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Contents NEW AFRICAN The bestselling pan-African magazine, founded in 1966 APRIL 2008 ISSUE 472 WWW.AFRICASIA.COM

Letters 4 Your news and views

Baffour’s Beefs 8 explain that to us, Mr brown

10

Cover Story Castro of Africa > since his noble departure from power, Fidel Castro has been pilloried in the Western media. but we show the other side of the Cuban leader – his mesmerising solidarity with africa through thick and thin. africans should celebrate what Castro did for them with pride and honour.

48

Nigeria Yar’Adua’s new order > an all-embracing look at how, one year on, President Musa Yar’adua has cast off the shadow of being his predecessor’s man, and created a new order all of his own.

78

Diaspora Africa calling > a fascinating account of remarkable diasporan africans who have chosen to return to africa and settle in “the motherland” for good.

Cover story 10 Castro of Africa 18 Castro – this is not my farewell to you 20 how the West reacted to Castro’s resignation 26 namibia honours Castro & Cuba 29 Castro, a personal tribute

Nuggets in a nutshell 30 dear leader, share your burden

Features 32 South Africa: echoes of apartheid 34 South Africa: sorry, no white journalists allowed 36 Ghana: We want oil to be a blessing for all 38 Zambia: Chiluba’s tribulations 40 Somaliland: no recognition yet 42 Uganda/ICT: the internet and african languages 44 Mali: the wonders of dogon astronomy

Under the Neem tree 46 do black people have a problem with obama?

Nigeria Special 48 Yar’adua’s new order 52 nigerian banks spread their wings 56 economy is still buoyant 61 Mixed signals from the niger delta

Lest we forget 64 darfur and the crisis of governance in sudan

Travelogue 68 Tanzania’s beautiful hideaways

Not in Black or White 72 Football without spectators?

Diaspora 74 Britain: the rise of black business 82 UK/USA: exactly 40 years ago. . . 84 Australia: aborigines win apology 86 africa calling!

Member of the audit bureau of Circulations.

N° DE COMMISSION PARITAIRE EN COURS Avril 2008 Déépôôt léégal