Culture

Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate Meskel Festival

Published

1 year ago

September 28, 2023

Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia have begun the annual celebration marking the beginning of the historical Meskel Festival, which is one of the holiest celebrations in Ethiopian Christian tradition.

The festival, also known as the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, dates back to the 15th century when the Gregorian calendar was instituted by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 and was adopted by much of the Catholic Church from where the Ethiopian Orthodox church broke out.

The event, which is celebrated with great festivity in the Horn of Africa nation, often sees hundreds of priests, musicians, and singers wearing white robes and coming together in Meskel Square in the capital, Addis Ababa.

According to the Orthodox Christian tradition, the festival marks the finding in the fourth century of the “true cross” that Jesus was crucified on.

But this year, the commemoration will see the adherents praying for peace in the country which has been bedevilled by crisis and bloody war between the federal government and the Northern region of Tigray which has divided the country along ethno-linguistic lines.

“We celebrate Meskel to commemorate the sacrifice of our lord Jesus Christ and the ultimate price that he paid for the sin of human beings,” Birtkuan Ayalew, a church official who spoke to journalists said.

“This year, we are to preach unity and there is no better alternative than the Meskel holiday. The church mainly teaches peace and unity,” he added.

An Orthodox priest attending the celebrations in the capital said the power of Christianity was to reunite Ethiopians.

“It helps us to forget those differences that have shaped us for so many years and brought us to these conflicts, wars, hates and yeah, atrocities as you know.”

An itinerary of the festival puts the highlight as the lighting of a bonfire decorated with flowers in the central square in remembrance of the legendary Helena, the mother of Roman Emperor, Constantine I, who was reportedly led to the cross by the smoke from a ceremonial bonfire.

Legend also says a fragment of the fire was believed to have been brought back to Ethiopia, one of the oldest Christian countries in the world.

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Culture

Ghanaians react angrily as American video vixen Rubi Rose tours Jubilee House

Published

2 days ago

November 3, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Some Ghanaians have been outraged following a tour of the Jubilee House, the country’s seat of government, by American entertainer and video vixen, Rubi Rose.

The visit and tour of the Jubilee House by the controversial vixen, rapper, and OnlyFans content creator who arrived in Ghana on Thursday, October 31, 2024, sparked outrage and angry reactions among Ghanaians on social media who questioned the rationale behind the visit.

The American star was a special guest for a Halloween party in Accra and during her stay, was granted access to the Jubilee House, where she met with Nadia Adongo Musah, Deputy Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, and was given a tour of the premises.

Photos of Rose’s visit to the Jubilee House circulated on social media, prompting discontent among Ghanaians, who questioned why someone with her background was allowed into the Jubilee House, also known as Flagstaff House, which holds significant historical and symbolic value as the seat of Ghana’s presidency.

Some angry Ghanaians took to social media to voice out their discontents.

A X user with the handle @fanti_boy wrote:

“Is this really Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana?”

Another user, @_blacksnow09, said:

“Foreigners have more access to the presidential residence than citizens.”

@CopsonClaude commented:

“The Jubilee House is now Oasis Lounge.”

@PositiveAt59011 said:

“Please, is the place a hotel where Americans do lodge in?”

@DanQuaye22 said:

“They told the citizens Flagstaff House is a security zone, but see who has easy access.”

Culture

Mauritius bans access to social media until after elections

Published

3 days ago

November 2, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Mauritius government has placed a blanket ban on access to social media websites ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled to hold on November 10.

The ban, which was announced on Friday by the country’s national communications regulator, will be in force until November 11, the day after the election.

“The ICT Authority wishes to inform the public that in response to concerns regarding illegal postings that constitute a serious threat to national security and public safety, it has received directives in the evening of 31 October 2024, to direct all Internet Service Providers to temporarily suspend access to all social media platforms until 11 November 2024”, the Information and Communication Technology Authority said on Friday.

The move which came amid a wiretapping scandal in the Indian Ocean nation, has however, raised concerns as opposition parties and prominent figures have a ploy by the governing party to avoid defeat at the polls.

Local media say the unprecedented social media ban follows a wiretapping scandal which rocked the country last month when recorded conversations of politicians, business people, and members of civil society were leaked on social media.

According to media freedom advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RWB), the recorded conversations of five well-known journalists were leaked published on social media, prompting the ban.

“The government of the Indian Ocean Island country, which has a population of 1.2 million, has claimed that these leaks are a threat to national security and instructed the communications authority to suspend all access to social media,” the RWB said in a statement.

In response to the bank, network service provider, EMTEL, said it would comply with the directive and user experience will be “progressively disrupted”.

“EMTEL understands the inconvenience that this action shall cause to its customers but reiterates that it has no alternative other than to comply with ICTA directive,” the company said.

Local media also quoted a statement from the office of the Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth, who is seeking a second term in power, as saying that the suspension of social media was essential to protect national security and the country’s integrity.