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Africans wary of US travel after series of border denials

Protest against the immigration ban issued by President Donald Trump at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. African nationalities not included in the ban fear they are also being targeted. Nigeria is not on the list of countries affected by the US government’s temporary travel bans. But several Nigerian citizens claim to have been denied entry since they were introduced, report Paul Adepoju and Kieron Monks (CNN).

Real estate businessman Femi Olaniyi travelled to Los Angeles on February 21 with a two-year multiple entry visa. He says the experience proved to be an ordeal.
“When I got to the point of entry at Los Angeles Airport, an immigration officer interrogated me,” he told CNN. “He said I should come for biometric (tests) to check whether I have any criminal offence. I told him that I’m not a criminal and that he should go ahead.”
“Later, he brought some documents for me to sign and I told him that I would need to read before I sign. He quickly withdrew the document and put me in a cold cell. From there he held me for four days. He collected all my phones so that I would not get access to my family. He later revoked my visa and sent me back to Nigeria.”
Olaniyi was not the only Nigerian to be rejected at the US border.

Flown home

Lagosian Francis Adekola, who recently completed a PhD in Canada, was stopped at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport en route to a friend’s wedding.
“I was asked to step aside at the check-in counter by an armed border protection officer,” Adekola recalls. “He walked me to the luggage section and searched my wallet and bag. He also collected my mobile phone and went through the contents. He read my messages, chats, checked my pictures and everything.”
Adekola says the officer denied him entry, suspicious that he might not return to Nigeria. He was promptly flown back to Abuja — some 460 miles from his home in Lagos.
Nigerians have also reported problems during preclearance to the US at Abu Dhabi International Airport, where bank executive Popoola Olayemi was prevented from travelling to Florida along with his expectant wife and two children.
“Our passports were seized and we were handed over to an Etihad Airline crew,” he says. “We were not even informed that we were being sent back to Nigeria. It was at Lagos that I discovered that our visas had been cancelled. One of the immigration officers told my wife to go and get delivered of her baby in Nigeria and that she can visit the US afterwards.”
In all three cases, airport authorities referred CNN inquiries to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which indicated the denials were down to established practice rather than new policies of the Trump administration.
“Having a “valid visa” does not guarantee a foreign national entry into the US,” a spokesman said. “A valid visa allows a foreign national to come to an international US airport and present themselves for inspection where a CBP officer will determine the traveler’s admissibility.”
The spokesman would not comment on the individual cases but he pointed to an official list of more than 60 grounds for inadmissibility including security and health reasons, including stipulations over pregnancy and associated costs.
The CBP also provided figures for the number of Nigerians denied entry to the US each month since January last year. The figures show that 319 of 23,671 Nigerians were denied entry in February and March 2017, compared with 306 of 26,387 Nigerians in February and March 2016 — an increase from 1.16% to a 1.35% rejection rate.
February, the first full month after the Executive Order, saw a higher rejection rate than any of the previous months provided of 1.53%.
US Customs and Border Protection report a higher rate of rejections of Nigerians since the government’s Executive Order.
Official statements from Nigerian authorities have led to further confusion.
The first statement from the Nigerian government was issued by Special Adviser to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who advised Nigerians to consider delaying their US travel plans.
“In the last few weeks, the office has received a few cases of Nigerians with valid multiple-entry US visas being denied entry and sent back to Nigeria,” she said. “Nigerians without any compelling or essential reasons to visit the U.S. should consider rescheduling their trips until there is clarity on the new immigration policy.”
This was swiftly contradicted by Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Geofrey Onyeama, who told the Premium Times:
“On the issue of Nigerians being turned back from the US, this is not the case,” he said. “I am in touch with the US embassy and the ambassador said no, there was nothing of such nature. I can tell you to ignore any call or advice to reconsider travelling to the US because there is no basis for that.”
The US embassy in Abuja released its own statement supporting Onyeama’s position, affirming that the travel ban did not apply to Nigerians with valid visas or other US government authorisation, and urging them to travel as normal.

Beyond Nigeria

Africans of other nationalities are also facing new difficulties with US immigration.
Kenyan Ednah Chepkoton reported a rejection at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in which she was detained for several hours before being flown back and having her valid multiple-entry visa cancelled. US CBP does not dispute these details.
Others have experienced greater problems obtaining visas. The African Global Economic and Development Summit in Los Angeles went ahead this year without African guests for the first time, as every one of their applications was rejected, including nationals from Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria, according to the summit’s organizer.
New Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has directed embassies to apply stronger scrutiny to visa applications of certain groups, and summit organizer Mary Flowers believes that Africans, even beyond the nationalities covered by the Executive Order, have fallen victim to the new policy.
“Usually we average 40% rejections,” says Flowers. “I’m sure it has a lot to do with the travel bans and the new administration.
But Flowers adds that African nationalities have also faced strict vetting in previous years, and this episode may represent an extension of pre-existing practices.

Chilling effect

Rejections and harassment at the border are creating a deterrent for African visitors, according to immigration lawyer Allen Orr Jr, founder of the Orr Immigration Law Firm.
“I have Nigerian clients that are here and afraid to leave, and clients in Nigeria fearful of coming,” he says. “There is a chilling effect — they are not looking to travel and they don’t want to go to conferences right now.”
The ambiguity around vetting procedures adds to the tension and opens space for abuse, the lawyer said.
“Tillerson has sent memorandums to the State Department on extreme vetting but no-one knows what it is and it opens you up to the discretion of the officer,” he says. “Officers are now empowered to make decisions that in the past they wouldn’t make because there might be repercussions for them.”
Orr says visitors are being subjected to interviews at airports without attorneys present. He adds that Africans with Muslim-sounding names are having worse experiences, and that students are the group most wary of travelling to the US now.
This tallies with recent research from the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) which found a steep decline in applications to US colleges from foreign students. The group’s figures for African students are relatively stable thus far, but 26% of 250 surveyed institutions reported concerns from African students over discrimination and visa issues.
“This is the first time I have been concerned based on American politics,” says AACRAO Deputy Director Melanie Gottlieb. “The past seven, eight years we have seen 7% annual growth of international students…but I wouldn’t be surprised if when the numbers come through for fall 2017 we see a drop.”

Uncertain future

Cases such as Femi Olaniyi’s appear to have declined in recent weeks. The American Civil Liberties Union told CNN it is not handling any cases for Africans outside of those designated in the travel ban, and the Airport Lawyer volunteer group, established to support vulnerable immigrants, believes the worst may be over.
“Things have calmed down quite a bit since last court order, to the extent that we will scale back our Airport Lawyer efforts,” says Diane Butler of the Lane Powell firm in Seattle, and a volunteer for Airport Lawyer.
But Nigerians remain wary, and several based in the US told CNN they are changing their plans.
“I wanted to visit my parents living in Akure in March before but they are even the ones asking me to suspend my travel plans until there is a clear-cut explanation of what is going on,” said New York-based Nigerian immigrant Taiwo Adewale.
The Pew Research Center recently published its latest report on African immigrants living in the US, which estimated the total number at 2.1 million, up from 881,000 in 2000 and just 80,000 in 1970. Nigeria accounts for the largest share with over 327,000.
Until there is further clarity from the White house over immigration policy, insecurity will remain rife among these communities.

April 25, 2017
Travails of Nigerians, Africans in India

In this piece for The Nation, an Indian journalist of South African origin, ROBIN SHUKLA examines the travails of Nigerians and other Africans in India, where brown seems darker than black

For a nation greatly distressed over its people getting harassed and killed in racist attacks in the U.S., India seems to have minimal qualms over its own senseless hatred of Africans.

March 27, 2017 saw three African youths being brutalised by a large mob of Noida residents. The attackers were reportedly incensed over the death of a 16-year-old Indian drug-user who succumbed to a probable overdose, and over the subsequent release of five Nigeria-born students suspected of having provided drugs to the deceased.

Nigerian attacked by Noida mob on March 27, 2017

Anti-African violence has again reared its ugly head after a lull of about seven months. Last year, sometime in July 2016, there were two kinds of reports coming out of Africa: One was of Indian PM Narendra Modi’s five-day-four-nation jaunt to Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya. The other pertained to retaliatory violence unleashed against Indian traders in Congo over the killing of a Congolese woman, Cynthia (32), who was murdered by her Indian husband and chopped into pieces in Hyderabad, India!

During his much tom-tommed people-to-people interactions in those four countries, Modi failed to address the issue of frequent racist attacks across India that had riled the entire African continent of 54 countries. One can only hope that nobody stokes anti-India sentiments there in retaliation for the current Noida attacks, because the video footages are very sickening.

In the aftermath of Monday’s attack, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had tweeted, “I have asked for a report from Government of Uttar Pradesh about the reported attack on African students in Noida’ and ‘He (UP CM Yogi Adityanath) has assured that there will be a fair and impartial investigation into this unfortunate incident.”

Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said: “The government is committed to ensuring safety and security of all foreigners in India. People from Africa, including students and youth, remain our valued partners.”

The administration had obviously failed to see an oncoming situation, even though on March 25, 2017, more than 500 (some say 1,000) residents of Greater Noida housing societies had taken a morcha to the SSP office to protest against what they termed ‘police inaction.’ That the marchers were holding printed banners and posters seeking the eviction of Nigerians should have alerted police to the fact that there was a behind-the-scenes channelizing of hatred, and that the morcha was not just a spontaneous expression of anger against an Indian drug-user’s death.

Earlier attacks on Africans

Last year, on May 25, 2016, a grand Africa Day Celebrations event was almost boycotted by 42 African nations because a 23-year-old Congolese national, Masonga Kitanda Oliver, had been beaten to death in the Vasant Kunj area of India’s capital, Delhi, only five days earlier, on May 20.

Congolese national Masonda Ketanda Oliver, killed in Delhi on May 20, 2016

Diplomats of African nations had planned to stay away from the Africa Day Celebrations, organized in Delhi by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, as a mark of protest against the discrimination and violence faced by their countrymen in various parts of India. The envoys of several African countries signed and sent a strong letter ticking off the Indian government for failing to protect their nationals.

As a matter of fact, hundreds of Africans were set to march alongside members of the Association of African Students of India in an anti-racism rally to condemn the atrocities. However, senior BJP leaders like the then Minister of State for External Affairs, General (retd) V.K. Singh and Sushma Swaraj had made placating noises about brotherhood, shared histories, etc, and the rally was cancelled. Some diplomats later condescended to attend the Africa Day Celebrations where they voiced their concerns and displeasure over India’s treatment of Africans.

Alem Woldermariam, the Ambassador of Eritrea, warned, “Given the pervading climate of fear and insecurity in Delhi, the African heads of mission are left with little option than to consider recommending to their governments not to send new students to India, unless and until their safety can be guaranteed.’

Ironically, on May 25, 2016, on the day Africa Day Celebrations event was held in Delhi, a 23-year-old male Nigerian student, Ghazeem, was assaulted with an iron rod and had to be hospitalized after a tiff over parking his car in Hyderabad. A day later there were as many as four attacks with bats and iron rods on nine African nationals, including four women and a boy, in the villages of Rajpur Khurd and Maidan Garhi located in South Delhi.

It would be pertinent to point out that Rajpur Khurd, in addition to its population of about 5,000 Rathi Jats, has more than a 1,000 African men and women renting spaces for up to Rs.15,000 per month and friction between locals and the dark-skinned foreigners has continued to trigger violence from time to time.

Sordid history

The state of Karnataka brought real shame to India in February 2016, when a 21-year-old Tanzanian woman was pulled out of her car in Bengaluru, her clothes torn off by a mob that beat her up and continued to chase her even as she fled into a bus. The horror of horrors was that passengers, our own dear Kannadigas, pushed her out of the bus and into the hands of her ravagers even as Bengaluru police looked on and then stood by mutely as her car was torched by the mob.

Tanzanian woman was beaten and stripped in Bangalore in February 2016

Bengaluru has been bad to Africans before. In March 2015, a mob in the northeast part of the city attacked men from the Ivory Coast with stones and beer bottles. In July 2013, 44-year-old Wandoh Timothy from Chad was attacked by a mob in Bangalore after an argument with bikers while he was on his way to pick up his three-year-old daughter from school. Timothy has been living in India for more than a decade and is happily married to an Indian girl.

– Chad national Wandoh Timothy, attacked by a mob in Bangalore in July 2013, seen here with his family

In September 2014, three students, Yohan, Mapaga and Guira, from Gabon and Burkina Faso were set upon by a mob at a Delhi metro station for alleged eve-teasing.

Most of us may remember the despicable behavior of Aam Aadmi Party’s cabinet minister Somnath Bharti who, in January 2014, led a raid against Ugandan women for alleged drug dealing and prostitution rackets in Delhi. Most of the women were allegedly molested, leading to uproar in their home country.

In December 2013, 36-year-old Obodo Uzoma Simeon from Nigeria was hacked to death in north Goa, allegedly the fallout of a drug peddling dispute. There were spontaneous street protests by other Africans, many from Nigeria itself and police had to intervene to prevent a law and order situation.

On April 21, 2012, Yannick Nihangaza from Burundi was attacked by nine youth from well-to-do families in Jalandhar, Punjab. He was hospitalized and went into a coma, from which he recovered a few months later. The traumatized young man died after two years, in his home on July 1, 2014.

Nigerian national Obodo Uzoma Simeon, killed in Goa in December 2013

Color prejudices run deep

Even a cursory enquiry will expose the scary situation of the common Indian perceiving Africans as almost a subspecies, and many Africans have gone on record about the teasing and baiting they have had to cope with from unknown persons or groups on the streets of India, or from their overtly suspicious neighbors who view every African as a drug-smuggling or online-racketeering Nigerian.

Anti-African prejudices continue to run deep in Goa where even BJP ministers are known to have mouthed off uncalled for remarks and later had to eat their words for reasons of political correctness. Nothing is mentioned however about the violent Russians who have virtually taken over swathes of Goa’s beachfront areas into which Indians are discouraged from entering.

The dangerous downside

On the numbers front, there could be a fine line we are crossing as population equations could well work against us. We may have at best about 50,000 Africans currently in India as against the millions of Indians living and working in that continent. At any time, injustices highlighted here could trigger violent retaliation in various parts of Africa, a situation India could ill-afford.

There was a backlash of sorts after the killings of Masonga Kitanda Oliver and Cynthia, with many Indian settlers getting roughed up and shot at while their shops were vandalized in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa. There are about 5,000 Indian living in that country.

On the economic front, India’s trade with Africa is worth approximately $72 billion, and it sources 24% of its crude oil from Africa. Several Indian private companies have invested there in the agriculture, renewable energy, pharmaceutical, automobile, telecommunication and engineering goods sectors.

China’s trade there was pegged at upwards of $200 billion in 2012, three times as much as that of India, with US figures pegged at $100 billion. Bad relations and the presence of such business rivals could be our undoing.

Gabon and Burkina Faso nationals, Yohan, Mapaga and Guira, attacked in a Delhi Metro station in September 2014

What about dark-skinned Indians and Asians?

There is scarcely a dusky complexioned Indian who will not have heard the word kalia or kali being used in reference to him or her because of skin tone.

The advertising for fairness creams which one sees on almost all of the hundreds of TV channels and scores of magazines and newspapers in almost all languages may easily be crossing the billion-rupee mark each year.

Parents and grandparents groom little girls with applications of various pastes made from ingredients in the kitchen to lighten their color. As they grow older, manufactured cosmetics get used and there are several in the market to choose from.

Even players like Nivea, who were satisfied with the success of their winter creams and lotions and deo-sprays, have graduated from under-arm whiteners to lotions that could bring in fairness all over!

The obsession with fairness is not a factor only with the fairer sex. There are Fair and Handsome creams, face washes, and lotions and many other such products for the men and boys, with superstars and cricketing legends endorsing and vouching for their efficacy. The contagion has spread as easily as cream and lotion, thanks to the deep-rooted prejudice that Indians have against their dark-skinned countrymen or women.

Matrimonial prospects are better for the fair and good-looking while those a few shades down have to offer a dowry of extra cash and goods to get a chance at being carted away by a spouse.

Not a new problem, God suffered too

Colour equations in India have avowedly ancient origins. As the Vicco people tell us in their jingles, a fair and lovely complexion is guaranteed because their turmeric cream has ingredients recommended in ancient Ayurvedic texts.Yashomati Maiya se boley Nandlala Radha kyun gori, mai kyun kala

These are the first words of a popular song from the super hit film, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, which even today has sing-along acceptability among all age groups and persuasions. Little Lord Krishna is asking his mother, “why is it that Radha is fair and I am black”.

Our dusky curd-grabbing flute-playing god is the stuff of many romantic legends and enjoys absolute devotion among Hindus. He has an overseas presence via the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), where mostly white devotees adopt Indian sadhu and sadhvi nomenclatures and attract attention at various temples across the globe with their heavily accented chanting and their swaying and dancing to bhajans sung to an accompaniment of cymbals and drum beats.

Unfortunately, acceptance of black or dark skin is limited only to Krishna and a few other gods and goddesses like the dark Kali Mata (Durga) and the pitch black Balaji of Tirupati.

In fact, Lord Balaji is probably the most venerated figure, ensconced atop Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati Hills, the most visited place of pilgrimage in India when compared to all the mountain trudging and river dipping at various other yatras, kumbhs and maha-kumbhs in the East, West and Northern parts of the country and also the Sabarimala walkathon in the southern state of Kerala.

Skin color may well continue to be one among India’s various intolerance issues, but it may not be safe to continue to subject Africans to our biases and prejudices. If patience runs out, those of us living in or visiting Africa may find it difficult to mouth the usual drivel about ‘Africans being our brothers and being very safe in India’ with our badly bruised lips and broken teeth.

April 6, 2017
Africans attacked in Delhi a day after Nigerian was assaulted in Hyderabad

Over a dozen African students were yesterday attacked in Rajpur village of Chhatarpur, South Delhi, India, a day after a Nigerian student was attacked in Hyderabad’s Banjara Hill area with an iron rod over car parking space.

A few of them have been admitted in hospital with serious injuries on their heads.

The incident came in the wake of a spate of racist attacks against Africans in the country.

In another incident, a Congolese post-graduate student Masunda Kitada Oliver was bludgeoned to death in the national capital penultimate Saturday.

The attack triggered a massive diplomatic face-off between India and Africa, after African envoys lambasted and warned New Delhi, saying they would consider recommending to their Governments not to send any more students to India if nothing was done to stop attacks against African students.

There were reports on Wednesday of a retaliatory attack on an Indian shopkeeper in the Congo.

African envoys stated that several incidents of harassment of Africans in the country “have not been resolved” and that prosecution and conviction of the culprits had not happened. They said the problems of “racism and afro-phobia” existed in India.

May 29, 2016
Marc-Vivien Foe prize for Africans: Enyeama nominated again

• Keeps 12 clean sheets; makes 28 appearances
• Secures save ratio of 2.6 per French Ligue 1 game

Vincent Enyeama has once again emerged as one of the 11 shortlisted players for the Marc-Vivien Foe prize for Africans in the French Ligue 1.

The 33-year-old Nigerian shot-stopper is the only goalkeeper nominated alongside two defenders, five midfielders and three strikers.

The Lille OSC custodian will have to contend with the like of Ivorian Serge Aurier, Abdul Majeed Waris, Moustapha Bayal Sall, Floyd Ayite, Ryad Boudebouz and Sofiane Boufal.

Other nominees are Rachid Ghezzal, Cheikh Noye, Cheick Diabate and Cameroon striker Benjamain Moukandjo.

This season, Enyeama has impressed between the sticks for Lille and has made 28 appearances for his team. He has kept 12 clean sheets including shipping in 0.76 goal per match and has a save ratio of 2.6 per French Ligue 1 game.

The former Nigerian international has made 72 saves including 45 of them being shots from inside the box.

In 2014, Enyeama was voted the best African in the French top-flight after he put up an incredible streak of 14 clean sheets for Lille, amounting to 1,061 minutes without conceding, falling short by 115 minutes to the all-time clean sheet record in France held by former Bordeaux goalkeeper Gaeten Huard in 1993.

Last year, Andre Ayew, now with Swansea City, beat Enyeama and a host of other African players to the award. The winner of the award for 2016 will be named in May.

The nominees

Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria/Lille), Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast/PSG), Moustapha Bayal Sall (Senegal/Saint-Etienne), Floyd Ayité (Togo/SC Bastia), Ryad Boudebouz (Algeria/Montpellier), Sofiane Boufal (Morocco/Lille), Rachid Ghezzal (Algeria/ OlympiqueLyonnais), Cheikh Ndoye (Senegal/Angers), Cheick Diabaté (Mali/Bordeaux), Benjamain Moukandjo (Cameroon/FC Lorient), Abdul Majeed Waris (Ghana/FC Lorient).

April 4, 2016
I opened doors for Africans- Kanu

Kanu Nwankwo has said his success with Arsenal paved way for more African footballers to play and thrive in the English Premier League.

The former Super Eagles skipper joined the Gunners in 1999 and helped Arsene Wenger’s men lift two Premier League trophies, two FA Cups during his five-year at the club where he boasts of 44 goals in 198 games.

February 18 marks his 17th anniversary of signing for the club, and the 39-year-old has fond memories of his time in north London.

“I believe I was the first [African] person who came to England and did very well,” Kanu told Arsenal Player.

“After that, the doors opened for African talents so, with Arsenal behind me and what we did with Arsenal, everybody now tends to follow the English league.

“When I came over I saw a good coach who saw the best in me. I was a good player because he made it easier for me to play.

“Everybody believes that English football is all about playing the ball up, not keeping it on the ground, but Arsène has his own idea of football and it made it easier for us. He wanted us to play football the right way, he wanted us to enjoy it by passing the ball around and that’s what we did.

“It was very easy to adjust when you saw the fans. The supporters are behind you and they love you and what you are doing and that means you have to do more. If you keep doing more, they keep loving you and it was very easy for them to adopt me.

“I had the skills and the tricks the fans really love. When I left Arsenal I still had the fans on my mind and since then I’ve been supporting the club,” he concluded.

Before hanging his soccer boots, Kanu also featured for Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion.

February 18, 2016
Documentary reveals how Africans live their culture abroad

MAKING debut on urban lifestyle channel, Soundcity, a soon to be premiered documentary reveals how Nigerians and other Africans in the Disapora have been sustaining their culture in the western world.

Produced by Labi Odebunmi, a British-Nigerian director based in London, the film was conceived to educate Nigerians back home about the rise of Nigerian culture in the United Kingdom.

Airing today, Saturday, August 15, the special documentary, according to Odebunmi, will focus on Moelogo, a British-Nigeria music star and first Afrobeat artiste to sign a recording deal with Island Records, a notable international record label, with credits for the works of artistes such as Bob Marley and Amy Winehouse.

According to Adebunmi, son of ace broadcaster and owner of popular Obalende Suya London, Tokunbo Odebunmi, the documentary will cover Moelogo’s moment in June 2014, at the Island Records’ headquarters in London when he signed the recording deal. He revealed that the work will include an interview segment with emphasis on his background, his incursion into music, his day-to-day itinerary with the production crew, his video shoot and personal experiences on the rise of African culture in terms of music in the UK.

“I want to give the average Nigerians who may not have the opportunity to fly to London to have the feel of the society and appreciate the cultural realities being imbibed by most Nigerians in the Diaspora,” Labi explained.

The graduate of Film and Television from the University of Hertfordshire noted that while several Nigerians at home are looking at UK and America for inspiration, their peers abroad are having a reawakening and looking in the direction of Africa for cultural education.

“We have got to that stage in the UK where white folks including those at West End now dance to Nigerian music at their clubs and even play our Afrobeat songs on their radio stations. The other day, Wizkid’s Ojuelegba was played on the influential Capital FM and everybody could feel the vibe. This is because of the Nigerian culture which gives originality to the genre of music they play,” he added.

The filmmaker disclosed that a number of African achievers will be featured on the show subsequently, to tell their stories.

August 15, 2015
The gods mount London stage to unite Africans in Diaspora

Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame recently mounted London stage at the Lost Theatre on Wandsworth Road, London during the five-day theatre production, reports SOLA BALOGUN

In less than two hours of exciting drama, theatre lovers in England once again savoured Lookman Sanusi’s interpretation of Ola Rotimi’s classic; The Gods Are Not to Blame. It was the first night of the five-day theatre production which held at Lost Theatre on Wandsworth Road in the United Kingdom capital. The performance which was produced by Ayo Jaiyesimi, was also Sanusi’s second attempt at reliving African culture on London stage, following his earlier production of Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again during the London 2012 Culture Olympiad.

The just concluded production of Gods was conceived by the Thespian Family Theatre and Productions in collaboration with Heavy Wind Media Productions with support from Ola Rotimi Foundation. The drama experimented ambitiously with the mediums of live stage and screen projection, thus thrilling the audience on a fresh, illuminating multi-media platform. The latter helped a great deal in decoding messages that bother on tradition and culture, with a strategic mission of recalling past events and limiting the time of performance, without jettisoning both the didactic and aesthetic values of African total theatre.

The audience first encountered the opening montage which depicted the rustic but culturally rich Yoruba setting. This was followed by the narrator (Dejumo Lewis) who spoke through the large screen to announce the birth of a baby boy to the royal family of Kutuje land. Also seen on stage was the rejoicing royal train, comprising Oba Adetusa, his wife, Queen Ojuola, the chiefs and some of the townspeople. But the ominous message from Ifa oracle that the newly born would kill his own father and marry his own mother obviously set the play on its tragic path. As custom demands, such a baby carrying a bad omen must be sacrificed else calamity befalls the land and the people in the future. Two years later, the royal couple was blessed with another son, Aderopo (Felix Ologbosere), as a replacement for the first child who came with a bad omen.

Meanwhile, the play developed with a succession of dramatic ironies and elongated suspense, as several attempts at reversing the Ifa prophecy (as relayed by Baba Fakunle) proved abortive. First, Gbonka who was asked to kill the child in the bush handed him over to two hunters; Alaka (Jubril Sulaimon) and his boss, Ogundele, who later named him Odewale and raised him into adulthood in the land of Ijekun. Odewale (Benson Williams) grew up with his tragic flaws of impatience and extreme anger, and this led him into slaying a prominent chief around Ipetumodu after a scuttle over land. The killing of this chief, which was revealed via the (screen) flashback, fulfilled the first part of the prophecy as the audience later learnt that Odewale actually killed King Adetusa, his own biological father.

As a man of fate, Odewale fled his foster parents in Ijekun after consulting the oracle and learnt that he would kill his own father and marry his own mother. In the process, he rescued the people of Kutuje from the people of Ikolu who wanted to take advantage of the vacant stool in Kutuje to attack its people. Odewale’s heroic exploits in favour of Kutuje forced the people to crown him king hence he succeeded his father as king and subsequently fulfilled the second part of the Ifa prophecy by inheriting his father’ wife and his own mother, Ojuola.

After eleven years of Odewale’s reign, the land of Kutuje was inundated with incessant tales of famine, disease and death. King Odewale’s family, which had grown in size with four children, was also not spared of disaster. The king and his chiefs sought solution from Ifa, using Aderopo as royal emissary. But the message from the oracle that the killer of the former king still lived in Kutuje spelt doom both for the land and the messenger as King Odewale suspected Aderopo of complicity. Odewale accused Aderopo of plotting his downfall hence his desire to get rid of him by all means.

Eventually, Baba Fakunle, the old Ifa priest who was summoned to the palace by Odewale called him bed sharer and killer of the former king. But Alaka’s visit to the palace from Ijekun threw more light on the circumstances that led to the death of Odewale’s foster parents and the true identity of Odewale himself. In the end, the duo of Alaka and Gbonka, aided by the Ogun priest and Balogun unfolded the mystery surrounding the identity of Odewale who was the same child that was ordered to be killed in the bush but who later grew up to become the killer of his own father and husband of his own mother. This revelation forced Ojuola to commit suicide while Odewale tragically plucked his eyes and led his four children into unknown destination.

The production essentially mirrored the inevitability of fate in the affairs of men as commanded by the gods. It also emphasised how man’s innate weaknesses usually lead him into trouble and his ultimate downfall. As a tragic hero, Odewale was consumed by his own shortcomings, although he demonstrated love and generosity towards his people in times of need. The protagonist as played by Benson Williams depicted a fiery and temperamental character but who is also humane and considerate provided no one invoked his wrath like King Adetusa who insulted him by referring to him as ‘a bush man from the land of Ijekun’. In the same way, the audience’s understanding of the play was boosted by such experienced characters as Alaka, Queen Ojuola, Aderopo, Ogun Priest and Balogun who interpreted their roles convincingly despite the short period of rehearsal and preparation.

The cast and crew of the production were made up of mostly Nigerian artistes drawn from Europe and Nigeria. Among these are the Lagos-based Benson Williams who played Odewale and Segun Adefila (founder and artistic director of Crown Troupe) who doubled as one of the townspeople and Baba Fakunle’s apprentice. Other prominent artistes are the Germany-based Nigerian actor, Jubril Sulaimon (Alaka), UK-based Moji Bamtefa (Costume and make-up/insane woman); Cecelia Sanusi-Olawale and Simisola Sanusi (townswoman and Odewale’s daughter respectively) as well as Ahmed Aliu, formerly of the National Troupe of Nigeria. Others are Segun Ogunfidodo, Ayo Adedapo, Felix Ologbosere (Aderopo), Tolulope Yusuf, Nike Bammeke, Yemi Oyeyebi, Prince Tade Olusile and Frank Oluwole Williams. In the creative team were Christina Simakova (Stage Manager), Ibukun Fasuhan (Production Manager), Omoyemi Oni (Media) and Chermiah Hart (Technicals and Editing).

May 9, 2015
13 Africans for Dangote fellowship

Thirteen Africans recognised as Young Global Leaders (YGL) by the World Economic Forum (WEF) are to benefit from the Dangote Fellowship instituted by the Dangote Foundation.

The African youngsters were part of the 187 young leaders from 66 countries honored for leadership and service to society by the WEF.

The Dangote Fellowship, created by the WEF and Aliko Dangote, President/Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Group, was designed to increase the quality and quantity of young African leaders across the continent by supporting the engagement of African YGLs in the community, such as those from small enterprises or the non-business sector.

The Fellowship helps YGLs from Africa attend YGL and World Economic Forum events and funds the organisation of an YGL Africa Education Module.

Dangote said the institution of the fellowship award was his own way of contribution to the intellectual development of exceptional young people of African descent.

The YGLs come from diverse backgrounds and bring a range of expertise to the community from across the world. Over 50 per cent of the new intake are women, half come from the private sector and half from the public sector, including academia, arts and culture, civil society, government, media and not-for-profit organissations.

According to John Dutton, Director and Head of the Young Global Leaders Community at the World Economic Forum, “The World Economic Forum has announced the leaders under 40 who are shaping the future of industry and society. About half of the new class of Young Global Leaders (YGLs) come from emerging economies with 17 from sub-Saharan Africa. The list of YGLs has a strong representation from women leaders and is split 50-50 between business and non-profit sectors (academia, arts and culture, civil society, policy and government, media and social entrepreneurs)”.

The class of 2015 joins a community which has been growing in significance since it began 10 years ago. Current and former YGLs include 11 heads of state and government, 10 heads of Fortune 500 companies, 15 UN Goodwill Ambassadors, six Guinness World Record holders, four Oscar winners, three Olympic gold medalists, two Nobel Prize winners and an astronaut.

He said: “The YGLs include the world’s most pioneering, next-generation leaders who have developed in their journey to produce positive, tangible impacts in their countries, industries and societies. The class of 2015, together with the community over the past 10 years, shows how the future of business and public leadership is becoming more geographically diverse, more varied in its expertise, more gender-equal, and is challenging established ways to get things done.”

The community provides its members with a peer network that challenges them to not only do more, but to be more. Being part of the YGL Community is a transformational experience, where leaders turn their personal success into global significance and positive impact in their countries, industries and areas of expertise

The class of 2015 includes 23 people from East Asia, 17 from Greater China, 39 from Europe, 13 from Latin America, 16 from the Middle East and North Africa, 44 from North America, 18 from South Asia and 17 from sub-Saharan Africa.

April 13, 2015
Royal Air Maroc lifts 1.3m Africans

Royal Air Maroc transported about 1.3 million passengers on its African destination in 2014 during the period spanning from November 1, 2013 to the end of October, 2014. This represents an increase of 16 per cent with regard to the previous year. During this year, the national company operated 16 285 flights on 32 air routes towards the continent.

The bulk of this increase is ascribed to nine air links, namely flights connecting Morocco to Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, Guinea, Nigeria, Algeria, Tunisia and Gabon. Through these regular connections, Royal Air Maroc could carry 782,000 passengers.

This result shows the commitment of the national company in the strengthening strategy of its anchorage in its natural environment, by developing its network on the continent and improving its offer and its services for the benefit of the clientele in Africa. This assessment was realized despite the unfavourable circumstances faced by the continent and which affected the development of the air transport sector in the region, notably those relating to the outbreak of Ebola which is considered to be the most serious epidemic having affected the continent.

Royal Air Maroc’s performance is also reflective of its sincere and responsible commitment to support the continental developmental efforts in line with the solidarity policy led by the kingdom in Africa.

The company is launched in this process by means of continental development partnerships of the main and big cultural and artistic events such Dak’ Art in Senegal, MASA (Market for African Arts and Show) of Cote d’Ivoire, FESPACO (Pan-African Film and Television Festival) of Burkina Faso .

March 21, 2015
‘Why Africans should not bleach’

Forbes top 30 most promising young African Entrepreneur Christian Ngan, who made fortune with his bio-cosmetic company Madlyn Cazalis, speaks with Adetorera Idowu on his foray into the beauty industry from a background as an investment banker and how he is tackling the issue of skin bleaching among Africans.

You were recently listed on Forbes as one of the 30 most promising young African Entrepreneurs’. What would you say you did differently in business that got you on the list?

After staying ten years in France, working in the investment banking industry and private equity industry, I decided to go back to Cameroon to start a business. I think it is my courage that got me on that list. The courage to leave a well paying job and come back to Africa to start with only $3000 of my savings. Only two years later, I have made it to the Forbes list.

You said you work as an analyst what informed your decision to go into the beauty industry from finance?

I saw a lot of women who keep bleaching their skin and I wanted to provide them good product, good African made product that could be an alternative to bleaching and that was why I decided to start a cosmetic theory.

Was there someone that influenced this career path?

My mother is a pharmacist and Works in a chemist store. I remember ten years ago she said to me that she does not want to end her life in a chemist store and I promised that one day I will launch a cosmetic brand. Through her, I had the opportunity to watch her working with clients and advise them on the skin problems, so she was my inspiration to go into the industry.

What are the specific skills you acquired as an investment banker that helped you in your new business?

I acquired skills like financial modeling skills, and with the knowledge I gained from EMYLON, I was able to think as an investor and to study the industry. Also EMYLON has a very large network and it was easy for me to find opportunities to talk with professors in this industry.

What will you say is Madlyn Cazalis’ selling point?

We are a bio cosmetic company so we provide natural products. We are the only relevant brand in central Africa that provide natural cosmetic product so there is a market. We also listen to our customers. Some companies do mass production, they sell it and turn their backs, but that’s not what we do.
We are pharmacists, and we have excellent customer service. When they come, we discuss with them and if there is a problem they tell us and we can change the product. We have good customer service and good customer experience. Not all companies do that. We also provide services and listen to our customers. We don’t only sell product and let them go.

What are some challenges you faced introducing it to the market?

The main challenge is the environment. It is not easy for young entrepreneurs because the government does not encourage entrepreneurship. I believe you have to start small if you want to succeed and I want to do things step by step. I want to be a significant company and experience has shown that if you want to be a significant brand you have to take your time.

What are your plans on retailing your product around Africa?

The main goal is to be a Pan- African brand. We just started in Cameroon because I’m from Cameroon. I have received calls from all over Africa like Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe and Gabon, but we want to structure ourselves and I think we will want to develop the company through partnerships and grow our brand in other countries in West Africa like Nigeria which is a big market. We are also looking at East Africa which is booming at the time but we need investors in these countries because our main goal is to have a Pan-African brand.

What is different about your brand?

There are not enough natural cosmetic brands for dark skin. If you go to Europe or to the U.S, You will find a lot of bio cosmetic brands, but we don’t have a lot of bio-cosmetic brands for dark skin dark and milk skin especially central Africa. I think there is a place for us.

What will your products do for the average African?

It can repair your skin. Our best selling anti spot lotion called the green lotion repairs spots naturally and people really like it. Our products are 80 to 100 percent natural we can repair your skin and make you proud of your skin. We are out to make African women proud of who they are so you can have a very good skin with our products naturally.

Many companies have made a fortune selling bleaching products to African consumers, how is your cosmetic company dealing with this issue?

We are doing in-house prevention, telling people to stop bleaching their skin through conferences and events. I have also had the opportunity to talk to women and men who bleach their skin. In our adverts we also get this message across. I would say that we are activists.
I think it’s the better way to provide a good image and do something good for Africa.

Africans believe that international cosmetic brands are superior. How can African made cosmetics beat the current growing market for international brands.

We are doing education as I said and we want people to stop thinking that products from Europe and the U.S are the only good products. We want them to be proud of their own products and to buy their own products. I think it’s only through education we can do this.
I think Africa is moving forward and a lot of countries are conscious of the fact that they can be part of the international trade. Because of the crisis in Europe, many African businesses are thriving and more people are buying and using African products. Thanks to sites and brands like Jumia who are helping market African made products. This new trend and we want to be part of this trend.
Eventually this mindset will change. We want people to be proud to buy Africa. A lot of customers are proud to buy our products not just because it works because they don’t want to buy European products and because it works. This is why the company is successful.

Would you say your Job is challenging?
The challenges I face every day is meeting people from different fields, to imagine, create and to plan. The future is very important and I have the motivation everyday which is very important.

Whats the future for Madlyn Cazalis?

The future is to develop the company in other countries and internationally and also in different areas and segments because we don’t only want to do cosmetics but create accessories, hair care, makeup. I think that through partnerships we could do that.

March 16, 2014