Author: King Jaja

On October 6, 2021, both Congos—Brazzaville and Kinshasa—submitted a formal proposal to UNESCO to recognize Congolese Rumba as an intangible cultural heritage. When UNESCO announced the list, Congolese Rumba did not make the cut. At least, Morna music from Cabo Verde did. Recognizing a musical genre as an intangible cultural heritage brings with it things like legal protections. Were Congolese Rumba to command entry, it would mark a further centering of African culture in the world’s imagination and priority. Over the last decade, a concerted effort by producers, filmmakers, historians, journalists, and image-makers worldwide has sought to reinterpret Africa’s image…

I f you’ve been paying attention lately, you’d notice that things are getting slightly baggier and bigger in the fashion department. If this is an indication of a new street style, then your closet may need an update if fitted is the way you do. From pants to dresses and everything in between, fashion’s most adventurous stars are going XL on whatever items they can lay their hands on. So, for those wondering how to wear an oversized shirt or any XL in general, you’ve come to the right place. For newbies into this trend, at first, you might not…

Four years ago Hakainde Hichilema was being held in a Zambian prison accused of treason. Now he is aiming to save the southern African nation from financial ruin.Nearly 100 days into his presidency after he beat the man who put him in jail, former leader Edgar Lungu, in a landslide election victory, Hichilema faces the task of turning round the resource-rich but near-bankrupt country. The president aims to reduce corruption and increase production of copper in a drive to win over bond investors and the IMF.“If you saw what I’m seeing now, you would fall off your chair,” said Hichilema…

Cameroonian basketball star Joel Embiid is struggling after testing positive for Covid-19, according to Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers.The 27-year-old was set to be rested for Monday’s 103-96 loss to the New York Knicks but is now likely to miss more games in line with the NBA’s health and safety protocols.One of the games Embiid will miss is Tuesday’s showdown against defending champions the Milwaukee Bucks. “He’s not doing great – he’s struggling,” Rivers said before the loss to the Knicks.Embiid has been a key figure in the Sixers’ impressive start to the season, with an average of 21.4…

Fourteen more children were injured, including five in a critical condition, the statement said. The school is in the town of Maradi, more than 600 kilometers (370 miles) east of the capital Niamey.”For the moment we cannot state the origin of the fire,” regional director of education Maman Hdi said.Classes have been suspended and three days of mourning declared in Maradi, he said.It was the second time this year that a fire has killed pupils in their classrooms in the West African country. Twenty preschool children were killed in April in Niamey.The council of ministers said on Monday that following…

The week started with you suiting it up and looking all corporate. Thankfully, its Thursday and you can switch your look and opt for something more trendy and fashionable. Below are some Thursday outfit inspirations to try out. 1. You can rock jeans like StylePantry 2. Try out this edgy look for a day out in town 3. You can do a midi length dress and statement sunglasses. 4. You can also stun in all white. 5. A short colourful dress will also do. 6. A two piece like this lady rocked is a great style choice. 7. Get out…

Climate activists picketed outside Parliament on Saturday demanding government take drastic action over climate change. The Rural Women’s Assembly criticised the COP26 talks in Scotland for excluding the voices of small-scale African farmers and others most affected by global warming. Activists said government needs to include the input of communities on the ground when making decisions on how to address the climate crisis. Dozens of climate justice activists gathered outside Parliament as part of a global day of action on Saturday. “Keep coal and Mantashe in the hole”, “Government stop sell-outs” and “COP is a COP-out” read placards. The picket…

Silvan’s vervet monkeys make frequent appearances at our Silvan Safari lodge in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve.  Leaping from tree to tree, the excellent vegetation around the lodge doubles as an attraction and real estate for them. And because there’s a fence line shielding the trees, Silvan’s vervet monkey’s don’t need to share with the elephants, which means that there’s plenty of food to go around. It’s the perfect home! Meet Silvan’s Vervet Monkeys Vervet monkeys are almost the only monkeys found in the Lowveld. There may still be a few patches of Samango monkeys, but they are scarce.…

Stimulating trade To stimulate intra-African trade, we need to understand the current limitations and opportunities on the continent. There is need to change the narrative about Africa. The narrative needs to be future-forward and reflective of where the continent is headed.  For transformation to truly happen in Africa, we need the buy-in and support of all stakeholders, not just government and policymakers.  Private sector needs to be open to the conversation of doing more and more business on the continent and explore local partnerships to an exponentially larger extent.  However, for this to work, stakeholders and decision-makers need to be…

Two people from Democratic Republic of Congo have been arrested in the United States for illegal wildlife trafficking, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Herdade Lokua, 23, and Jospin Mujangi, 31, both of Kinshasa, were arrested last week in Seattle, Washington. They were indicted by a federal grand jury on 11 charges of conspiracy, money laundering, smuggling, and Lacey Act violations for trafficking elephant ivory and white rhinoceros horn. The Lacey Act is the oldest wildlife trafficking law in the U.S. and prohibits, among other things, falsely labeling shipments containing wildlife. U.S. officials say the two worked with others…