Are these African leaders changing the world? -OZY

Last March, the Sudanese government signed an agreement with a large rebel group from the Nuba Mountains guaranteeing freedom of worship and the separation of religion from state affairs. Could the concession now pave the way for minority Christian and African belief groups to find common ground with the rulers in Khartoum? Meanwhile, the United States has confirmed that Sudan paid $335 million as a settlement for US victims of terrorism perpetrated from Sudanese soil, in exchange for its removal from Washington’s list of nations sponsoring terrorism.

Change in Sudan did not happen overnight. Inspired by the Arab Spring in Tunisia, Sudanese cartoonist Khalid al Baih captured international attention in 2010 with a powerful cartoon titled ‘The Rest Will Follow’, which showed Tunisia pointing the middle finger. The finger next to it was curled up – ready to rebel? Nine years later, Sudan has fulfilled that prophecy. Now in his 40s, al Baih is part of a group of revolutionaries working hard on their second act: building a secular democracy.

A fermented drink popular in a Muslim-majority country that bans alcohol, sharbot is on the borderline between sparkling fruit drink and alcoholic beverage.

Moving on to Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion hit ‘WAP’, young Namibian protesters clashed with police on the streets of the capital Windhoek. The body of Shannon Wasserfall, a 21-year-old woman, was found six months after her disappearance and the #ShutItAllDownNamibia movement wanted answers. Amid the pandemic, Nthengwe, a human rights activist, used the power of social media make sure unprecedented turnout in the demonstrations. Gay and gender non-binary, Nthengwe also challenges the country’s homophobic lawsincluding a court verdict that banned carrier girls gay couple to enter the country.

In 2018, scientists discovered just the second case of dwarfism in a giraffe. Nigel, an Angolan giraffe living on a farm in central Namibia, looked “like someone who put the head and neck of a giraffe on the body of a horse”. How short? Nigel is just 8ft 6in tall, compared to an average giraffe height of 16ft.

Simply “grilled beef” in the local Oshiwambo language, kapana is a cheap and delicious dish sold in the townships that were created when the country was under the rule of apartheid-era South Africa. Kapana vendors use all parts of the cow for the thin slices of meat, leaving nothing to go to waste. Taste it and you wouldn’t miss a piece either.

A new generation of digital activists is trying to drive political reform at a time when disillusionment and apathy cloud the conflict-ridden country. These initiatives now aim to oppose those who were behind the coup. But their challenges run deeper, including a law 2019 that could allow officials unhindered access to digital communications data.

From its minarets to the soaring walls, the Great Mosque of Djenné is constructed from sun-baked mud — like all the historic town that surrounds it — according to a tradition dating back to the 14th century. You don’t have to be religious to make a pilgrimage here.

She’s been beaten, boozed and imprisoned – but the 56-year-old offers the toughest challenge Cameroon’s authoritarian President Paul Biya has faced in his 39-year rule. It won’t be easy, but the former management consultant is ready for a long fight, knowing that time and democratic ideals are on her side.

The pandemic has raised concerns about the spread of the virus through the physical exchange of banknotes, making it a good time to attract more people to digital commerce. It was an opportunity that the telecommunications company MTN Cameroon seized on, making all transactions under $33 free of charge. Meanwhile, 24-year-old Melissa Bime has drastically reduced the time it takes to get blood transfusions from Cameroonian patients – using just a laptop and a network of motorbikes. It is part of a shift that is transforming West Africa into one of the world’s most advanced laboratories for technological innovations.

Is shade the secret to stellar chocolate? Cameroonian farmers plant their cocoa under trees in the forest, which gives the plants a longer lifespan and promotes soil health. Some experts believe Cameroon’s approach could help promote biodiversity and avoid deforestation in Africa’s hardest-hit countries. The bitter chocolate would then leave a sweet aftertaste.

What people, trends or ideas across the African continent have inspired you?

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