Panel 54 – Africa, Heard Differently: Exclusive Two-Part Interview with H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor, Former President of Ghana
[VIDEO]
In a media landscape where African issues are often filtered through external lenses or simplified into headlines, Panel 54 provides a platform where Africa speaks for itself—and to the world. The show blends in‑studio debate, street‑level voices, and raw exchanges between its hosts. It explores the power struggles, public debates, and cultural crossroads shaping the continent, from Cape Town to Cairo, Lagos to Lamu.
'We're not here to echo what's trending. We're here to ask what's true,' says co-host Ndu Okoh.
'Our goal is to center African thought in global dialogue,' adds Waweru Njoroge.
Debut Spotlight: H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor – The Gentle Giant Speaks
For its premiere two‑part episode, Panel 54 travels to Accra for an in‑depth interview with H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor, former President of Ghana (2001–2009) and former ECOWAS Chair, widely regarded as one of Africa's elder statesmen.
At 86, Kufuor remains sharp, passionate and deeply committed to Africa's future. In this rare conversation, he issues a rallying call to young Africans:
'Today's youth are smarter than their fathers. Africa is too young to die. It must be imbued with great hope. Please young people, keep yourselves in education. Learn. And keep open-minded so you can think through issues.'
He speaks candidly about the centrality of democracy:
'People should decide their leaders. They should make their leaders and use the ballot box.'
Kufuor also warns of the dangers that a multipolar world poses for Africa if the continent fails to cultivate visionary and educated leadership:
'We need smart, educated leaders—not goons in suits or military uniforms—capable of navigating global complexity without becoming pawns in great power rivalries.'
During the discussion, Kufuor reflects on:
· The dangers of illegal gold mining (galamsey) in Ghana, calling it a 'menace'
· The importance of digital technology in advancing Pan‑African integration
· His mediation work in peace processes in Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia
· His legacy in education reform and healthcare development in Ghana
· The importance of strategic security partnerships with the United States and other nations, handled in a way that strengthens African sovereignty rather than weakens it
On Pan‑Africanism, he underlines:
'It is an imperative that must be realized. It may have seemed idealistic in Nkrumah's time, but today, through technology and digitization, African unity is more feasible than ever.'
Listen, Watch and Join the Conversation
Panel 54 is available now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Listeners can expect deep insights, authentic conversations, and vibrant audience participation through live Q&As, polls, and behind-the-scenes features.
🎧 Listen to the full interview with President Kufuor:
https://linktr.ee/panel54pod
Follow @panel54podcast on YouTube, Instagram, X (Twitter) and TikTok.
About the Hosts
· Waweru Njoroge – A seasoned Kenyan political editor, media strategist and newsroom leader with over 20 years of experience.
· Ndu Okoh – A Nigerian-born, Kenya-based journalist and cultural commentator.
Together, they bring clarity, depth and urgency to the most vital conversations shaping Africa's future.
Hashtag: #Panel54
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Shannon Sharpe breaks his silence on ESPN letting him go after settling $50 million lawsuit: ‘I hate the fact that I'm overshadowing my brother'
Shannon Sharpe's older brother, Sterling Sharpe, is among those being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. Shannon Sharpe is 'at peace' with things following being let go from ESPN. On Wednesday, July 30, the 57-year-old former NFL player-turned-podcaster addressed the news that after settling his sexual assault and battery case, the network had formally released him during an episode of his 'Nightcap' podcast, which he hosts alongside Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson. 'Obviously, I'm sure everybody's heard the news by now that I will not be returning to ESPN. I found out this information a little earlier in the week,' he explained. He added, 'I really enjoyed my time at ESPN. It gave me an opportunity to bring my audience that saw me, really just grow. They saw me [saying,] 'Lakers in 5.' They saw me saying all these funny things and analogies that my grandparents gave me. And I was able to bring that to ESPN. So, I'm very, very grateful for that.' However, he wishes the news could have waited until next week, after his older brother, Sterling Sharpe, who had a dazzling career as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers in the late 80s and 90s, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He even urged ESPN noting his concerns of overshadowing his brother's moment. 'I said, 'This coming out would overshadow everything that he's worked his entire life for.' Unfortunately, it didn't happen that way,' Sharpe explained. 'As I profusely apologized to him earlier today, he said, 'Bro, stop apologizing. You don't have to apologize. I'm your big bro. I'm gonna love you regardless. We all make mistakes.'' After joining ESPN in the fall of 2023, the network placed Sharpe on leave in April after a $50 million civil lawsuit was filed against him in Nevada. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe (who was later named by Sharpe), accused Sharpe of rape, sexual assault, battery, and emotional distress. The sports commentator denied all allegations, characterizing the lawsuit as a 'shakedown' and describing their relationship as consensual and complex. The case was officially settled on Friday, July 18 for an undisclosed amount and dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. Shortly afterward, ESPN chose not to reinstate him, effectively ending his run on 'First Take' and any future role with the company. 'They did what they felt they needed to do. I'm at peace with that,' Sharpe noted during his podcast before doubling down on how he wished the timing could be different. 'I hate the fact that I'm overshadowing my brother… My first two brothers are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and this is what the headlines [are] gonna be for the next couple of days,' he expressed. 'So, bro, again, I know you told me I don't have to apologize, but I'm gonna do it one final time tonight, and I won't apologize again. I'm sorry that I upstaged you in this manner. That was never my intent. You've been my hero. You've been my role model for as long as I can remember. I apologize, and I thank all my fans for supporting me when I was at ESPN and every place that I've been. Be it, 'Club Shay Shay,' 'Night Cap,' 'Undisputed,' ESPN, thank you guys for your support.' More must-reads: ESPN cuts ties with Shannon Sharpe following sexual assault settlement 'Love Island' star Kenny Rodriguez accused of being 'racist,' and a 'manipulative liar' in breakup with JaNa Craig In 'Sinners' and his music, Buddy Guy is keeping the blues alive. It hasn't been easy
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Destination: Africa - Is it legal for US to deport foreign criminals to the continent?
The US administration has turned to the African continent as another destination to deport migrants who it says are convicted criminals. While dozens have been flown to countries in Central and South America, 12 men from countries including Mexico, Myanmar and Yemen were last month sent to Eswatini and South Sudan. One South Sudanese was also flown back home. Other African countries are also reportedly being courted by the US to accept people, whose home countries will not take them back, according to the US authorities. President Donald Trump's mass deportation pledge drew support during his campaign last year. But UN rights experts and human rights groups are alarmed by what has happened and argue that these removals to a nation that is not the migrant's place of origin – known as third countries - could violate international law. Is third-country deportation legal in international law? Third-country deportations can be legal - but only under certain conditions. "The whole concept of third-country removal has to be seen in light of the broader concept of asylum," says Prof Ray Brescia, from the Albany Law School in the US. "There is a principle in international law - non-refoulement - which means you are not supposed to return someone to their home country if it's unsafe for them, so a third country could provide a safe option," he says. This principle not only applies to the migrant's home country but also to any third country they might be sent to. If that country is unsafe, deportation may violate international law - as when the UK's Supreme Court blocked the British government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda in 2023. Due process is also essential. Nigeria has 'enough problems' and can't take deportees from US, minister says 'We can't do without these people': Trump's migrant crackdown has businesses worried Migrants must have the chance to challenge deportation if the destination is dangerous, based on evidence from credible sources like UN reports or US State Department findings. Courts are expected to assess this risk carefully. "The courts should examine what kind of legal status migrants will have, if they'll be detained, and what kind of housing is provided," says Dr Alice Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. But many migrants struggle to access legal support in time. "It takes significant effort and access to a lawyer who can act quickly," says Prof Brescia. "That legal route may not be available to everyone." Do the Eswatini and South Sudan deportations violate international law? "They certainly do in two respects," says Prof David Super, from Georgetown University Law Center. "There's no evidence the US is giving people a chance to challenge their deportation, and they're not permitted to send people to countries where they might face oppression. "South Sudan and Eswatini have serious questions about their human rights records," he tells the BBC. When the migrants were first bound for South Sudan in May, a legal challenge was filed in a US district court after the flight had already taken off. The judge ruled that the attempts to deport the men had violated his order that migrants must be allowed to challenge their removal to third countries. The plane was rerouted to Djibouti, on the East African coast, where the men were reportedly held in a shipping container on a US military base while the case was heard. The case was referred to the Supreme Court which allowed the deportations to proceed but did not specify whether South Sudan was deemed a safe place for the migrants. "What we've seen in similar cases is that people are often denied legal help when they need it, and proceedings begin far too late," says Dr Edwards. "In this case, they were already en route to a US military base and that's deeply problematic." She adds that the courts must remain apolitical, especially when basic rights are at stake. Lesotho declares state of disaster amid US tariff uncertainty US cuts visa validity for most Nigerian applicants Trump's tariffs could be death knell for US-Africa trade pact Prof Brescia warns that the Supreme Court's decision could set a dangerous precedent. "There's real concern it will encourage the administration to move even faster, before individuals can access the courts at all," he says. Are Eswatini and South Sudan safe? In addition to being denied due process, migrants are being sent to potentially unsafe countries - violating international law. The US State Department currently advises against all travel to South Sudan, citing threats including crime, armed conflict and kidnapping. Earlier this year, the country, one of the poorest in the world, was said to be on the brink of a return to civil war. "There are very real concerns about law and order in South Sudan - about violence, instability, and ongoing conflict," says Dr Edwards. Those deported to South Sudan are reportedly being held in a detention facility in the capital, Juba, known for poor conditions, according to political activist, Agel Rich Machar. The government has not confirmed their location or how long they will spend in detention. In Eswatini, a small landlocked kingdom in southern Africa, officials say the migrants are in a correctional facility and will be repatriated with support from the International Organization of Migration (IOM). The US State Department has said Eswatini's prisons face problems of overcrowding, poor ventilation, and deficiencies in dietary nutrition and health services. "We don't foresee they will stay long enough to be integrated into society," Eswatini government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli told the BBC, without giving any indication of how long they would stay in the country, or whether they would serve the rest of their sentences first. The US government says those who have been deported to Eswatini committed "barbaric" crimes including child rape, murder and sexual assault. A backlash is growing in Eswatini. The country's largest opposition party, the People's United Democratic Movement (Pudemo) says that the agreement between the two countries was "human trafficking disguised as a deportation deal". Pro-democracy activist Lucky Lukhele says the country must not become "a dumping ground for criminals". Even if international law has been violated, Prof Super says the US is unlikely to face consequences as it does not recognise many international courts. "This appears to be about deterrence, sending a message that if you come to the US you'll be treated very, very harshly," he says. Regardless of legality, third-country deportations often place vulnerable individuals in unfamiliar environments with little support or legal status, says Dr Edwards. "It's a deeply flawed idea." She stresses that the human rights community is not trying to block each and every deportation - only where people face human rights violations. What's in it for the host countries? The details of the deportation deals remain largely secret. Ms Mdluli tells the BBC that Eswatini's reasons for accepting the deportees "remains classified information for now". However, both the Eswatini and South Sudan governments cited their strong ties with the US as a key motivation. Prof Brescia suggests some countries may fear US retaliation if they refuse, such as stricter visa rules or higher tariffs. In April, the US said it would revoke all visas issued to South Sudanese nationals after it would not accept a deported citizen. It is not clear if that has changed, now that it has accepted deportees from the US. Political activist Machar says South Sudan has also agreed to this deal as it wants the US to lift sanctions on Vice-President Benjamin Bol Mel. The US government issued sanctions against Bol Mel in 2021 due to alleged corruption and renewed them this year. However, other countries, like Nigeria, are pushing back. "We have enough problems of our own," Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said in July, rejecting a request to take in Venezuelan detainees. Dr Edwards notes that such deals often come with incentives. "In past arrangements of third-country deportations, large sums of money, as well as military and security cooperation, were part of the package," she says. In March, reports said the Trump administration would pay El Salvador $6m (£4.5m) to accept Venezuelan deportees. You may also be interested in: US cuts visa validity for applicants from four African countries Six things Trump should know about Liberia after he praised leader's 'good English' Why Trump invited five African leaders to the White House Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Focus on Africa This Is Africa
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jon Stewart Remembers Creepy Meeting With Roger Ailes in the ‘Bowels of Fox News': ‘Yelled at Each Other for About an Hour'
"He wanted me to show appreciation because without him I have no career,' the 'Daily Show' host tells Mehdi Hasan Jon Stewart had an interaction with former Fox News president Roger Ailes that still chills him to the bone. While speaking with Medhi Hasan on 'The Weekly Show' podcast Thursday, the Comedy Central star explained that his presence was once requested for 'one of those bananas-type meetings in the bowels of Fox News' with Ailes after he had guested on 'The O'Reilly Factor.' More from TheWrap Jon Stewart Remembers Creepy Meeting With Roger Ailes in the 'Bowels of Fox News': 'Yelled at Each Other for About an Hour' | Video Megyn Kelly Slams Sen. Elissa Slotkin's Stephen Colbert Interview, Says She Wanted to 'Punch Her in the Face' | Video Fox News Had Only 3 Minutes of Epstein Coverage in the Last 4 Days – and 85 Minutes of Sydney Sweeney's Jeans Ad Shirley Halperin Exits Hollywood Reporter for Rolling Stone, Maer Roshan Becomes Sole EIC of THR To hear Stewart tell it, 'The Daily Show' host had gone after Ailes and his Fox News for the entirety of his run on the show and the late network president wanted thanks. 'I used to go on Bill O'Reilly's show. Every now and again they would bring in the, you know, 'clownish liberal' – myself – and I would go on there,' he began. 'And one day, one of the people came down and said Mr. Ailes would like to see you. And I thought, 'Why? Geez, I didn't even know he lived in the building.'' Stewart continued: 'We had to walk through the kind of 'Get Smart' — doors would open and shut. You didn't really know where you were until you got into this one part of the building that was colder than the other parts of the building. You almost felt the hair on the back of your neck and the chill, and you could see everybody's breath in this one part. And he and I yelled at each other in the office for about an hour. He wanted me to show appreciation to him, because without him I have no career. And I wanted him to stop poisoning the atmosphere around the country.' 'And harassing his blonde hosts,' podcast guest Mehdi Hasan chimed in. Ailes also mentioned the meeting between the two in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter back in 2015 as Stewart's time on 'The Daily Show' was coming to an end. The then-president had a much cheerier perspective on the meeting. 'You can't say that many negative things about people unless you're really unhappy about something,' Ailes said. 'I actually think he doesn't dislike me. We met once or twice. I talked to him for an hour once in my office. I think he's really smart, and he's got a great future.' Stewart and Hasan marveled at Ailes' strategy for dealing with discourse and opposition from the left. It happens to be the same playbook used today by most of the right — most prominently by President Donald Trump and his supporters, they said. 'His methodology was: 'I am going to discredit all of the institutions or any of the voices that may in any way harm my movement. I'm going to make sure that editorial authority is seen as elitism. I am going to exercise authoritarian control over my message machine,'' Stewart explained. 'And that's, I think, the genius of that movement.' Hasan just went viral for debating a number of right-wing enthusiasts on Jubilee's YouTube page earlier this month. He explained the difficulties that came with having those conversations because the people he was debating don't play by the same rules. 'Liberals and Democrats and Leftists have got to understand that you are not on some ridiculous even playing field,' he said. 'I've been hearing this since Donald Trump came down the escalator in 2015 – 'just because they don't play by the rules doesn't mean we shouldn't.' No that's exactly what it means!' Watch the full 'Weekly Show' episode below: The post Jon Stewart Remembers Creepy Meeting With Roger Ailes in the 'Bowels of Fox News': 'Yelled at Each Other for About an Hour' | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
