AfricaWorld Newspaper 1 - 15 August 2013

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AUG 01-15 2013

VOL 001 Nยบ40

RAMADAN IRISH MUSLIMS

FREE

And

By AbdulSalam Yusuf Paul Kelly

Cont. p3

AGONY CORNER P10

IFEOMA ODINNA ODUM IS BORN

ANC Ireland organize 95th Mandela birthday P8

DID YOU KNOW? p15

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AFRICAWORLD AUG 01 -15 2013

NEWS

The return of the native

Editorial STAR IN THE ITALIAN POLITICAL FIRMAMENT Cécile Kyenge is Italy’s first and only black cabinet minister. Cecile Kyenge, last week, delivered a rousing speech in Cervia about her program to pursue immigrants’ rights in Italy. Applause followed, still, many do not know her.

Cécile Kyenge Kashetu was born 28 August 1964 in Kambove, Republic of the Congo. She was appointed minister of integration under Italy’s new center-left Prime Minister Enrico Letta in April. She has been living in Italy since 1983, studying for a degree in medicine and surgery from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome. She also qualified as an ophthalmologist in Modena, EmiliaRomagna.

In 2002, Cécile founded the Association for Intercultural DAWA (‘dawa’ is Kiswahili word for ‘medicine’), which aim to promote understanding of cultures. It was established in furtherance of the development of processes of awareness, integration and cooperation between Italy and the African continent, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Since September 2010 she has been the national public relation officer of the Italian organisation ‘March First’ that aim to promote the rights of migrants.

From 2004, when she was elected in a district of the town of Modena for the Democrats of the Left and later becoming the provincial head of the Forum of International Cooperation and Immigration till 25 February 2013, when she was elected member of the Chamber of Deputies for the PD in Emilia-Romagna, she has served and distinguished herself as a leader and bridge in a new Italy.

Cécile swung into action after her election to the Italian Parliament, beginning a plan for a law granting citizenship to Italian born children of immigrants.

Come inside.

Uka.

J O M O K E N YATTA J

By Ukachukwu Okorie

omo Kenyatta was born Kamau Wa Ngengi at Ng’enda village, Gatundu Division, Kiambu in 1889. He was the son of Muigai and Wambui.

Jomo’s father was the chief of a small agricultural village in Gatundu Division, Kiambu District - one of five administrative districts in the Central Highlands of British East Africa.

At the death of his mother, who was inherited by his uncle, Muigai’s younger brother Ngengi, Kamau moved from Ng’enda for Muthiga to live with his grandfather Kingu wa Magana. Living with a granny fortune teller and medicine man, Jomo took interest in Agikuyu culture and customs, assisting his grandfather in the practice of medicine. Kamau joined the Church of Scotland Mission in 1909, in Thogoto, where he enrolled into elementary education and carpentry training. He passed elementary school and became an apprentice carpenter in 1912. The struggles of life kick-started fully in 1913 when he was circumcised at Nyogara stream near Thogoto Mission to become a member of Kihiu Mwigi/ Mebengi age group.

In 1922 Kamau adopted the name Jomo (a Kikuyu name meaning ‘burning spear’). His advent into politics took off with activities of the Kikuyu Central Association leaders James Beauttah and Joseph Kang’ethe, who

AfricaWorld & Millenium Development Goals Editor Ukachukwu Okorie Deputy Editor Martin Ekeocha Chief Reporter Paul Kelly Sub-Editor Roisin Morris

“Our children may learn about the heroes of the past. Our task is to make ourselves the architects of the future.”

Graphic Design Mirco Mascarin Leandro Tonetto Oliveira Welbert Silva de Andrade Photography Darek Gutowski Antoinette Keane

provided early inspiration. By 1926, he rose to become the secretary of KCA. He was also chosen to represent the Kikuyu land problems before the Hilton Young Commission in Nairobi.

In February 1929, Jomo Kenyatta was delegated to London to represent the Kikuyu Central Association in discussions with the Colonial Office. Although the Secretary of State for the Colonies refused to meet him, Kenyatta undeterred, wrote several articles to

European settlers to be returned -I mproved educational opportunities for Black Africans

Again in 1931, he went to England to petition the parliament, meeting India’s Mahatma Gandhi in November 1932. At the invitation of George Padmore, a West Indian panAfricanist, Jomo proceeded to Moscow to study Economics. He returned to Britain by 1933 when Padmore fell out with the Russians

Facing Mount Kenya, first published in 1938, is an anthropological study of the people of the Kikuyu nation of central Kenya.

The book’s introduction was written by anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski, his mentor at the London School of Economics. “As a first-hand account of a representative African culture, as an invaluable document in the principles underlying culture-contact and change and as a personal statement of the new outlook of a progressive African, this book will rank as a pioneering achievement of outstanding merit”, the renowned Anthropologist wrote as part of his introduction.

Upon his return to Kenya in 1946, he began a new struggle of conscientization of his people, later spending 7 years in jail after the appointment of Sir Evelyn as Governor of Kenya.

On October 28, 1961, Jomo became the President of the Kenya African National Union and later leading a KANU delegation to London for talks over independence at the Lancaster House Conference.

On June 1, 1963, Jomo became the first Prime Minister of Kenya and on December 12, 1963, at Uhuru Stadium, a new nation was born, paving the way a year later, on December 12, 1964, for the new republic of Kenya with him as the President.

British papers, including The Times.

His article published in The Times in March 1930 set out five cardinal points: -The repeal of Hut and poll taxes -Representation for Black Africans in the Legislative Council -Freedom to pursue traditional customs -The security of land tenure and the demand for land taken by

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

and he continued with political campaigns for the emancipation of his people in the UK. He also taught Gikuyu (Kikuyu language) at the University College, London and under Professor Malinowski, studied Anthropology at the London School of Economics (LSE). In 1938, Jomo published his thesis titled ‘Facing Mount Kenya’.

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

Published by Uyokanjo Media Services Ltd. 46 Parnel Square West

3rd Floor +353 87 637 3210 Dublin 1, Dublin City

Republic of Ireland Skype: africaworld1 E-mail: africaworldnews@gmail.com

Mzee Jomo Kenyatta is a true son of Africa, a tenacious and visionary leader. A man who rose through the crucible of colonial injustice and vicissitudes of life. In 1974, he declared free primary education up to primary grade 4. We remember him for urging Kenyans to preserve their culture and heritage. He died on 22nd August 1978 in Mombasa at the age of 89 years issues of Education, Health, HIV/AIDS, Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability and Global Partnerships.

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AUG 01-15 2013

AFRICAWORLD

3

NEWS

By Paul Kelly and Abdul Yusuf

R A M A D A n and I R I S H M U S L I M S

Across Ireland, more than

hungry and thirsty can they truly

50,000 Muslims are currently

empathise with the poor and

abstaining from eating, drinking,

needy, who may have very little

smoking and sex in order to mark

food to consume in their lives.”

the month of Ramadan. This

an Imam for them.”

are to be said each day, down to

many Irish Muslims, however, the

the minute. However, these

claim was seen as a publicity stunt

This informality, however, is

prayers are timed based on the

from a man they considered to be

not reflected in the Ramadan

movements of the sun and as

morally and financially bankrupt.

celebrations. Timing and precision

sunrise and sunset vary slightly

month is believed to be the time

Sheikh Yahya is the Imam of

is everything during Ramadan.

depending on where you are, the

Despite this controversy,

that the Quran was given by Allah

South Circular Rd Mosque, the

The Muslim holy month began in

prayer times vary even according

however, Sheikh Yahya was

to Muhammad and it is one of the

second largest mosque after

Ireland on the 10th of July and is

to county. In Dublin, for example,

reserved in his answer, restraining

Five Pillars of Islam. For many

Clonskeagh mosque in Ireland.

to continue until the 7th of August;

the Fajr prayer is at 3:57am on the

his anger in order to ensure his

Muslims in Ireland, the fast will be

Sheikh is an honorary term, similar

however, the dates vary from

final day of the fast. In Limerick, it

fast was not broken. He told

a challenge due to the long days

to Father or Rabbi, and when he

country to country. In Ghana and

is at 4:08am.

AfricaWorld simply: “It is a lie, there

of summer, as they may only eat

arrived in 1983, Sheikh Yahya

Lesotho, for example, Ramadan

and drink at sun down each night.

became Imam simply because

began on the 9th. The variation is

The prayers themselves,

don’t want to say bad things about

Despite this, however, according

“literally there was nobody here

due to the different times the

however, are not time-consuming

another person.” When queried

to Imam Sheikh Yahya Al-Hussein

to do it, they were looking for

crescent moon is sighted around

and AfricaWorld was given the

about the alleged death threats

of South Circular Road mosque in

someone.” No formal training is

the world. Only on the day it is

opportunity to observe them

the Imam received for being so

Dublin, Ramadan is not just about

needed to become an Imam,

sighted does Ramadan begin.

when we visited the South Circular

outspoken, Sheikh Yahya was

abstinence: “The whole idea of

Sheikh Yahya explained to

During Ramadan, prayer times

Road Mosque. Prior to entering

more blunt: “Who threatened

fasting is to promote spirituality

AfricaWorld. “Even if I am not here,

also become even more precise.

the Mosque, those attending

him?” he asked. “Nobody

and to strengthen it,” he told

anybody who leads the prayer can

Muslims pray five times a day and

washed themselves thoroughly

threatened him. It is a lie.” When

AfricaWorld. “It’s not only about

become an Imam. In fact, if there

this is especially important during

before being led by the Imam in

asked why he would lie about

not doing something. It also has

are 10 people in any town in

Ramadan, when the whole Quran

the Asr prayer, which lasted only

such things, Sheikh Yahya would

a positive side to it. It’s about

Ireland, they should have a

if often recited through special

five to ten minutes. Although

only answer “he is a controversial

being able to control your desires.

congregation in prayer and one

prayers known as ‘Tarawih’. Due to

some wore clearly ceremonial,

person”.

Fasting inculcates in Muslims the

of them should be an Imam. Even

this, the Islamic Foundation of

white robes, many wore just

value of compassion towards

if there are two people in a village

Ireland has recently released lists

ordinary clothing, highlighting the

others. Only when they feel

or town, one of them should be

of the exact times that the prayers

simplicity of the ceremony.

is no extremism in Ireland. But, I

On the other side of the spectrum, some Islamic extremists, such as British-born Anjem

Similarly, flexibility in fasting

Choudray, have called for Sharia

is granted to those who need it,

law to be implemented in Ireland.

Sheikh Yahya told AfricaWorld.

When the subject was broached

“For an elderly person who finds

with Sheikh Yahya, however, his

it difficult to fast, it is encouraged

answer was cautious: “You can

for such person to break his/her

only wish to see it introduced in

fast. This is the same for a sick

the whole world, even the Muslim

person who has no hope that he/

countries, but I know it is not

she will recover.” Pregnant and

going to happen,” he said carefully.

menstruating women are also

When asked if he agreed with all

encouraged not to fast, as are

of Sharia Law, however, he was

those with long-term illnesses.

more emphatic. Despite such cruel practices as declaring death for

Fasting for Muslims, however,

apostates, the cleric was clear in

is not just a physical act. It also

his devotion: “Of course,” he said.

entails self-control over what one

“A hundred per cent. Do you think

thinks and says. This became

I am more intelligent than God?”

especially clear when we asked Sheikh Yahya of his opinion of Imam Shaheed Satardein, a divisive man, who in 2007, made

The full transcript of our

headlines when he claimed that

interview with Sheikh Yahya al-

“extremism has infected Islam in

Hussein can be read online at www.

Ireland”. The story was quickly

africaworldnewspaper.com.

picked up by major Irish media outlets, including The Guardian, and exploded on Irish forums such as politics.ie and boards.ie. For

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AFRICAWORLD AUG 01 -15 2013

opinion

X-RAY

with Fr. Vin

By Fr. Vincent Ezeoma Arisukwu

OBAMA WILL VISIT NIGERIA IF…

Sometimes I’m in a fix distinguishing between notoriety and popularity regarding the country to which I make so bold as to claim citizenship. Is Nigeria actually popular or notorious? Yes, I ask this question for certain reasons. When it has to do with one Michael Adebolajo, 28, from Rumford, east London, and another Michael Adebowale, 22, from Greenwich, south-east London, murdering one Drummer Rigby outside Woolwich barracks on 22 May, the name Nigeria is easily remembered. When it has to do with statistics of poverty-stricken nations, Nigeria is prominent on the list. When America is compiling the list of terrorist nations in today’s world, Nigeria would surely not be neglected. But when the issue of a seat in the FIFA administration, or FIFA ranking of countries in the world comes up, Nigeria fades into anonymity. I remember vividly how the President of the famous Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, crashed out of the CAF Executive Committee election on 10 March in favour of a Beninoise, Anjorin Moucharaf. Prior to the election one might easily say he was contesting with a “Common Benin man”. Yes, but the common Benin man defeated the super Nigerian.

When it also has to do with Shola Ameobi coming to play for Nigeria, his nationality becomes the subject of debate.

expectations of Nigerian hopefuls, I tried to evaluate the visit from the perspective of chronology. The first thing that came to my mind was to enquire into each country’s attainment of independence and compare it with Nigeria to see if that was the criterion for side-tracking the giant of Africa a second time.

South Africa, for example, secured her independence from British colonialism in 1934 and gained freedom from white minority rule in 1994. Senegal secured her independence a few months before Nigeria in August 1960, while Tanzania became independent in 1963. As Nigeria became an independent country before Tanzania, that could not have been the basis for determining the President’s itinerary.

Recently, Barack Obama made a trip to Africa for the second time since he became American President.

Everyone who followed popular opinion tipped Nigeria as one of the countries to be visited by the first American President of African decent.

But those who know international politics, who were able to distinguish between notoriety and popularity, between civilian regime and democracy, debunked such opinions.

And so it happened. Rather, President Obama visited Senegal, Tanzania and South Africa. Nigeria was completely left out.

When I analysed that visit and the

When these statements are placed in tandem with the response from Obama’s aides – Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Adviser, Grant Harris, Senior Director on African Affairs and Gayle Smith, Senior Director for Development and Democracy – it becomes clear that they were being diplomatic enough on the exclusion of Nigeria from the itinerary but implicitly corroborated the 2009 statement of Obama in Ghana. Harris noted pointedly; “With respect to Nigeria, we certainly believe that Nigeria is a fundamentally important country to the future of Africa… Obviously, Nigeria is working

Another issue that popped into my mind was the first visit of President Obama to Ghana in 2009. That visit I’m sure is not unconnected with the three-nation visit to Africa by Mr President in June 2013. During the Ghana visit, Obama made a forecast of what would form the basis for America’s bilateral relationship with Africa. In 2009, the President, of Kenyan origin, stated that “Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions”. He made it clear to Africa that “no country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves...”.

through some very challenging security issues right now. And in that process, they’re going to be a partner of the US. We certainly believe we’ll have an opportunity to further engage the Nigerian government through bilateral meetings going forward. But at this point, we just were not able to make it to Nigeria on this particular itinerary”.

Meanwhile, the aides led us to understand that the main focus of Obama’s trip was “democracy and democratic institution building”.

No doubt Mr Harris delivered his message. America cannot come to Nigeria now because Nigeria doesn’t qualify to host the US President. She is still struggling with fixing her democracy. She has still to come to terms with her security problems.

Her image is battered by numerous factors which undermine Nigeria’s democracy before the international community. She is the giant of Africa with a battered foundation. Apart from the Boko Haram, kidnapping and other security threats which are no longer news in the world, she lacks proper democratic institutions and good ethical practices. I wish to buttress my claims here with few incidents that happened recently which present Nigeria’s image as sham.

On Tuesday 9 July, five lawmakers in Rivers State, one of the southernmost states in Nigeria, attempted to impeach the Speaker of the house. The house, which has thirty-two lawmakers, was divided between supporters of the governor and those of a minister from the state serving at the national level. Twentysix of them, said to be pro-governor, were in support of the Speaker, while the five that tried to impeach him belonged to the opposition. This led to a fracas which saw the honourable speakers engage in a physical exchange of blows. During the debacle, a member of the house was battered by his colleagues. The house leader was captured in a widely circulated video hitting a fellow

member with the mace. The governor of the state, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, confirmed the embarrassment when he spoke in London: “I used to be the Speaker of the house and the law is that you are not even allowed to bring your walking stick in when entering. How did these people manage to bring in thugs, weapons, fake mace and cause mayhem while the police were not only looking on but aiding them?” This is different from the imbroglio that ensued in the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF) which has two parallel chairmen at the moment resulting from the controversial election among the governors of Nigeria on 24 May. In that election, sixteen claimed to have beaten nineteen.

Recently too, a bizarre incident occurred in Nigeria’s soccer arena.

Two football teams in the Nigerian Amateur Division produced an incredible score line of 146 goals from two matches. In a bid to outwit the other, one football team pounded a total of 79 goals in ninety minutes against their opponents, while the other netted 67 goals at the same time in another match. This generated outrage not only in Nigeria but also attracted FIFA’s attention. The Nigerian Football Federation’s Head of Competitions, Mohammed Sanusi, expressed disappointment at the results as he exclaimed; “This is a disgrace. We have confirmed the results from the center and it is totally unacceptable.”

It behoves Nigeria to actually address her problems or even to tell herself the truth regarding her true position in the comity of nations. Why couldn’t Nigeria host the American President? Why couldn’t Mr Obama visit Nigeria on his second trip to Africa? Why can’t Obama come to Nigeria even now? Does Nigeria not want to partner with US? The reason is that she needs to fix the avalanche of problems that at the moment threaten her democracy. Nigeria has many strong men but lacks strong democratic institutions. She has

strong men who are above the law and superior to set democratic standards. She has strong men who are responsible for the continued oil theft. She has strong men who are responsible for insecurity worries and continue to fuel the Boko Haram crisis in the north. She has strong men who determine the political rhythm and hand-pick those who should be leaders without which the nation wouldn’t know rest. Nigeria has strong men who hijack employment opportunities and give jobs to their cronies at the expense of good academic qualifications. She has strong men who recycle themselves compulsorily in political power and refuse to create room for the younger generation to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the nation. Nigeria has strong men who stay in Abuja, the federal capital, and dictate what happens in the states, else they halt the smooth running of state administrations. Nigeria lacks strong institutions where human rights and dignity should be upheld.

She lacks strong institutions that could give consideration to the youth, strong institutions that could create employment opportunities and give hope to the younger generation. She lacks strong institutions that could address the problems of the elderly through proper retirement schemes. She lacks strong institutions that could place emphasis on proper education and the welfare of teachers. She lacks strong institutions that could address security matters. She lacks strong institutions that could work out good health care packages for her citizens.

She lacks strong institutions that could sustain her democracy and uphold democratic principles. These are reasons why the American President cannot come to Nigeria now. Obama will come to Nigeria only if Nigeria sets up strong institutions and demolishes the strong men who have constituted themselves socio-political and economic demigods.

AUG 01-15 2013

AFRICAWORLD

5

news/IT

16, 000 Migrants awarded Swedish Citizenship

By Rachel Mumbua

Sweden tops the European Union when it comes to gaining citizenship after a relatively short period of time. The country is currently facing a demographic challenge owing to an ageing population. An increase in the number of people granted residence permit as a result of refugee, study or work related reasons has seen a rise in the number of new Swedish citizens in the last few years. . A peak was recorded in the rise between 2011 and 2012. The Migration Board projects an estimated 40,000 new applications will be submitted in 2013, compared to approximately 39,000 last year.

“Swedish citizenship houses a range of driving forces that make people want to migrate to Sweden, as well as a range of different backgrounds. Whatever the reasons or origins — people who have grounds to live here and want to continue living in Sweden should be able to do so and should have equal opportunities to participate in society”, says Anders Danielsson, Director-General of the Migration Board.

More than 16,000 people from more than 150 countries have already become Swedish citizens in the first half of 2013. Only a tenth of the people awarded the citizenship held prior citizenship from an African country with people from Somalia being the fifth largest overall country of citizenship.

Somalia is fifth overall: Iraq is by far the largest country of citizenship. The second largest is Poland, followed by Thailand.

Stateless persons make up the fourth largest group.

“When it comes to gaining citizenship after a relatively short period of time, Sweden continues to be at the forefront of the EU. Today we have reason to remind ourselves of the opportunities offered by migration and that Sweden historically is a country that defends the right to citizenship”, says Anders Danielsson.

TECH_PILOt >>>>>>>> with Uchenna Onyenagubo

Save without the cable a trip. Bring it all with you! The Wireless Plus has 1TB of built-in storage, which means you can load up to 500 movies or thousands of songs, photos and documents.

Computer storage systems have evolved rapidly and many users are now unfamiliar with older storage devices like the punch card, floppy drive, CDs, DVDs, etc. The likes of the USB Flash drive and external hard disk are much more familiar.

Recently, I discovered another innovation with the capability to

store valuable files and data via a wireless portable hard drive. We have often experienced the pain of connecting the USB cable or even power plus USB cable to our external hard drives for backup purposes. You can now enjoy your media and access your files without wires or the Internet. This mobile storage device broadcasts its own Wi-Fi network, so you can stream your media and files to your tablet or smartphone on-the-go and off the grid without a wire connection.

As an example using the“Seagate Wireless Plus” hard disk, the device can best function with the aid of the free Seagate Media app for iOS and Android which makes it easy to navigate and enjoy content

wherever you go. The device is unique and ideal for entertainment as well as storage capabilities.

The newer versions of televisions (Smart TVs) are multifunctional, including the ability to play media with just a USB connector. The

Wireless Plus portable hard disk is very much ready for the same duty.

It functions like the Wi-Fi. The Wireless Plus features on Seagate’s

USM (Universal Storage Module) technology imply that the hard drive has a recessed SATA connector that can be mated to a variety of interface adapters.

Seagate includes a USB 3.0 USM adapter, a USB 3.0 cable, a USB wall adapter, and a USB-to-DC power cable with the Wireless Plus.

The size and volume of the document files we keep tends to increase, depending on the nature of our work, life and business endeavours. We must often transfer files every now and then - either to free up space or transit from one device to another. With this innovation, forget about having to choose which files to load onto your tablet or smartphone before

Its absolutely user-friendly.

Simply drag-and-drop to load files without wireless from your PC or Mac computer or use the USB 3.0 adapter to load files up to 10× faster than Wi-Fi. The advantage of this unique idea is the feature that allows up to eight tablets and smartphones to access and store content at the same time.

Leave it in your bag, set it on the table, and place it anywhere in the car— with a range of up to 150ft you’ll never feel tethered to your storage. Best of all, by creating its own Wi-Fi network, there is no need for an Internet connection and you don’t have to use your data plan.

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AFRICAWORLD AUG 01 -15 2013

people

PRIDE OF AFRICA e c a Gr e f a l o Kom

OLABANJI OLABUKOLA GRACE KOMOLAFE is a young beautiful girl full of life and an up coming fashion designer with interest in modelling.

She is a second year student in Royal School in Cavan town, Co. Cavan. She plays tennis and one of the best female football players for her school.

AUG 01-15 2013

AFRICAWORLD

7

column

Dimkpa

THE POLITICS OF INCUMBENT IN OFFICE

Mazi Uche Osakwe

In most ‘democracy’ in Africa, election is not a question of votes because at times the votes of the people do not count. The incumbents in office will do anything to stay in power. Hence, defeating incumbents is like the Biblical dictum that it will be difficult for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. The incumbents have the resources at their disposal, hangers-on and fortune seekers who are ready to do anything for the incumbents to win. African politics is a classical case of winner takes all. Election time is a war zone – politicians deploy thugs, buy votes, buy bullets to intimidate opponents, even kill - all for the single act of serving the people. How funny that sounds.

Politics in Africa is seen as an investment rather than a call to serve the people. Hence holding political office is a licence to enrich friends and cronies; call it a family business. I liken politics in Africa to Pentecostal churches, otherwise called prosperity gospel, where allegiance is only to the head of the church, his children and wife. He is the seer, accountant, treasurer and signatory to the account. The church revolves around him/her and whosever raises an eyebrow or challenges the authority of the pastor is subjected to accusations of questioning God. In a society where transparency and accountability is anathema, where the parliament is just passive and an annexe of the presidency, money talks!

In

the

coming

weeks

Zimbabweans will go to the polls to elect a new president, a new parliament, and councillors to run the affairs of the country for the next five years. The questions are: Will the votes of Zimbabweans count? Will the will of the people be respected?

Zimbabweans are desperate for a change and looking forward to democratic dividends, which have eluded the people for so long. It all depends on which side of the fence you stand on.

The incumbent, seemingly ageless, veteran president, Mr Robert Mugabe, and his party ZANU-PF are fighting very hard to retain power and keep Mr Mugabe in office at all costs. The country has banned all international observers from Western countries, only to admit African observers led by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, an ally of President Mugabe. This shows how the direction of the election will go. In my opinion, I do not see Chief Obasanjo’s objectivity in Zimbabwe’s election. Papa Mugabe has his supporters and backers too, who are willing to do anything, especially excomrades and ultra-nationalists

Neither is the incumbent Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T a push-over.

He enjoys the backing of the international community, civil society and the middle-class in Zimbabwe. He knows that fighting against a formidable opponent, fox and veteran of many elections will not be easy.

Early polls showed Tsvagirai in a comfortable lead over Mr Mugabe, but many observers see that as a gimmick by the international media to heighten the pressure on Mr Mugabe. I think it is difficult to say or predict the outcome. For Tsvangirai’s MDC-T to beat ZANU-PF will be a miracle and a knotty mountain to climb.

I don’t see President Mugabe being humiliated out of office; he will not accept any result that declares the election against him, even if the election is

supervised by angels from Heaven. If this happens, then Zimbabweans are in for mayhem and a political impasse. I pray such a thing does not happen.

The only alternative in Zimbabwe is political negotiation to ease Robert Mugabe out of power. As long as he is still interested in the presidency of Zimbabwe there’s nothing anyone can do about it. President Mugabe is a strategist and a hard nut to crack.

He won’t vacate the presidency without a fight. He knows who will succeed him whenever he wants to hand over power. As long as he is alive I predict he will not hand over to Mr Morgan Tsvangirai as his successor, no matter whose ox is gored.

To me, democracy in Africa is a pipe dream. Democracy can only be meaningful when the elected leaders are above petty politics, sectionalism, primitive accumulation and sentiment: when the people are conscious of their votes and when their votes count. Also, democracy can only thrive in Africa when those elected are servants to the people rather than overlords, when all the organs of government act as watchdogs over each other and work for the benefit of the people rather than for the interest of the few.

What happened in Rivers State House of Assembly proved that democracy is de-mo-crazy, an act of shame. It was an ugly scene to watch. Initially when I watched it on TVC and YouTube, I thought it was a rehearsal in a Nollywood film, but soon realised that overgrown children paid by tax payers’ money were behaving like motor park thugs.

The question is whether these guys are fighting for the welfare of the masses or fighting for their own selfish interests. In my opinion, I think these guys are mere thugs working for their paymasters in the pretence of entrenching democracy.

Another disappointment is the ineffective Nigerian police, who continue to act like the colonial

police. Their training and methodology of operation is still akin to zombies, like when popular Afro music legend Fela sang “Zombie no go walk, unless you tell am to walk, go left, go right” etc.

Good governance is key to development, security, peace, employment and infrastructure.

A good functional police force that is credible is key to transparent governance and zero corruption. The issue of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should not have arisen in the first place since it is the duty of the police to bring bad eggs to justice. But the problem in most cases is that the police force is responsible for many of the crimes committed in most African states. The police aid the criminals, provide them with intelligence and guns and in doing so betray the enormous resources invested in them. The concept of the police as your friends is not the case in most Africa states. The masses frequently see the police as an e n e my.

The primary responsibilities of the police are to detect crime and not to collaborate with the culprits in committing crime. But in most African states the police as an institution is an extension of the ruling class. The ruling class are above the law. They can’t do wrong. If the police were doing their work without fear or favour the incidents that happened in Rivers State House of Assembly would not have happened. But because the police are an extension of the presidency, they act at the direction of the President instead of protecting the democracy that taxpayers pay for them to maintain.

I have always said that in Africa anything can happen. We are the architects of our own problems.

We preach what we don’t practice. We are afraid of the truth. I thought living far away from home that our mentality would change. We still live in primitive accumulation, where

the bases of comradeship are determined by monetary value.

That is why most of us will do anything to make money even if it goes against our conscience.

I read the communiqué issued

by Igbo Union Ireland on the vexed issue of EzeIgbo in Ireland in which Emeka claimed to be Ezelgbo. I also read Imo Indigenes’ Chairman, Mazi Chinedu’s disclaimer that he was not privy to the collective/ majority will of Ndi-Igbo in Ireland. But the most interesting rejoinder was written by Bruno Igwe, who accused Imo State’s Chairman of double standards and playing to the gallery.

Whatever the stands of Chinedu, every sensible Igbo son and daughter knows that Emeka and co. are wasting their time. The people know that Ezelgbo is a farce QED. I have in my previous article in this medium articulated my view. There is no need to flog the issue. There’s nothing like EzeIgbo in the diaspora and it’s only in the imagination of those who think that such exists. By joining issue with Emeka we are directly or indirectly making him relevant and popular. The only way is to ignore him.

My advice is that Igbo Union Ireland should write to various community/ethnic nationalities in Ireland informing them that there’s nothing like EzeIgbo and this can be done with excerpts from the communiqués and resolutions of Igbo Traditional Rulers and South-East Governors.

This is a civilised society where facts are sacrosanct. Sometimes when I watch the charades displayed by these charlatans in the name of showcasing and promoting our cherished tradition, I only blame those hangers-on who have lost relevance and seek cheap publicity to feather their nest.

We know our leaders, no amount of party or zebra celebration will change that. Igwe Bu Ike (unity in strength).

8

AFRICAWORLD AUG 01 -15 2013

photo news

The ANC Ireland organize 95th Mandela birthday Gala Dinner on 20th July at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown - Dublin.

AUG 01-15 2013

photo news

AFRICAWORLD

PICTURES

9

10 AFRICAWORLD AUG 01 -15 2013

beauty & fashion

AGONY CORNER

love

With Abdul Yusuf

Some Real Meanings Behind Typical Reasons For Relationship Break-Ups & Five Things You Should Never Do After Breakup Breaking up hurts, and, knowing this, people often come up with some typical ‘nice’ excuses to soften the blow when announcing the news. But what do these white lies truly mean?

“I’m just bad at relationships.”

If you stick to this one quite often, you might really believe it is true. If you don’t like someone “enough”, or if you don’t like them the way they liked you, you naturally conclude it is a flaw in yourself. You accept as an undisputed truth that you fail at relationships. Then, someone comes along who you actually want to make an effort toward and suddenly your ‘ingrained personality traits’ change. The person breaking up with you using this trope really believes they are telling you the truth, but honestly, they just didn’t feel strongly about you.

They’ll suddenly be great at relationships when someone comes around who makes them want to be great. That person’s not you, and that’s okay. You can’t “fix” them. This one’s actually doing you a favor. Just move on from this mess. It’s something they need to come to terms with, and they’ll see the difference when they actually fall in love.

“It’s not you, it’s me.”

This is another one where the person might really believe they’re telling the truth. It’s a red herring. What they mean is, it’s both of you. They’re trying to protect your feelings by using a tired cliche, which is a nice try, but ultimately this leaves the dumped with more questions than answers. What someone really means when they say this is, “I don’t like you as much as I think probably someone should like you. You’re great but not for me.”

“I just need to focus on myself and my career right now.”

Don’t begrudge anyone their dream... but, in any case, this excuse is a lie. If you really like someone, you will make time for them. You would show up at their house after work and hobbies and meetings and other obligations at like 3 in the morning and you’ll be down to hang out. If you want to put your career first right now, totally, yes, you should do that. However, if you really think someone is worth it, you will make time for them. Busy people can have significance to others. Consider that maybe you were more emotionally expressive and needy, which is not a judgement, and they are a bit more closed

off and felt too much obligation.

Being needy is not a bad thing, and for your own mental health, you want someone who wants to be around you just as much as you want to be around them, right? And this does unfortunately mean that the person didn’t really care about you enough.

“You’re too good for me.”

This one’s a red flag. All it means is, “I have very low selfesteem and like to sabotage things that are good for me”. If you’re in it to win it, stick this one out, but this person is probably trying to drop you because they hate themselves.

Now, do you want to fight the good fight and try to be the one who makes them experience real love? Not really possible, sorry. Or do you know that the job of a significant other is not mold and fix their partner?

Because when someone breaks up with you this way, you’ve got to decide if it’s your job to convince them otherwise. (Hint: it’s probably not.)

“I just think we’re better as friends.”

This one is actually true. This means the person really enjoys you but doesn’t have passionate romantic feelings for you.

Sometimes friend love and boyfriend/girlfriend love can get

confusing. The flip side to this is that they experimented at the expense of your feelings. They might be feeling super guilty about this fact and want to believe they are a “good person” who “wouldn’t do something like that.” They ask you to remain friends so they can feel better about hurting you. It’s selfish. If you’re not ready to just hop back on the buddy train, don’t pretend to be cool for their sake.

Someone who uses this to break up is only thinking of themselves and how they perceive themselves as “nice.” If you don’t buy it, don’t coddle them. You’ll just end up crying in a bathroom after seeing them at a party with their new, hotter significant other.

5 Things You Should Never Do After A Breakup Dealing with a breakup can be a very painful and confusing experience. A lot of emotions run through you and you are likely to take rash decisions if care is not taken.

Here are a few things you must NOT do after a breakup: 1. Don’t Beg: For God’s sake, don’t beg!

Begging after a breakup only makes matters worse. It makes you appear pathetic and it can be very irritating. Maybe you don’t understand why it ended. Maybe you think it ended for the wrong reasons.

Maybe you’d just rather be in a bad relationship than be in no relationship at all. No matter what you do, don’t beg for him/her to return.

Deep down, you know that you don’t want to be in a relationship with someone you had to beg to be with you.

Besides, if your ex rejects you a second time, it won’t just hurt; the rejection will sting with extra humiliation and regret

2. Don’t Seek Revenge: Don’t seek revenge. It serves no purpose and it will only make you feel worse about yourself.

Don’t destroy his things, don’t speak evil of her. The thrill of revenge only feeds bitterness and hatred. You may have been deeply wronged, but “getting even” won’t heal any wounds.

Forgive and move on. Carry your head high and spend your energy on people who deserve it.

3. Don’t Communicate: D o n’ t continue to communicate regularly with your ex. Breakups leave a void in your heart where your ex once occupied but constant calling and texting won’t fill that void.

Every time you drop the phone without saying “I love you”, your heart will break all over again.

Many people feel lost after a breakup; not because they miss their ex, but because so many of their daily habits once revolved around someone else.

Give yourself some time to adapt to single life.

4. Don’t Visit Their Facebook: Social media can be a heartbroken person’s worst nightmare. Resist the urge to post anything about your breakup online, don’t insult your ex on twitter and don’t be a constant visitor to his/her Facebook page. Seeing pictures of your ex happy or with someone else can compound your problem and make your life more miserable than it probably already is.

5. Don’t Give Up. Regardless of how the breakup made you feel, don’t let it destroy your hope. Continue taking care of yourself. Take some time to refocus and pursue the things you’ve always loved to do. Spend time with loved ones. You found love before and you will find it again. Learn what you can from the relationship that just ended and move forward. Don’t give up on meeting your perfect match. Be thankful that the wrong relationship ended to free you up for the right one.

AUG 01-15 2013

COLUMN/NEWS

AFRICAWORLD 11

news

dd’s cubicle THE MESS IN EGYPT: WHOM DO WE BLAME?

By Dunstan Ukaga

The military has installed an interim government that will lead the process of drafting a new constitution and preparing for fresh elections. Elections are expected in early 2014, but the situation is highly unpredictable.

With no constitution and no parliament, there’s no consensus on the basic “rules of the game”.

Egypt is in a total mess. With the dethronement of Mohammned Morsi a couple of days ago by the Egyptian military, Egypt may never recover nor be the Egypt that once flowed with milk and honey.

The Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi won the presidential elections in mid 2012, but he was deposed a year later through a combination of mass anti-government protest and a military coup. This legal vacuum has created a political tug-of-war between the military, the judiciary, and dozens of political parties vying for power.

Primoz Manfreda captures it this way when he opines “Egypt remains locked in a protracted process of political transition after the resignation of the long-serving leader Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. The country is deeply divided between Islamist and secular groups, while the Egyptian military remains the country’s chief political broker and decision-maker. Political uncertainty and anxiety over the future have generated ongoing political protest, labor strikes, deep mistrust between Islamist and secular parties, and MuslimChristian tension in some parts of the country. Violence and criminal activities have been on the rise in the poorly-policed Sinai peninsula, where militant Islamist groups stepped up attacks on security forces.

The Muslim Brotherhood has condemned Morsi’s overthrow as a coup, and refuses to recognize the new regime. Secular parties have backed the military, and are pressing for a timely transition back to civilian rule, but they are also divided and have no common strategy. The revolutionary youth groups which had spearheaded the pro-democracy protests since 2011 worry the generals might use their power to protect the old order and quash the gains of the 2011 uprising.

Egypt’s economy is dead.

Whom do we blame?

“Politics of no compromise” led to the current situation, one expert says. An Egyptian economy that was ailing when President Mohammed Morsi took power a year ago has since tumbled under his leadership and is at the root of the unrest gripping the Arab world’s most populous country: “The economy has been bleeding on the floor since the revolution began and has gotten much worse since Morsi took over,” says Paul Sullivan, an expert on security and economics in the Middle East who teaches at Georgetown University in Washington.

“Egypt’s economic disaster is a result of Morsi’s preoccupation with establishing political control

rather than fixing the poor economy”, says Marina Ottaway, a Middle East analyst at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

“Economic issues have not been an issue,” Ottaway says. “The issue has been who should be in control of the country.”

The prime reasons are that political instability drove away investors, and the Morsi government’s unwillingness to compromise with the political opposition has prolonged and exacerbated the political crisis, Sullivan says. “The politics of no compromise are at fault for a good part of the economic disaster.”

With government debt rising, cash reserves melting away and unemployment and inflation on the rise, the regime’s solution has been to seek more loans to cover expenses that include subsidies on food and fuel that help millions of Egyptians.

The government’s debt to foreign and domestic debtors has grown from $30 billion before the revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 to $40 billion now. Foreign nations have propped up the regime with loans of at least $3 billion each from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, $1 billion from Turkey, $2 billion from Libya and the Egyptian public has bought government bonds. But the growing debt has failed to prevent the government from spending its cash reserves, which declined from $34 billion before the revolution to about $16 billion in May.

In a country of 80 million people, the cash crunch puts the government at risk of being unable to import enough food and gas for its populace, and machinery to maintain the electrical grid, Sullivan says.

Debt payments have grown from $5 billion to $8 billion a year, while inflation is up from 3% before the revolution to 13% to 18% now, depending on the sector. The country, which should be a natural gas exporter, has had fuel shortages made worse by fuel subsidies that artificially drive up demand, while investment in new refining or production capacity has been non-existent.

The economy is so fragile, the government can’t raise taxes or reduce subsidies, so Morsi was seeking yet more loans. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has yet to approve a $4.8 billion loan that Morsi had sought. The United States provides Egypt with yearly grants, including $1.3 billion in military aid and $250 million in economic assistance. The IMF wants Egypt to reduce economic subsidies on items such as food and fuel and to increase taxes, an austerity plan similar to what the IMF demands of many other countries. But Morsi hesitated because most Egyptians are poorer than they used to be. The ranks of Egypt’s poorest, those who live on less than $2 a day, have grown from 40% before the revolution to 50% now. The bottom line, Sullivan says, is the economy is out of control. In some places water and electricity don’t run for parts of the day. In

some places it’s hard to find bread. “Getting a job for a young man or woman is near impossible unless you have contacts with certain groups,” he says. “That used to be the moneyed class.

Now it’s people connected to the regime at the moment.”

While the masses and the military seem to blame Morsi and the Muslim brotherhood for the cause of the ailing economy, one expert looks elsewhere. Ottaway does not agree that Egypt’s economic disaster should be blamed entirely on Morsi and his Muslim Brothers. She says the reason for the economic downturn “is not the Islamists coming to power” but that Morsi inherited an ailing economy in a region that has seen a downturn in tourism and investment as the Arab Spring democracy movement continues to boil.

Conclusively, we could say that the poor economy does play a role in the demonstrations and the death of a regime because, as Ottaway remarks: “it would be more difficult to mobilize people if everybody was fed and satisfied”. Even the opposition is focused more on politics than on bread and butter issues, she points out.

So the Egypt of now is purely a struggle for power by different political factions. The military, the Islamists, the secular groups and every Tom, Dick and Harry in Egypt wants to taste power.

M U G A B E T H R A S H T S VA N G I R A I AG A I N As at the time AfricaWorld is going to press, Zimbabwe President Rober t Mugabe’s party, ZANUPF is claiming a landslide victory over the just concluded elections, thus securing five more years in office as Africa’s oldest president.

As expected, Prime M inister Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of rival party, MDC is crying foul, saying the vote was invalidated by

“monumental fraud”.

order.

Last wednesday’s voting was said to be peaceful amidst cries of irregularities by the opposition party.

Releasing unofficial results early in Zimbabwe is illegal, and police have said they will arrest anybody who makes premature claims.

Election officials are due to announce the official outcome by Aug. 5.

Western observers were barred, but the head of an African Union monitoring mission said on Wednesday the polls appeared “peaceful, orderly and free and fair”, an assessment at odds with Tsvangirai and MDC view.

AfricaWorld source say riot police have taken up position outside the MDC headquarters in central Harare, to forestall breakdown of law and

In all, 6.4 million people, nearly half the population, had been registered to vote.

12 AFRICAWORLD AUG 01 -15 2013

family CORNER

By Paul Kelly

News in Brief

-Algeria: Residents of the town of Imzizou have forced out a controversial salafist Immam after he refused to conduct a traditional funeral in the village. “Salafist ideology poses a threat to our society”, one of the villagers claimed.

head of the UN educational and cultural agency has praised the power of the country’s music to unify people from across its diverse regions. He was speaking as a part of the 9th Pan-African Music Festival.

-Angola: President José Eduardo dos Santos has won Personality of the Year Award at Luanda International Fair, due to his progress in stabilising the country’s economy.

-Congo-Kinshasa: fresh fighting has erupted between the army and the M23 rebels in the country’s eastern province of North Kivu.

-Benin: South Africa’s Deputy Minister has just arrived in Benin as a part of an effort to increase trade and investment between the two countries.

-Botswana: the Rt Revd Metlhayotlhe Rawlings Beleme has been consecrated at Botswana’s new Bishop. He is the first Botswana-born Bishop to lead the country’s faithful.

-Burkina Faso: journalists working in the State-owned media have staged a demonstration in front of the Ministry of Communications, protesting against state censorship and editorial interference.

-Burundi: Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on the international community to support B u r u n d i ’s development, noting its rapid success in producing peace and stability.

-Cameroon: Human Rights Watch has urged the country to launch an “effective and thorough” investigation into the recent torture and murder of an outspoken gay rights activist.

-Cape Verde: the Chairman of the country’s Supreme Court has travelled to Angola to par ticipate in an international convention on the constitutionality of socioeconomic rights.

-Central African Republic: human rights activists have announced that 400 civilians have been murdered since Seleka rebels seized control of the country on March 24.

-Chad: Authorities in Senegal have charged former dictator Hissene Habre with genocide and crimes against humanity. One thousand Chadians have also joined a civil suit against the former dictator.

-Congo-Brazzaville: the

- Co t e d ’ I vo i re : a government leak has revealed that Cote d’Ivoire is opposed to Ghana’s hydroelectric power plans on the Volta river, which they believe could damage Ivorian waterways.

-Djibouti has just opened the construction of an 800km railway to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

-Egypt: investigative journalists in the US have revealed that the US government secretly funded activists to otherthrow the now imprisoned democratically elected President Morsi.

-Equatorial New Guinea has been sanctioned by FIFA for fielding an ineligible player fo r the p re l i m i n a r y competition for the 2014 World Cup. The country’s football association has been fined over €24,000.

-Eritrea: Israel has launched new measures to force Eritrean Asylum Seekers to return home where they could face torture and death. Those interviewing Asylum Seekers have been instructed to threaten them with imprisonment if they do not give up their applications.

-Ethiopia: Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has announced that he intends to push ahead with proposals for a hydroelectric dam on the river Nile, despite vocal opposition from Egypt.

-Gabon: pirates have hijacked an oil tanker with 24 crew members onboard. The pirates boarded near Port Gentil on Sunday.

-Gambia has banned the import of frozen chicken legs, citing health and trade related reasons.

-Ghana: Chief of Nahinso has accused Ashanti’s Chief of Police and Queen-Motther of Akokofe of encroaching on his

land. The chief claims the land was stolen and later sold on to a school.

-Guinea: communal clashes in southern Guinea have left 40 dead with over a hundred wounded. The violence was started after a youth was beaten to death for allegedly stealing petrol.

-Guinea Bissau: cashew nut prices have dropped worldwide, sparking fears of malnutrition as more and more families have been forced to skip meals.

-Kenya: a bill has been proposed by parliament that would allow men and women to have multiple wives and husbands.

-Lesotho: South Africa is to provide the country with emergency food aid through the World Food Programme.

-Liberia: the CEO of the country’s main oil company has claimed that there was no conflict of interest when he allocated a $731,100 contract to DuPont chemical company, his former employers.

-Libya: hundreds of weapons from Libya’s own conflict have been allegedly smuggled over the border to aid rebels in Syria, fuelling the conflict there.

-Madagascar is battling its worst locust plague since the 1950’s. The insects have destroyed 25% of the crops in the country.

-Malawi: Indian businesses are to increase investment in the country. A huge conference dedicated to supporting this aim took place in Lilongwe last week.

-Mali: election officials who were abducted one week before the countr y ’s presidential elections have been released. The officials had been kidnapped by a Tuareg rebel group.

-Mauritanian activist Ahmed Ould Jedou has been awarded ‘Best Arabic Blog’ by the German newspaper Die Welle.

-Mauritius have lost to Namibia in the opening match of the 2013 Confederation of Southern Africa Football Associations. The final score was 2-0.

-Morocco: authorities have

violently supressed a peaceful protest by unemployed Saharawi natives in the town of Tan Tan, leaving dozens injured.

-Mozambique: the government and the Renamo rebels are close to reaching a consensus as they finish the first item on the agenda: the electoral system. Later negotiations will build on this success.

-Namibia: three people have been killed when a vehicle came off the road and overturned 10 kilometres outside Swakopmund. Three others were also injured.

-Niger: 387 Niger citizens have been sent back home from Nigeria following their allegedly illegal entry into Jigawa State.

-Nigeria: outrage has flooded the country after the senate passed a marriage bill allowing girls to get married at any age. Opponents say the bill makes Nigeria a “country of paedophiles”.

-Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence has condemned what it described as a “deliberate and provocative cross-border bombing” by the DRC. There were no casualties from the bombing.

-Senegal has emerged the winner of the first Economic Community of West African States wrestling tournament.

-Seychelles have lost to Namibia in the knockout phase of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations Cup. The final score was 4-2.

-Sierra Leone: a three year old boy has been found drowned in an abandoned dam. The Town Chief of Matham Village has called on the government to investigate the construction company who built the dam and later abandoned it, leading directly to the child’s death.

-Somalia: deputy commissioner of Mogadishu’s Yaqshid district, Rahma Dahir Siad, has been murdered by unknown gunmen near her home. Both gunmen fled the scene.

-South Africa: Former President Mandela’s health is seeing “sustained improvement”, although he remains in critical condition in

NEWS

hospital.

-South Sudan: a top level military officer has claimed that the country will “e m b a r r a s s ” Sudan internationally by proving it is funding rebels within South Sudan.

-Sudan: a UN spokesman in Darfur has claimed that UN troops have the authority to use force against any who attack them, contrary to reports that Tanzanian soldiers were killed because they could not return fire.

-Swaziland: the World Food Programme have claimed that the country loses $92 million every year due to the effects of hunger on productivity.

-São Tomé and Príncipe: farmers from a Fairtrade cocoa cooperative have used the extra money they make to purchase a transport incubator for the local hospital, improving child mortality.

-Tanzania: a mine in Mojamoja has struck gold.

Environmental and Social Impact assessments of the area are already underway.

-Tunisia: the parliamentary debate on the country’s new constitution has ended. The constitution itself, however, remains unfinished.

-Uganda: Stella Nantumbwe has been crowned Miss Uganda 2013. She will represent the country in this September’s Miss World pageant.

-Western Sahara: the President of the Robert F. Kennedy Centre for Justice and Human Rights has spoken out against the illegal occupation of Western Sahara

by Morocco.

-Zambia: two lovers have been found glued to each other after having sex in the Zambian bush. The couple were rescued and taken to a medical clinic after being discovered by a passer-by. The prank is thought to have been pulled by the woman’s husband.

-Zimbabwe: two armed robbers have stolen $80,000 from a bank in Masvingo.

Police have launched a manhunt to search for the thieves.

AUG 01-15 2013

AFRICAWORLD 13

family corner

P

s m e o e

ma Amakez

By Ositadin

God of the Birds!

Would send the winds to your wings When the storm is o’er!

I hear the trees sway In dance of the winding whirling wind As noon shuts her door And in this silence The birds held close their feathers And their wobbling nests Toggled against the odds Oh my little fledging birds Be never ever afraid For God of the storms

We are like little birds that are often blown off course, but the fright in our flight, shall not be a plight for God bears the freight and wages the fight.

He said, “Be strong and take courage….”

THE LORD OF THE SKY THe rode astride on the moon Galloping slowly along the cloud On its rocky meadow and coast With his flock of stars to tend Slashing his stick in the sky He halted the colt to a halt, Alighted unto the moonlit pasture And grazed the stars brightly fed When the dusk got darker And slumber came to the eyelids The lord then took them gently in And leisurely drew the cloudy drape Swaddled in the fleecy blanket

Wisdom Bits - The palm fruit that fall, tastes sand An unserious student fail the test.

Melodious sound of the sky beaming Like sweet jingles of sleigh bells As the moon sailed over the shore And he ushered in the sun Her young rays tearing the swathe Glistening the silvery grayish dews In the sweet songs of the sky IF I WERE A BIRD If I were a big black bird I’d swim in the airy ocean Of the cloud, and rise and fall Like a tide in the starry sky I’d my eyes tightly closed Fearless of the storms and tempest Of scudding cloudy ice-berg While I sail like peace

- While you lavish care on her, she extends it to who places her heart True love comes from the heart

- It is important to show the dog ants removed from the body else it look like a pinch Transparency is important

- There will not be mercy for any kid that lost in the struggle for fish, because he chose the earlier instead of agreeing to a sharing formula It is important to obey law and order.

- He, who hears a proverb and fails to understand it should know that his mother’s dowry was in vain One that does not respect nature is a fool

- A poor man’s cockerel is like a cattle Respect is reciprocal

F O L K TA L E The Rejected Stone

There was once a very rich woman named Nneka who was married to Okonkwo and they had two daughters. The first daughter, Akwugo, bore no resemblance to Okonkwo and he did not consider her as his biological child, while the younger daughter, Agwawumma, was born blind. Not only did Akwugo not look like her father, her features did not resemble any of her father’s family and this discrepancy brought many arguments in the family. Okonkwo felt that his wife’s promiscuity got her pregnant for Akwugo but since this was not the era of DNA, there were no facts to back his suspicion and fear.

Before Nneka acquired her wealth, she lived with her husband, Okonkwo, until the Great War erupted and soldiers attacked their village. During and after the war, there was widespread starvation and her husband could no longer provide for his family and wife, who was pregnant for their second child. His inability to provide for his family infuriated Nneka and she turned to infidelity and adultery with many solders. She brought different men into her matrimonial bed and turned her husband into a servant who, on many occasions was molested and turned into a prisoner of war by her soldier boyfriends. As scarcity of food became endemic, she intensified her lecherous behaviour and bought into prostitution as a means of making money. She amassed a lot of wealth and became a woman of high status in the village. About this same time the war was ending and she gave birth to her second daughter who was born blind.

Nneka was intensely materialistic and treated her two daughters differently. While she loved her elder daughter who went into prostitution and lavished her with gifts and money on daily basis, she disliked and disregarded Agwawumma the blind child because of her disability and inability to raise money from men.

Meanwhile, Okonkwo was unable to manage or bear this reprehensive crisis, and abandoned his family and home and fled the village for a distant city. When he arrived in the city, he worked very hard and became a very successful contractor. After amassing much wealth, he returned to his village in search of his blind daughter although the thought of his family home always brought back “The Once Upon a Time Wife” memories.

He drove in his new car into his village and former home and it took many hours for his estranged wife and other people to recognise him. At the same time, he was shocked by what he was seeing: the hand of time had caught up with his estranged wife and she became very poor. He met her by the road side begging for food and money. In her arms was a starving son, on whose faith they both knew.

Also by her side was Ak-wugo, her first daughter, whose stomach stretched forward - an indication of pregnancy.

Although Okonkwo was shocked by the sights of his ex-wife and “daughter”, he felt no pity for them and demanded to see his blind daughter Agwawumma. Nneka apologised for her past mistakes and asked for reconciliation and reunion but Okonkwo told her that it was over. He took his blind daughter to the city and to a Traditional Healer who restored her sight and she was able to go to school and live a normal and happy life. She was a well disciplined and intelligent child and got married to a very wealthy and lovely man. When her father passed over to the Great Beyond, she inherited all his fortune and expanded on his father’s legacy.

My fingers like sun’s spray As I strum the bands of heights To all spheres, at my own will As would wind winds and blows I’d rove and dive in frolic All day long, till night comes As if it were to be forever In making freedom all mine Then I’d in aerobatics swerve O’er the mountains to the valleys Scooping a thing or another aloft And drifting like rafter above With wind thus ‘neath my wings Unbounded, shall my flight be In springing forth from the sky-board Till I rest in an Eternal nest.

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recipe column

A Meal called Ikpa-oka (Corn Meal). Is an Igbo food like Moi-Moi

by Genevieve Agorua

Ingredient -Corn -Pepper -Salt -Palmoil -Water -Maggi

-Dry or fresh fish -Crafish then Banana or Plantain

Cooking 1, 3 cups of grinded fresh or dry corn, add 1 cup of water depending on how thick or light u want it to be, put 2 or 3 table spoon full of grinded fresh pepper, 5 table spoon full of Palmoil, 2 table spoon of crafish, quarter table spoon of salt, 1 cube of Maggi, little dry or fresh fish, then 1 or 2 mashed banana or Plantain. Mix it very well, put it in a bowel or in a Plantain leave. Then put them in a pot and add like 2 or 3 cup of water in the pot to heat the Ikpa. Then put it on fire and allow it to boil for 30 minutes. Then bring it down from fire & is ready for eating. From Mis Genevieve Iyasara Agorua.

14 AFRICAWORLD AUG 01 -15 2013

news

KENYA AMBASSADOR VALEDICTORY DINNER

H.E. Catherine Muigai Mwangi, Dean of African Ambassadors and Kenya Envoy in Ireland was hosted in a exclusive gathering on 27/7 at the residence of the South Africa Ambassador.

ANC IRELAND MARK 67 MINUTES FOR MANDELA

Cadres of the ANC Ireland marked the 67 minutes of charity work to celebrate Madiba’s active service years to humanity by cleaning Abbey St Methodist Church on 9c Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1.

The church is 75 metres from O’Connell Street, Dublin’s most prominent way.

GLOBAL PEACE FOUNDATION (IRELAND)

The Global Peace Foundation which celebrate and promote the vision of One Family under God through building interfaith partnerships, strengthening families and communities, and fostering a culture of service and peace, was launched in the Irish Aid Centre, Dublin.

PICTURE NEWS

AUG 01-15 2013

Entertainment

By Lihle

AFRICAWORLD 15

DID YOU KNOW?

OUR AFRICA

- Do you know that Ethiopia was never conquered by any nation and that it is the oldest nation in Africa?

- Do you know that South Africa has the highest death rate in Africa?

- Do you know that Aswan in Egypt has the least amount of rainfall in the world?

- Do you know that Tanzania has the highest number of wild animals in the world?

- Do you know that the deserts of Tunisia housed the epic Star Wars movie sets and was designated as Planet Tatooine?

- Do you know that in Latin, the word ‘Africa’ means ‘sunny’, while in Greek, ‘Aphrike’ means ‘without cold’?

- Do you know that there are fewer people with internet access in the entire continent of Africa than in New York City alone?

CARTOONS

By Max Chijioke Okafor

16 AFRICAWORLD AUG 01 -15 2013

TALENT/CELEBRITY

WHISPERS FROM THE REEDS Dr Georges O.O. Alabi Nigerian Deputy Head Of Mission to Ireland cloacks 59, Celebrating 33years of public service Home and abroad. Africaworldnews cought up with him on social issues, education, public service and family matters. A future photographer and Lawyer, Dr Alabi says taking up law has further equipped him to serve his office and people better.

Tell us about yourself I am just a man who has worked hard to get to where I am today, I have defiled all the odds to prove that education and hard work can change circumstances, to prove that one can not be defined by their circumstances no matter how bad they may be. I have given 33years of service to my beloved Nigeria. A country I love with all my being I am grateful to have had the chance to serve my country, my service has

alabi is 59

given me a chance to give back to my people as a sign of gratitude for where I am today. I love God he is the foundation of my very existence, My family is very important to me. I will be retiring next year after 33years of service years well spent, I have lived a fulfilling life and I thank GOD for that. I love a peace I love a peaceful operation and this place operates in harmony, I support genuine integration of people in a society that is highly pluralistic in all dimensions.

What does it mean being AFRICAN to you.

I am a Nigerian first, Nigeria who is part of Africa. I am very proud as an African, Africa is my home is my continent I just simply love it every part of that continent is beautiful and glorious. The African people are a shinning example of humanity that is the cradle of humanity it’s self regardless of what people say about US. The natural treasures are found in Africa, It is the richest continent in minerals of different types that the world requires today to sustain other economies even the basis of technology, you can not ignore AFRICA. The joyful thing today is that not only has Africa come of age but it is also ready to lead the world, in business and investments.

The African leaders have gathered together under different organisations for Afr ican development, it is no longer a matter of AID to Africa as the past has recorded but partnership.

Africa is ready to g i v e back t o

the world Africa is also ready to lead

in democracy. Anywhere I find myself I am proud to be an African.

Your childhood.

Looking back to my childhood it steers up a lot of emotions in me, I came from a very poor background even though I had such pressure around me that would have easily detoured me on my journey, I never let my surroundings define me...... but I was always ahead of my peers intellectually even in the family.

When I finished high school I became a teacher even to those that were my seniors, I was a self sponsored student. The short of it is that life hasn’t been easy in the case of Nelson Mandela they say “no easy walk to freedom” it is true, I have risen against all odds and I thank God for his Mercy.

You seem to have your faith intact, what makes you believe that God is for you.

I need to the is no other way to victory except through Jesus, I have passed through a lot of things even death. I am who I am today because GOD has been my keeper and protector, I know that it was never my doing but that of my Father.

Despite the long road I have travelled I have risen to the pinnacle of my carer and I owe that to The Most high.

How many African Languages do you speak?

I am not a linguist but I do speak bits a pieces from the countries that I have served in.

How many countries have you served in?

I have given 3decades to serving my country, I started out as a young officer in Australia went on to serve in 6 different countries majority of them in Africa and now Ireland which is where I will be bowing out from.

Travelling around the world, which country has stood out for you?

Tanzania you go into Tanzania to cultivate the simplicity of the people,

By Lihle

their culture and attitude their humbleness is electrifying their respect for humanity is great, though in every society the are those that thrive in injustice but it is a great country. Given the opportunity the are a few others that have stood out Ireland amongst them.

Nigeria was once envied by the West and other African countries, with a currency that held it’s own in the world markets. Should we expect to see a similar Nigeria in the future?.

That question comes from the tendency of underrating Nigeria by some people who have a negative perception of who Nigerians are, and who have a very dangerous unhelpful assessment of the political situation ( what people don’t know is that the is peace in Nigeria). the is peace in Nigeria where people can leave and develop themselves and their families economically en otherwise, Nigeria is at the moment at it’s peak the are opportunities in Nigeria for investments and personal growth. Some people say Nigeria is like a gun trigger if you fire the trigger you fire progress into the entire continent, if you realise the trigger you realise diversity into the continent. If you clean up the trigger you are also cleaning up to make sure that the is proper integration within the continent. Right now Nigeria is concern about continental peace the unity of the African nations, is concern about functional partnership that we need is also concern about eliminating conflict, and democratization to in store democracy that would be beneficial to each African country, world peace and ensuring justice to all. Nigeria continues to strive for the best ant it is committed to Africa as it centre piece of it’s foreign policy and fare treatment of Nigerians by other African countries and world over.

Nigeria is ready to stand its ground.

Education Education is fundamental it is the single most essential tool that one can ever acquire in life, be it’s personal situations or professional

even socially. It is a factor that will realise the potential of our people, for solving basic conflicts within our society. Every family is encouraged to educate it’s children the age where education was only for males has long gone, Educate a female child and realise the hands that rock the cradle to nature the growth society. Education is the only way an African child can stand up for him/ her self and defend his birth right.

They say life begins at 40, how true is that?

Very true reason being at 40 you are no longer a boy by now ones must have outgrown the ways of being a boy and focusing on the important things in life, and that depends on individuals.

Behind every man the is an exceptional woman, does it apply to you?

Yes very much so I have been lucky that I met my soul, my wife has been my pillar of strength supporting me in everything I do. God has used my wife greatly in my life including the personal relationship I have with him. I am truly grateful. I also like to thank my family, my 7 kids and grandchildren, I would also like to thank the people of Nigeria and my President and Minister for giving me the opportunity to serve my country, which I have done diligently.

What is your secret to such youthfulness?

Good habits I eat healthy I don’t drink nor do I smoke I also excise regularly, adopt good living habits and you wont regret it.

Words of Wisdom.

Work hard together and united and you will be unstoppable, the is nothing wrong with criticism as long as it’s constructive and paving a way for progress about your own country and that which is hosting you (Ireland) Leave peacefully together even with your Irish brothers and sisters!!

6 0 S E CO N D S W I T H T H E D U C H E S S

By Nena Duchez Huntaz

Teni is a jazz singer and composer who makes what she terms as ‘Afro-Soul’. Laced

her debut single has a strong and truly

fashion inspired her to create a house

timeless message.

that is edgy, fashion-forward and unique, socially conscious and eclectic.

with semblances of the great Sade Adu, the inspiring singer, performs with her

She is also the founder of House of

band (The Afro-Renaissance). Her music is

Makeda, a unique and inspirational

She studied History at the University

as cool as Fela Kuti‘s Egypt 80 unique sound.

African lifestyle brand that creates truly

College London and African Studies at

Her new album ‘Afrodisiac’ is filled with a

one-of-a-kind style. The brand draw

the School of Oriental and African

self-produced sound that transcends

inspiration from diverse cultures, fusing

Studies and has soaked up a myriad of

genres from jazz and the blues to soul and

African with the Western, the old with

multicultural influences while there. She

reggae. And reminiscent of and inspired

the new, to create classic pieces for the

lives now in Lagos, Nigeria, working

by eclectic influences from Fela Kuti to

sophisticated, intelligent, modern

from the Makeda studio.

Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley, “Lion Heart”

woman. Her love of both music and