Posts tagged West Africa
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Happy Cameroun national day! It’s hard to believe that one year from now I’ll be celebrating this day over there somewhere!
Afternoon Afrobeat (#61): ‘Feba’ by Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang
Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang are back with a new music video for their song ‘Feba’, which is on their album En Yay Sah. Check them out and take a listen below - they best represent Sierra Leonean music!
http://www.saidbyred.com/2013/05/afternoon-afrobeat-61-feba-by-janka.html
Afternoon Afrobeat (#59): ‘Love is Calling’ by Ntjam Rosie
Cameroonian-born Ntjam Rosie has a new album out titled The Back of Beyond, and quite frankly, its quite amazing and full of soul.
Take a listen:
http://www.saidbyred.com/2013/04/afternoon-afrobeat-59-love-is-calling.html
Don’t let the name of this group fool you, 4X4 is a group of three guy who combine the different styles of reggae, R&B, rap, and hiplife to create an infectious sound. They rap in Twi , Ga, Ewe, and Pidgin English, but despite their lyrics being untranslatable to the non-Ghanaian ear, the beats alone in the music convey their own message that words cannot express. Get a glimpse of life in Ghana by watching the music video of their song ‘Moko Ni’
Afternoon Afrobeat (#50): ‘Ben’ by SMOD
Given that the crisis in Mali is now headline news, here is a song from the son of two of the most famous Malian musicians, who advocates for peace and unity in Mali:
Nuanced Reporting Needed for Sierra Leone
In the article “From war to democracy: Reframing Sierra Leone”, Seray Bangura, a Sierra Leonean contributor to the New Internationalist blog, argues that on the eve of the January 6th, 1999 massacre in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, the international community needs to reframe its views of the previously war-torn West African nation. Although Bangura makes several strong and true arguments, I would assert that despite all the progress made in the past decade, the picture is still not as rosy as some may paint it.
MANPADs: The Weapon of Choice for Mali’s Armed Groups?
Man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) are light-weight surface-to-air missiles that are small enough to be operated by a single individual, or a small crew in the case of larger MANPADS. They are highly portable, concealable, inexpensive, and easy to operate, and lethal - making them highly attractive for armed groups. Is this what ECOWAS and AFISMA will be up against in northern Mali?
A Case Against Military Intervention in Mali
Instead of hastily rushing into an intervention in Mali, other more viable and sustainable options that would lead to the restoration of a civilian government would include:
1. Making U.S. support of Mali’s military be contingent on the Malian Armed Forces noninterference in the progress of the transitional government
2. Making bilateral aid (with the exception of humanitarian aid) contingent on elections
3. Encouraging Tuareg separatists, who have often been marginalized by the Malian government, to dialogue with the transitional government, which may result in them becoming an ally
Afternoon Afrobeat (#47): ‘Free as a Bird’ by Bumi Thomas
Take a few minutes to start the week off right with a bit of Nigerian jazz:
Afternoon Afrobeat (#46): ‘Tozo’ by Blaka
Nothing like starting the new year off right with a Ghanaian azonto hit, right? This azonto song is not coming from Sarkodie or Fuse ODG, but from an artist from the diverse and lively Dansoman neighborhood of Accra, Ghana
