www.africaworldnewspaper.com
...created to serve and inform
C H I N U A AGOES C HHOME E B EIN STYLE.
By Ukachukwu Okorie
Page 03
JUN 01-15 2013
Vol 001 Nยบ36
FrEE
the return of the native Page 02
2
AFRICAWORLD JUN 01-15 2013
editor’s column
The return of the native
Editorial
Hurray! AfricaWorld Newspaper is 2. On 7 May 2011, the AfricaWorld Newspaper title was launched in the Irish Writers Centre. With the condensed message of ‘Unless the hunted gives their account, the story of the hunt will always favour the hunter’, we began our journey. Germinating on hard soil and in a harsh climate was tough but the desire to report to our growing readers spur us on. Despite the hurricane, we woke up those who tarried before us. Though deep in the slumber of their sleep, AfricaWorld woke them up with a fierce sense of urgency. It was a call to effectively report our community, the Irish nation and the wider world as it affects us. We kindled to a conflagrating stage the extinguishing fire among those who were meant to report and advertise our community. As we commence steps for a bigger celebration later in the year, we want to make it categorically clear that AfricaWorld is for everyone. Like we always do, let us publish your stories and events. Let us advertise your brand, organisation, group, campaign etc. Our columnists, who are among the best writers, are ready to ignite more debates and share with you. Between ‘Return of the Native’, ‘X-ray with Fr. Vin’, ‘DD’s Cubicle’, ‘Tech_Pilot’, ‘Dimkpa’, ‘Pride of Africa’, ‘Afro Culture’, ‘Agony Corner’, ‘Adorable Mum’, ‘Recipe’, ‘60 Seconds with the Duchess’, ‘Whispers of the Reed’, ‘Poems’, ‘Wisdom Bit’s and ‘Folktales’, there is something for everyone. Come, let us grow together. Uka
By Ukachukwu Okorie
C H I NU A A C H E B E
Chinua Achebe, Nigeria and Africa’s foremost novelist and poet is not new to literary minds. Professor Achebe is better known as the author of ‘Things Fall Apart’ published in 1958, and which is regarded as the most widely read book in African literature. Born on 16 November 1930 in the Igbo town of Ogidi near Onitsha in southeastern Nigeria to Isaiah Okafor and Janet Anaenechi Iloegbunam Achebe, Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe saw the clash between African tradition a n d C h r i s t i a n i t y. T h u s , t h e significance of this inculturation became, to a great extent, his inspiration to write the continent’s most impor tant literature and reaction to the whiteman’s new religion. At 12, Chinua Achebe went to Nekede in Owerri where he enrolled in the school his elder brother taught. In 1944, Achebe gained admission to Government College in Umuahia and later moved on to the University College of Ibadan, where he studied English, History and Theology. While in the University College, he contributed many stories and essays to the school magazine, University Herald. According to the literary genius, the knack for writing developed due to his love for stories, “stories told in our home, first by my mother, then by my elder sister—such as the story of the tortoise— whatever scraps of stor ies I could gather from conversations, just from hanging around, sitting around when my father had visitors”, he said. After graduation, he taught in Merchant of Light in Oba near Onitsha for four months, before moving to Lagos in 1954 to work for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS) which was newly established. Asked how he ventured into the broadcasting career, Achebe said, “I got into it through the intervention of Professor Welch. He had tried to get me a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge, and it didn’t work out. So the next thing was the broadcasting department, which was newly started in Nigeria, with a lot of BBC people. So that’s how I got into it.” His involvement in the Nigeria – Biafra civil war was another highlight in his post 1970 writings as he has denounced time without
number the frivolities and misdirection of Nigeria by its leaders. In 18 February 1975, his lecture An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” became the focus of controversy among European Academics for its criticism of Joseph Conrad as “a bloody racist.” His expanded cr iticism when he presented a Chancellor’s Lecture at Amherst decried Conrad’s book as dehumanising to Africans. According to Chinua Achebe, it rendered Africa as “a metaphysical battlefield devoid of all recognisable humanity, into which the wandering European enters at his peril.” Chinua Achebe legacy transcends the African literary firmament. He is regarded as the father of modern African writing and many scholarly works and essays have been published about him. In 2004 and 2011, he rebuffed Nigeria’s attempt to honour him with one of their prestigious government awards,
AfricaWorld & Millenium Development Goals
The Editorial team at AfricaWorld would like to point out that it is aware of the Millennium Development Goals
Editor Ukachukwu Okorie
Published by Uyokanjo Media Services Ltd. 46 Parnel Square West 3rd Floor +353 87 637 3210 Dublin 1, Dublin City Republic of Ireland Skype: africaworld1 E-mail: africaworldnews@gmail.com
Chief Reporter Paul Kelly Sub-Editor Roisin Morris
Graphic Design Mirco Mascarin Leandro Tonetto Oliveira Welbert Silva de Andrade Photography Darek Gutowski Antoinette Keane
citing corruption and lawlessness in leadership. The issue of conspiracy against the Republic of Biafra during the Nigerian civil war made him disillusioned against the direction of the country of his birth. His works are too numerous to mention and they are translated into tens of languages. It is believed that his criticism of Conrad’s book denied him a Nobel Prize in Literature. Asked by a reporter if he regretted not winning the award, “My position is that the Nobel Prize is important. But it is a European prize. It’s not an African prize…. Literature is not a heavyweight championship”, he answered. Achebe is the recipient of over 30 honorary degrees from universities around the world. He is acknowledged not only as one of the greatest literary genius to emerge on earth but a great inspiration to critical minds. Chinua Achebe died on March 21, 2013, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and was laid to rest in Ogidi, South eastern Nigeria.
and seeks to synergise its work in accordance with those aims wherever possible. Those goals are to improve
issues of Education, Health, HIV/AIDS, Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability and Global Partnerships.
www.africaworldnewspaper.com
jun 01-15 2013
AFRICAWORLD
3
NEWS
G o e s On June 1, one week after Professor Chinua Achebe was laid to rest in his hometown, Igbo Union Dublin organised a celebration of his life at the Draíocht Arts Centre, Blanchardstown. The great Chinua Achebe was buried in his Ogidi hometown on 23rd May 2013. Professor Achebe died at the age of 82 in Boston, United States. He is regarded as father of modern African literature due to the impact of his book ‘Things fall apart’, in setting the pace for the reclaiming of African literature. At the Ogidi burial of the icon, hundreds of mourners including Pr e s i d e n t G o o d l u c k Jonathan of Nigeria and his Ghanaian counterpart, John Dramani Mahama were in attendance. During the burial, President Jonathan read shor t passages from Achebe’s work. Referring to Achebe’s bestseller “There Was A Country”, the president said “ All of us must work together so that our children will know there is a country.“ President John Dramani Mahama who made a brief stopover in Ogidi, Nigeria on his way to Addis Ababa described Chinua Achebe as “an icon of African literature who had shaped my formative years with his wonderful writing, especially the epic ‘Things fall apart’”. The Ghanaian leader also recounted how Prof Achebe graciously proofread his first book
H om e
and written a quote for it. All who were touched by his work and those that graced his funeral service of at St. Phillip’s Anglican Church, Ogidi, Anambra state have co n t i n u e d to p o u r encomiums on the literary icon. Beside President Goodluck Jonathan and John Mahama of Ghana, governors of Enugu, Imo, Abia and Anambra states were present In his tribute, former Nigerian Vice-President Alex Ekwueme, described late Achebe as a trailblazer or pace-setter who blazed the trail for revolution of African literature. “Before he came on the scene, it was a matter of foreigners writing about us. His first book: `Things Fall Apart’, made such impact worldwide. It was an opportunity for people to learn the impact the white people had on African culture.That made him a trail-blazer”, he said. Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, described Achebe as an `Iroko’ of literary forest, who instilled confidence into African literature. “He was an outstanding, by global standards, storyteller and a social critic. His work will live for a very long time because he brought confidence in African literature. Around the world, eulogies, encomiums and posthumous awards have trailed the interment of the prolific writer. Igbo Union Ireland were not left out as they organised
i n
a Pro fe s s o r C h i n u a Achebe Tribute and Academic Exposition on June 1. At the Draíocht Arts Centre Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 in Ireland, speeches, performance by singers, traditional dances, masquerade, drama and lots marked the day. Opening the event, the Igbo Union Dublin leader, Kelechi Onwumere extolled the virtues of Prof. Chinua Achebe as
S t y l e
the father of modern African literature and called on all to emulate him. Many speakers and tributes showered Achebe with sterling qualities and exemplary leadership among his generation and peers. Speakers at the function include Cllr. Kieran Dennison, the Fine Gael Councillor for Dublin West, Mr Georges Alabi, Minister at the Nigerian Embassy, Mazi Uche Osak we, AfricaWorld
Clockwise: - Igbo Union Dublin Leader, Kelechi Onwumereh, Mazi Uche Osakwe Guest Speaker and AfricaWorld Columnist, Cllr Kieran Dennison of Fine Gael and Mrs. Onwumerh at the Chinua Achebe eremony.
Columnist and DCU Doctoral student. Special dance troupe from Botswana were on hand to thrill guests while an Igbo masquerade debuted. The highlight of the day was a stage performance of Things Fall Apart by Camino Productions led by the D i re c t o r, Kunle Animashaun. The occasion ended with refreshments and photocalls.
4
AFRICAWORLD JUN 01-15 2013
X-RAY with Fr. Vin
column be allowed to stand very close to the homes of people. It would deny that heavy rains and windstorms constitute threats to objects like trees and houses without proper foundation. It would insist that the branch of such a big tree that fell and caused no harm was not by mere fortuity but confirms the harmless intent of the entire tree. It would
believers in God, it brings out the truth in what the Psalms say about idolatry, “They have mouths but say nothing, have eyes but see nothing, have ears but hear nothing, have noses but smell nothing. They have hands but cannot feel, have feet but cannot walk, no sound comes from their throats. Their makers will end up like them, everyone
rather dig up intimidating mysteries and myths to buttress the attachment of natural phenomena to the existence of deities. The case of the tragedy of the beloved Uko tree and Umudagu village should be an eye opener to other communities. It has become a clarion call to give more emphasis to the value of life and to pursue the course of the living. It is a call to recognize that anything that compromises the dignity of human life must be abolished. For instance, some African communities still consult and believe in antiquated oracles. Some still secretly consult shrines and deities before engaging in projects that affect the life of others. For Umudagu, it is their belief in the Uko tree, for others such superstitions could be their faith in certain animals such as python, dogs, etc. Such superstition arises mostly during funerals of dead ones. It arises in the form of demand for rituals and widowhood practices that jeopardize the comfort and happiness of bereaved members of families who are thrown into deeper mourning following the pressures from the communities relating to superstitious beliefs. In some Igbo communities for instance, some bereaved families have been tormented by the loss of their relatives. Some have fallen out of love with their kinsmen and village elders because of certain impositions on them before burying their deceased relatives. Some have been charged to produce cows for their great grand parents as the only condition to kill a separate cow for other members of their families that pass on. Some have even been made to believe that the reason for certain deaths in their families had been as a result of failures to give befitting burials to departed grand and great grand parents they never knew. Some have been lured into performing successive non effective rituals to placate the gods of their forefathers and to calm the spirits of the dead in their families. Some have been thrown into perpetual poverty by compelling them to perform acts that are elusive and beyond their reach. Their children live in fear, uncertainty and suffer the effects of recycled poverty. This is a time to fight superstition in African society. This is a time to rise up against mediocrity and pettiness in our communities. This is a time to utilize the benefits of science and technology to eliminate all indices of mediocre attachment to idols. The tragedy of the Uko tree offers us strong deterrent against believing sheepishly. As
who relies on them” (Ps. 115: 4-8). God has given us life and created us to be pro-lifers. He distinguished us from other creatures by the gift of reason. He has placed us in charge of other created realities to control and moderate them for the enhancement of life. Those creatures that hamper the growth of life should be eliminated while those that promote life should be sustained. This is why we hear of such slogans as “Going Green” in the civilized countries like America and Europe. The Forestry Departments in these places assess trees and plants from time to time, evaluate their usefulness, recommend those that have economic and environmental relevance while advising against those t h at co n s t i t u te environmental hazards. This is what we lack in most African societies. If for instance, the Ministry of Lands or Environment in Imo State of Nigeria, the home state of Umudagu had taken up their job of examining the environment properly, perhaps an official mandate would have been given to fell down the Uko tree. But this never happened; instead the people were allowed to perish in their ignorance. In conclusion therefore, we sympathize with the families of the victims of the Uko tree. We sympathize with the entire Umudagu village. We call on relevant agencies in African societies to embark on enlightenment and education of the public on the negative implications of placing their priorities wrongly. Attachment to ancestral forces and spirits has become endemic and does the society more harm than good. Our ancestors should be loved for sure and should also love the living in return. If they love us and cherish us, they should appreciate the value of our lives so as to celebrate them. If we die untimely and join them, then they also lose the number of those who will fan their memories into flame. All these go down to demonstrate the futility of superstition and fetishism. The living must learn to live decently and to remove unreasonable elements that denigrate the value of life. The Uko tree that was adored never had eyes; else it would have seen its admirers. It never had ears; else it would have heard their encomiums. It was not a god; else it would have received the venerations and avoided killing those that held it in great esteem. But it ended up killing those that loved it. What a paradox for the victims of the beloved Uko tree, a lesson indeed for the living. Who is to blame, the Uko tree or the owners of the tree?
THE TRAGEDY OF UKO TREE AND MODERN DAY SUPERSTITION
By Fr. Vincent Ezeoma Arisukwu
Umudagu Mbieri is a village in Imo State, a suburb in the south eastern part of Nigeria. It is known for its serenity with little or no political activities to disturb the peace of its inhabitants. Umudagu is basically known for its quiet life, an admixture of indigenes and strangers living peacefully. It is principally a Christian community whose inhabitants retire to carry out their domestic trading or evening market which more or less serves as their hobby at the end of their official businesses in the day. Standing tall at the centre of Umudagu village is a massive Uko tree. The story of this tree could only be told by the great grand parents to the fourth generation. It is this tree that defines Umudagu’s geography not only by its age and size but by the people’s emotional attachment to it. It is a tree that gives Umudagu people their identity; loved and cherished for its historically peaceful nature. As a landmark tree, Umudagu people believe in the Uko tree, derive their village head’s names from it. For instance, the first Umudagu village head’s name was Uko 1 while the second took the name Uko 2. They gather around the Uko for their coronation and for oath taking. They do their buying and selling around the Uko tree and take shelter under it. Sometimes the people had woken up to find certain rituals performed nocturnally by some anonymous persons under the tree. One interesting dimension of the famous Uko tree is the myth attached to it by the Umudagu people. There is a popular belief that the leaves and other drops from the tree have not fallen on the human beings that live in the area ever since its existence. From this belief therefore, the Uko tree derived a image of being a harmless tree and also a tree that guarantees the protection of lives of the people of Umudagu. Meanwhile, the story changed on Thursday, May 16, 2013, when a heavy windstorm that preceded the rain pulled down the gigantic Uko tree from the roots. It was double tragedy for Umudagu
village. The Uko tree did not go down alone but fell on scores of people numbering above twenty who had gathered to take shelter in the nearby town hall following the rainfall. The entire Umudagu and its environs were thrown into confusion, mourning and trepidation. The victims were men, women and children who were either doing their usual evening trade or tidying up to go home after the day’s transactions. People screamed, ambulances ran helter-skelter, rescue operatives applied both local and mechanized emergency means to dig out the remains of human parts, broken heads, limbs that were completely trapped under the massive Uko tree. The atmosphere was indeed chaotic as uncertainty governed the place concerning the actual identity of the victims of the collapse. Nearby mortuaries were filled up with corpses of the deceased who had met their untimely death by the sudden collapse of the old Uko tree, the beloved symbolic tree of Umudagu village. As this was going on however, two versions of the story surrounding the presence of the four-century old Uko tree emerged. Both involved the refusal of the village elders to cut down the tree when the youths felt it was due. It was as a result of the faith which the elders reposed in the tree that prompted their refusal. Rumours also had it that a mentally deranged woman from the village had gone round a few days earlier shouting that the Uko tree would collapse and would claim lives if not cut down. But this is not as important as the fact that the roots and shoots of the Uko tree had shriveled and had withered depicting old age and weakness to suggest an imminent collapse of the Uko tree. But because the village believed the Uko tree to be harmless, they never considered felling it an imminent project. The belief that objects from its top never fell on persons and that the branch had sometime in the past fallen off without injuring anyone also strengthened their superstition. Secondly, because they saw the tree as a landmark tree, they adorned and respected it. They so loved the Uko tree to the extent that no one would want to be part of the history that contributed to its destruction. Little had they known that the Uko tree had been eaten up from the inside. Little also could they have conceived in their widest imagination that the Uko would be a source of grief to its agelong admirers. What a tragedy! The tree they so loved, eventually killed them.
The paradox of the Uko tree and the Umudagu village is indeed pedagogical. It exposes the magnitude of superstition and fetishism in most African societies. In the era of scientific and technological development, it becomes regrettable that most African societies allow themselves to be swallowed up in superstition. Many other villages have similar trees or objects that they consider sacrosanct. For instance, in Umukpo Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area, a remote community in the same Imo state, Southeastern Nigeria, a similar Uko tree of over 300years of age exists. The elders of the community consider the tree sacred and have forbidden anyone from cutting down the tree for some ancestral reasons. Such villages attribute the history of their progress to certain objects and revere them. Imagine if the Uko tree in Umudagu had been cut down earlier than now. As an economic tree, it would have undoubtedly fetched some money for communit y development. The wood could be used in building. It would also have been a delight to tell the story of how such an epic tree went down. It will go down posterity to learn that there existed once a tree of such size and age. It would be a heroic act on the part of the community and the expert who would fell the tree. Unfortunately now, it looks more like a shame. It has cost the community of Umudagu her name, cost lives and property. It has generated strong hatred for a tree once cherished and revered. It has cost extra efforts and time to arrange for the funerals of the victims of Uko tree. If care is not taken, the incident might generate hatred among the villagers. It might aggravate rift and antagonism from those who lost their loved ones in the accident as they might attribute the mishap to those who opposed the felling of the Uko tree. Don’t also be surprised that the Uko tree incident could lead to another superstition. Already some insinuations have started generating questions on the reason for the collapse of the Uko tree at this time and why it should claim lives of innocent people. Such insinuations have equally suggested that the gods of Umudagu land may be consulted and appeased if possible. This is the danger of superstition. It beclouds reasoning and wishes away the principle of causality and reality of life. Superstition, would in the case of the Uko tree, deny the obvious fact that the roots of a tree sustain its existence. It would deny that a big tree of that size should not
jun 01-15 2013
AFRICAWORLD
5
column/NEWS
dd’s cubicle
THE ARAB SPRING AND THE MESS IN EGYPT
By Dunstan Ukaga
The term “Arab Spring” was popularised by the Western media in early 2011, when the successful uprising in Tunisia against former leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali emboldened similar antigovernment protests in most Arab countries. The term was a reference to the turmoil in Eastern Europe in 1989, when seemingly impregnable Communist regimes began falling down in a domino effect under pressure from mass popular protests. In a short period of time, most countries in the former Communist bloc adopted democratic political systems with a market economy. But the events in the Middle East went in a less straightforward direction: Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen entered an uncertain transition period; Syria and Libya were drawn into a civil conflict; while the wealthy monarchies in the Persian Gulf remained largely unshaken by the events. According to Primoz Manfreda, the use of the term the “Arab Spring” has since been criticised for being inaccurate and simplistic. The Arab Spring was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings and armed rebellions that spread across the Middle East in early 2011. However, their purpose,
relative success and outcomes remain disputed in Arab countries, among foreign observers, and between world powers looking to cash in on the changing map of the Middle East. Looking at the utter confusion, destruction of life and properties, and breakdown of law and order in Syria and Egypt, would anyone still extol the Arab Spring? We may argue that Syria is a complex society and in a civil war-type of uprising, but what of Egypt that had a successful Arab Spring? The situation in Egypt today has gone from bad to worse and to extreme situations. Is the Egypt of today what the organisers of the Arab Spring foresaw? Is the Egypt of today the vision that those who removed Hosni Mubarak dreamt of? Egypt indeed is sliding towards a civil and religious war. Egypt is in total mess.
In the “Definition of the Arab Spring’’, Primoz Manfreda asks: “What Was the Aim of Arab Spring Protests? The protest movement of 2011 was at its core an expression of deep-seated resentment at the ageing Arab dictatorships (some glossed over with rigged elections), anger at the brutality of the security apparatus, unemployment, rising prices, and corruption that followed the privatization of state assets in some countries. But unlike the Communist Eastern Europe in 1989, there was no consensus on the political and economic model that existing systems should be replaced with. Protesters in monarchies like Jordan and Morocco wanted to reform the system under the current rulers, some calling for an immediate transition to constitutional monarchy, others content with gradual reform. People in
republican regimes like Egypt and Tunisia wanted to overthrow the president, but other than free elections they had little idea on what to do next. And, beyond calls for greater social justice there was no magic wand for the economy. Leftist groups and unions wanted higher wages and a reversal of dodgy privatization deals, others wanted liberal reforms to make more room for the private sector. Some hard line Islamists were more concerned with enforcing strict religious norms. All political parties promised more jobs but none came close to developing a program with concrete economic policies’’.
The Arab Spring in Egypt is a complete failure because even though it ushered in democracy, it has not addressed decades of authoritarianism, corruption, official high handedness, or sectarian fears and violence. Neither has it brought Egypt stable democratic dividends or peace. With the opposition getting more powerful and demanding the overthrow of President Morsi, there is a growing threat of political violence and complete anarchy in Egypt. An Egyptian in support of President Morsi was heard saying: “If they think they will get Morsi out of office the wrong way, which is not by elections, then they will open the gates of hell.” Since the downfall of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the West’s key Arab ally, in power since 1980, the economy has been in free fall – and there is no solution in sight.
drastic fall in both foreign investment and tourism revenues, followed by a 60% drop in foreign exchange reserves, a 3% drop in growth, and a rapid devaluation of the Egyptian pound. All this has led to mushrooming food prices, ballooning unemployment and a shortage of fuel and cooking gas – causing Egypt’s worst economic crisis since the 30s.
“Nobody cares about the poor now,” Amin has said. He and Samir Radwan, Finance Minister in the months after Egypt’s 2011 uprising, have argued that during comparable crises in the late 1960s, the mid-70s and the late 80s, Egypt’s poorest were variously shielded from absolute hardship either by state subsidies, overseas aid, comparatively low unemployment, or by remittances from expatriates in the Gulf states. But now, one in four young Egyptians is unemployed, household remittances are low, and there is a shortage of subsidised goods.
Galal Amin, Professor of Economics at the American University in Cairo, has noted that since the fall of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, Egypt has experienced a
“You are talking about nearly half of the population being in a state of poverty,” said Radwan, a development economist. “Either in absolute poverty or near-poor, meaning that with any [economic] shock, like with inflation, they will fall under the poverty line.” Currently, 25.2% of Egyptians are below the poverty line, with 23.7% hovering just above it, according to figures supplied by the Egyptian government. Sources say “the value of the Egyptian pound has fallen by 12% against the dollar since December. For two years, Egypt’s central bank has used its foreign currency reserves to hide the slide – but with those reserves having shrunk by around 60% since 2011, the bank had to abandon the tactic
activist approach were strongly influenced by the labour movement. However, today the MDC-T, in its many factions, finds itself in an awkward position alienated from the party’s trade unionist roots because of the operating environment and its new alliances. Towards the referendum on the new constitution fissures between MDC-T and its long time alliances in the democratisation agenda were widened as a result of misunderstandings on the need for a people driven constitution as well as the railroading of the referendum. Instead of pushing for a people driven process as
articulated by the founding documents they desperately tried to convince alliance partners, the ZCTU, National Constitution Assembly (NCA) and Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) who were strongly against the flawed politician driven process, that the process was a good one. Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary general, Raymond Majongwe said his organisation is no longer going to fight for the MDC-T in the forthcoming elections. “MDC has decided to choose whom to work with so there is no action which we are going to take ahead of elections” said
last winter. As a result, the Pound’s value has this year fallen further and faster. In turn, it has become much more expensive to import foreign goods – catastrophic for a country that buys in 60% of its wheat, and whose farmers also often rely on imported fertiliser, fuel and animal feed.’’ The EU’s envoy to Egypt, James Moran, noting that Egypt’s foreign reserves have fallen from $36bn (£24bn) three years ago to $14.4bn last month, stated: “They have a serious crisis on their hands. This gives you less than three months’ import coverage and in an importdependent economy, this is quite dangerous.” “We are suffering,” said Ali Eissa, the Chairman of Nahdet Misr, a farm company which grows potatoes and oranges on 3,000 acres across Egypt. “It’s impacted most of our fertilisers, machines, tractors – all their prices have dramatically increased.” Egypt is indeed in a complete mess. Since 2011,about 1,500 factories have closed. Before the 2011 uprising, tourists were spending $1bn a month in the Egyptian economy. Today, the tourists have disappeared and the money is gone. If President Morsi could hold Egypt in peace and avoid civil wars, and if Egypt could restore stability, tourism, and confidence from investors, one analyst believes “such a process would raise employment, and so lift millions from poverty, gradually allowing the government to end food subsidies for those who would no longer need them”. Inasmuch as Egypt is in a total mess, do not forget that Syria has ruined the Arab Spring.
MDC-T to approach next election in a fractious position By Andy Mambo
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC will approach the next crucial election in a fractious position than ever before if utterances by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) secretary general Japhet Moyo at the launch of the party’s policy conference, last month, are to be seriously considered. Moyo took a swipe at the MDC-T leadership for deserting its principles by adopting a pro-capitalist approach that ignores the aspirations of the poor, forgetting that the labour movement was the party’s launch-pad in 1999. Moyo took a swipe at party secretary general Tendai Biti, deputy treasurer Elton
Mangoma and Public Service Minister Lucia Matibenga, for destroying the party “by pleasing investors”. “Let me be very clear Tendai Biti, mind your language when you are in government. Be very careful of what you say. You are destroying the party,” Moyo thundered. Party insiders claim Moyo attacked the people who are alleged to be aligned to Biti’s faction which seeks to topple Tsvangirai in the 2018 elections. “It was clear Moyo had an agenda to deal with fac tionalism which is manifesting in the MDC,” said a senior MDC-T minister. At its formation the party’s ideological leanings and
Majongwe. The MDC is accused of systemically shying away from its founding principles and in the process alienating itself from the former alliance partners namely the workers, the students union and the NCA who backed their campaign in 2008. The support they received from the three partners is unlikely in this year’s polls. Critics urge the MDC-T to readopt the founding principles, spirit and letter to the party’s formation in order to reenergise the masses to their cause, without which it will be a catastrophe to enter into a race where the electorate is in doubt and demobilised.
6
AFRICAWORLD JUN 01-15 2013
PeoPle
pRIDe OF AFRICA
r e h t s a E r a m Ca
esther was born in Guinea Conakry. presently, esther is in college in Dun Laoghaire. “I like helping in anyway I can, I want to set up my own charity organization in the future, and own my own business. I like going to church, singing, participating in youth activities and programme. I would like to make a difference in the world with the potentials and gifts God has given me. I like learning new things too”, esther said. esther is a special student as she has won many certificates for music, sport etc while in school. In 6th year, she was awarded a certificate of commendation for participating in a youth leadership programme in CDveC. esther was nominated class rep in her 2nd year of business studies.
jun 01-15 2013
AFRICAWORLD
7
news
Joshua, The Man With A Lady-Like Look
This 21 years old man says he is ready to do anything to be a professional model, and it includes styling himself like a lady.
Mutinous juvenile: the mountain of costly nonsense BY Aigbokhan President, Esq
The era where youth rise by the grace of God and the judgment of their employers seems to be gone. The era where youth are restricted to the complacent acquisition of knowledge is past. The incentive for insurgents is an adroit manipulation of the opportunities which life gives to the youth of a country who combine unlawful killing with the inability to read and write. The space for youth with stainless paragon of virtue and those who has always conducted themselves with maximum integrity has been stifled. There is need to stand up for the expectation and need of the poorer and larger members of the country. Mutiny has assumed various shapes and sizes. Each region with its own perilous style and exactitude. There are criminal boko harams, political militants, diplomatic rebels and ideological i n s u rg e n t s. Th e s e a re platform created by the state for disillusioned youth to negotiate for a better welfare. The link is established after several violent attacks directly or indirectly against the wielders of power. In Nigeria, 13.5% of the national budget is on security,
Canada’s budget on security is 6.3% same with UK. The percentage of budgetary allocation for health sector in Nigeria is 5.69%, Canada spends 17.9 % and UK 16.5%. In our educational sector, the percent allocated is 8.67%, while in Canada and UK it is11.5 and 12.7% respectively. It is disheartening to note that N74.2 billion was set aside for amnesty programme tucked away under the office of Secretar y to the Government of Federation. The unemployment rate of youth in Nigeria was last reported at 23.9% and it grows at 11 % yearly. Not less than 4 Million people enter the workforce every year with only a miniscule able to find a formal employment. The absence of youthful o ppo r t u ni ti es co mb in e generously with the fact that our community is a desert of place, a palatable hideout of sor ts accounts for this j u v e n i l e m u t i n y. T h e percentage of national budget assigned for Urban Development and rural development is at 0.1 %. The energy which would be harnessed to boost science and technology, agriculture, a r t i s n o w l e f t fo r unwholesome and socially
unacceptable ventures. The fund to be shared among these rebels should be pegged on overhauling our rural community. There is a mission creep because the reward of service to the country has suffered in the language of youth development set. Reward is for the mutinous juvenile and youthful loyalty and ingenuity has been undermined, unnoticed and spurned. The country is compensating bashers of national economy, killers of fellow citizens’ and those who have made the country object of ridicule in international community. The resultant effect will be that national ethos is exorcised and substituted with cynism. By this pathfinder, upcoming generation is inspired to take a cue of lackluster attitude to service and handiwork. Our leaders must give their today for our tomorrow. Nigeria youth desire a better education whether formal or informal, in form and content that can develop God given potential and draw out the very best in them. The kind of education, I am calling on is the one that can prepare an individual for life’s calling. This kind of education should be able to propel these
insurgents to chase their private goals and still contribute to the advancement of the society. For too long successive Nigeria governments at all levels have regarded expenditure as politically convenient. The cer tain consequence of our present course is that we may have less street urchins, significant population of opulent youth, untrained, highly unskilled and motivated criminals. How does Nigerian government treat youth especially one with fatal trait and faith? By rolling out drums in the thrills and sprees of a feverish gyration in recognition of landmark m a n s l a u g hte r, p o u r i n g encomium on them in newspaper, providing them with security as an armistice. These youth who put their hands into the fire of crime without looking backward have taken charge of the red carpet already swept off the foot of those with excellent patriotic icing. In all that the leadership of the country has said about youth development or unemployment, I have yet to find a thought or idea so well expressed as would befitting of a national youth policy.
What is more worrisome if not perplexing is that the budget for mutiny is soldering on nonetheless. The money proposed for amnesty should be invested back into agriculture which is a sure recipe for unemployment and education particularly the informal sector. The simplest approach is the often the most effective. Executive c o m m i t t e e s a re w h a t unserious and insincere leaders create in order to put off making hard decisions. A short cut route to curbing mutiny is solving unemployment. A sincere approach to solve unemployment will inevitably eliminate corruption and poverty. Therefore we need to address the disease of unemployment rather than chasing the symptoms to piggyback on for a fresh tenure. The youth must themselves be ready to sustain the selfless effort of all our heroes past and present patriots to take Nigeria out of the present woods. The government must stand and show itself a true bastion of support through education and social empowerment. Nothing less is acceptable.
8
AFRICAWORLD JUN 01-15 2013
photo news
At the Convetion Centre Dublin where new Irish citizens were sworn in. Alan Shatter TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence received AfricaWorld Man of the year 2012 at the ceremony.
As part of the Africa Week celebration, Africa Centre organised a film show about the life of Miriam Makeba (Mama Africa) at the Irish Aid office in Dublin City Centre.
The Dean and African Ambassadors in Ireland hosted a cultural night in Dublin’s O’Callaghan Alexander Hotel, as part of the 2013 Africa Day celebration.
Michaella Itare dressed for Africa Day in Farmleigh - Phoenix Park.
Zion Amogechukwu Chigbu’s 1st Holy Communion @ St. Joseph’s Church, Ballyjamesduff, Co.Cavan on the 11th of May 2013.
Emma and Siblings celebrated their birthdays at the Mosney Centre.
jun 01-15 2013
photo news
Chinua Achebe Tribute and Academic Exposition in Pictures.
AFRICAWORLD
PICTURES
9
10 AFRICAWORLD JUN 01-15 2013
beautY & Fashion
column
DIMKpA AFRICAn unIOn At 50: CeLeBRAtInG WHAt?
Mazi Uche Osakwe
the organisation of african Unity, subsequently the african Union, is 50-yearsold. africans all over the world are marking the golden jubilee of the organisation. Hence the leadership of the organisation is rolling out the red carpet to celebrate the golden jubilee under the theme of “Pan-africanism and african renaissance”. it seeks to honour and idealise the purpose of the organisation in gathering our political leaders to liberate africa from the clutches of colonialism and neo-colonialism, and at the same time, to promote african solidarity and unity. the road to the formation of the oaU was not easy; it was jam-packed with landmines, with different ideologies and political divides caused by the bipolarism between Socialism and Capitalism. But in the end, reason triumphed over inconsequential issues as both maximalist and minimalistic campaigners dropped their agendas and instead, a common-sense approach prevailed under the guardianship of Emperor Haile Salassie of Ethiopia. it is right to point out the disagreements between the founding fathers; besides the ideological divide, the cold war between East and West, there were those who were fearful of what might happen to their cherished independence and sovereignty, and those whose progressive mindedness was to create a pan-african u m b re l l a t h at wa s a l l embracing, irrespective of territorial sovereignty. the organisation had weathered serious storms and continues to face serious problems. africa has long been the battleground for major powers from East to West, the latest players being China and india. one of the principal
objectives of oaU/aU is the promotion of solidar it y among member states; but that solidarity is in doubt. the only time solidarity was deployed was during the apartheid South africa era. But today, the new generation of S outh africans have quickly forgotten the role other nations played in the liberation of their country, especially the sheer political will of the Nigerian government and its people. today, Nigerians living in South africa are at the mercy of the South african police and immigration officers. Some Nigerians are arrested on trumped-up charges and dumped in prison without charge; and it is the same with other africans. Where is the solidarity? Many africans find it difficult to get visas to visit member states or trade among themselves. So where is the camaraderie? again, the only exception is West africa, which has a functional regional organisation that allows the free movement of goods and services. Where is the spirit of pan-africanism? Many countries in africa invoke the spirit of panafricanism when they are looking for international appointments or when they are in trouble. i think there should be some serious reflection among the officers of aU. there is a ray of hope, however, on the appointment of dr Nkosazana dlaminiZuma as the chairperson of aU Commission. Her appointment is intended to m ove t h e o rg a n i s a t i o n forward and position the aU as a truly functional, proactive organisation that can promote the ideal of the or iginal dreams of the founding fathers. We all know that oaU/aU has failed the continent. For Gershom Ndhlovu “aU in its present state is just as good as nonexistent…all it resembles is a caviar and champagne gathering for big boys and girls who meet once in a while to high-five each other on the personal achievements.” Ndhlovu is not far from the truth. the organisation is a colossal failure in every aspect. Given the pace at which it took off 50 years ago, one would think that the oaU/aU would have
been in the same league with European Union. rather, the organisation was crammed with figure -head officers supporting dictators, gross human rights violators, and corrupt and insipid leaders. the oaU/aU cannot claim any areas where it has succeeded in forging african solidarity and identity. it is still a rainbow movement. over the years, there have been many occasions where the oaU/aU was helpless or had no direction on what to do. it is shameful that at 50 years old, the organisation still relies on the external
intervention of either France or Britain, the same countries that created the legacy of colonialism in the first place. the most recent example is Mali, where the organisation has had to rely on France to weed-out the jihadist ansar dine, an affiliate of al-Qaeda in islamic Maghreb. When will this circle-blindness of the leadership stop? We are tired of foreign aid and hand-outs from international institutions and NGos; not to talk of the insulting adverts in foreign media of crying children with running noses crawling with flies. Please donate €2: it will help feed 100 people and provide pipeborne water for villages! How do we talk of respect from Western countries when
these pictures depict an inferior race, backwardness and incivility? as long as the aU remains a toothless bulldog, the organisation will continue to be a laughing stock among the comity of nations. i think there is problem of leadership in africa, not that there’s a dearth of leaders. the problem is that true and committed leaders have not emerged in the continent. Because there is a lack of credible elections in most african countries, it becomes ver y difficult to have a reliable leader who inspires
vision and confidence. Some were elected through “magamago”, that is through rigging and manipulation of the result - hence they lack grass-roots support and the will to rule. Sometimes, what happens in small groups can be a reflection of what may happen in the bigger organisation. this reminds me of the goings-on in the igbo Union, limerick. this Union prides itself on being the most progressive group in ireland but recent events have betrayed that assumption. My investigations have revealed power play at its best, ignorance, pride and timidity. i t also shows a lack of understanding among the actors; cronyism and back-
stabbing by those who should have spoken out but clothed themselves in the name of the elders. there is also a clear failure of leadership, which is insipid at best and cannot function, blaming other forces for its failure to lead. then there are other characters who show disregard to their constitution and act with impunity. it is only in the igbo Union limerick that godfatherism becomes a norm. all these contributed to the premature suspension of the Union. the Board of trustees (Bot ) were entrusted as caretakers in the absence of the leadership. But instead of acting as a father-figure and unbiased umpire, the Bot instead took sides with another faction, called a meeting and invited two members of the same faction without reaching out to the other group. it is ridiculous to note that the same Bot was fundamental to the fo r m a t i o n o f t h e n e w organisation, citing irreconcilable differences. this is what we call a dog eating the bone on her neck. this is barefoot leadership and pedestrian. it lacks logic, common sense and maturity. Why i’m saying this is that our inability to even manage our own affairs does not bode well for our ambitions to be governors, Ministers, President etc. So if we have to develop or improve our lot, we have to cultivate the spirit of give and take. We have to be our brother’s keeper. We have to respect an institution no matter how small it is. We also have to understand that no matter how small groups are, we should show leadership, transparency, accountability and good governance. it is a stepping stone to higher office. We should stop being dismissive about others and always work in solidarity with others. like the oaU/aU, which has only adhered to the principle of solidarity when it suits their selfish interest, we can’t d e ve l o p by re l y i n g o n americans, British, Chinese, etc. We have to trade among ourselves. We have to love ourselves and believe we are one. anything short of that is papering over the cracks.
jun 01-15 2013
TV
AFRICAWORLD 11
it & adorable mum
12 AFRICAWORLD JUN 01-15 2013
FamilY corner
TECH_PILOt >>>>>>>> B u M p
the challenge of using the new technology grows rapidly and solutions are not farfetched either. i came across another issue with transfer of pictures from tablets and smart phones to PCs. the conventional cameras are no as common. they are more handled by professionals and more effective in the studios. these have been replaced by our smart phones and tablets and depending on who is handling it, the picture quality vary. Now, when you use your smart devices as camera, it uses up the space and cause your memory to struggle, thereby resulting in slow functioning and eventually freezing up on you. You require freeing up this space by downloading or transferring the pictures into your PCs for onward keep. there are various ways to execute this process depending
with Uchenna onyenagubo
t H e
p H O t O s
on which is available to you. if you have a reliable broadband service, the wireless method is most ideal otherwise, use your transfer cable. the wireless method also require some specific app download which will enhance the process and sometimes you can deploy the Bluetooth but not ideal for apple devices because of its complex nature of compatibility. in tech_Pilot today, i will illustrate the two methods briefly: USiNG CaBlE: 1. Use the USB cable that came with your phone to connect the phone to a USB port on your computer.(You receive a notification that the USB is connected.) 2. open the Notification panel and from the options, select open file 3. once file is open with the pictures you need to transfer (there are always in a folder called dCiM) 4. Select the pictures and copy to your clipboard (mouse) 5. Save in the desired location. When the phone is connected as USB storage, the screen indicates that USB storage is in use and you receive a
notification. disconnect your phone from the PC WarNiNG! Carefully follow your computer’s instructions to unmount the USB storage or Sd card and disconnect USB devices correctly, to avoid loss of data 1. right click on icon of USB on the task bar 2. From the drop down menu, select eject 3. Wait for this (Safely remove an Sd card from your phone) then unmount your USB. WirElESS MEtHod if your PC and your phone both have Bluetooth capabilities you may be able to send your photos to your PC wirelessly. to set up this transfer you must first click on the PC’s “Start” menu and select “Control panel.” Under the Hardware and Sound menu select “add a device.” on your cell phone, turn on your Bluetooth and make your phone “discoverable” (give it a name). Your PC will then show your phone in the “add a device” window. • Double click the phone icon and the PC will give you an authorization code to punch into your phone. this allows
t O
y O u R
your PC and phone to transfer the pictures to each other. • On your phone open the photo you wish to transfer. • Under the options menu click “Send.” • Choose send using “Bluetooth.” the phone will then send the photo wirelessly to your PC. • You will then see a notification from the PC and the picture will appear in your Pictures folder. USiNG aPP the word BUMP will not be new to apple users and even android. BUMP allows you to transfer photos and contact information between two phones with a little bump of the two. and now they’ve expanded their functionality from a phone include a website/webapp that makes transferring photos from your phone to your computer very simple. all you have to do if you already have the app is log on to https://bu.mp select the photos you would like to transfer from your phone, and bump the phone against the space bar (although we’re pretty sure you could just hit the spacebar with any
WHISPERS FROM THE REEDS with lihle
FABu D tHOMAs nigerian born comedian, FABu D will have you rolling in stitches with his impromptu display of African humour on the streets of Dublin city. Q- Where did you grow up? a- i grew up in Castleknock, dublin 15. Q- What was your childhood like? a- My childhood was posh (chuckles). Q- Why Comedy a- Well i chose comedy because it is what i love doing, to see people smile makes me happy. i love getting attention, one could say i am an attention seeker...lol! and when i get it, i make good use of it.
today. i have learned a lot from it.
Q- If you had the chance to change your place of origin, what Country would you prefer and why? a- it would be my home town in Nigeria,i am soooo proud be a Nigerian cause it has shaped who and what i am
Q- Where do you get your motivation from a- From my dad, i think he is the funniest man alive...... Q- What are your views on AFRICA a- i think aFriCa is the best continent in the world. it should be the capital of the world...... (wink). tell us about LOve... Well i think loVE is dangerous, being in-love is like going to jail (hmmmm....) maybe that is why i am single. KEEP YoUr HEad UP tHE JoUrNEY iS loNG.............
it/ celebritY
p C s
apendage…). after that you can download them straight to your computer to get them off Bump’s servers or share them with your friends via permalink. there’s not much “professional” application here, but it’s a great way to quickly transfer photos from your phone to your desktop when you’re in a bind. Finally, there are few other apps that can perform the same function; you can look up on Google. WarNiNG! the simple rule of thumb is to have both the PC and mobile device on the same Wi-Fi network.
JUN 01-15 2013
AFRICAWORLD 13
FamilY corner
P
s m e o e
ma Amakez
By Ositadin
KeReRenKe!
in the whole wide world or World Wide Web if you like Kererenke is a song sung for obi “obi is a boy” of course we know But that does not mean He would never grow So, “obi kererenke obi…” is an exhortation for feats Soldier like exploits of a man Who has bushes of beards Sprouting fearlessly on His manly chest!
this song is not for fickle Chicken-hearted fellows Who speak like women and fight like children Nor for economic gluttons or political chameleons ‘obi Kererenke’ celebrates obi of course we know what i mean Chanting his enchanting gestures Gesticulating at more and better that he drinks water after all to cleanse his immolated voice Author: Ositadimma Amakeze Mail: jokaamakking@yahoo.com @ositaamakeze. Excerpt- Blazes & Buzzes of the Muse
Wisdom Bits
ADAKu a daughter of great wealth She was destined from birth But the stride of the chicken is a grave sight to the hawk So her kindred killed her they bound her like rags Hands and legs like rags like rags they buried her She had no one, so she died they killed her as they can thus no one mourned her But her bitter heart and tears the earth alone saw her wail and refused to wet her tears For her spirit seeks vengeance
From the heart of the fiery sun let them all die by the sun like flies, before its burnings all those who killed adaku Heiress of strength and wealth let them all die without burial No, let them be buried by ill fate let vultures undertake their carcass Whilst winds flurry with their bones they heard the voice not to kill her Not none did not hear the warning But like deaf, they shut their ears and like dump, they numbed truth Since the skies saw them through By sun by noon and moon by night let them then die slowly and utterly that earth may learn from their fate
Connect with
The Bat fly at night because it acknowledge how ugly it is. Meaning - A criminal operate at odd time
It is only the vulture that has no friend and foe. Meaning - Good attitude is cherished by all
As long as the penis continue to live, it must eat the beaded meat. Meaning - Man cannot change nature
Man can never be a dog that vomit and eat again Meaning - Discipline is quality
Sleep cannot be compared to death Meaning - Contentment is a virtue
Why should one be scared of a woman with big bum, afterall she will need a man Meaning - Greatness desire courage
FOLKtALe THE LAMB OF GOD By Ukachukwu Okorie
“all play and no work makes Jack a stupid boy”, so says my Mum. “Mum, what of all work and no play? i asked. it makes Uka a dull boy. She said giggling. Surprisingly, some kids had emailed me requesting for moonlight tales and african stories. Certainly, they must have been getting bored and withered by issues. and so….. once upon a time in the land of the animals, all was equal in the eyes of the world. all animals eat and worship together. they never lived in an intimidating and threatening society where survival of the fittest rules. Christianity was en vogue then as noble animals belonged to it. Priests who were in charge recognize chieftains before and after the sacrifice of the mass except rookie members who were recently initiated into the club of knights. Mr Goat was recently admitted into the fold and he has been bragging to his friends how his status has moved up. one day, Mr. Goat invited a young sheep to come and witness how the mass is celebrated. due to little skirmish on the way, they went late to the church. as they entered into the church building, the priest who was in the middle of the mass shouted, “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, happy are we who are invited to his supper.” “Goodness God, what is happening, how can the Priest recognise this poor lamb that has not set his foot in the church previously?” the Goat lamented. Ever since, the Goat refused to come to church on his own in africa. Humans decided to be using it as favourite for altar gifts to the Priest and it has not been taken kindly as the Goat always scuffles and cries of injustice whenever it sees an altar.
AfricaWorld on
ReCIpe COLuMn AKARA AnD pAp by Nkiru Edokobi
Ingredient Pap(akamu or ogi) Your pap could be made from yellow or white corn. to avoid going through a long process of preparing the maize into pap, you can buy your pap from any african shop. Simply put the pap in a bowl, add little water and mix it to make paste. Boil some water and pour it in the bowl and stir. as you pour in the water, stir to avoid lumps. Serve with akara. to make akara you need 1 cup of peeled beans 1 raw chilli pepper 1 egg (optional) 2/3 table spoon of salt oil for frying(olive oil preferable.
COOKING
Pour the washed beans, chilli pepper and onions in the blender , then add a little water and blend into a smooth puree. Pour the pureed beans in a bowl, add a little salt (egg optional) and mix with a wooden spoon for 3 minutes until all blend well. do not forget to taste for salt. Note that you can add anything like diced meat or shrimps if you want. Heat the oil for few minutes, then use a cooking spoon to scoop the beans into the oil in shape of balls. Fry each side until golden brown colour covers the balls. light your fire on a low heat to avoid your akara cooking only on the outside. lift out the akara with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. You are ready to serve it with pap.
14 AFRICAWORLD JUN 01-15 2013
news
news
AKIDWA SPECIAL REPORT The Africa Day Celebration is an annual commemoration of founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on May 25, 1963 . 30 of the 32 independent African states signed the charter that formed the organization in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In 2002, the OAU was succeeded by the African Union (AU). Ever after, the name and date has been retained as a celebration of African unity. Africa Day is observed as a public holiday in five countries, Ghana, Mali, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. However, celebrations are held in African countries, as well as by Africans in the diaspora. In Ireland, Africa Day had many activities, prominent among them is the Art therapy by AKIDWA which taught participants the ‘tie and die’ design in textiles. Akina Dada wa Africa (AkiDwA - Swahili for sisterhood) is an authoritative, minority ethnic led national network of African and migrant women living in Ireland.
Founded in 2001, Akidwa has been at the forefront of campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM) in Ireland. During the Africa Day, AfricaWorld talked to Akidwa Coordinators across Ireland. One of the coordinators experienced female genital mutilation as a young girl in Sudan and bared all. Mehret Yemane who was born in Asmara, Eritrea now lives in Portarlington, Co. Laois. “I have been living in ireland for nine years. I passed through it (FGM) three times in Sudan, and the last one was when i was nine. The woman who performed it kept coming back, saying she left a little bit. With the razor blade, it was very painful...”, Mehret Yemane, a mother of two recounted. Read her full interview in our next edition as we continue to bring to you detailed works of Akidwa in Ireland and Europe.
Mehret Yemane Experienced FGM in Sudan
jun 01-15 2013
INSPIRATION By Melatu Okorie People often describe their individual great idea as the Eureka moment. In some cartoons, a great idea is conveyed with a picture of a light bulb flashing around the brain area. Ideas are products of thinking that flows out from the mind. The qualities of ideas that flow through our minds determine our quality of life and success. One can never rise above the level of their idea. Ideas rule the world. There are millions of ideas around us every day. T The beautiful artworks and structures we see everywhere and go ‘whooah’, are bound to be somebody’s idea and a product of their thinking. However, the big question has become where do ideas come from and how can we get more of them. To have any value, a new idea must be disconcerting. Banker J Pierpoint Morgan said to Alexander Graham Bell: “My colleagues and I have seen and discussed your invention, but we have determined there is no commercial future for it.” He was referring to the telephone. In Pierpoint Morgan’s day, when you were making so much money out of steel or railroads, why take a gamble on a crazy creative idea? People with new ideas tend to be both illogical and contradictory. Miles Davies put it in these words “don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there”. This must be what Bill Gates meant when he said he always envisaged a paperless world. New ideas are sometimes at odds with the stern disciplines of management. Brainstorming never works because ideas are not generated systematically, but absurdly; ideas do not respect or follow the dynamics of a formal meeting. Creative people also tend to be more solitary: support of others not needed. Indeed, one test (although not an infallible one) for authentic creativity is that support is rejected and criticism not even considered. When it comes to generating ideas, cultures which encourage ideas must learn to tolerate error. Mistakes, James Joyce said, are the “ portals of discovery”. According to IBM’s Thomas Watson, “If you want to succeed, double your failure rate.” Soichiro Honda believed, “Success represents the one per cent of your work which results from the 99 per cent that is called failure.” Henry Ford said, “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” Impossibility thinking must be completely extirpated. Money must not influence the ability to quality ideas. Some people are hardly able to come up with creative ideas because their brains often pack up when they remember that they do not have money or resources to execute the ideas even if they come up with one. The generation of ideas is now
AFRICAWORLD 15
THINK IT, BELIEVE IT. the most important economic objective. This is a round-up of 50 great ideas of the 21st century. Bilibo Every Christmas we’re told there will be a return to the simpler toys of yesteryear but this year, it might just happen. The Bilibo comes with no instructions, batteries, rules or bits to plug in. “It’s a shell-shaped, hard-wearing piece of plastic, and that’s it,” admits a spokesperson for Treasure Trove, the award-winning toy’s UK distributors. “But when you give it [to kids], the possibilities are endless.” Using the power of imagination, it can be turned it into almost anything - and at least it’s one toy that won’t be broken by Boxing Day. Johnny Davis. 2. Happiness This is a school of thought suggesting there are formulae that can quantitively increase our happiness and outlined in books such as ‘The Happiness Hypothesis’. Professor Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania, “the father of positive psychology”, suggests that the formulae can be boiled down to: pleasure + engagement + meaning = happiness. Pleasure’s inbuilt flaw is that it’s fleeting, so to it is added a sense of engrossment and of meaning. Of course, the formula is not definitive - for instance, too much “engagement” leads to workaholism, but Seligman suggests you can be happier if you’re willing to engage in exercises such as disputation, which involves challenging negative thoughts, playing to your strengths, and counting your blessings. 3. Screw-top wine In recent years, winemakers have made huge leaps forward by figuring out how to make wines that unfailingly preserve the intrinsic qualities of their constituent grapes. The screwcap, almost always referred to in the wine world as the Stelvin (after the leading manufacturer), is the equivalent of those technologies for keeping the finished product in tiptop condition. If a wine possesses rapturous depths of fruit flavour and wonderful acidity to keep it fresh, the screwcap will make sure it stays like that for as long as the wine is likely to be stored. 4. Blockbuster television The film and television industries have long enjoyed a close relationship but, until recently, there was no doubt which one was the dominant partner. Sure, movie stars may have made guest appearances on television but, generally, it was the ambition of every small-screen actor, writer
and director to, one day, graduate to cinema. But no more. After ‘24’ exploded on to our screens in 2001, a subtle, but fundamental shift took place in the balance of power. Starring Hollywood veteran Kiefer Sutherland, it looked like a slick blockbuster film, but was stretched over 18 hours of frantic suspense. E ve r s i n c e, n u m e ro u s sophisticated, entertaining programmes - such as ‘The Sopranos’, ‘West Wing’ and ‘Lost’ and more recently, ‘the good wife’ - have proved television can do things the ideas-bankrupt, CGIreliant, sequel-riven dream factory could only, er, dream about. Keith Laidlaw 5. www.pandora.com Want to be introduced to some new music? Just tell this internet radio station what you like, and it will play you similar tracks you may not have heard of, like having a personal DJ perfectly tuned to your personal tastes. 6. Pigeon spikes Anti-roosting pigeon spikes were designed as a humane deterrent not, as some of us might prefer, as a lethal skewer. The concept is to prevent pigeons landing, nesting and defecating on property, but also allowing them to fly away. Pigeon spikes can be attached, almost anywhere, with silicon adhesive, screws, nails, cable ties or clips. Their precise dimensions mean they are inoffensive to small birds but repellent to pigeons. David Baskerville, of Jones & Son, says sales are booming: “We now export them to Australia, Thailand and China,” he says. “Fortunately for us, there are pigeons everywhere.” Jennifer Stuart-Smith For more information, go to www.pigeonoff.co.uk 7. Book swapping As a nation, we bought nearly 8 million new books last year, and it’s a fair bet most of those were read just once (if at all) before being dumped on a shelf. Many homes own hundreds of books that will never be read again. You could donate unwanted books to a charity shop, of course, or try shifting them on eBay, but the resale value is likely to be low. So why not try www.readitswapit. com? The idea behind the website is that you exchange the books you are unlikely to read again for ones you just might. Users provide a list of their unwanted books. They can then browse around to see what other swappers are offering. If you find a book you want, you email its owner, asking them to check out your list and, if they see a title they like, all each of you pays is the cost of posting your book second-class. At the moment, the site is a bit dominated by the likes of The Da
Vinci Code but, with 49,000 books available at the time of writing, you’re bound to find something to interest you. Helen Davies 8. Decentralised energy With a decentralised model, energy is produced close to the point of use. This system can integrate renewable technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines. Individual buildings and districts stop being just consumers of energy and start generating it. It’s a system that is more secure, more efficient and it opens the way for a greater range of technologies and innovation that would help cleaner fuels and renewables take off. Simon Reddy Policy and solutions director, Greenpeace UK For more information, go to www.greenpeace.org.uk 9. www.ebay.com As well as letting you buy or sell almost anything (handy), eBay has shifted power away from chain stores and back towards individuals (revolutionary). Now anyone can be a retailer. 10. Venture philanthropy When renowned investor Warren Buffett decided to donate most of his multi-billion fortune to charity earlier this year, there was a good reason why he picked the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation rather than, say, a local cat rescue centre. Buffett and Gates represent a new breed of philanthropist - one who is not content to simply write out cheques but who wants to use their business skills to help solve the world’s problems. These so-called “venture philanthropists” increasingly want to monitor the organisations they have invested in as well as to provide key management support. They take business practices and apply them to social sector companies, making sure their structures are right, encouraging them to take managed risks, develop tools to track effectiveness, and generate measurable returns. Adele Blakebrough MBE cofounder of Community Action Network, which helps social entrepreneurs 11. www.upmystreet.com As well as providing local information such as house prices or crime statistics for any area in the UK, this site’s ‘find my nearest’ feature allows you to find the businesses, shops and services closest to your home at the touch of a button. 12. Light-up lipstick How many former Spice Girls does it take to have a good idea? Just one - Miss Emma Bunton. On a night out, she and make-up designer (and creator of Eyeko cosmetics) Nina Leykind decided
that they were fed up with trying to do their make-up in the back of a darkened limo. And lo, the Liparazzi was born. It’s a lipstick with a light. Click the button on the base of the shaft, and your mouth is cast in a bright spotlight. (This feature also comes in handy if you ever find yourself scrabbling in a dim corner for your keys, or if you are stuck in the dark and have important business documents to read.) The Liparazzi case is mirrored, too, so it basically works like a small portable dressing table. These are features, surely, that lipsticks should have as a matter of course. Bravo, Baby Spice. For more information, go to www.liparazzi.com 13. De Young Museum The copper-clad sheath and tower of the De Young Museum in San Francisco, perforated and embossed with collages mapped from photographs of light dappling through trees in Golden Gate Park, is less interested in portraying physical and intellectual chaos than in doing what its co-architect Jacques Herzog calls “the maximum thing”. This is a building as an agent of heightened perception, right on the edge of sensual overload. For more information, visit www. thinker.org/deyoung/ 14. Sky Plus I recently went to the Maldives for 10 days to do a spot of scubadiving. On my return, I was able to watch the endless hours of Big Brother my Sky Plus hard-drive had recorded for me. I could also save time by fast-forwarding through the adverts and the bits when Aisleyne was crying in the diary room. I love Sky Plus. If I was still single, I would marry it. It never lets me down, recording my favourite programmes even when I’m too drunk to remember them. I love coming home late and discovering what treats it can find for me. It’s especially good for me as I tend to like odd documentaries on BBC Four at 3am and I’m too old to stay up that late now. I once met the man who claimed to have invented Sky Plus. I bought him an evening of free drinks. Recently it has also solved my tricky problem as to whether to give up Big Brother for Love Island - now I can just watch them both and never go out socially again. And just when I think things couldn’t get better, a leaflet arrives telling me I can use the internet or my mobile phone to order my machine to record stuff when I’m away from home. Happy days. Sky Plus - God bless her and all that sail in her. Dom Joly TV presenter, writer and comedian Continue in the next Edition...
16 AFRICAWORLD JUN 01-15 2013
news
news
I LOST BOTH ARMS AND LEGS WHILE TAKING INJECTION FOR BIGGER BOTTOM A mum of two told last night how her quest for a bigger bottom left her a quadruple amputee – and 24 hours from death. By Abdul Yusuf Apryl Michelle Brown had black-market silicone injections which turned out to be BATHROOM SEALANT. It left her in agony and led to her losing her hands and feet, as well as her buttocks. The 46-year-old former hairdresser blames “vanity” and wants to warn others of the terrible dangers of such illegal treatments. Apr yl said: “I’ve paid a terrible price for vanity and I’ll pay for the rest of my life. But I blame no one but myself. “I want to share my story to warn others about these s o - c a l l e d ‘q u i c k f i x ’ surgeries. “ I d i d n’t re a l i s e t h e dangers. I thought it was a harmless injec tion that would give me the perfect bottom. But the reality was the silicone used wasn’t suitable for humans. It was, in fact, bathroom sealant only suitable for DIY. “My body had a massive allergic reaction to it which left me at the brink of death. “I was in so much agony that, by that point, dying would have been a release. The only way doctors could save my life was to amputate my buttocks, my hands and feet.” Teased as a child about her “pancake” bum, Apryl vowed to buy a shapelier one when she was older. She said: “I didn’t know if I wanted mine to look like Janet Jackson’s or J-Lo’s. “I didn’t even know how you could do it. I just wanted a new, bigger bottom.” The moment that changed her life came in 2004, when two women walked into her successful beauty salon to get their hair done. One of them ran “pumping parties” — where unqualified practitioners inject illegal silicone into “patients” at their home. Apryl, from Los Angeles, said: “One of the women told me how she had given bottom injections to the
friend who was with her. “I remember thinking it was a miracle she’d walked into my life. Her friend showed me the work she’d had done and it looked great. “In a split second I made the decision that I was going to go to this woman and let her inject silicone into my behind.” That decision nearly killed her. Apryl paid the woman, who had no medical background, around £650 for two lots of injections. Doctors later discovered the substance used was industrial-grade silicone. Apryl admitted: “I didn’t do any research. A combination of naivety, misplaced trust and insecurity led me to take this disastrous decision. “I trusted her because she seemed so professional, and I had no reason to think anything awful was going to happen. “She carried out the procedure in her daughter’s bedroom. She assessed my bottom and said, ‘ You’ll need three or four sessions to get the result you want’. “The first procedure took an hour. I remember asking, ‘Is it meant to be so painful?’ and she said, ‘Yes’. It felt like it was squeezing through my nerves.” Within weeks Apr yl returned for her second treatment. She said: “After going through it again I had an epiphany. As I left her house I thought, ‘What am I doing? I have no idea what she’s putting in my body’. “I never returned. But though I didn’t know it then, my life had already changed forever.” Over the next two years the area where she’d been injected became hard and the skin blackened. Apryl, mum to daughters Danye, 22 and Courtney, 21, said: “Within a few months of the second injection my
buttocks began to harden. I k new something wasn’t right. But shame stopped me seeking medical help. As time went on it got worse as the skin blackened. I developed hard lumps. Then the searing pain started. I had to tell my doctor what I did. I was so ashamed.” Apryl spent the next four years in constant pain. Two surgeons told her it was too dangerous to remove the silicone. She said: “I was in so much agony I became a regular at hospital asking for medication to ease what was like a combination of a migraine, childbir th and toothache localised in one area. In February 2011 a surgeon operated unsuccessfully. Apryl developed a hole in her buttocks — thought to b e t h e t r i g g e r fo r a n infection that in June was nearly fatal. She said: “I was 24 hours from dying. I didn’t think of leaving my family. It was a relief I’d finally be free of pain.” Doctors put her in an induced coma for t wo
months while performing 27 surgeries — starting with amputating her buttocks — and doing extensive skin grafts. She said: “They saved me but gangrene set into my hands and feet. I was brought out of sedation shortly before I became a quadruple amputee. “My hands looked like those of a dead person. I knew then I was going to lose them.” She added: “At first you try to register your new limbs. The real comprehension comes when you start to live this new life. “I had dark times. I cried a sea of tears. I had to face the fact I’d lost my hands, feet and buttocks because of complications from bottom injections. I was overwhelmed by shame and guilt... all because I wanted a bigger bottom. “I was six months in hospital. By the time I was discharged I was determined to turn this terrible thing into something positive. “I decided to do a triathlon. I told myself if I could
achieve that I could do anything. “I took my first steps again by the end of 2011. I built up to training six days a week, learning to walk, cycle then swim again using my residual limbs. “I’d be crying in pain but I’d push through it. And six weeks ago I did it — completing a three -mile walk, ten-mile cycle and a 150-metre swim. “ When I crossed that finishing line with my family cheering me on, I cried tears of joy.” She added: “I haven’t sued or sought compensation. I just want to move on. There are things I miss dearly — I’ll never be able to do my girls’ hair or feel sand between my toes. “But I believe I survived to share my story. “I want to warn others of the dangers of black-market surger y. We were born whole, per fect and complete. “My greatest message is we have to learn to love and accept ourselves for who we are.”