HOW THE IMF KEEPS AFRICANS POOR

Financial rights activist Alex Gladstein breaks down how the IMF works in Africa.

Using the example of Zaire, now known as DRC Congo, he explains how they appoint their own officials to control African treasuries, then proceed to create export-led economies, weaken local currencies and cut deals with dictators.

Most importantly, they make sure that there is nothing left over for the African people whose land is being exploited for Western consumption. Basically, they deny our people education, healthcare, basic human rights and a decent quality of life to satisfy their own neocolonial interests.

When will this cycle of economic interference stop?

African fabrics have become ever more popular. European luxury fashion brands, such as Valentino and Louis Vuitton, are incorporating our textiles into their designs after decades of being inspired by them without giving any acknowledgement.

What makes these fabrics so unique is their distinctive styles, decorations, dyeing methods and colours. They are rooted in our rich African heritage and craftsmanship, ranging from the Kente worn by the Ashanti royals to the much-loved Ankara fabric adorned by West Africans.

The production of fabrics in Africa dates back to 5,000 BC, when raw materials from tree bark, animal hides, cotton, palm, jute, flax and silk were used.

So, next time you’re dressed in an African fabric or purchase one, try to learn more about its history and where exactly in Africa its are from.

BRITISH CRIMES IN KENYA SHOCK JOHN OLIVER

The United Kingdom's monarchs have been rehabilitated as people holding harmless ceremonial offices that only lend prestige to Britain. However, for the hundreds of millions of people who lived as second-class citizens throughout the lands Britain looted and pillaged starting in the 16th century, it’s a different story.

In this episode from last year of comedian John Oliver’s satiric news programme, he laid bare one of the most cruel acts Britain committed. It occurred in Kenya during the first decade of recently-deceased Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.

Continued….In late October to early November, her son, King Charles III, visited Kenya for four days at Kenyan President William Ruto's invitation. However, police were used to block the venue for a press conference that was planning to condemn British forces' recent abuses while stationed in Kenya.

Many Kenyans have called for reparations for communities, such as the Kikuyu people, who were placed in concentration camps, as the Mau Mau freedom fighters waged war against British occupiers. Thousands were tortured and killed, while many more were maimed. In Kenya’s Rift Valley, after deceiving one of the chiefs, Koitalel arap Samoei, to travel for negotiations with the British, they killed him, and took his skull to England. His people continue calling for his remains to be returned.

Despite colonial governance formally ending, various British multinational companies, such as Finlays—one of the biggest tea companies in the world—still occupy land they seized and exploited, beginning many decades ago.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

5 THINGS WE NEED TO GET OUT OF OUR ‘HOODS

The echoes of colonialism reverberate in the US, as the nation itself was built upon the colonisation of Indigenous lands and the enslavement of Africans. The lingering effects of these oppressive systems manifest in the form of social and economic disparities. Black communities, subjected to centuries of marginalisation, find themselves disproportionately burdened by extractive industries that exploit both their labour and natural resources.

As this TikToker points out, check-cashing centres and payday-loan establishments disproportionately target Black communities, capitalising on financial vulnerabilities. The prevalence of fast-food chains such as McDonald's in African neighbourhoods, and limited access to healthier food options, leads to an over-reliance on junk food - contributing to health issues within our communities and reinforcing the cycle of systemic exploitation.

Continued….Liquor stores strategically placed in Black neighbourhoods contribute to a cycle of substance abuse and economic drain. The dominance of foreign-owned beauty supply stores in Black communities raises concerns about economic self-sufficiency and externally imposed standards of beauty.

These businesses, sometimes lacking local ownership and investment, extract profits from the community without necessarily reinvesting in its development. Understanding the connection between US imperialism, colonialism, and extractive practices in Black communities requires a nuanced look at these economic and environmental factors. Examining the tie between the five industries discussed in this clip is a great place to start!

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

WHERE DID ALL THE ARTEFACTS GO?

Ever wondered why there are more African cultural treasures on display in European museums than in African ones? Even when they grudgingly admit that they stole from Africa, former colonial powers really don’t want to give back what they so violently took away from us. And they took a LOT. How angry does it make you?

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

THREE AFRICAN KINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

We Africans are fond of saying we’re descended from kings and queens. African Stream’s Miss Phyll tells the story of three pre-colonial kings you should definitely know about - ancient kings of Ethiopia, Mali and Sudan! Which one are you related to? And let us known what queens to cover next!

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

DICK GREGORY: BROTHERS DIDN’T SHOOT MALCOLM X

The late great Dick Gregory was a renowned actor, comedian and activist who was a close friend of human-rights defender Malcolm X, who paid the ultimate price for fighting for his people’s liberation.

In this passionate and revealing address, Gregory tells the story of how the people forced the US government to reveal the facts about Malcolm X’s 1965 assassination. Information obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request demonstrated bullets that took Malcolm X’s life were shot from above him, rather than from the guns of brothers who stood below the stage.

Decades later, Malcolm X’s family has begun the process of suing the New York Police Department, the CIA and the FBI for their role in the Organization of Afro-American Unity founder’s assassination.

Continued…This comes on the heels of two brothers, who had served prison time and were exonerated in the case, winning settlements in 2022 totalling $36 million from the governments of both New York City and New York State. One of the men filed a federal lawsuit in November to enquire about the FBI’s role. He seeks $40 million.

IMF’S GAME OF LOANS

As Kenyans get angrier and angrier over a worsening cost of living crisis, we take a deep dive into the role the IMF has played in ramming austerity down Africans’ throats. It boils down to neocolonial debt slavery, pure and simple - a system designed to keep us down, while oiling the wheels of otherwise faltering Western economies. African Stream’s Kenneth Kaigua breaks down this complex issue.

Watch the full YouTube version on https://youtu.be/hIvLjRdPsas

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

KWAME TURE EXPOSED THE PETTY BOURGEOISIE

All-African People's Revolutionary Party organiser Kwame Ture delivered a fiery speech many years ago in Chicago, USA, exposing the treachery and corruption of the African petty bourgeoisie. He denounced wealthy Africans for indulging in luxury and wealth, while most of the people endure poverty, disease and oppression. He added the petty bourgeoisie collaborated with the colonial and imperial powers that had exploited and oppressed Africa for centuries.

Ture also criticized wealthy Africans in the United States for being opportunistic and reactionary, because they have exploited the struggle of the African masses to gain power. Ture said they cooperated with the racist and capitalist system that had enslaved and oppressed Africans for centuries.

Continued….He said the people must rise up without pity and without mercy to crush these 'reactionary pigs,' a term used for those who have resisted liberation via revolution. The revolutionary said this was unavoidable and justified, as part of the global struggle against imperialism and capitalism.

Let us know what you think of Ture's remarks.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

TOTTENHAM CALLER BLASTS PRO-ISRAEL BIAS

The British ruling class has often looked down on people of colour, especially if they are from impoverished inner-city neighbourhoods.

So, when ‘Sean,’ who sounds like a Black guy in Tottenham, England, called into a British radio show about Israeli crimes in Gaza—dropping truth bomb after truth bomb—the LBC radio programme host was caught off guard.

‘Sean’ explained the Western media had used the term ‘freedom fighters’ to refer to Zionist gangs that murdered innocent Palestinians during the 1948 Nakba (or ‘catastrophe’ in Arabic).

The caller relayed the West supports Israel’s illegal actions of blockading food, fuel, electricity and water from entering the Gaza Strip, while it has carpet-bombed the enclave’s civilian population of more than 2 million people since 7 October.

Continued….‘Sean’ went on for another few minutes and had twisted the LBC host into a pretzel by the end. Let us know below if you want to hear more from Tottenham’s pro-Palestine hero. If so, we will post part 2.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

MAMI WATA: THE AFRICAN MERMAID

Remember the uproar over Halle Bailey being cast as ‘The Little Mermaid’? Does #NotMyMermaid ring a bell?

Well, apart from the fact that Ariel is a fictional character, mermaids - like other mythological creatures - have roots in many cultures.

Mermaids can be black, but not nearly enough of their stories have been told. So today, we’re taking a look at Mami Wata.

Unlike Disney’s Ariel or the original Danish story, the legend of Mami Wata has existed for centuries.

Although her exact origins can’t be pinpointed, her story originated in the West African belief in ‘water spirits,’ and is used to reference a concept rather than a single being. Because of that, she has many faces, and takes on many forms.

But although known for her beauty, she is as dangerous as she is seductive.

Continued…..Her powers have been known to grant both great wealth, and great misfortune. She shrouds herself in mystery, but represents sacred knowledge and protection, which is why she’s both feared and admired.

So you see, while we’ve been accustomed to the pale-skinned, red- or blond-haired mermaid, every culture has its own version of one, and in Africa, that’s no exception.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

FOODS WITH AFRICAN ROOTS

Here are some foods that you may not have realised came from Africa.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

GHANA CASTLES HELD CAPTURED AFRICANS

European castles that date back to as far as the 1400s sit on Africa’s western coast. We take a look at two of the approximately 40 structures that are painful reminders of the harrowing legacy of slavery, colonisation and exploitation our people suffered during the European Slave Trade, popularly known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Let us know what you think of these castles.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

AFRICAN REVOLUTION MUST BE FOUGHT BY AFRICANS

Neocolonialism is the primary challenge that Africans worldwide must struggle against today in order to arrive at Pan-African unity. The imperialist world order wants Africans to appear independent because blatantly subjugating people is not socially acceptable or politically correct in the 21st century. They do not want us actually to BE independent. That is why they hated the likes of Robert Mugabe so much. If Africans actually controlled the land under our feet, we would no longer be dependent on the West for our bread and butter. These Western NGOs who come to fund our struggle also have the same motive. They want us to rely on the West even in our fight for true independence from the West. Every African has a responsibility to fight for total African liberation and unification. It is only when we have enough Africans worldwide engaged in the struggle that we will become fully self-reliant.

OUT-THINK THE EUROPEAN

In this video, a prominent African poked at Eurocentric interpretations of ‘learning,’ challenging Africans to value more than recall of facts and move toward creativity.

Dr. Amos N. Wilson (1941-1995) was a prominent psychologist, educator, and social theorist known for his influential work in the fields of psychology, education, and African-American studies.

Wilson’s influential writings and lectures, such as ‘The Developmental Psychology of the Black Child’ and ‘Blueprint for Black Power,’ continue to impact the fields of African-American studies, sociology, and psychology, advocating for social justice and empowerment within the US-based African community.

Let us know what you think of Wilson’s remarks.