President Ali Bongo of poverty-stricken Gabon splashes $123m on Paris home May 31, 2010

 The president of the poverty-ravaged African state of Gabon has been slammed for spending $123million on a lavish townhouse in Paris.

Ali-Ben Bongo Ondimba, 51, has bought a sprawling 48,000 sq ft mansion on an acre of land in the heart of the French capital.

The 14-bedroom property on the upmarket rue de l'Universite also includes a heated swimming pool, jacuzzi, seven parking spaces and a tennis court.

In Gabon – where the average income is just $17 a day – most families live in one-room shacks.

Although the west African state is one of the continent's more prosperous nations due to its oil reserves, most of the population still live in poverty.

Gabon's opposition website, Bongo Must Quit, said: 'The president has squandered tens of millions by claiming this new mansion will serve to reduce the hotel costs for Ali-Ben Bongo and his official delegations.

Eto’o threatens World Cup walkout over comments May 29, 2010

 PARIS (AP)—Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o is so angry at criticism by former great Roger Milla that he is threatening to walk out on his teammates before the World Cup.

Milla, who thrilled fans with some dazzling goals and quirky celebrations in helping Cameroon reach the 1990 World Cup quarterfinals, claimed Eto’o “still hasn’t brought anything to our national team” when meeting reporters Friday.

RETURN TO GOREE – YOUSSOU N’DOUR May 27, 2010

    

RETURN TO GOREE – Youssou N'Dour (Trailer) from momentum_prod on Vimeo.

Senegalese singer YOUSSOU N’DOUR explores Africa’s enduring musical legacy from its historical roots in the slave trade, to its far reach across the globe in RETURN TO GOREE.

With renowned jazz pianist MONCEF GENOUD, their journey takes them from the Goree trading post, where African slaves were processed on to ships bound for the Americas, to Atlanta, New Orleans, New York City and finally Luxembourg. Revealing the history of jazz, the rich legacy of their ancestors and the influence on the cultures they became part of.

WORLD CUP OPERA SINGER SIPHIWO NTSHEBE DIES

 A South African opera singer chosen by Nelson Mandela to perform at the World Cup opening ceremony has died from meningitis, his record label has said.

Siphiwo Ntshebe, 34, was admitted to hospital in Port Elizabeth last week and died on Tuesday, Epic Records said.

He was due to perform his new track Hope at the opening ceremony in Johannesburg on June 11.

Epic boss Nick Raphael said Ntshebe’s death was “a tragedy for all those who believe in the power of music”.

Distressed Tiko Market Women Resist Council Taxes

 

Just when the dust razed by the Tiko market fire disaster was settled and the tears on the cheeks of the victims was drying up and the traders still to get used to the new market situation, the Tiko council is up with their market tolls.

On re-introducing the old daily market sales ticket of FCFA 100 recently, the women around the St. Joseph Catholic Church area stood up like one woman and resisted the tax move with outright confronted with the tax collectors.

50 Years After: Cameroon’s History Witnesses More Distortions

By Elias Ntungwe Ngalame

 Is it not rape of the intellect of even the ordinary Cameroonian that the story of Cameroon is being thwarted even by those who lived it? Otherwise how do we interpret the growing misrepresentation and interpretation of Cameroon’s history, making the facts as unrealistic as every other happening in Cameroon’s daily life?

How would any right-thinking Cameroonian, except those who have no conscience say Cameroon reunited in 1972?

It might be seen just as another slap on the face of the docile Anglophone, but it is a harder slap on the conscience and history of the whole Cameroon nation.
The history of the nation may be distorted by a clique of unpatriotic citizens, but it stands to be scrutinised and corrected by the international community.

The Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, was one of President Biya’s special guests at the 20th May celebration and the official launching of the 50th anniversary may have done just that.

The Secretary General and his delegation during an audience after the march past on 20th May at the Unity Palace in Yaounde presented to President Paul Biya two maps, the one representing West Cameroon and the other representing East Cameroon before reunification.

Though the Secretary General said after the audience that the two maps were a symbolic gift that depicts the two regions before reunification, many observers believe it was a vivid reminisce of the historical facts of the country that should be respected and under no circumstances be adulterated.

Throughout the activities marking the 50th anniversary celebrations, pictures or maps of this nature painting the history of the country before reunification were absent, indicative of some calculated intent to conceal certain historical facts.

It should be recalled that President Paul Biya in his message to the nation in prelude to the official launching of the 50th anniversary celebrations said the event will span throughout the year to culminate in the celebration of the reunification of East and West Cameroon on 1 October 2011.

This, accordingly, implies that Cameroon, next year, will be celebrating reunification and not the independence of West Cameroon.

Historically, however, the Western part of Cameroon got its independence on 1 October 1961 one year after their brothers of East Cameroon on 1 January 1960. So while East Cameroon has 50 years of freedom from their French colonial master in 2010, West Cameroon will have its own 50 years of freedom from their English colonial lords in 2011.

Biya Receive Other Guests
The 38 edition of Cameroon’s National Day that also coincided with the 50th anniversary celebration was a moment of honour and pride for the country and its leader, President Paul Biya who for the first time since taking over power in 1982 saw such quality VIP visitors in a single event.

After the over three hours march past, each of the special guests took turns to discuss with their host on some salient issues dear to them.

Beginning with neighbouring Nigeria where two past presidents, Yakubu Gowon and Olosegun Obasanjo and the newly sworn in, Goodluck Jonathan, all had friendly tete-a tete with him, Paul Biya was apparently quite at ease with the over 20 special guests including 10 current Heads of State in the continent: 
Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast, Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, Sasso Ngueso of Congo, Idris Deby of Tchad, Francoise Bozize of Central African Republic, Joseph Kabila of DR Congo, Ali Bongo of Gabon, Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, Fradrique De Menezes of Sao Tome and Principe.

Other dignitaries included former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamlesh Sharma, Ali Treki, President of the 64th UN General Assembly, Jean Ping, Chairman of the African Union Commission, Cai Wu, Chinese Minister of Culture, etc.

Essien ruled out of World Cup

 Ghana and Chelsea midfielder, Michael Essien, has been ruled out of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. An evaluation by a combined team of medical experts from the Ghana Football Association and Chelsea Football Club revealed that Essien will not make full recovery until the end of July.

Ghanaians flee for northern Togo May 25, 2010

 

Over 3,500 Ghanaian refugees have crossed over from Nandom province of northern Ghana into Togo following ethnic clashes and land disputes.

Cameroon vs Georgia Live

Corrective Rape (Speaking With South African Women Soccer Players Who Say They Were Raped & Baten Because They Were Lesbians May 23, 2010