He (born March 28, 1936, Spain) is a Galician fashio entrepreneur. Ranked by Forbes as Spain's richest man and the 8th richest man in the World in 2007. He is the founder, with his then-wife Rosalía Mera, and chairman of the Inditex Group. He currently lives with his second wife in a discreet apartment building in the centre of La Coruña (Corunna).
Ortega arrived at La Coruña, Spain, at the age of 14, due to the job of his father, railway worker. Starting as a gofer in various shirt stores in La Coruña, Galicia, in 1963 he founded Confecciones Goa (his initials in reverse), which made bathrobes. In 1975 he opened the first store in what would grow into the enormously popular chain of fashion stores called Zara. He owns 59.29% of the Inditex group (Industrias de Diseño Textil Sociedad Anónima) which includes the brands Zara, Massimo Dutti, Oysho, Zara Home, Kiddy's Class, Tempe, Stradivarius, Pull and Bear/Often and Bershka and has more than 14,000 employees.
Ortega keeps a very low profile and there are practically no photographs of him (except from one photo published at the Inditex website). He refuses to wear a tie, and likes to dress in blue jeans. He is said to take a very active part in the production and design process in the company.
When he made a public appearance in 2000 - as part of the warm-up prior to floating his company on the stock market in 2001 - it made headlines in the Spanish financial press. However, he has never given an interview, and his secrecy has led to the publication of books such as Amancio Ortega.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The World Richest People;Alhaji Aliko Dangote
Alhaji Aliko Dangote among the world's billionaires should excite Nigerians who must be close to believing that no good news can come out of the country.
It should, indeed, excite Nigerians that the President/Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group of Companies is not just among the Forbes magazine's world's billionaires but is, for this year, listed as the richest black person in the world, with $3.3 billion, ranked ahead of black American television talkshow superstar, Oprah Winfrey and South African gold magnate, Patrice Motsepe.
Dangote and Motsepe are also the first black Africans to appear on the Forbes International rich list.
The excitement over Dangote's new feat should arise from several factors. One is the fact that for a change, the story is no longer that one ex-military dictator or the other is the richest man in the country or the continent but that a relatively young entrepreneur, who has, unlike most other rich Nigerians, decided to invest in his country's economy has made it big.
Also, this milestone should convince many other younger men and women that if they work hard at whatever they are doing, they too can attain the lofty heights that Alhaji Dangote has attained, literally, from nowhere.
The Kano state born business mogul started off as a commodity marketer, buying and selling such items as sugar, flour and cement.
Other less resourceful or unambitious people would have stayed at that level, but Dangote, who has shown great capacity for adaptation to the realities of the times has metamorphosed from a marketer of commodities to a first rate industrialist, with huge production facilities in different parts of the country.
He has effectively transformed from the commodity trader of yesterday to a big time manufacturer of mainly those commodities that he used to import and sell to consumers. He is doing this through such companies as Dangote Salt Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Dangote Pasta Plc, Dangote Flour Mills Plc, Dansa Foods Ltd. and through cement factories in Benue, Kogi, Ogun and Cross River State, all of which are working towards attaining 100 per cent use of locally sourced raw materials.
He has also diversified into shipping, energy development, solid minerals, steel, banking, land transport and property and is running the conglomerate, which is clearly the biggest in the country and continent, so efficiently that the companies within the group have become beautiful brides that are much sought after in the stock market.
Alhaji Dangote, a former president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) is indeed, today, one of the major players in the stock market, with many of his companies listed and with him also having interests in several of the blue chip firms in the country. All these are evidence that he has abiding faith in the nation's economy and is playing his part in efforts to revamp it and take it to where it should be, among the top 20 economies of the world in the next few years.
One peculiar characteristic of this business icon is that he has a knack for seeing through companies and individuals. Some of the companies within the Dangote Group that are thriving today were once run down and written off. He acquired, restructured and recapitalized these companies to the point that they have bounced back to production and profitability.
Because of his confidence in the economy of the country of his birth, other investors who would, otherwise have been scared off by the negative stories of the unconducive business environment are attracted to the country.
His companies alone are said to be employing at least 20,000 people while the other investors coming as a result of his investment in the Nigerian economy are also helping to deplete the army of the unemployed.
In spite of his huge contribution to the economy of the country and in spite of his billions, Dangote is marked out as very humble and uncontroversial. Others in his shoes would want to dominate the country's politics and social life, others would go out of their way to garner all manner of chieftaincy titles and doctorate degrees and would want to be on the front pages of every publication and on prime time television. But this is not the case with this philanthropist of note, who, indeed, is believed to be press shy.
He has shunned partisan politics as much as possible and sparingly participates in socio-cultural events.
Try as he can, however, he has not outrun the criticism of those who insist that behind every great wealth there must be some question marks. The most persistent of these question marks is what is considered Alhaji Dangote's intolerance of competition, which another school of thought insists is the motivation for attainment of primus interpares.
The bottom-line, however, is that, as at today, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has emerged as the richest black man in the world. His attainment of this milestone should encourage other entrepreneurs in Nigeria, Africa and world over, to strive harder to make more money, and very importantly, to impact their communities, countries, fellow blacks wherever they may be and, indeed, humanity as a whole, positively, with their immense wealth.
Dangote has used his own great wealth to build structures in his home country that are giving hope to thousands and providing goods and services to millions. His activities, indeed, are impacting positively on millions of Nigerians, but he must press on to ensure that in the hearts of the down-trodden, in the hearts of Nigerians of all classes, he would be remembered, not for his billions alone, but for what he has done or would still do to positively transform the lives of many, including generations yet unborn.
It should, indeed, excite Nigerians that the President/Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group of Companies is not just among the Forbes magazine's world's billionaires but is, for this year, listed as the richest black person in the world, with $3.3 billion, ranked ahead of black American television talkshow superstar, Oprah Winfrey and South African gold magnate, Patrice Motsepe.
Dangote and Motsepe are also the first black Africans to appear on the Forbes International rich list.
The excitement over Dangote's new feat should arise from several factors. One is the fact that for a change, the story is no longer that one ex-military dictator or the other is the richest man in the country or the continent but that a relatively young entrepreneur, who has, unlike most other rich Nigerians, decided to invest in his country's economy has made it big.
Also, this milestone should convince many other younger men and women that if they work hard at whatever they are doing, they too can attain the lofty heights that Alhaji Dangote has attained, literally, from nowhere.
The Kano state born business mogul started off as a commodity marketer, buying and selling such items as sugar, flour and cement.
Other less resourceful or unambitious people would have stayed at that level, but Dangote, who has shown great capacity for adaptation to the realities of the times has metamorphosed from a marketer of commodities to a first rate industrialist, with huge production facilities in different parts of the country.
He has effectively transformed from the commodity trader of yesterday to a big time manufacturer of mainly those commodities that he used to import and sell to consumers. He is doing this through such companies as Dangote Salt Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Dangote Pasta Plc, Dangote Flour Mills Plc, Dansa Foods Ltd. and through cement factories in Benue, Kogi, Ogun and Cross River State, all of which are working towards attaining 100 per cent use of locally sourced raw materials.
He has also diversified into shipping, energy development, solid minerals, steel, banking, land transport and property and is running the conglomerate, which is clearly the biggest in the country and continent, so efficiently that the companies within the group have become beautiful brides that are much sought after in the stock market.
Alhaji Dangote, a former president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) is indeed, today, one of the major players in the stock market, with many of his companies listed and with him also having interests in several of the blue chip firms in the country. All these are evidence that he has abiding faith in the nation's economy and is playing his part in efforts to revamp it and take it to where it should be, among the top 20 economies of the world in the next few years.
One peculiar characteristic of this business icon is that he has a knack for seeing through companies and individuals. Some of the companies within the Dangote Group that are thriving today were once run down and written off. He acquired, restructured and recapitalized these companies to the point that they have bounced back to production and profitability.
Because of his confidence in the economy of the country of his birth, other investors who would, otherwise have been scared off by the negative stories of the unconducive business environment are attracted to the country.
His companies alone are said to be employing at least 20,000 people while the other investors coming as a result of his investment in the Nigerian economy are also helping to deplete the army of the unemployed.
In spite of his huge contribution to the economy of the country and in spite of his billions, Dangote is marked out as very humble and uncontroversial. Others in his shoes would want to dominate the country's politics and social life, others would go out of their way to garner all manner of chieftaincy titles and doctorate degrees and would want to be on the front pages of every publication and on prime time television. But this is not the case with this philanthropist of note, who, indeed, is believed to be press shy.
He has shunned partisan politics as much as possible and sparingly participates in socio-cultural events.
Try as he can, however, he has not outrun the criticism of those who insist that behind every great wealth there must be some question marks. The most persistent of these question marks is what is considered Alhaji Dangote's intolerance of competition, which another school of thought insists is the motivation for attainment of primus interpares.
The bottom-line, however, is that, as at today, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has emerged as the richest black man in the world. His attainment of this milestone should encourage other entrepreneurs in Nigeria, Africa and world over, to strive harder to make more money, and very importantly, to impact their communities, countries, fellow blacks wherever they may be and, indeed, humanity as a whole, positively, with their immense wealth.
Dangote has used his own great wealth to build structures in his home country that are giving hope to thousands and providing goods and services to millions. His activities, indeed, are impacting positively on millions of Nigerians, but he must press on to ensure that in the hearts of the down-trodden, in the hearts of Nigerians of all classes, he would be remembered, not for his billions alone, but for what he has done or would still do to positively transform the lives of many, including generations yet unborn.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The World Richest People:Roman Abramovich
Born into a Jewish family,[3] Roman's paternal grandparents were exiled to Siberia from Tauragė, Lithuania by the Soviets after the occupation of Lithuania in 1940.[4] His mother Irina Vasilevna was a musician and his father worked as a supplier at a construction trust in Syktyvkar[5]. His mother, Irina Ostrowski Abramovich, died from bacteremia as a result of a back-alley abortion when Roman was one year old.[6] His father Arkady Abramovich was killed in an incident on a construction site when Roman was three years old.[6] Abramovich grew up in his uncle's family in Ukhta and with his grandmother, Tatyana Semenovna[7], in Moscow.[6] Before moving to Moscow he and his sister lived in Syktyvkar, the capital city of the Komi Republic.
In 1973, Abramovich went to first grade at Ukhta School No. 2. In 1974, Abramovich and his grandmother moved in with his second uncle Abram Nakhimovich in Moscow. Abramovich studied at School No. 232, which stressed the performing arts. After graduating from school and botching his university studies, he moved to his relatives in Komi. In 1984, Abramovich went to the army (artillery regiment in Kirach in the Vladimirsk region)[8].
Abramovich attended the Industrial Institute in Ukhta before being drafted into the Soviel Army in 1984. After military service in an artillery regiment in Kirach, Vladimirsk region,[9] he studied briefly at the Moscow State Auto Transport Institute before taking a leave of absence from academics to go into business. He later earned a correspondence degree from the Moscow State Law Academy.
The Times has reported that he was a market trader selling black market toys before his association with Boris Berezovsky[10].
Business career
A 2,000-rouble wedding present from Olga's (Abramovich's first wife) parents (about £1,000) was invested by Abramovich in black-market goods such as perfume, deodorants, tights and toothpaste to sell on in Moscow in or around December 1987. Abramovich soon doubled, then tripled, the investment, his confidence growing with each business success. "I think he enjoyed the thrill of it," says Olga. "When he returned from trips selling the goods, he was flushed with joy. In 1988, as Perestroika opened up opportunities for entrepreneurs in the Soviet Union, he and Olga set up a company making dolls. "It brought success almost immediately," says Olga, "but I don't think Roman ever imagined that he would become as rich as he is now."[11] Abramovich started his commercial activity in the late 1980s when Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms permitted the opening of small private businesses, known as co-operatives. Mr Abramovich began his business career selling plastic ducks from a Moscow apartment, but within a few years his wealth spread from oil conglomerates to pig farms[12]. In 1992 to 1995 Abramovich founded five companies that conducted resale and acted as intermediaries, eventually specializing in the trading of oil and oil products. In 1992 he was arrested in a case of theft of government property - AVEKS-Komi sent a train containing 55 cisterns of diesel fuel, worth 3.8 million roubles, from the Ukhtinsk Oil Production Factory; Abramovich met the train in Moscow and resent the shipment to the Kaliningrad military base under a fake agreement, but the fuel arrived in Riga. Abramovich co-operated with the investigation, and the case was closed after the oil production factory was compensated by the diesel's buyer, the Latvian-US concern, Chikora International.[9] In 1995 Abramovich and Boris Berezovsky, an associate of President Boris Yeltsin acquired the controlling interest in the large oil company Sibneft. The deal was within the controversial loans-for-shares program and each partner paid $100 million for half of the company, below the stake's stock market value of $150 million at the time. The fast-rising value of the company led many observers, in hindsight, to suggest that the real cost of the company should have been in the billions of dollars.
In 1973, Abramovich went to first grade at Ukhta School No. 2. In 1974, Abramovich and his grandmother moved in with his second uncle Abram Nakhimovich in Moscow. Abramovich studied at School No. 232, which stressed the performing arts. After graduating from school and botching his university studies, he moved to his relatives in Komi. In 1984, Abramovich went to the army (artillery regiment in Kirach in the Vladimirsk region)[8].
Abramovich attended the Industrial Institute in Ukhta before being drafted into the Soviel Army in 1984. After military service in an artillery regiment in Kirach, Vladimirsk region,[9] he studied briefly at the Moscow State Auto Transport Institute before taking a leave of absence from academics to go into business. He later earned a correspondence degree from the Moscow State Law Academy.
The Times has reported that he was a market trader selling black market toys before his association with Boris Berezovsky[10].
Business career
A 2,000-rouble wedding present from Olga's (Abramovich's first wife) parents (about £1,000) was invested by Abramovich in black-market goods such as perfume, deodorants, tights and toothpaste to sell on in Moscow in or around December 1987. Abramovich soon doubled, then tripled, the investment, his confidence growing with each business success. "I think he enjoyed the thrill of it," says Olga. "When he returned from trips selling the goods, he was flushed with joy. In 1988, as Perestroika opened up opportunities for entrepreneurs in the Soviet Union, he and Olga set up a company making dolls. "It brought success almost immediately," says Olga, "but I don't think Roman ever imagined that he would become as rich as he is now."[11] Abramovich started his commercial activity in the late 1980s when Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms permitted the opening of small private businesses, known as co-operatives. Mr Abramovich began his business career selling plastic ducks from a Moscow apartment, but within a few years his wealth spread from oil conglomerates to pig farms[12]. In 1992 to 1995 Abramovich founded five companies that conducted resale and acted as intermediaries, eventually specializing in the trading of oil and oil products. In 1992 he was arrested in a case of theft of government property - AVEKS-Komi sent a train containing 55 cisterns of diesel fuel, worth 3.8 million roubles, from the Ukhtinsk Oil Production Factory; Abramovich met the train in Moscow and resent the shipment to the Kaliningrad military base under a fake agreement, but the fuel arrived in Riga. Abramovich co-operated with the investigation, and the case was closed after the oil production factory was compensated by the diesel's buyer, the Latvian-US concern, Chikora International.[9] In 1995 Abramovich and Boris Berezovsky, an associate of President Boris Yeltsin acquired the controlling interest in the large oil company Sibneft. The deal was within the controversial loans-for-shares program and each partner paid $100 million for half of the company, below the stake's stock market value of $150 million at the time. The fast-rising value of the company led many observers, in hindsight, to suggest that the real cost of the company should have been in the billions of dollars.
The World Richest People:Paul Allen
Paul Gardner Allen was born in Seattle, Washington, to parents Kenneth S. Allen, an associate director of the University of Washington libraries, and Faye G. Allen, in January 21, 1953.[6] Allen attended Lakeside School, a private school in Seattle, and befriended Bill Gates, who was two years his junior but shared a common enthusiasm for computers.[7] They used Lakeside's teletype terminal to develop their programming skills on several time-sharing computer systems.[8] After graduation Allen attended Washington State University and was an active member in Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity.[8] He dropped out after two years in order to work as a programmer for Honeywell in Boston, which placed him near his old friend again.[8] Allen later convinced Gates to drop out of Harvard University order to create Microsoft.[7]
Main article: History of Microsoft
Allen co-founded Microsoft (initially "Micro-Soft") with Bill Gates in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1975, and began marketing a BASIC programming language interpreter.[7] In 1980, after promising to deliver IBM a Disc Operating System (DOS) they had not yet developed for the Intel 8086-based IBM PC, Allen spearheaded a deal for Microsoft to purchase a Quick and DirtyOperating System (QDOS) written by Tim Paterson who, at the time, was employed at Seattle Computer Products. As a result of this transaction, Microsoft was able to secure a contract to supply the DOS that would eventually run on IBM's PC line. This contract with Big Blue was the watershed in Microsoft history that led to Allen's fabulous wealth.[8]
Allen was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in 1983. His cancer was successfully treated by several months of radiation therapy and a bone marrow transplant. However, he did not return to Microsoft and began distancing himself from the company.[8] Allen officially resigned from his position on the Microsoft board in November 2000 but was asked to consult as a senior strategy advisor to the company's executives.[9] He sold 68 million shares of Microsoft stock that year[10], but still owns a reported 138 million shares.[11]
Recognition
In 2007 and 2008, Allen was listed among Time Magazines 100 Most Influential People in The World.[12]
Paul Allen had received awards and honorary degrees from several universities. In May 1999, Washington State University bestowed its highest honor, the Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award, upon Allen. He received a "Docteur honoris causa" from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland) in 2007. In April 2008, Allen received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the Watson School of Biological Sciences (Cold Spring Harbor, NY); and in May 2008 he had received the Vanguard Award for Science and Technology from the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, an honor given to those who make significant contributions to that industry.
Philanthropy
Paul Allen has made significant contributions to organizations related to health and human services, and toward the advancement of science and technology. The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation was established in 1986 to administer most of his contributions.[13] Through the Foundation, Allen awards approximately $30 million in grants annually.[14] Roughly 60 percent of the Foundation's money goes to non-profit organizations in Seattle and the state of Washington, and 12 percent to Portland, Oregon. The remaining 28 percent is distributed to other cities within the Pacific Northwest.[14] Allen has donated US$900 million of his money, as of 2007.[15] Allen also contributes through other charitable projects known as "venture philanthropy". The most famous of these projects are Experience Music Project, the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, the Flying Heritage Collection (airworthy vintage military aircraft) and the Allen Telescope Array (ATA).[15] The ATA is a partnership between the University of California, Berkeley and the SETI Institute.[16] Allen has a flower fly named after him for his contributions to Dipterology, called Paul Allen's flower fly.[17] Allen has also funded the purchase of many Jimi Hendrix artifacts, including the guitar Hendrix played at Woodstock, and ensured their public display in the Experience Music Project exhibits.[18]
Although he attended Washington State University and has given money to its music school, Allen has donated more money to the University of Washington. In the late 1980s, Allen donated US$18 million to build a new library named after his father, Kenneth S. Allen.[19] US$5 million was donated in 2003 to establish the Faye G. Allen Center for Visual Arts, named after his mother.[20] Allen was also the top private contributor, with US$14 million in donations, and namesake, of the "Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering", which was completed in 2003.[21] Throughout the years, Allen has contributed millions of US dollars to the University of Washington Medical School.[22] The Foundation awarded US$3.2 million for prostatitis research in 1997, followed by an additional US$1.0 million grant in 2002.[23] More recently, the Foundation contributed US$5.0 million for an early cancer-detection project by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.[24]
Allen founded the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2003 with Jo Allen Patton as a nonprofit corporation (501(c) (3)) and medical research organization. Utilizing the mouse model system (given its great similarity to human DNA), 20,000 genes in the adult mouse brain were mapped to a cellular level for the Allen Brain Atlas. The data generated from this effort is contained in the free and publicly available Allen Brain Atlas application located at www.brain-map.org. In 2008, the Institute also launched the Allen Spinal Cord Atlas project. All of these scientific findings will prove invaluable to international researchers working on cures for neurological and nervous system illnesses and injuries.
Investments
Paul Allen (in sun glasses and crimson tie) and Burt Rutan (leather jacket) were presented with the Ansari X PRIZE by members of the X PRIZE Foundation in 2004.
Allen has made several investments since becoming a billionaire. He confirmed that he was the sole investor behind Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne suborbital commercial spacecraft on October 4, 2004. SpaceShipOne climbed to an altitude of 377,591 feet (115,090 m) and was the first privately funded effort to successfully put a civilian in suborbital space. It won the Ansari X PRIZE competition and received the $10 million prize.[25]
Real estate
Allen was a key developer and investor in the development of the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle as a biotechnology hub and mixed-use community.[26] He was also the largest private landowner in South Lake Union and owns nearly 2,600,000 square feet (240,000 m2) in the neighborhood.[26] His holdings company has a development capacity of more than 10,000,000 square feet (930,000 m2) of new residential, office, retail and biotech research space.[26] The South Lake Union redevelopment represents one of the largest urban revitalization projects in the country.[27] Allen has made investments estimated at US$200 million as of 2005, and promoted for city funding of the Seattle Streetcar line known as South Lake Union Streetcar, which runs from Seattle's Westlake Center to the south end of Lake Union.[28] The Streetcar is a public and private partnership made possible because of a Local Improvement District (LID) supported by businesses and residents along the line;[29] it officially started operation on December 12, 2007.[30] This development has been criticized as a city-supported real estate investment for Vulcan Inc,[31] and concerns over the loss of low-income housing have been expressed
Sports
Allen purchased the Portland Trail Blazers NBA team in 1988 from California real estate developer Larry Weinberg for $70 million.[4] He was also instrumental in the development and funding of their Rose Garden in 1993.[8] The Blazers are valued at approximately $300 million according to a 2006 issue of Forbes.[33] Allen has been asking Portland and Oregon officials for assistance in the financing of the Blazers since 2006, which he estimated would lose $100 million over the next three years.[34] Portland Mayor Tom Potter rebuffed the requests.[35] Allen announced the completion of the acquisition of the Rose Garden on April 2, 2007, and stated that this was a major milestone and a positive step for the franchise.[36] He said “My efforts are focused on continuing to support the Trail Blazers and the long-term financial health of the franchise."[37]
Allen purchased the Seattle Seahawks NFL team in 1997 when former owner Ken Behring threatened to move the Seahawks to Southern California.[3] He played a large part in the development of the new Seahawks' stadium, Qwest Field, although it was funded largely by tax revenue.[38] The Seahawks captured its fourth consecutive NFC West title in 2007.[39]
Allen has been confirmed as part owner of the Seattle Sounders FC a future Major League Soccer franchise that will begin play in 2009 at Qwest Field, a stadium also owned by Allen.
Main article: History of Microsoft
Allen co-founded Microsoft (initially "Micro-Soft") with Bill Gates in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1975, and began marketing a BASIC programming language interpreter.[7] In 1980, after promising to deliver IBM a Disc Operating System (DOS) they had not yet developed for the Intel 8086-based IBM PC, Allen spearheaded a deal for Microsoft to purchase a Quick and DirtyOperating System (QDOS) written by Tim Paterson who, at the time, was employed at Seattle Computer Products. As a result of this transaction, Microsoft was able to secure a contract to supply the DOS that would eventually run on IBM's PC line. This contract with Big Blue was the watershed in Microsoft history that led to Allen's fabulous wealth.[8]
Allen was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in 1983. His cancer was successfully treated by several months of radiation therapy and a bone marrow transplant. However, he did not return to Microsoft and began distancing himself from the company.[8] Allen officially resigned from his position on the Microsoft board in November 2000 but was asked to consult as a senior strategy advisor to the company's executives.[9] He sold 68 million shares of Microsoft stock that year[10], but still owns a reported 138 million shares.[11]
Recognition
In 2007 and 2008, Allen was listed among Time Magazines 100 Most Influential People in The World.[12]
Paul Allen had received awards and honorary degrees from several universities. In May 1999, Washington State University bestowed its highest honor, the Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award, upon Allen. He received a "Docteur honoris causa" from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland) in 2007. In April 2008, Allen received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the Watson School of Biological Sciences (Cold Spring Harbor, NY); and in May 2008 he had received the Vanguard Award for Science and Technology from the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, an honor given to those who make significant contributions to that industry.
Philanthropy
Paul Allen has made significant contributions to organizations related to health and human services, and toward the advancement of science and technology. The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation was established in 1986 to administer most of his contributions.[13] Through the Foundation, Allen awards approximately $30 million in grants annually.[14] Roughly 60 percent of the Foundation's money goes to non-profit organizations in Seattle and the state of Washington, and 12 percent to Portland, Oregon. The remaining 28 percent is distributed to other cities within the Pacific Northwest.[14] Allen has donated US$900 million of his money, as of 2007.[15] Allen also contributes through other charitable projects known as "venture philanthropy". The most famous of these projects are Experience Music Project, the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, the Flying Heritage Collection (airworthy vintage military aircraft) and the Allen Telescope Array (ATA).[15] The ATA is a partnership between the University of California, Berkeley and the SETI Institute.[16] Allen has a flower fly named after him for his contributions to Dipterology, called Paul Allen's flower fly.[17] Allen has also funded the purchase of many Jimi Hendrix artifacts, including the guitar Hendrix played at Woodstock, and ensured their public display in the Experience Music Project exhibits.[18]
Although he attended Washington State University and has given money to its music school, Allen has donated more money to the University of Washington. In the late 1980s, Allen donated US$18 million to build a new library named after his father, Kenneth S. Allen.[19] US$5 million was donated in 2003 to establish the Faye G. Allen Center for Visual Arts, named after his mother.[20] Allen was also the top private contributor, with US$14 million in donations, and namesake, of the "Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering", which was completed in 2003.[21] Throughout the years, Allen has contributed millions of US dollars to the University of Washington Medical School.[22] The Foundation awarded US$3.2 million for prostatitis research in 1997, followed by an additional US$1.0 million grant in 2002.[23] More recently, the Foundation contributed US$5.0 million for an early cancer-detection project by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.[24]
Allen founded the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2003 with Jo Allen Patton as a nonprofit corporation (501(c) (3)) and medical research organization. Utilizing the mouse model system (given its great similarity to human DNA), 20,000 genes in the adult mouse brain were mapped to a cellular level for the Allen Brain Atlas. The data generated from this effort is contained in the free and publicly available Allen Brain Atlas application located at www.brain-map.org. In 2008, the Institute also launched the Allen Spinal Cord Atlas project. All of these scientific findings will prove invaluable to international researchers working on cures for neurological and nervous system illnesses and injuries.
Investments
Paul Allen (in sun glasses and crimson tie) and Burt Rutan (leather jacket) were presented with the Ansari X PRIZE by members of the X PRIZE Foundation in 2004.
Allen has made several investments since becoming a billionaire. He confirmed that he was the sole investor behind Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne suborbital commercial spacecraft on October 4, 2004. SpaceShipOne climbed to an altitude of 377,591 feet (115,090 m) and was the first privately funded effort to successfully put a civilian in suborbital space. It won the Ansari X PRIZE competition and received the $10 million prize.[25]
Real estate
Allen was a key developer and investor in the development of the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle as a biotechnology hub and mixed-use community.[26] He was also the largest private landowner in South Lake Union and owns nearly 2,600,000 square feet (240,000 m2) in the neighborhood.[26] His holdings company has a development capacity of more than 10,000,000 square feet (930,000 m2) of new residential, office, retail and biotech research space.[26] The South Lake Union redevelopment represents one of the largest urban revitalization projects in the country.[27] Allen has made investments estimated at US$200 million as of 2005, and promoted for city funding of the Seattle Streetcar line known as South Lake Union Streetcar, which runs from Seattle's Westlake Center to the south end of Lake Union.[28] The Streetcar is a public and private partnership made possible because of a Local Improvement District (LID) supported by businesses and residents along the line;[29] it officially started operation on December 12, 2007.[30] This development has been criticized as a city-supported real estate investment for Vulcan Inc,[31] and concerns over the loss of low-income housing have been expressed
Sports
Allen purchased the Portland Trail Blazers NBA team in 1988 from California real estate developer Larry Weinberg for $70 million.[4] He was also instrumental in the development and funding of their Rose Garden in 1993.[8] The Blazers are valued at approximately $300 million according to a 2006 issue of Forbes.[33] Allen has been asking Portland and Oregon officials for assistance in the financing of the Blazers since 2006, which he estimated would lose $100 million over the next three years.[34] Portland Mayor Tom Potter rebuffed the requests.[35] Allen announced the completion of the acquisition of the Rose Garden on April 2, 2007, and stated that this was a major milestone and a positive step for the franchise.[36] He said “My efforts are focused on continuing to support the Trail Blazers and the long-term financial health of the franchise."[37]
Allen purchased the Seattle Seahawks NFL team in 1997 when former owner Ken Behring threatened to move the Seahawks to Southern California.[3] He played a large part in the development of the new Seahawks' stadium, Qwest Field, although it was funded largely by tax revenue.[38] The Seahawks captured its fourth consecutive NFC West title in 2007.[39]
Allen has been confirmed as part owner of the Seattle Sounders FC a future Major League Soccer franchise that will begin play in 2009 at Qwest Field, a stadium also owned by Allen.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The World Richest People,Warren Buffet
He (born August 30, 1930, in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American investor, businessman and philanthropist. He is regarded as one of the world's greatest investors and is the largest shareholder and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.[3] With an estimated net worth of around US$62 billion,[4] he was ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world as of February 11, 2008.[5]
Often called the "Oracle of Omaha",[6] Buffett is noted for his adherence to the value investing philosophy and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth.[7] His 2006 annual salary was about $100,000, which is small compared to senior executive remuneration in other comparable companies.[8] When he spent $9.7 million of Berkshire's funds on a business jet in 1989, he jokingly named it "The Indefensible" because of his past criticisms of such purchases by other CEOs.[9] He lives in the same house in the central Dundee neighborhood of Omaha that he bought in 1958 for $31,500, today valued at around $700,000.[10]
Buffett is also a noted philanthropist. In 2006, he announced a plan to give away his fortune to charity, with 83% of it going to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[11] In 2007, he was listed among Times 100 Most Influential People in The World.[12] He also serves as a member of the board of trustees at Grinnell College.[13]
In September 2008, during the subprime mortgage crisis, Buffet invested US$5 billion in the bank holding company Goldman Sachs. [14]
Often called the "Oracle of Omaha",[6] Buffett is noted for his adherence to the value investing philosophy and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth.[7] His 2006 annual salary was about $100,000, which is small compared to senior executive remuneration in other comparable companies.[8] When he spent $9.7 million of Berkshire's funds on a business jet in 1989, he jokingly named it "The Indefensible" because of his past criticisms of such purchases by other CEOs.[9] He lives in the same house in the central Dundee neighborhood of Omaha that he bought in 1958 for $31,500, today valued at around $700,000.[10]
Buffett is also a noted philanthropist. In 2006, he announced a plan to give away his fortune to charity, with 83% of it going to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[11] In 2007, he was listed among Times 100 Most Influential People in The World.[12] He also serves as a member of the board of trustees at Grinnell College.[13]
In September 2008, during the subprime mortgage crisis, Buffet invested US$5 billion in the bank holding company Goldman Sachs. [14]
Monday, September 22, 2008
The World Richest People;Ayman Hariri
Age: 27
Fortune: inherited
Source: Innheritance
Net Worth: 2.7
Country Of Citizenship: Saudi Arabia
Residence: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Middle East & Africa
Industry: Technology
Marital Status: married, 1 child
Georgetown University, Bachelor of Arts / Science
One of five children of slain Lebanese prime minister Rafik (see Bahaa, Saad, Fahd and Hind) to qualify for the billionaire ranks. Fills role of family's tech geek. Cut his teeth within the engineering ranks of the recently privatized satellite consortium, Intelsat, as well as at a Hariri-controlled South African wireless carrier. Then started closely held identity management software firm Epok; signed Dubai International Airport as a customer in 2004.
Fortune: inherited
Source: Innheritance
Net Worth: 2.7
Country Of Citizenship: Saudi Arabia
Residence: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Middle East & Africa
Industry: Technology
Marital Status: married, 1 child
Georgetown University, Bachelor of Arts / Science
One of five children of slain Lebanese prime minister Rafik (see Bahaa, Saad, Fahd and Hind) to qualify for the billionaire ranks. Fills role of family's tech geek. Cut his teeth within the engineering ranks of the recently privatized satellite consortium, Intelsat, as well as at a Hariri-controlled South African wireless carrier. Then started closely held identity management software firm Epok; signed Dubai International Airport as a customer in 2004.
The World Richest People; Nasser Al-Kharafi & family
Age: 62
Fortune: inherited
Source: Construction
Net Worth: 12.4
Country Of Citizenship: Kuwait
Residence: Kuwait City, Kuwait, Middle East & Africa
Industry: Engineering/Construction
Marital Status: married, no children
Runs $4.3 billion (sales) M.A. Kharafi & Sons in Kuwait, which has benefited from that nation's robust economy. His net worth rose thanks to rising share prices of several holdings including Mobile Telecommunications Co., National Bank of Kuwait, and Americana, operator of U.S. fast food chains. Avid BBC-viewer. Older brother Jassim is a politician in Kuwait parliament; sister Faiza is president of Kuwait University. Has construction contracts in Iraq. Is spending $250,000 over eight years to sponsor the Kharafi Kings, a Kuwaiti softball team that fields mostly U.S. players in a burgeoning league for expats working in the Middle East.
Fortune: inherited
Source: Construction
Net Worth: 12.4
Country Of Citizenship: Kuwait
Residence: Kuwait City, Kuwait, Middle East & Africa
Industry: Engineering/Construction
Marital Status: married, no children
Runs $4.3 billion (sales) M.A. Kharafi & Sons in Kuwait, which has benefited from that nation's robust economy. His net worth rose thanks to rising share prices of several holdings including Mobile Telecommunications Co., National Bank of Kuwait, and Americana, operator of U.S. fast food chains. Avid BBC-viewer. Older brother Jassim is a politician in Kuwait parliament; sister Faiza is president of Kuwait University. Has construction contracts in Iraq. Is spending $250,000 over eight years to sponsor the Kharafi Kings, a Kuwaiti softball team that fields mostly U.S. players in a burgeoning league for expats working in the Middle East.
The World richest People:Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud
Age: 49
Fortune: self made,
Source: Investments,
Net Worth: 20.0
Country Of Citizenship: Saudi Arabia
Residence: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Middle East & Africa
Industry: Investments
Marital Status: divorced, 2 children
College, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceSyracuse University, Master of Science
This nephew of the Saudi king is one of the world's wealthiest investors, with a big stake in Citigroup. Received much publicity–some of it negative–in December 2005 for the $20 million gifts he made to Harvard and Georgetown to expand their Islamic studies departments. In January 2006, with a partner, announced a $3.9 billion deal to buy Fairmont Hotel & Resorts. In February listed his hotel holdings on the Dubai stock exchange. Planning to take his main investment group, Kingdom Holdings, public on the Saudi exchange later this year
Fortune: self made,
Source: Investments,
Net Worth: 20.0
Country Of Citizenship: Saudi Arabia
Residence: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Middle East & Africa
Industry: Investments
Marital Status: divorced, 2 children
College, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceSyracuse University, Master of Science
This nephew of the Saudi king is one of the world's wealthiest investors, with a big stake in Citigroup. Received much publicity–some of it negative–in December 2005 for the $20 million gifts he made to Harvard and Georgetown to expand their Islamic studies departments. In January 2006, with a partner, announced a $3.9 billion deal to buy Fairmont Hotel & Resorts. In February listed his hotel holdings on the Dubai stock exchange. Planning to take his main investment group, Kingdom Holdings, public on the Saudi exchange later this year
Saturday, September 20, 2008
mark Shuttleworth
Mark Richard Shuttleworth is a South African entrepreneur who was the second self-funded space tourist and first African in space. Shuttleworth founded Canonical Ltd. and as of 2008, provides leadership for the Ubuntu Linux distribution.He currently lives in London and holds dual citizenship of South Africa and the United Kingdom.Contents Early lifeShuttleworth was born in 18 September 1973, Welkom, Free State, South Africa.After going to school at Diocesan College, Shuttleworth obtained a Business Science degree in Finance and Information Systems at the University of Cape Town.WorkShuttleworth founded Thawte in 1995, which specialised in digital certificates and Internet security and then sold it to VeriSign in December 1999, earning 3.5 billion (about US$ 575 million at the time).In September 2000, Shuttleworth formed HBD Venture Capital, a business incubator and venture capital provider.In March 2004 he formed Canonical Ltd., for the promotion and commercial support of free software projects.LinuxIn the 1990s, Shuttleworth participated as a developer of Debian, a Linux distribution. In 2004 he returned to the free software world by funding the development of Ubuntu, a Linux distribution based on Debian, through his company Canonical Ltd.In 2001 he formed the Shuttleworth Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to social innovation which also funds educational and free and open source software projects in South Africa, such as the Freedom Toaster.In 2005 he founded the Ubuntu Foundation and made an initial investment of 10 million dollars. In the Ubuntu project, Shuttleworth is often referred to with the tongue-in-cheek title Self-Appointed Benevolent Dictator for Life, abbreviated SABDFL. To come up with a list of names of people to hire for the project, Mr. Shuttleworth took six months of Debian mailing list archives with him whilst travelling to the Antarctic aboard the icebreaker Kapital Khlebnikov in early 2004. In September 2005, he purchased a 65% stake of Impi Linux.On 15 October 2006 it was announced that Mark Shuttleworth became the first patron of KDE, the highest level of sponsorship available.SpaceflightShuttleworth in the International Space StationShuttleworth gained worldwide fame on 25 April 2002 as a spaceflight participant aboard the Russian Soyuz TM-34 mission, paying approximately US$ 20 million. Two days later, the Soyuz spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station, where he spent eight days participating in experiments related to AIDS and genome research. On 5 May 2002, he returned to Earth. In order to participate on the flight, Shuttleworth had to undergo one year of training and preparation, including seven months spent in Star City, Russia.While in space he had a radio conversation with Nelson Mandela and a 14 year old South African girl, Michelle Foster, who asked him to marry her. He politely dodged the question, stating that he was "very honoured at the question" before moving the conversation on. The terminally ill Miss Foster's conversation was enabled by the Reach for a Dream foundation.TransportHe has his own private jet, a Bombardier Global Express, which is often referred to as Canonical One, but is in fact owned through his HBD Venture Capital company. The dragon depicted on the side of the plane is "Norman", the HBD Venture Capital masco
4:41:00 AM
by Anthony
4:41:00 AM
by Anthony
Thursday, September 18, 2008
African Union State.
The Union of African States, was a short lasting union of 3 African states in West Africa, in the 1960's. These states were Mali, Ghana, and Guinea. They united together to form the Union of African States. This union was Marxist politically, and was lead by such African revolutionaries as Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Sékou Touré of Guinea, who was president of Guinea.
On 23 November 1958 a Ghana-Guinea Union was formed with a flag like that of Ghana but with two black stars. In May 1959 it was announced that the Union would be renamed Union of African States with a flag like that of Ghana "with as many black stars as there were members".[citation needed] In April 1961 Mali joined this union, so the flag then had three stars. The Union fell apart in 1962, when Guinea started to reach out to the United States, against the acquaintance of their Socialist partner, the U.S.S.R..
This was the inspiration for the famous song "Ghana, Guinea, Mali union" by grandfather of Highlife E.T. Mensah
On 23 November 1958 a Ghana-Guinea Union was formed with a flag like that of Ghana but with two black stars. In May 1959 it was announced that the Union would be renamed Union of African States with a flag like that of Ghana "with as many black stars as there were members".[citation needed] In April 1961 Mali joined this union, so the flag then had three stars. The Union fell apart in 1962, when Guinea started to reach out to the United States, against the acquaintance of their Socialist partner, the U.S.S.R..
This was the inspiration for the famous song "Ghana, Guinea, Mali union" by grandfather of Highlife E.T. Mensah
African Union History.
The African Union is intended to be a geo-political entity covering the entirety of the African continent.
Its origins originated in the Union of African States, an early confederation that was established by Kwame Nkrumah in the 1960s, as well as subsequent attempts to unite Africa, including the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was established on May 25, 1963, and the African Economic Community in 1981. Critics argued that the OAU in particular did little to protect the rights and liberties of African citizens from their own political leaders, often dubbing it the "Dictators' Club".
The idea of creating the AU was revived in the mid-1990s under the leadership of Libyan head of state Muammar al-Gaddafi: the heads of state and government of the OAU issued the Sirte Declaration (named after Sirte, in Libya) on September 9, 1999, calling for the establishment of an African Union. The Declaration was followed by summits at Lomé in 2000, when the Constitutive Act of the African Union was adopted, and at Lusaka in 2001, when the plan for the implementation of the African Union was adopted. During the same period, the initiative for the establishment of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), was also established.
Its origins originated in the Union of African States, an early confederation that was established by Kwame Nkrumah in the 1960s, as well as subsequent attempts to unite Africa, including the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was established on May 25, 1963, and the African Economic Community in 1981. Critics argued that the OAU in particular did little to protect the rights and liberties of African citizens from their own political leaders, often dubbing it the "Dictators' Club".
The idea of creating the AU was revived in the mid-1990s under the leadership of Libyan head of state Muammar al-Gaddafi: the heads of state and government of the OAU issued the Sirte Declaration (named after Sirte, in Libya) on September 9, 1999, calling for the establishment of an African Union. The Declaration was followed by summits at Lomé in 2000, when the Constitutive Act of the African Union was adopted, and at Lusaka in 2001, when the plan for the implementation of the African Union was adopted. During the same period, the initiative for the establishment of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), was also established.
Monday, September 15, 2008
West Afrca Cuisine
A typical West African meal is heavy with starchy items, light on meat and generous on fat. Fufu, a semi-solid starchy mass similar to mashed potatoes or polenta, is served with soups and stews, such as egusi. Fufu is often made from starchy root vegetables such as yams, cocoyams, or cassava, but also from cereal grains or plantains.
Another characteristic is the hot spices, including peppers and chiles. Seeds of Guinea pepper (Aframomum melegueta; also called grains of paradise or melagueta pepper) a native West African plant, were used as a spice and even reached Europe, through North African middlemen, during the Middle Ages. Centuries before the influence of Europeans, West African people were trading with the Arab world and spices like cinnamon, cloves mint were not unknown and became part of the local flavorings. Centuries later, the Portuguese, French and British influenced the regional cuisines, but only to a limited extent. However, as far as is known, it was European explorers who introduced the American Chile, or chili(Capsicum) to Africa sometime soon after Columbus sailed to America an both chillies and tomatoes have become ubiquitous components of West African cuisines.
Thus, in essence, the local cuisine and recipes of West Africa continue to remain deeply entrenched in the local customs and traditions, with ingredients like rice, peanuts (another plant from the New World, similar to the Bambara groundnut and Hausa groundnut of Africa), black-eyed beans, brown beans, and root vegetables such as yams, cocoyams, sweet potatoes, and cassava (yet another American plant). Cooking is done in multiple ways: roasting, baking, boiling,Frying, mashing, and spicing. A range of sweets and savories are also prepared. Use of items introduced by colonizers are also not uncommon – like plantains, peppers and green peas, citrus fruits, and pineapples, which are legacy of slave ship traffic between Africa and the New World.
Cooking techniques of West Africa often combine fish and meat, including dried fish. Flaked and dried, fish is often fried in oil, and sometimes cooked in sauce made up with hot peppers, onions and tomatoes various spices and water to prepare a highly flavored stew. In some areas, beef and mutton are preferred, and chevon (goat meat) is the dominant red meat. It is common to have a preponderance of seafood and the seafood, as earlier stated, is sometimes also mixed with other meat products. Eggs and chickens are also preferred.
As far as beverages, water has a very strong ritual significance in many West African nations (particularly in dry areas) and water is often the first thing an African host will offer his/her guest. Palm wine is also a common beverage made from the fermented sap of various types of palm trees and is usually sold in sweet (less-fermented, retaining more of the sap's sugar) or sour (fermented longer, making it stronger and less sweet) varieties.
Amala (a dish of processed yams) and Ewedu (a soup) are typically eaten by the Yoruba people.
Another characteristic is the hot spices, including peppers and chiles. Seeds of Guinea pepper (Aframomum melegueta; also called grains of paradise or melagueta pepper) a native West African plant, were used as a spice and even reached Europe, through North African middlemen, during the Middle Ages. Centuries before the influence of Europeans, West African people were trading with the Arab world and spices like cinnamon, cloves mint were not unknown and became part of the local flavorings. Centuries later, the Portuguese, French and British influenced the regional cuisines, but only to a limited extent. However, as far as is known, it was European explorers who introduced the American Chile, or chili(Capsicum) to Africa sometime soon after Columbus sailed to America an both chillies and tomatoes have become ubiquitous components of West African cuisines.
Thus, in essence, the local cuisine and recipes of West Africa continue to remain deeply entrenched in the local customs and traditions, with ingredients like rice, peanuts (another plant from the New World, similar to the Bambara groundnut and Hausa groundnut of Africa), black-eyed beans, brown beans, and root vegetables such as yams, cocoyams, sweet potatoes, and cassava (yet another American plant). Cooking is done in multiple ways: roasting, baking, boiling,Frying, mashing, and spicing. A range of sweets and savories are also prepared. Use of items introduced by colonizers are also not uncommon – like plantains, peppers and green peas, citrus fruits, and pineapples, which are legacy of slave ship traffic between Africa and the New World.
Cooking techniques of West Africa often combine fish and meat, including dried fish. Flaked and dried, fish is often fried in oil, and sometimes cooked in sauce made up with hot peppers, onions and tomatoes various spices and water to prepare a highly flavored stew. In some areas, beef and mutton are preferred, and chevon (goat meat) is the dominant red meat. It is common to have a preponderance of seafood and the seafood, as earlier stated, is sometimes also mixed with other meat products. Eggs and chickens are also preferred.
As far as beverages, water has a very strong ritual significance in many West African nations (particularly in dry areas) and water is often the first thing an African host will offer his/her guest. Palm wine is also a common beverage made from the fermented sap of various types of palm trees and is usually sold in sweet (less-fermented, retaining more of the sap's sugar) or sour (fermented longer, making it stronger and less sweet) varieties.
Amala (a dish of processed yams) and Ewedu (a soup) are typically eaten by the Yoruba people.
African Names
Your name is your identity and a window on your culture and self. Your name links you with your past, your ancestors and is a part of your spirituality. Taking on an African name if you are of African descent or culture is a way to make these cultural linkages. Even if you only take the name privately without officially changing your name, you can still gain much satisfaction from making this link with your ancestral home - Africa. Even if you are not of African heritage perusing these lists will enable you to delve a little into the rich traditions and heritage of Africa and so give you new perspective and understanding of your own rich heritage and traditions. This site is intended to be the web's source for African personal names, listed complete with meaning and correct pronounciation. In Africa as in the rest of the world the birth of a child is
an event of great joy and significance. Much importance is attached to the naming of the child. The hopes of the parents, current events of importance and celestial events that may have attended the birth are all given consideration in naming the child. It is believed that the name chosen will exert an influence for better or for worse on the life of the child and on the family as well. These names have been culled from all over the continent and are listed as much for your enjoyment, as for your information and inspiration. If you feel inspired to take on one of them, so much the better. They are listed alphabetically with separate sections for female and male names. We are constantly adding new names to our gallery so please visit us often. We now have African proverbs displayed along with the names, just so you also get a touch of African wisdom. Enjoy
an event of great joy and significance. Much importance is attached to the naming of the child. The hopes of the parents, current events of importance and celestial events that may have attended the birth are all given consideration in naming the child. It is believed that the name chosen will exert an influence for better or for worse on the life of the child and on the family as well. These names have been culled from all over the continent and are listed as much for your enjoyment, as for your information and inspiration. If you feel inspired to take on one of them, so much the better. They are listed alphabetically with separate sections for female and male names. We are constantly adding new names to our gallery so please visit us often. We now have African proverbs displayed along with the names, just so you also get a touch of African wisdom. Enjoy
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Marriage in Nigeria
The Nigerian institution of marriage is unconventional by western standards. The traditional and Islamic systems of polygamy flourish within every social class. Women expect very little from men in terms of companionship, personal care, and fidelity. Their relationships exist without the emotional elements.
Polygamy is a crucial component of many women's lives. Women depend on the other wives of their husbands. The younger co-wives take on many of the household and financial responsibilities. As women get older they have the comfort of knowing that the burden of their marriage does not fall solely on their shoulders.
A woman's postion in society changes vastly once they marry since she becomes a possession, with relatively no rights in her husband's family. In fact, the husband's mother and sisters have much more of an influence over him than his own wife. The wife resents this lack of control or even respect within their marriage.
The Nigerian system of inheritance reflects the lack of male responsibility to his wife and children. If a husband dies, the woman usually receives nothing, although the law entitles her to a share. If she has no children, the treatment is worse. Since property can only pass between the same sexes, women can never inherit from their fathers.
Within marriage, women have an obligation to have children. Traditionally, society blames the woman for a marriage without children. Society not only condemns women who cannot have children, but unmarried and divorced women as well.
In recent years, the support of the co-wives has diminished. Modern developments of mandatory education, urbanization, and capitalism are changing the Nigerian society. Since 1960, educational opportunities have expanded for women. Slowly men are beginning to see the value of higher education for their wives. Now, more often than not, they send their daughters to school for an education.
Polygamy is a crucial component of many women's lives. Women depend on the other wives of their husbands. The younger co-wives take on many of the household and financial responsibilities. As women get older they have the comfort of knowing that the burden of their marriage does not fall solely on their shoulders.
A woman's postion in society changes vastly once they marry since she becomes a possession, with relatively no rights in her husband's family. In fact, the husband's mother and sisters have much more of an influence over him than his own wife. The wife resents this lack of control or even respect within their marriage.
The Nigerian system of inheritance reflects the lack of male responsibility to his wife and children. If a husband dies, the woman usually receives nothing, although the law entitles her to a share. If she has no children, the treatment is worse. Since property can only pass between the same sexes, women can never inherit from their fathers.
Within marriage, women have an obligation to have children. Traditionally, society blames the woman for a marriage without children. Society not only condemns women who cannot have children, but unmarried and divorced women as well.
In recent years, the support of the co-wives has diminished. Modern developments of mandatory education, urbanization, and capitalism are changing the Nigerian society. Since 1960, educational opportunities have expanded for women. Slowly men are beginning to see the value of higher education for their wives. Now, more often than not, they send their daughters to school for an education.
Women in Nigeria
The lives of middle class Nigerian women differ greatly from those of most western women. Since pre-colonial days women retained certain economic opportunities within the social system. In fact, before the middle of the twentieth century, Nigerian women traditionally played a more significant role in society than did western women. Traditional or tribal society in Nigeria expected women to be significant wage earners in the family. They labored in farming, fishing, herding, and commerce (for instance, pottery, cloth-making, and craft work) alongside Nigerian men. In fact, women traditionally had the right to profit from their work, although the money usually served as a contribution to the family income. This economic freedom was much different from many western societies, where women had to fight for the right to work. These traditions still survive in modern Nigeria
However, Nigerian men do not value the economic contributions of their wives. They do not view the woman's job and household work as especially taxing. For the most part, Nigerian men consistently take their wives for granted. Moreover, even with economic opportunities, Nigerian women lack certain rights. As a rule, men do not have any legal responsibility for their offspring, and they often abandon women, expecting them to carry the financial burden of the family.But recently things has began to change since they are now going for elected offices.
However, Nigerian men do not value the economic contributions of their wives. They do not view the woman's job and household work as especially taxing. For the most part, Nigerian men consistently take their wives for granted. Moreover, even with economic opportunities, Nigerian women lack certain rights. As a rule, men do not have any legal responsibility for their offspring, and they often abandon women, expecting them to carry the financial burden of the family.But recently things has began to change since they are now going for elected offices.
who is Ken Saro-Wiwa
What Paris is to Balzac, and Dublin is to James Joyce, Dukana is to Ken Saro-Wiwa." Dukana is the all-important semi-mythical town of the Khana people of the Niger Delta, whose governmental administration is called BOLGA (Bori Local Government Area of Rivers State of Nigeria). Ken Saro-Wiwa--born Kenule Benson Tsaro-Wiwa--was born at Bori on 10 October, 1941. Whether a student of the Government College Umuahia (which also produced, in addition to Chinua Achebe and Elechi Amadi, his classmate I.N.C. Aniebo), or at University College Ibadan (which became a full-fledged university only after his second year), he was always proud of his cultural roots, drawing a direct line of descent from ancient Ghana to semi-modern Khana. Although he only emerged as a major writer in his mid-forties with his first three major works--Songs in a Time of War (1985), Sozaboy (1985), and A Forest of Flowers, short stories (1986)--his literary style began to develop over twenty years earlier when he was editor of the Obadan English Department's student magazine The Horizon and the president of its dramatic society.
Though his early goals were for an academic career in drama, his very first publications were in fiction (eg. the short sketch "High Life," which appeared in The Horizon). By the time "High Life" was published (in the the anthology Africa in Prose, editied by O.R. Dathorne and Willfried Feuser), history placed itself in the immediate path of Saro-Wiwa's purely academic pursuits and placed him in the midst of the Biafran War, first as the Federal Administrator for Bonny and then as Civil Commisioner in the Rivers State Government (1968-1973).Ken Saro-Wiwa then abandoned academia but not his love for the arts. He took part in the Second BBC African Service Competition in October, 1971 and the jury (consisting of Martin Esslin, Lewis Nkosi and Wole Soyinka) awarded him joint fourth place.
Even from the start, language and its use emerged as the heart of Saro-Wiwa's concern. In private accounts, he expressed his censure of some of the best known African novelists and short-story writers. According to him, "their narritive proficiency and their plot construction are rarely matched by an appropriate style." A look at his own prose style reveals the almost total absence of what Femi Osofisan has quite derogatorily called "proverbialization: the excessive larding of the English narritive whith more or less felicitously translated proverbs that reduces the writer's world view to the trado-mythical level and his linguistic universe to the proportions of a museum, if not a prison, thus tying him to the apron strings of his linguistic substratum." Even though other modern African writers (namely Obi Wali, a friend of Saro-Wiwa's) have begun to write in an African language, Saro-Wiwa does not have the resources of a major Nigerian language to fall back upon (apart from a translation of the Bible, there is no other noteworthy literary work written in his native Khana). Therefore, he may tinker with proper name in his own language, for example, "Dukana, " a "market in Khana," but that is as far as his connection to linguistics goes. The rest is an "intense dedication to the medium of English." Ken Saro-Wiwa continues to write, operating on two distinct levels: that of pure English and that of which he calls "rotten English," a local, pidginized Nigerian variety of limited communication.
Though his early goals were for an academic career in drama, his very first publications were in fiction (eg. the short sketch "High Life," which appeared in The Horizon). By the time "High Life" was published (in the the anthology Africa in Prose, editied by O.R. Dathorne and Willfried Feuser), history placed itself in the immediate path of Saro-Wiwa's purely academic pursuits and placed him in the midst of the Biafran War, first as the Federal Administrator for Bonny and then as Civil Commisioner in the Rivers State Government (1968-1973).Ken Saro-Wiwa then abandoned academia but not his love for the arts. He took part in the Second BBC African Service Competition in October, 1971 and the jury (consisting of Martin Esslin, Lewis Nkosi and Wole Soyinka) awarded him joint fourth place.
Even from the start, language and its use emerged as the heart of Saro-Wiwa's concern. In private accounts, he expressed his censure of some of the best known African novelists and short-story writers. According to him, "their narritive proficiency and their plot construction are rarely matched by an appropriate style." A look at his own prose style reveals the almost total absence of what Femi Osofisan has quite derogatorily called "proverbialization: the excessive larding of the English narritive whith more or less felicitously translated proverbs that reduces the writer's world view to the trado-mythical level and his linguistic universe to the proportions of a museum, if not a prison, thus tying him to the apron strings of his linguistic substratum." Even though other modern African writers (namely Obi Wali, a friend of Saro-Wiwa's) have begun to write in an African language, Saro-Wiwa does not have the resources of a major Nigerian language to fall back upon (apart from a translation of the Bible, there is no other noteworthy literary work written in his native Khana). Therefore, he may tinker with proper name in his own language, for example, "Dukana, " a "market in Khana," but that is as far as his connection to linguistics goes. The rest is an "intense dedication to the medium of English." Ken Saro-Wiwa continues to write, operating on two distinct levels: that of pure English and that of which he calls "rotten English," a local, pidginized Nigerian variety of limited communication.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
African marriage
The African marriage rites are very important to the African peoples. The marriage rites are followed strictly and are very traditional. Marriage is the beginning of new life and when two people become one. In African Traditional Religion, marriage is a cherished fecundity and is intended for procreation. Marriage involves not only interpersonal relations but also intercommunity relations. The survival of kinship in the social structure depends on marriage; marriage always establishes very strong bonds between the individuals belonging to different families and clans, especially when children are born. When a community seeks out a wife or a son-in-law, they look for one that lives up to their expectations. A person with good moral qualities, industrious in physical work, respectful towards their elders and a good reputation. Physical attractiveness doesn’t matter as much as the community’s expectations. Fertility is the central requirement in marriage. There would be less of a chance of proposal if a woman or a woman in her family were suspected of being barren. Other things that might slow down the wedding process includes witchcraft, impotence, sterility, bad reputation…etc. The purpose of marriage is the social reproduction of the kinship group. The entire community, including living and deceased, are involved in the marriage process. There are certain rituals and taboos that must be observed in regard to marriage. Respect of in-laws and the observance of distance between in-laws, just to name a few. Prayers and sacrifices are offered to the ancestors on behalf of the groom and the bride. Fertility and healthy deliveries are prayed for. A marriage ceremony takes place over a certain period of time. Marriage in African Traditional Religions isn’t simply saying a few words. Marriage is a step by step process taken on by the entire community. Several ceremonies and rituals are preformed over time and at different locations. The stages of marriage differ from community to community but there are basic stages. First, friendship exists between the groom and the bride. Second, courtship is done but in some communities isn’t needed. Lastly, bride wealth is giving to the bride’s family. It is a means of providing privileges to children at their mother’s home of origin. Without a bride wealth, no man can claim any child as his. Dowry is also given to help the families of the couple getting married because the families loose both of their contributions to their families. There are different forms of marriage. Monogamy is a form of marriage, which means a man stays devoted to one woman but this is rare. The more children a man is seen as being very successful and a mark of importance. This is known as polygamy, having many wives. The husband is expected to love all of his wives equally. The first wife or the senior wife is given preferential treatment. Another form of marriage is called levirate union. This is when the original husband dies and the brother-in-law inherits his wife. Whoever takes the widow of a deceased relative or brother is permitted to get children in the name of the deceased. Sororate marriage is when a woman is barren and she asks her sister to marry her husband to conceive children and remove shame from his/her family name. Ghost marriage is if a man dies without children, the clan or community may find a wife for him to “marry” so as to provide children for him. Lastly, woman marriage is when there are no males left to inherit a widow and the widow is treated like a man and is allowed to marry another woman. Whatever children she has before her union with another woman are counted as her children and she is considered their legal father. And so, marriage is very important in African Traditional Religion. Once a child is born, the marriage is complete. Through the birth of a child, a husband and wife belong completely to one another, and the bond between the two families and communities is sealed. “Life is when you are together, alone you are an animal”(Magesa, African Religion, p.65).
African Art.
African artifacts have generally been exhibited with reference only to cultural context and use. In view of recent studies of African aesthetic principles and related moral and religious values, there is good reason to emphasize the formal aesthetic aspects of the objects and the moral and religious ideas they express.
African aesthetics generally has a moral basis, as indicated by the fact that in many African languages the same word means "beautiful" and "good." It is consistent with the use and meaning of African art that it should be both beautiful and good, because it is intended not only to please the eye but to uphold moral values. The ethical and religious basis of African art may explain why the principal subject is the human figure; African art often appears in ritual contexts that deal with the vital moral and spiritual concerns of the human condition.
It is important, furthermore, to display most African sculpture, especially masks and headdresses, in the round at about eye level, because this is how they are seen on the heads of dancers. African carvers try to make masks and headdresses appear visually interesting and to show different aspects as the dancer revolves before the people.
The objects selected for this exhibit were chosen both to exemplify African aesthetic and moral principles and to display some of the finest pieces in the Bayly's large collection. Most of the pieces in the exhibit come from West African countries.
African aesthetics generally has a moral basis, as indicated by the fact that in many African languages the same word means "beautiful" and "good." It is consistent with the use and meaning of African art that it should be both beautiful and good, because it is intended not only to please the eye but to uphold moral values. The ethical and religious basis of African art may explain why the principal subject is the human figure; African art often appears in ritual contexts that deal with the vital moral and spiritual concerns of the human condition.
It is important, furthermore, to display most African sculpture, especially masks and headdresses, in the round at about eye level, because this is how they are seen on the heads of dancers. African carvers try to make masks and headdresses appear visually interesting and to show different aspects as the dancer revolves before the people.
The objects selected for this exhibit were chosen both to exemplify African aesthetic and moral principles and to display some of the finest pieces in the Bayly's large collection. Most of the pieces in the exhibit come from West African countries.
African Masks
Many African societies see masks as mediators between the living world and the supernatural world of the dead, ancestors and other entities. Masks became and still become the attribute of a dressed up dancer who gave it life and word at the time of ceremonies. In producing a mask, a sculptor's aim is to depict a person's psychological and moral characteristics, rather than provide a portrait. The sculptor begins by cutting a piece of wood and leaving it to dry in the sun; if it cracks, it cannot be used for a mask. African sculptors see wood as a complex living material and believe each piece can add its own feature to their work. Having made certain the wood is suitable, the sculptor begins, using an azde to carve the main features, a chisel to work on details and a rough leaf to sand the piece. He then paints the mask with pigments such as charcoal (to give a black colour), powders made from vegetable matter or trees (for ochre/earth tones) or mineral powders like clay (to give a white colour). African peoples often symbolize death by the colour white rather than black; at the same time, many African cultures see white as the colour that links them to their ancestors, and it can therefore have a positive meaning.welcome to mask world.
Development in Africa
ln all continent of the world,Africa is less in term of development.That is why l want to comment Develop Africa,lnc.for what they are doing.
Develop Africa was birthed out of the vision that human resource development is the key to improving nation-building capacity in Africa. We envision an African continent fully developed in terms of its human and resource capacity, free from poverty, ignorance and civil conflict and where the poorest and most vulnerable people become “leaders” and effectively manage national resources
Accomplishments & Progress:
- Provided training in basic computer applications and web design to organizations / youth groups in Sierra Leone and the Gambia- Provided book and tuition scholarships for students in Sierra Leone and The Gambia- Provided free technology consulting services to NGO / non-profits in Sierra Leone and The Gambia- Supported and encouraged local groups for future / prospective development initiatives.- Assisted local non-profits in developing website- Established a volunteer recognition program- Worked with AidMatrix as a pilot group in developing a new portal- Partnered in several development initiatives with local and international non-profits / NGOs including the following: AidMatrix, Ethiopian Education Endeavors.l want to use this medium to call on other Continent,Countries and NGOs to assist on one way or the other to help Africa.
Develop Africa was birthed out of the vision that human resource development is the key to improving nation-building capacity in Africa. We envision an African continent fully developed in terms of its human and resource capacity, free from poverty, ignorance and civil conflict and where the poorest and most vulnerable people become “leaders” and effectively manage national resources
Accomplishments & Progress:
- Provided training in basic computer applications and web design to organizations / youth groups in Sierra Leone and the Gambia- Provided book and tuition scholarships for students in Sierra Leone and The Gambia- Provided free technology consulting services to NGO / non-profits in Sierra Leone and The Gambia- Supported and encouraged local groups for future / prospective development initiatives.- Assisted local non-profits in developing website- Established a volunteer recognition program- Worked with AidMatrix as a pilot group in developing a new portal- Partnered in several development initiatives with local and international non-profits / NGOs including the following: AidMatrix, Ethiopian Education Endeavors.l want to use this medium to call on other Continent,Countries and NGOs to assist on one way or the other to help Africa.
Friday, September 12, 2008
A Collection of African Prayers
Opening Prayer: "We adore you, o Christ, as you carry your cross along the dusty roads of Masaka, Uganda. We make the way of the cross in the homes and at the bedsides of those with AIDS. We bless you because through this suffering you have redeemed the world.1st Station: "Jesus is Condemned to Death." He sits shocked, unable to speak. His hands tremble. Marko has just been told he has AIDS. 'I'm going to die,' he says.2nd Station: "Jesus Takes Up His Cross." He is weighed down with the knowledge that he has AIDS. How will he tell his family? What will happen to his children? He tells his brother, sells some land, arranges for his children. It's hard. It's a heavy cross Vincent carries.3rd Station: "Jesus Fall For the First Time." He cannot stand alone. The abscesses are too painful. Peter is too weak. With help he makes it home and to bed where he begins the difficult task of regaining strength, so he can pick up the cross of living with AIDS and continue his journey.4th Station: "Jesus Meets His Mother." She lies there waiting for her mother to return. Regina has just learned that she has AIDS and is dying. She wants to tell her mother. As they meet, a look of pain and love passes between them. 'I have slim.' Her mother takes her in her arms and they weep.5th Station: "Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross." Richard has so many decisions to make. How can he go on? When his brothers come, he tells them he is too scared to go on. They comfort him, arrange to take him home, plan transport so he can return for treatment.6th Station: "Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus." She lies there, too weak to clean herself. Her clothes dirty and soiled because the diarrhea is almost constant now. She's alone. Pushed into a corridor so the smell won't disturb others. A young nurse comes, washes her and changes her clothes. Rose smiles.7th Station: "Jesus Falls the Second Time." He has begun to have diarrhea and no longer wants to eat. Sleep doesn't come and he's afraid. The illness is getting worse. Peter has to stop work. It's hard to keep living with AIDS.8th Station: "Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem." Jane has no land. Mary has no milk for her baby. Scovia's husband sent her away when he learned she has AIDS. Juliet was put out of her rented room. Betty works in a bar to support her children, providing favors for men to get food for them. The plight of poor women and AIDS. Jesus weeps.9th Station: "Jesus Falls the Third Time." His head feels as if it's bursting. Nothing brings relief. Peter lies in bed unable even to open his eyes. As the end nears, relatives arrive to move him from his rented room where he suffered alone for many months. One more step along the way.10th Station: "Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments." They put her out of the house and kept her clothes saying they wouldn't fit her wasted body. They told her to go to her grandmother's to die. Once there, she was again rejected -- stripped of all, even her right to belong. Juliet was returned to the hospital like an unwanted commodity.11th Station: "Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross." He cannot move. Finds it hard to breathe. Must wait for someone to care for him totally. An AIDS-related brain tumor has nailed James to his bed. His mother keeps watch.12th Station: "Jesus Dies on the Cross." Rose, Peter, John, Alecha, Kakande, Joseph, William, George, Grace, Paulo, Goretti...Jesus' body dying of AIDS.13th Station: "Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross." The wailing begins. The car reaches the homestead. As men rush forward to carry Paulo's shrouded body, a woman comes from the house. She reaches out to touch the body of her son.14th Station: "Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb." A grave is dug on hospital land -- only staff for mourners. Her nine-month-old child cries not understanding. The grave is filled. All go away. Rose is dead.15th Station: "The Resurrection." We wait!B. African Way of the Cross Following Our Local African Situation Especially the Sufferings, Crosses, and Problems of Our Everyday Life. Composed in consultation with Small Christian Communities (SCCs) in East Africa.
Life Insurance in African
In essence, life insurance is a contract between the policy owner and the insurer, where the insurer agrees to pay a sum of money if the policy holder dies. In return, the insured person (policy holder) pays a set amount of money, known as a premium, at regular intervals.
Before purchasing a life insurance policy you should consider the following:
1) The beneficiary – this is the person who receives money from the life insurance policy. This could be someone like a spouse or a family member.
2) The type of life cover that will suit you financially – how much money you can afford to spend on your life insurance.
3) The level of life cover needed.
A wide variety of affordable life cover is available in South Africa. A life insurance policy could help avoid having your family and dependents suffer financially following your death. In addition many life insurance policies have funeral plans to help families with funeral costs and expenses when they need it most.
Death Cover
Everyone's financial goals differ but the fundamental basics for most people are the same: the desire to provide financial freedom and protection for family and dependents even after death. A cheap life assurance policy provides security for your family without breaking the bank. Ask yourself the following questions to determine whether you need death cover:
Do people depend on you for their well being like your children, parents, siblings?
Are you a single parent?
Will your children be able to get by financially without you?
Is your house paid off?
What will happen in the sad event of your passing away?
Find the best life assurance for you and your family now by filling in our life insurance form.visit http://www.cheaplifeinsurance.co.za/
Before purchasing a life insurance policy you should consider the following:
1) The beneficiary – this is the person who receives money from the life insurance policy. This could be someone like a spouse or a family member.
2) The type of life cover that will suit you financially – how much money you can afford to spend on your life insurance.
3) The level of life cover needed.
A wide variety of affordable life cover is available in South Africa. A life insurance policy could help avoid having your family and dependents suffer financially following your death. In addition many life insurance policies have funeral plans to help families with funeral costs and expenses when they need it most.
Death Cover
Everyone's financial goals differ but the fundamental basics for most people are the same: the desire to provide financial freedom and protection for family and dependents even after death. A cheap life assurance policy provides security for your family without breaking the bank. Ask yourself the following questions to determine whether you need death cover:
Do people depend on you for their well being like your children, parents, siblings?
Are you a single parent?
Will your children be able to get by financially without you?
Is your house paid off?
What will happen in the sad event of your passing away?
Find the best life assurance for you and your family now by filling in our life insurance form.visit http://www.cheaplifeinsurance.co.za/
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