No birthday cake for the African Union, according to Ahmed Shiraj, a student at the University of Ghana

I am convinced that the likes of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Haile Selassie, King Hassan II and Sekou Toure are today, May 25, forlorn in their respective graves.

The African Union they fought to establish has turned into probably the worst international grouping of the contemporary world. We should not express any form of delight in its birth.

Under its direction, Africa has become divided into several regional blocks united by a toothless bulldog.

This should be a day when we seek serious answers to reasons why we still lag behind everyone else. Lives are being lost every hour so any celebration could represent an insult to the people.

Wednesday 23d May

Arnaud Emmanuel Ntirenganya in Yaounde Cameroon is dismayed by a BBC investigation into a gold for guns racket between militia groups and Pakistani UN peacekeeping troops in DR Congo

Did I hear that trading went on in 2005 and a UN investigative team sent to gather evidence was obstructed and threatened? Was that team's report really buried by the UN itself to avoid political fallout?

Very sad, I say! I do not blame the Pakistan troops at all for this gold trafficking and gun smuggling.

I only blame the UN for running a dirty mafia organisation all over the world. The UN needs to face judgement day.

Tuesday 22nd May

Henry Williams of Clovis, California and also of Sierra Leone is not sad that President Obasanjo's last day in office is fast approaching

I am not a fan of either Atiku or Obasanjo. However, Obasanjo has slowly slipped to the lowest rung of the lowest ladder. Today he cannot go much lower than a Head of State talking about juju and his vice who he has dined with for years.

Farewell Obasanjo, your farm awaits you where you will be able to tend the next cows, chickens, eggs and ducks of state.

Monday 21st May

Mansa Musa Massaquoi in Arizona, USA draws the spotlight to the Common Market for East and Southern Africa foreign minister's meeting

This week in Nairobi, Africa's so-called leaders are on the verge of retarding the continent's progress by entering into economic partnership agreements with Europe.

Africa embryonic internal economies must not be sabotaged just when they appear to be making headway towards escaping from the shackles of colonialism, imperialism and globalisation.

If these deals mean Africa's undeveloped economies are left open to domination by the same wolves that now come dressed as partnership sheep, Africa and its diaspora must repudiate any agreement that aims to exploit or prevent the continent's development.