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The voice of Africans in the Diaspora
Goodbye
Think Dating Is Hard? Try Job Hunting!
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Buhari Back In Power
Kenya Preps for Obama’s Visit WILL HE VISIT NIGERIA? Femmes au Sénégal BRISER LES CHAÎNES DU SILENCE Philadelphia Mayor Race AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN IMMIGRANTS WEIGH OPTIONS
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The voice of Africans in the Diaspora
“Without The Holy Spirit, I Am Empty” Prophet Hezekiah Pg. 16 Is Buhari Really The One? Pg. 34
Tanzania’s Happiness Watimanywa
Beautiful For A Purpose
Minaj & Co. Africa on Their Minds Pg. 25 FASHION – Swinging for Spring! Pg. 42
A Publication of USA Media LLC The voice of Africans in the Diaspora Vol. 2, Issue 4 | 2015
CONTENTS
USA Media LLC PRESIDENT ‘Tunde Kolawole, MS, SPHR VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE/ADMINISTRATION Bola Ajebeku vpfinance@usafricajournal.com
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CHIEF ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE, USA Ninilola Ogundare advertise@usafricajournal.com
It’s A New Day
Happiness Watimanywa: A Beauty Queen with a Purpose
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ‘Tunde Kolawole editor@usafricajournal.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS A.Obafemi Animasaun, Mark Finlay, Betty John, Patrick Obinna, Jessica Banda, Tosin Obiwale, Esther Olatunde, Isaac Oluwole, Renny Vonne, Alex Baker, Sadiat Makuna, George Igbakhiare, John Kay, Eldana Mengesha.
5 | From the Editor’s Desk:
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10 | African Students:
All
The Way To Ivy League
16-17 | Interview: “Let’s Get Back To God”
23 | Health: Five Things That Affect Your Blood Sugar
Wedding Bells: Love In Atlanta!
28 | Business
24-25
30-31 | News-Africa: Kenya Preps for Obama: Will He Visit Nigeria?
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Now, Live Life
Folasophical: The Sit-Tight Syndrome
New Jersey Bureau Funso Awoyera fawoyera@usafricajournal.com
GRAPHICS graphics@usafricajournal.com
Com’on
14 | StraightUp
New York Bureau Joseph B. Oyewande nyoffice@usafricajournal.com
Washington DC/Maryland Bureau Kayode Adewumi kadewumi@usafricajournal.com
9 | Commentary:
34 | My Word: Is He The One? 36-38 | Politics: All We Are Arts & Entertainment: Africa On Their Minds
PUBLISHED BY USA Media LLC, P.O. BOX 33143, Philadelphia, PA 19142 www.usamediallc.com
32-33
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Saying...
40 | Youth Scene: Think Dating Is Hard? Try Job Hunting!
42-43 | Fashion 44 | Beauty: A Splash of
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Cover Story: Buhari Back In Power
ON THE COVER: Muhammadu Buhari – Credit: Kelechi Amadi Obi Goodluck Jonathan – Credit: Remy de la Mauviniere COVER 2: Happiness Watimanywa – Credit: Adrian Fisk Miss World
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49 | In The News: Philadelphia Mayor Race – Immigrants Weigh Options
50 | Immigration 51 | Sports: Wilfried Bony – Ivory Coast’s Lethal Weapon
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
IT’S A NEW DAY
F
inally, the dawn of a new day is here – in Africa and right here at USAfrica Journal. Contrary to forecasts of doom by naysayers, another African country, Nigeria is set to effect a peaceful change of government from a ruling party to the opposition. For the fledgling democracy in the continent, it is a big leap forward in the march toward an enduring democratic culture. So, on May 29, all things being equal, power will change hands in Nigeria. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will exit the stage after six years of being at the helm of affairs. In his place, a gusty wind of change is ushering in a former military dictator, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Given the significance of this development, and the rousing reception received by our Politics column in the last issue, we couldn’t but dip and wrap this issue in decadent sweet and pungent flavors of politics again. Our main cover story penned by one of Nigeria’s leading political commentators, Pastor Fola Ojo will tell you the “how,” “why” and “whatnot” of the historic presidential elections in Nigeria. And on page 36-38, you’ll find Nigerians in the United States, traditionally outspoken, at their loudest! Trust me, if politics is your cup of tea or coffee, you’ll get your caffeine fix from this issue! Still talking about change, our much advertised transition from tabloid to a compact size magazine starts off with this issue. If you’re reading this in our print edition, obviously you’ve noticed our new look. Compact, but packed with a rich array of interesting, original, thought provoking stories and write-ups that set us miles apart from the competition. And the icing on the cake; the really big news here is with your support and the backing of our advertisers, we can now offer USAfrica Journal, America’s leading niche publication for Africans in the Diaspora, to our teeming readers in the United States FREE. Isn’t that great? This, among other things, means wider frontiers of extensive reach for messages and products featured in USAfrica Journal. With your continued support, we intend to keep it that way going forward. More on that in the coming months. For those of you who constantly reach out asking where and how you can get copies of the print edition, I bring you good tidings: All you have to do is get on our subscription list. The magazine is FREE. You only pay for shipping. No handling charge ever. For our current subscribers, you don’t have to do anything. We will keep sending your magazines, hot and fresh from the press, directly to your address. At the
expiration of your current subscription, you will be migrated seamlessly to our Pay for Postage Only plan. Remember, as a subscriber, you will also have exclusive access to our digital edition on all your mobile devices when it goes fully operational in the coming months. Who else can say that around here? In this issue, the lineup, as usual, is diverse and exciting. We have exclusive stories and features from Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Kenya, Nigeria, and several other places. Need I add that the other juicy regulars are in here too? Sports, Commentary, Folasophical, Fashion, Beauty, Immigration, etcetera, etcetera, are all served in our inimitable style of panache and pizzazz. Oh, by the way, Renny Vonne is back on the Youth Scene! Remember her? Bet you do. She’s back on the block, talking about love, dating and all other sweet nothings in-between. She’s waiting for you on page 40. In the meantime, don’t be a stranger. Give us a shout; drop a line or two; let us know what you think of our new look, or about anything for that matter. It’s always uplifting to hear from loved ones. Take care. I’ll see y’all around.
USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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COVER 2
Tanzania’s Happiness Watimanywa
A Beauty Queen with a Purpose By Jessica Banda | USA (With reports by MISA)
She’s young: At 21, the world is her oyster. She is beautiful: Among bevy of beauties in her native country, Tanzania, and in fact, worldwide, she stands regal, lusciously lithesome and pretty in a way only a former Ms. Tanzania and erstwhile Ms. World contender could pull off.
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includes visiting “at least one country in North America, South America and mainland Europe, and to own a house in her hometown. (Getting to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro has already been ticked off the list!). According to her, in every experience, she’s always looking for new ways to learn.
Photo Credit: www.missworld.com
A
nd she is happy: The glint in her eyes and the perpetual smile dancing on her lips are indicative of who she is; Happiness Watimanywa, a young woman spreading joy to all on her path and living up to her billing as a “beauty with a purpose.” While young women of her age are preoccupied with girlie age-appropriate stuff – parties, boys, et cetera – Watimanywa seeks out ventures that benefit her community educationally, culturally, socially, and pursues them with a passion. Described as a committed humanitarian who is passionate about helping young Tanzanian females claim their right of access to information, particularly on the topic of reproductive health, Watimanywa packs a contagious aura of happiness in her svelte frame. The first born of three children, Watimanywa grew up in the rural west of Tanzania where she said, “women who demonstrated great pride, courage, love, womanhood and a devotion to helping develop their communities” inspired and motivated her every day. In 2013, Happiness was crowned Miss Tanzania – a platform she viewed as an opportunity to help improve the lives of those less privileged than herself. The following year, she represented Tanzania at the prestigious Miss World 2014 beauty pageant held in England. Now 21 years old, Watimanywa remains on the lookout for the next challenge and adventure to satisfy her eager curiosity. For now, her to-do list
Happiness Watimanywa
“I love to travel. Old places and new,” she said. “There is always a new experience or discovery in store. Long drives - yes. Especially on dusty roads! Adventure- Absolutely!” In 2014, Happiness began work on Project Fahari, with Marie Stopes Tanzania. She said she was motivated to join the project after discovering that far too many girls in Tanzania do not have access to information about their reproductive health and puberty or basic knowledge about personal female sanitation and hygiene. “The topic is still considered a cultural taboo in quite a number of areas in Tanzania,” she said. “As an older sister, I felt an immense responsibility to empower girls through the sensitization and provision of education on the important nature of menstrual health management.” According to her, “a key part of the problem is that girls do not have access to information about the change that happens to them during puberty, and how they can look after themselves.” As part of Project Fahari – Swahili for ‘pride’ – Watimanywa visited two secondary schools in the rural region of Mwanza and held workshops and discussions about puberty, menstruation and family planning. Inspired by her passion for books, she joined forces with Project Kitabu, which aims to improve the state of literacy in Tanzania. Watimanywa now uses her celebrity and public profile to help other children discover and gain access to the world of infor-
COVER 2 brings into the world,” she said. “Thousands of people yearn for role models, and to be in the spotlight and inspire people, so it is important to live by example. The first step is to love yourself.” Photo Credit: Adrian Fisk Miss World
touch, taste and hear the thoughts, dreams and experiences of others through the words they communicate on the page. And there are always new voices, new figures and new ideas waiting to be exposed,” Watimanywa said. While some people may see their names as an encumbrance to be endured, Watimanywa said her first name always reminded and motivated her to stand for her beliefs. “I think that everyone has a right to happiness but there are many things that stand in their way,” she said. “Sometimes I think perhaps my parents named me on purpose, because even when I’m not happy, I’m always Happy. And so sharing myself and giving bits of happiness replenishes my fuel to go out and bring a smile to someone’s face and touch someone’s heart.” According to Watimanywa, confidence and appreciation of self-worth are very important for a woman no matter the industry she finds herself. “I think women are very selfless beings but we often forget how to love ourselves, or the impact our existence
Photo Credit: Adrian Fisk Miss World
mation and entertainment through books. “The book is a powerful object,” she said. “It is one of the most spectacular human inventions. Through books, our senses are brought to life through our imagination so that somehow we smell,
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COMMENTARY
Com’on now, live life! By Lanre Babalola, D.V.M., Ph.D., D.O., FACOG | USA
Several months ago, I read in my Penn Arts magazine about Penn students abroad - in Greece or Turkey - exploring caves and ancient relics in the middle east; others climbing mountains and exploring forests all around the world.
I
could not stop pondering how many Nigerians/Africans are engaged in these kinds of activities? What is our risk-taking capacity? How can we discover without these kinds of exploration, without a fearless foray into the world around us? It is my observation that the attitude of the mind of the Westerners is relatively more liberating and free. Liberating I say, in the sense that they have for all intent and purposes, conquered fear and their superstitious belief if any, is relatively tamed, pragmatic and comparatively minimal and well-controlled. Therefore, they are able to press the frontiers of life and nature without any paralyzing trepidation. The way we live our lives is apparently influenced by myriads of – sociological, educational, cultural, traditional and religious – factors. There also may be in consideration, in this case, factors relating to achieving and maintaining good health. I contend
It seems almost silly, as it is so plain and obvious, to state “this is the only life we know”. However, as intuitive as this mantra is, some modern human still believe there is another life after this and that there, we shall live forever – eternal life, they say.
Dr. Lanre Babalola
The promise of life after death realistically still is a promise. We may relish in and enjoy the promise of a non-ending life; it is still essentially a promise. It is not a bird in hand. that the daily life of the typical African is relatively restrictive. I further believe that this, fundamentally, has been one of the major factors undermining development in Africa. It seems almost silly, as it is so plain and obvious, to state “this is the only life we know”. However, as intuitive as this mantra is, some modern human still believe there is another life after this and that there, we shall live forever – eternal life, they say. Having thus believed, they restrict their activities and repress their potential to contribute to this life in abundance. Seriously, uncontentiously this is the only life we know; in any case, it is the one we are living in now. The other(s) we were only told exists via doctrines originated from our pagan past or from a corner of the Middle East or Asia and passed by one generation to the other with what I would call mandated or taught acceptance. We should allow our faculties to reign. I urge Africans to let loose their innate intellectual and physical capacity, and demonstrate capability and capacity. So, common now Africans, live
life! Go to the mountains - climb on to it, to the peak of it; go to the movies, go to the moon, for that matter! Explore your surroundings, your environment, your forest, your waters, your rivers, your mountains. Study anything and everything; write on all things and everything. Take risks, and take it aplenty. Fear no one, fear nothing seen, and unseen. Travel, go to strange lands, do things you would not routinely do – explore! Study everything – nature, life, universe, music, arts - and discover without restrain. Enjoy your life and make it a variety – music, theater, the opera, dancing, new food and beverages. Do it now as time, life time, really is short. Hedge your bet on life here and now. The promise of life after death realistically still is a promise. We may relish in and enjoy the promise of a non-ending life; it is still essentially a promise. It is not a bird in hand. This one is. So, let us utilize it maximally and make it better in the process. So, live life; crank it up to the fullest.
I contend that the daily life of the typical African is relatively restrictive. I further believe that this, fundamentally, has been one of the major factors undermining development in Africa. USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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AFRICAN STUDENTS
Again, African Students Lead The Way to Top Universities
A
frican students in the United States are rewriting the history of Ivy League Universities admission offers. For the second consecutive year, African immigrants maintained their impressive feat of securing admission offers from all eight Ivy League universities in the United States. A feat hitherto described as “almost impossible.” Peter Jacobs reporting on the phenomenon in the Business Insider, noted that while the Ivy League universities are notoriously tough to get in to, a handful of students who received eight Ivy acceptances for the class of
2019 have one thing in common - they’re all the children of immigrants, and majority of them are Africans! Jacobs reported that Cape Fear Academy student Victor Agbafe’s mother, who now lives in Wilmington, North Carolina, emigrated from Nigeria; while Munira Khalif, who attends Mounds Park Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota, is the daughter of Somali immigrants. On the other hand, Harold Ekeh who now attends Elmont Memorial High School on Long Island, New York, moved to the United States with his family from Nigeria when he was eight years old.
Victor Agbafe
Harold Ekeh
Last year, Kwasi Enin, currently a Yale University freshman, made headlines when he got accepted to each of the eight Ivy League schools. Enin’s parents both emigrated to the U.S. from Ghana. According to Jacobs, aside from their Ivy League acceptances, the students also scored a number of “yes” letters from equally impressive and competitive colleges. Three of the high school seniors got accepted to Stanford University — the most competitive college in the country — and at least one was accepted to MIT. Many credit their success to their parents’ experiences growing up outside the U.S. “When I was growing up, my mom told me her own
Kwasi Enin 10
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story of growing up in Somalia. My grandfather was a very revolutionary man in that he not only wanted to educate his sons, but also his daughters,” Khalif told the Star Tribune. “My mom got that opportunity and passed that opportunity on to me. It put me in a position where I thought I had to give back.” Speaking to the local CBS affiliate, Ekeh said he was humbled by his achievement. “I see this as not an accomplishment for me, but as an accomplishment for my school, my community,” Ekeh said. “I really see this as my mission to inspire the next generation.” Currently a student at Cape Fear Academy in Wilmington, North Carolina, Agbafe — a devout Catholic — said he made the sign of the cross and looked upward when he realized what he had accomplished. He credits his achievements to having a strong support system in both his family and his community. “It wasn’t about that I did this, it was a positive thing for my family, my school, my community,” Agbafe said. “I just feel that there’s a strong sense of the opportunity available to us,” he said. “Our parents remind us that there have been a lot of people before us who have had to make a lot of sacrifices.”
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WEDDING BELLS
Found on Facebook,, Love In tlanta! By John Kay | USA
W
ell, this lovey dovey duo didn’t quite find each other on Facebook, but the numero uno social medium did play a crucial role in bringing them together. “Segun first saw me in 2009 when I was invited to sing at his cousin’s birthday,” the bride, Temitayo Latifat Adeyemo (nee Isola) recalled. Though they sat on the same row, not too far away from each other, Temitayo was rather, rightly focused on her mission for the day: singing at the birthday party! Not in search of a boyfriend. The groom, Oluwasegun Adedamola Adeyemo on the other hand, had a
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different mission. His heart apparently went into overdrive from the moment he set eyes on Temitayo. And since what the heart wants, it goes after, Segun embarked on frantic searches on Facebook to find the girl that pulled his heart’s strings. Unfortunately, he came up short. Not even the almighty Google oracle had answers for him. However, three years later, Temitayo and Segun’s paths crossed again, at a mutual friend’s wedding ceremony. “We still didn’t talk to each other until he went on Facebook [again!]. He spelled my name right this time and found me,” Temitayo said. “We
chatted on Facebook for some weeks before I gave him my number,” and the endless chit chats over sweet nothings began. “Since he lived in another state, all we did was talk for hours about everything. He was easy to talk to and funny,” Temitayo added. The transition from Facebook to face-to-face finally culminated in a marriage proposal eight months later. “I said yes,” Temitayo smiled. Not too long after, Temitayo and Segun tied the knots at Sonesta Gwinnett Place, Atlanta, Georgia at a ceremony graced by their friends and family.
Photo Credit: K. lala Film/Photography
WEDDING BELLS
WANT YOUR SPECIAL DAY FEATURED IN THIS COLUMN? CALL US AT 530-237-4222, 610-570-9143, OR 215-571-9241. USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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FOLASOPHICAL
Man, Power, and the Sit-Tight Syndrome
Dr. Ojo
By Dr. Fola Ojo | USA
During the second-term inauguration ceremony of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as president in 2003, a brother and friend invited me to visit the Presidential Villa, the official residence of Nigerian Presidents in Abuja as a witness to the event.
T
he opulence and elegance of the villa are unforgettable memories; the vastness and sprawl of the ‘palace’ where a seasonally- recycled platoon of men and women routinely run up-and-down to serve one man in authority over millions of people and huge deposits of resources can’t just easily get deleted off the storage-room of my brain. I had never seen a place like that even here in the United States and in my many travels around the globe. With what I observed in the
sumptuous edifice of Aso-Rock, I concluded in a soliloquy to my soul that it will take God for any occupant of the house to voluntarily choose to go back to his village and not seek continuity, even if that village is Las Vegas in the US. It will take God. Togo’s Gnassingbe Eyadema rose to power from a peasant family to become President in 1967. He ruled for 38 years and ran the nation as a personal business. Togo was heavily militarized under Eyadema; and his mother was
imposed on the people as the first-andonly holder of the office of Motherof-the-Nation before whom Togolese citizens had to bow and tremble. Eyadema trained 1000 beautiful young women to dance before him as they gushingly and riotously sang his praises. In 2005, when his time was up in the eyes of God, he died of heart-attack as he boarded an airplane in Tunisia on his way to a medical appointment. We MAN, POWER continued on page 53
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INTERVIEW
Let’s Go Back To God
Photo Credit: GeeBenga Pathfinder
Pophet Hezekiah Oluboye Oladeji (popularly known simply as Prophet Hezekiah), founder, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Canaan Land, Nigeria, was due back on the pulpit in a few hours’ time. Just as he had done in the last three days of a five-day revival held recently in Philadelphia, he would sing, dance and lead violent, missile-like prayers for salvation, deliverance and blessings. At the top of his voice which rather strangely didn’t go hoarse for a minute, he would plead the blood and name of Jesus to shatter, batter and scatter the foundations and frontiers of principalities and princes of darkness. At a time when false prophets, rabblerousing clerics are peddling fallacies, and mesmerizing the gullible with theatrics and rhetoric, Prophet Hezekiah’s apostolic Pentecostal approach to soul winning is a fresh breath of air in an odoriferous enclave stinking to heavens. Though our barely half an hour window of opportunity to track him down for the interview wasn’t as wide as we had hoped for, we were nonetheless, in those few minutes, able to access the mind of this ordinary man doing extraordinary exploits in the vineyard of God.
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If you’ve seen or heard Prophet Hezekiah minister and wondered what makes him tick? How did he get here? How come he could go on and on, on his feet, ministering, binding and loosening, dancing and praying ceaselessly for hours nonstop, while even the “captives” whom he’s interceding for, are tired and falling by the wayside; this is his story – an abridged version – as told to USAfrica Journal.
The Call (1986) For the third consecutive day, incessant rain pounded the dusty, dark streets mercilessly. The raindrops on sheets of galvanized metal covering mud-brick houses along the way to the local branch of Christ Apostolic Church in Osogbo, Nigeria resonated like a thousand drums rumbling simultaneously. The eerie echo of weather-beaten tree branches swaying precariously at the mercy of a merciless wind meshed with the mad drumbeats on corrugated irons and drowned every other sound out. But for the rapid streams of flood waters hurriedly sweeping debris and mud down to the local river, the street was deserted. Intermittently, lightening streaked across the sky and cast the objects below in ghoulish caricatures, before darkness took over again. And in the ensuing near pitch darkness, vaguely lit by rays of flickering lanterns and
Photo Credit: GeeBenga Pathfinder
By Tunde Kolawole | USA
-Prophet Hezekiah
wick lamps slithering through partially closed windows, a lone figure, a man waded his way through flooded streets, resolute in his determination to get to his destination – the church – at this ungodly hour and weather. “I had promised myself that no matter what, I would not miss the prayer meeting /night vigil on that day,” Prophet Hezekiah explained his resolve to brace the elements on that night. “By the time I got to the church, I was drenched. With the exception of the night watchman whom I saw on my way into the church’s premises, there was no one else present at the church revival ground for the scheduled night vigil. The rain kept everyone at home. At this point, I couldn’t go back home. So by midnight, when I still didn’t see anyone turn up, I started praying. After I was done praying, I laid down to sleep. Maybe about 15 minutes after I laid down, I had a lucid vision of being in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Here in the western world, there are lots of charity organizations giving back to the community, but we don’t have such in Nigeria, yet there are probably more millionaires in Nigeria than in some of these countries.”
INTERVIEW “Without the Holy Spirit, Prophet Hezekiah is empty. Without the Holy Spirit, Baba Adeboye is empty, and any true minister or prophet of God is empty. In fact any human being without the Holy Spirit is empty.” He was flanked on either side by Apostle Ayodele Babalola, Baba Abiye and Oba Akinyele. Afraid, I fell face down on the ground. I was asked to get up and as I got up on my knees surrounded by the four of them, Apostle Babalola specifically told me that I will be sent around the world to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and win souls to His kingdom.” Prophet Hezekiah said his immediate reaction was to ask why the Lord would want to send an uneducated man like himself on an errand of such magnitude. “But the voice said to me that my lack of formal education will not be a hindrance,” Prophet Hezekiah said. “He said he would make ways where there were none. ‘You shall be
called a prophet,’ the voice said. At the instruction of Jesus, Apostle Babalola anointed me with oil. It was at this point that Jesus said to me, and I heard him clearly: ‘Though you are just a man, you will do the work of 100 able-bodied, sound-minded men for my kingdom, and you shall not wane in strength or vigor.’ Then He prayed for me. When I woke up in the morning, the oil with which I was anointed by Apostle Babalola was still physically visible on my head. That was how I got the call, but I wasn’t really ready to do God’s work. So I learned and became an automobile mechanic. For a long time, things were hard for me. It got to a point where getting food to eat was a big problem.
I worked hard. I prayed and fasted, I went on the mountain to pray, but still nothing positive happened with my situation until one day I decided to go directly to God. That was when God told me that I was doing my own will and not His. He said he called me to do His work but I refused. He said he would give me two years to get my acts together. He asked me what I wanted to achieve in those two years. Being human, I asked for money, houses, cars and other material things that I could think of at that moment. As selfish, spiritually shallow as my requests were, God was faithful to His words. Within those two years, I had all the things that I asked for.” Churches in the CAC fold mostly have appellations such as Mount of Redemption, Mount of Glory etc. etc. Why is your church called Canaan land? LET’S GO continued on page 52
CHURCH LISTINGS CONNECTICUT Winners Chapel International 76 Pane Road Newington, CT 06111 860-878-6855 DELAWARE RCCG, Faith Chapel 4112 N. Market Street Wilmington, DE 19802 302-298-9151 RCCG Abundant Life Center 61 Christiana Road Newcastle, DE 19720 302-561-6008
RCCG (Jesus House) 4332 N. Kedzie Avenue Chicago, IL 60618 Berhane Wongel Ethiopian Church 6200 N. Artesian Avenue Chicago, IL 60659 MARYLAND MFM 5506 Church Road Bowie, MD 20772 CAC, House of Praise 4909 Edmonston Road Hyattsville, MD 20781 301-864-4788
RCCG, Eagles Wings Chapel 700 Forest Street Dover, DE 19904 302-480-2808
United People Church Intl. 307 N. Bridge Street Suite 207 Elkton, MD 21921 443-433-6252
GEORGIA Church of Grace Ministries 6599 Allred Court Riverdale, GA 30296
NEW JERSEY MFM, Jesus House 409 S. 18th Street Newark, NJ 07103 973-220-0007/862-902-6372
ILLINOIS Christ Healing Evangelical Church (Chapel of Praise) 15821 Greenwood Road South Holland, IL 60473
Glorious Light Christian Ministries 104 E Broad Street Paulsboro, NJ 08066 856-224-4925
NEW YORK CAC, Mt. Pleasant of USA 1132 East Tremont Avenue Bronx, NY 10460 718-239-3512 CAC 1st In The Americas 622 Cortelyou Road Brooklyn, NY 11218 718-284-7479
Philadelphia, PA 19139 215-474-5800 RCCG, Living Spring Intern’l Center 2123 N. 1st Avenue, Whitehall, PA 18052 610-264-3790
CAC (WOSEM) 611 Williams Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11208
RCCG, Living Spring Center 919 North Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19123 215-765-8170
Glorious Morning Star Cherubim and Seraphim Church 289 Saratoga Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11233
Rehoboth Harvest Ministries 931 Hamilton Street, 2nd Floor Allentown, PA 18101
PENNSYLVANIA CAC of PA, Mt. of Redemption 5200 Paschall Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143 215-724-5711
United Ghanaian Community Church 7501 Oak Lane Road Cheltenham, PA 19012 215-635-4799
CAC Philadelphia 5800-02 Baltimore Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19143 215-921-6703 RCCG, Living Spring Center 5801 Walnut Street
TEXAS RCCG, Household of Faith 5001 New York Avenue Arlington, TX 76018 817-461-8857/817-4614310
CAC, Mercy Field 9621 Southwest Freeway Houston, TX 77074 713-541-4323/713-7059078 Dominion International Center 14030 Beechnut Street Houston, TX 77083 281-293-9997 WASHINGTON DC CAC (WOSEM) 4408 Georgia Avenue Washington DC 20011 202-723-2086 RCCG, New Wine Assembly 1515 Kenilworth Avenue Washington DC 20019 202-398-2211 WISCONSIN RCCG, City of Praise 5112 North 37th Street Milwaukee, WI 53209 414-465-0000
See more listings at www.usafricajournal.com USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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ADVERTORIAL
From Canaan Land: Holy Spirit Unleashed!
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ware, New Jersey, New York, Maryland and as far as United Kingdom among other places. Preaching on the revival’s theme; “Holy Spirit – The Agent of Restoration,” Prophet Hezekiah stressed the importance of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians. According to him, a Christian without the Holy Spirit is nothing but a pawn in the hands of the devil. “With the Holy Spirit, you can do exploits for the kingdom of God. Holy
Spirit not only brings about blessings into your life, but also protects and orders your steps. It brings about the supernatural restoration of all good things which the devil might have snatched from you,” he said. He added that for a believer to use the glory which God in His infinite mercy has in stock for those who believe in His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, “you need the mighty power of the Holy Spirit.”
Photo Credit: GeeBenga Pathfinder
hrist Apostolic Church of Pennsylvania (Mount of Redemption) continued its glorious tradition of uplifting and spirit-filled programs with a five-day “power-packed, life changing revival” held at the church’s auditorium in Philadelphia recently. Headlined by renowned revivalist, Prophet Hezekiah Oluboye Oladeji (a.k.a. Baba Canaan Land), the one-ofits-kind revival attracted congregants from the neighboring states of Dela-
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ADVERTORIAL
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HEALTH
Five Surprising Things That Affect Your Blood Sugar You know that eating an extra-large order of fries with your meal or taking too much diabetes medicine can wreak havoc with your blood sugar. But you may be surprised to find out about other things that can drive blood sugar to spike or drop. Read on to learn about less well-known blood sugar disrupters and what to do about them.
1. EXERCISE
Physical activity and exercise can make your body more sensitive to insulin, which can lower your blood sugar. You may need to check your blood sugar levels more often or be on the lookout for low blood sugar when you exercise. Exercising in really hot or cold conditions also may change how your body absorbs insulin. Your healthcare provider can tell you what your blood sugar levels should be before and
after exercise and signs of low blood sugar to watch for. Tips: Keep quick snacks at hand during exercise to treat blood sugar lows and have water or sugar-free sports drinks on hand to stay hydrated.
2. ILLNESS OR INJURY
When you’re sick with a severe cold or flu or are in pain, your body releases hormones to fight the illness. The downside is that
Christ Apostolic Church of Pennsylvania (Mount of Redemption)
5200 Paschall Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143 Mail: P. O. Box 2294, Upper Darby, PA 19082 Phone/Fax: 215-724-5711 Email: cacpenn@aol.com Website: www.cacpenn.com Facebook: cacpenn
Come worship with us Bible Study 7:00pm – 9:00pm, Wednesday Prayer Warriors 4:00pm – 6:00pm, Friday Night Vigil 12:00am – 3:00am, Friday Holy Ghost 12:00 am – 3:00am, Last Friday of the month Choir Practice 6:00pm – 8:00pm, Saturday Sunday School 10:00am – 11:00am, Sunday Worship Service 11:00am – 1:30pm, Sunday Office Hours 10:00am – 2:00pm, Monday – Friday Prayerline
these hormones can send your blood sugar levels in either direction, making it hard to keep them in your target range. Tips: Talk with your diabetes healthcare provider about a “sick day plan” so you know what to do when you aren’t feeling well. Understand how to take your medicines and stick to your regular meal plan as closely as possible. If you check your blood sugar, check it more often when you are ill. If you have problems or are unsure what to do when you are sick, contact your healthcare team immediately. Consider training a friend, fam-
ily member, or caregiver to test your blood sugar when you aren’t feeling well.
3. STRESS
When you are stressed, your body has a “fight-orflight” response and releases hormones that can raise blood sugar levels. Also, most people under stress tend not to take good care of themselves — working long hours, eating or drinking too much, and exercising too little — which also affects blood sugar levels. Tips: Do your best to reduce stress by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, learning relaxation techniques or meditation, and participating in enjoyable hobbies. If your stress feels out of control, consider joining a support group or speaking with a trusted friend or a counselor.
4. MEDICINES AND SUPPLEMENTS
Steroids, cold medicines, birth control pills, and othFIVE continued on page 54
10:00pm – 11:00pm, Tuesday Dial 712-432-3900, Access Code 335192#
Pastor C. O. Ogunleye Associate Pastor
Pastor E. O. Odeyale (DS) Pastor-in-Charge
Pastor M. O. Ajayi Associate Pastor
Pastor S. A. Oyeleke Chairman, U.S.A. EDCC USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Changes: A Love Story By Cody Fororange | USA
M
odern Ghanaian women suffer daily sacrifices, lifelong barriers to their advancement, and an emerging modernity which has multiplied their duties but not simplified their lives. Changes: A Love Story by Ama Ata Aidoo focuses on a three-year period in the lives of Esi Sekyi, Opokuya Dakwa, and Fusena Kondey, three women approaching their mid-thirties in Accra, Ghana. In Changes we can see the evidence of a complex struggle in the name of modernity between African women and society, families, traditions, and their own desires. From the perspectives of Esi, Opokuya, and Fusena, Aidoo shows
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us how such modern African women view their lives, and with what methods they are willing to fight to improve their lives. Esi, Opokuya, and to a lesser degree the much-suppressed Fusena, fight against more than just an accumulation of oppressive tradition that favors men. They struggle for appreciation of their talents and for an equal part in guiding their marriages. Esi and Opokuya struggle to build marriages and relationships that allow them to reap the benefits of their individuality and their educations, and exercise their own free wills, without making them overworked, or being labeled mad women and witch-
es. The reactions of their families, husbands and communities to these women reveal modern dilemmas for educated African women. Aidoo’s love story traces Esi’s distinctly rebellious and independent path to love and marriage, as contrasted to the more traditional married lives of Opokuya and Fusena. In doing so, the novel illustrates women challenging a postcolonial African society on all fronts. This front is as diverse as the workplace, in hotel bars, in the kitchen, on the road driving alone in their new cars, in the rural traditional village, and in the bedroom. Despite often finding that lonely independence is untenable, Esi and Opokuya achieve moderate success in their fight. Their resiliency indicates shifting gender roles in Africa, and some compatibility between tradition and these new roles. This is an extremely rich story told frankly and believably. The material even seems politically important (perhaps all novels should try to be so) in that it addresses real problems facing Africa and does not always provide answers, although it certainly provides a rich cast of characters attempting to do so.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Africa
On Their Minds!
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tevie Wonder, India.Arie and Nicky Minaj: three acclaimed artistes with a visibly common bond, music! Beyond the chart bursting hits, legendary performances and prodigious haul of top awards in the industry, these moments, frozen in time at various times in the past revealed another common thread. Collectively and individually, Wonder, Arie and Minaj proudly channeled the African in them with these quaint African print designs from motherland. Who wore it best? You be the judge.
Stevie Wonder Isn’t it lovely he’s hitting the road again? Stevie Wonder announces his 11-date Songs In The Key Of Life tour at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles. Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images
Nicki Minaj Oh my gosh, look at her dress. Nicki Minaj wows as she arrives at an after-party during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. Photo: Ben Gabbe/Getty Images
Jydiel
Photography by Jide Ademulegun
India.Arie and Stevie Wonder It’s just too much for her to handle. India.Arie shares the stage with the legendary Stevie Wonder on the first night of his Songs In The Key Of Life tour in New York Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images
www.jydiel.com USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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ADVERTORIAL
Tiguida Kaba: Still Sizzling @ 60!
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ome sit still when they clock 60, others keep on ticking. For Tiguida Kaba, the founder of African Family Health Organization (AFAHO), a leading non-profit organization providing various health and social
services to the African and Caribbean communities in the Philadelphia region, she just can’t help but sizzle as she turned 60 recently. Though she would rather celebrate quietly, yet her friends organized an ex-
clusive birthday bash for the svelte lady in the suburb of Philadelphia. To the friends, family and well-wishers from far and near that graced the occasion, Tiguida’s smiles, hugs et al said it all: Thank you! Merci beaucoup!
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BUSINESS
RWANDA WANTS INVESTOR FOR CANCER FACILITY
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wanda is looking for a potential investor to set up a cancer treatment facility, and help the country cut down the number of Rwandans traveling for the service abroad. The $12 million facility includes radiotherapy, and will provide cancer diagnosis, a service currently limited. “We have received a few proposals. We still need more because we want to go by the best equipment ever,” Dr Jean Paul Barinda, in charge of cancer at Rwanda Biomedical center told KTPress. He said four companies from Israel, France, US and Switzerland expressed their interests through an international tender issued by Rwanda, but declined
to mention any to avoid contempt of a fair procurement process. The radiotherapy service will be hosted at the Kigali based Masaka Hospital in Kicukiro district, according to Barinda. Currently, the sole cancer center in Butaro Hospital, Northern part of Rwanda, can only provide cancer detection and treatment, when cancer is at its early stage. The $5.8 million modern hospital, built in partnership with the government of Rwanda, Partners in Health, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative, was inaugurated on January 23, 2011 by President Paul Kagame. Source: KT Press
Tigo launches bid to become biggest 4G network in Tanzania
T
IGO Tanzania has launched a brand new 4G LTE technology that will make it the biggest and fastest Internet network in Tanzania. Speaking at the launch, Tigo Interim General Manager Cecile Tiano said: “This once again demonstrates our company’s commitment to the digital lifestyle transformation and its leadership in delivering cutting edge technology and innovation in this market.” The 4G LTE network means faster speeds to surf and download content from the Internet and make Skype calls. It also significantly enhances the customer experience for video streaming or conferencing. The new technology is about five times faster than the 3G technology currently available in the market. The 4G LTE technology is a standard for wireless communication of high-speed data. It has the capacity to efficiently transfer large amounts of data at an unparalleled speed. It can also accommodate more applications such as video conferencing, high definition content, video blogs, interactive games and video downloads on social networking sites.
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With the surging use of smartphones among the Tanzania population, 4G technology will enable Tigo customers to enjoy a world class experience of increased speed and quality of internet access through the network. “Today’s launch covers Masaki and Mlimani City areas within Dar es Salaam but our plan is to fully cover the city by end of July, ensuring quality coverage in Kinondoni, Ilala and Temeke in places such as Upanga, Posta, Tegeta, Mbagala, Tabata, Kimara, Mbezi, Ukonga, Salasala, Mikocheni, Msasani, Sinza and so on,” Ms Tiano explained. Source: Tigo Tanzania
From Left: Tanzanian Socialite Abby Platjes and Musician Vanessa Mdee getting schooled on how 4G LTE technology works by Tigo representatives
EU-Africa B2B Forum WAEMU presents investment opportunities
T
he West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU, also known by its French acronym, UEMOA), led the way with the presentation of several investment projects, including projects on roads linking the most important West African cities, at the first edition of the EU-Africa B2B Forum held recently in Mons, Belgium. Other African countries invited to present investment opportunities at the forum were Ghana, Rwanda, Madagascar, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Morocco, and Senegal. The main focus of the EU-Africa B2B Forum is to provide a high level platform for Business-to-Business (B2B) and matchmaking meetings. The EU-Africa B2B Forum enables business contacts between professionals from African and European private sectors. Among high level participants at this year’s Forum was HEM John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana, as well as Ministers from different African countries. Others included HEM Narson Rafidimanana, Minister of Industry and Private Sector Development, Madagascar; HEM Frédéric Nikièma, Minister of Communication, Spokesman of the Government, Burkina Faso; HEM Emmanuel Bonde, Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Cameroon; HEM Lahcen Haddad, Minister of Tourism, Morocco; HEM Elio Di Rupo, Former Prime Minister, Mayor City of Mons, Belgium; and HEM Willy Borsu, Minister of the Middle Class, SMEs, Self-employed and Agriculture, Belgium. Source: EU-Africa Chamber of Commerce (EUACC)
CONGRATULATIONS! The Rev. Moses Suah-Dennis Bags Doctorate Degree!
NEWS-AFRICA
Kenya Preps for Obama’s Visit
U
tween the United States and the African continent, which has received billions in Chinese investment in recent decades. “Just as President (John) Kennedy’s historic visit to Ireland in 1963 celebrated the connections between Irish-Americans and their forefathers, President Obama’s trip will honor the strong historical ties between the United States and Kenya – and all of Africa,” White House advisors said in a blog. Millions of Americans trace their ancestry to the African continent, and more than 100,000 Americans live in or visit Kenya each year, they said. Obama had visited Kenya multiple times before entering politics and in
Will He Visit Nigeria? By Sadia Makuna | USA
As Kenya gets ready to welcome United States President Barack Obama on an official visit to Kenya; there are talks in Nigeria’s political circle that President Obama may also be visiting Nigeria for the first time since he became the president.
T
hough not confirmed yet, diplomatic and political sources in Nigeria said there may be more to the rumor this time. A top Nigerian official in Washington D.C. said the
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generally peaceful conduct and outcome of the recent elections may be tilting the balance in favor of Nigeria. “A visit by President Obama shortly after Buhari’s inauguration will certain-
Photo Credit: Reuters
Obama and grandmother in Kenya.
Photo: presscore.ca
nited States President Barack Obama will make a long-awaited return to Kenya this July, visiting his father’s homeland for the first time since becoming US president, the White House has announced Monday. During the much-delayed visit, Obama will attend a summit to encourage entrepreneurship and meet the country’s controversial leader Uhuru Kenyatta. Obama’s late father was from a small village near the shores of Lake Victoria. He met Obama’s white American mother in Hawaii, where they had a son before divorcing. America’s first black president has visited sub-Saharan Africa four times since taking office in 2009, but political scandal has blocked a presidential visit to his ancestral home. Kenya is seen as a front in the fight against global terror, following a series of deadly attacks that have been claimed by Somalia-based jihadist group al-Shebab. Many Western governments have since warned tourists against visiting Kenya’s stunning coastline, which draws in hordes of visitors and much-needed tourism revenue. The White House hopes that a visit will also do more to cement ties be-
Uhuru Kenyatta
2006 as a US senator, when he visited his father’s home village Nyang’oma-Kogelo and took a very public HIV test. The president’s heritage has spurred domestic controversy, with some hardline political foes claiming he was not born in the United States and so was ineligible to become president. Obama allies say this is thinly veiled racism and the president has often made light of the controversy. “If I did not love America, I wouldn’t have moved here from Kenya,” he recently joked. On the July visit, Obama is expected to take part in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), which is being held in sub-Saharan Africa for the first time. By Andrew Beatty/AFP ly energize the new government and boost its image worldwide,” the government official said. A new government headed by retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari will be sworn in on May 29, in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, Nigeria. Meanwhile, here in the United States, other than the White House report about the scheduled visit to Kenya, there is nothing official corroborating the chatter in Nigeria’s political circle. Our source in Washington however said silence does not necessarily mean something is not brewing. “The fact at WILL HE continued on page 53
Femmes au Sénégal: Briser les Chaînes du Silence et des Inégalités
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l est temps de briser les obstacles socio-culturels qui empêchent les femmes sénégalaises de pleinement réaliser leurs droits, a déclaré la Présidente du Groupe de Travail de l’ONU sur la question de la discrimination contre les femmes dans la législation et dans la pratique, Emna Aouij, au terme d’une visite de dix jours dans le pays. L’experte de l’ONU a souligné que des progrès notoires ont été réalisés au Sénégal, qu’il s’agisse du cadre légal et institutionnel ou des nombreuses politiques et activités visant à promouvoir et protéger les droits des femmes. Toutefois de fortes contraintes d’ordre socio-culturel et juridique continuent à faire obstacle à la réalisation de l’égalité des genres. « Il est inadmissible que sous le prétexte de la tradition, des coutumes ou encore de la pauvreté, des filles et des femmes voient leurs droits fondamentaux bafoués, soient violentées, abusées et vivent dans des conditions indignes », a-t-elle poursuivi. Mme Aouij a ainsi insisté sur la nécessité de modifier certaines dispositions légales, en particulier celles stipulant la puissance maritale et paternelle dans le Code de la famille sénégalais. « Je suis particulièrement alarmée par l’échelle des violences faites aux
femmes, perpétuées par des attitudes et valeurs patriarcales conservatrices», a déclaré Mme Aouij. « Tous les interlocuteurs que j’ai rencontrés lors de ma visite ont souligné le nombre effarant de viols, d’incestes, de harcèlement sexuel et de violence domestique. Il s’agit là d’un problème grave et généralisé qui requiert des mesures urgentes à tous les niveaux.» L’experte s’est félicitée que le Sénégal ait atteint la parité de genre dans l’accès à l’éducation primaire et un taux brut de scolarisation des filles de 98%. Elle a toutefois souligné que les abandons scolaires restaient beaucoup plus élevés chez les filles. « Les travaux domestiques, les abus sexuels en milieu scolaire, les mariages et les grossesses précoces sont autant de facteurs d’échec scolaire », a expliqué l’experte. Mme Aouij a par ailleurs souligné les progrès considérables réalisés par Sénégal en termes de participation des femmes à la vie politique, notamment grâce à la loi sur la Parité de 2010. Le pays se trouve ainsi au 7ème rang mondial quant au nombre de femmes parlementaires. Les élections locales de 2014 ont toutefois montré que la marginalisation politique des femmes n’est toujours pas complètement résolue. Le pays ne compte ainsi que 13 femmes maires sur un total de 557 communes.
Women in Senegal: Breaking the chains of silence and inequality
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t is time to break socio-cultural barriers that prevent Senegalese women to fully realize their rights, said the Chairperson of the UN Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice, Emna Aouij, at the end of a ten-day visit to the country.
The UN expert stressed that significant progress has been achieved in Senegal, whether in terms of the legal and institutional framework or the many policies and activities aiming to promote and protect women’s rights. However, strong socio-cultural and legal constraints continue to stand in
Photo Credit: orgs.law.harvard.edu
NEWS-AFRICA
His Excellency Macky Sall « Il reste beaucoup à accomplir pour que les femmes sénégalaises puissent pleinement bénéficier de leur droit à la santé », a par ailleurs souligné l’experte. « Pour briser les chaînes du silence et de l’inégalité, les femmes sénégalaises doivent obtenir une plus grande autonomie, être dûment formées et informées, mener des activités économiques leur assurant un développement économique durable et pouvoir accéder à la justice, sans discrimination aucune », a conclu Mme Aouij. Source: Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
the way of the achievement of gender equality. “It is unacceptable that under the guise of tradition, customs or poverty, girls and women have their basic rights violated, are assaulted, abused and live in unworthy conditions,” she continued. Ms. Aouij insisted on the need to amend certain legal provisions, particularly those stipulating the marital and WOMEN continued on page 54 USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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COVER 1
Goodbye Goodluck Buhari Back In Power By Pastor Fola Ojo | USA
Pastor Fola Ojo
On Saturday, March 28, this year - the presidential Election Day in Nigeria – the sun moved in its majestic splendor, ninety million miles away from earth, and beamed its ravishing radiance and sightly beauty on the country. Muhammadu Buhari
Photo Credit: Kelechi Amadi Obi
E
xcitement was laced with enthusiasm and hope as voters patiently awaited the torrential rain of change busting loose from the sky. They trooped out to their precincts and cast their ballots for the candidates whom they believe can help evanesce the prevalent frustration and despair in the country. At the last tally, Major General Muhammadu Buhari emerged the winner; and he will be sworn in as the President of Nigeria on Friday May 29. If Nigerians had to vote charisma, charm and pizzazz, it wouldn’t have been Buhari. If they had to vote soothing, mesmerizing speaking abilities, it wouldn’t have been this General. But what Buhari lacks in charisma, he has much more in character. By several accounts, he is a modest man who is not for filthy lucre; a military man who understands the terrain in these days of insecurity, and a man on whose contact list you are not likely to find gluttony, graft, or a crazed propensity to amass wealth. Buhari, among other things,
is a venturesome retired soldier; former regional Governor, former head of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, and former Head-of-State
Voting Buhari as the next president of Nigeria means Nigerians, home and abroad, want to be proud of their country again. They want effective policies and programs that will fight corruption, stabilize the country’s battered currency, and once and for all, incapacitate and incinerate the insurgencies. 32
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and Commander-In-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces. Several times in his quest for the top political job in the country, his opponents have accused him of many things, but none has ever accused him of corruption. They said he was not lettered, but none could call him clueless or bereft of the knowledge of how government works. Hear him: “People accuse me of many things. I have led this country and I have a record. We were not perfect, but we were effective; we solved problems, and we made Nigerians proud. In our government, we fought corruption, we stabilized the naira, and we shut down insurgencies. The world admired us. We were proud to be Nigerians”. Voting Buhari as the next president of Nigeria means Nigerians, home and abroad, want to be proud of their country again. They want effective policies and programs that will fight corruption, stabilize the country’s battered currency, and once and for all, incapacitate and incinerate the insurgencies. Nigeria is the sixth largest producer of petroleum in the world, the eighth largest exporter, the tenth largest in proven reserves, and one of the highest economic growth rate of about 7.4 percent. Between 2009 and 2011, a total of N22.165 trillion ($143.5 billion) was earned as revenue from the oil and gas
COVER 1 Because of Buhari’s election, hope is now aglow for the man from the rustic region of Bayelsa, the woman from the slumbering village of Akwa-Ibom, and the young man from the defiled and pillaged townships of Delta.
How Jonathan’s Good Luck Ran Out President Goodluck Jonathan was held hostage by mean business men and ghoulish politicians for about six years. They successfully turned him into an elephantine cash-cow and money-spewing machine. Many of them are duplicitous characters who spin through the crevices of government-after- government. They are wheelers, dealers and an egregious assemblage in the piazza of power. They turned AsoRock into an odoriferous and bizarre bazaar-plaza where bonanzas in different currencies are shoveled out in bales. No thanks to them, Nigeria is now in hot-water economically. Around the presidential throne, there were many
liars and deceivers. Around Jonathan, there were sycophants chanting only mellifluous and euphonious songs in his ears. Some of the liars around him were pastors who prophesied lies. They took advantage of our president, shoving the people’s money into their building-projects and personal drive for filthy-lucre. They frequented AsoRock in special night-vigil prayer sessions where they “prophe-lied” that God wanted Jonathan in power forever. Pathetic peripatetic pastors hopping on hired private-jets to Jerusalem today, Rome tomorrow with all expenses paid by our government from funds that should build roads and hospitals for Nigerians who are dying daily. These are characters that contributed in no small measure to the dethronement of “King” Jonathan. Now, we are at the threshold of a new Buhari era. General Buhari’s election was a triumph for the people whose dwelling places have for a while been in the path of a killer-cyclone. It was a triumph for the people living in the slums of YenaGoodluck Jonathan
Photo Credit: forbes.com
sector alone. In the first seven months of 2013, Nigeria recorded earnings of over $20 billion from sale of crude oil. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, “On annual basis, the total exports of Nigeria stood at N17.204 trillion at the end of 2014, representing a rise of N2.959 billion or 20.8 percent over the level of 2013”. But what do we have to show for it? Almost 100 million people (61 percent) still live on less than $1 a day, and 92 percent on less than two dollars a day. Nigeria’s debt was $4.53 billion six months after the incumbent president took over leadership, but today Nigeria’s debt stands at $66.99 billion and is rising. The inflation rate in Nigeria was recorded at 8.3 percent in July of 2014, and Nigeria Import-Export ratio stand at 97 percent -3 percent in favor of imports. Yet, in spite of Nigeria’s tremendous resources, the outgoing government couldn’t find ways to move the country out of the ditch.
goa and Oloibiri, and the impoverished people in the town of Imesi-Ile. It was a win for the terrorized Nigerians in the huts of Chibok, the helpless aged men and women in villages of Ebonyi, and the physically handicapped but mentally alert in the caves of Bukuru. Men and women from the hamlet of Ogoni whose rivers have been polluted, whose lands have been seized, and whose oil is stolen daily and proceeds locked up in the hands of strangers that live miles away are now relieved. Because of Buhari’s election, hope is now aglow for the man from the rustic region of Bayelsa, the woman from the slumbering village of Akwa-Ibom, and the young man from the defiled and pillaged townships of Delta. The young man whose friends and loved ones got trampled to death at the Abuja stadium in search of paltry jobs they had hoped would give them life may now believe that his time is now. And for us hundreds of thousands of Nigerians resigned to an immigrant’s life in the United States, United Kingdom, and the Diaspora at large, who cannot go back home because the home-front is in a mess, we are all in a celebratory mood at this moment. Make no mistake about this; Buhari has his work cut out for him; and it is going to be a lot of work bringing about the change he promised the Nigerian people. Problems besiege a nation because the people allowed it; changes will happen only if the people allow it. Things will begin to work in Nigeria as long as we are not tied to the apron strings of recycled hands that are used to graft and greed.
If Nigerians had to vote charisma, charm and pizzazz, it wouldn’t have been Buhari. If they had to vote soothing, mesmerizing speaking abilities, it wouldn’t have been this General. USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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MY WORD
Is He The One? By Tunde Kolawole | USA
Thirty years after former Nigeria Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari was overthrown in a coup; the slim, soft spoken generalissimo is making a comeback. Barring any hitch, Buhari will, on May 29, 2015 once again assume the reins of power, albeit not through the barrel of a gun this time, but as a duly elected civilian president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
W
ith this feat, Buhari will in effect get the rare second chance which many seek (but never get) to rewrite his own story in the annals of Nigeria’s political narratives. And as Buhari prepares for his special date with history; before the vanquished and the victors, especially those still reveling in the orgasmic throes of victory at the recent polls swoop in like vultures on his trail and tailcoat, begin the process of sucking life out of his administration with incessant demands for gratifications (for jobs well done at the electioneering), there are certain salient points that we need to make sure the soldier-turned-politician in whom we’ve all entrusted our fate for the next four years is clear about. Major General Buhari needs to know that unlike his first coming as the
Buhari cannot expect the governed to catch cold each time he sneezes [… and] people cannot just be thrown in the gallows just because they say or write things that government or its officials deemed embarrassing. 34
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Major General Buhari needs to know that unlike his first coming as the Head of State, the battle field is different now. In the quicksand of Nigeria politics; fatigues, jackboots, horse whips and sundry paraphernalia of repressive military dictatorship will not cut it. Head of State, the battle field is different now. In the quicksand of Nigeria politics; fatigues, jackboots, horse whips and sundry paraphernalia of repressive military dictatorship will not cut it. Unlike his first coming, he will have to operate under a political dispensation that is totally different from the one he was familiar with, and largely remembered for: a brutish, cold-hearted military regime that stifled opposition with its draconian vice grip on the jugular of the Nigerian populace. In this new dispensation, it is important for Buhari to know that government agents cannot whip, torture or maim people into line (even when it is glaringly for their own good). In the democracy, under which, God willing, he would be steering the affairs of Nigeria for the next four years, Buhari cannot expect the governed to catch cold each time he sneezes. In this new dispensation, laws are not made at will, or at the whim and caprices of the president. Decrees have no place in this form of government. In its place, there’s something called the rule of
law which even the president must uphold. That means, among other things, people cannot just be thrown in the gallows just because they say or write things that government or its officials deemed embarrassing. Reports claiming Buhari has evolved abound. His supporters say he knows fully well what he’s getting himself into, and he’s well and adequately prepared for the task. The President-elect himself has stated publicly, and rightly too, that his past actions as a Head of State were informed by the very nature of government under which he served. Military governments, he reminded us, generally rule by decrees and iron fists; echoing in essence, the ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates in Aphorisms: “For extreme diseases, extreme methods of cure.” Put differently; desperate times require desperate measures. No doubt, Nigeria was, and arguably is still in desperate times. And for our misgivings about his fanatical religious inclinations which birthed his infamous faux pas: “God willing, we will not stop the agitation
for the total implementation of the Sharia in the country,” Buhari’s handlers say not only has he mellowed down, but also, he has seen the light. Though critics say his softened tone on religion was just for political expediency, Buhari was quoted earlier this year as saying: “Religion must never be used as an excuse to divide us, oppress others or gain unfair advantage. All my life I have expressed the belief that all Nigerians must worship God according to their wish.” So, because Buhari is an honorable man, we will take him at his word. However, because we are stakeholders in the present and future of Nigeria, Buhari, like many before him, will not have a free pass. Collectively and in-
dividually, we should put him and his team under our microscopes. In the coming months and years, his manifesto of change must be subjected to the strictest scrutiny by all concerned for signs of any positive change, and in fact anything remotely good, emanating from the second coming of the man from Daura. From Daura, Katsina State, to across Nigeria and even amongst Nigerians in the Diaspora, the drums of victory are still audible in the arena. In the ensuing dance featuring big party stalwarts, acclaimed and self-styled kingmakers, turncoats and carpetbaggers, Buhari, hopefully will not get carried away by the euphoria of his second coming, or the hoopla of fawners angling for plum
The new Nigerian electorates, now privy to the inherent power of the ballot, will not skip a beat, in flogging Buhari and the change-chanting political stooges and stalwarts like herd of errant cattle out of Aso Rock if the promised change in the people’s socio-economic status remains a mirage.
political appointments. Before reality starts meshing with the unreal in the playing field of politics, Buhari may be better off holding this somewhat sardonic Yoruba adage close to his heart: Pasan ti a fi na iyale, o wa loke aja fun iyawo (which loosely translated means: The fate that befell the first wife lurks at the corner for the gloating new bride). If this last election in Nigeria is anything to go by, then it is safe to infer from the outcome of the presidential election that brought bad luck to President Goodluck Jonathan and sent him packing from Abuja, that the new Nigerian electorates, now privy to the inherent power of the ballot, will not skip a beat, in flogging Buhari and the change-chanting political stooges and stalwarts like herd of errant cattle out of Aso Rock if the promised change in the people’s socio-economic status remains a mirage. For now, let’s give Buhari all the support he needs to live up to the messianic halo that fate and majority of Nigeria’s electorates have placed on him. USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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POLITICS
All We Are Saying... N By Bioye Oyewande | USA
ow that the presidential elections in Nigeria has come and gone, and a president-elect is waiting in the wings to assume the country’s reins of leadership, Nigerians in the Diaspora, like Oliver Twist, are asking for more. They are once again lending their voices to the ongoing conversation about where Nigeria, under General Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership, should be heading in the next four years. Our bureau chiefs, Bioye Oyewande (New York) and Kayode Adewumi (DMV) reached out across the United States to feel the pulse of Nigerians in this area: what are their expectations from the incoming president and his team?
Teju Cole
If you had asked me before the first postponement I would have said Jonathan would win. I thought Buhari would run out of money and the election would be close but I believed Jonathan would still win, but it never happened. So I congratulate Buhari and hope he will do very well. He should deal with the insurgencies and corruption. There is too much stealing in that place every year so he should really deal with corruption.
ness. People shouldn’t expect too much from him in four years. if he can fix the problem of electricity and deal with corruption, other things will fall in place. Many Nigerians abroad will want to go back home to establish businesses. That is what I will do.
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found guilty of corruption should be given life imprisonment. He should look for people of good character not only in APC, but also in the opposition parties. He could use somebody like Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu as the Inspector General of Police.
Johnson Ajiboye
David Oyebola
Dr. Oladele Dabiri
Lookman Afolayan Mashood The president-elect should establish the rule of law. Once that is done, the country will be conducive for people to set up busi-
because anytime a new government comes to power we all jubilate, and at the end they don’t fulfill their promises. General Buhari should try to form a national government by using some of the people in PDP and other parties. He should also include the youths in his government because the power lies in the hands of the youths. He should create jobs and also fix our electricity.
My expectation from the President- elect is real change
We voted for change and there must be a true change. First and foremost all his appointees must declare their assets when they come in and when they are leaving. He must fight corruption by setting up a credible and very strong body that will tackle corruption. Anyone
The following issues should be looked into: insecurity, unemployment, corruption, housings scheme, education, health and social services such as good roads, electricity, pipe borne water, and development of the rural areas. All the stolen money must be recovered and returned to the country for development. continued on page 38
POLITICS
Give Us Good Government By Kayode Adewumi | USA
Professor Solomon Fakinlede, Baltimore, MD
government to set up a national airline that can benefit the people; it is a shame for Nigeria not to have a national airline when an individual like Braxton of Virgin Atlantic has been running a profitable airline for over 20 years.
Samson Afolabi, Accountant, Washington DC
should also make all his ministers and aides declare their assets, while he makes transparency his watch word. He should concentrate on policies that will boost the economy as quickly as possible.
Dr. Emmanuel Onyekwere, Project/Economic Management Expert,
ing for government are duly registered and made to sign and submit qualification statements before they are paid. Our infrastructures got destroyed shortly after they are put in place because they are of very low quality and standard just because nobody checks on the contractors to make sure they are doing quality jobs.
Julius Ibidapo, Engineer,
Baltimore MD.
Chicago, Illinois.
I expect the incoming government to reinstate the War Against Indiscipline of the Buhari/Idiagbon era which was a turning point in the history of Nigeria. Indiscipline in social behavior will definitely lead to indiscipline in economic behavior and that breeds corruption. I expect the new government to wage war against unethical behaviors and fight corruption to standstill. As the fifth largest producer of crude oil in the world, Nigeria should be among the best countries in the world, but the large scale corruption that had been going on for years has prevented us from taking our place among great nations. I expect the Buhari
The first assignment that I expect him to carry out is to drastically reduce the salaries and allowances of those working for government. Apart from this, he should also make sure that he assembles a team of experts who will work with him rather than just surrounding himself with politicians. Politicians are in government to line their pockets with ill-gotten wealth while experts and technocrats are there to work and proffer solutions to the nation’s problems. I am happy that he is starting on a good note by declaring his assets; he
There are Nigerian professionals scattered all over the world and I expect General Buhari to go after them and bring them back home to work with him. I expect him to immediately put machinery in motion to create jobs. Let him create a new ministry that will be solely responsible for job creation and he should divide Nigeria into six regional zones for that purpose so that the effect can be felt as quickly as possible. On infrastructures, I expect him to make sure that contractors work-
I expect the new government to make power supply its number one priority in order to attract foreign investors and boost industrial production of the domestic companies and industries. I expect Buhari to begin work on the nation’s roads, especially, the Lagos-Ibadan expressway which is the major road that links Lagos with other parts of the country. Availability of good roads will boost production and marketing of goods and continued on page 38
USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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POLITICS
Nigerians in U.S. Task Buhari continued from page 36
continued from page 37
Sylvester Omoragbon
services as well as help the cottage industries which will in turn create adequate employment for Nigerians. We also expect the government to tackle the issue of corruption. There is so much money in the hands of corrupt people and if not collected, it can run the government aground.
The President- elect should first of all restore security because if there is no security, nobody is ready to go and do business in Nigeria. He should create jobs. The energy sector and roads should be fixed. If they can’t do these in four years, then we should vote them out. The salary of our elected representatives should be slashed.
Kayode Adebiyi, Nurse practitioner,
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solution that will address the issue of insurgency, unemployment and also boost the economy. I do not care if he steps on toes and even crush legs; let him do whatever is necessary to move Nigeria forward. Â
Akeem Raimi, Surveyor,
Clive Omoniyi, Engineer,
I expect the incoming government to drop the old idea of appointing politicians as ministers. General Buhari should scout for credible and experienced people outside politics. Many politicians seek offices not necessarily to serve, but to play politics. The new government should screen thoroughly all those who are coming to work with it to make sure they are people of impeccable characters. Buhari should put round pegs in round holes and not the other way round. I also expect him to encourage local and foreign investors by addressing the power problem. If done, it will be a multi-faceted
I expect the new government to start fighting corruption right from the anti- corruption agencies by putting some life into them through complete overhauling. The agencies have practically gone to bed all these while and I cannot see the need for their existence anymore. EFCC as of now is as good as dead. Let Buhari bring life back into that agency by appointing serious and credible people to lead. The present state of insecurity is equally alarming and enough to drive investors away. General Buhari should tackle this issue so that investors can come in and create jobs for the teeming population.
Owings Mill MD.
Pikesville MD
Lanham MD.
Akinsuyi Akindamola
The president-elect has a good track record. As the president, General Buhari should rule with the fear of God. The Bible says we should always pray for our leaders so we shall be praying for him. He should try to fight corruption, and shun politicians that will want to control him. If these are done, other things will follow.
isters and aides to declare their assets and follow the process of accountability. We want him to lay a good example which others in his government will follow and I am sure that he will succeed.
With his experience and antecedent, we expect him to fight corruption and bring all the corrupt politicians to book. The good thing is that he has done it before and we want him to do it again. Corruption is a death knell on the country as we speak and we all want that to be tackled immediately. Corruption is like cancer, if not cured, it will spread and kill the country. We also expect him to assemble experts, especially from developed nation to help him in turning things around. In addition, he should make all his min-
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YOUTH SCENE
Think Dating Is Hard?
Vonne
Try Job-Hunting! By Renny Vonne | USA
A
nything that involves filling out an application is always the worst experience ever. Once you are told to “fill out information” about yourself, it really begins to make you question who you are and exactly what you are worth. In my case, I am in the job hunting phase of life as graduate school comes to an end, and these job applications are beginning to feel like the complicated game of dating. The first thing you are told you need in order to land that special job is a very polished resume. And in today’s tech-driven world, LinkedIn has become the defacto “vetting machine” that many HR gurus use. Not only do your papers have to be flawless, but also, you have a whole social network
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to contend with as well. And because you are serious about landing that dream job, you spend hours editing, “embellishing”, searching for synonyms for descriptive words, and making sure you can somehow convey your awesomeness on a piece of paper. Simply exhausting! I don’t know about you guys, but isn’t that what some of us ladies do when we have “added” our crush on Facebook or on the gram (Instagram)? The first thing you do is to search for that picture that says “hello” but not in an overly desperate way. Next, you start looking over your “about” section to make sure that, that useless slang you were once obsessed with has been deleted from your life. You make
sure that all flirtatious comments from those guys you were once auditioning has been destroyed. No? Well, it seems as it is in dating, so it is in the job hunting process. When you finally connect with a recruiter after dozens of applications, you have to go through the tedious process of transforming your LinkedIn profile into that magical candidate’s profile that DATING continued on page 54
USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
41
FASHION
Ready to
Swing for Spring?
Photo Credit: AFWL
Finally the cold is gone, and the sweet, soothing drizzle of spring interspersed with streaks of sunlight is here. You can peel off the layers now and spring into the new season with these springy designs from top fashion designers, using the versatile African prints. Straight, flared, lean, baggy, short or cropped, I’m sure you’ll come out distinct in any of these. Don’t you think?
WANT YOUR DESIGNS FEATURED EXCLUSIVELY IN THIS COLUMN? CALL 215-571-9241 OR EMAIL EDITOR@USAFRICAJOURNAL.COM 42
VOL. 2, ISSUE 4 | 2015
Photo Credit: AFWL
FASHION
WANT YOUR DESIGNS FEATURED EXCLUSIVELY IN THIS COLUMN? CALL 215-571-9241 OR EMAIL EDITOR@USAFRICAJOURNAL.COM USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
43
BEAUTY
A Splash of Spring!
S
ometimes muggy, oftentimes wet, with intermittent streaks of sunlight, and gentle breeze in-between; spring, the season of rebirth is here. But no matter what it packs in its punches, you can still look beautiful – always. And our friends at Flori Roberts are all out to prove it to you. Granted it might take a little makeup magic, but they insist it can be done.
In case you still need further convincing, check out these photos of famous beauties with and without makeup.
The message here is, with the right product and know-how; you can go from this-to-that in no time at all. So what are you waiting for? Let the glow flow from within to your face. Check out these Flori Roberts-inspired masterstrokes. Look and learn! The time to put your beautiful face on is now.
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ADVERTORIAL
Celebrating the Life of Mrs. Victoria Obadire
T
he president of Christ Apostolic Church Men’s Association, Mr. Olubunmi Otun and his family rejoiced in the Lord recently as they hosted a memorial service in honor of their departed mother-in-law, Mrs. Victoria Obadire. Speaking at the service held at the CAC of Pennsylvania (Mount of Redemption), Philadelphia, Pastor Em-
manuel Odeyale (District Superintendent) said “It is good to remember our loved ones, especially those that died in the Lord.” He noted that the memorial service was not to mourn, but a day of joy, and celebration of the life of a true servant of God. “It is a day to share memories of the good life she spent before she passed to eternity,” he said.
In his tribute, President Otun described his mother-in-law as a staunch Christian from whom he received priceless words of wisdom. “I thank God for her legacy, and I pray that God will continue to grant her eternal rest,” he said. Later at the church’s banquet hall, guests were treated to a lavish reception featuring live music and choice African cuisines.
IF IT MATTERS, IT'S HERE! YOUR EVENTS CAN BE HERE TOO. CALL 215 571 9241 OR 610 570 9143. 46
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ADVERTORIAL
IF IT MATTERS, IT'S HERE! YOUR EVENTS CAN BE HERE TOO. CALL 215 571 9241 OR 610 570 9143. USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
47
Photo Credit: USAfrica Journal Photos
ADVERTORIAL
IF IT MATTERS, IT'S HERE! YOUR EVENTS CAN BE HERE TOO. CALL 215 571 9241 OR 610 570 9143. 48
VOL. 2, ISSUE 4 | 2015
IN THE NEWS
Philadelphia Mayor Race African, Caribbean Immigrants Weigh Options By Patrick Obinna | USA
S
hortly before we went to bed with this issue, the race for the seat of the Mayor of Philadelphia had narrowed down to two from runners, James F. Anthony H. Kenney, former Williams James F. Kenney Philadelphia City Councilman and Anthony H. Williams, Minority Whip of the Pennsylvania State Senate. Barring any political tsunami, one of these men will emerge as the Democratic Party’s flag bearer in the election slated for November 3, this year. And if the city’s political pundits are still worth a whiff of their hot airs, and given the pattern of mayoral election outcomes in the city since 1952, whoever emerges as the Democratic Party candidate will succeed the incumbent, Mayor Michael Nutter (D) when he leaves office January 4, 2016. The question then is which of these men will contest the election against the republican candidate, Melissa Murray Bailey, businesswoman, who until recently was also a democrat! And the bigger question in the immigrant communities is which of these three candidates has the interest of the immigrants at heart? With more than 55,000 immigrants from sub Saharan Africa and many more from the Caribbean, the chatter about which candidate to support in the forthcoming mayoral elections is getting quite agitated in the immigrant communities. Though majority of these immigrants are registered democrats, the concern of the African and Caribbean immigrants is whether any of these candidates running for Mayor Nutter’s seat will build upon Nutter’s achievement of making Philadelphia a welcoming and conducive city for immigrants of diverse backgrounds. Meanwhile indications from the communities are that the mayoral candidates’ actions and utterances in the days leading up to the election will, to a large extent, determine where the pendulum of loyalty of African and Caribbean immigrants, hitherto taken for granted, will swing: Williams or Kenney for the Democrats? Or could this year be the year of a departure from the norm, and a vote for the Republican candidate, Bailey? “We have a voice, and we will be heard,” Kofi Abedi, an immigrant itinerary trader on Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia said. “As citizens of this great country and residents of Philadelphia, we are ready to perform our civic duties. We have the right to vote, and we intend to use our constitutional right judiciously in the coming election for the Mayor of Philadelphia.” USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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IMMIGRATION
The Notice to Appear (2) By Akeem Soboyede, Esq. | USA
The allegations (or “charges of removability”, as the government prefers to reference them) usually contain certain assertions that apply to all who receive a Notice to Appear.
T
hese include charges that the individual targeted for removal is not a citizen of the United States; that the individual is a citizen of a foreign country, which is usually also named in the Notice; that the person was admitted into the United States on a particular date in the past and in a particular non-immigrant status (for those who were “inspected” upon arrival in the United States); and the specific action or statutory violation that makes the person removable from the United States. This latter will, of course, vary from one individual to the other; certain persons are removable because they committed specific crimes after they became US permanent residents, and before they could become US Citizens.
For some people who were not US permanent residents before they “got dragged” into Removal proceedings, so to speak, they could be charged in the Notice to Appear with removability based on certain criminal offenses. This is usually the case if such offenses are so-called “Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude” (CIMT); they could also be “aggravated felonies”, another Immigration law term-of-art. Those crimes are usually listed in or are covered by Sections 212 (a) and 237 (a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and are distinguished from crimes that do not make individuals removable. Usually, for crimes considered CIMTs and aggravated felonies in the Immigration context, punishment after conviction--or for which there is the possibility of
Soboyede
being imposed---include more than a year in jail, even if such a sentence is suspended, stayed or imposed as a period of probation. Another common infraction usually listed among the charge (s) of removability on a Notice to Appear include an alleged violation of INA 237(a) and its various sub-sections, particularly the charge that the individual married a US Citizen only with the intent to procure a permanent visa (green card) by fraud or material misrepresentation, in violation of INA 237 (a)(1)(B). THE NOTICE continued on page 53
IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORK,
Don’t let anyone take it away.
If you have a legal right to work in the United States, there are laws to protect you against discrimination in the workplace.
You should know that – No employer can deny you a job or fire you because of your national origin or citizenship status. In most cases employers cannot require you to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident or refuse any legally acceptable documents.
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If any of these things have happened to you, you may have a valid charge of discrimination that can be filed with the OSC. Contact the OSC for assistance in your own language.
Call 1-800-255-7688. TDD for the hearing impaired is 1-800-237-2515. In the Washington, D.C., area, please call 202-616-5594, TDD 202-616-5525 Or write to: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Special Counsel - NYA 950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20530
U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices
SPORTS
Wilfried Bony Ivory Coast’s Lethal Weapon By Alex Baker |USA
Wilfried Bony’s name has been in the headlines so often since he made the move to the Barclay’s Premier League; it’s easy to forget he has not yet spent two full seasons in the English top-flight. His £25 million move from Swansea City to Manchester City was the biggest move of this past January transfer window. And while his goal return has yet to match his price tag, the Ivory Coast striker is already making his mark on English football. finishing as the top scorer in the Eredivisie that season and winning the Golden Shoe for best player in the league in 2013. Having scored 46 goals in 65 appearances total for the Dutch club, the then 24-year-old’s performances soon attracted the attention of another Premier League outfit, in this case Swansea City. Bony signed with Swansea in July of 2013 for £12 million, a record fee in Welsh football. In his first season with Swans, he scored 27 goals in all competitions, putting himself on the radar of many of the Premier League’s big boys.
Wilfried Bony
Photo Credit: worldfootball.net
A
lthough he enjoys a reputation for sporting long flashy coats and driving big flashy cars, Bony is also known as a nice guy and a positive influence around the dressing room. In spite of his large frame, he’s a versatile and surprisingly mobile striker, capable of playing as an in-the-box predator or in a more withdrawn role. Born in Bingerville, Ivory Coast, Bony grew up in Tebrau Plateau. As a kid, he played street football with his friends, trying to emulate the Brazilian style. He was good enough to earn a spot at the Cyrille Domoraud Academy and eventually, went on to a professional playing career with Ivorian premiership outfit, Issia Wazi. Bony’s performances with Wazi attracted the attention of Liverpool. He was given a trial with the Anfield club in 2007 but a contract offer failed to materialize. So at the age of 19, Bony left to join Sparta Prague in the Czech First League. It was at Sparta that he enjoyed his first taste of success in European football. He scored 22 goals in 59 appearances for the club, helping to lift it to a title in 2010. He also attracted the attention of Vitesse Arnhem. Bony made the step up to the Dutch Eredivisie in 2011 and in Holland he really came into his own as a goal scorer. In his third season with Vitesse, he found the back of the net 31 times,
His two goals for Ivory Coast at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil only increased the number of top clubs that were beginning to fawn over him. But surprisingly, the new Premier League season kicked off and Bony was still at Swansea. He got off to a strong start in his second season with Swans, scoring nine goals in the first half of the season. But it was only a matter of time before Bony would make the next step up in his career, a big money move to the reigning champions, Manchester City. While his goal return at City hasn’t yet lived up to expectations, Bony has pledged to make good on his price tag. And one thing Wilfried Bony has shown throughout his career is an impressive ability to take things to the next level when the opportunity presented itself. With the future of several members of Man City’s strike force currently in question, Bony could be a man for the future at the club. Along with his Ivory Coast and City teammate, Yaya Toure, he is already among the most recognizable African players in the Premier League. Now aged 26 and approaching what should be his prime, Bony is playing for one of the biggest clubs in Europe and has the platform to potentially establish himself as one of the best strikers in the world. USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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LET’S GO continued from page 17
At the CAC that I used to attend at Garage Olode town in Osun State, Nigeria, I started a prayer group that became really popular and drew crowd from far and near. One day, we had this massive turnout that was quite overwhelming. In desperation, I asked God what to do with the crowd. Then the Lord directed my attention to a thick forest several meters in front of me. He said He will give me the land; it shall be my land of promise, Canaan Land. Later that night, the owner of the land came to me and said he would give me the land as a gift because I had told him some time ago that his huge financial debt would be written off, and it happened just as the Lord had said. He said he would give me the land in appreciation of what God had done for him. That’s how we came up with CAC Canaan Land. Looking at how mightily the Lord has been using you in the last 20 years, do you have any regrets about not having a formal education? Everything that I have done or accomplished in the service of God is by the Holy Spirit and the grace of the special unction of anointing from God Almighty. Yet, for a particular reason known to me and God, having a formal education is something I would still love to do. I even went and enrolled at a seminary a while ago, but on the second day, God told me He sent me and all I would need for the task, he has given unto me. So how far has the ministry grown? By the grace of God, we now have branches in Lagos, Abuja, Ondo, Akure, Ekiti, Sagamu and Ore in Nigeria;
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and three branches in London, England. All together, we have about 25 branches worldwide through the grace of God. Growing up, did you ever see yourself where you are today? Never. Neither did any prophet tell me anything. In my travels in Nigeria and around the world, I have had the grace to meet and dine with people in positions of power. Among kings, governors and even presidents of nations, I have been honored. When I think about where I came from; when I think about the trials and tribulations that I had to go through to get here and this special relationship with the Holy Spirit, I just glorify God for bringing me thus far. In your ministrations, you dwell a lot on the importance of the Holy Spirit…, why? Without the Holy Spirit, Prophet Hezekiah is empty. Without the Holy Spirit, Baba Adeboye is empty, and any true minister or prophet of God is empty. In fact any human being without the Holy Spirit is empty. Such a person can be likened to a car with no engine to move it around. Thus far in your journey in the ministry, have there been challenges where you feel like just giving up? In the life of all true servants of God, challenges will always come, oftentimes through people close to you. I’ve had my fair share of such challenges and trials of faith; but through it all, the Lord continues to order my steps and glorify His holy name.
If you can turn back the hand of the clock, would you do anything differently? I won’t change a thing. I am a product of my past, and I give God all the glory. I am where I am today because of all the bad and good things that happened to me. If I didn’t go through all those challenges, physical and spiritual warfare, I will not be here today speaking with you in the United States of America. Looking at the political, social and economic situation in Nigeria at the moment vis a vis the proliferation of churches in the country, what would you recommend as the way out? Let’s go back to God. Without God, our challenges will continue to multiply. True, we pray and call ourselves Christians, but are we sincere in our dealings with one another? I noticed that here in the western world, there are lots of charity organizations giving back to the community, but we don’t have such in Nigeria, yet there are probably more millionaires in Nigeria than in some of these countries. We need to ask ourselves, are we living right by God? We call ourselves Christians but we find it hard to lend helping hands to our fellow men. If we can love our neighbors like ourselves, just as Jesus said, many of our problems will disappear. So what do you say to those in power? Remember that power is transient and a day of judgment is imminent. Whatever your position, always remember that you are sent on assignment by man and God. Of what use is wealth amassed that is not used for the good of your people?
MAN, POWER continued from page 14
all have a beginning; and we must have an end, we just don’t know when. I draw a daily inspiration about how Homo sapiens ought to approach power when the Vatican announced the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI February 11 2013. The Pope was the first to do so in 600 years. Modern era popes have held the position from election until death. Pope Benedict gave as a reason a declining health due to oldage. With the wealth and worth of the Vatican, the Pope saw something more
precious than power. He gave it all up. So did Nelson Mandela of South Africa who chose to serve only one-term of five years as the first black president of the country. If Mandela had chosen to perpetuate himself, he probably could have gotten a global approval because of the sacrifice of 27 years behind the prison walls he had made on behalf of millions of South-African Blacks who are today free men and women. But, he too gave it all up! Whether it is political, royal, business or otherwise, Man is not the in-
WILL HE continued from page 30
THE NOTICE continued from page 50
this point is the president [Obama] will be going on an official visit to Kenya in July,” the government official said. “Whether or not, Nigeria will be included now, later or at the last minute, I do not know and cannot comment on that at this point.” A White House insider who spoke with us on condition of anonymity (because he was not authorized to comment), said it is unlikely there’s any truth to the speculation. According to him, while it is not totally impossible to do a quick stop over for a bilateral meeting with Nigeria’s new president on issues of mutual interest to both countries, a two-month window is inadequate to take care of the logistics required for such a visit. “State visits take several months to plan,” he said.” “We cannot however rule it out completely.” The insider said since this may be President Obama’s last official visit to Africa, he just might do it now, rather than never. “Nigeria, warts and all, is a key partner of the United States. Considering that things, politically, are going on well in Nigeria at the moment, it is not unthinkable to expect that the president might consider adding Nigeria to his itinerary. We shouldn’t be surprised if Air Force One has a stop-over in Abuja,” the insider said.
Any individual who finds himself / herself in this situation is strongly advised to enlist the services of an attorney versed in such representations or matters, even if it is only at the stage where the USCIS has issued a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID), after the US-Citizen spouse filed the I 130 petition. If the USCIS ultimately rejects the I 130 petition, such an individual (the non-US Citizen spouse) will be placed in removal proceedings, with the issuance of a Notice to Appear. In addition, individuals who are Conditional Residents and who fail to “remove” those conditions for whatever relevant reason (s) could also be subject to Removal based on the same rationale. For those who entered the US without inspection (sneaking across the border or EWI), later come to the attention of law enforcement or Immigration authorities who seek to deport them solely on such a basis (the EWI) and nothing else (i.e. no crime committed upon arriving in the US), the charge of removability usually references the so-called “new” INA 212 (a)(6)(A)(i), which recommends for Removal any alien present in the United States without being admitted or paroled, or who arrives in the United States at any time or place other than as designated by the Attorney General of the US.
ventor of power; he only exists to take advantage of it for the good of humanity as yielded to him by his Creator; the sole controller of power. Power is not an exclusive family right or an unending lineage entitlement. There is no man who can outlive or outlast a community of people over which he holds a temporary control and authority. Power, when it runs its full course, has a terminating point. It is transient and God-given. I still wonder why men choose to sit-tight.
It is important that any person who receives a Notice to Appear meant to initiate such a person’s removal from the US pays critical attention to the charge (s) of removability. Language therein, or a lack thereof, can often mean relief or reprieve from removal for the person thus targeted. Often, in such situations, the charge is usually wrong or is inadequate to effect the person’s removal (i.e. there is an argument for reprieve under the “petty offenses exception” in INA 212 (a)(2)(A) (ii)(II) ). TO BE CONTINUED... Disclaimer: This column is not to be construed as legal advice. It also does not, nor is it intended to, create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and the Akeem Soboyede Law Office, PLLC, or Akeem Soboyede, Esq. In addition, information in the column is neither promised nor guaranteed to be correct or complete and should not be construed as an indication of future outcomes. Please consult an experienced attorney for advice on any Immigration matter.
Akeem Soboyede, Esq. is Owner of and Lead Attorney with the Akeem Soboyede Law Office, Edina, Minnesota. Send questions or comments to akeem.soboyede@soboyedelaw.com USAfrica Journal | usafricajournal.com
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FIVE continued from page 23
WOMEN continued from page 31
DATING continued from page 40
er medicines may interfere with the effectiveness of prescription diabetes medicines and can cause changes in your blood sugar levels. Some supplements and natural remedies can also affect blood sugar levels.
paternal authority in the Senegalese family code. “I am particularly alarmed at the level of violence against women, perpetuated by patriarchal attitudes and conservative values”, Ms. Aouij said. “All the stakeholders that I met during my visit stressed the alarming number of rapes, incest, sexual harassment and domestic violence. This is a serious and widespread problem that requires urgent action at all levels”. The expert was pleased to know that Senegal has achieved gender equality in access to primary education and a gross enrolment rate for girls of 98%. However, she highlighted that dropouts remained much higher among girls. “Domestic work, sexual abuse in schools, early marriages and early pregnancies are factors of school failure”, said the expert. Ms. Aouij also stressed the considerable progress made by Senegal in terms of women’s participation in political life, particularly through the 2010 Law on Parity. The country is now ranking 7th in the world in terms of number of parliamentarian women. However, the 2014 local elections showed that the political marginalization of women is still not fully resolved. The country only has 13 women mayor out of a total of 557 municipalities. “Much remains to be done so that Senegalese women can fully enjoy their right to health”, also stressed the expert. “To break the chains of silence and inequality, Senegalese women need to have more autonomy, to be properly trained and informed, to conduct economic activities ensuring their sustainable economic development and to access justice without discrimination”, concluded Ms. Aouij.
the recruiter is looking for. You wonder what type of hair style is appropriate for the profile picture - afrolicious, straight, or wild like Beyoncé’s. That done, you move to ‘stalking’ all your former coworkers and supervisors to “endorse” you. When you finally land an interview, a chance to show them that you are everything your resume and your shining profile said you were, that is when you step into that nightmarish territory of having to decide what to wear. Do you go conservative? But what if your interviewers are all young; won’t they judge you for your one-inch pointy Anne Klein shoes? How about going trendy? Well, what if the interviewer is 70 and only shops at Talbots? Let’s not even talk about the hair and makeup dilemma. Anyway you make it to the interview with whatever you decide to wear, and that is where the real tango begins. What kind of image do you project? The real you, or the fake Olivia Pope-wannabe? You have to romance the interviewers. Make them fall in love with you. Make them feel like without you, their whole lives, well their company, wouldn’t be the same. How much do you laugh? What type of hobbies should you share – knowing fully well that you have already checked their LinkedIn profiles and Google search results to find clues to what their interests are so you can also pretend you share the same interests? So I ask you people: What is the real difference between dating and job hunting? Similar to dating, your whole self-esteem and self-worth come into question because you have to prove yourself. Just as you want to show your date that there is something special about you worth exploring, you also want to show your recruiter/company that you are worth hiring, keeping, and/or promoting. Can you believe that? Who would have thought searching for love would be akin to searching for a job! Well, for those of you in my shoes out there, may the forces be with you all.
Tips: Always ask your doctor or pharmacist whether any new medicines that are prescribed or supplements you take could affect your diabetes management.
5. ALCOHOL
Did you know that alcohol can cause low blood sugar shortly after drinking and for up to 24 hours afterward? In general, it’s recommended limiting alcohol to one drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men. Tips: If you do choose to drink alcohol, ask your healthcare provider about whether drinking alcohol is safe for you. Never drink on an empty stomach. Be aware of symptoms of low blood sugar, which include blurred vision, headache, and rapid heartbeat, feeling nervous, shaking, sweating, and unclear thinking. If you monitor your blood sugar, check your level before, during, and after drinking for up to 24 hours. You should also check your blood sugar before you go to bed to make sure it is at a safe level. If your blood sugar is low, eat something to raise it. These articles are not a substitute for medical advice, and are not intended to treat or cure any disease. Advances in medicine may cause this information to become outdated, invalid, or subject to debate. Professional opinions and interpretations of scientific literature may vary. Consult your healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, exercise or medication regimen.
Source: Rite Aid Wellness 54
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Source: Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
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