MADE IN NIGERIA; THE STORY OF THE FUTURE

Betty (fake name) and I got into a discussion. She was complaining bitterly about how she is losing customers due to the hike in dollar as she was into selling foreign clothes and fashion accessories.

Her boutique was dying as no one could afford the new price. So I made a big blunder, I suggested she sells  Made In Nigeria.

How dare you, she screamed. Do you know who my customers are? You think they are cheap? So I went ahead to tell her about Deola Sageo, Alara and the likes. They sell Made in Nigeria and Made in Africa and I bet your costumers can’t even afford them. Then her story changed…

How many people can afford to buy a Deola Sageo? Do you think they design for us? I saw then that this is another one of our blind patriots and so, I stopped selling my new idea to her.

The truth is that if we want to make it through this recession and build our economy, we have to start relying on Made in Nigeria. Anyone doing business in dollar right now is heading for the rocks.

Diversify, find a new business, especially one which doesn’t trade in dollar or has limited dollar spend. If it has a Nigerian version, try it out.

Before Facebook changed their billings to Naira, you must know that it has become critical to stay afloat in this recession with your business. This is the time to be flexible in business especially, the time to push Made in Nigeria.

I keep saying that if our government is smart, they will start encouraging Nigerian made products plus applaud them. This is the way to go to build back our economy and make it strong.

We preach about Aba (Eastern State) made things but in truth, these people are innovative. All they need is encouragement to make their products good and durable and voilà, we have an export haven.

Early this year, I attended a program called Business Women Road to Growth, training for women entrepreneurs and I must say, I was proud to see a lot of ladies producing their own products and pushing services especially in the area of fashion, education and agriculture. One of them now exports her own shoes, thanks to one of the support groups/firms.

This is the time our government should place policies that can help build the nation; though, they have to combat corruption to ensure policies live their time. We need to improve on agriculture and make food available for the multitude; food grown and produced in Nigeria by experts in the field, trained in the knowledge of food production by our Government.

We also need to ensure that anything that can be locally made be locally made especially if we have the natural resources to produce them e.g toothpick. I mean, how can a giant of Africa be importing something like toothpick? We’ve got enough trees to make tooth pick for the continent. These are things the government should look into, encourage local made and support them.

This will help us eventually trust in our own good and build them I mean, is China better than Aba?

For me the difference is just support and promotion. It’s time to embrace our own and encourage it so that we can keep the money within and build our economy. Imagine when we start exporting our goods full time? Yes, we will become a country of good financial repute.

I applaud the Made in Nigeria event they had and hope to read about the post event value. We need more Made in Nigeria initiative and policies to protect and grow our locally made goods. Cause another problem we have is ‘us’; omo nile, the people who destroy and stop locally made goods to progress in our country. We need to wake up and see that we are destroying ourselves for quick short term gain that is limited to us. We need to stop discriminating and start supporting our products so we can grow our economy.

Written by Suziette Ukey

Nigerians In Diaspora Organization Europe Election: Why & How I Wish To Lead As Chairman Of Nigerians In The European Diaspora

A manifesto of a new stewardship in NIDOE: Why & how I wish to lead as Chairman of Nigerians in the European Diaspora

“As the President of NIDO Germany, I will be leveraging on the globally acclaimed know-how of Made-in-Germany approach. I have midwifed the transformation of NIDO Germany into an enviable organization both within Europe and Nigeria. I am looking to repeat the same feat as Chairman Board of Trustee of NIDOE“

Repositioning the Diaspora: Putting the right processes in place helps to ensure that projects succeed. Diaspora engagement should equate with being in a service-driven role; an important life-wire, supplying economic and development lifeline to Nigeria. Viewed from this perspective, the focus of my stewardship is to position NIDOE as facilitators to the local developmental agenda of the Federal Government but mainly driven through the smaller entities like the Local and State Governments from the Diaspora standpoint. In this regards a plan to raise half a million Euro within the first one year is already in place. With that NIDO can conveniently execute crucial pilot projects in Nigeria. NIDOE should be self-sufficient and independent in carrying out its projects. We have lacked this aspect for far too long.

My exciting Moments Experience with NIDO

• Elected President NIDO Germany since 2013
• Member Peace and Reconciliation delegation to Nigeria High Commission UK in search of NIDOE Unity
• Member Swiss Peace and Reconciliation Committee
• Hosting of 8 NIDOE Chapter Chairs and some NIDOE Stakeholders in Munich Germany, during the NIDOE Germany AGM, in attempt to narrow our differences in the draft MeMart which eventually facilitated the adoption of the new MeMart pending ratification by the General Assembly.

What I will be bringing to NIDO Europe

As the President of NIDO Germany, I will be leveraging on the globally acclaimed know-how of Made-in-Germany approach. I have midwifed the transformation of NIDO Germany into an enviable organization both within Europe and Nigeria. I am looking to repeat the same feat as Chairman Board of Trustee of NIDOE.

Mr. Ekpo Nta, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and members of the Board of Governors of the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), Austria, representing the African Regional Group. Ready for NIDO Germany EAGM 2016 in München tomorrow 12/03/2016

MOU with ICPC: NIDO Germany signed a Memorandum of understanding (MOU) with The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to join in the fight against corruption.  This MOU provides the opportunity for NIDO European community members to contribute to the fight against corruption by providing services such as training the trainers in security issues, transfer of Diaspora knowledge and provisioning of IT based solutions and best practice models.  As chairman of the Board of Trustees of Nigerians in Diaspora organization I will make this one of our focal points and translate the memorandum into action.

MOU with Lead-University: We have also signed an MOU with Lead-University in Nigeria, a university under registration with Nigerian University commission NUC. The aims of Lead are to support scientific and technological research as well as business development collaborations when it is approved. The interaction with it will be a model for NIDO Europe in skills and know-how transfer in various fields. It will also form a base station for NIDO university exchange scheme between Nigerian and European students.

Business and consulting Partnership: NIDOE Germany under my leadership has signed a tentative Partnership agreement with Aulic Nigeria Limited, concessionaire of Lagos International Trade Fair Complex for the New Nigerian Export Hub (NETH) at Lagos, for export promotion. This partnership, considering the current realities, provides solution to the diversification of our economy away from overdependence on crude oil. NIDO Europe members or partners in consulting, software developments, business, processing industries and related services could key in into the opportunities this partnership will provide. Many of such partnerships in the areas of Agriculture, mining IT will follow under my watch as Chairman BOT NIDOE. Effective but easy platforms will be provided for honorable stakeholders to participate in national development.

Physical Meetings: Leveraging on the model of NIDOE-Germany financed physical meetings of NIDOE Chapter Chairs which covered (transport, feeding and accommodation), I will continue and intensify such physical meetings as a sure way of building confidence and consensus, purposeful leadership based on mutual trust, respect and secured relationship. Should you entrust me to serve you, I will expand this to include BOT, Chapter Chairs and important stakeholders. As a matter of fact, May 15, 2017 has been tentatively fixed for such a summit. If I can do this at Chapter level, we can do it at European level too.

NIDO as a symbolic 37^th State of Nigeria: I will pursue the policy that sees NIDO as a symbolic 37^th State of Nigeria in terms of politico-structural importance to rekindle once again the Diaspora indomitable spirit through a holistic re-strategizing and repositioning of NIDOE to  present the organization and the Diaspora as a well ordered and dependable group, promoting national development, business, trade & investment opportunities, providing a professional resource pool from where the Diaspora and National developmental interests could be managed in a transparent but secure, respectful but fair manner to induce growth in the areas of economic, social, academic, political, entertainment activities where our people seek to position themselves.

Consolidation: The organization needs to build a sense of urgency, not around the word reform or change but a sense of urgency for consolidation. Every little gain and progress which has been made must be guarded jealously. As chief servant in the BOT, I will pursue such implementations. These nonetheless will be preceded by wide consultations so as to be sure that everyone is carried along; at least the critical mass of NIDOE stakeholders as democracy entails. Consultation must be an ongoing process yielding an organic change within our communities while consolidating on our gains.

Imperatives of coherence: NIDOE is irritatingly at a dangerous threshold. There have been areas of good connections in the past that made NIDOE what it was then and what it is today. But many areas of total disconnect also exist at different levels: between the Board and the chapters, between various chapters and between NIDOE and non-NIDO members both at national, continental and intercontinental levels. There must be an immediate information offensive to bridge these gaps using all available information strategy and all available media tools. Moreover, the information offensive will help NIDOE win hundreds of professionals and resourceful people in the Diaspora who may not have had a favourable disposition towards the organization. As the CEO of the biggest African-European Network in Continental Europe with media Network both within Europe and Nigeria, I am certainly at home in this area.

Sharpenng the lobby tools: It is important to know that none of the efforts of Nigerians in Diaspora will germinate if our leaders, policy makers and opinion leaders at home and in Diaspora do not provide a fertile ground for these efforts. Together with the NIDOE stakeholders in Nigeria, a concerted effort must be made to provide this necessary fertile ground through intensive lobby for the creation of important enabling institutions. Top on the Diaspora list are the Diaspora Database, the Diaspora Commission and the Diaspora Voting Rights. These legislated structures or institutions will act as catalysts giving the Diaspora the impetus to coalesce further and to create new solutions for national challenges. Good news is that the architecture for these important bodies of work is already in place. I want to lead us to swiftly run them to the finishing line.

Cooperation rather than competition: Crucial Diaspora affairs and items like the Diaspora Commission, Diaspora Voting Rights and Diaspora Day are matters that concern all Nigerians outside Nigeria, therefore a strategic cooperation and synergy with other Nigerian Diaspora Groups e.g., ANNID, NIDAN, CANUK is cardinal. The Diaspora of 2016 must be seen as a call to service and all hands must be on deck while NIDOE must be seen as providing the needed framework and guidance for cooperation. We must reject manipulative tendencies designed to keep us divided and fighting one another. We must accept to dance individually to the tone of our music, each in its own dancing steps and rhythm; but we must learn and accept to dance together. Together we are stronger and united.

A new leadership is urgently needed: I should say that there is much work to be done to overcome the things that set us apart. This work we must do together. Then focus on discharging our duties as Diaspora in accordance with the Charter of NIDO. Building on the experiences of our founding stakeholders both within the Diaspora and back at home, it is my utmost duty to provide the leadership needed today to make NIDOE a cornerstone of foreign and domestic policy by the Republic of Nigeria. I am certain that I can rekindle the rather dwindling indomitable Diaspora spirit and we then can pave new roads. Yes, I can unite us around a common agenda. Yes, I can get us work effectively with the private sector, governments and non-governmental organization at all levels. Yes, together we can break new grounds and we surely will! We will bring Nigeria’s developmental partners on board. It is the choice of others if they want to tell you something different, but I call upon you to retain the faith. Believe me, the work to be done is not more complicated than I have laid out before you. We can do it and I want to provide us the strategic servant-leadership as chairman, Board of Trustees to do it. For this, I humbly request your endorsement. So help us God!

About Kenneth Gbandi

I hold a Master’s Degree in Peace Research and Conflict Mediation, with focus on dialogue based solutions in stress afflicted communities, conflict mitigation, integration and the rights of demographic minorities. I have served in Hamburg Senate’s Foreigners Advisory council, representing Africa, and was later elected Chairman of the Committee on Anti-Discrimination. I currently run one of the biggest African – European Media Network in Germany & German speaking areas. I am the director of the African-German Information Center AGiC, a social business outfit responsible for one of the Federal German Government programs for recognition of migrant’s educational qualifications (Africa) and the empowerment of Nigerians and African citizens in Germany. I currently coordinate the activities for Germany & continental Europe for Nigerian Fallen Heroes project, an initiative of Nigeria Legion in partnership with the Ministry of Defence Abuja. The Project aims to rally support from Nigerian Diaspora community for our Fallen Heroes. Since 2015 I am a member of the German-Africa communication concept committee of German Foreign Affairs, Africa division, aimed at analyzing the causes of African influx into Europe, its consequences and possible solutions.  I have founded and co-founded many Initiatives in Germany, including Nigerian Football Club Germany, African Football Festival Germany, Miss Africa Germany, Miss Nigeria Germany and African Living Legend Award Germany. I am also currently the Head of Media Commission, African Union African Diaspora Sixth Region (AUADS) Germany.

OUR MONEY HAS LOST ITS VALUE, SO SAVING MONEY IS BECOMING A BAD IDEA*

If you are not capable in handling money then you will become uncontrollable in spending the money

Divide your SALARY by 30 days and see what you get (i.e. the number of days in a month and see the funny thing about your salary plan). For example,
(1) An average level-12 worker in the state government civil service earns NGN 60,000. And this translates to NGN 60,000÷30= NGN 2,000 every day. This is LESS THAN the amount made daily by an AVERAGE HAWKER in the city.

(2) A fresh EMPLOYED GRADUATE BANKER in most NIGERIAN BANKS earns an average of NGN120,000 monthly. ***So everyday, you get NGN120,000÷30= NGN4,000 as the daily value for your work-life. By implication, this is LESS THAN the amount earned DAILY by an AVERAGE DRIVER in the city and in some villages…..

(3) If you are a FRESH GRADUATE EMPLOYEE in some big companies, you earn an average of NGN300,000 monthly. So in a day your WORK-VALUE is NGN300,000 ÷ 30= NGN10,000 **** This is LESS THAN the daily amount earned by an IRRIGATION FARMER supplying vegetables to Lagos MARKETS, a TIPPER CAR DRIVER supplying sand for three BLOCK INDUSTRIES and CONSTRUCTION SITES just 3 times a day and DRIVERS of DANGOTE TRUCKS who have bought off the trucks at scrap value and are using them to convey products between villages and the cities for just five business owners etc.

This is to tell you that you can never attain financial freedom when you work for someone else or even in an oil company. You can only get there when you build a successful business and become an investor.

The problem is not the size of the money or the value of the money but the way you are been taught on how to use the money. Money is not the answer, but the answer is keeping it or investing it wisely, that is why the popular saying big man big problem, that is not the issue.

To be rich is not enough but also how to guide it. If you are rich then learn how to guide your wealth and how to manage your resources. So if you have that money and your planning is poor, that money will soon vanish, the reason why your income is not stable is because your planning is unstable. Having money is not the answer, but having the right planning.

*Money at hand has no value, money in the bank is useless, but money invested brings more money. Your money can only be useful when it has been converted into tangible resources*. Many people might still be wondering what is tangible resources or intangibles resources. These two has a lot to do with achieving greatness in life. Your money will first come in form of intangible (ideas) which you alone will convert it to tangibles. It is the unseen that begets the seen, so if you can’t calculate it in your mind you can’t arrange it with your hands.

Your mind is the first place your wealth will occur and the major reason why people are not getting rich is because they are not yet in line with what they want.

Before you invest, clear every depth and then make savings and investing your highest financial priority. This may be the first time you are hearing this, never owe any depths and think of investment.

Our money lost its value since 1971 that is when our money stopped being money and became a currency when it ceased being hacked by gold. That was the year our money became absolute and that was what prompted to People not getting rich working and depending on monthly incomes.

People are complaining of low income and high demand on that low income, still yet they don’t want to know what they will do to get out from the issue. Ones your income is low it will be affecting the chancing of you not getting rich.

*In Nigeria the income for an average man and fifty percent of people under middle class is very low and this low income is the result why none of them is rich. I have seen a family man, that earns #80,000 per month and spends #15000 every month in maintaining and fueling his car, REV4 private jeep and after spent #15000 out of #80000 the money left is #65000. The money remaining will rather keep him in middle class or ends him up poor. Because after bills and children school fees and all that, he will be left with nothing*

The more things are getting bad the more he is thinking of what to do with his income so that it will be enough for him and the family, a time came that he packed the car and start entering commercial bus to maintain his salary still yet things keep getting worse. This is to tell you that most times money is not our problem but lack of no financial intelligence, since the money that is coming in keep making the matter worse what do you think he should do.

While I was written this book I had a brief conversation with my mother about monthly incomes and its solution to free people from the limitation of long term monthly income, she said monthly income can never make you rich but can only make you comfortable, reasons that most middle class people are saving money to solves problems so their money will always go into what they kept it for. I wasn’t surprise because she said that out of experience. If you closely look at what is happening around you, you will notice that people that are getting richer are the ones that don’t play with investment

The rich are getting richer because they know something the poor and middles class doesn’t know, not only that they hang out with their fellow rich people also.

Until you change the idea and language you have toward money, you can’t make adequate use of it. Money is a slave to the rich and master to the poor. To the rich they control it while the poor has no control over it. The poor thinks that money is only meant for the rich that they have no access to it.

After this I will tell you why the educated ones still serve and work for the rich , people didn’t went to school. For you to know that money will only have value when you invest that money in something that will double that money. To me the poor know nothing about dreaming big, the poor has a small dream and that is why they are small and will remain small. The people who dream small, think small, and work small still do the hardest part of the work and are paid least amount of money. If you do not dream big you will appear small.

Money at hand has no value, money in the bank is useless
Until it is converted into tangible assets

Biography of Malcolm A Benson

Malcolm A Benson is a multi award winning Media Professional and the CEO of Benalex Media based in London. He is an Alumni of London Metropolitan University having obtained two Academic Hons Degrees as well as a Post- graduate diploma and other undergraduate qualifications in the same University.

His first academic degree was in Professional Studies in Education (BA Hons) followed by a second degree in Law (LLB). He then went on to do an LPC before joining a Law firm in London where he now practices.

He is a Mentor and has mentored a number of students at the London Metropolitan University as well as in the film industry. M A Benson also qualified as a Teacher before following his passion and extending his reach into the Media and Entertainment industry. He is a Film Producer, Actor, Director and Screenplay writer. He has produced a number of films such as ‘Phantom of Fury’; ‘Forget the Pact’, ‘Ortega and His Enemies’, which had picked up 14 Film awards nominations.

His recent film Return of The Don, having sold out its UK Premiere seats at the British Film Institute (BFI) IMAX Cinema and hitting no 23 on UK Box Office chart, has also won 5 Film Festival Awards. These include the Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival Award of Recognition, Canada International Film Festival Award of Excellence, Depth of Field International Film Festival Award of Exceptional Merit, Accolade International Film Festival Award etc. Return of The Don has received over 40 Film Award Nominations so far including The Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards, Festival International De Film du Cannes, London Independent Film Festival, NAFCA Awards, ZAFAA Global Awards, CA Awards, BEFFTA Awards, Cameron Film Awards, African Film Awards etc.

Malcolm Benson’s Film Premiered in Cannes twice and was chosen and screened at the Mache Du Film by the New World Cinemas in Cannes. M A Benson has been Nominated Best Director, Best Producer, Best Screen Writer and Best Actor by the Los Angeles based NAFCA Prestigious Awards, BEFFTA Awards, ZAFAA Global Awards and African Film Awards in 2016

Awards seasons. In previous years M A Benson has amongst other awards also picked up the ZAFAA Best UK Film Director and The Life Changers Award as a Champion for Art and Culture. He has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Gathering of Africa’s Best (The GAP Awards) for his contributions on the promotion of the positive image of Africa and Africans through The Arts

His many TV productions are shown on flagship sky channels such as Nollywood Movies Channel 329 and Vox Africa Channel 218. This includes the high profile ‘Show 4 Africa’ and ‘Take 101’ which have attracted widespread media appeal. Take 101 is a documentary TV series that helps film makers especially new, young and upcoming ones to learn the A to Z about the film making process from concept to reality and from ideas to motion picture.

M A Benson’s Media Company launched one of the first Igbo TV shows on a UK Television, which aired on Ben Television SKY Channel 182 paving the way for other producers of similar shows. He is a founding member and creator of the successful Igbo Heritage Awards event. M A Benson is actively involved in the community leadership, fund raising and empowerment projects. He has worked actively as a committee member for three Former Mayors of the London Borough of Waltham Forest and two Former Mayors of London Borough of Enfield raising money for various charities.

He is a committee member for delivering the successful Nigerian Centenary Awards UK 2014. M A Benson is the former president of a youth organization for all igbos based in the UK called The Igbo Cultural and Support Network (ICSN).

He is the current President of Okija UK since 2013 and a founding member of the Actors Guild of UK as well as the Vice President of the UK Nollywood Producers Guild. M A Benson is driven by his passion for giving back to the community and is a much heralded community/industry leader and creative champion.

Some of his work can be found at http://www.benalexmedia.com, Facebook M A Benson, Twitter MabensonFilm, IMdB Malcolm Benson, Instagram Mabensonproduction.

Dilemma   conveys the story of a naïve girl who is surrounded by all
sorts of stories about her sexuality and physiology in relation to sex. She was made to believe that she will never have that curvy shape that every woman desires until she permits a man to dissert her legs and deposit some ‘ice cream.’ Ironically, she discovers that Mercy is wild yet thin and Amarachi preserved and chaste yet robust, weighty
and and has very scintillating curves.

Her confusion is reinforced when she visits the hospital and her breasts are caressed by the doctor during examination. However, education remains the tool which equips the female child against long held superstitions.

These story is written based on feminist background, which seeks to enlighten the
woman on the subject of her subjugation in the society.

It also cover those cultural and patriarchal attitudes that trammel women’s desires,and aspirations. Here, the writer has tried to raise the consciousness of women to the reality of their living conditions.

The woman should be encouraged to view into her world without using the binoculars of patriarchy. It is therefore the aim of the writer to reveal some of the features not necessarily caused by patriarchal system, as found in other feministic works; but to introduce the concept of self exposition as against self inflicted naivety.

The writer at this point advocates that, the woman should be acquainted
with the fact that her body is different from the man’s body: that there is something essential about her body which if used, will enable her overcome patriarchal repression and regain control of her personality.

Thus,the woman should be enlightened on the value of her own body first,and when writing, she should start with herself. It is also through writing that her voice can be heard and she can be able to challenge the phallocentric tradition that previously, imprisoned
her in her own silence.

Statement by His Excellency Edward Turay at the Black History Month Event organised by TONY FERNANDEZ At the British House of Commons – London 26th October 2016

Good Evening;

I. OPENINIG

It is indeed a great pleasure and an honour for me to be here today to celebrate Black History Month with all of you.

While living in forced political exile in the United States of America, I was fortunate to become acutely aware of the importance of celebrating Black History Month. Thus I wholeheartedly commend my good friend, Tony, for promoting today’s initiative.

2

I am gratified to see that through the celebration of Black History Month, the contributions made by peoples of African descent throughout the world, continue to be remembered and honoured.

When discussing the importance of Black History Month, inevitably the legacy of slavery still holds a haunting place in our collective memory. For Africans residing in the Diaspora, especially those in the United Kingdom and America, it is an opportunity to understand the impact of slavery on the lives of those of African descent, and how this experience has impacted their perceptions about the continent of Africa and its peoples.

3

II. TRANS ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE AND Sa. LEONE.

I will now limit me to brief commentary on the nexus of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade and Sierra Leone.

A). Sierra Leone slave experience

Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, that is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. It covers a total area of approximately 72, 000 km 2 (28,000 sq mi) [ and has a population of 6.5 million ]

4

European contacts within Sierra Leone were among the first in West Africa. In 1462, Portuguese explorer Pedro da Cintra mapped the hills surrounding what is now Freetown Harbour, naming shaped formation Serra de Leão (Portuguese for Lion Mountains). The Italian rendering of this geographic formation is Sierra Leone, which became the country's name.

Soon after Portuguese traders arrived they were joined by the Dutch and French; all of them using Sierra Leone as a trading point for slaves. In 1562, the English joined the trade in human beings when Sir John Hawkins shipped 300 enslaved people, acquired 'by the sword and partly by other means', to the new colonies in America.

Between about 1750 and 1800, Bance Island in Sierra Leone was one of the major slave trading operations on the Rice Coast of West Africa. Bance Island (now Bunce) is located in

5

the Sierra Leone River about twenty miles above modern Freetown. It is a small island, only one-third of a mile long and uninhabited today, but in the days of the Atlantic slave trade it was an economically strategic point. Because Bance Island was at the limit of navigability for ocean-going vessels, it was the natural meeting place for European slave traders arriving in large sailing ships and African traders following the rivers down

from the interior.

As early as 1672 the Royal African Company of England established a commercial fort on Bance Island, also concentrated heavily on supplying slaves to one particular market—Charlestown, South Carolina where local rice planters were eager to purchase slaves from Sierra Leone and the neighboring areas.

It should be noted that In 1787 the British helped 400 freed slaves from the United States, Nova Scotia, and Great Britain return to Sierra Leone to settle in what they called the "Province of Freedom. This settlement was joined by other groups of freed slaves and soon became known as Freetown.

In 1792, Freetown became one of Britain's first colonies in West Africa. Thousands of slaves were returned to or liberated in Freetown.

Most chose to remain in Sierra Leone. These returned Africans- or Krio as they came to be called– were from all areas of Africa. Cut off from their homes and traditions by the experience of slavery, they assimilated some aspects of British styles of life and built a flourishing trade on the West African coast.

A). Effects and Legacy of Sierra Leone slave experience

Sierra Leone was not immune to the dastardly effects of the slave trade. The effects included:

Loss of population:

7

 Millions of Africans were lost. The strong, fit, young individuals were mostly desired.

Society was disrupted:

 Tribal wars were frequent

 Laws were changed, making crimes punishable by slavery

 People felt insecure

 Little development or modernization took place

Cities were destroyed:

 Population in cities decreased as people fled the cities to avoid being captured

 Without cities civilization suffers It was dangerous to live in large groups

Africans were looked upon as inferior:

 Africa was seen as a source of cheap labour

 Blacks were thought of as being less intelligent

Overall Impact:

8

Slavery destroyed our civilization, which is a root cause of the underdevelopment of the continent of Africa today. No society can afford losing its youth for four hundred years without paying an enormous price.

During a ceremony to commemorate the 220 th anniversary of Britain’s banning of the trade in slaves from Africa, Ghana’s former President John Kufor noted that: “ . . .through this dark era of human history, the…human spirit…could not be broken," he said. He added: "Man should never descend to such low depths of inhumanity to man as the slave trade ever again."

At the same ceremony South Africa’s jazz legend Hugh Masakela blamed the slave trade for Africa’s current economic and social woes:

9

"We have seen the manipulation, the impoverishment of Africa…That is [proof of] the effects of slavery… There is no price, no price for what has been done,"

British Prime Minister Tony Blair sent a recorded message expressing "deep sorrow and regret" for Britain's role in the slave trade.

III. CONCLUSION

In concluding, I again commend TONY for promoting today’s initiative and thereby providing us an opportunity to remember and honour the memory of our people, as we often say in Sierra Leone, “If you do not know where you came from, you  sure won’t know where you are going.

Thank you for your attention.

She is the youngest person to be called to the bar in 600 years and at just 18, Gabrielle Turnquest has already become used to questions about her age. By 12 she was ahead of her classmates. She started her first degree at the age of 14, graduating two years later on the day she also graduated from high school. “I guess it feels really good to have a law degree,” she says, “rather than the age part of it.”

Not many people knew how young Turnquest was at the University of Law, where she was studying with her 22-year-old sister. Most of the other students were in their mid-20s, although there were much older people too.

“I think once people figured it out, there was shock,” she says, “I think that we had assumed that I was the youngest but there hadn’t been any confirmation. Then it was all over with and we got back to studying.”

Turnquest is the third of six children. Are they all high achievers? “We try to be,” she says with a laugh. Their mother can take much of the credit for their academic success. A lawyer from Nassau in the Bahamas, she moved the family there from Florida when Turnquest was a child. Deciding the school system wasn’t challenging enough for her bright kids, she spent several months researching curriculums from around the world, looking at which countries were doing best in which subjects and why.

Then she turned all that into her own educational plan, rented space in her office building, hired teachers and enrolled her children on to a programme she named Excelsior Academy. She even made a school uniform for them.

Turnquest insists there wasn’t any pressure to excel. In fact, she says, because she wasn’t comparing herself to her peers, she didn’t really know what was expected of her. She just soaked up as much information as she could take, regardless of what age range it was aimed at. “My mother never gave us the impression that we were expected to complete everything,” she says.

When Turnquest was 12, the family moved back to the US and the children went back to schools. By this time she was far ahead of her classmates.

When she got to high school the following year, she was able to take more advanced courses and she started a degree in psychology when she was 14. Turnquest’s university classmates knew she was still a high-school student, though most assumed she was a senior (around 17).

When a mentor suggested she might not be taken seriously as a counsellor at such a young age, Turnquest thought about what to do next. Her sister had applied to study law in London and she thought this would be a good next step. “I guess the same could be said [about her age] for law, but it seemed as though there would be more opportunities to do behind-the-scenes work and the age thing would never come up.”

Although she could have stayed in the UK and become a barrister, she now plans to work as a lawyer in the fashion industry – she starts an apparel industry management course in the autumn, while studying for the multistate bar exams.

So, does she ever feel that she has missed out on anything, that she has moved too fast? “I guess I missed out on going to university with the people I knew before, but I’ve met a great group of people going to university the way I did. I now have this time to figure out what I’m going to do next and I already have a degree, so I have more opportunities open to me. I honestly don’t think I’ve missed out. I don’t think there was anything I could have done at 15 or 16 that I can’t do now – just with a law degree.”

SOURCE

AFRICAN LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE

What an amazing event at the House of Parliament today to mark the Black History month.I was kindly recognized and honourably invited to the Podium to give a brief address .
I paid glowing tributes to outstanding Africans /Nigerians leaders who had left fantastic legacies notably :Prof Thomas Adeoye Lambo.The 1st African Deputy Director General of WHO,Geneva and the innovator of Community Mental Health and my Professional Mentor.
Madam Funmilayo Ransome Kuti as the 1st Woman to drive a car in.Nigeria and part of the delegation that fought for the Independence if Nigeria (The powerful Mother of Fela Kuti The iconic …….. Nigerian star Music Legend

2016 GHANA NIGERIA YOUTH SPORTS TOURNAMENT HOLDS IN ACCRA


Teams from Ghana and Nigeria gathered at the Azuma Nelson Sports Complex,Industrial Area -Accra to participate in this years Ghana Nigeria Youth Sports Tournament.It was one moment of joy after another as individuals from both countries engaged in different sporting activity.The theme for this years event was ‘Consolidating on the good relationship between Ghanaian and Nigerian youths through Sports’.

Comrade Barry Ndu Nwaihim.the coordinator of the event expressed delight  seeing young people come together in unity to explore their sporting skills.He commended all the teams that participated and assured that next year event would be more exciting and rewarding.He condemned the attitude of companies and individuals who find it difficult to support such great initiatives that unite people from both countries.He believed that if there were more financial commitment from organizations,the event would have been more exciting and beneficial to participants.

He explained that Ghana and Nigeria have come a long way since pre -colonial independence hence the need to continuously do things that unite its people.He said that the vision of their Organization is to leave a legacy of promoting unity,peace and cordial relationship among young people from both countries.He believes that the intellectual resources can be utilized for the betterment of the African continent.Different football agents were on ground to watch the matches as to identify exceptional youths that may be signed on into their different clubs.He called on African Governments to always give the youths opportunity to serve as they have the capacity to deliver.


Alex Chigozie,the groups Director of Organization was grateful to God for another opportunity to organize the event.He reiterated their groups commitment in promoting the positive ideals of young people.He stated that initiatives like this have always produced great talents that ended up making their country proud hence the need for Government and well meaning individuals to continuously support Organizations that take out their time to create the  platform for such laudable engagement.He commended the effort of all the teams that participated for their steadfastness and resilience.

On the sidelines of the event,the GHANA NIGERIA ACHIEVERS AWARD was presented to Ms Adaora Udeh for being a role model in sports for young people .Adaora Udeh is also 2016 Ghana Tertiary Awards Most influential student in sports and  2016 Female sports champion of the PUSAG Games.Comrade Barry Ndu Nwaihim while presenting the Award urged her never to relent in her passion and  continue in her positive effort of making Nigeria proud in Diaspora.Accra Institute of Technology was named as the Best Behaved Team of the Tournament.

The games ended around 5pm with participants dancing to nice Ghanaian and Nigerian tunes from the DJ with expectation of a more exciting Tournament in 2017