Author Archives: Priscilla E Sintim

Film Project

Posted on December 16, 2014 | Leave a comment

My film project was about Botswana and its booming economy and industry. I wanted to shed light an African nation that has been made strong my taking advantage of its natural wealth with the backing of a strong and stable government. Many African nations that have mineral wealth are full of corruption. However, Botswana has used its diamonds to transform the country causing many of its citizens to be in the middle class.

Citation

Grynberg, Roman. Botswana Polishes its prospects. 2012. MailGaurdian.com. Web 5 December.

Harris, Edward. Botswana Diamond Boom. 2010. Rueters Africa Journal. Youtube.com. Video. 5 December , 2014.

 The Okavango Delta: Africa’s Last Frontier. 2014. Hiddentrails.com. Botswana. Web.5 December, 2014.

 Gaborne-Capital of Botswana.2011. Einfopedia.com. Web.5 December, 2014

Botswana Africans Shining Jewel? 2008. BBC News.com. UK. Web. 5 December, 2014.

 Where Diamonds Come from. 2013. Gaukartifact.com. Web. 5 December 2014.

 Tati Nickle Mining Company, Botswana.2014.Proudlyafrican.info.Botswana.Web. 5 December, 2014

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

If They Can Do it Africa Can Do it

Posted on December 3, 2014 | 4 comments

This semester, we have learned of the many issues that plague African nations such as, negative stereotypes, corrupt African governance and many more. Even though there are many faults with Africa as a whole, we have gained knowledge of the many great things about the continent that is often over looked. We have gained more awareness of Africa’s rich history, its beautiful landscape’s, and its emergence as a growing economic contender. As I have just stated there are so many great things happening in Africa that goes unnoticed because of the blanket of negativity that covers the continent. Today I will pull part of this blanket of the continent my shedding light on a great event that occurred last year which many of us know nothing about in Botswana. Botswana was reported to be the best governed country in Africa last year in June 2013. In my view this awarded title holds so much meaning for Africa and its potential.

botswa3

Last year, The 2013 Positive Peace Index (PPI) reported and ranked Botswana the best governed country in Africa. Out of 125 countries, Botswana a tiny country hidden in the mist of mighty South Africa ranked 41. These countries were measured against eight governance categories including issues such as “a well-functioning government, good relations with neighbors, free flow of information, respect for human rights and low level of corruption.” Other African nations that followed Botswana in rank were Namibia at 51, South Africa at 53, Ghana at 55, and Tunisia at 58. What I found truly astonishing, was that the Global peace index placed Botswana at 32 out of 162 countries in the world. This is such an amazing feat because Botswana was ranked above more than half of European regions.

botswana2

Furthermore, It is amazing that a tiny country such as Botswana has a stronger governance and aptitude of peace than five of the most prominent members of the United Nations Security Council including the United Kingdom at 44, France at 53, United States of America 99, China 101, and Russia 155. It is important to note that, the Global Peace Index is kept by the Institute for Economics and Peace and is developed by an international panel of experts with data collected and analyzed by the Economist intelligence Unit. The data collected from the various nations are comprised of “22 qualitative and quantitative quantitative indicators from respected sources, which combine internal and external factors, ranging from a country’s military expenditure in relation to its neighbors and level of respect for human rights.” These indicators were chosen by a global board of academic, business, philanthropic and peace institutions.

 

botswana1

Botswana’s capability to govern its country peacefully and its ability to maintain a stable economy shows what can be done when a country has strong leadership and a vision. If other African nations are able to follow in the footsteps of Botswana, the continent as a whole can lift the blanket of negativity that swaddles it. Botswana has outperformed European nations that have set the standards of “peace” and continues to flourish. A few months ago I would have never believed that an African nation has better governance and was more peaceful than the United States. It is sad to say but even as an African, I had a very myopic view of Africa. This finding and many of the lessons learned in class has shown me that Africa is emerging, slowly but surely the continent will grow. It will take a new breed of leaders who are less corrupt and truly want to positively change their individual nations. When individual nations in Africa do well the continent as a whole will take a step into being the great continent it was truly meant to be.

source:http://www.dailynews.gov.bw/news-details.php?nid=3440

4 Comments

Posted in Development, Politics

Tagged

Power of The Pen

Posted on October 22, 2014 | 3 comments

Although my country of research is Botswana, I cannot deny the huge overcast that Mighty South Africa has on little Botswana. Many revolutionary events that occurred in South Africa paved the way for freedom from colonization for many African nations located in or sounded by South Africa. That being said, it is only fair to choose a revolutionary activist from South Africa for my blog this week. One of the most important notes that I took from the presentation by Mr. Ronnie Burrage was that there are different approaches to activism. As we all know, the media is a very powerful tool to use to spread a message. An activist from South Africa who skillfully used the media to enlighten the people of South Africa was Percy Qoboza. Percy Qoboza, is revered as one of the most influential South African journalist. He was able to demonstrate the power of the pen through his “outspoken critique of the apartheid regime.” He used his writing as an outlet to bring awareness to oblivious white South Africans who had little knowledge of the brutality black South Africans faced during apartheid.percey

As I researched more about Percy Qoboza I found him to be very brave, strong willed, intellectual, and witty. He became a thorn in the side of the government, with his eloquent proclamations and stirring newspaper articles. He was quoted saying, ”If you sometimes get mad at me, because the sentiments I express keep you awake at night, then I am glad. I do not see why I should bear the brunt of insomnia worrying about what will happen tomorrow. If many of us can keep awake at night, then maybe we will do the sensible thing – talk together about our joint future.” This quote sums up Percy’s mission to wake up white South Africans who continually turned their eye away from the unfair circumstance that the black South Africans were dealing with. From this quote it is evident that Percy was not as radical as the government perceived him. He wanted to live in a country of equality where his people had the same advantages and opportunities as the foreign whites claiming their land.

percy2

Percy did not only write for whites but also for black South Africans who were settling for their current situations. Percy Qoboza admits to previously being an “Uncle Tom,” because of the way South Africa conditioned his mind. He did not realize this until he attended Harvard University in the United States. He states ”When I went down to Harvard Square for a meal I was tempted to look in the window of a place, to see if there were any blacks inside, before going in, The experience forced me to look at myself, and I was surprised to find that I was an Uncle Tom.” He was accustomed to being secluded from whites leading him to carry the fear of interacting with whites.

Percy Qoboza’s time at Harvard, exposed him to a less myopic point of view where apartheid was not a normal way of living. When he finally returned to South Africa he was a man with a new perspective on life and how society must truly be. He states, ”I found myself completely maladjusted, quite unable to accept the things that seemed quite normal before.” He understood that other black South Africans were not aware of the way things could be for them so he decided to do something about it. He became a vocal figure in South African newspapers, educating and enlightening both blacks, and whites while showcasing the power he had with his pen. Percy Qoboza’s drive to change his circumstance with journalism is exactly what Mr. Burrage spoke about. There are things that we as a generation must see and change. We are not conscious of what is truly going on in our society. We must step back and attain a different perceptive to truly grasp what is going on in our society so that we can make a change through our own outlet.

http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/percy-peter-qoboza

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/18/obituaries/percy-qoboza-50-a-black-journalist-from-south-africa.html

3 Comments

Posted in Politics

Tagged

The Might of European Colonization

Posted on October 9, 2014 | 2 comments

European power has truly impacted the world. It is amazing to contemplate the might and dominance Europe has imposed on the globe for centuries through colonization. Growing up, one of the many ways my father would explain the difference between brawn and brains was to use the analogy of tiny Britain and its prior influence and colonization of many great nations. Today, I am still amazed that a small country such as Britain was able to control many great nations such as Africa, the Americas, and Asia. As strange as it seems, European colonization and imperialism has shaped the world and its history.  African and American colonization are huge examples of the influence and might of European colonization.

Imperialism-612x300.jpg

The histories of Modern Africa and the United States of America/the Americas have the shared experience of colonization and imperialism from European nations Such as Spain, Portugal, France, and Britain and other prominent European nations. Both Continents shared similarities of exploitation by a hungry and greedy Europe. After the first few waves of explorations to the Americas, Spain became envied by its other European brothers because of the riches it received from exploration and colonization of large Native American populations such as the Incas and the Aztecs. This inspired the settlement and colonization of English men into America with the first settlement of Jamestown in Virginia 1607. The Englishmen sailed to America in hopes of finding riches and gold but would grow disappointed after months and years of exploitation of the land. They would soon realize that there was no gold in the land they settled in. This lust for gold and riches is exactly what lead European nations to seek and exploit African lands leaving only two nations to not be colonized; Ethiopia and Liberia.

euro1

Both Continents experienced the dominance and imperialism of Europe. However, it seems as through present Africa has still not recovered from the colonization and imperialism that Europe imposed. I often wonder what has caused Africa to be so behind in economical and agricultural development. Time, slavery,  cultural exploitation,and land exploitation have played a huge role in the present day development and standing of Africa. Although America experienced European colonization and imperialism, it has had many centuries to grow and develop into a super power. Africa on the other hand is young and has not had as much time to develop into the nation that it has the potential to be. But why is that? Africa is known to have immense riches even more than America but it is still experiencing growing pains. This is because Slavery and land exploitation for riches has had an instrumental impact on Africa. Due to slavery and slave trade, Africa lost many of its population that were necessary to reproduce and thrive, and to take care and protect their land. This affected many African nations because many great potential leaders were lost.

euro

Furthermore, African land and culture were exploited. In the quest for riches and the abundant resources, colonization of Africa lead to subjugated lands from over mining and even stealing from African chiefs. The country Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Cost experienced a lot of cultural exploitation and robbery from European leaders who would steal the gold and prized jewels from many chiefs and leaders of villages. Today many Ghanaian villages are under a lot of poverty because of lost riches from colonization that occurred years ago. I find this very shocking because this occurred years ago but people are still experiencing the short hand that colonization has dealt them.

European Colonization has affected the whole world. However, Africa of present still suffers from past imperialism that was imposed on her. It will defiantly take time for Africa to recover from the effects European Imperialism has had on the continent. Although it is presently behind the rest of the world, Africa continues to grow and develop economically and politically. I truly believe that with time Africa has the potential to be a very prominent and powerful nation with its immense wealth.

2 Comments

Posted in Development, History

Tagged

Ancient Influence on Botswana

Posted on September 24, 2014 | 3 comments

It is a well-known fact that history has molded us into what we are today. We often neglect the past, and do not appreciate the influence it has in our modern world. Sometimes, we view ancient history as fables and fail to realize the greatness of our ancestors. Although I am African, I have very little knowledge of my ancient history as many of us do. It is fascinating to learn of the great kingdoms that ruled ancient Africa, and their continued influence on many countries Such as Botswana. The infamous Bantu people were a very prominent tribe in precolonial Africa and had a great influence on central to southern Africa especially Botswana as their expansion thought sub-Saharan Africa grew. However, Botswana was not only settled by the Bantu people but also by the San and Khoi people.

bantuvillage3.1a

The Bantu, San and Khoi group all initially migrated from northern Africa to the south looking for uninhibited land. The website KnowBotswana states that, the Bantu were the “first settlers in the Cape area in South Africa in 300A.D.” The Bantu groups were later followed by the San people into the Cape area but were driven out and were the first to settle in Botswana. Eventually, the Khoi and Bantu people followed the San’s into Botswana. As previously stated, ancient history has a huge influence in present civilization or society. Today San people are predominantly found in Botswana after  continuously being pushed out by other tribes from the Cape area.

To understand the influence that these tribes have had on Botswana today, it is important to truly know who they were and what they did. The San groups were also known as the Bushmen or the Khoisan, they were hunter gathers.  The Khoi who are also known as Hottentots or KhoiKhoi were herders. Why is this important? Aside from the fact that these groups are still relevant today their evolved trades play a role in Botswana’s economy. Aside from their mass production or mining of diamonds Botswana is also a seller of beef to European countries. This stems from their roots of herders which is still very prevalent today in Botswana.

bushmen-paining-sanbushmen

However, the Bushmen (San and Khoi people) were sadly overthrown by a more superior group called the Tswana speakers. The Tswana speakers moved north of the Cape area in the 14th century into Botswana. They were skilled in agriculture, iron working practices, and had various dialects. This intimidated the San and Khoi people who at this time felt inferior to the Tswana people. The superiority of the Tswana people eventually caused the Bushmen to retreat into the Kalahari which is basically desert land.

rock2

There is so much more ancient history about African nations such as Botswana that is accessible to us on websites such as thuto.org, knowbotswana.com, and so on. The most fascinating thing that I learned as I researched the history of Botswana is the fact that it can be traced by inscriptions and paintings of the ancient people. The migration of the San people into Botswana was traced by similar inscription and paintings by the San people in northern Africa found in caves and beautiful stone structures in southern Africa. Sometimes we look at how advanced we have become and belittle the intelligence and greatness of those who came before us but without them where would we be.

3 Comments

Posted in Traditional Arts & Culture

Tagged , ,

Botswana Your Next Destination

Posted on September 10, 2014 | Leave a comment

Beauty and adventure awaits you in Botswana, your next destination. Home to one of the world’s largest inland deltas, and diverse wildlife, Botswana offers some of the world’s finest geological features. From its prominent flat lands that lead to rolling high plains, to its vast dessert, and exciting savannas; Botswana has the adventure you seek.

botswana1
Botswana is a landlocked country located in the center of Southern Africa covering 582,000 sq. km2 . It is about 900 meters above sea level and relatively flat aside from its hills and deep valleys located at the eastern part of Botswana. About 70 % of Botswana is occupied by the magnificent Kalahari Desert. One of the longest rivers the Okavango that runs through South Africa, flows into the north-western part of the country, forming the world renowned Okavango Delta. The Okavango delta is a must see sight that can be taken in by the mokoro a traditional dugout canoe through a thrilling and captivating watery maze. As you drift by in the mokoro canoe you will marvel at the hypnotic view of reed beds, exotic birds, reptiles and amphibians. botswana3For the more adventurous folks, there is the option to travel through the papyrus swamps with a motorboat which is a louder and more interactive alternative. With this option tourist have the option to interact with bigger animals such as elephants, hippos and buffalo. The dryer safaris offer game such as lions, hyenas, leopard’s cheetahs and wilddog. Tourist also have opportunities to play interact with the loveable meerkats and make new friends.

 

botswana2

Aside from its beautiful water and land safari’s, Botswana’s Kalahari desert and  Makgadikgadi Pan, a large salt pan that lies in the north a must see sights. The Kalaharia desert is a semi-arid desert that occupies a large part of Botswana spanning about 900,000 sq. kilometers. This desert is part desert and plateau which supports some animal and plant life. The small amounts of rainfall received are what help support these life forms. One site that will truly not disappoint is the  Makgadikgadi salt pan, north of Botswana. It is one of the largest flats in the world. The Makgadikgadi Pan covers 10,000 sq. km of the Kalahari. Enormous and various sized salt cover the land surrounded by grassland and scenic palm-tree islands.

botswana4 kalahari-deserts

 

If you are looking for a beautiful engaging and exciting place for your next destination Botswana is the place for you. You will not be disappointed with the picturesque landscape of Botswana. Enjoy amazing hypnotizing and exciting safaris, savannas and grasslands. Enjoy our diverse fauna and the beauty of Mother Nature at Botswana your next destination. Take the steep and make your way down to the Beautiful Botswana.

http://www.africatravelresource.com/africa/botswana/guide/

http://www.globalgrasshopper.com/travel/10-beautiful-places-visit-botswana/

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Tourism

Tagged , , ,

Nigerias Boko Haram Seize Bama Town in Borno

Posted on September 3, 2014 | Leave a comment
Nigerian troops battling to defeat Militant groups

Nigerian troops battling to defeat Militant groups http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29021037 2 September 2014 Last updated at 08:15 ET

 

2 September 2014 Last updated at 08:15 ET

One of the many issues plaguing the country Nigeria in West Africa has been relentless attacks and occupation by Islamic militants. On September second 2014, BBC News reported that the Nigerian Military has lost control of a town called Bama the second largest town in Borno State. The group responsible for this takeover is a militant Islamic group called Boko Harem. BBC reports that Bama is a key north-eastern state in Nigeria. This takeover was a result of aggressive combat with government forces. Residents told BBC Hausa reporters that initially Boko Haram attacks were “repelled” by the military. However, the Islamic militants returned with reinforcements to seize the town. The militants began by taking over military barracks, which lead soldiers and residents to flee on foot. Many who fled sought refuge by foot in Maiduguri a town within the capital of Nigeria called Abuja.

The takeover of the town Bama by the Boko Haram Islamic militant group is a very crucial issue. The capture of the town Bama places Boko Haram closer to it next target, Maiduguri. As previously stated, Maiduguri is the capital of Nigeria. If the Islamic militants gain control of Maiduguri they will soon be able to control the capitol which will leave Nigeria in a delicate state. According to BBC, the leader of Boko Harem Abubakar Shekau has announced a caliphate in areas controlled by Boko Harem.  It is possible that Nigeria could become populated with many Islamic states ruled by Islamic militants.

As I read the reports by BBC, it was difficult to gauge the author’s point of view of this situation. Throughout the article it was clear that the author worked hard to seem unbiased and to give direct news without interjections of his/her thoughts. However, I noticed a different tone as I continued to read around the article which had quotes in bold with opinions of others about the Boko Harem militant takeover. A man called Mannir Dan Ali was quoted saying, “Just when you imagine that it cannot get worse for the Nigerian military and its pride as a fighting force, it takes a further dive.” This quote seemed to take a hit at the Nigerian Military without the author using his/her own voice to interject his/her opinion of the situation. The author hit on the stereotypical topics discussed in class about reporters concentrating on the corruption, military instability, and lack of leadership in African nations. When the writer of this article put quotes about “Nigerian Military pride as a fighting force” he/she diverged into a stereotyping territory. The writer seems to look down on the Nigerian leaders and their lack of control of Islamic militants.

Throughout my entry I have stated that the source of the article I read was BBC News.   I truly believe that BBC does impact the choice of words that are used in this article. For the most part, the article is very informative and not as biased as many other articles. However, there are instances of biased views in the margins with quotes directly from opposing sides of this situation. The voice of the quotes seems to be that of someone looking down on Nigeria and judging its military strength. Personally I agree with the biased tone of this article. Nigeria needs to strengthen its military might and fight against Islamic militants that are terrorizing the country and its innocent people.  Thought my blog I believe that my biased tone is evident because I strongly believe that Nigerian leaders are slowly losing their grip over Islamic terrorist.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Conflict, Uncategorized

Tagged , , ,