More than 60 Bridge Academies—low-cost schools that favor a technological approach to pedagogy—have been ordered to stop operating by a high court judge in Uganda. The legal issue stemmed from complaints by education officials who accused the Bridge International Academies of providing substandard facilities and unqualified academic staff. Although the court ruling was issued in November…
A High Court judge in Lagos, Nigeria has issued a ruling that Coca-Cola products could be “poisonous.” The ruling was controversial and has sent shock waves of alarm throughout the country. According to Dupe Atoki, Director General of Nigeria’s Consumer Protection Council, “Fanta, Sprite and Coca-Cola have arguably and consistently been the most widely consumed beverages in…
Lagos, Nigeria, is surrounded by water, but only 1 in 10 Nigerians have access to the public water utility. Instead, most people rely on boreholes they drill themselves, or they collect water from nearby sources. Those who can afford it purchase water from suspect water vendors, or Mai Ruwa. This water is often unsanitary,…
Recently an African pastor, Emmanuel Momoh, of Sierra Leone found one of the largest diamonds ever unearthed. The 709 karat diamond was discovered by the pastor in the region of Kono, which is a diamond-rich area. At 709 karats, the diamond is the thirteenth largest diamond ever found. The largest diamond ever mined was…
Everyone knows the catastrophic impact of the ivory trade on elephants across the world. This year alone, a rare tusker elephant was slaughtered by poachers in Kenya’s Tsavo National Park. This is not a new phenomenon; for centuries, trophies of big kills have decorated hunting halls, castles, and homes. In an unusual twist in response…
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became Africa’s first female elected head of state and the world’s first elected black female president in 2005. She was also elected in 2016 to be Chair of the Economic Community of West African States. In 2011, she received the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Leymah Gbowee of Liberia…
By the end of this decade, citizens of African nations expect to be recipients of a new travel document that will allow them to move freely across the Continent and without the bureaucratic process of applying for entry visas—a move that is in stark contrast to the Brexit referendum, which could see the United…
Famine in Somalia is an ongoing struggle, and currently the country is facing even more of a crisis than ever. One woman, Fatumata Hassan walked over 100 miles in search of food, water, and sanctuary. Now, she and her children live in a camp for people displaced by the famine—a small reprieve from her…
The South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) are once again moving forward in the shadow of a boycott. Two of South Africa’s most beloved soaps, Muvhango and Skeem Saam have withdrawn themselves from the awards in an effort to shed light on the unfairness of the award ceremonies. Their objection is that television…
To celebrate reaching the milestone of 93 years of age, what else would you expect from a birthday party? Robert Mugabe, known for his lavish parties and living life to the fullest, certainly hasn’t slowed down any since his last gathering. In fact, his 93rd birthday bash was certainly one for the record books.…
