posted
In the eighties it was life Aid and now in 2000. When will it stop and when will it end? Africa has become a synonym for poor yet we forget that poverty is not about money but leadership which begets corruption. Africa's poverty is not essentially a lack of money or natural resources; nor is the mere lack of money poverty, Rather, Africa's poverty is the lack of ability, in any given set of circumstances, to get whatever is necessary to care for the common man. The theory that the only way to cure poverty in Africa is financial assistance or live Aid from the west is indeed misplaced priorities. What Africa needs is leadership.Africa does not need a leader who builds a library for himself while a sitting President,African does not need a leader who does not take diseases serious[Tabo Mbeki] Africa does not need a leader who cannot account for billions of dollars in oil revenue, Africa does not need a leader who builds a university while a sitting President. Africa does not need a leader who builds mansions for himself or spend more than 50 million dollars to build a stadium while the common man starve. What Africa needs is leadership and the development of the rural areas [common man] where 90 percent of Africans live not the cities. The money spent in Lagos,Ethiopia's capital and Abuja is a neglect of rural areas in Africa. Why should a continent import 6 billion dollars a year in food when they have rich rural lands for agriculture? It is no disgrace to be poor; but it might as well be for Africa with enormous resources and nothing to show for it. Africa does not need life Aid to solve it's problem. However, thanks for the life Aid for the awareness. Your rebuttle.
Hail Biafra Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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You've poignantly made the case, very sound indeed. The concerts are merely guilt trips, the sponsors are all beneficiaries of their governments unevenhandedness when it comes to Africa. The West will not give us good leadership neither would they "truely" support one. Africa has to evolve and begin to set precedents by itself. In order for that to happen, the soul of African folks would first undergo a sort of catharsis. During which the souls of Africans would begin to understand the global equation. The African folks are at this juncture in the realm of the "self" the common denomitor remains money. The worst aspect of this quest for the "self" is the abandonment of our cultural mores.
Most of Asia has almost gone through this phase, and are poised to begin reaping the rewards of growth by good leadership. They have learnt not to trust their destiny in the hands of outsiders. Forms a system of government that is akin to their customs and culture, remains wary of international monetary lenders inducements to borrow and for ever remaining indebted.
We however, shall remain hopeful that in our life time, Africa might reach the end of her rope in this seemingly endless downward spiral when all indicators of human development are considered.
Posts: 138 | Registered: May 2001
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posted
The concerts are merely guilt trips, the sponsors are all beneficiaries of their governments unevenhandedness when it comes to Africa...Chudi Sokie
While it is true that Africa and nay, Africans need a new direction in the handling of their affairs, it is not a misplaced priority for connected westerners to attempt to utilize their platforms to beam the searchlight on the plights of Africans. It is in this light that i disagree with the above thesis calling those efforts "guilt trips". U-2's Bono, Brad Pitt, or Bob Geldorf can hardly be faulted for using their trade to bring to life, the desperate situations of Africans.
___________________ To rid ourselves of all of those other "isms"--racism, classism, ageism, etc.--it is sexism that must first be eradicated.."The Gender Question" Posts: 28 | From: Irvine, California | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
...of course the concert was not about raising money for the starving Africans but rather a focus of awareness to their misfortune, yet they raised over $40 million dollars on behalf of pot-bellied Africans. I thank them for that, I mean the awareness. But they failed to address the genesis of a hungry African-->African Leaders.The concert was implicitly an indictement of the western policies against Africa rather than African leadership.
Neverthless, when will Africans do something for themselves? Where are the African musicians? why can't they rise up and empower Africans to fight the power through their music; why does it have to be the West?. Or are Africans comfortable with poverty? This is not a good time to be an African. It is sad and over whelming.
Hail Biafra Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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WP1, I do have an appreciation of your frustration. It is sad enough being African, what's worse is the implicit message being sent by the deafening silence of most influential African-American musicians like hip-hop moguls Jay-Z, P. Diddy, Simmons and the like. I guess its to your tents, O Israel.
___________________ To rid ourselves of all of those other "isms"--racism, classism, ageism, etc.--it is sexism that must first be eradicated.."The Gender Question" Posts: 28 | From: Irvine, California | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
The African Americans are taking part in Live 8. P. Diddy, Will Smith, Mariah Carrey, Alicia Keyes, Stevie Wonder, and many other African American artists are taking part.
___________________ You ain't seen nothing yet Posts: 150 | Registered: Mar 2001
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...Any performer who understands publicity on a global scale will not in their right mind turn down such an extavaganza. Granted some of them African American or not, truely believe that they are making an impact. At the end of the day, it'l not change much intrinsically. Most opinion commentaries in western media had already downplayed the significance of the whole "Live Aid 2" as nothing but feel-good concert, which may resurrect the carriers of aging "rock stars". In the final analysis, economic decisions made by the western nations, are not based on emotions, but on the basis of survival of the fittest. The fittest qualified as "know-how".
Posts: 138 | Registered: May 2001
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posted
Unfortunately, good leadership cannot exist without good "FOLLOWERSHIP"! If the followers are not willing to defend, fight and agitate for good leadership, any good leaders that actually manage to ascend to power will most likely be eliminated or neutralized by contrary interests (of which there are legion).
If a significant percentage of the Nigerian people held the Nigerian leadership to a higher standard, many kleptocrats wouldn't have the gumption to act the way they do, owing to their fear of the public's reaction!
So, the important question is: how does one develop good followership qualities amongst the Nigerian body politic?
Posts: 21 | Registered: May 2005
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posted
Australia, also known as "Down Under"is nothing but a dusty land just like the lazy north with one natural resources, Kangaroo, However, their style of leadership is the empowerment of the people,a livable environment with life expectancy at 65 years of age.
Hail Biafra
Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Zimbabwe formerly Rhodesia is now a nation of shame,hunger, massive unemployment,hopelessness, helplessness and questionable leadership by Mugabe who fought against Ian Smith and his racist ideology in the early 70's to free his people. Today, his people are his enemies. A college graduate and other Zimbabwens looking for greener pastures were featured on PBS last night jumping over an electrified wire to Bostwana only to be arrested by Botswana immigration officers. It was estimated that nearly 800,000 Zimbabwens cross the boarder to Botswana to buy basic necessities like rice, cooking oil or seek employment. The college graduate was compared to a Mexican in United States employed as a house keeper to make a living to support her children and mother in Zimbabwe. What a shame to see what she has to go through to support her children she has not seen for months. She is required to renew her working visa every 10 to 30 days. In some occassion, she has to bribe the officers for an extension. Cry the Beloveth Africa and her style of leadership.
Hail Biafra Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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We had the Starving Ethiopians, The Hungry Sommalis and the war torn Sudanese Christians. African children have become a joke on Comedy Central and constantly featured on television by a Reverand begging for 40 cent a week to sponsor a child. Today, Niger Republic not too far from the Islamic Republic of Northern Nigeria have joined the band wagon of Africa's starving histrionics. Is it about leadership, curse or drought?
Hail Biafra.
[ August 03, 2005, 09:26 PM: Message edited by: Waypoint1Biafra ]
Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Mauritania a backward African nation of mostly Sunni Moslems have over thrown the government of one Arab African who came to power through a bloodless coup in 1984. I mean this rascal has maintained power since 1984, that ought to make you ask; Is Africa cursed with Islam
Hail Biafra Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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If Olusegun Obasanjo runs again in 2007, wins and takes oath of the office, my gollie that will be a justifiable homicide, meaning death must become him. African history will back me up on this.
Hail Biafra
Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Why do Western Europe have so much and Africa, particularly Nigeria has none?
ANSWER: Africa/Nigeria lacks the ingenuity or guts to invent. Africa with so much resources does not have the free mind or encouraged by their leaders in techs. They seem to be comfortable with poverty. Rebutt me if I'm not telling the truth.
Hail Biafra Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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WHY DID EUROPE THE WORLD'S SMALLEST MINORITY COLONIZED AFRICA AND RULED THE WORLD?
FACT :Through inventions, Germs and Guns. Today, in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, the computer 485 DX is still a common "puter". Are we gonna catch up actually?
Hail Biafra Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Eygpt: Hosni Mubarak wins that country's election with 88 percent of the vote. You heard me, 88 percent of that country's registered voters, not bad for an incumbant who only campaigned in the city of Alexanderia. Mubarek has been in power since the assassination of Anwar Sadat at a soccer stadium roughly in 1988. The whole world saw the Nigerian style assassination on prime time television by matching soldiers during an independence day parade. Zimbabwen President, Robert Mugabe with a facial expression of the devil Furo, Adolph Hitler has ruled his country longer than Mubarek. Most Zimbabwens thinks Ian Smith[White supremacist] was a much better devil than Mugabe.Ian Smith cared and protected his white people. These men are Africa's never ending story...power hungry bastards.
Hail Biafra
[ September 10, 2005, 02:22 AM: Message edited by: Waypoint1Biafra ]
Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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quote:Mubarek has been in power since the assassination of Anwar Sadat at a soccer stadium roughly in 1988.
Nope, try October 6, 1981. Done for educational purpose only. obasanjo too would like to copy this bad and maddening example to stiffle his people just as this arch dictator, mubarek is doing. Ha, 88% return for a man who never stepped outside the capital city of Alexanderia?
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2483 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
There is no country in Africa, minus South Africa that provides school transportion to it's students or feed them properly. This is the 21st Century, African primary and secondary school students are not provided breakfast, lunch or transportation by the so-called Presidents.The students study under the shade of a tree as classroom. And African students can walk up to 5 miles to school every day through the jungle cities and dusty roads. This is one more reason why European leaders are better organised than Olusegun and his collegues.
Someone please tell me why education is not a priority to any nation?
Hail Biafra
Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Are you absolutely sure about this, Waypoint1Biafra? Are you cognizant of the situation in all the African countries from Morrocco to Libya to Namibia to Botswana to Eritrea, etc, etc.
I don't know the situation in the entire African continent: that's why I refrain from making generalizations on subject matter I am unfamiliar with. Not all African countries are like Naija oh!
If you are, please provide some proof.
Posts: 21 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Waypoint1Biafra: There is no country in Africa, minus South Africa that provides school transportion to it's students or feed them properly. This is the 21st Century, African primary and secondary school students are not provided breakfast, lunch or transportation by the so-called Presidents.The students study under the shade of a tree as classroom. And African students can walk up to 5 miles to school every day through the jungle cities and dusty roads. This is one more reason why European leaders are better organised than Olusegun and his collegues.
Someone please tell me why education is not a priority to any nation?
Hail Biafra
Are you refering to both Government and Private owned schools?
posted
40 percent of African Wealth in foreign Banks. It is estimated that 40 percent of African wealth is starched in European and American bank, mostly by government leaders past and present......NEPAD
Hail Biafra Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Africa's biggest problem is human resources from abroad. Our leaders spent millions of dollars to buy homes in overseas and travel abroad for medical needs rather than invest in their homeland. African leaders must trust and invest in their people rather than seeking solutions from Aliens.
A Nigerian born, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi naturally an Igboman was rejected as a coach by the Nigerian government. Guess what? he was hired by the Togolese government, guess again, for the first time, that nation's team will be representing Africa in the world cup. Guess one more time, Nigeria coached by an Alien did not make it to the world cup. Oooouuch, it hurts.
Again, African leaders must invest in their people and expect them to fail, learn and grow. change is hard but it is all for good in the long run.
Hail Biafra Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Taday, America and the world observe and salute MLK for his effort sanctioned by God to free African American from the devil laws predominantly the Deep South and neighboring sympathizers. Today, Africa makes history not from South Africa or the lame duck giant, Nigeria but from Liberia. For the first time since the birth of Afrika that country elects the FIRST FEMALE DEMOCRATIC ELECTED PRESIDENT How about that for progress.
Hail Biafra
[ January 17, 2006, 04:44 PM: Message edited by: Waypoint1Biafra ]
Posts: 1685 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
This is why we say that people should not smoke funny stuff before they make comments in public. That woman was not elected in Congo; she was elected in Liberia.
Posts: 20 | From: Kano | Registered: May 2002
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quote:Today, Africa makes history not from South Africa or the lame duck giant, Nigeria but from Congo. For the first time since the birth of Afrika that country elects the FIRST FEMALE DEMOCRATIC ELECTED PRESIDENT How about that for progress.
Hail Biafra
WP1, are you ok? Sometimes we worry about U. If you cannot buy the newspapers, at least listen to the news on CNN, BBC AMERICA, ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS. I told you that Hannity and Rush Limbough are no news men. They probably told you that lie that Congo elected a woman President.
___________________ Feel me? Ofu onye ana asi unu abia go. - Ednut Igbo-American . www.airamericaradio.com visit her. Posts: 2450 | From: Mother Earth | Registered: Mar 2001
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