African Development Bank is A-A-A Financial

African Development Bank is A-A-A financial institution in the world, first in the developing countries

The African Development Bank was ranked by Global Finance as the Best multilateral financial institution in the world in 2021. The African Development Fund was ranked by CGD as second best in the world, ahead of all 28 concessional financing institutions in developed countries. We are a AAA-rated financial institution, the only one in Africa. We have consistently maintained

our stellar AAA credit ratings by all major global credit rating agencies, who consistently praise our excellent risk management at the Bank. We have an excellent and robust management and governance system. We deliver great value for our clients in Africa. Over the past six years, through our High 5 programs, our work has impacted on 335 million people. We deliver great value. When COVID-19 struck, our Board, based on rigorous risk assessments, approved a crisis response facility of up to $10 billion. We launched a $3 billion fight Covid-19 social bond on the global capital markets, the highest ever US dollar denominated social bond in world history. Our rapid COVID-19 response facility helped towards stabilizing African economies. It trained 130,000 health workers. It provided social protection for about 30 million vulnerable households. It provided advisory support for 300,000 small and medium sized businesses. To tackle the food crisis from the RussianUkraine crisis, our Board of Directors approved last week a $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production Facility, to support 20 million farmers to produce 38 million metric tons of food. The Bank partnered globally. We delivered! To help Africa adapt to climate change, the Bank is partnering globally. Together with Global Center on Adaptation, with former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, we are mobilizing $25 billion in support of Africa. With support of President Emmanuel Macron and G-7, our Affirmative Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) is raising $5 billion for women businesses. In 2021, we paid out $483 million to financial institutions to lend to women businesses. We will lend $500 million for women in 2022. Independently conducted survey by a global HR firm found 85% of staff are happy with the Bank, an exceptionally high level for any institution globally. Despite COVID-19 and challenges of working from home, 97% of staff were pleased with IT services support provided by the Bank. Our achievements, exceptional management, good governance systems, and delivery of the Bank cannot be denied or misrepresented based on externally fabricated lies, distortions, misinformation, and deliberately orchestrated campaign of calumny to attempt to tarnish our image. We will tell our story. We will not be defined by mischief makers, lies and biases. We are proudly African. We will continue to make Africa proud as Africa’s only AAA-rated financial institution. As we start the Bank’s Annual Meetings for 2022, I wish to commend the Board of Governors, Board of Directors, Management and all the hard working staff of the Bank for their relentless work. I thank all our 81 shareholder countries for their incredible confidence and support. By Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina President, African Development Bank

International tree planting day

Aformer journalist and political activist Antonio Kalyango is a man on a mission. Having witnessed the environmental degradation in his country, and being mindful of the effects of climate change, he decided to take a stand. He joined forces with two of his colleagues and started a conservation foundation that seeks to conserve the environment and increase Uganda’s green coverage. International Tree Planting Day is an annual day of observance whose date varies depending on the climate and suitable planting season. This year, the planting season in Uganda was delayed due to a lack of rain in the month of March, coming later in April. Originally set for March 24th, this year’s celebration will be held today, the 30th of April. 28-year-old Antonio Kalyango, is an environmental activist who hails from Kyotera District, Lwankoni sub-county, Kisunku Village. He is a retired professional journalist, practicing it for five years with Vision Group and Centenary Radio, a catholic founded radio station in Masaka. He is also a former political activist who was a member of the Democratic Party and former L.C.V Councilor for Lwankoni at Kyotera District Council. He is currently a researcher attached to the Parliament of Uganda. Atonio Kalyango Planting A tree at Ssaza Together with two of his colleagues, he founded Biodiversity Conservation Foundation (BCF) in 2019 in the Greater Masaka. It was instituted to advance the voices that advocate for effective policies of environmental conservation and climate change mitigation in Uganda. The foundation assists individuals who want to volunteer and plant trees in order to increase the vegetation coverage in the region. It also pushes for petitions that seek to save the already existing green flora. Ssebuufu Matia Watering some of the planted trees

In their course of work, they have witnessed the ongoing reckless management of the environment. In turn, this instigates climate change whose effects are always negative and destructive. Through the media, they have tried their level best to expose such impunity. Nevertheless, the response from concerned agencies has remained unsatisfactory, so they decided to boost these efforts as civilians. They also discovered that people lacked the knowledge about their scope of work, an issue that they solved through awareness campaigns, one of the components of their work. The Foundation recently came into a partnership with the Buddu Ssaza leadership to plant trees at its headquarters and other Magombolola (sub-counties) in a bid to boost green coverage in Masaka.

“Acting now is the only way to secure a green space for future generations.”

Written by Martha Nalukenge

Nigerian Christians under persecution hELPUS PLEASE.......

The youngster promoting talents

in Rwanda Written by Cynthia Omondi

Rwanda has risen tremendously from the ashes of its dark past and is now a country of equal opportunities for all. Fully cognizant of this fact, JeanPaul Nduwimana, famously known as NOOJPA, saw an opening and grabbed it. At only 35 years of age, he is now the proprietor of the country’s leading recording studio and a radio station; and is still gunning for more. So, how did such a young person climb to such great heights? Right behind Nyamirambo stadium in Nyakabanda Sector in the beautiful city of Kigali, stands a beautiful gated compound with a bungalow. You will be forgiven for assuming that this is someone’s home. Inside, the ambiance is simply spectacular. Beautiful pictures of African heroes and music legends in black and white adorn the walls. This is the infamous Country Records recording studio, with an encrypted, tall, standing logo on the wall affirming this. After the pleasantries, Nduwimana Jean-Paul – the founder and owner – gives us a tour of the studio. We can’t help but wonder how long it took to put up such a beautiful structure full of high-end computers and recording equipment by such a young person. There is a conspicuous portrait of gorillas, Rwanda’s main tourist attraction, hanging on the wall with bold writings ‘Heretocreate’. The inside wall is stunningly furnished with blue and white soundproof material. Jean-Paul, known by his stage name NOOPJA, is a thirty-five-year-old talented and retired Rwandan artist. He chose to focus on promoting talent through his recording studio and a radio station. Starting from Scratch JeanPaul cleared his secondary education with an already established fan base. He discovered his singing talent at a tender age and never looked back, participating in all the music festivals while at school. ‘After secondary school, I had already composed my own songs. In 2005, I had the golden opportunity of performing during a genocide commemoration event. It was in my hometown of Rusizi, located in the Western Province of Rwanda, and everyone was moved by it. The government officials present noticed

my talent and supported me in producing my first album,’ he recalls. This was his first bold step towards success as two of his songs went viral, garnering him more fame and financial support. Thanks to this he was able to start a local charitable organization, his way of giving back to the community. After the genocide orphaned many children, most Rwandese took it upon themselves to contribute to the healing journey and towards the rebirth of a new Rwanda. He informs us that has been his biggest drive. Just like many others, he believes that greener pastures can only be found in the cities which force growth, though they can be murky at times. ‘I traveled to Kigali to look for a studio where I could record my first album. I had no idea how long it would take but I did not expect it to take too long, at least not more than a month. To my surprise, I ended up waiting for a whole year for my album to be ready. This was disappointing and I felt there was a lot of what I whatsoever, I began saving. The first thing I bought was this table you see right here,’ he points out.

The Struggles Despite his determination to set up a recording studio, the journey proved to be more difficult since he lacked financial support. ‘Everything began at my house since I could not afford to rent space. I bought one thing at a time; from speakers, to sound cards and eventually computers which were the most expensive. I really wanted to realize my dream so I chose to take it one step at a time, regardless of how long it would take.’ ‘I brought together a group of fellow talented youngsters, shared my idea with them and we agreed to work together to actualize our dream. I constantly reminded them that it was up to us to make it a reality. We managed to hire a space, though we struggled during our first year trying to

would term as ‘unprofessionalism’ in the whole process. I felt challenged and a desire to own a studio that would serve artists better started mounting in me,’ he narrates. ‘The desire turned into a dream, growing with each passing day. In the year 2017, with no budget or financial support raise the rent.’ He believes that consistency in practicing something, without necessarily any formal schooling on it, may make you an expert. He had an ear for music and could always tell the right pitches and soundtracks. He discovered that he had great ideas on how to create beats

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and sounds. Together with his team, they came up with a 6-month-plan to train on good music production, one artist at a time. Before they knew it, they were attracting more and more artists. ‘The artist that brought Country Records to the limelight was Bruce Melody. After working with him, many doors opened.’ Currently, Country Records has some of the big-name producers like Element Eleeeh who at only twenty-one years of age, is already a renowned producer. He has worked with Nigerian international megastar Wizkid, among many others.

Expanding Wings In 2020, Country Records was doing exemplary well and JeanPaul dreamt of further growth. ‘I realized that 80% of the music being played on most radio stations in Kigali, were Country Records production. I desired to have my community back in Rusizi experience this. In my village, we mostly listened to international radio stations so I thought of opening a radio station which would impact a multitude of people,’ he tells us. Owning a radio station had been his initial dream. In fact, had he gotten the necessary finance, he would have opened one first, then the recording studio would have followed. Finally, he could realize his life-long dream since his fastrising recording studio was doing exceptionally well. ‘I began my research in 2019 by applying for the required documents and licenses from the government, reassuring myself that no matter the duration, I would eventually have a radio station. My prayers were answered pretty fast because after the great breakthrough with my recording studio in 2020, I had a fully equipped and registered Country FM Radio Station up and running in the same year,’ he states proudly. Creating Employment With youth unemployment being a major concern across Africa, JeanPaul has bridged a huge gap by creating employment for young people. ‘In my recording studio, I have five permanent employees on a monthly salary, while the rest work on a contract basis. I also have fifteen employees back in Rusizi working at the radio station.’ His plan is to make Country FM a national radio station that will employ more journalists. With each district having a correspondent in every sector, the number of employees will increase to around 60. The goal is to ensure the listeners receive top unbiased news from all corners of Rwanda and be informed on all current affairs. Out of curiosity, we inquire just how young people can

experience such tremendous growth and achieve so much in Rwanda. ‘I must admit, it is peculiar seeing a young person having big projects not only in Rwanda but across Africa. However, I feel that after the genocide we learned quite a lot from the older generation which was corrupt and prejudiced. We are currently in a country where equal opportunity is available for all so if you work hard you will make it.’ He argues that we are in an era where technology has played a key role in expanding opportunities for young people, which they should take advantage of. He feels that communication and access to information has been made easier thanks to smart phones, and as we all know; information is power. Through hard work and savings, he continues to build and expand his empire. He urges young people to exploit new opportunities by using what they have, without necessarily having to rely on anyone or anything.

Zoka forest in Uganda faces imminent danger from illegal loggers and charcoal burners. Its destruction has also led to unpredictable weather patterns being experienced in the northern district of Adjumani. In the end, it is the local subsistence farmers who suffer the most from either the excess heat or the destructive rainfall. Friends of Zoka, a community-based organization arose out of the need to get to the bottom of it and find a viable solution. Led by William Leslie Amanzuru, they are gradually winning the fight. A seven-hour journey by bus from the capital Kampala takes us into a moderately urbanized town. It’s midmorning and the sun is already scorching hot you’d assume it was mid-afternoon. We’re at the tail end of the first quarter of the year, yet Uganda’s northern district of Adjumani has barely received any rains. Ten years back the inhabitants of this district, who are mainly subsistence farmers, would be weeding their gardens having planted crops the previous month. However, this is no longer the case. ‘The temperatures have been extremely high and when the rains come, the damage they cause is immeasurable,’ notes William Leslie Amanzuru. He is a resident and the team leader at ‘Friends of Zoka’, a community-based organization in the district. He is also the 2019 recipient of the European Union Human Rights Defenders’ Award. The question of what could have gone wrong is one that has been lingering in the minds of the residents of this district for a while. Consequently, a group of concerned residents suspected that the cause of this unprecedented weather pattern could have been as a result of the depletion of Zoka Forest, the only forest reserve within the district. ‘We witnessed massive destruction inside the central forest reserve and approached the concerned authorities but received no response from them,’ William states. He further notes that truckloads of charcoal continued exiting the forest, on a daily basis, amidst heavy militarization of the forest reserve as they helplessly looked on. An Unexpected Beginning In 2016, as more uncertainty grew around the depletion of the forest, William and his colleagues formed a WhatsApp group and added officials from the local authorities. They later included some of the perpetrators they had identified so as to generate discussion around the rampant and questionable activities in the central forest reserve. Soon Ministers, Members of Parliament and security personnel from the local to a national level were part of the group. As the initiators, they played the role of intermediary between the locals and the authorities. This was the beginning of ‘Friends of Zoka’. Their interest was purely advocacy and to connect the dots as the ‘official’ custodians of the forest. William In the beginning, William and his colleagues were clueless about how to go about their new idea. They were both mentally and structurally unprepared, making them doubt themselves. However, their first meeting with community members gave them assurance and momentum to confront the local authorities. This would later create a big rift between them and the local leaders since the perception was that ‘Friends of Zoka’ were exposing their failures. On numerous occasions, they confronted some of the perpetrators, who had military protection and openly bragged off. These same perpetrators had also bribed most

of the district officials who readily defended them. Yet all these were just a prelude to what awaited them. The Tragedy ‘Having been involved in the issues of Zoka Forest for about 6 years now, we are better placed to understand the challenges there,’ notes John Unzima, the Communications and Documentations Officer at ‘Friends of Zoka’. He opines that the question of Zoka Forest is one of interplay amongst the stakeholders who are supposed to safeguard it. ‘Our forefathers ably safeguarded the forest using traditional knowledge. It is therefore incumbent upon the current generation to emulate them or even do better. Unfortunately, we have not lived up to these expectations.’ Currently, there are illegal loggers in the forest and commercial charcoal producers inside and outside the buffers of the forest. There is also rampant poaching in the forest, making it unsafe. Some of the perpetrators are original inhabitants of the district while others are hired from other districts. The majority of the perpetrators are backed by powerful individuals in the corridors of power. However, the concerned government agencies like National Forestry Authority, Uganda Wildlife Authority, National Environment Management Authority, and other local authorities have failed to exercise their mandate in regard to the forest’s protection. Having fallen short of what is expected of them, ‘Friends of Zoka’ emerged to rectify this. As earlier noted, the majority of the communities around the forest are subsistence farmers. The unusual weather changes could be directly linked to the depletion of the forest reserve as the rain cycle has been disrupted due to limited vegetation cover. There has been too much rain which destroys both crops and human dwellings. There are also instances of excessive sunshine and heat. ‘The only answer you can give the locals is that they are currently not living in harmony with nature. However, we encourage them to protect the forest in order to minimize the unpredictable weather patterns,’ William states. Journey to Recovery ‘The nature of our interventions is based on the problem that we have. As ‘Friends of Zoka’ our interest is to conserve our beloved forest,’ Henry Onzimai, the Programs Officer at ‘Friends of Zoka’ states. ‘Having identified all these challenges, we developed interventions to address them.’ They started by raising awareness among the communities about the benefits of conserving the forest and directly linked it to their survival. Secondly, they also considered the

William

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role of the central government as it is mandated to protect the forest and keep it in trust for the benefit of the public. Therefore, the public has a right to hold them accountable. They brought this to the attention of the local community as a way of instilling a sense of civic responsiveness amongst them. They engaged local media through radio talk shows and announcements. At the national level, they engaged seasoned journalists to do thorough investigative work to get to the root of this problem. The dialogue was also used by engaging church leaders, senior government officials, and local authorities on issues of Zoka forest. They also initiated a campaign aimed at raising awareness about climate change in the local communities. They were educated on what climate change means, its triggers, mitigation, and how they can adapt to changing weather patterns. Most importantly, they had a strategy of creating a platform where people could freely interact and share their thoughts. They embarked on capacity building as well to enable the community to comprehend issues and ways of addressing them. Henry notes that having informed the local communities that it’s their primary role to protect the forest, the surrounding communities have recently realized that there is a need for them to act. The communities have been able to link the health of the forest to their day-to-day survival. The harsh realities of climate change have also become more apparent to the communities upon educating them. This has made them aware that it is very important for them to defend the forest. Interestingly, their advocacy has led to the arrest of highranking officials like District Police Commanders, transfer of officials of Resident District Commissioners, and officials of the National Forestry Authority, as well as many others involved in the syndicate. Ideally, a transfer isn’t adequate, prosecution should be the best course of action. In any case, the transfers show the message is reaching the intended recipients. Uncountable Challenges They have reported quite a number of cases to the police which has led to court arraignments. Unfortunately, over 70% of the cases end up dying prematurely at the hands of the police. Upon making follow-ups they are informed that the files are lost. The district officials seem to be reluctant to follow these cases because the ‘godfathers’ of the perpetrators are high-ranking government officials and influential members of society. They are also being secretly tracked and their phone conversations tapped, without any regard to their right to privacy. There are also physical threats to them, their close friends, and family members. Their private property has been broken into and destroyed on many occasions. Then there are the trumped-up charges. William states that he has been arrested on more than three occasions. There was also a time when two of the team members were held at gun point when they visited an illegal logging site. Sadly, key security personnel were the ones behind this. One of their informers was brutally murdered but the perpetrators are yet to be brought to book. Police officers have deliberately refused to allow any of the team members to make statements that would lead to meaningful investigations. Lastly the non-ending blackmail, especially on social media platforms, has led to some of the local organizations within the district distancing themselves from them for fear of having their licenses revoked by the authorities. Spreading Wings Further Regardless of the challenges, ‘Friends of Zoka’ have been able to acquire many allies along the way. They have networks of women in the neighboring district of Yumbe working with the Shea Nut Movement; and the Elders Forum where they are educated in order to empower them on conservation issues. They have also held talk shows to discuss the conservation of Barifa forest in the West Nile City of Arua, bringing them even more partners. In the Acoli sub-region, they are partnering with a movement called ‘Our Trees, We Need Answers’. William notes that this kind of grouping enables them to get a coordinated response and also a foundation for documentation purposes. ‘Growing up we were told that we came from nature and to nature, we shall return,’ William states. He notes that the phrase places an obligation on him to keep his natural surroundings in good shape.

Henry states that he derives his satisfaction from the endless compliments they receive from the communities around the forest; and from the fact that the community members have become actively involved in the preservation of their environment as a result of their interventions. ‘Being a native of this area, there are instances when my neutrality as a journalist ceases especially with regards to environmental protection issues. I cannot watch the environment that raised me to go to waste. So, the motivation to defend it is a natural one,’ John concludes.

President Adama Barrow appoints new Cabinet after reelection

The public is hereby informed that his Excellency Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of the Gambia, acting under sections 70 (5) (a) and 71(4) (b) of the Republic of the Gambia, hereby relieves Her Excellency the Vice President and all ministers in the cabinet from their positions with immediate effect. His Excellency the president thanks them for their service to the nation and wishes them the best in their future endeavors. The public is further informed that His Excellency Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of the Gambia acting on under sections 70(3) and 71 (3) of the constitution of the Republic of the Gambia is pleased to make the following appointments to his cabinet, with effect from Wednesday 4th of May 2022. Honourable Seedy Keita will continue to oversee the ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment until the formalisation of the appointment of the ministerdesignate. His Excellency the President acting under section 71 (1) of the constitution has created a new ministerial portfolio in charge of the public service, administrative reform, policy coordination, and delivery. The new minister of the public service, administrative reform, policy coordination, and delivery will have general oversight over the public service and shall work towards the formulation of policy geared towards institutionalising a culture of discipline, excellence, and accountability in the public service. Furthermore, the minister shall continuously review the inner workings of the administrative machinery of the government and make proposals for reform to reduce inefficiency and increase output. Finally, the minister shall be charged with developing frameworks for monitoring the implementation of government policy and for ensuring effective communication and horizontal coordination between ministries. Accordingly, and acting under section 71 (3) of the constitution of the Republic of the Gambia, his Excellency, the President is pleased to appoint Mr. Baboucarr Ousmaila Joof as minister in charge of the Public Service, administrative reform, policy coordination, and delivery with effect from the 4th of May 2022. In light of the new changes, His Excellency the President hereby makes the following administrative changes to the public service and the office of the president.

1. With effect from the 4th of May 2022, the Secretary-General and Head of the civil service shall be the titular head of the personnel Management Office with the sole mandate of supervising the civil service and answerable to the minister. His Excellency the President is pleased to appoint Mrs. Salimata E.T Touray as Secretary-General and Head of the Civil Service in accordance with section 168 subsection 1 of the constitution of the Republic of the Gambia, 1997. 2. Furthermore, the role of the SecretaryGeneral as the administrative head of the office of the president shall be taken over by the Chief of Staff who shall be appointed by the President. His Excellency is therefore pleased to appoint Mr. Mod Ceesay as Chief of Staff. All correspondences for the President shall henceforth be addressed to the chief of staff. 3. Furthermore, his Excellency, the president has decided to decouple the ministry of information and communication

NEW CABINET IN THE GAMBIA

infrastructure (MoICI) into two separate ministries namely (!) Ministry of Information and Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy. The existing departments and their manpower under the old MoICI will now stand as sectorspecific departments. In this regard: 1) The Department of Information Services will now serve as the technical arm of the government charged with the implementation 1. Vice president Mr. Badara Alieu Joof of policy initiatives for visibility, public 2. Attorney General and Minister of Justice Mr. Dawda A. Jallow 3. Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and relations, and access to information under the new ministry of information. Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) will continue Gambians Abroad Dr. Mamadou Tangara to be the media conduit for the dissemination 4. Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Mr. Seedy Keita of information and public programming. 5. Minister of Defence Serign Modou Njie 2) The Directorate of Information and 6. Minister of Interior Mr. Seyaka Sonko Communication Technology (ICT) under the 7. Minister of Tourism and Culture Mr. Hamat N.K Bah old MoICI will be transformed into a stand8. Minister of Lands and Regional Government and Religious Affairs Mr. Abba Sanyang alone department under the new ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, with the primary objective of increasing internet 9. Minister of Agriculture Dr. Demba Sabally access and driving innovation geared towards 10. Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure Mr. Ebrima unlocking new pathways for rapid economic Sillah growth, innovation, job creation, and 11. Minister of Health Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh technological advancement. 12. Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Mrs. Claudiana These departmental structures already exist Cole 13. Minister of Gender Children and Social Welfare Mrs. Fatou under the old MoICI with the necessary manpower, and under separate budget headings.Kinteh Accordingly, and acting under section 71 14. Minister of Petroleum and Energy Mr. Abdoulie Jobe (3) of the constitution of the Republic of 15. Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources Mr. Musa S. the Gambia, His Excellency the President is Drammeh pleased to appoint Lamin Queen Jammeh as 16. Minister of Higher Education Research Science and Technology Minister of Information. Prof Pierre Gomez 17. Minister of Environment Climate Change and Natural Resources Honourable Ebrima Sillah will continue to oversee the new Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy until the formalisation Rohey John Manjang of the appointment of the minister-designate. 18. Minister of Youth and Sports Mr. Bakary Badgie

SPOTLIGhTING NIGERIAN DUBAI-BASED MUSIC SENSATION, SAMMYOUNG

By Our Correspondent

Sammyoung is requires little introduction as in the past few years, he has made Afro music vibes a near must in any major event in United Arab Emirates where he has made his home in recent years. He is a renowned multi-award-winning music producer and artist, SammYoung living outside Nigeria and making music is one he has described as an awesome experience and pivotal for his career. He recently concluded his United Kingdom tour where he performed in major arenas in London and Manchester, he did few collaborations and conducted international interviews for global media. The artist and producer is renowned for his sounds that draw roots from Africa and his impact in the music space, positioning himself as a mentor, leader, and guide for many up and coming African artists from Nigeria, Europe, The UAE, America, and Asia. SammYoung is very passionate about the growth of many artists globally. In this interview, SammYoung speaks about himself and his musical journey so far and what influences his fashion sense, which is also unique with very high standard and taste. Q: Who is SammYoung? SammYoung: I am a musician, a producer, a director, composer; just everything concerning music is my life. SammYoung is a brand name, my stage name. I’ve enjoyed the grace of SammYoung for a long time; even my father calls me that name. I’ve been bearing that name for a long time and now everybody knows that it’s SammYoung even here in the UAE. Q: Has it always been music for you or are there other things that you tried out before? SammYoung: Yeah, it has always been music. I was popular on campus, just because I was a producer, a multi-instrumentalist who played for shows, events, for fellowship, and produced artists, so I’ve always been about music. After I graduated from school, I went straight into music. Q: What inspires you or who are the people that inspire you to do the music you do? SammYoung: I don’t have any inspiration from humans, only from God. God is the only one who inspires me to do anything and that’s been my way from day one. I don’t wait for anybody to inspire me, nobody. It’s just God. Q: In the process of putting out sound, putting out your music, is there a process you go through personally? SammYoung: Well, I believe I am in a calmer environment so it is much easier for me to do music. I don’t stress much, I just go into my swimming pool directly, sip a couple of glasses of wine, sit down and think for a while then head to the studio and I spend most of my time in the studio either working on my project or helping other up coming artistes. Q: Being based in Dubai, how do you tap into that Afro

music roots that are in your sound? SammYoung: Yeah, basically, from Nigeria, it has always been the Afro thing. Afro is from Africa and we are all from Africa. Since I started doing music, it has been afro but because Dubai is an Arab land, they have their style of music, so finding a blend was very important. So what I did is: I have my afro – which is the original sound – plus a little bit of Arab sound here and there to give it the right feel. Q: Have you had any major collaboration in the past? SammYoung: Yeah, I did a song with one of the guys from East Africa, the guy is doing very well in East Africa, his name is “Masauti”, we did a collaboration last year and we released the song in January, and trust me, the song is doing well. The song became one of the most played songs in East Africa in less than two weeks. I’ve had another collaboration with a Tanzanian artiste; the song is yet to be out though. Q: Your song with the DJ Nicki Nicol, “Shine Your Light”, do you want to talk about that briefly? SammYoung: Yeah, She’s an American DJ but based in Dubai. And it was an incredible collaboration. I think the whole city was amazed to see a DJ doing well. The song is amazing and is being played everywhere. Clubs are playing it around here so you know, it’s that good. Also, we worked on a video for it and it is ready and out there. Q: Okay, you would like to work with in the future? SammYoung: In my case, it’s going to be very different because I am not only an artist but also a producer. I work with almost everybody who is good and blend with my type of music; I don’t have a specific person I want to mention as long as you are good at what you do. Q: Let’s talk about your fashion sense, what inspires your looks when going out for shows or events or general outing? SammYoung: Basically, this is how I operate; I always operate very differently from most people. My fashion sense goes straight into “Sammy, do this different from any other person”. Q: If you can give your fans a name, what will it be? SammYoung: I’ve never thought about it, but sometime in the future, we’ll visit that topic. Q: If you could change anything in the world right now, what would it be? SammYoung: If I could make the whole world love each other right now, I’ll do it. I just want a world where there is peace and love, no racism, no cultural background thing, just let love reign. Q: What do you think is the next best thing for Sammyoung and what should your fans be expecting next from you? SammYoung: Well, my album is on the way. I will continue to drop singles for my fans across the world. I just concluded my tour of the United Kingdom, Corona crisis slow us down but we are back on you feet and we would be doing more in the coming months. We still plan to do our European tour, America and Asia; and we are probably

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making a trip to the Gambia so just be on the look out for details. I am excited about these and I think fans would be too. Q: Last year, last year you participated at the Voice Achievers Award in Dubai. What was your experience? SammYoung: I think it is a great innovation to recognize people contributing to the advancement of Africa. I was able to entertain the guests and met with the First Lady of the Gambia and former Vice President of Kenya among other dignitaries. I did collaboration with South African born Dubai based artiste, Tazmin; the audience loved it. As we do this interview we have received invitation again from the organizers to be part of the Gambia show in August. We are seriously considering the invitation despite my very tight schedule and engagement. Q: Thank you for your time SammYoung: Thank you for the interview. Kindly ask your followers to follow me on my social media handles. Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Follow me @sammyoung_official on Instagram