Contributing Team Executive
Entrepreneur/Owner Udoka Okafor
Contributors
Writers Udoka Okafor, Oyinkansola Romiluyi, Temitayo Ishola, Desola Adereti, Hassan Momoh, Oreoluwa Seweje, Vivian Ezike, Shulamith Sappire Rubinstein, Sending Icebergs.
Managing Editor Udoka Okafor Assistant Editor Oyinkansola Romiluyi Logo Oladimeji Arowona
Magazine Cover & Art Oyinkansola Romiluyi Photography & Design Udoka Okafor
Dear Readers, Welcome to the very first issue of “The Social Journal�! And welcome to our world, a perceptual world that mirrors a social reality with words that inspire and art that motivates. This satirical magazine seeks to amplify societal issues through art and drawing and it would act as the pair of glasses that enables its viewers to see things more clearly. It is also going to explore entertainment, reviews, critics, comics, social and political articles and so much more. As time goes by, the magazine would take little snap shots of reality to ease your inquiries about society. But the snap shots would also act as a nostalgic trademark, to enable readers to go further back into their journey and see how much society has changed and how much that change has helped them grow. Once again, welcome to the journey of The Social Journal magazine as it starts its trail to total enlightenment of the masses and society as a whole.
From the editor, Udoka Okafor
Pity this film culture
By Sending Icebergs
The problem with my generation is that everyone is too busy waiting around for the book to become a movie no one is reading anymore no one is going outside of their house to find parks to find beaches to find mountains
to find people who can sit still for thirty minutes and not talk their heads off like they were trying to get onto MTV When a new movie comes out I watch I see all the people leave their houses and gather to sit in the same seats with bubble gum on the floor with stale popcorn stuck between the seats with concession stands that sell water for five dollars and these people are happy to pay money to go sit somewhere to fuel a dream machine that’s producing nightmares in the shape of low body image in the shape of sexism in the shape of rape culture and the people eat it up along with their overpriced food I bury my face in a book and I wish it didn’t feel like it made me so antisocial I wish people knew that words would always articulate better than expression than dialogue than scene selection that there are some things you mean so much you know you’ll never have the breath or voice for!
Obtuseness :Feminism
By Temitayo Ishola Why do people automatically assume that having feministic values a n d b e i n g a fe m i n i s t translates to being a man hating, judgmental,
pseudo-intellectual individual? Being a feminist can mean different things to many people.
The one thing that unites all feminists is their urge to fight for equality; how they go about this differs from person to person. All feministic
intellects might not all be w e l l i n fo r m e d o n a l l aspects of feminism, but that does not mean they should be put down for their attempt at making a difference with the little information they do posses. The cause of my sudden urge to question the world is the "Who Needs Feminism" campaign started by a couple of Duke University students. I came across this campaign on Facebook and I went on to read more about their work when I stumbled on an article dedicated to their Tumblr page. Underneath this article, were comments from people who - whether willingly or unwillingly - failed to see the good in this campaign and chose to dwell on the shortcomings instead. One of the comments was a complain about how ironic it is that Duke students will start up such a campaign when one of their fellow students concocted false
rape charges. I ask, is it fair for the good deeds of a group of individuals to be brought down because of one bad apple? Another confused commentator of the interview spewed, "‌ this is just more propaganda and lies being spread to the youth by those mostly unaware that feminism is an ideology of hatred and violence, that supports not gender equality, but fe m a l e p r i v i l e g e a n d e x c e s s i v e a f fi r m a t i v e action." Th i s p e rs o n i s clearly misconstrued a b o u t w h a t fe m i n i s m actually means, and he/ she is not to be blamed because we live in a society where ignorance is accepted as long as one has a good refutal to the disparagement of their argument. I believe the problem is that people love wallowing in ignorance. I admit, I used to be very ignorant about all things feminism. This all changed when I took a
Women Studies course, I then realized that, contrary to public belief, feminism is not only about equality for women, it is about the intersectionality of gender, sexual, cultural, racial, and societal equality. In fact some feminists even go a step further to concern themselves with speciesm. Most people who condemn feminists do not actually take time to inform themselves about what feminism actually stands for! But still they get off on seating on a cloud of false intelligence a n d d i s a p p ro v i n g o f feminism in general. I am a budding feminist, and I will admit to not be totally enlightened about all things feminist. All I ask is that I not be judged by the public in my journey towards total enlightenment.Â
The Gun Culture Exposed By Udoka Okafor
Reading the Second Amendment, you are torn between two sides. Which side you fall on, perhaps, depends on what outlook you decide to selectively ignore and u p t a k e . Th e S e c o n d
Amendment protects the ‘right’ of people to keep and bear arms. On one hand, this could, perhaps, be seen as good because it offers people the option to protect themselves. On the other hand, it is
traumatic because these guns fall in the hands of both the sane and the insane. It all comes down to the contextual placement of the word ‘right’. Many a time, I hear that word and I
a m b e y o n d s h o c ke d . Perhaps, the insanity that flourishes in our society and within the minds of numerous people is not simply psychologically and neurologically rooted, but rather, the extent to which society lets insanity flourish by setting certain ‘rights’. This article is not a history lesson that seeks to take us down memory lane and force us to plunge up terrible memories of civilian shoot outs in schools, churches, movie theaters and so much more. But, history has to be accessed for this article to be understood. Innocent people set out and anticipate their day. They draw out a scale and, perhaps, plan how the day is supposed to go, and what would happen if the day does not go as planned. But, no one ever anticipates getting shot. Perhaps that should be included in our planners since the right of an individual to bear arms
has evicted all possible hope that it be precluded from our lives. As pessimistic as that sounds, it is also true. The killings are getting more random with no political or social affiliations. On July 19th 2012, there was a mass murder in a movie theater in Colorado. It was a mass murder because twelve people were killed in the same location and about fif ty five people were injured. This was a heart drenching situation. When the story was aired on the news, scared parents, whose children had gone out that night to the cinema, struggled to pick up their phones, dial their kids numbers and call them. As phones rang, the kids that were alive were able to answer their phone calls and settle the unrest in their parents’ minds while the dead kids’ phones kept on ringing and ringing, further putting a strain in their parents’ minds.
Perhaps the first thing that the parents of the kids who survived said was, “Thank goodness it was not my kid!”, but what about the parents whose kids it was? What possessed a person to do such a terrible thing is unknown but, what we do know is that there are twelve sets of parents out there who are mourning the loss of their children. Doesn’t the freedom to bear arms suddenly seem a bit repulsive? This is just one of many shoot outs that have occurred, but since this happened recently, it seemed like a ‘good’ example to give. People expressed their condolences to the families, but that is not the solution to the problem. It is time to contest and perhaps criminalize the Second Amendment and, for non- American states, the right for people to own their own guns. Expressing your condolences is not
enough if you are not willing to solve the problem, especially when you are creating means to avoid the problem. Is the shooter to be held fully accountable for these deaths? Sure, he was a conscious adult who made a terribly conscious decision to act in a functionally despicable way. His reasons unknown, his sanity, perhaps, questioned, but the fact is, his insanity was activated, enabled and amplified by his ‘right’ to own a gun. We talk about justice and how that influences every decision and every step we take, yet the law cloaks certain shadows and that allows for criminals to act in ridiculous ways and get away with it. This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end. This would happen again and unless society acts fast, it would happen multiple times over. So lie in your beds and think of the
ringing phones in the pockets of the dead children. Society should, perhaps, mentally pick up the calls and hear the cries of lives ended to soon. How many more people must die before we begin to hold society and not just the criminals accountable to these deaths? After all, all the killers where distinctively different, with hardly anything in common except for the fact that they were cloaked and p ro t e c t e d u n d e r t h e Second Amendment and the ‘right to bear arms,’ for non- American states. Society owes those people, who lost their lives in the Colorado shootout. The second amendment and this ‘right’ does not have to be taken away but it should at least be refined. Society has a political, social and moralistic obligation to do their best to stop this silent massacre. “Accept my condolences and we are doing everything we
can to deliver justice to y o u r fa m i l i e s ” i s n o t cutting it anymore. At a certain point, when all the cover ups are peeled and the facts are crystal clear, accountability will begin to fall, not only on the shoulders of the criminals, but, on the governments’ as well. It is time to act fast all ye government officials because a time would come when society and the masses as a whole would take you to trial.
Rain… By Oyinkansola Romiluyi How I love the rain – its smell, its sound, how it feels to touch, and how it transforms. As I had all the time in the world, I lay on my comfortably soft
bed and watched the rain on the other side of my open window. The chilling wind blew through my curtains and touched my fa c e , a l l o w i n g m e t o
breathe in the intrinsic scent of the drizzling rain. It was a damp smell, with a slight hint of … iron, copper, or some other metal I guess. The rain just
now began to pour, making sounds like thousands of pebbles hurled down from the sky on the roof above. As loud a racket as it was, it caused the tense muscles in my body to relax almost i m m e d i a t e l y . I m o ve d towards my window ledge and allowed my mind to be engrossed by the sight of the torrent before me. Unconsciously, I reached out from the dry, warm comfort of my room to the rain outside. As soon as a drop of cold rain graced my inquisitive fingers, an instant chill was sent surging through to the rest of my body. The feeling is akin to touching your first love or someone you have greatly admired from afar – it caused little, cute goose bumps to decorate my skin. As more raindrops fell on my palm, I moved my fingers in a fashion that allowed the drops to gather and trickle down my wrist – it was smooth and chilling to touch. Taking my mind away from the feeling in
my hand, I gazed at the landscape beyond and as I stared, I began to realize just how powerful the soothing rain can be. It takes a once colorful, vibrant landscape that was glazed with golden streaks of sunlight and bathes it in hues of grey. It takes an endless plain,
full of ebullience and lively spirit, and moulds it into a scene full of dreariness and subtle melancholy. I ro n i c a l l y , t h i s s a m e , mighty rain never seems to bring me down.
Gender & Sexuality By Udoka Okafor
The fictitious definition of gender which, has been carefully crafted over time and passed on from generation to generation as truth, has been called to question. Gender is more performative than reality and we are all actors that fall prey to this tedious oppression. Thus the bipolarity of gender has been constructed in opposition. Male and fe m a l e e l e m e n t s o f g e n d e r w e re constructed in different spheres in hopes of remaining parallel to the other. But the opposition has been questioned
throughout society as the spheres meet in tension almost continually. And, one of the most rebellious elements of gender is sexuality, homosexuality. One of the reasons why the path to the acceptance of homosexuality has not been as glib as one would expect is because it is not aligned with the construction of gender. Homosexuality, which is a natural variation of human social behavior, contrasts with gender which is an unnatural element imposed on humans as natural social behavior.
The misalignment of gender and sexuality, not necessarily originates from but, is ruled by the “Concept of Reproduction”. It has been purposefully construed that the job of a woman, biologically, is to reproduce. Biologically speaking, this idea is not far from truth but, it is not a s o c i a l obligation! Even though people like to believe that we are far from the age of sexism, where we allow the idea of the p s e u d o domination of men over women to rule our thoughts, we have not come far enough as this line of thought implicitly and continually affects our acceptance of sexuality. The association of masculinity and e f fe m i n a c y t o re p ro d u c t i o n h a s obstructed our understanding of homosexuality. Masculinity is related to fathering a child and effeminacy is related to giving birth to a child. In the olden days, a man was a true man when he has
fathered a child, if not society strips him of his ‘masculinity’ and a woman is a true woman when she has given birth to a child, if not she is stripped of her effeminacy as well. As repulsive as this social practice is, it is still existent and its domination over our line of thinking is surprisingly powerful and compelling. Society likes to believe that this is the ‘norm’ b u t ra t h e r this social attitude is a reflection of the self obsession that humans have with themselves. The problem is, it is biologically incompatible for a man and a man to father a child and vice versa and this idea has gone a long way to shape the acceptance of homosexuality by society. Homosexuals are thus seen as less than heterosexuals. It may not be said or reflected consciously and explicitly but subconsciously, it is one amongst other reasons.The social behavior that is
gender which has been passed on as natural over the years is suddenly falling apart into the performative, unnatural, and bias element that it is. In an effort to perhaps heal the element of gender and put its pieces back together, social scientists and behaviorists have come up with a theory know as “The Implicit Inversion Theory’. This theory suggests that gay men are gay because they have effeminate qualities and gay women are gay because they have masculine attributes. This goes further to suggest that it is because of these inverted attributes, that homosexual men and women exist in a form of transiting gender. This causes them to be attracted to the opposite sex. When this theory is read and studied in a repetitive mode, the urgent desperation that surrounds the theory begins to gain visibility. Since gay men are seen as more effeminate and gay women are seen as more masculine, homophobia is a way in which heterosexuals can reaffirm their gender identity. Being homosexual is seen as a distortion of what holds true in society in terms of gender roles. Perhaps to meet at a compromise and accept homosexuality is to also put your gender identity and self at a compromise. The pressurized scenery created by society tends to cause people to support gender roles and oppose homosexuality. People who, perhaps,
doubt their gender identity tend to hyper-conform to the societal rule book of gender norms. They thus attack homosexuals in other to reaffirm their sexuality and reassure themselves that their deviation from gender norms is perhaps to them, an illusion. The intricate connection that exists between gender and sexuality is what is, perhaps, creating this drift and tension between the two elements. Gender has, over time, been the overpowering of the two elements but, it is time for us, as a society, to break down the unnatural element that is gender and see it for the fraud that it is. We all, as a society, cannot continue to let gender disprove the validity of homosexuality. Sometimes we have to stop, take a deep breath and remind ourselves of the, truth, no matter how chaotic it may be. Homosexuality is a natural variation in the continuum of human dynamism and well‌ gender is not.
Screams
By Udoka Okafor
All the silent screams Frustrate the bounds of my ears I plea to thee, stop!
When Everything Is Perfect
By Shulamith Sappire Rubinstein
The first time I picked up a book to read, I
so began my love affair with books. I would
did it to distract myself from the incessant
enjoy the likes of Famous Five, The Secret
screams and angry noises piercing through
Seven and on several occasions, the
the white washed walls of my bedroom. It
adventures of Noddy. Eventually I moved
was Enid Blyton’s “The Magic Clock”. And
on to much more inept books but I would
forever associate reading with distraction.
were figurines lined up at a specific century
old chest of drawers in the living room.
When I was 10, I began to suspect I
Guests always admired them, but I never
was not really part of my family but a
went too close for fear of shattering them. I
viewer. I was never really present, just there
remember constantly thinking that our
in person. By the time I was 12, there was no
house looked perfect, I realize now that
doubt in my mind that I was born because
perfection is dependent on perception.
my family needed a white sheep to display
to the outside world. Confused? Not to
about in my family. We did not about the
worry, it will explain itself.
lady that came to our house one night
The city we lived in was Port Harcourt.
shouting insanely and incoherently, or the
We lived in the assigned estate of the small
cheques that went out of my parents joint
engineering company my father worked for,
account every month after that. We did not
just off the edge of the city. It wasn’t like
talk about my mother’s timid presence or
the estates of huge petroleum corporations
my father’s hovering presence. We did not
such as Shell but rather, a small compound
talk about the yelling at night that caused
of fifty bungalows. The driveways and
me to curl under my cotton sheets or the
pathways were one, and filled with stone.
almost empty bottles of strong smelling
The houses were individual and designed to
liquids I’d occasionally find around the
look the same. The outsides had little
house. We did not talk about the time we
potting areas for those who bothered to
went to sleep with a new car in the garage
beautify it, followed by protective rusting
and woke up to a bashed version of it in the
metal gates before the ugly glass doors.
morning. We also did not talk about my
The insides of the house were completely
brother.
up to whoever lived in it. My mother took
great time in picking out the baby blue
twenty, heading nowhere fast. With an age
curtains that hung from our living room
gap of four years, we were never the best
before choosing black sofa’s in the seating
of friends. As children we had our bonding
area.
The center tables were made of
moments but as adults we grew further and
amber colored wood with glass at the
further apart. He rebelled more and more
center. The rugs on the floor were of a
against our family traditions and values until
material so soft that I questioned its origin.
there was nothing left of the relationship
The walls were white and they were always
between him, my parents and I. He was tall
white. Never staining, never peeling; just
and muscular but not in the way that scared
white. On them hung artwork with names of
strangers or small children. When he stood
artists I never bothered to know. There
beside my mother, he towered over her.
There were things we did not talk
Kwequ was my elder brother and at
When he stood next to my father, he
had never noticed that unless my brother
looked eye to eye with him (though, he
was watching television, arguing with my
usually did it with bloodshot eyes). His face
parents, coming home at two in the morning
was outlined in a manner that allowed for
or with guests the house was deadly silent. I
the definition of his jaw line, his eyes were
spent more and more time in my room and in
sunken and were a dark shade of brown
the safety of my books. My brother
that only appeared lighter when the sun
became a distant memory with each passing
struck it. Right above his feminine-like
day.
eyebrows was a cut that he sustained the
day he broke through his boarding school
year somewhere around November (the
window to go for a party (my mother
reason was lost in the years before I could
withdrew him the next day). His birthmark
walk). My brother always claimed it was just
was one of his few resemblances to my
another way to show the world we were still
father: two light patches on both wrists.
alive. The celebration was big and loud;
Before his rebellion, my father took him to
music, food, appreciation of each other’s
the most expensive barbing salon,
cars, all the usual propaganda. The women
downtown for a “smart” cut. After he had
commented on the cooking, the men
taken a stance to rebel, he kept his hair in a
commented on the women. The drivers and
short, thick Afro, rarely bothering to comb
maids congregated at the quar ters
it. But this of course was one of the simpler
gossiping, then yelling “thank you mah’s”
changes.
when my mother sent them food. Usually we
The day he moved out of the house I
had a couple of drunks by the end of the
was at school. My parents, I guess, thought
night. Me, I stood by the side and greeted
it would be easier that way. No questions
those who came with courtesies and kneels
asked, just a vacant bedroom. I of course
(when my brother lived with us he refused
played my role impeccably: asked no
to prostrate, the universal sign of rudeness
questions and proceeded with my daily
in the Nigerian community). Occasionally
routines as though nothing had changed. I
my mother would call me to serve food or
was told nothing, except that Kwequ did
my father would want one of his friends to
not live with us anymore, but at night when I
see me .The men’s eyes lingered on me too
pressed my ear up against my parents’
long and the women made to many
bedroom door I found out that Kwequ had
comments on when I would marry.
been removed from the will. Adjusting to life
without Kwequ was not difficult; he had
supposed to be in this year’s celebration
barely been around anyway. The only
came to an abrupt halt when Kwequ drove
difference it brought, was the quietness. I
in with the car he had stolen from my father
My parents would throw a party every
W h a t e ve r m e r r i n e s s t h e re w a s
a year earlier. The blue toyota corolla
laughed. I could not tell if he was drunk or
crushed the stone beneath it before coming
pretending to be. He moved closer to me
to a sudden stop just at the foot of the
and I immediately stiffened. He touched me
hired canopy underneath which the guests
slightly on the face, the way he used to
were seated. My father rose from his chair,
when he we were kids. Except this time my
jolting my mother from the arm, which she
body shuddered at the coarseness of his
had been perched on. The guests stopped
unlotioned palm.
in their dance steps and someone turned
down the sounds of Afro jazz playing
people’s opinions let alone those of my
through the speakers. Kwequ stepped out
father’s friends. So it did not surprise me
of the car, leaving the front door open a
that he seemed very content at holding the
split minute before slamming it. For a brief
party at gunpoint.
moment the air was silent; the only sounds
were of the sizzling fire that was being used
you not done enough damage to my name
fo r t h e o u t d o o r c o o k i n g a n d t h e
in this city? “My father’s voice hit the air like
uncomfortable shifts of the guests. Both
stones on water. His words were slow and
my father and my brother stared each
increasing in volume.
other down and then my brother began to
speak.
damage anyway!” Kwequ replied in a
condescending manner.
“Ah papa? Act like you are happy to
Kwequ had never cared much about
“What have you come to do? Have
“ Oh please, I did not have much to
see me! Put on a little to show for your
esteemed guests!” Kwequ said, prostrating
house. Speak with some respect.” My
in mock form. My father reacted with
father’s brother spoke up.
nothing more than a purse in the lips and a
tightening of his fist. My mother folded her
called respect? After all, I am not my
hands across her breasts and heaved a
father’s son. He made sure of that. I do not
sigh. Kwequ acknowledged her change in
run to him like all of you seated here do. I
posture and continued.
do not keep quiet at his wrongs or
“Kwequ, you are still in your father’s
“Why should I speak with your so
“Mama, won’t you greet your son? Or
celebrate his mediocre achievements. I do
has papa managed to convince you I was
not show up at useless festivities and feed
dragged from the bottomless pit of hell?”
his ego. Does he put food in my mouth, or
clothes on my back? Or it is my school fees
Still nothing there was no response
from either of them.
that he no longer pays? Which one? See, I
have lost all there is to loose, why should I
Their silence was instigating him even
more. He moved his hands flamboyantly as
offer anything more?”
he gestured to the party set up and
My father’s eyes moved slightly to the
car parked behind Kwequ. He did not say it
back out and greet the new members of our
but my brother knew well what he was
family. I do not know what hit me, whether it
thinking. Tossing the keys at his feet,
w a s t h e a b s u rd i t y o f m y m o t h e r ’s
Kwequ challenged him with his eyes. My
acceptance to all manners of nonsense or
mother bent down to pick the keys up, my
my father’s expectation of that acceptance.
father still frozen in the position. Kwequ’s
Or maybe Kwequ’s rebellion had finally
fury built up even more and he yelled,
made sense to me. I left the house that day,
drove straight down the pot holes of Port-
“Mama, leave it! Will you forever pick
up after him?!”
Harcourt road and to Uniport; my brother’s
university. I was let into his hostel by a
“You will not speak to your mother in
that tone, in front of me”
middle aged man with one foggy eye. I sat
“Of course! Because it is only you,
outside his door till a girl I could only
the high and honorable leader of this family
assume was his girlfriend unlocked it. She
may be exempted to such rules.
was gracious enough but watched me with
Congratulations Papa.”
the uncertainty of a lion protecting its cub. I
“Get out. Get out! I said Get Out!!”
suppose in retrospect I should have
With his final words still leaving traces
mentioned I was Kwequ’s sister but I did not
in the wind, my father turned around
feel I had a right to. After all I had disowned
walked towards the music and turned it
him just as much as my father had.
back on, which in turn completely
disregarded Kwequ’s presence. My
a moment he stared, taking in my presence.
mother’s eyes lingered a little while longer
I stood, suddenly very aware of the sweat
before turning away. Kwequ looked at
dripping down the nape of my neck.
everyone, dusted his feet and walked away
“You know” he whispered.
in a mechanical fashion.
And as we ate rice and drank wine,
I gave a tight nod.
the event seeped deeper into our minds
“Welcome, my sister.”
where like everything else it would remain.
Approximately a year from that day I
walked into our house to find the screaming woman from my childhood years sitting comfortably with identical twins in our living room. My mother was making food in the kitchen and my father was in the room watching television. I walked straight past them to question my mother. She said to go
Kwequ walked in three hours later. For
Photography Diary
By Udoka Okafor
Beauty In The Mundane: Poetry In Nature
The taints and stains of charitable organizations By Temitayo Ishola As at 2003, there were
approximately 166,227 non-profit and
voluntary organizations in Canada and the number has been constantly i n c re a s i n g s i n c e t h e n . A l l t h e s e organizations, of course, claim to be p o s i t i ve c o n t r i b u t o rs t o s o c i e t y , supposedly assisting the less fortunate in poor countries in attaining better, more manageable lives. However, being from one of these countries, Nigeria, that are in dire need of help from such organizations myself, it is obvious to me that although positive contributions have been made by these organizations, most of their helping hands have not made any life-altering or extremely positive changes to societies in need. It is an unarguable fact that the changes required by these societies for genuine improvement are slow to be made; as is commonly said, “Rome was not built in a day”. Considering the very large amount of charitable organizations that exist in a country, such as Canada, leads one to ask questions such as: “Are these organizations actually accomplishing what they set out to accomplish?” and “And if they are, why are the changes made so little, almost non-existent, considering the large number of existing organizations and the money donated to these organizations?” These organizations only divulge a limited knowledge of the problem they intend to solve in the campaigns they run, thereby limiting the information they pass on to potential donors. It wouldn't be absurd to
speculate that the celebrities used in the commercials partake in them only in order to gain positive publicity and sometimes even monetary gain. A key question to ask is why is there almost always no account given to the donors as to what their money has been used for? In 2010 the USAID began to raise awareness for the problems that were going on in the Horn of Africa through the FWD Horn of Africa Relief Anthem. In the anthem, the advocates state that famine, drought, and war have struck the whole territory of the Horn of Africa, which includes Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia. However, after reading the article on this subject on their website, it can be concluded that Somalia is the one country out of the accused area that is plagued with these disasters. By doing this, they wrongly tagged the whole region as being impoverished. While it might be true that the other countries in this region suffer from effects of the problem in Somalia, it is still wrong to categorize them as countries in which the problem is deeply rooted. Such behavior is not uncommon in the world of nonprofit organizations, as altered versions of the truth are used in order to heighten the emotional reaction of the audience. Celebrity promoters of non-profit campaigns often appear to be supporting such causes in order to make themselves look respectable and, sometimes, even to make a profit. An example of such a
celebrity is Bristol Palin, daughter of former Alaskan Governor, who became the face of abstinence for Candies’ Fo u n d a t i o n a f t e r fa c i n g t e e n a ge pregnancy. According to The Daily, in a 2009 interview with Fox News, Bristol stated that telling teenagers to avoid teen pregnancy and STDs is not realistic. If Plain did not stand for what she was being asked to advocate, why then did she agree to be the spokesperson for such an ad? Simple. She was in it for the monetary gain as this ad earned her $332,500. If celebrity advocates such as Bristol, participate in such expeditions to satisfy their conceited lust for money, imagine how much more pretentious the actual organizations are, after all, they will reap a lot more than $332,500. After examining this fact, it is safe to say that both the organization and the advocates can be considered as duplicitous and also as exploiters using the misfortune of others as a means to an end. The uncanny thing about these charitable organizations is that once the money has been received from the donors, they rarely divulge information on what the money has helped accomplish. Statistics have shown that a great number of charities use about 90% of the amount donated for fundraising and only 10% is actually used to help the cause. Sometimes, it
even takes years before the money donated is actually put to use. This is unfair to people who believe they are making an instant difference in the world; they should not be lead to believe that their money automatically changes lives. All this information is never revealed to the public in order to keep the money flowing from the pockets of donors to these ‘charitable’ organizations. As stated in the beginning, there are 166,227 in Canada alone, imagine how many more organizations are situated around the world. To lower the level of suspicion on charitable organizations, they should increase the amount of information they reveal to potential donors, find advocates that are truly concerned with the work at hand, and give account for what the proceeds gathered have been used for.
Distance And Love By Hassan Momoh The truth is, once you let a person in your life go, no matter how badly they messed up, or how deeply they hurt you, they leave little bits of themselves in you. It affects how we grow and how we are molded into the person that we are right now. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to erase the memories, we cannot deny that even if years or decades pass by, they have already lef t their indelible mark in our mind and in our hearts. If you love someone so much, how will you be able to handle days when you are separated for long periods of time? S e p a ra t i o n a n d distance is a part of life and I am sure all of us have experienced separation at some point. Is it possible that we can love someone without
being afraid of losing him or her? Distance never separates two hearts that really care, for memories span the miles and in
seconds they are there. Just make sure there are enough memories to fill the void, because whenever I start feeling sad, I remind myself how lucky I am to have someone so special to miss, and the oceans and continents that separate us will never overcome the kind of bond that we have; one that transcends all logic and crosses borders not visible to the naked eye.
So dear readers, you'd be so lucky If you have the privilege of being with that special someone everyday, never forget to make them feel valued and loved. When you feel that your relationship is getting too monotonic and prosaic, remember those who have to endure years of separation from each other, and try to treasure every moment you have together If you have not had the privilege of being with a special someone or you are not with that special someone at the moment, you may not have it now, and you may face more roadblocks on the way, but never let that stop you from trying! Because the moment you stop trying, and the moment you turn your back on love, is the moment you stop living!
Exclusive Interview with Kristopher Turner
Interview done by Udoka Okafor
1) Tell me a little bit about you. What are your hobbies, likes and dislikes? I'm a pretty easy-going, down to earth guy. I describe myself as "More fun than a barrel of well-behaved monkeys". I like to live life in a playfully mischievous, but innocent way. My perfect day is hanging with friends and family, having good food, tossing Frisbees, drinking good wine, talking about whatever‌
2) What/Who inspired you to start acting and who would say your role model is? When I was a kid in Winnipeg I would go to the theatre with my grandma, all the time. It inspired me to go home and put on plays at family gatherings. I was a shy kid growing up, but when I got on stage it was my excuse to let go and express myself. I love seeing when people are open, honest, and vulnerable in public. I am inspired by the bravery in actors who do that. Seeing fellow Canadian, Michael J. Fox in "Back to the Future" made me want to be in movies so bad. Right now I love watching Steve Carell's works. 3) What are the pros and cons- from your personal experience- of being an actor in this digital age and celebrity driven culture? The biggest satisfaction I get as an actor is connecting with audiences. When you put yourself out there in an open, honest and vulnerable place, to hear someone say: "Yes! I know how you feel. That was awesome to see!", it makes it all worth while. The digital age allows actors to connect with their audience so much more. I love the theatre, because you can hear the audience breath as you perform. In TV and movies, the process is disconnected. You can't feel if it's working or not. Now, I can go online, and say live tweet when 'Saving Hope' is airing and you can connect with an audience as their watching the show. Or get emails from around the world‌. The flip side is that it's more work to protect your personal life from becoming public too. It may seem like a paradox. I have Twitter, but I'm not on Facebook. I want to connect to an audience, but I don't want them looking through my personal photo albums. My work is for you; my personal life is for me. 4) What do you consider to be your strengths and weaknesses? I think my strength, as an actor is being comfortable going to embarrassing places. I don't have issues with looking like an idiot. I think it's the job of the actor to reveal the stuff we avoid in our everyday lives. I don't have the vanity that a lot of actors get caught up in. The demons I battle are my own. With vulnerable territory comes self-doubt, and I battle that and try not to let it affect the work. It's the enemy of good acting. 5) How surprised where you when you got the role of Dr. Gavin Murphy in the new T.V series, saving hope? This may sound a little conceited, but I wasn't very surprised to be honest. I had worked with the creators before on 'Rookie Blue', and another pilot called 'Clean'. When I auditioned for Saving Hope, I got the sense that they were pushing hard to the network for me, and it felt like a good fit. I was definitely very happy to get the call that it was
official though. I love working with David Wellington and Ilana Frank. The cast and crew they put together were incredible. It was the next step I wanted to take in my career to start working with the best this industry has to offer. 6) How hectic and fun is it to play a doctor on T.V? I got it pretty easy on this show, comparatively. I get to play a psych doctor on TV, so I don't have to perform surgeries, or operate weird equipment and say lots of extravagant doctor lingo. I ask people how they're feeling, and give advice. Gavin deals more in the human aspects of medicine than the science aspects of it. I did a lot of research on various psychological conditions, and human behavior, which for me, was a lot of fun. Its kind of what I do anyway, as an actor. I find that type of medicine way more interesting. If I were to be a doctor, I would be in psych myself. 7) Does the pressure that comes with your acting career ever exhaust you? What keeps you going despite the demands of your career? I love what I do. So when I'm working, and keeping busy, the love of the game keeps me going whether I’m on set all-night or studying for a class. Couple weeks ago I came off a 12 hour night shoot then rode directly to the airport to fly to Montreal for a screening of a "A Little Bit Zombie' that afternoon. I arrived at the screening having worked a full day and not slept in over 28 hours. But when I saw the crowd snaking around the side of the building, and felt the energy inside the theatre, I was wide-awake. There's nowhere else I'd rather be‌ The hard and exhausting part of being an actor is actually when you're not working. Fighting to find the motivation to keep going when you feel like you're being ignored. When you work by yourself in your living room and every audition room overlooks you. It feels like no one cares about what you're doing. That's exhausting. When you don't get that reward for your labor. 8) How do you deal with the rumors about you that tabloids spread to society? I'm not at a point in my career where this is an issue for me. Especially working in Canada. I do my work, and then I go about my day-to-day life just the same as I did before I was a working actor. The only difference is now the odd person will ask me why I look so familiar to them, and ask if I went to their high school or something. 9) How does it feel to be a role model to people, especially youths? I certainly don't go about my day feeling like a role model. If people decide to look at me that way, it's flattering, but I just try to live my life with integrity, and answer to my own conscience. I think it's important to be the kind of person you want to hang out with. I
like to look at everyone with respect, and an open heart. We are all more alike than we think, and the more we understand about ourselves, the more we understand about others. I think the earlier you learn that, the better life you'll live.
10) My magazine is called ‘The Social Journal� and it is set to discuss societal issues through the eyes of youths. We would express our thoughts through words, poems, stories, art and so much more. Do you like the idea that the magazine portrays? It sounds like a great idea. As I mentioned, I believe the more we challenge ourselves to be honest, and work to understand ourselves, the more we'll understand others. Art is probably the best way we've come up with as to how to do that. So the more people you encourage to explore and sharing art at a young age, the better lives we'll all lead.
11) What advice would you give to young and aspiring artistes- actors/actresses, artists, and writers- out there? Know who you are, and what makes you unique and learn to love it for the good and the bad. Cause what you think is your weakness, and you wished you could change about yourself, is probably your strength as an artist. We are all dealt a hand of cards in life. Sometimes our strongest cards will fail us, and our weakest cards will pull us through. So learn how to use them all.
Long Lost
By Desola Adereti
Physically alive, internally dead, her soul wanders in agony lurking the streets, crying for help “I beseech you, please find it in your heart to help me� But to no avail No one stops to listen,
No one seems to care Staring at her like all was well, like they couldn’t see the scars She wept. Tears of frustration, tears of pain The song of a broken heart She was bitter Her heart, heavy Like she carried the weight of the world upon her feeble shoulders All she desired was to be rescued, a divine intervention, inner peace All she wanted was to find her way back home, her way back to herself.
Sports Diary Barclays Premier League 2012/2013 By Oreoluwa Seweje L a s t s e a s o n ’s Barclays premier league was one of the most emotional seasons of all time. With the title drama heading down to the wire, it wasn’t a pleasant ending for Manchester United fans as it was Mancini’s
Manchester city squad that ended up with the crown and the right to be called League champions. Their success was largely based on top class performances from Super Mario aka Balotelli, Edin Dzeko, Sergio Aguero,
David silva, Yaya toure and the rest of the team. The 2011/12 season had it all; excitements, surprises, frustrations and much more. For teams like Manchester city, Manchester united,
Arsenal and Cheslea it was a season well done. However, for teams such a s B o l t o n w a n d e re s , Wolverhampton Fc, Blackburn rovers and in some cases Liverpool the s e a s o n d i d n ’t g o a s planned. With a new season at hand, it is time to say goodbye to the spoils of last season and hello to the new season of action given to us by the gods of soccer. The odds are fairly stacked with Manchester city as they would be looking to retain
their newly attained crown once again. If they do manage to achieve this feat, it would make them the second team in 20 years and in the history of the premier league to do such. However, the Barclays premier league is very competitive, which makes the league very unpredictable. The title contending teams are Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester city, Manchester United and Newcastle.
Major changes have been happening in the league. Liverpool has a new manager, Brendan Rodgers. The former Swansea boss is looking to impress in his new club and many wonder if he would be the one to turn this Liverpool side around. The likes of Chelsea, who had a good 2011/12 season by winning the UEFA champions league and the F.A cup, have acquired new breed of world class talents to their already starred team.
The likes of Eden Hazard, Marko Marin and a potential swoop for Oscar and Hulk, this Chelsea team are looking v e r y fo r m i d a b l e t h i s season. Arsenal might have to do without Robin van persie, but with Lucas Po d o l s k i a n d O l i v e r Giroud. They have a decent squad for the coming season. Af ter adding Shinji Kagawa to the squad, the red devils are sizing up a £32 million bid for the Brazilian youngster Lucas Moura. Lucas aside, united star defender Nemanja Vidic will be healthy and ready to start next season. The Serbian defender has been away from the action for eight months after damaging both his medial and lateral ligaments as well as rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament. Everyone knows S i r A l e x Fe r g u s o n , M a n c h e s t e r U n i t e d ’s boss, has a couple of
tricks up his sleeve; it would be very interesting to see what he comes up with this season. Surprisingly, Manchester City aka the noisy neighbors have b e e n re l a t i ve l y q u i e t during this transfer season. It is shocking to see a team that spent £210 million the previous transfer season not have rumors on players they want on their squad; maybe they feel the squad is strong enough or they just haven’t figured out the right player yet. Regardless, they shouldn’t be ruled out of a big money transfer before August 31st. Most of the usual suspects at the EPL summit remain unstable, except for Manchester City and Liverpool, which are yet to have serious inclusions to their team of 2011/2012. This could be good for title success, particularly City that has ample supplies of great
players in almost every department. You would expect City to run away from the block because of high solidity and team understanding. United, Chelsea and Arsenal remain a team in transition, with additions to the squad. Te a m u n i t y , p l a y e r understanding may come late in the season, but if there is any gaffer that has the ability of bringing out the best from any squad, that can only be Sir Alex Ferguson. City for the title again but rule out United at your own peril.
September 28, 2012
FASHION DIARY Written By: Vivian Ezike ©
Welcome to the style/beauty section of the social journal where we provide you with the latest trends and beauty tips/tricks. W e would also provide you with celebrity inspired looks for a fraction of the price. We aim to inspire you. Remain entertained, and enjoy…
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“Style is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma. Fashion is something that comes after style”
FASHIONMONTHLY September 28, 2012
SHOES FOR LESS!!
Fabulously at a fraction of the price By Vivian Ezike
DUPE..
These are elegant looking pair of shoes by christian Louboutin which can bring an outfit from drab to fab only cost $22.60 on gojane.com . How amazing is that!!!
Neon yellow Christian Louboutin Unbolt Illustration Pump Worn by various celebrities in various colors
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FASHIONMONTHLY September 28, 2012
ORIGINAL..
DUPE..
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Another one of Christian Louboutin pumps.. I definitely love the gold pointy toe detail. Gorgeous pair of shoes!!! Also worn by various celebrities. The dupe can be found at various online shoe stores ranging from about $25$35 and for some shoes as gorgeous as this I definitely think that is a steal. www.zooshoo.com, www.amazon.com, www.gojane.com
August 2, 2012
FASHIONMONTHLY September 28, 2012
Original… These gorgeous Sam Edelman T strap Heels can be found at go jane.com for the exact same style at a fraction of the price..
Dupe…
Thanks for reading! By Vivian Ezike
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Art Diary
Stacks of knowledge.
By Oyinkansola Romiluyi
2 sides
The Hunger Games Movie Review
By Udoka Okafor The reality within the words I was reading all summer was actively brought to life whilst watching ‘The Hunger Games�. The hunger games is an emotionally drenching, politically moving, feministic driven movie. It tells the story of how children are forced to give up their innocence as tributes, and fight till the death to ensure their survival. The hunger games, contrary to twilight and harry potter fanatics, is the best book to movie adaptation I have ever seen. At first there was a
The Hunger Games Movie Review
conflicting tension between entertainment and creativity in the movie. But the moment Katniss Everdeen volunteered for her sister, Primrose Everdeen, you began to see the two elements superimpose at the expense of neither. Although Katniss Everdeen liked to appear strong and tough, she was still a sixteen year old girl who was forced to kill to survive. You begin to feel sorry for Katniss, when her family, and Gale come to say goodbye to her. You even feel more sorry when it becomes obvious to both her and Peeta that their mentor is a drunk. But I understood the guilt that Haymitch felt, the guilt of being a victor, the guilt of being another pawn in the Capitol’s totalitarian game. Katniss relied on nothing more than her raw archery talent, and the survival skills she learnt while hunting and growing up without a father and a mother who preferred oblivion
The Hunger Games Movie Review
to reality. She found an ally and a friend in Rue. Cato, the supposed villain of the movie, sensed Katniss as a threat and wanted to rid himself of her right from the beginning. Cato to me was not a villain, he was just another victim, another helpless child.
In the end, Katniss was able to beat the odds, with strength, archery, friendship,
and love.
A thumbs up to the cast of the hunger games. I especially enjoyed the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Alexander Ludwig, and Willow Shields. But my personal favorite was Amandla Stenberg who was able to capture the heart of everyone watching. I foresee a very bright future in acting for Amandla, she is the ‘one’ to watch.
The Hunger Games Movie Review
In the end, Katniss was a hero to Panem, but became an enemy of President Snow. What would happen next in the movie catching fire? Well, all we can do is hold our breaths and see. To all my readers and those anticipating the second movie, I say, “Happy hunger games, and may the odds be ever in your favor�
The Truth Of The Matter
By Desola Adereti
“I thought I knew you” That was he last thing my s e l f- p ro c l a i m e d b e s t friend had said to me before hanging up the phone to resume whatever it was that he now considered more important than my being. It hurts. I had seen mad (angry) over the years but this was the height. In my mind, I was fully aware that I had pushed him a little bit too far and he was absolutely done with me, and all the bullshit I usually brought along. I just sat there, lost. I wanted to take back everything I had done to disappoint him but unluckily for me, the “geniuses” of my generation were yet to invent a time machine, something they had promised to create about three years ago. Urrgghh…I wonder why it’s taking them this long. Maybe they aren’t as smart as they claim they are; who knows? Anyway, long story short, he has stopped talking to me and
i t k i l l s m e . Th i s w a s someone I looked up to, the same person that I knew understood me, inside and out. I felt like a stranger and though I don’t drink (Well, not anymore), I was craving alcohol and desperately needed a blunt. I needed not to think about the whole mess I got myself into, I needed not to feel shit. I’m aware that my reaction might be a little over the top but who cares, this is my best friend we’re talking about, my c o n fi d a n t . He means every bit and piece to me. Honestly, I really do wish he didn’t react like that but what can I do now than to pray and hope he genuinely forgives me? Sometimes I wish I hadn’t changed so much, allowed the people that hurt me
i n d i re c t l y c h a n ge m y viewpoint on life, and all t h a t s t u f f . To f u l l y understand why I was so disappointed in myself, you need to know and fathom the change that I’ve undergone over the past three years and the situations that brought about those changes. My name is Ademide Johnson and this is my story.
The Spotlight
By Udoka Okafor
This issue’s spotlight focuses on Koby Mottoh. Koby is a six year old football player. His talent in the game transcends his age and he has become one of the ‘ones to watch’. He plays for arsenal. He juggles his time between school and football. This time juggling though difficult, has awarded medals to his name. His skills keep growing as he grows and in the next ten years or so, I anticipate that football leagues’ would battle over him, he would ultimately choose one league, and, he would be sitting in a chair, with a golden pen, signing a football contract.
The Spotlight
Koby at a football game with his peers. Keep playing Koby, because hard work and perseverance is what gets people to their goals!
Koby showing of one of his trophies. Show off Koby, you earned it.
The Spotlight Koby showing off all his medals/ trophies. Wow they are a lot!
Koby with his very very proud father, Kendra Mottoh
The Spotlight
Always remember that you have a family that believes in you no matter what. When all is done, and you do get your football contract, always remember that I took a chance on you. I dove, all in, with my stack of cards because with your talent, risk taking is no anarchy. Work hard and play hard Koby Mottoh, I believe in you!
Scribbles of poetry
By Sending Icebergs
My family is at that age where my mother wants me to learn how to cook like my father so she can fully exile him And today I wished my dad a happy birthday by accident I meant Father’s Day but some things are so forced
it doesn’t matter what comes out as long as it’s on time I am in the kitchen relaying messages to my parents like I was thirteen again and I am trying to take notes of this secret recipe he’s kept from everyone and he’s telling and showing and explaining everything to me and I am trying to catch up on my note pad looking ahead on the page instead of at what I’m writing and it dawns on me just then some men have it in their blood to provide and nourish for others and some boys selfishly document their feelings in poetry for themselves. Another one.
By Shulamith Sappire Rubinstein I never thought I’d be one of those girls. You know the ones that wrote about this kinda stuff. The ones you see in movies and read about in books. Feel for them sometimes,maybe even think them stupid other times. I just wasn’t that girl. Yet, here I am,fingers clicking away. At first I didn’t notice you. I was so sure there was no way you could be happening to me. After all I was not the type you usually went for. You seduced me, getting me alone first. Making me think about you all the time, allowing me to withdraw from my friends. Then my parents wondered about you but you got into my head and made me turn against them too. Pretty soon, you had me all to yourself. And then you kicked it up a notch; touching me, introducing me to new stuff. I was not sure they were good for me but you had me believing anything at this point. You could have told me the sun was made of marsh-mellows and I would not have questioned you. You became my world.
I don’t know how or why, but you did. The outside did not exist. It was just you and me. I tell you, the power of what you believe can destroy your world. Watch what you believe. Watch what you think; about anybody, about anything. I think i tried once to leave, i had a brief epiphany and the sun was no longer made of marsh-mallows like you had me believing. And then swiftly and without warning, like a power shortage you seized the light at the end of the tunnel. Except this darkness would last forever. And now you’ve won. My parents are standing around looking at the whiteness of my skin and wondering if they could have done something. No you couldn’t, I’m sorry you’ll spend your life thinking it was your fault. See you didn't just get me, you got everyone that loved me. And with my body laying there, pumped clean of the pills. I almost look innocent. And as I lay there, with the sleeves of my shirt covering the cuts down my left hand, I look like I could have been happy. And with me finally beneath the soil and the people I love torn apart; depression rests finally. That is of course, until it finds its way to another diary.
A note from the editor, Udoka Okafor
A big thank you, to all the readers of the first issue of ‘The Social Journal’. Join us again on another literary journey through the next issue. Another big thank you, to all the contributors who made this magazine possible. The contributors are an integral part of the magazine, and without them the magazine would be reduced to nothingness.