It's a Continent

As China looks for resources to benefit its growing consumption, African countries are looking for funds for development. We're now seeing Chinese state-owned firms building large scale infrastructure within the continent in exchange for access to minerals and oil. In 2000 Sino-African trade was 10 billion dollars. Just fourteen years later, this grew to 220 billion dollars.

Cabinda is an exclave and province of Angola; however, this status is disputed and part of a long-standing conflict stemming from colonialism and decolonisation. This dispute has led to decades of conflict between Cabinda's liberation movement and the Angolan government. We discuss how this situation came to be and the present state of affairs.

*This episode may contain The Woman King spoilers* The Agojie were fearless and skilled warrior women in the Dahomey Kingdom. By the mid 1800s, the all-female regiment was in its thousands, outmuscling rival kingdoms and participating in annual warfare. They lived in the royal palace and were taught how to fight and survive from an early age.

We're joined by Heizal Nagginda, a climate and environmental activist from Uganda, and founder of Climate Operation (@climateoperation). The organisiation's mission is to educate Ugandan children and communities about climate change and its intersection with other social issues.

In this episode, we explore Lusophone Africa, that is, Portuguese-speaking Africa, through the lens of the revolutionist and Pan-Africanist Amílcar Cabral. Cabral played a critical role in ending colonial rule in Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde. We follow his story, legacy, and impact on the rest of Lusophone Africa.

Calls for reparations have come at a time where we’ve seen the Head of State be removed in Barbados and the returning of looted items like Benin Bronzes, Patrice Lumumba’s tooth and skulls stolen during the Namibian genocide. In this episode we look at the case for reparations: its definition, political origin and what it could look like.

Andrée Blouin fought ardently for her belief in independence from imperial power. We look at her life, legacy and how colonial law impacted her experiences: from growing up in an orphanage, to losing her son from a treatable illness.

The CFA franc is one of Africa’s most baffling and misunderstood currencies. Introduced in 1945 to keep France’s African colonies under control, it has withstood decolonisation. Today, the CFA franc operates in 14 African countries and remains managed by France.

Chocolate is something we all know and love to consume. However, it’s no secret that cocoa as a commodity has its roots in something a lot more sinister. Human rights campaigners continue calling on global chocolate companies to recognise the role the cocoa trade has played in enabling poverty and child labour, particularly in countries such as Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana...

Meet Albert Luthuli, the first African to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent fight against apartheid. As the leader of the African National Congress, he became well-known in South Africa's anti-apartheid movement. In this role, his views on justifiable violence were tested and evolved. We explore his story of perseverance and courage.