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Morocco Gets $100 Million for Girls’ Education as Part of Michelle Obama’s Visit

From the Editor

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D E PA R T M E N T S Vol 8 Issue 7

CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

Inauguration of Asafo, FantiNewtown & Amakom(AFA) Association of the Washington DC Metro Area Pg. 10

Africans Applaud Ghana’s Visa-On-Arrival Policy Pg. 7

Edusei Foundation Empowers Women at Youth Workshop Pg. 15

Keeping Your Charge Pg. 11

White Woman Disowned by Family for Marrying Nigerian Man Finally Reconciles with Dad Pg. 5

UPDATE African Films Given Spotlight in Dallas Pg. 33

By Sekar Krisnauli

Rabat – Morocco will receive millions of dollars in funding from the United States government through programs aimed to address challenges that prevent girls in the country from quality education, according to a White House press release.

The Millenium Challenge Corporation, an independent U.S. Government foreign-aid agency, is expected to give nearly $100 million dollars to invest in a new model for secondary education in Morocco, the announcement stated. The U.S. Agency for International Development will also invest $40,000 to build five girls’ dormitories, known as “Dar Talibas”, by the next school year.

“I am so proud that the U.S. is working with the Moroccan Government to make…transformative new investments to educate and empower girls across Morocco,” stated United States First Lady Michelle Obama in the release.

The announcement was made as Obama visited Marrakesh Tuesday where she was joined by actresses Merryl Streep and Freida Pinto in a panel moderated by CNN’s Correspondent Isha Sesay to promote quality education for girls worldwide through the Let Girls Learn initiative.

Morocco will also become Peace Corps’ 36th Let Girls Learn Country in the coming months, where the Peace Corps will train volunteers and community leaders to advance empowerment and education for girls, the release added.

“I’m sitting here as [First Lady of the United States] because of the opportunities my education provided me,” Obama said in the panel, according to a tweet from MCC’s account.

MCC’s fund comes from the $450 million Employability and Land Compact between MCC and the Government of Morocco that seeks to overcome challenges in economic growth through investments in education and land productivity.

Obama’s visit to Marrakesh marked her second stop in her six-day trip to Africa – Liberia and Morocco – and Spain where she advocated for the quality education 62 million undereducated girls deserve.

Obama was in Liberia Monday where she went to a leadership camp for girls and urged them to fight for quality education, The Washington Post reported. In connection to her visit, the USAID announced the same day up to $27 million in funding for new Let Girls Learn commitments in Liberia.

Obama is joined by her mother and daughters Malia, 17, and Sasha, 15, throughout the trip. They landed at Marrakesh Monday evening where Moroccan Princess Lalla Selma, wife of King Mohammed the VI of Morocco, greeted the Obamas as they landed at Marrakesh’s Menara Airport. Obama is scheduled to depart to Spain after Morocco.

Let Girls Learn was launched by U.S. President Obama and First Lady in March 2015 and aims to ensure education that empowers girls worldwide to fulfill their potentials.

http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/

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White Woman Disowned by Family for Marrying Nigerian Man Finally Reconciles with Dad

Afrikan Post

This is the touching story of an American woman who was disowned by her father for marrying a Nigerian man and forced to follow her husband to Nigeria out of love. Her story of reconciliation with her father is mindblowing.

After 19 years of facing discrimination and being disowned by her own father for daring to marry the love of her life, Crystal Owonubi finally had a reason to shout with joy at a decision he made. Crystal and her husband had been together for four years before getting married. Her husband had been deported back to Nigeria when their daughter was just 5 years old, leaving her to decide if she was going to stay back in the U.S or follow her husband.

She later decided to move to Nigeria to be with her husband for about 8 years before relocating back to the United States, where she currently lives with her husband and three children. A happy Crystal took to her Facebook page to share her joy after her father finally met and accepted her husband of 15 years, as his son-in-law.

Here’s what she wrote below: “So I

called my Dad today to see how he is doing and to ask him a very important question that I have been wanting to ask for a long time! You all know that last November he recently had a change of heart and accepted my children!! My children and I visited him and they stepped foot in his home for the first time, while I visited his home after 18 years or so. And my husband spoke to my father on the phone for the first time ever!! I have been talking to him about us visiting this summer and he is looking forward to our visit again. But, I wanted to know if my father is truly ready to meet my husband of 15 years. I didn’t want us to just show up. I needed to know that it is okay with him. So, I asked him.

And guess what he said!!!! YES!!!

Praise the Lord! Here comes the best summer of my life!!!”

Crystal backing her baby while in Nigeria

Source:https://www.naij.com/

Crystal with husband and kids

A photo of Crystal taken while she was in Nigeria

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6 Reigning African First Ladies With Influence and Style

First ladies the world over remain the epitome of elegance, beauty and power. Even though they are seen to be less influential on matters of politics, these women are feared to have the most influence on their husbands. Not only do they make good use of their wifely prowess but they also set the stage for fashion and feminine beauty in their respective countries.

The case of Africa is no different! Our first ladies, past and present, have always been remembered for their choice of fashion, particularly on special national or political occasions. In fact, you dare not look more elegant than an African first lady during one of these events.

That being said, consider these seven elegant first ladies of Africa. Just the sight of them is going to cause your jaw to drop!

First lady of Gambia, Zeinab Suma Jammeh (Photo: www.businessinsider.in)

With a touch of simplicity and graciousness, Zeinab Suma Jammeh is known in political circles as a very firm feminist who believes in the rights of women and girls. The marriage between Zeinab and Yahya Jammeh has been on the turf since President Jammeh annouced his marriage to an 18-year-old wife by the name of Alima Sallah. This beautiful queen profusely objected to the marriage and was later seen threatening a divorce.

First Lady of Angola Ana Paula dos Santos (photo: tuko.co.ke) The wife of current President of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos, this beautiful first lady and mother of three became actively involved in the support of landmine victims, founding the Lwini Fund for social solidarity.

This charity is dedicated to the support of civilians, particularly women and children. dos Santos is best respected as the mother with a huge heart and sharp legal mind.

Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco (Photo by Michel Porro/Getty Images)

Considered one of the world’s top 10 most beautiful first ladies, Princess Lalla Salma adds a gracious touch to being first lady in Morocco. Upon tying the knot with the North African nation’s king, Salma was honoured with the title of “Lalla”, a traditional name given to women in high society and royalty. Salma is the first wife of a Moroccan king to be given a royal title.

First Lady of Nigeria, Aisha Muhamadu Buhari.

(Photo: answersafrica.com)

The outstanding beauty of West Africa’s most recent first lady stems from many factors, one being that she is a cosmetologist and beauty therapist! She obtained a Diploma in Beauty and Therapy from the Carlton Institute of Beauty Therapy in the United Kingdom and is a member of the United Kingdom’s Vocational Training and Charitable Trust. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari tied the knot with her husband, President Muhamadu Buhari at the age of 18. They are blessed with five lovely children and a grandchild.

Margaret Gakuo Kenyatta (Photo: alchetron.com) This first lady above the age of 50, makes us know that age is never a barrier to glamour and beauty! She was thrust into the limelight after her husband, Uhuru Kenyatta was inaugurated as the president of Kenya in 2013. Although some political analysts describe her as reserved and somewhat shy, Margaret Kenyatta is well-respected for her engagement in efforts to reduce child-maternal mortality – a move that earned her recognition as the 2014 UN Person of the Year.

First Lady of Chad, Hinda Deby Itno (Photo: tuke.co.ke) With such a glamorous beauty to behold, Hinda not only garners the respect of millions of Chadians but also the respect of her husband, the President Idriss Deby Itno. On countless occasion he has revealed that his wife assists him in running the nation’s affairs. Best known for her sense of style – flowing gowns and matching scarves – Hinda stands out as one of the most beautiful yet modest first ladies in Africa.

Africans Applaud Ghana’s Visa-OnArrival Policy

Her Majesty The Queen Honours Young Person From Sierra Leone With Queen’s Young Leaders Award July 2016

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engagements, all designed to help them further their lifechanging work.

Before receiving their Queen’s Young Leaders Award at Buckingham Palace, the winners visited 10 Downing Street and the UK headquarters of global social networking company Twitter, and meet with senior executives at the BBC World Service. They also taook part in workshops at the University of Cambridge, have meetings with UK business leaders, and visit projects that are changing the lives of vulnerable people in the UK.

Selected from a competitive process where thousands of young people from all over the Commonwealth applied to be a Queen’s Young Leader, Howard Nelson-Williams has been recognised for his work in public health.

Welcoming African travellers with open arms. Ghana has introduced a visa-on-arrival policy, which allows citizens of AU member states to visit the country and obtain visas on arrival with the option to stay for up to thirty days. The policy is being celebrated by Africans across the continent.

Could other African countries soon follow in the footsteps of Ghana?

The news that Ghana has introduced a visa-on-arrival policy is being celebrated by Africans across the continent.

Ghana recently commemorated its 59th year of independence and President John Dramani Mahama revealed that beginning in July, the country will offer visa-on-arrival to citizens of all African Union (AU) member countries.

In his address President Mahama said, “With effect from July this year, we will be allowing citizens of AU Member States to enter – our country and obtain visas on arrival with the option to stay for up to thirty days and experience what our country has to offer. This measure, with time, should stimulate air travel, trade, investment and tourism”.

The policy will facilitate the freer movement of Africans into Ghana. However, Africans have decried the restrictive visa regimes of fellow African countries.

http://thisisafrica.me/

This year’s Award winners are working to support others, raise awareness and inspire change on a variety of issues including education, climate change, gender, mental health and improving the lives of people with disabilities.

Her Majesty The Queen presented a Queen’s Young Leaders Award to an exceptional young person from Sierra Leone at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace, London on Thursday 23rd June.

As the Commonwealth celebrates The Queen’s 90th birthday, this year’s Award winner, 28-year-old Howard NelsonWilliams, has been recognised by The Queen for taking the lead in transforming the lives of others and making a lasting difference in his community. As a Queen’s Young Leader, he represented Sierra Leone as he joins winners from 45 different Commonwealth countries in London for five days of high-level

Details about how to apply to become a Queen’s Young Leader, together with information about the 2016 Award winners and Highly Commended runners up, is available at www.queensyoungleaders.com.

Source:Sierraexpressmedia.com

Nollywood Actress, Bukky Ajayi, is Dead Nollywood actress Bukky Ajayi died after a battle with heart-related issues today July 6.

She was born a Christian but converted to Islam in the early eighties and chose the name Zainab.

Her love for the theatre started as a young girl when her father used to take her to the cinemas.

When she was a very young , her interest for acting was so much that she used to do a cardboard sort of cinema for children, and used to charge them half a penny to come and watch.

Bukky Ajay

The application process to become a 2017 Queen’s Young Leader opened at 8pm BST on Friday 24 June 2016. The programme is looking for people aged between 18 and 29 who are dedicated to creating positive changes to the lives of people in Sierra Leone.

She studied in England for six years as a federal government scholar.

She started working in Nigeria Television Authority(NTA) as a presentation assistant in 1966, a year after she got back from England.

Afterwards, she became a presenter and then a news reader.

She presented a couple of children’s programmes and Nigerian’s Sketches, a programme which was all about Nigerian culture, and Diran Ajijedidun of blessed memory was her producer.

She was later transferred to Port Harcourt and later back to Lagos, and it was at that time she started her acting career.

She started with the Village Headmaster in the 70s, and she later got a

role in Amaka Igwe’s Checkmate.

She featured in so many home videos that she also lost count before her demise – her popular movies include Mother of George, Indecent Girl, Diamond Ring, Witches, Thunderbolt among others.

The shooting of international film Critical Assignment in South Africa, was one of the events of her life that she will never forget.

It gave her an opportunity to see how movies are done elsewhere.

She’s grandmother-in-law to ‘Shake Something’ singer Jazzman Olofin.

One of her sons is Abounce (Olakunle Fawole), a veteran rapper.

Abounce is one the founding fathers of the Nigerian hip hop culture. He is also a music producer and actor (a trait he got from his legendary mother).

Abounce has featured in films like Diamond Ring, Apostle Kasali, Cash Money among others.

She was awarded with AMVCA 2016 ‘Industry Merit Award’ alongside another veteran actor, Sadiq Daba for their contributions towards the growth of the Nollywood.

Source: http://thenet.ng/

July 2016

2015

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Former Kenyan Leader Appointed Special Envoy for Water in Africa

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By Aggrey Mutambo

Former President Mwai Kibaki has been installed as Unesco's new special envoy for water in Africa after he received his appointment certificate at a function in Nairobi.

Speaking at the event held at his Nyari office, Mr Mwai Kibaki lauded his new role as timely because "current statistics on water in Africa point to a very gloomy picture indeed."

The appointment means Mr Kibaki will campaign for safe drinking water on the continent, as part of the efforts by Unesco to have water accessible to all.

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"I started off representing Kenyans only. It is wonderful to end up supporting all these Africans," Mr Kibaki said during the function.

"I am sure we will succeed. And I am sure the world will join us. Let us, therefore, put all our hearts in the job and do it properly."

Source:allafrica,com

July 2016

Bishop Adonteng Institutes Divine Word Scholarship Scheme

Bishop Kofi Adonteng Boateng of the Divine Word International Ministries (DWIM) Church in Springfield, Virginia in the United States (US) has instituted a scholarship scheme for deserving students located in the Alexandria public schools systems in the state of Virginia.

The scholarship award initiative is the first of its kind by the church.

Bishop Adonteng who told TheAfricanDream.net that his church has always felt the need to be socially responsible where ever it finds itself.

Yvonne Dade, a senior of Mount Vernon High School with Ghanaian origins became the first recipient of the DWIM scholarship scheme. On June 16, 2016 she was personally handed a $3000 check from Bishop Adonteng at the Mount Vernon High School Senior Honors and Baccalaureate Program awards ceremony in Alexandria Virginia.

Bishop Adonteng who spoke at the graduation ceremony said the church had received a lot of equally deserving applicants to its scholarship but it felt Miss Dade was the most qualifying of them all. The Bishop told TheAfricanDream.net that “Yvonne has been through thick and thin, watched her father battle cancer, done menial jobs in support of her family, maintained her spot in the girls tennis team rooster and yet still manage to attain academic excellence.”

Bishop Adonteng

“We intend to make this annual scholarship scheme a major feature of our ministries’ outreach program because we feel the youth are the holders of our future and deserve all the push they can get to secure a better tomorrow in their strive to obtain academic excellence” — Bishop Adonteng.

Yvonne Dade was not the only excelling student of Ghanaian origin at the Mount Vernon High School Senior Honors and Baccalaureate Program awards ceremony. Phoebe Otchere and Pearl Brefo Sarpong were also awarded for being part of the US ‘President’s Education Award For Outstanding Academic Excellence (PEAOAE)’. Both were also Mount Vernon High School ‘Early College Scholars (ECS)’.

Another academically excelling student with Ghanaian roots was Amankwaa Agyemang who was among the 86 PEAOAE honor students.

The ECS honor roll students well 29 in total in the graduation class of 2016 for the school.

After the graduation ceremony, Bishop Adonteng said the church hopes to extend the Divine Word scholarship offer to other cities. He called on individuals and institutions who were interested in supporting the DWIM Scholarship program to reach out to the church located at 6715 Electronic Drive in Springfield, Virginia, or email them with DivineWordInt@Gmail.com

Yvonne Dade, a senior of Mount Vernon High School

Source: TheAfricanDream.net

Bishop Adonteng addressing Mount Vernon High School graduation ceremony.

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Inauguration of Asafo, Fanti-Newtown & Amakom(AFA) Association of the Washington DC Metro Area

The Washington Metro Area Chapter of the Asafo, Fante New-Town, Amakom (AFA) Association was inaugurated on the United States Independence Anniversary week-end at the plush Waterford facility in Springfield, Virginia. The ceremony was colorful and well attended.

The men attended the ceremony in black suits with black ties to match and the Women paraded the red carpet with an array of designer gowns.

The Objectives of the association include: To identify, recognize, garner and catalog the challenges facing human kind and harness ideas to overcome and support the objectives of all common people To foster friendship, cooperation, peaceful co-existence and unity among other organizations and the American people in general To support and promote social educational cultural and non-profit activities to enhance the image of AFA Associations in the diaspora To encourage and preserve the cultural identity and socio-economic ties between Ghana, United States and the world in general Asafo, Fante-New-Town and Amakom are surburbs of Kumasi. The Asafo Market, is one of the major markets in the Kumasi Metropolis and serves as a grand transportation hub in the City. Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city has a long and proud history as the capital of the Asante kingdom. The population of Kumas is estimated at two million. Kumasi is often regarded as the commercial capital of Ghana.

Rev. Dr. Kwasi Kwakye Nuako, associate professor of World Religions at Howard University School of Divinity, Minister in charge of Ghana Resurrection Methodist Church and current President of the Amansie Association of the Washington Metro Area inaugurated the AFA Association and charged the members to Unite and be steadfast in their determination to achieve their desired goals.

Mr. William Ofori-Antwi the President of the Association acknowledged and applauded the efforts of Ms. Abena Serwaa Mensa whose foresight and vision to bring together her childhood friends from Asafo, Fante-Newtown and Amakom has blossomed to a big association today. He said “Our association will seek out and help needy and brilliant students in the AFA communities with their academic pursuits.” He also commended the inauguration committee for their commitment and dedication in making the event possible. After his speech a fraternal message was delivered by the New York Branch of AFA

Mr. Charles Ofori of Ofori & Associates, P.C who chaired the function made a donation of $2,000 as seed money for the association’s projects Dignitaries who graced the event included Nana Kofi Boateng the Asantefuohene of the Asanteman Association in the Washington D.C Metro Area , Dr. Charles Osei Dankwah, an industrialist The Mc’s for the occasion Kwaku Opare Kumi and Kusi Mensah Capito of Highlife radio thrilled the gathering as they kept the ceremony exciting with lots of fun.

Wofa Yaw Ansah of Highlife Radio added color to the event with free photographs for all on the red carpet.

The inauguration ceremony and dinner dance was by all standards a very huge success; the guests were treated to a complimentary specialty cocktail with fruit display and assorted drinks. The music was great and the conduct of the members was dignified and exceptional.

AFA Members affirming their loyalty to the Association

The Executives of the Association taking the oath of office

AFA branch from New Nork delivering their Franternal Message

Keeping Your Charge

Dr. Miriam C. Gyimah

A charge to keep I have, A God to glorify, A never dying soul to save And fit it for the sky.

To serve this present age, My calling to fulfill, O, may it all my powers engage To do my Master’s will.

I was turning in to bed and wanted to spend a little time with the Lord. I had woken up on this day and got to running around all over to do all that I had on my busy agenda that I didn’t get a chance to do my usual treasured quiet time with the Lord. So before going to bed, I picked up my Bible and even as I closed my eyes to say a quick prayer before reading, out of somewhere, or someone would say, out of nowhere, the above song by Charles Wesley came. I began singing it though I thought it interesting that such a song should make its way through my throat since, although I know it, I hardly ever sing it. As I sang the first verse, which I know by heart, I thought to myself, what is my charge? And as if I knew it already, the spontaneous response from within me was “to worship God in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) Our charge to keep, our purpose, our reason for being, is to worship God and worship Him in spirit and in truth. We are not to worship Him simply from our flesh as in using our hands, voices or bodies as gestures or out of self and ego, but to worship Him in spirit. Worshiping God in spirit means our spirit must be shed of any ills and self-will and connect with the Spirit of God where we unite as one, even as He comes to inhabit in our praises. So just as the angels in heaven worship the Almighty God around the clock as it is attested in the book of Revelations, so also must we worship Him. One may ask, how do we worship Him like the angels since unlike the angels, we are charged with the never-ending task to work and take care of our families? While it might be true that we may not have the privilege or even the stamina to worship the Lord around the clock, the charge to keep still remains. And so aside from our daily communication, praise and worship of God, aside from our quiet times and attending church services, our charge, our worshiping of God is simply working in His vineyard. Plainly put, worshiping God is being serviceable to Him with the very talents and gifts that He has graciously endowed us.

Our charge is to be connected to Him in service always. Writing this last sentence itself makes my

heart leap with affirmation, because the Lord is drawing me closer to understand Him and His intended ongoing relationship, role and purpose with and for us.

You see, the parable of the talents (Mathew 25: 14-30) is very telling because even as the master gave one, two and five talents to three different servants, He intended them to use them and make something of them until he returned. And by using the talents, these servants were in essence worshiping God, for they were being of service to God with their very lives, for they have been entrusted with a stake in the Kingdom of God. So yes, we all have a stake in the Kingdom of God and we are to take charge of it by committing our gifts to use and use them effectively, impactfully, and in spirit and in truth. We are not to be like the one servant who did not utilize his one talent but rather buried it.

The act of using my gift of writing and communication, my gift of administration and organization within the church and even within the community for the purposes of these entities’ progression and betterment is a form of worship. Using these gifts and talents in these spaces for positive impact and in keeping with the word of God is us doing our part in God’s kingdom. Preaching and teaching the word of God in the church, streets and other venues, if that is your rightful talent, is keeping your charge. Even teaching and administering in the public or private schools, where you have an impact on the knowledge and growth of your students in the expansion of their talents, abilities and minds, preparing them to become responsible and knowledgeable members of the world’s community, is a form of worship and it is consistent with keeping your charge. If your part is catering services within the church, where you provide food and refreshments for visitors, Sunday school students, or for church anniversaries and special occasions, know that you are keeping your charge; you are worshiping The Lord your God. All these are in fact ministries and by committing to your ministry, you are making an impact in improving and furthering the work of God. Now, having said all of this, let us be aware that while each and every one of us have been purposed to have talents and gifts and to bear influence in this our world, for however long we are here, there will be challenges and hindrances to thwart the progression and success that the Lord has intended for you. These challenges and hindrances can come from ourselves, as in our laziness, our procrastination, our unprofessionalism, our sloppiness, our pride, our improper or even abusive means by which we treat these talents and our work, not keeping in mind the privilege with which we have been honored and the responsibility with which we have been entrusted. Why do you oppress with your gift instead of liberate? Why are you so permissive and not employ reasonable guidelines and standards for yourself and others that you lose your moral ground and the respect of your labor?

How does that make your gift effective? It is rather compromised. A compromised output is not keeping your charge; it is not worshiping in spirit and in truth.

Attempts to thwart our ministries, our worship, and our charge will also surely come from outside forces, physical and spiritual. You see, it is God’s desire to use us effectively even as He has endowed us, but it is Satan’s, our chief adversary’s, intention and purpose to

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prevent us from fulfilling our life’s work, our charge, our worship in spirit and truth to divert us to a useless, barren end and even destruction. So when you are busy working for the Lord in the church, community or at work and individuals here and there clandestinely or even overtly try to trip you, know that the enemy is at work and is wishing your ineffectiveness, discredit, and even plotting your downfall. He or she does not want you to succeed simply because of envy or jealousy. They despise the glory that God has bestowed upon you and wish it were theirs.

They resent the respect you have from your peers and community and want to separate you from it. It is an evil intention, but it is real and it is at work. So while you are busily and happily at work for God, be vigilant; be wise and be in tune with your God each and every day even as He directs you to navigate those bumps and hurdles which He knows will surely be there as you utilize your talents for His glory.

Remember, keeping your charge is worshiping Him in spirit and in truth. It is not performing your role to bring attention to yourself, to demonstrate how good you are although you might be very good. It is not about the accolades that will be showered upon you. It is not the appellations that will flow out of the mouths of people about you. Keeping your charge, glorifying your God with your talent, and fulfilling your part in this great world, is not at all about you, but all about your God and Creator and His intention for all of creation. You are the vessel and if the vessel is made beautiful by the Potter, know that the vessel is a tool created for a purpose. Too many people want to know what is in it for them when they do this and they do that. What am I going to get out of it? What is the church going to give me? What rewards or acknowledgements will my service to my job place and my community yield me? Well, then why should I do it if there is nothing in it for me? If this is your thinking, then you don’t know and clearly do not understand your purpose in relationship to your Creator. If this is your mentality, then clearly you have not heard of nor read the parable of the talents or perhaps you have but you have simply rejected the teaching.

What is beautiful is God’s plan and intention for all of His creation. What is beautiful is that God the Creator has intentionally created and breathed in all of us, as worshiping and working beings, a multiplicity of talents and gifts to take part in this great world of His own making, giving us all a mission and assignments for the tenure of our lives as a means to worship and be a living part of His vision. But what is more beautiful is that while we are all working in this great vineyard, while we are all worshiping Him in truth and in spirit through our multiple means, He works alongside us, “for we are co-laborers with God” (I Corinthians 3:9). The Bible tells us, He inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3), so let us be mindful that even our work is a living testament to God. Even our work invokes the presence of God each and every moment that we are performing it. So let us take joy, let us take pride, let us have purpose and good intention and put forth our very best effort each and every time we step in our roles to perform our duties. Let us not get in our own way with sloppy, careless and half-hearted service. And let us not let our enemies hinder our work and defer our mission.

Let us know that we have a “charge to keep,” “a God to glorify,” “a calling to fulfill,” “to serve this present age” and “to do our Master’s will.”

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Nigeria’s Ifesinachi Nelson, Breaks Russian 'Til Data Do Us Part: Records To Become The First/Only African To Man Marries His Cell Graduate With 5.0. CGP. Phone in Vegas Chapel July 2016

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Ifesinachi’s brilliance was discovered in his sophomore year when he was assigned to Prof Lev Gennadievich Tyryshkin as his thesis supervisor. Also a researcher at the Russia Institute of Plant Industry, Prof Tyryshkin exposed Ifesinachi to academic and industrial research methodologies.

“That was when my journey in scientific research started,” Ifesinachi said, adding: “The professor is an atheist and for the time I spent with him in the laboratory, I literally became an atheist too, because my mind was preoccupied with research work.”

Ifesinachi’s research on species of Aegilops won him recognition from the Science Community in the Europe.

A Nigerian, Ifesinachi Nelson Ezeh, has beat Russian records for being the first and the only African to graduate with CGP 5.0.

Ifesinachi won international acclaim for finishing his Master’s degree at Saint Petersburg Agrarian University in Russia with distinction and for his edge-cutting research in Agronomy. His feat earned him a Ph.D scholarship. HANNAH OJO writes on the exploits of the youngster whose aim is to tackle the food crisis in his fatherland.

Ifesinachi Nelson Ezeh, a 26-year-old Nigerian, has dazzled Russia with his brilliance. The Nsukka, Enugu Stateborn student finished his Master’s degree in Agronomy at Saint Petersburg State Agrarian University, graduating with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0 – the highest Russia has ever recorded.

Ifesinachi’s feat was celebrated by Russians during the university’s graduation. Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture and the school leadership showered encomiums on him, praising his dedication to quality research and academic excellence.

His journey to success started from a newspaper in 2008, when he read about a scholarship scheme to study in Russia. Then, he had just enrolled at the Nigerian College of Aviation Studies in Zaria, Kaduna State. But, Ifesinachi forfeited the admission for the scholarship.

According to him, his father got the information about the scholarship and encouraged him to apply. The scholarship is a bilateral agreement between Nigeria and other countries, including Russia, Cuba, China and Libya.

He said: “I was among the top five students selected at the College of Aviation after the scholarship examination. This got my dad excited. I was waiting to resume at the college when I received a call from Abuja, inviting me to come for the scholarship interview. The urgency of the information gave me no room for preparation. But, I went for the interview and travelled to Russia for study.”

In November 2008, Ifesinachi arrived in Russia with 40 other students from Nigeria for his Bachelor’s degree.

Since Russian language is a prerequisite for study in the country, he enrolled at Don State Technical University, where he learnt the language for one year. Afterwards, he was transferred to Saint Petersburg State Agrarian University to study Agronomy.

The research, he said, was to re-study six species of Aegilops (a wheat variety) and bread wheat that were said to have effective LR23 gene for resistance at juvenile stage. In the course of the study, Ifesinachi discovered inadequacies in the previous researches carried out by scholars in the field.

He said: “It was during the comparison of results of the DNA markers and phytopathological tests that I discovered there were possible errors in the previous studies. After that, we reset the conditions that were recommended nationally for phytopathological study. Our results were narrowed down to the large collection of specimens that have been approved for hybridisation with bread-wheat nationally from 15 specimens (six species of Aegilops) with effective LR23 gene for resistance at the juvenile stage.”

After his research, it was discovered that previous researchers falsified records and gave the Russian government wrong information about the Aegilops species. Ifesinachi’s results enabled the Russian government to update plant bank gene collections with effective genes.

The student said his closeness to Prof Tyryshkin contributed to his success, because he had access to Plant Bank Collection in Saint Petersburg, which he said houses several collections of genes and known species and varieties of plant.

It was not smoothsailing all the way. In 2012, his first research was rejected when it was published. Ifesinachi blamed it on his level of fluency in Russian language then. The rejection, he said, made him to develop more interest in research work.

He said: “In 2013, I got more results and I presented them to the university leadership. Two of us were selected to represent the university at a regional level. We presented our research results to the jury of the regional contest. We won and moved to the national level. My research was adjudged third best work at the national level and I am the only African student among the best student-researchers. I was recognised by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture. My university gave me an honorary degree in recognition of my feat.”

A California man headed to Sin City last month to marry the love of his life: His cell phone.

Aaron Chervenak of Los Angeles donned a tux and his device had a white plastic case as they got married in a ceremony at the Little Vegas Chapel.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, unless it is filmed and posted on YouTube, where the whole world gets to see what you did.

With a specially crafted ring on the back of the phone case, Chervenak was able to slip his finger into it, thus becoming one with the device.

The video, posted on YouTube by Kaspersky Lab UK, may feel like a sequel to the 2013 Oscar-winning film Her — when a man falls in love with his mobile device, but this was crafted to show how humans are not intertwined with their phones more than ever.

“In a sense my smartphone has been my longest relationship,” Chervenak said in the video. “What I hope my wedding will do is somehow act as a symbolic gesture to show how precious our phones are becoming in our daily lives.”

The event was non-legally binding so if the phone wants to bail on its husband, it can deactivate the relationship at any time. He's also free to see other cell phones when he's due for an upgrade.

There is no word as to where they will honeymoon.

http://www.insideedition.com/

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Edusei Foundation Empowers Women at Youth Workshop

The Edusei foundation founded by Dr. Kwame Bawuah-Edusei and family organized another successful youth workshop in the Washington DC metro area featuring an all women speakers panel of astute professional graduates of top schools in the United States.

The event was attended by over a hundred participants at the Marriott Gateway Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia USA. In line with the Foundations mission to facilitate youth development in a positive manner to improve their knowledge, behavior and health and empower women for a better future hence the all women top panel. .

Dr. Kwame Bawuah-Edusei a medical, practitioner, diplomat and philanthropist opened the workshop with an introductory speech challenging the youth that they need to turn around the negativity of 'pull him down' altitude that has kept Africa down in the past and rather think and act positive to achieve their goals to uplift all for the future .He urged them to use positive attributes of increasing self-esteem , perseverance , positive networking and love for one another to achieve their high set goals. Dr. Edusei passionately appealed to the youth to avoid drugs, smoking or use of alcohol and learn to say no to negative peer pressure.

Patricia Donkor, Attorney J.D. a graduate of George Mason University School of Law set the ball rolling by identifying herself with the upbringing and environment of most of the youth gathered and gave them a thorough insight into the legal profession .

Sandra Ayensu an IT Professional and graduate of University of Maryland pursuing her masters in cyber security spoke about current and emerging technological innovations including google glass and 3D printing.

Dr. Margaret Udahogora PH.D., RD a lecturer and program Director at the University of Maryland who teaches Nutritional Therapy touched on living with a positive mental attitude to enable the youth achieve their desired goals in life. She recounted and shared her own challenges as an immigrant integrating into Western Culture and how she defied all odds to make it.

Stephanie Atiase a Harvard University MBA graduate picked up from there and gave an overview of business programs and innovations which are beneficial to current and prospective college students.

Claudia Serebuor a Pharmacy School candidate and graduate from University of Connecticut capped the day’s program with a presentation on careers in Allied health.

She took the youth through the requirements and everything they need to make informed decisions on picking a career of their choice.

The second phase of the workshop was a break out session where the participants formed groups on various academic disciplines including Business, Engineering, Law, Information Technology, Pharmacy and Medicine. The Preceptors were Ms. Adoma Addae: Department of State, Congressional Travel Coordinator, Kwame Ahenkorah Dominic Osei Agyepong, P.E Principal Engineer at ECS Limited, Claudia Serebuor: Elvis Hover : R&D Technology Associate Principal, Accenture LLP, Patricia Donkor, Sandra Ayensu , Paul K Ofori: Business & system Integration Consultant and Stephanie Atiase (Harvard Business School, 2011) :Ernst & Young, Risk and Operations Consulting . They were on hand to interact with the participants and answer their questions and coached them on various activities.

The Edusei Foundation treated the youth to a buffet of various dishes before the final phase of the workshop.

Certificates of Attendance were issued to the youth by Mrs. Evangeline Edusei a cofounder of the foundation. To conclude she expressed the Foundations profound appreciation to the attendees and extended it to their parents for releasing their children to be part of the workshop.

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Patricia Donkor, Attorney J.D. Associate General Counsel at WMATA. A graduate of George Mason University School of Law

Sandra Ayensu : IT Coordinator, DSS-User Support and Systems McKeldin Library University of Maryland, College Park Sandra Ayensu an IT Professional and graduate of University of Maryland

She reiterated that it is the aim of the Edusei Foundation to use learning centers, workshops, and seminars to improve academic excellence in the sciences, arts, and finance; and provide instruction in civic responsibilities and cultural values.

Work with women and children toward gender equality and empowerment.

The Foundation also provides medical counseling and recreational opportunities to promote healthy life styles. And primarily conduct workshops to counsel youth in career and college selection, life survival and leadership skills, and financial literacy.

You can read more about the activities on their website, www.eduseifoundation.org.

The foundation is also available on facebook.com/eduseifoundation

Dr. Margaret Udahogora PH.D., RD

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Dr. Kwame Bawuah-Edusei (Founder)

The Participants with the Founders, Speakers and Preceptors

Demonstration of the use of 3D Printer during the break-out session

Claudia Serebuor: University of Connecticut Undergraduate, Applied Science doing a presentation on Pharmacy during the group session

Stephanie Atiase (Harvard Business School, 2011) :Ernst & Young, Risk and Operations Consulting

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African Union Unveils Single Passport To Ease Traveling Within The Continent

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When heads of state from across Africa arrive in Kigali, Rwanda next month for the African Union (AU) Summit, they will be among the first Africans issued the new electronic African Union passport. The passport is meant to make travel on the continent much easier for Africans.

“The scene seems to be set to realize the dream of visa-free travel for African citizens within their own continent by 2020,” the AU said in a statement announcing the launch.

Travel in Africa is difficult for most Africans. They are required to have visas for over half of the countries on the continent. Only 13 African countries (pdf) allow other Africans to enter without a visa or give visas on arrival. In contrast, Americans can travel to 20 African countries without visas or with visas on arrival.

African travelers say they feel the same suspicion at immigration counters within the continent as they do outside of it. Aliko Dangote, a Nigerian businessman and Africa’s wealthiest man, was himself once turned away by South African immigration officials as he struggled to locate his passport. Meanwhile his American staff sailed through border control.

Intra-African trade also costs more than any other region—as much as 50% higher than East Asia, for example. A truck serving supermarkets in southern Africa needs to carry as many as 1,600 documents, including permits and licenses, in order to cross borders, according to Anabel Gonzalez, senior director of a World Bank group on trade and global competitiveness.

The goal of the African Union passport, which Dangote said he is applying for, is to help turn Africa into a “continent with seamless borders” modeled after the European Union’s Schengen Area. Giving the passports to state leaders is a “symbolic and significant” step, according to Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, chair of the African Union Commission.

The goal of the African Union passport is to help turn Africa into a “continent with seamless borders.”

Officials have been pushing for increased freedom of movement ever since the Organization of African Unity, a precursor to the AU, was established in the 1960s. The idea has gained traction over the last few years, however, due to the continent’s improving economic fortunes and population growth. The AU wants to abolish visa requirements for all African citizens visiting African countries by 2018, and establish a free

6. Spain

trade area across the continent by 2017.

Skeptics point out that creating a truly borderless Africa will likely be quite challenging. The continent hosts many refugees from conflict areas, not to mention militant groups like al-Shabaab or Boko Haram. Then there are public health crises like the Ebola outbreak, and questions posed by the nationality of those who have been deemed stateless.

The Seychelles, Rwanda, Mauritius, and most recently Ghana have all loosened travel restrictions on their fellow Africans, allowing visas on arrivals or entry without the permit. But the process remains slow. Currently, only AU heads of state and government, ministers of foreign affairs, and other AU officials can apply for the passport, which will be recognized in all 54 countries belonging to the organization.

“Countries have said that they are going back to look at the practicality of doing their immigration regulation,” says African Union Commission chair Dlamini-Zuma. “But there is a decision and it is up to all of us to hold our countries to that decision so that indeed Africans can move freely amongst other African countries.”

Top 7 Countries With Highest African Immigrant Populations

A total of 683,000 documented Africans live in Spain.

Most of the migrants come from the nearby North African countries of Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria as well as Spain’s former colony of Equatorial Guinea. Nigeria and Senegal also make up a significant amount of the African immigrants. Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, and Palma are some of our favorite places to settle.

5. Italy

Italy is home to an estimated 1 million immigrants from Africa. Many of the immigrants are from North Africa, including Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Algeria, and totaled 647,000 documented residents in 2010. West Africans from Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana make up the rest of the immigrant population, with about 337,000 in registered immigrants. Africans have found it easier to settle in to life in Italy by clustering around Rome, Palermo, Milan, Turin, and Bologna.

4. United States

African immigrants make up just a fraction of the United States’ immigrant population, accounting for 4.4 percent.

The population estimates for 2013 put the number of

African immigrants in the United States at about 1.8 million, a substantial increase from the 800,000 African migrants living in America in 1970. The number of migrants from Africa in the United States, however, witnessed the fastest growth rate between 2000 and 2013, increasing by 41 percent during that period. With the majority of immigrants coming from sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Egypt, and Kenya account for nearly half of the immigrant population from Africa. Most African migrants eventually settle in New York, California, Texas, and Maryland.

3. Germany

Germany boasts the biggest economy in Europe and is home to about 2 million immigrants from Africa. And while Namibia is the only African country with German as an official language, a sizable number of African immigrants have managed to fit in to German society and call it home. The majority of migrants come from West Africa: Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal. They also come from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. Most Africans settle around Hamburg, Berlin Frankfurt, and Cologne.

2. United Kingdom

The population estimates from 2011 puts the number of

African immigrants in the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland at 2.8 million. The majority of immigrants come from English-speaking former British colonies around West Africa. Nigeria makes up the lion’s share of the immigrant population with approximately 150,000 being legally documented. Ghana comes in at second place with about 96,000 immigrants, while Kenya, South Africa, and Libya are some of the other sources of migrant outflow to the U.K., London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds.

France With approximately 3.5 million migrants of African descent, France is the No. 1 destination for migrants from Africa. The majority of African migrants to France come from the Maghreb region of Africa, including Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria. Together, these three countries make up more than 75 percent of the migrant population from Africa. The other 25 percent is made up of Africans from the francophone or French-speaking countries of sub-Saharan Africa, such as Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and Cameroun, with the majority of migrants settling around Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, and Bordeaux. https://face2faceafrica.com

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Breaking News: Messi 'Given 21- World Cup 2018: Nigeria, Algeria Month Jail Term' and Cameroon all drawn to play each other in African qualifiers The winners of each of the five four-team qualifying groups will all play at the Russia World Cup in two years' time

The draw for the African section of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia has been made.

Nigeria, Algeria and Cameroon, who all took part in the last tournament in Brazil two years ago, have all been drawn into the same group, meaning only one of the countries will reach the competition next time around.

Nigeria and Algeria enjoyed successful tournaments as they both reached the last 16 stage in Brazil, while Cameroon were eliminated at the group stage having lost all three of their matches.

Argentina and Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud, Spanish media say.

His father, Jorge Messi, was also given a jail term for defrauding Spain of â‚Ź4.1m (ÂŁ3.5m; $4.5m) between 2007 and 2009.

They also face millions of euros in fines for using tax havens in Belize and Uruguay used to conceal earnings from image rights.

However, the tables have been turned in the 24 months since the last World Cup, and it is Nigeria and Algeria whose outlooks are bleakest.

Both teams are currently without managers, while Cameroon have lost just two of their last 13 matches.

They are joined in Group B by Zambia.

However, they are likely to avoid jail.

Under the Spanish system, prison terms under two years can be served under probation.

The footballer and his father were found guilty of three counts of tax fraud in Wednesday's ruling by the court in Barcelona.

During the trial, Lionel Messi claimed he "knew nothing" about the management of his financial affairs, saying he was "playing football".

Source:bbcnews.com

Ben Koufie Dies Aged 84

Ebusua Dwarfs and represented the Black Stars from 1957 to 1958.

After retiring as a player, Koufie became a coach of the Ghanaian national side, the Black Stars and managed Zimbabwe from 1988 to 1992.

He many accomplishments include leading Asante Kotoko to the Africa Club Championship in 1971.

Former chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr. Ben Koufie has passed on at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital after battling illness.

The 84-year-old enjoyed a successful career both as a player and an administrator.

He played his club football for Kumasi Cornerstones and

Koufie moved on to become the Technical Advisor of the Zimbabwe Football Association from 1981 to 1982, Technical Director of the Botswana Football Association from 1992 to 2001, and President of the Ghana Football Association from 2001 to 2003 where he instituted a 5 year development plan.

Full groups Group A Tunisia DR Congo Guinea Libya

Group B Algeria Nigeria Cameroon Zambia

Group C

Ivory Coast Mali Morocco Gabon

Group D

Senegal Cape Verde South Africa Burkina Faso

Group E Ghana Egypt Congo Uganda

http://www.mirror.co.uk/

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15 Renowned African Athletes Who Broke Records

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Although many athletes have emerged from Africa over time, the following men and women have become legends of the game; their exploits are known all over the world. This list contain some of the best legs and hands that have come out of Africa, ancient and modern. It is quite difficult to rank them: each one has a unique success story made of record-breaking feats that has etched their greatness into the annals of history.

15. Hicham El Guerrouj is a Moroccan and current holder of the 1500 meters, mile and outdoor 2000 meters world records.

He is also a double Olympics Gold medalist known for his wizardry and diligence on the field. For almost a decade since 1994, he dominated the middle-distance run and was thus nicknamed “King of the Mile.” In 1998 in Rome, El Guerrouj broke Noureddine Morceli’s 1500 meters world record (3:27:37) with a time of (3:26:00). Some think he is the best middle distance runner of all time.

14. Blessing Okagbare is a Nigerian track and field athlete who set a Commonwealth record of 10.85 to win 100 meters Gold, the fastest ever. This record beats a 12-yearold record earlier set by Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. She has won several other medals at the All African Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Olympic Games, and African Championships.

12. Kanu Nwakwo is one of the most decorated football players from Africa on the global stage, having won a UEFA Champions League medal, a UEFA Cup medal, three FA Cup Winners medals, Premier League medal, and an Olympic Gold. Twice, he was named African Player of the Year by the Confederation of African Football. Although he had a heart defect that threatened to cut short his career, his legendary role in representing his country Nigeria and showcasing African talent continues to be remembered. He is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and has helped several children with heart disease to get corrective surgeries abroad.

11. Genzebe Dibaba, an Ethiopian middle- and longrange distance runner, is the current world record holder for the women’s 1500 meters, both indoor and outdoor. A proud owner of five world records including the outdoor 1,500 meters mark and indoor records in the 3000 meters and 5000 meters, she is particularly lauded for breaking a 26-year-old record on the women’s 1500 meters indoor mile, running a time of 4:13:31

9. Moses Kiptanui is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance athlete who became the first person in the world to run the 3000-meter steeplechase in under eight minutes. This selfcoached runner also set a new world record of 7:28.96 in the 3000 meters in Cologne and broke the 5000 meters world record in Rome in 1995.

8. John Ngugi, Kenyan track and field athlete, is regarded as one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time. Though controversial, he won five IAAF World Cross-Country titles and an Olympic 5000 meters gold medal. https://face2faceafrica.com

13. Daniel Teklehaymanot is a cyclist from Eritrea, East Africa.

Although he had tachycardia in 2009, which was corrected by surgery, he still finished sixth overall in that year’s Tour de l’Avenir. In 2010, he won the African Championships in the road race, individual time trial and team time trial, at both senior and under-23 levels. In 2012, he became the first Eritrean to ride in La Vuelta. With several more awards and competitions under his belt, Teklehaymanot’s exploits cannot be forgotten in a hurry.

10. Hatem Ghoula is a Tunisian race walker known for winning consecutive African championships, including the All-African Games. The first African race walker to win a world championship medal, Ghoula holds the African records in race walking for the distance of 20,000 meters on the track and 20 kilometers on the road.

7. Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a Nigerian-American retired professional basketball player. He is considered as one of the greatest Africans to play basketball at the highest stage. He was the only player in NBA history to win the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP awards in the same season. He was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

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15 Renowned African Athletes Who Broke Records

6. Abedi Ayew, referred to as “Abedi Pele” worldwide, is a retired Ghanaian footballer who has often been regarded as one of the greatest African footballers of all time. He was one of the pioneers of African football and served Ghana’s national team as captain for a period of six years. He won the France Football Magazine African Player of the Year Award three times and was the first to win BBC’s African Sports Star of the Year in 1992. Ayew is a three-time winner of the African Footballer of the Year Award and holds the record for the most appearances at the Nation Cup Finals. Ghana made him the first athlete to receive the Order of the Volta, one of the nation’s highest honours.

3. Samuel Eto’o Fils is arguably the most decorated African player of all time. He won the African Player of the Year a record four times and holds the record for number of appearances by an African player in La Liga, the premier Spanish football league. In 2010, he became the first player to win two European continental trebles with Barcelona and Inter Milan. He has participated in four World Cups and six African Cup of Nations as a member of the Cameroon national team. His exploits in African, Europeean and global championships are incredible and second to none. He became the highest paid player in the world in 2011 when he signed a three-year contract with FC Anzhi Makhachkala.

5. Maria Mutola has been ranked as one of the greatest female 800 meters runners of all time. A Mozambican, she is the only athlete to hold Olympic, World, World Indoor, Commonwealth, Continental Games, and Continental Championships.

2. George Weah broke two records in 1995, becoming the first African Player to win the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Balloon d’Or. Weah was a three-time African player of the year and in 1996, was named the African player of the century. He ran for presidency in his country Liberia but lost to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

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4. Didier Yves Drogba is a professional Ivorian footballer.

He is the first African player to score 100 premier league goals, the first African player to score 50 goals in European competitions and the only player in history to score in four separate FA Cup finals. Having scored 63 goals throughout his career with the national team, Drogba is the all-time top goal scorer for Ivory Coast and was team captain for many years. He currently plays for Montreal Impact in Canada.

1. Haile Gebrselassie, the retired Ethiopian athlete, is perhaps the greatest long-distance track and road runner of all time. He has broken every record there is, including 27 world records in various championships, particularly Olympic and World titles.

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Natural Hair Care Movement Takes Root in Nigeria

ABUJA — In Nigeria, activists and entrepreneurs are promoting natural ways for black women to care for their hair amid concerns that some commonly used products like dyes and relaxers may actually be dangerous and lead to health problems.

This may look like a typical hair salon in Abuja. But it’s not.

“We specialize in maintaining and taking care of the natural hair. What the everyday people call the virgin hair, the hair that hasn’t been relaxed, like the hair you were born with,” said Joye Ulekoikoni, manager of the Lumo Hair Salon.

At the Lumo Hair Salon, hairdressers use natural-based ingredients and avoid using heat on the hair of their clients. Heat can dry or damage hair.

“One of the reasons why this salon came up is because people had a lot of issues taking care of their natural hair,” said Ulekoikoni.

Hair is big business in Nigeria. Beauty stores display a wide range of hair products mainly imported from the United States. But some of the ingredients in these kinds of products are coming under scrutiny.

Health concerns

In a new report, Black Women for Wellness, an NGO based in Los Angeles, compiled five years of research and says that chemicals used in some hair products are linked to uterine fibroids in black women and girls. Products including relaxers, shampoos and hair dyes are mentioned in the study as containing toxic ingredients.

The World Health Organization has warned that hairdressers may be routinely exposed to cancer-causing chemicals. But the American Cancer Association says studies have not found a strong link between cancer and hair products and recommends more research.

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In 2011, a health agency of the U.S. Department of Labor found that some “hair smoothing” products may release unsafe levels of formaldehyde, which is toxic.

Dr. Oluwakemi Osunderu, an ethnopharmacologist, has been doing her own research, conducting a poll asking Nigerian women about the experiences with synthetic hair products. She says common complaints are hair loss and burns on the scalp.

She says black women are more at risk because they tend to use hair products frequently over a longer period of time and therefore have higher exposure levels to the chemicals.

“You find some harmful products in them like the thalates and the parabens. These have been linked to cancer, especially breast cancer,” she said.

Going natural

Enter the natural hair movement. Natural hair activists gathered together at the first African Hair Summit in Abuja.

“It’s health first, then beauty or fashion,” said Lotanna Egwuatu, a natural hair activist.

Locally manufactured products made with natural ingredients like pure shea butter and coconut oil were on display. And while interest may be growing, these products are still far from mainstream in Nigeria. http://m.voanews.com/

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Bishops Larbie and Boasiako in US say Brexit sign of our times

Bishop Dr. Daniel M. Antwi Boasiako Bishop Ebenezer Larbie and Bishop Dr. Daniel M. Antwi Boasiako based in the United States (U.S.) respectively, have said in a conversation with TheAfricanDream.net that #Brexit — the recent breakaway of Britain from the European Union (E.U.) — is a sign of our times as talked about in the Bible’s book of Revelations.

The Bishops were in the Washington D.C. area for a private meeting on the formation of a global body of Christian religious leaders that will cater to the needs of pastors, bishops and church administrators worldwide. They told TheAfricanDream.net that more information will be made available as they and their colleagues begin to iron things out soon.

What the US-based Bishops say of #Brexit

Both religious leaders agreed that Christendom must not be worried or afraid of the series of events that seem to paint a gloomy picture worldwide. “Terrorism, nations rising against nations, market failures, natural disasters and rise in violence are among many of the things that is recounted in the last book of the New Testament by the divine Revelation of John.” — Bishop Antwi Boasiako.

The Head of Abundant Life Church International headquartered in Stafford, Virginia, in the U.S. — Bishop Ebenezer Larbie — on his part said that in times like these Christians are instructed to make a difference in the world by being positive examples as believers and exempli-

Bishop Ebenezer Larbie fy what the book of 1 Timothy 2:1-4 says.

“Make supplications, and give thanks for Kings and all who are in authority. We have been authorized and commissioned by God to pray these prayers. We must pray that like Solomon, they too choose wisdom to rule and judge correctly and be wary of the signs of our times” Bishop Larbie said.

Bishop Larbie stressed that “whatever happens in the wake of #Brexit, we as Christians must not live in fear because it really falls on us to prepare all for the times ahead through our prayers and examples."

#Brexit or not: keep praying

“My brother has really hit the nail on the head” said Bishop Antwi Boasiako in support of Bishop Larbie. He went on to say “America right now has witnessed a series of very disturbing events that have shaken a lot of people both in and outside the U.S., watch the news and you can see for yourself.”

Bishop Antwi Boasiako, Founder of Power of Faith International Ministry in the state of Ohio said that “all these not withstanding, Christians must stand firm in their

resolve. ‘We are the salt of the earth’ as the bible says in Matthew 5:13. Prayer and Obedience is key, therefore fear must not be our portion for when we live in truth we will not fear the end, #Brexit or not.”

#Brexit is a merging of the words Britain and exit to reference events leading to and after the June 23, 2016 referendum held to decide whether the U.K. should leave or remain in the E.U. The U.K. voted to leave by 52% to 48% even though the British Prime Minister David Cameron wanted his country to stay.

Source: Oral Ofori

Photos / TheAfricanDream.net

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Africa-born US Residents Embrace Politics to Bring About Change

U.S. Census Bureau statistics show Africa-born residents are more educated than the overall U.S. immigration population, with 41 percent having at least one college degree, compared with 28 percent for the immigration population as a whole.

The most popular destinations for Africa-born residents are New York City, metropolitan Washington, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Georgia, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Africans are one of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in America, and many are turning to politics as they navigate the complexities of a new society.

African immigrants represent a small share of the U.S. population, but their numbers have been doubling every decade since 1970.

In 2013, there were 1.8 million African immigrants living in the U.S., a huge increase from 80,000 in 1970, according to a 2015 Pew Research Center survey. The foreign-born Africans living in the U.S. in 2013 accounted for 4.4 percent of America's immigrant population that year.

But the immigrants, coming from countries all across the African continent, have varied backgrounds and hold extremely diverse political views, said Nii Akuetteh, executive director of the African Immigrant Caucus.

The most common countries of origin for foreign-born Africans are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Ghana and Kenya. Some, particularly those from Ethiopia, resettled in the U.S. because of conflicts in their native countries.

Political priorities

Although his group's interests are varied, Akuetteh said the African Immigrant Caucus' primary political priority is to encourage the next U.S. administration to provide greater support to the democratic process in Africa.

Akuetteh told VOA that African immigrants must “put the heat on the presidential candidates to stop supporting African dictators,” particularly those in Egypt, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethopia.

There are other dictatorships in Africa, Akuetteh said, but ending U.S. support in those four dictatorial regimes would pressure others in Africa to pursue a democratic form of government.

Sylvester Okere, president of the United People for African Congress, an umbrella

organization that works to get Africa-born residents involved in U.S. politics, said economic issues are most important to them.

“Everybody came here for what I call ‘power opportunity’ and connections,” Okere told VOA.

Many African immigrants in the U.S. make their living as entrepreneurs, so Okere wants the next president to create opportunities for minority businesses by “removing roadblocks in a bureaucratic system that hinders people” from being able to pursue their objectives.

He said he thought presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton would best represent the interests of African-born residents in the U.S.

“There’s only one candidate who is really working hard to unite everybody, while the other person [presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump] wants to throw people out” of the U.S., Okere said.

Akuetteh said his organization wouldn't decide whether to support Clinton or Trump until the candidates responded to a questionnaire about their positions on important issues.

Immigration issue

Immigration is another “huge issue” for African immigrants, Akuetteh said.

Recent political rhetoric has included calls for a ban on Muslims entering the U.S. and construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Africa-born residents “share all those anxieties” over the possibility of being forced out of the U.S., Akuetteh said.

Most members of the African diaspora came to the U.S. legally through various immigration programs. While most are permanent residents or citizens, others have work or educational visas.

Volunteers with Continental Africans for Obama (now the United People for African Congress) work the phones during the 2012 presidential campaign http://m.voanews.com/

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21 Africans receive Queen Elizabeth's 'Young Leaders Award'

A total of 21 young Africans were awarded by Queen Elizabeth II as part of the second edition of the Queen’s ‘‘Young Leaders Award.’‘

They joined 60 other exceptional young leaders from 45 Commonwealth nations, to receive their award at the Buckingham Palace, in London, on Thursday evening.

The award is reserved for young people between the ages of 18-29 years from across the Commonwealth, young people leading their communities and impacting lives of people in their societies.

Kenya and Nigeria led the pack with three winners each, whiles South Africa and Malawi also got two each. Twelve remaining countries had single winners, Ghana, Cameroon,

Botswana, Lesotho.

With Rwanda, Uganda, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sierra Leone and Tanzania completing the list.

According to the awards website, ‘‘The Queen’s Young Leader Award recognises and celebrates exceptional people aged 18-29 from across the Commonwealth, who are taking the lead in their communities and using their skills to transform lives.’‘

Winners of this prestigious Award received a unique package of training, mentoring and networking, including a one-week residential programme in the UK capped with the ceremony where they received their Award from Her Majesty The Queen.

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With the support, Award winners are expected to continue and develop the amazing work they are already doing in their communities.

Europe had six recipients, Asia had nine, the Americas and Caribbean got twelve while the Pacific region bagged twelve also. http://www.africanews.com/

Afrikan

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Who Gets the Collection Money?

Trivia

A priest, rabbi and televangelist were playing their usual Wednesday round of golf, and started discussing their weekly collections.

Specifically, they started to compare how they decided what portion of the collection to keep for themselves and what portion to give to God.

The rabbi explains: "I draw a circle around myself and toss the money in the air. Whatever lands in the circle I keep for myself. Whatever lands outside the circle, I give to God."

The priest then adds: "I use a similar method, except that whatever lands in the circle I give to God, and whatever lands outside the circle I keep for my personal needs."

The televangelist then proclaims: "I also use the same method. Except, that I toss the money in the air and I figure that whatever God wants, he can take.".

Have You Found Jesus?

A drunk stumbles along a baptismal service on Sunday afternoon down by the river.

He proceeds to walk down into the water and stand next to the preacher.

The minister turns and notices the old drunk and says, "Mister, are you ready to find Jesus?"

The drunk looks back and says, "Yes, Preacher, I sure am."

The minister then dunks the fellow under the water and pulls him right back up. "Have you found Jesus?" the preacher asked.

"Nooo, I didn't!" said the drunk.

The preacher then dunks him under for quite a bit longer, brings him up and says, "Now, brother, have you found Jesus?"

"Noooo, I have not, Reverend."

The preacher in disgust holds the man under for at least 30 seconds this time, brings him out of the water and says in a harsh tone, "My God, man, have you found Jesus yet?"

The old drunk wipes his eyes and says to the preacher, "Are you sure this is where he fell in?"

July 2 0 1 6

Kofi and Ampedu

Kofi got 0% mark in an exam and was surprised because all his answers were seemingly correct!

Do you feel that he was wrongly penalised?

The questions and answers below:

*Q1* In which battle did Yaa Asantewaa die? *Ans:* In her last battle

*Q2* Where was the Declaration of Independence signed? *Ans:* At the bottom of the page

*Q3* What is the Main reason for divorce? *Ans:* Marriage *Q4* Volta river flows in which state? *Ans:* Liquid state

*Q5* When was Mandela born? *Ans:* On his birthday

*Q6* How will you distribute 8 oranges among 6 people? *Ans:* By preparing orange juice.

If you were the teacher, what marks would you award Kofi? đ&#x;˜‚đ&#x;˜…

The Devils Encounter A pastor was praying for a demon-possessed man. He said, in the name of Jesus, what do u want frm this Man? speak up before I cast u out this moment! The demon in the man said, I want him to win the American Lottery Draw worth $200billion tonight. The pastor lowered the microphone and whispered; get out of him and enter into me.

Can a Man ever do a wrong Transaction with Godâ?“

My friend invited me to his church for a thanksgiving service, and I sat at the front row.

When it was time for offering, the offering basket was passed around. Despite the Pastor's charge for good offering, I still hurriedly and secretly pulled out $1 from my pocket and dropped it. Just then, the person behind me tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a $200 note. I smiled, so generous.

Then majestically, I looked around and put the $200 in the basket and passed it on. Then I turned and thanked the man seriously for being so generous. He replied "don't mention'' be more careful next time, it fell from your pocket" Whaaaat!!!!!???????......." "Usher please wait, wrong transaction!!!!!!!!!."

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CRITICAL QUESTION:

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A driver saw a woman selling bush meat on the road side.

They talked about the price and the driver told the woman to put the meat at back of the car and cum for her money.

The woman went to the car boot but didn't put the meat in the car and just closed the boot..when the driver heard that the boot was closed he just took off...

Who is a thief ?

A. Driver B. Woma After church last Sunday, newcomers were called to the front of the church so they could introduce themselves & tell everybody the reasons for worshipping with them.

A young lady held the microphone & said.....

My name is Akua. I came to spend the night with my boyfriend (pointing to an elder of the church)......

And I decided to worship with u (church) today.

The Hospital Bill

An elderly Jewish man was admitted to the local hospital, which happened to be run by a Catholic order. All the nurses were nuns.

One of the nurses was preparing his records and she asked him who would be responsible for his bill.

"I don't have any money," the old man told her.

"Do you have any family?"

"I have one sister who changed her religion and became a nun, so she's an old maid."

"I'll have you know that we're not old maids," the nurse protested. "We're married to Christ."

"In that case," the old man replied, "send the bill to my brother-in-law."

U.S. Dedicates New U.S. Embassy in Mbabane, Swaziland

In an important symbol of enduring friendship with Swaziland, Under Secretary for Management Patrick F. Kennedy, U.S. Ambassador Lisa Peterson, and Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) Principal Deputy Director William Moser, alongside local officials, dedicated the new U.S. Embassy in Swaziland on Saturday, June 25.

voltaic system, light-emitting diode (LED) site lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, on-site wastewater treatment, and drought-tolerant landscaping.

Karn Charuhas Chapman and Twohey of Washington, D.C., is the design architect.

Page Southerland Page of Washington, D.C., is the architect of record. B.L. The new $141 million campus is situated on Harbert International of Birmingham, Alabama, constructed the complex. an 8.9-acre site in the Ezulwini Valley.

Sustainable features to conserve resources and reduce operating costs include a photo-

July 2016

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Nigerian City Of Lagos Shuts 'noisy' Churches And Mosques

Authorities in Nigeria's Lagos State have shut 70 churches and 20 mosques in an attempt to reduce high noise levels.

About 10 hotels, pubs and club houses were also closed, officials said.

Some estimates put Lagos' population at around 20 million, creating a constant background of noise - from the blaring of car horns, to the Muslim call to prayer and loud singing in churches.

The state government has vowed to make the city, the biggest in Africa, noise-free by 2020.

Africa Live: More on this and other news stories In August, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LEPA) closed 22 premises after residents complained about noise emanating from them.

Following the latest crackdown, its general manager Bola Shabi said the agency would no longer allow people to pray in makeshift buildings and tents Mr Shabi said noise levels had been reduced by about 35%, but this was not a "pass mark yet".

"Enforcement is a continuous exercise and we have set a target for ourselves. We want to ensure that Lagos is noise-free by the year 2020," he said.

Mr Shabi said mosques complied with their instructions more than churches because when they are ordered to shut down, they "instantly bring down their speakers or reduce the noise they make''.

Nigerians are extremely religious, with a large number of evangelical churches operating in Lagos.

Christians form the majority in the city.

In 2014, 116 people died when a building owned by popular televangelist TB Joshua collapsed in Lagos.

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July 2016

36 Random Facts About . . .

Women

The word “woman” is believed to have derived from the Middle English term wyfman, broken down simply as the wife (wyf) of man. In Old English, women were described simply as wyf, while the term man was used to describe a human person, regardless of gender.

The English word “girl” was initially used to describe a young person of either sex. It was not until the beginning of the sixteenth century that the term was used specifically to describe a female child.c The biological sign for the female sex, a circle placed on top of a small cross, is also the symbol for the planet Venus. The symbol is believed to be a stylized representation of the Roman goddess Venus’ hand mirror.d While many stars and moons are christened with female names, Venus is the only planet in our solar system given the name of a female goddess.d female breasts Human women have proportionately larger breasts than any other female mammal The breasts of human women are much larger in proportion than those of other female mammals. The prominent size, while not necessary for milk production, is most likely a result of sexual selection.a The English language originally delineated between women in different stages of life with the terms “maiden,” “mother,” and “crone.” A maiden referred to a young girl who was unmarried, a mother referred to a woman in her childbearing years, and a crone described a post-menopausal woman.c The average height of a woman in the U.S. is approximately 5 feet 4 inches, and the average weight is about 163 pounds. These figures vary greatly throughout the world, due to differences in nutrition and prenatal care.a In almost every country worldwide, the life expectancy for women is higher than for men.g While the population of males is slightly greater than females worldwide (98.6 women for every 100 men), there are roughly four million more women than men in the U.S. In the age 85-and-older category, there are more than twice as many women as men currently living in the U.S.h The most common cause of death for American women is heart disease, which causes just over 27% of all mortalities in females. Cancer ranks just below, causing 22% of female deaths.a Worldwide, women are nearly twice as likely to be blind or visually impaired as men. Experts attribute this difference to the greater longevity of women (leading to more age-related visual impairment) and specific eye diseases that are intrinsically more common in women such as dry eye syndrome and Fuch’s Dystrophy.a Depression is the most common cause of disability in women, and approximately 25% of all women will experience severe depression at some point in their lives.a Over 90% of all cases of eating disorders occur in women, and nearly seven

million women in the U.S. currently suffer from anorexia nervosa or bulimia.a Approximately one in five women worldwide reports being sexually abused before the age of 15.a About 14 million adolescent girls become pregnant each year, with over 90% of those girls living in developing countries.a childbirth About 1,600 women die each day as result of pregnancy or childbirth complications Each day 1,600 women die as result of pregnancy or childbirth complications. Nearly 99% of these deaths occur in developing nations.a Approximately 95% of all women in the U.S. have been married at least once by the age of 55.h Of the 154.7 million women currently living in the U.S., nearly 83 million are mothers.h The probability of a woman giving birth to a baby girl instead of a baby boy increases significantly the nearer the mother lives to the equator. While the cause of this gender selection is unknown, scientists believe the constant sunlight hours and abundant food supply in tropical regions may favor female births.e Approximately 5.6 million women in the U.S. reported themselves as stay-at-home moms in a 2007 census report.h The first Mother’s Day was held on May 10, 1908, and was organized by Anna Jarvis in West Virginia and Philadelphia. As the event gained popularity throughout the country, Congress designated the second Sunday in May as a national day of recognition for mothers in 1914.b International Women’s Day is held each year on March 8. The annual event was first observed worldwide in 1909.h In the U.S., Congress established a national week of recognition for women’s history in 1981. This recognition, held during the second week of March, was later expanded into a full month by a congressional resolution in 1987. The month of March is now designated as National Women’s History Month.h female college graduation The first country to grant women the right to vote in the modern era was New Zealand in 1893 According to a 2007 Census Bureau report, one-third of American women aged 25 to 29 have earned a bachelor’s or advanced college degree.h More American women work in the education, health services, and social assistance industries than in any other industry. These three industries employ nearly onethird of all female workers.h Women in the U.S. labor force currently earn just over 77 cents for every one dollar men earn.h Approximately 14% of active members in the U.S. armed forces today are women. In 1950, women comprised less than 2% of the U.S. military.h The first woman to run for U.S. president was Victoria Woodhull, who campaigned for the office in 1872 under the National Woman’s Suffrage Association. While women would not be granted the right to vote by a constitutional amendment for nearly 50 years, there were no laws prohibiting a woman from running for the chief executive position.b The first female governor of a U.S. state was Wyoming governor Nellie Tayloe Ross, elected in 1924. Wyoming was also the first state to give women the right to vote, enacting women’s suffrage in 1869.b

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The first country to grant women the right to vote in the modern era was New Zealand in 1893.f The first woman to rule a country as an elected leader in the modern era was Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka, who was elected as prime minister of the island nation in 1960 and later re-elected in 1970.f Women currently hold 17% of Congressional and Senate seats and 18% of gubernatorial positions in the U.S.h According to an ancient Sumerian legend, the universe was created by a female, the goddess Tiamat.

This role of a female creator is not unique, as the Australian Aboriginal creation myth also credits the creation of life to a woman.d The earliest recorded female physician was Merit Ptah, a doctor in ancient Egypt who lived around 2700 B.C. Many historians believe she is the first woman recorded by name in the history of all of the sciences.d A person’s gender is biologically determined by the sex chromosomes, one set of a human’s 23 pairs of chromosomes. Women have two X chromosomes, while men have one X and one Y chromosome.a The world’s first novel, The Tale of Genji, was published in Japan around A.D. 1000 by female author Murasaki Shikibu.d -- Posted April 30, 2009 References

a Carlson, Karen J., Terra Ziporyn, and Stephanie Eisenstat. 2004. The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

b DuBois, Ellen Carol and Lynn Dumenil. 2005.

Through Women’s Eyes: An American History with Documents. Cranbury, NJ: Bedford/St. Martins.

c Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 20 vols. 1989.

Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. d Pomeroy, Sarah B. 1991. Women’s History and Ancient History. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press.

e Reilly, Michael. April 1, 2009. “More Girls Born in the Tropics.” Accessed April 13, 2009.

f Seager, Joni. 2003. The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World: Revised and Updated. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

g United Nations Statistics Division. 2006.

“Statistics and Indicators on Women and Men.” Accessed April 14, 2009.

h U.S. Census Bureau. 2009. “Women’s History Month: March 2009.” Accessed April 11, 2009.

http://facts.randomhistory.com/

African Films Given Spotlight in Dallas

July 2016

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during the recent epidemic in Western Africa.

Wide range of topics

There are more than 40 films in the African Film Festival program, most of which are narrative films concerning such things as domestic discord, women’s rights and the troubles of migrant workers. Most are from sub-Saharan Africa, but there is also a film from Egypt and films with connections to Spain, Australia and the United States.

Nigeria, the best represented nation in the festival with 12 films, is home to the socalled Nollywood film industry, the most prolific in Africa. Its narrative films cover a broad spectrum of life in that country, from a man’s obsession with a film star, to the plight of a young woman trapped in a marriage that shatters her dreams of becoming a doctor.

Cameroon is also well represented, with nine films being screened. One film, “Ben and Ara,” tells the story of an agnostic graduate student who falls in love with a woman who is a devout Muslim. Another, “People at Sea,” tells the story of a coastal community moved by the government to an urban center and their struggle to adapt.

Ethiopia’s four films includes “Two Zions,” which is about the country’s connection with Judaism.

To the beat of African drums, a few dozen people gathered at Dallas City Hall Friday to officially kick off the three-day African Film Festival. The event showcases films made by Africans, as well as a few made by non-Africans about issues important to different regions of the continent.

City officials hailed the new festival as an expression of the increasing ethnic and cultural diversity in Texas’ second-largest city.

Regina Hill Onyeibe, the Africa Liaison for the City of Dallas praised the film festival’s organizer and founder, filmmaker Kelechi Eke, not only for bringing this event to Dallas, but for providing an audience for Africans making movies.

She said he had created “a portal in which other Africans can follow their dreams of telling their stories.”

A true picture of Africa

In a VOA interview, Eke, an immigrant from Nigeria with connections to his nation’s film industry, said his idea was to encourage African filmmakers and to present a true picture of Africa

and Africans to counter the distorted image often created in mainstream commercial films.

“We wanted to incorporate our culture and our films and share it with the rest of the world and why not Dallas?” he said.

Eke said other Africa film festivals in the United States tended to either showcase Hollywood films about Africa or films made by African Americans.

This festival, he said, is centered on Africa, with films that tell deeply rooted cultural stories, as well as spotlighting problems facing many parts of the continent.

An example of the latter is a documentary from Nigeria called “Nowhere to Run,” which shows the shocking effects of environmental damage and global warming on Nigeria. With stunning cinematography, the film shows the destruction of coastal mangroves caused by chemical leaks from oil and gas production, the flooding of some coastal communities caused by rising sea levels, and the decreased size of Lake Chad caused largely by overuse of its water for agriculture.

Another documentary, from Sierra Leone, called “Killa Dizeez,” recounts the toll taken by Ebola

Other African nations represented in the festival include Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau, South Africa, Ghana, Gambia, Uganda and Burkina Faso.

Attracts locals and non-locals

The African Film Festival has drawn support from many of the Africans who live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of north Texas, which is home to a large share of the 134,000 immigrants from Africa in the Lone Star state, as well as an even larger group of people born in the United States who have at least one African parent.

Non-African residents have also shown interest. BJ Jackson came to the first night of screenings with a friend.

“I think it is really great,” she said. “We have not seen anything like this before, so it was kind of educational for us and we have enjoyed it.”

Historic theater

Most of the screenings are at the historic Texas Theater, best known for having been the place where police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald after he assassinated President John F Kennedy and killed a police officer on November 22, 1963.

Over the years since, the neighborhood has gone through changes, but the theater has remained, with its classic exterior preserved thanks to wealthy contributors who wanted it to remain open as a venue for cultural events like the African Film Festival. http://citizentv.co.ke

By VOA, Citizen Digital

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THE HOME BUYING PROCESS

also federal guidelines that are considered in the loan lending process. Some lenders who finance home buying loans could consider minimum/lowest 580 score or 620 credit score. Of course, the higher the credit score the better, but if you have a 580 credit score, you cannot count yourself out, there is still hope for you to pursue home ownership.

It is with great excitement to have the privilege and opportunity to ink this article to you. Today, we will discuss “The Home Buying Process”. This is an important topic to discuss because, over the years as a realtor, I have had many clients expressed that, if they knew what they know now, they would have made the decision to buy a home sooner. They wish they had acquired information about the home buying process sooner; as it is one of the greatest investment ever acquired. Therefore, to you my reader thinking about pursuing home ownership venture but have no idea what steps to take, I dedicated this piece to you. What are the necessary steps required to buy a house?

Step 1: Make sure you are credit worthy. What does it mean to be credit worthy? It means that you have established a good credit with the financial institutions such as the banks, credit unions, private lenders etc… It does not matter how much money you have sitting in your account, if you do not have an established credit, it will be difficult or close to impossible to make big purchase such as buying a house or even a car. You need credit.

How do you begin to establish a credit, if you do not have any? I recommend you get in touch with the bank(s) you bank with. I also recommend that you begin by obtaining a credit card with a small loan amount; or you can even inquire at any department store such as Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club or BJ’s , furniture stores, etc.…. Although, departmental store credit cards typically carries higher interest rate, the trick is use the credit card to make small purchases, such as buying gas, groceries etc and pay it off immediately. As you do that, you will build credit over time.

Step 2: Regularly check your credit to see what is taking place on your credit. How do you do that? Every US consumer with Social Security Number has the capability to check your credit status using annualcreditreport.com. This website allow you to check your credit report FREE once a year. Although, the free report does not give you a credit score, you can purchase your credit score at a fraction-$10 or so. it is important to check what items are listed on your credit report. Any delinquency reported by creditors on your credit report could have an adverse impact on your credit score or your ability to obtain a loan.

Step 3: How do I know I have a good credit? You will know you have a good credit based on your own purchasing power or by your consistency of paying off credit card bills, medical bills etc …or periodically checking your credit report.

What is considered a good credit score and qualify to buy a home? A good credit score is sometimes determined by the lender in house qualification guidelines; although there are

Step 4: Now that you know that you have an established credit. The next step is to contact your local bank or credit union to apply and qualify for a loan.

The bank would need some documents from you in order to approve you. Some of the information the bank would ask for are: • Borrower information: Include the name, address, phone number, date of birth and Social Security Number for all borrowers (for instance, you and your spouse). If you’ve been at your current address for less than two years, you may need to provide former addresses for the past seven years.

• Employment information: Provide a history of where you’ve worked and for how long. If you haven’t been at your current job for at least two years, you’ll need to provide information on all employment for the past two years.

• Monthly income and combined housing expense information: List your monthly gross income (how much you make before taxes or deductions) and monthly expenses.

• Assets and liabilities: Include how much you have in bank accounts, savings, retirement accounts and investment accounts, as well as the value of vehicles, homes and other property for assets. For liabilities, itemize all of your current bills, loans and other debts, including current balances and monthly payments. Debts include automobile loans, credit cards, student loans and existing mortgages, including home equity loans. ***Please note that the debts you are being asked to list on the application is also going to be reflected on your credit report when the bank pull your credit report. Be as accurate as possible*** Once you have been pre-approved by the bank/credit union for the loan amount you are looking for, is time for you to contact a local realtor such as myself. I will guide you and help you find a property or your desired home that you are looking for.

I hope this article has provided a wealth of information for you to move from debating the idea of buying a home; into finally making the transition to buy.

For more real estate information contact me at 571229-6694 or email me at borderlessrealestate@gmail.com or visit my website at www.borderlessrealestate.com Anita Bediako, Realtor Samson Properties Direct: 571-229-6694 Email: borderlessrealestate@gmail.com Website: www.borderlessrealestate.com

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Modern AfricanAmerican Inventors

Dr. Philip Emeagwali

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Research Scientist Saint Paul, Minnesota Who developed the fastest computer on earth? Dr. Philip Emeagwali, an interdisciplinary computer scientist/inventor, used 65,000 processors to perform the world's fastest computation of 3.1 billion calculations per second. His design was inspired by the complex geometries of nature. From geometrical theories, Emeagwali proved that bees use the most efficient method to construct their honeycombs, so a computer which emulated the honeycomb will be efficient and powerful. Emeagwali's computers are currently being used to forecast the weather and predict future global warming.

Source: http://emeagwali.com/

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July 2016

Space Donated by Mr. and Mrs. Eric Oppong -571-303-8316

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Dentaa Opens Up On MBE Status And Her African Dream Afrikan

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July 2016

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relations in the UK, through my organization – GUBA Enterprise. This appointment will increase our exposure to the African community in the UK, making our efforts to unite and empower our communities more possible. Our connection to notable UK dignitaries will aid in our aim to improve trade relations between Africa and the UK.

TAD: How does it extend to your very immediate family?

DA: My family are extremely supportive and I am always grateful for them. They have been a rock for me all these years so this is as much an award for them as it is for me.

TAD: Talk about how your organization GUBA, what is it and how did it come into being?

DA: The Ghana UK Based Achievement (GUBA) Awards is a non-profit organization that focuses on enriching local communities and ensures that it encourages the youth to work and positively impact their communities. I started this organization in 2010 because I felt that there was a need to acknowledge achievers within our community.

CEO Dentaa giving her speech at the GUBA 2015 Awards Dentaa Amoateng is a Ghanaian TV personality based in the United Kingdom (UK) who in June 2016 was awarded Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of England.

The MBE accolade was bestowed on Dentaa for her contribution to improving UK and African relations in the UK, through her work as CEO of her organization – Ghana UK Based Achievement (GUBA) Enterprise. The first GUBA Awards ceremony took place in London, England, in October 2010.

The GUBA Awards is the first ceremony of its kind to specifically recognize Ghanaian achievement and the only awards to be endorsed by the Ghana High Commission in the UK. In our quest to find out more about Dentaa, her GUBA Foundation and recent MBE status, Oral Ofori of TheAfricanDream.net reached out to her in the UK for a chat, details of which we gladly share with you below: TheAfricanDream.net (TAD): Dentaa how did you find out that you have been made an MBE?

Since its inception in 2010, GUBA has grown to accommodate various strands and now known as GUBA Enterprise – an umbrella organization which holds the GUBA Expo, GUBA Foundation and the GUBA Careers Fair. Under the enterprise, the GUBA Expo was held in May 2016 to equip small and medium African businesses with much needed information and expertise on how to grow and market their businesses internationally.

The GUBA Foundation is the charitable branch of GUBA, set up to tackle the prevalent health issues within the African community in the UK. For the last two years, the aim has been to find ways to help autistic families, and to reduce the stigma attached to autism in the African community. The lack of knowledge regarding autism in the African community is a reason why an initiative such as the GUBA Foundation is vital. The current project is on infant mortality; reducing the number of deaths of babies under the age of one in Africa. The GUBA Careers Fair is also scheduled to take place in October 2016 to open the African careers market to interested job seekers in the UK. TAD: How do you intend to use your status as an MBE to advance good causes and could you briefly talk about some of such causes if you don’t mind?

DA: Our aim from inception has been to advance the African community in the UK, so that will be continDentaa Amoateng (DA): I received an email informing me of this ued earnestly. Currently, under the GUBA appointment and I am still in shock till this very moment. This is an Foundation we are raising funds to end infant mortalincredible honor and I am humbled and grateful. ity in Africa. With my current status, I hope to appeal to a larger audience, those of great influence that can TAD: What are some of the privileges it accords you that you wouldn’t effect change, to get a national dialogue going on the mind talking about? issue. This will get us closer to finding a suitable international solution.

DA: MBE stands for the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and it was awarded for my contribution to improving UK and African We will continue effecting positive change within the

Dentaa doing her Charity work at an Autism School

UK and Africa and hope that the MBE brings more exposure into underrepresented issues.

TAD: You are an African with Ghanaian roots, talk a little bit about what the African dream is for you?

The African dream to me is for Africa to be fully selfsufficient and a continent where women are recognized as equal to men and have risen to positions of influence in all areas of life.

A continent that demonstrates strength in its diversity, where differences are respected and fuel education, collaboration, and innovation rather than conflict, distrust, and animosity.

My dream is to stop the normalization of corruption for law and order respected to be respected. Citizens with an embedded moral compass protected. This is my dream for Africa for the next decade.

Find out more about Dentaa and GUBA at www.gubaawards.co.uk

Source: TheAfricanDream.net / Oral Ofori. Images by Ernest Simmons Photography and GUBA

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July 2016

20th Anniversary Celebration of The Church of the Living God -Northern Virginia

Rev. Gyimah and the Entire Leadership commending the Founder of the Ministry

Min. Daniel Gyermeh with Members of Ghanaian Ministers Fellowship

Rev. Dr. Wilson Awasu-Main Speaker

Rev. Agyapong Mensah Ministering

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Rev, Dr. Stephen Gyemeh-Founder and Rev. K.O Gyimah-Pastor of The Virginia Branch

CLG Choir in Ministration

Song Ministration By Helena Rhabbles, Carol Brady Williams and Sussana Adu Twum-Barima

Yaw Osei Owusu

The Church of the Living God, Maryland Choir and Ebenezer Presbyterian Church Choir

Afrikan

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20th Anniversary Celebration of The Church of the Living God -Northern Virginia

Rev. & Mrs. Gyermeh, Rev. & Mrs. Gyimah and some Church Leaders

The Richmond Branch of the Church of the Living God

July 2016

The Anniversary Planning Committee

CLG-NOVA Choir

CLG Children’s Choir

The Church of the Living God (Northern Virginia) Sanctuary

Members Having Fun at the Anniversay Picnic

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