More Africans – and Afrophiles – on Live8

Imnakoya, a Nigerian living in Minnesota and blogging at Grandiose Parlor wishes fellow African bloggers would seize the opporunities presented by Live8:

“…many Africans are not in unison on this matter either- critisicm abound over the Blogoshere among African bloggers, and this is fine. However, Live8 will generate a more positive impact if we, Africans, focus on the positive energy generated by the concert. It is really easy to be arm-chair critics…”

In a comment, Owukori (Sokari Ekine of Black Looks) objects to being termed an arm-chair critic.

Imnakoya is not naïve in his optimism, noting in an earlier blog post titled “Live8: Where are my African Bretheren?“:

By nature I’m an overly optimistic being, and I’m most appreciative of the good intents of Bono, Geldof and other kindred spirits that have been clamoring for debt cancellation for Africa. However, I have some difficulty psyching myself up to believe that this festival of music in far away lands and cultures will have any meaningful impact on the lives of my fellow African brethrens. No offence please.

Brian, a former Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea Conakry and confirmed Afrophile, has an excellent responseon his Black Star Journal to a post I wrote on my personal blog about Live8. Sharing some of my concerns, Brian thinks I miss the value of celebrity participation in bringing critical issues to the attention of the general public:

I remember back when Princess Diana got involved in the landmine question. I wondered how those ordinary activists felt. They worked on the issue for years to little effect but then this fancy royal flies in and suddenly it's the cause célèbre du jour.

But on the other hand, at the end of the day, the Ottawa treaty banning landmines was signed. Most countries (not including the US) do not use landmines anymore. Is it really important who gets credit? As an activist, is it about you or the cause? Do you think any anti-landmine activist would say, “I think we should revoke the Ottawa treaty because it wouldn't have passed without star power”? I hope not. If so, they are not real activists.

If you're an African or Afrophile , please let us know so we can continue rounding up these posts.

5 comments

  • […] ively on Lawrence Lessig’s recent visit to Santiago, Chile [es]. While attention on Live8 [en] seems to so far be focused mostly on Africa, the Chilean blog Libardo Buitrago remind […]

  • Globalization & Neo-Colonialism
    !!WAKE UP!!

    Please review your comment before posting …

    HOW CAN THE FUTURE BE SO PRIMATIVE?

    Here we are in the Twentieth Century helplessly watching yet another Human Culture be “Oppressed” by a “White Suppremest Imperialistic Power”. Who’s country is the opposite of independant and who’s Rich illustirous lifestile is nothing more than the “Spoils of War” A Nation that FORCES its POLITICAL GOALS upon another society through MILITARY POWER is called an Empire. And when its POLITICAL GOALS are RACIALY and FINANCIALLY motivated its called a “HATE CRIME” or WAR CRIME/CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY And don’t be mistaken an EMPIRE is exactly what the United States intends to build. Expressing no COMPASHION FOR HUMANITY, CONCIENCE nor sense of WRONG or RIGHT the FACIST WHITE SUPPREMEST IMPERIALISTIC POWER known as the United States Government has yet again SLANDERED and OPPRESSED another HUMAN SOCIETY. Justifying 3000 American lives lost in a plane accident the United States Launched a 4 day bombardment of a heavily populated CIVILIAN area killing upwards of 100,000 inoccent people. Proving Once agian they will not only STEAL another cultures land but HUMILIATE and GENOCIDE their NATURAL WAY OF LIFE. Never in my life did i really think I would be so glad to live in the Great White North(THE GOOD SIDE OF THE BORDER) Now realalizing that only 195 years ago to this Canada Day that 10’s of thousands of Canadians gave their lives to stop a MASS AMERICAN INVASION for the CIVIL RIGHTS and FREEDOM we have today. We Truely are free. To the South are 260 million Brainwashed Nazi Capitalists who will Point Certain Death in whatever direction their CORUPT GOVERNMENT points its twisted finger. How Quickly ANITITERRORISM turns to TERRORISM. Now is the Time that Canada must Stand up and let our voice be heard, We are one of the GREATEST INDEPENDANT MULTICULTURAL NATIONS IN THE WORLD who practice FREE TRADE and promote FREEDOM and PROSPERITY thoughout the world. We must not forget our HERITAGE and allow ourselves to be ASSIMILATED by the “Nazi Capitalists” who now feel they are fit to rule the world. I Refer to the United States as NAZI CAPITALISTS for the simple fact that they’re government has launched a MINDWARPING PROPEGANDA scheme and commited such atrosive CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY that it can only be compared to the HOLOCAUST in reality the United States has been the AXIS OF ALL EVIL in the last 250 years. Origianaly British CONQORERS who Launched a RACIALY and FINANCIALLY motived War agianst a New Found North America LandMass. Which lead to the near GENOCIDE of an entire HUMAN CULTURE.(The “Indian Wars” not in American History!) But to what eventually turned on its MOTHERLAND Britain. Then Canada for not joining its Cause, Trying to Assimilate Not only our Culture but Land and Finances. The United States now denies its Eastern origin and Considers itself a Western Culture as it has Continued to ASSULT the rest of the FREE world since. Using FACIST BRAINWASHING NAZI PROPEGANDA to gain their populations support and financial backing. The United States Government has never Been invaded nor has another culture tried to assimilate them yet they are commited to SPENDING BILLIONS and killing THOUSANDS to fight every United States INVASION to the “last ditch” in order to expand their borders and achieve their political and economical goals.
    Yet somehow the American Public thinks they are PROTECTING THEMSELVES!?!?
    The American public has watched COVERUP after SCANDAL and COVERUP after CONSPIRACY and yet still never questions their Governments Morals or Motivations…They blindly follow in a SLAUGHTER THE COW fashion while their TAX DOLLARS are spent on the MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTING of WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION instead of HEALTHCARE and EDUCATION! Yet Americans claim they fight for FREEDOM!?
    · In the 20th Century there is only ONE “TERRORIST ORGANIZATION” and it is the UNITED STATES of AMERICA. The American Citizens need to wake up and realize that thier Government WELCOMES and BRINGS WW3 to the Human Race so they can Conqour it!

    -A Canadian Citizen who loves his FREEDOM HIS COUNTRY AND THE NATURAL FREE WORLD

  • […] ta say, this roundup looks a little familiar […]

  • […] l Voices Online will note that much of the coverage echoes our own Ethan Zuckerman’s ongoing coverage of the same event. There’s a new Lesotho blog directory on the web. Bla […]

  • United Press International – USA
    1510 H Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    USA

    Michael Marshall
    UPI Editor In Chief

    November 25th, 2005

    Mrs Bianca Jagger and BONO : Re: Mr Nelson Mandela versus Mrs Aung San SUU KYI The Lady named the Nelson Mandela of Burma (Myanmar) STILL UNDER HOUSE ARREST

    Please hereby is the letter addressed to Her Highness Elizabeth II, my Queen, followed by different letter sent to The Vice-Secretary General of The United Nations, Mrs Louise Fréchette, and to Mr Nelson Mandela :

    “How from Canada as a subject of Her Highness Queen Elizabeth II may I ask her support for my suggestion to The United Nations to send Mr Nelson Mandela of South Africa, as an official or special Emissary to The Lady of Rangoon, The 1991 Nobel Prize for Peace, Mrs Aung San SUU KYI, democratically elected in 1990 and still under house arrest or jailed since almost 15theen years ?”

    —– Original Message —–
    From: Pierre Gauvin-Evrard
    To: globalcompact@un.org
    Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2005 2:49 PM
    Subject: To Madame Louise Fréchette, Vice-Secrétaire générale des Nations-Unies

    Madame Louise Fréchette
    Honorable Vice-Secrétaire générale des Nations-Unies
    New York USA

    Chère Madame,

    Ne serait-il pas temps de prendre l’initiative d’exercer des moyens de pression plus frappants afin d’obtenir la libération de Madame Aung San SUU KYI de Birmanie (Myanmar) et de son peuple ? Je vous propose de lire ce qui suit pour suggestion que j’ai transmise par toutes sortes de voix au Secrétaire Général des Nations-Unies, L’Honorable Kofi Annan et que j’ai transmise dans la langue de Shakespeare, qui se lit ainsi :

    ‘To The Honourable United-Nations’General Secretary, Mr Kofi Annan and Mr Nelson Mandela for the liberation of The 1991 Nobel Price for Peace, Mrs Aung San SUU KYI, called The Nelson Mandela Of Burma (Myanmar) :

    ‘If I was Nelson Mandela, so aged as I am, with few years to live in the future, I would ask to the Secretary of The United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan, to send me as an Official Emissary of the United Nations to Burma (Myanmar) to meet the great Lady Aung San SUU KYI, the lady named the Nelson Mandela of Burma, to see in what condition she is and make a report to The United Nations’Secretary…’

    Veuillez agréer l’expression de mes bons sentiments et accueillez mes remerciement de bien vouloir porter l’atten-tion que mérite Madame SUU KYI.

    pierre gauvin-évrard”

    To Mr Mandela on November 16theen, 2005 :

    “Dear Mr Nelson Mandela, Hereby the copy of the letter sent to The Honorable Vice-Secretary of the United Nations in New York, USA, Mrs Louise Fréchette, as well as to The Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan, to Mrs Aung San SUU KYI, Amnisty International, The International Human Rights ans Liberties Organization, to a lot of international mediases and also a lot of Canadian mediases, and so on, for the goal clearly described in my communiqués. I hope, that you will accept, at least, to suggest to the Mr Kofi Annan, to send you as his Official Emissary to meet the Lady of Rangoon, named the “The Nelson Mandela of Burma (Myanmar) and act as I proposed to you yesterday. Many thanks for your support for Mrs SUU KYI ! pge”

    Please note that I also ask for the support of Mrs Condoleeza Rice of The United States. and different International Organizations and important mediases, and celebrities.

    Pierre Gauvin-Évrard

    5887 Ave. Christophe-Colomb
    Montréal Qc Canada
    H2S 2G3

    Téléphone : 1-514-271-7325

    http://gauvin-evrard.com

    http://www.gauvin-evrard.com

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