Sir Nigel's Journey…

I was in the US last month for a couple of weeks. As I was ‘cruising’ the massive malls and the unfamiliar wide highways, I couldn’t quite help but think of the African in the diaspora. As I drove towards the city of Boston, I remember how this very piece evolved from a single thought into the idea I am now sharing with you. I didn’t have to go far away to think too hard. The wide highways and the streams of different coloured motor vehicles drove along side me. As I pondered, I looked at myself and thought about my contact list in my trusted iPhone and wondered how on earth the various African governments could entice the cheetah to return home. Life seems easier out here in the west than way over there in the ‘dark continent’. So I wonder, why would a cheetah return home? Read more

I blog here as well: www.africaontheblog.com and this is my recent post: -

Reinventing the wheel

Some of my good friends happen to be Kenyan. Naturally being Zimbabwean I have been observing the events in Kenya economically, politically and otherwise with great interest. I am completely fascinated by this country which was embroiled in massive killings only a few years ago (2007). This resulted in a coalition government which is currently projecting some 7% economic growth rate this year. My Kenyan friends recently voted this August in a constitutional referendum. In truth I’ve been watching developments on the continent as whole with a keen interest in general.  If the truth be told one of my ambitions is to play some small role in assisting to rebrand my beloved Zimbabwe and in turn the continent. After many years in the diaspora I have started to embark on my return home scheduled later this year. As I prepare for my return to the homeland, I find myself heavily involved in discussing the intricacies of Africa. I’m constantly thinking, planning and looking forward to life on our continent with eagerness and a proper sense of realism. Read more

I blog here too: - http://www.africaontheblog.com

This is my first post: -

The Forgotten Children

Last week on Tuesday, I received a text message which simply read ‘Tune to BBC2 now’.  A good friend of mine had sent it while I was making dinner. I stopped and immediately switched over to BBC 2. What she wanted me to see was a documentary about Zimbabwe narrated by Xoliswa Sithole -  entitled Zimbabwe’s Forgotten Children. – Read more

My relationship with Obama or as I call him ‘Obizzle’ is simple. I never joined the Obama bandwagon throughout the whole campaign process. You can call me the road less travelled or a very ‘late adopter’ in marketing terms if you will. I certainly didn’t want Clinton as president at that point either, although I do admit that I see Hilary making her way into the Oval Office soon-ish. The simple truth is I am pro African, and so I watched him from a distance and simply waited. I still am. I’ll hold up my hand now and admit that I was both curious and selfish. I wanted to know what he would do for Mama Africa once he made it into the White House period! What about us I kept asking? I am still waiting for a massive response to be honest. And if we’re being brutally honest here, I wanted to see change to the way the US itself deals with Zimbabwe more importantly. I had no doubt at all that he would make it to White House. Why? He’s a strong character from where I’m standing. I also tried to imagine how the conversation he had with whoever it was (excluding Michelle of course) had gone down when he disclosed his intention to run for office. ‘You want to do what’? I would love to have been a fly in that room that day! Obviously there were people who opposed his seemingly naïve dream and yet he prevailed. Respect! I respect him for that certainly and I guess he is charismatic after all. Small issue I suppose, but I really wanted him to go ‘home’ (Kenya) as the first African country he visited as president. I understand the protocol, security concerns etc so I let it go. The real issue was: I didn’t want to support the Obizzle fan club simply because of his race. That would have been too easy. Supporting Obizzle simply because we are both black is almost like saying I didn’t like McCain because he’s white and I’m not. And that doesn’t make sense to me at all! I wanted to like HIM and what he actually stood for. Naïve I suppose but that’s how Sir Nige does things.

Last week I decided to buy his books thanks to Amazon once again. I have previously bought his books for other people admittedly but never had copies for my own collection. Prior to this week I had already decided that it was time to finally figure out who this man they call Barack is. What makes him tick I wondered? More importantly and on a very personal level, I am very curious about Michelle and her role in his life. The partners of such leaders play such an integral role I believe. That story is seldom told.

Getting back to the video, which obviously inspired this blog entry, I couldn’t help but smile from within (the genuine kind of smile). The Young African Leaders spent some time with him at the White House and asked him their various questions – good questions too. I liked his honesty and I guess we all wait to see what happens next. I will share my thoughts on his books and my research going forward. The future is indeed looking very interesting….

Ps Happy belated birthday Obizzle!

I stumbled across this today, whilst looking for something else I wrote on something completely different. I thought it was poignant to share especially at a time like this.

Wi royalty

If we stopped and listened to our own silence
We would hear the beat of a drum
We would recognise that same beat
It has been reverberating since the beginning of time
Way before the discovery of wine
This beat signifies the arrival
The arrival of royalty
Indeed we are royalty

The world today is fixated on self
So much so, that we have forgotten who we are
Who we were
And who we will become tomorrow
What happened to ‘we’?
‘We’ are poetry
A beautiful melody
The sound of tranquillity
Tell me
Can anyone hear me?

We epitomise strength
The very last breath
We are a love song in the distance
Conceived
Shaped
And planned for
Yet we hesitate
What are we waiting for?
This moment right here
This very moment is ours
Yet we often hold back like cowards
We need to remember
We are royalty
We need to encourage this mentality
Throughout our community
We are royalty
For this is our true reality 

The full McKinsey Report ‘Lions on the move: The progress and potential of African economies‘ - MGI_african_economies_full_report

Continuing to read my book – Africa Rising. My current mind set (i.e. Africa is the future) is being confirmed steadily. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in Africa and Her progress. Interestingly though, I do put the book down at times and go online to research a bit. I found this interesting link. This is an extract from an article posted by the reputable firm – McKinsey: -

‘Africa’s collective GDP, at $1.6 trillion in 2008, is now roughly equal to Brazil’s or Russia’s. While Africa’s increased economic momentum is widely recognized, less known are its sources and likely staying power. Among the key findings:

Africa’s growth acceleration was widespread, with 27 of its 30 largest economies expanding more rapidly after 2000. All sectors contributed, including resources, finance, retail, agriculture, transportation and telecommunications. Natural resources directly accounted for just 24 percent of the continent’s GDP growth from 2000 through 2008. Key to Africa’s growth surge were improved political and macroeconomic stability and microeconomic reforms.

Future economic growth will be supported by Africa’s increasing ties to the global economy. Rising demand for commodities is driving buyers around the world to pay dearly for Africa’s natural riches and to forge new types of partnerships with producers. And Africa is gaining greater access to international capital; total foreign capital flows into Africa rose from $15 billion in 2000 to a peak of $87 billion in 2007.

Africa’s economic growth is creating substantial new business opportunities that are often overlooked by global companies RMGI projects that at least four groups of industries-consumer-facing industries, agriculture, resources, and infrastructure-together could generate as much as $2.6 trillion in revenue annually by 2020, or $1 trillion more than today.

Today the rate of return on foreign investment in Africa is higher than in any other developing region. Early entry into African economies provides opportunities to create markets, establish brands, shape industry structure, influence customer preferences, and establish long-term relationships. Business can help build the Africa of the future.

The rise of the African urban consumer also will fuel long-term growth. Today, 40 percent of Africans live in urban areas, a portion close to China’s and continuing to expand. The number of households with discretionary income is projected to rise by 50 percent over the next 10 years, reaching 128 million. By 2030, the continents’ top 18 cities could have a combined spending power of $1.3 trillion’.

For further info: – Link here

I’ve been celebrating, commiserating at times and watching the football games with the rest of the world as the World Cup 2010 wagon rolls ever so slowly towards the finish line. What a trip we’ve had along the way! Madiba was there when the announcement was made on the 15th May 2004 and we all rejoiced. Africa celebrated then and we continue to celebrate now even when the doubters made alternative plans for us. Africa is the future or didn’t they get the memo!? The games commenced on the 11th June 2010 after a wonderfully presented opening ceremony. Madiba himself wasn’t at the ceremony and we totally understood why. My thoughts and prayers went out to his family that day (still do). The ‘smaller nations’ stood up and caused some major upsets – Spain lost to Switzerland, Cameroon lost to Japan and subsequently headed home earlier than planned. Who could forget the North Korean striker overcome by emotion whilst singing the nation anthem? He just cried and let it all out for all to see. We watched the games by any means necessary. Some on the other side of the globe stayed up late or woke up early depending on their locations. I, thanks to Steve Jobs and my iPhone discovered a website that actually allows me to watch me ‘Live TV’ whilst in the  comfort of my open plan office – I just neglected to disclose this important bit to my boss and didn’t bother explaining why I had that ‘focused look’ every afternoon since the 11th June this year. Of course celebrating any goals by running around the office in that typical Drogba hand glider style was strictly forbidden!

I was however saddened by events that have since inspired this scribe. Putting my emotions aside for a moment, but Ireland didn’t make it to WC2010 and I STILL have a problem with that – and I’m even not Irish!! In the end, Frank Lampard’s goal in the game against Germany was in fact not a goal and how could we forget our beloved Ghana? The Black Stars lost a game they should have won in the second half of extra time after a Suarez’s handball. To say I was gutted is an understatement. I was so gutted like you wouldn’t believe! I still haven’t watched a full match since then; call it sulking if you will - I don’t care. Like I said I’ve put my emotions aside to write this. It’s not my fault that I’m in love with Mama Africa like this,cliche but She completes me. I am yet to become a father but if I was a father say to my ‘imagery daughter’ Gugulethu (I absolutely love that name); how would I respond if she asked me why some cheaters do in fact prosper? How would I teach her the difference between right and wrong and to remind her to pursue the right path irrespective of the final outcome? I was raised by parents who taught my sister and I that ‘cheaters never prospered’ and yet we all witnessed events in this world cup that defied that same teaching. When did it become morally acceptable to handle the ball only to score the winning goal and gain immediate qualification to the world cup hey France? I ask you now – When? I recall hearing murmurs of journalists who claimed that FIFA secretly wanted France to qualify as this was financially more beneficial to their cause. Wow! Since when did this matter? Oh wait, perhaps it always did – naïve of me I suppose. And as for Ghana, and as I stated earlier on, let’s put emotions aside for a moment, but when did it become acceptable for an opposing team member to blatantly handle the ball therefore stopping a goal-bound ball? I ask you again – When?

The question of goal-line technology has been discussed at great lengths prior and in fact during this world cup and yet FIFA continues to resist calls to change the rules. Even in rugby, there is a rule which states that:

‘if the referee believes that a try has been prevented by the defending team’s misconduct, he may award the attacking team a penalty try. In rugby union, the standard applied by the referee is that a try “probably” would have been scored’. 

Most will concur with me when I said this, that Ghana bound goal should have been awarded on the spot instead of a penalty. The match would have ended with a Ghana 2:1 victory but instead this week some of you watched Holland versus Uruguay in the first semi-final of this world cup. What a travesty it would have been had Uruguay actually made it to the final of the World Cup 2010! I don’t like to generalise usually but most of Africa must have sighed with relief after the final whistle on Tuesday night. The ‘cheating’ Uruguayan players are going home (after their last game with Germany tonight)! At that point last Friday, I turned to Twitter to gauge the mood and I came across this tweet that epitomised my own emotions: -

 I guess the only thing Uruguay need to worry about now is whether to chose Chicken or Beef, Aisle or Window .

This is the measure of the shared sentiments of one African lady I follow on Twitter, who also watched that Uruguay versus Ghana game most of us did last Friday.

I will eventually calm down – this I know. I speak for most when I say that irrespective of the result last Friday I am and continue to be a proud African World Cup supporter. Proud of what Ghana and indeed the other African teams managed to achieve. Ghana was welcomed home as if they actually won the cup. In the bigger scheme of things, it’s moments like this that will overshadow everything else – African unity was there for ALL to see! The Black Stars scored USD15 million for that achievement and I hope they reinvest the funds in the next breed of Black Stars that will compete in 2014. We will be there to support them then as we did last Friday.

God bless Africa!

This is probably the best African speech EVER!