Africa day was celebrated across the continent yesterday. Only recently designated the hopeless continent by no less than the Economist magazine, the world is finally taking this continent seriously as an economic partner. I suspect this is driven by the West's desire not be to be out done by China, a country that has invested heavily on the continent in the last decade. The African economy has finally left the hangar and is on the highway, warming the engines up in preparation for taxi.

Parallel with this must come the shedding of victim hood. The world's economy is lopsided, the playing field uneven with farm subsidies, protectionist trade regimes and all manner of unfair business practices but these are raging the world over. There are economic battles between Europe and the US, China and the US, Latin America and the US as everyone tries to gain a foothold in the battle for resources and markets.

If a South African in Elon Musk can send the first privately owned craft in to space, then Africa can compete with the best of them up there. What Africa needs to do is create the environment that allows it brightest to shine their brilliance from African shores. The awarding of a major portion of the SKA array to South Africa is a case in point. We now have a platform to nurture the next generations of the Strive Masiyiwas, Samuel Esson Jonahs, Mo Ibrahims, Sindi Mabasos, Wendy Luhabes and many others right across the continent. http://www.africansuccess.org/rechRub.php?idRech=5&lang=en

The people you will find on the list above get on with it. They fight their battles in the boardrooms, courts and in the markets. The fight for Africa is for each country to produce millions of similar people running SMEs and large corporations, creating wealth rather than amassing it and, in the process, creating the room for Africans to walk with their heads held high.

Africa must not forget her pain of slavery and colonialism but she must not carry it around in her bosom passing it on to future generations in a continuous state of victim hood. It is Frederick Douglass, former slave turned liberator of hearts and minds who said: "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."

We must heal and we must fight the fight in the markets, with exemplary and dignified leadership for all Africans. In his book, Architects of Poverty, Moeletsi Mbeki calls for a change of mindsets in the African elite. He calls for the protection of property rights, rule of law, diversity and growth of skills in the labour force, cooperation between labour and management, a healthy labour force and a stable social and political environment. Samuel P Huttington in the book Clash of Civilisations reminds us that in January 1989 in Singapore, the President Wee Kim argued that it was necessary to identify the core values that "capture the essence of being a Singaporean." This exercise culminated in a white paper that defined the shared values of Singaporeans as: Nation before (ethnic) community and society above self, family as the basic unit of society, regard and community support for the individual, consensus instead of contention, racial and religious harmony." I must remind readers that Singapore is roughly 76% Chinese, 15% Malay and Muslim and 6% Indian, Hindu and Sikh. Sound familiar?

Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore probably said it best at a national day rally on August 19, 1979; "If we can test men, weed out the nervous and jittery, you can bank on your future in Singapore long after this government has stood down. We have got to find them. We have some of them. For any group of men, the final achievment is to see their creation bloom and flourish. They must be able to select, to judge, to impart what has been learned from exeperience and then say, 'Now the rest is up to you.' There will be new problems but the basic factors are the same. The world is different, the economy is more complex and sophisticated, but what makes a society tick, what gives a people flexibility, the cohesiveness, the thrust, the dynamism, always seeking new ways to overcome new problems or old problems- that's as old as the beginning of man and the first tribes. That, I hope, will be the story of Singapore."

This too, must be the story of individual African countries so that the continent can flourish.

It is proving to be a dramatic year, thus far, in the field of sport, arts and culture. The deaths of Whitney Houston, Donna Summer and Robin Gibb have genuinely touched fans worldwide across every line you can think of. News of their deaths were not just another entertainment item that one sticks at the end of the 8pm news. They were headline news announcing the departure of iconic figures who did more than just make music. These acts defined music genres, raised the bar and set a new standard for their contemporaries and beyond as we reminded ourselves of their contribution to the field of human endeavour.

Even more dramatic, in this highly interconnected world, have been the climaxes to sports competitions, particularly soccer. It is to Golf that we turn to, though, for that Albatross from Louis Oosthuizen which set up a thrilling finale to this year's Augusta. Then you fast forward to Chelsea's semi final match against Barcelona, Real Madrid's penalty loss to Bayern Munich on penalties in their semi final and now the Champions League final. Difficult to argue which was the most emotional finish to a sports event but in my book the Zambian victory over Cote D'Ivoire in the African Cup of Nations, back in January has to be right at the top of emotional Richter scale. We have been truly spoilt, both for the privilege of being able to truly mourn legends who have passed on and appreciate their legacy and celebrating new legends who have made and are making their mark.Yet, we are only half way through the year! I salute those who have passed on and the living legends.

I have been lucky enough to meet a few legends in my time. A few years ago, I ran in to Jay Jay Okocha at his club #10  in Lagos. Very humble, down to earth man. It was the same when I met Kalusha Bwalya in Lusaka and this weekend when I ran to Herve Renard, the man who led Zambia to the Afcon finals. I consider myself very lucky and wish I could have had a ten minute chat rather than just a snapshot.

Here is a living legend in the mould of Dennis Liwewe. You should have seen him celebrate when Boateng scared a hat trick for AC Milan. You might find it on You Tube. In this clip, however, he says goodbye to club and national legend Inzaghi: http://www.20min.ch/sport/fussball/story/Kult-Moderator-Crudelis-bittere-Traenen-25483469

Who else would I have loved to have met? Bob Marley, Nancy Wake, Frederick Douglas and, like most men, I am yet to meet Gabrielle Union!

I react to the story of the Lemba people and wonder out aloud why no one is putting it in a bottle and sticking a label on it. When you do not own your narrative, others will write it and, in some cases, distort it for you.

http://www.newsday.co.zw/article/2012-05-16-innerzela-making-your-heritage-count/

King Kenny Dalglish has been sacked. It is always very sad when a legend has to depart the scene in that manner. I suppose that one would argue that the American owners of the club took a leaf from General Electric's former CEO, Jack Welch, who in his relentless path to success argued that a good leader had to have edge: the ability to see reality and the courage to act on it.

The results have not been good enough. The players have not delivered, especially the new crop, with the exception of Suarez. The selection for the FA Cup final was disappointing and, therefore, objectively speaking the decision is probably correct.

But! This is no way to treat one of our greatest ever players and servant. If Wall Street CEOs could still earn their bonuses after what they did to the world's economy, surely King Kenny could have been sent back upstairs if keeping him in the coaching framework was going to be awkward? With his quick wit and charming personality, he could travel the world in the role of ambassador and help sell more replica shirts, work with kids in countries far and wide and all sorts of PR activities. I mean, our greatest rivals Manchester United still use Bobby Charlton in tv ads!

Yes, sport is a business but we are the fans and we never forget our legends because the power of the brand comes from their guts, sweat and commitment to the badge. Liverpool became an attractive investment to the owners because, in major part, Kenny Dalglish and our other legends made it so on the pitch. Long live the King! You will never walk alone!

Ooh, ooh, ooh, here is a question! if Europe, being the middle of a serious recession, huh lets say Portugal, had to ask former colonies to invest their petrol dollars to help save the economies of the former colonial master, where would they stand on a vote for smart sanctions in a human rights abuse case perpetrated by the former colony?

As soon as the question popped in to my head, I realised just how this question is almost cast in stone in terms of who the villains are meant to be as typecast by history. There is work to do. Similarly, questions must be asked from the rooftops about Saudi Arabia and Bahrain for the simple reason that human rights abuses are taking place there, regardless of how or why the mainstream press chooses not to highlight them. http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/05/14/214124.html

The need for balance in reporting or condemnation does not, of course, excuse the excesses by any ruling power on the planet. I will be the thorn in your flesh.

I had a cousin once whose favourite expression seemed to be, "I've never seen anything like this before" as he narrated a story. I used to find this amusing and grossly exaggerated on his part. Tonight, I experienced that expression in full as Manchester United trailing by a goal, in a season defining match, patiently retained their discipline to score two goals in the dying minutes of the match. When I saying dying minutes, I am referring to the 91st and 93rd minutes of the match. It is simply not done, not at this level of the game, not with this amount of pressure and yet there it was. The Manchester United fans who had been singing "glory, glory Man United" barely a minute earlier were stunned in to silence. The temporary Manchester city fans for the night were in ecstasy that they themselves could hardly believe. The lesson to all, including myself, was simply this: take nothing for granted. The fat lady must warmed her voice several times not knowing whether to fly to Old Trafford or the Etihad stadium. Manchester United did not lose the title, Manchester City won it and deservedly so. The noisy neighbours are now respectable neighbours. Manchester City fans may take the week off!

Spare a thought this Mothers day for all the mother whose children are currently the victims of human rights abuses and dictatorships. This mothers will not have her children make a cup of tea for her, have flowers brought to her by her own or even get lovingly teased about her mothering style.
From Bahrain to Western Sahara, many a mother is weeping for a missing son or daughter. From Pyongyang to   Yangon, Mexico city to Damascus, a mother worries about her children venturing out on to the streets. All this mother knows is pain, muted by the greater need for daily survival, her mourning postponed for a time when it will be appropriate to do so, a life in limbo hovering between heaven and hell while the world goes about its business in pursuit of happiness.
If the very least you can do in support of this woman is to raise your voice in her support, then by all means do so. For there was a time, was there not, when you complained that the world was not doing enough to raise their voices in protest at what was going on in your country. Show your solidarity now and, especially for those who are in positions of influence, speak out against injustice. As Nickelback so correctly explain in their song, "If everyone cared," the world would be a much better place for all if you, yes you, raised your voice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IUSZyjiYuY

Help to light a candle instead of cursing the darkness. Speak up for anxious mothers and their missing children worldwide. I am speaking up for the mother of Nabeel Rajab, the President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights. Who are you speaking out for today?