Conflagration welling up in Cameroon: Africa is deep asleep

Ochieng’ Ogodo

Journalist-Kenya

[NAIROBI] Something absurd, inimical to human civilisation – dynamite just welling up and a tap away from conflagration – is sweeping across Cameroon. It’s been a simmering pot of hatred that Africa seems to care less about. Yet, it has the potential of another African bloodbath of Rwandan proportion if not more.

Hostility

The hostile dispositions pitting Francophones and Anglophones in that country is teetering on the verge of a demonic outburst. The recent killing and public dragging of Anglophones in the Francophone - Bangourain - West Region is a signpost of bad moving to worse.

Francophones and Anglophones in the hotspot areas seems to have shed off restraint and refrain from hate speech and retaliation against one another – And the government led by Paul Biya (85 years in age) who has been Cameroonian President since 6 November 1982, after rising rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, is not working with all parties to have a dialogue and end the Anglophone crisis.

Stunning trends and turns

The stunning trends and turns of events in the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon that is constantly degenerating into events with the potential magnitude of upsetting neighbouring Francophone Region of the West Region is real.

Hate crime, retaliatory ethnic conflict, indoctrination and violent extremism as a result of cross-regional attacks from armed separatist groups and villagers of affected communities if fast snowballing into an absolute dreadful explosion.

Just as people were about the usher in the 2018 December festive season, news from media and individuals trickling in from the areas were of an arson attack allegedly led by hundreds of armed men –about 300 in number - from Bangolan (in Babessi sub-division in the Northwest Region) targeting a village in Bangourain, a sub-division in the neighbouring Noun Division, which led to the destruction of dozens of houses – counted at least 85 affecting over 100 families – with the death of at least one person, several others wounded and abduction of at least 15 persons and resultant heavy material and financial losses of other infrastructures.

Retaliatory attack

In a retaliatory attack on 26 December residents of the affected neighbourhood in Bangourain, two persons suspected to be arsonists were apprehended, lynched, and their bodies dragged on the ground attached to motor bikes with chains.

This hate rhetoric from both sides is a sad reflection of bloody events that preceded the Rwandan genocide, also known as the genocide against the Tutsi, where there was a mass slaughter of Tutsi in Rwanda during the Rwandan Civil War, which had started in 1990.

Africa must act

This repugnant act is calling for a solution for hate crime; immediately from within and without Cameroon. Regardless of their ethnic, religious, political, ideological, cultural or economic denominations, there is need for an urgent action to ground sanity.

The stories from the impacted areas are horrible and foresight is urgent on the Cameroonian government, the Anglophone and Francophone west. But even more importantly, Africa as a continent swinging into a more serious engagement in more genuine peace-building processes.

The Cameroon government’s continued military operations in the Northwest and Southwest Regions that has fuel the inhuman crimes perpetrated by both the defense and security forces and the armed separatist groups needs to come to an end, and an immediate cease fire put in place.

Why should people who share so much in common and similarities and only separated by languages SAVAGELY turn on each other? Why have they taken leave from exercising restraint and avoiding involving themselves in actions that endanger human life, cause injuries, destroy private and public property, cause material and financial losses, and aggravate the already preoccupying tensions between the populace, government forces and separatist groups?

Has the Cameroon government lost legitimacy to initiate investigations into the happenings and seek justice where necessary, reparation, and reconciliation of parties to the conflicts?

Africa – a continent with so much stake in Cameroon - has to act (and fast) before we even think of global bodies such as The UN.

#ASEWACHO

Remittance income: A major economic driver for Africa

Ochieng’ Ogodo

Journalist-Kenya

[NAIROBI] Many African countries have had an economic slowdown but projections show that most African countries are having a positive economic outlook.

According to the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW) in England and Wales latest report in Economic Insight: Africa Q3 2018 launched in Nairobi today, the regions include; East Africa, West and Central Africa, Franc Zone, Northern Africa, Southern Africa.

The report that was commissioned by ICAEW and produced by partner and forecaster, Oxford Economics, provides a snapshot of the region's economic performance and reveals that East Africa continues to be the continent's best performing region with a GDP forecast at 6.3 per cent.

This positive outlook is due to the region's economic diversification and investment-driven growth. Ethiopia remains the region's powerhouse, with growth forecast at 8.1 per cent due to the recent reforms under Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed.

Central and West Africa has a growth forecast at 2.9 per cent, and the constrained growth in the region is due to subdued non-oil economic activity by Nigeria - the region's powerhouse. The best performing country in the region is Ghana with a forecast growth of 6.5 per cent.

Michael Armstrong, Regional Director, ICAEW Middle East, Africa and South Asia say: "Despite the recent growth slump; all regions in Africa are projected to report a positive economic outlook, with remittance income expected to be a key economic booster in the coming months."

Growth in the African Francophone regions is forecast at 4.6 per cent, largely driven by a boost of 7.4 per cent in the region's biggest economy, Ivory Coast, where investment is driving rapid expansion.

In North Africa, Egypt is forecast at 5.3 per cent as a result of structural and policy reforms, which have boosted manufacturing and investment. The county's tourism sector has also continued to recover. Similarly, Libya is expected to record a growth of 16.5 per cent owing to posted improvements in oil production after the civil conflict.

However, Southern Africa has been affected by continued slow growth by the regional heavyweight South Africa, forecast at 1.5 per cent while Angola, the region's other economic leader, has the same forecast of 1.5 per cent. Strong growth in both Botswana and Zambia is said to have little effect on the region's overall performance.

Remittance income was emphasised in the report as a major economic factor for most African countries with Nigeria being the biggest receiver of remittances on the continent. The West African economic powerhouse received 29 per cent (US$ 22bn) of total remittances flowing to the continent in 2017, mostly from the gulf, the US and United Kingdom.

Egypt came second on the continent with US$20 billion of remittances. One of the countries highlighted where remittance flows continues to play an important role in terms of external accounts is Ghana.

According to the World Bank, remittance inflows amounted to US$2.5bn in 2014: equal to roughly 18.6 per cent of total exports that year. However, in 2017 the remittance inflows subsequently declined to US$2.2bn equivalent to 15.8 per cent of exports.

Uganda's economic growth was reported to have recovered markedly last year. The country is expected to post a surplus of about 5.6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product –national wealth- this year, supported by project aid and remittances inflows.

The full Economic Insight: Africa report can be found here: https://www.icaew.com/technical/economy/economic-insight/economic-insight-africa

Ghanaian-American artist to perform at the Global Landscapes Forum in Nairobi

Ochieng' Ogodo

Journalist-Kenya

[NAIROBI] Ghanaian-born musician and humanitarian activist Rocky Dawuni is scheduled to perform for the world’s top environmental dignitaries and policymakers at the upcoming Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) in Nairobi 29 - 30 August.

The musician, who is currently based in Los Angeles and Ghana, was nominated for a 2015 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album, “Branches of the Same Tree,” which features original tunes, including Afro dancehall mashup "African Thriller.” It was released with a striking video.

The singer has long been a supporter of human rights initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty and other social inequalities, speaking out on environmental concerns, health issues, rights for women, clean water and international peace efforts.

He also backs a Cadbury-sponsored “Bicycle Factory," which has shipped more than 30,000 bicycles to help children travel long distances to school in Ghana, where the company sources much of its cocoa for chocolate products.

Dawuni will headline at the two-day GLF in Nairobi, which will be held on Aug. 29-30, performing at UN Environment headquarters for a crowd of about 1,000 people, including landscape restoration experts, policymakers, financial experts, indigenous and community leaders tackling continent-wide challenges related to land degradation.

Erik Solheim, U.N. Environment executive director and environmental activist Wanjira Mathai, daughter of 2004 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of Kenya’s Green Belt Movement Wangari Maathai, will speak at the forum.

Dawuni received an early introduction to the international music scene through his father who -- despite his royal status as chief of the Konkomba tribe in Bunbon Nayili village in northern Ghana -- was stationed for a period of time as a cook at a U.N. peacekeeping forces base in Egypt.

In Ghana, Dawuni was exposed to a range of local musical styles, and while attending the University of Ghana in the capital Accra, he formed his first band.

He has played alongside widely known musical giants Peter Gabriel, Bono and Stevie Wonder.

SEEKING SOLUTIONS

Almost a third of Africa’s landscape is degraded due to human exploitation and related climate change, including farming and resource extraction activities, which cause damage to the climate, the environment, and increase poverty-related risks, including hunger, poor health and migration. Worldwide, 2 billion hectares – a land mass larger than South America – is degraded.

Landscape restoration has proven effective at reversing damage, can mitigate climate change and lead to improvements for communities, helping to meet the U.N. anti-poverty Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), key to the GLF mandate. Co-coordinated by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), UN Environment and the World Bank, with funding from Germany’s environment and international development ministries, GLF campaigns for landscape restoration.

Swirling speculation has hinted at the possibility that a U.N.-sponsored Decade of Ecological Restoration could be launched among several major announcements and agreements to be sealed at the Nairobi event.

A formalized global spotlight on restoration would shore up country level efforts to achieve SDG 15, Life on Land and SDG 13, Climate Action, among other targets.

Promoting S&T to learners in South Africa

Ochieng’ Ogodo

Journalist-Kenya

[NAIROBI] The launch of an innovative internet-based platform and mobile application that aims to increase awareness and interest in careers in genomic and in the science, technology, engineering and mathematical fields takes place tomorrow, 18 August, at South Africa’s University of Cape Town.

Skills in the science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM) fields have been widely accepted as the way of the future. However, South Africa still lags behind in this field, reporting some of the lowest levels of mathematics and science education in the world.

The platform, known as mGenAfrica, aims to improve knowledge, attitudes and practices of high school learners towards participation in genomics and life sciences research.

It is also targeted at improving knowledge and attitudes towards life sciences in high school curriculum. For the research staff, the platform aims to improve skills and attitudes towards public engagement activities.

Dr Vicky Nembaware, the project coordinator and a bioinformatician commented: “mGenAfrica makes learning life sciences fun and promotes careers in this field.” 

Initiatives such as mGenAfrica are preparing South Africa for the future and molding the next generations to be at the forefront of technology and science.

The platform promotes activities such as quizzes, freely accessible learning material including videos, profiles of staff working in life sciences and live chat sessions, a career corner, translation corner and online competitions.

The launch will include mGenAfrica hosting the finals of a Grade 12 learner quiz competition organised in partnership with the Metro South Education District (MSED) (Western Cape Education Department).

The platform, an initiative started by the Pan African Bioinformatics Network for H3Africa, is supported by various stakeholders and collaborators including the Human Heredity and Health in Africa Consortium working groups (Community Engagement and Education & Coordinated Training); the Sickle Africa Data Coordinating Center, the Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa and the MSED.

A SPRING IN MY STEPS

By Ochieng' Ogodo

 Journalist-Kenya

There’s a spring in my steps

And a rush of bliss in my heart

A smile on my face, and yes it’s real

Gliding deftly along, just loving it

Rolling quickly and constantly

Onward to some unknown scene

Fingers of light calm and assuring

The parted lips are moist and inviting      

Inviting me somewhere

To new nights, new days, new feelings

Fill me with your hilarious order

Knock my fears into the next century

Will you please?

Set me free, truly unchained 

Between you and me, this is thicker 

And it sticks like glue

It is wispy and dreamy and

the world spins and calls, happily 

For the sun god is dead

And no more lies plucked nose

I can see it, pretty one.

I can see it hiding behind your eyes

The things you don't tell others                  

Because you can’t tell them to others

Take me to the land

Across the great expanse that’s the journey 

Because there’s a spring in my step

A rush of bliss in my heart

A smile on my face, and yes it’s real

Certainly it is, yes it’s real

With calculable mathematical truth

There’s a spring in my steps.

DANCING IN THE NIGHT

By Ochieng’ Ogodo


In the beautiful darkness, we shored it up
We danced in warm arms
There we were, speaking volumes
The effervescent wheels turning sweetly
In lively and sedating tones, we spoke
Turning and dancing towards a thousand ends

"Where have you been?"

You are a beautiful flower of the creation
That swung the door open
And arms setting me on the galactic road
Aiming for all at that great unknown
Dancing in the night to the tunes so consuming
My surveying eyes alighted to watch
The beautiful flower in its wholeness
A rainbow shifting and fiddling
In the beautiful darkness
Honing the momentary soul

"Where have you been?"

I want to dance in the night again
With the beautiful flower
No mistaking of the hand of fate
That all shall once be done
With faith of life ours to take
Going towards the endless drone of ever

Seeing the yellow ball wake up in the horizon
Brightly and seductively walking its course
Carrying with it our treasured moments
Seeing clouds curl and race by
Knowing this truth, will never drift away
Seeing the same thing anew,
And hoping somehow to be assured and insured
I want this dance, always
Yes, Dancing in the night