AfricaWorld Newspaper 16-31 May 2014

MAY 16 - 31 2014 VOL 001 Nº57

FREE ...Created to serve and inform

African International magazine launched in Dublin

Pictures on page 08

EXIT OF MIGRANTS’ HERO: THANK YOU MR. ALAN SHATTER TD. page 02 03 page

AFRICAN BECOMES FIRST IMMIGRANT IN LIMERICK LOCAL ELECTIONS Page 11

BEFORE JUSTICE IS SUBVERTED IN OCHIA COMMUNITY, IMO STATE COLLOQUIUM 2014 page 03

BRING BACK OUR GIRLS page 12

FLAGSHIP AFRICA DAY FESTIVAL AT FARMLEIGH page 08

WE MUST NOT SLEEP UNTIL WE FIND OUR CHIBOK GIRLS page 13

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IRELAND AS CONFLICT RESOLUTION MODEL FOR SOUTH KOREA

MONITOR YOUR BUSINESS page 14

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NEWS

EDITORIAL VERBAL SUPPORT IS NOT ENOUGH, MAKE SURE YOU VOTE The 2014 Local Elections will be held on Friday 23rd May, the same day as voting in the European Elections and two Dáil by elections (Dublin West and Longford Westmeath). Polling takes place between 7am and 10pm.

As a matter of fact, immigrants should endeavour to come out and vote. It is not enough to support candidates verbally, going to the polling booth to vote matters most.

Also, this is a good opportunity to vote in or against those who hinder proper integration for immigrants. It is bad to sit in your home, criticizing and showing frustration over government policies when your vote can contribute positively.

As 23rd May approach, tell your loved ones and friends to exercise their right to vote. If you do it, you are contributing positively to the progress of Ireland and our community. Do not fail to vote on Friday 23rd May in the European and Local Elections. Let us vote for those who support us.

Come inside.

Uka

EXIT OF MIGRANTS’ HERO: THANK YOU MR. ALAN SHATTER By: Tunji Idowu

Among the migrant communities in Ireland, the resignation of former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Alan Shatter TD, was greeted on one hand, with empathy, by those whom without Mr. Alan Shatter’s bold reforms of naturalisation process would probably still be waiting for decisions on their Irish citizenship applications.

On the other hand, those that are yet to receive decisions on their applications are certainly apprehensive.

In fact, the sentiment amongst migrant communities is that Mr. Shatter was roped into various allegations because of his humane treatment of the migrants.

It will be recalled that before Mr. Alan Shatter was appointed Minister for Justice, Equality and Law reform, decisions on application for citizenship took nothing less than two years. If one is refused on any condition, the process starts all over again for another two years.

Also, those that were granted citizenship would go before a judge in a court to swear an oath of allegiance to the Irish State- many described the experience as not so memorable.

AFRICAWORLD & MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS Editor Ukachukwu Okorie

Secretary / TV Director Koketso Mohotloane

News Director Abdul Yusuf

Chief Reporter Paul Kelly

However, changed the whole processhe reduced the application process to six months and introduced Citizenship ceremonies where new citizens swear an oath to the State and obtain their certificate of citizenship. Mine was a memorable experience- the ambiance at the convention centre was excellent.

It felt special - the Garda band treated us to good music, the mini army parade enforces patriotism and the inspiring speech delivered by Mr. Alan shatter in his capacity as the Minister - made it a day I will never forget. He instilled confidence and pride in people while enjoined the new citizens to walk tall as new law abiding citizens.

Mr Shatter’s decision to speed up the process makes a lot of sense, in my own opinion, because people going to Burgh Quay often to renew their residency statuses does not only constitute nuisance to the area, it disrupts children academics as it is mandatory to bring your child along.

It hinders people from making long term plans.

In contrast, the change that Mr. Alan Shatter introduced was very smart, in the sense that, it helps new citizens to make informed decisions about their future plans. It gives them freedom of choice and movement.

Those who have lost their jobs can now migrate to other European countries, either to work or trade, which ultimately reduces impact on the Ireland unemployment indices.

Most importantly, the concept generates a lot of revenue for government. As at last ceremony, the Minister announced during the ceremonies that the three thousand plus that received their certificate

The Editorial team at AfricaWorld would like to point out that it is aware of the Millennium Development Goals and seeks to

Graphic Design Mirco Mascarin Cristina Casabon

would make it about sixty seven thousand people he would have sworn in as Irish citizens. It cost 950 euro to secure the certificate, so it means that the minister has generated almost €64,000,000 to the government as a result of his reform. It is a win-win situation.

Regardless, I belong to the camp of those who see Mr. Shatter’s resignation as appropriate given the way he handled many important issues, especially the Garda whistleblower case. I would have expected contrary approach from a seemingly bold, intelligent and articulate man like Mr. Shatter.

Sergeant McCabe should not have been embarrassed, his allegations should have been investigated and the outcome should have been an opportunity to carry out much need reforms in the Garda.

The rubbishing of Garda Ombudsman report on bugging by the minister is too hasty in my own opinion and I think his revelation (on national TV) of confidential Information given to him by An Garda Siochona about Mr. Mick Wallace TD was uncalled for, especially as there is no political gain for revealing such confidential information.

At any rate, the immigrant communities will forever be grateful and will surely not forget Mr. Alan Shatter in a hurry and I suspect Fine Gael will reap from his initiative in many elections to come. Thank you Mr. Alan Shatter TD

synergise its work in accordance with those aims wherever possible. Those goals are to improve issues of Education,

Health, HIV/AIDS, Gender Equalit y, Environmental Sustainability and Global Partnerships.

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NEWS

BEFORE JUSTICE IS SUBVERTED IN OCHIA COMMUNITY, IMO STATE, NIGERIA

By Chima Offurum This is simply my greatest source of worry for more than sixteen months now. That the once peaceful Ochia Community in the west of Ohaji, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State may not perpetually remain in crisis because justice was not given to certain persons who had resorted to civil processes rather than to jungle justice in seeking for an amicable resolution to the carnage that had befallen them. And when this happens, it is given another name.

I had restrained to write or talk about these issues before now because I had trusted the agencies of government charged with the responsibilities of identifying disputes, arresting defaulters and bringing them to court so as to give such people opportunities of fair hearing to do their jobs but that is far from coming. My anxiety is heightened when I hear personnel of the justice system remind us that those the courts hear their matter are those whom the courts see when ab initio, full directives have been received from the government, reliably that no further arrests should be entertained on the Ochia Awarra Ohaji matter. This is disgusting and totally unacceptable as the facts are clear that the alleged culprits of high standard crimes are known and walking about freely in Ochia community committing crimes with further intents to commit more under the watchful eyes of a responsible government.

Earlier in my report published in The Leader newspaper (Sunday, March 10, 2013), I had noted that Ochia Autonomous Community, recently carved out of the larger Awarra town in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State has been on hot waters since the 19th of January, 2013 and no one appears to care.

What started as mere protest from a village youth election spread like wild fire culminating in its hijack by alleged cult boys who turned from breaking into peoples’ houses to looting of properties, stealing of farm produce and finally burning of houses. We also had incidences of rape, sexual harassments, abduction and regular threats to both life and property.

For about a year, since the matter went to the magistrate court and later transferred to the High Court which had proper jurisdiction to entertain it, the court had only started hearing the matter just a few days ago. Cases at the court on the Ochia case are separately listed for abduction, arson, burglary and armed robbery. Before now for several months, dates of sitting are given without formal rising bringing the complainants and their legal

representatives to excessive expenses.

Since then too, efforts had been made to see if other culprits could be rounded off and brought to court for interrogation without success as the police hierarchy in the divisions were working on a purported directive of the state government to stop further arrests on the matter.

Since my objections on the government directive was published, I had expected a reply from any organ of government to refute my claims and put me on the right but none came indicating that my fears are yet to begin. And as we read these lines, they are been played out in government’s action on the handling of the matter thereby bringing further frustration to certain persons that had lost their freedom of movement, their properties including buildings, access to their farmlands and crops planted in these farms etcetera not excluding telephone threats and other physical and mental harassments.

There is this Igbo adage which other tribes of the African continent could have which says that “onye ujo ji ndu ya na onye ike”, translated as that it is the coward, the weak who is holding the safety or survival of his life and that of the strong or the mighty.

This is completely true of the Ochia case in relation to the law abiding and wise citizens that fled their ancestral homes to seek refuge in foreign domains because, had they fought back with the same force they were attacked by the home miscreants, real human fatalities would have been recorded. After all, no one person is monopoly of violence as its capacities are inherent in every human being when provoked to take action. The only incident of death was caused by the hooligans who were on reprisal to express how their might could mean right.

In the meantime, the people who had fled their homes as law abiding citizens had sought recourse through civil processes by reporting the matter to the police which led to certain arrests. Even though it was alleged that certain “innocent persons” were arrested in the mass exercise by the Imo Security Network, the said persons who were later released on the instructions of the government when investigated were indicted in one way or the other in the carnage that was suffered by certain persons in the community. They all belong to the same cult group. What happened later was that they walked home and regrouped to cause more carnage than was earlier reported. More houses were looted or destroyed, movements restricted and anybody seen not to openly identify with them had to drink the spill of their hot blood. People were compelled to

swear before their shrines as to remain loyal to direction.

As these happened, responsible people from the community did not moot. The matter was further reported to the police division in the area that affirmed government’s instruction to stop arrests on the case. Shortly after, a committee of ten persons was set up by government to mediate and amicably negotiate settlement. Ordinarily, this is a criminal case which is exempted from alternative dispute resolution method but in spite of that, the peace loving team who had continued to corporate with government cued in. It was expected that the government should have simply used the committee to assess the damage suffered by the people and some arrangements for settlement put in place, some form of undertaking written by the alleged aggressors not to cause further trouble, security personnel posted to the town to avert further harassments and finally people allowed to get back and rebuild their homes and continue normal life but none of these came the way of the suffering people.

With all these happenings around the town and the government appear to be silent, the information as emanating from one of the personnels of the justice system on the 16th of May, 2014 that the court is only concerned with those that are brought to it for hearing is adding more salt to bleeding injury.

Section 214 of the Constitution (1999) set up the Police Force in Nigeria. They have an enabling act which specifically defined their roles and duties. Section 4 of the Police Act explicitly spelt out the statutory functions or objectives of the Nigeria Police which among other things include prevention and detection of crime, apprehension of offenders , preservation of law and order, protection of life and property, enforcement of all laws and regulations with which they are charged, etc.

Going by what the people have already gone through, it is evident either the government or the police or both are biased regarding the case in view. The purported government directive and the subsequent follow-up by the police not to effect further arrest of alleged perpetrators are not without reasons and we all see the effects. No doubt, government may have interests on the matter and I may not possess the required clout to stand on their way to realizing whatever intentions. What I am candidly

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sure about is that the preliminaries to this matter is not a struggle of supremacy between registered political parties as some people in some quarters had tried to drag it into. It was just a manifestation of jealousy at work and the people who had suffered aggression want justice which by Aristotle’s terms is to give them that which is their due.

If what we heard as emanating from the personnel of the justice system is admissible in evidence before any properly constituted court of law then it is tantamount to complete abdication of duty from the police, full expression of and confirmation of our fears that the powers that be that should help us get justice are biased. Knowing the open threats to life and property and being aware that the alleged perpetrators of the crimes that resulted in the carnage are still walking around freely, it will be a complete romance with death to return home without the agencies that should protect life and property on ground. We know the duties of the police to carry out their statutorily assigned roles are not discretionary. It is imperative in which case, I had felt that since they had failed in them that the court could have compelled them by invoking the prerogative order of mandamus more so, as the responsibility is of public nature.

I do not know if it is over-reacting to say that in our given circumstance, the police should have disobeyed the biased directive of government or otherwise.

Where the police are constrained in the bid to do their work due to extreme challenges arising from poor funding or mismanagement of allocated funds, training and others, citizens who want things done in the interest of progress have assisted either through intelligence or capacity which had come through fund or donations and the people in our case scenario had done that on occasions.

If the dance steps we are watching is anything to go by and we see we have no further options and government wants to pardon the culprits in the crimes to effect some reconciliation, there are equally conditions to follow. The damaged buildings have to be rebuilt and properties lost replaced. Regarding a prerogative of mercy, the government could use her powers through the Attorney General as is constitutionally enshrined (cf. CFRN, 1999, s.174) after fulfilling that the interest of the people, interest of justice and prevention of the abuse of the legal process are satisfied.

Even here, we equally recognize the complainant’s right to appeal.

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FOLLOW A COLUMN IN AFRICAWORLD NEWSPAPAPER

ALGERIA Facing growing chaos next door, Algeria on Monday (May 19th) moved to close all border crossings with Libya. Meanwhile, state energy firm Sonatrach repatriated its workers from Libya and halted production in the country.

ANGOLA President José Eduardo dos Santos Tuesday in Luanda congratulated the African Party for Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde (PAIGC) on the recent electoral victory in Guinea Bissau.

GOSSIP

BOTSWANA The International Monetary Fund, IMF, on Tuesday said Botswana witnessed a faster economic growth in 2013 due to improved mining sector performance.

CAMEROON The Chinese embassy in Cameroon is urging authorities in the west Central African nation to use caution if attempts are made to free 10 Chinese nationals believed abducted Friday during an attack on a Chinese company’s camp in northern Cameroon.

CAPE VERDE The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved on April 22 a US$15.5 million credit to support the Government of Cabo Verde’s effort to strengthen the country’s macroeconomic resilience to external shocks.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

President Barack Obama has ordered sanctions against five top figures in the Central African Republic, including former president Francois Bozize and rebel leader Michel Djotodia.

CHAD

Long Wait for Justice Victims of Former Chad Leader Habre Face New Delay. An unexpected decision by the Chambres Africaines Extraordinaires (CAE), the special court set up to try Habre, extended the initial 27-month trial by just over a year has come as a blow to victims, already frustrated by years of delay.

Flagship Africa Day Festival at Farmleigh A free family festival to celebrate Africa Day will take place in the grounds of Farmleigh in Dublin’s Phoenix Park this coming Sunday, 25th May. The event will feature a jam-packed schedule of live music over three stages, with headliners including the internationally renowned Irish folk and world music group Kíla and Colours Afrobeat Foundation, as well as children’s entertainment, food, dance, drumming and sports.

The free event will run from 11am to 6pm and all are welcome to attend. Dublin Bus will provide a free shuttlebus service from the Heuston Bridge / Parkgate Street bus stop into the Phoenix Park.

There will also be free car-parking available at Farmleigh. However, event organisers advise that parking spaces are limited and the carpark is likely to fill up early, so public transport and the free shuttle bus service provide the best option for all those coming to the event.

Main Stage: ‘Kwassa Kwassa’ Internationally renowned Irish folk and world music group Kíla will be headlining the main stage, ‘Kwassa Kwassa’. They will be joined by Irish and Nigerian fusion band, Tig Linn, and Ireland’s foremost Afrobeat and multicultural music project, Colours Afrobeat Foundation.

The most recent additions to the main stage lineup include: Manden Express, an international band fusing traditional and contemporary West African music; and Ugandan singer-songwriter Justine Nantale.

The line-up also includes 10-piece ska, pop, punk fusion band, The Amazing Few; and the Irish four-piece Square Pegs, who pay homage to Chicago blues, 1950s R&B and New Orleans big band sounds.

The day-long programme of world music, traditional Irish sounds, pop-punk, ska, blues, big band and R&B is sure to offer something for everyone’s musical tastes.

The second music stage, ‘Atilogwu’, will have a strong focus on urban music, featuring a host of rappers, DJs and hip-hop artists of African and Irish origin. Those performing will include: DJ Wax, NLT MG, Sematecino, Benzor, DJ DaKrys, DJ Elle

and DJ V-King.

And, this year, a third music stage, called ‘Malaika’, has been added to the event. It will feature a range of exciting emerging artists, from dance crews and interactive performances to music ensembles and DJs. Among those performing on the Malaika stage will be: Newpark Music Centre, a Dublin jazz and contemporary music schoolday; Fit Kids / Fit Teens, a hip-hop dance school; Kiruu, a singer-songwriter who will perform original songs in Swahili and English; Pop Dogg, an Afro hip-hop solo artist; D-Romola, a Nigerian gospel artist; Vida, a Malawian singer with hip-hop and R&B influences; Huva, an inner city Dublin hip-hop artist; and rising gospel stars, No Limits.

African Bazaar: ‘Marrakech’ One of the focal points of the Africa Day Dublin event will be the outdoor African Bazaar, called ‘Marrakech’. This will house over 40 different groups, showcasing the culture and traditions of numerous African states, ranging from Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda in East Africa to the Western states of Nigeria, Guinea and Ghana, as well as Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Angola in the south.

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RETURN OF THE NATIVE UKACHUKWU OKORIE

Activities on offer will include free facepainting and henna hand-painting; traditional coffee-making ceremonies; displays of arts and crafts; and children’s quizzes and games.

We often forget the labour of our heroes in the past and present. Although many have continue to distinguish themselves for the progress of Africa and humanity. This column excavates positives in the toils and vicissitudes of men and women of great character, thereby helping to ignite a new flame in our champions today. It is as hot as the basic menu in the Irish Chipper.

Get addicted to it.

Some of Ireland’s leading development NGOs will be present, offering fun and interactive activities. Visitors will have the chance to learn about issues pertaining to water collection and water use, get crafty with bead-making and interactive games, write Africa Day messages on a message wall, and even sit in a typical African fishing boat to play a simple ‘fishing’ game.

‘Best Dressed’ Competition One of the highlights of Africa Day Dublin promises to be the ‘best dressed’ competition: visitors are being encouraged to deck themselves out in their most colourful African finery before coming to the event. Those who consider themselves in the running for a prize can enter at the ‘Best Dressed’ stall, and a parade of finalists will take place through the grounds of Farmleigh before the winners are announced shortly after 4pm.

Kids’ Zone: ‘Mount Kiddimanjaro’ The Kids’ Zone at Africa Day Dublin – ‘Mount Kiddimanjaro’ – is sponsored by Moneygram. It will host a range of fun, interactive activities, including facepainting, storytelling, arts activities and sports.

There will be traditional drumming demonstrations, followed by ‘Bang the Drum’ workshops, hosted by Irish Aid, while Cork Circus Street Theatre will perform their family circus show, ‘Tutti Frutti’. There will also be dance and storytelling sessions, football games and skills demonstrations throughout the day, and. author Carol Azams will do a special reading from her new children’s book, ‘The Children of Africa’.

Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello TD will be in attendance at the event, as will The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Oisin Quinn, and members of the African diplomatic corps in Ireland.

Africa Day events in Ireland are supported

by Irish Aid at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Further information is available at www.africaday.ie.

AFRICAWORLD NEWS DIRECTOR ABDUL YUSUF

TECH_PILOT - UCHENNA ONYENAGUBO “A prophet has no regard in his town”, they usually say but that is balderdash. Here is our IT Columnist who brings to you the often neglected, yet basic tech. solutions. From your gadgets to external soft/hardware accessories, our Tech_Pilot will help you understand with ease as if you are loosening a bolt.

This is an important column for all.

AFRICAWORLD CHIEF REPORTER - PAUL KELLY

AGONY CORNER: Are you heartbroken or seeking love? Do you need the tips to make him/ her stay with you? A great charmer yet uncelebrated like the Dublin Spire that connects many especially new love birds that see it as meeting or melting point. Agony Corner is all you need if you are a Lover Boy/Girl. Let the contents serve as your romance liturgy.

AFRICAWORLD TV DIRECTOR/ SECRETARY KOKETSO MOHOTLOANE

THE ERA OF NU UCHENNA ACHEBE

Get down to the business of Health & Fitness Regime with Uchenna, our newest Columnist.

Burn the fats, eat healthy and free your mind and soul. Don’t miss any edition of AfricaWorld Newspaper, it’s every two weeks.

AFRICAWORLD CARTOON - MAX CHIJIOKE OKAFOR As they said that ‘the teacher was once a pupil’, so you could say about Max who runs our cartoon section. Unlike the hazy Irish weather, Max has predictably grown from strength to strength. Our Award-winning teenage cartoonist is on the rise and should be followed up on our Facebook cartoon page and AfricaWorld Newspaper. You will be impressed if you check it out.

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DD’S CUBICLE - DUNSTAN UKAGA Come to think of a writer who writes fearlessly no matter whose ox is gored. Our International Affairs Columnist is a widely traveled guy, leaving you satisfied with his analysis like the manner Didier Drogba left Chelsea fans after slotting in his penalty kick, thereby granting them the audacity to lift the Euro Champions league trophy. Follow his page on AfricaWorld Newspaper.

60 SECONDS WITH THE DUCHESS NENA HUNTAZ Our Celebrity Queen bring to us ‘who is who’ in the African entertainment world from the Elizabethan city of London. “It is up to you”, however our readers who follow her column know the current and upcoming acts in the African celebrity firmament. See your African Stars and know ‘how far’ with them on 60 SECONDS WITH THE DUCHESS. Don’t miss it on AfricaWorld Newspaper every two weeks.

XRAY WITH FR. VIN VINCENT ARISUKWU A prolific writer in the order of Melchizedek of old. This Columnist brings his daily sermon on social justice to our global readership. The column ‘Xray with Fr. Vin’ is core analysis touching issues affecting all spectrum of life. In as much as it can be religious, it has political and sociocultural underpinnings in lessons. It can also serve as a ‘Mea Culpa’ for existential harmony.

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AFRICAWORLD MAY 16 - 31 2014

MAY 16 - 31 2014

NEWS

DJIBOUTI Unidentified attackers disrupted a gathering of the Djiboutian opposition Union for National Salvation (USN) in Arhiba this week, injuring several activists, the Djiboutian Observatory for the Promotion of Democracy and Human Rights (ODDH) said.

FORMER SOUTH AFRICA AMBASSADOR TO IRELAND IN TOP LIMPOPO APPOINTMENT Limpopo ANC Deputy Chairperson and former South Africa Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, Jeremiah Azwindini Ndou was named MEC for Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure.

EGYPT Six “extremists” were killed in an air strike in

North Sinai on Tuesday. The army targeted a hiding place of Jihadists with missiles, which left six of them killed and 14 injured.

Amb. Ndou has served Africa’s oldest political party, the African National Congress in various capacity, either as government envoy or in the local structure.

ERITREA Reports indicated that Independence Day celebrations are continuing with patriotic zeal. The ceremony conducted at regional level witnessed the lighting of an Independences Torch and the staging of cultural performances depicting cultural values, besides an exhibition of pictures portraying the Eritrean armed struggle.

He was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the South African Embassy, Tripoli, Libya, and also served in the same capacity in Zimbabwe.

ETHIOPIA The UN agency for refugees (UNHCR) said that it is working with its partners to improve camp conditions for tens and thousands of South Sudanese refugees who are being sheltered at camps in Ethiopia.

MOROCCO More than a thousand Moroccan jihadists have travelled to Syria since 2011, including 900 just in 2013, has announced a representative of the Directorate-General for National Security (DGSN).

NAMIBIA Parliamentary committee research into the abuse of alcohol in Namibia has re v e a l e d w i d e s p re a d misuse of money by pensioners on liquor and called for controls on traditional alcohol brews. The situation was said to be worse at Kayirayira and Ekoka villages, the report said.

NIGERIA The BBC reported that 223 Nigerian schoolgirls remain missing after being abducted last week, according to a source that they interviewed. This number is far from the official figures. Islamist group Boko Haram is suspected to be behind the kidnapping.

RWANDA The police has dismissed allegations by Human Rights Watch that a number of people have gone missing or are victims of forcible disappearances in the north and west of the country.

SIERRA LEONE Sierra Leonean President, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma on 16th May officially opened the first ever Summit of African Union Committee of Ten Heads of State on the Reform of the Security Council of the United Nations into a more democratic and more equitable organization that respects Africa’s centrality to the relevance and destiny of the global organisation.

Ireland as conflict resolution model for

South Korea

By Lylian Fotabong A delegation of South Korean community leaders, last weekend, hailed St Munchin’s Community Centre in Limerick as a paragon of peace and community building.

The team arrived in Ireland from South Korea as part of a week exchange programme, set up by Global Peace Foundation (GPF), to learn about conflict resolution, peace, and community building in Ireland, according to GPF Korean Director, Steve Park.

The 18-member group began the first leg of their Irish tour traveling from Dublin International Airport to Limerick on Friday, and led by their team leader, Mr Park, and Country Director of GPF in Ireland, Arnold Kashembe.

Mr Pak said: “We have a crisis in South Korea where young people don’t want to live with elderly people and this has c a u s e d communities to collapse.“But our visit to St Munchin’s Community Centre has shown us how young and elderly people are engaging with ease, and it is clear that, not only can different generations learn from each other, they can also live together in harmony.”

According to the Director, Korea liaised with Ireland because of the similarities between both countries - stemming from ideological differences that divided Korea to North and South; and English colonial prowess and religious differences that partitioned Ireland to Republic and Northern parts.

All immigrants should prepare for elections. It's your right, it's your vote.

Mr Park added that Ireland is a benchmark for solutions to Korea’s conflicts because of its success in building, not just harmony between the Republic and the North, but also in community development.

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NEWS

SENEGAL French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian met Senegalese President Macky Sall as France beefs up its counter-terror efforts in west Africa. Paris reportedly hopes that Sall will press other African leaders to send more troops to the Central African Republic.

MALAWI Voters in Malawi have turned out in high numbers to elect a new president and parliament.

Security forces were deployed to contain violence that broke out after delays in opening some polling stations.

AFRICAWORLD

Country Director, Arnold Kashembe, received the South Korean visitors at the Dublin Airport amidst cheering by onlookers. He said: “The organisational and entrepreneurial state of St Munchin’s Community has demonstrated to the Koreans that the power of community can do much.”

Mr Kashembe added that both Ireland and Korea have suffered from economic crisis - Korea before 1997, and Ireland from 2008, and that the manner in which Korea managed its recession can benefit Ireland too. The Country Director said: “A model that unites key areas of intervention, such as, community leaders; business leaders and university students can enable Ireland to go beyond the recession to unite everybody as a community, and grow again.”

As part of the exchange programme, the Korean group visited the Cliffs of Moher and the Bunratty Castle in Co. Clare, as well as, wined and dined out of Irish food recipes at the Locke Bar in Limerick City.

The team will participate in other events including: a visit to the Korean Embassy, tasting of Guinness at the Guinness Brewery in Dublin; workshop with Corporation Ireland in Northern Ireland, and a visit to the Parliament in Belfast, before engaging with other communities in the North.

GPF Korean Director, said, 40 members signed up for the Irish exchange leg, but 22 withdrew because of the South KoreaFerry catastrophe that left hundreds of mostly students and children dead in April.

This exchange is the first of many exchange programmes that will take The Chairman of St Munchin’s place between Ireland and Korea and funded by G P F. The organisation plans to exchange students and business l e a d e r s b et w e en Ireland and Korea in the next few months.

Community in Limerick, Kieran O’Neill, opened the doors of the Centre earlier than normal operating hours on Saturday, to welcome the visitors.

He said: “In many countries, when people become old, nobody wants them, but it’s great to see another country thinking the same way about the elderly as we think – it was great to Mr O’Neill added that St Munchin’s Community also helps the elderly to remain in their homes because one of the biggest fears in Limerick is that when the elderly are put in nursing homes, nobody would care.“Once you don’t take independence from a person, it means an awful lot”, the Chairman added.

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GPF is a non-profit organisation that promotes peace building, conflict resolution and community development through a multi-cultural value-based approach. It was founded in 2009 by the son of the Korean spiritual Leader, Jyun Jin Moon, under the motto: “One family under God”.

GPF Irish Director said: “Our organisation has branches in 15 countries around the world and with its headquarters in Washington DC. Ireland is the first, and remains the only country in Europe where GPF has offices, since May 2013.”

He added that the organisation plans to extend to Germany and Belgium next year and that Ireland will coordinate all European activities.

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AFRICAWORLD APRIL 01 - 15 2014

MAY 1 - 15 2014

THE

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LAUNCH

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PHOTO NEWS

MAY 16 - 31 2014

POLITICS

AFRICAWORLD 11

NEWS

African becomes first immigrant i n L i m e r i c k l o c al e l e c t i o n s The local elections in Limerick are scheduled for May 23, 2014, and if Sunny Martins Duruagwu gets elected, he will join the ranks of other Africans that have set precedence in Irish politics.

By Lylian Fotabong A Nigerian business man in Limerick has become the first immigrant to contest in local authority elections in Limerick City and County.

Married man and father-of-six, Sunny Martins Duruagwu, arrived in Ireland 14 years ago from Nigeria and is contesting in political elections, for the first time in his life.

In 2006, he became the first African to own a business in Parnell Street, Limerick City, when he opened Meed Beauty, a hair and beauty cosmetic shop.

privileges and we don’t have to fear that he is not going to represent the masses.”

Mr Martins said he encourages all Africans to have a focus because when some of them come to Ireland and are given a house or paid every week that makes them “tend to lose focus and they don’t know why they are here”.

An Irish long term business colleague and neighbour, Ger Dwane, said: “I have known Sunny here for the last 10 years and I find him as a very very pleasant person and very easy to get on with; a nice person and

Mr Duruagwu said: “I have been living here and all my hope, my inspirations, my future and my children are here and I think that it is time we contribute positively to the country and to Limerick West in particular.”

The local elections in Limerick are scheduled for May 23, 2014, and if Sunny Martins Duruagwu gets elected, he will join the ranks of other Africans that have set precedence in Irish politics.

He became self-employed in 2006 and has also become the first immigrant and first African in Limerick to contest in local authority elections.

In 2004, Nigerian-born, Dr Taiwo Mathew, made history when he became the first black person to be elected to local government in Ireland. In June 2007, another historic record was set when the people of Portlaoise, Co. Laoise, elected Nigerian-born, Rotimi Adebari as its first citizen – the first black mayor in Ireland.

Mr Martins received Irish Citizenship in 2011, and is contesting as an independent candidate for the Limerick City West electoral area.

“If he is elected, he will represent our cries and our

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A former student of the University of Limerick, the Congolese, said, Mr Martins has many other issues to advocate for, so as to help make immigrants attractive in the job market.

Mr Kashembe added that: “I would also love very much to see an African or a person originally from a nother country to be represented in the City Council, because integration and’ interculturalism should start from there. This way, we will feel that we are part of the society.”

The 41-year-old descendant of the Igbo tribe, worked in Dell for seven years before the company closed, leaving him and many other colleagues without jobs.

His campaign manager, Solomon Anumati, said: “Mr Martins has a liberal background, which has helped him to stand and succeed on his own, but he is contesting, not as a Nigerian, but as an African for everyone in diaspora.

“Sunny is an entrepreneur and this makes him a very good example to many people who are unemployed, because he can use his entrepreneurial skills to encourage people and inform other people of the strengths that immigrants have,” Mr Kashembe said.

He said that one key area is campaign for funding to offset high university fee that makes “talented”, “willing” and “knowledgeable” Africans and immigrants in general, to become fearful and scared to undergo higher education.

“I want to give back to the country that blessed me for all these 14 years – I want to contribute in solving crime, poor roads, poor housing, setting up small businesses and creating jobs,” the Nigerian-born added.

The Nigerian-Irish said: This is a new beginning for Limerick; this is a new dawn; this is a new change; Limerick is now a City of Culture – the centre of culture, and we want to tell people that there is still hope for Limerick.”

Country Director of Global Peace Foundation Ireland, who is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Arnold Kashembe, said if Mr Martin is elected, his toughest challenge will be to change people’s views that immigrants in Ireland are strangers.

good neighbour. I hope he does well, he deserves it.”

A barber working in Limerick from Congo-Brazzaville, Andre, said: “Sunny is a good man with integrity, so I think he is a good choice for us and I believe he will help us.”

Andre added that crime rate is very high in Limerick City and that the City Council should put more resources and money into security and policing to make Limerick safer.

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According to the Public Service Information Website, Citizens Information, Irish local elections take place in May or June and each elected member holds office for five years.

All councillors are given financial support including: representational payment (salary-type) fixed annual allowance for meetings and other expenses; ad-hoc expenses (conferences and other events) and retirement gratuity (lump sum on retirement).

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MAY 16 - 31 2014

PHOTONEWS

NEWS SUDAN There is growing international outrage over the decision by a Sudanese court to sentence a pregnant Christian woman to death after she refused to renounce her faith. Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, who is eight months pregnant with her second child, was convicted of apostasy and adultery on 11 May and sentenced to death and 100 lashes for the respective charges.

Somalia: The African Union force in Somalia, AMISOM, has launched new airstrikes aimed at militant group alShabab. AMISOM says the attack near the southern town of Jilib on Tuesday killed more than 50 al-Shabab insurgents. There MAY has been no independent confirmation of the claim.

We Must Not Sleep Until We Find Our Girls A Transcript of interview on CHANNELS TV Akwa Ibom State Governor and Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Godswill Akpabio in special interview bares his mind on several national issues especially the recent abduction of school girls in Chibok, his efforts in transforming Akwa Ibom State and many more.

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SOUTH AFRICA

The South African government has announced that thousands of Zimbabweans who received work permits through a special dispensation project will now have to go back to their country to renew them.

TOGO

Visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Wednesday vowed to advance cooperation with Togo and Mali. Li made the pledge as he held separate talks with Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe and Malian Prime Minister Moussa Mara, who are in the Nigerian capital for the 2014 World Economic Forum on Africa.

ZIMBABWE Majongwe in Botswana for “Regime Change”.

FIREBRAND trade unionist Raymond Majongwe has been hired by workers in Botswana to come and address them on how to influence “regime change” in that country’s labour movement.

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AFRICAWORLD 13

Q: How has Akwa Ibom State responded to the abduction of schoolgirls by Boko Haram A: It has not been easy. I will say that because the security agencies are working under very strenuous conditions. I think, to some extent, there has also been a lot of politics embedded in the reaction that we are seeing all over.. globally. My prayer is that, politics aside, we should focus on rescuing those girls. And, for me as a father, I feel we must focus on rescuing those girls.

We can’t do that on the pages of newspapers and it is also easy for us to sit in the television studios and talk about those things when the main work is in the field. I believe all hands must be on deck and all parents, globally and in Nigeria, must pray for the girls and security agencies to succeed in bringing those girls back.

The response.. I can’t say because I have not been on ground so I don’t have the details. But, there are a lot of mysteries surrounding these situations. Two hundred and something girls for you to take them out of the school you need a lot of vehicles. I believe if they were walking, definitely it would have been possible for at least one person or the other to have seen these girls. I think there is a regime of fear around those areas where these things are prevalent so that it’s almost like a conspiracy of silence, nobody is ready to talk because I can’t imagine 230 girls moving either

on a bush track or otherwise at least one villager would have seen them.

The stories are a bit difficult to comprehend. What were the security agents in that area doing? What was the reaction of the school principal? How come even the principal’s daughters were not abducted; the female teachers were not touched. Some of them are said to have escaped, maybe released or escaped. No gun was fired and so not a single child was killed, which has not been the practice in the past. And it has taken the Boko Haram almost three weeks to come out to say “we are the one’s who did this”. Of course almost all the things that were suggested in the local media are the same things they are now saying. For instance we have somebody, I don’t know if it was Channels Television that said, “the girls have been sold for two thousand Naira”.

And then all of a sudden the main man came up on CNN and YouTube and said, “I am going to sell your girls”. So it is as if we are even suggesting to them what they should do because he said, “I am going to sell your girls”, he didn’t say “I have sold your girls” but the other person said the girls have been sold to various families in Cameroon or to various husbands for two thousand Naira. So, I think we must focus on rescuing those girls and drop a little bit of politics and drop a little bit of propaganda.

It is a situation that touches all families. I have four girls in my family. I have four daughters so you can imagine that am not sleeping well and I don’t expect any parent in Nigeria to sleep well until those girls are back.

Q: Leaving all of this, everyone all over the world is concerned about these young girls. What do you think we should do that we haven’t done to bring those girls back?

A: I believe what we should have done that we didn’t do earlier is the issue of international collaboration. The dimension that this thing is taking is something, initially we must

have underrated their connections, their sponsors and the fact that yes Nigeria may be a very big country but we have enemies and this is a time some of our enemies may have jumped in to try to embarrass the Nigerian Government and the Nigerian people. So you see the dimension of Chad, Niger and Cameroon; all the countries surrounding Nigeria. So, one area we must focus on now is international collaboration. They must know that what affects Nigeria, only a matter of time, will come to them. We used to hear of these kind of things in Somalia and Libya, Iraq, Pakistan. Since it has never happened in Nigeria we just felt it wasn’t a Nigerian problem. I know very well that there was hardly any Nigerian who lifted a finger to assist the Pakistanis or to assist the Afghanistans when they had these problems.

One area I think we must focus on, and I am glad the President is now ready to plunge into, is the area of international collaboration.

So, I was delighted when I watched on Television that, yes, indeed the United States Government has offered to help and Nigeria has accepted. Don’t forget that we ought to be an African giant so it is not easy for us to accept that, yes, we have a big problem and we need the assistance of the major powers.

So, that for me, was very heart warming and shows humility on the part of Mr. President that it is time now for us to accept any assistance from any where. And, it shows serious concern that, yes, indeed wherever the help comes from the focus must be let us rescue our girls and then we can discuss politics later.

Q: Back to the issue of the kidnapped children, many people have raised some questions as to the series of events Relations to the abduction. How would you react to this?

It is a very touchy issue and people are reacting emotionally without asking questions like you are doing. If you say something to the contrary, you

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are going to be attacked in the social media, especially if you are a State Governor and you begin to ask if this was actually a Christian school, how come the principal, vice principal and the rest of them are all Muslims.

And if this was actually a school where so many children were taken away, how come the female teachers were not touched and where were they.

Like I said if the principals have daughters, how come their daughters were equally not touched? And when they marched these girls away, what number of vehicles, did they bring. They need up to 12 buses. Where did the convoy pass through and who saw the convoy. And if some 34 girls escaped, how did they escape and how come nobody fired at them when they were escaping.

There are so many questions one could ask, but right now, people are becoming more emotional and the issue is so emotive, that when they mention the number, nobody cares to really want to go into the nitty-gritty. But, I believe this is where the Federal Government must set up a strong investigative system that must come out with the facts and figures and that at the end of the day, Nigerians would have to be briefed, because the issues are very clear.

But, WAEC is also causing more confusion, because if you are saying that this was a girls’ school, how come you say you had about 130 boys. That was the information that was released. So if you have 130 boys in that school that is supposed to be a girls’ school, who admitted the boys?

And of course, if arrangement had been made and WAEC admitted that the place was not safe, and everyone knew it was not safe, how come the State government refused to evacuate the girls and take them to a safer environment.

My appeal to Nigerians is for us to be patient until all these issues are addressed.

14 AFRICAWORLD MAY 16 - 31 2014

TECH_PILOT

Monitor Your Child And Business More Efficiently…

By UCHENNA ONYENAGUBO

The last edition of Tech_Pilot talked about security and control of computer usage for children in the Apple - MAC environment. This publication will look at effective ways of keeping an eye on kids and business in general.

Online activities have become more intense and the younger ones are the most users. They are easily misled, manipulated and harassed so, it is essential to scrutinize them and their activities online.

The mSpy is a reliable application and also userfriendly for watching over your child, business, employees’ mobile phone use. This mobile monitoring software runs in an invisible mode providing you with across-the-board logging features so that you can remotely track all activity that takes place on the monitored phone, from calls to calendar updates. Call history, text messages, emails, call recordings... all immediately sent from the tracked phone right to your secure online account!

MONITOR YOUR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

POEMS

When monitoring calls, the mSpy allows you to view all incoming/outgoing calls with their duration. Also, this mobile tracking application can be set up to record calls made to or from a predefined number. It will record calls remotely from your target device and instantly view all incoming or outgoing calls, setting up a predefine number you wish to record calls to or from. It will enable you

mSpy can be set up to track One thing your child wants to GPS location of your target do is download everything phone. possible without proper review and this really over load the PC Track the movement of your and most times virus infected. child or know if your employee The mSpy allows you to is really stuck in traffic. Even monitor all the applications keep the history of routes within installed on the target device a specific period of time. right from your Control Panel.

You can control and view any BROWSING WATCH: type of apps installed (games, social, etc).

The one that bothers most

being on the increase, many vital information falls into wrong hands. The mSpy can allow you to remotely activate a “wipeout” command on the target device. So when you lose your device, it is possible to perform “wipeout” from your Control Panel. You can Lock/ unlock straight from your Control Panel.

NOTE: The “wipeout” function CANNOT be reversed so, it should be used in emergencies only.

Finally, the mSpy is a good tool to supervise devices remotely weather from home, holiday or office, keep track of your own.

From time to time, the mSpy allows you to generate comprehensive reports based on different scenarios. And this report can be generated in difference format/application (Excel – CSV or PDF) for easy view.

Perfumed haven by: Leopold Sedhar Senghor

Naked woman, black woman

by; Samantha Sello

The flowers are booming again, as I sit among them I hear the symphony of insects.

A ladybug lands on my knee. I scoop her up in my hand and cradle her in my palm, I close my fingers over her, intending to keep her and I opened them again setting her free.

Clothed with your colour which is life, with your form which is beauty!

The bees race around me, busy and buzzing in the nectar filled heaven not aware that I am there, how dare they enter my perfumed heaven and drink my sweet nectar without my consent and have the audacity to ignore me.

In your shadow I have grown up; the gentleness of your hands was laid over my eyes.

A butterfly crosses my path, its wings were splattered with colour, my anger dissolves instantly, it was beautiful. I lay in this cornucopia of vivid colours, surrounded by insects and flowers as far as the eye could see.

And now, high up on the sun-baked pass, at the heart of summer, at the heart of noon, I come upon you, my Promised Land, And your beauty strikes me to the heart like the flash of an eagle.

“ This garden of mine holds more magic than Neverland”, I thought to myself as I drifted of with the smell of heaven.

Naked woman, dark woman Firm-fleshed ripe fruit, sombre raptures of black wine, mouth making lyrical my mouth Savannah stretching to clear horizons, savannah shuddering beneath the East Wind’s eager caresses Carved tom-tom, taut tom-tom, muttering under the Conqueror’s fingers Your solemn contralto voice is the spiritual song of the Beloved.

Naked woman, dark woman

to listen to the recording either directly from you Control Panel or download them to your PC. You can restrict incoming calls from a predefine number on the target device, block unlimited amount of phone numbers that you can block and manage the restrictions from your Control Panel. The same apply to the SMS activities.

EMAIL WATCH: mSpy also track emails and time spent writing one and monitor emails in and out so, your children are not threatened by online predators.

TRACK GPS LOCATION:

employers is the browsing time LOST PHONE TRACKING/ and history at work, knowing REMOTE CONTROL if those browsing are work related or not. The mSpy will With the report of phone theft allow you to monitor and create the record of all Internet activities taking place in the target device’s browser. Seeing all the websites visited and when and determine if that child truly utilised the Internet for that Home work from school.

Oil that no breath ruffles, calm oil on the athlete’s flanks, on the flanks of the Princes of Mali Gazelle limbed in Paradise, pearls are stars on the night of your skin Delights of the mind, the glinting of red gold against your watered skin Under the shadow of your hair, my care is lightened by the neighbouring suns of your eyes.

Naked woman, black woman, I sing your beauty that passes, the form that I fix in the Eternal,

BLOCKING WEBSITES: mSpy will block undesired websites, filter online content and set up time when to access certain web addresses.

Before jealous fate turn you to ashes to feed the roots of life.

I N S TA L L AT I O N S RESTRICTIONS:

Cabeza de negra (1946) by Spanish surrealist painter Maruja Mallo

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Poetry corner Black Woman

Monitoring the activities of your wards online has become a necessary issue which experts in the area have taken as task to help protect these vulnerable users. mSpy is a software application, it’s so fascinating and irresistible; the features are great and beneficial towards the close monitoring of activities online and even beyond.

AFRICAWORLD MAY 16 - 31 2014

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