Ariztos Magazine

20 Yr Old Naija-Londoner Faces Death Penalty

2009-05-03T15:07:00.002-04:00

"Miss Orobator was born in Nigeria but lived in south London from the age of eight. Her father lives in Nigeria and her mother and three sisters live in Ireland."

"A pregnant British woman faces death by firing squad if she is convicted of smuggling drugs at a trial in Laos, campaigners have said.

Prosecutors claim Samantha Orobator, 20, was in possession of 1.5lb (680g) of heroin when she was arrested at Wattay airport in Laos in August."

Click here for the full story

Makeup, Wigs and Yankee Accent....

2009-04-17T22:20:00.002-04:00

That was a real slap O!

What Does a Mall in Africa Look Like?

2009-04-14T23:18:00.005-04:00

Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Nigeria.

Someone asked, so I thought I'll share.

Chief Forest Whitaker & Chief Danny Glover of Imo State, Nigeria

2009-04-11T00:16:00.003-04:00

April 6 was a really beautiful day. The people of Nkwerre village in Imo State, Eastern Nigeria might have thought they were just luckky to have a day as nice as this but the reason that day was all shiny and new was because a lost son had returned.

Forest Steven Whitaker,an Academy Award-, Golden Globe-, and Emmy-winning actor, producer, and director returned home to Nigeria.

I was the only journalist that got luckky to be right there as he was welcomed with fellow star, Danny Glover. Right there before my eyes, they were given prestigious chieftancy titles reserved for nobel and well respected men.

Whitaker, sorry chief Whitaker was given the title-"Nwannedinambe Of Nkwerre" meaning "A Brother in Foreign Land" while Chief Glover received the title- "Enyioma of Nkwerre," this means "A Good Friend."

It took me a while to believe I was actually there with world stars in a small village in Nigeria. I have not fully recovered.

I was really proud to be who I am when Chief Whitaker thanked the King for allowing him to breathe the air and feel the wind in a different way. To feel his blood differently. I was moved to tears and filled with mixed emotions when he said "Now I know where I stand, it is the greatest gift anyone can receive."

Chief GLover was also honoured and said this was home for him. We all moved on to the Ayiam-Osigwe family house to celebrate. I took in slowly, the priviledge of seeing them dance to the beats of Africa and savouring every mouth full of Jollof-rice, semovita and egusi soup, our native dish.

For me, a 24 year old Newswatch magazine senior staff writer in Lagos, I would never forget this day. Since I got back to my desk, I have recounted the stories to my colleagues over and over, now I want to tell the world.

I beleive his visit, his new identity, his title, his words and who he is would inspire Nigerians especially those on the road to shunning corruption and believing in hardwork.

Ghana Music Awards - Akon's n' dem cousins?

2009-04-08T08:26:00.003-04:00

The MTN Ghana Music Awards is a people's choice awards scheme that seeks to foster the development of the Ghanaian music industry.

This dude is joggling between school and his music career

Campaign video...this dual won "Best Collaboration"

Log on to http://www.ghanamusicawards.com/ for more information

Omotola Baby...

2009-04-07T08:54:00.000-04:00

I see some Shakira type moves here O!

Feel Alright (Music Video) 2009 from Ron Hightower on Vimeo

In Concert: Habib Koité & Bamada and Dobet Gnahoré

2009-04-03T17:02:00.003-04:00

Thur. Apr 16, 8:00PM
GW Lisner Auditorium presents
Habib Koité & Bamada and Dobet Gnahoré
Double Bill - Two Full Sets

Two stars of 2006’s acclaimed Acoustic Africa tour return for their only double-bill this year.

Koité and his band draw on styles from several regions of Mali, integrating the rock and folk sounds of the Western world, without watering down his cherished roots. His charisma and magnetism translates across cultures.

"His reputation as a guitar player has become almost mythical" -The New York Times

Gnahoré, a remarkable singer from Côte d’Ivoire returns with a group of instrumentalists offering new sounds, ancient traditions, and remarkable music. From Mandingue melodies to Congolese rumba, Ivory Coast ziglibiti to Cameroon bikoutsi, Gnahoré’s pan-African palette blends colorful compositions, jazz-inflected vocals, and unparalleled charisma.

Oga Landlord

2009-04-03T08:08:00.002-04:00

President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Book Release and Interview

2009-03-31T12:27:00.005-04:00

Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia Book Release and Interview Event as a Featured Guest on the In the Cafe with Mocha Television Show.

President Johnson Sirleaf appears on Friday April 17, 2009 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The event time is 6:30. Each ticket comes with a signed book and a portion of the proceeds will help to support literacy initiatives in Liberia.

Click here for more details

Pics from Ini Edo's Wedding

2009-03-30T07:55:00.005-04:00

Came across these pics, Nollywood superstar Ini Edo tied the knot last month. This na serious marital bliss.

Ini Edo has starred in numerous nollywood flicks...

Put A Ring On It- AFRICAN REMIX!!!

2009-03-27T15:46:00.000-04:00

Africas in China

2009-03-26T16:51:00.001-04:00

Miss Guinea USA Pageant

2009-03-26T08:03:00.004-04:00

The First Miss Guinea USA Pageant is being held in Maryland. Click here for more information.

Cable Series Straight Out of Botswana

2009-03-26T07:58:00.003-04:00

As a young girl growing up in the African nation of Botswana, Precious Ramotswe was encouraged by her father to follow her dreams, no matter what. Now in her mid-30s, Precious is doing just that — by opening her country's first and only female-owned detective agency for the benefit of those who need help the most.
The first major film/TV project to be shot entirely on location in Botswana, 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' is based on the best-selling novels by Alexander McCall Smith and co-written and executive produced by Richard Curtis and the late Anthony Minghella.

Click here to get more online.

African Dance Hall - Introducinf Samini

2009-03-26T00:08:00.001-04:00

For dance hall fans out there, meet Samini live and direct from Ghana.

Here is a sample of his work. Enjoy.

Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles

2009-03-24T23:59:00.003-04:00

A colleague of mine sent me a link to an interview with Richard Dowden the author of Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles.

Very interesting stuff. Click here to listen to the interview, and if you're gonna read a book, Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles might be one to consider.

Rwanda Rising: A New Model of Economic Development

2009-03-24T18:20:00.002-04:00

Excerpt from article:

"Fifteen years after the genocide, the small African country has embraced a new model of economic development. Its strategy: Build a global network of powerful friends to lure private investment -- and market the brand of Rwanda."

Click here to read the full article

First Black Chief Executive of a FTSE 100 Company

2009-03-23T08:14:00.001-04:00

Tidjane Thiam makes history as first black chief executive of a FTSE 100 company

Tidjane Thiam, the new boss of the Prudential, created history yesterday by becoming the first black chief executive of a FTSE 100 company.

Mr Thiam, a French citizen who was born in the Ivory Coast, is finance director of Britain’s second-biggest insurer and will succeed Mark Tucker in October.

However, the timing of Mr Tucker’s departure astonished the City, raising speculation – denied by the company – that the Pru had been forced to accelerate its succession plans to prevent Mr Thiam being poached by a rival.

There was also speculation that Mr Tucker had gone amid unhappiness at the Pru’s recent decision not to bid for the Asian assets of AIG, the stricken American insurance group.

Full story on TimesOnline

Madagascar's New Leader

2009-03-21T20:20:00.003-04:00

I'm pretty sure most of you have been falling with this intriguing story of the rise of a 34 year old former disc jockey to the president of Madagascar.

Opposition leader Andry Rajoelina has taken the presidency of Madagascar after President Marc Ravalomanana stepped down following a power struggle.

Here are key facts about him:

* Rajoelina presents himself as the champion of a new generation of reformists. However, at just 34 and having effectively strong-armed Ravalomanana out of power, critics say his behaviour resembles one of Africa's old "Big Men".

* A former disc jockey and nicknamed "TGV" after the fast French train for his rapid-fire rhetoric and charismatic personality, Rajoelina has led demonstrations against the president since the turn of the year. The protests, triggered by the closure of his Viva TV station at the end of 2008 for airing an interview with former president Didier Ratsiraka, quickly became a mass movement bent on toppling Ravalomanana.

* Viewed as something of a maverick given to sweeping statements and grand claims, Rajoelina won municipal elections in 2007 as an independent, running against Ravalomanana's party. As mayor, he became one of the most ardent critics of the government, labelling it a dictatorship, but was fired on Feb. 3 of this year by Ravalomanana at the height of the protests.

* Army backing was the clinching factor in bringing Rajoelina to power this week. Analysts say, however, that he has close links with the exiled Ratsiraka's camp and may also have enjoyed the tacit support of the French government.

* Rajoelina says his first and biggest challenge is to improve standards of living for the Malagasy, many of whom live on less than $2 a day. On the international stage, he will have to convince doubters of his legitimacy given his unconstitutional rise to power several years before the next presidential election was due.

* Rajoelina will also have to control some dissent in the military, where diplomats say some officers opposed his rise but were quashed by more powerful voices.

* He is expected to continue his predecessor's free market economic policies, welcoming foreign investors in the key mining and oil exploration sectors, while also trying to cut down on waste and put more emphasis on social policies.

* Rajoelina has displayed supreme confidence throughout the months-long crisis, only disappearing into hiding once when Ravalomanana's security forces came to arrest him. At rallies, he exuded certainty that he was on the verge of power. During Tuesday's extraordinary turn of events, he actually walked into Ravalomanana's office and announced his plans as president before the military formally conferred power on him.

SOURCE: REUTERS

The Ultimate Hair Do...

2009-03-20T18:46:00.003-04:00

The First Lady of Cameroon showcases the native hairstyle...

A Dose of Humor

2009-03-20T18:43:00.002-04:00

S'il vous plaît rencontrer Corneille

2009-03-19T10:50:00.004-04:00

Originally from Rwanda, Cornielle sings about overcoming guilt from surviving the genocide and finding love. His English debut album dropped this week.

Here is a sample of some of his work:

Pictures from ChinAfrica

2009-03-18T15:26:00.006-04:00

Do opportunities abound for professionals and entrepreneurs in the African continent? This is really something to consider...

Check out the full photo gallery from TIME Magazine

Introducing Zaki Ibrahim

2009-03-18T08:30:00.005-04:00

Born to an exiled South African father and Scottish mother

Check her out on myspace http://www.myspace.com/zakiibrahim

Zaki will be performing at the 10th Annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival

Nigerian Trainee doctor sues college for £300,000

2009-03-17T08:53:00.003-04:00

And no be say the young doctor no fine O! So whetin the handsome one go come experience now...

A black medical student is suing her college for £300,000 after claiming it was 'institutionally racist' in failing to stop alleged bullying by fellow medics.

Virginia Jibowu, 25, claims that fellow students at King's College medical school refused to eat or share a shower room with her.

She is suing the college - part of the University of London - for harassment, race discrimination and victimisation.

Miss Jibowu enrolled on a six-year medical degree course for students from disadvantaged backgrounds in 2002.

She said students on her course had to wear a special badge, which led to them being bullied by those on the regular five-year degree.

She shared digs with five others, including Richard Pinder, a leading Young Conservative.

In legal papers submitted to Central London County Court, she said: 'Mr Pinder asked me if black men were less intelligent than other people.

'He also said that he had stopped contacting a mutual friend because he had become 'too black'.

Miss Jibowu claimed three other white flatmates - including one called Emily Bowen - were 'hostile' during her hospital placement in Hastings, East Sussex, in 2006.

She alleged: 'The group refused to share the shower room with me and discussed rotas for the only other shower. Emily stated, 'We should introduce a virus into Africa to wipe out the continent and kill off all the black Africans so that we can move in'.'

Miss Jibowu had passed the first five years of study without failing an assessment and was due to start work last August as a doctor at Gwent Hospital in Wales.

She claims the college deliberately failed her from final exams and, without telling her, told the hospital she would not be taking up her post. It then wrongly insisted she should re-sit the whole of her final year, she added.

In the court papers, she said: 'The college disregarded my complaints and graduated all students complained about.

'All the alleged racists are now practising as doctors in the NHS. This can only ingrain the problem of institutional racism within the medical practice.

'At no point has the college accepted it was at fault for allowing an institutionally racist and hostile studying environment to exist.'

Miss Jibowu, of South Lambeth, South London, is demanding £300,000 for loss of earnings, aggravated damages and injury to health and feelings.

If she fails to qualify from the course, she is expected to sue again for the loss of her career.

The college, Dr Pinder and Dr Bowen all strongly deny her claims.

The case will be heard later this year.

SOURCE: MAIL ONLINE

Kanu's Commercial - For True Soccer Fans

2009-03-16T10:32:00.002-04:00

For the real African soccer fans out there check out this commercial starring Kanu Nwankwo and his son...

A Dose of Humor

2009-03-13T13:24:00.002-04:00

Nigeria Tops Another List...

2009-03-11T11:04:00.002-04:00

The World's Worst Places to Work

No. 1 Lagos, Nigeria

Overall Grade: Very High Risk Location
Severe Problems: Infrastructure, Crime
Major Problems: Pollution, Disease & Sanitation, Medical Facilities, Availability of Goods and Services
Other Problems: Climate, Education Facilities, Physical Remoteness, Political Violence & Repression, Political & Social Environment, Culture & Recreation

There's no more challenging place on ORC's list than the largest city in Africa's largest country. Lagos not only has a severe crime problem and extremely poor infrastructure, the city has inadequate housing, sanitation, and medical facilities. Moreover, according to ORC, "the risk of being caught up in sectarian violence is another concern."

Kenya can boast of the #7 spot on the list and Egypt #18.

SOURCE: BUSINESSWEEK

Africa's Private Sector Flowers

2009-03-10T11:06:00.002-04:00

During African Economy week, the BBC's African Perspective spoke to two business gurus about the potential the continent offers for business and for profit.

Click here for the full article

Flogging Teachers in Front of Class!

2009-03-07T17:58:00.003-05:00

Tanzanian teacher whipping move

A regional official in Tanzania has been sacked for ordering police to whip primary school teachers as a punishment for arriving at school late.

In a statement, the government said the official had broken public service rules and humiliated the teachers.

Nineteen teachers were caned in front of their pupils after an inquiry into poor exam results at three schools.

The inquiry blamed teachers for being late or not showing up for work and not teaching the official syllabus.

The official who ordered the canings in the northern town of Bukoba, district commissioner Albert Mnali, told AFP news agency that it had been the right way to treat the teachers.

"These teachers often report late for duty and some of them are fond of being absent for several days," he told the agency on Friday.

"They deserved to get corporal punishment."

But Deputy Education Minister Mwantumu Bakari Mahiza called the incident "unfortunate and utterly absurd".

The government asked Mr Mnali to explain his actions and later issued a statement confirming the commissioner had been sacked.

"The government has followed up the issue and heard the explanation from the commissioner," the statement said.

"It has been concluded that Mnali's decision is unacceptable and humiliating to teachers, contrary to public-service regulations."

'Shameful and intolerable'

One of the caned teachers, Ativus Leonard, 33, told the BBC he was now too ashamed to meet his pupils.

Mr Leonard said he had been kicked by a police officer to make him lie down before being beaten.

"He hit me everywhere - my legs, my chest, my arms, my hands. When it was over, I went to the hospital for treatment. I was given medicine but I still have a lot of pain in my chest," he said.

The case comes at a time when parents and human-rights groups in Tanzania have been calling for a ban on flogging of schoolchildren throughout the country.

Before Mr Mnali was sacked, the Tanzania Teachers' Union said it intended to sue him.

"The caning of our teachers is shameful. It's intolerable and it's time the teachers take action against Mr Mnali through the judiciary," Kagera union chairman Dauda Bilikesi told the BBC.

Union officials say the caning happened amid an ongoing row between the union and the government.

Teachers complain that their salaries are often delayed and that they are a denied transfer allowance when they move to a new school.

SOURCE: BBC

Bribe or Business Expense?!?!

2009-03-06T09:39:00.001-05:00

In Naija we call it "Egunje" and this is how business is done....or is it? See story below

UK police have arrested a London lawyer accused of moving millions of dollars in bribes to Nigerian officials to win contracts for a US construction firm.

A federal grand jury in Texas charged Jeffrey Tesler, 60, with helping channel money from Kellogg, Brown and Root, a former Halliburton subsidiary.

He was arrested after an extradition request from the US authorities.

It is alleged he channelled money to Nigerian officials, to obtain contracts valued at more than $6bn (£4bn).

The contracts related to the construction of liquefied natural gas facilities on Nigeria's Bonny Island between 1995 and 2004.

Last month, KBR admitted to US federal charges of paying bribes for the contracts. It agreed to pay more than $402m in fines, of which Halliburton, as the former parent company, agreed to pay $302m.

Halliburton also agreed with US securities regulators to disgorge $177m in profits to settle parallel criminal charges.

Second warrant

Mr Tesler was arrested at a business address in Tottenham, north London, on Thursday, British police said.

He was taken to a central London police station and appeared before City of Westminster magistrates on Thursday, when he was remanded in custody.

Mr Tesler returned to the court on Friday.

The US also issued a warrant for the arrest and extradition of another Briton, Wojciech Chodan, 71.

According to the indictment, Mr Chodan and other co-conspirators discussed using Mr Tesler to bribe Nigerian officials.

Prosecutors in Houston, Texas, said that both Mr Tesler and Mr Chodan were charged with conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Lawyers representing the two men could not be reached immediately for comment.

KBR is a major engineering and construction services company with operations around the world. It was split from Halliburton in 2007.

Its former chief executive, Albert "Jack" Stanley, pleaded guilty in September to his role in the bribery scheme and is awaiting sentencing.

SOURCE: BBC

Pan-African Film and Television Festival (FESPACO)

2009-03-04T09:54:00.005-05:00

There is the Oscars and there is is FESPACO.

Log on to http://www.fespaco.bf/ for more details. By the way the site is in French.

Your Weekly Dose of an African Music Video

2009-03-04T00:35:00.002-05:00

You Too Can Achieve the American/Nigerian Dream O!

2009-03-03T00:11:00.001-05:00

Coup d'etat in Guinea-Bissau?!?!

2009-03-02T10:17:00.003-05:00

President Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira had ruled Guinea-Bissau for 23 of the past 29 years.

BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau – Soldiers assassinated the president of Guinea-Bissau in his palace Monday hours after a bomb blast killed his rival, but the military insisted no coup was taking place in the West African nation.

A military statement broadcast on state radio attributed President Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira's death to an "isolated" group of unidentified soldiers whom the armed forces said they were now hunting down.

The capital, Bissau, was calm but tense despite the pre-dawn gunfight at the palace, which erupted hours after armed forces chief of staff Gen. Batiste Tagme na Waie — a longtime rival of the president — was killed by a bomb blast at his headquarters.

The former Portuguese colony has suffered multiple coups and attempted coups since 1980, when Vieira himself first took power in one. The United Nations says the impoverished nation on the Atlantic coast of Africa has recently become a key transit point for cocaine smuggled from Latin America to Europe.

Following an emergency Cabinet meeting on Monday, military spokesman Zamora Induta said top military brass told government officials "this was not a coup d'etat."

"We reaffirmed our intention to respect the democratically elected power and the constitution of the republic," Induta said. "The people who killed President Vieira have not been arrested, but we are pursuing them. They are an isolated group. The situation is under control."

Click here for the rest of the story.

Your Weekly Dose of an African Music Video

2009-02-27T11:07:00.000-05:00

Africans in the Diaspora - Return Home ?!?!

2009-02-23T13:11:00.002-05:00

Here is a very compelling piece by Mr. Kilemi Mwiria the Assistant Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology and MP for Tigania West, Kenya

We do not need ‘dream team’ to tap Kenyan talent abroad

Often when I encounter Africans living in Europe and America, I get rather disappointed by their complaining about how terrible things are back home. If you challenge them to come home and make things better some say they are not wanted. Others tell us to make Kenya more attractive in terms of competitive salaries, improved governance and provision of relevant infrastructure as a condition for their return.

Some have a point. African governments have done little to attract our best talents back home. We have even failed to take advantage of external initiatives, which support repatriation of African talents by not offering any incentives to potential returnees. But we seem happy with donors paying exceptionally high salaries to a few returning professionals as with "The dream team" during the Kanu days and expensive consultants in government ministries.

There are Kenyans who would give up high profile jobs with international organisations and top private enterprises in the West if we can match what they earn out there. These Kenyans effectively compete with people from all over the world and get recruited for their competence in societies where merit overrides all other considerations, including whether or not your parent is the boss of the recruiting firm. This category has no visa problem; instead they are offered many incentives such as paid holidays to Africa in order to retain them.

One reason advanced for not tapping such talent is disruption of the public pay structure where new recruits may earn more than their supervisors. Yet, it is never a problem to pay foreign consultants the same or higher salaries than more qualified Kenyans. In any case, there are Kenyans who earn salaries higher than the average top western executive, including MPs, Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission employees and some heads of parastatals.

There cannot be more than a thousand Kenyans out there who would require to be remunerated at the same level, so I think we can afford it. If well managed they will be more than worth their pay and we shall get much better value than we do from many political appointees who are best in retirement.

But there are also Kenyan managers who are threatened by the qualifications, experience, work ethic, attitudes and innovative ways of new entrants and often remind them that "this is Africa where we do it this way", thus discouraging many.

Positive values

I believe that we should offer interested Kenyans in the Diaspora at least the barest minimum pay to make them feel wanted. Given their experience with more efficient bureaucracies they can add much value to our Civil Service and parastatals such as universities. We should also go for the thousands of skilled and semi-skilled workers -teachers, engineers, doctors, etc. There is much to learn from Kenyan electricians, plumbers, carpenters and masons based in the West because of their exposure. With the construction boom, there is enough work for them in Kenya.

In addition to job related skills, Kenyans abroad will bring positive values related to honesty, time management, respect for the rule of law and integrity.

Some overseas based Kenyans will not return for lack of relevant certificates and financial resources for decent living or business or because they cannot find a job. A few such cases have come back only to head back overseas when they find age mates they left behind well settled and because they cannot stomach association with failure when crossing seas has always been associated with great success by those left behind. But there are also the selfish and pompous types who exaggerate their superiority by virtue of having lived in the West.

As we search for overseas-based Kenyan talent, we should recognise and reward top Kenyan professionals who have opted to stay home while ignoring better opportunities abroad. They have chosen patriotism in order to make Kenya a better place for all of us.

SOURCE: THE STANDARD

Naija Police in Action - U've Gotta See This

2009-02-19T12:41:00.005-05:00

Captions please...

Kenya in sixth spot in the International Rugby Board Sevens World Series Rankings

2009-02-19T11:24:00.001-05:00

Kenya on Saturday moved up to the sixth spot in the International Rugby Board Sevens World Series rankings at the end of the New Zealand International Sevens at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium.

After an inspired run on the opening day, Kenya edged out Wales 10-7 to reach their only third main cup semi final in the Serie’s 10-year history.

Kenya was outclassed 26-0 by the eventual NZ Sevens winners, England, but collected 12 points from the tournament.

On departure, Kenya had budgeted for 18 points in the two tournaments in New Zealand and USA and are well ahead of schedule going into San Diego.

The talking point of the two-day tournament which was marked by several surprise wins was Kenya’s 22-17 upset of the top seeds and Series leaders South Africa in a Pool A match on Friday.

Rugby fans from USA, among them former players Fred Absaloms, Ernest Waweru and Leslie Mango, said Kenya’s performance only whetted the appetites of their fans in the USA when San Diego hosts the fourth tournament on February 14 and 15 at PETCO Park.

Big day

In an interview with IRB Sevens Radio, captain Humphrey Kayange put the win over South Africa in perspective.

“It’s a very big day for us. Started well, went bad in the second game and the boys really raised it in the last game and look where it took us,” he said

“It’s a big victory for us, there were three teams that we hadn’t beaten and South Africa was one of them so it’s a milestone, something we’ve reached, achieved on this tour.”

Coach Benjamin Ayimba admitted having harsh words for the players after narrowly losing 14-19 to Scotland in a Pool A match.

Early pressure in the quarter-final against Wales saw Allan Onyango’s claim for a try denied in the second minute because the ball was held up. From the resultant scrumdown, Collins Injera stole on the blindside to score.

His brother, Kayange pounced on a lucky bounce to race over for the second try. Although Aled Thomas scored and converted a try for Wales, Kenya held on to win before crumbling 0-26 to England in the semis.

A dashing run by Isoa Damudamu which ended in a try saw England complete a remarkable comeback to beat hosts New Zealand 19-17 for their first ever NZI Sevens title.

SOURCE: DAILY NATION

Badagary Historical Resort

2009-02-17T13:39:00.002-05:00

Marlon Jackson is involved in a controversial development to turn a former slave port into a luxury resort that will house a Jackson Five museum, five-star hotel and slavery memorial.

A museum for the Jackson Five is to be built in Nigeria, American developers have announced, as part of a $3.4bn (£2.4bn) luxury resort including concert halls, golf courses, casinos – and a memorial for Africa's former slave trade.

The Badagry Historical Resort, located near Badagry's former slave port, will include a multimillion pound memorial, slave history theme park, five-star hotel and Jackson Five museum. The project is supported in part by Marlon Jackson, one of Michael Jackson's brothers.

"The Jackson family had been looking for a place to site their memorabilia collection," explained Gary Loster, chief executive of the Motherland Group, to the BBC. "We visited the site of the slave port in Badagry and Marlon turned to me and said: 'Let's put it here, this is right.'"

The development will cater to the country's growing tourism industry, particularly African-American tourists who wish to trace their Nigerian roots. Visitors will be able to explore the site of the former transatlantic slave trade, honour the hundreds of thousands who died in what were horrific human rights abuses, and then head off for a round of golf or a massage, before gawping at animatronic versions of the siblings who sang ABC and I Want You Back.

By promising to attract 1.4 million visitors in the first year, the Motherland Group has pledged to "enhance the quality of life for millions of people across Nigeria", according to promotional materials. They hope to create more than 150,000 jobs by the end of their fifth year.

"It's such an emotional place, and I think we all felt that it was the right place to have the Jackson family memorial," Loster said.

The developers' plans, which include a lifesize replica of a slave ship, holograms of the Jackson Five and robot versions of 18th-century African musicians, are not without their opponents.

"It is not appropriate from a cultural or historical point of view," Nigerian historian Toyin Falola told the BBC. "Moneymaking and historical memory are allies in the extension of capitalism. You cry with one eye and wipe it off with a cold beer, leaving the other eye open for gambling."

But Loster, Jackson and the other developers have dismissed these criticisms. "We know the problems facing us," Loster said. "We have visited Nigeria several times."

SOURCE: Guardian.co.uk

Howard Univ. Africa Business Conference

2009-02-15T14:10:00.003-05:00

Log on to www.howardabc.com for more details.

HBS Africa Business Conference

2009-02-11T12:53:00.005-05:00

Log on to http://www.hbsafricaconference.com/home.cfm for more details

South African male choir scoop Grammy

2009-02-09T09:32:00.001-05:00

South African male choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo have won their third Grammy Award at a Los Angeles ceremony.

They scooped best Traditional World Music Album for their LP Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu. They have also picked up Grammys in 1987 and 2005.

But another South African group - the Soweto Gospel Choir - lost out in their bid to win three Grammys in a row.

They had been nominated for best Contemporary World Music Album, which was instead won by Global Drum Project.

Global Drum Project is a group of four drummers, including Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead and Nigerian talking drum master Sikiru Adepoju.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo were founded in 1964 by lead singer Joseph Shabalala.

The acapella group came to international attention in the late 1980s after working with Paul Simon on his celebrated Graceland album.

SOURCE: BBC

Another Artist on the Scene

2009-02-08T15:58:00.000-05:00

ZamaJobe "Nokunthula"

NigeriaTown

2009-02-04T10:15:00.002-05:00

We've all heard of Chinatown even in Nigeria. Well, here's an introduction to Nigeriatown in China.

In this issue of the magazine [New Yorker], Evan Osnos writes about African merchants living in China. Here, Osnos narrates an audio slide show about the economic, social, and religious life of African migrants in Guangzhou.

Click here to get the full story

A Story of Forgiveness

2009-01-30T09:15:00.003-05:00

Jean Paul Samputu

'I forgive friend who killed my family'

John Paul Samputu's family was murdered during Rwanda's genocide of 1994 by a friend and a neighbour. He still calls him a friend because he has forgiven him.

John Paul is now an ambassador of peace and next month he will take part in an international forgiveness conference in his homeland. The BBC World Service's Mark Whitaker spoke to him:

JP: "In Rwanda we need to heal the wounds of the past. It's now 15 years but when you look at what happened in the genocide people are still affected."

MW: "Do you think 15 years is long enough?"

JP: "It's like one year. People still have bitterness, anger and the spirit of revenge."

MW: "You talk about reconciliation and your own reconciliation is perhaps one of the most remarkable that I have heard. Your entire family was killed by your neighbour, someone who was a friend, and you have now forgiven him?"

JP: "Yes I have forgiven him because I didn't have any choice. By forgiving him, I was healed. And me and him together, we are now dedicated to promoting peace and reconciliation."

MW: "Why do you say you didn't have a choice?"

JP: "After the genocide, when I went to my village and I learnt that my best friend was the one who killed my parents, it destroyed me. I couldn't understand why a very good friend would do that. I lost my mind.

"It took nine years dealing with anger and bitterness. I lost my career. I was addicted... drugs. At the end, I realised I was destroying myself."

MW: "You must have wanted to kill him?"

JP: "Yeah - the first time. I didn't see him but I was going to kill him. I have never killed in my life. I decided to forgive him because I wanted to get healing."

MW: "Your friend is a killer. What did he say to you when you said: 'I want to forgive you'?"

JP: "The first time he thought it was a political game. He was thinking: 'How can he forgive me when I can not forgive myself?' It was hard to understand."

MW: "Has he ever explained to you why he did it?"

JP: "Of course. Because now we are together we talk about everything.

"He said: 'You know Samputu, your father was a very good friend. More than you.

"And I asked him: 'If he was your friend, why did you kill him?'

"He said: 'You don't understand. We had the laws of the genocide. In the genocide, the law was that your best friend, your close neighbour, was the one who must be killed by you, because you were close. And I had to kill your father because I was the closest'."

MW: "And that was repeated across Rwanda? Those sort of interpersonal relationships were distorted?"

JP: "Even the husband killed his wife. It was not killing for them, it was working. If you kill many people then you are rewarded."

MW: "Do you think your father will be proud of you?"

JP: "If I revenge or I kill because he was killed, I think he (my father) would not accept that...

"I can't do what they did... If I don't forgive, what do we do to the other children?

"It's a cycle of violence. A cycle of hatred. It's generations. The world, where we live, carries the wounds of not forgiving and future peace depends on what we do with that."

World Cup 2010 - Let the Count Down Begin

2009-01-26T21:24:00.003-05:00

Man pikin "had" funds set aside for this monumental event...but it get as it be.

For those going please update us O! Who knows with this $825B stimulus package, it might be a possibility after all.

Superb Artistic Talent by way of the Mothaland

2009-01-25T18:18:00.001-05:00

Ariztos meet Nneka, Nneka watch out for those Ariztos especially the one with eye balls like a globe...

Thief Transforms to Goat

2009-01-24T12:29:00.003-05:00

This is not the thief...I mean goat...I mean thief in question, but the picture for una whey no know what a goat is.

Do any of ya'll remember goat burgers back in the village?

Newspaper claims suspect transformed into a goat

LAGOS, Nigeria – One of Nigeria's biggest daily newspapers reported that police implicated a goat in an attempted automobile theft. In a front-page article on Friday, the Vanguard newspaper said that two men tried to steal a Mazda car two days earlier in Kwara State, with one suspect transforming himself into a goat as vigilantes cornered him.

The paper quoted police spokesman Tunde Mohammed as saying that while one suspect escaped, the other transformed into a goat as he was about to be apprehended.

The newspaper reported that police paraded the goat before journalists, and published a picture of the animal.

Police in the state couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Belief in black magic is widespread in Nigeria, particularly in far-flung rural areas.

SOURCE: Yahoo News

Another Made in Africa Model - Kiara Kabukuru

2009-01-23T12:53:00.006-05:00

Straight out of Uganda...I no go lie o, Uganda dey produce some fine models o!

Back to School...

2009-01-22T14:54:00.001-05:00

Back to school for all the students out there. Here is a small brain teaser to get you warmed up.

2009 U.S. Presidential Inauguration

2009-01-20T10:21:00.003-05:00

Truly a historic day. Washington, D.C. is jam packed. Security is off the chain. "Yes We Can O!"

Make Una Get Dream - Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

2009-01-19T10:47:00.001-05:00

..."I have a dream" ~ MLK

...and see now o, tomorrow the dream go come true.

Zimbabwe Hyperinflation: Z$100tr note

2009-01-18T13:30:00.003-05:00

Make we talk true...Zimbabwe's hyperinflation is far beyond "getting out of control" Chei!

Zimbabwe is introducing a Z$100 trillion note, currently worth about US$30 (£20), state media reports.

Other notes in trillion-dollar denominations of 10, 20 and 50 are also being released to help Zimbabweans cope with hyperinflation.

However, the dollarisation of the economy means that few products are available in the local currency.

On Thursday, the opposition leader said he was still committed to power-sharing intended to rescue the failing economy.

Since September, when the deal was signed, talks have stalled over who should control key ministries.

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he was due to hold talks with President Robert Mugabe "within this coming week" to try to resolve the political crisis.

He described Mr Mugabe as "part of the problem but also part of the solution".

The latest annual figure for inflation, estimated in July last year, was 231m% - the world's highest.

"In a move meant to ensure that the public has access to their money from banks, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has introduced a new family of banknotes which will gradually come into circulation, starting with the Z$10 trillion," Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper quotes a bank statement as saying.

But previous issues of new banknotes - and the dropping of several zeros from the currency - have done little to help Zimbabweans cope with inflation.

On Tuesday, a 50bn Zimbabwean dollar note was issued, less than a month after a Z$500m bill was released.

Correspondents say prices can double every day, and food and fuel - for those without US dollars - are in short supply.

Last month, the daily bank cash withdrawal limit - which at one stage was only enough for several loaves of bread - was abandoned.

However, most banks do not have enough cash to meet demand.

Some shops are licensed to sells goods in foreign currency but everyone from vegetable sellers to mobile phone service providers peg their prices to the US dollar.

Most groceries are brought in by Zimbabweans from neighbouring South Africa, Botswana or Zambia, further driving up prices.

There is more than 80% unemployment in the country and those with jobs find their salary is worthless unless they are paid in foreign currency.

Tears

Mr Tsvangirai is expected to return to Zimbabwe on Saturday after two months abroad.

At a press conference in Johannesburg, Mr Tsvangirai again appealed for prominent human rights activist Jestina Mukoko, who appeared in court on Thursday, and other such detainees, to be released.

"Those abducted and illegally detained must be released unconditionally if this agreement is to be consummated," Reuters news agency quotes Mr Tsvangirai as saying.

Ms Mukoko - director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project - denies charges of organising military training to topple President Mugabe.

She broke down in tears in court as she spoke about her ordeal when she was abducted from her home by armed security agents at the beginning of December.

She described how she was beaten on her feet during questioning.

"The experience was frightening. I would not wish it upon anyone," she said.

Under September's power-sharing agreement, Mr Tsvangirai is to become prime minister while Mr Mugabe remains as president.

But the deal faltered after the MDC accused Zanu-PF of keeping the most powerful ministries - including the one that controls the police - to itself.

As the political wrangling continued, Zimbabwe has been hit by a cholera epidemic that has claimed more than 2,000 lives, made worse by the collapse of the water, health and sanitation systems.

Mr Tsvangirai, and Western nations, accuse Mr Mugabe of not being sincere about power-sharing.

Mr Mugabe insists he welcomes the power-sharing deal, and has resisted growing international pressure to resign.

SOURCE: BBC

Buses Built in Ivory Coast

2009-01-15T08:48:00.003-05:00

Commuters in Ivory Coast can now travel around town on the first ever buses designed for and built in the region.

The engineering arm of the national transport company, Sotra, decided it could save money and create a bus better suited to African conditions.

"We want the transfer of technology in Africa, and we want to build our own buses with our own specification," says Sotra's director Mamadou Coulibaly.

"In Europe the technology is very sophisticated with lots of electronic devices. In Africa we don't need this.

"We just need robust buses because our roads are not very well done like in Europe. This is an African design for Africa."

The first three buses hit the streets on Thursday, and more of the vehicles are rolling off the production line.

Squash

Public buses in Abidjan are extremely popular and are frequently tightly packed despite the sweltering heat and lack of air-conditioning.

The new urban bus has fewer seats than a Western bus, meaning up to 100 people can be squeezed inside.

"I think it's a good thing. It'll help students to move about in more comfort," says Isaac Gueu, who is studying accountancy in Abidjan.

But not all bus users are in favour of this launch.

"If we import buses it's better because we already know their endurance, the pros and cons, so really, I'm a bit hesitant about making buses here," Ahmed Wague said.

The buses are designed and built in the main city of Abidjan on a chassis and engine base that is supplied in parts from European truck-maker Iveco.

What is intriguing is that almost all the work on this project was done while Ivory Coast has been in a political crisis prompted by the civil war.

Continental

In 2003, a year after the conflict started, Sotra started producing its own boat-buses which speed up and down the lagoon on which Abidjan is built.

"We tried to launch these projects because we can prepare for the post-crisis period by launching such projects," said Mr Coulibaly.
"It's not true that if you're in a civil war you can't do things because you see yourself that during the crisis we tried to build big projects."

The Ivorian company has designed three types of buses - a coach, an urban bus and a tourist bus.

The tourist bus will make weekly trips from Abidjan to one of the world's biggest churches in the capital, Yamoussoukro.

Orders are already coming in from other countries in Africa.

The company plans to build 100 buses this year and scale up to producing 300 a year.

"I think that we have to begin one day because it's not very difficult. We have been to school in Europe and we think that we are able today to build our own buses; there are no special difficulties," Mr Coulibaly said.

SOURCE: BBC

In Terms of Soccer, Cameroon Dominates...

2009-01-14T14:59:00.004-05:00

According to the latest FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking

Cameroon, The Indomitable Lions lie at the 14th spot while Egypt climbed one place up to the 15th position to be the first-runner up in Africa. Nigeria moved up two places to the 17th spot trailing Egypt as the third best.

Ranking / Team
1 Spain
2 Germany
3 Netherlands
4 Italy
5 Brazil
6 Argentina
7 Croatia
8 England
9 Russia
10 Turkey
11 France
11 Portugal
11 Czech Republic
14 Cameroon
15 Egypt
16 Ukraine
17 Nigeria
18 Paraguay
19 Israel
20 Greece

Upcoming South African Election: Drama in the making...

2009-01-13T09:42:00.006-05:00

Don't you just hate it when a photographer catches you in a very awkward moment?

Let's call this picture "the finger".

This one..."I'm ready to whoop some ass"

...this one is too easy. I'll let you provide the title

Jacob Zuma appears likely to be South Africa's next President, but this brotha comes with some drama.

THE BACKGROUND:

* South African President Thabo Mbeki's decision to sack Zuma in June 2005 after he was implicated in a high-profile graft trial in which his former financial adviser was convicted, provoked outrage among rank-and-file ANC members who alleged a political plot within the party to deny him a shot at the presidency.

-- Zuma won leadership of the ANC on Tuesday which almost certainly assures him of the South African presidency in the 20O9 general election because of the ANC's electoral dominance.

* THE 2005 CHARGES:

-- Zuma's former financial adviser Schabir Shaik was found guilty of trying to solicit a 500,000 rand ($72,500) a year bribe for Zuma from French arms company Thint in return for protecting it from an investigation into an arms deal arranged by South Africa in the late 1990s.

-- Another corruption count on which he was convicted said Shaik had paid Zuma 1.3 million rand ($187,100) in bribes to induce him to use his political influence to further Shaik's business interests. The fraud conviction related to accounting for these payments.

-- Prosecutors later filed charges against Zuma himself, accusing him of receiving bribes from Thint. The case was dropped but prosecutors have reopened their investigation of Zuma in that case.

* NEW ALLEGATIONS:

* Zuma's case was thrown out on a technicality but a high court ruling earlier this year cleared the way for evidence to be used against him in any future prosecution. In a separate case, Zuma was acquitted of rape charges in May 2006.

* Last week the Directorate of Special Operations filed an affidavit in the Constitutional Court containing what it called substantial new evidence that Zuma had received larger payments in a corruption case than originally thought.

* The affidavit said that payments based on the old and the new evidence are more than three times greater than those based on the old evidence alone.

* If Zuma is re-charged with graft, it raises the prospect South Africa's future president could be jailed long before he is sworn in. Zuma has said if he wins the ANC'S top job, he would step down only if a court proves he is guilty.

SOURCE: Reuters

FAST FORWARD TO PRESENT...

However, the reinstatement of the charges of corruption, fraud, racketeering and money-laundering against Jacob Zuma are certain to be an unwelcome distraction for the ANC president during the election campaign.

The ANC is facing a significant challenge from the newly-formed Congress of the People (Cope) which has emerged from bitter in-fighting within the ANC over the past three years.

The ruling party is going to have to work hard for every vote in this year's elections, in the knowledge that it could easily lose its two-thirds majority in parliament.

Not since it took power in 1994 has the ANC faced such a test from the ranks of the opposition.

Political analyst Steven Friedman says Jacob Zuma is the frontrunner to become the next president of the country.

"Some in the ANC leadership would prefer not to have to support Zuma. But as we draw closer to the elections, Zuma's position is strengthening all the time," he said.

"The ANC will try to make the corruption charges go away politically. One way is to appoint a national director of public prosecutions who won't prosecute Zuma.

"Another way is to… pass a parliamentary resolution indemnifying Zuma. If we get to a situation where Zuma is president and facing charges, there will be an attempt to make this go away politically."

A date for the elections has still to be announced, but the Johannesburg-based newspaper The Star says 15 April is one possibility.

What is not in doubt is that unofficial campaigning has already begun.

'Robust and interesting'

"We are now fully in election mode," says ANC spokesman Carl Niehaus.

"We respect the law and the decisions of our courts, but at the same time the ANC will vigorously exert its right to have Jacob Zuma as our candidate (for president).

"It is our right in terms of freedom of association and does not impact in any way on the legal processes," he added.

The ANC is certain to win at the polls, albeit with a reduced majority.

However, the corruption charges against Jacob Zuma have not yet gone away in the manner in which the ANC leader might have hoped. That makes an appeal to the Constitutional Court, and an application for a permanent stay of prosecution, increasingly likely.

Jacob Zuma was spot on when he told a gala dinner in East London last Friday: "This year's election campaign will be robust and interesting."

SOURCE: BBC

Which is better: to be Madoffed or 419ed

2009-01-09T19:11:00.004-05:00

"cough" "cough"...do the naija 419 guys need to step up their game? I wasn't gonna bring this up but haba...$50 Billion scheme, still sending out gifts worth millions to friends, transferring millions overseas and has the privilege of waiting for trial in his $7 Million crib. Chei...pensions have been wiped out, some guy has committed suicide, and some charities have to fold up shop...

for over ten years...

whereas there are "taskforces" still pursuing 419 aka yahoozee ala peckam guys. Perhaps those taskforce efforts would be better served by focusing on the "ogbologbo" scam artists.

I'm just saying

Another Made in Africa Model - Camilla Barungi

2009-01-08T08:19:00.004-05:00

Meet Camilla Barungi from Uganda. You might recognize her from Project Runway

The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit), "Kamphopo"

2009-01-07T13:08:00.000-05:00

Enjoy...

Ghana's New President-Elect: John Atta Mills

2009-01-07T09:23:00.002-05:00

Ghana's President-elect, John Atta Mills, is to be sworn in after his cliff-hanger election victory.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate beat the ruling party's Nana Akufo-Addo in a hotly contested poll by a margin of less than 0.5% of votes.

A BBC reporter says there is a carnival atmosphere in the capital with tens of thousands packed into Independence Square for the inauguration.

President John Kufuor is standing down after serving the maximum two terms.

He will be the second elected head of state in Ghana's history to hand over to an opposition politician.

Crowds began forming at the stadium before dawn - decked out in the national colours of green, yellow, red and black - amid an air of intense excitement after one of the closest election races in Africa's recent history.

Dignatories have begun arriving for the ceremony, although the BBC's Will Ross in Accra says that in their excitement people broke through to the area reserved for VIPs.

Click here for full story.

SOURCE: BBC

Through the Glass

2009-01-06T08:42:00.002-05:00

Stephanie Okereke is stepping behind the camera for a change and has offered her movie "Through the Glass"
I haven't seen it yet so I can't really render any insight, but judging from the trailer...

I'll let you be the judge.

Cheers!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2009-01-01T12:26:00.000-05:00

Some Holiday Humor

2008-12-31T08:41:00.001-05:00

Nigerian Preacher Named #49 in Newsweeks' Top 50 Most Powerful People in the World

2008-12-23T10:11:00.003-05:00

E. A. Adeboye

A Pentecostal preacher from Nigeria has made big plans to save your soul.

You may never have heard of E. A. Adeboye, but the pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God is one of the most successful preachers in the world. He boasts that his church has outposts in 110 countries. He has 14,000 branches—claiming 5 million members—in his home country of Nigeria alone. There are 360 RCCG churches in Britain, and about the same number in U.S. cities like Chicago, Dallas, and Tallahassee, Fla. Adeboye says he has sent missionaries to China and such Islamic countries as Pakistan and Malaysia. His aspirations are outsize. He wants to save souls, and he wants to do so by planting churches the way Starbucks used to build coffee shops: everywhere.

"In the developing world we say we want churches to be within five minutes' walk of every person," he tells NEWSWEEK. "In the developed world, we say five minutes of driving." Such a goal may seem outlandish, but Adeboye is a Pentecostal preacher: he believes in miracles. And Pentecostalism is the biggest, fastest-growing Christian movement since the Reformation.

One of the strangest images from the 2008 campaign was the YouTube clip of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in church, head bowed, palms turned up toward heaven, standing silently as Thomas Muthee, a Pentecostal preacher from Kenya, prayed for her freedom from witchcraft. The clip (and a NEWSWEEK article about it) triggered its own little culture skirmish, with secular observers calling Palin a "wack job" and conservative Christians responding "There's nothing wrong with her church!!!" Few commentators on either side noted how normal that scene was to hundreds of millions of Christians around the globe.

The world now has about 600 million Pentecostals, the largest group of Christians after Roman Catholics. In Asia, the number of Pentecostals has grown from about 10 million to 166 million since 1970, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. In Latin America, Pentecostals have expanded from 13 million to 151 million; in North America, from 19 million to 77 million; and in Africa, from 18 million to 156 million. By 2050 most of Africa will be Christian, estimates Grant Wacker, professor of Christian history at Duke University—and most of those Christians will be Pentecostals.

Modern Pentecostalism was born in America in the early 20th century, when a former Methodist minister named Charles Parham began teaching that Christians who were filled with the Holy Spirit could, like the disciples of Jesus, speak in tongues. (The sound, for those who have not heard it, is extraordinary: like crooning or keening or jibber jabber.) From the start, the faith appealed across ethnic lines to the poor and the marginalized. Its lack of denominational structure meant "you didn't have to have a highly trained and educated clergy with a long graduate education," says Vinson Synan, dean emeritus of the divinity school at Regent University. "Common people [were] pastoring common people." Televangelist healers like Oral Roberts helped keep the movement growing.

Pentecostals believe that the Holy Spirit is always at work in the world and that certain people possess its gifts: speaking in tongues, the healing touch, the power to cast out demons and witches. An emphasis on prosperity and healing attracts converts without savings accounts or health insurance. The emphasis on Biblical inerrancy and on rigid social rules—no drinking, no smoking, no premarital sex—offers structure for people whose lives have been devastated by addiction or illness. In places like Africa (and indeed, like Palin's Alaska at the turn of the last century), Pentecostalism finds fertile ground among adherents of native religions who already believe the world is alive with spirits.

By Pentecostal standards, Adeboye is mainstream. Formerly a mathematics instructor at the University of Lagos, he began working at RCCG translating the previous pastor's sermons from Yoruba to English. He took over the congregation in 1981. His success, he says, is rooted in his message. "Pentecostals have such an impact because they talk of the here and now, not just the by and by, he says. "We pray for the sick, but we pray for their prosperity, for their overcoming of evil forces and so on. While we have to worry about heaven, there are some things God could do for us in the here and now." At a recent revival meeting in London, Adeboye and his ministers preached 12 hours straight to a crowd of 30,000. At the altar call, hundreds of people rushed toward the stage from every corner of the arena, visibly filled with euphoria. They call their pastor "Daddy."

Behind Adeboye's extraordinary success is his reputation for honesty. While other Pentecostal pastors (including some Nigerians) have been accused of financial misdeeds or faking supernatural powers, Adeboye remains above the fray. Nigerian government leaders seek his input on pressing social issues. He recently made a public-service announcement condemning discrimination against people with HIV. He distributes his message globally through Facebook and MySpace, a self-published magazine called "The Mandate," and a digital-cable channel called Open Heavens TV. His appearance is straitlaced: he always wears a pinstriped suit, a gleaming white shirt and a bow tie.

Adeboye experienced a miracle recently on a long and dangerous stretch of highway near Lagos, he says. His car was out of gas, and the gas stations were empty. Then God spoke to him, clearly, and said to keep driving. Adeboye drove 200 miles on empty. Could his gas gauge have been broken? No, he insists, God intervened "because of the need … in a crisis." Adeboye knows well what some in the West have forgotten: in today's world, everyone needs a Daddy.

SOURCE: Newsweek

African Music Original

2008-12-18T08:47:00.002-05:00

Here's a nice music video. For translation please contact....

Empower 10,000 Students to Launch Social Businesses

2008-12-17T09:41:00.006-05:00

I know some of you are looking at the photos and this takes you back to the time you were in "Grammar" school.
It's that time of the year, times are tough no doubt, but with a small donation you can make a difference.
For a worthy cause log on to http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/2500/proj2470a.html

Made in Africa - Super Models

2008-12-16T12:46:00.004-05:00

Drink your garri and eat your vegetables O!

Peter Kortenhoven of Sierra Leone

Aminata Niaria of Senegal

Miss ECOWAS 2008 Peace Pageant

2008-12-13T14:23:00.003-05:00

For those going home, this is something to check out.

Log on to http://missecowas.org for more information.

The winners of the Miss Ecowas regional beauty contest pose for photographers on Saturday in the Ivorian capital, Yamoussoukro. Source: BBC

South African Companies Unlock sub-Saharan Africa

2008-12-09T20:51:00.002-05:00

Versed in the highs and lows of emerging-market development, SABMiller, Standard Bank, and others are expanding across the continent and beyond.

Name a global economic woe, and chances are Charles Needham is dealing with it. Market turmoil has knocked 80% off the shares of South Africa's Metorex, the mining company he runs. The plunge in global commodities is slamming prices for the copper, cobalt, and other minerals Metorex unearths across Africa. The credit crisis makes it harder to raise money. And fighting has again broken out in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Metorex has a mine and several projects in development.

Such problems might send many executives to the window ledge. Yet Needham appears unruffled as he sits down at a conference table in the company's modest offices in a Johannesburg suburb. The combat in northeast Congo, he notes, is far from Metorex's mine. Commodity prices are still high, in historical terms. And Needham is confident he can raise enough capital, drawing on relationships with South African banks. "These are the kinds of things you deal with, doing business in Africa," he says.

For the full article log on to BusinessWeek

It's A New Day O!

2008-12-09T16:19:00.003-05:00

I took another personality test as part of the "Reinvention of me" program and I'm still "the glass is half full" kind of guy. I know things look bleak...credit crunch, mortgage crisis, massive layoffs, and the price of suya has gone up 500%.

Well, I thought I'll serve up this music video by Will.I.Am.

Never let up!

Femi Kuti's Day by Day album teaser...

2008-12-08T15:46:00.001-05:00

Can't wait to get my hands on this album!! By the way, he is on tour. And will be hitting DC early January.

African Diaspora Film Festival

2008-12-08T10:20:00.003-05:00

Very interesting line up of events. I've always envied New Yorkers...right in the heart of art, fashion and media.

For more information log on to http://www.nyadff.org

Botswana !Kung's Men & Women

2008-12-07T14:26:00.005-05:00

I was reading a book and it mentioned the !Kung men and women and how they are still living their life in remote locations chilling away frm high tech society, Here are some pics i dug up...

West Africa's Next Top Model

2008-12-06T12:46:00.004-05:00

The Nationally syndicated TV Show Next Top Model is schedule to begin in Africa in January 2009. This show will follow the same format as the original American’s Next Top Model created by Tyra Banks. West Africa’s next top model show will be produced by StatsMedia Group an international production company owned by Tope Esan and Martin Fayomi. Supermodel Oluchi Onweagba will be the host for the West Africa series. StatsMedia is the only company that was granted the exclusive rights the form CBS Paramount International Television to produce this reality show in Africa. CBS is the official licensor of the series format.

The format will be produced every season by region on the African continent with the initial start up being in

West Africa. True Love West Africa is the media partner and official magazine for West African’s Next Top Model. The magazine will commence scouting for the 16 contestants of the reality show in December 2008 in several regions in West Africa (Cote D’ivoire, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Liberia & Nigeria) with production scheduled for spring 2009. The show will air on major African networks and on cable TV. The winner will receive a lucrative international modeling contract, a cover of True Love magazine and numerous endorsement deals from various companies in the fashion industry nationally and internationally. This version of Next Top Model will not only highlight the models but the continent of Africa for its tourist attractions, cultures, values and its booming 21st century economy.

"War Child" - The Movie

2008-12-04T10:48:00.002-05:00

Coming to a theatre near you.

Log on to http://warchild.reelufilms.com/ for more information.

Ghanaians Gear Up for Elections

2008-12-03T13:38:00.003-05:00

Ghanaians cast their votes this Sunday for a new president.

Fingers crossed

World AIDS Day

2008-11-30T20:15:00.002-05:00

The 1st of December, World AIDS Day, is the day when individuals and organisations from around the world come together to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Whilst we have come a long ways since 1988, there is still much more to be done.

To show support wear red.

For more information log on to http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/

Nigerians sweep MTV Africa awards

2008-11-24T09:52:00.006-05:00

Kelly and Nigerian artist D'banj performed together

Wahu was emotional as she collected her prize for best female

Nigerian artists dominated the MTV Africa Music Awards (the Mamas) on their own turf in the capital city Abuja, scooping six of the 10 awards.
D'banj won both the artist of the year award and the best male award, crowning a successful year for the self-proclaimed "entertainer".
Fellow Nigerian rapper Naeto C won best new act, while 9ice won the best Hip-hop award.
Kenyan singer Wahu, who was overcome with emotion, was named best female.
She tearfully dedicated the award to her husband, fellow musician Nameless, and to her daughter who, she said, "is too young to understand how much she inspires me".

Fusion
BBC 1Xtra's Trevor Nelson hosted the show in front of a crowd of 5,000 fans in the stylishly shaped Abuja Velodrome.
Nigerian duo P-Square, who had five nominations, only managed to take home one prize for best group.
Despite not winning, the disappointed twin brothers thrilled the crowd with their stage act.
South Africa hip-hoppers Jozi won the award for the best live performers.
However, Ghanaian artist Samini revealed he was not happy the live award had gone to a "group that plays CDs and mimes".
He added: "If you say 'live' then the music has to be with a band.
"I'm not picking names but I think that the best live performer should go to a live band artist.
"I'm sorry if I'm being harsh here but I'm trying to be straightforward. If I watch you on TV and I see you with a live band, then you better do it on stage for me."
There was a cameo appearance by US rapper The Game, who gave a brief medley of his hit songs.
There were also performances by the rapper's compatriots Flo-rida, and Kelly Rowland.
Other live acts included Seun Kuti, 9ice, as well as HHP from South Africa, but it was the assortment collaborations that stole the show.

HHP came back on stage to join Nigerian singing sensation Asa on her song Jailer, and Rowland performed alongside D'banj.
But the biggest fusion was that of South African rockers Cassette, Kenyan rapper Jua Cali, and Ikechukwu and Naeto C.
American R&B singer Alicia Keys gave a video acceptance speech for winning the best R&B award, as did South African band Seether, who won the best alternative award.

Mama Africa

The legend gong went to the late Fela Kuti, the Nigerian pioneer of Afrobeat. The award was received by the star's children, Yemi and Seun.
Speaking of Kuti, Nelson said: "He was the first man I ever heard, all the way from the UK, when I heard African music for the first time it came from this man.
"There could only be one person, only one recipient."
Kuti's children joked in their acceptance speech that they would "not take this award to him yet".
"We'll keep it in our house, and when the times comes then we'll take it to him."
Out of the 11 awards given out on the night the legend award was the only one that was not chosen by the fans.

Winners were selected by fans sending text messages.
There was also a tribute to "Mama Africa" Miriam Makeba, the South African singer who died just over a week ago.
Winners each received a Golden Microphone trophy, which has a futuristic microphone emerging from a globe of the world, with the African continent symbolically placed at the top of the world.

Even though this was an African event there were some non-African artists nominated in different categories, including Lil Wayne, The Game, Coldplay, and Keys.
African music videos were also recognized, with Nigeria's Ikechuku winning the award for the best video for his song Wind am well.

SOURCE: BBC

1st MTV 2008 Awards In Africa scheduled In Abuja Nigeria

2008-11-20T08:24:00.000-05:00

Serena Williams Secondary School

2008-11-15T21:17:00.002-05:00

US tennis star Serena Williams gives laptop tips to pupils at the Serena Williams Secondary School which she opened 160km east of Nairobi on Friday, November 14.

Where was the hoopla about this in the media? Oh well "we's" the media, so more grease to your elbows Serena.

African Pride

2008-11-13T11:41:00.002-05:00

Someone sent this...it shows the sense of pride for their country. If you know an artist repping your country please send the link so we can share the video.

Legendary Singer Miriam Makeba - RIP

2008-11-10T09:31:00.003-05:00

Miriam Makeba, the South African singer who wooed the world with her sultry voice but was banned from her own country for more than 30 years under apartheid, died after collapsing on stage in Italy. She was 76.

In her dazzling career, Makeba performed with musical legends from around the world -- jazz maestros Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie, Harry Belafonte, Paul Simon -- and sang for world leaders such as John F. Kennedy and Nelson Mandela.

"Her haunting melodies gave voice to the pain of exile and dislocation which she felt for 31 long years. At the same time, her music inspired a powerful sense of hope in all of us," Mandela said in a statement.

He said it was "fitting" that her last moments were spent on stage.

The Pineta Grande clinic in Castel Volturno, near the southern city of Naples, said Makeba died early Monday of a heart attack.

Makeba collapsed on stage Sunday night after singing one of her most famous hits, "Pata Pata," her family said in a statement. Her grandson, Nelson Lumumba Lee, was with her as well as her longtime friend, Italian promoter Roberto Meglioli.

More online at cnn.com

Yankee Demonstrates Democracy - Africans Wonder...

2008-11-09T23:31:00.001-05:00

America's First Black President

2008-11-04T23:23:00.003-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Young black men across the globe..."Yes we can!"

Let's enjoy this victory.

Obama The Musical

2008-11-04T17:34:00.002-05:00

Just days before the US elections, it is unlikely that US presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain will be sharing a stage.

But in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, their characters will be singing and dancing together when Obama, The Musical opens on Sunday.

The hour-long play is hotly awaited in a country where Mr Obama, whose father was Kenyan, is a wildly popular figure.

Those involved in the production are doing little to hide their sympathies.

Mr Obama, who has never lived in Kenya and has only come to the country on visits, is a national hero. A local beer has been named after him.

'Chief villain'

Scriptwriter and director George Orido complies with Kenyan preferences in his casting of Mr McCain, his running-mate Sarah Palin, and President George Bush.

"McCain comes in as the villain, the chief villain. His supporting cast are George Bush and Sarah Palin who are standing in Obama's way," the director says.

The 30-strong cast is made up of young actors and actresses - their average age is 21 - who are very excited to be a part of the production.

Eric Makori, who plays Mr Obama, says he feels privileged to have the role. He too supports the Democratic candidate.

But so does Paul Kamau, who plays Mr McCain.

And while he is content to play the Republican candidate, Mr Kamau says he would rather be cast as his rival.

"Obama is more fun to portray than McCain," he says. "I hope he will win."

Message for Kenyans

The play tells the story of Mr Obama's life.

It begins with his father's move to America to study and his meeting with Barack Obama's mother, before covering the events of the young Obama's life.

Mr Orido says he came up with the idea of the play three years ago, as Mr Obama rose to prominence.

"Music is the universal language and Obama is a universal figure," he said.

"If you want to tell his story, you have to tell it in a universal language so that everyone can understand."

A variety of musical genres are used - traditional and contemporary Kenyan music, as well as some country songs.

The lyrics of some of the songs have been changed to suit the story line.

The play ends with an enactment of Mr Obama's acceptance of the Democratic nomination, shying away from predictions about who will emerge victorious after the 4 November elections.

But Mr Orido is not quite so reserved about Mr Obama's prospects.

"He's going to win, why not?" he says. "Americans cannot be cheated, they know the right thing to do."

He says he wants everyone who watches his play to understand Mr Obama's story and learn about the virtues of hard work, selflessness, democracy and public service.

The message is especially important for Kenyans, he stresses.

In January, Kenya was rocked by post-election violence that left more than 1,500 people dead and 300,000 homeless.

"We were fighting each other because some of us thought certain people from certain communities could not be leaders... [Obama's story] is a big lesson for us," Mr Orido says.

The play will run until 5 November, and Mr Orido does not rule out a sequel.

He says there have already been invitations to perform in the UK and South Africa.

"This is just the beginning," he says.

Chinua Achebe at the Library of Congress, DC

2008-11-03T16:33:00.000-05:00

Chinua Achebe's Novel "Things Fall Apart" is Subject of Nov. 3 Program at the Library of Congress.

Click here for details.

Yankee Elections - What does it Mean to Africa?

2008-11-02T22:20:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday, November 4, 2008, yankee go elect a new president, which candidate would be more favorable to the mothaland?

Food for thought

Artist on the Rise...

2008-10-30T23:01:00.002-04:00

D’Amadeus will be having a series of radio and television interviews in London and some major cities in Nigeria including Lagos and Abuja through the month of November and December. This publicity campaign is geared towards raising awareness of his forthcoming album scheduled to be released in December.

Global Financial crisis hits Goat Sales in Africa

2008-10-28T11:04:00.004-04:00

ol boy...it no easy O! Christmas is around the corner, no christmas is complete without the maluu and goat meat but the ongoing financial crisis fit affect that one

No Kenyan Christmas would be complete without a roasted goat to feed the family, but the global credit crunch means some look set to miss out this festive season.
Orders for "Mbuzi ya Jamii" (goat for the family) are down sharply at Mama Mikes, an online store that allows Kenyans living abroad to pay for a range of products and services which are then delivered to their families back home.

These include goats, medical check-ups, supermarket shopping vouchers, school fees and others gifts.
"We have customers who are cancelling [orders] and most of them are saying that times are hard so they can't do it anymore," says Muthoni Machanga, the firm's finance and accounting manager.
The firm's customers typically spent between $60 and $100 per order three months ago, but this has now dropped to $45-60. Revenue has dropped by 30%.

Even the firm's loyal customers, who maintain monthly accounts for shopping vouchers and school fees payments have started cancelling or reducing their orders.
Ms Machanga says they are getting at least two cancellations a month and this is worrying for them, and also for the families in Kenya who rely on the remittances.

"It's putting families back home in Kenya under pressure at a time when they're already under pressure from very, very high inflation. One can sense these pressures occurring in the economy," says financial analyst Aly Khan Satchu.

Anchor

This is just one of the ways that the global financial crisis has started to affect Kenya's economy.
While analysts say Africa will be relatively cushioned from the worst effects of the global crisis, Kenyans are definitely starting to feel the squeeze.

Kenya relies heavily on the American, European and Asian economies for remittances, tourism and development aid and the sale of tea, coffee and horticulture exports.
A steep decline in these sectors could seriously affect the rest of the economy.

Mr Satchu says remittances have been a powerful anchor for the Kenyan economy.
In 2007, Kenya received $1.3 billion in remittances.
But the flow is starting to slow.
The Central Bank of Kenya says Kenyans abroad sent $36.5 million in August compared to $44 million in July - 38% less than they sent during the same period last year.

Worried

The drop in remittances and dollar inflow has affected the shilling, which is now trading at a three year low.
This has placed yet another burden on Kenya's import-dependent economy, which is still recovering from the effects of the post-election crisis earlier this year, runaway inflation and rising food prices.
The prices of imported goods such as cars and electronic goods are up, and despite a significant drop in the global oil prices, Kenyans are still paying high fuel prices.

The Central Bank has maintained that Kenya's economy will not be directly hit by the global crisis, but the Nairobi Stock Exchange tells a different tale.
The stock market has suffered a downward spiral for the last three months, and fingers have been pointed at the global crisis.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has already sounded the alarm, saying the global financial crisis will hit Kenya's economy badly.
This week, President Mwai Kibaki set up a team of experts to develop a plan to shield the country's economy from the "inevitable" effects of the crisis.

Mr Satchu says the president is right to be worried and it is time for the government to get on top of the situation.
"If our policy-makers step up to the plate and actually start looking at the situation and dealing with it, I see a bright future and I see us getting back to six or seven per cent growth, notwithstanding what's happening outside."

No free lunch

For Mama Mikes, a local start up which is only five years old, the developments in the global financial markets are worrying.

Ms Machanga says the company is not getting new customers, and this has forced them to start cutting down on their operating costs.

The company's 18 members of staff are no longer provided with a free lunch, and are not allowed to use taxis to get around.

"We're trying to cut down on costs as much as we can, because in some areas you can't do very much. We can't tell people to get salary cuts with the current inflation," she says.

Nevertheless, the company is optimistic about the future and doesn't think it will to have to sack any of its staff.

With analysts saying that Africa could fare better than the rest of the world, Mama Mikes is hoping their orders for mbuzi will pick in time for the next festive season.

Goats, on the other hand, may be hoping for a continued slump so they can escape the Christmas pot.

SOURCE: BBC

why doesn't hip hop come home...to Africa

2008-10-24T14:27:00.003-04:00

A while ago we had an article on American Hip Hop and Africa in the magazine. Tosin sent this to me, and I thought it was interesting.

News blogger detained in Nigeria

2008-10-23T13:18:00.004-04:00

Na wa O!!! naija get secret service...na God dey save person O! "cough" "cough" bloggers beware, that includes yours truly.

A US-based Nigerian news blogger is being held without charge by Nigeria's secret service.
Jonathan Elendu was taken into custody on Saturday when he arrived in the capital, Abuja, on a family visit.
The State Security Service (SSS) has refused to allow his lawyers access to him and denied him a medical visit.
Elendureports.com is one of a number of diaspora-run "citizen reporting" websites about Nigeria and is known for publishing controversial stories.
According to Nigerian law anyone arrested must be charged in court within 48 hours, but correspondents say the rule is frequently broken.
The SSS told Mr Elendu's lawyer that Mr Elendu had not been "arrested", but "invited" for talks at their headquarters.
An SSS spokesman said he was being investigated for "acts of sedition", but refused to give details.
Spokesman Kene Chukwu also told the BBC that Mr Elendu's detention had followed legal rules.
"I am telling you all the legal rules were followed, and you have to accept it," Mr Chukwu said.
Mr Elendu's lawyer says he has not spoken to his client since his arrest.
"They have not pressed any charges and have not allowed anyone to see him," said Ugo Muoma.
He said he was filing papers in court to force the SSS to charge or release Mr Elendu.
Elendureports.com operates from Lansing in Michigan and publishes often controversial stories about Nigerian politicians, accusing some of them of corruption and other crimes.
Their stories are often based on anonymous sources.

President's son
Another US-based Nigerian news website, Saharareporters.com, quotes anonymous sources as saying Mr Elendu may have been arrested because of photographs it published a few months ago showing President Umaru Yar'Adua's son.
The Saharareporters.com pictures, which caused a stir in the local media at the time, showed 13-year-old Musa Yar'Adua waving wads of money around and holding a policeman's gun.
But Saharareporters.com says Mr Elendu is not a member of their staff and has nothing to do with the photographs.
International media rights groups Reporters Without Borders has called for Mr Elendu's release.
"There haven't been many really controversial stories about the president on Elendureports.com in the last few months," said Mr Muoma.
During the election campaign in 2007, Elendureports.com claimed that Mr Yar'Adua had died during a medical trip to Germany.
Two foreign journalists have been detained and deported by the SSS for reporting in the politically sensitive oil-rich Niger Delta region over the last few months.
In September, six local reporters and media executives were detained and questioned after a television channel reported, after receiving a hoax e-mail, that the president planned to resign.

SOURCE: BBC

Good African Men are Hard to Find or are they?

2008-10-21T20:59:00.003-04:00

One of Cosmopolitan Magazine hottest Rhode Island Bachelors pick..

Rhode Island Bachelor 2008
Name: Feyisayo Oshinkanlu
Age: 25
Hometown: West Warwick
Cosmo Username: RHODEISLAND08
Occupation: Pharmaceutical-Sales Representative
In his own words: "I want the people in my life to be happy."
Chick trait he craves: "Being able to hold a conversation about anything Â— from the Muppets to Tchaikovsky."
Ideal first date: "I don't care, as long as it ends with a kiss."
Make-him-melt move: "Touch my back. I love that!"
Dating deal breaker: "If she puts herself down or disrespects others"
Sex on a first date? "Skanky"
Should women play hard to get? "Yes, but don't spend the whole relationship playing games."
Makeup or natural? "Natural. Women look their most beautiful when they haven't put on any makeup yet."

SOURCE: Cosmopolitan

Kanye's New Video - taking it back to the MothaLand

2008-10-21T19:19:00.000-04:00

$200,000/yr for the rest of his life - Botswana's former President

2008-10-20T10:27:00.005-04:00

Here is an African leader that we should celebrate. See story below

Botswana's Mogae wins $5m prize

Botswana's former President Festus Mogae has won a $5m (£2.8m) prize to encourage good governance in Africa.
He stepped down in April after serving two terms in office.
Botswana is one of Africa's most stable countries - it has never had a coup and has had regular multi-party elections since independence in 1966.

Announcing the prize, ex-UN Secretary General Kofi Annnan also commended Mr Mogae for his action to tackle the Aids pandemic which has ravaged the country.
The Ibrahim Prize - the most valuable individual annual prize in the world - was set up by Sudan-born telecoms entrepreneur Mo Ibrahim.
As well as the $5m prize, Mr Mogae, 69, gets $200,000 a year for the rest of his life.

Alcohol ban

Mr Mogae pointed out that Botswana was already doing well before he became president in 1998.
"I did not create the democracy in my country, I consolidated it and deepened it by practiced, accountable governance, respect of the rule of law, independence of the courts, respect for human rights, including women's rights," he told the BBC.
But Mr Mogae also inherited a country with one of the world's highest rates of HIV/Aids and he took strong action to tackle it, making Botswana the first sub-Saharan African country where anti-retroviral drugs were widely available for free. The drugs are known locally as "Mogae's tablets", reports the AP news agency.

"President Mogae's outstanding leadership has ensured Botswana's continued stability and prosperity in the face of an HIV/Aids pandemic which threatened the future of his country and people," Mr Annan said.

SOURCE: BBC

African Soccer Stars in the US

2008-10-17T23:10:00.009-04:00

I watched the DC United team beat New England Revolution 2 - 0. Both goals were scored by an African star Francis Doe from Liberia.

There are quite a few African players in the Major League Soccer.

Here are a few

DC United goalkeeper save many goals. Louis Crayton (Liberia - DC United)

A couple of 19 year olds straight out of Gambia: Kenny Mansally and Sainey Nyassi. The play for the New England Revolution

Patrick Nyarko (Ghana - Chicago Fire)

Emmanuel Ekpo (Nigeria - Columbus Crew)

Stanley Nyazamba (Zimbabwe - Columbus Crew)

Kheli Dube (Zimbabwe - New England Revolution)

Bakary Soumare (Mali - Chicago Fire)

Macoumba Kandji (Senegal - New York Red Bulls)

and there are a many more...

Will soccer ever become a hip sport here in yankee?

Colin Powell bigs up Africa show

2008-10-15T09:59:00.005-04:00

Colin Powell danced and sang to the Olu Maintain hit Yahooze

America's former top diplomat took centre stage along with Nigerian group Olu Maintain at the Africa Rising Festival in the Royal Albert Hall.

More seriously, he said his own black identity mattered as much as ever.

He told the audience that Africa, with hard work and foreign investment, could prosper like Asia and Eastern Europe.

US pop singer Christina Aguilera and UK-born soul singer Seal also performed at the event which saw fashion collections by Ozwald Boateng and Deola Sagoe.

'Africa's turn'

"I stand before you tonight as an African-American," Mr Powell said.

"Many people have said to me you became secretary of state of the USA, is it still necessary to say that you are an African-American or that you are black, and I say, yes, so that we can remind our children.

"It took a lot of people struggling to bring me to this point in history. I didn't just drop out of the sky, people came from my continent in chains."

A lot of wrongs had been done to Africa by Western powers faced with "an iron curtain and a bamboo curtain", he said in an apparent reference to the USSR and communist China.

But these barriers had fallen, he argued.

"Asia is expanding, it created jobs for people, and Eastern Europeans are doing the same... it's now Africa's turn."

Colin Powell, a distinguished former military commander, served as US secretary of state during the first term of the Bush administration, from 2001 to 2005.

SOURCE: BBC

When Your African Daughter Turns 16

2008-10-13T22:44:00.002-04:00

Beware of Area Boys O!

Ashley Judd rocking African wear :-)

2008-10-13T02:21:00.002-04:00

Ashley Judd at the YouthAIDS gala in Washington, D.C.,

Picture was from MSN...they said her dressing was "questionable." What do you think?

Ariztos Magazine

20 Yr Old Naija-Londoner Faces Death Penalty

Makeup, Wigs and Yankee Accent....

What Does a Mall in Africa Look Like?

Chief Forest Whitaker & Chief Danny Glover of Imo State, Nigeria

Ghana Music Awards - Akon's n' dem cousins?

Omotola Baby...

In Concert: Habib Koité & Bamada and Dobet Gnahoré

Oga Landlord

President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Book Release and Interview

Pics from Ini Edo's Wedding

Put A Ring On It- AFRICAN REMIX!!!

Africas in China

Miss Guinea USA Pageant

Cable Series Straight Out of Botswana

African Dance Hall - Introducinf Samini

Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles

Rwanda Rising: A New Model of Economic Development

First Black Chief Executive of a FTSE 100 Company

Madagascar's New Leader

The Ultimate Hair Do...

A Dose of Humor

S'il vous plaît rencontrer Corneille

Pictures from ChinAfrica

Introducing Zaki Ibrahim

Nigerian Trainee doctor sues college for £300,000

Kanu's Commercial - For True Soccer Fans

A Dose of Humor

Nigeria Tops Another List...

Africa's Private Sector Flowers

Flogging Teachers in Front of Class!

Bribe or Business Expense?!?!

Pan-African Film and Television Festival (FESPACO)

Your Weekly Dose of an African Music Video

You Too Can Achieve the American/Nigerian Dream O!

Coup d'etat in Guinea-Bissau?!?!

Your Weekly Dose of an African Music Video

Africans in the Diaspora - Return Home ?!?!

Naija Police in Action - U've Gotta See This

Kenya in sixth spot in the International Rugby Board Sevens World Series Rankings

Badagary Historical Resort

Howard Univ. Africa Business Conference

HBS Africa Business Conference

South African male choir scoop Grammy

Another Artist on the Scene

NigeriaTown

Suggested Reading

A Story of Forgiveness

World Cup 2010 - Let the Count Down Begin

Superb Artistic Talent by way of the Mothaland

Thief Transforms to Goat

Another Made in Africa Model - Kiara Kabukuru

Back to School...

2009 U.S. Presidential Inauguration

Make Una Get Dream - Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

Zimbabwe Hyperinflation: Z$100tr note

Buses Built in Ivory Coast

In Terms of Soccer, Cameroon Dominates...

Upcoming South African Election: Drama in the making...

Which is better: to be Madoffed or 419ed

Another Made in Africa Model - Camilla Barungi

The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit), "Kamphopo"

Ghana's New President-Elect: John Atta Mills

Through the Glass

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Some Holiday Humor

Nigerian Preacher Named #49 in Newsweeks' Top 50 Most Powerful People in the World

African Music Original

Empower 10,000 Students to Launch Social Businesses

Made in Africa - Super Models

Miss ECOWAS 2008 Peace Pageant

South African Companies Unlock sub-Saharan Africa

It's A New Day O!

Femi Kuti's Day by Day album teaser...

African Diaspora Film Festival

Botswana !Kung's Men & Women

West Africa's Next Top Model

"War Child" - The Movie

Ghanaians Gear Up for Elections

World AIDS Day