Global Voices » Eremipagamo Amabebe

Nigeria 2011: A Year of Small Victories and Great Challenges

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:17:58 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Nigeria Elections 2011.

2011 will go down in Nigeria's history as the year of the nation's third presidential election since independence. For the first half of the year, the blogosphere was abuzz with discussion of the election: protests, campaigns, debates, the role of technology, preparations for the polls, election day itself.

In the wake of the election, violence erupted in Northern Nigeria, marring hopes for a new era. Despite small victories in the political and cultural landscapes, the latter part of the year was overshadowed by sectarian violence in the northern part of the country.

A historic election

Nigeria has a tradition of rotating the presidency between candidates from the Muslim-majority North and Christian-majority South. This arrangement was upset when former President Umaru Yar'Adua died in office in 2010, leaving his second-in-command, southerner Goodluck Jonathan to fill the position.

Jonathan's subsequent presidential run in 2011 angered many northerners, who felt the north had been cheated out its turn in power.

A broad-based national movement, Reclaim Naija, used Ushahidi-based platform to monitor elections. Image source: Reclaim Naina website.

The election was widely hailed as being “free and fair” despite some minor irregularities and fraud. Nigerians celebrated this unprecedented success across the country and the diaspora. Kunle Durojaiye summed up the general sentiment:

One cannot deny that there is a sense of a wind of change. People voted, and waited behind to witness the counting and collation of votes; media stations ran a live coverage of the elections while it lasted, and very importantly, young people influenced the exercise with the flood of information available via twitter, facebook and blackberry messaging. Without mincing words, change is inevitable, but one just wonders if the stage is truly set.

Sectarian violence

However the success of the election appeared a small victory in light of the violence that followed. North-South tensions regarding the election came on top of an already charged situation in Northern Nigeria, where violent attacks and bombings have gained momentum since police forces clashed with Islamist sect Boko Haram in 2009.

Soon after Jonathan's victory, violence again erupted in the North, with a series of bombings in Abuja and elsewhere claimed by Boko Haram. As the year wore on, the intensity of the violence increased, leaving hundreds dead and forcing thousands to leave their homes.

@jongambrellAP described the situation:

@jongambrellAP: Things remain incredibly tense in rural Kaduna state as townspeople around here flee with their belongings. #nigeriadecides

Small victories

In spite of the violence, the latter part of the year also brought positive developments. Many Nigerians were excited about the appointment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former managing director of the World Bank, as Nigeria's new finance minister.

In a post titled, Nigeria: Adrift, Awaiting the Arrival of a Woman, Nwachukwu Egbunike sampled responses to Okonjo-Iweala's appointment, including this one from Nmachi Jidenma:

For corrupt and undisciplined government officials: ‘wahala dey'. It looks like ‘the trouble woman' is back in town! This is of course good news for Nigerians and most of us would be happy to have her back.

Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of SaharaReporters. Photo credit: chatafrikarticles.

In another post, Egbunike pointed to Sahara Reporters, dubbed “Nigeria's Wikileaks”, as a bastion of free expression in a troubled landscape for press freedom.

The 419 Positive Project collected developments like these and challenged people to say something positive about Nigeria in hopes of changing the country's negative image.

@gbengasesan wrote of the project:

I have travelled across Nigeria, and met Nigerians around the world and I have noticed a kind of ‘Nigerian energy’ about them — the ability to get things done under unbelievable circumstances. It may be related to the challenges they have had to endure, but no one can deny the fact that when a Nigerian sets their mind on a goal, little can discourage them.

This post is part of our special coverage Nigeria Elections 2011.

Malawi: Meet Global Voices Author Victor Kaonga

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:36:16 +0000

In his four years at Global Voices, Victor Kaonga has written on an impressive spectrum of issues, ranging from press freedom, to water scarcity, to Malawian soccer and a high-profile political wedding. He started his blog, NDAGHA, in 2006, joining a small but dedicated band of Malawian bloggers. A broadcast journalist by profession, he holds a graduate degree in Global Journalism from Orebro University, Sweden, and describes himself as “passionate about many social and gender justice issues.”

Here Victor shares how he became involved in Global Voices, his thoughts on the Malawian blogosphere, and the stories that are being discussed in his corner of the world.

Malawian broadcast journalist, blogger and Global Voices author Victor Kaonga

Eremipagamo Amabebe (EA): How did you become involved in Global Voices (GV)?

Victor Kaonga (VK): It appears GV Regional Editor Ndesanjo Macha had been following my blog posts for a couple of weeks in 2006 to early 2007. He is the one who sent me an email asking if I would be interested in being a GV author. This idea puzzled me somehow as I had never [heard] about Global Voices and also did not understand the business of being an author while I was already blogging.

As I was living in Sweden at that time, I asked one of my Swedish journalism friends who apparently had heard about GV. He encouraged me to take it up and start covering blogs for Malawi and Zambia. So I joined Global Voices in December 2006 and my first post published was on 23rd January 2007.

EA: What is your life like outside Global Voices?

VK: I have a family, married to Thembi. We have four children, three girls and a boy ages between 9 and 1.5 years. As a family we desire to fear God and that comes partly from our Christian upbringing but most importantly from individual decisions to follow Christ.

Apart from liking to spend time with my family (something that is becoming increasingly scarce), I am busy with executive oversight work at Trans World Radio which in some respects is like my second home! However, I should state that by function I am more of a broadcast journalist than an executive officer!

EA: Can you describe your focus at Global Voices –for those who aren't familiar with your work?

VK: I cover anything that is newsworthy as far as Malawi is concerned. However outside the Malawi focus, I generally have a bias towards new and social media.

EA: What are issues specific to your region that, in your opinion, should have more coverage in the mainstream media?

VK: The main issues in Malawi are political and economic development. Here and there we have had some artistic and human interest stories.

Main issues currently have to with the economy and succession plan of the incumbent president. Economically, Malawi has experienced shortage of forex for more than a year which has resulted into a number of consequences for businesses. Also linked to this is the shortage of fuel due to erratic supplies resulting into low forex reserves in the country. As such people have been queuing for fuel now and again as supplies are erratic.

Politically, President Bingu wa Mutharika is grooming his brother to take over in 2014 when he himself will be barred by the constitution to contest. Many Malawians had hoped that he would support his vice president (Joyce Banda) who happens to be the first female Veep in Malawi. Unfortunately, they have parted ways so that his brother can easily come in.

Victor Kaonga

EA: Can you point us to some of your favorite posts you've written for GV?

VK: There are a couple of posts that I am really proud of. Most of them have been political and sort of conflict-related. Though surprisingly the ones I felt most happy with (among many) include the last post about academic freedom I did in April this year, and then when Malawi’s First Lady passed away in 2007. This was news that attracted attention of bloggers all over the world. The two posts and many other have a human interest aspect much as they are about prominent people and issues that stem from politics.

EA: What is the most interesting part of your work?

VK: I find reading people’s posts extremely interesting and enlightening. I get encouraged that there are Malawians who are sharing thoughts and conversations online. The fact that someone has written something online is itself a blessing because generally there is very little content online about Malawi especially by Malawians themselves.

My biggest concern though is about female bloggers. We don’t have many and I wish we had many. The few that blog have had fairly a good amount of coverage on GV and they themselves have confessed recieving a lot of encouragement to carry on. I personally wish to see more women blog.

EA: Thanks, Victor. Before we leave you, can you point us toward some resources on Malawi for those who want to learn more?

VK: One of the popular portals in www.nyasatimes.com. The portal carries many stories on politics and even the one about the Vice President and the succession woes. And this blog gives you updates.

If you'd like to hear more from Victor, click here to read his “Blogger of the Week” profile from 2007.

Nigeria Votes 2011: Opinions From the Polls

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 12:30:30 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Nigeria Elections 2011.

Nigerians voted yesterday (16 April, 2011) in the third presidential election since the nation transitioned to civilian rule in 1999. Thus far, the election has widely been declared a success, with only sporadic reports of violence and voting irregularities. News sources reported a large turnout, orderly queues, and voters waiting until polls closed to make sure their votes were counted.

As Africa's largest nation and a major international oil supplier, Nigeria stands in the spotlight during election season. Previous elections in 2003 and 2007 were marred by fraud and violence; as a result, high hopes have been placed on this year's polls.

In this video uploaded to YouTube by jakobu1802 on April 9, 2011, parliamentary election results are tallied in Oyo State:

Incumbent Goodluck Johnathan, the former vice-president who assumed office after his predecessor's death last year, is perceived as the frontrunner; his closest competition is expected from Mohammadu Buhari, who briefly governed the country during the 1980s. Other challengers are former anti-corruption chief Nuhu Ribadu and Kano State governor Ibrahim Shekarau, as well as 16 candidates from smaller parties.

Official results are expected Monday. For more coverage, check out GV's special page on the Nigerian Election.

Report from the polls

At Bella Naija, Chiedu Ifeozo wrote how he changed his mind about voting in Nigeria. He said that although he had voted in “every election that was held while I lived in England,” at home in Nigeria he just “didn't see the point,” because of the prevalent assumption that ‘Nigerian votes do not count' and ‘the winners have already been decided.' But, like many young Nigerians, Ifeozo changed his mind and headed to the polls this election season:

Regardless of the cynicism, there has been renewed vigor among the people of my generation regarding the 2011 elections. Various youth coalition groups have gone all out to show that it isn’t only ‘cool’ to vote but have gone as far as giving insight into exactly who was running for the various offices by performing online polls, organizing a debate, and even developing web and mobile applications for easy monitoring of the elections through citizen reports. Through these processes, the candidates became more than just names and faces on campaign posters. They became the possible agents of change my country needed.

He then gave a blow-by-blow account of his experience on voting day:

1.04pm: When it was my turn, my heart was beating a little fast, I can’t lie. We had been educated on how to correctly complete the process for our votes to count, and I didn’t want to make a mistake, certainly not at the last moment. I handed the official my registration card, and he passed it to another official while he searched for my name on the list. When he found it, he put some ink on my right thumb and ushered me to the female NYSC personnel from earlier, who tore out two separate ballot sheets folded them and stamped some information on the back. She then wrote some details as well before handing it over to me and then directed me to the polling booth, a white folded stand with visors on both sides to prevent anyone from seeing me make my choice. I made towards the ballot boxes, one for the senate and the other for the House of Representatives, put my ballot sheets through the slot and I was done. I had voted for the first time, and honestly the first thing that crossed my mind was, “that wasn’t so bad now was it”.

He concluded:

5.15pm: I saw the result of my polling unit on the internet. My lips stretched into a smile….. “this is is the beginning of a new day for my country.”

Nigerian polling agent. Photo courtesy of Damisi Pikuda

In a post titled “A different kind of war,” Salisu Suleiman wrote about how the election season interrupts the business of daily life:

All schools were closed down. No form of teaching or learning took place for the duration. When it was discovered that the private school the president’s children attend did not close down along with others, public outcry forced it to close down also. After the initial two weeks, an extension was sought and granted. So for an entire month, all primary and secondary schools in the whole country were shut. Even in tertiary institutions, not much activity took place.

In that one month period, every Nigerian aged 18 and above was practically drafted to put down their names and fingerprints at various centres. Government said it was a civic duty. Preachers harangued citizens on the need to perform this divinely inspired responsibility. Parties tried every trick known and unknown to get people to these centres. Civil society groups made sure they were not left out and they shouted loudly on the need for citizens to participate in the noble exercise. Public holidays were declared in several states to ensure that the details of all eligible citizens were captured. Sophisticated digital equipment, worth over USD 500 million, were imported. At the end of one month of frantic activity, including a week’s extension, over 73 million gallant Nigerians had voluntarily participated in the noble cause.

Imnakoya expressed a cautious optimism shared by many in the blogosphere:

People came out to vote, voted, and even waited for the votes to be counted, without being intimidated by gun-trotting hoodlums, as was the case 2007. This appears to be the case across most South-western region of the country. This is a significant shift from the last election.

Writing at NigeriansTalk, Kunle Durojaiye agreed:

One cannot deny that there is a sense of a wind of change. People voted, and waited behind to witness the counting and collation of votes; media stations ran a live coverage of the elections while it lasted, and very importantly, young people influenced the exercise with the flood of information available via twitter, facebook and blackberry messaging. Without mincing words, change is inevitable, but one just wonders if the stage is truly set.

Read election day diary by Global Voices author, Nwachukwu Egbunike, which describes his day at the Polling Unit in Agbowo, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Nigerian parliamentary election was held last Saturday, April 9. The presidential poll was held yesterday, April 16. The vote for state governors is scheduled for April 26.

This post is part of our special coverage Nigeria Elections 2011.

Nigeria: Parliamentary election postponed for a week

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 14:29:56 +0000

The Nigerian parliamentary election, which kicks off two weeks of national elections originally scheduled to begin Saturday, has been postponed until Monday. The latest is actually that all elections have been pushed back for a full week. “A 48-hour delay is worth every second of the wait to get things right,” writes Akin. But Adeola wonders why officials waited until Nigerians had already headed to the polls before announcing the delay.

Nigeria: Now a “Middle Income” Country

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:31:45 +0000

Solomonsydelle reports that Nigeria has joined Brazil, South Africa, and 100 other countries in a category the World Bank refers to as “Middle Income.” She expresses her gratification that the nation has left the label “low income” behind, but wonders, “does this classification really mean anything?”

Nigeria: Remembering an Activist, Fifteen Years After his Execution

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 22:29:49 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.

On November 10th, fifteen years ago, Ken Saro-Wiwa, a prominent activist and outspoken critic of the oil industry in Nigeria, was executed along with eight of his associates. Saro-Wiwa was known throughout the world for his nonviolent activism on behalf of the Niger Delta, a region devastated by the by the oil industry. He was a hero for many Nigerians, and his execution inflamed the international community against the notoriously authoritarian regime of Sani Abacha and the practices of Royal Dutch Shell.

Saro-Wiwa and his associates, dubbed the ‘Ogoni nine', were accused in the murder of four chiefs, members of a rival faction in the organization that advocated for their home region, Ogoniland. Saro-Wiwa and the eight other leaders of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People were tried by a special military tribunal convened by the Abacha regime, a tribunal which was perceived as being so corrupt that nearly all the defense lawyers on the case resigned in protest (witnesses in the trial later admitted to being bribed to give false testimony). Nevertheless, the nine were convicted and sentenced to death; despite international outcry, shortly after the conviction they were hung.

Sokari at Blacklooks remembers the day Saro-Wiwa was executed:

I still remember the day, a Friday. The immediate week before the execution there was a scramble by heads of states, religious leaders, human rights organizations and individuals to try to prevent the hanging by appealing to General Abacha. Right until the very moment we all persuaded ourselves it would not happen. On the Saturday morning I remember clearly lying in bed staring at the ceiling when the phone rang. It was a call from a relative in Port Harcourt telling me what I already knew but was now confirmed. Eight members of MOSOP, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Barinem Kiobel, Fexlix Nuate, John Kpuinen, Daniel Gbokoo, Baribor Bera, Nordu Eawo, Saturday Doobe, Paul Levura had been executed.

Myrne Whitman writes of Saro-Wiwa's influence on her:

[Sara-Wiwa's writing] made references to the abuse he saw around him, as the oil companies took riches from beneath the soil of Ogoni land, and in return left them polluted and unusable. The[y] fed into my world view of how the world worked, and why I needed to tell my own story however I could.

Writing on the NigeriansTalk blog, Temie Giwa remembers Saro-Wiwa:

Ken Saro Wiwa has been my hero for as long as I can remember… I am in awe of his passion and commitment to his people. His bravery in fighting, even though he predicted his death two years before, forces me to attempt to live a life of service and to not be afraid. His commitment to literature, the exacting world of satire, and his passion for business are all concepts I hope to emulate.

He was a man that stood for his principles. He hated war but he waged it against those who exploited his people. He was a peaceful man who died for a terrible crime he did not commit. He was a product of the best that there is in the Nigerian spirit and for that I have hope for our nation.

In the wake of the November 10th execution, the families of the Ogoni nine brought a suit against Shell, the primary oil company operating in the region. They accused the multinational of crimes against humanity, alleging Shell's complicity in torture, shootings, illegal detention and other abuses carried out by the Abacha regime. In June 2009, fourteen years after the execution, the suit was settled for $15.5 million, with Shell denying responsibility for the nine deaths. After the proceedings, the Guardian reported on classified documents which revealed Shell's PR strategy at the time of the executions: in a series of internal memos, the company outlines a plan to “create coalitions, isolate the opposition and shift the debate”, win over “middle of the road” activists to Shell's agenda, and cozy up to the press.

Visit the Remember Saro-Wiwa website to hear audio about the current situation in the Niger Delta, or visit the MOSOP website for further updates.

This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.

South Africa: Musings on Inequality vs. Poverty

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:39:07 +0000

Andries du Toit muses on inequality vs. poverty in South Africa: “The central and most urgent issue facing South Africa is not poverty but inequality… our economy, while generating wealth for a few, is also a poverty machine, perpetuating and exacerbating steep and deeply rooted inequalities that threaten the basis of social stability and growth.”

Nigeria: Government was warned of bomb blasts in Abuja

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 22:42:09 +0000

Nigerian Curiosity gives her take on Friday's bomb blasts in Abuja: “Nigeria's security forces were warned of an impending attack at least five days before October 1st… Given such information, it is unacceptable that the government did not do more to anticipate and prepare for the attack.”

Nigeria: Reflections on 50 Years of Independence

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 19:52:15 +0000

October 1st marked fifty years of independence for Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. The Golden Jubilee is being celebrated throughout the nation and the global diaspora with speeches, concerts, parties and all manner of other events. But some are asking, is there even anything to celebrate? To many, the last fifty years seem an accelerated decent into chaos. Still, for most Nigerians, October 1st is a time for festivities.

Below are just a few of the ways people around the web are marking the occasion:

Opinion: Collaborative blog Nigerians Talk posted a series of essays by well-known Nigerian bloggers on the theme “Nigeria at 50.” The series began a week before Independence Day and a featured “a post a day on different aspects of the Nigerian experience.”

Politics: Sokari posted a comprehensive essay on female Nigerian leaders, women “who have taken action towards achieving justice and social, economic, environmental and political change.”

Photography: Jeremy at Cassava Republic asked eight prominent writers to respond to an iconic photograph from the independence era. Find out what they said here.

Literature: Naija Stories sponsored a competition of short stories on the theme of “Independence Day.” Check out the winners here, or read Henry C. Onyema's essay on Nigerian literature at 50.

Fashion: Bella Naija profiled “La Dame, La Muse”, a collaboration of Nigeria's top fashion designers organized in honor of the 50th Anniversary.

Music: Jibola L listed links to ten music videos. “I revel in my memories to bring back the good times,” she wrote. “And what better way to bring them back, than by music?”

History: Max Siollun linked to a selection of videos about Nigeria's history and leaders, including this short Al-Jazeera documentary:

A Golden Jubilee or nothing to celebrate?

In the blogosphere, the lead-up to October 1st had many Nigerians wondering if the last fifty years had really provided any cause for celebration. The past year especially has been a tumultuous one for Nigerians, after a series of upheavals including the unexplained absence and subsequent death of the President, an attempted terrorist attack by a Nigerian national, religious violence in the North and continued instability in the South. These and myriad other endemic woes had many Nigerians asking what justified all the festivities. Writing for Africa Report's Typerighter blog, Adeola Aderounmu expressed the cynicism shared by many in the online community:

Fifty years after independence Nigeria’s democracy remains in shambles. While the government of President Goodluck Jonathan will be wasting N17bn ($110m) on the independence party, millions of Nigerians will continue to live from hand to mouth, unsure of the next meal. The amount of funds planned for this ‘celebration of failures' is unwarranted. It should have been low-key, a time for sober reflection. We should have used this golden moment to evaluate where things went wrong and write genuine blueprints of how to emerge from our present predicament.

Toyin Akiode took a different view:

The fact that we are still standing as a united Nation despite all the unfortunate realities of our daily lives more than call for celebrations. There are many examples of countries that had disintegrated with lesser challenges than our dear nation.

Joseph Ekwu acknowledged the country's many faults, but chose to focus on the positive, pointing to the successes of Nollywood, the accomplishments of Nigerians in the Diaspora, and the spread of GSM technology. He wrote:

Roll out the drums…the red carpets… where are the elegant Efik dancers? The Horse riders from Sokoto… where are the vibrant and swagger filled youth, PINGING and chatting their way through success… bring out the best of all culture as my dear country… Yes I mean my lovely motherland NIGERIA IS 50.

Rock Bottom?

Still, cynics received fuel for their arguments when news broke that celebrations in Abuja had been marred by the coordinated explosion of several car bombs, killing 8 and wounding 21. The Niger Delta militant group MEND claimed responsibility for the attack, emphasizing the fact that they had previously warned officials about the explosions.

Writing from Abuja, Jeremy at Naijablog gave his take on the attack:

It’s a bitter pill to swallow to consider this: MEND were far better prepared to ‘celebrate’ Nigeria’s 50th Independence Anniversary than anyone else. There must have been months of planning involved to create a car bomb as powerful as this. What is worrying is that it shows how easily Abuja can be infiltrated by terrorists – the area around Eagle Square must have been packed with security operatives and yet a huge car bomb exploded close by. As I write, the terrorists are most likely still within the FCT, celebrating the success of their awful mission: the murder of innocent Nigerians.

Lexistrix wrote:

Is this rock bottom? Are we indeed at the end? Will we turn around now? The steady stream of disheartening reports in the past week seemed to indicate it couldn't possibly get any worse. Unfortunately, yet fittingly, I received my answer this morning. As the news of the bomb blasts in Abuja filtered in on the morning of our independence day, I realized that at best the answer is not yet.

I won't be celebrating this weekend. But, I understand those who feel the need to celebrate. If the musical stylings of D'banj and P-Square bring you joy, respite, oblivion, or whatever it is you are looking for this weekend, by all means, go for it. In the meantime, I'll keep my dancing shoes wrapped.

Cynics received fuel for their views when news broke that celebrations in Abuja had been marred by car bombs, killing xx and wounding xxx.

USA and Ghana: The most powerful black men on twitter

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 03:40:57 +0000

Abena links to a list of the “100 Most Powerful Black Men on Twitter“, but is disappointed that so many of the names come from the entertainment industry. “Are black men with the most impact on the planet likely to be rappers and sportsmen?” she asks.

Kenya: Changing urban youth culture

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 03:43:21 +0000

Bunmi follows up on an earlier post about the youth culture flourishing in Nairobi. “A small group of young adults who are not part of the “larger impoverished population,” nor… part of the small political-economic elite… they articulate a cosmopolitanism with a particular Kenyan flavor…” he writes, linking to a clip from a forthcoming documentary, “Urban Kool”.

Nigeria: Corruption and Politics in Football Elections

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:08:59 +0000

This week a Federal Court nullified the results of a recent election held for top posts in the NFF, Nigerian football's governing body. Toyin comments on the shenanigans that undermined the NFF election: “The best candidates found out again that Nigerian football is under vicious grip of our politicians…”

Zimbabwe: Hard questions about xenophobia in Africa

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:35:58 +0000

Chris Kabwato of Zimbabwe in Pictures responds to five “hard questions” about xenophobia in Africa. “Every society has to deal with its neighbours…” Kabwato writes. “I am not justifying xenophobia. Just don’t try to make black South Africans feel guilty all the time and not raise legitimate issues around foreigners and their place in their society.”

Nigeria: The humorous side of life in Lagos

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:29:13 +0000

Mypenmypaper continues his series of humorous observations about life in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city.

USA and Congo: Nicholas Kristof and Western coverage of Africa

Eremipagamo Amabebe — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:23:08 +0000

Bunmi joins the debate over New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof's admission that he tends to focus on the ‘white foreigner as savior, black African as victim' story in his Africa coverage. “I wonder if a story about some crisis in America would hold any interest for, let's say, Congolese readers,” writes Bunmi.