Afropolitan Economics

as 'Africa' continuers to grow in economic relevance and political power.

We have to be sure what we mean when we say 'African' in the internets global village, in Wolverhampton on anyday you will meet local citizens who's DIRECT 1st generation ethnic roots are Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, St Kitts etc. etc.. We have to be sure that we are not clinging to and discussing a 'romantic' African-ness, because MAMA Afrika is not an Old Lady she is a vibrant beautiful... fertile... Young Woman and like most young women of a certain age ... she has plans of her own. Maybe we should be talking about SISTA Afriqa.

There is an ageing body of American and European cultured 'Black' thinkers [elders] of African Descent and their 30/40 something children [I'll soon be leaving this 2nd group ;-) ] who think AFrica and African-ness is their natural right and enrobe [entrap?] themselves in their deep 1960's understanding of all things Afrikan, "Hotep to you my brothers and sisters".

Meanwhile the 20 something Afropolitans are creating the NU AFRIQA right now and only part of it is on the continent of Africa.
"Were you to ask any of these beautiful people “where are you from?’” you would get no single answer. This one was born in Accra, raised in Toronto and lives in London. That one works in Lagos but grew up in Houston, Texas. ‘Home’ for this lot is many things. It can be where their parents are from; where they go for vacation; where they went to school; where they see old friends or where they live (or are living this year).
At home in G-8 cities
Like so many African young people working and living in cities around the globe, they belong to no single place but feel at home in many. They are Afropolitans - the newest generation of African emigrants, in the industrialised world. You’ll know them by a funny blend of London fashion, New York jargon, African ethics and academic success." - http://myglobalhustle.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/afropolitan/
Where are they all? errr try the European Premier foorball leagues £100K a week Afropolitans
or The Honest Professional young 2nd and 3rd generation Nigerian investment banker Afropolitans
or Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, an Afropolitan fellow of the US Brookings Institution, Okonjo-Iweala is a former World Bank vice president who graduated from Harvard and earned a Ph.D. in regional economics and development at MIT. Her son Uzodinma Iweala is the celebrated young author of Beasts of No Nation.
She was Nigeria's Finance Minister and then briefly Foreign Affairs Minister from 2003 to 2006, the first woman to hold either position.
During her tenure, she worked to combat corruption, make Nigeria's finances more transparent, and institute reforms to make the nation's economy more hospitable to foreign investment. The government unlinked its budget from the price of oil, its main export, to lessen perennial cashflow crises, and got oil companies to publish how much they pay the government. Since 2003 -- when watchdog group Transparency International rated Nigeria "the most corrupt place on Earth" -- the nation has made headway recovering stolen assets and jailing hundreds of people engaged in international Internet 419 scams.
"Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a heroine not just of Nigeria, but of the entire continent. Her crusade against corruption has put her life at risk."
The Independent (UK)

Ghana Economist George Ayittey sees Africa's future as a fight between Hippos -- complacent, greedy bureaucrats wallowing in the muck -- and Cheetahs, the fast-moving, entrepreneurial leaders and citizens who will rebuild Africa.
George unleashes an almost breathtaking torrent of controlled anger toward corrupt leaders and the complacency that allows them to thrive. These "Hippos" (lazy, slow, ornery) have ruined postcolonial Africa, he says. Why, then, does he remain optimistic? Because of the young, agile "Cheetah Generation," a "new breed of Africans" taking their futures into their own hands. http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/151 has a video

And trust me they are not asking for acceptance and they don't plan on NOT being Victorious.