The Flip Side to Competition: A little is Healthy but too Much Can be TOO MUCH!

It has come to an end but the 2010 Cup of Nations, also known as the Orange Cup of Nations came to a close with a triumphant win by Egypt. Sadly the event got off to a very rough and unfortunately tragic start. On January 8 the Hawks from Togo fell under attack by a rebel faction travelling into the northern enclave of Cabinda. The attack ended in death and serious injury. So sad. (come on people really…when is this all going to stop…its heartbreaking). The team subsequently withdrew from the competition. Though difficult, after a while the game came back into focus now with only 15 teams competing. 15 teams. 29 games. (Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Togo (withdrew) Tunisia, and Zambia). The following players were named best for their respective positions:


Goal keeper: Essam El-Hadary (Egypt),

Defenders: Madjid Bougherra (Algeria), Wael Gomaa (Egypt), and Mabiná (Angola) Midfielders: Ahmed Fathy (Egypt), Peter Odemwingie (Nigeria), Alexandre Song (Cameroon), and Ahmed Hassan (Egypt)

Forwards: Asamoah Gyan (Ghana), Mohamed Zidan (Egypt), and Flavio (Angola)

Geddo of Egypt was the tournaments’ top scorer with five goals. Egypt also made history, becoming the first team to ever with a consecutive three Nations Cups. So even with this being exciting and all, the day before the final CAF banned Togo for the next two Africa Cup of Nations Tournaments and fined the team $50,000. The CAF made this decision because of the Togolese government’s decision to withdraw their national team even though players decided they wanted to stay (Valk). Maybe it’s just me but aren’t people’s lives are more valuable than a game? There would be no tournament if there were no players. Was it not in the best interest of the players to be removed from an endangering situation even if the attack wasn’t actually targeted at them? People died. The team was most likely traumatized and distressed. We really have to do better; and I say we because we cannot remove ourselves from the human condition no matter how significant or trivial the problem is.



“Nothing can detract from Egypt's magnificent performance - but in the end Angola 2010 will be remembered for more than just football. (Kenyon)”

Cup Of Nations: An Opportunity for Unity and Healthy Competition

The Africa Cup of Nations* recently ended with Egypt taking home the big prize, their third consecutive Cup of Nations championship. The tournament, held this year in Angola, is a chance for African soccer teams to come together and compete on a continental level. But the Africa Cup of Nations is more than just a fun soccer tournament. In fact, it has much greater implications for the African continent.


Over the years, sports have proven to be a useful tool in the coming together of a people. From the local high school football team inspiring a community to the Jamaican bobsled team inspiring a nation, sports of all kinds have the ability to create a sense of shared identity and pride among diverse populations. It may seem that the Africa Cup of Nations is only inspiring to the Egyptians , but let’s not forget the 16 other teams who made it to the tournament. Also, with many African nations being notorious for their disorganization, the whole continent should be proud to show the world that they, like any other continent, are perfectly able to orchestrate such a large-scale, and ultimately, successful event.

Another reason sports are beneficial to the African continent is quite similar to the (good) reasons parents enroll their children in little league baseball and recreational league basketball: sports build good life skills. Playing on a sports team teaches kids teamwork, fair play and following rules and directions. It also injects a healthy dose of competiveness into their system, the kind of competiveness that inspires them to push themselves to be better. Although Africans may not necessarily be in search of life skills, there’s no reason to believe that teamwork, fair play, healthy competiveness and gaining respect for rules cannot benefit the continent.

The Cup of Nations also puts Africa on the world stage in a more positive light. Besides the terrorist attack on Togo’s nation team (a very serious and unfortunate occurrence)**, Africa gets to be mentioned in world media without the usual talk of corruption, death and poverty. Although these are very serious issues, it does help to hear something positive and uplifting about Africa every once in a while. It also helps to dispel the idea that Africa, as a whole, is some sort of desolate and god-forsaken place when it is actually rich in culture and life.

Although I speak of Africa the continent, I do realize that Africa is a conglomerate entity of numerous and diverse pieces. I do not mean to ignore that fact, like so many do. I only speak of it in this way because the Africa Cup of Nations, as the name implies, is such a good chance for all around African improvement. Many of the problems you find in Nigeria and Libya you will find in Zimbabwe, Madagascar and the DRC. Creating a continental African identity can lead not only to an improved image in the eyes of the world but also an improved self-image for Africans everywhere.

Memories of Africa Night!!

The first time I heard “Zouglou Dance” by Magic Systeme, I was sold. The song starts so energetically and makes you want to dance, never mind the fact that you may not understand French. They say love is the language of the world, but I say it’s music. For O.A.S.I.S’s annual Africa Night, musicplays a large role, there is the music for the fashion show, the music thatZankiliwa dances to, and the music we play during interludes and then of course, the music at the after party. Choosing music is just one part ofall the the preparation that goes into Africa Night. After months of preparation, a week of late night rehearsals, it is showtime. All the nervous energy and worry goes out of the window, this is not just a show, it is more of a celebration. A celebration of our cultures and the diversity of Africa. What makes Africa Night so special is that we not only tell the stories that we are familiar with as part of the diaspora, but we also learn things from each other that we are not so familiar with. Last year’s show was titled Unspoken Truths. A term so broad it gave us the opportunity to explore different subjects, with a play focused on asylum, political unrest, corruption, civil war and many of the themes we so often see, very heavy topics. We also had the dancing, the music, the humor from the hosts and in the play; all things that lightened the mood and showed a different side of our relationship with Africa. That is why I loved ‘Zouglou Dance”, the vibrance and energy reminded me of the optimism and happiness that is still found in Africa. Each year, the goal of Africa Night is to inform, discuss and celebrate all the aspects of our continent.
(Join us on March 20th on UNC Campus to witness the wonders and creativity in Africa NIGHT!!!)

Can Former Civilians Repair Damages from a Civil War

There are a couple things that are guaranteed at a Liberian gathering: fufu and soup, "Tutu Party," and a large group of men fighting to talk over each other about politics. You might laugh at the talk - it seems useless and repetitive. It's always the same discussion at every party, reception or barbecue. But maybe you shouldn't scoff at your dad and uncles - they might be on to something.
The general political situation in Africa is no secret. Although corruption isn't the rule in African politics, it's still nowhere near being the exception. The political well-being of a country is key to it's people's success: Without a stable government in place that has the people's best interests at heart, the country usually isn't headed anywhere good. A corrupt government or leader is rarely the only problem, but it is one of the best places to begin when you are looking to fix a problem. So how does one start to fix a problem when your main source of helpin' is too busy helpin' itself?
Normally, I would say the citizens ,but this may not be the answer. Think of what your concerns would be if you were a citizen of a war-torn country where you're struggling just to provide the day-to-day necessities. The workings of the government would be the least of your worries. Putting food on your table and maintaining some semblance of stability is probably what is weighing on your mind, so the citizens may not be the best place to start. Where, then?
How about those arguing men (and sometimes women, of course) that we were discussing before. The diaspora; our parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. These are the best people to enact political change in Africa. For one, they are not strangers. They know their culture and customs and they know the concerns of the citizens. Because they have this background, there is less of a risk of them trying to force a government system that does not work well with the established customs. Second of all, our parents have moved to and lived in countries where the government is stable and for the most part, corruption is kept in check. Many of them also have the benefit of a top-notch, higher-level education. These are the people who can use these two sources of knowledge to help create a stable African political atmosphere.
What I'm saying is nothing that hasn't been said before. But, it does shed some light on the party politic discussions. Even though they seem like fruitless arguments, they are indications of something more. They are indications that these people - our uncles, moms, aunts, and cousins - still care. And that means a lot. Just caring is the seed of greater things. Showing that you care about something means there is the potential for further thought and action. Sometimes the actions don't even have to come from you. They may encourage other people to care and think and act. These discussions aren't meaningless at all. In fact, they are meaningful and may be the grass roots to finding an answer.
Of course, this is no solution to the problem. Caring about an issue won't change it or make it better. But I honestly believe that it is a good, though small, place to start.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, current Liberian President who is a graduate of Harvard and is working to restore peace to the country of Liberia after many years of corruption and civil war. She is known as the "Iron Lady"

Editors post

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break and ate lots of good food, hopefully some of it was African and spicy. This week we will be exploring the political structures and conflicts within African countries. As we all know Africa itself is a collection of very different countries which in turn are a collection of very very different towns, cities, villages, cultures, religions, and languages! With so many differences, conflict is sure to arise, but it is necessary for us to explore these differences and try to find the similarities that can help us unite. In the words of Nelson Mandela 'I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself."

Africana Wardrobe Diary: Arise Africa Fashion Week 2009: Lanre Da Silva-Ajayi & Mustafa Hassanali

Africana Wardrobe Diary: Arise Africa Fashion Week 2009: Lanre Da Silva-Ajayi & Mustafa Hassanali

Catwalk for Africa

When I think of fashion I like to think of a sense of individuality. I know it sounds cliché, you know, everyone trying so hard to be different that they all strangely somewhat end up looking the same. I am in no way claiming myself to be a fashion expert (ok, maybe I have some experience) but something about walking out the door and knowing that you look great automatically exudes confidence. So, with that being said I would currently give half of my left lung to attend Catwalk for Africa 2009. It is being held in Tunisia on December 5, 2009 and if I start walking now maybe I will make it there sometime within the next two or three years and sadly the show will have long been over. How I wish it was in Miami just one more time. At this spectacular event there will be entertainment, performances, world-class exhibits, and of course fashion. It would be terribly difficult for a catwalk event to lack fashions that would almost make you want to scream because it was so phenomenal.

I have no doubt that this event will be anything short of amazing. It is the mission of a designer to be as un-generic as possible. With new wave African designers such as Bot i Lam and Pacy Kone, international designers Imane Ayissi (who calling multifaceted would be an understatement), Martial Tapolo and Ally Rehmtullah, and more, I don’t think generic would even be an issue here. These designers are taking the traditional and making it contemporary, using new cuts with African fabrics. The clothes they create make you wish you could float so they never have to touch the ground and give you a reason to buy new shoes that feel like heaven on heels when you slide your feet in them.  I am beyond thankful that creators of Catwalk for Africa felt desire and sensed a need to recreate African fashion and to spread its influence. The parents of this event, as I would call them since they gave birth to it, say and I gladly quote, “The event was born in an effort to revitalize African fashion, redefine it and significantly increase its presence in the global market. While some may wrongly summarize African fashion to: “ethnic” prints, safari clothing and traditional outfits, Catwalk for Africa demonstrates a side of African fashion with a lot more depth, audacity, creativity and quality (catwalkforafrica.blogspot.com).” This alone captures the essence of fashion everywhere. Always new. Forever changing. Insanely unique.

African Fashion on the Rise

African Fashion is on the rise. The days when designers felt they had to leave their countries and go overseas to find success in the Fashion Industry are gone. The fashion industry is growing and designers from all corners of the continent are showing just how talented and versatile they are. A lot of this has been accomplished through the efforts of Africa Fashion International, a South African based company that owns and hosts all the Fashion weeks in South Africa.

Dr. Precious Moloi-Mostepe, the chairperson of the company has taken an interest in the advancement of South African designers and other designers at large. The Johannesburg and Cape Town Fashion week draw designers from all over the continent. In fact, there is a competition that is held in which designers from over 50 countries, showcase their lines and the winner receives the opportunity to show a collection at the internationally acclaimed New York Fashion Week. This past September, designers, Tiffany Amber (Nigeria), Jewel by Lisa (Nigeria), Erica Raisina (Madagascar) and David Tlale (South Africa) all showed their collections in the tents at Bryant Park. This was very big accomplishment for both AFI and these designers. The work of AFI has generated international exposure for the diverse creativity of African designers.

Letter from the Editor

Hello Blogging World!

Today marks the "debut" of the new African Tenesa blog, a medium where thoughts and ideas involving precious Africa will be explored and analyzed. As we embark on this journey of exploring the many different aspects of Africa, please remember that blogs are only for discussion and insight and that our actions determine the future of our Nation. Tenesa is the Ethiopian language of Amharic's term for "get up" and while we encourage everyone to continue to discuss issues concerning Africa, we must urge you to get up and do something about it. If you like the fashion we discuss, don't be afraid to be ethnic, get up and go rock the newest African trend. If you admire our blog about amazing track champions in our beloved home country, don't just dream, get up and join a team. If you empathize with the suffering involved with our people, get up and find a way to give assistance to the cause. In this blog we will discuss many things, but we hope it wont just stop there. We hope to inspire you to try our traditions and embody our style. Africa Unite!