The novel Efuru established Nigerian author Flora Nwapa as the first African woman to publish a book in English. Her work set the stage for the emergence of female writers in Nigeria and other African countries, writes of Sam Olukoya in the German international broadcaster DW’s series “African Roots”* —— When did Flora Nwapa live? Flora Nwapa was born in …

A much awaited report by an Independent Review Panel has completely exonerated the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina of any ethical wrongdoings. The Independent Review Panel was set up by the Bureau of Governors of the Bank, following a complaint by the United States to review the process by which its two organs – the Ethics …

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has pledged to hire more people from minority groups after meeting with members of the European Parliament’s Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup (AIRD) on Tuesday (28 July). The meeting, called at the request of the anti-racist MEPs, focused on the Commission’s Action Plan against Racism and Xenophobia and discussed the AIRD’s proposals on “how …

The Nigerian community in the southern German state of Bavaria has elected a new executive committee to pilot the affairs of the association for the next two years. At the event, which took place in Munich on Saturday, 25 July, Kazeem Ojoye was elected the new chairman of the Nigerian Community Germany Bayern (NCBG) e.V. Mr Ojoye, a former Financial …

The Chairman, Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, has said that inbound passengers from foreign trips will henceforth be tested for COVID-19 on arrival at the Nigeria airports. Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), made this known on Monday (27 July) at the daily briefing of the task force in …

The FrauenComputerZentrumBerlin e.V.  is offering a free digital empowerment training program to improve the media competence of women migrants and refugees in the city. The course, which begins on 12 August, aims at improving the computer and language skills of the participants, who will learn how the Internet, computer and smartphone work and how they can use these technologies independently …

With this global health crisis comes an economic disruption of unprecedented proportion, Professor Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka* looks at the possible long-term impact of the pandemic on African countries and suggests what they must do to turn the crisis to opportunity ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, July 27, 2020/ — At one time or another, nations and individuals confront crisis points – moments of …

Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, has announced the further expansion of its Def Jam Africa division into three new markets within French-speaking Africa; Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Cameroon, effective immediately. Def Jam Africa launched in May 2020, as the first label dedicated to representing the best hip-hop, Afrobeats and trap talent in Africa, and follows …

Jack Ma Foundation’s Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI) selects Top 50 Finalists of 2020 “Africa’s Business Heroes” Competition.  LONDON, United Kingdom, July 27, 2020/ — Top 50 finalists were selected from over 22,000 applications across all 54 African nations; The finalists represent 21 African countries, half are female, and work in 18 sectors like agriculture, AI, e-commerce, fashion, healthcare, renewable …

Africa has complex and unique business opportunities. Harvard Business School professors are launching a new online course to teach entrepreneurs how to build scalable businesses designed to solve core problems in Africa. Unlike other business courses, this one focuses on identifying points of opportunity for smart entrepreneurial efforts through live online lectures, peer-to-peer learning, and real-life lessons incorporated into participants’ …

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday appealed to Nigerians in the diaspora to actively support the country’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery efforts. Buhari made the call in a video message to commemorate this year’s Diaspora Day, observed annually on 25 July, according to a statement by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina. The statement was titled “COVID-19: President …

The Mastercard Foundation on Thursday (23 July) announced its Young Africa Works strategy in Uganda, which has set a goal to enable more than 3 million young people in the country to access dignified and fulfilling work opportunities by 2030. Under Young Africa Works, the Foundation has committed $200 million to ensure young women, men and refugees in Uganda have …

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has “directed” his supporters in the Nigerian Community Germany Football Club (NCG FC) Hamburg to change the name of the sporting association to IPOB FC Hamburg. “I am directing that Nigerian Community Germany Football Club Hamburg be renamed IPOB FC Hamburg,”  Kanu announced on his Facebook page on Thursday. …

A study on racial profiling in Germany’s police services was cancelled by Interior Minister Horst Seehofer two weeks ago. Instead, the Federal Ministry of the Interior is now making preparations for a study on violence against police officers. Critics accuse Seehofer of hypocrisy According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, it is making preparations for a study on violence …

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, says Africa has recorded over 15,000 COVID-19 deaths. The UN health agency gave the update on its regional official Twitter account @WHOAFRO on Wednesday. WHO stated on its dashboard that “there are over 748,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa, with more than 409,000 recoveries and 15,000 deaths.” READ …

Racism in different forms and places is a common experience for the more than one million people of African descent in Germany. Black people are often subjected to police identity control more than other groups. Also, they experience discrimination in public offices, at the workplace, while accessing healthcare, looking for apartment, in schools, in the justice system, in their neighbourhoods …

A six-year project to develop industrial skills among Ghana’s workforce has improved the engineering and manufacturing skills of young people, promoted economic competitiveness and contributed to an improvement in the quality of life of beneficiaries and a reduction in poverty, according to an African Development Bank (AfDB) report issued on 15 July 2020. The Development of Skills for Industry Project …

Anna Swaboda, a member of power4africa e.V., reports on a demonstration against anti-Black racism in the eastern city of Dresden on Sunday. “The only thing that should be separated according to colour is laundry” was the message on a banner at the Black Lives Matter demonstration on Sunday afternoon in Dresden. Several hundreds of people gathered at Dresden’s Neumarkt square …

The issue of mental health is one of those taboos among Black people. Even the World Bank identified that ‘Mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, affect millions of people worldwide. They impose an enormous global disease burden that leads to premature mortality and affects functioning and quality of life’. It is high time, we in the …

ONE, MTV Base, Mandela Foundation pair up with 10 African Artists in Song to Fight COVID-19 Ten of Africa’s biggest musical artists are uniting to record “Stand Together”, a rallying call to all Africans to unite against COVID-19. With artists from seven African countries, the song is a powerful reminder that no one is safe from COVID-19 until everyone is …