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July 2009

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Jimbi Media Sites

  • AFRICAphonie
    AFRICAphonie is a Pan African Association which operates on the premise that AFRICA can only be what AFRICANS and their friends want AFRICA to be.
  • Jacob Nguni
    Virtuoso guitarist, writer and humorist. Former lead guitarist of Rocafil, led by Prince Nico Mbarga.
  • Postwatch Magazine
    A UMI (United Media Incorporated) publication. Specializing in well researched investigative reports, it focuses on the Cameroonian scene, particular issues of interest to the former British Southern Cameroons.
  • Bernard Fonlon
    Dr Bernard Fonlon was an extraordinary figure who left a large footprint in Cameroonian intellectual, social and political life.
  • George Ngwane: Public Intellectual
    George Ngwane is a prominent author, activist and intellectual.
  • PostNewsLine
    PostNewsLine is an interactive feature of 'The Post', an important newspaper published out of Buea, Cameroons.
  • France Watcher
    Purpose of this advocacy site: To aggregate all available information about French terror, exploitation and manipulation of Africa
  • Bakwerirama
    Spotlight on the Bakweri Society and Culture. The Bakweri are an indigenous African nation.
  • Simon Mol
    Cameroonian poet, writer, journalist and Human Rights activist living in Warsaw, Poland
  • Bate Besong
    Bate Besong, award-winning firebrand poet and playwright.
  • Fonlon-Nichols Award
    Website of the Literary Award established to honor the memory of BERNARD FONLON, the great Cameroonian teacher, writer, poet, and philosopher, who passionately defended human rights in an often oppressive political atmosphere.
  • Scribbles from the Den
    The award-winning blog of Dibussi Tande, Cameroon's leading blogger.
  • Omoigui.com
    Professor of Medicine and interventional cardiologist, Nowa Omoigui is also one of the foremost experts and scholars on the history of the Nigerian Military and the Nigerian Civil War. This site contains many of his writings and comments on military subjects and history.
  • Victor Mbarika ICT Weblog
    Victor Wacham Agwe Mbarika is one of Africa's foremost experts on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Dr. Mbarika's research interests are in the areas of information infrastructure diffusion in developing countries and multimedia learning.
  • Martin Jumbam
    The refreshingly, unique, incisive and generally hilarous writings about the foibles of African society and politics by former Cameroon Life Magazine columnist Martin Jumbam.
  • Enanga's POV
    Rosemary Ekosso, a Cameroonian novelist and blogger who lives and works in Cambodia.
  • Godfrey Tangwa aka Rotcod Gobata
    Renaissance man, philosophy professor, actor and newspaper columnist, Godfrey Tangwa aka Rotcod Gobata touches a wide array of subjects. Always entertaining and eminently readable. Visit for frequent updates.
  • Francis Nyamnjoh
    Francis B. Nyamnjoh is Associate Professor and Head of Publications and Dissemination with the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA).
  • Ilongo Sphere
    Novelist and poet Ilongo Fritz Ngalle, long concealed his artist's wings behind the firm exterior of a University administrator and guidance counsellor. No longer. Enjoy his unique poems and glimpses of upcoming novels and short stories.

  • Up Station Mountain Club
    A no holds barred group blog for all things Cameroonian. "Man no run!"
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Sunday, 05 July 2009

Bolivia: the lithium battle

I hear Cameroon has a new prime minister. I also hear hat there is a law to legalise homosexuality and abortion in Cameroon. The first bit of news is largely insignificant in that nothing will change. The second bit is more important and I want to register my support for that initiative, whatever the motives a number of commentators have ascribed to those who tabled the bill (one hears of the homosexual lobby in the corridors of Cameroonian power). Na dem mbanga, na dem oya. In English, none of my business.

What I really want to talk about is lithium. Lithium as in the element on the periodic table. Lithium as in the drug that is given to manic depressives.

But most of all, lithium as in batteries. Lithium as in Bolivia has got lots of it and a lot of biggies want it because lithium ion batteries may power cars in the future.

Poor Bolivia. Enter the jackals.

We all know, from examples like the columbite/tantalite tragedy in the DRC, what happens when a country has zero governance, zero capital for investment, stupid leaders and/or warlords, and great mineral wealth.

Bolivia does have governance with Evo Morales, the “ native” with a vision who became president. He is not much liked in some circles because he nationalises things for the benefit of Bolivians whereas other people think they should come in and “ develop” the product for their own benefit. Some commentators have been apoplectic about this,as you’ll see later if you click on the link to comments on an article about Bolivia’s lithium. 

The Guardian spins it as a lost opportunity if Evo Morales and union leaders continue to be stubborn in refusing foreign domination and profiteering in lithium exploitation: “their politics could stymie yet another opportunity for Bolivia to improve the lives of its citizens.” Like the Lithium is going to get up and walk if big multinationals are not immediately allowed in to do as they please.

In the same vein, someone is worried, or claims to be worried, that if Bolivia does not sell the Lithium now, no one will want it later:
Juan Carlos Zuleta, an economist in La Paz, said: “We have the most magnificent lithium reserves on the planet, but if we don’t step into the race now, we will lose this chance. The market will find other solutions for the world’s battery needs.”

In Cameroon, when you offer a landlord or landlady rent that is insulting low compared to what s/he invested in the house, s/he tells you that houses do not need to be fed. So too with Bolivia’s lithium.

 Nationalism is bad if practiced by other people, you see. Never mind that idiots round the world buy t-shirts with “ western”, especially American, national flags on them. Or is that commercialism rather than nationalism? Maybe. But what do you call it when a Dubai-based company tries to muscle in on  American ports management and is blocked? Why is it that it is okay to refuse to cede control of sensitive (from a security perspective) or potentially highly lucrative national industries to foreigners when one is rich but not so when one is poor? I will be told that some developed countries have sold water supply companies to foreign owners. True. But if a French owned company tries to mess with Britain because it controls basic British utilities, how far do you think that will go? It's all about power.

Anyway, let’s return to lithium and Bolivia. Bolivia has about 50% of the world’s lithium supply. Lithium is being touted as the future fuel for electric cars. We’re running out of oil. We still want to buy and drive our cars. The carmakers want to stay in business. So guess who’s very interested in Bolivian lithium?
As I said, enter the jackals.
“For example, French manufacturer Bolloré has presented a proposal to Evo Morales, president of Bolivia, aimed at the massive exploitation and commercialization of the Uyuni mineral deposits. The race for Bolivian lithium has also been joined by Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors, followed closely by General Motors, which was engaged in talks with the Bolivian government before GM declared bankruptcy this year.”

But (the article concludes):
As this issue was going to press, however, the Bolivian daily La Razon and in the regional publication America Economia reported that at present, the government of President Evo Morales intends to carry out exploitation of the lithium deposits at Salar de Uyuni all by itself, without any partners. This is because none of the offers made by multinational companies has yet to satisfy the government’s principal goal of moving away from the simple production of raw materials, and turning Bolivia into an industrialized country. To achieve that goal, the government plans to obtain financial assistance from a bank or from another institution, according to the reports.

Says Bolivia’s mining minister:

"We will not repeat the historical experience since the fifteenth century: raw materials exported for the industrialisation of the west that has left us poor."


Just in case you think this is a small story, you should visit this site to see how lively the discussion is becoming

The best post on the site, which summarises the point of view of most thinking third-worlders, is this rather entertaining one:

How dare they refuse to be exploited! Do they not know who WE are? We are the US of F'ing A and we will pay them pennies for our lithium inconveniently located in their country and they will like it.
Oh, alright, we'll be charitable and double thier daily wages to $2, now gives us the Lithium before we invade and take it.
In spite of my hopes for Lithium battery technologies helping the evolution to plug-in hybrids, I'm happy to hear of a countries leader NOT selling out it's people. Morales is well know for his populism (similar to Chavez for sure and good friends as well).
If I were Morales I'd restrict raw exports to a trivial amount and force all the battery makers to build mines AND factories in Bolivia.

Of course, when the Bolivians say
"We are building every¬thing from scratch. This is a historic moment. We are working for ourselves." Rich countries would no longer plunder Bolivia's resources. "There is a new dialectic."

Others call it “delirium

There is even an article entitled “ Lithium could be Bolivia’s future if politics don’t get in the way”,  politics being, of course, poor people having opinions about their resources that are at odds with what rich people think.

But the Lithium story has another facet:
Another key point that the buzz about lithium batteries doesn't address is that LiIon batteries can only store energy; they cannot create it.

So in chasing after Bolivian lithium we’re not try to reduce energy dependence or consumption. We just want to go and get it from someone else now oil is running out and people like Chavez are being naughty.

I would have thought the issue at stake here would be not getting at Bolivia’s lithium, but reducing our consumption of energy. But I am mistaken. Who wants to wash clothes by hand or walk to work?

Anyway, I hope Morales lives long and stands firm. He’s got the right idea.

Interview with Lapiro de Mbanga: ”This is the trial of the voiceless”

By Jen Bell, Freemuse's correspondent in Cameroon in the Appeal Court of Bonanjo in Douala (Originally published on Freemuse)

Lapiro de Mbanga was interviewed just a few hours before the verdict of three years imprisonment and a fine of FCFA 280 millions was confirmed at a court hearing on 24 June 2009 in Douala.

Lapiro de Mbanga Freemuse: How do you feel?

Lapiro de Mbanga: “I feel like I did on the first day. I continue to ask myself what I am doing here. I don’t know why they have caught me. I don’t know why I am condemned. I am an observer of my own story, to tell you the truth. I don’t reproach myself for anything. I am calm, I feel serene. I leave it up to Justice to do her job. That is all.”

Continue reading "Interview with Lapiro de Mbanga: ”This is the trial of the voiceless”" »

Saturday, 04 July 2009

Photo: July 4 Tala and Jacob

An exclusive crowd of fans in Maryland was treated to a July 4 pyrotechnic display of guitar virtuosity by two of the best in the business, Andre Marie Talla and Jacob Nguni. They were backed by a lively and competent band.
Tala & Nguni


Tala and Nguni rendering a great version of the African classic, Sweet Mother
Andre Marie Tala
Serious retrocephalic strumming

Continue reading "Photo: July 4 Tala and Jacob" »

Friday, 03 July 2009

A King With No Clothes On: Being a Prime Minister in Cameroon

By Dibussi Tande (Originally published on Scribbles from the Den)

During a 1998 discussion on the defunct Camnet listserv, one subscriber inquired about the powerlessness of Cameroonian Prime Ministers compared to their French counterparts:

In the French system of democracy, which is the inspiration for Cameroon’s 1996 constitution, there is an executive President and an executive Prime Minister with the latter still appointed by the President (in consultation if he is from the opposition party) yet there is no evidence of powerlessness in the system. Where then is the missing link of this type of democracy in the case of Cameroon, where the Prime Minister is supposed to be powerless?

My reply below from 11 years ago, which is still valid today, shows why the Cameroonian Prime Minister, unlike his French counterpart, is largely a figurehead:

Continue reading "A King With No Clothes On: Being a Prime Minister in Cameroon" »

From Disjuncture to Consensus 1: Discourse on New Partnership between State and Civil Society

 Emmanuel Konde 
  
Human greed and human arrogance of power are two major sources of social evil.  This is true of life in general and particularly so in politics.  Greed is the appropriation of resources to oneself or by a group of individuals.  Arrogance of political power is the selfish consumption of power by one person or a few at the expense of the people.  Greed and arrogance of power breed mistrust between power and wealth, the powerful not-so-knowledgeable and powerless-knowledgeable, and between those who have and those who want.  The term, civil society, was coined to designate the powerless-knowledgeable who have been systematically excluded from power and who, desirous of political power, strategically posit themselves as advocates for the marginalized masses.  It is not surprising that this concept is used only in reference to societies in which consensus among the major stake-holders is yet to be hatched. 

Continue reading "From Disjuncture to Consensus 1: Discourse on New Partnership between State and Civil Society " »

Tala Andre Marie, Jacob Nguni and Dave K. Moktoi Tonight in DC

Nguni_Tala_Moktoi

FrancAfrique Dans L'Afrique: The Old Power Generation (1)

 

Louis Egbe Mbua

Originally published in Living Lights


If we put it that a true and responsible government will exit power by the ballot box rather than recycling old hands tainted with their corrupt practices, then the regime of Mr. Paul Biya is a disgrace. For close to twenty seven years he has been peddling with the lives of the Cameroonian people with his strange and "resurrection" brand of tribal politics  geared towards pleasing the colonial master, France, while maintaining an incompetent regime; a justification which no man of reason can put pen to paper. For several years, he has been deluding himself with one discredited cabinet reshuffle after another with an apparently warped view that the country will change by some enchantment from Le Grand Sorcier; and a magic wand.

In retrospect, his immature dictatorial regime has dragged the country into a league of unimaginable beggary. Since Mr. Biya came to power in 1982, he has been a dependent of the IMF for handouts and cut-throat loans, fraudulent privatisation of the country's patrimony, such as the Tole Tea Estate, with dreadful results; and which the meagre funds generated are again cyclically embezzled by gangs of national thieves over the years.

Continue reading "FrancAfrique Dans L'Afrique: The Old Power Generation (1)" »

Why did Paul Biya wait until the publication by French-based NGO on his family, collaborators and personal fortunes to announce a new government?

By Tazoacha Asonganyi,

Philemon Yang Cameroon has been in suspense for over a year, waiting for a new government. The arguments for a new government were many: the PM seemed to be bugged down by rumours about his involvement in the Presidential plane scandal – the so-called albatross affair – and actually had sessions with the judicial police; rumours about deals in Bakassi that led to the death of many Cameroonian soldiers,  including the DO of Kumbo Abedimo; the helplessness of  government as Limbe was taken control of and ransacked by an armed band that went scot-free; the February 2008 uprisings fuelled by a mixture of anger against constitutional amendments and generalised price hikes...

Continue reading "Why did Paul Biya wait until the publication by French-based NGO on his family, collaborators and personal fortunes to announce a new government?" »

Thursday, 02 July 2009

A journey into dejection or the denunciation of resignation: A review of Francis Nyamnjoh’s Souls Forgotten

Souls Forgotten (355 pages; Langaa research and Publishing CIG, 2008)

(Originally published on Gef's Outlook)

It took Emmanuel Kwanga four years after dropping out of university to take control of his life and decide to set up an NGO to assist his community reeling in neglect, instead of griping about the fate of the rich and poor, the corrupt and the defenceless in his country Mimboland. Francis Nyamnjoh in Souls Forgotten (2008) used the subtlety of prose to tell Cameroonians in 355 pages what the U.S Ambassdor Janet Garvey said to them via a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce in Douala in June 2009 : it is time to take ownership of their destiny, their government, their community.

Continue reading "A journey into dejection or the denunciation of resignation: A review of Francis Nyamnjoh’s Souls Forgotten" »

Losers and Winners – Biya’s new Government in Cameroon

By Innocent Chia

Yang_philemon_2The June 30, 2009 government shake-up by Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has come as a surprise to a few and not so to many others that have, since late last year in 2008, been anticipating the change. Of seismic importance to many is the appointment of Philemon Yang as Prime Minister; even as the former PM, Ephraim Inoni, gets the boot and unconfirmed rumors that his passport has been seized. In Biya’s banana republic, a personnel recycling represents reform, or change as is known in the common lingo. Cameroonians know, meantime, that the appointment of Yang (from the North West) over Inoni (from the South West) fuels the perpetual burning fire among Southern Cameroonians just the way some politicians want it to be.

Continue reading "Losers and Winners – Biya’s new Government in Cameroon" »

Wednesday, 01 July 2009

Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa

Continue reading "Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa" »

Music: Capturing the Cameroon Sound

By Siddhartha Mitter (Originally published in The Boston Globe)
 
James Brown-Hustle If nothing else, history will retain that André-Marie Tala sued James Brown for plagiarism - and won.

It stemmed from a 1973 incident when Brown was touring in West Africa. In Cameroon, the young Tala - an emerging local singer and guitarist - handed Brown a demo copy of “Hot Koki,’’ a hard-funk number he had composed.

Two years later, Brown dropped “Hustle!!!’’ - with the same melody, beat, and arrangements, only with English lyrics. An American court found in Tala’s favor, ruling that the Godfather of Soul had used his work without permission.

Andre Marie Tala

André-Marie Tala

Continue reading "Music: Capturing the Cameroon Sound" »

Tuesday, 30 June 2009

FrancAfrique Sans L'Afrique: The Old Power Generation

 

Louis Egbe Mbua

Originally published in Living Lights

When I was a boy, I used to imagine that people in power never left until President Ahidjo of Cameroon resigned suddenly in 1982. This completely changed my perception of big power players. Ahidjo, although a dictator in his time, was wise in some respects: he knew that he was only mortal; and that having presided over a new country from independence, he must have made powerful enemies: nationally and internationally. This writer believes that this simple philosophical thought by Ahidjo must have provoked his sudden resignation. Furthermore, ill health while in power has proven time again that it is an omen to point to the man in power to pack up his bags and leave. Ahidjo left behind a generation of men in power, who continue to wield the same power after 27 years. If we interpolate their total cumulative years in power, and assuming that most of them were with Ahidjo since 1960, then we must reach the conclusion that their time to go is up. This applied to Bongo of Gabon, Eyadema of Togo and Felix Houphouet Boigny of Ivory Coast, the colossus of FrancAfrique.

Continue reading "FrancAfrique Sans L'Afrique: The Old Power Generation" »

Cameroon: The New Government

Prime Minister Head of Government
Mr. Yang Philemon

Minister of State in charge of Transport –Mr Bello Bouba Maigari

Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defense – Mr Mebe Ngo’o Edgard Alain

Minister of Post and Telecommunication – Mr Biyiti Bi Essam Jean Pierre

Minster of State Property and Land Tenure - Mr Beleoken Jean-Baptist

Minister of Communication -Mr Isa Tchiroma Bakary

Continue reading "Cameroon: The New Government" »

Cameroon president names new prime minister

* New prime minister was former diplomat

* Outgoing premier had sought money from IMF

* President Biya under pressure from discontent over prices

By Tansa Musa

YAOUNDE, June 30 (Reuters) - Cameroon's President Paul Biya appointed Philemon Yang, a former diplomat and senior official in the presidency, as prime minister in a government reshuffle on Tuesday, state media said.

Continue reading "Cameroon president names new prime minister" »

Monday, 29 June 2009

Nigeria: Two Cameroonians Lynched after Genital Theft Claim

(Originally published in The Guardian, Nigeria)

TRAGEDY struck yesterday in Kurmi Local Government Council of Taraba State when two foreigners from the neighbouring Republic of Cameroun and a Nigerian were lynched to death by an angry mob for an alleged disappearance of a man's private organ.

The three persons were said to have been traveling in a jeep with registration number BV802AGL to Cameroun, a stone thrown from Baissa, the administrative headquarters of the council, when death came calling.

Continue reading "Nigeria: Two Cameroonians Lynched after Genital Theft Claim" »

Leeds insurance fraudster jailed

Originally published in the Yorkshire Post

AN INSURANCE claims handler from Leeds who swindled more than £38,000 from his employers has been jailed.

Royal Bank of Scotland employee Raoul Tagne worked at the company's Direct Line insurance office on the Headrow, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Continue reading "Leeds insurance fraudster jailed" »

Cameroon seeks $144 million from IMF - PM

Originally posted on Interactive Investor

YAOUNDE, June 29 (Reuters) - Cameroon wants rapid access to 92.85 million in Special Drawing Rights ($144 million) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to help cushion the impact of the financial crisis, the Central African country's Prime Minister said in a letter to the IMF seen by Reuters on Monday.

Cameroon's economy, which is struggling to dampen the impact of the global downturn, will grow by 2.5 percent this year, Ephraim Inoni said, down from a previous estimate of 3 percent, itself a reduction from 4 percent when the budget was prepared late last year.
"The effects of the international crisis will result in a need for greater financing for the budget," Inoni said in the letter.

Continue reading "Cameroon seeks $144 million from IMF - PM " »

Friday, 26 June 2009

The Day the Music Paused: How Michael Jackson was Killed

Emmanuel Konde 
 
The music paused the world over on Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 2:26 p.m. PDT when the “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson, ceased to exist.  It is said that Michael suffered a cardiac arrest and all attempts to resuscitate him failed.  And so the stunning news filtered from the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles to the entire world:  “Michael Jackson is Dead!”
 
Although the physical death of Michael Jackson may have occurred on June 25, 2009, he had been killed spiritually many times over by journalists the likes of ABC ‘s Diane Sawyer (1995) and BBC’s Indian journalist Martin Bashir (2003).
 

Continue reading "The Day the Music Paused: How Michael Jackson was Killed " »

Michael Jackson and Bob Marley forever: What lessons for us?

By Aloysius Agendia: Originally published on Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positve Change


The demised of the greatest pop icon, Michael Jackson, on Thursday June 25 certainly sent shock waves across the globe. This was because Michael was not only a master of all the arts of pop and music as a whole, but his music transcended souls, generations, and races.

Mike and bob

His music was far beyond contemporary music, which is merely the clashing of cymbals, drums and other instruments to produce some rhythm and melody. Michael‘s, was more of the combination of the soul searching rhythm with deep rooted meaning attached to every word he uttered.  With 754 million copies of various albums sold to his credit, and gathering the largest ever number of participation in a musical concert, Michael Jackson was certainly phenomenal.

Continue reading "Michael Jackson and Bob Marley forever: What lessons for us?" »

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