20 May 2023
Comoros/Mayotte: Geographically, Mayotte is part of the Comoros archipelago and it was part of the French colonial Comoros territory. While Grande Comore, Mohéli and Anjouan formed the independent republic of Comoros in 1975, the Mahorais, “the people of Mayotte chose by popular referendum to remain part of France”. With the support of UA and UN, Comoros still claim Mayotte – but the Mahorais prefer to remain French. Though Mayotte is France’s poorest department, it is still better off than the Comoros. So Comorians are attracted and migrate and the Mahorais resented being invaded. So Operation Wuambushu “was launched last month to clear irregular immigrants from Mayotte’s slums and ship them about 70 km to the nearest Comorian island of Anjouan”. But it has not at all gone as it was meant to, partly because Comoros are not cooperative.
https://issafrica.org/iss-today/comoros-mayotte-saga-a-microcosm-of-africa-europe-migration-crisis
19 May 2023
Burkina Faso: 88-year-old doctor Ken Elliott has been freed after being held for more than 7 years by al-Qaeda. He and his wife had been kidnapped at the beginning of 2016 at the clinic near Djibo (north of Burkina) which they had operated for 40 years. His wife had been released shortly afterwards. According to the Australian foreign minister, he “has been reunited with his family”. No other news about him in this article except that he is “safe and well”.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-65643298
Gambia: The army has apologised for soldiers tearing down opposition candidate posters, called it an isolated incident, said it was investigating the matter and that “appropriate actions will be taken”.
BBC Africa Live 19 May 2023. 5:51
Nigeria: Aged 86, professor of history Obaro Ikime died on 25th of April. Throughout his career, he fought “to rediscover Nigerian and African identity” and tried to “help keep alive the consciousness of national identity”. He fervently opposed the removal of history from school curricula (it was removed in 2008 and only reintroduced in 2018). An homage.
https://theconversation.com/obaro-ikime-was-one-of-nigerias-great-scholars-he-showed-why-history-matters-in-building-african-nations-205432
South Africa: Justice Malala in his book “The Plot to Save South Africa” tells the story of Chris Hani’s murder on 10th of April 1993 which “nearly derailed efforts to end apartheid”, as the assassins had wanted. Mandela, though deeply saddened by his “son’s” death, managed to hold “back ANC supporters from wrecking the negotiations to end apartheid”. Contrary to the assassins’ intentions, “ANC leaders successfully used the moment to press for an election date and a Transitional Executive Council to run the country until the first democratic election.”
https://theconversation.com/the-plot-to-save-south-africa-masterful-account-of-an-assassination-that-nearly-derailed-efforts-to-end-apartheid-205584