HOW SACRED STOOL SCARED BRITISH RULE

Here’s one African treasure the British could never get their thieving hands on. The Golden Stool is a sacred bit of furniture that’s been revered by the Ashanti people of Ghana for centuries. They believed it gave them special powers when fighting the colonial Brits. So much so, the British governor made it his mission to find it. Luckily, locals kept it safely hidden and it remains a central part of Ashanti culture today.
Fair to say, without that hidy-hole, The Golden Stool would have ended up in some British museum.
Anyway, let’s celebrate the fact it hasn’t!
It’s an amazing story. Enjoy.

WHY ISRAEL CANNOT CHANGE FROM WITHIN

A 2022 Pew survey revealed young people’s support for Israel has sunk in the United States. Only 41 per cent of those aged 18-29 had a favourable view of Israel, compared to 69 per cent of people 65 or older.

One such young adult is TikTok creator millennialrox. She admits in a previous video that, before the current conflict broke out on 7 October, she was ignorant about the 75-year Israeli occupation of Palestine. Rox thanked TikTok creators, saying, ‘They finally helped me plant my feet on the right side of history.’

Continued….Rox also pointed out young Israelis are indoctrinated to see Palestinians as sub-human. In this clip she shared, Israeli students in a Jewish school appeared to agree on wiping out or enslaving the indigenous population. Rox concludes the video by agreeing with what many have said: Israeli society will never change positively from within because of such indoctrination, so outside pressure remains critical to ending the occupation.

What do you think about this millennial’s take on Israel’s future? Let us know in the comments.

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NO MORE WHITE SAVIOURS, PLEASE!

The ‘White-saviour complex’ can turn fatal, as in the case of Renee Bach, an American missionary who set up a fake medical facility in Uganda, resulting in the death of over 100 children.

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U.N. WARNS: DON’T FOREGT SUDAN

Every two hours a child dies in a Sudanese camp for displaced people amid the on-going civil war. That’s according to a recent report by the medical charity, Doctors Without Borders. Sadly, the world seems to have forgotten about the catastrophe that’s unfolding.

The UN warns $4.1 billion in aid is now needed to stave off famine across the country. Fighting is spreading into critical regions including Gezira state, the nation’s breadbasket. As a result, at least 18-million people are now acutely food insecure. That means they don’t have enough to eat and don’t know where their next meal will come from.

Making matters worse, there’s an international aid shortage with humanitarian groups competing for funding amid heightened global conflict.

Martin Griffiths, the UN’s Emergency Relief chief, calls it an obscene ‘competition of suffering.’ This week he pleaded for the world to help Sudan, where war has raged for the last ten months.

Will anyone listen?

BIDEN’S QUESTIONABLE MEMORY

US President Joe Biden’s memory is ‘hazy.’ That’s according to the US Department of Justice Special Counsel, who investigated claims the 81-year-old president had mishandled classified information after his term as vice president to Barack Obama ended in January 2017.

Hours after its release, Biden took to the podium, holding a rare evening press conference. That appearance made news because he referred to the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as the Mexican president. Biden then snapped when a reporter raised the special counsel’s claim that they chose not to launch a case against Biden because he appeared to be a ‘sympathetic, well meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.’

Continued….Some independent journalists and commentators have speculated putting Biden behind the podium soon after the report was released is part of a Democratic Party effort to show Biden is incapable of running again for office. The theory is another presidential candidate who doesn’t have the baggage of having armed and attempted to increase funding to Israel amidst its bombardment and siege of the Gaza Strip could win the November election. Many people the Democratic Party has long counted on for support—mainly Arabs, Muslims and 18- to 29-year-olds—have told corporate media outlets they will not vote for Biden because of his administration’s support for Israel. Meanwhile, others have said they will not support any Democratic Party candidate as a consequence.

Would replacing Biden on the Democratic ticket change the party’s chances in November? Let us know below.

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KELVIN KIPTUM - WORLD MARATHON RECORD HOLDER DEAD AT 24

Tributes are pouring in for Kenya’s world-record marathon runner Kelvin Kiptum. The 24-year-old died on Sunday in a car crash in the Rift Valley along with coach Gervais Hazikimana. A second passenger, Sharon Kosgey, sustained severe injuries.

Born in the Rift Valley, the heartland of Kenyan distance running, Kiptum burst onto the marathon scene in 2022 with a stunning debut in Valencia, where he clocked 2:01:53. World Athletics called it the ‘fastest debut marathon in history.’ Less than a year later, competing in only his third marathon, he ran 2 hours and 35 seconds in Chicago, shaving off 34 seconds from Eliud Kipchoge’s record.

Continued….At the time of his death, Kiptum was working towards athletics’ immortality by running under two hours in race conditions in Rotterdam next April. He was also expected to be a star attraction at the Paris Olympics in July 2024. Kiptum was a superbly talented athlete whose career looked set for even more stardom.

Please leave your memories and tributes in the comments section below.

Rest in power, champ!

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Poor old Nigeria fans. They’re not just getting earache from Ivory Coast supporters, they’re also getting trolled by the Ghana faithful.

The Super Eagles lost the AFCON final 2-1 to the Elephants. But it wasn’t only Ivorians who took to social media to share their joy. Ghanaians also waded in to rub salt into an old enemy’s wounds.

Probably makes up for the shoddy performance of their own side. Remember the Black Stars got knocked out at the group stage after squandering a two-goal lead in stoppage time to Mozambique?

Anyway, a bit of friendly banter is always enjoyable, particularly between countries with a long competitive history.

Tell us about your favourite African rivalry, is Ghana v Nigeria one of the biggest?

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IVORY COAST: FOOTBALL'S FAIRYTALE

It goes down as one of the most amazing triumphs in football. Ivory Coast coming back from the brink of elimination to lift the AFCON noscript for a third time. The 2-1 win over Nigeria in the final will live long in the memory, but so will the story of how they got there.

Their goal hero is a guy who was battling cancer 18 months ago. Their manager is a guy who took over after the other one was sacked following a disastrous group stage. Nobody gave the Elephants a whiff of a chance. And yet they’ve ended up stampeding to victory against all odds.

Their fans have gone through every emotion. But as the African proverb says: 'Who follows the elephant will have no problems.' That’s true enough, you just have to keep your nerve and believe)))

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MOROCCANS DEMAND RABAT CUTS ISRAEL TIES

Thousands of Moroccans came out in force again this Sunday to urge their government to break ties with Israel - over its war in Gaza. They want Rabat to tear up the so-called Abraham Accords, which normalised relations with Tel Aviv.

What do you think? Is it better to keep communication lines open, or is the symbolism more important?

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FANS REACT TO IVORY COAST'S AFCON FINAL WIN

Ivory Coast fans are probably still partying! Here are some we caught up with after the AFCON hosts crowned champions after downing Nigeria 2-1 in the final. It sparked wild scenes not least because just days ago everyone thought they were dead and buried! Gotta love football. Congratulations.

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EDUCATOR: AFRICANS ACCEPT CRUMBS

Much of the commentary from decades ago is just as relevant today, showing that the source of the pain our people endure has not been addressed. In this video, Barbara Sizemore points to exactly that. The educator’s message is Black people in the United States have been hoodwinked into accepting concessions, without structural reforms that address the root of our problems.

Take affirmative action. Before, it favoured the white population. But, once Africans could benefit, it was suddenly problematic, without a mention of reparations for the inequality endured. Meanwhile, descendants of alumni and donors are four times more likely to be admitted into the highest-ranked US universities than their counterparts with similar academic credentials. As Sizemore put it many years ago, it’s everyone’s turn until it’s the Africans,’ and some of us, unfortunately, still don’t get that.

What do you think of her argument? Let us know below.

Our African proverb of the week comes from the land of the Pharaohs, Egypt. A reminder that when you perform good deeds, you shouldn’t expect anything in return.

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KENYA TO STEER SOUTH SUDAN PEACE TALKS

Kenya’s President Ruto is taking over as chair of South Sudan’s peace process - at the personal request of South Sudanese president Salva Kiir. Although a peace deal was struck in 2018, a number of armed holdout groups refused to sign. The aim is to get them on board so that elections can be held in December 2024.

Ruto’s agreement to lead the process may surprise some, as he was rejected as a mediator in the civil war raging in South Sudan’s northern neighbour Sudan.

South Sudan became independent in 2011 in a referendum held after a bloody civil war to break away from Sudan. But conflict broke out in the new country in 2013 after an internal political spat in the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

What do you think Ruto can bring to the table?

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IVORIANS CELEBRATE AFCON CROWN

More pictures of jubilant footy fans form Ivory Coast, after their AFCON triumph. That 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final will probably go down in football folklore. Here's a taste of what it meant to a country whose team went through the proverbial mill before coming out the other side crowned champions.

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AFRICANS’ HEARTFELT CONGO MESSAGE

DR Congo bowed out of AFCON with their heads held high. They made the semis and just lost to South Africa on penalties in their third-place match. But it wasn’t only the football that won the Leopards praise. Their players’ determination to highlight the horrific violence sweeping their country, also earned respect.

Just have a listen to fans we spoke to at AFCON. Many stand in solidarity with the Congolese people. Millions are bearing the brunt of an imperialist-fuelled conflict as armed groups fight for resource-rich land in the east of the country.

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