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Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Kofi Awoonor: 13 March 1935 – 21 September 2013
Kofi Awoonor (13 March 1935 – 21 September 2013) was a Ghanaian poet and author whose work combined the poetic traditions of his native Ewe people and contemporary and religious symbolism to depict Africa during decolonization. He started writing under the name George Awoonor-Williams.
Professor Kofi Awoonor was among those who were killed in the September 2013 attack at Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya.
ACROSS A NEW DAWN
Sometimes, we read the
lines in the green leaf
run our fingers over the
smooth of the precious wood
from our ancient trees;
Sometimes, even the sunset
puzzles, as we look
for the lines that propel the clouds,
the colour scheme
with the multiple designs
that the first artist put together
There is dancing in the streets again
the laughter of children rings
through the house
On the seaside, the ruins recent
from the latest storms
remind of ancestral wealth
pillaged purloined pawned
by an unthinking grandfather
who lived the life of a lord
and drove coming generations to
despair and ruin
*
But who says our time is up
that the box maker and the digger
are in conference
or that the preachers have aired their robes
and the choir and the drummers
are in rehearsal?
No; where the worm eats
a grain grows.
the consultant deities
have measured the time
with long winded
arguments of eternity
And death, when he comes
to the door with his own
inimitable calling card
shall find a homestead
resurrected with laughter and dance
and the festival of the meat
of the young lamb and the red porridge
of the new corn
*
We are the celebrants
whose fields were
overrun by rogues
and other bad men who
interrupted our dance
with obscene songs and bad gestures
Someone said an ailing fish
swam up our lagoon
seeking a place to lay its load
in consonance with the Original Plan
Master, if you can be the oarsman
for our boat
please do it, do it.
I asked you before
once upon a shore
at home, where the
seafront has narrowed
to the brief space of childhood
We welcome the travelers
come home on the new boat
fresh from the upright tree
From “Promises of Hope: New and Selected Poems,” selected by Kofi Anyidoho, University of Nebraska Press and the African Poetry Book Fund, 2014
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Monday, September 23, 2013
DHL Nigeria Have Fun Day with Little Saints Orphanage to Celebrate Global Volunteer Day
All Smiles Some of the children from the Little Saints Orphanage.
DHL employees in Nigeria mark Global Volunteer Day by organizing outdoor fun day for children from the Little Saints Orphanage
Nigeria, September 23, 2013: DHL Nigeria part of Deutsche Post DHL, the world’s leading postal and logistics group, recently marked Global Volunteer Day 2013 with 100 employees taking part in organizing an outdoor fun day for children from the Little Saints orphanage as part of its global drive to give back to local communities and to inculcate a passion for volunteerism among employees.
“DPDHL is passionate about giving back to the community and Global Volunteer Day is a priority for our company. Our project locally is not only aligned to this global enthusiasm and our international goals and approach, but also fits into the national agenda, creating hope for local communities and the people of Nigeria, says Randy Buday, Country Manager, DHL Nigeria.
Country Manager, Randy Buday with the DHL NG Volunteers and the children from the Little Saints Orphanage.
The day started bright with about 100 DHL employees turning up at the Isolo office premises to set up rides, games, music as well as food and drink serving points for the visiting children. At about 11am, two buses conveying 100 children from the orphanage drove into the DHL compound amidst smiles and cheers from the employees.
The children were first treated to some light aerobic activities before the fun and games began with activities such as singing, dancing, bouncing, sliding and more. The children also enjoyed a wide selection of mouth watering meals as well as cotton candy, ice cream, popcorn and other kiddies favorites. By the end of the day, it was obvious the children didn’t want to leave the little wonderland the DHL employees had created for them.
After the event, one of the children had this to say: “My name is Akinyemi Ephraim George one of the children in Little Saints Orphanage. I really want to use this great opportunity to appreciate the company (DHL) and the manager for their love, care and time spent with the children. I want to say a very big thank you sir and ma and I pray may God continue to bless the company and all the staffs of DHL.”
“At DHL we believe that people are our greatest resource and the company aims to encourage employees to actively participate in community efforts, as well as inspire the spirit of volunteerism,” says Olufunmilayo Glover, Human Resources Manager, DHL Nigeria.
Introduced in Asia Pacific in 2008, Volunteer Day has expanded into Americas, Middle East, Africa and Europe over the years, and continues to build on its success by involving more employees than ever before. In 2012, the initiative was rolled out globally with tremendous success – 62,000 volunteers in about 120 countries and territories participated in more than 1,000 community programs.
For Global Volunteer Day 2013, Deutsche Post DHL offices around the world are participating in many diverse community projects in support of various local causes. These programs deliver to the company’s three Corporate Responsibility programs – GoTeach (championing education), GoGreen (protecting the environment) and GoHelp (delivering help).
“Global Volunteer Day is a key part of our sustainability focus and an integral part of our company’s commitment to deliver its Corporate Responsibility strategy through GoGreen, GoHelp and GoTeach,” comments Randy Buday.
“If we can just make a difference in our local communities; imagine an entire globe full of corporate volunteers banding together. Global Volunteer Day is just that – an international organisation standing together to effect change in the communities that we serve.”
- End -
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DHL – The Logistics company for the world
DHL is the global market leader in the logistics industry and “The Logistics Company for the world”. DHL commits its expertise in international express, air and ocean freight, road and rail transportation, contract logistics and international mail services to its customers. A global network composed of more than 220 countries and territories and about 285,000 employees worldwide offers customers superior service quality and local knowledge to satisfy their supply chain requirements. DHL accepts its social responsibility by supporting environmental protection, disaster management and education.
DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL. The Group generated revenue of more than 55 billion Euros in 2012.
TweetEko International Film Festival Endorsed by Lagos State Government
Eko International Film Festival Endorsed by Lagos State Government
The annual Eko International Film Festival is now endorsed by the Lagos state government.
Receiving the endorsement from the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Inter governmental affairs, the President of Eko International Film Festival Mr. Hope Obioma Opara expressed his appreciation and pledged to work with his team in realizing his dream of building a big film festival in this mega city of Lagos. He stated that there is no way a film festival can be well recognized at the global level without the endorsement and support from the host state and the country at large, because film festivals are platforms that can be used to explore the tourism potentials of a country and attract direct foreign investments to Lagos state and Nigeria..
Mr. Hope Obioma Opara, President of Eko International Film Festival with top Nigerian filmmaker Jeta Amata at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France.
In his interaction with Barr Mrs. A.A Agbamiloja, who represented the Commissioner for Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations, he assured the government that the next level is to attract the global film market to Lagos. Having the backing of the host state is imperative in establishing an international film festival in every city of the world.
The annual Eko International Film Festival (EKOIFF) is Nigeria’s leading international film festival in the coastal mega city of Lagos in south western Nigeria.
It was founded in August 2009 by Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, the Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report and CEO of International Digital Post Network Limited and Screen Outdoor Open Air Cinema, the operators of the Screen Naija One Village, One Cinema Project in Nigeria. The film festival was duly registered by Supple Communications Limited in September 2009 as the organizers.
The inaugural edition was held in the mega city of Lagos in summer, July 7-12, 2010, at the Genesis Deluxe Cinemas of The Palms in Lekki, Lagos, with filmmakers from Nigeria, Kenya, UK, Germany, France, Spain and America. The second edition and third editions were held in July 2011 and 2012 at the Silverbird Cinemas of the Silverbird Galleria on Victoria Island, Lagos. The fourth edition coming up from November 18-23, 2013 has received dozens of movies submitted by filmmakers from different countries including Iran, Serbia, Holland, South Africa, Germany, France, Spain, United Kingdom, USA, Nigeria and Nigerians in Diaspora and more entries will be accepted until the closing date of October 15, 2013.
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Dear Parents of Every Girl Child
"Girl Rising" will premiere in Nigeria on Friday October 11, 2013, see the details below.
Dear Parents of every girl child,
What kind of education are you giving your child?
You know your child is your future.
We want to talk to you on educating our daughters and lest we forget, our housemaids or house-girls are not left out.
You must not deprive any housemaid or house-girl of education.
The kind of education you give your housemaid or house-girl will affect and reflect in the life of your own child, because you often leave your child in the care of your housemaid or house-girl while you are at work or elsewhere and it is what she knows she will share or teach your child. So, it would be best and of great benefit to you to make sure that you don't deprive your housemaid or house-girl of a good education for the mutual benefit of your own child.
Your own daughter and the housemaid or house-girl are going to share many things in common as long as they live in the same environment and as the Laws of Harvest prove and the Word of God says, what we sow is what we shall reap sooner or later in life. So, please care and love every housemaid or house-girl as you care and love your own child.
Don't maltreat your housemaid or house-girl lest she will also maltreat your child or become a negative influence in the upbringing of your child.
If you don't educate your housemaid or house-girl, you are only showing a bad example that will definitely harm you in the future, because our daughters regardless of their social class backgrounds are the future mothers of our nations.
Now here are the facts you should know.
Holly Gordon, the Executive Director of 10x10 and Executive Producer of "Girl Rising" will be the Special Guest of Honor and Guest Speaker at the Nigerian Premiere of "Girl Rising" to celebrate the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child on Friday October 11 and also on Saturday October 12, 2013.
Come and join us to celebrate the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child on Friday October 11, 2013. And we are having the big event.
The Nigerian premiere of "Girl Rising", the phenomenal CNN film by 10x10, at the Silverbird Cinemas, Silverbird Galleria, 133, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.
For advance bookings for the tickets for the special screening of "Girl Rising", email: publisher@nigeriansreport.com.
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Dear Parents of every girl child,
What kind of education are you giving your child?
You know your child is your future.
We want to talk to you on educating our daughters and lest we forget, our housemaids or house-girls are not left out.
You must not deprive any housemaid or house-girl of education.
The kind of education you give your housemaid or house-girl will affect and reflect in the life of your own child, because you often leave your child in the care of your housemaid or house-girl while you are at work or elsewhere and it is what she knows she will share or teach your child. So, it would be best and of great benefit to you to make sure that you don't deprive your housemaid or house-girl of a good education for the mutual benefit of your own child.
Your own daughter and the housemaid or house-girl are going to share many things in common as long as they live in the same environment and as the Laws of Harvest prove and the Word of God says, what we sow is what we shall reap sooner or later in life. So, please care and love every housemaid or house-girl as you care and love your own child.
Don't maltreat your housemaid or house-girl lest she will also maltreat your child or become a negative influence in the upbringing of your child.
If you don't educate your housemaid or house-girl, you are only showing a bad example that will definitely harm you in the future, because our daughters regardless of their social class backgrounds are the future mothers of our nations.
Now here are the facts you should know.
Source: UNESCO - UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics estimation
Source:
Bruce, J. and S. Clark (2004), “The Implications of Early Marriage for
HIV/AIDS Policy”, Brief based on backgroundpaper prepared for the
WHO/UNFPA/Population Council Technical Consultation on Married
Adolescents New York
Source: Plan’s ‘Breaking Vows: Early and Forced Marriage and Girls’ Education, 2011
Source:
UNICEF (2011), “The State of the World’s Children 2011, Adolescence: An
Age of Opportunity”, New York: UNICEF Population Council.
Source: The Elders (2010), “Child Marriage”.. Accessed 24 May 2011.
Source:
According to the World Health Organization based on estimates by
Andrews, G., et al. 2004. “Child Sexual Abuse,” Chapter 23 in Ezzati,
M., et al. 2004. Comparative Quantification of Health Risks: Global and
Regional Burden of Disease Attributable to Selected Major Risk Factors.
Vol. 2. WHO, Geneva: 1851-1940 and data of the Population Division of
the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs for population under 18
years. See WHO. 2006. Global Estimates of Health Consequences due to
Violence against Children. Background paper for the United Nations Study
on Violence against Children. WHO, Geneva, cited in General Assembly.
2006. Report of the Independent Expert for the United Nations Study on
Violence against Children.
Source:
Because I am a Girl. The State of the World’s Girls 2009. Girls in the
Global Economy: Adding It All Up, p.51. London, Plan. World Health Organization WHO, Women and Health
Source:
Psacharopoulous, G. et al. “Returns to Investment in Education: A
further Update. Policy Research Working Paper 2881 (Washington, DC:
World Bank 2002).
Holly Gordon, the Executive Director of 10x10 and Executive Producer of "Girl Rising" will be the Special Guest of Honor and Guest Speaker at the Nigerian Premiere of "Girl Rising" to celebrate the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child on Friday October 11 and also on Saturday October 12, 2013.
Come and join us to celebrate the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child on Friday October 11, 2013. And we are having the big event.
The Nigerian premiere of "Girl Rising", the phenomenal CNN film by 10x10, at the Silverbird Cinemas, Silverbird Galleria, 133, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.
For advance bookings for the tickets for the special screening of "Girl Rising", email: publisher@nigeriansreport.com.
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