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Vol 8 Issue 5

African Community News

Ghanaian Crowned First 'Miss Africa Continent'

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Ghanaian crowned first 'Miss Africa Continent'

From the Editor

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making.

"This is about Africa, we are selling Africa to the world, and we are proud to be Africa".

"The way everything was done was African, we didn't emulate anything from Miss Universe, or Miss World," he said.

George Bright-Abu Publisher and Editor

Asamoah, who wore braids, entered the stage in a traditional Ghanaian Ashanti gold-coloured beaded crown and then returned in a evening dress made from the country's trademark kente cloth.

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She walked away with a grant to study business management at Monash university in Johannesburg.

D E PA R T M E N T S Vol 8 Issue 5

Runner up in the 2015 Miss Ghana competition, Asamoah said she wanted to see young people help uplift the continent.

"There are a lot of things to be fixed in Africa -water, education, environmental issues," she told AFP.

CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

MPASS old Students Re-Unite Pg. 24

Partners With Whitman Academy To Provide Student Workshops West African Community Collaborative (WACC)

Pg. 14

Groupe Nduom Acquires ISF Bank, in Chicago Pg. 23

Embrace the Fire Pg. 10

The Holy Land Experience Pg. 29 UPDATE

The World’s LongestServing President Just Won A Sixth Term With 99% Of The Vote Pg. 8

Miss Ghana, Rebecca Asamoah, is crowned the first ever Miss Africa Continent in Johannesburg, South Africa on April 30, 2016 Miss Ghana, Rebecca Asamoah, is crowned the first ever Miss Africa Continent in Johannesburg, South Africa on April 30, 2016 (AFP Photo/John Wessels)

Johannesburg (AFP) - Barefoot, wearing traditional costumes including animal hide skirts and elaborately beaded headdresses, the contestants strutted the stage before Ghanaian Rebecca Asamoah was crowned the first 'Miss Africa Continent'.

The 24-year-old dental hygienist beat 11 finalists drawn from an original list of 40 contestants from across the continent in the inaugural pageant at Johannesburg's Gold Reef City casino on Saturday night.

Runner-up was Michelo Malambo of Zambia, while South Africa's Jemimah Kandimiri was placed third.

The swimsuit contest was also a departure from the beauty contest norm, with contestants wearing black t-shirts and tight shorts while dancing barefoot to music such as "Africa" by Mali's legendary afro-pop musician Salif Keita.

The pageant is the brain child of South African film producer Neo Mashishi, who says it aims to empower young African women.

"This is the first ever Miss Africa Continent," said Mashishi, adding that it had been five years in the

"My main concern is the empowerment of youths... so we can work hand in hand and put our continent in the best place it should be."

In the weeks running up to the event, the 12 finalists embarked on a series of pre-pageant activities, including showing off their culinary skills in cooking traditional meals from their native countries.

Ultimately, the organisers hope to involve the continental body, the African Union, "so our winner can play a role in uplifting Africa"and spearhead campaigns to fight Africa's woes such as malaria, poverty and xenophobia.

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Afrikan Post

First Nigerian Toyota Vehicle Unveiled in Lagos!

Toyota Nigeria has achieved a breakthrough in Nigeria by unveiling of its first locally-assembled vehicle in Lagos, a Hiace bus.

Toyota Nigeria last year hinted of its plan to establish a vehicle assembly plant in the country to join Nissan, Ford, Kia, Peugeot and a host of other auto firms already assembling vehicles locally.

The Managing Director, Toyota Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Ade-Ojo, said the new Hiace was assembled in the company’s plant in Lagos, built with 30,000-unit production capacity every year.

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UNILAG Students Build Electric Car & Say in 10-Years Their Brand Will Be On The Nigerian Roads

The Hiace, he said, was assembled as a test case, adding that the organization would soon begin its mass production.

This is coming about two and a half years after the announcement of the Automotive Industry Development Plan by the Federal Government, which raised the import duty on cars from 22 per cent to 70 per cent in order to discourage vehicle importation. http://www.sundayadelajablog.com/

The World's First Armless Pilot

A group of Mechanical Engineering students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has unveiled a zero-emission automobile built to reduce global warming. KAWTHAR BABATUNDE (300-Level Petroleum Engineering) reports.

The project was conceived in 2014 and the aim was to build an automobile that will not be powered by fuel. Months after they started the project, the engineers came out with a design of the car.

The eco-friendly automobile was unveiled last Wednesday at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The engineering students, who designed the zero-emission vehicle, named it DOVE P1 at an exhibition organised by Designed for Zero Vehicle Emission (DOVE) Initiative at the Julius Berger Hall.The 200 kilogramme automobile is powered by a high voltage battery and has no carbon emission. It has only a driver’s seat and a speed limit of 15 kilometres per hour. It is fitted with a tabular frame chassis and a 16-inch diameter tires.

The project was initiated by Olusanya Olukoya, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering of the university, who said the car was built with locally-sourced materials.

Olusanya told CAMPUSLIFE that the car was designed out of their desire to encourage eco-friendly inventions. He praised the school management for supporting the project and their passion for practising what they were taught in the class.

He said: ‘The project DOVE Initiative is a design and innovation group established to encourage innovativeness of the youth to design and create vehicles of the future in Nigeria. We want to create pure, clean, eco-friendly and energy efficient automobiles. This informed our idea to build an electric car as against the conventional fuel-powered cars.”

Jessica Cox was born without arms. But the 33-year-old from the American state of Arizona has never let that stand in the way of fulfilling her dreams. Her latest achievement is to become the world's first licensed pilot with no arms - a feat which has gained her a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Matthew Bannister first asked Jessica if she knows what caused her to be born without arms.

(Picture: Jessica Cox in the cockpit. Credit: JCMS)

He said electric vehicles would be become a new trend in the future, noting that the world was running out of fossil fuels. Electric cars, Olusanya said, has an advantage over the conventional vehicle, because it reduces carbon emission into the atmosphere.

During the presentation of the techniques behind the design, Peace Omoruyi, a 500-Level Mechanical Engineering student and leader of the project team, said they had already started the design of DOVE P2, which would be an improvement on the DOVE P1.

According to him, the new automobile would have an ergonometric design, accident prevention system, fingerprint port and anti-theft technology.

The exhibition was attended by guests from the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Corporation, Mr. F.A. Akandu.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rahmon Bello, represented by the Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Prof A.O. Fakinlade, hailed the students, expressing hope that the project would place the nation on the global map.

For A Stronger Godly Marriage, See 5 Ways To Be A Constant Blessing To Your Spouse!

May 2016 Page 6

Marriages can seem like a lot of work. A strong marriage calls for sacrifices to be made, mistakes to forgive and decisions to trust. It was once said that marriage is the hardest union because man and woman are expected to entrust the most fragile object- the heart- to an imperfect and reckless person.

The danger of destroyed marriage is a real one. Divorce, separation and heartbreak are as real as the sun and moon.

However, God promises in His word that if centered on His grace and ability to sustain a marriage, our relationships with our spouses will be invincible (Matthew 19:5).

In our imperfectness, God has invited us to participate in the work of building a strong and God honouring marriage.

How can we bless our spouses? Here are five ways we can do so.

1. Serve Mark 10: 43-44 reminds us, “…But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” Husbands are called to love their wives just as Christ loves the church, and wives are called to submit to their husbands as well.

2. Forgive Joey Bonifacio says in his book, “The One Lesson That Changed My Marriage,” he shares that forgiveness is the reset button that restores a person’s relationships, and this includes marriages. Husbands and wives will never be perfect ever, and God is calling us to grow marriages through constantly releasing forgiveness to each other.

3. Pray The context of the kind of prayer in Matthew 18:20 that states “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” is a prayer in the context of growing and mending relationships. Just like anything, relationships grow best when they are soaked in prayer. It’s a wonderful thing to come together as a couple, and even as a family, to pray for each other.

4. Trust Love cannot exist where trust is absent. If we had to base marriages on the ability the opposite party faithfully follows the conditions of agreement, then no marriage would ever work. But thanks be to God, that we can rely on His grace to mend all hurts and then enable us to stay faithful to each other’s word. If you can’t trust your spouse’s or your own ability, then trust in God’s ability.

5. Respect Your spouse is a wonderful person, one that God has gifted and called for a greater calling. Husbands and wives should partner with each other by respecting each other’s callings and gifts and by being each other’s number one cheerleader.

How else can you be a blessing to your spouses? Are you maximising your relationship with each other under the wings of a graceful God?

By Patrick Mabilog

May 2016

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Nneoma Nwankwo named Virginia Tech's Undergraduate Student of the Year

Nwankwo has held many leadership positions across campus. She served as the fundraising chair for the African Students Association and raised money for a local charity in Ethiopia. Fluent in English and Igbo and conversationally proficient in French, Yoruba, and Swahili, Nwankwo is a coach at the Virginia Tech Writing Center and was international columnist for the Collegiate Times student-run newspaper. She earned an honorable mention in the 2015 Steger Poetry Prize competition. She was recipient of the Overton R. Johnson Scholarship and the Accenture Scholarship.

“I’ve had a ton of impactful experiences at Virginia Tech, but I think the relationships I have had with professors, particularly in the English, urban planning and political science departments, have been incredibly meaningful to me,” said Nwankwo.

Nwankwo has accepted a full-time position at Citibank in New York City. She will continue to conduct research on MHM.

The Undergraduate Student of the Year award recipient is selected by a committee of students, faculty, and administrators from across the academic colleges and the Division of Student Affairs. The division sponsors and administers the annual award, now in its 64th year.

Nneoma Nwankwo of Lagos, Nigeria, who will graduate in May with a degree in political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, is Virginia Tech Undergraduate Student of the Year.

Nwankwo is minoring in public and urban affairs and creative writing. She has maintained a 3.9 grade-point average while engaging in domestic and international service and research on issues facing girls and women in developing nations.

“At Virginia Tech, I have been challenged to live in service to others,” Nwankwo said. “I have learned how to lead boldly as I pursue my global development interests. Ultimately, I have discovered that Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) is an active verb, and when I serve those around me, I create a meaningful life for myself.”

The Virginia Tech Undergraduate Student of the Year award recognizes a graduating student who has achieved overall excellence during his or her undergraduate career at the university. The recognition is the most prestigious non-academic undergraduate award given at Virginia Tech and is awarded to a student who has exceptional and balanced achievement in academics, leadership, and service. The recipient exemplifies the qualities and values important to a Virginia Tech education, captured in the university motto, Ut Prosim.

In fall 2013, Nwankwo undertook an independent study supervised by Ralph Hall, assistant professor of Urban Affairs and Planning, School of Public and International Affairs in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. She studied the negative effects of poor menstrual hygiene management (MHM) on the education and socio-economic empowerment of girls in underserved areas of subSaharan Africa.

“Nneoma’s ability to lead her own research in Nigeria and develop and deliver workshops on

MHM and adolescent sexuality provide some insight into her unique set of skills and capabilities,” said Hall. “I believe Nneoma’s focus on MHM in schools is one of the most important issues facing young women in developing countries. Her future research and engagement in this area is likely to be transformative for her and for those she is able to touch.”

In 2014, Nwankwo was awarded the Austin Michelle Cloyd Fellowship for Social Justice for her proposal to pursue service-oriented MHM research in West Africa. Nwankwo said, “For me, it was necessary for women’s voices to be heard; thus, in Nigeria, I conducted focus groups and workshops with young women. In the Republic of Niger, I participated in the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council and United Nations Women menstrual hygiene trainings, which were aimed at lobbying national policymakers to establish MHM as a top priority in water and sanitation legislation.

Through these unique experiences, I found passion in working in the service of others.”

Last fall, Nwankwo presented her research findings at the Women and Gender Discussion Series organized by Virginia Tech’s Office of International Research, Education, and Development. Her research has been published

by Virginia Tech’s Innovation for Agricultural Training and Education, and she is a guest-lecturer on MHM in postgraduate classes in Virginia Tech’s programs in urban affairs and planning and women's and gender studies.

“Through these avenues,” she said, “I raise awareness about MHM on campus, contribute to research geared toward creating solutions in the field, and motivate students and faculty to work toward the improvement of women’s rights worldwide.”

Written by Hayley Childress of Virginia Beach, Virginia, a senior majoring in public relations in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

Contact: Bill Foy

The World’s Longest-Serving President Just Won A Sixth Term With 99% Of The Vote May 2016

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Teodoro Obiang Nguema has never received less than 97 percent of the vote in an election. On Monday, with partial results indicating that 99.2 percent of the vote has gone in his favor, Equatorial Guinea's leader was surely all set for another seven years in a seat that has no doubt molded to his figure.

One-sixth of African countries have an executive who has been in power for more than 20 years — that's nine out of 54. Obiang, who took power nearly 37 years ago in a bloody coup, is in the company of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe (who turned 92 in February), Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea and King Mswati III of Swaziland. But Obiang is most similar to — and most closely followed in terms of the number of years in office by — José Eduardo dos Santos of Angola.

Dos Santos and Obiang preside over Africa's No. 2 and 3 crude-oil producers, respectively, and are accused of embezzling much of the resulting wealth, while not distributing it fairly, if at all, to their citizens. Equatorial Guinea, once a Spanish colony, has the biggest gap of any country worldwide between its per-capita wealth and its human development index — a sure sign that there are a few outliers skewing the per-capita figure way upward.

Obiang triumphed over six other candidates, winning all but 326 of the 40,926 votes counted, according to a government-run website.

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“I am the candidate of the people. Whoever does not vote for me is rejecting peace and opting for disorder,” Obiang said at a rally in the capital, Malabo, according to Bloomberg News. “Many say that they are tired of seeing me, it’s been 36 years already. True, but I’ve dedicated my life to this country,” he said.

Obiang is accused of diverting tax money into his personal accounts, and internal reports from the U.S. Justice Department accessed by the New York Times allege that "most if not all" of his wealth was gained through corruption relating to his country's oil and gas industry. Perhaps not so incidentally, big American gas companies such as ExxonMobil, Hess and Marathon are the biggest buyers of Equatoguinean gas, and Obiang travels unimpeded to the United States on a regular basis.

In 2011, U.S. authorities successfully filed papers against his son -- who is also his vice president -- to seize a $30 million home of his in Malibu, Calif., a Gulfstream jet, a Ferrari, and dozens of pieces of Michael Jackson memorabilia worth more than $2 million, all bought with funds funneled through offshore bank accounts.

Source:/www.washingtonpost.com

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Embrace the Fire

Dr. Miriam C. Gyimah

Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me; Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me; Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me; Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me.

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance” (Acts 2: 1-5).

Here, we see that the first revealing of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, whom Jesus promised to the disciples, was in the form of a “violent rushing wind” and fire. This was fire that rested on each one of the one hundred and twenty believers of Christ and overtook them as only fire could. But not only did the fire rest on them, but also it overcame them by miraculously altering their collective tongues, their major communicating and witnessing tool, changing their language, where these largely Hebrew speaking people suddenly began to speak in other languages that they themselves did not understand.

The Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of God, is generally represented in three forms: water, wind and fire. But here, in the Spirit’s introduction to the new saints, fire positioned itself as the transforming symbol. Fire is such a complex element. It is at once a representation of good but then also of evil.

Fire cleanses, it purifies, but it also burns, singes, causing severe and excruciating pain and anguish.

Fire can renew, help give birth, yet it can also cause death. While fire has these contradicting purposes, for God, His intention of this element in regards to His loved ones is for us to be purified, refined, and transformed. These can only happen when we embrace the fire.

When God wants us to embrace the fire, He certainly is not talking of the fire represented in hell’s flame, the eternal death of hell. Far from it. God wants His loved ones as far away as possible from that damning inferno. However, when He wants us to embrace the fire, he speaks of two things, empowerment and renewal, these result from one great phenomenon, His Holy Spirit. Note that above, I said that the Holy Spirit as fire overcame as well as altered the people’s language.

The Spirit as fire comes to do two things within a child of God. He comes to burn out every bit of sin, which in a sense is a spiritual infection acquired from the works of evil. Acting as a purifying flame, the Holy Spirit has to sanctify the individual before it can subsequently abide in him as a new Christian, a born again. Additionally, as fire, the Holy Spirit at times positions the Christian in tests for maturity.

As such, The Lord uses the Spirit as fire to cause the individual to go through turmoil and hardships.

These difficulties are designed to set our world on fire where we can fight through it and emerge as more mature individuals. We endure the flaming fire so that our weaknesses, shortcomings, our impurities are cleansed from us so that we are gradually transformed just as gold is processed and refined by fire.

So while it is indeed trying and even painful, let us determine to embrace the fire and not withdraw and/or resist the work God wants to do in us and with us. Let’s not say “why am I going through this when I am working hard for God?” Let’s not bemoan that we are being tripped here and there when we are being faithful and advocating His word. Let’s not be overcome with distress and like Naomi cry that God has not dealt well with us (Ruth 1: 20-21). Let us rather pause for a moment and see things with our spiritual eyes. Let us correctly infer that our challenges have a purpose and that God is actively working something out. Let us see that God’s designs for us are resultantly beneficial for us. His intention is to strengthen our faith and embolden us. His desire is ultimately to raise us to become greater than we could imagine, and it would do us good to remember that. The truth is that trials surely will come, but how will we conduct ourselves? What will we stand for? Will we run from them, curse God as a result of them, or behave in ways which would rather illustrate that we care more about ourselves than our God? Will we lose our religion or will we embrace the fire?

Shall we recall the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? Shall we recall how they were threatened with actual fire, as in burning alive in a great furnace simply because they would not bow down to the golden image Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian emperor, had created? What exactly did they face? They faced opposing a great supper power of the world. They faced national and possibly international humiliation. They faced losing their lives in a treacherous and most excruciating way by being burned alive. They could have convinced themselves that, “hey, after all, even if we bow with our knees, our hearts are still with God. It’s okay if we bow down to the image and feign worshipping it as long as it will preserve our lives where we could continue worshiping God and even do great things in the future for Christendom.” Yes, they could have rationalized. They could have found a way to preserve their lives. However, what were they determined to do? What had they resolved as believers and worshippers of the Most High God?

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Daniel 3:13-15 tells us, “Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So they brought these men before the king.

Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?"

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." (Daniel 3: 16-18) Just as Nebuchadnezzar had threatened, he ordered that they be thrown into the fiery furnace, but their faith and willingness to die for their belief in the Lord saved them. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared in the furnace as witnessed and testified by their own enemies!

The Bible tells us, “then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."

"Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." (Daniel 3: 24-25) When an ungodly wicked and powerful individual attests to the truth of your God, the very God that he defies, then you have no doubt that when you follow the path of God, trust Him and don’t love yourself more than Him, He will surely bring you out of the fire and you will be vindicated, while your enemies are confounded.

There is a song that goes, “Jesus is a wonderful savior; He will carry you through;…He will carry you through until the battle is done and the victory is won my father will carry you through; o my precious brother, when the world’s on fire, you’ll need Jesus to be your savior. He will hide you ever in the Rock of Ages, in the Rock of Ages, He will cleft for you.

It is true that The Rock of Ages will always cleft for you just as He did for the three Hebrew boys, Daniel, David, Moses, Abraham, Deborah, Naomi, Ruth and many, many more. When your beliefs in God are challenged, when your actions according to His word are criticized and attacked, when your life takes a turn towards frustration, bitterness and overwhelming challenges simply because you are a Christian working in His kingdom, take a moment and see it for what it is. Your world is on fire, but don’t abandon your faith and position in God and His word. Embrace the fire and know that your God will bring you through. Embrace the fire and know that the experience of it will strengthen you and refine you.

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Obama Recognises And Commends 19-year-old Nigerian Neurobiology Harvard Finalist!

The Nigerian Doctor Who “Makes Drones For The US Army”!

January 2016

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The Doctor who is from Benin, Edo state builds drones for the U.S. Army. These drones are used for surveillance, to gather important intelligence as well as take out terrorist camps and strongholds. According to reports, very few people know him due to his quiet lifestyle.

http://www.sundayadelajablog.com/

Nigerian genius, Saheela Ibraheem, 19, made history when she was honoured with an official reception in the White House by the US President, Barack Obama and the First Lady, Michelle.

Saheela Ibraheem got into the Ivy League Harvard at the age of 15, where she is currently studying neurobiology — a branch of science that studies the brain — and has been listed among the “World’s 50 Smartest Teenagers.” She was also accepted for admission by 13 other top colleges in the United States, including the MIT, Princeton, Columbia, and six Ivy League institutions, choosing Harvard, she became one of the youngest students to ever attend the university. She will be graduating in May this year.

Speaking after an introductory speech by Ibraheem at the White House, President Obama stated that “there are a lot of teenagers in the world. Saheela is like one of the 50 smartest ones. That’s pretty smart. And she’s a wonderful young lady. She’s like the State Department and the National Institute of Health all rolled into one. And we are so proud of your accomplishments and all that lies ahead of you. And you reflect our history. Young people like you inspire our future.”

Ibraheem, who skipped two grades in school, said the key to success is figuring out what you love to learn as early as possible, which she did at the young age of five.

Drones have been used to save countless lives and has become an integral part of America’s Army.

Nigeria needs this kinds of brains in the country especially in her fight against terrorism. If Nigeria will get to the “If you are passionate about what you do, and I am passionate great heights that it is capable of, great minds like Dr about most of these things, especially with math and science, it Osato’s in the diaspora need to be brought back home and will work out well,” she told CBS 2s Cindy Hsu. In addition, Ibraheem speaks four languages that include Arabic, Spanish and given the freedom to build and develop new technology.

Latin.

Her mother, Shakirat Ibraheem, said her daughter has been way ahead of the academic game since kindergarten — never cutting corners and trying to do everything on her own. “She’s like always independent,” she said. “I never get to help with her homework because she’d say ‘it’s my work mommy, not yours.’”

Ibraheem’s recognition and reception was part of the “Black History Month” celebration in the US, which comes up in February. The “Black History Month”, takes root from the activities of the “Association for the Study of African American Life and History.” Every year, Americans set aside the month of February to celebrate the central role that African-Americans have played in every aspect of American life especially the march for freedom and equality, jobs and justice, the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and some profound contributions African-Americans make in the American culture.

Present at the evening event were members of the US Congress, including Leader Nancy Pelosi, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus.According to reports from a Nigerian activist based in the US -Amb Osagie, this Nigerian man identified as Dr. Osato is living and making great impact in the U.S.

Dr Osato with his team http://africanleadership.co.uk/blog/?p=6869

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January 2016

9 of The World’s 11 Black Billionaires Are Africans

Of the 1,826 people who made it to the 2015 Forbes list of the world’s billionaires, 11 are black, and nine are African by birth or by where they made their fortunes.

3. Mike Adenuga, $4 billion Nigerian, Oil

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6. Patrice Motsepe, $2.1 billion – South African, Mining

That’s an increase from nine black billionaires a year ago, Forbes reports.

Three of the 11 black Forbes List billionaires are women, and two of the three women are African. The third is a U.S. citizen with heavy interests in South Africa.

This year, two new billionaires joined the ranks of the richest black people on Earth — one U.S. citizen and one Nigerian.

Maker of many fortunes, Adenuga made his first fortune selling Coca-Cola and lace after returning Nigeria is the clear standout when it comes to billionaires. Almost from studying in the U.S. He made friends with Nigerian military leaders and landed government half the wealthiest blacks on the planet are Nigerian. contracts. His mobile telecommunications company, Globacom, is the Nigeria’s second largest after Check out our list. Of the world’s 11 black billionaires, 9 are South Africa’s MTN. He owns Conoil, one of African.

Nigeria’s largest indigenous oil exploration compa1. Aliko Dangote, $15.7 billion Nigerian, Sugar, nies.

Cement, Flour

4. Isabel Dos Santos, $3.3 billion – Angolan, Investments

South Africa’s first black billionaire, Patrice Motsepe founded African Rainbow Minerals, a publicly traded firm that mines and processes gold, platinum, coal, iron, manganese, chrome, copper and nickel.

Motsepe is also president and owner of the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club, and owns a stake in Sanlam, a listed financial services firm.

His entrepreneurial spirit emerged as a child when he would wake early to sell alcohol to mine workers at his father’s shop, according to BlackEntrepreneur. “I must have been about 8 when my dad said one day, ‘We make so much money when you’re behind the counter you should take over the business when you grow up.’” He clearly over reached.

8. Mo Ibrahim, $1.1 billion – Sudanese/British, Mobile Telecoms, Investments

The oldest daughter of Angola’s president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, she’s the world’s richest black woman. Her connections to power helped her accuStill the richest black person in the world, Dangote has lost mulate stakes in blue-chip Angolan companies, close to $10 billion since March 2014. Devaluation of the naira according to Forbes. In Portugal she also owns nearand falling stock prices hurt his four publicly-listed companies, ly 7 percent of oil and gas firm Galp Energia along but not his ranking on this list. Dangote, 57, made his first fortune selling cement, sugar and flour, and his second manufactur- with Portuguese billionaire Americo Amorim. Her assets include a stake in Banco BIC, and 25-percent ing them. Dangote Cement is Africa’s largest cement manufacof Unitel, the largest mobile phone network in turer, and is worth $15 billion. Dangote is building an oil refinSudanese-born Mo Ibrahim founded Celtel, an African mobile phone Angola. ery, due for completion in 2016 with a 400,000-barrels-a-day company, which he sold to Kuwait’s MTC for $3.4 billion in 2005. He capacity. He hopes to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on oil is the founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation which promotes good 7. Folorunsho Alakija, $1.9 billion – Nigerian, Oil imports. governance in Africa and awards the annual Mo Ibrahim prize for Achievement in African Leadership – a lifetime award of $5 million given over 10 years to retired African presidents who were transparent 2. Mohammed Al-Amoudi, $10.9 billion – Construction, Oil and served terms set by their countries’ constitutions. Nelson Mandela was an honorary recipient. Here’s what Ibrahim said about presidents who just won’t go away: “Power is very seductive. If you control a country for some time, then there comes a point where you feel indispensable.”

Ethiopian/Saudi Arabian, Oil Son of a Saudi father and Ethiopian mother, Al-Amoudi was born in Ethiopia in 1946. He made his first fortune in construction in Saudi Arabia. He owns a significant stake in the National Oil Company of Ethiopia. In Ethiopia he also invested in gold mining, agriculture and cement production. Outside Ethiopia, he owns oil fields off the West African coast and oil refineries in Sweden and Morocco.

Nigeria’s only female billionaire started out as a secretary in a Nigerian bank in the 1970s, then quit her job to study fashion design in England.

She founded a Nigerian fashion label catering to wealthy clients including first ladies. She founded Famfa Oil, a Nigerian company with a substantial ownership interest in OML 127, an oil block on the Agbami deep water oilfield in Nigeria.

Here’s some wisdom from Alakija in an AfricaTopSuccess story: “money has nothing to do with love. Love comes from inside. Money is something that we acquire over time. Love is all that unites us from the beginning … it is 40 years since my husband and I have known each other.”

10. Femi Otedola, $1 billion Nigerian, Gas stations

Otedola, 50, got rich with power generation and gas station ownership.

He’s controlling shareholder of Forte Oil, one of West Africa’s largest downstream oil companies, with a market capitalization of $1 billion.

The company manufactures its own line of engine oils, and owns fuel storage depots and gas stations. He’s new to the Forbes list this year.

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Kenya's Former First Lady Dies

Kenya's former first lady, Lucy Kibaki, has died in a London hospital of an undisclosed illness.

She gained notoriety for slapping a cameraman in 2005 when she stormed the offices of a private media group in anger at the way a story about her had been reported.

In a tribute to Mrs Kibaki, President Uhuru Kenyatta praised her for her role in fighting HIV/Aids in Kenya.

Mr Kenyatta succeeded her husband Mwai Kikabi, who governed from 2002 to 2013.

Mrs Kibaki, who was born in 1940, had withdrawn from public life during the latter part of her husband's rule.

She was last seen at a public function was in August 2010, when she seemed excited about the adoption of a new constitution, dancing to a famous gospel song, Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper reports.

Mr Kenyatta said she had been unwell for the last month, receiving treatment in both Kenya and the UK.

Mrs Kibaki trained as a teacher, leaving her job not long after her marriage in 1962 to raise her four children.

"Her Excellency will be remembered for her immense contribution in the development of country," Mr Kenyatta said in a statement.

According to the Daily Nation, she organised the First International Aids Run in 2003.

But correspondents say she also provoked condemnation when she said unmarried young people had "no business" using condoms, calling on students to abstain from sex in order to avoid infection with HIV.

Source: BBC

January 2016

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Boris Kodjoe Loses Father, Pens Emotional Tribute

Austrian born American-Actor Boris Kodjoe has lost his Ghanaian father . The 43 year old took to twitter and Instagram to break the sad news, penning an emotional tribute to his father Eric Kodjoe, a Ghanaian physicist.

The 2002 “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” by People magazine awardee, known for his role in television series – Soul food is married to actress Nicole Ari Parker -with whom he shares two children.

He broke the news on twitter, then he went on Instagram to share a picture of himself and his 77 year old late father, saying he misses him already and penned the emotional tribute below. The cause of death was not revealed.

“I miss you already. Trying to numb the voices of all the should-haves and couldhaves because they don’t matter now. I asked God to make your journey peaceful and joyous. No more pain, no more regrets and guilt.

I forgive you, Dad. I love you, and I will honor and remember you for ever. Thank you for the time we spent and thank you for being a great Opa to Sophie and Nico.

They have memories for a lifetime.

Know that you are loved eternally. Now be free and your Soul full of Joy. Dr Eric Ofuatey Kodjoe (30.12.38 – 21.4.16) May his soul rest in peace.

Source: Instagram, Twitter/Boris Kodjoe

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Inauguration of Mr. Patrick Jackson – Honorary Consul General, Texas -

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At a ceremony held in the City Hall of Dallas, Texas, USA on April 1st, diplomats, business people, members of different chambers of commerce, and a large contingent of Sierra Leoneans, were all present in the dedication of the Sierra Leone National flag by His Excellency, Mr. Bockari Korto Stevens to the City of Dallas, in Texas. It was the first time Sierra Leone National flag was flown atop of the city of Dallas.

(Photo: H.E.Ambassador Stevens & Honorary Consul General Mr. Patrick Jackson)

The occasion was marked as part of the inauguration of the newly appointed Consul General, Mr. Patrick Jackson. He took the oath of office as Honorary Consul General serving the state of Texas and the surrounding states on November 2015 at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Washington, DC.

His Excellency, Ambassador Stevens made an appreciated speech to the city of Dallas for what he described as an impressive ceremony to inaugurate the newly appointed Honorary Consul General. He underlined how the already excellent relationship between Sierra Leone and the USA can develop further with the help of a devoted and influential honorary consul general, Mr. Patrick Jackson.

Ambassador Stevens pointed out that Sierra Leone’s great wealth is in its natural resources, adding that it is now an ultimate environment for entrepreneurs to do businesses in his country either in on a small or large scale. Sierra Leone has an extremely fertile land that enables us to produce an impressive number of food products and has rich waters that are promising for the fishing sector opportunities, and considerably a potential for mining of different minerals, the ambassador informed business people. He enumerated the country’s principal growth sectors which are in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, palm oil, cocoa, coffee, and rice; all are good areas for investment by any determined business person, he said.

In light of Sierra Leone’s new strategies for investment, Ambassador Steven explains the protocol and the contented way of applying for business licensing which he said, it used to be months in process, but it is now taking just few days to complete a business licensing process for any investor.

Patrick Jackson & fellow Consulate Generals

In his remarks at the inauguration, Honorary Consul General Mr. Patrick Jackson expressed his appreciation to Ambassador Stevens upon his appointment and his warm personal regards to the organizers of his grand inauguration. He acknowledged the presence of his fellow Consul Generals and other diplomats who flew from other parts of the States saying that their presence was an underscoring of the value that Sierra Leone and the United States relationship is congenial.

Mr. Jackson vowed that, being a dual citizen of Sierra Leone and the USA, he has the obligation to perform the duties not limited to, enhancing bilateral relations in trade, economy and culture between Texas and Sierra Leone. He reaffirmed his commitment to do more than before to in contribute enormously to the president’s agenda for prosperity.

It was an amazing weekend for the Honorary Consul Jackson, one that will live on in the hearts and minds of the Sierra Leone community not just for the immensity of Mr. Jackson’s inaugural accomplishment, but for the fact that the city of Dallas took the whole lot of it to honor him.

In the presence of Ambassador Stevens, the Association of Sierra Leonean Organizations in Texas (ASLOT) in collaboration with Mr. Jackson’s Church community jointly organized a jubilee and Thanksgiving service on the following day, April 2nd at the Redeemed Church of God in the city of Garland. The support which ASLOT gave to Mr. Jackson was not just a lip service; it was clearly demonstrated in action, words and presentation. Lead by the President, Mr. Reuben Ndomahina, ASLOT conferred on Honorable Patrick Jackson a plaque for what the Executive members of that organization described as, faithful, conscientious, and valuable service to the community.

At the end of the thanksgiving service, many people I interviewed told me that the new Honorary Consul General deserves the esteem and admiration of his communities, ranges from Krio Descendent Union (KDU), ASLOT, the All People’s congress Social and Cultural (APC-SC) and the West African Chamber of Commerce. Business people and community leaders greatly commended Mr. Jackson for the love he has for his country. He stands as shining example of the American way, a member of the City of Dallas told me. Mr. Jackson assumed office since the day he took an oath of office in Washington.

By Sanpha Sesay, The Texas Chief

The Jackson family

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January 2016

Diaspora Liberians Want To ‘Retain’ Original Citizenship

Elizabeth Garwo and Togba R. C. Porte are presently in Liberia to register concerns about citizenship on behalf Diaspora Liberians By: Joaquin Sendolo Some Liberians residing in the Diaspora are presently in Liberia to engage the government and other stakeholders on the citizenship issue arising in the Constitution review process. Their position is simple: not about dual citizenship, per se, but “retention of Liberian citizenship” for Liberians who have naturalized abroad.

The group under the banner, “Liberia Advocacy for Change (LAFC),” is pleading that Liberians that are in foreign countries including the United States are not supporting dual citizenship to allow people of non-Negro descent to become citizens, but that citizenship of Liberians living in the Diaspora be retained.

LAFC Chairman and Executive Director Togba R. Croyee Porte said, “We are saying that Liberians that were naturally born here and went to another country and naturalized there for one reason or another, should be allowed to maintain their citizenship as enshrined in the Constitution.”

The LAFC’s position is based on Chapter IV Article 27 (a) of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, which says, “All persons who, on the coming into force of this Constitution were lawfully citizens of Liberia shall continue to be Liberian citizens.”

Mr. Porte argued that under this clause, Liberian citizenship is maintained and not tampered with, but the Immigration Act of 1974 which calls for renouncing of citizenship of one country is tempering with this cardinal right, and Liberians of all walks of life should see reason to allow their brothers’ and sisters’ citizenship be retained.

“An act that did not go through referendum to get endorsement of majority of the people should not be above the organic law of this country,” he said, referring to the 1974 Act. “The 1847 Constitution also guaranteed this right, but for Liberians in this country to take it away from their brothers and sisters today, we don’t think it is right,” Mr. Porte argued.

He added that an Act passed in 1974 should not be enforced to subordinate the power of the 1986 Constitution, which is the organic law, noting that the Constitution is the supreme law of Liberia.

He said the Immigration and Naturalization Law of Liberia embarrasses them when they decide to visit Liberia.

“The Immigration and Naturalization Law is not reading the intent of the Constitution. It is still going by an archaic law that does not recognize our citizens when they come [home]. When Liberians in the Diaspora come here, they are treated as foreigners and not as Liberians who were born here,” he said.

Togba R. Croyee Porte, son of the late Julius Porte of Crozierville, coowns a funeral business in the State of New York and works with the New York City office of the chief medical examiner is former vice

president and political action coordinator of the New York City Health Workers Union. According to him, he has maintained his Liberian citizenship since he went to America since 1989.

He says, however, Liberians in foreign countries naturalized abroad for one reason or another, so that they can find means to survive, but did not intend to deny their citizenship in Liberia.

“When Liberians come in their own country and are discriminated by the law and people, making them to go to immigration after 30 days to regularize their status as if they were not born here; then, there is a problem,” he added.

One argument that has characterized the issue of dual citizenship in Liberia is the allegation by many Liberians at home that Liberians were ‘imported from the United States to work in government and they have stolen money and transferred to the U.S. to support their families’.

Liberians living in the country therefore fear that granting dual citizenship to Liberians and foreigners in the country will lead to taking the country’s resources to another country and leaving it undeveloped.

In response to this concern, Mr. Porte said Liberia is a signatory to all international conventions, and if any Liberian comes here and behaves disorderly or steals money as the case may be, the government can use extradition treaty to get the concerned people from whatever countries they are to Liberia for prosecution and subsequent punishment as may be required by law.

He said government is responsible to make and implement policy, and its failure should not be a condition to deny citizens of the country their right.

In addition to advocacy for retaining citizenship for Liberians in the Diaspora, Mr. Porte stressed that the Constitution is not gender sensitive.

He said unlike Liberian fathers whose children are allowed to declare citizenship to Liberia under the Immigration and Naturalization Law, children born to Liberian women by foreign fathers are not allowed, which he said needs to change.

In pursuing the change LAFC is advocating for, Mr. Porte said they are not coming to impose their will on Liberians here, but to sit, discuss and reason together on issues that can make the country better.

He dispelled that Liberians abroad were not contributing to the development of the country, recalling World Bank’s remittance record of 2015 revealing that Liberians abroad sent over US$600 million to Liberia every year through Western Union and MoneyGram.

He then wondered why people here will be rejecting those in the Diaspora from getting citizenship when these Diaspora Liberians are remitting money to them at all times from whatever countries they are.

Meanwhile, a retired nurse and founding LAFC member, Mrs. Elizabeth N. Garwo, said she has lived in the United States since 1974 on a permanent resident status.

She said she and her late husband, a medical doctor who won a government scholarship to study medicine in the U.S. in the early 1970s, refused to become U.S. citizens, since they had planned to return to Liberia after his education. According to her, upon their return during the 1980s, Dr. Garwo had difficulty finding work in Liberia during the Samuel K. Doe regime, so he and his wife returned

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to the U.S. to work and raise their children. Dr. Garwo died in 2000. As a retired nurse, Mrs. Garwo is also in Liberia to construct a clinic in Grand Kru, her county of birth.

She said those with the opportunity to travel are not going because they want to deny their citizenship, but to learn and seek other means to impact the lives of their relatives and families, including their country.

http://www.sundayadelajablog.com/

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West African Community Collaborative (WACC) Partners With Whitman Academy To Provide Student Workshops May 2016

Walt Whitman Middle School's Whitman Academy partners with the West African Community Collaborative to provide parent and student workshops and programs.

These workshops are intended to support academic achievement and college readiness.

Programs were held on Saturdays to facilitate maximum participation and transportation is provided to students. Programs include:

Understanding FCPS Academic programs such as: Honors, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) IB (International Baccalaureate), and Academy Programs.

Student mentorship workshops College prep programs

And additional resources for parents and students

The first day of WACC's Saturday School mentorship program at Walt Whitman middle school in Fairfax County was a smashing success! "The kids loved it, and were engaged the whole time." says WACC president Vivian Boakye.

Program participants started the program with a discussion about identity. "We talked about who's a "real African" and a regular "African" and there was a lot of identity issues to unpack," said Clarissa Bannor. "As someone who writes about identity on a regular on my blog, ThisAfropolitanLife.com I was happy to see the kids have a conversation about the topic to unpack any misconceptions they may have about who they are.

The program on April 3rd was hosted and facilitated by Adoma Adae of DarkIsLovely.org. An organization who's mission is to instill confidence, self-esteem and help youth see that who they are and what they look like are beautiful. Ms. Adae said, "I wanted to start the discussion around identity because having a good sense of who you are and where you come from is key to confidence, and it isn't something our parents typically talk about."

The kickoff program was attended by about 20 students and 6 adult mentor volunteers. The kids created vision boards about their lives and some of the goals they have for their future.

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May 2016

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May 2016

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May 2016

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J a n u a r y 2016

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Groupe Nduom Acquires ISF Bank, in Chicago

J a n u a r y 2016

tions."

Groupe Nduom has completed the transaction to acquire a bank in the USA. This begins a new important and pioneering chapter in the entrepreneurial history of our multi-national group of companies.

The acquisition of Illinois-Service Federal Savings Bank (ISF Bank) follows the regulatory approval by the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Board of Directors of ISF Bank last year approved the adoption of a Plan of Voluntary Supervisory Conversion and Stock Purchase Agreement with Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom and Nduom family members, pursuant to which the Bank converted from the mutual form of ownership to the stock form of ownership and issued newly authorized shares of its common stock to the investors in a recapitalization transaction. The conversion and recapitalization was a crucial step in the turnaround of the Bank, which experienced difficulties during the economic downturn of 2008, which was especially devastating for African-American communities and the banks that serve them.

"Founded in Chicago in 1934, the Bank has been a crucial source of capital and banking services for families, local small businesses, faithbased institutions and nonprofit organizations in our neighborhoods," said Norman J. Williams, immediate past Chairman and CEO of ISF. "This marks a new chapter in the life of the Bank, which will enable it to sustain the rigors of financial stress that have plagued many communities in Chicago and continue to provide much-needed banking services and access to credit. Given the current climate in our country, the Bank is needed more than ever to provide financial services and drive redevelopment in our market," added Mr. Williams.

"The Nduom family is proud to support this leading institution and trusted Chicago partner which, for eight decades, has worked to revitalize the urban areas in which it operates," said Dr. Nduom. "Our investment will enable the Bank to build upon its legacy by providing a suite of innovative financial services and products to address its customers' needs. This investment helps ensure that minority focused banks continue to play a vital role in community economic development."

"We believe in a comprehensive approach to neighborhood revitalization including housing, schools, businesses, and not-for-profits, all important assets which ISF finances and sustains across Chicago's communities," said Mr. Williams. "By continuing to serve individuals and institutions with mission-driven capital, ISF will grow and thrive along with the City."

The Bank began in 1934 when community leaders came together to establish a savings and loan association sensitive to the needs of African-American residents of Chicago. The ISF Bank has two offices in the City, and through its Internet banking program, its services and products are available nationwide. Its mission is "To provide the underserved and largely unbanked minority constituency with banking products that suit their needs and customer service that exceeds expecta-

Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom and Mrs. Yvonne Nduom are private investors who began their professional life in the Midwestern United States. Dr. Nduom was a Deloitte & Touche partner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mrs. Nduom worked with Allstate Insurance and Blue Cross, Blue Shield in Wisconsin. They provide managerial, technical and financial services through their management services company, International Business Solutions, LLC, based in Washington D.C. As an entrepreneurial family, the Nduom Family is proud and grateful for the opportunity to contribute to ISF's legacy of socio-economic development. "We look forward to serving and building the South side community of Chicago in the long tradition of Illinois Service Federal as a prime residential and business community to compliment the proposed President Obama Library to be sited there."

Groupe Nduom is a family business group of Ghanaian and American origin. It manages a diverse portfolio of businesses and social welfare enterprises primarily in West Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Groupe Nduom's living values are to earn and maintain a reputation of high ethics and integrity; make sound business investments; take a long-term view of success; and share success with employees, community and shareholders. Each member company of Groupe Nduom seeks to deliver consistent results, promote innovation and lead by example, not only in its industry-specific peer group but also in corporate Africa, and around the world.

Groupe Nduom manages companies in a variety of industries such as:

1. Financial Industry: GN Bank, First National Togo, First National Cote d'Ivoire, GN Reinsurance, GN Life Assurance, Gold Coast Fund Management, Gold Coast Brokerage, PenTrust, Liberian Enterprise Development Finance Company, Ghana Growth Fund Company.

2. Media: First Digital TV (including several television channels), Today Newspaper, DigiCut advertising, Radio stations.

3. Hospitality, Sports and Entertainment: Coconut Grove Hotels, Elmina Sharks FC, Spyder Lee Entertainment, Sea Lions FC, Ahomka Fie Event Place.

4. Industrial: GN Quarry, GN Concrete Products, GN Motors, FreshPaK, GN Electronics, GN Logistics, GN Printing, Qualtek (Technology), GN Power.

5. Education: Monica Yorke School,

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Nduom University (Nduom School of Business & Technology; and GN Learning & Development Center), Elmina Community Library.

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93 Year Group of Mpraeso Secondary School (MPASS) Reunite

Old School Reunions offer an opportunity for people to meet up and reflect on past events in school and to appreciate each other and most importantly the Almighty God for how far people have come.

Each reunion is different because each class is unique in its own respect. Class reunion is both exciting and fun especially when classmates have to recognize each other after over 20 years of separation.

These days’ social media offer platforms for various schools and classmates to unite and interact as groups.

In March, 2016 the 93 year Group of Mpreaso Secondary School translated their grouping into reality by uniting classmates from the diaspora and Ghana at the Amasaman residence of their interim President, Mrs. Doris Anane Boateng in Accra, Ghana.

This milestone provided the opportunity to reflect, appreciate, share each other’s achievements, encourage each other and above all say thank you to old friends who played pivotal roles in their lives.

The 93 year group discussed among others how best they can play meaning roles in the development of their alma mater and how well they could solidify their union to draw on each other’s strength.

The group had so much to eat, drink, danced and recollected various events in school. Before the fun began Mr. Alex Ntori a member of the group asked for a minute silence to be observed for all departed fellows. Ms. Janet Owusua the treasurer of the group commended her colleagues for their commitment to financial contributions towards their activities. The meeting provided a good networking stage as the classmates shared business ideas and interacted on issues of interest. This was their first meeting after 24 years since they completed school but they have however been well connected on social media.

Mpreaso Senior High School which is located in the Kwahu South District of the Eastern Region was founded in 1961 to serve as a Center of Excellence to train its products the requisite academic proficiency and skills that will enable them contribute their quota towards the development of the Ghana.

Today, products of the school occupy enviable positions in society and many others have established themselves in successful businesses.

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Congratulations To Jerry K. Wiafe and Pat

Jerry K. Wiafe, Coach of Virginia Black Stars Soccer team Tied the Knot with his Sweetheart, Pat on Saturday April 23 in Virginia

Mr. and Mrs. Wiafe

A Church Based In Canada Has Presented A Private Jet To Its Ghanaian Pastor On His Birthday.

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The church, miracle arena for all nations in Canada, which is a multi-cultural charismatic and a fastest growing church based in the heart of Toronto, Canada was founded in 2011 by Dr. Kofi and Rev. JoAnne Danso.

In February this year, the church presented the jet to Dr. Kofi Danso and his wife Rev. JoAnne Danso as a birthday present for their passion and charisma towards the work of God. In an interview with YEN.com.gh, Prophet Dr. Kofi Danso noted that he had prophesied into being that God was going to bless him with a jet this year on his birthday and so was not too surprised when the church bought him one as a gift on his birthday. Prophet Danso in his interview advised other churches to emulate the example of blessing their pastors with private jets if they have the means.

He noted that the jet is a necessity for the ministry and not a luxury. He added that the jet generated revenue for the church when not in use and leased out.

Prophet Kofi Danso is a Ghanaian who has lived in Amsterdam for 9 years and migrated to Canada for five years. He is happily married to JoAnne Danso and has four kids, including a set of twins.

Nollywood Celebrities Hosted In Amsterdam

By KLM Airline https://yen.com.gh

M a y 2016

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Woman, 55 delivers invitro baby at Lapaz Comm. Hospital

A 55-year-old woman on Tuesday delivered through an invitro fertilization (IVF) at the Lapaz Community Hospital in Accra.

The healthy looking baby boy, who was delivered at 14:15 hours through a caesarean section, weighted 3.0 kilogrammes.

He was born to a married couple who had been trying for years for a child without success.

Dr Robert Aryee, Senior Clinical Embryologist of the hospital, who led the team through the IVF process, said it took the medical team about eight weeks to get the mother of the baby pregnant after which she went through 38 weeks pregnancy before she delivered.

He said: “In this particular case, we had a situation of very low sperm count from the male partner. We had to take the woman’s egg out of her body, fertilise it with the man’s sperm to achieve an embryo, which was put back into the woman to form the pregnancy.”

Dr Aryee, who is also the Head of Invitro Fertilisation Department of the Hospital said the hospital had 60 other women, who were pregnant after going through the IVF, adding that, they include those with twins, triplets and quadruplets.

He said the hospital could also assist HIV positive couples to have babies without the children being infected with the disease.

“My advice to young couples is that once you stay together for six months and there is no pregnancy whiles using no contraceptive, you have to go for a check-up to find out where the problem is, for a solution,” He said.

Top Nollywood actors were yesterday, April 28, hosted at the Netherlands’s Kings Day celebration in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The Royal Dutch airline sponsored trip was led by Joke Silva, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett and Kunle Afolayan. Others on the list include Bimbo Akintola, Ifeoma Fafunwa, Dakore Akande, Ifuoma Mcdermott, Elvina Ibru, Ayo Animasaun and many others.

Coutesy : Golden effects pictures @bellanaijaonline

Source: http://news2.onlinenigeria.com/

AU Set to Debut African Passport Amid Mixed Reactions

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The African Union announced that heads of its member states will begin carrying an African passport in July 2016. According to the AU, introducing this continent-wide travel document will pave the way for the actualization of its 2063 Agenda for a “continent with seamless borders to help facilitates the free movement of Africa citizens.”

Since the AU first revealed plans for the passport in December 2015, its representatives and a growing army of supporters have widely and repeatedly explained its merits to win public trust and buy-in.

Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, chairperson of the African Union Commission, states:

“A few of us at the AU are already using that passport within Africa and it is very useful, but we want the heads of states to carry it when they are visiting African countries to make it official and known to others as well.”

“Our people will not have to carry a visa to gain access to other African states. There will be free trade of goods,” stressed AU Commissioner for Political Affairs Dr. Aisha Abdullahi. She further disclosed that work on the implementation of the project is already ongoing in some African countries, adding that Rwanda and Mauritius are implemented a single African passport in their respective countries. East Africa is set to roll out a new e-passport for the region next year. Meanwhile, Ghana recently announced its new visa policy scheme, which is a very much in sync with the vision of a “seamless” border system.

The planned passport has sparked pockets of debate about its importance and relevance all over the continent. While some Africans are applauding it, others have reservations over its workability.

In Nigeria, a cross section of citizens who support the African passport seem to be convinced that it will be another unifying factor on a very large and diverse continent. One supporter, Prince Taslim Okunola, says:

“I believe it would work out well. Single passport cancel visa entry. ECOWAS uses a single passport since you don’t need a visa to visit any ECOWAS country like Ghana.”

For the opposition, fears stem from the likelihood of poor implementation, which is a regular feature in governance in Africa. Mr. Mubo Oladigun, a financial expert based in Nigeria, noted that although the proposal is a welcome development, it could face lots of challenges in its implementation:

“One of such challenges is the differences in political systems and culture among African countries. I advise African leaders to jettison the idea and concentrate on delivering on good governance.”

Lending credence to Oladigun’s advise, Mr Babatunde Johnson, a banker, noted that African leaders should rather concern themselves with the best way to maximise the human and material potential on the continent to ensure its development.

He cautioned that African leaders should not be in a hurry to copy every policy adopted by Europe, adding that if the project worked in Europe, that did not imply it would succeed in Africa given differences in the socio-cultural makeup of the two continents. https://face2faceafrica.com/

M a y 2016

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Kenya Burns Elephant Ivory Worth $105 Million to Defy Poachers

NAIROBI, Kenya — What do you do when you have more than $100 million worth of ivory sitting around, just collecting dust?

You burn it, of course.

That is what Kenya did on Saturday, when President Uhuru Kenyatta lit a huge pyre of elephant tusks as a way to show the world that Kenya is serious about ending the illegal ivory trade, which is threatening to push wild elephants to extinction.

“No one, and I repeat, no one, has any business in trading in ivory, for this trade means death — the death of our elephants and the death of our natural heritage,” Mr. Kenyatta said.

In the past few years, heavily armed poachers, using military tactics, have wiped out tens of thousands of elephants across Africa. Many of the tusks enter an underground pipeline to Asia, especially China, where ivory is used to make eyeglass frames, combs, statuettes and other trinkets.

Wildlife experts say the street price of a kilogram of ivory is around $1,000. On Saturday, Kenya set alight 105 metric tons of ivory — its stockpile of confiscated and recovered tusks. It was the most ivory ever destroyed at one time, representing 6,000 to 7,000 dead elephants.

At current prices, and without including the rhino horns also burned, that is a $105 million bonfire.

Richard Leakey, one of Kenya’s leading conservationists, said he was “humbled, sad and encouraged.”

“We shouldn’t have to burn 105 tons of ivory and 1.5 tons of rhino horn,” he said.

“It is a disgraceful shame this continues.”

This was not the first time that truckloads of tusks had been burned. Mr. Leakey presided over a large ivory bonfire in Kenya in 1989. Since then, many other countries have done the same to make the statement that ivory is worthless — unless it is on an elephant.

For the first time in days, a pale blue sky stretched over Nairobi. Heavy rains had soaked the city in the past week, causing deadly floods.

But the mountains of ivory, even though they had been sitting out in the rain, went up fast. Minutes after Mr. Kenyatta stuck a flaming torch inside one of the pyramids of tusks, columns of gray smoke curled out, wafting up toward the evening sky. http://www.nytimes.com/

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The 10 Most Christian Countries t

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population of Orthodox Christians in the world and the only Orthodox population to make it on our 10 Largest Christian populations list, contributing 4.8% of the World’s Christians.

5. The Philippines – 86.37 million

They certainly have come a long way from their small hometown in the Middle-East. Numbering 2.2 billion people worldwide, Christians make up the world’s largest religion by a margin of one billion, and the religion is still growing apace. Catholicism alone can boast almost as many adherents as there are people in China. Under the Christian umbrella, there are at least as many denominations as there are fish in the sea; this Middle-Eastern born faith is unrivalled in its predominance worldwide with three major continents, plus half of Africa reporting Christian majorities.

Europe, which in the not too distant Medieval past went by the name Christendom, claims the majority of the world’s adherents to the faith, with 26% of all Christians hailing from the cradle of Western Civilisation. Conversely, the birthplace of Christianity (not to mention Judaism and Islam), the Middle-East, can boast no more than 0.6% of the earth’s Christians, a mere 12.7 million dispersed over the MiddleEastern nations.

That Christianity does better away from home is nothing new. Since the Middle Ages about two thirds of the planet’s Christians lived in continental Europe. By 1910, Christianity may have penetrated North and South America and a good chunk of Africa, but still 2 out of 3 Christians lived in historical ‘Christendom’.

The figures you’re about to read (produced by the Pew Research Centre in 2012) belie the fact that something has been – and is – changing in the global distribution of Christians. Christianity is on the move.

Since 1910, the world has changed. Super powers have come and gone, populations have boomed in America, Africa and Asia and declined significantly in Europe. Today Europe can still claim to have the most Christians, spread out over the continent, with over 558.2 million adherents to the faith residing in European nations. Yet, the continent can no longer claim to be the global centre of the faith – not with South America boasting 531.3 Christians, and their neighbours to the North claiming as many as 266.6 million. In fact, of the largest national Christian populations in the world, Europe is represented by only one country. Find out which as we set out to trace the largest Christian populations on Earth.

1. USA – 243.06 million

Was there ever any doubt? With 243,060,000 adherents across fifty states, the United States of America is home to the world’s biggest population of Christians, making up 11.2% of the world’s total. Which should come as no surprise considering its history. Back when the states were first been carved out by English landowners, many were founded to act as Christian havens. Pennsylvania was to be a sanctuary to threatened denominations such as the Anabaptists, who survive today in the form of the Amish communities of the US. Similarly Maryland, named after Mary Tudor of England, was a nice place for the British to send their excess Catholics, while almost the entire east

bay became the home of Puritan protestants, seeking a new holy land away from the Catholic powers of Europe. Today, a smaller percentage of Americans are Christian than in the 19th Century – only 78.3% of the entire country – but considering that that the U.S. population exceeds 310,380,000 people, that’s still an enormous number of Christians.

2. Brazil –173.3 million

Brazil is not only the largest country in South America, it is also home of the world’s largest population of Catholics, and the second largest Christian country in the world, with over 173,300,000 members of the faith. A Catholic haven, this country illustrates better than any the shift of Catholicism from its traditional home in Italy, a fact attested to by the fact that the newest pope is a native of Argentina, making Pope Francis the first South American pope, attesting to Catholicism’s great migration. Brazil, an international power and a founding member of BRIC, is the perfect example of this shift to the Americas, with over 88.9% of its population identifying as Christian, making up a whole 8% of the world’s Christian population.

3. Mexico – 107.91 million Although Mexico’s first brush with Christianity during the tyranny of the Conquistadores will hardly be remembered as an example of international compassion, nevertheless this former colony of Spain, much like the Philippines, now makes up a substantial part of the world’s Christian population. A whole 5% of all Christians live in Mexico. These 107,910,000 adherents are overwhelmingly Catholic, in the tradition of their colonizer. They also make up the largest population of Spanish speakers in the world, no doubt contributing to the association of Hispanic peoples in North America with Catholicism. Mexico has the third most Christians in the Americas, as well as the third most Christians in the world, highlighting a recent trend in the distribution of Christians worldwide.

4. Russia – 107.5 million The largest country in the world, taking a whole eight of the planet’s space into its boundaries, Russia straddles continents, making it, in some sense, the largest Christian country both in Asia and Europe. Out of its population of 142,960,000, 73.3% are Christian, showing that winter might have slowed down the armies of Napoleon and Germany but not that of the Christian missionaries. Unique to this list most of Russia’s 104,750,000 Christians are members of the Orthodox tradition, making them the largest

Comprising 4% of the world’s Christians, there are 86,370,000 members of the Christian faith spread across the Philippine’s 7,107 islands making the Philippines Asia’s largest Christian country. The seventh most populous nation in Asia with a total population of 93,260,000, The Philippines get their name from the Spanish King Philip, who established a colony, and a religion, there in the mid-15th Century, a religion that must have caught on, with over 92% of its people identifying as Christian. Perhaps in the spirit of their colonizer, most of them are Catholic.

6. Nigeria – 78.05 million Nigeria boasts the largest Christian population in Africa. The introduction of Christianity to Nigeria – and indeed much of Africa – during the 19th Century forms the major subject matter of Nigeria’s (and perhaps Africa’s) most famous novel worldwide; Chinua Achebe’s The Second Coming. While the events of that novel don’t exactly put the brightest spin on the introduction of the Christian faith to Nigeria, this doesn’t seem to have slowed its growth there in the least.

49.3% of all Nigerians – about 78,050,000 people – identify as Christian, 3.6% of the world total.

Nigeria is Africa’s largest nation by population, and it might be the only nation to identify with the Irish holiday of Saint Patrick’s day: Nigerian Christians can claim a link to Irish Christians, as they share a Patron saint in the person of none other than St. Patrick himself.

7. China – 68.41 million The largest total population on earth and one of the top 5 largest countries in the world by land area, perhaps China was always going to make this list – even though over half of its population do not identify with any religion. The largest religion in China is composed of a number of Folk faiths that predate the introduction of Christianity to China. Although just 5.1% of China’s population of 1,341,340,000 are Christian, China has the world’s seventh largest Christian population. The 68,410,000 Chinese Christians make up 3.1% of adherents to the faith worldwide.

8. Democratic Republic of the Congo – 63.21 million The second largest country in Africa, The Democratic Republic of Congo is also home to Africa’s second largest Christian population, with over 95% of its people identifying as such. Of its 63,210,000 Christians, about half are Catholic, and indeed the Catholic Church, administrator of many of the schools and hospitals in the Congo, has been called the only national institution in the country. The nation’s faith is possibly a legacy from the Congo’s time spent as a colony of Belgium, another of which is the French language. French is the official language of the Congo, spoken as a first or second language by at least a third of the population, making it both the largest Francophone nation and the second largest

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population of French speakers in the world. Making up 2.9% of the world’s Christians, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the 8th most Christian nation in the world today.

9. Germany – 56.54 million No surprises here: The powerhouse of Europe, and the former seat of the Holy Roman Emperor (not to be confused with the slightly less holy pre-Christian emperors of Rome), Germany has been Christian almost as long as it’s been German, today contributing 56,540,000 million Christians to the world total, equivalent to 2.6%.

For a long time Germany was also the physical arm of the Catholic Church – ever since the forefather of Germany, Charlemagne, was crowned Emperor of Rome in the 9th Century. The relationship between Germany and the Catholic Church has soured slightly in latter years though; maybe because one of their emperors managed to drown on his way to a crusade, or maybe because another was excommunicated. Whatever the reason, in the 16th Century Germany hosted a little thing called the Reformation, changing the face of Christianity forever. While the Germans may have branched out they still stayed in the realm of the Christian faith, and today 68.7% of the country’s population are still Christians, speaking to – if nothing else – their consistency.

10. Ethiopia – 52.07 million The smallest population on our Christian list is also the closest to the faith’s birthplace in the Middle East. Ethiopia has been Christian longer than any other country on this list, having adopted Christianity as a state religion as early as the 4th Century AD. Today 62.8% of the population identify as Christian, that is 52,07,000 adherents to the faith of a total population of 82,950,000. Of course this isn’t Ethiopia’s only claim to fame.

Leading geneticists agree that this sub-Saharan nation is likely the oldest land of human habitation, the bridgehead from which humans spread across the world. If we look at things that way, then; Ethiopia may host 2.4% of the earth’s Christians, but 100% of the world’s Christians come from Ethiopia!

http://www.therichest.com/

Somalia Mosque Collapses Kills 15 In Mogadishu

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A mosque under refurbishment has collapsed in Somalia, killing at least 15 people and injuring 40.

It happened during Friday prayers as the building, in the capital Mogadishu, was packed with worshippers.

Hundreds of people are reported to have been inside the building when it collapsed and some are still believed to be trapped under the rubble.

An engineer on the refurbishment project has been arrested on suspicion of negligence, local media report.

Some media outlets report that worshippers were at prayer, while others say more than 100 people were pouring a concrete foundation after prayers when the structure collapsed

Most of the dead were construction workers, the privately-owned Radio Shabelle reported.

The state-owned Somali National News Agency said the incident took place in Dayniile district.

Magic System Drummer Pepito Drowns In Ivory Coast

Papa Wemba: Stars Remember The 'voice Of Africa'

Music fans across Africa are mourning the death of Papa Wemba, the musician from the Democratic Republic of Congo who died at the age of 66 after collapsing on stage on Sunday morning.

Stars have been paying tribute to a man whose music influenced artists from around the continent.

I'm sad, and I've been struggling since the death of Prince and now we have the passing of Papa Wemba and I'm wondering what this is all about.

I worked with Papa Wemba and he was a very nice, genuine soul and very shy at the same time.

I did a duet with him, Ami Oh, on a Manu Dibango album, and when you heard him sing it was magical that a guy who was that big had such an angelic voice.

He was a generous soul when it came to helping people, and he didn't say much, but he observed a lot and when he spoke in that gentle voice everything he said was right on the spot.

His whole attitude about dressing well was part of the narrative that we Africans have been denied our humanity for so long.

People have always had stereotypes about us, and he was saying dressing well is not just a matter of money, not just something for Westerners, but that we Africans also have elegance. It was all about defining ourselves and refusing to be stripped of our humanity.

Angelique Kidjo was speaking to the BBC's Newshour programme

Africa has lost another worthy son in the shape of Papa Wemba. It's a painful beginning to 2016.

He was the voice of Africa.

We are all orphans... May the heaven and the spirits welcome him in peace. Papa Wemba will remain forever in our hearts.

Manu Dibango left this message on his Facebook page.

The drummer of Ivory Coast's famous Magic System band has drowned at the age of 46, the group has said in a Facebook post.

Didier Deigna, known by the stage name Pepito, drowned at a beach in the small town of Jacqueville in southern Ivory Coast on Sunday, it said.

Magic System are particularly popular in French-speaking West Africa and in France.

Reports say Pepito died while trying to save another person who was drowning.

"For the last 16 years, Pepito was our backing vocalist, our drummer, but above all the conductor with our group Magic System," the band added in a statement.

Pepito's tragic loss comes a week after the sudden death of influential Congolese musician Papa Wemba, who collapsed on stage while performing in Ivory Coast's main city, Abidjan.

It's a catastrophe. Congolese music has been decimated, it's been blown apart. I don't know what to say.

I refused to believe it when the Ivory Coast government official told me. To be honest, from now on, life means nothing, we are nothing.

Today, with God's forgiveness, I want to ask Him to accept Papa Wemba. He is His son.

I don't know what to say. I want to give my condolences to all Congolese people and all Africans.

This is an extract from a video Koffi Olomide posted on his Facebook page.

I was quite shocked because we were just getting over Prince's death and then hearing this it was sad.

He was performing in a period of people like my father Fela Kuti, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masakela, Manu Dibango - the African greats who have always opened doors for people like me.

They have always done Africa proud anywhere in Europe and America where they performed, and they opened doors for African musicians to tour Europe with great pride and respect.

Especially when you are playing African music in Europe and America, Papa Wemba's name will be in the forefront of great names.

It's a name that was always there and will always be there. It's not a name that will go away any time soon.

Femi Kuti was speaking to the BBC 's Focus on Africa radio programme.

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Haiti Will Officially Become A Full Member Of The African Union In June

Haiti will officially become a member of the African Union at the next summit of the regional organization in June.

According to this famous journalist from Benin, it was high time that African states make a strong gesture towards the first black republic.

The news is almost unnoticed. Until then simple "observer", Haiti, the first black republic in history, became, in early February in Addis Ababa, "full member partner" of the African Union

This decision, the first of its kind for a diaspora country, will be formalized at the next AU summit in June-July in Lilongwe, capital of Malawi. Probably in the presence of former President of Haiti Michel Martelly, which was announced this year, the first African trip.

But immediately, the heads of state meeting in Addis Ababa were warmly welcomed, and understandably, the return of Haiti in the great African family,recalling the diplomatic efforts made since 1945 by Haiti to the advent of free African States, Its criticism of the invasion of Ethiopia by Mussolini's Italy, Its progressive stance against the war in Algeria, support for the independence of Libya and assistance to African Democratic Rally, this large formation Pan-African policy which accompanied many countries of the continent to international sovereignty.

Haiti is interested in Africa?

It is in the order of things. All those who, like me, have lived in this beautiful country are not surprised. For over two centuries, after all, the most "African" of the States of South America and the Caribbean is Haiti. Like many African countries, Haiti is recurrently plagued by instability and violence, while Its population languished in nameless misery.

Independent on January 1, 1804, shortly after the United States (1776), but before the British (1810), Argentina (1816), Brazil (1822) and Canada (1867), Haiti is lagging behind everything except literature, poetry, painting, music, in other words, what makes the soul of a people.

Africans would do well to pay more attention to this Caribbean piece of their history, a land where is played, perhaps, their own destiny. Haiti is both a great future projection and size laboratory where nature can emerge better or worse. In this, Haiti, "where negritude stood up for the first time" (the formula is AimĂŠ CĂŠsaire [1913-2008]), is both our past and our future. http://www.hougansydney.com/

The Holy Land Experience With Bishop Dr. Kofi Adonteng-Boateng October 4-11, 2016

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October 4- Depart the USA Your pilgrimage begins as you depart on an overnight flight

October 5-Arrival and Conference You will be welcomed at the Tel Aviv Airport by a representative and attend day 1 of the conference before being transferred to Bethlehem for Dinner and overnight

October 6-Kings of Israel Begin your touring in the Holy Land by visiting the Herodion, the fortified palace and final resting place of Herod the Great.

In Bethlehem , gaze out over Shepherds Field, and visit the Church of the Nativity, where the cave revered as Jesus birthplace resides in the world’s oldest functioning church (Mathew 1:18-25). This evening we will return to Tel-Aviv for Day 2 of the conference. Overnight in Bethlehem.

October 7-The Wilderness Experience Visit Kasr el Yehud, the traditional site of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. Stop in Jericho, the oldest known inhabited city of the world. Visit the ruins of the ancient city, which was conquered by Joshua (Joshua 6:1,2,20) and see parts of the ancient city walls which have been uncovered .

October 8-Jesus’ Ministry in the Galilee Explore the Church of the Fish and the Loaves at Tabgha, traditional site of the feeding of the 5,000 (Luke 9:10). On the Mount of Beatitudes, contemplate the “Sermon on the Mount” (Mathew 5-7). Visit Capernaum, center of Jesus ministry in the Galilee, and visit the synagogues built on the site where Jesus taught (Mathew 4:13, 23). Cross the waters of the sea of Galilee on a very special boat ride, complete with an onboard worship service. Overnight in Jerusalem.

October 9-Jesus in Jerusalem Visit Mt. Zion and stand in the Upper Room (John 13), near the traditional site of the Last Supper (Mark 14). Walk through some of the ancient rooms of Caiaphas the High priest’s house beneath the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu. Here Jesus was held overnight before His Crucifixion. (Luke: 22). Visit the Temple Mount, once the site of the Temple of Solomon. Take time to pray at the Western Wall on the Teaching Steps where Jesus once taught.

October 10-The week that Shook the World Stand atop the Mount of Olives as Jesus did and enjoy a remarkable view of the “Golden City “ of Jerusalem. Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-12). Pray in the garden of Gethsemane (Mathew 26) among olive trees in the kidron Valley across from the walls of Jerusalem. View the pool of Bethesda where Jesus performed the Sabbath miracle (John 5:1-31).

Sing a hymn in the Church of St. Anne, known for its amazing acoustics. Visit Herod’s Antonia Fortress where Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:1-11) . Walk the Via Dolorosa, “The way of the cross “ and stand in reverence at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Your final destination allows time for transferring to the airport for your return flight.

October 11-Return Home Arrive Home with a new understanding of the bible, the land and the life of Jesus!

For More information Go online to www.eo.travel/boateng or call Educational Opportunities Tours 1800- 247-0017

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He who has diarrhea knows the direction of the door without being told – Uganda 2. Anger, no matter how hot it is, can never cook a yam – Nigeria

3. It is okay for a child to play with the mother’s breasts, but not the father’s testicles – Guinea 4. Men would not tell lies if women asked less questions – Unknown Africa Origin

5. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers – Uganda

6. It’s the fear of what tomorrow may bring that makes the tortoise carry its house along wherever it goes – Nigeria 7. Human excreta will always smell, no matter how small – Gambia

Funny Proverbs From The Nigerian Legendary Film Actor Pete Edochie.

1. The little opportunity given to a monkey to wear cloths, does not guarantee it to join the dinning table.

2. Girls are like mangoes, while you are waiting for them to be ripe, others are eating them with salt.

3. Whoever presents his own head to break coconut would not be able to partake in the eating of it.

4. A man who hangs around a beautiful girl without saying a word ends up fetching water for guests at her wedding.

5. A man who counts his money after withdrawing from the ATM has trust issues.

6. If something that was going to chop off your head only knocked off your cap, you should be grateful.

7. When a girl has beauty without Brains, the Private parts suffer the most.

8. Having a Female as a Best friend is like having Chicken for a pet, You will eat it some day.

9. The wolf on the hill is not as hungry as the wolf climbing the hill.

10. Never let negative and toxic people rent space in your head.

Raise the rent & kick them out.

11. Life goes on, Even if you don't want it to.

12. Drinking garri doesn't mean you're poor but allowing it to swell before drinking is poverty.

13. The buttocks are like a married couple though there is constant friction between them, they will still love and live together.

Which number is your favorite and why???

No 7 and 8 are very true...what do you think? credit:Nigerian Movies

8. However much the buttocks are in a hurry, they will always remain at the back – Unknown Africa Origin

9. You have to be careful to kill a fly that has perched on your scrotum – Ghana 10. There’s no virgin in a maternity ward – Cameroon

Question: What is the definition of trouble

Answer: Trouble is when a soldier finish punishing you and release you, then you jump on your motor bike and shout “Foolish,” but your motor bike refuses to start

This happened last Sunday.

After church last Sunday newcomers 11. The little opportunity given to a monkey to wear cloths, does not guaran- were called to the front of the church so they could introduce themselves and tee it to join the dinning table – Unknown Africa Origin tell everybody the reasons for worship12. A man who counts his money after withdrawing from the ATM has trust ing with them. issues – Unknown Africa Origin A young gal held the microphone and said....

13. Drinking gari doesn’t mean you’re poor but allowing it to swell before drinking is poverty! – Ghana "My name Is Akua. I came to spend the 14. When a girl has beauty without Brains, the Private parts suffer the most – night with my boyfriend (pointing to an elder of the church)...

Unknown Africa Origin And I decided to worship with u today!

15. The buttocks are like a married couple; though there is constant friction between them, they will still love and live together – Unknown Africa Origin

An Igbo man was walking and he was 16. The man who marries a beautiful woman, and the farmer who grows corn asking God for money. he said "God if by the roadside have the same problem – Ethiopia you give me $10 i will give $1 for tithe. if you give me $100 i wil give $10 and 17. A short man is not a boy – Nigeria if you give me a $1000 i will give you $100! As he walked he picked up $900 18. The frown on the face of the goat will not stop it from being taken to the and he laughed and said, "Lord you are market – Nigeria clever o, you have already removed your 10%!!!!!"

19. An old lady feels uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb – Ghana A blind guy visited his choir mistress at 20. A person who sells eggs should not start a fight in the market – home and found her bathing. since he Unknown Africa Origin was blind, she let him in. After bathing, she came out naked with legs spread 21. Without fools there would be no wisdom – Unknown Africa Origin and shaving in front of him and tried to make a conversation by asking him, 22. No matter how far you urinate, the last drop always falls at your feet – brother John, what brings you here? Is Unknown Africa Origin everything OK at home? He replied, yes o, very fine. I came to tell you that 23. Because the sun is too hot does no mean the fowl will lay boiled eggs – I have done the eye surgery and I can Nigeria see very clearly now.

24. The okro plant never grows taller than the owner – Unknown Africa Origin 25. Whoever tells the truth is chased out of nine villages –Kenya

Source: yen.com.gh

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Believers Destiny Conference 2016

“ A Strategic Conference for the People whose light has come” ( Isaiah 60: 1-3).

The Ghanaian Ministers Fellowship ( DC, MD,VA) and other Ministers in the DC Metro area organized Believers Destiny Conference 2016 to reach their Community for Jesus. The Conference which took place at Faith Family Ministries International Church from April 14th to April 17th was attended by a large crowd of believers including a contingent from South Africa and other parts of the U.S.A. The Conference was livestreamed to a global audience on the internet. The two Key Speakers for the Conference were Bishop Hans Mashila from South Africa and Apostle Josh Moyo from Australia who magnified Jesus and edified the believers with relevant messages to motivate them to win their Community for Jesus.

The Co-ordinators for the Conference, Rev Dr. Eric Clarke and Apostle Edwin K. Otabil ( President of GMF) announced that the Conference

has become a yearly spiritual event to gather the People whose light has come, to equip them to win their Community for Christ. Next year’s Believers Destiny Conference 2017 will take place from April 13th to 16th. More than 20 Ministers and churches co-operated to make Destiny Conference 2016 a huge spiritual and physical success to the Glory of God. It is the prayer of the organizers of the Conference to unite the Body of Christ and churches in the DC Metro area using the platform of Destiny Conference to equip God’s people to win America for Jesus. From the impact and success of this year’s Conference, next year’s Conference is destined to attract believers from around the world . Our Light has come and our Best is yet to come in Jesus name.

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Apostle Edwin Otabil-President of Ghanaian Ministers Fellowship (GMFI)

The Methodist Church Ghana 2nd Biennial Conference Date: Friday June 17th to Sunday June 19th 2016

Theme: Serving One Another In Love For The Holistic Growth Of The Church and SUWMA Venue: Ramada Inn Hotel 160 Frontage Road Newark, NJ 07114

Very Rev. Professor Joseph Osei Acting Supervising Mission Coordinator Very Rev Joseph Owusu Atuahene Chaplain. SUWMA

Sis Irene Boakye - Danquah President Sis Janet Owusu Secretary

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Google Set To Train 1 Million Africans For Digital Jobs Skills In The Next 12 Months!

U.S. tech giant Google plans to help alleviate unemployment in Africa by giving free training to 1 million young Africans in digital skills in the next 12 months, the company said in a press conference in Johannesburg.

In South Africa, where 35 percent of 15-to-34-year-olds are unemployed, Google plans to train 300,000 people within the next year, according to Bloomberg. Another 400,000 Nigerians and 200,000 Kenyans will receive free digital training, while 100,000 people will be selected from other sub-Saharan Africa countries.

Africa is expected to have 500 million Internet users by 2020, Google research suggests. African Internet bandwidth increased 41 percent between 2014 and 2015, according to a TeleGeography Global Internet Geography report.

Google has partnered with nonprofit South African youth job skills organization Livity Africa to run two training programs.

Digify Bytes will give young people digital skills who want to develop a digital career. Digify Pro is a three-month immersion program for digital specialists, according to ITNewsAfrica.

Launched in 2011, Livity Africa operates a youth run media channel to help springboard young people into full time jobs.

It provides vocational, on the job training in journalism, media, marketing, digital skills and business entrepreneurship using the slogan, “for the youth, by the youth.” Livity Africa is funded by Google, Red Bull, and the Rockefeller and Nike foundations, among others.

Training programs have already started in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, and will be scaled to reach more people in the next 12 months, ITNewsAfrica reported. A group of 65 volunteer Googlers from around the world are helping the Livity team with content development, training the trainers and, in some cases, delivering training sessions.

is an online-learning portal that offers digital skills courses free to anyone in Africa. Courses are designed so they don’t eat up valuable data, according to ITNewsAfrica. Nine online training courses are available and Google plans to have 50 available by July.

The goal of the training is to help equip 1 million young Africans with digital skills to manage their own online profiles, develop their professional personas and potentially start their own businesses, said said Google South Africa Director Luke McKend, TechCentral reported.

“The Internet is at the heart of economic growth and the digital skills program is aimed at helping more Africans play a part in the digital economy,” McKend said. “Everyone can succeed online, start a new business, grow their existing one, or share their passion.”

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Nigerian Scientist Receives Patent For Converting Urine to Flammable Gas!

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What’s in it for Google?

“We hope that the people trained will become pioneers in the field and do great things in digital for companies and for Google,” Google said. “We’re also talking to a number of other potential partners across Africa with a view to scaling the digital skills training program and helping to reach even more young people in more countries.” From Bloomberg:

“Large U.S. tech companies such as Google, Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Facebook Inc. have been under public scrutiny globally for the relatively low tax payments they make outside the U.S. Partly to shore up their credentials as good corporate citizens, the companies have often funded free education programs and touted the number of jobs their businesses have helped create.

Google said in February that it had trained 1 million Europeans in digital skills and committed to training another million by the end of 2017. The company has also joined the European Commission’s Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs, an effort to educate more Europeans for jobs in the information technology sector, along with companies such as Cisco Systems Inc. Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp., Samsung Electronics Co., SAP SE and Telefonica SA.

Facebook in 2014 backed the U.K.’s Web for Everyone campaign, which sought to train Britons in Internet-related skills. Apple, meanwhile, has announced it is opening a training center in Naples, Italy, to encourage Europeans to learn to code. The company has also highlighted the number of jobs it has created in Europe, both directly through its stores and data centers, and through the companies that create apps for its iOS ecosystem.

Amazon said in January that 10,000 new jobs in Europe were the result of its business in 2015 and that it would create “several thousand more” this year.”

A 31 year-old Nigerian scientist has received a patent for his pioneering work of turning urine into flammable gases, raising hopes in a time of a global energy crisis

Ejikeme Patrick Nwosu got the patent for developing a process of converting human urine into “hydrogen-ammonia-rich flammable gases and fire resistant materials”, reported Nigeria’s The Guardian.

The Nigerian scientist with an MSc degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, claims this process could replace fossil fuels in the near future.

“It is obvious that our crude oil reserves will be exhausted in few decades to come,” he said, “When this happens we will be forced to use other sources of fuel, but it would be more prudent to start acting prior to such state.

Apart from this, fossil fuel has a lot of dangers that come with it; chief among them is climatic disorders. In order to leave our world better than I met it, I ventured into research on urine and have made some notable successes that can change the world forever.”

The Patent Certificate for Nwosu’s discovery granted for a period of 20 years on October 13, 2014, and signed by the Registrar of Patents and Designs reads: “The Federal Government being willing to encourage all inventions which may be for public good, is pleased to accede to the request by Ejikeme Patrick Nwosu of 3 Jaba Road, Ungwan Boro, Kaduna South, Kaduna State, Nigeria, C/O Edumejowo & Associates, Suite 14 Peemas Complex, 13 Jere Street by Rita Lori Hotel, Garki II, Abuja, for the sole use and advantage of an Invention for: Conversion of Urine into Hydrogen-Ammonia Rich Flammable Gases and Fire Resistant Materials…”

Source:http://www.sundayadelajablog.com/

Amazing!! Nigerian Scientists Develop Noninvasive and Bloodless Malaria Test!

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Meet The Sierra Leonean Ballet Star From Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’

In the “Hope” sequence of Beyoncé’s new visual album, Lemonade, a ballerina takes the stage as Beyoncé sings the words to “Freedom.”

Scientists working in Nigeria have developed a new laser test that can detect malaria in humans within minutes with a simple urine test without drawing blood.

Current malaria testing methods requires piecing the with a needle to draw blood but the new urine malaria test (UMT), developed by Fyodor Biotechnologies, doesn’t require use of blood.

The fast, non-invasive test can detect malaria in both humans and mosquitoes. It has advantages over current techniques because it does not depend on blood sampling, reagents, facilities or trained personnel. The simplicity – it can be operated by non-medical personnel – and sensitivity of the test mean it could be a low-cost, safe and universal tool for clinical and field diagnoses.

Speaking at the launch of UMT in Abuja, Dr Victoria Enwemadu, Fyodor’s global head of projects, said “There are some challenges with adopting that [national malaria testing] guideline mainstream because of the invasiveness of trying to get blood for testing. Now we have made it easier by just using urine to test for malaria.”

According Enwemadu, the UMT includes a strip that is dipped into urine sample for 25 minutes to give results which can be read as positive, negative or valid, when compared against a control.

“It is based on recombinant antibody technology which searches for malaria parasite in urine sample, and the strip indicates its presence or not,” Dr Eddy Agbo, chairman of Fyodor told LEADERSHIP.

“There should be no guesswork by any health provider as to whether a patient has malaria or not,” he added. “We have a game changer in our hands.”

UMT has taken seven years in the making, and involved Johns Hopskins University, University of Maryland and University of Nigeria, Nsukka in discovery, clinical development and analysis.

Researchers included partners at the National Malaria Elimination Programme recruited more than 2,000 people to take part in clinical trials for the test.

It is considered the “first full-scale clinical trial for a medical product ever undertaken in Nigeria,” according to Agbo.

Dr Bridget Okoeguale, director of public health at the federal health ministry, said FMOH would consider working with its Roll Back Malaria partners to push UMT as a do-it-yourself malaria test that does not require bleeding or pricking.

Fyodor has said it would use partnership with indigenous firm Geineth to make UMT available in hospitals, pharmacies, primary health centres and patent medicine stores around the country.

Source :http://www.sundayadelajablog.com

The dancer in a white dress and headpiece is 21-year-old Sierra Leonean-born ballet star Michaela DePrince.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, DePrince admits she thought it was a joke when she found out Beyoncé wanted to cast her in the video. At the time, DePrince was living in Amsterdam, where she performs as a member of the Dutch National Ballet. It wasn’t long before she was on a plane to New Orleans. Shooting for the scene took place over the course of two days in December. According to the WSJ article, the dancer choreographed her own moves.

“She said I looked like I was a creature from another planet,” DePrince tells WSJ of her encounter with Beyoncé. “She walked up to me and said, ‘It’s such an honor to have you here.’ I was really cheesy and said, ‘The honor is mine.’ I was on cloud nine.”

Born Mabinty Bangura in Sierra Leone in 1995, DePrince lost both her parents during the country’s civil war. Her uncle left her in an orphanage when she was three. There, she was taunted and abused by the women who looked after her. She was called “devil child” due to a skin condition she was born with, vitiligo, that made her skin appear spotted.

As the story goes, it was at the orphanage that she first came across a photo of a ballet dancer on the cover of a magazine. DePrince was mesmerized. “It represented freedom, it represented hope, it represented trying to live a little longer,” she told CNN in a 2012 interview. “I was so upset in the orphanage, I have no idea how I got through it but seeing that, it completely saved me.”

At four, DePrince and her closest friend were adapted by an American couple from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The family encouraged her to pursue her passion for ballet from a young age.

In 2011, DePrince starred in the ballet documentary First Position, which follows six young dancers as they compete for the prestigious Youth American Grand Prix in New York City.

In 2012 she graduated from the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City, and in July of that year she made her professional stage debut as a guest principal in the South African Ballet Theatre’s production of Le Corsaire at the Joburg Ballet.

At 18 she was the youngest member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Since 2013 she’s been with the Dutch National Ballet.

Along with her adoptive mother, Elaine DePrince, the dancer co-authored the 2014 memoir, Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina. “It was a therapeutic outlet and a way for me to reach out to other people,” DePrince told The Guardian of why she wrote the book. “When I went to South Africa, I shared my story with a few high-school kids and realised it could really have an impact. It inspired me to think differently about myself – I always wanted to be a role model and to let people know that it’s OK to dream and to live for something.”

DePrince’s memoir is currently being adapted into a feature-length movie.

http://www.okayafrica.com/

Sierra Leoneans in Texas Take New Dimension in Celebrating Independence Anniversary

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community an opportunity to interact and perform national identity and belonging. The community here in Dallas Fort-Worth believes that the transformation of Independence Day celebrations sheds light on the development of our country and Sierra Leoneans living in the Diaspora.

It gives insight on the formation of a national identity as Sierra Leoneans in the United States.

Unity is the biggest challenge among the Sierra Leonean communities across the United States. Sierra Leoneans, however, should continue to be proud of their heritage/culture in Texas with unity and diversity without fragmentation that shifts focus from the established unity based on a mere tolerance of our cultural, social, religious, and political ideologies. Despite some differences towards a more complex unity based in understanding especially our political differences, but no differences can divide us as Sierra Leoneans in the Dallas Fort Worth.

By Sanpha Sesay, The Texas Chief http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com

Association of Sierra Leonean Organizations in Texas (ASLOT) Dallas, Texas, USA:

It is traditional for the Association of Sierra Leonean Organizations in Texas (ASLOT), to bring together all Sierra Leoneans in the metroplex to celebrate Sierra Leone’s Independence anniversary in Texas. In this year’s celebration, a multiple activities took place as the community gathered in two different venues during the day organizing picnics and soccer games on April 30, to celebrate the 55th Independence anniversary. (Photo: Association of Sierra Leonean Organizations in Texas ASLOT)

While the nation, back home and across the globe commemorating the 55th Independence anniversary on April 27, the Sierra Leone community in the Dallas Fort-Worth area set aside this date, April 30, to fit the mold of the vast majority of Sierra Leoneans in the city to celebrate and reflect the history and identity of Sierra Leone cultural heritage.

The event had lots of great activities slated, however, including, soccer tournament, picnics, beauty pageant show, costumes contest, and award ceremony. Mrs. Zainab Sesay of ZInternational was the host for the beauty pageant and costume contests. It was the first time this fashion of celebration was introduced in the Independence anniversary. It attracts hundreds of Sierra Leoneans and other nationals jam-packed Pastor Simson’s hall at the city of Garland.

It was a dramatic twist in her imagination, Ms. Zanab Sesay of the Z-International evolving to make the night event looks more amusing and pleasant. Teens and adult women groomed into the pageant queens with fantastic presentation of splendid African attires. There were some latest fashion trends in the costumes presentation that represents different personal tastes and provides different experiences from the designers.

Ms. Zainab Sesay’s energy and enthusiasm as Master of Ceremony MC, keeps the audience in the pageant show awaken all through the night. She recognizes the presence of the Honorary Consul General, Mr. Patrick Jackson and presented some organizations that represented in the event as, the Mandingo Association and the Limba organization.

The Ms. Sierra Leone for the first time pageant show 2016 in Texas was Amanita Tommy from Bo District. In two weeks, Ms. Sierra Leone is graduating with an associate degree from

Richland community college to become a registered nurse.

Ms. Aminata Tommy was quite enthusiastic over the pageant beauty contest victory, saying that it was the biggest accomplishment I have ever scored. I must confess, I felt somewhat elated, she said. Ms. Sierra Leone for Texas is determined to continue with the pageant beauty contest as a career in the feature if she has a sponsor or promoter, she told me.

The event also climaxed with an awards ceremony.

The Sierra Stars Soccer Association deemed it necessary to recognize and applaud Sierra Leoneans who already are making a positive difference in the community. The president of Sierra Stars, Mr. Patrick Dangawalli told me that the club passionate interest is to inspire others to think about how they might contribute to the Dallas Fort-Worth community for development.

Sierra Stars game

The recipients for this year’s community award were Mr. David Kessebeh, the Executive Director of Sierra Care Inc. and Mr. Sanpha Sesay, the community PRO and the author of this article. A plaque in recognition of his assistance to the underprivileged back home and his commitment to promote soccer in the community was conferred on Mr. David Kessebeh. In appreciation of his rich contribution to the community in especially performing the public relations (PRO) duties, a magnificent plaque was conferred on Mr. Sanpha Sesay AKA the Texas Chief.

Soccer trophies award were also presented to the winning teams by Mr. Patrick Dangawalli, the president of Sierra Stars. Three teams from different countries, The Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone participated in the soccer tournament. Undoubtedly, Sierra Stars of Sierra Leone won the tournament first place after defeating The Gambia team by a lone goal. An elegant trophy was bestowed upon the stars the winner of this year’s soccer tournament for the 55th Independence anniversary.

The Independence day is considered to patriotic holiday that many people believe can provide the

Pageant host, Ms. Zainab Sesay & Ms. Sierra Leone

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