Editor's Desk |

Blood in the backstreets

August 18, 2021August 18, 2021 admin20 comment

When impoverished people trying to access water or land are killed by the police, the whole of society is complicit in these contemptuous murders committed by the state. Speaking to the press shortly before the non-violent protests against the pass laws planned for 21 March 1960, Pan Africanist Congress president Robert Sobukwe declared that “we have sworn that we are leading them, not to death, but to life abundant.” The fact that 69 people lost their lives at the hands of the state in Sharpeville that day, and another…

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The Arrogance Of Power: And You, Too, Senator Dillon?

July 10, 2021July 10, 2021 admin2Dillion, Liberia, Waste and Abuse0 comment

SENATOR ABRAHAM DARIUS Dillon rode on the coattails of a nation unhappy with the state of affairs of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change government. A DWINDLING ECONOMY, a leadership battling criticisms of neglecting its grassroots base and an ever-growing sense of urgency that Africa’s oldest republic had once again been betrayed by leadership gaffes which has rocked the very foundation of freedom and independence of a country lingering in abject poverty, abuse of resources a recurring dilemma of economic and political malaise. IN HIS CANDIDACY, Liberians saw a light,…

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Sirleaf Is Still A Major Player In Liberia’s Politics; Assembly Leadership Must Resign Now! The Liberian Listener

May 20, 2021May 20, 2021 admin2Failed State, Liberia, Political Corruption0 comment

Editorial Surely it is time for Senate President Albert Chie, Speaker Bufol Chambers, Deputy speaker Fonati Koffa and the rest of those holding leadership positions in the Liberian Assembly to resign their positions or be removed by their peers! The Assembly has failed Liberians in post-war reconstruction nation-building, but more so, to protect the interests of the country. Instead, the legislature is a place for criminals in these difficult times of national recovery, rebuilding, and reconciliation, especially so when the citizens of the land need answers to the many…

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Former Warlord Prince Johnson’s Despicable Attacks Against TRC Chair Verdier Is worrying!

May 17, 2021May 17, 2021 admin2Ellen Sirleaf, Liberia, Prince Johnson, TRC0 comment

Editorial The Liberian Listener is taken aback by General Prince Johnson’s recent attacks on the person of the former Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Cllr. Jerome Verdier. In his tirades against the former Commissioner, Mr. Johnson, now a senator from Nimba County who served as a notorious warlord during the Liberian un-civil war publicly said last week that Chairman Verdier ran away from Liberia, because of his dishonesty and manhandling of the TRC Report. The Liberian Listener notes and wants to set the record straight, that Chairman Verdier…

africa population growth the guardian nigeria

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Africa’s population growth: grasping the scale of the challenge!

April 21, 2021April 22, 2021 admin2Africa, Policy, Population Growth0 comment

The last 100 years have seen an incredible increase in the planet’s population. Some parts of the world are now seeing smaller increments of growth, and some, such as Japan, Germany, and Spain, are actually experiencing population decreases. The continent of Africa, however, is not following this pattern. Now home to 1.2 billion (up from just 477 million in 1980), Africa is projected by the United Nations Population Division to see a slight acceleration of annual population growth in the immediate future. In the past year, the population of the African…

Plato, in his groundbreaking and immortal postulation of the Republic, once asked a fundamental question which today’s African voter must pay critical attention to, if we are to avoid this present scourge of Africa being misled by foreign-anointed and controlled puppet leaders. The question still stands today as it did 3000 years ago: given the analogy that a nation is a ship sailing on high tempestuous sea’s, who would we, the citizens or passengers aboard that ship want as our captain? Would we pick any man aboard the ship on the basis of his stardom or popularity as an entertainer or some other trade unrelated to sailing; or would we search for a man who is trained and skilled in the art of navigation on the high seas? Logically, we would definitely chose and pick the man knowledgeable and capable of executing the task of ship captain! Why, because we instinctively know that our hopes of arriving at our destiny in one peace depends on the caliber of the man in whom we have entrusted our fate!

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Africa needs its enlightened young people to lead

February 24, 2021March 1, 2021 admin2Cde Mainda Simataa. ZXambia, ELA, UPND0 comment

EDITORIAL—- We need an emerging Africa that caters to its people needs, thus one that bring changes across the board on the land. In an era when the African Union and many African countries and its leaders are amassing personal state power, not as a means to develop the continent but to amass personal wealth, from the public purse, this phenomenon has left Africans poorer. Studies say young Africans make up the bulk of the population in their various countries and yet, are hardly if ever represented in the leadership…

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African leaders who condemned democracy in the U.S. were silent about events closer to home.

February 18, 2021 admin2Africa, AU, Elections0 comment

EDITORIAL—– When Donald Trump appeared to incite a riot at the Capitol building, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa were scathing in their response. But when it came to Uganda’s deeply flawed election, they and the African Union had little comment. Yoweri Museveni, who has led the eastern African country since a 1986 coup, shut down the internet and made sure 38-year-old opponent Bobi Wine was under house arrest for days. Protests were brutally crushed, people were killed and the U.S., European Union and United Nations Commission on Human Rights all…

“We must move away from this xenophobic word, because it brings us to the wars and makes it seem like South Africans hate foreigners, when we have lived with whites and Indians who we don’t know where they come from. We are proudly South African,” Bhengu said at the Jeppe police station in July 2015.

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The African Union is quiet on crisis until there are military coups—WHY?!

February 10, 2021February 10, 2021 admin2AU, EAC, Ramaphosa0 comment

EDITORIAL— Apparently and clearly reasons and recent developments says the African Union has no interests in critical matters that affect ordinary Africans on the continent of Africa! The nagging question on the minds of many ordinary Africans are, why is the African Union and especially the East African Commission (EAC) quiet in the face of the brutal attacks and political persecution and REPRESSION that General Yoweri Museveni has waged on unarmed peaceful civilians in Uganda, especially the opposition and its main leaders! In all of these chaos and blood spilling…

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African radicals must realize the importance of pan-Africanism

February 3, 2021 admin2Editorial, Movement, Pan Africa0 comment

EDITORIAL— The success of individual struggles in Africa depends on achieving continent-wide solidarity. 2020 was a significant year for Africa in many respects. It was not only the year when social norms were drastically altered, but it also marked the resurgence of African radicalism. The COVID-19 pandemic both amplified the extreme corruption that had long taken place on the continent, and forced marginalised communities to mobilise against such injustices at a moment of great need. In order for Africa’s young radicals to maintain momentum in this new year,…

Although he noted that this was not a sufficient reason for pulling down the building, he expressed satisfaction that the Ghanaian government had taken responsibility for the demolition by promising to rebuild the structure to its pre-demolition state. The Minister further noted that the Nigerian High Commission also failed to obtain legal title to the land even though it had paid for it as far back as the year 2000 and also failed to obtain the necessary approvals before erecting the building. In other words, the Nigerian High Commission was equally culpable. A fair and frank admission I suppose.

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The African Union has failed to ‘silence the guns’ 2020 WAS THE TARGET YEAR

January 25, 2021 admin2Africa, AU, Conflict0 comment

Editorial—- Seven years ago African leaders committed themselves towards an end to armed conflict. At the 50th anniversary celebration that marked the founding of the African Union, they promised lasting peace on the continent, pledging not to pass down the burden of armed conflicts to “the next generation of Africans.” This promise was followed by “the adoption in 2016 of the Lusaka Road Map to end conflict by 2020. The document outlined 54 practical steps that needed to be taken. They focused on political, economic, social, environmental and legal…