Ignorance and Kwanzaa

It's that time of year again when Christmas decor line commercial streets, menorahs light up various homes, and every black person in America is wished "Happy Kwanzaa."

Today, I was one the lucky black folk to receive this holiday greeting from a random white woman. Granted she was trying to be nice, but she started off with happy holidays and then remixed to happy Kwanzaa. This was one of those moments in life it was best to keep it simple. I politely told her: "I don't celebrate Kwanzaa." In fact, I am a part of a large group of black people in America that do not celebrate this "contrived" holiday, as my colleague (who's black) called it, and she's pretty much hit the nail on the head.

Kwanzaa was conceived in the 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor at California State University, Long Beach, as a way to bring African-Americans together as one in the wake of the Watts riots. It's a combination of several different African traditions (the word Kwanzaa is Swahili for "first fruit") from various African cultures.

Despite the holiday having it's African roots, the holiday is NOT African. My mother told me her first experience with this holiday when she arrived in the United States nearly thirty years ago and  she said people would ask her how she celebrated Kwanzaa. She, being a feisty Nigerian, responded: "What nonsense is that?" People were shocked she didn't know and she was puzzled why people expected her to know. She later found out it was an African-American holiday that has various influences from many African cultures, which changed her response to, when she was later asked (and still asked to this day): "Do I sound African-American to you? Nonsense!"

Back to my colleague, who is African-American, told me she had never celebrated the holiday. In fact, it seems like the number of African-Americans that celebrate Kwanzaa is pretty small, even though there are no official stats.

Now, let's recap everything:

• Kwanzaa is a contrived holiday, meant for African-American unity.
• Kwanzaa is not an African holiday, even though it's influence comes from various African cultures.
• A large majority of African-Americans do not celebrate Kwanzaa.
• Do not ask a feisty Nigerian woman about Kwanzaa, because she'll treat you.

In addition, we know that not all black people in the United States are Christian or Afro-centric. The reason why the greeting "Happy Holidays" is used is to avoid sounding stupid, like the white woman who gave me the Kwanzaa greeting with the biggest smile. Even though she was well intentioned I'm sure, she sounded like an idiot. My mother always says, if you don't know something, it's better to just keep your mouth shut and let people think you're smart. This was, again, one of those moments. Happy holidays, everyone!

Nigeria Teams Up With China to LIFT OFF

China has been pretty involved in re-development and development projects in Africa for a while now, and on a very large scale. Yesterday, Spaceflight Now reported that Nigeria and China joined on another venture - space. No, as far as I know, no Nigerians will be floating thousands of miles above our atmosphere, but Nigeria definitely will be marking itself as Africa's leader in satellite communications and definitely pave the way for China to become the global leader in the space industry.

Reading this, I couldn't help but to reminisce my younger days as a coordinator for a traveling Vacation Bible School team.



The theme for this was hot air balloons, not spacecrafts, but for some reason, this song is going through my head (probably because it is forever ingrained and I still think of a rocket ship when I hear "lift off").

Tweets From Nigeria's News Desk

In the midst of Nigeria's National Assembly passing a bill that adds strengthens anti-homosexuality laws in Africa's most populous nation, reliable news source Nigeria's Newsdesk tweeted some rather interesting news bites:

"@NigeriaNewsdesk: Anyone who discriminates against HIV/AIDS persons in Cross River State is liable to three months’ imprisonment or option of fine."

Immediately after, they tweeted this:

"@NigeriaNewsdesk: The CNPP yesterday asked President Jonathan to heed the warning by former President Obasanjo against a possible mass revolt in the country."

This brings two things to mind. First, wouldn't this state law conflict with the new federal law? And three months for discriminating against someone with HIV/AIDS (usually assumed to be homosexual in Nigeria) yet a homosexual can receive up to 14 years in prison and is denied certain rights. There's a lot of things that conflict here.

Secondly, I don't think a mass revolt would occur from the formation of this law, since a sizable lot of Nigerians are in support of this bill and a minority is actively against it. However, this brings me back to some of the things I said in my last post about the priorities of Nigeria's government. This issue was put ahead of issues that have been chronic issues in the country for the past decade: a spotty electrical grid (shameful for one of the world's largest oil producers), poverty, health care and education. These are issues that the most attention should be focused on. Businesses and homes need a reliable supply of energy so they don't have to resort to using polluting generators, a unnecessary expense when there should be more than enough electricity for everyone. Nigeria has a vast shortage of doctors and nurses and a health care system that is still being reorganized. The educational system, especially in rural areas, is in shambles. Poverty levels have barely decreased since the beginning of the last decade. Strengthening homosexuality laws is not going to solve any of these problems. Maybe focusing on these important issues can actually avoid any kind of mass revolt.

Nigeria Anti-Gay (Marriage) Bill

I've been thinking about some of the issues I have with the fight for gay rights in most of sub-Saharan Africa, mainly it's approach from the West (or should I say the former colonizers).

There's a condescending nature of the West when they tell African nations: "We'll pull aid from countries that pass anti-gay legislation." The United Kingdom's Prime Minister David Cameron said something of a similar vein not to long ago.



Before I go into it, I do believe every minority group in every country should be treated and respected as a human, regardless if you are a racial, ethnic or sexual minority. More so, whoever you sleep with is only your business, as long as you're not having sex with them in public.

The part that bothers me most about this is not even the recent legislation being passed in Nigeria or some that may be passed in other countries, but the passive aggression coming from the West. "They're all on a journey and we want to help them get there," said David Cameron. But did you ASK these nations what is their journey and WHERE they would like to be? You assume that these nations want to be like the West? Many of them want to be African. If you listen to some of the homophobic rhetoric of these leader, despite their bases for the argument, they want to make sure their country has a strong African identity. Do I believe anti-homosexuality laws define an African identity? Hell no. But I also do not believe that African nations should be told aspire to be "Westernized."When you begin to realize African cultures are not backward and they need to be TAUGHT how to think, then maybe change can happen. African countries, based on all the resources they have are more than capable of making their countries work for them. Plus, many of their economies are doing better than many Western nations at the moment. Didn't Angola just offer it's former colonizer Portugal aid?

Now that we are in a post colonial and increasingly global society, the approach of these Western nations to anti-gay policies in Africa should not be "we won't give you money" but instead understanding how to approach the issue that would be effective in an African nation and not basing it on how things are done in West.

To be quite honest, African cultures are very active cultures, especially when it comes to politics. When Africans are angry, we are angry. That's why protesting almost always turns into bloodshed and militant groups form. Do I support this violence? No, not at all because in the end the statement is made at the cost of innocent lives. However, I understand where it is coming from - the mind.

In the United States, when laws are created to protect the rights of minority groups, it doesn't change the minds of people by any means, but because the culture is passive, little is done to challenge the laws which in turn changes HOW people discriminate against minority groups (for example, "white flight" from Northern US cities from the mid 1960s onward).

In South Africa, considered the most liberal African country, who have had laws to protect the LGBT community for around a decade now, corrective rape toward lesbians is still rampant, if not worse than before, DESPITE the laws to protect women from rape combined with the laws created to protect lesbians. In many African countries, people don't passively obey a law simply because it's in place. Instead, the laws will be completely ignored unless the mindset is changed.

If the greater society of an African nations believes homosexuality is sinful, they are not going to support any legislation that protects gay rights. However, if there is dialogue between groups, a compromise can be reached and a change in the mind can begin. It will be a slow process, but in the end, Africans from both sides of the aisle can live peacefully. After that, there's a much higher possibility of this kind of legislation being supported by the majority. This does not mean the West needs to interfere, but instead support dialogue when asked.

Long story short, when the need is there, they'll ask. The West needs to stop assuming Africa needs them. What Africa needs right now are more leaders who are more interested in their populations than their bank accounts.

Training Africa's Future Leaders

I saw this and thought about the program I help run, but this is at a far greater scale and goes beyond international boundaries, but, at it's core, the same goal.



This grassroot effort to change Africa as it is already changing, for the most part, for good, might help solidify the change and continue to make necessary improvements to put the continent at it's full potential. We'll have to wait for another decade or so to see the results, but I think this is in the right direction.

I'm Back...With A LOT of News

Hey all! I've been gone for a while because of all the madness associated with planning International Education Week and most recently Thanksgiving. Now that that's over, I can sit down and give some of my thoughts on recent events throughout the Black World:

Herman Cain - Oh my, where do I begin? The sole black presidential candidate for the Republican party is already in a scandal and the primaries haven't happened yet. Even though I am most likely not going to vote for him, I must say what he's in seems just another group of gold diggers trying to fill their pockets and maybe even discredit the sole black candidate for the Republican party. Overall, all the candidates so far seems like the biggest jokes. I'm surprised that the lot to choose from for this upcoming election, if you plan to vote for a Republican candidate are pretty much using those old and now laughable political tactics in hopes of gaining favor with the American public. Americans are a lot smarter than back in 2004, so I think all of these candidates need to take a seat a really become more engaged with the voters, not whose pockets they've placed their hands in.

Voting in the Democratic Republic of Congo - Many of us probably are praying that this election brings massive change to this war torn country that has been named as the rape capital of the world. But, as we noticed, change doesn't always come easy, and in the case of the DRC, it came with violence. Already, three people have been killed in voting violence - and that's just the canopy of the jungle. I simply don't get it. Why must voting have violence? If you like a certain candidate, don't for them - plain and simple. Why must you force others to not vote for them? Maybe I'm out of touch with this issue as much as the Republican candidates are with American voters...Otherwise, maybe things might be hopeful since just as powerful as the eruption in violence during the elections, volcanoes have propelled their lava into the air causing tourists from all over to stay over night to that lava glow. Sounds like an economic boost is in the DRC's near future...maybe a start to the end of bloodshed and the beginning of, well, lava-shed.

(Anti-) Same-Sex Marriage Bill in Nigeria - I was kind of annoyed to find this out this morning. Nigeria is one of the wealthiest and most powerful countries in Africa, yet nearly half of it's people are living in poverty, the public schools have gone from good to bad and electrical blackouts are commonplace (despite it being one of the top ten oil producers in the world). There are so many problems that are paramount to feed it's rapidly growing economy, but the government is focusing on strengthening it's already strict anti-homosexuality laws? To me (and I think to the majority of Nigerians) the priorities are obvious - focus on the development of the economy by creating jobs, improving education, and continue to improve the infrastructure. Afterward, maybe you focus on some of the social issues that are pretty much based on fear.

Question of the Week - Part 2: "Are there rich people in Africa?"

I'm a bit late posting this question, like two weeks late. This is from someone in Korea.

Question: Are there rich people in Africa?

Answer: Yes. Plenty. I know several Western news media tend to mostly show Africans in poverty (which there's a lot of that, too), but they also forget that several African countries are leaders in production of some resources we take for granted, like gold, diamonds, oil, to name a few. Of course, where is all this money going? Mainly to the African businesses owned by Africans, of course!

The wealthiest black person on the planet is Nigerian and lives in Nigeria. His name is Akilo Dangote, founder and owner of one of Africa's largest multinational conglomerates, Dangote Group. I mentioned him before on my blog in regard to solar energy in Africa, particularly in Angola, South Africa and Nigeria.

There's a list of the wealthiest Africans on TheRichest.org, and Akilo Dangote is, of course, at the top.

What Americans Can Learn From Tunisia

Yesterday marked the completion of the first national elections in Tunisia since it's independence in 1956 and since the uprising in January that that caused the leak to burst out as Arab Spring. Now Tunisians and many around the world are waiting for the results, which could take days since the turn out was so high.



The most inspiring about this election is not the election itself, but what led to it. People got angry and threw passivity out the window and took action (well, actually it started with one man in his 20s, which caused a domino effect around the Arab world and inspired others on the African continent).

Loosely similar are these Occupy protests happening throughout the US and in many Western nations, again the youth protesting oppression. I know many of these countries are not understand the standard of a dictatorship, but many of the occupiers believe corporations and the wealthy are controlling Western governments like dictators as the average Joe becomes broke Bob.


I'm not suggesting someone should set themselves on fire to show their distaste of corporate bailouts and the wealthiest 1% complaining about the thought of only them being taxed more, but instead they should keep protesting and other should join. Maybe we don't need to go out into the streets, but we all have many talents that can be used as our form of expression. I blog about these things, in hopes to inspire change. You may draw, video, dance - whatever!

It is about time that in United States we become less passive and more active about the issues facing us. We're in a democracy and we should act as such. Tunisia was under an oppressive dictatorship for several decades; we've been in a greedy democracy for just as long and many could argue even longer. Tunisians started a radical change in hopes of improving their lives and we should be doing the same.

The experience in Tunisia tells Americans that even the worse situation could be made better by being active. We're upset with high unemployment and the jobs that are disappearing and we continue to listen to what politicians are saying the cause of it is. I think it's time to seriously educate ourselves on what the cause is so we can move forward.

Documentary: When China Met Africa

Current TV's Vanguard has done a mini version of this, with a focus on China's involvement with Angola, now one of the world's fastest growing economies after nearly three decades of civil war. Now this look like a full blown coverage into China's deepened relationship with African nations to fuel both of their quickly growing economies. Take a look at the trailer.


When China Met Africa: Trailer from Speakit on Vimeo.

Click here for more on this fascinating documentary and showings. Special thanks to my friend Diana for sending me this news.

Question of the Week - Part 1: "Are there white people in Africa?"

Starting this week, and for as long as I receive questions, I think I need to answer commonly ask questions about Africa. If you have a question about Africa, send it to kevin.obomanu@gmail.com or tweet it to @theobomanu. I'll try to answer as many as I can, but I'll only answer one every Tuesday, and it will be one blog post for question. You can ask anonymously, if you'd like, just like the question for today came from someone in the Chicago suburbs.

Question: "Are there white people in Africa?"

Answer: Yes, and more than many think, based on how you define "white." According to the 2010 US Census, a white person would be anyone who has European, North African or Middle Eastern origins. What makes this definition a bit confusing for some is the borders of the Middle East (since it is a term coined by the West for the geo-cultural-political region that encompasses parts of Asia and Africa) are not definitive. Some groups believe the Middle East is all of the northern most African countries, but also including Sudan and Somalia, and all of the Asian countries going east from the Red Sea to Pakistan and as far north as Uzbekistan. Others believe the Middle East is simply Egypt in Africa then all of the nations on the Arabian Peninsula to no further north and east than Iran. If we were to agree the the borders are as wide as the first belief and with the2010 US Census, that would mean nearly a fourth of Africa's population is white, as in all North Africa and the white (of mainly European descent) populations in other African nations.

South Africa is mostly known for it's white people, thanks to it's horrible legacy of apartheid. However, white people are the minority in South Africa (about 80% of South Africa is black) and the rest is white, (east and south) Asian, and coloured (the South African term for someone of two or more races). However, since most of Africa was colonized by white Europeans and some descendants of the colonizers stayed in Africa for various reasons, white people are pretty much in every African country.

Even though I have answered the question, pretty much my answer also proves how race is simply a social construct. There's no definite answer for what race is, but whatever you consider a white person to be, they are in Africa.

The Gift of Sight in Namibia

Not too many people know much about this coastal south African country, a former protectorate of South Africa. It's one of the world's least dense countries and also has one of the highest rates of blindness by cataracts. A former fashion designer now Dr. Helen Ndume, noticed this dilemma and has worked tirelessly for those who once blind, to now see.



This story says a lot about an African nation, which are traditionally believed by the West as places that can't help themselves. Even despite the assistance that Dr. Ndume is receiving from NGOs, she was the one who conceived the idea and brought it to reality.

I feel any person that finds themselves needing to "help Africa" should first look at how Africans are helping themselves. Despite some of the hardships that fall upon some African nations, I have noticed that generally Africans are creative. For example, I remember reading about two men in Kenya who found a way to use their bicycles to charge their phones. A man in Nigeria found a way to solve the electric grid problem and the sanitation problem in Lagos - simultaneously. In fact, some argue that Westerners should even look at Africa for innovation.

All in all, Africans have been helping themselves for hundreds of years. even though many Western media group portray Africa as "desperate." I think many of us forget that the one of the world's first great civilizations was in Africa. Also, something that many around the world start their day with - coffee - is from Africa (Ethiopia, more specifically), too. I'll save my list of innovations from Africa for another blog post.

"Your cookie is free, black lady"

Coming into work and finding stuff to blog about has always been interesting. Now I have yet to comment about last week's sanctioned murder of Troy Davis, but this other issue definitely has my stomach growling (but not with hunger).

Yesterday, a college bake sale at University of California at Berkley made headlines across the great USA. Not because the cupcakes could compete with Chicago's famed cupcake store, Molly's Cupcakes (my favorite place to indulge in Chi-Town), but because all of the baked goods were priced based on the customer's race and gender. The highest price were for white males and the lowest were for black females. All other racial groups were somewhere in between and all women got a discount.Crazy, huh? Well, guess what student organization was behind this? The College Republicans (not a surprise). Their point: to show the affects of affirmative action.



I don't know how many times the purpose of affirmative action must be explained, but let's be real. I thought we all knew that affirmative action is in place because historically (and still currently) groups other than white males are frequently discriminated against. Affirmative action is in place to help those in marginalized groups (women, Blacks, Latinos, Asians) cross the divide to ensure a fair chance at an education. It does not mean that those within these groups get it easy but it means that they have to work just as hard as their white male applicants to get in instead of TWICE (or more) as hard.

More bothersome about this bake sale was not the bake sale itself, but the fact that among those who planned it were Asian and Latino. Simply put, they wouldn't have been able to JOIN any college organization because some of them may not have even been accepted if it wasn't for affirmative action. And all because you may be seen as superior to black folk does make you equal to white men.

I don't know if I have said this before or not, but I strongly believe those who have not come from generations of societal (and many cases, legal) disenfranchisement don't (or refuse to) understand why several of these laws have been created - to prevent history from repeating itself and to program those of who come from generations of bigotry to understand what their generations of the past have done and what they are doing now is disruptive to a productive, "post-racist" and culturally relative modern society. If you're a white man and you don't understand why that white woman, who attended a school equal in calibur to yours, scored exactly the same as you did on the ACT and the SAT, got in over you, let me break it down. She got in because YOU have a better opportunity to get into any school of your choice because no one will turn you down because of your race or gender. That white woman could be turned be turned down from several schools simply because of her gender, even in today's society. Why do you think Hilary Clinton is not president today, despite the fact that she's more qualified than Barack Obama? America is still conditioned to think that men are more capable than women, regardless of race.

All in all, I think the discounts are well deserved. Based on data collected by the National Committee of Pay Equity, white men earn the most out of everyone else.

Miss Universe 2011 Hails From Angola

Sorry, this is late, but I must put it out there: It's great that this Miss Universe is a dark and lovely Angolan! Despite how utterly shallow the Miss Universe pageant is, I think it always seems to bring interesting discourse in regard to beauty. I could go into the many aspects of beauty, but today, I'll focus on one.

I don't know if this pageant marks the acceptance of black is beautiful, but at least this year it kind of sends that message. I remember watching clips from an upcoming documentary titled Dark Girls, which focused on the beauty politics among black females and the standards they feel they need to live up to not only in the greater American society, but also within the African-American community. I think many women struggles to attain the social construct of beauty, and I think what carried Leila Lopes of Angola to where she is now is not necessarily her looks, but how she views herself.

Having the confidence that you look beautiful I think is something people can see, even beyond "imperfections." In essence, what has been said a thousand times already, beauty is skin deep and it really depends on how you see yourself to portray beauty.

Vibrate Like My Nokia by Kenyan Hip Hop Group Weusi Familia

Can anyone out there vibrate like a Nokia? Try it to this song by Weusi Familia.

But, You're Big, Too, Miss Surgeon General

Okay. I know I am a bit late on this, but I have been having a few issues with my laptop (and it's finally in the process of getting fixed). Speaking of fixing things, this morning, after a few days of trying a new shampoo and using my favorite leave in conditioner, my hair has been doing very wonderful things. As a black person, hair is very important to me, and when my hair is acting the way I would like it to act, that puts a smile on my face. Now if I were a black woman, it would be even more important, and when the U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin (a black woman) announced that relaxers (the black person's version of a perm, for some black women, their crack) are not good, I thought she must have a very intelligent reason other than what we do know (like how getting relaxers too often can lead to drastic to permanent hair loss or it's addictive quality, for example). This reason, however, I'm not too sure, but it begs for discourse.

According to an editorial in the Chicago Tribune, Dr. Benjamin believes that after a black woman spends $60 or more to get her hair relaxed, she is less eager to work out at the gym. Not that I disagree with what she's saying, since I know several black women who refuse to work out after a few weeks of getting a relaxer. Why? They don't want to wash out their silky straight hair after making a "critical" investment. Every woman, black, white, brown, et cetera, spends thousands of dollars on there hair within their lifetime, which shows how important it is to them. More so, out of all women, black women spend the most, making hair products for black women a $9 billion industry. But, what bothers me about Dr. Benjamin's statement is how SHE is overweight (sorry, I had to call her out on it).

I am glad she brought this to our attention, so then we can begin to use these "hair-friendly exercises" she's proposing, but I would love to see her spearhead it and do it herself. She should take the lead so every overweight woman (especially African-American ones) can get healthy. African-American women have the highest obesity rate in comparison to every other American female demographic group. These exercises, in combination with healthier eating and eating habits might just reduce this number, but, like I always say, this would happen if people actually do it. Not saying they should go from one unhealthy weight to another (as in too thin), but should reconsider their diets (and so should Ms. Benjamin).

World's Most Power Black Women (STUNNED Who Made The List)

Today I checked out Forbes' list of the world's most power black women. I was not surprised to see that Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey or Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's Finance Minister made the list. I was shocked, in fact floored, that recently announced pregnant Beyonce Knowles was on the list. Even more shocking (even though I am unsure that this list is a ranking), Beyonce was listed second to Mrs. Obama.

This is the first time I have disagreed with Forbes on a listing. Beyonce does not control a media empire. She does not do anything that could change the lives of millions. Her clothing line is like Juicy Couture, high quality and low taste, so she's not influential in the fashion world. Maybe she's influential in the music world, but that is where it ends. I am highly disappointed that in a league of black women who seriously make a difference in people's lives, an entertainer, with a small philanthropic resume, is included. Maybe when shaking that ass becomes paramount in feeding the hungry in the Horn of Africa and other parts of the world, then maybe would I agree with this list.

Blackface Mishap in Korea AGAIN?

It's one thing when you make a mistake once, but when you make the same mistake TWICE, that's a problem.

Like a growing but unknown number of black people across the world, I am fan of K-Pop. I don't know what it is that got me hooked, but when a song by Big Bang comes on or one of those cute Girls' Generation hits start making the speakers boom, it puts a smile on my heart and makes my booty do a little dance. But of course, it seems when there is anything good, there has to be something bad. In the case of the K-Pop world, that evil zombie created in antebellum America seems to show it's face (its blackface, which should have died in the 1950s).

For those of you that are not familiar with blackface, here is a classic example from a movie starring one of America's sweethearts, Judy Garland.



Blackface, as defined by Webster's dictionary as "makeup applied to a performer to play a black person, usually in a minstrel show." However, one thing that Webster's does not tell us is that most of the time this was done by someone who was usually a non-black to push a stereotype of a black person, and almost always it was negative and had racist overtones, further marginalizing blacks from mainstream society. Blackface minstrelsy was prominent for over 100 years in the United States and has critically damaged the image of black people globally and can even be blamed for the black self-hate theory. Black people across the world are still recovering from its legacy.

The first time I heard of this blackface mishap going in Korea was back in 2009 when BEAST member Lee KiKwang was in classic blackface makeup on a variety show and there were complaints on blogs (English language blogs as far as I know) from mainly black fans. Yes, I was one of the pissed, but also I was curious why this was thought to be funny. At this point, I had met several Koreans (many of them are my good friends today) and I had never gotten a racist vibe from them, so assumed maybe Koreans thought that was cute. Then I went to Korea, worked on a documentary (coming soon) and learned that the views of black people vary, but there is general consensus pushed by the media images they get from the United States and other Western countries, which is not a very good image. I also considered the homogeneity of Korea, and, in general, when you seldom see any other race or ethnic group, you are ignorant of that group. Then, only a few days ago, a similar incident arises with Super Junior.

Despite the ignorance to to the lack of diversity in Korea and blackface is arguably a thing of America's past, why is it in Korea's present? South Korea is a highly developed nation with probably one of the world's most rigorous educational systems. So, how can a group of educated people be so ignorant, especially with the Internet being right at their finger tips? Well, there are two types of education that I feel a person needs to be successful on this planet: a formal academic education and a world education. The latter is a the type of education that no school can teach. An academic education is paramount to help one understand the world, but a world education helps you apply what you have learned in a formal educational setting. Both go hand and hand, especially considering how our world is "shrinking" and the economy is becoming more global, it's more important than ever to have both.

Sadly, from my interviews while I was in Korea, I noticed time and time again the most ignorant were the ones that had not left Korea and most of them were 40 or older. Many of people in their 20s and 30s, however, either have been outside of Korea or were planning on traveling to another country. Now, don't get me wrong, Koreans are extremely welcoming to foreigners, especially to me. I felt like a celebrity the whole time I was there because I was treated as such, but there was definitely a lot of ignorance about black people and if I was an extremely aggressive and easily offended person, things would have been different. Luckily, like I try to do any time I'm not in the United States, I arrived in Korea with an open mind.

Back to this recent blackface incident in Korea, most likely most of the blame does not go to Shindong, just like the incident with Kikwang; fingers can be pointed at their managers and producers, who are usually in their 40s. As in a lot of popular music today, the performer is pretty much does what their managers and producers tell them to do, or they could lose their job (and we all know that a paycheck is important). However, the performer and the producers have the responsibility to be ethical, especially in media. Whatever the reasoning was, even if it was an homage to black folks (because there are Koreans that I met that are obsessed with black people), it is still a caricature of a black person by someone who is not black and when something like that is done in a homogeneous society, it perpetuates a generalized image of an entire group of people that is far from true for every individual in that group. It legitimizes and preconceived distinctions between Koreans and blacks people and hinders successful intercultural communication.

So, should it have happened TWICE? NO! Koreans are not stupid people (well, I met a few that were, but there are dumb people in every society). If one K-Pop celeb does something that causes an uproar with your international fans, you should know not to do. And if you don't know why, RESEARCH why. As a producer, that is what you are supposed to do - keep the wrong type of press from your product. And if you are not doing that, you are failing at your job. Since Korea's government is pushing multicultural education, this is one thing that needs to be considered.

Meet Liberian PepeSoup

I don't know what it about this song, but I'm totally feelin' it! Check this out from Liberia.

Meet Mozambican Artist Lizha James

I'm beginning I just have a thing for Portuguese-speaking Africans, LOL. Check this song out by Lizha James, one of the biggest artists in Mozambique.

Oh, Mississippi...

Another tragedy in Mississippi - and I'm not talking about a hurricane.

Some people like to believe that racism is a thing of the past, but despite the United States having a black president, racism is still very alive and in this case it was nowhere near subtle. Take a look at this video from CNN.

I've said this from the moment Barack Obama was elected - racism did not die simply because a black man was elected. In fact, I strongly believe many non-blacks voted for him because they did not want to be tagged as "racist." His election even brought the talk of race to the forefront, and rekindled that old American tradition of hate. Some even say the Teabaggers have a racist agenda.

Granted that this situation took place in Mississippi, which is still notorious for racial issues. However, there have been several incidents throughout the US. In school in California suspended students for forming a white supremacy group; President Barack Obama was likened to a tar-baby just last week; and in Seattle, someone was apprehended for attempting to bomb an MLK parade. These are just a few of the incidents that have happened this year.

If anyone tells you that racism in America is dead, tell them they are living in a fairy tale. It is not dead, maybe different from the horror stories prior to the Civil Right Movement, but if you look around, a lot of the madness from that era seems to show it's ugly face from time to time.

A Royal Nigerian Wedding

Seeing someone who's not Nigerian in Nigerian clothing is always cool to me. Another reason why I love CNN's Christian Purefoy. Check this out.

Another Accolade for Lagos, But Who Knows About This?

Lagos, Africa's second largest metropolis has been experiencing a lot of good press in the past decade. Reports show the city of 15 million is successfully facing African urban challenges (for example, traffic and cleanliness has dramatically improved over the past few years, due to rigorous improvements in public transportation and smart environmental schemes). The city, already popular for it's booming entertainment industry, is becoming better known for world-class urban feats, primarily Eko Atlantic, the reclamation project off the coast of the exclusive upscale neighborhood, Victoria Island. Most importantly, the Lagos State government has been successful in collecting taxes to fund statewide projects. Today, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola's accomplishments were highly noted by Nigeria's federal government, according to the governor's website.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Muhammed, is touring Lagos today along with Minister of Transport, Idris Umar, in hopes to make similar improvements on a national level and continued work in Abuja. The best part is when Muhammed congratulated Fashola on his improvements in Lagos and how it shows that "Nigeria is working."

Similar success stories have been going on in several other African nations, Rwanda being a great example. Lately, we've been hearing about the disaster in Somalia (which I have yet to address). My biggest problem at the moment is African success stories seemed to get little press and African problems, like the one in Somalia, seem to be at the top of the news. Not the the famine in Somalia shouldn't be addressed (it's a very serious and complex issue), but I wonder what happened to balance in our news coverage (some may argue it was never there)?

I have said this many times before, but the reason why many people have this negative and very one-sided stereotype of Africa (Africa is a poor and devestated NATION) is because there are usually ONLY reports of the continent's problems. Yes, the famine in Somalia is horrible, but look at Ghana and Rwanda and Nigeria and Botswana - these are just some countries that have been having positive change in the last decade. Tell me how often you've heard about any of these positive changes.

Using This Man's Toilet Could Cost You Jail Time

This is a little late, but apparently President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe doesn't like folk using his toilet. In fact, he was so irritated with Detective Alois Mabhunu relieving himself at a toilet designated for the president back in June that the homicide detective served a 10-day sentence in jail. This definitely brings a new meaning to the old saying: "Be careful where you [defecate]."

To be honest, I am tired of Robert Mugabe's tyranny in Zimbabwe. Someone using your toilet should be the least of your worries when more than half of the population is living below the poverty line and unemployed and the country's economy is nothing compared to it's neighbor Botswana and several other African nations. He needs to focus on the prosperity of Zimbabwe and it's people, not who decides to pee or poo in his toilet. I think Zimbabweans should attempt a Tunisian-style revolt, and there have been a few so far. I'm sorry, this may be crazy to some, but Mugabe has been the president for over two decades and change has been for the worst since.

Nollywood is Online (duh!)

Apparently, as much as love CNN International's Christian Purefoy for his coverage of Nigeria, he is kinda late on this.

This week in African Voices, Nollywood's online presence is the focus. In fact, the focus on the YouTube channel, Nollywood Love, which has hundreds of Nollywood titles for peeps to watch - FOR FREE.

One of my friends got me hooked on Nollywood Love a few months ago when I was taking care of business in Korea. Seriously, this is a treasure for any person of the African diaspora and another simple way for non-Africans to take a look into the continent (and, of course, the world's second largest film industry).

And, for readers of this post, if you can name the Nollywood actress spotted WORKING in this edition of African Voices (watch all three parts), I have THREE Nollywood DVDs to give away to the ONE person that gets the answer right (after random selection if there are several with the right answer)! To enter, follow me on Twitter (@theobomanu) then comment on this post like so:

Answer

Your Name

Twitter ID

City, Country

The three I have all have good stories and one is hard to find online and even in typical African stores. I think anyone will enjoy all of them! The winner will be announced at the end of August! Good Luck!

Obama is a "Tar Baby"

Wow. Seriously some of these politicians have taken us all back to a time when the divide between people because of your skin color was thought as normal and unchangeable. Either that or it proves not much has changed.

Rep. Doug Lamborn likened Obama to a "tar baby" on a KKZN-AM760 radio show last Friday. For some of you that don't know the meaning or significance of this word, let me break it down:

The term "tar baby" actually comes from the tale of Be'er Rabbit, in which he makes a doll out of tar to to trap Be'er Fox. However, according to TIME magazine, the term seemed to develop it's racist meaning in John Updike's Coup (even though I believe it was used earlier than that), where he wrote about a white woman who vies for the company of black men. If you don't get it now, it is pretty much is associating a black person to tar. Oh, that's cute.

Now, I can excuse John McCain and Mitt Romney for their use of the term, since in context it referred to a sticky situation, but Lamborn crossed the line. He seriously stepped over to the side that I call the contemporary white person's taboo - being labelled a racist. Oh, well. He should have thought before he spoke. Now he needs to come up with an apology. It's been a few days already. America's waiting.

Nigeria, Angola and South Africa Should Invest in Solar Power

Nigeria, Angola and South Africa are three of the most prosperous countries in Africa. Nigeria and South Africa are the most influential not only throughout the continent, but increasingly in the world. If these two countries begin to focus more on green energy alternatives, not only will they fuel their economies, but they will be Africa's green leaders. If Angola follows suit, it could potentially be in the top 5 of Africa's largest economies and people could even move out of poverty at rates like those in China and Brazil.

An obvious resource, Africa receives a lot of solar energy throughout most of the year. In fact, North Africa alone receives so much that it is estimated that there's more than enough to provide electricity not only for the region, but also for neighboring Europe and the Middle East. Imagine the potential of other African nations combined. Furthermore, it is a clean and renewable resource, which translates to less pollution (which means fewer people being sick) and poverty reduction. It can also be used on a small scale to power remote towns and villages, as is being done in several African countries now.

Let's look at Nigeria first. Nigeria is currently Africa's largest oil producer and it's third largest economy (maybe the second, since Egypt still has a lot of stability issues at the moment). Also, Nigeria is still plagued with infrastructural issues, the main complaint being it's electrical grid. If a Nigerian invests in this (especially if it is the world's richest black man, Akilo Dangote, owner and founder of Dangote Group, West Africa's largest conglomerate), the money to be made would be incredible and the jobs created would be astounding. On top of that, the energy provided would affect every aspect of business and raise the living standards (Nigeria has one of the highest in Africa). For immediate solutions, Nigerian governments on the state or even federal level could give incentives to businesses and developers that invest in solar energy. What Nigerian would not want to wave good-bye to their loud, smokey generator? I know the businesses would be more than happy. Mr. Dangote, I seriously think this should be your next endeavor. You will not only make a great investment for yourself, but also for you country in one of the best ways.

Angola, which has experienced astronomical growth since it's nearly three decade civil war has ended in 2002, is quickly becoming an African powerhouse - and the world has taken notice. It's global notoriety has even made it's capital and largest city Luanda the world's most expensive for expatriates. However, Angola currently has one of the widest income gaps in Africa, and most of it's poverty is in the rural areas. Investment in small to medium scale solar energy projects, especial in remote areas, would close the income gap and even quicken the pace of developing schools, hospitals and other public facilities that have been closed or destroyed during the war. All of these things are necessary for continued economic growth and to raise the standard of living and Angola is currently relying on their oil wealth.

Finally, we have South Africa, Africa's largest economy and sometimes even considered with the BRIC. South Africa has not been have infrastructural problems or a dire public service problem like Nigeria and Angola respectively, but they are going to have a severe environmental problem if they don't stop investing in coal plants. Last year, the World Bank contributed nearly $3.75 billion to South Africa to construct these toxic factories in an effort to avoid a power shortage. Seriously, that is one of the worst excuses I've heard. We know a power shortage is looming, but resorting to the dirtiest option will simply cause more problems and only prevent one.

Despite each country's unique problems, there is one problem each country has: lack of human capital. Most importantly, for any economy to grow, it needs human capital. If there is not enough power, there's no way to train the people needed to fuel the economy. If people are suffering disease due to the pollutants from a coal plant or from mining coal, that would mean less people able to work. If homes are without electricity, how will these workers store food and how will their children do their homework? A common saying in Nigeria is "charity begins at home." If you're not doing well at home, how will be able to do well at work. Investing in solar energy does more than keep the lights on. It's a lucrative business investment that can last a lifetime with little to no harm to the environment and the people.

Dirty Socks Mosquito Box to Compliment Mosquito Net

Africans are seriously some great people. Of course, we commonly hear about their contributions to the arts and entertainment, but what about their contributions to science and the well-being of mankind? Well, folks, here is one example of a man who has invented the mosquito box, a box that attracts and kills mosquitoes in open air in hopes to reduce the spread of malaria, and endemic in tropical climates like many African countries. His name? Fredros Okumu, a scientific researcher at the Tanzanian Ifakara Health Institute.

Some new readers may be shocked that there's a research facility in an African country. Some of them may not have even heard of Tanzania. Well, guess what? There's a wealth of researchers in Africa and many of them are African, who have schooled either in Africa or abroad (I did talk about a possible reversal of Africa's "brain drain" a while back).

Back to this box, according to CNN International, mosquitoes are attracted to the scent of human sweat. The box uses the smell of human feet (eww, gross) which is blown out of the box by a solar-powered fan that lures the pests. The viral insects enter the box, get comfortable, and are killed by the poison inside. Okumu also says that mosquitoes adapt quickly. I wonder if they will catch on to this and avoid the humans all together because the smell of human sweat. We'll see.

Africa on New York's Runway

Over a week ago was the fabulous (yes, I did use that word) Africa Fashion Week in New York. This annual event was directed and created by Nigerian-born fashion entrepreneur and owner of the fashion agency Adiree, Adiat Disu. Hopefully, by the end of the week I will have a review of this fashion presentation, from a guest blogger. Meanwhile, I'm going to do two things: feature one of the designers that were present and put in my commentary (of course).

The designer I would like to feature (which had one of the few, if not the only, line for males) is South African Stiaan Louw. My favorite attribute about his clothing is you can see the influences of traditional attire from various cultures across the continent, yet it has a modern and forward vibe. I can see a bit of Nigeria, and a bit a of Egypt and of bit of Sudan and of course South Africa in many of the pieces. The colors are brilliantly muted, giving the lyrical drapery of the garments sense of masculinity. Finally, it LACKS prints, which seem to be the standard when one thinks of African clothing. The pictured outfit is one I'm considering for inspiration for my style (it's from Joburg Fashion Week 2011).

What do I think about Africa Fashion Week in New York? Well, I think it is brilliant. It is one of the BEST ways to bring the talent of Africa to the Western world (especially the United States, since the views of Africa are still very narrow/one-sided). Having a taste of Africa in your own country ends the excuse: "Oh, I can't learn about Africa because it is too far/I don't have the money/I don't have the time." There are things that relate to each person in this nation that have a taste of Africa in it. If you like spicy food, go to a West African restaurant. If you love fashion, go to Africa Fashion Week. If you like to dance, go a to community center and see if they offer an African dance class. If you're in business, check out the stock markets in Nigeria, Angola, Ghana, South Africa, any African nation. If you're bored and online, Google or Wikipedia an African nation (or even read some of the posts on my blog). Whatever it is you like to do, it's in Africa, just like it is in the United States, South Korea, the UK - anywhere. You just have to open your mind and get out of your damn box (yes, I said it). Stop making excuses and do it!

Push By Becca

I don't know what it is about this Ghanaian artist, but she's HOT. Check out her song "Push" featuring Trigmatic and King Ayisoba and some Ghanaian celebs.

Andrea Lewis Goes IN on Racists

Ex-Degrassi star Andrea Lewis and her girl go in on racists on YouTube. Racists on YouTube are hella annoying, no lie. Despite the silliness of this video, they do pose a question that I'm sure many have asked: "Why would you need to post your racist comments on YouTube?"

The Next African Hollywood Star Reality TV Show

I don't have a problem with this, apparently this is a scam, according to the president of the Actors' Guild of Nigeria, Segun Arinze. What do you think?

If this is not a scam, I could see the potential problem some people might have...as in taking the good actors away from Nollywood/Ghollywood, but I see this more as an opportunity to market the world's second largest film industry, based on movies produced, to the United States. Of course, I totally support anything that could potentially make Americans more globally aware.

Luanda is the World's Most Expensive City?

Yes, it's true. According to the Mercer cost of living survey, Luanda, Angola's capital and one of the fastest growing cities in the world has made it's mark as the world's most expensive city. If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time that an African city has made this list (not saying that African cities are cheap to live in, because many are not). Second to Luanda is Tokyo and third is N'Djamena, the capital of another African nation, Chad. Check out this report from CNN International.

How did a city of an emerging economy, after just shy of a decade of an end to one of the world's longest civil wars become so expensive to call home? Well, Angola is in the top five in regard to being a major oil producer in Africa, causing people from all around the world to invest. Then add in China's massive involvement in redeveloping the infrastructure causing even more expats in need of housing at an international standard. Angolans are becoming wealthier, people moving in to Angola have money, and real estate and commodities of an international standard are currently scarce. Of course, this drives prices WAY up. Despite the fact that Chinese workers are constructing everything at an fast pace, the pace is still not fast enough for this rapidly growing economy.

Now as for N'Djamena, I don't fully understand how it got to be number 3, but I can guess because of the lack of infrastructure and that it is in a landlocked country, getting anything of a international standard is beyond difficult (Angola has ports, roads, railroads and overall far better infrastructure, even though it's currently being redeveloped). Someone might have to explain this to me. Please?

People in Soweto GETTIN' IT

Just watch this video from CNN International and tell me if you can keep up with the pace. I know I'll need to practice.

I'm already thinking of playing Shangaan electro at a party. And the producer behind it, Richard Hlungwani, seems to be having too much fun with his job. I tried really hard not to laugh or shake it. Anyone want to start a dance crew?

Kenya Airways Expands Service Across Continent

Sub-Saharan Africa's largest airline is spreading it's wings to be one the first to have more flights across the continent. Maybe this would start lowering the prices for international travel within Africa? Check out this video from CNN International.

Meet Angolan Singer Bruna Tatiana

I've been listening to more and more of music from Angola, arguably Africa's fastest growing economy. Check out this video from Bruna Tatiana (and she's nice to check out, too).

Men in Love

I don't even know where to begin with this movie. (Literally, after I typed that last sentence, I unconsciously sighed.) Men in Love is a Nollywood film starring Tonto Dikeh and John Dumelo, two famous actors in West Africa. This movie, though...

Okay, I guess I'll simply break this movie down in the easiest terms:

1. Man cheats on wife with a ton of women.
2. Wife catches him with his secretary and whoops her ass, then threatens to leave her husband.
3. Man stops cheating and he and his wife have make-up sex; everything's cool.
4. Man meets old friend.
5. Old friend invites man to dinner; old friend reveals he's gay and in love with man.
6. Old friend drugs man at a party then rapes man.
7. Man wakes up knowing he was raped and pissed, but doesn't know he's been "charmed" by the old friend.
8. Man cheats on his wife with old friend; wife catches them having sex.
9. Wife discovers man has been charmed after praying/crying at a church for 5 days via divine revelation from the pastor's wife.
10. Pastor's wife has a prayer vigil and the charm is lifted from man.
11. Wife and man live happily ever after.

Can you see my problem with this movie? If not, maybe you need to watch it yourself (there are two parts).

I found this movie entertaining, but there are two things that I just feel I need to discuss. On one had I have the spiritual aspect (no Nollywood movie would be complete without some diabolical ploy being extinguished.) On the other hand, I had this portrayal of homosexuality, which has it's negative overtone (which I have discussed how this is taboo in many black communities before).

This spiritual battle, if you will, is interesting. I knew the old friend (Alex) used some kind of evil magic based on this one thing: no one (gay, straight, bi, smart or stupid) would EVER fall in love with their rapist. Period. That was a dead giveaway. If you were a rape victim and you knew your rapist would you fall in love with your rapist? I think not.

Now, the homosexuality message is worrisome. Even though I think this is the first time I think I have seen two straight men act gay well in Nollywood movie, the message about homosexuality is worrisome - and I am not talking about the overt message that it is a sin. The part that bothers me is it has the undertones of the reasons to support the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda, a bill that still sits in Ugandan parliament, waiting to be passed or vetoed due to international intervention. This movie seems to say homosexuals are rapists, use black magic and cannot control their lusts, even though the movie really showed a diversity of gay men.

Since Nollywood is not only Africa's largest movie industry but the second largest in the world based on the amount of movie produced, this message can and will (if not already) reach Uganda and can be used (if not already) by the bill's supporters. Now if this movie is used as a tool to cause the death of thousands of Ugandans, the producers would have some bloody hands to wash.

Before anybody starts to say something crazy, let me tell you I do not support ANYONE being forced to do something against their will. Period. Rape is forcing someone to have sex. I do not support rape under any circumstance; there's no justification for it.

Anyway, regardless of what you may think of homosexuality, there are two things we can all agree on: murder is murder and ignorance can lead to hate.

Back from Korea

Even though I have been back for exactly 2 weeks to the minute, I would like to finally announce I am back from one of the most intellectually enriching experiences of my life.

I have talked about the benefit of studying abroad before in detail, but I feel as if I should touch on it again. I have been to several countries and a total of 5 continents, and I plan to go to more countries with in the next few years. I've me people from over 100 countries in and outside of the United States and I feel I have become more globally aware.

This world is increasingly becoming smaller, which makes the knowledge of the world outside of your community more valuable and vital. Jobs are becoming exports. More and more companies are becoming international, having offices in several countries. Most of all, the Internet is connecting people thousands of miles apart. Ignorance is becoming (if not already in some places) the new taboo.

In Korea, and many of you have read my posts, I encountered a lot of ignorant people, especially when it came to being a black man. Yes, the vast majority of people in Korea are ethnically Korean, and the ignorance most of the time does not come a from racist place, but simply lack of knowledge and experience. One person I met, who was fascinated with African-American culture, especially that of the mid-twentieth century and earlier, stated he was not ignorant because he had educated himself via travel. He's been to Canada and France and had many experience with black people.

I don't think simple experiences is not only it, but the willingness to arrive at a new place with an open mind is key. I think the reason why my experience in Korea was mostly positive was because most of the Koreans I met where genuinely open minded and curious. Of course they had their assumptions, but those changed as they learned more. In the US, especially with people who are non-Black, more than half of the time they seem to be stuck in a certain way of thinking instead of allowing mental fluidity. The dude in Korea went to these countries with and open mind, expecting anything and nothing - the best way to have a fulfilling experience and the way I approached Korea and my travels in Brazil.

I suggest all of you to travel to another country, especially one that you perceive or assume is greatly different from yours. Go with an open mind and you may even discover there are things better, worse, or even similar to your home country. And don't let money be an issue. There are several ways to travel within even the tightest budgets. It just takes creativity and the right connections to make it happen.

Birth of a Nation

Unlike the overtly racist film from the turn of the 20th century, as of yesterday we can celebrate the formation of the world's newest country, South Sudan. I say this as a digest my freshly finished coffee, which could possibly come from this new nation in the next decade or so.

The creation of this country came from a referendum in January that was overwhelmingly voted for by over 90% of the people of then southern Sudan, based on years of bloodshed and millions of lives lost. The hope is to bring peace to this region. Check out this video from CNN International.

Now, this new country faces several problems. It has emerged as one of the poorest nations in Africa and has very little infrastructure and a high mortality rate. It's economic potential is great, but only with prudent fiscal management and a lack of corruption. Plus, there is oil, but much of that is on the new border, in which disputes still exist.

I'm really excited to see how South Sudan will be a year from now. I hope when I am sipping my coffee then, I can proudly say that its from a peaceful and successful South Sudan. Or even better, I'm in a quaint coffee shop in Juba, South Sudan's capital.

Meet Kenyan Musician Stella Mwangi

This catchy song song "Lookie Lookie" by Kenyan musician Stella Mwangi should be played in the clubs, don't you think? And doesn't sound like Nicki Minaj, just a little?

What's Up Africa

Seriously, I'm in love with this vlog by Amsterdam-based journalist and producer, Ikenna Azuike. In usually less than 5 minutes, Ikenna gives the low down on entertainment and news in Africa and it's diaspora and some current African fun facts (along with a bit of his goofiness). Check it out!

My favorite thing about this weekly vlog is that it shows, despite the popularly chanted stories of extreme poverty, corruption, and AIDS/HIV, that Africans are definitely far more. Ikenna's vlog is as colorful and diverse as the African continent - and that says a LOT. Plus, as one of my friends commented, he's also easy on the eyes...

Nigeria's Disappointment

Many great things have happened in Nigeria over the past decade. Nigeria has seen steady economic growth (it's now a middle-income economy), a lot of new development, steady repair and replacement of infrastructure, the gradual clean up of political corruption, and an evident (but slow) growth/return of the middle class. But there is one big problem - education.

Nigeria's educational system has gone from being great immediately after independence to one of the worst in Africa, despite it being the third largest economy in Africa and the continent's largest oil producer. Investors main concern is human capital; well-educated middle income Nigerians seem to leave for Europe or North America and those who are poor are left with below substandard educational facilities and teachers. This video from CNN International shows the importance of education for continued and stabilized economic growth and compares African economies.

With all the money pouring into Nigeria thanks to it's oil wealth, fixing it's educational infrastructure should be a breeze, especially since places like Rwanda have no natural resources and yet is rebuilding itself quickly and it's economy is growing.

Misplacing Sovereign States

"All these problems going on in Africa. First Sudan, then Egypt, now Syria." Can someone tell me what's wrong with this sentence? There are several things, but one problems stands out more than the others. We'll the discuss the most obvious later, but I will like to get into the deeper meaning first.

It's interesting how people misplace countries and yet sound as if they know what they are talking about. This made me wonder if people misplace countries because they assume certain continents have more problems than others because they do not view their media critically. Most of the time, what we read, watch, or listen to in regard to any place is only the tip of the iceberg. All because a country is going through issues does not mean that it is in Africa. And all because a country is doing well does not mean it is in North America or Europe.

Problems of all sorts exists EVERYWHERE on our planet. In some places they may be more severe than others, but it also does not mean a place does not have it's triumphs. I don't know if I sound like a broken record yet, but Africa has many problems, but many great things going on, too. Many African economies are experiencing rapid growth, growing middle classes, and construction booms. Yet, there is still political turmoil in several countries, extreme poverty, and extreme cases of corruption. Similar problems/triumphs exist and have existed in Asia, South America, North America and Europe (notice how I stated the five major continents).

I think I am past the point that I am tired of ignorant comments. Of course, one is not expected to know everything, but we should all have the brain NOT to say something we're not sure of. In addition, basic knowledge of our world is essential, considering how global our society is becoming.

Back to my question at the beginning of this post, if you guessed what's wrong, then you are one of the few people that passed their geography class. If you are still trying to figure it out, this post is just for you. Dedicate more time to understanding the world around you.

Rich Man in Rwanda Makes Things Better for Other Rwandans

I am in love with a lot of the things that have been going on in Rwanda lately. First I heard about one of their green initiatives to keep their capital Kagali clean, which brings Rwandans together, despite ethnic differences while making Kagali one of the cleanest urban cities in Africa. Then, I heard about their new strategy for foreign investment, which makes it far easier to do business (in fact, maybe even the easiest place to do business in Africa). Now there's this from CNN International.

I am seriously becoming more and more impressed with Rwanda's urgency to pull itself away from that horrible legacy from nearly a decade ago. I think if things keep going like this, Rwanda is on it's way to becoming of Africa's leading economies and maybe even one of the first in Sub-Saharan Africa to eradicate extreme poverty.

South Africa Welcomes Wal-Mart?

This is intriguing. Wal-Mart in South Africa. In fact, they are buying up a company that has stores throughout the African continent. The bid by South African company Massmart has been cleared by South African authorities and it looks like Wal-Mart is moving in, but not without a fight. With all this economic growth going on all over Africa, Wal-Mart's presence could bring other foreign retailers to the continent or prevent African discount stores from prospering, hurting the economy? Plus, there's the worry of how employees will be treated, as many know how infamous Wal-Mart is for that, and the effect Wal-Mart has had on mom-and-pop stores in small towns.

I'm looking at this conversation on BBC News' website. Some people have some interesting insight. What do you all think about this international business move?

China's Double-Edged Economic Sword

Since in the US it is still Africa Day and the UN is using the day to promote awareness of Africa and it's economic growth, I thought this video from CNN International is rather fitting.

In short, this makes me think of China's economic involvement in almost every African nations, a much bigger impact than many European countries and the US at the moment. During one of my interviews for my upcoming documentary on the Korean perceptions of Africa, Africans and African-Americans, one person stated, while watching an episode of Current TV's Vanguard titled "Chinatown, Africa," that China's involvement is making Africa better. This video questions the price. If South Africans are at risk of losing their jobs (and they live in Africa's strongest economy), doesn't that widen the gap between the rich and the poor and lead to future economic problems?

Already, many African countries are faced with this extreme gap between the wealthy and the impoverished and are working to close it. Could China's "it's strictly business" policy in Africa further expand this gap? Or is it really helping?

The Next Global Music Wave?

Nigerian music is already widely popular in Africa, but since major Nigerian artist Dare (pronounced DA-RAY) has his sights outside of the continent, maybe Nigerian music will be the next understated music wave (like Korean Pop, which is popular on every inhabited continent, but it's not something you'd here in mainstream media).

I'm not just saying this because of Dare's thirst for international fame, but because there is another popular Nigerian artist who has been recognized by a famous hip-hop icon. Check out the video.

Some critics mark this collaboration as a new beginning and a new sound for Nigerian Pop. D'Banj has been featured on BET and even the Nigerian duo P. Square have been interviewed by Wendy Williams (how you doin'?). What do you think? Is this the beginning of a new wave?

Africa's Middle Class

Several times, I have written about Africa's up and coming middle class (or in some cases returning middle class, since many who are in middle class have relocated to Europe or North America). Since many African nations have seen significant growth in their middle class sector, places to cater to this group are sprouting all over, like malls, fast food restaurants, and classier bars. Here's an example in Nairobi, from CNN International.



Now, don't get me wrong. Many of these places have been in Africa for a long time, but some have fallen to decay or completely closed due to many African nations losing their middle class to political unrest. However, some have survived and are seeing a new or returning class and more of these places that mark the existence of a middle class are popping up.

Aside from commercial venues, certain industries that define an upper middle class are booming as well. One in particular is cosmetic plastic surgery. I just read an article about plastic surgery in Kenya (currently there are five plastic surgeons in Nairobi). What is most interesting to me is not that there are plastic surgeons in Kenya, but that they schooled in UK or North America then returned seeing that there is a market for plastic surgery (usually they school there and stay there). On top of that, some are even teaching plastic surgery at the University of Nairobi.

Cosmetic plastic surgery is no only booming in Kenya, but in Nigeria (despite it's conservative culture), South Africa, and Ghana (but more so for medical tourists than Ghanaians). Maybe this may mark the end of Africa's "brain drain?" It might be too premature to say that, since it doesn't look like Africa's middle class is returning in troves currently, but with all this new and returning developing, definitely a new middle class is emerging.