On this day in 1993, anti-apartheid icon Oliver Reginald Tambo died - one year before the collapse of the brutal racist system he’d fought against for most of his life. He’s sometimes referred to as the 'other half' of South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) party.
He was born on 27 October 1917, in today's Eastern Cape province in South Africa. He excelled academically and received a scholarship to study sciences and teaching at the University of Fort Hare - the only university that admitted Black students back then. There, he met and befriended a certain Nelson Mandela. The two set up South Africa's first Black-owned law firm and helped launch the ANC's Youth League.
The 1950s saw Tambo rise through the ranks of the ANC - becoming party vice president in 1957. In the aftermath of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, which saw 69 protesters gunned down by the police as they peacefully protested against the draconian Pass Laws, the ANC was banned, so Tambo went into exile and set up operations there. He is credited with holding the liberation movement together during this difficult time, becoming party boss in 1969.
In the late '80s, the regime reluctantly came to the negotiating table after losses on the battlefield in Angola, and under the pressure of international sanctions. Tambo led the talks, which ultimately resulted in the unbanning of the ANC and the release of political prisoners - including Mandela in 1990. That year, Tambo returned to his homeland.
He'd suffered a stroke in 1989, and in 1991 - as his health continued to deteriorate - he handed over the leadership of the party to Mandela. However, Tambo continued to serve as a source of wise counsel to the ANC till his death. Long live the revolutionary spirit of Oliver Tambo!
Pan-Africanist forces are mobilising behind Burkina Faso's president, Ibrahim Traoré, as a credible threat of a Western-backed coup d'état looms against his government following US Africa Command (AFRICOM)’s General Michael Langley inaccurately claiming Traoré’s government is nationalising gold to prop up a ‘junta regime.'
Langley’s comments have riled many online, as the evidence shows Burkina Faso—as well as the other member-states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), Mali and Niger—have been reclaiming their natural resources following successful people-backed coups d’état in recent years.
Since 30 September 2022, Burkina Faso has booted French troops, terminated military cooperation with France, nationalised two gold mines, cooperated with China to build a teaching hospital and worked with Russia to beat back armed t*rrorism that traces its origins to the 2011 NATO invasion of Libya.
Like X user @mhondoronehanda, many across the Pan-Africanist political spectrum have praised Traoré, including, Kenyan advocate Miguna Miguna (@migunamiguna via X) and Economic Freedom Fighters (@effsouthafrica) President Julius Malema (@Julius_s_malema via X). Africans across the continent and in the diaspora believe Burkina Faso's struggle is part of an Africa-wide struggle for sovereignty.
AFRICOM’s website says the US military maintains a presence on the continent to ‘advance US national interests.’ Its 2024 Posture Statement says the US uses AFRICOM to gain access to ‘Africa’s critical minerals and maritime shipping lanes.’
It's clear from Langley’s comments during a US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on 3 April that the US empire will continue to use ‘Black faces in high places’ to advance its agenda under the guise of fighting t*rrorism and defending democracy and human rights.
The demand is growing louder, as Africans will no longer accept military occupations disguised as peacekeeping or Black generals peddling colonial agendas.
Note: We updated the original tweet with brackets to correct a typographical error.
Wildlife smugglers are upping the ‘ante’ - or rather, focusing more on rare insects, such as ants. While big game, like rhinos and elephants (and their body parts), is still highly prized, stricter patrols have made life hard for poachers - prompting them to turn to smaller, lesser-known creatures, which can also fetch big bucks on the black market. Two Belgian teenagers are among a gang of four suspected smugglers recently busted by Kenyan authorities - in a sign that this kind of activity is now also being cracked down on. They reportedly looked ‘distraught’ and very uncomfortable in court - did they have ants in their pants? Swipe through for the details.
On 21 April, the world lost not just a religious leader but a rare voice of moral courage who used his platform to speak truth to power and whose words now belong to all who fight for a world where justice is not selective.
Pope Francis (1936-2025) was an avid advocate for the oppressed and never shied away from calling out injustice wherever he saw it, even with topics that others in positions of power avoided, whether the three-decade foreign-backed war over minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the almost 77-year Israeli occupation of Palestine.
As leader of the Holy See, he often called for a just peace, reminding us that while all people have the same rights, some do not see it as such, which is the root of the chaos we see in the world.
In today's Wednesday's Wisdom, we remember these words from his 11 May 2015 address at the Paul VI Hall, to 7,000 children of the Italy-based initiative Peace Factory, that authentic peace requires justice.
Pope Francis (1936-2025), arguably the most progressive pope in generations, died on 21 April following a recent cerebral stroke that put him into a coma and led to heart failure.
The pope is the leader of the Catholic Church, which claims 1.4 billion followers worldwide. Nowhere was his moral clarity more evident than in his unwavering concern for the world's most oppressed regions. For instance, Africa shows the greatest growth amongst Catholics at 3.31 per cent between 2022 and 2023, bringing the total adherents on the continent to 281 million, according to the Catholic News Agency. Yet, the pope saw not just faith but a people still rising through the wreckage of empire.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, he condemned the exploitation of people and minerals alike. In Palestine, he dared to speak for peace while certain states muffled dissent.
So, to celebrate his life, we’ve gathered some of his most powerful words, spoken in solidarity with Congo and Palestine.
Sometimes, truthful messages are delivered in a harsh tone, but that doesn't make them any less honest. @GeorgeGalloway certainly didn't mince his words in his 27 March X post. The former UK parliamentarian and leader of @workerspartygb echoed sentiments that have been the subject of long-standing debate among many Africans. While we know the colonial powers ensured former colonies remained economically and politically dependent on them even after colonialism, surely, decades later, isn't it time we broke free?
Some of us argue that Africa's dependence on the West prevents African people's progress; others view this argument as an oversimplification of the complex dynamics of global inequality and exploitation.
Many African leaders have sought sovereignty for their nations and a breakaway from Western dependency. To address inequalities created by colonialism, Zimbabwe's former president Robert Mugabe, for instance, sought to take back an estimated 74% of the country's total arable land that was stolen by fewer than 5,000 white settlers - who made up just 0.2% of the population - through land reforms. Rather than plead for Western handouts, he aimed to rebuild his nation as a dignified homeland for all Zimbabweans.
Similarly, Patrice Lumumba, the Democratic Republic of Congo's first Prime Minister, sought to liberate his country from the shackles of colonial exploitation to establish a genuinely sovereign nation, whose vast resources would primarily benefit the Congolese people for the first time in centuries. Both leaders faced fierce resistance from the West. Lumumba was k*lled in January 1961, in a Belgian and US-backed assassination, and Zimbabwe, under Mugabe, was subjected to punitive sanctions that devastated the country's economy.
Today, the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES), made up of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, continue to face resistance from the West, aided by pliant governments in neighbouring countries and weak institutions such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which function as extensions of global imperialists.
Considering neocolonialism alongside other historical and present realities, do you think voluntary dependence on the West is the primary barrier to progress in Africa?
Six-million Africans face the risk of dying from HIV infections within the next four years, warns UN AIDS chief Winnie Byanyima. This alert follows US President Donald Trump’s January executive order that halted foreign aid for 90 days - including funding for HIV programmes through the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Vital assistance for HIV/AIDS relief through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is now uncertain, despite a February waiver that permits the agency to provide urgent life-saving treatment. Given the critical stakes for millions of Africans fighting HIV-related illnesses, isn't it time Africa urgently established its own funding for healthcare services? Swipe through for a summary of the situation.
From exploitation to expulsion—that’s been the pattern for many migrants to the United States. The US Department of Homeland Security has terminated the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for about 7,900 Cameroonians in the US, due to expire in June.
In a statement, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the conditions in Cameroon no longer merited US protection, even though parts of Cameroon remain wracked by conflict and political repression.
The US grants TPS to nationals of designated countries facing armed conflict, natural disasters or political instability. But like most US immigration tools, its application reveals deep racial biases. While Washington continues to sell weapons, fund security forces and benefit from economic deals with some repressive governments in Africa, like Cameroon, it now claims the country is ‘safe’ enough to boot its nationals into the same chaos Western foreign policy helped fuel.
Unfortunately, it's not an isolated move. In March, the Trump administration announced plans to revoke the temporary status of over 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela—mostly Black and Brown populations.
An estimated 14,600 Afghans in the US are next to be expelled in May.
Further, Washington has revoked the visas of hundreds of international students in a bid to clamp down on pro-Palestine protests at university campuses across the US.
Since taking office, Trump has focused on ‘mass deportation,’ which he emphasised during his election campaign.
Is it a coincidence that many of the migrants targeted for deportation come from countries that have resisted US dominance or suffered from its imperial machinations? Let us know in the comments.
Not every leader is a guardian of the people. Some opt to sell out their own people for power and privilege. Take African presidents who lick the boots of their European or US counterparts. A good example is Mobutu Sese Seko, a puppet propped up by the West after the assassination of pan-African hero Patrice Lumumba during the Cold War. He’s one of the goats this week’s proverb warns us against. Can you name others?
Ahmed Kaballo
Ahmed Kaballo
On this day in 1993, anti-apartheid icon Oliver Reginald Tambo died - one year before the collapse of the brutal racist system he’d fought against for most of his life. He’s sometimes referred to as the 'other half' of South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) party.
He was born on 27 October 1917, in today's Eastern Cape province in South Africa. He excelled academically and received a scholarship to study sciences and teaching at the University of Fort Hare - the only university that admitted Black students back then. There, he met and befriended a certain Nelson Mandela. The two set up South Africa's first Black-owned law firm and helped launch the ANC's Youth League.
The 1950s saw Tambo rise through the ranks of the ANC - becoming party vice president in 1957. In the aftermath of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, which saw 69 protesters gunned down by the police as they peacefully protested against the draconian Pass Laws, the ANC was banned, so Tambo went into exile and set up operations there. He is credited with holding the liberation movement together during this difficult time, becoming party boss in 1969.
In the late '80s, the regime reluctantly came to the negotiating table after losses on the battlefield in Angola, and under the pressure of international sanctions. Tambo led the talks, which ultimately resulted in the unbanning of the ANC and the release of political prisoners - including Mandela in 1990. That year, Tambo returned to his homeland.
He'd suffered a stroke in 1989, and in 1991 - as his health continued to deteriorate - he handed over the leadership of the party to Mandela. However, Tambo continued to serve as a source of wise counsel to the ANC till his death. Long live the revolutionary spirit of Oliver Tambo!
#OliverTambo
10 hours ago | [YT] | 4
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Ahmed Kaballo
Pan-Africanist forces are mobilising behind Burkina Faso's president, Ibrahim Traoré, as a credible threat of a Western-backed coup d'état looms against his government following US Africa Command (AFRICOM)’s General Michael Langley inaccurately claiming Traoré’s government is nationalising gold to prop up a ‘junta regime.'
Langley’s comments have riled many online, as the evidence shows Burkina Faso—as well as the other member-states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), Mali and Niger—have been reclaiming their natural resources following successful people-backed coups d’état in recent years.
Since 30 September 2022, Burkina Faso has booted French troops, terminated military cooperation with France, nationalised two gold mines, cooperated with China to build a teaching hospital and worked with Russia to beat back armed t*rrorism that traces its origins to the 2011 NATO invasion of Libya.
Like X user @mhondoronehanda, many across the Pan-Africanist political spectrum have praised Traoré, including, Kenyan advocate Miguna Miguna (@migunamiguna via X) and Economic Freedom Fighters (@effsouthafrica) President Julius Malema (@Julius_s_malema via X). Africans across the continent and in the diaspora believe Burkina Faso's struggle is part of an Africa-wide struggle for sovereignty.
AFRICOM’s website says the US military maintains a presence on the continent to ‘advance US national interests.’ Its 2024 Posture Statement says the US uses AFRICOM to gain access to ‘Africa’s critical minerals and maritime shipping lanes.’
It's clear from Langley’s comments during a US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on 3 April that the US empire will continue to use ‘Black faces in high places’ to advance its agenda under the guise of fighting t*rrorism and defending democracy and human rights.
The demand is growing louder, as Africans will no longer accept military occupations disguised as peacekeeping or Black generals peddling colonial agendas.
Note: We updated the original tweet with brackets to correct a typographical error.
Post credit: @mhondoronehanda (X)
17 hours ago | [YT] | 17
View 1 reply
Ahmed Kaballo
Wildlife smugglers are upping the ‘ante’ - or rather, focusing more on rare insects, such as ants. While big game, like rhinos and elephants (and their body parts), is still highly prized, stricter patrols have made life hard for poachers - prompting them to turn to smaller, lesser-known creatures, which can also fetch big bucks on the black market. Two Belgian teenagers are among a gang of four suspected smugglers recently busted by Kenyan authorities - in a sign that this kind of activity is now also being cracked down on. They reportedly looked ‘distraught’ and very uncomfortable in court - did they have ants in their pants? Swipe through for the details.
1 day ago | [YT] | 4
View 2 replies
Ahmed Kaballo
On 21 April, the world lost not just a religious leader but a rare voice of moral courage who used his platform to speak truth to power and whose words now belong to all who fight for a world where justice is not selective.
Pope Francis (1936-2025) was an avid advocate for the oppressed and never shied away from calling out injustice wherever he saw it, even with topics that others in positions of power avoided, whether the three-decade foreign-backed war over minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the almost 77-year Israeli occupation of Palestine.
As leader of the Holy See, he often called for a just peace, reminding us that while all people have the same rights, some do not see it as such, which is the root of the chaos we see in the world.
In today's Wednesday's Wisdom, we remember these words from his 11 May 2015 address at the Paul VI Hall, to 7,000 children of the Italy-based initiative Peace Factory, that authentic peace requires justice.
1 day ago | [YT] | 11
View 1 reply
Ahmed Kaballo
POPE FRANCIS ON CONGO & PALESTINE
Pope Francis (1936-2025), arguably the most progressive pope in generations, died on 21 April following a recent cerebral stroke that put him into a coma and led to heart failure.
The pope is the leader of the Catholic Church, which claims 1.4 billion followers worldwide. Nowhere was his moral clarity more evident than in his unwavering concern for the world's most oppressed regions. For instance, Africa shows the greatest growth amongst Catholics at 3.31 per cent between 2022 and 2023, bringing the total adherents on the continent to 281 million, according to the Catholic News Agency. Yet, the pope saw not just faith but a people still rising through the wreckage of empire.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, he condemned the exploitation of people and minerals alike. In Palestine, he dared to speak for peace while certain states muffled dissent.
So, to celebrate his life, we’ve gathered some of his most powerful words, spoken in solidarity with Congo and Palestine.
Have a read, and share your reflections.
2 days ago | [YT] | 11
View 2 replies
Ahmed Kaballo
Sometimes, truthful messages are delivered in a harsh tone, but that doesn't make them any less honest. @GeorgeGalloway certainly didn't mince his words in his 27 March X post. The former UK parliamentarian and leader of @workerspartygb echoed sentiments that have been the subject of long-standing debate among many Africans. While we know the colonial powers ensured former colonies remained economically and politically dependent on them even after colonialism, surely, decades later, isn't it time we broke free?
Some of us argue that Africa's dependence on the West prevents African people's progress; others view this argument as an oversimplification of the complex dynamics of global inequality and exploitation.
Many African leaders have sought sovereignty for their nations and a breakaway from Western dependency. To address inequalities created by colonialism, Zimbabwe's former president Robert Mugabe, for instance, sought to take back an estimated 74% of the country's total arable land that was stolen by fewer than 5,000 white settlers - who made up just 0.2% of the population - through land reforms. Rather than plead for Western handouts, he aimed to rebuild his nation as a dignified homeland for all Zimbabweans.
Similarly, Patrice Lumumba, the Democratic Republic of Congo's first Prime Minister, sought to liberate his country from the shackles of colonial exploitation to establish a genuinely sovereign nation, whose vast resources would primarily benefit the Congolese people for the first time in centuries. Both leaders faced fierce resistance from the West. Lumumba was k*lled in January 1961, in a Belgian and US-backed assassination, and Zimbabwe, under Mugabe, was subjected to punitive sanctions that devastated the country's economy.
Today, the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES), made up of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, continue to face resistance from the West, aided by pliant governments in neighbouring countries and weak institutions such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which function as extensions of global imperialists.
Considering neocolonialism alongside other historical and present realities, do you think voluntary dependence on the West is the primary barrier to progress in Africa?
2 days ago | [YT] | 19
View 1 reply
Ahmed Kaballo
Six-million Africans face the risk of dying from HIV infections within the next four years, warns UN AIDS chief Winnie Byanyima. This alert follows US President Donald Trump’s January executive order that halted foreign aid for 90 days - including funding for HIV programmes through the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Vital assistance for HIV/AIDS relief through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is now uncertain, despite a February waiver that permits the agency to provide urgent life-saving treatment. Given the critical stakes for millions of Africans fighting HIV-related illnesses, isn't it time Africa urgently established its own funding for healthcare services? Swipe through for a summary of the situation.
3 days ago | [YT] | 1
View 2 replies
Ahmed Kaballo
From exploitation to expulsion—that’s been the pattern for many migrants to the United States. The US Department of Homeland Security has terminated the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for about 7,900 Cameroonians in the US, due to expire in June.
In a statement, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the conditions in Cameroon no longer merited US protection, even though parts of Cameroon remain wracked by conflict and political repression.
The US grants TPS to nationals of designated countries facing armed conflict, natural disasters or political instability. But like most US immigration tools, its application reveals deep racial biases. While Washington continues to sell weapons, fund security forces and benefit from economic deals with some repressive governments in Africa, like Cameroon, it now claims the country is ‘safe’ enough to boot its nationals into the same chaos Western foreign policy helped fuel.
Unfortunately, it's not an isolated move. In March, the Trump administration announced plans to revoke the temporary status of over 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela—mostly Black and Brown populations.
An estimated 14,600 Afghans in the US are next to be expelled in May.
Further, Washington has revoked the visas of hundreds of international students in a bid to clamp down on pro-Palestine protests at university campuses across the US.
Since taking office, Trump has focused on ‘mass deportation,’ which he emphasised during his election campaign.
Is it a coincidence that many of the migrants targeted for deportation come from countries that have resisted US dominance or suffered from its imperial machinations? Let us know in the comments.
3 days ago | [YT] | 5
View 1 reply
Ahmed Kaballo
Not every leader is a guardian of the people. Some opt to sell out their own people for power and privilege. Take African presidents who lick the boots of their European or US counterparts. A good example is Mobutu Sese Seko, a puppet propped up by the West after the assassination of pan-African hero Patrice Lumumba during the Cold War. He’s one of the goats this week’s proverb warns us against. Can you name others?
4 days ago | [YT] | 11
View 3 replies
Ahmed Kaballo
Continued.....
4 days ago | [YT] | 8
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