My nieces and nephews have a life expectancy of 52 years.

Or maybe they love Obiang s money more than they love my nieces and nephews.

It is a source of constant delight to me to find cellphones in the hands of the unlikeliest of my fellow citizens taxi drivers, paan wallahs (betel vendors), farmers, and fishermen.

In a better world, my nieces and nephews would honor the United Nations main cultural institution, UNESCO, for insisting on improving the education and health of Africa s children.

COLUMBUS, OHIO In a better world, my nieces and nephews in Equatorial Guinea would respect our country s president for overseeing the careful management of revenues pouring in from oil, and for using these funds for development.

While Obiang and his family and cronies jet around the world living the high life, my nieces and nephews number among the vast majority of the country s people who remain mired in poverty. Child mortality is high.

My nieces and nephews in Equatorial Guinea still go to school on an empty stomach. They return home by mid day to help supplement the household income by selling doughnuts in the streets at a time when they are supposed to be completing homework.