Three years since it’s first publication, Panya Routes: Independent Art Spaces in Africa by Kim Gurney is now open access and available for download. The book is the result of a four-year research project, Platform/ Plotform, led by Gurney into the working principles of independent art spaces in five fast-changing cities: Nairobi, Accra, Cairo, Addis Ababa and Dar es Salaam. It makes correlations between art and the urban everyday to convey shared ideas around horizontality, second chance, performativity, elasticity and convergence. In short, it’s about DIY-DIT institution building as artistic practice, or doing things with art. Kim is an ACC Research…
Author: King Jaja
Read More
Tuareg associations in Mali and Burkina Faso have filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court against their nations’ armies and the Russian paramilitary group, Africa Corps. Issued on: 16/06/2025 – 16:49 1 min Reading time Several Tuareg community organisations filed a complaint with the office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Sunday, according to RFI’s correspondent. The complaint targets the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA), the Burkinabe Forces, and Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps, which recently replaced the Wagner group in Africa. The charities Imouhagh International, Kel Akal, Diaspora of the United States,…
Let’s chat about mirrors—not the rushed morning look before sprinting out the door or that famous, check-your-teeth situation at a public restroom—I’m talking about fancy mirrors. The kind that feels like an exhale the moment you walk into a room. The kind that reflects more than you—they reflect your taste, your personality, and your intent. Because here’s the thing: fancy mirrors serve far greater purpose than just functional- they’re transformative. They are practically magical. They don’t just hang there to show you your face—they shape the mood of a room, its light, and even its proportions. One well-positioned mirror has…
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Last updated on December 17th, 2024 at 02:23 pmThere are very few places that you might consider off-the-beaten-path these days, however, Sierra Leone’s Turtle Islands are just that. When I first stepped foot on these remote islands, I was captivate as this untouched paradise is like nowhere else on earth – at least nowhere else I’ve ever been. The Turtle Islands are remote. There are no cars, no Wi-Fi, no tourist infrastructure. Life here is simple, yet it’s not without challenges. Access to education is limited, with few facilities for children to learn and grow. I recently…
Nicknamed the “Black Wagners”, hundreds of African men have been recruited by the Russian army to fight against Ukraine. Lured by promises of high wages, jobs or even Russian passports, some have voluntarily opted to join Russian President Vladimir Putin’s army. But for others, things are far more complicated: dozens have been manipulated and forcibly recruited. Lucile Chaussoy, Marc Kouho and Saloum Sané investigate. Many of the Africans recruited by Russia are sent to fight without proper training. Some have been killed, while others have been taken prisoner and are stuck on the front line between Russia and Ukraine, begging their…
The writings of revolutionary Angolan leader and intellectual Mário Pinto de Andrade helped galvanize the independence struggle. They are now available in English. Photo by Olhar Angolano on Unsplash. Leia em português aqui. Music, rhyme, poetry, and art in general have the power to invade us, to overflow from within, to redirect our course and orientation, transforming our reality through sensibility and energy. Words possess power, they belong to us, and we can share them. Material goods such as clothes, houses, cars, and phones can vanish, but the power of our words and ideas remains for life and beyond, marking…
He died almost without warning—John Magufuli, the man who had loomed over Tanzania like an unshakable monolith, slipped away in a haze of speculation and hushed sorrow. It was late March 2021, and the air in Dar es Salaam felt thick.For a short stint, Magufuli’s iron-fisted rule cast a long shadow—he closed down media outlets on a whim, silencing critics with a curt wave of his hand, and treating COVID-19 as a problem solved by prayer rather than science.Into the void he left stepped in Samia Suluhu Hassan—a woman many knew merely as Magufuli’s unassuming vice president, always standing quietly…
On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, when President Donald Trump issued an executive order introducing reciprocal tariffs to all countries, my article analyzing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the possibility for its renewal before its expiry on September 30, 2025, was nearly complete. However, within a day, the terms of trade with the United States had changed so radically that even the concept of AGOA reauthorization is far out of reach. The new tariffs override AGOA, so countries exporting to the US will no longer enjoy duty-free market access and will instead have to pay reciprocal duties. Yet…
Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Ken Ofori-Atta has worn many hats in his long career as an investment banker, entrepreneur and until last year Ghana’s Davos-pleasing finance minister. Now he has a new one: a wanted man on Interpol’s red list.Ofori-Atta, 65, who has been seeking medical treatment in the US, is wanted to answer charges of “using public office for profit” during his 2017-2024 tenure as finance minister, the longest in Ghana’s history. He denies all charges. The Interpol red notice is the latest salvo in a…
578 Nigerian photographer Azukah Ogwo is making waves across West Africa with his vibrant exploration of Ghana’s fashion scene — and his latest editorial shoot is turning heads for all the right reasons. Known for his deep appreciation of African aesthetics and his mission to elevate continental style through visual storytelling, Azukah has once again raised the bar in a captivating collaboration with Ghanaian swimwear brand Mikoko Deluxe. The editorial, shot in Accra, features reigning Face of Accra Fashion Week Emelia Omole alongside rising star Nikita, and delivers a tasteful fusion of elegance, tradition, and resort wear finesse. Clad in…