Africa Is a Country

The Waka Waka Award*

The Waka Waka Award*

By
Sean Jacobs

This may yet become a weekly award on AIAC.

The inaugural Waka Waka Award–name in honor of Shakira–goes to Jack Burkman, “GOP strategist,” who recently decided to insult Ethiopians and Nigerians in a Fox Business News studio “discussion” about closing the United States Post Office–work that out. Watch it here.

I know no one watches Fox Business News. But anyway, Burkman, who has an interesting bio (to say the least), decided that the Post Office’s biggest problem was immigrant unskilled labor: “Most of these guys in the post office should be driving cabs. And we should stop importing labor from Nigeria and Ethiopia.”   He blamed the US government and trade unions for apparently letting this happen.  At least Al d’Amato, a former New York Senator, called Burkman out about his “racist bullshit.” Added D’Amato at the time: “… You should be ashamed of yourself and have your mouth washed out. What the hell are you talking about?” So did another guest. Burkman still insisted his nonsense was “based on fact.”

Jack Burkman. Winner of the Waka Waka Award.

Further Reading

Fuel’s errand

When Africa’s richest man announced the construction of the continent’s largest crude oil refinery, many were hopeful. But Aliko Dangote has not saved Nigeria. The Nigerian Scam returns to the Africa Is a Country Podcast to explain why.

Fragile state

Without an immediate change in approach, Somalia will remain a fragmented country populated by self-serving elites seeking foreign patrons.

Coming home

In 1991, acclaimed South African artist Helen Sebidi’s artworks were presumed stolen in Sweden. Three decades later, a caretaker at the residential college where they disappeared found them in a ceiling cupboard, still in their original packaging.

Imaginary homelands

A new biography of former apartheid homeland leader Lucas Mangope struggles to do more than arrange the actions of its subject into a neat chronology.