DUNIA 10 feat Rep. Karen BASS by DUNIA Mag

DUNIA Jan - Mar 2013, Issue 10

WAYS To Make 2013 a Year of Excellence

“...Great Success has come when I was simply doing the things I was passionate about...” Culture

Listening Parents Expressive Kids

U.S. Congressmember

Karen Bass

on the Importance of Redefining U.S. - Africa Relations Fashion

Exotic Looks from around the world www.duniamagazine.com www.duniamagazine.com

The Reader’s

Magazine

Dunia / Jan 2013

www.novelty-tax.com

A DUNIA Magazine EVENT

Join US

Contents Profiles & Success

8. A Growing Business Portfolio: Franco Bonghan 26. 3 Ways to Make 2013 A Year of Excellence 48. Q&A with Author Ernest Alanki

Health

16. General Health Tips 19. How Much Time Are You Spending Infront Of the Computer?

Relationships

25. The Foundation of a Happy Marriage

The 10th Issue January - March, 2013

Cover

32. The Importance of Redefining U.S. - Africa Relations & Thriving on Your Passions: Rep. KAREN BASS

Life & Culture

12. Lack of Meaningful Communication between African Parents and their Children 20. From the Baptist Church to Nichiren Buddhism

Fashion

40: Smart Buys, Gucci Looks and Street Style from Tokyo

World

52. What Nigerian Leaders can learn from the World Poorest President

Dunia News Flash!

The experience doesn’t end here. Visit us online www.duniamagazine.com

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Publisher / Editorial Director Lema Abeng-Nsah

Managing Editor Innocent Chia Editing Kahlilah Guyah International Coordinator Zuzeeko Abeng

Contributing writers Zaydah Nicol Kamara Quenesha McNair Samantha Watson Akintokunbo A Adejumo Sharon Fonge

Design & Production Wealth Alliance Systems

HAPPY NEW YEAR & WELCOME to another groundbreaking Edition of DUNIA! We are honored, excited and elated at the release of DUNIA Issue 10, featuring United States Congresswoman KAREN BASS, Democrat – California. We’re especially honored because we don’t have to look too far back in the review mirror to see that it’s only been 2 years since we started this creation of passion, with a vision to connect across cultures. As far as having a Congressmember grace the cover of The Reader’s Magazine, we are simply “Wow!” We could not ask for a better way to start off the New Year 2013. The theme of this issue is “Thriving on your Passions in 2013“. We hope you will be impacted and inspired in many ways by Representative Bass’s commitment to her work and focus on those she serves. Representative Bass discusses works that are important to her and why; she shares thoughts on President Obama, her travels to Africa, what success means to her personally …. and most importantly!!!! Drum-roll!!! If you don’t know yet, find out where she traces her roots back to in Africa. This especially makes me smile and you’ll soon find out why. DUNIA Issue 10 shares even more inspiring stories about connecting with those little, but all too important things that make life so much more beautiful, such as family, career, and especially self. You’ll get to hear from every day people whose messages are grounded in personal experiences. We especilly would like to thank our contributors and writers who send in unique stories and share fascinating thoughts. We pray that you our readers continue to be inspired, empowered and entertained through these pages. We also look forward to receiving your feedback, input and why not articles. Write to the editor at editor @duniamagazine.com. Stay connected with us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DUNIAMagazine) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/duniamagazine). Thank you and enjoy. To many great things,

Lema Abeng-Nsah, (Twitter: @LemaNsah)

Editor’s favorite! President Obama and Rep. Karen Bass leave Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles. October 2011; Courtesy: Theobamadiary.com

pg 32

PSW to Tier 2 (Switching to Tier 2) Tier 1 Post Study Work to Tier 2 General (PSW to Tier 2) is now largely the only option for highly skilled IT, Financial Services, & Engineering professionals who wish to remain in the UK long term now that Tier 1 General has been cancelled. In order to switch from PSW to Tier 2 you must secure employment with a Tier 2 Licensed Employer who is willing to go through the Tier 2 Switching process.

How can LionHeart Recruitment help? Are you a skilled IT, Financial Services, or Engineering Professional? Do you hold a Tier 1 Post Study Work Visa? Are you interested in Switching to Tier 2? If so, LionHeart Recruitment may be able to help. At LionHeart Recruitment, we work with IT, Financial Services, and Engineering Consultancies & Employers who are always looking for highly skilled IT, Financial Services & Engineering Professionals. If you are capable of working on £120+ per day assignments, our partners would be interested in hearing from you. To find out more about switching from PSW to Tier 2, please call Lionel on 02033970303 or 07807888832 for a free assessment.

What IT Skills are in Demand? If you’re skilled in one of the following IT Skills our Partners will want to hear from you; SAP, Oracle, Java, SQL, .NET, Prince 2, XML, VMware, Cisco, JQuery, Citrix, Front Office, Murex, OpenLink, Salesforce, Blackberry, Android, C, C++. HTML, PHO, MySQL, Exchange, J2EE, UML, Spring, SAN, Pearl, WCF Silverlight, Apache, WPF, Hibernate, Python, AIX, Weblogic, SAS, Tomcat, DB2, Selenium, EMC, JUnit, Sybase, Remedy, JSON, JBoss, Eclipse, Informatica, Magento, COBOL, Swing, SWIFT, Agile, Scrum, SunGard, Charles River etc If you’re skilled in one of the following IT Roles our Partners will want to hear from you; Project Management, Business Analysis, Systems Analysis, Systems Development, Systems Architecture, Software Testing, Application Development, Business Intelligence, Data Warehousing, Mobile Application Development, Networking, Security etc

What Engineering Skills are in Demand? If you’re skilled in one of the following Engineering Roles our Partners will want to hear from you; Oil & Gas Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Aviation Engineering etc

What Financial Services Skills are in Demand? If you’re skilled in one of the following Financial Services Roles, our Partners will want to hear from you; Asset Servicing, Banking, Insurance, Investment Management, Management Accounting etc

What Else? You can also switch from other immigration categories, Tier 1, 3, 4(Students), and 5 to Tier 2 General, provided you have a valid offer of employment.

To find out more about switching from other immigration categories to Tier 2, please call Lionel at 02033970303 or 07807888832 for a free assessment.

A Growing Business Portfolio

Q & A with Entrepreneur Franco Bonghan “I have learned

through my ventures that a degree in rejection is the first step towards success.”

Dunia Mag (DM): Who is Franco Bonghan in your own words? Franco Bonghan (FB): Franco Bonghan is a Houston-based businessman, with a broad management portfolio ranging from Accounting and Tax Consulting, Financial planning & Investments, Real Estate, and most recently, a Record Label (Franco Records). DM: Tell us about growing up in Cameroon. FB: I am from very humble beginnings. Growing up was not without struggles, I always knew that I had to fight my way to the finish line. Hardship comes with a lot of lessons, both positive and negative. Despite all the challenges we faced growing up, I count myself very lucky as my parents were able to educate me and my siblings. Many kids in Africa do not have that opportunity. I thank my oldest brother, Godwin Bongham for all the relentless sacrifices he made for our family, from educating all of us to providing opportunities for us to travel abroad. May God truly bless you. I am the middle child in a family of seven kids. My parents just celebrated their Golden jubilee in marriage earlier this January 2013. I am thankful for all of God’s blessings. DM: Why did you choose to be self-employed? FB: For many reasons; among them is the fact that I always love to multitask, I have a very open mind when it comes to business, never afraid to fail or to be rejected, and I have learned through my ventures that a degree in rejection is the first step towards success. Owning a business is like giving birth to a child, you have to nurture the business and make sure you give it the proper food so that it can grow. Persistence and belief make all the difference. The first step in succeeding in business is to accept and embrace failure; sometimes, the lessons we learn from failing far outweigh the lessons in success. Belief in your ‘why’, and God will show you the ‘how’. DM: What are the core values that guide you in life and in business? FB: Life, like business is all about persistence, you must rise above your logical thinking and find an emotional balance. Your purpose gets you going even when logical thinking may suggest otherwise, purpose fuels your passion and passion separates the doers from dreamers. Remember that an idea put to action – even if it doesn’t work out - is worth more than a million bright untested ideas. When you fight, do not just fight, fight to the finish line. DM: What are some of the challenges you have faced as a business owner and how did you overcome them?

Dunia / Jan 2013

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Business FB: Challenges are part of any business. I have faced the most challenges in the arena of Insurance and Investments in educating friends, family, and community on the importance of financial planning. Financial Education is power, until we understand this, we will continue in the same cycle working 2 - 3 jobs and not having our money work for us. We need to understand that Insurance is one of the biggest tools used to build and transfer wealth in America if structured properly. We need to be aware of our options when it comes especially to retirement, and college funding for our kids. America is now home for many of us Africans, it is time we think long term and embrace the tools that will propel us and our children into prosperity. I overcome this challenge every day with my belief and confidence that only education (financial education) can/will make the difference. DM: Tell us something about your companies. FB: At Novelty tax & Accounting www.novelty-tax. com, our main activities include Tax Consulting, Financial Planning, Business Coaching. I love the fact that we provide tax planning and tax saving strategies to individuals and especially for small businesses. It is very critical for a business owner to understand how to minimize their tax liabilities. We have offices in Houston Texas and in St Paul Minnesota. Franco records www.francorecords.com mainly focuses on building & marketing new talent. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also involved in event promotions and marketing, artist management and promotions, and providing exceptional and professional DJ services. The streets are filled with talented individuals, so why do only a few make it to the top? The answer is proper representation and talent development. Singers sing, actors act, Franco Records manages and develops talent. We take talented individuals and polish them up for the spotlight. Building new talent takes commitment from both the artist and their agency. Franco Records is dedicated to ensuring that its artists are properly developed and provided with the right professional tools not just to get into the business but to stay in the business long-term. Our commitment to our artists ensures that we book the right events, manage media engagements, and provide them with professionals to assist with all public relations aspect of their careers. If you are a new talent looking to break-through in the industry or you are an existing

Singers sing, actors act, Franco Records manages & develops talent

talent looking for proper management, look no further. Franco Records is the team you need to be with. DM: What does success mean to you and why? FB: Success to me is being able to face the unknown, to take failure in stride, and to never give up. Refusing to give up sometimes also means being flexible in your thinking. Keep an open mind in business but always measure your risk versus your potential rewards. Avoid high capital intensive business start ups, the less you risk, the easier you can bounce back if/when you hit a road block. It is not about how much money you put into the business, it is about how much you are willing to sacrifice to make the business work. DM: Where do you see your business exploits taking youâ&#x20AC;Ś 5 years from now? FB: Laughs!!! I am looking to expand Novelty Tax & Accounting to many more cities in the United States, taking financial education to more homes, businesses, churches, schools, etc. We will also be launching the Franco Records African Music Awards ( FRAMA AWARDS) in Houston, Texas, to be a major powerhouse and bridge between African and American artists, leveraging the best of both worlds to exploit our maximum potential. We are always looking for good partnerships that fit our mission and goals. I believe that because of our broad experience in management, artists we work with become better managers of their own fortunes, hence avoiding common mistakes that are rampant in the entertainment industry. In all we do, God first, family second, business third, and relationships. D

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Success to me is being able to face the unknown, to take failure in stride, and to never give up.â&#x20AC;? - Franco Bonghan, founder of Franco Records

www.francorecords.com

Dunia / Jan 2013

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maXtreme ranks top in Fitness App category

www.maxtremefitness.com

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Dunia / Jan 2013

LACK OF MEANINGFUL COMMUNICATION between

African Parents & Their Children by Zaydah Nicol Kamara

Listening Parents, Expressive Kids

bout a month ago, my mom and I were in the kitchen laughing about a scene from the Real House Wives of Atlanta show. The drama and desperation exhibited by these women has reached the height of plain ridiculousness. I began to talk about my now defunct marriage and what I had endured during and after my divorce and subsequent relationships; the horrible betrayal, the startling disappointments, the cruelty human beings are capable of inflicting on each other. I told my mother that one thing I am most proud of is that the storms of life have not destroyed me. I am very proud that I have not only survived my ordeal, but am thriving and redefining myself outside of being a wife and mother.

“Growing up in my native Sierra Leone, parents were like demi-gods who were never wrong and who laid down the law,” says Zaydah It was at this juncture that my mother started telling me about the horrible things she has had to deal with in her life too. She told me about being in love with her then Sweetheart, getting pregnant by him and then being unceremoniously dumped and left behind by this man. This man would later marry my mother’s then best friend. She told me more stories about her heartbreaking encounters with men. This was all so shocking to me and instead of empathizing with my mother, I began to feel anger. I turned to my mother and asked her between sobs; “How come you never told me any of this before? How come you never prepared me? Why am I only hearing this now?” My mother did not reply. The conversation ended just as abruptly as it had started.

No one to talk to

After spending the whole night thinking about what my mother had divulged, I began to feel sympathy for her. She had done the best she knew how to do. She is also a victim of the culture in Africa where there is a lack of meaningful communication between parents and their children. Growing up in my native Sierra Leone, parents were like demi-gods who were never wrong and who laid down the law. The only form of communication between parents and their children were the daily greetings, the allocating of errands, and discipline. My mother has two daughters, me and my older sister, Mariama. I feel like my mother should have prepared us for life in the real world. She should have passed on her experiences along with some motherly advice about her bad experiences with men, relationships, life… everything.

Dunia / Jan 2013

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It is so sad that when a girl of 14 or 15 years starts having her period, the only ‘talk’ she has with her parents is a threat; “Now that you are having your period, if you let a man touch you, you will become pregnant. If you become pregnant we will kick you out of the house.” That is what we got from our parents as young girls. I still remember how panicked and stressed out I was after I had my first kiss with a boy. I was 14 and had made it to this boy’s house with my best friend. He told me he wanted to be my boyfriend and before we left his house, he called me into his room. I was so innocent, so naïve. I followed him into his bedroom and once in there he held me close, kissed me and rubbed my body. I was shocked and terrified. I pulled myself away and told my friend we had to leave immediately. Once we made it home, I became nervous, stressed out, and afraid. I thought he may have impregnated me, after all, my parents had told me that if a boy touched me I would become pregnant and here I was, a boy had not only touched me, but rubbed on me and kissed me. I was horrified, and the worst thing was, I couldn’t talk to anyone about my fears, no one. Going to my parents would be the same as making a death wish. If I asked my older aunties, they would be alarmed and would make it their duty to notify my parents. I was a wreck until I had my period 15 long days later. I was relieved after I had my period because I had learned in one of my classes at school that having a period means you were not pregnant. What a relief that was. Sigh!

Culture Broken Trust

I was talking to my friend, Reggie about the challenges of having meaningful communication with our parents back home and he couldn’t wait for me to finish so that he could tell me of an experience he had with his mother when he was 11 years old. He went on to tell me that one day, he had taken a piece of fish from his daddy’s plate and was hoping nobody had noticed. Well, his mother did, and she called him, wanting to know where the fish was and whether he had taken it. The first inclination of an African child when asked about something that he may be guilty of doing is to deny, deny, deny. My father used to ask; “why do African kids lie so much?” Well, because we don’t get ‘time outs’ like our

foreign counterparts do, we don’t get toys and privileges taken away for a while, we don’t get a lecture about why something is wrong. No, we get a hot slap and a beat down. We are embarrassed in front of our friends and

neighbors. Our bodies carry the marks from the cane or electric wires that were used to “discipline” us. So, lying seems like the better alternative. A girl who was caught having sex had raw, hot pepper put into her eyes and vagina while being beaten by her mother. Repercussions like these made it really hard for us kids to fess up to mistakes or wrongdoings. Back to Reggie’s story. The boy chose to keep quiet the whole time his mother was drilling him on whether or not he took the fish. He just stood there sad, not saying anything, about to burst into tears. His mother knelt down to his level and assured him that if he told the truth he would not be beaten or punished in any way. All she needed to hear was the truth, nothing but the absolute truth, there would be no repercussions. Reggie thought it was too good to be true so he kept his silence. Again, his mother begged and reassured him that she wouldn’t do anything to him if he told the truth. Nervously, Reggie took his mother at her word and admitted that he had indeed taken the one piece of fish. He said that, the moment he uttered his admission, was the same moment the harshest slap landed on his face … leaving him feeling disorientated, disappointed and betrayed by his mother. That was the day he told himself that moving forward, he would never trust his parents with certain information.

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Dunia / Jan 2013

Notes about Sierra Leone

Why?

Parents did not divulge the reasons behind their threats, they never offered explanations; it was almost as if they themselves were embarrassed or afraid that should we know the real reasons we would attempt the forbidden acts they were trying to conceal. I grew up with 3 brothers and a male cousin. My brothers used to bring their friends home all the time. Instead of my parents talking to me about sex and relationships, my Dad told me instead to stay in my room when my brothers’ friends came over, wear long clothes and not to smile at any of them. I still remember him saying; “….if you smile at them, they will think you like them, and believe me, you don’t want to give them that message…” So, I became a prisoner in my own house, every time my brothers’ friends came around. I also wasn’t allowed to go outside to buy from the local shops. “…you stay here, let your brother go get it for you.” My father would say.

The Talk

After 5 years at an All-Girls secondary school, I was going to 6th Form at a mixed school to further my education, my father summoned me to the living room and threatened me; “…so, you are starting 6th form at this school, I am telling you this now, I DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANY BOYS WITH YOU OR AT MY HOUSE. IS THAT CLEAR? ALSO, YOU GET OFF AT 2PM EVERY DAY. I will call the house every day at 2:30pm. I want YOU to answer the phone when I call. If I call and you’re not here by 2:30pm to pick up the phone, you might as well just die. Do you understand me? Did I make myself clear?” That was the ‘talk’ I got from my dad to start off in a school where I would get to interact with students of the opposite sex. Looking back, I try to understand my parents’

approach to parenting. They were doing what everyone else around them was doing.

Population: about 4.7; Capital city: Freetown Languages: English (official), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (lingua franca; first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%) Religions: Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30% Source: World Fact Book

“The name “Sierra Leone” dates back to 1462, when Portuguese explorer Pedro da Cintra, sailing down the West African coast, saw the tall mountains rising up on what is now the Freetown Peninsula and called them the “Lion Mountains,” or “ Serra Lyoa”. Successive visits by English sailors and later British colonization modified the name to “Sierra Leone.” - Everyculture.com

It was the way they had been raised. They

knew no other way. My parents only wanted the very best for me, they did not understand that if they sat me down and actually talked to me I would understand. They did not understand that sex, menstruation and relationships with the opposite sex were not supposed to be taboo topics. They knew we feared the brutal and harsh punishments they meted out to us, so they used those instead. Even though I am disappointed that my mother did not prepare me adequately from her own experiences for life in the real world, I forgive her. I sympathize with her and I love her. I had to learn the hard way, the worst way, but I am better for it. They say, life gives you the test first and the lessons after. I am a strong, self-assured, independent woman now who is raising great kids; not the way my culture dictates because I am no longer with their father, but by giving them love, reassurance, constant communication and encouraging them to always ask questions. Not threatening them, but helping them understand situations and consequences, motivating them to be the best they can be. Hopefully, because my generation is more educated and more exposed we will be the ones that change the dynamics of communication between parents and children from the less meaningful to adequate and appropriate. D

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CREATION TETES DE PUB BY SHAY AGENCY. Courtesy Facebook.com/EvaGabarraDesign

Afrodisiac Fashion Show Troisième édition Cet évènement se déroulera sur invitation le 08 Mars 2013 dans un lieu prestigieux à Paris : L OREAL Nous comptons sur la présence de 300 personnes, voire plus Des professionnels de la Mode, de la Beauté et des invités de marque comme Mizani, Vlisco, Miss Ebène, TV5 Monde , …honoreront cette nouvelle Collection 2013 Eva Gabarra www.eva-gabarra.com www.duniamagazine.com

Dunia / Jan 2013

Sexy at what Cost? An Australian based study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in January 2012, shows that women who wear high heels are at risk for permanent damage to their knees, hips, back and tendons. “I’m not telling people they shouldn’t wear them, you should just use common sense and maybe wear them in moderation [and] alternate with other shoes,” says orthopedic, foot and ankle surgeon Dr. Brian Thompson Meredith Melnick of the Huffington Post advises “Any heel that offers more surface area is putting less stress on the ball of the foot, so go with a chunky heel, wedge or even a platform.”

5inch Color Block Chunky Heel Platform Shoes Teezerscostumes.com

Are You Getting Enough Touch? “Researchers at the University of Miami Touch Research Institute found that touch with moderate pressure stimulates a cranial nerve that slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure. This produces a state that is relaxed but more attentive. Touch also reduces stress hormones and may enhance immune function. In a Touch Research Institute study, medical staff and students that received massages for 15 minutes a day over the course of a month were more accurate and took less time on math performance tests than their counterparts who did not receive massages.” - Livestrong.com

How Hot is too Hot? Conclusions by the Food and Drug Adminstration show that hot water comfortable enough for washing hands is not hot enough to kill bacteria, but is more effective than cold water because it removes oils from the hand that can harbor bacteria. Beauticians on the other hand warn against the use of hot water in washing hands because it can remove natural oils from the skin, causing hands to dry up and look wrinkled. .. even cracking up in some cases. In a 2002 study by Dr Barry Michaels, it was concluded that the more vigorous the hand scrubbing, the more bacteria is removed. The friction of rubbing is more effective at removing transient bacteria — which are more likely to be nasty, and are also known as the “bag guys” — than resident bacteria (permanent resident bacteria, usually the good guys).

Dunia / Jan 2013

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Now available at participating Baskin-Robbins, the world's largest chain of ice cream specialty shops: Blueberry Shortbread Ice Cream: The May Flavor of the Month features shortbread and blueberry-flavored ice cream with a tasty and textured lemon shortbread cookie swirl. Mixed Berry Waffle Cone : This new waffle cone option features a delicious mixed-berry flavor. Blueberry Shortbread Milkshake: A delectable milkshake made with Blueberry Shortbread ice cream, milk and simple syrup. Berry Waffle Crunch 31 Degrees Below速: Features smooth and creamy Baskin-Robbins vanilla soft serve blended with strawberry topping and crunchy Mixed Berry Waffle Cone pieces. Coke速 Float: This refreshing, creamy beverage is made with Baskin-Robbins' vanilla ice cream or soft serve and ice cold Coca-Cola速. "With the weather warming up, we're excited to offer our guests a special line-up of menu items that celebrate the flavors of the season," said Stan Frankenthaler , BaskinRobbins Executive Chef and Vice President of Product Innovation at Dunkin' Brands.

WebMD advises that to reduce oxidation (browning) of an alreadysliced avocado, sprinkle lemon juice on the exposed flesh and then refrigerate in a plastic bag. According to NaturalNews.com, Avocadoes provide all 18 essential necessary for the body to form a complete protein. Unlike the protein in steak, which is difficult for most people to digest, avocado protein is readily absorbed by the body because avocadoes also contain fiber. If you are trying to cut down on animal sources of protein in your diet, or if you are a vegetarian, vegan or raw foodist seeking more protein, avocadoes are a great nutritional ally to include not merely as an occasional treat, but as a regular part of your diet.

amino acids

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Foods Rich in Calcium Yogurt, plain, low fat Collards, frozen, boiled Skim milk Yogurt, plain, whole milk Black-eyed peas, boiled Canned salmon Calcium-set tofu Cheese food, pasteurized American Trail mix (nuts, seeds, chocolate chips) Baked beans, canned Cottage cheese, 1% milk fat

As a nutrient-packed, fiber-rich whole grain, brown rice has many of the good qualities you expect in a Magic food. Not only does it boast six times the fiber of white rice, it’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and natural plant compounds made by nature to protect your health. And, as a whole grain, brown rice is part of the formula for lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Iceberg lettuce Green peas, boiled Soy milk Oranges Almonds

According to Bornfreeusa.org, “Egg-laying hens in the United States number more than 459 million. Of these millions of birds, 97% are confined to “battery” cages, tiny cages roughly 16 by 18 inches wide. Five or 6 birds are crammed into each cage, and the cages are stacked in tall tiers. As many as 50,000 to 125,000 battery hens, in sheds with minimal light, strain to produce 250 eggs per year, ten times the number of eggs they would produce in the wild.”

Dunia / Jan 2013

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Cinnamon

How Much Time Are You Spending Infront of the Computer? Get off that computer. A new study

available on the phone. “Demands for availability origifinds that constantly being online nated not only from work and can affect your mental health. the social network, but also from Researchers at the University of the individual’s own ambitions Gothenburg recently studied or desires. This resulted in disturmore than 4,100 Swedish men and women between the ages of 20 and bances when busy or resting, the 24 for a year and found that a major- feeling of never being free, and difficulties separating work and ity of them who constantly use a private life,” Thomee explained computer and mobile phones can in the study. “Unreturned calls develop stress, sleeping disorders or messages led to overload and and depression. feelings of guilt.” Sara Thomee, lead author of the study, said there was a “central link” Even people who played video games online faced a greater risk between computers and mental of suffering from depression. disorders. “Daily computer gaming for 1–2 “High quantitative use was a cenhours meant an increased risk tral link between computer use for symptoms of depression in and stress, sleep disturbances, and depression, described by the young the women,” the study found. “Often using the computer late adults,” Thomee said in the study. at 48 night (and consequently “It was easy to spend more time than planned at the computer (e.g., losing sleep) was a prospective risk factor for stress and sleep working, gaming, or chatting), and disturbances, including reduced this tended to lead to time pressure, neglect of other activities and performance, in both sexes.” personal needs (such as social inter- Thomee concluded that people need to set limits on computer action, sleep, physical activity), as well as bad ergonomics, and mental and cell phone use and limit their own demands on their availoverload.” ability as to not suffer from these The study found a correlation types of mental disorders. between stress and always being

CBS Charlotte, In July of 2012

By Jeffrey Barke

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Health Benefits

•Researchers recently discovered that cinnamon can actually help lower blood sugar. Some of the natural compounds in cinnamon have the ability to mimic insulin, helping glucose get into cells, where it can be used for energy, and significantly lowering blood sugar in the process. •One study involving 60 men and women found that taking as little as 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon a day lowered blood sugar by 18 to 29 percent. It also reduced bad LDL cholesterol by 7 to 27 percent in people with diabetes. •You probably also wouldn’t guess that cinnamon is a good source of fiber (although actually, it’s not so surprising when you consider that it comes from the bark of the cinnamon tree). •Cinnamon also contains the mineral manganese, which may help improve the way your body uses blood sugar. Just 2 teaspoons can set you up with more than one-third of the manganese you need for the day. •The natural chemicals in cinnamon can help prevent blood platelets from clumping together and forming dangerous clots that can trigger a heart attack. •Studies show that a mere whiff of cinnamon can boost brain activity and improve concentration. Source: magicfoods.com

Dunia / Jan 2013

Life Story

During the latter part of my twenties, I found myself really craving more from my spiritual life. I had grown weary of self-defeating thoughts and desired to exist in happiness and peace. I was raised Christian and have a huge amount of respect for the Christian belief system and its ideals, but I constantly questioned the methodology of the practice and some of the tolerated approaches to emerging social norms like homosexuality and other religious practices. As a person who does not value any form of judgment or racism because I believe that it is rooted in ignorance, I found it hard to agree with the subtle and not so subtle attacks being made and thus began to look for a different spiritual outlet. It is true that whatever we need in life for progression is already in our environment, and with that realization, I began to be more instinctively aware of the expression of spirituality through the people in my life and decided to pay attention to the differences.

There were two people who directly influenced

From the Baptist Church to Nichiren Buddhism –

My Journey as a Nichiren Buddhist

Quenesha McNair

Dunia / Jan 2013

my decision to consider Nichiren Buddhism. The first person was my best friend of many years who I’d watched traverse through obstacle after obstacle in life unscathed and triumphant. I had quietly observed her face major challenges as a woman and a mother, meanwhile preserving the most welcoming and loving demeanor that anyone could ask to have. She was always full of joy and able to share her joy with those of us who needed frequent refills! The second person was my hair stylist. She too was a woman full of ferocious faith who constantly spewed positivity and determination in every conversation. I sat front row to some of her dimmest moments in life and watched her proceed on her journey full of conviction in her faith and her expected victory. Both of these women were accepting, loving and non-judgmental all the times! I was amazed and intrigued. I had been raised to believe that Jesus and belief in His Spirit’s power was the only way to true victory, but had the pleasure of observing quite the opposite. www.duniamagazine.com

When I decided to take the about 30 days in my position and leap of faith and consider stated that he wanted to offer “... as a Nichiren Buddhism, I was very me a reward for my performance. practitioner of discreet. I knew that those He’d noticed that I was car Nichiren Buddhism around me would question shopping and wanted to make it who has experienced this the future of our relationship easier by introducing me to his mystical power countlessly preferred sales associate with because many Christians are taught to separate from those throughout my journey, I am the local Lexus dealership and of a different faith. I started that the company would help me constantly amazed at how chanting Nam-Myo-Rengeobtain a new car! I was beyond much more fulfilling my Kyo (just like Tina Turner) ecstatic and nervous because I life has been...” in the late summer of 2010 really did not know how it would and was instructed by many all work out. So that afternoon, of the Buddhist partners to we went to the Lexus dealership document my goals and aspirations and in addition and I was asked to select one of three brandto absolute happiness, I would begin to see those spanking new luxury SUVs. After selecting and test desires manifest in my life. Sounds like magic right? driving my new vehicle (which was a fully loaded I can admit that I was a skeptic, but as a practitioner 2010 Lexus RX 350), I proceeded to complete the of Nichiren Buddhism who has experienced this paperwork for the transaction. During the process, mystical power countlessly throughout my journey, the sales associate asked me to sign over the rights I am constantly amazed at how much more fulfilling to my current vehicle as it was being acquired in the my life has been since beginning my journey with transaction. See the blessing ?! I owed over $18,000 Nichiren Buddhism. for the car that I was driving. During the transaction, not only did I receive my luxury SUV (in the form of My initial requests were pretty big (at least to a company vehicle), but that $18,000 was wiped off me). I chanted for absolute happiness because I the books for me immediately and permanently – was in a deep pit of depression, I chanted for a new talk about debt cancellation! So in one transaction car (luxury SUV to be exact) and I chanted for debt and with a moment’s notice, I received my luxury cancellation. I used to drive to work chanting NamSUV and my debt cancellation. From that moment Myo-Renge-Kyo determined to see the proof of this on, I was a believer! practice in my life. Due to the Buddhists members’ encouragement to keep chanting, my disposition in It was hard to gain acceptance. I went through life and demeanor began to change immediately. I and still endure being judged for being different. internally became aware of my own contributions I have always been very respectful of my mother to my unhappiness through my defeating thoughts, and will always honor her only request which was my poor choice of friends, my addiction to harmful to never disrespect Jesus and the Christian faith. I substances, my refusal to create balance within my also listen to inspirational messages from Christian relationships with work, friends and other external leaders from time to time, because I appreciate commitments . wisdom.

True to the wisdom of my fellow Nichiren Buddhists practioners, the practice of chanting

helped me to become enlightened to who I truly was and it also helped me to develop the courage to change and progress as a human being. In Buddhism, we call this process “Human Revolution” and this process is the most important objective of this practice. The more we as individuals grow and the happier we become, we are able to be catalyst for the improvement of our environment! Just beyond the victory of overcoming depression, the mystical power of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyoreally went into overdrive! I had recently begun a new position and the employer contacted me after www.duniamagazine.com

Dunia / Jan 2013

“

Buddha Quotes “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” “It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.” “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.”

What most don’t realize is that the core beliefs of Christianity

are also the core beliefs of Buddhism – world peace, happiness for humanity and charity. Both practices believe that fortifying one’s faith will escort you through the personal transformation needed to obtain the objectives of the practice. Both practices believe in the perfect wisdom innately locked within each of us. One of the differences that I have found through experience is in the expression of these beliefs. Also, another difference is that although Nichiren Buddhism is represented in every nation throughout the world, the practice is uniform wherever you go. I have lived in other countries while practicing Buddhism and my experiences abroad have been identical to my experiences in the United States. Additionally, Nichiren Buddhists are also very respectful of other spiritual practices. I would say that the greatest difference and the deal sealer for me is that Nichiren Buddhists believe in taking full and complete responsibility for one’s own life. We do not blame others for our misfortune or seek spiritual authority for our enlightenment. The ultimate goal is world peace and the happiness of humanity and this is achieved through a spiritual interdependent practice that leads an individual through their personal transformation, better known as human revolution.

The most amazing benefit that I have received since practicing

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”

”

“Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.”

Buddhism is courage. I went from being a corporate slave, afraid of my own personal power and ability to a budding entrepreneur whose desire is to exhaust my gifts and talents and help those around me do the same. I have always had the desire to be a moneyearning homemaker (even though I am single without kids) and through my relationships, I have found the vehicle to allow me to do just that. Girded with my faith and determination, in 2012 I launched a technology and energy franchise that has allowed me to create excellent income for myself and my Mom. In less than one year, I have advanced throughout the company’s compensation plan and I am on target to really seeing tremendous financial success within the next five years.

“... We do not blame others for our misfortune or seek spiritual authority for our enlightenment...”

I am f ully convinced that my decision to choose Nichiren Buddhism as my spiritual vehicle has introduced me to who I was born to be and that its contribution to the strengthening of my faith and the structuring of my belief system will provide me with the mental and spiritual endurance to win in my journey of life because in this practice, we believe that victory is the only way! D

For more information about Nichiren Buddhism, visit www.sgi.org Interested in creating additional streams of income, learn more about the Buddhist practice or just to develop a friendship? Email Quenesha McNair at quenesham@yahoo.com. I love making new friends!

Dunia / Jan 2013

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Dunia / Jan 2013

RELATIONSHIPS RELATIONSHIP MATHEMATICS

Smart man + smart woman = romance Smart man + dumb woman = affair Dumb man + smart woman = marriage Dumb man + dumb woman = pregnancy

SHOPPING MATH

A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he

needs. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need.

GENERAL EQUATIONS & STATISTICS

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife. A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

HAPPINESS

To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.

LONGEVITY

Married men live longer than single men, but married men are a lot more willing to die.

MEMORY

Any married man should forget his mistakes, there's no use in two people remembering the same thing.

APPEARANCE

Men wake up as good-looking (or ugly) as they went to bed. Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

PROPENSITY TO CHANGE

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, and she does

DISCUSSION TECHNIQUE

A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

COMPREHENSION

There are two times when a man doesn't understand a woman: before marriage and after marriage.

HOW TO STOP PEOPLE FROM BUGGING YOU ABOUT GETTING MARRIED

Old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, cackling and poking me in the ribs, telling me, "You're next." They stopped after I started doing the same thing to them at funerals.

MARRIAGE, BEFORE AND AFTER â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can turn Before marriage, man yearns for painful situations the woman of his dreams. After marriage, around through the "y" is silent laughter. If you can find humor in any- Thanks Maria Renheim & Carol Voderman thing, even poverty, Source: www.tallrite.com you can survive it.â&#x20AC;? - Bill Cosby

Dunia / Jan 2013

Hooters digital gift cards now available online. They can be emailed directly to loved ones' inboxes and are available for immediate use. Gift givers can choose from two plastic traditional gift card designs for shipping or seven digital designs, several featuring the iconic Hooters Girls. To purchase online gift cards, shop at giftcards.hooters.com www.duniamagazine.com

The Foundation of A Happy Marriage By Sharon Fonge

Everyone wants to be happy in their marriage, but why are few actually achieving it? Many get into the marriage covenants forgetting who the author himself is: God. Yes God instituted marriage when he created man in the Garden of Eden. Listen to this scripture in Genesis 2:18, ‘The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”’ (NIV) I believe that without God as the foundation of any marriage, it’s impossible to enjoy true happiness and success. Let me ask you a question. How many “happily married” couples do you know? How about you, are you happily married? Is your marriage anything like you thought it would be? Many individuals go into marriage anticipating “happily ever after”, only to find out that happiness does not happen automatically. More and more folks enter into marriage with no proper understanding, preparation, or training on how to achieve true happiness with their chosen partners. Couples often spend more time planning for the wedding ceremony than for life after the wedding day hence end up in divorce or just hanging in there because of “the kids” or financial constraints. Many have copied modern television or Hollywood style marriages, discarding traditional marriage norms and family structures as realistic. Television-style relationships have left this generation believing that adultery, cohabitation and even divorce are the normal (and of course) easiest way out. But wait a minute; have you considered the author of marriage yet? Do you understand or may I ask, would you like to understand the spiritual principles of marriage? It is important to understand the origins of marriage, because honestly, without God, the kind of happiness that many couples yearn for “until death do us part” may never happen. God designed marriage to be that greatest source of happiness every couple should experience. The above scripture describes that Adam and Eve were brought together by God. A man is created to need an assistant, a helper, someone to stand by him, a woman. God then creates a woman and takes her to Adam who had this so say “The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” (Genesis 2:23). The man was clearly happy with what God had brought him, so God gives him these instructions in Genesis 2:24: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh”. This is the foundation of building a new and happy home. For all these principles to work effectively, couples have to submit to one another out of the reverence of Christ. In order to submit, both husband and wife have to understand their unique roles. Husbands have been commissioned to love their wives “25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her

holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” (Ephesians 5:25-28) Wives have been commissioned to: “22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything”. (Ephesians 5:22-24). It is never easy to build a happy marriage but when couples are determined to work together, and use God’s blueprint for the union, they find happiness. I hope this article has provoked you enough to think long and hard about your marriage and take the necessary steps to reconstruct a lasting marital foundation. D

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photo: ÂŠ Andreus | Dreamstime Stock Photos

3 WAYS To Make 2013 a Year of Excellence

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Success

1. Don’t Panic, Make Good Choices ............................................................................................................................................................. Chose your thoughts carefully. I once took a trip

to San Francisco with a friend and on our way there, we drove for six hours in daylight. Explored the city and all the beautiful history behind it. On our way back, we took the scenic route with a beautiful ocean views and hill sides. Suddenly darkness came upon us and even though the GPS was showing how much time we had left before we arrived at our destination and the exact approximate time of arrival, I shocked myself when I asked the question, “Where are we going? It’s so dark I can’t even see the road ahead.” My friend who was confidently driving recognized my fear and said, “Relax, I just took a short cut that will get us home 30 minutes earlier.” Because I was not familiar with that route and I could not see far ahead, fear was creeping in and I began to welcome it. I almost forgot about the GPS and the fact that my destination was home bound regardless of which road I took. The positive thoughts about the trip were instantly intercepted because I was distracted by the darkness and the unfamiliar route we were taking to return home. Everyone of us was created with a gift and a purpose. The limitations we experience mostly start from our thinking. Our thoughts either drive us into depression or help us rise to our highest potential. It is a matter of choosing which of the thoughts we wish to feed. Everyone has a different story that reflects their thoughts and beliefs. We have the choice to either develop the confidence to live beyond current limitations, or sink in a rot and be miserable. Try telling your story to yourself in a mirror. Pretend your image in the mirror is someone else and then see if you evoke pity for yourself due to your recollections of all the sad things that have hap-

pened to you or if you exude excitement and a sense of ambition about your future regardless of where you have been in the past. If you don’t like your story, then now is a good time to change it. This change begins with your thinking.

Your circle of influence. My mother used to tell me “if you have a friend and you are not adding any value to their life in one way or another, then it is a waste of time and friendship.” What types of discussions are you having with your friends? Are you always proud to share your big dreams with them or are you afraid they will laugh at your dreams and kill them? If you have friends who laugh at your dreams then it is time to make new friends. I am not saying you go around making enemies because people do not buy into your big idea. Sometimes even your parents, spouse or siblings will not support that big idea until it starts to look like a possibility. That is when you need a circle of influence that can provide the support you need until your parents or spouse catches on. You do not have to disrespect them in the process. They just don’t see eye to eye with your dream but they still care about you and other aspects of your life that are important to them. Start by finding a friend who believes in you, also seek out a mentor and/or a coach. Such relationships help to keep you in check when the storms of life roll in as you build your dream. Network. Have you noticed how there are specific networks and associations for specific career groups? When was the last time you attended a network or association that is related to your career or interest? There are plenty of networks and associations for teachers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, nurses, business, diplomats, coaching, authors and many more. That is because they understand that people need support in their careers or fields of interest. Do you remember having a fun group of friends when you were back in kindergarten or middle school? Take a good look at the people you associate yourself with, do you learn from them and provide them value as well or do you help each other drown? It is your choice.

Anze Mofor is an Author, Speaker, Consultant. Website: www.LissLife.com

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Dunia / Jan 2013

2. Take Action ...................................................................................................... Friends, let me start the new year by talking briefly about moving FROM MOTIVATION TO ACTION. More and more people are becoming interested in motivational resources: books, DVDs, seminars, webinars and everything in between. This is a good thing as words can empower people to aim for the best they can be, do and have in life. However, motivation for motivation sake is the reason why many people have no results to show in life. Some mentees I have had over the years have read all the major books on the subject of motivation. They quote profusely from the classics - Napoleon Hill, Wayne Dyer, Bob Proctor, Joseph Murphy, Neville Godard, Og Mandino - BUT, and it is a huge BUT, nothing changes in their lives. I noticed this trend in my life as well when I started. I bought more motivational books, then more, then even more. Nothing changed. I then realized that there are two kinds of resources required for success. The first kind is the purely motivational. It tells you WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING. This includes biblical sermons and quotes such as "I can do all things through Christ...". The second is the action script which tells you WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT. This includes resources that show you how to set up a website, how to set up an affiliate business, how to set up as a real estate agent, how to own a franchise etc. Once you are motivated and the HOW TO resources are there, start DOING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. This is when to stop attending motivational seminars. This is when to curtail the purchase of motivational DVDs and books. This is the time when you withdraw from the public eye, stop commenting on every post on Facebook, cut down on phone calls and embark on executing your plan. So take a look at your resources. Are you motivating yourself too much and DOING too little? Then it is time to tip the scale. James 2:17 says "faith without works is dead". Motivation has only one goal. It moves you to DO that which will take you to your place of greatness. Swing into action now and start building your future!

Gordon Hurd is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, Philantropist, Preacher, Life Coach. Website: www.GordonHurd.tv 28

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3. Cultivate Excellence ............................................................................................................................... “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.” - King Solomon (Proverbs 22:29) Excellence is the gap between average and exceptional. It’s the ability to exceed expectations and consistently deliver superior quality. In developing habits of excellence, leaders gain influence and stand out from the crowd. By cultivating a culture of excellence, a business attracts customers and wins their loyalty. Excellence Means... 1) Consistency I agree with Aristotle: “Excellence is not an act, it’s a habit.” To gain a reputation for excellence necessitates delivering results whenever you’re called upon. Hit-and-miss performers are neither trusted nor respected. On the other hand, those who repeatedly demonstrate competence gain credibility, and their credibility paves the way to influence. 2) Improvement Legendary basketball coach Pat Riley defines excellence as “the gradual result of always striving to be better.” People with a spirit of excellent continuously improve; they make sure to be better tomorrow than they are today. Excellent leaders are voracious learners. Since they’re constantly growing, they always have fresh insights to impart to their teammates and new skills to contribute to their organization. 3) Creativity Creativity attracts others to you and to your ideas. We enjoy interacting with people who open up our imaginations through the originality of their work. Creativity also gives rise to excellence by facilitating problem-solving. Sometimes creative persons break new ground; at other times they simply find innovative ways to apply existing concepts. Either way, they add value by enabling their organization to move beyond the obstacles that had previously held it back. 4) Going the Extra Mile “To excel” literally means to go beyond average. Responsible people can be counted upon to do what is expected of them, but excellent people routinely do more than asked. Persons of excellence deliver results in such a way that leaves their customers pleasantly surprised.

John C Maxwell is an Author, Professional Speaker, Pastor. Courtesy: www.Johnmaxwell.com

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Dunia / Jan 2013

“You have to practice success. Success doesn’t just show up. If you aren’t practicing success today, you don’t wake up in 20 years and be successful, because you won’t have developed the habits of success, which are small things like finishing what you start, putting a lot of effort into everything you do, being on time, treating people well.” - Michelle Obama to the students of the University of Capetownn, South Africa, June 23, 2011

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President Barack Obama stands barefoot in front of the 368-foot tall Shwedagon pagoda in Rangoon, Burma, Nov. 19, 2012.

Why we LOVE President Obama

(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Here is the President, shoes and socks off in respect, posing like an American tourist in front of the oldest pagoda in the world in a country that no U.S. President had ever been able to visit." --- from the White House album www.duniamagazine.com

Dunia / Jan 2013

“...It was at this year’s Africa Braintrust that the Africa Channel helped reveal that my ancestry is rooted in the great people of Cameroon...” Rep. Karen Bass

United States Congresswoman

Karen Bass

Democrate Representing California’s 37th District, which includes Los Angeles and Culver City.

The Importance of Redefining U.S. - Africa Relations The causes that U.S. House Representative Karen Bass has embraced over her career - on The Hill, The State House in California and before these elective positions, are testament to her singular focus on improving the human condition locally, nationally and on the international arena, notably in Africa. Interview November, 2012. By Lema Abeng-Nsah & Innocent Chia

Dunia Magazine (DM): Congresswoman Karen Bass, Your passion for Foster kids has not gone unnoticed. Passions are generally triggered by an experience, whether close or distant. What triggered yours? Representative Karen Bass (RKB): My concern for foster care youth goes back many years. I saw the devastating impacts the crack cocaine epidemic was having on my community in Los Angeles. One of those impacts was the placement of several children into the foster care system because their parent’s drug addictions prevented them from providing the proper care. So I always kept them in mind from my days as an activist throughout my time in the California Assembly where I pushed to help children who were about to age out of the system and make sure we made investments into housing facilities for foster care youth. Here in Congress that passion

continues. I’ve been working on a bi-partisan basis to introduce transformative legislation to address some of the short comings within our current system. I founded and serve as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth. It’s been a great vehicle to work with so many of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, who also share this passion for foster youth. DM: Have there been parallels between the needs of the Foster system and the work that you do in your Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights? RKB: There definitely are parallels. With our foster care system, we are looking at ways to provide better care and services to children who for some reason or another may not have a home, parents or a family to care for them and provide the foundation they need to be successful in life. The same is true for children all over the world who for

some reason or another, don’t have that foundation and are in need of parental guidance and a family to love them. So while the root causes may be somewhat different, the fundamental needs of these children whether they be here or Africa are the same. They need parents and families to love them and nurture them to their full potential. In Africa particularly you have children who are orphaned due to HIV and AIDS for example. Those children are certainly in need of parents and a helping hand to give them the best possible opportunity to succeed. Another similarity is human trafficking. Foster care

youth in the United States are very susceptible to human trafficking. The same is

true in Africa, where children who have lost their parents for one reason or another face many of the same dangers – so there are definitely parallels. DM: Regarding your Subcommittee, your Subcommittee

Courtesy: facebook.com/RepKarenBass. June 2012

Congressmember Bass is Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Africa successfully pushed through the passage of the AGOA in August of 2012. Why is AGOA - which has been a bipartisan highlight since its inception under President Bill Clinton - so important, yet so unknown? RKB: Just to clarify, a special provision within AGOA was extended and linked to expiration of the law overall – in 2015. While the Africa subcommittee certainly has interest in AGOA, in this case the provision that was passed into law actually falls under the jurisdiction of the House Ways and Means Committee. AGOA is critically important for many reasons. First it supports jobs across the continent. There are some 300,000 jobs attached to AGOA and many of those are jobs that go to African women. If you count the jobs that are indirectly linked to AGOA that number rapidly approaches one million or more jobs. AGOA is an important tool for economic development on the continent and with that comes the opportunity to really redefine the United States’ relationship with Africa. One of the many things I’ve been working to address in Congress is pushing a dialogue to redefine our relationship with Africa by expanding our focus from aid to trade.

Over the last decade, six of the world’s fastest growing economies were in SubSaharan Africa. There is huge potential here for engagement that benefits both of

the African economies as well as the United States. I think a lot of these facts are unknown to so many people who are stuck in an old and outdated way of thinking about Africa. They are not aware that these opportunities exist or of the success of something like AGOA so many of the accomplishments go unknown. I think it’s one of the reasons why our work to redefine that dialogue on Africa is so important so that people understand the opportunities that exist on the continent.

Courtesy: facebook.com/RepKarenBass

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DM: You traveled to East Africa earlier in 2012. Was that your first visit ever to Africa? Please tell us about that experience. RKB: I first visited the continent in 1999 when I took a trip to Ghana. Before visiting, I was deeply involved in the anti-apartheid struggle in the www.duniamagazine.com

United States and more generally focused on the liberation struggle of African nations as many had or were just fully realizing their newly minted independence. My visit to Ghana was a special time for me and one that I will always cherish. Since joining the U.S. Congress, I have had the great honor to visit several African nations including, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Gabon, Botswana, and Sao Tome. It has been an incredible journey and opportunity to better understand Africa, and U.S.-Africa policy more broadly. DM: Prior to your first African visit, what were your thoughts about Africa? How did the visit change or reinforce those thoughts? RKB: You know some of my first memories of Africa were of African nations being liberated from colonial powers. In Los Angeles where I’m

from, my friends and I were strong advocates for an Africa that was free and led by African leaders rather than foreign powers. Earlier this year we observed

Africa day – some 50 years since African liberation.

As Ranking Member of the Africa subcommittee, I was proud to recognize the tremendous progress that has been made since the 1960. I should add to that in my visits to the continent, to East, West and Southern Africa, I have been awe struck with the tremendous growth that I’ve seen and the desire to maximize growth and development well into Africa’s future. My first visit to Africa really just reinforces a lot of the assumptions I already held and that is Africa is a strong and entrepreneurial place with so much to continue contributing to the world. DM: There are many African Americans that have been taking the genealogy test to trace their specific origins. It is our understanding that you did yours. Would you be so kind as to share with us what it revealed and what, if anything, it means to you? RKB: Well, as you may know, each year the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation convenes their Annual Leadership Conference (ALC). During the 2012 ALC, a session called the Africa Braintrust has been an annual fixture and is a time to discuss and evaluate a wide range of issues regarding the continent. It was at

“Africa is a strong and entrepreneurial place with so much to continue contributing to the world...” Gulu, Uganda. Congressmember Bass thanks an elderly woman for sharing her story. She was tortured and shot by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)

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this year’s Africa Braintrust that the Africa Channel helped reveal that my ancestry is rooted in the great people of Cameroon. I was delighted that this “reveal” was presented by the Cameroon Ambassador here in Washington. While I have yet to visit

Cameroon – and I plan to do so – it brought a sense of joy to know that I am West African by ancestry. I very much look forward to a sort of homecoming and learning more about Cameroon.

DM: What do you know about this country and have you had the time yet to visit since learning of the results? RKB: I have not had a chance to visit Cameroon but I hope to do so in the near future. Why don’t you check in with me after my visit and I’ll tell you all about my trip and my ancestral discovery! DM: You have been an avid supporter of President Obama. What is your assessment of his first term, especially with regards to minorities that have been expressing a feeling of abandonment? RKB: Yes I am an avid supporter of President Obama. But I really have to say that I disagree with the notion that African Americans feel abandoned by President Obama. Let’s not forget President Obama came into office in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression. President Clinton said it best at the Democratic Convention when he said that no president including himself could’ve gotten America out of such a deep hole in only four years. Yet despite

the historic magnitude of the challenges he inherited and almost unparalled opposition from the Republican Party, this President has made significant headway in improving the lives of African Americans. The Recovery Act President Obama signed kept 1.3 million African Americans out of poverty and extended unemployment insurance for those looking to find work. He has made billions of dollars in investments for education that benefit African Americans, covering everything from $2.5 billion for Historically Black Colleges to $2 billion in competitive grants to expand and improve community college programs where nearly half of all African Americans are enrolled in college. And also on healthcare, the President’s reform legislation is helping millions of African

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Americans have access to healthcare and other services needed to improve their quality of life. Another accomplishment that isn’t talked about enough is the legislation he signed narrowing the disparity between those convicted of possessing crack cocaine and powdered cocaine – which as you know disproportionately, put African Americans in jail for longer sentences than other groups convicted of the same crime. President Obama came in under dire circumstances yet despite that and with not a lot of cooperation from Republicans, he’s made a great deal of headway on several issues of importance to minority communities. DM: Tell us where you watched election results on November 6th, 2012? What are your expectations for an Obama second term, especially in terms of your Subcommittee and some of your causes that are precious at heart? RKB: I watched the election results from Chicago so it was very exciting because I was there when the President spoke to the nation after securing his second term in office. With four more years I think we have an opportunity to make headway on several key issues. I want to work with the Administration for the successful reauthorization of AGOA in 2015. As I stated earlier, AGOA is a great tool for expanding the dialogue on Africa and maximizing the opportunities that exist on the continent. I think the President will be a strong partner in that. Another cause I’d like to try and tackle with the President’s help is transformative change within the United States’ foster care system. I’ve been traveling the country as a part of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth,

President Barack Obama signs the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act with guests in the Oval Office, Sept. 30, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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Rep. Bass participates in a roundtable conversation hosted by the Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP). June 2012

meeting with key stakeholders and foster youth to develop comprehensive legislation that addresses the shortcomings in our current system. So far we have taken a piecemeal approach when tackling foster care but I’d like to work with the President and my congressional colleagues on a set of comprehensive transformative reforms over the next few years. DM: Americans and others across the world would define you as a successful person. What has been your roadmap for success and what would you say someone must have to be successful? RKB: Well I’d first have to say that I’ll consider myself successful when I have achieved a few things I’ve been working on for quite some time and one of those is transformative change within America’s foster care system and doing everything I can to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Africa. With regards to success, I think it’s important to just lead with your passion. More than building a career, what I have done throughout my life is followed by passion for activism. That passion led me into community organizing and the organization I helped to found, Community Coalition was very successful in addressing several of those community problems I’ve talked about. From there I was approached by several folks in the community about running for the Assembly. The Assembly was a great experience for me but it wasn’t something I sought out. Again people saw my work in doing the things I was passionate about so the opportunity just sort of came to me. The story for how I got to Congress is also very similar. So the theme I’ve noticed in my life is that great success has come

June 2012. I am truly honored and humbled to have met President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia today on Capitol Hill. As Africa’s first elected women Head of State, her presidency gives us all hope – women in Africa and women around the world. President Sirleaf who is also a 2011 Nobel Laureate spoke about the important work to building Liberia’s infrastructure, focus on her nations economic development and independency, and ensuring Liberian young people are full part of Liberia’s bright future.

Gulu, Uganda. Congressmember Bass speaks with one of the coordinators of a CARE women empowerment Savings and Loan Program. June 2012

when I was simply doing the things I was passionate about to make whatever difference I could. That’s the lesson I would have

to offer to anyone and that’s always lead with your passion. But again I’m not done yet. There is lots more to accomplish before I would consider myself successful. D

Eldoret, Kenya. Congressmember Bass thanks a youth leader at a luncheon to discuss the 2013 Kenyan elections and efforts to involve youth in positive ways in lead up to, during and after the election, June 2012

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Dunia / Jan 2013

Domino Effect

A Poem by Prince Kanokanga Harare, Zimbabwe Like dominoes we stand Humble and tall Quite clumsily we fall In the thick of things On rock solid ground Solidarity is shown. Like dominoes we stand In tough times, we soldier on Unity is born Empires rise and fall We pick ourselves up Life carries on In pursuit of dreams, we press on. Remarkably we all fall We puppets on strings Daily our routine Balancing life on string Like dominoes we all stand Yet we all fall. Down trodden youth Don’t stay grounded far too long These are life’s balances To make sure and strong Always remember life is more than a board game Life has no other comparison Like dominoes we all stand In one accord Unison our song Together for one A chain of reaction Setting cause of similar events “Misfortunes never come singly” The Domino Effect. 38

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DUNIA Magazine organizes a Million Woman Walk For Congo Join The Circle of LOVE “The circle has power. In the circle, we are all equal. No one is in front of you. No one is behind you. No one is above you. No one is below you. The circle is a form that creates unity. The hoop of life is also a circle. On this hoop there is a place for every species, every race, every tree and every plant. It is this completeness of life that must be respected in order for us to be complete.”

*** www.duniawomenwalk.org www.duniamagazine.com

CONGO Crisis

On December 19, 2012, Representative Karen Bass shared on her FB page: “Today, I participated in the second of two hearings on the Democratic Republic of Congo in as many weeks. The DRC has been in crisis for nearly two decades and left 5 million dead and some 2 million raped, displaced or brutalized. Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee was actor and activist Ben Affleck who founded an organization that focuses on the ongoing crisis in the Eastern Congo.”

Representative Bass wants readers to know that: “... the US Congress will act to bring an end to the conflict in the DRC. Lasting peace is about addressing the underlying issues and making sure it doesn’t happen again,” she told Dunia Magazine Publisher Lema Nsah in December 2012. Rep Bass on social media: Twitter: www.twitter.com/RepKarenBass FB: www.facebook.com/RepKarenBass

“The most frequent targets of this hidden war are women. It is, in fact, a war against women, and the weapon used to destroy them, their families and whole communities, is rape.”

Katherine Dabo writes: There are 7 Seven things I want you to know about the Democratic Republic of Congo. 1) World’s deadliest war: over 6 million have died since 1997. 2) Armies and Militia are safe havens and business opportunities for criminals, gangs, thieves, rapists, confused and angry adults and children. 3) The Congo is one of the leading countries in the world in the number of child soldiers. 4) Extremely merciless exploitation of women and children take place every single day, leading to death. 5) Wars and related violent activities, malnutrition, starvation, and lack of nationalism are the main killers in the Congo. 6) Over 13 million orphans and abandoned children live in the Congo. 7) The Democratic Republic Congo is one of the wealthiest countries in the world in terms of natural resources, but its inhabitants rank among the poorest and most exploited in the world. Read complete article on www.duniamagazine.com: War In The Heart of Africa: CONGO On It’s Knees As Women & Children Continue To Pay The Highest Price

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Dunia / Jan 2013

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Gucci Nominee and presenter Katy Perry wore Gucci Cruise 2013 look 43 pale jade, light jersey long sleeve gown with embroidered neckline, nude patent leather sling back shoes and blue suede and crystal clutch.

2013 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter at Sunset Tower in West Hollywood Li Bing Bing wore Gucci Spring Summer 2013 blue washed silk ruffled top with a keyhole opening and a flared trouser, crocodile minaudiĂ¨re with Bamboo detail, Horsebit earrings in 18kt pink gold, onyx, black synthetic corundum and black diamonds, Horsebit Cocktail ring in 18kt pink gold, black synthetic corundum and black diamonds, and Bamboo bracelets in 18kt pink gold.

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Land Grammy Nominee John Legend wore a Gucci midnight blue notch lapel two button Signoria suit with blue dress shirt.

Performer Bruno Mars and his band wore Gucci black diamante printed notch lapel two button Heritage tuxedos with black dress shirt and black patent leather loafers with yellow gold horsebit detail.

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On the Streets of Tokyo

Kyousuke is a 21 year old student who we met in Harajuku. With round sunglasses, a bowler hat, and pops of color, he is both dapper and trendy. Kyousuke is wearing a simple black shirt with a resale blazer and drop-crotch (sarueru) pants. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got a denim bag with a bright red lips print from Vivienne Westwood, and a matching tie from the same designer. His black and white creepers are from Tuk, and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also wearing a silver Vivienne Westwood armor ring. He told us that his favorite designers are Comme des Garcons and Vivienne Westwood

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o y

k o T

Hirari works at the famous Dog Harajuku boutique, attends beauty school, and has become a bit of a Tokyo street style icon. When we ran into Hirari at night in Shibuya, she was wearing a knit sweater with extra sleeves from Dog Harajuku and black boots. Her accessories include a cool bag made out of an old Supertramp vinyl record (also from Dog), large graphic earrings, a bracelet from Sioux of Vive Vagina, and her recent throat piercing. 46

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Lala grabbed out attention with her long, burgundy colored, braided hair and statement jewelry when we spotted her on the street in Harajuku. She is wearing a white graphic Tshirt with short shorts and a plaid shirt tied around the hips. Lala picked Y-strap high heels in black and carries a small clutch. She also wears hoop earrings, a large necklace and chunky D&G cuff bracelets, as well as an oversized ring on one finger.

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Ernest Alanki

Q&A

Interview by Samantha Watson (Twitter: @peeksawa)

Samantha Watson (SW): You were born in Cameroon but you now live in Sweden, how did this come about? Ernest Alanki (EA): Well yes, I was born in Cameroon and grew up there but then I moved from there to Sweden 12 years ago to study Microbiology at PhD level and I ended up staying there. But for a period of time I also moved from Sweden to England where I worked for four years.

HopeRoad Publishing managed to pin down academic and author Ernest Alanki, writer of The Chocolate Shop Perverts, to talk about his life in Cameroon and his journey in writing. He also shared some of his creative writing processes before jetting back to Sweden.

(SW): Can you tell me more about what it was like for you growing up in Cameroon? (EA): Cameroon to me is like a lot of African countries where people are happy even though they do not have a lot. People get up in the morning, people pass by and say hello. I don’t need to call someone before I visit, but those things are different in certain countries and I‘ve learnt to understand these different cultures. My upbringing in Cameroon didn’t really stay with me because of the circumstances in which I was brought up. I felt a lot like an outsider because my parents were never married. I ended up moving to my father’s at the age of six and staying in a house where my father was married to another woman and they had kids and I was always the kid that came from outside of the marriage and for some

“For me creativity comes because I am able to observe the world and appreciate things that I see around me and not take them for granted...” Ernest

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reason I was isolated, so I lost myself reading a lot of books and isolating myself. I think it is now that I have a better perspective because of the period in my life I don’t feel weighed down from the problems of it.

“...I feel that the stories I write represent culture as well as my identity...”

(SW): What inspired you to be a writer? What was that moment where you thought “yes” I want to be a writer? (EA): I think one of the reasons why I became really interested in writing is because I started reading very early in my life, I came from a background where I had a cousin and uncle who would tell us lots of stories and so I took up reading, that inspired me really early on. That ability to realise someone can be influenced from a book got to me and so I started creating stories in my head and even wrote stories from my dreams. At school I just loved writing essays, we would write stories based on just one word, I loved that. But what pushed me towards science in school was not that I understood the value of science but it was the prestige of understanding physics but if I had to choose I would have stuck to literature. (SW): So what was the first short story you had published?

(EA): I’ve been writing full stories for a long time but I started writing short stories two years ago. The very first short story I wrote The Time Traveller and The Midget will be published this fall. (SW): The Chocolate Shop Perverts is your first published ebook, where did the idea come from? (EA): At the time I was working at Newcastle University in 2007, some friends and I decided to go to Edinburgh on a winter day, it was very cold. We ended up in this cafe in the evening and it was warm and cosy. There were a lot of young people in there just having a great time drinking a lot of chocolate. But in this crowd there was a young man that was totally left out and you could see his pain, his suffering. I don’t know what it was but you could see he was all alone. He just stood out to me and so I turned to my friends and said you could write a book called the chocolate shop perverts and they said Ernest you’re crazy. So the book came to me then and I just wanted to write a book about a young man growing up in society where he is lost having experienced a lot of personal tragedies and problems. (SW): Are any parts of your personal life portrayed in the book? (EA): I think the idea of growing up in a home where you are not treated as you would like to be treated, being an outsider or the idea of being in a society where you do not belong. The book comes from that part of me where I didn’t feel connected to society. I could see the anger coming out as I wrote it. (SW): Can you tell me about your creative writing process? (EA): I was walking to this place today [South Bank] and walked across the bridge where you can see trains and there were massive iron beams holding these in place. To me, this is magic. We take for granted that people can build these fantastic things, over rivers and for trains, how things they take from the earth to make metals. I see creativity in everything around me. I was sitting upstairs and I saw two men, I looked at them and realised they were identical twins, they looked like they were homeless. They were listening to an audio book about meditation. Their laptops and phones were wrapped up in plastic bags and they just seemed to be homeless. They were just silent and I looked at those two men and I saw a story just there. For me creativity comes because I am able to observe the world and appreciate things that I see

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around me and not take them for granted to say they are just homeless people. I don’t really have clear stories in my head but I do have pictures which I collect here and there and when I write I connect them to a main theme.

someone could see this as a place to take advantage of kids, particularly the young man sitting there who was totally lost, the title came at an instant and it never changed.

(SW): What made you decide to choose the e-publishing route for your ebook? (EA): I had sent stories to literary agents for quite a while. I had a few that requested The Chocolate Shop Perverts but no one to represent it. Some liked it but felt it was just a stream of consciousness or felt that it was too subjective. It is unfortunate because I feel that the stories I write represent culture as well as my identity. I would post parts of my story on writers’ forums and people, lots of people were thrilled by them. But in one instance, when one person found that the main character was mixed race she stopped reading it. I see things like this a lot. Within the publishing industry we have to try other ways to share our stories and so I approached HopeRoad Publishing and they loved the book. Digital is the way forward.

(SW): What advice would you give to aspiring writers? (EA): I think writing is a very personal thing. It is beautiful but it can also be destructive, in the sense that you can become isolated from the world because when you write you sit there on your own. But the good thing is that when you write you

(SW): What have been some of your challenges as a writer? (EA): I think finding someone to publish your work, someone who believes in you and your work is the most difficult challenge as a writer. (SW): Your book titles are quite controversial, how did you come up with the name The Chocolate Shop Perverts? (EA): When I sat in that Edinburgh cafe there were a lot of young people who were vulnerable and were happy in that vulnerability and I saw a situation here where

observe more, you observe nature, people and you understand the world slightly better. I think I understand life a little better just

because I write. So for anyone aspiring to be a writer during the times when you are sitting there languishing and feeling desperate I think one of the important things to understand is that even though you are alone in that process when you are published you are not alone because you are talking to the world. No matter what happens if you give someone your work to read and they say this is rubbish never give up, be persistent, believe in yourself. Look at Hemmingway, not everyone liked his work but there were people who did and still do. Be passionate and write from the heart. D

For more information or to buy Ernest Alanki’s book The Chocolate Shop Perverts, visit www.hoperoadpublishing.com

Notes about Cameroon Population: about 20.5 million (July 2013 est.) Capital city: Yaounde Languages: 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official) Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% Source: World Fact Book

“The name of the country derives from the term used for the Wouri River by Portuguese explorers. Reaching the Cameroon coast near the modern port city of Douala around 1472, those explorers named the river Rio dos Camaroes (“River of Prawns”) after the variety of crayfish they found there. The division of the country into British- and French-ruled League of Nations mandates after World War I created Anglophone and Francophone regions. The English-speaking region consists of the Southwest and Northwest provinces, where Pidgin English (Wes Cos) is the lingua franca and English is taught in school. The educational system and legal practices derive from those of England. The French-speaking region consists of the remaining eight provinces, where French is the lingua franca, the French school system is used, and the legal system is based on the statutory law of continental Europe.” - Everyculture.com

Dunia / Jan 2013

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Editor’s Pick Christian Prosperity Secrets is endorsed, amongst others, by Marci Shimoff best selling author of Happy for No Reason, Bill Campbell, Lema Abeng Nsah - DUNIA Magazine Publisher, Amy Scott Grant, and Pastor Apostle Humphrey Fondo.

Here is what Beth Misner, best selling author of Jesus and The Secret says in her Foreword of the book: "Christian Prosperity Secrets is a rare gem of a book that will change the way Christians approach prosperity and wealth creation.“ The book starts by laying the foundation of Christian prosperity with strong biblical quotes to buttress every claim. After setting out the reasons why a lot of Christians struggle with lack, Gordon then presents cogent arguments why Christians should not be poor. There are too many charitable works on earth that need sponsoring and the Christian should have enough to be able to “abound to every good work”. If you are a Christian with a passion for doing great works around the world and you do not know how to partner with God to create the wealth you need to fulfil your vision, then Christian Prosperity Secrets is the right book for you. It will open up new possibilities for you and guide you toward achievement on a grander scale than you may have previously settled for. Christian Prosperity Secrets sets a clear prosperity road map that walks the reader through financial goal-setting, business investment, right giving, visualization and gratitude as cornerstones for wealth creation in the Kingdom of God. Christian Prosperity Secrets is a must read!

Now available at www.gordonhurd.tv www.duniamagazine.com

Dunia / Jan 2013

What Nigerian Political Leaders could Learn from The World’s “Poorest” President

Akintokunbo A Adejumo akinadejum@aol.com

have been reading the story of President Jose Mujica — the leader of Uruguay (please note the word “LEADER”) and I find it to be a singular example of humility, sacrifice and an uncommon disdain for all worldly material and other acquisitions. In my opinion, this is a leader who may be worthy of emulation by our so-called leaders in Nigeria, and indeed, in Africa. However, please let us recognise that being "poor" has not necessarily made Mr Mujica a successful or good leader (Uruguay is hardly a top ranking country economically or politically in the world); but it is testimony to the fact that a man truly leads his country and his people, not for his personal or family aggrandisement and benefit, but for service to his people, acquiring nothing personally, but giving back to the people - his people, that he sincerely loves and cares for. It is intriguing to consider how this powerful president draws on his humble roots, his experiences as a former leftist guerrilla, and his reputation as a man of the people, to govern. Assets "His charitable donations - which benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs - indicate his salary to be roughly in line with the average Uruguayan income of $770 a month."

In 2010, President Mujica’s annual personal wealth declaration - mandatory for government officials in Uruguay - showed his assets to be mainly the 1987 Volkswagen Beetle valued at $2,860. This year [2012], he added half of his wife's assets land, tractors and a house - reaching $215,000." This characteristic alone is singularly worthy of emulation by other leaders, especially those in Third World countries, including our very own Nigeria. It also follows God's or Nature's aphorism that no matter what wealth or power we acquire in this world, we are most happy and truly successful when our riches are used for the benefit of the less privileged. And let’s not foget that six feet under the earth is the end of it all, and we don’t even know when or how death will come. Remember the Parable of the Rich Fool... It is gratifying to humanity that President Mujica is not greedy, selfish, corrupt or self-serving. Unlike our leaders in Nigeria and, indeed Africa. They believe, and naïvely so, that the mark of success is the corrupt hoarding of all the wealth, power, possessions and property they work hard to accumulate for themselves and their families.

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World They see success in the number of houses, cars and swollen bank accounts acquired as a result of their greed, thievery and corruption, never sparing a thought for the consequences of their actions (and inactions) on the lives of their own people whose welfare and betterment have been entrusted in their care, whether by force, constitutionally or by the simple laws of Man. Our political leaders are quick and not known to think twice about betraying the trust of the very people who either voted or appointed them into power. There is really nothing wrong with democracy, politics, religion, ethnicity, quest for power or wealth; the problem is the way Nigerian leaders manage to turn these values upside down, in cahoots and collaboration with their followers (and you might say, sometimes, foreign collaborators). Do you have to be poor or be frugal to be a good leader? The answer is obviously No! Being poor is not a prerequisite to being a successful, good, kind, fair, competent, compassionate and incorruptible leader. In the history of the world, poor people hardly have the chance to get to be leaders; however, a rich man who becomes a leader may become poor as a result of giving up all his possession to make the lives of those he leads better. That is the nugget. It is even likely, as often happens in Nigeria that a poor man, or let’s say a man who arose from a poor background, eventually has the chance to become a leader of his people; but then what happens? Such fortunate people become corrupted by power and wealth and easily forget their roots, or their past, or how it was before they had the God-given opportunity of making it to power and all its trappings. Perfecting the image in the Mirror... Humanity has always had a problem with governments – no government in history has ever been perfect, and this is unlikely to change till the end of time – the reason being that it is fallible mortals that operate governments.

“... power often attracts the corruptible, so anyone who seeks power must be suspected of being corrupt until proven otherwise...”

Power is government and government means power; power often attracts the corruptible, so anyone who seeks power must be suspected of being corrupt until proven otherwise. Again, “It is not power that corrupts, but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.” - Aung San Suu Kyi, “Freedom from Fear”. “Experience has shown that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.” Thomas Jefferson Mr Mujica is poor, so what? Are members of his government poor? He must have a cabinet of Ministers and Advisers; are these people, who carry out his wishes and orders poor? Do they share or agree with Mr Mujica’s modest and meagre lifestyle? The answers are not known. Uruguay is not an exceptional country, neither can we classify it as a poor country; but one thing for sure, it is better than Nigeria and indeed, many African countries. The beauty of the Uruguayan situation is that with a modest and focused President, the resources of that country are managed well; corruption reduced to the minimum, bureaucrats do what they are supposed to do and the government loves and really tries to take care of its people. This is governance. I don’t even care if it is not democratic like America or the United Kingdom. So do the Uruguayans love their poor President? They apparently do, not because he is poor, but because he looks out for them; his government remains accountable to them; he is open and fair to them; he does not tolerate excesses and corruption; and neither does he tolerate mismanagement and inefficiency. His military obeys him, his Ministers take their duties seriously ... it is safe to conclude that generally President Jose Mujica oversees a good government that his people can call their own. I will admit I do not know much of the history of Uruguay, probably because I have not bothered to do a lot of research, but the little I know suffices to write this article. Uruguay is home to 3.3 million people of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area. An estimated 88% of the population is of European descent. With an area of approximately 176,000 square kilometres (68,000 sq. mi), Uruguay is the second-smallest nation in South America by area, after Suriname. Uruguay won its independence between 1811 and 1828, following a four-way struggle amongst Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Brazil. It is a democratic constitutional republic, with a president who is both head of

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state and head of government. So here we have it. Nothing really in common with Nigeria except that it was once a colony of a European country and is today operating under a democracy after long periods of military rule. This is enough for me. The size of the country is immaterial as is the constitution, or demography of the country. Our leaders, and indeed the followers, do not have any need to re-invent the wheel. Neither is governance rocket science. The quest and avarice for illegal wealth, unrequited and misplaced power and priorities is our problem. On the humane side, we can also add selfishness and appropriation bordering on the ugly side of our cultural and traditional values. Apt also is the way charlatans and the mediocre force themselves into power for the sole purpose of acquiring wealth. Georgia, a former state of the defunct Soviet Union, which a few years ago, was one of the most corrupt nations in the world, has recently gotten its act together and now boasts of the least corrupt police force in the world. After an intensive drive to purge the country of petty and official corruption, many ordinary Georgians say they actually welcome the sight of police. "Everything has really improved," says Shalva, an elderly car owner in the capital, Tbilisi. "There is no way the patrol officers are taking bribes. They even changed my flat tire for free so that I could keep on driving. What could be better than this?" "There is no other country at the moment where more people see a decrease in corruption in their country, and where more people say the government is effective in fighting corruption," says Mathias Huter, a senior analyst with Transparency International’s Georgia office. "I think this is an indication that the Georgian government's efforts to fight corruption have been very successful." ...Or mirroring our imperfections... How I wish we could say the same of my country, Nigeria, where it is even now more apparent that the Government itself is the main inhibitor and stumbling block to riding the country of the bane of corruption. In fact, one suspects that the government is actively aiding the stupendous growth and sustenance of corruption. As written earlier in an article, the various government apparatus in Nigeria

Dunia / Jan 2013

Uruguay... Yerba matemarker. All over Uruguay, you see people of all ages and backgrounds walking around with a thermos squeezed between arm and body and a yerba mate cup in the hand. It is not made from the tea plant, as some people think, but is an entirely different plant that grows in the area, which is then dried, cut fine and shredded. The taste is very strong and bitter and definitely takes some getting used to. It is custom to share with friends, and you are supposed to drink the full cup before refilling it and passing it on. The yerba mate is drunk out of a cup made out of a calabas called mate and with a bombilla, a metal straw, which filters the drink so that the pulp stays in the cup. It is drunk very hot, so if you burn yourself at the first try, you certainly won't be the only one!

thrives on corruption – it may even be that it is corruption that is keeping the country’s economy, entity and sovereignty from collapse. Can we, nay, can our illegally-rich (in other words, thieving) leaders learn anything from Mr Mujica of Uruguay? Yes, but only in terms of morality and humanity. I am not sure of Mr Mujica’s governmental competence and effectiveness, but if the fact that he is poor and humble are anything to go by, yes, surely, our arrogant and corrupt leaders need to learn a lesson in humility, fear of God and Man, civility, love and concern for one’s fellowman and woman and selflessness in the discharge of one’s duty to his/her people. I see undeserving idiots, mediocre, charlatans and thieves being lauded and acclaimed everyday by the government, the society, religious segments and even the academics with the conferment of dubious honours, awards and accolades, chieftaincy and religious titles and I say to myself, “Are we a degenerate and depraved people who have unfortunately become used to suffering and battering from the hands of an unworthy few?”. The Truth always. D www.duniamagazine.com

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