A new year, a new Amandla
Ghana Tax Breaks for Local Car Plants Japan Backs Ethiopia to Expand Exports Page 9
Zimbabwe ‘s Promised Change is a Mirage
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Trump’s Delivers Double Hit on To Cry and Be Paid for It Immigrants & Public Assistance Immigrant communities in the United States have experienced a steady stream of fear and confusion from the Trump administation. But the latest announcement on planned changes to the “Public Charge” rule is a one-two punch against immigrants, especially those receiveing public assistance. But there’s insufficient information circulating at the moment, with come considering withdrawing even their citizen children from programs that they need.
There are hired attorneys, hired financial experts, hired drivers and other hired professional services. In Ghana, there are funeral contractors who engage the services of professional criers for grieving families at funeral events. Predominant among the Akan people, this phenomenon is unsurprising for its historical longevity among ancient people. The criers execute the job with precision, so much so that it is difficult to distinguish them from the bereaved family. But as the cost of living goes up, the professional funeral criers are threatening to increase their rates because of the rise in fuel prices.
African Democracy - Square Peg in a Round Hole?
Senegal is Choking on Plastic Waste
Africa has been struggling with itself about the system of democracy foisted on it by colonial masters. Its leaders, once voted into power through the ballot box – a remnant of western democracy - all of a sudden assume the status of a typical king; unelected by the popular vote. It begs the question: Is Western democracy a natural fit for Africa governing system? Former Zimbabwe Pres. Robert Mugabe.
Senegal is struggling with a massive plastic waste issue, with tens of thousands of tons of it ending up in the ocean every year. A problem that is not only threatening the coastal population but also the economy. Environmentalists have long urged a change of policy regarding the use of plastics and the government has finally taken heed, with fines and plastic restrictions.
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Amandla
Editorial Is Western Democracy Anathema to Africa? A number of developed countries
practice Western-type democracy as their system of governance. Western countries and the U.S. not only tout their democratic credentials as the best in the world, they therefore tend to foist their system on emerging nations in a “one size fits all” system. The U.S. has a complex maze of electing its president through a mathematical matrix hinged on a so-called electoral college. In this system, a candidate with a simple majority vote does not necessarily become the president. A presidential candidate may technically win the presidency upon winning only certain key states. The British, on the other hand, do not elect their prime minister through popular vote of the masses, but rather select or choose from the majority in Parliament. As such, any one among the majority could end up being elected prime minister. In most African countries, a president is elected basically by a simple majority, making the process closer to Lincoln’s definition of “by the people.” Western democracy is a natural fit for western countries because of common culture, language, religion, etc. Unfortunately, that is not the case in contemporary Africa. The strategy of Western Europe in Africa was simple: throw a monkey wrench into their functioning systems by confining and merging different ethnicities in a given area and apply divide-and-rule tactics, pitting one ethnic group against the other. That diabolical yet effective
Publisher & Editor in Chief Kwabena Opong Deputy Publisher & Editor Kofi Ayim P. O. Box 7030 West Orange, NJ 07052 973-731-1339 / 201-704-5838 contact@amandlanews.com Amandla is a monthly publication of the Amandla Company. It is an associate member of the New Jersey Press Association. The publishers may not necessarily share the opinions and viewpoints expressed in the articles that appear in the publication.
Ugandan opposition lawmakers fight with plain-clothes security personnel in the parliament while protesting a proposed age limit amendment bill debate CREDIT: JAMES AKENA/REUTERS
strategy is still up and running in Africa. The Scramble for Africa by Europeans in Berlin created artificial boundaries that fragmented existing nations and states. Thus, in contemporary Africa, there are Akan people in Ghana and the Ivory Coast; Ewe people in Ghana, Togo, and Benin; Hutu people in Rwanda, Burundi, and the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo; Tutsi in Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania; and the list continues! Western democracy has been the bane of military coups of yesteryear in Africa because it is at variance with the culture of Africa. It has facilitated ethnic rivalry, enmity, and jealousy among different ethnic groups in any given country. When elections are won in a typical contemporary heterogeneous or multiethnic Africa country, jubilation is more pronounced by the people who share the same ethnicity with the victorious leader. The president or prime minister may select most of his cabinet members from his ethnicity, irrespective of experience and/or qualifications. This nepotism festers resentments and drives people to conspiracy. In a typical African state or kingdom, kingship is not an open sesame for anyone to be elected and enstooled or enskinned as the case may be. Kingmakers select and elect a king. A potential king/queen might have passed through stages of
grooming and educating from early ages while being keenly observed by the nation or community in the process. Because Africa kingship is considered sacred, and because the king is viewed as the embodiment and representative of God on earth, he must be of impeccable character, exude high integrity, and portray unblemished morals. He is the spiritual head of the religious sect. Because of these and other factors, he is highly respected (more so than a president or prime minister) by his nation and beyond. He may be removed when he commits a sin, crime, or act of flouting the laws he swore to protect. State decisions are deliberated and voted on by a Council of State similarly elected as the king. These honorable members are less susceptible to bribery and corruption because of the stigmatization
and disgrace that could affect the fortunes and laurels of the royalty. Near-perfect democratic practices may be observed at a king’s (or queen’s) palace during deliberations and arbitrations. The system has built-in sets of checks and balances with collateral disgrace for crimes and sins committed by an individual. This makes thievery, bribery, and corruption less attractive than it is today. On the flip side, Western democracy in Africa has enabled some undesirables to become lawmakers and assume honorific titles notwithstanding their corrupt acts. The Arab world has oil and its own system of governance, and people there are making progress in developing their nations. Africa has more than oil, and a foreign system of governance, and its progress is gone south! Go figure!!!
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North America Proposed Trump Rule Cracks Down on Public Assistance Use by Legal Immigrants KOFI AYIM
The Trump administration has issued a new rule that toughens the requirements for legal immigrants who seek to remain in the U.S. and at the same time has put a bite in the hitherto docile and dormant existing laws on immigration. The new regulation, which starts on October 15, 2019, ensures that immigrants already in the U.S. but without green cards and those who seek to come over do not become a burden on public resources but have the means to survive through families, sponsors, and organizations. The rule basically evaluates the financial capability of an immigrant who wants to live in the U.S. permanently. However, the new rule grandfathers’ immigrants who already have green cards and exempts beneficiaries of the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program. The new regulation, resting on what is referred to in immigration parlance as the LPC clause (“liable to become a public charge”), is the process where an alien receives one or more designated public benefits such as Supplemental Social Security, some
West African women after participating in an outdoor prayer event to mark the end of Ramadan on June 15 in New York City.
forms of Medicaid, Section 8 Housing Assistance, and many others. The LPC clause has been part of U.S. immigration law for over a century but was undefined in statute or regulation. The rule gives broad lateral discretion to immigration officers and caseworkers who conduct interviews on immigrants who seek to adjust their existing status. Immigrants who are deemed potentially not self-sufficient in the
interview process may be denied green cards and eventually deported. Immigration advocates have condemned the ruling as discriminatory because it is wealth-based and poor immigrants may be denied life-saving health care and basic needs for themselves and their children. The government, however, contends that it does not want immigrants to be a drain on society by relying on welfare systems, which are proving expensive.
A familiar sight for immigrant residents in New York’s Little Senegal neighborhood, where an afternoon discussion takes places under the shade of a tree on the sidewalk.
Immigration advocates say green card holders on public assistance are jittery and are having sleepless nights about the new rule. John Akpalu Esq., an immigration attorney in New York, pointed out in an interview that sponsors of relatives and friends to the U.S. are financially responsible for the sponsored for the fiveyear duration for which an affidavit of support is valid. He cautioned that a sponsored immigrant who accesses certain public benefits within the stipulated years puts himself/herself and the sponsor in jeopardy. If for any reason the sponsored person is to be deported, the onus is on the sponsor to finance expenses associated with deportation. Mr. Akpalu advised that legal residents who move to another address within the United States are required to complete and mail Form AR-11 (Alien’s Change of Address Card) to the US Immigration Service within ten days of such change of address or risk being denied legal status and/or citizenship. Immigrants with green cards who do not contribute to the Social Security system may also be denied citizenship status. On the other side of the coin, green card holders who access public benefits may not qualify for citizenship. Critics point out that the public charge issue is a tool that stifles immigration from developing countries to the U.S. Non-English-speaking immigrants facing communications barriers – as well as all persons with perceived foreign accents – will be at the mercy of immigration officers, critics claim.
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North America Are African Priests The Future of the Catholic Church in the United States? LEKAN OGUNTOYINBO
In more than a decade as a Catholic priest in the United States, Martins Emeh has served as a pastor, a cannon law instructor, a diocesan archivist and a judge on the church’s Ecclesiastical Court of Appeals. Emeh, who came to the United States for graduate school in 1998 from Nigeria and was ordained thereafter, currently serves as a priest at the Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Community, a bustling church in suburban Houston. Emeh is part of a growing trend in the Catholic Church in America: a rising number of African-born priests. The number of American-born priests has dropped dramatically in the course of the last 50 years, and foreign born priests are increasingly becoming an important part of the fabric of the Catholic church in America. No one officially tracks how many African priests work in the States. But Emeh, who served as president of the African Conference of Catholic Clergy and Religious in the United States until 2013, says that as the organization had about 300 member priests at the time with about 80% of them were Nigerians. He estimates there were about 700 African priests in the country and believes the number is much higher today. While the overwhelming majority are Nigerians there are also a few priests of from countries including Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Cameroon. Catholicism is growing faster in Africa than in any region in the world. In 1910, there were approximately 1 million Catholics in Africa. Today the continent is home to more than 170 million Catholics or 16% of the faith, according to the Pew Research Center. There are already more Christians in Africa than any other continent and by 2060 six of the countries with the top ten largest Christian populations will be in Africa, up from three in 2015.
Reverse missionaries And now these priests are doing what their European and North American brethren did for several centuries: taking God’s word to people across the ocean. Again, this has been across Christian denominations but even more so with the pentecostal churches which has seen many Africanorigin churches expand across the US
and the United Kingdom. Back when he was president, Emeh says, the majority of his Catholic priest colleague had been ordained in Africa. That’s still the case but he’s noticed another trend. “Since then we have had even more come in and get ordained here,” says Emeh. “On June 1, I was in New Orleans for the ordination of a Nigerian. That same day another Nigerian was being ordained for Houston.” Joanna Okereke, assistant director of cultural diversity in the Church at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, says this year alone Nigerians made up 3% of the priests ordained in the United States. Okereke, a nun who also hails from Nigeria, says African priests serve in a wide variety of roles, including as vicars, chaplains, university professors and high school teachers. Patrick Adejo, who was ordained in Nigeria more than two decades ago, is a chaplain at the Veterans Affairs Hospital, a health care facility for former servicemen and women, in Columbia, Missouri. Adejo, who holds two master’s degrees from universities in Los Angeles and Dayton, Ohio, worked as a chaplain in Nigeria before returning to the U.S. in 2002. He worked as a chaplain at a hospital in Waco, Texas and then helped run a struggling AfricanAmerican parish at the request of the
bishop before joining the Veterans Affairs hospital in 2008. He says African priests fill a critically important need for the Catholic church in America. “If we were not here there would be no Sunday mass in many of these parishes and no sacraments,” says Adejo who regularly fills in at parishes in nearby Jefferson City. He believes African priests have received “tremendous acceptance” from lay people. “They see the impact, the style and the approach to ministry,” he says. Emeh says African priests have a reputation for being more dedicated, personable, easy going and for regularly making themselves available – even on their days off. “We don’t look at it simply as a job,” he says. Bob Bonnott, executive director of the Association of US Catholic priests and a priest for 52 years, says: “The Africans often are younger, kind of dynamic and are joyful and that comes through in spite of language problem or cultural challenges.” “Some of them have to deal with the handicap of language in terms of the accent,” says Emeh. “People might complain of not being able to follow especially when they’re speaking rapidly. That becomes a little bit of a handicap in terms of impact.” Adejo adds that some American priests have the impression that African
priests are here for monetary gain. Then there’s the challenge of racism or at least the perception of it. “My experience is that people in the community are more accepting than brother priests,” says Emeh. As a seminarian, he had a professor, a nun, who told him she couldn’t understand why an African like him was planning to take up an appointment as a priest in the overwhelmingly white Rockford, Illinois diocese. “She didn’t believe I was qualified to minister to Caucasians,” he says. “I have worked with many Caucasian priests who have accepted me as a brother. Then I had to deal with some with some who felt threatened when I was sent to study Cannon law. They wondered why I was rising so fast. We’ve had Africans who were priests for many years before they were assigned their own parishes.” But the bottom line, says Bonnott, is that the presence of African priests is a good thing for the church. “I think it is expanding Catholic people’s sense that they are a universal church and that we are part of one human race,” he says. “The Catholic faith in Africa is exploding and the seminaries are filled. I think it is a blessing for US Catholics to experience that and relate to this foreign born priests in a mutually enriching way.” Quartz
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North America Dallas U.S. Prosecutor Office Seeks Death Penalty for Suspected Kenyan Serial Killer HILARY KIMUYU
A United States prosecutor has revealed intentions to seek the death penalty for a Kenyan immigrant facing charges of murdering 12 elderly women in the Texas counties of Dallas and Collin. The Kenyan national, Billy Kipkorir Chemirmir, is being held by the authorities in the United States on suspicion of being a serial killer. Chemirmir, an immigrant and a resident of Dallas, Texas, is accused of smothering or suffocating elderly women in senior living complexes in order to steal their jewelry to sell them online. In court documents filed this week, Dallas County prosecutors said they will seek the death penalty
Ghanaian Charged in $1 Million Online Romance Scam
if Chemirmir is convicted of capital murder. In Texas, capital murder carries either automatic life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty. Prosecutors reserve the death penalty for offenses considered heinous. Chemirmir, a healthcare worker, is being accused by family members who claim their kin did not die of natural causes. Police arrested Chemirmir last year and announced investigators would review hundreds of unattended death cases for additional potential victims. The suspect has a long criminal record, including having been charged in separate incidents in March and June 2016 with criminal trespassing and false identification at a Dallas retirement community. According to local news outlets, Chemirmir has declined personal interviews but his attorney said his client maintains he is innocent. The court has yet to set a trial date Billy Kipkorir Chemirmir, the Kenyan national who is being being held by authorities in the for the case. United States on suspicion of being a serial killer.
cash to Alhassan and his co-conspirators to help ship the gold from Ghana to the United States, or to another foreign country, where the gold could be sold, federal officials say. Alhassan and his co-conspirators falsely told the victims that they would receive a share of the profits when the gold was sold or brought into the United States, allegedly. According to the indictment, Alhassan and his co-conspirators
further induced victims to send money under the guise of securing travel documents for the person with whom the victim believed to be in a romantic relationship with. To induce the victims to send even more money, Alhassand and his co-conspirators allegedly used fictitious problems, including problems with travel visas, customs related issues, etc. The indictment alleges that
Alhassan and his co-conspirators continued to call, text, and e-mail the victims and insist that additional payments be made for new fees, until the victims either ran out of money or discovered the fraudulent nature of the scheme. According to the investigation the total loss associated with the scheme is more than $1,000,000. The court has yet to set a trial date for the case.
A Ghanaian living in Charlotte , N.C. is accused of making over $1 million in a elder fraud scheme over the computer A federal grand jury in Charlotte indicted Suleman Alhassan, 36, a Ghanaian national residing in Charlotte, NC on wire and mail fraud conspiracy and mail fraud charges, for perpetrating romance and gold scams totaling more than $1,000,000 against older victims. Alhassan was arrested on June 26, 2019. Federal officials say beginning in or about March 2016, Alhassan and his un-indicted co-conspirators operated a romance scheme based, in part, in Ghana and in Charlotte. Alhassan and his co-conspirators are accused of using fake identities, used online dating websites and other methods to target potential fraud victims, who were frequently elderly, with false promises of a romantic relationship. As part of the scheme and in addition to developing fake romantic relationships with the victims, Alhassan and others falsely claimed to own large quantities of gold located in Ghana and falsely told victims that the victims needed to send funds via wire A federal grand jury in Charlotte, N.C. has indicted Suleman Alhassan, 36, a Ghanaian national residing in Charlotte, NC on wire and mail transfer services, money orders, and in fraud conspiracy and mail fraud charges, for perpetrating romance and gold scams totaling more than $1,000,000 against older victims.
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Volume 18 Issue 8
Business & Technology
Africa’s Future Economy Will be Driven by Solar and Mobile Technology NOAH SMITH
Backyard industrialisation has been tried; it was a miserable failure. During the so-called Great Leap Forward in China under Mao Zedong, peasants were encouraged to erect steel furnaces in their back yards. Predictably, most people had no idea how to build a mini steel plant much less make steel, and there was no market for their wares. The result was economic disaster. But you don’t have to invoke Mao to see that most production tends to be centralised. Manufacturing tends to cluster in factory towns, and these towns are connected by roads and rail. Infrastructure is essential to development — factories need to ship in raw materials and parts and ship out finished goods, and workers need to travel from home to work. Energy, sewage, broadband internet and infrastructure are also essential for offices and factories. Good transportation is important for more subtle reasons — salespeople and marketers can more easily get a feel for demand in nearby areas, and engineers and other knowledge workers can more easily intermingle and exchange ideas. This is probably why the world’s rich countries tend to be those with effective centralised governments that are dedicated to building infrastructure networks. Any list of countries with the best roads, tunnels, ports and electrical grids is dominated by rich nations such as Switzerland, Japan, France and the US. And it’s probably why China, which pours a large share of its economic
output into building infrastructure, has grown and industrialised so rapidly. But that means countries without competent central governments are in trouble. This is especially a problem in Africa, where political stability was elusive until recently. Corruption is a big road block for infrastructure there as well. But even countries with stable, centralised systems can struggle to build world-class road and transit systems — witness India, where subpar infrastructure has long been seen as a barrier to matching China’s manufacturing dominance. India is doing a bit better recently — its spending on roads has risen and quality has improved, but land acquisition costs are still a major impediment, and corruption remains a problem. The infrastructure problem will eventually become less severe, as poor countries in Africa and South Asia figure out how to improve governance, spend more effectively and bring down costs. But in the meantime, another force is emerging that could make things easier for the next wave of developing
nations — technology. A number of major recent innovations are making fragmented, geographically isolated systems of production more feasible. The first such technology, not surprisingly, is mobile phones. By allowing information to be sent long distances without networks of roads, phone lines or broadband, mobile phones are changing Africa rapidly. Already, mobile penetration is very high: Agriculture, in turn, has been transformed — mobile phones allow farmers to trade and learn about prices, get weather forecasts and buy insurance and other crucial financial services, all without leaving their fields. Finance is also transforming Africa, which is now the world leader in mobile banking. A 2018 McKinsey report called Africa’s mobile fintech sector a “hotbed of innovation,” and a report by the Brookings Institution suggested that information-technology services could serve as a big source of employment for the continent’s young workers. The second key technology is solar power. Although solar is cheapest when
done at large scales, it doesn’t have to be — rooftop solar panels already allow many buildings to go off the grid. In countries where the grid doesn’t exist, or is patchy and unreliable, rooftop solar can be as transformative as coal power was in earlier waves of development. In addition to allowing factories to operate without centralised power grids or expensive on-site generators, solar power also can be a major source of jobs; already, some estimates show as many alternative-energy jobs in sub-Saharan Africa as in the traditional power sector. (And all this is in addition, of course, to the environmental benefits.) Improved battery technology, allowing easier transport and storage of electrical energy, will only complement this trend. A third potentially helpful technology is 3D printing. In rich countries, where it’s generally cheaper to order parts than make them yourself, 3D printing has been mostly used in niche applications such as rapid prototyping. But in regions where road transport is slow and unreliable, and where regional suppliers may not even exist, factories may find it more convenient to simply 3D-print needed components. In other words, a revolution in technology may change the way production networks. That doesn’t mean infrastructure will ever stop being important, but the minimum needed to start the process of development in a poor country or region could be reduced. The next wave of industrialisation could see more factories and offices in Africa and South Asia supported by a thriving information-technology service sector. Thanks to the magic of innovation, backyard production could make a comeback. Bloomberg Opinion
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Business & Technology
Nigeran Diaspora’s $25 Billion Remittance in 2018 Equals 83% of National Budget VICTORIA OJEME
The Nigerian government has lauded Nigerians living in the diaspora for the $25 billion it sent to the country in 2018, saying it represents 83 percent of the national budget. Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, gave the commendation at the 2019 National Diaspora Day event in Abuja, yesterday, adding that such amount was about 6.1 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, of the country. According to Mustapha, the figures ref lect the research findings in the World Bank’s Migration and Remittances report issued in April 2018. The remittances to Nigeria, according to the report, reached $22 billion in 2017, a 10 percent increase on the $19.64 billion sent in 2016. Remittances were worth 5.6 per
cent of GDP in 2017, thus exceeding the $20 billion generated by Nigeria’s oil revenues. Despite the rise in remittance inf lows to Nigeria and Africa in general, the average cost for money transfers to sub-Saharan Africa remains the highest in the world. According to Remittance Prices Worldwide (Q3 2018), the average cost to send money to Africa is 8.96 per cent, compared with a global average of 6.94 percent.
Boss Mustapha assured that monies sent were currently utilised on social security funds to families in paying school fees, feeding allowances, hospital bills, investment in housing and estate development, hospital projects, schools and commercial enterprises. The SGF said: “There is urgent need to galvanise this into an investment fund for development. “We, therefore, call on you to key into this and be the vanguard for
its implementation. I encourage the Nigerians in diaspora to engage with Nigeria at the wider macro-economic level, especially in the organised private sector.’’ In her remarks, Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, called on every Nigerians in diaspora to contribute to the development of the country. Vanguard
Department of Trade and Industry, which is spearheading the bill, and found that banks will either have to price in higher risks or avoid lending to low-income customers altogether. “This could have serious economic implications,” Coovadia said. “We will await the gazetting of the bill and details around its implementation. We will sit down and consider our other options.”
South Africa’s National Treasury estimates that the debt-relief proposals could result in the write-off of R13.2 billion to R20 billion ($1.3 billion) of debt under provisions of the bill, Johannesburg-based newspaper Business Day reported. The bill provides for the extinguishing of the debt for consumers who earn a gross monthly income of no more than R7,500, have unsecured
debt amounting to R50,000, and who have been found to be critically indebted by the National Credit Regulator. The six-member FTSE/JSE Africa Banks Index fell 0.7% by 12:09 p.m. in Johannesburg on Friday, led lower by Capitec Bank Holdings Ltd., the nation’s largest unsecured-credit provider, which was down 2.3%. Bloomberg
Banks React to South Africa’s New Debt Relief Laws South African banks are concerned that some of their customers will get away with not having to repay their debt. President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this week signed the National Credit Amendment Bill into law, setting the groundwork for over-indebted consumers to have payments suspended, in part or full, for as many as 24 months, or even scrapped if their financial situation has been found to have worsened. The bill was opposed by the banking industry, clothing retailers who provide credit and the opposition Democratic Alliance as it would drive up the cost of loans for low-income earners, restrict lending and encourage bad behaviour from borrowers. “It’s disappointing that after our petition, the president made no attempt to interact with the industry and understand our concerns,” Cas Coovadia, the managing director of the Banking Association of South Africa, said on Friday. “This is an issue of serious concern.” The association did an economic impact assessment and engaged the
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Volume 18 Issue 8
West Africa
Nigeria Research Predicts 55% Of Nigerians Will Live in Cities Or Towns Due To 50% Rise in Urban Population LUISE ALLEMANN
The Nigerian consumer landscape is set for a multitude of shifts. By 2025, 55% of Nigerians will live in cities or towns as a result of 50% growth in population in urban areas, which represents the fastest urban growth rate globally, ahead of China and India. This was just one of a wealth of insights that emerged at a recent Nielsen event in Lagos, which looked at whether retailers and manufacturers are equipped to beat the odds they are facing in Nigeria by anticipating and preparing for the future. Speaking at the event, Nielsen Nigeria MD Ged Nooy said; “Everyone is fighting for growth and competition for consumers’ wallets has never been tougher. In a challenging environment, finding opportunities with the right insights becomes key to help beat the odds.”
Beating the consumer odds Nigeria is a complex market that is characterised by consumers who are upbeat and confident with 81% feeling good or excellent about the state of their financials, while at the same time 60% of Nigerians say they can only afford the basics. Forty one per cent of Nigerians feel that their quality of life is better but more than half feel that it is worse, leading to a polarisation in the market, with consumers at both ends of the spectrum. This means that marketers need to cater to the demands of those who want value and at the same time, those who are aspirational and want quality, premium products. Another trend impacting consumer behaviour is the rise of ‘disloyalty’ with 88% of consumers across Africa & the Middle East ready to defect from a current brand choice and 45% consumers saying they love to try new things. In such a scenario, it becomes all the more important to understand consumer attitudes and perceptions and how they make choices. Nielsen Executive Director, Thought Leadership Ailsa Wingfield, said, “Opportunities today and tomorrow are about understanding and delivering what consumers need and want. Times are changing. There are
more products on the shelf today than ever before, from new and existing brands, and a plethora of information points, advocates and advertising telling consumers about them. The consumer is spoilt for choice. Brands need to identify their purpose and provide the right value to their customers, if they want to keep them loyal”.
Beating the retail odds The retail environment is fragmented and tough and across the continent, everyone is fighting for growth. Inflation continues to be a main concern for consumers who feel their wallets are squeezed, while big traditional brands are facing an onslaught of challenges from smaller, more agile, regional players, and new formats and channels are emerging, making a competitive market even more competitive. In just 10 years, Nigeria’s physical bricks and mortar FMCG universe has nearly doubled in size. Today there are more than 1-million outlets selling FMCG products, increasing in size by 500 000 outlets in under 10 years. However, with the emergence of Modern Trade this growth has been impacted in the short-term. It is also interesting to note that 50% of FMCG sales come from 60 LGAs in Nigeria.
A normal day in bustling Lagos, Nigera, a nation which ranks as the world’s 7th largest in population.
Given this retail landscape, the need is for precise and efficient distribution and trade strategies. The future of retail is not limited to physical stores or virtual channels. Streamlined services, digital experiences and frictionless commerce are converging with the ‘bricks and mortar’ and e-commerce worlds set to shape new shopping experiences that provide personalised and on-demand ease, utility and simplicity. At the same time, the Nigerian shopper is evolving and contributing to the shift in retail dynamics. Nigerians shop 30 times per month and they want value and assortment when they shop. They are also price conscious; with more than 70% aware of prices and 95% noticing price changes. Consumer Insights Lead Nielsen West Africa Abiodun Olawale- Cole reported; “There will always be demand for physical stores, but in the evolving retail landscape you need omni channel presence. zRetailers need to leverage their unique consumer relationships, using the right technologies and a focus on convenience, to expand their consumer touch points. Also, it’s important to understand the evolving Nigerian shopper and delivering to their needs and wants.” Nielsen
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West Africa
Ghana Ghana Plans to Offer Tax Breaks for Local Car Manufactuing Plants ERIC OTENG
Ghana will offer tax breaks of up to 10 years to automakers that set up local manufacturing plants, as the government seeks to attract international companies such as Volkswagen AG and Nissan Motor Co. Volkswagen and Nissan both agreed last year to set up auto-assembly plants if Ghana signed off on an official incentive plan, while Renault SA said in January it would consider a similar move. In March, Toyota Motor Corp. and Suzuki Motor Corp. announced a joint venture to produce vehicles in the nation. Ghana’s move to lure carmakers follows South Africa, which has attracted seven manufacturers including Renault, Nissan and Toyota with tax incentives. That’s produced one of the bright spots of an otherwise moribund
A worker assembles the steering column of a BMW 3 series car at BMW’s plant in Rosslyn, South Africa, a nation where multiple international automotive firms have plants. Ghana hopes to replicate South Africa’s success, with new tax incentives for local manufacturing in Ghana.
economy, accounting for about 7% of GDP. The full 10-year tax break will only apply to companies building whole vehicles in Ghana, though a
five year holiday will be available for partial manufacturing, Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen said in a presentation. Import duties on new and used
vehicles will be increased to 35% from 5%-20% to encourage the purchase of locally built units, while bringing in cars, which are older than 10 years, will be banned, he said.
Ghana Funeral ‘Criers’ Increase Charges Following Hikes in Petroleum Products You may have seen a social media notice of an impending increase in funeral wailing fees by ‘professional criers’. Well, it is true. Potential patrons must be prepared to pay double the 2,000 Ghana cedis minimum and 4,000 Ghana cedis maximum advertised for their service. I caught up with one of the professional criers for a conversation in Kumasi. Full of smile, Ami Dokli obliged an interview, taking time off a workshop to speak with me. “We do it normal. When you call us and book for a funeral, we come to your place, we watch the ground, we assess it and then price you,” she opened up on her funeral contract business. She says though they work in groups, they are yet to officially form an association. “We don’t have an association but I learnt recently that there are so many groups coming up.” Her group is made up of six
A professional “crier” performing her craft at a funeral in Kumasi region of Ghana.
widows who are all based in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region capital. Ami Dokli is a popular Funeral Contractor in Kumasi Justifying the hike in their rate, Ms. Dokli tells me high demand for their services, amid an increase in fuel prices and general economic hardship, have pushed them to adjust their fees. She reveals five dirge-singing criers who used to charge 5,000 Ghana cedis a day will now provide the service
for between 7,000 Ghana cedis and 8,000 Ghana cedis. “A lot has changed too because the demand is high so we have to change our prices; we have to increase our prices,” she revealed. The upward adjustment follows discussions between her and other professional funeral criers. They took into consideration hikes in prices of petroleum products and transport fares, she revealed.
Ms Dokli says clients could pay even more, depending on the status of the deceased and bereaved relatives as well as the form the wailing will take. “You know that some funerals you can’t charge them high. Some you can charge them so it depends on the funeral.” Deceased persons with lots of family members abroad provide ground for criers to make more money.
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West Africa
Senegal Senegal to Crack Down on Plastic Waste Through Fines and Restrictions on Plastics ANNA PUJOL-MAZZANI
The Nigerian government has lTired of seeing Senegal’s seascapes spoiled by ever-growing mounds of cheap plastic bags, authorities plan to crack down on polluters by imposing fines and further restricting plastic use. The West African country, whose beaches on the Atlantic attract tourists from all over the world, is one of the world’s biggest contributors to ocean plastic despite having a population of just 15 million. A study in 2010, reported by the journal Science, put it 21st out of all nations for quantity of waste being dumped in the sea - with 254,770 tonnes, only just behind the United States, a vastly bigger economy with many times more people and coastline.
Across Senegal, plastic containers are strewn across roads, often with goats and cows feeding on them, while rubbish can be seen f loating in the sea. Globally, public awareness is growing about the harm being done by plastic, which hurts marine life and instead of biodegrading breaks down into ubiquitous microplastics. According to science writer Mike Berners-Lee, of the nine billion tonnes of plastic ever produced, 5.4 billion has been dumped onto land or the sea - enough to shrink wrap the planet in clingfilm. In Senegal, a 2015 law banned the most common thin polythene bags, but was never applied. Grocers wrap individual items, even blobs of cheese, butter and coffee in copious plastic. “The law is not enforced. When you reach major cities, you are greeted by an unpleasant decor, a ... visual pollution made of plastic waste as far as the eye can see,” Environment Minister Abdou Karim Sall told Reuters. “We will go around shops ... we have security forces who can support us. We’re going to start enforcing this law in its full force,” he said. Sall said the government would
introduce a new bill in the coming months to ban a wider range of plastic, including thicker shopping bags, following similar moves in Kenya and Rwanda.
“Dumping ground” Environmental officers will hold public gatherings to inform people about the negative effects of plastics for health, fishing and farming, Sall said. Then police will enforce a law which fines shopkeepers up to 50,000 CFA francs ($85) for distributing the bags, a lot for a country with a GDP per capita of $1,500, according to World Bank figures. Those manufacturing thinner bags risk six months in prison or 20 million CFA francs ($34,000) in fines. Thirty-four African countries have tried to use laws to curb plastic use since South Africa banned plastic bags in 2003, according to the U.N. Environment Programme. In 2017, Kenya imposed one of the world’s toughest bans on plastic bags, with up to four years in prison or $40,000 fines for producing, selling or even using them. French supermarkets like Carrefour and Auchan also distribute plastic bags in Senegal, but as
they are thicker the law doesn’t yet affect them. Assietou Drame, spokeswoman for Auchan Senegal, said the supermarket aimed to “completely eliminate the sale of plastic bags” and offer paper bags instead. A Carrefour spokesperson said it normally gives textile bags but had temporarily run out. A few Senegalese are meanwhile taking the initiative. On Dakar’s Virage beach, restaurant owner Babacar Thiaw grew frustrated with seeing his employees rake the beach every morning only for the waste to return hours later. “Look at the beach, how beautiful it is, but at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., you come back and it looks like a dumping ground because people bring ... their plastic and they throw it anywhere,” Thiaw said. He decided to go “zero-waste”, replacing plastic straws with metal ones, and by Aug. 1, reuseable glass bottles will replace plastic ones and ground coffee beans will replace capsules. “I told myself: I’ll start doing something today that can inspire people tomorrow,” he said. Reuters
Senegalese boys play on a section of beach that has been eroded away by a big storm revealing layers of waste in the beach sand in the fishing village Yenne Todd in Senegal, 24 February 2019. Despite having only a population of 15 million, Senegal has been labeled as one of the worlds biggest contributors of plastic waste found in oceans.
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East Africa
Kenya African Development Bank Helps Power Wind of Change in Kenya Africa’s largest wind farm, a 620M euro energy masterpiece boosting 365 turbines in northern Kenya, will help the East African nation stay on track to reach its target of 100% green energy by 2020. Known as the Lake Turkana Wind Power, the 40,000 acre wind farm will generate around 310 megawatts of power to the national grid, enough to light up over 300,000 households. The winds sweeping the area start in the Indian Ocean and are channeled through the “Turkana corridor” created by Ethiopian and Kenyan highlands. They blow consistently at 11 miles per hour, making this an ideal area for situating wind turbines. The wind farm will increase the country’s electricity supply by 13%. At its launch earlier this month, President Uhuru Kenyatta said, “We again raise the bar for the continent …Kenya is without doubt on course to be a global leader in renewable energy.” The African Development Bank served as lead arranger for 436M euro in senior credit facilities towards the project cost of 623 million euros . The Bank also provided a partial risk guarantee from the African Development Fund of 20 million euros for the part of the project devoted to the transmission lines. Since 2016, the Bank has invested around $4.5bn of its own resources in
African Development Bank building in Nairobi, Kenya
the energy sector. African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina is in little doubt about the significance of the Bank’s funding. “African economic development is all about political will. We have little time and much to do for the continental transformation needed to light up and power Africa by 2025. Projects like the Lake Turkana Wind Power allow us to leap forward towards our key objectives. The Bank is very proud to be associated with this crucial addition to African infrastructure and clean energy generation”. The continent has copious, even limitless, supplies of sun, water, and wind, as well as significant amounts of
natural gas and other valuable natural resources and raw materials. Acccordingly, its New Deal is investing $12 billion over the next five years and leveraging up to $55 billion to achieve universal access to energy by 2025. “This is a milestone that we are proud to celebrate. Kids can’t learn much in the dark. School books have to be put down when the sun sets. Life-saving vaccines can’t be preserved. Nurses and mid-wives have to deliver babies using lanterns or torches”, said Wale Shonibare, the Bank’s acting Vice-President for power, energy, climate change, and green growth. “Turkana’s launch proves that we
Lake Turkana Wind Power project in Kenya stretches over 250 km with over 365 wind turbines and is able to produce 310 MW of power
are determined to continue to work relentlessly to close Africa’s energy gap. Our efforts will be felt in hundreds of thousands of Kenyan households and beyond”,Shonibare added. The site is Kenya’s largest renewable energy project and its biggest single private sector investment. The plant is expected to reduce power shortages by 12.5% and cut the cost of electricity in Kenya by up to 10%. It is proof of Kenya’s commitment to pursue clean sources of energy and provides a major boost to the country’s international commitments to lower greenhouse gas emissions. African Development Bank
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East Africa
Ethiopia Japan Backs Ethiopia’s Effort to Build Up Exports YUJI OHIRA
Japanese trading house Itochu will provide support for Africa’s textile industry, starting in Ethiopia, which has emerged as an alternative production base to Asia, Nikkei has learned. Apparel production has been shifting from China to other Asian countries, such as Myanmar. But rising wages in Asia have increased the appeal of Africa, which offers substantial savings on personnel. Itochu’s plans are believed to mark the first full-scale production by a Japanese company in the eastern African country of roughly 100 million. The average Ethiopian monthly wage of $50 is around a tenth that in China and well below the $100 to $300 levels of Southeast Asia. Ethiopia’s low labor costs have prompted such Western brands as The Gap and H & M Hennes & Mauritz, as well as Chinese and Indian apparel companies, to make inroads there. Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing considered production in Ethiopia. Other major Japanese apparel companies have outsourced production to Ethiopia under short-lived
arrangements. But low productivity remains a challenge. Itochu has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute on promoting the textile sector. The company will dispatch its own employees in addition to five outside Japanese experts to two factories in northern Ethiopia’s Tigre region. The plants will make apparel for export to Japan. Itochu handles clothing manufacturing, from spinning to sewing, in such bases as Vietnam and Myanmar. Using know-how acquired in Asia, it aims to quintuple Ethiopian manufacturing efficiency in three years by reviewing production steps and labor management. Equipment upgrades will also be considered. An Ethiopian worker is said to produce only about a tenth as much apparel of a Chinese counterpart in a given time, thanks partly to China’s advances in training and mechanization. And while there are textile companies that export from Ethiopia to Europe, strict Japanese quality standards have kept continuous shipments to Japan from becoming a reality. With the Tokyo International Conference on African Development coming up in Yokohama later this month, corporate Japan is expected to step up efforts to support industry on a physical presence in Ethiopia as of of the 282 in South Africa and 54 in October 2017, according to Japan’s Kenya. the continent. Nikkei Asian Review Just 12 Japanese companies had Ministry of Foreign Affairs -- far short
Labor costs at textile plants in Ethiopia are lower than in Southeast Asia.
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Central Africa
Cameroon Cameroon Journalists Threatened by Government MOKI EDWIN KINDZEKA
The government of Cameroon Cameroon has threatened all journalists who it says are refusing to be patriotic, after TV reporter Samuel Wazizi was arrested for allegedly supporting separatist fighters in Cameroon’s Englishspeaking north, west, and southwest regions. The journalists say it is becoming impossible for them to practice their profession, as they face pressure from both separatist fighters and the government. Paul Atanga Nji, territorial administration minister, says Cameroon’s journalists are becoming highly unpatriotic. “They have one main objective, just to sabotage government action, to promote secessionist tendencies,” said Nji. “I urge them to be responsible. Those who do not want to respect the laws will be booked as being recalcitrant and will be treated as such.” Atanga Nji also says most journalists support the opposition and believe that President Paul Biya was not the true winner of the October 2018 presidential election. Macmillan Ambe, president of the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists, CAMASEJ, says the threat from the government is one of many that journalists have faced since the separatist crisis began in 2016. He says journalists should be given the freedom they need to do their work. “When you get the minister of territorial administration giving lessons to journalists on how to report, it just adds to some of the difficulties we are already facing,” said Ambe. “We are subjected to torture, be it physical or psychological. We have also had cases of several journalists who are being called up for questioning, so it becomes very difficult for us to operate.” Ambe was abducted by separatist fighters in the city of Bamenda last February after he criticized their call for families not to send their children to school. More recent threats came after
A Cameroonian journalist holds a sign reading “No to the persecution of journalists” during a free speech rally in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Samuel Waziz, an announcer at Chillen Music Television who has hosted shows critical of the government, was arrested by the military. His lawyers said he was accused of hosting separatist fighters on his farm, an allegation he dismissed. Journalist Promise Akanteh of Royal FM, a radio station in Yaounde who also hosts critical programs, says she has been threatened several times within the past two weeks. “I have had several phone calls threatening me. Do you know that your daughter still needs you? I said, ‘yes, sir.’” So be careful with what you say on air. I do not know who was calling,” said Akanteh. “The person threatens me and says be careful with what you say on air. I am telling you this, another person will not be this nice to you.” The separatists launched their fight in 2017, after Englishspeakers protested political and economic discrimination in the majority French-speaking country. The government reacted with a crackdown in November 2017 and since then, 2,000 people have been killed, according to the United Nations. Voice of America
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Southern Africa
Zimbabwe Coup Promised Change, But Corruption and Brutality Still Rule FADZAYE MAHERE
In the Shona language, Nyamavhuvhu (August) signals the end of winter. The strong winds carry away the frost as they usher in the warmth of summer. With the silent strength of a new season, public discontent towards President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s failing socio-economic policies sweeps across Zimbabwe, manifesting itself through mounting displeasure and the growing threat of civil unrest. On the streets of the capital, Harare, a middle-aged woman lies unconscious on the asphalt. An uncanny silence hangs in the air, punctuated only by the sound of water cannons patrolling the street and a sea of riot police conversing in hushed tones with each other. The blue-helmeted police, a signature of the Robert Mugabe era, march in straight lines through the central business district. Businesses are closed. Thick clouds of off-white teargas fill the sky. An old, grey-haired man who is left behind by the fleeing crowd is kicked in the ribs by two police officers and dragged by his side. A young man who tries to assist the stricken woman is arrested and bundled into a police truck. Elsewhere, Red Cross volunteers attend to an old woman who has suffered injuries to her head after being beaten. The protesters had gathered on Friday to express their anger at Mnangagwa’s rule. People are increasingly dissatisfied with the impact of failing economic policies, a broken public health system, the soaring prices of basic goods and the collapse of public services. They had been waiting in preparation for a protest march organised by the Movement for Democratic Change at Africa Unity Square, a garden in the heart of Harare. In this same garden, just a few years ago, Itai Dzamara stood as a lone protester calling for Mugabe to go. The protesters could not access the square because the police had cordoned it off. Instead, they congregated on a main road adjacent to the square, patiently awaiting the outcome of a court challenge mounted early that morning. The
The violent police clampdown is just the latest action in a tale of unbroken state repression that continues from Robert Mugabe’s era. Police drag away a protester in Harare last week.
court challenge sought to overturn a police ban that had been instated using the notoriously repressive Public Order and Security Act at the 11th hour, the night before the planned demonstration. Protesters chanted songs similar to those sung during the liberation struggle. They sat in the middle of the road, in an act of peaceful protest. As they sat, a wave of baton-wielding riot police charged at them in an attempt to disperse the growing crowd. Many, including older people and women, who could not run away as fast as the more youthful protesters, were badly beaten. The violent police clampdown is just the latest action in a tale of unbroken state repression that continues from Mugabe’s era. In the aftermath of the July 2018 election, the military killed at least six civilians as it drove army tankers through the streets of Harare to quell a protest. Similarly, in January this year, the army fired live rounds at civilians in the wake of a protest against the
rising cost of living. At least 12 civilians lost their lives. The perpetrators have yet to be indicted or held accountable for the loss of life, despite a theatrical commission of inquiry launched by Mnangagwa in a bid to repair his already crumbling international image. In addition to thwarting the freedom to protest, the repression by Mnangagwa’s government has been characterised by the partisan use of security services, tampering with judicial independence, the surveillance and intimidation of activists, sham trials of human-rights defenders, impunity for human-rights-violating security forces – and targeted beatings and abductions of humanrights activists and members of the opposition. Mnangagwa’s promise of change and reform, much lauded by the UK and Europe at the time of Mugabe’s ousting, has proven to be a mirage. It was argued by the UK and some in Europe that Zimbabwe needed a “strong man”, a Paul Kagame-type
‘Emmerson Mnangagwa’s promise of change and reform, much lauded by the UK and Europe at the time of Mugabe’s ousting, has proven to be a mirage.’
figure, to drive economic reforms. However, on this front too, Mnangagwa has failed amid several negative economic indicators: official statistics claim that annual inflation surged to 175.7% in June, although economists project that the real inflation rate is much higher than this. The government has since suspended the official publication of inflation statistics. There have been shortages of food and fuel. There has also been a return to acute, daily power cuts, which often last for 18 hours, with power returning in the dead of night. The government’s mantra that “Zimbabwe is open for business” has proven to be a hollow epithet, as foreign direct investment remains extremely low and local businesses continue to close shop in the face of a confidence deficit. Corruption remains rampant with little commitment to deal with the perpetrators and recover the looted funds. Mnangagwa has failed at the most basic political reform. The mask has fallen away leaving in its stead a man more brutal and devoid of character than his predecessor. In the wake of his stewardship lies a country where individuals cannot afford a decent life and are punished for trying to register their growing discontent. It is time for the UK and Europe, who backed Mnangagwa, to stand with democratic forces and innocent, brutalised citizens – not a corrupt authoritarian regime incapable of reforming politically and economically. Only then can the winds of real change sweep across Zimbabwe. The Guardian
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Southern Africa
Botswana Botswana Rolling Out Red Carpet for Investors POLOKO TAU
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Development Community (SADC) to really be able to use the country as a launch pad into the whole of the region,” Olebile said. He said Botswana “doesn’t have exchange controls, you don’t have to apply for externalisation of your funds”. “We’re also putting together a list of compelling incentives; our tax rate is already 22% but we found strategic sectors that we have further incentivised to 15% – that is in the manufacturing space, international financial services space as well as in the innovation hub space,” Olebile said. Meanwhile, speaking at a discussion session, former Botswana president Festus Mogae said there were hindrances to integration in the SADC region. Mogae said African heads of states, including those in the SADC region, were signing agreements with good intentions but these were never implemented or even followed up on. David Magang, a former Cabinet minister in Botswana, reiterated this. He said the dream for an integrated SADC region with relaxed immigration laws so citizens could easily move from one country to the next was never realised. City Press
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Botswana has promised to roll out the red carpet for investors, urging them not to be discouraged by its small population from doing business in the country because decent returns are part of the package. Speaking at the official opening of the 14th Global Expo Botswana in the capital city Gaborone this week, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said his country was making conditions conducive for investors. “The World Bank’s Doing Business Report of this year has placed Botswana at number five in the Ease of Doing Business rankings in sub-Saharan Africa. We continue to review and make strategic reforms to improve the ease of doing business and the competitive environment to facilitate the growth of local business as well as to attract foreign direct investment. These reforms include, among others, the continued streamlining and automation of our processes in areas of company registration, construction permits and cross border trade,” Masisi said. “We have eased entry into Botswana through the introduction of visas on arrival as well as instituting changes on acquisition of permanent residence.” The Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), a government agency set up to attract investors and promote the landlocked country as a brand, also promised to make life as easy as possible for investors. The agency said that, among the range of services it offers, it would help investors with tax clearance, company registration and even the opening of bank accounts, saying all these were “facilitated from our onestop services centre”. Keletsositse Olebile, head of the BITC, described the agency as a “premier agency for the government of Botswana in terms of rolling out the red carpet for investors ... We’re a country of 2.26 million people. “Sometimes Botswana is judged in terms of its small population but if you look at every policy that this government has put in place, it’s really to enable you to utilise our long-standing desirable factors such as prudent microeconomic stability, low corruption and the central location in the Southern African
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Volume 18 Issue 8
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Southern Africa
South Africa Police in South Africa Arrest 560 ‘Undocumented’ Foreigners in Raid BUKOLA ADEBAYO
Nearly 600 foreigners were arrested in a police raid on a business district in Johannesburg, South Africa, police and government officials said Thursday. The operation involving immigration officials and customs in the commercial hub on Wednesday was to rid the area of counterfeit businesses and crime, South African Police Service said. “Over 560 undocumented foreign nationals were taken in for processing,” South Africa police said in the statement and added that authorities would check their immigration status and criminal records. The police did not state the nationalities of those arrested in operation. Police said it found unlicensed firearms in a raid called “Operation O Kae Molao” (A Sesotho phrase meaning Operation Where’s the Law?) launched in 2018. Seven
policemen, including four officers who were caught selling the confiscated items to traders were arrested during the raid. South African Police Minister Bheki Cele said law enforcement agencies will fight crime no matter who is affected. “We cannot have parallel governance with criminals, therefore we will continue to squeeze the space for criminals to zero regardless of race, gender or nationality,” Cele said. The raid comes barely a week after police officers clashed with traders when they tried to seize counterfeit products in the area. Though many people have commended the police efforts, some said it could spark xenophobic attacks. “Does it matter if violence is caused by locals or foreigners? Crime is crime deal with the criminals but do not steer xenophobia!,” One person wrote on Twitter. South Africa’s parliament home affairs committee chair Bongani Bongo said while immigrants contribute to the country’s growth, illegal immigration should be discouraged. He said that the committee has called for the deportation of illegal immigrants. CNN
Police officers in Johannesburg, South Africa stand outside a locked shop allegedly containing counterfeit goods.
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Artcutainment
‘Big Bang Theory’ Producer Makes New Comedy, With Nigerian Immigrant Character Lead ANTHONY D’ALESSANDRO
At a time when President Donald Trump is pushing a fierce policy on U.S. immigration, TV creator Chuck Lorre is out to remind the nation’s TV viewers how great immigrants are again with his new CBS series Bob Hearts Abishola. The Big Bang Theory co-creator showed up at TCA wearing a yellow baseball cap with the acronym “IMAG”. “It means Immigrants make America Great,” Lorre told the press. Bob Hearts Abishola follows a Detroit sock businessman (Billy Garell) who after having a heart attack, falls for his cardiac nurse, a Nigerian immigrant (Folake Olowofoyeku). To ensure that the series has a faithful take on Nigerian culture, Lorre tapped stand-up comedian Gina Yashere as part of his writing team. Yet despite having a show about immigrants at a time when it’s a hot topic in the news, Lorre says that Bob Hearts Abishola is “not a political show.” “It’s an homage of what we’ve been through, what our ancestors have been through which is coming here
Famed Ivorian Musician DJ Arafat Dies in Road Crash Ivorian musician DJ Arafat has died of injuries he sustained in a motor bike accident, according to his management The 33-year-old, whose real name is Ange Didier Houon, died on Monday in a hospital in Abidjan. He had been undergoing treatment after the accident on Sunday, his spokesman Yves Roland stated. “He was involved in an accident in the Angre neighborhood and later died in hospital. He died at 8:10 am this morning,” Yves Jay Jay confirmed by telephone on Monday. “He was Ivory Coast’s best musician,” said Yves Jay Jay in somber voice. He gave no further details about the incident or the nature of the musician’s injuries. Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara has offered his condolences to the musician’s family and the arts
and somehow finding a foothold and making a life for ourselves and for our children, and descendants. If you dig deep, maybe every show is a political show. This is just a show that takes the time to recognize the greatness in that endeavor,” said Lorre. Asked by a TCA press member about the notion of Abishola’s character coming into the U.S. legally, versus illegally, Lorre asserted, “We’re not commenting about legal or illegal immigrants. we’re making a comment on the people who are working here and working their hearts out.” Throughout the TCA session,
some members questioned Lorre whether the comedy series would play in certain parts of the country, whether it would be an acquired taste or if affiliate stations would attempt to block or boycott the series. “What did Mel Brooks say? ‘Hope for the best, expect the worst,’” said Lorre, who told the Beverly Hilton ballroom that he doesn’t worry about what potential viewers might think. “I can’t figure out the audience,” said Lorre, “that’s a path to madness and failure, then you start pandering.” One reporter told star Billy Gardell “not to take offense over the risk of profiling,” but he looks like
the type of American guy who would turn off Bob Hearts Abishola. “Do you think of yourself as the ambassador of tolerance.” The Mike & Molly star shared a story about his late father’s parting words. “He told me two things that I hold with me every day. First, don’t make a mess. You’re being kind…that catches on, and I think we should all be advocates of kindness and tolerance; I don’t know when that became confusing.” “Second, be careful who you hang out with,” said Gardell, “and I think I’m hanging out with the right people.” Deadline
community. “It is with great sadness that I learned of the premature passing of Houon Ange Didier “DJ Arafat” Youth Icon and ambassador for Ivorian music and culture. I extend my sincere condolences to his mother, his children, his biological and artistic families as well as to all his fans. My prayers are with them during this painful ordeal,” President Ouattara wrote on Facebook.
The country’s defense minister, Hamed Babayoko, said he was deeply saddened by the news and described the artist as his “son” saying his death was a loss to African culture. Celebrities and fans are also mourning the musician called the “King of Coupé-Décalé.” Coupé-décalé is a flamboyant and brash music style meaning “ to cheat someone and run away,” in Ivorian slang.
Ivorian ex-football star Didier Drogba sent his condolences on Twitter. DJ Arafat won the best artist of the year during the Coupé-Décalé Awards in 2016 and 2017. Coupé-Décalé became popular while the Ivory Coast was in the throes of war in the 2000s. The dance style has become popular in many French-speaking countries in West Africa.
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Volume 18 Issue 8
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