Dear Elders, Family, Friends and Fans,

“The Gathering of Great minds and Achievers” is an amazing event you cannot afford to miss organised by “Baobab Awards” and Culture Ambassador, Chief Komolafe Omotunde.

The event takes place this Saturday the 30th of April at The NEWHAM AFRICAN CARIBBEAN RESOURCE CENTRE, 627 Barking Road, Plaistow, East London, E13 9EZ AT 7PM ON THE DOT.

The night is choked by the wind of musical shadows,

An old transition drowns …

dressed in Diamonds, Pearls and signatures of Purple rain,

The eyes of the land are filled with tears.

Where is our social prophet?

Money might not matter tonight,

for the sad pockets of the earth are filled with the imagery of your late legacy

The sun sets, and a new season unfolds,

creating room for a new revolution,

And now that you have gone,

New voices are born, eager to become – Passports of the future.

by Tony Tokunbo Eteka Fernandez

On Sunday the 20th of March, 2016, Betty Olayinka Folarin-Akinlosotu (BOFA , was one of The Winners of The 2016 AFRICA4U AWARDS FOR AFRICANS IN NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK organised by UK Based Tony Tokunbo Eteka Fernandez at The West Orange Library, New Jersey,USA

Betty Olayinka Folarin-Akinlosotu (BOFA), was born on  January in Ikenne Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria to the family of Pa & Mrs Joseph Folarin. Her  education started from 1989 to 2015.

She completed her elementary and high school in Nigeria in 1994. She also obtained a degree in Business in Nigeria and got married to Mr. Valentine Akinlosotu in the city of Lagos in 2003. They both relocated to the United States four months after their marriage. She then proceeded on her career to obtain another a Bsc. in Healthcare, A Masters in Organizational Management and a MBA Degree  (Business).

The enterprising Role model is also an event Planner and MC. She is the CEO for Betty Exclusive Wedding & Event Management (BEWEM) located in Nigeria & America. She is also   a current employee of U.S. Veteran Affairs, New York  as a Medical Administrator and The Executive Manager for Rain International LLC in the United State.

Mrs Akinlosotu is a member of American Management Association (AMA). She is also a member of National Association of Professional Women (NAPW).

Many people regard her as a generous, social, loving and an accommodating woman in the society. She was chosen as a welfare leader in her church due to the spirit of giving she possessed. Mrs Akinlosotu has offered many donations to churches and organizations in different communities.  She is blessed with two beautiful girls and one handsome boy.

On Sunday the 20th of March, 2016, Alicia Hyndman – A member of The New York State Assembly , was one of The Winners of The 2016 AFRICA4U AWARDS FOR AFRICANS IN NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK organised by UK Based Tony Tokunbo Eteka Fernandez at The West Orange Library, New Jersey,USA

ALICIA HYNDMAN – Member at New York State Assembly

Alicia has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the State University of New York at New Paltz, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Framingham State College, MA and she is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She currently resides in Rosedale, Queens with her two lovely daughters Nia and Nyla.

Alicia Hyndman is an experienced investigator and administrator with over nineteen years experience in higher education.During her career, she has held many educational and health related positions: Counselor for the Brooklyn College Talent Search Program; Director of Minority Affairs at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of NYIT; Assistant with the New York State Education Department Office of Higher Education, and she currently serves as a Senior Professional Conduct Investigator with the New York State Education Department Office for Adult Continuing Education.

A long-time resident of South East Queens, Alicia grew up in Hollis & South Ozone Park and attended public schools, PS 34, IS 109, JHS 226 & John Adams HS. It is therefore, no surprise that she is passionate about serving and giving back to the community.

She has worked closely with community stakeholders as an active member of Community Board 12Q, serving as a member of the Board’s Education Committee, and also as a regular participant of the Rosedale Civic Association. For the past four years, Alicia has served as the President of the NYC Department of Education Community District Education Council 29 (CEC 29) representing the 33 elementary and middle schools in the district. As CEC 29 President, she works closely with principals, teachers, parents, public safety officials and community leaders to bring money and resources

Dear Family and Friends, I felt very humbled and honoured to be one of the selected nominees to have received AN INSPIRATIONAL MAN AWARD 2016, at the recently concluded Mr & Miss Black Beauty Christ College UK Scholarship Pageant 2016 & Inspirational Awards which took place in West London, on Saturday The 16th of April
I was completely and deeply overwhelmed by the depth, substance, integrity and aspirations of the lovely young men and women who contested for This scholarship pageant. These are the leaders of tomorrow.

Theresa Oguche popularly known as Glitts by friends is a young lady
born to the family of Mr and Mrs Michael Oguche on the 28th of march
1997.

She discovered her writing ability at a very tender age in primary
school where she had great interest in English language,literature and
performing art.

She is very passionate about making a difference in society
Her work both in poetry and prose have been featured in blogs,a poetry
collection and an e-book.

She is an aspiring Lawyer and her hobbies are writing,reading,drawing
and singing. She presently resides in Lagos,Nigeria with her parent
and siblings.

Phone number: 08184055739

Gmail: theresaoguche55@gmail.com

Words are not Enough …
Words will never be Enough
And the Soil has been stained- Even before I was born ..
Its skin polluted into new layers of rotten fragments
And for many years … Pools of tears untold
Stories which never made the HEADLINES,
Bodies that grew into Shadows
Vanishing into the dirge of a Bleak Sadness

Words are not Enough
Words will never be Enough ..
Dark Riddles embrace the mystery of the same old anguish

The laughing voices remain faceless
Raping our land
Raping our spirit
Raping our home
Raping the content and the fruits of our energy
Raping our WOMEN …

And then – SILENCE
And over the years, more SILENCE
The world keeps QUIET
The same old story in different LANDS
and many more stories which never make The HEADLINES

Words are not Enough
Words will never be Enough
And when you put the puzzle pieces together
A new HELL lets loose

Slowly our homes begin to burn
But even the most educated minds cannot see the FIRE
Sometimes it takes COURAGE
Sometimes it takes TRUE LOVE
Sometimes it takes UNITY
Sometimes it takes the start of a NEW SONG and an Old Revolution
For what is a NATION without WOMEN

Silence
Then more Silence
Then more common phrases

“God Dey”
“E go better”
“It is well”

But these are just Words
JUST WORDS

POEM BY Tony Tokunbo Fernandez

DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS,

I will be a guest on WBGO JAZZ 88.3 F.M, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A TONIGHT, , Friday the 15th of April at 00.30am UK Time, 00.30 Nigerian Time and 19.30pm New Jersey Time.

Tune in to listen to my pre-recorded interview with Mr Douglas Doyle – The News Director for WBOG JAZZ 88.3 F.M, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY
I will be talking about my Published work, my International initiatives, my vision for the youth, my brand and themes relating to the recent Africa4Uawards I organised in the States last month.

In this Picture – Myself with the News director for WBGO JAZZ 88.3 F.M, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – Mr Doug Doyle

In this Picture – Myself with The wife of Very Famous Jazz Icon – Michael Carvin

On Sunday the 20th of March, 2016, 9ja Pop Art based in New Jersey managed by Mr Roger Okewole , was one of The Winners of The 2016 AFRICA4U AWARDS FOR AFRICANS IN NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK organised by UK Based Tony Tokunbo Eteka Fernandez at The West Orange Library, New Jersey,USA

About 9Ja Pop Art New Jersey

9Ja Pop Art is an expression of the differences that make us special…but bind us together. 9Ja Pop Art looks at the everyday and seeks the singular. 9Ja Pop Art explores the weirdness behind the mundane. 9Ja Pop Art steps back, looks at conventional wisdom and seeks an alternate path. Not all rules are made to be broken, but the trodden path is never the only route. 9ja Pop Art has several original graphics lines comprising a series of themed works.

They are all exhibited on our website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/9JaPopArt.

Or follow us on our Facebook page where we immerse followers in the creative process:https://www.facebook.com/9JaPA. 9ja Pop Art produces all forms of graphics from book covers to publicity posters to t-shirt designs to calendars to billboards, etc. We have a full price list and catalog of previous commissions available for clients upon request. We can take commissions from design to production in a variety of media and we have high quality print and shirt makers available.

Let our original works and previous commissions inspire ideas for your business or personal graphics needs! 9ja Pop Art has a library of over 100 logo designs, all of which are fully customizable with hundreds of fonts at our clients’ disposal. Customers browse through and pick a design for 9Ja Pop Art to use in developing a totally unique brand icon to get a radical look for their business.

9ja Pop Art is anything but typical. Come to us if you want your graphics to stand out from the crowd. Go to the neighborhood mall for the same old same old…

On Sunday the 20th of March, 2016, Professor Richmond Garrick, an amazing Role model and community ambassador from Sierra leone based in New Jersey, was one of The Winners of The 2016 AFRICA4U AWARDS FOR AFRICANS IN NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK organised by UK Based Tony Tokunbo Eteka Fernandez at The West Orange Library, New Jersey,USA

Find out more about Professor Richmond Garrick below

RICHMOND GARRICK is an award winning artist from Sierra Leone. His paintings reflect issues dealing with human conditions and socio- political matters. They address the struggles, and oppression of humanity, especially the expressionistic dialogue on some of the paintings about the ten years of civil war in Sierra Leone. They are iconic, bold and expressive. These paintings were his reaction to his brother’s brutal murder during the war.

His ball point pen drawings are portraits of iconic and motivational African Americans inspired by his daughters’ elementary school project on civil right leaders.

Richmond is a teacher at Williamstown High School at Monroe Township, in New Jersey. He is also a visiting professor at Devry University. He has been an adjunct and part time professor at both Rutgers University, and Middlesex County College during his twelve years in academia.

He received a Higher Teachers Certificate from Milton Margai Teachers College in Sierra Leone and taught in secondary school for eight years. He later earned an Associate Degree of Media Arts from Middlesex County College. Bachelor of Fine Arts/ Graphic Design from Montclair State University and Master of Fine Arts from Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts, in New Brunswick in New Jersey.

He is an international artist who has exhibited his paintings and drawings in reputable museums  galleries, colleges internally: Noyes Museum, Hunterdon Art Museum, African American Heritage Museum, PPOW Gallery etc.. He works in all mediums, but mostly in oils and ball point pen. He has won numerous awards for his art and for using his work to create awareness. Such awards include; “2011 Alumnus of the year award” from Middlesex County College, “Sierra Leone @50 Culture Award” during the celebration of the 50 years of independence of Sierra Leone,“14th Paul Aiken Encore Award” from South Jersey Cultural Alliance, “Culture Award” from United Artist of Sierra Leone in Britain, “SLAAM Award” from Sierra Leone Association of Artists & Musicians for outstanding contribution to Fine Arts, “Lajos Makos Award” for representational art and other numerous college awards. His exhibits have received new paper and magazine reviews. The accolades his exhibits have received have given his homeland, Sierra Leone a place of prominence on the artistic landscape in the United States and other parts of the world.