It seems unfair to draw similarities between antiglobalists and opponents of the black immigration in western societies. After all, anti-globalisation activists are generally presented as politically progressive and socially conscious people. Nevertheless, there are striking similarities between the assumptions of left-leaning critics of globalisation and right-wing racists, writes Tunde Obadina.

To understand why Africa remains poor or is not growing as fast as it could economically, we need to study the impact of politics and culture on economic activity in the continent. This will tell us more about underdevelopment than straight economic analysis focusing on such matters as macroeconomic management and international trade relations, writes Tunde Obadina.

Antiglobalists argue that economic integration is the new form of imperialism, while globalists insist it is the only way that poor countries to transcend underdevelopment. Which is it?

Africa's poverty has become an international cause celebre, a major focus of attention of good-hearted men and women who want heal the continent's problems and make the suffering go away. Should Africans be thankful for this?

The United States contends that Genetically Modified foods can help end starvation in Africa. Should impoverished African countries adopt the technology?

The fact that billions of people from various cultures in virtually all corners of the globe celebrated the dawning of the new millennium demonstrated the triumph of globalisation.

The slave trade was a crucial part of the development of international capitalism. The role of African ruling classes in the trade was not very different from the position of contemporary African elites. They both traded the resources of their people for self-gratification, argues Tunde Obadina.

By deciding to hand over the management control of major state enterprises to international technical and financial partners, Nigerian rulers are admitting that they cannot manage their peoples' affairs. By targeting western corporations to take over these concerns, the message is clearly that Africans cannot handle modern economic institutions, argues Tunde Obadina

Africa is plainly a continent of extreme poverty. But do commonly used indicators of economic growth accurately reflect the levels of output of African societies? Tunde Obadina argues that conventional methods of calculating national output tend to overstate Africa's poverty, by ignoring the activities of large sections of its peoples.

Blaming Africa's woes on colonialism and neo-colonialism strikes a cord with many educated Africans, but the focus on external forces has drawn attention away from internal factors crucial to an understanding of Africa's condition. With or without colonialisation, African societies would still today be faced with fundamental economic dilemmas, argues Tunde Obadina