Africa US Today,Mar.-April 2013

Africa US Today MAGAZINE

Poliosocionomics of World Peace

Issue III.XIV www.africaustoday.dotcom.wordpress.com 312/880-7016 March- April 2013 U.S.- $4.99 Canada- $5.99 London- 3 Pounds

Women’s History Month President Obama hosts Women’s History Month Celebration Caught in between: Story of an LPR ( Legal Permanent Resident ) Nigeria regains Africa Nations Cup in soccer Highlighting Women in History

FELA! Musical in Chicago

Debbie Allen speaks at Columbia College

Chicago Mayor Emanuel, Coalition to raise $50 million for programs serving Chicago at-risk youth Four Nigerian School girls generate electricity from urine

search about the country they are travelling to. I just have to get that out of my system.

Immigrant’s story, Publisher’s Commentary:

“Effective Lesson Law Code: Zero Tolerance For Bribery, Corruption, and Nepotism”

by Olawale Idreez Arise & Shine!

I was leaving the Lagos radical high style life in Nigeria, my grandmother said, “Ah! my grandson, you going to America?” Yes, grandma.

“Ah! That’s the country where God lives!” How do you mean, grandma?

“Ah! In America, there’s no sin, no corruptions, and no homelessness, or beggars on ‘their’ streets; and most importantly, my grandson, remember to send money home every week o! Because money falls from ‘their’ trees o!”

Please don’t laugh! Of course, my grandma never visited U.S. in her life, she was speaking from what she saw on television set. Unfortunately, I believed her.

My arrival in New York city, on a cold winter day of January 1980, I entered into a taxi. The man that ushered me into a taxi demanded tips. I told him I don’t have change. He said, “Give me that ‘little bill’, and I will bring your change back.” Fatefully, I gave him the ‘little bill’ which happened to be a little $100 bill. That’s the largest currency bill in my pocket, to be clear.

After ten minutes, the taxi driver asked, “What are we waiting for?” I replied, we are waiting for the man to bring back the change. He asked, “How much did you give him?” I said, “a little $100 bill”.

The driver asked, “How do you spell sucker punch?”

Please don’t laugh!

This episode happens to a lot of immigrants that sojourned to a foreign land without first doing the re-

Now, though that assurance that my grandma gave me was grossly exaggerated, the writer later realized what message she was trying to convey to me. That, America, precisely, the great United States, is abundantly blessed in variety of ways, including wealth, cultures, and the freedom to choose between worshiping your own God (or gods) versus going to a beer parlour (bar)Sunday morning. Freedom to choose being an employer/employee versus be confounded with institutionalized laziness. Freedom to work hard and later going to have fun at the Taste of Chicago or Lollapalooza dance in Chicago’s summer time versus choosing to help raise prison stock market index, making the rich to be richer, and the poor to be poorer. It is a choice!

The writer is not trying to be hypocritically correct, but the point is, looking at the rate of many families and ordinarily good people (particularly) in political offices, that have allowed the spoils of the world to re-destined their lives from glory and grace to jail house. The road of wisdom is, if you find yourself in the down house, do the time, and don’t let the time do you.

The writer also took excruciating pain before writing the commentary, hoping that it will touch someone’s life. Particularly to young ones, who have inspiration to dabble into political glamorous limelight, without first learning and adhering to the law code that is invisibly written on the wall as, “Zero Tolerance For Bribery, Corruption, and Nepotism.”

To watch people whom you have looked up to as mentors and what a good family should be like; to begoing down in the cage, like Kunta-Kinte, in the movie, “ROOTS”, right under your nose, is even more painful, not to write and voice your prayer and support.

As one great writer in Chicago, Stella Foster wrote, “We can only pray and hope for justice to be tendered with mercy.” Amen!

Special Thanks to Lauren Kennedy of Air Serv Corporation.

Olawale Idreez is the publisher and founder of Africa-US Today Magazine.@yahoo.com.

AFRICA US TODAY 3

CONTENTS

Africa US Today MAGAZINE

5 WOMEN’S HiStORy MONtH ABOUt

Africa US Today MAGAZINE

7 CHRiSEttE MiCHELLE & KEM in concert 9 WOMEN’S HiStORy MONtH WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

10 CHiCAGO NEWS 12 FELA! musical in Chicago 13 DEBBiE ALLEN speaks at Columbia College

Photography/ Graphic Design© 2012 John E. Smith Jr./

All rights reserved Model- idil ismail

14 NAtiONAL NEWS- Caught in between: Story of an LPR ( Legal Permanent Resident ) 20 AFRiCAN NEWS * Nigerian students generate electricity from urine * Nigeria regains African Nations cup in soccer Chrisette Michelle

©2013 John E. Smith Jr./All rights reserved

4 AFRICA US TODAY

WOMEN’S HiStORy MONtH

Print

March is Women’s Hist ory Mont h The Library of C ongress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of women whose commitment to nature and the planet have proved invaluable to society.

About Women’s Hist ory Mont h Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when C ongress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week." Throughout the next five years, C ongress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as "Women’s History Week." In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, C ongress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month." Between 1988 and 1994, C ongress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, Presidents C linton, Bush and Obama have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”

From the Law Library of C ongress' guide to the legislative history of Women's History Month.

Execut ive and Legislat ive Document s The Law Library of C ongress has compiled guides to commemorative observations, including a comprehensive inventory of the Public Laws, Presidential Proclamations and congressional resolutions related to Women’s History Month.

AFRICA US TODAY 5

Robert L. Scott Sr. Photography

Chrisette Michelle & Kem in concert at the Arie Crown, Chicago, IL John E. Smith Jr. Photographs

JOHN E. SMITH JR. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Celebrating

Women’s History Month This month’s issue celebrates the accomplishments of Women during Women’s History Month. Women have contributed so much to us, our families, nations, and helped to make the world a better place.

We also explore some of the issues facing some women, especially recent immigrants.

Take time to let the women in your life know that they are appreciated. We appreciate you, and hope you enjoy this issue.

John E. Smith Jr. Africa US Today Magazine Editor-in-Chief AFRICA US TODAY 7

WOMEN’S HiStORy MONtH

AFRICA US TODAY 9

CHiCAGO NEWS

About Us | Business Opportunities | Navy Pier Blog | Group Sales | Press Room | Sponsorship | Hotel Partners | Employment | FAQs | Contact Us | Search Site

Bell’ Italia Sunday, February 17, 2013 Chinese Celebration Sunday, February 24, 2013 Celebrate Mexico Sunday, March 3, 2013 Celebrate Lithuanian Independence Sunday, March 10, 2013

Africa In Chicago

Sunday, March 31, 2013 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Navy Pier's Crystal Gardens Free Admission!

Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood is a landmark of African-American urban history. Share in the rich traditions of African heritage at this afternoon’s tribute. Featuring performances by ‘IZReelSoul’ Band, The Zenith Dance Company, Chicago Steppers, Nikki Hayes, and Africa

Amazing India Sunday, March 17, 2013

International House Theater Children’s Choir. Plus, explore the

Philippine Fest Chicago (Piyesta Pinoy sa Chicago) Sunday, March 24, 2013

Knits Designs, Landis Cosmetics, Uniquely Yours By Roncita, Senteamental Moods, and Phoenix Diverse Holistics Collaborative.

marketplace with 20 vendors selling traditional folk art including Knotty

Presented in partnership with Africa International House

Africa In Chicago Sunday, March 31, 2013 A Greek Journey in the Windy City Sunday, April 7, 2013 Neighborhoods Home Page Navy Pier Home Page

EVENT SCHEDULE

(schedule and performers subject to change) Return to Page Top

12:00 PM Welcome 12:10 PM ‘IZReelSoul’ Band 1:00 PM The Zenith Dance Company 1:40 PM Chicago Steppers 2:15 PM Sambai Brazilian Dance Group 2:50 PM Nikki Hayes 3:30 PM African House Theater Children’s Choir 4:15 PM DEFIC 4:45 PM Closing

10 AFRICA US TODAY Africa In Chicago is a part of the "Neighb orhoods of the World" series, Sundays, Feb ruary 17 – April 7, 2013, at Navy Pier's

CHICAGO NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 20, 2013 CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mayor’s Press February 20, 2013Office 312.744.3334 CONTACT: press@cityofchicago.org

Mayor’s Press Office 312.744.3334 press@cityofchicago.org MAYOR EMANUEL ANNOUNCES PRIVATE SECTOR COALITION TO RAISE $50 MILLION TO

EXPAND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS THAT SERVE AT-RISK YOUTH ACROSS CHICAGO

MAYOR EMANUEL ANNOUNCES PRIVATE SECTOR COALITION TO RAISE $50 MILLION TO Massive Investment Will Significantly Increase Proven and Innovative Programs Across the City; EXPAND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS THAT SERVE AT-RISK YOUTH ACROSS CHICAGO Issues Call to Chicago’s Business to Across Get Involved Massive Investment Will Significantly Increase Proven and InnovativeSector Programs the City; Issues Call to Chicago’s Business Sector to Get Involved

Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced an unprecedented coalition from Chicago’s business and Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced an unprecedented coalition from Chicago’s business and philanthropic communities has been mobilized astoa support committee to support successful communityphilanthropic communities has been mobilized as a committee successful communitybased programs thatthat serveserve at-risk at-risk youth. The effort, which is beingwhich spearheaded

by Allstate Chief based programs youth.

The effort, is being spearheaded

by Allstate Chief Executive Officer TomTom Wilson and Loop Capital Chief Executive Officer Jim Reynolds, is another Executive Officer Wilson and Loop Capital Chief Executive Officer Jim Reynolds, is another piece of the administration’s efforts to combat neighborhood violence. piece of the administration’s efforts to combat neighborhood violence.

“There are proven and successful programs in our city that are creating a brighter future for some

of our most children.

It is time for our city to in come together and invest in them,” said “There arevulnerable proven and successful programs our city that are creating a brighter future for some Mayor Emanuel. “The greatest thing we can do as a city is give our children the support they need to ofbuild oura most vulnerable children.

It is time for our city to come together and invest in them,” said successful life, and I will work tirelessly to provide safe alternatives that reduce the risk of Mayor “Thewith greatest thingand weviolence.” can do as a city is give our children the support they need to our kidsEmanuel. getting involved drugs, gangs, build a successful life, and I will work tirelessly to provide safe alternatives that reduce the risk of The kids Actiongetting Committee will include several leading executives and philanthropists, as well as an our involved with drugs, gangs, and violence.” advisory committee of community leaders, researchers and criminal justice practitioners who will ensure that input is received from residents in neighborhoods across the city.

The Action Committee will include several leading executives and philanthropists, as well as an Specifically,committee the business community challenge will support mentoring,and intervention andjustice conflict practitioners who will advisory of community leaders, researchers criminal resolution programs, provide seed funding for new programs, and work to rebuild community ensure that input is received from residents in neighborhoods across the city. supports in neighborhoods most impacted by violence. The committee’s four responsibilities include:

Specifically, the business community challenge will support mentoring, intervention and conflict  Identify proven andprovide innovativeseed programs and expand them; resolution programs, funding for new programs, and work to rebuild community  Support community-based efforts to sustain these and other programs; supports in neighborhoods most impacted by violence.

Thethem committee’s four responsibilities  Monitor program performance and ability of groups to implement effectively; and include:  Engage residents in neighborhoods throughout Chicago to get involved as donors,    

volunteers and thought partners.

Identify proven and innovative programs and expand them; Support community-based efforts to sustain these and other programs; Monitor program performance and ability of groups to implement them effectively; and Engage residents in neighborhoods throughout Chicago to get involved as donors, volunteers and thought partners.

AFRICA US TODAY 11

CHiCAGO NEWS

JOHN E. SMITH JR. PHOTOGRAPHS EXCEPT HEADLINE 12 AFRICA US TODAY

WOMEN’S HiStORy MONtH

CHiCAGO NEWS

Debbie Allen, actress,director, filmmaker, producer gave an artist viewpoint on striving

for success. The auditorium was packed with students, faculty, sponsors, alumni and guests to hear her inspiring stories of overcoming obstacles and persevering against incredible odds.

The event was held at Columbia College, Chicago, iL John E. Smith Jr. photographs

AFRICA US TODAY 13

NATIONAL NEWS

Caught in between: Story of an LPR (Legal Permanent Resident)

Prof. Josephine Osakwe, Advanced Legal Research Seminar (Citizenship Class)

of the statute ousted by the decision of the Supreme Court in a landmark case. There will be a strong focus on the relevant portion of Introduction VAWA with respect to options open to imWomen who are immigrant victims of domes- migrant victims of domestic abuse, what it tic violence have suffered in silence before the sought to do, the position of the law before advent of VAWA. Many have confided to some VAWA was enacted and the laudable changes social organizations that they had the miscon- VAWA accomplished. ception that speaking out about their abusive A part of this paper will articulate meaning, condition would have jeopardized their imsymptoms and examples of domestic violence migrant status as derivatives of their citizen with particular reference to emotional abuse. spouse. VAWA took away this power from the A part of this paper shall be the life story of an hands of the citizenship spouse with its selfimmigrant victim of domestic violence, how petition provision for immigrant victims of do- her spouse wielded his citizenship power over mestic abuse. However, as wonderful as this her in the marriage, the consequences, and law is in liberating immigrant domestic abuse her exit route out of the abusive marriage. victims from dependence on their citizen This work will highlight the short-coming of spouse for change in their immigrant status, VAWA with regards to standard of proof in it is not without its shortcoming. This paper emotional abuse, some BIA (Board of Immishall attempt to reflect the shortcoming in gration Appeals) decided cases as well as the VAWA against the backdrop of a life story by a LPR’s story will be used to drive home these legal permanent resident who was the subject limitations and failures. The concluding part of emotional abuse at the hands of her citizen of this paper shall be suggestion for possible spouse. Whether an immigrant victim was reform. ‘battered’ or was subjected to ‘extreme cruelty’ under the statute requires a standard of Role of Social Organizations Leading up to proof that is highly questionable as congress enactment of VAWA did not provide a specific statutory definition for these terms. The main area of VAWA’s limi- The Violence against Women Act was first proposed in the 1990, there was a lot of support tation is the interpretation given to compofrom a lot of areas generally for the proposed nents of domestic abuse and its application to cases, which seems to be hinged mainly on law which was subsequently strengthened by prove of the physical assault (battery) and falls testimony before Congress of high number of short of the emotional abuse aspect (extreme crimes perpetrated against women every year by family members or boyfriends. mental cruelty).

Prior to VAWA, lots of civil societies and huThis paper shall reflect the role of social organizations towards the enactment of VAWA, man rights organizations made up of women advocacy groups, sexual assault advocates, the different aspects of VAWA, the aspect 14 Africa US Today Magazine

the private bar created awareness through extensive grassroots programs, print and other media coverage, campaigns, conferences, hearings before the Congress and other forms of awareness programs towards exposing the ills of domestic and sexual violence and thereby urged Congress to adopt significant legislation to address domestic and sexual violence. The world conference on Human rights held in Vienna in 1993 and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the same year concluded that civil society and governments have acknowledged that domestic violence is a public health policy and human rights issue and should therefore be given urgent attention.

The foregoing was part of the great motivating factor which spurred the Congress into action and VAWA was drafted by the office of the then US senator Joseph R. Biden with the assistance and support of a number of advocacy organizations like; National Network to End Domestic violence, the Texas Council on family violence, National Coalition Against sexual Assault, National Coalition Against domestic violence, Futures without Violence, Legal Momentum and National Organization for Women (NOW); the largest feminist organization in the United States, which described the bill as, “the greatest breakthrough in civil rights for women in nearly two decades.� Since its original passage in 1994, VAWA has been reauthorized twice by Congress in the year 2000 and 2005 respectively. It has expanded from domestic violence and sexual assault to also include dating violence and stalking as well as human trafficking.

Provisions of VAWA The response to the perception of increased violence against women in America came in the legal package of Violence against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA), a United States Federal

NATIONAL NEWS Law passed as title IV, Sec. 40001-40703 of the violent Crime Control Law Enforcement Act of 1994, signed by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994. Its scope is broadbased protection, covering everything from funding of domestic violence programs to new civil rights remedies for women who were victims of gender based attacks and for a variety of other assistance, taking into account the particular needs of women of color and immigrant women. VAWA has recorded a huge and tremendous success despite the little setback in the aspect of its civil remedy provision, in United States V Antonio Morrison which will later be discussed.

VAWA can be divided into three different parts in its attempt to combat violence against women. The first part is that of funding. The Act provides $1.6 Billion to enhance investigation and persecution of violent crimes perpetrated against women, imposed automatic and mandatory restitution on those convicted, and allowed civil redress in cases prosecutors chose to leave unprosecuted. Over six years of education, research, treatment of domestic and sex-crime victims, and the improvement of state criminal justice systems. It also distributed funds to increase safety for women on public transportation, for shelter services to protect adult and teen victims of these crimes, for youth education programs, and supports training on these issues to ensure consistent responses across the country. In addition, it provides funds for the training of judges and other court personnel in combating gender bias in courts, and also authorizes funding to pay the cost of testing for sexually transmitted diseases for victims of sexual abuse and to increase safety on college campuses. VAWA authorizes the provision of grants from the Attorney General to local governments to improve the keeping of crime (Contd. on pg.17) AFRICA US TODAY 15

Caught in between: Story of an LPR (Legal Permanent Resident), Contd. from pg.15 statistics, and allots money for the protection of battered immigrant women and children; this is an area that is very vital in this paper and would be discussed in greater detail.

Secondly, VAWA also increases criminal provisions for crimes based on gender . It prohibits interstate Domestic violence- making it a felony to cross state lines with intent to injure, harass, or intimidate that person’s spouse or intimate partner. It also allows “Full faith and credit” for protective orders across state lines and prohibits the inter-state violation of a state court’s order of protection that involves protection against credible threats of violence, repeated harassment, or bodily injury to the person or persons whom the order covers.

It allows the victim in a prosecution under VAWA the opportunity to be heard regarding the danger posed by the defendant during pretrial detention.

Thirdly, VAWA provided a civil rights category of action for women who through violence “are reduced to symbols of group hatred and become the object of violence motivated by gender”. This aspect which is sub-titled section C in the Act was created to establish a civil rights remedy for female victims of violence. This section explained: a Federal civil rights action as specified in this section is necessary to guarantee equal protection of the laws and to reduce the substantial adverse effects on interstate commerce caused by crimes of violence motivated by gender; and the victims of crimes of violence motivated by gender have a right to equal protection of the laws, including a system of justice that is unaffected by bias or discrimination and that, at every stage, treats such crimes as seriously as other violent crimes. This provision of the Act was hinged upon two Constitutional grounds: the commerce clause of Article I, Section VIII,

NATIONAL NEWS and the Fourteenth Amendment.

However, the civil rights remedy aspect of VAWA was ousted by Supreme Court’s majority decision in the case of U.S. vs. Morrison when the court held that; “Congress has no authority to enact” the provision “which provides a federal civil remedy for victims of gender-motivated violence-under either the “Federal Constitution Commerce Clause” or “the Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment” The Court held that because violence against women had only an “attenuated and indirect relationship with interstate commerce”, the law was not a proper exercise of congressional authority under the constitution’s commerce clause. To accept that reasoning Chief Justice Rehnquist wrote, “Would allow congress to regulate any crime as long as the nationwide, aggregated impact of that crime has substantial effects on employment, production, transit or consumption…gender motivated crimes of violence are not, in any sense of the phrase, economic activity. This decision which was made in May, 2000 sent shock waves through the legal community and civil societies who had worked so hard to see the enactment of VAWA in the United States.

Congress passed a revised act in October 2000, which highlighted prostitution in its title “Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000”. The new statute included titles on strengthening law enforcement to reduced violence against women, Children, strengthening education and training to combat violence against women. Unlike the VAWA of 1994, this legislation contained no mention of women’s civil right.

One of the major successes of (Contd. on pg.18) AFRICA US TODAY 17

NATIONAL NEWS VAWA is the emphasis on a coordinated effort that would not have existed on the state and local levels. It also supports the work of community based organizations and tribal organizations that are engaged in work to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and particularly groups that provide culturally and linguistically specific services i.e. Latino communities, Indian communities Nâ š and Asian communities, the examples are not limited to these communities. These organizations assist immigrant victims of domestic violence to overcome cultural and language barrier in order to benefit from VAWA provisions.

The Law before VAWA was enacted Usually for an immigrant married to a U.S. citizen or resident to change immigrant status, the citizen or resident spouse sponsoring the immigrant must file a petition for change of status. This gives the citizen spouse total control over the immigration process. After the filing of this first petition, the immigrant is given a two years conditional permanent residency, both spouses are expected to jointly petition three months to the expiration of the two years probationary period for removal of the condition so that the immigrant can be granted a ten years permanent residency. The law here makes the immigrant victim of domestic abuse totally dependent on her citizen spouse for change in her immigration status as well as for change from her conditional permanent residency to a permanent resident.

Conversely, VAWA effected changes to this position.

The change VAWA brought with it‌ An outstanding part of VAWA that has positively impacted the lives of many immigrant women victims of domestic abuse and vio18 AFRICA US TODAY

lence is thereby eliminating the control of the abusive spouse in the area of change of immigrant status.

Where an immigrant is a battered spouse or has been subjected to extreme cruelty by her U.S. citizen or resident spouse, VAWA allows her to self-petition for immigration status.

Also in the case where a couple is required to jointly petition for removal of the conditional status on her Green card after the two years probationary period, VAWA makes an exception for a victim of domestic violence to receive a waiver from the joint petition rule and self-petition to remove the temporal condition on her permanent residency.

Furthermore, aliens who would have been subjected to removal enjoy relief from deportation if they are able to meet the statutory requirement of continuous physical presence in the U.S. for ten years, if the alien is a battered spouse or child of a U.S. citizen or resident or has been the subject of extreme cruelty, she only needs to prove three years of continuous physical presence in the U.S to be eligible for relief from deportation.

The Battered Immigrant Women Protection Act introduced by an Illinois congress woman became Law on October, 28th, 2000. It was enacted as Title V of the Violence against Women Act of 2000. This act works to assist immigrants who are victims of domestic violence by providing legal protection that can aid them in escaping violent situations and securing court protection. The Act made significant amendments to Sec. 204 (a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Sec. 245 (8 U.S.C 1255). The Act helps immigrant victims of domestic violence take control of their lives without fear of deportation by: 1. Removing barriers to adjustment of status for victims of domestic violence.

(Contd. on pg.19)

2. Removing barriers to adjustment from conditional permanent residency to permanent residency.

3. Removing barriers to cancellation of removal and suspension of deportation for victims of domestic violence.

4. Eliminating time limitations on motions to reopen removal and deportation proceeding for victims of domestic violence.

The intent and achievement of VAWA with regards to abused immigrant derivatives is that it terminated the manipulation of citizen and resident spouses over their immigrant wives when it comes to change of their immigrant status. As one writer succinctly captures it, “VAWA seeks to regulate power dynamics in an intact marriage” Under the general provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the definition section (51) clearly enunciates the term “VAWA self-petitioner” to mean an alien or child of an alien who qualifies for relief under INA provisions. in a nutshell, to qualify for selfpetition as a VAWA victim, the applicant must: a. Have been married in good faith to a U.S. citizen spouse b. Must have been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty at the hands of the Citizen spouse…

The intention of the INA is to determine that the marriage is not a fraud entered into to gain immigration benefit. The way the Department of Homeland security would usually go about the proof of a bona-fide marriage is to demand for documents like a joint lease, joint bank accounts and credit cards to show intermingling of finances, joint utility bills, jointly flied tax returns, insurance documents,

NATIONAL NEWS evidence that the wife has adopted the husband’s name, birth certificate of children born to the marriage, affidavits of third parties having knowledge that the marriage is genuine, and was not entered for evading immigration laws or gaining immigration benefits. The IMFA was passed to give guidelines to illustrate how a couple may prove their marriage was entered in good faith.

It is expedient at this point to establish the meaning of domestic violence. As earlier stated in the introduction part of this paper, Congress did not provide specific statutory definitions for the terms, “battery and extreme cruelty” which the INA used to describe domestic violence situation.

Definition of battery and extreme cruelty, with focus on emotional abuse, excerpts from the Code of Federal Regulations, the view point of Department of Justice, Scholars, and Social organizations.

According to the United States Department of Justice’s office on Violence against Women, the definition of domestic violence is a pattern of abuse behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain control over another intimate partner. Many forms of abuse are included in the definition of domestic violence: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, economic abuse, psychological abuse, threats to hit or injure partner, stalking and cyber-stalking to name a few.

Extreme cruelty has been defined by some scholars as acts and conducts calculated to destroy the peace of mind and happiness of one of the parties to the marriage. The conduct must be such that it so seriously affects the household as to render the marital relationship intolerable. Moreover the conduct must be voluntary or intentional. it (Contd. on pg.32) AFRICA US TODAY 19

AFRiCAN NEWS

RESEARCH & DEVT: Four Nigerian students generate electricity from urine on FEBRUARY 14, 2013 · in EDUCATION

By Ebele Orakpo The whole fun of living is trying to make something better – Charles Kettering, American inventor and social philosopher.

Nothing is really a waste in the real sense of the word. Almost anything one can think of is reusable. Everything has some value one way or the other. This was what four teenage secondary school girls in Lagos set out to prove.

Disturbed by the incessant deaths of Nigerians, most of the time, an entire family, from carbon monoxide poisoning from fossil-fuel generator, the yo-yo movement of petroleum products prices, environmental degradation and the recent fuel subsidy scam, four Senior Secondary School II students of Doregos Private Academy, Ipaja, Lagos, decided to find solution to the problem. In a chat with Vanguard Learning, the girls – Duro-Aina Adebola, Bello Eniola, Akindele Abiola and Faleke Oluwatoyin, shed some some light on the project and what they hope to achieve. Excerpts: An idea is born: Said Duro-Aina Adebola, leader of the group; “I read on the internet that a family of five died of carbon monoxide poisoning so I asked myself what could be done to reduce these incessant deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning?

From left; Faleke Oluwatoyin, Duro-Aina Adebola, Akindele Abiola and Bello Eniola “We were always encouraged to bring up ideas to help solve human problems so one day, we were in the Guest Room of our school; we thought of what could be done to solve this problem. We thought of what we could use to power the generator instead of using the conventional fuel, something that can replace conventional fuels and that will not release any obnoxious substance like carbon monoxide into the environment; something that will also be cheap for Nigerians. You know that when the issue of fuel subsidy removal came up, there was hike in prices of petroleum products,” she said. „A problem well stated is a problem half solved,‟ according to Charles Kettering, so having identified the problem, the girls moved on to seek solution.

“We started looking at various materials. We looked at water but we felt that the amount of voltage it will take to break the water molecule is large and we wanted something small so we can have a larger output. We decided to look at waste products because Nigerians always opt for something they won‟t have to spend their money on. So we started looking at different materials, one of which was urine. We were looking for something that is liquid, something that has hydrogen molecules in it. We also observed that the amount of voltage it takes to break a urine molecule is less than the amount it takes to break the hydrogen molecule in water. So we opted for urine since we have a higher output,” she said.

The generator: “The generator is a conventional fuel-based generator. It combusts slower than the hydrogen gas so we had to retard the ignition of the generator. We actually retarded the back-timing on the generator by 11 degrees.”

Components: “We have an electrolytic cell, water filter, an empty gas can, borax and our retarded generator. The electrolytic cell is an old battery cell we got from the junk yard; we removed the contents of the cell and then used perforated stainless steel mesh as the electrodes so urine is placed in the electrolytic cell, where it is electrolysed, releasing hydrogen-oxygen gas mixture. This mixture then goes into the water filter. The water filter is to remove any impurities that might have come in with the gas and then it goes into an empty gas cylinder which serves as the gas storage.

“The gas cylinder pushes hydrogen into a cylinder of liquid borax, which is used to remove the moisture from the hydrogen gas. Borax serves as a drying agent and this is because we do not want lots of moisture going into the generator. Also, borax helps to remove any other impurities that might have come in with the gas. The purified hydrogen gas is then pushed into the generator,” she explained.

Asked how much it will cost to acquire a unit, she said; “It‟s something we are still working on because this is a prototype which cost us about N4,000 apart from the generator. We are working on improving this so it can just be our own generator, a Nigeriamade generator that works based on urine.

Advantages: For this generator, the exhaust gas is the water vapour. It does not emit carbon monoxide like the normal fuel-based generator so this ensures clean environment for Nigerians. Again, one litre of urine can give you six hours of electricity.

Appeal: “We are appealing to people to build up on what we have done. They should take up the idea and help us to improve on it so that it 20 AFRICA US TODAY

3/12/13

AFRiCAN NEWS

Soccer-Stunning goal ends Nigeria's long wait for African crown - Yahoo! News

YAHOO! NEWS

Soccer-Stunning goal ends Nigeria's long wait for African crown Reuters – Sun, Feb 10, 2013

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Nigeria ended a 19-year wait to regain the African Nations Cup after a stunning goal from winger Sunday Mba gave them a deserved 1-0 win over Burkina Faso in the final at Soccer City on Sunday.

The 24-year-old, who also scored the winner in the 2-1 quarter-final win over Ivory Coast, struck after 40 minutes when the ball bounced off a defender and into his path as he advanced on goal.

Mba flicked it over defender Mohamed Koffi then reacted quickest to score with his other foot low into the corner of goalkeeper Daouda Diakite's net for a contender for goal of the tournament.

Underdogs Burkina Faso, in the final for the first time, seemed over-awed by the occasion, which was played out in front of a near 90,000 capacity crowd, until the last 20 minutes when they threw everything forward in search of an equaliser.

But Nigeria with John Obi Mikel superb in midfield and Efe Ambrose, Kenneth Omeruo and Elderson Echiejile dominant at the back always held the upper hand.

The victory meant Nigerian coach Stephen Keshi became only the second man to win the tournament as player and coach. It was a third African title for Nigeria and their first since Keshi captained them to victory in 1994. (Reporting by Mike Collett; Editing By Alison Wildey)

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

President Obama hosts a Women’s History Celebration at the White House

Cathy Russell,has served as Dr. Jill Biden’s Chief of Staff and is a longtime advocate for women,next Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues: It’s women like Cathy, like Jill, like Amanda, like Michelle, like all of you, that inspire so much progress each and every day.

And I’ve got to tell you, all of you inspire me to make sure that I’m doing everything that I can as President to carry on that progress, and to do everything we can to ensure equality and opportunity for all women.

President Barack Obama delivers remarks during the Women’s History Month reception in the East Room of the White House, March 18, 2013. Standing at right are First Lady Michelle Obama and Amanda McMillan, who introduced the President. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) President Obama today welcomed a group of accomplished and inspiring women to a reception in the East Room of the White House. The group, which includedlike&E Networks CEO Abbe Raven, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake,Girl Scouts’ CEOMaria Chávez, astronaut Sunita Williams, activists Dolores Huerta and Lilly Ledbetter, and WNBA star (and 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist) Tamika Catchings, joined the President, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Bidencelebrate the progress women make in this country each and every day.President Obama highlighted the changes we’ve seen in the past century:

Just last week, I was proud to sign the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act -– a law, by the way, that Cathy helped to make possible in the first place, securing for women the protections and the services to help them live their lives free from fear of violence and free to pursue their own measure of happiness.

And that’s what everybody deserves in this country -– the opportunity to make of their lives what they will, no matter who they are, what they look like, whether they are boys or girls, women or men. That’s why I ran for President in the first place –- to put the same rights and opportunities within the reach of all of our daughters and sons. And while there’s still a lot of work to be done, I am confident that we can reach that goal, that we can make sure that every single door is open, every dream is within reach -- for Malia, for Sasha, for your daughters, for your granddaughters -- to make sure that they never feel like there are barriers in front of them, and that if they work hard, they can make it

When I look around this room, it is hard to believe that 100 years ago this month, thousands of women were marching right outside this house demanding one of our most fundamental right: the right to vote, to have a say in our democracy.

And today, a century later, its rooms are full of accomplished women who have overcome discrimination, shattered glass ceilings, and become outstanding role models for all of our sons and daughters. And that means we’ve come a long way, and that’s thanks to the efforts of so many people like you.

Because of the hard work and exemplary leadership of the women in this room, military families have protected family and medical leave. Women have legal recourse to fight against pay discrimination... Women have the opportunity to serve on the front lines of our military conflicts, and that means that they’re getting paid and promoted equally. Women have the opportunity to make their own choices about their health.

President Obama used his remarks at the event to make a personnel announcement, revealing that he is nominating

President Barack Obama and Dr. Jill Biden welcome Cathy Russell to the stage after the President announced her nomination as Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues, during the Women’s History Month reception in the East Room of the White House, March 18, 2013. (Official White House Photo

by Pete Souza) AFRICA US TODAY 23

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

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WOMEN’S HiStORy MONtH

Dorothy Height biography SYNOPSI S

Dorothy Height was a civil rights and women's rights activist focused primarily on improving the circumstances of and opportunities for African-American women. She was a leader in addressing the rights of both women and African-Americans as the president of the National Council of Negro Women. In the 1990s, she drew young people into her cause in the war against drugs, illiteracy and unemployment. The numerous honors bestowed upon her include the Presidential M edal of Freedom (1994) and the Congressional Gold M edal (2004). She died on April 20, 2010, in Washington, D.C.

EARLY LI FE Born on M arch 24, 1912, in Richmond, Virginia, African American activist Dorothy Height spent her life fighting for civil rights and for women's rights. She was the daughter of a building contractor and a nurse. In her youth, Height moved with her family

QUI CK FACTS NAME: Dorothy Irene Height OCCUPATION: Civil Rights Activist, Women's Rights Activist BIRTH DATE: March 24, 1912 DEATH DATE: April 20, 2010 EDUCATION: New York University

to Rankin, Pennsylvania. There she attended racially integrated schools.

In high school, Height showed great talent as an orator. She also became socially and politically active, participating in antilynching campaigns. Height's skills as a speaker took her all the way to a national oratory competition. Winning the event, she was awarded a college scholarship.

Height had applied to and been accepted to Barnard College in New York. As the start of school neared, the college changed its

PLACE OF BIRTH: Richmond, Virginia

mind about her admittance. They told Height that they already met their quota for black students. Undeterred, she applied to

PLACE OF DEATH: Washington, D.C.

New York University. Height earned two degrees at the university—a bachelor's in education in 1930 and a master's in psychology in 1932, according to The New York Times.

BEST KNOWN FOR Dorothy Height was a civil rights and women's rights activist focused primarily on improving the circumstances of and opportunities for African-American women.

TI RELESS ACTI VI ST After a time as a social worker, Height joined the staff of the Harlem YWCA in 1937. She had a life-changing encounter not long after starting work there. Height met educator and founder of the National Council of Negro Women M ary M cLeod when M cLeod and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt came to visit her facility. Height soon volunteered with the NCNW and became close to M cLeod.

One of Height's major accomplishments at the YWCA was directing the integration of all of its centers in 1946. She also established its Center for Racial Justice in 1965, which she ran until 1977. In 1957, Height became the president of the National

Council of Negro Women. Through the center and the council, she became one of the leading figures of the civil rights movement. Height worked with M artin Luther King Jr., A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, John Lewis and James Farmer—sometimes called the "Big Six" of the civil rights movement—on different campaigns and initiatives.

In 1963, Height was one of the organizers of the famed M arch on Washington. She stood close to M artin Luther King Jr. when he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Despite her skills as a speaker and a leader, Height was not invited to talk that day.

Height later wrote that the M arch on Washington event had been eye-opening experience for her. Her male counterparts "were happy to include women in the human family, but there was no question as to who headed the household," she said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Height joined in the fight for women's rights. In 1971, she helped found the National Women's Political Caucus with Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan and Shirley Chisholm.

While she retired from the YWCA in 1977, Height continued to run the NCNW for two more decades. One of her later projects was focused on strengthening the African American family. In 1986, Height organized the first Black Family Reunion, a celebration of traditions and values. The event still held each year.

LATER YEARS Height received many honors for her contributions to society. In 1994, President Bill Clinton gave her the Presidential M edal of Freedom. She stepped down from the presidency of the NCNW in the late 1990s, but she remained the organization's chair of the board until her death. In 2002, Height turned her ninetieth birthday celebration into a fundraiser for the NCNW. Oprah Winfrey and Don King were among the celebrities who contributed to the event.

President George W. Bush gave Height another honor—the Congressional Gold M edal—in 2004. She later befriended the first African American president of the United States, Barack Obama. Barack called her "the godmother of the civil rights movement," according to The New York Times. Height died in Washington, D.C., in April 20, 2010.

Former First Lady Hillary Clinton was among the many who mourned the passing of this great champion for equality and justice. She told the Washington Post that Height

26 AFRICA US TODAY

WOMEN’S HiStORy MONtH

Rosa Parks biography SYNOPSI S Civil rights activist Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her refusal to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a M ontgomery, Alabama bus spurred a city-wide boycott. The city of M ontgomery had no choice but to lift the law requiring segregation on public buses. Rosa Parks received many accolades during her lifetime, including the NAACP's highest award.

CI VI L RI GHTS PI ONEER Famed civil rights activist Rosa Parks was born Rosa Louise M cCauley on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her refusal to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a public bus M ontgomery, Alabama, spurred on a citywide boycott and helped launch nationwide efforts to end segregation of public facilities.

QUI CK FACTS NAME: Rosa Parks

EARLY LI FE AND EDUCATI ON

OCCUPATION: Civil Rights Activist

Rosa Parks's childhood brought her early experiences with racial discrimination and activism for racial equality. After her

BIRTH DATE: February 04, 1913

parents separated, Rosa's mother moved the family to Pine Level, Alabama to live with her parents, Rose and Sylvester

DEATH DATE: October 24, 2005

Edwards—both former slaves and strong advocates for racial equality; the family lived on the Edwards' farm, where Rosa

EDUCATION: Industrial School for Girls, Alabama State Teachers College for Negroes PLACE OF BIRTH: Tuskegee, Alabama PLACE OF DEATH: Detroit, Michigan MAIDEN NAME: Rosa Louise McCauley AKA: Rosa McCauley

would spend her youth. In one experience, Rosa's grandfather stood in front of their house with a shotgun while Ku Klux Klan members marched down the street.

Taught to read by her mother at a young age, Rosa went on to attend a segregated, one-room school in Pine Level, Alabama, that often lacked adequate school supplies such as desks. African-American students were forced to walk to the 1st- through

AKA: Rosa Parks

6th-grade schoolhouse, while the city of Pine Level provided bus transportation as well as a new school building for white

AKA: Rosa Louise Parks

students.

Through the rest of Rosa's education, she attended segregated schools in M ontgomery, including the city's Industrial School for

BEST KNOWN FOR Civil rights activist Rosa Parks refused to surrender her bus seat to a white passenger, spurring the Montgomery boycott and other efforts to end segregation.

Girls (beginning at age 11). In 1929, while in the 11th grade and attending a laboratory school for secondary education led by the Alabama State Teachers College for Negroes, Rosa left school to attend to both her sick grandmother and mother back in Pine Level. She never returned to her studied; instead, she got a job at a shirt factory in M ontgomery.

In 1932, at age 19, Rosa met and married Raymond Parks, a barber and an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. With Raymond's support, Rosa earned her high school degree in 1933. She soon became actively involved in civil rights issues by joining the M ontgomery chapter of the NAACP in 1943, serving as the chapter's youth leader as well as secretary to NAACP President E.D. Nixon—a post she held until 1957.

ORDERED TO THE BACK OF THE BUS The M ontgomery City Code required that all public transportation be segregated and that bus drivers had the "powers of a police officer of the city while in actual charge of any bus for the purposes of carrying out the provisions" of the code. While operating a bus, drivers were required to provide separate but equal accommodations for white and black passengers by assigning seats. This was accomplished with a line roughly in the middle of the bus separating white passengers in the front of the bus and African-American passengers in the back.

When an African-American passenger boarded the bus, they had to get on at the front to pay their fare and then get off and re-board the bus at the back door. When the seats in the front of the bus filled up and more white passengers got on, the bus driver would move back the sign separating black and white passengers and, if necessary, ask black passengers give up their seat.

On December 1, 1955, after a long day's work at a M ontgomery department store, where she worked as a seamstress, Rosa Parks boarded the Cleveland Avenue bus for home.

She took a seat in the first of several rows designated for "colored" passengers. Though the city's bus ordinance did give drivers the authority to assign seats, it didn't specifically give them the authority to demand a passenger to give up a seat to anyone (regardless of color). However, M ontgomery bus drivers had adopted the custom of requiring black passengers to give up their seats to white passengers, when no other seats were available. If the black passenger protested, the bus driver had the authority to refuse service and could call the police to have them removed.

As the bus Rosa was riding continued on its route, it began to fill with white passengers. Eventually, the bus was full and the driver noticed that several white passengers were standing in the aisle. He stopped the bus and moved the sign separating the two sections back one row and asked four black passengers to give up their seats. Three complied, but Rosa refused and remained seated. The driver demanded, "Why don't you stand up?" to which Rosa replied, "I don't think I should have to stand up." The driver called the

AFRICA US TODAY 27

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

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(Contd. from pg.19) is not limited to acts of physical violence but encompasses a broad range of hostile, aggressive or disruptive acts which may affect the physical, emotional or psychological well-being of the victim. These are not isolated incidents of behavior(s) but it is characterized by a pattern of behavior(s) occurring overtime. To prove emotional abuse such acts must have been sustained and repetitive: they include acts like; 1. Physical abuse 2. Excessive or abnormal sexual demands, provided such acts are against complaining party’s will 3. Refusal to engage in sexual relations 4. Excessive marijuana smoking 5. Insistence on attending adult movies, in addition to gambling with household funds 6. Threats of divorce, combined with alcoholism, nagging, adultery or two-timing 7. Attacks on spouse character and selfrespect 8. Verbal abuse, verbal aggression 9. General failure to provide companionship and emotional support 10. Frequent/continuous quarrelling 11. Making false, malicious, and derogatory statements to friends, family members and business associates 12. False accusations 13. Tantrums and throwing stuffs in anger 14. Systemic lying/being economical with the truth 15. Name calling and put downs, i.e.

32 AFRICA US TODAY

• ‘bitch’ • ‘Stupid’ • ‘Too fat’ • ‘Ugly’ • ‘Unlovable’ etc.

Emotional abuse is not limited to the foregoing, and it is the most common damaging kind of abuse but it is often downplayed. According to counselors in this field as well as writers, if a victim of emotional abuse reaches out for help; people often wonder why a big issue is made of it because they are expecting to see physical evidence of the claimed abuse in the form of wounds on the skin, scratches, broken limbs, cuts, or stab wounds etc. People who have suffered physical or sexual abuse often report that it was emotional abuse that caused the most damage. This is because emotional abuse cuts you to your very core; it wears away at your self-confidence, self-worth and even trust in yourself. Emotional abuse outlives the span of physical abuse because physical abuse only last as long as it takes for the scars and bruises to heal, the effects of emotional abuse on the other hand may last a whole life span. An emotional abuse victim constantly feels insecure, which sometimes leads to feeling of tension and fear, when this occurs over a length of time, anger and depression results.

Emotional abuse over a period of time erodes any feeling of safety on the part of the victim, the constant criticism and cruelty from a spouse who is supposed to love and treat you with respect would actually tear the human dignity in shreds.

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