New African articles from August 2006

New African archives from August 2006

Killing us softly?(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... "Because of cost", wrote Patrick Duffy and Theonest Mutabingwa in the medical journal, The Lancet (24 June 2006) "ACTs [Artemisinin Combination Therapies] remain first-line therapy as policy but not as practice in many countries." But in Ghana,...

The D-word.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... Imagine my surprise and disgust upon opening the New African July issue. Inside the front cover, a perhaps well-intentioned advertisement for the cellphone company, Nokia, appeared bearing the caption "Darkie, Inspired by New Nokia 7370". ...

Simply unacceptable.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... I am one of those who like the way New African reports African issues. I think you have the ability to change much about the world through the power of your magazine. I currently reside and work in China and was highly infuriated when I saw the...

Zimbabwe sanctions.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... While I have a great deal of respect for your magazine, I found your "In Brief" article on Zimbabwe (NA, July) somewhat misleading. Europe and USA have not imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, rather "smart" sanctions have been applied against those...

Ethiopia's indigenous script.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... I read the serialisation of Ayi Kwei Armah's The Eloquence of the Scribes. I also noted Trevor Johns' contribution from Bromley, UK, commenting on the New African (April 2006) article, Cameroon--For Those Who Say Africa Had No Writing System,...

Is homosexuality African?(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... This letter is not exactly a specific reaction to the article Cameroon--Homosexuality on the Rise? (NA, June), but certainly it triggered something in me, and I decided it was time to share this with the editors and the vast and diverse body of...

Wonderful magazine.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... I would like to subscribe to New African. The first time I saw the magazine was the April 2006 issue, and was excited and absorbed by the contents. I had never seen a magazine so inviting in my entire life. Rudolph L. Potoko ...

Slavery and complicity.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... Antonio de Figueirido's column (Will the Queen apologise for slavery, NA, May) on the 200th anniversary of the British abolition of slavery makes some useful points but I must query him on two: (1) Wilberforce's role in the abolition of slavery...

No one was laughing at the Asians.(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... Femi Akomolafe's opinion article (No one is laughing at the Asians anymore, NA June) is an example of the regrettable failure to analyse facts in a cool, unbiased way, which can easily lead to drawing the wrong conclusions. Akomolafe...

New African wins it again: last year, the New African columnist, Cameron Duodu, won the "communication and media" category of the London-based Ghana Professional Achievers Awards (GPA). This year, New African won it again, this time by our editor, Baffour Ankomah. It's becoming a habit. Tom Mbakwe reports.(The Gallery)
August 1, 2006... The Ghanaian Professional Achievers Awards (GPA) recognises Ghanaians who are making positive contributions to the image and reputation of their mother country. The Awards also aims to encourage growth, excellence and innovation in the Ghanaian...

Trouble at the Commonwealth.
August 1, 2006... The Commonwealth prides itself on helping to bring development, good governance and human rights to member countries, especially those in Africa and the Caribbean. But a report published at the end of May by an "Investigation Panel" set up by...

Commonwealth: "it hurts real bad".
August 1, 2006... On 13 January this year, Professor Victor 0. Ayeni (below) wrote a memo to the Commonwealth secretary general, Don McKinnon, under the headline: Serious matters concerning the Secretariat and the Commonwealth. "As I write, I see a Commonwealth...

The lessons of 1948: by coincidence, 1948 saw both the formal adoption of the system of apartheid in South Africa and the creation of the state of Israel. How do we explain this to the modern generations of Africans?(Lest we forget)
August 1, 2006... At the time of writing, Israeli planes were bombarding Lebanon supposedly to drive out Hizbollah (the Party of God) which owes its existence to the Arab resistance against Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon 20 years ago. Good old suffering...

DRCongo: "we need these elections"; DRCongo's first democratic elections in over 40 years should steer the country on a new and positive course for the future. Yet that task is monumental. Stuart Price followed the election campaign.(Around Africa)
August 1, 2006... "No World Cup, just militias." That was the response from one of the Pakistani UN peacekeepers providing security for the convoy we were travelling in when asked if he had been following the World Cup in Germany. It was an ironic statement met...

African diaspora.(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... African leaders meeting in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on 19 July made a passionate appeal to Africans in the diaspora to show confidence in the mother continent and commit their resources to its development. Ten African leaders spoke at the...

Diego Garcia: USA is telling London what to do.(Around Africa)
August 1, 2006... After losing spectacularly in the British high court in May to the people of the Chagos Islands, Tony Blair's government has lodged an appeal against the unlawfully uprooted Chagossians returning to live in their homeland, hoping that the...

South Africa: where are the natives? The formation of a natives club, a black think-tank that will bring together African intellectuals to promote African values and perspectives, is turning heads in South Africa. Kgomotso Nyanto reports.(Around Africa)
August 1, 2006... Ideas about the formation of a "natives club" are not new in South Africa except that this was supposed to be the new non-racial South Africa. As a result, the new "natives club" has attracted widespread consternation among various groups....

Zimbabwe: "our economy is under siege, but we'll soldier on".(Feature)
August 1, 2006... With the Zimbabwean economy still in the throes of severe Western sanctions, President Robert Mugabe has come out fighting: "Britain has been going around asking its allies not to continue the usual economic co-operation with us, in some cases...

Sudan: the Nuba are on the way to recovery; After decades of war, most of Sudan is now enjoying a period of peace. This has brought hope to the people of the Nuba Mountains. Kate Eshelby was there recently.(Feature)
August 1, 2006... Kuku offered me a calabash of groundnuts, before continuing to build his new house. There was no time to lose, having only recently returned to his homeland high in the Nuba Mountains, after 15 years in Sudan's capital, Khartoum. "The aerial...

Welcome to Somaliland: just back from Somaliland, Alex McBride sings the praises of an unrecognised country, somewhere in the Horn of Africa, which is doing everything to survive.(Feature)
August 1, 2006... In 1991, Somaliland declared unilateral independence from Somalia after a bloody civil war. Since then Somalilanders have drawn up a constitution and established democracy. Hargeisa, the capital, is safe but Somaliland is still not recognised...

The Zidane finale; The Akan people of Ghana have canonised the idea of cause and effect with a proverb that says: "If nothing had gone and stamped on the dried palm leaf, it would not have crackled noisily" (Biribi ankoka papa a, enka ennye twereder).(Zinedine Zidane)
August 1, 2006... I would be a hypocrite if I did not admit that my interest in the World Cup waned the moment Brazil kicked Ghana out of the tournament. It wasn't that I expected Ghana to win by all means. No, what I didn't expect was that Brazil would win with...

Kumuyi: tomorrow belongs to Africa; "When we talk about accountability, it's equally important to emphasise that a leader, like every other human being, has a soft spot ... We have to encourage one another--from leaders to the subordinates. Generally, I prefer 'what do I do? How do I start contributing to African development?' We don't have to criticise all the time.".(William Folorunso Kumuyi, Deeper Christian Life Ministry Worldwide)(Interview)
August 1, 2006... Dr William Folorunso Kumuyi, the general superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry Worldwide (DCLM), is a Nigerian preacher renowned for his uncommon interest in the pulpit at an early age. A holder of a first class honours degree in...

Facts and figures.(Special report on Nigeria's RIVERS STATE)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Present Governor: Dr Sir Peter Odili. First elected in 1999, won re-election in 2003 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Date of Creation: 27 May 1967, also known as the "Treasure Base of the Nation". Location: Geographically and strategically...

A rich history, a promising future: Rivers State, at the heart of Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, is building a prosperous future based on its illustrious history.
August 1, 2006... In the 39 years of statehood, Rivers State has always played an important role in the socio-economic affairs of Nigeria. Situated in the Niger Delta, it is a major player in the oil and gas sector. By current estimates, Rivers State is...

The place to do business: Rivers State is building an investor-friendly environment that no business people worth their salt can ignore.(Special report on Nigeria's RIVERS STATE)
August 1, 2006... Rivers State stands apart in Nigeria in being able to provide an existing infrastructural foundation for the growth of investment. It has immense oil and gas reserves beneath its soil and off its coast. It boasts of two oil refineries, a...

The Adolescent Project: a highly successful NGO founded by Mrs Justice Mary Odili, wife of the Rivers State governor, has transformed the lives of over 30,000 people.(Special report on Nigeria's RIVERS STATE)
August 1, 2006... Hope for an improved standard of living for future generations across the board in the Rivers State is fast becoming a reality through a unique collaboration between the government and a highly praised NGO, The Adolescent Project (TAP), which...

Ecobank is leaving the competition behind: as competition in the banking sector in Africa becomes ever stiffer, one bank is showing a clean pair of heels to its rivals. Ecobank, the leading indigenous regional banking group in Africa with headquarters in Lome, Togo, is turning heads on the west coast. Baffour Ankomah reports.(NA Market)
August 1, 2006... Ecobank now operates in 13 West and Central African countries. Because of the solid reputation it has built for itself in the last decade, its shares were over-subscribed in a matter of two weeks when it listed on the Ghana stock market this...

And the winner is ...(NA Market)(Isaac Masingati wins CNN-Multichoice African Journalist of the Year Awards )(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... This year's CNN-Multichoice African Journalist of the Year Awards ceremony was held on 15 July in Maputo, Mozambique. Ecobank sponsored the Business and Economics Journalist Award and was represented at the ceremony by its corporate affairs...

Africa: the telecom landscape looks good; A fibre optic submarine system around Africa is scheduled for completion in 2008. It will lead to a 65% drop in the cost of internet bandwidth access. In tandem with Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), which is catching up in Africa, the continent should be on the roll. It is very good news. Kgomotso Nyanto reports.(NA Market)
August 1, 2006... A communication failure in any facet of life has disastrous consequences. And it has often been said that an indispensable key to Africa's growth and domestic stability lies with telecommunication. The ability to trade with other Africans...

Ghana: Onetouch is touching more people; With a growth rate of 300% within the last year, Ghana's second largest mobile service provider, Onetouch, is pursuing an aggressive expansion programme to meet the demands of the market. Efam Dovi reports from Accra.(NA Market)
August 1, 2006... Onetouch, a subsidiary of Ghana Telecom, the national telecoms carrier, is confident that the number of people accessing its services will double this year. It has achieved a 300% growth rate over the past year, the highest since the network...

What does my God look like? What does my God look like? Are you mad to ask me such a silly question? Did I say I see Him? No, I said we speak. I have never met my God but he has told me that I am made in his image. And that makes common sense to me.(Not in Black or White)
August 1, 2006... Is there a God? My God, He has not forsaken me. Yes, He is there. He watches and He sees. He waits and He calls. And He will collect the evil-doers and those full of sin. He will pay back when pay-back day comes. He will. Forgive and forget? My...

USA: a princess called Cynthia.(Diaspora)
August 1, 2006... Cynthia McKinney, the African-American Congresswoman for Atlanta District Four in the State of Georgia, is looking for a seventh term in November's Congressional elections. Here, Osei Boateng provides the curtain raiser on the life and times of...

Cynthia McKinney: the politician of last resort; Michael C. Ruppert, a former police officer, described by one newspaper as "a white kid from Orange County in a blue uniform sent to a black ghetto", speaks out about Georgia's Congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney.(Diaspora)(Biography)
August 1, 2006... Cynthia McKinney is a friend of mine. Until the day I die she will be a friend of mine. More than that, she will be a role model and an inspiration that I don't ever expect to be equalled, let alone surpassed. Out of several dozen...

'How can someone loan us ourselves?'.(The Arts)(British Museum's Africa Project )
August 1, 2006... Most of what the British Museum holds in its hallowed exhibition halls in Bloomsbury, central London, did not originate in Britain. That is, by now, a well-known fact. But the detail as to how the seven million objects got into the museum in...

Ghana: Susu collectors connect with formal banking; An ancient African banking system is helping to promote a new microfinance initiative in Ghana. Stephen Williams reports.(Endtail)
August 1, 2006... Susu collectors are known to have plied their trade in and around Ghanaian markets for at least three centuries. The concept is remarkably simple and provides a very useful service for small traders. Typically, it works like this. Traders...