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The World Economic Forum on Africa and the Creation of an Investor

By Shawn Hattingh

During the first week of June, stretched limos, cavalcades, and other executive vehicles were seen descending upon the plush International Convention Centre (ICC) in Cape Town. Exiting these symbols of luxury and power were politicians from across the continent along with the heads of the largest corporations doing business in Africa. Joining this assortment of privileged individuals at the ICC were representatives from the IMF, World Bank and World Trade Organisation (WTO). The reason why this elite had come to Cape Town was to participate in the annual regional meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), entitled the WEF on Africa. For the corporate participants in the meeting, the WEF on Africa has become an important regional space that they use in order open business opportunities and to promote their agendas in Africa. This means that the WEF on Africa has become a regional arm of the larger global WEF, and its self-appointed agenda of promoting the interests of giant corporations.

The Coloration of Slavery! Then and Now.

In the last edition, l spoke of the taboo of unmasking a masquerade in the Ogoni and other African cultures. I went ahead to equate the activities of Ken Saro-Wiwa with the bravery of unmasking a dreaded masquerade – Nigeria being the make-belief contraption of the British dynasty and held tenaciously by a local cabal. To this group, they owe no body any explanation for their criminality; as long as they are concerned the Niger Delta and all the groups within that geo-political region is a conquered people. The Niger Deltans and their oil wells belong to Nigeria – a nation state that was created by falsification and the name given by a British. Nigeria has defiled all political logics because it does not reflect the originality, indigenousness, political aspiration and decisions of the different ethnic groups to form a union.

The Scramble for oilfields in Ogoniland: Aftermath of the World Economic Forum on Africa.

What and who does the World Economic Forum Represent?

The African chapter of the World Economic Forum (WEF) was held in Cape Town, the meeting lasted between the 5th and 6th of June 2008 with the theme, “Capitalizing on Opportunity.” The WEF function as both an organization and a platform, according to the WEF official website, it was “incorporated as a foundation in 1971, and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit; it is tied to no political, partisan or national interests.” Ironically, the modus oparandi and the highly sophisticated, corporate packaging and high profile attendance which is dominated by political leaders of its meetings is a swift variance with the proclaimed purpose and concept of the WEF.

Neo-liberalization and Imperialism has no borders

Following the success of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Seminar held on the November 22nd and 23rd 2007 Seminar in honor of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others that were killed by the Nigeria government in 1995 (see detail report of the seminar in previous issue of The Ogoni Gong), the idea and decision to have workshops within communities and institutions in Cape Town was hatched.
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Nigeria in telescope

In the bid to bring the Ogoni struggle closer to South Africans through our Ken Saro-Wiwa memorial workshops, we always asked the participants to say what they knew about Nigeria as a country, the struggles going on the Niger Delta, and Ogoni as a group. We presented questionnaires to allow that wished and who could write to fill an evaluation form at the end of each workshop.
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Niger Delta Summit or Dialogue: Just another political macabre

Retrospect

The current crises in the Niger Delta have become a wide and, almost an unquenchable inferno that the Nigerian authorities are battling to tame like frustrated firemen. It would not have been so if they had not ignored and dismissed with the wave of the hand; the reasoning voice of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his Ogoni followers. The Nigerian government and their allies; oil companies and those that depended on the oil and gas businesses (legitimate and illegitimate) didn’t give due attention to the questions of the Ogonis.They believed that they could always have their way in the Niger Delta by bullying the oil producing communities to succumb to their whims and caprices.

Memory and fact Box - The tears of a Niger Delta elder

Chief Edwin Clark

Goes down memory lane to recall vital developments and discussions in recent times
Recently Chief Edward Clark spoke to the Saturday Sun on the planned Niger Delta Summit and went down memory lane to reveal a lot of details and facts about the years preceding the Obasanjo’s government, the discussions and expectations from the Yar’Adua’s administration, exposing the palpable tension in the Niger Delta. Here, we extract part of the interview that he had with Emerson Gobert. Jr on July 5th 2008.

Niger Delta Summit: Is Gambari now the issue?

The controversy triggered by the naming of Professor Ibrahim Gambari as the coordinator of the proposed Niger Delta Summit is simply unwarranted. The suggestion of Gambari’s name does not demonstrate enough regard for the sensibilities of many people who are passionate about the legitimate struggle of Niger Delta for justice, equity and development. So, for the presidency to insist on Gambari is to make the summit dead on arrival.

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