African Voice Newspaper issue 585 by African Voice Newspapers UK

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015 ISSUE 585

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 Queen honours young Commonwealth leaders SEE PAGE

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Africa Writes festival returns with author Ben Okri

SEE PAGE 11

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CAMERON SET TO LET THE DOGS OUT PM vows to get tough over ‘migrant crisis’ By Alan Oakley

David Cameron looks set to reinforce border controls around the French port of Calais after what he said were unacceptable scenes involving illegal migrants trying to reach Britain.

TV news footage throughout this week has shown dozens of migrants openly boarding queued lorries after traffic was halted through the Channel Tunnel linking Britain and France due to disruption by striking French ferry workers. Home Secretary Theresa May said “a significant number” of migrants had been intercepted by UK border officials and French authorities in the previous 24 hours. “We have been looking at whether we can put more personnel and indeed sniffer dog teams on that side of the Channel to make a difference,” Mr Cameron told parliament, adding: “There is also more work being done in terms of installing fencing not just around the port at Calais but also around the Eurostar and Eurotunnel entrance.”

Continued on page 2 In broad daylight, migrants look for UK-bound lorries to board

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Friday, 19 June - Thursday, 25 June 2015

Have You News Got News Tier 2 salary threshold set to rise For Us Newsdesk: 020 3737 3077

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Obama kicks transvestite heckler out of White House

It’s been an interesting week for President Barak Obama, whose comments have made headlines throughout this week. On Monday Obama was criticised for using the word ‘ni**er’ in an interview, when he was discussing the issue of race and racism in America, following a racially provoked shooting at a church in America last Wednesday. “Racism, we are not cured of it. And it’s not just a matter of it not being polite to say nigger in public. That’s not the measure of whether racism still exists or not,” Obama told comedian Marc Maron, during a radio interview. Several people believed that using the ‘N-word’ was beneath the POTUS position despite it being used to make a point. On Thursday, Obama made headlines again, this time for putting a heckling transvestite in their place during a speech he was making at an LGTB event he was hosting. ‘You’re in my house,” Obama told the heckler who was later escorted from the building. “As a general rule I am just fine with a few hecklers. But not when I’m up here in the house,” he added.

Publisher and Editor-In-Chief Mike Abiola Editorial Board Adviser Dr Ola Ogunyemi Managing Editor Alan Oakley News Editor Peter Olorunnisomo Sports Editor Abiodun Teriba Arts Editor Golda John Columnists Milton Tella Yemi Dipeolu Photo Journalist Isaac Adegbite Graphic Designer Edward Mirza Accountant Fanla Agboola London Office: Unit 7 Holles House Overton Road London SW9 7AP

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African Voice is published by African Voice UK.

David Cameron has announced new plans to ‘significantly reduce’ immigration to the UK from outside of the European Union, including plans to raise the salary threshold for the Tier 2 (General) visa. Speaking during Prime Minister’s questions on June 10th, the prime minister announced that home secretary Theresa May will ask the Migration Advisory Committee – a semi-independent body set up to advise on immigration policy – to consider several new proposals in order to reduce net migration to under 100,000 annually; a target mentioned in the last two Conservative election manifestos, and repeated recently by the Prime Minister’s team. EU rules on freedom of movement within the EU mean that there is not much that the Government can do to reduce immigration from EU countries. Therefore, in an attempt to reduce immigration, the Migration Advisory Committee will focus on immigration from outside of the European Economic Area. Proposals the committee will consider include: • Restricting the availability of work visas, such as the Tier 2 for skilled migrants, to only those who come under ‘skill shortages and specialists’. • Limiting the time ‘a sector can claim to have a skills shortage’ on the Tier 2 Shortage Occupation List • Introducing a ‘skills levy on businesses who recruit foreign workers’ • Increasing the Tier 2 (General) visa salary threshold The proposals announced focus on the Tier 2 general visa, which enables UK

employers holding a Tier 2 sponsorship licence to employ skilled migrants from outside of the European Economic Area. Current rules say that applicants for Tier 2 visas must normally have been offered a UK job paying a minimum of £20,800 per year. It is proposed that this figure be increased, though by how much has not been revealed. In any event, this is only the minimum salary for the Tier 2 visa scheme. It is already the case that for most occupations on the Tier 2 occupation list the minimum salary requirement is much higher. To enter the UK under the Tier 2 visa scheme, it is necessary to gain 70 points or more under a points-based system that gives credit for having a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer, having

sufficient savings, and for meeting the Tier 2 English language requirements. Speaking to BBC News, Migration Advisory Committee chairman David Metcalf predicted ‘unexpected side effects’ for the UK economy if the new proposals are implemented. Katja Hall, director general of the Confederation of British Industry responded to the announcement, saying: “Limiting highly skilled workers from coming to the UK is not the answer. “They bring their skills and ideas to this country, pay their taxes here and boost growth. We need to keep up-skilling our population, but at the same time as attracting the best and brightest global talent.”

PM vows to get tough over ‘migrant crisis’ Continued from front page

Mr Cameron said European Union member states needed to work together to tackle the migrant problem at its source in order to “break the link” between getting in a boat to cross the Mediterranean and getting settlement in Europe. The Government says it is establishing a 90-strong taskforce, including representatives from the National Crime Agency, Border Force and immigration enforcement, to help gather intelligence on the trafficking gangs and their routes. A spokeswoman for Mr Cameron said about 10 members of the team would be split between Europol in The Hague and an intelligence cell in Sicily, while the rest would be on standby to be sent out to Africa and other countries around the Mediterranean. The mayor of Calais has criticised the British government for not doing enough to fund security in the port, and said Britain needed to overhaul its generous welfare system and improve identity controls she says make it a magnet for illegal im-

migrants. Mr Cameron said Britain had already committed to investing £12 million on bolstering the border and was happy to do more if needed. “We should work with the French closely, there is no point either side trying to point the finger of blame at each other. This is a strong partnership that we have in place and we should keep it that way,” he said. Labour MP Keith Vaz, who chairs Westminster’s Home Affairs Select Committee, said the crisis at Calais “has been waiting to happen”. And Shadow Immigration Minister David Hanson warned: “The situation has been caused by a wider humanitarian issue across the whole of the Mediterranean and North Africa, and is caused by hunger, civil war, political instability and by movement of peoples across the Mediterranean.” EU Ministers were urged to find and fund “civilised camps” where migrants could be held until asylum and immigra-

tion claims were processed. Tory veteran Ken Clarke said: “Obviously the member states of the EU - none of them can just take in the vast numbers of people who are fleeing here from poverty and oppression in Africa and the Middle East. In stark contrast to the blanket coverage the so-called ‘migrant crisis’ is receiving in the UK, French media seem to be making a point of playing down events in Calais. There was not a single word in the pages of Thursday’s print versions of the national newspapers Libération, Le Figaro or La Parisien. Wednesday’s papers had also ignored Calais, with the exception of Le Parisien, which devotes all of 100 words on page 8 to the news that Eurotunnel traffic had partially resumed. It too pointedly doesn’t mention anything about hundreds of migrants clambering onto trucks in the hope of getting across the Channel to England.

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Friday, 19 June - Thursday, 25 June 2015

Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

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News

Teen magazine dubbed anti-black by readers By Yemi Dipeolu

Fashion magazine, Teen Vogue has come under fire this week after publishing a story about Senegalese braids, that featured no dark skin models. The feature was written by the magazine’s Health and Beauty editor, Elaine Weltroth, herself a woman of colour. It followed a trip to Rwanda, and was branded racist and anti-black, for talking about a topic integral to black culture, but ignoring people with darker skin tones who usually wear the style. Prior to the seemingly unexpected backlash, Elaine, gushed about the article on Instagram. “Twists, braids, and locs are not just GORGEOUS and perfect for summer, they represent strength and beauty, as Zendaya so eloquently stated during the Oscars incident,” she wrote. “In the June/July issue of teenvogue I write about my personal experience rocking Marley Twists--and traveling all the way to Rwanda to learn about the rich history behind this hairstyle. It sheds light on the merging of culture, beauty, and activism through the lens of

Not black enough? Teen vogue readers were that the magazine did not use a darker skinned model to represent a black hairstyle.

hair. I encourage you to pick up the issue or read the story online. So grateful to the brilliant team who brought this story to life.” While fans of the magazine were glad to see that it was covering a topic that would interest black teens, many were unimpressed with the delivery and took to twitter to air their discontent. “Seriously not buying @TeenVogue again. I’m so insulted by this! You in-

terview a White girl about African hairstyles!!” One angry follower wrote. “Shame on you @TeenVogue for appropriating protective hairstyles for black hair by putting them on and interviewing white

Skinny jeans could pose health risk, warn researchers Skinny Jeans should now come with a health warning, researchers have warned, after discovering that the trendy and often far too tight wardrobe essential, can cause severe nerve damage. A 35 year-old Australia woman was recently cut out of a pair of skinny jeans, which she had been wearing as she spend hours cleaning cupboards. Her legs soon became swollen and she eventually lost all feeling in her feet. She was taken to hospital and put on a drip, leaving unable to walk for four days. The case is the main topic of research conducted by the Journal Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, which highlights the severe muscle and nerve damage that wearing skinny jeans can cause; the tighter the jeans, the worse the damage. “Very tight trousers can reduce blood flow in the lower limbs,” chiropractor Tim Hutchful, said. “This can make your body ache, a bit like having a stitch while doing exercise, because your muscles need more oxygen than your body is able to give them. “Sitting or squatting compresses your body even more, intensifying the effect. People need to be aware of the potential risks.” The condition, known as compartment syndrome, causes a collection of muscles to swell and bleed, leading to pain and numbness. Jean wearers have been advised to avoid wearing skinny jeans for a long

models. Bad call,” another tweeted. Elaine was quick to also jump on twitter to defend herself and her atricle, pointing out the fact that the fair skinned model in question is not white, but is a mixed race woman from Fiji. “How do you define black?” she said. “just curious. Is it about skin colour? Eye colour? Hair texture? I ask because this mixed race model is as black as I am. Also how do you define cultural appropriation? I ask only because I want to better understand your point of view.” Although some of Elaine’s criticisers were satisfied with the explanation, and the fact that the model was in fact not white, others were still angry. Many stated that the problem wasn’t just the fact the model had some black heritage, it was the fact that, as is often the case with beauty magazines, no darker women were featured in an article primarily about women from Africa, who for the most part have darker skin tones.

Skinny jeans have been embraced by many celebrities, including singer Beyoncé

period of time, to avoid this problem. “As with many of these warnings, the very unfortunate case highlighted is an extreme one,” Priya Dasoju, professional adviser at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said “There’s no need to ditch the skinny jeans just yet, simply avoid staying in the same position for too long and keep moving throughout the day. If you do suffer any prolonged pain you should of course seek help, but no-one should be alarmed by this warning or change the cut of their jeans.”

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

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News

Queen honours young Commonwealth leaders By Yemi Dipeolu

60 young men and women from various Commonwealth countries will be awarded by the Queen as part of a new Young Leaders Award, launched this year.

The award, started by the Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee Trust, recognises the contributions of 18-29 year olds from 35 Commonwealth countries. As part of their prize, winners will be able to meet the Queen and Prime Minister David Cameron and take part in a 2 day leadership course in Cambridge. They will also be given a mentor for a year and will be able to take a distance learning course to help them to develop their leadership skills. The award, which is also in partnership with Comic Relief and the Royal Common Wealth Society, had thousands of applications this year and will run for a period of 4 years. Nearly half of this year’s winners hail from the African continent, including Sierra Leonean charity owner Phillip Cole, who after studying in the UK returned to Sierra Leone to help child soldiers and later, victims of the Ebola crisis. A young Tanzanian named Angela Benedicto Mnagoza who helps exploited child

Tanzanian winner Angela Benedicto Mnagoza

workers in Tanzania and Nigerian sickle cell campaigner Nkechikwu Azinge, who set up the Sickle Cell Aid Foundation, were also awarded. Speaking on behalf of the partnership, Sir John Major, Chairman of the Trust said: “We wish to identify and nurture the talent of the younger generation across the Commonwealth. We’re inspired by the belief that one talented individual can be a positive force for good within their communities. “This programme will celebrate the achievements of these extraordinary individuals and help develop their skills, thus creating a lasting legacy – benefiting the whole of the Commonwealth – to honour the long and successful reign of HM Queen Elizabeth II.”

Crazed killer dressed up as mother to hide her murder

Emmanuel

A crazed killer, who stabbed his mother over 40 times, then dressed up in her clothes to hide the murder, has been convicted of manslaughter.

22 year-old Nigerian student Emmanuel Kalejaiye, killed his mother Tolu Kalejaiye at their home in Essex in September 2013, and was found guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, rather than murder, because he had been suffering from mental health issues at the time. On the morning of the murder, Kalejaiye attacked his mother with a kitchen knife he had bought just a month earlier. During the attack Ms Kalejaiye attempted to call her boyfriend, and left him a voicemail on which the chilling attack can be heard. Following the attack, Kalejaiye put on a pink tracksuit which he had brought from Primark, and moved his mother’s car to make neighbours think that she had left for work. Her boyfriend arrived not too long after the attack to find Ms Kalejaiye’s body on the ground. Kalejaiye, told him 6

Mum

his mother had been attack, and fled scene. He was later seen casually buying snacks at a nearby shop, before turning himself in. He initially admitted to the murder in a written statement to police, where he claimed his mother had “subjected him to a life time of physical and mental abuse”. “She used the Bible to rationalise what she did to me. I believe she manipulated and brainwashed me,” the statement said. “I have been very depressed for a long time. I have tried to overcome it but I couldn’t take it anymore.” He later changed his statement claiming he had been forced to kill Ms Kalejaiye, who worked as an accountant for Camden Council, by a group of racist thugs, who also made him wear the women’s clothes. He then pleaded diminished responsibility, and doctors confirmed that he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia as well as depression. He was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

Kenyans dominate top young entrepreneur list Nine Kenyans are on Forbes’ latest list of the 30 most promising young entrepreneurs in Africa.

A shortlist of 150 entrepreneurs was compiled through nominations from Forbes Africa readers and its editorial team; the final 30 were decided by a panel of judges from across the continent. In making their choices, they looked at business size, location, struggles and determination. “Months of research yielded a list of 150 young hopefuls. We worked for weeks, verifying and investigating, to whittle it down,” said Forbes Africa. “We favoured entrepreneurs with fresh ideas and took into account their business size, location, struggles and determination. Senior editors then debated and argued over the final 30. We find this list exciting, thoughtprovoking and forward-looking. We hope you will too.” Besides the nine Kenyans, there are six from South Africa, six from Nigeria, three from Uganda and one each from Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Rwanda. They represent all sectors, but there is a strong technology influence - 17 of the companies headed by

these entrepreneurs are either tech-based or have technology as their base, such as through apps or online platforms. Here’s the complete list: Ali-shah Jivraj, Ugandan, (Founder, Royal Electronics) Ali-shah Jivraj, a 27-year-old third generation Asian-Ugandan entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of Royal Electronics, a $15 million (annual revenues) Ugandan company that assembles and distributes electronic home appliances such as television sets, radios, speakers, and DVD players under the ‘Royal’ brand. He also owns a property development firm which is developing more than 50 residential apartments in Kampala. Trushar Khetia, Kenyan (Founder, Tria Group) Khetia, 28, is the founder of Tria Group, a Kenyan outdoor transit advertising firm that uses public transit vehicles to market leading consumer goods in Kenya. Tria, which was founded in 2013, already has annual revenues exceeding $1.3 million. Catherine Mahugu, Kenyan (CoFounder, Soko) Catherine Mahugu, 27, is a co- founder

Teresa Mbagaya is co-founder of Eco-net

of Soko, an online destination platform for shoppers to discover handcrafted accessories from all over the world and purchase them directly from the designers and artisans. In 2013, the company raised $700,000 from a Dubai-based investment firm. At Soko, Mahugu leads innovation to foster new scalable and appropriate solutions. She is an International Telecom Union (ITU) Young Innovators fellow. Teresa Mbagaya, Kenyan (CoFounder, Econet Education) Mbagaya, 28, previously worked at Google GOOGL -0.73% on its Education team and partnered with the Emerging Markets Outreach team to provide free open source education materials to emerging markets. In 2013, she joined Econet Wireless as the youngest executive to found and lead Econet Education. Since joining Econet, Teresa has launched 3 education services in Zimbabwe with further aims for international expansion: Econet Zero targets 5 million Econet Broadband subscribers offering them free access to 50+ education websites including Coursera, EdX, Wikipedia, Codecademy and others; a global first for any Mobile Network Operator in scale. EcoSchool targets all tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe, an education platform that provides onthe-go, affordable, and reliable access to world-class educational content via the EcoSchool tablet. Recently, the business launched EcoSchool Academy to all 9 million subscribers, an interactive mobile learning environment which provides 50 short courses covering a range of topics. Econet Education has reduced the costs for Medical Students in Zimbabwe, providing tablets on which they can access their text books at significant savings. Abiola Olaniran, Nigerian (Founder, Gamsole) Olaniran, 26, is the founder and CEO of Nigerian gaming company, Gamsole. Olaniran founded the company in 2012, and it has venture backing from 88mph, a Kenyan seed fund. The company’s games now have more than 9 million downloads both locally and internationally on the Windows Phone store. Mark Essien, Nigerian (Founder, Hotels.ng0 Essien, 31, is the founder of Hotels.ng,

Nigeria’s largest hotel booking website. The online portal allows users from all over the world to book rooms from a selection of over 6000 hotels. The company has so far raised more than $250,000 in funding from Spark Fund among other investors. Duran De Villiers, South African (Co-Founder, SteadiDrone) Villiers, 30, is the founder of SteadiDrone, a South Africa-based company that develops and manufactures advanced small unmanned aerial multi-rotor systems for a wide range of applications and industries. The company had 2014 revenues of more than $1.2 million. Mubarak Muyika, Kenyan (Founder, Zagace Limited) Muyika, 20, is one of Kenya’s most promising young tech entrepreneurs. When he was 16, he founded Hypecentury Technologies, a web hosting company. He sold the company two years later to Wemps Telecoms in a 6-figure deal. Muyika’s new venture, Zagace, which has raised funding from local investors, is a cloud enterprise software that helps companies manage inventory such as accounting, payroll, stock management, marketing and many more all bundled in a simple and easy to use format called Zag apps. Hasnain Noorani, Kenyan (CEO, Pride Group) Noorani, 32, inherited a small driving school and car hire business from his father only four years ago. He is widely credited with expanding that business into what is known today as the Pride Group, a Kenyan conglomerate that owns a portfolio of six 3-star hotels across Kenya under the ‘PrideInn’ brand, bakeries, restaurants, a tour company and other assets. Anda Maqanda, South African (Founder, AM Group) Maqanda, a 29-year-old South African entrepreneur, runs one of the country’s fastest-growing engineering companies. The AM Group, which he founded in 2008 and owns completely, is a multi-faceted provider of engineering solutions, focusing mainly on Engineering Consulting, Design and Construction of Electrical Overhead Power Lines, Renewable Energy, Automation and Research and Development. His client list includes Volkswagen, BMW, Eskom, Kumba Iron Ore, and several other blue-chip companies in South Africa. Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Nigerian (Founder, Andela) Aboyeji, 23, is a co-founder at Andela, a global talent accelerator that trains young intelligent Africans to be world-class developers and then connects them with top employers around the world looking for top technical talent. Andela’s backers include the founders of Facebook, eBay, and AOL. Ally Edha Awadh, Tanzanian (Founder, Lake Oil Group) Tanzanian oil trader Ally Edha Awadh, 33, is the founder and CEO of Lake Oil

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

Group, one of East Africa’s fastest-growing energy trading companies. Lake Oil Group is now one of the 5 largest distributors of petroleum products in Tanzania and exports to neighboring countries including D.R.Congo, Zambia, Burundi and Rwanda. The company also has a 35 million-liter storage depot at Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam and another depot in Mbeya, a commercial city in the country’s southwest region. Rex Idaminabo, Nigerian (Founder, Achievers Media) Idaminabo, 29, is the founder and CEO of Acheivers Media, the organization which hosts the popular African Achievers Award, an annual event that recognizes individuals and organizations that have distinguished themselves in their contribution towards the growth and development of Africa. The event generates in excess of $1 million in sponsorship revenue annually. He is also the co-founder of Young CEO’s Business forum and was recently appointed as an Advisory Board member of the World Leaders Forum in Dubai. Tom Manners, South African (Founder, Clockworld Media) The 26 year-old South African national runs Clockwork Media, a Johannesburgbased integrated communications agency that has a portfolio of clients that include LG Electronics, Sotheby International Realty, Mimecast, Philips and Tata, amongst others. The company has 11 employees and has expanded to London. Stephen Sembuya, Ugandan (Cofounder, Pink Food Industries) Sembuya, 28, is the founder and CEO of Pink Food Industries, one of the fastest growing convenience foods manufacturers in Uganda. The company, which Sembuya started in 2011, produces food that includes biscuits, non-dairy creamers, chocolate, cornflakes and cocoa powder. Clarisse Iribagize, Rwandan (Founder, HeHe Ltd) Iribagize, 26, runs Kigali-based mobile technology company HeHe Limited, which builds custom mobile applications for businesses, provides 24/7 online and offline support and cloud storage services. Iribagize founded the company in 2010 after winning a $50,000 grant from Inspire Africa, a Rwandan TV entrepreneurial contest. Iribagize’s clientele includes a number of government agencies in Rwanda. Kelvin Macharia Kuria, Kenyan (Founder, Sunrise Tracking) Kuria, 23, is the founder of Sunrise Tracking, a Nairobi-based vehicle security tech firm that offers GPS tracking, CCTV and ability to turn engines off remotely via SMS. Edose Ohen, Nigerian (Founder, Alfa O & O Networks; Glazed the Doughnut Café) He is the founder of Alfa O & O Networks, a fixed wireless internet service provider focused on connecting homes in Benin City, Edo State Nigeria to the Internet in order to reduce the digital divide. He also owns Glazed the Doughnut

water in Ghana’s underdeveloped regions. Sangu, who previously worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Valiant Capital Partners, is currently an MBA candidate at Harvard. Uche Pedro, Nigerian (Founder, BellaNaija) Pedro, 30, is one of Nigerian most popular new media entrepreneurs. BellaNaija, the Nigerian lifestyle, entertainment and fashion website which she founded, attracts more than 10 million page views every month from readers all across the world. Barclay Paul, Kenyan (Founder/CEO Impact Africa Industries) Paul, 23, is the founder of Impact Africa Industries, a company that produces low cost sanitary pads for poor women in informal settlements Kenya three years ago and he now sells the pads to as far as Uganda and South Sudan. The company is located in Kitale, a small town in Western Kenya and has 23 employees, 15 of whom are women who help in production and distribution of the sanitary pads.

Trushar Khetia founded Tria Group

Cafe, Houston’s first 24 hour doughnut shop. Glazed is on track to pull in revenues of $1.2 million this year and is listed as a top doughnut shop in Houston. Christian Ngan, Cameroonian (Founder, Madlyn Cazalis) Ngan, 31, is the founder of Madlyn Cazalis, an African hand-made bio cosmetic company that produces body oils, natural lotions, creams, scrubs, masks and soaps. Madlyn Cazalis products are sold and distributed across more than 30 chemist stores, beauty institutes and retail outlets in Cameroon and neighboring countries in Central Africa. Senai Wolderufael, Ethiopian (Founder, Feed Green Ethiopia Exports Company) Wolderufael, a 28 year-old Ethiopian entrepreneur, is the founder of Feed Green Ethiopia Exports Company, an Addis Ababa-based outfit that produces and exports popular Ethiopian spice blends such as Shiro, Mitmita, Korarima and Berbere. Wolderufael founded the company in 2012 primarily to serve the needs of the Ethiopian diaspora in the United States and Europe, but as demand for Ethiopian spices increased significantly, Feed Green began exporting to new markets within Africa. The company employs only women. Eric Kinoti, Kenyan (Founder, Shades System East Africa) Kinoti, 30, is the founder of Shades System East Africa, a $1 million (annual sales) company that manufactures military and relief tents, branded gazebos, restaurant canopies, car parking shades, marquees, luxury tents, wedding party tents canvas seats and bouncing castles across the region. The company’s biggest clients are non-governmental and humanitarian organizations. Based in Nairobi, Shades System exports its products to Somalia, Congo and Rwanda. Nick Kaoma, South African (Founder, Head Honcho Clothing) Kaoma, a 29 year-old Cape Town native is the founder and creative director of Head Honcho clothing, a South African lifestyle brand that produces streetwear clothing that enjoys an impressive following among South Africa’s young urban dwellers. The

company’s product line includes t-shirts and caps to cardigans, varsity jackets, hoodies, tank tops and female dresses. Ronak Shah, Kenyan (Founder, Kronex Chemicals Ltd) The 27 year old Asian-Kenyan is the founder and CEO of Kronex Chemicals Ltd, a fast-growing manufacturer of lowcost household cleaning products such as dishwashing liquids and multi-purpose detergent targeted at Kenya’s lower class. Issam Chleuh, Malian (Founder, Africa Impact Group) Chleuh, 28, is the founder of the Africa Impact Group, an international organization focused on directing investment to socially and environmentally beneficial ventures, an asset class called Impact Investing. The company’s services include data & research, news, advisory services, and start-up incubation. Africa Impact Group’s clients include impact investors, private equity firms, family offices, leading African corporations, governments and nonprofits. Julie Alexander Fourie, South African (Founder, iFix) Julie Alexander Fourie, 27, runs a company that employs 40 people and services more than 4,000 clients a month. Fourie is the founder of iFix, which repairs and services all Apple products and Samsung Smartphones. iFix has branches in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Fourie started the company in 2006 from his dorm room at the University of Stellenbosch, helping colleagues and friends repaid broken and faulty iPods and computers. Satisfied friends subsequently referred other Apple product owners in search of repairs and Fourie’s business took off. Sangu Delle, Ghanaian (Founder, Golden Palm Investments) Delle, 28 is a co-founder of Golden Palm Investments, a holding company that invests in early stage venture and growth financing across Africa with a strong bias for Real Estate, healthcare, agribusiness and technology. GPI has backed startups such as Solo Mobile in Nigeria, mPharma in Ghana and Zamsolar in Zambia. He is also the co-founder of cleanacwa, a nonprofit working to provide access to clean

Catherine Mahugu co-founded Soko

Isaac Oboth, Ugandan (Founder, Media256) Isaac Oboth, 25, runsMedia 256 LTD, a film and television production company in East Africa. Media 256 was founded in 2011 and has a client list that includes Coca Cola, UNDP, USAID, the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange, Marie Stopes International, the African Leadership Network, and the African Leadership Academy. Adii Pienaar, South African (CoFounder, Woothemes) Adii Pienaar, 29, was one of 3 co-founders of Woothemes, a company that designs and develops customizable commercial themes and plugins for WordPress. Adii built the business with a bootstrap budget, and the company today generates over $3 million in annual revenues from the sale of its themes. Pienaar has since exited the company; he now runs PublicBeta, a service that allows successful entrepreneurs to transfer knowledge to new startups. 9

Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

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Nollywood News

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Kunle Afolayan attend Awards nomination gala in US The 2015 AMAA Nomination Gala held in Los Angeles, California. It was a ‘Nollywood meet Hollywood’ event as several stars from both sides of the Atlantic came together to celebrate African Cinema. The 2015 AMAA Jury chaired by the Zimbabwean, Mr. Keith Shiri announced nominations that have Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, Angola and Mauritius leading the pack in the numbers of films from the countries in competition while United States led the pack in the films from the Africans in Diaspora. Films from Nigerian filmmakers such as October 1, Cheetanah, Iyore, Dazzling Mirage are very prominent on the nominations list while Triangle Going to America from Ethiopia, Timbuktu from Mauritius and Queen of Angola from Angola are very strong in various categories of the award. On the West African end, Nigerian ac-

tress Ini Edo and Ghanian-born actress, Jocelyn Dumas both vie for the best Actress category for their roles in While You Slept and Silver Rain respectively. Two new revelations in the Most Promising Actor/Actress category are Demola Adedoyin for his role in Kunle Afolayan’s October 1 and Kemi Lala Akindoju for her role in Tunde Kelani’s Dazzling Mirage. Some of the Nollywood practitioners who attended the event include Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Faithia Balogun,O.C Ukeje, Patience Uzokwor, Kingsley Ogoro, Paul Okoli, Chioma Chukwuka, Kunle Afolayan, Emem Isong, Doris Simon, Eniola Badmus, Lydia Forson, who is also AMAA brand ambassador. AMAA main event which is the award night will hold in South Africa in September and it will be the first time the continental awards will take place outside Nigeria in the 11 years of its existence.

Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

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News

Culture

Africa Writes festival returns with author Ben Okri

Booker-prize winning author, Ben Okri will headline Africa Writes 2015. Now in its fourth year, Africa Writes is the UK’s largest festival and celebration of African literature. Okri, who recently and controversially challenged the perception of black writers in his article titled ‘A mental tyranny is keeping black writers from greatness’ in December 2014, will share his reflections on the theme ‘Meditations on Greatness’, before joining editor and critic, Ellah Allfrey in conversation on Saturday 4th July. The festival will run from Friday 3rd July - Sunday 5th July. Well known London based curator and journalist Hannah Pool will host the much anticipated ‘Africawn Books to Inspire’, joined by a selection of writers from Africa39, part of the Hay Festival’s worldwide 39 PROJECT. Offering readers a distinctively ‘non-Eurocentric’ take on books that inspire and shape society, African Books to Inspire will be a lively conversational journey through African literature titles, ranging from classics to new work. The shortlisted writers for The Caine Prize 2015, one of the most prestigious prizes for African short fiction, will be among the author appearances, one week before the Prize winner is expected to be announced. Showcasing both established and new voices in contemporary African writing including Jackie Kay, Petina Gappah, Kwasi Kwarteng and A. Igoni Barrett, other events throughout the weekend include conversa-

Critically acclaimed novelist ben Okri will be headlining the event

tions on cutting-edge topics from romance in the digital age to literary magazines, a staged reading of Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor’s acclaimed play Sunday, a powerful exploration of love between Nigerian women, sexuality and religion. Africa Writes’ popular annual translation symposium in collaboration with SIDENSI will this year focus on love, inspired by the widely praised multi-lingual Valentine’s Day Anthology by Ankara Press.

This year Africa Writes aims to increase the event’s potential as a platform to discover new writing talent by giving unsigned authors a rare opportunity to pitch unpublished work to people in the industry in a dragon’s den style event, ‘Meet the Publishers’. Organised by the Royal African Society, in partnership with the British Library, the host of the festival, Africa Writes 2015 will bring together over 70 authors, po-

ets, publishers, critics and experts for an exciting three-day programme, including book launches, readings, talks, panel discussions, live performances, children and young people’s workshops, family activities, and an international book fair. The festival also invites children, young people and families to explore the continent’s rich literary landscapes through its exciting programme of free and interactive sessions.

Michelle Bello

Journalist Hannah Pool

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

News

Pregnant woman dies following Uprooted protesters threaten hour long ambulance journey Boko Haram-style attacks A pregnant woman died after being taken to a hospital 10 miles away from where she collapsed.

39 year-old Estherline Caukler, spent 84 hours in traffic after being picked up by an ambulance at a train station where she had become ill. The paramedic at the station, who called the ambulance, identified that Caukler had internal bleeding, however, the ambulance crew, who did not recognise the severity of her case, took her to hospital rather that to one of the two A&Es that were a ten minute drive from the station. “General practice is to take ladies to their booked maternity unit,” paramedic Paul Quaterton told Poplar Coroner’s Court. “At the time, I believed we were making the best decision for the patient.” When Ms Caukler, who was 26 weeks pregnant, finally arrived at Homerton hospital in Hackney, where she was receiving her antenatal care, she was not seen for two hours. She subsequently had a heart attack and died from a haemorrhage early the next morning. Her daughter was delivered prematurely, however she also died two months later. Professionals evaluating the case have said that Caukler could have survived if she had been taken to an emergency unit, and surgeon Yashwant Koak pointed out that her chances of survival continued to drop as time went on. “By the time the patient came to

Esthaline Caukler

Homerton, it was likely to have dropped down to 50 per cent,” he said. “At the time of the crash call [when she went into cardiac arrest], it would have been less than five per cent.” Prior to Ms Caukler’s death, four other maternal deaths had occurred at Homerton Hospital over the course of 18 months, pushing the hospital to revaluate its procedures. “At the very outset there was an opportunity to treat Ms Caulker ... As time went on, that opportunity got smaller and smaller. By the time she was given CPR, it was next to nothing,” coroner Mary Hassel said. “There was a failure of fully effective communication between health professionals at every stage in Ms Caulker’s care ... If blue light transfer to an emergency unit with maternity support had been been effected from the railway station then ... she would probably have survived.”

Reports on two privatelyrun IRCs due in July Self-audit reports on the running of two private immigration removal centres (IRCs) are to be released by the Home Office next month, after a landmark ruling by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The reports will give detailed information on the operation of two facilities: Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre; the UK’s largest, and nearby Colnbrook IRC. The documents pertain to the month of May 2014, when the centres were operated by private security contractors Geo Group and Serco; who ran Harmondsworth and Colnbrook respectively until Mitie Care took over both centres. The reports, which are due to be released on July 13, 2015, are to be provided in response to a Freedom of Information request filed by research group Corporate Watch more than 10 months ago. The Home Office has doggedly fought against the request since that time, arguing that releasing the documents would damage the corporate interests of the companies involved. However, the ICO criticised the move, saying “there is a very strong public interest” in the reports being released. Freedom of information campaigners 12

have praised the decision, saying that it will increase pressure on companies such as Serco and Geo Group to raise their standards. Corporate Watch researcher Phil Miller said the ICO’s ruling sends “a strong signal to government to be far more transparent on outsourced contracts. Home Office bureaucrats should not shield private security companies from public scrutiny”. Detailing the reason for the decision, the ICO said that the operation of immigration removal centres was ‘problematic’, and that reports into Harmondsworth and Colnbrook by the Prisons Inspector were ‘critical of their operation’. Conditions at immigration removal centres are a problem; Channel 4 News reported recently that self-harm among detainees more than doubled between 2012 and 2014; from 150 to 306. In 2014, 62 of these incidents - a fifth of the total - occurred at Harmondsworth. In May that year, the period covered in the report, over 100 detainees went on hunger stroke at the removal centre. The Home Office may appeal the decision to release the reports, but has not confirmed its intention to do so. A spokesperson said: “We have noted the Information Commissioner’s decision and are considering whether or not to appeal.”

Security forces flattened the Accra shanty town known colloquially as Sodom and Gomorrah earlier this month to alleviate perennial flooding in the main city

Protesters in Ghana have threatened to carry out attacks similar to those of Nigeria’s Boko Haram terrorists during rallies after the government demolished houses and businesses to prevent floods in a slum in the capital Accra. Bulldozers destroyed hundreds of buildings in the so-called Sodom and Gomorrah district in order to widen a lagoon to prevent floods, which led to an explosion of a gas station in which an estimated 150 people died earlier in June. Residents clashed with police as they tried to protect their livelihoods, while officers fired tear gas to disperse rioters who hurled stones at them. According to a report by Peace FM, some protesters held a placard reading: “Before 2016 You’ll See “Buku Harm” [Boko Haram] In Ghana.”

Displaced rioters argued they do not have anywhere to sleep after the government demolished their homes. They demanded compensation for the destruction of their houses and personal belongings as well as temporary structures until they are able to afford permanent accommodation. Sodom and Gomorrah housed about 50,000 people and is believed to be Ghana’s largest slum. A spokesperson for the Ghana Police Service in Accra told radio station Asempa FM that at least 26 people, 25 men and one woman, were arrested in connection with rioting occurring on Monday morning (22 June). She added that the police’s vehicles were damaged. The spokesperson said: “Some of our cars were damaged, windshields especially were smashed on a number of our police vans because of the stones they hurled at us.”

Mexico

Mexico threatens Miss Universe no-show over Trump snipe The president of the organization that chooses Miss Mexico is threatening to pull the country’s representative from the Miss Universe pageant after its owner, Donald Trump, made negative comments about Mexicans during his presidential bid announcement last week.

In an interview with Mexican radio channel Radio Formula, Lupita Jones said she feels disrespected as both a Mexican and a woman, referring to Trump’s allegations that Mexico exports drugs, crime and rapists to the US instead of “their best.” Jones, a former Miss Universe who became the first Mexican to win a crown, tweeted that she reached out to the Miss Universe pageant president Paula Shugart and was assured that Mexico’s candidate would not receive unfair treatment.

Former winner Lupita Jones, now a Miss Mexico pageant director, has threatened a boycott of Donald

Wendy Esparza, the 23-year-old journalist who holds the Miss Mexico 2015 title, has not commented on the situation. Multi-billionaire presidential hopeful Trump also has not addressed Jones’s comments.

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

Korea

Supreme leader meets North Korea’s first female fighter pilots North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un has met with the country’s first female fighter jet pilots, calling them “heroes of Korea” and “flowers of the sky.”

Pilots Jo Kum Hyang and Rim Sol wept as they were presented with bouquets in front of their leader, who attributed their successful solo flights to their “noble revolutionary spirit, ideological acceptance of the party’s training-first policy and loyalty to the Supreme Commander,” KCNA, North Korea’s state news agency reported. In a video released by state media, Kim watched on as the pilots performed takeoff and landing drills. It was not clear exactly when they took place. The Korean Central News Agency -- the country’s state media, has been praising the prowess of the Korean People’s Air Force (KPAF) in recent months, but the planes on the airfield told a different story. The pilots

Smiling pilots Jo Kum Hyang and Rim Sol pose with the supreme leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

India

India trained Pakistan militants, BBC told A Pakistani ofﬁcial has told the BBC that India has funded training for hundreds of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) militants over the last 10 years.

British authorities held formal recorded interviews with senior MQM officials who told them the party was receiving Indian funding, the BBC was told. Indian authorities have described the claims as “completely baseless”. The unnamed Pakistani official told the BBC that India has trained hundreds of MQM militants in explosives, weapons and sabotage over the last 10 years in camps in north and north-east India. Before 2005-2006 the training was given to a small number of mid-ranking members of the MQM, the official said. The claims follow the statement of a senior Karachi police officer that two arrested MQM militants said they had been trained in India. In April Rao Anwar gave details of how the two men went to India via Thailand to be trained by the Indian intelligence agency RAW. In response, MQM leader Altaf Hussain issued a tirade of abuse at Rao Anwar. Asked about the claims of Indian funding and training of the MQM, the Indian High Commission in London said: “Shortcomings of governance cannot be rationalised by blaming neighbours.” UK authorities started investigating the MQM in 2010 when a senior party leader, Imran Farooq, was stabbed to death outside his home in London. In the course of those inquiries, the police found around £500,000 in the MQM’s London offices and in the home of MQM leader Altaf Hussain. That prompted a second investigation

were flying what appeared to be Soviet era MiG-21 supersonic fighter jets or a Chinese version of that aircraft -- the Chengdu J-7 supersonic fighter jet. The MiG-21 first came into service in the late 1950s and saw considerable service in the Vietnam War. But there is considerable doubt as to how many of those aircraft, some of them dating back to the 1950s, are airworthy. North Korea’s most advanced combat aircraft, nearly three dozen MiG-29’s, were purchased from the Soviet Union in the late 1980s. KCNA reported that the pilots tearfully thanked Kim “for giving them wings to fly and courage,” before pledging to fly “in the aerial front line, to safeguard Kim Jong Un through a thousand miles of clouds and ten thousand miles of fire.” The KPAF is estimated to be the fifthlargest air force in the world, with 110,000 service personnel and 820 combat aircraft.

Vietnam

Visit Vietnam visa-free for a year

Vietnam will lift its visa requirements for UK citizens for one year at the end of the month.

into possible money laundering. UK authorities also found a list itemising weapons, including mortars, grenades and bomb-making equipment in an MQM property, according to Pakistani media reports that the BBC believes to be credible. The list included prices for the weapons. Asked about the list, the MQM made no response. As the UK police investigations have progressed, the British judiciary has been taking an increasingly tough line on the MQM. Back in 2011 a British judge adjudicating an asylum appeal case found that “the MQM has killed over 200 police ofﬁcers who have stood up against them in

Karachi”. Last year another British judge hearing another such case found: “There is overwhelming objective evidence that the MQM for decades had been using violence.” The MQM is also under pressure in Pakistan. In March the country’s security forces raided the party’s Karachi headquarters. They claimed to have found a signiﬁcant number of weapons, which MQM said were planted. MQM insists it is a peaceful, secular party representing the interests of the middle classes in Pakistan. MQM has 24 members in Pakistan’s National Assembly.

From July 1st, Brits will no longer need to apply for a visa when entering the country, provided that they are staying for 15 days or less. However the visa free period will only be available for a limited time, lasting only until June 30 2016. Asia specialists Wendy Wu Tours welcomed the news. “It is a move towards recognition that UK and EU visitors are undeniably valuable to Vietnam’s tourism economy,” said Laurence Hicks, managing director at Wendy Wu Tours. “We have been growing our Vietnam portfolio for the past few years with seven itineraries as well as tailor made options. Bookings are up year-on-year for Vietnam, underlining the demand for travel to this incredibly beautiful and vibrant country.” 13

Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

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CRIME

Men jailed following murder of student

Two men found guilty of murdering teenager Charlie Wright in Greenwich have been jailed for a total of 70 years.

Today, Tuesday, 23 June, at the Old Bailey, two men have been sentenced for murder and a third man has been jailed for conspiracy to rob. Eltham student Charlie Wright, aged 17, was shot in Calvert Road, SE10. At the Old Bailey on Monday, 22 June, Hassan Hassan, 33 (6.09.81) of Vesta Road, Brockley and Colin Anderson, 49 (3.06.66) of no fixed abode were found guilty of murder, conspiracy to rob and possession of a firearm with intent. A third man, Mohammed Ibrahim, 26 (20.12.88) of no fixed abode was found guilty of conspiracy to rob. He was acquitted of murder and firearms offences but was today sentenced for conspiracy to rob. Charlie was shot in the face at 02:05hrs

Hassan

on 23 April 2010 at Calvert Road, SE10. He was pronounced dead in the street a

Anderson

short time later. Hassan was

sentenced

life

imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 35 years for murder, 12 years for conspiracy to rob and 18 years for possession of ﬁrearm with intent to endanger life. All sentences to run concurrently. Anderson was sentenced to life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 35 years for murder, 12 years for conspiracy to rob and 18 years for possession of ﬁrearm with intent to endanger life. All sentences to run concurrently. Ibrahim was sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiracy to rob. Detective Inspector Mick Norman, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “I am very pleased with the sentence that follows yesterday’s verdicts. No degree of justice will bring Charlie back to his family but I sincerely hope that the weight of the sentences handed down bring a measure of comfort to those who miss him most.”

Appeal to trace bogus landlord Man jailed for outraging public

decency on London buses

A man has been sentenced to a total of 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to six counts of outraging public decency on London buses.

Image of man police wish to speak with

Police have released an image of a man they wish to speak with after a number of people were defrauded out of more than £30,000 by a bogus landlord.

Between Wednesday, 1 April and Friday, 19 June, criminals advertised ﬂats for rent in Lambeth, Islington, Barnet, Kilburn and Ealing. The adverts were published on the Gumtree website. A number of prospective tenants responded to the adverts and subsequently handed over large deposits totalling more than £30,000. When the new tenants arrived with their belongings on their moving-in dates, it became apparent that they had been victims of a scam. The bogus landlord has given a variety of names including Adam Holt, Craig Myers, and Ashley Elliot, but all could be fake identities. He is described as a smartly dressed black man in his 30s with short black hair. He sometimes wears glasses. 14

He is also known to work with others - including a taller black man with a moustache and a black woman. All dress smartly in business attire. Police are aware of six victims so far, but believe there may be more. Ofﬁcers are advising potential victims to carry out some basic checks before handing over money. Detective Constable Ross James, from Lambeth CID, said: “We are keen to identify this fraudster as soon as possible. Anyone with information about these crimes, or who recognises the man shown in the image, should call police or Crimestoppers.” To provide information to police, please call 101 and quote reference 1217609/15. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. If you are about to secure a deposit on a ﬂat, please carry out some basic checks before you hand over your money and personal details. Advice is available at www.actionfraud.police.uk

Fabian Downie, 44 (27.07.70) of no fixed abode was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, 18 June to six months imprisonment after pleading guilty to six counts of outraging public decency committed between 25 October 2014 and 1 April 2015 on buses in London. Downie was also sentenced to a further 14 months imprisonment for breaching a suspended sentence. Downie is also subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for a period of five years, which prohibits him from travelling on the top deck of any double decker bus or coach. In all six offences, Downie boarded buses and performed a sex act, often in full view of other passengers, before getting off. In two of the offences, passengers took photos of Downie, which later helped identify him. The details of Downie’s offences were: On Saturday, 25 October 2014 on a route 205 bus in Commercial Street, Tower Hamlets; On Wednesday, 29 October 2014 on a route 21 bus in Old Street EC1; On Monday, 1 December 2014 on a route 24 bus in Camden High Street, Camden; On Tuesday, 2 December 2014 on a route 185 bus in Lewisham; On Thursday, 8 January on a route 453 bus in Elephant and Castle, Southwark - On Wednesday, 1 April on a route 53 bus in New Cross Station, Greenwich Officers from the Roads and Transport Policing Command launched

Fabian Downie

an investigation, working with City of London Police and obtained CCTV footage from all the buses, which was vital in linking the offences and the subsequent arrest of Downie on 20 May. Detective Superintendent Adnan Qureshi, MPS Roads and Transport Policing Command said: “Downie carried out these appalling crimes in full view of passengers, putting them through an awful ordeal. Thanks to the quick thinking of two of the victims, who took photos of the suspect, we were able to identify Downie and link him to all six offences. “Sexual assaults on the transport network will not be tolerated and anyone who commits such offences will be caught and prosecuted. “If someone has made you feel uncomfortable on your bus journey – however minor it may seem to you – reporting it to police can help us target the perpetrator and prevent it happening to another passenger.”

Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

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Sounds of Diaspora People of America

Speculation rife that Lupita is dating SA comedian Following recent break-up rumours with his long-term girlfriend more than a month ago, South African comedian Trevor Noah’s social media post about an unexpected audience member, actress Lupita Nyong’o, did little to squash relationship rumours yesterday, with many suggesting that they make a “cute couple”. The pair have been the centre of speculation that they are an item since Noah, 31, posted a picture of him with the Oscarwinning actress in matching blue outfits. “I was already having a great time performing in Johannesburg and then @ LupitaNyongo dropped in and made my night,” reads the message, accompanied by the hashtags #WePlannedOurOutfits, #IveNeverTouchedAnOscarWinner, #NowImHooked, #ImGoingToTouchAllTheOscarWinners, #ThatSoundedCreepy. Responding to Noah’s Facebook posting, Elizabeth Mabaso wrote: “I love Lupita and Trevor, they are making Africa proud.” User Morné Assam wrote: “The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice.”

The picture Trevor Noah posted online

Noah is in the country for his sold-out, one-man show, Lost In Translation, which is being staged at Montecasino in Johannesburg until the end of the month, when Noah will return to New York to prepare for his Daily Show gig. Noah’s debut in the US will be on Comedy Central on September 28. Nyong’o is filming Queen of Katwe in Pretoria, based on the book by Tim Crothers, which tells the extraordinary story of a Ugandan girl’s dream of becoming a chess grandmaster.

Dionne: Some of me left with Whitney

Legendary singer Dionne Warwick has admitted she felt like she ‘’lost a part’’ of herself when Whitney Houston died in tragic circumstances in 2012.

The 74-year-old singer was the cousin of the troubled music legend - who drowned in the bathtub at a hotel in Beverly Hills in 2012, aged just 48 - and although she has felt great pain over her passing, Dionne believes Whitney’s death - which toxicology results showed was caused by heart disease linked to her drug use – was down to the will of God. ‘’I felt like I lost a part of me when Whitney left me, but there was nothing that anyone could have done. That was Whitney’s choice, unfortunately, and that was also the plan. That was God’s plan. ‘’She was relieved of all the anxiety and traumas being plagued upon her.’’ The easy listening legend, made famous for her interpretations of the songbook of Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David, is currently having to face up to the prospect of losing Whitney’s 22-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina, who remains unconscious five months after she was discovered face

Dionne Warwick (left) and Whitney Houston performing together during the Women’s WorldAwards gala in 2010

down in a bath at her home in Georgia. Spookily, Dionne herself was in hospital for two weeks following a serious fall in the shower at her New Jersey home in January. Dionne admits any death is a ‘’very difficult thing’’ to cope with, but she is philosophical about the situation. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, she said: ‘’God has a plan for everybody, for better or different. Of course, any death within my family is a very difficult thing, no matter who it is. ‘’You’re losing a part of you. Everybody that’s gone before me has taken a part of me with them.’’

Second boss quits Jay Z’s Tidal

Jay Z re-launched Tidal earlier this year amid massive press coverage

Peter Tonstad, CEO of the Jay Z’s recently-acquired musicstreaming service Tidal, has left the company.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Tonstad has stepped down from his position less than three months after he became Tidal’s interim CEO. Tidal’s previous CEO, Andy Chen, left the company in April, and Tonstad became the interim CEO while the company searched for a permanent replacement. But now Tonstad is no longer with the company, and Tidal says it will be run by executives in New York and Oslo while it searches for another CEO. News of Tonstad’s departure was first reported in the Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv. When the newspaper reached Tonstad for comment, he said

“the only thing I can confirm is that I have resigned.” Tonstad previously served as CEO of Aspiro, the parent company of Tidal and the streaming service WiMP. Entrpreneur and rapper Jay Z acquired Aspiro in March after the company’s board accepted a $56 million takeover offer. He rolled the company’s streaming services into one, putting Tidal CEO Andy Chen in charge. Tidal said in a statement to The Wall Street Journal that it was “thankful to Peter for stepping in as interim CEO and wish him the best for the future.” There have been numerous reports of staff departures at Tidal since its acquisition and relaunch. The Swedish news site Breakit reports that about 25 employees were “forced to leave” the company. 15

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

Gospel

WHERE TO FIND HELP IN TIME OF NEED

By Michael Adekoya

“...O our God, won’t You stop them? We have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” 2Chro. 20:12.

Dear Reader, have you ever been in what appeared to be an impossible situation? Have you ever desperately needed something, but it seemed you would never have it? Have you ever thought you had missed it and there was no future for you again? Have you ever thought there could be no second chance for you? Is this where you are right now? Maybe you are now thinking there is no way for you out of that unemployment, out of that sin, out of that bondage, out of that sickness, out of that defeat, out of that hardship, out of that failure, out of that drug, alcohol or sex addiction, out of that lack, out of that single life and loneliness. Well, if you’ve ever felt that way or feeling that way now, then I have Good News for you! You need to know that God can answer prayer and can turn situations around. He can turn people around and when necessary and even, He can even worries and anxiety. change the course of nature. It has always been said, “If you are swept off your feet, it’s time to get on your knees.” Considering this statement, one example that immediately comes to mind is King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Here was a man who had begun to lead the people back to worshiping the true and living God during his era. Suddenly a warning comes: “King Jehoshaphat, your enemies are gathered to attack you.” My friend, listen! Spiritual warfare always surrounds the birth of something miraculous. If you don’t know this, Satan will ambush you and grind you to a halt. When God begins to move in you, in your home, family, career, divine assignment, ministry, community, city, nation or in His church, you’ll see the difference in people. The Bible says Jehoshaphat at was alarmed just like anyone of us will do when the enemy launched an attack on his divine assignment. But what is important is what he did with his alarm, fear, panic, concern,

The Bible says immediately he gathered the people together and prayed and said to the Lord God, “We have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). My friend, that’s the key! When you are overwhelmed, worried, struggling, afraid, confused or in need for a solution, who and where do you turn to? When Micah was in deep sorrow for Israel’s sins and his heart was very heavy, he said, “I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7) Today, many people look elsewhere, except unto God, for solution, protection or provision. Listen to what David said, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills from where comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who

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

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

made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1) And concerning you whose eyes are upon God, like Jehoshaphat, David went further to say, “He (God) will not let you stumble; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your protective shade. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall keep you and preserve you from all evil; He watches over your life. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” (Psalm 121:2-8) My friend, did you hear that? When your focus is on God, He keeps watching over you as you come and go, both now and forever. My friend, I can testify to the truth that the eyes of the Lord are always on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry... When the righteous cry out to Him,

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

He hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. ..Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him or her out of them all. (Psa 34:15-19). Because Jehoshaphat’s eyes were upon God, He cried unto Him. In answer to his prayer, Jahaziel was moved by the Spirit of God to speak from the midst of the congregation and gave the Lord’s answer: “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, stay connected and focused, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord who is with you….Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.” (2 Chron 20:17). Listen! When your eyes are on God and you truly pray to Him (not to foreign god) He answers (read Jer 33:3) Here is a picture of a vulnerable king and his people who don’t know what to do when they were faced with a seemingly impossible situation but who are completely dependent upon God. It is a great picture of what to do in time of need. God answered the prayer of the king and dramatically altered his circumstances by destroying his enemies. My friend, you can turn to the same true and living God today in prayer in desperate circumstances, and He will hear your cry. The Bible says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psa 46:1) He is but do you believe? Do you have intimate relationship with Him? If not, today is your day of salvation. The Bible says “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Roman 10:9-10). That’s what you need to do to begin your relationship with Him and be at the centre of His help. One word, idea, connection or revelation from Him is enough to sort you out. He is the Saviour, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, Prince of Peace, Counsellor, Defender of the weak, Blesser, Lifter, and Connector! He is the only One who is secured enough to keep you secured. Unless He builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless He watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. I can testify to that! Remain blessed!

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 Forth-

nightly 12am Sunday Service: Sundays 10am - 1pm Winners’ Chapel London- part of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, at 1 Churchill Close, Green Street, Green Road, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1QE meets Sunday 7.30am, 9.15am and 11am and Wednesdays at 7pm. For details call: 01322 292097 Christ Apostolic Church, Surrey Docks District, Solution Centre, 47-47 High Street, Swancombe, Kent, DA10 0DA Tel: 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

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

Africa Newsround

Ethiopia

Clean sweep for incumbent in Ethiopia poll Ethiopia’s ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and its allies achieved a clean sweep in last month’s general election, winning all 546 parliamentary seats, the ﬁnal results showed on Monday.

Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn’s landslide victory stripped the opposition of the one seat it had held in the outgoing chamber, said Merga Bekana, chairman of the electoral board. Preliminary results for the one constituency that still had to return ﬁnal results -- the southwestern Bonga district where elections were delayed -- showed the EPRDF also winning that seat. “The performance of the ruling party is good but the competition was strong,” Merga told reporters at the release of ﬁnal results. “The general elections were characterised by high voter turnout and orderly conduct of the elections proceedings. The elections were culminated in free, fair, peaceful, credible and democratic manner.” The EPRDF, in power in Africa’s second-most populous nation after Nigeria for over two decades, along with its allies also won a near clean sweep in regional state councils, winning all but 21 of the 1,987 seats. African Union observers said the polls passed off without incident, but the opposition alleged the government had used authoritarian tactics to guarantee victory. Government spokesman Shimeles Kemal

Hailemariam Desalegn became Prime Minister when Meles Zenawi died in 2012

said the party’s success was the result of Ethiopia’s economic advances. “Voters have credited the ruling party for the economic progress it introduced in the country,” he said, speaking before the ﬁnal results were announced. “They want the continuation of this policy. In view of the weak, fragmented opposition and the lack of viable alternative, it was very likely that the ruling party would win in a landslide.” There was no immediate reaction from opposition parties, but critics dismissed the

results. “This result was completely expected, there is no multiparty system in Ethiopia. It’s just fake,” said Taye Negussie, a sociology professor at Addis Ababa University. Ahead of the results, the Addis Standard, a rare independent voice in the Ethiopian press, commented on the “tragic demise of the multiparty system.” The EPRDF took back the only seat that was held by the opposition, securing all 23 seats in the capital Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia, whose 1984 famine triggered a major global fundraising effort, has experienced near-double-digit economic growth and huge infrastructure investment -- making the country one of Africa’s topperforming economies and a magnet for foreign investment. It also remains a favourite of key international donors, despite concerns over human rights, as a bastion of stability in an otherwise troubled region. Ethiopia’s former Marxist rebel-turnedleader Meles Zenawi, who died in 2012, was succeeded by Prime Minister Hailemariam, who has said he is committed to opening up the country’s political system to allow more space for opposition parties. But rights groups routinely accuse Ethiopia of clamping down on opposition supporters and journalists, and of using anti-terrorism laws to silence dissent and jail critics. Activists have said the polls were not free or fair due to a lack of freedom of speech. The United States, which enjoys close security cooperation with Ethiopia, also said it remained “deeply concerned by continued restrictions on civil society, media, opposition parties, and independent voices and views.” US President Barack Obama will in late July become the ﬁrst sitting American leader to visit Ethiopia. The European Union has also said that true democracy had yet to take root in Ethiopia. The African Union deployed 59 observers for the polls, but European Union and Carter Center observers, who were present for the 2010 vote, were not invited.

Rwanda

Spy chief’s London arrest angers Rwanda Rwanda’s government has expressed its “outrage” at the arrest of intelligence chief Karenzi Karake at Heathrow on Saturday (June 20).

General Karake was arrested by Met police ofﬁcers under a European Arrest Warrant on behalf of the Spanish authorities for ordering massacres in the wake of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Williams Nkurunziza, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to the UK, has called the arrest “an insult to our collective conscience”. Prime Minister David Cameron’s ofﬁcial spokeswoman said it was an “operational matter” for the police who were legally obliged to act on valid European Arrest Warrants. Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda’s foreign minister, called the arrest “an outrage” adding: “Western solidarity in demeaning Africans is unacceptable”. Andrew Mitchell, former international development secretary, said he believed

the arrest was a “reprehensible abuse” of the law. In 2008, Spanish investigative judge Andreu Merelles indicted Karake for alleged war crimes along with 39 other current or former high-ranking Rwandan military ofﬁcials. Karake is also accused of ordering the killing in 1997 of three Spanish nationals working for Medicos del Mundo. But the Rwandan government is said to be puzzled by the timing of Karake’s arrest, as he has travelled to the UK several times since the indictment was issued. Mr Nkurunziza told the BBC World Service: “We take strong exception to the suggestion that he’s being arrested on war crimes. “Any suggestion that any of our 40 leaders are guilty of crimes against humanity is an insult to our collective conscience.” Gen Karake was remanded in custody after appearing at Westminster Magistrates

Karake is one of 40 current or former Rwandan military ofﬁcials named on an indictment made by a Spanish judge in 2008

Court and he will reappear on Thursday. A spokesman for Spain’s National Court said

it was now up to the British authorities to decide whether or not to extradite him. 17

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

Arts

Theatre, Shows and Musicals By Edward Mirza

HANG

Robert Mountford as Macbeth in Tara Arts, with, left to right, Shalini Peiris, Shaheen Khan as Lady Macbeth and Ralph Birtwell

nies sees Shakespeare’s tragedy reimagined in a contemporary context, as a brew of June 11th – July 18th “F**k your sympathy and keep it with treachery and ambition sets an Asian family on a road to destruction. The production your sorrys.” sees the engineers of Macbeth’s downfall A crime has been committed. depicted as three Hijras. A strand of Indian The victim has a choice to make. society little-known in the west, Hijras are The criminal is waiting. A shattering new play about an unspeak- a centuries-old “third gender” community (including transsexuals, transgender people, able decision. Debbie Tucker Green returns to the eunuchs and cross-dressers). Tara Arts Artistic Director Jatinder Royal Court to direct her new play hang.  The cast includes Marianne Jean-Baptiste Verma, who will direct Macbeth said “Spirwho makes her Royal Court debut and its in Indian traditions combine vivacity with viciousness. By casting the Witches Claire Rushbrook. Hang is designed by Jon Bausor, with in Macbeth as provocative Bollywood lighting design by Tim Mitchell, music queens, I aim to explore the dangerously composition by Luke Sutherland, sound vain ambition driving Macbeth.” For information on Black Theatre Live: design by Christopher Shutt and movewww.blacktheatrelive.co.uk | For informament by Polly Bennett. Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal tion on Tara Arts: www.tara-arts.com Court Theatre, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS .

Everyman starring Chiwetel Ejiofor April 22nd - July 16th

Everyman, a new adaptation by Carol Ann Duffy Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) is Everyman in Carol Ann Duffy’s new adaptation. When Death comes, who will stand by your side? Everyman is successful, popular and riding high when Death comes calling. He is forced to abandon the hedonistic life he has built and embark on a last, frantic search to recruit a friend, anyone, to speak in his defence. But Death is close behind, and time is running out. Everyman explodes onto the stage in a startling production with words by Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate, and movement by Javier De Frutos. National Theatre, South Bank, London SE1 9PX, 020 7452 3000

Macbeth, Tara Arts in association with Queen’s Hall Arts & Black Theatre Live Now- October 31st

Macbeth is the first production from Black Theatre Live, a pioneering consortium of 8 regional theatres committed to increasing the amount of Black and Ethnic Minority theatre on the touring circuit. Spun together with a blend of Indian music and movement, this brand new production from one of the UK’s leading cross-cultural theatre compa18

The Lottie Betts-Priddy Education Trust Family Fun Day Saturday July 18, 2015

The Lottie Betts-Priddy Education Trust, a UK registered charity, is holding its Family Fun Day on Saturday 18th July

2015 in Camberwell, south London. Described as a fun-filled day of African drumming, storytelling, musical performances, delicious West African cuisine, face-painting and henna tattooing; with a sack race, three-legged race and much, much more thrown in to entertain the whole family, the fun and frivolity starts from 11am at the University Academy of Engineering South Bank, Trafalgar Street, London SE17 2TP (close to East Street Market and Burgess Park – nearest tube: Elephant & Castle). The Trust is passionate about giving poor and disadvantaged children in Sierra Leone the opportunity of education to help secure them a better future. The essence of the day is to raise vital funds to underpin the Trust’s voluntarily work to improve children’s educational experience by renovating dilapidated classrooms, ensuring schools have working toilet facilities and providing much needed resources such as text books, pens and other teaching materials. Grab the chance to enjoy a family day out, exhaust the kids and join the wider community in helping this worthy cause.

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

Nigeria Special

How Complicit are the Accountant and Auditor Generals in the Looting of Our Treasury? By Akintokunbo A Adejumo

One of our problems as a people, as a society, is our intrinsic inability to be sincere, even with ourselves, and from this derives dishonesty, which leads to corruption, deceit, deception and fraud, and of course we know where this eventually leads to, or rather, has led to – the stunting and impediment of progress and development of the country, and a degenerate and depraved society. We are reaping what we sow.

So why are we so insincere and dishonest, even with ourselves, so much so that our notoriety all over the world is confirmed? I hate to hazard a guess, because this will open a whole can of cultural and psychological worms and I will be accused of washing and airing our dirty linens in the public, as if we don’t do that on a daily basis, more so by our so-called leaders and enlightened elites. Although the “sacking” has been denied by the Federal Government , and substituted with “retired”, I decided to take the news that a former Accountant General of the Federation, has been sacked by President Buhari for misappropriating 2.5 billion naira of security agencies’ funds, http://www.informationng.com/2015/06/ buhari-sacks-accountant-general-of-thefederation-over-alleged-misappropriationof-funds.html ) as a Truth. Why not, you ask me? Let us be sincere with ourselves, at least this time; to excuse the persons of the Accountant Generals (and the Auditor Generals) of the Federation (past and present) and their respective offices, from the massive looting that has been going on in this country for decades will be like excusing corruption itself. They are complicit in the looting that has been going on for decades, and I have always wondered with some incredulity why the torch has rarely been shone on them all these inordinate length of time. Their offices must be the bedrock of the highest corruption; I have no doubt about that considering the importance of their offices in the fiscal and economic well-being and accountability of the nation. That massive fraud and looting has been taking place in this country for decades cannot be contested by any sane Nigerian. So I ask myself, how can these important offices dealing with our treasury integrity, accountability, propriety, regularity, compliance and fiscal discipline, in that period not be aware, and even complicit in the

looting of the treasury and common wealth of this country? If he (and any of his predecessors) denies any knowledge or complicity, that says a lot about their competence, integrity, knowledge and qualifications and questions should be asked about how mediocre and inept civil servants got to the top of their careers and into such prominent and responsible positions. It is a damn scam and pulling the wool over our collective eyes. It is impossible, simply dreadful for anybody in such a high government position to deny any knowledge of the massive corruption that has been going on. And it is equally intolerable to say they have not themselves benefitted from the looting. Having said this, the same goes for the past and present Auditor Generals in the same period or longer. And again, this includes the Accountant and Auditor Generals of ALL the states of the Federation, and might I add those of the local governments (I think they call them Finance Officers or whatever). This is the reality. But we have chosen to leave and forget them in their drab and dreary little offices, where they shut themselves in and do deals and secrete money from the treasury, in collusion with other civil servants and political office holders, while trying to show to us that they are above board and honest. This is not so. These ilks of people, with their accounting knowledge are experts at altering the ledgers, falsifying reports and putting forward fake figures. And most of them get away with it, because they are very smart with manipulation of figures. I once entered a state’s Accountant General’s office, and I could not believe the chaos and the laxity. It was then I knew I could never rely on the reports they put out. For definition or explanation, the office of the Accountant General of the Federation was established under Civil Services re-organization Decree No. 43 in 1988. The incumbent is responsible for the overall management of all receipt and payments of the Republic of Nigeria and its responsibility is to promote and enforce effective management in respect of revenue expenditure, assets and liabilities of institutions in all three spheres of Government. Complementarily, the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation is a separate and independent entity whose existence, powers, duties and responsibilities are provided for under section 85 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. Section 85(6) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, state that “in the exercise of his function under the Constitution, the Auditor

President Muhammadu Buhari

General shall not be subject to the director or control of any other authority or person”. The Auditor General’s Department aims to meet the needs and expectations of the National Assembly, the executive and its clients and to add value to public sector performance and accountability. This independent review is thus performed to ensure the propriety, regularity and compliance with all the statutory and other regulatory requirements and the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of the operations. An Auditor General is an ‘ally of the people and the National Assembly’ and must act independently in carrying out all his powers and duties. Independence is the cornerstone of public sector audit. The Auditor General must be free from pressure, influence or interference from any source that may erode that independence. In accordance to Section 85(5) of the 1999 Constitution, the Auditor-General shall, within 90 days of receipt of the Accountant General’s financial statement, submit his Report to each House of the National Assembly (The Senate and the House of Representatives) and each House shall cause the Report to be considered by a Committee of the House of the National assembly responsible for Public accounts. The main function of the Public Accounts Committee is to review whether public money was not spent for the approved purpose and with due regard to efficiency, economy and effectiveness! A lot of baloney and flagrant defiance of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria! From the above, are these two offices compliance? We have thrown the Con-

stitution to the fire in this country, as we have turned democracy and governance on their heads. For a laugh, quite recently, we had to contract out the auditing of the accounts of the NNPC to an external company; which is a veritable sign of a lack of confidence and trust in our own internal organ, the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation. Shame!!! No matter how we love to point fingers, every Nigerian in public office from the messenger up to the permanent secretary is prone to corruption; everything has a price and it’s going to take the combined efforts of every Nigerians to wipe it out. Every government ministry, department and agencies (MDA’s they call themselves) is corrupt to the core, and they gladly aid and abet the corrupt political office holders. Sometimes they even initiate the corrupt activities of these politicians, who are crude and may not know how to properly and safely steal money. Until we strengthen and adequately addressed the deficiencies in our sociopolitical system which will make it a serious punishable offense to just dip into and steal government money with little or no consequences there will be no end to these authority-stealing and unbridled looting. The issue is not only that of defective structures; but depraved moral values have led to the constructing of licentious and defective socio-political system and flawed structures. Please if I am wrong on my conjectures above, feel free to correct me. Let the Truth be said always! 19

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

Zamalek launch old dreams revival against Sfaxien Egyptian giants, Zamalek will kick off their 2015 Orange CAF Confederation Cup group stage with a tricky test against Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien on Saturday, 27 June 2015 at the Petrosport Stadium in Cairo.

The two sides are drawn in Group B with South Africa’s Orlando Pirates and AC Leopards of Congo completing the pool. Zamalek have nine African titles to their name including five CAF Champions League titles. The White Knights have also won three CAF Super Cup titles and were claimed the defunct CAF Cup Winners’ Cup once. Their rivals, CS Sfaxien have four titles, with three of them in the CAF Confederation Cup making them the most successful in the second-tier continental club championship, and the other title in the defunct CAF Cup. Almost 13 years after their last continental success – CAF Champions League in 2002, Zamalek are eyeing a glorious season yet again. The White Knights are on the brink of winning the Egyptian Premier League, their first since 2004, needing just seven points from their remaining six games. Having passed the preliminary rounds in grand style, the Cairo giants are now looking forward for winning their first ever CAF Confederation Cup title. And in trying to do so, Zamalek are relying on their experienced coach, Jesualdo Ferreira. The Portuguese took charge last February and is doing well with the current Egyptian league leaders. “I know this is going to be difficult.

Zamalek FC

We respect Sfaxien but we fear them not”, said the Portuguese after leading Zamalek to beat Arab Contractors 3-0 in the league last Tuesday. “We will play to win and hopefully we are going to do that”, added the 69 year old trainer. Captain Hazem Emam admits his side will be facing a much experienced side in Sfaxien, who last won the competition two years ago. “It’s going to be a very tough game”, said the quick right winger. Sfaxien play-

Ghana Black Stars in Action

ers are much more experienced at this stage. They are a very good side too. But that doesn’t mean we will surrender. “We know well what we need from this match. We have three home games, and must grab the full nine points; then search for every available point away. Our aim is the ultimate round,” said Emam. The game will kick off at 19:30 GMT on Saturday at the New Cairo suburb, Petrosport stadium. AC Leopards entertains Orlando Pirates in Dolisie in the other

Group B match. Fixtures Group A 26/06/2015 Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) vs Stade Malien (Mali) 28/06/2015 Al Ahly (Egypt) vs Esperance (Tunisia) Group B 27/06/2015 AC Leopards (Congo) vs Orlando Pirates (South Africa) 27/06/2015 Zamalek (Egypt) vs CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)

Coaches issue appeal as Africa’s last hope bows out of the Women’s World Cup

Continued from back page

The central African side had been just the second nation from the continent to make it out of the group stages at the World Cup after Nigeria in 1999. Cameroon lost to reigning champions Japan 1-0 in their first group match, but then achieved their first wins against Ecuador (6-0) and a come-from-behind defeat of Switzerland (2-1). Despite two great wins and the unexpected emergence of Gabrielle Onguene, surely the fastest player in the tournament, world 53rd-ranked Cameroon wound up joining already-eliminated African champions Nigeria, ranked 33, and 67th-ranked Ivory Coast on their way home. “We need to develop women’s football

in Africa. We need good organisation, we also need to create as many clubs as possible. If we could have sponsorship it would be good,” said Ngachu. “We have the talented players. The problem African nations face is preparation. “The day we are prepared well, an African nation will be able to win the World Cup. We hope that with this performance many things will change not just in Cameroon but in Africa.” Cameroon, who qualified behind Nigeria in the African championship, were also struggling in the weather conditions in Edmonton. “We didn’t expect cold weather and

rain, it was a handicap for our team (..) It’s unfortunate we haven’t been training on surfaces that are very slippery,” said Ngachu. Nigeria, who have won nine of the eleven African championships so far, have competed in every World Cup since 1991 but only advanced once out of the group stage. Despite Nigeria’s Super Falcons impressing in a 3-3 comeback draw against Sweden, they subsequently fell short to Australia 2-0 and the United States 1-0. Ivory Coast, Africa’s other qualifiers, were thrashed 10-0 by Germany on their World Cup debut, but suffered a narrow 3-2 loss to Thailand before falling 3-1 to

Norway in the final group match. Ngachu’s comments echoed those made by Ivorian coach Clementine Toure after their exit. “We wanted to do well in important matches like the one against Germany,” Toure said after their defeat to Norway. “We arrived 72 hours before the game, and were very tired from a long journey of 15 hours and with jet lag. Those are things that we would like to correct, to arrive earlier, and to play preparation games. We haven’t been able to play friendly games, and this has hurt us. “I want to make an appeal to not only our federation, but to all of Africa, that women’s football has arrived.

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Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015

Coach Ricardo quits in Namibia’s finest hour Ricardo Mannetti has resigned as coach of Namibia just weeks after leading the side to one of their greatest triumphs, the country’s football association has confirmed.

Orlando Pirates have unveiled five new signings for the upcoming 2015/2016 Premier Soccer League season Orlando Pirates have confirmed the

signing of five new players ahead of the

2015/2016 Premier Soccer League season.

The Buccaneers announced on Tues-

day that Tendai Ndoro, Felipe Ovono and

Gift Motupa have signed for the club,

The 40-year-old did not accept a new contract offer from the Namibia Football Association (NFA) and with his current deal set to expire at the end of this month, has asked to return to his previous role heading up the organisation’s youth structures. It comes after Mannetti last month guided Namibia to victory in the regional Cosafa Cup tournament, a championship for southern African sides, for the first time in the country’s history. “We are shocked and extremely disappointed to inform the general footballloving public through you the media that coach Mannetti has relinquished his duties as Brave Warriors head coach with immediate effect,” NFA secretary-general Barry Rukoro told reporters. “It’s an open secret that Mannetti’s contract was coming to an end after the Cosafa Cup and the association dully acted swiftly by offering him a new improved contract, which he declined.” Mannetti is the third coach to leave his side after the first round of qualifiers for the 2017 African Nations Cup after Young Chimodzi was axed by Malawi and Joao Chissano was sacked by Mozambique. Namibia lost their qualification opener 1-0 in Niger.

while lesser known Thembinkosi Lorch

(Maluti FET) and Luvuyo Memela (Cape Town All Stars) also penned deals with the Soweto giants.

Ndoro had been courted by Pirates for

some time and has finally joined the Sea Robbers from fellow Absa Premiership side Mpumalanga Black Aces.

Motupa arrives from Baroka FC, while

Ovono arrives in the country from Equa-

torial Guinea. The 21-year old impressed Pirates scouts during the 2015 African Cup of Nations in which he helped the host nation reach the semi - finals.

John Obi Mikel wants Chelsea exit

Orlando Pirates have unveiled five new signings for the upcom-

ing 2015/2016 Premier Soccer League season

Orlando Pirates have confirmed the

Genzebe may go for sister’s record in Stockholm Genzebe Dibaba will return to Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium when she competes in the 5000m at Stockholm BAUHAUS Athletics on July 30.

The classic arena has a special place in the history of international distance running and has been the scene of numerous world records. Dibaba has competed there several times and often provided the highlight of the meet. Genzebe is the sister of three-time Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba and Olympic silver medallist Ejegayehu Dibaba, and is also the cousin of former Olympic champion Derartu Tulu. Youngest sister Anna, now 19, is also a runner. “Stockholm is my second home and I’m looking forward to Stockholm BAUHAUS Athletics and the chance to run a fast 5000m,” she said.

Pirates unveil Ndoro, Ovono and Motupa

signing of five new players ahead of the

2015/2016 Premier Soccer League season.

The Buccaneers announced on Tues-

day that Tendai Ndoro, Felipe Ovono and

Gift Motupa have signed for the club, while lesser known Thembinkosi Lorch

(Maluti FET) and Luvuyo Memela (Cape Town All Stars) also penned deals with the Soweto giants.

Ndoro had been courted by Pirates for

some time and has finally joined the Sea Robbers from fellow Absa Premiership Genzebe Dibaba is tipped to eventually break her sister Tirunesh’s 5000m world record

The 24-year-old currently holds three indoor world records over 1500m, 3000m and 5000m – the latter two set at Stockholm’s XL Galan in 2014 and 2015. After her recent 14:21:29 win at the Bislett Games in Oslo, she said: “I tried hard, but [the] pacemakers could not do what I

needed. Of course [it was] also cold and wind played [a] role, but overall I’m OK with the race. [I] did my best. “I’m not sure whether I will try to break [my] sister’s record again. My full concentration will go towards [the] Beijing World Championships and 5000m.”

side Mpumalanga Black Aces.

Motupa arrives from Baroka FC, while

Ovono arrives in the country from Equa-

torial Guinea. The 21-year old impressed Pirates scouts during the 2015 African Cup of Nations in which he helped the host nation reach the semi - finals.

Friday, 26 June - Thursday, 2 July 2015 ISSUE 585

WWW.AFRICANVOICEONLINE.CO.UK

Genzebe may go for sister’s record in Stockholm

SEE PAGE 23

Help our women to be better prepared

Cameroon coach Enow Ngachu believes better preparation is the key to an African nation winning the FIFA Women’s World Cup

Coaches issue appeal as Africa’s last hope bows out of the Women’s World Cup By Alan Oakley

Cameroon coach Enow Ngachu

has cited lack of finances as the main reason Cameroon failed to progress beyond the last 16 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Following an heroic performance to

defeat Switzerland to qualify for the last 16, the ‘Indomitable Lionesses’ exited the

tournament due to a 12th-minute Wang Shanshan goal, which put 1999 runnersup China into the quarter-finals.

“It’s a bad day for the Cameroon national side. We came up against a very good team,” said Lionesses’ coach Ngachu after Saturday’s game in Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.

Continued on page 22

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