AfricaWorld Newspaper 1-15 September 2013

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SEP 1-15 2013

VOL 001 Nº42

THE PADDIES

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OF PARNELL ST. debut in dublin

Cont. page 3

By Ukachukwu Okorie Estimee Codsie looks on during mass at the African Chaplaincy centre in St. Peter’s church Phibsboro, D7

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Come celebrate yourself and air your opinion

PASTOR GEORGINA ADESINA IS LAID TO REST

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AFRICAWORLD SEP 1 -15 2013

NEWS

Editorial THE 2ND PAN-AFRICAN LECTURE

BISI ADIGUN LIVE IMPRINTS ON SANDS OF TIME as arambe clocks 10

On the 19th October, the 2nd edition of the pan-African lecture will hold at the Wynn’s Hotel, 39 Abbey Street Lower Dublin 1. Like the inaugural edition delivered by Adekunle Thomas in 2012, this year’s event is packaged to accommodate other activities of interest to our invited guests. David Nyaluke, a Tanzanian, researcher and technocrat will be taking us through the topic ‘Julius Nyerere and the path towards Africa’s sustainability in the 21st century’.

In the tradition and spirit of the yearly lecture, there will be a review and speeches on pan-Africanism from our guests. The occasion will afford upcoming African talents in Ireland to showcase what they can do. There will be cultural dance from different groups, bringing variety as it is in Africa. Irish dancers will be on the ground to entertain as many kids born to African parents are getting involved.

We will be recognising important people who have dedicated their time for the growth and progress of our community, through the Community Service Award. The day will end in Lower Abbey’s - The Grand Central Bar where we intend celebrating our two years of existence. We hope to make the most of the night by dancing, bonding in friendship and renewing our desire to forge ahead in dedication and determination.

As we remind ourselves and you, our esteemed reader, that unless the hunted gives their account, the story of the hunt will always favour the hunter, AfricaWorld thank you for always supporting us in your special way.

Come inside.

Uka.

AfricaWorld Q: Can you tell our readers about Dr. Bisi Adigun?

A: I was born in 1967 in the city of Jos in Nigeria. I lost my mum to a tragic motor accident at the age of nine, so I was relocated to the city of Ile Ife, where I began to live with my aunt. It was in Ife that I completed my primary school at St Murumber Primary School. For my secondary education, I attended Modakeke High School between 1979 and 1984 before proceeding to Federal Government College Kano where I did my A’Level in English Literature, Religious Knowledge and Economics.

I must add that it was at the age of nine that I first saw a full-length play in my life. It was the production of Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not To Blame which he directed himself and in

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

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

which he played the part of the Narrator. As young as I was, I remember laughing at the humour in the play and crying my eyes out at the end when Odewale gorges his eyes out upon realising that he is responsible for the brutal murder of his own father and the woman with whom he has three kids is his own mother. It was philosopher John Locke who once said that: “A child’s mind is a blank slate that experience writes on”. No doubt, it was the impact that spectacular production had on my young mind that made me decide that when I grow up, I would like to become a dramatist and theatre director such as Ola Rotimi. I thought it would be cool to be able to do a job that would make people cry and laugh at the same time.

It was with this in mind that I gained admission through JAMB (Joint Admission Matriculation Board) exams into the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) to study Dramatic Arts in 1987, but when my GCE Advance Level results came out, I was upgraded to part 2. So, I spent three years in Ife instead of four. But during my last

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

year in Ife, I co-founded a semiprofessional touring theatre group called Comic Palace. Upon graduation in 1990, I was posted to the Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation in Ikeja for my National Youth Ser vice assignment where I initiated a weekly radio programme called Corpers’ Diary, which I produced and presented. I was also the director of the Lagos State NYSC Drama troupe.

After my one year national service, I worked with Swift Studios -- a Lagos based independent television company that specialized in making television commercials -- for about two years before I traveled to the UK. I lived and worked in London as a performing artist for three years before I came to Ireland in 1996 with the view to regularise my stay and return to London. 17 years later, I am still here, married to a fine Irish woman from Mayo with whom I am blessed with a lovely daughter. It is indeed true that it is the head that knows where the legs are heading.

AfricaWorld Q: Arambe is reputed to be the first African theatre company in Ireland, how did it start?

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

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A: Yes, Arambe is indeed, Ireland’s first (and probably the only) African theatre company. It evolved out of a project that I was asked to coordinate and showcase at the Project Arts Centre on the eve of the 2003 St Patrick’s Day Festival. Dominic Campbell, the then director of St Patrick’s Festival and Willie White, the then director of Project Arts Centre, asked me to put a show together that would showcase Africa’s rich oral tradition, as against music, costumes and food that usually characterized the socalled multicultural events that became a fad here in Ireland from the late 1990s through to the early 2000s. I contacted every African that I knew at the time and encouraged them to participate in the project, regardless of their acting backgrounds. Entitled African Voices, the twelve-weekend workshop series culminated in a performance showcase, which featured storytelling, poetry recitation, chants, proverb sayings, mime, and a parody of the television game show, The Weakest Link. Actually, it was this project that afforded me the very first opportunity to present an excerpt of Jimmy Murphy’s play, The Kings of the Kilburn High

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

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SEP 1 -15 2013 AFRICAWORLD

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NEWS Road with black actors (I would later produce the full length of the play in 2006). Anyway, it was on the foot of the success of African Voices that Vallejo Gantner, the then director of the Dublin Fringe Festival, and Willie White asked me to propose a play for that year’s Dublin Fringe. I proposed the Irish premiere production of The Gods Are Not To Blame, which I co-directed with Jimmy Fay and in which I played the lead role. On the day the Fringe was going to press to print the Festival brochure, I got a call from Gantner very early in the morning wondering what I would like my company to be called. The first thing that came to my sleepy head was the Yoruba saying: Ara m be ti mo fe da, ka’ye ma pa kadara mi da, meaning there are wonders that I will perform if my destiny is not altered. That was how Arambe came to be, and the rest, as they say, is history.

AfricaWorld Q: Tell us more about Arambe which is celebrating 10 A: Well, I set up the company with two main aims in mind. The first was to introduce Irish audiences to African theatre

traditions. But, more importantly, I wanted to create an avenue through which Ireland-based African immigrants, who would ordinarily be denied access to Irish mainstream art, could identify, nurture and showcase their artistic talents. It was with the view to achieve these dual aims that Arambe had endeavored to produce and present, on a yearly basis, classic or contemporary plays by black writers or a reinterpretation or adaptation of relevant plays in the Irish canon.

AfricaWorld Q: What do you think about Arambe’s journey of a decade?

A: I think what Arambe has achieved within the last decade is phenomenon. To date, we have produced more than a dozen full length plays, curated an international conference and created an intercultural music extravaganza. It is also worth mentioning that it was Arambe who commissioned and enabled The Playboy of the Western World in a new version that had earned the Abbey Theatre (Ireland’s national theatre) more than one million euro in box office. In my view, what Arambe has

demonstrated within a decade of its existence is that immigrants can indeed contribute positively to the socio-cultural and political fabric of the Irish society as well as its economy. In other words, immigration must be seen as more of a blessing to Ireland than a burden. But to put the company’s achievement into its proper perspective, I should perhaps draw your readers’ attention to Colin Murphy’ piece ‘Decade in Review’ which was published in the Irish Independent of 31st December 2009. “Bisi Adigun has been the most sustained and successful of those attempting to reflect Irish demographic change in the theatre”, Murphy writes, “His Arambe theatre company has sought to fuse African and Irish theatre, and his inspired version of Jimmy Murphy’s Irish emigrant play, The Kings of The Kilburn High Road….was a seminal moment, more telling even than his very successful version of The Playboy”. It is a real honour and very humbling for me and Arambe to be counted as one of the ten most important theatre makers in Ireland in the last decade.

AfricaWorld Q: Do you think there’s a market for theatre performance in Ireland from the Africanist perspective?

A: Yes, I think there is market for African theatre, but it is important for the Arts Council and other funding bodies to make funds available to make the kind of theatre that Arambe is known for in the sense that they do attract black and white audiences. No theatre can function properly without subsidy. There is beauty in diversity which, in my view, the Arts Council of Ireland is still grappling to harness properly.

AfricaWorld Q: What is your inspiration?

A: The irresistible urge to create and the indescribable joy of seeing how my creativity brings joy to audiences’ hearts, smile to their faces, laughter to their belles, and deep thoughts to their minds.

AfricaWorld Q: You recently got your Doctorate, what is the next thing on your mind?

A: I have accepted a job offer as a lecturer in a university in Nigeria with the aim to continue to explore the interface between the practice and theory of drama.

AfricaWorld AfricaWorld Q: What is the future of Arambe?

A: To continue to perform wonders, internationally.

A R E V I E W O F T H E P L AY: T H E PA D D I E S O F PA R N E L L S T R E E T

By Martin Ekeocha

This is an inspiring and dramatic presentation of the plight of immigrants in the country written by Dr. Bisi Adigun. The Paddies of Parnell Street was adapted from Jimmy Murphy’s The Kings of the Kilburn High Road, which premiered in 2000 at The Andrews Lane Theatre. It is about five Nigerian immigrants in Ireland who had gathered at a pub to celebrate the birthday of Daps, one among six friends who left Nigeria many years ago. Four of them gathered and awaited their friend

(Victor) who they hope will buy them drinks because he had loads of money.

The play touched on issues that affect immigrants in most parts of the world, but particularly in the recession hit Ireland. They discussed the apparent hopelessness they feel in a country which is not their home, because “if you are not at home, you cannot feel at home”. They discussed about the improvements as well as the backdrops in the Nigerian

economy. And they felt they could have been successful if they had remained in their country, and they gave credence to the proverb that “the pasture is always green on the other side”.

They also discussed issues surrounding bachelorhood as well as marital issues which range from domestic violence to child bearing.

Issues of racism and the terms associated with it were also discussed and the apparent perception of

people about people from other cultures including fellow Africans.

During the course of their celebration, they recollected the apparent suicide of one of them a few weeks earlier. From the suicide of their friend, the link between suicide and hopelessness were highlighted. The feeling of loneliness, the loss of hope, the feeling of regrets and the lack of will-power to tackle the vicissitudes of life were seen to be causes of suicide. They emphasized the dictum

that “where there is a will, there is always a way.”They went on to narrate the extent of their success and failures over the years and the treatment they receive from Employers and the apparent reaction received from Nigerians employees.

The play is comical, educative, and contemporary as it reflects real life situations and real people. It brings out the frustrations of immigrant life and the struggles to live.

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AFRICAWORLD SEP 1 -15 2013

opinion/news

by Paul Kelly ALGERIA Security forces have prevented three attempted bombing attacks on government buildings. 3 bombs were dismantled following two separate operations in Dellys and Bouira.

Dimkpa

IN THE WAKE OF DEPORTATION: POLITICAL ELITE SIT ALONE IN THE THEATRE OF ABSURD

ANGOLA Has partnered with the Chinese building company, Hwam Chan, in building a clean water supply system in Namibe.

The system is expected to benefit 100,000 residents.

BENIN Construction of a new US embassy in the capital city has begun. The embassy is to cost the United States $32 million and create 500 new jobs in the construction industry in Benin.

BOTSWANA The government has launched a new Adopta-School polic y. The policy is to see local communities and companies help pay for the upkeep of primary schools. The first school to begin the programme, Letswai Primar y School, has been adopted by Botswana Building Society.

BURKINA FASO Police have stormed a privately owned radio station, Pulsar Radio, in the nation’s capital. They arrested university students who were speaking as a part of the station’s political programme.

BURUNDI has been condemned as “threatening the security of the Sahel region” by Algerian Colonel Omar Ben Djena. He blamed Morocco for poisoning Algeria and the Sahel region with illegal drugs amounting to $20 billion annually.as begun partnering with airline Air

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Mazi Uche Osakwe

Now and again mysterious things happen. But in Nigeria these are now recurrent events. It is no longer news to hear strange news, events and live experiences occurring: people move about their daily business as if nothing has happened. The reason for people’s trepidation is that the masses are disillusioned about the bickering and squabbling of politicians. Whenever they disagree over political cake, they remember their ethnic zones or their religious affiliations for their personal aggrandisement, then the people become canon folder in a political chess board.

These are the archetypal Nigerian politicians. They are unlike their counterparts in Western countries, whose catchphrase is constituency, and whose electorate acts as a watchdog and punishes any politicians who step out of line.

Although Irish politics seems to be acting out of script nowadays, given the failed electoral promises from Fine Gael midwifed by the Labour Party. Electoral promises are not kept and new manifestoes are smuggled in to please Brussels. First, the college fees will not be touched or increased; we all know that it was not to be or simply a promise at the bedside of a mistress. Second, the abortion question was not part of the Fine Gael/Labour campaign guarantee. But abortion laws were passed and now it is legal to have abortion in Ireland.

Forget the technicalities or whatever the spin-doctors want us to believe, abortion is abor tion. Thirdly, the vulnerable in our society are left to garnish their teeth waiting for politicians to have the heart of milk. Child benefit, social welfare, and medical cards have all been reduced so that a family of two or four hardly makes a living or lives in penury. This is the face of Celtic Tiger in the 21st Century.

These are our modern-day politicians who are more interested in their own selfish ends than those who elected them.

From this perspective, it makes sense to revisit the issue of representation. The question is: are those elected representatives truly the people’s voice? Can they in actual fact represent their fears, aspiration and demands without falling foul of the anger of the people? Gayatri Spivak, a leading feminist critic, questions the idea of representation, which she believes goes against the people being ‘represented’ because these peoples are not truly consulted. The elected representatives assume their voice and speak for them. Their voices are not respected. Candidly, it bites my imagination when politicians rely on the old form of representation that does not take cognisance of the welfare of the people, simply because they are elected. I think people should have greater say on what matters to them than relying on politicians whom, in most cases, have lost touch with the grassroots.

Besides, politicians have always had their ways to circumvent important issues through their sugar- coated words during elections; they know how to spin issues so that you think green is red.

Some will “sex-up” your concerns with words so that you cannot even remember that you once prayed for their downfall. This is a characteristic politician! Thank God that in Western democracy the politicians must explain their stewardship and place it in the public realm for scrutiny. In most sub-Saharan countries, politicians employ all unknown electoral acts to win election, even if they are not elected by the people.

For instance, in the recent Zimbabwe election, the political icon Robert Mugabe was declared the winner even before the election commenced and Morgan Tsvangirai was made to look like a magical abracadabra, the more you look the less you see.

In Nigeria it’s a different kettle of fish. Politicians are demi-gods. The only time you know a politician is campaigning is the presence of disturbing giant billboards scattered all the corners of the cities. The rural folks do not matter or hear paid slogans on television or radio. Many of them don’t even know why they are running; no manifestoes, no programmes, no ideology, and no principle. What you hear is “if you elect me, I will water you and fire you”. You think ‘wow, this is the man’ but he rarely means what he said.

The first day he takes over as governor or chairman he becomes a lordship and his office and house becomes a fortress; the people do not matter again. Another scenario in Nigeria is politicians’ penchant for ruthlessness. Asking a politician serious questions like ‘how do you intend to tackle corruption or improve the welfare of the people?’ may be considered as embarrassing and may fetch you a strange night visit or open rebuff.

There are two classes of politicians in my opinion in Nigeria; those whose victory has been assured

from day one – vote or don’t vote if you like, they have a rigging machine and your votes do not count; and the others who have to fight their way to victory - they may be popular, hardworking and honest, but they are not in the good books of those who constituted themselves as selfstyled “king-makers” or “god-fathers” because the candidate may not play ball. For instance, in Imo State, Nigeria, the governor, Rochas Okorocha is not in the good books of moneybags politicians and contractor politicians, because he refused to allow them to pocket the state’s money and it’s no longer business as usual. A good number of politicians in Nigeria see politics as an investment; hence after election investments have to be recouped. Politics in Nigeria is seen as a do or die affair; it is no longer to serve but to share and grab the national cake.

What sometimes strikes me about our politicians is their penchant for corruption at the expense of the people. The elected officials behave as if there will be no tomorrow. They employ all kinds of people to bully the masses and at the same time are ready to terminate life at all cost.

Some do not have any regard for life; they act with impunity and have no respect for the constitution.

Sometimes, you wonder why the constitution exists in the first place when elected representatives cannot respect its fundamental sanctity; they always find ways to circumvent it. This reminds me of the governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, a man schooled in law. He is not just a “charge and bail” lawyer but a lawyer with emeritus comparable to Queen’s Counsel in England. But because he obeys his stomach rather than his brains, he jettisoned the constitution and forgot that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria allows anybody to reside where ever he/she pleases and that nobody in whatever circumstance should be deported or sent packing against his wish. It is only in Nigeria that a citizen can be deported from his own country and some people will come out and defend the act. This is absurd. Sometimes I wonder why it’s only in Nigeria that elected representatives are above the law or if there is anything special in government house that turns their heads upside down. They become reclusive, insular and out of touch.

They only come back to their senses the next time they are asking for votes. Why must the subaltern suffer every time? Why must the poor always be at the receiving end of the politicians? Must the defenceless suffer for the recklessness of politicians? It is our duty to cater for their welfare. Dumping your fellow citizens in any disguise smacks of stupidity. No reasonable man can do that, but it happened in Nigeria.

I think we should be wiser now and learn politicians’ tricks. That’s only way we can beat their game.

SEP 1 -15 2013 AFRICAWORLD

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news/IT

by Paul Kelly

Morocco’s Has been condemned as “threatening the security of the Sahel region” by Algerian Colonel Omar Ben Djena. He blamed Morocco for poisoning Algeria and the Sahel region with illegal drugs amounting to $20 billion annually.

Mozambique’s

X-RAY

with Fr. Vin Continue from last edition (Part 2)

THE HOPE OF THE AFRICAN YOUTH

The government has urged opposition party CNE to occupy its seats in the National Election Commission. The former rebel group is refusing unless sweeping changes to the electoral law are agreed.

Namibia’s A farmer, Jan Adriaanse, has allegedly run down a man who he thought was a thief. Adriaanse allegedly chased Benjamin Jossop, whom he accused of having stolen his livestock, with his car, knocked him down and then ran over him.

Niger More than 180,000 children havebenefitedfromanewantimalaria treatment. The treatmentisknownasseasonal malaria chemoprevention and is being delivered by aid organisation Medicines Sans Frontiers.

Nigeria Boko Haram have killed 27 youths in Bama, Borno state. The youths were part of a pro-government militia that have proved instrumental in crippling the terrorist organisation.

By Fr. Vincent Ezeoma Arisukwu

Oftentimes the African youth is caught in dilemma, anxiety, uncertainty and near hopelessness regarding the future. A popular slogan in Africa holds that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow, yet the youths are tactically schemed out from opportunities that should position them to face tomorrow with confidence. The youths cannot claim to be leaders of tomorrow when the strong old political pillars block the way for them. For instance, the old men in Africa’s political setting create structures that continue to place the youth at a disadvantage.

This is seen in the education sector in most African countries where the school system especially in the higher institutions of learning is made inconsistent. Nigeria is a typical example of an African

country where lecturers in the universities embark on strike from time to time. This is the greatest way to frustrate the youths and make education unattractive, a ploy by politicians who are afraid to relinquish power. This has a spiral effect. The youths are hired as political thugs during elections.

Most African countries today like Zimbabwe, Sudan, Zaire, Kenya, etc, invariably cannot boast of free and fair elections before the international world. Rather elections in Africa are always marred by organized irregularities sponsored by so called political godfathers. These network of old politicians have many of the youths as their thugs, keep them in their payroll, give them peanuts, equip them with weapons and use them to perpetrate their political gerrymandering. They know that the only way the youths can come up is through education which could place them at strategic positions.

Hence they commit some of them to early passion for money and make them lose moral values. They distract them from academics and make them believe that having quick money is the solution to their problems.

Meanwhile, it is important for the African youth to realize the need to imbibe the proper ethical values. To be leaders of tomorrow implies resisting the lures of lucre. It implies differentiating substance from accidents. It means building such a confidence that can say no to thuggery, hoodlumism and violence.

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

DigiMemo.doc

Rwanda Police are searching for robbers who have robbed a Credit Cooperative in Huye district. The robbers killed the guard and stole over €12,000.

Tunisia’s Interim Prime Minister Ali Larayedh has branded the Islamist Ansar AlSharia movement as a “terrorist organisation”.

He claimed it was behind terrorist attacks in Tunisia, as well as the assassination of political leaders.

It means realizing that role models can only be based on a person’s credibility and not flamboyance or affluence. It is good to realize that the old sit tight rulers in Africa are mere power mongers not to be worshipped or idolized. They are not the right leaders to be imitated. They have become intoxicated and some of them suffer from insecurity complex having committed many atrocities that they fear the consequences of losing their immunity once no longer in power.

Since their only remedy and security remains power, they guard it so jealously or die fighting for it. Hosni Mubarak of Egypt is an example in this regard, so also Robert Mugabe.

The hope of the African youths in the face of the cult of gerontocracy remains total commitment to the course of right and purposeful leadership. Proper education marched by enthronement of moral values remain the best weapons to dethrone the old men from the arena of usefulness. It may take time but it must eventually come with patience and determination some day. In his book, The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale advised, “The man who assumes success tends already to have success. People who assume failure tend to have failure. When either failure or success is picturized it strongly tends to actualize in terms equivalent to the mental image pictured.

Iwastravellinginthecomfort of a long haul flight and stumbled on this fascinating master piece technology. It’s amazing how we tend to reduce stress associated with our daily routine and business activities. This latest design wouldinterestcollegestudents, business minded individuals, secretaries, lecturers and professionals in their various fields. It’s called the DigiMemo L2.

We often take notes and dump or misplace the sheet afterwards. The DigiMemo is a stand-alonedevicewithstorage capabilitythatdigitallycaptures andstoreseverythingyouwrite or draw with ink on ordinary paper, without the use of computer and special paper.

Then you can easily view, edit, organize and share your handwrittennotesinWindows or Mac. When connected to a PC, the DigiMemo L2 offers an on-line writing function which can instantly synchronize your writing on the paper with the digital page in its software in Windows. It is also an USB tablet device in Windows or Mac.

Youmightjustbewondering how it works, it’s simple, and I will illustrate in brief what this intelligent device is capable of doing: Do the writing as usual: Get your writing material ready, either an ordinary paper or notepad and place on the digital pad. Write on the paper with the digital inking pen.The digital pad digitally records anythingyouwriteinitsbuilt-in storage device or an optional SD card in real time. Anytime youcompleteapage,it’sstored as one digital page.

Connect to the PC When you are finally done withyourwriting;connectyour DigiMemo to your PC, using a USB port.

Edit your work The device comes with a manager organizer software.

Withthesoftware,youcaneasily view, edit, organize and share your digital pages in Windows or Mac. In Windows, you also can use the on-line writing function which can instantly synchronizeyourwritingonthe paper with the digital page in its software. Save any digital pages you arbitrarily select as a book file (e-Book).

Work Done Once you have completed your editing, your job is ready for view and submission if you like. You are able to send electronically The digital pad can be effortlessly held in one hand or on the lap and easily operated while you are standing, sitting or reclining. It has an ultra-thin &lightdigitalpenwitharegular andreplaceableinkcartridge.It comes with a digital pad and a pen.Thesizeandweightofpen are almost like those of normal ball pen so, it’s very handy.

It can record your written ideas, sketches, drawings and flowcharts without the worry ofscanning.Ordinarypaperand pen can be used especially whenyouareonthemove/go.

You might want to worry about the storage capability;

the DigiMemo has a built-in 32 MB storage device and expandable by an optional Secure Digital (SD) memory card. Every page is only about 400KBso,youdefinitelyrequire to expand depending on your work load.

The file can be saved as most commonformatslikePDF,BMP, JPG, TIF, GIF or PNG and easily copy or move to another program files such as Outlook e-mail message, Word file or Excel file …etc.

DigiMemo comes with the following software: DigiMemo Manager Organizing Software for Windows DigiMemo Handwriting Recognition OCR Software for Windows - MyScript Notes for ACECAD (30-day trial) DigiMemoFormSoftwarefor Windows - ArioForm Lite for ACECAD

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AFRICAWORLD SEP 1 -15 2013

people

PRIDE OF AFRICA

WU K HU C O OG OR F A OK

Sandra Ogochukwu Juliet Okafor (Sandy) is a student of Athlone IT. Pretty Sandy enjoy singing, dancing, making new friends and hanging out with mates. “I love watching tv, reading, playing basketball and athletics”, Sandy informed AfricaWorld.Our Pride of Africa’s main dream is to make her parents proud. She plans to be Successful just like Oprah someday.

“I also love looking out for people making sure they are alright.. someday, by Gods grace, I’ll be able to go to poor countries and help out in various charities”, Sandy concluded

SEP 1 -15 2013 AFRICAWORLD

column/news

by Paul Kelly

Libya’S Government has threatened military action in order to destroy a blockade on harbours which is threatening oil exports. The blockade was put in place by guards at the harbours who allegedly wish to secure the oil wealth for themselves.

dd’s cubicle

THE UNITED STATES WILL RESPOND TO THAT “MORAL OBSCENITY’’

Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina, has confirmed that he will respect the decision of an electoral court and will not stand for re-election this October.

By Dunstan Ukaga

“The indiscriminate slaughter of civilians, the killing of women and children and innocent bystanders by chemical weapons is a moral obscenity.”

Malawi Three policemen from Scotland are to help Malawi security forces prepare for the 2014 elections. One officer ser ved 17 years in Northern Ireland. The three are to provide riot training.

Mali Nigerian chief of defence Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim has condemned the presence of the UN intervention force in strifetorn Mali. The Admiral argued that the Nigerian led African Intervention Fund have already restored peace back to the country.

Mauritania And Niger have signed a military cooperation agreement.

Both countries already work together closely as a part of the Joint Military Staff Committee of the Sahel Region.

Zambia Opposition party UPND have announced that they will no longer seek police permission b e fo re demonstrating against the government, after being refused such permission 15 times. “From now on, we’ll disregard the police and march,” said Secretary General Kunchunga Simusamba.

ST PETER’S CHURCH PHIBSBORO TODAY DURING MASS. The annual Harvest and Thanksgiving Service will hold on Sunday 8 September

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John Kerry does not talk tough. But when he talks and condemns a killing of this magnitude, the world must start listening. This week, Secretary of State Senator John Kerry let everyone know that the United States believes that Syria’s Bashar Assad used chemical weapons to destroy civilians last week and vowed that the United States will respond to that “moral obscenity”. In a statement likely meant for Syria, its patron Russia and step-aside backer China, he further stated: “Anyone who can claim that an attack of this staggering scale could be contrived or fabricated needs to check their conscience and their own moral compass.

By any standard it is inexcusable, and despite the excuses and equivocations that some have manufactured, it is undeniable.”

As he spoke to reporters at the State Department, he described the attack in very personal terms, detailing how he had watched the “gut-wrenching” videos of the dead and dying via social media. But yet there are no details about when a decision on whether to use force in response to last week’s massacre in Syria might come. Kerry said that the United States government and its allies are reviewing non-public information about the alleged attack and promised that“we will provide that information in the days ahead.”

He warned: “Make no mistake, President (Barack) Obama believes there must be accountability for those who would use the world’s most heinous weapons against the world’s most vulnerable people”.“Nothing today is more serious and nothing is receiving more serious scrutiny.”

THE USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS IS A RED LINE. An agency report describes the killing in Syria this way: “Scores of men, women and children were killed outside Damascus on Wednesday in an attack marked by the telltale signs of chemical weapons: row after row of corpses without visible injury; hospitals flooded with victims, gasping for breath, trembling and staring ahead languidly; images of a gray cloud bursting over a neighborhood. But even with videos, witness accounts and testimonies by emergency medics, it was impossible to say for certain how many people had been killed and what exactly had killed them. The rebels blamed the government, the government denied involvement and Russia accused the rebels of staging the attack to implicate President Bashar al-Assad’s government.”

“Images of death and chaos poured out of Syria after what may be the single deadliest attack in more than two years of civil war. Videos posted online showed dozens of lifeless bodies,

men wrapped in burial shrouds and children, some still in A year ago, President Obama said the use of chemical weapons by Bashar Assad was a red line. The attack was especially conspicuous given the presence in Damascus of investigators sent by the United Nations to investigate chemical strikes reportedly waged earlier in the war. The United States, the European Union and other world powers called for the investigators to visit the site of Wednesday’s attack.

The Security Council, meeting in emergency session, issued a statement calling for a prompt investigation of the allegations and a cease-fire in the conflict, but no further action was taken.

María Cristina Perceval of Argentina, the president of the Council meeting was hears to state: “I can say that there is a strong concern among Council members about the allegations and a general sense that there must be clarity on what happened, and that the situation has to be followed carefully,” According to Ms Perceval,“All Council members agreed that any use of chemical weapons, by any side under any circumstances, is a violation of international law.” A diplomat from Britain, Philip Parham, also asked the UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon to request Syria “urgent access” to the attack site.

OPPOSITION ACCOUNT The opposition’s account of the deadly events states that Mr Assad’s forces deployed poison gas on a number of rebel-held suburbs east of Damascus, the capital. They described medics finding people dead in their homes.

Clips posted online showed mostly men and children. Opposition activists said that many women were killed too, but that out of respect they were not photographed.

THE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS An activist who gave his name as Abu Yassin stated:“I saw many children lying on beds as if they were sleeping, but unfortunately they were dead. We thought this regime would not use chemical weapons, at least these days with the presence of the UN inspectors, it is reckless.

The regime is saying, ‘I don’t care.” The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said late on Wednesday that more than 130 people had been confirmed dead in attacks around Damascus, although it could not confirm the use of gas. Other opposition estimates put the death toll at more than 1,000.

A MILITARY RESPONSE? Meanwhile, U.S. naval units are moving closer to Syria as President Barack Obama considers

US Sec. of state John kerry

a military response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by Assad’s government. US defence officials told The Associated Press that the Navy had sent a fourth warship armed with ballistic missiles into the eastern Mediterranean Sea but without immediate orders for any missile launch into Syria.

As Mr Kerry accused the Syrian government of cynically seeking to cover up the use of the weapons and he rejected its denial of responsibility for what he called a “cowardly crime,” affirming that the US is moving closer to a military response in consultation with America’s allies. The New York Times states that “Although the United States was consulting with allies, administration officials said they had largely abandoned hopes of obtaining any authorization for action in the United Nations Security Council, given the all-but certain veto from Russia’’.

THE COST OF INVADING SYRIA As of today, about 60% of Americans do not support the US invading Syria while about 9% support the US only if she is convinced Damascus has used chemical weapons.

However the loss of lives, the pains of the wars in Iran, Afghanistan and other covert wars engaged in by the US have not been forgotten.

The cost and its economic implications do not favour the US nor the world at this time of economic recovery.

Already the Syrian government has warned the United States not to launch any military action against Damascus over an alleged chemical attack, saying such a move would set the Middle East ablaze. Setting the Middle East ablaze will mean total inferno, total break down and total annihilation. But on whose interests and gains? “The basic repercussion would be a ball of fire that would burn not only Syria but the whole Middle East,”said Syria’s Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi, in an interview with Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen TV.“An attack on Syria would be no easy trip” he concludes. For now, Obama and even Iran believe invading Syria would “complicate matters.”

SHALL THE WORLD FOLD HER HANDS? The moral question is asked above. Shall the world fold her hands while innocent and defenceless civilians are slaughtered by a rudderless regime? Only the UN with unbiased investigators will tell us what was used by Damascus and determine the next line of action. Still the US has the moral rights to take out the Syrian regime if it is established Damascus has crossed the “Red Line’’.

8

AFRICAWORLD SEP 1 -15 2013

photo news

Family, friends and members of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (M.F.M) Ireland payed their last respect to PASTOR (MRS) GEORGINA BOLANLE ADESINA, who was buried on Friday, 23/August at the Mulhuddat Cemetry.

PASTOR GEORGINA ADESINA IS LAID TO REST

SEP 1 -15 2013 AFRICAWORLD

news

PICTURES

Ghana An Israeli mining company has been accused of violating Ghana’s mining laws. The company, P2W, has been allegedly preventing workers from unionising.

Guinea Presidential security personnel have attacked journalists during President Conde’s visit to Labe village. The attacks come four days after an assault on a privately owned radio station which covered a presidential rally.

Guinea Bissau More than 700 people have been diagnosed with cholera in the country this year, the highest rate inWest Africa.The WHO has blamed isolated health centres, insufficient medical personnel and detrimental traditional beliefs for the epidemic.

Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on opposition politicians to “give Kenyans a break”, in the face of mounting pressure for a referendum on the constitution which would give individual counties more power.

Liberia Not a single candidate who sat the admissions exam for the University of Liberia passed this year. 24,000 students took the test.

Scores of 50 percent in Maths and 70 percent in English are required to pass the exam.

AkiDwA and Africa Centre are working together to increase migrants democratic participation in Ireland.

AkiDwA promotes the equality of migrant women in Irish society, supports migrant women’s greater participation in Irish society, and develops migrant women’s capacity for participation and representation in their communities. Africa Centre’s mission is to facilitate the meaningful inclusion of African people in all social, political and economic aspects of life in Ireland.

Civic and political participation is understood as the active dimension of citizenship, therefore democratic participation for migrants should be reflected at all levels. Migrant participation at the local level is believed to be one of the most important and effective measures because it leads to better understanding of shared values and respect for cultural differences, both of which are essential for

democratic development.

The number of Irish residents who were born outside Ireland continues to increase. It stood at ov er 760,000 in 2011, accounting for 17 per cent of the population. There were more than 544,000 non-Irish nationals living in Ireland in April 2011 with almost 270,000 working in Ireland in April 2011 in all different fields, skill levels, and positions; accounting for 15.1 per cent of the total number of workers at the time. This represents the influence and input that non-Irish nationals have on Ireland’s culture and economy. However, the level of democratic participation by immigrants and non-Irish in Ireland is very low. About 12% of the population are from immigrant backgrounds while only 2-3% of elected officials are. Many migrants are involved in religious and community organisations but have yet to see their involvement represented in decision-making. Similarly, there is an increasing need to

make sure that migrants are given a “fair share” in the democratic process in Ireland.

For this to be possible, the representation of migrants in political and leadership spheres is crucial.

AkiDwA and Africa Centre wish to undertake grassroots mobilisation among the migrant community to encourage and ensure that migrants are involved at all levels of decision making.

Objectives:

•To analyse the current situation of migrants in decision-making processes, with particular emphasis on their civic, political participation and leadership at local, regional, national and European levels •To promote civic and political participation of migrants as a strategy for s t re n g t h e n i n g social integration and combating marginalisation and social exclusion In order to assess the current state of migrant participation in civic and political decisionmaking, we will be conducting a mapping exercise on migrant participation in a variety of organisations throughout the 26 counties of Ireland.

Research will be done to discover the level of participation of individual migrants at community/local/ national levels but also on the continuity, visibility and efficiency of such participation. The researchers will draw up a questionnaire, collect information, analyse and submit written findings and recommendations.

In October, there will be a one-day conference in Dublin to share and discuss the outcome of the research on migrant democratic participation Ireland. There will be high-profile leaders to speak and highlight the importance of migrant democratic participation and provide good models of other countries whose integration was improved through migrant participation.

There is expected to be 100 participants.

In December, a one-day workshop in Dublin will take place; we will seek the facilitation of Simon Woolley from Operational Black Vote in the UK due to his expertise in the area of mobilisation. He will be training and informing the approximately 30 participants on the capacity of mobilising their communities to get involved in all levels of Irish society. Finally, shortly before the local elections in 2014, a one-day seminar in Dublin will be held to support and encourage migrants to participate as voters or candidates. Approximately 100 participants will be provided with information about the Irish political landscape and current election issues that may affect the voter’s choices. The goal of this exercise and subsequent events is to improve migrant democratic participation through research, awareness raising, training, and informative events. Because there has not been research in this area yet, AkiDwA and Africa Centre are focused on raising awareness and activism encouraging migrant participation in local, regional, and national leadership.

Emer Costello MEP DRIVES YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

Western Sahara Sweden’s Social Democratic Party have said that they fully support the cause of the Saharawi people as they struggle to liberate themselves from Morocco.

IN EUROPE

Is to set up a national human rights commission.

The commission is to help Parliament draft legislation and investigate reported human rights abuses.

Improving Migrant Democratic Participation in Ireland

DEMOCRACY

Gambia

INCLUSIVE

by Paul Kelly

9

“I want to see at least one third of Ireland’s allocation going to Dublin, including Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown” Emer Costello MEP How could the European Youth Guarantee benefit Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown?

Emer’s campaign continues

with a PUBLIC INFORMATION SEMINAR ON FRIDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER, 9.30 am-12 noon at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire.

Youth unemployment is the biggest single challenge we face. 55,000 young men and women, including nearly 4,000 in Dun Laoghaire and south county Dublin, are currently out of work in Ireland. The figure for Europe as a whole stands at 5.6 million.

The European Union is now providing €8 billion to combat youth unemployment. These funds will be used to implement the European Youth Guarantee in EU regions with very high (i.e. above 25%) rates of youth unemployment.

Based on what works in other European countries, this is intended to offer young unemployed people quality employment, training, an apprenticeship or further education within four months of finishing their education or becoming unemployed. EU spending will be frontloaded over 2014 & 2015.

This event is aimed at enabling young people in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and organisations working with them find out more about the European Youth Guarantee and, crucially, to have their say on how it should be implemented so that it guarantees a brighter future for young people and makes a real

impact on the area’s youth unemployment crisis.

Speakers will include representatives of youth organisations, local partnership groups, unemployed groups, and Government and European bodies involved in the European Youth Guarantee.

As places are limited, please register at emer.costello@ep. europa.eu or 8746109 before 5.00pm, Wednesday, 11 September if you would like to attend.

Emer Costello is a Member, European P a r l i a m e n t ’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee. She is also Leader, Irish Delegation, S&D Group, European Parliament

10 AFRICAWORLD SEP 1 -15 2013

beauty & fashion Sierra Leone Shanty buildings in the Government Wharf area have been swept away by strong tides. Almost all of the buildings were destroyed or damaged, although no one was hurt.

Somalia Colonel Ali Gure of the Somali National Army has been shot dead by one of his own troops. Gure was shot last week while attempting to clear illegal roadblocks set up by the military in Mogadishu.

South Africa Former President Mandela has been awarded the Lifetime Award for Global Peace from the Mahathir Global Peace Foundation.

The award was received on his behalf by President Zuma while he visited Malaysia.

South Sudan James Wani Igga has been appointed as the new vice president of South Sudan, replacing Riek Machar Tenny who was removed in a major cabinet reshuffle last month.

Sudan The Sudanese government have again rejected the proposal of a referendum on the future of the disputed area of Abyei, arguing that the establishment of local institutions should come first.

Swaziland A march for democracy is expected to take place on the 5th of September.

Over 10,000 people are expected to attend the demonstration which is jointly organised by the Swaziland National Union of Students, the Swaziland United Democratic Front and the Swaziland Democracy Campaign.

Uganda A new police report has found that 250 Ugandans are stranded abroad every year through human trafficking rings. Many are then forced into unpaid labour or the sex trade.

love/news

AGONY CORNER

With Abdul Yusuf

Domestic Violence: Are Men Also Victims?

Becky could sense that something was wrong immediately she got home that night. The reluctance of the security guard to open the gate on her way has signalled the danger ahead but she walked right into it. Her husband, Emi, wielding a long whip, was standing at the entrance of the house, his countenance warning her to turn back but it was too late!

like this and would start questioning me about things again. It was like that for six years or so and during that time, we had two children. Also during that time, he would get angry occasionally and would call me names. I always thought that his behaviour was my fault, mainly due to the thoughts he instilled in me at the beginning of the relationship.

whereas it was my wife who did it with her nails and sometimes her teeth.”

It was 10.30pm. Becky had spent hours in the ever-busy Lagos traffic.

She had left her office on the Island by 5.30 pm after a hectic day, but had no control over the ensuing logjam.

On alighting from the car, her plan was to explain to her husband why she was so late. But that was not to be. He whipped her black and blue before she could do so.

“When I started working in a bluechip company on the Island, I thought things would be better but that was not the case. We all know about the Lagos traffic, and whenever I got home late, he would descend on me.

He was in private business and managed his time, but because his business was not doing very well initially, he allowed me to work so as to complement his earnings. He used to take everything I earned until I began to resist that. Over the years, I grew in my job but that never mattered to him. The beatings even got worse until I started fighting back and we called it quits”.

Abuse is not always physical, and a lot of men, in common with many women, face daily emotional, verbal and psychological abuse in silence for years, their self-esteem being slowly eroded and some get isolated from others around them due to shame.

The next day, Becky got to the office with a black eye and her skin was pock-marked with blotches. She lied to her curious colleagues that she fell down the staircase at home, and was given three days’ break to treat herself.

But unknown to Becky, her colleagues had noticed a pattern. Over the years, she had often appeared at her workplace with bruises and the ‘tired’ excuse that she had an accident.

Before long, though, Becky learnt to fight back. Her matrimonial home became a battle field and eventually, her marriage packed up. But she made sure she left her guy with a permanent disability during a fight.

Recalling her experience, Becky said she was 21 years old when they met.

“I met him when I was 21 and he was 10 years older than me. For the first couple of months, we had a great time, spending all our spare time together. I thought it would be fun but it wasn’t like that. He was a bit too serious and I admired that as a masculine quality. I enjoyed him asking questions about my past and other family members.

“But when we got married, he began asking about my previous boyfriends.

He wanted to know how long I’d known them before I slept with them, and where and how it had happened.

When I was vague or didn’t want to answer his questions, he would get angry and I would get frustrated with him and plead with him to stop or tap him on his arm but that was always my mistake. He would hit me, leaving me with bruises, mainly on my arms.

The main effect of this violence was that I started to change. I stopped being myself. I would avoid any conversation with friends that would have anything to do with him. I didn’t look at or talk to other men.

“During sex, I didn’t initiate anything or lose control of myself. He wouldn’t

Meanwhile, if you think women are the only victims of domestic violence, you have to think again. The catch, though, is that most men are ashamed to tell their stories. No man, after all, wants to admit that his wife or partner dominates or abuses him. Men are often thought of as strong, domineering and macho. Boys, even at a young age, are taught that it is unmanly to cry. So the idea of a grown man being frightened or vulnerable is a taboo. The idea of a man being battered is ludicrous. Hence, many male victims of abuse may feel “less of a man” for their experience, as though they are in some way not manly enough and ought to have the ability to prevent the abuse.

But not all men are as lenient as John. The truth of the matter is that many will hit back at wives who attack them, and when they do, they risk being accused of physical abuse themselves.

Linus Nwafor recalls what happened to his neighbour.

“I was dumbfounded when I saw my neighbour getting struck by this woman he spent the night with. I was the one who called the police. I had to do that because my son was married to a violent young woman for a few months before he left her. My son was larger than her and nobody believed she abused him violently. She never used weapons, so she didn’t come close to hurting him physically. But she hit him whenever she got the opportunity, cut up his clothes and threw them in the yard. She destroyed the properties he had accumulated over the years, including their wedding album. Neither party was blameless, but the physical violence was all hers. If my son had ever hit her, there would have been evidence for weeks.”

Pedro, an accountant who is still married, said he had witnessed hell in his marriage.

“She discouraged me from seeing old friends, especially female friends.

She threatened to use violence against them. She would flirt with my friends, but then tell me that they were trying to seduce her behind my back. This left me feeling distrustful of my friends. Later on, I found out that she had been telling them they shouldn’t come around because I was insanely jealous. All this had the effect of damaging my social network.

“I am in a marriage with a woman who has difficulty controlling her rage, which would frequently erupt with verbal abuse and screaming. We fight a lot but she is always the one initiating it. In one particular case, after she initiated a fight by kicking and throwing punches, she called the police to report me as the violent abuser! When they responded, I was seen as the bad guy, she was the victim! These days, I try to stay away from home, visiting friends and other family members at the close of work.

Most times, I get home drunk and sleep in the sitting room. I stopped eating her food and she doesn’t care”.

“As our relationship progressed, she began to scream at me and hit me.

She had attacked me with a knife once and I asked her to leave my house, but after intervention by in-laws, I brought her back to the house. But that didn’t stop her. She would even bite me and I would lie to my friends that I had scratched myself while shaving;

In the final analysis, no one – male or female – deserves to be hit, insulted and ridiculed or touched intimately if s(he) has asked not to be. No one deserves to be treated like a doormat, threatened, attacked with a weapon, shamed before peers, told what to do, when and with whom. In fact, no one deserves to be abused in any way.

John, a trader, admitted he has a domineering wife but has been able to check her excesses over the years.

SEP 1 -15 2013 AFRICAWORLD 11

COLUMN/NEWS

news

CAMEROON Trucks secretly transporting logs of bubinga and charcoal have been seized by agents of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife in Littoral. It is illegal to fell bubinga in Cameroon due to its rarity.

WHISPERS FROM THE REEDS Ntombizandile ‘Zee’ Tshabalala place personally, and deal with the anger and hatred of the past and to find ways to connect to other people that I hadn’t prior to democracy.

How do you see the world as an African woman?

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC A Catholic Church in B ohong has been attacked by rebel groups.

None were injured, but the church buildings were severely damaged and local priests and nuns were forced to flee the town.

CHAD Blogger Jean Etienne Laokolé and Union of Chadian Journalists general secretary Eric Topona have been given a three year suspended sentence on defamation charges. The charges are largely considered an attempt by the government to destroy press freedom in the country.

CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE A French judge has charged Congolese General Norbert Dabira with crimes against humanity in connection with the disappearance of hundreds of young men in 1999, shortly after the end of the country’s civil war. The General denies the charges.

NDIZA LE (Fly high) is an initiative/

business founded by South African business woman Ntombizandile ‘Zee’ Tshabalala. It covers a wide range of training and development in South Africa. Diversity being the organisation’s primary focus, it is based in South Africa but reaches other shores as well as the women in Dublin. Mrs Zee was recently in Dublin as part of the Women Day (9 August ) celebration organised by the ANC Ireland branch. As usual, AfricaWorld caught up with her for a brief chat. Excerpt:

Why Diversity ?

I think having been raised in South Africa under apartheid, being affected by apartheid laws and being impacted by it as a black person. I had lived my whole life under apartheid, then democracy came when I was an adult. Raising children and life in general in the new South Africa was very difficult for me especially, in reconciling the new realities with what I have been told in the past. So I decided I was going to work on diversity for myself to get to a better

Complex, there are lots of difficulties and challenges. Women are faced with a lot of those challenges particularly the African woman.

However, there are so many positive things.

Black woman are channelling a way forward even with the limited resources that are at their disposal.

What can we do to ensure that the resources are fully available?

I think the woman that have had the exposure and education should help others shout louder, because I think we have a responsibility to make sure that the resources are distributed evenly for a more productive society. We need to hold each other accountable because most times when we have made it, we forget where we come from. We need to keep reminding each other where we come from and how far we still need to grow.

What are the challenges of AFRICAN WOMEN?

As a business woman in South Africa, it is tough.

Getting recognition is hard as most business would be offered to the white owners and the next in line would be the black man. Black women would have to fight tooth and nail to make it. We are often at the bottom of the pecking order. One will not even get to know what opportunities are available. On another

level, domestic abuse is still a threatening factor for African woman, coupled with inequality, but having said that I think we have come a long way and the future is very bright.

What would be our contribution to the course of mankind ?

When I think about the 20000 women marching in 1956, it blows my mind and I do think,‘ how did they do it?’You must remember that there was no cell phones and internet then and yet those women then pulled it off. There are lots we can do, infact, there is a lot already being done. It is the support as well, you know the old saying“If you want to go fast, go alone and if you want to go far, take a companion.”This is not just for yourself but for the generation that is to come as well.

Educate the girl child campaign, what is your take on that?

In South Africa, once a year, there is a campaign whereby you take a girl child to work, research has shown that if you educate a girl or a woman, you educate a nation. It is important that we highlight the need for education not just for girls but boys as well.

What are your victories I think the way I am bringing up my children is my greatest joy.

Words of Encouragement Always keep your voice. Speak for yourself and others, inspire and build. Never lose your voice or forget where you come from.

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

CONGO-KINSHASA Thousands have been displaced following clashes between government forces and rebels in the county’s Ituri district. The civilians fled following shelling and gun fire.

COTE D’IVOIRE The privately-owned proopposition newspaper, Le Quotidien d’Abidjan has been shut down by the press regulatory body for “unprofessional reportage”.

Tanzanian Police cleared an area surrounding a Lutheran church in Dar Es Salaam after hearing of a suspected bomb. On investigation, however, the ‘bomb’ turned out to be a device used to record the weather for the local airport.

Onome Brown aka Popcorn

By Nena Huntaz Ubani

Onome Brown aka Popcorn is a multi-talented artiste who was born and bred in Delta State. He is currently signed to Hybreed Music founded by Ikechukwu ‘Moniyke’ Kenneth. Popcorn has been musicinclined from a tender age, but started professionally in 2010. He has a released single ‘Go DJ’ produced by Onojake Erhiga, which was dedicated to Nigerian Disc Jockeys, some of whom he mentioned on the Track, like DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ Scratch, DJ Humility, DJ Waxxy, DJ Neptune and few others amongst many. His 2nd official single titled‘Orimi’is currently getting massive airplay. Keep your eyes open for this young man.

12 AFRICAWORLD SEP 1 -15 2013

NEWS

family CORNER Djibouti The coast guard have rescued a boat of 100 illegal Ethiopian immigrants bound for Yemen. The boat was found adrift in Djibouti’s waters after it developed engine trouble.

Egypt 37 Muslim Brotherhood supporters have been killed by the Egyptian government. The 37 suffocated after CS teargas was fired at them to try and prevent their escape from a detention facility.

Equatorial New Guinea Has taken the Presidency of the UN’s Africa Group.

The group is intended to increase the negotiating power of African countries in the UN. Egypt last held the Presidency.

Eritrea 108 members of the Eritrean navy have been massacred by the country’s border security as they attempted to escape to neighbouring Yemen. Every year hundreds die trying to escape the country’s harsh dictatorship.

Ethiopia Has begun a national peace conference in the country’s capital. The conference is to last three days and is to promote peace between the country’s diverse religious groups.

GabonESE Referee Nzolo Jerome has been heavily criticised after giving a red card to Argentinean striker Leandro González Pirez. The striker described him a “real disaster”.

CHIT CHAT OCTOBER Zimbabwe’S Vimbai Mutinhiri, a former Big Brother housemate, has signed an advertising deal with Nokia. As a part of the deal, she will feature in three commercials for the new Lumia 520, together with high-profile entertainment figures Uti Nwachukwu and Lawrence Maleka.

A Hypnotised and Separated Father of Three Caught In Hot and Wild Romance It was indeed a relationship that was suppose to be a ‘Hit and Run’ but luck ran into the controversial lady in question who happens to hail from one of the East African countries. This lady presently resides somewhere close to Balbriggan and a single mother of three. When one takes a first glance at her, she is indeed an epitome oWf beauty with all the contours in the right places on her body. Her seductive stare at others is so hot that she could make an ice-cream melt. When she looked at a man, he would be naturally drawn to her and any man would not hesitate to have her in between the sheets of his bed. But unknown to many, she is as smart as a fox, as fast as a cheetah and as poisonous as a viper.

The hypnotized lover is a known Big Boy in the city of Dublin working in a reputable and well known company. He is sweet, affectionate, understanding and one of the most generous dudes that one could ever have as a friend. He is someone who adores and cherishes sex a lot and could go to any length to get the lady of his choice. He never keeps one relationship because sex to him is never enough. One of the reasons again most ladies would like to date him apart from his generosity is the fact that the secret between his thighs (a whopper or mammoth) is what most ladies would die to have. This weapon is what keeps attracting those he had bedded before to keep coming back asking for more. He is a footloose when it comes to dating. His mantra is ‘let’s keep things light’. at the moment, he is a perennial bachelor. As for the single mother, please lads, spot her first before you get hooked.

To be continued on next edition. Stay tuned!

SEP 1 -15 2013 AFRICAWORLD 13

family corner

P

s m e o e

ma Amakez

By Ositadin

ALL I WANT IS YOU What a terrible distance!

My cherry shows substance In manners so constant The heart needs assistance ‘cos it is so persistent And also more important And much more committed Without complacency She talks from a distance Emotion seem authoritative Making the ears attentive Pulse race beating automatic

ON THE HILLS OF BALLYMUN Trekking for a dream Fermented by the grays on Annesley A knock that got a nod In the time of the reign Cycling from the premier place Through the usual apiam way After it starting from Grattan You calmed my brains from the madness of boredom In a place I nearly got lost A pour in the cup of wisdom and feather to man’s cap a mighty citadel on the hill

Wisdom Bits

THE PRETTY VULTURE How are the mighty dancing?

In tune for burying Service they keep singing Because its for keeping Like a vulture walking Meandering and crying Like a pauper starving Praying and genuflecting Like the priest expecting Devours the heart salivating The soul of his originality He lives on opportunity Atop his own perching Carcass he’s munching

MWANAMKE MZURI Ushers in the greatness Like the vine keeper Thighs herald the dawn Yet tops are yet to none Loving you are to prove Tempests you conquer Flashing your fangs For the eagle that poach For the one that devour Salt of the world Kiss that lures forth Touch that soothe And genesis of it

- If the intestines reveal all it has eaten, it could be terrible Meaning: Confidentiality is often important for security

- It is said that the shame of bringing down a raised matchet causes fatality Meaning: Cowards act out of cowardice

- The art of jumping around is a frog’s trademark Meaning: There are individual characteristics which ought to be noted

- The presence of a strong man discourage a punitive action Meaning: Preparation stop failure

- The palm wine tapper does not reveal all he saw at the treetop Meaning: Morals are sign of good values

- A one-eyed man is indebted to blindness Meaning: Self preservation is one’s most important law

SAM MAGUIRE From the corners of Eireann for all the faithful reminding the living and yet to breath here is brotherhood a clash of their faith never dull the moment you ignite passion energy and fusion you made a nation the tricolour flew despite the enemy gift announcing ceasefires and the importance for all generations

Connect with

AfricaWorld on

#africaworldnews

F O L K TA L E Cry For a Pair of Shoes

recipe column

OTONG SOUP

by Genevieve Agorua

Ingredient

Is a very rich Okro & vegetable soup from Calabar.

Ingredient; Assorted meat like beef, bokoto, ponmo, cow leg, stockfish, dry or fresh fish,

periwinkles, crayfish, pepper, onions, ugu [pumpkin leave], fresh okro, Etinkirin [uziza leave], palm oil, salt, maggi, fresh or dry Prawn and water.

Cooking Is a very rich Okro & vegetable soup from Calabar. Ingredient; Assorted meat like beef, bokoto, ponmo, cow leg, stockfish, dry or fresh fish, periwinkles, crayfish, pepper, onions, ugu [pumpkin leave], fresh okro, Etinkirin [uziza leave], palm oil, salt, maggi, fresh or dry Prawn and water.

There was once a single mother who was very poor and could not afford a pair of shoe for her daughter.

The little girl complained to her mother about going barefoot while many other children had spare shoes and sandals. Despite her numerous complains, her mother was unable to provide her a pair of shoe or sandals and her daughter resorted to making threats. She told her mother that she would go on a hunger strike if she did not get a pair of shoe.

One day, her mother took her to the local market square where she sold herbs and roots that provided them their daily bread. When they arrived at the market square and settled in their selling point, the little girl spotted a young boy, about her age, hopping between crutches that were bigger than him.

Instantly, she felt cold shivers run through her spine, and compassion filled her heart for this boy: “Oh! How can I be worked up about a pair of shoe from my poor mum when someone else does not even have two legs? God, I should be thanking you for the gift of kindness and love towards me and giving me two legs. From now onwards, I shall cease to disturb my mother over the lack of a pair of shoe”.

The little girl went to school and told her friends about her experience

2. Add your boiled soft stockfish, the dry or fresh fish, 2 or 3 tablespoon of crayfish, 1 or 2 tablespoon of pepper depending on the meat & fish, Prawn, and 1 cup of water. Allow it to boil for 10 minutes.

3. Add periwinkles, 1 more maggi, half cup or one full cup of palm oil because you need more of oil in it than water, okro, ugu, uziza, then stir it to blend very well.

Allow it to boil for 2 minutes and take it down from fire. You can serve it with fufu or Anyang Ekpang, or garri.

14 AFRICAWORLD SEP 1 -15 2013

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PICTURE NEWS

9ice in dublin Party goers and fans of Nigeria-born singer 9ice partied at the Button Factory, D1 - Dublin

COMEDY LIKE A BOSS:

Rising Dublin Comedian FABU D, cracked ribs at the launch of his show ‘Comedy like a Boss’ at Dame Lane, D2.

Historian - RUNOKO RASHIDI WITH FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIAN BLACK PANTHER PARTY IN TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA IN 2008.

Martin Luther King Jr. ‘I have a dream’ speech remembered 50years on recently.

SEP 1 -15 2013 AFRICAWORLD 15

NEWS/ANALYSIS

Psychological Help Urgent for Irish based Congolese

By Lilian Fotabong Youths from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) now in Ireland are in urgent and instant need of psychological help to cope with traumas of their war-torn homeland.

This was one of many issues highlighted at the lunch of SOS Congolese Youth Organisation, which took place at the Limerick Youth Centre, last Wednesday.

According to one of the founders of the organisation, Donat Mabana, it is imperative for young Congolese to be provided with psychological assistance as a key solution to many issues confronting them.

Mr Mabana said:“Immigrants from the DRC come from a stratospheric background of violence that now inhibits them from integrating or fitting fully into the Irish society.

“And without real help for these real problems confronting Congolese youths, there will not be a lasting solution; rather, there is likelihood for them to become violent, because people from war zones have potential to become violent themselves.”

Mr Mabana added that some young Congolese have carried with them into Ireland, personal violent experiences and are manifesting them in many ways including, self-harm, substance abuses, teenage pregnancies and dependency on social

welfare.

The President of Campaign for Democracy in Congo (CDC) and Director of SOFAD Ireland, John Lannon, was at the launch, and said it is important for the Government to facilitate Congolese youths in Ireland so as harness their full potential.

Mr Lannon is also a lecturer in the University of Limerick (UL); He said, while deportations are real and urgent issues affecting Irish based Congolese, the availability of Information Technology (IT) can play a vital role in youth empowerment.

“I don’t ever underestimate the power and potential of people, especially the Congolese. Often we don’t agree most of the time, but if we have a common goal, we can provide opportunities to influence policy in favour of Congolese youths in Ireland and beyond, especially in the face of IT.” The international community has been driven by economics, rather than peace, when providing lasting solutions to the DRC, Mr Lannon said. Adding that because of colonisation, societies think that Africans are not capable of taking initiatives, but this needs to change.

“Congolese youths in Ireland should stop Europe from doing disruptive things in the Congo because they are the future of Congo and Ireland. They have

the solutions to their problems and Europe should listen to the youths,” the lecturer added.

Mr Lannon, said, although change is slow, Ireland is becoming more aware of the challenges and problems facing the Congo, and “immigrants are gradually being recognised by their skills and no longer by their skin colours”.

One of the Congolese youth participants at the launch is a student in Business Computing in Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), Jonathan kembo.

Some children as young as three years old in the Congo are accused of being witches and wizards and are brought to churches for intervention where they are repeatedly abused by “men of God”, Mr Kadima said.

He added that some of the children end up here in Ireland and carry these harrowing experiences and now feel more confused and unfit.

Mr. Kadima, said:“The Government should stage urgent and immediate psychological interventions on Congolese youths, instead of staging irrepressible deportations.

“If these underlying issues are not addressed quickly, there will be no youth development, which is vital for the future of the DRC, Ireland and the international community.”

The United Nations (UN) estimates that more

than 200,000 women and girls have suffered rape and sexual violence by rebel groups including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda(FDLR) and the Lords Resistance Army, and also the Congolese army (FRDC), in the last 15 years The DRC is located in Central Africa with a population of about 70 million, and rich in natural resources including among others, Gold, Copper, Cobalt, Diamond, and Uranium.

According to Country Director of Global Peace Foundation Ireland, Arnold N. Kashembe, “The DRC is not known by its wealth, but by the misery of its population, corrupt leadership, human rights abuses, sexual violence, on-going wars and recruitment of child soldiers.

The 2011 Human Development Index Report ranked the DRC as one of the least developed nations in the world, after the Central African Country saw its rank drop from 167 to 187.

Anyone looking for help can contact: soscongoleseyouth@yahoo.ie or +353 89 967 3232

ARE AFRICANS TRULY FREE FROM SLAVERY? and children around the world are in slavery and you can be sure that a large part of this figure are Africans. The number of slaves today remains the highest in human history. In the twenty-first century, people are still being sold like objects, forced to work for little or no pay and are at the complete mercy of their employers.

Figure 1.--This drawing depicts a slave market in Rio de Janeiro. The drawing appeared in a book published by Maria Graham who lived n Brazil during the early 1820s. Brazil proved to be a serious problem as the British Royal Navy beging its effort to end the Atlantic Slave Trade.

By Mordi Ifeanyi Michael, “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves”… Abraham Lincoln“Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally” …

Abraham Lincoln The above quotations were some of the numerous words of the then President of the United States showing his desire for slaves to be free. This desire resulted in the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 by Abraham Lincoln. Years later, other countries followed suit.

Emancipation was even supported by the general assembly.

On the surface it would seem that the abolition of slavery was accepted by all and sundry, Africans included. But the question begging to be answered is ‘was slavery truly abolished completely?’ In the past slavery was practised in different forms which include chattel slavery, debt bondage, forced labour, serfdom and several others. Under chattel slavery, slaves are considered to be property and can be traded as such. They have no rights and are expected to perform labour and sexual favours at the command of a slave master.

Debt bondage, also known as peonage, involves the use of people as collateral against debt. Labour is provided by the person who owes the debt, or a relative who is typically a child. Africa had its own unique version of debt bondage known as ‘pawnship’. It also involved the use of people as collateral to secure repayment of debt. Slave labour is performed by the debtor or a relative of the debtor (usually a child). It involved the pledge of a person or a member of that person’s family to service

another person providing credit.

There was also domestic slavery. Under domestic slavery, many slaves worked primarily in the house of the master but retained some freedom. Domestic slaves could be considered part of the master’s household and would not be sold to others without extreme cause. The slaves could own the profits from their labour (whether in land or products) and could marry and pass the land on to their children in many cases. Every one of the methods stated above points to the fact that slavery was a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold and were forced to work. They were held against their will, from the time of their capture, purchase or birth and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation. Historically, slavery was institutionally recognised by many societies. It was abolished on the surface and everyone rejoiced but about one hundred and fifty years down the line, traces of slavery still exist. In the words of His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, “what most people do not know is that slavery still exists, it is not a thing of the past”.

Although there is no longer any state which recognizes or which will enforce a claim by a person to a right of property over another, the abolition of the slave trade does not we think about slavery, what comes to mind is the transatlantic slave trade in which Africans were transported to the West Indies and America to work mainly in the sugar plantations. Although its modern forms are different, when we talk about slavery we do not use a metaphor. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 20.9 million women

Contemporary or modern day slavery is exhibited and practised in various forms which are very much visible. These forms include; bonded labour, early or forced marriage, forced labour, slaves by descent, trafficking, child labour etc. Many forms of slavery may involve more than one of the forms or elements listed above. For example, trafficking often involves advanced payment for the trip and organising a promising job abroad.

There are many different characteristics that distinguish slavery from other forms of human rights violations; however, only one needs to be present for slavery to exist.

People are in slavery if they are I. Forced to work through mental or physical threat.

II. Owned or controlled by an employer, usually through mental or physical abuse or the threat of abuse.

III. Dehumanised, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as property.

IV. Physically constrained or have restrictions placed on their freedom of movement.

Contemporary slavery takes various forms and affects people of all gender, ages and races. Slavery is often seen as a by-product of poverty. Countries that lack education, economic freedom and the rule of law and with poor societal structure can create an environment that fosters the acceptance and propagation of slavery. Most African countries and communities all possess the above-listed characteristics and are in fact tagged ‘third world’ or ‘underdeveloped’ countries. Evidence or signs of modern or contemporary slavery are seen everywhere in almost all countries or cities of Africa. In Africa, slavery is extraordinarily common for field workers, house slaves, sex slaves and several others. It has been argued at different quarters that not everyone was completely in support of the abolition of slavery and beliefs being as contagious as any other disease have somehow managed to flow into the minds of different individuals.

One can also argue that even those countries that were colonised by other foreign countries were given their desired independence because their

colonial masters understood the weaknesses of the nations they were colonising and knew that they could capitalise on such weaknesses in order to still be in indirect control. This could be strongly argued because Abraham Lincoln, who later signed the Emancipation Proclamation, first claimed not to be in support of slavery, judging from his statement while serving in the Illinois General Assembly: “resolutions upon the subject of domesticslavery having passed both branches of the assembly at its present session, the undersigned hereby protest against the passage of same”. Today Africa has been besieged by all sorts of evils, from racism to kidnapping to child soldiering to corruption and every sort of unthinkable evil under from one country to the other. Since the mid 1990s, the central government of Botswana has been trying to move the Bushmen out of the central Kalahari game reserve even though the national constitution guarantees the Bushmen the right to live there in perpetuity. As of October 2005, the government was visibly employing every tactic in the book against the Bushmen. This was still evident up until 10 December 2010 to date. This is a clear cut case of racial discrimination.

Just yesterday in Nigeria, there was news of the kidnap of a renowned lawyer and activist, Mike Ozekhome. In addition to all of this, there has been an upsurge in cases of kidnapping. No one is spared, be you an adult, teenager, toddler, foreigner, local etc. as long as it can translate to money in the bank.

Kidnapping is fast becoming a means of livelihood.

In countries like Sierra Leone and Congo Dr, children are daily being used as soldiers during wars and riots. Children and teenagers are daily being exposed to killing, shooting and bloodshed. In the words of Ishmael Beah, a child soldier during the Sierra Leonean civil war who now works as a UN goodwill ambassador for children affected by war, “shooting became just like drinking a glass of water”.

Corruption in Africa is now a household word. It is everywhere on the streets. It manifests in different forms and has hampered the growth and development of the continent. The above-stated signs and several others have made me ask if Africans truly are free from slavery. Do we still have the proverbial ‘hidden fingers’ of our colonial masters working behind the scenes? Today there is even talk of some leaders being used as pawns in a game, drug peddlers, gunrunners etc., all in a bid to cause instability in selected countries. The above-stated questions, and more, are begging for answers.

16 AFRICAWORLD SEP 1 -15 2013

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