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10 Health Benefits of Ginger

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Ginger

 

  1. Better Digestion

If you’re struggling with indigestion, ginger can offer relief by speeding up the digestive process and promoting the movement of food through your stomach. This makes it helpful for conditions like ulcers, IBS, and constipation.

A small addition of ginger to your meals can go a long way in improving your digestive health.

  1. Boosts Immunity

 

Gingerol, the bioactive compound in ginger, is packed with antimicrobial and antifungal properties that strengthen your immune system. It also contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, making it a powerful ally against colds and flu.

  • Ginger helps reduce fevers, coughs, and headaches.
  • Its properties can ease common cold and flu symptoms, keeping you feeling your best.

Incorporating ginger into your diet helps fortify your body’s defenses.

  1. Alleviates PMS Symptoms

 

For women experiencing premenstrual syndrome (PMS), ginger can help reduce symptoms like menstrual pain and bloating. Its natural soothing properties also contribute to emotional balance during hormonal fluctuations.

  • Ginger may reduce mood swings and irritability associated with PMS.
  • It is a natural alternative to managing discomfort during the menstrual cycle.

Always consult with a healthcare professional before making major dietary changes.

  1. Relieves Nausea and Upset Stomach

 

One of the most well-known benefits of ginger is its ability to relieve nausea. Whether it’s caused by motion sickness, migraines, or pregnancy, ginger offers natural relief.

  • Its anti-inflammatory properties calm the stomach.
  • Ginger regulates hormones and blocks signals that trigger nausea and vomiting.

Try fresh ginger root or tea to enjoy its anti-nausea effects.

  1. May Help With Cancer

 

Ginger may complement traditional cancer treatments by inhibiting the growth of some cancer cells and reducing inflammation. Its antioxidant properties also help protect the body from oxidative stress.

  • Studies suggest ginger may aid in preventing ovarian, colon, and pancreatic cancers.
  • It helps manage chemotherapy side effects like nausea and dizziness.

While not a cure, ginger can be a supportive addition to a well-rounded cancer treatment plan.

  1. Reduces Pain

 

As a natural pain reliever, ginger helps with conditions like arthritis, muscle soreness, and menstrual discomfort. Its anti-inflammatory properties work to eliminate compounds in the body that cause pain.

  • Ginger is a natural alternative to over-the-counter medications.
  • It can reduce arthritis symptoms and improve joint mobility.

Its dual action on pain signals and inflammation makes ginger a versatile remedy.

  1. Healthier Skin

 

Ginger offers several beauty benefits, enhancing the health and appearance of your skin. Its antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals improve hydration and circulation.

  • Ginger protects the skin from UV damage and slows collagen breakdown.
  • Its antiseptic properties can improve acne symptoms and help with scarring.

By promoting natural radiance, ginger supports a healthy, youthful complexion.

  1. Weight Loss Aid

 

Some studies suggest ginger can support weight loss efforts by boosting metabolism and increasing calorie burning. Its thermogenic properties and ability to control insulin levels make it an effective supplement.

  • Ginger can create a feeling of fullness, helping to prevent overeating.
  • It may aid in workout recovery and improve energy levels.

For best results, combine ginger with other healthy lifestyle practices.

  1. Prevents Cardiovascular Disease

 

Ginger supports heart health by acting as a natural blood thinner and reducing cholesterol. These properties can help lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

  • It improves lipid metabolism, breaking down fats in the bloodstream.
  • Ginger enhances circulation and lowers blood sugar levels.

By reducing inflammation and improving heart function, ginger contributes to overall cardiovascular well-being.

  1. Improves Brain Function

 

Regular consumption of ginger may protect the brain from age-related decline by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. This can help prevent conditions like Alzheimer’s and improve mental health.

  • Ginger enhances memory, focus, and reaction time.
  • It stimulates serotonin and dopamine production, alleviating anxiety and depression.

Adding ginger to your diet supports cognitive function and emotional balance.

Improve Your Health with Ginger

As you can see, adding ginger to your diet is a simple and delicious way to improve your health. From boosting digestion to supporting heart and brain health, this versatile root has something to offer everyone.

Whether you’re addressing specific health concerns or just looking for ways to stay healthy, ginger is a great addition to your meals and drinks. Explore creative ways to incorporate ginger and experience its numerous benefits firsthand.

Not to mention, ginger pairs perfectly with other superfoods like garlic and onions to further enhance your overall well-being. Visit our website to learn more about incorporating ginger into your diet with simple recipes and products designed to make healthy living easier.

The New Pope: Either You Celebrate With Us Or…

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Feature

While Catholics are all celebrating the new pope, some Protestants have taken it to the highest level of insanity. A publication from Guinea, on Facebook, called Catholics racists for not electing a Black African pope. It is the Holy Spirit who chooses popes and racism does not come in, at all.

The Holy Spirit inspired Peter to give a good answer, to the question from Jesus, and he was picked to head the church (Matthew 16: 15-19). To elect a successor, to Judas, the leaders of the Church gathered and prayed, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, they elected Mathias (Acts 1:15-26).

On television, Apostle Francis Amoako Atta of the Parliament Chapel International, came to expose his ignorance in prophecy and Catholicism. He said that Pope Leo XIV is a political pope because the Conclave was a struggle between USA and China, and President Trump smartly grabbed him. How ridiculous! Attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to man, is blasphemy.

He based the rest of his prophecy on the fact that the new pope chose the name Leo, so he was the leopard in Rev. 13: 1-2. This clearly displayed the ignorance Apostle Amoako Atta has, since leo, in Latin is Lion and pardus, is Leopard. So, who is this false prophet talking about as he joyously exposed how ignorant and fake, he was.

He engaged in a game-of-chance prophecy on Pope Leo, to say he was either going to do good or going to do bad.

On the good side, he “prophesied” that with Trump as head of America and Pope Leo XVI as the head of the largest church, the two will set things right in the world.

Then on the bad side, he claimed that Pope Leo XVI, by his name, Leo, represented a leopard, which symbolises lust, malice, fraud, power, money and never revealing the truth. As stated earlier, Leo is the Latin for lion and it has nothing to do with leopard. So, from the word go, Apostle Amoako Atta, got it all wrong.

What does Rev. 13:1-2 say? It reads, “Then I saw a beast come out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads; on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads blasphemous name[s]. The beast I saw was like a leopard, but it had feet like a bear’s, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion. To it the dragon gave its own power and throne, along with great authority.”

Apostle Amoako Atta dived into the driver’s seat and took viewers towards a destination he knew nothing of. To him, the sea, is universal and this represents the Catholic Church, the beast is the system, the bear represents Russia, the dragon, represents China and the word, blasphemous, mentioned in the passage represents a beast like the leopard.

So, China (the dragon) wanted the pope but USA took that from her, and that is why the new pope is a political pope.

Now what does the bible say about beast? In the Bible, especially in the book of Revelation and Daniel, beasts often symbolize tyrannical or corrupt political powers and empires. They represent forces of evil and the destructive nature and power of human governments that oppose God. But Apostle Amoako Atta says beast represents the system.

What about the sea? The sea is a powerful symbol with multiple layers of meaning, including chaos, the unknown, divine power, and nations. It can also represent the tumultuous nature of human affairs and the vastness of God’s sovereignty. And Apostle Amoako Atta says the sea means universal, the Catholic Church.

What about the leopard? The leopard in Revelation symbolizes judgment, power, and the unchangeable nature of certain aspects of humanity and divine decree. And Apostle Amoako Atta says it is Pope Leo XVI.

What about the bear’s feet? In Revelation 13:2, this is a symbolic representation of the Medo-Persian Empire, known for its strength and ability to crush its enemies. And Apostle Amoako Atta says this is Russia.

What about a mouth of a lion? This represents the power of blasphemy and pride.

I am not sure I remember Apostle Amoako Atta, saying something about the lion.

What about the dragon? The dragon is a symbolic representation of Satan and his evil forces. And Apostle Amoako Atta says it represents China.

Using the text in Rev. 13: 1-2, Apostle Amoako Atta wanted to say that Pope Leo XVI will symbolize judgment and power and he will be closely linked to tyrants and corrupt political powers and he will crush his enemies. He sealed this doom-prophesy with a passage from Jeremiah 13: 23, ‘Can Ethiopians change their skin,leopards their spots?

As easily would you be able to do good,accustomed to evil as you are,’ by stating that by no means can Pope Leo XVI, a leopard, change his evil ways. He then laughed condescendingly and told us how effective his prophecies are; after all, he said, he prophesied that Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Liberal Party in Canada would win the elections and it came to past. But, this kind of political gambling, called prophesy, is very common here in Ghana.

To begin with Apostle Amoako Atta got it all wrong, because as stated earlier, Leo does not mean leopard in Latin, it means, lion. So, he was just looking in the wrong direction in a spiritual realm, he has never even entered before.

And secondly, he must know that the Catholic Church is close to Christ and the Holy Spirit decides for her. What happened on May 8, 2025 was the sole doing of the Holy Spirit and so, if he claims he is a man of God, he should know the consequences of attributing works of the Holy Spirit to that of the Evil One (Matthew 12:32 and Mark 3:29).

He promised he is going to come out with more terrible prophecies on Pope Leo XVI. I will only refer him to this bible passage from Psalm 14:1, ‘The fool says in his heart,“There is no God.”Their deeds are loathsome and corrupt;not one does what is good.’His ignorance of the Bible and blaspheming of the Holy Spirit could one day, lead him to his doom.

Next, on NG Digital Studios, came this beautiful young lady and presenter, Nadia Goldy. Who looked very serious as if she had discovered the solution to a puzzle that no one in the world could crack. The headline of her presentation was “Reasons why Cardinal Appiah Tuckson was not elected as the new Pope,” and her face looked set to tell the world, the reasons.

Unfortunately,throughout her 10 minutes 29 seconds presentation, she rather came out with scandalous and malicious statements that could end her in court.

Before that, she spread a false information that the then Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XVI, who is 69, was the youngest among the electors. The fact is the youngest cardinal is 45-year-old, Cardinal MykolaBychok. Among the 133 electors, 75 were between 70 and 79 and 58 were aged below 70 years. Then Cardinal Prevost was the oldest among those below 70 years, so how could he be the youngest cardinal elector in Conclave 2025?

Nadia Goldy went on boldly to state that against Ghanaians’ expectation that Cardinal Appiah Tuckson would be elected pope, he failed to qualify because he was a Black. This is mere rubbish.

If she were to study what goes on during each Conclave, she would realise that it is the Superior Being, the Holy Spirit, whopicks the pope. When Jesus constituted the first Conclave and wanted to pick a leader (pope), the Holy Spirit made Him pick Peter. (Matthew 16:15-19).

Then she made the most scandalous statement that it is not a joke or easy to become a pope. She said the Catholic Church is a society, and anyone who wants to be a pope must be physically, mentally and spiritually ready, and know some secrets and be prepared for the position. She went on to say that there some kind of rooms one must go into to be spiritually, mentally and physically prepared before one can be considered to be a pope. And unfortunately, Cardinal Peter Appiah Tuckson was not prepared and more so he is a Black and that ruled him out.

Nadia added that the Catholic Church is never going to have a Black Pope; it had never happened before and it will never happen.

She ended up saying Cardinal Peter Appiah Tuckson is the first cardinal from West Africa. Unfortunately, she was again wrong. Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, West Africa, was created cardinal on May 25, 1985, and was cardinal for over eighteen years before Archbishop Peter Appiah Tuckson was made cardinal in October 3, 2003.

Nadia Goldy might have been coached by some reckless, low-minded, and demonic-possessed people whose intentions are to bring down the image of the Catholic Church. I feel sorry for her, andI will strongly advise her to do more research before appearing on television so that she would come out with facts and not lies and fantasies. It is her face that people see and know, and she could get into trouble, big, big trouble with the Holy Spirit and with man.

To the non-Catholics, who are not going to join Catholics to celebrate the new pope, they should just shut up!

Hon. Daniel Dugan

Inaki Williams, Abdul Mumin nominated for 2024/25 La Liga African MVP award

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Inaki Williams

Ghana internationals Inaki Williams and Abdul Mumin have been nominated for the 2024/25 La Liga African MVP award.

Williams, who won the award last season, continues to shine for Athletic Bilbao with six goals and six assists, playing a central role in the club’s push for a Champions League spot.

Bilbao currently sit fourth on the table with 64 points, and Williams’ influence has extended beyond the league, helping the club reach the Europa League semi-finals.

Mumin, despite being ruled out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury, has had an impressive campaign with Rayo Vallecano.

The 24-year-old defender featured in 24 league matches, scored twice, provided an assist, and helped the team to six clean sheets.

His dominant displays earned him the Rayo Player of the Month award and now this continental recognition.

They are among 20 nominees from 13 African countries, with voting involving fans from Sub-Saharan Africa and a panel of 25 African journalists.

Competitors include Reinildo Mandava and Flavien Enzo Boyomo. Voting closes on 14 May, and the winner will be announced on 25 May, Africa Day.

Credit: ghanasoccernet.com

Today’s Spanish La Liga Fixtures & Preview

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Raphinha, Barcelona

La Liga leaders Barcelona face local rivals Espanyol

After beating Real Madrid in El Clasico, La Liga leaders Barcelona are now preparing to face local rivals Espanyol in Thursday’s clash at the RCDE Stadium.

Espanyol are sitting in 14th place in the standings after winning 10, drawing nine and losing 16 of their 35 La Liga matches this season.

Los Periquitos will enter Thursday’s derby clash on the back of a poor run of form, having taken just one point from their last four matches since beating Getafe 1-0 on April 18.

While they will be disappointed with their recent results, Espanyol are still in a strong position to avoid an immediate return to the second tier, boasting a five-point gap to the relegation zone with three games left to play against Barcelona, Osasuna and Las Palmas.

Espanyol will hope that home advantage can inspire them to their first La Liga victory against Barcelona since recording a 2-1 away win in February 2009.

Barcelona remain without the services of Defender Jules Kounde. Inigo Martinez is suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards, opening the door for either Ronald Araujo or Andreas Christensen to start, and the latter could get the nod after impressing in his substitute appearance in El Clasico. Barcelona are unlikely to risk Robert Lewandowski from the start following his recent struggles with a hamstring issue.

Barcelona usually fare well when they face their local rivals, and after winning 14 of their last 15 league matches, we believe that the confident visitors will showcase their firepower once again to claim a commanding victory in Thursday’s derby clash.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Athletic Bilbao travel away to face Getafe

Athletic Bilbao will continue their bid to secure Champions League qualification when they travel to the Coliseum for Thursday’s meeting with Getafe.

The visitors are looking to claim back-to-back victories, while the Azulones are hoping to end a run of five consecutive defeats.

Nico Williams

After 30 matches, Getafe were sitting in 11th place with 39 points to their name, with just two points separating them from the top eight.

However, their European dreams have since been quashed by a woeful run of form that has seen them lose three games on the bounce

Getafe supporters will want to see a strong performance their side on Thursday after watching their team win just one of their previous eight home league matches (D2, L5).

However, their recent record against Athletic suggests that Getafe may have their work cut out to claim all three points, having failed to win any of their last eight head-to-head meetings since recording a 2-0 away victory in February 2020 (D7, L2).

Athletic are fully focused on their Champions League qualification bid after their dreams of playing in the Europa League final at San Mames were ended by Manchester United in last week’s clash at Old Trafford.

Athletic showed great character to quickly pick themselves up to claim a narrow victory in Sunday’s home league game against fellow Basque side Alaves. Athletic will have to assess Nico Williams and Inaki Williams, who are struggling with groin and hamstring injuries respectively.

Athletic would have been buoyed by Sunday’s narrow win over Alaves, and while their recent home form has not been great, we think that a game against an out-of-form Getafe side could prove to be the perfect opportunity for the visitors to clinch all three points.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Atletico to extend unbeaten run when they clash with Osasuna

Atletico Madrid will attempt to extend their three-game unbeaten run when they travel to El Sadar for Thursday’s La Liga clash against Osasuna.

Meanwhile, the hosts will be looking to return to winning ways after taking just a point from their last two matches.

Atletico Madrid player

Osasuna boosted their European aspirations with a fine run of form in April, picking up three consecutive victories against Girona, Real Valladolid and Sevilla. However, their European bid has lost momentum in their last two games.

Osasuna will now return to the familiar surroundings of El Sadar for back-to-back games against Atleti and Espanyol, before they conclude the season with a match against Alaves, knowing that they need a strong finish to the campaign if they are to secure European qualification for the second time in three seasons.

Unfortunately for Osasuna, they tend to struggle in meetings with Atletico, having lost 12 of their previous 13 La Liga encounters (W1).

Their only win in that period took place at the Metropolitano in May 2024, while they have not beaten Atleti in a home match since recording a 3-0 victory in February 2014.

Atletico Madrid may have fallen short in their title bid this season, but they have at least secured another campaign of Champions League football after they confirmed a top-five finish with a dominant 4-0 win in Saturday’s home clash with Real Sociedad.

Atletico have won each of their last six away meetings with Osasuna, keeping clean sheets in five of those victories.

With that in mind, we believe that the visitors will enjoy another successful trip to El Sadar, especially as they will be buoyed by Saturday’s dominant win over Real Sociedad.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Betis to get Champs League qualification on track against  Vallecano

After dropping two points at the weekend, Real Betis will attempt to get their Champions League qualification bid back on track when they travel to Vallecas for Thursday’s meeting with Rayo Vallecano.

Los Verdiblancos are currently sitting in sixth place in La Liga, while Rayo are just inside the European places in eighth position. Having collected 47 points from 35 matches, Rayo are dreaming of securing European football for the second time in their history and the first time since they reached the UEFA Cup finals in 2000-01.

Antony, Real Betis

Los Franjirrojos are currently in the Conference League qualification spot, knowing that they could still miss out on Europe altogether, or even upgrade to the Europa League with just two points separating them from seventh-placed Celta Vigo.

Betis are looking forward to competing in their first-ever European final after they got the better of Italian side Fiorentina in last week’s dramatic Conference League semi-final second leg in Florence.

Betis will surely feel that they need to win their final three games against Rayo, Atletico Madrid and Valencia if they are to have any chance of securing Champions League qualification for just the second time in their history.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Osasuna 18:00 Atlético Madrid

Rayo Vallecano 18:00 Real Betis

Espanyol 20:30 Barcelona

Getafe 20:30 Athletic Club

“He’s the lowest coach in Ghana” –Charles Allotey slams Hearts boss Aboubakar Ouattara

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Hearts coach Aboubakar Ouattara

Former Accra Hearts of Oak and Ghana international midfielder Charles Allotey has launched a scathing attack on Hearts head coach Aboubakar Ouattara, claiming the Ivorian tactician is not fit to lead the club.

His comments come amid a disappointing and inconsistent Ghana Premier League campaign for the Accra giants, who have struggled for form and identity all season.

In an interview with Channel One Sports , the ex-Black Stars midfielder didn’t mince words, calling for immediate action from the Hearts of Oak board to address what he sees as a clear coaching failure.

He’s the lowest coach in Ghana. Aboubakar Ouattara? I don’t even want to talk about him. He’s a failure; what has he taught the players?”

Allotey pointed to the recent goalless Super Clash against archrivals Asante Kotoko as the latest proof that the club is heading nowhere under Ouattara’s leadership.

Even Kotoko who are also not at their best, tried to fight. If Kotoko had pushed a little harder, they would have beaten Hearts. That match was theirs for the taking.”

He also raised tactical concerns, accusing Ouattara of failing to instill any attacking urgency in the team.

You could see from the game; Hearts strikers were playing defense. Nobody looked like they wanted to score. How can a team like Hearts of Oak be so timid on the ball?

Drawing comparisons with Kotoko, who recently sacked their head coach in an effort to turn things around, Allotey urged the Hearts board to follow suit before it’s too late.

If Kotoko can act, why can’t Hearts? This coach doesn’t understand the club, and the players don’t understand what he wants. It’s time for a new direction.

Credit: citisportsonline.com

Sports Minister calls for Black Satellites transition into Meteors

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Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams

Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has urged for the transition of the Black Satellites squad into the Meteors team, with “few additions,” as part of Ghana’s preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

This call comes after Ghana’s U-20 team suffered a painful exit from the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Despite a 2-2 draw, they were knocked out on penalties which extends the country’s wait to qualify for the U-20 World Cup in Chile since 2015.

Minister Adams, speaking during a meeting with the Ghana Olympic Committee, emphasized the importance of maintaining the Black Satellites team moving forward, despite their recent setback.

“[Ghana’s] U-20 team painfully exited from the African Championships at the quarter-final stage, that team is a very good team,” the Member of Parliament for Buem Constituency said.

“I believe that it is a team that when you keep it with few additions, they will grow to become the U-23 that will be participating in the Olympics [qualification].”

Credit: myjoyonline.com

Augustine Ahinful backs Desmond Ofei despite U-20 World Cup qualification setback

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Desmond Ofei, Black Satellites coach

Former Ghana international, Augustine Ahinful, has backed Desmond Ofei to come good despite Black Satellites’ failure to qualify for the U-20 World Cup. 

Ghana’s after a strong start in the ongoing U-20 Africa Cup (AFCON) tournament, suffered an elimination against host country, Egypt, in the quarterfinals on Monday at the New Suez Stadium.

The Black Satellites needed to win to secure qualification for the U-20 World Cup, which will be hosted in Chile later this year, but lost 5-4 on penalty shootouts after the game ended 2-2 after 120 minutes of action.

Despite failing to achieve their aim, Ahinful has thrown his weight behind Ofei, saying that he hopes the head coach is given the needed time and support to rewrite the wrongs.

“Everybody wants Desmond Ofei to succeed,” he told Asempa FM.

“He has started well and I have met him a couple of times at the Black Stars camp, but I believe he will get the time to rewrite the wrongs.

“I have not had time to engage him personally, but let’s hope that he stays right with his work and does the right things,” he added.

The last time the Black Satellites featured at the U-20 World Cup was in 2015.

Credit: ghanasoccernet.com

How to Crown an Impostor

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Opinion

Burkinabe leader Ibrahim Traore is acting like a rock star. It’s not entirely his fault. He’s receiving a lot of help from dozens of social media users, especially TikTokers, who are desperate to anoint him as the best thing to come out of Burkina Faso since Thomas Sankara.

Traore must be enjoying it, because even though that is who he pretends to be, he knows he’s not Sankara. He is an opportunist, happy to capitalise on the current frustration in his country and the Sahel for his benefit.

A recent report by The Africa Report summarised Traore’s fictional character. “In dozens of viral TikTok edits, Traore leads imaginary armies, topples Western empires and is hailed as the ‘new Thomas Sankara.’ The captions, bold and uncompromising, include ‘Africa’s Messiah!’ ‘The People’s Captain!’ and ‘France Must Fall.’”

Fairytale

If he were an elected president, Traore would have served three years of his first term. By his word, when he overthrew the government of President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba in September 2022 due to the rise in Islamic insurgency, and announced himself as head of the new Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (PMSR), he promised to hand over power back to civilians in two years – that was in 2024. He hasn’t said a word about any possible new date yet, and if you have seen him recently, you would know why.

Apart from the adulation he has enjoyed as a social media fairytale, and dressing the part in stylish fatigues and matching neck scarves, berets, and boots, he has also talked the part.

He rallied support by giving speeches – not as many or as eloquently as he has been credited with – against Western imperialism and colonialism, vowing to create conditions at home to stem youth migration and tackle insurgency. Traore has portrayed himself as the new face of the African Renaissance. But talk is cheap.

Traore and the other delinquents

He has been in good company. The turmoil in West and Central Africa, which began in Chad, Mali, and Guinea, and later spread to Niger, has disrupted security and trade in the subregion, rupturing the 49-year-old Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Burkina Faso experienced two coups in a single year. After breaking out of ECOWAS, Traore and his fellow delinquents in the Sahel have pursued a singular mission of cutting off the noses of their Sahelian francophone ties to spite the faces of French business and political interests.

To be fair, it’s a moment of reckoning for decades of brazen French insensitivity, compounded by President Emmanuel Macron’s lack of charity when he described the relationship between France and Francophone West Africa as “part of a civilising obligation.”

Trouble speaking French

Which was self-interested nonsense. France has accumulated a notoriously poor record on the continent that it can hardly be proud of. In Niger, for example, Tom Burgis writes in his book, The Looting Machine, that French state-owned atomic energy group Areva’s profit from uranium is twice Niger’s GDP. The shameful French footprint is the same in Burkina Faso and throughout the region.

Fourteen Francophone countries, including the troubled ones – Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Chad – hold 50 percent of their reserves in the French Treasury. This arrangement has been widely criticised, but if shame is in the French dictionary, it doesn’t exist in the Macron version.

It is this background of despair and frustration, especially among the continent’s youths, that has fostered fairytale messiahs like Traore, who have managed to replace French hegemony with a mix of fussy state control and Russian suzerainty, with the Chinese just around the corner.

If it’s not Sankara…

Traoré is not Sankara, a fact that may be lost on Burkina Faso’s predominantly young population, as well as millennials and Gen Z across the continent, whose forlorn search for role models tempts them to canonise an impostor. Of course, both are soldiers, similar in age and rank and usurpers of constitutional rule. But that’s where the similarity ends.

Like the demagogues before him, Traore and significant sections of the military and political elite from Maurice Yameogo to Blaise Compaore have been complicit in the misery of their citizens, feeding them instead on a diet of pseudo-ideological jingoism and Western bashing, but offering no genuine alternative. Africa – anglophone, francophone, or lusophone – shares a similar heritage of exploitation; a few of its people, especially the political elite after independence, collaborated with the colonialists to compound the problem.

Hard to beat

Where Traore is trading French hegemony for Russian control, for example, Sankara offered something different. In Burkina Faso: A History of Power, Protest and Revolution, Ernest Harsch said of Sankara, “In a conscious effort at nation-building, the revolutionary government also promoted a new national identity…that revolutionary project succeeded in altering the contours of the state and social and political life.”

Whereas Sankara attempted to forge a proudly African identity, deepening regional integration among ECOWAS countries, Traoré and his cohorts have, by exiting, put at risk the estimated $596.42 billion in trade within the community, excluding informal trade among citizens, which constitutes 30 per cent of the transactions, not to mention the impact on regional collaboration on security.

Sankara pursued radical economic self-sufficiency, agrarian reform, and social justice by outlawing female genital mutilation and promoting women’s rights. He rejected foreign aid, regardless of its source, even if it came without strings attached, something that Traore would be happy to overlook if it came from Russia.

What matters

I get it. With jihadists controlling about 40 percent of the country’s territory (it’s the most terrorised country), and climate shocks compounding its misery, the challenges are as different as are times. That is why what Traore needs now is not clout-chasing or AI propaganda by Russian-backed Wagner, but sober-minded commitment to turn around the fortunes of his country, one step at a time.

For three years, Traore’s stock has risen amid algorithmic populism expressed in languages he neither understands nor speaks, with minimal institutional reforms, if any, and no prospects or commitment to return the country to civilian rule.

“His rhetoric,” The Africa Report said, “still falls short of real, measurable improvements in security and civic freedoms. There’s a gap between his message and the reality on the ground, something that will ultimately test his legitimacy and legacy.”

That’s not what the netizens want to hear. But that’s what matters.

Azu Ishiekwene

Ishiekwene is the Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of the book Writing for Media and Monetising It.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.

Kamaldeen set the standard but I want to go higher -Hakim Sulemana

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Hakim Sulemana

Ghana Black Satellites forward Abdul Hakim Sulemana has set his sights on being his own man by wanting to go higher than his well acclaimed brother Kamaldeen Sulemana.

Kamaldeen Sulemana-the older brother of Hakim-is with English Premier League outfit Southampton after starring in the French League with Stade Rennes and is regarded as one of the talented wingers in world football.

Premier League tickets

Speaking in an interview with CAF Media in the wake of Ghana’s exit from the CAF AFCON Under 20 Championship at the quarterfinal stage, Hakim is looking to take the next step in his career by distinguishing himself from his brother.

“He-Kamaldeen- set the standard, but I want to go higher. We all played football in the compound, in the streets-Kamaldeen always pushed me. I admire what Kamal has achieved, but I want to be known for my own journey” Hakim Sulemana stated.

Hakim Sulemana won two Man of the Match Awards in the tournament against D.R. Congo and Egypt. He scored a late penalty to send the game against Egypt to extra time but Ghana lost 5-4 in the penalty shootout to miss out on making it to the semifinals and automatically qualifying to the 2025 Under 20 World Cup.

Credit: citisportsonline.com

South-East PDP leaders threaten to dump party

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PDP

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-East, on Wednesday, threatened to defect en mass over unfair treatment by the party hierarchy.

They gave the warning in Enugu during the Zonal Executive Committee, ZEC, meeting of the party, where they demanded that SKE Ude-Okoye be recognized as the National Secretary of the PDP with immediate effect.

“However, in the event that our position is not promptly implemented by the Party, the South East PDP, as a family, will be compelled to reconsider our relationship with the PDP going forward,” the party said.

All the speakers at the meeting, which had Governor Peter Mbah, Chief Ali Odefa, among others in attendance, re-echoed that stand.

Credit: dailypost.ng

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