TP Mazembe: The Boys from Lubumbashi who are the Toasts of Africa

Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo

Something about the Congolese city of Lubumbashi has always fascinated me. Maybe its because of its prominence in the Congolese civil war from 1960-1963. In colonial and post-colonial Congo, Lubumbashi was called Elisabethville and was the centre of power in the mineral-rich province of Katanga. As we learnt in history, Katanga attempted an unsuccessful  (in?)famous secession from the Congo in 1960 which lead to a series of unfortunate events.

 

Many years ago, before I went to college, I became BFFs  (Best Friends Forever) with a guy from Lubumbashi I met in Cape Town, South Africa called Hugues. In an eerie coincidence, while in college in the US , a random chat with a Haitian-American woman revealed that not only had she grown up in the Congo but her's and Hugues' family were very close acquaintances. This was really beyond happenstance!
 

But I digress. I was talking about Lubumbashi. The fair city has been in the news recently for reasons that have little to do with civil war, mineral-wealth or irrelevant 1 degree of separation stories. This time its all about 'The Beautiful Game'.
 

TP Mazembe Football Club

Tomorrow, the Lubumbashi-based football club Tout Puissant Mazembe (All-punishing Mazembe) will face F.C. Internazionale Milano in the FIFA Club World Cup. This is the first time an African team has reached the finals and  in case you were in doubt,  Internazionale Milano  go by the popular name of 'Inter Milan'.
 

Inter Milan are the current holders of the UEFA Champions league and can boast of the likes of Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon, Javier Zanetti of Argentina, Sulley Muntari of Ghana and  former player Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Sweden. Quizzically, nobody I have spoken to seems to be able to identify even one TP Mazembe player.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: The (former) pride of Inter Milan. 

Although the match may just be a case of David  up against Goliath, TP Mazembe have done very well for themselves in recent years. They are currently the holders of the CAF Champions League  for a second year in a row. The fact that they have reached the FIFA Club World Cup is not only a credit to African football but to Africa as a whole. Let's face it, club football in Africa is in the doldrums and with the popularity of the English,  Spanish, Italian , French and German premier leagues on the continent, you are more likely to find people in Accra who are fans of Chelsea of London than  Hearts of Oak of Accra.

TP Mazembe is boldly opening up a world of possibilities and showing us all what African club football  can be. Tomorrow I'm firmly behind the boys from Lubumbashi all the way. Allez TP Mazembe - may you indeed live up to your name!!

Let it flow, Let it flow, Let it flow : Oil pumping starts in Ghana today

Cover of the book Black Gold by George Orwel 

Today oil in large commercial quantities starts to flow for the first time in Ghana. There's a big ceremony  full of pomp and pageantry underway off the shores of Takoradi. We are being told not to be overly optimistic and also not to order our range rovers just yet. Frankly, I am yet to fully appreciate what positive impacts the oil can have for Ghana.  In addition, the picture on the front cover of today's Daily Graphic showing whales washed ashore on a beach close to the oil zone is far from comforting. My oceanography knowledge is set to zero but beached whales can never really be a positive sign. Despite my skepticism, if we have  the right policies in place governing how we handle our oil, we could potentially reap positive benefits from this gift. The question is, do we have policies already in place?

Ghana Daily Graphic Newspaper 15 December 2010: Beached whale in oil zone 

Saluting Ghanaian Farmers: Happy *Belated* Farmer's Day!

Up close and personal with beautiful cocoa pods

December 3rd marked the annual Farmer's Day Holiday in Ghana. It is supposed to be the day that Ghanaians congratulate farmers and fishermen for the hard-work they are doing in feeding us and basically keep our economy afloat. Did you know that agriculture accounts for 37.3% of Ghana's GDP? Anyway, back to Farmer's day. While I'm sure many of my urban contemporaries:

• Partied on the beach
• Partied at home
• Partied at the mall
• Caught up on sleep or episodes of Grey's Anatomy

I actually went farming! It's a long story but this past weekend, I was in the rural hinterlands of the Central and Western Regions of Ghana and so decided to take the opportunity to try my hand at farming. I should state that the 1.5 hour trek to the farm (on the top of a hill) was the hardest part and near killed me! Despite being of farming stock, I was an abysmal disaster but I certainly learnt a thing or two. I have always had a profound respect for farmers but now I have deep admiration  for not only their stamina but also their knowledge.

The long trail to the farm

I'm beginning to think it would be good to integrate a compulsory fishing/farming component into the national service training for all young people in Ghana. It would not only build character but foster an appreciation for agriculture. 

Skills up a pawpaw tree

Can you name this plant?!

Freshly picked tomatoes 

Forget Third World Living, We're Middle Income Baby!

A lot has happened in Ghana since I've been away from my blog. The last time I checked in, I was the proud citizen of an impoverished 'Third World' country. Fast forward one month and Ghana is now being touted as a  "middle income" country". In case, you are wondering where the TARDIS that took us to the year 2100 is parked, it has something to do with re-working (fudging ?) by the Ghana Statistical Service in what is called 're-basing'. 

I would love to take you through a thorough exploration of re-basing but to be honest, it is all a tad over my head.  For an in-depth analysis, check out the Ghana Statistical Service newsletter here. My main question is why someone forgot to  tell my paycheck about the change from Third World to Middle Income status. 

Hmm...upon closer reflection, there may actually be something to this middle income reality. I have noticed: 

• The number of Range Rovers burning my retinas at night have gone up exponentially
• Luxury apartments are springing up everywhere
• Marina Mall by the airport is nearing completion
• The Hilton Hotel is apparently "Coming soon". 

Villagio Luxury Apartments in Accra

However, I also look around me and still see mounds of rubbish, desperate people begging outside churches and a complete lack of access to toilet facilities for a significant proportion of people in Ghana's capital. *Sigh* it  all still feels pretty 'Third World' to me. 

The caption for this 2006  picture from the BBC website says "...Here, residents in Nima in Ghana's capital, show how debris is spoiling their community." Source: www.bbc.co.uk.

Art at Work: Works of Art

I'm not an artist. In fact, my artistic creativity is in negative numbers. I do appreciate art though. Well, I should add that 30 minutes in any museum is bound to drive me crazy!One thing I find fascinating is how the Parasitology Department where I'm currently working in is adorned with art work. Not just any art work but images of parasites and vectors captured on film. This is quite in contrast to the blank and bare walls that stare back at me in my own department in Ghana. This has really gotten me thinking, doesn't a little art work in the work-place add colour and warmth?  

Aside from the parasitic art, if you wander throughout the hospital where the department is, you find wonderful permanent thought-provoking art pieces on display on every single wall. These are great for a hospital since hospitals are always associated with sterility, sadness and death. 

Aside from the permanent pieces of art on display, there is also an art gallery on the hospital's ground floor that houses temporary exhibitions all year round. This month's exhibition stopped me in my tracks in awe a couple of weeks ago. Among the art pieces on display, are 4 vivid beautiful pictures of black children. Funnily enough, I first saw the images just days after watching the Kings of Leon video for Radioactive where the band appear to be out picnicking with black children in uniforms in rural Tennessee (??). I seriously began to wonder if I missed the memo  saying "Attention World, it is time to celebrate Black children in weird and wonderful ways!"

Later I found that the art pieces in the hospital are the works of  Dutch artist Ruud van Empel. His official website has many more images. I am completely at a loss  about what to think of his art work. Are these Black children being objectified? Why does this art leave me a little uncomfortable? Regardless, I still think Ghanaian workplaces could all benefit from colour and art. 

Ruud van Empel's more than eerie pieces on display at the hospital ground floor

Three Guys and a Girl in a Dutch House with Steep Stairs

Just a couple of months ago, I was in Ghana making last-minute plans to come to the Netherlands for a brief sojourn. Things were so last-minute that I only found accommodation one week before I flew out. I was so grateful to have a place that I did not even know (or care) whom I would be living with. So when the landlady ushered me into my new digs and I met Tenant #1 (a guy) , Tenant #2 (a guy) and heard Tenant #3 was also a guy, I was calm on the outside but in my head I was bouncing off the walls in surprise. Don't get me wrong; I've had plenty of room-mates,  housemates and flatmates in the past but they have never been exclusively male. So this was going to be interesting! The second shock was the stairs - the steepest I had ever seen before in my life! I still have visions of me tumbling down the stairs one of these days. Anyway, its been 2 months and I have settled into my Dutch digs. 

 

I love my room; it has large bay windows and a wonderful street view. The street below is very narrow and the large windows across the way remind me of the film Rear Window. Luckily, curtains and frosted windows are a deterrent against  scary voyeuristic tendencies! In fact, Dutch houses tend to have large windows at street level so its quite common to peer in on a family dinner as you walk down the street.

Playing with the Boys: Dumpling-making and Mooncake-eating as part of Chinese Mid-Autumn festival

Have I learned anything from living with guys?  *Yes* guys are a-okay as housemates! At first the toilet seat remaining up used to drive me crazy but last week something occurred to me. If you live in a house where the vast majority of the tenants prefer toilet seats up then am I not the weirdo for wanting the seat down?

The narrow street of cobbled stone below as seen from my window. I sometimes wonder how people manage to park on this street.

"There are Homosexuals in Ghana's Parliament - Derrick Adjei" - Observing Ghanaian news from afar and SMH**

Being away from Ghana for a few months, one of my favorite activities is checking up on the news either through Joy FM online, Twitter, Citifmonline or occasionally Ghanaweb. Last week, I concluded that there was clearly nothing newsworthy happening in the whole of Ghana. How could I possibly reach such a conclusion? Well, a headline from earlier this past week led me to that very conclusion:

There are Homosexuals in Ghana's Parliament - Derrick Adjei

According to the article, the aforementioned Mr Adjei has a list of purported homosexuals and they all happen to be members of the opposition.

At first I thought April Fool's Day had come early (or late?) and that this article was a prank. I was a little surprised to hear it was actually a serious article. I was even more surprised that some of my Twitter buddies in Ghana actually took  it seriously!   Fellow blogger Osabutey Anny has a colourful and interesting take on this debacle in his piece Rubbish Politics.

Out of morbid curiosity, I listened to the interview where Mr. Adjei first mentioned his list. His revelations only came at the end of  an ironic diatribe on lies in Ghanaian politics. It appears the young man was reacting to being called a homosexual by members of the opposition at some point in time. He said nothing would deter him from publishing his list on Wednesday 15 September. Well, it appears that the Wednesday outing for the mass outings came and went without any such publication. Of course from what I  have observed from afar,  it did cause entertainment and distraction. 

Perhaps Mr. Adjei was saved by the publication of excerpts from the autobiography of former British diplomat Craig Murray. In his book, Mr. Murray makes curious and potentially damaging claims about Ghana Election 2000. However, many have since come out to say that Mr. Murray's claims are not entirely accurate. So aside from the hot pink list and the Murray revelations, other tantalizing tit-bits from Ghana news include:

• Boakye Djan's intelligence is 'fufu-based' -Kofi Adam

• Dan Botwe upset by Boakye Gyan's "kindergarten" analysis

Clearly it's time for me to give up on the belief that there is a modicum of seriousness still  left in Ghanaian politics. So instead of observing from afar and being rendered speechless by utter ridiculousness, I have decided to devote a little blogging to the world around me. Watch this space for chronicles on #Dutch Living! 

Dutch Living exemplified: The Bikes of Leiden 

**SMH = 'Shaking My Head'. For some of us over the hill, all this LOL (laugh out loud) language is sometimes hard to keep up with!

The 100 Most Powerful Black Men on Twitter List: Heavy on sport and entertainment but Light on intellectuals

Last week I saw a tweet directing tweetheads to the list of The 100 Most Powerful Men on Twitter:

"These men have the ability to drive massive traffic with a single tweet of a link, are constantly retweeted by their loyal followers, and exist on thousands of lists created by their fans."

I scanned the list quickly and noticed a trend. Here are the first 5 entries on the list:

• LeBron James: High profile basketball player 

• IamDiddy Music mogul and artist

• Kanye West: Music mogul and artist

• BarackObama: 44th President of the United States. According to BarackObama's twitter profile, this is not President Obama's account but run by a grassroot organization  

• Tyga: I have no idea who this is but according to Wikipedia, he is a young rapper signed to Young Money entertainment.

The rest of the list is pretty similar; great representation from the world of sports, rap, R&B and entertainment but very little from academia, science, technology, health-care, business or even politics. Okay, I concede, Twitter is a social-network mainly associated with the entertainment industry. With the 140 characters limit, it is hardly the meeting place for deep intellectual discourse! However, Bill Gates and several other innovators from a plethora of other fields have accounts. Therefore, this list has really gotten me to think: are black men with the most impact on the planet likely to be rappers and sportsmen? Granted there are black men who have risen to the top of their respective fields outside of entertainment but are these people known or really recognized? Is the world learning to identify prominent black people with rap and sports rather than anything else? To me this is a troubling and very sad phenomenon.

P.S. I should add that philosopher and intellectual Professor Cornel West of Princeton University does feature on the list of 100  Black men on Twitter at Number 50. By the way, did you know that Cornel West was in The Matrix Reload and The Matrix Revolutions?  Hmm... maybe it is all about entertainment.

Kenya on the move with a New Constitution: Implications for Ghana's own review process?

Picture from the Kenyan Daily Nation Online showing "Mr Simon Wachira of Mt Kenya Tourism Circuit [being] assisted to climb Mt Kenya, where he placed a copy of the new Constitution on Friday" 

Let's face it; as soon as some of us hear "Constitution", we automatically go into snooze mode. That's exactly the attitude I had when I heard that Kenya had a new constitution. I knew there had been a referendum on the constitution, I had even caught glimpses of a glitzy ceremony and was sure there had finally been consensus between President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga but frankly, it did not seem too exciting to me. I could not have been more wrong. Shamefully, it was only after I had listened to young Kenyan points-of-view on the constitution aired on BBC World Have Your Say that I actually became interested in the process and its implications.

New Constitution Day: Kenyans Jubilating (Hmmm...where are the women at?)
Source: AFP via the BBC

Not only is this Kenyan constitution cutting-edge for an African democracy, it is particularly poignant coming from a country with a long history of ethnic tension and a very recent history of post-election violence. The constitution also paves the way for similar processes in other African countries. Did you know Ghana is currently undergoing a constitutional review process? In 2010, a Ghanaian Constitution Review Commission was set up. They have commissioners working hard already and also have a pretty helpful website (www.crc.gov.gh).

According to their website:

"The Constitution Review Commission was set up by a Constitutional Instrument 2010 (C.I.) 64 as a Commission of Inquiry to conduct a consultative review of the operation of the 1992 Constitution."

*Sigh* All those 'C's in that one sentence above may elicit instant boredom but we often forget that a constitution provides the sets of laws/rules by which we are all governed and protected in any democracy. Therefore, it is imperative that we take more interest in any constitutional review.

Did you know that the Ghana Constitution Review Commission:

• Has a radio promo? 
• Is on Facebook and Twitter? 
• Has a blog? 
• Has been criss-crossing the country hearing views and suggestions from ordinary people regarding the constitution? 
• Has an online submission form on their website? 

Apparently 31,000 submissions have been made so far. This surprises me since I am not sure how seriously people (especially young people) are taking this process.

I do have questions of my own regarding this constitutional review process:

• Young people (0-24 year olds) form the vast majority of the Ghanaian population and are also those who are going to be most affected by any constitutional changes. How seriously engaged are they in this process? I am talking specifically about the 18-24 year olds? 
• How are all the submissions being sifted through and narrowed down? 
• Which suggestions will be deemed worthy to be part of the new constitution or a referendum ? 
• If a suggestion is not in the government's interest but comes from a sizeable number of people what happens to that suggestion? 

Anyone out there with thoughts on constitutional reviews and amendments? What suggestion would you have for a new constitution?

Today on Twitter: #RIPAaliyah

Today one of the hottest topics on Twitter, or what we tweetheads call "trending topics", was #RIPAaliyah. In my spaced-out state of mine, I  had first thought people around the world had only just realised that the amazing RnB singer Aaliyah Haughton had passed on. It eventually occurred to me that today marks 9 years since the sad death of Aaliyah. 

I always remember Aaliyah's death for two reasons:

1. She  was super-talented and was one of my favorite female RnB singers

2. New York was just recovering from Aaliyah's death (she was born in Brooklyn and raised in Detroit) when chaos rained supreme exactly 17 days later. 

Aaliyah Haughton: January 16 1979 - August 25 2001

So here's to always remembering that special talent that was Aaliyah Haughton. She may be gone, but just as Twitter proved today, she has never been forgotten. 

 

 "It's been too long and [We're] lost without you/ What [are we] gonna do.." #RIPAaliyah; We still miss you!

Ghana Politics 101: To avoid unnecessary damage, control your loose cannons

Cannons at Fort Antonio in Axim in the Western Region, Ghana
Source:  My personal album of fabulous pics

In military history, cannons transformed the art of warfare and were essential artillery for some key battles dating back to Ancient China. Cannons were also vital to naval combat and the phrase 'loose cannon' alludes to the fact that if your cannons were not secure, they were likely to roll about on deck and cause damage to your ship.  It is not surprising therefore that modern English has adopted the term:

Main Entry: loose cannon

Function: noun

: a dangerously uncontrollable person or thing

Source: Merriam-Oxford Dictionary Online

Over the years, a number of colourful 'loose cannons' have dotted the Ghanaian political landscape and just like improperly secured cannons, these are usually from one's own armoury. For some reason, some chairmen of incumbent parties have  demonstrated uncanny propensities towards mis-speaking in public. 

A few years ago, the chairman of the previous administration's party was caught on tape making damaging disclosures that appeared to amount to corruption and graft among his party members. Just this past week, the chairman of the current ruling party made statements about cleansing the judiciary that supposedly could be interpreted as inciting others towards violence.  

It is not surprising that these comments have sparked a real storm in a tea-cup. 

Class, the take-home message is simple: if you do not want your political opponents to make mischief of ambiguous statements emerging from your camp, then control your  loose cannons. If you are unable to do so, the ensuing damage could be serious. You would then be forced to field spokespeople who have the excruciating task of explaining the indefensible to the general public. At that point, you just have to hope that the spokespeople are able to use enough circular logic to dazzle the populace and prevent further questions.

Sign of the Times: Close Elections

Sunday morning and the world woke up to find that the just-ended Australian election was inconclusive with no party likely to emerge with an outright majority. At the moment, the current Prime Minister Julia Gillard is attempting to form a coalition government.

Australian Prime Minister Ms. Julia Gillard (left) and her main contender Tony Abbott
Hmmm Tony Abbott looks mysteriously like Tony Blair in this picture
Source: BBC Online

Interestingly, this outcome was very similar to the British election of 2010 that resulted in one of the strangest marriages between liberals and conservatives that the world has ever seen. Closer to home, the 2008 Ghana election was the closest in Ghanaian history and probably one of the closest in world history.  

The BBC Focus on Africa magazine cover that aptly predicted the outcome of
the 2008 Ghana election

So are close elections the new sign of the time? What do they indicate? Are they a sign of a vibrant democracy or perhaps apathy and ambivalence of electorates across the globe? Food for thought.

Is Young Mario Balotelli part of the Ghana-Deniers Club?

The victorious Italian national football team (Azzurri) hoisting the World Cup at Germany 2006
Source: http://www.i-azzurri.com/ 

Even if you are not a football fan, you may know that a certain Mario Balotelli of Italy has just been scooped up by the millionaire football club, Manchester City. Just in case you did not know, Mario Balotelli is the 20 year old Italian footballing whizz-kid known to have a little attitude on and off the pitch. Mr Balotelli is also known for his smouldering exotic looks. In fact, he is so exotic that if you saw him, you may be inclined to think he looks alot like:

1.  That trotro* mate who refused to give you the correct change on your way to work last week 
2.  The guy selling DVDs at Adum Market in Kumasi who tried to get you to buy The Ultimate  Steven Seagal collection 
3.  A cool young guy hanging out with his buddies at Accra Mall 

Mario Balotelli (nicknamed 'Super Mario') in football action
Source: www.goal.com

So how does a guy that looks so typically Ghanaian end up with such a distinctly Italian name? Is he part of the Ghana-Deniers club that has featured prominent personalities such as pro-wrestler Kofi Kingston formerly of Jamaica now of Ghana? 


Well, according to the folks over at Wikipedia, Mario Balotelli was born Mario Barwuah in Palermo Italy to Ghanaian immigrants. Due to his childhood health-problems, his struggling immigrant parents eventually turned him over to social services where he was fostered by an Italian family named the Balotellis. He later legally took the Balotelli name and formally became an Italian citizen in 2008. His contact with his real family is apparently minimal.

Recently, Mario’s real parents featured in the Italian press   explaining how they lost their son and how they had tried to get him back over the course of 10 years 

Super Mario came out blazing to lambast his biological parents in an official statement:

“I have no other recourse than to repeat what I said two years ago: if I hadn’t become the football star Mario Balotelli, they wouldn’t have cared what happened to me."

                     Source: Ghanasoccernet.com via Joy FM online

It appears that young Mario has some deep-seated feelings of abandonment. Interestingly, he was courted persistently by the Ghana Football Association to join the Black Stars, but always stood firm that his dream was to play only for Italy and never for his country of origin. This was despite the fact that some Italians had serious objections to him joining the Azzurri. 


But what about his real parents? Is it a case of giving away a lottery ticket with a winning number or parents' honestly yearning for the child they gave up only thinking about his welfare?? It's quite impossible to know now. In the meantime, I would love to see how Balotelli gets along with his Ghana-loving Togolese team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor. Perhaps Adebayor can teach him a thing or two? 

The always charismatic Emmanuel Adebayor
Source: Daily Telegraph online

**Trotro: A commercial mini-bus that operates in most Ghanaian cities and towns 

The Beauty, The "Dirty Stones" and Urgent Curriculum Changes needed at Supermodel Finishing School

Let's face it; model Naomi Campbell's long-anticipated appearance at the Charles Taylor war crimes tribunal in The Hague is akin to life imitating art. It is the stuff that actual movies are made of. I can just imagine the synopsis for the upcoming blockbuster...

The Beauty, The Despot and the Blood Diamonds

Our heroine, the forever radiant, always weavelicious international superstar model Miss Rayomie   Rambell escapes the hustle and bustle of life as a jet-setting supermodel to sojourn in the blissfully enchanting African Kingdom of Zamunda. While in Zamunda, Miss Rambell attends a grand banquet hosted by the benevolent King Jaffe Joffer. One of the other guests at the dinner is the evil, conniving dictator of the nation of Mogambo, Kunta Kinte. Mr. Kinte is charmed by the sultry supermodel and presents her with a gift of sparkling diamonds. She graciously wears these on a necklace. Years later, Mr. Kinte is implicated in fuelling a vicious and ferocious conflict in Mogambo's peaceful neigbour, Narnia. This conflict revolves around the control and extraction of diamonds.There is no evidence linking the cunning Mr. Kinte to the vicious civil war and he is just about to get away with his heinous crimes. In the closing scene of the film, Miss Rambell bursts into the international tribunal that is trying Mr. Kinte and demands to be heard by the panel of judges. In a cinematographically  dramatic moment akin to the courtroom scene in To Kill a Mocking Bird,  our heroine tears the diamond necklace off her neck and holds it up declaring that the diamonds were given to her by Mr. Kinte and that they are proof that he was involved in the deadly conflict. There are cheers of joy in the courtroom as victims of the conflict mouth the words "Thank you" and tears of joy roll down Miss Rambell's high sculptured cheekbones. The film closes with Nkosi Sikelel' iAfriKa (God Bless Africa)  playing in the background. Justice prevails as good triumphs over evil.

CAST

Rayomie Ramble     -----------------    Kerry Washington

King Jaffe Joffer   ------------------   James Earl Jones 

Evil Kunta Kinte      ------------------   Denzel Washington***

***Yes, Denzel Washington as the evil despot. After all, we know Denzel can play bad people. Did someone say Training Day? Besides, what's a big black blockbuster movie without Denzel?? What's any blockbuster movie without Denzel? 

Unfortunately, real-life is more complex and far less polished. As it turns out the 'diamonds' were hardly the proverbial "girl's best friends". Ms. Campbell herself described them as "dirty stones". Moreover,  Naomi Campbell is not quite the Hollywood heroine by blockbuster standards. She is stunning but however, is also notorious for her ability to deliver a mean bitch-slap to her employees as well as a perchance for throwing tantrums and assaulting various people. Who can forget that she actually refused to appear at the tribunal  and eventually did so only when subpoenaed. According to excerpts of her testimony available on the BBC news online website, she said her appearance was "an inconvenience" I think Ms. Campbell must have gotten that word lost in translation! She also went on to explain that she feared for the safety of her family.  

Perhaps the most surprising revelation  that may have stunned  Africologists and Afrophiles alike, was the following excerpt from BBC online:

When asked if she had also believed Charles Taylor had sent the Diamonds; 

"I assumed it was. I don't know anything about Charles Taylor. Never heard of him before, never heard of the country Liberia before. I never heard of the term 'blood diamonds' before. So I just assumed that it was."

Clearly, Supermodel Finishing school needs to expand its curriculum to include a little geography, current affairs, decorum and above all altruism.  This way, highly successful alumni  will not go out and make complete asses of themselves in public. 

Naomi Campbell oops I mean Kerry Washington

Source: Star.media.com