In this episode, I speak with Obianuju Ekeocha about the problem of ideological colonialism in Africa in the 21st Century. We discuss how Western governments, international aid agencies, and NGOs impose western, secularist ideas about life, family, and marriage on Africa. Obianuju argues that what we are seeing is a type of cultural annexation of Africa by Western elites that is a new type of colonialism. She argues that just like with 20th century colonialism Western elites collude with African leaders and go against the will of the population. Obianuju (Uju for short) Ekeocha is the author of "Target Africa", the writer and producer of the documentary film, "Strings Attached", and the founder and president of Culture of Life Africa, an initiative dedicated to the promotion and defense of the African values of the sanctity of life, beauty of marriage, blessings of motherhood and the dignity of family life. Culture of Life Africa answers the assaults on these values with African women's voices.
Resources
Uju’s Book: Target Africa: See Link Below
Open Letter to Melinda Gates
More information: http://cultureoflifeafrica.com/2013/08/the-open-letter-re-launched.html
There is more to Africa than one narrative: One Story Ted Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Uju’s response to Danish parliamentarian on colonization at United Nations event
Cultural Annexation —comparable to colonization
Berlin Conference 1884-1885 on Colonization “what are we going to do with these people”
“Gendercide” and Daughter Deficit: See Nicholas Eberstadt on Global War Against Baby Girls
Nassim Taleb: “naive interventionism” in Anti-Fragile
Life woven into Language and Culture—Ibo Tribe / Language
Pew Research on beliefs on abortion
Pew Research on African Attitudes to Contraception
On the Errors of Intuition, Zero Sum, and Anthropology: I will link to a pdf soon from a chapter of my forthcoming book on re-thinking poverty in the developing world.
Links to Uju Speaking and other Videos
On Vaccine Trials in Africa
Culture of Life Africa: http://cultureoflifeafrica.com/videos.html
Uju on Marie Stopes International
Recommended Reading
Target Africa: Ideological Neo-Colonialism Of The Twenty-First Century
By Ekeocha, Obianuju
How Civilizations Die: (And Why Islam Is Dying Too)
By Goldman, David
The Global Sexual Revolution: Destruction of Freedom in the Name of Freedom
By Kuby, Gabriele
Illiberal Reformers: Race, Eugenics, and American Economics in the Progressive Era
By Leonard, Thomas C.
Broken Promises: How the AIDS Establishment has Betrayed the Developing World
By Green, Edward C
The War Against Population: The Economics and Ideology of Population Control
By Kasun, Jacqueline
Ep. 17: Obianuju Ekeocha: Ideological Colonialism and Resisting the Cultural Annexation of Africa