THE DU BOIS CENTRE

Bourne out of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s advocacy for Pan-Africanism and respect for scholars of African descent, the W.E.B Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture has been one Accra’s historic treasures over the last two decades.
Situated in a serene area in Cantonments, the Centre is housed in Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois’s Accra residence. Dr Du Bois—American civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, historian, author and editor—was invited by Ghana’s first President in 1963 to write the book, “Encyclopedia Africana”.
Having been refused a new passport by the US, Dr. Du Bois and his wife, Shirley Graham Du Bois, became citizens of Ghana. Ironically a day before the Washington March where Martin Luther King Jr. made the famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. William Du Bois died at the age of 95 in Accra.
Declared a national monument by the Government of Ghana in 1985, this rectangular shaped house at No.22 Circular Road sits in the middle of white walls that structure out a compound speckled with flowers, trees, plaques and a fountain. The book gallery, picture gallery, gallery of personal memorabilia, the tomb of the scholar and his wife among other interesting things rounds up a tour. Let me take through a tour of the Centre.


The Picture Gallery
This is found in the foyer of the house. Not a very large area but has been neatly kept with a strikingly red carpet. A huge portrait of Dr. Du Bois hangs on the white painted wall flanked by two portraits of the man who brought him to Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. On the wall hang other portraits of Du Bois, his wife and the Osagyefo on their arrival in Ghana in 1963. Arranged neatly on a polished cabinet are pictures of prominent African personalities like former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda; Ben Bella of Algeria, Dr. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, a former Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria among others.


The Book Gallery
Known as an ardent writer, Du Bois scribed more than 4,000 articles and essays and authored over twenty books. Most are about civil rights and Pan-Africanism. The ‘Book Gallery’ which is housed in personal library in his few years stay in Ghana consists of various publications of his books and that of his wife, Shirley Graham Du Bois, another writer. Packaged into book shelves, many of the books looks old therefore tourists at the Centre are not allowed to handle them. In that personal study room (now book gallery) was where Dr Du Bois worked on the Encyclopedia Africana.


Gallery of Personal Memorabilia
In his bedroom, a personal memorabilia gallery has been created. It mainly contains gowns Dr. William Du Bois wore in his broad academic life. It has the gown he wore on the day of his graduation when he became the first African-American to be awarded a PhD in history and government by Harvard University in 1896. It also has the gown he wore when the University of Ghana conferred a honourary title on him 1963. As a believer in Communism and Socialism as well, a portrait of him and Chairman Mao of China and other gifts he received when he visited China hangs in the gallery. Manuscripts of his various letters to newspapers and human rights activists also can be found in this gallery. Being a founding father of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and an editor of their mouthpiece, The Crisis Magazine, for twenty years, a few copies of former editions in which Du Bois edited can also be found in this bedroom-turned gallery.


The Tomb
I was told by the tour guide at the Centre that Dr. Du Bois was originally laid to rest at the Christianborg Castle but had to be relocated to its present location when the Centre was declared a national monument by the government. Embedded in a hut-like room, the tomb of Dr. Du Bois tells another story on his own.
Every decoration in there has a story to it. The white and black painted ceiling is designed like a web and the tour guide sums it up like this: “We all know the web is attributed to a spider which called Ananse in our local parlance. It is believed that Ananse has solutions to every problem he encounters and that was how DU Bois was seen. He attempted virtually every possible solution to the problem of twentieth-century racism”. Around the grave, also, are stools with specific Adinkra symbols carved in them. Symbols like “Gye Nyame” (Except God), “Nka Bom” (Unity) and the others were seen as the characteristics of Du Bois.
The tome which has been made of terrazzo has a golden sculpture of Du Bois’s face etched at its top. It’s also emblazoned with a paraphernalia of Clark Atlanta University (formerly Atlanta University) where he established the Department of Social Work. A few inches away stand a locally made wood stand. On top of it is the cremated ash of Shirley Graham Du Bois who died in China in 1977.

ROGER FEDERER FOR THE GRAND SLAM THIS YEAR?

He is considered by many sports analysts, current and former players and tennis critics as the greatest player to have played with the racquet. His recent Australian Open win against British Andy Murray made sure he now has 16 ‘Grand Slam’ single titles—more than any other male player.

However, Federer, aged 28, who has won a ‘Career Grand Slam’—winning the four Grand Slam tournaments: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open in your career—is yet to join Don Budge and Rod Laver as the only men who has won the Grand Slam. The Grand Slam means winning all four Slam tournaments in the same year.

Winning his first Grand Slam singles title against Australian Mark Philippoussis at Wimbledon in 2003, Roger Federer has come close in achieving the Grand Slam three times. These near misses started in 2004. He defeated Russian Marat Safin in the first Slam tournament of the year (the Australian Open). He went on to beat rival Andy Roddick at Wimbledon but lost Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil in the 3rd round at the French Open to shatter the dream though he won the last Slam tournament of the year, the US Open against Lleyton Hewitt.

A defeat of Marcos Baghdatis in four sets meant he won the Australian Open in 2006. The Swiss genius went on to beat his nemesis Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in what will start as fierce rivalry down the years. Spanish Nadal revenged his earlier loss at Wimbledon to Roger at the French Open by winning in four sets. That derailed the Grand Slam train for Federer again. He repeated as the champion again of the US Open by defeating Andy Roddick in the final.

Federer’s last shot at Grand Slam glory was in the 2007 season. He won in straight sets against Chilean Fernando Gonzalez at the Australian Open. He repeated the dose against Nadal again in 2007 Wimbledon final. In a duel that travelled five sets, Federer defeated Nadal: 7–6(7), 4–6, 7–6(3), 2–6, 6–2. On his favourite clay court in Paris, Rafael Nadal got revenge again against Federer in the French Open final. His win against Serbian Novak Djokovic in the US Open didn’t guarantee the Grand Slam success Federer had so much craved for.

The French Open which has been Roger Federer’s bane in his illustrious career was finally won by the 2008 Olympic gold medalist in 2009 against unfancied Swedish Robin Soderling. Federer defeated him in straight sets to achieve the coveted Career Grand Slam feat. Yet the world number one is yet to achieve what Australian Rod Laver last did in 1969—the Grand Slam.

Could this be the year for him to break this 41-year old record and further consolidate his tennis immortality image? It could, but it will be tough! With three more slam tournaments to come up before he achieves that feat, Federer’s impressive win at the Australian Open sets the record in his sights. With his main rival Rafael Nadal struggling with some knee injuries since last year’ s French Open, the path looks clearer now. The other man who has also beaten Federer in Slam final, Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro has a wrist injury.

Having won the next Slam tournament—Wimbledon—six times in the last seven years, and the Us Open at Flushing Meadows in New York five times in the past six years, the French Open will be –as it has always been—Federer’s main bottleneck. However, by breaking the French Open jinx last year and clay court king Nadal’s nagging injuries, this to a large extent certainly looks like the year for Roger Federer to achieve every tennis players dream—winning the Grand Slam.

IS THIS JOSHUA CLOTTEY’S CAREER DEFINING MOMENT?

When Joshua “The Hitter” Clottey mounts the ring on March 13 to fight pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, there wouldn’t be a better opportunity for the orthodox Ghanaian to stake a claim in the boxing world and etch his name in the annals of history, and he knows it!
Though he stands pale in comparison of credentials to the man he replaced, Floyd Mayweather Jr., to fight Pacquiao, Clottey would definitely not just be a pushover for the Filipino legend. As the former IBF (International Boxing Federation) Welterweight Champion, Clottey’s three losses from his impressive thirty-five wins were never via a knockout.
Since losing the WBO Welterweight title in a disputable decision to Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto at the Madison Square Garden in New York in June 2009, Clottey have been off the radar for a while. Therefore it would be a tough challenge if not insurmountable to make your comeback and win against arguably the best boxer in the world now.
It looks impossible. However, Clottey who is credited with his quick jabs and dreadful right-hand punch and also known for his durability looks poised to cause what could be termed as upset of the decade. In a press release from his manager Vinny Scolpino through Top Rank, he said: “Joshua is in great fighting shape right now. He is anxious to get into the ring against Pacquiao.”
As much as Clottey has the credentials to pull an upset, it will be fair and honest, however, to say that Pacquiao would be a mountain too steep for Joshua to climb. The “Pac-Man” doesn’t only stand head over Joshua Clottey in boxing but in shoulders too. What an impressive record he has. He is the first boxer to win seven world titles in seven different weight divisions. He is also the only boxer to defeat a particular opponent in four different weight divisions. He is rated by Ring Magazine as the No.1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. He is also currently the WBO World Welterweight champion and Ring Magazine light welterweight champion.
Most impressive, too, is his defeat of all the big ‘cats’ in the welterweight division. He forced Oscar “the Golden Boy” De La Hoya’s corner to throw in the towel before the ninth round in their December 2008 fight. He disciplined British Ricky Hatton as early as the second round and knocked out former Clottey’s conqueror, Miguel Cotto.
In a bid to downplay the overwhelming favourite title tag hanging on his neck, Manny Pacquiao has been quick to dismiss that Joshua’s fight would come easy. “Clottey is a great fighter”, he emphasized in an interview with local newspaper ‘GMA-7’. He went on further to say how Clottey is stronger and much taller than his last opponent, Cotto.
Many boxing enthusiast believe Joshua Clottey is in this historic bout because of what he will get as a share of the purse, he is reported to be getting over a million dollars, rather than to make a boxing history for himself. It’s not a bad idea, is it? However, I beg to differ! Joshua who is his training camp based in Florida is attaching all the seriousness one can expect to cause an upset. In one of the numerous interviews he has granted the media since the announcement of the fight, he said: “You know this is not an easy fight at all. But you know me, I always come to do my job in the ring, and in the ring I want to make the people happy. I can handle southpaws well and I will beat Pacquiao. I'm ready to shock the world”.
And there wouldn’t be a bigger venue for Joshua to do that. The Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas is an epitome of a sports edifice. Owned by the flamboyant Jerry Jones, the arena has a 100,000 seating capacity. One of the stadiums most significant fan-friendly elements is the world’s largest, and most expensive at $40 millionHD video board, which is 72 feet high and 160 feet wide.
Joseph Agbeko lost his world title. Ghana doesn’t have any world champion. The task looks arduous. However, it can be achieved with determination and zeal. Previous upsets like what James “Buster” Douglas did to Mike Tyson in Tokyo in 1990 and Hassim Rahman over Lennox Lewis in 2001 are there to inspire Clottey. It would be more than welcoming for Joshua Clottey to utilize this opportunity in carving a boxing niche for himself and cementing Ghana’s legacy as the finest boxing nation in Africa.

ANGOLA 2010: THE BATTLE FOR AFRICAN SUPREMACY

Africa’s biennial soccer fiesta is here again. The continent would be the focus of the sporting world this month as sixteen African countries battle each other superiority and for the coveted Orange African Cup of Nations in Angola. It will also serve as a platform for African nations that will be at the World Cup in June to fine-tune their teams.

Since its maiden edition in Sudan in 1957, only seven countries have managed to win the trophy with Egypt leading the pack with six triumphs—two in the last four years. It would, therefore, be interesting to see if the non winners and the perennial underachievers of this tournament would rise up to the occasion and alter the status quo or allow any of the previous winners to add up on their titles.

With Tunisia hosting and winning in 2004, Egypt also doing same in 2006, the Palancras Negras (the Angolan national team) backed by home support ranks among the favourites to win the trophy. An achievement of this feat would be the first official trophy for this nation who qualified for its first FIFA World Cup appearance in Germany in 2006. This ‘dream’, however, might be pushed into the future as they are drawn with power houses, Algeria and Mali. Qualifying for the World Cup at the expense of Nations Cup Champions, Egypt, the ‘Desert Warriors’ of Algeria have reignited the form that made them dominant in the 90’s. Though they missed another World Cup train, the Malians are far from pushovers looking at the talents they have in the likes of Barcelona’s Seydou Keita, Real Madrid’s Mahamadou Diarra, prolific striker Frederic Kanoute and Juventus’s midfielder Mohammed Sissoko.

One of the most confident teams that would be in combat in Angola is the ‘Super Eagles’ of Nigeria. Having made the trip to South Africa 2010 on the last day of the qualifiers, the self-belief and confidence of the Nigerian is at its highest. Ably supported by its vociferous fans, this Kanu Nwankwo led team would be aiming to brush aside all opposition to win the third Nations Cup for Nigeria. This goal would be spurred by their inability to win the tournament for the past sixteen years.

Despite their lack of success in this competition over the last decade, Cote D’Ivoire or Les Elephant as the team is known is now arguably the finest team on the African continent. Narrowly losing to hosts Egypt on penalties in the finals four years ago, the men from looks poised to go one step further this time. Also importantly, the Elephants would like to use the Nations Cup as an opportunity to display its firepower as it has been drawn in a group comprising of the likes of Brazil and Portugal in the World Cup. With Didier Drogba marshalling the attack, Yaya Toure creating in midfield and Manchester City’s Captain Kolo Toure shoring up the defence, the Ivory Coast has been tipped by many pundits to win their second African Nations Cup in Angola.

Another nation that also looks set to reaffirm its soccer prowess in Africa is the ‘Indomitable Lions’ of Cameroun. Finalists two years ago in Ghana, Cameroun would be one the teams to beat at the tournament. Making their first appearance at the Nations Cup in 1970, it has been one of the domineering forces of this tournament with its four triumphs. Also with veterans like Rigobert Song and Samuel Eto’o still playing, they boast of a vast knowledge of experience to transfer to young stars like Alexandre Song of Arsenal, Stephan Mbia and Bennoit Assou-Ekotto of Tottenham Hotspurs.

The Black Stars of Ghana are also expected to make a push for their fifth Nations Cup glory in Angola though having a relatively young team. Coach Milovan Rajevac’s team would be without skipper Stephen Appiah, Laryea Kinston and Sulley Muntari, but the experience of John Mensah, John Paintsil and Eric Addo can be blended with the youthful zeal of Andre Ayew, Dominic Adiyiah and the likes to achieve glory. The ‘Carthage Eagles’ of Tunisia would also try to wipe the tears of its supporters after losing out on the World Cup on the final day of qualifiers by winning the Nations Cup.

Coach Hassan Shehata would be chasing history in Angola to make it an enviable three consecutive triumphs. Though that looked farfetched on paper, no team plays the African game better than the ‘Pharaohs’. With chunk of the Egyptian squad playing in their national league, their cohesion and similar play style is unparalleled on the continent.

Usual of any tournament, the underdogs are there inevitably to cause upsets. This task falls on countries like Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin, Zambia, Gabon and Mozambique. Any of these countries would be out there to prove a point in order to make the finals in Luanda and perhaps win the trophy. It hasn’t happened in a very long—when an underdog wins the Nations Cup—but there is a first time for everything.

Looking at the various talented African footballers in all the major leagues in Europe, this month long football festival in Angola would be not short of spectacular and excitement as all the best African talents would be on display. Also it would reveal which country out of the six African countries that will represent the continent at the World Cup that will have the bragging rights of being the African Champions going into the first ‘African’ World Cup.

THE AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS IN ANGOLA: A PREVIEW

The prying eyes of the world will be on Africa (for football reasons though) this weekend and throughout the month as its premier football showpiece kicks off. With the desirable record of being the first winners in a new decade firmly at the back of the minds of all participating teams; this biennial football fiesta which would take place in Angola promises to be keen, exhilarating and competitive.

Playing hosts for the first time in the history of the Orange African Cup of Nations, the Palancras Negras of Angola would be hoping to achieve what the Black Stars of Ghana failed to do in the last edition by winning the trophy on home soil. A stern test stands in the way of this dream from group competitors Mali, Algeria and Malawi.

Despite failing to make the FIFA World Cup, the Eagles from Mali go into this tournament as one of the must- watched teams. Coached by one of the present best African tacticians, Stephen Keshi, the likes of Frederic Kanoute, Seydou Keita and Mahamadou Diarra can turn the fate of matches the Malian way on any given day. Algeria would be seeking to prove a point that their qualification ahead of Egypt to South Africa in June was no fluke. A strong performance would not only reinstate their African football prowess but also go a long way in boosting their morale for the World Cup. Nations Cup whipping boys Malawi completes this interesting and unpredictable group.

It’s a West African affair in the Cabinda based Group B. Touted as the “Group of Death” of the tournament; the Black Stars of Ghana, the Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire and the Hawks of Togo would be battling for West African supremacy. Much as they would be battling themselves, these West African giants seek to win the coveted trophy that has eluded any West African nation since Nigeria won it in Tunisia in 1994.

The Didier Drogba led Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire come into the tournament as the huge favourites. And rightly so! Take into account the talents they have in Barcelona’s Yaya Toure, Manchester City’s captain Kolo Toure, Salomon Kalou of Chelsea and the many others who are performing creditably well in their respective European clubs. However, more often than not, this favourites tag has turned out to be a curse in disguise for teams in the past. The bulky nature and physical strengths of the Burkinabe would pose a threat and Togo would do what they love best: being the bogey boys. Much cannot be said of the Black Stars winning their fifth Nations Cup title in Angola because injuries to most of its key players, however, the hunger for success on the part of the bulk naïve players in the squad
cannot be underemphasized.

One would be right in easily picking Nigeria and defending champions Egypt to make it to the quarterfinals out of Group C that would be based in Angola’s second most famous city and self- appointed cultural capital, Benguela. Yet Mozambique and Benin would be no pushovers in the group. ‘The Mamba’ of Mozambique dramatically eliminated Tunisia from World Cup participation in South Africa on the last day of the qualifiers and with veteran players like Tico Tico still strutting their stuff for the national team, they look set in causing another stir in this tournament. In an interview with BBC, Beninois striker Razak Omotoyossi was quoted as saying the Nations Cup in Angola would be platform for the Eagles of Benin to upset the odds. Having not made it to quarterfinals before, he believes they are strong contenders now due to their team spirit, attacking football and the perception that they are minnows.

Group D concludes what is set to be an interesting tournament with four-time champions Cameroun battling it out with Gabon, Zambia and perennial contenders Tunisia. Gabon and Cameroun will rekindle their recent World Cup qualifiers rivalry where the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun pipped the Azingo National to qualification. Tunisia would be looking to get over their recent World Cup ache and add another title to the trophy they last won in 2004. Captain Rigobert Song would love to put his last Nations Cup nightmare (his mistake led to Egypt’s lone goal in the finals in Ghana two years ago) behind him as leads a young Indomitable Lions comprising the of enterprising Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, Stephen Mbia of Olympique Marseille and Nicholas Nkoulou of AS Monaco to glory.

Egypt would be seeking to achieve an unprecedented three consecutive Nations Cup triumphs. The five African teams who have qualified for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa would also be looking forward of being African Champions going into an African World Cup. The minnows as usual would be looking for significant upsets. With all these prospects expected to unfold this month in the land of the “Palancras Negras”, Angola 2010 would be more than interesting!