Arthur Nwankwo: Giant in a country of political Lilliputians
I CALLED Dr. Arthur Agwuncha Nwankwo a few months ago to discuss what those who fought for the enthronement of democracy can do to rescue the country in the aftermath of the 2019 elections and inauguration. As I began to explain the motives and why I want him to be one of the principal conveners to prise the country out of the hands of a hopeless political class, he interjected: “Owei, go ahead. I know whatever you are thinking and planning must be good for us. I am in. Put down my name.” That was a patriot who had implicit confidence in people and ready to take risks.
In a political system where principles don’t matter, he lived by it. He believed that a politician with no clear ideology is a danger to his community and people. Nwankwo reminds me a lot about Mokwugo Okoye, MOK, who taught Nigerians that our independence was not just about building a neo-colony, but that there were nationalists like Raji Abdallah, Bello Ijumu and Osita Agwuna who, like Kwame Nkruma in Ghana, Patrice Lumumba in Congo Democratic Republic, Felix Moumie in Cameroun, Sekou Toure in Guinea and Ahmed Ben-Bella in Algeria, fought for real independence.
My generation heard about MOK, but they were snippets; we truly had no idea what he wrote or what he and his fellow patriots of the Zikist Movement stood for. Then we heard that a Dr. Arthur Nwankwo of the Fourth Dimension Publishers in Enugu had published MOK’s seminal work: Storms on the Niger and a race to get copies commenced. That book formed the foundations of our understanding of the independence struggle and why our country was in a sorry state.
In those days, there were healthy intellectual debates around literary genius, Professor Wole Soyinka and radicals on campuses who tended to compare his writings with those of Ngugi Wa’ Thiongo in terms of political and ideological contents. Then there were stories of a set of American-based neo-liberal scholars called the ‘Bolekaja Critics’ who were tackling Soyinka from Afrocentric planks.
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Badagry: The Joy of Return, by award-winning documentary filmmaker, Ronke Macaulay, set for World Premiere in New York
The film will be screened at the Pan African Unity Dialogue, a leadership Summit convened by the US-based Institute of the Black World 21st Century.
Badagry: The Joy of Return, by award-winning documentary filmmaker, Ronke Macaulay, set for World Premiere in New York Feb. 22nd.
Badagry: The Joy of Return, by award-winning documentary filmmaker, Ronke Macaulay, set for World Premiere in New York Feb. 22nd.
PAUD is focused on promoting unity, cooperation and action between Continental Africans, Caribbean Americans, Afro-Latinos and African Americans.
Special Guest, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM will be giving a speech at the high-profile event. Also in attendance will be the Chairmen, Senate and House committees on Diaspora, and representatives of the Lagos State government.
Badagry: The Joy of Return, by award-winning documentary filmmaker, Ronke Macaulay, set for World Premiere in New York Feb. 22nd.
Badagry: The Joy of Return, by award-winning documentary filmmaker, Ronke Macaulay, set for World Premiere in New York Feb. 22nd.
The documentary has recently been selected for the upcoming 10th edition of iRepresent International Documentary Film Festival (IREP) in Lagos, and also the prestigious Africa World Documentary Film Festival (AWDFF) taking place in San Diego, USA and across several venues worldwide in 2020.
Music festival in Kenyan national park ruffles feathers
Conservation organization WildlifeDirect argues a music festival planned for Hells’ Gate National Park will further disturb vulnerable raptors and other wildlife.
The Kenya Wildlife Service defends this and similar events, saying the park is an “activity-based conservation and recreation facility” and some of the revenue raised will go towards supporting conservation.
Hell’s Gate, a breeding site for the endangered Rüppell’s vulture, has also been heavily impacted by geothermal power generation.
Kenyan conservationists are challenging plans to host a music festival at Hell’s Gate National Park, 100 km outside the capital, Nairobi, on Feb. 14. They say it will negatively impact wildlife in the park, including endangered vulture species.
Organizers expect the festival will attract an estimated 20,000 people. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the government agency charged with conservation and management of wildlife, also plans to host the East African leg of the World Rally Championship in Hell’s Gate in July.
Conservation organization Wildlife Direct has applied for a court injunction against KWS and the festival organizers, arguing that no proper assessment of the environmental impact of the music festival has been done. The organization wants the festival moved elsewhere, and disturbance of wildlife in the park to be minimised, allowing already-declining raptor breeding colonies in the park’s cliff habitat to recover.
“This decision to go to court over Koroga Festival was a last resort,” said WildlifeDirect CEO Paula Kahumbu in a statement, “after efforts to persuade the private and state partners to move the festival, a 2-day music concert to an audience of 15,000 or more customers. The Hell’s Gate is the only protected colony of breeding Rüppell’s vultures, which is critically endangered.”
The NGO also launched an online campaign calling for the relocation of the festival to a site elsewhere, attracting support from the Conservation Alliance of Kenya, local and international NGOs and the tourism Industry.
This is the first time the Koroga Festival, an annual event celebrating African music, food, and fashion organized by Nairobi-based media company Capital FM, is taking place outside of Nairobi. Besides performances by popular musicians on a main stage, the festival will also include activities such as a cycling race, a clean-up effort at nearby Lake Naivasha, and a hike on Mount Longonot, an adjacent protected area.
According to a project summary produced by Nakuru County’s ministry responsible for trade, tourism and cooperatives, the site of the festival will be in front of the Main Wall, some 7 kilometers from the Rüppell’s vulture (Gyps rueppelli) nesting site. The summary says disturbance will be minimised by a temporary fence around the festival site and KWS patrols; speakers set up to face the park’s admin buildings rather than into the park; and restricting vehicle access to emergency services only.
KWS did not respond to Mongabay’s request for an interview before publication, but the service released a statement defending the event, describing Hell’s Gate as an “activity based conservation and recreation facility”. The park has hosted similar events in the past, including a jazz festival in 2018, and an annual wheelbarrow race to raise funds. KWS also argues that some of the revenue raised by events like this is used for conservation and community development. A Jan. 16 letter from KWS to the festival organizers sets out total fees of 700,000 Ksh (7,000 dollars) to cover security and conservation fees for this event.
“But these are not the primary purposes of a national park,” Kahumbu told Mongabay in an interview, “they are supposed to be used for conservation of wildlife. We understand that the government has to generate revenue but we are not convinced because such activities degrade the environment.”
Source: mongabay.com
#NOGOFALLMAGA RELEASES FREE eBOOK SNIPPET TO MARK 2020 SAFER INTERNET DAY.
To commemorate the 2020 Safer Internet Day, Cybersafe Foundation is pleased to release for free downloads, a snippet of Africa’s first storified Cybersecurity awareness publication, #NoGoFallMaga: The Handbook. The handbook, which is a first, uses a storytelling approach to demystify technical industry terms and create awareness in the simplest forms through text and visual aids that are easy for the public to understand and relate to.
The handbook is published by Cybersafe Foundation in partnership with A’Lime Media to provide a useful resource, through an easy-to-understand series of actions, and at the same time promote cybersecurity awareness as citizens often find it difficult to understand what is required of them to stay safe online. With the theme, “Together for a better internet”, the 2020 Safer Internet Day advocates a call to action for all stakeholders to play key roles in creating a better internet for everyone, especially younger users. The relationship between FinTech and internet safety cannot be overemphasized and today provides a good opportunity to promote increased awareness about cybersecurity.
Available for free download, the snippet is divided into two sections featuring five stories and a do-it-yourself activity section to deepen the message of the #NoGoFallMaga Campaign. #NoGoFallMaga is a national movement of young people working to combat preventable financial fraud through consumer-centered sensitization and education targeted at Nigerians with access to financial services and technology.
Cybersecurity awareness campaigns have been identified as one of the most effective methods to tackle cybersecurity-related challenges as cybercriminals continue to improve their methods daily, using the art of deception known as ‘Social Engineering’ to exploit unsuspecting people on various platforms. In response, this initiative has been designed to further chronicle the voice of Cybersafe Foundation in her bid to eradicate the menace of cybercriminals. This is why the #NoGoFallMaga campaign is purpose-built and the handbook published to engage various audiences on prevailing cybersecurity threats and their corresponding preventive measures.
In addition, #NoGoFallMaga is significant to the Nigerian banking population because it seeks to empower more individuals with information about the activities of cybercriminals and collectively build a fortress that becomes more difficult to penetrate every day. According to the Founder of Cybersafe Foundation, Confidence Stavely; “…each time you think about your online accounts, think about them as a stash of gold; this might help you to have a better attitude towards safeguarding the information contained therein”.
After a series of initiatives since June 2019, Cybersafe Foundation has reached over 50,000 Nigerians through various online and offline activities such as market activations, church and school tours across Nigeria to educate Nigerians on various forms of digital fraud and preventive measures to take each time. During some of the sensitization tours, #NoGoFallMaga volunteers have thwarted on-going social engineering attacks on unsuspecting individuals. The snippet is another effort by the foundation to make sure no one is left behind in the effort to spread awareness across the country.
www.nogofallmaga.org/book to download and read the FREE eBook Snippet. Join the conversations online to share reviews, ask questions and get information on latest trends in social engineering and Cybersecurity using #NoGoFallMaga. For further information, please follow @nogofallmaga on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
ABOUT #NOGOFALLMAGA
Cybersafe Foundation is a non-profit organisation led by young and passionate technology and cybersecurity enthusiasts working to combat preventable digital fraud with consumer-centered sensitization and education.
The #NoGoFallMaga campaign is dedicated to raising awareness on digital fraud issues and equip Nigerians with knowledge for better decision making and fraud mitigation. From the middle-aged women in the market to white-collar executives, to young men in university campuses, to Grandmothers across Nigeria; no individual with access to financial services will be unreached with our message.
Through a network of volunteers, the organization has implemented #NoGoFallMaga across four (4) states to stem the alarming rate of cyber threats and cyber fraud in Nigeria.
Davido’s Album Goes Platinum In The USA, Receives RIAA Plaque
Davido’s new album, ‘A Good Time’ which was labeled by his critics as unimpressive juxtaposed his previous albums, has stated making waves on the international front.
Believe it or not, the album officially attained the platinum status with his 2 singles and latest album in the USA.
His song, ‘Risky’, which featured Popcaan has gone double platinum while ‘Blow My Mind’ which he performed with Chris Brown has also gone platinum. To put the icing on the cake, and his entire album of, ‘A Good Time’ has also gone platinum.
The singer shared the good news on his instagram page as he received the plaque from the RCAA representative.
SOURCE: www.Ghgossip.com
Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder Joseph Shabalala has died
Legendary iscathamiya singer and founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo Joseph Shabalala has passed on.
Shabalala, 79 died after a long illness at Eugune Marais Hospital in Pretoria this morning.
His death was confirmed by manager of Ladysmith Black Mamabazo, Xolani Mazozi. Majozi told SowetanLive that Shabalala’s wife was with him when he drew his last breath.
He explained that the iconic singer had not been out of hospitals since mid 2019.
“Bab’ Shabalala was a legend of this lifetime, and it will take time to raise a person of his calibre. His is the greatest loss to the entertainment industry and to the world. He raised the standard of the iscathamiya and took to international stages where it excelled. His was a global being.”
The group that has won five Grammy awards landed their first recording deal with Gallo Records in 1970, have toured the world and collaborated with various world stars.
The group achieved international fame and some of the group’s highlights was collaborating with Paul Simon on his Graceland album in 1986. In 2014, Shabalala retired from performing with the group, leaving his sons to take over.
Joseph Shabalala, who helped introduce traditional Zulu music to the world, died aged 78 on February 11 2020. The musician was best known as the founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, which won five Grammy awards.
African-American World War II veterans share their stories
The new WQED documentary, “The Good Fight,” tells the stories of African-American veterans and war workers during World War II.
Premiering at 8 p.m. Feb. 13, the documentary will rebroadcast at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 and Feb. 27, and will be available digitally at wqed.org/the-good-fight following its initial airing.
According to WQED, “The Good Fight” celebrates members of “The Greatest Generation,” African-American men and women who served their country.
Over 75 years after the D-Day invasion, WQED shares the stories of World War II veterans and war workers battling racism at home while fighting for democracy overseas. Written and produced by Chris Moore and Minette Seate, the documentary introduces viewers to Americans who share the experiences that helped make history.
African-Americans have played a role in the nation’s defense since the American Revolution. World War II was no exception, with an estimated 1.2 million black Americans serving on the home front and overseas, WQED notes.
Through interviews and archival footage, the documentary shares the legacy of these southwestern Pennsylvanians and their lasting impact on American civil rights.
Featured segments include:
• Henry Parham, believed to be the last surviving African-American veteran to land on Omaha Beach during the D-Day Invasion
• Althea Skelton, a Schenley High School graduate who worked as an electrician, helping to build B-29 bombers
• The Tuskegee Airmen Memorial. The Sewickley Cemetery is home to the largest outdoor memorial of its kind, dedicated to the famed black fighter pilots.
