BOOK REVIEW
Friday, November 06, 2009
Little Giant of Bechuanaland is the story of pioneer missionary Reverend William Charles Willoughby (1857 to 1938) and his dedicated wife Bessie Willoughby. He is most famous for his role with the "Three Chiefs" when they went to London in 1895, something that has been written about extensively, but not completely. Professor Neil Parsons called Willoughby a "pathfinder" in his book King Khama, Emperor Joe, and the Great White Queen (1998) and the Three Kings (the Dikgosi Khama III, Bathoen I and Sebele I) his "reluctant followers".
Willoughby is remembered by many older Batswana for a number of other significant contributions he made to Botswana over the 24 years he lived in Southern Africa as a missionary, an educator, a linguist, a researcher, writer and author of five significant books, and a photographer.
That sounds like good news. But the report also warns that this may simply be because our digital economy is still young, not because we are safe. As more people shop, bank and pay online, criminals will follow.We Batswana do not need a report to tell us that danger is real. Many of us have heard of or fallen victim to KYC scams. A caller impersonates your bank or mobile money provider. They say they need to “verify” your account. They ask...