“Liberation through

unity and knowledge”

VOL. 6 EDITION 1
FALL 2010

INSIDE
From the Editor 2

SHAKEPoverty 4

African Century 6

Technology 7

DREAM Act 8

The Brain Drain 10

Obama in Ghana 12

Youth Voice 14

A Bold Vision 15

Youth Forum 15

Year of the Youth 16

Learning Abroad 17

Ubuntu 18

Tehn Diamond 20

Fashion Forward 21

Get to know

Your E-board
 Page 2 FACE OF AFRICA

African Student Organization

Executive Board 2010/2011

Eunice Ochuonyo
President

Afua Donkor
Vice-President

Lauretta Oseni
Secretary

Adwoa Adu
Treasurer

Tolu Odunsi
Historian

Mamadou Sanogo
Public Relations

Daniel Ayomikun Adeyanju

Educational Coordinator

David Almonte
Activities Coordinator

Abisola Abosede Ogunbiyi

Food Coordinator

Mildred Tibourataa Ngminebayihi

SA/ICA Representative/Parliamentarian

Tomide Familusi
Senior Advisor

Ketiwe Boahene
Senior Advisor

Questions, Comments?
Email us at: African.Student.Organization@gmail.com
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1 Page 3

Letter from the Editor

Dear Readers,

It is my distinct pleasure to present you this edition of the African Student Organization‘s
newsletter. Face of Africa serves as a forum for discussing critical issues that affect Africans and
members of the African Diaspora.

The theme for this edition is ―Yes, Youth Can‖ a phrase based on President Obama‘s well-
known campaign tagline. It captures a similar sentiment of hope and optimism experienced by
Obama‘s own youth-driven election. Indeed, youth are the future, but for Africa the future is now
as youth comprise a huge chunk of the population. It is crucial that African nations maximize the
potential of their youth.

The authors of the articles you will be reading exemplify the theme ―Yes, Youth Can‖.
These writers are all young people making a difference using their words, ideas, and actions. You
will learn about SHAKEPOVERTY, a nonprofit aiming to end poverty, be inspired to DREAM
and take part in the ―African Century‖, learn about the debilitating effects of ―brain drain‖ and get
an insider perspective on what it was like to be on the ―F1‖ team of South African students that
visited Binghamton earlier in the semester. You will also learn about young people making waves
in technology, entertainment, and fashion.

This newsletter is the product of weeks of work on the part of the writers, my fellow e-
board members, as well as myself. I hope you enjoy reading these articles as much as I did. You
will certainly be inspired to make a difference after reading this issue.

Thanks for reading,

Daniel Ayomikun Adeyanju
Educational Coordinator 2010/2011
WRITE FOR FOA!
Learn more about Africa while
educating your peers! FOA will
be accepting articles, poetry,
and artwork for submission at
the beginning of next semester.
 Page 4
End Extreme Poverty in Our Generation
Ladi Ogunnubi
In The End of Poverty, Dr.
Jeffery Sachs explains that ―when
the end of poverty arrives, it can and
should be in our own generation, it
will be citizens in a million commu-
nities in rich and poor countries
alike, rather than a handful of politi-
cal leaders, who will have turned the
tide.‖ Such bold and powerful words
uttered in a time when we have 1 out
of every 6 people living under a dol-
lar and 25 cents a day. In a time
when there are more than 300 mil-
lion food-insecure Africans not
knowing what their next meal will
be. Also note that, according to the
UN, 33 of 54 countries in Africa (3
out of 5) are considered the least
developing countries in the world.
So with respect to the facts,
can extreme poverty really be ended
in our generation? Many have heard
the facts and have this question on
their minds. The facts do not indi-
cate that the end of poverty is im-
possible. Rather, they just give more
insight to the conditions of the im-
poverished and better understand-
ing as to how huge the feat to end
extreme poverty really is. So my an-
swer is yes! I believe that extreme
poverty can and will be ended in our
generation. A daunting challenge
but just a challenge nonetheless. Of
course, a lot of people still disagree
with this opinion and say it is just
plain and outright unrealistic. My
response is that realism is subjective
and in the eyes of the beholder.
FACE OF AFRICA
Whose Fault is it? Does it Matter?
Some argue that the impov-
erished are cursed by God while oth-
ers argue that extreme poverty today
is a result of the slave trade events of
the past. I argue who cares? Who
cares what caused global extreme
poverty? Why are we playing the
blame game? Analogically speaking,
in the event that milk is spilt on the
kitchen floor, should we be crying
over the gallons of spilt milk?
Should our arguments be focused on
what should have or could have been
done to prevent the milk from spill-
ing, or should there be response ef-
forts made to clean the milk up and
pick up the shattered glass? Just as
milk that is left to curdle is harder to
clean, the more time we spend argu-
ing about why we are in the situation youth, the power (in numbers) of our
we are in the harder it becomes to youth and our generation‘s technol-
clean the mess. ogy. In terms of technology, for pur-
poses of ―noise-making‖ and net-
Our Generation’s Role in the Solu-
tion to Extreme Poverty working, we have the most powerful
social media and networking apps
A synchronized and unified ever built in the past century at our
effort by the different nonprofit or- disposal. If you haven‘t heard, they
ganizations and corporations needs are Facebook, Twitter and the like.
to be made to eradicate extreme Couple this with the fact that, as of
poverty. However, unity needs to 2008, 1in every 5 people were be-
start with us, the youth of our gen- tween the ages 15 and 29, there is no
eration. Our generation today needs doubt that, in unity, we are an un-
to develop a movement to seek the stoppable force. We saw evidence of
end of poverty. This is the role of our this in the election of President
youth and the responsibility of our Barack Obama in 2008 as the 44th
generation. president of the US.
SHAKEPOVERTY Foundation
To achieve a unified effort,
we need to take full advantage of
three things; the dynamicity of our In September 2000, world
leaders came together at United Na-
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1
tions headquarters in New York to
adopt the United Nations Millen-
nium Declaration, committing their
nations to a new global partnership
to reduce extreme poverty and set-
ting out a series of time-bound tar-
gets — with a deadline of 2015 – that
have become known as the Millen-
nium Development Goals (MDG). A
lot of poverty focused nonprofit or-
ganizations today are in support of
these MDGs however amongst the
lot, none understands nor empha-
size on the power of our generation
as the SHAKEPOVERTY Founda-
tion does.
SHAKEPOVERTY is a
grassroots movement initiated by a
young entrepreneur by the name of
Farooq Busari. Inspired by Jeffery
Sachs‘s book The End of Poverty,
Farooq set out to inspire his campus
to bringing about the end of poverty
by setting a goal to meet each of the
1850 students at Ohio Wesleyan
University (OWU), shake their
hands, take a picture of every hand-
shake and construct a mosaic mural
with the pictures. This goal was
achieved, with over $10,000 raised.
SHAKEPOVERTY is now working
to lift its first village out of extreme
poverty. A 20-foot mosaic currently
hangs on the wall of OWU‘s library
displaying the possibilities of what
can be achieved when our genera-
tion is united, inspired and empow-
ered to make a difference. As project
manager at SHAKEPOVERTY, my
role is to equip student ambassadors
with the tools they need to unite
their campus.
Imagine a World without Poverty!
For a quick second, imagine
a world where the issue of extreme
poverty remains stagnant and is not
alleviated or resolved. Our global
economic efficiency rate remains the
same at 83% or gets worse over time
because at least 1 out of every 6 peo-
ple will be impoverished. Trade is
affected because people cannot af-
ford to pay for expensive goods and
services; new discoveries in the sci-
ences and technology are hindered
and so on. Nothing positive comes
from doing nothing about the issue.
Imagine the other scenario – the one
I prefer – where extreme poverty
does not exist. A world where all the
impoverished of Africa, Asia and
other nations are now self-
Page 5
sustainable economies. This opens
numerous doors because the world is
now 100% economically efficient.
New discoveries can be made in all
the sciences, new cultures can be
explored and international trade is
improved. Aren‘t these ends worth
striving for knowing that the situa-
tion only gets worse if nothing is
done?
In conclusion, let us become
more active in bringing an end to
extreme poverty. If you already
stand against poverty, start walking
against it. Going back to the spilt
milk analogy, we can only keep ig-
noring the spill for so long because,
eventually, it affects us directly as the
rottenness spreads and affects our
productivity. Let us unite to support
the Millennium Development Goals;
walk with SHAKEPOVERTY to end
extreme poverty in our generation
now. I call on you and the rest of our
generation now because if not us,
who? And if not now, when?
Ladi is a BU Grad Student and is a
manager of Projects and Operations
for the SHAKEPOVERTY Founda-
tion. Learn more about this organi-
zation at:
www.SHAKEPOVERTY.org

 Page 6
The African Century
Kate Nkansa
Thabo Mbeki, the former President
of South Africa recently launched
the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, which
aims to make the 21st Century an
―African Century‖. For those who
keep abreast with the African cur-
rent affairs you are aware of the
enormous sacrifice and hard work
that is required to achieve this
goal. Upon reading the vision for
The Thabo Mbeki foundation I
asked myself how ordinary Africans,
particularly the youth, can help
make the 21st Century an ―African
Century‖.
As African youth, it is not easy to
influence our community, country or
continent because of economic, en-
vironmental, cultural, and political
barriers. I often hear young Africans
say that it is easier to participate in
activities such as excessive partying,
drinking, and drug use that distract
and rob them of valuable time than
contribute to positive initiatives to
help turn the 21st Century to an
―African Century‖. You may think
that as an individual you cannot
possibly make a difference. My chal-
lenge to you is to think differently.
Consider these statistics about our
population dynamics. Africa has a
unique population profile called the
demographic dividend (for further
reading on the subject you can
search online for The Demographic
Dividend). According to its statistics,
Forty-four percent of Africa‘s popu-
lation was under 15 in 2006. Sixty-
five percent of Africa‘s population is
under 65 years old.
So what does this all mean? The
youth of Africa make up the majority
of our continent. Individually we
may not be able to influence our
societies, but collectively we are a
FACE OF AFRICA
force that can help turn the 21st cen-
tury into an ―African Century‖. It is
our responsibility as
African youth at aca-
demic institutions to
find ways to raise Af-
rica to dignity and
prosperity. Young Afri-
cans in universities are
at an advantage be-
cause they have access
to resources, under-
stand how to use new
technology, and know
the importance of so-
cial media to influence
change. We still have
idealistic worldviews
uncompromised by
pessimism and have
the energy and time to
contribute to worthwhile initiatives.
A combination of all these qualities
could result in a veritable African
revolution.
I have been investing my time and
energy in a new initiative called ―The
Watu Afrika Project‖. When I con-
sider the potential impact this pro-
ject could have, it makes me excited
and optimistic about Africa‘s future.
The approach the project is adopting
is innovative, creative, and collabo-
rative. It will resonate in your hearts
and minds and motivate you to act.
There are three pillars to The Watu
Afrika Project: The Diaspora Bank
or Innovation Hub, Social Move-
ment, and a database to map all the
resources on our continent.
Ian Bentley, the creator of the con-
cept of the Diaspora Bank, says the
purpose of the Bank is to ―kindle the
innovative spirit and unleash the
suppressed creative energy required
to launch the 'New' Africa‖. In order
to encourage entrepreneurship
across the continent , without the
debilitating effects of economic de-
terrents such as cur-
rency fluctua-
tions, Africans around
the world need to come
together to collabora-
tively provide an hospi-
table trade climate for
the 'New' Africa. The
Diaspora Bank will help
fund innovative busi-
ness ventures that are
necessary to achieve
this goal. The Bank will
be central in re-
branding the New Af-
rica as what Bentley
calls the ‗Continent of
Hope‘.
The purpose of the social movement
is four-fold: to raise Africa to dignity
and prosperity, challenge out of date
societal norms on our continent, in-
fluence social trends, and empower
African youth and women by provid-
ing access to resources for economic
and social development (through the
Diaspora Bank and Innovation Hub).
We aim to use social networks as a
platform to start our social move-
ment, create awareness, and awaken
the social conscience of Africa‘s
youth. We will achieve these goals
through forming collaborative net-
works and partnerships with existing
youth forums and organizations and
embarking on social and business
development projects. Our initial
focus will be students studying in
academic institutions on our conti-
nent.
The database to map Africa‘s re-
sources will be a repository of all
resources and information for poten-
tial investors and entrepreneurs in
Africa. This will include detailed in-
formation about the availability of
land, labor, political climate in the
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1
country, population statistics,
health, laws of the country, infra-
structure, and any valuable statistic
about our continent that will assist
in making valuable economic and
social decisions. Watu Afrika is look-
ing to collaborate with academic
institutions to assist in maintaining
the database and ensure that the
information is accurate and cur-
rent. One of the major obstacles to
economic development in Africa is
attracting investors to invest in our
continent. Many attribute this to the
lack of information necessary to
make sound investment decisions.
For many potential investors Africa
remains the ―Dark Conti-
nent‖. Through this Database, we
aim to address this problem of avail-
ability of vital informa-
tion.
This is an invitation to the youth of
our continent and academic institu-
tions to join us in our efforts to cre-
ate a true African renaissance. In
closing I leave with you this quote by
the anthropologist Margaret Meade:
―Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed, it is the
only thing that ever has.‖ Contribute
your talents, ideas, creativity, and
energy to ushering in an African
Century. We need your drive and
enthusiasm to propel this project to
extraordinary heights that will bene-
fit all Africans.
Kate is a Ghanaian-born, South
African-raised social entrepreneur
teaching English in South Korea.
She will be returning to Ghana soon
to focus on development and Youth
Empowerment. She is a regular
blogger on feintandmargin.com .
Learn more about Watu Afrika at
sites.google.com/sites/WatuAfrika
The Technological Vanguard
Abosede Ogunbiyi
When my phone rings and I look at
the caller ID and see a Nigerian
number, I cannot be sure who will be
on the other end. It could be an aunt
or uncle, a friend, a friend of a
friend, or a cousin. I pick up and I
often hear the same thing: ―this is
my number, call me‖ and a dial tone.
They‘ve hung up! We Africans call it
―flashing.‖ Every time I receive a
―flash‖, I am amazed at how the
times have changed. Just a few years
ago, owning a land phone was con-
sidered a big thing, owning a cell
phone is an even bigger luxury. Now
even my ten year old cousins own
one. And when they have credit
(prepaid minutes) they ―flash.‖
The rate of ownership of mobile
phones has increased greatly world-
wide. If anyone thinks that African
countries are technologically back-
ward they are totally wrong! Believe
it or not, many Africans, particularly
the youths, know more about mod-
ern technology than most of us give
them credit for. They use phones,
computers, mp3 players, television,
and so much more. Many even go as
far as to make businesses out of it
ranging from selling phones, credits,
accessories, or fixing them. They
need not have a physical location to
conduct their businesses either; they
can set up shop in front of their
homes, a spot in the market, or a
table set up beside the major high-
ways to cater to travelers. When he
could not find a job, one of my un-
cles opened a small shop beside our
Page 7
family house so he can sell and fix
phones, computers, radios, car en-
gines, and other devices. During my
last visit to Nigeria in 2008 people
were in and out of his shop.
These small business owners, includ-
ing my uncle, do not make these cells
phones, but they know so much
about how it works that they can fix
whatever is wrong with it. When our
phones break, most of us, and in-
cluding me, either contact technical
support, exchange it for another one
because we have insurance on it, or
we just throw it away and get a new
one, because we have the money to
do so. We don‘t attempt to sit down,
take it apart, examine it, and see
what the problem is. We barely know
what the inside looks like!
The use of technology by African
youths is not limited profit-making
but also to connect to others beyond
their borders, to stay updated on po-
litical issues and to state their opin-
ions on different matters. With ac-
cess to internet, they also have Face-
book and Twitter accounts, blogs and
various websites for discussion which
they have created themselves for
these purposes. They use technology
as a way to express themselves. So
don‘t be under any illusions that Af-
ricans do not know about the latest
Apple product, Microsoft‘s newest
software, and Google‘s latest offer-
ings. African youths take what is
available to them, as limited and as
expensive it may be, and utilize it to
the maximum benefit.
 Page 8
The Right to DREAM
Nouha Saeed
―The American Dream.‖ It is
a simple phrase consisting of three
words, yet it is one that holds so
much power. It represents hope,
success, prosperity, and the promise
of a better life. For certain young
immigrants, it is something they
aspire to, but cannot reach because
of this nation‘s current policies to-
wards them. The Dream Act is a bi-
partisan bill written by two U.S.
Senators that can potentially reverse
the issue of undocumented students
and their inability to continue higher
education after high school. It is still
uncertain when the Act will pass, or
whether it will pass at all. As young
members of society, it is our respon-
sibility to support this effort for the
sake of many teens from Africa and
FACE OF AFRICA
other foreign countries affected by
the restraints of this land because for
many immigrant youths the Dream
Act is their only hope. It is therefore
important to explore what we can do
to support this crucial legislation.
Are we as African youth as involved
as we should be in this movement? If
not, what should we be doing to be a
part of this movement?
America is known to be the
land of the free, yet there are so
many restrictions on allowing hard
working individuals from foreign
countries to live the lives that citi-
zens are entitled to. Senator Orrin G.
Hatch of Utah and Senator Richard
Durbin of Illinois are the pioneer
politicians that took notice to the
injustices faced by many young im-
migrants. The act is targeted towards
youth that with good ―moral charac-
ter‖ that have immigrated to the
Unites States under the age of six-
teen , stayed in the country for at
least five consecutive years and have
or will graduate from an American
high school. The eligible teen must
then apply for the act and must en-
roll in an institution in pursuit of a
bachelor‘s degree or enter the mili-
tary if desired. The act will give eligi-
ble applicants six years of permanent
residence and allow them to apply
for citizenship at the five and a half
year mark.
The process is meant to en-
sure that young immigrants can have
the opportunity to get an education
despite their status. It is an opportu-
nity of a lifetime for many that can-
not reach citizenship without this
legislation. The Dream Act also is a
boon for the United States as well as
the young immigrants given a new
chance. Young students benefiting
from the Act will eventually obtain
careers from a wide variety of fields
and become our future doctors, po-
licemen, lawyers and possibly even
politicians. Although it is good to
know that there are politicians back-
ing up the Dream Act, it is not
enough. There must be a force pres-
suring the legislator‘s stance. There
are currently 216 lawmakers for the
act, 104 opposed and 220 on the
fence, and this will certainly change
due to the recent midterm elections.
It will not be easy, but as young peo-
ple we need to help pressure Con-
gress to pass this crucial legislation.
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1
On the surface some may see illegal
immigrants as criminals who have
clearly broken a law. This assump-
tion is by no means a reflection of
reality. The bulk of attention in the
illegal immigration debate goes to
Mexicans that risk death to cross the
southern border in search of a better
life. Is it really a crime to want better
for yourself and your family? With
respect to African immigrants, it is
obviously not a matter of crossing a
border to enter the country. One of
the most popular reasons Africans
and other foreigners who enter the
US legally become ―illegal‖ is that
they overstay the time allotted on
their visas. Sometimes they do not
have enough money to return home
or their new lives are simply better.
Who has the right to tell them they
should give up a better life for the
sake of an unjust law? Many chil-
dren born to undocumented immi-
grants live in the US for years, learn
its customs, and adopt its culture.
Some may not even speak the lan-
guage of their parents, so to send
them back might be akin to banish-
ing them to a strange land. Why not
give them a chance to become pro-
ductive members of society rather
than cast them out senselessly?
Some may wonder how
someone who is not a politician can
influence whether the Act passes or
not. After all, many of the individu-
als are young and feel their voices
might not be heard. With that out-
look, however, nothing can ever be
accomplished. We must come to-
gether and emphasize the impor-
tance of what is going on. I inter-
viewed nine African youth between
the ages of fifteen to twenty-two. The
first question I asked was whether
they knew about the Dream Act. Six
out of nine interviewees had no idea
what I was talking about, and the
three that were familiar with the Act
couldn‘t answer most of my ques-
tions. After interviewing these indi-
viduals, I realized that one of the
major problems is that people are
“Why not give them a
chance to become
productive members of
society rather than cast
them out senselessly?”
not being informed. It is hard to get
support when potential supporters
are not aware of the issues. There
have been occasions of protesting
over the past year or so, however, I
believe persistence is the best strat-
egy. If protests and rallies occurred a
lot more often in well known cities
and areas, media coverage would be
a bit more wide resulting in aware-
ness. Even if the media coverage
isn‘t widespread, the audience and
bystanders would be better informed
about this great opportunity. Once
the targeted audience are informed
Page 9
and made aware, actions can be
taken to pressure the people that can
actually make this all happen. Con-
tacting Congress is one of the most
effectives methods we can pressure
the legislature to pass this Act. Be-
lieve it or not, members of Congress
take the calls and letters they receive
in the mail very seriously. If those
two options seem like too much you
can even send an email to your rep-
resentative or senator.
Undocumented should not
mean unable. Whether or not we
personally know an undocumented
immigrant it is still our duty as
Americans to uphold the justice this
country claims to uphold. As young
Africans living in America, we have
all had lectures from our parents
about the importance of education
and reaching success and as Bing-
hamton University students we have
the opportunity to get an education
and succeed. So let us try to come
together and bring awareness about
those may not have opportunities we
have. As cliché as this may sound, we
are the future, and a mind is a terri-
ble thing to waste—especially when
there is something that can be done
to prevent it.

 Page 10
Wanted: Stay at Home Professionals
Gianella B. James
From our vantage point
within this university setting, we can
observe diversity at its finest; stu-
dents of every creed and race have
settled here on Binghamton Univer-
sity‘s campus to become a part of the
western educational enterprise that
is so highly valued. For students
whose families have migrated to the
States, a ―better opportunity‖ was
sought. Seldom do we ponder the
implications of the ongoing emigra-
tion of thousands of educated and
talented individuals on their home-
lands. Students leaving developing
countries to study and eventually
live abroad account for only part of
the problem; it is the mass exodus of
the educated and the highly skilled
from their homelands that generates
the brunt of the problem . What
happens to a country when it experi-
ences a high shortage of skills be-
cause professionals are fleeing from
lack of opportunity, political insta-
bility, economic depression, health
issues and other circumstances that
are so often prevalent in their places
of origin? What happens when large
sections of the middle class consist-
ing of doctors, professors, engineers,
and other professionals seemingly
disappear? Human capital flight, or
―brain drain‖ as it is more commonly
referred to, is the consequence.
Places like India, China, Russia,
Latin America and the Caribbean are
amongst the areas of the world that
experience it most, but Africa, being
that is especially hard hit.
FACE OF AFRICA
To date, Africa spends
about $4 billion annually to employ
foreign skilled workers and non-
African expatriate professionals in
an attempt to satisfy the shortage
that is being created due to brain
drain, according to the International
Office on Migration. Nigeria, Kenya
and Ethiopia are believed to be its
greatest victims, making it more
difficult to fight poverty. ―Since one
in three African professionals pre-
fers to live outside of Africa, African
universities are actually training one
third of their graduates for exports
to the developed nations.
―The African education
budget is nothing but a supplement
to the American education budget.
In essence, Africa is giving develop-
mental to the wealthier western na-
tions, which makes the rich nations
richer and the poor nations poorer‖
says Philip Emeagwali, a renowned
Nigerian-born engineer and com-
puter scientist. Brain drain in Africa
is a growing problem mainly due to
socio-economic conditions that spur
unreasonably low wages paid to the
professionals that do work within its
many boarders. According to one
source, an African professional
could be paid as low as $500 a year
as opposed to his $50,000 job
abroad. These conditions also en-
courage the reliance on foreign ex-
pertise as donor policies send pro-
fessionals to Africa to ease their
plight. On a number of levels this
obstructs the establishment of
―brain trust‖ as African governments
and donor programs are, according
to UN Development Program
(UNDP), ―too quick to bring outside
expertise without exploring the capa-
bilities available at home or that
could be attracted to return.‖ This
would explain why 800 foreigners
with university degrees were em-
ployed in Burkina Faso in 1990,
while an equivalent and exceeding
number of Burkinabè nationals with
university degrees were unemployed.
African countries ―need to
become more economically, socially
and politically attractive‖ in order to
discourage emigration, says Rohey
Wadda of Gambia‘s Strategy for Pov-
erty Alleviation. This would allow a
middle class to flourish, but instead
we see a massive underclass of peo-
ple that live in poverty, and a handful
of very rich and very corrupt military
and government officials who travel
abroad for their routine medical-
checkups at the expense of the im-
poverished taxpayers. A strong mid-
dle class that displays technical, en-
trepreneurial, managerial, scientific,
and a variety of other expertise,
would certainly impact governmental
infrastructure by deeming a neces-
sary decrease in corruption and poor
leadership, making it more difficult
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1
to overthrow a democratically
elected government and ensuring
the healthy transference of power by
ballots, not bullets. Currently, many
African nations are spending more
on the military than on education
and youth development. ―Africa
needs a large middle class to build a
large tax base which, in turn, will
enable us to build good schools and
hospitals and provide constant elec-
tricity‖ states Emeagwali. However,
the future challenges Africa faces at
restoring the dwindling middle class
are daunting when we look at this
startling trend: The Zimbabwe Na-
tional Association of Social Workers
estimates that 1,500 of the country‘s
3,000 trained social workers left for
the UK during the past then years.
UNDP estimates the loss of 75% of
Ethiopia‘s workforce between 1980
and 1991. Since 1990 at least 20,000
people leave the continent annually.
About 250,000 African profession-
als are currently living and working
abroad.
There is no
doubt Africa has a
unique pool of highly
talented individuals. In
fact, in the US alone 64%
of foreign-born Nigeri-
ans aged 25 and older
have earned at least a
bachelor‘s degree, and
43% of foreign-born Af-
ricans dwelling in the US
have at least a bachelor‘s
degree. This may be
enlightening news to some, and
given the persistent brain drain
trend in Africa, it may be especially
confusing. How could a continent
that is so well capable of producing
the best and the brightest have fallen
victim to economic ruin? What are
African countries as well as young
members of the African Diaspora
doing about it?
South Africa has recently
attempted to curb the outflow of its
professionals by asking the Cana-
dian government to stop recruiting
its medical professionals. It may be a
step, but more drastic action is cer-
tainly needed. Some African coun-
tries are now exploring ways to util-
ize the knowledge and skills of their
professionals overseas without re-
quiring their return through net-
works based on the internet. The
South African Network of Skills
Abroad (SANSA) is an example of
one such network, which offers to
train their South African counter-
parts or to assist them in conducting
research, by transferring informa-
tion and technology not available in
South Africa.
The New Part-
nership for Af-
rica‘s Develop-
ment program
(NEPAD) may
be another ef-
fective ap-
proach, in
which African
leaders have
pledged to strive
toward transfor-
mation and development within Af-
rica. Under NEPAD, initiatives such
Page 11
as Africarecruit, which is aimed at
recruiting overseas African person-
nel to accept employment back in
Africa after working overseas, can
take place. Other programs create
incentives for the maintenance of the
educated African population, as ex-
emplified by the African Leadership
Academy in South Africa which
waives the tuition cost for most of its
students on the premises that they
remain in Africa and work, otherwise
full tuition plus interest would be
owed. These are just a few of the va-
riety of steps being taken to reverse
the adverse effects of brain drain.
With all the talk of the dam-
aging effects of brain drain and the
deteriorating African economic in-
frastructure, some economists pre-
sent an opposing view to the situa-
tion. They claim that there might be
some positives to brain drain phe-
nomenon. Their research shows that
skilled professionals often send sig-
nificant amounts of money, or remit-
tances, back to their countries of ori-
gin, and on average they are just
about equal to 81% of the foreign aid
received in African countries. They
also point out that few Africans do
return to their home countries to
work and/or start businesses. All this
sounds great, but from certain angles
on the economic spectrum. We must
examine the condition of the situa-
tion from other vantage points on
that spectrum, and question whether
this kind of external dependence is in
the best interest of bestowing healthy
social, economic, and political resto-
ration to the African continent.
 Page 12 FACE OF AFRICA

Yes, Africa Will

Mildred Ngminebayihi

I feel privileged to have been in this

country to experience the joy, pride
and excitement that Obama‘s elec-
tion brought to African Americans.
This feeling was not restricted to
only Americans; the entire world,
especially the Continent of Africa
shared in this happiness. So, as a
proud Ghanaian, Barack Obama‘s
decision to pick Ghana as his first
Sub-Saharan Africa country to visit
warmed my heart with pride and
happiness.

Ghana has always been blessed

when it comes to visits by famous
people. Over the past years, the na-
tion has been visited by famous peo-
ple such as Queen Elizabeth II, Tony
Blair, Bill Clinton and George W.
Bush. Though all these prestigious
people were welcomed with great
excitement, none elicited as great a
response as President Barack
Obama did. Anxious Ghanaians
from all walks of life filled the streets
of Accra in anticipation for his arri-
val on July 11th 2009.
After a short trip around the beauti-
ful capital Accra, Mr. Obama headed
to the House of Parliament which is
equivalent to Congress in the United
States to give his first speech. He
started the speech with a jovial com-
ment about the traditional horns
that were been played and he
thanked the members of Parliament,
the former and current Presidents of
Ghana for the hospitality that was
shown to him and his family since
their arrival.
During the course of his speech, he
talked about various issues facing
Ghana and the African continent as
a whole. He made it clear that al-
though Africa had once suffered
from colonial rule and imperialism,
the future of the continent lied in the
hands of Africans. Thus, he encour-
aged Africans to stop blaming the
past for misfortunes but rather put
more effort into making their coun-
tries more peaceful, democratic and
economically stable. He stated nu-
merous instances in different coun-
tries in which corruption, war and
bad governance led to a decrease in
development.
This particular advice stood out the
most to me because unlike other
foreign leaders, President Obama
made it a point to remind Africans
that Africa could and would only
become prosperous if we took it
upon ourselves to make it better.
Most Africans always blame colonial-
ism for their misfortunes and by do-
ing so, they save themselves from
having to put in effort to make Africa
a better place. He encouraged Afri-
cans to be more optimistic and to
forget the evils of the past because
the continent‘s future is still bright
and full of opportunities.
Ghana is considered one of the most
peaceful democratic countries in Af-
rica and Mr. Obama congratulated
the political parties, the people and
President Mills for their dedication
to democracy. He said that the
United States is a strong proponent
of democracy and that his admini-
stration would not hesitate to help
any country that was trying to pro-
mote democracy. ―No country is go-
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1
ing to create wealth if its leaders
exploit the economy to enrich them-
selves or if police can be bought off
by drug traffickers‖. He challenged
Ghanaian and African leaders to
practice full democracy and to elimi-
nate corruption, nepotism and eth-
nocentrism because these are the
vices that continue to cripple the
nation‘s development.
President Obama encouraged Gha-
naians and Africans in general to
increase their exports and to use
more locally made products. He
promised that his government would
do everything in their power to open
and expand fair trade between Af-
rica and the United States because
the development of his country is
directly tied in to that of Ghana. I
agree with this advice
because most Afri-
cans obsess over for-
eign goods and usu-
ally think that any- “The key word in
thing that is made
oversees is automati- trade is fairness”
cally better than lo-
cally made products.
They tend to forget
that using their own
products will lead to more money for
the own country rather than sending
it out. The key word in trade is fair-
ness because African countries are
usually duped when it comes to for-
eign trade and if this matter is not
easily rectified, we will always find
ourselves at the short end of the
stick of economic growth.
He went on to talk about AIDS and
other illnesses that continue to
plague the continent. He applauded
his predecessor, George Bush for his
initiative to curtail preventable ill-
nesses such as malaria, polio and to
provide aid to people who suffer
from these diseases. He announced
that his administration has set aside
$63 billion to help promote the cure
and eradication of common diseases
in Africa.
The efforts that Obama‘s govern-
ment is putting in place for the re-
duction of AIDS and other illnesses
are not likely to succeed without the
help of African governments. Money
alone will not resolve systemic barri-
ers to implementing healthcare pro-
grams to reduce these maladies.
Obama acknowl-
edged efforts by the
Economic Commu-
nity of West Afri-
can States
(ECOWAS) and the
African Union (AU)
to reduce war and
maintain peace in
Africa. He also
urged Africans to resolve their con-
flicts amicably and encouraged other
African nations to take part in
peacemaking efforts because of the
interconnected nature of African
politics. Africa‘s long history of con-
flicts has created a bad reputation
for the continent all around the
world and this is certainly not the
first time that foreign leaders have
Page 13
pleaded with African leaders to end
war. At the end of the day, it is left to
the people of Africa to realize that
war will only continue to cripple the
continent and it is essential that the
people vote for leaders that will en-
hance peace and democracy and
eliminate religious, political and ra-
cial animosity.
At the end of his speech, President
Obama reiterates his initial state-
ment that ―Africa‘s future is up to
Africans.‖ He said that all hope is not
lost for the continent because just as
African Americans strived for suc-
cess in the United States, so can the
people of Africa. To the youth he
said, ―Ghana, freedom is your inheri-
tance. Now, it is your responsibility
to build upon freedom's foundation.‖
He urged them to take initiative and
help improve their country because
the future lies in their hands. Presi-
dent Obama advised Africans to con-
tinuously strive for peace and de-
mocracy and he ended his speech
with his trademark phrase ―Yes We
Can.‖
While I was proud that Obama gave
this speech in Ghana, it was clearly a
message for all of Africa. It was a
wakeup call for Africans and their
leaders. Our continent is rich in
natural and human resources and
has the full potential to become as
successful and as prosperous as any
other first world country out there,
but this will never be achieved if we
do not build strong foundations such
as democracy, peace and unity .
 Page 14
African Youth Need a Voice
Anita Matey
Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian
diplomat and the seventh secretary
general of the United Nations once
said that ―Empowered, [youth] can
be key agents for development and
peace. If, however, they are left on
society‘s margins, all of us will be
impoverished.‖ He believes that
every young person should be given
the right to ―participate fully in the
lives of their societies‖. It is well
known that the youth make up a
huge amount of the global popula-
tion. They are the backbone of our
nations and the hope for a change
among societies across the world
because the future belongs to them.
With that being said a question that
comes to mind is ―do African youth
have a voice?‖ Or ―can the youth in
Africa find a voice?‖
In African Families in a
Global Context, Goran Therborn
discusses obedience and dependence
among African youth. He notes that
the African concept of deference to
one‘s parents is enshrined in the
African Charter on Human and Peo-
ple‘s right with the expectation that
one must ―respect his parents at all
times.‖ As someone who was raised
a Ghanaian home I feel as if this ex-
pectation limits the say of young
people. In African culture, children
are raised to respect elders and au-
thority, and not to stray from their
parent‘s rules. We have been
brought up within a culture where
voicing our opinions seems to be
forbidden. Expressing a viewpoint or
idea against an issue is considered
FACE OF AFRICA
strange. We are brought up in a soci- ers and try to come to a resolution.
ety where our responsibilities as Another issue in the African educa-
youth are to be able to perform tion system is trying to make educa-
housework duties and help out our tion affordable for all students. Many
families. Other students I have spo- students do not attend school be-
ken with share my viewpoint and cause their parents cannot afford
agree that they do not have a voice school fees. The education system
because of fear. One interviewee within Africa needs to be revamped
says that young people ―simply si- before youth can have any real im-
lence their own voice because they pact on society.
know the outcome and may not want
to waste their opinion on people that
probably won‘t take it seriously.‖
Although it is said that African youth
do not have a voice, with proper
education and a change in family
dynamics, the voices of the youth in
Africa would be heard and changes
within the society can be made.
In Obama‘s speech to African
leaders he said that ―Africa‘s future
belongs to its young people‖. To en-
sure that Africa‘s young people are
able to raise Africa up we need to
reform the education system. Dr.
Kelvin Urama, the executive director
for African Technology stated in an
interview that the ―education system
in Africa is pretty much colo-
nial...and was the type of education
needed at the time in order to ser-
vice industries.‖ Clearly, post-
colonial Africa needs to adapt to the
changing times and take a second
look at its school system.
In recent news, many school
teachers in Ghana have been on a
strike since September because they
want higher pay and benefits. This
strike has affected about 360,000
students nationwide. Government
officials need to listen to the teach-
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1
A Bold Vision
Eunice Ochuonyo
A team of local and interna-
tional experts was commissioned to
work closely with both the public
service and the private sectors in
preparing the vision. After days of
deliberation, the members found
that it was imperative to involve the
Kenyan youth in their endeavors.
Their goal was to make the youth
factor count and to create an agenda
with an initiative that will empower
and employ Kenyan youths from
today into 2030. This initiative came
to be called Kenya Vision 2030.
An overview of the vision
highlights three important areas:
economic, social, and political. The
vision further explores shortcomings
in these areas and offers suggestions
on how to improve them. The eco-
nomic goal is to maintain a sus-
tained economic growth of 10% per
year over the next 25 years with con-
centrations in tourism, agriculture,
wholesale and retail trade and
manufacturing. The social aspect
concentrates on education training,
the health sector, water and sanita-
tion, and housing and urbanization
with programs targeting gender
women, youth, and other vulnerable
groups. Finally, the political area
focuses on public administration and
service delivery, security, peace
building, and conflict management.
There are four ways in
which the youth can involve them-
selves in implementing this vision.
The first is for young people to first
“We Can’t Do It For You”
understand the vision and then edu-
cate others about the vision. Sec-
ondly, young people should optimize
the opportunities that the vision of-
fers by starting business that seek to
address the goals that have been set.
Thirdly, young people should use
their innovativeness and creativity to
suggest different ways of implement-
ing the vision and utilizing re-
sources. Lastly, young people should
uphold all the Kenyan ideals high-
lighted in the constitution such as
gender equality, national values,
public participation in governance,
and self-government of Kenyan peo-
ple.
Kenya Vision 2030 is a way
to accelerate the transition of the
country into a rapidly industrializing
middle-income nation by the year
2030. The journey to 2030 will re-
quire sacrifice, hard work, self-
discipline and determination. I am
confident that Kenyans will meet
these challenges in order to make
our country a globally competitive
and prosperous one where every
person can enjoy a high quality of
life. Every Kenyan youth and young
people around the world should
commit themselves to the realization
of Kenya Vision 2030 targets. Let us
all continue to work together in or-
der to build a just, equitable, and
prosperous Kenya.
Page 15
Afua Donkor
In a room, there stood such
great promise, despite adversity, that
it served to motivate privileged youth
like us.
President Obama hosted a
young African leader‘s forum which
included 115 young leaders from 46
different African countries. The fo-
rum was just one part of the two-day
event for the young leaders. The rep-
resentatives were chosen by their
local US embassies for their innova-
tive work and forward visions for
their countries. The president
stressed that the US wants to support
these African youth in order to build
a strong relationship between the
two continents.
Obama said that Africa is at
a ―moment of extraordinary prom-
ise.‖ He believes that the Africa of the
next 50 years will be built by the
leaders at the forum and those like
them. He stressed entrepreneurship,
transparency, health care, and em-
powering African youth.
One of the support mecha-
nisms mentioned was education. The
president mentioned specifically the
program that allowed his father to
come to America.
In town hall style forum, the
president was questioned about cor-
rupt leaders, the ―brain drain,‖ and
offering financial support. He closed
his speech saying that the US can be
support Africa but ―we can‘t do it for
you.‖
 Page 16 FACE OF AFRICA

The Year of the Youth

Adwoa Adu There are other states who

The United Nations has
declared the year spanning from
August 11, 2010to August 12, 2011
the ―Year of the Youth‖ under the
theme Dialogue and Mutual Under-
standing. The goal of the Year of the
Youth is to encourage the youth to
use their voice to help mankind
overcome its current challenge. The
event has three objectives: creating
awareness, mobilizing and engaging,
and connecting and building
bridges.
are taking measures such as this to
help to youth realize how much in-
fluence they hold in various decision
-making processes. This is needed
because the youth around the world
underestimate what their potential.
This is an extremely important en-
deavor that the United Nations em-
barked on because they are taking
the first step in helping the youth
recognize, that they truly are our
future and we need them to make
the necessary changes in it.

Youth, people between the

ages of 15-24, account for 18% of the
world population, and 87% of the
population in developing countries.
With these large numbers and the
enthusiasm held by these young
people, the United Nations recog-
nized that the youth could actually
help make a difference. The General
Assembly has sponsored programs
to promote youth involvement.

Events are taking place

worldwide in commemoration of the
Year of the Youth. For example, in
Baltimore, Maryland there will be a
year-long retreat providing youth
and their parents with the necessary
tools and skills to make a difference.
The difference between what Mary-
land doing and what others have
tried to do, is that they are actually
going to push the youth involved to
become active in leadership roles.
The participants will be able to use
what they have learned in whatever
leadership roles they find them-
selves in.
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1 Page 17

Learning Experiences a Long Way From Home

Callie Hendricks and Callie Hendricks to expand our connections beyond

Lerothodi Molete are two of
five South African students
from the University of
Bloemfontein. They are part
of the F1 Program at their
university which allows stu-
dent to study abroad to see
models of integrated living.
ASO had the privilege of
having Callie, Lerothodi, as
well as Hlonipa Matshamba,
Jason Viviers, and Susan
van der Westhuizen as spe-
cial guests at a GB entitled
“After Apartheid: Race Rela-
tions in South Africa.”
Participating in an interna-
tional study like the F1 leadership
program one is bound to create ex-
periences that will stick with you for
the rest of your life. The most impor-
tant thing is that you are able to
learn something from it. I have ex-
perienced quite a lot in a short pe-
riod of time and I would like to share
my most significant impressions.
My first most significant
learning experience was what I
learned in the meeting with the head
of the Affirmative Action offices of
Binghamton University, Valerie
Hampton. She taught me that the
role of affirmative action is not to
undermine white people but to make
sure discrimination of any sort does
not occur in the work environment.
Young people today need to be
mindful to their behavior. For be-
havior change could lead to attitude
change and this will help in improv-
ing diversity change.
My second most significant
learning experience was learning
how leaders with clashing views can
come to a happy medium. When two
of our group members had clashing
decision making methods, with one
being an impulsive decision maker
and the other a methodical decision
maker, we learned that there is no
one method better than the other
but were able to discuss which
would benefit the group the best for
the specific task at hand. Being able
to work in a team is an important
asset to any young person. Team
work is also necessary for young
people entering the workplace
our own country. By forming net-
works with people who share similar
worldviews we can work together
towards a common goal, this helps
make the world a better place for
future generations to enjoy.
The most significant discov-
ery I made however was that across
the world we share similar problems
especially race related problems. It is
in the hands of us youth to try and
sort out whatever tension we have in
our respective countries. The first
step in achieving this is continuous
dialogue. We need to start talking
with our peers both in and out of the
classrooms as well as to members of
older generations. By talking about
these issues we are creating a plat-
form for generating ideas to resolv-
ing tension and also putting a stop to
stereotyping.
Having been part of this
study abroad program I am now pur-
suing the true essence of life - find-
ing out what I am here for and what I
can do to make the world a better
place.

Another great experience

was meeting Arun Gandhi, the
grandson of the legendary Mahatma
Gandhi. I learned that we are all
interconnected and therefore need
 Page 18
Ubuntu: Together We Can!
Lerothodi Molete
―Our deepest fear is not that we are
inadequate. Our deepest fear is that
we are powerful beyond measure. ‖
– Nelson Mandela
I will be reflecting upon the
most significant facets of my learn-
ing experience in the USA in the two
weeks we visited as the F1 Class of
2010 and touch upon a few of the
numerous initiatives the youth of
South Africa are engaging in, mak-
ing a difference in their vicinity. I
really hope that our South African
side of the story gives you hope, a
broader perspective, and the urge to
become pro-active in the mass-
change of the world, in leadership,
business and social justice.
I am an Agriculture student
specializing in soil sciences and
plant pathology at the University of
the Free State. I was part of the In-
ternational Leadership for change
program of seventy-one first year
students called the ―F1 Class of
2010‖. The program was initiated by
the UFS rector Professor Jonathan
Jansen to gain exposure to the posi-
tive model of integration in the USA
and build a network with BU under-
graduate students that will see us
engaging and uniting to resolve
problems, and generating new ideas
in regards to race relations. Once in
Binghamton University we were
greeted with huge smiles, warm
hugs, flashing camera lights, ques-
tions, one hectic learning program,
and a table full of food. Much to our
liking, throughout the two weeks of
our visit, whether it was in lecture
halls, conferences, dialogues, check-
ins, tours, or the visits to the many
institutions of various traits, we were
embraced by a large amount of in-
formation in regard to leadership,
diversity and citizenship, and race
relations.
FACE OF AFRICA
This was just the ashes of an on-
going battle - racism, discrimination,
oppression, prejudice, and many
other global hindrances still exist,
that is why we have developed a net-
work of collaboration with African
Students‘ Organisation of BU, to
further work together to see the
change through as practically as pos-
sible. In reflection, I have observed,
analysed and given feedback on the
way forward, in something that I call
―The Basketball Analogy‖, which
basically summarises what I saw as
significant in those two weeks.
The Basketball Analogy
Due to the historical, struc-
tural and political similarities be-
tween the United States of America
and South Africa, an analogy can be
derived if you make a general obser-
vation on the two nations' develop-
ment throughout recent history.
More clearly, this observation can
illustrate the position of the two na-
tions in comparison to each other. I
call this analogical observation the
―Basketball Analogy‖. The compari-
son show far both countries have
gone, their current status, and how
far they still have to go.
This analogy was my brain-
child, born in the home of my host
parent Ms Renee Micalizzi. It came
to me as I struggled to put into
words the countless similarities be-
tween our two countries. It suddenly
came to me that basketball was a
perfect analogy. I was analyzing how
both the USA and SA went through a
period of racism after slavery, I
noted how both had a political hero
(Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson
Rolihlahla Mandela), the abolish-
ment of oppression, establishment of
bill of rights and civil rights acts, the
difficult transition into the new USA
and the new SA, integration in soci-
ety (businesses, schools, transport,
churches, etc.), as well as the on-
going political warfare. Clearly there
are many similarities between our
two nations.
Now, to understand this
phenomenon better, compare it to a
basketball game. The USA and SA
are the same team due to their simi-
larities. But because of the advanced
progress the USA has already made
ahead of SA in many aspects, espe-
cially the above mentioned, they are
considered to be in the second quar-
ter of the game. Blacks in the US
have already made huge advance-
ments: they have already experi-
enced the challenges of racial inte-
gration, and have partially suc-
ceeded; they are seeing the fruits of
their hard work, and are winning the
game. They are living the American
dream, where anyone can flourish
regardless of their racial origin. How-
ever, many believe, they are experi-
encing a "time-out", a pause due to
the deceptive belief that social inte-
gration and peaceful social diversity
has been achieved. This complacent
prevents progress from taking place.
South African blacks on the other
hand, in the first quarter of the game.
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1
We have just achieved our democ-
racy just over one and a half decades
ago – sixteen years ago to be exact.
We are a teenage society that has
just begun the rough and bitter proc-
ess of institutionalized racial inte-
gration. As the USA has already
done, we have to trudge through the
first quarter to reach the second
quarter. Once there we can look back
and see the fruits of the heart-ache
we have experienced in the past.
Neither country has reached
the third quarter yet – we both have
still got a long way to go. After the
third we have the fourth quarter and
perhaps even overtime. It will take
the hearts of champions to endure
the hardly fought battle for a peace-
ful, cosmopolitan society that seeks
justice, peace and equality for all
who live in it
Youth Making a Difference in
South Africa
In South Africa, there is a
need for social change. There is a
need for new leadership that will
lead differently, liberally, and trans-
parently for the good of the nation.
We are beginning to see this with the
immense youth participation in
global initiatives and local politics,
but the mammoth challenge is in
getting everybody involved in social
change, especially the youth from all
spheres of life be they rich or poor,
educated or uneducated, employed
or unemployed. This is the goal that
the following student-run initiatives
at the University of the Free State
seek to fulfil:
Ubuntu Sustainable Develop-
ment Focus Group promotes dis-
cussion on topics relating to sustain-
able development using programs
and media releases around campus.
Kovsgem (community service)
Page 19
brings students together to reach out
to community institutions such as
schools, hospitals, orphanages, and
old-age homes at large with basic
needs such as food, clothing, toys,
and employment. They also partici-
pate in many charity awareness
events such as Cancer4life and HIV/
Aids awareness walks. They are a
university organization reaching out
to the world, making a difference in
many lives. They are situated in
Bloemfontein at the moment, but
are started to spread to surround-
ing towns.
The F1 Class of 2010 travelled to
the USA to gain exposure to inte-
grated life in the country and estab-
lish an effective network of com-
munication with the youth abroad
such as the Binghamton University
African Students Organisation, to
engage in issues of race relations,
and generate fresh ideas to address
social dilemmas.
PO10SEE leadership and diver-
sity annual camps bring youth
together for a week to strengthen
their grasp on leadership and diver-
sity. These various programs seek
not only to start youth engagement
in dialogue, but they seek to increase
youth participation, and incorporate
community service to improve the
lives of seniors citizens, disabled
citizens and less privileged children.
The above is just the tip of the ice-
berg. While South Africa is doing
really great, there is a lot to be done
here and in the whole of Africa,
hence more youth will be called
upon in the near future to lead the
nation, and Africa as a whole. We
must all come together regardless of
our differences. That‘s Ubuntu, to-
gether we can!
 Page 20
Spotlight on: Tehn Diamond
Jackie Nembaware
Zimbabwe’s entertainment industry
is on the rise. With talent waiting to
be discovered and given the oppor-
tunity, I have taken it upon myself
to explore this area within my beau-
tiful country Zimbabwe. I inter-
viewed a talented young artist
whose music is nothing short of
amazing and magical.
Who are you as an artist and as
an individual?
As an artist I guess I'd say I'm what
happens when the passion of say a
Kanye West, meets the lyrical dex-
terity of Jay-Z, add a big splash of
Zimbabwean pride, plus a sprinkle
of my old man's business mind and
you have yourself a Tehn Diamond.
More than anything I'm just a dude
who really loves music and loves
words even more. As an individual,
I'm one of those people with a crazy
lust for life. I live to experience as
much of the world as I can while I'm
here. And just enjoy, I guess.
What or who has been your in-
spiration in your music?
I'm a big Jay-Z fan, like I never grew
up listening to a whole lot of hip-
hop, I only listened to Jay-Z for the
longest time. Strangely enough I
never grew up wanting to be an MC,
I always wanted to be a songwriter
or an actor. But the bug hit in 2006
and I think a Jay shaped a lot about
how I approach my music. Another
FACE OF AFRICA
massive inspira-
tion for me has
been Kanye West
too, he's a genius
and stays push-
ing the limits of
what‘s accept-
able to do or say
in hip-hop. He's
on it.
Seeing that you are currently
promoting your music in Zim-
babwe, what do you think
about the future of this indus-
try in Zimbabwe?
Honestly, with the wealth of talent
around here its just a matter of time
before someone in the right places
wisens up and starts putting more
money behind it.
For now though, the scene is a live
and well and growing. There's so
much live music on out here, and its
all sorts of music too. From a hip-
hop perspective I do wish the media
would pay more attention to us, but
I guess part of the onus lies with us
as artists in Zimbabwe.
So mark my words, the future looks
bright. At least from where I'm sit-
ting.
As an African man, are there
particular issues, politically,
socially that affect Zimbabwe
that you sing about? Or that
your songs relate too?
Most of my music is very personal, I
really just write about what I know
and understand best. But even in my
stories, there's underlying themes.
Having been away from home for
5yrs and the returning, I touch on
the Zimbabwean Diaspora issue and
its emotional effect. Its something
I've been on both sides of, and a lot
of people relate to those feelings par-
ticular from Zimbabwe. As far as
politics, well politics just confuses
me. I try stay away from it all, life's a
puzzle as it is.
If you could work with any art-
ist, who would it be and why?
Kanye West, even if [it‘s] just to be
privy to how he creates and just learn
even one thing off him. Yeah I'd have
to do a track with 'Ye. He seems to
bring out the best music in the peo-
ple he works with. That would be an
amazing experience, for real.
Where do you see yourself and
your music in 5 years time?
I'd love to be doing the kinda stuff
Maxwell does, that kinda throwback
soul sound. I wanna be chilling and
singing in lounges and shit. I wanna
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1
be more business focused too in
5yrs, hopefully developing some
younger Zim talent and trying to
make sure my city stays firmly on
the map. Cuz in five years I plan to
have made a significant impact on
African hip-hop and Lord-willing on
International Hip-hop
too. Not just in hip-
hop, but in music in
general. I just wanna be
able to look back in five
years and say "Yeah its
been f*** amazing." So
we'll just wait and see.
What kind of audi-
ence does your mu-
sic attract?
You know what I'm still
trying to figure
#TeamSOTG out. So far
my music has attracted
all sorts of folk, and I love it. Lately,
in maybe the past 6 months or so, a
lot more Zimbabweans have found
my music and found ways to let me
know. My first tape attracted a lot of
university kids, who could easily
relate to what I was trying to express
then. But off this second mixtape, I
think the ladies are getting in tune
with the program too which is dope.
Plus with the internet being the
amazing tool that it is these days, a
Tehn Diamond fan can be anyone
from anywhere in the world. I love
that.
Learn more about Tehn at
www.HashBrownDontFrown.com
Fashion Forward: Onyx and Pearl
Lauretta Oseni
The Nigerian Fashion in-
dustry is exploding with talent and
each new day brings with it fresh
ideas ready to take the industry by
storm.
Adebayo Oke-Lawal, a
twenty year old Nige-
rian, is not only a de-
signer but the new crea-
tive director of the
three-month old label
Onyx & Pearl. He and
his three other part-
ners, Oluwaseun
Abiodun Lisk, Dapo
Ajayi, and Oyakhire
Russell are the young-
sters that gave birth to
this new label that is
generating a lot of buzz
in the Nigerian fashion industry.
Onyx & Pearl is a unisex label
that was birthed from an erstwhile
conservative menswear label called
‗Lisk‘. Though Lisk quickly earned
accolades from the fashion indus-
try its business savvy founder
Seun knew that this would not be
enough. He quickly assembled a
team to re-brand Lisk into the sim-
pler, but edgier and more fashion
forward brand “Onyx & Pearl‖
which would be driven by these
four creatively diverse
minds. Their first line ―The
Haunting‖ is now one of the most
talked about lines in the Nigerian
Page 21
fashion. According to a review, the
debut offering from the label fea-
tures great use of color and inter-
esting fabrication that include
leather, snake skin, damask, and
batik prints. Their menswear pieces
feature colors that seem to be ex-
clusive of women‘s fashion, but
they‘ve managed to bring formality
to it with a masculine touch. The
women‘s pieces are also fun and
young with interesting jackets worn
alone as dresses and the high waist
skirts with fabric in the shape of
petals sewn onto it.
Their label ethos, ―more
than just the clothes,‖ sums up the
significance of their label. Al-
though filled with simple designs,
Onyx & Pearl is a label that speaks
volume and is ready to change per-
ceptions. This label dares a man to
be different - to try new things such
as bright colors, gladiators, and
man bags while still radiating mas-
culinity. Onyx and Pearl encour-
ages the Nigerian man to be fashion
forward. When it comes to women,
this label understands the sexuality
of a woman‘s body and knows that
obviating it beautifully doesn‘t ne-
cessitate nudity.
A challenge for these rising
young designers has been getting
the quality materials to design with.
However, Bayo and his three part-
ners are not giving up anytime
soon. Without a doubt the sky is
the limit for their successs.
 Page 22 FACE OF AFRICA

-
Before you turn the page lets see how well you know the ASO E-Board...
She loves to knit and crochet especially her own scarves
75% of the songs on her iTunes are gospel/Christian genre
She likes to collect journals with pretty covers
This is __________________________

She is constantly guarding the money

If you see her around campus she is sure to be smiling
She is always complaining about how she misses her last job
This is __________________________

She has impeccable fashion sense

At our events you are sure to see her with a camera
This is __________________________

She ran track in High School

Spends her free time reading novels
Her goal in life is to publish a novel
She loves her love-hate relationship with Adwoa
She has a phobia of dancing
This is __________________________

She was born in Ghana

She is half Ashanti and half Akyem
She is a member of basically every group on campus
Always found in the kitchen
Also always has a smile on her face
This is __________________________

He is a good artist
He is a fast track runner
He loves pickles
This is __________________________

He is extremely friendly and shy at the same time

He is a double major in Political Science and Africana Studies
Keeps you up to date with what is going on with ASO
This is __________________________
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1 Page 23

She loves food but is probably one of the skinniest people

you will meet
She is 5‘6 but looks taller
She wants to have identical twins in the future
She never cries in front of people
This is __________________________

She is an only child

She speaks four languages
She had a pet monkey when she was little
She is fluent in French
This is __________________________

He was born in Jamaica

He lived in Antigua, California, and South Carolina before
moving to NY
He used to perform as rapper in high school
He loves wheat thins
This is __________________________

ANSWER KEY: ABBY, ADWOA, TOLU, EUNICE, AFUA, DAVID, MAMADOU, LAURETTA, MILDRED, DANIEL

Abisola Abosede Aleye Abeje Ogunbiyi - born to wealth

Ketiwe Boahene - chosen one

Eunice Adhiambo Ochuonyo - born in the evening

Mamadou Sanogo - W. African version of Muhammed

Lauretta Adekunbi Oseni - an additional crown

Olatomide Familusi - my prosperity has come

Adwoa Adu - born on Monday

Afua Donkor - born on Friday

Daniel Ayomikun Adeyanju - my joy is full

Mildred Tibourataa Ngminebayihi- God never forgets

David Almonte - beloved king

Tolulope Odunsi - to God be the glory

 Page 24 FACE OF AFRICA

ASO held its annual Mwami and Malkia: King and Queen of Africa
pageant on Friday, Nov. 5th. The contestants competed their hearts
out, but in the end there could only be one King and Queen...

My name is Delmar Dualeh and I am a sophomore majoring in Human De-

velopment. The moment I heard about ASO's pageant and representing Af-
rica, I was very enthusiastic about competing. At the moment, I did not re-
alize the immense amount of work it takes to memorize all your lines, come
up with a talent, and just be confident in front of a large group of individu-
als because this was something I've never done before. But the help of ASO's
E-Board and constant meetings made the actual performance much less
difficult. Also, working with such amazing contestants was a joy within itself.
All of the contestants who competed in this year's pageant were honestly
amazing and I'm glad that I got to know them. We all supported one an-
other as if this wasn't a competition and I would do it again if I could.

My name is Vanessa Ayivi and I am a junior here at Binghamton Univer-

sity. Being part of Mwami and Malkia was by far the most exciting time I
had here in Binghamton. From practicing everyday, to having our little
disagreements, and helping each other out, we became kind of like a fam-
ily. Regardless of the fact that we all wanted to win, we were still willing
to helping each other out in all areas so we all could deliver our perform-
ances. The lovely ASO e-Board was there every step of the way. They sup-
ported us, provided us with everything we needed and encouraged us to do
our best. In my eyes, we are all winners. How does it feel to be crowned
queen? I must say that it is pretty amazing knowing that all my hard
work paid off in the end and being called Queen all around campus. I feel
some sense of accomplishment and empowerment. My favorite part of the
whole process was getting the chance to teach the audience about my
beautiful country. I would encourage everyone to participate in this pag-
eant next year because not only will you receive a great deal of recognition
but you will also you get to learn more about Africa.
VOL. 6 EDITION 1 Page 25

Meet E-board
My name is Eunice Ochuonyo. I am a senior majoring in nursing. When I
graduate in May, I hope to pass my NCLEX, find a job in a medical surgical
unit so I can have exposure to various things. After two years, I will attend
graduate school with the hopes of becoming a nurse administrator or re-
searcher. I am currently the President of ASO and I have been involved
with this organization for three years. I was the Public Relations Coordinator
during the 2008/2009 school year, and last year I was the Treasurer. I love
ASO and I hope that you love or will get to love ASO as much as I do.

My name is Afua Donkor and I am a junior majoring in Integrative Neu-

roscience. I have been involved with ASO since my freshman year. Last year
I was Activities Coordinator and currently I am Vice President. I am in-
volved with several other student groups including the Student Association
Programming Board and Habit at for Humanity. I also work as an Resident
Assistant in Dickinson Community. I hope to see ASO reach new heights
with its GBs and events this semester

My name is Lauretta Adekunbi Oseni. I am a senior and a pre-med biol-

ogy major. My aspiration is to become a pediatric oncologist after medical
school. I am currently the Secretary for the African Student Organization
and this is my second year on e-board. For the 2009/2010 school year i was
the SA/ICA Representative. I am also involved with the Charles Drew Mi-
nority Pre-med Society. My motto is to do my best and always put God first!

My name is Adwoa Adu, I am currently a senior psychology major. My fu-

ture plans include becoming a successful pediatrician. Currently, I partici-
pate in various community service events through Phi Delta Epsilon, a pre-
medical fraternity that I am a member of. I'm involved in a crisis hotline
called High Hopes, and I'm also a member of Charles Drew Minority Pre-
Health Society. I am also the current Treasurer of the African Student Or-
ganization and was the historian last year. I enjoy being on e-board because
I consider the people who are on e-board with me and the members of the
organization to be my second family.

My name is David Almonte. I am a sophomore and a financial economics

major. I aspire to be an investment banker and to work on Wall Street some-
day. I am currently the Social Activities Coordinator for ASO. I am also
a member of MALIK Fraternity Incorporated. Since I am of Dominican de-
scent, being part of ASO has helped me diversify myself and become more of
a well rounded person. My aspirations are to educate others about African
culture and better unite the campus through cultural awareness.
 Page 26 FACE OF AFRICA

Meet the E-board (cont.)

My name is Abisola Abosede Ogunbiyi, but most people call me Abby. I

like to cook and love to bake even more. I was a big fan of ASO and my love
for the organization led me to eventually become the Food Coordinator.
I'm a junior double majoring in Biology and Africana Studies. I plan to be-
come a successful pharmacist. And my long term goal is to open a library in
my hometown in Nigeria.

My name is Mildred Tibourataa Ngminebayihi. I am a sophomore and

a double major in Political Science and French. I want to become a diplomat
or work in the United Nations after graduate school. This is my first year on
the ASO E-board and I am SA Representative and Parliamentarian. I
appreciate diversity hence my involvement in cultural organizations such as
the African Dance Ensemble, the Bhangra Team and the French Club. I also
want to travel all around the world when I become rich.

My name is Mamadou Sanogo. I am a senior and was part of BEP 2007,

double Majoring in African a Studies and Political Science. I am the Public
Relations Coordinator of ASO. I have three long term goals: (1) to go
back home to the Ivory Coast in the future to implement some of the things I
learned in the US;(2) to become an ambassador for the US to Ivory Coast or
vice versa; and finally I want to become a very influential leader without be-
ing a politician. I also want to win a Nobel Peace Prize one day.

My name is Tolu Odunsi. I am a Junior Human Development major. After

undergrad I plan to go on to law school and aspire to eventually become a
judge. One of my major goals in life is to fight against global injustices. I
have been involved with The Black Student Union, Binghamton University
Gospel Choir, Thurgood Marshall Pre-Law Society, and Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, Incorporated. Through these orgs I have learned the value of giving
back to the community. This is my second year on the ASO executive board.
I was the 2009-2010 Food Coordinator and am currently the 2010-2011
Historian.

My name is Daniel Ayomikun Adeyanju and I am a sophomore major-

ing in biology and minoring in Africana Studies and Global Studies. I plan to
become a doctor without borders and use my medical expertise to solve
health crises in Africa. I am also involved in Charles Drew Premedical Soci-
ety . This is my first year on e-board and I am the Educational Coordina-
tor for ASO. I hope to see ASO continue to grow and educate students of all
races about Africa and its rich culture.
 VOL. 6 EDITION 1 Page 27

ASO IN ACTION
FACE OF AFRICA

Thank You
Thank you to everyone who has continued
to support our organization for all these
years: GB members, former e-board mem-
bers, faculty and staff. We also thank all
other cultural orgs for working in tandem
with us to bring more diversity to this
campus. Indeed, unity is key to achieving
this end.