When democracy is in short supply humans like animals ignore commands, slow down…fight and abscond
There was once an orangutan named Ken Allen at the San Diego Zoo who was notorious for carrying out complex escape plans. He found every nut and bolt in his cage and unscrewed them; in his open enclosure he threw rocks and faeces at visitors. On one occasion, he constructed...
Pre-season: How manager and player decisions sometimes clash and adversely affect relations in the club
Plenty of Premier League clubs are currently jetting off on pre-season tours. After fights, fatherhood and fannying about, this lot were flying back earlier than anyone expected. Preseason is not always about sporting skills. It is also a test individual character. Some players and coaches have in the past fared...
Why United States and Kenya are expanding cooperation on wildlife and drug trafficking
While Kenya and the United States are known to collaborate to fighting terrorism, rarely does the searchlight turn to issues related environmental conservations and law enforcement to protect life. Cooperation between the two countries on tackling illicit trade in wildlife and narcotics has yielded some notable success in the recent...
Scrappy management: In an ideal corporate environment, company ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’
Let’s get it right: you might assume that I think company culture is just something we’re stuck with, and perhaps start polishing up your resume so you can find a place with a more attractive culture. Actually, that’s not a bad idea if you’re one of the 77 per cent...
Going back to the roots – literally: Why scientists prefer African indigenous crops to solve food insecurity
With sweeps of his arm, Jean-Pierre Kamara showers handfuls of tiny seeds over the freshly ploughed land near his village in Senegal’s southern foothills. A team of young men ahead of him loosen more of the clay soil for sowing, while older villagers trail behind, raking the earth back over...
Riveting! 75,000 fans welcome reunion of Orch Wenge Musica at Kinshasa’s Martyrs Stadium
A historic return for Wenge Musica! A few months ago, the pictures of the Congolese musical group circulated on social media when some of its leaders gathered in a room to speak with one voice. JB Mpiana, Didier Masela, Werrason, Alain Makaba, Adolf Dominguez were part of the founding members...
Different doesn’t equal deficient: How simple group tasks firm up emotional intelligence and teamwork
Unless you’ve spent your entire project management career with your face bathed in the light of your computer monitor, you’ve probably come across the concept of emotional intelligence. Popularised by Daniel Goleman at the end of the last century, emotional intelligence or “EQ”, can be condensed to three criteria: self-awareness,...
Culture: When’s your child’s birthday? Himba of Namibia will tell you it’s when the mother first thinks about it
An impassioned and captivating debate is going on online regarding the date of birth of a child among Himba tribe of Namibia that defies the set norm – the day the child arrives in the world. To the Himba, the date of birth is determined by the time the thought...
One million refugees at risk of being denied access to food, medical support if UN withdraws from Syria
Faced with the dilemma of access to Syrian refugees who need for and medical supplies senior United Nations staff says NGOs will be able to scale up their work, only after a compromise is reached between the government, Russia and the UN Security Council. However, the officer pointed that...
Syrian humanitarian crisis set to deepen as UN debates access to refugees, Russia brandishes veto power
The UN Security Council is set to begin debating the renewal of a key mechanism for delivering aid to Syria on Monday. With a deadline looming, Russia holding veto power, and the Ukraine war complicating diplomacy and worsening the plight of Syrian civilians, humanitarians are understandably nervous. Since 2014, the...
