Africa Review 5/3
March has arrived. This is Africa Review, February 27 – March 5, with highlights on the election results in Nigeria.
.
POLITICS AND CONFLICT
Nigeria election: APC’s Bola Tinubu won the race, in a chaotic election (were biometric devices the problem? Or were they sabotaged?). The kingmaker is now Nigeria’s president-elect. Tinubu has called on his rivals to unite for the country. He will govern 211 million people who have not voted for him. One last victory for the old order? Here are five books the president-elect should read. Nigerians reaction to the results. Some say this was a badly flawed election. Tensions escalate. What happened to the youth and the Peter Obi option? Obi says he won the election. He definitely won Lagos and very clearly in other polling units. The full results are here. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie comments on the election. Here’s Portia Roelofs' list of academic readings to understand Tinubu and his record as former Governor of Lagos State.
Check the upcoming elections on the continent.
Can the West woo Africa? Moky Makura explains how African leaders are speaking out. Africa can choose between its partners. The Russian invasion of Ukraine still sends ripples into Africa. Africa welcomes Western aid — but accountability is needed. The EU and the AU should align in the fight against climate change. AU’s future role in BRICS+ and G20. Ahead of the AU Summit, authorities forced people out of the street to hide poverty.
Macron’s mission to counter Russia in Africa. Who has more influence in the continent?French interference in Africa is ‘over’… And the French should now become humble… (in French). Macron also urged French businesses to take Africa seriously. Some Congolese have questioned the motives of Macron’s visit. Burkina Faso has ended the military pact with France.
In Chad, Wagner destabilises the authorities (in French). They are more than mercenaries. Russia’s growing footprint in the Sahel. Dozens of Russians are being probed on suspicion of gold-smuggling in Sudan.
The origin of bad leadership in Africa — from the African History Blog. African governments on the spot as citizens decry feeling unsafe. Ethiopia seeks to end UN-ordered probe into Tigray war abuses. On the war crimes committed by Eritrean troops in the Tigray region.
God and politics in South Africa: ANC’s winning strategy. The outgoing Eskom CEO claimed (in a very interesting and bold interview) that the government has pressured him to weaken anti-corruption measures. South Africa and Nigeria greylisted for money laundering.
Kenya’s Ruto won’t allow same-sex marriages. Benin passed one of Africa’s most liberal abortion laws: why are women still dying?
Mozambique’s Nyusi just passed an extradition agreement between the country and Rwanda — will this be used to return Rwandans escaping persecution?
Tunisians went out to protest on Kais Saied anti-migrant statements. The powerful UGTT organised the biggest protest yet against the president. A protest by the main opposition coalition was banned.
Survey on perceptions of safety and security in the Sahel.
ENVIRONMENT / AGRICULTURE
How to feed Africa’s fastest growing country. South Sudan’s floods inspire a first generation of rice growers. Climate, environment and conflict in the Horn. Cyclone Freddy in Mozambique. On Zambia’s green policies and why environment and development should go hand in hand. Female-owned farms and companies are growing Ghana’s taste for coffee.
This nice book is in open access: Tourism, climate change and biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa.
OTHER
“If you had money, you had slaves” — how Ethiopia is in denial about injustices of the past. This looks interesting: Socionatures, Space and Decolonisation: Amílcar Cabral’s Praxis of Dialectics.
APRI has launched its podcast — The Africa Hour.
Is there a value in the concept of the Global South?
The Ugandan c-sections that predated modern medicine.
The 28th edition of Africa’s biggest film festival ended yesterday — some discussion on the history of FESPACO in here (in Portuguese). How it offers hope to Burkina Faso. Can cinema defy terrorism? (In French) The festival was also a farewell to the Senegalese filmmaker Safi Faye.
The Soninké Festival in Mauritania (in French).
The week in pictures.
All for now. Until next Sunday.
Cat 🐕