In this episode of African News Review, host Adesoji Iginla and guest Milton Allimadi delve into several critical issues facing the African continent and its diaspora.
They discuss the Democratic Republic of Congo's legal action against Apple for allegedly using illegally exported minerals, drawing parallels to the blood diamond campaign and its effectiveness in combatting resource exploitation.
The episode further explores geopolitical implications in Rwanda and Uganda, highlighting how external demand for minerals fuels conflicts and undermines sovereignty. Transitioning to internal African politics.
They examined Togo's controversial constitutional changes and the longstanding rule of the Gnassingbé family.
The upcoming pivotal elections in South Africa, the impact of Julius Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters, and the legacy of apartheid.
Additionally, the discussion touches on Prime Minister Mia Motley of Barbados's halted plan to pay a British MP for land historically tied to slavery, showcasing the complexities of reparations and the global movement towards accountability for colonial and slavery-era injustices.
Finally, the episode addresses the widespread issue of climate change, using Kenya's devastating floods as a case study to argue for a unified African response to environmental and economic challenges.
00:00 Welcome to African News Review with Special Guest Milton Allimadi
00:38 Exposing Apple's Alleged Exploitation of Congo's Minerals
03:03 The Global Impact of Congo's Legal Action Against Apple
06:56 Congo's Bold Stance Against Rwanda and the International Response
12:28 The Potential for a Shift in African Geopolitics and Economy
19:26 Togo's Political Maneuvering: A Family's Grip on Power
33:38 Addressing Youth Migration and Leadership in Africa
36:01 Climate Change and Its Impact on Africa
45:28 The Role of Youth in Climate Activism
47:15 South Africa's Political Landscape and Upcoming Elections
01:00:11 Barbados' Stand on Reparations and Economic Justice
In this episode of African News Review, host Adesoji Iginla and guest Milton Allimadi delve into several critical issues facing the African continent and its diaspora.
They discuss the Democratic Republic of Congo's legal action against Apple for allegedly using illegally exported minerals, drawing parallels to the blood diamond campaign and its effectiveness in combatting resource exploitation.
The episode further explores geopolitical implications in Rwanda and Uganda, highlighting how external demand for minerals fuels conflicts and undermines sovereignty. Transitioning to internal African politics.
They examined Togo's controversial constitutional changes and the longstanding rule of the Gnassingbé family.
The upcoming pivotal elections in South Africa, the impact of Julius Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters, and the legacy of apartheid.
Additionally, the discussion touches on Prime Minister Mia Motley of Barbados's halted plan to pay a British MP for land historically tied to slavery, showcasing the complexities of reparations and the global movement towards accountability for colonial and slavery-era injustices.
Finally, the episode addresses the widespread issue of climate change, using Kenya's devastating floods as a case study to argue for a unified African response to environmental and economic challenges.
00:00 Welcome to African News Review with Special Guest Milton Allimadi
00:38 Exposing Apple's Alleged Exploitation of Congo's Minerals
03:03 The Global Impact of Congo's Legal Action Against Apple
06:56 Congo's Bold Stance Against Rwanda and the International Response
12:28 The Potential for a Shift in African Geopolitics and Economy
19:26 Togo's Political Maneuvering: A Family's Grip on Power
33:38 Addressing Youth Migration and Leadership in Africa
36:01 Climate Change and Its Impact on Africa
45:28 The Role of Youth in Climate Activism
47:15 South Africa's Political Landscape and Upcoming Elections
01:00:11 Barbados' Stand on Reparations and Economic Justice
Adesoji Iginla (00:01.374)
Yes, good day, everyone, and welcome again to another episode of African News Review. Your host, Adesoji Iginla. And again, we have the privilege of having a special guest, comrade, scholar, publisher, author. The man has so many titles, sometimes explorer, Brother Milton Allimadi.
Milton Allimadi (00:30.734)
I love that, to explore a path. Thank you. Thank you for hosting me once again, comrade.
Adesoji Iginla (00:30.808)
So...
Adesoji Iginla (00:39.642)
Yes. Okay. So, again, the object of our meeting is always to look to peruse the Western media, see what it is that has been said by us in the course of the week or statements made on us, as they normally would do, you know, because they're entitled to do so in inverted commas.
And so this week, the first one is from our very friends whom we all know. I shall share the screen. Bear with me a second.
Adesoji Iginla (01:30.722)
And yes, it is Apple. It is the fact that lawyers representing the Democratic Republic of Congo have written to Apple and the chief executive Tim Cook about the fact that Apple has been accused of using illegal exported minerals from the Warton country, challenging the previous assertions made
clearly verifies the origin of the minerals in its devices. The lead goes further and says, lawyers for the DRC has written to Apple Tim Cook with a series of questions in a letter dated April 22 of this year, as seen by the Financial Times. So Brother Milton, what say you?
Milton Allimadi (02:24.368)
Yes, I'm trying to look up what was its profit in 2023. I see the revenue was $97 billion.
Adesoji Iginla (02:30.257)
Oh.
Adesoji Iginla (02:36.874)
Is that a B-O or a M?
Milton Allimadi (02:38.376)
with a B.
Adesoji Iginla (02:42.228)
Okay.
Milton Allimadi (02:42.805)
That's in the US, I think, globally. The revenue was $384 billion. Let's see.
Adesoji Iginla (02:45.752)
Mm-hmm.
Adesoji Iginla (02:53.962)
My god.
Milton Allimadi (02:58.968)
Okay, so the projected profit.
Adesoji Iginla (03:01.984)
Okay.
Milton Allimadi (03:03.728)
And I'm not sure if this is a US profit, with about 1.5 billion, right? Probably not global. Oh.
Adesoji Iginla (03:08.8)
Okay?
Milton Allimadi (03:16.388)
Yeah, so obviously I like what the Congolese are doing. This is terrific. This is similar to when there was the campaign on Blood Diamond. And it was quite effective, as you recall, in mobilizing global opinion. And I think that actually contributed to ultimately Charles Taylor.
Adesoji Iginla (03:29.503)
Yeah, what's a star alone?
Milton Allimadi (03:45.596)
being tried and convicted by the special tribunal to combat the atrocities in Sierra Leone and of course indirectly in Liberia as well. Because he financed his own war to seize power by plundering resources from Sierra Leone as well as Liberia.
Adesoji Iginla (03:53.962)
the Hague.
Adesoji Iginla (03:57.335)
Mm-hmm.
Adesoji Iginla (04:12.37)
and library, yeah.
Milton Allimadi (04:14.864)
And then ultimately when he was in power, continued the plunder of diamonds and also financing in return conflict in Sierra Leone. Now, with this, this is because Congo, of course, as you know, as we all know, is immensely endowed with natural resources. And what they call it, they talk about the three T's, right? Tin, tungsten and...
Adesoji Iginla (04:19.765)
of Sierra Leone.
Adesoji Iginla (04:41.837)
Yes?
Milton Allimadi (04:44.209)
Tantala.
Adesoji Iginla (04:45.298)
and tantalum yeah.
Milton Allimadi (04:47.476)
which is, these are the minerals required, right, the Trinity, the evil Trinity, when it comes to Apple, the way Apple uses it. And these resources are plundered in the sense that these companies don't want to pay the fair price for these products. So they go through Uganda and Rwanda.
Adesoji Iginla (04:51.586)
Yeah, the Trinity.
Adesoji Iginla (04:56.354)
Hmm
Adesoji Iginla (05:15.411)
and Rwanda. Yep.
Milton Allimadi (05:17.164)
And these two countries, with dictator Yorih Musovin in Uganda and dictator Paul Kagame in Rwanda, they then manufacture this fictitious war. And sometimes they have willing allies in corporate media when they refer to these as so-called tribal wars. There's no such thing. That's where the media play their role in aiding and abetting this criminality.
Adesoji Iginla (05:38.986)
was.
Adesoji Iginla (05:46.893)
Mm.
Milton Allimadi (05:47.932)
These wars are in fact directly or indirectly financed by these corporations that buy what they know to be laundered minerals. Congo has alleged that Rwanda alone exports about one billion dollars worth of minerals stolen from Congo. And Rwanda does not manufacture iPhones. Rwanda does not.
manufacturer Mac computer. Rwanda in fact is not an industrial country so all these resources stolen are shipped overseas to these countries that have factories.
Adesoji Iginla (06:30.747)
labeled as origin in Rwanda, which clearly doesn't have said resources.
Milton Allimadi (06:35.748)
Absolutely, it does not have these mines, these minerals. So the Congo, for years of course, has been alleging, making these allegations, and the Congo has been alleging that this so-called rebel group, M23, is actually not a rebel group, but it is in fact an army of Rwanda, Rwanda's army disguised.
as rebels to facilitate this plunder. And there's been a dramatic shift in recent months. The United States, which of course determines a lot of what happens in many parts of the world, particularly there in East Central Africa, is now publicly saying that Rwanda is indeed.
financing M23, which the US has known for a very long time, of course. When Obama was president, there was some slap on the wrist when a few million dollars were suspended in punishment for Rwanda also financing rebellion in Congo to facilitate the same theft. But now publicly they're saying it. Publicly, the EU is saying it.
Adesoji Iginla (07:35.946)
Well, exactly. Correct.
Milton Allimadi (08:02.216)
Publicly, the United Nations is saying it. The United Nations actually said it for a long time. It's come up with a couple of reports as well, implicating both Rwanda and Uganda. So now this lawsuit comes at a time when there's positive publicity in favor of Congo. So when the, whoever, the people that are involved in adjudicating and the corporate executives,
Adesoji Iginla (08:05.442)
Yep.
Milton Allimadi (08:30.796)
in Apple itself, when they go and they do research online, they will see all these many articles in prominent Western media that are now taking the side of Congo. And then another thing happened recently, which is also very significant.
Adesoji Iginla (08:39.571)
video.
Adesoji Iginla (08:43.306)
of the cone. Yeah.
Milton Allimadi (08:50.204)
The African Union, the AU, has now formally also implicated Rwanda in supporting M23, essentially acknowledging Congo's allegations that this is a war of aggression. So the political pressure is mounting, the international global pressure is mounting against Rwanda.
Adesoji Iginla (09:16.278)
not just an corporate office, yeah.
Milton Allimadi (09:18.472)
which also is that going to mount on these corporations. It's going to be very difficult. Now that they're no longer writing about so-called tribal wars. It's going to be very difficult for Apple to try to use plausible deniability to continue this system, which must be highly profitable for them to tolerate.
Adesoji Iginla (09:29.793)
laughter
Adesoji Iginla (09:38.999)
Mm.
Milton Allimadi (09:47.38)
the genocidal war against Congo. The profit must be immense. If Rwanda is exporting one billion alone of the stolen raw materials, can you imagine? Because as you and I know, once the raw material goes through the factory system, whatever emerges is sold at an exponential price. So one billion is actually nothing.
Adesoji Iginla (10:08.778)
multiply value. Yeah.
Correct.
Nothing. Yeah.
Milton Allimadi (10:16.132)
Once it goes to the system, we are talking anywhere from what? 10 to 20 billion. So I say all this suggests, and I started out by looking at, as I said, what was the profit, right? Because Congo now is in a position to sue and want to recover damages from both Rwanda and its accomplices, including Apple and other companies. Right?
Adesoji Iginla (10:28.686)
I'm going to go ahead and turn it off.
Adesoji Iginla (10:42.046)
Apple, of course.
Milton Allimadi (10:44.912)
So this is potentially a very powerful situation. And obviously the lawyers know what they're doing. They start with a letter asking questions, like an interrogatory, they call it right in the law, right? And when they ask those questions, it means they have some of the answers already. So they're going to, and the lawyers for Apple also know that they...
Adesoji Iginla (10:54.784)
I'm sorry.
Adesoji Iginla (10:59.614)
Yes, yes, we believe you have something that belongs. Oh, of course, of course, of course.
Milton Allimadi (11:13.032)
know some of the answers to these questions I'm posing. So this is a very interesting development. So I look forward to see how it evolves. I think we can almost say that there's already positive results in the sense that the publicity alone is going to discourage Apple from continuing business as usual. Kagame.
Adesoji Iginla (11:40.718)
Choo choo choo.
Milton Allimadi (11:42.62)
has become so dependent on this ill-gotten money that it's going to be very difficult for him to just change course, even though it looks like he has no choice. And then of course, if you don't have $1 billion that you become accustomed to stealing, it means you're going to have a significant hold in your budget. Let's say 100 million is being stolen.
I mean, after they steal the billion, let's say 100 million is being stolen by the political and military elite in Rwanda. And 900 million goes towards financing its economy. So how are you going to plug that hole? So the ramification of this thing is only beginning and I think is going to be very far reaching going forward.
Adesoji Iginla (12:18.99)
class. Yeah.
Adesoji Iginla (12:44.254)
So based on what you've just laid out now, apart from the obviously financial implication for the likes of Apple, you're also talking geopolitical implication for the likes of Rwanda and Uganda in the case that now you don't have finance, you don't have raw materials that you could build your economy on, and
Milton Allimadi (12:59.088)
Yes. Yes, correct.
Milton Allimadi (13:10.257)
Yeah.
Adesoji Iginla (13:11.73)
the moment the M23 is sanctioned by the international community, it puts you in a precarious position. So what do you see as a fallout? Could it be a revert to the troubled times of the early 60s, 70s, 90s?
Milton Allimadi (13:19.22)
Correct.
Milton Allimadi (13:39.9)
Well, okay, very good. So now.
Adesoji Iginla (13:40.679)
you know how he came into power. So...
Milton Allimadi (13:46.116)
I think it was last year that the United Nations lifted sanctions on Congo. So Congo has been buying a lot of sophisticated weapons. I was reading an interview on Duachuela because Congolese President Tisha Kadi, Felix, is now visiting Germany.
and he's going to meet with the German Chancellor. And the way he's talking is remarkable compared to a year ago, or compared when he won his first term. And one of the first places he visited was both Uganda and Rwanda. Said he wants to negotiate, have good bilateral relations, and so forth. Now, he's saying he's giving peace a last chance.
Adesoji Iginla (14:26.022)
Oh.
Adesoji Iginla (14:43.63)
Thanks for watching!
Milton Allimadi (14:44.772)
No, really. He's saying that if Rwanda continues with this process, then Congo will have no choice but to invade Rwanda. I've never heard Congo speak like that before.
Adesoji Iginla (14:53.14)
Mm-hmm.
Adesoji Iginla (15:01.354)
That is...
Milton Allimadi (15:01.576)
So this is quite serious in terms of the change. So I'm saying, wait a minute, what has changed? And then when I was speaking to some people who are familiar also with the thinking of the Shikiri government, they told me that it's because he has been able to go on a massive arms purchase since the sanctions were lifted. Yes, and of course, you know, Congo can get, you know, Rwanda can go.
Adesoji Iginla (15:15.799)
Mm-hmm.
Adesoji Iginla (15:24.962)
Okay.
Milton Allimadi (15:31.512)
and get a loan somewhere for what, $50 million maybe, Congo can go and leverage all those assets it has and get a loan for one or $2 billion, you see? So it looks like Congo, at least, I'm not saying this is my view, but the view of the government of the Congo, their view is that they're in a strong position now that they can actually talk openly.
Adesoji Iginla (15:40.57)
It's a... Yep, yep.
Adesoji Iginla (15:57.974)
of taking the fight, taking the fight, okay?
Milton Allimadi (16:01.732)
about saying the only way if peace does not work then we are willing to use military means and we will not stop at our border. That's what they're saying. So people should go and read that interview. And the reporters asked him, so would you be willing to meet with Kagame? He said yes, of course, because sometimes when you work through the press...
Adesoji Iginla (16:08.258)
take the fight to... Ooh?
Milton Allimadi (16:32.5)
The impact is not the same. And in that same interview, he said, I want to tell him to his face that you are a criminal. It's a remarkable interview. So people who follow that part of the world, I strongly urge you to read that interview. It's on the website of the German media, the English version. Yeah, yes, correct.
Adesoji Iginla (16:39.786)
What is...
Adesoji Iginla (16:43.386)
Ooh!
Adesoji Iginla (16:53.994)
Radio Deutsche Welle. Yeah, Deutsche Welle. OK, which give us a segue. Since we're talking Germany, we're going to be talking about former colony. Anyway, go on. Go on.
Milton Allimadi (17:11.42)
Right, and before we move though, I would like to say one other thing. And this is the sad thing about all this aspect.
Congo can finance the economies of Congo, of Rwanda, of Uganda, of Kenya, of Tanzania. They can actually make the East African community effective. You know, but we have leadership that have their own agenda. Of course, if I'm sitting in the driver's seat in Congo, I would demand concessions. I would say that.
Adesoji Iginla (17:30.734)
Tanzania.
Milton Allimadi (17:50.564)
In five years, we should have one president of East Africa and prime ministers in all those other countries. And of course, since I'm Congo, I would want the first prime president to be Congolese. Ha ha ha. In return, there's no need for you to kill fellow Africans to steal one billion. In fact.
Adesoji Iginla (18:03.867)
That's deep.
Adesoji Iginla (18:09.667)
True.
Adesoji Iginla (18:15.083)
Mm.
Milton Allimadi (18:17.784)
I will finance your economy, that region, to the tune of 2 billion without killing anybody. I will finance Uganda to this amount without killing anybody. Same thing for Tanzania, same thing for Kenya. You see? That's the kind of talk we need to be hearing. Okay, I just wanted to bring that out. Thank you.
Adesoji Iginla (18:39.742)
And also to, it was a good recall, and also to our listeners and host, who might, listeners and viewers, who might want to read more, there is this book titled, The Congo, Plunder and Resistance.
Milton Allimadi (19:00.722)
Mmm.
Mmm.
Adesoji Iginla (19:03.274)
So Congo Plunder and Resistance by David Retton, David Sendin, and Leo Zelik. It's a book that goes in depth into not just what is in Congo that everybody wants, how everybody comes in there to get it, what machinations they get up to in order to get it. So the book again is The Congo Plunder and Resistance.
Milton Allimadi (19:10.14)
Very good. Thank you for sharing that.
Adesoji Iginla (19:31.574)
by David Retting, David Senden, and Leo Zelik. It's a book to have if you want to read more on Congo. And so, yeah, we're talking about the former German colony in West Africa, Togo, whose president has been running circles around not just these people, but also the parliament. By its...
I'm referring to the person of Fyare Nyasibe. For those who are not familiar with Togo-leased politics, Fyare is the son of Nasibe Yadema, who became president of Togo in 1967 following a coup. He will succeed his father in 2005 following his passing.
Milton Allimadi (20:05.576)
Right.
Adesoji Iginla (20:29.894)
his initial two terms of presidency, he's decided we're going to rewrite the rules. And not just rewrite the rules, we're going to rewrite the rules in such a way that it perpetuates myself, I'm referring to him now, in power. So how am I going to go about this? He said, and I quote,
Milton Allimadi (20:32.698)
Mm.
Milton Allimadi (20:46.802)
right.
Adesoji Iginla (21:04.247)
So where is the key passage? The key passage here is the opposition. I hope you're okay.
Milton Allimadi (21:13.916)
Sorry. Let me, I'm gonna, while you read that part, I'm gonna grab some more water. Ha ha ha.
Adesoji Iginla (21:20.895)
Okay, okay. So Togo's opposition decries the move as another power grab by Niasibe and his union for the Republic Party aimed at getting around presidential limits. What the party has a majority in the 91 National Assembly that it is expected to retain after the vote. This could
Adesoji Iginla (21:48.182)
to assume the new position, honor the former title of the president of the council of ministers, effectively going from a presidential system of government to a parliamentary system of government, all in one swoop. And so what that means is, whoever has the largest amount of seats in parliament will end up being the leader.
for the foreseeable future. And the way the parliament is rigged, there is no saying how long this family rule will not just extend into the seventh decade. Like I said, the father was in charge of the country from 1967 up to 2005 of his passing. And...
he would come into power 2005. The country got independence in 1960. The first president was Sylvio Olympio. He would be assassinated following a series of pushbacks against the French because he refused to accede to the idea of having the CFA.
as the currency of newly independent Togo at the time. So incidentally he was actually killed outside the U.S. Embassy where he had gone to hide but was pushed out by an overzealous U.S.
Adesoji Iginla (23:45.99)
in 1963 following his following the assassination of Sivio Olimpio. And he would then be overthrown in 1967 like I alluded to earlier by Yasibe Yadema. So the question now is
Would the party, would Togo accept this rewriting of the rules for a second time? Because the first time he did was to get rid of presidential limits. And so now the matter is it has not just issues for Togo itself but also
Milton Allimadi (24:14.021)
Right.
Milton Allimadi (24:19.304)
Correct.
Adesoji Iginla (24:32.77)
for the wider West African region. And in light of what has been going on with regards to the coups and the electoral machinations in West Africa, not just the recent election of Basiru Fayye in Senegal, following, again, a series of political shenanigans
former president, Maki Sao, which was eventually defeated by not just the people in the streets, but also the election of Basiru Fayeh on April, on March 29, 2024. So question is, with Wari Fayeh,
pulling a political stunt here. What is to stop with him and also the gentleman in Cote d'Ivoire, Alan Ouattara. But let's stick to the Togolese president. So what would you say is an assessment of what he could be planning for the Togolese?
Milton Allimadi (26:00.644)
Right, so I think he's writing his exit ticket personally, because what did the opposition say?
Adesoji Iginla (26:11.682)
Hmm. So the output. Yeah.
Milton Allimadi (26:13.7)
The opposition said that they are going to bring people out on the streets. So the opposition is basically saying, you are inviting a revolution. And I hope that is exactly what happens. You see?
Milton Allimadi (26:32.56)
It is very difficult for a person like that to relinquish power willingly. You see? So it will have to be pushed out. So these trying the same formula that Putin did in Russia with Medvedev, where the position of rotating, right, prime minister and president.
Adesoji Iginla (26:56.755)
they were playing Swappies.
Milton Allimadi (27:01.928)
So the way as you also outlined in Togo, the parliament would then elect the president under the new constitution, which the opposition rejected. And the most powerful official would be the president of the council of ministers, which is tantamount to the prime minister. And the indication is that when his term expires next year, he would assume that position.
Adesoji Iginla (27:10.966)
dispensation.
Adesoji Iginla (27:20.974)
I mean is this is that yeah
Milton Allimadi (27:31.784)
He could run again, but since the power of the president has been diminished, he would not want parliament to elect him to be the president. He would want the other position, which is much more powerful than the presidency, and that's the president of the Council of Ministers. I think he's not going to survive. I think the virus has spread. The Mali-Bukina-Niger virus has spread.
The virus spread to Senegal. I think Senegal not had peaceful elections, even though the army is highly disciplined, I think the army would have intervened at some point. I don't think the Senegalese state would have been able to continue detaining these two young leaders in Senegal. You see? That's why they were released.
with what two weeks into the election and swept into office, right? Because they did not have to campaign. The citizens were campaigning for them and just waiting for them to be allowed to be elected. Exactly. So this virus, Togo is not immune. Togo has the same ingredients which all of these other countries have. And that ingredient is...
Adesoji Iginla (28:37.867)
OK.
Adesoji Iginla (28:43.918)
To exactly to run to run.
Milton Allimadi (29:00.168)
disaffected youth, the youth who now see what's going on in other African countries via social media. Back in the day, you listen to radio or the elite would watch TV, but now everybody follows whatever's going on their handheld device, you see? So now it's very difficult for an African dictator to think they can roll that old school type.
Adesoji Iginla (29:08.898)
media. Yeah.
Adesoji Iginla (29:13.71)
newspapers.
Adesoji Iginla (29:20.166)
on your own.
Milton Allimadi (29:31.104)
dictatorship of the era of Bokassa, the era of Mobutu, the era of the good old days of Idi Amin, Syed Bader. Look at what Moseven is facing in Uganda. This young man, Bobby Wine, is able to mobilize tens of thousands of people just by a tweet.
Adesoji Iginla (29:32.366)
Hmm.
Adesoji Iginla (29:38.679)
Oh, those are the good those are the good old days.
Adesoji Iginla (29:43.954)
Yes?
Adesoji Iginla (29:49.887)
Yeah.
Milton Allimadi (30:00.212)
on X and they're out there on the streets. And that is what the youth did in Senegal. And that's precisely what the opposition is going to do in Togo. He will arrest them, of course, but you arrest them, that just even motivates and rides up the youth even much more, just in the same way as it happened in Senegal. They arrested them, right?
Adesoji Iginla (30:08.126)
As simple. Yeah.
Adesoji Iginla (30:27.946)
Yes?
Milton Allimadi (30:28.036)
And that just escalated, you know, the energy.
Adesoji Iginla (30:31.174)
Because they insisted, you know, it's either you take us all or, you know, you have no power.
Milton Allimadi (30:37.532)
Absolutely. And the army is not just going to stand there and take these orders to kill, you know, civilians randomly because they know their consequences as well. Nowadays, you know, you kill people are getting you out videoing you on their phones, you know, and ultimately you're held accountable. And in fact,
Adesoji Iginla (30:58.382)
and I'll take all your...
Milton Allimadi (31:01.296)
I don't think that many young people that are joining the military say, let me join the military so I can help sustain this family for another 70 years in power. You see? So I'm sure they don't like these orders that have been forced, you know, but obviously many of them sometimes do it because, you know, they get, hopefully they get paid. In many countries, some countries don't even get paid, right, which is even worse.
Adesoji Iginla (31:11.723)
Hahaha
Adesoji Iginla (31:26.751)
Mm-hmm.
Milton Allimadi (31:28.712)
So that's my own reading. I don't think he'll survive long. I think.
Milton Allimadi (31:37.205)
These people that are now transforming the political landscape in West Africa, I think they talk to each other. I think they speak to members of the military in the other countries. So I'm sure they're in touch with members of the military in Senegal. I'm sure if an investigative reporter...
has time to do that research, I would be shocked, you know, not to find out that some of the military leadership in Mali, in Burkina Faso, and in Niger had been in conversations with fellow officers in Senegal. I would be shocked if they're not involved in conversation with fellow officers in Tova, you see? That's just how the way things are right now. I think we are seeing.
Adesoji Iginla (32:06.198)
and
Adesoji Iginla (32:17.1)
Conversation, yeah.
Milton Allimadi (32:32.872)
We had the first era of African nationalism. And then of course, the people who were propelled to power, some of them abandoned the masses that helped bring them to power. And they made an accommodation with the people that they had just kicked out, the establishment, the World Bank, the IMF, the White House, the LSA.
Adesoji Iginla (32:48.638)
Yep, yep.
Milton Allimadi (33:01.784)
and 10 Downing Street. They made a pact with them that we will continue. We will now be your governors, you see? And together, exactly, together we exploit the working people, the farmers who produce the wealth. Absolutely, as long as I'm a part of the system, you see? And I think the youth now are very angry. They don't want that.
Adesoji Iginla (33:08.742)
your governors yeah will be your eyes and ears
Adesoji Iginla (33:20.266)
As long as I can get my holidays and my kids schooling.
Milton Allimadi (33:31.684)
And of course, our father is seen as a part of that. You saw what happened. And I think what we see in now.
in what is this other coup we had? This Gabon. Gabon, I think that's a transition coup. I think that coup was to preempt the virus that was already spreading. Mali, Burkina, Niger. It was an insider job, which means Gabon is not immune to another takeover.
Adesoji Iginla (33:45.533)
Gabo
Adesoji Iginla (33:55.919)
Of course, of course, of course. Yeah, it was too convenient.
Adesoji Iginla (34:03.297)
Correct.
Adesoji Iginla (34:09.822)
which would be a lot more organic as opposed to stage managed. Yeah.
Milton Allimadi (34:12.12)
Absolutely. This, this, how should I say, rehashed, stage managed, right, stage managed, cool. You see? So the region is changing. I think the youth, and I don't blame the youth, and I like what the leader in Burkina Faso said. Right, Traore said, I think it was a couple of weeks ago, he said
Adesoji Iginla (34:32.587)
That's how we.
Milton Allimadi (34:40.412)
Don't go and drown in the Mediterranean. Come here to be in Bukina Faso to help us build. I don't want to see you drowning. And I like that because that's an issue that really burns my heart painfully to the core. And the African Union never discussed that because, of course, they have no answers because they, the leaders in most of those countries, they are the problem. They're the obstacle. So, of course, they're not going to.
Adesoji Iginla (34:58.015)
Yep, yep.
Adesoji Iginla (35:07.242)
Hmm.
Milton Allimadi (35:09.496)
open Pandora's box by discussing. If you're an African leader and you're going to the African Union, why would you want to put that on the agenda? Because the question would be, well, in the first place, where are these young people leaving our countries in massive numbers and drowning, and knowing that the chances of drowning are very high but still going? And the answer is because you have failed them.
Adesoji Iginla (35:24.866)
Thanks for watching!
Adesoji Iginla (35:29.102)
Mm.
Adesoji Iginla (35:35.422)
Yeah, desperate enough to do that.
Milton Allimadi (35:39.42)
massively. So if they acknowledge that, then why should they be ruling any African country? So that's why they don't put it on the agenda at the African Union. So it's very happy to hear Traore bring up that issue.
Adesoji Iginla (35:56.942)
I mean, like you said, the leadership faces is changing on the continent. And the more you see people who actually look like the youth of Africa, maybe we might get a reset. Because what you have is with him, Faore Nasikbe, what he's trying to do is prolong a, what's it called?
Milton Allimadi (36:24.956)
a kleptocracy. That's what it is. Because they're not offering any political transformation. They want to be the gatekeepers of theft. So that to me, those are kleptocratic regimes. You know, they're just safeguarding the safe, so to speak. You know?
Adesoji Iginla (36:27.58)
Yes, a program that has run its costs.
Adesoji Iginla (36:39.679)
Yep, yep, yep.
Adesoji Iginla (36:47.356)
Yes, speaking of safeguarding, we go to Kenya, and in Kenya, we've got the issues of the heavens, you know, blessing, but in this era of climate change and what have you, there's been incessant rains.
Milton Allimadi (36:54.643)
Yes.
Adesoji Iginla (37:14.706)
And so I'll read the lead. Kenya's flood deaths to rises as more torrential rain forecast. Total deaths reaches 76. As of this morning, when I looked again, it was 170. So there are more than 130,000 people has been displayed as weeks of flooding also affects East African neighbors. But here's the thing about this piece.
There are a couple of, how can I say it, very great in language. And you will find them towards the bottom. And okay, so Nairobi being the capital of Kenya, so they're saying the capital of Kenya is experiencing the highest impact with regards to what is happening in Kenya. So debt is 32 and 16,909 households have been displaced. Now, when I say...
What has been great in me? Here is the language. Where is it? It is here, yes. The Western media will always be the Western media, regardless of what aspects, whether it be the right, the left, or the liberal, whatever it is they call themselves these days. It says, in Burundi.
one of the world's poorest countries, about 96,000 people have been displaced. Then he goes further. He then says here, late last year, more than 300 people died in rains and floods in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, just as the region was trying to recover from its worst drought in four decades, which has left
millions of people.
Adesoji Iginla (39:13.722)
Nah. For me.
Adesoji Iginla (39:19.182)
We're talking in certain terrains, torrential rains, is only a breakout of the climate global warming all over. So let me not even, I'll pass it on to you first then I'll say something.
Milton Allimadi (39:43.684)
Right. I mean, obviously this is not a Kenyan problem. And so very prominent in the story, very high up, it should be saying that this is the manifestations of what the industrial world has done to the earth really. And we are paying the consequences. We're paying the price. We're seeing the kind of disruption in rain pattern that we have never seen. Yeah, you know, for the century or so, right? We have never seen these types of patterns.
Adesoji Iginla (39:46.975)
Yes.
Adesoji Iginla (39:51.459)
Mm-hmm.
Adesoji Iginla (39:57.174)
Thank you very... Yes.
Adesoji Iginla (40:11.19)
Yes.
Milton Allimadi (40:13.432)
So, you know, remember a few years ago was Mozambique, right? Mozambique, Zimbabwe, all of southern Africa. The same thing we saw, in fact, was much more destructive at that time, if you recall. So we're seeing the same thing now in Kenya. And of course, this would not be the last. But it's not only in Africa. I mean, look at the kind of rain disaster that you're seeing in Dubai, that you're seeing in Saudi Arabia.
Adesoji Iginla (40:17.775)
Correct?
Adesoji Iginla (40:25.641)
Is it? Is it?
Adesoji Iginla (40:40.674)
in dubai yeah
Milton Allimadi (40:43.4)
that you're seeing desert turned into lakes and oceans. Right, absolutely. So to me, the saddest part is that, and I say it's very sad because the fact of the matter is that if we cannot mobilize, of course, I think we're a very different space than, let's say, January, right?
Adesoji Iginla (40:48.026)
Ocean.
Adesoji Iginla (41:12.395)
Yeah.
Milton Allimadi (41:14.664)
And I think from January, February and so forth, the South African lawsuit at the ICJ started changing the momentum. And then now, a new manifestation are the protests that we're seeing by young students on campuses, you know, initially beginning with Columbia. These are all revolutionary interventions, that lawsuit and now these protests.
But I bring this up to say that if we are not able, and it's taken what? November, December, January, February, March, April, May, we have not been able to mobilize effectively for a ceasefire. And we are witnessing on a daily basis a genocidal war financed and tolerated by the United States. If we can't get the United States to be a part of...
Adesoji Iginla (41:51.819)
April.
Adesoji Iginla (42:08.48)
Mm-hmm.
Milton Allimadi (42:11.572)
the intervention to stop that. How are we seriously going to get the United States to be a part of a serious intervention to effectively deal with these climate issues that is going to really destroy large parts of the world, particularly the ones that are most vulnerable, that don't have the infrastructure or the resources to deal with the impact? Kenya is one of the, Kenya is the strongest economy in East Africa, right? And Kenya...
Adesoji Iginla (42:39.354)
Mm-hmm. Yep.
Milton Allimadi (42:41.444)
is struggling to deal with the consequences of this disruption. That's going to happen in Uganda. It's going to happen in Tanzania. It's going to happen in Rwanda, Burundi, you name it, all those East and Southern Central African countries. So what are we going to do? You know, it's very scary.
Adesoji Iginla (42:51.401)
Yep.
Adesoji Iginla (42:56.204)
Zambia.
Adesoji Iginla (42:59.796)
Zambia.
Milton Allimadi (43:10.548)
You have that, and then you have young people abandoning because we can't create economies for them. We have serious issues that already be set, and that are just around the corner that are going to also be set. And that's how I look at it. I look at it from a broad perspective, not just isolating it to Kenya, because it's not a Kenyan problem.
Kenya will not be able to deal with it alone.
Adesoji Iginla (43:42.958)
Also to add to the issue of Kenya not being able to, I recall, if you recall last year, no, was it last year? Yeah, when they had the African climate summit that was hosted, was hosted in Kenya. Exactly.
Milton Allimadi (43:57.188)
Right. It was hosted in Kenya. Ironically, it was hosted in Kenya and some of these issues were discussed and lo and behold, it's now being manifest less than a year later. I think that was last summer, the summit to prepare for the conference, which I think was it in Dubai, I guess.
Adesoji Iginla (44:18.098)
In Dubai, yeah, in Dubai. And so in Dubai, while that conference was going on in Kenya called the African Climate Summit, and they were able to get pledges of green projects on the African continent to the tune of about 23 billion US dollars. What then transpired in...
the following month of December, when the conference itself then had was, the BBC then broke a news that according to leaked documents they saw, you might as well just forgo the idea of it being a groundbreaking conference in light of climate change, because the understanding is the host were going to use their presidency to further the interest of fossil fuel companies,
and gas drilling companies. And so you immediately knew there was a problem. Was still, was still, the UAE would then create a company called the Blue Carbon LLC. What Blue Carbon LLC then did was came into the continent and signed a deal with the likes of initially
the one that is set in stone at the moment, is Liberia. What did they do with Liberia? They signed a deal with Liberia to set aside 10% of their land mass for 30 years as a means of carbon offsets. To... So...
Milton Allimadi (46:05.008)
No, these are, you know, this is the same thing like Nasingba trying to, you know, create that cushion to prolong his power. These are public relations stunts that unfortunately, or rather fortunately, are being overtaken by the kind of events that we're seeing in Kenya, we're seeing in Dubai, we're seeing in Saudi Arabia, you know. I think at some point, and I think the youths actually need to be.
Adesoji Iginla (46:18.678)
Hmm.
Adesoji Iginla (46:24.798)
Mm.
Milton Allimadi (46:33.132)
once again at the forefront, and they are actually. The youth have been very impactful in terms of climate awareness. They're at the forefront in fact. So once again, we have to really put our faith in the youth that they will help save this earth for us. Because unless you actually go beyond the gimmick and start retrenching.
Adesoji Iginla (46:33.418)
Much. Yeah.
Adesoji Iginla (46:53.174)
Hmm. They step forward.
Milton Allimadi (47:01.404)
when it comes within industrial pollution.
It's interesting that you actually may have, and this is not, actually that's something from a science fiction, what have you. You may have guerrilla armies in these industrialized countries, motivated by young people that want to intervene and stop the disruption of the world by these corporations. So you'll have them actually.
Adesoji Iginla (47:21.975)
Hmm
Milton Allimadi (47:33.808)
going after corporations and their installations and their factories. You know?
Adesoji Iginla (47:35.214)
Thanks for watching!
Adesoji Iginla (47:43.37)
they're already doing it. They're already doing it with paint bombs, graffitis, sit-ins, lockdowns, sticking themselves to the ground. They're already doing it. Yeah.
Milton Allimadi (47:45.164)
They're already doing that, so once it escalates...
Yep, yep, yep. That's going to grow. I can see it growing and becoming like a national issue that these countries will have to deal with it, you know?
Adesoji Iginla (48:03.798)
Which then brings us to the next story when you talk about gimmicks. I don't know what to make of this. South Africa are going to have their general elections on the 29th of May 2024, and it's going to be a pivotal election.
Milton Allimadi (48:22.228)
Mm-hmm. That's right.
Adesoji Iginla (48:29.598)
Let's just read the lead first, which will give us some insight into what I mean. Okay, so that's Madiba, which was in April 27, 1994, when he voted in the first all-race election.
So this is from 1994. South Africans defied organizational chaos, personal hardship, and long queues to throng polling stations yesterday, historical race election that crowned their long march towards democracy. While the authorities are under growing pressure to extend the three-day poll, owing to serious problems after the first day of polling, the momentum for freedom looks unstoppable.
with a new nation coming into effect at the stroke of midnight when the old flag was lowered and a new constitution took effect. Today is like a day no other, today marks the dawn of our freedom says Nelson Mandela. Speaking of freedom or speaking of dawns, what would you say? Would you say apartheid has died or we...
are basically just playing pretend
Milton Allimadi (49:59.888)
Okay, so I here would borrow from our esteemed ancestor, whom both of us respect tremendously, Walter Rodney. And Walter Rodney spoke about nationalism and that ushered in formal independence, political independence, at least on paper in African countries. And he said, we should never downplay or underestimate the revolutionary.
Adesoji Iginla (50:08.131)
Hmm.
Milton Allimadi (50:29.228)
aspect of what that transition was able to accomplish and I agree with him 100%. But then he adds that was necessary but it was not sufficient because the next stage was then being now that we have the political power what are we going to do in terms of transforming our societies and reversing some of the damages that colonialism had imposed.
on Africa and the Caribbean, because we're discussing both Africa and the Caribbean. So I look at South Africa in the same way. We cannot downplay or underestimate the tremendous achievement of defeating formal apartheid. We cannot downplay the tremendous role played by many individuals and organizations and countries, African countries, even the most reactionary.
African countries contributed toward the struggle against apartheid. Of course, our sisters and brothers in Cuba made the ultimate sacrifice by fighting in Angola and helping to defeat South African Defense Force at the Battle of Cuito Guanaval in 1987, which of course led the record to the independence of Namibia, the release of Nelson Mandela.
Adesoji Iginla (51:37.462)
to miss sacrifice, yeah?
Adesoji Iginla (51:53.585)
Subsequence. Yeah.
Milton Allimadi (51:55.232)
and the election that we are now discussing. That is all coming from all those sacrifices. So that was a tremendous achievement. But similarly to what happened in African countries, other African countries in terms of winning formal independence, that opportunity was not pushed any farther. So now I borrow from Steve Biko. And if anybody goes on YouTube, just look at Steve Biko interview, you'll see an interview about 27 minutes, where he says,
Adesoji Iginla (52:10.143)
depends, yeah.
Adesoji Iginla (52:18.058)
Thanks for watching!
Milton Allimadi (52:25.484)
If we mean the ending apartheid just involves changing the complexion of the people who are running the system from European to Africa, then it would be as if apartheid never ended. And with that statement, Biko is 100% vindicated. So today we have an African elite, including President Seyler Ramaphosa himself, who is reportedly a billionaire.
Adesoji Iginla (52:33.839)
of
Adesoji Iginla (52:40.343)
Hmm.
Milton Allimadi (52:54.564)
not in South African land, but in US currency. This is a man who, remember that report, was it last year, when it was reported that he had stitched 4 million US dollars in a sofa? Can you imagine? So that's the kind of system we have. And then the indices. South Africa has the most unequal distribution of income in the world, according to a World Bank study.
Adesoji Iginla (53:01.938)
as a trade unionist.
Milton Allimadi (53:24.824)
Unemployment officially is 32%. In reality, of course, it's much, much higher. And among youth between the ages of 16 to 24, it is 60%. Yet for European South Africans who make up 8% of the population, unemployment is less than 8%. European South Africans, on average, have a higher standard of living.
than European Americans. Just think about that. And finally, the land issue has not been dealt with at all. The European population, which is less than 8%, still owns about 70% of the arable land. So one good thing that South Africa still has, which may be its savior, the democratic institutions of state.
Adesoji Iginla (54:01.698)
resolved.
Milton Allimadi (54:22.94)
which was constructed, including the constitution which South Africa has, the infrastructure, the institutions are functioning. That is why when you read reports about these upcoming election, they're predicting that the ANC may end up not being a majority in parliament. And that of course is good news because this would not be allowed to happen.
Adesoji Iginla (54:44.91)
during party.
Milton Allimadi (54:51.756)
in many African countries, as you and I know. So it means that the system has some potential corrective measures where a party that is seen to not being delivering can actually be voted out. So it shows you the power of the vote, the power and importance of setting up democratic institutions, which are missing, of course, in almost every other African country. So that's one big plus they have. But...
the institutions of income redistribution, uplifting the masses, all those have not functioned. And if those continue to fail, then it would undermine their capacity for those democratic institutions to continue to function because people would then start challenging and saying, if this democracy is not delivering bread on the table, of what use is it to me? And that's where then you start saying, you know.
Adesoji Iginla (55:48.25)
was exactly.
Milton Allimadi (55:51.664)
members of security forces can start taking advantage of that kind of situation. So we hope that transformation will still happen through the democratic process that has taken root much more so in South Africa than in many other African countries, which had 30 years head start ahead of South Africa.
Adesoji Iginla (56:16.878)
So now that's looking on the internal dynamics of the South African electoral system. Now, how would you look at it in terms of the impact it's been able to achieve in the last six months vis-a-vis what you alluded to earlier with regards to its moral victory at the International Court for Justice? Would you think?
that would be a case for the external powers to intervene and help undermine the political dynamics in South Africa. Yeah. Okay.
Milton Allimadi (57:01.684)
A few months ago, I would say yes, but now events are overtaking. South Africa was accused of antisemitism by leading that charge in the International Court of Justice. The youth that are protesting in all these campuses are being accused of antisemitism, which of course is the most heinous way of playing the race card, including by Netanyahu himself. I'm a graduate of Columbia School of Journalism.
Adesoji Iginla (57:20.946)
Yep, it's Ludicrous.
Adesoji Iginla (57:27.47)
Mm-hmm.
Milton Allimadi (57:31.804)
So I was there last week on Tuesday. I was talking to these young people, young students, to libel them, slander them, as anti-Semite. It's just disgusting. But it's not going to work. It did not work against South Africa because other nations, as you recall, started bringing issues before the International Court of Justice. China, Brazil, Namibia, all these countries.
Adesoji Iginla (58:01.566)
Nicaragua.
Milton Allimadi (58:02.428)
Nicaragua, all this came forward speaking. Now you've seen what the youth have sparked with the campus protest. This has gone national and then it has gone international. So now it makes it also difficult to isolate South Africa and part of South Africa alone when all the young people around the world are now embracing this and saying South Africa actually was ahead of the game.
Adesoji Iginla (58:31.678)
So, um.
Adesoji Iginla (58:36.022)
Jacob Zuma just came out of prison. He has formed a new political party. And feelers are that he might have a say in who becomes the king. There is the party of Julius Malema with the economic freedom fighters. There is the DA with John Steenhausen. There is a
obviously, Ramaphosa of the ruling party, the African National Congress. And that's just to name a few. So if you're putting your journalistic hat on, how would you say the election will pan out in terms of numbers? Who would you say? Yeah.
Milton Allimadi (59:28.188)
The raw numbers to me are not that important than the trend. To me, the most important trend has been the economic freedom fighters. Every election cycle, they've been growing. I support, I'm on the side of the youth globally. I'm on the side of the youth on the streets here in the United States and on campuses. I'm the side of the youth in African countries, parties where the majority are the youth. I support them wholeheartedly.
Adesoji Iginla (59:32.084)
Okay.
Adesoji Iginla (59:35.937)
Okay.
Adesoji Iginla (59:42.059)
Okay.
Milton Allimadi (59:55.088)
In Uganda, I support the National Unity Platform, the part of the youth whose leader, just 41 years old, has turned 42. And obviously, I believe he won the last election. And I think the Ugandans will not allow the 2026 election to be stoned. So I'm on the side of the youth. What you asked was a very interesting question in terms of Zuma. If he has significant following and is actually to get some seats, obviously I see him supporting.
the economic freedom fighters. And now that explains to me why in recent months, Julius Malema has been saying very nice things about Zuma, whom of course he had very harsh words for when he was president and actually helped probably depose him as president by undermining him in parliament. But recently has been saying very nice words. So I think there've been many backroom conversations already.
Adesoji Iginla (01:00:39.758)
Exactly.
Adesoji Iginla (01:00:44.17)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Adesoji Iginla (01:00:54.398)
Okay, okay. So speaking of backroom conversations, last story is actually a follow-up from a story we ran the week before and is to do with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Prime Minister Mia Motley.
Milton Allimadi (01:00:54.484)
I'm going to go ahead and close the video.
Milton Allimadi (01:01:22.513)
Right.
Adesoji Iginla (01:01:22.838)
halting the plans for the multi-million dollar pound payout to British conservative member of parliament, Richard Drax, for the purchase of 53 acres of the Drax Hall plantation which he owns. Now for those, obviously, the Q is in the word. It's a plantation. And suffice to say, Trevor,
Prescott, a member for St. Michael East in Barbados, is of the opinion that sale should not go through. And in fact, if anything, that place should be seized and should be used as compensation for what they've been through. And he said, and I quote, I've been getting calls from around the world and I would like to thank The Observer, which is a newspaper that broke the story.
for bringing this to the attention of people in Barbados, the African diaspora, and our friends in England who support reparations. People see the relevance of the damage inflicted on African people. We are the people who are described as chattel slaves. Why should we then pay those whose family have enslaved us? The taxpayers of Barbados have risen up to defend their money, and the Drexas have had enough from us.
Milton Allimadi (01:02:23.334)
Mm-hmm.
Milton Allimadi (01:02:31.281)
Right.
Milton Allimadi (01:02:50.392)
Right. So, obviously, I think I mentioned it also when this new development had not yet been announced. And I said, not only how the country is in a difficult spot, right? Because as most of our countries are, we are very marginalized in the global economic system. They used to refer to us as the periphery, right?
Adesoji Iginla (01:02:57.922)
Mm-hmm.
Milton Allimadi (01:03:18.492)
with the industrial world being the center. That does not change, even though the terminology is not widely used. It's still the same thing. We are still at the periphery at a marginalized position and they can punish these countries with finance by withholding finance. You saw what happened to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is cunning. When they had waited, initially they had been promised by Britain and the United States that they would-
Adesoji Iginla (01:03:37.167)
Zimbabwe, yeah.
Milton Allimadi (01:03:47.42)
provide financing for Robert Mugabe's government to buy back the land from the Europeans. That money never came. So they seized the land. And they faced sanctions. The sanctions are just being lifted now, but the impact has been very damaging. Right? I remember some point, you would need literally a suitcase of money to buy a loaf of bread in Zimbabwe, right?
Adesoji Iginla (01:03:49.942)
Bye bye.
Milton Allimadi (01:04:17.148)
So obviously that is a very serious concern. Politically at the same time, obviously she was trying to do the right thing by the system so that the system would not retaliate against her the way they did to Zimbabwe. But now you're taking taxpayers' money from the descendants of people who are enslaved and using that money to compensate.
Adesoji Iginla (01:04:29.687)
Mm.
Milton Allimadi (01:04:46.66)
a descendant of one of the enslavers, that's very volatile. It's very volatile. Politically, you would not survive poverty. It would elevate opposition party. Even if it had been a marginal, it would become a significant opposition party. I don't know how strong they are, but either way, it would just boost their strength. Should a deal like that go through, because politically the optics are just...
Adesoji Iginla (01:04:51.822)
Hmm.
Adesoji Iginla (01:05:11.83)
because
Milton Allimadi (01:05:16.376)
so damaging. You see? At the same token, this is a lady, the Prime Minister, whom I respect. People should go and listen to her speeches. Her speeches are very pan-African, against the system. So at the same time, to find a person like that who is very revolutionary in her rhetoric, having to consider even doing that, that just shows you.
Adesoji Iginla (01:05:17.283)
dummy. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Adesoji Iginla (01:05:27.88)
Oh my god.
Milton Allimadi (01:05:46.164)
the kind of restricted space with no space to maneuver under which we operate. So our strength lies in collective effort, collective agenda, collective plans. Individually, whether you're a tiny country like Barbados, whether you are a huge country like Nigeria or Ethiopia or South Africa, individually, we can't do it.
Adesoji Iginla (01:05:52.558)
Hmm.
Milton Allimadi (01:06:17.032)
We have to have a collective agenda to do something about this imbalance of production, right? Because we get a very small margin of what we produce. A large part of the profit or the surplus is transferred from our countries to the countries that are already wealthy and industrialized. So unless we change that equation, even the transformation that we're seeing.
in Burkina, Mali, and Niger, and then Senegal. Throwing out the former colonizer is the easiest part. As we saw that, we've seen that script before, beginning of the 1960s, right? Transforming our economic relationship with them, transforming our economic production system within our own countries. That's the real...
Adesoji Iginla (01:07:04.695)
Yep, yep.
Adesoji Iginla (01:07:29.954)
It's of addiction, yep.
Adesoji Iginla (01:08:32.054)
Because, yeah, and also you need to also service whatever loans you've made.
Adesoji Iginla (01:08:45.642)
Exactly. I mean, it's a cut 22 situation. And again, yes, yes. And with regards to Prime Minister Miyamoto's situation here, it just goes to show that even the gentleman with regards to the
the MP who was supposed to get the payout. One would have said, you know, in light of what's, you know, to be the history of the place, it's not that you want for money. You could let that place go, but you could donate it to the country of the bebe deers. But you know, that's not my decision to make. I'm just, I'm just a host on here, you know, just, uh, mouth enough as they will say.
Anyway, yes, so it's been, Adesuji speaks. Yeah, it's been interesting. So again, thank you, Brother Milton, for coming through. And it's been another episode of African News Review. And we hope to.
See you same time next week. Again, we are going live seven to eight Tuesdays. And we hope to continue to bring you our take on what the media has decided its depiction of the African continent is. And Brother Milton, your last words for now.
Adesoji Iginla (01:10:37.87)
And yes, and for me, thank you, Odig Bakono, as they would say. Bye bye.