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[coopdigitalnewsletter]

22 Apr 2021: Welcome back to the new old high street

Hello, this is the Co-op Digital newsletter. Thank you for reading - send ideas and feedback to @rod on Twitter. Please tell a friend about it!

[Image: drones form a QR code in the Shanghai sky]

Welcome back to the new old high street

Lockdowns have started easing in the UK and the high street is reopening. Or perhaps shoppers are returning to a *different* high street because 190,000 UK retail jobs have been lost since the first Covid lockdown, 17,500 chain store outlets closed in 2020 and 44,000 retail units are now empty.

The virus has been a catalyst and an accelerant, pulling existing trends forward and amplifying them, and forcing new change everywhere. If you’re shopping for things that you already know you want, or that you don’t need to inspect, or that need to be cheap, online shopping has been winning an increasing percentage of your spend. But what will offline, high street shopping be for? Things you need right now, or didn’t know you needed until you saw them, or things that work hand in hand with an online offer. Or luxuries, or experiences, or fun. 

Where local authorities can let go of a “preserve the high street” mindset, and instead look at reinventing them, the high street can be revived. You have to do something different.

Previously: how Covid saved the high street and Back to normal? Or a new normal?

Next: there is nowhere to hide on the internet

Here’s how Next sees offline versus online.

“the last ten years have been about adapting to the simple truth that, initially, we did not want to believe: Retail stores were, and will remain, at a fundamental and irreversible disadvantage to online competition. This is not being driven by price or even home delivery, but by the scale of the choice websites can offer relative to any physical store.”

That’s from the interesting CEO comments in Next’s annual results. They continue:

“The moment we reconciled ourselves to that fact was, in some ways, a new beginning. Managing the transition was harder than fighting it, but much more productive. It allowed us to follow the new money rather than defend the old.”

That’s relevant for brands and retailers obviously, but also for national and local governments looking at fiscal policy and giving communities more commercial resilience. Next, again:

“Following the money can be uncomfortable, because new ideas often pose a threat to existing businesses. The decision to compete with ourselves through selling third-party brands and, more recently, the opening up of our sourcing skills to other brands through licensing were not entirely uncontroversial. We have learned to embrace these and other opportunities nonetheless. Our view is simple: there is nowhere to hide on the internet, and we are better to collaborate with other brands to our mutual benefit, than cling on to past advantages in the vain hope our customers will not find the competition.”

Related: Homebase will put mini-garden centres at Next stores - more experiment.

Retail experiments

Tian Tian Market looking to introduce Asian style supermarket shopping to the UK. 

A shopper said a skirt she bought from Karen Millen had an Oasis label covered in marker pen. Owner of both labels Boohoo said it was a mistake.

Asda may close in-store bakeries as customers are shifting to more exotic breads.

Externalities

Amazon acknowledges issue of drivers urinating in bottles (and in its apology to US Representative Pocan Amazon said that delivery drivers not having access to public toilets is an industry-wide problem).

Dystopia prime: Amazon subjects its drivers to biometric surveillance - “Earlier this week, Motherboard revealed the company’s cruel “take it or leave” demand to its 75,000 delivery drivers: submit to biometric surveillance or lose your job.”

One reason for this is that shoppers keep voting (with their dollars and pounds) for faster and cheaper deliveries, but the delivery infrastructure and working conditions remain more or less invisible to shoppers. Would you pay extra for delivery that was transparent, fairer, more humane?

Business models for the thing economy

The “Thing Economy” is US bank Citi’s term for what happens when physical objects, often at the edge of the network, become autonomous financial actors. Cars handling parking payments, boilers renegotiating your electricity bill, your kitchen bin ordering groceries, and so on. But also: fractional ownership of everything, smarter supply chains, and circular economies.

Various things

How Benin and Mongolia are fast-tracking digital government.

Automated fact checking: How AI helps Full Fact detect 100,000 potential claims a day.

Post Office could offer sub-postmasters a share in profits.

UK government intervenes in Nvidia takeover of chip designer Arm - there are some national security concerns.

Someone made an unusual argument that the new European football super league would be an early sign of football clubs transcending both local geography and the nation state in favour of a supra-national fando-monetised hypersoccer “crypto civilisation”. No, really. Inevitably the local and the national robustly reasserted themselves and the super league plan fell apart. The backlash: loss of trust and an increased desire for fan- and community-ownership.

Co-op Digital news

The principles that guide our content design and communications in Funeralcare - love the “we say/we don’t say” examples.

Co-op Group's customer and membership chief to step down.

Thank you for reading

Thank you friends, readers and contributors. Please continue to send ideas, questions, corrections, improvements, etc to @rod on Twitter. If you have enjoyed reading, please tell a friend! If you want to find out more about Co-op Digital, follow us @CoopDigital on Twitter and read the Co-op Digital Blog. Previous newsletters.

[dippedanddripped]

In menswear, streetwear is less a genre and more simply the norm. At this week’s spring 2019 shows, you could probably count on one hand the collections that didn’t feature trainers. But one person who doesn’t throw the term around with abandon is the designer Samuel Ross.

“Streetwear. Hmm. I’m not too keen on it as a word,” says Ross, 27, leaning back in his chair in his small, sweltering attic studio in east London. “But it is a powerful one.” I ask him to expand. “Well, it used to be used as a separator. Them and us. A class thing. But now luxury houses are adapting to it.” He pauses. “The people who are in that category are the ones dominating fashion.”

If Ross is not yet dominating fashion, he can almost taste it. Since launching his menswear label A-Cold-Wall* (ACW) in autumn 2015, aged 25, in three seasons he has become a rising star of British menswear with his cerebral, arty and futuristic take on, well, streetwear. A brace of recent nominations – the prestigious LVMH prize (he just lost out) and the Andam fashion award (still to come) – have sent his label global. His clothes are worn by the R&B star Kehlani, the actor Jaden Smith and the designer Virgil Abloh.

Ross is inspired by race, architecture and class – ACW is, among other things, about breaking down boundaries. In a single collection, you will see working-class uniforms alongside sportswear, Savile Row tailoring with building materials – jackets that resemble pebble-dash or the polythene sheets you might find on construction sites. At his spring 2019 show on Sunday, guests wore protective eyewear as metal structures were wheeled around by models. An industrial fan jarred to a minimal beat. At times, the clothes were in danger of sinking under the weight of concept. But then you meet Ross and realise there is more to it.

Ross is black, working class and does not come from the standard Central St Martins fashion pool (he studied graphic design at De Montfort University in Leicester). He chooses his words in a nerdy, sometimes highfalutin way, but he is smart, snappy and fast talking. He explains how “protection”, “fear”, “tension”, and “pain” inform his work as much as being black. He describes clothes as objects or art, collections as performances, and becomes wide-eyed talking about nylon, shapes and lines. On his desk sits a Rubik’s cube, rulers and set squares.

Ross, who now has a partner and a baby daughter, was born in Brixton, but he barely remembers life there before his family moved to Northamptonshire, because it was easier to get a mortgage. He would shuttle between the two to see family until he was 12. Home was Wellingborough – a market town with a pond – which wasn’t as quaint as it sounds. “For one, it was way more segregated – there were a lot of race issues,” he says. “But at the same time it was quite diverse, even though it is known for being a white, working-class town.” The town voted overwhelmingly for Brexit. “Had I grown up in Brixton, I think we’d still be talking about the same stuff in my work.

Ross’s grandparents came to Britain on the Empire Windrush – and both his grandmothers were nurses. “The scandal happened and that rattled me, yeah. I still grapple with the idea of being English but I felt more [English] before the scandal,” he says. “I have a hard time grappling with the last 10 generations, to be honest.” Ross recently did a DNA test and discovered his family had originally come from Benin, in west Africa. “There is always going to be displacement,” he says of the scandal, before paraphrasing James Baldwin: “There is no way you can be a conscious black person and not have angst every day.”

His father studied art at Central St Martins, which was “groundbreaking” in the 80s, and worked in stained glass windows. His mother is a lecturer at the University of Northampton. “Education has always been the thing in our family, and art,” he says. Ross was encouraged to draw on the floorboards, but took a circuitous route into fashion. “Nike tracksuits were my uniform. And buying fake shoes for £20, or selling fake Adidas from my house to turn a profit, was normal.” He laughs. “I mean, clearly, there was some sort of interest in fashion, a link.”

Funnily enough, it is the architecture that has stayed with him. Not his terraced home, but the brutalist buildings or hostels, where a lot of his friends lived – post-war Victorian houses that had been gutted and fitted with cheap carpets. “There were drug issues, some had violent homes, but I was 15. I didn’t really look at things in a deeper level. These were and are my friends.”

After studying design, he went to work in “hardcore commercial design”. He lasted a year. “I felt like I had been tricked. That everything I had read at uni was a lie to get me into the system.” He started putting his designs online to get noticed before he came across Off-White, the label overseen by Virgil Abloh, who has just taken over as head of menswear at Louis Vuitton in one of the biggest moves in menswear. He emailed Abloh. Abloh responded and he went to work for him, as well as Kanye West’s Yeezy label.

These days, being a designer does not always mean simply that. At the CFDA awards last week, James Jebbia (the man behind Supreme) won menswear designer of the year despite not being a designer. Like Abloh, Ross came to fashion sideways, through design. “I’ve only consciously worked in fashion, as we know it, for five years.”

That is as far you will get on the topic of Abloh or West. He mentions their names in passing, but he is guarded. “Look. [Abloh] is my big bro. We speak weekly,” Ross says of the most prominent black designer in the industry. He adds: “I mean, now I know that Ozwald [Boateng] was at Givenchy, but it wasn’t widely talked about. If I had known that 10 years ago, it would have steered me down this direction sooner.”

Abloh attended Ross’s show at east London’s Truman Brewery on Sunday morning. The collection was part show, part performance art. Padded armless jackets, loose trousers – zipped or cut open – and plastic transparent coats sat alongside his signature detachable hoods. At one point, a styrofoam box was wheeled out and broken apart and a naked man covered in water and “blood” emerged. When it looked like Abloh got his Nikes wet, the audience gasped. Backstage, though, the designer was unfazed. “It’s so good to see him grow,” he said. “We’re a tribe and we have to stick together.”

To anyone following Ross’s career, the collection was clearly a step up. Tomorrow London Holdings recently acquired a “substantial minority stake”, meaning the clothes are now produced in Vicenza, Italy, instead of Leytonstone, east London. It shows. “I’m producing with people who worked at Margiela,” he says. “Up until now I’ve been capping my ideas due to the resources. Now the cap is off.” He has a team of 14, including his close friend and ACW’s brand partner Andrew Harper, and two more who fly between Italy and London.

It’s not cheap. A T-shirt will set you back almost £200; socks, £45. To counter criticism, he has an affordable line called Polythene, where T-shirts cost £40. “We hired two transit vans to go round London for the new collection and sold T-shirts out of the back,” he says.

It makes sense that his work overlaps with his various cultural identities – his Benin roots, his Northamptonshire childhood, his time spent in London. “I came from a working-class background, but I’m not in that world anymore,” he says. “If fashion has long been about the upper-class painting the working class, this is post-class.”

As to what happens next, surely a big fashion house is on the cards? “With time,” he says. “I’m 27. I’m not in a rush”.

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World Travel Awards Winners 2019- Africa

World Travel Awards Winners 2019- Africa Africa's Leading Airline 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Africa's Leading Airline - Business Class 2019 Kenya Airways Africa's Leading Airline - Economy Class 2019 Kenya Airways Africa's Leading Airline Brand 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Africa's Leading Airport 2019 Cape Town International Airport, South Africa Africa's Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2019 Diamonds La Gemma dell'Est, Zanzibar, Tanzania Africa's Leading Beach Destination 2019 Diani Beach, Kenya Africa's Leading Beach Resort 2019 Diamonds La Gemma dell'Est, Zanzibar, Tanzania Africa's Leading Boutique Hotel 2019 Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, South Africa Africa's Leading Boutique Hotel Brand 2019 Mantis Collection Africa's Leading Business Car Rental Company 2019 Hertz Africa's Leading Business Hotel 2019 Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Nigeria Africa's Leading Business Travel Agency 2019 Satguru Travel & Tourism Africa's Leading Business Travel Destination 2019 Nairobi, Kenya Africa's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Europcar Africa's Leading Casino Resort 2019 Sun City Resort, South Africa Africa's Leading City Destination 2019 Durban, South Africa Africa's Leading City Hotel 2019 Pepperclub Hotel & Spa, South Africa Africa's Leading Conference Hotel 2019 Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre, Kigali, Rwanda Africa's Leading Conservation Company 2019 Mantis Collection Africa's Leading Cruise Line 2019 Silversea Cruises Africa's Leading Cruise Port 2019 Port of Durban, South Africa Africa's Leading Curated Group Travel Company 2019 Rovia Africa's Leading Design Hotel 2019 MannaBay, South Africa Africa's Leading Destination 2019 Kenya Africa's Leading Destination Management Company 2019 Destination Kenya Africa's Leading Family Resort 2019 Leopard Beach Resort & Spa, Kenya Africa's Leading Festival & Event Destination 2019 Cape Town, South Africa Africa's Leading Game Reserve Brand 2019 Singita Game Reserves Africa's Leading Green Hotel 2019 Aberdare Country Club, Kenya Africa's Leading Hotel 2019 Selman Marrakech, Morocco Africa's Leading Hotel Brand 2019 Hilton Hotels & Resorts Africa's Leading Hotel Residences 2019 The Residences at Leopard Beach Resort & Spa Africa's Leading Hotel Suite 2019 Nelson Mandela Platinum Suite @ Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, South Africa Africa's Leading Inflight Magazine 2019 Sawubona (South African Airways) Africa's Leading Low-Cost Airline 2019 fastjet Africa's Leading Luxury Hotel 2019 The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa, South Africa Africa's Leading Luxury Hotel Villa 2019 Villa Two @ Ellerman House, South Africa Africa's Leading Luxury Island 2019 Thanda Island, Tanzania Africa's Leading Luxury Lodge 2019 Silvan Safari, South Africa Africa's Leading Luxury Private Villa 2019 Villa iZulu @ Thanda Safari, South Africa Africa's Leading Luxury Resort 2019 Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech, Morocco Africa's Leading Luxury Safari Lodge 2019 Omaanda Africa's Leading Luxury Tented Safari Camp 2019 Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara, Kenya Africa's Leading Luxury Tour Operator 2019 Abercrombie & Kent Africa's Leading Luxury Train 2019 The Blue Train Africa's Leading Meetings & Conference Centre 2019 Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi, Kenya Africa's Leading Meetings & Conference Destination 2019 Durban, South Africa Africa's Leading MICE Hotel 2019 The Westin Cape Town, South Africa Africa's Leading National Park 2019 Serengeti National Park, Tanzania Africa's Leading New Hotel 2019 Pangolin Chobe Hotel, Botswana Africa's Leading Online Travel Agency 2019 FlightSite Africa's Leading Private Game Reserve 2019 Shambala Private Game Reserve, South Africa Africa's Leading Private Island Resort 2019 Azura Quilalea Private Island, Mozambique Africa's Leading Resort 2019 Sun City Resort, South Africa Africa's Leading River Cruise Company 2019 Zambezi Queen Collection Africa's Leading Safari Company 2019 Go2Africa Africa's Leading Safari Lodge 2019 Thanda Safari Lodge at Thanda Safari, South Africa Africa's 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Hilton Sharks Bay Resort Egypt's Leading Business Hotel 2019 Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza Egypt's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Avis Egypt's Leading Conference Hotel 2019 Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh Resort Egypt's Leading Destination Management Company 2019 Travco Travel Company of Egypt Egypt's Leading Family Resort 2019 Sultan Gardens Resort Egypt's Leading Green Hotel 2019 Adrère Amellal Eco Lodge Egypt's Leading Hotel 2019 Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza Egypt's Leading Hotel Suite 2019 Pyramids Suite @ Marriott Mena House, Cairo Egypt's Leading Luxury Hotel Villa 2019 Queen Cleopatra Villa @ Royal Savoy Villas, Sharm El Sheikh Egypt's Leading Resort 2019 Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay Egypt's Leading Travel Agency 2019 Kimidar Tours Eswatini Eswatini's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Avis Eswatini's Leading Hotel 2019 The Royal Villas Eswatini Ethiopia Ethiopia's Leading Hotel 2019 Hilton Addis Ababa Gabon Gabon's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Avis Gabon's Leading Hotel 2019 Radisson Blu Okoume Palace Hotel, Libreville Gambia Gambia's Leading Hotel 2019 Mandina Lodges at Makasutu Forest Ghana Ghana's Leading Boutique Hotel 2019 Villa Monticello Ghana's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Ghana Car Rentals Ghana's Leading Hotel 2019 Accra City Hotel Ghana's Leading Hotel Suite 2019 Presidential Suite @ Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra Ghana's Leading Serviced Apartments 2019 Kwarleyz Residence Accra Kenya Kenya's Leading Beach Resort 2019 Baobab Beach Resort & Spa Kenya's Leading Boutique Hotel 2019 The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel Kenya's Leading Business Hotel 2019 Crowne Plaza Nairobi Kenya's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Glory Car Hire Kenya's Leading Conference Hotel 2019 Villa Rosa Kempinski Nairobi Kenya's Leading Domestic Safari Carrier 2019 Fly540 Kenya's Leading Hotel 2019 Fairmont The Norfolk Hotel Kenya's Leading Hotel Residences 2019 Palacina The Residence & The Suites Kenya's Leading Hotel Suite 2019 Presidential Suite @ Tribe Hotel 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Mozambique's Leading Resort 2019 Diamonds Mequfi Beach Resort Namibia Namibia's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Hertz Namibia's Leading Hotel 2019 Hilton Windhoek Namibia's Leading Luxury Safari Lodge 2019 Omaanda Namibia's Leading Safari Lodge 2019 Little Ongava Namibia's Leading Tented Safari Camp 2019 Hoanib Skeleton Coast Nigeria Nigeria's Leading Boutique Hotel 2019 The Wheatbaker, Lagos Nigeria's Leading Business Hotel 2019 Transcorp Hilton Abuja Nigeria's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Avis Nigeria's Leading City Hotel 2019 The Envoy Nigeria's Leading Hotel 2019 Transcorp Hilton Abuja Nigeria's Leading Hotel Suite 2019 Presidential Suite @ Transcorp Hilton Abuja Nigeria's Leading MICE Hotel 2019 Transcorp Hilton Abuja Nigeria's Leading Serviced Apartments 2019 Fraser Suites Abuja Nigeria's Leading Travel Agency 2019 Satguru Travel Nigeria's Leading Travel Management Company 2019 Business Travel Management Limited Rwanda Rwanda's Leading Business Hotel 2019 Radisson Blu Hotel & 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Atlas Tours & Safaris South Africa's Leading Travel Agency 2019 Club Travel South Africa's Leading Travel Management Company 2019 Travel with Flair South Africa's Leading Wine Country Hotel 2019 Lanzerac Wine Estate Sudan Sudan's Leading Hotel 2019 Corinthia Hotel Khartoum Sudan's Leading Hotel Suite 2019 Presidential Suite @ Corinthia Hotel Khartoum Tanzania Tanzania's Leading Boutique Hotel 2019 Essque Zalu Zanzibar Tanzania's Leading Business Hotel 2019 Hyatt Regency Dar Es Salaam, The Kilimanjaro Tanzania's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 First Car Rental Tanzania Tanzania's Leading Domestic Safari Carrier 2019 Auric Air Tanzania's Leading Hotel 2019 Zanzibar Palace Hotel Tanzania's Leading Hotel Suite 2019 Royal Suite @ Hyatt Regency Dar Es Salaam, The Kilimanjaro Tanzania's Leading Inbound Tour Operator 2019 Kearsleys Tanzania's Leading Resort 2019 Dream of Zanzibar Tanzania's Leading Safari Lodge 2019 Lamai Serengeti Tanzania's Leading Tented Safari Camp 2019 Entamanu Ngorongoro Tanzania's Leading Travel Agency 2019 Satguru Travel Tanzania's Leading Travel Management Company 2019 UNIGLOBE Skylink Travel & Tours Tanzania » Zanzibar Zanzibar's Leading Hotel 2019 Essque Zalu Zanzibar Zanzibar's Leading Resort 2019 Meliá Zanzibar Togo Togo's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Hertz Togo's Leading Hotel 2019 Hôtel 2 Février Tunisia Tunisia's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Hertz Tunisia's Leading Hotel 2019 La Cigale Tabarka Hôtel Tunisia's Leading Hotel Suite 2019 Presidential Suite @ Mövenpick Hotel Gammarth Tunis Uganda Uganda's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Expedient Car Hire Uganda Uganda's Leading Hotel 2019 Kampala Serena Hotel Uganda's Leading Hotel Suite 2019 Presidential Suite @ Lake Victoria Serena Resort & Spa Uganda's Leading Safari Lodge 2019 Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge Uganda's Leading Tented Safari Camp 2019 Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Zambia Zambia's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Avis Zambia's Leading Hotel 2019 Tongabezi Zambia's Leading Safari Lodge 2019 Royal Chundu Luxury Zambezi Lodge Zambia's Leading Tented Safari Camp 2019 Anabezi - Luxury Tented Camp Zimbabwe Zimbabwe's Leading Car Rental Company 2019 Hertz Zimbabwe's Leading Hotel 2019 The Victoria Falls Hotel Zimbabwe's Leading Hotel Suite 2019 The Royal Suite @ The Victoria Falls Hotel Zimbabwe's Leading Private Game Reserve 2019 Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve Zimbabwe's Leading Resort 2019 Elephant Hills Resort Zimbabwe's Leading Safari Lodge 2019 Victoria Falls Safari Lodge Zimbabwe's Leading Tented Safari Camp 2019 Somalisa Camp   Read the full article

[gaiamarie]

I’m going through a spiritual awakening.

Again.

The first time it happened, I came to the emotionally painful realization that I wasn’t a Christian. No matter how hard my head told me to just shut up and stay the course, my heart told me that my current path at the time was not for me. I didn’t realize what it meant fully, but when my heart became louder than my head, I panicked. I didn’t want to be different. I wanted to be the same as everyone else. I wanted to live a simple, drama free life. And what’s more drama free than sticking to the religion most of your family and country practice??

The second time it happened, I was compelled to move to my current residence. The Goddess granted me everything I needed. I had a shitty credit score and no money. She gave us a luxury apartment. I needed to live near the water. She gave me a creek that runs through my backyard. I needed to commune with nature. She gave me a forest within a few steps of my reach.

So I gave back. I started a witchcraft study group that later became a coven. I train and counsel others on their paths. I was content...until I wasn’t.

For some years now, I’ve been feeling like I’m ready to undergo metamorphosis. Like there’s this energy in me that is begging to get out. But I was scared. I didn’t want to be powerful. I wanted to live a simple, drama free life. (Are you sensing a pattern here?)

So I fought it. I ignored the signs. The call of my ancestral heritage began making its presence known, but I pushed it aside. I was a Wiccan, right?!

The calls got louder. My husband did a dna test on me and we found out my people hail from Benin. The birthplace of Vodou.

I ignored the tingle in my spine when I found out.

Then a dedicant of mine mentioned following various witchy groups on Facebook. Curious as an owl, I eventually looked for myself.

And was amazed at what I found. A whole rich world of black and brown women connecting across the world...all over African Traditional Religions. The ancestral drums got louder as I dove into research. They were honoring orishas and Lwas; shunning Western religious ideology and turning back to their roots.

They were strong and proud...and powerful. I didn’t want that type of power, I reminded myself, relieved. I just wanted to help people on *their* path. So I deemed my research concluded and went about my merrily way.

But the Goddess is not through with me yet. She sent a spirit (whom my coven calls ‘Fred’ affectionately) to hang out in my bedroom. Fred and I bickered because I didn’t want him to keep me awake at night. And I didn’t want to be visited by spirits, damn it! That wasn’t my gift.

He eventually went away after I rebuked him. I was satisfied, until a fellow witch did a tarot reading for me. And told me that Fred was sent as a collaborator. As someone that will help me grow. I reluctantly returned back to my bedroom and apologized to Fred.

And then I began real research into what my ancestors did. The first step is untangling what the Western world has deemed as fact from what is actually true. That means understanding that my magickal heritage is not evil or something to be afraid of.

That’s a lot of fucking work, y’all.

The second step is moving past fear to actual practice. Last night, I decided that it was time. Time for me to do my own sour jars. Time for me to start embracing what I have inherited.

Time for me to return back home.

Spiritual awakening, indeed. To be continued...

[ayittey1]

The Keys to Botswana’s Economic Success

Botswana: The Shining Black Economic Star

 Ensconced in the Kgalagadi (Kalahari) basin, Botswana possessed all the ingredients for another postcolonial black African economic disaster. Doomsayers gave the country less than five years to self-destruct and evaporate.       When it gained its independence from Britain in September 1966, Botswana (formerly Bechuanaland) was one of the twenty poorest countries in the world with per capita income of only $40. Mines, commercial and farming enterprises were mostly owned by South Africa. There were only five kilometers of tarred road. Its society was composed of nine ethnic groups.

 In addition, about 75 percent of the country's 592,000 sq. km. was desert, bordered by largely infertile areas. The bulk of its largely illiterate population (about 80 percent) lived on only 20 percent of the land area. There was a late-blooming diamond industry and a poor cattle industry, but the country lacked the technical know-how to develop other natural resources. Constantly threatened by drought, which in 1985 caused a serious loss of 1,500 jobs, and dependent on neighboring countries, which kept it held hostage to extraterritorial occurrences, Botswana additionally had to deal with foreign wars and the subsequent refugees.

 After the ignominious 1976 Sharpeville massacre, thousands of students fled South Africa to seek refuge in Botswana. Soon afterward, a new wave of refugees from Rhodesia swelled the numbers encamped in Botswana from 3,000 to 21,000 by mid-1979, placing severe strains on budgetary resources and social facilities. Furthermore, Botswana was violently attacked throughout the eighties by both Zimbabwe and South Africa, who accused it of harboring guerillas among the refugees.

 At independence, Botswana's prospects of surviving as a viable politico-economic entity were just about equal to those of Mali or Burkina Faso (former Upper Volta). Cameroon, Nigeria, and Zaire were far more blessed with richer mineral wealth endowment, luxuriant vegetation, modestly developed infrastructure, and an economically active population. Even Ghana was in a better "take-off" position. Yet, in spite of all its handicaps, Botswana has managed to register an impressive rate of economic advance, astonishing by any standard.

 In a little less than two decades (1966 to 1986), Botswana's rate of economic growth averaged an astounding 8 percent per annum while the South African economy was limping along at a miserable 1.5 percent per annum between 1965 and 1985. In 1988, for example, Botswana's minister of finance and development planning, Vice-President Peter Mmusi, indicated that average real growth rate was running at 14 percent annually and that per capita GDP was 2,800 pulas ($1,450) C ten times greater than it was in 1978 (African Business, Sept 1988; p.35). Back in 1983, real GPD growth rate was a dizzying 26.3 percent and GDP per capita exploded from 755 pulas in 1982 to 2145 pulas in 1986. By 1991, GDP per capita had reached 5,950 pulas ($2439). Its GNP per capita of $2530 in 1991 was the third highest in Africa, after oil-rich sparsely-populated Gabon ($3780) and South Africa ($2560) (African Business, Sept 1993; p.14). Botswana's foreign debt was $543 million in 1992 and its reserves stood at $3.4 billion, which, on a per capita basis, were the highest in the world. Its debt service ratio in 1992 was an insignificant 3.4 percent, compared with the 53 percent of most African countries.

 The first diamond mine to open was Orapa in 1971. By 1988, diamond production had reached 15.2 million carats, earning about 85 percent of Botswana's export earnings of 2205 million pulas ($1,095 million). The beef industry, too, underwent phenomenal expansion, despite the denigration of African cattle and the devastating droughts of 1965/66 and 1982-84 that killed off a third of the national herd. Botswana began to export meat to the European Economic  Community (EEC), which pays almost four times the world price for this meat because of its quality. The Bostwana Meat Commission's meat processing plant at Lobatse is the second largest in the world. There are other slaughterhouses in Maun and Francistown to help Botswana meet its 19,000 metric ton EEC quota.

 Botswana's economic performance has not been matched anywhere on the African continent in the postcolonial period. Apart from Botswana, exceptions to the general economic atrophy has been pitifully few. Recall the difficulty the World Bank and Western governments have had in finding “economic success stories” in Africa as durable as Botswana’s. Across black Africa, Botswana remains a shining star. Obviously, if Botswana can succeed economically, the rest of the African countries can, too. But how? And what were the secrets to Botswana's success?

 The Keys to Botswana's Success

 Although various analysts have attributed Botswana's success to its mineral wealth in diamonds, a combination of factors have contributed immensely to create the environment vital for economic prosperity. Foremost has been the absence of civil and political strife. Botswana society is multiracial, composed of ethnic Batswana, Europeans and Asians. These various groups live peacefully together. Blatant acts of discrimination or ethnic chauvinism are not common in Botswana. By contrast, violent ethnic clashes, senseless and endless civil wars, and civil strife rage in at least fifteen other African countries (Angola, Burundi, Chad, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe).

 Second, Botswana enjoys political stability. This stability was not engineered by a military dictator or by declaring the country to be a one-party state. Botswana is a parliamentary democracy based upon a multiparty system. The main political parties are the ruling Botswana Democratic Party, the Botswana National Front, and the Botswana People's Party. Multiparty democracy, contrary to the claims by Presidents Moi of Kenya, Kaunda of Zambia and other African dictators, did not degenerate into "tribal politics" in Botswana.

 Third, the Botswana government has pursued strikingly prudent economic policies, allowing pragmatism, rather than emotional rhetoric, to prevail. The Botswana government's commitment to mixed economy has not been directed toward nationalization C no such takeovers have occurred C but rather toward the provision of good infrastructural support. Revenues from minerals, customs union payments, and donor funds were devoted largely to investment in infrastructure and to providing greater public access to basic needs: water, health care, and primary education. In Botswana, parastatals were only established to plug the gaps or overcome the deficiencies in the private sector, rather than to compete with or seek to replace the private sector, as was the case in many African countries, especially Tanzania, which took a "socialist" bent.

 Fortunate enough to have an ex-minister of finance as president (Masire), the government pursued judicious macroeconomic policies of saving windfalls and avoiding excessive government spending during export boom years. These savings provided the cushion to ride out the lean years. By contrast, when sharply rising oil prices boosted exports from $4 billion in 1975 to $26 billion in 1980, Nigeria went on an import binge. It splurged on prestigious projects, including a $25 billion new capital at Abuja, while vampire politicians transferred as much as $15 million a day illegally out of the country. Nigeria even neglected agriculture, preferring to import food using cheap oil dollars. Rising public expenditures fueled by oil revenues shifted production from agriculture to services. When the price of oil collapsed, so did Nigeria's export receipts. By 1986, they were down to $6 billion, while external debt rose from $5 billion in 1980 to $25 billion in 1986. The booms in coffee, cocoa, and copper prices in the 1970s elicited similar extravagant spending by governments in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Uganda, and Zaire. Other Third World countries such Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, acted similarly, squandering windfall profits from export booms only to find themselves in a debt crisis when markets collapsed.

 Fourth, largely due to its openness and a vibrant press, there is a refreshing absence of corruption C the bane of many African regimes. Botswana has a lively free press and freedom of expression. Apart from the government newspaper, The Daily News, and the government monthly magazine, Kutlwano, the country has three weekly private newspapers and four locally produced monthly magazines. The local publications are not subject to censorship. In addition, foreign papers and magazines are widely available.

 Commenting on the political process in Botswana, Professor Patrick Mulotsi, a lecturer in sociology at the University of Botswana, was quite pithy: “If you look at the prerequisites of liberal democracy, the rule of law has been highly respected. A lot of people can say a lot of things with relatively little fear. There has been a lot of response by the ruling party to debates with the opposition” (The New York Times, May 16, 1990; p.A6).

 Botswana can find solutions to its economic problems because it permits free debate and freedom of expression. By contrast, the rest of black Africa is mired in an economic quagmire, for want of ideas and solutions to extricate itself. Intellectual repression prevents those with ideas from coming forward. Besides Botswana, only seven other African counties (Benin, Botswana, Cape Verde Islands, Ghana, Mali, Mauritius, Sao Tome & Principe and South Africa) of the remaining 54 countries tolerate freedom of expression and criticism of foolish government policies. And many of these same countries have ratified the Organization of African Unity's Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights, Article 9 of which guarantees freedom of expression.

 Fifth, Botswana did not ignore its indigenous roots. It built upon its native system of kgotlas, whereby chiefs and councilors meet "under a tree" to reach a consensus on important matters. In fact, cabinet ministers are required to attend weekly kgotla meetings. As Fred Dira, an African journalist, explained:

When they were initiated, kgotla meetings were meant to be totally apolitical.  They were to be meetings at which government ministers and members of parliament would brief local communities about official policies and programs, or about issues discussed or to be discussed in parliament. It was also part of the tradition of kgotla meetings that if they were convened by the president or any of his ministers, the respective members of parliament would not only be present, but would also be given some role to play at the meeting. This was in recognition of the fact that at such meetings, MPs shared the role of host with the chiefs (Mmegi/The Reporter, May 12-18, 1995; p.7).

 Such was the case in 1991, when the government tried to explain a $25 million Okavango River irrigation project to the villagers at a kgotlas in the northern town of Maun. Irate villagers let loose their opposition: "You will dry the delta! We will have no more fish to eat! No more reeds to build our houses!" a village elder screamed” (The Washington Post, Mar 21, 1991; p.A3). For six hours, they excoriated government officials for conceiving of such a dastardly project. Buckling under the wrath of the people, the government canceled the project. Only in Botswana could this happen, giving true meaning to such terms as "participatory development@, "bottom-up development approach@, "grassroots development@, and "popular participation in development@.

 Furthermore, in Botswana, "Chiefs still exercise considerable local authority and influence which can act as a check on too precipitate action by the government and can even swing local elections" (Colclough and McCarthy, 1980; p.38). Asked why Botswana has had better leaders than the rest of Africa, Zibani Maundeni of the University of Botswana replied indigenous Tswana culture has helped: “Before any big decision [Tswana leaders] consulted the general population. There was a strong culture of hearing the views of ordinary people” (The Economist, Nov 6, 2004; p.50). In the rest of black Africa, chiefs saw their powers and authority reduced: The indigenous system of participatory democracy and the tradition of reaching a consensus were spurned, and, in their place, African elites and intellectuals erected one-man dictatorships and de facto apartheid regimes.

 Of course, Botswana has had problems with income distribution and AIDS. But its economic success demonstrates that Africa does not have to renounce its indigenous culture to advance economically. The Japanese did not. "Japan's postwar success has demonstrated that modernization does not mean Westernization. Japan has modernized spectacularly, yet remains utterly different from the West. Economic success in Japan has nothing to do with individualism. It is the fruit of sheer discipline C the ability to work in groups and to conform" (Editorial in the Bangkok Post qtd. in The Washington Times, Nov 9, 1996; p.A8).

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[insideafricangist]

It’s official! Now, rumour mongers and naysayers can slow their roll and hop on to the next gist as wealthy businessman cum politician, Hon. Ned Nwoko, has legally wedded his love interest, the teenage actress, Regina Daniels. Nwoko, a former member of the House of Representatives, is 59 while his new bride was born in the year 2000. Sources told Highlife that an introduction ceremony held recently in the bride’s family home in Asaba, the Delta State capital. It was a hush-hush affair as the few family members invited were instructed not to take photographs. There wasn’t much glitz as many would have wanted and everybody complied with the wish of the couple to have a discreet ceremony. More so, there was not much to make noise about given that it is Nwoko’s fourth marriage. Regina came into limelight as a seven-year-old, featuring in a slew of Nollywood movies. Her mother, Rita Daniels, is also an actress. Currently, a Mass Communication student of the Igbinedion University, Benin, she became a social media sensation recently when she started flaunting luxury on her Instagram page. From flying private jets to different parts of the country to flaunting luxury cars, she became the kind of newsmaker acting never afforded her. The blogosphere went into overdrive when she claimed to have bought her mum a mansion followed by the acquisition of a new Rolex wristwatch with the receipt bearing N3million. All these acquisitions were within one month. Of course, there were questions about who was financing her but nobody could emphatically say. It was until recently that Nwoko’s name began to fly in the air as Regina’s paymaster. Now, he has put a ring on it and ended speculations. A London trained lawyer reputed to be running the biggest law chamber owned by an African in the United Kingdom, Prince Chinedu Nwoko’s London-based law firm, Ned Nwoko Solicitors, engages in management and verification of foreign debts of third world countries, including their component states. He served as a legislator between 1999 and 2003 and will be returning to the Senate as a Federal High Court Abuja, yesterday, April 3rd, sacked Senator Peter Nwaoboshi as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the Delta North senatorial election and affirmed Nwoko as the authentic winner of the PDP primary election of October 2nd, 2018. In spite of being away from politics, he was never away from the news. Some years back, perhaps in giving vent to his architectural streak, he designed and built a wondrous home on a large expanse of land in his native Idumuje-Ugboko, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State. The eye-popping edifice, nicknamed ‘Castle in the Air,’ is a combination of Arabian and western designs complemented with a royal traditional touch which experts have described as a tourist destination. It has a zoo with many species of wild and weird animals including Crocodiles, Ostriches, Horses, Sea Eagles, Porcupines, monkeys, rabbits, and others. Another section of the land has fish ponds that have about 50 thousand catfish and other species of fishes in them. Apart from these, the land also has poultry section with about 5000 chickens while another part of the land is filled with thousands of palm trees. Just behind the main castle is an Olympic size swimming pool and a lawn tennis court, with a standard table tennis adjacent it. Estimated at about N10 billion, the castle is situated 1000 feet above sea level which makes it the highest point in Delta State. The multi-billionaire lost his first son, Tarik, in 2014 at the age of 22. It’s official! Now, rumour mongers and naysayers can slow their roll and hop on to the next gist as wealthy businessman cum politician, Hon. Ned Nwoko, has legally wedded his love interest, the teenage actress, Regina Daniels. Nwoko, a former member of the House of Representatives, is 59 while his new bride was born in the year 2000. Sources told Highlife that an introduction ceremony held recently in the bride’s family home in Asaba, the Delta State capital. It was a hush-hush affair as the few family members invited were instructed not to take photographs. There wasn’t much glitz as many would have wanted and everybody complied with the wish of the couple to have a discreet ceremony. More so, there was not much to make noise about given that it is Nwoko’s fourth marriage. Regina came into limelight as a seven-year-old, featuring in a slew of Nollywood movies. Her mother, Rita Daniels, is also an actress. Currently, a Mass Communication student of the Igbinedion University, Benin, she became a social media sensation recently when she started flaunting luxury on her Instagram page. From flying private jets to different parts of the country to flaunting luxury cars, she became the kind of newsmaker acting never afforded her. The blogosphere went into overdrive when she claimed to have bought her mum a mansion followed by the acquisition of a new Rolex wristwatch with the receipt bearing N3million. All these acquisitions were within one month. Of course, there were questions about who was financing her but nobody could emphatically say. It was until recently that Nwoko’s name began to fly in the air as Regina’s paymaster. Now, he has put a ring on it and ended speculations. A London trained lawyer reputed to be running the biggest law chamber owned by an African in the United Kingdom, Prince Chinedu Nwoko’s London-based law firm, Ned Nwoko Solicitors, engages in management and verification of foreign debts of third world countries, including their component states. He served as a legislator between 1999 and 2003 and will be returning to the Senate as a Federal High Court Abuja, yesterday, April 3rd, sacked Senator Peter Nwaoboshi as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the Delta North senatorial election and affirmed Nwoko as the authentic winner of the PDP primary election of October 2nd, 2018. In spite of being away from politics, he was never away from the news. Some years back, perhaps in giving vent to his architectural streak, he designed and built a wondrous home on a large expanse of land in his native Idumuje-Ugboko, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State. The eye-popping edifice, nicknamed ‘Castle in the Air,’ is a combination of Arabian and western designs complemented with a royal traditional touch which experts have described as a tourist destination. It has a zoo with many species of wild and weird animals including Crocodiles, Ostriches, Horses, Sea Eagles, Porcupines, monkeys, rabbits, and others. Another section of the land has fish ponds that have about 50 thousand catfish and other species of fishes in them. Apart from these, the land also has poultry section with about 5000 chickens while another part of the land is filled with thousands of palm trees. Just behind the main castle is an Olympic size swimming pool and a lawn tennis court, with a standard table tennis adjacent it. Estimated at about N10 billion, the castle is situated 1000 feet above sea level which makes it the highest point in Delta State. The multi-billionaire lost his first son, Tarik, in 2014 at the age of 22. http://bit.ly/2UHTKgQ

http://insideafricangist.blogspot.com/2019/04/old-wine-tastes-better-hon-ned-nwoko.html

[b9utilities]

Find the Best Apartment In DLF Crest Gurgaon At B9 Utilities

DLF Crest is one of the most sought-after residential complexes in Gurgaon. The apartments in this complex come in various sizes and configurations, including studio apartments. The best apartment at DLF Crest Gurgaon would depend on your individual requirements and budget. However, some of the popular apartments at DLF Crest Gurgaon include 3 BHK units that offer spacious living areas, modern amenities, and a great view of the city.

[naijanewspapersme-blog]

Why Obaseki’s govt is embarking on luxury apartments devt in Benin – EDPA - Vanguard

Why Obaseki’s govt is embarking on luxury apartments devt in Benin – EDPA – Vanguard

The Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA) has said its foray into luxury apartment development in Benin City, the Edo State Capital is a response to the changing dynamics in the business community in the city ushered in by the booming private sector presence. Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki Executive Chairperson, EDPA, Isoken Omo, in a chat with journalists, said that the state…

[hotelsmarket]

Marriott International reveals Robust Expansion Plans across Africa: Expects to Increase Portfolio by 50 Percent with over 200 Hotels and 38,000 Rooms by 2023

From the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in Nairobi, Kenya, Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) (www.Marriott.com) today announced rapid expansion plans across Africa. Strong demand for select-service brands and conversion opportunities are driving the momentum of growth for the company, amplified by five new hotel signings. The new signings will further consolidate Marriott International's presence in Ghana, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa and mark the company's entry into Mozambique. The signings put Marriott International on track to increase its portfolio by 50 percent with over 200 hotels and 38,000 rooms by 2023 estimated to generate 12,000 new job opportunities.Marriott International's planned growth reinforces its commitment to Africa and underscores the substantial emphasis that countries across Africa are placing on the travel and tourism sector. The company estimates that the five new projects signed will drive investment of over $250 million by the property owners and will generate substantial economic activity. "Marriott International's acquisition of Protea Hotels followed by the acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has given an impetus to our organic growth on the continent. Today we are seeing strong owner interest in our brands, backed by our combined loyalty program, the collective strength of our global platform and our highly-experienced, local teams," said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. "African economies have sustained unprecedented rates of growth, which have mainly been driven by a strong domestic demand, improved macroeconomic management and increased political stability. The continent is still under capacity as far as branded hotel supply is concerned, presenting us with a fantastic opportunity to grow our brands and enhance our footprint," he added.Today, Marriott International is present in 21 countries on the African continent: Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia. The company is set to expand into new markets including Benin, Botswana, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Mozambique and Senegal.Conversion strategy spurs growth Marriott International continues to see increased interest from owners looking to maximize the value of their assets quickly, with many conversion opportunities across Africa. "The increasing demand for conversion deals from new and existing partners is a strong reflection of Marriott International's powerful network, loyal customer base and commitment to deliver value for owners," said Kyriakidis. "We've developed a conversion-friendly strategy, which allows us to deliver value to our partners through a flexible, cost-efficient process that yields almost immediate results. That strategy gives our partners access to world-class reservation systems and our loyalty program."Recent conversions to the company's brands include Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi, Hurlingham, Four Points by Sheraton Arusha, The Arusha Hotel, Tanzania and the iconic Mena House, Cairo which joined the Marriott Hotels and Resorts global brand portfolio earlier this year.Amongst new conversion deals, Marriott International has signed the Marriott Marrakech Hotel in Morocco. With over 360 rooms, the hotel is slated to be rebranded in 2020.Select-Service brands in high demandMarriott International's select-service brands, including Four Points by Sheraton, Protea Hotels by Marriott and AC Hotels by Marriott, are experiencing unprecedented demand with vigorous expansion in both mature and emerging markets.Marriott International has signed two new hotels under the Protea Hotels by Marriott brand including Protea Hotel by Marriott Accra Kotoka Airport, Ghana and Protea Hotel by Marriott Nairobi, Kenya. Protea Hotel by Marriott Accra Kotoka Airport is planned to be a 200-room hotel strategically located in the prestigious airport residential area of Accra offering a restaurant, a lobby bar and lounge, small conference and meeting facilities, an air crew lounge, a gym and a roof-top pool bar and lounge with uninterrupted views of the city. Protea Hotel by Marriott Nairobi will be located approximately 5 km from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Mombasa Road. Expected to open in 2021, the 250-room hotel will include a restaurant, a bar, a fitness center, a pool and 600 square meters of meeting space. Earlier this year, Marriott International signed Protea Hotel by Marriott Pretoria Loftus Park, South Africa, which is slated to open later this year.The company also signed Four Points by Sheraton Nampula, Mozambique, which will be its first hotel in the country. The hotel, expected to open in 2023, is part of a mixed-use development comprised of a shopping center, apartments, residential homes, a hospital, offices and the hotel. The 185-room property includes 100 hotel rooms and 85 extended stay units, food and beverage facilities, conferencing facilities, a fitness center and a pool. Later this year, Marriott International will debut the AC by Marriott brand into Africa with the opening of the 188-room AC by Marriott Cape Town, Waterfront, conveniently located just minutes away from the buzzing Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and just a 25-minute drive from Cape Town International Airport. The company has also signed its second AC by Marriott hotel in Africa, AC by Marriott Umhlanga Ridge, Kwazulu Natal, Durban. The 205-room hotel will be a part of a mixed-use development comprised of offices and high-end residential apartments and boasts dramatic views of the Indian Ocean. Slated to open in 2023, the hotel is within easy access from major highways and in close proximity to the King Shaka International Airport.The company expects to introduce some of its other well-known select-service brands like Aloft Hotels, Element, Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott with hotels already under development. It is also looking for opportunities to bring Fairfield by Marriott to the continent.Speaking on the increased interest in mixed-use development projects, Kyriakidis said, "As cities evolve and grow into flourishing urban centers, we will continue to see a lot of activity in this space. An international hotel brand can bring cachet to a project that positions it significantly above its peers. Our portfolio of diverse brands lends itself to grow in all markets providing developers the flexibility and choice to identify the right brand for the right location. We believe this also provides an incredible opportunity to develop branded residences with our luxury brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis and W Hotels and we are actively pursuing this. Today our brands account for nearly 60 percent of the global hospitality-branded residences market.""Africa is a very compelling story for us. With our history on the continent, our footprint and strong pipeline, a diverse portfolio of brands and a robust management infrastructure, we believe that we enjoy the trust and the confidence of Africa's hotel development community," he added.Marriott International is enjoying a strong year of new hotel openings in Africa, which includes its first hotel in Mali - Sheraton Bamako - as well as the first Marriott Hotel in Accra. The company also debuted the Protea Hotel by Marriott brand in North Africa with the opening of Protea Hotel by Marriott Constantine.

[vivanaija]

Wetin Diezani steal self? | by Olukorede Yishau

Wetin Diezani steal self? | by Olukorede Yishau

Her story ordinarily should be a simple one. Brilliant and beautiful. Good upbringing, good education, good jobs and the best of political appointments available. Educated in some of the best schools in the world. Rich and famous.

But hers has become a complex story. A tale of claims and counter-claims. Welcome to the world of Diezani Alison-Madueke, until May 29, 2015 Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources.

When she admitted battling cancer, not a few screamed ‘gimmick’. Between then and now, it has been one scary revelation of sleaze after another. Some samples:  A block of six units serviced apartments at number 135, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. 21 mixed housing units of eight 4-bedroom apartments, two penthouse apartments of  3-bedrooms each and six 3-bedroom (all en-suite) terrace apartments in Yaba. A twin four-bedroom duplex in Lekki Phase one. And a penthouse on the 11th Floor in the Block B Wing of the building.

There are also a large expanse of land at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos and a duplex  at 10, Frederick Chiluba Close, in the serene, upscale Asokoro District of Abuja. Those are not all. There are  a 6-bedroom en-suite apartment Aso Drive, Maitama, Abuja and 16 four bedroom terrace duplexes at No. Heritage Court Estate, located on Plot 2C, Omerelu Street, Diobu Government Residential Area, Phase 1 Extension, Port Harcourt. And more. And more.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has so far traced N47.2 billion and $487.5million to the ex-minister. The agency says Diezani has N23, 446,300,000 and $5milion (about N1.5billion) in various Nigerian banks. There is also a $37.5million Banana Island property, which has been taken over by the Federal Government. She denies knowledge of this proprty, which investigators said was bought using a proxy.

And because of these revelations, not a few are calling for her head. But I beg to disagree. I do not have the facts that the EFCC has, but let us assume that Madam actually took this money.

I dare say the money in her care as oil minister came from the Niger Delta. She is from Niger Delta, a true son of Bayelsa, which contributes a lot of the oil cash. So, she has simply taken what belongs to her. No wonder some of her people are asking: ‘Wetin Diezani steal self?’

You need to see what Madam’s people are facing in the creeks for you to appreciate my argument. On my stops in Bayelsa and other parts of the Niger Delta, I see poverty, see degradation, see rejection and see desperation.

There are houses, made of wood, covered with palm front, which the owners must change from time to time as they wither away. There are imageries of luxury here and there, but in short supply. It is something many hear about and see when the rich choose to throw their weight about. So many children could not go to school.

In some parts of the Niger Delta, they never see night. The multinational operating in these areas have their flow stations so close to homes and send out gas flares throughout the day. So, the only way to differentiate between night and day is to check their wrist watches.

In many towns, oil pipelines are not underground. They are in the open. And often they burst or are burst and our soils and existence are damaged in the process.

The people have shouted, protested and threatened violence over their fate, yet change has refused to come. It is as if the multinational also has another licence: to send them all to their early graves so that their leaders can have all the wealth for themselves, including the little they manage to spend on basic amenities. This environmental genocide, as some have called it, is having serious effects on the people. Strange diseases are killing the people. Pregnant women are developing strange allergies. Yet, health centres are ill-equipped to take care of their health needs. They have several people with aggravated asthma; there are increases in respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and difficult or painful breathing, chronic bronchitis and decreased lung function. Premature death is not uncommon.

The truth is, the oil majors are more interested in the oil than in the people’s well-being. They can die for all they care. Oil is more important than man; that is their mantra.

Agriculture, which has the potential to help our country, has no breathing space in the Niger Delta. The soils are polluted and where they are not, the people are not properly motivated. Everybody is just waiting for handout.

The imageries I just painted are of Madam’s Niger Delta, yet the oil with which Nigeria is powered comes from there. This fact must have affected Madam and ensured she wasted not the opportunity to grab as much as possible for herself and her people. A bird told me that Madam actually planned to empower her people using the money she was taking on their behalf, but ill-health and witch-hunting from the present administration has made her unable to help lift her people out of poverty.

Another thing that pains me in how Madam’s matter has been handled concerns America’s involvement. The other day they came out with a fact sheet, alleging all kinds of things against our own darling Diezani. They even claim to have the recording of a telephone conversation in which Madam was warning one of her partners not to live extravagant lifestyle so as not to give himself away as a common thief. They claimed she said she would not go down alone.

Na wa for these Americans. Even the United Kingdom is also giving her hassles, asking her questions about money that is not their own. The money is Niger Delta’s money, not even Nigeria’s. The woman who has allegedly taken only a fraction of the money taken from her backyard should not be vilified. This vilification is bad, especially the foreign angle. Somebody should explain to these oyinbos that Madam has only taken what belongs to her.

My final take: Diezani should file a case of violation of fundamental human rights against Nigeria, Britain and the United States at The Hague. Human rights as excuses for all sorts of things work very well abroad. She should provide them evidence that the oil cash she is accused of taking came from proceeds of oil taken from her backyard. I suggest that she should see ‘Invasion 1897’ by Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun, where the lead actor was able to argue that a Benin bronze head he attempted to steal from the British Museum actually belonged to him by virtue of his origin as a Benin man. He argued that the British stole it during the invasion and he only came to retrieve it. And he was freed.

So, she should claim that Nigeria, through the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and their joint venture partners, stole the crude oil in her Niger Delta and thus deprived her and her people of the proceeds.  Freedom will sure knock at her door. er story ordinarily should be a simple one. Brilliant and beautiful. Good upbringing, good education, good jobs and the best of political appointments available. Educated in some of the best schools in the world. Rich and famous.

But hers has become a complex story. A tale of claims and counter-claims. Welcome to the world of Diezani Alison-Madueke, until May 29, 2015 Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources.

When she admitted battling cancer, not a few screamed ‘gimmick’. Between then and now, it has been one scary revelation of sleaze after another. Some samples:  A block of six units serviced apartments at number 135, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. 21 mixed housing units of eight 4-bedroom apartments, two penthouse apartments of  3-bedrooms each and six 3-bedroom (all en-suite) terrace apartments in Yaba. A twin four-bedroom duplex in Lekki Phase one. And a penthouse on the 11th Floor in the Block B Wing of the building.

There are also a large expanse of land at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos and a duplex  at 10, Frederick Chiluba Close, in the serene, upscale Asokoro District of Abuja. Those are not all. There are  a 6-bedroom en-suite apartment Aso Drive, Maitama, Abuja and 16 four bedroom terrace duplexes at No. Heritage Court Estate, located on Plot 2C, Omerelu Street, Diobu Government Residential Area, Phase 1 Extension, Port Harcourt. And more. And more.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has so far traced N47.2 billion and $487.5million to the ex-minister. The agency says Diezani has N23, 446,300,000 and $5milion (about N1.5billion) in various Nigerian banks. There is also a $37.5million Banana Island property, which has been taken over by the Federal Government. She denies knowledge of this proprty, which investigators said was bought using a proxy.

And because of these revelations, not a few are calling for her head. But I beg to disagree. I do not have the facts that the EFCC has, but let us assume that Madam actually took this money.

I dare say the money in her care as oil minister came from the Niger Delta. She is from Niger Delta, a true son of Bayelsa, which contributes a lot of the oil cash. So, she has simply taken what belongs to her. No wonder some of her people are asking: ‘Wetin Diezani steal self?’

You need to see what Madam’s people are facing in the creeks for you to appreciate my argument. On my stops in Bayelsa and other parts of the Niger Delta, I see poverty, see degradation, see rejection and see desperation.

There are houses, made of wood, covered with palm front, which the owners must change from time to time as they wither away. There are imageries of luxury here and there, but in short supply. It is something many hear about and see when the rich choose to throw their weight about. So many children could not go to school.

In some parts of the Niger Delta, they never see night. The multinational operating in these areas have their flow stations so close to homes and send out gas flares throughout the day. So, the only way to differentiate between night and day is to check their wrist watches.

In many towns, oil pipelines are not underground. They are in the open. And often they burst or are burst and our soils and existence are damaged in the process.

The people have shouted, protested and threatened violence over their fate, yet change has refused to come. It is as if the multinational also has another licence: to send them all to their early graves so that their leaders can have all the wealth for themselves, including the little they manage to spend on basic amenities. This environmental genocide, as some have called it, is having serious effects on the people. Strange diseases are killing the people. Pregnant women are developing strange allergies. Yet, health centres are ill-equipped to take care of their health needs. They have several people with aggravated asthma; there are increases in respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and difficult or painful breathing, chronic bronchitis and decreased lung function. Premature death is not uncommon.

The truth is, the oil majors are more interested in the oil than in the people’s well-being. They can die for all they care. Oil is more important than man; that is their mantra.

Agriculture, which has the potential to help our country, has no breathing space in the Niger Delta. The soils are polluted and where they are not, the people are not properly motivated. Everybody is just waiting for handout.

The imageries I just painted are of Madam’s Niger Delta, yet the oil with which Nigeria is powered comes from there. This fact must have affected Madam and ensured she wasted not the opportunity to grab as much as possible for herself and her people. A bird told me that Madam actually planned to empower her people using the money she was taking on their behalf, but ill-health and witch-hunting from the present administration has made her unable to help lift her people out of poverty.

Another thing that pains me in how Madam’s matter has been handled concerns America’s involvement. The other day they came out with a fact sheet, alleging all kinds of things against our own darling Diezani. They even claim to have the recording of a telephone conversation in which Madam was warning one of her partners not to live extravagant lifestyle so as not to give himself away as a common thief. They claimed she said she would not go down alone.

Na wa for these Americans. Even the United Kingdom is also giving her hassles, asking her questions about money that is not their own. The money is Niger Delta’s money, not even Nigeria’s. The woman who has allegedly taken only a fraction of the money taken from her backyard should not be vilified. This vilification is bad, especially the foreign angle. Somebody should explain to these oyinbos that Madam has only taken what belongs to her.

My final take: Diezani should file a case of violation of fundamental human rights against Nigeria, Britain and the United States at The Hague. Human rights as excuses for all sorts of things work very well abroad. She should provide them evidence that the oil cash she is accused of taking came from proceeds of oil taken from her backyard. I suggest that she should see ‘Invasion 1897’ by Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun, where the lead actor was able to argue that a Benin bronze head he attempted to steal from the British Museum actually belonged to him by virtue of his origin as a Benin man. He argued that the British stole it during the invasion and he only came to retrieve it. And he was freed.

So, she should claim that Nigeria, through the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and their joint venture partners, stole the crude oil in her Niger Delta and thus deprived her and her people of the proceeds.  Freedom will sure knock at her door.

CULLED FROM : NATION

Posted By: Olukorede Yishau

[superblystickycollection-6e-blog]

Detectives have searched all the apartments in Osborne Towers, the Ikoyi, Lagos building where $43.4million was found last Wednesday. Among the VIP tenants of the luxurious apartments is former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, who confirmed the search yesterday. Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Adamu Mua’zu and a former Petroleum Product Marketing Company (PPMC) Managing Director, Mrs Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue also own apartments in the Towers. [ 867 more words ] http://thenigerian.news/news/seized-n13bn-cash-magu-arrives-lagos-as-agents-comb-obis-others-homes/ #umuahia #yola #uyo #awka #bauchi #makurdi #calabar #abuja #malisya #Uganda #Ghana #benin #lokoja #sokoto #Pakistan #portharcourt #london #USA #kaduna #Hungary #Libya # dubai🇦🇪 #Nigeria #channeltv #aitnews #ntanews

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