AfricaWorld Newspaper July 16 - 31 2013

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By Humble Obinna

JUl 16-31 2013

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egypt in turmoil Continue - P3

AGONY CORNER P10 & 16

pr i d e o f a f r i ca p6

WHISPERS FROM the reeds p12

DID YOU KNOW? p15

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AFRICAWORLD JUL 16 -31 2013

NEWS

The return of the native

Editorial

A WORLD OF REVOLUTIONS AND PROTESTS

By Ukachukwu Okorie

across the world have witnessed revolutions and protests against governments and government policies.

While many in some Arab countries are experiencing ongoing revolutions, others have taken to protesting against dysfunctional governments. This phenomenon is not only particular to the Arab countries; across Europe, more and more protests have arisen following several government policies, which are seen as exploitative rather than alleviating the problems and social concerns of the people.

In America, ongoing demonstrations are being made against the recent

last year claimed he acted in selfdefence when he killed an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin. Here in Ireland, protests have been on the increase with regard to various causes, abortion, the anti-property tax groups, etc. Despite these protests, most government policies still remain unchanged. Do the government listen to the people or are they always right in their decisions concerning the welfare of the people? Again, should the government sway in the direction called for by protesters?

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hristopher Ifekandu Okigbo, a poet, adjudged as the greatest poet to come out of Africa in the 20th century, was born on 16 August, 1932 in Ojoto, southeastern Nigeria.

Due to his short life orchestrated by death, the world was denied one of the best and most widely anthologized African poets.

Okigbo went to high school at the Government College Umuahia, graduating two years after Chinua Achebe, who died recently. As a voracious reader and versatile athlete, he gain admission into University College in Ibadan the following year. In Ibadan, Okigbo switched to

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

Love with the moon has ascended, Has fed on our solitary stems;

The moon has ascended between us, Between two pines That bow to each other;

And we are now shadows That cling to each other, But kiss the air only.

C H R I S TO P H E R O K I G B O

Over the last decade, many countries

acquittal of George Zimmerman who

Love apart

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

Classics in his second year from Medicine.

In college, Okigbo earned a reputation of an active leader with abundance of talent. As a gifted pianist, accompanying Wole Soyinka in his debut appearance as a singer. Literary legend, Chinua Achebe confirmed Chris Okigbo versatility, “he was involved in all aspects of campus life and had a very active social calendar. He was a member of every cultural, literary, intellectual and political o rg a n i z at i o n , c l u b, a n d association.” He was also the editor in chief of the University Weekly, the campus newspaper. It is believed that Okigbo also wrote original music at that time, though none has survived the Nigerian civil war.

Chris Okigbo got a bachelor’s degree in Western classics at the University College in Ibadan in

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

1956 and worked in different positions: He served as a teacher, librarian at the University of Nigeria, he wa private secretary to Nigeria’s federal minister of research and information, and later, West African editor of Transition, an African literary magazine.

Despite a short life (19321967), Ok igbo published collections of poetry: Heavensgate (1962), Limits (1964), and Silences (1965). However, a collected of his poems appeared posthumously in 1971 under the title Labyrinths & Path of Thunder. Okigbo had a deep familiarity with writers from ancient Greek and Latin, often exhibiting his power of classics in words. He was also magical in the use of his native Igbo (Ibo) mythology. Christopher Okigbo’s words have often been described as prophetic and have inspired generations of writers in Nigeria and beyond. This extraordinary and powerful collection of interlinked poems can be seen in his 1971 posthumous work (Labyrinths & Path of Thunder).

Okigbo became the most widely translated of all Nigerian poets due to his authority over words.

His poetry are highly personal and extravagantly symbolic renderings of his experiences. He maximizes his poetic qualities: His thoughts on who is a poet, his choice to weave images of the forests, animals, and streams of his native Igbo scene into works that are often allusive, obscure, or difficult.

However, his extravagant use of words in his works, his verse is intensely evocative and shows attentive craftsmanship.

Soon the world took notice of this rising literary genius as he took scholarly differing views: He criticised the concept of ‘Negritude’, rejecting the award of first prize for poetry in the 1966 Festival of the Negro Arts in Dakar,

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

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arguing that writing must be judged as good or bad, not as a product of a specific ethnic group or race. I n 1967 Ok igbo launched Citadel publishing company in Enugu with Chinua Achebe. came to an abrupt end after his death while fighting i n t h e w a r fo r B i a f r a n independence from Nigeria.

I n te l l e c t u a l s a n d f r i e n d s bemoaned his early death at the onset of the Nigerian civil war, as Okigbo died in Nsukka in 1967.

Chris Okigbo was an outstanding personality: lived life to the full, venturing beyond his supposed sphere of natural boundaries imposed by life whether cultural, political or otherwise. He is artistic, creative and humane.

Although many of his works were destroyed during the war especially when the Nigerian planes bombed his Citadel office, his daughter, Obiageli, who established the Christopher Okigbo Foundation in 2005, has continue to gather remnants to keep his legacy.

Some of the papers were catalogued in January 2006 by Chukwuma Azuonye, Professor of African Literature at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Boston. He also nominating the foundation for the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. Many have criticized why he joined the war (He was field-commissioned Major) where he died fighting for the independence of Biafra.

We remember Chris for his sterling contribution and pacesetting in modern African poetry and critical thoughts. He is widely adjudged today as the outstanding postcolonial English-language African poet and one of the major modernist writers of the twentieth century.

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

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NEWS

E G Y P T i n T U R M O I L - D E M O C R ATI C C O U P I N E G Y P T Continue from - P1

The self- immolation of Tunisian, Mohamed Bouazizi on 18th December, 2010, is an event which many believe to be the ignition of the Arab Spring, which swept through the countries of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, and Sudan, toppling the government in some of these countries. The effect of that revolution is still being felt as most countries are still to return to a peaceful and stable economy.

Among the many countries that have continued to hit the news, with apparent unrest always being reported, is Egypt. Egypt was one of the earlier countries to be hit hard by the Arab Spring and is still

economic policy, which impoverished the majority of Egyptians; entrenching his regime in the service of US imperialism; and creating, maintaining and deepening a ruthless police state.

He was very adamant in keeping the Muslim Brotherhood in check and continued the ban of the group which was enacted in November 1948.

yet to recover from the uprising, despite having been able to conduct a democratic election in the past year.

The Brotherhood started out as a charitable organisation but later on developed into a political force, fighting for poor Muslims and fighting against the British colonialists. This group continued to create unrest for successive governments as they moved towards restoration of Islam and Sharia law. After many years of suppression and criticisms, the revolution, which led to the ousting of Hosni Mubarak in February 2011, legalised the Brotherhood as they had emerged over the years as ‘the most powerful group’ in Egypt.

The government of Hosni Mubarak, which had been in office for over three decades, saw the demolition and silencing of various groups within the diverse sections in the country. His tactics and methods coupled with the ‘state of emergency law’ enacted by the government saw that no protests or opposition groups which had the strength of undermining the government were heard. Following this, the government of Mubarak was widely seen as authoritarian. His stay in office relied on three interrelated policies; a neoliberal

The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna, an Egyptian schoolteacher, who preached implementing traditional Islamic Sharia law in all aspects of life, from everyday problems to the organisation of the government.

The aftermath of the revolution saw the Brotherhood coming together to field a candidate for the presidential elections under

the newly formed platform, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP).

The candidate, Mohamed Morsi, who was also the chairman of the new political party later emerged the winner of the June 2012 elections. He became the country’s first democratically elected President. His one year in office saw the arrogation of definite powers and immunity for the Presidency, a refusal to assuage the yearnings of other Egyptian groups, and the inclusion of certain Islamic principles in the constitution and governance. His declaration of 22 November 2012 sparked off nationwide protests in Egypt, protests which culminated in his removal from

dissolving the parliament, and establishing a new administration, a national reconciliation committee that would include youth movements, and a national coalition cabinet”. Following this declaration, he issued a warrant for the arrests of over 300 leaders and members of the Muslim Brotherhood for allegedly “inciting violence and disturbing general security and peace”. This announcement was followed on 8 July with a gun battle that killed over eighty protesters from the Muslim Brotherhood. More protests are on-going as the Spiritual Leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Badie, has called on members of the

office on 4 July 2013. He alienated most groups in Egypt and passed a divisive constitution, which coupled with the deteriorating economic situation in the country (which probably proved the government incompetent), led to calls for a new and inclusive regime.

Brotherhood to continue the protest until Morsi is reinstated in office. This continues even during Ramadan.

On 3 July 2013, the Minister for Defence, Gen. Abdel Fattah alSisi, announced that following the clamour and protests of the people, a road map for the future had been drafted, stating that Morsi was removed and that the Head of the Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, had been appointed the Interim President of Egypt. This road map includes “suspending the constitution,

In the wake of the ousting of Morsi, which many had described as a coup, the African Union has suspended Egypt, pending the resolution of the issue, while Iran is forward in condemning the activities that led to Morsi’s removal. However, the United States government has been diplomatic on the issue and has failed to see it as a coup. The US has continued with its political relations with Egypt and has recently called for the release of Morsi and a quick return to a democratic state. Also, following the coup, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and

the United Arab Emirates provided Egypt’s cash-strapped interim government with $12bn in aid in the past week. The role of these foreign nations should not be underestimated in the crisis going on in Egypt, for almost immediately after the ousting of Morsi, the oil pipelines were opened, and electricity was restored. And now, they are quick to rescue the interim government in terms of finance, the economy seems bright once more.

But as the saying goes, violence breeds violence. Egypt remains saddled with various protests and disruptions from several groups, both from the proMorsi group that insists on the re-instatement of Morsi, and from some anti-Morsi groups who frown at the non-inclusion of their group in the plan set forth by the interim regime towards parliamentary elections and peaceful co-existence in the state.

When shall these protests and revolutions end? It is not always the revolutions that matter but the post-revolutionary society. In the end, it is the masses that suffer, while very few will gain out of the tumult. For wisdom and rationality to carry the day, Egyptians of all stripes must come to their senses and realise that no one group can ignore or marginalise the others.

Due to the evident pluralism of people in the country, the interim government must recognise that it must be inclusive and transparent, while all groups must respect the democratic rules of the political game.

Hosni Mubarak Egypt has been in crises since his removal in 2011

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NEWS

Eze Ilomuanya Behind Disunity In Igboland, Say Traditional Rulers

Gov Rochas Okorocha and traditional rulers in Imo state - Nigeria

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he Igbo traditional rulers in Diaspora popularly called Eze Ndigbo have accused Eze Cletus Ilomuanya of being the architect of the disunity that has continued to rock the traditional institution in the south east.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to Gov. Owelle Rochas Okorocha in government house, by the traditional rulers in Diaspora, the national president, Eze Nwabueze Ohazuruike, Eze Npume 11 of Lagos state, said the selfacclaimed chairman of South East Council of Traditional Rulers in pursuit

of selfish agenda destabilized the unity of the Igbos living in other states of the federation.

He maintained that the unity of Ndigbo in the country remains paramount and would not be jeopardize by a self-seeking and power drunk politician who parades himself as a traditional ruler, adding that Eze Ndigbo in Diaspora remains an institution that has continued to promote unity and welfare of Ndigbo in Diaspora.

The monarch applauded the governor for his monumental achievements in the state especially in the

areas or infrastructural development and road construction.

Eze Ohazuruike described as unacceptable the constant killing of Ndigbo especially in the northern part of the country and appealed to Gov. Okorocha to reach out to the families that lost their love ones by the killings by the Boko Haram.

He also commended the g o ve r n o r fo r the establishment of Community Government Council in the state and asked the governor to extend same to them in Diaspora.

In his response, the Imo state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha urged Ndigbo and Ezes in Diaspora to always ensure peaceful co-existence and unity in their host states.

He announced the endorsement of their positions by the state government and disclosed plans by government to issue them with proper staff of office to enable them operate and coordinate Igbos effectively.

The governor urged Ndigbo to regard themselves as residents of the areas they found themselves and further

enjoin them to respect the tradition and culture of their host communities.

Gov. Okorocha also used the opportunity to inform them that community government council of his administration is aimed at bringing development and government to the grassroots and assured them his government would consider extending same to Ndigbo in Diaspora.

He promised to liaise with other governors in the south east to put up a trust fund to help those affected by the unfortunate killings by the boko haram sect. ...Culled from the Heartlander

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news

UNDER-RECORDING RACISM INCIDENTS IN IRELAND

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By Humble Obinna

e c e n t l y, the Integration Centre held a seminar where they launched their new report “Recording Racism in Ireland”.

This is a new report which examines the reasons behind the underrecording of racism, through an analysis of An Garda Siochana processes and current legislation.

The speakers at the event were Shane O’Curry, ENAR and the author of the report, Helena Clarke, TIC. This came up even as calls came for increased diversity in the recent Gardai recruitment campaign.

AfricaWorld was there at the launch and had a brief chat with the author, Helena Clarke.

May we know you please?

Helena: My name is Helena Clarke, and I am the director of Public Affairs with the Integration Centre.

What is the Integration Centre all about?

Helena: We work towards the integration of migrants into the society. That means we do integration planning where we work with local authorities at the local level and create integration plans and this is working alongside the Immigrant community. And we also do integration monitoring where we analyse statistics around integration on the national and local level. We also have a number of projects that we work on which encourages immigrants to take part in politics and have better access to

employment. And there is the advocacy work that we do, where we work on specific campaigns, like this racism campaign where we are trying to get racism to be seen as an aggravating factor in sentencing.

What are your motivations to publish the book “Recording Racism in Ireland”?

Helena: We looked at the statistics in England and Wales and compared them to Ireland and it was seen that in England and Wales, that there were 27 times more likely, even when adjusted for population, to have a racist incident reported to the police. So we know from research and our own experience that racism is a problem in Ireland and that these statistics can’t be reflecting the real situation. So that was the main reason behind the report, because we wanted to understand to understand the processes in place which were not working properly.

What are the proposed solutions to be gained from Recording Racism in Ireland?

Helena: For solutions, we need new legislations. The legislation currently in place is only the Incitement to Hatred Act which was put in place in 1989. In England and Wales, there are numerous other Acts in place which makes racism an aggravating factor in sentencing, that means if somebody suffers from a racist assault, the criminal will not only be sentenced for assault but there will be an extra part tagged on for the racist element

of it. That will be a major solution and will encourage the Gardai to collate the data more effectively.

The other side of it is by the processes and the fact that the Gardai themselves need more training on racism and how to deal with immigrants coming in and having experienced racism, how they are supposed to record it.

Training is needed for the Gardai and I will say change the electronic processes and a change to the legislation.

Will Recording Racism change the orientation of people towards Immigrants?

Helena: The problem right now is that policy makers say that there is no problem and if they are saying there is no problem that means it is fine not to create a solution, whereas we know there is a problem. Say few years ago, in the boom times there would have been a National Action Plan against Racism, the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI), these things were either expired or dismantled by the recession. So we are looking for leadership and strategy on targeting racism again in Ireland. But right now it is just being ignored.

So when we record the racism and racist events in Ireland, it will bring it to the attention of everyone that is a problem to be tackled, then we begin to look for the solutions towards solving the problem.

Helena: Exactly

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AFRICAWORLD JUL 16 -31 2013

people

PRIDE OF AFRICA ra a m A u w k u h C i n i Om

Our Pride of Africa is a student of Pipers Hill College, Kilashee Naas, Co. Kildare. Pretty Amara is a brilliant student, coming second in the school science competition. Amara loves reading, writing and plans to be a medical doctor.

jUL 16-31 2013

NEWS

By Andy Mambo

AFRICAWORLD

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T S V A N G I R A I BLASTS ZANU PF sidelines of his campaign trail in the Zanu PF’s f o r m e r stronghold, Mashonaland Central Province, Tsvangirai said his supporters are being intimidated and reminded of the horrors of the 2008 bloodbath that saw President Robert Mugabe losing his hold on power.

tactics to stop our supporters from voting for our party. But I am warning the Zanu PF supporters that things have changed, everyone wants change,” he said.

Earlier on Tsvangirai had to change his “walk past” programme at Guruve centre after his supporters were arrested. “The president had to go and rescue about 40 supporters who had been arrested at Guruve centre for wearing party regalia and singing,” said Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka.

Tsvangirai - Planning to unseat president Robert Mugabe In forthcoming election “Zanu PF is employing subtle methods of ovement for Democratic fear in his supporters ahead of intimidation in an attempt to Change - Tsvangirai crucial elections to end an frustrate MDC supporters,” (MDC-T) leader Morgan Tsvangirai acrimonious five year coalition Tsvangirai said. “I have been has blasted the Zanu Patrotic Front government. around this province since (PF) for employing subtle tactics of intimidation in order to instil In an exclusive interview on the morning but what I have seen are

At Mvurwi business centre Tsvangirai could not address the rally in the stadium after Zanu PF supporters hastily organised ball games in order to thwart the rally.

Two netball and three soccer teams donning the Zanu PF T-shirts took over the stadium which had been cleared by police to be a venue for the MDC-T rally.

Emer Costello is the Labour Party MEP for Dublin and sits with the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament. She is a member of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, the DevelopmentCommittee, the Special Committee on Organised Crime, and is Chair of the Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council. She is the Parliament’s Rapporteur for the new €3.5 billion ‘Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (2014-20)’.

In the past year, Emer Costello, one of the most active and effective MEP’s, has met with hundreds of community groups and NGOs across Dublin; held meetings in Dublin on employment and social issues;addressedeighteen national and international conferences; drafted two European Parliament (EP) reports on poverty and development; amended twenty EP reports; took part in 122 parliamentary debates; and tabled 120 questions and ten resolutions.

A public seminar on Youth Guarantee

organised by Emer Costello MEP was held on 12 July 2013 at Liberty Hall, Dublin 1. The seminar was held with stakeholders and policy makers on the framework for aYouth Guarantee.The manager of Ballymun Jobs Centre, Mr. Creedon was one of the key speakers.

Speaking from the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Ms Costello stated:“I am delighted that Ballymun has been confirmed as a Pilot Youth Guarantee Project. We cannot underestimate the corrosive impact on a community of large numbers of young people remaining unemployed.

Ballymun has suffered for too long from social problems that result from high levels or unemployment.

“TheYouth Guarantee Pilot Project will provide a major boost to the Ballymun Regeneration Project, ensuring a degree of social regeneration will take place alongside the housing regeneration in the area.

“Last October, I visited Ballymun Jobs Centre and discussed the potential of the proposed Youth Guarantee with Manager Mick Creedon. I was hugely impressed by the services provided by the Centre and commitment of its staff to the local young people. In February, I was delighted to welcome a delegation from the European Parliament’s Employment & Social Affairs Committee to Ballymun to see the holistic approach that is being taken to community development in the area.

“Proper implementation of the Youth Guarantee will be crucial. The pilot in Ballymun will provide a

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“This is shocking because we have a police clearance to use the venue but Zanu PF decided to have ball games here forcing us to address our rally at this open space,” said MDC-T organising secretary Nelson Chamisa.

On his campaign trail Tsvangirai is reminding people that voting for Zanu PF and Mugabe is setting the country backward.“If you want progress then vote for MDC but if you want the economy to go back where it was in 2008 then vote for Zanu PF and Mugabe,” he said. “What will Zanu PF do which they have failed to do in the past 33 years?” queried Tsvangirai.

Zanu PF supporters in Mashonaland province were going round in lorries singing, a move that sent shivers in the MDC-T supporters who were targets of violence in 2008.

EMER COSTELLO MEP - BALLYMUN AN IDEAL PILOT PROJECT FOR THE YOUTH GUARANTEE

By Abdul Yusuf template for other youth guarantee projects across Dublin and the country when the funding from the €6 billion European Youth Guarantee Programme commences in 2014.

“Moreover, if theYouth Guarantee is to be successful then we must consult widely with grassroots organisations in drawing up plans. It is imperative that the momentum that is now behind theYouth Guarantee is maintained through these pilot projects, that we give hope to young people and show them what Europe can deliver for them”, she concluded.

Unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, is Ireland’s biggest challenge. Nearly one-third of young Irish people are without work, many for a year or more. Since becoming MEP, Emer has championed the idea of a ‘European Youth Guarantee’ as one of Europe’s main responses to the scourge of unemployment.This would guarantee young people an offer of a quality job, education, an apprenticeship or work placement within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving full-time education.

Emer has now welcomed the decision by European Government leaders to allocate €6 billion to promote youth employment, primarily through EuropeanYouth Guarantee schemes.

She is campaigning to ensure that the Youth Guarantee is central to the 201420 European budgetary framework, and that Ireland receives its fair allocation of these funds to promote jobs for young people.

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AFRICAWORLD JUL 16 -31 2013

photo news

SALOME MBUGUA AKIDWA (CEO)

SALOME MBUGUA SPEAK ON AKIDWA REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH COURSE Akidwa, the migrant women network trained Asylum seekers from Newbridge and Balseskin reception centre on women reproductive health.

AfricaWorld cornered the CEO, Salome Mbugua for a

brief chat. Excerpt:

What is todays function all about?

It is all about migrant women who have been training, 72 of them, on women’s

reproductive health. The purpose is to increase the awareness about their reproductive system, abortion laws and general health. They had four sessions and the fifth one is

graduation. As asylum seekers, this affords them the opportunity to have information on basic health due to the fact that their rights are limited by law.

Most of them have given

good feedback during and after the course. Akidwa in conjunction with crisis pregnancy program have to been opportuned to deliver this training to them. Actually we have been delivering this

jUL 16-31 2013

photo news

training since 2009, and this is one of the past 12 groups we taught in the past.

Are they drawn only in Dublin or across Ireland?

Not at all, we have trained women in Cork, Waterford

AFRICAWORLD

PICTURES

and across Ireland. Today we have Newbridge which we have not covered before, and Balseskin, a reception centre for new asylum seekers. On Balseskin, it is a bit tricky for us as women stay there for a short period but we afforded them this vital health training

before they are posted out.

Will Akidwa take this step further?

Definitely, we do want to go far if the resources are available, it is our dream.

Participants receive their certificates from Reception and Integration agency (ria)boss Noel Dowling

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beauty & fashion

AGONY CORNER

love

With Abdul Yusuf

LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS: CHALLENGING & DIFFICULT Challenging and difficult!

Though these may not be the words we want to hear, but the reality is that these are the words that best describe long distance relationships. Please note this, I did not say impossible, but challenging and difficult. I have noticed that in our culture as Africans, women suffer more when it comes to long distance relationships.

A long distance relationship is not different from any other relationship. It is as unique as every other relationship we get involved in. The only difference is that unlike other relationships, you will not have the privilege of seeing your partner as often as you desire. In that regard LDR does not help the intimacy aspect of your relationship. Another important thing, the issue of trust is an indispensable factor which must be taken into consideration before settling for a long distance relationship.

I decided to have this in the Agony Corner’s column because on an African context, African women are the ones at the receiving end when it comes to long distance relationship. In some African countries, you must have witnessed some marriages in which a woman is made to stay for as long as ten years without setting her eyes on her man. For example in Nigeria, the man who lives abroad comes home to get himself a wife because according to him, the Nigerian woman in the Diaspora have lost their distinctive Nigerian cultural perspectives and therefore are not good materials for marriage.

You know every typical Nigerian man wants a woman he can sit on and remote control and this has always been their major reason for coming back home to get a wife.

Some African men have had multiple marriages to different women in the West. When you see how our some Africans live their life abroad, I do not really envy them, but you will get to understand me better as you read on. Many African men are trapped; yes they live in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, USA etc, but some of you living in Africa live a better life than they do in the West. Some of my brothers get into marriages with much older women because they

must have shelter over their heads and good food to eat.

Many get married just to obtain a residency or citizenship or Green Card if they reside in the US. I feel so sad when I see what some African ladies go through in the name of long distance relationships. I feel sad because African ladies are yet to begin to reason right. December is just by the corner and so many of African men are warming up to go back home to sweep African ladies living in Africa off their feet with chocolates, perfumes picked from some of the popular high streets shops in the West (e.g., Liverpool Street or Finsbury Market in UK, Henry or Moore Street in Ireland). Trust most of the African guys coming from the USA, when they speak, they sound more American than the Americans themselves; and with all the blingbling and fake designer wears, most African ladies found themselves falling for them. Some of the African men go back home with lovely rides which they obtained under questionable conditions; either from a car hire or insurance.

Ladies, you all should shine your eyes. Not all that glitters is gold.

By the time they arrive in Africa, most African ladies get carried away and they break-up with their longtime boyfriend in Africa with whom they have built a good foundation and are sure of and opt for a total stranger they know nothing about. Some of the JJC (Johnny Just Come) might even have come from Morocco or Equatorial Guinea and will lie to them with confidence that they live in the USA, the UK, or Canada. Before they know what is happening, they have started singing the love songs to African ladies’ ears. In the course of all these, they believe their lies and surrender their body to them which they exploit. Yes lady, you may have been introduced to him by his cousin or your friend, but should that make you a fool?

I used to think it was only the illiterates in most African villages

that fell for African guys living abroad, but now I see bankers and Lawyers who have fallen victims. I have had the privilege to meet with ladies who are doing so well in their chosen careers, but are constantly in tears because of this issue. I know a top lady banker in Nigeria who is a victim: for years now she and her lovely children have been abandoned in Nigeria because she got involved with a man without asking questions to know his true identity. She laments about her ordeal and how she even travelled overseas to see her hubby only for him to ignore her and the kids. So many of them get back home (Africa),

say on holiday and tell unsuspecting ladies that they are married abroad, but the marriage is to a white lady. Some African ladies foolishly make themselves available as the black wife. You know what, as long as some of the African guys living abroad want to make it in life if no other alternatives are available, they must opt for marriage. Why should an African lady living in Africa even try to get married to a man who is not single, divorced,or widowed? The socalled Big Girls living in Africa are the ones falling for African men living abroad because by the time the ladies get into the men’s bank and they are able to see the status of the men’s account, they lose their senses.

There is this other African lady banker who had a very decent man asking for her hand in marriage. The African man who

happened to be a very dedicated Christian made it clear to her that he wasn’t going to sleep with her before marriage. This became her problem, just like most of the African ladies of today who believe they must sleep with a man before getting married to him. I expected this lady banker to even thank God for such a man who did not come to exploit her body. This lady insisted on sleeping with him but the man kept his integrity. Before we knew what was happening, she got pregnant for another guy; a JJC (Johnny Just Come) who had just returned to home from the USA. This left the man who was so much in love with her devastated.

Months later, she got married to her American lover. A month after the marriage, he left for his base in USA.Ladies, that was the last we heard of him; and it has been more than ten years now, she hasn’t set eyes on her American lover. The other guy (former lover) is presently happily married with two kids. The lady is now all over the place complaining. I feel for her sometimes, but that is what she brought upon herself. We should ask God for a discerning spirit.

Maybe, she enjoys the fact that her American guy sends enough cash to her with different kinds of exotic rides; but she knows that in the midst of all those things, there is still a vacuum and an inner yearning for love. I have witnessed it before and I know what I am talking about. Nothing!

I mean no amount of comfort can take the place of love - True Love.

She is probably enjoying the whole thing because it gives her the opportunity to live anyhow or because she were never in love with him.

Some good women who are not even exposed are made to go back to the village and stay with the husband’s family. Some of them bring their relations to live with the woman where she functions as his manager in business. The man is abroad enjoying himself with other women and making babies all over the place while the the wifeto-be is made to sit with his mother and siblings. Is that the

kind of life she wants to live? Is that God’s plan for marriage?

Believe it or not, sex is a very necessary tool in the bonding of two souls. You can never be fulfilled in marriage without good sex.

I know so many people found themselves in this kind of relationship, not out of greed, but out of ignorance. You were pushed into it by forces beyond your control. If you are not yet married, please create time to talk about some issues with your man and be sure you can handle it before taking that step. If you are someone who cherishes attention more than money, I advise you quit before regrets set in. If you cannot trust yourselves, there is no point getting into it because it will cause you more pain than ever.

The perception of African men wanting to use their wives as maids and servants inclusive is very myopic. Men in Africa spend ten to 12 hours in their various works eking out a living while the mother is also involved in some kind of trade, work and home management with the kids helping out and often with house-helps or relatives to assist.

With absolutely no financial help from any quarters and benefits of any type non existent, the family forges together with oneness of purpose, everybody appreciates the other’s position in the family with the man as the head. Discussions are held, opinions sampled and decisions taken that are binding on all for the furtherance of the family progress!... often the wife has to be somewhat pushy to maintain the course of progress for an admirable result. This is the kind of homestead I personally grew up in where the husband never controlled the wife’s finance and the wife knew how, when and where to support any shortfall from the husband without flaunting such assistance to ridicule the man.

Continue on P16 (BackPage)

COLUMN/NEWS

jUL 16-31 2013

dd’s cubicle

AFRICAWORLD 11

news

I S E G Y P T A C U R S E D N A TI O N ?

By Dunstan Ukaga

Egypt has undergone dramatic political changes since the 2011 revolution toppled the regime of former President Hosni Mubarak. In June 2012, elections were held and Mohamed Morsi won 51.7% of the vote. President Morsi, a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), resigned from both organisations and took office on 30 June, 2012.

According to Wikipedia, a curse (also called a jinx, hex or execration) is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to some other entity - one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, a ‘curse’ may refer to a wish that harm or hurt will be inflicted by a supernatural power, such as a spell, a prayer, an imprecation, an execration, magic, witchcraft, God, a natural force, or a spirit. In many belief systems, the curse itself (or accompanying ritual) is considered to have some causative force in the result.

“And Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard.

And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brethren outside.

And Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.

And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

And he said, “Cursed be Canaan!

A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.”

And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.”

Genesis, Chapter 9 verses 20 to 27, gives us the first insight into the curses that follow Egypt. Are these curses real, existing or just one of the words that mean nothing?

Egypt now is beginning to look like the early stages of a failed state, even one grappling with a civil war. Egypt is in crisis. This is the problem former President Morsi never understood.

Professor Rodney Shakespeare captures the truth when he states “But, instead of understanding these things, President Morsi, to his everlasting disgrace, has effectively cast in his lot with the Takfiris, the throat-slitters and head-choppers. Like Erdogan of Turkey, he has infuriated the most intelligent people of his nation by furthering a sectarian foreign policy.”

Egypt plunged into violence after the country’s powerful military ousted President Mohamed Morsi, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the parliament on 3 July. The military overthrow followed days of mass protests against Morsi. The army also declared the Chief Justice of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, as interim president.

Mansour, who also serves as Head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, laid out a rapid series of transitional steps on what is likely an ambitious timeline.

Within two weeks, a committee, stacked with Egyptian judges, would be formed by Mansour to recommend amendments to the currently suspended constitution, a document derided by critics as one skewed in favour of an Islamist agenda. That committee would have thirty days to present recommendations to a fiftymember drafting body, which would in turn have sixty days to present a finished proposal to Mansour. Within thirty days, Mansour must put the proposed amendments to a national referendum; if approved, it would lead to parliamentary elections within two months, followed by a presidential vote next spring. Until the new parliament is elected, Mansour will hold both legislative and executive authority.

The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood condemned the move as a military coup and called mass protests demanding the reinstatement of the deposed president. Since last week, Egypt has been witnessing mass protests and deadly clashes involving supporters and opponents of Morsi

ZIMBABWE LET’S UNITE LAUNCHED IN DUBLIN

A group carrying out awareness campaign to unite Zimbabweans against president Mugabe sprang-up in Dublin. www.zimbabweletsunite.com

and security forces. Many people have been killed over the past few days, with more than eighty deaths reported on 8 July alone.

THE PROBLEMS OF EGYPT: TWO SIDES TO THE POST MUBARAK EGYPT. Events after the revolution that deposed Hosni Mubarak have shown there are two sides to the new Egypt.

The big risk in Egypt, as Investor’s Business Daily points out, is that the same corruption, special interests and disillusion will return after the military coup that threw the Muslim Brotherhood’s odious Mohamed Morsi out of power. Egypt’s men in uniform again showed that only two political forces really matter in Egypt; these are the Islamofascists like Morsi and the secular military.

As political scientist Daniel Pipes notes, civil society doesn’t really count.

So the concerns of Egypt’s people corruption, red tape, and economic misery - could go unheeded and another revolution will return.

Meanwhile, the other side is responding to real worries about foreign policy, religious intolerance and an alleged misuse of democratic authority. Is there any way to reconcile the two sides? Is there hope for Egypt?

Should not Egypt be a world leader rather than a parochial state beset by factionalism? On this, a writer asserts “Firstly, foreign policy. To its utter shame, Egypt is effectively selling out Palestine and is indulging in gross sectarianism as manifested by its behaviour towards Syria. By so doing, Egypt is forsaking a statesmanlike lead for the Middle East.”

Yet a template from recent history shows just how to end the cycle of military and militants that will make Egypt’s citizens matter.

IS THE CHILEAN MODEL THE WAY OUT? Like with Morsi, Chile in 1973 was ruled by a so-called democrat, Salvador Allende, who after barely winning elections revealed he didn’t intend to govern democratically. A Marxist, Allende moved fast to ram through radical, Cuban-style “reforms” on an unwilling public. Allende foreshadowed Morsi, demolishing political institutions, trampling the free press, disrespecting minority rights, ignoring the constitution, disregarding the separation of powers, trashing property rights and ruining the economy. Also, Allende was in thrall to a failed and inhuman foreign ideology communism - just as Morsi was to

Islamofascism. In both cases, the only exit was a military coup.

Had Chilean military commander Augusto Pinochet simply handed the country back to ‘democracy’ without changing the root causes of the turmoil and tyranny, the cycle would have had a replay. But he didn’t. He used his military government as an incubator for free-market changes, transforming his country into not just Latin America’s best economy, but also Latin America’s most durable democracy.

Pinochet - who stepped down dutifully after 17 years upon losing a referendum - understood that economic freedom had to precede political freedom. He employed a brilliant group of mostly University of Chicago-educated young Chilean economists, known as the Chicago Boys, to transform the society by cleaning out thousands of weed-like laws choking Chile’s economy - on labour, mining, currency, fishing, vineyards, start-ups and pensions. They made the central bank independent and instituted hard-core fiscal discipline that has left the country debt-free and pushed its credit rating toward triple A. Thousands of businesses were freed to open and operate without thickets of regulations - resulting in the spate of Chilean products now seen in America’s supermarkets: wine, fruit, fish.

THE TV PRESS CONCLUSIONS. “Most Egyptians know that their true destiny is to be non-sectarian, in opposition to Zionist expansion, and anti-autocratic. In these respects, they would be advised to take advice from Iran.

Secondly, the crux of the apparent division of Egypt into two warring factions lies in a failure to give any hope of achieving what most Egyptians aspire to, i.e. a genuinely independent Egypt, free from foreign influence and control. Indeed, deep down, Egyptians are ashamed that, after their revolution, when hopes were so high, they have failed to create a genuinely independent nation.

On the one hand, there are those who think that introducing Islam into politics necessarily results in independence. On the other hand, there are those who are only too aware that Egypt is becoming trapped and controlled by Western finance capitalism, particularly as exemplified by the decision to take a big loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The answer, for both sides, is to

establish a genuinely independent national bank. Yes, this means that, like Syria and Iran, Egypt will be the object of Western suspicion or worse, because national banks lie at the core of genuine independence. The West does not like independent nations and the national banks, which are the source of a nation’s independence. Such a bank can create its own loans, interestfree, for its government. Over time, it can eliminate national debt.

Furthermore, a national bank can forward the spreading of the real economy to every single member of society. This can be done without inflation. Moreover, poverty and rising prices are perhaps the biggest push factors in the present troubles. They can be mitigated, and eventually ended, if a country determines to use its own national bank and not be in permanent hock to the global financiers.

Thirdly, religion. Genuine religion is tolerant. It does not welcome Takfiris and Zionists, who have nothing but hatred for others. Both Takfiris and Zionists think they are God’s chosen people and so anybody else can be killed. There is also no doubt that the Egyptian people thought that, in their desire to find something which could overthrow the Mubarak regime, all the answers would lie in an appeal to Islam.

The principles of Islam, which include justice and tolerance of others, are fine.

Though, the Egyptian government, claiming a democratic mandate, has unfortunately favoured the Muslim Brotherhood at the expense of other groupings. A narrow party politics is not a wise long-term policy.

Above all, disappointed in the failure so far, Egyptians need to attain a sense of genuine revolution. This will only happen if: 1. Foreign policy is clearly antiZionist and resistant to Zionist America and its agents such as the IMF; 2. A national bank issuing interestfree loans is established; 3. The loans are used to spread the real economy to every person in society; 4. Islam’s principle of religious tolerance is truly practiced; and 5. A narrow party politics is eschewed.

If these things are done, the result will be a major step forward for the Islamic awakening.”

12 AFRICAWORLD JUL 16 -31 2013

family CORNER

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

BATTERY LIFE DIES life as well?” In fairness, the Apple products have good battery-life history.

The prevailing nature of Technology is the challenges that come with it.

Here are few tricks which can help extend your smart phone’s battery even tiny details, such as choosing a dark screensaver, not a bright one, can help.

If all these simple option fails, battery apps such as “Green Power” can identify any issues, such as apps that are using more than their fair share of battery - and help your phone last longer.

Guide to save Battery life: Reduce screen Brightness…

Help your dying Battery…”Green Power” One of the greatest worry of smart phone is the Battery life span, most especially the latest versions. The contributing factor for quick battery drain is not far fetched…many features are turned ON - in this Tech_Pilot edition, making yours last longer is surprisingly easy. When phones were l on 2G services, issues with low battery life was not experienced but since the innovation of 3&4G, life of batteries have been cut short. The question is; “why didn’t the technology upgrade extend to battery

Turn the brightness settings down on your phone. Most of your phone’s battery drain is from running the screen.

On any phone, set the screen to turn off after 30 seconds.

Don’t use vibrate Avoid the choice of Vibrate only

instead of ring tones. Vibration actually consumes more power - making the entire phone vibrate is harder than making a tiny speaker vibrate. Where possible, switch your phone to silent instead.

Force your phone to sleep if your phone has “deep sleep” feature, make maximum use of it. Your phone will last far longer if it goes into “deep sleep” whenever possible.

Switch screensaver Some screensavers consist of high volume of configuration/structure thereby using up memory. Don’t use animated screensavers. It even makes a difference to switch to a black or dark screen background.

Shut down apps you don’t need Many users develop a habit of downloading every app they come across. Some unused app run on the background using up battery strength.

To shut down these apps; On iPhone, you can check by double-tapping the Home button, then pressing ‘X’ to shut ones you don’t need. And if you’re unsure what might be running on the background, restart your phone to discontinue apps that might be running without you knowing.

Use an app to last longer Green Power for the Android OS is superb. It shuts down your data connection if the screen is off, then you set it to check for emails, say, every ten minutes. This app can double your battery life on its own.. It is recommended by several networks in U.S. and is now available in the UK. Most Common app that consumes… Bluetooth, GPS and WiFi Switch off wi-fi, Bluetooth, and GPS unless you need them. This will immediately add about a third to your battery life. Lots of people leave them on all the time. On both iPhone and Android, controls to do this are easily accessed via phone menu and wireless settings.

Turn off voice control Voice control is another feature that can easily rundown your battery, if you don’t require it, avoid it - disable these wherever possible, especially voice control apps that use the phone’s microphone. Never use Apple’s Siri voice control; it’s a High battery-consuming app.

Check your battery If your phone gets hot while in use,

IT/ CELEBRITY

its likely a battery issue and a replacement is advised immediately.

New ones are cheap online and if your phone is old, you can also get ones with much higher storage than the ones it shipped with. But if you are an Apple customer, removing batteries are not for non-professionals, requires Apple accredited Engineer.

Don’t charges it to full Many experts says that “battery memory” means that you should never run your battery empty - and avoid charging it to full. “You should try to go from around 40 percent to around 80 percent in one go, and then back down whenever possible. A small percentage of charge is appropriate and avoid going from 100 down to zero all the time, but it’s not optimal either.”

Switch off Data services (3G) If you’re running low on battery, switch off 3G services from your network provider. This can double the battery life of a dying phone - basically, there are at least two aerials working all the time in most phones, so if you switch to 2G, it’ll still work as a phone and for texts, but will last twice as long, just like phones did in ‘the good old days’.

Finally If you’ve followed the above tips and your phone battery still doesn’t last very long, it’s time to consider a battery replacement.

WHISPERS FROM THE REEDS A N C I R E L A N D C E L E B R AT E S M A N D E L A

T

he African National Congress (ANC) was founded in 1912 in response to oppression and discrimination. It was formed by leaders from across the South African Development Community region of Africa, including kings and chiefs, and academia from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho and other neighbouring countries, as a result of the British and the Afrikaners forming a Union of South Africa excluding the non-white population. It is the oldest liberation movement in the Africa and possibly in the world.

Vision and Goals We stand for a united, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa. Even in Ireland, we strive to forge unity first among South Africans, co-operation with likeminded sister organisations and help integrate our people into Irish society but still maintaining their core identity.

We don’t believe in the total annihilation of our identity. We want our children to know about their history so as to make informed choices in the future.

Branch Inception The world is globalising and our organisation is moving with the times.

We need to evolve and fit in with current world dynamics. We can now

cast a vote internationally in our country’s national elections. Our country allows dual citizenship; we can belong to both sides of the world.

We started in 2011 after realising our people were becoming ignorant of issues back home. We are linking our people with the issues in South Africa so they can stay informed and active.

Branches are the basic building blocks in our organisation and every member has to belong to a branch.

Joining Anyone aged 18+ and South African can join. You need to accept our principles, policies and programmes and to abide by our constitution and rules. Spouses of South Africans who identify with the cause can also join. You need to have a green South African ID document to join and vote in elections.

Affiliations We are affiliated to the main body back in South Africa as an international unit. All our activities are monitored back home. Other logistical issues are still being worked on because the international branch is a new phenomenon in our organisation. We mainly deal with South Africans’ issues in Ireland in collaboration with other immigrant organisations and government NGO’s.

MANDELA GALA DINNER It’s all about honouring the man

who has sacrificed so much to make a world a better place. We want to honour the selflessness of this icon, his steadfastness even when there seemed to be no hope in the darkest hour. We want to tap into his legacy, to learn from his unparalleled legacy.

Mandela was inspired by the racial discrimination and suffering of the non-whites in South Africa. We want to reflect his dream of a non-racial and inclusive world, free from factionalism of any kind. We want to bring the world and Africa under one roof in remembrance of his legacy. We want to bring friends and foes together in one place to briefly forget about issues that divides them; it is not about the food, but the honour.

Mandela’s Looming Passing We are all going to die one day.

We don’t expect him to live eternally, but we want his legacy to continue, every day has to be a Mandela day.

He didn’t form the ANC; the ANC was there before him. He only embraced its policies and principles and lived his life as such. He embodies what the ANC is all about. We believe the doctors are doing their best to look after him. They have a duty to save lives irrespective of who you are.

Words Of Wisdom The world is corrupt because of the good people who will do nothing about the injustice in their space!!

jUL 16-31 2013

AFRICAWORLD 13

family corner

P

s m e o e

ma Amakez

By Ositadin

In thinking however one acts, is right Free World We are not unwrong, we are not free And be wise and beware of all in spree Those who clamor for freedom For the clamour of a free freedom Must clad in the amour of doom Against their unrelenting persecutor Is the opium of human kingdom!

Like of a damsel wooed by her suitor Would you too not need that head? ABOVE THE CLOUDS Of the prophet who sends us word That freedom unstaked, is at stake Then I beheld your beautiful beauty Lest ones profits is lost in the state Shinning scintillatingly from the sun We cast brimstones into the agora White hanging fleecy woolly-heaps For we are in so much confused era Sliding motionlessly over earth’s face Marching untowardly toward plight Sliding swimmingly still and slowly

Calmly looming across the flight Nothing but clouds was in the scenes And the nothing that suspends them Every other thing else was nothing Mountains and hills hid their heads Streams streak like sticks; rivers And oceans lay like mere slates Tall trees dwarfed like weeds Cars crawling like crippled crabs Not a human is seen but hummus And traces of hand and footprints Time was fast as flight alighting Clouds now dispersing like smokes And I learnt from these diminishes That ‘am nil, and nothing matters But my footprints are being watched

Wisdom Bits

When the storm is o’er!

All accounts of my handiworks noted We are like little birds that are often From above the clouds! blown off course, but the fright in our Flightseries flight, shall not be a plight for God bears the freight and wages the fight.

God of the Birds!

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

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

Connect with

- When a woman races without holding her breast, it flips around Meaning Carefulness is a necessary for safety

- The gods protect who they favour Meaning Luck do not come out of hardwork

- No matter how the iroko tree grow, it can never touch the sky Meaning Elders and parents deserve respect

-- The snake that tries to bite the turtle does not know that it is bitting the shell Meaning Carelessness can cause loss

- A bag which is happy that it contains fish does not know that others have meat Meaning Jealousy is bad

- We shall know among the two tortoise which is male or female Meaning Achievement determine greatness

F O L K TA L E

By Ukachukwu Okorie

The Rejected Stone

There was once a very rich woman named Nneka who was married to Okonkwo and they had two daughters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Unless the hunted gives their account, the story of the hunt will always favour the hunter.

AfricaWorld on

recipe column Oha soup

by Genevieve Agorua

Ingredient Meat Stuckfish Dry smoked Fish Ogiri Coco-yam (Ede) Pepper

Salt Crayfish Palm oil Maggi Oha leave Uziza leave

Cooking 1- Steam the Meat for 10minutes.

2 - Put 2 cups of water depending on the quantity of the meat & fish. Put the stuck fish,dry fish,then allow to boil like 7mins.

3 - Put the coco-yam to thicken it depending on the quantity, put 1 or 2 kitchen spoon full of Palm oil,2 or 3 table spoon full of pepper, half table spoon of salt, 3 or 4 table spoon of crafish, ogiri, 1 cube of maggi, then allow to boil for 5minutes.

4 - Put the oha & Uziza leave. Allow to boil for like 30seconds

before

bringing it down from fire.

You can serve it with pounded Yam, semovita, garri or fufu.

14 AFRICAWORLD JUL 16 -31 2013

news

PICTURE NEWS

NC I 2 0 1 3 - T h e G a lw ay R o a d S h o w Join the carnival train this summer! The Nigerian Carnival Ireland 2013 Road Show was held in Galway on Friday, July 12. The Carnival will hold from 12th-18th August.

I n t e r n at i o n a l D ay o f t h e A f r i c a n C h i l d 2 0 1 3 The 2013 International Day of the African Child.

Organized by IFMA INITIATIVE & Irene Menakaya School Onitsha. Aimed at grooming & nurturing the Igbo Child.

Theme: Eliminating Harmful Social and Cultural Practices Affecting Igbo Children: Our Responsibility.

Each year since the incidence of SOWETO uprising, the celebration of the Day of the African Child (DAC) offers an opportunity for Governments, policy makers, educators, parents and the media to call on all as well as parents and stakeholders working in support of children, to live up to the commitments in promoting and protecting the rights of children of Africa.

Sent from my BlackBerry速 smartphone provided by Airtel Nigeria.

Vickie Roberts, top Irish blogger and hospitality goddess visit AfricaWorld office.

GREAT KIDS VISIT AFRICAWORLD Fiona Abifarin - 11 Feodorea Abifarin - 9 Naomi Balogun - 9 Franklyn Abifarin - 8

Chief Greg Umeh wed in Nigeria.

jUL 16-31 2013

Entertainment

By Lihle

AFRICAWORLD 15

DID YOU KNOW?

OUR AFRICA

- That Botswana, one of Africa’s most stable countries, is the continent longest continuous multi-party democracy. It is relatively free of corruption and has a good human rights record.

- That Angola underwent a transition from a one-party socialist state to a nominally multi-party democracy in 1992?

-That BURUNDI was formerly known as Ruanda-Urundi (this name was the name given to two colonies, BURUNDI and RWANDA under Belgian custodian) the name was legally changed on July 1, 1962?

-That the Democratic Republic of Congo was formerly known as the Republic of Zaire and only reverted to it’s current name on the 17 May 1997?

-That the newest country in the World is South Sudan, it ceded from the Republic of Sudan on the 9 July 2011?

-That Senegal was name after a river Senegal and means ‘our canoe’?

- That the smallest country in Africa is the Republic of Seychelles with a population of less than 87,000?

- That the only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco.

CARTOONS

By Max Chijioke Okafor

16 AFRICAWORLD JUL 16 -31 2013

TALENT

6 0 S E CO N D S W IT H T H E D U C H E S S Yvonne Mbanefo is a Digital Strategist & Director at T-One Technologies (www.t-onetech.com), an IT managed Services Company. She lectures part time in Internet Entrepreneurship & Social Media at the University of Greenwich, London. Yvonne holds a Bsc in Digital Media, Postgrad in Higher Education and a Masters in ELearning and Information design.

Very experienced in Internet Marketing and ELearning, Yvonne initiated Kwado Igbo (www.kwadoigbo.com), a group currently updating the Igbo Language Dictionary. She also owns Learn Igbo Now (www.learnigbonow. com), an online Igbo Language course. Yvonne’s passion is applying the internet to education and business. Her dream is to boost education in Africa using internet and mobile technology. She is also a member, organising team of TEDxEuston (www.tedxeuston.com), an organisation that organizes events designed to change conventional thinking about Africa. Yvonne was shortlisted as ‘ African Educator of the year 2013’ at the Woman for Africa Awards. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK

AGONY CORNER CONTINUES FROM P10...

When a man after 12 hours work gets home tired and worn out, exchanges pleasantries with the wife and kids, hungry and requested for food and he is told to go get himself food in the kitchen because the wife is busy on facebook, Twitter, Skype ,Badoo, Whaatsapps with some online friends that adds no value to the relationship rather gossips of parties, who is dating who, who slept with who ,what woman got latest connection in (e.g., Abuja) as to arrange what politician can be slept with for contracts that will never materialize, when you imagined that those holding such conversation are married women, how would the husband feel when he overheard such decadent conversations? Efforts to correct such impression of the wife only leads to higher level secrecy on the part of the wife.

You stumble on her social network site only to see that she has been chatting with lots of men, ex-boyfriends inclusive, making arrangements where they could meet for sexual escapades. That would be shocking. The shocking of all is that she is prepared to abandon the children to travel to Spain, Italy, Holland, UK, Nigeria, South Africa or the US just to meet up the guy she has just connected or re-connected on facebook and other social network, for a consummation you share with her under the same roof everyday or as the case maybe. How should such men feel about their wives bearing in mind that they have been blocked from their wive’s profile but replaced while exboyfriends who now rule their world?

For example, your wife tells you she is going to Nigeria in a

week’s time and you should help her check for cheap ticket for the journey, why the trip?, she never discussed it with you let alone seek permission, the purpose you know not, when she started the planning you have not a clue but she has planned with a friend to help mind the children for the duration of her trip - where does that leave the man? The husband tries to check such absurdity only to be told ‘’I am not asking you for money, it’s my money am spending’’, just because you left all children’s benefit to her care, arguments and struggle will ensue, the husband tries to stop this nonsense, the police in invited by the wife and the husband is asked to vacate the residence. The man wonders where he had gone wrong to deserve that? The woman is adamant, she then invites her very bunch of friends to the house who have all sent their husbands out of their domain for celebration. Later she is hailed and cajoled unknowingly to her detriment and destruction of her relationship! From here life will never be the same, the man starts taking a good toll of his life and the relationship. The man now needs some space.

After the wife sleeping around with few guys, it dawned on the her none of them is ready to settle down with her but just suck and go. She now armed herself with her best charming efforts to woo back her husband but alas the cord of strength in the man is broken beyond repair and nothing in him can ever bring back normalcy in the relationship.

He went down memory lane and remembers on several times when he was at work he had placed calls to the house the wife has gone for more that 6 hours

said the kids and they are left alone to mind themselves at tender age of 8 years downwards and her excuse then was that she went to see some friend!

Without prior plan you came home found your kids are not in the house but your wife is at home with some guy you don’t have much business with alone on the dinning table eating - how does a wife invite a man into the house without her husbands consent, and dinning with him in such all for the taking attitude!

Living consummately under one roof daily does not stop a bad woman misbehaving black or white. Many men have gone through this upheavals and travails in the hands of African women in Europe that they resorted to finding peace and love again in their life and have taken time to invest in new relationships with women back in Africa and are far happier for their decision.

Some of African women African men marry and live together with in Europe are worse off, they manipulate, wreck your life chances, sleep around right in the same city you both live, extend their sexual prowess to neighboring European countries, and even when they are in Africa they are still warming their pants with who cares to have it. The women in Africa are not just looking to marry suitable African men from Europe but are aware that most of the African women in Europe have gone berserk as amounts to marital and family norms - to them in Europe its extant!

Majority of young ladies you meet back home have a brother or uncle or relative whose wife,

married even from the village got to Europe or America and became a monster in marriage and have had to extinct the flame! Most of the women in Africa will tell the man they don’t intend to leave with you to Europe in other to avoid the virus that has pervaded their fellow African women, they want to be closer to your home and in exchange, some good timing of physical presence has to be arranged in consonance with the human sexual needs, once there is a great understanding between the two, this type of Long Distance Relationship is far enjoyable, peaceful, less stressful and the parties are happier than what our African women in Europe have to offer. African women once they get to Europe or America, they see their husbands as sperm donors and not as a partner to foster a life relationship with and what matters to them by their calculation is to have enough children to attain a level of Child Support that will sustain their lifestyle and once this is achieved the husband counts to nothing and can go to blazes for all they care - after all the man’s absence only increases the amount of money they get on support.

Suffice this to say that there is a difference from a guy who only went to Africa on a mission to mess around with any available woman, as African men have women who wreck their homes for all the reasons above so do African men have some not so serious men that go about willie in hand looking for a woman to scapegoat.

Trust is a necessity if you chose to have your relationship from a distance. Without trust and honesty, the relationship is in for

danger and unsuccessfulness. I know that some of you ladies are desperate for marriage, but please be careful and constantly remind yourself that God did not give a particular age for marriage.

A man who is yours will come and he will love you despite your age, look, and past life. I saw some men in city the previous week, they are going to do everything possible to deceive you, but lady, you can choose not to be deceived. Don’t be so much in a haste to have a total stranger put a ring on your finger and take you to the altar this coming Christmas.

Give yourself time to study him.

I always advise my female friends back in Africa not to allow any marriage until they see their papers and travel documents ready. Those who took to this advice are happily married and living with their men abroad.

I repeat it again; God’s plan for you African ladies living in Africa is not for a man to go to Africa, get married to you and then leave you for his mother and siblings. God’s plan is for you to be one in body, soul, and spirit with your own husband. His plan is not for you to be married to a beautiful mansion and lovely cars.

His plan is not for you to keep other men by the corner to service you and pretend all is well.

Get this into your ears young ladies, God’s design for marriage is a true union of the body, soul, and spirit where you live under the same roof with your own husband and share your bodies with one another. Think about this and make the right choice.