Up Station Mountain Club

The UN and its Security Council: Time for change

By Aloysius AGENDIA. Originally published on Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change

Over six months ago, I wrote on my blog that I am yet to understand why most supposed media experts, communicators,  political scientists and diplomats turn to misuse the appellation international community.

I said so because most often, the supposed powerful countries team up with their allies and want to call those who defy them as, defiling the international community and unfortunately, this is always largely relayed by the media and the so-called global media. Nevertheless, when one enters into the politics of media and editorial policies, then one may understand why some media prefer the line they chose to take.

 

Suspension of Sky One Radio and anarchy in Cameroon

By Aloysius AGENDIA. Originally published on Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change.

The suspension or ban of Sky One Radio in Yaoundé, Cameroon by the Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma on August 17, shows the many facets of the country.

The decision, which is multidimensional, falls within the framework of stifling free speech and equally brings to limelight some of the latter’s excesses. It also shows the laxity with which the Cameroon government handles issues, the impunity in the country and the lost of faith by many citizens on the nation’s weak institutions managed by “strong men”.

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CAMEROON: Like the ruling and opposition parties: Why participation in the 2011 Presidential Election may be poor

By Aloysius Agendia. Originally published on Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change

Cameroon has over 200 political parties, with more than three-quarter just satellite parties causing confusion and ensuring current political continuity.

Since 1985, Cameroon People Democratic Movement, CPDM, a transformation of the Cameroon Nation Union has been in power.

Current party Chairman Paul Biya has been the unchallenged ruling party candidate. Note should be taken that he came to power in 1982, through appointment, under the canopy of the CNU.

According to the constitution of Cameroon and following the electoral calendar, the next presidential elections are expected in 2011. Some ruling party elite who claim to be speaking for the masses are calling on president Biya to stand and inundating the press with motions of support.

Why grant asylum to economic and political criminals?

By Aloysius Agendia: originally posted on Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change.

Take look at history and you will realise that several people who have plundered various African countries with or without the complicity of western, fellow African and Asian country leaders either in the domain of politics and the economy have either died out of their country of origin or been granted asylum in some of these “safe havens”.

On the contrary, the real people who need protection, who have been or are being persecuted by the system organised by dictators, some are refused the right of asylum.

CONAC, the New Deal, the Media and PATRIOTISM

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

 

I was bewildered when I read on various Cameroon online  news sites of how the President of toothless bulldog “anti corruption” unit known by its French acronym as CONAC, qualified Cameroonian journalists as unpatriotic because they do not paint a good image of the country abroad.

 

To say the least, that  utterance was being too simplistic for Mr. Paul Tessa and his team, in their bid to calm the uproar that has accelerated following the publishing of a report alleging, though not denied by the accused,  that  President Biya embezzled  billions of state funds, financed sects with tax payers’ money, among other atrocities.

 

Africa: Urgent need to review immigration policies and charges

By Aloysius Agendia. Originally published on Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change

With a dwindling world economy, smart governments have reacted appropriately to streamline their expenses and are exploring other avenues of income. 

Some of these have been through increase of immigration charges, interview and visa fees, and reduction of diplomatic offices, among others.

Of course, the law of osmosis has applied whereby the strong forces draw the weaker ones and, weaker nations whose desperate population have been leaving their countries en-masse, have been the victims.

Three years ago, the interview fee at

US embassy in Cameroon was approximately US$100 but about a year ago, it moved to US$131.

President Obama in Africa: beyond “yes we can”, yes we must

By Aloysius Agendia: Originally published in Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change

Africa can, yes, we can, as President Obama said Saturday July 11 on his maiden visit to Africa, the continent from where his father hails, and a continent he was visiting at most, for his fifth time and the first time as the President of the United States of America.

I understand the choice of Ghana was certainly motivated by the country’s democratic rule, stability and progress but again due to the discovery of oil and the need to sign juicy contracts with the now oil rich nation. The expectations of the people of Ghana have been high as they hope to improve relations, demand for fair and balance economic cooperation with the strongest nation on the planet earth.

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.

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.

European Africans, Asian Africans, and native Africans must work together

 By Aloysius Agendia. Originally posted on Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change.

A lot has been written and said about the emancipation of Africa and making sure that its resources are used to develop the continent first. Many have been urged to join the fight but there are some groups, which have hardly ever been evoked.

African rulers, local medical researchers and western hospitals

By Aloysius Agendia (Originally published in Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change)

One of the biggest problem that has plagued the smooth take off of African countries is the deliberate refusal of the colonial administrators we have in most of Africa called presidents, to support local initiatives.

Initiatives in the field of medical research, engineering, agriculture, finances etc have been neglected in favour of dependence on the west, exploitative multinationals and financial institutions etc. The issue here is not a broad base focus on all of the above, but, on health and research.

Omar Bongo’s dies; the succession race: quiet economic, and political terrorism

 This article was originally published in Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change

The death of the 73-year president of Gabon Omar Bongo Ondimba may be a surprise to some but many had already perceived this among which is Gabon ’s influential colonial power France

.

As reported in one of my earlier post (Away with foreign military bases and foreign troops in Africa)  relaying some information from BBC, in January this year, France flew in 300 paratroopers to the oil rich country as Bongo’s health deteriorated.

Away with foreign military bases and foreign troops in Africa

By Aloysius Agendia (Originally published in Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change)

There is almost no African country (especially Francophone Africa) without the presence of foreign troops or these funny military bases said to have been built based on bilateral relations and protection. I wonder how many military bases we have in Europe, America etc.

As part of tightening the grip on Africa, which has been auctioned to imperialists by the neo colonial ruling aristocratic class, is the authorisation by these regimes most of whose legality and legitimacy is highly questioned, to allow foreign troops station in  various countries in the continent.

Africa: Patriotism Not Necessarily Capitalist Democracy

By Aloysius Agendia

This article was initially published in Sharing Knowledge and Ideas for Positive Change

I have been asking myself what the continent endowed with the world's highest and best mineral resources needs to come out of the doldrums of underdevelopment. This has been making me reflect on so many things and I do not want to go into the details of saying we only need to fight corruption, be hard working, creative, innovative etc. 

Swine flu: communication priority for Cameroon/Africa

By Aloysius Agendia

Two years ago it was bird flu. Today it is swine flu.  Concerning the first, birds among which are chicken were in real and utopic danger in various parts of the world.

This animal disease which did not reach Cameroon however, had devastating consequences on the struggling poultry sector in our country. It was because of terribly lacking and poor management of information about the flu.

Recently in Yaoundé, there was a heated debate between the government and some poultry farmers on whether bird flu actually existed in Cameroon. This is not the issue i want to raise though.