- Squared Take
- Posts
- 🎬Topple
🎬Topple
Good morning. If you read the Wikipedia article on the Ship of Theseus, you’ll learn that it’s a philosophical thought experiment that raises the question: If all of the components of an original object are gradually replaced, is it still the same object? The ancient Greeks first pondered this after a ship belonging to Theseus was replaced part by part over centuries until none of the original material was left.
Well, how’s this for a meta-twist: As Depths of Wikipedia discovered, the Wikipedia page for the Ship of Theseus, which first appeared in 2003, has been edited over time, and now none of the phrases from the original article remain.
Is it still the same Wikipedia article?
— Tayo Davies
POLITICS
Ghana is eyeing a change in power
Seydou Daffe/ISS Africa
This year, the wind of political change has blown harder than a flutist on a gig when their rent is due. Yesterday, preliminary polls in Ghana showed the opposition leader and former president, John Mahama Dramani placed ahead of ruling party candidate and current vice president, Muhamadu Bawumia.
Both candidates are the top contenders to replace outgoing president, Akufo-Addo who has served two terms in power.
What do we know?
Despite facing intense scrutiny during his five-year tenure for power shortages and economic instability, Dramani appears to be the favorite in light of the many setbacks the country has experienced during the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration.
In 2022, after years of extensive borrowing, Ghana defaulted on a $30 billion loan for the first time in its history.
After this, the Akufo-Addo administration secured an emergency $3 billion loan from the IMF to relieve its repayment commitments and inject the economy with much-needed cash.
As of 2023, the size of Ghana’s debt was 90% of its total GDP.
Recent protests against rampant illegal mining have also seen approval ratings of the current administration plummet. According to the Ghana Chambers of Mines, the core mining and quarrying sub-sectors’ (excluding oil and gas) growth rate tapered from 28.9 percent in 2022 to 7.2 percent in 2023.
The wind of change is blowing.
The development feeds into the growing trend of toppling ruling administrations. In South Africa, the ruling ANC lost parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994. Last week in Botswana, the ruling party finished fourth in parliamentary elections, and in Mauritius, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth lost the parliamentary elections just yesterday.
Zooming out: A change in government would come with little surprise to Ghanaians as no party has ever won more than two consecutive terms in the country's democratic history. -TD
TRENDING
So much for innovation
Woodstory
World’s first wooden satellite is in space. The latest extraterrestrial innovation is a four-inch magnolia box. The LignoSat, Japan’s new wooden satellite prototype, docked at the International Space Station on Nov. 5 as part of a six-month orbital test that could ultimately lead to less space junk. The researchers want space tech with less metal and more wood because it burns up on reentry, potentially minimizing the amount of junk floating around our planet. LignoSat is made with honoki, a Japanese magnolia tree whose wood is also used to carve samurai sword sheaths.
SHOWER THOUGHTS
“There are many who have flipped more burgers than pages of books.”
NEWS
Round of continent
With less than a week to go before Senegal's snap legislative elections, the opposition and the government are battling for control of the capital, Dakar.
After failing to clinch Kenya’s top job in five attempts, veteran politician Raila Odinga has launched his candidature for the African Union’s top job.
President Ruto is pushing to transition Kenya’s military intervention in Haiti to a peacekeeping mission out of reported fears of Trump’s incoming administration.
Mauritius’ Prime minister, Pravind Jugnauth has conceded defeat in the country’s parliamentary elections. Full results are expected today.
Reply