AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION CHAIRMANSHIP ELECTION ENDS IN A DEADLOCK : The African Sun Times

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Addresses and Telephone Numbers of African Diplomatic Missions to the United Nations, New York

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EMPOWERMENT GURU CHIKA ONYEANI'S VISIT TO NAMIBIA (click here and here)

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AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION CHAIRMANSHIP ELECTION ENDS IN A DEADLOCK

Above photo, l-r: Dr, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Dr. Jean Ping

The much anticipated election showdown for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission, (secretariat of the Union), dubbed "David versus Goliath", did not turn out to end in the same way as that Biblical encounter had ended.

The question really is whether Africa could continue to allow European hegemonic influence to play a major role in how the continent positions itself as both of these two candidates possess a wealth of experience that should be the determining factor and not whether they are supported by France as had been rumored about Jean Ping or NATO as was rumored for Dlamini-Zuma.

BENIN PRESIDENT THOMAS YAYI BONI IS AFRICAN UNION'S NEW CHAIRMAN

Benin President Thomas Boni Yayi was elected the African Union Chairman on Sunday, taking over the one-year post from Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, officials said.

Boni was born in Tchaourou, in the Borgou Department in northern Benin

FULL TEXT OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

Full text of President Obama's State of the Union address on Thursday, January 24, 2012 to the joint assembly of Congress, here.

See Press Release

WORLD AFRICAN DIASPORA UNION (WADU)

“Ambassador Thompson, WADU Leader, Living Legend” Transitioned

John Watusi Branch-718-523-3312/WADUPAM.ORG

Arriving at a meeting at the African Union Hall in New York, Ambassador Dr. Dudley Thompson and wife, being welcomed by Dr. Chika Onyeani, chair of the African Union Task Team left, Ambassador and wife (middle), Ambassador Erieka Bennett and Ambassador Tete Antonio of the African Union Permanent Observer Mission to the UN. At the left hand corner is Mr. Charles Williams, legislative Assistant to the Speaker of the New Jersey House of Assembly, and on the right is Ambssador V. S. Okobi

It is with heavy heart and greatest sorrow that we report the death of a Legend of Africa, His Excellency the Hon. Ambassador Dr. Dudley J. Thompson, who passed away today, January 20, 2012, a day after his 95th birthday. Ambassador Thompson died in New York, where he had arrived to attend a special symposium with Prof. Leonard Jeffries, who shared the same birth date with him, on "Pan Africanism Today," organized by the Essex County College, Newark, NJ, under the leadership of Prof. Akil Khalfani.

Below is a copy of a letter we had addressed to President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya and President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, requesting that the two countries declare January 19th the "The Ambassador Dudley Thompson Day." The letter was addressed to the Ambassadors of the two countries in Washington, DC, who assured us that the letter had been sent to the two presidents for action They had not acted before Ambassador Thompson's birthday yesterday or his death today.

May His Soul Rest in Perfect Peace.

Below is the letter addressed to the two Presidents:

CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND DEATH OF GENERAL IKEMBA ODUMEGWU OJUKWU

Igbo Communities

of NY, Nnewi Union New York Tri-State

& Tri- State as well as

former States of Eastern Region of Nigeria Announce the Death of Our Dear Hero and former Biafra Head of State, Who died on Nov. 26, 2011 in London

General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu

Dim, Ikemba – Nnewi, Eze Igbo Gburugburu, Ezedioramma, Odenigbo – Ngwo

DATE: Saturday, January 28, 2012

VENUE: Obi Igbo Center, 190-02 Linden Blvd. St. Albans, NY 11413

TIME: 2:00 P.M. à Interdenominational Service

Activities Includes: (From 2:00 PM till Dawn)

Ø Interdenominational Service 2:00 PM

Ø Seminar: The Life of Ikemba, Video Show 4:00 PM

Ø Masquerade & other Cultural Performances ……………………6:00 PM till dawn

Ø Salute the Hero by Biafra Veterans

Contact Information:

Gilbert Ezeofor: 347-579-7423 ….Chairman Publicity Committee,

Ossy Okeke: 718-757-0569 …..President, Nnewi Union Tri-State, NY,

Jeff Njoku: 347-410-3741……PRO, Igbo Organization NY

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AMBASSADOR DR. DUDLEY THOMPSON ON HIS 95TH BIRTHDAY

LETTER TO PRESIDENTS MWAI KIBAKI AND JAKAYA KIKWETE

Below is a letter addressed to President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya and President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania requesting them to honor this living African legend on his 95th birthday, which is today. We have worked with the embassies of the two countries in Washington, DC, who have assured us of having forwarded the letter to appropriate authorities in both Nairobi and Dar es Salaam for appropriate action. Up till today, we are yet to hear from them regarding their respective government's reaction to the request.

We will continue to reach to these Ambassadors to reach out to their governments until a final decision is made.

GABON'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UN REFUTES RUMORS ABOUT DR. JEAN PING'S CANDIDACY

NEW YORK, New York - Monday, Jan. 16 - The Gabonese Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Nelson Messore, this evening threw a reception at the Millennium Hotel in New York to celebrate the end of Gabon's membership in the United Nations Security Council...

But more importantly preceding the reception, was the Ambassador's press conference, refuting allegations about Gabon's support for the candidacy of Dr. Jean Ping, current Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the secretariat of the African Union, for a second term as Chairperson, during an election coming up on January 29, 2012, when African Heads of State meet in their new headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. These rumors were so strong that the Gabonese Ambassador to the African Union, Andre William Anguile held a press conference on December 20, 2011, in Addis Ababa, accusing some African and international media of spreading false rumors that Dr. Ping was withdrawing his candidacy, and secondly, that the Gabonese government was withdrawing its support for Ping's candidacy.

THIS IS WISHING THE FIRST LADY, MICHELLE OBAMA, A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Wish the First Lady a happy birthday

www.barackobama.com

Michelle Obamas birthday is today, and President Obama is asking supporters to sign her card. I just added my name—will you join me?

AFRICAN UNION TO CONDUCT ELECTION FOR CHAIR OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION

Above photo, l-r: Dr, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Dr. Jean Ping

The African Union will be conducting an election for the post of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, during a meeting of the Heads of State on January 29, 2012, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The current Chairperson, Dr. Jean Ping, is running to win a second term. But South Africa, which had opposed his election four years ago, has decided to nominate its own candidate in the person of Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the former wife of South Africa's President Jacob Zuma.

AFRICAN UNION'S CIDO DIRECTOR MEETS WITH NCBM PRESIDENT

Above photo, l-r: Mr. Wuyi Omitoogun, Expert, Diaspora Relations, AUC; Ms. Nadia Roguiai, Expert, ECOSOC, AUC; Dr. Chika Onyeani, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, African Sun Times; Mr. Charles Williams, Legislative Assistant to the Speaker of the New Jersey House of Assembly; Dr. Jinmi Adisa, Director, CIDO-AUC; Mr. Ahmed al-Bashir, Head Diaspora Division, AUC; and the Hon. Mayor Robert Bowser, Mayor of East Orange and President of the National Conference of Black Mayors

Saturday, December 31, 2011 - A major thrust was undertaken today, in an impromptu parley, by the African Union Commission's Director of its Citizens and Diaspora Directorate, Dr. Jinmi Adisa, when he met with the President of the National Conference of Black Mayors, the Hon. Mayor Robert Bowser of East Orange, in a more determined effort to enlarge the reach of the African Union in ensuring a faster process in achieving the goals and objectives of the Union in recognizing the African Diaspora as the 6th Region of the continent. The meeting took place at the home of Dr. Chika and Mrs. Loretta Onyeani of East Orange. Onyeani is the publisher and editor in chief of the award-winning African Sun Times and Chair of the Celebrate Africa Foundation, whose goals are the positive promotion of Africa and rewards African countries with good governance with the "Best Country of the Year Award."

The parley was a result of a thorough briefing on Friday, December 30,..

ABDOULAYE WADE: A PRESIDENT FOR THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, champion of the African Diaspora

I just returned early this morning from a 5-day visit to Senegal to attend the World Summit of Mayors, where many black Mayors from the United States met with their African countries from different countries of Africa. The visit reminded that I was just in Senegal in May with the Africa Travel Association's 36th Congress on tourism to Senegal in particular and Africa in general.....

Unquestionably, there is no doubt that African leaders are trying to reach out to the African Diaspora, but practically all of them are more interested in their own respective country Diaspora. What is needed are African leaders who are willing to join in empowering the African Diaspora like President Wade has done and is doing. There should be less discussions and meetings upon meetings and more actions. If I were asked to cast my vote right today, I would cast it for President Abdoulaye Wade as the champion of the African Renaissance and as the President of the United States of Africa that we are yet to have.

DATELINE SENEGAL: BLACK MAYORS CONVERGE IN SENEGAL FOR A HISTORIC DIALOGUE

I feel great going to Senegal for the second time this year. I was there from May 22nd to June 1st, this year for the 36th Congress of the Africa Travel Association, the premier African tourism group that intensively promotes Africa as the best destination in the world. I joined the organization in 2006, after the election of Mr. Edward Bergman, as Executive Director and after he appointed Mr. Ogo "Mr Africa" Sow as the Diaspora Coordinator for the association. Since then I have been traveling with the Association to their respective Congresses including their Congress in Tanzania, Egypt, the Gambia and Senegal this year. As Publisher and Editor in Chief of the African Sun Times, I have used the pages of the newspaper to

A SMASHINGLY SUCCESSFUL "STRATOSPHERIC MEETING" OF AFRICAN DIASPORA LEADERS

Announcement to Raise $5 Million in Famine Relief for Africa

African Ambassadors to Celebrate Kwanzaa

African Union Diaspora Task Team Moves to Galvanize the African Diaspora

Arriving at the meeting, Ambassador Dr. Dudley Thompson and his wife, being welcomed by Dr. Chika Onyeani, chair of the African Union Task Team, left, Ambassador and wife (middle), Ambassador Erieka Bennett and His Excellency Ambaassador Tete Antonio of the African Union Permanent Observer Mission to the UN. At the left hand corner is Mr. Charles Williams, Legislative Assistant to the Speaker of the New Jersey Houe of Assembly, and on the right is Ambassador V. S. Okobi.

Above photo, a cross section of the delegates

Calling it a “Stratospheric Meeting,” the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Mr. Jean Ping, was quoted by CIDO Director, Dr. Adisa as saying that the Thursday, October 6, 2011, biggest gathering of selected high caliber African Diaspora leaders was a “high level meeting within a high level.” The Conference organized by the African Union Diaspora Task Team, attracted African Diaspora leaders of Afro-Latinos, Afro-Caribbeans, African-Americans and continental Africans, including leaders from Canada and South America, representing organizations such as the World African Diaspora Union (WADU), the Pan-African Diaspora Union (PADU), Sixth Region Diaspora Council (SRDC), as well as others.

MY SHORT OCTOBER VACATION IN MARTHA'S VINEYARD

Me relaxing at the beach though it looks a bit dirty from seaweeds

Some time in August, my wife told me that a friend of ours, the Browns (Mildred and Ken) had invited us to their vacation home in Martha’s Vineyard. She reminded me that they had invited us a couple times and we weren’t able to go due to other commitments or travels we had planned ourselves. I believe I mumbled something, and my wife must have taken it as ascent that we would be spending sometime with the Browns in October. But when she mentioned October 6, I said absolutely not, that I had a major event that day – the African Union Diaspora High Level meeting. Then she asked about leaving after the event, and I told her that was impossible because I was sure that we would want to meet after the meeting.

CONTINUE READING

GOOD NEWS OUT OF AFRICA: OPPOSITION LEADER OUSTS A SITTING PRESIDENT

Former President Rupiah Banda of Zambia, a hero to African democrats

This is why what happened in Zambia on the 20th of September, 2011, is such a seismic event that Africans must rejoice and applaud former President Rupiah Banda. With this show of statesmanship, humility and appreciation of being honored to serve his people, I believe that the board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation should seriously look at former President Rupiah Banda, to receive the next $5 million Mo Ibrahim award. He certainly deserves it.

When good things happen in Africa, we never hear about it. But if it were political uprising, a coup d'etat, war or disease, there would be major stories about it. I have tried to see how long it would take for the Western media to continue to ignore the seismic political change in Africa's march to democracy that occurred last week in Zambia. Alas, I was not disappointed for no major Western media has paid the kind of attention it would have if negative events had occurred there.

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