Stanley Enow wins the best new act prize at the 2014 MTV African Music Awards

Durban (South Africa) (AFP) – Oscar-winning Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o won the personality of the year award at the 2014 MTV African Music Awards (MAMA) held in South Africa’s southeastern city of Durban on Saturday.The 31-year-old, who won the best supporting actress Academy Award in March for her role in historical drama “12 Years a Slave,” was not present to receive her award.She became the first winner of the newly introduced lifestyle non-music personality of the year award.

In doing so she beat Nigerian award-winning novelist Chimamanda Adichie, South African top stand up comedian Trevor Noah, Ivory Coast footballer Yaya Toure and popular Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde.

The MTV African Music Award celebrates pan African music, youth culture and talent, and winners are chosen by public vote.

Cameroon’s Stanley Enow

was the first winner of the show, aired live from the Durban International Convention Centre, in the southeastern city of Durban, taking the best new act prize.

South Africa’s afro-pop duo Mafikizolo took the best group award, while their track “khona” was voted song of the year. They beat other strong nominees including Nigeria’s popular R&B duo P-Square.

Nigerian afro-pop artist and producer Davido won the favourite artist of the year award.

He also took the best male artist prize while his compatriot, the multi-talented sensation Tiwa Savage took the best female artist award.

Sarkordie of Ghana was named the best hip-pop group.

Awards host, American stand up comic, film and television sensation Marlon Wayans expressed the wish for the “safe return” of the more than 200 Nigerian girls kidnapped by extremist Islamist group Boko Haram .

Wayans also paid tribute to anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.

“Madiba had a profound impact on not only South Africa but on the entire world as a whole, so tonight we pay tribute to Mr Mandela,” said host Wayans.

Legendary all-male South African acapella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo made a surprise appearance to give a stunning performance.

The MTV Africa music awards were first staged in 2008 and have each year recognised iconic musicians from across the continent.

Courtesy: Wilder Veranso of www.updatedvibes.blogspot.com/ 

Why not give a try?

Les Talents d'Afrique Africa 24 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZJqGx3AACQ

Assessing Cameroon's Film Industry  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IfNIb0teLc

Youth & Agricultural Development http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLH5QyABJAk

Youth & Entrepreneurship http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ0bvAWoltM

Les jeunes et le développement agricole http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETeirpCLwgM

Take a step Forward http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P7yamrUNSA

Safety & Health in the use of chemicals http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8TW7ymLmxI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U3hB9Ayc4Y

Les jeunes et le développement agricole http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbdZABjM9bM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1gstheq_Xk

http://www.lecamerounaisinfo.com/Amy-Banda-je-suis-un-manager-a-l

Holding in the Nation

Douala

A Five day forestation workshop to protect the congo basin opens up in Douala today at the Residence la Falaise Akwa. Participants will during these deliberations devise scientific, innovative and technical approaches to manage and protect forest reserves. The exchange between participating countries seeks to reinforce research, funding and technical abilities that will follow up carbon management in the world.
For More details, contact Douglas Muchoney (USGS): dmuchoney@usgs.gov
                                        Greg Reams (USFS):            greams@fs.fed.us
                                        Evan Notman (USAID):        enotman@usaid.gov
                                                                                     www.silvacarbon.org

Dschang

A two day Patcha Foundation free cancer screening exercise opens today at the Dschang District Hospital. Believing good health is central to efficient and good living, the non profit organization based in Silver Spring, Maryland volunteers in another 2 day (5th & 6th of June 2014) cancer free screening exercise in Bamenda at Mezam Polyclinic to improve the health of World citizens.

Call 237 79 57 59 59 / 237 97 19 87 19 (www.patchafoundation.org) for major details.

Buea

* After Yaounde, Bamenda and Douala, Uncle P presents all 3 volumes of his reflections in Buea on Wednesday June 4, 2014 at the Amphi théâtre 250 of the University of Buea. Journeying to my Emmaus, Lamentations for my beloved Country and Stand Up, Be Strong, Don't Quit! are all reflections that open deep wounds, allow the mind see reason and usher seeds of new hope for an uncertain tomorrow. Grabbing copies of these collections of wisdom is tantamount to refreshing one's spirit, mind, and body to the holies for cleanliness and the perfect salvation.

* The launching of Tem Martin's 4 new books : 1) Conquering the Enemy called Fear

                                                                        2) Developing the Entrepreneur's Mindset

                                                                        3) A Practical Guide to write your own book

                                                                        4) What is in a Dress?

comes up on Sunday June 29, 2014 at Eta Palace Hotel. Let your presence make the difference!

Abortion & Reproductive Rights on the table again...

A two day workshop on abortion and the reproductive rights of adolescents and young women brought tens of civil society organisations across the continent. The purpose of the workshop was to raise awareness on the upsurge of consequences of unsafe abortion and its effects on the health and lives of African women. 

According to the 2010 estimates on maternal mortality and morbidity, the sub-Saharan African and South Asia contributed 86% of deaths; vast majority of which are due to preventable causes that need minimal cost to address.  In Africa alone “25% of all unsafe abortions in Africa, are among adolescents aged 15 to 19 and about 60% among young women under 25 years” (Women’s health, WHO-2009).

The Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR)  in partnership with IPAS Africa Alliance– an organization protecting women’s health  and advancing women’s reproductive rights in collaboration with Equal Now African region, seeing this as a threat to maternal health and the attainment of the MDG by 2015 for some African countries, organized this two day workshop on unsafe abortion at the Hilton hotel in Nairobi, Kenya from the 13^th - 14^th May 2014.  The workshop empowered participants to advocate for women to access safe abortion (according to the Law of the country and Article 14 Para 2 c of the AU Protocol, which states: “Protect the reproductive rights of women by authorizing medical abortion in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest, and where the continued pregnancy endangers the mental and physical health of the mother or the life of the mother or the foetus.”) particularly within the context of the AU Protocol on Women and other women’s instruments agreed upon by States.  

The meeting noted that reducing the burden of maternal deaths due to unsafe abortion and realizing women’s rights to reproductive health is within reach in the African region and this has been addressed in regional treaties and agreements including the African Protocol on Women and the Maputo Plan of Action on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

The Nairobi meeting also discussed other international and regional policy frameworks on reproductive health, including CEDAW, ICPD, and Vienna Human Rights Conference, which resulted in the declaration– ‘that women’s rights are human rights’.  Other commitments to women such as the Beijing Conference, Millennium Development Goals have been reference for workshop participants in the bid to reduce maternal mortality by 75% by 2015, a vision which could be far reaching.

Yet African leaders through the AU continue to show political commitment at their government’s level to promote and protect the right to health in a series of international, regional and continental legal protocols and declarations.  Another demonstration of high level political will to protect women from unsafe abortion is the launching of the Campaign on the Acceleration of Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa- CARMMA in 2010 to reduce unsafe abortions that contribute to 40% of maternal deaths in Africa.  The Gambia is part of the 38 member states that took part in this continental initiative.

Socio-economic, political, and legal issues continue to determine the lives of women in Africa and elsewhere. Women’s bodies are sites of dispute and instruments of conflict and abuse.  They are subjected to all forms of sexual abuse including rape, unwanted and unplanned pregnancies.  Yet they are perceived as the perpetrators of the abuse or simply they have to be blamed for what happens to them and their bodies.   Such has been the concerns of women’s rights activists in Cameroon like Women Peace Initiatives, Servitas, and Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom – Cameroon...  who last Saturday at the Douala based strategies site in one of their concertation and strategic meetings, realized how much women’s bodies are sites of controversy, abuse and neglect.