Tuesday 30 October 2007

Nigerian House Speaker Bows Out in Disgrace

After being told by their colleagues to resign or be impeached, Mrs. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh and Mr. Babangida Nguroje yesterday resigned as the House of Representatives Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Their action brought to an end a tortuous journey that spanned weeks of anxiety, fisticuffs and, even death in the legislative chamber click and read more

Hungarian Students Raise Money to Build Hospital in Africa

SANKOFA GROUPE & SOME STUDENTS
By Archie Bonka

As thousands flee the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, we Africans in the Diaspora are watching these events on our televisions without standing up or raising any eyebrow. It is so sad that none of our intellectuals have something to say about this pathetic situation.

But it seems hope has not lost on the other side, for in a small quiet town of Panon Halma, young students of Bences Catholic College answered a call on St. Martins Day. They graced the occasion being organised by Rev Hardi Richard as part of a charity and fund raising concert to assist in building a new eye clinic in Kabinda.

SANKOFA, our cultural groupe was invited which gives me the opportunity to see things for myself. We were sad as well as marvelled at the students' compassion to assist in alleviating sufferings in our dear continent, Africa. It is ironic to see that Hungarian youths are succeeding where our intellectuals have failed. I mean by lending a helping hand to build the Kabinda Community Hospital which is being run by an organisation called the Eight Happiness from the Saint Benedict School in Kabinda.

Arriving at the school which is on top of a hill with its natural beautiful landscape brought memories of those old boarding schools in most West African countries, especially Ghana and Nigeria.

Seeing our posters being displayed all over the campus, and the enthusiasm among the students who have never been to any authentic African cultural concert before or African band performing live, make the night more interesting.

The College auditorium was jammed packed - shoulder to shoulder. And thus we mounted the stage with a typical African war song with African king leading the entourage. The applause was just enough to cause an ear drum defect. We held the crowd to a spell bound for an hour with rhythm coming from our African drums, while the dancers swing, jerk, sway and shake their bodies in different dimensions.

It reached a tempo when some of the students couldn't hold themselves anymore thereby compelled to rush and jump on the stage to shake their bodies as the masters. The joy and smiles on the faces of these crowds were our only gratitude to these young students for their human touch.

At the end of the day, they were able to raise up to 5000 euro to help build the new eye clinic in Kabinda.