Author: Edwin Okong'o

Edwin Okong’o is not your typical, stereotypical African. He is a storyteller by any medium necessary™. Okong'o is an award-winning journalist, humorist, satirist and memoirist. He received his master’s degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied radio, newspaper, magazine, and online multimedia storytelling and editing. Okong’o’s journalistic work, provocative commentaries, and stand-up comedy performances have appeared in numerous media across the world. He is the winner of several honors, including a Webby Award for his short documentary, "Kenya: Sweet Home, Obama", which he made for the PBS program, Frontline.

Episode 116 — Kenya: Starving in the name of Jesus

~ Edwin Okong'o

Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, a former taxi driver in Kenya, managed to convince his followers to starve themselves to death in order to meet Jesus. At least 600 people are missing, and of the more than 200 bodies recovered appear to have be missing organs, according to authorities. Have religious organizations become too powerful to regulate?

Episode 114: African women are rewriting our history, and we love it!

~ Edwin Okong'o

“Until lions learn to tell their own stories, the tale of the lion hunt will always glorify the African hunter,” goes one African saying. We look at the lionesses who are bravely challenging the archaic Eurocentric tale of the hunt.

We discuss the role films like the new Netflix docudrama series, “African Queens: Njinga,” are playing in telling Africa’s true story. The film stars British Nigerian Adesuwa Oni as Queen Njinga, who ruled the kingdoms of Ndongo and Matamba in present-day Angola from 1624 until her death on Dec. 17, 1663. It is was written by Kenyan filmmaker Peres Owino and another British Nigerian, NneNne Iwuji, and narrated by Jada Pinkett Smith.

Episode 113: Peeing on the messenger in South Sudan

~ Edwin Okong'o

Pope Francis was in South Sudan recently, but unlike his 2019 visit, no pictures have emerged of the pontiff kneeling down to kiss the feet of President Salva Kiir Mayardit. We think it’s because the Pope has probably seen the video showing Kiir peeing on himself, which the president somehow blamed on journalists.

Episode 111: World Cup, weddings, and African dictators

~ Edwin Okong'o

In our last episode of the year, we wind up our coverage of the World Cup and get back to the business of talking about Africa. Are extravagant weddings necessary? Why do African leaders rush to Washington at the snap of President Joe Biden’s fingers?

After this episode, we’re taking a well-deserved month-long break. Once again, thank you so much for supporting Africa Straight Talk. We wish you a very merry and safe holiday season.

Episode 107: How to circumvent Uganda’s draconian social media law

~ Edwin Okong'o

President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, probably thinks banning free speech will allow him to stay in power for another 40 years. We think Ugandans should just send their seditious thoughts to their allies outside the country and we’ll share them on social media.

And speaking of Twitter, it looks like even Museveni’s son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, is tired of waiting for his father to relinquish power. Now, the bored prince recently got in trouble for sending a tweet threatening an unprovoked attack on Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. His father punished him with a promotion.