GEF's Outlook

Timothy Kasolo: Journalists Need to be Trained to Blog

By George Esunge Fominyen

Timothy Kasolo is a Zambian journalist cum entrepreneur cum blogger. He was recently in Dakar to collect an award (coupled with a $2000 cheque) on behalf of lusakatimes.com. This online/citizen media  project had won the prize for the Best African Civil Society Organization’s Blog in the Waxal Blogging Africa Awards.

The ceremony included a debate on the marriage between blogging and journalism. So how do the likes of Timothy deal with this union? I stole into Timothy's time at the reception (with clicking plates and spoons in the background) for a conversation on the matter. One thing he said was that journalists need to be trained to be good bloggers but started by introducing lusakatimes.com...

Timothy Waxal Award Winner.mp3 -

Conversation With...Rosebell kagumire -Award Winning Journalist-Blogger

By George Esunge Fominyen

Rosebell Kagumire, winner of the  Waxal Award for Best English-Speaking African journalist's blog, says ordinary Africans can use blogging to change people's perception of Africa. She spoke to me after receiving her award in Dakar, Senegal on Monday, 9 March 2009.

This investigative journalist for "The Independent" news magazine in Kampala - Uganda thinks if blogging is made close to everyone in Africa it could serve as a counterweight to the depiction of Africa by international media like the CNN and the BBC as a place of suffering, despair and poverty. She supposes it might even make these media view Africa differently.

My conversation with Rosebell also delved into the difference between blogging and journalism and how she copes with both caps...

Best English Journalist Blogger - Rosabell Kagumire

Senegal Takes its Share of China's Africa-Love-Spell (2)

By George Esunge Fominyen

President Hu Jintao on 14th February 2009 visited the site on which the Chinese would be constructing a Grand National theatre for the Senegalese capital. What one cannot tell is if he was warned by local officials that the residents of that neighbourhood were not too pleased to have their stadium demolished in exchange for a theatre (listen to the voices in the video clip below).

Hu Jintao in Dakar: Not All Happy
Uploaded by esungeft

Senegal Takes its Share of China's Africa-Love-Spell (1)

By George Esunge Fominyen

The romance between China and Africa tastes really sweet for Senegal on this Valentine’s Day 2009. China is reported to have offered Senegal aid and loans worth 45.8 billion FCFA (approximately 90 million USD). Happening on (or the eve of) a day when most persons in the Western hemisphere are celebrating love, the additional Chinese promise to purchase 10 thousand tons of groundnut oil  from Senegal could be likened to a declaration of love from China. President Hu Jintao was in the West African country on the second-leg of his African tour.  What would the Chinese get in return?

Red Dakar On V-Day 2009
Uploaded by esungeft

Beachside Wrestling in Tourist Haven called Mbour

ICASA 2008: An Encounter with the Condom Project

By George Esunge Fominyen

One of the more captivating instances of the five days I spent covering the 15th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa is the moment I stumbled on this outfit wholly made of condoms. As I struggled to take out my camera to capture this work of art, I noticed there were people surrounding a lady who was involved in a kind of demonstration with gels and oils on a table that also had some condoms which people were smelling...

Just that day, one of the journalists on my team had spoken of the growing misconception in Mali that condoms were at the cause of the rising rate of HIV prevalence in the country. Could these persons clarify me on the issue? First, I took out my recorder, fitted my microphone and here is what I learnt talking to Joy Lynn Alegarbes, director of Global Operations, The Condom Project....

No Rooms in Dakar - We are Discussing AIDS in Africa

By George Esunge Fominyen

If you planned to visit the Senegalese capital this coming week and you haven't booked your hotel as yet, my advice is to cancel the trip. Everywhere is booked full as 5000 or more people are expected in the city to attend the 15th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmissible Infections in Africa (ICASA).

Power Cuts, football Defeats and Riots in Dakar

By George Esunge Fominyen

The week of 6-12 October 2008 was tough in Dakar, the capital of the West African country of Senegal. City dwellers took to the streets on 9 October to protest against the frequent and long power outages. They were at it again on Saturday, 11 October when the national football (soccer) team was knocked out of the race to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup tournaments. They drew 1-1 with neighbours Gambia when they needed to win. The players were pelted with rocks, cars were burnt and some offices destroyed by disgusted youths.

Senegal crisis.mp3 - Gefs Outlook Podcast

I learnt of the first protests while on duty in Bamako, Mali. I could have lived the second riots had I not been abandoned in the Malian capital by a sorry airline called Air Senegal International. This podcast (in French) was produced as a cab driver briefed me on the week's events. Like a good number of Senegalese, he believes Saturday's violence was more than just an expression of disgust against the Teranga Lions.

Can Citizen Journalists Change the Face of Journalism in Africa?

By George Esunge Fominyen

The African blogosphere is growing each day. Citizens are using cyberspace to report about issues relevant to their lives and breaking news events. They are occupying a space which mainstream media professionals are still to take advantage of. People are increasingly depending on weblogs to satisfy their thirst for information and the need to communicate (interact). Will this citizen journalism kill the trade as we know? Does this new breed of journalists need to be trained? Is there need to regulate their practice? Some ICT experts, communication researchers, bloggers, journalists and media owners discussed these issues at a workshop that held in Dakar in September 2008. Ndesanjo Macha, the sub-saharan Africa editor of Global Voices Online was part of them.  On the sidelines of the workshop he shared his views on the matter in a conversation with me...

Masha on gef outlook - gef

Ramadan 2008: Would you mind fasting with us?

By George Esunge Fominyen

There is a sizeable Muslim population in Cameroon. Consequently,I have many friends who are Muslims. During the month of Ramadan and particularly on the feast which marks the end of that period, they invite me to break fast with them. This Ramadan in Dakar, I had a most interesting invitation from a couple of friends. "...Would you mind fasting with us?", they asked. What was the significance of this invitation? How did it happen?