OCT . 2015
Fashion: Nehita Guyana Business Introspective Profile: Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo Zanzibar International Film Festival Naki Speaks
EDITORIAL She is delicate and strong. She is generous and precautionary. She is the source of human existence. It is incontestable that the African woman is the backbone of our families, communities, and nations. She goes through nine months of pregnancy bearing life, nurturing, and supporting through thick and thin. This edition of Pan Afrikan Times celebrates women of color around the globe. In the study of archeology and history it is a fact that the ‘black woman’ is the first recorded ancestor. Lucy, as she has been renamed, a black woman from east Africa, is the mother of mankind. Undeniably, it is not enough to do proper justice in celebrating and praising women of color in one edition. We must inculcate that in our daily rituals and make it a point to hold women of color high, respect them, adore them, and revere them in every way. African Educationist Kwegyir Aggrey puts it this way, “If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but when you educate a woman, you educate a nation”. We are exceptionally elated and proud of Viola Davis for her exploits and more importantly her strength, inspiration, and bravery for her speech at the 2015 EMMYS.
This edition of your authoritative magazine also features fashion by renowned fashionista extraordinaire Monalisa Okojie of Nehita. Our personality profile is Her Excellency Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I, a dynamic, progressive, and visionary queen. Pan Afrikan Times also features a special Edition with the column Remembering the Times, celebrating 10 heroines; Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Queen Nanny, Nana Yaa Asantewaa, and Queen Nzinga amongst others. Our deAFRICAtroit column features Catherine Blackwell, renowned educationist from Detroit, Michigan. We also have some remarkable arts stories on Eryka Badu, Naki, Lady Slice, Ugochi, and The Zanzibar International Film Festival. We at Pan Afrikan Times celebrate you, our women every day. Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed. We call on all to help empower our girls, in the inner cities, ghettoes, townships, and slums. Let us all take responsibility to help raise future Yaa Asantewaas, Queen Nzingas, and Harriet Tubmans.
TEAM
Managing Editor Kwadwo Gyan-Apenteng aka Kojo Sankofa Business Executive/Editorial Assistant Saesha M. Nix Supervising Editor Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng Associate Editor. Dr. E. Ofori Bekoe
CONTENT
EDITORIAL TEAM
EDITORIAL
BUSINESS TIMES
Editorial Consultant Lavon Petit Nicole Visual Artists/Graphic Designers David Muhsin Ernest Camel Website Administrator/Social Media Editor David Muhsin
Photographer Tyrone Fulton Hopkins Charlie Gatson IV Ghana Representative Rahman Sowah
STAFF WRITERS Deborah Hayter Velma Kiome Yaw Asiedu Kwakye
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Saphia Ngalapi, Zanzibar, Tanzania Salim Henry, Lusaka, Zambia Erik Anbessa, Michigan Idris Nia, Detroit, Michigan John Owoo, Ghana, West Africa
•INTROSPECTION OF GUYANA’S •ETHIOPIA LIGHT RAILWAY •AFRICAN PRINTS ARE NOT FROM AFRICA •AFRICAN WOMEN NEED ACCESS TO LANDS
COVER STORIES
•VIOLA DAVIS
PROFILE •NAA TSOTOO SOYOO I REMEMBERING THE TIMES •CELEBRATING WOMEN OF COLOR FASHION FOCUS •NEHITA GLAMOUR TO GLOBAL GIVING THE ARTS •UGOCHI JEWEL OF AFRICA
•ERYKAH BADU - FEEL BETTER WORLD •LADY SLICE •ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL •NAKI SPEAKS •POETRY CORNER
AROUND THE WORLD •BAHAMAS ISLAND JEANNINE’S DIARY •SHE’S A KEEPER COLUMN •deAFRICAtriot COMMUNITY STORY •THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE
•BATTER AND BERRIES
NUTRITION AND WELLNESS •SLAVES OF THE TONGUE SPEACIAL FEATURE •OSAGYEFO DR. KWAME NKRUMAH
• PROF. WANGARI MAATHAI
BUSINESS TIMES
ETHIOPIA USHERS ELECTRIFIED LIGHT RAILWAY
Ethiopia’s electrified light railway is the first urban light rail transit system in sub-Saharan Africa. It has the capacity to transport 15,000 passengers per hour in one direction.
The Addis Ababa electrified light railway network
officially commenced operation Sunday on September 20, 2015. 17-kilometers long portion of the railway stretching from the north to the south of the capital started producing services to tens of thousands of residents. The Head of Ethiopia Railways Corporation (ERC), Getachew Betru said, “A remaining 17-kilometer long
in areas where movement of people is high”, he stressed. The new rail transport network is expected to ease the huge public transport problems in one of the world’s most populace cities. The Ethiopian government is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to build modern transport systems to support development. With an average annual 11% economic growth, Ethiopia is one of the world’s ten fastest growing economies. Ethiopia which intends to be a regional power exporter however is recently being hit by severe power blackouts. The US $ 475 million double track electrified light rail transit project was launched by China’s Eryuan Engineering Group in January 2012 under a contract signed in June 2009.
route, stretching from East to west part of the capital will begin providing service next month”. Trial operation, the official said, had been taking place since February this year, courtesy of a number of qualified personnel who had been receiving training overseas. According to Getachew, the minimum tariff to a transport distance covering 4 kilometers is 2 birr ($0.096), while the cost for 17km covering a whole journey is 6 birr ($0.193). Payment system of the railway service will reportedly involve both cash and electromagnetic card that has to be used when boarding and getting off. Getachew said services would be provided to the public under government subsidy. “If there are many loopholes, we are ready to identify and address in due course. We will make strong supervision
China’s Export-Import Bank provided loans to cover 85% of the project while the remaining 15% was financed by the Ethiopian government. Meanwhile, Arkebe Equbay, special adviser on economic affairs to the Ethiopian prime minister said Ethiopia was planning to build Africa’s first Railway Academy. According to government official, the aim is to build up qualified expertise in the field of railway engineering to run the railway projects now being undertaken in Ethiopia. The railway academy will be built at the cost of $39.3 million using funds secured from China. “The Academy would be an important element in accomplishing the goals of the Growth and Transformation Plan II”, said Arkebe. Ethiopia’s five year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP I) has been completed earlier on September and the second five year GTP is launched during which the horn of Africa’s nation intends to accomplish a number of massive projects including Africa’s largest power plant project.
BUSINESS TIMES
DEAR AFROCENTRISTS, “AFRICAN PRINTS” ARE NOT FROM AFRICA I have had a lot of inquiries about the Kente
fabrics we sell at Dziffa.com with some asking just why our prints are so expensive when other outlets are selling them for $7 a yard. I want to address this by firstly saying that we don’t sell prints and the “African Prints” you buy are not made-in-Africa. I am going to use the picture below to address this topic.
in the name of “African Prints” were channeled to the continent, our manufacturers would have the financial resource to innovate the way they produce; the sector will be attractive to young people, provide jobs and contribute to the economy. Let’s all try and remember the last sentence the next
The fabric I’m wearing on my body is called Kente. It is made from cotton by skilled artisans and handwoven in the manner that spiders weave their web. It is very authentic. You can have them for decades and they will still look brand new. 6 yards of Kente can take about one week to make as every part of it is unique, requires a lot of focus, skill, and manpower. The headscarf I have on is an “Idea of Kente” stolen by the Chinese and co. and marketed to AfricanAmericans as “African prints.” African prints have no connection to the continent whatsoever and they are destroying our local fabric industry. To make matters worse, African market women are importing them and selling them to tourists as African. Instead of being offended and educating nonAfricans that the Chinese, Indians and a few local manufacturing companies are messing up our industry by stealing our ideas and marketing them as “African”, we are just following the trend and not stopping to tell people that “hey, this one is Kente from Ghana and this other one is just an idea of the Kente that is depriving us of customers we need to grow our local industry.” If all the money sent to non-African manufacturers
time we are tempted to buy a colorful Chinese print from someone marketing them to us as African. We are all contributors of this continent; we can either invest in its growth or contribute to its underdevelopment. No savior is coming and the bad guys don’t exist. We are the saviors, we can choose to go with the trends or change the wave. The ball is in our court. CREDIT: DZIFFA.COM
BUSINESS TIMES
BUSINESS TIMES
INTROSPECTION OF GUYANA’S BUDDING ECONOMY FROM OUR BUSINESS DESK
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Guyana expanded 3.60 percent in 2014 from the previous year. GDP Annual Growth Rate in Guyana averaged 2.07 percent from 1961 until 2014, reaching an all time high of 11.36 percent in 1964 and a record low of -13.19 percent in 1982. The Annual Growth Rate in Guyana as reported by the Bank of Guyana. Guyana’s economy is dependent on agriculture, mining gold, bauxite and eco-tourism. Recent debt reliefs under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries initiative and the entrance into the Caribbean Single Market and Economy have enabled investment on infrastructure and broadened the export market. As a result, commercial agriculture and industrial production has been expanding tremendously.
AFRICAN WOMEN NEED ACCESS TO LANDS
– AU COMMISSION CHAIR
A
U commission chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has bemoaned that women in most African countries don’t have access to land’ She says if women are denied land rights, poverty and victimization of women will pose a threat to women’s economic empowerment. According to Dlamini-Zuma, on the continent, 75% of people work on agriculture and most of them are women, but they do not have land rights. Dlamini-Zuma says, “Very few countries have been able to give women land rights. It means that if we need to empower women in the continent, we have to look at agriculture among other things.” She believes that women co-operatives can change the plight of women if issues of land rights and access to finance are addressed.
Dlamini-Zuma hinted that The African Union will start a campaign on the continent in which the banks must give a third of what they lend to women, saying, “The Kenyan government has shown a very good example, the president of Kenya and the government have decided that all government procurement must be divided into two and a third of it must go to women and young women, so if Kenya can do it why can’t we do it, why the rest of the continent cannot do it. Our generation has a responsibility of fighting inequality, poverty and unemployment”. She added. Dlamini added that, “We have to ensure that young women go to school and lastly focus on their work. “Our generation has a responsibility of fighting inequality, poverty and unemployment.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Talitha Johnson | UAW-Ford, media contact | tjohnson@ford.com 313-392-7030 (office number) UAW-Ford Hosts FREE Mammogram Screenings for Local Uninsured Women Free Mobile Mammograms to take place for five days at multiple locations throughout metro Detroit DETROIT (September 28, 2014) – In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, UAW-Ford will host its second annual Free Mammogram Program. This year it will offer a five-day mobile mammogram screening for metro Detroit’s uninsured women, held Oct. 12-16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. This year, the program length has extended, and will travel to four metro Detroit locations, enhancing accessibility: ⦁ Oct. 12: UAW-Ford (NPC), 151 W. Jefferson Detroit, MI 48226 ⦁ Oct. 13: Jermaine Jackson Community Center, 58 Orchard, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043 ⦁ Oct. 14: UAW-Ford Local 600, 10550 Dix Dearborn, MI 48120 ⦁ Oct. 15: UAW-Ford Local 900, 38200 Michigan Ave Wayne, MI 48184 ⦁ Oct. 16: UAW-Ford Local 387, 24250 Telegraph Rd Flat Rock, MI 48134 There will be 25 appointments available per day for women ages 40 and older to schedule a safe, secure mammogram screening by Northland Radiology, compliments of UAW-Ford. To schedule a confidential screening, attendees must make an appointment by calling: 313-392-7030. “Northland Radiology is committed to women's health and early detection of breast cancer. Fifty percent of uninsured women in metro Detroit haven't had a mammogram in the last 2 years,” said Pam Bradford, Northland Radiology mammogram technician and radiology safety officer. “When breast cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the survival rate is 97%. Each year, our partnership with UAW-Ford provides access to state-of-the-art digital mammograms to women throughout metro Detroit.” Results will be mailed, and will include a referral center in the event of detection. Last year the organization debuted a four-day mammogram screening, due to the overwhelming response, the program added another day to help meet the need. “Helping to improve the quality of life for the communities in which we live and work is a chief principle of UAW-Ford. We have a long history of working collectively to build strong cars and strong communities,” said Jimmy Settles, UAWFord vice president. “The UAW-Ford partnership enables us to offer programs that make a positive impact for others, such as the return of free mobile mammograms,” said Bill Dirksen, Ford Motor Company’s vice president of labor affairs. “We are proud to offer vital resources that contribute to building stronger communities.” About UAW-Ford Rooted in the spirit of labor and management cooperation, the UAW-Ford relationship also has grown over the years and today serves as a benchmark for how labor and management can successfully work together for the benefit of all. The UAW and Ford are more than just workers and a manufacturer that builds cars and trucks. Together, they’ve become leading supporters in the communities where they live and work, and are making substantial contributions to the quality of life of neighborhoods with artwork, music, athletics, and mentoring abilities.
COVER STORTY
Viola Davis
OPPORTUNITY’ FOR WOMEN OF COLOR
COVER STORTY
‘OPPORTUNITY’ FOR WOMEN OF COLOR Viola Davis By Kwadwo Gyan-Apenteng
In a historic moment, Viola Davis embodied black
womanhood; she is Harriet Tubman! She is Sojourner Truth! Indeed she is Yaa Asantewaa! She symbolizes strength in the phenomenal struggles and tribulations of all women of color around the world. She stood tall and gallant like a warrior goddess in place of her ancestors. Indeed she was not just speaking for herself, she spoke on behalf of the many women scientists, engineers, lawyers, teachers, nurses, doctors, artists, business women and black women in all facets of life. According to the National Women’s Law Center, Black women represented 12.5 percent of all American women workers in June 2009, in the two years following, black women accounted for more than 42 percent of jobs lost by all women. In Africa, women are the backbone of the economy; women do the farming, domestic chores and also contribute to political activities and decision making. They mostly stay at home and in the background while the men are encouraged to go to school. It must be noted that this has changed tremendously for the better, but with much work left to be done. Thus Mrs. Davis’ explosive speech should be seen as a reminder of the realities of black women around the world in diverse spheres of socio-economic trades. Viola Davis’ passionate and emotional acceptance speech at this year’s EMMY’s unequivocally stunned the audience. “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an EMMY for roles that are simply not there.” Frank and fervent, her words resonated with the world about the black woman’s plight, her struggles, and the injustice and inequality that lay wait. She is now the first woman of color to ever win in the category, though Debbie Allen, Alfre Woodard, Cicely Tyson, Regina Taylor, and Kerry Washington have been nominated in the past. Her nomination alone made history as well; with both Davis and Empire’s Taraji P. Henson nominated, it was the first time the category for lead actress in a drama series had ever included multiple women of color as nominees. Viola Davis remarkably paid tribute to fellow actresses and pioneers who paved the way for her: “So here’s to all the writers, the awesome people that
are Ben Sherwood, Paul Lee, Peter Nowalk, Shonda Rhimes, people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black”. “And to the Taraji P. Hensons, the Kerry Washingtons, the Halle Berrys, the Nicole Beharies, the Meagan Goods, to Gabrielle Union: Thank you for taking us over that line. Thank you to the Television Academy. Thank you”. Award-winning actress Viola Davis has earned raves for such films as Doubt andThe Help, as well as for such Broadway plays as King Hedley II and Fences. In 2015, she became the first AfricanAmerican woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role on How to Get Away with Murder. Born in South Carolina, Viola Davis grew up in Rhode Island, where she began acting—first in high school, and then at Rhode Island College. After attending the Juilliard School of Performing Arts, Davis soon made her Broadway debut in 1996. She won her first Tony Award in 2001, and was nominated for an Oscar in 2008 for Doubt. In 2011, Davis starred in the hit dramatic film The Help. She has also appeared in Ender’s Game (2013) and Get on Up (2014). In 2014, Davis returned to television in the mystery series How to Get Away with Murder, and the following year became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work on the show. Growing up poor in Rhode Island, Viola Davis found an oasis from her family’s financial woes in watching movies. Her father worked at racetracks, often as a horse groomer. She discovered a love of acting early in high school. In 1988, Davis earned her degree in theatre At Rhode Island College. From there, she soon continued her studies at the famed Juilliard School of Performing Arts in New York City. Before long, Davis began to establish a name for herself in the New York theater world. She made her Broadway debut in August Wilson’s tragic comedy Seven Guitars in 1996. In the play, Davis starred as Vera, a woman who takes back the boyfriend who wronged her. She again worked with Wilson on his 2001 drama King Hedley II, for which she won her first Tony Award. There is no doubt that Mrs. Davis is a voice for the voiceless. She has endeared herself to the hearts of her worldwide fans especially women of color, ushering in a great sense of dignity and pride in spite of injustice and inequality.
PROFILE
NAA TSOTOO SOYOO I A DYNAMIC QUEEN
A Dynamic Queen By Dr. E. Ofori Bekoe
H
er Royal Highness, Naa Tsotoo Soyoo I is the epitome of tradition meeting modernity. She is from the Ga ethnicity of Accra, Ghana. Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I, was born Pauline Codjoe and attended the prestigious Methodist School, Wesley Grammar School, in Accra. In August 2010 she was enstooled by the Ngleshie Alata Traditonal Area as Amamole Djaase Manye (Divisional KIngmaker Queen) with the name Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I. Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I is a progressive Queen who not only works effectively in helping her community in Ghana alone, but also the Ghanaian community in London where she is domiciled. In Ghana, Her Royal Highness has established Ten Talents Network, a skill-based learning organization. People in this organization are trained in various trades and placed in ventures to make them independent in obtaining livelihoods. Naa is also the patron of BTS Kanemo Community Library Project in Accra. The project is not only aimed at helping to enrich people’s abilities to read and write, but to protect their civil rights against various forms of abuse, especially domestic. In the UK, Her Royal Highness promotes her Ghanaian culture in various ways. She plays an active role, as the chairperson of the UK Joint Homowo Organizing Committee in the annual Homowo festival. Amidst pomp and pageantry, Homowo (hooting at hunger) is celebrated yearly to commemorate how the Ga people overcame famine during their travels to their current state of Accra. Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I is actively involved in Ga-Dangme Community and is the Secretary General of the Federation of Ghanaian Diaspora (FEGHADE) in Europe as well as the Vice President of the Ghana Union and Secretary of the National Council of Ghanaian Unions in the UK . She is the Editor of CLABASH!, the Ghana Union Newsletter, and regular columnist for the ECHO Newspaper in
NAA TSOTSOO SOYOO AT BRITISH PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE
Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I with the Ashanti King Otumfuo Osei Tutu and other dignitaries
London. She is also a feature columnist for the Daily Graphic in Ghana. Naa is responsible for sourcing and nominating worthy Ghanaian Women for the annual prestigious WOMEN4AFRICA Awards and has nominated the likes of Nana Oye Lithur, Superintendent Naa Ashorkor Quaye, and Honourable Rita Odoley Sowah for recognition. Naa has the passion to always fight for the impoverished and the downtrodden. It is her common belief that the Other-Half should not be “trampled” upon by the rich and powerful. In 2013, the UK government proposed a discriminatory £3000 visa bond targeted at Ghanaians, Nigerians, and other people from selected Asian countries visiting the UK. The courageous Queen led traditional rulers to Prime Minister David Cameron’s office, #10 Downing Street, to present a petition to have that proposed fee scrapped and they were successful. Her Royal Highness’ work has been recognized by
several organizations in the UK, Ghana, and the USA. In 2014, she was awarded the Global Visionary Women Award and has been nominated for the 2015 Extraordinary People’s Award in Dallas, Texas in the USA. When asked about how she is able to juggle her daily busy schedule with raising her two children as a devoted mother, she explained that she plans her day with her family in mind, thus referring to the popular business adage, “failing to plan is planning to fail.” The Queen holds several academic laurels—she holds a degree in Law, Politics and International Studies, and a Postgraduate in Project Management and is currently considering a research doctorate into the relationship between Domestic Abuse and Migration.
REMBER THE TIMES
REMEMBERING
THE
TIMES
CELEBRATING WOMEN OF COLOR
Empress Menen Asfaw Menen Asfaw was the Empress consort of the Ethiopian Empire. She was the wife of Emperor Haile Selassie. Menen was born Itege Menen Asfaw to an Oromo family. She was the daughter of Asfaw, Jantirar of Ambassel. Her grandfather was Ras Mikael of Wollo, and her uncle was Emperor Iyasu V, Lij Iyasu. Empress Menen was active in promoting women’s issues in Ethiopia. She was patroness well as sponsored programs for the poor, of the Ethiopian Red Cross, and the Ethiopian ill and disabled. Women’s Charitable Organization.
Empress Menen performed perfectly
She was also patroness of the Jerusalem in the role of Empress-consort. In her Society that arranged for pilgrimages to public role she combined religious piety, the Holy Land.
concern for social causes, and support for development schemes with the majesty
She founded the Empress Menen School of her Imperial status. Outwardly she for Girls in Addis Ababa, the first all-girls was the dutiful wife, visiting schools, school which had both boarding and day churches, exhibitions and model farms, students.
attending public and state events at her husband’s side or by herself.
Girls from all over the Empire were brought to the school to receive a modern education, Following her death in 1962, the Empress encouraged by the Empress who visited was buried in the crypt of Holy Trinity it often and presided over its graduation Cathedral in Addis Ababa among the ceremonies. The Empress gave generously, as tombs of her children.
Rosa Parks educated man 10 years her senior who worked as a barber and was a long-time member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He supported Rosa in her efforts to earn her high-school diploma, which she ultimately did the following year. By refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama city bus in 1955, black seamstress Rosa Parks helped initiate the civil rights movement
Rosa
Louise McCauley was born in
Tuskegee, Alabama, on February 4, 1913. She moved with her parents, James and Leona McCauley, to Pine Level, Alabama, at age 2. Her family valued education as her mother was a teacher. Rosa moved to Montgomery, Alabama, at age 11 and eventually attended a laboratory school at the Alabama State Teachers’ College for Negroes. She left at 16, early in 11th grade because she needed to care for her dying grandmother and, shortly thereafter, her chronically ill mother. In 1932, at 19, she married Raymond Parks, a self-
to its greatest extent in the United States of America. The leaders of the local black community organized a bus boycott that began the day Parks was convicted of violating the segregation laws. Led by a young Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the boycott lasted more than a year and ended only when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional. Over the next half-century, Parks became a nationally recognized symbol of dignity and strength in the struggle to end entrenched racial segregation.
FUNMILAYO RANSOME KUTI Funmilayo
Ransome Kuti, was born on
October 25, 1900 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. She was also the first woman in Nigeria to drive a car. Ransome-Kuti’s political activism led to her being described as the doyen of female rights in Nigeria, as well as “The Mother of Africa.” She was a powerful force advocating for the Nigerian woman’s right to vote. She was described in 1947 by the West African Pilot as the “Lioness of Lisabi” for leading the women of her clan, the Egba, on a campaign against women’s rights in the 1950s. She founded their arbitrary taxation.
an organization for women in Abeokuta, with a membership tally of more than
That struggle led to the abdication of 20,000 individuals spanning both literate the Egba high king, Oba Ademola II in 1949. and illiterate women. Kuti was the mother of the activists Fela Anikulapo Kuti, a musician, Beko Ransome- Ransome-Kuti launched the organization Kuti, a doctor, and Professor Olikoye into public consciousness when she Ransome-Kuti, a doctor and former health rallied women against price controls that minister of Nigeria. She is also grandmother were hurting the female merchants of to musicians Seun Kuti and Femi Kuti.
the Abeokuta markets. Trading was one of the major occupations of women in
Throughout her career, she was known as Western Nigeria at the time. In 1949, she an educator and activist. She and Elizabeth led a protest against Native Authorities, Adekogbe provided dynamic leadership for especially against the Alake of Egbaland.
HARRIET TUBMAN family behind in order to escape. Despite a bounty on her head, she returned to the South at least 19 times to lead her family and hundreds of other slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Tubman’s resistance to slavery did not end with the outbreak of the Civil War. Her services as nurse, scout, and spy were solicited by the Union government. For more than three years, she nursed the sick and wounded in Florida and the Carolinas, tending whites and blacks, soldiers and contrabands.
Harriet
Tubman became famous as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad during the turbulent 1850s. Born a slave on Maryland’s eastern shore, she endured the harsh existence of a field hand, including brutal beatings. In 1849, she fled slavery, leaving her husband and
Her most memorable appearance was at the organizing meeting of the National Association of Colored Women in 1896 in Washington, D.C. Two generations came together to celebrate the strength of black women and to continue their struggle for a life of dignity and respect. Harriet Tubman, the oldest member present, was the embodiment of their strength and struggle.
MIRIAM MAKEBA Miriam Makeba, also known as “Mama
Africa,” was a popular South-African singer who introduced Xhosa and Zulu songs to Western audiences. She was born Zensi Miriam Makeba on March 4, 1932, in Prospect Township, near Johannesburg, South Africa, to a Xhosa, father and a Swazi, mother. She started singing in her school choir as a young girl, and by the mid-1950s, she was landing local gigs as a full-time professional singer. Her singing appearance in the documentary Come Back, Africa (1959) attracted the interest of Harry Belafonte. In 1960, she was denied re-entry into South Africa, and subsequently, she lived in exile for three decades. With Mr. Belafonte’s help, Makeba settled in the United States, where she embarked on a successful singing and recording career. In 1962, Makeba performed at President John F. Kennedy’s birthday celebration. In 1965, she and Belafonte released the album An Evening with Belafonte & Makeba, which included two duos by the musicians: “Train Song” and “Cannon.” The album earned Makeba and Belafonte a Grammy Award for best folk recording in 1966. Makeba’s song “Pata Pata,” originally released in South Africa in the late 1950s, but not released in the United States until
1967, is considered by many to be her most popular single. She is also wellknown for the songs “The Click Song” and “Malaika,” and for introducing to the West, a number of Xhosa, Zulu, and Swahili songs. She received renewed attention in the mid-1980s, after she met the famed Paul Simon and joined his history-making Graceland tour. The tour focused attention on apartheid in Makeba’s homeland, where she would eventually return due to encouragement from Nelson Mandela after his release from prison in 1990. She continued making music and working as a civil rights activist until her death in 2008. By the end of the decade, she had made a name for herself throughout South Africa.
QUEEN NANNY main crop, and the slaves toiled under extremely harsh conditions. As a child, Nanny was influenced by other slave leaders and maroons. She and her “brothers”, Accompong, Cudjoe, Johnny and Quao, ran away from their plantation and hid in the Blue Mountains area of northern Saint Thomas Parish. While in hiding, they split up to organize more Maroon communities across Jamaica: Cudjoe went to Saint James Parish and organized a village, which was later named Cudjoe Town; Accompong settled in Saint Elizabeth Parish, in a community that came to be known as Accompong Town; Nanny and ueen Nanny or Nanny was born in 1685 Quao founded communities in Portland in Jamaica. She was a well-known leader of Parish. She was married to a Maroon the Jamaican Maroons in the 18th century. named Adou. Much of what is known about Nanny comes from oral history as little information exists Nanny became a folk hero. There were in text. stories of British attacks on Nanny Town, but thanks to the strategic Nanny was born around 1686 in what is location and her idea of having only now Ghana, West Africa to the Ashanti tribe one entrance and exit to the town, they and was brought to Jamaica as a slave. were able to fight off all, but one British soldier even though they were severely It is believed that some of her family outnumbered. Cudjoe went on to lead members were involved in intertribal conflict slave rebellions in Jamaica. and her village was captured. Upon arrival in Jamaica, Nanny was likely sold to a plantation Nanny was very adept at organizing in Saint Thomas Parish, just outside the Port plans to free slaves. For over 30 years, Royal area. Nanny freed more than 800 slaves, and helped them to resettle in the Maroon Such plantations grew sugarcane as their community.
Q
QUEEN NZINGA Queen Nzinga Mbande was a ruthless and
powerful 17th century African ruler of the Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms, modernday Angola. Nzinga fearlessly and cleverly fought for the freedom and stature of her kingdoms against the Portuguese, who were colonizing the area at the time. Unlike many other rulers in her era, Nzinga was able to adapt to the changing circumstances in power that surrounded her. By her own determination and refusal to give in to the Portuguese without a fight, she transformed her kingdom into a formidable commercial state on equal footing with the Portuguese colonies. Nzinga took over as ruler of the nearby kingdom of Matamba, capturing Queen In 1617 the new governor of Luanda began an Mwongo Matamba and routing her army. aggressive campaign against the kingdom of Nzinga then made Matamba her capital, Ndongo. His troops invaded the capital and joining it to the Kingdom of Ndongo. forced King Ngola Mbandi, Nzinga’s brother, to flee from the area. Thousands of Ndongo people To build up her kingdom’s martial power, were taken as prisoners. Nzinga offered sanctuary to runaway slaves and Portuguese-trained African soldiers. The king sent his sister Nzinga Mbandi to She stirred up rebellion among the people negotiate a peace treaty in 1621, which she did still left in Ndongo, now ruled by the successfully. Portuguese. Portugal however did not honor the terms of Nzinga also reached out to the Dutch and the treaty, and King Ngola Mbandi committed invited them to join her troops. She told suicide, leaving the kingdom to his sister Nzinga. the Dutch she would be happy to ally with them because of their justice and politeness, Nzinga re-entered negotiations with the whereas the Portuguese were proud and Portuguese. At the time, Ndongo was under haughty. attack from both the Portuguese and neighboring By her passing in 1661 at age 81, Matamba African aggressors. Nzinga realized that in order was on equitable terms with the Portuguese to achieve peace and for her kingdom to remain colony. They came to respect Queen Nzinga viable, she needed to become an intermediary. for her shrewdness and tenacity.
YAA ASANTEWAA Stool, the symbol of unity of the Asante nation. This request led to a secret meeting of the remaining members of the Asante government at Kumasi, to discuss how to secure the return of their king. There was a disagreement among those present on how to go about this. Yaa Asantewaa was present and stood to address the members of the council with these now-famous words:
Nana Yaa Asantewaa was appointed queen
mother of Ejisu in the Asante Empire, now part of modern day Ghana. In 1900, she led the Asante rebellion known as the War of the Golden Stool, also known as the Yaa Asantewaa War against British colonialism. During her brother’s reign, Yaa Asantewaa saw the Asante Confederacy go through a series of events that threatened its future, including civil war from 1883 to 1888. When her brother died in 1894, Yaa Asantewaa used her right as Queen Mother to nominate her own grandson as Ejisuhene. When the British exiled him in the Seychelles in 1896,the King of Asante, Nana Prempeh I, and other members of the Asante government, Yaa Asantewaa became regent of the Ejisu-Juaben District. After the deportation of Prempeh I, the British governor-general of the Gold Coast, Frederick Hodgson, demanded the Golden
“Now I see that some of you fear to go forward to fight for our king. If it was in the brave days of Osei Tutu, Okomfo Anokye, and Opoku Ware I, chiefs would not sit down to see their king to be taken away without firing a shot. No European could have dared speak to chiefs of Asante in the way the governor spoke to you this morning. Is it true that the bravery of Asante is no more? I cannot believe it. It cannot be! I must say this: if you, the men of Asante, will not go forward, then we will. We, the women, will. I shall call upon my fellow women. We will fight!” With this, she took on leadership of the Asante Uprising of 1900, gaining the support of additional Asante nobility. Beginning in March 1900, the rebellion laid siege to the fort at Kumasi where the British had sought refuge. The fort still stands today as the Kumasi Fort and Military Museum. Several months after the start of the rebellion, the Gold Coast governor eventually sent a force of 1,400 to silence the revolt. During the course of this, Queen Yaa Asantewaa and 15 of her closest advisers were captured, and they too were sent into exile to the Seychelles.
WINNIE MANDELA Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was born
Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela on September 26, 1936. She is a South African activist and politician who worked and fought tirelessly against South African apartheid regime. Winnie Mandela held several government positions and headed the African National Congress Women’s League. She is a member of the ANC’s National Executive Committee. She was married to Nelson Mandela for 38 years, including 27 years during which he was imprisoned. She
emerged
as
a
leading
opponent
of apartheid during the later years of her She was born in the village of Mbongweni, Bizana, husband’s imprisonment. in what is now South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. She held a number of jobs in various parts of what
For many of those years, she was exiled to the
was then the Bantustan of Transkei.
town of Brandfort in the Orange Free State and confined to the area, except for the times she
Despite
restrictions
on
education was allowed to visit her husband at the prison
of blacks during apartheid, she earned a degree on Robben Island. in social work from the Jan Hofmeyer School in Johannesburg, and several years later earned a Beginning in 1969, she spent eighteen months Bachelor’s degree in international relations from in solitary confinement at Pretoria Central the University of Witwatersrand.
Prison.
Owing to her political activities, Winnie was regularly It was at this time that Winnie Mandela became detained by the South African government. She well known in the West. She organized local was tortured, subjected to house arrest, kept under clinics, campaigned actively for equal rights, surveillance, held in solitary confinement for over a and was promoted by the ANC as a symbol of year and banished to a remote town.
its struggle against apartheid.
SOJOUNER TRUTH
Sojourner
Truth was a prominent abolitionist, women’s rights activist, and evangelist. Born in 1797, she is remembered for her unschooled but remarkable voice raised in support of the freedmen and feminism. Truth was six feet tall, blessed with a powerful voice (she spoke English with a Dutch accent), and driven by deep religious conviction. She is well known for her rousing speech, “Ain’t I a Woman” from an Ohio Women’s Convention in 1851. During the Civil War, Truth trampled the roads of Michigan collecting food and clothing for black regiments. She traveled to Washington, D.C., where she met with Abraham Lincoln at the White House, and immersed herself in relief work for the freed people. She died of old age and ulcerated legs in 1883. Her funeral and burial in Battle Creek was the largest the town had ever seen, a testimony to her hold on America’s hearts and minds.
FASHION FOCUS
NEHITA
MONALISA OKOJIE
NEHITA GLAMOUR TO GLOBAL GIVING
By Deborah Lathan Hayter
It is just before sunrise in southern
California and Monalisa Okojie has already begun her day. A devout Catholic, she starts her morning with church and prayers, and an hour at the gym, and then she begins her hectic schedule as a wife, a mother of two active teens, and a successful business woman. Monalisa, a Nigerian by birth, lives and works between two continents; the United States and Africa. She leads a purpose-driven life and believes in giving back, not just through philanthropic works, but by engaging others in her quest to bring awareness Monalisa believes in helping others. to those who can make positive In fact, she was involved in a number changes in underserved populations. of fundraising and Red Carpet Events in both America and Africa Her cell phone is ringing with before founding Upward African congratulations. Her Facebook page Woman. “Celebrities bring attention is full and there are congratulatory to the plight of others better than text messages from all over the world any other population, but they do because she is this year’s recipient of not necessarily make an organization the Millionaires and Entrepreneurs sustainable,” said Monalisa. with a Cause award. This award is given to those who work to bring The Board of Directors of UAW about positive changes helping others are professional women who feel lead more productive lives. as strongly as she does about their
in downtown Los Angeles, is extremely proud and supportive of Monalisa and her work, sharing in the juggling of three active children.
responsibility to give back. UAW is an organization focused on providing impoverished African women and children with educational materials and support. Borrowing from the popular African Proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” Monalisa embodies the spirit of her ancestors and even encourages her husband and children to do so. Although the Okojie children are excelling in school, she encourages them to participate in charitable endeavors. Last year they went as a family to feed the homeless during one of the American holidays. Monalisa’s daughter participates in fundraisers for the UAW charity and brings her friends along to help. Her husband, Odeon, who has a burgeoning law firm
Monalisa was born a princess from Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria. She attended St. Mary’s, a private school in Lagos. After completing her studies at St. Mary’s, she went on to Federal Government Girls College in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, and received her law degree from the University of Ekpoma; she graduated from the Lagos Law School. However, her love for fashion and jewelry lead her to a different career path. In 2008 she received her certification from the Gemological Institute of America in California.
selection of gems, including topaz, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. She is very adamant about letting clients and prospective clients know that all of her gems are conflict free. Her company recently expanded its line to include breathtakingly beautiful and colorful African print scarves. These scarves were launched Today, Monalisa is known in Beverly Hills, California as the “Jewelry Designer to the Stars.” Her exquisite pieces have been worn by a number of celebrities, most notably, Whitney Houston, Meagan Good, Vince Gelonese, Brandy, Natalie Cole, Lisa Raye, CCH Pounder, and Omarosa among others. She even designed a special necklace called “Hope” for Halle Barry’s Jenessee Foundation. Her love of jewelry started out as a favorite pastime, inspired by her mother, who is also a designer. She has elements of her deeply rooted African culture in all of her designs. “I have always loved gems and color,” said Monalisa. “I used to play on the beach as a child and through either conscious or unconscious recall, I seemed to gravitate towards the colors of the sea and stones I used to find on the beach.” Several years ago, Monalisa founded the Nehita Jewelry Brand, using a wide
during New York Fashion Week to a very receptive audience from film and television. The scarves will be worn as fashion statements, not just an accessory. A portion of the sales of these scarves will go to her foundation, Upward African Woman. Monalisa’s passion and natural talent is an inspiration to generations to come. Through education and fashion, she has uplifted those in need through charitable works locally and internationally.
THE ARTS
UGOCHI
JEWEL OF AFRICA
UGOCHI-JEWEL OF AFRICA BY KWADWO GYAN-APENTENG A.K.A. KOJO SANKOFA
Chicago
based songstress, Ugochi is set to thrill the world with her distinctive and versatile Afrocentric music.
in Europe, including Paris, Amsterdam, London, Leeds, and Italy, as well as Nigeria, Brazil, and Jamaica. She also performed in Dance Africa Chicago 2001 where she received rave reviews by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times. In 2003, legendary Chicago diva Chaka Khan saluted the emerging artist as “someone who will have a long life in the music business,” when she was selected as a semi-finalist on Star Search.
She has carved a niche as a spectacular performer, artiste and poet breaking bounds as an outstanding international musician. Ugochi has certainly endeared herself to the hearts of her worldwide fans with her energetic and spirit-filled music.
Apparently, Ugochi wrote the only original song for the critically acclaimed “Red Hot and Riot Compilation,” in honor of the late Fela Ransome Kuti and global AIDS awareness. The song, So Be It, was performed by Rhythmand Blues star Kelis.
Her choreo-poetic style of spoken word has been fused with her distinct singing style to create a recipe of a much formidable ‘sound power’ fascination. A native of Nigeria, Ugochi has matured and nurtured her talent to become an outstanding songstress in her own right.
In 2009, Ugochi and the Afro Soul Ensemble were featured on the Africa Channel, Soundtracks at Red Kiva. This hour long, televised performance aired internationally and was one of the highlights of the show series, according to the networks producers.
She has toured in many parts of the world, performing and lifting people through the power of her music. She has traveled to many countries
There is no doubt that African diva Ugochi is set to storm the world with her captivating music and afro-centric style.
ERYKAH BADU
FEEL BETTER WORLD
E
rykah Badu shares a new project packed with songs from her favorite funk, jazz, and soul artists. The songwriter compiled all of her favorite recordings on a new mixtape titled FEEL BETTER, WORLD. Ms Badu dug deep for a spirit-filled 80 minute mix that uses a selection of songs by Donny Hathhaway, Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder and a host of others including Badu herself to create a synergy of hope and vision. It starts dark and dissonant, clattering through Gary Bartz’s avant jazz and James Brown’s bleak “King Heroin” before making its way in a climax where Hathway suggests that someday we will all be free. Erykah Badu is best known for her soulful music style, showcased on albums such as the Grammy Award-winning Baduizm and 1997’s Live. Born in 1971 in Dallas, Texas, Erykah Badu was exposed to the arts early on, and eventually began to perform in shows at the local Dallas Theater Center. In 1996, Badu’s demo caught the attention of music producer Kedar Massenburg, who signed her and paired her with D’Angelo to record the song “Your Precious Love.” Kedar Entertainment later merged with Universal Motown. Today, Badu is best known for her soulful music style, as a social activist and cultural icon.
THE ARTS
CAPE TOWN’S
DANCEHALL
QUEEN,
LADY SLICE
Photo by: The Star Newspaper
Lady Slice is a young phenomenal
artist from Cape Town, born in Gugulethu, this amazing young woman has been stunning her fans in South Africa.
THE ARTS Slice is a reggae/dancehall artiste and dancer, well known for her leg-splitting prowess. She is also an event organizer. Lady Slice was raised around artistes and the reggae movement in South Africa. She started as a backing vocalist for artists like Daddy Spencer and Black Dillinger and eventually got motivated to write her own songs. Currently Lady Slice is a member of Outspoken Youth Initiative, OYI, and also the Activate Change Drivers’ Network. These are organizations spearheading Youth Developments in South Africa. She was one of the founding members of a female dancehall crew, known as the Riddim Rascalz, which is an energetic and psychedelic group known for their intense choreography and flexibility. She calls it the ‘Dancehall Queen Style’. “One of my life visions is to see art being taken seriously by the South African Government; it can contribute greatly towards our economy and also the state of affairs”. She goes on to say, “Not all kids are academically gifted, and those who are not good at school have no alternative, leading to school drop-outs, drug abuse, and ‘gangsterism’.” Lady Slice is set to become a prominent performer and a force to be reckoned with on the South African Dancehall scene. She has big dreams and ideas to inspire and give a voice to the voiceless through her music and dance. Slice plans to open a female gym in the future.
Zanzibar
International Film Festival
THE ARTS
ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
SAPHIA NGALAPI, ZANZIBAR TANZANIA, INTERVIEWS THE DIRECTOR OF ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Z
IFF is possibly the largest film and arts festival in East and Central Africa. The festival takes place at Stone Town in Zanzibar, a World Heritage Site celebrating 700 years of multicultural history. Each year the festival has a theme under which activities are structured. The official Theme for the 19th version of the festival for 2016 is “This Journey of Ours”, ‘Ndiyo Hii Safari Yetu’ in Swahili. The festival plays a large role in utilizing the arts as a platform to promote unity and culture. Associate Professor Martin Mhando is the Director of the Zanzibar International Film Festival. He has worked in Media Production with Murdoch University Australia for 14 years. He has now returned to Tanzania, but retains links with the university as a Research Fellow. Professor Mhando is an award-winning filmmaker with credits in feature and documentary productions for Maangamizi (feature 2001), Mama Tumaini (feature 2007), and Liyarn Ngarn (doc. 2017), among others. He has served on juries in festivals in many places such as Brazil, Spain, and Australia Martin Mhando is co-editor of the Journal of African Cinemas. His areas of research include African Cinema, Indigenous Knowledge, Documentary, Festival Studies, and Participatory Media. Sophy Ngalapi caught up with Professor Martin Mhando for Pan African Times magazine. How long has the festival been around? ZIFF is East Africa’s largest film, music and arts festival.
It brings new talents together from all over the world for a Zanzibar Tamasha! Established in 1998, its aim is to contribute to regional socio-cultural growth through creating spaces and events where film, music, and other art forms are showcased and explored. ZIFF aims to increase the creative capacities and incomes of artists and other participants in the community through improving the market systems. We promote local talent in film and music, showcasing new and old creative achievements. There are opportunities to indulge in the arts and crafts. Over 6,000 foreigners throng the festival each year. “Zanzibar International Film Festival is indeed a major tourist and economic event. We calculate that ZIFF brings to the Island over $15million worth of business in the art and culture and tourism sectors”, says CEO Professor Martin Mhando. Why is it called the Festival of the Dhow Countries? How did the name come about? The symbol of the festival is the dhow, the single sail vessel that has been used by many maritime societies in the Indian Ocean. That is why we also call ourselves “The Festival of the Dhow Countries” celebrating thousands of years of communication between peoples of the Indian Ocean world using the dhow. What are the achievements of the festival since it started? ZIFF is credited for the creation of other cultural institutions that are also renowned around the world, such as the Dhow Countries Music Academy (DMCA)
THE ARTS and Sauti Za Busara Music Festival in Zanzibar, Rwanda Film Festival, and Amakula Film Festival in Uganda to name just a few. Also, ZIFF is credited with bringing new names to the industry highlighted by this year’s Oscar winner Lupita Nyongo who had her training in festival management at ZIFF in 2006 and 2007. Every year the festival showcases international stars. Shaggy graced the stage in 2009 and over 3,000 people congregated to view his performance. It was the highest grossing event in Zanzibar bringing in Tsh 49 million! What is the Vision of the festival for the years to come? ZIFF’s vision is to produce and deliver a film-centered international forum for interaction and engagement through art and multiculturalism. We would like to maintain a professional, annual festival of the dhow countries and provide other artistic and event management services all the while, contributing to regional artistic and socio-economic growth. We want the festival to be a vehicle for community development contributing to regional socio-cultural growth through film, music performances, and other art forms. These mediums will engage the people and help to promote and develop expansion as it relates to dhow culture. Furthermore, a great part of our vision is to create a forum where children will be able to engage with society, as it is their human right, and enable their development physically, mentally, and culturally, utilizing the power of film. It is our goal to expose the talent of local women and provide an opportunity for them to express themselves spiritually and intellectually with their giftedness. We want to promote economic growth engage village communities to enhance cultural exchange and sustainable tourism in the region. Bongo film has not been given its proper recognition as an industry in Tanzania. ZIFF recognizes the role it plays in advancing Swahili culture. From 2009 we have been giving awards for the best films in Bongo movies. From 2013 we began giving cash awards to the
winners, thus encouraging excellence and improved creativity. We want these films to compete on an international level. Tell us about your program line up designed towards the youth? For 10 days Zanzibar children had their own platform dubbed “The Children Panorama”. They watch films organized under visiting and participating schools programs and attend life skills workshops that enable them to cope with their evolutionary life styles. The ‘Women Panorama’ puts together workshops and other activities using films to prompt discussions relating to health, business, the arts and marine cultures. In villages we undertake local cultural arts activities including ‘dhow races’ and bull fighting to keep the cosmopolitan culture of Zanzibar alive. The Zanzibar International Film Festival has become a major festival in the sub region and is recognized as one of the most exciting film festivals on the African continent. Even through economic challenges, ZIFF has maintained its solid programming to showcase the finest films and entertainment to the world.
Naki
Naki Speaks!
THE ARTS
NAKI SPEAKS!
By Saesha M. Nix
Langston Hughes, and Toi Derricote. This was only the beginning of her studies as she went on to obtain a BA in Fine Arts with a concentration in poetry from the University of Toledo. “Words have power.” She uses poetry as a catalyst to empower people and impart them to be careful to use their words with good intent. Naki became the co-founder of D.E.E.P. (Developing Empowering Enhancing Poets through Poetry) to give students a stage to freely and artistically share their ideas. She is currently a Writer Clinician, teaching creative writing to children at Covenant Youth Development and Youth Arts at Work.
A
Renaissance woman is how she sees herself; not being limited to doing any one thing, but expansive to do any and everything she can put her mind and heart into, and she does. Naki Akrobettoe is a radiant and artistic woman. From poetry, to painting, to dancing and teaching all while engulfed in the acts of motherhood, she lives her life creatively and purposefully. Naki believes that she did not choose poetry, it chose her. At the young age of twelve, her love for poetry took form. It stemmed from seeing performances at Snaps and Taps, a local venue in her hometown, Columbus, Ohio, that gave artists a platform to express themselves. She fell more deeply for spoken word when she saw Russell Simmons’ HBO poetry series, Def Poetry Jam also known as Def Poetry. Hosted by Yassim Bey, previously known as Mos Def, the show featured many great artists such as Nikki Giovanni, Floetry, and Lauryn Hill to name a few. Naki began to research prestigious poets, such as Phyllis Wheatley,
She has graced many stages, opening up for Talib Kweli, and also for the SB5 rally organized by Stand Up For Ohio with her dynamic piece, “I SPEAK” with over 2,000 listeners in attendance. She also opened for Melanie Fiona at “The Pink Gala”, an annual benefit for the Karmanos Cancer Institute, and was the feature poet for the “Sista Strut” breast cancer walk held annually in Detroit. She has recorded two albums, Penstrokes in May 2010 and A Timeless Miracle in December of 2014. Naki was a host on the radio show “The Session” WXUT 88.3 FM and has also been featured at Tripple Croxx Entertainment’s off-broad way production, “The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show” with HBO Def Poet, M’Reld and the internationally renowned, Tasha Jones. Although born in America, Naki has an impassioned bond with Ghana. She plans to spend the rest of her life discovering her roots and heritage. “There’s so much I don’t know and desire to know.” She feels that moving to this beautiful country is necessary for her spirit to thrive. With her father being from Ghana, and her mother from America, she is truly living on the line of the cultural divide. Surely, Ghana will welcome her with open arms as she has already been invited to teach spoken word there at a school called MultiKids Inclusive Academy. In her online blog, Black Star Experience, she allows readers to peer into her thoughts and her life as she prepares to make Ghana her new home by November. Naki is certainly an inspiration to many women in America and on the African continent, glowing like the morning sun; Naki brings words to life in an utterly rhapsodic realm.
POETRY CORNER
PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL By Shaun Moore-Bey
SISTAH, U R PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL JUST AS U R! U NEED NOT CHANGE ONE THING, ONE PHYSICAL QUALITY, ONE TANGIBLE CHARACTERISTIC THAT THE CREATOR HAS BLESSED U WITH! SISTAH, YOUR HAIR IS PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL IN ITS NATURAL STATE OF STRONG DIVINE WOOL, JUST LIKE THE MOTHER OF JESUS. SISTAH, YOUR SKIN IS PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL IN ITS NATURAL STATE OF GOLD, CARAMEL, MAHOGANY AND CHOCOLATE, THAT HAS BEEN KISSED BY THE SUN, JUST LIKE THE SUPREME GODDESS ASET. SISTAH, YOUR CURVES R PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL IN THEIR NATURAL STATE OF ROYAL THICKNESS THAT EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD IS IN AWE OF. SISTAH, YOUR FACIAL FEATURES R PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL IN THEIR NATURAL STATE, EYES THAT R AS DEEP AS THE FARTHEST GALAXY; NOSES AS WIDE AS THE ARMS OF ALLAH, SKIN AS SOFT AS THE ESSENCE OF WHAT FLUFFY CLOUDS R MADE OF, CHEEK BONES AS HIGH AS THE MOUNTAIN TOP THAT WAS SEEN BY MLK, AND LIPS AS PLENTIFUL AS THE AIR WE BREATHE IN AND OUT NATURALY; JUST LIKE YOUR BIRTHRITE OF INNER AND OUTER BEAUTY. SISTAH, U WERE CREATED FIRST. YOU ARE THEREFORE THE BLUEPRINT FOR ALL OTHER WOMEN THAT WOULD COME AFTER YOU. U R THE MOST GLORIOUS, THE MOST INCREDIBLE, THE MOST AWE-INSPIRING ENTITY IN THIS WORLD, THUS, U NEED NOT CHANGE ONE THING, ONE PHYSICAL QUALITY, ONE TANGIBLE CHARACTERISTIC THAT THE CREATOR HAS BLESSED U WITH, CAUSE SISTAH, U R PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL JUST AS U R! ~FOR ALL WHO LOVE THE SKIN THAT THEY HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH, AND FOR ALL WHO HOPEFULY WILL LEARN TO~
Shaun Moore-Bey is a proud Moorish American and Detroit na-
tive whose two major passions are working with youth and the arts. As a big ball of artistic energy, he is a poet, artist, motivational speaker, and recording artist (with five poetic albums to date). He is currently working on a poetry book, as well as a children’s book. A truck driver by profession, Shaun also holds a 2nd degree black belt in the art of smiling! Connect with him on all social media under his name, Shaun Moore-Bey, by email at Smoore.bey30@gmail.com, or by phone at +1-313-648-6874
Black Girl
By David M. Muhsin
Black girl
Be black. Be you Be full Black girl Be beautiful. Don’t bury your burdens Be willing to share We are willing to hold you We are willing to care The beholder can see you so who cares if they stare. Hope these words can restore you Sometimes life isn’t fair. Just breath in all the oxygen that your organs can bare If holding in all this carbon You can no longer withstand Release oxytocin Standing close hand in hand And we’ll fight past oppression As together we stand (signed) Sincerely, your partner, a loving black man.
David Muhsin aka Qwhyit Storm
is a Poet, Activist, Musician, Visual Artist, Graphic and Web Designer. He is a Detroit, MI. native and proud member of the Detroit Poetry Society. Qwhyit Storm who from a young age has been attracted to art in various forms. His constant positive outlook is what has helped him overcome the obstacles of life. David Mushin uses his love for the arts to tell his story, as well as others, with hopes to inspire change.
Find him on Facebook: David Muhsin Fan Page: Qwhyitstorm E-mail: qwhyitstorm@gmail.com
AROUND THE WORLD
BEAUTIFUL
BAHAMAS ISLAND
The Bahamas has the clearest
waters in the world, with visibility of over 61m (200 ft). It has been scientifically proven that a specific alga, which requires light to live, is found deeper in the waters surrounding The Bahamas than anywhere else on earth. The Islands of The Bahamas are made entirely of calcium carbonate, which is mainly produced by the organisms of coral reefs.
The Bahamas has no rivers. It has the world’s third-longest barrier reef. Five per cent of the world’s coral can be found in the waters of The Bahamas. The Lucayan National Park on Grand Bahama Island is the site of the world’s longest known underwater cave and cavern system. The world’s first land and sea park was established in the Exuma Cays in 1958. Andros (with an area of 5,956 square km) is the fifth-largest island in the
Caribbean, but has a population of just 8,000. Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island, at 63m (206ft) is the highest point in The Bahamas. Bimini is a mere 80 km from Florida. 109 species of birds breed in the Islands of The Bahamas. There are 120 plant species found only in The Bahamas. Inagua is a birdwatcher’s paradise, with the world’s largest breeding colony of West Indian flamingos (over 60,000). Several species of whale and dolphin, including blue and humpback whales and spotted dolphins, are found in the waters of The Bahamas. Pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products, and tourism generate 50% of GDP and directly or indirectly employ half of the total workforce in the Bahamas.
JEANNINE’S DIARY
JEANNINE’S DIARY
Jeannine’s Diary By Jeannine Nicole
“She’s a Keeper”
Are we not our sister’s keeper? More than any fly by night cliché, this question has the survival of our fit and most unfit at the mercy of its answer. Life as we live it is no easy feat. Oh but to be kid again. If we knew then, what we are only just grasping at present. Should we not offer our story, our testimony, and our truth? Must our youth drink from a tainted fountain recycling the contaminants of our past into their future? Countless experiences have formed and shaped us into the women we are getting to know today. A culmination of events, feelings, thoughts, actions, and inactions. Regrets, triumphs, and again, next planned steps, a reflection of many fates that have had their way. Various human paths although frequently traveled, will never cross during the same space in time. This however, does not remove one individual’s effect on the life of another whether it is a friend, foe, acquaintance, or stranger. Cause and effect are always at play. Through the pulse of generations, the beat of our hearts are reliant on one another, whether we feel like it or not. Each day might be tied into pretty little bows while some have gotten twisted and pulled into knots, easily detangled, while others never seem to lose their grip. As this is often the case, we must stretch ourselves and fight against this captivity. We must realize our strength; arrive at the terms of our worth. Value in and of itself is a misunderstood expression that often goes unattended. Many of us know what it feels like to be “desired”, but far less of us recognize what it is to be “valued”. This is often something that would seem to be of common knowledge. A state of mind that need not be explored in depth. The surface of this comparison, however, is quite deceiving as we go about matters of the heart. We must learn to showcase our soul and express our mind to create an interest other than our physical nature. This flourishes as a revelation that aids in the self-awareness of what makes us unique and extraordinary in our own rite; our passage from mere flesh, to life. As we live and become equipped with this arsenal of self-awareness, we know that it is to be protected and must not allow it to be ignored by insignificant others. This knowledge might be labeled by some as ‘conceit’ or ‘self-righteous’ behavior, while it’s essentially just a clear expectation to be respected by those who wish to participate in our lives. We are indeed priceless. Even when science attempts to betray us into believing that a woman who has not borne a child is devoid of maternal instinct, we should understand that a woman’s womb is never barren. Nature in and of itself cannot be credited for the stirrings of the soul, the ripening of intangible fruit. The various roles taken in this life along with those yet to form as women, young and old, we are all mothers of the earth. We each are students as well as active professors of life. The pathways to joy are numerous and no journey an exact shadow of one prior; each season as meaningful as the last. We each are comprised of a unique soulful blend that is to be used in its own divine manner to add to the quality of all life. We must set our minds and ambitions on being women of noble character, cognizant of our effect on each other. Our lives are not meant to return to each other void. is a freelance writer, photojournalist, and poet. A public Testimonies are tools to be used to encourage, transform, and often sector professional, she stands save lives. If we dare to not live our lives in vain, we must humble amidst multi-faceted cultural ourselves to prompt vulnerability enabling us to freely share our dynamics. Sincere in her intent spiritual, emotional, and otherwise mental notes. to introduce content rich in human interest, action and We each reside in this village of life, whether it be on the mountain spiritual growth, Jeannine high or the lows of the valley, it is our home and our yards, and all that Nicole aims to bring humanity to the face of grows in it must be well kept. readers, inspiring a literary empowerment zone.
Jeannine Nicole
COLUMN
COLUMN
By Idris Nia
THE HERALD LIVES ON
Detroit Africologist, teacher, and storyteller, Catherine Blackwell, passed away recently at the age of 94. She is known for her love of Africa, and her passion for sharing that love with the students and citizens of Detroit.
Mrs. Blackwell began traveling to Africa in 1960 to collect musical instruments, art, and other artifacts that would infuse pride into her schoolchildren and adults as well. She made more than 65 trips to 41 countries in Africa during her lifetime. She started a travel company that specialized in tours of Africa, providing the same opportunity for hundreds of Detroiters. When Mrs. Blackwell began teaching in Detroit Public Schools in 1955, she sought to share her love of African art, history, and culture with her students. This was at a time when most black children and adults had a negative opinion about Africa. She came from an elite class of Detroiters who were particularly devout in their effort to dismiss Africa and embrace western values. She became a one-woman warrior for African history and culture, often going school-to-school, armed with her own books, artwork and stories. Over the years, Mrs. Blackwell would receive numerous awards for her work as an educator and human rights advocate, but the honor she cherished most came in 1992 when Detroit named a school in her honor; the Catherine C. Blackwell Institute of International Studies, Commerce and Technology. “Catherine Blackwell was such an asset, not only to all the children she taught and served, but also to this city, the nation and especially this museum,” said Juanita Moore, president of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, which displayed an exhibit of Blackwell’s work in 2008. “I want people to see the skills and talents and creativity of Africa,” Mrs. Blackwell once told the Detroit Free Press. “I want it to give a picture of Africa that is accurate. Africa is not Tarzan and all that old stuff.” Blackwell’s goal was to make sure that the Detroit public school system added African and African-American studies to its curriculum so that young black students would have a healthier appreciation of the culture from whence they came.
COMMUNITY NEWS
COMMUNITY NEWS
The Future of Agriculture By Erik Anbessa
I
t does not take a long visit to the garden or forest to see the impressive interconnectedness the many beings that exist; from monarch butterflies and milkweeds to the frustrating cabbage worms devouring the cabbage plants, to the large yellow spiders making their homes in the tomato patch. Humans evolved not as isolated living beings on a desolate planet, but as interdependent lifeforms, giving to and taking from their natural environment. Humanity grew initially as living raw food eaters, feasting on the succulent fruits, leaves, roots and plants of the forest. Putting ones hands in the rich soil and the practice of nurturing plants is not only beneficial in terms of our diets, but has psychological/spiritual benefits as well. Horticultural Therapy has gained widespread acceptance in psychological circles as a proven method to help alleviate some mental illnesses. Indeed to sever our ties to our home (the earth/the soil) is to sever our ties to our fullness as humans and our wealth as creators. Unfortunately, we are currently in the midst of a dramatic decline of the agrarian lifestyle. In the Western world this change is most visible. The western imperialist economies of the western capitalist system are increasingly imposing this reality upon the rest of the world. So, like many positive traditions and elemental actions, agriculture has been hi-jacked by the corporate world. Industrialization was ushered in by an ever increasing disdain and disregard for the elemental world (mother nature). Many thousands of years ago- not coincidentally around the time “prehistory” became “history”- matriarchal forms of rule and value were replaced by patriarchal ones in many places. The separation of humans from the rest of the natural world has increased drastically in the
past few centuries. Large scale business, now called corporations, began hijacking agriculture, a fundamental component to culture, centuries ago. They were forcefully put to work through manual labor to produce profit for others. This practice of indentured servitude and/or slavery was implemented in many parts of the globe. Mass production of crops by laborers who did not reap any fruit from their own toil led to a loss of connection, by both the laborer and the bossman, to the plants themselves. It reduced the living plants to a commodity to make money. To the landowner and field workers, farming represented a reason for their bondage. The loss of connection between humans and plants took a turn for the worst circumstance with the socalled “green revolution”. In the United States this new agriculture began in the middle of the 20th century with the advent of specialized machinery and a surplus of left over chemicals from wartime. It was discovered that many of the chemicals created for various wartime uses, were actually strong fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. With these “advances”, huge tracts of land could now be planted in single crops and produce deceivingly abundant harvests by relatively few people. The family farm in the United States became a thing of the past. Agriculture became a job for few as mega-industrialized farms became the new standard. These corporate farming operations disregard plants as living, breathing beings. The life of the soil is not taken into consideration, therefore it continues to be poisoned with chemicals that can only lead to desertification. Industrialized farming corporations do not recognize the sacred nature of the seed and even celebrate the fact that they have scientifically created so called “suicide seeds”. Seeds that make plants that cannot naturally reproduce. As humanity led by Western imposition, moves further from a world that interacts and evolves within its natural environment to one which digital and “virtual” reality conflict our minds, we must ask ourselves: where is this all leading? Do we wish
others (corporate powers) to control our food and by extension, our destinies? In this day and age, when “revolutions” are fueled by social media in virtual worlds, one of the most revolutionary acts we can undertake is to save our seeds and plant them. In doing so we will help heal the wounds that the industrial world has inflicted upon our psyches and digestive systems. We will remind the youth that planting microchips will not make fruitful trees. We will all see that all our paths merge at the garden gate. We will reclaim our humanity and inheritance, our divine link to all life on this earth.
COMMUNITY NEWS
BATTER AND BERRIES By Saesha M. Nix
As we approached the restaurant, emerging from the baking sun-rays that illuminated the sidewalk, there were others, laughing, talking and carrying on in a care-free fashion, waiting to go in. A friend had brought my cousin, my two older sisters, and me to dine and celebrate my eldest sister’s birthday. A concord grape-colored door swung open
a quick, efficient, and painless process, if you
whisking a sweet and savory perfume that
discount the moans and groans of my ravenous
weaved its way through my olfactory bulb and
appetite. I looked around and saw champagne
forced me to smile drunkenly. The sounds
bottles and wine nestled in ice buckets. I then
were a perfect blend of jumbled conversations
realized that BYOB didn’t stand for bring your
with occasional laughter and the clattering
own berries. How unique! We were now on the
of dishes. It was a party my stomach and I
waiting list to get into the party!
couldn’t wait to join. The phone buzzed, and I did my best to walk Upon entering, this teensy establishment
calmly back into the restaurant as not to let my
afforded me a sense of coziness and the
excitement embarrass my family. Finally seated,
temperature reminded me of the Goldilocks
we received our menus from an energetic, fun-
story; not too hot, not too cold, but just right. A
loving server. He told of the specials, and of
young lady gave a warm greeting with a tablet
course, what was delicious. “‘He must have had
in her hand. Intently, she gazed and asked the
everything on the menu before. What a lucky
necessary information to reserve a table and
man,’” I thought. After the debriefing, he left us
send a text when one became available. It was
to deliberate.
Hungry as I was, I was staggered by the variety of us not to stay away too long, and that it was only distinctive dishes listed before me. I couldn’t decide a four hour drive from our city to his. We left which three, yes three, meals I wanted. At least the restaurant full of laughter, enchantment, five items were calling my name. I had to choose. and palatable platters. Breakfast from Batter I decided upon the Honey-Dew Rum French and Berries was a truly fulfilling experience, Toast with maple butter, cheesy hash browns, and and one certainly worthy of a road trip. homemade chicken sausage. The waiter took our orders, and left us with a riddle. Caught off guard, Batter and Berries was launched in May 2012 we were amused. Typically, problem-solving on an by owners Chef Derek Rylon, Craig and empty stomach is a great feat, but it had us thinking Tanya Richardson. The restaurant is located and helped to pass the time it took for our meals to in Chicago, IL, USA and offers breakfast, be prepared with love and prowess.
lunch, and brunch. Actress Camille Winbush, “Nessa” from the Bernie Mac Show, singing
One by one, our plates filled every corner of the duo Kindred the Family Soul, singer/songtable. We expressed our gratitude. Fork in hand, I writer, and producer Dwele, and actress Lisa gave the long awaited food art a once over then dug Raye are just some of the celebrities who have in. [Insert fireworks here.] The first bite was one of stopped in for a meal. enlightenment. I then knew why we had to wait to get in. The second bite was one of nirvana. I then Truly, this restaurant has made a great understood that I must revisit this place in the near impression on countless patrons and has more future. The melon was fresh, and that maple butter than enough momentum to expand in the had to be French Vanilla ice cream. My sister bragged future. about her steak, my cousin about her chicken wrap. My friend and my other sister didn’t say much, but didn’t stop eating until their food was no more. The waiter gave us more riddles and made sure we didn’t want for anything. One of the owners stopped by our table and we ranted and raved about how exemplary his restaurant had proven to be. He told
NUTRITION AND WELLNESS
SLAVES OF THE TONGUE
A book review by Saesha M. Nix
You and I were given only one vehicle in which to live our entire lives. Built for the long haul, enduring cuts and scrapes, falls and bruises, our body heals itself repeatedly and miraculously. It will keep rejuvenating itself so long as we give it the proper necessities. No, a daily Flintstone’s vitamin is not enough for a child. No, a One-A-Day alone is not sufficient to maintain perfect health for a woman or a man. The care we take bathing and grooming ourselves should be just as crucial as the care we take to sustain our bodies. In his book, Slaves of the Tongue, Dr. Farid Zarif presents that one’s focus should not be on how delectable the dish is, but on the benefit it has to offer. He sheds light on the scientific aspect of how making better choices builds better bodies and better minds. Responsibility is shifted to the reader, urging them to break away from detrimental habits formed through culture, childhood, addiction, and emotional instability. Due to the trauma of oppression and countless generational hindrances our people have endured, Dr. Zarif professes that “we hold dear the foods that remind us of our strength, our unity, the perseverance and religious commitment.” The food we eat literally connects us to who we are. Dr. Zarif empowers the reader with information as to why food choices can be fatal, but also gives holistic alternatives to improve health and vitality. There is an extensive list identifying common
emulsifiers, additives, colors, and preservatives
of health and wellness for his readers, as the
that are carcinogenic, or cancer causing, in the
food we ingest is, in fact, life or death. Slaves
foods we eat every day. For those who eat meat and
of the Tongue is the key to unlocking the
are not entirely enthusiastic about stopping cold
treasure of wellness and abundance. All we
turkey, there are guidelines to eat it in a healthier
have to do is make the choice to use it.
way. For those who are vegetarian and would like to know more about protein sources, this book
Dr. Farid Zarif, is a native Detroiter and
serves as an ample resource.
resides in Los Angeles, CA, USA. He is the former bodyguard and fitness assistant of
The book identifies symptoms and panaceas of
super-star Stevie Wonder, an award winning
eating under stress caused by cognitive, physical,
fitness expert, and globally noted weight loss
and emotional strain. Feeling challenged when
management professional. He is a graduate of
making decisions or withdrawing from those you
the American College of Holistic Nutrition
enjoy most could be the culprit for grabbing that
and holds a doctorate in Naturopathy. He
jelly donut at night.
is also a doctor of philosophy in human nutrition science, registered and certified by
The author has dedicated an extensive section of
the Council on Naturopathic Registration
his book to the newly discovered Rhythm Diet
and Accreditation.
and how it complements body rhythm, promotes weight loss, and optimizes energy. He profoundly
Dr. Zarif is trained in bariatric medicine,
reiterates how eating purposefully through
specializing in weight loss, obesity, and
this ongoing cadence helps bring to conscious
the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses of
awareness how one feels before, during, and after
overweight and obese adults from their teen
indulging.
years through senior adult. He has extensive
Through his research, personal experience, and
experience in complimentary medicine, and
keen insight, Dr. Zarif ’s book has become a
has served as the director of nutrition and
comprehensive guide to improve the health of
dietetics for the Beverly Hills Surgery Centers
every household in America, and abroad. His
and the California Surgical Institute.
straight forward approach intensifies the severity
OSAGYEFO DR. KWAME NKRUMAH THE AFRICAN VISIONARY By Dr. E. Ofori Bekoe
This month, September, marks the 106th birthday
anniversary of one of the greatest political figures that ever came from the African continent, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana. By his own reckon, he was born on September 21, 1909 at Nkroful in the Western Region of Ghana to his goldsmith father Kobina and mother, Nyaniba. Nkrumah will later rise from his humble beginning to become one of the greatest intellectual, shrewd, enterprising, and pragmatic politicians in Africa. Nkrumah went on to study in the United States where he received degrees in various academic disciplines. He also affiliated himself with many political organizations and met people across various diplomatic spectrums. He was active in the wellknown 5th Pan African Conference in Manchester, England with the African American sociologist Dr. W.E. B. DuBois and Trinidadian activists, George Padmore. Among other things, the communique signed at the end of the Congress called for the decolonization of
Africa and Africans to work together. Nkrumah’s political activity caught the attention of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), the political party leading the fight for independence in Ghana. He was invited home in 1947 and by 1949, he had broken off from the gradualist UGCC and formed his own broad-based political party, the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) with its motto, “self-government now.” He eventually started formulating and implementing his own philosophy known as ‘Nkrumahism’ which is based on these tenets: Positive Action, Pan-Africanism, Anti-Colonialism, Imperialism, and African Socialism. Positive Action was Nkrumah’s way of using nonviolent means to fight for political independence. Although he was imprisoned for disturbances in the Gold Coast as a result of his views, he became popular and was eventually elected Leader of Government Business (Prime Minister) in 1951. In his famous ‘Motion of Destiny’ before the Gold Coast National Assembly on July 10, 1953, Nkrumah mentioned that a new wave had come to Africa and Ghana in terms of development. This was the African Personality. The African Personality was a Pan-African agenda which was unique and African in nature. It aimed at creating awareness of language and culture, and was a development and modernization paradigm rejecting most of the Westerncentric conceptualization of the contemporary lifestyle that existed at the time. On the eve of Ghana’s independence on March 6th, 1957, Nkrumah once again reiterated his Pan-African agenda to the world when he linked Ghana’s independence. Ghana was the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to gain total liberation from the yoke of colonialism and imperialism. Dr. Nkrumah’s dream of implementing the communiqué at the 5th Pan-African Congress in Manchester gathering all independent African countries together to help the non-independent countries in their fight for political independence.
Thus, in April 1958, leaders of Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Liberia, Morocco, Ethiopia, and representatives from Lebanon, and the United Arab Republics (UAR), congregated in Accra for the first Congress of Independent African States. This was followed by the first Pan-African Congress in Africa, and the All-African People’s Conference, seven months later. In 1959, trade unionists formed the All-African Trade Union Federation in Accra, and then the GhanaGuinea (later to be followed by the Congo and Mali) formed the Union of African States. As part of his Pan-Africanism ideas, Nkrumah wanted to develop Ghana and make it a microcosm for all others to follow its example. Reflecting on the natural resources of Africa and the continent being three times the size of the United States of America, Nkrumah remarked that Africa was not poor, but its people were impoverished. He therefore called for unity among Africans in developing the continent. At the opening of the Organization of African Unity Conference (now the African Union) in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Nkrumah introduced his newly published book, Africa Must Unite and distributed copies to the dignitaries at the conference. He devoted Chapter 14 to Socialism in Ghana in which he explained that socialism was a “practical solution to the country’s problems.” He aimed to disabuse Africans of the Manichean ideology of seeing the Whiteman/Colonizer as superior to the Blackman/Colonized. With the growing ideological dichotomy of the Cold War during Nkrumah’s era, his ideals of socialism were not an affront to seeking Western help where it was most needed. The Osagyefo, meaning the one who redeems, set out to develop Ghana to make it a microcosm for all African countries to follow suit. In 1951, his government put in place the Accelerated Development Plan for education. Under this plan, many educational institutions of higher learning were set up in Ghana including Ghana National College, the University of Cape Coast, and the now Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He invested heavily in the agricultural sector of the economy. Cooperative farms were set up as well as food processing companies. He provided road networks and means of transportation within the country. The Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute, also known as the
Kwame Nkrumah Institute of Economics and Political Science, was established at Winneba to train not only Ghanaians, but other African nationals on African Socialism and other political ideals. The African leaders had problems with Nkrumah’s fast political visions; some had their own unique negative response to Nkrumah while others were manipulated by the West for fear that he would introduce Communism. Members of his own political party sided with the American Counter Intelligence Agency (CIA) in overthrowing him from power when he left Ghana to mediate in the Vietnam conflict. He learned of his overthrow in Peking where he made a state stopover on February 24th, 1966. His political ally, President Ahmed Sekou Toure, made him co-president of Guinea. He lived in Guinea until he became ill and died in a Bucharest, Romania hospital on April 27, 1972. Foreign publishing houses refused to publish Nkrumah’s books because of his political ideals, thus he established Panaf Books to publish his works as well as the works of like-minded individuals including Ahmed Sekou Touré, Franz Fanon, Patrice Lumumba and Sam Nujoma. In all, Nkrumah authored 15 books with one published posthumously. Professsor Molefi Kete Asante of Temple University in Philadelphia is well known for his promotion of Afrocentricity. He came across the word for the first time reading one of Nkrumah’s books. The Beninese philosopher, Professor Paulin J. Hountondji is also reputed to be the father of EthnoPhilosophy. He confessed that he did not know that Nkrumah had used the term until he chanced upon his unfinished 126-page doctoral thesis titled, “Mind and Thought in Primitive Society: a Study in EthnoPhilosophy with Special Reference to the Akan Peoples of the Gold Coast, West Africa.” Nkrumah and Fanon are credited to have used the words “neo-colonial” as well as “conscientise” and today, those words have come to stay. Nkrumah once professed that “Nkrumah never dies.” And truly, after his death, he is being studied across academic disciplines by scholars and non-scholars all over the world. Osagyefo Damrifa Due!!!
THE AUDACITY OF DISOBEDIENCE - PROF. WANGARI MAATHAI By Velma Kiome
individuals set out to appropriate public and forest land. Wangari’s tenacity in a male dominated, Kenyan society was startling, yet her methods were simple, practical, effective, and lasting. To ensure that the women’s tree-planting movement yielded tangible benefits, she mooted the idea to ensure women owned the trees they planted, as they rarely owned the land they farmed.
“I found myself not just a woman wanting to plant trees to provide food and firewood. I found myself a woman fighting for justice, a woman fighting for equity. I started planting trees and found myself in the forefront of fighting for the restoration of democracy in my country.” ~ Wangari Maathai
T
his September marked four years since Professor Wangari Maathai passed away after a battle with cancer. Social media in Kenya, these last few days, has been lit up by the hash tag ‘#MyLittleThing’, inspired by Wangari’s words: “It’s the little things people do that will make a difference”. People used the tag to share the ways they have contributed to making extraordinary changes in their communities, while brands appropriated the hash tag to market their wares. To start celebrations of Wangari’s life, the premier ‘Artivism’ space in Nairobi, PAWA 254, screened the film “Taking Root – The Vision of Wangari Maathai”. The film details how Wangari’s concerns about the impact of forest depletion led to far reaching action, mobilizing women across the country to plant trees. They had a stand-off with hired gangs who were protecting the interests of powerful
Another event that stands out in the Kenyan collective memory is Wangari’s fight to protect, Uhuru Park. Former President Moi planned to build a sky scraper and shopping mall, as well as a larger than life bronze statue of his own likeness in the largest public recreational park in Nairobi Central Business District. She failed to get the courts on her side, but when foreign investors in the project caught wind of the protestations, the idea was dropped. Today, the tree-covered “Freedom Corner” in Nairobi’s Uhuru Park, stands as a reminder of Wangari’s temerity and the women’s victory over oppression. “Freedom Corner” was the site of Wangari’s 1992 hunger strike camp. Political prisoners previously jailed without trial by President Moi were eventually released after relentless protestations by the women. It was also the prospective site for the skyscraper. Many protests have since been held at the site, over the years, as younger activists return to draw on the spirit that fuelled Wangari and the many women who stood with her. Though her books are a reminder of her practical and intellectual contribution to how we can heal the environment, not everyone can access them. The road named after Wangari Maathi in Kenya, will forever be tribute to her life and legacy.