Culture-Society

Democracy is one of the most important ideas in human history. Different people in various places, and at various times often hotly debate it, fight for, and even die for it. In Western cultures, it is believed that democracy was invented in Athens, Greece a long time ago (7th century BCE), though the idea and practice also existed in various cultures in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, and America in one form or another without necessarily calling it democracy or having it written down. Africans and non-Africans have discussed democracy with respect to Africa in many forums.

The arrest of Nigerian Humanist, Mubarak Bala, for blasphemy on April 28, 2020, has generated heated debates about blasphemy. Opinions are divided regarding the concept of the contempt of religion and how alleged blasphemers should be treated. In this piece, I draw attention to the often-overlooked perspective that blasphemy is part of everyday discourse. Contempt of religion is part of the universe of faith and belief. I suggest that it is utterly senseless for some religious believers, Muslims in this case, to accuse somebody of blasphemy. I submit that blasphemy is a right, not a crime, and should be respected and not penalized.

What do we in the West know about Islam? Perhaps more than we did before 9/11 but not much. Now the US and NATO have withdrawn from Afghanistan we are again reminded how little we understand about Islamic fundamentalism and how its adherents justify their beliefs, not least their use of violence.

Every four years, the world is treated to a sport’s extravaganza–the summer Olympics. It is replete with scandals, drama, exhilaration, utter failure, disappointment, etc. The organizers, the country and city hosts, the athletes, the trainers, etc., are all in the mix at the Olympics. While the Olympics is marketed as an international sporting activity aimed at cultivating excellence, friendship, and respect, and to contribute to world peace, it is all that and more.

It was on a fine day, July 22, 2011, when a homegrown terrorist named Anders Behring Breivik killed 8 people in a bomb blast in Oslo, Norway. He then dressed as a policeman to access Utoya Island Village where he massacred 69 children and young people because they were members and supporters of The Norwegian Social Democratic Party Youth Union–locally known as–Arbeiderpartiet Ungdomsförbundet–(AUF).

In 1776 Adam Smith published his “Wealth of Nations” which has guided economists and political thinkers ever since. It marks the start of the Industrial Revolution that began in Britain and then spread throughout most of the world. That was 245 years ago.

The “Forgotten Voices” is a collection of the most inspiring poems. It unveils human emotions, identity, displacement, pain, agony and abandonment which I bring out in a simple clear language. Social conflict in northern Uganda is central in the thought-provoking and mentally stimulating prose in this collection of poems. A good read for both writers and readers of poetry.

Within the past 40 years the Lango language or Leblango, as it is called, has changed dramatically. This was not entirely a surprise. The people themselves have changed fundamentally within this same period. A good part of a generation or two was lost.