. In his attempts to liberalize the Ivorian economy, we hope that he will set an agenda that helps Ivory Coast receive an equitable price for its Cocoa and that children will be eating cocoa instead of picking it.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">(Re)brand Africa Blog</div>Ms Tingahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02241360594213523271noreply@blogger.com0