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SEPTEMBER 1-15

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“ONE IN FIFTEEN MEN IN IRELAND PAY FOR SEX” Says Ruhama.

BY PAUL KELLY Sarah Benson, CEO of Ruhama, talks to AfricaWorld about prostitution in Ireland and how African and Irish women are being forced into the sex trade. “One in fifteen men in Ireland pay for sex”. Sarah told AfricaWorld matter-offactly. “That’s actually relatively low, in Spain, it’s one in three.” Sarah Benson is the CEO of Ruhama, an NGO that deals with prostitution in Ireland, an issue that is becoming more and more prevalent in Irish society. Sarah has been working with Ruhama for two years now, but, before that, she worked in the community development sector and for the domestic violence helpline. It was this that inspired her to get involved with Ruhama: “We worked with people living with abuse and what sometimes came up was the issue of prostitution, where a husband was forcing his wife into prostitution.” she told us. “And when you look at the areas of sexual violence and rape and other forms of sexual abuse, prostitution is one of those things that can be contentious. People feel there is choice involved so

Ruhama CEO - Sarah Benson

there’s very little sympathy for those involved in prostitution, despite the fact that they experience such large degrees of violence and usually come from such a background that going into prostitution

isn’t a positive choice- it’s always a survival tactic.” Ruhama itself was founded in 1989 by two congregations, the Good Shepherd Sisters and the Our Lady of Charity Sisters,

both of which had a long history of working with women involved in prostitution. Ruhama means renewed life in Hebrew and it was this that formed the vision for a confidential, non-judgemental service that can help women involved in prostitution get out of it. When Ruhama first began, Sarah told AfricaWorld, they interacted mainly with prostitutes selling themselves on the streets. “We used to just reach out to women, making contact with them, sometimes just giving them something warm to drink, something to eat and finding out what was going on with them.” Sarah told us. Today, however, things are changing. The men and women at the top of the ladder are learning how to make the most amount of money and how not to get caught. Prostitution has moved indoors. Ireland has become globalised and human trafficking has become intricately interwoven with the sex trade. “In our report last year, out of 241 women, 91 were victims of trafficking.” Sarah told AfricaWorld. “There were Continued on Page 3

GHANA PROFESSIONALS HOSTS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RACISM The Association of Ghanaian Professionals in Ireland (AGPI) has held the 2nd international conference on racism, at the Clarion Hotel in Dublin, on Friday the 24th of August 2012. The theme for the conference was ‘Overcoming racial barriers and achieving full potentials’. The conference was attended by 61 delegates

drawn from 18 nationalities including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Cameroon, Ukraine, Slovakia, Latvia, Germany, Netherlands, South Africa, Poland, Bulgaria, India, Australia, Switzerland and Ireland. In attendance was the Latvian ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Mr. Peteris Karlis Elferts and the South

African Ambassador to Ireland, H. E. Jeremiah Ndou. Guest speakers included Mr James-Emmanuel Wanki, an Irish Aid Anna Lindh Fellow and an European Commission Marie Curie Fellow in Sustainable Peace building, University of Bradford, U.K, Rev Dr. Stephen OjoMember of the Ministerial Council on

Migrant Integration, Mr James P. EvansSolicitor and Advocate, James Evans Solicitors, Dr Fidèle Mutwarasibo, Integration Manager, Immigrant Council of Ireland and Sgt Dave McInerney from the Garda Racial, Intercultural & Diversity Office, Community Relations & Community Policing, Garda Headquarters. Continued on Page 4

EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE More on page 2

JOE MOORE COLUMN

HEART OF THE MATTER: SEND SAVING YOUR MARRIAGE AFTER INFIDELITY IN THE IRISH!

More on page 12

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SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

OPINION

The return of the native

EDITORIAL THE AFRICAN AND HIS SIN OF INDIFFERENCE

By Ukachukwu Okorie

When will you grow up, Africa? My people, it bothers me why we are so indifferent to follow means that can

EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE

prosper us. Matters are arising over the capitalisation I - don’t - care attitude towards investing in your community. The lack of unity among Africans in Ireland has contributed immensely in derailing their economic progress. Whatever the statistics may read, the fact is that the economy is hard on the African community in Ireland. Take for instance, those residing in Dublin: they feel pangs in bills, ‘as if life depended on it’, however, indifferent the government seems to be, they soldier on. Work need to be done by this government. The African communities in Ireland can pull themselves out of the economic quagmire in which Ireland is in, at the moment. Unity of purpose, encouraging creativity, partnership and brotherhood, investing in local programmes and supporting each other can generate income for families. So indifferent are members of the African community in Ireland that many of their people are suffering and enduring too. Indifference extends to ignoring Asylum Seekers, failing to assist community and church programmes, ignoring, entreprising initiatives and failing to support to organisations that campaign against institutional hindrance and against our prosperity. Individuals suffering neglect should be sought by organisations and looked after. Come out, organise yourselves and lighten up the community. Come inside. Uka

Emperor Haile Selassie’s speech to the League of Nations in 1936 in Geneva, denouncing Italy’s invasion is remembered more than the aggression. It prompted international trade sanctions, though ineffectually, against a European nation. Like the Battle of Adwa four decades earlier, in which Italy was defeated, represented in a tangible way one of the few occasions in the modern era that an African nation defied the arrogance of a European one. Haile Selassie was born in Ejarsa Gora on July 23, 1892. He was named Lij Tafari Makonnen and was the sole legitimate

AFRICAWORLD & MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS Editor Ukachukwu Okorie Chief Reporter Paul Kelly Graphic Design Celine Fang Bruno Chaves

initiated by Menelik II. He secured “No one should question the faith of Ethiopia’s admission to the League of others, for no human Nations in 1923. being can judge the There are many characteristics that ways of God.” distinguished Emperor Haile Selassie out from his generation. His resistance to the colonial greed of Benito Mussolini’s Italy, engineering the formation of the Organisation of African Unity and his admonishing the toothless defunct League of Nations. Addressing the delegates of the League of Nations, The United Nation’s predecessor, in his native Amharic language, instead of French, which was the official lingua of the defunct world body, Emperor Haile Selassie asserted that because his “confidence in the League was absolute”, Ethiopians were being slaughtered. He pointed out that the same European states that found in Ethiopia’s favor at the League of Nations were refusing Ethiopia credit and matériel while aiding Italy. It would be recalled that Italy’s military aircrafts rained chemical gases on civilians, fighters, livestock and pastures in a desperate measure to colonise a defiant nation. Although he never succeeded in halting Italy at that time he went down memory lane as an inspiring leader and International figure. Following 5 December 1934, the Italian invasion of Ethiopia at Walwal, Ogeden Province and its subsequent fall, Haile Selassie went into exile in Jerusalem and Bath in the United Kingdom. It was during this time in exile in the UK that the emperor wrote in Amharic the 90,000 words history of his son of Ras Makonnen, Governor of Harar, life. to survive infancy. Today, Haile Selassie is remembered Haile Selassie’s father was a cousin and for his contributions towards establishing close ally of Emperor Menelik II, who was the Organisation of African Unity which without a legitimate and direct male heir. metamorphosed into the current African When Ras Makonnen died in 1906, his son, Union (AU). He is worshipped as God who spoke French, was summoned to the incarnate among followers of the Palace at Addis Ababa, where he was kept Rastafari movement which originated for further education and kingship in Jamaica during the 1930s. Emperor traditions. Haile Selassie’s official titles are He later became Ethiopia’s regent from ‘Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, 1916 to 1930 and Emperor of Ethiopia from King of Kings and Elect of God’, and his 1930 to 1974. As Regent, the new Crown lineage is believed to be of King Solomon Prince laid the foundation and developed and Queen Sheba. the policy of cautious modernization

Photography Stephen Boyle Erika Moore

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

and seeks to synergise its work in accordance with those aims wherever possible. Those goals are to improve

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issues of Education, Health, HIV/AIDS, Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability and Global Partnerships.

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SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

NEWS (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1)

“ONE IN FIFTEEN MEN IN IRELAND PAY FOR SEX” SAYS RUHAMA “In our report last year, out of 241 women, 91 were victims of trafficking.” Sarah told AfricaWorld. “ There were originally a lot from Eastern Europe, but then globalisation rose in Ireland, and a large number of people starting coming from Africa. Last year, these 91 women came from 20 different countries, but the vast majority were from Nigeria.” The reason traffickers focus on Nigeria, Sarah told us, was because they already had specific pathways set up between Ireland and Nigeria, particularly in Edo state, which can be used to quickly and easily traffic women. “Once a pathway’s been established from a certain place,” she told AfricaWorld, “it isn’t necessarily because people aren’t trafficked from other countries to places other than Ireland; it’s just that these are established routes. Very often women are smuggled to Ireland, they come willingly, but they think it’s for something else, that they have an opportunity here.” Once in Ireland, however, they find that they are trapped. As trafficking has moved indoors, these women find that they quickly become invisible within society. “Very often the door is left open.” Sarah told us. “So the women can leave, but their family back home are threatened... I know one woman, who wasn’t African, she was a different nationality, who was told by her family that you just can’t come back, because if you came back you bring this danger with you. They have to say ‘we don’t know where our daughter is, we have no contact with her’ because they have been receiving threats. They said to her ‘your father has been beaten up and you just can’t come back.’ So her entire country is now closed to her, which is devastating.” Other methods used by the traffickers are equally cruel. By going through a ceremony with a Shaman, many women and girls are ritually bound to a contract, a contract which they can only keep through prostitution. “ They use a horrible manipulation of the contracts where somebody is told that you must do or obey whatever your companion (the person who smuggles them) says.” Sarah told us, disgust in her voice. “And they will say you have to pay a certain amount of money back, but they never say how much, and when you get to Ireland they tell you it is something like €50,000. And they never really get to pay that back, because not only are they told they have to go into prostitution to pay it, but also, while in prostitution, they are told that money will be taken for your rent, money will be taken for your food… so they are never going to pay it back.” Ruhama have tried to counter this by going through various churches to try and remove the fear behind the contract through church teachings, however results are mixed. “They say ‘I know in

Ukachukwu Okorie, Ruhama CEO-Sarah Benson and Paul Kelly

my head that nothing will happen and that what they did was wrong, that it wasn’t a proper working contract, but in my heart whenever I see a black cat…’, you know they just get really scared, so psychologically it can be very difficult.” She told us. This isn’t the only way that Ruhama often falls back on the faith that founded it, however, although Sarah is quick to point out that it no longer has a religious mission: “it is lay run, by me”, she smiles. However, it still often works through churches across Africa and Ireland to help those involved in prostitution “because they are right on the ground.” In Kenya, for example, where many families receive threats, working with church congregations is ideal because “they can go to the families and it’s not very visible, it’s not like it’s the police coming out, they can go, have a conversation with them and see if the threat is real”. In Ireland, the church often also plays a very supportive role for those women

who are involved in prostitution, especially pastor’s wives, as they can discuss what they are going through with them in full confidentiality. “That can be really supportive.” Sarah told AfricaWorld. “We’ve had people coming in who would tell us ‘the only person who knows is the pastor’s wife’. Those connections are vital for many women and that’s definitely good women doing good work there.” Despite this work, however, the traffickers and pimps are evolving and are always ahead of those trying to stop them. “One of the big problems is that they now organise using the Internet and mobile phones, so it’s very difficult for the Gardaí to find the person who is at the top.” Sarah tells us. “It’s very difficult because they’re not going in and out of the premises, because the premises move all the time- all they need is a phone number and an add on the internet.” “What needs to change is that the Gardaí need to be able to seize mobile

phone numbers that are clearly used to adver tise prostitution,” she continued. “And they can’t do that at the moment. As for the ads on the Internet, there are offences around publishing and adver tising for prostitution currently in the law, but these are non-custodial offence and they only give fines of €10,000.” Fines of €10,000, Sarah, tells us “are nothing” to the largest escort websites. This can be clearly seen in the case of escortireland.com, Ireland’s largest website for organised prostitution. This website operates from the UK, preventing the Gardaí from seizing it, but even if they do, they make €180,000 a month from ads alone. Adding to that the amount of resources the Gardaí would have to put in to mount such an investigation, for them, Sarah says, “It’s just not worth it.” M e a nw h i l e, h owe ve r, wo m e n continue to die in prostitution. Although there are no mortality figures for prostitutes in Ireland, in the UK, the mortality rate is twelve times higher than for the average working woman. Ireland would be lucky if mortality rates were that low, however, especially considering our record in human trafficking. In Canada, the mortality rate is forty times higher and this is likely to be closer to the Irish figure than the UK’s. Despite this grim situation, however, Sarah remains pragmatic about what can be done to tackle the issue. “Now is a very interesting time in Ireland and not just for what the government can do, but what every person in Ireland can do.” she explains to us. “There is a process happening right now where people are mak ing submissions on the prostitution laws in this country to look at how they can be improved, as they have not been updated since 1993.” This process should hopefully lead to a situation “where the government recognises that the people in prostitution are very vulnerable people and to punish them for their own exploitation is wrong. What should happen is to tackle organised prostitution and trafficking. What also needs to happens is to target the demand for it. It is the buyer who is the one who can choose to buy sex or not buy sex, because they do that with disposable income. A person who is selling it is just doing it to survive.” Ruhama is a confidential, nonjudgemental service aimed at helping women involved in prostitution in Ireland. They also provide education classes, legal support, career advice and counselling. If you or anyone you know has any questions or needs assistance, please do not hesitate to contact 086 855 3858 or visit www. ruhama.ie.

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

NEWS

AGPI HOSTS 2ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RACISM (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1)

Participants at the AGPI conference

AGPI leaders and guests In his acceptance speech, the chairperson for the event, Mr Chinedu N.Onyejelem, Managing Editor of the Metro Éireann newspaper decried the lack of political will on the part of successive governments and the Irish police force to fight racist crimes in Ireland. D eliver ing his welcome address, the chairperson of AGPI, Dr Vincent Agyapong a c k n ow l e d g e d t h at m o s t indigenous Irish citizens do their very best every day by your own light to live lives free of discrimination. He said that this notwithstanding, too many destructive ideas are gaining currency in Irish society today including proclamations from prominent individuals and politicians which should fill us all with outrage. He added that there are too many people in Ireland, both white and black, who seek to sow division for their own purposes and he encouraged the delegates to help route out racist sentiments and remain one people. He concluded his address by sharing his dream for Africans in Ireland, which include; ‘like it was the case for the USA, France and the U.K;

black people would win Olympic Gold Medals for Ireland, like it is presently the case for the USA and the U.K, one day black people would be elected members of parliament and be appointed cabinet Ministers and Ambassadors and like it is presently the case for the USA, one day a black person would be elected President or Prime Minister of Ireland’. In his speech, Rev Dr. Stephen Ojo said Ireland has lost many young and talented African sports men and women to the U.K because of a lack of opportunities for them in Ireland c o m p a re d t o t h e i r I r i s h counterparts. He said he helped to set up the NGO ‘Show racism the red card’ which aims to help combat racism in sports. Mr James Evans said there should be a move by Ireland from ‘Formal Equality’ to Substantial Equality’ which would give equal opportunity to all residents in Ireland. Dr Fidèle Mutwarasibo outlined work being done by the Immigrant Council of Ireland to help combat racism in Ireland. He said that most migrants fail to report racist crimes to the police because they are scared that coming to the attention of

the police for any reason at all may affect their application for citizenship in the future. Mr James Wanki said that the story of Ireland should make it better placed to understand the experiences of people who are victims of racist crimes. He said that unfortunately, the conduct of a few citizens blights the generosity of the Irish people. He encouraged the state to ‘Read, Apply and Review ’ existing research recommendations on how to tackle the problem of racism. Sgt Dave McInerney said his outfit stood ready to assist any victim of racist crimes and encouraged people to report such crimes. He acknowledged that as long as people are categorised into certain boxes, it would be difficult to deal with the issue of racism holistically. There was a question and answer session as well as contributions from other delegates. M r s B e l i n d a Ag y a p o n g, Programme Director of AGPI and Project Coordinator of the European Commission’s cosponsored project, ‘Where the rivers meet’ was assisted by the Latvian Ambassador to present certificates of participation to the

AGPI’s Mrs Belinda Agyapong and guests

A guest speaker at the conference women participants from 7 nationalities who staged the play, ‘I am thinking about your dreams’ at the international social theatre festival in Valencia Spain on the 11th of May 2012. She thanked them for their commitment over the course of the last 18 months. Mr Kwame Takyi, Director of Technical Operations of AGPI was assisted by Mr James Evans to confer an AGPI Fellowship on Mr James Wanki for his substantial contribution to towards the

objectives of the association. Closing the conference, the chairperson for the event, Mr Chinedu N.Onyejelem encouraged migrants in Ireland to stand up for their rights. He admonished them however to make sure that they uphold the laws of the land when insisting on their rights. The MC’s for the conference were Mr Torsby Attipoe, a member of AGPI and Ms Lynda Twum-Ackah, Treasurer of AGPI.

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

NEWS

EMER COSTELLO MEP CAMPAIGN TO TACKLE PROSTITUTION Labour MEP for Dublin, Emer Costello, has this morning said that the launch today of Turn Off the Red Light’s #AnnaWas14 campaign has highlighted the legislative change that Ireland needs to fight trafficking and exploitation. Costello has recently been appointed as a member of the European Parliament’s new Special Committee on Crime, which will investigate initiatives to tackle trafficking and exploitation across Europe. “An overhaul of Ireland’s legislation on the sex-trade is long overdue, given the move en masse from the practice of kerb-crawling to the online sex industry which exists in Ireland today. “In recent years European legislation has moved the emphasis away from targeting the unfortunate women caught up in prostitution and towards the customers who exploit them. This approach was pioneered by Sweden in 1999 and it has since been adopted by several other European countries including Iceland and Norway.

“The government recently published ground-breaking legislation to tackle corruption which, if passed, will make Ireland a world leader in tackling political corruption. The public consultation phase of this process ends this month and I would urge anyone who believes in the need for progressive legislation to have their say. “I will personally submit recommendations to Minister Shatter which call for a new system of prosecution based on the Swedish model, as well as innovative support services for those removed from the sex trade and increased awareness of prostitution as violence against women. “As a supporter and contributor to the ‘Turn off the Red Light’ movement in Ireland, I would like to congratulate them on a timely and innovative campaign, and I look forward to Minister Shatter’s proposals in this area.”

BOTSWANA AND SOUTH AFRICA ESTABLISH BI-NATIONAL COMMISSION. By Nonye Anuche

The President of Botswana Seretse Kham Ian Khama and the president of South Africa has signed a bilateral agreement . The signing of the agreement was one of the highlights of the two-day state visit by Zuma to Botswana recently. Under the new agreement a Bi-national commission will be established. According to a communiqué issued at the end of President Zuma's visit. "The BiNational Commission is a framework for cooperation which elevates the two existing bilateral co-operation frameworks, namely the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) and the Joint Permanent Commission for Co-operation on Defence and Security (JPCDS), from Ministerial level to Head of State level," The Bi-National Commission will convene annually and will be chaired by both the Presidents. It will meet alternately between Gaborone and Pretoria. The two Presidents also signed two other cooperation agreements in order to further enhance the bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries. These were the Memorandum of Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Energy and the Memorandum of Understanding on Regional Environmental and Social Assessment of Coal-Based Energy Projects Presidents Zuma and Khama also discussed bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest during their official talks, including immigration, defence and security, energy, trade, transport and environment. The 2 presidents highlighted the excellent

relations that subsist between Botswana and South Africa, founded on the deep historical, cultural, linguistic and family ties, as well as shared values of mutual respect, commitment to democracy, good governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights. The Presidents further discussed the development of the Mmamabula Coal Fired Power Station and the Power Supply Agreement as well as the need to expedite cross-border transport and infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges. . Botswana accounts for a high percentage of Africa's coal reserves. They urged their ministers responsible for defence, justice and security to intensify efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking and poaching of endangered species, which is on the rise. Presidents Zuma and Khama, also observed a minute of silence in memory of the people who died in the Marikana mines two weeks ago. President Khama commended President Zuma for the role he continues to play to facilitate the full implementation of the Global Political Agreement and the Roadmap to elections. The two Presidents urged the political parties in Zimbabwe to set and adhere to the timelines for the adoption of the new Constitution, holding of the referendum and elections. President Zuma was accompanied by a few ministers, senior government officials and a business delegation.

MOROCCO By Nonye Anuche

United Nation’s leader has indicated to the King of Morocco on 25th of August that he is not going to change the U.N envoy Christopher Ross. Morocco had earlier in the year announced that it had lost confidence in Ross. In a statement in May, by Morocco, Ross was accused of being “unbalanced and biased” in attempts to mediate a solution for the disputed territory at the heart of one of Africa’s oldest conflicts. In a phone call, Ban Ki-moon told King Mohammed VI the United Nations does not intend to modify the terms of its mediation, whose purpose is to promote the achievement of a mutually acceptable political solution to this conflict,” U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said. The U.N has continually vouched its support for Christopher Ross, irrespective of the fact that his effort to broker peace talks between Morocco and the Polisario Front separatist group. The UN has also accused Morocco of

seeking to undermine the work of the U.N. mission in Western Sahara. The Spanish colony of Western Sahara was annexed by Morocco in 1975. The Polisario launched a guerrilla war which lasted until the U.N. brokered a truce in 1991. Many rounds of informal peace talks arranged by C. Ross have failed to get both parties to an agreement. According to Nesirky, the U.N spokesperson Ban“took the occasion to praise the leadership of his majesty and express his appreciation for the significant contribution” that Morocco makes to the United Nations. Morocco is currently a temporary member of the U.N. Security Council and a key contributor to U.N. peacekeeping operations. The Madeira and Canary archipelagos lie in the Atlantic Ocean off the north western coast of Africa.

PRESIDENT OF SENEGAL ASKS GAMBIA TO RETURN TO ‘REASON’ The president of Senegal has bemoaned the execution of two Senegalese citizens who were among nine prisoners killed by firing squad in neighbouring Gambia last week. President Macky Sall told reporters at the airport late last Tuesday that he was calling on Gambia's leader "to return to reason," referring to his decision to have all death row prisoners executed before the end of September. In a statement published on the Senegalese government website it stated, that the Senegalese prime minister summoned the top Gambian diplomat in Senegal. The statement says the prime minister made known his "deep reproach,"

calling the events leading to the executions "opaque." The Gambian g o ve r n m e n t acknowledged this week that it had executed nine prisoners, among them two Senegalese nationals, a woman, Tabara Samb, and a man, Djibril Ba. President Macky Sall of Senegal announced during Thursday’s Cabinet meeting that he would seek sanctions against Gambia, according to the state-run news agency. He did not specify what type of sanctions. The United States and Amnesty international have called for Jammeh to stop the executions, saying many of the prisoners had unfair trials.

LABOUR WOMEN : CALL TO LEGISLATE TO BAN PURCHASING OF SEX Labour Women have made a submission to the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter TD to legislate to ban purchasing of sex in Ireland. The submission was made in the context of a public consultation regarding prostitution laws in Ireland by the Minister. 'Legislating to ban purchasing of sex is a measure which best tackles prostitution and human trafficking. Focusing on demand is the most effective way to combat sex trade and protect those involved in prostitution', said Sinead Ahern, Labour Women Chair. 'We must get over the myth that prostitution is inevitable. Instead we must recognise that prostitution is harmful and abusive. 'Prostitution and the sex industry pro mote the myth that it is acceptable to

have access to a supply of women and children who can be bought and create a group of men and women who become legitimate targets for sexual exploitation. For many men and women vulnerabilities such as drug habits or poverty or simply their desire for a better life are deliberately exploited in order to meet the demand for prostitutes. t is the responsibility of the State to address these issues through a comprehensive strategy tackling prostitution and trafficking of women and children. 'With an estimated one thousand girls and women for sale each day in Ireland, those 1 in 15 men who buy sex can cause much abuse. They should not have our permission to do so.'

“WE IN THE ANC ARE IN A STATE OF SHOCK”, SAYS PARTY LEADER IN IRELAND. On thursday, 30th August, South Africans in Ireland gathered at the Methodist Church on Abbey St to mark a Memorial Service for the victims of Marikana Labour unrests. The service which was well attended, had members of the diplomatic corps in, before starting at 19h30. In his speech, the Ireland ANC leader, Mike Segoapa said the party was “in a state of shock” over the deaths at the mine. It could be recalled that disputing mine workers were shot by South African police, and issues are being raised over the similarities of the act and apartheid tactics. The ANC leader called for peace and patriotism among all parties involved in the conflict. Tracing moments in the process of

negotiation, which seemed intrinsic to the rainbow nation’s labour history, he called for caution and sought for inquiry. He said, “There are MANY questions which cannot be adequately answered. Where and when did it really start, how many workers involved, Who got the arms, how much was paid for the arms, who paid for them, what union was involved, what role did the mutiman play, how was he paid, what role did the employer, Lonmin plc play, who did they negotiate with and what exactly were the demands, who made the first call to the police, who ordered them to shoot and what other non-lethal methods of crowd control were used before shooting, just to mention a few.”

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

NEWS

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

NEWS/COLUMN

HEART OF THE MATTER: SEND IN THE IRISH!

by Max Uspensky CONSIDER THE Irish. THE BERLIN conference of 1885 effectively balkanised Africa among thirteen European powers (thus explaining the strength and potency of the Pan African movement) who looked to a free and ready source of raw materials and access to new markets. Ireland did not number among these vulture states. Arguably global economic policies, Structural Adjustment Programs and Economic Partnership Agreements (to name but two economic daggers), for example, continue the colonialist venture by prox y in the contemporar y environment.

MALI AND SAHEL: NO SEEDS FOR NEW WATER by Max Uspensky

Mali’s continued problems of extremists, locust plague, famine and instability continue to bear down on what should be an upturn in the country’s future. The rains have arrived but the upheaval in the country means that not enough seed is available to replant for new harvests. Only 11% of households have enough seed to plant following the drought of 2011-2012. Estimates are that at best rice and millet production will be down by 20-30% for the coming season. Worst hit areas are those north of Timbuktu and the inner Niger Delta region where locust plagues also continue to threaten new harvests. Mali is just one country across the entire Sahel region which remains in a state of stasis regarding the famine and hunger crisis.

CONSIDER THE Irish not as components of the exploitation of the dark continent, but themselves colonised for 800 years by one of the lead colonisers. Despite such endured hardship they’ve proved to be a counterpoised dynamic and force for good, challenging excesses of colonisation in Africa. And despite economic austerity Irelands overseas aid budget has remained fixed at some €652 million – therein lies true value and virtue of a nation – the ability to share, while at once tightening one’s own belt. CONSIDER THE Irish in the Congo. 1878 landed Leopold II’s greedy paws upon the second largest tract of land in all Africa to create the Congo Free State, formalised in 1885, in reality an entity of brutal and lethal corporate extortion. THIS CONTINUED in its extreme for twenty seven years. The author and commentator Martin Meredith remarks, “The Congo’s origins as a state were different from any other African country. It began life not as a colony but as the personal property of Leopold II, an ambitious, greedy and devious monarch whose lust for territory and wealth was largely responsible for igniting the Scramble for Africa among European powers.” AND JOSEPH Conrad at the time wrote of Leopold’s activities as, “the vilest scramble for loot that ever disfigured the history of human conscience.” Alone, between 1885 and 1908 some two to fifteen million Congolese perished. The conservative estimate of eleven million is the same number tragically killed in World War One – or twice the number of Jews, which perished in the holocaust. And it is as much a part of European history as any other. Shame and denial

GAMBIA – FIRST HANGINGS SINCE 1985 by Max Uspensky

Popular destination for UK tourists, the Gambia has launched a killing spree of its death-row prisoners. Amnesty International reports through credible sources that nine death row prisoners were executed on Friday 25th August. A remaining 38 are to be executed before mid September. The African Union among other international organisations have strongly pressed for President Jammeh to rescind his decision. These, the first executions since 1985 question fair trial procedure in the country. Given the size of Jammeh’s mouth (see picture) it is questionable whether they are hung or he eats them.

mean that third level students of European Studies neglect study of this time, period and place. IT WAS only in 1903 that Irishman Roger Casement (1864-1916) was commissioned to investigate human rights abuses in the Congo Free State and that the extent of cruelty and abuse was revealed – in an extensive and detailed eyewitness report which was delivered in 1904. Among many other abuses (amputations, rape, use of child soldiers) he reported the lining up of victims in a row, one behind the other. The first was shot through the head, the same bullet passing through the skull of three others behind him. Thus allowing Leopold to save money on bullets. TOGETHER WITH fellow Irishman, Dr. Henry Grattan Guinness (1861-1915) and Edmund Dene Morel (1873-1924) he set up the Congo Reform Association in March 1904. Although the territory passed out of Leopold’s hands in 1908, it continued to be exploited to only a slightly lesser brutal degree by the Belgian parliament in Brussels. SUCH WAS Brussels’ mismanagement of the country, that upon independence on 30th June 1960 just 136 Congolese children had a primary school education and only 30 Congolese natives could provide graduate experience to the newly nascent state. It was a calculated and constituent element of le pari Congolais (the Congolese bet). It assured that the most vital and crucial elements of government, social control and particularly the economy remained in Belgian hands. SUCH A criminal neglect only fomented civil war, when the U.N. were obliged ostensibly to secure some kind of peace

and security. Key among these were a contingent of Irish troops who were to precedent a significant and proud tradition of Irish peace-keeping missions. JULY 23RD, 1960 dispatched the first wave of troops from appropriately named Casement aerodrome in Baldonnell, Co. Dublin. Their 23 hour journey into the heart of Africa, Katanga province saw them provisioned with just an apple, an orange, a banana and two cheese sandwiches. ARRIVING IN the diamond rich province they faced well equipped paramilitaries, local tribesmen with bows and arrows and the entire gamut of cold war politics by proxy. Altogether 6,000 Irish served there, with 26 dying there – many of those who returned suffer from malaria to this day. The brutal Niemba ambush occasioned the greatest loss of life suffered by the Irish Defence Forces – nine died. G I V E N I R E L A N D ’ S honourable involvement in the Congo and the concern by ‘Heart of the Matter’ articles in past regarding Coltan production in the eastern DRC – could not a new force of Irish ring fence ethical production of the mineral? The world desperately requires a guarantee of ethically sourced coltan (without which the digital age would not exist). Politicians, corporate concerns and perhaps most of all, consumers, should take note. PERHAPS AN exotic idea, but no less so than when Irishmen found themselves in an environment as remote as the moon for all their experience, when they found themselves in Katanga in 1960. Send in the Irish! CONSIDER THE Irish. Considerate.

EXTREMISTS AND LOCUSTS – PLAGUE AND PESTILENCE by Max Uspensky Along with the rest of the Sahel, Mali has experienced true stresses upon its soul. Where famine has placed many millions at risk of disease and hunger, the liberation of Libya has placed another threat to the peoples of the region. The civil war there has impeded usual efforts to curtail the locust threat through a breakdown of the state infrastructure. Although a pestilence, under normalcy, it has proven to be controllable. The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) officer, Keith Cressman, has commented, “Libya’s capacity to carry out control efforts has been affected in the last year.” Where the recent rains produced some verdure in recent months, it was soon removed by the encroachment of manic locust mandibles. But another mania manifests to challenge the populace of this challenged region. Manic extremist moral extortionism. Recently estranged from the Tuareg led Movement for the Liberation of the

Azawad (MNLA), extremists are moving to exercise brutal jurisdiction over and above their recent gains – plans are underfoot to subdue all of Mali by manic mandibilism of Sharia law. Recent destruction of world cultural centres, century old libraries and manuscripts has only been been met in brutality and ignorance by a total disregard for the somnerance virtue of the poppy; reports of women beaten and whipped lay seed to many fields of future healing. And more recently an amputation took place in Ansango, a village some 100km west of the regional capitol Gao. The victim a suspected cattle thief, had his hand cut off Wednesday 8th August in front of a large crowd who implored the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJWA) to relent. Where their unity implies one thing there is no respect for the other.

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

NEWS

NEW CHAPLAIN FOR HUNDREDS CELEBRATE NEW YAM FESTIVAL IN DUBLIN AFRICAN CATHOLICS by Paul Kelly On August 19th, the Iri ji, or New Yam festival, Igbo people had always worshiped Chukwu, performances, Kelechi told AfricaWorld, “made IN DUBLIN was celebrated in St. Andrews Community which means Almighty God. The festival is also it easier for the children to identify with their The African Catholic Community in Dublin gathered on Sunday, 2 September to a valedictory Mass, in honour of Fr. Laz Iwueke at the St Brigids Church, Blanchardstown. The service which witnessed a great turn out of faithfuls and friends started by 1pm and ended after a great reception. Fr. Femi, in his homily traced the origin of the African Chaplaincy and the different priests that have piloted it under the direction of the Vincentian Order. The outgoing priest thanked all for the brotherhood, love and support they accorded him. “For the meals we shared at your dining tables and around the Eucharistic table, thanks for being there”, he wrote on the weekly Chaplaincy bulletin. Fr. Lazarus will be remembered for setting up worship centres at Balbriggan, Blanchardstown, Sword, Clondalkin, Lucan and Tallaght. Talking to AfricaWorld, the new priest incharge, Fr Cornelius Nwaogwugwu praised the efforts of his predecessor. “We are showing appreciation for a job well done”, he said. The new priest, a graduate of All Hallows College, Dublin and a Vincentian shared enthusiasm for his assignment and promised to consolidate on his predecessor’s achievement. Fr. Cornelius hails from Nigeria.

Centre in Rialto, Dublin. The festival was organised by the Igbo Union and saw hundreds of Nigerians from across Ireland attend. Although the festival is traditionally celebrated only by the Igbo people, Nigeria’s largest ethnic group, other Nigerians also took part in the festivities. The event was highly successful, with the venue being completely packed the whole night, despite the fact preparations had only begun a bare month earlier. Kelechi Onwumereh, who organised the event, described it as “something that should happen every year.” Talking to AfricaWorld, he said that the event was essential “to pass on our culture to our children as we are living in a foreign land. If we don’t get to show our children about our culture, it will be lost.” The New Yam festival is celebrated as a harvest festival and occurs annually and, although it is celebrated individually by families, Kelechi told AfricaWorld that a community expression of the event was asked for by many Igbo people living in Ireland: “We asked people what they would want and they said they would like us to organise this on their behalf.” he said. The festival is celebrated mainly in the South Eastern part of Nigeria and, according to Kelechi, “is an opportunity for people to come together and give thanks to God for having seen them through difficult times”. The festival’s origins are ancient and traditionally involved the worship of Ifejioku, the yam goddess. However, at the event, this ritual had been replaced with a Christian faith which almost all Igbos now share. In fact, Kelechi told AfricaWorld that very little had changed from traditional practices as the

viewed as sacred and there was an opening prayer at the start of the event, followed by the presentation of kolanuts, a traditional fruit which symbolises peace. In Nigeria, the festival can stretch over two or three days and is viewed as a celebratory occasion on a par with Christmas in Ireland. According to Reggae Messiah, the stage name of one of the entertainers at the event, “even if you are living in the city you would go back to your own village to celebrate with your own community.” The festival traditionally would be opened by the most important person in the community eating the first piece of yam, a function usually occupied by the eldest in the family, a titled person or the king. In Dublin, this honour was accepted by Azuka Otuadinma, who also explained the history of the New Yam festival to those present. Azuka had this honour as he had inherited the title necessary to do so since birth. Following this ceremony, the festivities were officially launched, with hundreds of people dancing and singing and eating the roasted yam provided, which actually originated from Nigeria. The importance of this was emphasised by Kelechi who said “we can’t plant the yam here in Ireland and so we have to depend on yam which was planted in Igbo land, it cannot be from Brazil or India or the Caribbean, it has to be from Nigeria.” The yam was also eaten with palm oil, the traditional condiment with which it is eaten in Nigeria. The night also featured a number of entertaining cultural performances including a masquerade dance, a women’s dance from the Aniona community, one of the largest Igbo communities, a magic show by Reggae Messiah and music by Okey Iwuala and Deb Sandy. These

RECIPE COLUMN by Clinwe Ihegibu

culture and showed them there is something that is unique about their people”. The night also saw the union of 22 Igbo organisations from across Ireland, who were awarded with certificates by the Igbo Union for being of Igbo origin. According to Kelechi, this was “to show that we are standing shoulder to shoulder with all the different organisations and associations in Ireland”. The union of different Igbo organisations was also emphasised as essential “in order to achieve common objectives” and “identify the blocks to our collective aspirations and nip them in the bud.”

Igbo Union Dublin Leader, Kelechi Onwumere (middle) at the function

CHIT CHAT

METHOD Mix the eggs, 2 pinches of salt and milk together and whisk until the entire ingredient is fully combined and the mixture has one consistency.

Ingredient 4 large eggs (Serves two) 8 tbsp of fresh Milk Butter Salt and pepper

Heat you frying pan and add the butter and let it melt. Moved the pan handle making sure the pan is well coated with oil. When the butter is hot enough, Pour in the egg mixture into the pan and allow it to sit for at least 22 seconds. With a spatula gently stir and lift the egg from the bottom and fold making sure the still wet portion of the egg is exposed to the heat. If your egg is cooked take it out off the heat and serve with bread, boiled yam or potato.

BROTHER PREGNANTS

SISTER - IN - LAW IN DUBLIN In the recent past, this column reported about a romance brewing between a Nigerian and his South African S i s t e r - i n - l a w. AfricaWorld can authoritatively reveal that the woman has gone to bed with her brother-in-law, and all hell is about to be let loose. The pretty lady at the centre of the romantic brouhaha has 7 kids in total, having 5 for the husband, 1 for another Nigeria and the last for her brother-in-law. Chit - Chat source saw the smitten couple with the kids on a ‘Back to School’ shopping trip. Their public outing was the first since the romance

and eventual birth of their baby filtered into people’s ear. Trouble is also rumoured to be in the pipeline as the senior brother who now lives in Nigeria threatens fire and brimstone. Sources said he swore to friends and anyone who cared to listen that his younger brother deserves to be put to death. The matter is said to be generating fear among family members. As at press time, Chat - Chat has made frantic effort to talk to the senior brother in Nigeria. Stay with this column as we intend to publish excerpts of our eventual discussion in subsequent editions.

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

CULTURE/FOOD/LOVE

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

COLUMN

JOE MOORE COLUMN By Joe Moore

African Americans have given the world a wide range of musical genres that includes blues, jazz, gospel and soul. Music was the medium through which people expressed their resistance to slavery, when political agitation would mean certain and cruel death. The only form of expression allowed to them was religion. After being sold at “slave auctions” people were then taken to the plantations to be literally worked to death. All resistance was brutally suppressed. All celebrations of African culture were outlawed. The practice of traditional religion was not allowed. Slaves were baptised as Christians in order to keep them passive. However Christianity was used against the slave owners, when the Africans used the bible

to organise politically. In particular the story of the Israelites escape from Egypt was used as a metaphor for their own situation. One of the greatest gospel songs, in my view, is “Let my people go” also known as “Go down Moses”. The chorus goes as follows, “Go down Moses, Way down in Egypt’s land, Tell old Pharaoh, Let my people go.” This probably is the most political of all gospel songs. Egypt’s land refers to the southern states of the US, where slavery was rife. Pharaoh was the slave owners and “my people” were the slaves. Moses referred to Harriet Tubman. She used the nom de guerre Moses throughout her political career. She was born into slavery in Maryland in 1820. As a child she was severely beaten by her master with a heavy metal weight. This injury affected her health for the remainder of her life.

She constantly suffered from seizures and headaches as a result. She was also whipped on numerous occasions, the scars from which she carried for the rest of her life. After making many earlier attempts, Harriet finally escaped to Philadelphia in 1849. This marked the beginning of Harriet’s career as a “conductor” on the “underground railway”. The underground railway was the system used by runaway slaves and their supporters. It helped them get from slavery in the south to freedom in the north. The people who worked this route were referred to as conductors. Harriet, know as Moses, was the most famous conductor. For 11 years she returned again and again to Maryland, first to rescue members of her family and then others still in bondage. In total it is estimated that Harriet rescued some 70 slaves, making 13 expeditions back to the south. When the Civil War broke out, Harriet again risked her life by working as a government agent behind enemy lines in the south. In one daring raid on the Combahee River, Harriet played the leading role

DEATHS IN NIGERIA, TIMED OR TIMELY? By Rev. Fr. Vincent E. Arisukwu

The great puzzle as to whether life span of individuals in Nigeria is determined by the supernatural or by u n f o r t u n a t e circumstances of daily occurrences has generated wide curiosity. Many have kept asking the questions which theodicy has not completely dealt with and which has become more pertinent for the Nigerian situation with regard to the problem of evil, suffering and death namely, Is God responsible for all deaths? Is He aware of the plight of Nigerians for lack of proper standard of living? Why does He allow evil men to threaten innocent citizens yet go unpunished? While it remains difficult universally to situate the hands of God in every death, the rampant nature of death in Nigeria and the failure to protect human life becomes a worrying phenomenon. I had a strong debate with some Nigerians in Diaspora after the June 3rd Dana plane crash that claimed lives of all passengers and crew on board. I tried to prove the veracity of the author of the book of Wisdom that writes, “Do not court death by the errors of your ways, nor invite destruction by the work of your hands.” (Wis. 1:12). Undoubtedly, this is what the scripture tells us; God did not create evil. In fact, he didn’t want his creatures to suffer death since He who Himself is the source of life cannot be associated with death. His ultimate will for humanity is to have life in abundance (cf. Jn. 10: 10). Death, as we believe, came into the world as a result of man’s evil choice, his abuse of freewill. In today’s world, one could notice how human beings freely endowed with the gift of life deviate from the things which give them life. Some prefer to kill others and devise various strategies to ensure they achieve their heinous goals. These are seen in the manufacture of arms and ammunitions, missiles and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Some constitute threats to life by acquiring the weapons and using them to threaten others. This is noticed in the world at large where various cases of violence are recorded on regular basis especially in the 21st century; where dictatorship is enthroned in many countries leading to violence. The first question is, “Why should human beings glory in exterminating the lives of their fellow human beings?”We wake up nowadays to see leaders who rise up and constitute threats to their own. Some

recent examples include Ghadafi and his tragic exploits in Libya which led to loss of thousands of lives, Hosni Mubarak’s massacre in Egypt, Bashar al-Assad’s horrendous rule in Syria, etc. The constant tension in places like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, Congo DR, Sudan, etc, is no longer news. Even in civilized countries, one notices elements of brutality in some human beings who succeed in snuffing life out of others in quite worrisome manners. For instance, the 24 year old James Holmes who went on shooting expedition in a movie theater on Friday, July 20, in Denver, Colorado, USA, killing about twelve persons and injuring about fifty eight on the spot is still very fresh. These statistics undoubtedly show that particles of violence still exist in the world though in different capacities. They also add credence to the above biblical assertion, where human beings become agents of death thus, “Do not court death by the errors of your ways, nor invite destruction by the work of your hands… for uprightness is immortal” (Wis. 1:12,15). While these forms of violence go on in several parts of the world, one notices that in Nigeria, the spiraling nature of death and the exposure of human lives to death threatening chances are really high and agitating. The greater irony however is that most of those deaths in Nigeria would have been avoided if the necessary measures were taken. One of such occurrences was the death of about 95 persons in the Niger Delta part of Nigeria on Thursday, July 12, in the attempt to scoop fuel that spilled when a petrol tanker collapsed due to bad road. The agitations that arose from the ugly incident were why people should be lured into such risky and menial acts; whether those 95 persons were actually meant to be charred to death in such an ignominiously unprecedented manner. The first factor possibly here is poverty. Any poor person would undoubtedly do anything to feed, including going to scoop fuel, a highly inflammable product. Statistics show that many Nigerians live on the average of less than £1.50 a day; hence the chance to collect spilling petrol is too much of a temptation, despite the high risk of fires. Those who went to collect the spilt petrol represent what numerous Nigerians could do given the chance. They might perhaps have been persons who used generator sets in their houses when the power went off. They might have been car or motor cycle owners who had been groaning under the pains of unaffordable petrol due to the high price of #97.00 per litre. They might also have been persons who saw a cheap opportunity to scoop fuel which they might resell to make up for their

day’s income. Whichever be the case, the issue of poverty remained an underlying factor for their death. Another factor is the issue of bad roads in Nigeria. Unfortunately, over 80% of Nigerian roads are regrettably in bad shape with potholes and ditches all over. This accounts for the numerous accidents recorded on Nigerian roads. Of course, it could be said to be the remote cause of those deaths. This is because if the roads had not been bad, the tanker would not have collapsed. If the tanker had not collapsed, there would not have been fuel spillage. And if there had not been fuel spillage, persons would not have rushed to scoop. And for sure, if those persons had not gone to scoop fuel, they wouldn’t have died in such a manner. But the reverse of all those assumptions was the case and so was the result. If we flash back a little to what happened on Sunday, June 3, when about 165 persons perished in the Dana air crash, we may recall vividly that the manner of death in Nigeria is incredible. No adequate explanations have been given till date on the exact reason why that aircraft should fly in such an inexplicably poor condition. But those people are gone and the same old story is, “that’s the way God wants it”. One wonders why people’s lives should be gambled with in Nigeria when it has to do with neglect of people’s responsibilities and remedial measures. For instance, the number of aircraft that fly in Nigeria is little when compared with what obtains in civilized countries like US and Britain. Yet rarely does one hear about air crash carelessly in these countries that have airplane almost as major means of transportation. A little excursus shows that in both the local and international airports in the US like Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), Love Field, Charleston, Columbia, Baltimore Washington International (BWI), Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Dulles, Las Vegas, etc, shows that a thousand airplanes take off and land in these airports on minute per minute basis daily. Yet people fly with ease and comfort of their guaranteed safety. The reason is because the aircraft are maintained and strictly monitored since high premium is placed on the lives of the individuals that fly in those aircraft unlike what obtains in Nigeria. Another look at the security situation equally exposes the careless manner at which lives are lost in Nigeria. Since the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration in 2011, Nigerians have been so exposed to insecurity that all they do is to resign to fate. The Boko Haram menace has become so rampant

in the rescue of more than 700 slaves. In later life she took up the cause of women’s suffrage. Harriet died aged in 1913 aged 93. It is important that we remember people like Harriet Tubman. To quote the AfricaWorld motto “unless the hunted give their account, the story of the hunt will always favour the hunter”. However the most appropriate manner in which to remember her, is to emulate her. So how do we in 21st century Ireland, emulate the actions of Harriet Tubman. After all slavery does not exist in Ireland. There are people here who need our solidarity and support, the majority of whom are African. I refer to those seeking asylum here. People who are forced to live in intolerable conditions. People who are the victims of state racism. These people are denied the right to work. They are denied access to 3rd level education. They are forced to live on €19.10 per week. They are housed in the prison like conditions of the direct provision system, where their every move is monitored and where the state decides the very food they eat. After enduring these conditions for

years, the majority are given deportation orders. June 20th is World Refugee Day. This year the day was marked in Dublin by the junior minister in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Joe Costello, TD attending a multicultural football match. After the game he was photographed with the participants. Earlier that same morning, a number of direct provision centres, around the country, were raided in advance of a deportation to Nigeria. The government’s targets were mainly women and children. In one case a mother of three children was assaulted and pepper sprayed, before her and children were put on the plane. A national campaign against deportations, will be launched in the coming weeks. Anti Deportation Ireland (ADI) will oppose all deportations and seek to have this practice ended. The way to ensure Harriet Tubman’s memory lives on, is to become part of ADI and fight against the evil of deportation.

and incontrollable in the northern part of Nigeria that virtually no day passes without sad news of bomb blasts and death of innocent citizens. Churches, schools, parastatals and places of public gathering have become major targets in Nigeria with the citizens and their government looking helpless. And like helpless chickens too, who cannot predict the direction from which the kite might come, all that the citizens do is to ask God to shield them from the exposure of the Haramists. There is also the rampaging menace of kidnapping in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. People are trailed and kidnapped at will. Some had been released after torture following protracted bargain with family and huge ransom collected, while some unfortunate ones had been killed often with no traces of the kidnappers left behind. These happen on regular basis while all the government does is to commiserate with the victims. When one compares the medical system in Nigeria with what is obtainable in other countries, it becomes very obvious that the Nigerian person who is sick merely survives by the special grace of God. Come to think about this. Many Nigerians receive medical attention without diagnosis, some go to so called chemists to buy drugs across the counter on mere assumption, others prescribe their own drugs and take them at will. Some only go to hospitals when their situations become critical. The sick person in Nigeria can simply be described as the endangered species. The same applies to the hygienic condition. Many Nigerians die due to poor hygienic condition, dirty environment and dirty eating habit. A friend narrated how he almost died after eating in a restaurant in Enugu, one of the major cities in Nigeria. He said he returned home and discovered a restaurant that cooks fine foods. Since he didn’t come home with his wife and children, he had no option than to eat out. After a few days, he developed serious stomach ache that was defying first aid attention. He had to go back to the restaurant to ask the woman a few questions. But since he wasn’t the only person feeding from there, he had no basis to accuse the woman of any attempt to poison him. The doctor however insisted he had food poison after his diagnosis. The man became courageous enough to get back to find out every detail about the restaurant including the preparatory stages of the foods he ate. Finally, he discovered that the woman used the same water to rinse the dishes day after day and dried the plates with a particular piece of cloth after washing. He couldn’t bear the pains further as he was almost dying both of the sickness and the psychology of what he discovered. Thank God he was flown

back to the US for treatment. What this friend told me was, “You know I would have been dead by now and all they would say is, that’s the way God wanted it”. I laughed but that’s the truth. The question therefore is, are Nigerians doing enough to protect their lives or are they giving in so easily to careless deaths. This is for both the government and the citizens. Imagine the level of development in other countries and the swift drive to explore the gifts of modern technology to help sustain and promote life. Take the instance of the just concluded London Olympics and Nigeria’s abysmal performance as an example. I visited the Parkland hospital and the children’s hospital in Dallas recently and I bet you, the sight was awesome. I wondered why sick people would not survive in those places and I tried to compare them with Lagos University Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo state both in Nigeria where there are lots of inconsistencies, electricity and medical facilities inclusive. My conclusion for Nigerians was, “Our help is in the name of the Lord… All these bring us back to the issue whether all deaths in Nigeria are timely. If we say yes, it means we are supporting the trend of profligacy, carelessness, complacency and violence that are characteristic of the Nigerian society. If we say yes, still we implicate the divine will that created man for dignified living. If we say yes, we present God as ordering and permitting ruthless deaths for those he created and called his own. If we say no either, we also attempt playing God since obviously we never struck any bargain with him in terms of the time any human being would spend on earth and the manner of his exit. A no may also be a tacit attempt at denying the omnipotence of God whom we believe knows everything and allows whatever happens to take place. A further no however implicates Nigerians especially the leadership that has consistently looked liked eras ravaged by locust. But the truth here is that God endowed humanity with the wisdom to protect life. The knowledge about the dignity of human life which America, Britain, France, Rome, etc, has is the same knowledge which Nigeria has about the value of life. What differs is the extent to which every society struggles to harness its resources to protect the life of her citizens. And this is where Nigeria is lacking. A country where human beings are unsafe in the home, in the market, in the office, in the football field, in the gas station, in the school, in the hotel, on the road, even in the church, needs to ask itself this important question whether all deaths in the country are indeed either timed or timely.

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

FAMILY CORNER

By Ukachukwu Okorie

LOCKED IN BETWEEN THIGHS

In search of pastures but i ain’t a sheep sheepishly being led in a grazing ground when did i come in this place they rule where man came below where land is the piper though sweet but hot tiring and bullish at times you grazed this far hanging your booth here

Poems

PIERCING THE HEART

Affection gone awry finally it turns sour as it began so it cannot be again pendulum goes aside hidden under the carpet far from eyes of love and lust preying on men’s happiness you respect no one they love to hate you but can’t hate to love you you cannot sheath agony when souls lock up and lips tighten up you hover like a ghost

Wisdom Bits No matter how thin you slice, there are always two sides Meaning: Life has positives and negatives

A person who stays too long in a garbage dump smells like garbage Meaning: The way one makes his bed determines his position in sleeping The secret of the Owl is not made known at noon Meaning: The secret of success is not known by all

FOLKTALE TALES FROM UMUGUMA

WHY MONKEYS LOVE BANANA? From the last edition ‘why monkeys live in trees’. The riot against all monkeys was so hot that many were eventually caught and killed. The v The violence against monkeys in the jungle continued through the next day, extending to other species of vegetarian mammals. As the violence continued, conspirators planned to make most of the conflict and exterminate the monkey race. It soon degenerated into a bush war, alliances emerged. The monkey matriarch decided to enter into arrangement with other animals who shared her sympathy. As the fight got vicious, lives in the

monkey race were at a great loss. Ambushes were rampant and monkeys had no other place to feel safe except a shrine. The shrine which had only banana trees was the only shelter for monkeys. However, any refugee in the banana shrine will only live on it. So their food and means of livelihood depended on banana, making the later, the most important item of survival. They lived in the shrine for three generations before regaining their freedom. They still maintain banana as very important in their lives today.

MY CHILD

Kiss me with love i begat you with it giving you life in blood you scratched at will pushing my veins and sleeping in the bag my heart beat at your arrival a crown of my existence a name i thought when the target was defiled by me yes! you are mine

IT ROSE WHEN IT CRASHED

The work of mouth starts from the eyes glitter it emerged from the toils of dream hallucination is fiction reality is it born in the harmattan tough as it oozed out love of thy people is the calling of lif you set the tone clear as against the day’s chorus

FINEST CHARCOAL

The fire that burns a touch of glass that glitter and sparkle pretty dark glow spurring a depressed heart lifting tired eyelids fixing gaze with tentacles two that create bumps spots that sets me on fire one that energize for the strings to pull and the raging bull to dig

Connect with

No matter how strong a lion maybe, he can never enjoy the company of hyenas Meaning: Friendship works for people of same thoughts

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Whatever that is worth doing, is worth doing well Meaning: A job well done attracts praise The sweetness of victory erases the toils of hard work Meaning: The joy of achievement erases pains

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SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

ENTERTAINMENT/ COLUMN

cderivan@eircom.net

SAVING YOUR MARRIAGE AFTER INFIDELITY

By Dimitri Genserovsky

Folashade Santos Abifarin

ADORABLE MUM TIME-SAVING TIPS FOR MOMS: ME TIME

Founder of Adorable Mum - ADM Gbeminiyi ‘Gee Bee’ Shogunle

You’re a multitasker extraordinaire. You embody the woman described in that classic perfume jingle and can indeed, “bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan.” And your juggling techniques alone -- baby on the hip, phone under the chin while cooking an egg on the skillet with your free hand -- could easily land you a gig in the circus. Yet while you put on a brave face and act the part of a Super Mama who can handle anything, inside you feel frazzled, overwhelmed and far from

your comfort zone. Moms like you are in serious danger of doing too much! So, before you run out of steam both physically and emotionally, take some serious “Me Time” to recharge your energy and gain some perspective on your life. That’s where Cheryl Richardson, author of Stand Up for Your Life, can help. She offers practical advice that can help all moms (even those intent on keeping up with their breakneck pace of multi-tasking) to keep going, smile and really mean it! Schedule an afternoon once a week that’s just for you -- and get out of the house. All moms need to evaluate their lives from an emotional perspective, and sometimes you need to be alone in your own space in order to do so. Get a good babysitter - You can also alternate babysitting duties with your friends. In fact, if you have kids that are the same age, you’ll get both an afternoon for yourself and a play date for your child. Identify at least five tasks that

drain your energy - And eliminate them from your routine. If it’s cleaning the house, think about getting a housekeeper to come in once a month to do the heavy cleaning. Paying someone to clean your house is equal to the cost of two people going to dinner and a movie. Give yourself permission to say “No”. If you’re too over-extended with volunteer activities, give some of them up. You have to get good at disappointing people if you want to live a sane life. Embrace your guilt. Guilt is good. Most women never face the feeling. You need to learn to sit with the feeling until it loses its power and you realize that it’s not going to kill you. And whenever you start to feel guilty, just smile and know that you’re doing something good for yourself. Make a list of 10 things that give you energy. Anything goes: playing with your daughter in the backyard, reading a good novel, painting your nails, listening to great music. Too often moms see these tasks as indulgences, but you should recognize that they’re really the fuel that gets you through the day.

Infidelity causes intense emotional pain, but it doesn’t have to mean the end of that marriage. When someone cheats on a spouse it’s the ultimate betrayal, it creates a division in a relationship, however, getting past an affair and the hurt caused during the affair can be difficult to overcome, for some, it might be extremely hard to trust again but it’s certainly not impossible. After an affair, it is important to decide if the relationship is really worth saving, because overcoming marital infidelity takes courage, dedication, honesty, time and hard work. It is not easy to just fall back into the exact same patterns the marriage was before the line was crossed. But to give your relationship the best chance of survival, one needs to actively do things to redefine the marriage by starting over again. This article will discuss ways to save your marriage after infidelity, and also outlines four Rules to guide marital recovery after an affair. I’m not a trained therapist but these suggestions will help rebuild trust and create a strong marriage if both are willing to try. Ways to Overcoming Infidelity and Rebuilding Marriage Trust. Be accountable – Take responsibility for your action if you were unfaithful, end the affair and stop all communication with the person. No matter how bad it makes you feel, listen intently until your spouse is finished talking, let him/her share feelings of betrayal, rage, disgust frustration and pain. Be honest and sincerely seek forgiveness - One easy and powerful way to start overcoming infidelity is being apologetic for the affair, irrespective of how you feel; defensive, scared and confused, a sincere apology without excuses is the first step to rebuilding marital trust. Regardless of how unstable your marriage was before betraying your spouse, admit that you were responsible, and seek forgiveness, show that you’re remorseful and that you are willing to do whatever it takes to get past it. Your words are one thing, but your actions will tell the real tale of the tape. Discuss the affair - Once the initial shock is over, your spouse deserves answers. Openly and honestly discuss the affair, explain what happened, no matter how difficult talking or hearing about the affair may be, in terms of how it came about and how you and your spouse can ensure it doesn’t happen again. Change your lifestyle - After you’ve cheated on your partner, you are no

longer free to follow your old patterns. Accepting new limits and boundaries will go far in overcoming marital infidelity. Regain your spouse’s trust by being open to reasonable requests regarding boundaries and behaviour. Talk about your lifestyle changes and share a goal of reconciliation - Share how your life is different now that you want to save your marriage from another marital infidelity. Ask your spouse if your changes are helpful or not. To overcome infidelity, discuss the changes you need to make. Accept that it takes a long time to rebuild marrital trust – It will take longer than a few months to heal after the betrayal. Your partner will probably watch you closely for at least a year after the affair. Seek Professional help - Some situations make it compulsory to seek outside help, and the crisis of infidelity is one of them. It would be very unusual for a couple to get past infidelity without the assistance of a trained therapist. A therapist will constructively focus you toward solving the problems in your relationship rather than allowing your discussion to dissolve into yelling and screaming. Falling in love with your spouse was passive, easy in fact it was a completely spontaneous experience, but after few years of marriage, love fades, because its the natural cycle of every relationship. When marriager breakdown, sometimes people turn to church, work, excessive TV, abusive substance, a friendship and infidelity is the most obvious but the solution to it does not lie outside the marriage but within it. Falling in love with someone else will temporarily makes one feel better but sooner than later, you will be back to the same situation a few years later, it is a cycle, there’s no everlasting love except in God. It takes time, effort and energy above all wisdom to know what to do to make marriage work. It is vital for all couples to know that the key to succeeding in marriage is not finding the right person, but learning to love the person you found. Rules to guide marital recovery after an affair: The rule of protection – Avoid being the cause of your spouse’s unhappiness The rule of care – Meet your spouse’s emotional needs The rule of time – Give your spouse your undivided attention The rule of honesty – Be completely honest with your spouse. Overcoming marital infidelity involves emotional sacrifice and painful, vulnerable communication. If you want to save your marriage you need to work to build a better relationship. Talk about a plan to protect yourselves from another affair. Infidelity is emotionally devastating, forgiveness isn’t likely to come quickly but may become very easy over time. Do not be anxious to put the affair behind you if you were the unfaithful one, it is important to allow your partner set his/her own timetable for recovery.

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

COLUMN

PRIDE OF AFRICA

Yonela Unicia Mahlasela

Yonela Unicia Mahlasela is a fully qualified beauty specialist. Born in Port Elizabeth, Yonela went to primary and secondary school in Ireland. Pretty Yonela studied music performance and technology. She also did courses in social care, beauty therapy and make-up artistry. Yonela’s hobbies include her first love music (singing), socialising, dancing, being with family and friends, fashion and make-up. “My dream is to become a professional singer”, she told Africaworld. She would love to open a salon or make up line that look after dark skin people in Europe.

Adewale Adedeji Adewale Adedeji is Nigerian and student. Adewale has achieved a lot in his best sport. He won several Basketball Medals and Trophies since 2008. He did the same in the Junior category. Adewale dream to play in the NBA. “Really I just want to be successful in life in whatever I do in future”, he told AfricaWorld. Basketball and Athletics are his true hobbies.

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

PHOTOS

Fr Cornelius Nwaogwugwu- The New Chaplain, African Catholics in Dublin

Priests and Altar Servers at the Valedictory Mass for out-going Chaplain, Fr Laz Iwueke

Chinedum Ohaekelehem, Fr Laz Iwueke. Chibuzo Ogueri, Fr Cornelius Nwaogwugwu& Uka Chukwu Okorie

Menes Zenewi-the late Ethiopian prime minister

Amb Pwol, Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland at the Ohaneze Chieftaincy ceremony

Guests at the Ohaneze Chieftaincy ceremony

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF By Paul Kelly

-ALGERIA: a Tunisian national has been shot dead in Algeria, 5km from the border. He is suspected of illegally smuggling petrol into Tunisia. -ANGOLA: hundreds of Southern Africa Development Community observers have arrived in Luanda ahead of the August 31st elections. The observers aim to ensure a fair and free election. -BENIN: US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has concluded talks with Benin’s President, Yayi Boni aimed at strengthening America’s influence within Benin. -BOTSWANA: US Africa Command General Carter Ham has denied claims that he is intending to establish a military base in Botswana. The General made the statement following claims to the contrary which were published in a Batswana newspaper. -BURUNDI’S S TAT E telecommunications company have partnered with a commercial bank to produce a mobile banking solution aimed at increasing the population’s low access to financial services. The new service can be used by anybody with a mobile phone. -CAMEROON: Locals in the Bakassi territory which was ceded to Cameroon by Nigeria as a part of the Green Tree Agreement have said that Cameroon have repeatedly failed to abide by the agreement by harassing and beating locals and polluting the area’s fishing waters. -CHAD: the African Union and Senegal have signed an agreement committing the two to setting up a special court to try former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré. The court must begin work by the end of the year. -CONGO: Two human rights groups have filed a complaint with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’Rights, urging them to investigate the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Guy Yambo, who died in a police station in the Congo.

-THE DRC and South Africa have signed a memorandum of understanding on the Grand Inga hydro-electric project. The huge undertaking is expected to generate more electricity than all of either countries’ current generators combined. -IVORY COAST: two deadly attacks in Abidjan have left ten dead, following an attack on a police station which killed four, as well as an attack the nation’s largest military camp which left six soldiers dead. -DJIBOUTI: a reporter for the opposition media website, La Voix de Djibouti, has been taken into police custody. Human rights organisations have condemned the arrest saying that there was “no reason” for it. -EGYPTIAN journalist and editor of the daily Al-Dostour, Islam Afifi, has been arrested by Egyptian police for allegedly “endangering Egypt’s interests and stability” by publishing a front page article warning on how Egypt’s newly elected Muslim Brotherhood was turning Egypt into an “emirate” state. -EQUATORIAL GUINEA: a former business associate of the son of President Obiang Nguema, Florentino Manguire Eneme Ovina, has been arrested by authorities. Human Rights Watch have said that the arrest raises “concerns that he is being harassed for perceived disloyalty to President Obiang’s son, not for any crime.” -ERITREA’S foreign minister, Osman Slih Mohammed, has visited South Africa in a bid to improve bilateral relations between the two states. The move comes as the totalitarian regime struggles to improve its image abroad. - ETHIOPIAN Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, has died, aged 57, in a hospital in Brussels. His death follows a long period of illness and has left Ethiopia in mourning. -GABON: masked gunmen have attacked a private television station owned by Gabon’s main

opposition leader. The gunmen burned down the station’s main transmitter. -THE GAMBIA’S minister of works, constructions and infrastructures, Francis Leity Mboge, has warned that Banjul, the country’s capital, is at risk of sinking into the sea as sea levels rise due to climate change. -GHANA: a civil society group known as the Economic Justice Network have petitioned Ghana’s government to stop favouring foreign companies at the expense of local businesses. -Guinea-Bissau: the UN Security Council have expressed concern at the sharp rise in drug trafficking in Guinea-Bissau, following a military coup which took the country by storm in April. -KENYA’S National Union of Teachers have called on students, parents and clerics to back them in their upcoming strike, which is calling for better wages and working conditions. The strike is planned for September 3rd. - LESOTHO Prime Minister Mr Tom Motsoahae Thabane has begun a special three day state visit to Zimbabwe. President Mugabe has described the Prime Minister as “patriotic and a true servant of your people,” -LIBERIA’S strong political and social progress has been applauded by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, however, he stressed that all Liberians must be given “an opportunity to express their views about how to best address all aspects of reconciliation.” -LIBYA’S National Transitional Council have formally handed over power to their newly elected parliament, marking the country’s first democratic political transition since 1969. -MADAGASCAR: US company Gibson Guitars have been fined $300,000 for illegally importing rare wood from the African island. -MALAWIAN President, Joyce Banda, and Tanzanian President, Jakaya Kikwete, have both firmly stated that the two countries would never go to war with each other. The two called for patience during the current border dispute. -MALI has formed a new

government of national unity. The government, however, retains many members of the military junta which overthrew the democratically elected government five months ago. - MAURITIUS and Seychelles have established a commission to jointly regulate 400,000 square kilometres of continental shelf along their borders. The move will allow efficient regulation of mineral exploration as well as fishing conservation. -MOROCCO: protestors gathered earlier in August outside Morocco’s parliament in opposition to a traditional oath to the king which must be taken by sitting parliamentarians. The protesters described the oath as “humiliating”. - MOZAMBIQUE: Muslim traders in Maputo, the country’s capital, have gone on strike in protest against police inability to halt the recent wave of kidnappings in the region. -NAMIBIA’S Information Minister is considering declaring the National Broadcasting Service an “essential service”. The move is aimed at halting strike action which has crippled the broadcaster in recent weeks. -NIGERIA’S Central Bank is to launch new notes throughout the country. Although the currency will remain, a new N5000 note will be introduced and existing notes will be relaunched with new security features aimed at combatting forgery. -NIGERIAN President Goodluck Jonathon has announced that several underperforming members of cabinet may be sacked in January next year, following the signing of a Performance Contract with them. -Rwandan President Paul Kagame has launched a “home grown”development fund known as the AgaCiro Development Fund, aimed at accelerating economic development in the country. -RWANDAN food prices have fallen due to a bumper harvest, assisting millions of consumers across the country. -Senegal is to host Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathon as the President meets with his

Senegalese counterpart in order to promote trade between the two states. -Seychelles’ Annabelle Marvel Pointe has been named the sixth candidate for the Miss East Africa finals, which are to be held in Dar es Salaam at the end of the month. -Somalia’s new parliament has been officially inaugurated following the swearing in of 211 parliamentarians. The parliament, however, still lacks the 275 needed to form a full parliament. -South Africa: police representatives have called on the government to restrict the amount of liquor licences it gives, which it claims are increasing crime rates. -South Sudan: the UN World Food Programme has completed the first in a series of airdrops aimed at assisting thousands of refugees in the country’s Upper Nile state who have fled fighting in Sudan. -Swaziland: police have attacked students protesting against scholarship cuts, shooting two in the head with rubber bullets and injuring dozens with batons. -Togo’s President Faure Eyadema has reportedly begun attempting talks with opposition groups in parliament in an attempt to secure democracy in the country. -TUNISIAN lawmakers have begun reviewing a draft of the country’s new constitution. The constitution has been a work in progress since February. -UGANDA: seven soldiers have been killed in a lethal helicopter accident. Three of the soldiers’ bodies were recovered during a search and rescue operation and four were found next to the remains of their burnt out helicopter. -ZAMBIAN mining company Konkola Copper Mines has given Zambian football coach Herve Renard a $70,000 car in appreciation of his coaching efforts, which saw Zambia take home the 2012 African Cup. -ZIMBABWEAN street children are reportedly being sexually abused by dozens of middle class Zimbabwean “Sugar-Mummys and Sugar-Daddys” who often demand unprotected sex, the Standard has reported last week.

SEPTEMBER 1-15 2012

CONGRATS

ADEMOKUN ADERIRE EYO On your Chieftaincy title as Enyioha in Ireland by Ohaneze & Eze Igbo in council ADVERTS/NEWS/ENTERTAINIMENT

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