However, the most crucial test of the Asante Confederacy’s strength arrived in the form of British colonization in 1896. When various members of the Asante Confederacy, including the king himself, were exiled to Seychelles Island, Nana Yaa Asantewaa took control when no one else would and made it her mission to save her government and her people by leading the Asante Uprising of 1900 against the British. This type of perseverance and commitment to one’s people is a rare, powerful quality that not many people possess. Sylvaina Gerlich, a modern Nana Yaa Asantewaa, is one of the few individuals who possesses this exact quality. Ms. Sylvaina Gerlich genuinely cares and fights for her people on a daily basis and will never back down from any challenge that stands in her way.

         Sylvaina Gerlich is the director of IMIC e.V., a non-profit organization (NGO) that helps migrants while also participating in many social and cultural activities throughout Hamburg.  In addition to dealing with all of the legal issues associated with individual migrant cases, Ms. Gerlich takes the time to really get to know the people that she helps in order to not only understand their situation as migrants, but to also know them as real human beings. If someone is in need, Sylvaina Gerlich will stop whatever she is doing and come to their aid.  Sylvaina Gerlich is also a member of the Integration Council in the Hamburg Senate, she  works constantly to promote integration and rights for all migrants. Cultural events are also a major aspect of Ms. Gerlich’s work and passion; led by Ms. Gerlich, IMIC e.V. organized the first Africa Day in Hamburg on May 25^th-27^th of 2012.  The goal of Africa Day, and Ms. Gerlich’s vision in her work, was to bring about understanding, unity, and acceptance of the diversity of African cultures and peoples in society. 

            Both Yaa Asantewaa and Ms. Gerlich are not only strong, courageous women, they are also two women who really love and know their own people, and will therefore do whatever it takes to protect them.  This type of dedication and perseverance is more powerful than any other weapon known to mankind.  It is undoubtedly true that Yaa Asantewaa and Ms. Gerlich would sacrifice anything to help their people and to preserve their culture, something that is both rare and perhaps the most commendable quality that one can ever possibly possess.  We are most thankful to have such a dynamic and strong individual as Sylvaina Gerlich here in Hamburg to be our leader for the African community. We love you.   

By Danielle Payne and Eric Obuobi-Nyarko

Mr Anyidoho said, prior to the 2000 General Elections, the NPP aired adverts that inaccurately portrayed to the electorate that the country was under “oppression and depression”.

After the successful orchestration of this campaign, he said, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor won the elections but failed to alleviate the suffering of Ghanaians.

“At the end of the day, he left Ghana a home of cocaine, a home of “sakawa” (internet fraud), a home of 419. He started with zero tolerance, in the middle of the journey, he turned round and tells us that corruption started from Adam…he sets up an Office of Accountability in the Castle, and he has the audacity to tell you and I that the office was set up to call people who are found to be culpable and tell them that “hey! Do this and that…because they won’t come out to embarrass the party and the government. So did Kufuor make Ghana a happy home when Ghanaians were crying that they didn’t have money in their pockets?…what did he tell them...that it is only lazy people who don’t have money in their pockets...Tell me, did Kufour save Ghana from oppression and suppression?,” Mr. Anyidoho quizzed.

Speaking in an interview on Larterbiokorshie-based Radio Gold, he accused the NPP and its flabearer of deploying campaign methods similar to the one used by then Candidate Kufuor just to “hoodwink” Ghanaians.

Whiles scoffing at the campaign strategy as a “moribund” and “outdated” one which “has outlived its usefulness”, the Communications Director at the Presidency described Nana Addo’s campaign team as lacking creativity, and a bunch of people who have “run out of ideas” and “hit a dead end”.

“So suddenly Nana Akufo Addo, his team have into the studios, gone and packed this same children again and the children are singing and saying “oh Nana…free education…oh Nana, free education…Nana Akufo Addo", please put your house in order and come again. Your attempt to hoodwink and bamboozle Ghanaians with these infants and trying to get to the Castle through the back door will not work. Jake, Oboshie Sai and co should find another strategy. This moribund, outdated…strategy of yours has outlived its usefulness”, Koku Anyidoho posited.

Ghanaweb

In addition, networks will be forbidden from activating new "fake" devices bought after 1 October.

Government officials said the move was designed to protect consumers from hazardous materials and to safeguard mobile payment systems.

They added it should also help them track users and limit violence ahead of March's general election.

The action had originally been scheduled to take place at the end of 2011, but was twice delayed to give subscribers a chance to replace their devices. However, the Ministry of Information and Communications has said this would not happen again.

The government said three million users were using counterfeit handsets as of June.

Official data suggests the country had 29 million mobile phone subscribers at the end of March.

Duplicated codes

The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) defines fake handsets as "copies of popular brands and models made from sub-standard materials" that have not been licensed by the organisation.

They are sourced from China and other parts of Asia, as well as Nigeria and South Africa.

The CCK said "sub-standard components" were often used which had not been put through safety checks and might emit higher than recommended radiation levels.

They have proved popular since they are often sold at a heavy discounts to legitimate models, thanks in part to the fact that retailers avoid paying import taxes.

But the commission said they had caused an increase of dropped calls for all users because of "their inability to connect seamlessly to the mobile networks".

Law enforcement agencies had also complained that some of the devices used duplicated IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identifier) codes, making it difficult to track down users suspected of using their handsets to plan crimes.

In addition, when the government publicised the switch-off in June it also linked the move to efforts to restrict fraud.

"In this era of mobile banking, use of counterfeit devices, which are manufactured without due consideration to the recognised security standards, may expose our mobile money systems as well as the wider banking and financial system to unnecessary risks," said the communications secretary Dr Bitange Ndemo.

"The government cannot allow this to happen and thus our decision to have all unregistered SIM cards and counterfeit handset mobile phones phased out by 30 September 2012."

Election violence

The move was initially opposed by the Consumers Federation of Kenya, a campaign group which said the action would punish users who were not to blame for the fact fakes were sold.

But last month the organisation dropped a theat to go to court to block the switch-off after a study suggested most Kenyans supported the effort.

Sunday's deadline also means counterfeit models can be barred from networks ahead of the election on 4 March 2013.

About 1,300 people were killed and hundreds of thousands forced from their homes because of clashes following 2007's disputed presidential election.

There is concern the vote could spark further violence, and the CCK has suggested that ensuring all mobiles were registered could act as a deterrent.

"As the general elections draw near, we... have an obligation to ensure that the mobile telecoms industry is not used to perpetrate instability and to incite violence," said Francis Wangusi, the commission's director general.

Precious metals

Users can send a free SMS message containing their 15-number IMEI code to check that their handset is recognised as genuine.

The fact millions of devices will need to be replaced presents phone manufacturers with an opportunity to boost sales.

But there are also been worries that abandoned handsets could end up in landfill sites, damaging the environment.

To minimise the risk Nokia and Samsung have partnered with a local recycling company and mobile service providers to allow users to safely dispose of counterfeit models at collection points in major cities.

"Mobile phones contain many valuable and useful materials that can be recycled, including precious metals and plastics," said Bruce Howe, general manager for Nokia East Africa.

"For every one million phones recycled, it is possible to recover nearly 35kg of gold and 350kg of silver, which can be re-used in the production of future electronic goods."

The firm added that it believed Kenya's move was a model that could be adopted elsewhere in Africa and beyond.

Uganda has already said that it planned similar action

BBC

A gruesome video on YouTube that showed the killings led to several arrests, police say. The video shows several men on the dirt, writhing in pain. Some are bloodied, and they have tires shoved over their heads.

Investigators have not yet determined why the mob killed the men, said Ben Ugwuegbulam, a police spokesman in Rivers State, in southern Nigeria.

The attack happened last week Friday.

Mob justice is common in Nigeria, with some people choosing to take the law into their own hands because police are either unresponsive or unwilling to patrol high-risk areas after dark.

The posting has drawn comments from some who say that police should have done more to investigate the attack before the video was posted.

CNN

It falls on 1st October every year and is also observed with unmatched nationalistic ardor throughout the country. The significance of Independence Day in Nigeria lies in the fact that it binds all the Nigerians into one chord not only within the country but also in the far off lands of America and Europe.

A brief history of Nigeria's struggle for independence---

Historical evidences indicate that the earlier inhabitants of Nigeria were thought to have the Nok tribe followed by Kanuri, Hausa and Fulani who migrated to the country in the subsequent years. In the 13th century Islam was introduced in Nigeria, and the Kanem Empire continued to rule the country till the 14th century. With the annexation of British in 1886, it became a British colony in the later years. After years of hard struggle and political turmoil Nigeria achieved independence on 1st October 1960. The vast landscapes of the country, stretching from the Obudu Hills of the southeast through the beaches in to the rainforest regions of the Lagos estuary the country has worth while natural splendors to explore.

Culturally one of the diverse countries of Africa, Nigeria is home to more than 250 linguistic ethnic groups as Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani and Igbo. The folk music of Nigeria has gained tremendous boost with indigenous fusion giving it a new dimension in the past few years. The economy of Nigeria has come of age with the exploration of oil and petroleum deposits which accounts for nearly 50% of its income. Also the vast mineral resources extensively contribute to the economic upsurge of the country.

The Nigerian Independence day remains incomplete without paying marked homage to its famous freedom fighters and leaders who have inspired the country independence struggle.  

Source: 123independenceday.com

The women, some of whom have been held since Sunday, had been planning to make the Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Nigeria's ambassador to Saudi Arabia told the BBC the authorities were stopping women under the age of 35.

There has been an understanding in the past that Nigerian women are exempt from travelling with a male relative - a requirement for women on the Hajj.

Nigerian diplomats say the agreement between National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and the Saudi authorities allows visas to be issued for Nigerian women going to Mecca as long as they are accompanied by their local Hajj committee officials.

Correspondents say many Nigerians have entered Saudi Arabia illegally to seek work.

'Mismatched surnames'

Since Sunday, hundreds of Nigerian women have been stopped at the airports in Jeddah and Medina.

Nigeria's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Abubakar Shehu Bunu, said he had made a formal protest to the foreign affairs office in the capital, Riyadh, on Wednesday.

"They are stopping women particularly between the ages of 25 and 35 without a male relative. Those over 45 are not a concern to the Saudi authorities," he told the BBC's Hausa Service.

One woman told the BBC her group were being held in Jeddah not because they were travelling without male relatives but because the surnames on their passports did not correspond with those of their husbands.

"Our husbands' names are different from our surnames and they won't allow that," Bilkisu Nasidi, who travelled from the northern Nigerian city of Katsina, told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

She said the hundreds of women were sleeping on the floor, did not have their belongings and were sharing four toilets at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

It is a common practice for Muslim women in Nigeria not to take their husband's name.

More than two million Muslims are due to converge on Mecca for this year's Hajj, which is set to culminate over a four-day period somewhere between 24-29 October depending on lunar observations