An African Special
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4. Heroes and sheroes 6. An ideological change Mcpotar
needed in Africa
Peter Zoe
8. our revolution 10. BACK HERE AGAIN 12. FASHION IN AFRICA
Syrine Boudriga Kelvin Mpofu
NANA AMA YEBOAH DIAMOND
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Heroes and sheroes
Heroes and Sheroes She rose, Posed before mirrors and mimicked her heroes, She knows, She can go far; she looks to her sheroes, The heroines, They never took to powders like heroin, She goes, To parties, but knows when to stop enjoying, She joins, The library, she and ignorance begin rivalry, She knows, Better than to judge people tribally, Or racially, She’s a gifted mind and gifted facially, Finally, The Earth shall treat her specially, Crown her, Of course the media will try to drown her, Clown her, Gossip magazines will look for her down side, To downsize, Her real price and stop her from the real prize, But she’ll still rise, Pose before mirrors and not disguise, She knows, Her idols where ordinary girls and guys, She goes, On and on, willing to sacrifice, She joins and knows, Finally, even if she is never to be on television, Her story will live to tell a vision.
by Mcpotar
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mcpotar
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An ideological change needed in Africa
A
fter many years of oppression and violence, wartorn Africa finally became free. Many revolutionary leaders felt that was the end of an era of colonial oppression, slavery and the disparity between race. That was their legacy, given to all Africa so that we could finally live in peace and be our own people. Many years have passed, and although most of Africa is still free from all forms of colonial rule, we have fallen slave to a new form of master- a form of mental ideology that has set us on a course that will ultimately lead to self-implosion. After taking a tour across one great African country lately, sadness gripped my heart. The disparity has reached levels much deeper than just race- it has sunk its roots to even tribal affiliation and social class. The minds of the
masses have been boxed in an ideological frameset that differentiates oneself within the community into a feeling of being comparatively inferior or superior. Oblivious to this crime that even the media seems to be fuelling, the people accept this path that can only lead to catastrophic results. Of course it is important for one to celebrate one’s uniqueness and ancestry but when it begins to imply that what is associated with self is better than another’s then it cannot be allowed to bud. What are these catastrophic results? And why should they be avoided? This disparity I talk of may lead to two things; xenophobic and racial violence within a community on a lighter scale, and on a much grander scalecivil war. Today, Sudan is as clear and stark an example as was Rwanda in the past. All
An ideological change needed in Africa
Peter Zowa ( Zimbabwe)
of this starts with an idea, an idea that gradually leads to intolerance. AFRICA UNITE! That was a popular mantra of the leaders of old. One such leader moaned for the unification of Africa into a consortium of sorts till he met his end. But then how can we unite as states when we are still divided within communities; when our youth are penitent of their identity as African and would rather live in bigotry of foreign language and culture. That is their utopia. Is there still hope for a culture and a history that dates back to as far back as Mankind’s first steps? Will there ever be a United States of Africa? I alone cannot answer that question, but maybe it is the remnant few who can, those who will not give up, but press on with the banners of Aluta Continua.
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Peter Zowa
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ave you ever felt as if you were caught in a tornado and you can’t see any exit? have you ever felt that you are just another person beneath 7 billion human beings, that you were another working bee in this huge beehive that earth is? that’s what I have been feeling every day for about two years. 2011 , I was a fifteen-year old girl making my debut as freshman in the most prestigious high school of Tunisia. I wasn’t expecting anything from that year, how could you expect something from 2011 when you know that the following year will host THE Olympic Games ! Yet I had it all wrong! that year was the beginning of a new era (certainly not the best).It was the so called arab spring or the arab awakening. back then it was maybe a spring but spring passed by and winter came and never left .The arab world was facing a real shake, people were rioting and everything changed. We were free and we own this freedom or that’s what they tried to make us believe. How could I explain Ben Ali giving up on his power without fighting? why did he flee? did the people really strike back? we can’t know!! what are the causes of such actions? Tunisian people have been good slaves for about 23 years, what changed that? In a response for those questions people argue: some would say that the people are the source of political power and others
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would say this is part of a foreign conspiracy. but are those revolutions more intricate than a subject to debate in forum and tv shows ? all I know is that Bouazizi opened hell’s doors by setting himself on fire . Since that day, life changed, we had the freedom of speech, we had access to youtube and all the sites long ago banned under the reign of Ben ali; it was magical like a dream unless we forget about the hundreds fallen; although some of them were out to speak free , others were out to steal , burgle and destroy public properties ; still we called them martyrs and those who got injured have received money to compensate for physical damage. that was the first time in history that a government makes up for those fallen , I mean a material compensation ! Moreover, there has been the arrival of those who were banished from Tunisia, those who escaped under Ben Ali’s pressure. Then the race to power has begun and the dark side of the revolution was revealed ! people did not stop striking , the economy was falling apart , the multinationals have decamped , prices sky rocketed and the unemployment rate was phenomenal, it has doubled since the revolution. EVERYTHING COLLAPSED! we witnessed the darkest period that Tunisia saw , this is what we believed but the following year was even worse. we were treated to a list of more than 100 party for the elec-
tions, the first free elections where transparency was the key word. we voted for a Constituent Assembly it seemed better and that we reached the shore if we forgot violence acts, events that did not stop and the number of people who considered themselves as militants is increasing. Also we had to face the extremists who happen to find our country a favorable place to breed! Tunisia saw itself separate! and then the first murder after the revolution have come “chokri bel aid” was killed, tunisia was on the edge of a civil war but we went out with the resignation of the Prime Minister, and then the worst was; in the most religious month “ Ramadan” , the biggest sin was committed: a member of the national constitution was killed by 12 bullets in front of his family on the day of the feast of the Republic, July 25th . People were devastated! As we all watch an d fall into the trap ignoring all these warnings. We are living in a very well played act , but the question is; who is playing it? we are now on the verge of a new crisis, a painful crisis, but I think we’ll be fine as we always do , maybe it is the kind of awakening we were expecting still, wait for us ! Tunisia will rise again!!!! what I can do, is study for now and ensure a better future for my tunisia! And so should you!!!
Our revolution
Syrine Boudriga
OUR REVOLUTION
The arab awakening, Cairo: courtesy RCInet.ca
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Syrine Boudriga
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BACK HERE AGAIN
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I’m back here again Where I left the chemical on the wall After pitching a tent on the highway sideway I’m virtually unknown and a legacy is restored Taps now preside over boreholes And houses have replaced tents As the Red cross stands on a hill Side by side religious buildings of Italian origin Obscured life manifests behind a school Revealing a lost civilization of a bye gone era High terrain stands all around Bisected only by a highway and river Supported vegetation withstands the simmering heat As the sun manufacturers anthracite For handpicking purposes close by......
Scribbled Poetry By Kelvin Mpofu ( Zimbabwe)
ARE THE YOUTH COPYING BLINDLY?
THE NEW BLACK
THE DEBATE ARENA
FASHION IN AFRICA
NANA AMA YEBOAH DIAMOND
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F
ashion in Africa is taking a new dimension, I dimension I fear the outcome. Africans at home and around the world have a distinctive way of life (CULTURE).In this month’s edition of the debate arena we discuss the issue of dressing in Africa. Culture is defined as a way a group of people live, eat, dress… just to mention but a few. Our way of dressing since time in memorial has always being decent…..Up until recently, the beautiful culture in the area of Fashion has negatively changed. The youth of today in Africa are copying a trend in Fashion only accepted in the Western World, the Western culture in totality not a bad culture, but when young ones start wearing swim costumes to public events, shows their private parts in see through dresses, piercing and tattooing every part of our body, when we mistakenly welcome gayism and lesbianism into this continent then it gives we in the Debate Arena a course to DEBATE AND SPEAK LEVELHEADEDLY. We are losing our identity, dignity and sanctity to these so called Fashion trends. Men piercing their ears, Women wearing see-through dresses to public events. It is pathetic but funny...how people term
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this FASHION. The decent way of dressing is whirling away. And the very younger generation is copying this same trend.....now that is my WORRY. The story of Africa is such a complex one that needs the patience of one dissecting an ant, to be able to understand. The African had been held in the bondage of cultural primitivism for a long time; and in trying to free her, she carves for herself a “golden calf of modernity”. However, between the cultural Primitivism & Modernity, a lot goes wrong. I think we can set for ourselves moral principles which long existed before the exploration/exploitation of Africa by the West began. Individual values would also play a role in sharpening our moral lives and you know, if the salt is missing in the soup, it becomes tasteless. I would advice we keep to Christ. Struggling to get recognized won’t help our vulnerable souls. We must not remove the robe of righteousness just to be free to join the world in their crazy fashion. I am also worried with how comfortable we have become wearing these dresses and doing stuff in public we wouldn’t have done as our culture depicts! .I write this because, now SEX is done amidst people. And all we say is that, is youthful exuberance, for it will fade! Well little drops of water
Gifted Mind
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Mcpotar
make a mighty ocean. After the struggle through the colonial days by our forefathers, it is obvious, colonialism and its left over imperialism is beginning to take center stage in the 21st Century Africa. Why? Our leaders fought hard to free Africans from the physical torture of the colonial rulers and instead of us rooting and throwing away all left over’s and with determined efforts in building our own culture that suits us, we are today resorting to everything European and not the good ones but ones that seeing us retrogress as a continent. We had our own but rejected our own. Fashion is no exception, in this line of new way of ruling us again. I strongly suggest we up take up what our various religions teach us for example in Islam and Christianity the main emphasis is on modesty in dressing. Religion is the way forward, the Ultimate Role Model when it comes Fashion but despite all this the responsibility lies with the youth.I believe we can set a new agenda for Africa. Great minds discuss issues. We must make good use of technology like we are doing now to spread this agenda; that’s positive modernity. Our teenagers must not be left out. They are the future leaders and must not be left to alter every aspect of culture in the name of modernity. There are fewer things that annoy me more than the way young guys have taken to dressing these days
FASHION IN AFRIC.ARE THE YOUTH COPYING BLINDLY?
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with their belt lines beneath their bums and dirty boxers on display. It infuriates me no end. I’ve spoken about this before and I recommend a good public whipping as a remedy Ethics and morals.........are they taught in schools? Do parents get time with their kids? Do parents see what their kids wear? Are guardians worried about these trends? These ‘am aware’ dressing trends........Someone is not doing his /her work well? Africa is a rich continent. What makes the continent so rich is what we have in each nation, and culture plays a vital role in our development as a continent. But when our leadership is out place our culture is also out place. Responsible leadership is therefore needed to put right our quest to instill into the youth the right sense of our rich culture! Let’s begin to promote MADE IN AFRICA clothes, for example, to bring back the love we had in our culture some centuries ago! Let’s stop patronizing such products and patronize our own. Have you ever wondered why some program organizers will only invite people strictly? It is because they fear how their hard earned programs could be marred by so unholy dressed people. Have also wondered why a lot of young people remain jobless even after passing out with flying colours?
Have you ever wondered why teenage pregnancy and poverty is on the rise in this continent? Africa MUST RISE UP AND PICK UP HER GLORY……We must change our perception on these Fashions swarming into the continent. Lets start singing the Gospel of good Fashion trend, because the Western World will not destroy their continent as we are doing now. We are copying blindly lets stop, if we do AFRICA WILL TAKE BACK HER GLORY.
God bless us, God bless our countries, GOD BLESS AFRICA.
JOIN THE DEBATE ARENA ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/Debate Arena
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