men’s conference 2013
An Audience with
Fabrice Muamba
The ‘resurrected’ football player shares his moving experience at the Mandate Conference
inside Dr Mensa Otabil Jonathan Butler Major Gen. Tim Cross Paul Szkiler Guvna B Michael Norman and much more...
The first word from Agu Irukwu
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elcome to Mandate 2013. It’s so good to be back and I am really excited about this year’s theme, ‘Re-ignite’ (i.e. to catch fire or cause to catch fire again). For us in the Mandate Men’s ministry it so aptly sums up our aspirations for this season. Which man wouldn’t agree that there is a desperate need to re-ignite our relationships, careers, businesses, faith etc? Many would testify to the fact that the sheer weight of life, with its burdens, responsibilities and busyness, has conspired to dim or totally extinguish the fire in so many areas of our lives. Brothers, it’s time to cause the fire to burn again. The Apostle Paul encourages us with these words: ‘Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men and be strong’ (1 Corinthians 16:13). He says ‘act like men’, but isn’t that the real challenge today? The pressures on men in our society today would appear to be overwhelming a significant number of us. This pressure can certainly be multiplied for the Christian man who is determined to live out his faith in his everyday life. Our aim with the Mandate men’s conferences over the years has been to provide the tools and skills to enable men to ‘act like men’. Undoubtedly you are anticipating the obvious highlights of the conference, which include our concert with Grammy-nominee Jonathan Butler, hanging out with Fabrice Muamba on Friday, the revelatory teachings from Dr Mensa Otabil, the ministry of Michael Norman and breakfast with Major General Tim Cross, but do also take a moment to enjoy this publication. As well as featuring some handy tips for men, I believe you will also draw encouragement and inspiration from much of its content. On a final note, please take time out to meet some new people and form new relationships. M
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Re-Ignite: The Mandate Men’s Conference 2013 Conference schedule Wednesday 4th September EVENING 7pm FREE concert Open to MEN & WOMEN.Everyone is invited! We’ve had a concert to kick off past conferences, but nothing quite like this one! 3 generations of Mandate men, 4 award-winning artistes, 5 feature performances and definitely 1 amazing night out with friends! Featuring Jonathan Butler, Guvna B, S.O, Otty, DJ Solva and the Tribe of Judah
Thursday 5th September EVENING
7pm Dr. Mensa Otabil presents the first exposition of the theme “Re-ignite” and as is his custom, he will challenge men to higher thinking. Worship led by Jonathan Butler and Michael Norman and the Tribe of Judah.
Friday 6th September DAYTIME 3pm – 4:15pm: Inspiring a Generation Action Jackson will energise your passion for success! He will inspire you with sound wisdom to help move you from dreaming to achieving. 4
4:45pm – 6pm: A Call to Business Paul Szkiler will challenge men to live out their faith in the marketplace and become transformational rather than just surviving.
EVENING 7pm Interview with Fabrice Muamba Fabrice speaks about the horrific incident that caused his heart to stop beating for 78 minutes and how the nation united in prayer for his recovery. Speaking: Dr. Mensa Otabil An explosive conclusion to the theme. No doubt lives will be changed and passions re-ignited.
Saturday 7th September 8am Breakfast at The Millennium Hotel Mayfair London A fitting conclusion to an inspiring week. Major General Tim Cross talks about his faith journey and how his biblical foundation motivated his actions in the course of his military career. Also enjoy worship with Pastor Michael Norman and the Tribe of Judah. Tickets: £35 Student discount also available at £25 (with limited spaces!)
Re-Ignite: The Mandate Men’s Conference 2013 speaker bios Dr. Mensa Otabil
Dr. Mensa Otabil is a pastor, educator, entrepreneur and consultant. He and his wife, Joy, live in Accra, Ghana and are parents of four children. He is the Founder and General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church with its network of local churches, multifaceted ministries and initiatives in Ghana. The church also has extensive outreaches to other parts of Africa, Europe and the United States. Although he ministers with a global world-view, his overriding passion is to see the timeless principles of the Bible made applicable to the renewal and transformation of Africa. With a keen understanding of man’s universal quest for freedom and significance, Dr. Otabil articulates concepts of emancipation and empowerment that are deeply rooted in Biblical thought and enriched by his own experiences. As a public speaker, he challenges and inspires individuals and organizations to reach beyond the confines of their realities. The uniqueness of his ministry and messages are found in their crossover appeal to both church and corporate audiences. Dr. Otabil is the Founder and Chancellor of Ghana’s premier private university – The Central University College and the Chief Executive Officer and consultant of Otabil and Associates – an executive and leadership growth consultancy. He also serves on several Boards and Trusts within Ghana and in other parts of the world. He presents the ‘Living Word’ programme on both radio and television.
Major General (Retired) Tim Cross CBE
Major General Cross was commissioned into the British Army in 1971. He commanded at every level, from leading a small Bomb Disposal Team in Northern Ireland in the 1970s to commanding a Division of 30,000 from 2004 to 2007. After various tours in the UK and Germany, he completed a tour with the UN in Cyprus in 1980/81 before attending the Army Staff Course in 1983, returning as a member of the Directing Staff in 1987. Following an operational deployment to Kuwait/Iraq in 1990/91, he attended the Higher Command and Staff Course in early 1995 before serving as a Colonel in Bosnia in 1995/96 and 1997. In 1999, as a Brigadier in command of the101 Logistic Brigade, he was deployed to Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo and was appointed CBE in the subsequent operational awards for his work in leading the NATO response to the Humanitarian crisis. Handing over command in 2000 he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies and then, in 2002, became involved in the planning for operations in Iraq. He was subsequently deployed to Washington, Kuwait and Baghdad as the Deputy in the US-led Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs, later re-titled the CPA (the Coalition Provisional Authority). He returned to the UK in 2003 and took over a key staff appointment before assuming command of one of the three Divisions of the UK Field Army from October 2004. Retiring in January 2007, he was the Army Adviser
to the UK House of Commons Defence Committee for 5 years. Today Major General Cross serves as a Defence Adviser to a number of UK and international companies and a Visiting Professor at three UK-based Universities. He sits on the Ethics Board of a major UK technology company and runs the UK office of an international aid agency. He is the President of the Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, a local lay minister in the Church of England and the Chairman of the Board of Theos – a public theology think tank. He is a trustee of the Leadership Trust, where he is also a tutor and an itinerant preacher and international speaker.
Paul Szkiler
Paul Szkiler is the Chairman of the Truestone Group, a 25-year old asset management business in London in the UK. Truestone currently manages over £400 million on behalf of clients and is becoming widely known for its social impact investment management skills, which include attempting to produce a risk-rated return on investments together with a measurable social dividend. In November 2000, Paul founded ‘A Call to Business’ as a tool to challenge and resource believers to live out their faith in the workplace and to move from ‘survival mode’ to ‘transformation mode’. This was done to enable Christians to influence their businesses and those around them for God. Paul is Chairman of ‘A Call to Business Trading Ltd, Sierra Leone’, which for many years has been investing in this frontier nation, with a view to creating wealth and social change. He is also the co-founder of the international NGO Children in Crisis, and sits on the boards of a number of companies in the finance and motor sectors.
Action Jackson
Jackson Ogunyemi, also known as ‘Action Jackson’, is passionate about inspiring people, running and cheesecake. He founded a company dedicated to empowering UK Education called Fixupseminars.co.uk in 2001 whilst studying Mechanical Engineering at Middlesex University. It was here that he developed a passion for public speaking. Action Jackson is a motivational speaker and life coach who has worked with a vast range of people including students, management teams of recognised corporations such as Morgan Stanley, the NHS, schools, colleges, universities and individuals from different walks of life. He is recognized as an expert in motivation and success strategies and has assisted many in achieving their goals and living their dreams. Action Jackson has recently released his first book entitled, ‘Shut Up & Take Action’. Along with his colleagues (The Fix-Up Team), his mission is to ‘motivate, equip and empower UK education’.
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Re-Ignite: The Mandate Men’s Conference 2013 artiste bios Jonathan Butler
Jonathan Butler is a singersongwriter and guitarist. His music is often classified as R&B, jazz fusion or worship music. Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, Butler started singing and playing acoustic guitar as a child. His debut single was the first by a black artist to be played by white radio stations in the racially segregated South Africa and earned a Sarie Award; South Africa’s equivalent to the Grammy Awards. He began touring at the age of seven and was later signed up to perform on a string of hit recordings. He duly found the inspiration and encouragement to begin expressing himself as a composer and songwriter until he eventually signed to Jive Records in 1977. His international breakthrough came in 1987 with the Grammy-nominated hit single, “Lies” and his cover version of the Staple Singers song, “If You’re Ready (Come Go with Me)”, which he performed with Ruby Turner. In 2006, Butler was a featured vocalist on the album Gospel Goes Classical, produced by Henry Panion. This recording rose to No. 2 on the Billboard Gospel chart, and No. 3 on the Classical Crossover chart. He was also nominated for a Grammy Award for his single “Going Home”.
Michael Norman
Born in Orlando, Florida Michael started playing musical instruments at the age of seven. With a father into jazz and a mother passionate about gospel, it is little surprise the direction he took. Beginning with the organ before moving on to the piano, Michael was fond of artists such as Billy Preston, Jimmy Smith and Chic Corea to name a few. His abilities have been widely sought after and have brought about collaborations with other noteworthy artists. The Clark sisters, Grammy-nominated Vickie Winans, bestseller Ben Tankard and gospel music pioneer Dr. Mattie Moss Clark are included in this impressive list. Michael’s career to date has garnered a number of accolades. Amongst these have been the ‘2011 Artist of the Year’ by Epitome Magazine and the ‘Musician of the Year’ award from the Gospel Music Workshop of America.
Guvna B
Guvna B is an urban gospel rapper and composer. Born in Barking, London and hailing from Accra, Ghana, the name is an acronym for God’s Unique Vessel Now Assigned. As a Christian performing artist, Guvna aims to create inspiring music that is relevant to today’s world. He has released two independent records and in 2009 reached the number one spot on the MySpace Gospel & Christian Rap charts. In the same year he also won 6
the Gospel Music Award for “Best Gospel Artist”, Urban Music Awards “Best Gospel” prize and also supported Marvin Sapp and Kirk Franklin on stage. This success continued into 2010 where he won the prestigious MOBO award for Best Gospel Act. Guvna B became the first gospel artist to appear on Radio 1’s DJ “Westwood’s Crib Sessions” and has shared the stage with some of the UK’s leading urban talent including Chipmunk, Tinie Tempah and Bashy. Alongside his music, Guvna B is a Youth For Christ ambassador and an ambassador for the Terence Higgins Trust working to promote and support the agenda’s of these organisations. He is also a celebrity ambassador for The Prince’s Trust and was invited to a Downing Street reception in April 2011 where he met with the Prime Minister, David Cameron.
S.O.
Nigerian born and London raised, Seun “S.O.” Otukpe is no stranger to rap. A love for hip-hop was birthed in him from a young age, saying his first rhyme at 6 years old at his grandmother’s birthday party. Upon coming to Christ in 2004, his focus changed from wanting fortune and fame, to serving and pleasing God. In 2010, S.O. released a mixtape called “The 5 Solas”. It caught the attention of Lamp Mode Recordings and the following year he signed with them as their first international artist. Both parties have rightly been excited about the partnership, and with the success of his debut album release, “So It Begins”, it is understandable why!
Otty
Otty stands out from a troupe of upcoming artists for his ability to marry style and substance. His sound, which draws comparisons with luminaries such as John Legend and Luther Vandross oozes soul, yet accommodates Jazz, Gospel and Hip-Hop. Put simply, this young man is a singer-songwriter to be reckoned with. Complementing his vocals is an infectious personality (check out the growing sensation of www. youtube.com/isinglondon) and a passion for life and music with meaning. This clearly reflects in his songs which typically challenge, encourage and are witty. His current single, ‘Words’ (available for download on iTunes) was recently nominated for ‘Best Unsigned Song’ by the Unsigned Music Awards panel and his abilities have seen him share the stage with the likes of the late Amy Winehouse and jazz standout, Kirk Whalum. Having previously made it to the top 50 of Jamie Cullum’s nationwide search for the next big act in live music, Otty ranked 3rd in the urban and pop category of Live and Unsigned – the biggest original music competition in the UK for unsigned bands and artists. And it is live that Otty’s uniqueness is best illustrated, as his reputation for compelling performances would attest. All of this supported by an arsenal of quality songs and a seriously talented band, means that there’s never been a better time to sit up and pay attention. Don’t say that you were not told!
Clockwise from below Fabrice back to full health; receiving the support of his fellow professionals at Sunderland, Chelsea and Real Madrid; the moment the world feared the worst; receiving the support of the Bolton Wanderers fans; a screenshot of The Sun website, where Fabrice credited God for his being alive.
Re-Ignite: The Mandate Men’s Conference 2013 an audience with fabrice muamba
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t the conference this year we are excited to welcome Fabrice Muamba to share his inspiring experience. A former professional football player who represented Arsenal FC, Birmingham City FC and Bolton Wanderers FC, he shocked the world on 17 March 2012 when he ‘died’ and came back to life during an away match against Londonbased Tottenham Hotspur. That fateful day at White Hart Lane – when Fabrice’s heart stopped for 78 minutes – will live long in the memory of even the casual football fan, as the football world
– and the whole of the United Kingdom – united in support of his recovery, with calls from every corner of the globe to ‘Pray for Muamba’.. Two days later, his heart was beating without medication, and today Fabrice has made an astounding recovery and serves as an ambassador for the Arrithmia Alliance’s Heart and Goals campaign. This year at the ‘Re-Ignite’ Mandate Conference you will be privileged to hear the full story from the man himself on Friday evening. It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to miss. M
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It’s your world. Change it. “The reasonable man adapts himself to the conditions that surround him. The unreasonable man adapts surrounding conditions to himself. All progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
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his quote by George Bernard Shaw, co-founder of the London School of Economics, has impacted me. In all areas of my life I’m fussy. I get dissatisfied with whatever is standard. I like to go beyond the status quo and I expect the imaginable to be possible. So when systems prevent me from experiencing the life I’m called to, I get frustrated. For me the entrepreneurial journey begins with that frustration but quickly migrates into faith for what is seemingly impossible. I believe that there is a solution to every problem and in the spirit of Mr Shaw, I believe that I can adapt the world around me in order to live out my purpose. Why else would the apostle Paul tell us we could do all know things through Christ? Furthermore, if no eye has seen and no ear has heard the glorious things that God has in store for those who believe (1 Corinthians 2 v.9), I may as well dream BIG because God is certainly going to top it! I grew up with parents who sponsored a child through our church. As a Chemistry student at university and armed with a £4,000 student loan to cover living expenses I began sponsoring a child too, for £15 per month. It started off well but a few months in I realised I could no longer afford it. Embarrassed and disappointed, I cancelled my sponsorship. But then something happened that caught me by surprise. The ensuing frustration gave birth to an idea: What if I got 15 friends to chip in £1 a month? I knew students would like the idea of sponsoring a child and that
We spend 80,000 hours of our lives at work. I want to work on things I love, which is why I’m committed to fighting the obstacles that prevent my ideas from becoming real.
they would be able to afford £1 a month. I knew I’d be able to make the idea famous.
It’s not about how much money you have. I believe that everyone is cool in their own right so I make it my mission to get to know as many interesting people as I can. At university I knew a lot of people: singers, dancers, rugby players, stoners, Christians, atheists, scientists; my phone book was serious! It was this wealth of relationships that gave me an understanding of student culture, causing me to come up with an idea that would resonate and secondly, the network of collaborators and endorsers to make the idea real. We launched ‘Sponsor a Kid for a Quid’ in the autumn of 2004 and, after some trial and error with our marketing campaign, we managed to recruit over 150 students and staff within a few weeks. The initiative continued 2 years after I graduated, staffed by a team of motivated volunteers I had left behind. The scheme also won a Channel 4 ‘Ideas Factory Award’, led to the Royal Society of Arts inviting me to become one of their youngest Fellows and paved the way for Microsoft flying me to Kuala Lumpur to be recognised as one of the Top 100 Global Young Social Entrepreneurs. The UK government appointed me as a Social Enterprise Ambassador and later sent me to New York to meet investors and UnLtd, the foundation for social entrepreneurs, who provided a matchfunding award of £100,000 through their ‘Big Venture Challenge’. I now have a team of 8 working on Makerble, an iteration of my original idea and we launch our app and website this autumn. Money only pays for what you can’t inspire your network to do for free. Inspiring your network to act on your behalf requires you to have an idea that taps into their personal sense of purpose. I believe that people are inherently good and considering that we are all made in the image of God, connecting with people’s inner sense of purpose is something I’m passionate about. It’s a natural progression of genuinely getting to know different people, being open to discovering what really makes them tick, watching as your authenticity earns you a wealth of financial and non-financial goodwill and then fusing insight and network to create ideas that accelerate people towards their purpose without friction.
Change The World Your Way Expressing who God designed you to be and influencing the world around you as a result By Matt Kepple
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It’s the change you make that matters. “Ideas are nothing.” Mathias Vestergaard, 2013. Earlier this year I had a conversation with a procrastinating friend that got me so agitated that I interrupted her mid-sentence and said, “Don’t talk. Do!” She replied, “Okay, I’ll try”, to which I exclaimed with growing enthusiasm: “Don’t try! Do!” We spend 80,000 hours of our lives at work. I want to work on things I love, which is why I’m committed to fighting the obstacles that prevent my ideas from becoming real. I read Ephesians 6 and hear truth in Mathias Vestergaard’s strapline. It sounds like a distant echo of James’ helpful words that faith without works is dead. I know I’m ineffective when working on a project without a team, so I harness my friends to make my ideas real. Because investors rarely drop money on ideas that are unproven, I endeavour to create inexpensive pilots of my ideas to build the faith of those who I hope will support them. My earliest memory of this is aged 17 when as part of the Young Enterprise Scheme I had an idea to resell chocolate advent calendars at my school for triple the price. My team rejected my idea. Later that week I used £5 of my own money, bought some calendars wholesale, sold them in school and returned to the following week’s meeting with the profit. Chocolate advent calendars became one of our most profitable products. If people don’t believe you, listen and learn but, if necessary, prove them wrong. Don’t let perfection become the enemy of the good. You have ideas? Use your network to road test the simplest ‘leanest’ version of
Inspiring your network to act on your behalf requires you to have an idea that taps into their personal sense of purpose. Money only pays for what you can’t inspire them to do for free. the idea. Don’t believe the lie that you don’t have enough money to move it forward. And don’t make the mistake I made with Makerble of perfecting the pilot version to the extent that the cost outgrows your budget. But if you do make mistakes (which is highly likely), those are your opportunities to learn. When I pitched one of my former ideas on the TV show, Dragons Den and heard every one of them say, “I’m out”, I learnt to choose investors who can identify with my target market. The sooner you start creating something, the sooner you can make mistakes. The sooner you make mistakes, the sooner you can learn. The sooner you can learn, the sooner you can grow. Not sure how to put this into practice? Read the Lean Start-up. Learn to code for free on Code Academy. Find a university student to work on your idea to build their portfolio. And if you want ideas but don’t have them yet, be the person who helps others make their ideas possible; it will be an invaluable, educational journey. Then when you’re ready, immerse yourself in the worlds of the customers you want to serve. See life and its frustrations through their eyes and use your knowledge of what excites them to create a solution that fits naturally into their lifestyle. Changing the world your way is simply expressing who God made you to be in a way that rubs off on other people and in turn bringing them closer to Him in a way that only you can make possible. If you believe the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it and that through Christ you’re a son of God to whom authority over all things has been given; then the world is yours. Go change it. M Twitter: @makerble @mattkepple
I’m fussy. I get dissatisfied with whatever is standard. I like to go beyond the status quo and I expect the imaginable to be possible. When systems prevent me from experiencing the life I’m called to, I get frustrated.
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Clockwise from below Bambo Akani and Olympic champion Enefiok Udo-Obong on Smile Jamaica; Bambo with Yohan Blake at CHAMPS; On set in Atlanta with Innocent Egbunike; with Francis Obikwelu in Faro, Portugal; with Christine Ohuruogu.
Making of Champions Could the next Usain Bolt hail from Africa? By Bambo Akani
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ast year I was one of millions who desperately tried - and failed - to purchase tickets to witness the action in the Olympic stadium. I even flew in from South Africa, my base at the time, just to be present at the Games, but had to be content watching most of the action on TV. If my disappointment was not complete seeing the USA men’s basketball team set a points record against Nigeria, it certainly was when the Games ended with Africa’s most populous nation (Nigeria has 170 million people) not winning a medal of any colour! It got me wondering why a nation of such obvious natural talent was seriously under-performing on the global stage. Rewind a few years to my very first memory of athletics. It was the historic 100m final at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo. For the first time in a race, six of the eight participants finished under 10 seconds, with Carl Lewis claiming a then-world record of 9.86 seconds. I have followed subsequent World Championships and Olympics with great interest ever since. Growing up it was normal, even expected, to see sprinters from my home country, Nigeria, in the 100m finals. Barcelona ’92 featured two Nigerian men each in the 100m and 200m finals. Atlanta ’96 was even better for Nigeria, with Chioma Ajunwa 10
winning Nigeria’s first gold medal in the Long Jump, and Mary Onyali and Falilat Ogunkoya attaining bronze medals in the 200m and 400m respectively. Fifteen years on, the world of athletics looks very different. Jamaica has catapulted to global attention through the likes of Asafa Powell (the first Jamaican 100m world record holder) and Usain Bolt, who holds the current, and staggering, 100m record of 9.58s – a feat that even he may never again match in his career. Interestingly, while Bolt was only the fourth-ever Jamaican to break the tensecond barrier, Nigeria already had eight men who had done it by 2007! More perplexing is that since Bolt’s arrival five years ago, 10 Jamaicans have run sub-10 seconds a combined 170 times, while no Nigerian has accomplished it once! I decided that light needed to be shed on this issue and the perfect opportunity arose when work took me to Nigeria for a 6-month project. Soon after arriving in Lagos, I put a small team together, in my spare time, to shoot the pilot episode of ‘Making of Champions’. We met and interviewed some of Nigeria’s former Olympic medalists, including Mary Onyali, Falilat Ogunkoya and Enefiok Udo-Obong. Though it was a decent effort, I quickly realized that, because Nigeria was not currently making any champions, I was going to need something
more compelling for anyone to sit up and take notice of the project. So I decided to go to the ‘Home of Champions’ to find out how the best in the world do it. In March I put another film crew together, took a week off work and headed to Jamaica to watch their inter-secondary schools championships, popularly known as CHAMPS, so we could see for ourselves! To gain access to their track superstars, I was fortunate enough to be able to go with one of our past stars. Enefiok Udo-Obong graciously accepted my invitation to make the trip and so we had an Olympic champion, one of the very few that Nigeria has ever produced, on the Making of Champion’s team. It worked like a charm. Within a couple of days we appeared on the morning show on Television Jamaica, which is broadcast to a national audience! This was followed by radio appearances and interviews with several of Jamaica’s stars, including Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Yohan Blake! The trip revealed that much of Jamaica’s success in Track & Field comes from a culture in which every single child wants to become the next Usain Bolt. The high school CHAMPS is the biggest event in the Jamaican sporting calendar. In which other country in the world could you fill out a 35,000-seater stadium with people of all ages, to watch secondary school kids running? Galvanised by our Jamaican adventure,
I have travelled further, intent on completing the story. I attended the Caribbean Junior and Youth games in the Bahamas and also went to Portugal and Spain to meet Francis Obikwelu and Glory Alozie respectively. I documented their stories first hand, as both were former medalists for Nigeria in the 200m and 110m hurdles, before switching nationality to represent their adopted countries in 2001. Obikwelu went on to win Portugal’s first and only sprint medal at the Olympics. I also went with UdoObong to Atlanta to meet one of the pioneers of Nigerian Athletics: Innocent Egbunike. Still Nigeria’s 400-meter record holder (since 1987), Egbunike coached Udo-Obong and his 4x400m teammates to the gold medal at Sydney 2000, and was Nigeria’s athletics head coach at London 2012. Finally, I returned to the UK to interview several of Team GB’s top stars, many of whom are of Nigerian origin, including Christine Ohuruogu and James Dasaolu! The knowledge that I’ve been able to accumulate on this journey over the last year has inspired me to take action beyond just making a documentary. It is important to note that Jamaica’s emphatic success in the last ten years is not just down to their culture. It came when one coach, his brother and their friend decided to stop outsourcing the development of Jamaica’s
In 2007 eight Nigerian men had broken the tensecond barrier, while Usain Bolt was only the fourth Jamaican to do so. Since Bolt’s arrival five years ago, 10 Jamaicans have run sub-10 seconds a combined 170 times, while no Nigerian has accomplished it once! young talent to American universities and instead pulled private funding together to set up the first professional track club in Jamaica, MVP. Today MVP is the home of multiple Olympic and world champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and, together with Usain Bolt’s Racer’s Track Club, has produced the majority of the country’s medalists. I am convinced that Nigeria will not return to its modest heights, or reach the lofty ones attained by the Jamaicans and Americans, without taking ownership of its own development program. There is plenty of talent in West Africa that will never be discovered or developed if no one does anything about it. My desire is to make people aware and thankfully my little savings, coupled with some family support and a lot of creativity, have kept the dream alive so far. External funding may ultimately be needed to bring the documentary to television screens, but we have accumulated so much footage that a full season TV show is definitely possible! Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare and Cote
d’Ivoire’s Murielle Ahoure (both double medalists at the recently concluded World Championships) are testaments of talent existing in West Africa, but both have needed the American collegiate system to begin realizing their immense potential. When will Africa, like Jamaica, stop outsourcing the development of its best talents to America? When will we take action? Only time will tell, but I am hopeful that Making of Champions will not just be a documentary that talks about what needs to be done, but a movement that galvanizes people into action. This is not just about restoring some global pride and glory to a nation and region (which would obviously be nice), but also about materially impacting the lives of people through participation in sports, and thus giving thousands of youths a way out of poverty. After all, there are thousands of footballers in West Africa who may never become football superstars, but just might have enough sprinting potential to be the next Usain Bolt! M 11
The Essential ‘How to…’ Guide for Men How to be smart and sharp when you’re a big guy!
By Otty Warmann
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don’t know about you but I have sometimes walked down a high street or in a large shopping mall feeling somewhat disparaged and marginalised. I appreciate that I’m larger than the average man but there are many who are taller and broader than I, yet in a majority of clothes stores I struggle to find attire that fits well and is stylish. The result of this is a reportedly large number of bigger men who neglect their appearance. I empathise. We can’t all be 5ft 10 with a 30inch waist and size 9 shoes. Nonetheless, we can all be stylish and feel good about the clothes we wear and the way they look. Hear me out… Dressing well is about presenting your body in the best and most flattering way possible. After all, clothing cannot change the shape of your body but it does make you look proportional, balanced and neat. Anything else, some would say, is costuming. So whether you are broad-shouldered, big-bottomed, pot-bellied, or all three at once (confess!), there are ways for you to get your James Bond on. Plus if you hadn’t noticed, we live in a very visual world where impressions are (rightly or wrongly) quickly formed by how we look. Clothing has a great effect on this and as a larger man can be the distinction between people seeing you as lazy, soft or weak as opposed to powerful, imposing or confident. So here is some advice on how the larger man can pit himself on the nicer side of the dividing line: 1. Fit: May sound silly, but make sure your clothes fit! Bulges or sagging cloth only serve to make your outline look sloppy and the effect is amplified on large people. Oversized clothes do not hide your physique! Believe it or not, they draw more attention to your size. Then of course,
Proportion is critical for a big man. As a general rule, the bigger you are, the bigger you want your accessories to be. Watches, pens, and bracelets should all ooze masculinity.
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Impressions are quickly formed based on how we look and for a larger man clothing can be the distinction between people seeing you as lazy, soft or weak as opposed to powerful, imposing or confident. clothes that fit (not that are tight) are more comfortable. Now if you have odd dimensions like me, make sure you have a tailor on speed dial because it can be hard to get well-fitted clothes off the rack. 2. Simplicity: A big frame tends to mean you already have an imposing presence. Dress simply, keeping patterns to a minimum to avoid overwhelming people. Broad, solid spaces and colours complement your shape. 3. Wear good clothes! By this I mean to choose good garments. The best will give a clear, clean and defined shape to the body. As such, suits, blazers and sports jackets are top of the list as they ‘frame’ the body. Dependent on your physique, consider whether you should be looking for double or single-breasted jackets. Steer clear of tank tops and large tees. 4. Style upgrades! These are those little things that collectively can make a big difference to your overall appearance. • Suspenders: belts are not the most complementary or practical accessory for round stomachs. Suspenders let the trouser front fall in a smooth drape instead of bunching at the top. Plus, they come in so many different styles and colours now that it can add some style to your outfit. • Spread-collar shirts: if you have a broad face, get a broad collar! They keep your face looking proportional and leave room to tie a fancy neck-tie. None of those
Whether you are broadshouldered, big-bottomed, pot-bellied, or all three at once, there are ways for you to get your James Bond on. skinny-ties though, please. Wear a hat: a hat immediately shows you put a little effort into your outfit. A hat makes you look taller and longer (which is particularly useful for the ‘rounder’ figure. • Facial hair: a neatly trimmed beard around the chin and jawline can really help sharpen your features. Maintenance is important as you’re not going for the Santa Claus look. Neat is stylish. Anything else suggests, ‘slob’. 5. LARGE accessories: Proportion is critical for a big man. As a general rule, the bigger you are, the bigger you want your accessories to be. Watches, pens, and bracelets – all should ooze masculinity. 6. Be YOU! Nothing is worse than a man (of any size) wearing great clothes that just don’t complement the person. Look at trends; be aware of them. But don’t always follow them! If you’re unsure, ask a close friend who is ready to tell you the truth. Essentially, dressing well as a large man is not all that different from dressing well with any other body type. It just might take a bit more effort to put it all together. Foremost though, dressing well relies on honesty about your figure and having the patience to get clothes that actually fit. So don’t think that looking good is a reserve for females or that being stylish is for the average sized man. It’s 2013 and the possibilities are far greater. My auntie always says, “looking good is good business” and I would not disagree. Happy dressing! M •
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Man Power!
Supercharge your grooming with these powerpacked, hi-tech, high-performing products. By Natalie N. Clue (www.beautypulselondon.com)
Invigorate your cleanse!
Power doesn’t have to be brutish. Suave, sophistication and control are hallmarks of a man in charge. Take charge of your skin’s health with the Refinery Revitalising Moisturiser, packed full of anti-ageing ingredients including revitalising creatine, vitamins E and C and essential oils of frankincense, sandalwood and vetiver that deliver an intense moisture boost and an even bigger confidence boost!
Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing Face Wash (£17.00/250ml – www.selfridges.com)
anti-inflammatory properties which help assist in skin repair.
Lip service
This Works Turbo Balm (£10/10g – www.ocado.com)
Super. Man. A man’s best friend for removing dirt, grime and grease, this gel cleanser thoroughly purifies the skin. As an ideal morning pick-me-up, here is your secret to starting the day with zeal!
King of Shaves Super Scrub (£3.99/100ml – www.tesco.com)
As one of the most sensitive parts of the body your lips deserve some TLC (tender loving care). Turbo charge the moisture of the lips with this multi-tasking balm. The potent combination of monoi oil to hydrate, cocoa butter to moisturise and rose oil to strengthen and repair always works a treat.
Razor bump rescue!
Dermalogica Pre Shave Guard (£27.50/78g – www.dermalogica.co.uk)
Tackle tough, coarse beards with this wonder balm! Cooling Camphor helps to lift beard away from skin for maximum razor closeness. The soothing formula adds an extra layer of defence during shaving to help minimise razor burn and bumps. The only thing on fire will be how you look… SMOKING!
Smooth operator…
Lock, Stock & Barrel Argan Blend Shave Oil (£11.95/30ml – www.lookfantastic.com) You are a master with the razor, so take the rough with the smooth by using a hydrating shave oil. This oil by Lock, Stock & Barrel contains Argan oil – a powerful anti-oxidant, rich in vitamin E. Found only in south-east Morocco, Argan oil is valued for its anti-microbial and
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Super by name, super by nature! This scrub is perfect for that essential exfoliation step in your skincare routine – a burst of stimulating lime and micro particles slough away dead skin cells in one fell swoop! Exfoliation is king when it comes to having super skin, removing excess oil, dirt and blackheads, to leave your face in ultimate condition and nothing short of super-ior!
Body builder
Molton Brown Black Pepper (Shower Gel & Body Hydrator) (£38 – www.mankind.com)
Duo
Refined defender
Refinery Revitalising Moisturising (£38/50ml - www.the-refinery.com)
Keep things hot hot hot with the much loved Black Pepper Duo (Shower Gel & Body Hydrator) by Molton Brown. This spicy black pepper infusion will heighten your senses and reawaken your energy banks when you most need it. Steeped in detoxifying black pepper oil, the gel formulation helps to boost circulation and leaves the skin feeling deeply cleansed. M
Mandate Recommends Books and Music for the Mandate Man The Power of a Praying Husband
Jesus At The Centre
Stormie Omartian
Israel Houghton & New Breed
We’ve heard about the power of a praying wife but now, bestseller Stormie Omartian offers insight into the power reserved for the praying husband. This priceless publication gives wisdom on how men can pray for their wives and includes stories from her own marriage. The content seeks to encourage men to lovingly intercede for their partners – in particular in the areas of emotions, fears, sexuality and motherhood. The book is an ideal study for every man desiring to develop the discipline of prayer.
One-Minute Insights for Men Jim George
It is widely agreed that the 21st century man is a busy one. If you consider yourself in this category, author Jim George has assembled a selection of useful devotions from his bestselling book, ‘A Man After God’s Own Heart’. Designed for busy men, it will impart knowledge on how to lead with strength and love in marriage, how to model integrity and diligence on the job and how to be an example to one’s children. It is perfect for the man on the go.
Following Grammy award winning solo offerings from Israel, he returns here with New Breed to offer their latest live instalment, and it was worth the wait. Jesus Be The Centre features a variety of tracks that exhibit the standard of musicality that we have grown accustomed to from this collective. The album delivers contemporary anthems for the modern church (Rez Power and More Than Enough) as well as also catering to the more traditional gospel sound ( Jesus Be The Centre and Your Presence is Heaven). The record also features other well known vocalists such as James Fortune, T-Bone and Aaron Lindsey. With all this quality it is little wonder that this gospel troupe have become a household name. Infused with passion and sincerity, this is one record that every Christian should have on their playlist.
The Power of God’s Word for Fathers Jack Countryman
This compilation of promises from God’s word focused on a father’s unique spiritual needs and concerns. This book will uplift, empower, comfort and encourage every father – reminding them that they walk with the ultimate Father, who understands their every need. M
Pre-order your Conference audio and video packs Visit the Mandate shop or the e-Store at www.themandate.org. Don’t leave the conference without a Mandate T-shirt. Get yours at the Mandate shop or visit the e-store.
Magazine Design & Layout: simplysumfink | 07957964527
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men’s conference 2013
Rediscovering
featuring
Major General
|
Manhood
|
Dr Mensa Jonathan
Tim Cross Otabil Butler and special guest
Fabrice
Muamba
hosted by
Including Daytime Seminars, Evening Meetings, & the signature Mandate Breakfast + The Mandate Concert featuring award-winning artistes:
• • • • •
Guvna B S.O. Otty Michael Norman & the Tribe of Judah
Pastor Agu
Irukwu
th th 4 -7 September 2013 at the Jesus House Centre 112 Brent Terrace, Brent Cross London NW2 1LT
for ticketing & more information visit
www.themandate.org
The Mandate Breakfast
The Millennium Hotel London 44 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair London W1K 2HP Entrance: £35
(Student & Early Bird discounts available)