Ghanaian blogger, “The Trials & Tribulations of a Freshly-Arrived Denizen” - - (http://ekbensahinghana.blogspot.com/) has an amusing story about a song which poked fun at a small Ghanaian town called Tubodom. The elders of the town were very angry over the lyrics and started a campaign to ban the song. However this only made the song even more popular and the town itself is now on the tourist map.

“And teachers from the village who are working in other parts of the country are reported to have asked to be sent home because students have been making fun of them...Other Ghanaians, though, have expressed a desire to visit the previously little-known place.”

Africa Unchained, Africa Unchained - (http://africaunchained.blogspot.com/2005/10/rebuilding-africa.html) reports on the rise of the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India & China) and their relevance to Africa.

“The Rise of BRIC the nations is dispelling the myth about archaic political doctrines and development models. The countries in question cut across all ideological spectrum and continents (except Africa). They all seem to agree on one thing - that the "market" is king."

African Refugees based in Australia - African Refugees (http://africanrefugees.blogspot.com/2005/10/on-female-circumcision-and-l...) reports on FGM and the law in Australia.

“All procedures involving partial or total removal of the external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs, whether for cultural or other reasons, are prohibited by the law...In fact, the law says it is illegal to 'aid, abet, counsel or procure a person to perform female circumcision or FGM on a woman, girl or female baby'; even if the female wants it to be done."

Black Star Journal - Black Star Journal (http://popeyeafrica.blogspot.com/2005/10/not-him-too.html) points out a growing “intolerance towards dissent” being shown by Senegalese President, Abdoulaye Wade as yesterday (Tuesday 18th October) the government closed down the country’s most popular radio station, SUD FM.

“Sud FM landed in hot water for interviewing a hardline leader of the MFDC, a group that wants the southern Casamance region to secede from Senegal. The government said Sud FM's interview had posed a threat to state security, according to the BBC. Rebroadcasts of the interview were banned and the case had been referred to the state prosecutor.”

Black Star Journal points out the irony of the President’s action as it was the independent media that helped him gain the Presidency in 2000 and comments:

“Perhaps Wade confused this with loyalty to his person and has been shocked that the press hasn't shirked its civic duty now that opposition leader has become president of the Republic.”

Sudanese Aid worker’s controversial blog , Sleepless in Sudan - Sleepless in Sudan (http://sleeplessinsudan.blogspot.com/2005/10/ive-been-accused-of-bloggin...) responds to those who have accused her of “blogging to much on the problems of Darfur and the mistakes people are making – and not offering any bright solutions myself."

She therefore offers one solution:

“Send us those Canadian armoured personnel carriers...There are currently 105 armoured personnel carriers stuck in a warehouse in Senegal - waiting to be transported to Darfur so that the African Union soldiers can use them in their patrols. Unfortunately, the Sudanese government - which has very little concern about the safety of people in Darfur - is refusing to let the shipment come into the country unless it gets a certain degree of control over their use. After much negotiation, it seems that 35 have now been granted permission to come here.”

Nigerian blogger, Jangbalajugbu-Homeland Stories – Jangbalajugbu Homeland Stories (http://www.edwardpopoola.com/blog/) has a horrific story from Nigeria that shows the brutality of mob rule Lagos style. A young 11 year old boy was caught attempting to steal a baby and subsequently the boy, Samuel was burnt to death by a Lagos mob.

“At a point, Samuel mentioned his mother in the course of his self defence and the angry mob asked him to take them to where his mother was. Samuel was not allowed to walk on his own, he was gruesomely dragged like a sheep to be slaughtered. His was worse than Mel Gibson’s passion of the Christ. It was a wicked scene and I felt for him as he was gradually loosing the right to his life. When Samuel pointed at a woman as his mother, the woman outrightly denied knowing who he was. And then, all of a sudden, someone threw the fire! As the fire burnt his head, Samuel, with the last batch of energy in him ran frantically to quench it. He tried it three times consecutively. After each success, he was ignited again. At the third attempt, he was too weak to give a fight. He burnt to ashes."

What an African Women Thinks - What An African Woman Thinks (http://wherehermadnessresides.blogspot.com/2005/10/in-blackness-of-my-sk...) discusses the changing nature of identity - what is it that “constitutes her Africaness?”

“How times change. Now, I think of myself not as a Christian who happens to be a woman and African, but an African woman who is a Christian. Is it an identity I’ve constructed for myself as a response to a global hierarchy that places the African woman at the very bottom of the rung? Or is it a facet of my identity that's always been there but has never needed to assert itself? Like a gem with myriad faces, perhaps, and each time you turn it, the light refracts differently, unveiling a 'new' image?”

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