April 2015 print version

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Vol 7 Issue 4

African Community News

Nigeria election: Muhammadu Buhari Wins Presidency

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The Conference of Ghanaian Presbyterian Churches in North America Declare Position on Same Sex Marriage

Afrikan Post

April 2015

From the Editor

O u r G r ea tes t G lor y is n o t in n ever f a llin g b u t in r is in g ever y time we f a ll .

We a r e committted to br in gin g th e commu n ity th e bes t in N ews f r om Af r ica a n d th e D ia s p o r a. You may als o vis it o u r web s ite a t www. af r ikan po s t.com f or d a ily n ews u p da tes on Af r ica.

D is cla imer : Th e o p in ion s ex pr es s ed in ar ticles a n d s tor ies in th is N ews paper ar e th os e o f th e a u th o r s a n d do n ot n eces s ar ily r ef lect th e views o f Af r ik an Pos t . All co mmen ts a n d s u gg es tio n s ar e welcome.

George Bright-Abu Publisher and Editor

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Call 703- 725- 6968 or E-mail: editor@afrikanpost.com Address: Bright House Productions 6236 Oscar Court Woodbridge VA 22193 D E PA R T M E N T S Vol 7 Issue 4

CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

Nollywood Star, Desmond Elliot Wins House Of Assembly Seat Pg. 18

Ghanaian scientist inducted into American National Academy of Inventors Pg. 7

Nigerian Minister Listed Among 50 Greatest World Leaders Pg. 15

Come Home Pg. 20

SPORTS

Didier Drogba Opens First Of Five Hospitals In Ivory Coast Pg. 39 UPDATE

Barack Obama Awards INEC Chairman Jega With Certificate Of Expertise Pg. 11

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“… the teaching elder may seek the counsel of the session, which has authority to permit or deny the use of church property for a marriage service.”

A Presbyterian minister therefore can use his own discretion based or his own discernment from the Holy Spirit as such the amendment is not binding on any minister of the Presbyterian Church.

The Conference of Ghanaian Presbyterian Churches in North America (CGPCNA) have therefore declared their stand that they would not be bound by the move and would not perform or allow same sax marriages in the congregation .

Afrikan Post Newspaper contacted Rev. Yaw Nkansah of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church and he affirmed the position of the conference. He dared any one to prove with evidence on allegations that he was performing such ceremonies in secret.”

“We as a body of Christ should not be in competition with each other as such we must not take Recently The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) voted to formal- advantage of rejoicing when another ministry ly sanction same-sex marriages. The 1.7 million-member encounter issues” church voted to amend its constitution to allow gay marHe went on to confirm that even though the riage ceremonies, a move which permits its ministers to Presbyterian Church USA has been tagged with marry same-sex couples. accepting same sex marriages and ostracized by the Presbyterian Churches in Ghana it is a fact that This has generated a lot of debate and misinformation with- some of the presbyteries of the Presbyterian in the body of Christ. Afrikan Post delved into this controChurches in Ghana have partnerships with PCUSA versy and would like to clear the air and bring out the real and receive financial and material support from state of affairs them. Some ministers come to PCUSA seminaries in the United States to pursue their masters and The Conference of Ghanaian Presbyterian Churches in PhD. Programs and therefore benefit from their North America (CGPCNA) who are part of the Presbyterian training institutions.

Church (USA) by a resolution disagrees with the changes to According to Rev. Yaw Nkansah “Genesis 6 talk the PCUSA constitution and have issued a formal statement about the wickedness of the people at the time of dissociating the group from the move due to their inherent Noah but God saved Noah and his family out of cultural, moral and traditional beliefs. The Conference of the entire population. And in the time of Lot God Ghanaian Presbyterian Churches in North America (CGPC- destroyed only 2 cities being Sodom and Gomorrah NA) is a gathering of Ghanaian inspired Presbyterian and saved Lot and his family because they did not Churches and Fellowships which are chartered or recogpartake in such sinful acts. God spared those who nized under the constitutions of the Presbyterian Church did not partake in the sins of the population” Why (U.S.A) and the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Through is it that the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah its affiliation, CGPC mobilizes resources to support mission comes to the front line on issues such as these work in Ghana as well as enable fellowship amongst its whilst we ignore the flood of Noah’s time when member Churches and joint ministries-Youth, Women, Men, God caused the destruction of the whole world due Choir and Singing Band. There are currently 13 congregato the wickedness of the people. ” tions of which 6 are chartered churches and the remaining 7 are fellowships or new church developments in PC (USA) In conclusion the conference of Ghanaian Even though the amendment to the constitution received Presbyterian Churches is not bound by the amendunanimous vote, the representatives of the conference of ment of the constitution of Presbyterian Church Ghanaian Presbyterian Churches voted against it. As much (USA) and does not and would not perform maras the resolution has been adopted a document signed by the riages for same sex – couples.

Ruling Elder and Moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA (221st General Assembly) and posted on the PCUSA website clearly states as follows: Moderator and Vice Moderator Issue Letter on marriage “Nothing herein shall compel a teaching elder (minister) to perform nor compel a session to authorize the use of church property for a marriage service that the teaching elder (minister) or the session believes is contrary to the teaching elder (minister) or the sessions’ discernment of the Holy Spirit and their understanding of the word of God” “It also allows teaching elders (Ministers) to exercise their pastoral discretion in officiating weddings and in doing so

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Soul Singer Percy Sledge Dies Aged 73

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Facebook may soon need to add "Just got served divorce papers" to its list of relationship statuses now that a New York judge has said the social media site is an acceptable way for a Brooklyn woman to serve her husband with a summons for divorce.

But, Spinnell said, he and his client haven't been able to find Victor Sena Blood-Dzraku to serve him the papers. Baidoo has been able to reach her husband by phone and "he has told her that he has no fixed address and no place of employment," according to court documents.

Source:BBCnews.com

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Ghanaian Woman Files For Divorce On Facebook

Ellanora Arthur Baidoo has been trying to divorce her husband for several years, according to her attorney, Andrew Spinnell.

US soul singer Percy Sledge, famed for his song When a Man Loves a Woman, has died aged 73.

Steve Green from talent agency Artists International Management Inc confirmed to the BBC that he had died at his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Tuesday.

"He was one of my first acts, he was a terrific person and you don't find that in this business very often," said Green. "He was truly a standout."

When a Man Loves a Woman reached the top 10 twice in the UK. Percy Sledge Sledge appeared on BBC Two's Later With Jools Holland in 1994 It topped the US Billboard chart for two weeks in 1966, when it got to number four in the UK chart. It reached number two when it was rereleased in the UK in 1987. Later this week it will be the 49th anniversary of the song's release.

Sledge was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 and is a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

He started his working life as a hospital nurse in the early 1960s before he became a singer.

His other hits included Warm and Tender Love, It Tears Me Up and Take Time to Know Her. Sledge is survived by his wife and children.

His biggest hit When A Man Loves a Woman found new life in 1991 when Michael Bolton's cover of the song topped the Billboard chart.

Sledge's version was the first US number one to have been recorded at Alabama's historic Muscle Shoals studio, where Aretha Franklin and the Rolling Stones would record.

It was also the first gold record for Atlantic Records.

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"He has also refused to make himself available to be served," the document said.

After exhausting other ways of serving him the papers, Spinnell filed an application asking for "service by alternate means," in this case, via social media.

In his decision, Justice Matthew Cooper said the "advent and ascendency of social media," means sites like Facebook and Twitter are the "next frontier" as "forums through which a summons can be delivered."

Spinnell said Baidoo's marriage to Blood-Dzraku began to unravel shortly after they married in 2009 because her husband refused to participate in a Ghanian wedding ceremony that would include both their families

The couple never lived together, according to court documents.

"She's not asking for any money," Spinnell said, "She just wants to move on with her life and get a divorce."

Spinnell said he has contacted Blood-Dzraku twice on Facebook, but has yet to hear back.

If Blood-Dzraku refuses the summons, Spinnell said the judge can move forward with a "divorce by default" for his client.

Blood-Dzraku could not be reached for comment.

Source: nydailynews.com

Before Cooper agreed to her using Facebook, Baidoo had to prove the Facebook account belongs to her husband, and that he consistently logs on to the account and would therefore see the summons.

Tennessee Moves To Make Bible The Official State Book

Despite far more pressing problems, Tennessee Senate and House committees have been working to make the Bible the official book of Tennessee — adding the Bible with catfish (the state fish) as a symbol of the state. Of course, cat fish are not matters of faith (beyond the hope and prayer of every fisherman). The House sponsor, Rep. Jerry Sexton, R-Bean Station, added “talking points” to bill.

Sexton was only elected in 2015 but is wasting no time in trying to rollback on the separation of church and state.

The bill was approved by the Senate State and Local Government Committee by a 7-0-2 vote. Only two abstained. Not a single opposing vote. The House State Government Committee approved the bill (HBO615) by a voice vote about an hour later.

11-13-12 Lamberth_William State RepRep. William Lamberth, R-Cottontown insists that it must be constitutional because “It doesn’t in any way, shape, form or fashion say that anyone has to read this book. It doesn’t mean anyone has to believe in the tenets of this book.”

Legislators could argue that they are associating the state with the generally accepted elements of the Bible such as the values expressed in the book. However, rabbis and clerics of other religious are objecting. The book also ascribes to one view of the Almighty. Moreover, the official designation will require some state action by employ-

ees in listing and featuring the book. It would raise an interesting and potentially expensive court case for the state. If the legislators tried to erect a monument to the Bible, there would be a credible challenge. What is the difference between a monument on the grounds and this designation?

Putting aside the question of the separation of powers, the claim of constitutionality does not make this the right thing to do. There are many citizens in Tennessee who follow other faiths or no faith. This is the majority forcing all citizens to associate with the religious book of one faith. If one truly believe in free exercise of religion, it should come with a respect for the faiths of others. The concept of tolerance and pluralism runs deeply in our values as a nation.

The fact that not a single member had the courage to oppose this bill on principle is a deeply sad reflection on our current politics. Imagine who people would feel is a bill passed making the Koran the official book or the Torah. It is not enough to say that you might be able to get away with dong something wrong — I learned that as a kid from the Bible.

Source: The Tennessean

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All Nations Church USA Dedicate New Sanctuary

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Loganville, Atlanta – The Head branch of the All Nations Church USA dedicated their new Church Building on Saturday March 28th, 2015 in Loganville, Atlanta in the State of Georgia. The chapel located at 781 Athens Highway, Loganville, was completed earlier this year. Friends, Family, Clergy from far and near joined All Nations Church USA to dedicate their new sanctuary. The Mayor of the city of Loganville, Dan Curry the special guest of honor cut the ribbon to officially commission the building.

The Mayor in his speech said “The city of Loganville is happy to welcome the Church to the community and ready to work with the Church”.

The Judah Praise Choir treated the audience to a spirited and powerful praise and worship, with faces turned upward; worshiping God in Awe. Pastor Joe Asmah of the New Jersey branch of All Nations Church electrified the atmosphere with a selection of songs.

Kharis House as the new Temple is named boasts of three state of the art giant wide screens, a media room with four video Cameras for live streaming, a multipurpose room, Sunday School classrooms, bookstore and administrative offices. It also has a big parking lot for worshipers.

In attendance were the Ghanaian Ministers Fellowship of Atlanta, and a host of Ministers from all over under the umbrella of Living springs Ministries World wide The new sanctuary is warmer and has more inviting space than the old place of worship that it replaces.

It’s a great milestone in the church history. The All Nations Church was founded about 15 Years ago by Dr. Frank Ofosu Appiah.

Dr. Frank Ofosu-Appiah general overseer of All Nations Church is an internationally recognized life coach and leadership architect. He is a respected speaker, author and currently serves as the Senior Pastor of All Nations Church and General Overseer of Living Springs International churches.

The New Church Building

The Mayor of the city of Loganville, Dan Curry the special guest of honor cutting the ribbon to officially commission the building.

All Ministers praying to dedicate the New Auditorium

Rev. Joe Asmah leading The Judah Praise Choir in ministration

The Ministerial Team

Rev. and Mrs. Ofosu Appiah

A representative of the Ghanaian Ministers Fellowship of Georgia

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Ghana: Why a 15-Year-Old Decided to Build Bikes From Bamboo in Ghana

ant bicycle frames.

And so the Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative was born.

Becoming a global success story The aim was to address both the transportation needs and unemployment problems in her community. Five years later the company employs around a dozen people fulltime, produces between 60 and 100 bicycles a month, and has provided hundreds with a form of transport.

What is more, the bikes have found a large export market and received some internaAnzisha Prize (Johannesburg) tional recognition. In November 2013 UN At an African Leadership Academy event in Secretary General Ban Ki Moon took a Johannesburg last year, I asked a young spin on one of Selby’s bikes at the Warsaw Ghanaian entrepreneur, Winifred Selby, what Climate Change Conference. motivated her to co-start Ghana Bamboo And Selby, who has now just turned 20, is Bikes Initiative when she was just 15. The also no stranger to media attention and has award winning company makes bicycles out received a number of accolades. Last year of bamboo and has caught the attention of she was named a 2014 Anzisha Prize finalglobal organisations. ist, an award for African entrepreneurs “I always say Africans are the richest… there between 15 and 22 who use entrepreneurare so many things we have and can add value ship to solve problems in their communito make a change. But Africans always seem ties. She has also been recognised as a to think they cannot do something extraordi2014 Set Africa Fellow, and WEF Global nary, but rather only people from foreign Shaper. countries can,” she said sternly.

Today, one of the company’s major chal“It’s so sad and so serious that a common lenges is keeping up with demand. toothpick in my country has to be imported Being stubborn and ignoring the critics from other countries. We don’t do it ourselves Selby said one of the reasons there are not because we look down on ourselves… We enough young Africans venturing into think foreigners are the people to make entrepreneurship is because they are often changes. It’s something that pains me because discouraged by others. And as a woman we have been blessed with so many things.” entrepreneur she has especially found this She also realised there was demand for an to be the case many times. affordable mode of transport in her country For example, when she and her partners after learning many students in Ghana have to first went to register her company, the offiwalk miles to get to school. cer handling the paperwork asked her about “By the time they get to the classroom they her initiative. But when she told him she will be tired. What concentration are they planned to add value to bamboo by manugoing to have to study? Imagine walking eight facturing bicycles, she was shocked by his miles (13km) to school, learning, and then response. walking eight miles back home.”

“He looked at me and said: ‘Young lady, She realised farmers faced a similar challenge are you sure you have the right frame of and often had to walk great distances carrying mind?’,” she recalled. heavy loads to get produce to markets, due to “I was thinking he was going to motivate a lack of transportation in agricultural areas. me. But he really [tried to] discourage me And in addition there is the high unemployinstantly… as if thinking that turning bamment levels and the reality that Ghana needs boo into bicycles was the work of men.” many more growing businesses and entrepreHowever, she believes it is important for neurs to provide much needed jobs. All of entrepreneurs to draw inspiration and these things frustrated Selby, and she despercourage from their own dreams and pasately wanted to be part of as many solutions as sions, rather than simply rely on the suppossible. port of others.

“But I was 15, a student, and didn’t have any “There were so many friends who laughed money. I can’t make cars – they are too expen- when they heard about the bamboo bike sive. But I kept thinking, what can I do to add idea. Some people will definitely discourvalue to bring a change in Africa? And then I age you, but one thing I’ve realised in life realised what to do because I [remembered] is that you have to be focused,” she added. my country is blessed with many things.”

“People never understand your journey One is bamboo – which Ghana has an abunbecause it is not theirs to understand.” dance of. And it wasn’t long before she – with the help of two older students, Bernice Dapaah and Kwame Kyei – discovered they could convert the bamboo into sturdy, shock-resist-

Ghanaian scientist inducted into American National Academy of Inventors April 2015

Dr. Thomas O. Mensah, a US trained Ghanaian Scientist was inducted into the United States National Academy of Inventors (NAI) on March 22, 2015.

The Doctor also became a fellow of the NAI in 2014 when the institution recognised and honoured his work during his time at the Florida State University in the US.

According to the NAI: “A researcher's contribution reaches the benchmark of inventorship as recognized by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office because its discovery had no significant prior art, was not obvious to someone else skilled in the field, and had a specific use.

Although every invention and every inventor is unique, some things are common to all. It takes imagination and ingenuity to be an inventor.”

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an inspiration to young people worldwide, especially in Africa, that they can attain whatever they set themselves out to do provided they stay focused and dedicated in hard work."

NAI says its Fellows Programme has 414 Fellows worldwide representing more than 150 prestigious universities, governmental and nonprofit research institutions.

Collectively, the Fellows hold nearly 14,000 issued U.S. patents. House Resolution 646 was by representatives in the government of the State of Georgia in the USA to commend Dr. Mensah and his works, details of which are available here:http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/201520 16/150987.pdf

Dr. Mensah revealed that he received a message from Washington DC through the Ghana His ingenious imagination, academic excellence Embassy on behalf of Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Joseph Henry Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United and works as an Inventor in the USA which is States of America. recognised both globally and by the United States Patent and Trademark Office earned him the NAI induction at the prestigious institution’s The Ambassador's congratulatory message to Dr. Mensah acknowledged him for his numerous 4th annual conference that took place from March 19-20, 2015 at the California Institute of achievements on behalf of the President and the peoples of Ghana.

Technology in Pasadena, California.

The US-trained Ghanaian Scientist and inventor, who is also fluent in the French language is a former student of Adisadel College in Cape Coast and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, both elite educational institutions in Ghana. He also holds The most popular of the scientist’s inventions is a Ph.D in Chemical Engineering from in Fiber Optics and Nanotechnology which earned him 7 USA and worldwide patents over Montpellier University in France and a a period of six years, making him the first black Certificate in Modeling of Chemical Processes from the world acclaimed Massachusetts man to attain such a feat. He has some 14 Institute of Technology in the USA. patents today.

Inventions of Dr. Mensah have made tangible impacts on the quality of life and have led to economic development and the improvement in the welfare of societies worldwide.

Presently the President and CEO of Georgia Aerospace Systems based in Georgia United States, Dr. Mensah, who is passionate about green energy and sustainable development says he is "greatly humbled by my NAI Fellowship and recent induction and hope that it serves as

Dr. Mensah is one of only 3 black men among 167 Inventors that were recognised by the NAI recently, the other two men are Dr. Mark E. Dean, formerly of IBM and now at University of Tennessee and Babatunde Ayodeji Ogunnaike, Dean of University of Delaware.

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US Backs Plan For African Center For Disease Control

African Union Chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma (L) and US Secretary of State John Kerry exchange their signed Memorandum of Understanding during ceremonies in Washington, DC on April 13, 2015 ŠPaul J. Richards (AFP)

The United States Monday threw its weight behind an African Union plan to set up a regional disease control center in the wake of the deadly Ebola crisis.

Meeting with Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the chairwoman of the African Union, US Secretary of State John Kerry signed a deal to support what he called a "very bold plan" for an African center for disease control to be opened in Addis Ababa.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was set up "70 years ago in response to an epidemic of malaria," Kerry said as he met Zuma at the State Department.

"An African counterpart is already clearly needed, not just because of Ebola, but to cope with health threats of every kind and to enable countries throughout the region to share information and build the capacity to prevent, detect and treat outbreaks of epidemic disease."

Under the memorandum of understanding the United States will provide expert technical help for a surveillance and response unit as well as an emergency operations center, and fellowships for African epidemiologists to work in the center.

Zuma said the aim of the new center was to strengthen "the capacities of the African countries to combat disease, sharing information, build collective capacities not only against Ebola... but also HIV, TB, malaria and many other diseases."

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She thanked the United States for its help in combatting the recent Ebola outbreak, adding however "of course, the epidemic is not over and so we still need to continue working and being vigilant."

"With the support of the international community, we think it would be possible to see this epidemic behind us," Zuma said.

"However, we must not let up until all the three countries are Ebola-free. In fact, I don’t think one country can actually be Ebola-free until all of them are."

The Ebola outbreak that erupted in West Africa last year ravaged Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, killing more than 10,600 people in the past 15 months.

The number of new infections has now fallen, and the World Health Organization said last week that the risk of international spread appeared to be receding.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

By AFP

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Nigeria Election: Muhammadu Buhari Wins Presidency April

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Boko Haram, which has killed thousands of people in its drive to establish an Islamic state.

Many voters have said that they believe Gen Buhari is better positioned to defeat Boko Haram.

The verdict on Mr Buhari's 20 months as military ruler is mixed.

The European Union's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, congratulated Gen Buhari on his victory, saying she "looked forward to working with" him.

Muhammadu Buhari in focus: Aged 72 Muslim from northern Nigeria Elected president in 28 March poll Military ruler of Nigeria from 1984 to 1985 Deposed in a coup Poor human rights record Seen as incorruptible Disciplinarian - civil servants late for work had to do frog jumps Survived an apparent Boko Haram assassination attempt

Former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari has become the first opposition candidate to win a presidential election in Nigeria.

Gen Buhari beat incumbent Goodluck Jonathan by more than 2.5 million votes, final results showed.

Mr Jonathan telephoned his rival to concede defeat. Gen Buhari's supporters took to the streets to celebrate.

Observers have generally praised the election, though there have been allegations of fraud.

Election results as they happened "I promised the country free and fair elections. I have kept my word," Mr Jonathan said in a statement.

He said he had conveyed his "best wishes" to Mr Buhari, and urged "those who may feel aggrieved to follow due process... in seeking redress".

Celebrations A spokesman for Gen Buhari's All Progressives Congress (APC) party praised Mr Jonathan, saying: "He will remain a hero for this move. The tension will go down dramatically."

Gen Buhari's supporters have celebrated by dancing and singing in the streets in APC strongholds, including the northern cities of Kano and Kaduna.

Nigeria's electoral commission officially declared the 72-year-old general the winner of the presidential election early on Wednesday morning.

The APC won 15,424,921 votes and Mr Jonathan's People's Democratic Party (PDP) gained 12,853,162 votes.

Gen Buhari's victory is a hugely significant moment in Nigeria's turbulent history. Never before has a sitting president been defeated in an election.

Since independence from Britain in 1960, there have been numerous coups and most elections have been rigged. Of course in a close election there will be many voters who are not pleased with this outcome but the whole process is a sign that democracy is deepening in Nigeria.

The poll has once again brought to the surface dangerous religious and regional differences and there is still a threat of violence.

The man who has been voted out, Goodluck Jonathan, has played a huge part today in trying to prevent that. He made the phone call when there would no doubt have been some in his camp who would have preferred to dig their heels in.

The APC issued a statement after the result was announced, calling for "calm, sober celebrations" and warning supporters not to attack opponents.

"He or she is not with me, whoever does that," the president-elect said.

He is due to give a speech later on Wednesday.

The former military ruler dominated the country's north-western states, which have suffered most from attacks by Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

In Borno state, one of the worst-affected by Islamist violence, Gen Buhari won 94% of the vote.

It is the fourth time that Gen Buhari, 72, has sought the presidency.

He ruled Nigeria from January 1984 until August 1985, taking charge after a military coup in December 1983.

Mr Jonathan had led Nigeria since 2010, initially as acting leader before winning elections in 2011.

Nigeria has suffered from several attacks by the Islamist militant group

Barack Obama Awards INEC Chairman Jega With Certificate Of Expertise

The United States President, Barack Obama has commended the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, over the way the Presidential and National Assembly elections were credibly conducted on March 28.

President Obama, represented by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, also congratulated, President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-elect, Mohammadu Buhari for their roles in the election and the prevailing peace all over the country.

Source:http://news2.onlinenigeria.com

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King Peggy Honored by the Library of Congress

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toilets to Otuam.

And even when she's not in Ghana, her royal duties do not stop; she wakes up at 1am every morning to call Otuam and be informed about what's happening in the community.

"I talk to my regent, I talk to my elders," Bartels says. "If there is something that I want to know, they tell me. If there is something that I want them to do, I tell them."

Last year, King Peggy's real-life fairy tale was documented in a book written by her and author Eleanor Herman. And now she says her amazing life journey from secretary to king will be told in a film, after Hollywood star Will Smith bought the rights to the book.

According to her, She is delegates authority to a handful of trusted advisors who she speaks with at least everyday...

"Very soon, by God’s grace, we are going to have a movie out there," says King Peggy. "Queen Latifah is going to play me and I'm so happy to at least let the whole world know that a secretary can become a king and lead wisely and help the people."

Peggielene Bartels, also known as King Peggy, An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village discusses with the United States " Library of Congress today….The invitation was in connection with “National Women's History Month” and the topic was “Every Child Is A Gift: Large Family" - King Peggy talked about how She became a KING not a QUEEN..... According to King Peggy, She went to bed on a summer night in 2008, she was an ordinary administrative assistant living in a modest onebedroom condo just outside Washington D.C.

But a few hours later, when a persistent ringing phone woke her up in the dead of the August night, the 55-year-old found out she was much more than simply a secretary.

At the other end of the line was Bartels's cousin, from Otuam, a small fishing village on the coast of Ghana. Excited and humble, he congratulated her on being the new king of Otuam.

"I said, 'listen, it's 4 o'clock in the morning in the U.S., I am very tired, let me sleep,'" remembers Bartels. "I thought he was trying to really play games with me."

But this was no time for games.

King Peggy shows off her crown..The previous king of Otuam, who was Bartels's uncle, had just died. The village elders, who remembered Bartels from the times she'd visited with her mother, had decided to anoint her as their new ruler.

After the initial shock, Bartels decided to accept the kingship.

Over the course of a few days, she went from being plain old Peggielene Bartels, who had worked for nearly three decades at the Ghanaian Embassy in the United States, to becoming King Peggy -- the first female king of Otuam, reigning over approximately 7,000 people.

"It never ever occurred to me [that I'd be Otuam's king]," says Bartels, who's been living in the United States since her early 20s. "I realized that on this earth, we all have a calling. We have to be ready to accept it because helping my people has really helped me a lot to know that I can really touch their lives," she adds. "I would have really regretted it if I hadn't really accept this calling."

Although she still works at the Ghanaian Embassy, Bartels uses all her holiday every year to spend a month in Otuam.

King is the traditional title of Otuam's ruler, and Bartels says she's happy to be called a king, rather than queen, because it

means she can achieve more.

"Most of the time, a king is the one who has all the executive power to do things, while the queen is mostly in charge of the children's affairs and reporting to the king," she says.

"So I really love this."

King Peggy was born in Takoradi, southern Ghana, in 1953.

She studied in England before moving to the United States, where she became an American citizen in 1997.

But after inheriting the throne, Bartels has been living two very different lives in two different continents.

In Washington, her secretarial duties include typing letters, answering phone calls and booking appointments. In her little apartment her life is far removed from the luxuries of her royal roots.

"When I am in the United States I do everything by myself," she explains. "I do my own laundry, I do my own cooking, I do my own driving and I do my own bed when I wake up in the morning."

But back in Ghana, she stands out as a gold crown-wearing, scepter-holding king who lives in a refurbished palace.

Otuam residents usually address her as "Nana" -- an honorary title given to royalty but also to women with grandchildren -- and bow when they see her.

"When I am back home they see me as their king and they want to pamper me," she says.

"They have to cook for me, they have to carry me around and they have to protect me from people. They want to do everything for me which I usually refuse ... Sometimes I say to them 'please, don't bow.' I just want them to be free and comfortable so that way we can really address issues.”

But beyond the bows, the royal attire and certain luxuries that come with her title, being a king in an impoverished place like Otuam is all about dealing with the pressing needs of the community and improving the lives of the people, says Bartels.

"To be a king in an African village or some places like this, it's not like European queens where everything is on a silver platter for them," she says. "I have to really work hard to help my people. I have to give myself to people to better their lives."

In the last few years, she's helped poor families pay school fees for their children and brought computers to classrooms.

With the help of other Americans she's also provided Otuam with its first ambulance, as well as access to clean, running water. Her next priority, she says, is to bring state-of-the-art

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Ghanaian Millionaire Who Quit Microsoft To Build University That Educates Young Africans

14 A f r i k a n

p; she d

Post

country’s economy. “And so here was this lesson again – leadership matters. It matters a great deal,” he explained.

e is ing

In spite of Patrick’s Epiphany at Swarthmore, it wasn’t until he started working at Microsoft Corporation that he realised it. “I was part of this team, this thinking, learning team whose job it was to design and implement new software that created value in the world…. And I realised just what had happened to me at Swarthmore … The ability to confront problem, complex problems, and to design solutions to those problems. The ability to create is the most empowering thing that can happen to an individual.”

a book her lm,

sted

nd I'm can At a time when quite a number of Africans queue up at the embassies of foreign countries, with the hope of being granted visas into countries with ‘better living conditions’, a rare few like Patrick Awuah are sacrificing that to make a difference by returning home.

In 2001, after living in America for almost two decades, Patrick Awuah returned to Ghana, leaving his job at Microsoft, where he earned millions as program manager to set up Ashesi University in Accra, to educate young Africans.

“If the current leadership core was educated a certain way, if they were problem solvers, if they had deep compassion for society, we would be in a different place,” he thought. Hence, Ashesi University is known for its innovative curriculum, high tech facilities, and strong emphasis on leadership. The University stirs a new path in African education.

In his TED Global talk in 2007, Patrick Awuah explains his call to educate Africa’s future leaders, and why he believes this is very important.

At the age of 16 in Ghana, Patrick Awuah had his first memorable experience of leadership. At the airport to meet his father, he is stopped by two soldiers wielding AK-47 assault weapons. “They asked me to join a crowd of people that were running up and down this embankment. Why? Because the path I had taken was considered out of bounds. No sign to this effect,” he noted.

Typical of teenagers, Patrick was quite concerned of what his peers, especially girls, would think if they saw him running up and down the hill. So he argued with soldiers. Luckily for him, a pilot falls into the same predicament. The soldiers addressed him differently because he wore a uniform; they explained that they were only following orders. The pilot takes their radio, talks to their boss, and gets everyone released. Patrick learnt several things from that experience.

“Leadership matters – those men are following the orders of a superior officer. I learned something about courage – it was important not to look at those guns.”

A few years after that event, Patrick left Ghana to attend Swarthmore College in the United States. “The faculty there didn’t want us to memorise information and repeat back to them as I was used to back in Ghana. They wanted us to think critically. They wanted us to be analytical. They wanted us to be concerned about social issues.” At Swarthmore, Patrick got high marks for his understanding of basic economics in his economic classes, but the deeper lesson was that, the leaders, the managers of Ghana’s economy were making really bad decisions, some of which had fuelled the near-collapse of the

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Nigerian Minister Listed Among 50 Greatest World Leaders

At Microsoft, Patrick became a parent. The thought of his children’s perception of Africa in comparison to the rest of the world instigated a desire to return home and change the overwhelming narrative that portrayed the dark continent. He was determined to contribute his quota towards the continents development.

On his return 14 years ago, he found out that for every problem three things kept coming up; corruption, weak institutions, and the people who run them – the leaders. Patrick asked two very important questions: where are these leaders coming from? What is it about Ghana that produces leaders that are unethical or unable to solve problems?

Nigeria's Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been named one of the world's 50 greatest leaders by the American magazine, Fortune.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, listed 33rd, was recognized alongside such world leaders as the Liberian President, Ellen In search of answers, he scanned the country’s educational system Johnson-Sirleaf, Pope Francis, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, U.S. biland realised that nothing had changed during his time away. “It was the same learning by rote, from primary school through grad- lionaire, Bill Gates, and wife, Melinda, as well as uate school. Very little emphasis on ethics … and the typical grad- Facebook Founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and Apple Chief uate from a university in Ghana has a stronger sense of entitlement Executive Officer, Tom Cook. than a sense of responsibility. This is wrong.” Patrick’s resolve to address this problem resugzzppupgbin the conception and birth of The magazine described Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, as "a fearless promoter of sound economic policies" and singled her Ashesi University, an institution launched to develop young out for working hard to usher in a decade in which African leaders. “Every society must be very intentional about Nigeria's gross domestic products trebled. educating its leaders … so this is what I’m doing now. I’m trying

to bring the experience I had at Swarthmore to Africa. What Ashesi University is trying to do, is to train a new generation of ethical, entrepreneurial leaders. We’re trying to train leaders of exceptional integrity, who have the ability to confront the complex problems, ask the right questions, and come up with workable solutions.”

Annually, Fortune Magazine identifies men and women in various spheres of life, who, through their activities in government, business and philanthropy, have transformed lives.

Ashesi started with 30 students in 2002 in a rented building. Today Source:bbcnews.com the university campus is set on a 100 acre land near Aburi, an hour’s drive from Ghana’s capital, Accra, with over 500 students.

The academic curriculum is a blend of Liberal arts and Sciences. “we’re going to educate computer science students who’ve also done philosophy, and leadership, and ethics … we’re going to educate business majors who’ve studied literature and have also done computer programming because we think that broad perspectives are important,” a bullish Patrick told the audience at the TEDEx talk.

The university has an Honour Code, where the students pledge to be honest and to hold each other accountable. The students of Ashesi University take ownership of their ethical posture on campus. “This is a huge break from the norm in most African universities, where corrupt practices run free,”Patrick says. “While the Honour Code may constitute a reach for a perfect society, which is unachievable, we cannot achieve perfection, but if we reach for it, we can achieve excellence.”

If more exceptionally minded and critical thinking individuals like Patrick Awuah would rise to the occasion of transforming Africa, the continent will make great strides in ridding itself off corruption, weak institutions, and most importantly unethical and inefficient leaders.

credit – www.ventures-africa.com

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I Told Goodluck Jonathan He Will Lose The Elections —T.B Joshua

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to the election that the dark cloud he saw covering Nigeria was lifting, he said that a bloody ‘war’ would have Joshua said he called Jonathan by ensued if not for the prompt phone, stressing that he chose to concession of power by relay it personally so that it will not President Jonathan. affect votes’ pattern or be seen as a campaign for any of the candidate “Look, Nigeria wanted change in the election. He added that he – everyone was yearning for has shared with President Jonathan change. An attempt to stop many revelations about Nigeria change leads to war, to a bloodwhich eventually came to pass. bath… If Nigeria knows what Joshua said Jonathan promptly sent we have overcome, we would dance,”Joshua said. a close aide to meet him. claimed God told him in a revelation.

Televangelist and cleric of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Joshua, Sunday, said he told President Goodluck Jonathan, that he would lose the March 28 presidential election.

Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was defeated by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

T.B Joshua said he sent his message to the President weeks before the election.

“I want to use this moment to congratulate Nigerians in our midst here,” Mr. Joshua began in a message to his congregation, televised live via his Christian network Emmanuel TV and posted on the social network of the church.

“This message should be delivered to your president, that whatever the outcome of this election, his regime has come to an end. He should accept to save the lives of millions,” Joshua

After the presidential aide had worshipped at his church during a Sunday service, Joshua said he met him and relayed the revelation that Jonathan’s regime had come to an end. “Soft landing – that is the language I sent to the president,” he told attendees.

Mr. Joshua described President Jonathan as a man who ‘has a heart for God’, revealing that he even spoke with the Nigerian president shortly before his historic concession call to President-elect Buhari.

“I said to him, ‘Your Excellency – all you need to say is ‘thank You, Jesus’, even when it seems there is nothing to be thankful for. He said, ‘Thank you, man of God’. Before I knew it, I saw the news on CNN that he had congratulated his opponent,”Joshua said.

Joshua praised Jonathan’s tenure insisting that he had served his nation well despite the immense security challenges.

“I really want to salute President Jonathan. The President has served; he has done his best. It was just the season of crisis – and unfortunately he found himself at the lead in the season of crisis,”he said.

He prayed that people from the ‘South-South’ region in Nigeria where President Jonathan hails from would understand that ‘their son has become a hero’, adding that his actions prove the region is after a united Nigeria.

Source: vanguardngr.com

Man Accused Of Stabbing Fiancee From Cameroon To Death April 2015

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – A man is accused of killing his fiancee inside their Mission Bend home Wednesday, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

Osa Alohaneke, 56, is charged with murder after deputies said he stabbedhis fiancee, Evelyne Ebane Epiepang, to death and severely wounded her sister.

Deputies found the two women with stab wounds inside the couple’s home in the 16300 block of Alametos Drive.

According to deputies, it all began around 5 p.m. when Epiepang called to report a family violence incident.

She was not at her home at the time.

When deputies arrived to the location to take a report, Alohaneke was not around.

Two hours later, a male family friend at the couple’s home called to say

Alohaneke had returned and was banging on the door.

Epiepang then went to the home on Alametos Drive with her sister. That is when Alohaneke attacked them, deputies said. When officers arrived, they found Alohaneke in bloody clothes standing near the women’s bodies.

Epiepang, 52, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her sister was taken to Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital with puncture wounds in the shoulder and a fractured humerus.

The family friend was unharmed.

Alohaneke was booked into the Fort Bend County Jail at about 11 p.m.

Wednesday. He is being held under an ICE hold.

No bail amount has been set.

Source:tcjonline.org

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Malawi has been named as sixth best English Speaking African Country Africa in a study conducted by World Linguistic Agency.

The study names Uganda as the best with Malawi's neighbours Zambia as second.

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t

Africa: Malawi Named As Sixth Best English Speaking Country in Africa

an

According to reports, the study revelations have risen amid video from a Miss Rwanda contestant that was shown struggling with English in a country that made a move from Francophone to Anglophone.

The study also sees Nigerians being credited for taking the spot for constructing good sentences that are grammatically flawless.

English and Chichewa are the country's two official languages.

English was introduced into Malawi towards the end of the 19th century, due to the influence of British explorers, missionaries, the arrival of the African Lakes Corporation and colonial administrators present since the establishment in the 1890s of the British Central Africa Protectorate.

The seventy years of British Colonial rule that followed the Scramble for Africa, set the groundwork for English to grow into the area's dominant and most socially prestigious language.

Among other things official government records are written in English, the parliament conducts its deliberations in English, the laws of Malawi are written in English, progression into secondary and higher education requires certification of competence in English, nearly all Malawian newspapers are published in English (though some include small Chichewa supplements),

The full list is as follows 1.Uganda 2. Zambia 3. South Africa 4. Kenya 5. Zimbabwe 6. Malawi 7. Ghana 8. Botswana 9. Sudan

Millennium Challenge Corporation to Lead Its First Trade and Investment Mission To Africa April 2015

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The Millennium Challenge Corporation and The U.S. Department of Commerce

The Millennium Challenge Corporation and the U.S. Department of Commerce have partnered to organize an energy focused trade and investment mission to Tanzania and Malawi.

Through this mission, U.S. companies will have the opportunity to engage with senior officials from the governments of Tanzania and Malawi, senior leadership from MCC, State, Commerce and Energy, as well as representatives from the local private sector to understand the business climate and investment opportunities in these two countries.

We are seeking participation from fully integrated energy solutions companies to equipment, technology, engineering and ancillary service providers. In addition, project developers are eligible to participate.

Tanzania Sunday, May 31, 2015 through Tuesday, June 2, 2015 Malawi Wednesday, June 3, 2015 through Friday, June 5, 2015

If you or your organization would like to participate, please complete the application by Friday, April 17, 2015. To learn more please visit the MCC Mission Website or contact us at InvestmentMission@MCC.gov.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Hosts Inaugural Africa Advisory Council Meeting Source:amipnewsonline.org

suggestions in an effort to promote broad-based economic growth in the United States and in Africa that will encourage U.S. companies to trade with and invest in Africa.

“Our gathering today is part of the Administration’s effort to write the next paragraphs in what President Obama called a ‘new chapter in U.S.-Africa relations,’” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. “We are building upon what was started at the historic U.S.-Africa Business Forum last August when U.S. firms announced more than $14 billion worth of investments in African markets. I look forward to working with this Council to make doing business in Africa easier for U.S. companies, and to keep America and Africa open for business together.”

U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY HOSTS INAUGURAL AFRICA ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING Council established by President Obama meets to help fulfill his commitment to the continent

The PAC-DBIA is comprised of 15 members representing small, medium, and large companies from a variety of industry sectors. The council’s initial recommendations focus on: investment and access to capital; trade and supply chain development; infrastructure; and marketing and outreach. The council touts efforts to enhance the ability of U.S. companies to compete for major projects with a dedicated U.S.-Africa Infrastructure Center; support capacity building activities for African financial regulators and exchanges through training programs, partnerships, and knowledge sharing; and to improve the perception of doing business in Africa and highlight trade opportunities through an online Doing Business in Africa toolkit and targeted outreach events.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today hosted the first meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) to discuss initial recommendations on ways to strengthen commercial engagement between the United States and Africa. The council, established by President Obama last year during the first-ever U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, advises the President through In addition to establishing the PAC-DBIA, other commitments the Secretary of Commerce, on advancing his DBIA campaign as made during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit are progressing. described in the U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa of June 14, To date, of the $7 billion in commitments that the U.S. govern2012. ment made in August, approximately $3.3 billion (47 percent) has been authorized. Also, $1.75 billion of the $7 billion is on During today’s meeting, the PAC-DBIA provided guidance and drafted

track to be approved by the end of the fiscal year.

The United States Trade and Development Agency and the Department of Commerce have completed four trade missions and reverse trade missions. Seven additional missions are planned, including a trade and investment mission jointly led by the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Department of Commerce to Tanzania in June, and the Department of Commerce’s Trade Winds Mission and Conference starting in South Africa in September.

From 2011 to 2014, the United States closed its trade gap with sub-Saharan Africa by 97 percent. U.S. merchandise exports to sub-Saharan Africa increased 19 percent during this period, reaching $25.4 billion last year. The annual growth rate of U.S. goods exports to sub-Saharan Africa averaged nearly 6 percent, almost doubling the average annual rate of growth to the world during this same period.

For more information on PAC-DBIA, please visit

www.trade.gov/pac-dbia.

Source:amipnewsonline.org

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Nollywood Star, Desmond Elliot Wins House Of Assembly Seat

Woman Carries Can Of Water On Her Head Along Paris Marathon

12 Nigerian, Ghanaian Christian Migrants ‘Thrown’ Overboard By Muslim April 2015

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Italian police said they had arrested a group of African migrants after witnesses said they threw 12 passengers overboard following a row about religion on a boat headed to Europe.

The deadly dispute, which saw a group of Muslim passengers allegedly attack a group of Christian passengers, coincided with reports of a new migrant drowning tragedy.

Mediterraneanan on October 16 after responding to a call by the Maltese Government. “AFP PHOTO

Four days after a migrant shipwreck off the coast of Libya, in which 400 people are believed to have died, another 41 migrants were missing feared drowned Thursday after their dinghy sank en route to Italy, Italian media reported.

The stricken vessel was spotted by a plane, which alerted the Italian coastguard but by the time a navy ship arrived at the spot only four passengers were found alive, the reports quoted the police and aid agencies as saying.

Surulere well-wishers celebrating d outcome of his victory

The four survivors, who came from Nigeria, Ghana and Niger, said they were part of a group of 45 people that set sail from Libya.

A separate group of migrants rescued by an Italian vessel related a deadly standoff over religion in their dinghy, which ended in 12 Nigerian and Ghanaian passengers being drowned, the police said.

One woman stood out from the crowd at Sunday’s (April 12) Paris The victims were “of Christian faith, compared to their marathon. Gambian woman Siabatou Sanneh wore sandals and carried a jerattackers who were of Muslim faith,” police in the Sicilian rycan of water on her head along the 42 km route. port of Palermo said in a statement.

Nollywood star, Desmond Olusola Elliot has won his bid to represent the people of Surulere constituency at the Lagos State House of Assembly, defeating the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bayo Smith.

Desmond Elliot is a Nigerian actor and director, and politician who has starred in over two hundred films and a number of television shows and soap operas.

Source:onlinenigeria.com

Perhaps it is not something you would expect to see on the streets of Paris, Fifteen migrants were arrested on suspicion of “multiple but women carrying buckets of water is a common sight in Sanneh’s home aggravated murder motivated by religious hate”, the statecountry, where women often walk the equivalent of a marathon to find clean ment added. drinking water for their families.

Sanneh wanted people to realise how scarce water is in Gambia and raise awareness about Water For Africa, an organisation that builds boreholes, a sustainable water source.

After installing water wells, Water for Africa gives some of the world’s most deprived communities the knowledge, power and finance to keep their wells in good working order.

Siampatou Sanech explained how she leaves her village three times a day in search of water, accompanied by her two daughters, aged 10 and 4. All are loaded with heavy cans to transport the precious liquid, which is necessary “to drink, to cook, to wash,” he explained.

“From the day I was born I watched my parents doing this, now I do it and teach my children. But sometimes, especially during the rainy season, the water is not good and the kids get sick, suffer diarrhea because of the water, “she recounted.

Sanech, who wore sandals to walk the 42,195 meters to the marathon finish line, wore a placard with the message: “In Africa women cover this distance every day to find water. Help us to reduce this distance. “

The incident aboard the vessel, which was carrying about 100 migrants, took place in the Strait of Sicily, between Tunisia and Italy.

According to a group of Nigerian and Ghanaian survivors, a fight broke out over religion, with a group of Muslim passengers threatening the Nigerians and Ghanaians after they declared themselves to be Christians.

“The threats then materialised and 12 people, all Nigerian and Ghanaian, are believed to have drowned in the Mediterranean,” the police statement added.

The remaining passengers were rescued and brought to Palermo, where the 15 alleged attackers, who came from Ivory Coast, Mali and Senegal, were arrested.

Source:uscis.gov

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Afrikan Post

T

Dr. Miriam C. Gyimah

here is a sweet, sweet place where I find myself regularly. This place is where I commune with God. Lately, when I enter this space, I often say “I am here Father, your daughter has come.”(I say this when I have allowed the cares of the world and my busy schedule to pull me away from His presence for a day or more. I say this when I feel within me how much I have missed our fellowship.) When I say this, joy and gladness fill me as I experience the pleasure of being in my heavenly Father’s presence.

There is no other person or entity that gives me such pleasure, joy and assurance. It is good to know I can go into my Father’s presence and empty myself, laying all things down, knowing very well, that I will leave that space lightened and empowered.

There is a song that I have been singing regularly to myself the past two years. One day about two years ago, I noticed that I had been singing the song internally and then when I did my quiet time, the song would try to force its way out of my mouth. But even as it tried to push itself out of me, I would shake my head and not want to sing it, because I thought it was out of place. You see, it is a Twi funeral song. I have heard it sung only at funerals. The song simply states “I will go to my Father’s house today; all sadness and difficulties are over.” So of course, I would internally question “why would I want to sing this song?”

Secondly, I didn’t feel comfortable, because singing the song was as if I were prophesying about my probable death. As a result, I struggled many times to shut this song out, but it would not allow me. One day within these two years, as the song intruded itself once again, in the middle of my attempt to resist it, I had an epiphany, an internal spiritual revelation, and I finally succumbed to singing it.

I learned with the epiphany that it was appropriate to sing the song, for although the lyrics and the music of that song are morose, going to my Father’s house did not always have to mean that physical death has occurred or is about to be realized. Going to my Father’s house also meant

Come Home

Her Page

going to His sanctuary or going to a private space where one might worship and pray to God. Once I understood this in mind and heart, I was convinced of its truth. After all, it is true that when I enter my Father’s house there is no more sorrow or pain, that when I enter His presence, my burdens are miraculously lifted and I am transformed.

The concept of going to my Father’s house reminds me of the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32.

Recall that in the New Testament, the prodigal son, although he went to live a wayward lifestyle and squandered all his inheritance, when herealized the tragic mistake he had made in rejecting his father and family, resolved to return to home. The story of the prodigal son connects to the idea of going home as illustrated in the song and puts the lyrics of the song in a clearer perspective. Again, the song states, “I will go to my Father’s house…all sadness and difficulties are over.” When we consider the meaning of the song outside the discourse of death, it speaks of God’s grace and mercy. It is to remind us that Jesus says in Mathew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. It is to say that God is always there with open arms to receive us and to welcome us into His presence.

Why else would King David, a man after God’s own heart, say, “‘I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord’”? (Psalm 122:1) When God receives us, He grants us the opportunity to lay all our burdens down, to be cleansed and renewed. When we go into God’s presence, we enter into the rest that we require, the rest and break from all sorts of confusion and adversities. Whether we have always remained in God or left Him for a time as the prodigal son left his father’s home, I say come home and lay all your burdens down. Take a break from your busy schedule and enter His presence. Enter to lay everything down.

When the prodigal son decided to swallow his pride and to return home, he thought to himself that he would not return as a son, but as a servant, for he knew that even his father’s servants were better off than he was in the pig’s den he found himself. But upon his return, not only was he welcomed as a servant, but also, he was restored as a son. Oo the sweetness of truly going home.

Oo the comfort and safety in entering the presence of the Lord. In His presence, whether in a sanctuary or in your own private space where you fellowship with Him, there is cleansing, there is comfort, there is mercy, forgiveness and acceptance and there is unspeakable blessing. Oo to be in the presence of God, to come home to our Father’s house where there is liberty!

I am reminded of Ama Ata Aidoo’s novel, Our Sister Killjoy or Reflections from a Black-EyedSquint.

In this book, Sissie, the protagonist travels to Europe and is at one point homesick and yearns for her mother’s

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akatado (covering cloth). She recollects the warmth, comfort and security she feels when she is covered in her mother’s akatado. Aidoo writes, “Sissie thought of home. To the time when she was a child in the village. Of how she always liked to be sleeping in the bedchamber when it rained, her body completely-wrapped-up in one of her mother’s akatado-cloths while mother herself pounded fufu in the anteroom which also served as a kitchen when it rained. Oo, to be wrapped up in mother’s cloth while it rained. Every timeit rained” (64).

Millions of Africans can identify with Sissie’s emotional and psychological yearning and connection to a mother’s akatado.

For the embrace and care of a mother is like no other on this earth.

However, as important as the connection to a mother’s akatado, there is nothing that compares to our heavenly Father’s presence and covering. His akatado is His tabernacle, His wings, His shadow, His blood, His word. When we enter into His presence, there is not only a palpable sense of liberation in the atmosphere, but there is alsocatharsis and healing.

And beyond these benefits, gates and windows are opened unto us, only to pour out blessings which we are unable to contain.

So I say, Oo to be in my Father’s house. In joy, sadness and every condition of life, where else would I want to be?

Nothing can replace this space. So I continue to sing that song, no longer pushing it back, no longer resisting it, for I know the truth of it. Yes, I will go into my Father’s presence where there is liberty and joy.

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What makes the letter "J" very special is-JESUS was born in JUDEA which is in JERUSALEM whose father was JOSEPH the son of JACOB. He was baptised

by JOHN the baptist in the most popular river JORDAN; which is located at the wilderness of JUDEA. JAMES and JOHN were his best disciples, he was also known as the king of the JEWS. He was sold by JUDAS Iscariot just for thirty pieces of silver and when he died, JOSEPH of Arimathea requested for his body and was buried in JERUSALEM, that's why he is the God of JUSTICE. Finaly his name is JEHOVAH JIREH

Jerusalem

A man and his nagging wife were on holiday in Jerusalem, when the wife suddenly died. The funeral company told the man that it would cost $45,000 to ship her home or $500 to bury her in Jerusalem. The husband said, “Ship her home.”

Shocked, the undertaker asked, “But sir, why don’t you bury her in the Holy Land and save the money?” To which the husband replied, “A long time ago, a man was buried here and 3 days later, he rose from the dead….I cant take THAT RISK!”

Introduce me

The following conversation ensued between Francis and his girlfriend:.

Francis: Baby, even though I don’t have a wellfurnished duplex in Trasacco Valley Estates like John, 2015 Range Rover Sport like John, and even if I’m not working in an Oil Company like John, I love you with all my heart. That’s the best thing I can give you..

Girlfriend: (sobs, moves close to Francis and whispers in his ear) If you truly love me, introduce me to John..

Joke Center

English

English is not our language and speaking it sometimes can be very frustrating..

1. Olele Kinson Interviewer: so Olele, tell us about ur family.

Olele: I have one kids and two brothers. There is one in front and one behind me.

2. Steven Appiah Interviewer: Steven , u seem to have hit such a vein of form and u also appear more fitter. What is ur secret?

Steven: when I get up in the morning I run away

3. Dan Lartey Interviewer: we just want to use this platform to wish u happy birthday.

Dan lartey: oh oh thank u , thank u and the same to u.

4. Dan Lartey Interviewer: if u are elected president of this country, what new thing are u going to do?

Dan Lartey: oh thank u, thank u for the question, pls the question again.

5. Steven Appiah Interviewer : Steven, u have helped the stars to win this match, so where to from here?

Steven: ooh we are going home

6. Asamoah Gyan: Interviewer: Gyan , how do u feel after not being able to convert the penalty kick?

Asamoah Gyan : I feel immediately!

7.John Mensah Interviewer: You played so well today but u lost the match.

What do u say to that?

John Mensah: Hmmm. We donate everything to God.

The Phone Line

Thanks for laughing

Joycelin grew up in kumasi . She went to law school in London. After her studies she decided to come back to kumasi , because she could be a big tycoon lady in kumasi . So, she opened her new law office. On the first day, she saw a man coming up to her office and decided to make an impression.

As the man came to the door, she pretended to be on the landline phone and told the man to take a seat. Joycelin said while on the phone:

"No!! Absolutely not. You tell those clowns in New York that am not travelling all the way that side to settle the case for less than a million bucks".

"Yes. The Appeals Court has agreed to hear the case next week.

I'll be handling the primary argument and the other members of my team will provide support. "Okay. Give the State Prosecutor my regards and ..."

The visitor sat patiently as Joycelin rattled instructions.

Finally, she put down the telephone and said, "I'm sorry for the delay, but as you can see, I'm very busy. What can I do for you?" Calmly

The man said: "I'm from Vodafone, the phone company . I've come to fix your landline because it's not working.

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Mother And Daughter Deliver Babies By Same Father

A South African woman, Mildred Mashego, and her daughter Patricia, have entered the record books as the first mother and daughter to give birth to their babies in the same month and for the same man.

Pulse reports that 38-year-old Mashego was already pregnant when she found out that her 19-year-old daughter was also pregnant, and the two were due just a few days apart.

It is hard to describe the woman’s shock when it turned that the man responsible for her daughter’s condition was the same man who was going to be the father of her child, Vincent Malumane.

Both women delivered bouncing baby boys: Patricia was the first, with her mother following suit four days after.

The ladykiller Vincent Malumane admitted that he secretly had sexual relationships with the mother and the daughter.

“I cannot go back now and explain what happened. All we have to do is focus on making sure that the children are properly cared for,” he said.

Mildred confessed that during her pregnancy she was angry and upset that her daughter had slept with her boyfriend. She even considered having an abortion over the fact that her daughter was carrying a child from the same man.

But later Mildred decided to forgive her daughter for the sake of her grandson, and now they are raising their children together. The only thing that worries the mother and her daughter is what they will tell their children when they grow up.

Couple Arrested For Selling “ Golden Tickets to Heaven” April 2015

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and said to sell them so I could get me some money to go to outer space. I met an alien named Stevie who said if I got the cash together he’d take me and my wife on his flying saucer to his planet that’s made entirely of crack cocaine.

You can smoke all the crack cocaine there you want… totally free. So, try to send an innocent man to jail and see what happens. You should arrest Jesus because he’s the one that gave me the golden tickets and said to sell them.

Tito and Amanda Watts were arrested over the weekend for selling “golden tickets to heaven” to hundreds of people.

I’m willing to wear a wire and set Jesus up… Amanda Watts said in her police statement: We just wanted to leave earth and go to space and smoke rock cocaine.

I didn’t do nothing. Tito sold the golden tickets to heaven. I just watched. Police said they confiscated over $10,000 in cash, five crack pipes and a baby alligator.

You can’t sell something as gold when it’s not. That’s where the Watts crossed the line into doing something illegal.”

Source: celebtricity.com

The couple, who sold the tickets on the street for $99.99 per ticket, told buyers the tickets were made from solid gold and each ticket reserved the buyer a spot in heaven — simply present the ticket at the pearly gates and you’re in. “People can sell tickets to heaven,” a Jacksonville police spokesman said. “But the Watts misrepresented their product. The tickets were just wood spray painted gold with ‘Ticket To Heaven – Admit One’ written in marker.

Tito Watts said in his police statement: I don’t care what the police say. The tickets are solid gold… it ain’t cut up two by fours I spray painted gold.

And it was Jesus who give them to me behind the KFC

Police Arrest Nigerian Pastor Who Runs Baby Factory And Sells Newborn For N.3 million

Source: NAIJ.COM

Assistant Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Mike Okoli, told Crime Watch Today that the General Overseer of a Pentecostal church, Pastor John and his wife adopted babies from a member of their syndicate, one Esther who was the baby’s mother.

ACP Okoli explained that another member of the syndicate, Joseph and Esther sold the baby to one Ehiemere in Port Harcourt, Rivers State for N400,000.00 before the police intelligence recovered the baby from them.

He said policemen have arrested the pastor, his wife, and other members of the syndicate.

Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested Pastor John (other names withheld) and his wife, Deborah, over alleged abduction of a new born baby. A police source, said the couple abducted the baby to allegedly sell him for N300,000.00. The pastor allegedly had a link with a child trafficking syndicate operating at Nung Ukot Itam, Itu Local Government Area of the state.

Commissioner of Police (CP) Gabriel Achong, who was represented by the

He said they have also arrested a 22 years old Ebong who accosted a victim, one Charlie on her way to the stream to fetch water. The suspect tied the victim’s legs to a tree, sealed her mouth and repeatedly defiled her until the victim became unconscious. The suspect abandoned her to die.

Meanwhile, Charlie was rescued by a good Samaritan who took her to a hospital. Police intelligence group was able to arrest Inichebe and the victim has identified him.

ACP Okoli stated that another suspect, Sabbath, who was delivered of twins and willingly gave out one of them, a fiveday old and sold her for N90,000.00, blaming it on poverty.

The suspect spoke to Crime Watch Today: ‘’It was poverty that led me into this mess. It is true that I sold one of my twins for N90,000.00 to Mr Akpanam and Mr Samuel to be able to train the other baby. My husband’s family should forgive me for what I have done, it was poverty that led me into this’’.

ACP Okoli said police have recovered the baby she sold out and arrested her and the other members of the syndicate.

Pastor John, confessing his role, said: “We have the mission to train children and suddenly we changed our mind, when my wife and I ventured into selling of a new baby for N200,000.00 or N300,000.00 since we have a syndicate who could sell it for us’’ ACP Okoli said the suspect would soon be charged to court.

Source: http://news2.onlinenigeria.com

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Christ Pentecostal Church USA Easter Convention April

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The Christ Pentecostal Churches Worldwide gathered at the O’hare Sheraton in Chicago for a three day easter convention under the theme : “When I see the Blood”. On the first day of the convention members from each branch treated the gathering to a welcome song to which all joined in singing praises and dancing to the Glory of God. Rev. Ebenezer Adarkwah the General Overseer used the occassion to appreciate the ministers and leaders of the ministry for their support and welcomed the gathering to the city of Chicago.

The guest speaker was Bishop Peter Morgan the Founder and President of Vision International Ministries, an Evangelistic, Teaching, Prophetic, Healing and Deliverance Ministry with headquarters in California. The Christ Pentecostal Church was initially begun by Rev. Ebenezer Adarkwah in 1996 in New York and now has branches in New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island, Chicago and several branches in Ghana. CPIC Worldwide has it's Headquarters in Bronx, New York. The three day convertion started from Friday April 3rd and ended on Sunday, April 5th with over 400 hundred members from the varius branches in attendance. Rev. Stephen Adarkwah a youth minister was ordained into Pastorialship before the curtain was drawn to close the convention.

Rev. Ebenezer Adarkwah , General Overseer

Rev. Peter Morgan-Guest Speaker

The Ministerial team of CPIC

Star p has a Soma bette

The Chicago branch in a welcome dance

Virginia Branch

Rhode Island Youth Choir

Packed Convention Service

Rev. and Mrs. Stephen Adarkwah taking the oath of office

Ordination of Rev. Stephen Adarkwah

New York Youth Choir

ention he

ers in al mbers

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Meet The Four Immigrant Students Each Accepted To All Eight Ivy League Schools

Munira Khalif from Minnesota, Stefan Stoykov from Indiana, Victor Agbafe from North Carolina, and Harold Ekeh from New York got multiple offers All have immigrant parents - from Somalia, Bulgaria or Nigeria - and say they have their parents' hard work to thank for their successes They hope to use the opportunities for good, from improving education across the world to becoming neurosurgeons

By LYDIA WARREN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Their parents came to the U.S. for opportunities and now these four teens have them in abundance. The high-achieving high schoolers have each been accepted to all eight Ivy League schools: Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University and Yale University. And as well as the Ivy League colleges, each of them has also been accepted to other top schools. While they all grew up in different cities, the students are the offspring of immigrant parents who moved to America from Bulgaria, Somalia or Nigeria. And all four - Munira Khalif from Minnesota, Stefan Stoykov from Indiana, Victor Agbafe from North Carolina, and Harold Ekeh from New York - say they have their parents' hard work to thank. Now they hope to use the opportunities for good - whether its effecting positive social change, improving education across the world or becoming a neurosurgeon. The teens have one more thing in common: they don't know which school they're going to pick yet. The daughter of Somali immigrants who has already received a U.N. award and wants to improve education across the world

The Bulgarian housekeeper's son who couldn't speak English a decade before he was accepted to 18 top schools in the U.S.

Star pupil: Munira Khalif, from St. Paul, Minnesota, says she has always been driven by the thought that her parents, who left Somalia during the civil war, fled to the U.S. so she would have better opportunities Munira Khalif, who attends Mounds Park Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota, was shocked when she was accepted by eight Ivy Schools and three others - but her teachers were not.

'She is composed and she is just articulate all the time,' Randy Comfort, an upper school director at the private school, told KMSP. 'She's pretty remarkable.'

The 18-year-old student, who was born and raised in Minnesota after her parents fled Somalia during the civil war, she said she was inspired to work hard because of the opportunities her family and the U.S. had given her.

'The thing is, when you come here as an immigrant, you're hoping to have opportunities not only for yourself, but for your kids,' she told the channel. 'And that's always been at the back of my mind.'

As well as achieving top grades, Khalif has immersed herself in other activities both in and out of school - particularly those aimed at doing good.

She was one of nine youngsters in the world to receive the UN Special Envoy for Global Education's Youth Courage Award for her education activism, which she started when she was just 13.

She launched a non-profit group, Lighting the Way, to make education more accessible for East African youth, especially girls, through scholarships, libraries and improving sanitation issues.

And she was also appointed as A World at School Global Youth Ambassador to promote universal education.

Khalif, who plans to study political science at college, said she has yet to decide where to go and plans to visit a few more campuses before she makes her final decision.

As well as the Ivy League schools, she also received offers from Stanford, Georgetown and the University of Minnesota and she's still letting the realization sink in.

'I was very surprised,' she said. 'I am humbled to even have the opportunity to choose amongst these schools because they are all incredible places to learn and grow.'

Driven: Stefan Stoykov cried on his first day of school because he could not speak a word of English but he is now a straight-A student committed to helping other pupils with language barriers When eight-year-old Stefan Stoykov moved from his family's one-bedroom apartment in Bulgaria to the U.S. after his parents won a green card lottery, he could not speak a word of English.

'I started crying on the first day of class,' Stefan recalled of his first day in the second grade. 'I was scared. I was scared. I didn't understand what was going on around me.'

But now 18 and a senior at North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, he has been accepted into some of the finest schools in the world - and he admits he can hardly believe it.

'It is an incredible feeling,' Stefan told WTHR. 'I never knew that I would have a chance to choose from possibly the best schools from the world. 'I was hoping to get into at least one of the Ivy Leagues.'

But as well as getting offers from all Ivy League schools, 10 other prestigious institutions also came knocking. He has yet to decide where he will go.

He revealed that hard work and the support of his mother, a housekeeper, had helped him achieve his goals. Shortly after arriving in the U.S., his parents divorced and his father took a job as a truck driver, and he has not seen him much since.

The son of a Nigerian immigrant who dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon

Hard worker: Victor Agbafe, 17, says he believes his Nigerian immigrant mother set a good example for him in her job as a physician. He now hopes to study microbiology with government or economics Victor Agbafe, a student at Cape Fear Academy in Wilmington, North Carolina, has no idea where he will attend college, but he's certain on one thing: he wants to become a neurosurgeon.

The 17-year-old was accepted to 14 schools in total, including all eight Ivy League schools and Stanford and Duke.

Agbafe, who plans to double major in microbiology along with government or economics, called his acceptance achievement an 'amazing opportunity', WSOC reported.

Just before he played a game for his school's basketball team, he learned that Harvard had made a decision about his application - but he waited until the game was over to find out.

'I owed it my teammates to be focused there,' he said. 'I didn't want to get too low on myself if I didn't get in. I also didn't want to get too high if I was accepted.'

He has also been part of North Carolina's Youth and Government program, where he was chosen as Speaker of the House.

He says his mother, a Nigerian immigrant and physician, set a good example for him - but she refuses to take the credit.

'For God to crown his effort with success is just something that is just beyond me,' his mother Dorothy Agbafe-Mosley said.

'I am very happy that he has all these choices to make. But then it also makes it difficult because it's a lot of good schools. A lot of good schools.'

Her son will make a decision later this month after visiting as many campuses as possible.

The Nigerian student who credits his Target employee parents with his success

hopes to study neuroscience to cure Alzheimer's, the disease his grandmother suffers from.

The straight-A student at Elmont Memorial High School secured an SAT score of 2270.

He also worked as editor-in-chief of his student newspaper and chief executive of the Model United Nations.

But he wasn't expecting to get into so many top schools. As well as offers from the Ivy League colleges, he was also accepted by Top student: Harold Ekeh, from Johns Hopkins, NYU, MIT, Vanderbilt, and Long Island, New York, has been SUNY Stony Brook. accepted to 14 colleges in total 'It was crazy,' he told DailyMail.com. 'My Ten years after his family moved mom sat next to me and it was just letter after him from Nigeria to the U.S., Harold Ekeh is hoping to do some- letter after letter. I couldn't believe it.'

Afterwards 'I went to Chipotle with my friends thing for them in return. for a half steak half chicken burrito bowl. It The 18-year-old Long Islander was accepted by 14 colleges - including was perfect,' he said. all Ivy League schools - and now

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34,000 Black Churches Break Ties With Presbyterian Church USA

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Where Do Africa’s Multimillionaires Live?

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The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a faith-based coalition of 34,000 churches comprised of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African-Americans, has broken its fellow- (CNN)Wealthy Nigerians used to travel abroad to get their fix of luxury goods. ship with Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) following its recent vote to approve samesex marriage.

However these days, they can take a stroll around Victoria Island, an exclusive neighborhood in

The Presbyterian General Assembly, the top legislative body of the PCUSA, voted last June to revise the constitutional language defining marriage. This arbitrary change of Holy Scripture is a flagrantly pretentious and illegitimate maneuver by a body that has no authority whatsoever to alter holy text.

Rev. Anthony Evans, NBCI President noted:

"NBCI and its membership base are simply standing on the Word of God within the mind of Christ. We urge our brother and sisters of the PCUSA to repent and be restored to fellowship."

Lagos where brands like Porsche, Hugo Boss and Ermenegildo Zegna line the streets.

The Nigerian city is among African metropolises which have seen some of the highest growth in the number of millionaires on the continent. Others include Luanda, Dar es Salaam and Accra, which is predicted to nearly double its millionaire count from 800 in 2012 to 1,500 in 2020.

If the growth continues, these cities could join an existing club of African wealth hubs hosting the so-called ultra-high net worth individuals, typically those with over $30 million of net assets excluding their primary residence. These centers of affluence are spread from Johannesburg in the south, through Lagos in the west and Nairobi in the east, to Cairo in the north.

This emerging class of Africa’s new millionaires has been pushing the demand for luxury products across the continent, with sales of high-end products growing by a third between 2008 and 2013. However, they are no longer concentrated in southern Africa, traditionally the wealthiest part of the continent.

"PCUSA's manipulation represents a universal sin against the entire church and its members. With this action, PCUSA can no longer base its teachings on 2,000 years of Christian scripture and tradition, and call itself a Christian entity in the body of Christ. It has forsaken its right by this single wrong act.

Nigeria is now one of the fastest growing markets for French Champagne and digital televisions

"Apostle Paul warns us about this when he declared in Galatians 1:8 that there are those who will preach another gospel.

"For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. ... For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

"No church has the right to change the Word of God. By voting to redefine marriage PCUSA automatically forfeits Christ's saving grace. There is always redemption in the body of Christ through confession of faith and adhering to Holy Scripture.

"In this case, PCUSA deliberately voted to change the Word of God and the interpretation of holy marriage between one man and one woman. This is why we must break fellowship with them and urge the entire Christendom to do so as well."

http://www.charismanews.com/

according to a report by Deloitte, and in 2013 LVMH’s seven Nigerian branches outsold its 600 South African stores.

“Africa is one of the fastest growing regions in terms of middle class,” says Fflur Roberts, head of luxury at Euromonitor, a market research provider. “It’s due to a mix of rising incomes, rising population but also growth slowing in other emerging markets.”

Luxury brands tend to enter country markets through distributors, benefiting from local knowledge of their partners but still retaining a significant amount of control over how their name is marketed in that country. “Getting a new brand in a new market where they don’t fully understand the operating environment would be very dangerous for that brand,” explains Roberts.

She warns that in spite of potential, the future of luxury in Africa is dependent on reforms taking place: “It will rely on infrastructure and the operating environment such as security and how trading is done,” she says.

Luxury purchases When it comes to what they choose to splash their cash on, Africa’s rich like to stick to wellknown global labels that carry an automatic badge of status.

“Generally the brands they buy will be more ostentatious compared to somebody in the more developed, mature markets. It’s going to be the Louis Vuitton, the Gucci, the Prada,” says Roberts.

She adds that this could be down to the fact that typical a luxury consumer in Africa is much younger than those in mature markets such as Western Europe, who tend to be in their 50s and 60s.

“They are in their late twenties or thirties so it’s very much new wealth, and they will be looking towards luxury as a means of showing status and success,” says Roberts.

Local players However, in spite of mainstream brand’s dominance, smaller home-grown labels also see the growth in appetite for luxury goods as a valuable opportunity.

“Africa has all the foundations that are needed to create a real vibrant luxury industry,” says Swaady Martin Leke, Ivorian entrepreneur and founder of the Johannesburg-based luxury tea brand Yswara.

“We have the craftsmanship, we have the heritage, we have a very rich culture that doesn’t date just 20 years, but centuries, thousands and thousands of years of know-how and craftsmanship.

So here is this continent where you have all the raw material and the know-how, but what is missing is the link to luxury.

“Now is the time and you need to start positioning yourself, because Africa is getting richer, that’s for sure,” she adds.

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America School of Nursing & Allied Health

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Begin Your Nursing Education Today

Classes Offered

Nurse Aide Training Medication Aide Training Home Health Aide Phlebotomy Training Pharmacy Technician Practical Nursing (LPN)

LPN Classes start August 31, 2015 MorningMon-Thursday 8am-2pm Evening 5pm-10pm Weekend Classes Start on August 31, 2015 8am-2pm

Call 703-490-8402 or Visit us at www.asnahonline.com 14910 Jefferson Davis Highway Woodbridge, Virginia 22191 Fax: (703) 490-8403

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President Obama Meeting with African Presidents

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President Obama spoke to reporters before a meeting with the presidents of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone about efforts to combat Ebola in western Africa. He said progress had been made, with fewer than 40 new cases over the preceding week.

Obama Met With Presidents From Liberia, New Guinea And Sierra Leone To Talk About Efforts In Combating Ebola

World-Class Wrestling Legend Kofi Kingston Loses Sister

By Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, Jr. (Atumpan News Agency)

The death of Nana Akua Pokuaa Sarkodie-Mensah (alias Kiya), was reported in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 24, 2015. She was 25 years old and was the younger sibling and only sister of world-famous professional wrestler Kofi Kingston, known in private life as Mr. Kofi Sarkodie-Mensah.

Born on Sept. 27, 1989 in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Dr. Afua Sarkodie-Mensah, Instructional Liaison Librarian at Merrymack College, North Andover, Massachusetts, and former President of the Ghanaian Association of Greater Boston, and Dr. Kwasi Sarkodie-Mensah, Manager of Instructional Services at Boston College Libraries and an adjunct professor, Nana Akua Sarkodie-Mensah graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from University of Massachusetts (UMASS), Boston Campus, in May 2014.

Earlier on, she had schooled at the Dartmouth Campus of UMASS, as well as the Massachusetts Maritime Academy where she successfully completed the widely remarked rigorous boot-camp exercises. She was set to begin an MBA program in Hospitality Management at the Johnson & Wales University, Providence, Rhode Island in June this year.

A multi-talented artist, painter, muralist, social and community activist with a fabled passion for the welfare of animals, particularly a great variety of canine breeds, Nana Akua Sarkodie-Mensah attended the High Grade Nursery School at Dansoman, Accra-Ghana, and the Lord's Academy in Woburn, as well as the Lynch and Fox Hill elementary schools in Winchester and Burlington, all in

Massachusetts. She would also attend the Marshall Simonds Middle School in Burlington, Massachusetts, and Malden High School, in Malden, Massachusetts, from which she graduated in 2008.

Those who knew Nana Akua Sarkodie-Mensah described her as one who was very friendly and sociable as well as kindly-hearted. For example, the story is told of how the gregarious and vivacious Nana Akua, affectionately called "Kiya," spearheaded fundraisers for the urban homeless and campaign drives aimed at reducing the costs of textbooks. Once, Kiya reportedly offered her taxi fare to a homeless man and had to call her mother to pick her up from Boston to their suburban home, a considerable distance away.

Funeral arrangements are as follows: There will be a viewing on Saturday, April 25, 2015 from 9 am to 1 pm at the A. J. Spadafora Funeral Home at 865 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. For directions to the funeral home, contact: 781-324-8680.

There will also be an observation of Final Funeral Rites at Beebe School, 401 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA, 02148. Recommended attire is black and white.

Nana Akua Pokuaa Sarkodie-Mensah, who had also been active in the Rotaract Club and MassPirg (Massachusetts Public Interest and Research Group), also left behind another older brother, Mr. Kwame Sarkodie-Mensah, a composer and cyber-specialist.

KMA Constructs First Dancing Fountain In Africa April 2015

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Have you ever come across a fountain that is fitted with lighting scenery that ‘dances’ to music? Well the first of such facility can be found in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates but a similar one with more enhanced features has been created in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi.

The Rattray Park started by the Kojo Bonsu-led Kumasi metropolitan assembly is expected to be opened to the public next month.

The 42 thousand square meters recreational facility, the biggest in the country, can boast of 6 square meters multimedia controlled fountain, children playground, a golf cart, Wi-Fi internet connectivity, an open robust gym and a cafeteria.

Operations manager of the Rattray Park, Masawudu Mahama told Myjoyonline.com the facility can accommodate over one thousand people.

“One interesting thing about this place is the fountain...the movement of the water and the lighting scenery commensurate with the multimedia controlled sound system; that is why it is called the dancing fountain,” he noted.

The facility will afford residents of Kumasi and Ghanaians in general a perfect place to relax while enjoy the natural scenery.

Source: http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/

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Kingslight Chapel Easter Women’s Breakfast 2015

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On Saturday March 28th, 2015 The Women’s ministry celebrated their annual Easter Women’s Breakfast Meeting which is an International gathering of women for prayer and devotion under the theme “Talitha Cumi”. The speaker for the occassion was Apostle Dr. Ahia-Armah. At this event there was a special impatation for the fruit of the womb for all women seeking Gods blessing in that direction which is an area that Apostle Armah is graced in. Rev. Mrs Ahia-Armah the president of the Women’s wing of the ministry was the host of the event. The auditorium was packed to capacity and the anointing of God was really felt . The Priceless Jewels (Women’s ministry) followed up with a thanksgiving service on Palm Sunday in their ceremonial cloth.

(The priceless- Jewels-Virtuous and Beautiful, Created for so much more).

Kingslight Chapel International Is A Seasoned Church To A Dying World where All needs are met is located at 14348 Jefferson Davis Hwy. Woodbridge, VA 22191 . www.Kingslightchapel.org, Email : kingslightchapelva@yahoo.com. TELEPHONE:571-337-9185 / 703 401-9727

Apostle Dr. Daniel Ahia-Armah, the General Overseer of Kingslight Chapel International and Rev. Mrs. Barbara Ahia-Armah, Host of the Event

Fraternal Greetings from the Men’s ministry

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Global Health College Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary with New Campus April 2015

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On Wednesday April 8th, Alexandria based Global Health College celebrated 10 years of its existence with the grand opening of a new Campus on the West side of the City of Alexandria in Virginia.

With Jenni Chase from 97.1 Wash FM Radio broadcasting live on-site the Mayor of the city of Alexandria William D. Euille assisted by representatives of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce cut the ribbon to officially commission the new campus.

The Mayor commended the Founder of the school for her foresight and perseverance in reaching this hall mark. He encouraged her not to relent in their efforts at achieving excellence and opened his doors to her for any needed assistance. After the ribbon cutting ceremony there was a video presentation taking guests down the memory lane recalling the humble beginning of the school to the point of having staff strength of 50 and over 400 students.

The Founder and President of the school Mariatu Kargbo expressed her profound appreciation to the staff, family and the entire community for the hard work, and diverse ways through which they have supported in making the school a success. She said “Global Health College believes in “life-long learning and providing students with the best academic and clinical experiences to prepare them for the ever-changing healthcare environment. This year marks the college’s 10-year anniversary and what a wonderful journey it has been for us all including the instructors, administrators and all the students that have graduated to become successful nurses.

The college started in 2005 on Quaker Lane in Alexandria with three small rooms and only 60 students offering Nurse Aide and Practical Nurse Programs, and today has several hundred students and offers Nurse Aide, Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse and a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) Program.

Tours were conducted for all invited guests to the state of the art lecture rooms, library , conference room, administrative area and labs. In attendance were representatives of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and some local celebrities. The new campus is located at 6101 Stevenson Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia.

Mariatu Kargbo, the Founder of the School

A Tour of the School’s facilities

Library

Mayor of the city of Alexandria William D. Euille being assisted by Councilwoman Del Pepper to cut the ribbon to open the new building

Biology Lab

The front view of Global Health College Campus

Invited Guests watching a video presentation of the activities of the school

Simulation Lab

Student Lounge

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George Mason University’s African Students Association Celebrates International Week

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By: Amy Ansong (April 17, 2015):

The African Student Association at George Mason University (Fairfax, Virginia, USA) recently hosted African Cultural Night in Dewberry Hall . The event closed out a week long university celebration of international students from all over the world. Aphrican Ape (@aphricanape06) mc’eed the African Cultural Night , which started around 7:00 pm and showcased a multitude of talent. The event opened up with a beautiful monologue which emphasized the beauty of Africa and Africans. Next, a student named Vanessa presented a spoken word entitled “My Black” , which emphasized the importance of being proud of who you are , regardless of the shade of your skin or the texture of your hair. In between the different acts, Aphrican Ape entertained the audience with his stories about African parents , the difficulty in obtaining visas, American professors who struggle to say the names of African students, and the difference between American and African culture.

The spoken word act was followed by a fashion show which showcased the versatility of African fashion. The fashion show highlighted Ms. Nancy Boateng’s Bernan clothing line. After the fashion show, a dance team from a local community college, NOVA,

GMU African Students Association Executive Board Members

Black Mambas Group performing

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displayed their ability to dance and entertain the crowd. Wesley J. and Caleb performed flips and unique dance moves, complimenting the entire dance team. Once the MC returned and joked about college majors African parents will and will not approve for their children, a student by the name of Destiny sang a beautiful acoustic rendition of the classic song “African Queen”. The performance was followed by a briefing of the Making A Difference Foundation (MADIFF). MADIFF is an organization which focuses on providing safe drinking water for Africans, in order to reduce child mortality and empower communities. This year MADIFF plans on going to Togo and anyone who wishes to help is encouraged to learn more about MADIFF by visiting their website, http://madiff.org .

During the intermission, the DJ, DJ Maga played hits by Fuse ODG, WizKId, Davido, Flavour, and other African artists who have created hits over the years. The conclusion of the intermission was met with the student fashion show, where the audience was asked to select the best dressed male and female students. Rosie, a Ghanaian student, won for her strapless attire while Kofi won due to his dapper suit.

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violin, but she danced, did some acrobatics, changed her outfit, and danced some more. Upon the conclusion of Bridget’s performance, the MC, Aphrican Ape, introduced three of his funny friends, including Foxy P and EBaby.

African Cultural Night ended with two more fashion shows, which included the designs of Nigerian designer Timmy Ajulo. George Mason’s Black Mambas dance team invigorated the crowd with their upbeat and spectacular moves, ending it with an ode to an African queen.

The after party, referred to as the ABC (African Student Association, Black Student Alliance, and Caribbean Student Association) party, occurred in the university’s ballroom.

The best dressed portion of the show was followed by a violin act by a student named Bridget.Bridget not only played the

Best Dressed Participants

African Fashion Bags

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Singing African Queen

Kings of African Comedy

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How One Local Entreprenuer Taught Lagos, Nigeria To Embrace Recycling

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PRAYING FOR KENYA April 2015

Rev George K. Annan Ph.D.

WITH A CLEVER BUSINESS SOLUTION, BILIKISS ADEBIYIABIOLA IS TURNING TRASH INTO TREASURE.

BY JACLYN TROP Lagos, Nigeria, is home to 21 million people, but only 40% of their trash is collected. The rest ends up in heaps, spreading disease. To lessen the burden, a local named Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola launched the recycling startup Wecyclers. Its challenge: Teach people to care about trash.

THE PROBLEM "People in the U.S. are very careful about taking care of waste. I thought, Why not Nigeria?" says Adebiyi-Abiola. She conceived Wecyclers in 2011, while earning her MBA at MIT. But when she went home, she found that few locals were motivated by talk of helping their environment.

THE EXECUTION Lagos generates 735,000 tons of plastic each year, worth about $300 million to waste brokers. "That’s money lying on the street," AdebiyiAbiola says. So she built an exchange: Lagos residents give Wecyclers their bottles and cans, and receive cash or household items in return.

THE RESULT Now they think, I shouldn’t just throw this Coke bottle on the floor or out the window," she says. Wecyclers visits 6,000 homes a week; recyclables are collected and weighed, and rewards are tallied. The process is already netting 40 tons of recyclables a month.

Photos: Ruth McDowall

It fell on a day at Garissa University College in East African country of Kenya.Young men and women have travelled from all over the country to study at this higher intuition of learning to harvest the fruits of years of financial investment from their parents, friends and well-wishers.

A group of Islamic militants known as Al-Shabaab which is an off shoot of Al-Qaeda with ISIS as the parent inspirer based in the Middle East stormed the Kenyan University at dawn on Thursday the 2nd of April and deliberately separated Christians from Muslims and mercilessly spray the Christians with Bullets killing about 149 and leaving at least 79 wounded.

The Bible makes it explicitly clear in 1 Corinthians 12:26-27 that if one member of the body of Christ suffers the rest all suffer. What affect one part of the body affects all. And for that reason we must all rally to the defense and comfort of the hurting.

Isis which means “throne”was the name of agoddess; ‘one of the leaders behind the building of the tower of Babel’. After God scattered Nimrod and his compatriots from building the Tower of Babel in Genesis chapter 11, two major leaders behind the tower of Babel were known by different names throughout the Middle East. In Israel they were known as Asteroth and Baal whiles the Greeks referred to them as Aphrodite and Adonis.The Romans referred to them as Venus and Cupid whiles the Egyptians referred to them as ISIS and Horis.

Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia asserts that Isis was a woman who was first worshiped in Ancient Egyptian religion, and later her worship spread throughout the Roman Empire and the greater Greco-Roman world. It goes on to affirm that Isis is still widely worshiped by many pagans today in diverse religious contexts; including a number of distinct pagan religions, the modern Goddess movement, and interfaith organizations such as the Fellowship of Isis.(an international spiritual organization devoted to promoting awareness of the Goddess. It is dedicated specifically to the Egyptian goddess Isis because the FOI co-founders believed Isis best represented the energies of the dawning Aquarian Age. The FOI is a multi-faith, multi-racial, and multi-cultural organization, and despite worshipping pagan deities, does not consider itself to be a Neopagan faith, with its cofounder Olivia Robertson stating in 2002): (www.wikipedia.com).

The spirit behind the building of the Tower of Babel was a spirit that resists the freedom of

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believers in the Bible to freely exercise their worship.Remember what happened to the Israelites when they were in Egypt. Again according to the Wikipedia Isis was an important representation of the pharaoh's power.Pharaoh was depicted as her child.who sat on the throne she provided(www.wikipedia.com). Whiles in Egypt the Israelites suffered domination, slavery, humiliation, bondage, religious restriction and limitation until God through Moses demanded that pharaoh “Let my people go”Exodus 8:1.

The ideology of ISIS has become the basis of tenet of every traditional religion all over the globe after nations were born in Genesis chapter 11. Traditional religions of almost every nation on earth fightsagainst Christians from exercising their freedom of worship. In some parts of Ghana for example churches are banned from playing drums during the traditional festival of some tribes. Not too long ago Rev TackieYarboi founder and General Overseer of Victory Bible Church was viciously attacked and beaten during the traditional celebration ofHomowo in the the Greater Accra Region for the simple reason that His church expressed their freedom of worship and played drums during the festival.

In the United States of America there is a growing ideology that is fighting against Christians and the Church from exercising our freedom of worship. Prayer is taking out of schools. God is being taking out the constitution whiles Christmas season has been redefined by some counties as just holiday season.

ISIS did not just surface in our modern world. The ISIS we are witnessing today is just a re-emergence of the ideology which has been around since God began His redemptive work on earth with the primary purpose of taking away the freedom of right to worship from Christians. The brutal murder of Christians in Kenya, beheadings of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libyaamong many others is the latest wake up call for Christians to rise up as ambassadors and enforce our son-ship right through PRAYER. Praying forKenya, Christians is praying forthe Church, standing in the gap in prayer is a demonstration of our conviction in the power of our God who specializes in pulling down strongholds. Praying for Kenya is to resist the onslaught of the spirit and ideology of Isis. Praying for Kenya is a call for the Church to take responsibility in prayer until God will is done on earth.

Christians cannot make up the excuses that these are the signs of the end times. Scriptures says “if my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray……………2 Chronicles 7:14, Our God then will answer

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THE DECODED BENEFITS OF LIFE INSURANCE and FINANCIAL PLANNING

Dear Reader,

We’ve crossed path on this platform of information sharing again. I am excited to write this piece of literature to you. As you would recall, on the previous article, we discussed the foundation and the importance of life insurance. I trust the message has echoed in your spirit. I would like to re-emphasize that life insurance policy is not just for when you are dead and your loved ones enjoy the proceeds. Rather, life insurance is protecting yourself should you suddenly face any life threatening illness such as disability or chronic or terminal illness; you can enjoy the benefits of the life insurance policy as well while still providing a financial fund stream for your family. Depending on the type of life insurance policy you have, you can also use it as an investment tool for future retirement or as an educational plan to support your children’s education. There are various uses for life insurance and it carries a tax free benefit.

Now let’s talk about the various types of life insurance policies.

Term life policy: provides temporary coverage with affordable premiums. Anyone can afford this type of insurance that provide security and peace of mind for yourself and your family.

Though, there are various policies that ascribe to the term life insurance policies, let’s look at a specific product such as the Mortgage Protection Insurance that would have an immediate impact in your life. The Mortgage Protection Insurance policy is a term insurance that protects your house in case you suddenly become disabled or deemed chronically ill. This is not the same insurance as the Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) that you pay with your mortgage. The PMI protects the lender should you default on your mortgage.

However, this Mortgage Protection Life Insurance protects YOU, the homeowner should something happen to you, your family will be able to carry on the mortgage and still enjoy the home you left behind.

Whole-life policy: it is a permanent life insurance policy that provides life coverage with an investment fund. It is a policy that part of the premium goes toward building cash value from investmentand pays a stated fixed amount when you are called to glory. As the policy is in force and has build up cash value, you can borrow money against the build up cash in the policy without being taxed; you enjoy this benefit while you are still living.

Within the arena of permanent life policies, there are Universal Life and Variable Life.

Universal life policy combines term insurance with money market type investment that pays a market rate of return. Basically, it is a policy that has a death benefit and builds up cash value that can be borrowed from while you

are still alive. Then, there are the Variable life and Variable Universal life policies that have investment fund tied to a stock or bond mutual fund investment.

Life insurance policies have immeasurable benefits that can be enjoyed while you are still on earth and when you are called to glory.

The essence of writing this to you is to broaden the depth of your thinking and to show you that there are wealth of information available to you for your financial planning and future. Over the years, thecommunity has experienced sudden tragedies and over and over, it seems that we have not prepared for these events.

We are a people that do not plan; we wait for events to suddenly overtake us and then we react. We need to learn the new way of emerging into the Western culture, where planning is essential. It worries and saddens me to see that we are perishing for lack of knowledge. Having a life insurance policy does not sentence you to death; it shows you take pride in your life, your future and your family that will someday succeed you. It creates and gives a peace of mind that you and your family will be taken care of in an unplanned dire situation(s) in life.

Please note that this is to give you a general overview of life insurance policies.

To get a complete understanding and enjoy the tax free benefits contact me for a FREE financial consultation.

Anita A. Bediako Licensed Health & Life Insurance/Financial Consulting Agent CONTACT: 571-229-6694 Email:divineconsultingmultiservices@g mail.com

MOST COMMON REAL ESTATE BUYER QUESTIONS April 2015

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Answer: The credit score criteria defer from lender to lender. There are lenders who will look at credit score as low as 580. However, for the home buying transaction to succeed you must pay off any outstanding debts on your credit report.

Anita A. Bediako- REALTOR® – Licensed in the Common Wealth of Virginia Prince William County-Local Expert CONTACT 571-229-6694; Email: abediako@pwrealty.com

Dear Reader,

It is always a pleasure to have this opportunity to ink these articles to you. I anticipate you have had the opportunity to read some of the past real estate articles I have put forth in this paper titled: “Why People of African Descent Must Invest in Real Estate”, “The Joy of Home Ownership”, “A Comeback from Short Sale or Foreclosure”, Simple Steps to make Home Ownership a Reality”, and “Tips on Buying a Home After a Short Sale”; just to name a few.

From these articles, I have had several readers contacted me asking important questions pertaining to the home ownership process.

These questions posed by readers such as you gave birth to the following questions and answers. Here we go!

Question: What are the benefits of home ownership?

Answer: A home is an investment. When you rent, you are throwing money away.

You write a monthly check and that money is gone forever. But when you own your home you enjoy a lot of benefits such as writing of your mortgage interest, you can deduct a room in your home as home office business expense and biggest advantage is the principle you pay on the mortgage is like putting money in the bank in the form of equity. Home ownership allow you landscape your yard/backyard how you want it, decorate/paint or renovate your house as you please without dealing with obstinate landlord. The joy of home ownership is priceless.

Question: What documents are required?

Answer: Copies of bank account statements; most recent paycheck stub detailing your earnings; copies of your last 2 years' income tax returns; statement of any investments, list of debts on loans and employment verification.

Question: What credit score do I need?

Question: I have a bad credit can I buy a house?

Answer: Having a bad credit now should not deter you from your dreams or goals or destiny of home ownership. It will require some work on your part to bring you to a credit worth buyer. You can contact me and discuss the strategies that can be taken to reach this goal.

Question: How much down payment is needed?

Answer: The amount of down payment required will depend on the type of loan you are qualified for. There are government programs that requires 0% down payment; however there are eligibility guidelines set for one to be approved. There are Veteran Administration (VA) loan and Conventional loan. However, FHA is the most common type of loan. Typically, FHA requires a 3.5% downpayment of the loan amount or the total sale price of the transaction.

Question: In addition to the mortgage payment, what other costs will I be responsible for?

Answer: Well, if you are renting and utilities are covered in your rent, this might be new to you. As a home owner you will be responsible for paying your gas, electricity, water, insurance, property taxes, and possible homeowner association (HOA) fees. Typically, property taxes are rolled into your mortgage payment.

Question: I have foreclosed/short sale in the past, can I still buy now?

Answer: Yes, it is definitely possible to come back to buy a house again after foreclosure or short sale of a property.

I hope this addresses some of the burning questions you have for making the bold decision to emerge into the idea of home ownership.

For more information about your real estate needs (buying, selling, and leasing/renting a house) call me at 571-229-6694 and I will help you get started. Blessings in full portion!

Anita A. Bediako- REALTOR® –Licensed in the Common Wealth of Virginia Prince William County-Local ExpertCONTACT 571-229-6694; Email: abediako@pwrealty.com

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Didier Drogba Opens First Of Five Hospitals In Ivory Coast

Nigerian Tuedon Morgan Makes Mark at North Pole

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6236 Oscar Court Woodbridge VA 22193

Tel : (703)725-6968 E-mail:

editor@afrikanpost.com

Pu b lis h ed By Brigh t Ho u s e Prod u ct io n s The athlete is the first Nigerian to participate in the gruelling North Pole Marathon that is run in twelve stages.

By Uzor Odigbo Lagos — Nigerians have congratulated Tee Morgan for successfully participating and completing one of the world's most grueling sporting challenges, the North Pole Marathon race at the weekend.

The Nigerian, who proudly waved her flag at the end of the race was among the 45 competitors who entered the event on April 9, with participants from different countries and races.

The race is run on small, 2.62-mile loop about 10 times over hard snow or the frozen ice of the Arctic Ocean. Snipers were placed around the running circuit to protect the athletes from polar bears or other dangerous animals.

Former Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba has launched the first of the five hospitals he earlier promised to offer to the country as part of his charity activities.

Situated in the Attecoube district of the country’s commercial city Abidjan, the $1 million health complex will mainly cater for less privileged women and children, according to officials.

Built on a plot of 800 square meters, the hospital has many facilities including an ultrasound room, a maternal and child protection unit, an x-ray block, an ultra modern laboratory, a pharmacy and hospitalisation and isolation wards.

About 50,000 patients are expected to get treatment at the facility every year, according to Guy Roland Tanoh, secretary of Didier Drogba Foundation, which is handling the project.

The remaining four hospitals are under construction in the Ivorian cities of Yamoussoukro, San Pedro, Man and Korhogo and will be inaugurated in the coming months.

Drogba’s foundation will hold a gala event in London on April 18 to raise funds.

The Chelsea striker and the Elephants all-time top scorer remains an icon in his homeland despite retiring from the national team, which won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea in February.

Source: Gary Al-Smith -Gary on Twitter: @garyalsmith/JFM

First to comment was the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) technical committee member, Yusuf Alli, who described her achievement at the North Pole as humbling. "Though, I don't know her in person, but having heard of this feat and being the first Nigerian, I doff my hat for her and I hope the federation and all Nigerians will acknowledge this effort for a handsome reward."

Former top female hurdler, Maria Usifo, said she read Morgan's feat on the social media and was elated that a Nigerian women has once more done the country proud. "This is the kind of feat that Nigeria should encourage.

Other countries would jump at it with celebrations, but of course, here, we are going to wait until her adopted country (Britain) begins to remind us."

The Nigerian woman, Tuedon Morgan, a.k.a Tee Morgan, participated in the UVU North Pole Marathon at the weekend, she not only took part, she actually finished, proudly waving the Nigerian flag in those sub-zero temperatures.

After finishing the grueling race, she said, "As today, I raised the Nigerian flag to become the first Nigerian woman to ever step foot on the North Pole and run a marathon. Words will fail me to describe how I feel. I really thought I wasn't going to make it because I had a soft snow on my knee, but I fought to the end."

Other athletes too numerous to be mentioned also ecstatic over Morgan's heart thumping achievement, their reactions in the social media were apt and gladdening.

Man agin g Ed it or G eorge Br ight- A bu Email:editor @af r ikanpos t.com A gn es Ow u s u - Brigh t CEO

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She was among 44 athletes who endured 12 laps of a debilitating 3.5km course of ice and snow around the Russian-operated camp Barneo in -41C temperatures on Sunday.

Morgan parents are from Warri Delta-State Nigeria, the 41 years old and will be 42 in a few weeks and have been married for 21 years, with four sons.

C o n t rib u t in g C olu m n is t s

She joined the Doha Bay Running Club and entered the world of long distance running. In three short years, she ran 32 full marathons to date. This would be her fourth 4th year of marathon competition.

Ed it orial C o n s u lt an t s F r ed N noma- A ddis on S amuel K is s eadu

The Nigerian born British runner started running October 2011, and did a half marathon December 2011 but a full marathon in January 2012. It was interesting how she built up her endurance very quickly.

Source:allafrica.com

M ir iam G yimah, P H D S amuel K is s eadu F r ed N noma- A ddis on ( A mipnew s .org) O r al O f or i A my A ns ong Rev. G eorge A nnan

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