Our African proverb this week is an Igbo one. It’s a reminder that your inner worth will shine through, no matter what - even if the goat sold for slaughter disagrees! Do you?

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SLAVE FOOD’S TOXIC LEGACY

Before slavery, Africans ate healthy organic foods from the land. However, colonial powers changed that and fed slaves high-starch foods in the belief it would boost labour output. Unfortunately, high levels of carbs remain in many people’s diets, generating a tonne of health problems. Listen to holistic health expert Dr Llaika Afrika explain the history behind what we eat.

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RAISI DEATH AFRICAN ANGLE

African leaders have been reacting to the death of Iran’s president who was killed in a helicopter crash yesterday (May 19th). Ebrahim Raisi’s aircraft came down in a mountainous region in the north of the country during bad weather.

South Africa’s leader, Cyril Ramaphosa, described it as an ‘unthinkable tragedy that has claimed a remarkable leader of a nation with whom South Africa enjoys strong bilateral relations.’

The Persian nation has worked hard to deepen political and economic ties with Africa in recent months.
In July, 2023, Raisi visited Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe, signing new agreements and memorandums of understanding. During the trip, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said relations were at 'a new turning point.’

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U.S. CITIZENS AMONG FOILED CONGO COUP PLOTTERS

On May 19th, 2024, a coup attempt was quashed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Fifty people were arrested - including, notably, three American citizens.

Most of the coup participants are believed to be followers of Christian Malanga, an opposition figure who was present during the bid to seize power. He was killed when refusing arrest after infiltrating the presidential palace in Kinshasa. The coup participants made clear their desire to bring down Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi, who was away from Kinshasa at the time.

Continued…. Many are speculating about a possible US role in the coup, given the presence of American citizens and Malanga’s ties to the United States. While some wonder if the DRC is being targeted for threatening war against major US and Western ally Rwanda, others point out that Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi also maintains generally positive relations with Western countries. He recently visited France to request support from President Emmanuel Macron. But Christian Malanga, only has a very fringe following - further driving speculation that other players are operating behind the scenes.

What’s your take on the drama in Kinshasa?

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ON AMERICA’S ‘HIT LIST’ OF NATIONS

According to state media, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was killed after his helicopter crashed in poor weather near the Azerbaijan border. The wreckage, which included Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and six others, was found early Monday after an overnight search in blizzard conditions.

The crash comes amid growing Western pressure on Iran over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme and its military ties with Russia.

In this video, retired senior US military officer Wesley Clark relates how he first found out about an early 2000s US hit list of places to be “taken out.” Most, if not all, of the counties he names have since been on the receiving end of some heavy-duty US meddling. And sure enough, Iran is on that hit list. Which might make you wonder…

President Ebrahim Raisi led Iran's backing of groups in the Middle East, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and groups in Iraq and Syria.

Continued……The US views these groups as destabilising forces and threats to its interests and allies, particularly Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Raisi was known for his conservative and anti-Western rhetoric, prioritising resistance to Western influence and policies, which conflicted with US interests. His administration was committed to advancing Iran's nuclear programme, perceived by the US and its allies as a significant threat. In March, senior US officials raised concerns over a potential deal giving Iran access to Nigerien uranium, leading to the expulsion of Americans from Niger.

Under Raisi's leadership, there was little indication of willingness for diplomatic concessions or reforms to improve US-Iran relations. Instead, he emphasised resistance and self-reliance in the face of US sanctions.

Have a watch of Wesley Clark relating his story about the US hit list. The discussion is mainly in the context of the Iraq invasion, but Iran gets a mention. Your insights in the comments are always appreciated.

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SCIENTIFIC RACISM IN A NUTSHELL

Here’s the perfect example of how White supremacy has worked in the world of science. Astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, says he remembers when being called a neanderthal was an insult. However, when science discovered Europeans were more closely related to neanderthals than Africans, suddenly the narrative changed. Reports on the creativity of the extinct human species began to appear. Decades of associating non-Whites with lower evolutionary levels and lower intelligence had boomeranged on Western scientists who then changed their story.

For decades, science was used to argue the superiority of White Europeans over other races. In the US, it fuelled fears of ‘race suicide’ and a decline in the White population due to growing migrant numbers.

Continued….. Sterilisation and ant-migrants policies followed. The 1924 Johnson-Reed Act, which almost completely excluded immigrants from Asia, is just one example.

But it is not a yesterday problem. Eugenics practices, such as involuntary sterilisation, forced institutionalisation, social ostracisation and stigma were common in the US until at least the 1970s. In some instances, they continue today in various forms.

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Ousmane Sonko, Senegal’s newly appointed prime minister, is known for his strong stance against France’s ongoing influence in the country. Currently, about 350 French troops are stationed in Senegal. Speaking at Dakar University alongside French leftist leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, Sonko questioned the necessity of French military bases in Senegal more than six decades after independence, emphasising that his country’s pursuit of security autonomy is incompatible with the enduring presence of foreign troops.

Continued….. Sonko also expressed solidarity with fellow West African countries Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which have expelled French forces and turned to Russia for assistance against jihadist insurgencies. These countries, having distanced themselves from the regional ECOWAS bloc, have formed their own Sahel alliance. Sonko vowed that Senegal would strengthen ties with these nations, stating, “We will not abandon our brothers in the Sahel.”

In terms of economic policy, Sonko highlighted Senegal’s intention to negotiate a flexible currency pegged to at least two currencies to improve economic stability and export competitiveness. He also reiterated plans to renegotiate the country’s oil and gas contracts as production begins this year. On social issues, Sonko called for Western nations to respect Senegal’s cultural approach to LGBTQ+ rights.

Do you like the cut of Sonko’s jib? Let’s hear it in the comments if you do!

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SPREAD THE WORD: BURKINA IS GREAT - PREZ TRAORÉ

Spread the word - Burkina Faso is a wonderful place that‘s rich in culture and well worth visiting and living in.

That was the message of the country’s president Ibrahim Traoré to a delegation from the African Diaspora Development Institute, led by Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao.

They had been invited to experience the sights and sounds of Burkina’s Week of Natural Culture.

In his address to the guests, Traoré said the world’s media had it in for his country and Africa in general, painting our continent as a bad place where only terrible things happen. He urged his audience to counter that narrative by acting as ambassadors for Burkina back at home and telling the truth about what they experienced during their stay.

Continued…. His message is that Burkina Faso is home to all Africans, including in the diaspora. Traoré isn’t blind to Burkina’s - or Africa’s - problems. But he’s clear that outside meddling has fanned divisions - and that Pan-African unity is the best way forward.

See you in Ouagadougou?

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