Sanaga Peregrinations

The talk Mrs Okonjo-Iweala gave late March before the Ted conference attenders in Monterrey is somewhat old but still very refreshing. The first female to hold the finance minister, she did a terrific job while in office and her sudden fallout from the Obansanjo government has not prevented her from endeavouring to help her country. She is now actively engaged in a financial money recovery initiative. This initiative is aimed at recovering all the money that was laundered to the very countries that need it. In this talk, she discusses the various reforms her country has been making in the areas of financial management of the assets of Nigeria. Numbers are there, those are visible results that speak for themselves because there are compelling. Business opportunities in other non oil sectors such real estate or agriculture can arise when you straighten out the market economy. As she depicts Africa, she gives a message of hope, delivers a great advocacy for women and propose a new and ...

La terre vue du ciel, voilà à peu près à quoi se résume ma vie en ce moment. Littéralement la tête dans les nuages, il n'en emeure pas moins que cette avec une certaine attention que je suis les événements qui font que notre monde soit finalement si palpitant. Dans le désordre, les liens du jour: Un portrait de Dora Akunyili , surnomée par le quotidien Le Monde " la femme médécine ", cette femme de tête et de coeur se bat sans relâche contre les faussaires de médicaments au Nigéria. Le fléau est si courant, et pas seulement au Nigéria que la méprise entre un comprimé de mil et de la quinine a ceci de tragique qu'elle s'est avérée fatale à beaucoup et pour cela le combat de Dora Akunyili est précurseur et aurait besoin d'être suivi ailleurs en Afrique. L'écrivain, scénariste Sénégalais Sembène Ousmane nous a quitté le 9 Juin dernier. Avec lui, un pan de l'histoire du cinamé se referme. Connu à travers le monde pour ses oeuvres telles que le roman M...

On Monday afternoon, the conference sessions began, with the first session themed “ The Africa You Don’t Know ”. Euvin Naidoo , the president of the South African Chamber of Commerce in America, opened with a talk on investment in Africa, stressing that Africa provides a viable investment option both from a diversification perspective and a value investor’s objective . Carol Pineau, a journalist and filmmaker, showed clips of her inspiring video on entrepreneurship, Africa Open for Business . I am looking forward to her next film, Africa Investment Horizons . Andrew Mwenda , a journalist and social critic, argued passionately against aid and charity for Africa, emphasizing that aid makes objects of the poor, preventing them from being active participants in their own economic development. After the break, Bono who has been instrumental in pressuring the G8 countries to meet their commitments of aid to Africa, argued passionately for aid and stressing that it is not charity but justic...

Africa. A vast and diverse continent. Did you know that you can fit the whole of the United States, China and Europe into Africa and still have space to spare? When I was in college in New Hampshire, my dear friend Ema and I decided one summer that since we were both planning trips home, Ema to Tanzania and I to Ghana, it would be wonderful to visit each other's country. We decided to travel together from the U.S. first to Tanzania, from Tanzania to Ghana, and then from Ghana back to the U.S in time for the next academic year. Our excitement lasted until we spoke to a travel agent and found out how much it would cost to make the trip - much more than we could afford as college students. And sadly, the most expensive part of the trip would be the journey between Tanzania and Ghana. In fact, it would have been more affordable to make two separate trips: from the U.S. to Tanzania and back, and then from the U.S. to Ghana and back. It was sad and ironic that it was easier to t...