Book excerpt: This book brings to the fore some critical and fundamental issues plaguing the continent of Africa. It is a symbolic microcosm of challenging issues that Africa has and must address. Can Africa reverse the dark odds and can it move towards a united and integrated whole? The book explores the untold events and negative trends on the economic, social, political, humanitarian and environmental scene in Africa which leaves the international community perceiving Africa through darkened lenses. It tells the dark tragedy of a people ? the economy of alienation and disempowerment as it also injects an encouraging metaphor that the key to the solution of Africas perennial socio-economic-politico transformation rests primarily and decidedly in the hands of African governments and people. Africans are challenged to stop tinkering with the problem but take a progressive Afro-centric approach to effectively address the fate of democracy, management and development in Africa which are closely intertwined. A wide range scope of issues is covered in the preface and the various chapters. The book puts the reader and people in the mode of the tenacity of maintaining a vision of remaining live to the ideals of a progressive Afro-centric agenda that continuing fighting for African development. JOHN W. FORJE is an African peace scientist, educator and peacemaker from Bali Nyongo, North West Region, Cameroon.