What is Africa really like?

Blattman introduces reader to Easterly's new paper about Africa. Another one? Easterly seems to be becoming like those mystery novelists who after awhile start their own imprint and have apprentice writers churn out a new variation every six months. Hey, just because I'm a library do-gooder doesn't mean I can't be take a cheap shot, even though I totally, I mean TOTALLY agree with Easterly, on like, EVERYTHING! ;-) (Oh, except Darfur.)

Anyway, the stereotype of "Child soldiers killing starving HIV/AIDS patients" is raised... Just so happens I'd just earlier read an interesting blog from a pediatrician living in Jos Nigeria. His profile of Joshua Gidado, a Nigerian community soccer coach, gives a real person a chance to stand in for the stereotype. You have to click through the link below to see what I mean:

I talked to him [Joshua] about the soccer match his team had been planning, down to the southeast of Nigeria, and he said it had been canceled because of the risk of kidnapping and other violence in that strife-torn area... more on Joshua's birthday

(The pediatrician's an evangelical Christian who's been in Nigeria for decades, apparently, so expect some interesting posts about abortion etc. too.) My son just finished a soccer game this morning... and that's where the empathy comes in. I love my son's coach, a quiet cheerful and supportive coach (go Ness!). And the thought of Joshua Gidado coaching his team in Nigeria just sends a shiver up my spine.

And libraries? Joshua apparently is self-educated.