As Africa’s middle class starts to emerge, propelled by growth and urbanisation, many diaspora Africans are choosing to return to the continent. Many of these returnees, known as ‘repats’, are highly educated and skilled, and while they choose to take a chance on new opportunities back ‘home’, the process of adjusting to mentalities and businessContinue reading “The ‘repats’: from Philadelphia to Accra, An African City actress Maame Adjei”
Author Archives: Claude Grunitzky
The ‘repats’: from Lyon to Dakar, scientist turned artist Caroline Gueye
As Africa’s middle class starts to emerge, propelled by growth and urbanisation, many diaspora Africans are choosing to return to the continent. Many of these returnees, known as ‘repats’, are highly educated and skilled, and while they choose to take a chance on new opportunities back ‘home’, the process of adjusting to mentalities and businessContinue reading “The ‘repats’: from Lyon to Dakar, scientist turned artist Caroline Gueye”
Why Guinea-Bissauan economist Paulo Gomes is producing a documentary on Amílcar Cabral
Paulo Gomes is a former leader of the World Bank’s sub-Saharan African region and now advises African heads of state. He uses the word ‘exorcism’ to explain the process and series of events that led him to produce a documentary on Amílcar Cabral, the Guinea-Bissauan and Cape-Verdean engineer and freedom fighter who has become aContinue reading “Why Guinea-Bissauan economist Paulo Gomes is producing a documentary on Amílcar Cabral”
‘Prince fought for the freedom of artists, but ultimately Prince was about civil liberties’
I have always been a huge fan. Who wasn’t? I remember that Friday evening dance party at the Greenlight bookstore in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighbourhood, in March 2013. My friend Touré was hosting an unusual book signing, in honour of his new book I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon. Touré, anContinue reading “‘Prince fought for the freedom of artists, but ultimately Prince was about civil liberties’”
A tribute to Malick Sidibé (1936 – 2016)
On April 14, 2012, four years to the day before Malick Sidibé died of complications of diabetes at age 80 in Bamako, I went to a reception at the agnès b. gallery in New York’s SoHo neighbourhood. The reception was in honour of an exhibition featuring a selection of Sidibé’s street and nightlife images from Bamako,Continue reading “A tribute to Malick Sidibé (1936 – 2016)”
The peaceful protest movement leaders that brought presidents to their knees
Last Wednesday, April 6, I was invited to participate in a lunch discussion at the European Parliament in Brussels. The invitation, extended by the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, was part of a larger discussion about Africa’s role in a globalised world. I was asked to speak about Africa’s newContinue reading “The peaceful protest movement leaders that brought presidents to their knees”
Awa Meité: the designer who knows the real value of African products
Awa Meité van Til’s studio in downtown Bamako is tucked in the back of a complex called the Centre Amadou Hampâté Bâ, named after the famed Malian novelist and national hero. When I visited her there last month, I was greeted by Awa’s mother Aminata Traoré, a former minister of culture and tourism in Mali,Continue reading “Awa Meité: the designer who knows the real value of African products”
The ‘ultimate repat’ Lionel Zinsou is the best candidate for Benin’s presidency
In the ‘repats’ series we’ve been publishing over the past six weeks, I have profiled diaspora Africans who chose to return to the continent, seeking new opportunities and new challenges. Although I have focused only on West African women, so far, today I want to showcase — and endorse — a gentleman I would callContinue reading “The ‘ultimate repat’ Lionel Zinsou is the best candidate for Benin’s presidency”
The ‘repats’: from New York to Abidjan, model turned MBA-candidate Nina Keïta
As Africa’s middle class starts to emerge, propelled by growth and urbanisation, many diaspora Africans are choosing to return to the continent. Many of these returnees, known as ‘repats’, are highly educated and skilled, and while they choose to take a chance on new opportunities back ‘home’, the process of adjusting to mentalities and businessContinue reading “The ‘repats’: from New York to Abidjan, model turned MBA-candidate Nina Keïta”