OLD AND NEW STARS TWINKLE FOR THE SAKE OF THE POOR IN AFRICA

BONO OF U2 PERFORMING AT LIVE 8 YESTERDAY.

OLD AND NEW STARS TWINKLE FOR THE SAKE OF AFRICA

Yes, God bless Sir Bob Geldof again and again for his love for humanity from his Boomtown Rats days to date. He has always been plucking his rock guitar in accord with his heartstrings.

Exactly 20 years ago in July 1985, the young rock musician Bob Geldof launched the most celebrated charity concert in history called BAND AID to raise funds and foodstuffs to save the millions of the wretched drought-stricken masses in Ethiopia and inspired the popular American Pop Stars to record the multi-platinum album “We Are the World” featuring legendary Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers and other singers. Then the event passed with time. The Queen of England later knighted Bob Geldof and he became Sir Bob Geldof, A well-deserved honour.
The world soon forgot about BAND AID and Africa never learnt from the lessons of the past. Because, African despotic and tyrannical rulers ravaged their impoverished continent in tribal wars and corruption such as the catastrophic Rwanda holocaust, the genocide in the Liberian wars that spread to the neighbouring countries of Sierra Leone and Cote d’Voire. There were wars in several countries in Africa and some of these wars are still raging on. The UN was over-burdened by the economic, social and political crises in the world. Running helter-skelter from peace keeping operations in Bosnia and Sarajevo to other parts of Eastern Europe where horrible and terrible crimes against humanity were committed in blood-letting “ethnic cleansing” genocides to the never ending Middle East conflicts and America and allies were engaged in the Gulf Wars and Africa was still engulfed in her own internecine conflicts. So, the UN was becoming helpless to continue to run to the aid of Africa.
The war in Iraq and the coloured revolutions in Eastern Europe distracted America and the other members of the G-8 from the worsening crises in Africa from Ethiopia to the Congo to the Sudan. The fears of another holocaust in Dafur in Sudan shook humanity and left millions of others in the world in fear and trembling. And once again, pricked the conscience of Sir Bob Geldof to rise to the occasion once more as he had done 20 years ago. To begin another jeremiad for the sake of Africa.
Sir Bob Geldof has become older and wiser and now sees the troubles of Africa beyond miserly financial handouts and rations of relief. Africa needs more than meal tickets and subsidies. Africa needs more than Debt Relief and cancellation. Africa needs dynamic economic and political reforms. Because, corrupt rulers have squandered the riches of their own nations and stole billions of dollars from the sales of the surplus mineral resources of Africa, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sir Bob Geldof appealed to leaders of the G-8 to review their economic and political policies in Africa and he got the goodwill from all the celebrated musicians and other stars who rallied around to join him to launch BAND AID 2, now tagged Live 8 to lobby the leaders of the G-8 to do more for the benefit of Africa.

Tony Blair the Prime Minister of Britain is cooperating with Sir Bob Geldof to support the LIVE 8 Concerts. His Excellency, Tony Blair was formerly a rock musician in his younger days before moving on the higher grounds in the pursuit of his dreams. So, he understands the angst of protest artists like Geld of and Sting and they struck a common chord in their heartstrings of love for the poor and needy majority in Africa and other underdeveloped parts of the world.

Notable legendary Pop Stars like Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John joined Sir Bob Geldof and Bono of U2 among other fellow stars to perform in charity concerts in all the major capitals and cities of the developed nations that are members of the G-8. In Berlin, London, Paris, Tokyo and other major cities, the new and old Pop Stars twinkled for the sake of Africa. Since yesterday Saturday July 2, they have been performing to lament the plight of Africa the Cinderella of the world and to charge the G-8 to put Africa on top of their agenda as they commence their meeting from next Wednesday in Scotland.

Sir Bob Geldof wants the Group of 8 leaders to increase their dwindling aid to Africa by $25 billion, as well as send an additional $25 billion to impoverished non-African countries. He is also appealing to the leaders to forgive the debts of impoverished nations. And he has criticized Italy and Canada for being tight-fisted in increasing Aid to Africa.The concerts included more than 200 musical acts scheduled to play more than 69 hours of music. Organizers said that 5.5 billion people would be able to watch or listen on the Internet and via 182 television stations and 2,000 radio networks and stations.