Verso Africa magazine is a Ghanaian based online publication that advertises and features stories of young African leaders and entrepreneurs in efforts to inculcate the attitude of genuinely supporting one another for the purpose of succeeding together as a continent. This edition features several extraordinary articles including the entrepreneurial journey of Selassie Mensah and her contribution to society. Also, in the Spirit of mental health awareness, an article is featured to sensitize readers. Enjoy every page of this magazine and be sure to review it on our social media platforms!
Table of Contents
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MENTAL HEALTH: THE NARRATIVE OF A DYING CONTINENT
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According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), depression alone affects about 300 million of the world’s population
12 17
THE CIRCLE AGENCY The Circle Agency believes in becoming more influential in the world of trendy fashion and Felix is the perfect game changer to lead his team.
COVER GIRL BIO “ I am extremely passionate about issues relating to literacy development, education, creativity, art, gender equality, public policies and societal change..”
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PERSONAL STYLE (Fashion • Hair • Makeup) You can tell someone’s sense of style from the kind of clothing they wear to the way they pair outfits and how much they accessorize.
HOW WRITING CAN CHANGE THE AFRICAN NARRATIVE In the past, stories told around the fire accompanied traditional songs and dances under the moonlight.
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ICON OF THE MONTH JULIUS NYERERE Julius Nyerere is known as the Father of the Nation in Tanzania.
Editor’s Letter Hello, I am Deborah, a student at The African Leadership College in Mauritius. I have been able to merge my Business Management degree program with my passion for African fashion and social entrepreneurship. I realized the Verso vision is similar to the wax print brand I am building, One Tribe Africa. That is why I am excited to contribute to telling our stories through this magazine issue as the Editor-In-Chief. My role affords me the opportunity to be inspired while working on the content, reading the unique stories of our community builders. I invite you to intentionally go through the articles and take note of the pointers which will impact your life’s journey. Also, on behalf of the editorial team, we are grateful for your immense support of the Magazine. We welcome your reviews on all our Verso Magazine issues so we can improve our publications for your consumption as readers. Do also stay in touch with us to stay updated with Africa’s young innovators. If you’d like to feature in the next edition, kindly reach out to us on versoafrica@gmail.com. Have a good read!
Deborah Agyei-Minta
Editor In-Chief, Verso Africa Magazine
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MENTAL HEALTH the narrative of the dying continent!
A
ccording to the World Health Organisation (WHO), depression alone affects about 300 million of the world’s population and is a leading cause of disability in the world. It is a significant contributor to the overall disease burden and is the second leading cause of death in 15-29-year-olds. As oxygen likened to survival, good mental health is requisite for productivity and improved standard of livelihood. Depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, autism spectrum disorders, manic and panic attacks are the primary forms of mental disorders familiar to most communities (Global Health Observatory Data, 2016). Why should we be concerned about mental health statistics anyway? It remains to a large extent a sa-
cred subject in the African setting surprisingly even amongst the elite. Kenyan humour writer, Ted Malanda feigned dubiety, “I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that depression is an illness… It is such a non-issue that African languages never bothered to create a word for it.” The burden of depression and other mental health conditions is on the rise globally. Meanwhile, the story in Africa is nothing short of depressing itself. Mr Malanda’s sarcastic comments, unfortunately, reflect the reality and emphasizes the neglect and stigma of both the officials and ordinary folk towards the epidemic of mental illness on the continent. At age three, Adepa is
promising at drawing with her photographic memory. However, she is poor at both social interactions and communication. She is suffering from autism spectrum disorder. Living in a rural area south of the Sahara, in a community with neither sufficient education on her condition nor accessible mental health facilities and practitioners, coupled with the neglect and stigma from society has her unique artistic talent clouded by her autistic condition. What’s worse is she could miss out on a lot of her childhood as a result of the neglection to the delight of the family, as she is considered a burden to them. Stephen Wiltshire though having similar conditions has a different story. Irrespective of his autistic conditions, his photographic memory is considered a superpower; this human camera has great architectural drawings under his belt as well. What is the difference between the two cases? That is a question for the African continent to answer. With a shocking statistics of 0.05 per 100,000 population, 0.1 Psychiatrist and 0.3 Psychiatric nurses per 100,000 people. Less than 1% of the national budget of African countries allocated to mental health and as much as over 50% of nations on the continent not having mental health legislation(World Psychiatric Association, 2002).
The future is so predictable for our continent. With a direct relation of mental health issues to the occurrence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD’s), the ill narrative needs not to be on repeat. Most people with mental health issues such as depression are likely yo develop a cardiac arrest or cardiovascular problem (Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 2018). The continent is definitely in for very low life expectancy and a sickening population if this persists. It suggests that not only will we be lagging in development but also a significant deficit in human resource base in a few years to come. It is a race against time for a continent which is gradually running out of fuel for its flames. In an instance, we seem promising, and on the other end, I fear we shall not achieve our potential as a continent with a vibrant youth base. The plague of a weak mental health system will catch up on all of us soon. In more politically stable countries the story is saddening, how much more war-torn areas- it is better left unsaid! We either rise and embrace the energy of activism and intentional improvement in our mental health systems to change the narrative of our present and future. Or condone the inertia towards the invisible but devastating issue of mental health. I pray we choose the former - a mentally healthy population precedes development.
Article by Paul Baka
M
r Segbefia Felix, also known as Fassy, was born in Accra on July 30th. He hails from Anyako, in Volta region (no.9) to be precise, a proud Ghanaian. He is a product of St. Augustine’s College, Cape Coast. Felix is currently at the University of Ghana, Legon pursuing a Bsc. in Information Technology (IT). Realising his passion for creativity & style, birthed out his talent and he is now a freelance model and the CEO of “The Circle Agency“. The dawn of the new age (The Circle agency) begun in July 2017. They are into the exhibition of Ghanaian talents through Photography Modeling, Ushering, Branding, Concept Creation & Model Management. This Agency aims at impacting positive values on the youth, exploring their passion for creativity, style and the use of nature to further encourage patronage of locally made products from Ghana to the world.
The Circle Agency believes in becoming more influential in the world of trendy fashion and Felix is the perfect game changer to lead his team.
@the_circle_agency
Cover STORY
I
am Selassie Mensah, a Ghanaian and a Global Shaper and citizen who seeks to share the passion of reading and writing with the world. I am a young author of five books, namely: The Broom, Reach for the Sun, Padiki, Binetti and Camouflage. All of these are fictional novels for different age groups - The books address themes such as friendship, desensitization, love, forgiveness, teenage pregnancy and hope. I studied Publishing Studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. I have written a lot of short stories for publications such as the Bubbles Magazine for children.
“ I am extremely passionate about issues relating to literacy development, education, creativity, art, gender equality, public policies and societal change..�
I am incredibly passionate about matters concerning literacy development, education, creativity, art, gender equality, public policies and societal change. I live out these passions through the formation of reading and writing clubs in various schools under my initiatives; The Bubbles Literacy Clubs and The Nsoroma Project.
I’m into Writing and all the other activities related to publishing (editing, design, illustration and marketing). I have other interests in Public Policy, Law, Entrepreneurship, Diplomacy and International Affairs. Additionally, my Father and I run Sedesel Publications a publishing firm. The firm seeks to inspire young writers to write and create, and to ensure that their creative pieces impart and positively influence society.
My ability to write was out of my habit of reading voraciously. In my formative years, my dad would get me a book most days when he came back home from work. I didn’t go out much, so books were my companions and boy, the books took me on so many adventurous journeys! The characters I met in the books were my friends. I travelled to so many places in my mind with the help of books. I remember back when I was in primary two, my best friend, Kakra and I would form makeshift creative firms. Here, I would write and make stories on stacks of A4 sheets while she designed and illustrated. We did that and created so many stories that our classmates took turns to read them. It was amusing. With reading, I could be anything I want to be. I could see imaginary places that no one else could and speak with the characters. I wondered how writers could build cities, worlds and people with words and with the power of their pens. I decided that this was something I could try my hands on, and so I began to write.
“Goals, irrespective of their sizes, often lead to fulfilment�. I have worked at Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, which is a German political foundation. I have worked as a Teaching and Research Assistant at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. I also served as an online Journalist and the Write-Away Contest Ambassador at Citifm. Moreover, I have worked as an Editorial Assistant and also in other organizations such as Step Publishers.
I once read a statement that said, “You are lazy when you think your assignments only affect you. Nations are waiting for your obedience.� This statement triggers something within me, and it has become a daily reminder that my talents and gifts are not only for myself but shared with the world. Goals, irrespective of their sizes, often lead to fulfilment. The actual realization, for me, is only attained when one sacrifices to see others become better than himself/herself and contribute to social development. Education was and will always be one of the significant investments my parents contributed to my life. I would want to invest in it in the future of Africa. In Ghana, inadequate educational systems with curricula which encourage rote learning have created an enormous gap between academia and industry. Students, therefore, learn only for examination and not for life and low academic achievers are classified failures. Having seen and experienced these educational challenges, I intend to become a policy analyst, a researcher and a social entrepreneur. I will bring my knowledge to bear on policies to address global challenges and help develop curricula that will encourage holistic education. I will also recognize the different ability groups of students in educational assessment to ensure the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 for quality and inclusive education.
Indeed. I think people are inspired because I am courageous enough to share my challenges, fears and the setbacks I have encountered in my journey. I have learnt that it is so easy to say don’t give up than actually not giving up. There were times I wanted to quit, but a word of encouragement from someone made me hold on and kept fighting. My advice to anyone going through a tough time out there would be this, “Never give up on your dreams. Faithfully pursue your talents and gifts, and the God who put those desires in your heart will strengthen you to fulfil your purpose. Keep fighting, stay on course, and always wait on God.’’
mensah_selassie seladynamite Selassie Mensah
Blog: www.selassiespeaksblog.wordpress.com
PERSONAL STYLE (Fashion • Hair • Make up)
‘Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.’ - Rachel Zoe You can tell someone’s sense of style from the kind of clothing they wear to the way they pair outfits and how much they accessorize. It could be classy, sporty, casual or any of the other types. Makeup and hair also reveal one’s fashion sense; whether they prefer a laid back hairstyle with bold lipstick, or a more subtle look. Here are some steps to identifying your style:
Know your body structure. All body shapes are not the same; The five most common for women are the hourglass, rectangle, pear, apple and inverted triangle. As a result of this variance in the features of a person, clothes for those with an hourglass figure will not perfectly suit an apple shape. Conversely, there is no definite rule as to what a person can wear because fashion has no boundaries whatsoever and is only an expression of your feelings and personality to some extent.
Ask yourself why you lean towards a particular clothing type, style or even colour.
Declutter and organize your closet, and you may find out that there are some individual clothing pieces you have, more than others. Also, leaning more towards sneakers, or heels or any other footwear may be as a result of your preference for comfort rather than style or vice versa. It is ideal to follow trends that suit you rather than the most popular.
What is your staple clothing item? Most people have that signature look. For some, it’s making sure their eyebrows are done in a specific way before they step out. For others, it could be a favourite lip colour, bangles, a hat or turban. There’s also that go-to look that makes one feel comfortable yet stylish. What’s your style personality - casual, trendy, romantic or classic?
Article by Ella Odor
How can writing change the African narrative?
I
n the past, stories told around the fire accompanied traditional songs and dances under the moonlight. The older men and women of the villages wove stories upon stories; folklore that children in the town could relate with so that they would live their lives in accordance. Oral tradition was the primary means of passing on learning from one generation to the other, and this was mainly through storytelling. Storytelling remains relevant, but storytelling solely via oral communication to some extent contributes to the dilution of African cultures. It weakened the confidence to tell our history and diverse stories. The Western world, because of their consistent documentation, told their version of the story of Africa in a different light. Over the years, it has slowly changed the perception of Africa to other nations and the continent itself. In most books, Africa is a place wrought with poverty, diseases, slavery, wars and all other negative things one could imagine. It
always gave a biased view of the continent. These books rarely touch on the diversity and the rich, colourful culture of our beliefs and systems. I recall my history teacher telling the class about his stay in a particular country in Europe. He observed that some of the inhabitants were intrigued by the colour of his skin. He remembers some of his classmates asking questions like, “In Africa, do you live on trees and do you use the bark of the tree for a toothbrush?� He could have taken offence at this, but he realized that they were just ignorant about Africa. They spoke about Africa as if it was one country and were unaware of the diversity of cultures and the fact that Africa was not just a place of poverty. Its essence went beyond that. Writing can change the African narrative when we know our history. We know what happened to us; we know the very things that make up our culture, our stories and traditions. Africans or any race for
that matter can only preserve traditions when the citizens effectively harness writing skills. It is necessary to present a balanced view and original perspective of Africa and its diversity to the world. Chinua Achebe said, “Until the lions have their historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” These words emphasize the need for us to create the stories of our land. Thus, we need to create characters and worlds in books that portray our culture, our language and our diversity. There is a saying that goes, “the pen is mightier than the sword.” Unfortunately, in some parts of Africa and especially in Ghana, our pens were not as mighty as are supposed to be. We do not allow our pens to cause a revolution but stick to the good old motivational quotes and the “ten strategies to be a success” stories. Not that they aren’t excellent, but such impede creativity. Irrespective of this, there is a gradual shift in mindset to the positive, transitioning from the status quo. The magic of being a writer lies in creative ability. We need to let the world see our perspective through our lense. We need to make the world encounter those characters we have created and the language we have spun. The world ought to know the culture and the society we have built and the battles we have fought. Our words have to reveal the truth. In doing so, we need to be more passionate when writing our stories because people are stories and stories, are people. Our stories should, empower and humanize, rather than dispossess and malign.
ICON OF THE MONTH J
ulius Nyerere is known as the Father of the Nation in Tanzania. In 1954, he led the formation of Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), a political party born out of a strong desire to liberate Tanganyika from British control. Nyerere was mostly seen holding non-violent protests, and the main aim of his demonstrations was to attain unity among countries. The demonstrations led to recovering Tanganyika from British control and amalgamating Tanganyika and Zanzibar to form Tanzania. He was able to win the people’s confidence and they voted him as the Prime Minister of the country.
During his term in office, Nyerere visualized a Tanzania where education and health care were of great importance. He was able to nationalize some industries and banks. He also did not leave agriculture out because the sector was needed to sustain the country and to reduce dependence on foreign aid. This dream became a reality. Julius was not the only one fighting against colonization as his government invested in training others. Eventually, this led to the overpowering of Idi Amin of Uganda in the Kagera war with Uganda from 1978-1979. So, on your next vacation, take a trip to Tanzania and experience the rich culture and beautiful scenery. Go and experience what Julius Nyerere and his predecessors have done with and for the country, and I can assure you that you will go back for more.
Article by Adwoa Appiah