AfricaWorld Newspaper by AfricaWorld Newspaper

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decemBeR 1-15 2012

Vol 001 Nº24

eU €1.00

By Ukachukwu Okorie

continued on page 4

pAuL KAGAMe Is An AGent OF COnFLICt

RApeD AnD MOLesteD But neveR AGAIn!

The United Youth of Ireland Conference and Miss Ethnic 2012 Beauty Contest ...

‘Never Again. Not to any woman or girl again’ is a book about empowerment, ...

The recent invasion of eastern Congo by the M23 rebel group ... More on page 2

We seize this opportunity to call on the different meeting groups within the Imo Umbrella to come and let us join hands in building up our Imo State meeting. This is our state (ANYI ENWEGHI STATI OZO). Let us borrow a leaf from other state meetings in Ireland and make ours even more stronger. We have our meeting venue at 5A First Avenue, Cookstown Industrial Estate, Off Belgard Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24. You may call Chike on +353 862111629 or Chinedum on +353 879448717 for further inquiries. Pass the good news to all and sundry. Together we will fly! Come one come all

IRAnIAn BeAutY WIns MIss ethnIC 2013

More on page 8

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AFRICAWORLD decemBER 1-15 2012

opinion

The return of the native

Editorial

PAUL KAGAME IS AN AGENT OF CONFLICT The recent invasion of eastern Congo by the M23 rebel group raises serious questions about the continued support of Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, by Western countries. Kagame rose to prominence in the Ugandan Bush War in support of Yoweri Museveni, and as the leader of the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), who turned the Rwanda genocide into a clever military victory over an elected incumbent government. It must be said, and very clearly, that President Paul Kagame controls an important region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ever since Paul Kagame and the RPF emerged, the Rwandan government has pretty much controlled Congo’s eastern provinces of North and South Kivu. To be candid, these militias, and now M23, are financed and trained by the Rwandan Army. It is also true that under Kagame, this resourcerich province has been an economic resource for Rwanda. Although the M23 rebel group was mostly founded by Tutsi officers from the Congolese army, a leaked confidential United Nation panel report alleged that the group takes orders from Rwanda. Why is President Paul Kagame afraid of peace and stability in the DRC? His actions with allies in the Great Lakes are giving weight to the belief that there is a conspiracy of ‘Greater Tutsi Domination’ of the region. Does President Paul Kagame know that this is a recipe for more conflict and disaster? Great leaders quit when the ovation is loudest but dictators breed disaster and possibly go down with disgrace. Kagame cannot rule forever and the current trend of alienating the majority Hutu opinion leaders will backfire. There should be a genuine mechanism for reconciliation with Rwandan exiles. It is also important that President Paul Kagame, and his covert M23 rebels who seized Goma, sheathe their greedy swords and give genuine peace a chance. . Come in. Uka

By Ukachukwu Okorie

JERRY RAWLINGS Rawlings was born to a Scottish father and Ghanaian mother on 22 June 1947. He studied at Achimota College before proceeding to the military academy at Teshie. After graduation, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Ghanaian Air Force in 1969 and became a flight lieutenant and expert pilot, skilled in aerobatics. Jerry Rawlings burst onto the Ghanaian political scene on 15 May 1979, leading a group of young officers in the Ghana Air Force in a coup attempt on the regime of Fred Akuffo. He was arrested, court-martialled and sentenced to death when it failed. Fortunately, in June 1979, his group regrouped, took power and established an Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) which ruled for 112 days. During this short stay, a radical Rawlings and his men in the AFRC had former heads of state, Gen Ignatius Kutu Acheampong and Lieut. Gen. Frederick W.K. Akuffo, tried and executed. After purging the military and public life of widespread corruption, Rawlings handed power to an elected civilian president, Hilla Limann, who promptly retired him from the Air Force. Despite criticism abroad, Rawlings continued to be a popular figure at home. On December 31, 1981, he took power forcefully from Limann after two years of weak civilian rule during which the economy continued to tumble. After the coup, Rawlings accused Limann’s government of leading the nation “down to total economic ruin.” Establishing a Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) as the new government, he imprisoned Limann and many politicians that were involved with him. The PNDC, which he chaired, led radical but populist programs aimed at revamping Ghanaian society. Rawlings founded many “revolutionary” institutions, including People’s Defence Committees (PDCs) and Worker’s Defence Committees (WDCs). Jerry Rawlings took different paths in his quest for a sustainable Ghana until he reversed

the chronic economic decline which had occurred continuously since the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah. In 1991, Rawlings announced a return to civil rule, retired from the military and stood in the November 1992 multi-party election. He won the election with 58.3 per cent of the vote on the platform of the newly created National Democratic Congress (NDC). Rawlings led Ghana for two terms (elected in 1992 and 1996). His term of office ended in 2001 and he was succeeded by John Kufuor, his opponent in the 1996 elections. Kufuor succeeded in defeating Rawlings’ vicepresident, John Atta-Mills, in the 2000 elections. In October 2010, Jerry John Rawlings was named the African Union (AU) Envoy

AfricaWorld & Millenium Development Goals

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

Editor Ukachukwu Okorie

Graphic Design Mirco Mascarin

Chief Reporter Paul Kelly

Photography Darek Gutowski Giorgia Pistoia

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

Sub-Editor Roisin Morris

“The more you terrorize people, the more you create enemies “

to Somalia. According to the former AU chief Jean Ping who appointed him, Rawlings will be “mobilising the continent and the rest of the international community to fully assume its responsibilities and contribute more actively to the quest for peace, security and reconciliation in Somalia.” During his time in power, the Ghanaian economy unquestionably was improved and political stability has been maintained to date. Though critics point to his radical steps earlier on, the fact is Rawlings has maintained his reputation as an honest and very popular African leader who has not used his position for personal enrichment and stashing money in Swiss Banks. All Hail Jerry John Rawlings!

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

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

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deceMBER 1-15 2012

AFRICAWORLD

NEWs

RAPED AND MOLESTED BUT NEVER AGAIN! Betty Makoni Campaigns in Dublin

‘Never Again. Not to any woman or girl again’ is a book about empowerment, inspiration, courage, bravery, peace of mind, forgiveness and hope. It is an internationally acclaimed book by a woman who started a campaign of resistance out of personal experience. Betty Makoni is a multi international award winner and a voice for women and girls, especially those who cannot speak out. The Women’s Summit, CNN, Newsweek, Afrikan Goddess Award, Amnesty International, the Dalai Lama, the World Children’s Prize and the United Nations have all honoured her. “What happened to my grandmother, mother and me should not happen to any woman or girl again. As long as I get to know I will stop it”, she says on the foot of the cover of her 560 page book, published by Trafford Publishing in the USA.

especially in Africa where there is a mentality that boys and girls are not equal. If they are all children, then they must be equal. My campaign takes it to the homes where everybody starts. The home is very important because it is where the basic education is impacted. If a child loses at home, she loses, and our boys must be taken on board. Is ‘Never Again’ your first book? No, it is my second book. I am also a poet. Every time I saw pain on the ground, I wrote it. So poetically, I cry out. There are many views about me out there but ‘Never Again’ is my official story to encourage girls and to inform the world what I passed through. What is the content of the book? It is my autobiography - from my time as a 6 year-old child until now.

AfricaWorld had a chat with the Zimbabwean-born activist: Can you tell our readers a little about your background? I am Betty Makoni. I am involved in the protection of young girls globally. I started from a very small village as a sexually abused girl. I felt anger when I was raped and my case never went anywhere and I vowed to change it when I grew up. My program is not all the strategic planning you see everywhere, it is simply to go to the grassroots and tell a girl - ‘you can rise’. As a victor, I go around the world and take any girl who is a victim on board. My program is simple, our girls don’t need donations: they need no fish; rather, a fishing rod. I want them to understand that they have got potential which must be unleashed. Where have you taken your campaign so far? I started from Zimbabwe and it grew to 300,000 girls in 2009. My campaign is in South Africa, Swaziland, Sierra Leone, Uganda and some of the girls who joined as teenagers have grown to

What are the lessons in the book? The reader can understand that the invisible girl – the child that we take for granted - can actually rise. The book makes a victor out of the girl victim. The book is important because it tells how I moved beyond the obstacles I had in my life, on my own. Our girls should move because they have got potential. That is my message! What is your special message for AfricaWorld readers, especially women?

A Clarion Call for women

Photo with AfricaWorld Editor, Ukachukwu Okorie become champions of the cause around the world. So I am no longer alone. More interesting is that our model has been taken on in Europe. They also feel their girls need it even if they are not

Autograph book for Turkish Ambassador to Ireland, Mr. Altay Cengizer

Africans. We are flourishing even in the United Kingdom and the United States and wherever people think they can become empowered.

What do you think is the future of the woman in Africa, with regard to prejudice in some parts? We must catch them young. Everything must change now,

Never Again. As my book states, all these atrocities, genocides and things we hide in our homes should stop. Wherever Africans are, potential abounds so we should rise and say no to ills against women. We also have the power to end female genital mutilation. Everybody should be involved in the campaign and let there be no delay. Let us give priority to the disasters we created, they are man-made and can be stopped.

AFRICAWORLD decemBER 1-15 2012

NEWS (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1) An 18 year-old Nigerian girl has won the 13th edition of the prestigious Miss Africa Ireland beauty pageant, which was held at The Gresham Hotel on O’Connell Street, Dublin. Tall and elegant, the new queen is a student of Health Science & Nutrition at the Athlone Institute of Technology. An embodiment of African beauty and elegance, the eloquent Osuemhe was full of excitement as well as disbelief: “I feel excited, anxious and I also know that this prize comes with a responsibility. I do plan on helping the community, especially Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland. Ever since I heard about these great people, I felt inspired to volunteer and work with them”, the new queen told AfricaWorld. What is Spina bifida? It is a spinal cord

disorder. Scientists define it as a “developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through the opening in the bones.” According to the Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland (SBHI) portal, “Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland was established in 1968 by a small group of parents whose children had Spina Bifida and/or Hydrocephalus. These parents continue to dedicate their time to the association and are now elected volunteers on our Board of Directors as well as being elected to Branch Committees nationally. Today, SBHI

has over 3,000 members and has branches in all four provinces, as well as a professionally run National Resource Centre based in Clondalkin, Dublin 22. More information on SBHI can be sourced at: http://www. sbhi.ie/. The yearly Miss Africa Ireland beauty pageant and fashion show is organised by Tritees Promotions, founded by Tina Tinuke AkinolaJinad. The organisation, which was established in 1999 as a voluntary, non-profitable organisation, has ventured into packaging some of the major African events in Ireland such as the Ankara Carnival. Tritees showcases and celebrates the unique fashion, beauty and diverse cultures of the African people in Ireland. The first and second runners-up are

Catriona Nyakambiri from Zimbabwe and Grace Might who hails from Cameroon. Other contestants won consolation prizes and there were inspirational talks and support from an excited audience that packed the Dublin five star hall. The full list of contestants includes: - Osuemhe Ugoroh - Miss Africa Ireland - Nigeria - Catriona Nyakambiri - 1st runnerup - Zimbabwe - Grace Might - 2nd runner-up Cameroon - Bre Edafe - Nigeria - Blessing Disu - Nigeria - Phoenix Monroe - Zambia - Valentia Ngalinda - Tanzania - Chelsea Omotosho - Nigeria

performances by Pop Dogg, a Malawian Irish hip hop star and a fashion show by Kettany Fashions, which designs and plans weddings and supplies hair extensions. The judges of the contest included Betty Tetelli, Bedel Mande, Niall Sheerin, Catherine Mahoro, Harifa Daly and Dorcas Oluwayiose

There were other attractions to entertain guests, such as

NIGERIAN - SWEDISH TRADE HITS $1BN. The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swedish Trade Council held a three-day business meeting last week. State Secretary for Trade, Mr. Gunnar Oom, who headed the Swedish business delegation to Nigeria said that the trade volume between Nigeria and Sweden grew by 62 per cent in 2011, reaching $1bn. He pointed out, however, that there had been a trade imbalance between the two countries as Nigeria’s exports to Sweden remained insignificant. He also expressed optimism that

Nigerian exports could grow with time: “There is no doubt in my mind that there is potential to rapidly increase exports further in the years ahead.” Oom said the visit was organised by the Swedish Trade Council and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in order for Swedish companies to see and seize some of the many business opportunities on offer in Nigeria. Highlighting the purpose of the visit, the trade secretary said sustainable and innovative solutions

in energy, infrastructure, transport, telecommunications and ICT were the ‘core of Sweden’s knowledge and expertise’. He added that the delegation would meet with Nigerian stakeholders in trade, ICT solutions, energy and infrastructure as well as participate in workshops and seminars. Oom considered that the delegation would provide an excellent platform to learn more about opportunities in these sectors in Nigeria and make valuable business contacts. While calling for the establishment of business

joe moore column the STORY OF SAVITA Halappanavar S a v i t a Halappanavar, a 31 year old Galway based Indian dentist, died of septicaemia at Galway University Hospital one week after presenting with back pains. Savita was 17 weeks pregnant, when she and her unborn child died. When she presented to the hospital, she was found to be miscarrying. Over a three day period both Savita and her husband Praveen, asked repeatedly that the pregnancy be terminated. This request was denied. According to Praveen, the reason given was because a foetal heartbeat was present. He was also told that “this was a Catholic country”. Savita’s response was that she was neither Irish nor Catholic. However the medical team charged with her care said that there was nothing they could do. Since then the name of Savita

Halappanavar has gone right around the world. And so has the name of Ireland. But for all the wrong reasons. At last the lid has been lifted on the type of country we are living in and how women are treated here. Savita’s story has not only been covered in Ireland and her native India but by every news agency across the five continents. Savita’s death raises serious issues for women and especially immigrant women living in Ireland. Since the foundation of the Irish state in 1922 women have always been second class citizens. Women were not encouraged to be part of the work force. Instead the opposite was the case. A woman’s role was to remain at home. This was written into the 1937 Constitution. I can even remember a time in the early 1970’s when women working in the civil and public service had to retire when they married. One of the core

demands of the women’s movement forty years ago was equal pay for equal work. This has now been achieved in theory, with legislation enacted to back it up. However today women in full time work continue to earn 22 percent less than men, while women in part time work earn 36.6 per cent less than men. It is in the area of their personal lives that women living in Ireland still face huge obstacles. Changes have been made since the ‘60’s, all as a result of struggle. At that time contraception was illegal here. Women had no option but to have large families. It was not rare for families to have 12 and more children. There were also high rates of infant mortality and miss carriage. Eventually as a result of a High Court challenge, the government legislated for the availability of contraceptives. But this legislation, to quote a government minister at the time was “an Irish solution to an Irish problem”. What that meant was that, although condoms were available, they could only be bought on prescription and then

results and closer economic cooperation, Oom advised that the Swedish Government was firmly committed to further developing and broadening the economic ties between the two countries: “I am very pleased to be leading this Swedish trade delegation to Nigeria. This delegation comes at an opportune time. Nigeria is one of the ten fastest growing economies in the world today and Sweden’s second largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa.”

The Vice President Middle East, Central Asia & Africa of the Swedish Trade Council, Mr. Mats Paulson, expressed the potential business and technological opportunities in Nigeria. He said “Nigeria with its 167 million inhabitants is the most populous market in Sub-Saharan Africa while Sweden is one of the world’s most ICT mature countries with many suppliers of world class products and services. We see great business opportunities for Swedish companies that choose to establish themselves in Nigeria.”

only to married people. It was only the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus that forced the government to make condoms freely available in supermarkets and shops. Access to free, safe, legal abortion has always been a hall mark of the women’s movement as control over one’s body has long been considered one of the most basic rights. Women living in Ireland continue to be denied this right. In 1983 an amendment to the constitution gave the unborn child equal rights to that of the mother. In 1992 this amendment resulted in a 14 year old rape victim, Ms X, being denied the right to travel to Britain for an abortion. The High Court fully supported this ban. That decision was a call for action. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets demanding that the girl be allowed to travel. This upsurge of anger resulted in the Supreme Court ruling that where the life of the mother was in danger a termination was allowable. This was a significant victory for women’s rights. Since that ruling, no government has introduced legislation to give it effect. This political cowardice has resulted in the death of Savita Halappanavar. Again tens of

thousands of men and women have taken to the streets, both mourning Savita and demanding immediate legislation in line with the X case ruling. The majority are also demanding the availability of free, legal and safe abortion on demand. Despite the fact that abortion is illegal in Ireland, women still have crisis pregnancies. For those with money and support, a week in London or Amsterdam is required to have a termination. This situation however penalises both working class women and some immigrants, especially asylum seekers. Working class women find it difficult in a short period of time to raise the large sum of money needed, in excess of €2,000, to travel abroad for an abortion. Women seeking asylum are even in a worse situation, in that they are legally denied the right to travel. This denial of basic rights often results in self induced terminations. This can have serious implications not only for the health but also the life of these women. The campaign for free, legal and safe abortion in Ireland has to become a core demand for asylum seekers and those who campaign for and with asylum seekers.

deceMBER 1-15 2012

news

AFRICAWORLD

IRANIAN BEAUTY WINS MISS ETHNIC 2013 By Ukachukwu Okorie The United Youth of Ireland Conference and Miss Ethnic 2012 Beauty Contest has come and gone but the memories will linger in the mind of the winner. The annual event, to raise awareness of female genital mutilation on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November 2012, was held at the Westin Hotel, Westmoreland St. in Dublin. United Youth of Ireland (UYI) is a multi-ethnic group of young people in Ireland established to campaign against the ills affecting the fulfilment of youth. They have been at the forefront of raising awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM), a brutal cultural practice which has affected up to 140 million women and girls worldwide. Many women now living in Ireland are understood to have suffered this illegal knife cut and the Irish Government outlawed the practice of FGM earlier this year by enacting the Criminal Justice (FGM) Act 2012. Amidst campaigns and activism, UYI has mobilised youth from different backgrounds to forge a socio-cultural union that spans beyond individual experiences. This year’s event was a success as AfricaWorld witnessed the crowning of an Iranian beauty as Miss Ethnic 2012. Sheelan Yousefizadeh is pretty and wears a charming smile. She was full of life as AfricaWorld engaged her in an interesting chat at the costume area. Frank and charming, here are excerpts from our discussion: Can we know who you are? My name is Sheelan Yousefizadeh and I am from Iran. How do you feel winning Miss Ethnic in Ireland? I am overwhelmed and it is a surprise. I feel so happy because I can do a good job in the role. I have been involved in activism for the last four years in my life and I worked for Amnesty International. I started as a young activist, particularly for women, and my home country is a place where

women are not treated equally according to the law. I have used my opportunity in Ireland to raise awareness about women’s rights back in my country. I joined the Miss Ethnic contest because it is another way of raising the issue of equality for women. It is different from the usual way of campaigning. This awareness is through beauty, dance and style and it affords a new way of campaigning against ills like female genital mutilation. FGM is still happening in Europe among immigrants who came all the way from home with this culture. I feel privileged to win Miss Ethnic; they will be proud of me by this time next year! Does FGM happen in Iran? I have not heard of that. Not at all but I know it happens in north African countries, and likely some Muslim countries in Africa. What do you want to achieve with this? I am already involved in projects, as I mentioned earlier, with Amnesty International and the Immigrant Council of Ireland. There’s a program I am in now, it is called ‘Immigrants for Change’. It is all about going into colleges to encourage young immigrant students to improve in school. This win provides more strength to my projects. I hope to expand my campaigns and represent very well. How do you feel today? I feel very happy, people from my country are here. My family, friends and other supporters, I would not do this without them. I also feel happy that within 6 weeks, I have known many girls from different countries. We are like sisters and are going to miss each other. We hope to keep in touch with one another. I hope every one of us stays together and works for the progress of United Youth of Ireland. How long are you in Ireland? I have been in Ireland for nine and half years. What is your occupation? I am a student. I am studying Genetics in Trinity College. I am in

my third year. Genetics and human rights are different but I love them both. What is your message for those who want to know more about you? I would say as an immigrant girl who moved to Ireland, I have always wanted to get involved because this is my home. Dublin is my city and I want to play a big part. Often people who migrate do not get involved but I do not support that. I believe in diversity, it should be a source for progress. Yes, I am Iranian but I love this city and it is my home. This is part of what led me into social activism and that is why I am here. I want to use this opportunity to inspire young ones to go out there and follow their dream. They may never know where it will lead, and mine has taken me to become Miss Ethnic Ireland. My ultimate goal is to play a bigger role in Irish politics. At the moment, there is a low level of immigrant involvement in Irish politics, both at the national and local level. There’s a huge proportion of immigrants in Ireland and there is need for a strong voice to speak on their behalf. As a girl who grow up here, I would love to represent immigrants here.

kind of government in power? Iran is a very big country with a population of over 60 million. The opinion is divided. The sanctions against it are affecting the population but it does not affect those in power. Prices are getting higher and people are suffering. I cannot speak for everybody but what the youth want is a better life, not the kind of government that is in charge. We love our country whether things are good or bad. You can see what happened today, Iranians are very warm and good people.

Other contests include: Abiola Omotayo, a Nigerian, won Miss Personality, Betsie Brown from Nicaragua was crowned FGM Ambassador while Adrianna Janiszewska from Poland won Miss Photos. Other contestants include Gillian Luu - Vietnam, Dominika Walus - Poland, Anisha Joy - India, Olamide Sulaimon - Nigeria, Aoife O’Brien - Ireland, Pamela Silver Brazil, Loriana Petrova - Latvia, Julia Nikerina – Latvia, and Chelsea Omotosho. Monica Manzzi of Uruguay and Karolina Wypych were also included.

Do you plan to have any impact on Iran? I have tried to have some with Amnesty International. There is a current campaign for a human rights lawyer who has been in prison in Iran. She has been on hunger strike and we are worried. I hope that my country will become a democracy and respect the law of equality, especially for women. Do you think the Iranian youth is happy with the

Africa History Ireland The Afro in Diaspora Centre celebrated this year’s Africa History Month Ireland between 23 to 25 November. The facilitator, Susanna Komolafe, told AfricaWorld that the celebration is a yearly tradition. The first day witnessed a seminar tagged ‘Women and Youth Seminar’ and the title was African Youth Resilience. It was partly in celebration of the ‘One World Week’ Program and supported by the National Youth Council of Ireland.

The essence of the seminar is to teach African youth how to be resilient in the face of current global issues. The second day witnessed a Diaspora Social Night, which was full of entertainment with great African music and fun. There was a conference entitled ‘Africa Now’ on the last day, with different speakers. Folake Jubril assisted in facilitating the event.

Facilitators - Susanna Komolafe and Folake Jubril

AFRICAWORLD decemBER 1-15 2012

news

FIT TO PLAY FITNESS INITIATIVE LAUNCHED A new fitness initiative for Dublin women took off on Saturday 24th November at the Corduff Sports Centre in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. The initiative, which involves the use of Zumba dance and fun Football, is designed to encourage participants to take part in physical activity while having fun. The idea, conceived by J.K. Onwumereh - a community leader and Youth Officer with Foróige, was launched by the Mayor of Fingal County Council, Cian O’Callaghan. In his speech, the Mayor revealed that he was a “keen football fan” and “always happy to support any initiative that promotes health and well-being”. In his statement, Onwumereh the coordinator of ‘Fit to Play’ Ireland, noted that he was inspired to develop the idea as it would be beneficial to local women. He thanked Des Tomlinson, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) National Intercultural Coordinator, for his extraordinary support. In a recent guideline published by ‘Get Ireland Active’, adults are expected to take part in 150 minutes of physical activity per week. The ‘Fit to Play’ fitness initiative is intended to promote awareness of this among women in Dublin, especially within ethnic minority communities. The programme will initially run for six weeks one hour every Saturday at the same venue. It will be evaluated to determine the need to continue and the possibility of replicating the programme around the country. Grace Anyanwu, a participant at the open day event, praised the initiative as “unique and result oriented”. She said that Dublin women are “grateful for the opportunity to keep fit while socialising and having fun”.

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

communicating are falling out of use as technology has become increasingly accessible on a global scale. The effects of technology are present in every sphere of life, crimping into every system to enable easier approaches to resolving issues. Society has embraced the idea of creating a more efficient way to convey information around the globe.

Have you observed the increasingly technologised nature of the way we communicate? The Information, Communication Technology (ICT) sector is a very popular industry, associated with major and rapid advancements. In the 21st century, information is key. The transportation of information is the main driver of technology growth. The culture of being up-to-date continues to sustain the pace of technological change today. Technology has re s u l t e d in s i g n i f i c a nt improvements for humanity, assisting people to complete more tasks in less time and with less energy. The ancient ways of

AfricaWorld is introducing a column that will help you keep track of this fast-growing Industry. The new column, “Tech Pilot”, will bring you the latest news from around the industry. We intend to explore communications tools as well as means of transmission.Technologies covered will include computers, the Internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and television), and telephony. Given the vast array of products constantly coming on the market, it can be confusing to work out how they differ and which best suit our needs. In “Tech Pilot”, we will explore different options to assist your choice of gadgets, comparing a range of factors such as price and functionality. This column is designed to guide and help you decide.

For instance, as Africans, we wish to remain connected and communicate with our home countries at reasonable rates in this recession. A few years ago, calling home could be as high as €1 to €2 per minute with the Almighty Eircom. Home telephones (landlines) were essential because mobile lines were much more expensive. The advent of other network providers created competition that forced all call costs down. Currently, mobile networks are the cheapest option. Some networks offer calls at €10 per month to call all other networks including texts. Landlines are fast becoming history. In this segment, we will outline the latest developments with regard to telecoms in Ireland. We will conduct interviews with telecoms stakeholders to avail of opportunities in

this sector of the economy, so you won’t want to miss “Tech Pilot”. In addition, we intend to introduce a wide range of mobile devices and services including text messaging, MMS, email, telephony, Internet/ data exchange, short range wireless communications (infrared, Bluetooth),business applications, gaming, video streaming and photography applications. Smartphones will also feature, ie. mobile phones that offer these

computing capabilities and more. Finally, it is important to mention that as well as providing information, this column will also encourage interaction with readers. Many of our gadgets are prone to damage and would require advice and repairs. As one of the objectives of AfricaWorld is to reach out, “Tech Pilot” will offer tips that will guide you and save you the agony of any professional charges.

deceMBER 1-15 2012

AFRICAWORLD

column

africaworld health

In Association With Manorfield Foundation BY dr. Joseph Chukwu

A PATCH IN THE SUN

It’s glorious to imagine or look forward to a magnificent holiday in an exquisite resort out in a warm country with the popular clichéSun, Sea and Sand. I would not like dent this sensational dream with a ‘but’ but I will like to draw our attention to an occurrence that, though infrequent, is very significant moles/sunspots. We all have skin moles in different places, some bigger than others. Some we call our beauty spots and a few others

are ugly patches. They could also appear as freckles. The good news is that many of them are harmless - or ‘benign’ as you may hear your doctor call it. Unfortunately, there is a chance that a mole could turn into something more sinister. There is a small possibility of a mole growing beyond its boundaries, causing damage to surrounding tissues. The incidence of skin cancer in Ireland has increased exponentially. The common types are malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. Sadly, all are predisposed to occur through exposure to ultraviolet rays - and yes, these are the same rays that come from the sun and also tanning beds! Luckily, the most common type, the basal cell carcinoma (BCC), is the least aggressive. However, untreated it will invade and destroy surrounding tissues, although will

rarely spread to distant organs. In addition to exposure to the sun, BCC is more common in lightskinned and older people. It is usually seen on the face, inner part of the eyelid or the nose. It appears pearly in shape and grows slowly. The second most common is the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). It is a cancer that begins in squamous cells, which are thin, flat cells that look like fish scales under the microscope. The word squamous came from the Latin squama, meaning “the scale of a fish”. Like BCC, its incidence increases with exposure to the sun and usually arises from precancerous spots known as actinic or solar keratoses. It is also commonly seen on the face, forehead and cheeks but is more widely distributed so may be seen on the limbs and the trunk. Unlike, BCC it can metastasize and spread to distant organs so would cause more clinical damage to the

body as a whole. The most deadly one is the melanoma, derived from a constituent in the skin called melanocytes. These are pigmented cells giving melanomas a dark coloured appearance. It spreads easily, causes serious damage to vital organs and has a high mortality rate. It usually originates from moles found anywhere in the body. Fortunately, most moles are, and will remain, benign. Like the former types of skin cancer, the risk is increased with exposure to the sun but there is also some genetic predisposition. So what do we do? Avoid the sunny holiday destinations? Recommendations are Skin protection: (especially light skins) - Reduce sun exposure with protective clothing - hats and shades. - Use of waterproof sunscreens.

Early detection: - Identify and observe skin spots/ moles. It’s as simple as ABCD: - Asymmetry - One half of the mole does not match the other half in size, shape, colour, or thickness. - Border - The edges are ragged, blurred, or poorly defined. - Colour - The colour of the mole is not the same throughout or it has shades of tan, brown, black, red, white, or blue. - Diameter - Melanomas are usually greater than 6mm in diameter, but they can be smaller Visit your doctor if any of the above is the case. Screen high-risk individuals: People whose close relatives have developed melanoma should be screened. In a nutshell, there is no cause for alarm. Be observant, take precautions and if in doubt, see your doctor.

WHY SEND TROOPS TO SUDAN OR LIBERIA WHEN… By Fr. Vincent Ezeoma Arisukwu The Holy Writ says, “How dare you say to your brother, ‘Please, let me take that speck out of your eye,’ when you have a log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matt. 7: 4-5)

administratively, when her internal security network was strong and solid. I think rather that Nigeria needs the intervention of foreign military intelligentsia to combat the avalanche of problems bedevilling her at the moment.

For instance, two of my close friends have been in Liberia and Sudan since July and September of 2012 respectively. Initially, when they told me they were going for the popular ECOMOG mission in those places, my first reaction was a mock laughter. I laughed at them because it looked ironical that Nigeria was The above seems to apply to Nigeria, sending troops to help other the “giant” of Africa. When I countries restore peace in their remember that the nation still sends lands when internally she is in real her army to embattled Sudan and crisis. I told those soldier friends Liberia, I believe that Nigeria is bluntly that perhaps their mission either living in past glory or is is totally driven by pecuniary refusing to tell herself the truth. My interest in such missions or because worry here is not that a country Nigeria is looking for fame and not cannot use her military might to because the nation they represent intervene in the political crisis of is qualified to do that at the moment. her sister nation, especially when It was then that the following they are under the same umbrella questions came to my mind: Is the body like ECOWAS and the United crisis in Darfur (Sudan) greater than Nations. I’m not even arguing the crisis in Nigeria? Is war in its against Nigeria intervening in the strict sense a greater evil than the crises of her sister countries, all amorphous Boko Haram and things being equal. I’m worried kidnapping trends in Nigeria? Is the more because Nigeria at the moment Nigerian Peace Keeping Force lacks the moral courage to send her Centre in Jaji sending troops to troops to nations riddled by war. The Darfur and Liberia to secure peace old story of sending troops to Sierra when their barracks back home is Leone and DR Congo was achievable continually attacked? Is the value when the nation was still intact of the lives of men and women in Darfur and Liberia more valuable

than that of those Nigerians threatened and killed daily by Boko Haramists and kidnappers? The answer to these questions is that Nigeria has simply become a nation of paradox. She has become a nation where her citizens starve in the midst of plenty. She has become a nation that answers giant while her citizens are dwarfed by bribery and corruption. She is a nation whose government has openly acknowledged the presence of terrorists and cabals in its administration but manifests gross incapacity to deal with such threats. Nigeria has become a nation where the citizens lack confidence in the government to secure their lives and property. She is a “giant” that produces oil and is even reckoned among the greatest exporters of oil in the world, whereas the citizens die daily scooping spilt fuel from collapsed tankers that fall on the roads. She is the giant of Africa whose graduates roam for decades on the streets looking for unavailable jobs. She is a peacekeeping nation that cannot deal with internal security issues that have completely messed up her democratic policies. Nigeria has implicitly become the subject of ridicule. Sometimes I wonder what the likes of Ghana and South Africa will be saying about this nation that is branded the giant of Africa. They will indeed be imagining if the country Nigeria is aware of the realities of her current

status and existence. Nigeria at the moment has a very big plank covering her retina and impairing her sense of vision. She cannot see clearly at the moment and cannot in turn be in the position to remove a mere speck in another country/person’s eyes. For instance, I wonder how relaxed the soldiers who are out there in Sudan and Liberia would be when each day they wake up to hear that their village in the north has been bombed by the Boko Haram sect. I wonder how they will concentrate when each time they hear that their wives, uncles or children in eastern Nigeria have been kidnapped. I wonder how any soldier who loves his family would be doing battle in a far away country while lacking the guarantee of security for his family back home. The implication is that the soldiers will either be pretending or lacking the desired concentration. Hence the big plank here is security. The security issue in Nigeria has unarguably put the nation in a bad light. It has made it look highly incapacitated. It has defied every strategy within the reach of the incumbent democratic government. It has defied both police and military intervention and calls to question the idea of going to other nations to solve a problem that has remained unresolved within the country. I guess the same insecurity, exposure to death, uncertainty of the direction of attack, fear of the unknown, lack

of trust of one’s neighbour, disrespect for human lives and property that threaten life and cajole human existence in Liberia and Sudan equally remain the same factors that militate against proper human development in Nigeria. The same fate of the city of Darfur, ravaged by war and hunger, is the fate of Bauchi, Borno, etc, ravaged by terrorism. The only difference is that the tension in Darfur and Liberia is caused by war while that in Nigeria is caused by terrorism. But the fundamental question may be if war is worse than terrorism. There is a need, therefore, for the Nigerian government to revisit the moral implications of sending Nigerian men and women on peacekeeping missions to warring countries while sitting on a keg of gunpowder herself. The only way to justify that would be to deal with the issue of security head-on. If the home is secure then those abroad will also be secure. If the home is safe then those on peacekeeping missions will concentrate. If these are not guaranteed, then Nigeria becomes a typical example of the proverbial man who abandons his house ravaged by fire in pursuit of a big rat. Mr President, the Senate President, the Defence Minister, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Commissioner of Police should know that Nigerians are eagerly awaiting an answer to the security question in Nigeria.

AFRICAWORLD decemBER 1-15 2012

photonews

Austerity march in Dublin

Face at the Miss Africa Ireland and Fashion Show

Fit to Play Ireland

Glimpse of Miss Ethnic Ireland Ceremony

deceMBER 1-15 2012

news/column

AFRICAWORLD

AU–EU Advocacy Network launched

The African Union–European Union (AU–EU) Advocacy Network was launched at the Academy Plaza Hotel, Findlater Place, in Dublin on 24 November. Welcoming guests in her opening speech, Mrs. Tendai Madondo outlined the essence of the formation of the Advocacy Network. The launch, which also served as a talking-shop for ideas to move Africa forward, had different speakers, mostly founding officers of the

organisation. The Secretary to the Network discussed the main objective of the body, which is to raise awareness of AU-EU cooperation and to enhance the participation of African people. The Scribe, David Nyaluke, highlighted the complementing objectives, which include understanding of the AU and EU relationship within the two continents, people’s participation in AU-EU programs and projects,

capacity-building, and relevant areas of concern for the people. David also explained eight key areas of cooperation and participation: peace and security; democratic governance and human rights; regional integration, trade and infrastructure; millennium development goals; energy; climate change and environment; migration, mobility and employment; and science, information society and space.

Furthermore, David informed guests about how the Network will operate, particularly the various committees that will organise seminars, workshops and fundraise. He ended his contribution by explaining how to participate in the Network, “Join and be a member of the network which is free. Be a commissioner when you join and participate in specific committees. Help out in a particular course for Africa”, he said.

There was a question and answer session, while the guest speaker, Mr D. O’Donovan from Dublin City Council, talked about the latter’s efforts in relation to integration. Eric Byrne TD, Mazi Uche Osakwe, AfricaWorld Columnist, and a host of opinion leaders were there. The function closed with banter, an exchange of ideas and photos.

AGONY CORNER Things ‘Classy’ Desperate African Women Do To Bag A Husband By Abdul Yusuf

Tired of waiting for your dream man? Tired of c h a n g i n g boyfriends like underwear? Tired of begging God to upgrade you? Tired of waiting for your boyfriend to propose? Tired of all the heartbreaks and betrayal? Tired of men chopping you for free? Tire no more… Statistics show that only 30% of single women of marriageable age in Africa are undisturbed by their lack of a spouse! The other 70% would do just about anything to become Mrs somebody. And when I say anything, I mean it… Here are 21 unorthodox things ‘classy’ African women have done in their quest to bag a husband! Some are bizzare, some are skanky and some are downright sad…but if you’re willing to try anything and getting a husband is the only activity left on your bucket list, you might wanna try a few! (Men beware). Not for the fainthearted… In no particular order: 1. Snatching a friend or relation’s man: All is fair in love and war! Rumour has it that women have resorted to locking their phones, hiding their men and coding their gist from so-called friends cos it’s a jungle out there… 2. Re-inventing themselves: Pretence is the order of the day. No man wants to tame the shrew or teach the inexperienced or make an honest woman out of a dishonest one so once marriage is desired, women package themselves in pseudo, ready-made, easy-to-use, highly desirable packages. After marriage, what you see is what

you get! Stepfordwifemode 3.Trapping him with pregnancy: This used to be the old school method of getting a man to propose. From skipping the pill to seducing the man or getting him drunk when she was ovulating, a woman usually knew she had the man where she wanted him once she missed her period even if there was no commitment. Now the guys are saying YES to baby mamas and YES to child support. Are the girls deterred? NO! The girls have stepped up their game by involving the parents and you know parents don’t like scandals… 4. Praying & Fasting:This would presumably be an honourable means of obtaining a husband but sometimes the prayers are offered up to deities other than God & other times it becomes a song permanently on repeat… 5. Taking his photograph to spiritual churches for a prophetess or powerful Alfa to pray over. Heard it works like a charm… 6. Taking his sperm, hair or personal effects to a Baba (Shrine Priest or Voodooist). Guys disposing of your condoms yourself is not such a bad idea… 7. Outright Jazz! My friends recently gisted me about how a tied up, live pigeon had been discovered in a friend’s sister-in-law’s box. The woman confessed to using jazz and said she had not been sure if the guy would actually propose so she took the necessary precaution… 8. Putting love potion in his food! This is classic and timeless but should not it be called a ‘compelling’ potion?

Because in this case, Love na by force! 9. Saying YES to a man you despise! A woman has two classes of men usually on her case. The ‘Correct’ guys and the‘Disgos’. The disgos usually end up as Magas or Rebounds but many a woman has shocked a despondent toaster with a sudden ‘Yes’ and men have agreed that truly there is nothing God cannot do! 10. Proposing to a guy! Yes it does happen… (Who wears the engagement ring?) 11. Toasting a man’s family so they make the decision for him! A friend complained that a girl he detested had over the months gotten close to his family. Lavishing on them, cooking for them and basically being their ‘go-to’ girl and now his mum had put her foot down that he had to break up with his girlfriend and marry little-miss-wenthome-to-mama depending on how much power the family wields, their word may be final… 12. Asking daddy to get you a husband! If daddy’s a big shot, arranging a husband for you is usually as easy as pie and some men would sell their souls for a large chunk of daddy’s money so both parties are happy… 13. Being your man’s maga! Some women believe that when you finally get a man to be interested in you, spoiling him and overlooking his every fault would get you into a white gown faster than a motorbike-taxi (Okada) chased by a Traffic Corp (LASTMA)! Some men don’t mind a woman who houses them, clothes them, feeds them, gives them pocket money, never gets upset with them even when they

misbehave and cleans up after them with little or no contribution from them… Living the dream? 14. Giving him unlimited freedom as long as he proposes: “Tell me I’m number one baby, tell me I am the future mother of your kids and not Amina, Bisi, Ngozi or Faith!” Women used to wanna be the one AND ONLY in their man’s life, now being the number one is good enough… 15. Polishing up a low class, barely educated brother in exchange for a ring! The deal is simple, you send your cleaner, gate-man or driver to night school, you give him language lessons, you take him to buy some new clothes and deodorant and teach him to call you honey instead of madam and in exchange, he gets to marry you, share an expensive bedroom and never worry about his bills ever again! 16. Revamping yourself: Change your ward-robe, lose 20kg, buy a truckload of brazilian hair, study the karma-sutra, do a vaginoplasty and change the age on your birth-certificate to read 22. Botox, plastic surgery, a compulsory gym membership and ‘body magic’ also indicated! 17. Becoming a worker in church! Rumour has it that men go to church to marry, the same rumour also reveals that‘Greeters’,‘Ushers’and‘Lead Soloists’ have the best exposure…praise the Lord! 18. Moving to a new town or part of town so that you are the‘New Girl’. This always peaks the men’s interest and at the same time you get to run away from your past and the ‘Old Maid’ labels! Combine this with number 16 above and ooh la la!

19. Going for ‘Deliverance’ from a spirit husband and sowing a big ‘marriage’ seed in church! Giving your possessions to the poor, giving a sacrificial offering or just giving one thing to God that would make you weep… 20. Abandoning your hopes, dreams and ambitions! I have heard people say that women looking for a prince charming live unrealistic dreams, virgins are old-school, overly educated women are proud, rich women are not submissive, ambitious women are conceited, women with demanding jobs won’t have time for their families, women who want a faithful man are deluded and women who don’t get pregnant before wedlock have something wrong with their plumbing! So forsake the Masters Degree, don’t even dream of a PhD, quit your job, give away all your money and surely a husband will come… And if all else fails… 21. Marry a married man! He could be your friend’s husband, your sister’s husband, your cousin’s husband, your colleague’s husband, even your mother’s husband if you like! Can you blame these women? The average guy has commitment phobia or is out to play till he is all spent before he settles down or is waiting to make his first ’5 million’before saying‘I do’. Even a man with no future ambition or class, much less finances still knows he could have his pick of the best women out there, once he announces he is looking to settle!The last census showed a femaledominated demographic with more women per eligible bachelor. Family and society constantly put the woman in hot water making her personal successes irrelevant till she bags a man.

10 AFRICAWORLD decemBeR 1-15 2012

coLUMn

DD’s CuBICLe

ChInA’s eCOnOMIC ROAD MAp In AFRICA, GOOD OR BAD? By Dunstan Ukaga

Within the last 10 years, china has grown from a third-world economy to a second-world economy. importantly, china has leapfrogged Japan as the second largest economy and has instantly become an investment and manufacturing hub. the communist leadership of president Hu and premier Wen Jia Bao has set aside all distractions of governance and provided china with all of the indices that quicken development. From the west, east, south and north of china, one would be amazed at the rapid industrial and even human capacity development china has recorded within the last 10 years. many writers have therefore dubbed this as the ‘economic miracle of governance’. From Beijing, which was once an obsolete city with old and slow-running trains, china now runs a bullet train and one could reach Hong Kong within an hour from china’s ancient capital. this is indeed a great success story. as china expands and grows in all spheres, even in her military might, she is making more friends. While the country expands to new frontiers, especially in africa, people are asking what china’s intentions are towards africa. is china coming with a mind-set for friendship and brotherhood or is she coming with a new colonial mentality? i have been asked recently if china has any economic road map for africa. i do believe that china has not just an economic road map for africa but a great economic road map for africa. one thing stands sure, a great china and africa fosters peace and prosperity to china, africa and the whole world. indeed, china’s growing presence in africa is one of the region’s biggest stories nowadays. But even seasoned analysts and most Westerners cannot decide whether this booming relationship is good or bad for africa. critics say chinese strategy is entirely self-promotional, aimed

at maintaining access to africa’s precious mineral resources even when it means supporting bad government and corrupt leadership. Peter eigen, on a special edition to cNN captures this when he opines that ‘’china’s supporters say the asian superpower is strictly neutral and business-oriented, preferring to generate economic growth not a dangerous dependency on aid. china has certainly been contributing to africa’s economic growth, both in terms of trade and with building infrastructure. all over the continent, it has built roads, railways, ports, airports, and more, filling a critical gap that western donors have been shy to provide and unblocking major bottlenecks to growth.” “the rehabilitated 840-mile Benguela railway line, for example, now connects angola’s atlantic coast with the democratic Republic of congo and Zambia. and chinesefinanced roads have cut journey times from ethiopia’s hinterland to the strategic port of djibouti, facilitating livestock exports.” “meanwhile, bilateral trade between africa and china continues to grow at an extraordinary pace, reaching $160 billion in 2011 from just $ 9 billion in 2000.” this is indeed great, much larger than what the British, the French and the american colonialists of africa input. inasmuch as china has already put so much investment into africa, the latter still lags behind in concrete economic development and continues to carry the ‘third world’ tag. the fear of underdevelopment still looms in our faces and some 90 per cent of Sino-african trade is still based around natural resources: oil, ores, and minerals. Furthermore, exports of natural resources by themselves do not help africa to develop - as we can see from the examples of Nigeria and angola, Sub-Saharan africa’s two largest oil exporters with income per capita and Gross domestic Products still low. there is a problem here and Peter eigen corroborates my fear: ‘’First, oil and mining are not labour intensive industries. So while natural resources may create impressive headline growth figures, they do not necessarily translate into widespread job creation. Second, as we saw in the Netherlands in the 1960s and Norway today, large oil and mineral reserves can distort the local currency, pushing up

prices of other exports, such as agricultural products, and making them much harder to sell overseas. third, without careful management, oil and mineral revenues have often fuelled corruption, which has a severely negative impact on a country’s development. it’s notable, for example, that china is not yet one of the supporting countries for the extractive industries transparency initiative (eiti), an initiative to promote transparency and accountability in the governance of natural resources. away from the oil and mining industries, critics of china say they don’t see much evidence of china advocating for africa on global issues either. climate change and better access to overseas markets are two such issues. But at the africa Progress Panel we see little evidence of china pushing hard for improved market access for african products in non-african markets. indeed, South african and other manufacturers have frequently complained about the crushing competition from chinese textiles. Nor do we see china pushing for any meaningful breakthroughs in climate negotiations that would favour african nations.’’ For china’s economic road map in africa to be good and affect africans positively, china should encourage african countries to diversify their economies as much as possible away from supplying unprocessed natural resources to china. this will make them less dependent on the vagaries of both the chinese economy and the ups and downs of global commodity prices. trade with china may have helped insulate africa from the full impact of the 2008 financial crisis, but africa still looks vulnerable to china’s economic slowdown. african nations should also prepare for the day when they no longer have natural resources to sell. again, Peter eigen captures my thoughts when he suggests that ‘’african countries need to encourage chinese investment into more labour-intensive sectors. africa’s population is growing faster than anywhere else in the world, and job creation is a top priority. if africa cannot create jobs to keep up with the growth of its workforce, then we can expect to see a large and growing population of frustrated, jobless youth.’’ For now it seems like china’s economic road map in africa is good. But china needs to do more so that her relationship with africa becomes a win-win cooperation and friendship.

ChIt ChAt

pAStoR’S GiRLFRiEnD AttAcKED in DUBLin chURch More stories are trickling in from the Glasnevin Pastor we have reported on in previous editions. The last has not been heard from the battle between church members and the woman who they allege is distracting their pastor. Chit Chat had previously reported

how the pastor’s wife intimated to church members that a woman was attempting to break-up their marriage. Although there have been efforts to sieve through information about the scandal, our source was able to get fresh information.

The issue of the woman came up among some church members who felt that their hardworking and gifted pastor was being led astray. Some felt the need to take action before the rot affected their spirituality, which the pastor anchored. They decided to physically

assault her to see if she would feel ashamed and let their pastor be. We will continue in next edition. AFRICAWORLD IS AGAINST ANY FORM OF VIOLENCE

YOu ARe An ADORABLe MuM!

“A Family that pLAYs together, stAYs together” Play is one of the most important needs of your children and it aids development of children’s language skills. Play is part of learning and growing and it provides enjoyment and fun for kids. Play activities are essential to healthy development for children and adolescent.

Adorable Mum Founder: Gbeminiyi Gee Bee Shogunle

Play also does the following: enables children to make sense of their world develops social and cultural understandings allows children to express their thoughts and feelings Fosters flexible and divergent thinking

Provides opportunities to meet and solve real problems develops language and literacy skills and concepts it is essential for parents to make time out regularly to play with their children. children crave time and attention from their parents. it just makes them feel special. Playing with kids builds a bond that will last forever. it lets the child know that he or she is loved and appreciated. it opens the door for sharing problems and concerns when the need arises.

decemBeR 1-15 2012

AFRICAWORLD 11

FAMiLY coRnER

s m

oe h

kac

By U

u ukw

rie

Oko

A pIeCe OF AFRICA

I AM nOt ILLeGAL

O’COnneLL

the joy of inhabitants Splashing in the pool Running on the sandy beaches Biceps at large the thongs freaking out it’s all a sleeveless show From the rise of the sun to its setting lasting long, it does not But the birds make the most of it While animals cry for it a long day of fun Heralded by movement in the sky and the thronging of the legs as if it were in africa

cork and bull story, is it? may be or may not be sure sailing for greener pasture flying across the atlantic or trekking on the sand dunes all for a better living. you are legal and you are illegal immigration is a privilege it isn’t a right, they keep yelling. i am never illegal in my world humanity belongs to all you sailed to my homeland accompanied by guns and bible i came empty handed you sailed to my homeland and bought my ancestors i came with open heart to mingle because my aim is single humanity owns the world.

dual and historical Jolts from the liffey caresses Panel’s tommy mat with indelible marks of foot Sitting on the confluence place Smiles at the Post and his struggles You take the new and old Standing tall and proud in his eyes oh o’connell! Kindest art thou! How hast thou changed? in the course of the struggle that the olden dead Might not know thee again

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Wisdom Bits

AfricaWorld

A stitch in time saves nine. Meaning - He who plans well never fail.

Any child that knows his father, identify his kinsmen Meaning - A careful person is always cautious.

When a child wash his hands well, he eats with elders. Meaning - Humility begets recognition.

A public figure do not need to embarrass himself. Meaning - Celebrities should respect themselves.

A mature eagle feather will ever remain pure. Meaning - A well trained child never disappoint.

Overzealousness make the monkey fell to the bullets. Meaning - Carefulness is extremely important.

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ReCIpe COLuMn

GOAt heAD sALAD - IsI eWu.

TALES FROM UMUGUMA

WhY the vuLtuRe hAs nO FRIenD

By Ukachukwu Okorie

once upon a time in the land of animals and birds, there was peace and love between all. Birds and animals of all kinds lived together in harmony. apartments tunneled in caves were shared by all as birds even weaved nests in human caves. the earth was filled with brotherhood as much as green food was plenty. as the population of the earth grew, it was agreed that their must be leadership and authority vested in either an animal or bird. However, it was decided that it must rotate between them. the birds, after much discussion, conceded the first short at leadership to the animals. they told animals to decide among themselves and present the first emperor of the earth as agreed. as such, a man was presented by all animals and the earth came under his authority unanimously. the birds tallied along with the hope of succeeding man after his death. Unfortunately for the birds, there was a conspiracy between humans and other animals. they planned to short-change the birds and rotate it between them instead. it happened that during the reign of the humans, there was drought on earth as no rain dropped from the sky for a couple of years. this brought tough times on earth as the human leadership demanded hard work and commitment from all in communal effort to grow drought friendly crops. as this period demanded serious manual labour from all, it was evident that the vulture was lazy and cunning. they would lazy around only to eat more to annoy other birds and animals. the human leadership did not take this kindly as they felt cheated by a little creature without bigger brains. this trend continued until life came back like it used to be but sooner rather than later, the emperor died. the death threw the throne open but it was previously agreed that the next occupant shall be one of the birds. though grudgingly, humans and their counterparts asked the birds to nominate among them. after tough deliberations and arguments, the birds came up with the choice of the vulture but it perturbed all how it came to happen. the humans were the first to object to the choice, arguing about the vulture’s laziness in the case of tough times. other animals joined the humans in backing off from recognizing the bird’s choice and soon, there were crises of leadership. the birds agreed to back the vulture due to certain strange qualities it possessed that frightened the animals, of which some included patience and cunningness. However, their support became shaky as the whole issue threatened earthly harmony, making them begin to withdraw their support for the vulture. meanwhile, chaos started to set in when other animals sought the backing of humans to reign as they had agreed but the latter backed off, instead manoeuvering to continue leading with the pretence of holding forth until calm was restored. However, the birds regrouped and nominated another to replace the vulture but the victim could not take it. on the other hand, crises of confidence brewed between the animals over the craftiness of humans. Finally, war seemed imminent and the vulture took his offspring off with a parting warning to other birds to watch out the worst of humans and their fellow animals. For all animals, he promised to stage a come-back for revenge at the right time. a war later broke out on earth when the vulture and its lineage were out. as a form of payback, they always hovered and patiently perched mocking a dying animal or bird to give up fast so they could eat it as a way of pay-back. Since that earthly war, they do not mix with other birds or animals because of lack of trust.

by Nkiru edokobi

Ingredient 1 Goat head 1 cup palm oil 1/2 table spoon gounded potash tsp grounded efuru seed dried pepper two leaf of utazi two cubs of maggi of knor Salt to taste

COOKING cut the goat head into pieces, season with salt and a cube of maggi or knorr. cook until the goat head is tender then set aside. Pour the red oil in the pot and reduce your heat. add potash, using a wooden spoon to stir, then add the onions, pepper and seasoning cube. Stir and allow to cook for 3 minutes. While stirring, pour in the seasoned goat head with the stock. then add efuru seeds and the chopped utazi leaf, stir and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Finally, add salt to taste then serve with local palm wine.

12 AFRICAWORLD decemBER 1-15 2012

xmas pix extravaganza From December 1st 2012 AfricaWorld Newspaper is offering a professional photographic service. -Personalize your Christmas Cards with your family and kids photos. -Choose from our list the picture size available to you printed on: -paper -canvas -frame Further details Follow us on www.africaworldnewspaper.com

deceMBER 1-15 2012

AFRICAWORLD 13

COLUMN

dimkpa

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS SCREWED UP IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

By Mazi Uche Azukaoma Osakwe

I have been wondering why Africa as a continent receives little attention from news coverage compared with other continents. Many disasters and conflicts go unreported in the continent by major global news media like the BBC, CNN, Sky, Al Jazeera etc.; rather, they turn their eye to other continents. We have witnessed in the past the Rwandan genocide, Darfur genocide, Liberian massacre, Biafran genocide etc and now Goma, where the international media has pretended that nothing has happened and the world is much more interested in the events in Syria and Israeli/Hamas on the West Bank. To highlight this apathy, the “I don’t care” attitude, and the place of Africa in the mind of Americans, I watched the presidential and vice-presidential debates and there was no mention of Africa either in terms of its strategic importance or as part of America’s political calculations. Rather, the only issue that came up was the killing of the US ambassador to Libya. It goes to show that Africa as a continent does not matter in the American scheme of things. Africa only comes up when there is an emergency or when the socalled G8 wants to dump its goods. But come to think of it, why has Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) been wrapped in perpetual war, hatred and disunity? Why is it difficult for the Congolese to come together and unite to fight the common enemy and liberate their country from capers, machinations and bad leadership? Mado, an activist and a student of the Cork School of Commerce, does not mince words when she blames the problems of Congo on western imperialism and neo-colonialism. According to her, these powers have ensured that Congo remains at war so that they can benefit from the spoils of the war. She argues that a united Congo would not allow western powers to steal the abundant diamond deposits, Uranium, gold etc. and she believes that one day the sun will rise again and the pride of the Congolese will be restored. In as much as I agreed with Mado, I still believe that the way to reclaim Congo from these vultures is by the Congolese uniting

to fight their common enemy, irrespective of their differences. After all, their forefathers fought Belgian colonialism with one voice and one purpose. Since the country gained her independence from Belgium, has it ever known peace? The only relative peace enjoyed by Congolese was during the reign of self-styled Field Marshal Mobutu Sese Seko, though it was patchy and piecemeal. Mobutu’s reign was iron-fisted, directorial and corrupt. He failed to engineer the credible democratic structure that would have moved the country forward; rather, he was busy amassing wealth and corrupting others, enriching himself and his cronies. The DRC is blessed with human and natural resources which, if tapped and well-harnessed, would make Congo the envy of the world. Instead of being the envy of the world, the DRC is in a sorry state. There is an absence of good governance, human rights, democratic structure and rule of law. In fact, the DRC can be described as a collapsed state as she has all the indices of a collapsed state. The DRC is always in the news for the wrong reasons. Right now, the violence in Goma is unacceptable. It is barbaric and there is too much killing. The militia and the government forces are systematically killing innocent women and children. There is no justification for these forces to vent their anger and frustration on unarmed men and women as a means to flex their military superiority and machismo. The people of Goma are dying in large numbers without any humanitarian assistance. The problem is that the international community has turned its attention elsewhere and allowed the armed militia group to

carry out a war of extermination, with rape used as a weapon of war. The population of DRC is estimated at about 73,599,190 people; the population growth rate is at 2.579 per cent; the birth rate is 37.05 births/1000 and death rate is calculated at 10.8 deaths/1000. Consequently, the DRC maternal and infant mortality rates are high when compared with other developing countries. According to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), 510 women out of every 100,000 die during childbirth. Yet the people entrusted to provide affordable medical care for the populace are busy exploiting and looting the treasurer. The DRC is also fragmentised into different ethnic groups. There are over 200 ethnic groups but the majority being the Bantu comprises Mongo, Luba, Kongo, and the Mangbetu-Azande etc. The lingua franca is French but the majority speak Lingala; others speak Kingwana (dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, and Tshiluba. Congo is blessed with natural resources and surrounded with beautiful vegetation and lakes. The departure of Belgium left Congo as an orphan in the comity of nations. The fall from grace by a country that is regarded as a centre-point of Africa and also has the second largest population in Africa has left many wondering what has gone wrong. The DRC has been devastated by bad leadership, corruption and greed. Since the war started in Congo, it is estimated that it has claimed over 5.4 million people and displaced millions of people who are now scattered all over the country. The suffering in Congo needs the attention of the international community, especially Washington.

The latest crisis is one of many crises that have befallen the Congolese people. It involves the armed group called the March 23 Movement (Mouvement du 23Mars), otherwise referred to as M23. This rebel group is based in the eastern area of Congo and has its operational headquarters in the North Kivu province. The group came to prominence on April 4, 2012 when soldiers numbering about 300 defected to the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP). The group claimed that they were marginalised in the national army. They also claimed human rights violations by the incumbent president Joseph Kabila, lack of good governance, and they accused him of rigging the last presidential election. The M23 demands the release of all political prisoners; an investigation into the killing of perceived enemies of Joseph Kabila by security forces; the dismissal of the national election commission; and another look at the results of the last election. However, as the negotiations were still on-going, the rebels overran the city of Goma, killing, maiming and raping innocent women and children and left over 350,000 people destitute without food, shelter or water. Goma is located on the northern shore of Lake Kivu and a neighbour to the Rwandan city of Gisenyi. She lies 13 to 18 km due south of the crater of the famous Nyiragongo volcano. The M23 militia and the government forces are killing innocent people at random without recourse to the Geneva Convention. The fear is that there is great danger of children and women being cutout during this infamous carnage – people dying as a result of a lack of medical attention, food and water. The government forces and

M23 militias have not taken into consideration their responsibilities to protect defenceless civilians trapped in their area of control. Both the government forces and the so-called M23 should respect the Geneva Convention of 1948 and the Additional Protocols of 1977 relating to the protection of “victims of armed conflicts,” and protect certain categories of people, ie. women and children. Moreover, MONUSCO should live up to its responsibilities by protecting defenceless people. It is there with a mandate from the United Nations and should use its power to protect and help women and children receive humanitarian assistance. The world cannot wait too long to intervene in Goma; the human suffering, death, rape and killing of innocent children should be seen as a collective guilt by all of us. We should not fold our hands and watch the conflict degenerate to ethnic cleansing, which would be a repeat of what happened in Rwanda when the international community failed to act. In conclusion, the alleged backing given to the M23 militia by the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, should be investigated and if found that the government of Kagame was aiding and abetting the rebels, it is the responsibility of the international community to call him to order or face the music. The crisis in Goma deserves international attention and let us say enough is enough. However, the future of Congo is still in the hands of Congolese. It is the people’s revolution that will bring the peace, good governance, democracy, rule of law and effective leadership that will usher in Eldorado in Congo.

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pRIDe OF AFRICA Abiola Omotayo pretty Abiola is nigerian and currently a student of Dunboyne college studying business and marketing. Abiola, who completed her leaving certificate this year, received a nomination for student of the year award in Blakestown community school. She received 9 excellent attendance and punctuality awards together with excellent schoolwork & eﬀort certificate of merit in Blakestown community school. Abiola omotayo won the Miss personality at this year’s FGM & Miss Ethnic pageant and fashion show held this week. She loves singing, dancing , meeting new people, shopping, socializing with friends, cooking and sport especially basketball . ‘My aspiration is to have a fulfilling life where, when i am 60 years old, i can look back and feel happy about the richness of it all’, she told AfricaWorld. Abiola want to live a life where she’s been able to travel across the world and experience peoples and cultures. A life full of learning and knowledge which will be used to make others better. ‘A life where i hope to find a loving companion and give my parents the respect and comfort that they deserve. i want to achieve most of my dreams while simultaneously earning the respect of the people around me’, she concluded.

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AFRICAWORLD 15

WE LIVED TO TELL ... Akina Dada Wa Africa Tackles Domestic Violence Against Women The campaign to stop domestic violence against women took new shape at the Irish Aid Centre on Dublin’s O’Connell Street on the 30 November. The gathering was a 16day seminar opposing violence against women and formally launching the booklet ‘We Lived To Tell, Migrant Women’s Personal Experiences of Domestic Violence’, which was published in partnership with the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence. The booklet, which was compiled by the Akidwa advocacy and networking coordinator, Nobuhle Ncube, is an informative book. It is an ‘A to Z’ on domestic violence for every woman. The seminar saw women speak on domestic violence and empowerment

generally. Ebun Akpoveta of Unforgettable Woman spoke extensively and clearly on human rights, violence, equality and nontolerance. Patricia Mendes went Pentecostal in her speech, quoting sections from the bible. She advised women to walk out in an abusive marriage. “The current president of Malawi was a victim of abuse by her first husband. They had three kids but she left. Avoid quick fixes to avoid trouble”, Mendes advised. Issues on the plight of Asylum Seekers in Ireland were raised and there were general discussions on engaging men in the campaign. Some of the questions on the role of men came from An-farrai of the Zimbabwe Heritage Trust and Mazi Uche Osakwe, a Doctoral student at Dublin City University.

Ebun Akpoveta

Participants at the booklet launch

EGYPT PROTESTS A series of protests has spread across Egypt over the past few days since the president issued decrees to assume sweeping powers last Thursday. Thousands of people waving Egyptian flags and displaying large pictures of the president demonstrated across Egypt in support of him. The Muslim Brotherhood, from which President Mohammed Morsi hails, hopes the turnout at Saturday’s rallies will counteract earlier opposition protests. Morsi says he acted to prevent courts led by former regime holdovers from dissolving the assembly and delaying a transition to democracy. “The people support the president’s decision!” chanted crowds outside Cairo University, where several thousand had gathered. Saturday’s rallies also aim to show support for a draft constitution passed by an Islamist-led assembly early on Friday. The demonstrations in Cairo follow hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets twice last week opposing Morsi’s decrees to grant

him sweeping powers. His opponents are angry that the draft constitution was hastily passed by an Islamist-dominated assembly on Friday. The economy was also affected as the Egyptian Exchange EGX30 index dropped 9.59 points, making the loss the one of biggest since the turbulent weeks of uprising that led to the removal of Hosni Mubarak last year. The assembly acted before Egypt’s top court could meet to rule on whether the body of MPs should be dissolved. Top judges have been in a stand-off with the president since he granted himself sweeping new powers last week. In an emergency decree, Mr Morsi’s decisions cannot be revoked by any authority, including the judiciary, until the new constitution has been ratified and a fresh parliamentary election held. The decree also states that the courts cannot dissolve the constituent assembly. The historic changes to Egypt’s system of government also introduce some civilian oversight of the military

Patricia Mendes

establishment. Mr Morsi has said he will give up his extraordinary powers once the new constitution is approved by a referendum. Members of the constituent assembly are scheduled to hand him the draft of the constitution they quickly adopted at 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) last Friday. The draft limits the amount of time a president can serve to two four-year terms. The president is expected to ratify the draft and announce a referendum during the week, holding it in as little as two weeks’ time. UN Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay has written to the president, asking him to reconsider his decree. In her letter, Ms Pillay “warned that approving a constitution in these circumstances could be a deeply divisive move”, her spokesman said. Mr Morsi’s decree of 22 November gave the 100-member constituent assembly until January to complete the draft constitution.

Nobuhle Ncube and Cosc Officer

ZAMBIA The government of Zambia has promised to see that Zambia is fully integrated into the global economy to enhance job and wealth creation across all sectors. President Michael Sata said that Government had also accelerated diversification of the economy and moved away from supplying unprocessed natural resources. He said this in Livingstone last Thursday during the opening of the Zambia International Investment Forum. The forum, with the theme ‘Value Addition for Wealth and Job Creation: Win–Win for All’, is designed to showcase Zambia’s investment opportunities as well as to promote greater dialogue between the public and private sectors. Several investors are attending the two-day forum which is also aimed at offering networking opportunities between the private sector and international investors.

investment.

The President said the Government was implementing the national strategy for industrialisation targeting four growth sectors of the economy, namely agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and construction. The Government would also continue to invest in infrastructure such as roads, railways, airports, border facilities, power stations as well as information and communication technology to support trade and

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Bob Sichinga, said he looked forward to ensuring that Zambia grew to the levels of the best performing economies around the world. The forum was sponsored by First Quantum Minerals, Konkola Copper Mines, Zambia China Economic and Trade Corporation Zone, Zambeef, and Airtel Zambia among others.

Mr Sata assured the delegates at the forum that the Zambian economy was open for business, trade and investment. “My Government is focused on improving the business environment by removing constraints which impact negatively on business growth such as high compliance costs, low skills levels, access to markets, lack of finance, appropriate technology and quality business infrastructure in rural areas,” he said, in a speech read for him by Vice-President Guy Scott. He also outlined that the investment forum was being held after the recent successful issue of the US$750 million Eurobond. “This reflects the confidence that the international investor community has in our country and confirms the status of our country as a preferred destination,”

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