MULTIPLE AWARD WINNER, AUTHOR,, CORPORATE MC, MENTOR, PROMOTER & AMBASSADOR FOR PEACE -UNIVERSAL PEACE FEDERATION. WE PROMOTE THE SUCCESS STORIES OF AFRICANS & CARIBBEANS AROUND THE WORLD. CONTACT US NOW ON +447882809005
Kenyan scholar, Prof Washington Yotto Ochieng, the man who solved the London transport crisis, has been promoted to serve as a faculty head at United Kingdom’s Imperial College.
Kenyan High Commissioner to UK Manoah Esipisu made the announcement on the evening of Saturday, May 15, that Yotto had been appointed the Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the world-famous college.
Prior to the promotion, the professor served as the Head of the Centre for Transport Studies at the same university.
“A very warm congratulations to Kenyan Prof Washington Yotto Ochieng, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, on being appointed Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the famous Imperial College,” stated Esipisu.
Yotto is credited with solving the London transport crisis through his research interests in the design of positioning and navigation systems for land, sea and air applications; Air Traffic Management (ATM) and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).
WE ARE ONPLEASE BRING YOUR DIARIES OUTVENUE: CHECKED Celebrating 7 years since inception AND still growing stronger, bigger and better._ *THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WALKING THIS JOURNEY WITH US AND MAKING KENYA AND FRIENDS IN THE PARK A HUGE SUCCESS.* PLEASE SHARE WITH THE WORLDIT CAN ONLY BE GOD
Getrude Matshe-Kanicki is an inspirational speaker who has been described as a vibrant bundle of African energy whose zest and passion for life inspires everyone she meets. She is passionate about helping people achieve their full potential and find their individual life purpose. She is passionate about individuals’ success. This makes her an energetic, inspirational and enlightening speaker. Getrude has written several books and is launching her new book “Ubuntu Leadership” in 2020.
About Getrude Matshe-Kanicki
Her speaking career started in Norway 1989 and for 12 years she has worked in the IT industry as a Systems Analyst, Systems Support Manager and Project Manager. Getrude immigrated to New Zealand in 2001 with nothing and founded four successful companies.
Founder and Global Curator of the HerStory Circle and HerStory Women’s Global Empowerment Conference 2019
Founded Medical Recruiters of New Zealand Ltd 2002
Founded GM Global Investments Ltd 2003
Founded Simzisani, a talent agency catering for the film and advertising industry. Instrumental in supplying ethnic extras for prominent movies such as Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” and James Cameron’s Avatar
Founder and CEO of the Africa Thrive Foundation, which supports HIV orphans in Zimbabwe 2001
Founded Walk on the Wild Side Tours – a symbiotic tourism company that takes tourist to Zimbabwe to work with Aids orphans 2007
Rooney International Scholar 2012; worked at Robert Morris University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Mother of three children; a well-known African Storyteller, poet, artist and published author.
She a script writer and an Independent Film Maker
She writes for CNN iReport, Blogs for the Huffington Post
Actress in the movie “Cry Freedom” with Denzel Washington in 1987
Speaker at the UN Annual Summit on the Status of Women, 2014 and 2017
Bradford For Everyone are working with partners in Fresno, California and Bradford, England to host an interfaith learning webinar. Following six months of collaboration between the Interfaith Alliance of Central California, Bradford For Everyone, Bradford Foundation Trust, Fresno State University, University of Bradford and Clovis Community College the co-designed webinar has been set up to share learning. The outcome will be an increased understanding about how faith can help improve cohesion and integration.
The event will take place on Saturday May 29th 2021 9am-12pm California or 5pm-8pm Bradford.
Mr Samson Onoja Itodo will be a guest on THE TONY TOKUNBO FERNANDEZ SHOW NEXT WEEK.
Mr Itodo is based in Berlin. He is the Founder of AFROBIZ GERMANY. He is also an Author, Poet and Playwright with a passion for creativity and making a positive difference in the DiasporaThis enterprising Role model has also Published a book called “Bunker Laboratory” and is also the author of a childrens book titled “The Rain-Maker”
Our show is all about promoting the true life and success stories of Africans and Caribbean achievers around the world.
If there is a product or initiative that you would like to promote, CONTACT IS NOW ON +447882809005
Samson Onoja Itodo is a Nigerian community ambassador based in Berlin Germany.
He is also an Author, Poet and Playwright with a passion for creativity and making a positive difference in the Diaspora.
This enterprising Role model has also Published a book called “Bunker Laboratory” and is also the author of a childrens book titled “The Rain-Maker”.Samson is The Founder of the online news and entertainment channel “Afrobizgermany”. and The organizer of Afrobeats Music Award Germany “(ABMAG)”.Below are links to his online platforms:
ADC Diaspora Network in collaboration with National Youth Council of Nigeria South-South & Nigerian Youths Corporate Social Responsibility Fund (NYCSRF) are on a Mission to Rescuing Nigerian Democracy with active Youths & Diaspora participation in politics and policy making. [23-24] July 2021. The Event is Part of Nigerian Diaspora Day 2021. Save the Date Contact us for partnership
Bassey Itam Asuquo is a Nigerian poet from Creek Town in Cross River State, Nigeria. He schooled at King’s College, Lagos; University of Ibadan; and University of Calabar respectively.
A co-founder of Calabar Literary Society (CLS), Mr Asuquo served on the judging panel of the Nigerian Students Poetry Prize (NSPP) in 2017. He has also been the Chairman of the Festival Poetry Calabar (FPC) Local Organising Committee from 2016 till date. He loves reading, writing, drawing, philosophising, bird-watching, and listening to the radio.
Mr Asuquo has recently published an eBook of a collection of his poems titled ‘Prettyface Mary and Other Poems’. He currently lives in Calabar.
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW NEXT WEEK WITH MR RICHARD DUKE – THE PRESIDENT OF THE EFIK LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION ALSO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE EFIK LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION ON THE SHOW. MORE UPDATES TO FOLLOW – FEEL FREE TO SUBSCRIBE ON OUR CHANNEL – www.youtube.com/user/etekatoks
If there is a product or initiative that you would like to promote, contact us NOW ON +447882809005 via whatsapp
Bare Knuckles: 50,000 Indecent Jobs For Cross Riverians BY ISO BASSEY
There are very few young Nigerians who will not jump at an opportunity to relocate to another country. Although the USA, Canada, The United Kingdom, and Australia might be preferred destinations, young people just want to get out of Nigeria and don’t really care where. In the minds of most, there could hardly be a worse place to live than Nigeria. Desperation to leave Nigeria is evident in the number of young people who risk their lives daily, travelling across the Sahel in an attempt to get to Europe. Some succeed while most fail and either turn back, die on the way, or get sold into slavery.
Recently, some adverts surfaced on social media offering “50,000 DECENT JOBS FOR CROSS RIVERIANS”. This programme is championed by SOS Global Investments and SOS Labour in partnership with the Cross River State Migration Control Agency. The adverts allegedly offer opportunities for young Cross Riverians to get jobs as supermarket and restaurant workers as well as housemaids and drivers.
On the surface, the opportunity to work abroad and earn US dollars sounds exciting and indeed it might offer the opportunity of a lifetime if the programme fulfils its objectives as advertised. However, there are some things about the programme that give cause for concern.
Firstly, the government is the facilitator of a programme that seeks to “export” young people to serve as low skilled labor in other countries. The irony here is that in the last few years, many businesses in Cross River State like restaurants, shops and factories have closed altogether or relocated to other states due to unfavorable business conditions imposed by the same government. So it appears to me that the government inadvertently forced Cross Riverians out of jobs by making life difficult for employers only to then turn around to facilitate the “export” of these same Cross Riverians to do similar or lower skilled jobs in other countries. It sounds like drawing blood from the dying to nourish the healthy.
My second concern is that the other two partners – SOS Investments and SOS Labour appear to be profit-making organisations. Indeed, the government itself might be driven by the desire to profit from this programme.
History suggests that when financial profit is a motive for facilitating the “export” of people across national borders, the outcomes are rarely in the interest of the people exported. The transatlantic slave trade might readily come to mind but there are more recent examples.
The Gulf region, which appears to be the location of these so called “50,000 decent jobs”, has a reputation for treating migrant workers badly. Qatar has been in the spotlight over the last few years being the host nation for the 2022 football World Cup. A report by npr.org suggests that more than 6,500 migrant workers have lost their lives in preparation for the World Cup. An investigative report by independent.co.uk highlights serious abuses perpetrated against migrant workers. Workers have been subjected to horrendous abuses by employers including beatings, hair pulling, kicks and punches. Women have been sexually abused. I am bothered that if the facilitators of this programme must balance their books, the welfare of our young people is likely to be lower down their list of priorities.
A third concern is that the programme charges an average non-refundable fee of N3,250 per applicant. With the level of desperation amongst young people, this could be a big money spinner for its partners. If people are made to believe that there are 50,000 jobs on offer, I can imagine that more than 100,000 Cross Riverians are likely to apply; 100,000 applications will deliver N325,000,000 to the facilitators of this programme. A huge sum considering that the applicants may get nothing in return. There are also processing fees of $100 and $600. These presumably will only be paid by those who are successful. These fees are high for a state with a GDP per capita of USD1,500, yet young people will look for creative ways of raising the money. After all, it will be well worth it if they stand to make thousands of dollars once they are working.
I must admit, if I was in the shoes of the average young Cross Riverian who has little or no prospect of a livelihood in the state, I would jump at this opportunity. I therefore imagine that there will be an avalanche of applications. My duty as an elder brother to our youngsters is to advice caution and to encourage them to ask the following questions amongst others:
1. How many hours per day will I be required to work? 2. How many days per week will I be required to work? 3. Do I have to pay a portion of my salary to an agent? If so, how much and for how long? 4. Will I receive my salary directly or will it be paid through an agency? 5. Will my employer or agency be in possession of my passport? 6. What support will I get if I suffer sexual or physical abuse? 7. What happens if I die in the cause of performing my work? 8. What living conditions will be provided to me? 9. What happens if I decide to quit working and return home?
Whichever way we look at this programme, its very premise indicates that we have failed our young people. If they had hope and the prospect of a meaningful livelihood, most would gladly stay home to build their state while being close to their families. As it stands, to either stay in Cross River State and starve or become a house-boy or house-girl in Qatar is the unenviable dilemma they face.
Iso Bassey is the founder of Academix NG. He is a Cross Riverian and writes in from the United Kingdom via iso.bassey@gmail.com
TONY TOKUNBO ETEKA FERNANDEZ 