African voice 505

Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013 ISSUE 505

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SINCE 2001

B R I TA I N ’ S N O . 1 A F R I C A N N E W S PA P E R Dos Santos slams Portugal over corruption probes

Ghana to develop own gas resources SEE PAGE 8

SEE PAGE 17

Asylum system nearing breaking point

NHS set to charge visitors and migrants

By Alan Oakley The Home Affairs Select Committee, led by Keith Vaz MP, has warned of the ‘severe pressure’ Britain’s asylum system has been

placed under, leading to “wholly unacceptable” delays before decisions are made.

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Leicester East Labour MP, Keith Vaz, has chaired the Home Affairs Select Committee since 2007 The Committee of MPs, which scrutinises the work of the Home Office, released a report in 2011 saying that the lengthy decision process leaves people in limbo, with-

out any legal entitlement to seek work.

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Revisions to visa application forms

The Home Office introduced new forms for many visas on 1st October 2013.

Most of the new forms are to be used for applications for most visa applications made in the UK under the UK’s five tier points-based visa application system.

A three week transitional period followed the introduction of the new forms but this has now expired. With immediate effect only the new forms will be accepted.

The relevant forms are: For applicants within the UK • Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) • Tier 1 (Investor) • Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) • Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) • Tier 1 (General) • Tier 2 (Priority) • Tier 2 (Priority Dependant) • Tier 2 (Main Applicant) • Tier 4 (General) • Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) • PBS Dependant application form for dependants of Tier 1, 2 and 5 migrants • PBS Dependant application form for dependants of Tier 4 migrants • Guidance notes for settlement protection applications.

And, for applicants from abroad • Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Endorsement

News

Asylum system nearing breaking point Continued from front page

It describes professional people who “have been de-skilled because they were not allowed to work for eight years”.

Keith Vaz said that a promise by UK immigration to eliminate a backlog of asylum cases by 2011 had been broken and that the backlog now contained 32,600 cases.

Some of the subjects of these cases have been waiting for 16 years for a determination.

Recent applicants are also facing delays. Of 21,955 claims for asylum made in the year to September 2012, only 12, 632 were decided by 19th September. A further 5,791 had received an initial decision but 3,523 had not received any determination at all.

The Committee expressed concern that any applicant should have to wait more than six months for an initial answer.

The Committee also expressed concern about the “sub-standard level of housing provided to asylum applicants”. Housing is provided by three service companies SERCO, G4S and Clearel. The failure of the Home Office to decide asylum cases in good time means that many people can languish in this sub-standard housing for many years.

The report also said that those claiming asylum were routinely disbelieved. It found that there was a ‘culture of disbelief’ among immigration staff who started their investigations into any claim with the assumption that the claimant was lying. Con-

Keith Vaz, MP

versely, the Committee was also concerned that investigators were failing to make investigations into the backgrounds of some applicants. This meant that some people who were granted asylum were later found to have been “involved with terrorist activity”.

The Committee called on the Home Office routinely to check the names of applicants for asylum against international databases of war criminals and terrorists.

Mr Vaz told The Guardian newspaper “The Home Secretary has to assure us that any anomalies in the process which have allowed decisions such as this to take place are addressed immediately”.

The report also says that the asylum system treats women particularly badly. The Committee heard evidence that women wait longer for an initial decision than men.

The Scottish Council of Refugees found that 49% of women waited two years for a determination whereas only 22% of men waited that long.

Police seek help to find missing killer

Publisher and Editor-In-Chief Mike Abiola Editorial Board Adviser Dr Ola Ogunyemi News Editor Peter Olorunnisomo Managing Editor Alan Oakley Sports Editor Abiodun Teriba Assist. Sports Editor Olubunmi Omoogun Arts Editor Golda John Columnists Ryan Holmes Photo Journalist Isaac Adegbite Graphic Designer Ryan Holmes Legal Adviser Nosa Kings Erhunmwunsee London Office: Unit 7 Holles House Overton Road London SW9 7AP

Tel: 0203 737 3077

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African Voice is published by African Voice UK.

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In addition, it found that women can be particularly badly affected by delays in the determination of their husbands’ applications. Where the applications of men who abuse their wives are delayed, this leaves the wives “stuck in abusive marriages unable to leave their husbands because they were the principal applicants and the women would not have had status or support on their own”.

The Chairman of the Refugee Council, Maurice Wren, said that the current system was creating great difficulties for genuine refugees. He told journalists: “Failing to treat asylum seekers with dignity and, simultaneously, failing to deal effectively and fairly with their claims has created an expensive and counter-productive bureaucratic nightmare that all too often denies vulnerable people the protection from persecution and oppression they desperately need”.

A spokesman for the Home Office said it was committed to “concluding all cases as quickly as possible” but added “asylum cases are often complex and require full and thorough consideration”. The spokesman added that the Home Office had carried out inspections of housing for asylum seekers and “where necessary took action to ensure [the contractors] met the necessary standards”. He added that the Home Office would “continue to monitor performance to ensure that standards are met”.

Lerone Boye has a distinctive scar on his cheek

Police are searching for Lerone Michael Boye, a convicted murderer who they believe received

inside help to abscond from the John Howard secure mental health unit in Hackney.

Boye was sentenced to 28 years in jail at the Old Bailey last December for the murder of 17-year-old Kelvin Chibueze in August 2011. The teenager, who was attacked in a mass brawl involving knives and bar stools at a private party in Ilford, managed to flee initially, but stumbled outside a Lidl supermarket.

Four members of a rival gang – including Boye – sat on his legs to stop him running away while stabbing him repeatedly with a 12 inch blade.

The decision to place Boye in a medium secure facility rather than one of the UK’s three high-security hospitals was made jointly by the Ministry of Justice, the prison service and the East London NHS Foundation Trust.

Police warn that Boye is dangerous and should not be approached. Anyone who sees or knows the whereabouts of the offender, who has a curved scar on his cheek and a gold tooth, is advised to call 999.

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News

NHS set to charge visitors and migrants Surcharge set at £150 for students and £200 for temporary migrants

The UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt revealed that up to £500 million could be recovered from overseas students, visitors’ and migrants’ use of the NHS every year by making clear changes to the current immigration system.

The Department of Health is publishing the first comprehensive study of how widely migrants use the NHS. These independent findings show the major financial costs and disruption for staff which result from a system which will be substantially reformed in the interests of British taxpayers.

The study estimates that £388 million is spent each year on patients who find themselves in need of health care while in England and who should already be paying for their care, but who are often not processed and charged by the NHS. Only around 16 per cent is currently recovered by the NHS. In addition, there is a cost of between £70 million and £300 million from people who deliberately travel to England to get free NHS treatment – so-called ‘health tourists’ – which could be significantly reduced through a better cost recovery system and deterring abuse.

To tackle this issue and deter abuse of the system, the Government is: • introducing a new health surcharge in the Immigration Bill – which will generate an estimated £200 million • appointing Sir Keith Pearson as an independent adviser on visitor and migrant cost recovery • identifying a more efficient system of claiming back costs by establishing a cost recovery unit, headed by a Director of Cost Recovery • looking at new incentives so that hospitals report that they have treated someone from the EEA to enable the Government to recover the costs of care from their home country • introducing a simpler registration process to help identify earlier those patients who should be charged In total, the £388 million from patients in England, the £200 million generated through the surcharge, and the deterrent effect on the £70-£300 million from health tourists will together raise or save well over half a billion pounds.

Alongside the quantitative costs report, a separate qualitative study shows clear 4

Left: Independent adviser on visitor and migrant cost recovery Sir Keith Pearson. Right: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt

and widespread evidence of ‘health tourism’, including repeated examples of: • family members of residents coming to the country from abroad, registering with a GP and then receiving NHS drugs and hospital care • new arrivals on visitor visas seeking immediate or major treatment including maternity services • visitors requiring emergency treatment but being unable or unwilling to pay subsequent costs Previous estimates of the cost to the NHS have varied, but this latest authoritative research reveals the cost is significantly higher than all earlier figures.

Even if only 75 per cent of this £500 million was recovered, it would be the equivalent of almost 4,000 doctors’ or over 8,500 nurses’ salaries.

The study estimates the total cost of visitors and temporary migrants accessing NHS services to be between £1.9 billion and £2 billion. However, this includes some money that is already recovered, a number of vulnerable patient groups and services that it would be impractical or inappropriate to charge for in full, such as treatment for infectious diseases, and the full cost of international students’ healthcare.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: Having a universal health service free at the point of use rightly makes us the envy of the world, but we must make sure the system is fair to the hardworking British taxpayers who fund it. We have one of the most generous systems in the world when it comes to health care for foreign visitors, but it’s time for action to ensure

the NHS is a national health service – not an international one.

With the NHS already under pressure from an ageing population, it cannot be right that large amounts of taxpayers’ money is being lost through treating people who should be paying from foreign countries.

These independent reports prove this is a serious problem that the Government was right to address. We are confident our new measures will make the NHS fairer and more sustainable for the British families and taxpayers it was set up to serve.

The healthcare system in England currently provides free care for temporary visitors and students. This is not the case in other countries such as Spain (where students pay £50 a month towards their healthcare costs), or Australia (which charges £260 a year for restricted private health insurance for students).

The recent Home Office Immigration Bill creates powers to increase the number of migrants who will have to pay to access healthcare. This surcharge for temporary migrants will help ensure that those who are using the NHS are making the right fi nancial contribution to it.

The surcharge will be set at around £150 for students and at around £200 for other temporary migrants – raising up to £1.9 billion over a ten year period based on approximately 490,000 applicants who would be required to pay.

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said: The government is building a fairer immigration system which addresses the concerns of hardworking people. The

Immigration Bill will tighten immigration law, strengthen our enforcement powers and clamp down on those from overseas who try to abuse our public services.

The British public expects and deserves an immigration system that is fair and stops migrants using public services that they are not entitled to. These proposals will ensure that migrants here temporarily make a fair contribution to the cost of health services in the UK. A recent report from the EU Commission speculated that the costs of foreign access to the NHS could be up to £1.5 billion. That research is not comparable with the figures published today, because it gives a different estimate based on treatment costs per head that are much higher than NHS costs and addresses a different population that includes long term residents as well as pensioners and students.

While the results of the consultation on measures to change the system are being carefully considered, the Department of Health has appointed Sir Keith Pearson as the independent NHS adviser to the visitor and migrant NHS cost recovery programme. He will take forward proposals for changes in the system.

Sir Keith said: I welcome this research as a helpful piece of analysis of the problem. I am confident that we will be able to recover a good proportion of this money. Having introduced measures to recover at least £500 million, the Government will look to take further steps to recover a larger proportion of the total cost in future.

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Comment

By Adebayo Bamitale The recent shooting in the elementary school in Newton, Connecticut, United States, brings home once again the danger of careless access to ammunition, leading to growing call for a revisit of the United States gun laws. Deeply pained by the event, President Barak Obama called for a “meaningful action” against public-space violence. In addition to looking at laws guiding access to ammunition, there is a compelling reason to also begin to look at the silent impacts of violent video games and the capacity for 3D immersive games to contribute to skillful use of ammunition as well as psychological habituation with violence.

Shooting to kill people, in peace time, should not be an easy things. It should even be harder if the shooter is not militarily trained and the victims are children under the age of eight years. There are adults who would faint or collapse at mere sight of blood. Many of the older generation, especially those who had not witnessed wars, and had not taken military and butchery training will cringe at witnessing blood-splash even of animals. For generations, professional soldiers, men and women, trained in the art of war, and members of the medical profession, have been deliberately toughened by the society to insulate them from the weakness of fainting at the sight of human blood or of badly wounded and dead people. These professionals are thus able to dispassionately face bloody and emergency situations without becoming handicapped by the natural flow of the heart.

Increasing occurrence of school and public-space shootings by teenagers and young-adults calls for a re-examination of the circumstances that make possible the psychological calcination or the hardening of the minds of non-militarily-trained teenagers and young adults.

Many observers are looking at the gun-regulation in the United States, and the way it makes it easier for people to lay hands on guns, as a way to limit the

Violent games come on a wide range of consoles

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Need for “Meaningful Action”

on Violent Video Games

access of young people to weapons but many of us are failing to look at the area where the normal tolerance for violence and the familiarity with bloody scenes are assimilated into the psychology of teenagers and young adults. Focusing on physical access to gun is focusing at the very last stage of a disease, or imagining the tip of the iceberg as the entire ice.

Easy availability of guns in America is an issue to look at but this easy availability is not the major issue that makes it easy for a young man to shoot, in peace time, at public space at other people, killing them, with impunity. Perhaps, stronger than physical availability of ammunition is the psychological calcination that makes it possible for a young man to fearlessly shoot, maim, wound, and kill people without thinking about the consequences.

I think this happens because many young adults have been killing realistic “aliens” and “enemies” with virtual guns for thousands of hours, in immersive video games, without suffering any consequences. Increasing, immersive and 3D games with gruesomely blood scenes are making violence more tolerable to teenagers and young adults, in other words, hardening their hearts, inhibiting the natural reaction of the human mind to human blood. The ability to create carnage, as is the case with these school shootings, is the result of the lowering of this natural guard.

Having practiced for hundreds or thousands of hours, under the careless gaze

of their parents, a teenager or young adult may not find killing of 20 young children in classroom as too remote from what he regularly does in the murdering of “enemies” in video-games. The resulting bloody scene might not also look too far different from what happens in the games. In addition, the time spent with such games, selecting from variety of virtual weapons, not too different from real military arsenals, also makes the handling of physical ammunition easier and the delivery of blows with the weapons, deadlier.

Research on top performing sportsmen have shown the power of the use of imagination in perfection of moves. Tennis players and golfers who are taught to visualize and to use the imagination have been known to perform more expertly, just as if they were actually practicing physically. So, violent video-games are practice grounds for learning how to handle ammunition such as assault rifles and pistols. Having been thoroughly prepared in the virtual terrain of the video-game, the physical manifestation of the act becomes easier.

If we combine the practice effect of visualization, the familiarization with blood and bloody scenes of some realistic-like war-video games, the access that youths and young adults have to games, and the increasing power of immersive and 3D games, we will see that access to physical weapons is just one aspect of the preparation ground for school and public-space shootings.

My theses is that many of the teenagers and young adults who spend thousands of hours watching and actively participating in violent video games become habituated to bloody scenes which makes the execution of physical violence easier to digest and deadlier to execute. They could carry this dastardly act out with impunity because they have done it thousands of times in the video games and manifesting it physically is just a natural conclusion, just as a fruit-bearing plant must ultimately produce fruit. I believe that if we are able to analyse the training ground of those who have carried out schools and public-space shooting, those without military training, had their trainings in the school of violent video games.

The shooting in Newtown school in Connecticut is giving our societies another opportunity to look at the way we are bringing up our children. If we continue to create games that harden the heart of our youths and make the splitting of human blood normal, whether we call them enemies or aliens; and if we continue to enable our children and youth to live in virtual worlds the precipitation into everyday life of which we cannot tolerate, then we are deceiving ourselves. If our children and young ones continue to spend thousands of hours living in virtual worlds where they can kill with impunity, where they can handle bombs, rifles and pistols, destroying “enemies”, we should realize that we are creating monsters who would burst into our clubs, churches, schools, townhalls, and regularly wreak havoc on our societies.

Human blood is sacred. When films and video games don’t treat human blood as sacred, they create monsters who would not wink when they kill. And whether guns are made available by law or not, when monsters are ready to burst into the society, they will somehow get the physical replica of the guns they have used virtually for thousands of hours in their training ground of video games.

I am not against video games, I know that 3D and immersive games are effective entertainment and educational tools from. People could learn how to carry out surgical operations, or how to fly helicopters, or how to develop software, or to assemble robotic engines. These are valid use of video games. But when games are developed which cheapen the human blood and violate the sanctity of human life by creating practice ground for murdering of human beings, such video games must be adjudged as contributing to hardening of hearts and perpetuation of conditions that lead to public-space killings, and looking at meaningful action to stop such publicspace killings must involve looking at such games.

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Protection for consumers against mid-contract telephone price rises Consumers and small businesses should be allowed to exit their landline, broadband or mobile contract without penalty if their provider increases the cost of their monthly deal, regulator Ofcom has announced.

Ofcom is telling providers how to interpret and apply current telecoms sector rules in relation to price increases during fixed-term contracts. Ofcom is also confirming the cancellation rights it expects providers to give consumers following price increases.

Ofcom’s decision follows a consultation on how to give consumers a fairer deal in relation to price increases during fixedterm contracts.

The new Guidance comes into effect three months from today. It will apply to any new landline, broadband, and mobile contracts (including in some cases bundled contracts) entered into after this date.

Claudio Pollack, Ofcom’s Consumer Group Director said: “Ofcom is today making clear that consumers entering into fixed-term telecoms contracts must get a fairer deal. We think the sector rules were operating unfairly in the provider’s favour, with consumers having little choice but to

Consumers now has right to exit their contract without penalty accept price increases or pay to exit their contract.

“We’re making it clear that any increase to the monthly subscription price should trigger a consumer’s right to leave their contract – without penalty.”

All communications providers must follow a set of Ofcom rules called ‘General Conditions’. General Condition 9.6 requires that communications providers give consumers at least one month’s notice of any changes to a contract that are likely to

be of ‘material detriment’ and allow them to exit that contract without penalty.

Consumers have faced being treated inconsistently, with some allowed to leave their contract without penalty following price increases, while others were not.

The Guidance addresses this uncertainty and seeks to put consumers in a fairer position. It also reflects European rules5 and acknowledges the significance of core subscription prices and price rises to telecoms consumers.

It makes clear that Ofcom is likely to consider any increase to the monthly subscription charge to be materially detrimental to a consumer. For such price increases, the Guidance states that a consumer’s right to exit their contract without penalty should be automatically triggered.

Other charges The Guidance does not apply to any non-price changes to contracts. Ofcom has, however, considered the possibility of communications providers responding to Ofcom’s decision by reducing the call and/ or text and/or data allowance included in a customer’s monthly subscription price.

Ofcom would regard such action as a price increase – as consumers would be getting less for the same money. The Guid-

ance would still apply in those circumstances.

The Guidance is also not applicable to price increases outside of the core monthly subscription price. For mobile customers, for example, these typically include charges for exceeding a monthly inclusive allowance, premium rate services, nongeographic calls and directory enquiries.

Ofcom has also found that some consumers were caught unawares by mid-contract price rises and were not sufficiently warned this could happen when they signed up to their deal. In some circumstances, consumers may also have not been made adequately aware of their right to exit their contract, or of the amount of time they had to exercise this right.

To address this problem, the Guidance explains how providers should communicate any contract modifications, pricing or otherwise, to consumers.

These measures include ensuring that letters or emails about contract changes should be clearly marked as such, either on the front of the envelope or in the subject header. Notifications of price increases must also be clear and easy to understand and make customers aware of the nature and likely impact of the contract change.

Ghana looks to develop own gas resources

Apparently as a result of the inability of the West African Gas Pipeline to supply sufficient gas to the country, Ghana is looking to develop its own gas resources to help drive thermal power generation in the country.

It would be recalled that the $1 billion transnational gas pipeline, the first subregional natural gas project in sub-Saharan Africa, was initiated by the governments of Nigeria, Benin, Ghana and Togo to supply gas from the Escravos region of the Niger Delta to feed the gas-fired generating plants of the three participating countries.

But Kirk Koffi, a deputy chief executive of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Ghana, said the country could not rely on Nigeria for stable and adequate supply of gas for thermal power generation, according to GhanaWeb. “The West African Gas Pipeline as designed today can only give us 170 million cubic feet. We need extra investment to be able to move from 170 to 240 in order to realise the full potential of that pipeline,” he said.

“The gas is there. The problem with getting enough supply from Nigeria is the investment to bring the gas from the ground; we are influencing that, but it’s not happening.”

Current gas supply of 70 million cubic feet per day from Nigeria via the West African Gas Pipeline for thermal power generation is 50 million cubic feet short of the contractual volume of 120 million cubic 8

feet per day.

This has meant that only the 200 megawatts (MW) gas-reliant Asogli thermal plant and just one other plant in VRA’s portfolio run on gas.

“The future for us is to depend on our own gas. We cannot 100 percent depend on them [Nigeria]. The future is to get this gas from Ghana and to have Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and invest in LNG infrastructure; that’s what we are looking at. The future is to get that massive infrastructure in this country to help drive thermal generation to drive the economy. The levels [of gas from the fields in the country] are high,” Koffi said.

Nigeria, which has abundant gas reserves, is estimated to export 3 billion cubic feet of gas per day and also flares about 1 billion cubic feet every day.

Electricity demand in Ghana currently stands at about 1,800MW per day. The VRA, with a total installed capacity of 2,100MW, generates about 1,600MW of electricity – both hydro and thermal – daily. Bui, CENIT, and Sunon Asogli power plants together produce about 400MW of electricity to supplement what the VRA produces.

The Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) is currently constructing a pipeline to transport gas from the Jubilee Field to the gas processing plant at Atuabo in the Western Region. The company is also constructing a transmission line from the processing plant to Takoradi to transport processed gas to the thermal power plants at Aboadze.

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On education reform in Osun

THE controversy embroiling education reform in the State of Osun is needless, if not contrived. It tends to reduce the significance of what Governor Rauf Aregbesola is trying to achieve in restoring the lost glory of education in the state.

While it is perfectly in order for citizens or groups to show concern over the activities in the sector, bearing in mind that everyone is a stakeholder, the concern should be expressed with a view to preserving and indeed complementing government’s efforts at revamping education. In any case, the critics of government should not be perceived as throwing the baby away with the bath water. The state of education, throughout the country is pathetic; such that any serious attempt by a government to redress it deserves the support of the people.

In reclassifying the Osun schools system and merging some schools, it is conceivable that the state government may make mistakes or run foul of the preference of some groups; where any of these happens, it is the responsibility of government to lis-

ten and clarify or adjust its position. But the duty of the citizens in pointing out the possible mistakes should not be extended to undermining what is clearly a state policy aimed at the good of the majority. What is deductible from the present imbroglio is that some religious leaders in Osun suspect, rightly or wrongly, that the governor has religious motives in formulating or implementing some of his state policies. It would be worthwhile in the circumstance for the citizens to give the governor a chance, as the current bickering cannot help the generality of Osun people. In the same vein, the grouse of the people should not be dismissed by government.

As part of a reform process, the state government had reclassified the school system into Elementary, Middle and High School categories – a novel step by any education authority in the country. The elementary step comprises pupils from age six to nine, corresponding with the current school system’s Primary 1-4. The middle level takes care of primary four to junior secondary school III for ages 10-14, now classified as Grades five to nine. At the High School

Above and below:Newly built Salvation Army Middle School, Alekuwodo, Osogbo.

level will be children between 15 and 17 years, corresponding with senior secondary (SSS III) tagged Grade 10-12.

Instructively, there are no issues with the reclassifications, and the warring Christian community – particularly the Baptist denomination – made that clear in their protest. The sore point has to do with the merger of schools which became expedient in the re-classification targeted at a “speedy recovery” of the sector to “secure the future of the children”.

The government is resolute on “going ahead…with developing the new man,” while the Christian community is afraid that the schools would lose their religious identity. This mill of confusion should not be prolonged further, else it will negate the essence of achieving quality.

It is no use trading arguments on whether or not government informed or carried the other party along. Those in opposition to government policy should at least appreciate that the schools in issue are already in government custody, and are no longer controlled by the missions. Luckily, the state has not discouraged the existence of private schools which can be nurtured to achieve particular culture. The protesters therefore would have no need to “compromise the legacy of forefathers and the missionaries…to affect our faith”.

However, the State of Osun which proudly claims the ‘Omoluabi essence’ 10

should always be aware of the feelings of its people, and should strive to iron out all contentious issues with all parties. This is notwithstanding its explanation that it organised an education summit of stakeholders in February this year, which produced a communiqué endorsing the reform. The state must not slip into a battleground between brothers on faith matters. Open protestations of blocking school gates against male students being merged with all-female schools, or female students of one faith being given dress codes of another school of opposite faith may be signals of clashes in future. But this can be prevented.

Interestingly, the protests against merger have been spearheaded by both Christians (in Iwo and Osogbo) as well as Muslims (in Esa-Oke). To ensure that it is on course with the people, government could compare the current reaction to the one it received at the launch of its novel, globally acknowledged Opon Imo – Tablet of Knowledge – that has become a reference material for other states across the country. More importantly, both sides should exercise restraint in the interest of the students, peace and justice. All told, we are fully persuaded that the Osun State government should continue to communicate the essence of this controversial education policy to the people. Education is too important to be trifled with. Culled from Nigeria Guardian Newspaper.

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Nigeria quits the League of Nations

Stephen Oronsaye

NIGERIA has finally exited from the League of Nations on the watch list of the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF) - the body that is combating corruption practices related to money laundering and terrorist financing.

The development was announced recently in Paris, France, during the FATF’s plenary session, according to the Chairman of Nigeria’s Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, Stephen Oronsaye.

Oronsaye had last month at an FATF function in Abuja, expressed optimism that the country would this month be ex-

ited from the list following the full implementation of the mutually agreed action plan and the exhibition of a clear political commitment to continue the development of its Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime.

With this development, Nigeria is expected to harvest improved foreign direct investments into the country while Nigerians travelling overseas are now to enjoy dignified treatment, particularly at the ports of entry of their respective destinations, by security operatives of those countries.

In a statement announcing FATF’s removal of Nigeria from the list, Oronsaye said the

FG plans to subsidise power cost for indigent Nigerians The Federal Government is making progress on its plans for subsidizing the costs for electricity consumption under the Power Sector road map for indigent Nigerians and particularly for those in the rural areas.

The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, expressed the indigence of most Nigerians especially those resident in the rural areas who may not be able to afford electricity supply particularly from private investors.

The Minister stated that the Federal Government has resolved that all Nigerians, irrespective of their social status, will have access to electricity when the power sector is finally taken over by the private investors.

He stated that government was committed to its plans towards transforming the power sector and ensuring long term sustainability through the planned subsidy amongst others

plans.

“We have put in place all other support institutions to ensure the efficient functioning of the electricity market.

Against the back drop of the privatization of the p[ower sector completed by the sales of the DISCOs (power distribution coys), he stated that “the payment of severance package to PHCN staff is to be concluded by the end of October and physical handover to the new owners thereafter.’’

The minister said the Federal Government planned to tackle most of the challenges facing the 10 new power plants and commission those that are still pending before the end of 2013.

He urged Nigerians to be patient with President Jonathan and his transformation agenda and added that the country, in few years to come, would begin to see the remarkable results of investment in the power sector.

task force’s plenary session voted unanimously to expunge the country from the list of jurisdictions.

He said the body in a statement explained that the delisting of Nigeria followed the country’s full implementation of the mutually agreed action Plan and the exhibition of a clear political commitment to continue the development of its Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime.

FATF indeed expressed appreciation of Nigeria’s “significant progress in improving its AML/CFT regime and notes that Nigeria has established the legal and regulatory frame-work to meet its commitment in its action plan regarding the strategic deficiencies that the FATF had identified in February 2010. Nigeria is therefore no longer subject to FATF’s monitoring process under its on-going global AML/CFT compliance process.”

The FATF’s statement added that Nigeria would continue to address the full range of AML/CFT issues identified in its mutual evaluation report.

During the recent on-the-site visit of the Regional Review Group (RRG) for Africa

and the Middle East to Nigeria, the team held meetings with the Minister of Finance, Attorney-General of the Federation, Office of the National Security Adviser, senior members of government departments, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and regulatory authorities.

The review team also noted Nigeria’s political commitment to continue to develop and strengthen the AML/CFT frame-work as was very clearly stated by the ministers.

The RRG team further observed that the government confirmed its resolve to ensure that the relevant agencies working on AML/CFT issues are adequately empowered through legal and financial resources to fulfill their roles.

Hitherto, Nigeria used to receive technical assistance from the International Monetary Fund to develop a risk-based approach to AML/CFT supervision. This has resulted in the development of similar procedures across all regulatory authorities as well as the financial intelligence unit, namely the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Insurance Commission and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.

FG - Israel to sign Bilateral Air Services Agreement

Princess Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi

After several failed attempts to sign the Bilateral Air Services Agreement with Israel in 2005 and 2012, the Nigeria government has said that all is in place for it to sign is prepared to sign its first ever Bilateral Air Services Agreement with Israel.

Statements from the Federal Ministry of Aviation indicate that President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to sign the agreement this week during his pilgrimage to the Holy

Land, after months of rigorous negotiations between the two countries.

According to the ministry, the agreement will address the question of imbalance in the BASA between Nigeria and other contracting countries.

The statement, which was signed by the Special Assistant to the Minster of Aviation on Media, Joe Obi, said the agreement would pave the way for direct flights between both territories on the principle of reciprocity by the designated airlines of both countries.

“Before now, Nigerians travelling to Israel, including Christian pilgrims, have had to endure the long-winding stopovers in neighbouring countries before being finally airlifted to the Holy Land.”

It noted that under the terms of the agreement, Nigeria and Israel would enjoy equal rights and privileges in the implementation of the BASA.

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Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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News

Emerging leaders from Africa on tour of US A group of emerging leaders from across various sectors of the Nigerian society including Civil Society, Private Sector, Government and Entertainment industry have travelled to Atlanta and North Carolina for two weeks to learn more about Democracy, Elections, Strategic Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Innovation as part of the Africa’s Emerging Leaders Delegation to Atlanta and North Carolina organised by the A.D King Foundation USA in partnership with GLEEHD Foundation for Leadership and International Development UK and Africa Bureau for Legislative Empowerment Founded

by Nigeria’s Senator Babajide Omoworare.

The Southern Regional Director, National Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and President of the Joe Beasley Foundation – Mr Joe Beasly hosted a reception in honour of the contingent at His Atlanta home which had in attendance Queen Nana Appiantua IV from Ghana, Senior Executives of the Joe Beasley Foundation, and delegates of the US States Department program for Senior academics including Professeur Tano Yao and Professeur Lazare M. Poame both University Presidents from Cote D’Ivoire.

The delegates, led by one of Nigeria’s leading social entrepreneur and Special Assistant to Nigeria’s Senator Babajide Omoworare – Mr Dayo Israel were also hosted at the Nigeria House in Atlanta by the Ambassador/Consul General, Ambassador Teneilabe at a reception that had in attendance senior officials of the Nigerian Mission in Atlanta.

The delegation is part of a Civil Society Effort to empower Africa’s emerging lead-

ers to reach their full potential and in return leading to a vibrant economy, successful youth enterprise and democratic consolidation in Africa. The Nigerian contingent represents the various region of the country with delegates from River State, Kano State, Plateau State, Lagos State, Ekiti State, Anambra State, Ogun State, Edo State, FCT Abuja and others. Members of the contingent included 2 UN Medical Volunteer and coordinators of the Lagos State Health Volunteer Scheme; one of Nigeria’s youngest oil and gas sector leader; a UN Youth Ambassador of Peace and Director Personnel Management in the Kano State Ministry of Local Government; One of Nigeria’s celebrated Art and Craft Sector Leader and Award winning CEO of Ara Rock Creative in Plateau State and many other.

On arrival in the United States, the diverse cross-section of emerging youth leaders participated in various capacities building sessions and networking events across the State of Georgia, including specialised session led by Eminent personalities and thought leaders. The Youth and Governance session was facilitated by Representative Roberta Abdul-Salaam of the Georgia State House of Representative while the Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation session was facilitated by Mr Price, from Morgan Stanley. The delegates also participated in various self-development programs facilitated by US State Departments IVLP Alumnus Asiwaju Dayo Israel and Professor Babs Onabanjo, Chief Executive of A.D King Foundation.

Delegates also participated in sessions that focused on the role of young people in addressing global challenges. Technical sites visits also included visits to the Georgia State Capitol, World of Coca-Cola, Black on Purpose Studio, Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Martin Luther King Center and the CNN Global Headquarters where the delegation leader Dayo Israel was called upon to read a CNN HLN News on Apple’s SIRI.

The Reception hosted by Rainbow Push Leader Dr. Joe Lowery

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Delegates with Nigeria’s Ambassador at the Independence Dinner

Mrs Naomi-King and others present certificates to Nigeria’s UN Medical Volunteer Yvonne Okereke

Delegates at the afterparty

Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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Bangladesh

$24m campaign launched to address unsafe factories

Protests about Israel’s alleged unjust treatment of Eritrean refugees are commonplace on the streets of Tel-Aviv

Mothers hold up photos of their daughters in the forlorn hope that they might not be among the 1,132 killed in April’s Rana Plaza factory collapse

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) will initiate a $24 million safety campaign in a latest effort to overhaul appalling conditions in Bangladesh’s cloth-

ing factories, according to officials.

The campaign will target factories that operate as sub-contractors or produce garments for lesser-known

Skydivers plunge to their death inside stricken plane

A firefighter inspects the wreckage of the crashed Pilatus PC-6 in which 10 skydivers and their pilot lost their lives

The plane took off from a small airport near Namur, central Belgium, carrying members of a local skydiving club, and crashed 20 minutes later near Fernelmont, south-east of Brussels.

“According to witnesses, a part of the plane broke off, it spiralled, nosedived and crashed into the ground like a stone,” Jean-Claude Nihoul, mayor of Fernelmont, told Reuters news agency.

He said three of the passengers had tried to save themselves by jumping from the plane but they were too late. All of the

improved conditions at factories, while US retailers have launched a separate pact.

According to Mikail Shipar, the ILO and the Bangladeshi government will reportedly sign an agreement this week for the $24 million inspection campaign to be funded jointly by the Dutch, British and Canadian governments. Bangladesh has carried out some safety inspections since the Tazreen and Rana Plaza tragedies, but there are too few government inspectors and many lack the necessary technical expertise.

A Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology survey conducted after the April disaster found about 90 per cent of the buildings housing factories in Bangladesh were structurally unsafe.

Brunei

Belgium

A group of skydivers perished on Saturday (October 19) when a part of the plane carrying them broke off sending it plunging to the ground.

Western retailers, many of which have not signed safety accords established since the disastrous Rana Plaza building collapse earlier this year.

“We want to bring the number of industrial accidents to a tolerable limit,” Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar told reporters. “There will be zero tolerance [of] poor working conditions in our factories.”

Even before April’s Rana Plaza collapse in which more than 1,100 people perished, a fire at the Tazreen garment factory in Dhaka killed 111 workers last November; the country’s worst such tragedy.

That disaster revealed unauthorised sub-contracting of orders from Western groups. Many EU retailers have signed a new safety accord since the April disaster, pledging

dead were Belgium nationals.

The Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter plane carrying the instructors and skydiving pupils took off in partly cloudy conditions over the wooded and hilly area about 40 miles south of Brussels.

Nicolas Hormans of the Paraclub Namur, whose skydivers were among the victims, told RTL network that the plane was probably about 2 miles high when it suddenly went down. He said the nosedive would have thrown everyone aboard around with such force that they would not have been able to jump out and parachute to safety.

Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo promptly issued a statement confirming the crash and saying his thoughts are with the families of the victims.

Brunei ruler counts down to strict Sharia law

In what is being viewed as the latest step towards ultra-conservatism, the Sultan of Brunei has announced the phased introduction of tough Islamic punishments.

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, whose family have ruled the former British protectorate for six centuries, said in a speech on Tuesday (October 22) that a new Sharia penal code which has been in the works for years had been gazetted and would “come into force six months hereafter and in phases”.

Punishments can include stoning to death for adulterers, severing of limbs for theft and flogging for violations ranging from abortion to consumption of alcohol, according to a copy of the code.

“By the grace of Allah, with the coming into effect of this legislation, our duty to Allah is therefore being fulfilled,” said

the 67-year-old sultan, who first called for Sharia criminal punishments to be introduced as far back as 1996. He had remained relatively quiet on the subject since that time but has leaned increasingly towards Islamic orthodoxy in recent years, including the introduction of mandatory religious education for all Muslim children and ordering all businesses in the country closed for two hours during Friday prayers.

Brunei already has a dual-track system combining civil courts based on British law - the sultanate remained a British protectorate for 95 years ending in 1984 - and Sharia courts that are currently limited to personal and family issues such as marriage disputes. It has not been made clear how aggressively the new criminal code, which applies only to the 70 per cent of the nation’s 400,000 population who are Muslims, would be implemented.

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Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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CRIME

Heroin dealer jailed for 10 years

Omar Raymond Welsh

A drug dealer has been jailed for 10 years after he was stopped by police in Croydon and found with 2kg of heroin.

Omar Raymond Welsh 37 years 27.12.1975 of Buckmaster Close, SW9, was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court yesterday, 22 October, to 10 years imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.

On 22 August, officers from the Met’s Specialist, Organised and Economic Crime Command’s Central Task Force and Croydon’s Crime Squad carried out a proactive operation near to Thornton Heath train station when they spotted Welsh carrying a Louis Vuitton shopping bag. As officers approached him, Welsh attempted to run

off, discarding the bag nearby.

He was eventually stopped and detained in nearby Brook Road and officers also recovered the bag, inside which were four packets of what officers believed to be class A drugs.

Welsh was arrested at the scene and the packets were seized and sent for analysis, which confirmed they contained heroin approximately 2 kilograms in weight.

Welsh, who was on licence having been released from prison in 2012 for a similar offence, was charged on 05 September with possession of class A drugs with intent to supply. He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, before being sentenced on 22 October.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Wagstaff, from the Met’s Specialist, Organised and Economic Crime Command said: “This is an excellent example of our Central Task Force working with local borough police to ensure that intelligence and proactive operations are linked from the highest levels of organised criminality right down to those impacting on local neighbourhoods.

“Welsh is a dangerous and serial offender who has been convicted and sentenced due to the excellent work of the officers from our Central Task Force and Croydon’s Crime Squad.”

Appeal following assault on Chelsea pensioner

Officers from Kensington and Chelsea are appealing for witnesses after a pensioner was slashed in the face with a knife in West Cromwell Road, SW5 on Saturday 19 October.

At approximately 18:50hrs the 66year-old victim was walking towards Earls Court Road, SW5, when he noticed two men kicking a woman on the floor.

In an attempt to stop the men assaulting the woman the man punched one of the suspects [A] in the face. The suspect retaliated by slashing the victim in the face and side of the head with a knife.

The suspects then ran off towards Warwick Road, SW5.

The victim was taken to a west London hospital where he was treated for injuries and later discharged from hospital.

The woman who was being attacked left the scene before police arrived.

Suspect [A] is described as a black man in his early 20s between 5ft 8 inches and 5ft 10 inches tall, and of average build. He was wearing dark clothes and a hooded top Suspect [B] is described as a black man between 5ft 8ins and 5ft 10ins tall, of average build. He was wearing dark clothing.

Officers are also keen to identify the woman who was assaulted prior to the 66-year-old man being attacked. She is described as white, with straight blonde shoulder length hair, approximately 5ft 8 inches and was wearing pale coloured clothes.

Police are urging anyone who may have any information about this incident to contact DC Alex Montgomerie from Kensington and Chelsea CID on 0208 246 0186 or to remain anonymous

Three men jailed for cash in transit robbery from driving for three years and given nine points on his licence. He was also ordered to retake his driving test on his release.

Kimbembi was charged on Christmas Day following his release from hospital where he was treated for a broken leg.

Firearm teenager jailed

Chanel Riscosa

Three men have been jailed for 11 years after stealing a cash box they failed to realise was empty.

Suspect A, Chanel Riscosa, 30 (24.03.83) of Lyndhurst Road, N22; Suspect B, Nuaka Dimena, 29 (27.10.83) of no fixed abode; Suspect C, Basana Kimbembi, 31 (13.07.82) of no fixed abode were sentenced at two separate hearings at Snaresbrook Crown Court, having pleaded guilty at earlier hearings to robbery.

On 2 September, Riscosa was sentenced to four years and five months and disqualified from driving for three years; Dimena was jailed for three years and nine months.

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Nuaka Dimena

On 11 October, Kimbembi was jailed for three years.

Police were called on the morning of Friday 21 December 2012 to reports of a cash-in-transit robbery outside Barclays Banks in Beehive Lane, Gants Hill.

Following a delivery to the bank, the custodian was approached by Dimena and Kimbembi as he returned to his vehicle.

Following a struggle the two ran off with the empty cash box.

In nearby Tillotson Road the pair got into a red Peugeot, driven by Riscosa. The car was spotted a short time later by police in Redbridge Lane East and a pursuit ensued.

At the Charlie Brown Roundabout the

Basana Kimbembi

suspects’ car collided with two other vehicles. Dimena and Kimbembi were arrested at the scene. Driver Riscosa ran from the car and was chased on foot before jumping over a wall. The area was contained and police dogs subsequently found him hiding in a shed in the grounds of a school.

The cash box was recovered from the back seat of the car, hidden in a mutli-coloured laundry bag and next to a second bag containing a blow torch and screwdriver.

Following ‘no comment’ interviews Riscosa and Dimena were charged the following day with robbery. Riscosa was additionally charged with dangerous driving and driving without insurance - disqualified

An 18-year-old teenager from Lewisham has been jailed for over five years after police found a loaded gun hidden underneath a bath tub at his home address.

Xavier Gabman, 18 (08/01/1995) from Elsinore Road, SE23 was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday 18 October 2013 to five years and six months imprisonment after he was found guilty on 9 September 2013 of possession of a loaded firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possession with intent to supply Class B drugs (Cannabis).

When they searched Gabman’s bedroom a quantity of cannabis was found and upon searching the bathroom, underneath the side panelling of the bath officers found a revolver.

Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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Sounds of Diaspora People of America Diana’s son is dating a Simpson, official

Commentator climbs down over ‘Tiger cheats’ allegation

A well known golf analyst and former professional has apologised for a thinly veiled persistent cheat allegation aimed at Tiger Woods.

Evan Ross and his mother, Diana, flanked by Ashlee Simpson (right) and Diana’s daughter with Motown founder Berry Gordy, singer Rhonda Ross Kendrick

Keep calm, we don’t mean Harry, and Wills is obviously taken. Neither are we talking about Lisa or Maggie. No, Motown legend Diana Ross seems to have given her seal of approval to her son Evan’s relationship with 29-year-old singer/actress Ashlee Simpson.

The pair were first seen together in June this year, sparking rumours of a romance.

However, mother, son and prospective daughter-in-law arrived together for the premiere of TLC biopic “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story” in New York last week, adding fuel to the celebrity gossip. Ross, 25, plays Dallas Austin in the movie.

Asked how his mother felt about Miss Simpson, Ross responded: “She loves her (..) She’s with my mom sitting down. I had them take her to a seat.”

According to one source: “Diana kept talking over and around Evan to Ashlee, laughing and chatting and they seemed

very close. Diana and Ashlee seemed to get along so well, and Evan and Ashlee held hands while they spoke to Diana before the movie started.” Friends of the couple said that their romance grew from friendship that started on the “club scene.”

Simpson and Ross made their first public appearance together during this summer’s New York Fashion Week at an event Simpson hosted for her sister’s new fashion line, the Jessica Simpson Fall Campaign 2013.

In addition to hosting the event, Ashlee also served as the face of the campaign.

Simpson was also spotted when Diana Ross performed at the Hollywood Bowl in August.

Evan Ross is one of two sons from the marriage of Diana, now 69, to Norwegian businessman Arne Næss Jr. The pair married in 1986 and divorced in 2000. Næss was killed in a climbing accident in 2004.

Golf.com’s Brandel Chamblee apologised via social media to the world number 1 for a blog in which he appraised some of the game’s top professionals as would a teacher handing out end of term grades.

He gave the only ‘F’ grades to Woods and the only other black golfer he appraised, Fiji’s Vijay Singh. Of Singh Chamblee said: No man can be that petty, swing that ugly, be in the Hall of Fame and be that irrelevant. I hate him. F. His longest appraisal by far, however, was reserved for Woods, winner of five events this year: “When I was in the fourth grade, I cheated on a math test and when I got the paper back it had “100” written at the top and just below the grade, was this quote, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!” It was an oft-quoted line from the epic poem “Marmion” by Sir Walter Scott, and my teacher’s message was clear. Written once more beneath that quote was my grade of “100”, but this time with a line drawn through it and beneath that an F. I never did ask my teacher how

she knew I cheated and I certainly didn’t protest the grade. I knew I had done the wrong thing and my teacher the right, but I never forgot the way I felt when I read that quote.” F. Euphemistically terming them “rule controversies”, Chamblee went on to list events where, in his opinion, and despite each instance being scrutinised and ratified by tournament officials, Woods had breached the rules: *Tiger’s rule controversies in 2013 included taking an illegal free drop at the Abu Dhabi Championship, avoiding disqualification at the Masters despite signing an incorrect scorecard following an illegal drop, giving himself a favorable drop after hitting into a water hazard at the Players Championship, and a two-stroke penalty for causing his ball to move while removing a twig resting against it at the BMW Championship.

Chamblee’s brief apology on Twitter, which followed a lively debate, read: “Golf is a gentleman’s game and I’m not proud of this debate. I want to apologize to Tiger for this incited discourse”.

Woods has maintained a dignified silence over the insinuations, but his agent, Mark Steinberg, told ESPN.com last week that he would “have to give some thought to legal action.”

Kanye attempts (and fails) to explain ‘White Jesus’ Newly betrothed Kanye West recently gave a TV interview in which he discussed the controversial appearance of a figure representing Jesus in his ‘Yeezus’ shows.

‘Yeezy’ explained that a lot of thought was put into Jesus’ appearance. “I had a friend of mine that’s a pastor there as we started discussing how we wanted to deliver it,” he said. “My girl even asked afterwards, ‘Is that weird that Jesus comes on stage?’,” he revealed, but stressed that it wasn’t all that out of the ordinary. “We do plays all the time where people play Jesus.”

West expressed that the ability to use the image of God is one of the greatest parts of his religion. “What’s awesome about Christianity is that we’re able to portray God. We’re allowed to draw an image of him. We’re allowed to make movies about him. In other religions, you’re not allowed to do that,” he explained.

“One of the things that I wanted to really get across with that, is that you can have a relationship with Jesus, you can talk to Jesus.” Kanye said of his intentions, suggesting that this was his own way of expressing his relationship with God. “In the same way someone would have a “Jesus is my Homeboy” [t-shirt], this is the way I

would express it.”

“Anytime the word Jesus can be used more in our lives, it’s a good thing. Even if it’s the title Yeezus.” he said. “With my heroes, people want to be like Mike, I want to be like Christ.”

The Chicago rapper then got into why he chose the name “White Jesus” for Christ’s appearance at his concert. “It’s funny because you hear the term “Black Jesus” all the time, but you never hear the term “White Jesus,” he explained, and later joked, “You know it’s just some Kanye West shit really.”

Finally, he spoke of the classism present in some of his interviews, but said he has his own way of greeting the patronising questions. “Even when you’re in certain magazines, it’s still like a dinner for Schmucks situation. Are they inviting you to be a part of your situation, or are they inviting you to laugh at your tooth? We have our thing that every time we do it, we give them the “White” voice.”

Meanwhile, West and girlfriend Kim Kardashian became engaged last week following an understated proposal involving the hiring of an entire sports stadium. couple’s baby, North, is happily too young to be embarrassed by the circus act he will have to call mum and dad.

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Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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Gospel

‘THE SET TIME’ IS NOW

“The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! “ Isa. 49:8-15.

By Michael Adekoya

Dear Reader, did you hear that? What a word of encouragement and a promise from Jehovah, our Creator! He works on schedule.

He has a set time for everything in life. He has a set time to save you, deliver you, heal you, favour you, increase you, promote you, connect you, prosper you, bless you, move on your behalf, answer your prayers, restore you and fulfil His promises for your life. No matter what you are thinking or worrying about now; no matter what you are going through today, take a My friend, listen. There are two about developing consistency is a total commitment to Jesus moment and think about things you need to keep in your in your walk with God and Christ and serving God dilithat. spirit today. First, the “set time” in your Christian character. gently and acceptably. He anAt the peak of my trial season few years ago, a very close friend and a prayer partner called and said to me, “Femi, who do you think makes God’s appointment?” I replied, “He does!” He asked, “Do you know anybody powerful, educated, wealthy, influential or big enough to change them or cancel them?” I replied, “Definitely not!” Then he said, “Femi, all you have to know is what time the appointment has been set for and be there! But, in the meantime, do what God has given you to do irrespective of what is happening to you and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.” My friend, it was such an encouraging word to me. Surely, it simplifies life, isn’t it?

then the “meantime” The “set time” is when God fulfils His plan and promise and carries out His purposes (Phil 2:12; 2 Cor 6:2). The “meantime” is all about you walking by faith, day by day, talking to the Lord God and listening as He speaks to you through His Word, through your circumstances or through His prophet. The “mean time” is the time of waiting. The Bible says, “The vision will still happen at the appointed (set) time…If it’s delayed, wait for it. It will certainly happen. It won’t be late.” (Hab 2:3) Did you hear that? Wait for it! It will certainly happen this year in Jesus name. Amen.

Affliction, suffering, hardship, adversity or delay is all

Are you looking for a church? ­­

Not settled in any particular congregation?

Perhaps now is the time to pray about it If you are not yet saved try one of the following: Jubilee International Churchmeets at 2,30pm on Sundays at Kings Avenue, school, park hill. London SW4. Part of Jubilee International Churches worldwide. For information, you may call (020)8697 3354 New Wine Christian Church- 11am holds meeting at Ringcross Tennants club, Lough Road, Holloway, N7. a member of the Icthus fellowship

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worldwide. For more information call 020 7609 959 or 07957 757 663.

Praise Tabernacle- 10:30am holds meetings at 620 Western Avenue (A40), park royal Business centre, opposite Warner Bros. Cinema Complex, W3. part of The Redeemed Christian Church of God. For information you may call 020 8993 3010 New Life Christian Centre 10.30am & 6.00pm. meetings at Cairo New Road, Croydon. The church has

As soon as you prayed, God has heard you. But between the time you say “Amen” after your prayers and the “set time” for manifestation, there is a “meantime.” It is called a “waiting time” which demands faith, patience, focus and readiness. My friend, maybe you are single and you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, then I have a Good News for you. God is vitally interested in your choice of a marriage partner. He wants to reveal the person He has chosen for you. He will order the steps of your Boaz to find you at the “set time.” He will connect you with your Ruth. He will restore your relationship, finances and Christian life. But in the “meantime” God’s first desire for you

swers prayers!

My friend, what are you trusting God for this year? What have you been praying for? The Bible says, “Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth!

Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted (His wounded or tried people).” (Isa 49:13) And that includes you! As followers of Christ, we must be willing to accept God’s Word, even if it’s contrary to ours (Matt. 16:24).

God loves you. You are not a victim of chance, hoping you’ll be lucky enough to find a good mate. God has a plan and a purpose for you, and His plans are better than any plan you could

a bible school, primary, is involved in extensive mission work in Eastern Europe, Italy and India. For information you may call 020 8680 7671 Ruach Ministries - holds meeting at 9am, 11am and 6pm. For information you may call 020 8678 6888 International Central Gospel church - Battersea chapel, holds meetings on Sundays from 2.00pm. . For information you may call 020 8684 4934 Jesus Arena International- Sunday service at 11.00am at Broadwater farm centre, Adams road N17 The Bible Life Church UK- They meet on Sunday mornings at 2.30pm at St Giles Centre, Camberwell

Church Street, London SE5 Christ Apostolic church (Full Gospel & Pentecostal) Surrey Docks District 163 Ilderton Rd South Bermondsey London SE16 2UT. Tel. 020 7252 2086.

Time of worship: Sunday English service 9- 11.30am. Yoruba service 11.30 -2.30pm. Prophetic counselling: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 12noon- 5pm, Saturday only 5- 7pm.

Holy Cross Church InternationalSunday 10.am- 1 pm at Crown House 71-73 Nathan way London SE28 0BQ Tel: 07904 234 126, 07809 381 886 Times of service:Bible study: Thursdays 8pm. Night Vigil: Friday Forthnightly 12am

imagine for yourself. If you are sick, there is a balm in Gilead .

Jesus is the Great Physician. If you are barren or jobless, God is Jehovah Jireh…our provider!

If you want to be saved, Jesus is the Saviour of the world. If you are in darkness, He is the Light.

If you are being deceived, He is the Truth. If you are lost, He is the Way My friend, why are you troubled in your heart and worried?

The parting of the Red Sea and the battle of Jericho were only 1% of Israel ’s journey. The other 99% was following the cloud, gathering manna each day and moving toward the Promised Land one step at a time. No matter what is going wrong in your life or around you today, even if you are caught up in the current global financial crisis, be encouraged because God has scheduled a “set time” to move on your behalf. And that time is this New Year 2010. But in the “meantime”, use everyday to draw closer to Him.” He able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Eph 3:20). That power is the power of faith which only Him can give you in His Word and by His Spirit.

In the meantime, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and other things will be given to you as well (Matt. 6:33). Remain blessed!

Sunday Service: Sundays 10am - 1pm Winners Chapel London- part of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, at Unit B1 Galleywall Trading Estate, South Bermondsey, London SE16 3PB meets Sunday 7am & 9am and 11am and Wednesdays at 7pm. For details call 020 7237 7894 CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH GRAVESEND, ST. AIDAIN’S CHURCH, ST. AIDAN’S WAY, GRAVESEND, KENT, DA12 4AG TEL. 01474 355 841, 07956 38 38 70 TIME OF WORSHIP: Wednesday Bible Study: 7:30pm to 9:00pm Friday, Night Vigil: 9pm to 11pm Sunday Worship: 12:30pm to 3:00pm

Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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Africa Newsround

Angola

Dos Santos slams Portugal over corruption

Jose Eduardo dos Santos is keen to show that Angola is strong enough to stand up to its former colonial master

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has criticised former colonial ruler Portugal over its investigations of top Angolan officials.

President dos Santos described Portugal’s relationship with Angola

as “not well” in a state of the nation speech to open Parliament last week in Luanda. A summit meeting between the two countries was moved to February from this month. He expressed anger that Lisbon’s probe into financial impropriety amongst Angolans fed the perception that “a rich African man is corrupt”.

Dos Santos’ comments came after Portugal’s Foreign Minister Rui Machete was called before a parliamentary committee in Lisbon last week after he expressed regret in an interview in Angola about a corruption probe by Portuguese prosecutors that was said to involve top Angolan officials. “There have been some misunderstandings and given the current political environment in this relationship, the construction of a strategic partnership previously announced is not advisable,” the president said in Parliament.

Ethiopia

Rights body calls for end to torture of political prisoners

The Maekelawi detention centre from the sky

Political dissenters in Ethiopia are routinely being tortured, according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Detainees held at Addis Ababa’s notorious Maekelawi detention centre are described in the report entitled They Want a Confession as being repeatedly slapped, kicked, punched, and beaten with batons and gun butts. Some detainees reported being forced into painful stress positions, such as being hung by their wrists or being made to stand with their hands tied above their heads for several hours at a time, often while being beaten, according to the rights organisation.

The fate of those passing through Maekelawi’s gates is largely unknown to the outside world. Since 2011, scores of high-profile individuals have been detained in Maekelawi under Ethiopia’s draconian anti-terrorism law, including journalists and opposition

politicians, and held for months under the law’s lengthy pre-charge detention period as their “cases” are prepared for trial.

“Ethiopian authorities right in the heart of the capital regularly use abuse to gather information,” said Leslie Lefkow, HRW’s deputy Africa director, adding: “Beatings, torture, and coerced confessions are no way to deal with journalists or the political opposition.” She called on the Ethiopian government to “root out the underlying culture of impunity”.

Human Rights Watch is demanding that Ethiopia’s leaders publicly state that torture and other ill treatment are prohibited, and take concrete steps to hold to account those found responsible for abuses. Most importantly, the Ethiopian government should ensure that no one is ever arrested for exercising their basic rights, including by peacefully expressing their political opinions.

Without giving names, Portugal’s Prosecutor’s office said in a statement on October 4 that there are several proceedings in which Angolan citizens are involved as both suspects and plaintiffs. Dos Santos, Africa’s longestserving ruler after Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, said US, French and British companies had extracted billions of dollars in resources from Angola while the West criticised Africans for accumulating wealth. Companies such as Chevron Corp. (CVX), Total SA (FP) and BP Plc (BP/) helped the country pump 1.74 million barrels of oil a day in September, second only to Nigeria, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

“Why is it that they can have private companies of this size and Angolans not?” dos Santos said. “The campaigns of intimidation I have mentioned before

are persistently made against Africans because [foreign companies] don’t want to have local competitors and they want to continue to take more and more wealth for their countries.”

Markus Weimer, an analyst at Control Risks, a London-based political risk analysis group, said: “Angola is important for Portugal as a source of investment, export markets and jobs (..)

Dos Santos, aware of Portugal’s reliance on Angola, is flexing his muscles.”

Portuguese companies have contracts valued in the billions of dollars to rebuild Angola following a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002. Isabel dos Santos, the president’s daughter, owns stakes in Zon Optimus SGPS, Portugal’s biggest cable TV provider, and Banco BPI SA, its third-largest bank, which is also active in Angola.

Zimbabwe

Banks may be forced to repay raided funds

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe ordered the seizure of client funds to fend off financial collapse

Following a Supreme Court ruling last week, Zimbabwe’s banking sector is bracing itself to pay back some $400m seized from client accounts in 2007.

Standard Chartered was ordered to reimburse Chinese-owned Shougang International $45,000, which was seized on the order of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to prevent economic collapse.

Economist John Robertson said the ruling was disturbing, and if not challenged might set a bad precedent whereby all banks that had their accounts raided by the central bank could be sued by clients.

“In 2009, the RBZ admitted that it owed depositors over $1bn and you can imagine if all the people who (are) owed this money approach the courts,” he said.

In his ruling, Justice Vernanda Ziyambi indicated that Standard Chartered had transferred the depositor’s funds at its “own peril” and had an obligation to pay

up upon its client’s request.

“The payments to the RBZ were made at [Standard Chartered’s] own risk and did not affect its obligation in law to pay its debt to [Shougang International] on demand.”

Bankers Association of Zimbabwe president George Guvamatanga said the court order had created “uncertainty” in the banking sector, while an executive at MBCA bank, a subsidiary of South Africa’s Nedbank, said the case was creating a “trying time” for the sector.

“We are all in a difficult space; an injury to one is an injury to all. The court order should have been extended to the RBZ, because banks were complying with a directive from the central bank,” said the executive, who asked not to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the press.

It is unclear if Standard Chartered will approach Zimbabwe’s constitutional court to try to overturn the Supreme Court ruling.

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Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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African News Travelmusic artist

In association with

Somalia’s Abukar Ahmed receives 2013 IBA Human Rights Award Somalian constitutional and international law professor Abukar Hassan Ahmed has been presented with the 2013 International Bar Association (IBA) Human Rights Award. The honour was conferred for his dedication to the fight for human rights and the rule of law in Somalia.

Presenting the Award to Professor Ahmed was IBA President Michael Reynolds. He commented, ‘Professor Ahmed’s courage and dedication to human rights and the rule of law is an inspiration to lawyers worldwide and serves as a stark reminder that for our colleagues across the world, being a lawyer is fraught with challenges and danger [...]. Let us be reminded that lawyers play a vital role in promoting justice, human rights and upholding the rule of law, both at home and abroad. May Professor Ahmed’s determination and resilience be an inspiration to us all.’

During the brutal Siad Barre dictatorship (1969–1991) Professor Ahmed taught constitutional law, including curriculum on human rights protection, at the Somali National University. He spoke out against the regime and defended people arrested for their political beliefs.

Professor Abukar Hassan Ahmed As a result of his human rights work, Professor Ahmed endured arbitrary arrest, imprisonment and torture.

In 2010, after discovering that his torturer resided in Columbus Ohio, Professor Ahmed filed a lawsuit before the US District Court against Colonel Abdi Aden Magan, of the former Somali National Security Service, for arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, and torture. The motion, filed under the US Alien Tort Statute and Torture Victim Prevention Act, was granted by the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in autumn 2012. It was the first

time that a member of the Somali National Security Service has been held accountable for acts under the Siad Barre Regime.

During his acceptance speech, Professor Ahmed told the 300 delegates gathered ‘The dictators and their thugs think that justice has geographical limitations, but justice is universal. Justice does not belong to any particular nation, race, or gender. It belongs to all humanity. As I have said before, my victory before the Ohio Court is not just for me, but for all the silent victims of torture – alive or dead. I thank you for this award today, but it belongs not only to

me, but all those around the world who are fighting to promote human rights and international law for a just society and world.’

He was given a standing ovation.

Currently, Professor Ahmed is Legal Advisor to the Office of the President, Somalia, contributing to the drafting of the new Somali Constitution and Human Rights Bill.

The IBA Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights, sponsored by Lexis Nexis, recognises personal endeavour in the field of law. It is presented annually during the IBA Rule of Law Symposium on the last day of the IBA Annual Conference, this year held in Boston, United States of America, between 6 – 11 October.

Ian McDougall, EVP and General Counsel, LexisNexis Legal & Professional commented, ‘LexisNexis is honored to support this award and applauds the work of the IBA Human Rights Institute to promote, protect and enforce human rights under a just rule of law. The protection of human rights, including the security of persons and property, is a fundamental principle of the rule of law. We congratulate Professor Abukar Hassan Ahmed, a most worthy honouree of the 2013 IBA Human Rights award.’

How can the brain drain be turned into a brain gain

By Ade Sawyerr

Ever since the 2011 census figures were released there has been some much talk of immigration. The talk has now turned toxic as one minister in government puts it and some of think that this probably is the time to have an intelligent debate on the issue devoid of the unreasoned emotion and noise of political prejudice.

No one wants to focus on the positive aspects of the contribution of immigrants to the diversity of the often drab British life, or the great moves towards integration and the enrichment of the British culture. No one complained that Britain was a small island when its empire spanned the world and it had dominion over all and sundry, but now that only a small proportion of that empire wants to come to Britain suddenly everyone is complaining about the size of the island and the fact that the whole empire cannot fit into it. But Britain is alive and well today because of the contribution of foreigners to the economic cake even though there is resentment when it comes to sharing the cake.

The complaints that too many people in this country have mother tongues that are foreign undermines the appreciated fact that Britain gifted the whole world the English language and as a child in primary school before our independence I was forced to speak, read and write English at the expense of my own mother tongue.

But when the talk moves to the other complaint that foreigners come to benefit from 18

our health and educational system then the truth must be told that without foreigners, these systems would not exist because it is the same foreigners who support those same systems. Indeed the honest in the immigration debate, Diane Abbott of Labour, Vince Cable of LibDems and Boris Johnson of the Conservatives all recognise that contribution that foreigners have and continue to make to the economic and social fabric of the British system.

But what is seen as a gain to the British economy is seen by some as a drain of intellectual capital from countries desperate for development. A case in point is Nigeria where a larger proportion of Nigerians who came into Britain at the start of the last century must have come to study.

Most of these lawyers, doctors, engineers, accountants, architects, teachers, academics and politicians who had trained in the United Kingdom went back as professionals to help in the development effort and help steer the country to independence.

Even those who had come as economic migrants did well enough to return home.

After independence an even larger number came over with the objective of an academic or professional qualification. Again most went back after their qualifications.

But from the mid eighties it would seem that a lot more of Africans, Nigerians included, are staying over rather than going back home. Indeed a large number acquired their qualifications in Nigeria and decided to come over to Britain to work based on the attractive packages available to them in

sectors such as health and education.

The Nigerian Diaspora in the UK has grown significantly over the past few years.

Recently released figures from the Office of National Statistics on 29th August 2013, estimate that there are over 180,000 persons who list Nigeria as their country of birth. The approximate distributions around the countries are 6% in Scotland 2% in Wales whilst Northern Ireland is less than 1%. The rest live in England and 55% of these reside in London, 8% in the Southeast, 8% in the East, 7% in the Northwest, 6% in Yorkshire and Humberside, 3% each in Southwest, West Midlands and East Midlands and 1% in the Northeast. The areas with the largest concentration of Nigerians are Southwark and Greenwich with over 10,000 each, Barking and Dagenham 9,000, Bexley and Manchester with over 7,000 each, Newham, Enfield, Hackney, Lambeth, Lewisham and Croydon have over 5,000 each followed by Essex, Thurrock and Bromley with over 4,000 each.

The figure of 180,000 could easily be doubled if we add the second and third generation of persons born in this country to Nigerians who have a connection or affinity to Nigeria.

The available evidence is that whilst most of these people are here because there are better job opportunities in this country, most yearn that they are able to go back home to contribute to the development of their country. There are a lot who have to work here whose experiences are riddled with episodes of unfair employment treat-

ment but who persist because of the lack of alternatives.

There are also several second and third generation Nigerians who will be willing to go back to the land of their origin to help in the development effort. There wish may be due to the opportunities that they envisage there or may be due to the fact that they are not valued here what with the constant refrain against foreigners in this country despite the fact of their being born here.

The financial influence of the Nigerian Diaspora also cannot be underestimated because Central Bank of Nigeria claims that as much as $21 billion flows into the country from Nigerians abroad.

Clearly there is a need to formulate policy for effective mobilisation of funds, skills and technology transfer to ensure that what has been referred to as the brain drain can be transformed into the brain gain but this cannot be done without informed research.

It is important to know what the issues are, what the push and pull factors are, what incentives are needed and whether indeed the structures and mechanisms put in place will be self sustainable.

The research, itself of essence, needs to be a mixed methodology one if it is to capture all the important variables that will promote this transformation into the brain gain.

Ade Sawyerr is partner in Equinox Consulting. If you want to participate in the debate and share your views: Please contact Maxine James at survey@ equinoxconsulting.net

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Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

19

Events calendar What’s On & When Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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Arts

Theatre, Shows and Musicals

By Ryan Holmes

Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who’s been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Holed up at the Cricketers’ Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and takes a second job with one Stanley Stubbers, who is hiding from the police and waiting to be re-united with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart. Simple.

Haymarket Theatre,18 Suffolk St, London SW1Y 4HT

Lenny Henry as Troy and Tanya Moodie as Rose

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Now- November 16th

Always first in line to play the ass, David Walliams hee-haws crowd-pleasingly as donkey-headed Bottom in this sultry reimagining of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, mingling with Sheridan Smith’s lusty Titania and a string of exceptionally chiselled fairies.

Set against the backdrop of fairyland’s glistening moon, Shakespeare’s tale of mischief and misplaced devotion is adeptly retold by a talented cast, whose comedic skills bring pace and energy to director Michael Grandage’s turbocharged interpretation. The high octane drama, mirth and calamity of this heady ‘Midsummer Night’ are riotously unpicked as Gavin Fowler’s naughty fairy, Puck, stirs up a love-fuelled frenzy on stage.

Noel Coward Theatre. St Martin’s Lane London, WC2N 4AU

The 39 Steps Now- March 2014

When Hitchcock adapted Buchan’s ‘The 39 Steps’, however, he introduced a love interest in a version which Buchan later conceded was better than his own. In this stage version, Patrick Barlow has continued the honourable tradition of mucking around with Buchan’s original, keeping the love interest (now elegantly played by new cast member Rachel Pickup) and adding a whirligig of self-conscious theatrical effects in a production where four actors evoke everyone from lingerie salesmen to a housekeeper who screams like a steamtrain..

The Criterion,218-223 Piccadilly, London, SW1Y 4XA

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Pride Now-November 9th

Set in both 1958 and 2008, ‘The Pride’ sees what appears to be the same love triangle play out in two very different eras. In 1958, closeted married man Philip (Harry Hadden-Paton) grapples violently with his feelings for writer Oliver (Al Weaver), while his fragile wife Sylvia (Hayley Atwell) looks on in impotent despair. And in 2008, the three seem to have been given their time again in a more liberated age…

Yet they’re not happy – promiscuous journalist Oliver has scewed up his relationship with straight-laced Philip, and Oliver’s chronic neediness is seriously bringing his BFF Sylvia down.

Trafalgar Studios,14 Whitehall SW1A 2DY

Macbeth Now- 13th October

When three witches tell Macbeth that he is destined to occupy the throne of Scotland, he and his wife choose to become the instruments of their fate and to kill the first man standing in their path, the virtuous King Duncan. But to maintain his position, Macbeth must keep on killing – first Banquo, his old comrade-in-arms; then, as the atmosphere of guilt and paranoia thickens, anyone who seems to threaten his tyrant’s crown.

21 New Globe Walk, London, Greater London SE1 9DT

One Man, Two Guvnors Now-March 2014

Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect £6000 from his fiancee’s dad. But

Much Ado About NothingNow-November 30th

Age is the theme and the big talking point at the Old Vic as it plays host to two great theatre pros in Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy. Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones are Benedick and Beatrice: reluctant older lovers, grouchily bickering their way into each other’s hearts.

The play is reimagined in a Britain of old too. It’s 1944, and we get a wartime view of the country that perhaps only ever existed in our imaginations. A land of comedy policemen, dashingly handsome GIs and naughty boy scouts – it conjures up images of a particular kind of British sitcom or BBC radio play, a sort of ‘Archers’ does Shakespeare.

103 The Cut, Waterloo Rd, London SE1 8NB

Lutz Bacher: Black Beauty Now- November 17th

Get ready to be manipulated by an eclectic display of works by the elusive American artist for her first major UK show. Varying degrees of black will dominate with tons of coal slag being emptied into the lower gallery for ‘Black Beauty’ along with pulsating astrotuf in ‘Black Magic’. Accompanying these is an audio of the Shakespearean character, Puck from ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ that adds an enchantingly devious tone to the premise of Bacher’s exhibition.

ICA, The Mall, London, SW1Y 5AH

Crowning Glory

A new play by Somalia Seaton

17 Oct - 9 November 2013

“In a world saturated with images of unrealistic and unobtainable beauty, how do women see themselves?”

Join our all-female cast of fun and feisty modern women as they share the trials and tribulations of their hair, and try to uncover what true beauty means.

This current, funny and thought-provoking show will undoubtedly get you talking.

Come along with friends or family and take part in the conversation!

Theatre Royal Stratford East,

London

African Market 27th October

Open The Gate is proudly hosting their unique alternative fair, The African Market, featuring a selection of the most talented designers from Africa and inspired by African cultures.

The African Market showcases original & ethical fashion, accessories, jewellery, shoes as well as Arts & Crafts, homeware, natural beauty products, books, music, arts and more. Local & international charities are also represented, promoting their actions and raising awareness but also funds by selling goods Old Spitalfields Market, 16 Horner Square , Spitalfields London E1 6EW

The Djinns of Eidgah Now- Nov 9th

This Royal Court debut from Indian playwright Abhishek Majumdar is a gutsy, pummelling affair that offers an insight into the terrible daily pressures faced by young Muslim men living in Indian Kashmir.

It doesn’t quite work in the Court’s tiny upstairs theatre – after the almost kitchensink first half in which we follow decent bloke Bilal (Danny Ashok) and his efforts to keep his nose clean and advance the football career that will take him out of the troubled region, things start getting seriously confusing: ghosts turn up to have lengthy chats with the living, the living start spouting rambling philosophical screeds, and the focus of the play dissipates amidst its large cast of characters.

The space and attendant budget of the Court’s larger downstairs theatre would probably have clarified these flourishes – I can imagine the second half having a macabre, Sarah-Kane-ish texture that it never achieves here.

Sloane Square, London, SW1W 8AS

Beats Now- October 26th

You’ll feel like you’ve spent the night (well, an hour and a bit) gurning away in a boggy field after watching this simultaneously euphoric and melancholy tribute to the declining days of rave culture from performer Kieran Hurley.

The concept is deceptively simple: Hurley – fresh of face faced and clearly not a veteran of second summer of love – tells two interlocking stories about a young lad and a middle-aged policeman’s journey to the same illegal gathering in the Scottish countryside, the former to have the first big night of his young life, the second to shut it down.

21 Dean St, London, W1D 3NE

Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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Arts

Poet of the Week: Gabriel Okara

By Peter Olorunnisomo

Gabriel Okara

Gabriel Okara was born in 1921 in Nigeria. At this time Nigeria was still a British colony and, indeed, it would be nearly forty years before his country was to gain independence in October 1960.

During his life, Okara has held a number of jobs, initially working as a book binder, journalist, radio broadcaster and newspaper editor. He has also traveled to the USA where he helped raise money for Nigeria by giving poetry recitals.

Okara’s poems tend reflect the problems that African nations face as they are torn between the culture of their European colonisers and their traditional African heritage. He also looks at the traumatic effect

that colonisation and de-colonisation can have on the self and on one’s sense of personal identity. As such, Okara often depicts characters suffering from ‘culture shock’ as they are torn between these two irreconcilable cultures. On the one hand there is Christianity and the definite material benefits such as classroom education and well-paid jobs that the European way of life offers, while on the other hand, there is the unspoken expectation that the ‘true’ African owes allegiance to his original tribal culture and should embrace these ‘roots’.

This contrast is summed up nicely by another African poet called Mabel Segun in the following lines: Here we stand

Infants overblown

Poised between two civilizations

Finding the balance irksome As a result of this divide, Okara seems to suggest, many modern Africans do not know ‘who they are’ or ‘what they should be.’ His poem Once Upon a Time clearly describes the problems that can arise when the cultures of ancient Africa and modern Europe clash leaving people without a clear sense of how to behave and where to look for guidance.

Okara also examines the contrast between the honest simplicities of the past and the superficial unreliability of the modern world and he seems to believe at points that only by looking at and learning from their past can the African people hope to have a positive future.

As with many other African poets, the theme of Negritude, or the glorification of Africa, is present in much of Okara’s work.

In addition to recurrent anger at the atroci-

ties of slavery and colonisation Negritude writers worship anything African and use scintillating rhymes or vibrant descriptions to personifying, or indeed deifying (making into a god), their homeland.

The Call of the River Nun I hear your call!

I hear it far away; I hear it break the circle of these crouching hills.

I want to view your face again and feel your cold embrace; or at your brim to set myself and inhale your breath; or like the trees, to watch my mirrored self unfold and span my days with song from the lips of dawn.

I hear your lapping call!

I hear it coming through; invoking the ghost of a child listening, where river birds hail your silver-surfaced flow.

My river’s calling too!

Its ceaseless flow impels my found’ring canoe down its inevitable course.

And each dying year brings near the seabird call, the final call that stills the crested waves and breaks in two the curtain of silence of my upturned canoe.

O incomprehensible God! Shall my pilot be my inborn stars to that final call to Thee.

O my river’s complex course?

Once Upon a Time Once upon a time, son, they used to laugh with their hearts and laugh with their eyes: but now they only laugh with their teeth, while their ice-block-cold eyes search behind my shadow.

There was a time indeed they used to shake hands with their hearts: but that’s gone, son.

Now they shake hands without hearts while their left hands search my empty pockets.

‘Feel at home!’ ‘Come again’: they say, and when I come again and feel at home, once, twice, there will be no thricefor then I find doors shut on me.

So I have learned many things, son.

I have learned to wear many faces like dresses – homeface, officeface, streetface, hostface, cocktailface, with all their conforming smiles like a fixed portrait smile.

And I have learned too to laugh with only my teeth and shake hands without my heart.

I have also learned to say,’Goodbye’, when I mean ‘Good-riddance’: to say ‘Glad to meet you’, without being glad; and to say ‘It’s been nice talking to you’, after being bored.

But believe me, son.

I want to be what I used to be when I was like you. I want to unlearn all these muting things.

Most of all, I want to relearn how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror shows only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs!

So show me, son, how to laugh; show me how I used to laugh and smile once upon a time when I was like you.

Where we kept our stories is where we kept our living

I have always found it intriguing to read a good story in prose, poetry, and play form from persons who have been distanced from there homeland. I wonder about how they feel - I mean about the food, the houses, the freedom, the cultural indulgences, the relationships, the social ethics, etc. I would give an arm and a leg to find out if they could interpret themselves to a meaning of their lives; their reality, and perhaps the psyche of their new roles.

The role of Heinemenn Educational Books (HEB) in the development of African literature cannot be underscored by any means. It threw up what Africa and Africans are. It spelt an identity of cultures and proved humanity beyond colour of creed. Above all, it restored some dignity and bestowed respect.

But could that have been only as far

it would go? Heinemann suffered inertia and the late Chinua Achebe resurfaced with it carrying a banner. But the hands that bore the banner soon yielded to a common fate: death. But the banner must not fall, lest those who should see it: our children and our children’s children think the grounds upon which they should stand were never conquered but offered to them as ‘gifts’.

So what becomes of the themes and settings of the poems, stories, plays which we must labour our farthings to behold? A sneaky thought slips into my mind to ask, ‘Do we see enough to know what we have or have had or may have?’ I though that was cheeky: ‘What do you mean? Get outta here!’ Another mischievous thought echoes somewhere from the back of my head: ‘But how do you celebrate what little you put on show when it does not sell itself to those who m,ust know that you are an original and not an aboriginal?

I wasn’t going to let all these thoughts

run me amok after all I am me. I am the ‘one’ not them. I have a name, they don’t?

My ego felt fed and won’t to blab but an ego-deflating jab hit me below the solarplexus. ‘These are the voices of your ancestors, christianised as your ‘guardian angels’, westernised as your ‘common sense’, ... . But it actually is YOU in all your DNA and wisdom of your culture and identity showing the principles, values, and social ethos which make you a brand.

I remember stories told under the tree at the centre of our cluster of huts in the village: told by the elderly filled with song and dance, laced with proverbs and adages, branding us to the soul to being humans with integrity and dignity, selfless and true, condemning malice and avarice. I remember the riddles in poetic bursts that induce rewards that gladdened the stomach and not ‘stars’ soon forgotten in the toy heap or used as ‘evidence’ for the state considerations.

But we loved those moments, we re-

membered the stories, we knew their morals and they were laws in the family, clan, and culture so you could win your case. ‘When a child washes his hands, he can eat with elders’ – Things Fall Apart.

We were not laboured beyond our years; we were always ‘contemporary’.

It reminds me of Rama Krishna in The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born.

“Then solemnly like a man in great distress of spirit, he would go to another book of another stranger whom he called sometimes the prophet and sometimes Gibran, and read: ‘Would that you could live on the fragrance of the earth, and like an air plant be sustained by light. But since you must kill to eat, and rob the newly born of its mother’s milk to quench your thirst, let it then be an act of worship... And the man wondered what kind of sound the cry of the chichidodo bird could be, the bird longing for its maggots but fleeing the faeces which gave them birth.”

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Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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Health

Baobab fruit is linked with lowering diabetes risk

IT contains three times as much vitamin C as an orange, twice as much calcium as milk and tastes like a cross between a pineapple and melon. But the chances are most of us won’t have heard of the baobab fruit yet - let alone tuck into one for breakfast in the morning.

Prized in Africa for centuries for its health-boosting properties, the fruit from the ancient baobab tree is an extremely rich source of polyphenals, known to be beneficial in reducing the glycaemic response - the rate at which sugar is released into the bloodstream.

Now scientists from the Oxford Brookes University have established that this benefit can be transferred into foodstuffs, raising the possibility of creating a range of “functional foods” produced specifically to reduce the effects of Type two diabetes.

Researchers at the Functional Food Centre at the university, who have just published their findings in the scientific journal Nutrition, measured and extracted the polyphenal contents of the baobab fruit.

Using healthy human volunteers, the research team measured the rate of starch

and sugar breakdown in their blood supply after they had eaten the baobab extract contained in either white bread or dissolved in water. They found that baobab fruit extract added to white bread significantly reduced the rate at which sugar was released into the blood supply post digestion and likewise when added to water. There was no effect on satiety.

The research provides evidence that there is potential for baobab to be added to the food and drinks of Type two diabetes patients to help them to control their symptoms.

“Further human studies on glycaemic response would be essential for determining the optimal dose of baobab fruit extract in reducing post-prandial glycaemia,” the researchers concluded.”

Grown in 32 African countries and in some parts of Australia, the baobab fruit is high in calcium, potassium, thiamin and vitamin B6 - all nutrients important for general health.

The flesh of the fruit is also high in protein and carbohydrates and in many poorer countries it is considered to be a valuable food source, whilst oil extracted the fruit is noted for its moisturising and healing properties. It is also traditionally used to treat many ailments ranging from diar-

An elephant samples the delights of the Baobab tree

rhoea to fever.

Paul Gugenheim of Minvita, the company which sells baobab in the UK in tablet and powder form, and is partnered with The Eden Project in Cornwall says: “This exciting research confirms that Baobab is a fruit with extraordinary health-giving properties.

Diabetes is one of the main health issues of our time, and is projected to affect millions of people and cost the NHS billions of pounds over the next 25 years. If a natural, readily available product can be found to be useful in controlling the symptoms of this dreadful disease it can only be of benefit to us all.”

Dr Sarah Brewer says: “Baobab offers a number of nutritional health benefits which are only now being recognised in the West. It carries high concentrates of anti oxidants, energy, immune boosting vitamins and minerals and bone strengthening calcium.

“Rich in iron, high in potassium and containing vital blood clotting ingredients it can even help support the circulatory system whilst the high-fibre content benefits the digestive system.”

Since launching in the UK last year, health-conscious Brits have rushed to buy the nutrient-dense superfood.

U.S. expands health research partnerships in Africa

An American doctor working to help heal those in need

The United States is expanding its partnership with African institutions and scientists for research into some of the most vexing health problems plaguing the continent and world.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) October 18 announced 10 new grants totaling up to $17 million over the next four years. The new awards include funding for two collaborative centers, one that will 22

study the risk factors for stroke and another that will study the role of the human vaginal microbiome in cervical cancer.

New individual research projects will study several other health conditions important in Africa, including neurological disorders, respiratory diseases, fevers of unknown origin, tuberculosis and African sleeping sickness, NIH said.

The new funding will also support two new centers for collaborative research with

African scientists.

The African Collaborative Center for Microbiome and Genomics Research at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, will receive up to $4.16 million over four years. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in Africa, NIH said. This grant will focus on the epidemiology of cervical cancer and human papillomavirus infection. “It addresses a high-impact public health challenge that affects women’s

health in Africa and the rest of the world,” NIH said.

In addition to research, this center will provide postdoctoral training for qualified candidates from across Africa in research methods, epidemiology, bioinformatics, data management and laboratory methods.

The grant also includes study of and training in social and behavioral research, which will be conducted through the Institute of Human Virology and the African University of Science and Technology, both in Nigeria, and the Center for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia.

The other collaborative research center, the Stroke Investigative Research & Educational Network at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, will receive up to $2.37 million over four years.

Stroke is the leading cause of neurological hospital admissions in Africa and a leading cause of deaths on the continent, NIH said.

Researchers at this center will evaluate the genetic and environmental risk factors for stroke in Africa, along with training professionals and building research capacity.

A listing of individual and other projects supported by the latest round of funding is available on the NIH website.

Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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Culture: The Saho

A Saho lady in traditional decor

The main abode for Saho people is Eritrea. However, there are also Saho tribes in Ethiopia. In Eritrea Sahos mainly live across eastern foot hills of Akeleguzai and Samhar region of Eritrea.

These areas are now renamed into two administrative regions known as (South) Debub in Tigrinia and Northern Red Sea region.

Saho history in Eritrea extends to thousands of years, if they are not the first, they definitely are among the country’s longest-established peoples.

For over three thousand years of their known history, they have watched civilizations flourish and decay with their own lives. Unfortunately, no attempt has been made to document the very rich history and culture Saho’s are endowed with; either by Saho themselves

Traditional leather shoes

22

or other interested scholars. Therefore, sources regarding social structure, mode of life, history and culture of Saho are at best scarce or nonexistent.

The information provided on this web is a modest attempt to bridge this gap, initiated by interested Saho individuals, with the aim of preserving Saho culture from being extinct and encourage Sahos’ and other interested scholars to take an active interest in assisting with efforts to document Saho heritage, history and culture.

Eritrea has yet to conduct national census to determine Eritrea’s population. Therefore, sources regarding estimate of Saho population is not based on evidence. However, it is acknowledged that Saho are the third largest ethnic group in Eritrea. Many Saho observers estimate Saho population as being a lit-

tle over 10% of Eritrea’s estimated 3.13.9 million inhabitants.

As we stated at the beginning of this article the overwhelming majority of Saho inhabit Eritrea but there are Saho tribes who reside along the border areas of Eritrea and Tigrai region of Ethiopia.

In Eritrea, Saho mainly dwell in the Eastern foothills of Akele-Saho (aka Akele-guzai) and Semhar occupying 60% or more of the landmass. Sahos’ are also found intermingled amongst Tigrinia speaking populace in parts of Eritrea’s highland regions (Akeleguzai, Seraye and Hamasein). They also intermingle with Tigre speaking tribes in Lowland regions such as Barka.

The social cohesion and organisation of Saho clans and sub clans is based on kinship and decent. The clans and subtribes trace their genealogical origin to a common ancestor. Tribes that belong to a common ancestor are defined as

Culture

Saho Iron and bronze art

dominant Saho tribes today are perhaps

Another example of the Saho women in their traditional garments

belonging to a common, Kisho, Mela or Are. Each sub-tribe is divided into numerous kinship groups known as Dik or Abusa, which usually bears the names of individuals, the founders of the lineage.

All Saho tribes share a common language, culture and way of life. However, not all Saho tribes have common origin or trace their lineage to a common ancestor. The earliest known Saho tribes, known as “Bado Ambalish” or bearers of land are believed to be; Kabota, Idda, Asa Bora, Gadafur etc.. These warrior tribes are now less prevalent and in some instances are almost extinct. The

conquerors of the earliest Saho tribes.

However, the conquerors adopted Saho language and culture; other tribes came to settle among them in around 8001000 A.C. to preach Islamic religion.

They too gradually adopted the language and culture hence, became part of the fabric that make up Saho tribes of today.

Due to geographical position they occupy, significant of Saho speakers are bilingual. They commonly speak Saho & Tigrinya, Saho & Tigre or Saho & Afar and increasingly significant numbers of young people speak Saho & Arabic.

Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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News Police pounce on gang-member funeral, to great avail

THERE was drama yesterday at a funeral procession of one of the five suspected robbers who perished when their car collided with a bus in Harare last week when police detectives pounced and arrested nine other suspected robbers on the wanted list. Fellow gang members took things into their own hands, snatched Borris Mushonga’s body from a Moonlight funeral service vehicle at number 52 Rusike Road in Mbare as relatives and friends were just about to pay their last respects.

The gang, which was joined by a mob of rowdy youths, placed the unsecured coffin atop a Toyota Noah which skidded and revved as if at a drag racing show.

There was little respect for the dead and the bereaved family as the youths sought to give their compatriot a “befitting” send-off.

The deceased’s mother who had

Youths rushing the funeral procession

flown into the country from the UK is said to have refused to have the body of her son paraded in the township.

And as the car swerved and sent tyres squealing and screeching, the coffin fell off and flew open sending Borris’ body tumbling to the ground.

Witnesses said when the coffin fell

Vet warns about agressive canines

One of the most aggressive varieties of dog, is the pitbull.

Forbidden in some countries, aggressive foreign species continue to enter Cameroon.

Inhabitants of Bonaberi in Douala are still to recover from shocks following the butchery of a man who was on a keep-fit by two dogs along a secondary road early October 11. All efforts by the population, it is said, were helpless and futile until soldiers who were alerted to the scene shot dead the aggressive dogs.

The incident brings to light the influx of foreign breeds of the pet into Cameroon.

But the question on many lips is why a dog would fatally attack a human being. Veterinarian Dr. Hermine Flore Kwin explains that dogs are either naturally aggressive, incited or trained to be so.

Insufficient care can be a reason for aggressiveness but where a dog attacks a human being, the kind of training given is to blame. If a dog is trained to attack, espe24

cially certain body parts, or it was fed with fresh flesh or chicken with blood, it may cause it to bite man or eat up part of his flesh.

Based on this, a naturally aggressive dog breed called Rottweiler is now forbidden in France. Others like Pit-bull, Boer-bull and the Cameroonian species “Congolense” are aggressive yet are common in Cameroon.

Although substances like whisky, drugs and sugars are thought to make dogs aggressive, it is only for a short time and the dog regains normality when their effects are over. These substances don’t change the character of the dog.

However, more helpful dogs like Berger Belge, commonly called Malinois, are used by police at airports to detect drugs. Dogs used as companions are small in size. Larger dogs like Rottweilers are very dangerous and are used to guard. People must know that all dogs are dangerous. Excessive punishment, teasing, chaining in the yard can all contribute to problem behavior. Too much undeserved praise also confuse dogs and lead to frustration and aggression.

Gilles Casimir, Regional Director of Security Dog- a private security company in Douala- says once a dog has assumed a dominance aggressive temperament, it can be very difficult and sometimes impossible to change his outlook. Through fear, he may allow one or two members of the family to dominate him but he may never be fully trustworthy around lower ranking members of the family, children and strangers. He advises that all puppies should be verbally scolded or affection denied when they jump up on people.

along Mbirimi Street, body parts were strewn all over the place.

Borris’ body was disfigured in the accident and some witnesses said this explained why his body disintegrated when it flung from the top of the vehicle as the rowdy youths engaged in all sorts of acrobatics to parade their “hero.”

But the drama was shortlived as the sudden appearance of police detectives prompted a chase that led to the arrest of nine suspected robbers who were on the police most wanted list.

Police fired warning shots to halt the funeral pageantry.

There was pandemonium as the youths fled in all directions, but alert police detectives managed to ring fence their targets. The open coffin was left unattended. Witnesses said police had to comb the area for body parts which they later put back into the coffin.

National police spokesperson Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said no one was shot or injured during the commotion.

He said after arresting the suspects, the detectives left the family and mourners to continue with the funeral.

Borris was later laid to rest at Granville Cemetery, commonly known as Kumbudzi.

Three Tanzanians arrested as they flee to Somalia to join terrorist group

The three men detained were going to join the Al-Shabaab organisation, which recently attackeed the Westgate mall in Kenya

Kenya Defense Forces arrested three Tanzanians inside Somalia on suspicion they were on their way to join al-Shabaab, Kenya’s The Standard reported Sunday (October 20th).

Ali Ramadhan, 22, Musa Daudi, 19, and Shabaan Bakiri Waziri, 21, were apprehended after crossing into Somalia from Kenya and are now being questioned at the Kiunga police sta-

tion.

Police said the suspects were from Dar es Salaam, travelled to the Tanzania-Kenya border at Lungalung, then drove to Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu before crossing into Somalia.

According to police, the three were headed to Kismayo to join “the holy war, which they claimed is led by [alShabaab]”.

Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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News

Liberian politician takes the law into her own hands Liberia’s Solicitor General, Cllr.

Betty Lamin-Blamo, says the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Liberia, Cllr. Christiana Tah, acted within the confines of the law when she granted the jailed Managing Editor of the FrontpageAfrica Newspaper, Mr. Rodney Sieh a 30-day compassionate leave.

According to Cllr. Blamo, Justice Minister Tah, took the action in keeping with Chapter 34 Section 34.20 of the Criminal Procedure Law, 1LCLR. She said her boss’ action was a result of a formal communication from Mr. Sieh’s lawyers in which they requested for the 30-day compassionate leave on health grounds. She was speaking on Monday, October 20, 2013 when she appeared before the full bench of the Supreme Court at the Temple of Justice.

The Temple of Justice is situated on Capitol Hill, Monrovia.

The solicitor general was one of the lawyers who had gone to the high court to represent her boss who was earlier summoned to give reason why she should not be held

Cllr. Christiana Tah Minister of Justice and Attorney General

in contempt for releasing Journalist Sieh temporarily.

The Supreme Court, which is regarded as the final arbiter of justice, termed the release of journalist Sieh as a disregard of the Court’s order even though his rights to seek medical treatment from time to time while in prison whenever necessary was not surrendered.

Speaking further, Cllr. Blamo told the high court that journalist Sieh had refused to eat and even threatened to kill himself if he was not released on health grounds.

She further told the court the minister also took into consideration these ex-

UK firm set to open call centre in SA

pressed concerns of the journalist and released him temporarily.

She added that Mr. Sieh was advised not to leave the city of Monrovia without first seeking the permission of the Assistant Minister for the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation (BCR). But in their counter arguments, the friends of the Supreme Court pointed out that Chapter 34 Section 34.20 of the Criminal Procedure Law, 1LCLR.is not a basis for the compassionate release.

They made it clear that the Supreme Court has original Jurisdiction over the charge of contempt in line with the con-

stitution, which is regarded as the organic law of the land. They warned that anyone who interferes with the judgment of the court will be held liable of contempt.

Thereafter, the Supreme Court quizzed the solicitor general regarding the justice minister’s action.

In its cross examination, the bench quizzed the SG as to whether Mr. Sieh was in prison when his release was ordered ?

She responded in the negative.

The bench noted that the medical record of Mr. Sieh showed that he was admitted on September 21,2013, and discharged on October 10,2013, and the letter addressed to the minister was dated on October 7,2013.

The Supreme Court pointed out that the circumstances of the journalist release was never reflected in the record.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has reserved ruling in the matter. Mr. Sieh, a prominent Liberian journalist, was ordered jailed by the Civil Law in August of this because of his failure to pay the amount of US$1,534,000.00 and L$10,500 to former agriculture minister, Dr. Chris Toe for damages in a libel suit.

An existing example of an African call centre

UK-based call centre operator Webhelp UK is to open two call centres in South Africa and plans to recruit 1 000 people in the country over the next 12 months, the company announced on Monday.

The company said that it would open a 7 500 square metre state-of-the art facility in Cape Town and a 4 500 square metre site in Johannesburg.

“While still confident of continuing UK growth, this South African venture will give the company the ability to service in-

ternational contracts, operating a blended onshore, offshore and near shore model,” the company said in a statement.

The Paris-headquartered Webhelp Group, one of Europe’s largest customer experience providers, took over the former HEROtsc business earlier this year. The re-branded Webhelp UK has already won new contracts and boosted staff numbers at many of its UK sites. It employs 6 000 people across 10 sites and works for brands such as Sky and Vodafone, and reported revenue growth of 36 percent in the 12 months to 31 March 2013 to £111million.

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Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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Travel Travel

In association association with with In

Arik Air launches 7th anniversary sales promo

Arik Air has launched a special sales promotion to celebrate its seventh anniversary. The promotion is valid on the airline’s long haul routes; Lagos-London Heathrow, Lagos-Johannesburg and Lagos-New York.

According to the airline, guests travelling between Lagos and London will be able to buy a return economy class ticket from N41, 990 and Business class ticket from N355, 139.

A return Economy Class ticket on the Lagos-New York route starts from

26

N97, 062 while Business class ticket on the route starts from N487, 892. On the Lagos-Johannesburg route, a return economy class ticket starts from N38, 437 and Business class from N326, 553.

The fares are exclusive of all taxes and charges and the last ticket day is October 31, 2013. Outbound travel period is between October 14 and November 15, 2013.

Commenting on the anniversary promotion, Arik Air’s Managing Director, Mr. Chris Ndulue explained that the promotional fare is the airline’s special

way of thanking its esteemed guests who have remained loyal to the carrier these past seven years.

“When we set out seven years ago, our aim was to become a Nigerian airline that Nigerians would be proud to fly.

Now, we have been firmly established as West and Central Africa’s largest carrier and the fastest growing airline in Africa.

Arik Air not only connects Nigeria with eight countries in West/Central Africa and serves London Heathrow, Johannesburg and New York JFK from Lagos, it also connects 20 destinations

within Nigeria - a domestic network that no other airline can match.

It is therefore appropriate that all our guests should have the option to avail of this special offer for travel across our long haul routes.”

Tickets can be paid for at the airline’s City Ticketing Offices and Airport Ticketing Offices within Nigeria and via the airline’s website www.arikair.com or mobile devices (phones and tablets). In addition, tickets can be purchased from any IATA registered travel agent.

Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

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Arik Air to sponsor Nigerian boxers Larry Ekundayo and King Davidson

Competition

Win A Return Flight Ticket Courtesy Arik Air HOW TO ENTER To be in with your chance to win a return ticket to Lagos, simply answer this question: What was the destination of the first international route by Arik Air? a) b) c)

Lagos-Johannesburg Lagos-New York Lagos-London

Send your answer with full name, telephone number and postal address on an email to africanvoicenews@gmail.com or postcard to the Promoter: African Voice Newspapers Unit 7 Holles House Overton Road London SW9 7AP. Winner will be picked at random.

Terms and Conditions.

Larry Akundayo after winning the prizefighter competition, which is broadcast on Sky

Arik Air, Nigeria and West Africa’s leading commercial airline is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement to sponsor up-and-coming Nigerian boxers, Larry Ekundayo and King Davidson. As the primary sponsor, Arik is providing both title hopefuls with the financial assistance needed to focus on their boxing full time. The airline’s support comes at a crucial time in Larry and King’s careers, with both men 12 to 18 months away from challenging for world titles.

King Davidson is scheduled to take part in a WBO light-middleweight international Title fight this November; victory would see him catapulted into the WBO top ten rankings for his weight class. Larry Ekundayo, a welterweight fighter, who is currently ranked 3rd in the UK will not be fighting until the New Year.

Commenting on the decision to support the boxers, Sir JIA Arumemi-Ikhide, Chairman of Arik Air said: “I am delighted we are sponsoring Larry and King, two fighters

who epitomize the spirit of Arik Air. Like us, they have persevered and punched above their weight to get where they are today.

“We see this as an opportunity to give something back to the Nigerian community who are very proud of the country’s strong sporting tradition. Their continued support has enabled us to become West Africa’s most successful airline and we believe Larry and King can give them something to smile about.”

King Davidson said: “We are very grateful to Arik for their support and the belief they have shown in us. The harsh reality of professional boxing is that one can only go so far without adequate financial support.

The airline has kindly given us this support and thanks to their generosity we are in the best possible position to represent Nigerian boxing on the international stage and make the people at home proud.”

Larry Ekundayo added: “We are both very proud to be sponsored by a Nigerian company, especially one that wants to support its country’s sportsmen. The support we are receiving from Arik is about more than just money though, they have put enormous faith in us and they are really willing us to succeed.”

Last month’s competition winner: Mrs. Yinka Alabi from London Answer to question: a) Lagos

1.Competition is open to UK residents only aged 21 years or over. By entering this competition you are agreeing to receive marketing communications from Arik Air. 2. The ticket prize is for a return economy flight from London Heathrow to Lagos for one passenger. (Taxes to be paid by winners).

3. Winning tickets must be redeemed during off peak period. Black-out dates apply (including Easter, Summer, Christmas – please check with Arik Air reservations).

4. Competition closing date: Midnight 22nd November 2013.

5. Entry is restricted to one entry per person. No purchase is necessary. An independent person will randomly pick one winning entrant from the pool of all eligible entries within 48hrs of the closing date.

The winner will be notified within 7 days of the draw date by telephone or email.

6. Travel insurance and travel documents such as valid passports and visas are the responsibility of the winner.

7. Prize is non transferable, non exchangeable and non changeable. There is no cash alternative offered.

8. All expenses, including but not limited to, hotel accommodation costs, transfers from airport, fuel costs, parking, meals, beverages and items of a personal nature are not included in the ticket prize and will be the responsibility of the ticket winner. Ticket prize excludes travel to and from departure airport in the UK. 9. Once travel dates have been confirmed changes cannot be made.

10. The prize is subject to availability and restricted travel dates to be advised to the winner at the time of booking.

11. The promoter is not responsible for any delays or cancellation of the ticket or for any inability of the ticket winner to take up the prize. The promoter reserves the right to suspend, change or terminate the competition at any time, and for any reason, without notice.

12. Entry to the competition implies acceptance of all relevant terms and conditions by the entrants.

13. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the partners in this promotion accept no liability for any loss, damage or injury caused by, or to, the prize winner or their guest whilst taking the ticket prize.

14. If the winner cannot be located within 21 days of the drawing of the prize, then the runner-up from the draw will be selected as the new winner.

15. Events may occur that render the ticket prize draw itself, or the awarding of the ticket prize impossible, due to reasons beyond the control of the promoter and accordingly, the promoter may, at its absolute discretion, vary, or amend the promotion and the entrant agrees that no liability shall attach to the promoter as a result thereof.

16. The draw is not open to employees, agents, contractors of The African Voice or their families or anyone professionally connected with the prize draw.

17. The Promoter is not responsible for the entrant’s submission of incorrect telephone numbers, e-mail or postal addresses or for problems with entries caused by any factors outside their control.

18. Ticket prizes are subject to availability and the Promoter reserves the right to substitute alternative prizes of similar value. Promoter: African Voice Newspaper UK. 19. Any other conditions will be advised at the time of booking.

20. Promoter: African Voice UK, Unit 7 Holles House Overton Road, London SW9 7AP, England.

27

Events calendar What’s On & When WWW.AFRICANVOICEONLINE.CO.UK

Friday, 25 October – Thursday, 31 October 2013

Dear Reader, If you have received a copy of African Voice newspaper through our complimentary give-away exercise, this is our way of celebrating Black History Month as well as drawing attention to what we see as your newspaper, which is now in its 12th year. Naturally, we would like to welcome you as a regular reader and subscriber.

We at African Voice, Britain’s No.1 African newspaper, are therefore suggesting you may want to take up a yearly subscription in support of our efforts to continue to inspire our community to success and to ensure you do not miss any future editions. It is through your support that the community will have a strong voice in Britain.

We are also inviting you to contribute articles and, since we know we have the Government’s ear, to email us your opinion on UK Government policies to enable us influence the decision - making process at africanvoicenews@gmail.com. Alternatively, you can simply text your comments on any breaking news to 07956 952256.

An annual subscription to African Voice is £100.00, which includes postage. If you are interested in taking up this subscription offer, please send your name and address (including post code) and a cheque for £100.00 payable to African Voice and mail it to Unit 7, Holles House, Overton Road, London SW9 7AP. We look forward to receiving your contribution towards a weekly newspaper packed with insight into the issues challenging and inspiring British Africans.

If you have any questions with reference to articles submission or subscriptions, please call our news desk on 020 3737 3077 or email: info@africanvoice.co.uk Thank you, African Voice, Britain’s No.1 African newspaper www.africanvoice.co.uk www.twitter.com/AfricanVoice2

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FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013

The four African representatives at the FIFA U-17 World Cup United Arab Emirates 2013 have proven the future of the games is in the continent. Nigeria devastated holders Mexico in their first game in Al Ain, indicating that the Golden Eaglets are ready to confirm their tag as tournament favourites.

In their debut appearance at the tournament, Morocco made the best possible start with a clear-cut victory of 3 – 1 over Croatia, with Tunisia battling their way to a narrow win of 2-1 over Venezuela, despite going a man down before the first half was done. Cote d’Ivoire suffered an unlucky 0 – 1 on the opening day in Ras Al-Khaimah but the 3-0 win over New Zealand in Abu Dhabi is a result that might see them through to the next round.

Nigeria Nigeria, who won their first game in UAE 6-1 over Mexico, showed some defensive frailties in their 3-3 draw with Sweden at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. The Scandinavians, playing in their first FIFA U-17 World Cup, stuck to their game-plan and were thoroughly deserving of their share of the spoils against the Group F favourites as both sides now look in good shape to reach the knockout rounds.

The Swedes only needed 11 minutes to shock the much-feared Golden Eaglets, and the goal came from a hopeful ball lofted into the penalty area from deep in midfield. Nigerian keeper Dele Alampsu thought he had a chance at intercepting and raced out of his net, but Erdal Rakip got to the ball first and 30

nodded across the face of goal. Valmir Berisha was on the spot to guide the ball home on the volley. It was 2-0 to the Scandinavians eight minutes later when Anton Saletros bamboozled his man on the left flank and crossed deep into the penalty area. Berisha showed he was in the mood as he expertly headed home his second goal of the contest. The Nigerians, traditionally slow starters, hit back in spectacular fashion with one of the best goals of the tournament. Kalechi Iheanacho, four-goal scorer against Mexico, floated in a ball from midfield. It was met by Success Isaac, who swiveled and slammed into the far corner without the ball ever hitting the grass, all in one motion, in the 20th minute. The Africans then went close to drawing level twice in the last five minutes of the half. Samuel Okon tried an audacious lob from 40 yards that had Sixten Mohlin in the Swedish goal back-peddling desperately, before tipping over the bar. Shortly after, substitute Taiwo Awoniyi’s snap-shot was saved again by Mohlin, the effort not able to match the outstanding approach work up the right side. Mohlin went from hero to villain for the Swedes early in the second half. He failed to get his body behind the ball when Musa Yahaya tried a speculative shot from way out. The ball trickled between the keeper’s legs and bobbled, almost apologetically, over the line as the tried desperately to recover. The Nigerians were in the driving seat, and the Swedes were increasingly camped in their own half. But a fast-break up the left side in the 65th minute saw Sweden back into the lead. Saletros chested the ball on goal from close range and Alampsu could only parry away. Unfortunately for the keeper, substitute Mirza Hal-

Cote d’Ivoire under 17s national team

Action from the Nigeria vs Sweden game

vadzic was lurking on the doorstep and slid home to make it 3-2. But the talented and irrepressible Africans still had something left in the tank. Awoniyi’s powerful header with ten minutes to go was too much for Mohlin to keep out and the game ended honours even.

Nigeria now move on to Dubai, where they will take on Iraq in their last match of the section on 25 October, the same day that Sweden meet Mexico in Al Ain. Cote d’Ivoire Cote d’Ivoire rounded out their Group B account at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in UAE with four points from three games after a simple win against tenman New Zealand in Abu Dhabi’s Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium. The result puts the goalless and pointless Kiwis on the next flight home while the Ivorians will have to wait and

see if their four-point tally is enough to put them through to the knockout rounds. The Africans wasted no time signaling their attacking intent when, after just three minutes, Meite Yakou fired in a thunderous shot form outside that box that was batted away by Kiwi keeper Zac Speedy. Ten minutes after that, the Oceania men had a their own impressive chance to score as Andrew Blake beat two defenders and fired in a shot that was well-saved by Seck Diabagate. Speedy made another save on Kouame N Guessan near the 20minute mark and it became clear that Cote d’Ivoire were on the charge. The goal they were threatening came in the 25th minute, Guessan’s low cross picking out Moussa Bakayoko who tapped in from close range. Things only got worse for the Kiwis after that as Nick Forrester earned his second yellow of the game and was promptly given his marching orders. The ten men of New Zealand couldn’t get anything going in the second half and the Africans weren’t in the mood to let them off the hook.

Bakayoko hit home his second goal of the game just three minutes in when he raced to meet Meite Yako’s low cross and hammer it into the back of the net from 12 yards out. Speedy rescued New Zealand ten minutes later with a diving save on Sherif Jimoh’s powerful effort. From there on out it was all Cote d’Ivoire, and the Africans completed the 3-0 rout three minutes from time when Yakou finished off a fine cross from Franck Kessie. The result leaves the Ivorians in good position to qualify as one of the top third-place finishers while New Zealand are heading for home with a point or a goal to show for their time here in UAE.

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Adamu completes FIFA ban

Amos Adamu

Former FIFA executive committee member Amos Adamu’s threeyear ban from football has expired. He was banned for seeking money in return for voting on the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting

rights. The incident was filmed by undercover reporters where it was reported that he asked for $800,000 and was not allowed to take part in the 2010 votes.

again after the ban ended on Sunday, said: “I can only thank God it is over. I hold no grudge against anyone.” The bribery scandal three years ago implicated Adamu and five other officials in corrupt behaviour and plunged Fifa into turmoil weeks before the votes which saw Russia chosen to host the 2018 World Cup and Qatar selected as the host for the 2022 event. Adamu was filmed in a sting by a British newspaper, saying he wanted the money paid to him personally so he could finance football fields in Nigeria.

He was banned for three years by Fifa and failed in two appeals against his sanction. When the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected his second appeal and upheld his ban in 2012, a three-member panel at sport’s highest legal authority said his punishment was “even relatively mild given the seriousness of the offence”.

Adamu, who is free to work in football

Ethiopia deny attacking Nigeria team bus The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) has denied that there was an attack on the Nigerian team in Addis Ababa after their World Cup play-off first-leg tie.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said the team

bus was attacked by Ethiopian fans and that midfielder Nosa Igiebor was injured. The Super Eagles, who won the match 2-1, have reported the incident to Fifa.

But the Ethiopian FA says an investigation led to no proof of the incident taking place.

“There was no attack,” EFF president Juinedin Basha told

BBC Sport.

“There was no one injured - either players or individuals from the Nigerian team on Sunday. This is what we found out from our investigation.

“We have checked everything. We’ve got nothing that shows that a player or any other individual was injured by fans.

“The Ethiopian people are

known to be respectful to any African from every corner.

This is our culture, this is our history and the Nigerians are our African brothers,” he said.

Basha, however, acknowledged that there were some angry fans, following a late penalty, which was converted by Nigeria’s Emmanuel Emenike

Carteron wary of Sfaxien TP Mazembe coach Patrice Carteron says their 2013 CAF Confederation Cup final opponents’ CS Sfaxien are an outstanding team.

Tp Mazembe celebrate

The two sides’ are set to meet over two legs in the final with the first leg set for the weekend of November 22-24.

“Sfaxien is better than us at the moment and it is a strong team they are fantastic and I have watched different games they have played, Carteron said.

“We have to be fantastic to play them.

We are going to give our best for the club president (Moise Katumbi) to win this trophy.”

Mazembe qualified to the final after a 3-1 aggregate win over Stade Malien of Mali whom they beat 1-0 on October 19

in Lubumbashi.

Sfaxien defeated compatriots CB Bizertin 1-0 on aggregate in an all-Tunisia semifinal showdown after beating the latter by the same score line at home on October 20.

“I am so proud because the two games were really hard and the players played well but the most important thing was the spirit they put into the two games.

The team gave it 100 per cent,” Carteron said.

Meanwhile, two-time CAF Confederation Cup champions Sfaxien will host Mazembe in the first leg in Tunis before facing off in the final leg decider in Lubumbashi during the weekend of November 29- December 2.

Uganda, Ethiopia drop in FIFA rankings

Uganda The top two nations in the Council for East and Central African Football (CECAFA), Uganda and Ethiopia, have dropped in the latest FIFA world rankings released today.

The regional CECAFA champions Uganda dropped four places to 84th position, while Ethiopia slipped two places to 95th.

Uganda’s drop comes after recent losses to Egypt and Senegal in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers last month.

However, Cranes coach Milutin “Micho’ Sredojevic maintained that he is not worried and promised that Uganda will improve before the year ends.

“We have very many games in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup and international friendly games where we shall work hard to be able to improve in the rankings,” added Micho.

Although Uganda and Ethiopia slipped, they remain the top ranked countries in the CECAFA region. Kenya, who will host the Senior Challenge Cup next month, are 118th while Burundi is 121st and Rwanda is 129th. South Sudan remains the lowest ranked CECAFA member at 204th.

Ivory Coast is Africa’s highest ranked nation at 17th.

Ex-Cranes skipper Sekagya celebrates goal for MLS side

Ibrahim Sekagya Former Uganda skipper Ibrahim Sekagya has said it’s a great

feeling to finally get on the score sheet for his new side, New York Red Bulls.

After Tim Cahill’s (former Everton at-

tacking midfielder in the English Premiership) fastest goal in MLS football (eight

seconds), Sekagya nodded in the second in the 65th minute in their 3-0 win over Houston Dynamo FC on Monday morning.

“It feels great to get my first goal and I

hope I will keep scoring for the club,” said

Sekagya, who moved from sister club Red Bull Salzburg in Austria two months ago.

Sekagya said he is enjoying playing

alongside one of Arsenal’s legends, Thierry Henry, who has been an inspiration to him since he joined the club.

Second-half substitute Bradley Wright-

Phillips scored the third goal for Sekagya’s team to take them close to winning the Supporters Shield.

The former KCCA FC defender, who

moved to Argentina before switching to Austria, skippered the Cranes for over six years.

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Golden Eaglets FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013 tournament favourites

SEE PAGE 30

Zambia pardons errant footballers

Chishimba Kambwili

By Peter Olorunnisomo The three footballers who were reported to have missed the national friendly in deference for other interests have been pardoned by the Zambian government. The players are Rainford Kalaba, Stoppila Sunzu and Nathan Sinkala.

The Zambia government held onto their passports when it was discovered that they failed to travel to Beijing from Zambia for an international friendly against Brazil in China last week. It alleged that they had secretly returned to their club, TP Mazembe, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

However, when the situation was reviewed and it was found that the allegation was not correct, Kalaba and Sunzu had their documents returned to them, while Sinkala would collect his from the immigration offices in Ndola, Zambia.

Rainford Kalaba was reported to have said; “I am very glad that everything has gone well... I just want to get back to

work” Zambia’s home affairs minister Edgar Lungu, whose ministry overseas the department of immigration, was also reported to have stated that: “We have pardoned them.

“Our officers have been instructed to allow them to get back to their club and continue with their careers. There won’t be any further questioning because the matter is closed.

“In future, we will engage their club and the players’ managers in Zambia to avoid a recurrence of what happened.”

The footballers were reported to have explained that nothing wrong had been done by them when the Zambian authorities issued warrants for their arrest last week while the three were turned back at the border as they attempted to return to their club last Friday.

The footballers had had to endure a four-hour long interrogation on Friday evening and the questioning continued for a similar amount of time on Mon-

day before they were asked to return on Wednesday.

After Lungu’s intervention ion Tuesday, a relieved Kalaba reportedly told told BBC Sport: “I am very glad that everything has gone well. I don’t want to say much. I just want to get back to work.”

He added that he did not want to discuss his future with the national team.

Sunzu was also reluctant to talk about his future with Zambia, saying only: “I am happy that we are free at last. I will think about my international career when I get back to Congo.”

Derrick Mulenga, one of the two lawyers that represented the trio, said the immigration officials are satisfied the players never went back to Congo, hence the release of their passports.

TP Mazembe president Moise Katumbi paid tribute to the Zambian home affairs minister for intervening in the matter days after sports minister Chishimba Kambwili labelled the players unpatri-

otic.

“I am delighted this matter has come to and end and we look forward to welcoming the players,” said Katumbi said.

Because of their interrogation in Zambia, the three players last weekend missed TP Mazembe’s 1-0 win in their Confederation Cup semi-final second leg against Stade Malien of Mali - a victory that saw them complete a 3-1 aggregate victory.

The Congo giants will now be pleased their trio will return for the two-legged final against CS Sfaxien next month.

African Voice Newspaper is published by African Voice Communications. Unit 7 Holles House Overton Road London SW9 7AP. Tel: 020 3737 3077 Registered at the British Library as a newspaper. ISSN 1475-2166.Email: africanvoicenews@googlemail.com