WHAT'S THE CAPITAL OF SENEGAL?

It’s time to test your knowledge of the African continent!
We headed to the streets of Kenya armed with our shillings and questions, and as usual bumped into some bright sparks. See if you too can crack our latest brainteasers.

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PAN-AFRICANIST ADDRESSES ANTI-SEMITISM

The recent outbreak of war in the besieged Gaza Strip between Palestinian resistance group Hamas and the Israeli military has reignited a debate on what constitutes anti-Semitism. Many people who have dared to condemn the violence meted out by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians have been accused of being anti-Semites. This debate is as old as the conflict itself. In this video, Pan-African scholar and psychologist Dr Amos Wilson added his voice on the decades-old debate. He accused some sectors of using the "Semitic" tag to stifle dissenting views. Listen in and share your thoughts in the comments.

🎥 by: Lumumba Speaks

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U.S. HAND IN CREATING AL-SHABAAB

On October 14th, 2017 two truck bombs went off in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, killing nearly 600 people. Most of the fatalities occurred when one of the vehicles exploded near a hotel.

It’s the second deadliest attack in African history and authorities blamed islamist group al-Shabaab. They’ve been fighting the Somali government since 2006 and continue their reign of terror in the country.

On the anniversary of the bombings, we look at the rise of these extremists in East Africa. And you probably won’t be surprised to learn US meddling played its part.

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THE DEADLY EXCHANGE 🇮🇱

The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, USA, brought to light one policing tactic deployed in various parts of the world: The knee on the neck.

In the wake of international protests following Floyd’s murder on 25 May 2020, many learned for the first time about the United States’ ‘Deadly Exchange’ program. This unironically named initiative allows US law enforcement personnel, including police officers, to participate in training sessions and programs in Israel. For decades, the Zionist state has deployed violent policing tactics against the Palestinian people.

Proponents contend the Deadly Exchange program provides valuable counterterrorism and security expertise, while critics argue the training may lead to the adoption of more aggressive or militarized policing methods in the United States.

Let us know what you think about Bishop Talbert Swan’s comments.

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BLACK PANTHER PARTY’S 57TH ANNIVERSARY

On 15 October 1966, Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defence was founded in Oakland, California (USA). The party was a revolutionary Black socialist organisation with a strong internationalist politic. Its presence quickly spread across the United States, with major chapters popping up in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Philadelphia.

The party was known for its free programs known as ‘survival programs’ in Black communities. They offered health services, children’s educational services, food, clothing and more.

Continued…BLACK PANTHER PARTY’S 57TH ANNIVERSARY

Their work was guided by their 10-point program. The first point stated, “We Want Freedom. We Want Power to Determine the Destiny of Our Black Community. We believe that Black people will not be free until we are able to determine our destiny.”

The Black Panther Party left a global mark as it eventually created an international section in Algeria and established a presence in the United Kingdom. It also inspired marginalised people in other countries to establish similar types of “panther” parties. The organisation took clear anti-imperialist positions in regards to national liberation struggles across the African continent and around the world.

Let us know what you think in the comments.

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‘AFRICANS DENIED SELF-SUFFICIENCY’

We’ve talked a lot about how Africa is resource rich, but strangely remains economically poor. Well, American historian Dr. John Henrik Clarke had it worked out decades ago. Just after the assassination of Burkina Faso’s iconic leader Thomas Sankara, he gave this speech. He claims it was Sankara’s determination to make his country self-sufficient that got him killed. In the words of Clarke, Africans aren’t allowed to support, clothe, feed or educate themselves. If they could, they’d threaten neo-colonial systems that carefully exploit the continent.

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AFROBEAT’S ACTIVIST DADDY

It’s time to Felabrate! Nigerian music legend Fela Kuti - the father of Afrobeat - was born on this day in 1938. Every year, Nigerians hold Felabration - a festival launched by his eldest daughter Yeni, celebrating his incredible life, legacy and music.

The genre he created has now gone global, but while he was alive, he faced repression from Nigeria’s military leaders - whom he taunted with songs such as 1977’s Zombie.

He spoke up for human rights in Nigeria, calling out corruption and also colonialism, which he identified as the root cause of Africa’s socio-economic and political problems.

Here’s a quick look back at the man and his music. Let us know which of his tunes you like most in the comments!

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RAMAPHOSA: APARTHEID GHOST HAUNTS SOUTH AFRICA

Black South Africans are frequently told to "let the past go" and stop blaming the apartheid system for the social and economic ills that affect the country today. But many South Africans, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, say they cannot just "move on" because the effects of apartheid-era laws are still felt to this day. Here, Ramaphosa highlights how banning Black people from studying certain academic subjects still haunts the country nearly three decades after the end of apartheid.

Let us know what you think in the comments.

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AFRICAN JEWS - NOT JEWISH ENOUGH ?

The Israel-Hamas war has again brought the Palestinian struggle into focus. However, the acute discrimination faced by thousands of Ethiopian Jews is often ignored. Many arrived in Israel decades ago after a push by Tel Aviv to relocate them to the ‘Promised Land.’ But since then, they’ve become one the county’s most impoverished and marginalised communities.

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SANKARA ASSASSINATION SCANDAL

Thomas Sankara was one of Africa's greatest leaders. We remember his life and his legacy but we also pose some serious questions about his death. While the CIA and France have been asked to disclose their records, much still remains classified. How was Thomas Sankara assassinated? Who was involved? Here's what we know so far...


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COMMEMORATING SANKARA'S LIFE

Burkina Faso’s Pan-African president and national hero Thomas Sankara was assassinated on this day in 1987 in the capital Ouagadougou. A hit squad also killed 12 of his comrades.

In 2015, their bodies were exhumed by investigators looking into the killings. They were given a proper burial last year by Burkina Faso under the leadership of a man many see as Sankara’s successor, Ibrahim Traoré. This clip revisits the ceremony and includes comment from Sankara’s uncle about its significance.

Thomas Sankara came to power in a coup in 1983, and his pro-people policies endeared him to the nation. He understood that Africa's problems were a result of systemic issues, such as debt. In an address to the Organisation of African Unity in 1987, he argued passionately for defaulting on international loans - but also made clear that solidarity was key.

Continued…. COMMEMORATING SANKARA'S LIFE

Presciently, he warned that, should he go it alone, he wouldn't be alive for the next meeting. His dark prophecy came to pass two months later.

In the four years he was in power, however, he did a lot for Burkina Faso. Before climate change was at the forefront of everybody’s minds, Sankara embarked on a massive afforestation campaign.

He understood the integral role played by women, and famously said, “The revolution and women’s liberation go together. We do not talk of women’s emancipation as an act of charity or out of a surge of human compassion. It is a basic necessity for the revolution to triumph.”

His incredible journey was cut short by the man he called his brother - Blaise Compaoré - who was sentenced in absentia to life in 2022 for complicity in the 1987 assassination plot.

Sankara’s legacy lives on. Not only did Burkina Faso’s new government give him a proper burial, it’s also planning to rename a major city artery Boulevard Thomas Sankara (from Boulevard Charles de Gaulle - a fitting symbolism).

Rest in power, our revolutionary ancestor!

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THE WEST NEEDS AFRICA!

The West has always misrepresented Africa as a continent of poverty and in dire need of saving. But, in fact, it’s quite the opposite—the West desperately needs Africa for its resources. The reason Western powers scramble for dominance in Africa is for what the continent has that the West can’t duplicate. As filmmaker and writer Mallence Bart-Williams explains, the West destabilized wealthy African nations and their systems to sell the narrative that Africa is poor, dying and surviving only because of the mercy of the West. She points out that the West has nothing to offer, hence why they still have their teeth sunk in Africa soil. “Instead, you should come empty handed, filled with integrity and honour,” she says.

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