Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the new chair of the African Union Commission, has a Kenyan fandom. Breathlessly referred to by his local stans as “Djibouti Man” or “Djibouti Guy,” sounding like something out of ’80s or ’90s Black Atlantic pop culture, the enamorment doesn’t stem so much from his skill as a foreign minister, diplomatic elegance, or prowess with languages, shifting as he does between Arabic, English, and French like a YouTube polyglot guru. No—it’s because he was up against and defeated 80-year-old Raila Odinga, Kenya’s long-time opposition leader, who was contesting the AUC chair seat as a last-gasp effort at…
Author: King Jaja
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Thirty-three years after he retired from athletics, Innocent Egbunike, unarguably one of Nigeria’s best athletes and coaches, is still ranked among the All-Time Greats in the sport. This is despite improvements in coaching, diet and nutrition, running shoes and kits that give today’s athletes a tremendous advantage. In a recent survey done by World Athletics, the world governing body of the sport, and Track and Field News, the American athletics magazine that athletics aficionados called the Bible of the Sports, Egbunike earned a seat to dine on the table with the All-Time Greats courtesy of a 10.15 seconds performance in…
When fashion and fame collide, the result is a series of jaw-dropping style moments that leave us taking notes and screenshotting for later. This week, our favorite celebrities didn’t just attend events. They turned every sidewalk, red carpet, and Instagram post into their own personal runway. From tailored elegance to floral drama, the stars showed us how to perfect chic outfits with class, confidence, and just the right amount of flair. Whether it was Meghan Markle delivering CEO chic or Jennifer Lopez redefining denim sass, one thing was clear: style was in full swing. So, if you’ve been craving outfit…
Nature walks in the forest:Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda and is known for its population of mountain gorillas. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most biologically diverse areas in Africa. Covering an area of 331 square kilometers, the park is famous for its population of endangered mountain gorillas, making it a popular destination for wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists alike. its dense vegetation, which can be challenging to navigate, but also provides a unique habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species. One of the most significant attractions…
In Summary North African universities are rising fast — Egypt and Morocco are investing heavily in science, tech, and sustainability, with schools like E-JUST and UM6P gaining global attention for their specialized research hubs.African universities are shifting from traditional learning to solution-driven research — From climate-resilient agriculture to AI programs and genomics, these institutions are aligning education with Africa’s development challenges and future growth.South Africa dominates Africa’s top universities — With 5 out of the 10 entries, South African institutions like UCT, Stellenbosch, and Wits lead in research, innovation, and global rankings.When we talk about Africa’s top universities in 2025, we’re…
In December 2024, just months before his death on the 21st of April 2025, Pope Francis pleaded for preachers not to exceed 10 minutes in their preaching. Vatican News reported Pope Francis as saying that, “After 8 minutes, preaching gets dispersive and no one understands. Never go over 10 minutes, ever! This is very important.” Pope Francis also urged preachers to preach one idea, one sentiment or feeling, and to issue one invitation to action, all within the 10 minute limit. I wondered if Pope Francis wasn’t arguing so much about length as about clarity. I have preached for nearly…
In 1896, the first African-American police officer in Dallas, Officer William McDuff, was killed, only weeks after taking office. Dallas has now memorialized him with a street topper near the site of his sad death, after 128 years. Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney is a historian who researches Black police officers throughout American history and documents McDuff’s triumphs and tragedies. He explained that Dallas had tried to hire a Black officer since 1888, but there had been resistance. READ ALSO: The inspiring profile of Minnesota’s first Black policewoman who earned a bachelor’s degree at 79 “Finally, in 1896, the police department or…
Amusan leads relay teams to China The Secretary General of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Israel Inwang, has dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the Elite Development and Podium Board, set up by the National Sports Commission (NSC), single-handedly picked beneficiaries of the elite athletes’ $20,000 training grants. The Guardian reported, yesterday, that the NSC in its effort towards building a formidable Team Nigeria for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, USA, has made good its promise to pay training grants of $20,000 to elite athletes. The report also indicated that…
Emmanuel Macron said he wants to seek “forgiveness” for France’s colonisation of Madagascar, starting with the return of looted cultural artefacts. During his two-day visit, the French president also announced plans to step up economic ties, including investment in a major hydroelectric dam project. Issued on: 24/04/2025 – 14:38 2 min “Our presence here is not innocent, and our history has been written… with deeply painful pages,” Macron said during a remembrance ceremony at the former royal palace in the capital Antananarivo on Thursday.”Only you can make this journey of forgiveness,” he said after touring the palace with Princess Fenosoa…
Hello and welcome to The Long Wave. Earlier this month I was in Antananarivo, Madagascar, where I checked out the British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare’s first major solo exhibition in Africa. For this week’s newsletter I caught up with him about the landmark show, and learned a lot about the growing Malagasy art scene.Madagascar is not a country that figures prominently in media – western or otherwise (beyond the children’s film) – and as such it was difficult to know what to expect. I hadn’t imagined an opportunity to visit, and so Fondation H’s invitation to the capital to explore the…