African people are creative creating fabrics with color and meaning. Kente cloth has a long history of unique cultural elegance valued around the world over. 

Discover more textile symbolism and quilt traditions in the African Quilting & Textile Crafts Hub .

Kente Cloth Color Meanings

Kente Cloth Color Meanings Explained

The making and trading of cloth have been vital elements in African culture. The first colorful kente cloth was worn by Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I, a former Ashanti king.

African textiles unspoken language often provides a way of suggesting thoughts and feelings that may not or cannot be expressed in other ways and these cloths regularly move between the kingdoms of the earthly and the revered.

Traditional Kente Cloth was black and white, however, the colors of black, red, gold and green modern kente cloth symbolize:

⚞ Black represents Africa

⚞ Red represents the blood of ancestors

⚞ Gold represents wealth

⚞ Green represents the land

Folklore Origins of Kente Cloth

Modern Kente cloth

According to legend, Kurugu and Ameyaw, two brothers from the Bonwire village, went hunting one afternoon and came across a spider spinning a web.  They were amazed by the beauty of the web and thought that they could create something like it. Upon returning home, they made the first cloth out of black and white fibers from a raffia tree.

A second legend of the origins of kente cloth told by Bonwire villagers is the story of a man named Ota Karaban, friend, Kwaku from Bonwire had their weaving lessons from a spider that was weaving its web, and from the spider's lessons they weaved beautiful raffia fabric for the village. 

The Ashanti people of Ghana and the Ewe people of Ghana and Togo make the African cloth kente. Kente cloth is the most recognizable of all African textiles. Kente cloth originated with the Ashanti people of Ghana dating back 375 years in the village of Bonwire.

Continue exploring patterns + meaning inside the African Quilting & Textile Crafts Hub .

As the world’s top exporter of cocoa and raw cashew nuts, Côte d’Ivoire is the largest economy in the West African economic and currency union.

28 facts about Africa’s Côte d’Ivoire, her name, people and cocoa farming industry.

Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter
of cocoa beans and a significant producer
and exporter of coffee and palm oil.

1. Cote d'Ivoire pronounced coat-div-whar. 

2. Ivory Coast name changed in 1986 to Cote d'Ivoire. 

3. Cote d'Ivoire former name Ivory Coast reflects the intense ivory trade that took place in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries. 

4. The French name Côte d'Ivoire literally means Ivory Coast. Côte d'Ivoire was unofficially known as Costa do Marfim by the Portuguese, côte des dents or the teeth coast and the Ivory Coast reflecting the trade in ivory. 

5. Despite the official name change by the government, the African country of Côte d'Ivoire is still incorrectly referred to as Ivory Coast. 

6. In December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government. 

7. Cote d'Ivoire is located in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia. 

8. Cote d'Ivoire covers an area of 322,463 km² or 79,682,342 acres, compared it is slightly larger than the U.S. state of New Mexico. 

9. Cote d'Ivoire population is around 23.7 million people. 

10. Nationality of Cote d'Ivoire is Ivorian. 

11. Cote d’Ivoire’s population is likely to continue growing for the near future because almost 60% of the populace is younger than 25. 

12. Ethnic groups in Cote d'Ivoire are Akan 28.8%, Voltaique or Gur 16.1%, Northern Mande 14.5%, Kru 8.5%, Southern Mande 6.9%, unspecified 0.9%, non-Ivorian 42.3%. 

13. Foreigners from West Africa, Europe (mainly France), and Lebanon composed about 25% of the population by 1998. 

14. Religions Muslim 42.9%, Catholic 17.2%, Evangelical 11.8%, Methodist 1.7%, other Christian 3.2%, animist 3.6%, other religion 0.5%, none 19.1%. 

15. Major urban areas are the capital Yamoussoukro, Abidjan seat of government and Bouake 762,000.

16. Cote d'Ivoire capital city moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983. 

17. National symbols is the elephant. 

18. Cote d'Ivoire national colors are orange, white, and green. 

19. Military branches are Republican Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (Force Republiques de Cote d'Ivoire, FRCI): Army, Navy, Cote d'Ivoire Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Cote d'Ivoire). 

20. Cocoa, oil, and coffee are the country's top export revenue earner. 

21. Cote d'Ivoire is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly two-thirds of the population. 

22. Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. 

23. In West Africa, cocoa has been identified as a major driver of deforestation that has led to serious soil degradation, water insecurity and crop failures in the region. 

Explore more cocoa stories in the Chocolate Hub .

24. More than 90% of production comes from smallholder farms that depend on cocoa for their livelihoods. 

25. To address deforestation issues, Cote d'Ivoire and other West African governments including the private sector are becoming increasingly active on sustainability in the cocoa industry. 

26. Population without electricity, 15 million. 

27. Cote d'Ivoire has 27 airports seven of which are paved. 

28. Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana have a long-standing disputed maritime border.

Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

1. Historical African country names
2. Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa
3. How many countries does Africa have?
4. Paying Money To Tour Slums in Africa
5. What Is the Wettest Country in Africa
6. Land is Not For Women in Sierra Leone
7. African Kente Cloth Facts
8. Where is Shashamane Ethiopia the African Rastafarian Promised Land

The Red Sea separates Africa from Asia; on the Western shore of the Red Sea are the African countries of Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti.

Learn about The Red Sea and the four African countries that border the Red Sea

Red Sea Hotel in Egypt

Which African countries border the Red Sea? The Red Sea separates Africa from Asia; on the Western shore of the Red Sea are the African countries of Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti. The first people known to explore the Red Sea were the Ancient Egyptians, who explored the area around 2500 BC while looking for commercial routes southward.

Red Sea Facts

Fishing in the Red Sea

The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean, located between Africa and Asia. This salty sea is just over 190 miles (300 km) across at its widest point, and about 1,200 miles (1,900 km) in length with an estimated average depth of 1,640 feet (500 m).

With the Red Sea’s connection to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal, it is one of the most heavily traveled waterways in the world, carrying maritime traffic between Europe and Asia.

More than 1200 species of fish have been found in the coral reef ecosystem of the Red Sea; more than 100 of these have not been located in any other body of water.

No water enters the Red Sea from rivers and with hot sunny days, and the lack of any significant rainfall, desert dust storms are known to sweep across the sea. High heat combined with the lack of precipitation facilitates high levels of evaporation hence the sea's high salinity.

Most of the islands of the Red Sea are merely exposed reefs. There is, however, a group of active volcanoes just south of the Dahlak Archipelago as well as a recently extinct volcano on the island of Jabal Al-Ṭāʾir.

The greatest historical event connected with the Red Sea is it was the miraculous passageway of the children of Israel, escaping from the Egyptians. 

Red Sea map

Why is the Red Sea called the Red Sea

So how did the Red Sea get its name? Theories are plentiful, but no one knows for sure how the Red Sea got its name. Some historians believe the Red Sea is named for the Ḥimyarite Kingdom or Ḥimyar, an African kingdom of Arabia who once lived along its shores.  

In ancient languages, the colors black, red, green, and white referred to North, South, East, and west, therefore, the red in Red Sea is actually a designator of the Sea's location in the ancient world.

Other theories on how the Red Sea got its name are the Red Sea name derived from the red color of the mountains on the western shore; others from the red coral found in the sea, or the red appearance sometimes given to the water by invertebrate animals which resemble plants floating on its surface.

About the four African countries that border the Red Sea; Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti.

Sudan, the pyramid capital of the world

Sudan has more than 350 pyramids, double the number found in Egypt. They were constructed in Nubia over a period of a few hundred years to serve as tombs for the kings and queens and wealthy citizens. Nubian pyramids differ from the Egyptian because they were built tall and narrow with offering temples. The area of the Nile valley known as Nubia lies within present-day Sudan. They were constructed in Nubia to serve as tombs for royal families and wealthy citizens. In a desert in eastern Sudan, along the banks of the Nile River, lies a collection of nearly 200 ancient pyramids. The Nile river is Sudan's primary water source; its major tributaries, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, meet at Khartoum to form the River Nile which flows northward through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. With the exception of a ribbon of settlement that corresponds to the banks of the Nile, northern Sudan, which extends into the dry Sahara, is sparsely populated. Sudanese pyramids are far less well known nevertheless, Sudan pyramids older than Egypt.

Djibouti

Djibouti is in the Horn of Africa south of the Sahara but is considered part of the MENA region. Also, there are four countries that make up the Horn of Africa, the eastern part of the continent that sticks out into the Indian Ocean? They are Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti (the initials spell SEED). The Horn designation is derived from its shape being reminiscent of a rhinoceros horn. The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. The largest ethnic group in Djibouti is Somali recorded at just over 60 percent. Khat (pronounced cot) is an evergreen shrub that grows in areas bordering the Red Sea, including countries in the horn of East Africa. The Khat leaves are chewed by men, women, and children. 

Egypt

Egypt is more than 96% desert yet supports a population of over 100 million people. The Sahara desert is not only the largest African desert but also the largest hot desert in the world occupying 3.3 million sq. miles and still growing larger. It extends over 25% of the continent and occupies many countries including Chad, Algeria, Sudan, Niger, Morocco, Mali, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania, and Tunisia. Most citrus groves in Egypt are located the North of the country producing the Egyptian, Eureka, Rough, Lisbon, and Villafranca lemon variety. Seven largest African cities populations are Lagos Nigeria, Cairo Egypt, Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo, Luanda Angola, Nairobi Kenya, Mogadishu Somalia, and Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire. 

Eritrea

The country name derives from the ancient Greek appellation Erythra Thalassa meaning Red Sea, which is the major water body bordering the country. After independence from Italian colonial control in 1941 and 10 years of British administrative control, the UN established Eritrea as an autonomous region within the Ethiopian federation in 1952. Eritrea has a 73 percent literacy rate.

How to make Green Banana Coconut Curry. Cooking with unripe or green bananas, not plantains, is a quick delicious recipe mix of green bananas, coconut milk, curry and healthy vegetables.

Green Banana Coconut Curry Recipe

Green Banana Coconut Curry Recipe

African Food Recipes by The African Gourmet 

Green bananas are delicious; they are starchy similar to potatoes. Green bananas are easily found at most farmer's markets and supermarkets. 

Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 35 min Total time: 50 min

Green Banana Coconut Curry Recipe

Ingredients

3 green bananas cut in half

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large red tomato, diced

1 large green tomato, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons ground curry powder

2 cups coconut milk

Water for boiling

Directions

Cut off both ends of the unpeeled bananas and place in boiling salted water for 20 minutes. Remove the bananas and discard skins and drain water from the pot. Add lemon juice to water and add remaining ingredients to a large pot. Simmer for 15 minutes or until bananas are tender. Serve with soft bread.

Green Banana Coconut Curry Recipe

Did you know?

Green bananas contain short chain fatty acids, according to Food Health Nutrition. The cells that line your intestines love to eat these acids, and keeping these cells healthy means that your body will be able to absorb nutrients such as calcium more easily.

20 interesting facts about one of West Africa's countries in which more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25, Senegal her culture, history and people.

Children of Senegal

1. Senegal has a population of over 14.3 million ranking 73rd on the world’s most populous countries.
2. Senegal's nationality is Senegalese using both the singular and plural form.
3. Languages of Senegal may not surprise you since Senegal was once a French colony, the official language is French, and the other major languages are Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, and Mandinka.
4. Wolof is a language spoken in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania, and it is the indigenous language of the ethnic grouping of the Wolof people.
5. Wolof is the most widely spoken language in Senegal even though the official language is French, by most Senegalese.
6. Senegal Motto is "Un Peuple, Un But, Une Foi” "One People, One Goal, One Faith"
7. Population without electricity is around 55% or 6.4 million, urban areas 90% of people have access to reliable electricity, however in rural areas of Senegal the number drops to 28%.
8. Major religion in Senegal is Islam.
9. Senegal is located in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania.
10. It is slightly smaller than the US State of South Dakota.

Senegal fishing boats

11. Senegal's capital is Dakar that was home to the Dakar Off-Road Rally until 2009 when the race moved to South Africa.
12. There are 11 regions in Senegal comparable in function to county seats, Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, and Ziguinchor.
13. The Dutch established a slave port on island of Goree in 1588 and years later in 1659 it became a key slave trading port.
14. During the Seven Years War 1756–1763, Britain took over French posts in Senegal forming the colony of Senegambia.
15. Slaves, ivory and gold were exported from the coast during the 17th and 18th centuries.
16. The French colonies of Senegal and French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation.
17. The 40-year reign of Senegal's Socialist Party came to a diplomatic end in the 2000 elections.
18. Senegal’s Patriotic Symbol the African Renaissance Monument is to symbolize the achievement of Africa but some have serious issues with the nudity and symbolism of the 164-foot statue.
19. Climbing the 216 steps to the African Renaissance Monument you would not immediately discern that local African artists feel unfairly denied the chance to work on a project of national pride.
20. Located in the Senegalese capital of Dakar the African Renaissance Monument cost millions to create, $27 million dollars to be exact. The Senegalese Ex-President, unable to pay the $27 million price tag on the work, gave real estate to North Korea’s Mansudae Overseas Project, which later sold the land at profit in exchange for the statue.

Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

1. Historical African Country Name
2. Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa
3. How many countries does Africa have?
4. Roots of Africanized Christianity Spiritual Songs
5. Paying Money To Tour Slums in Africa
6. Awesome Kenyan Woman
7. Land is Not For Women in Sierra Leone


8. African Kente Cloth Facts
9. Accra the Ghanaian Capital Ultimate Mall Experience

African Head Wrap How-to.

In Africa, the head wrap worn by women of all colors, tribal and ethnic groups for special occasions, weddings, ceremonies, burials, church services, and special celebrations or for everyday wear.

There are a variety of ways to wear a head wrap scarf.

How to Wrap a Gele African Head Wrap Step by Step Directions

Wrapping a head wrap is easy, just follow the steps below. There are countless styles of African head wrapping, it may take a couple of tries but you will be an expert in no time.

How to wrap an African head wrap

1. Open the fabric, using an oblong piece of fabric at least 48 inches long and 24 inches wide works best. A large rectangular scarf also works well with this style of head wrapping.

2. Center the scarf at the nape of your neck making sure that both sides are of equal length.

How to wrap an African head wrap step by step directions

3. Bring the ends forward and twist one side of the length of the fabric, pull over and across the front of your head, tuck in the end. Repeat on the other end.

The African head wrap draws the eye up, rather than down. African women wear head wraps as a queen wears a crown. The African head wrap represents far more than a piece of fabric on the head of a female.  

African head wraps are a common site throughout Southern and Western Africa. In West Africa, Nigeria, head wraps are called gele, in Malawi Duku and in Zimbabwe dhuku. 

African head wraps are African beauty and African style setters in the history of America and Africa. 

Baboon Shepherd African Folklore

Keekaegile

The ancestors say, living a three days walk from the nearest village Dimbokro the sheepherder of northern Ethiopia lived. From the age of five, he was responsible for the goats and sheep in his family's herd. He spent exhausting days herding sheep and walking miles through the rocky land. 

One day, Dimbokro went hunting. After hearing a strange cooing sound, he decided to investigate. He discovered a newborn baby Baboon abandoned in the woods. She was soaking wet wrapped in nothing but a large leaf.

Dimbokro decided to raise the Baboon and named her Keekaegile after his favorite aunt. Dimbokro taught her everything he knew about sheep herding and soon, Keekaegile was made his chief shepherd because of her quick learning.

Keekaegile remained devoted to his masters’ flock all day in the field and at night drove the sheep home riding on the back of a goat. Keekaegile held this high office of the shepherds for 2,000 moons for his master until one day while watching over her flock, she was suddenly killed by a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing. 

More short folklore stories from Africa to make you fall in love with myths and legends again from the motherland.

1. Why the bunny rabbit has wiggly slits for a nose
2. Love Takes No Less Than Everything Marriage Folklore
3. Hunters Attack Cowards Tell the Story
4. One Do Wrong All Get Punished
5. Mighty Little Hedgehog

The recipe for Moroccan vegetables is delicious when roasted and served with curry whole grain couscous. It features healthy vegetables and chickpeas.

 

Curried Moroccan Vegetable Recipe

Curried Moroccan Vegetable Recipe

Ingredients 
 2 small eggplants 

 2 tablespoons ghee or butter 

 ½ medium onion, finely chopped 

 ½ teaspoon ground cumin 

 ½ teaspoon ground coriander 

 ¼ teaspoon hot chilli powder 

 1 teaspoon curry powder 

 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 

 1 teaspoon salt 

 ½ teaspoon black pepper 

 2 large chopped tomatoes 

 ½ red pepper deseeded diced 

 1 medium zucchini thickly diced 

 14 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

 2 cups vegetable stock 

 2 tablespoons roughly chopped almonds

 
For the couscous 

 ½ vegetable stock cube 

 1 teaspoon curry powder 

 10 ounce package of whole grain couscous 

 ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

 
Directions 

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F. Cut the eggplants in half from top to bottom and score in a crisscross pattern through the flesh. Place on a small baking tray and brush with ghee. Season with a little black pepper and bake for 30-40 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.

 
Add ghee to a large pot and place over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for five minutes, stirring regularly until softened and lightly browned. Add the cumin, curry, chili, and cinnamon, stirring constantly. Pour the tomatoes into the pan. Add the pepper, zucchini, chickpeas, and stock. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick.

 

Couscous

For the couscous, dissolve the stock cube in 1/2 cup boiled water in a medium bowl. Stir in the couscous, cover, and rest for three minutes. Add the lemon zest and toss well together, using a fork to break up the clumps of couscous.

 
Divide the eggplants evenly. Stir the lemon juice into the chickpeas and season to taste. Spoon the spiced chickpeas over the eggplants. Add the couscous and sprinkle with chopped nuts. 

Did you know?
Traditional couscous requires considerable preparation time and is usually steamed and fluffed to separate the couscous granules. In many places, a more processed, quick-cooked couscous is available and is particularly valued for its short preparation time.

African Countries Affected by Conflict and Violence

Updated analysis of current conflicts affecting the African continent

Explore more turning points in African history in the African History Hub .

Note: Conflict situations change rapidly. This article has been updated with current information where available.

Africa has 54 sovereign nations, and while many are experiencing peace and development, several continue to face significant security challenges including armed conflict, terrorism, and political violence.

Updated Perspective

As of 2024, conflict patterns have shifted with some wars ending and new tensions emerging.

Regional Impact

Millions across Africa remain affected by violence and displacement despite peace efforts.

Current Major Conflict Zones in Africa

Active Conflict Areas (2024)

• Sahel Region: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger (jihadist insurgencies)
• East Africa: Sudan (civil war), Ethiopia (regional conflicts), Somalia (Al-Shabaab)
• Central Africa: Eastern DRC (multiple armed groups), CAR (rebel violence)
• West Africa: Nigeria (Boko Haram/ISWAP), Cameroon (Boko Haram, separatists)

Cry for peace, not war - Eastern DRC remains one of Africa's most complex conflict zones

Ongoing International Justice Efforts

The International Criminal Court continues to address war crimes in Africa, though its engagement has evolved since earlier cases.

Recent ICC Developments: The Court has shifted focus to newer conflicts while continuing to monitor situations in DRC, Uganda, and other regions where atrocities occurred.

Regional Conflict Patterns

Updated Conflict Analysis: While the original article listed 15 countries, current conflicts are more concentrated but still devastating to affected regions.

West Africa Security Challenges

Boko Haram and its splinter groups continue to operate in the Lake Chad basin, though regional military cooperation has made significant gains against the insurgents.

Great Lakes Region

Eastern DRC remains volatile with multiple armed groups, while Rwanda-Uganda relations have improved significantly since earlier tensions.

Humanitarian Impact

According to UN estimates, over 30 million people in Africa are internally displaced due to conflict and violence, with the highest numbers in DRC, Sudan, and Somalia.

Historical Context: Understanding Root Causes

The content about historical tensions between Hutu and Tutsi communities, colonial impacts, and the formation of groups like FDLR remains relevant for understanding current dynamics in the Great Lakes region.

Cost of Conflict in Africa - Updated Facts

Economic Impact

Conflicts continue to cost African economies billions annually, hampering development and foreign investment.

Human Cost

Civilian casualties remain high in active conflict zones, particularly in Sudan, DRC, and Sahel region countries.

How War Shapes What Africans Eat

Conflict in Africa is not only fought on battlefields—it is fought in markets, farms, and kitchens. Every armed group, political militia, or occupying force disrupts food systems long before the world takes notice.

When conflict erupts, the first victims are often farmers. Fields become front lines, roads become checkpoints, and food prices soar overnight. A village that once grew maize or cassava suddenly imports its meals—if food even reaches it at all. As a result, war dictates who eats, what they eat, and whether they eat at all.

In regions like the Sahel, Eastern DRC, and Sudan, armed conflict directly determines:

• Which crops can be grown (militias often extort farmers or seize harvests)
• Who controls water (rivers, wells, and irrigation become military assets)
• Which markets stay open (traders risk death on insecure roads)
• How high food prices rise (scarcity becomes a weapon)

War is ultimately a story told through empty granaries, burned fields, stolen livestock, and families forced to survive on relief rations instead of the food they once cultivated. This is why, in Africa, understanding conflict also means understanding food—and how politics determines what ends up on the plate.

Explore more turning points in African history in the African History Hub .

Part of our African Geography Hub — discover how Africa's land, people, and natural features shape its story.

Start with fresh camel milk from your trusted market, add strawberry syrup and fresh strawberries and enjoy a sweet delicious strawberry twist on camel milk.

Fresh Strawberry Camel Milk Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups camel milk

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons strawberry syrup

1 pint fresh strawberries

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a large bowl add sliced strawberries and sugar, mash mixture and mix well then set aside. Add milk and water into a large pot and boil 5 minutes, add strawberry syrup and vanilla stir well. Remove from heat. Cool. Let sit for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Add a tablespoon of mashed strawberries to each glass of milk serve and enjoy.

Did you know? Camel milk is a staple part of North African nomads for centuries and contains almost 10 times the iron than cow milk.

More drink recipes to whip up today.

1. Legal Drinking Age in Africa
2. Ibwatu African Energy Drink
3. Tzaneen Pawpaw Coconut Chiller
4. Dried Hibiscus Flowers Red Party Punch
5. Viagra Green Fig Tea
6. Sugar Cane Drink
7. South African Amarula Brown Elephant Recipe

Who are Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda, Islamic State and Boko Haram deadly terrorist groups in Africa?

Parts of Africa are under constant terrorist attacks and live with the constant threat of terrorism throughout their daily lives. According to Wikipedia list of 2017 terrorist attacks, the four groups responsible for the majority of the terrorist attacks or suspected are Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda, Islamic State and Boko Haram.

Al-Shabaab

Al-Shabab means The Youth in Arabic is a Salafist
jihadist group based in East Africa, mainly Somalia. 

Al-Shabaab means The Youth in Arabic is a Salafist jihadist group based in East Africa, mainly Somalia. Al-Shabab has staged numerous attacks in Kenya because it has sent its troops into Somali territory. In February 2010, the group is allied to al-Qaeda. Al-Shabaab has carried out more than 360 attacks in Somalia from 2006-2017. 

On January 27, 2017, Al-Shabaab killed at least 57 soldiers in takeover of peacekeeping base in Kulbiyow, Somalia. In the middle of the day on September 21, 2013, al-Shabaab fighters stormed a busy Nairobi Kenya shopping center, throwing grenades and firing indiscriminately at shoppers for 4 days resulting in at least 67 deaths. Al-Shabaab was declared terrorist group by US on March 18, 2008.

Al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda is the oldest of the Islamist militant groups
operating in North Africa

Al-Qaeda means The Base in Arabic and is broad-based militant Islamist organization founded by Osama bin Laden in 1989. The oldest of the Islamist militant groups operating in North Africa, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) came into being in 2005 when it changed its name from the Algerian Salafi Group for Call and Combat (GSPC) and announced its allegiance to Osama Bin Laden. In February 2017, 15 people were killed and 19 injured in Tiloa, Niger in an ambush attack by Al-Qaeda militants. Al-Qaeda was declared terrorist group by US on October 8, 1999.

Islamic State formerly known as ISIS

Soldiers who defeated Islamic State formerly
 known as ISIS militants show arms
captured from combatants.

Islamic State formerly known as ISIS can trace its roots back to the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian. In 2004, a year after the US-led invasion of Iraq, Zarqawi pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden and formed al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), which became a major force in the insurgency.

February 2017, Islamic State militants in Qandala, Somalia executed three civilians and three soldiers. In the same month, two Christians were killed by Islamic State militants. The first was shot dead and the second was abducted and later burned alive. Islamic State was declared terrorist group by US on December 17, 2004.

Boko Haram

Former captive of Boko Haram

Boko Haram founded in 2002 official Arabic name, Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad, means "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad"  was initially focused on opposing Western education earning the nickname Boko Haram, which means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language. Adamawa, Borno and Yobe are the three Nigerian states worst-affected by Boko Haram. 

Boko Haram declared terrorist group by US in 2013. About 11 people were killed Saturday March 28, 2015 and two more injured ‎in attacks apparently by Boko Haram in voting stations in the northeastern state of Gombe Nigeria.

Boko Haram states its purpose is to institute Sharia, or Islamic law. Women and girls who were former captives of Boko Haram face marginalization and rejection by family and community members because of social and cultural norms related to sexual violence. Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it "haram", or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society.

What is a terrorist organization?

Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda, Islamic State and Boko Haram
 are the four deadliest terrorist organizations in Africa

The Bureau of Counterterrorism in the US State Department reviews potential foreign organizations by investigating actual terrorist attacks that a group has carried out, also if the group has engaged in planning and preparations for possible future acts of terrorism or retains the capability and intent to carry out such acts.

The organization’s terrorist activity or terrorism must threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security (national defense, foreign relations, or the economic interests) of the United States.

The organization must engage in terrorist activity, as defined in section 212 (a)(3)(B) of the INA or terrorism, as defined in section 140(d)(2) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 or retain the capability and intent to engage in terrorist activity or terrorism.

Cocoyam Vegetable Pottage Recipe

African Recipes by African Gourmet 

Vegetable cocoyam pottage is a thick dish of stewed vegetables that is a healthy and delicious African weeknight meal to make for your family.

Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 25 min Total time: 50 min

Vegetable Cocoyam Pottage Recipe

Ingredients:

1 large cocoyam peeled and diced

3 large tomatoes, diced

2 handfuls bitter leaf

2 medium chopped onions

1 medium chopped red bell pepper

1 medium chopped green bell pepper

1 teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon tamarind paste

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 cups vegetable stock

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a large pot, simmer until thick 25 minutes. Serve warm with rice or fufu.