A New Media Wave

I addressed the Editorial of New African Chapter yesterday and I wrote from a depth of me. Let me share with us.

 I recently observed something in my country Nigeria. I believe it's applicable to each of our countries. Things have been quite difficult for us for a while. It's been so difficult that people are merely concerned with survival; to eat and pay house rent. They are so focused on these that they do not have time for politics or political imbalance or injustice. When they protest or create hashtags online, it lasts for a while; then our politicians continue with their politics.

Meanwhile, they created the scarcity in our economy. They stash millions abroad and then employ their relatives in positions of authority who end up killing the offices because they have nothing to offer.

So how do they handle the poor masses? They give them hand-outs, employ them as electoral thugs, as P.As, as Social Media handlers, as security officers and the more glorified offices of accountants and lawyers who help them in smuggling money. The last positions are for very people; privileged few.

Accordingly, every electoral year, the brainwashing and political thuggery continues. They promise heaven and earth; and then kill off all their political enemies. Afterwards, we complain, protest, create hashtags and then go back to struggling to make ends meet. It's a continuous rat race.

African Youths are in trouble. If we don't wake up, it will continue, we will die, our children and their will continue in the rat race and who knows one day, Africa will go into oblivion and then all our leaders will relocate to the West.

Media-wise, we have done quite poorly. Most things the world knows about Africa comes from the West, where we are continually painted as dumb and poor. What did we learn from their media? We imbibed a new, funny and foreign culture of idolizing celebrities. I spend time with a lot of our young people (teenagers); none of them ever desires anything aside becoming musicians, actors, or any other form of the popular arts. I don’t know who our next business men, mathematicians, elder statesmen, writers and etc, will be if that is all most of our teens think about. When Youths discuss politics, it is a game of chance for them in which they will cut their own share of the political cake if leadership ever gets to them. Nothing deliberate is being done about our political future. We still allow our fathers to employ us as political thugs and personal assistants; meanwhile we make up 60% of our population. Even without campaign, any Youth candidate can win any political office in our Country.

In pouring my heart to you guys, I've written something I'll share in my Social networks.

A while ago when we were planning for the magazine, one of us observed that the whole layout looks too serious and formal. I think that's what African Youths needs right now. We need to jolt us back to reality. We are so lost in the media frenzy and rat race that we have forgotten to adequately plan for and contribute and even help determine the future of our individual nations. We need to proactively begin to send out quality information to re-orientate, encourage, jolt back, wake up to responsibility and entrepreneurship and leadership, and get  our young people to be more involved in community development, African politics and leadership and to get more engaged in noble roles that will show that we are ready for the  responsibility of African politics. Shying away and abandoning politics to our “political class” will keep us in this mess, forever. We have work to do.

Beulah Writes @

Scriptwriter87@gmail.com

www.Facebook.com/VivianBeulahIgbokwe

twitter/Instagram- @club7teen

White men in Black Skin

US Unveils 16 Richest Politicians From Nigeria And Names Of US Banks They Starch Away Public Funds.

NAME*******BANK ***************AMOUNT

1. Okorocha JP Morgan chase/ New York. $1.4 billion

2. Kwankwaso. American express/New York $1.15 billion

3. Shettima. Wells Fargo/ San Francisco. $1.1 billion

4. Nyako. Citi group/ New York city. $805 million

5. Ibrahim. Citi group/ New York city. $798 million

7. Amaechi. US Bancorp/ Minnesota. $757 million

8. Abdulaziz. Ally financial/ Detroit. $626 million

9. Oshiomole BB&T/ North Carolina. $625 million

10. Aregbesola. Citi group/ new York. $513 million

11. Al-makura. State street corporation & $510 million

12. Wamakko. Wells Fargo/ San Francisco. $476 million

13. Fashola. Citi group/ New York $448 million

14. Amosun Bank of America. $442 million

15. Ahmed. US Bancorp. $437 million

16. Ajimobi. Ally financial. $422 million--what a shame. Sent as received.

A former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, has said that about $200 billion out of $700-$800 billion of stolen wealth stashed in foreign banks, is suspected to be from Nigeria.

He said the amount of illegal monies taken out of developing world can resolve most developmental challenges bugging the victim countries.

Mailafia advocated for amnesty for corrupt Nigerians to repatriate money stashed in foreign lands back into the country, saying such can trigger economic boom now that the country is in recession.

www.today.ng Feb. 22, 2017

(Also search for, "World Bank releases list of Nigerian looters and the amount they stole")

A big shame to these white men in black skin that call themselves our Nigerian leaders. A big shame to them. Our banks are struggling; our bankers are working in very unstimulating environment with constant threats of sack and slashing of salary; yet our people are stuffing the economies of these Western countries while their people suffer. Maybe finally when they suck Africa dry, they will return some of the cash to conduct a big burial ceremony for Mama Africa.

Shame on them!

Twitter/Instagram: @club7teen

Scriptwriter87@gmail.com

To all the "Bitches" out there in the Workplace

So, this topic’s not new but it is fresh on my mind. 

My closest friend called me the other day a little upset after having just found out that her nickname at work was “Elsa”. 

Why? Because she was considered as The Snow Queen and was regularly referred to as a “cold bitch”. 

I was upset for her… at first. 

Here’s the thing: 

Throughout university she worked two jobs, looked after her mother who was sick at the time and still managed to earn a First-Class Honours degree (equiv. 3.7-4.0).

In the past year she's been promoted twice at her company for increasing brand engagement by a whopping 34% and increasing sales by 26%.

She’s been headhunted time and time again throughout her career and I happen to think she has a heart of gold (but of course I would say that). 

Anyway, after we ended our call, it got me thinking about other conversations I’ve had. 

My older sister, who has turned around many underperforming branches at her job, has also been called a "bitch" by her co-workers. My younger sister - only 14 - is often called a “bossy girl” when she teaches dance at the weekend or a “bossy bitch” for telling her friends not to bully other girls. 

And then it got me thinking about Hermione Granger (you know, Harry Potter’s best friend). 

Now, for the record, I’m a huge Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling and Emma Watson fan. But I can’t help but want to ask J.K. Rowling, if she were to write the first Harry Potter book again, would she still describe Hermione as having a “bossy sort of voice”? 

Or, if Hermione’s character had been a boy, would she have used words like “brazen” or “commanding” instead?

Again, I’m a huge fan so please don’t mistake this as an attack on J.K. Rowling’s brilliant writing. I’m simply curious. 

Why? Globally, women make up only 24% of senior business roles yet I hear “my boss is such a bitch” far more than I ever hear “my boss is such an asshole.”

Would my friend be called "Elsa" or a "cold bitch" if she were a guy? I doubt it. 

They’d say he’s “a formidable leader” or “firm but fair” or “gets shit done”.

This isn't about excusing bad behaviour - from women, men and others - and then calling it "leadership". But far too often we vilify women for the exact same qualities and behaviours that we praise men for.

It has to stop.

So, to all the “Bitches” out there in the workplace who are killing it, if you hear this word being used to describe you, I hope you hear the following instead: 

BOLD

INTELLIGENT

TENACIOUS

CHAMPION

HERO

Because that's likely what you'd be called if you were a guy.

Sam Struan,

(Proud brother to two brazen sisters and best friend to a strong, formidable woman)

A LETTER OF APPEAL TO H.E, DR. PAUL BIYA TO END THE CRISIS IN BAMENDA, CAMEROON

Dear Mr. President,

THE NEW AFRICAN CHAPTER (NAC) APPEALS THAT THE CRISES IN BAMENDA NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE

Very few countries are bilingual that is, they have two official languages like Canada and your dear nation Cameroon. Language has always been a barrier and breeding grounds for crises due to misunderstanding between people of which the current happenings in Bamenda in Cameroon attests to that fact.  Mr. President, NAC would have to outline some demographical facts about your country for the sake of readers who might not be familiar with your dear country.

Eight out of the ten regions of Cameroon are primarily Francophone; representing 83% of the country's population and 2 are Anglophone, representing 17% of the country's population. It appears the Anglophone proportion of the country is in constant regression, having decreased from 21% in 1976 to 20% in 1987 and to 17% in 2005, and is estimated at 16% in 2015.

From the little facts above, it appears the Francophone community has and will always have their way and the Anglophone will have their say which we (NAC) see as the root of the crises. However, Mr. President I think you will understand with us (NAC) that variety is the spice of life therefore room should be made to accommodate people who have different ideas, faith, perspective, and tastes. If the Almighty wanted us to think and behave the same he could have made us all the same.

Mr. President, as thousands of English-speaking Cameroonians in the main opposition stronghold of Bamenda, Cameroon, are chanting "we are ready to die" if the military attempts to use violence on a nationwide peaceful protest against the marginalization of nearly 10 million citizens living in English-speaking regions, we pray you don’t turn a deaf ear to their request. This will ensure that the peace you’ve always enjoyed for some time now until this crises will still prevail.

Information reaching us from the streets of Bamenda, shows that the solution to end this more than 50 years of marginalization is inclusive dialogue between both sides and nothing else. We need the president to negotiate with his countrymen on a level-playing ground.

Education is key therefore, the progress of the curriculum shouldn’t be crossed neither should instructional time be wasted but in this case all schools in the English-speaking regions are shut down and thousands are protesting. . Most key positions and schools in the country are reserved for French-speaking citizens only, which must be very disheartening is you are from Anglophone Cameroon. You must have French names like Atanagana or Mvondo to succeed, which is quite discriminative.

Mr. President, since 1961, grievances between English-speaking and French-speaking citizens have never reached a dialogue table for sleeping dogs to lie, but we plead with you that under your esteemed watch, this problem is not managed but solved completely.

 Thank you Mr. President! We hope you will put Cameroon first and solve this issue amicably.

Accept, Dear President, the assurance of our highest consideration.

Regards,

Bright Bruce-Acquaye

(President, New African Chapter)

Guys, Please Give Us Girls a Break!

Guys, please give us a break. I really do not understand it.

I met this guy a while ago. He told he wanted to marry but that all girls are bad. I allowed him to talk that day because I thought he had had a bad experience or experiences (we've all had) and needed to vent.

The next time we met, he told me that he was ready to settle down this year but that girls are very bad and very materialistic and only cares about the guy's money. He went on and on.  I said to him, "If you really want a good girl, you will see one. There are good girls out there." He said it was a lie, that all girls are bad. That included my humble self standing before him. It hurt shaa.

I said to him, "Have you ever considered that guys have contributed to how our girls have turned out today? A man is married and yet he keeps a girl. When his wife calls, he asks her to keep quiet. When she asks for money, he gives her 200K or more and buys her the latest technology in phones and gadgets. You see an unemployed girl using a phone worth 200K or more. So when another guy who really wants to date and marry her gives her 20K, she will think the guy is joking because the big man has thwarted her sense of love and giving. And all those times he asks her to keep quiet because his wife is on the phone, what do you think that is doing to her self esteem? And finally, when she marries, he has also destroyed her ability to trust that her husband can be faithful to her, what with all she has seen."

Now, this is not a defense case for girls. A lot of sisters do some real bad stuff out there. I'm only opening our eyes to a fresh perspective.

Back to my friend. I said all these and yet he wouldn’t stop. He maintained that all girls are bad and are only out to destroy a man’s happiness. I finally lost it and said to him, "If you think all girls are bad, close your eyes and choose one bad girl to marry. We are all the same. So you might as well choose one bad one and rest the case." Ain't it?

Law of attraction teaches that whatever you believe will always come to you. So, if you believe same about ladies, good for you. Choose one bad one and please give us girls a break.

But then, how about all those men that appreciate and praise their wives in churches, in their books, before their friends and family, on Facebook and on different Social Media Networks, could they all be lying? If they all are, to what purpose?

One thing I know for a truth is this: Women respond to true love. True love doesn't have anything to do with the size of a man’s pocket but with how worthy a man makes a woman feel in his presence. Haven't you seen it in Nigerian movies; where the princess will leave the rich prince to marry the village palm wine tapper?

Yours Truly,
Beulah