They provide a model for other youth in diaspora to emulate: keeping in touch with one’s culture and religion; how to settle in a foreign land; creativity in employment; long-term investment in education

Contemporary socio-political and economic conditions engendered by poor governance and the contradictions of decadent capitalism have led the youth into unemployment, underemployment, idleness, and unproductive and criminal activities for survival

There are essential knowledge, skills and attitudes which are critical to one’s role as a radical organizer. Young activists need to master them

The rulers in Ethiopia continue to use higher educational institutions not as places of learning, inquiry and research but as diploma mills for a new breed of party hacks and zombie ideologues doomed to blind and unquestioning servility

African youth have been the drivers of revolutions in the past two years. However, to be more effective in bringing about desired change in their nations and the continent, they must listen, learn and earn their right to make meaningful contributions

The newly independent nation is beset by a host of problems of underdevelopment arising from slavery, wars and fragmentation of society. The serious hardships facing young people, who are the majority of the population, should be seen in this context and addressed urgently

Young people have paid an extremely high price for the fragile state the DR Congo finds itself in, especially as large numbers of them are uneducated, unemployed and with no skills. As a result, many have become dangerous delinquents

New legislation in regards to local and international NGOs in Kenya is likely to exacerbate the mutual suspicion between the governments and NGOs

The former Land and Freedom fighters, otherwise more popularly known as ‘Mau Mau’ have won compensation from the British government for the brutal mistreatment they endured. However, in Kenya many of those who have become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) since the violent elections of 2008 continue to languish in displaced peoples camps

Tensions and misinformation have arisen surrounding Ethiopia’s renaissance dam. To douse the flames of tensions an International Panel of Experts and their report must be allowed to promote trust and dialogue among the parties

The African Union and local judicial systems in Africa appear to support the impunity of African leaders who commit crimes against humanity, lock up journalists and civil rights leaders whilst exercising a double standards that fails to commit to accountability and genuine justice

A recent conference on the theme ‘50 years after the founding of the OAU: Africa must unite or perish’ looked at strategies for achieving Africa’s integration. Focusing on past successes and reviving Ethiopianism are among some of the ways forward

Before they can celebrate ‘democracy day’, Nigerians deserve to know the truth about Moshood Abiola’s stolen election twenty years ago which led directly to the country’s worst dictatorship, that of Sani Abacha

The person suspected of killing Rodney is reported to have died in 2002. However the Rodney family and his supporters still want to know who was behind the assassination of this great man

Today, June 13, 2013 is 33 years since world-renowned historian, academic and political activist Walter Rodney was killed on Bent Street in Georgetown, Guyana. To this moment there has been no credible enquiry into this dastardly act of cowardice. In the interest of justice, it is high time that every Guyanese and every decent human being the world over renew the repeated call made by his family, the WPA, and activists around the world for an impartial, independent, international enquiry into the circumstances surrounding his murder.

WHO WAS WALTER RODNEY

Because most of the population today was either very young, or were not born as yet when he was killed, I have included a brief timeline taken from his biography.

1. He was born in Georgetown, Guyana, on March 23, 1942.
2. He came from a humble working class family.
3. Won scholarship’s to Queens College, to the UWI, to School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
4. At age 24 completed Ph.D. with honors in African history.
5. His Ph.D dissertation was published in 1970 by Oxford University Press with the title, ‘A History of the Upper Guinea Coast, 1545-1800’.
6. An active partisan of the African liberation struggle (throughout his life)
7. Professor at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (1966-1967)
8. Professor at the University of the West Indies (Mona 1968)
9. He was expelled from Jamaica in 1968
10. Professor at the University of Dar es Salaam (1968-1974)
11. Published ‘Groundings with my Brothers’ (1969)
12. Published ‘How Europe Underdeveloped Africa’ (1972)
13. Came home to Guyana (1974) to take up the appointment as Chair of the History Department at the University of Guyana
14. Burnham government (1974) rescinded his appointment at the University of Guyana
15. He emerged as resistance leader in Guyana against dictatorial rule (1974-1980)
16. Together with others formed the resistance movement in Guyana, Working People’s Alliance (1974)
17. Completed the manuscript, ‘History of the Guianese Working People 1881-1905’ (1980). This manuscript published in 1981.

Power changed hands in Sierra Leone, but has not meant improvements in the quality of life of ordinary people in terms of access to the basics of life. The people must not relent in demanding services

The recent court ruling ordering President Mugabe to hold elections by July 31 strangely never took account of the enormous amount of legal work that needs to be done before polls can take place under the new constitution

June 12, the day 20 years ago when a national election was dramatically annulled, reminds Nigerians of the extra mile some of their opportunistic compatriots could go for self and group-serving purposes

The plan looks fine, but in practice it means Kenya would become a see-no-evil, hear-no-evil haven for tax cheats and money launderers, governed by lax regulation that puts all the power in the hands of the multinational corporations

Tunisians are concerned that the uprising that overthrew the Ben Ali dictatorship has failed to bear any meaningful result. The ruling coalition is only interested in its own survival and national institutions are very weak