A few years ago, I led a delegation of clergy and lay persons to a meeting at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York. After I was introduced to speak, two well educated ladies walked up to me and asked, “where is Tennessee?”. I couldn't believe it. I was shocked, bewildered, baffled and amused at the same time. I responded to their question with a question. 'Are you serious or joking?'  They responded, “We are serious. We think it is probably in that part of the country where rednecks are still lynching folks and people walking bare footed”, they…

Since Barack Obama became President of the United States, interest has increased about the Luo people of Kenya and the other Luo speaking nationalities in general. So, who are the Luo people? Of the over 42 ethnic groups that make up Kenya, the Luo are one of the most important. The Luo ethnic group is the third largest community in Kenya and makes up to 14% of the entire population. Also found in Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan, they are part of a larger group of ethnolinguistically related Luo peoples from South Sudan to Tanzania. They speak the Dholuo language. Luo…

The media buzz last week was President Jonathan’s “unscheduled” visit to the Police College Ikeja (PCI), Lagos.  As a public relations stunt, it was a huge success. But beyond the razzmatazz, TV cameras and punditry lies the need for a deep national reflection on not just the collapse of infrastructure and institutions across the country, but also the absence of a reformative national ethos.  Unfortunately, this collapse and lack of a reformative national ethos finds expression even outside Nigeria. While the debate on President Jonathan’s visit to the PCI was still on, I spoke with a friend at Georgetown University,…

It is not a new thing to hear that people are gunned down to death. In moments of big and plural crises, particularly war times, guns are displayed and used to subdue the other. That is understandable. But nowadays, the way gun carriers get loose with their guns to end other people's lives is worrisome. In America, to gun down someone to death is like having a fun of life. Pity indeed. I blow your head off. I got him rolling and kissing the grass can sometimes get said in many other ways to poke fun on how those gunned…

The election of Barack Obama as President-Elect of the United States, while a monumental achievement in the history of American electoral politics, is likely to signal a transformation in American foreign policy towards Africa. As the first American president to have a direct family link to Africa by way of his father who was from Kenya and someone with existing family ties to that East African country, one would expect that American relationship with Africa will change for the better. One will certainly hope that the Obama administration will begin to put pressure on African leaders to transform the continent.…

The good news from the modern world that Barack Hussein Obama has been re-elected for the second term as the President of the United States of America is really good news, especially for the African leaders to rethink of their responsibilities to their people. The analysts were on the precipice that the election would be close; nonetheless, it is obvious that America politics has interestingly focused on issues. Obama polled 303 Electoral votes and 56,249,290, that is, 50% of the popular votes. While his opponent, Mitt Romney polled 206 Electoral votes amounted to 54,804,177 votes making up of 49% of…

The Republican Party has once again failed to win the US presidency. Although President George Bush II was declared the winner in the 2000 presidential election against democrat Al Gore, it was a controversial election which required the ruling of the US Supreme Court to justify the Bush Presidency. Nevertheless Democrat Al Gore won the plurality of all the popular votes cast in that election. The US Supreme Court halted the recount exercise which was going on in Palm Beach Florida through and declared George Bush the winner. A new trend appears to be emerging, a trend which started with…

Thanks to God first and foremost then to Bill Clinton, Chris Christie, then to Chief Justice Roberts and Hurricane Sandy among others. I am predicting for the final time an Obama victory which will come as breaking news on early projections of election results by CNN as usual before 12 mid night or shortly thereafter on November 6. I am neither a Bishop Olabayo of Taborah fame nor a Pastor T. B. Joshua of the Synagogue who are both famous or shall I say notorious for predicting the outcome of world events like the American presidential election without the benefit…

Flailing economy… Stiff Republican opposition… Highly Liberal agenda… Heavy funding of opponent… Racism… WIN! Even as the pundits are spinning President Obama’s win as a fluke resulting from narrow wins in key states, we must pause to acknowledge the enormity of the feat.  This is a president who has been unable to deliver on major 2008 campaign promises due in large part, to a Republican Congress.  Indeed, his lack of delivery caused many 2008 supporters to turn away from him in this election.  Coupled with a flailing economy, he was guaranteed failure.  A poor economy has sunk the reelection aspirations…