olujobi

Designer Vaginas: Is Female Circumcision Coming Out of the Closet?

Gbemisola Olujobi / Truthdig Jul 2, 2009 As a circumcised and sexually fulfilled African woman who has been lectured for years by Western NGOs about the moral implications of my genitalia, you can imagine my surprise learning about the the wind of labiaplasties and genital rejuvenations currently sweeping across Europe and America. Dig deeper ( 12 Min. Read )

Who is Mogae?

Gbemisola Olujobi / Truthdig Apr 11, 2009 Almost everyone in the United States or indeed anywhere else in the world knows about Zimbabwe’s sit-tight president, Robert Mugabe. But who is Mogae? Who is Chissano? Who is Kikwete? And who is Kufuor? Sadly, very few people outside Africa recognize these names. Dig deeper ( 10 Min. Read )

Africa’s Good Friend

Gbemisola Olujobi / Truthdig Feb 28, 2009 Linda, a 24-year-old sex worker in Kigali, Rwanda, didn’t want to be tested for HIV because she feared she would find she would soon die. Her fear was not unfounded. Being aware of one’s HIV-positive status was a first step toward dying of AIDS in Rwanda, as in most parts of Africa. Anti-retroviral drugs were expensive and hard to come by. But that was before President Bush's PEPFAR. Dig deeper ( 11 Min. Read )

What Will ‘Brother Barack’ Do for Africa?

Gbemisola Olujobi / Truthdig Dec 27, 2008 As the dust settles from the feverish dances that greeted Barack Obama’s victory in the American elections, Africans wonder what “our son and brother” will be able to do for Africa in the face of daunting challenges in the United States and other parts of the world. Dig deeper ( 9 Min. Read )

AIDS and the Myth of the Oversexed Negro

Gbemisola Olujobi / Truthdig Jul 24, 2008 Why do so many in the global health establishment insist on viewing the AIDS crisis in Africa through the lens of a 19th century stereotype? Dig deeper ( 15 Min. Read )