The Voice magazine

ISSN:2588-8807

ISSN:1571-3466

Motto: Actuated towards Africa’s advancement

Volume 20. NO. 179. December 2018

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First complete African magazine published in The Netherlands since August 1999

Meet

Claire Karekezi Rwanda’s first and only female neurosurgeon

MEET

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Esther

The First Female Commercial Pilot in Rwanda

Pastor Elvis Iruh given Ambassadorial Recognition www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Page 4 - Editorial: Africans must tell their stories Page 7 – Season of cleaning up!

Page 8 - Protected presidents, drowning citizens...

Pages 10-13 - DRC elections: Pages 14 &15 - The return of Benin’s looted bronzes Pages 20 & 21 – You are invited to Sammie Okposo Praise Party hosted by Elvis. E Pages 26-31 - The Voice Achievers Award 2018 recap........

Pages 32 & 33 - The exigency of leadership in Nigeria Pages 38 & 39 - IT’S REAL ME, PRESIDENT BUHARI RESPONDS TO CLONING ALLEGATION Page 42 - Gabon top officials join ailing president in Morocco Page 44 - Malema’s wife, kids live in house owned by ‘tobacco smuggler’ Page 45 - Zimbabwe ‘to shut down foreign embassies’ in bid to cut costs – report Page 46 - 20 years of marital life for Pastor Elvis & Sandra Iruh Page 47 - Ebubechukwu baptism/thanks giving in Abuja, Nigeria Pages 50 & 51- Telling our stories: CONGO TALES .........

Pages 54 & 55- Zambia village boy offered USA scholarship Page 56- President Bashir closer to being ‘President for life’ Page 57- UN tells Juba to prosecute rapists Page 59- Company that won Kenya gas cylinder deal under probe Page 60- Mr. George Wachiuri speaks at The Voice Achievers Award 2018 Page 61- Billionaire Aliko Dangote is the world’s richest black person -here’s how he made his wealth Pages 62&63- Al Tareq Rehabilitation and Autismus center introduces “Therapeutic Diet” to help children Page 64- Cameroon stripped of hosting 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Page 65- Nigeria beat SA on penalties to win 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations

The Voice Magazine Volume 20. No 179 December 2018 Edition

VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE IN NIGERIA’S FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS, GET YOUR PVC AS IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE AT ELECTIONS IF YOU ARE OF AGE 18 & ABOVE.....

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Editorial

Africans must tell their stories

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s part of our award remarks to celebrate our 19th anniversary and the 9th year of The Voice Achievers Award, I spoke on the theme of telling our stories as Africans. This year’s event was a two day package where we focused on reinventing the future of Africa now by challenging Africans to take up more responsibility of their lives and their countries rather than expecting some western world to do it for them.

We commenced this event by discussing Africa and showcasing our businesses and services through an exhibition at this same time. It obviously indicates that Africans are more than able to narrate their stories either in doing business or otherwise.

The following evening we had a night of celebration of African success stories. The concept of the Voice magazine’s projectThe Voice Achievers’ Award was born because of the bankrupt narratives about Africa by mischievous persons and their sponsors. This trend propelled us nearly twenty years ago to begin to reverse those ill-informed stories about Africa hence the emergence of The Voice Magazine.

The question today is: has the narratives changed over the years?

Obviously, not much has changed. It means “a luta continua”.

We will continue to remind ourselves of our potentials and God’s given abilities to be great as work towards the future.

We refused to see the dark side of the African continent, not because we are blind to the things happening there. However, we seek to shake up ideas of optimism rather than pessimism.

We are good at argument of what should have been but never was or happened. We should be good at finding solutions to our identified problems – this is the task of progressive minded people.

Each year people confront us with the question: why should we celebrate our success stories? And we simply say to them, if we don’t, who will? Your support and patronage is a testimony of our willingness to celebrate and tell our story no matter how little it may be. For this reason, we appreciate you all.

We are proudly immersed into the Diaspora and African world.

As a practicing diaspora journalist, I can state how bankrupt the narrative about Africa has been. When I file a good progress report on Africa to a typical Western media, it is not considered interesting enough for publication because the story is not sensational, controversial, scandalous, sexual, murderous and filled with sad ending narrations to make a good reading.

But I think differently. We have to expose our people more.

Africa has a special brand but very little depth of understanding.

I thought that if only we can continue to produce more positive images like we are doing with the Voice magazine and recognizing individuals, organizations and friends of Africa doing something no matter how small it is to change the narratives.

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Some people criticize us on the choice of awardees and yet every year we increase the list from modest 3 persons nine years ago to over 40 persons in 2018 and yes the list is growing longer but it obviously points to the fact that more people are working hard behind the scene to change the narratives from a wrong narration to correct narratives of Africa and Pastor Amb. Elvis Iruh Editor-in-Chief its people. If you are yet to be recognized, I can assure you that your time will come.

When we approach the big companies that have profited from our continent, they respond to us that they do not have extra fund to finance a project like this. Listen carefully, they make money from our continent, they exploit our people, even get some of them drunk and become drunkards and smokers but they do not have funds to support a celebration of this kind. We wonder the kind of parasitic relationship that exists between us and the so-called multinational Companies operating in Africa.

We would not mention names but you know them yourselves.

Next year “The Voice Achievers’ Award” would be celebrating 20 years anniversary of The Voice magazine and 10th year anniversary of the awards. Shouldn’t this be special celebration?

It is on our mind to take the next award to an African country.

We have been working on that for few years now. Equatorial Guinea is beckoning us to come. The Gambia requested us to come so is Kenya on the horizon for 2019. This award should have been in Dubai this year but the cost too much for us to cover so we kept it on hold.

We would count on you for your support to make it happen.

To awardees, let this award stimulate you to do more for humanity in whatever field of human endeavour you find yourself.

Our effort is not to ignore all the challenges we face as Africans but our continent is not a continent of woes alone, we have good people, positive minded people and nobody will change that narrative or tell the world better story than if we are able to tell it ourselves through what we do and how we conduct ourselves.

I wish you an enjoyable holiday season and see you in the New Year.

God bless you all Happy NEW YEAR 2019 IN ADVANCE....

Pastor Ambassador Elvis Iruh

The Voice magazine The Voice magazine is editorially independent although we enjoys the support of our readers, subscribers, advertisers, non-­ governmental organizations and in­dividuals of like minds; however the magazine publishers are in no way af­ filiated to any of these bodies or to any other ­publishing institution or political interest or group.

The Voice magazine strives to foster awareness among the African audience and bridge the widening gap between Africans and the rest of the world in news gathering and dissemination.

The Voice is published digitally online except on demand, we print hard copy..

If you want to receive a copy, send us your email address.

On the Editorial board are Elvis Iruh, Jonathan Mgbejume, Sandra Iruh-Monsels, and Henry Oduenyi READ THE VOICE ON LINE AT www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com Our Affiliate partner: www.thenigerianvoice.com Registration NO: (Kvk. Nr. 34.110.928) TAX (BTW) NO: NL806215809B01 ISSN: 1571-3466 (For Print edition) ISSN: 2588-8807 (For Digital edition) For payments, use these bank details: Stichting Paddi Europa SNS Bank Account No: NL29SNSB0908374372 Swift Code: SNSBNL2A OR Stichting Paddi Europa Knab Bank Account No: NL77KNAB0725202238 Swift Code: KNABNL2H

THE VOICE MAGAZINE TEAM Publisher: Stichting Paddi Europa Editor-in-Chief Pastor Amb. Elvis Ndubuisi Iruh elvisiruh@thevoicenewsmagazine.com Founding/Contributing Editor Edward Idahosa Ogbee apexbest2000@yahoo.co.uk Managing Editor Henry D. Oduenyi (Nigeria Office) henry@thevoicenewsmagazine.com Project Coordinator Ifeyinwa Ezeagabu i.ezeagabu@thevoicenewsmagazine. com

Rev. Tammy Abusi (Port-Harcourt) t.abusi@thevoicenewsmagazine.com Eubaldus Enahoro enabadus2000@yahoo.com Principal Photo Editor: Handy Tims Azeez Badris fatim_26@hotmail.com PA to Publisher Lilian Akintokun (Mrs) raven_lilian@yahoo.com Graphic Designers David Banjoko Wil Gomersbach (Web Master)

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MEDIA CONSULTANT Jonathan Mgbejume Abeka Salmin Abdallah Mildred Kleinbussink Pastor Duncan Spier Engr. Barry Igbeare You can as well contact our Office Address: Stichting Paddi Europa Inz The Voice Jeroen Boschplantsoen 82 1318 HH Almere, The Netherlands

BUREAU CHIEFS Gbenga T. Okunlola (London) teejayok@gmail.com Femi Ikutiyinu (London) afpaprint2000@yahoo.com Middle East Vice- President Amb. Laila EL Aftani Rahhall CORRESPONDENTS ABROAD Barrister Eze Eluchie (Nigeria) paddingr@yahoo.com Kehinde Aig-Imoru (Nigeria) aigimoru@yahoo.com

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OUR MISSION STATEMENT

The Voice magazine is published in the Netherlands by Stichting Paddi Europa and it is ­published online from 2016 around the world. It is registered at the Chamber of Commerce Amsterdam. The Voice aim to serve as a vital link among African readers in the Diaspora and we ­provide ­objective information and organizes opinion exchange among African people both in the ­continent and abroad. Thus it strives to foster and enhance complete understanding of ­developing c­ ountries problems and bring information to help address those issues. TV

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December 2018 www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Column:

SEASON OF CLEANING UP!

By Evelyn Amo

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I announce to you the SEASON OF CLEANING UP! Cleaning up the house of God of our bad mindsets, attitudes and lifestyles. One of the things we’ll be seeing in this season is the falling of MASKS. We are talking about pretense and fakeness. We are sick and tired of this. Now, it’s going to happen in TWO ways. THOSE WHO WILL REMOVE THEIR OWN MASKS BECAUSE OF TRUE REPENTANCE AND THOSE WHOM THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL EXPOSE BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO REPENT AND CONTINUE TO CREATE HAVOC IN THE CHURCH. The church, the body of Christ on earth is God’s answer to our marriages, homes, community, nation and the world. Now if we don’t’ sit up and rid ourselves of all the garbage, we will never have the power to change our world. Why, because God is a God of order, justice and righteousness. Yes, He is Love, compassionate and merciful but don’t ever think that you can mock him. You are only mocking yourself. Let’s stop this “YOU CANT JUDGE ME” mind and attitude and allow the Nathan’s of our generations to function. We are calling for the Elijah’s, Daniels, Josephs, Esthers, Pauls, Peters, Davids and all sorts of mighty men and women in our generation to stand up but how many are calling for the Samuels and the Nathans? We need those now more than ever!

You see, David was informed that “his secret deeds GAVE ROOM FOR THE ENEMIES OF GOD TO BLASPHEME AGAINST GOD. Some David’s in our churches have made a mess of their lives and until the Nathans go to them and rebuke them they will die in their sins. Some people have been lured by the devil into things God says no to and if nobody tells them the mind of God they will never come to repentance event though they sit in church the whole week. Some anointed people have lost their way secretly, but the God before whom all things lay bare says he will expose them so that they and their calling will

be safe. It’s really time for us the church to start dealing with the mess we’ve created. With this I don’t mean the precious souls Jesus has brought into his church but the mess brought in with them which Christ expects us to help deal with by raising the standard which is the word of God. The only direction out of our mess. Striving to walk in total obedience to the word of God. When we fall or miss the mark, if the church keeps Jesus (The Word of God) lifted up, we will fight to get up again. We will desire holiness, repent instead of wallowing in sin. We are to preach and teach the word of God without fear nor favor. Show them what God wants us as a people and as individuals to become. LOVE, COMPASSION AND GENTLENESS is what brings people into the church but DISCIPLINE, INSTRUCTION, REBUKE AND GUIDANCE FROM THE WORD OF GOD IS WHAT transforms us. This comes by us RENEWING our minds. Don’t sit in church with an attitude of unrepentance, and not willing to allow the word of God to change you. This is so dangerous, you then become Satan’s favorite buddy, the lukewarm Christian! Then thinking everything is alright because God is good and kind. YES He is but all o f that is to lead us unto REPENTANCE!!

Now let each one search him/herself and begin to respond to what the Holy spirit is telling the church. REPENT, REMOVE YOUR OWN MASK. YES, THE ONE YOU CHOOSE TO DAILY PUT ON. ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND PICK UP YOUR OWN CROSS AND FOLLOW CHRIST. If not, prepare to be exposed by the Holy Spirit. Yes He loves you but still He will expose you. Because you staying the way you are is making the body of Christ sick.

Jesus is not coming back for a sick bride because he already died and paid every price to have his bride well and whole. 2 Timothy 3-1:7.

Happy end of year season and edition and I look forward to reading from you next year God willing. #walkingwithGod You can follow me on social media or e-mail me at evelyn.bamfo@gmail.com

www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Opinion

Protected Presidents, Drowning Citizens...

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y mid last week, Uganda was still gripped by the November 2 capsizing of an apparently rickety “cruise” boat in Lake Victoria, off Mukono district, killing at least 32 people.

No one is really sure about the number of people who were on the doomed vehicle. There were possibly 120 people on board, although its capacity was just 50.

That was not the only thing that made it a familiar East African, and indeed African, boat tragedy. The thing was unlicensed. Apparently the eager revellers thwarted an intervention by the police to stop it from sailing.

And when it went down, it became a national embarrassment.

With the wreckage barely 300 metres from shore, the police and military tried several times to salvage it and failed. And old ship was brought with the aim to yank the carcass up, but the cables broke.

A group of muscular youth and volunteers rallied around, and ropes were brought to pull the wreckage to shore in the old fashioned way, but that too failed. The police rounded up some excavators, connected some cables from the machines to the wreckage… failed to bring it ashore.

And so the night fell, and all left, to return the next day with little more than hope.

We never learn, argued Muniini Mulera in a column in Daily Monitor. Lake Victoria is treacherous water, he argued, and East Africa’s failure to come to terms with its moody ways is shameful.

He listed a grim catalogue of the deaths on the lake. “Only a fool ignores more than a century of recorded human disasters on a lake that kills 5,000 fishermen every year, earning it the

title of ‘most dangerous lake in the world’,” he noted.

On September 20, 228 people drowned at Bwisya, Ukara Island, Tanzania when the MV Nyerere, a Tanzanian ferry, capsized. They had loaded it with cargo and 269 passengers, more than twice its capacity.

EA’s worst maritime disaster May 21, 1996, the MV Bukoba sank near Mwanza, killing 894 people. The ship’s capacity was 430 passengers.

But easily the worst marine disaster in East Africa was the sinking near Zanzibar of the MV Spice Islander I on September 10, 2011.

The ship had a capacity of 45 crew and 645 passengers, it was carrying 2,470 passengers; 203 were confirmed dead and 1,370 missing.

And on and on. It was a depressing reading. Yet, in there, is a disturbing political story.

Few things bring out the incompetence and, sometimes corruption, of our states, like these water tragedies.

Not enough voters Water tragedies point to the things national resources are dedicated to. Usually, money goes to the protection of the president and his entourage, and the schemes that are closely tied to the next election.

Not enough voters live on the islands in East Africa, nor have to cross treacherous waters daily to go to and from work.

In last week’s boat disaster off Mukono, there was a brave and admirable effort put in by police and army swimmers.

But they are puny units, not part of the elite guard, central to keeping the Big Man in power.

If State House were on Sese Islands, and the president and his ministers lived there, they would have been a near-world class navy with the ability to rescue more than the odd stricken swimmer.

By Charles Onyango-Obbo is publisher of data visualiser Africapaedia and Rogue Chiefs.

Twitter@cobbo3 www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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FEEDBACK

Congratulations George Wachiuri!

Service To Humanity & Leadership to Humanity is a humble calling-George Wachiuri It was extremely humbling to be recognized for *Service To Humanity and Leadership to Humanity* & to be awarded as *African Business Personality Award 2018 by The Voice Achievers Award Netherlands* Asante Sana.

This Award is not my award but it’s an Optiven team Award.

The award goes to all those who support Optiven Group Vision of Economically and Socially empowering and transforming the Society.

We dedicate this award to God who has given us Immence favour as we support & make our society a better place.

This award gives us great impetus to do more to the people we serve; the thousands of orphans we support to access Medical care, food, provision of accommodation & Education to hundreds of deserving cases across the 47 counties in Kenya. (www. optivenfoundation.org)

The award is a door opener to do more in Africa in terms of achieving the well being of African people, job creation & shelter provision to the people of Africa.

This award is a big blessing to our massive diaspora clients who we empower to acquire properties in Africa & Diaspora builds African Now. The award is a big win to All diaspora who believe & support the Optiven Group vision. (www.optiven.co.ke) We thank all those who in one way or another support the Optiven Group Vision.

To The VOICE GROUP as you *reinvent the Future of Africa now*, we shall walk the journey together.

We are extremely humbled & ready to keep empowering others.

George Wachiuri, The Africa Business Personality Award winner 2018. www.georgewachiuri.com +254702831083

Love letter to detained Uganda Musician/Politician by his wife on their Anniversary.

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obi my love, today is our seventh wedding anniversary. Unlike the other anniversaries in the past, this one finds us in a court room in Gulu. It finds you in clutches, unable to walk by yourself. It finds you before a judge, making an application for you to be released on bail so that you can go for medical treatment.

It finds you in physical pain. On such days in the past, we would go to the beach or somewhere across the Atlantic.

We would cut cake, have some wine and celebrate with our children. But today here we are. Still not sure if you’ll get your freedom or if you will be taken back to prison.

But let me tell you this. I have never been so proud of you.

I am very proud that you are not before this judge because you did anything wrong. Not because you stole public funds or killed a person. You are before the judge because of standing for what you believe in. You have always told me that your dream is to live in a country which works for all citizens. Every day, you are working towards that. Our troubles these past days are a result of that effort. What I can do is once again promise to support you every step

of the way. Not because I am your wife but also your best friend.

On our wedding day on 27th August 2011, you composed for me the best song I’ve ever listened to ‘For better for worse.’ You promised to be with me through thin and thick, in sickness and in health, in sorrows and joy. I promised you the same. Here we are on that worse bit of the oath.

Happy wedding anniversary my Love; FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE. IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH. Barbie Kyagulanyi www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com 9

GENERAL ELECTIONS IN DRC

DRC elections: The hopefuls, the promises and the ghost of Kabila trails the Presidential race

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here was no shortage of smiles and cheers as Felix Tshisekedi and Vital Kamerhe last made their way into a room packed with cameras in Nairobi to sign a treaty to work together in the next coming election in DRC. But as soon the two Congolese opposition stalwarts took to the microphone to announce their decision to join forces in the country’s long-delayed December 23 presidential election, the jubilation could also be felt far beyond the Kenyan capital.

The news prompted scenes of joy in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) thousands of kilometers away, where the politicians’ supporters took to the streets to celebrate the freshly-formed partnership.

The sight was in stark contrast to what unfolded over a month ago when Tshisekedi’s supporters had also poured onto the streets - this time, to denounce their leader’s decision to throw his support behind member of parliament Martin Fayulu after

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high-level opposition talks in Switzerland.

Barely 24 hours after those protests, both Tshisekedi and Kamerhe withdrew their signature from the agreement in Geneva, shattering a rare moment of unity for the DRC’s traditionally fractured opposition.

Their teaming up now is expected to not only have decisive implications for the candidacy of Fayulu - who is still backed by several opposition heavyweights - but also that of Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, the anointed successor of long-time incumbent President Joseph Kabila.

According to an opinion poll published by the US-based Congo Research Group last month, Tshisekedi is the most popular candidate by a distance (36 percent), trailed by Kamerhe in second place (17 percent). Shadary follows with 16 percent, while Fayulu is forecast to win eight percent.

As election season heats up, amid warnings over a “hostile political environment” and analysts’ reservations about the prospect of a free and fair vote, we take a look at the leading candidates in the race to succeed President Kabila.

Here, in this picture is President Joseph Kabila who has assured he would conduct a free and fair elections.

Felix Tshisekedi

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shisekedi, the son of late veteran opposition politician Etienne Tshisekedi, has promised to restore the rule of law and fight the “gangrene” of corruption in the resource-rich DRC. He has also pledged to end long-running conflicts in the country’s eastern North and South Kivu provinces, which combined border Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, and are home to more than 100 active armed groups, according to Human Rights Watch.

If Tshisekedi tops the DRC’s first-past-the-post vote, he appears likely to take a hard line on dealing with Kabila’s divisive legacy.

Last year, he told the AFP news agency that he would set up a “truth and reconciliation commission” to call Kabila to account for his tenure, although he would also allow him to remain in the country.

His opponents, however, argue he has inadequate experience, having never held high office, and would be ill-suited for

dealing with the country’s grinding poverty and several humanitarian crises.

For his part, campaign director Kamerhe - who is lined up to become Prime Minister in the case of a Tshisekedi win, said at a press conference that the pair would “run Congo differently” and “break with bad governance”.

“We are not among those who say, ‘We come to power, it’s our turn to eat!’,” he told reporters.

We are coming to serve our people.

Martin Fayulu

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former oil executive, Fayulu emerged as the somewhat surprise candidate of choice for the anti-Kabila front at the conclusion of the summit in Geneva on November

11.

Despite Tshisekedi and Kamerhe’s withdrawal, the remaining members of the alliance - including popular heavyweights Jean-Pierre Bemba and Moise Katumbi have continued to back the 62-year-old’s bid for office.

They have also sought to broaden their support base by aligning with civil society groups and working with the country’s influential Catholic Church network.

Fayulu, a member of parliament with considerable grassroots support in Kinshasa, is known for his staunch opposition to the

planned use of a new electronic voting system in this election, alleging it may be more vulnerable to vote-rigging than traditional pen and paper ballots.

Election officials have dismissed the criticism, saying the use of more than 100,000 South Korean-made touchscreen voting machines will cut down on election costs and the waiting

period for results.

A fiery critic of Kabila, Fayulu has also routinely featured at the forefront of marches against the incumbent president. He has been arrested several times during opposition demonstrations in Kinshasa and elsewhere, once being struck in the head with a rubber bullet.

Kabila’s ruling coalition, however, appears unfazed by Fayulu’s challenge, with leading officials saying they are “not worried” following the announcement of his candidacy.

Continued on Page 12

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Continued from Page 11

Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary

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hadary is a long-term Kabila ally and a central part of the ruling Common Front for Congo (FCC) coalition apparatus.

The 57-year-old has held several roles in the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), a party he co-founded with Kabila and which heads the FCC. As Interior minister, a position he held from January 2017 until February of this year, he oversaw several violent crackdowns on anti-government protesters riled by Kabila’s refusal to step down from office when his second and final constitutional term officially expired in December 2016.

The European Union sanctioned him for his role in the repression of the protests, during which security forces killed scores of anti-government demonstrators, and accused him of being involved in “planning, directing, or committing acts that constitute serious human rights violations in DRC”.

Shadary has vowed to reinforce the authority of the state and diversify the economy, as well as create much-need jobs,

tackle poverty and guarantee access to public services.

He remains a largely unknown figure in the vast expanse of the DRC, with meagre financial means and no substantial independent base of support.

Analysts have speculated that his relative anonymity is being harnessed by Kabila, who they suggest is seeking to create a “new political class” and, crucially, one indebted to the longterm leader for his support.

South Africa gets its first woman chief prosecutor

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outh Africa has picked a new chief prosecutor - a key figure in the country’s struggle against corruption. Ms Shamila Batohi - the first woman in the role - said she was ready to fight the good fight.

The prosecution service has been engulfed by scandal, with claims that former President Jacob Zuma and his allies were shielded from corruption investigations.

Hence, there has been huge interest here in the appointment of a new chief prosecutor.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government - anxious to show it is now serious about tackling corruption - took the unprecedented

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step of broadcasting the job interviews on live television.

Ms Batohi - a highly experienced barrister - was declared the winner.

Her task will be to convince a skeptical public that powerful politicians will now be held to account.

She’s described the prosecution service as a house on fire, and South Africa as a victim of high-level corruption.

His interventions Mr Zuma is widely blamed for the rot. Last year a court condemned his interventions in the prosecution service as an abuse of power.

President Ramaphosa, has promised a fresh start.

South Africa is watching closely to see whom Ms. Batohi targets first.

Elvis Iruh, Publisher of The Voice Magazine Receives “Ambassador Of Hope” Recognition

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he Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The Voice Magazine, a Pan African news Magazine, published in The Netherlands, Mr Elvis Iruh has been honoured as “Ambassador Of Hope” in faraway United Arab Emirate. The confirmation and receiving of the certificate was part or activities to celebrate The Voice magazine 19th anniversary and the Voice Achievers Award 2018 in Amsterdam.

The Secretary-General of Al Tareq Rehabilitation and Autism center, with its headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dr. Tariq Saif was at hand to present the certificate.

Before doing that he elaborated on the activities of its organization around the world helping children suffering from autism to have access to good nutrition and a good diet as part of efforts to improve their health.

He also made known activities done in North Africa and the intention of his organization to spread his work to other African countries and the need to appoint new Ambassadors of Hope of which Pastor Elvis Iruh is being recognized for his good work for humanity.

The Board of Trustees/the General Authority of the International Initiative for Youth Leadership and Al Tareq rehabilitation & Autism Center, signed by SecretaryGeneral, Ambassador Tariq Al Saif also congratulated him for being in the same league with the previous recipient, the Argentine footballer “Lionel Messi”.

Al Tareq Rehabilitation and Autism center provide services to children with autism in accordance with a comprehensive scientific methodology covering many aspects of care including therapeutic diet initiative, free diagnostic services, medical tests and nutritional programs, follow-up for children with autism and increased advocacy on autism.

Ambassador Elvis Iruh thanked the organization for finding him worthy to be their ambassador and represent them in the area of rendering humanitarian services to children and he pledge his to do his best for these children and promote their activities more with the scope of his media profession.

“I will use the honour to focus attention on children with autism, particularly in Africa to improve their condition”.

www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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The return of Benin’s looted bronzes is about restoring a century’s worth of heritage and pride

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ore than a century after they were looted, the decades-old campaign for European museums to return African art particularly Benin bronzes is finally looking like a real possibility.

This week, a report in France recommended the return of looted artifacts, including French-held Benin bronzes, in the country’s museums to their origins. Similarly, the Benin Dialogue Group comprising of representatives from European and Nigerian museums as well as the Benin monarchy and local government officials—has agreed a deal for some of Benin’s most iconic pieces to be returned on a temporary basis.

The collection is planned to be on display at a royal museum under construction and scheduled to open in 2021 in Benin City, the capital of Edo state.

A return of these artworks to Benin City where they plundered from during a British expedition in 1897 is significant. Several of the artworks looted from the palace of the Oba of Benin were of immense cultural significance and formed part of the kingdom’s way of life. Indeed, some of the items stolen formed part of coronation processes and were seen as a way to document the Benin empire’s history. Returning them will also “lend importance to indigenous art because for the longest time there has been some local disregard for art,” says Victor Ehikhamenor, an internationally acclaimed Edo-born artist.

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Some of the disregard stems from how indigenous art was ”demonized by colonial construct” by early-day missionaries, Ehikhamenor says. Those beliefs have somewhat hamstrung a local industry that has kept the culture of bronzes alive.

Indeed, Igun Street in Benin, known for bronze sculpting, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

While the possible return of the artworks is celebrated, the terms of their return continue to be debated. Rather than permanent restitution, long-term loans have been mooted to the displeasure of many. “The language that’s been used is patronizing.

I don’t like the word ‘loan’,” says Ehikhamenor.

“It really offends my sensibilities as a Nigerian or as someone from Edo. They [the artworks] belong to the kingdom and the Oba’s palace where they were taken.”

But Enotie Ogbebor, an Edo artist who’s been a party to some of the restitution talks suggests it’s a prudent stop-gap measure. “While the government and the Oba are discussing at the highest level for permanent restitution, we don’t want a lacuna which has already existed for over 100 years,” he says. “[Let’s see] if we can put a framework in place to loan them so they can be seen by our people while these discussions are going on.”

Returning the artworks hasn’t won unanimous support in Nigeria.

Given Nigeria’s general lack of a maintenance culture, the fear is that the artworks may not be properly cared for once returned. Indeed, Nigeria’s few existing public museums are largely underfunded and derelict. The museums are also starved of mass interest and local foot traffic—a problem that’s likely to endure as history hasn’t been a prioritized subject in Nigeria’s school curriculum. As such, there’s a disconnection between the present generation and objects of the past that are major attractions at local museums.

Kola Tubosun, a linguist and 2016 Quartz Africa Innovator honoree, suggests a workaround which would see museums return artifacts with strong spiritual and cultural significance to their custodians while “leasing” others for continued display. “The museums can keep some of the artworks and share revenue with places where the art comes from. It’s a win-win.” Keeping some artworks in foreign museums, Tubosun argues, serves an important global heritage function as “people who go to see them learn about where its from and the people who made it.”

But an added danger to leaving artworks abroad, some believe, lies in the risk of appropriation. That was laid bare

last year when British artist Damien Hirst was accused of cultural appropriation during an exhibition in Venice when one of his artworks, a golden sculpted head, caused a stir given its striking resemblance to Ori Olokun, a 14th century bronze head from Ife, an ancient Yoruba kingdom.

For Edo-born artists like Ehikhamenor and Ogbebor, the restitution of the bronzes is also personal. While the artworks will showcase local artists’ cultural influences, crucially, they will also serve as a reference for a budding generation of artists and bridge the gap in Benin’s art heritage. ”Imagine if in the last 100 years, all the works of Picasso, Monet and Michelangelo were removed from society for 100 years?”

Ogbebor posits. “That is what the British invasion did to Benin by removing those things.”

Returning the art, Ehikhamenor argues, is the first step to fixing that lost connection to indigenous art heritage which has also forced local artists to look abroad for more validation, appreciation and income. ”When I make an artwork, if a white man does not endorse it, I can not grow in the art world,” Ehikhamenor says.

“The hole that the African artist has to climb out of was dug a long time ago and the ladder to climb out of that hole is held by the Western world.”

www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Living positive

Eliane

U=U People who take HIV medication every day as prescribed suppress the virus successfully and can no longer pass on the virus to their partners, can have healthy children and have the same life expectancy as people without HIV. I used to be scared when I was cooking and cut myself. I would almost panic thinking I could infect my children, after all I have done in preventing a HIV infection before they were born. Several years ago very important information came out. When people with HIV take their medication as prescribed, the virus cannot be detected in the blood anymore.

They are not cured of HIV, but they cannot infect anyone else. This is the explanation of the slogan Undetectable equals Untransmittable or U=U. Although the studies were done on sexual transmission of HIV, it became even more clear to me that if my viral load is undetectable, I am surely not going to infect my children when cutting myself with a knife. I started feeling pretty confident!

In 2017 I travelled to Burundi on a mission to educate the Batwa Indigenous people on HIV and AIDS. During an empowerment workshop for women and men who are living with HIV we talked about many issues they are facing in daily life, including stigma. Then I discovered that they were still unaware of the information on U=U. When I explained it to them, they were first in shock of not knowing such powerful information and

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Facts about HIV • HIV is a virus that can only survive in the human body.

• The virus cannot be passed on through hugging or kissing, sharing the same toilet, mosquito bites, small wounds.

• When untreated, HIV is found in blood, sperm, vaginal fluid and breast milk.

• Taking HIV medication daily as prescribed, successfully suppresses the virus.

• Medication has to be continued to maintain the viral load suppressed.

• If the viral load is suppressed, there is zero risk of sexual transmission of HIV. then they were relieved, just like I was! One woman said: “I was very scared of infecting my partner, while I have been so many years on medication! Why did my doctor never tell me this?”

One couple said that they were told to always use condoms. Some single men and women said they were afraid to start dating, and that they did not even dare to get close with anyone. When they learned more about U=U, they were so happy! I enjoyed seeing the smile in their faces. “We have got our freedom back!” They went home empowered and ready to continue their lives without fear of infecting anyone. They are determined to keep on taking their medication every day, so that their viral load will stay undetectable!

Here in the Netherlands I educate people using the U=U information, because I believe it is a good instrument to fight the stigma. I was wearing my U=U T-shirt when I met a woman from my Djembé group. She asked me about the U=U message. I explained it and she was surprised to hear how much progress was made! Her reaction was: “You are the first person to inform me on this! So I can date a HIV positive person without any problem?” As long as this person keeps on taking medication and stays with undetectable viral load, the virus cannot be transmitted sexually. She thanked me for this information and she promised to share it with her network.

Hiv Vereniging The Dutch Association of People Living with HIV (Hiv Vereniging) represents the interests of all people with HIV in the Netherlands, irrespective of background.

We provide information about living with HIV and organise all kinds of meet-ups.

Servicepunt Our team of expert volunteers can be contacted for any question about living with HIV, by telephone on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 14:00 – 22:00 hrs, or by email: servicepunt@hivvereniging.nl.

See www.hivvereniging.nl

www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Victory Outreach is a Pentecostal Church, Bible based believing people in the trinity of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

What would you like to know? Our vision?

Which activities we organize? Or would you like to hear testimonies about how we follow God? One thing is certain, we would like to get to know you and therefore you are more than welcome to visit one of our services. You can visit us every day of the week.

You may have been a believer for many years already.

Or you might still be searching for the meaning of life and asking yourself whether or not there is God. Within Victory Outreach Almere we would like to help you find the answer. We will gladly teach you the exact meaning of “a living faith�. With us you will truly see and experience the supernatural power of the living God. You can always count on love and comfort when you need it.

You will discover that we have a wonderful diversity of people with lots of different backgrounds, characters and personalities. But there is one thing we have in common.

We all follow the same God, Jesus Christ.

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In that diversity and love for God we are a family where you are more than welcome.

We personally hope to meet you during one of our services.

God bless you as you come in Jesus Christ name. Amen

Pastor Roel & Ida van Rooij Senior Pastor Victory Outreach Almere.

Barbeelstraat 12, 1317 PZ Almere Telephone: 036-8417007; Telephone: 036-7505571 info@voalmere.nl www.voalmere.nl

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YOU ARE INVITED TO SAMMIE OKPOSO PRAISE PARTY HOSTED BY ELVIS E. Date: Saturday, January 19, 2019. Doors open: 6pm.

Event start: 7pm.

Location: ‘De Rots’ Paasheuvelweg 36,1105 BJ Amsterdam. (Free parking).

Performing is Gospel Artist Sammie Okposo, a Global Ambassador, Music producer, A Psalmist, Entertainment Consultant, and MD/CEO of Zamar Entertainment who has taken the African music scene to another level with the release of his debut album titled ‘Unconditional Love’. The hit track of the album was ‘WELU-WELU’.

It gathered great attention to Sammie that he was invited to perform at the Martin Luther King Day and July 4th Independence day Celebration respectively by the American Ambassador to Nigeria. He is a United Nations youth ambassador for ‘World Peace’ and he is prominently invited to concerts all over Nigeria. He performs at one of the biggest concerts in Lagos Nigeria called ‘The Experience’. Sammie has shared the same stage as an Artist in Africa, Europe, and America with other internationally known Artist such as Donnie Mcclurkin, Israel Houghton, Deitrick Haddon, Ron Kenoly, Cece Winans, John Legend, Kirk Franklin, Don Moen, Jessy Dixon, Nicole Mullen, Maxi Priest, Shaggy, Miss Elliot, Lionel Peterson, Angelique Kidjo, Koffi Olomide, Awilo Longomba. His music has won him not only a wide audience and critical acclaim, but also numerous awards in appreciation of his works, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, ADDICTED, NO MORE DRAMA and one of his latest album THE STATEMENT. Elvis E. is one of our influential Gospel Artist Producer and Musical Director in the Netherlands. Elvis E. (full Elvis Ediagbonya) comes from Nigeria and he came to the Netherlands as a missionary with the specific mission to contribute musically to Dutch churches as well on many musical grounds. He has an excellent vocal voice and he is a pianist, who is not only popular in the Netherlands, but is also loved by a wide audience worldwide. Elvis E. knows how to bring music to life at a very high level, which is both swinging and accessible to everyone.

Elvis E. recently took his band as a musical leader of Ruth Jacott tour from the Netherlands, which was a great success, just like the tour of Big Black and Beautiful. Here you can see that Elvis E. is strong in his qualities of different styles of music, which makes him very competent as a Musical Director. This coming Event ‘Sammie Okposo Praise Party’ of which Elvis E is the Host will be signing of his new album ‘Victorious’ which will take place on Saturday evening January 19, 2019. Elvis E. will sing a number of songs from his new album with his dynamic band and vocalists live in Amsterdam.

On this evening the Christian organization ‘Compassion’ will also be present as a sponsor, of which Elvis E. is an Ambassador of ‘Compassion’, he will share his experience and life in Africa

with you on this evening.

For more information, visit www.elvis-e.com or www. gospelforeveryone.nl Our Featuring Artists Ruth Dente & John Enoh will be an asset to this event. Ruth Dente is a multi-award winning gospel artist based in Canada. She is known for her passion for worship and is very gifted in creating an engaging and uplifting worship.

Ruth’s music is a blessing for so many people with different ethnic backgrounds, age and background.

John Enoh, the founder of Jubilee music, he is an artist with a lot of dynamics and musical skills. His music and ministry has influenced many people in the South-East community of Amsterdam.

Tickets are now available for € 15, -per person (including reservation costs + 1 free drink) at www.eventsforchrist.nl or call + 31 (0) 297 237172 if you are coming from abroad. And if you are in Holland, call: 0297-237172 For our Early Birds we have now a special price ticket for: € 10, per person. (including reservation fee + 1 free drink) before the 23rd of December 2018! www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Pastor Taiwo Adedokun marriage in Lagos, Nigeria Pastor Taiwo Adedokun based in Lagos, Nigeria recently got married to his heartthrob but unfortunately our Publisher who was invited as a Special Guest could not make the trip to Nigeria because of previous engagement but we dedicate this page to the lovely couple and wish them a very happy married life to Pastor & Mrs Taiwo Adedokun. God richly bless your union in Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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The Voice Achievers Award gives out international honours to awardees for 2018

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n Friday, 23rd November 2018, the winners of the Voice Achievers Award 2018 where presented with their awards at a very colourful and well-attended Award/Gala event in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The event was impressive from start to finish and every one in attendance agreed this is one of the best African awards in the Diaspora.

Have a look at the impression of the evening, including some remarks as we publish the award pictures for your viewing pleasure!

We were fortunate to hand out a record number of awards at this year’s The Voice Achievers Award that took place at De Koning Party & Event center Amsterdam.

Among the awardees was a special recognition given to the First Lady of Ondo State of Nigeria, Arabinrin Betty AnyanwuAkeredolu for her good work helping women suffering from breast Cancer in Nigeria. Her Excellency remarks read on her behalf was inspirational recounting her incredible experiences after breast cancer battle which she won and her story has become inspiration for other women. Her message was that of hope to all women to be resilient and determined, and to try to remain cheerful in the face of adversity. Take good care of their body and report quickly to their doctor whenever they observe anything unusual within their body.

Other awardees present included Kenyan businessman, George Wachiuri, Chief Executive officer of The Optiven group in Kenya. (Read statement on page) Gloria Jones after receiving her award introduced her grandson, Walter Riley Thurmond III who is a former American footballer.

He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seahawks over the Denver Broncos, and he also played for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.

He spoke on behalf of the grandmother. He pledged to work with The Voice Achievers Award for future events and acknowledge his grand mom’s role at providing musical education to African children at her base in Makeni, Sierra Leone where she founded Marc Bolan school of Music and film. “On behalf of our entire family we are grateful for this life time Achievers Award given to her in recognition of her continued effort to give back to her root in Africa”. She acknowledges the work of The Voice Achievers Award to inspire individuals and corporate organizations to do more for humanity at large. According to her, “I am doing my best to help train children who are talented but lack opportunities to get education, learn music and produce their own movies. She thanked the organizers for this Life time Achievers Award”.

Gloria Jones flew in from United States of America to personally attend the award ceremony in Amsterdam.

Her Excellency, Ambassador Vestine Nahimana of Republic of Burundi, also a recipient gave the award remarks where she called on Africans to work more together to advance the course of Africa both in the Diaspora and in various African countries.

She urged Africans to support one another in their various endeavors so as to make Africa prosper and self-sufficient among League of Nations. Africans have been exploited often without the consent of the local people and without rare development for

the people. But today, we the people of Africa must wake up and develop our continent.

She noted that 1,200 billion people as of today live in Africa, more than 20 million square kilo meters, more than 7 billion direct investment projects, more than 12 billion investments between African countries therefore it is a great and vast continent with opportunities for investment. On our gathering at the event, she said it is a proof that Africa is revolving. “We are diplomats, doctors, engineers, journalists, teachers, researchers, hardworking people, young people, creative and innovative people so no more excuses”.

Many of us live and work in The Netherlands or other parts of the Diaspora and the remaining parts of the developed world.

The time of underground mining of Africa is over. We must work tirelessly to return to Africa through our network and businesses investment in Africa through researches and investments to achieve this idea of redefining a new Africa, she concluded.

The Ambassador thanked the organizers of this event that is full of colours and opportunities. “Thank you also for recognizing me. This is a challenge call to all of us with the idea to build Africa today to start now for the future of our next generation”.

Guests were entertained during the evening by Luus Malbons who prepared a special spoken word in honour of the awardees.

It was titled, “Achievers”. Her performance was well applauded.

After that we received in audience the performing group, Djembe Band Zamana organized by Stichting Afrikontact Promotions, a musical group led by Patrick Ngambi from Cameroon and they play Africa percussion music with drums. It is mixed colour from young to old and the audience totally joined them in their performances. The evening was full of activities of colours, music, spoken word, fashion shows, entertainment and a beautiful award dinner. DJ Erick Gava and DJ Ray supplied music.

A day earlier on 22nd of November, we held a business/panel discussion on the theme: Reinventing Africa’s future now. With five panelists and an interactive audience, most of the evening was spent finding solution to various African challenges. The conclusion is that Africans at all levels need to do more to take responsibility for our actions if our continent will develop in the 21st century global advancement. The technology of the Internet was also examined and is impact on African youths. It was interactive, educative as well as informative. It was also a unique opportunity for promotion of businesses and networking.

Awardees were feted with food, drink, and accolades celebrating their outstanding work.

On the award ceremony itself, Dr. Tariq Saif presented the originator of the award, Pastor Elvis Iruh in a surprised package with his honorary Ambassador recognition who flew in from Dubai with a colleague to do him the honours. In emotion acceptance of the Ambassadorial recognition, he pledges to continue to work for the course of children in Africa particularly those suffering from autism.

Scroll down for more photos and to see what took place at the award ceremony from page 26 to 31. www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Awardees proudly recieves their awards for 2018

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The Voice Achievers Award 2018 recap........

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More photos from The Voice Achievers Award 2018

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The Voice Achievers Award 2018 in pictures

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Photos on Day One of The Voice Achievers Award 2018 by Ruth

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Short preview of Day One of The Voice Achievers Award 2018 featuring business exhibition and discussion on the future of Africa Now. Photographs taken

by Collins T. Photography.

We are grateful for your contribution to the award ceremony.

TV Management.

www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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THE EXIGENCY OF LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA

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he ship of the Nigerian State has been nose-diving, sliding into avoidable oxbow lake and it is almost at the irreversible point. To salvage the situation, the Nigerian elites thought it was safe to come up with an emergency. The timber and caliber Nigerians made a concerted effort to bring the current administration, the all people’s congress (APC) on board to sail the boat and prevent it from wreck. It is flabbergasting and dispiriting that the whole effort was in futile. Instead of a rescue mission, the APC led administration has insensitively pauperized Nigerians and the Nigerian economy due to their ossified political DNA. The APC administration was voted on the mantra of changing the course of the ship from hitting the icebergs but today their inexperience have moved the ship closer to disaster. APC created a mess and started to merry-go-round in solving the same problem created for the last three years. It is unfortunate that most Nigerians were not sensitive to their failure at the inception.

It is audible to the deaf and visible to the blind that the APC government started their marauding administration when from the beginning they started displaying political lobotomy. It took decades for Mr President to set up his cabinet; as if they were going to come from the moon.

This was the beginning of their administrative hara-kiri.

What a shameful display of kakistocracy in Nigeria!

As if it was not enough, the ministry of finance and the central bank of Nigeria (CBN) started engaging in ‘danse macabre’ of policy somersault. Their incompetence and professional hogo mundugus muay, further pushed the Nigerian economy into the dish. An economy that has been rated as first in Africa suddenly entered recession. What a devastating ignominious political yo-ho-ho and hurly-burly.

The integrity assertion with which Mr President was voted became odoriferous. The minister of state for petroleum resources, Mr Ibe Kachikwu lamented a missing humongous amount of money in the ministry but to the dismay of most Nigerians, this wicked act of corruption was swept off the carpet. The APC led administration came up with all tactical lying measures, what Patrick Obahiagbon called political ‘crinkum crankum’ to defend corrupt practices. So, what integrity is being displayed here? Is this integrity or corruption of the highest level?

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PC should know their game is up because sensitive Nigerians are aware of this political mendaciloquence and are waiting to respond with a corresponding action. The worst of this laughable state of decadence was displayed when recently, Mr President was handed his unsubstantiated West African Examination Certificate (WAEC). How come was it so difficult for the result to be released before election in 2015? How come is it so difficult for Mr Integrity to display integrity by simply saying the truth and resign? This is nothing but a colossal disgrace to Nigeria as a nation. Although, whether good or bad, sensitive Nigerians are ready for action in 2019.

Although, the APC led administration is full of media presstitutes, it is obnoxious to continue to waste time enumerating their political blunders such as aggrandizement in the security of the country and zabernism in governance.

What a political and administrative muahahaha! Now, it is no longer a laughing matter but a serious search for a new and competent captain. This is because the Nigerian ship is still terribly sailing and must by a matter of alacrity be rescued. It is expedient that all broadminded homo Sapiens in Nigeria and abroad extricate themselves from the stranglehold of the present Mephistophelian in power. The job of a sailor is not for the ignoramus or the untrained. Taking over the governance of the Nigerian economy is not a job for the unqualified, the vagabonds and the ordinary man, but for icons with responsiveness and understandings of the workings of democratic structure. The present lumpen leadership has once again thrown the upcoming 2019 elections in Nigeria into a rat race context. Nigerians are in a hurry to retire the APC led administration and relegate them to where they belong. In achieving this objective, do we just choose blindly? No, Nigerians are now more sensitized and cannot afford to repeat mistakes.

In preparing for the next elections, a bandwagon effect among Nigerians is now translating to a new national anthem. I am ‘Atikulated’ is fast spreading like a wildfire and becoming a household emblem. One may begin to ask some serious questions. Why are Nigerians going in this direction? Does it mean that other presidential candidates are not relevant? Well, the answer is not far fetch. One underlying factor is that while the elephant is the biggest animal in the jungle, the lion is always the king in the animal kingdom. Among the contestants, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is the best product of himself. He has the experience, the exposure and the competence to deliver the required good life to Nigerians. His antecedents as the vice presidents has proven that he is a political giant with incontestable records. His contribution to economic growth in Nigeria between 1999 to 2007 remains a point of reference. As the then vice president, the privatization policies that sailed the Nigerian ship to a cruise remain indelible in the Nigerian political scene. Under his administration together with his boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, their ingenuity accorded Nigeria certain outstanding foreign direct investments (FDIs). Not only that, to strengthen the Nigerian economy, they grew the country’s foreign reserve to 63 billion dollars. What a brilliance! Who can do this again in Nigeria if not a man with governance intelligence; the man called Atiku Abubakar.

It is not unconvincing that Atiku Abubakar is the right man for the job in Nigeria. As a politician and business man, he has established businesses to employ thousands of Nigerians. While some politicians are busy carousing and extravagantly hedonizing during the enormous basket of problems in Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar was busy empowering Nigerians and the Nigerian youths with his business empire. It is common knowledge that such a man will attract enemies from political juggernauts. The schemers in opposition are propagating a conflagration of baseless allegations on corruption. Nigerians must be asking logical questions. Why has a man who left office for about eleven years not been convicted till now? Or why has the APC led administration failed to see his corrupt side when they asked him to join them to change Nigeria? Why has corruption suddenly become their music at this time that he is contesting against incompetency?

Their insinuations were laughable and condemnable.

Nigerians are not deceived by their permutations and their political cacophony. Come 2019, Nigerians are super ready to prove they are not gullible. The yearnings of all progressive Nigerians to vote Atiku Abubakar is a consolidated one. I implore Nigerians in diaspora to rise to this same occasion and bring Atiku back on board.

His governance intelligence and experience will change the course of the Nigerian state from the escapable catastrophe. Thus, we are all obligated to Atikulate and boldly vote out redundancies. Nigerians, we can do it. So, let us come together to save Nigeria.

Grace Okagbare Founder and Global Director Atiku Diaspora Network

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IT’S REAL ME, PRESIDENT BUHARI RESPONDS TO CLONING ALLEGATION

‘‘I

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t’s real me, I assure you. I will soon celebrate my 76th birthday and I will still go strong.’’

Those were the words of President Muhammadu Buhari, Sunday in Krakow, Poland, at an interactive session with the Nigerian Community in the country.

Responding to a question from a Nigerian in the Diaspora who wanted to know if he was real or the much talked about ‘‘Jubril from Sudan’’ -his supposed double- President Buhari described the authors of the confusion about him as ‘‘ignorant and irreligious.’’ ‘‘A lot of people hoped that I died during my ill health. Some even reached out to the Vice President to consider them to be his deputy because they assumed I was dead.

That embarrassed him a lot and of course, he visited me when I was in London convalescing…

It’s real me; I assure you,’’ he declared.

The Nigerian leader said he was looking forward to celebrating his 76th birthday on December 17 and jocularly added: ‘‘If I am getting harassed by anyone, it is my grandchildren, who are getting too many.’’

The President used the occasion to reiterate that his government will continue to maintain focus and deliver on the three focal points of his campaign in 2015: security, economy and the fight against corruption. ‘‘Those in the North East will tell you that in spite of the recent setbacks, there is a difference between the time we came and before. ‘‘We are not doing badly on security, economy and agriculture.

We have virtually stopped the importation of food especially rice and we are saving a lot of money. ‘‘We now have food security and that has come with fiscal security because a lot of young educated people have not regretted going back to the farms and earning a respectable living. ‘‘I am afraid, this is not receiving good publicity… but a lot of people in the rural areas are enjoying the benefits of our interventions in agriculture,’’ he said. www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

President Buhari, who is in Poland to attend the UN Climate Change Conference, COP24 reaffirmed that no territory of Nigeria is under the control of Boko Haram terrorists, calling on Nigerians to remain vigilant and supportive of Federal Government’s efforts to ensure the security of lives and property in the country.

While acknowledging that it has not been easy financing the security sector in the country, the President said the Nigerian Armed Forces were equal to the task.

The President noted that it was regrettable that herdsmen and farmers clashes in the country have been politicised, assuring that the Nigerian government will continue to prioritise security because that is what many investors consider first before investing in the country.

On the fight against corruption, he said all recovered stolen assets will be sold and the proceeds returned to the treasury for the benefit of Nigerians.

On women representation in his government, the President told the meeting: ‘‘I have plans for all Nigerians. I am not a male chauvinist. If I’m a chauvinist will I give the Finance Ministry to women?’’

In his remarks, the Ambassador of Nigeria to Poland, Mr Eric Adagogo Bell-Gam praised Nigerians living in the country for being worthy ambassadors of the country.

Among those who met President Buhari were Mr Larry Ugwu, an Artist and Curator, who has lived in Poland for 40 years and has contributed immensely to promoting Nigerian cultural heritage in the Polish society; Anthony Egwuatu, a Gynaecologist, who has lived in the country for 30 years and Mr Olomofe Larry, a human rights activist, who has fought for justice for fellow Nigerians in the host country, among several others.

The event was put together and anchored by Hon. Abike Dabiri, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Diaspora.

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Has Nigeria’s Buhari dead and replaced with a look alike?

everal high-profile figures in Nigeria, including a former government minister, have claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari has died and been replaced by a lookalike from Sudan.

Tweets, Facebook posts and YouTube videos repeating claims that the leader of Africa’s most populous nation is an imposter called “Jubril” have been shared and viewed over 500,000 times.

But there is no evidence to back up the claim and the government has not commented.

- What are we verifying? Former military ruler Buhari, 75, has made several trips to London for medical treatment since mid-2016. Initially, the presidency claimed he had a “persistent ear infection”.

But concern mounted from early last year about his prolonged absences, prompting speculation the condition was more serious and might affect his ability to stay in power.

A lack of information about the exact nature of his illness, his gaunt features and a reduction in public appearances have fed speculation about his well-being.

Claims about Buhari’s identity emerged a month after Buhari returned from another lengthy medical trip to the British capital.

The earliest online mention of the claim found by AFP was in a video posted by Twitter user @sam_ezeh on September 3, 2017.

The video has since been shared more than 5,000 times on Facebook and Twitter.

In it, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, Nnamdi Kanu, speaks to his supporters and says Buhari had actually died.

“The man you are looking at in the television is not Buhari...

His name is Jubril, he’s from Sudan. After extensive surgery they brought him back,” he says.

In separate broadcasts on the outlawed pirate radio station Radio Biafra, Kanu has called Buhari “Jubril Al-Sudani”.

But on each occasion, he gave no evidence for the claim.

The IPOB leader is a fervent critic of Buhari and the Nigerian government. His movement wants a separate independent state for the Igbo people who dominate southeast Nigeria.

Despite the lack of evidence, the claim has been picked up by other opponents of Buhari, who in February next year is seeking a second, four-year term of office.

On April 5, 2018, Femi Fani-Kayode, a former government special advisor and minister under president Olusegun Obasanjo, repeated the claim on Twitter (1).

A similar post on his Facebook page was shared more than 400 times. Press releases and statements by IPOB and its sympathisers have repeated the claim (2).

The rumour appears to have been fuelled further by a real-

life event in May this year, when a Nigerian diplomat -Habibu Almu -- was found dead in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry said on May 14 that Almu had been “stabbed to death” and that a Sudanese woman of Nigerian origin had been arrested.

Sudanese police said the killing did not appear to be politically motivated but Kanu and others have claimed the death was linked to an apparent cover-up of Buhari’s death (3).

Buhari’s appearance has come under scrutiny in many posts. One post compares Buhari apparently writing with his right hand in one photograph and his left in another.

But analysis indicates the image of the right-handed Buhari had been reversed.

One video even speculates on how a dead Buhari could have been operated on to transfer his appearance to “Jubril from Sudan”, showing a scene from the 1997 film “Face/ Off” (4).

- What conclusion can we draw? The rumour has been stoked by Buhari’s illness, which saw him receive treatment abroad for a large part of 2017, and the killing of a Nigerian diplomat in Khartoum earlier this year.

Those pushing the claim are known critics of Buhari and his government but have provided no concrete evidence to back up their assertion.

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Congratulations to Ugonne Iruh Our last born from Samuel Iruh clan, Ugonne Iruh just graduated from her Nursing program in Ghana, West Africa. Baby sister we are all proud of you and wish you more success in life as you begin your journey as a Nurse.

We know you aim higher and we would be there to support you through. Congrats Ugo Iruh On behalf of the family Mrs. Lilian Akintokun (Nee Iruh) www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Gabon top officials join ailing president in Morocco

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abon’s top government officials gathered last month in Rabat where President Ali Bongo is recovering after treatment for an illness that has not been officially revealed, his office said.

The 59-year-old leader, who fell ill on October 24 at an economic forum, arrived in Morocco last week following a month’s treatment at a hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Prime Minister Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet, Vice-President Pierre-Claver Maganga Moussavou and the head of the constitutional court, Ms Marie-Madeleine Mborantsuo, were among the senior officials to join Bongo in Rabat, the president’s office according to AFP. A day earlier, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, a long-time friend of President Bongo’s, visited the latter at the military hospital.

Both leaders are seen seated together -- with President Bongo smiling and dressed in a turban and djellaba robe -- next to the flags of their countries.

The move came after persistent rumours over the health of the Gabonese president for more than a month.

After an extended period of silence, the Gabonese presidency eventually admitted last month that President Bongo was “seriously ill” and had undergone surgery, but said he was on the mend.

Beating opposition

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His recovery would take weeks, or even days, a source in the presidency said last week.

A lack of official news -- along with memories of the secrecyshrouded death of President Bongo’s father Omar Bongo in 2009 after decades at the helm -- had sparked numerous rumours, including speculation he was incapacitated or even dead.

The Bongo family has governed Gabon for five decades. Ali Bongo was elected head of state after his father’s death.

He was narrowly re-elected in 2016 after beating opposition challenger Jean Ping by a few thousand votes following a presidential poll marred by deadly violence and allegations of fraud.

THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES AND THEIR PARTY in the coming 2019 Elections in Nigeria 1. *All Progressives Congress (APC)* Muhammadu Buhari 2. *People’s Democratic Party (PDP)* Alhaji Atiku Abubakar 3. *Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)* Olusegun Mimiko 4. *Social Democratic Party (SDP)* Donald Duke 5. *Yes Electorates Solidarity (YES)* Alistair Soyode Ali Soyode 6. *Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN)* Obiageli Ezekwesili 7. *African Action Congress (AAC)* Omoyele Sowore 8. *Young Progressive Party (YPP)* Kingsley Moghalu 9. *Abundance Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP)* Tope Kolade Fasua 10. *Alliance for People’s Trust* (APT) Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim 11. *Kowa Party (KP)* Dr. Adesina Fagbenro-Byron 12. *Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN)* Fela Durotoye 13. *National Rescue Movement (NRM)* Alh. Ibrahim Usman 14. *National Interest Party (NIP)* Mrs. Eunice Atuejide 15. *Sustainable National Party (SNP)* Ahmed Buhari

16. *Advanced Allied party (AAP)* Engr. Chike Ukaegbu 17. *Alliance for Democracy (AD)* 18. *All Blending Party (ABP)* Moses Shipi 19. *Independent Democrats (ID)* Edozie Madu 20. *People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN)* Hamza Al-Mustapha 21. *Reform and Advancement Party (RAP)* Dr Israel Davidson.

22. *Save Nigeria Congress (SNC)* Ayo Dasilva 23. *We the People of Nigeria (WTPN)* Prof. Peter Nwangwu 24. MAJA Party - Princess Prof Funmilayo Davies

CAN YOU DECIDE ON ANY OF THE CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT FOR NIGERIA IN 2019?

NO SHORTAGE OF CHOICES TO MAKE. CHOOSE WISELY. TV www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Malema’s wife, kids live in house owned by ‘tobacco smuggler’

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FF leader Julius Malema’s wife and children live in a luxurious house owned by alleged tobacco smuggler Adriano Mazzotti, EWN reported.

The house is reportedly situated in a highsecurity Hyde Park estate and is owned by Mazzotti, who is a director of cigarettesmanufacturing company Carnilinx.

As a member of Parliament, Malema has an official residence in Cape Town, but lives in the Hyde Park property when he is in Johannesburg.

Mazzotti has had a long-standing friendship with the Malema.

In 2014, Mazzotti paid the R200 0000 registration fee on behalf of the EFF ahead of the general elections.

It was also reported by City Press that Mazzotti helped Malema settle his tax bill.

For about four years Malema had been at the centre of a protracted battle with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) over his

tax affairs - at one point he was said to owe the revenue service R32m and at another point R18m, News24 reported.

In July, author Jacques Pauw alleged that Malema had received a R1m loan from a business associate of Mazzotti and, in doing so, he may have unknowingly accepted the proceeds of crime.

Mazzotti “categorically denied” that a donation by Carnilinx to the EFF involved money made as a result of crime.

Malema told News24 at the time that his tax affairs were settled in full – and he had even received a refund on his tax return.

According to EWN, the exclusive Hyde Park estate has four houses in it.

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“Mazzotti has a stake in three of them and also lives in the estate with Malema’s wife, Mantwa, and their children as neighbours,” it has reported.

Mazzotti told EWN that Malema’s wife pays a market-related rent to live in his property.

The EFF has recently faced more allegations of benefiting financially from illegal activity.

In August, Mazzotti denied settling Malema’s tax bill. “I’m being assessed by SARS at the moment and I suspect they are going to hit me hard,” he said.

“I won’t be able to afford these payments,” he told City Press.

Malema refused to comment on his tax bill, saying it was “nobody’s business” who was paying it.

In November, the DA opened a criminal case against Malema and EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu, Shivambu’s brother Brian, and Malema’s cousin, Matsobane Phaleng, for alleged criminal offences in relation to the looting of VBS Mutual Bank.

The charges include the acquisition, possession or use of proceeds of unlawful activities, in terms of section 6 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, and corruption in terms of Section 3 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act. This followed a report by Daily Maverick which stated that Malema, Shivambu and the party itself benefited from the widescale looting of VBS Mutual Bank.

The report revealed details of how money allegedly flowed from VBS to a company run by Brian, called Sgameka Trading, and from there to another company called Mahuna Investments, owned by Phaleng.

The EFF, however, maintained that the claims were false and that there was no material evidence supporting the allegations.

Zimbabwe ‘to shut down foreign embassies’ in bid to cut costs – Report

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imbabwe’s new finance minister Mthuli Ncube has reportedly announced that the government is planning to reduce the number of the country’s foreign missions from the current 46.

According to New Zimbabwe.com, during his budget speech last month, Ncube said that the government this year alone ran a $15 million deficit through expenditure directed at foreign missions.

“Currently, Zimbabwe has diplomatic presence at 46 Embassies and Consulates, staffed by around 581 home based and locally recruited staff. The above diplomatic presence is currently imposing annual budgetary levels of around $65 million, which is above available 2018 budget capacity of $50 million.

“Government has resolved to reduce the number of foreign missions, thereby optimising the utility value realised from the remaining missions as well as avoiding accumulation of arrears and embarrassing evictions of our diplomats,”

Ncube was quoted as saying.

Ncube, however, did not say which or how many embassies were going to be shut down, an AFP report said.

Cash problems The state-owned Herald newspaper quoted the country’s foreign affairs and international trade minister Sibusiso Moyo as saying, in January, that the government was in the process of clearing its debt in respect of salaries, rentals and other running cost for its various embassies as it tried to rebuild its image internationally.

Moyo said at the time that there was a need for the country’s 46 embassies to perform and meet key result areas to justify why they shouldn’t be closed.

“We’re reviewing the position of all embassies and it’s high time they must perform in a measurable manner. Government incurs a lot of costs in running embassies so they must justify their existence,” Moyo was quoted as saying.

In May 2017, Zimbabwean lawmakers urged the then president Robert Mugabe-led government to consider shutting down some of the embassies due to cash problems.

Reports indicated at the time that Mugabe’s administration had failed to pay some diplomats and staff their salaries for months.

Staff at the Zimbabwean embassy in Malawi, for instance, complained of abuses, alleging that they had not received their salaries since December 2016. www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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20 years of marital life for Pastor Elvis & Sandra Iruh

November 25th 2018 marked 20 years anniversary of our amiable Chief Executive and Publisher of The Voice magazine, Pastor & Mrs. Elvis Iruh. They quietly celebrated the occasion with their families and friends at their church at Victory Outreach Almere, The Netherlands. When asked how it felt married for 20 years, Pastor Iruh said, it has been an amazing journey of God’s grace and mercy and sustainable power and he is looking forward to another 20 years. For Sandra, “I am happy and blessed for a wonderful man as Elvis. He is a loving and caring man for the past twenty years and we look forward to 25th anniversary and we would celebrate then. For now, we just want to thank the Lord for our lives together.

Congratulations to our boss and his wife.

TV Management.

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Ebubechukwu baptism/thanks giving in Abuja, Nigeria Recently, the family of Mr. Ndubuisi Ezeagabu took their son, Chinemelum Ebubechukwu Ezeagabu to the church in Abuja, Nigeria for a Thanksgiving service as well as his baptism on to the Lord. It was a festive celebration for the young couple that was joined by families, colleagues and friends to celebrate the occasion.

Also congratulations to Mr. Ndubuisi Ezeagabu on his birthday celebration this month of December 2018. Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Ndubuisi Ezeagabu and wishing you all long lives and prosperity in life. Amen

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Claire Karekezi, Rwanda’s first and only female neurosurgeon

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laire Karekezi dreamed of becoming a doctor amid a childhood scarred by genocide. In early July, the 35-yearold returned home as the first and only female neurosurgeon in Rwanda thereby accomplishing the first part of her dream.

As a child growing up in Rwanda during the 1980s and ‘90s, Claire Karekezi dreamed of becoming a doctor. But what she calls her “guiding star” has taken her far beyond that initial goal to join the ranks of what is perhaps medicine’s most demanding specialty.

Claire Karekezi was born and raised in Rwanda.

She completed her medical school and qualified as a Medical Doctor (MD) from the University of Rwanda (UR) in March, 2009.

Claire has spent the last year at Toronto Western Hospital, honing her skills in neuro-oncology and skull base surgery, specializing in the removal of brain tumours.

Providing that service to brain cancer patients in a country with only one hospital-based MRI and few CT scanners will be a daunting task, but it’s one Karekezi is determined to overcome, just as she has all the challenges and sacrifices needed to fulfil her childhood dream.

Culled from Claire’s LinkedIn Profile: “My story with Neurosurgery starts In June, 2007 while on my 5th year of Medical training; I had the opportunity to be in an exchange program through the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) and the chance to be in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Linkoping Teaching Hospital (Sweden) under Professor Jan Hillman, Professor of Neurosurgery, Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery; who became a crucial element in my career becoming my very first Mentor. This was a huge inspiration to Neurosurgery as for the first time I had seen and touched the “Human Brain”.

Later in February 2009, I was selected for the very competitive “Elective program” at Oxford University/John Radcliffe Hospital (Neurosurgery Department), and I spent 6 weeks observing Dr Cadoux-Houdson. It was then clear in my head: I knew I wanted to become a Neurosurgeon!!

Where? How? I had no idea!!! That time Rwanda barely had 1 Neurosurgeon/11M and no local training program in Neurosurgery!

Despite almost insurmountable difficulties for such practice and training in my country and the rest of Africa, I did not give up. April 2011,

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I was finally admitted for a full five-year residency program at Mohamed V University/Rabat WFNS Reference center for the training of African Neurosurgeons thanks to Pr. El Khamlichi A and his team. I graduated as a Neurosurgeon in May 2016.

I, from July 2017 joined my clinical fellowship in NeuroOncology and Skull Base Surgery at Toronto Western Hospital/UHN/UofT for a year and have had an incredible opportunity to be with the Giants in Neurosurgery.

I wish to contribute to the Neuro-Oncology Practice in Rwanda and SSA. I have become the first Female Neurosurgeon in my country and hope to be an inspiration to young female wishing to become Neurosurgeons”.

We definitely wish her wonderful career and more successes as she inspires other African women. This is telling our own stories.

Meet Esther, the first female commercial pilot in Rwanda When Esther Mbabazi was 5, she looked up and watched an aero plane cut across the sky. She thought to herself, “I want to be the one flying that plane.” The fact that there were no female pilots in her native Rwanda and never had been before didn’t occur to her.

“You know what? I’m going to fly,” she said, “and that’s what motivated my entire life, that idea I had as a young child.”

At 24, Esther became the first female commercial pilot in Rwanda. It shocked a lot of people because her father died in a plane crash when she was a young girl. But Esther refused to be deterred from her dream.

“I love the adventure,” she says. “Every day is different. I would wake up today and even though I’m going to the same destination I was going to yesterday, something is going to be different. That’s what I enjoy about my job: Every day brings its own uniqueness.”

Esther refuses to believe that being a woman negatively affects

her career. “It’s a modern world. I have no fear of heights and I like machinery,” she says, refusing to bow to the stereotypes about women that she’s come across.

But she has experienced some negative response. One day, a male passenger stepped onto the plane. When he saw Esther,

he said that if she was the one flying, he wouldn’t stay on the plane.

“I feel like even though there’s just that one person, there’s a thousand more that are excited and are happy about where the world is going for women,” she says.

Esther’s achievement is remarkable, but being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field isn’t an anomaly in Rwanda.

“Of course, I’m sure everyone knows we have the highest number of women in the parliament in the world,” Esther says, citing Rwanda’s remarkable achievement in gender parity.

Half of Rwanda’s Supreme Court is also women, and an equal number of boys and girls attend school in the country.

“You know a lot of leadership roles are taken by women in Rwanda,” Esther says.

“I think Rwanda is doing really a good job training women and supporting women in all aspects.”

Today, she gets dozens of letters from young girls who want to be a pilot someday.

“Everything starts with a dream,” she says, and encourages those young girls to study math and ignore the naysayers. She also asks them to think about what will come between them and their dream—and then she encourages them to completely ignore it.

“If they are girls, people will tell them ‘Oh, if you’re a pilot, it will be hard for you to have a family, to find a husband’,” Esther says. “But those opinions don’t really matter.”

“Overall, it’s a job that requires passion. Whether you’re a man or a woman, you just have to have passion.”

TELLING OUR STORIES: CONGO TALES .........

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ales Of Us is an ongoing creative media series that offers a new approach to communicating the urgency of protecting the world’s most powerful and fragile ecosystems and the people who call them home.

Congo Tales (Random House / Prestel, November 15th, 2018) and the short film The Little Fish and the Crocodile are its first two such projects.

Upturning the traditional conventions of fear-based environmental messaging about conserving areas that have become critical to global environmental health, Tales of Us tells their stories and the stories of the people who live there in a totally new way.

Staging the local mythologies, legends and lore that form the basis of cultures that predate modern civilization by centuries or more in the natural – and ecologically critical — environments from which they sprang, and photographing them using the world’s most celebrated portrait photographers, Tales of Us communicates the magic and mystery of these little understood places in a way that

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empowers and uplifts, and that reaches people in other parts of the world who may otherwise not hear the message.

Tales of Us sets out to change what has become a single story about places of great environmental import.

It gives the people who find themselves at the center of a global struggle over it a face, and shows that there are in fact many stories around both.

These stories need to be told to have a full understanding Congo Tales Upturning the traditional conventions of fear-based environmental messaging and the portrayal of Africa solely as a place of plague and war, Congo Tales takes a completely different approach to communicating the urgency of conservation efforts in this region.

In this groundbreaking photo series that was 5 years in the making, national Congolese who live in the Mbomo district of the Congo Basin staged their never-before recorded mythology for fine art portrait photographer Pieter Henket (Lady Gaga, Eddie Redmayne, Mary J. Blige). Henket’s portraits – of dozens of children forming the shape of an Mbomo (or Boa Constrictor); of over a hundred Congolese women forming a line at the border of the forest; of Congolese men on the hunt for a mythical bird – make the Congolese, their myths, and the rain forest the stars of Congo Tales, and communicate the magic and mystery of this little understood place, and its incalculable value to the planet.

Congo tales ...............

A book and a short film Channeling the primal heartbeat of one of the world’s most powerful ecosystems and the people who call it home, the mythological tales of the Congolese – of supernatural forces in control of life and death, of ritualistic initiations into adulthood, of the laws of nature that lie outside the laws of people – are revealed as a treasure trove of universal wisdom that is both existential and pragmatic, with the unspoiled Odzala Kokoua National Park as stage and actor.

A groundbreaking work of scholarly anthropology that calls on the work of Joseph Campbell and the Brothers Grimm, and a captivating work of art and photography, Congo Tales is a feat of innovative

environmental messaging and cross-cultural and crosscontinental collaboration intended to both prevent the loss of this all-important bastion of nature, and reveal its priceless value to the world and our communal future in it.

A short film based on the story of The Little Fish and the Crocodile was directed

by Stefanie Plattner and produced by Eva Vonk, @ Storming Donkey productions.

This Congolese mythological tale tells of a universal truth that nature abides by laws all its own, a timely message for a world in environmental crisis.

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Zambia village boy offered USA scholarship

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usaka, Zambia: Last month, a 20 year-old village boy, Brighton Chisanga from Mansa posted a plea on a Zambian community Facebook page, appealing for help and support to enable him to go to university.

The Facebook post caught the eye of Justina Mutale, who is based in the UK and is the Founder & President of the Justina Mutale Foundation, which offers Scholarships to underprivileged young women and girls from Zambia and other parts of Africa to access higher education overseas.

The Justina Mutale Foundation team in Lusaka contacted Brighton to get all the necessary information and offered him a scholarship to study in the United States of America.

“Brighton’s story touched my heart.

While the main focus of our scholarship programme is young women and girls, whenever possible and wherever merited, we offer scholarships to deserving young men and boys so

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that the boy-child is not left behind. We also acknowledge that our governments cannot do everything”, say Dr. Justina Mutale Brighton Chisanga, from Bwembya Village in Kasama completed his Secondary School education in 2015 at Ituna Secondary School in the Northern Province of rural Zambia. Despite securing a 6 Point Distinction in his General School Certificate, the single orphan from a poor family in the rural area of Zambia has not had the opportunity to proceed to university for the past three years due to lack of the necessary financial support.

Brighton’s father is deceased, while his widowed mother sells vegetables in the village to sustain the family with necessary basic needs.

“Science, Mathematics and Biology have been my favourite subjects and I have always wanted to become a Medical Doctor. My studies through this Scholarship will help me realise my ambition as it will equip me with knowledge and experience on how to perform as a Medical Doctor”, says Brighton.

Brighton is expected to commence his university studies in the United States of America during the Autumn 2019/20 Intake next year.

The Justina Mutale Foundation Scholarship Programme is an Africa-wide Programme offering young women and girls from under-privileged families in Zambia and other parts of Africa the opportunity to access higher education. The Scholarship Programme contributes to the retention and completion of tertiary education for girls, and forms part of the global efforts towards gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls and their right to quality education.

“Brighton has been an exceptional student to work with. We have every confidence that he will excel in the USA and do Zambia proud,” says Manda Moyo, Executive Director at the Justina Mutale Foundation in Lusaka.

The Justina Mutale Foundation has partnered with several universities around the world to secure scholarship places for qualifying students through their offices in Lusaka, Zambia. The Scholarship Programme is based on the agreement that upon graduation, the students can return to their home countries and bring back the knowledge, skills and global networks to contribute to the development of Africa from a global perspective.

For further information Email: scholarship@ justinamutale.com Tel: / WhatsApp: +260 977 485 520 I +260 965 475 777 I +260 975 164 260 I +260 978 211 598

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President Bashir closer to being ‘President for life’

udanese President Omar Bashir’s wish to extend his rule has moved closer to being a reality with lawmakers massively backing the scrapping of presidential term limits.

Some 294 lawmakers, majority of them members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), Tuesday supported a constitutional amendment to allow the long-serving president be re-nominated for a third term in the office in 2020.

NCP parliamentary group chairman Abdul Rahman Mohamed Ali told the press on Tuesday that the 294 members had proposed to abolish the presidential limit to pave the way for possible extension of President Bashir’s reign.

“The 294 parliamentarians, representing 33 political parties, agreed to submit this proposal to the parliament Speaker in order to open up the presidential tenure, so we suggested the change to Article 58 of the constitution, which allows only two presidential terms,” the NCP official stated.

Mr Ali attributed the proposal to the need to maintain the stability of the country “We believe that the only person who can guarantee the stability of the country is President Bashir,” he stressed.

“We also agreed to change Article 178, which gives the president the power to dismiss the governors of the states,” he added.

Parliament Speaker Ibrahim Ahmed Omer welcomed the initiative, promising that the proposal would be endorsed in accordance with the House regulations.

“We have received the letter from the members, whose contents include the proposed change to articles 58 and 178,” Mr Omer said.

“Those two articles are very crucial for the political future of

Port Harcourt’s collapsed building saga: Commissioner resigns

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My dear good people of Rivers State, after due consultation with my family on the collapsed seven story hotel building that was under construction at Plot 119, Woji Road, GRA Phase 2 Port-Harcourt on Friday 23/11/2018, I decided to “step aside” as the Honourable Commissioner for Urban Development & Physical Planning on 28/11/2018 during the State Executive Council Meeting. Historicism: The building plan was approved on 18/7/2014 and revalidated by me on 14/9/2018 because the file was missing. To those that lost their loved ones, I am pained so pained that each time I visit the site my heart bleeds and each time, I hear news on it www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

the country, so we will put them in front of the legislatures to be discussed according to the regulations of the assembly,” he added.

The Sudan parliament has 490.

President Bashir, who came to power in 1989 through a military coup, has been elected twice in 2010 and 2015.

Last month, parliament’s minority members boycotted a House session to frustrate the ratification of the controversial elections law.

Sudanese opposition parties have vowed to boycott the 2020 elections, insisting on the creation of a democratic atmosphere for the process, including the stopping of the civil war in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile, and the guaranteeing of the freedom of expression.

I am perturbed, thus, the decision of “stepping aside”. I am sincerely sorry for all the pains you all have gone through in the cause of this that my official assignment is involved. To His Excellency and the State Executive Council Members, I am extremely grateful for the acceptance and may the Good Lord guide our parts for better political economy and developmentalism of our beloved Rivers State nay Nigeria.

Reason Onya Ph.D Former Rivers State Commissioner for Urban Development

UN tells Juba to prosecute rapists

UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres

Gutteres said.

He pointed out that rape and other forms of sexual violence have been a consistent feature of the conflict in South Sudan, used both as a tactic of war and a driver of forced displacement.

The South Sudan warring factions inked a peace deal in September, bringing former rebel leader Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir together again for the third time.

A UN report in October blamed South Sudanese soldiers for most of the killings and rapes of children carried out in the country.

Sexual violence The UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms Virginia Gamba, told the Security Council that the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) had carried out nearly 80 percent of the 987 killings or maiming of children documented by the agency between October 2014 and June 2018.

The SPLA was also responsible for more than 90 percent of 658 verified incidents of sexual violence against children during that period, she added.

Most of the cases involved “gruesome gang rapes,” the UN envoy said.

The United Nations has urged South Sudanese authorities to prosecute the men who raped women and girls in a village in the oil-rich Bentiu State last month.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres said in a statement shared with the media last month that South Sudan leaders, from both the government and the opposition, should end the persistent impunity against women and girls in the warravaged state.

“I urge the leaders of all the parties to the conflict and future leaders in the Transitional Government of National Unity to ensure the safety of civilians and address impunity for these crimes through investigation and prosecution of perpetrators, including through the operationalisation of the Hybrid Court, as an immediate priority,” Mr Gutteres said.

He expressed frustrations following the revelation of the rape of some 125 women and girls on a road leading to a World Food Programme (WFP) distribution point in Bentiu, in the north.

Cessation of hostilities “These horrific acts are a distressing reminder of how, despite re-commitments by South President Kiir of South Sudan: He has to take responsibility for the Sudan’s leaders to a cessation of hostilities and a rape cases of women and girls in his country revitalised peace agreement, the security situation for civilians remains dire, especially for women and children,” Mr. www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Company that won Kenya gas cylinder deal under probe

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he Kenyan government’s cheaper gas project for the poor has taken an unexpected twist after one of the firms contracted to supply the gas cylinders was put under administration, raising questions on the government’s level of due diligence on projects funded by the taxpayer.

The Allied East Africa Ltd, the lead supplier in a consortium of four firms that won the gas cylinder supply tender, has been put under administration for insolvency.

In Kenya Gazette Notice No 12191 dated November 19, 2018 consulting firm Ernst & Young was appointed administrator for the financially distressed firm effective November 16, 2018.

Any party with a claim against the firm is expected to submit their claim in writing with supporting documentation to the administrators on or before December 11.

“Following the appointment, all the affairs and business of the company are being conducted by the administrators. The powers of the administrators extend to all assets and undertakings of the company. The powers of the directors in terms of dealing with the company’s assets ceased,” according to the gazette Notice.

The government had given Allied East Africa Ltd a contract to supply 148,750 gas cylinders valued at Ksh327 million ($3.27 million) but it only delivered 61,380 cylinders of which 47,534 were rejected for being faulty.

As a result, the government cancelled the firm’s contract and ordered it to pay over Ksh40 million ($400,000) in compensation for failing its contractual obligations.

An internal report prepared by the National Oil Corporation, the project’s implementing agency shows that other members of the consortium Surge Energy, Metalmate and Accurate Power also failed on their obligations by supplying defective gas cylinders and also failing to meet the quota of their tender awards.

The four firms supplied only 185,217 gas cylinders of which 67,251 cylinders were defective, against a contract size of 357,000 cylinders.

This contract was valued at Ksh778 million ($7.78 million).

As a result, the High Court suspended the government’s cheaper gas project and directed the government not to use public funds to repair the faulty cylinders until the matter is heard and determined on March 19 next year.

The Director of Criminal Investigations also ordered a probe into how fraudulent suppliers delivered faulty gas cylinders to a government flagship project designed to provide poor homes with cheaper cooking gas.

Petroleum Principal Secretary Andrew Kamau, however, said the project has suffered a cash crisis and that the government did not have money to supply cheap cooking gas to the poor and has instead surrendered the project to the private sector.

“Yes, we cancelled the Mwananchi gas cylinder tenders because of budget issues. The private sector has taken over on its own. The private sector has identified it as a splendid commercial opportunity,” said Mr Kamau.

However, this paper has learnt that allegations of corruption, lack of funds and supply of defective cylinders stifled Kenya’s grand plan to provide poor households with cheap cooking gas.

The much-hyped Mwananchi Gas Project would have seen millions of households receive subsidised cooking gas cylinders at a cost of $20.

It was meant to equip close to four million households with six-kilogramme gas cylinders dubbed Gas Yetu fitted with burners and grills to reduce reliance on charcoal and kerosene.

Under this programme, consumers were to refill their depleted gas cylinders at a cost of Ksh840 ($8.4) per cylinder.

Kenya’s poor households have not been able to afford cooking gas cylinders at current market rates of about $50 each and the government’s plan to provide subsidised cylinders was a ray of hope for struggling families.

About 80 per cent of Kenya’s households rely on charcoal and kerosene for cooking and the government had planned to enhance liquefied petroleum gas penetration from approximately 10 per cent currently to 70 per cent within the next three years.

Kenya had initially planned to procure 1.2 million mwananchi gas cylinders every year for three years and distribute them to the poor.

The pilot programme was carried out in Kajiado and Machakos counties last year and the full implementation was expected to be rolled out earlier this year.

According to the National Oil Corporation, only 35,418 gas cylinders that passed basic visual checks and leakage detection were released into the market.

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SPEECH BY MR. GEORGE WACHIURI, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE OPTIVEN GROUP, DURING THE VOICE ACHIEVERS AWARD CEREMONY AT THE DE KONING EVENT CENTER, ISOLATORWEG 29, 1014 AS AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

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onorable members representing different organizations, winners in different categories of the Voice Achievers Award, distinguished guests – ladies and gentlemen, good evening!

My name is George Wachiuri, the proud winner of the African Business Personality Award 2018. I am grateful for this award and indeed this rings true with the motto of the Voice Achievers – which is reinventing Africa’s future now.

I must say I am not new to the Voice Award because my good friends such as • Sarah Mbeti Karingi – CEO Sarma Enterprises Ltd 2017… is the holder of the African Business Excellence Award • Marion Van de Voort winner of the African Foundation Award 2017 and a very able ambassador of our brand – the Optiven Group And of course • Her Excellency, Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of the Republic of Rwanda Winner of the African Woman Personality of the year & African Heroine Award 2017 Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to concur with the words of the chief organizer of these awards Pastor Elvis Iruh, Publisher, The Voice magazine, The Netherlands. Pastor says the awards are given out as a reward not only to successful businesses but those which had a positive impact on their communities and the country or region they operate in respectively.

This is true for the Optiven Group which has for the last twenty years been at the forefront in catalyzing social and economic transformation of our people. This, the Optiven Group continues to do by offering state of the art products and services in an environment that promotes professionalism, honesty, customer focus and innovation.

It is these values that guide the day to day operations of the Optiven Group and which have won us many awards for our renowned customer service, brand depiction and authentic manner of our operations to name just a few.

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Like Pastor Iruh has alluded in the past, the Optiven Group continues to encourage sustainable and inclusive growth – and we are on course on our intention to offer opportunities to at least 30,000 persons by the year 2030.

Finally the Optiven Group has risen to be the leader in providing solutions in real estate not just in Kenya but in different parts of the world – including here in the Hague, and our office in Kansas, United States. We are also involved in the construction, hospitality, water and value added real estate. And in resonance with the theme for this year’s award gala: “Together, we are reinventing the future of Africa NOW!” May I take this opportunity to thank my wife Mary – who graciously agreed to accompany me to the Hague. The team that makes the Optiven Movement a success – including the Directors, Staff, Customers and other stakeholders. And to God my Creator – who makes all things beautiful in His time – to Him be all the glory, honor and adoration. To all present here, as we say in Dutch… DANK U VEL. FELICIDAD VINAARS! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS)

Billionaire Aliko Dangote is the world’s richest black person -here’s how he made his wealth

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angote Group founder Aliko Dangote is the world’s richest black person.

Nigerians take the lead on lists of black billionaires, and one, Aliko Dangote, takes the top spots.

With an estimated net worth of $10.3 billion, according to Bloomberg, the Dangote Group founder is the richest man in Africa. According to Forbes, he’s also the richest black person in the world. Most of the entrepreneur’s wealth derives from his 85.2 percent majority stake in Dangote Cement, which is the largest cement producer in sub-Saharan Africa.

First launched in 1981, the Dangote Group now owns and operates more than 18 subsidiaries across a range of industries, including Dangote Cement, Dangote Flour and Dangote Sugar.

The 61-year-old billionaire credits much of his success to his maternal grandfather, who instilled a business mindset into Dangote at a young age. At just eight years old, Dangote would buy sweets with his allowance, which he’d give people to sell for a profit.

“When you are raised by an entrepreneurial parent or grandparent you pick that aspiration,” he told Forbes in 2015. “It makes you be much more aggressive — to think anything is possible.”

Dangote’s entrepreneurial interests followed him into adulthood. In 1977, he graduated with a business degree from Egypt’s Al-Azhar University. When he returned to Nigeria, Dangote moved to Lagos, one of Africa’s wealthiest cities and the country’s largest financial center.

Using a $500,000 loan from his uncle, Dangote began trading in commodities such as bagged cement and agricultural goods like rice and sugar. These business ventures became so successful that he was able to repay his uncle within three months of starting the operation.

In 1999, Dangote shifted to manufacturing, building sugar refineries and a flour mill. When Dangote Sugar first debuted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2010, sales had quadrupled to $450 million, according to Forbes, making it the largest sugar refinery in Africa and by some estimates, the second largest in the world. Similarly, Dangote Flour tripled revenue to $270 million.

Dangote describes his professional journey as “exciting,” but notes that he’s also encountered obstacles along the way. Overcoming these challenges, he told Forbes Africa, required big thinking and an innovative approach. “You have to dream big to be able to be big and that’s what we’re doing,” said Dangote, who’s now building an oil refinery that’s projected to cost around $14 billion.

For his part, Dangote says he’s driven by the impact he can have on humanity. In fact, he’s also one of Africa’s top philanthropists. “You’d like to be remembered for things that you’ve actually done,” he told Forbes. “We Africans are the only ones that can make Africa great.”

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Al Tareq Rehabilitation and Autismus center introduces “Therapeutic Diet” to help children with autism under the leadership of Dr. Al Tareq Saif

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herapeutic Diet” initiative was launched on Zayed Humanitarian Day in a contribution with & Al Tareq Rehabilitation & Autismus Center and other privet and government sectors.

This initiative is based on a structured frame work and clear scientific methodology. It effectively contributes to improve the services offered to Autism, food disorders and malnutrition as well as minimizing its severe effects on the family in particular and the society as a whole.

In order to continue this initiative, we have launched the title of Ambassadors of Hope from Al-Tareq Rehabilitation and Autism center in Dubai to each person according to his or her position or role in the community, contributing innovative ideas.

The aim of this title is to encourage people to volunteer and humane work, spread hope, help humanity ... and to shed light on kings, sheiks, princes, and world celebrities, whether they are an athletes or artists... For example, the Argentine football player Lionel Messi, who highlighted medicine in the virus C , in addition to the ambassadors of official countries as Excellencies and consuls of the United Arab Emirates in

different countries of the world.

Finally, we strive to keep pace with international and local developments by achieving the goals of sustainable development within the framework of the United Nations Plan 2030.

All these initiatives and humanitarian activities were carried out under the supervision of the Ambassador at large Tariq Saif Summary of the founder’s biography : • Member in the International Police Corporation of Public Security .

• Member - the International Human Rights Commission .

• Official member in affiliated organizations to the United Nations organization, and holds diplomatic status.

• Investor in the United Arab Emirates.

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• Founder and director of Al Tareq Rehabilitation and Autismus center.

• Founder and Secretary General of the Al Tareq for Humanization .

• Founder and Secretary General of the Council of British Gulf for studies & business .

• Founder and Secretary General of the Organization of Therapeutic diet in London.

• Founder and secretary general of the Al Tareq Award For Humanity to support patients with disabilities and autism centers.

• Founder and Secretary-General of the Al Huda Award For Humanity to support patients and centers of cancer.

• Founder of the group companies, including Al Tareq Center for Natural Medicine and Nutrition • The author of number of Medical books on Nutrition.

1- Proper food for Autism.

2- Proper food in health and disease • Secretary-General of the Therapeutic Diet Initiative and Founder of the International Therapeutic Diet Initiative for Volunteer in UAE .

• A representative of London International College in the Middle East.

• Goodwill Ambassador of the British Centre for Human Rights and the London International University.

• Representative of the Middle East for international initiatives in Malaysia and has the right to grant an honorary doctorate in voluntary work, as he honored more than 150 personalities from Arab world.

• A strategic partner with the Ministry of Community Development, Municipality and Planning Ajman, Sharjah University, Ajman University of Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, laboratories studio parisi.

• Founder of the test “ Nutrways Studio Parisi “ through the examination of the genes in the field of nutrition.

• The founder of the “TDI TEST FOR AUTISM “which helps for diagnosing million children with autism across the world.

• 266 important scientific researches in the field of nutrition

1. The study of ” the development of communicative skills, social and behavioral autistic children after following the diet” with the Ministry of Community Development and the Municipality and Planning in Ajman and Sharjah University.

2. the study of “The role of nutrition in the resistance to diseases of this age and its impact on the level of happiness,” in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Municipality and Planning, University of Sharjah, Ajman University, Dubai Police Force.

3. The study of “The development of communicative skills, social and behavioral disorder for children with hyperactivity and Attention Deficit After following the diet “with British Gulf for studies & business in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the protection of society.

4. The study of “the role of proteins in the diagnosis of autism cases,” in collaboration with the Ministry of Community Development.

• Founder of Test of Happiness from Ajman University of Science and Technology within the scale scientific study “the role of nutrition in the resistance to diseases of this age and its impact on the level of happiness.”

• Founder of the electronic assessment under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan.

• Founder of the International Conference therapeutic diet 1 and 2 and 3 .

• Founder of the international Forum therapeutic diet 1 and 2 and 3 .

• Founder of the Autism Forum for innovation 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 .

• Founder of the inauguration of the ambassadors for the initiative of a therapeutic diet campaign to raise awareness

of nutrition and its impact on autism, as ambassadors of hope , ambassadors of happiness , the ambassadors of therapeutic

diet initiative .

• Founder of the March “Thank you Khalifa” for the autistic children.

• Founder of the March “Thank protectors of the homeland for autistic children “.

• A strategic partner with the largest hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

• A medical consultant in the field of nutrition and autism in Jeddah with “Hamid Sulaiman Al-Ahmadi Hospital” , “Aid Medical group “ and “Al Ansari Hospital” • Authorized by the Governor of Madinah Office of His Highness Prince Faisal bin Salman Al Saud for developing plans and curricula in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs of Saudi Arabia.

• Evaluation of 2500 children in Saudi Arabia within the british gulf center for studies and business .

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Cameroon stripped of hosting 2019 Africa Cup of Nations

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oday we took the decision to withdraw the 2019 CAN dead two days before the opening match. from Cameroon,” CAF president Ahmad Ahmad told a Ahmad observed: “Football in Africa depends on our press conference in Accra, seven months before the 2019 governments. But our priority is to look after the interests of opening match. our actors and above all our players.

He was speaking after a 10-hour CAF executive meeting held “I don’t know whether there are statistics but many have been behind closed doors in the Ghanaian capital. injured during CANs due to the condition of the organisation.”

Ahmad said “a task force” would be set up to launch an appeal The Cup of Nations is no stranger to dramatic subplots. for offers “to determine a new organising country between now In 1995 Kenya withdrew as hosts, citing financial difficulties, and the end of the year”. with South Africa stepping in and going on to be crowned South Africa and Morocco are two frontline contenders to step in as hosts for the event -- expanded to 24 teams for the first time -- in place of Cameroon, who won the last edition in 2017 in Gabon.

Morocco, who lost out to a United States/Mexico/Canada bid to host the 2026 World Cup, have regularly been reported as possible replacements.

The North Africans had been set to stage the 2015 Cup of Nations before being stripped of its hosting rights in a row over the Ebola outbreak.

South Africa is the only African country to stage a World Cup, in 2010, and last staged the Cup of Nations in 2013.

“I know that there are countries which are interested, rest assured, candidate countries will come Mr. Ahmad Ahmad forward,” said Ahmad.

CAF President: Tough decision to make.

“We know there won’t be many (new candidates) but we will leave the task force to evaluate them and to set up visits in order to select the champions. organisers of the CAN by the end of the year”.

South Africa also took over holding the 2013 tournament after Alarm bells were sounded over the 2019 event at a September original hosts Libya had pulled out two years earlier because of executive committee meeting in Egyptian resort Sharm el- the armed conflict then raging in the country.

Sheikh when CAF noted “a significant delay in the realisation Equatorial Guinea stepped in to the breach in 2015 when original of the infrastructures” necessary for holding the Cup of Nations hosts Morocco had appealed in vain for the competition to be in Cameroon. delayed because of the Ebola epidemic.

Tense security Ahmad meanwhile appeared to hold out an olive branch to A report of the last two inspection visits to central African state Cameroon.

Cameroon were made at Friday’s meeting.

“CAF is committed to supporting Cameroon, to give them time CAF inspectors recently travelled to the country, which last so that they can properly organise a CAN,” he told reporters. hosted the tournament in 1972, to check security, infrastructure, He refused to be drawn on whether that meant Cameroon stadiums and accommodation. could replace Ivory Coast as hosts of the 2021 edition, or be Cameroon is experiencing a tense security situation with designated as organisers in 2023. persistent attacks by Boko Haram jihadists in the north and a The 2019 event is scheduled for June 15-July 13, a change from conflict between the army and separatists in the two English- its traditional January-February slot. speaking regions.

And it will be the first to feature 24 teams -- up from 16 at the That recalls the trauma that preceded the 2010 Cup of Nations 2017 edition in Gabon. in Angola, when the Togo team bus was attacked with three 64

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Nigeria beat SA on penalties to win 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations

Nigeria were crowned the 2018 Wo m e n ’s Africa Cup of Nations champions on Saturday, b e a t i n g South Africa 4-3 on penalties in the final in Accra.

The match had ended 0-0 after 120 minutes, with Nigeria’s goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi making the trophy-winning save in the shoot-out from the boot of South Africa’s Linda Motlhalo.

Experienced midfielder Asisat Oshoala had earlier scuppered the chance to seal a victory for Nigeria in normal time after she missed a penalty.

The Super Falcons, who came to Ghana as defending champions, retain their dominance in this competition, winning the trophy for a ninth time in eleven editions.

It was a nervy start to the final for both sides as they tried to size each other out.

South Africa looked the more purposeful pushing forward, but the Nigerian defence dealt with the attacks comfortably.

Mamemlo Makhbane’s long range strike for Banyana Banyana in the 12th minute had to be palmed wide by Nigeria’s keeper, as South Africa began to impose themselves on the game.

Nigeria got their momentum back after 20 minutes when Asisat Oshoala just missed the target from Ngozi Okobi’s corner, and an Okobi shot from just outside the 18-yard area had to be parried away minutes later by South Africa’s goalkeeper Kaylin Swart.

The first ten minutes of the second half belonged to South Africa but Nigeria held firm and went on to have the better chances.

In the 56th minute Swart made a brave save diving at the feet of Rasheedat Ajibade, and Francisca Ordega was later brought down by Swart as she tried to get the ball.

Oshoala stepped up for the spot-kick - but her poor penalty

w e n t wide of the lefth a n d post.

Over the ninety minutes Nigeria were the m o r e skillful s i d e which w a s cancelled out by South Africa’s organisation and determination.

In extra-time, the first chance fell to Oshoala whose shot across goal was well saved by Swart.

Kgatlana and Motlhalo both had shots for South Africa which went straight to the keeper.

How the shoot-out played out...

With no players able to break the deadlock, and tiredness hitting both sides, the drama of the penalty shoot-out followed.

It was a terrible start for Nigeria as Onome Ebi hit the post, with Noko Matlou then successfully scoring into the top corner to make it 1-0 to Banyana Banyana.

Ngozi Ebere then scored for Nigeria with Lebohang Ramalepe missing for South Africa.

Super Falcons skipper Rita Chikwelu made it 2-1 as Mpumi Nyandeni duly put her penalty away to level the score.

Chinwendu Ihezuo made it 3-2 to the holders, with Mamello Makhabane keeping the drama alive by scoring for South Africa.

Chinaza Love Uchendu put Nigeria 4-3 up - with Motlhalo suffering the heartbreak of seeing her shot saved by Oluehi as Nigeria celebrated their triumph.

Nigeria and South Africa will now prepare for next year’s World Cup in France where they will be joined by Cameroon who booked their place too last month.

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