sending...As we approach 2012 now is the time to take stock and reflect on some of the most powerful moments in Africa during 2011. We have selected 20 images to symbolise these moments. The North African protests and revolutions dominate as these were pivotal moments that seemed to capture the world’s attention. Who would have thought the self styled “King of Africa” Muammar Gaddafi would have been ousted? Who would have thought that come December 2011 Uganda would have produced it’s first electric car? Africa lost it’s first ever female Nobel Peace Prize winner this year only to be replaced by two more! These and other stories have captured our collective imagination and would serve as fodder for discussion and analysis as the coming years roll by and for those beautiful ones not yet born.
An image of Egyptian coptic Christians protecting Muslims during their prayers in Egypt at the hight of the Egyptian revolution to oust Hosni Mubarak. This photo was shared by over 15,000 readers on MyWeku alone.
Mourners in Kenya paying tribute to Africa’s first ever female Nobel prize winner, Wangari Maathai.
Two more female Africans won the Nobel Peace Prize, in the year that Africa’s first ever female winner, Wangari Maathai passed away.
The mother of Mohamed Bouazizi, with a photo of her son. He set himself alight in protest at economic hardship in Egypt and is credited with sparking the North African revolution to oust long standing dictators. He was 26.
Breath taking images (more images here) of the destruction caused by oil exploration in Nigeria. In a year that saw America get compensated for oil spills on their seas, Nigeria’s and Africa’s oil spills continue to ruin livlihoods and the environment, with little or no compensation for those affected. Do oil spills in Africa not matter?
The moment the ”King of Africa”, Muammar Gaddafi was captured and executed by the “good” guys (Libya’s new rulers)
An artist in Kenya distributed yellow balloons to early morning commuters near a bus stop in honour of a Kenyan killed by a grenade attack carried out by the Somali terrorist group al-shabab.
Nigerian super rich pastor (according to Forbes) Bishop Oyedepo in his multi-million dollar private jet.
Ugandan opposition leaders take to their heels after pink coloured water was sprayed at them.
Kwaku Adobli, a Ghanaian born high flying investment banker leaves court in the UK accused of a mamoth $2 billion “rogue trading” loss.
Students from Uganda’s Makerere University unveil Uganda’s first home built electric car.
Black Africans faced a difficult time in Libya as unsubstantiated claims of fighting for Gaddafi took hold.
Egyptian Christian and Muslims chant “We Are One” during Egyptian protests against dictatorship and against a background of sectarian tensions between Coptic Christians and Muslims in Egypt.
A couple caused controversy with a colonial themed wedding complete with an all black servant staff in South Africa.
Nigeria’s Boko Haram which in Hausa means “Western Education is a sin” goes on a bombing spree culminating in the bombing of a UN building in Abuja, Nigeria.
Egyptian security forces spray praying protesters with water in the early days of the Egyptian Spring/Revolution
Horn of Africa famine victims try to get into a food ware house in East Africa
Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, an Egyptian blogger posts nude pictures of herself on her blog in protest much to the annoyance of some mullahs.
Former Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo becomes the next African leader to be hauled off to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity. So far the only people who seem to relish outsource their judiciary to the ICC have been African. Others and rightly so prefere “home” justice.
What is your favourite image and why?
by Team MyWeku
