Mandela will disapprove of your views even if what you are saying is true. To recount the evils of western policies in aid of apartied is inimical to that Mandela stood for. He broke bread with his enemies so fuck off with yo ... read full comment
Mandela will disapprove of your views even if what you are saying is true. To recount the evils of western policies in aid of apartied is inimical to that Mandela stood for. He broke bread with his enemies so fuck off with your socialist nonsense, Kwarteng
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Kwadwo,
What does "even if what you are saying is true" mean? Have you read Mandela's "Long Walk to Freedom" and "Conversations with myself"? Have you read David Smith's "Young Mandela"?
Have you read "unedited" copies ... read full comment
Kwadwo,
What does "even if what you are saying is true" mean? Have you read Mandela's "Long Walk to Freedom" and "Conversations with myself"? Have you read David Smith's "Young Mandela"?
Have you read "unedited" copies of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission? Have you listened to or read insiders such as Thabo Mbeki, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, etc?
Does it mean that you are ignorant of what the whole knows to be the truth?
Your weak comment is part of the retrogressive mentality of Africa. We hate authenticated or proven facts.
It's also why Africa is not growing, stuck where it's now. Debate the facts or give alternative theories. Don't make unsubstantiated comments and run away.
It's obvious you can't decide for yourslef. This has nothing to do with socialism but with your ignorance.
Give me your understanding of what you think really happened. After all, I am not an authority on South Africa. I am waiting.
Bye
Kwadwo 10 years ago
It is evident the west was hostile to Mandela and the ANC in their struggle against apartheid. As a student in the US during the Reagan era, I joined in several demonstrations against such policies. However, it is also eviden ... read full comment
It is evident the west was hostile to Mandela and the ANC in their struggle against apartheid. As a student in the US during the Reagan era, I joined in several demonstrations against such policies. However, it is also evident that Mandela rose above those policies and forged an alliance with even his enemies to get rid of apartheid. This is why Obama and three former US Presidents will be present at his funeral. Mandela saved a nation in the brink of a blood bath. Let's celebrate that and ignore the issues of who caused pain to him and his people. He moved on from that, and you should do same for his memory.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Dear friend,
This idea of yours is why the terrible effects of Apartheid don't seem to go away.
In fact, Mandela did not have any choice than to forgive. Did he forget? You and I don't know. We can only speculate. You ... read full comment
Dear friend,
This idea of yours is why the terrible effects of Apartheid don't seem to go away.
In fact, Mandela did not have any choice than to forgive. Did he forget? You and I don't know. We can only speculate. You can't lock up an innocent person for 27 years and expect him to forgive!
What else could he have done? Could he have faced white South Africans who had the West, nuclear bombs, military, and police on their side? There was nothing he could have done in the circumstances. He was even lucky world opinion was on his side.
Please google and read this and tell me what you think (this has something to do with American presidents and Mandela):
If the leadership of South Africa had thoroughly dealt with these serious questions I raise here, Black South Africa would probably have fared better today.
Most of the evils of Apartheid are still here with us today and prominent South African leaders like FW DeKlerk are blaming blacks for them.
It's only blacks who are always asked to forgive and move on do. You can't tell historically mistreated whites to forgive and move on.
You can't tell Jews to forget and move on after what Hitler and the West did to them. In Israel they say "Never Again."
Do you know why Germans are not treating German Jews today as they did years back but many white South Africans still continue to treat black South Africans with disrespect?
Do you know why black South Africans who work on white farms are killing white South Africans almost everyday?
This forgive and move on is not as simple a proposition as you think. Go to South Africa and ask black South Africans to forgive and move on.
And let's see what response they give you. Did you witness what happaned to the Marikana miners? Would it have probably happened if blacks had equitable representation in the mining industry?
Ask the poor black miner whose lungs are destroyed and whose relatives have died dirt poor from pulmonary complications due to mining to forgive and move on?
Oh I get it! You are not one of those dirt poor black South Africans.
Finally, nearly all the major figures in the ANC, dead and alive, have made similar observations. Thabo Mbeki,Julius Malema, and several other South Africans privately fault Mandela for going soft on White America.
If you have a problem with my observations, check the evidence from any major research institution, white and bblack, in South Africa. Even some respected White South African scholars have stated categorically that the Truth and Reconciliation fail to address the structural problems they were designed to address.
This is why White South Africans still take undue advantage of Black South Africans and Black South Africans continue to kill White South Africans at every opportunity.
These are not my facts or realities. They come from both White and Black South Africans. Forgive and move on is not the solution. After all, we are not animals.
AMOAH 10 years ago
MR KWARTENG,FORGET ABOUT OTHER SCHOLARS.WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU HAD BEEN IN MANDELA"S SITUATION?
MR KWARTENG,FORGET ABOUT OTHER SCHOLARS.WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU HAD BEEN IN MANDELA"S SITUATION?
KAFUI KAETOZENA 10 years ago
Hi Amoah, talking on behalf of Kwarteng, this is what I would have done: (1)Make the negotiations open and transparent. You see he was conned by being the main negotiator. It should have been a powerful teamwork. (2) Put on p ... read full comment
Hi Amoah, talking on behalf of Kwarteng, this is what I would have done: (1)Make the negotiations open and transparent. You see he was conned by being the main negotiator. It should have been a powerful teamwork. (2) Put on paper and signed by both parties transparent developmental programmes, with specific time scales, specifically aimed at bridging the gap between the Muzungu and the black. (3)Put on paper and into statute plans to return the land to rightful owners, the indigenous people. (4)Refuse to take up the presidency until tangible progress was made. Taking it without any practical progress, to which the people he claimed to have represented could have attested was a betrayal. (5)Put on paper, a scheduled plan to appease the anger of the majority by paying reparations. (6)Draw up a 20 year comprehensive developmental strategic plan acceptable to all parties. (7) Draw the iron curtain. Sth Africa's problem must be solved internally without any interference from outside. Remember the Chinese? (8) Should have rejected being put in-house in a cosy quarters only to be indoctrinated. Note that at that point he had the upper hand; he had the trump card. There was nothing they could have done. And note also that at that point he should have considered himself already dead, no need to fear a sharp knife; that he had nothing to lose; that his youthful days were over, hence go for the jugular! (9) ANC should have sat down and draw their own strategic plan of governance. They had none! Forget about the so-called bankruptcy of the country as was being paraded at the time! They only got fixated into existing structures which did not favour them. A system they themselves were clueless of. (10)The purveyors of the system must also be made to bear the cost of rehabilitation of the deep mental scar of the people which can take over 500 years to heal. See how alive the mental torture of slavery is, even after about 300 years! (11) Warn them of the escalation of the armed struggle if his conditions were not met. Let us stop comparing Mandela to say Kwame Nkrumah or Fidel Castro. Ask the ordinary Sth. Africans what they think of Mandela. You, an outsider cannot eulogise the virtues of my father; you were not there when I was born; you were not there when he nurtured me into adulthood; you were not there why I was reprimanded by him because I might have gone wrong! what I ate, what I wore, you had not clue. When shall the African wake up? When shall we stop basking in our greatest weapon of fortitude? Israel is still pursuing so-called people they think have hurt them; the so-called genocide! Compared to what happened to the Blackman and continue to happen till this day, Israel genocide is a storm in a teacup! WAKE UP!
AMOAH 10 years ago
thanks for this copy of whoever wrote it.Bear in mind,hindsight is a great luxury,that said,circumstances alter cases.He did his utmost.Has Mugabe made the lives of an average Zimbabwean better after 33yrs in power?Did Mobutu ... read full comment
thanks for this copy of whoever wrote it.Bear in mind,hindsight is a great luxury,that said,circumstances alter cases.He did his utmost.Has Mugabe made the lives of an average Zimbabwean better after 33yrs in power?Did Mobutu develop Congo within 30yrs of his rule? In Ghana people still criticize Nkrumah for his extravagant projects ie Akosombo dam,motorway etc.In a nutshell i personally think Mandela gave South Africa his life and soul.By the way Mr WHO,THANKS FOR BEING SO CIVIL,EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE WRITER.
abra kuma 10 years ago
Beautiful, factual and constructive rebuttal, Sir. We need to stand up for Black rights for a change and not forever accept opinions of reactionaries peddling white interests within and outside of South Africa, thank you!
Beautiful, factual and constructive rebuttal, Sir. We need to stand up for Black rights for a change and not forever accept opinions of reactionaries peddling white interests within and outside of South Africa, thank you!
KK 10 years ago
Many people are celebrating how Mandela saved a nation and all that he did. That doesn't mean we shouldn't still critically examine the evidence and see what could have been done differently. Surely, we are moving on but some ... read full comment
Many people are celebrating how Mandela saved a nation and all that he did. That doesn't mean we shouldn't still critically examine the evidence and see what could have been done differently. Surely, we are moving on but some of the mistakes of the past are affecting how we are moving on today. We cannot extricate ourselves from today's problems without examining how we came to have them.
I don't think Kwarteng is a socialist but he is taking up issues that are not highlighted in the main stream media. I don't think we should just dismiss him wholesale...
NAKED 10 years ago
Upon all Sampson foolishness we still blame Delilah that is how the world is people always put blame on one other, even it was in existence when Adam sinned he blamed God for given him Eve, Eve also blamed God for creating th ... read full comment
Upon all Sampson foolishness we still blame Delilah that is how the world is people always put blame on one other, even it was in existence when Adam sinned he blamed God for given him Eve, Eve also blamed God for creating the snake and the snake should also blamed who? If your parents are fools does that means that you are a fool? Only black Africans I repeat only black Africans won't learn sense from the past so always fooling themselves why am I saying so? Since the time immemorial black Africans has been victimized to Europeans sinister but still never learn sense and always following their ways, from slavery to colonization, genocide, tribal wars, etc are there to teach us lessons.
J.E. Kwegir Aggrey said something about African, I quote: “My people of Africa, we were created in the image of God, but men have made us think we sare chickens, and still we think we are, but we are Eagles. Don't content with the food for chickens! Stretch forth your wings and fly!" J.E Kwegir Aggrey was speaking to Africans and for that matter Ghanaians as well, he was speaking as one who have vision for his people, he was speaking as one who knew the westerners way of thinking about Africans but yet still we encomium them we still called them our friends but in their minds they see us as their worst enemies.
Kwegir Aggrey said that Ghanaians and Africans as a whole, don’t content with the food for chickens because we are not chickens but rather humans created by YHWH, and my question is are we not content with the food for chickens? The answer is big yes with capital (B), if we are content with the food for chickens, then it means we as people of Africa and Ghana to be precise are chickens yes with capital (Y), why should it happened upon all our resource we are still chickens to the Europeans? After they abolished the slave trade they replaced it with colonization and after independence, they introduce war, upon all those mishaps and, the chaos they have caused in Africa the continent cannot rise on its own so African leaders seek something called foreign AID from western countries and remember, if the Devil promise to give you 10 percent of something, there are two things involve either he will demand 20 percent from you or you will succumb to his decisions so anything he tells you, you will do it or you give out your property and this is what is going in Africa or Ghana.
This is how the world market is about, in the world market the more you destroy your opponent the more your things are been purchase on high prices ever since the Europeans came in contact with black Africans they have found many ways to tarnish their image, example is the Evolution of Charles Darwin and his bogus scientist propounded, the idea behind the evolution simple means black people are not humans they are less evolved, so they started publishing books that can destroy the image of Africans, the more they tried to tarnish our image the more YHWH intervene for us. In their various meetings they planned how to destroy black people but our God is God who never allowed their plans to succeeded in Akan language they called Him Onyankr)pong, in Ewe language they called Him Mawu, in Ga language they called Him Attaanyomo is true that our ancestors knew God, so God also never allowed their evil purpose to succeeded. These entire unscrupulous acts happened when you and I were not born, how it is reflecting in our lives today? The evolution theory led to something called race and racism came out of race, racism is the last weapon to defeat the blacks, but this time they are not doing it alone but have got support from the east, the reason been that the east who never came to contact with Africans copied everything from the west and have lied about it and are saying that is their history now you see how the trend is going, so whom to trust east or west?
At times I asked myself so many question concerning black Africans upon all what these people are doing to us we still follow them, we still trade with them, upon all what they did and what they’re doing to us, another question also popped my mind why African leaders perform poorly when they elected as president, ministers, mps etc, African leaders steals the nation money and deposited in western countries, why they don’t care about their citizens? The new slavery system has taken over in our modern era, in this era is not about selling your follow human being to them, but selling your conscience to them. Then if modern slavery is about selling one conscience to the westerners then it means many Africa leaders have sold their conscience to them? Apparently yes. What I’m saying it takes critical thinkers and nature incliners to understand and know that am speaking the truth. Now Africans leaders have sold their conscience to the westerners, so the leaders are enemies to their citizens, so now Ghanaians or Africans are still slaves to west through their leaders. They have set our leaders as billboard but in reality they are still operating their slavery system and at this time with our prominent people of which some people consider them as literate in our society, that is why in my early written I stated that Ghana education is pseudo education with pseudo intellectuals it will be hard for any educational elites in Ghana to identify this if am lying.
Someone will tell me that, what I’m saying is rhetoric because there is no evidence. In United State of America system of government if you’re a governor and you refused to go by some secret society in USA constitution then definitely you will be assassinate example is J.F. Kennedy, if you want more information read this book, THE SECRET TERRORIST, the Author of the book name is BILL HUGHS. These people have the upper hand in all the biggest institution in the world talking of IMF, WORLD BANK, etc the one and the only governor who never succumbed to their decision is Kwame Nkrumah but he too was a power drunk. So immediately the poor citizens elect their leaders from then, the leaders becomes enemy to them by taking them back to slavery but at time is a conscience slavery or I called it slavery by conscience, poor citizens is not your fault to elect people to lead you as a nation but the fact is those leaders are slaves to their western masters so they take advice from their masters more than their citizens, they serve in the interest of their master but not the interest of their citizens.
When one becomes president in Africa and he/she is going for loan this is what they asked him/her are you going to use our constitution to rule? because they are slaves already they agree to them and after collecting it they begin to sell out the nation assets to them and devalue some valuable things in the nation, some of our leaders sold some nation assets to the Europeans for them to have power again in our nation, some of them devalued the education system, the currency etc on what grounds can Africa country buy a national assets in western countries? But when you come to Ghana you see the western countries buying our national assets oh what a moron country with moron people, anyone who doesn’t believe in slave trade, this form of slave trade is there for you to see. Now in the olden day’s slavery, they were selling humans but at this time our billboard leaders are selling the national assets and have devalued our valuable things such as our education system and our currency. The back bone of any country is education; any countries which have good education system develops so as it currency as an economic factor, now how can we say about Ghana? Poor education system and poor currency oh Ghana why? Now the nation is financially handicap and the leaders have filled their tummy with the national money corruption has become a canker among our leaders.
Condoleezza Rice, US general secretary in former President Bush administration once attended AU meeting and addressed our leaders not to trust east or west because they are coming for their own interest but not the interest of Africa, but what do we see because our puppet or billboard leaders have sold their conscience to them they still follow them, no wonder we are still slaves. We are still slaves my brothers and sisters, let’s not deceived ourselves that we are in the 21st century so everything has changed, it’s still going on, our national assets are been sold to them now they have say in our affairs oh God have mercy on poor Africa Ghana, you’re not in chains so you think is not true but it is happening day in and day out right in front of your nose. When our leaders come as president ministers and mps, they only think about themselves and how to sell a nation asset to their master. How can a president after looting and sold the national assets through dubious means and upon all the money he looted still demanding for an ex-gracias? How a president can kill some people because they have some little amount of money in their accounts and also have borrowed money from the bank and this same president sold national assets to his wife, looted the state, devalued our educational system and then sent his children to school in abroad? How a president can increased his salary 100% and are paying huge amount of judgment debts to some people? How a president can devalue our currency, sold national assets and sent away his follow Africans to their country? So you see the list can go on and on without endless, they all puppet or billboard leaders who are serving and were served the interest of the west by sending us to slavery.
No matter how you will vote for NPP or NDC they are all puppet or billboard leaders whose aim is to send us to slavery so citizens be careful don’t let these people ideologies entice you to fall a victim they have done and have succeeded. So why are you worry about these stomachticians who called themselves politicians whiles we can kick them off? So why are you worry about our puppet or billboard leaders while we can kick them off? I try to let my people understand the reality of 1800 theory from Charles Darwin, it fresh in their memory and when copy east who also copied read it, is the same thing but the victimization is upon my people back the more foolish they become oh God save your people. Now let’s answer the few questions are we not chickens? We are because we are getting AID, second hand clothes, fake things etc. I do not hate east or west neither do I hate Africans but the truth is the truth, stand for the truth always stand alone. Stay tune with me, more things are coming to explode your mind. E-mail wellsbrains2000@yahoo.com, whatsapp 008613566124757
Kwame 10 years ago
Kwadwo,
How could we agree that Mandela was forgiving when we do not know what he really forgave. Francis' article is really educative and I think that if anyone wants to fault him then it should be on facts. We cannot wri ... read full comment
Kwadwo,
How could we agree that Mandela was forgiving when we do not know what he really forgave. Francis' article is really educative and I think that if anyone wants to fault him then it should be on facts. We cannot write the history of South Africa from the time Mandela was released from prison in the name of forgiveness. That will be a great injustice not only to the South Africans but to the whole Africa. We can emulate Mandela and forgive, but we cannot choose to forget what happened.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Dear Kwame,
Your response to Kwadwo is what I have been trying to impress on Kwadwo via these series.
Yes, forgiveness is something we must all learn. But forgiveness should be accompanied by restorative justice, truth, ... read full comment
Dear Kwame,
Your response to Kwadwo is what I have been trying to impress on Kwadwo via these series.
Yes, forgiveness is something we must all learn. But forgiveness should be accompanied by restorative justice, truth, and reconciliation.
Kwame is right to say that forgivenness should not begin from Mandela's release to his passing. It must start from the time when Jan van Riebeeck set foot in South Africa in the 17th century.
In fact, some whites were set free by the Truth and Reconciliation for committing heinous crimes against black people only to turn around to kill black folks.
What would have happened if the Commission had sent these white murderers to prison for life? Could they have killed these black folks from prison?
Let's learn to do the right things. That's only when non-Africans will respect and treat us right!
Thanks.
Tekonline.org 10 years ago
(Let's take a quick break from global conspiracy theories. Francis, this is where we can benefit from your mathematical brain. Sorry for side-tracking):
-----------------------------------
Math Models Enhance Current Ther ... read full comment
(Let's take a quick break from global conspiracy theories. Francis, this is where we can benefit from your mathematical brain. Sorry for side-tracking):
-----------------------------------
Math Models Enhance Current Therapies for Coronary Heart Disease
Dec. 9, 2013 — Coronary heart disease accounts for 18% of deaths in the United States every year. The disease results from a blockage of one or more arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. This occurs as a result of a complex inflammatory condition called artherosclerosis, which leads to progressive buildup of fatty plaque near the surface of the arterial wall.
In a paper published last month in the SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics, authors Sean McGinty, Sean McKee, Roger Wadsworth, and Christopher McCormick devise a mathematical model to improve currently-employed treatments of coronary heart disease (CHD).
"CHD remains the leading global cause of death, and mathematical modeling has a crucial role to play in the development of practical and effective treatments for this disease," says lead author Sean McGinty. "The use of mathematics allows often highly complex biological processes and treatment responses to be simplified and written in terms of equations which describe the key parameters of the system. The solution of these equations invariably provides invaluable insight and understanding that will be crucial to the development of better treatments for patients in the future."
The accumulation of plaque during CHD can result in chest pain, and ultimately, rupture of the artherosclerotic plaque, which causes blood clots blocking the artery and leading to heart attacks. A common method of treatment involves inserting a small metallic cage called a stent into the occluded artery to maintain blood flow.
However, upon insertion of a stent, the endothelium -- the thin layer of cells that lines the inner surface of the artery -- can be severely damaged. The inflammatory response triggered as a result of this damage leads to excessive proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells (cells in the arterial wall that are involved in physiology and pathology) leading to re-blocking of the artery. This is an important limitation in the use of stents. One way to combat this has been the use of stents that release drugs to inhibit the smooth muscle cell proliferation, which causes the occlusion. However, these drug-eluting stents have been associated with incomplete healing of the artery. Studies are now being conducted to improve their performance.
"Historically, stent manufacturers have predominantly used empirical methods to design their drug-eluting stents. Those stents which show promising results in laboratory and clinical trials are retained and those that do not are discarded," explains McGinty. "However, a natural question to ask is, what is the optimal design of a drug-eluting stent?"
The design of drug-eluting stents is severely limited by lack of understanding of the factors governing their drug release and distribution. "How much drug should be coated on the stent? What type of drug should be used?" McGinty questions. "All of these issues, of course, are inter-related. By developing models of drug release and the subsequent uptake into arterial tissue for current drug-eluting stents, and comparing the model solution with experimental results, we can begin to answer these questions."
The model proposed by the authors considers a stent coated with a thin layer of polymer containing a drug, which is embedded in the arterial wall, and a porous region of smooth muscle cells embedded in an extracellular matrix.
When the polymer region and the tissue region are considered as a coupled system, it can be shown under certain conditions that the drug release concentration satisfies a special kind of integral equation called the Volterra integral equation, which can be solved numerically. The drug concentration in the system is determined from the solution of this integral equation. This gives the mass of drug within cells, which is of primary interest to clinicians.
The simple one-dimensional model proposed in the paper provides analytical solutions to this complex problem. "While the simplified one and two-dimensional models that our group and others have recently developed have provided qualitative results and useful insights into this problem, ultimately three-dimensional models which capture the full complex geometry of the stent and the arterial wall may be required," McGinty says. In a complex environment with pulsating blood flow, wound healing, cell proliferation and migration, and drug uptake and binding, the process of drug release from the stent may involve a multitude of factors, which could be best understood by three-dimensional models. "This is especially relevant when we want to consider the drug distribution in diseased arteries and when assessing the performance of the latest stents within complex geometries, where for instance, the diseased artery may bifurcate," says McGinty. "We are therefore currently investigating the potential benefits of moving to three-dimensional models."
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Hello,
Thanks.
Good and informative piece. This is an interesting area. I shall follow up on this.
And if you remember Dr. Yaw Aidoo--he was in Unity Hall and has a doctorate in bio-mathematics now. Yaw Aiddo was one ... read full comment
Hello,
Thanks.
Good and informative piece. This is an interesting area. I shall follow up on this.
And if you remember Dr. Yaw Aidoo--he was in Unity Hall and has a doctorate in bio-mathematics now. Yaw Aiddo was one of the department's teaching assistants (in first year).
I believe he, I mean, Dr. Yaw Aidoo, still teaches in Connecticut. He and another friend of mine, Dr. Osei Mensah Bonsu,another one with a doctorate in bio-mathematics, teach in the same institution.
Edward Boamah, a graduate of KNUST mathematics, also has a doctorate in bio-mathematics and now teaches at at a university in Chicago.
Kodwo Annan, Edward Boamah's KNUST-maths mate, also has a doctorate in bio-mathematics. All Their work deal with mathematical modeling in the sciences, primarily biology.
Their thesis advisor, Dr. Daniel Bentil,an Oxford graduate,is well known in the field of bio-mathematics in America. In fact, he won the highest award for an achievement in mathematics (in America) for providing a well-tested mathematical model.
Dr. Bentil's work is primarily in the areas of renal physiology, muscle physiology, and lung physiology. He also used to work on bio-mathematical modeling of ecology. I don't what happened to that.
Anyway I shall follow up on this piece. I am happy you are contributing here. I have persistently sent you my email (franciskwarteng@yahoo.com) but you have ignored by courteous call.
We could collaborate on science, mathematics, engineering, and technology topis here on Ghanaweb.
I know you want to protect your privacy. Don't worry. I understand. But we shall explore this your interesting piece as time passes. Thanks my brother!
KK 10 years ago
Francis, it will be nice to give us some science pieces for a change. These pages are too suffused with partisan political issues. Looks like that's the only thing people know something to say about - often petty inconsequent ... read full comment
Francis, it will be nice to give us some science pieces for a change. These pages are too suffused with partisan political issues. Looks like that's the only thing people know something to say about - often petty inconsequential things. Give us a little more science. Tekonline used to do that at times but he doesn't write full length feature articles. I don't know what's become of his tech site.
But, please, make the articles more like popular science writing and relevant to us as individuals and ad a nation. The GMO articles were okay but I realised the debate is more complex than any of the sides make it.
CAT 10 years ago
Africa would continue to blame the West for all our misfortunes but the question is "how long can we blame others for our failures" Hong Kong, Taiwan and many other Asian countries had independence from these Western countrie ... read full comment
Africa would continue to blame the West for all our misfortunes but the question is "how long can we blame others for our failures" Hong Kong, Taiwan and many other Asian countries had independence from these Western countries aproximately during the same time Ghana and other African countries had independence but look at the developments in these Asian countries, alhough we are all former colonies. Some times we think the white people own us but they dont own us anything. lets put the past behind us and forge ahead. African countries shouldnt forget that Nations have permenant interest but not permanent friends. they put their country first and all others are defined by their interest. Mandela forgave to save his country and if he had done the otherwise South Africa would have been like Zimbabwe now. Its a fair deal, the West discriminated against the black South Africans during the apartied and in return gave them an advanced infrastural developments and economy comparable to none in Africa.its all destiny, its take it and move ahead, the West did what they were suppose to do at the time based on their national interest and nothing stops them from making friends with their former enemies if the situation requires.
Yaw 10 years ago
Remember the West always have permanent interests and not permanent friends. They played great role in propping up the apartheid system. Africans cannot continue to blame, it is time we think globally and act locally.
Remember the West always have permanent interests and not permanent friends. They played great role in propping up the apartheid system. Africans cannot continue to blame, it is time we think globally and act locally.
Dan 10 years ago
You dumb bastards killed the golden goose in Rhodesia. Knowing this you killed the Golden Peacock that is SA. Stupid buggers. All the productive people have fled the Rainbow.
You dumb bastards killed the golden goose in Rhodesia. Knowing this you killed the Golden Peacock that is SA. Stupid buggers. All the productive people have fled the Rainbow.
Mandela will disapprove of your views even if what you are saying is true. To recount the evils of western policies in aid of apartied is inimical to that Mandela stood for. He broke bread with his enemies so fuck off with yo ...
read full comment
Kwadwo,
What does "even if what you are saying is true" mean? Have you read Mandela's "Long Walk to Freedom" and "Conversations with myself"? Have you read David Smith's "Young Mandela"?
Have you read "unedited" copies ...
read full comment
It is evident the west was hostile to Mandela and the ANC in their struggle against apartheid. As a student in the US during the Reagan era, I joined in several demonstrations against such policies. However, it is also eviden ...
read full comment
Dear friend,
This idea of yours is why the terrible effects of Apartheid don't seem to go away.
In fact, Mandela did not have any choice than to forgive. Did he forget? You and I don't know. We can only speculate. You ...
read full comment
MR KWARTENG,FORGET ABOUT OTHER SCHOLARS.WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU HAD BEEN IN MANDELA"S SITUATION?
Hi Amoah, talking on behalf of Kwarteng, this is what I would have done: (1)Make the negotiations open and transparent. You see he was conned by being the main negotiator. It should have been a powerful teamwork. (2) Put on p ...
read full comment
thanks for this copy of whoever wrote it.Bear in mind,hindsight is a great luxury,that said,circumstances alter cases.He did his utmost.Has Mugabe made the lives of an average Zimbabwean better after 33yrs in power?Did Mobutu ...
read full comment
Beautiful, factual and constructive rebuttal, Sir. We need to stand up for Black rights for a change and not forever accept opinions of reactionaries peddling white interests within and outside of South Africa, thank you!
Many people are celebrating how Mandela saved a nation and all that he did. That doesn't mean we shouldn't still critically examine the evidence and see what could have been done differently. Surely, we are moving on but some ...
read full comment
Upon all Sampson foolishness we still blame Delilah that is how the world is people always put blame on one other, even it was in existence when Adam sinned he blamed God for given him Eve, Eve also blamed God for creating th ...
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Kwadwo,
How could we agree that Mandela was forgiving when we do not know what he really forgave. Francis' article is really educative and I think that if anyone wants to fault him then it should be on facts. We cannot wri ...
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Dear Kwame,
Your response to Kwadwo is what I have been trying to impress on Kwadwo via these series.
Yes, forgiveness is something we must all learn. But forgiveness should be accompanied by restorative justice, truth, ...
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(Let's take a quick break from global conspiracy theories. Francis, this is where we can benefit from your mathematical brain. Sorry for side-tracking):
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Math Models Enhance Current Ther ...
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Hello,
Thanks.
Good and informative piece. This is an interesting area. I shall follow up on this.
And if you remember Dr. Yaw Aidoo--he was in Unity Hall and has a doctorate in bio-mathematics now. Yaw Aiddo was one ...
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Francis, it will be nice to give us some science pieces for a change. These pages are too suffused with partisan political issues. Looks like that's the only thing people know something to say about - often petty inconsequent ...
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Africa would continue to blame the West for all our misfortunes but the question is "how long can we blame others for our failures" Hong Kong, Taiwan and many other Asian countries had independence from these Western countrie ...
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Remember the West always have permanent interests and not permanent friends. They played great role in propping up the apartheid system. Africans cannot continue to blame, it is time we think globally and act locally.
You dumb bastards killed the golden goose in Rhodesia. Knowing this you killed the Golden Peacock that is SA. Stupid buggers. All the productive people have fled the Rainbow.