RockMeAfrica Magazine

become a fan on facebook follow us on twitter | 1 become a fan on facebook follow us on twitter | 1 become a fan on facebook become a fan on facebook

become a fan on facebook follow us on twitter | 3 become a fan on facebook become a fan on facebook

| Visit us at www.rockmeafrica.com | April 20124

AFRICA’S VOICE OF HOPE

editorial

It is amazing how the West still distorts Africa’s history to suit its own agenda. Even in this day and age the Westerners teach their children to believe the palpable lie that there is nothing good about Africa and that any semblance of civili-zation in Africa has its origin from the West.

Europe still teaches its kids that colonialism is not respon-sible for Africa’s woes; that colonialism opened up Africa and was good for the continent as if we asked for that kind of “goodness.” The West has a penchant for describing Africa as a place that needs charity. Even churches in Europe see their counterparts in Africa as problems to be solved and not partners in ministry.

In the days of yore, there used to be voices that roared against the hypocrisy of the West – from freedom fi ghters to writ-ers to students. We are talking here about Kwame Nkrumah, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka and oth-ers.

Unfortunately, with the pas-sage of time, Africa seems to have lost the punch that those voices symbolized. No one seems to be interested any-more in taking on the West and telling it as it is.

Thankfully, amidst all the smugness occasioned by the marginal improvement in the African situation, a voice of hope has emerged from the ho-rizon in the person of Chimam-anda Ngozi Adichie, a thirty-fi ve year-old novelist with a

following that people twice her age would envy. Through her writings and speeches she has emerged as one of the leading voices of her generation. There is not a forum where she has failed to chip in a word for the con-tinent with a view to uplifting its image; and she does that with an unfl inching commit-ment and determination.

She is not afraid to tell the West that in spite of its coun-ter-claims, there is a link between the affl uence of the West and the poverty of Af-rica, pointing out that just as the leopard cannot change its skin, likewise the colonialists who plundered Africa cannot erase their past.

It is her contention that, “A system of foreign domination is illegitimate and violent by its very nature, and that it leaves in its wake weakened structures.”

It is encouraging and heart-warming to see Westerners queuing to get copies of her books at her book-signing events. They do not just buy the books, they like them and they pay the author compli-ments for them.How did she break through the barrier? She did so by writing about Africa. She reminds us of our responsibil-ity to believe in Africa and the vast potential it offers. This publication dedicates its edito-rial to her for being a voice of hope.

In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Africa has rediscovered its voice!


ISSUE COVERyoung but AnCient

PiC © ChimAmAndA fb Pg.

Rev. Adu Gyamfi ------------ Mentor

Gabriel Odame -------------- Publisher

Mr. Tony Prempeh ---------- Editor-In-Chief

Weeks Mensah ---------------Public Relations

Joyce O. Amoah ------------- Advertising Mgr.

Ronny Boateng -------------- Public Relations

Rev. C. Kafui Agbesi -------- Columnist

Dr. Alex Osei-Bonsu -------- Columnist

Dr. Dave Ray (Phd) --------- Columnist

Mr. N Siriboe (Att.) ---------- Columnist

Oghene Adu Darko --------- PhotographerKofi Ackumey ---------------- Contributing

Writer

RockMeAfricaThe ultimate online and printed resource

for all Africans. We seek to be a fi rm foun-

dation upon which the African diaspora will

build a strong community that will create

awareness and cause action to solidify the

stability of Africa.

We are the Rock on which the next

generation will be built. Join our

coalition and be a rock of Africa.

Advertisement Deadline is on the 20th of each month.

(718) 219-1911 or (347) 271-9211email: [email protected]

www.rockmeafrica.com

Disclaimer: RockMeAfrica Magazine is pub-lished monthly by Glamour Media Services. All rights reserved. Reprodution in whole or in part without written permission is pro-hibited. We reserve the right to accept or reject any advertisement submitted for our magazine or online channel at www.rock-meafrica.com. The magazine is not liable for any error in advertisements and any liability will not exceed the total cost of the adver-

tisement in error.

6 Ethiopian Global Initiative Shows the Way: Their efforts represent a challenge to all Africans to rise to the occasion

11Soweto: A poetic refl ection of a cross-cultural student.

14 Autism: The Bare Facts. (Part 1)... Even though a lot of myths still surround the disease, more facts have been uncovered in recent times about it.

16 Young but an-cient: A relentless cam-paigner for the cause of Africa, Adichie is, in her own small way, rewriting the distorted script about Africa through the stories she tells.

20 Pulpit Series: Is Hell Real? Part 2

22 Homeless woman becomes top business executive

24A Few Tips For Maintaining Your Hair At The Gym

26 Marriage from the Islamic Perspec-tive


The Ethiopian Global Initiative Shows the Way

H eaven, they say, he lps those who

help themselves. That statement is a c lar ion cal l to take one’s dest iny into one’s hands but under neath that prompt ing is an encouragement , that he lp would come our way i f we heed that advice . Eight years ago, Samuel Gebru, a 13-year old Ethiopian, eighth grade student from Cambridge, Massachussetts, gained a new insight into that time-tested injunction after watching the Oprah Winfrey Show on the incidence of fistula in the land of his birth, and the efforts one Dr. Catherine Hamlin was making to help in the management of the disease.

The doctor, an Australian obstetrician/gynecologist had established with her late husband, Dr. Reg Hamlin, the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, the world’s only medical center dedicated exclusively to providing free obstetric fistula repair surgery to poor women suffering from injuries occasioned by childbirth.

As little Samuel watched the program his bowels churned within him as the truth dawned on him that it was a foreigner

who was championing efforts at alleviating the suffering of his people. Unable to stay aloof in the face of the widespread suffering of his people, that young boy felt the need to do something to help his unfortunate compatriots back home.

He summoned a meeting where 13 Ethiopian American youth in Boston discussed how they could raise funds to support the hospital. The group was known as the Ethiopian Team and many Ethiopians and non-Ethiopians alike supported its Fistula Project.

The project’s 13 members, the youngest in 6th grade and the oldest in 12th grade, were able to raise enough funds to sponsor 11 women for treatment. In January 2006 the Ethiopian Team fell apart due to lack of long-term planning. On October 22, 2006 the Ethiopian American Youth Initiative was formed as a successor to the Ethiopian Team. Among its objectives were the creation of a network of students to promote Ethiopian culture in the United States, fundraise for developmental projects in Ethiopia and facilitate youth leadership and networking.

The Ethiopian American Youth Initiative embarked on a national expansion on August 16, 2007, recruiting members throughout the country. On February 12, 2010 the organization opened its headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts to expand its operations. After the 2010 Ethiopian American Youth Initiative Conference in Washington, D.C., the organization changed its name

to the Ethiopian Global Initiative (EGI) in line with its plan to go global.

Today, EGI is an international non-profit organization that harnesses the social and intellectual capital of students and professionals for the transformation of Ethiopia through a new generation of socially responsible leaders.

Working throughout the world, the Initiative serves as a catalyst for community-based projects to promote civic engagement and economic prosperity.

As a rapidly expanding organization of entrepreneurial Africans, EGI continues to chart its own history and course daily. Its doors are open to all – Africans and non-Africans alike – to contribute in any way possible to make Africa the place it is supposed to be.

Unlike many such initiatives that end as a nine-day wonder, the EGI, employing a mix of energy and innovation, has established structures to enable it to stay for the long haul no matter what upheavals may come its way. One thing that is helping the group in this wise is its ability to connect, not only with its people but with like minds across the continent and abroad. Through that tool it has been able to build varied relationships with over 4oo organizations, businesses and universities across the United States.

Their efforts represent a challenge to all Africans to rise to the occasion and be there for the continent in the time of her need. Let those who have ears listen.




| Visit us at www.rockmeafrica.com | April 201210 | Visit us at www.rockmeafrica.com | April 201210 10


Soweto: Poetic ReflectionBy: Madelyn Cooper (EMU Cross-cultural Program, Harrisonburg Va)

Children laughing, singing, smiling- heir white teeth shine brightly off of their dark skin.

Soweto.

Babies snuggled and held tightly against their mothers’ backs.

Only their little feet are visible as a women walks towards me.Too small to site-see… Baby is sleeping.Mother is holding, carrying, protecting. Love.

Soweto.

Gray slacks all lined up with plaid jumpers popping out from the line.The blue v-neck sweaters show tattered white collars.Black leather shoes with laces and buckles scuff the fl oor as they run into their lines.Song… Rhythm… Praise.Ah, the high pitched sounds of their traditional melodies fi ll the courtyard, making the headmaster very proud.

Soweto.

Nik-naks and lollys sold for lunch, downed with a frozen guava.Sticky fi ngers braid my long

hair.In disbelief they tell me “it’s fake!”Combing their fi ngers through the long strands, they smile and coo!

Soweto.

Brooms made from dried stiff grass sweep the red dust from the sidewalk.She is bent down, almost as if that feels more natural than standing.She is working as she knows how and from what she has

been taught.Scarves wrapped around their heads show off their beauti-ful faces. Faces with eyes that would be tainted with makeup.I see real femininity.Even in their shoes which are

worn so much their big toe sticks out… a glimpse of red toenail polish catches my eye.Their beauty radiates from warm “Dumelas” heard on the streets and by their never end-ing smiles that make you smile in return.

Soweto.

I struggle to release the fears and judgment, but soon the word which is familiar slowly opens my heart to these loving people.I’m clapping and I fi nd myself

not wanting to stop,as if the beat is empowering me to try harder and seek deeper for my creator!My God, my Fa-ther. Now we go-Home.

Soweto.

Soweto is my home.My heart was settled in this place and for that I’m truly blessed.To love a commu-nity more than I ever thought pos-sible makes my heart hesitant to leave.

This is where I fell in love with South

Africa, and where a small part of South Africa fell in love with all of us.Kea leboha.

Soweto.


RmA fashion

mAA AKuA beRKo-mensAh


MABM DesignsThese models proudly display an exclusive selection from MABM Designs. Inset, (bottom left) is Maa

Akua Berko Mensah the master mind behind these designs. MABM is an acronym for Maa Akua Berko-Mensah, a local name from Ghana. MABM is infl uenced by a mix Ghanaian and American

cultures that make the designs unique. The concept behind the line is to create designs that fl atter the female form and and make it simply stand out. It is basically for women of all shapes looking

for distinctive outdoor clothing while embracing their nurtured sense of style. For your custom-made pieces for all occasions, please contact MABM desgins through

phone: 6468360987 Email: [email protected] visit www.mabmdesigns.com


Autism: The Bare Facts (Pt 1) By: Audrey Jane

Autism: The Bare Facts

You may know that autism is a developmental disorder that ap-pears in the first three years of life, and affects the brain’s nor-mal development of social and communication skills. But did you know that it affects boys more than it does girls, in fact, three-to-four times more preva-lent in boys than in girls? Even though a lot of myths still sur-round the disease, more facts have been uncovered in recent times about it. In this two-part series, RockMeAfrica brings to our cherished readers the bare facts about the condition as documented by the experts.

1.What is autism?

Autism is a physical condition linked to abnormal biology and chemistry in the brain. The exact causes of these abnor-malities remain unknown, but this is a very active area of research. There is probably a combination of factors that lead to autism.

2. What are the causes of au-tism? What is the incidence of the disease? What are the risk factors of children with autism?

Genetic factors seem to be im-portant reasons for the disease.

For example, identical twins are much more likely to both have autism than fraternal twins or other siblings. Simi-larly, language abnormalities are more com-mon in rela-tives of autis-tic children. Chromosomal abnormalities

and problems of the nervous system, (neurological prob-lems), are also more common in families with autism.

A number of other possible causes have been suspected, but not proven. They involve:

• Diet

• Digestive tract changes

• Mercury poisoning

• The body’s inability to prop-erly use vitamins and min-erals

• Vaccine sensitivity

AUTISM AND VACCINES

Many parents are worried that some vaccines are not safe and may harm their baby or young child. They may ask their doc-tor or nurse to wait, or even refuse to have the vaccine. However, it is important to also think about the risks of not having the vaccination.

Some people believe that the small amount of mercury (called thimerosal) that is a common preservative in multi-dose vaccines causes autism or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hy-

peractivity Disorder). However, studies have NOT shown this risk to be true.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and The Institute of Medicine (IOM) agree that no vaccine or component of any vaccine is responsible for the number of children who are currently being diagnosed with autism. They conclude that the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks.

All of the routine childhood vaccines are available in single-dose forms that do not contain added mercury.

HOW MANY CHILDREN HAVE AUTISM?

The exact number of children with autism is not known. A report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that autism and related disor-ders are more common than previously thought. It is un-clear whether this is due to an increasing rate of the illness or an increased ability to diagnose the illness.

Autism affects boys three to four times more often than girls. Family income, education, and lifestyle do not seem to af-fect the risk of autism.

Some doctors believe the in-creased incidence in autism is due to newer definitions of autism. The term “autism” now includes a wider spectrum of children. For example, a child who is diagnosed with high-functioning autism today may have been simply thought to be odd or strange 30 years ago.

Other pervasive developmental disorders include:

Photo courtesy of Lo Ross


• Asperger syndrome (like autism, but with normal language development)

• Rett syndrome (very differ-ent from autism and only occurs in females)

• Childhood disintegrative disorder (rare condition where a child learns skills, then loses them by age 10)

• Pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specifi ed (PDD-NOS), also called atypical autism

3. What are the possible symp-toms parents and guardians should look out for as signs of autism?

Most parents of autistic chil-dren suspect that something is wrong by the time the child is 18 months old, and seek help by the time the child is age 2. Children with autism typically have diffi culties in:

• Pretend play

• Social interactions

• Verbal and non-verbal com-munication

Some children with autism appear normal before age 1 or 2 and then suddenly “re-gress” and lose language or social skills they had previously gained. This is called the re-gressive type of autism.

People with autism may:

• Be overly sensitive in sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste (for example, they may refuse to wear “itchy” clothes and become dis-tressed if they are forced to wear the clothes)

• Have unusual distress when routines are changed

• Perform repeated body movements

• Show unusual attachments to objects

The symptoms may vary from moderate to severe.

Communication problems may include:

• Cannot start or maintain a social conversation

• Communicates with ges-tures instead of words

• Develops language slowly or not at all

• Does not adjust gaze to look at objects that others are looking at

• Does not refer to self cor-rectly (for example, says “you want water” when the child means “I want water”

• Does not point to direct oth-ers’ attention to objects (oc-curs in the fi rst 14 months of life)

• Repeats words or memo-rized passages, such as commercials

• Uses non-sense rhyming

Social interaction:

• Does not make friends

• Does not play interactive games

• Is withdrawn

• May not respond to eye con-tact or smiles, or may avoid eye contact

• May treat others as if they are objects

• Prefers to spend time alone, rather than with others

• Shows a lack of empathy

Response to sensory informa-tion:

• Is not startled at loud noises

• Has heightened or low sens-es of sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste

• May fi nd normal noises painful and hold hands over ears

• May withdraw from physical contact because it is over-stimulating or overwhelming

• Rubs surfaces, mouths or licks objects

• Seems to have a heightened or low response to pain

Play:

• Doesn’t imitate the actions of others

• Prefers solitary or ritualistic play

• Shows little pretend or imaginative play

Behaviors:

• “Acts up” with intense tan-trums

• Gets stuck on a single topic or task (perseveration)

• Has a short attention span

• Has very narrow interests

• Is overactive or very passive

• Shows aggression to others or self

• Shows a strong need for sameness

• Uses repetitive body move-ments

Watch out for the second and fi nal installment of this article in our May edition. It will deal with issues such as Signs and Tests; Treatments available and Complications that may arise with treatment.

A T r u e R o c k o f A f r i c a


Young but ancient. . . t h e s t o r y o f a n A f r i c a n n o v e l i s t

By Tony Prempeh

At about the age of seven Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie had es-

tablished herself as a prodigy, writing stuff pregnant with profound implication for the society in which she lived. She was writing exactly the kinds of stories she was read-ing, stories by heavyweights such as Chinua Achebe and Camara Laye

Two decades later, the grand-master of African literature himself, Chinua Achebe, writ-ing a blurb for her second novel, “Half of a Yellow Sun,” would pen these words: “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers. Chi-mamanda Ngozi Adichie knows what is at stake, and what to do about it. Her experimenta-tion with the dual mandate of English and Igbo in perennial discourse is a case in point. Timid and less competent writ-ers would avoid the complica-

tion altogether, but Adichie embraces it because her story needs it. She is fearless, or she would not have taken on the intimidating horror of Nigeria’s civil war. Adichie came almost fully made.”

When the young writer found out about the blurb she cried: “When my editor sent this book to him, I didn’t want—I didn’t want to hope for too much. I thought I don’t want a blurb, just have him read it. And I will never forget when Robin (her ed-itor), called and said, “Achebe has just called and he wants to give a blurb,” and when she read it to me, it’s just this thing and because he is so important to me, because I really respect his work—I just started to cry. I didn’t know what else to do. And, then, of course, after-ward, when I came down from the high of it. I thought, “Oh my God, now there is this huge expectation, if he thinks this of me I will live up to it.”

Indeed, she has lived up to expectation, if not beyond it. Adichie took that endorsement by Achebe as a “frightening anointment,” that came with a big responsibility; a charge to lift the flag of Africa, an obligation to sell Africa to the world and she has never looked back. And the recognitions and awards keep pouring in.

She was born only as recently as 1977. That makes her just 35, but she is already an in-ternationally acclaimed novel-ist who has carved a niche for herself and risen to fame in the long established literary world, dominated by masters of the trade. Among these giants, who had already made a name for themselves at the time of her

birth, she stands, not the least intimidated.

Intriguingly there is a connec-tion between Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and the great Achebe. Whether by a twist of fate, sheer coincidence or through whatever circumstanc-es, the younger writer found herself living in the very house where Chinua Achebe used to live. “I grew up in that house, where Achebe has actually lived,” Adichie recalls. And it is inter-esting that she would grow up to emulate the literary prowess of Nigeria’s most famous writer.

What makes her story the more intriguing is that she actually studied Medicine and Pharma-cy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, although for one-and-a-half years only before mov-ing to the US at age 19. Even though the university town of Nsukka has a great tradition of writing, most middle class families like Adichie’s, usually push their children to opt for the more venerated courses such as medicine, engineering, architecture and law.

But Adichie seems to have been destined to be a writer. She loved Enid Blyton books and began writing from an early age.

The fifth of six children Adichie was born in Enugu but brought up in Nsukka where the Uni-versity of Nigeria is situated. Both her parents, Grace Ifeoma and James Nwoye Adichie, used to work at the university, her mother as a registrar and

ChimAmAndA ngozi AdiChie© @ Chimamanda FB PG.


Young but ancient. . . t h e s t o r y o f a n A f r i c a n n o v e l i s t

By Tony Prempehher father as a mathematics professor.

During her stint as a medical student at the University of Nigeria, she edited the Com-pass, a publication run by the Catholic medical students of the university.

Once in the US she got enrolled at the Drexel University in Philadelphia and studied Com-munications and Political Sci-ence before she transferred to the Eastern Connecticut State University so she could be close to her sister who had a medical practice in Coventry. She re-ceived a bachelor’s degree from Eastern, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2001.

In 2003, she crossed over to Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University and completed a master’s degree in creative writing there. She moved back to Connecticut, precisely Yale University where she received a Master of Arts in African Stud-ies.

During the 2005-2006 academ-ic year Adichie was a Hodder fellow at Princeton University and she was offered the presti-gious MacArthur Fellowship in 2008. Finally, she was awarded a 2011-2012 fellowship from Havard University’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies.

Her fi rst novel, Purple Hibis-cus, which received rave re-views, especially in the UK, was published in 2003. It is a story of a teenage Nigerian girl try-ing to come to terms with the repression of her own father. It made the shortlist for the Or-

ange Prize for Fiction (2004) but in 2005 it won the Com-monwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book.

If the fi rst book was a suc-cess, the second one, Half of a Yellow Sun, named after the fl ag of the short-lived nation of Biafra, was an instant hit that made her an overnight sensa-tion. The novel is about the Biafran War of 1967-1970, a secessionist attempt by the Ig-bos that led to the loss of about a million lives as the Federal Government of Nigeria, in a bid to hold the country together, used starvation as a weapon to break the will and resolve of the rebels. It won the 2007 Or-ange Prize and went on to sell 650,000 copies in Britain alone. In 2008 Adichie’s work won yet another recognition as she was awarded the prestigious MacAr-thur Fellowship, a scholarship that rewards genius.

Her third book, The Thing around Your Neck is a collec-tion of short stories published in 2009. It deals with life in America for the immigrant even though the book also contains snapshots of events back home in Nigeria.

A relentless campaigner for the cause of Africa, Adichie is, in her own small way, rewriting the distorted script about Africa through the stories she tells. Hear her in her own words: “If I had not grown up in Nigeria, and if all I knew about Africa were from popular images, I too would think that Africa was a place of beautiful landscapes, beautiful animals and incom-

prehensible people, fi ghting senseless wars, dying of poverty and AIDS, unable to speak for themselves and waiting to be saved by a kind, white foreigner.”

Against this backdrop she writes stories “through our own lens,” for in her opinion, “Stories mat-ter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to human-ize. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.” That is why she writes.

Asked by an interviewer on how she felt about how she was treated as an immigrant in the United States, her response was: “I feel African.”

On her Masters’ program in African Studies at Yale she says: “I wanted to formally study Africa” – as if she did not know a thing about the continent; “I wanted to read things I might not read on my own. I wanted to be in a community of people who were what’s called Africanists, a term that I fi nd amusing. I want answers. There are so many answers I don’t have and I may not have but I want to try and I think that studying Africa is one way of doing it.”

She credits much of her suc-cess to her family. She also does not hide the fact that she has been inspired along the way by the trail blazers, especially the two mentioned in the preceding paragraphs. Speaking of them she says: “Because of writers like Chinua Achebe and Camara Laye … I realized that people like me, girls with skin the color of chocolate, whose kinky hair could not form ponytails, could also exist in literature.”




is hell Real? Part 2

ReV. CePhAs KAfui Agbesihoney Well bAPtist Ch.

Pulpit series

In the last issue we introduced the topic, “Is Hell Real?” and submitted that the idea of hell might be the most controversial theme in the Bible. In that first installment of this series on hell, an attempt was made to find out why a merciful God would cast His own creation into a perpetually burning hell with no exit. The article implied that hell is real and concluded by asking: “If hell does exist, how can it be fair? Why does God speak of forgiveness, and yet would not forgive?” In this issue we continue the series with part two.

Christian eschatology must be rejected by those who have any sense of reasoning and the slightest respect for themselves. In theology, eschatology is defined as the study of the end of the World as we know it and the consignment of humanity to either of two destinations - to the glorious Paradise Kingdom of Heaven for everlasting life or to a sulfuric abode called Hell for eternal damnation.

It must be said without any fear of academic contradiction and conviction that to believe in the end of the World, or eschatology does not make us devoid of intelligence and

reasoning. One of the most famous illustrations on the eschatology and realism of Hell is written by Dante in the Divine Comedy. The book is more renowned in academic circles than in religious groups.

Robert Frost, in his famous academic work, Fire and Ice, paves a pathophysiological illustration of the end of the world. Throughout history, scientists have agreed on the very fact that sometime in the future, the world as we know it, will cease to exist. Stephen Hawking, an astrophysicist and arguably the world’s most brilliant man, who occupies the Isaac Newton Chair in Cambridge University, believes that the earth will end in, at least, the next two centuries. While it is true that Hawking is not a Christian, and has numerous times condemned Christianity to be a fairy tale, his conviction that the earth has an expiration date has a common place in Christendom.

To believe in the end of the world may be some kind of whimsical foolishness shared by both academicians and Christians alike. But to doubt that the earth will end is the sum total of all foolishness, with no apology to reasoning. So, then, the end of the world is a shared conviction by both believers and proven scientists. Yet, Hell and its realism defy scientific explanations.

Some believe that there is a God; however, it is hard for them to imagine that this same God will throw some rebellious individuals into an eternal abyss. Hence, they have chosen to believe in a God-Heaven-only concept. This path, too, is silly and places no responsibility on life if truly we must believe in the existence of God. We cannot have it both ways. If we believe in God, so must we believe in the after-life, and

thus believe in Heaven; and if we acknowledge Heaven then we must believe in Hell. There cannot be a God without a devil, or a Heaven without a Hell. These are relative deductions and they cannot be isolated and capsulated.

The study of the universe clearly points to an Intelligent Designer who, with all respect to religion, is known to be God. Our universe is very vast, having eight planets in our solar system (Pluto is no longer a planet), and about 200 orbiting other stars. There are about 400 billion stars in our galaxy alone. If each of them has the same average number of planets as our own sun, then, that is about 4 trillion planets in our own galaxy alone. Multiply that by an estimated 125 billion galaxies in the universe. Yet our earth proves to be the only place out of several trillions of planets where life as we know it, exists.

As much as science has been struggling with Faith and denying our placement here on planet earth by God, it is undeniable that it is not by chance that we are located here. With these numerous planets and stars, it is remarkable that the earth is the only life-sustaining place, intentionally furnished by some Intelligent Designer. So then, if science clearly points to an Intelligent Designer, but may not agree on the Christian terminology of God, then, it signifies that atheists, agnostics, and the heathen are only in denial. The Christian Bible has been validated, and its prophecies have been proven over the years by scientists and archaeologists alike.

Nevertheless, the truth cannot be measured with the rod of science, which is too shallow and deprive of wisdom to judge


the existence of God. It is clear that the God idea is true and completely proven by the things created; but humanity has a choice to still reject its truth. To agree to its truth is to submit to a superior God, and humanity is rebellious to authority. If we must believe in God then, we must have no diffi culties believing in Hell. The world fi nds it diffi cult to accept this truth of God’s existence because it places humanity between the beam balance of Hell and Heaven. This ultimate choice of life is easily avoided if we can just say that God does not exist; hence Hell is a fairy tale.

The reader must know that indeed God exists, there is Hell, and it is real. It is remarkable to conclude from scriptures that Jesus spoke on Hell more than on Heaven and perhaps any other topic in the Bible. Jesus described

hell as a place of eternal fi re, (Matthew 25:41): eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46): and as a place of torment, fi re, and agony (Luke 16:23-24). Jesus taught specifi cally about hell many times in His ministry (Matthew 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43-47; Luke 12:6; 16:23). Hence, the reality of Hell is clearly substantiated and accounted for in the Bible.

Join us for the conclusion in our next issue. We will examine how Hell looks like, and why a good God allows such a place.


Homeless Woman Becomes Top Business Executive

tiAh Knox Ceo of le PlAtinum style PRoduCtions (lPsP)

Tiah Knox, born Chris-tiana Tarawally in Li-beria, Africa, always had a yearning to be a channel of blessing to her family, and by ex-tension, the community as a whole. And she knew she needed mon-ey to realize her ambi-tion, especially in Africa where deprivation was so prevalent.

To help her family survive pov-erty she started her own en-terprise; she began as a street vendor selling food. But she had a big dream; she eagerly anticipated the day she would become an international busi-ness woman. However, trouble soon set in and threatened to abort her dream.

Civil war broke out in Liberia and rendered her family home-less. They moved from coun-

try to country, from Liberia to Sierra Leone and Guinea in search of shelter and safety. But, thank God, all that was about to change.

In 2004 after enduring the trauma of being internally-displaced for seven long and dreary years, Tiah’s mother succeeded in bringing her and the rest of the family to Amer-ica. She thought once she had made it to the US, things were just going to be smooth-sailing. How mistaken she was! She soon realized that she had just begun a journey of the survival of the fittest.

It soon became evident that being an immigrant in the US comes with a lot of baggage to deal with – the cultural shock, the taunts and sometimes, os-tracism. For example, soon af-ter being enrolled at the Lincoln High School in Jersey City, New

Jersey Miss Knox realized that with her heavy African accent and un-American clothing, she

had some real battles ahead if she would be accepted and if she were to realize her dream.

Despite the handicap she fought hard to keep her values and earn the respect of her mates, even if not all of them. Before long she became part of various programs in her school such as the Junior Reserves Officer Training Core (JROTC), the Young Ladies Club, Nation-al Honor Society and the Rebel Club.

In 2005 she started modeling in local fashion shows for high schools. That birthed a desire in her to take to fashion full-time, and establish her cloth-ing line. Without any previ-ous knowledge in sewing, but buoyed on by an unquenchable desire to succeed, Ms. Knox de-cided to challenge herself and got herself a sewing machine.

Given her inexperience and lack of skill in sewing, many people discouraged her; some


Homeless Woman Becomes Top Business Executive

even laughed her to scorn but she was unperturbed. Ever since she was very young she had a passion for sewing and she knew she was on course to fulfi lling her dream. And so, she was determined to grab the bull by the horn and leave the consequence of her action to fate.

In 2008, during the Sierra Le-one Music TV (SLMTV) awards, she launched Rowel Mari Col-lection (RMC) International, her clothing line. Her plan was to model part-time to raise some money to fund a formal educa-tion in fashion. In 2010 Tiah Knox took the runway by storm and won vari-ous awards as Ms. Congenial-ity, Best Smile, Top Plus-size Model, from the Essex County Fashion Entertainment Board.

The following year she won the Star Model award out of 110 models as well as the Best Female Drama on the runway. In the same year she modeled for the Robin Hood Foundation with the New York Jets.

When she gained some weight she did not let that derail her plans. Instead she embarked on yet another challenge; she competed in, and won the Ms. Full-fi gured USA pageant, a national pageant held in New Jersey by JT Productions in March, 2011.

That same year she graduated from Wood Tobe-Coburn in Manhattan, New York with a major in Fashion Design.

From the new immigrant who had to endure various forms of bullying and the sneers of un-approving school mates because of her accent and other forms of disadvantage, Ms. Knox has metamorphosed into a big-time business wom-an. Her dream has come true. And she is only 21! Now she is

fl uent in six languages and is the CEO of Le platinum Style Productions (LPSP) which she founded.

Tiah Knox has also established the Knox Model & Tal-ent (KM&T), a company that caters to the needs of aspiring models and talents by help-ing them to prepare to face the challenges of the indus-try. KM&T also offers pageant training for the aspiring queen as well as etiquette classes for those interested in polishing their social skills.

Talk about peer education for the youth and Ms. Knox is all for it. Through the medium of the Loving Me Project which she established under the aus-pices of the LPSP, she works to help the youth to build their self-esteem. She does that in close collaboration with Gwen-dolyn Ross, Operation Program specialist at Covenant House, New Jersey attached to the Lov-ing Me Project.

Never one to rest on her oars, the international business woman is working with Nana Abeiku Acquah, co-founder of Miss Full-fi gured Africa, to launch the fi rst-ever continent-wide pageant back home in Africa. That is just one of her many future projects.

Tiah Knox, who attributes her success to the intervention of the Most High, is also making

plans to launch the GGT (God Got This) Magazine, an on-line publication that promotes the “God Got This” philosophy by interviewing people that have succeeded by simply holding on to the same belief that brought her through in her moments of trials.

How time changes! How we can triumph over adversity! From being homeless to interviewing celebrities like Tyra Banks and Tami from Basketball Wives to name a few, the story of Tiah Knox is a classic example of the reward that follows self-belief; it is a story of the vindication that results from determination, it is a tale of the hidden possibili-ties in the trials of life and it is a song of victory for those who refuse to quit.


A FEW TIPS FOR MAINTAINING YOUR HAIR AT THE GYM

dr. dave Ray (Phd trichology)

A Few Tips For Maintaining Your Hair At The Gym

You’ve just left the hair salon and just as you approach your car, your phone rings. Your best friend’s voice greets you with a question you really don’t want to hear.

“Hey girl, are you still going to the gym with me tonight?”

The internal confl ict begins. You want to go because you value your health but at the same time you don’t want to go be-cause you could risk sweating out your shiny, new hairstyle.

This is a sad but true dilemma that black women face after an expensive salon visit but here are a few solutions to steer you toward healthy hair and a healthy body.

Check out these tips:

• Use Dry Shampoo

For those days when you’re pressed for time or it’s not time for a traditional shampoo, use a dry shampoo (Namaste’s Herbal Cleanse) to get the job done. Dry shampoo soaks up oil, grease and dirt, without stripping

hair, and it is a quick option to cleanse your hair. Just apply and comb it out! Tip: Corn meal is awesome when used as a dry shampoo!

• Keep Moisturizer in Your Gym Bag

Even after breaking a seat, your hair needs a moisture boost. Use a leave-in conditioner (Beauty Werkz’ Protei-Plexe) or daily hair moisturizer (Beauty Werkz’ Hair’s BFF) after a dry shampoo. Focus on coating the ends of your hair to replenish dryness.

• Wear a Headband

She has learned this tip the hard way after leaving spin-ning class with a sleek ponytail and an afro-puff that were once sleek side-swept bangs. Protect your hair line by wearing a cot-ton headband to absorb perspi-ration and protect your roots from frizz. Tip: You can use a satin scarf as a headband by folding it into a width of about two inches, and tying it around your head.

• Ditch that Pony for a Bun

Since you sweat in your scalp area, keeping your hair far away from your scalp and skin will help reduce the amount of sweat that hits your ends and disrupts your style. A pony with a head-band is a great style to prevent your look from becoming total disarray.

Shop the recommended prod-ucts and hit the gym without a care in the world:

How to Maintain Your Hair dur-ing Exercise

How many of you avoid going to the gym because you don’t want to mess up your hair or sweat it out? A study showed that 31% of the 103 African-Amer-ican Women surveyed, admit-ted they exercise less because it may harm their hairstyle. Ex-ercise is especially important in the African-American commu-nity because it is more prone to diabetes, hypertension, and complications due to obesity, including heart disease. Though they face many health concerns that exercise would combat, African-American women often give in to that special deterrent to working out: their hair.

Every time the New Year starts, most women want and prom-ise themselves healthier bod-ies without compromising their hair.

YOUR WORK-OUT SHOULD NOT DICTATE YOUR HAIR REGI-MEN AND YOUR HAIR REGIMEN SHOULD NOT LIMIT HOW MUCH YOU WORK OUT.

Wouldn’t life be easier if you could focus on pedaling on your spinning bike and not worry about the damage that the sweat and extreme work-out is doing to your hairstyle? Sweat, dirt and other factors are the main enemies when working out. Ex-

25

posing your follicles to extreme conditions can lead to hairstyle disasters and more problems later.

Perspiration causes the hair to

become wet and revert back to its naturally curly and/or coarse state. Sweat, which comprises water and salts (sodium and potassium), can make the hair appear dry and dull. You can prevent sweat damage to your hair during exercise by control-ling moisture and salt build-up. Salt build-up causes your hair to break, become dull and even dry.

Here are some tips on how to maintain your hair while still getting the full potential of your work-out session.

1. For relaxed hair, try pull-ing your hair into a firm ponytail. Make sure to use an elastic band without a metal clasp to avoid ripping your hair. Place a sweat band at your hairline. (Wearing a headband helps absorb moisture from the hair-line, which gives mini-mum frizz). This not only helps to keep sweat out of your eyes, it will keep your edges in place. Once the hair is in a ponytail, twist it and secure it with a hairpin. This will allow the hair to retain body and bounce in your post work-out hairstyle. The number one goal with

hair management during exercise is keeping it out of your face and off your neck.

2. If your hair has been curled with a curling iron or roller set, try pin curling your hair. This is done by taking large sec-tions of the hair, comb-ing each section into one large curl, twisting the curl down onto the scalp and securing the curl with a bobby pin or a two-pronged metal clip. Six to ten large pin curls should be sufficient. After your hair has dried, finger style your hair into place. This preserves your curls and keeps the hair full of body and volume.

3. If you are taking part in water sports, wrap your hair around your head in a circular motion us-ing metal duckbill clips to hold the hair in place if necessary. Cover your hair with a satin or silk scarf. Finally, cover the scarf with a latex or sili-cone swim cap.

4. Wear your hair natural/braid out. Hair in this state can make your work-outs worry-free. Your hair is already in its natural state, so you can relax and you don’t have to worry about texture reversion. (Tip: Simply shampoo and deep con-dition every 3 days or at least once a week and moisturize daily. Use a natural moisturizer such as Beauty Werkz’ Hair’s BFF to hydrate hair in between workouts).

5. Braid your natural hair (no extensions). Neatly plaited hair stays out of your face, so braids are a great way to prep your

tresses before working out. Just make sure your strands aren’t pulled so tight that you suffer hair loss. (Tip: Easily remove build-up by cleansing your scalp weekly with Beauty Werkz sulfate-free shampoo and follow up with BW Kera-Soy Con-ditioner. Then moistur-ize your hair with Beauty Werkz’ Hair’s BFF.) This style lasts from four to six weeks.

6. Opt for a custom-made wig. This styling option is one of the most conve-nient ways to protect and care for your hair un-derneath and work out, especially for those who are transitioning or just looking to grow their hair out to a certain style or length. Wigs last longer, because there is no daily upkeep forcing flat iron or curling iron usage, which means no hair breakage from excessive heat ap-pliance use. (Tip: Sim-ply shampoo and deep condition every 3 days or at least once a week and moisturize daily). Then apply a small amount of BW Tropical Argan Oil to keep the shine.

7. When workout is com-plete, remove sweat bands, wraps and swim caps to let the hair dry. Leaving the head ties on your head after your work-out will develop a stench in your hair. So avoid that.

What’s more important: Your hair or your health? Ladies, re-member if you want a healthy body, exercising is a must. Don’t let your hair prevent you from your workout routine. Healthy hair starts with a healthy body!

Thanks for reading.


Marriage from the Islamic Perspective

Marriage is a strong tradi-tion in the Islamic faith; it is the foundation of

a healthy, pious and cohesive social structure. It is an im-portant social contract and religious function in Islam, and if you are fit and economically able it is viewed as your duty to marry as it forms the foun-dation of a healthy religious society.

In the light of current global permissiveness conceding to all sorts of definition for mar-riage, it must be stressed that marriage in Islam is a social contract between a man and a woman. This agreement be-stows on both parties certain rights and obligations, and can only be successful if mutual respect is cherished by both groups.

Most marriages commence with the best of intentions, and the state of marriage is regarded as the ideal way for Muslims to live. However, Islam is realistic and aware that many marriages could go wrong and break down for all sorts of reasons. Conse-quently, Islam does not assume that a couple will remain to-gether ‘till death do us part.’

Therefore, if and when such a contract is broken, either party is entitled to seek divorce. But it is also important to stress that Islam strongly abhors divorce. Although divorce is allowed, the ideal is to settle down with a life-partner. In fact, among all of the things God does permit, divorce is said to be the thing He likes least.

Celibacy is disapproved and sexual intimacy outside mar-riage is forbidden to Muslims. Narrated by Abdullah, the prophet Mohammed (pbh)

said: “O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power.”

According to the Holy Qur’an, tranquility and peace through a successful union is consid-ered the primary objective of marriage: “Among His signs is that He created for you spouses of your own kind in order that you may repose to them in tranquility and He instilled in your hearts love and affection for one another; verily, in these are signs for those who reflect.” (30: 21).

Muslim marriages are fre-quently arranged by parents of young people. This is not an Islamic necessity but parents are encouraged to do their best to ensure that their offspring settle with good life-partners. However, it is un-Islam for parents or family members to coerce or trick youngsters into marriage.

The husband has to agree to a financial deal with the prospective wife before marriage. This money is known as the mahr (dowry) and is a payment made to the bride. It is hers to keep and use as she wishes and there is good reason for that. If, for instance, the bride has nothing before the mar-riage, she becomes a wife with property of her own.

The dowry is a must. It is a token of the young husband’s economic commitment and responsibility toward his wife. The amount of the mahr is usually according to economic

conditions and can be given at the time of the wedding or deferred until later. The gift can be in the form of money or property or can be a com-mitment, such as a promise to teach the wife verses from the Holy Qur’an.

If she later seeks a divorce which the husband does not wish for, she is allowed to return him the money and go ahead with the action. Nor-mally, if a divorce takes place for the usual reasons, the bride would be entitled to keep the bride price.

Basic Islamic principles are always adhered to during the wedding rites, but local culture and practices mean that wed-dings differ greatly across the world in their rituals and struc-ture.

The wedding ceremony, that is, the nikah is a simple af-fair that is usually conducted in a mosque. The nuptials are often officiated over by the Imam who leads the prayers in the mosque, but any respected Muslim man can perform the ceremony. Both bride and groom need a wali (representa-tive) and a witness. There is no requirement that the woman be present at the ceremony so long as she has a representative and a witness.

A sCene fRom An islAmiC Wedding in-VolVing tWo CouPles

become a fan on facebook follow us on twitter | 27

During the ceremony the Imam reads a number of verses from the Islamic holy text, the Qur’an. These are specifi cally chosen to remind the couple and the congregation of their duties to each other and to Al-lah.

The importance of adhering to Islamic law is the key tenet un-derlined throughout the nikah, so the verses chosen from the Koran are symbolically impor-tant for a couple choosing to live a Muslim life. The Qur’an is the center of every Muslim’s faith and so is an important symbol for the wedding cer-emony.

A wedding contract is drawn up that details the mutual com-mitment binding the husband and wife. Once the couple and two male witnesses have signed the contract, it is proclaimed to the congregation that the two are now offi cially married. The Imam concludes the ceremony with more prayers for the bride and groom, the local Muslim community and then for Mus-lims around the world.

Following the nikah, some Muslims opt for a few simple rituals at home and a celebra-tory meal at the bride’s family house. For most, however, an important part of the wedding process is the wedding ban-quet, the Walima, which is paid for by the husband. It is a joy-ous celebration of the marriage.

A crucial requirement of the wedding is that it should be conducted in full public view. For that reason the Walima also serves as a public an-nouncement of the marriage. It is also viewed as a good oppor-tunity for the two families to get to know each other.




RMA Babies



Documents

RockMeAfrica Magazine