New African articles from November 2008

New African archives from November 2008

Soludo vindicated.(Readers' Views)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I had a bet with a friend some time last April, the week a panel was set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria to do due diligence on the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). During a ride from Abuja to Lokoja, I had told my friend that...

More history lessons, please.(Readers' Views)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... The October issue of your magazine was, as usual, a delight to read. I very much enjoyed the two articles on ancient African history; they are the stuff that make your magazine so superbly unique. More of the history lessons, please. I...

We want more.(Readers' Views)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... Your October issue celebrating Black History Month is very interesting and informative. When I read the articles, Africans became Christians long before Europeans by Akinyi Princess of K'Orinda-Yimbo, and Greek philosophers who came to Africa...

They stole from us.(Readers' Views)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... Nothing has moved me over time like the New African magazine. I picked up my first copy in July 2008 and ever since then I can't wait for the next issue. It is often said that "it is better late than never", which I testify to. The three...

Two Socrates?(Readers' Views)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I was introduced to your magazine by a friend in November last year--the cover story was Profiting From Poverty, about the Western companies, NGOs and individuals who make huge sums of money at the expense of poverty in Africa. The friend...

Black History Month.(Readers' Views)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I would like to congratulate New African on your Black History Month issue. However, I think it should be called "African History Month" which would cover both continental and diasporan Africans. It's wrong for a whole people to always be known...

Alan's beefs.(Readers' Views)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I still wonder what the New African Woman section is doing in the magazine. Does anyone read it? Or do they just look at the pictures? If so, the pictures are not that great. If you want to be a fashion/glamour magazine, please do it...

South Africa gets ready for President Zuma: now that the battle for the heart of the ANC has been lost and won, the great imponderable is the question: what lies ahead in the road of a Jacob Zuma presidency? Will it be a dynamo or a domino? Pusch Commey explores some answers.(SOUTH AFRICA)
November 1, 2008... The man who has so far successfully fought off a never-ending prosecution is expected to step into the shoes of his adversary Thabo Mbeki when the country goes to the polls in April 2009. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the current African...

The fall of Thabo Mbeki.(SOUTH AFRICA)
November 1, 2008... Why did the ruling African National Congress (ANC) push President Thabo Mbeki out of office before his time? Could they not have waited a mere seven months more to see him complete his term in April 2009? Did they have to humiliate him in the...

Obama is not (yet) Africa's prodigal son: if we want to understand how an Obama presidency might reshape US foreign policy towards Africa, we need to confront the thorny question of identity politics and take a closer look at his recent history where Africa is concerned.(Lest We Forget)
November 1, 2008... Let me begin by making two disclaimers. First, I support Barack Obama's candidacy for the presidency. Second, I believe that he will pursue a more enlightened foreign policy towards Africa than George Bush has and more importantly than John...

A squalid end to empire.(NIGERIA)
November 1, 2008... Official British documents just seen by New African have confirmed our May 2005 cover story about how Britain rigged Nigeria's independence elections so that its compliant friends in the North would win power, dominate the country, and serve...

MPLA decisive victory: Angola's legislative elections on 5 September saw the ruling MPLA win a landslide victory with 81.64% of the vote, reducing the opposition to a residual political force. The main opposition party, UNITA, managed to get a mere 10.39% of the vote and 16 parliamentary seats. What does his portend for the future of democracy in the country? Asks Paula Roque in Luanda.(ANGOLA)
November 1, 2008... There was never any doubt that the MPLA would win the parliamentary election, but what was uncertain was whether it would secure a two-thirds majority, given the composition of the young electorate, the disillusionment felt by the impoverished...

Election fever grips Ghana: Ghanaians go to the polls on 7 December to elect a new president and a new parliament. President John Kufuor, having served two terms, is giving way to a new man. But who will he be--the ruling NPP's Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo or the opposition NDC's Prof John Atta Mills? Femi Akomolafe and Stephen Gyasi report.(GHANA)
November 1, 2008... Like their football and their religion, Ghanaians take their politics very seriously. As they prepare for general elections fixed for 7 December, there is palpable excitement in the land and the exuberance has sometimes degenerated into fatal...

We want our looted artefacts back! Supporters of repatriation, in Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa, see the return of the 140-ton Aksum obelisk as a precedent for the restitution of other artefacts looted during the colonial era from many parts of Africa and elsewhere. But would the "democracy-loving" former colonial masters oblige?, asks Professor Richard Pankhurst.(ETHIOPIA)
November 1, 2008... Italy, under the fascists, invaded Ethiopia (then widely known as Abyssinia, and virtually Africa's only independent state) in the autumn of 1935. Benito Mussolini's invading army enjoyed overwhelming superiority of arms, as well as complete...

Editor's note.
November 1, 2008... Wow! We are already into our fourth issue? And what a treat we have this month, as we feature four inspirational black women, who are not only drop-dead-gorgeous, but motivating ground breakers in the fields of fashion, shoe design, music and...

My "ideal" woman.(YOUR VIEWS)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... As an African man, I have little desire or need for a "showpiece". Any "ideal" woman would have to have an elevated intelligence (though in necessarily defined by degrees and training) and depth of character to accompany her "great African...

Keep it up.(YOUR VIEWS)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... Keep up the good work. Your magazine is beautiful and informative. I have no problem with the gloss and I do not agree with the reader who criticised your magazine as frivolous and too focused on beauty and fashion. I say ignore her. Fashion,...

Good job.(YOUR VIEWS)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I appreciate your magazine and hope that you will keep it up. But my suggestion is that you should not focus so much on the fashion business, but you can instead pay more attention to Women in Business, and those who did credibly well in the...

Beauty and beyond Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe: yes, a woman can have it all. Beauty, brains, business acumen, a successful and supportive husband, beautiful family and, to crown it all, a pure heart of gold that puts others before self. Meet Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, the humble force behind the dynamic and ever-growing South African Fashion Weeks. New African Woman's Regina Jere-Malanda unveils Africa's pretty face of philanthropy.(Interview)
November 1, 2008... She elegantly exudes beauty, glamour and high fashion, but as a member of the Global Philanthropists Circle-a network of leading international philanthropists dedicated to eliminating poverty and increasing equality worldwide--Dr Precious...

Sophisticated, comfortable shoes for real women.(FASHION DESIGN)
November 1, 2008... Beautiful women come in all sizes. So do Gwyneth shoes, which go up to size 14. Here is a selection from the current collection: 2 & 3: The Croco Diva; 4: The Princess; 5 & 6: The Kirna; 7 to 11: The Quartz (to see whole collection visit:...

Unveiled--the brains behind Gwyneth Shoes: meet sisters-in-law Gwen and Abenaa Frempong-Boadu--the stunning faces behind every woman's must-have accessory--Gwyneth Shoes.(FASH ON DESIGN)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... Gwen is the incredible designer behind this new shoe line and, more than likely, many women out there have been wearing her shoes for many years, because she has been designing shoes for big names such as Sam and Libby and Kenneth Cole,...

Gerry Elsdon "you strike a woman, you strike a rock".(PROFILE)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... Gerry Elsdon, like anyone else, has had her knocks. However, nothing keeps this bubbly South African celebrity beauty permanently down. When she was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), she not only fought and survived it, but today she is using...

Exquisite buys the allure of Dior: Dior has launched their Autumn-Winter 2008, a collection of new fragrances, skincare and cosmetics, and a new fragrance for men.(BEAUTY AND COSMETICS)
November 1, 2008... Rouge Dior Satin Satin was considered by Christian Dior to be the most sumptuous of materials, with the most beautiful nuances. John Galliano, the fashion designer of the house, said years later: "If I were a colour, I would be the most...

Beauty treatments in your kitchen: did you know the ingredients for quite a few natural treatments can be found in your kitchen cupboard? According to health and well-being writer Rosamond Richardson, nature's very best skin and hair conditioners, for example, reside in the olive-oil bottle. It was used by the ancient Greeks, and possibly even before, as the foundation of beauty care.(WELL-BEING)
November 1, 2008... In her book Natural Superwoman, Richardson says that over the centuries women have discovered that many of the everyday foods we use in our kitchens have beauty-nourishing effects. Everyday products, such as avocado, yoghurt, milk, lemon, eggs...

How to handle commercialised kids.(PARENTING CORNER)
November 1, 2008... With Christmas fast approaching, we are again reminded how the commercialisation of this religious festivity has fast spread into many African homes, both at home, and in the African Diaspora in particular. It is increasingly becoming a time...

Women and the rise of raunch culture: sex sells, no doubt. But the selling price has yet to inform buyers of the various lethal externalities involved, from sex trafficking to teenage pregnancy, Khadija Sharife denounces how women are increasingly being reduced to the state of ready-to-consume--a pre-packaged instant mix to be exploited, devoured, admired, pinched, nipped and tucked.(FEATURE)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... In this "brave" new world, female identities have been channelled to embrace an ideology that prostitutes women the raunch culture. The phenomenon of "music video girls" is particularly telling in that women are dehumanised by the deliberate...

Black Muslim women talk their ideal beauty: the issue of "ideal African beauty" has continued to generate diverse reactions since we launched New African Woman five months ago. Here four Muslim women tell Tahira Muhammad what beauty means to them.(FEATURE)
November 1, 2008... Keilani Abdullaah has a lot to say about what being beautiful is. As an African-American Muslim she feels that black beauty should not carry one isolated definition: "There are as many definitions of black beauty as there are black people on...

India Arie "a lady ain't what she wears, but what she knows".(WOMEN WHO INSPIRE)
November 1, 2008... Parents--are you still looking for that elusive positive black role model for your children in this hip-hop, RnB culture? Look no further--meet the inspirational African-American young woman that is India Arie. In today's world, where our...

Sisters, I'm Sorry: Wisdom Chitedze, a Malawian poet and singer, writes this (edited) ode of appreciation to the African sisterhood. Go, brother!(MAN'S VIEWPOINT)
November 1, 2008... I'm 100% man. I was born and raised a man, I will die a man. And as a man, right now I feel very sad, very ashamed, and very angry with myself! I look back in human, and my personal, history and I see a trail of needless pain and sorrow...

Fireworks at the TRC.(LIBERIA)
November 1, 2008... Those who committed atrocities during Liberia's 14 years of civil war have been given the opportunity to tell it all before a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) sitting in the capital, Monrovia. So far, the most gripping account has come...

Rising piracy threatens global trade: Somali pirates have created a lucrative business, hijacking ships plying in the waters along the country's long coastline. This has forced maritime experts to consider a raft of radical measures, including a total ban on the use of the East Africa coastline or even re-routing ships along the long route around Africa via the cape of good hope. Daniel Ouko reports.(SOMALIA)
November 1, 2008... Humanitarian officials say the rising poverty levels in Somalia are fuelling the rampant piracy against merchant shipping in the Horn of Africa region. The situation is now so dire that some observers believe that piracy and its "fruits" have...

Think about something positive; Speak, Nana, speak. for, if we perform to our usual standards, we shall do nothing, until one day we wake up to find that we need to import water-most probably from desert countries like Libya or Saudi Arabia which have learnt to harvest water from deep underground, or from machines that turn salty sea water into potable water.(Under the Neem Tree)
November 1, 2008... The association of Akyem Abuakwa nationals in London to which I belong is called 5usu Biribi (Think About Something Positive). It is one of the most ardently loyal Akyem Abuakwa institutions that I know of. So when it heard that the King of...

Delta woes: threaten Nigerian success: the Gulf of Guinea could be standing on the verge of an economic boom, fuelled as ever by its hydrocarbon reserves. Nigeria stands to gain most of all from the promised boom but security fears are beginning to undermine its long-term ambitions. Neil Ford explores why.(OIL & GAS REPORT)
November 1, 2008... Although oil prices have fallen from the $147 a barrel price recorded in July, they are still high by historic levels, increasing the value of both established fields and the string of new deepwater discoveries that are being brought on stream...

"The world can learn from Africa": while some of the biggest banking institutions in history were on life-support machines, the sense of irony was inescapable as bankers from every region of Africa celebrated the 2nd annual African Banker awards, held at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington DC on the 10th of October.(AWARDS)
November 1, 2008... Aglittering array of Africa's top financiers attended the prestigious event organised by IC publications and were honoured in diverse categories for their outstanding achievements bolstering this crucial sector in Africa's economic development....

CDE our actions are diverse and sustainable.(CDE)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... Since its establishment in June 2000, the Centre for the Development of Enterprise (CDR)--a joint ACP (the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States) and European Union partnership--has supported the training and assistance of thousands of...

End of the free market?(GLOBAL FINANCE)
November 1, 2008... It is not often that 1 have recourse to the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. But I remember from 2 Samuel 1:20, the words: "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon!" And they come to mind when I look closely at what has...

I will miss George Bush: they are going to miss him, George Bush. The people of America will. And you know what? This may come somewhat as a surprise to you, but I will miss him, too.(Not in Black or White)
November 1, 2008... I don't know the man. But I am going to give you a straightforward yes, I'll miss him. I don't know fully why-I'm still trying to work it out. It might take me some time, some considerable time, perhaps. You could, perhaps, miss your enemies...

Decision time in America; If Barack Obama is elected on 4 November it will clearly signal the pre-eminence of merit and competence over race in an "indivisible nation" of immigrants transcending their differences to collectively share the same values of freedom and equality under the globalisation of citizenship, argues Hippolyte Fofack, founder of the Nelson Mandela institution and fellow of the African academy of sciences.(OPINION)
November 1, 2008... In 1786, the US founding fathers laid down a road map for the establishment of a great nation rooted in strong democratic principles underpinned by freedom and equality. These principles are enshrined in the Constitution, which enabled the US...

Why I won't vote for Obama: we should be joyful that, for the first time in US history, an African-descended person has mounted a serious challenge for the American presidency. But Ama Biney would not vote for Obama. Here, she explains why.(Opinion)
November 1, 2008... The majority of continental Africans and people of African descent have been euphoric at the meteoric rise of Barack Obama. For the second time in history -after the lesser known candidacy of the African-American Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm...