🔅 Arsenal Celebrates its African Heritage
Wolof is the New Black (and White and Red and Green) in Senegal.
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The Premier League's Blackest Day: When Arsenal Made History
On a seemingly ordinary day in September 2002, something extraordinary happened on the pitch at Elland Road in Leeds. Arsenal's starting lineup featured a record-breaking nine black players. That's right, nine out of eleven.
But this wasn't just a token gesture or a diversity quota being met. These guys could play. Thierry Henry, Kolo Toure and Nwankwo Kanu all found the back of the net as the Gunners cruised to a 4-1 victory. It was a powerful demonstration that talent comes in all colors.
As Dr. Clive Chijioke Nwonka, a professor at University College London and co-editor of the book Black Arsenal, puts it: "Their performance heightened the impact of this moment of historical and racial significance. It showed that their presence was justified based on their success."
Arsenal's African Connection
Arsenal's black history didn't start or end with that groundbreaking game in 2002. The club has been a trailblazer in showcasing African talent, thanks in large part to their legendary manager Arsene Wenger.
The Frenchman had a knack for spotting and nurturing stars from the continent, like Ivory Coast's Kolo Toure and Cameroon's Lauren, who were key members of the 2003-04 "Invincibles" team that went undefeated for an entire Premier League season.
For Nigerian fans, the arrival of Nwankwo Kanu from Inter Milan in 1999 was a landmark moment. As Dr. Nwonka, a British Nigerian himself, explains: "Him coming to Arsenal was [of] particular cultural importance for me and people like me."
But despite the success of black players, racism remains a scourge on the beautiful game. Just ask Bukayo Saka, the London-born son of Nigerian parents who has faced online abuse after matches. It's a reminder that while progress has been made, there's still a long way to go.
Celebrating African Heritage
This season, Arsenal is paying homage to its African roots with a slick new away kit inspired by the pan-African flag. Designed by Sierra Leone-born Foday Dumbuya, it's a bold statement of the club's connection to the continent.
And leading the charge on the pitch is none other than Bukayo Saka himself, Arsenal's very own "starboy". The 23-year-old winger, who has over 230 appearances for the Gunners, is an inspiration for the next generation of footballers and fans, regardless of their background.
So the next time you see Arsenal take the field, remember that you're not just watching a football match. You're witnessing a celebration of African excellence, and a reminder that the beautiful game belongs to everyone.
Wolof is the New Black (and White and Red and Green) in Senegal!
Senegal, the once-proud bastion of the French language in West Africa, is experiencing a linguistic revolution. While French remains the country's official language (it's even in the constitution), Wolof, the most widely spoken local language, is making some serious moves.
That's right, Wolof is taking over not just the streets, but also the corridors of power. Government offices, universities, and mainstream media are all getting in on the action. It's like Wolof is the new black (and white and red and green) in Senegal.
So, what's driving this shift? According to Professor Adjaratou Sall, a linguistics expert at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, "Senegalese people want to be seen. They want to detach themselves from the colonial heritage and reclaim their own cultural identity."
Moreover, it is all happening as most West African nations are rethinking their relationship with France, which is losing its clout in the region.
The numbers don't lie: out of Senegal's population of 17 million, over 12 million speak Wolof, compared to just 4 million French speakers. That's a lot of people who can now participate in the conversation, thanks to the rise of Wolof in the media.
Take Sud FM, for example. This pioneering private radio station started broadcasting programs in Wolof back in 1994, and their morning news program now has over 2 million listeners.
Even the president is getting in on the action. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the youngest elected leader in Africa, has made a point of delivering his official speeches in both French and Wolof. He's also pledged to give local languages the primary role in schools, with French introduced later.
The Highest Number of People Battled Sexual Violence in DRC Last Year
Doctors Without Borders has some grim news from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Last year, they treated more than 25,000 victims of sexual violence in the country, with the vast majority of cases occurring in the east, where armed groups are fighting for power.
To put that number into perspective, that's an average of more than two victims per hour. Let that sink in.
Most of these assaults took place in displacement camps near Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. According to Christopher Mambula, the group's program manager in Congo, two-thirds of the patients reported being assaulted at gunpoint.
The region has been a hotbed of conflict, with over 120 armed groups fighting for power, land, and valuable mineral resources. Meanwhile, some groups are just trying to defend their communities, because someone has to.
The violence has displaced around 6 million people in the east.
To make matters worse, Congo is pointing fingers at neighboring Rwanda, accusing them of aggression, war crimes, and backing the M23 rebel group. Rwanda denies the claims but admits to having troops and missile systems in eastern Congo for "security reasons."
M23, short for the March 23 Movement, is a rebel military group that broke away from the Congolese army just over a decade ago and have been at the heart of the conflict ever since.
Human Rights Watch has also chimed in, saying that both Rwanda and Congo's army have killed displacement camp residents, committed rapes, and obstructed aid.
Doctors Without Borders notes that while the massive presence of armed men in and around displacement sites explains the explosion of sexual violence, the inadequate humanitarian response and inhumane living conditions in these sites are fueling the problem.
And worse yet, the charity has already treated more than 17,000 victims of sexual assault in North Kivu province alone between January and May of this year.
Food for Thought
“The guest who has broken the pot is not forgotten.”
— Cameroon Proverb
I’m a Spurs fan, you have ruined my Friday. Haha.