Over the past week, there have been many important stories from around the African continent, and we have served you some of the most topical ones.

Here is a rundown of the backstories to some of the biggest news in Africa that we covered during the week:

World at the rescue as mpox virus hits Africa

During the week, Africa became the largest recipient of Monkeypox vaccine donations amid the recent surge of the virus ravaging the continent. On Monday, Germany pledged 100,000 doses of the Mpox vaccine from its military stockpile to aid in the short-term containment of the outbreak on the African continent and to aid the affected countries. And plans to support its partners in Africa through the GAVI vaccination alliance and will supply the World Health Organisation with flexible funding resources through a variety of tools to fight Mpox.

In addition, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided Nigeria with 10,000 doses of the mpox vaccine as the week continued. The country has recorded a total of forty cases of the vaccine, although there have been no fatalities. Muyi Aina, who is the head of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), stated that the donation was a “critical step” for the country of Nigeria.

Mpox is endemic to West and Central Africa, with the first human case discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1970. Nigeria had a major outbreak in 2017 and 2018. Before 2022, only occasional instances occurred outside of endemic areas. The virus can be passed from person to person through close contact, but it can also be passed from place to person through things and surfaces that a person with mpox has touched.

Failures in the implementation of rigorous surveillance, contact tracing, and containment techniques have allowed the virus to spread across at least 120 nations, even though early warnings were sent. A reminiscence of the Covid-19 dramatic experience with loud calls for equitable vaccine distribution remains. Whether or not Africa has done enough to prevent the outbreak and whether or not the continent is doing everything in its power to limit it, beyond pinning our expectations on the still rare doses of vaccine, are two fundamental concerns that ought to be asked.

Love Turns Sour: Nigeria’s Osimhen trapped in transfer saga

The summer transfer window of the European football season ended with a Nigerian, Victor of Osimen at the heart of the biggest controversy in the window. Osimhen’s proposed transfer to English side Chelsea and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli fell apart as he was caught in the middle of a transfer saga. Reports had emerged earlier in the week that Napoli reached a big money agreement with the Arabian club, Al Ahli, worth a whopping €80m while Chelsea also remained keen on getting him.

At the beginning of the drama, Osimhen was holding out for a possible transfer to Chelsea, but the negotiations broke down due to disagreements over personal issues. At the same time, a significant offer from Saudi Arabia was being considered, but the limited amount of time available to reach an agreement on the conditions of the contract led to the failure of that arrangement as well.

The 25-year-old Nigerian player was the driving force behind Napoli’s Scudetto-winning season in Serie A in 2022-23. Osimhen accomplished the feat of finishing as the highest goalscorer in the division, and the team had just won the championship for the first time in more than three decades. Throughout the 2023–24 season, the Nigerian player was plagued by injuries, frequent managerial shifts, and absences owing to his participation in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). Despite these challenges, he managed to score 15 goals in 25 Serie A matches.

With the transfer failures, Napoli and its new coach Antonio Conte have both revealed that Osimhen will not be included in Napoli’s Serie A team for the 2024/2025 summer season. There have been reports that his connection with the club has deteriorated, which has resulted in his exclusion from the team’s preparations under the direction of the new coach Antonio Conte. This decision will keep the striker who is the current African footballer of the year in a state of uncertainty until at least January 2025.

Despite his heroics on the Italian side, Osimhen and Napoli have a history of toxicity. Last season, the club posted a video on social media which made a joke of Osimhen missing a penalty in a draw against Bologna, with an odd, sped-up voice dubbed over the top forcing a testament from the player’s agent Roberto Calenda threatening legal action. It seems love is lost again, and Osimhen might have to live with being ostracized in the city once “ruled.”

Musings on Al Shabaab and the Horn of Africa

Taye Atske Selassie, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, on Friday, suggested that countries in the Horn of Africa collaborate to combat the terrorist organisation Al Shabaab in the eastern part of Africa, particularly in Somalia. This recommendation was made to combat the terrorist organisation. which has been the most deadly in the last decade in the region.

Selassie warned that Al Shabaab is “well-equipped” to carry out assaults that are lethal in the Horn of Africa region. Ethiopia is giving Somalia unrestricted military aid and other assistance until the Somali National Army (SNA) can manage the nation’s security issues independently.
Since 2016, Al-Shabaab has also carried out large-scale, intricate, and deadly attacks outside of Somalia, one of which occurred in Kenya. Concerns about recruiting and radicalization-related activities are ongoing.

Having pledged loyalty to Al-Qaida in 2012, Al-Shabaab remains the most active terrorist organisation in East Africa. Although they also happen in neighbouring states, the majority of its attacks take place in Somalia. There was an increase in the number of indirect fire strikes on aircraft and airfields in 2021. It is still incredibly adaptable.

Somalia continues to be one of the most violent countries in the world. According to the ACLED Conflict Index, which evaluates the level of violence based on four core indicators—deadliness, threat to civilians, geographic spread of conflict, and the number of active non-state groups—it is ranked the 21st highest in the world. In addition to being active in Somalia, Al-Shabaab has also been expanding its presence and activities in eastern Kenya.

Al-Shabaab has demonstrated that it is a capable insurgency and a growing threat to security in the Horn of Africa, although it has been banished to the countryside ever since it lost control of Mogadishu in 2011. This threat does not appear to be losing pace any time soon. Meanwhile, sub-regional forces of the East African Community have continuously been deployed in troubling countries but not much success has been recorded.

Xenophobia, Identity theft now behind her as Adetshina wins Miss Universe Nigeria

Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina, the South African model whose qualification for a spot as a Miss South Africa finalist drew controversy because of her Nigerian descent, has won Miss Universe Nigeria 2024. Ms Adetshina’s origins in South Africa were established by the South African contest organisers, confirming that she grew up in Cape Town and was born in Soweto, which is a township that is located close to Johannesburg.

However, critics on the internet, on the other hand, investigated every aspect of her life and asserted that her mother was not from South Africa but rather from Mozambique and that her father was from Namibia. Adetshina, who was in a strong position in the contest was compelled to withdraw from the pageant won by Mia Le Roux following allegations of her mother’s alleged identity theft and backlash from South Africans owing to the xenophobic response and rejection of her nationality.

Beyond her recent victory at the Nigerian contest, Adetshina’s saga brings the spotlight on matters of identity theft and continued Xenophobic slurs in Africa, particularly between South Africa and Nigeria. Businesses in Africa lose millions of dollars due to identity fraud, which is a growing problem across the continent. It is of the utmost importance to verify the identity of individuals to decrease instances of fraud and illegal activities as more and more financial transactions and commercial activities move online.

The xenophobic attitude that exists in South Africa harms the mission of the African Renaissance, ultimately affecting its relations within the continent against the need for improved intra-African relations. Matters have transcended into “e-wars” between nationals of the two countries which are arguably the largest economies in the continent. Africa definitely can’t afford a strain in their ties.

Over the past week, there were lots of important stories from around the African continent, and we served you some of the most topical ones.

Here is a rundown of the backstories to some of the biggest news in Africa that we covered during the week:

1. Karma strikes as Nigerian govt gets jittery over looming nationwide strike

The Nigerian Presidency has been all over the place issuing warnings against a planned nationwide protest scheduled to commence on August 1st.

The Presidency which issued the warning vis a statement by Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the protest tagged “EndBadGovernment” organised by concerned citizens, said it could degenerate into anarchy.

The Presidential spokesman went on to accuse opposition politicians like Peter Obi, Omoleye Sowore, Pat Utomi and supporters of Obi known as Obidients as being behind the planned protests.

“Peter Obi, FS Yusuf, another rabid Obi supporter, and Professor Pat Utomi, a Labour Party chieftain and a guy on X who goes by the pseudonym Peter Obi’s First Son” are behind the planned protests,” Onanuga had alleged.

Onanuga who acknowledged that it is the right of people to protest in a democracy, he however cautioned those behind it to should be careful so that it will not be hijacked by people who would use the opportunity to cause problems.

“My post is just to highlight that the people who are organizing this so-called nationwide protest are members of Labour party, they are Peter Obi supporters, so that’s my own take of it, it’s my own opinion so I am not going to say more than this,” he said.

But beyond running from pillar to post issuing warnings and accusing others of planning to destabilize Tinubu’s administration, Nigerian are quick to remind Onanuga and the Presidency that the hen has come home to roost.

In the tumultuous years of the Peoples Democratic Party’s regime, the likes of Onanuga, Tinubu, Buhari and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress which was in the opposition used protests to discredit the PDP at every given opportunity.

They were always quick to mobilize Nigerians to hit the streets and protest against the government all in a bid to take over power.

It is then a thing of surprise that they should be so vehemently opposed to protests when it was on the back of such actions that they rode into power.

Now Karma has come around in full circle, and it is left to be seen if the ruling party can stop Nigerians from expressing themselves and exercising their democratic rights.

2. Cunning Tinubu prevails over labour leaders on minimum wage

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu showed his masterful cunning ways when he practically coerced labour leaders to accept a paltry N70,000 (about $43) as the new national minimum wage after months of lingering negotiations between government and organised labour.

The agreement which was reached on Thursday, according to the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, was more of an intimidation and coercion rather than a mutually agreed decision.

The N70,000, up from the previous N30,000, was approved by Tinubu after months of back and forth with labour which included strike actions and several threats of nationwide protests and economic shutdown.

His Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who announced the agreement, said the President was magnanimous enough to approve the new minimum wage which is a far cry from labours’ demands of N250,000.

In an interview with journalists, Ajaero revealed that the labour leaders were forced to settle for the amount after Tinubu had threatened to increase fuel price if labour insisted on their N250,000 demand.

Those who know President Tinubu at close range are quick to point out that he has a way of using the carrot and stick approach to solve knotty issues and is wont to play dirty whenever he is in a right position.

It is then glaring that he also applied the same tactics when he threatened the labour leaders with a fuel price hike if the failed to accept his N70,000 minimum wage proposal.

And once again, he came out tops!

3. Sudan devastated by unending war as over 10m people displaced

The unending war in Sudan has led to the displacement of more than 10 million people, about 20 per cent of the country’s population, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The situation, according to the UN agency, has forced the affected people out of their homes since the conflict which is seen as one of the world’s worst displacement crisis.

The IOM, in a statement during the week, said the Sudanese crisis is the most recent alarming estimate from the nation in East Africa, which has been destroyed by fighting that started in April 2023, which has led to a majority of the 50 million people in the country in need of humanitarian help while half of them are experiencing starvation as a result of the war.

The Sudanese war which broke out last year When fighting broke out between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital city of Khartoum, has spread to the west throughout Darfur, with the RSF seizing control of most of the major cities.

“Since the start of the conflict, over 2.2 million people have fled to foreign nations and about 7.8 million have sought safety within the nation. Previous conflicts in the country have already resulted in the displacement of an additional 2.8 million people,” a bimonthly report from the IOM stated.

The situation in Sudan, though pathetic and avoidable, has once again highlighted the precarious state of African nations and its people whenever power mongering leaders decide to take on each other which is always to the detriment of the masses.

The Sudan war, like others in Africa, has led to mass killings of citizens as well as the destruction of public properties.

And in such wars and conflicts, one is forced to ask what the warring factions really want aside control of power and resources. So why kill the innocent citizens in the process?

4. More confusion as Zambian MPs walk out of parliament during proceedings

The political crisis rocking Zambia took another turn during the week when opposition Members of Parliament from the Patriotic Front and allied members staged a walkout during proceedings.

The aggrieved MPs decided to take the option citing inadequate debate time allocated by Deputy Parliamentary Speaker, Atractor Chisangano.

The dispute was ignited when Chisangano allegedly failed to grant sufficient time for discussing corruption allegations implicating senior government officials which the MPs felt was an attempt to shield indicted government officials.

MP Brian Mundubile, who led the walkout expressed frustration, emphasizing that crucial issues like corruption deserved more attention.

“The Speaker was expected to allocate at least an hour to debate these unprecedented corruption allegations against high-ranking officials. It’s unacceptable that such serious matters are sidelined,” Mundubile lamented.

He highlighted the concerns of the opposition MPs over a reported theft of medical kits and medicines, while calling for accountability and swift action against implicated government figures.

“Ministers and senior officials facing serious allegations should either be dismissed, resign, or face legal consequences.

“Theft of medical kits and medicines should not go unpunished. It’s imperative that those implicated in are held accountable through appropriate legal measures,” Mundubile said.

The celebrated ‘Medicine Gate’ currently rocking the country’s health sector has seen several key government officials accused of stealing medical equipment and kits meant for government hospitals but according to opposition figures, the culprits, some of whom are believed to be high ranking members of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) administration, are being protected instead of being prosecuted.

The walkout was also a show of displeasure by the lawmakers who felt the Speaker deliberately stunted their debate by allocating limited time for the scandal to be addressed.

5. Ghanaian actor stokes controversy with assertion that Jesus never performed miracles

In a continent where religion is seen as the opium of the people, veteran Ghanaian actor, Majid Michel, has raised a storm with many say is heresy following his comments that Jesus Christ did not perform miracles such as raising the dead or healing the sick during his earthly ministry.

The actor who is now a preacher of the gospel, stoked the embers of fire when he told a congregation during a sermo about Christianity that said contrary to widely held beliefs, Jesus Christ neither personally healed any sick person nor raised the dead, despite these acts being credited to him in biblical teachings.

“Do you know Jesus never healed the sick nor raised the dead? Jesus never let the blind see.

“Do you know what Jesus said? ‘I do nothing by myself. As I see the Father do, I do.’ In other words, I am Jesus, I have a will, but I will not use my will; only the will of my Father I came to do,” he said.

“If the devil had gotten Jesus to turn that stone to bread without asking his Father’s permission, he had gotten him to sin and that is what you call sin—separation from God, independence from God,” the award winning actor added.

Michel’s controversial sermon has continued to divide opinions from adherents of the Christian religion but typically, especially from Africans who have come to believe everything they read in religious books and sees any contrary opinion as an affront to their beliefs.

As offhand as Michel’s assertion may seem, it is also imperative to interrogate his claims especially when one considers another angle he put up in his argument.

“When you throw your own plans and make your own decisions without consulting the Father, you have sinned,” he had also stated.y