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Nigerian Ambassador To The U.S. Professor Adebowale Adefuye Is Dead

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 ar e committted to b r 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 or a . Yo u may als o vis it o u r webs ite a t www.af r ik an po s t.com f or d a ily n ews u p da tes o n 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 to r ies in th is N ews pa per ar e th os e o f th e a u th o r s a n d d o n o t n eces s ar ily r ef lect th e views o f Af r ik an Po s t . All co mmen ts a n d s u g g es tio n s a r e welcome.

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George Bright-Abu Publisher and Editor

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

CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

Ex-Ghana International Charles Taylor Ordained As Priest Pg. 18

Mayor Bowser Names Ernest Chrappah as Taxicab Commission Chair Pg. 17 How To Build A Tech Empire At Age 24 Pg. 28

Consider My Ways?

Pg. 20

SPORTS

Nigeria's Segun Odegbami Unveils Fifa Presidential Bid Pg. 39 UPDATE 10 Yr. Old Gets $60,000 Investment on Shark Tank for BeeSweet Lemonade Pg. 23

Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, a historian who served as Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States, has died in Washington, DC. Mr. Adefuye died at a yet to be disclosed hospital in the US. Mr. Adefuye was recalled to Nigeria after President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in as President. He was still waiting to hand over to a new ambassador when he suddenly died .A former professor of history, Mr. Adefuye was in 2010 appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan as Nigeria’s ambassador in the US. An outspoken person and fierce defender of Nigeria, the deceased diplomat tackled critics of Nigeria in the US. He vociferously lobbied against Nigeria’s classification as “a country of interest” in America’s terrorism watch list.

Mr. Adefuye hailed from Ijebu-Igbo in 1947, and studied at the University of Ibadan where he earned his first degree in 1969 as well as a PhD in history in 1973. He also received a Fulbright Fellowship that enabled him to do research work at Columbia University, the University of North Florida, and the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Ambassador Adefuye, who wrote several history texts, taught at the University of Lagos, earning a professorship and heading the History Department 1985 to 1987.

Prior to his appointment to Nigeria’s Embassy in Washington, DC, Mr. Adefuye served as his country’s ambassador to Jamaica (where he was concurrently accredited to Haiti and Belize) from 1987 to 1991. In 1991, he was appointed Nigeria’s Deputy

High Commissioner in the U.K., leaving to work for fourteen years as a Deputy Director at the Commonwealth. On leaving the Commonwealth, the former professor accepted a position as an advisor at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). http://saharareporters.com/

The Ambassador successfully ensured that President Buhari was hosted by President Barrack Obama and other US officials between the 21 and 23 July, 2015 in Washington, DC. The Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC were planning to hold a send forth ceremony in honour of late Adefuye on September 2 before he fell sick and subse- quently gave up the ghost.

Adefuye, a christian left behind a wife, Mrs Catherine Shola Adefuye, three children and some grand children

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Asante Kotoko Association 33rd Anniversary Fundraising Dinner Dance

On Saturday August 15, the Asante Kotoko Association of Washington Dc Metro Area cele- brated their 33rd Anniversary with a Grand fundraising Dinner Dance at the Dunya banquet hall in Alexandria.

The Asante Kotoko Association which happens to be one of the first Ghanaians Associations in the Washington Metro Area has held this annual event since its inception to support laudable projects and institutions in Ghana.

The Asante Kotoko Association of Washington DC has over the years donated equipments and provid- ed financial support to various institutions which include Ward C2 of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and contributed to the Otumfuo Education fund.

The purpose of this year’s event was to raise funds to provide medical equipments and supplies for District hospitals in the Ashanti Region.

Addressing the gathering Mr. Henry Adu the President of the Association mentioned that since its inception the association has adopted the med- ical needs of the people of Ghana as a top priority project.

He was of the view that Ghanaians by tradition have always depended on government to provide them with health care “However the Government alone cannot provide meaningful health care to our brothers and sisters” Supporting his statement he said “For example 3 years ago only 9.7% of Government expenditures were on health care and the World health Organization reported in 2012 that Ghana Government spent only 5.2% of its GDP on healthcare.” He therefore made a passionate appeal to the gathering to contribute generously to support the project.

Mr. George Bright-Abu, the publisher and Editor of the African Post Newspaper who chaired the func- tion reiterated most of the issues raised by the pres- ident and appealed to the members to open the association to embrace the youth who will take over the mantle in the years to come. The Chairman emphasized that the fundraising event falls in line with their aim of “assisting in the socioeconomic development, educational, health, literary and scientific needs of the Ashanti region of Ghana in particular, and Ghana as a whole. ” Various corporate institutions including South African Airways, Western Union and Group Nduom who sponsored the event took turns to address the gathering and promote their services. The climax of the event was the Hawknad Industries sponsored Kaba Show. About ten ladies competed by showcasing their beautifully designed traditional “kaba” clothing after which three made it to the finals and were selected for prizes.

The Chairman of the occasion giving his address

Dancing Time

Corporate Sponsors; Group Nduom and Western Union

Winners of the Kaba Competition receiving their prizes

Delaware Ga Dangme Celebrate Maiden Homowo..

August

Ga Dangme group in Delaware has celebrated it maiden Homowo festival in a colorful durbar.

Homowo festival is the annual festival of the people of Ga Mashie in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana and celebrated in the month of August. Homowo which literally means “Hooting Hunger” .

Homowo is celebration triumph over hunger in the Kingdom. Ga Dangmes in the course of their migration from their ancestral home Isreal to present day Accra where confronted with a great famine.

The People of Ga Dangme pray for rain and bumper harvest and not long the Almighty God granted them.

The celebration is begins with “shia baa” ( home coming ) , then nnmaadumo ( planting ) which is perfumed by the Wulomei ( the high priest of the land) . During the period of the planting of the corn drumming and noise making is forbidden in the Kingdom.

Remembering such a great triumph in a foreign land line the Ga Dangmes in Delaware, the group honored their ancestors , arrival of the Soobi ( Thursday borns) carrying their farm produces on their heads and the sprinkling of kpoikpoi the traditional meal for the celebration.

The theme for the maiden celebration is “Unity lies strength”.

President of the group Mr. Edmund Odartei- Laryea emphasised that it unity should be the bedrock of all Ga Dangmes residing in Delaware. He said as immigrants with a common destiny we cannot migrate and starts to fights among each other. He added that “if all Ga Dangmes are together as one people, we will have a common voice and our voices will be heard and will cause change where it’s need.”

He noted that ” our ancestors dwell in unity to hoot hunger when they faced it and they choked tremendous victories being united .”

He extends a hand of invitation to all Ga Dangmes in Delaware to come and join the group to promote their rich language and culture.

Mr.Odartey -Laryea commended Mr & Mrs. Quaye- Mensah Laryea ( Ma ko ma wennu) for opening their home to be used by the group as meeting grounds.

Source: Gifty Bandoh

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President Obama Addresses Participants at 2015 YALI Summit

President Barack Obama kicked off the 2015 YALI Presidential Summit by joining fivehundred exceptional young African leaders for a town hall meeting, where he under- scored the United States commitment to the African continent and empowering young African leaders to increase their skills, professional networks, and resolve in driving pos- itive change in Africa. -

Over the course of the three-day Summit, the 2015 Mandela Washington Fellows, who represent the extraordinary promise of an emerging generation of entrepreneurs, activists, and public officials, engaged with leaders from the public and private sectors, as well as with each other. Here are highlights from the inspiring remarks and stories told by State Department and USAID officials: In remarks to the group, Deputy Secretary of State for Management Heather Higginbottom noted that the the young lead- ers, present at the Summit, represent a great force of potential. She discussed her travels to the African continent, and her meetings with young social entrepreneurs who are par- ticipants in the YALI program. She underscored the United States commitment to equip- ping young leaders around the world with the tools, knowledge, and connections for suc- cess.

Under Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy Richard Stengel shared his personal insights about his time working with Nelson Mandela on his autobi- ography, a Long Walk to Freedom, and important lessons of leadership from his encoun- ters with the global leader. He underscored the importance of being willing to lead and the ability to adapt to change. https://blogs.state.gov/s

Kenyans to Get Five Years U.S. Visa From September August 2015

By Oliver Mathenge A deal struck by President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Barack Obama in July to increase validity of visa will kick off at the end of the September.

In an announcement made on Thursday, the US Embasssy in Nairobi said this increased validity will cover tourist business and student visas.

"The United States and the Republic of Kenya are scheduled to jointly increase the validity of short-term business/tourist visas and student visas issued to each other's citizens on September 22, 2015," the announce- ment said.

This means Kenyan applicants who qualify for non- immigrant visa will be eligible to receive a multiple- entry visa for up to five years for business and tourist travel.

Qualified Kenyan students and their dependents who qualify for a student visa will be eligible for a multiple- entry student visa valid for up to five years or the length of their program.

"U.S. citizens eligible for Kenyan short-term business and tourist visas or student visas will be afforded the same benefit. Changes in visa validity will not affect visa eligibility criteria.

Visa applicants will be subject to the same standards of eligibility for a U.S. visa as before the change in validity," the statement by the embassy said.

While in Nairobi on July 25, Obama announced that they had agreed with Uhuru to ease the visa validity between the two countries.

"We will extend student and business visas for up to five years for Kenyans travelling to the United States and for Americans travelling to Kenya. This will make it easier for students to

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complete their studies and for

businesses to make long-term plans," Obama said during a joint press briefing with Uhuru at State House in Nairobi.

However, Kenyans will pay an extra US$40 (Sh4,000) as a "reciprocity fee" above the normal fees, if their extended visa application is approved.

The extended validity for visas is one of the ways that the US and Kenya are seek- ing to help enhance trade between the two countries.

"The reciprocal extension of visa validity to five years underscores the commitment of both the United States and the Republic of Kenya to promote bilateral trade and tourism, increase opportunities for people- to-people engagement, and enhance mutu- al understanding between our countries," the US embassy announcement said.

This new arrangement will be more convenient and less costly for travellers.

Currently, Kenyan business travellers and tourists must apply annually if visiting the United States each year but they will now only need to apply to renew their visa once every five years.

Currently, Kenyan students who depart the US for short visits abroad are required to apply for new visas but will now use the same visa as long as they remain full-time students in good standing.

Source: http://www.the-star.co.ke/

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Ugandan Journalist Wins BBC World News Komla Dumor Award

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A Ugandan journalist with a background as an entrepreneur, radio and TV reporter and presenter has won the first BBC World News Komla Dumor Award.

Nancy Kacungira, a television anchor for Kenya's KTN television channel, was selected from nearly 200 applicants.

She will spend three months at the BBC in London and also report from Africa for the BBC TV, radio and online.

The award was established to honour Komla Dumor, a presenter for BBC World News, who died suddenly aged 41.

Ms Kacungira said: "I am stunned, but also ecstatic upon hearing this news. I am so greatly honoured and humbled to be the winner of this award."

"I owe it to the continent that I fiercely love and am dedicated to, to do my bit to expand the often dogmatic and skewed narratives that have beleaguered it for so long.

"To be a part of continuing Komla's legacy is such an honour it feels almost like a dream. I will do my very best to justify the great trust that I have been awarded, and ensure that the benefit of this opportunity goes far beyond myself."

One of the judges, BBC Africa's current affairs editor, Vera Kwakofi, said: "Nancy is incredibly smart with a breadth and depth to her knowledge and experience that comes across instantly."

The BBC's Director of News and Current Affairs James Harding, said: "When Komla Dumor died, it was an enormous loss to the BBC, to Africa and to all of us personally.

"I am delighted that in Nancy we have found an extremely passionate and talented journalist, a worthy winner of the award that we established in Komla's name."

Nancy grew up in Uganda where she attended Makerere University in Kampala. She has more than 14 years of experience working across a range of media in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania as well as a Masters degree in communications from Leeds University.

She is currently the anchor of Prime Time Evening News on KTN where she is also the channel's social media editor.

There are two runners-up for the award: Leila Dee Dougan from South Africa and Paa Kwesi Asare from Ghana.

Komla Dumor was an exceptional Ghanaian broadcaster who in his short life made an extraordinary impact - in Ghana, in Africa and around the world.

He represented a confident, savvy and entrepreneurial side of Africa.

Through his tenacious journalism and compelling storytelling, Komla worked tirelessly to bring a more nuanced African narrative to the world.

The BBC is grateful for the support of Standard Chartered and other donors.

Source:bbcnews.com

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Melinda Gates, Wife Of The Richest Man In The World, Bill Gates Carries Water On Her Head And Washes Dishes In Malawi

August

Uganda Pledges to Make Thousands of Hybrid Cars

The petrol and electric car, called the Kiira SMACK, will have five seats, a top speed of 180 kilometres an hour and will be able to travel 50 kilometres using its lithium-ion battery alone.

Kenyan Company Recycling Paper Into Pencils

If paper is made out of wood, what happens when you try to reverse the process?

In Kenya, a company has found an innovative way to create environ- mentally-friendly branded pencils from old newspapers.

Source:Allafrica.com

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The company says the hybrid Kiira SMACK will cost US$20,000, down from US$35,000 for a prototype Kiira electric car developed by Makerere University. This twoseat vehicle could carry up to 1,000 kilo- grams, reach 100 kilometres an hour and cover 80 kilometres on batteries. Powered by a lithium-ion bat- tery, it ran silently and without any air pollution, says Musasizi.

Alex Mbaziira, a PhD student in the Department of Applied Information Technology at George Mason University, United States, said in an email response that the project to develop electric and hybrid vehi- cles was interesting. But he added that it was unclear what it was trying to achieve.

By 2018, Uganda's planned automotive industry will be making 7,000 hybrid cars a year, says Paul Isaac Musasizi, acting CEO of the state-run Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC).

Melinda Gates, who is the wife of the richest man in the world, Bill Gates, was recently in Malawi for a visit. She said during her stay there, she joined women to fetch water and she carried 20 liters of water and it was tough for her.

She said the woman in the middle, Chrissy, carried 40 liters of water and was very impressed at how the women in the picture were able to do so effortlessly.

Helping wash the dishes during my homestay in Malawi. Women spend much of the day cooking and then cleaning up. It’s a reminder that it’s a lot more time consuming to do dishes when you can’t just turn on a faucet

2015

The firm says it will also sell station wagons and pick-up trucks made in Uganda, but industry insiders say the project faces "very high risks to its success".

The government is backing the project with 154 billion shillings (US$43.5 million) and 40 hectares of land for a factory at an industrial park in the southeastern town of Jinja, according to Musasizi. The funds come from the Presidential Initiative on Science and Technology, which is part of President Yoweri Museveni's plan to turn Uganda into an upper middle-income country by 2040.

Although more funding may be needed, KMC finance manager Arthur Tumusiime Asiimwe says he is confident the firm will eventually get more money and will find many customers in the region.

The planned factory would employ 2,500 people, and Asiimwe says the firm will train the required workforce with support from foreign industry partners. In April, KMC agreed a deal with US engineering firm RLE International for it to develop a detailed business strategy and, later, offer engineering support.

But industry newsletter Automotives Insight was less enthusias-

"If one of the goals was producing an affordable, brand new car for a Ugandan or African market, then that car is still far from affordable and commercially viable," he said.

But a low-polluting car would make sense within congested cities as an alternative to taxi minivans and boda-boda motorbike taxis, Mbaziira said.

"The city and municipal councils could acquire these vehicles and have them as rentals or self-drive cars for people that need to move around the cities," he said.

"Furthermore, there should be incentives for buying an electric vehicle, like green tax credits, reserved green parking lots and free or affordable charging stations." http://www.scidev.net/global/

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South African Airways Inaugural Flight Reception in Washington DC

Afrikan

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Flight Crew

Mrs. Matilda Alomatu Osei-Agyeman, Mrs. Amma TwumAmoah, the Head of the Chancery, Mrs. Martha PobeeAmbassador and Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations

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South African Airways Launches Route Between Ghana And Washington

South African Airways (SAA) the leading carrier on the African continent, announced the launch of its inaugural flight between Accra, Ghana and Washington DC in North America.

The new route substantially strengthens SAA’s presence in West Africa, and the first flight departed from the Kotoka International Airport in Accra at 22:45, Sunday, 2 August, following a celebratory send-off, to the Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. On board were the Ghanaian Minister of Transportation, Honourable Dzifa Aku Attivo, as well as a contingent of high profile Ghanaian government officials; other guests, executives and media.

The Accra – Washington route will be served by A340600s on Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Sundays, featuring 42 full-flat 180° beds in Premium Business Class and 275 seats in Economy Class.

Connectivity from Washington to other North American destinations was also an important consideration. SAA offers convenient connections to and from over 50 markets in the U.S. and Canada through its airline partners United Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Virgin America. SAA has been flying to Washington for ten years.

“This customer value proposition reflects our confidence in the African Continent and our resolve to become Africa’s Leading World-Class Loyalty Programme,” said Suretha Cruse, SAA Executive for Customer Loyalty at the launch event.

“The SAA Voyager [Gold and Platinum] Credit Cards will be the catalysts for African growth; strengthening the landscapes for two iconic African leaders within our respective industries here in Ghana and across the Continent,” she added.

“This is perfectly timed with the launch of the SAA’s maiden flight to Washington Dulles. It is expected that travellers to the United States from Ghana will opt for the SAA flights and use the SAA Voyager Credit Card to purchase their tickets as well as make general purchases. This card grants the cardholder access to various benefits,” said Mr Patrick Akinwuntan, Ecobank Group executive director, Domestic Bank.

“The SAA Voyager Credit Card offers reward points (by way of earned miles) to both corporate and individual customers, based on card spend. So, for amounts spent, one can expect to earn miles, which can easily be redeemed at a number of partner brands, in various categories such as business, entertainment, shopping and travel.”

Source:flysaa.com

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Cutting the ribbon in Accra on 2 August to inaugurate the new service are: Charles Asare, MD of Ghana Airports Company Limited; Zuks Ramasia, South African Airways GM for Operations; Lulama Xingwana, South African High Commissioner to Ghana; Kendy Phohleli, a South African Airways executive for the Africa Hub Project; and Dr John Tambi, a South African Airways board member.

Marc Cavaliere, Executive VP of the Americas for South African Airways,

On arrival in Washington Dulles, passengers were greeted with a traditional Ghanaian dance and celebration. Flights will be operated four times weekly using a mixture of the Star Alliance member’s A340300s and A340-600s according to OAG Schedules Analyser data.

Mrs Dzifa Aku Attivor the Minister of Transport

Todd M. Neuman Vice President, Commercial – North America South African Airways

Ambassador from Ghana to United States, Lt. Gen J.H Smith

ECOWAS To Adopt Single Currency By 2020

Afrikan

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Plans are far advanced for the adoption of a single currency for all members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Dr. Christian R. K. Ahortor, Senior Economist at the West African Monetary Institution, has said.

However, he said basic criteria for convergence of the single currency such as gross external reserves of not less than three months of import cover for every country as well single digit inflation less than 10 per cent were expected to be met before final take-off.

Dr. Ahortor was doing a presentation on financial and economic reporting at training for members of Journalists for Business Advocacy (JBA) in Kumasi.

The two-day training was the first in Kumasi but the second of its kind by the JBA. It was co-sponsored by Ecobank and Bank of Ghana, and supported by the Ministry of Finance.

Dr. Ahortor was full of confidence that by 2020 the 15 states would use a single currency.

The Senior Economist said the single currency was yet to be named, adding that, the technocrats of the states would decide its value.

However, there is an indication that the CFA could be chosen as the name, given the fact that majority of the members are francophone.

According to Dr Ahortor, the use of the single currency would enable all manufacturing companies within the ECOWAS to freely enter into any neighbouring country within ECOWAS without any tariffs.

244 Immigrants Arrested Across Southern California

More than 240 people, including Ghanaians, were taken into federal custody last week across Southern California after a four-day sweep for immigrants in the country illegally with criminal records, authorities announced Monday.

The enforcement action ended on Thursday with 244 foreign nationals in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement – the majority of them with at least one felony conviction on their record, authorities said.

It was the most successful four-day sweep of its kind in the region, ICE said.

Among the people captured, 191 were from Mexico and the rest were from 21 other countries including France, Ghana, Peru and Thailand, the agency said. A majority of them had convictions for violent felonies or weapons or sex abuse charges.

large criminals for deportation.

Originally formed to locate immigrants who had failed to comply with a judge's deportation order, the program is increasingly being used to find immigrants with criminal convictions who have recently been let out of jail.

Of the more than 27,000 people whom ICE arrested nationwide last fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, 2014, about 78% had criminal convictions, according to ICE data.

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Nigeria's First Test-Tube Baby to Study Medicine

Among those captured was Vincente OnofreRamirez, 35, who authorities say was convicted in 2002 of sexual abuse with force in New York.

In Sunland, authorities arrested a 50-year-old Salvadorian national convicted of two criminal counts of child sex abuse in Los Angeles County; in Upland, a 46-year-old man from Guatemala who previously served 10 years in prison for sexually abusing two children was The rest had past convictions for “significant or arrested. multiple misdemeanors,” ICE said in a news But not everyone arrested in the sweep was a release. violent felon. Those who have not been deported before and found to have illegally In the past it was easier for ICE agents to re-entered the country or aren’t facing new locate and deport immigrants who had been convicted of crimes. The agency would contact charges will have an administrative hearing with a judge. local jails and ask that such inmates be held until an ICE van could pick them up.

But last year a federal judge found that practice illegal, prompting hundreds of counties to stop Source: LA Times honoring the detainer requests. As a result, ICE officials say they have to rely on costly and dangerous manhunts or multi-day sweeps like the one conducted last week.

By A Levinus Nwabughiogu

Abuja — Nigeria's first test tube baby, Miss.

Hannatu Kupchi has been given admission into a Hungarian university to study medicine.

This came 17 years after Kupchi was born at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja, precisely on February 11 1998.

Speaking at a brief ceremony to mark his send forth in Abuja on Sunday, Dr. Ibrahim Wada, the medical director of Nisa Premier hospital that supervised the first IVF experiment in Nigeria stated that Kupchi's birthday marked the fulfillment of his medical career.

The sweep was led by the agency’s National Fugitive Operations program, which finds at-

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DC Taxicab Commission Announces Grants for Obtaining Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles

August 2015

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Mayor Bowser Names Ernest Chrappah as Taxicab Commission Chair

Funding and Training Available for Qualified Drivers and Taxi companies Media Contact: Neville Waters (202) 645-6020; neville.waters2@dc.gov

The DC Taxicab Commission (DCTC) is establishing a grants program to assist District residents and taxicab companies obtain new wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs). Applications are available to drivers with a valid H-tag and taxicab companies that have met the 6% WAVs requirement. All those receiving a grant must agree to participate in the Transport DC program. In addition, an online sensitivity training program developed in partnership with the DC Office of Disability Rights will be required for accepting the grant.

Grants up to $7,500 will be awarded to offset the purchase of a new WAV, or an annual grant of $2,500 will be awarded to offset the cost to rent a WAV. Grants will also support free disability sensitivity training to drivers.

Applications will be available from the DCTC website from July 28, 2015 until the $750,000 in funds has been exhausted or on September 30, 2015, whichever occurs first. The first deadline for submission is August 10, 2015.

Mobility Ventures (MV) is adding their support to this grants program through an offer of special vehicle pricing combined with driver incentives and training. MV will match the first $5,000 of each grant offered by DCTC to the first 20 drivers to purchase or lease a new MV-1 for use as a DCTC accessible taxi. Thus an owner/operator would be eligible for up to $12,500 ($7,500 grant from DCTC, plus $5,000 from MV). MV will allow the owner/operator the option to take their $5,000 as cash or apply it to the vehicle purchase. In addition, a special DCTC Accessibility Price on the MV-1 for an owner/operator participating in this program to purchase a brand new MV1 is $25,000 for the first 20 drivers.

“The Commission is committed to reducing the burden of regulations on drivers and simultaneously expanding accessible taxi service,” Acting DCTC Chairman Ernest Chrappah said. “We are also pleased to have a public/private partnership to assist District taxi operators to obtain new wheelchair accessible vehicles.”

"Making the economics of the vehicle work is only part of the mission," added Howard B. Glaser, President of AM General the parent company of the MV-1. "Drivers must also be comfortable and professional in working with persons with disabilities.”

Jim Weisman, President and CEO of the United Spinal Association said, "Accessible taxis in the District not only serve residents but make the nation's capital a more welcoming tourist destination for wheelchair users and their families. We applaud DCTC for its efforts to accommodate everyone. "

The pre-award informational conference is scheduled for 11:00 am on July 30, 2015.

Contact: Neville Waters (202) 645-6020

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Ernest Chrappah as Interim Chairperson of the DC Taxicab Commission.

“Chairman Ernest Chrappah will lead our efforts to provide top-notch services for residents and visitors of the District of Columbia through the oversight of safe, comfortable, efficient and affordable taxicab experiences,” said Mayor Bowser. “Ernest has a wealth of experience serving District residents and a reputation of finding innovative solutions to complex challenges. His record of delivering for DC will make him an asset for District residents, visitors and drivers in the rapidly changing transportation sector.”

“Economic viability is the driving force of the taxicab industry in our growing, world-class city,” said Ernest Chrappah. “I am thrilled to work with residents, visitors, taxicab owners and operators to provide high quality service as we strive to provide a system of fair and transparent rules and regulations.”

Chrappah has served the Government of the District of Columbia for the past 6 years, including serving as the Chief of Operations at the Taxicab Commission and as Budget Director for the Special Education Transportation Division at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Most recently, Chrappah served as the Deputy Chief Information Officer at the DC Child and Family Services Agency. Chrappah also served as a Program Manager with the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) overseeing IT initiatives for multiple District agencies. At OCTO, Chrappah was part of the team that won the NASCIO 2008 award for innovation in the IT project management category.

Chrappah holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Chrappah began this post today, Monday, June 8.

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Ex-Ghana International Charles Taylor Ordained As Priest

Ekow Smith Asante Finally Ties The Knot August 2015

the new couple for their union.

Don't forget that in October 2013, when Ekow turned age 40, he promised his fans that he's going to settle down and yes, he has kept to his promise.

on preaching the word of God.

According to the 40-year-old actor, apart from pressures for him to get married; other factors such as loneliness influenced such a decision.

The 34 year old, a month ago revealed in an interview of his intention in propagating the word of God.

Former Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko talis- man, Charles Taylor has officially been ordained as Priest which might come as a surprise to many people.Taylor who one time captained the Black Stars of Ghana has offi- cially hanged his boots as he turns his focus

"My concentration now is to become a pastor because in every- thing we do, God must come first. I am always grateful to God for how far he has brought me and I want to preach his word.�

And lo and behold the dream of the former national star has come to pass as he has officially been ordained as Priest paving way for him to preach the word of God. Source:peacefmonline.com

Pastor And His 480 Church Members Converts To Islam

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Ghanaian actor, Ekow Smith Asante over the weekend tied the knot with his longtime sweetheart.

The secret wedding was attended by some celebrities in the arts industry.

Source:Bernice Owusuwaa - Ghanaweb

Tonto Dikeh And Churchill Oladunni's Traditional Wedding

Meanwhile Jackie Appiah has taken to her social media page to congratulate

Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh and her Boyfriend Churchill Oladunni were in Port Harcourt to get Married traditionally.

The traditional wedding was held on Saturday August 29,2015.

Tonto Charity Dikeh-Churchill, also known as Tonto Dike, is a Nigerian actress and singer from Rivers State and is of the Ikwerre tribe. Dikeh is from a family of seven.

Her hubby, Oladunni is said to be one of Former President Olusegun Obasanjo‘s children. Source: http://graphic.com.gh

Actress Kyeiwaa Marries

A pastor in Rwanda and his 480 worshipers converted to Islam on Tuesday, August 25th 2015.

According to a Facebook user, Salim Mikdad who shared the pictures and news online. A Rwandan Pastor and his 480 worshippers converted to Islam on Tuesday, August 25th 2015.

They didn't only embraced Islam, they changed the church to their Masjid (Mosque).

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

Kumawood actress Rose Mensah aka Kyeiwaa married on August 30 2015. The actress invited few colleagues in the movie industry because she wanted to have a small event.

Some of the known faces spotted at the wedding ceremony were Mercy Asiedu, Wayosi, Vivian Jill and others.

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Afrikan Post

Consider My Ways?

Her Page

even the time for the house of the LORD to be

Dr. Miriam C. Gyimah Sometimes we think we know what is right and when we are justified. We think we have covered all the bases and we are on the right with God because, after all, we have tried our best and done our part to the best of our abilities considering what we have been given, so we think. And then we are jolted into a rude awakening when we learn that God is not only disappointed with us, but also that He is very angry with us and is ready to punish us severely!

All this time, I thought my hands were clean. All this time, I thought I had done all I knew and that it was rather God who had delayed, rather God who had withheld time, money, and sometimes, for- give me to say, even grace! And so I am going my way doing the best that I can with what has been given, knowing that God Himself saw me struggle physically, spiritually, emotionally and every which way with what He had laid at my doorstep. God Himself witnessed all my hard fought efforts to do right by Him, all to no avail. So I simply resolved even after much prayer, fasting and labor that God had not allowed this to come to pass at this juncture, that what He was telling me with all the resistance that I was encountering was that His time had not yet come for the fruition of my labor. But even in my “well assessed conviction,” it was not so. He was not happy and more importantly, He was angry.

Imagine my surprise when I read what the Lord said to the Israelites through the Prophet Haggai. I was astonished. I was in disbelief, and actually said to myself during my reading of that prophesy, “is God serious? Is He truly angry with the Israelites, having seen the bitter struggle and discouraging hardships they went through? Is He really angry knowing very well how the people were weakened, frustrated and battled repeatedly by lawyers and officials and aggressive letter writing campaigns when they tried whole heartedly to rebuild the Temple?

You’ve got to be kidding!” (See Ezra chapter 4).

Yes, those were my words because I couldn’t believe that in the first chapter of Haggai, the Lord was bitterly accusing the Israelites for abandoning the rebuilding of the Temple and telling them how because of their abandoning His mission, this mission that He had clearly directed them to accomplish, He had been punishing them with all sorts of curses.

The Lord speaks through the Prophet Haggai saying, “This people says, the time has not come,

rebuilt…Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?

Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, Consider your ways! You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes…Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,…You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?...Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands” (Haggai 1:1-7).

What an indictment! If you read Ezra, especial- ly chapter four, I believe that you might very well agree with my response, but our thoughts are not God’s thoughts and our ways are not His ways (2 Samuel 7:19). For God, our letting go of the things He has laid upon our hearts, because of “lack of time,” exhaustion, shortage of financial and other resources, frustration, discouragement and even our failed expectations of another parting of the Red Sea for our benefit, is no excuse. With what we learn in Haggai, as children of God, we are given a purpose, a mission, a duty, a calling, and despite the odds, and struggles, irrespective of the unrelenting attacks, frustrations and waging of war by our enemies, there is no excuse for us to stop pursuing and striving to do the work He has called us to do. He expects us, we who are more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 8:37) to push on, fight on, and make our way out of the darkness and overcome all opposing forces. We are not supposed to stop. No, we must forge on despite the obstacles and inconveniences stacked against us. We cannot say that every which way we tried, Satan weakened our hands and left us no option. If this is what we have done, let it be clear to us today through the Prophet Haggai that God is not only disappointed with us but that He is seriously angry with us enough to punish us. Yes, if we are in this situation, let us consider our ways. Let us look about ourselves and assess our lives to see how God might be punishing us. In what areas are we struggling? Is it financial? It is marital? Is it medical? Could it be that our children are disrespectful and wayward?

Could our punishment be the lack of respect we receive from our colleagues and superiors at work?

The possibilities are many.

Evaluate yourself. Have you neglected the voice and urging of God when He directed you to take care of his little ones by becoming a Sunday

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school teacher? Did you respond that you are too busy to devote such time or did you neglect this duty and ignore His voice because you prefer to sit

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in the sanctuary all the days of your life to be fed, but not give thought of feeding another with the word of God? When He called you to be an usher, did you return with “I am too shy or I don’t have money to buy the uniforms”? When He spoke to your heart to go on the mission field, did you turn away with the excuse that you can’t leave your comfort zone or that you are afraid of cultural and climatic challenges you might face? When He called you to become a minister, did you respond with the excuse regarding your fear of failure, criticism, and financial dependence on the church? Even yet, what trials and challenges have you stopped fighting through?

What brick wall did you allow to stand in your way of pushing on in your spiritual growth and attainment? What situation has forced your hand to yield to the power of evil spirits, accepting defeat at their hands? What have you neglected and what pursuit have you given up, although according to the word of God, you surely would have been a conqueror?

What were the excuses of the children of Israel for not continuing the rebuilding of the Temple? When they began, they completed laying the foundation in two years, but the harassment by the officials frustrated and discouraged them so much so that they simply abandoned it and the Temple remained unfinished for 14years. I repeatedly read about their struggles in this effort, understood their perspective and agreed with them when they stopped. They had been battled.

They had been tried. They had been aggravated and they had been disheartened. I didn’t see that they had erred when they stopped rebuilding. Even still, God expected them to fight on. He wanted them to keep at it because He knew He had spoken it and that it would come to pass. So it is with you.

Are you going to remain in this state of stagnation where your work is not accomplished, where your mission and life’s purpose are stalled? Are you going to give up in that struggle or trial simply because you are tired of fighting? Or are you going to pick up where you left off and let God be your guide and strength?

After the Prophet Haggai prophesied, the people repented and the Bible tells us, “then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for the LORD” (1:12). They resumed rebuilding despite the opposition of their enemies and in four short years, they had accomplished their mission. “And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy” (Ezra 6:16). This is what God wants from us. He wants us to continue to fight against spiritual opposition despite how tough the fight gets. He wants us to put away our excuses and live for Him, work for Him, avail our bodies to Him as vessels of honor and faithfulness.

And we know that vessels of honor are not punished but rewarded; they are not cursed but blessed. Finally, they will rejoice!

Let us consider our ways. Let us rethink and evaluate our lives, for where we might think we are perfectly right and justified, where we might think we have been faithful with all we have been given, we could be sadly mistaken and our God will be judging

Dont Joke with God

BERNARD SHAW while smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said:'God, that's for you.'

He died at the age of 32 of LUNG CANCER in a horrible manner.

The man who built the Titanic After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be.

With an ironic tone he said:

'Not even God can sink it'

The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic

Marilyn Monroe (Actress) She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show.

He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her. After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said: 'I don't need your God'.

A week later, she was found dead in her apartment

Bon Scott (Singer) The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang: 'Don't stop me; I'm going down all the way, down the high- way to hell'.

On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked by his own vomit.

Campinas (IN 2005)

In Campinas , Brazil a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend.....

The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter holding her hand, who was already seated in the car: 'My Daughter, Go With God And May He Protect You.' She responded: 'Only If He (God) Travels In The Trunk, Cause Inside Here.....It's Already Full ' Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact.

The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none was broken

Christine Hewitt (Jamaican Journalist and entertainer) said the Bible (Word of God) was the worst book ever written.

In June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor vehicle.

Many more important have forgotten that there is no other name that was given so much authority as the name of God.

Many have died, but only God appeared again, and is

still alive & around ..

Joke Center

Women will Never Change !!!

A woman and a man are involved in a car accident.

It's a bad one, caused by the woman's reckless driving.

Both of their cars are demolished but amazingly neither of them are hurt.

After they crawl out of their cars, the woman says; “So, you're a man. That's interesting. I'm a woman.

Wow, just look at our cars! There's nothing left, but fortu- nately we are unhurt.

This must be a sign from God that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace for the rest of our days."

The man replied," I agree with you completely. This must be a sign from God!

The woman continued, "And look at this, here's another mir- acle.

My car is completely damaged, but this bottle of wine didn't break.

Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune." Then she hands the bottle to the man.

The man nods his head in agreement, opens it, drinks half the bottle and then hands it back to the woman.

The woman takes the bottle, immediately puts the cap back on, and hands it back to the man.

The man asks, "Aren't you having any?"

She replies, "Nah. I think I'll just wait for the police to come and collect their evidence."

Adam ate the apple again ! Men will NEVER learn !

"The Rapist"

Atongo who just got admission into University of Ghana enters the Library for his first time and asks for the Book "Psycho The Rapist".

The librarian searches for 4 hrs, came back, slaps him and says: Idiot the book is called "Psychotherapist"

Akpors went for HIV test in a hospital on Friday and was told to come back on Monday for the result.

When he got to church on Sunday, the pastor declared to the people that ''everything you are looking forward to this week shall be positive''

Akpors jumped to his feet and shouted ''I reject it in Jesus name'' my own go be Negative ooooo!

August 2015

The Coded Language

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A girl was with her father when she saw her boyfriend coming

GIRL: Have you come to collect your book titled "DADDY IS AT HOME?" by Ngozi Okafor BOY: No, I want that your hymn book called "WHERE SHOULD I WAIT FOR YOU?" GIRL: I don't have that one but maybe you should take the other one titled "UNDER THE MANGO TREE" by Chimamanda Adichie BOY: Fine, but don't forget to bring "I WILL CALL YOU IN 5 MINUTES" while coming to school

GIRL: I will also bring you a new one too titled"I WON'T LET YOU DOWN" by Chinua Achebe Then; DAD: Those books are too many, will he read them all GIRL: Yes dad, he is very smart & intelligent

DAD: Okay don't forget to give him the one on the table titled "I AM NOT STUPID, I UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN SAYING" by Shakespeare! And also the one on the dinning table titled "IF YOU GET PREGNANT PREPARE TO GET MARRIED"

by Wole Soyinka

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August 2015

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22

Swazi King Chooses Wife, Tests Topless 10 Yr. Old Gets $60,000 Girls’ Virginity Publicly Investment on Shark Tank for BeeSweet Lemonade August 2015

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Mikaila Ulmer turned two bee stings into a honey sweet deal

by Essence Gant

If you’re a fan of the show Shark Tank, then you know convincing the “sharks” to invest in your business is not an easy chal- lenge. The unfiltered investors, especially show favorite Mr. Wonderful, have been known to crush a few dreams on the national TV show.

A common tradition in Swaziland (Swazi) permits the King, Mswati, to choose a new bride every year.

According to reports by Talk Africa, it has been a long time tradition in Swaziland and isn’t the first time this controversial issue is making it into the news.

It will be recalled that in 2012, Dailymail reported that topless virgins were paraded in front of the Swazi King, to celebrate chastity and unity. As part of Swazi custom and norms, that time of the year has come, when the King chooses his bride and again, he has reportedly tested girls’ virginity before choosing a wife for himself.

The Reed Dance ceremony, known as Umhlanga reveals thousands of Swaziland’s ‘prettiest virgins’ dancing topless for King Mswati III, every August, hoping to be his next wife. As the story goes, underage girls are being publicly checked to ascertain that their virginity was still intact.

Source: http://dailypost.ng

[Related: New NYC Program Creates Pathway for 5,000 Women Entrepreneurs From Low-Income Areas]

One little girl, however, managed to impress the sharks with her southern sweetened lemonade. 10-year-old Austin, Texas native Mikaila Ulmer is the founder of BeeSweet Lemonade. When she was only four-years-old, Ulmer was brain- storming what she would contribute to the Action Children’s Business Fair and Austin Lemonade Day.

After two bee stings, her parents encour- aged her to research why honeybees were critical to our ecosystem. The young mind grew fascinated. Not long after, Great Granny Helen mailed Mikaila a 1940s cookbook containing Granny’s flaxseed lemonade recipe. The light bulb went off and little Miss Ulmer was inspired to make something that would help honey- bees and use Great Granny Helen’s deli- cous recipe. BeeSweet Lemonade was born.

Mikaila’s recipe is unique from other lemonade recipes because instead of using lots of sugars, she sweetens each batch with honey from local bees. Today, she travels selling BeeSweet Lemonade at youth entrepreneurial events, and a portion of the profits is donated to organizations fighting to preserve honeybees. Shark Tank investor and FUBU CEO Daymond John was sold on the BeeSweet story, and the mogul ivest- ed $60,000 for a 25% stake in the beverage company. John is working closely with Ulmer as her mentor and helping to push her brand through his professional network.

“Partnering with Mikaila made perfect sense,” he said in a statement. “She’s a great kid with a head for business and brand- ing. She’s got a great idea and I’m happy to help take BeeSweet to the next level.”

The investment will allow the com- pany to make larger batches of the lemonade and meet customer demands. “I’m so excited to have someone with as much experience as Daymond on my team,” the young business girl said. “This is a great opportunity to have more people try my lemonade and save even more bees.”

Order Mikaila’s BeeSweet Lemonade and try all of the flavors here. BeeSweet Lemonade is also available at multiple Whole Foods and other grocers.

Source: www.blackenterprise.com/.

Afrikan

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Fascinating African Tribal Traditions

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Some African tribal traditions are a mystery and a fascination for most of the modern world. Tribal communities sometimes live without many modern comforts the rest of us have. Here are 16 fascinating traditions from several African tribes. - Source: http://afkinsider.com

Kidnapping your bride : In the Sudanese Latuka tribe, when a man wants to marry a woman, he kidnaps her. Elderly members of his family go and ask the girl’s father for her hand in marriage, and if dad agrees, he beats the suitor as a sign of his acceptance of the union. If the father disagrees, how- ever, the man might forcefully marry the woman anyway.

Khweta Ceremony :This Southern African ceremony is practiced by several tribes and is how a young boy proves his manhood. When they are of age, boys are sent to spend several days or weeks in a circumcision lodge during winter, where they’re put through rigorous and often dangerous tests and rituals such as continuous dancing until exhaustion, and circumcision.

Bull jumping :In order to prove their manhood in the Ethiopian Hamer tribe, young boys must run, jump and land on the back of a bull before then attempting to run across the backs of several bulls. They do this multiple times, and usually in the nude.

Putting a price on the bride: Lobola is an ancient and controversial Southern African tradition in which the families of a bride and groom negotiate how much the groom must pay for the bride.

All negotiations must be done in writing — never by phone or in person. The two families cannot even speak until negotiations are complete.

The groom wears a veil The Ahaggaren Tuaregs of Algeria are part of a larger group of Berber- speaking Tuaregs. In their culture, the men wear veils almost all the time. However, they can take their veils off when inside family camps or while traveling.

Spitting your blessings :Members of the Maasai tribe in Kenya and Tanzania spit as a way of blessing. Men spit on newborns and say they are bad in the belief that if they praise a baby, it will be cursed. Maasai warriors will also spit in their hands before shaking the hand of an elder. -

Women have their own houses In the Gio tribe in Ivory Coast, each wife has her own small house that she lives in with her children until they are old enough to move out. The chil- dren never live with their fathers.

Lip stretching :When a girl becomes a teenager in the Surma tribe of Southern Sudan, she begins the process of lip stretching. The girl has her bottom teeth removed to make space for a lip plate, which is increased in size annually

Red sun block The Himba peo ple of Northern Namibia cover their skin with a mixture of butter fat and ochre — a natu- ral earth pigment containing iron oxide — to protect them- selves from the sun. For that reason, the Himba people often appear to have a red skin tone.

Hunter-gatherers The San People of Botswana, also called Bushmen, are hunter gatherers who were evicted from their ancestral land in the 1950s. They were forbidden to hunt and forced to apply for permits to enter reserves. The San switched to farming but they continued to gather herbs for medication and plants for food. Deprived of the ability to hunt, San numbers dwindled.

Southwestern Congo, the Suku tribe honors ancestors and elders, when they die, with a ceremony held in the clearing of a forest. Here, gifts and offerings are brought, but outsiders and all women are forbidden to attend.

Sons are raised by their uncles. When male children reach age 5 or 6 in the Northern Angolan Songo tribe, they are sent to live with their uncles on their mother’s side. This is because chiefs inherit their position through matrilineal lines.

Wealth is measured by cows In the Pokot tribe in Kenya, wealth is measured by how many cows a family has. Most Pokot people are either “corn people” or “cow people”— meaning that’s what they cultivate on their land — but all Pokot people measure their wealth by cows. The number of women a man can marry is determined by how many cows he has .

Living with animals : The Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania have strict policies against killing wild animals. They keep cattle and livestock, but leave wild animals untouched. In fact, each clan is associated with a specific wild species, which they often keep close to them and treat as a Beating the suitor :The Fulani tribe live in many countries in West Africa and follow a tradition called Sharo. Sharo happens when two young men want to marry the same woman. To compete for her hand, they beat one another up. The men must suppress signs of pain and the one who takes the beating without showing signs of pain can take the wife.

A thorough cleansing :The Chewa people are one of the largest indigenous groups of Malawi but live throughout Central and Southern Africa. When a person dies, one family tradition involves taking the body into the woods, slitting the throat, and forcing water through the body to cleanse it. They do this by squeezing the corpse’s stomach until what comes out of the rear end runs clear.

African Wedding Cultural Traditions

Ethiopia In Ethiopia the Karo people enhance a young brides beauty by tattooing her abdomen with different symbols.

Amhara people: most marriages are negotiated by the two families, with a civil ceremony sealing the con- tract. A priest may be present. Divorce is allowed and must also be negotiated. There is also a "temporary marriage," by oral contract before witnesses. The woman is paid housekeeper's wages, and is not eligi- ble for inheritance, but children of the marriage are legally recognized and qualify for inheritance. Priests may marry but not eligible for divorce or remarriage. Kenya The Massai people of Kenya grow up with children of their own age and normally form relationships with these people. However, in marriage women are given to a man they do not know who is much older then themselves. The bride packs all her belongings and is dressed in her finest jewelry. At the marriage ceremony the father of the bride spits on the brides head and breasts as a blessing and then she leaves with her husband walking to her new home she never looks back fearing that she will turn to stone. This can be a very sad experience for the bride, who is 1316 years old and may walk a long way to get to her new house. In order to ward off bad luck sometimes the women of the grooms family will even insult the bride.

The Swahili of Kenya bathe brides in sandalwood oils and tatoo henna designs on her limbs. A women elder, or somo, gives instructions to the bride on how to please her husband. Sometimes the somo will even hide under the bed in case there are any problems!

In another area of Kenya the main feature of the wedding is the kupamba, which happens the night after the wedding, it is basically a display of the bride. It is very popular because it is a party just for the women, and when they enter the party they are able to take off their large veils and show off elabo- rate hairstyles and dresses. The party can almost become a competition because it is believed that if a women has a good husband he will get her beautiful jewelry and clothes.

For the Samburu tribe marriage is a unique series of elaborate ritual. Great importance is given to the preparation of gifts by the bridegroom (two goatskins, two copper earrings, a container for milk, a sheep) and of gifts for the ceremony. The marriage is concluded when a bull enters a hut guarded by the bride's mother, and is killed.

Namibia The Himba people of Namibia kidnap a bride before the ceremony and dress her in a leather marriage headdress. After the ceremony she is brought into the house where the family tells her what her responsibilities will be as the wife and then anoint her with butterfat from cows. This shows that she has been accepted into the family.

Niger .

Afrikan

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The Unlikely Millionaire

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Page 25

The deal took seven years to sign. Along the way, Moshole learnt some hard lessons about massmarket production. One of them was to change from an informal backyard business to a formal one.

He named his company ‘ebinter’ and started selling his Chem-Fresh products through it. Moshole also learnt he needed to become an accountant as well as a salesman. But it was the competition in the detergent business that was hardest to handle.

“Retail must retain a formal market. It’s tough. You negotiate with a buyer who takes 300 calls a day from others who supply the same product as you. Then there you are competing with the multinationals and then you are competing with the companies who own no-name brands. Your product needs to be cheap and needs to be of a consistent high quality,” says Moshole.

These days, Moshole’s factory in Wynberg, an industrial sector a few kilometers outside of Sandton, is a far cry from his backyard. Thousands of plastic bottles are piled to the ceiling. A $90,000 mixer churns bath soaps and hand wash. Another mixer prepares bleach for the day.

Moshole says it takes half an hour to produce 500 liters of Chem-Fresh bleach.

Edward Moshole was destined for a life as a cleaner in a factory; until inspiration came on a breath of fresh cherry-scented air in a storage room surrounded by detergents. Last year the former cleaner sold 70,000 bottles of detergent a month to the largest retail shop- ping chains in South Africa, worth about R12 million ($1 million) a year.

“A broomstick is what started my business. It was the only thing that I owned…

Getting a job as a cleaner at Enterprise changed my life; them giving me the boots and overalls and saying ‘here clean’. I could feel in my heart I wanted to be something more,” he says.

With humble beginnings in the small township of Gapane, a place few have heard of in the Limpopo province of South Africa, Moshole’s story is uncommon. He grew up with- out parents from the age of 16 and failed eighth grade five years in a row.

Moshole says when he was young he never dreamed he could become a millionaire.

His life changed when he moved to Cape Town to live with his brother. He says the move woke him up. Moshole finished his schooling and became a cleaner in a factory run by food chain Enterprise. In this factory, in a two-square-meter storage room that smelled of cherries; among piles of detergent, bleach, cleaners and soaps, Moshole had an idea.

“Getting into that store room, I could see that the quality doesn’t measure the performance of the cleaners. I could improve things. I could see myself becoming a detergent manufacturing champion,” he says.

It began with $6 and a broom stick says Moshole. The then cleaner went directly to a manufacturer and bought a five-liter bleach bottle. His first sales pitch was short and sim- ple.

“I went to an ordinary person and said ‘look I’ve got detergent, I’ve got cleaner and they go for R15 ($1.20) a litre’,” he says.

Moshole’s part-time business took off. He targeted his co-workers who finished work too late to make it to the shops. A few months later, Moshole began selling door-todoor. He moved to spaza shops and sold to neighbors.

Moshole soon grew tired of the life of a middleman salesman and decided to create his own brand. With the money he earned, he bought a pile of 25-litre spice drums from Enterprise for around $1 each. He spent the following weekends churning detergent with a homemade metal mixer in his backyard.

“At the end of the day my hands were blistered,” he recalls.

For three years, Moshole toiled over his blue spice drums. His brand, Chem-Fresh, gar- nered the interests of supermarket giant Pick n Pay, owned by Raymond Ackerman, who is ranked 38th on Forbes’ list of richest Africans. It was the big break that Moshole needed.

His clientele has now spread across supermarket chains Spar, Pick n Pay, Massmart and Dischem.

Despite landing these promising contracts the detergent maker remains humble. He keeps the broom that he started with as a reminder of where his dreams began, minus the brush which fell off a few years ago.

With $6 and a broomstick, Moshole began selling detergent to his colleagues, bottle by bottle. Now, he sells them in the thousands. What’s more, Moshole proudly claims he has never missed a delivery.

Jay Caboz http://www.cnbcafrica.com/

Afrikan

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August 2015

Helena Rhabbles Come Back Concert

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Helena Rhabbles, took the gospel scene in Ghana by storm in the mid 90’s. She released hits upon hits which became everyday songs. “Y3wo Oman”, “Satan don fall for ground”, were juts a few of her hits. After five albums, Helena relocated to the United States of America in 1998 and her name disapeared from the radar of gospel music lovers. Although Helena has been ministering in mnay Churches all over the United States not much was heard of her until she resurfaced and rebranded her ministry with a “Come back Concert “ at the Restoration Chapel International in Maryland . Mary Ghansah and a host of gospel musicians were on stage to support her. .Helena Rhabbles is a woman who takes you to the throne of praises. Her music became a platform for many Gospel singers of today in Ghana. She has won many Gospel Awards.

Helena Rhabbles

Restoration Chapel Choir

Men of God Laying hands on Helena Rhabbles

Minister Mary Ghansah and Helena Rhabbles

Back Up Singers

Prophet Frank Dwomoh Sarpong

America School of Nursing & Allied Health

Afrikan

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t

August 2015 Page

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

BIG SALE

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How To Build A Tech Empire At Age 24 China Signs Deal With Africa's Richest Man, Aliko Dangote

Afrikan

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When Owusu was 11, his father brought home a computer. Then his mom paid for him to take programming lessons — and he was hooked.

Since then, he has been focused on building a successful company.

He may have been dubbed "The Mark Zuckerberg of Accra"

by Forbes Africa, but tech entrepreneur Raindolf Owusu has his eyes set on much bigger goals.

Owusu wants to bring the Internet to all Africans — and train the next generation of tech leaders on the continent.

"I'm planning on starting a coding institute where I get to teach people how to write software," Owusu says. "At the same time, I want to bring them into my company to work on some of our client's projects."

Like Zuckerberg, Owusu started building a tech empire at a young age.

When he was 21 years old, Owusu launched Oasis Websoft, a software development house in Accra, Ghana, which aims to solve problems faced by Africans. A year later, the compa- ny had his first big success: the Anansi web browser.

An entrepreneur uses his laptop near graffiti-decorated walls at Hubspace in the Khayelitsha township.

GOATS AND SODA Far From Silicon Valley, A Disruptive Startup Hub Hailed as "Africa's first web browser," Anansi helps users with unreliable internet connections stay connected. The browser is programmed with many offline features, such as games and a web camera. Owusu says those features were added so users don't have to shut down their computers simply because they can't connect to the internet.

The word Anansi means spider in the Ghanaian language Twi. It's also the name of a African folktale character.

"When you're growing up in Ghana," Owusu says, "[elders] tell you a lot of stories about Anansi: How smart it is. How it outsmarts the tiger and everything else. So I felt it right to use Anansi in a good context."

As Owusu lists off other projects and products from Oasis Websoft, it's obvious that giving back to the community is at the forefront of the company's mission.

Dr. Diabetes, for example, is a web application that provides information to users about whether or not they're prone to developing diabetes. And the latest Oasis Websoft application, Bisa (which means "ask" in Twi), helps young people with sexually transmitted diseases get medical advice.

"I'm looking at the younger generation because I know sexually transmitted diseases is very huge, but people are stigmatized," Owusu says. Through Bisa, users can anonymously submit their symptoms to health specialists on the mobile app. of his parents had a chance to get an education, but they wanted to make sure that wasn't the case for their children.

It hasn't always been easy to be a young software developer in a fledgling tech environment, Owusu says. "In Africa, when you're young and you're doing business, it's really difficult for people to take you seriously," he says. "They would rather 'ride' [invest based] on experience than ride on competence because the older people know better."

So investors and government support are hard to come by, Owusu says. "It's very difficult changing the minds of some of the old guys to understand that technology is here to stay, and they should utilize some of the things we do."

So what keeps Owusu motivated? Easy: his mother.

"She sacrificed a lot for us, and that's something that keeps driving me," Owusu muses. "I want to buy her a house, I want her to sit in my jet. These are some of the things when I'm like so tired from the work I do, I'm like, 'No I have to do this for my mom before I can actually sleep.' "

And as for that comparison to Zuckerberg, Owusu is quick to shrug it off.

"Over time, I realized I needed my own identity as Raindolf Owusu," he says. "People in Africa will more easily relate to Raindolf Owusu than Mark Zuckerberg."

"I want people to be able to relate to Raindolf as a person. I'm not coming from a rich background," he adds. "But I'm managing to build my way to the top with learning more, meeting good people and focusing on God."

Source:http://www.npr.org

A Chinese state-owned engineering company has signed a deal worth $4.3bn (£2.8bn) to build factories for a Nigerian cement company run by Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote.

China's Sinoma will build seven plants across the continent and one in Nepal.

The new factories will add around 25 million tonnes to the firm's existing cement capacity of 45 million tonnes.

Mr Dangote's company also produces food, fertiliser and is investing in oil refineries.

He is keeping a close eye on China's economic problems and the ensuing lower oil price.

"Of course we are affected," he said, "but we are not badly affected because we are not 100% in oil.

"We are a fully diversified company. So today if oil is doing [badly] it doesn't mean we are doing [badly] and that's the good thing about diversification."

Africa's economies have been hit hard by the fall in commodity prices but many are seeing a boom in infrastructure, for which cement is vital.

Source:http://www.bbc.com

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Kingslight Chapel International Holds International Day Service and Food Tasting Event August 2015

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As part of activities marking the Church’s 6th Anniversary the Kingslight Chapel which boasts of members from about 10 different nationalities on Sunday July 26, hosted their annual International day event at the Sheba Temple in Woodbridge, Virginia. The congregation colorfully dressed in their native traditional attires, sang songs and gave well wishing messages in their native languages. The following countries were represented; Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra-leone, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, The United States, Togo, Cameroon and Ghana. The Ghanaian congregation were represented by various tribal groupings being Ewes, Ashantis, Gas and Fantes . Dishes from tribes in various countries were available for tasting after the service came to a conclusion.

Apostle Dr. Daniel Ahia- Armah and the first Lady Rev. Barbara Ahia-Armah have a unique ministry and have opened their doors to the diverse international community in Northern Virginia.

Kingslight Chapel is a Word- based, Holy Ghost-filled, multi-cultural and racially diverse Church with a divine mandate to bring light to this dark world, hope to the hopeless and to equip the child of God for mission and victory. Kingslight Chapel is located at 14348 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Woodbridge, VA 22191. Tel : (703) 910-7828

Liberians celebrating at KLC

Nigerians

Ivoirians

Ghanaian Tribal Groups-Ewes, Ashanti’s, Fantes and Ga-Adangbe’s

Apostle Dr. Daniel Ahia -Armah

Cameroonians

Food Tasting Event

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Ghana Catholic Community Church Annual Summer Picnic

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A u g u s t 2015

On July 25th the Ghanaian Catholic Community in Virginia held their annual picnic at the Joseph Hensley Park in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Queen of Apostles Catholic Church is located at 4329 Sano Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22312

Rev. Fr. Anthony Appiah with Corinne Monogue - Director of Multicultural affairs of Arlington Diocese and Julius Caesar - President of the Ghana Catholic Community of Arlington Diocese.

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All Nations Church USA Concludes Pastors and Leaders Conference

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Pastors and leaders need to constantly sharpen their leadership skills and be challenged to greater heights of excellence. Under the umbrella of Advanced Life Leadership ministries Rev. Dr. Frank Ofosu-Appiah provides the tools and resources necessary to keep today’s leaders on the cutting edge of influence. The Iron Sharpeneth Iron (ISI) Pastors and leader conference which was under the theme “Breaking Barriers” kicked off on August 19th, with leaders and ministers from all over the world at the head quarters of All Nations Church in Loganville, Georgia to tap into these leadership resources, brainstorm and share ideas geared towards maximizing their leadership poten tial.

Rev. Dr. Frank Ofosu-Appiah opened the conference on Wednesday August 19, with a message titled “Suddenly” through which he admonished the leaders about being selective about the places they go. He urged them to understand the phenomenal that God brings their way and have the ability to handle barriers they are confronted with. He went on to advise that leaders should not take places God sends them for granted.

On Thursday August 20th the conference continued with Bishop Charles Agyin-Asare the general Overseer of Perez Chapel International teaching on keys to leadership, He itemized various responsibilities and requirements of effective leadership.

He reminded the listeners to understand that God is the one who sets people in the positions of leadership. He defined leadership as the discipline of exerting special influence within a group to move it to get things done to be of benefit to them. Apostle Chika Onuzo, the founder and senior Pastor of Resurrection House for all Nations in Union City, Georgia took the teachings to a different level with testimonies on establishing Gods purpose and deep teachings on setting one’s own agenda aside for God’s purpose to prevail.

The conference host, Rev. Frank Ofosu-Appiah concluded proceedings of the day with deliberations and recipe for church growth. He gave various points on why some churches are not growing and urged ministers to be organized, resolute in their decision making and adapt to current and real life situations. There were break-out sessions and workshops on how to build a children’s ministry, media management and also Church operations.

The conference gathered momentum when Bishop Charles Agyin-Asare mounted the podium on the night of Friday August 21st and after his message on transferring of spirits many received their breakthrough and several people with hearing and speech impairments were instantly healed.

Song ministration by gospel musician Danny Nettey and Rev. Joe Asmah added more color to the conference.

The conference ended on Sunday August 23rd with a special message on curses and blessings by Bishop Charles Agyin- Asare At the end of the conference there were testimonies about transformation of lives. Almost all the ministers interviewed by Afrikan Post were unanimous in the fact that the conference was indeed an eye opener and worthy of attending.

In line with proverbs 27:17, Iron Sharpeneth Iron (ISI) is an annual conference hosted by Rev. Dr. Frank Ofosu-Appiah under the umbrella of Advanced Life Ministries where minis- ters and leaders gather to sharpen their skills in pursuit of lead- ership excellence.

Rev. Dr. Frank Ofosu-Appiah, the host has over 25 years of experience helping individuals, organizations and churches maximize their leadership potential.

Advanced Life is a global organization that exists to help individuals uncover their leadership potential and live lives of excellence.

The organization seeks to reach out to mainstream audiences in every sphere of influence - family, church, business, education and politics with a holistic of leadership excellence.

Advanced Life places a strong emphasis on developing and equipping leaders through teaching, coaching, and consulting services.

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Meet South Africa's Youngest Self-Made Millionaire

Sandile Shezi is only 23 years old, but already a millionaire in his own right and by his own doing. Here’s how he did it.

Sandile Shezi has been trending in South Africa after it was reported recently that he is South Africa's youngest millionaire.

Sandile Shezi spent years living in the street.

He admits he made some risky decisions.

When friends gave him tuition fees for the year, he took the entire amount and started trading online.

“You cant just open a laptop and start trading,” Shezi said in a CCTV interview. But that’s basically what he did.

The foreign exchange market is the biggest financial market in the world, CCTV reports.

At least 4 trillion dollars are traded each day on currency markets known for volatility and high risk. Most of the trading is done by banks and big corporations, according to CCTV. At 23, this young South African trader has

successfully learned to trade currencies. He’s

South Africa’s youngest self-made millionaire. Now he’s showing other young South Africans how to trade.

Shezi is the founder and CEO of Global Forex Institute. “It’s about grooming peo- ple and making them understand when is the right time to buy, when is the right time to sell and how do you go about avoiding losing your capital,” he said. “We want to make sure the masses know about trading.” Shezi offers free classes for beginners.

Source: See more at: http://afkinsider.com/

Cultural Fusion Day at Calvary Cathedral of Praise A u g u s t 2015

Portia Asare, The Christian Journal Brooklyn, New York

There is nothing more fun than a backyard feast with friends and family on a hot sunny summer afternoon. And because the Church body of Calvary Cathedral of Praise located in the heart of Brooklyn NY is filled with people from different cultures, they celebrate diverse nationalities by means of “Cultural Day “Fusion”: The World in your Backyard”. It was literally in the backyard on August 1, 2015, with the Kensington Community and the surrounding areas, Partnering Organizations, and the 500- 700 people in attendance. Between the jerk chicken from Jamaica and the Oil down from Grenada and all the other countries, they literally had “the world” in their backyard. I was bombarded with so much love and fun festivities.

The goal of this day is to integrate the community with the varying aspects of cultures by show casing ethnic backgrounds in different customs (food, music, flags, etc) but also ensuring the name of Jesus is proclaimed. The name Cultural Day “Fusion” itself brings this idea to life as Hazel Valentine the director and the youth leader at Calvary Cathedral of Praise stated.

This popular full day fest of activities included a Back to School Drive, Fusion Game Lane, Cultural Food Bazaar and the unforgettably Cultural Coliseum; multiple pop-up shops. We all know food is the first thing most people look for at a festival like this. I wasted no time in doing that. They displayed eclectic foods of each Caribbean island one after the next. To name a few were Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent, Haiti and that cold memorable homemade ginger drink I had from the Jamaican exhibition area.

The Church uses different approach to bring the community together so they can enjoy the fun. A wide range of children to senior citizens attended the event literally held in the parking

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lot of the church, whose mission is “winning souls to Christ”. This multicultural activity included people from Germany, Ghana, and Mexico to name a few under one umbrella to diffuse their culture.

Some featured musical artists included Marilyn Isaac and Ijeal Joseph who understand the ministry and strive to deliver the word of God through songs to impact the lives of many who were present. Minister Ijeal from Grenada ministered a few of his original songs hoped to bless and inspire the hearts and the spirits of the people in attendance he mentioned. It was his fourth year.

Minister Marilyn Isaac; a member of the church for the past 28 years enjoys the fellowship and lifting up the name of Jesus. Through her music, she ministers to attendees and also host one-on-one sit down with individuals who need counseling.

Additionally, there were prayer stations in the surrounding areas where they can reach out to those in need. They gave away free bag of school supplies for the children and youth to bring back to school and off course I received a free tote bag and some food vouchers to get a taste of the different cultures there.

I was not disappointed with the coconut rice and peas, baked macaroni and cheese, topped with the savory stew chicken with side of corn boiled with franks from the Grenada hut.

They also had the street filled with games for everyone to enjoy.

Another incredible thing I enjoyed most from “Cultural Day “Fusion”: The World in your Backyard” was the demonstration of how to make special dishes from various countries. They were exhibited right on the stage, to help the community to be master chef of making healthy homemade chocolate.

The event was a great success one of the members in an interview with The Christian Journal. I truly enjoyed this festival and learned many things about all the diverse cultures there.

Afrikan

Young Doctor Could Be First Nigerian In Space

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That’s just a part of it. Succeeding would help me do more humanitarian work, to solve

First Storey Building In Nigeria, Standing Firm After 170 Years A u g u s t 2015

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I also believe that going to space, considering my background, will inspire millions of African children from similar backgrounds to achieve their dreams. It will also put Nigeria in a positive light again and help change the world’s perception of Nigeria.”

He is one of 30 shortlistees who will be flown to Bangkok in November. From this group, a Rising Star will be chosen.

While in university he, together with some friends, co-founded Heal The World Foundation Nigeria which has, according to the website, “…made a positive difference in Dr Freeman Osunuga. Photo: Vanguard Nigeria the lives of some 500 children with disabilities and more than 50 orphans”.

A young Nigerian doctor has been shortlisted to be one of the He has also blogged about his experiences as a young people who will fly to space and be the first Nigerian to volunteer during last year’s Ebola outbreak in do so.

West Africa. He is a 2014 TIME Magazine’s “Person of the Year” and one of the 2013 “Ten Space travel is a common limit on what the mind can envision to Outstanding Young Persons In Nigeria”. be human endeavor. Only a few handful of people in the past generations see the planet from this perspective.

Source:http://thisisafrica.me/ 30 year-old Freeman Osonuga may soon become one of these people. The Medicine and Surgery graduate, who also co-founded an organization for the physically handicapped and actively blogs, was shortlisted through the Rising Star program at the One Young World Summit 2014 in Dublin and could become the first Nigerian in space.

The foundation for the First Storey Building in Nigeria was laid in 1842 and house completed in 1845 in Badagry, Lagos State.

Source: Nigeriafilms.com

Buhari Abolishes Office Of First Lady

gance we have come to expect from the office are over and done with. Change has come,"Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said.

He recently expressed his excitement in an interview with Nigeria’s Daily Trust newspaper.

“I cannot wait to go to space. It is an opportunity of a lifetime. If I do, I will be the first black African and Nigerian to be in space.

The presidency has renamed the First Lady's Office to “Office of the Wife of the President”, saying that an official portfolio was yet to be assigned to Aisha, the wife of president Mohmmadu Buhari.

“President Buhari promised that there would be a clear difference between the role played by his wife during his tenure and that played by many previous First Ladies. “All that ostentation, ubiquitousness and arro-

“The ideal platform from which she will be useful to Nigeria’s women and children is still being thought out. Once this has been concluded on, Mrs. Buhari’s role will become clearer to all Nigerians. There will be nothing shady or hidden about it. There will be no access to public funds. It will be purely private and voluntary”, he said.

Mrs. Buhari would, for now, be saddled with women and youth related issues in the country, he also disclosed.

Source:http://www.ladunliadinews.com

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Nigeria's Segun Odegbami Unveils Fifa Presidential Bid

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Africans Proving A Force In Belgium

By Mark Gleeson BBC Sport Just over a decade ago, Igor Stepanovs was the odd man out when the Latvian centre-back started the 2004 Belgian Cup final for Beveren alongside 10 African team-mates in a match billed as 'Brugge against Ivory Coast'.

Beveren, from the outskirts of Antwerp and since dissolved, was the partner of the Abidjan-based academy of Jean Marc Guillou and a staging ground into Europe for the likes of the Toure brothers, Emmanuel Eboue, Boubacar Barry, Arthur Boka and Gervinho.

The academy moved a myriad of players to Belgium and that final against Brugge marked the high point in the African invasion.

Belgium has always been a popular destination for African footballers but never as prolific as the days of Beveren - until now.

KV Oostende, based on the coast in West Flanders, are this season competing with nine Africans from nine different countries.

Led by their Cameroonian captain Sebastien Siani, who is a 28By Piers Edwards & Oluwashina Okeleji tution. year-old defensive midfielder, the club have on their books for the BBC Sport "I see myself fitting into this role." current campaign: Former Nigeria international Segun Odegbami added that his bid will have Joseph Akpala, 28-year-old striker from Nigeria Odegbami has announced his intention to the "highest sense of responsibility, Elimane Coulibaly, 35-year-old forward from Senegal become the next Fifa president. integrity, transparency, probity and Cyriac Gohi Bi, or otherwise 'Zoro', a 24-year-old striker from the The 63-year-old, who won the 1980 Africa accountability".

Ivory Coast Cup of Nations as a player, is the second He also said he intends to create a Andile Jali, 25-year-old central midfielder from South Africa African to go for football's top job, after "new and optimistic future for football Yannick Loemba, 24-year-old winger from Congo Liberia's Musa Bility. that focuses on human, infrastructural, Jordan Lukaku, the 21-year-old Belgian born left back whose "Africa must play a big role in world footsocial and community development father played for the former Zaire and whose brother is the ball," Odegbami told BBC Sport. across the world".

Everton and Belgium striker Romelu Candidates wishing to replace the outgoing Like Liberia FA president Bility Knowledge Musona, 25-year-old forward from Zimbabwe Sepp Blatter have until 26 October to receive before him, Odegbami says it is high Didier Ovono, the 32-year-old Gabon national team goalkeeper the backing of five Fifa members. time that Fifa was led by an African.

"We are a big family. The whole squad get along well with each Elections will be held on 26 February 2016, "The choice of an African, specifically other and the Africans are an integral part of it all," Loemba told with Uefa chief Michel Platini and South a Nigerian, may look far-fetched in De Standaard newspaper.

Korea's Chung Mong-joon among those to this pursuit, noting the international Two wins and a draw from their opening three games have placed have already announced their bids. coverage of Fifa and the historical Oostende joint-top of the table in the early stages of the new Pro Brazil great Zico and former Trinidad and trend in its leadership reputation," League campaign.

Tobago international David Nakhid have also Odegbami said.

This is the first time Oostende have earned a third successive seadeclared their intentions, with a third African "However, a closer scrutiny of the son in the top flight in Belgium and the outlook of the cub has - South Africa's Tokyo Sexwale - also conchanged from survival to now proving to be competitive. international football environment sidering a bid.

"Last season we also started well but then had a spectacular fall. reveals the real possibility of such Now we need to get rid of those periods where we lack productivSwiss Blatter announced he was stepping change." ity and bring more consistency to our game," said coach Yves down in June after football's world governing Odegbami, who played for Nigeria Vanderhaeghe in a separate interview. body was plunged into crisis in late May, between 1976 and 1981, says he has when nine Fifa officials were indicted on already informed the Nigeria Football Jali, who runs the Bafana Bafana engine room, is the club's star player after his move 18 months ago from Orlando Pirates. corruption charges by United States authori- Federation of his intentions.

And Musona, who arrived after failing to make the grade in the ties.

After calling time on a successful Bundesliga, has been among the early season goals and is also They, along with five associates, have been playing career, with his two goals in proving a fans' favourite. accused of bribery and racketeering. the 1980 Nations Cup final inspiring But Jali does not like the limelight. He said: "I'm no star and I Swiss authorities simultaneously launched a Nigeria's first continental conquest, separate investigation into how the 2018 and Odegbami became an author, journal- don't pay much attention to all that. The only thing that counts for me is my football. It doesn't matter I'm playing barefoot in the 2022 World Cups were awarded to Russia ist and football commentator. veld or in a stadium in front of 40,000." and Qatar respectively.

"Football is what my entire life has Akpala is another with Bundesliga experience as Oostende have "The current scandal at Fifa is the organisa- revolved around," he said. grown their club budget almost double in the last two years and tion's worst crisis in its 111 years of exis"My life's ambition has always been have been able to offer more enticing deals. He left Brugge for tence," Odegbami said in a statement. to use football to make a difference in Werder Bremen three years ago but did not make it in Germany "Moving forward, Fifa thus requires a new my local space and across the world." and also lost his place in the Nigeria team. era of leadership that can restore the dignity Akpala arrived along with another new striker in Gohi Bi, who of the noble sport. has taken a 40% pay cut from his time at Anderlecht to get regular "The world is very interested in who Source:bbcsports game time. becomes the next president of Fifa, considerAntwerp-born Lukaku is eligible to play for the Democratic ing the present images and state of this instiRepublic of Congo because that is where his parents hail from, even though he is a Belgian youth international.

Who is Segun Odegbami?

He is attempting to kick-start his career after emerging through The right winger rose to fame with Shooting Stars of Ibadan - winning league the youth ranks at Anderlecht but failing make the grade. titles and Nigeria's first continental club crown.

"He worked very hard in the pre-season and I think we've been Scored two goals in 1980 Africa Cup of Nations final as Nigeria won tournament able to add self belief to his game," says Vanderhaeghe of for first time Lukaku's potential.

Finished second in 1980 African Footballer of the Year poll Captained Nigeria at 1980 Olympic Games bbcsport Nicknamed 'Mathematical 7' for his precision passing

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