Editorial

Abstract

Our current issue is not not a thematic publication but our first three articles are dealing with Africa’s most populous country, which is since last year, after recalculation, the largest economic power of the continent. This has a very simple reason. On 14 February 2015 Nigeria will have parliamentary and presidential elections, the fifth since the civil governance was restored in 1999. The more than 68 million registered voters will not only determine the fate of their own country, but influence the future of the West African region and in fact of the whole continent. The reader will find the arguments in the articles of István Tarrósy: “Nigeria votes – Will Jonathan Goodluck Get Re-elected?”, of Zoltán Vörös: “The Structure of the Nigerian Electoral System”, and of Mária L. Béres: “What Troubles Modern Nigeria? – A Literary Overview From Achebe to Adichie”.
Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia, Guinea and Togo will also have elections in the coming months, so the method of voting in Nigeria and the interpretations of our authors are lessons giving insights to serve our readers.
In his critical article entitled “Once Upon a Time… The Story of ‘Africa Rising’”, Ian Taylor draws our attention to the continent’s resource curse and growth model. János Besenyő deals with the guerrilla war fought between the Polisario Front – representing the Western Saharan natives – and the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as Mauritania. Ildikó Turóczi presents a unique overview of traditional practices in Esu, a local kingdom in the mountains of North-West Cameroon. Based on our own traditions, we close this winter issue with some interviews made with Africans living in Hungary or having studies in Hungary still maintaining important linkages with the country; together with some book reviews, which signal the growing literature on Africa also in the Hungarian language.

Dr. Búr Gábor
editor-in-chief