Baba Galleh Jallow 
 

Beyond Neocolonialism: Alternative Approaches to Understanding Africa's Underdevelopment 

Claude Ake, a prominent African scholar, makes the interesting proposition that Africa's problem is not so much that development has failed on the continent as that it was never really on the agenda. In other words, Ake is arguing that neither the colonial powers nor the post-colonial African governments have ever really been concerned with developing the continent but rather with the accumulation of power and material benefits. At first glance, Ake's claim would sound rather odd, considering the fact that development is literally the catch phrase of all African governments as well as virtually all major actors in the international community such as the United Nations system, the World Bank and the IMF. But however odd it sounds, Ake makes a valid and profound point that should serve as a wake-up call for those of us who are struggling to make sense of the mess that is today's Africa.

Baba Galleh Jallow far left with conference
participants

By Yero Jallow (Dalton)

SUN SHINED IN GAMBIA'S CHICAGO CONFERENCE;

10:57:07 PM

Midwest Gambian Association's 7^th annual Conference kicked off September 2nd 2006 at the Majestic Star hotel, Gary, Indiana. The conference that attracted a lot of Gambians in the area was also a forum for African intellectuals to argue their opinions on what is the reality for our current Africa. The theme of this year's conference "Vote 2006-Beginning of our Third Republic or Continuation of our Second Republic" brought to the conference table Mr. Baba Galleh Jallow, Dr. Michael Gomez, Dr. Nnam Nkuzi, Honorable Halifa Sallah via telephone conference, and lot of other Gambians living in the American states of Chicago, Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota.