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Africans still waiting for 'chief' Geldof's help
UK Telegraph ^ | 3/10/07 | Caroline Davies

Posted on 03/10/2007 1:31:45 PM PST by wagglebee

When Sir Bob Geldof, the rock star-turned-Africa campaigner, visited the impoverished town of Ajumako-Bisease in Ghana, he was hailed as a saviour.

In an elaborate and memorable ceremony full of ritual and colour, the people crowned him as their chief of development, a ceremony captured on film for his Geldof in Africa TV series.

Their firm understanding was he would help the town, and they claim he said he would. But, three years on Ajumako-Bisease remains disappointed, according to a documentary. Nothing has changed. And, despite accepting his position as chief, they have not heard from Geldof since.

Ajumako-Bisease's 27,000 inhabitants believed Geldof would help them fund a new covered marketplace. They cleared a plantation to make space for it. But no funds have materialised and weeds have slowly reclaimed the land.

They hoped he would help with funding for machinery to expand their coca nut industry, but those hopes too have faded with time. They had plans for a new hospital, a clinic, even. But those have been quietly shelved. Not one penny has found its way to them.

The claims are made in the film A Letter to Geldof, a documentary by Worldwrite, a youth education charity that retraced Geldof's steps. In it, the Chief of Ajumako-Bisease, Nana Okofo Kwakora Gyan III says what he wants now is for a face-to-face meeting with Geldof to ask him: "Why?" But, despite his best endeavours, he cannot reach him.

A spokesman for Geldof said the matter was an embarrassing misunderstanding, but Geldof's memory of the events was at odds with those of the people of Bisease. "They did film there, he went to Bisease to film a story on trade. Without forewarning when he arrived there was this massive ceremony which he didn't expect. They made him an honorary chief. Of course he was going to accept that hospitality, it would have been rude not to," the spokesman said.

"The only thing he did promise was that he would return at some point for an autumn festival, which he hasn't done yet, but he will. The notion that he could in any way develop Bisease is ridiculous. He wouldn't promise something that he could not do, could not deliver.

"I think a misunderstanding is a reasonable way to put it. He certainly does not wish to criticise them, and it does not in any way diminish his appreciation of the hospitality he was shown and for the people who live there.

"The film appears to show a rather different version of events to the one he remembered, and so he did not want to be on the film."

The documentary is to be shown on March 26 at the Richmix cinema in Shoreditch, London.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: africa; bobgeldof; hypocrisy; liveaid
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Typical hypocritical leftist.
1 posted on 03/10/2007 1:31:46 PM PST by wagglebee
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To: wagglebee

Heaven helps those who help themselves. And then, what would they need geldof for?


2 posted on 03/10/2007 1:34:26 PM PST by GSlob
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To: wagglebee

South Pacific villagers worship a mysterious American they call John Frum - believing he'll one day shower their remote island with riches.

3 posted on 03/10/2007 1:43:35 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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SHAME ON YOU, BOB GELDOF! In 1971, the pioneering former Beatle, hearing Ravi Shankar's distress, used his fame and the power of music to organize the Concert for Bangladesh. At that time, the country was ravaged by floods, famine and civil war, which left 10 million people — mostly women and children — fleeing their homes. George Harrison set the precedent that music could be used to serve a higher cause. The Concert for Bangladesh was one of the most ambitious humanitarian efforts in rock music history. It produced an extraordinary contribution for UNICEF, exceeding $15 million.
4 posted on 03/10/2007 1:48:08 PM PST by Vn_survivor_67-68
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To: Vn_survivor_67-68
Yes, the conecert raised money, but the money didn't help. The problem with Bangledesh was not flooding, it was socialism.

As for Bob Geldof, why do they keep referring to him as a rock star? He was in a crap band 30 years ago.

5 posted on 03/10/2007 1:49:46 PM PST by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: Rodney King

umm, most of the problem was the "West Pakistanis"


6 posted on 03/10/2007 1:51:46 PM PST by Vn_survivor_67-68
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To: Vn_survivor_67-68

I disagree. If you look at the world, and look at those countries with chronic hunger problems, there is one, and only one thing that they have in common: the lack of private property rights.


7 posted on 03/10/2007 1:54:30 PM PST by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: GSlob
Heaven helps those who help themselves. And then, what would they need geldof for?
____________________________________________

That isn't biblical, Children of God should be helping those that are defenseless.
8 posted on 03/10/2007 1:54:54 PM PST by ThisLittleLightofMine
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To: ThisLittleLightofMine
Children of God should be helping those that are defenseless.

But are they defenseless?

9 posted on 03/10/2007 1:57:02 PM PST by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: Vn_survivor_67-68

Geldof's new wave band in the 1980s "The Boomtown Rats" was fantastic, but they weren't a commercial success. It was Band Aid/LiveAid that turned Geldof into an international celebrity and gave him other opportunities that have made him a very wealthy man (he has been involved in TV production and travel companies which he has sold for more than $24 million, plus whatever money he made while he owned them).

Geldof may not have directly offered to help this town build a new marketplace, but he also did nothing to clarify their misunderstandings. I can't imagine that a marketplace for a village of 2,700 would cost that much to build and for him not to do anything to realize this goal is blatant hypocrisy.


10 posted on 03/10/2007 1:59:00 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: Rodney King

I thought the Boomtown Rats was a great band, they just weren't very successful.


11 posted on 03/10/2007 1:59:53 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: Rodney King

I think the late Sam Kinison had it right. "You live in a desert, move to where the food is!!"


12 posted on 03/10/2007 2:01:51 PM PST by dfwgator (The University of Florida - Championship U)
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To: wagglebee

Parasitic good-for-nothing, lazies.

God helps those who help themselves.


13 posted on 03/10/2007 2:05:37 PM PST by baubau (BOYCOTT Bank of America for Issuing Credit Cards to 3rd World Illegal Aliens.)
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To: baubau

Let's see, Geldof has raised hundreds of millions to end African hunger, in the process he has become an international celebrity and with this he has been afforded the opportunity to become a multi-millionaire himself. By your estimation, NONE of the money he has raised for charity should actually go to those he raised it for because they are too "lazy" -- that doesn't sound like Christian charity to me.


14 posted on 03/10/2007 2:10:20 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

He should use those funds he raised from our Christian brothers and sisters to help our Christian brothers and sisters, not send them to Africa. I mean, this is a no-brainer - help our own people, not the enemy.


15 posted on 03/10/2007 2:18:45 PM PST by baubau (BOYCOTT Bank of America for Issuing Credit Cards to 3rd World Illegal Aliens.)
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To: Vn_survivor_67-68
"It produced an extraordinary contribution for UNICEF, exceeding $15 million."

Is there any paper trail or proof that any of the money went to the folks who needed it?

Semper Fi

16 posted on 03/10/2007 2:22:54 PM PST by river rat (You may turn the other cheek, but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)
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To: baubau

So, he should commit fraud? The money has been specifically to end hunger in Africa and Ghana is over 60% Christian.


17 posted on 03/10/2007 2:24:28 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

Africans will wait a long time for "Sir Bob's" live8 bucks to filter down to them. Live forever.

Anything given to any African country goes immediately into the ruling tyrant's Swiss bank account to fund his fleet of Mercedes, etc. etc.

The inevitable fruits of socialism.


18 posted on 03/10/2007 2:27:08 PM PST by Zman516 (“What profiteth it a man if he maketh a gazillion buckth but loseth hith entire thivilithathion?”)
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To: Zman516

uhh...."like" forever, that is.


19 posted on 03/10/2007 2:28:23 PM PST by Zman516 (“What profiteth it a man if he maketh a gazillion buckth but loseth hith entire thivilithathion?”)
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To: Cicero
The "Gel Dof" cargo cult awaits the return of the master...
20 posted on 03/10/2007 2:28:53 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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