THE MAGAZINE THAT PROMOTES UNION AND COOPERATION OF AFRICANS AROUND THE GLOBE, ENCOURAGING AN INFORMED, THINKING AND QUESTIONING AFRICAN SOCIETY.
SPECIAL REPORT SUDAN REFERENDUM
ISSUE 19 | JAN/FEB 2011
SPORTS: TP MAZEMBE PAGE 14
BLACK HISTORY: BARACK OBAMA PAGE 28
SUDAN: THE GREAT DIVORCE PAGE 24
POVERTY IN AFRICA
TAX TIPS: 5 MAJOR MISTAKES PAGE 34
CELEBRITY BIO: 2FACE PAGE 12
WINTER WEATHER FACTS PAGE 36
ACCORDING TO UNICEF, A CHILD IN AFRICA DIES EVERY THREE SECONDS FROM AIDS AND EXTREME POVERTY, OFTEN BEFORE THEIR FIFTH BIRTHDAY.
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CONTENTS
W E TA L K A F R I C A N . . .
18
28
Entertainment
YELA 08 MUSIC: YELA sings for children On her latest
Album release “Songs, Nursery Rymes and Lullabies from Reunion Island.” By Théo Malela
BIO: 2FACE 12 CELEBRITY Read about The Nigerian singer-songwriter African Celebrity known as TuFace Ibidia. From Wiki Bio
40
Lifestyle
17 Pathos of a Wilting Rose. BOOK PREVIEW:
By Ejine Okoroafor-Eziediaro
18 STYLISSIMA: Interview with Marianne Ilunga, owner of
this innovative Fashion Consulting business. By Staff Writer
Tech & Finance
32 SMARTPHONES: 5 Ways to save money using these expensive lttle gadgets. By April Dykman
TIPS: 34 TAX Avoiding the Most Common Tax Filing Mistakes in 5 Easy Steps.
ON THE COVER: Eric Mulumba Zozo, Congolese Economist
6 [ Editor’s Letter ]
ADUNAGOW MAGAZINE “Reaching Africans Around The Globe” PO BOX 691728 | TULSA, OK | 74169 -1728 | U.S.A.
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Sports
MAZEMBE: 14 TP Pulling off the Biggest Shock in the History of the Club World Cup while Making Africa Proud. By Staff Writer
ETO’O: 16 SAMUEL Read more about the 2010 Best African Player of the Year. From Wiki Bio
Culture
THE GREAT DIVORCE 24 SUDAN: Splitting up the largest African Country. By Staff Writer
HISTORY: 28 BLACK Biography of Barack Obama, the first Black U.S. President. From Biography Online
Health & Beauty
WEATHER FACTS: 36 WINTER How to be prepared and stay healthy in Winter. By Isla Campbell
DAY GIFTS 38 VALENTINE’S Valentine’s Day Gifts Ideas.
Spotlights
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EDITOR’S COLUMN
By Eric Adunagow |
HAPPY NEW YEAR
ADUNAGOW MAGAZINE “Reaching Africans Around The Globe”
Supporting African Businesses in order to Strengthen African Communities.
PUBLISHER: Eric ADUNAGOW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Eric Adunagow eric@adunagow.net
H
APPY NEW YEAR 2011 everyone! As we start the New Year, I would like to take a moment to thank all our readers and writers for a successful year 2010. I believe there is no community without participation. Without your support and dedication, we will not exist at all. At the same time, I still believe we have a lot to do in the African Diaspora around the globe. There is much to do to encourage unity, tolerance, togetherness, and cooperation. Without these qualities, we are just segregated Africans living across the globe, without a voice - powerless. For our first time readers, please let me advise you that ADUNAGOW Magazine goal is to promote cooperation among Africans for the development of the African continent. Our mission is to provide a tool to Africans in order to help them share the best of Africa with their friends and relatives, uplifting the African culture and breaking down the negative stereotype built by biased media about Africa and Africans. To do so, we provide you with interviews from African celebrities, positive role models, business owners, entrepreneurs, and more, showcasing African talents and intellectuals. We also give you information that can help you build a positive environment for yourself and your family, encouraging a questioning and thinking African community. As we better ourselves physically, spiritually, financially, and emotionally, we dress our lives to become living testimonies for others, carrying a message to others that we can be better and reach higher. For the year 2011, we will focus on bringing you more interviews and insightful articles that will keep you motivated for greatness. I believe this is the generation of Africans 6
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JAN / FEB 2011
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Théo Malela April Dykman Isla Campbell Staff Writer
that can spark the road to peace, healing, and self-realization for Africa. The minimum requirements of “smarts” African needed for the development of the continent has been exceeded and surpassed. I believe the next key is for Africans to lay down their hurtful barriers - such as jealousy, hypocrisy, fear, and hatred - and work together. Again, we cannot build a strong African community by living separated from each other. Yes, you’ve made it in the world, but you’re still considered lowclass among your non-African peers because you’re from Africa, which is still stereotyped as the lowest developed continent of the world. The truth of the matter is: You can’t do it all alone. You are Africa and Africa is you. We need each other. So, I encourage everyone to help support African businesses across our communities - buy more Naija movies (don’t copy or download bootlegs), buy more African foods from your local stores, and participate online on African forums, website discussions, groups, and more. Whatever you do, support African businesses within your communites in order to strengthen yourselves. Now, enjoy our first issue of the year! We have three great interviews on Fashion/Style, Entertainment/Music, and Economy. Best regards,
MARKETING DIRECTOR: Colombe Adunagow colombe@adunagow.net CONTACT US: editorial@adunagow.net (714) 612-2057 voice URL: http://www.adunagow.net
ADUNAGOW Magazine [ISSN 1941-7179] is published bi-monthly by ADUNAGOW, PO BOX 691728, Tulsa, OK 74169-1728. Telephone: 714.612.2057. Postage is paid at Tulsa, Oklahoma. U.S. ADUNAGOW. NET and ADUNAGOW are trademarks of Eric ADUNAGOW. All contents are copyright © 2011 by ADUNAGOW Magazine. All rights are reserved. Right of reprint is granted only to non-commercial educational institutions such as high schools, colleges and universities. No other grants are given. Send address changes to ADUNAGOW Magazine, PO Box 691728, Tulsa OK 74169-1728. The opinions of our writers do not always reflect those of the publisher and while we make every effort to be as accurate as possible, we cannot and do not assume responsibility for damages due to errors or omissions. LEGAL STATEMENT: All information in this magazine is offered without guarantee as to its accuracy and applicability in all circumstances. Please consult an attorney, business advisor, accountant or other professional to discuss your individual circumstances. Use of the information in this magazine is not intended to replace professional counsel. Use of this information is at your own risk and we assume no liability for its use.
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Entairtainment
ENTERTAINMENT | YELA
YEL A
SINGS FOR CHILDREN ON HER LATEST ALBUM RELEASE. “Her ambition with this project is to provide the children and their parents with an opportunity to discover or to repossess a part of their culture handed down by her forefathers” 8
ADUNAGOW MAGAZINE
JAN / FEB 2011
S
AINT-PIERRE city native singer YELA’s music is as colourful as the rainbow in the image of her country which is a tremendous mosaic of populations from diverse origins: Africa, Europe, Indian, Asian…she mixes up her Creole culture (Sega, Maloya, Quadrille..) with influences from around the world: African , Latin and Caribbean music, Gospel, Jazz, Soul music … Either for her own compositions or through the choice of the many collaborations she engages herself in, Reunionian YELA is permanently in the mood for sharing and popularizing the legacy handed down by the forefathers . She is involved in projects designed for children. Among these are two albums drawn from her collaborations with Congolese TAMBOURS DES BRAZZA’s
bandleader EMILE BIAYENDA; ‘l’Afrique de la forêt’ devoted to the Central African region, another to the great lakes region , ‘l’Afrique des grands lac’. After these African experiences, YELA has carried on with her work in favour of the collective memory and released a brand new project focusing on her native island : ‘‘Songs, nursery rhymes and lullabies from Reunion island’. Her ambition with this project is to provide the children and their parents with an opportunity to discover or to repossess a part of their culture handed down by her forefathers and help them travel through the CREOLE imaginary, it’s varied landscapes, it’s floral and spicy perfumes, through the island’s daily life scenes. What has been the motivation for embarking on this reunion island children’s songs album? I do like children a lot and appreciate their spontaneity. Working on a project which enables me to share with them the treasures of our culture, to share precious souvenirs like those of my late father taking us into a world full of dreams with the fairy tales he used to capture our attention with. These are the seeds of this project. This type of expression has grown more and more scarce. Nowadays, televisions, radios, internet, have substituted TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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Who are the musicians you’ve worked with on this project? I’ve worked with the musicians i play with for my regular shows which are based on my compositions and other artists’work. My teammates are Cameroonian bass player BIKA BIKA, French guitar player Olivier MAHOP, Maurician drums player Hubert BASSY.
themselves to the good old tales, nursery rhymes, lullabies of yesteryear whereas they were instrumental in passing on our Creole culture. Our younger children have an easier access .to cultural vehicles like the cartoons, the international music hits…. Let’s make things clear here, while opening up to the rest of the world is a good thing, situations where it’s done to the detriment of the promotion of our own roots should be passively addressed. With my album, my concern is simply being able to pay tribute to the legacy we’ve been given, to spread values, stories, songs generations of Reunionians grew up with. Where did the song selected for your project originate from? Handed down from generation to generation, most of the songs on the album are those of my childhood. They come from our elders, from our ancestors. All I’m doing is simply what they did back then, that is passing on to our youth, slices of the history of my island through those tales about daily life. Some songs come from the slavery times like ‘do do sya’, ‘la bourbonnaise’, ‘café grillé’, ‘valé valé’, some like ‘ça sent la banane’, ‘noel à la TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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réunion’, ‘preta moin ton bertelle’ come from our traditional repertoire. Others coming from our contemporary songwriters like BASTER ‘s leader Thierry GAULIRIS, Jacqueline FARREYROL, are songs which have become classics and have been used in schools since 30 years. That album is definitely an invitation to travel through the beauties Reunion island is overflowed with. It is such a thrill to realize how receptive children are to these songs even beyond our Creole community.
“It is such a thrill to realize how receptive children are to these songs even beyond our Creole community” - YELA
You are from Reunion island and happened to be involved in albums dedicated to African children’s songs. How did you get through to that experience and what has it brought to you? Apart from Reunionian and Indian ocean music, western music, I was exposed to African music at a very young age. I have vivid memories of my uncles playing African music records from the 50’s,60’s, 70’s at our family gatherings and at home. It took my moving to Paris for my studies to realize how real was the reputation of Paris , France as world music mecca or crossroad. There I was actually given the opportunity to exchange and work with musicians from different countries and background. I was lucky to discover African spiritual songs while performing through Paris-France ‘s Gospel music scene where many musicians came from Africa and the west-indies. In the meantime I also happened to work on more traditional African music-oriented material like Congolese group TAMBOURS DE BRAZZA’s “TANDALA“album. As it’s leader EMILE BIAYENDA and I shared common interests in terms of passing on our ancestors legacy to younger generations, I wound up working with him on these children ’songs album project focusing on central Africa and the great lakes region. It turned out to be a rich and inspiring adventure. You willingly incorporate elements of African music in your compositions, your albums, and in your live music repertoire where does that attraction towards the African continent come from ? Even though we, reunionians, have broken up origins, the foundations of our common identity is our Creole identity is our Creole culture. With the intermixing of nationalities common as the main characteristic of our island, we are lucky to experiment the harmonious co-existence of traditions, rituals, religions, traditions, music from diverse origins, African, European, Chinese, Indian, JAN / FEB 2011 A D U N A G O W M A G A Z I N E
9
struggled hard to keep their culture alive.. it’s up to us to keep that memory alive. My artistic encounters in Paris with natives from the African continent, Cubans, West Indians, Americans have all provided me a lot . What are your expectations about this project? If I could only have a single wish, it would be that of touching our children and have them repossess these stories which are part of their roots. In the utterly globalized era we’re living in with internet, new information technologies allow an We’re living in an era where globalization makes cultures from anywhere are accessible to many. We cannot content ourselves with simply being passive consumers of values, styles coming from abroad, it’s up to us to keep what was handed down to us alive or have it fade away. It goes without saying that the first option is my motivation. AM
Malagasy… which are the roots of our popular music, like SEGA, QUADRILLES, MALOYA, BALLADS, As for me, the place of African music in my creations is not a just an aesthetic move; it’s not there to make my music attractive. What it’s exactly about for me is that I’m
repossessing some parts of my Reunionian roots which happen to be African. Even though Reunion Island is close to the African continent, all was made for so long to perpetuate the lack of knowledge about that continent. Thanks God, some of our forefathers and their descents have
url: www.NorthSugar.com | E-mail: info@NorthSugar.com 10
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Entairtainment AFRICAN CELEBRITY BIO HIGHLIGHT
:: 2FACE
ENTERTAINMENT | 2FACE IDIBIA
Wiki Bio Innocent Ujah Idibia (born in Jos, composing and singing the jingles in the Plateau State) best known as Tuface Idibia is a Nigerian singer-songwriter, actor and record producer. He was a member of the defunct R&B/hip hop group Plantashun Boyz and is currently one of the most popular artistes on the African music scene. He attended Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School in Makurdi, Benue State. He schooled briefly in the Institute of Management & Technology, IMT, Enugu, one of the country’s foremost higher institute of learning where he did his preliminary National Diploma course in Business Administration. Though, he didn’t finish but would hone his skills in music by performing in shows and parties organised by the IMT and some other schools like Enugu State University of Science & Technology, Enugu (ESUT) and University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC). His major breakthrough in the IMT was
12
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famous radio show GB Fan Club in Enugu State Broadcasting Services (ESBS) in 1996. He then relocated to Lagos and joined up with his ex-IMT and ex-Mount Saint Gabriel’s mate BlackFace to form Plantashun Boyz.He started calling himself “2Face” in 1996. “The name to me just refers to the outside and inside: when you first see me you see the outside but when you get to know me, you see the inside,” he said in an interview with the BBC. His award winning hit track “African Queen” was used as the sound track of the 2006 comedy film, Phat Girlz.This made him even more recognized internationally. He also released a promotion album in 2008 which has spawned a hit, “Enter the Place”, which was written by Churks though one of his least successful hits ever, did well in some charts. The promo CD is said to have faced distribution and sales problems, going unnoticed in some areas of the country. It has TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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led to the shift of the release date of the album from 2008 to 2009 instead of the proposed release date announced in 2007. Tuface recently released two lead off singles from the international version of his Unstoppable album and is the first Nigerian artist to have an appropriately priced international album. [6] He is also reported to have recorded a single with Mary J. Blige[7] In 2010 with his Unstoppable Album(The Intl. Edition) he won 2 awards at the 2010 SMVA, He also won the Channel O Most Gifted Western African and the MTV African Music Awards (Best Male and Artist of the year) making him the most successful pop singer in Africa. He is the lead vocalist of the Sony All African 08 Project alongside 7 other stars across Africa recording their first singles with R.Kelly titled “Hands Across The World”. He was also known for his narrow escapes from death, he had close shave with death three times, at different locations and times, including gun shots. Aside from running his own record label known as Hypertek after leaving Kennis Music, the artist has established the Tuface Idibia Foundation, which is into charity. In December 2010, the foundation collaborated with the Hands Project International for an Aids charity dinner. AM
Awards Won: * MTV Europe Awards 2005 - Best African Act * * MOBO Awards 2007 - Best African Act * Channel l Music Video Awards 2005 - Best Male Video and Best African Video (both for “African Queen”)[8] * KORA Awards 2005 - Revelation of the Year * Hip Hop World Awards 2006 - Special Recognition Award * 2006 Channel O Music Video Awards - Best African Pop (“Ole”)[9] * 2006 Channel O Music Video Awards - Best African West (“Ole”)[9] * Nigeria Entertainment Awards 2006 - Special Recognition Award. Nigeria Breakthrough Artist of the Year * Nigerian Music Awards 2008 - Album of the Year and R&B Song of the Year * World Music Awards 2008 - Best Nigerian Act [10] * MTV Africa Music Awards 2009 - Best R&B[11] * Channel O Music Video Awards - Most Gifted West African Video[12] * 2010 SoundCity Awards [ Best Pop Video ( Implication ) & Best Western ] * 2010 Channel O Music Video Awards [ Most Gifted Western African ] * MTV Africa Music Awards 2010 [ Best Male & Artist Of The Year]
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SPORTS
SPORTS | TP MAZEMBE
Tout Puissant Mazembe players celebrate their 2-0 upset win over Brazil’s Sport Club Internacional with their fans.
TP MAZEMBE Pulling Off The Biggest Shock In the History of The Club World Cup while making Africa Proud.
O
n December 14, 2010, TP Mazembe became the first African side to reach the Club World Cup final after a
surprise 2-0 win over Brazil’s Internacional in Abu Dhabi.Not only are Mazembe the first African side to reach the Club World Cup final, they are also the first African side to contest the final of the FIFA Club World Cup after defeating both C.F. Pachuca of Mexico 1–0 in the quarter final phase, before defeating Internacional of Brazil 2–0 in the semi-finals. Although the dream did not end with a final trophy on their hands at the final, they surely reminded us once more time that all it takes is courage in order to affront the giants. TP Mazembe represented the whole continent’s football finess and 14
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expertise, validating their title of African Champions. In the final on 18 December, they were defeated 3-0 by Internazionale. Tout Puissant Mazembe, formerly known as Englebert, are a Congolese football (soccer) club based in Lubumbashi. Their home games are played at Stade Municipal de Lubumbashi. Its nickname is Les corbeaux (the ravens) despite having a crocodile with a ball in its mouth on the team crest. HISTORY Tout Puissant Mazembe was founded in 1939 by Benedictine monks on the order of Sanctimonious Saint that directed the Holy Institute Boniface of Élisabethville (Lubumbashi). To diversify the student activities for those that did not consecrate themselves to the priesthood, the missionaries TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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decided to set up a football team, baptized Holy team Georges, Employer of the Troop. This team affiliated itself directly in the first division of the Royal Federation of the Native Athletic Associations (FRASI for French Fédération Royale des Associations Sportives Indigènes) founded by the Belgian King. At the end of the season, Holy Georges placed 3rd. In 1944 the young scouts became road and FC St. Georges was rechristened Holy Paul F.C. Some years later, the incorporation of certain foreign elements in the Institute would make the missionaries abandon the team management. The team took the name of F.C. Englebert after its sponsor, a tyre brand. The qualifier “Tout Puissant” (all powerful) was added to the club’s name after it went undefeated in winning its first league title in 1966. After the independence of Congo, ( June 30, 1960) Englebert restructured itself. In 1966, they realized the treble (national Championship, Katanga Cup and Congo Cup). In 1967 and 1968, it won the African Cup of Champions. The team would be finalist four times successively in (1967,1968.1969 and 1970). Mazembe was the first team to successfully defend the African Champions Cup. This feat was finally duplicated in 2003 and 2004 by Enyimba. After 18 years of absence, it returned to the African scene thanks to 38 year-old governor Moïse Katumbi Chapwe. In November 2009 the team won the CAF Champions League against Heartland F.C. 2-2 on aggregate, winning on the away goals rule. By winning the CAF Champions League, they qualified for the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup. In their first match in the quarter-finals they lost 2-1 to Pohang Steelers of South Korea.[5] despite taking the lead in the first half. Following a 3-2 defeat to Auckland City FC in the fifth placed match they were classified as finishing the tournament in 6th place. In 2010 they retained the 2010 CAF Champions League.
Honors * African Cup of Champions Clubs/CAF Champions League: 4 o Winner : 1967, 1968, 2009, 2010 o Finalist : 1969, 1970 * African Cup Winners’ Cup: 1 o Winner : 1980 * Linafoot: 10 o Champion : 1966, 1967, 1969, 1976, 1987, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2009 * Coupe du Congo: 5 o Winner : 1966, 1967, 1976, 1979, 2000 o Finalist : 2003 * FIFA Club World Cup: o Runner-up (1): 2010 Most of Mazembe’s players are from Congo and the club has been successful in forestalling any mass exodus to European clubs because it pays well by African standards. According to published reports, some players earn as much as $5,000 a week with Mazembe (an unheard of sum except for some players in Egypt) plus generous bonuses for winning. One of Mazembe’s players, Tresor Mputu, has been on trial with Arsenal, but returned home. AM
Lamine N’Diaye (born 18 October 1956) is a Senegalese football coach and former player who currently manages Congolese club side TP Mazembe.N’Diaye played professionally in France for Cannes and Mulhouse as a striker, and also represented the Senegalese national side at international level. TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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SPORTS
SPORTS | SAMUEL ETO’O
Wiki Bio It was with no doubt when the result was announced: Samuel Eto’o has been named African Footballer of the Year, making it a record four time at the annual CA awards ceremony held in Cairo last Monday. The Cameroonian scored a clinical, close-range second goal in a 3-0 triumph over TP Mazembe from Democratic Republic of Congo, the first African club to reach the final of the 10-year competition.
Inter Milan is now champions of the world, Europe and Italy and the goals of former Real Madrid, Real Mallorca and Barcelona star Eto’o have played a pivotal role in those successes. However, he had meagre success as captain of the Cameroon ‘Indomitable Lions’ this year with the team making a meek quarter-finals exit from the African Nations Cup in Angola. The leading all-time scorer in this competition scored once against Zambia and Tunisia, but the ‘Lions’ suffered a shock group loss to Gabon and defending champions Egypt outclassed them in the first knockout round. Cameron then fared disastrously at the first World Cup hosted by Africa last June, losing all three group matches under the leadership of Eto’o and were the first country eliminated from the competition. Internal strife bedevilled the squad with some players trying to tell French coach Paul le Guen who to select and the only consolation for Eto’o was goals against Denmark and the Netherlands. TP Mazembe, the four-time African Champions League winners who stunned Internacional of Brazil 2-0 in the United Arab Emirates last week before finishing runners-up to Inter Milan, were named Club of the Year. Milovan Rajevac, the humble Serb coach who made 2010 such a memorable year for Ghana, took the Coach of the Year award. He resigned after the World Cup to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad Jeddah. Other award winners included Al-Ahly and Egypt midfielder Ahmed Hassan (Africa-based Player) and Ghana midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah (Most Promising Talent) while Ghana were predictably named best national team.
2010
[A F RIC AN PL AY ER O F THE Y EA R ]
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BOOK RE VIE W
| e-mai l fe e db a ck at e d itor i a l @ a du nagow. ne t
Book Review:
Pathos of a Wilting Rose By Ejine Okoroafor-Eziediaro
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“Pathos of a wilting Rose is an easy book to grasp even if you haven’t read the first.”
ATHOS OF A WILTING ROSE is a heart rendering tale and lucid portrait of our contemporary society. Nkiru Ubaka thought she had it all, a very promising future, affluent parents and lovable fiancé until the rug was suddenly swung from beneath her feet and she tumbles into a free fall. This book traces her spellbindingly transition from a once confident damsel through a devastating interlude that threatens to shatter her strong spirit. This is the much awaited and riveting sequel to highly acclaimed ‘A Rose in Bloom’. It also offers both permanence and an astounding insight into some of the characters portrayed in its prequel. In as much as these two books are intertwined, they are also separate entities. Pathos of a wilting Rose is an easy book to grasp even if you haven’t read the first. Reading both even in no particular order is advisable for a more comprehensive picture. The author, Ejine Okoroafor-Ezediaro had shorn her gloves to deliver yet another insightful and intriguing saga. The unforseen twists are spellbinding and you wouldn’t want to drop this book once you start. The peculiar wit and humour of this burgeoning prolific author is evident throughout the narration. AM About The Author: Dr Ejine Okoroafor–Ezediaro is a medical doctor living in New York. She originally hails from Oguta, Imo State, Nigeria. She holds a B.Sc. in Physics from University of Port-Harcourt, Nigeria and MBBS from Vinnica State Medical University, Ukraine.
LIFESTYLE
FASHION | MARIANNE ILUNGA
E X C L U S I V E Inter view with M A R I A N N E I LU N G A
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I N T E R V I E W
E XC LUS I V E [PERSONAL] AM: Where are you from originally? Marianne: I’m from the Democratic Republic of Congo AM: How many brothers and sisters do you have? Marianne: 2 sisters and 2 brothers AM: Who are your role models? Marianne: My mother AM: When you’re not working, what are your favorite things to do? Marianne: Going to church on sundays, spending time with my family, working out, and shopping. AM: Currently, where is home? Marianne: Orlando, Florida. AM: Can you tell us something about you that people would never guess? Marianne: I think I can sing (Laughs) AM: Favorite sport/hobby? Why? Marianne: Running because it’s a total body workout and it gives me energy.
Biography
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ARIANNE Ilunga’s love for fashion started at an early age. Growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, she remembers spending valuable time with her godmother who was a dressmaker. She collected fashion magazines as a hobby and spent time sketching several styles she believed would eventually come to life. Her parents decided it would be a great idea to let her attend a fashion magnet high school. Shortly before graduation the Congo experienced some political turmoil, so Marianne accepted the great opportunity to move to the United States. Landing in Los Angeles was the best thing that could have happened to her. Throughout her college years Marianne gained some experience as a fashion model for up and coming designers. In addition to pursuing her studies, she also held various retail positions in Beverly Hills, which ultimately landed her an internship at the esteemed Fifth Avenue Club at Saks Beverly Hills, California. Her myriad of experiences made her not only the go-to person for family and friends wanting to know the latest styling tips, but also propelled her to the next phase TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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as a Designer Specialist at the Neiman Marcus Couture Department in Orlando, Florida. Her extensive retail knowledge, coupled with her keen sense of style, heavily influences her ability to mix high fashion and mass production. But this comes with years of hard work styling for her clients and for fashion shows. Marianne is fluent in French and has had the privilege to explore prestigious fashion districts in London, Paris, New York and Los Angeles. Clients rave on the fact that Marianne’s creativeness and personal touch allows them to always look fashionable regardless of what they are wearing or where they shop. She always reminds them that it is all about how it’s put together. Marianne decided to do fashion in the most rewarding way--helping women feel empowered, while looking their best. “Stylissima’s goal is to change women’s lives one closet at a time because I believe there can always be a new you,” she states. Marianne holds a Bachelors degree in Fashion Merchandising and Retailing. She resides in Orlando, Florida with her husband and two children.
[PROFESSION] AM: Tell us a little bit about Stylissima, your Fashion consulting business. When did you start it? Marianne: Stylissima officially started two years ago. I’m the only employee so far but I have people that freelance their services such as makeup artists or hair stylists. There’s also a few people that help me of with the personal shopping services when needed in Miami and in Los Angeles. AM: How did you come up with the name? Marianne: I was actually just brainstorming one night and thought of the name Bellissima,which means beautiful in Italian. I just added Style to it. AM: Who did you work for prior starting Stylissima? Marianne: I worked for several boutiques in Beverly Hills,California as well as retailers like Saks and Neiman Marcus. AM: What made you start the consulting business? Marianne: Women would always ask me what to wear or what to buy so I figured why not create a service that could provide the help they need. JAN / FEB 2011 A D U N A G O W M A G A Z I N E
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AM: How hard was it to start your own consulting firm? Marianne: It was very challenging because I thought that with the access to the Internet and all these great fashion magazines there was no need for such a service. But to my great surprise a lot of women responded well to it. AM: Did you have support from family? Friends? Marianne: My family and friends were very supportive. They actually were hoping I would open a boutique of my own and sell clothing, shoes, and accessories. I think God had a different plan. But you never know; that can always be in my future. AM: How many clients do you service? Marianne: I service about 10 women. What I do is very personal and time consuming. I spend several hours researching items and putting them together to create a specific image depending on the individual. I can only take a small number of people a week. I usually try to work with a maximum of 2 to 3 people a week. I also freelance as a Style Contributor for magazines. I usually have two photo shoots a month which involves creating a theme, picking out clothes and booking models. Depending on the time of the year I sometimes provide clothing stores with a Fashion Show to create a buzz and generate some sales. AM: So, how do people use your service? What does Stylissima offer? Marianne: People that use my services typically have a busy life or really want to change their look. The first step is always a 20
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closet assessment and then come the rest. It’s very important for me to see where they stand so I can take them to the next level. The shopping part is not always a necessity. Sometimes it’s just a matter of teaching them how to put it together. There are a lot of great items out there but they are not for everybody. I try to keep my clients look age appropriate but yet fashionable. Store owners use my services for Fashion Shows and Magazines use my services for their Fashion/Style segment. AM: Who are your clients? How can prospective customer contact you? Marianne: Mostly woman that own businesses and housewives with a busy social life. I also work with boutiques and magazines. Prospective clients can contact me by sending me an email via my website, my Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. They can also reach me on my business phone number which is 407 404 1136. AM: Are most of your clients local? Do you get to travel? Marianne: Thankfully most of my clients have been local. I do get to travel because some of my clients are always looking for things that are in Los Angeles, Miami, New York or Atlanta. So I try to do a trip at the beginning of every season outside of Orlando. AM: What are your plans for next year for Stylissima? Marianne: Wardrobe styling for magazines and giving fashion tips on blogs. I also plan on helping organization like Dress For Success which helps women revamp themselves and regain confidence in order to join the workforce. I’m also planning on taking a few shopping trips to Europe for clients that want to be very exclusive. One of my goals is also to work with women that are public figures in Africa. AM: Will you expand? Franchise? Hire more people? Marianne: Expansion is always an option. Franshise, maybe not. I probably need to hire someone to help me with all the social media I have to keep up with. Fashion is so fast paced I have to stay connected all the time. [FASHION – Tips for Our Readers] AM: What are the latest trends in the Fashion industry? Marianne: The latest trends would be Spring/Summer 2011 for women are fashion safari looks in khaki and white. Soft
and romantic floral prints, 70’s chic bohemian, very feminine dresses and suits(lace, eyelet,..) AM: Does Brand name clothing important in Fashion? Marianne: Basically, can someone still look fly while wearing retail store clothing? Brand name clothing are not important in fashion. It’s all about how things are put together. It’s nice to have great designer items but it’s not a must and it certainly doesn’t mean you are stylish! You can shop anywhere from Target to Neiman Marcus and still “look fly”. AM: Then, what justify the high price tags on brands such as Armani, D&G, etc…? Marianne: The price tag on designer items are high because of the workmanship and the quality of their fabrics. Some of these design houses have factories where people are expert at what they do whether it’s sewing sleeves or cutting patterns. Plus most of us know labor in Europe is extremely expensive. You will also notice that most designers now have a “cheaper” line like DG for Dolce and Gabbana or Armani Exchange for Armani. The price of the item varies on which collection it belongs to so that people can actually still wear their favorite designer at a price range they can afford. But people also need to start understanding that designer are also selling an aspiring lifestyle. AM: People associate someone’s fashion look to his/her economic status/class? Is that fair? true? Marianne: I think it’s true in some cases and I don’t think it’s fair. I’ve seen several people in flip-flops and khaki shorts spend substantial amount of money. Sometimes people are dressed in all designer clothes but they can’t really afford that lifestyle. Fashion used to have a trickle down theory which meant the rich start the trends and then the rest follow but now it’s a total different ball game. Fashion is accessible at all prices now clothing doesn’t have to be expensive to be considered fashionable or even mean that you are upper class. AM: How do you co-ordinate colors and find the right colors for your clothing? Marianne: It all depends on the client. I work with all races so it’s a matter of what color looks good on a black person or on a white person. The season is also a determining factor. Mostly warm colors during the spring/ summer and dark colors during fall/winter. AM: What are hot and cool colors of the season? What colors not to wear together? Marianne: Spring/Summer 2010 has several hot colors this season but I think white and TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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FASHION | MARIANNE ILUNGA
“A lot people think I could be a motivational speaker but I’m not so sure. I really think that fashion is my gift.” - MARIANNE
orange are the best. The cool colors this season for me are navy and red. The fashion industry now has no more rules on what color not to wear it’s just a matter of what looks good-- everything is mix and match. But I still wouldn’t wear a purple top with yellow-green pants(Laughs). AM: Men and fashion: Should women dress up their Men? Can Men learn to master this skill? Marianne: Women can definitely dress their men. Men can certainly learn to master the skill just by being a little bit more daring or by thinking outside of the box. There are a lot of men out there who love fashion and love to dress up. For those that don’t there’s always Stylissima! AM: Do you give your husband tips on what to dress? Or, is he a natural GQ Man? Marianne: My husband is a GQ Man, he has more closet space than me! But he has days when he asks me to dress him up and he also asks for my opinion sometimes. [AFRICA & FASHION] AM: In your opinion, Can African Fashion couture makes its mark in the USA? Marianne: I believe it can. Several American designers are already using African fabrics in their collection so that could open the minds of the American consumers. Last summer I saw several celebrities wearing clothing made of African Wax Hollandais called Boxing Kitten, designed by designer Maya Lake. She was able to make her mark in fashion because she used African fabric so I think the U.S. is ready; it’s just going to take the right designer.
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AM: As a Congolese and a Fashion Consultant, what do you think of “La Sapologie” movement? Is it really Fashion at its best? Or at its worst? Marianne: La Sapologie is pure entertainment. Most of these people do it for fun and because they love fashion. The only problem with the Sapologie is that the people think they are well dressed because what they are wearing is expensive. It’s fashion at its best sometimes, but mostly at it’s worst. AM: Sapologie: Can you justify someone wearing full boots, winter coat, and gloves in the middle of Kinshasa in summer for the sake of Fashion (Sapologie)? Shouldn’t fashion go along with seasons? Marianne: Fashion should go along with the season of course. Again, the Sapologie is just entertainment and fun. They are not dressing up based on the season. Their goal is to wear the most expensive items that will bring the most attention. AM: In your opinion, who’s the best Male and woman dresser in the African Music World? Marianne: There are really no best or worst. I think most people in the music world have good fashion days and bad fashion days. I guess for male if I have to think of a fashion trend setter it would have to be Koffi Olomide, ten years ago, not so sure about what he’s doing now. I think Yvonne Shaka Shaka has great style; I always like how she made South African traditional clothing look so modern. AM: About Africa: what will you keep? What will you change? Marianne: I think I will keep some of our traditions, culture, music, fashion and food. The thing that I would definitely want to change is our dependency on the Occident for every problem we face. I think we need to reach a point where we can solve our own problems. AM: What’s the best food you crave for always when you visit Africa? Marianne: In the Congo I would say matembele (vegetable) and in Senegal Tchep Boudjen (fish and rice dish). AM: What do you see in the future for Africa? Marianne: I see a generation that will be more independent and more patriotic. I think that the children my generation is raising will learn enough from past mistakes and will go back with a different mentality
to build the Africa of tomorrow. AM: What need to be done in the United States in order to strengthen the African community voice? Marianne: I think magazines like yours to keep people informed. Also I think there should be a news channel or radio station. [CLOSURE] AM: If you could do something other than Fashion business, what would that be? Marianne: A lot people think I could be a motivational speaker, but I’m not so sure. I really think that fashion is my gift. I could not picture myself doing anything else even as a young child it was my passion. AM: Tell us, what is the craziest thing you ever done? Marianne: When I was 15, I remember hiding my school bag pack in a church with a group of friends so we wouldn’t have to go to class. When we got caught we thought we were going to be excommunicated( Big Laughs) AM: What other projects are you involved in at the present? Marianne: Working a fashion editorial work and doing a few makeover for women who want to change their look this upcoming year. AM: What are your plans five years from now? Marianne: Traveling to Africa to meet ladies that can use my services. AM: What’s your favorite winter destination? Marianne: Los Angeles, California. AM: Will you consider acting in the future? Marianne: Most people will tell you I’m already a comedian(Laughs). [THE MIC IS YOURS] AM: Any words of wisdom for all our aspiring entrepreneurs and fashion designers/consultants out there? Marianne: Dream big and just do it! Thank you Marianne for taking the time to chat with us. We wish you plenty of success and wisdom in your career. AM
Marianne Ilunga info@stylissima.com | 407 404 1136 www.stylissima.com | facebook/stylissima twitter/StylissimaFC1 TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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“Dream Big and Just Do It!” - MARIANNE
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Culture
FEATURED STORY | REFERENDUM IN SUDAN
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THE GREAT DIVORCE
SOUTH SUDAN INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM WILL BE SPLITTING UP THE LARGEST AFRICAN COUNTRY IN TWO, MAKING SOUTH SUDAN THE 55TH AFRICAN NATION.
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S
UDAN, Africa’s largest country, is in the final run-up to a critical referendum on independence for the oil-rich south in January 9, 2011 that seems certain to split the war-scarred state. For many, there is a fear that the split between the North and South could birth a new religion conflict between the two sides: the north, dominated by Arab Muslims, and the south, predominantly Christians. The Great divorce is scheduled for this January 9, 2011, as part of the peace agreement that was signed in 2005 to end the two decades civil war in which an estimated 2 million people lost their lives. Sudaneses all around the globe ended their registration last month with an estimated 3 million people registered and ready to cast their votes. Despites all the tension generated by the current regime in Khartoum led by President Omar al-Bashir, it appears that Sudaneses are ready to vote for the split of the largest Africa’s country. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, which has run the south since the 2005 pact was signed, declared at the weekend it wouldn’t accept a delay “even for a single day.” Before the expected independence in July, outstanding issues such as citizenship, national debt and sharing of oil revenues must be addressed. Expectations are high as South Sudan decide whether to remain part of Africa’s largest nation or become the continent’s 55th state. Battle for the Oil Some three-quarters of Sudan’s oil production of 500,000 barrels a day come from the south. Oil accounts for 98 percent of the South’s budget source. Under the 2005 pact, this revenue is shared between the two sides but that could stop if the south secedes. The United States is leading diplomatic efforts to ensure that the referendum takes place on January 9 as scheduled, without any TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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unnecessary delays from the Khartoum’s regime. To entice a peacfulsplit, the United States are offering to remove Sudan from the State Department’s list of sponsors of terrorism as early as mid year 2011 if president Omar al-Bashir allows the highly charged referendum to go ahead without interference. Sudan landed on the black list in 1993 when it allowed itself to be a safe heaven for Osama Bin Laden. The United States incentive packages contains more than just the removal from the black list, but also other profitable activities such as debt relief, ending of sanctions and normalization of relations. The North vs. The South There is no doubt that the Christian South will vote to become independent from the predominantly Muslim North, which brings us to these questions: could the split exaggerate the religious fights between Christians and Muslims in Sudan? Could this escalate all over other African countries carrying the same burden? To ward off a resumption of war, Sudanese church leaders traveled to Britain and the United States in October, where they had high-level consultations with political, religious and United Nations officials, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Since returning to Sudan, the church leaders have continued to press for peace, despite challenges. In late November, police raided the Khartoum offices of the Sudan Council of Churches, which groups Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches. General Secretary Ramadan Chan Liol, who had been calling for closer monitoring of voter registration of southern Sudanese in neighboring countries, said one policeman stated that officers were searching for weapons. The Nation’s debt Another concern remaining is figuring out how will the current Sudan’s debt be split among the two nations. According to the press, former US president Jimmy Carter
“Before the expected independence in July, outstanding issues such as citizenship, national debt and sharing of oil revenues must be addressed.”
has said that former president al-Beshir made the offer to pay the south’s foreign debt. The Sudanese government has since denied the statement, stating that Beshir simply told Carter that dividing the debt burden would not be of any help to either side because both lack the resources to make the necessary payments. What happens After the Referendum Vote? Voting lasts for seven days. Assuming that the verdict is to secede, Africa’s newest country will come into being on 9 July 2011 - exactly six years after the peace deal took effect. Then the hard work really begins. Many believe that Southern Sudan is not ready for independence. After years of warfare and being ignored by central government, the country-to-be which is larger than Spain and Portugal combined has hardly any roads and not nearly enough schools or health services for its population of roughly eight million. The SPLM former rebels who have been running the region since 2005 have at least gained some experience of governance. They have lots of money from the south’s oil fields but their critics say they have so far wasted much of it on the military and not done enough to raise living standards in one of the world’s poorest regions. They have drawn up ambitious plans to develop their cities and have decided the winner of a competition to compose a new national anthem. The south’s own flag is already on display across the region. Most people assume the new country will be called South, or Southern, Sudan but this has not been officially decided. Other suggestions are New Sudan or even Cush, after a biblical kingdom in the area. What will happen to the north? The immediate priority for the northern government will be to keep hold of as much of the oil revenue as it can, as most oil fields lie in the south. There is a dispute over one oil-rich area - Abyei - which is to hold a separate vote, possibly later this year, on which country to join. The north may also earn revenue from piping the oil over its territory to Port Sudan on the Red Sea. In terms of ordinary people’s lives, both sides have agreed to let all Sudanese - in particular the many southerners in Khartoum - choose which nationality to take. But President Bashir’s announcement that he will implement a stricter version of Sharia in the north if the south secedes may prompt even more southerners to leave the north. AM
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CULTURE
CULTURE | BLACK HISTORY MONTH
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by black Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of African Americans in U.S. history. The event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history.
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Barack Obama ADUNAGOW MAGAZINE
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The official presidential portrait by Pete Souza marks the first to be taken with a digital camera.
MILESTONES 1961 Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. is born on August 4th in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father, Barack Obama, Sr., is from Kenya. Mother Ann Dunham, is originally from Wichita, Kansas. The couple separates after two years, and divorces in 1964. 1967 His mother marries Lolo Soetoro, and the family moves to Soetoro’s homeland of Indonesia. Young Obama attends the Catholic Franciscus Assisi Primary School, and then a public school. 1971 He is sent to live with his maternal grandparents, Madelyn and Stanley, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He attends the prestigious Punahou School on scholarship. He joins the basketball team, and also experiments with smoking, drinking, and even drugs. 1972 His mother leaves her second husband and returns from Indonesia with her two–year–old daughter, Maya. Barack, his mother, and his new half–sister move into a small apartment. His biological father pays the family a visit in Hawaii for the first time since the separation.
BARACK OBAMA SHORT BIOGRAPHY Barack Obama is the 44th President–Elect of the United States of America and the first African–American to be elected to office. He was thrust into the national spotlight when he delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. His speech expressed hope for the future of the country, and echoed Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous 1963 “I Have A Dream” speech. Obama was born in Hawaii to an African father and a white American mother, and raised briefly in Indonesia. His mixed heritage is often viewed as a representation of America’s diverse population, and a bridge between many viewpoints. The young community organizer’s political career began in the Illinois State Senate in 1996, followed by the U.S. Senate in 2004. Despite a relatively short term in government service, Obama’s popularity during his presidential campaign was unparalleled. His election bid attracted an overwhelming number of African–American, first time, and young voters. Obama has continually supported a number of social issues; advocated a decrease in taxes for middle to low-income families; and pushed for a transparency in government actions. His campaign slogans “Yes We Can,” and “Change We Need” became the rally cry for a new generation seeking to improve the deteriorating social and economic climate of the country.
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1979 Obama graduates from the Panahou School, then moves to Los Angeles, California, to attend Occidental College. 1981 He transfers to Columbia University in New York City, and majors in political science. 1982 His father dies in a car accident. 1983 He graduates from Columbia and takes a job at the Business International Corporation as a research associate and writer for, a weekly financial newsletter. He quits to work for the New York Public Interest Research Group. 1985 He starts working with the Developing Communities Project, a Chicago–based program that helps to improve the conditions of public housing. when
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Barack Obama, his wife Michelle, and daughters Sasha (in black dress) and Malia (in red dress) greet the crowd at an election night rally in Chicago’s Grant Park.
MILESTONES 1988 He travels to Europe, then to Africa to visit his father’s hometown of Alego, Kenya, and get to know his extended family. He later says the visit “helped unify my outward self with my inward self in an important way.” He is baptized at the Church of Christ and begins Harvard Law School in the fall. 1989 During his summers at law school, he works at the Chicago law firms Sidley & Austin and Hopkins & Sutter. At Sidley he meets Michelle Robinson who has been appointed his adviser. They begin dating and maintain a long-distance relationship when he returns to Harvard in the fall.
TRIVIA * The audio book version of Obama’s 2006 biography Dreams Of My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance won a Grammy as did his 2008 audio book The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. * The first law Obama passed as a U.S. Senator allowed Americans to view how tax dollars were being spent. * Obama is only the sixth post–war president to be left–handed. * Obama’s first name, Barack, means “blessed” in Swahili. He was nicknamed Barry as a child, “O’Bomber” in high school for his skill at basketball, and “Bar” by his late grandmother. * The desk in Obama’s Senate office once belonged to Robert Kennedy. * Barack Obama has six half–brothers and one half–sister on his paternal side, and one half–sister on his maternal side. * Barack Obama’s presidential campaign raised a record $650 million, most of it coming in the form of small donations. COMMUNITY SERVICES * Public Allies, founding member of the board of directors (1992) * Woods Fund of Chicago, board of directors (1994 - 2002) * The Joyce Foundation, board of directors (1994 - 2002) * Chicago Annenberg Challenge, board of directors (1995 - 2002) *founding president and chairman from (1995 - 1999) * Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, board of directors * Center for Neighborhood Technology, board of directors * Lugenia Burns Hope Center, board of directors
1990 In February he becomes the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. 1991 Barack Obama graduates magna cum laude from Harvard Law School with his Juris Doctor. He signs with a publisher to begin writing his autobiography. 1992 He begins teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. He also becomes the director of Illinois Project Vote, registering around 100,000 new voters mostly in the African-American community. On October 10th, he weds Michelle Robinson at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois. 1993 He takes a job at the firm of Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Gallard in Chicago as a junior lawyer with the hopes of working on civil rights cases. 1995 His autobiography “Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance” is published. His mother dies of ovarian cancer on November 7th. 1996 He is elected to the Illinois State Senate and is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School. 1998 His daughter Malia Ann is born on July 4th.He is re-elected to the Illinois Senate.
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President Barack Obama and wife Michelle Obama during their first dance at the Western Inaugural Ball. The couple danced to ‘At Last’ sung by Beyonce.
MILESTONES 1999 Obama loses the Democratic primary run for U.S. House of Representatives. 2001 His second daughter Natasha “Sasha” is born on June 8th. 2002 He is re-elected again to Illinois Senate. 2003 In January he becomes chairman of the Illinois Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee and runs for U.S. Senate. 2004 On July 7th, he delivers the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts. The poignant and inspiring speech is remembered as a pivotal moment in his political career, and propels him into the spotlight. He is elected to U.S. Senate on November 2nd, becoming only the fifth African-American Senator in history.
NOTABLE BIOGRAPHIES * “Dreams Of My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance” by Barack Obama (2004) * “The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream” by Barack Obama (2008) * “The American Journey of Baraack Obama” by The Editors of Life Magazine (2008) * “Yes We Can: A Biography of Barack Obama” by Garen Thomas (2008) QUICK FACTS o Born: August 4, 1961 (Hawaii) o Lives in: Chicago, Illinois o Zodiac Sign: Leo o Height: 6’ 1” (1.87m) o Family: Married wife Michelle in 1992, 2 daughters Malia and Sasha o Parents: Barack Obama, Sr. (from Kenya) and Ann Dunham (from Kansas) o Religion: United Church of Christ o Drives a: Ford Escape hybrid, Chrysler 300C o Education: – Graduated: Columbia University (1983) - Major: Political Science – Law Degree from Harvard (1991) - Major: J.D. - Magna Cum Laude – Attended: Occidental College o Career: –U.S. President - inaugurated January 20, 2009 –U.S. Senator from Illinois, TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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2006 He publishes a second book, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. The title is a reference to his 2004 DNC keynote speech. 2007 On February 10th, he announces his candidacy for President of the United States. 2008 On June 3rd, he defeats Senator Hillary Clinton in the democratic primaries, and becomes the first African-American presidential nominee. In July he travels to Europe, the Middle East, and Germany. In Berlin, he gives a speech to a crowd of around 200,000 that is compared to John F. Kennedy’s famed “Ich Bin Ein Berliner” speech. On November 2nd his grandmother Madelyn dies from cancer. On November 4th, he defeats republican opponent John McCain and wins the election, becoming the first African-American President-Elect of the United States of America. His victory speech is delivered at Grant Park in Chicago, and attended by thousands of supporters. On November 16th, he resigns his senate seat as he prepares to take presidential office in January 2009. AM
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TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY | SMARTPHONES
3. Coupons on the go.
Clipping coupons is a tiresome chore of the past. Register your cell phone with Mobideals to get a listing of deals geo-targeted to your current location. You’ll find discounts on everything from auto services to beauty salons.
4. Price comparisons in the palm of your hand.
Gone are the days you have to wonder if a store sale is really offering the best price on an item. Stores that have a price-matching policy will match the price you find on your phone at the register.
5 WAYS
YOUR SMARTPHONE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY by April Dykman
A smartphone isn’t the cheapest way to make a phone call, that’s for sure. But the little gadgets aren’t cheap for that very reason —they do so much more than simply make and receive phone calls. And if you use your smartphone to its fullest advantage, you might find that you easily make up the purchase price with the amount of money your phone can save you over the long term. The following are 5 ways to take advantage of all your smartphone can do to keep more cash in your bank account:
1. Avoid overdraft fees.
You won’t need to bother with remembering your grocery list with an app like Grocery Gadget ($4.99). It’ll save both time and money with extensive features like coupons, price comparisons, and bar code scanning. AM 5 TOP FREE APPS FOR SMARTPHONES PAGEONCE MONEY & BILLS from PageOnce Pageonce automatically organizes and tracks your money and bills. See your banks, credit cards, bills, and investment accounts in one simple place. GOOGLE MAPS from Google Inc. Get Google Maps with Navigation through your phone. PANDORA RADIO from Pandora Pandora Radio is your own FREE personalized radio, streaming music on your phone.
By checking your bank balances on your phone through your bank’s website or an app like PageOnce, you can be sure that your next purchase will won’t result in overdraft fees while you’re in the checkout lane.
ADVANCED TASK KILLER from ReChild Advanced Task Killer is also known as ATK. It’s a tool to kill applications running, saving you battery and processing time.
2. Never pay another late fee.
FACEBOOK from Facebook Facebook for Android makes it easy to stay connected and share with friends. Access you Facebook through your smartphone.
Similar to checking bank balances, your smartphone can alert you when you have a bill coming up through mobile finance apps or bill-specific apps like BillMinder, saving you from paying late fees on utilities, credit cards, and other bills. 32
5. Organized Your grocery shopping.
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moving expenses, state and local sales or income taxes, charitable donations, job expenses and self-employment deductions)
FINANCE | TAX TIPS
5. Don’t make assumptions * Could you have saved money by itemizing rather than taking the standard deduction? Note: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates that over a halfmillion taxpayers could save by itemizing. * Did you choose the right filing status for your situation? Note: If you qualify for two different filing statuses, you may want to figure your taxes both ways to determine which status results in the lowest overall tax bill. AM
TA X Tips:
Avoid the Most Common Tax Filing Mistakes in 5 Easy Steps
E
ven a simple mistake on your taxes can delay your refund, trigger an audit, or cause you to owe more than you should. Fortunately, some of the most common filing errors are also some of the most preventable. Before you submit your taxes, review these steps and ask yourself a few key questions. A little extra time now could save you from costly tax errors and time-consuming corrections down the road. 1. Look for omissions * Did you fill in all of the applicable blanks on your tax forms? * Are all social security numbers included? * Did you properly report all sources of income? * Did you sign your return? 2. Check your numbers * Do all social security numbers match the appropriate names? * Were all of the numbers copied correctly? (i.e. reporting income as $29,472 rather than $24,972) * Did you check your math to avoid any calculation errors? 3. Remember your attachments * Did you include all required documentation? 34
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(i.e. W-2s, 1099s) * Did you include all of the necessary forms and schedules? * If you receive social security benefits, did you complete the taxable benefits worksheet? 4. Get the credit you deserve * Did you check to see if you qualify for any of the following commonly overlooked tax credits? - Child Tax Credit – qualifying taxpayers may be able to claim up to $1,000 per child - Earned Income Credit – depending on your income and dependents, this credit could significantly reduce your tax bill or even result in a refund - Saver’s Credit – you could get a tax credit for up to half of what you contribute to a qualified retirement plan or IRA * Did you take advantage of education tax benefits including the American Opportunity Credit, Lifetime Learning Credit, Tuition and Fees Deduction, Student Loan Interest Deduction, and the Exclusion for Savings Bond Interest? Note: Nearly 4.1 million people fail to take advantage of these benefits each year. * Are there any deductions you may have overlooked that could help to reduce your taxable income? (i.e. medical expenses,
Did You Know? E-file
If your income is under $56,000, you may qualify to file your income tax return electronically at no charge. Visit irs.gov/ efile to file directly online or to download the software to your computer.
Filing Deadlines
File your income tax return for 2008 by April 15, 2009. If you need more time, file Form 4868 for a 6-month extension.
Tax Return Help
The IRS sponsors trained volunteers who will assist you with income tax preparation. Call the IRS at (800) 829-1040 or go to AARP’s website for help (see Resources).
Refunds Visit irs.gov and click on “Where’s My Refund?” to check the status of your refund. Enter your social security number, your filing status and the refund amount you expect.
Records
Keep a record or your tax returns and all supporting documents for at least 3 years after you file the returns. Keep records of house purchases and sales indefinitely, as you may need them to figure the cost basis of your home. TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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HEALTH | WINTER WEATHER FACTS
HEALTH
Another way to make sure you have all the energy you need to stay in good shape throughout the winter months is to sleep well. It’s easier to get up early in the summer when it’s light outside and easier to stay up later as well. But when the days get shorter there is nothing better than snuggling up in bed early and treating yourself to a wonderful early night. You will certainly feel more refreshed the next morning if you do manage to make this a habit during the winter. You can also help yourself by dressing warmly against the elements. You may not look your best wrapped up in lots of layers and wearing a scarf, gloves and hat, but you will certainly keep far warmer and if it rains or snows you will be glad you had the foresight to wear the additional layers.
STAYING HEALTHY IN WINTER
by Isla Campbell
I
F we could deny it before, we cannot deny it now – the winter weather has arrived with a vengeance in some areas and it has led us all to rush for our thickest coats, hats and scarves to brave the plummeting temperatures.
It’s important to keep healthy all year round of course, but winter presents us with its own challenges. This means it is even more important to make sure we can boost our immune systems and ensure we have everything we need to fight off all those winter germs. For instance, simply making sure we eat a balanced diet can help. This is how we get our vitamins and minerals and they can help us feel better in ourselves all the time. They will also give us the resistance we need to ensure we can fight off colds and the dreaded flu as well. We all naturally tend to want wholesome and stodgy foods at this time of year and there is nothing wrong with this, provided we eat them in moderation. The normal five a day of fruit and vegetables is even more important during the winter as well. Try and vary them as much as you can throughout the day so you aren’t relying on the same few fruits or vegetables all the time. Variety will stop you getting bored and ensure you get all the nourishment you need. Soups and stews really come into their own at this time of year, so make sure you make the most of them. 36
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Of course flu vaccination and lots of other methods of staying healthy such as taking regular exercise will all play their part in ensuring you feel good. If you do everything you can to keep well, you might find this winter isn’t as bad as some of the others you may have had.
WINTER STORM TRIVIA 1. Which of the following is not effected by wind chill? (a) person (b) dog (c) car radiator (d) bird 2. What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Washington, DC? a. -10°F b. -7°F c. 0°F d. -15°F 3. True or False. It must be 32°F or colder for it to snow. a. True b. False 4. On the average, one inch of rain is equivalent to how many inches of snow? a. 10 inches b. 1 inch c. 5 inches d. a foot 5. What is more hazardous to trees and power lines? a. One inch of wet snow b. One inch of ice ____________________________________ See answer at the end of the article.
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WINTER WEATHER FACTS
Features
Winter is characterized by short days and the long nights. This is dependent on the tilt of the Earth, so winter in the northern hemisphere is at its deepest in January, and in the southern hemisphere, July. Temperaturewise, winters in the southern hemisphere are much milder than those in the north.
Wind Chill
Wind chill temperature is the temperature as it feels to someone outside in the open, buffeted by strong winds that all too often accompany winter days. For example, if the actual temperature is 0 degrees F and the wind is blowing at 30 mph, someone out in the elements would feel as though the temperature were actually -26 degrees F.
Snow
Every snowflake is a unique, six-sided crystal. But how they manifest themselves can be quite different, from a light, powdery shower to a raging blizzard. Wet snow is the type that will form a snowball or a snowman, and is usually the most popular snow for children of all ages. Powdered snow is what skiers look for--light and fluffy. When sunlight or freezing rain melts then refreezes the top layer of snow, it’s called crust. Snirt is a combination of snow and dirt, most commonly found when winds pick up dirt and drop it on top of fresh snowfall.
Lake Effect Snow
Lake effect snows happen when cold winter winds pass over a large body of water whose temperature has not yet dropped significantly. Winds pick up water vapor from the warm lakes, and as they move over the colder land, the water vapor freezes and can drop amazing amounts of snow on an area in a very short time. One of the most notorious places to find lake effect snow is Buffalo, New York.
Ice
Most dangerous of all is black ice; this type is difficult if not impossible to see because it has formed with few or no air bubbles inside. Black ice usually forms in a very thin, very slippery layer, and usually forms first on structures such as bridges. Much of the damage done by winter storms is not from snow, but from the weight of ice. TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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Cold Waves
Cold waves are seen when the temperature in an area drops extremely quickly within a 24-hour period. Cold waves are most damaging toward the end of winter, and if plants have begun to grow too early, a cold wave can be devastating. WINTER DRIVING Plan your travels and check the latest weather reports to avoid a winter storm. You can find out the latest road conditions by visiting the Wisconsin Department of Transportation travel information website at www.511wi.gov or by calling 511. It is also important to check and winterize your vehicles before the winter season begins. Keep your gas tank near full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines. Make sure your car’s battery is in good shape – cold temperatures can reduce the effectiveness of a battery by 50 percent. If expecting adverse weather during your trip, tell someone at both ends of your journey where you are going and the route you intend to take. Report your safe arrival. Make certain that both parties have your cell phone number and license plate number before you start your trip. Be gentle with both the accelerator and brake. If the rear of your car begins to slide on snow or ice, turn into the direction of the skid. Expect a second skid as the car straightens out, and be prepared to counter this sliding action. Carry a winter storm survival kit in the back seat of your vehicle (in case your trunk jams or is frozen shut) that includes: * Blankets or sleeping bags * Flashlight with extra batteries * First-aid kit * Shovel, tools, booster cables and windshield scraper * High-calorie non-perishable food (raisins, candy bars, energy/protein bars, etc.) * Sand or cat litter to use for traction * Cell phone adapter
BE PREPARED Some of the dangers associated with winter storms include loss of heat, power and telephone service and a shortage of supplies. To help protect your family, now is the time to put together a disaster supply kit. Here are some items to include: * Flashlights and extra batteries * Battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio and a commercial radio * Bottled water and non-perishable food that requires no cooking * First-aid supplies * Fire extinguisher, smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector * If appropriate, extra medications and baby items * If you have an emergency heating source such as a fireplace or space heater, make sure you have proper ventilation * Make sure pets have shelter and plenty of food and water
WINTER STORM TRIVIA ANSWERS 1. Answer: c. Wind chill is the combination of wind and temperature and is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin such as that of a person or animal. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving the body temperature down. Wind chill has no effect on cars or other objects. 2. Answer: After a snowstorm left a foot of snow over the city on February 8, 1899, a record cold wave struck. On February 11, the temperature dipped to -15°F in the District. It was followed by a second great storm called “The Great Valentines Day Blizzard” which dumped another 20.5 inches of snow. That year DC saw a record 54 inches of snow. 3. Answer: False. It has been known to snow with temperatures in the mid 40’s. Temperatures are below 32°F up in the clouds where the snow is forming. 4. Answer: a. 10 inches of snow melts down to about an inch of liquid rain. 5. Answer: b. An inch of ice is heavier than wet snow and is hazardous enough to cause power lines and trees to come down. AM JAN / FEB 2011 A D U N A G O W M A G A Z I N E
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ROMANCE | VALENTINE’S DAY
VALENTINE
VALENTINE’S DAY:
How to Give Unique Valentine’s Day Gifts That Say What You Mean
S
aint Valentine’s Day (commonly shortened to Valentine’s Day) is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD. It was deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, but its religious observance is still permitted. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines”).
To most men, Valentine’s Day is the day you’re supposed to buy flowers or candy for your wife or girlfriend. But to most women, Valentine’s Day is about expressing your innermost feelings about someone. It’s about saying how much you really value someone -- through the purchase of a material object, of course. Here’s how to give Valentine’s Day gifts she’s bound to love. Think about the message you want to convey to her. Is it, “I think you’re special”, “You’re so beautiful”, or “I want to keep you guessing”? Whatever the message, there’s an easy way to communicate it through your gift. Match your gift to the message. This may sound easier said than done, but checking the Tips section might give you some ideas. Get help from others. If you’re just not sure how to express your feelings, get some advice from friends, parents or whomever you trust, but don’t have some other person go gift shopping for your girl. Consider the risk of getting your “hidden message” wrong. If anything about your idea could be misleading, don’t go through with it. Take the safe route and keep it simple. Just say it. More often than not, the whole “saying it through the grapevine”-thing backfires. In many cases the lady would have preferred some heartfelt kind words to a gift.
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Valentine’s Flowers
If you’d like someone to think sweet thoughts about you; send them a delightful bouquet! Flowers will never lose their power when it comes to showing love. Women will always go gaga about flowers and always expect to have them on Valentine’s day. A great backup plan to have in case you’re not sure of your main gift - always add flowers.
Jewelry
The power lies within this group. To a woman, it means more than just an expensive piece of fine art; it shows security and care. It means “you can take care of me” financially. Don’t go cheap on Jewelry because a woman will know. She has spent a lot of years window shopping and dreaming about that specific diamond piece; She can differenciate - Walmart vs. Jared. Choose wisely.
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Your appearance on V-Day
If you’re not big on appearances you need to be on this day, get a good haircut possibly trying something new. Make sure to shave, if you have a beard or mustache go ahead and go for that clean cut look. Women will tell you whatever you want to hear for the most part just to stroke your ego, but what they love most is a clean shaven man.
Going Out on V-Day
Whatever you do you need to make this event special, you could get reservations (and you will need to in great advance) to your favorite bistro or try a new spot. Try and find a place that plays music while you dine and make sure to wear your best Sunday clothes, remember to cut your finger nails to and possibly buy a new cologne or after shave. Show her a different side of you that she’s never seen before or hasn’t seen in a very long time. Do not do the same thing you did the year before, this gets old and boring for women; women want a surprise on Valentines day.
Write Your Love
Write a love letter or two for her, if you’re not the best writer in the world that doesn’t matter, she’ll love you illiterate or not. Make sure to highlight the qualities that you love about her most and praise her for putting up with your crap all year, possibly send the note to her job. Don’t make it too dirty, she may want to flaunt it to her friends. You don’t want her friends giving you starnge looks the next time you come to see her at the office.
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OTHER VALENTINE’S DAY TIPS Create your own Valentine’s Day card. Compose a poem or an expression of love that expresses your personality. Create a “recollection collection” scrapbook filled with favorite photographs, love letters, keepsakes from special occasions, and cherished mementos. Make a CD of your favorite songs as a couple including love songs that you both enjoy listening to. Buy some romantic CDs, classic videos or DVDs and wrap them all together with red ribbon. It’s hard to go wrong with the traditional Valentine’s Day gift of chocolate. (Unless your Valentine is one of those unfortunate people who is allergic to it.) Find out if he or she prefers milk or dark chocolate. * Pamper your sweetheart by gifting her a spa session. * Pot a plant that will grow and loom for her. * Spend loads of quality time with him/her and clandestine visits to romantic gateways. * Gift him/her a nice cell phone for keeping endless communication. * Gift her a beautiful evening gown or apparel. * Dance with your valentine on Martina McBride’s ‘Valentine’. * Include a chocolate dessert in your romantic dinner. * If he/she loves gadgets then gift a digital camera..
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INTERVIEW | ERIC MULUMBA ZOZO
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I N T E R V I E W
POVERTY IN AFRICA
According to UNICEF, a child in Africa dies every three seconds from AIDS and extreme poverty, often before their fifth birthday.
CEO
CONSULTANT
ECONOMIST
Interviewing ERIC MULUMBA ZOZO
SHORT BIO Eric Mulumba Zozo is a brilliant Congolese economist trained in prestigious universities in Europe, America and Africa. After earning his Bachelor degree in economics at the University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eric Mulumba Zozo excelled throughout his graduate studies at the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) and at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) in Belgium, as well as at Tulane University and University of Dallas in the United States of America. He is currently the CEO of the nonprofit organization Aid for Well Being, which is established in Europe, America and Africa. He is also the director and consultant of several European, American and African institutions. He is married and the father of four children. TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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E XC LUS I V E [PERSONAL] AM: Where are you from originally? Eric I am from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa. AM: What is your family situation? Eric: I am married, father of 4 children. I have three boys and a girl. AM: Who is your role model? Eric: My Model is a person who impacted our societies in an impressive way by teachings and values that he conveyed such as love, sharing, courage, respect and work. Historians around the world agree and recognize that his work has touched and positively influenced the evolution of humanity as no other work. I am talking about Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Many people such as Henry Durant, the founder of the Red Cross, Martin Luther King, Blaise Pascal and Mother Theresa who took him as a model also has significantly influence the course of history AM: When you’re not working, what are your favorite things to do? Eric: When I am not working, I like to worship the God of Bible; I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I also like reading, listening to music, attend soccer games and exercising. AM: Currently, where is home? Where are you located presently? Eric: For almost 10 years my professional and paraprofessional activities have caused me to move a lot. I am constantly travelling between America, Africa and Europe. Nevertheless, in 2010, I spent most of my time in Europe, in Belgium to be precise. However that will soon change. AM: Can you tell us something about you that people would never guess? Eric: People may not know that I had hoped to marry the one that became my wife since I was 10 years old. AM: Favorite sport? Why? Eric: My favorite sport is soccer because it is the most popular sport that enables people from different social classes and different backgrounds to meet. It can also be practiced with the means at anyone’s disposal, even when JAN / FEB 2011 A D U N A G O W M A G A Z I N E
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someone is part of a class of modest income. And although I am over 20 years old, I still like to play soccer and attend soccer games. [PROFESSION] AM: Tell us a little bit about your profession? Eric: I am currently the president of the nonprofit organization Aid for Well Being, which is established in Europe, America and Africa. Also, I am a member of the board of directors and consultant in different American, African and European organizations and institutions. AM: Tell us about Aid for Well Being, Inc.? How did you start it? Eric: Aid for Well Being is an international organization made of a group of nonprofit associations that were established in Europe, America and Africa. The organization was created in August 2004 by a core of people whose desire is to put their talents, skills and experiences to provide services to people and populations that are vulnerable and disadvantaged. The organization is using all resources necessary to improve the quality of life by fighting against poverty in rural and urban areas in a way that is effective and long-lasting. AM: What’s the mission of Aid for Well Being? Eric: The mission of Aid for Well Being is to provide help to people in need by improving their quality of life. To do so, Aid for Well Being implements projects in the education, health and social work sectors. The movement aims to assist any category of people including but not limited to children, teenagers, students, abused women, senior adults, displaced and homeless of any age, gender and religious background around the world. [AFRICA & POVERTY] AM: You’ve done a lot of research on Third World Countries Poverty. Tell us in short, what are the three top common factors found on poor African countries? Eric: Since the 80’s, theories of new institutional economics developed by R.C.O. Matthews have taken a central place in development models. These theories emphasize the importance of institutions in the process of poverty reduction. Therefore, I can say that the three top common factors 42
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found on poor African countries are: 1) Bad governance characterized by bad practices of leaders who do not favor democracy, maintain corruption, mismanagement and plunder public funds. 2) Armed and unarmed conflicts that hinder economic activity, hinder the implementation of social programs, increase the mortality and unemployment rates and perpetuate poverty. 3) The absence or the failure to carry out the implementation of ambitious, consistent and effective economic programs and policies, that are likely to
“The best way to ensure a bright future is by involving today’s youth in a practical way in projects that promote sustainable development.” - ERIC MULUMBA ZOZO
create employment, increase production and households purchasing power. AM: Can poverty in Africa be associated to bad leadership from our current African leaders? Eric: Definitely! Bad governance that has characterized our African countries since their independence illustrates that the bad leadership of the majority of African leaders has kept Africa in poverty. AM: The poor need help. What can we, the African Diaspora living in well developed countries, do to help fight poverty in Africa? Eric: We must admit that, in one way or another, the African Diaspora living in well developed countries already assist families that live in poverty through the transfer of funds and other goods. Yet, it is necessary that the African Diaspora increase their efforts to contribute in a more effective and sustainable way. To do this, the Diaspora can proceed in different ways. For instance: 1) The Diaspora can contribute by donating material and financial support to credible nonprofit organizations and international organizations that promote sustainable development in Africa. 2) Despite the many constraints the Diaspora can establish non-profit organizations that aim to fight against poverty in Africa by promoting education, health and social projects. 3) The Diaspora can establish and promote businesses that allow the creation of national TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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“Africa must prepare for
its future by educating and training its youth in line with present and future needs, not only in the cramming their heads with theories and head knowledge, but also by associating them today to ambitious projects” - ERIC MULUMBA ZOZO
wealth, employment, economic growth and development in Africa. 4) Just like Asians, the African Diaspora can substantially put the expertise they have obtained in developed countries to the benefit of African nations by temporarily or permanently working in public or private institutions in Africa. 5) The African Diaspora must effectively become involved and participate in the management of the city, in other words, politics by taking part in different debates and by encouraging African leaders to ensure proper management of African countries. If the Diaspora does not take an active role, it will deprive Africa of its expertise and Africans who live in poverty from its precious helps. 6) The African Diaspora must pray just as the Jewish Diaspora did for a long time so as to have the capacity to do good deeds. Praying is not just imploring God. Prayer is conversation with God. In other words, praying is talking to God but also listen to what He commands us to do in order to act according to his word and do good works on earth. I truly believe in the God of the Bible, in the Lord Jesus Christ and I believe that the prayers of the righteous avail much. AM: Since we can’t count on African leaders, are there solutions not involving government involvements? Eric: A country cannot truly be built without a public administration and a government that is responsible and efficient. Rather than TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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leaving aside the authorities, we should militate in favor of African leaders that are competent, responsible and seek their people’s best interest rather than their own private interest. Nevertheless, it is true that aside from the government, there are private institutions that exist and can also significantly contribute to the development. Yet, these private organizations alone cannot provide solutions to the problems of Africa. AM: How can the media help fight poverty in Africa and in the world? Eric: The media, which is considered to be the fourth power after legislative, executive and judiciary powers, has an important role to play in the fight against poverty in Africa and around the world. Indeed, there are too many people who do not know the level and the ravages caused by poverty in the world. This is sad because most of these people would be able to contribute significantly to the reduction of the level of poverty in the world if they were more informed. Thus said, to contribute to the fight against poverty in Africa and around the world the media must sufficiently inform, educate, and raise public awareness. I am grateful for the interest that your magazine has about the question and thank you. However, I encourage you to multiply your efforts in the fight against poverty because no one is shielded from this plague. [AFRICA & Future Generation] AM: The future of a country resides in its next generation: the children and youth. How are African countries preparing for the next decades? Eric: Africa must prepare for its future by educating and training its youth in line with present and future needs, not only in the cramming their heads with theories and head knowledge, but also by associating them today to ambitious projects! I do not like the statement that says that youth is the future of tomorrow because if it is true that the statement depicts an important truth, it obscures another determining truth. Indeed, it is true that young people will play a main role in the future of our societies. However, today’s youth have a strength, vigor and freshness for innovation that they will lose tomorrow like athletic performance that can only be realized while being young. Great inventors, politicians, businessmen who realized that fact have
“It is time that churches in Africa play a leading role in integral human development as recommend by the Holy Scriptures.” - ERIC MULUMBA ZOZO
learned how to associate young people in the design and implementation of their projects at the moment. The best way to ensure a bright future is by involving today’s youth in a practical way in projects that promote sustainable development. Moreover, like the Jews, I think the African Diaspora must adequately educate young Africans who grew up abroad on their origin, their African identity and history. Young people must have a real love and attachment toward their countries and their continent of origin. Many Africans rather than showing the richness and also the good side of Africa mistakenly transmit their children an image of Africa that is chaotic and has no future. This attitude is suicidal. African parents must portray an image of Africa that is well balanced. They must present an Africa that is experiencing problems and needs material, financial and human resources. This will prepare young people living outside of Africa to contribute significantly to the development of African countries, to come out of the cycle of poverty like many European, American and Asian countries have done. In addition, too many people in the West have a wrong image of Africa and African people believe that only live in huts or on trees. Therefore, the African Diaspora must promote media such as magazines like yours, websites, video reports, geography and history books that represent African with more objectivity. This will help young people to have a better understanding of their origins. AM: According to UNICEF, a child in Africa dies every three seconds from AIDS and extreme poverty, often before their fifth 44
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birthday. Can we say our future is dying? Eric: We can say that our future is threatened because the infant mortality rate remains high in Africa. However, fortunately, our future is not dying. Indeed, the rate of population growth in Africa remains positive in most countries. Also, various programs implemented by international agencies as part of the Millennium Develop Goals (MDGs) adopted in September 2000 led to lower infant mortality rates in Africa. AM: What can be done to help the youth generation in Africa? Eric: The best way to help young people in Africa is to equip them by giving them access to primary, secondary and higher education or university. Far too many young Africans are excluded from schools and universities for lack of space or resources. It should no longer continue. We must build schools in Africa and universities that have space and we need to develop and support programs that provide financing for studies of young people as in Europe and America. It is highly regrettable that young students studying in Africa in most cases do not receive any financial and material support such as scholarships, financial aid etc. AM: Religion plays a big factor in Africa. What can churches do in order to help African countries? Eric: History reveals that the JudeoChristian values that form the basis of enormous progress in the world have been advocated by the Christian church. These values include education, work, research; sharing and respect. They have encouraged the development of many nations scientifically, technologically, economically and socially. It is time that churches in Africa play a leading role in integral human development as recommend by the Holy Scriptures. Rather than individually prosper, pastors and other church leaders must teach and implement programs that will equip and guide people to effectively participate in the development of Africa. Beyond the spiritual care and guidance they offer to its members, Christian churches must contribute to social and economic development in African countries by creating social work, employment, goods and services.
AM: Do you have any final say? Eric: Yes, I want to thank you for the interview and your efforts to reach the African Diaspora spread around the world the world. I hope that your magazine spreads further. It is true that Africa is experiencing a lot of problems. I remain convinced that the African Diaspora and Africans who live in the continent have potential resources that can cause Africa to come out of underdevelopment and become prosperous. It is a fact that many prestigious European and American universities have formed African elites. In addition, for several decades African universities like the University of Kinshasa and other African institutions have offered Africans quality training that is equivalent to those offered in Europe and elsewhere. Adding to this, many training and refresher courses have been offered to African people by international agencies and other institutions. Besides, I would like to say this: Unlike most people’s belief, I do not think as many people say that the mentality of Africans is their biggest obstacle to development in Africa. The mentality of men is like a liquid that takes the shape of the container in which it is placed. People that live in an environment that advocates, encourages and rewards those who steal, corrupt and mismanage, will adopt unproductive attitudes and behaviors in a very short time. In contrast, people who live in an environment where theft, corruption, mismanagement and crime are punished. And, where rewards are given to those who make the effort to work without compromise, people will end up adopting constructive and productive mentalities in a very short time. Thus, we must campaign to establish African structures and mechanisms that penalize destructive behaviors and reward positive and productive behaviors. Doing so, we will significantly improve the performance of those working in Africa and accelerate its development. Finally, I want to seize this opportunity to extend my best wishes of health, prosperity and happiness for 2011 to the entire Adunagow Magazine team and all of your readers. May God bless you and grant you success this New Year. Thank you Eric for taking the time to chat with us. AM TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT
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“Far too many young Africans are excluded from schools and universities for lack of space or resources. It should no longer continue.” - ERIC MULUMBA ZOZO
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