HELLO AFRICA

THIS IS A TITLE ON AFRICA THAT TELLS IT LIKE IT IS. THE AUTHOR, HAVING VISITED 47 OF AFRICA'S 54 COUNTRIES IN HIS CAPACITY FIRST AS MEDIA MAN, THEN AS SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER FOR UNICEF AND LATTERLY AS COMMUNICATION CONSULTANT, HAS A UNIQUE DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND PERSPECTIVE ON AFRICA. IF IN HELLO AFRICA KOFI PULLS NO PUNCHES IN HIS CRITICISM OF THE MEGALOMANIACS AND DESPOTS WHO HAVE TOO OFTEN HELD SWAY IN AFRICA, HE EQUALLY TAKES WESTERN GOVERNMENTS AND MULTILATERAL INSTITUTIONS TO TASK. HE IS UNSTINTING IN HIS PRAISE OF THOSE AFRICANS WHO HAVE SUCCEEDED, GLORIOUSLY AND OFTEN AGAINST ALL ODDS, IN OFFERING TO THEIR PEOPLE AND THE WORLD A NEW POSSIBILITY, THE POSSIBILITY OF A FULLY REALIZED AFRICAN RENAISSANCE. THE AUTHOR GOES MUCH FURTHER THAN OFFERING A MERE COMPENDIUM OF EVENTS IN AFRICA. HE ANALYSES THE "AFRICAN CONDITION", HE PULLS THE CONTINENT APART AND THEN PUTS IT TOGETHER AGAIN HE TELLS US WHAT IS WRONG AND HOW TO FIX IT.