FBI AFRICA MAGAZINE

Content 06

H.E Dr. JEWEL TAYLOR 08

Ascent of a Jewel as Liberian

Most Powerful woman

MICHEAL EISA 18

Fighting Inequality the

SMARTer Way

COVID-19 Vaccine: 24

What Everyone

MUST Know

MARIETT RAMM 26 26
40
The Iconic Influencer

With The Midas Touch

BRIGHTSTAR 34

the Star that keeps

Rising Stronger

AFRICAN AVATAR 40 16

“I am the ‘SPIRIT OF
AFRICA’. I am sent by
our African Ancestors
to deliver messages”

HOW WE 46
SURVIVED 2020

JOHN FRANCIS 48

Why We Should Not
Expect Covid-19 Vaccines
In Africa Anytime Soon

COL TOBI LOVV 56

Forging Foeward

with New Mission

TOURISM: 61

5 Places To Visit In 67 61
Africa After Covid-19

OPINIONS

LIFE IS SHORT,
BREAK THE RULES

Life is too short to be wasted!
Sometimes in life, you make good choices and sometimes
not as good. Sometimes you have to step out of your com-
fort zones; you have to break the rules because most rules
are made by people with no authority, people who want to
control and limit you from reaching your true potential.
Ignore them, break their rules, and wave at them as you
soar past them to greatness.

This edition is all about those who broke existing norms
to set new pace. They did not see light at the end of their
tunnels, so they consider it an opportunity to create an
opening for themselves. They set new rules, their rules and
guess what, it’s working well for them!

Every hour you are not going after your passion, making Dr. Babalola Omoniyi - Publisher
your dreams a reality or defining your purpose is an hour
you can’t get back. Is what you’re doing right now, this day, Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being
this moment getting you closer to where you want to be? If has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every
not, readjust your focus. It’s your future. Go get it! day. Rich people can’t buy more hours. Scientists can’t in-
I understand that at some point in the various journeys we vent new minutes. And you can’t save time to spend it on
embark on in our lives to creating a new path, we get to a another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving.
part where we feel like giving up. Sometimes we give up No matter how much time you’ve wasted in the past, you
before we even start and other times we give up just before may still have an entire tomorrow to redeem it.
we are about to make that huge break-through that we have So my message for you today is: Learn the rules carefully
been putting so much efforts to achieve. Regardless of the so you can break properly.
past that hunt you, the mistakes that might have injured Life Is Short,
your confidence; press the reset button and forge ahead. Break The Rules!!!
We all face obstacles; how you deal with those obstacles
defines who you are and determines how successful you
will be. Confront your fears, face them, challenge them and
dance with them till you overcome them. Think outside
the box and be somebody no one thought you could be.

PDUr.BBLaIbSaHloElaROmoniyi HEAD OF PARTNERSHIP NMOwRakTaHheAsyFaRJIoCycAe YNoorrkthOecrenanA,fRriacbaa:t1,6M, RoruoecNcoew
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HKaErAimDaORFhaOnPemERATIONS SOUTH AFRICAN Magazine is published Zimbabwe
MHEicAhDealOEFwCesRoEr ATIVES MCOalRtiRdEaSfPMOaNshDaEshNaT and printed by the Pan
AAdSeSbOaCyoIAETzeEkEieDl OITgOunRjobi EAST AFRICA African Leadership EHaosutsAe,f1ri8c2a,:MUzniintegda Nations es
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WEST AFRICA Development Centre
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www.paledec.org
[email protected]

FBI Magazine 04 |

Her Excellency Chief Dr.

Jewel Howard-Taylor

Vice President of the Republic of Liberia

Ascent of a Jewel as Liberian
Most Powerful woman

| 05 FBI Magazine

Written for the FBI Africa Magazine by Richmond O. Neufville Press Secretary/
SDGs Specialist Office Of The Vice President, Republic Of Liberia

Biography She holds Honorary Doctorate Degrees in Leadership and
H.E Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor is a daughter of Bong Coun- Governance from the St. Clements University and Public
ty, and a grand-daughter of the Royal Household of Kerku- Administration from the University of Costa Rica. In ad-
la Giddings of Sanoyea District. Her maternal grandfather, dition, she was awarded a Master Class Certificate in Busi-
King Giddings was the last King of the Central Region of ness Management and Leadership from the London Grad-
Liberia under whose reign the orthography/script of the uate School.
Kpelle language was developed; while her parents, Mr. Mo- She is not only a visible and very involved stateswoman but
ses Y. Howard and Mrs. Nora Giddings-Howard were pro- also a very strong advocate for various causes that directly
fessional Health Workers. touch the lives of the common citizen, including Gender
H.E Jewel Dr. Howard-Taylor was raised as a child on the equality, affordable but quality education; a fair, transpar-
Phebe Hospital Compound where she caught glimpses of ent and fully functioning justice system; the provision of an
human suffering and pain, as well as the transformation accessible and affordable health care system; good gover-
that western medicine and education brought to many. nance and an accountable public service system, amongst
This early childhood exposure could be said to be the pro- others. She has also earned the sobriquet as ‘the Jewel of
pelling force behind her love for education and resolve to Africa’ for her strong advocacy for increased participation
make its benefits open to all. She embraced education as
both a light and the only key to a successful future, and
amassed for herself numerous qualifications, mostly with
honours, including:

• High School diploma (College of West Africa, Monro-
via, Liberia)

• B.Sc. in Economics (University of Liberia)
• Masters in Banking (American Institute of Banking

-Honors Graduate)
• MBA in Finance (Cuttington University, Liberia -

Honors Graduate)
• LLB in Law(The Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law,

University of Liberia -Honors Graduate)
• Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations (The

Gabriel L. Dennis Foreign Service Institute - Honors
Graduate).

H.E. Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor worked with an impecca-
ble record for over 20 years in many capacities in the pub-
lic and private sectors, before assuming the Office of Vice
President. She has left indelible marks in virtually all posi-
tions she has held, including:

• Senior Senator of Bong County for over 12 years; twice
elected as Senior Senator in 2005 and 2014.

• First Lady of Liberia from 1997 to 2003. During this
period, she:
i. Founded and led the National Humanitarian Task
Force which provided food, humanitarian and medical
services to thousands of Liberians who were displaced
as a result of the civil war (1989 -1997).
ii. Established the Ministry of Gender, which later be-
came the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Pro-
tection
iii. Advocated for amendments to the Inheritance bill
such that it now provides equal rights for widows from
both civil and traditional marriages.

• President of the Agricultural Cooperative Bank (1996)
• Deputy Governor, National Bank of Liberia, now Cen-

tral Bank of Liberia (1996-97).

FBI Magazine 06 |

of women in the governance space in Liberia and Africa. en of 2019 by Advanced Media;
• Most Influential African Woman Award (2019) by the
As Liberia’s first female Vice President, she is not just an African Woman Barometer;
advocate, but a strong financial pillar to the causes she • Outstanding African Woman of the Year (2018) by the
believes in. Over the past 20 years, she has continued to African Women Leadership Award, Abuja, Nigeria;
provide funding for the economic empowerment of ru- • The Pan African Award on Leadership Excellence &
ral women across Liberia and scholarships for more than Women Empowerment, 2016;
1,500 girls in every County in the country. The Jewel Star- • Women Advancement Forum Award in recognition
of your contribution to the
Emancipation, Motivation
and Advancement of Wom-
en of the World, 2014, Gam-
bia;
• The Outstanding African
Women Achievers Award,
as African Mentor and Role
Model 2013, from the Af-
rican Women Leadership
Organization (AWLO), Ni-
geria;
• An African Leadership
Award, as Outstanding Af-
rican Female Leader of the
Year 2012 from the African
Leadership Organization, in
Dubai;

H.E Dr. Jewel Howard-Tay-
lor is a grass rooter, a caring
mother, a strong pillar of

fish Foundation which she founded in 1999, and sponsor
till date, is totally dedicated to the provision of educational
and economic opportunities for women and girls; mentor-
ship to under privileged girls across Liberia; and support to
victims of gender and sexual based violence.

H.E Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor is a recipient of many ac-
colades, laurels and awards from Local, National and In-
ternational Organizations, ranging from humanitarian, to
outstanding leadership awards. Most notable of these are:

• Liberia’s highest honour as Knight Great Dame, Order
of the Most Venerable Order of the Pioneers in 2000,
conferred upon you by former President Charles G.
Taylor for your service to the Nation and people as the
21st First Lady of Liberia;

• Venerable Chief by the National Traditional Council
of Liberia in 2011. You were the first female to be giv-
en the distinguished traditional title by the Traditional
Chiefs and Elders of Bong County for you role in spon-
soring the Bill which created the National Traditional
Council of Liberia that granted them autonomy and
financial inclusion in the National budget; and, in full
recognition of your exemplary services to the people of
Bong County and Liberia;

• The Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Presidential Recognition
Award for Humanitarian Services;

• The African & American Women Peace Award (AAW
Peace) in 2011 for your contribution to Youth Devel-
opment in Liberia;

• Listed amongst the 100 most influential African Wom-

| 07 FBI Magazine

the Christian Community and unlike most politicians of The First Lady
today, has the privilege to be able to cut across political, H.E Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor became First Lady of the Re-
social and ethnic lines, and has friends and collaborators public of Liberia in 1997, when she married former Pres-
in all civic and political establishments in Liberia. She re- ident Charles Ghankay Taylor, the 22nd President of the
mains a strong voice for change and progress in her nation Republic. Although the roles of the First Lady have never
and an icon for Liberian and African Women. been codified or officially defined, the First lady features
As a result of her passion and commitment for a better prominently in the political and social life of the nation.
and more equitable Nation for all Liberians, she was often Under difficult circumstances, Madam Jewel Howard-Tay-
referred to as the “People’s Senator” and in confirmation lor became actively involved in the social cause of the peo-
of this title, Newsweek Magazine voted her the 2nd Most ple and embarked on many humanitarian ventures espe-
Powerful Female Politician in Liberia in 2011. She contin- cially after the country had been engulfed in many years of
ues to hold that title, as evidenced by the role she played civil conflict. With an increasing rate of poverty and various
in the October 2017 elections which galvanized women forms of economic and social deprivation, Madam Jewel
and youth voters across Liberia. She was indeed the strong Howard-Taylor used her position to impact many lives in
catalyst that brought the Coalition for Democratic Change refugee camps and vulnerable communities. She founded
(CDC) led government of His Excellency Dr. George Man- and led the National Humanitarian Task Force from 1997
neh Weah to power. to 2003; which provided food, humanitarian and medical
services to thousands of Liberians who were displaced as a

FBI Magazine 08 |

tainly come”.
With a deep sense of introspection, she remembered the
story called “THE STARFISH” written by Loren Eiseley,
and its lessons that “to help one person at a time could
make a difference”. H.E Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor began to
render educational support through scholarships for girls
and mentoring. Under implementation for nearly twen-
ty (20) years now, the Vice President has sought support
and provided assistance for thousands of females, through
the provision of scholarships, economic empowerment
and mentoring. This dream remains alive more than ever
before, as she continues to provide these opportunities to
females in order to help them live and become true foun-
dation builders and role models to the next generation and
to extend beyond the Liberian borders.

result of the civil war (1989 -1997).
On the political front, she advocated and led the processes
which established the Ministry of Gender in 2001 through
an Act of the National Legislature, which later became the
Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. This
Ministry serves as a driving force of the Government for
the practicalization of the Universal Declaration of Hu-
man Rights and its related instruments including the Unit-
ed Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the
Rights of Children, the African Union Protocol on Women
and Children, UNSCR 1325 on Women Peace and Securi-
ty, and the Beijing Platform for Action. She also advocated
for amendments to the Inheritance bill such that it now
provides equal rights for widows from both civil and tra-
ditional marriages. The amendment was passed in October
2003.
The Jewel Starfish Foundation
The Jewel Starfish Foundation was founded by H.E Dr.
Jewel Howard-Taylor, following her return home to her
native land Liberia after the civil war. She travelled across
the Nation and visualized the high level of devastation,
hopelessness and despair of the Liberian people which was
triggered by the civil war. In her state of compassion, she
wondered if anything could be done to bring relief and
hope to inspire the citizens “that a better day would cer-

| 09 FBI Magazine

The National Legislature In her service as senator, H.E Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor also
The Vice President made her first entry into national sponsored the Code of Conduct Act, the National Tradi-
politics in 2005 when she was elected as Senator of Bong tional Council of Liberia Act and the Act creating the po-
County. As a county in the central part of Liberia, Bong is sition of Assistant Superintendent for Fiscal Management.
endowed with natural resources and human capital. In the The Code of Conduct serves as a law governing the actions
2008 Census report of Liberia, Bong has a population of of public officials and ensures they do not use public offic-
about 520,000 people; making it the third most populous es to pursue personal interests. The National Traditional
county in Liberia. Having served her first 9 years as Senator Council was created to include Traditional Leaders in the
of Bong county, she was re-elected in 2014 based on her governance of the state as major decision makers in the
numerous contributions at the Liberian Senate. As Senator, counties; while the position of Assistant Superintendent
she sponsored legislations for the enactment and creation for Fiscal Management was created to handle the financial
of the Governance Commission, Liberia Anti-corruption affairs of the County.
Commission, Land Commission and the Public Procure- In the Liberian Senate, she sponsored the Domestic Vio-
ment and Concessions Commission. The establishment of lence Act which seeks to abolish all forms of violence meted
these integrity institutions was a major requirement for the against women, children and men. It recognizes domestic
actualization of transparency, accountability, good gover- violence as a serious crime against individuals and society.
nance and observance of the rule of law.

FBI Magazine 10 |

Although the Act was passed into law, she lamented the
amendment to the Act which failed to address the issue of
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The National Patriotic Party (NPP)
The National Patriotic Party was formed in 1997 by mem-
bers of the defunct National Patriotic Front of Liberia
(NPFL) after the end of the first Liberian Civil war (1989-
1996). The Party’s founding Father and first Standard
Bearer is former President Charles Ghankay Taylor. The
NPP became a grass root ruling party after its victory in
the 1997 elections and provided leadership of the Nation
from 1997- 2003. After the departure of former President
Charles Taylor occasioned by a civil war, the NPP par-
ticipated and loss to the Unity Party of former President
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in the 2005 Presidential elections.
In the elections of 2011, which ushered in the re-election
of former President Sirleaf, the NPP declined on featur-
ing a Presidential candidate but supported candidates for
the National Legislature. Explicitly, Madam Jewel How-
ard-Taylor has been twice elected to the Liberian Senate on
the ticket of the NPP in 2005 and the mid-term elections
in 2014. She was elected Standard Bearer of the NPP in
December 2010 and held same position until present. As
Standard Bearer, she actualized the decentralization of the
NPP, empowering the Party’s structure in the 15 Political
Sub-divisions of Liberia. She also restructured the Party’s
headquarters; keeping the seat of the Party active and fos-
tering unity amongst partisans.

| 11 FBI Magazine

H.E Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor in 2017, led the Party for the articulation of the CDC’s agenda for Liberia. As Standard
formation of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) bearer of the NPP, Vice Standard Bearer of the CDC, and
which ultimately won the 2017 Presidential elections. The Vice President of the Republic; she continues to fight for
CDC comprises the Congress of Democratic Change, the the independence and relevance of the NPP.
National Patriotic Party and the Liberian People Demo- The Vice President
cratic Party. In the Coalition arrangement, she emerged The Vice President who assists the President in his/
as Vice Standard Bearer of the Coalition for Democratic her functions, is elected on the same political ticket and
Change and eventually became the Vice President of the serves the same term of the President. The Vice President
republic after a resounding victory. She became a major is President of the Senate and presides over its delibera-
catalyst for the election of the CDC; mobilizing women tions without the right to vote, except in a tied vote. The
and youth across the country and a major pillar for the

FBI Magazine 12 |

Vice President attends meetings of the Cabinet and oth- of females from vulnerable communities. The YOP upon
er governmental meetings and performs functions as the completion will benefit 10,000 vulnerable youth (18-35) in
President delegates or deems appropriate; provided that no rural communities in the 15 counties of Liberia to engage
powers specifically vested in the President by provisions of in communal farming, 3,000 vulnerable youth in Monro-
the Constitution shall be delegated to the Vice President. via to engage in household businesses, and 2,000 youth
As Vice President, H.E Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor has been (15-17) in Monrovia will undergo job-readiness training
involved in several domestic and international engage- to prepare them for the labor market.
ments. On the domestic front, she championed the restruc- In the discharge of a responsibility delegated by the Pres-
turing and decentralization of the Group of 77 (an institu- ident, the Vice President is the champion for the estab-
tion responsible for disabled); and established operational lishment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
offices in 13 of the 15 counties of Liberia. Under her guid- sub-center in Liberia. This center will oversee the imple-
ance, the Group of 77 has engaged in farming activities in mentation of the SDGs in the Mano River Union (MRU)
the counties as a source of internal revenue generation. She countries to include: Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Guinea
also constructed the Gbenequelleh Clinic in Jorquelleh
District #2, Bong County and lobbied for the renovation
and equipment of the Ahmed Sekou Toure Hospital in Jor-
wah, Bong County.

In her support for education, H.E Dr. Jewel Howard-Tay-
lor established Liberia’s first Autism class to cater for chil-
dren with speech impediments. She also provided several
computers and text books to major public schools in Bong,
Nimba, Lofa and Margibi counties. In the area of technol-
ogy, she partnered with Orange-Liberia to provide inter-
net facilities for Cuttington University and Bong Technical
College to help facilitate students’ research.

Cognizant of challenges face by young people, she has
played active leadership role as Chairperson of the Youth
Sector Steering Committee (YSSC). This Committee is re-
sponsible for the implementation of programs and projects
which will positively impact the youth across the country.
A major project of the YSSC is the Youth Opportunities
Project (YOP). This project has a cost of USD 10 Million;
and is a loan from the World Bank. The YOP has duration
of 5 years (2016-2020) and seeks to directly benefit 15,000
youth aged 15-35. The project provides 50% participation

| 13 FBI Magazine

and Liberia. As a host country, the SGDs center for Afri- in commemoration of the Jubilee of the establishment of
ca will implement programs to support the Agriculture, diplomatic relations between Liberia and Russia.
Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and The Vice President sits on the Board of major interna-
Gender equality. tional women organizations to include: Women Political
On the International front, the Vice President led a high Leadership (WPL) forum, SHEROES and African Wom-
level Government delegation to the Russia-Africa Summit en in Leadership Organization (AWLO). She mobilized
in October, 2019. The Summit was the first of its kind in women in political leadership and affluence; and hosted
the history of Russia and Africa relations. She was charged Liberia’s first International SHEROES forum in 2018, with
with the responsibility of making Liberia case and articu- an agenda to encourage women to continue their great
lating Liberia’s foreign policy. H.E Dr. Jewel Howard-Tay- achievement in advancing national leadership positions.
lor also initiated and finalized diplomatic processes which The SHEROES forum was the second largest internation-
rekindled the diplomatic relations between Liberia and al gathering of women in Liberia, since the International
Russia; and conveyed the Government of Liberia diplo- Women’s Colloquium was held in 2009.
matic message to the Government and people of Russia,

FBI Magazine 14 |

Book Review

About the book ‘Vision is essential to successful leadership, but often mis-
The Vision Code: How to Create and Execute a understood and poorly
Compelling Vision for your Business conceived. In this insightful guide, Oleg Konovalov lays
out his own compelling vision for what
The Vision Code explores the concept of “vision” and visionary leadership consists of and where its value lies and
leadership. The book reveals the secrets of building and presents it as a simple yet very
executing a strong vision within any organization. Oleg practical business tool. The Vision Code defines a new
Konovalov - an acclaimed global thought leader - draws stage in visionary leadership
together in one volume in-depth interviews with nineteen development’.
extraordinary global visionaries that represent a variety of Courtney Fingar, editor-in-chief, FDI, New Statesman Me-
industries and organizations. These leaders explain why a dia Group
vision is needed, how to implement it, how to communi- ‘The Vision Code is a remarkable book. Thanks to Oleg
cate a vision effectively, and how to live by it with integrity. Konovalov. Vision is no longer a fuzzy concept. It is a pow-
As Oleg Konovalov explains, vision is a key leadership skill erful management tool that thrives on courage but also on
that can be developed as a practical business tool for lead- relevance.
ing a company today and into the future. The stories of the Vision has value only if it is implementable and has an im-
nineteen leaders reveal how to develop a compelling vision pact. The Vision Code explores how it is achieved. In doing
and follow through with the vision in order to inspire an so, Oleg Konovalov has contributed significantly to estab-
entire workforce. When a leader taps into the power of “vi- lishing the theory of vision on firm ground. You should
sion,” he or she creates a more meaningful business expe- read this book not once, but twice!’
rience and ultimately, a better life. This compelling book:

• Offers a guide for making the concept of vision a re- Stephane Garelli, founder of World Competitiveness Cen-
ality ter, ex-Managing Director at the World Economic Forum,
Professor Emeritus at IMD business school and the Uni-
• Provides the information needed to develop a clear versity of Lausanne, Switzerland
and persuasive vision ‘The Vision Code provides a compelling framework, clear
narrative and a sound framework to decode what is a real
• Contains an accessible guide to a much-needed skill vision in organisations. Yet, the book is not only deep and
• Includes interviews with Marshall Goldsmith (#1 fascinating but also extremely practical by providing a
roadmap, examples, storytelling. Is a truly remarkable
Leadership Thinker), Martin Lindstrom (#1 Branding book we cannot afford to miss’.
Expert), Garry Ridge (Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Paolo Gallo, bestselling author The Compass & The Radar,
Company), Dr. Babalola Omoniyi (Founder PALE- ex-Chief Human Resources Officer at the World Economic
DEC) and many others. Forum. Having a detailed and compelling vision for a vi-
Written for leaders at all levels in organizations and indus- sion is a property of wizards capable of changing the world
tries of any type The Vision Code is a must-have book for and helping others become visionaries. In his ground-
anyone who wants to develop the skill to become a vision- breaking book, The Vision Code, Dr. Oleg Konovalov of-
ary leader. fers an ultimate and powerful practical toolkit for visionary
WHAT OTHERS THINK OF THE BOOK leaders of all levels. I encourage you to read this book. The
‘Most people think vision is something you are born with. Vision Code is one of the most important books that can
Either you have it or you don’t. But change your life and business’.
from reading Oleg Konovalov’s The Vision Code, you will Mohammed Naser Hamdan Al Zaabi, Director of the
learn that vision is a skill that you can Trade Promotion Department, UAE
nurture, by thinking boldly, keeping an open mind and Ministry of Economy
getting out of your own way. As a CEO,
I’ve come to realise that vision is my single most valuable
tool. It literally allows you to choose
your company’s future’.
Eric Schurenberg, CEO at Inc. and Fast Company

| 15 FBI Magazine

FBI Magazine 16 |

Dr.

Michael
EISA

Fighting Inequality
the SMARTer Way

| 17 FBI Magazine

Close your eyes for a minute and imagine
the men who have influenced the world,
and the important lessons they taught
us? If you are looking for the best way to de-
scribe these set of men, I’d give you just two
words- SMART MEN! One of such men is Dr.
Michael Eisa, Group CEO of EISA SMART
Group. In a revealing interview with Dr. Baba-
lola Omoniyi, he opens up on several issues
affecting Africa and his SMART ways of re-
solving them.

You have worked for some of the greatest organizations
in the world such as Internal Revenue Service’s - USA
Government, Novell Inc. Networking Giant and Micro-
soft Corporation and Intel Corporation and many more
respectable organizations but the beginning was not this
easy. Do you mind sharing your humble beginning with
us?
On August 3rd 1978, at the age of 20, I started my journey
leaving Egypt to migrate to United States of America with
only 500 dollars in my pocket. I had two weeks student visa,
I couldn’t speak English and I did not have a job waiting for
me. I also did not know anyone in the USA. To make mat-
ters more challenging, I lost my luggage on my way to USA
due to an Italian workers’ strike at Rome Airport since my
flight was from Cairo to Rome and from Rome to JFK on
Alitalia Airlines. I landed in New York just with the t-shirt
on my back. However, I was very determined not to go
back to Egypt, and that I must fight to win with whatever
positive attitude it takes, because when you have nothing
to loss you have no fears but only perseverance with great
tenacity. I started looking for work. The first place
I worked was Greek dinner, to be exact, Galaxy Dinner
Rahway New Jersey. I washed dishes for 60 hours a week
and I got paid 160 dollars a week. I knew very well that to
move forward, I must learn English. So, I went to English
school and I pushed myself to learn English. I only had one
thing on my mind and that is to be successful and make my
father very proud. Now 42 years have passed after going
through what I could best describe as life rollercoasters. I
have experienced so much Joy, tears, pains, happiness and
even sometimes hunger, but my faith in God kept me alive
and thought me never to give.

You run a Strategic Growth Investments Initiative in
Security Risk Management and Artificial Intelligence /
Robotic / 5G Business Consultants, Import and Export
Brokerage Group “EISA Smart Group”, what was the
specific void or opportunity you saw that inspired those
ideas behind Eisa Smart Group?
After 42 years of working for some of the most powerful
corporation on the planet, I wanted to do something on
my own and be my own boss, but at the same time I wanted
to contribute back to this world and give back what life &

FBI Magazine 18 |

only products and services but also business to business.
This means importing and exporting successful business
ideas to Africa, Europe, Middle East and USA. We help
countries by not reinventing the wheel and migrating suc-
cess stories with perhaps little modifications. There are
many business ideas and many opportunities. The most
important thing is to start, start small and stay flexible. Be
ready to change when change is needed. There are no silver
bullets or magic recipe. Nothing is perfect in life, always
learn from your mistakes because success is nothing more
than just many trials & errors until you succeed.

Cybersecurity is a top concern for many organizations
these days. What is the major cyber threat that confronts
an individual or business owners today?
You need to be protected against information hacking and
deception. You must make conscious efforts to protect your
confidentiality. Identity thefts are rampant and happening
more and more as we speak. Espionage via Mobile Phone
and Computer Cameras via Blue-T are common threats
facing us today. Your financial data transactions are under
extreme scrutiny and being attacked by hackers almost on
daily basis. Deception in your own trusted inner circles
are the first line of protection. Be careful what you click in
your emails or WhatsApp. Virus can be unleashed on your
private or business information via internet urls links on

people have given me through-out the 42 years. I studied
very long and hard on what the world would need based
on my expertise and I decided that one company was not
enough. So, I established a Group of Strategic Growth In-
vestments Initiatives. This Group hosts 3 companies and
also has a way to mitigate investments risks, meaning if one
company does not work out, I would always have a back-
up, and all these initiatives are based on my overall Smart
Vision Strategy. The first is Security. Physical security ser-
vices and cyber secret services based on crisis management,
travel security, counter terrorism, kidnapping/ransom, ac-
tive shooter, executive protection, 360-Degree situation-
al awareness, private espionage, home and office security
cameras with full range of security gadgets. Internet cyber
secret services based on securing your personal & financial
transactions & interactions. For instance, if you are an in-
dividual with a high net-worth or an executive profile, you
may be worried about the physical and cyber risks associ-
ated with your social media and digital exposure. Some-
times, your staff might potentially be used as internal weak
access points to harm you or your business from a compet-
itive point of view. Bottom line, we provide security from
A – Z. Secondly, AI/IoT, Robotics and 5G will without any
doubts make a great impact on our life for many decades.
Our mission is to focus on the business impact and not on
adopting the technology. We must be careful in applying
any new technology because it is not technology for the
sake of technology but we must look at the overall business
strategy and final end game. Sometimes, we could do more
damage than good by applying the wrong technology to
the wrong business. Lastly, Import and Export. This is not

| 19 FBI Magazine

and ensure its proper usage. Is it possible that one day
AI will become smart enough to make these judgment
calls?
AI is already smart even today to start making those deci-
sions, but once again, who is the real boss, we have the key
to turn it on and off.

When people approach you to ask about whether their
job will get replaced by either AI or robotics, as an AI
expert, what do you reply to them?
I would only say you have waited too long and you did not
get re-educated on new jobs and skills. Do not just wait un-
til AI takes your job away, be active in learning new skills,
any new skills. I already see AI being used to filter job ap-
plicants based on job posting criteria’s and deciding who
should get interviewed and who should not. However, this
will only increase day by day. So, once again, stop feeling
sorry for yourself, go and get re-educated over and over
and over if needed. You are the boss of your final destiny.
Do not just blame it on AI. It is you and only you who
would be able to protect yourself, and to do this, you must
be open to accept changes.

email or WhatsApp once you click on them The black lives matter has generated lots of global in-
terests and distaste. While some are fighting for equal
Unfortunately, alongside the possibility of machines treatments on the global stage, there are lots of disuni-
simplifying our lives, there’s also talk of AI’s potential ty within the African continent. We have seen Africans
danger and the ‘end’ of humanity. What do you think of killing their fellow Africans and discriminating against
these predictions? themselves. How do you react to this?
Machines will never take over if we do not allow it to take I am not against freedom of speech for black lives matter
over. It is not end of humanity but the right phrase is re-ed- or should I say more appropriately “every life matters”?
ucating humanity. If we are not willing to get re-educated Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but what I am
on new ways of doing things, we will never move ahead. against is looting, burning and destructions. As long as we
If we follow the predicted logical end of humanity, then keep it civilized then, yes, we can by all means go out there
nothing will ever get done. Please take a flash back to 70 and voice your opinion. Africans hurting other Africans is
years ago and compare that with where we are today. We even much deeper than you think because they are some-
must continue for the sake of humanity but the key is to times also discriminating against each other, not helping
stay in control and learn when to turn the computer off and fellow Africans because of complex. However, I would say
use your brain. that this mainly goes back to the core home values and
mother education to their children at the very young age.
For now, humans are still needed to drive AI technology If we do not emphasize those principles at a very young age
as mothers and fathers, we would end up with a broken
society. Loss of identity will always generate the feelings
that we are the underdog. Does racism exist? yes it does but
only if you allow them to get underneath your skin. I do
not care what people think about me and I do not even care
what they say about me but I do care about people’s actions.
You cannot control people’s thinking but you should con-
trol your actions and people’s action toward you. Just be a
very proud African, have a heart for your African brothers
and sisters. Do the right thing and always remember we are
all humans no matter the colors of our skin, race or reli-
gion. Treat people like you want to be treated- with respect
and dignity. The rest will happen on its own. Become the
Champion and teach the young children to look up to you
so one day they could grow up as respectable citizens. If

FBI Magazine 20 |

we really want to change black people’s lives, then we must a lead on virtual coin currency to start trading internal-
first change how black children and white children are be- ly within Africa. We must lead and not follow. Everything
ing educated. We must plant the right seeds from the very does not need to come from the USA. There are so many
beginning. Remember, democracy and who is going to be rich African people and many poor African people So, I
the next President does not put food on the table neither think it is time for wealth redistribution at the very least,
does it pay the rent nor pay for your children school. Only we need to give more to the poor people by creating an
strong prosperity & healthy economy with strong GDP environment that encourages them to thrive. What do rich
does. By 2030, one in five people will be African. Com- people have to lose, at the very end nothing is forever in
bine the continent’s soaring population with technology, this life.
improvements in infrastructure, health and education, and
Africa with every proud African man or woman could be Lots of people haven’t been most optimistic about the in-
the next century’s full economic growth powerhouse. vestment ecosystem in Africa. Could you give us a frank
overview of how you see the market and the investment
With the huge human and natural deposit in Africa, why scene in Africa?
is it still difficult to have an African country among the Corruption is the real reason here! This is why many in-
world’s superpowers. vestors think twice before putting any dollar in any Afri-
Do not sell your soul Africans! However, this is the answer. can project or developments. Just like we eradicating HIV
We have the gold, oil and minerals but we have always de- and AIDS and Hepatitis, we also need to work just as hard
pended on a third party to help us in extracting or invest- on eradicating corruptions. It is not going to happen over-
ing them. We have to learn to negotiate more aggressive night. it is going to be a very long and hard fight to take on
business deals instead of choosing the easiest way out. It but if we start now, we could achieve major milestones in
is the Chinese, Europeans and Americans that are digging the next 10 – 20 years.
for those resources and exporting it back to Africa. Afri-
can leaders must work in creating one African currency, Do you feel African governments are supportive enough
the AFRO or Coin that can stand up to market pressures of local entrepreneurs and African businesses?
and new economic development and growth. We must go We need to run Africa like a business and not like a con-
back to the negotiating table and look at the African wealth tinent. We cannot depend solely on government except in
as one continent and not only one country versus another. placing favorable laws & regulations to encourage entre-
We must renegotiate every deal with every foreign country preneurship. At the same time, we as business leaders must
or foreign corporation until we are very clear on what we help the governments to shape this vision and clearly ar-
want to do collectively as Africans. Africa could have taken ticulate what we expect them to do for us to win more. We

| 21 FBI Magazine

must speak up more. Government can provide business Start from scratch, start small and increase speed step by
loans that are payable in 7 years associated with office space step. Having the right investors is not always the right an-
or store for young business entrepreneurs. This could be a swer, sometimes, it is more dangerous to get the invest-
tremendous step to get people started. Government must ment then waste it on weak business strategy and have to
also help to eradicate corruption at the highest level within work so hard to pay it all back. Build solid business plans
the government by making it a real crime under the law. and add all the pros and cons and backup plans because
Take a look at Facebook, Google, Tweeter and Snapshot as no investor would ever invest in you if they do not believe
a very simple idea if you think about the overall concept. I in you or they do not see the right return on investment.
wonder why such wasn’t developed in Africa? The reason Investors are like riding an elevator, they want to go up and
is because we do not encourage innovations but instead we down and in and out, to mitigate their risks & investments.
use the old scary tactics to make people worry about going I received many applications for business investments but
to school, getting a job, getting food, water, electricity or most of those applications were poorly written. I would be
even your family security. We must change our thinking very reluctant of presenting to any investors because their
and the opinion that we are less than the West. We just applications were built on nice ideas with no clear strategy
need to work harder and learn much more and care about of how to achieve ROIs. So, they ended up being declined.
one another. We are smarter than the West. We are stron- Ask yourself if you were an investor, would you invest your
ger than the West, and we can do just like the West if not own money in your business idea? Be very honest & very
better. Our inferiority thinking is all in our heads, cleverly constructive in your response.
planted with those seeds to the extent of making it a reality.
We must break this vicious cycle, because African people &
African lands are much richer, smarter and much stronger
than the West. We must change our thinking asap.

What are your thoughts about unemployment especially
amongst the youths in Africa? What is the way forward?
Education is the key. We must continue to encourage peo-
ple to develop interest in education. This is the key for
youth’s success. Education does not mean that everyone
must be a doctor or lawyer or banker. We must encourage
basic skills like builders, plumbers, engineers, chefs, nurs-
es, artists, security guards, drivers, gardeners and cleaners.
There are so much to do. Look what is happening in Europe
and USA, if we take all the foreigners out of the country,
half of the restaurants would actually shut down because
no one wants to start from zero or wash dishes. Work is
work as long as it is honorable and respectable, and as long
as you are growing and moving forward. We cannot expect
the government to employ everyone. We need to be flexible
in learning new skills and provide services that the market
really needs. What we need is flexible workers who accept
changes. Do not let anyone tell you what you can or cannot
do. I call it Gorilla Interviews. This type of interview seeks
to break your motivation just to see what comes back from
your side. If you cave in to pressures then, they will not hire
you. They want you to show them that you believe in your-
self and fight back for your survivor and honor. If nothing
else works, then government should at least temporarily
hire unemployed workers and give them simple jobs even
cleaning the street or painting homes or helping the elderly
no one should be standing still, the entire country should
be moving forward!

Access to finance is often cited as a constraint for Afri-
can businesses. As an angel investor, what advice will
you give to start-ups

Build your business vision, strategy and business plan.

FBI Magazine 22 |

What kind of advice would you give your 20-year-old eryone has to be a lawyer or doctor, or business man. Do
self today? what you feel most passionate about and do not let anyone
You must believe in yourself because if you do not believe tell you otherwise. If you want to be a handy man, there is
in yourself, no one will ever believe in you. Understand nothing wrong with that, just be a good handy man and be
that your DNA is completely different from anyone else yourself. Equip yourself with the very best tools related to
on the face of this planet. Learn every day, read every day, your profession. If you want to be an artist or business man
get educated even manual trade. Understand that not ev- or even a trash collector, be a good and reliable one. Be the

| 23 FBI Magazine

will win or loose; the issue is much deeper than that. It is
about protecting democracy and freedom of speech. If
the American people loose trust or faith in the U.S elec-
tion, then they will never vote again, and then, they will
end up in a Banana Republic and not democratic republic.
It is very clear that hand counting is the safest way to de-
clare any winner or any loser for any election even in Afri-
ca. Computer systems today cannot be trusted to be valid
until someone develops rock solid machine that is literally
indestructible and fully secured. I personally do not sup-
port a socialist government and I believe that the only way
to move forward is with the capitalist system. Look what
is happening in Russia or Venezuela. Neither communism
nor socialism works. We see this all over the world, even
in France. I believe that if America go socialist, it will give
Africa a superb opportunity to take the lead on adopting
a capitalist system. Many corporations will be leaving the
USA if socialists win and they will need a new home. Afri-
ca could be this new home if we provide the right policies
and security. THINK BIG AFRICA! However, when I talk
about socialism, I said I do not support it but I also support
wealth redistribution which could also means socialism.
For me, there are two types of socialisms. One socialism
where they force it on you via high taxes and regulations
and my type of socialism and wealth redistribution that
comes from your heart without it being forced on you. We
need to also teach those principles of giving and helping
the poor to our children at a very young age. People need
to have a heart for the poor

very best in whatever you have decided to do. PERSEVERE What is your view on Covid19 and Corona, and how should
& NEVER GIVE UP! Always remember that the sun shines world leaders and governments deal with such epidemic?
every day for everyone and not only for the white or the In my opinion, countries and governments are making a
black. So, do not surrender so easily. In life, you do not get very serious mistake in adopting a strategy of partial or
what you really deserve, you get what you negotiate for! full lockdown. Yes, I fully acknowledge that Covid19 is real
but the only thing we can do is to take the necessary pre-
What is your view on the U.S election and what can Af- cautions in terms of wearing masks and social distancing.
rica learn from this? Should Africa be socialists or capi- Governments should give their citizens the choice of go-
talists or both? ing out or staying home. Everyone is responsible for their
The U.S election was a clear proof that Africa is not the own safety and family safety as long as the governments
only continent suffering from corruption. The West also provides the right recommendations and strengthen the
suffers from this including America. The issue is not who overall hospital and health infrastructure. It is up to peo-
ple to go out or not. Bottom line, people need to take the
responsibility and take the appropriate actions to protect
themselves. I know people that did everything right and
followed the social distance protocols and masks but still
got sick and even died. I also know other people that did
nothing at all but never got sick and never tested positive.
It is a very strange disease and clever virus that is still being
observed globally. Poverty, hunger and lack of business ini-
tiatives would also kill people, not only Covid19. We must
put things in the right perspective.

FBI Magazine 24 |

COVID-19 Vaccine:

What Everyone MUST Know

Here’s what we know about Pfizer’s product, and how it CoV-2 infection beginning one week after the second dose,
compares to two other leading vaccine candidates: and Health Canada specifies on its website that people may
HOW DOES THE VACCINE WORK? not be protected against COVID-19 until at least seven
Pfizer developed its vaccine with a novel technique of us- days after the second dose. The efficacy rate is based on
ing messenger RNA (mRNA), which essentially teaches studies in about 44,000 participants.
our cells how to make the coronavirus’s spike protein and AstraZeneca says its vaccine was up to 90 per cent effective
trigger an immune response if we become infected with when a half dose was followed by a full dose a month later.
the virus in the future. Pfizer’s vaccine uses a synthetical- Another method, where two full doses were distributed a
ly-produced mRNA that’s packaged in a fat, or lipid, coat- month apart, showed to be 62 per cent effective.
ing. When injected into the arm muscle, the lipid hooks Moderna’s preliminary data showed a 94.5 per cent efficacy.
onto cells and dumps the mRNA there. It’s then translated What’s not known is how long immunity lasts with any of
into protein to make the antibody. the leading vaccine candidates.
Another leading vaccine candidate from Moderna also WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
uses mRNA. One from AstraZeneca uses a non-replicating Health Canada says the side effects from Pfizer’s clinical
viral vector -- a virus that has been stripped of its genetic trials were found to be “mild or moderate” and included
material and replaced with the spike protein gene of the things like pain at the site of injection, body chills and
coronavirus. That viral vector makes an mRNA molecule, feeling tired and feverish. The organization says those are
and from there the protein and antibodies. common side effects of many vaccines, and “do not pose a
HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? risk to health.” “As with all vaccines, there’s a chance that
Pfizer’s vaccine is 95 per cent effective in preventing SARS- there will be a serious side effect, but these are rare,” the
website says. “A serious side effect might be something like
an allergic reaction.”

| 25 FBI Magazine

Moderna and AstraZeneca recorded similar side effects become particularly important with a two-dose vaccine, to
from their clinical trials. make sure people are going back to their doctor or phar-
Britain’s medical regulator, meanwhile, warned Wednes- macy to get their second dose, and to ensure they’re receiv-
day that people with a history of serious allergic reactions ing the right vaccine if more than one option is available.
shouldn’t receive Pfizer’s vaccine. Britain began its COVID Storage could also prove problematic with Pfizer’s product,
vaccination program on Tuesday and investigators are which requires ultra-low freezers that can keep it at mi-
looking into whether two reactions were linked to the shot. nus 70 C until a short time before it’s injected. Moderna’s
WHAT ARE THE HURDLES FACING DISTRIBUTION? needs a temperature around minus 20 C -- about the same
Pfizer’s vaccine, like Moderna’s and AstraZeneca’s, requires as a regular freezer. Pfizer and Moderna need cooler tem-
two doses injected roughly three weeks apart. Tracking will peratures for their vaccines because of the instability of the
mRNA. AstraZeneca’s vaccine, meanwhile, can be stored
in a fridge

FBI Magazine 26 |

Mariett
Ramm

The Iconic Influencer
with the Midas Touch

| 27 FBI Magazine

In a world filled with purpose and accom- how to embrace the uncertainty and ambiguity to solve
plishment, Marriet Ramm has emerged problems with creativity. Also, what fascinated me about
as one of the most iconic and compelling social media was its uses to build and maintain human
women of our era. She is an Anglo-Hungar- connections with others. One of the most important traits
ian #1 Amazon Bestselling Author, Award for becoming a successful social media figure is authentici-
Nominee, LinkedIn Live Host and LinkedIn ty and reach. Without these complementary components, a
Authority, Family Office Associate, Angel In- person will encounter difficulties in influencing, as in per-
vestor and Entrepreneur focusing on Interna- suading people to follow certain recommendations. People
tional Real Estate, Sustainability, Blockchain follow real and genuine people who know their stuff. So-
and Education. She launched “The Billionaire cial Media is not about attention seeking and the money.
Chronicle,” an Ultra High Net Worth publica- I value transparency, honesty and openness that create a
tion, and today she is a contributor to Forbes. digital environment where people can trust and get behind
She has had the honour to work with one of a global movement or cause that impacts the lives of mil-
the longest-serving Prime Ministers of the lions of people.
Commonwealth, the longest-serving Prime In one of your interviews, you said you started this business
Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Denzil because of the love of people and wanting to help them to
Llewellyn Douglas, and a Prince of Yugosla- rise to their fullest potential. You see consumers and cli-
via as a patrilineal descendant of Alexander ents as complete human beings with all the human reality
Karađorđević, Prince of Serbia, Prince Mi- people have.” Would you like to share more details on this?
chael of Yugoslavia. Over the last 15 years, I have been very lucky to have
worked on four continents. This enabled me to experience
After 15 years of experience in Public Re- remarkable business ventures, friendships and a couple of
lations, Marketing, and Branding, she still life-changing intimate relationships that shaped me into
continues her efforts to drive Social and Core a person who embraces humanity. I also had to face my
Communication in the Global Entrepreneurial own demons over the last 4 decades and I understood that
Ecosystem as the International Partner of the judgment and self-serving ideas can only keep us from rec-
World Business Angels Investment Forum. ognising humanity in others. As an empath, humanitarian
In this Interview with Dr. Babalola Omoniyi, and scholar of Aristotle, I believe that everyone is striving
Mariett Ramm frankly talks about her strug- for one thing with repletion that leads to excellence. Our
gles, achievements and new project in Africa happiness depends on ourselves and education of the mind
without education of the heart is not sustainable. One must
You have a very successful Linke- live to wish well for a person without selfish and ego-driv-
dIn profile with over 55,000 fol- en purposes. This means serving people for their own
lowers and still growing; did you
know from the beginning that
you would become so popular
on social media? How did it all
start?
The evolution of social media has
been fueled by the human impulse
to communicate and by advances
in digital technology. Since my
generation was born during the
transitional stage into this pro-
gressive technological era, I am
lucky enough to have witnessed
the early stage of social experi-
ments such as Six Degrees and
Friendster, may be some still re-
member these from 20 years ago.
Yes, as an early millennial, I have
truly embraced social media right
from the start. As the combina-
tion of advertising, or paid social
media marketing, and organic
social media outreach evolved
into the digital marketing, or as
it is known today as “social media
marketing”, I gradually learned

FBI Magazine 28 |

catalyst. It has been once said, “Don’t waste a good crisis”,
therefore I see that embracing uncertainty and chaos is vi-
tal instead of feeling paralysed. A crisis on this level is both
challenging and constructive in my opinion since the “we
have always done it this way,” is now replaced with “what
if and what’s next”. I strongly advise to make your own re-
search about economy recovery over the last few recessions
taking notes of the economy’s cyclical movements. We are
ready for a system reset.
Lots of people haven’t been most optimistic about the
investment ecosystem in Africa. As an Angel Investor,
could you give us a frank overview of how you see the
market and the investment scene in Africa?
Africa has huge potential to grow and significantly con-
tribute to the global economic growth and development
objectives. And indeed, for an Angel to consider invest-
ing in early stage start-ups with unproven operations, new
technologies and limited exit opportunities is particular-
ly challenging. Angels have to cover a wider geographical
footprint bringing the needed capital to startups in smaller
capital cities helping entrepreneurs build successful ven-
tures and creating pipeline opportunities for larger funds.
And yes, we take bigger risks for medium terms. I see two
reasons behind why Angels are not prepared to invest on

good that is the essence of life. As an Executive Humanist
and Cognitive Coach, I also engage with women in high
power positions like myself who are prepared to learn and
know the very inner truth about themselves by acting on
non-productive ways hindering own performance follow-
ing the principles of self-actualization. .
As an influencer, you have worked with an impressive
line-up of brands in the past, what would you say differ-
entiates you from other PR companies?
I am indeed fortunate that my professional journey has
been paved with working alongside global initiatives in the
USA, the Middle- East, Australia, and Europe of course. In
general, PR is focused on reputation management through
generating positive media coverage and stakeholder com-
munication trying to drive a positive reputation through
an effective communication strategy. What sets me apart is
the very fact that I strive for communication between peo-
ple, not a company, stakeholders, customers and media.
Businesses are made up of people. A journalist is a person.
So is a stakeholder and a customer who invests trust into
the company brand. A human-centred communication fo-
cused on customer and employee input with individualised
communication in real time is the steppingstone to creat-
ing a strong communication program.
The pandemic has taken a toll on many local and global
businesses. A recent survey found nearly half of small
businesses have closed temporarily because of the coro-
navirus, as an International Business Celebrity, Global
Leader, LinkedIn Expert and one of Amazon’s #1 Best-
selling Author, how do you think companies like these
can bounce back?
I am the ultimate optimist overcomer and instead of look-
ing at what is, my conviction is that strategic pivoting of
a business during challenging times can be a huge future

| 29 FBI Magazine

the continent. First one is that they don’t understand the spending them more efficiently. However, Africa has some
asset class and secondly is that returns are slow. Things can ways to go and global help is in need. While education is
take longer than anticipated in Africa simply because of considered to be a public good, the private sector also can
the omni layered approach needed from an Angel in build- contribute to its provision and financing including pub-
ing the technological, financial, and talent infrastructure lic-private partnerships and businesses.
needed for growth. I firmly believe that education and An- The global project EducaCoin (EDC), created in the port-
gel incentives are crucial, and this is where I see the impor- folio using Waves on March 18, 2019 in Brazil, has been
tance of collaboration between public- and private-sectors making giant leaps in bridging the education gap proving
and international organizations. that cryptocurrency can move beyond the future of mon-
You are currently working on some huge projects that ey. It is also a robust instrument that facilitates education
can positively impact on Africa, tell us more about these. including in Africa. Educacoin (EDC), considering as a
Most of Africa’s education and training programs suffer positive point the decentralized technology, is very pow-
from low-quality teaching and learning, as well as inequal- erful because it works all over the world and easy to use,
ities and exclusion. The Financial Times reported that in thus, becoming increasingly solid with a specific niche of
2020, Africa would account for almost all of the $21bn value reserve when it developed an ecosystem of partner-
annual gap in education finance in low-income countries. ships, seeking to contribute to this transformation through
Africa has a large and growing youth population with a educational projects, with an emphasis on environmental,
median age of 19.7 years. Quality education is key to so- cultural and social actions. In Brazil, more than 40 million
cial mobility and can thus help reduce poverty. Closing the dollars in EDC have been exchanged in properties since
education gap would mean mobilising more resources and March 2019. Present in more than 18 countries according

FBI Magazine 30 |

to information from their community. EDC also serves for
inclusion or inflows of social capital in Brazil. In 2021 EDC
already preparing to enter 3 International Exchanges, will
have its own Faculty Educacoin University with the best
courses being paid 100% cryptocurrency. EDC has im-
portant advances in the structure of virtual wallets today
in Trust Wallet and Alpha Wallet among others already
available. EDC will be declared in the Income Tax giving
100% of its origin.
EDC has partnered with FEAFRO - Afro-Ethnic Interna-
tional Business and Culture Fair that works to unite Af-
rica and Brazil, contributing bilaterally so that the entre-
preneurs and institutions enhance this relationship in a
tangible way. FEAFRO closed unprecedented partnership
with the largest investor entity in Europe, EBCAM (Eu-
ropean Business Council for Africa) that represents more
than 4,000 European investors with interests in the African
continent and in Brazil. Some of the speakers of FEAFRO
2020 Social Economic Forum: “Africa And Brazil: A Good
Place to Invest” included the President of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo
and Nigerian billionaire businessman, Founder, Chairman
and CEO of Dangote Group and industrial conglomerate
in Africa, Aliko Dangote.
Do you feel African governments are supportive enough
of local entrepreneurs and African businesses?
My most recent experience regarding South Africa, where
SMEs represent more than 98 percent of businesses and em-
ploy between 50 and 60 percent of the country’s workforce
across all sectors, is that current disruptions are signalling
a strong decline in revenue and profitability of SMEs with
an overall pessimism about the economy and economic
outlook. However, steps are being taken. I am personally
very impressed with the work of government concerning
the tourism sector and the intervention protocols led by
Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane reassur-
ing SMEs with an actionable strategy for ensuring fastest
recovery.
What are your thoughts about unemployment especially
amongst the youths in Africa? What is the way forward?
The young people in Africa are confronted with multiple
challenges. I firmly agree with the International Labour Or-
ganization that in order to sustainably address the employ-
ment challenges that the African youth is facing, efforts are
needed to implement an appropriate and personalised mix
of policies and programmes at macro, sectoral and labour
market levels. A strong emphasis is needed on the demand
side offering support for structural transformation.
Access to finance is often cited as a constraint for start-
ups. As an Angel Investor and Founder of the Billionaire
Chronicle, what is your take on this?
Let’s just focus on very early stages of investment for this
question - as in seed investment to start a company and to
try to find product-market fit. Angels, like myself, invest
their own money and at one of the riskiest stages for start-
ups. Many start-ups are most motivated and eager to make
their dreams turn into reality and often underestimate ear-
ly stage costs, misallocate funds as well as can get too car-
ried away by the initial backing of an Angel and they act as

| 31 FBI Magazine

if they were already at Series C. Putting the cart before the
horse. An Angel, who has had his or her fingers burnt, will
be incredibly careful with all future projects. And being an
Angel is a profession that requires skills and experience. I
certainly did not get it right the first time. If I invest in a
start-up, I want to make sure and prepare that there will be
a next stage investment to scale, improve distribution sys-
tems and establish the business model. I also believe that a
good ROI is only possible once seed is invested into human
capital that is stock of habits, knowledge, social and per-
sonality attributes of the team to perform and to produce
economic value. I believe Angel investors with high EQ
have better chances simply because they just know people.
But when it comes to evaluating a startup team, gut feel
and intuition as main due diligence is not sufficient. I want
to see experience, passion, collective and strategic vision
and alignment in a team.

Mariett with Mr. Giuseppe Ambrosio, personally very flexible with social media trends as long
SVG Hon. Consul in Monaco as human rights are protected. As the board member of
a UN accredited mental health organization, I stand with
What do you want to or wish you could change about David Kaye, United Nations Special Rapporteur who said
social media and it’s affects? “Human rights — its vocabulary, its framework, its vision
I am a firm believer that we should take everything with — provides a basis for restraining the worst intrusions and
a pinch of salt. And of course, “everything” also includes violations of the digital world, and promoting its best.”
social media. COVID-19, the subsequent social and eco- What are your “five things I wish someone told me be-
nomic repercussions looming over everything we do, I fore I launched my start-up” and why?
very much look forward to 2021. This year we have relied 1. Don’t waste capital. I think that is most self-explana-
on social media platforms more than ever before. The re-
al-world human connection has been replaced by digital tory
posts and “lives”. The effect of excess social media use has 2. Do what you know. A tech start-up may sound very
been widely studied and it is proven that in-person con-
tact with others triggers the hormones that alleviate stress sexy, but if you don’t have the knowledge of trends or
and make you feel happier and healthier while social media skills, you have a long way to go to persuade an Angel.
use may lead to feelings of sadness, dissatisfaction, isola- 3. Know the difference between price and value. And
tion and frustration. This is a link that has already been most of all, know the value you offer and whom you
established between extended social media use and men- offer it to.
tal health. However, right now, there is no choice. I am 4. Social media is great, but you won’t close on social me-
dia. Angels need more than pretty posts. Yes, we want
to know if you have traction, but presenting your over-

FBI Magazine 32 |

Monaco Vroom. Exclusive Invitation Only Fundraising

all business strategy with achieved milestones can be a Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN
great push. Accredited Organization. India
5. Don’t work 16 hours a day for months on end. It will
end up in you having to take a 6 to 8-week break to the wild, then monitor the demand and see what the users
recharge. Be prepared for immense stress load and take want.
frequent breaks.
So, suppose you had the ear of Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn What is the best thing and the worst thing about being
Founder, what would you advise them to do this week? an influencer?
Reid Hoffman is a phenomenal entrepreneur. Hoffman, Influencing is responsibility. By using your influence
along with the founding team members from PayPal and and empowering skills, providing support and ensuring
Socialnet.com started and built something truly extraor- good communication, you can affect action without tak-
dinary. Hoffman embraced the growing movement toward ing charge, and encourage people to be an integral part of
releasing new products and features before they were ready their own creation. Influence can take many forms and it is
and iterated while they were live. He persisted through fail- highly personalized. Influencing is the power of persuasion
ure and clearly defined his value proposition with Linke- and the authority to ensure successful results. Expanding
dIn. My advice: Is there a new feature? Just launch it into human possibility through responsible influencing is pow-
erful. As for the worst thing, 500-1000 direct messages a
day with irrelevant sales pitches can be very annoying in-
deed and while I need to prioritize my time, a lot of time

| 33 FBI Magazine

is wasted on deleting messages. I do not use a virtual assis- country and region-specific governance, compliance and
tant; I like being very hands on with my own profile and regulatory challenges. In order to close, investors need ac-
my network and the results speak for themselves. cess to the right information and data that has to depend
What kind of advice would you give your 20-year-old on having real knowledge instead of just relying on market
self today? perception. Partnering with the right global, regional, lo-
Patience. Patience. Patience. cal and industry-specific partners is crucial. An investor
To the people reading this and probably thinking that should not assume that all countries are the same on the
they can’t accomplish what you have accomplished. continent and investors need to negotiate laws and regula-
What would you say to them? tions in a challenging environment. The recent global trade
Anyone reading this and thinking it is not possible, I have tensions may also put strain and could potentially under-
three suggestions. First, you must listen to Sir Winston mine investment. But I am open to see what implications
Churchill’s “Never Give In” speech. Second, you must lis- of the potential “no deal Brexit” may pose on investment
ten to Les Brown “It’s Possible” speech. And finally, repeat appetite towards emerging markets. A report made by
no1 and no2 on a daily basis until it is confirmed in the Baker McKenzie and IJGlobal, A Changing World: New
subconscious mind. If you have the passion and the inner trends in emerging market infrastructure finance’ showed
drive to do what you were destined to do, do not let anyone that development finance lending was the most important
tell you cannot. Work in silence and let success make noise. factor in the funding of infrastructure projects in Africa.
Be the star in your own movie. One thing is for sure. Lack of speed can kill good deals.
What is your advice to people looking to invest or do And when dealing with government policies and complex
business in Africa legislative groundwork, efficiency and speed are compro-
When investing in Africa, investors must consider geo-po- mised. Therefore, partnering with the right advisors who
litical and economic uncertainty on the continent as well as have knowledge and experience in navigating the specific
policies and legal structure is vital.

Mariett with Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Mariett with Bob Proctor, Star of The Secret
Ex-Prime Minister of France, London and Personal Development Leader, Hawaii

Mariett visiting Private School in North India Mariett with H.H. Prince Michel
of Yugoslavia, Dubai

FBI Magazine 34 |

KBRAISGYHOTKSATAR

TRhiseinSgtaSrtrtohnagtekreeps

| 35 FBI Magazine

Many people struggle with the issues of self-acceptance
more than others. They are under the impression that
self-acceptance is the equivalent of admitting to failure,
or giving up, but this is a completely wrong and rigid
thinking. Brightstar Kasyoka shares with Amb. Adebayo
Ogunjobi how she got her groove back as one of the lead-
ing young fashion designers in East Africa.

Can we meet you please?
My name is Brightstar Kasyoka.  I am 21 years old. I am the
founder of Star Tailored Designs and the Director Urban-
Suave Sartorial Limited  that manufactures custom made
suits, African and casual wears. If you are looking for a
place to upgrade your wardrobe, we are the right people
for you. We use the best fabrics that is tailored according
to your specifications.  We are located in Kimathi House
Opposite Sarova Stanley in Nairobi, Kenya. I was also a
participant in Ms President Reality Show that was airing in
a local show where out of the over 1000 applicants I was the
youngest and made it to top 18 representing Kitui County.
Prior to that I was the Finance secretary Maseno Universi-
ty 2016- 2018 where I won several leadership awards such
as University Student Leaders awards 2018,  Zuri Awards
2019 and Princess Diana Awards in the United Kingdom
2019 and graduated with a degree in political  science. I
am passionate about changing lives, and especially lives of
children and the marginalised because I know it takes one
person to believe in you and the narrative changes.
 
Most of your stories on social media has a bit of emo-
tional and motivational undertone, it will not be wrong
to say that you have encountered some stumbling block
while achieving this milestone. Did any of these at any
point in time discourage you from pursuing your goals?
Yes. More often than not I have been discouraged.  There
were some days I would lock myself in my room and cry
for even two days with the feeling that I cannot do this any-
more. But I thank God for giving me resilience, that after
every moment of breaking down I always end up rising
stronger.  People know me for my signature smile, so it was
not possible for them to know  that I was going through;
even those around me didn’t knows unless I tell them. De-
spite most of my life experiences being sad, I actually don’t
know how to be sad. I have learnt to accept every tribula-
tion with a smile. 

Would you like to share some of those derogatory and
humiliating words you were confronted with especially
at age 6, 8 and 12? And the later words at age 16 that
birth the self esteem and confidence in you.  We will like
to know how your turning point experience can help a
youth who is suffering from depression. 
  Those are actually just a tip on the iceberg. I have been

FBI Magazine 36 |

told so many negative things. I think, to most people in the porting your creativity and Fashion House.  Could you
society, it is very difficult to accept people who are differ- please share with us the type of investment opportuni-
ent.  I do everything for myself, and thus I consider myself ty you are seeking for your business to stand the test of
normal, but my hand has been a source of humiliation and time in the global market?
attacks even from family members.  If you watch my vid- For a young business, investment is crucial. My business
eos you can see how many times I was told I was not good has never gotten any form of investment. I have been work-
enough.  I am currently teaching myself how to be con- ing with what I had from scratch. However, as my story
fident and how to overcome the anxiety that those mean gets out to the public, we have been getting a lot of visibility
words left me in. What I have learnt from the few videos I in the market because of the good work we have been do-
have been doing is that confidence is achieved with every ing.  The orders have been more than our production ca-
small step you take. I am very outspoken, and so I chose pacity and we have to sometimes turn them down.   If I get
not to be silent. Start wherever you are. with whatever you an investor who can invest 100,000 USD, I will expand the
have. Do the things that scares you most and watch your capacity of my production, and invest in other areas within
confidence grow. the fashion industry. (I have a business proposal that ex-
  plains the details). I have the experience, the potential and
We recall having a discussion with you about potential
investment opportunities from an Angel investor sup-

| 37 FBI Magazine

the opportunities available combine with the right kind of
investment, I will be able to deliver and make the investor
proud that he took a chance on me.

And what are your long-term goals for yourself and the
business. 
My  long-term goal for the business  is to be the biggest
fashion house in Africa, with an office in every major city
delivering the highest quality apparel. Long-term goals for
myself is to be a voice of reason for the young people, to
inspire and touch lives across the globe. I want to be that
person who people look at and they say, “because of you, I
never gave up.” 

An intelligent and brilliant youth like you must have a
Mentor or Role model somewhere you looking up to. 
Who is that successful personality that you look up to?
I do not have a mentor who works closely with me where
business is concerned. I actually get all my advice from
books and YouTube. I read a lot. For the last decade, my
greatest inspiration has been Barack Obama. I love how he
rose from just a simple boy with a funny name to the most
powerful man in the world. Oprah Winfrey has been my
great inspiration. She defied odds on how you are supposed
to look in media to being the richest woman on earth. Busi-
ness-wise: in Kenya, my role model is Esther Muchemi the

FBI Magazine |38

CEO of Samchi group. She grew her company from a small before making it in the business world you will encounter
unit to a group of companies and she also dresses really so many Nos and if you have not invested in your mental
well. In Africa, my role model is Tony Elumelu. He is not health you are likely to quit. Also keep asking, keep knock-
only a great business man and a philanthropist but if you ing doors, someday, someone will invest in your dreams.  
look closely at his Instagram, he is a family man who loves
his wife and children, a living proof that money is not a There are some sweet and emotional lyrics we read on
ticket to misbehave. In the world I give it to Elon Musk, your social media pages dedicated to someone special in
every time I see Elon musk on TV, I get so excited because your life; Would you mind to share that love story with
he started from the bottom and he is revolutionising the us here and the special Man in question? 
world. He had a vision for what he wanted and went for I am a creative being.  I am very emotional too. I write
it. He also confessed that he was raised by books, books, as a way of expressing myself too. I have never been in a
books, and then,
his parents; some-
thing I can totally
relate to.

What are your relationship before, I had so much struggles and it would
greatest fears and have been hard for someone to put up with me and my
challenges so far? breaking down, but still, love is an important part of my
As we know that life and as you grow up you realise the importance of be-
life is not a bed of ing careful with choosing the man you will be with. The
roses.  What would man I will have will affect my ambitions, peace of mind, my
you say to encour-
age Startups like
you to overcome
such fears and
challenges?
My greatest fear
and still is today
is not being good
enough.  I grew up
being told I wasn’t,
and up to today
I have to work so
hard on my mind
to believe I am.
It affects my per-
formance, I do so
much just to prove
to myself that I am
good enough. If I
fail at anything, I’d
feel so bad for my-
self. So, I am con-
stantly in internal
pressure to make
it and be great.
Business-wise, the greatest challenge is the finance to im-
plement the ideas you have. My advice to every youth is,
sometimes, you will have no one to believe in you apart
from yourself.  You have to invest in your mental strength
and resilience such that you are tough enough to encoun-
ter every rejection, every failure, every obstacle because,

| 39 FBI Magazine

image and ultimately my success, so selection shouldn’t be
done in a rush.  I hope to get married, have kids and be the
power couple of my generation. I believe in fantasy life like
that of Beyoncé where I don’t have to kiss many frogs but
when that time comes I will unveil lucky man to the world.
What do you make of what most people say about your
tiny voice in similarity to your age and your jovial na-
ture. 
At first it used to bother me. I would eat a lot of hot pepper

and fake a base, but when I would get excited, I would for-
get to fake. Because self acceptance is part of my theme and
what I am preaching to the world, I had to accept myself.
I have been receiving texts from girls who have tiny voices
and are encouraged to own their voices after hearing me
speak. I always say that you have to be the first in any space.
I will be the first with such a tiny voice in many spaces.
Who said success has to sound a particular way anyway?

FBI Magazine | 40
FBI Magazine
HthMAeeManaArcenseferfsWtirtcotoahhmrnoes

Despite Africa’s richness in fos-
sil fuels and renewable resourc-
es, at least 110 million of the 600
million people still live without
access to constant electricity.
In this Interview with the FBI
Africa crew, the African Avatar
also known as the Spirit of Af-
rica reveals shocking reasons
behind Africa’s under-develop-
ment and also brings an import-
ant message from the African
Ancestors. Enjoy!

| 41 FBI Magazine

There are so many controversies about who the My music combines all the genres of African mu-
African Avatar is? Tell us, who really are you sic emanating from the roots to the diaspora. We
Ianadmwthhaet‘SisPyIRouITr mOiFssAioFnRiInCAA’.frIicaam? sent by our gave birth to soul, gospel, jazz, rock, blues, African
African Ancestors to deliver messages, and mu- spiritual, African beats, Pop, Soka and Reggae. All
sic is one of the mediums by which we Africans these are music we gave to the world! Therefore, I
spiritually communicate our feelings, our hopes promote and express all the African genres with-
and our fears. Our musical instruments are our out being restricted to a box as most media like
major lingua franca to communicate between to categorize how Africans express their feelings
our peoples. My mission and their thoughts dramatically in all types of
is to get all Africans on
the continent and in the delivery, fun, hurt, pain, exaltation, dance, joy, a
diaspora united for one smorgasbord of different emotions that make up
purpose: African Renais- the African character, outgoing, reflective, love,
sance - Africans taking spiritual, communicative, jovial, dance a lot!!!
control of their continent That’s why the African Avatar is embodied in the
and natural resources! Soul and Spirit of the SWAGGA DON the musical
Africans from all over the singer and performer.
world repopulating Afri- Your album is really making so much noise
ca. Africans doing it for across Africa, Europe and North America.
themselves and by them- What is so peculiar about Africa at the moment
selves; African solutions Athfarticma’sadtiemyeouhlaasuncocmh oeumt autstichailslyt!imOeu?r stories,
to African problems and our polyrhythms, our way of singing and expres-
promoting African uni- sion has taken the world by storm including. Our
ty in all its ramifications. movies, our culture, our dress style and our sense
One united African na- of SWAGG!!!
tion, one united African
currency, Africans speak-
ing on their own behalf
not other people’s narra-
tive. So, the ‘AFRICAN
AVATAR’ is an embodiment of all things African:
music, vision, mission, culture, clothes, food, at-
titude, innovation, the positivity and the will of
Africans, the new Africa
Your Genre of Music is unique and different
from what we are used to? What is the story be-
hind this?

You claim to have consistent interactions with
the African Ancestors. For instance, your al-
bum launch dates and your messages were said
to have been given to you by the African Ances-
tYoerss,?I was commanded to begin the musical jour-
ney and messages and launch to a strict cosmic
timing which is palindromic and to inform the ar-

FBI Magazine 42 |

rival of the African Avatar as the messenger of the with elephantiac projects that bring no contribu-
African Ancestors. The Ancestors own the Uni- tion to the development of the African people but
verse and their messenger had to begin his musi- debt. We are to leverage the natural resources for
cal journey at these exact times and dates, while a united currency, one African currency. We are
they handle the rest! I’m on their cosmic sailing to encourage intra-trade and inter-travel so as to
ship and aircraft; they own the engine of the jour- circulate the money within Africa and get rid of
ney, the journey time and arrival locations. I’m on western and other currencies so that Africa can
their cosmic mission, already calibrated in cosmic develop on her own.
palindromic timings! These times will never ever Let’s talk about the electricity shortage in Afri-
be repeated again! So, I was told to own it and ca. This is one of the major problems stunting
command these palindrome cosmic vibrations Africa’s socio-economic growth. Why is it hard
and steer their cosmic ship as these palindrom- to have constant electricity in most African
ic dates and times are cosmic and recognized cBoeucanutrseiews?e have traitors among us who are selfish
as very very powerful by our African ancestors: and greedy insular thinkers. They think only for
the dates are 00:01:01:01:2020, 00:02:02:02:2020, themselves and their immediate families. That is
10:10:10:10:2020 why after spending billions, individuals who are
From here on in it’s a cosmic reset for Africa! I ministers and managers of electricity programs
am but one of the messengers as the AFRICAN are given tokenism in exchange for sabotaging
AVATAR! electricity development. We have heard stories of
Do you have a message from the African An- how managers in electricity company and Min-
cestors on how they feel about Africa’s current isters of energy received houses and scholarships
eYceos!nTohmeiyc saanidd wpoelimtiucastl punositietifoinrs?t. I have a mar- abroad for their children in exchange for econom-
shalled plan for Africa and Africans both on the ic saboteurs. Also, we have business men who
continent and in the diaspora. Bring all Africans are part of this by selling generators and making
home, repopulate Africa, take out the old leaders billions yearly so that Africa will never develop!
and replace them with the young leaders of the These people should be dealt with! Lebanese,
African tomorrow. Control the continent and her Chinese, Indians and others are having a field day
resources, provide free education, provide food dumping generators and generator part on for
security, provide free health care and do away example Nigeria and other African countries, as
long as they can bribe the decision makers.

| 43 FBI Magazine

Africa is the most populous continent of young
people in the world, but more than 70% of this
population is unemployed; how can this be tack-
led? -With the huge human and natural deposit
in Africa, why is it still difficult to have an Af-
rTiHcaEn c7o0u%ntrPyOaPmUoLnAgTthIOe NworIlSd’sKsEuPpTerpUowNeErMs.-
PLOYED BY THE FEW AS FODDER for the
workforce to be paid menial and be continuously
on the poverty line to ensure economic enslave-
ment and a supply line of labour! If they are given
free education and grants for business, they will
surprise the world. India did an experiment (no
longer an experiment because its fully up and
running now as we speak) and incubated a whole
city Mumbai with IT and software students! What
happened? the whole world employed them as
outsourced expertise for their tele companies,
IT Companies, banks etc. They have a boom and
their young are employed. We can use the same
model for Africa! Educate! educate! educate our
young!! Train! Train! Train our young! Skill up!
Skill up! skill up Our young!! That is our most

valuable resource that Africa has!! Bright and in-
novative young men and women with super tal-
ent!!
The black lives matter has generated lots of
global interests and disinterests. While some
are fighting for equal treatments on the global
stage, there are lots of disunity within the Af-
rican continent. We have seen Africans killing
their fellow Africans and discriminating against
Ytheesmblsaeclkvelisv.eHs doowmdoattyeoruevreeraycwt thoertehiasn?d America
and Europe has recognized an upsurge in wanton
killings of our black brothers and sisters and now
we are getting organized to fight and fight we will.
At the same time, the black vs black killings are

FBI Magazine 44 |

also fuelled by our enemies who sow seeds of dis-
course by insinuation for example in south Africa
that other blacks are taking their jobs when we
should be partnering and sharing. Our enemies
continue to fuel that fear and provide guns and
ammunitions for us to continually war with each
other whilst they laugh at the dinner table of our
stupidity and disunity and go away free of charge
with our abundant natural resources. That must
stop!! It has to stop! Africans and the youths of
Africa are now awake. Africans must see it for
what it is divide, separate and rule!!!
The year 2020 has been declared as a year of si-
lencing the guns in Africa. With recent activity
in Mali, Cameroon and other parts of Africa do
you think this is an achievable project for Afri-
Tcaheanledadwehrastomf Aufsrticbaeadroenceowtoargdest wthiitshrtihgehetxcep-
tion of a few namely Rwanda, Tanzania, and Gha-
na. There is no way with control of the security
apparatus in these countries that you cannot get
your population to put down guns. If you provide
education, work programs, skills program and
cooperatives to get the unemployed and the dis-
enfranchised to see that they have a future, Guns
will be silenced. Peace is achievable! Change the
old guards and provide new and innovative bright
young and vibrant leadership.
If you have a minute to address the AU with all
African presidents in attendance, what will you
Fsairye? Faki! Put the likes of Arikana Chihombo-
ri-Quao, PLO Lumumba, Julius Malema, Joshua
Maphonga and others who have a vision for Af-
rica and are connected to Africans. Understand
what the economic hitmen of France, China and
other economic rapist of our continent are doing
to Africa. Instead of having francophone and oth-
er Asian and European stooges as Faki cavorting
around the world doing nothing for Africans but
pontification and swirling wine and champagne

for the workforce to be paid menial and be
continuously on the poverty line to ensure economic
enslavement and a supply line of labour! If they are

given free education and grants for business,
they will surprise the world

| 45 FBI Magazine

in Pairs, the time for stooges are over! That is what
I would say!

SFeint ayleWarloyrdA!frican development goals! One year,
health for all. The following year can be free edu-
cation for all. The year after can be food security
for all and the 5th year can be power for all! That’s
the first five years! We need to set yearly goals for
all of Africa, we don’t need MDG’s and SDG’s; we
can set our own then unite the nations of Afri-
ca, UNITED NATIONS OF AFRICA (UNA)! We
must shake off those European shackles, stan-
dardize our languages perhaps start with four ma-
jor languages, Swahili, Zulu, Yoruba, Hausa, and
continue from there. Get rid of the imposition of
yet another clever ploy by the Chinese setting up
a Confucius mandarin institutes in every African
nation! No!!! let them instead learn our languag-
es if they wish to engage us! For every investor
wanting to come and do business in Africa can
partner with our local communities, transfer your
skills and partnerships must be restricted to 70-
30 in our favour. Institutionalize our own Afri-
can stock market and stock exchange; our own
African central bank, our own standard African
currency matched against our huge and abundant
resources! Set up our own African Health Orga-
nization and replace WHO to protect our people
and our people’s survival against planned vacci-
nations and destruction of our race! Develop our
own pharmaceutical industry both herbal and
medicinal.

I’m on their cosmic
mission, already calibrated
in cosmic palindromic timings!
These times will never ever
be repeated again! So, I was told
to own it and command these
palindrome cosmic vibrations
and steer their cosmic ship
as these palindromic dates
and times are cosmic and

recognized as very very
powerful by our African

ancestors

FBI Magazine 46 |

How We Survived 2020

bcaTaiciwceftnrlhennnuhooagswaycdsekmsseilefaeselnyndueltsvGeeyuon.olesanCpngatorsrleotieydoocsnl2tetanvtauhtg0venlioagn2iledddlentyr0elt1rusmogeya9dcwratcfatneohuurhhhaptoeipnashenaewdmssco,npgwi.tecddmedieweohedrohrenohoe.ltavdovliaaaIvenegoipirenrngitwwesyehg.lyesdtonioOhvtnro,ccnheelkonihdmeenrmma.tgtoganlIhhpofitkowgvielusisaweeeintslptdtdawghedtposltooiaysoohpfasuiflrsetrioottmciiauvslooelui,eetexfkrmldaettspusvvsasaaaieaueritdjnnnrengorceidddgyer---,

Armando Camacho sCPcaacpklpaeilorrniirenesonnetimodsaiovcdefoipneirinest.dnclrhssteiWew1r.oaaaAeh9tlafneCTaarftgmadlreihvonoeirnreecavonu,oeeanifwdldsadeitn-anlbsid1mhefmhkjae9esoxenilfaaplktaaowpodytrlesreetweeemerhaaraeadtec,nntetachheuhcsddnlhefisaesauzoiaatrtrecentlgievaihwndmeneahreigxalimtnoanthtlwwfnmghkgaeamyieembnteliaflnuesttwloliish,sttlrftcihsyiechfnnena,ot,leroidhegngrtstaieshepsaasann.ietaefilpnuLonrrlrfaolkorteroeynaooa!mefafldorsrulmmnhfrrhpoGweaauatovlaohihknpierdfrdoeeeer--,,
Dr. Michael Eisa
Group CEO, EISA SMART GROUP

stlmR5forheuoyueaaemmnntdadheorbr“aasre.CtssnfeoIowodonrvwfeeial,daMcwu-cop1noaamo9smrcsc”eet.shphdriFtlbeeamul9wtielnetleohtpllywr,ooascnaictttk-tkhdhhddeeeiovoomtpewwIctrieoacnnynul,.iwlnaaemInerttvramreeyelalyg.ssa,louotfavoruteerhcdrsaoanetlunrmmtneiaevmotnrnesdyertt maptrpOttuOtuiirtCilaIowhaitttrihhhneinrfurvaaen.ymcOeulnnecoeaioivocedracWsetstotnohjeeVehaoenhaegiamagapsdntaotrenserbcIohnn.bactlarplltDltypeopayiatsuHitaehduintsnehkgzuriwlhert-diiidnsfMwoeoeeueaensl1brateo;iidet.oafstwln9neierytetanltwmpomlmSnghyhtaghls-etraatnrohioauscicloveoienngnoasayswaticsieuhnecytoroms.odcol,ssrrnfc,aceneedhTt,,epomthrhttulreewhxboaatwiheeihanptanepfthaeauwlovvbehseteuogsdstrycneseirgae,lfnhrdwsatlpriefeolydrotsnotlnis,ofetiiehovyaeuteenofnooc,ferrtSenaIamieotnlrkeugcdwsaswwhilrhndtcfsei,dnvrnhhlmtieiaedaeuhte‘oedieontieedaherrtsemrhdsnacwpuvhvnertsepismlettmruoeneeLrcaooaiihdnracmacaraouahgvgeocevuwalasrysslnoeintssavahvajresptctetitseiotn.tdv.hinoeohahhnrbpeNninerTMdisnoaymaéanughtIinnccshittofntnvatigeeledoa‘ydgtIoeilwoeatla.rettsniules’ftkicwhenoubterlMethconyclaghcnishetiflupbaoienahfecoosbesadfornesAomenu..adotmi2ounow‘cvptuInFionrlt0uisyeaswaaemap,crhtcccnoci2ngucdoosnseiaobaoaenrsaa0ptihtodsodnnnterfueguibceoao!tssaattyhftofttAotttsamtniseanwinnehhtunaauviiooeiwsfeynndtddyyeeeers---‘ttff.,,.
mebfwaitWatUmrwhnnlooeskaeetyorplmrisycdwnoa)wfoae.iairttmnertchtmhPhsruaeaaeeeln.sildecwlltEtTa.ieoo8essixUoWn0mtsdaeph.-cmlutee1ee,ithaecrsa0aalswrutk0-katigncenanoeewirffgrdtoaiaekiesnmzrwaerlfetoeriruceinnrvonloaonisoimgebncuhranseeltsgi:selep.aityhUdelol,ItyvhetorS,seaeryace,slractdatyaBysthoarsihtrmterosoweaosyhnn,uzerioucni,tmsot(wl,fagw,suawmdleuRmeanomespsuetnwirrasllbom&.ioissneeerissTseamscptrtrha(ehoat)aoucenw,nerlulsslttiiidoyeerrs--f Lt. Tobi Lovv, Israel
Schihisnlieaotghrduseetiaboantareigndotn,-dniebvdfcreairetorleelasnadikotfmiiyvfnnrseiuognrmedtttsohehtsateoothtrtibwtohshey,eooemtrreudlidrasdra.kaeinbiOnandlsdengsahlbfnoyaeifdmrlmlbeif,uoiurlwensiletsiesnihs.naeairbsdetsrieeolooasknsoaea.krnlIes-t,
Armando Camacho, Tuscany, Italy.

| 47 FBI Magazine

dls‘wbsduprfbiCw2rtmmVonaheooi0uasireaooamovsgoeaemc.isr2snnpfrr,ilkviisiU0tuvolicesttfnaebeeeidlheaeatnenyntvdudewyedmcdlfehagesla.tloshaiawysraapdkiaCVufomw.saarlsartieedyfndonttiaTmiaonec,yrihtduftcbyhtaniouhooeimieaieneltpadogdlsitartl,relfyndt.htlootyneomiaIy’uwanduErewtrtntannaMsihieso.lhvtcm2anctnaldheMeeariitsaa0utdrdcterahylehenlet2gmhlyyhselelyces0drmweyyotdbopeaaowh.CffuwhartmraiegcopitaedristonnaoxherrrohcseiydtovIrpfgdonrnrhremilioctpefit’eesedtihtdwehusruolsostieoriieeees.eag-naurbeivIacsa1nhvLSesnllanksesti9wssidoorcnynrlvsdeca,oe,tecythddegxanohlataapkIdoasoletbwftdgleemdtoailwspundidsfdtnotlrFviIpehsesaaarepw,euioicdenmsrwnyerpnrrwlpottnsttaiae,eae’ahothpfo.hsbtndssbrabsusolsroIcsiolsdesutuicearhlsistm‘widetdhstbFwNyerinivdtfslellwlaiedieelitiwwasefittttgafiontlnahhhhdottaaooellnhlo’gyyaeeeerss--tffl Gloria Anderson
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tnfWcgwIeinaraohlonilnatJoiwcuhenwhhinddnatelhvcfgeCooeia9sacAudtmuahnefpsrrtrefeiwsriocrdniofaegerasoroonehanhnmccam.aoidaOadn,Knlcopvweaormenaleenyrrycitsd5aehoiiuc,s0nvaiUcdegpbytrgoyaetypatduhelanotefdrahrdotnorsianknomo,feilrtNnterohhegCimeoidgsraOfetptwrpyVhrihoraioeItoou,hgDmgwGtrhraoeha1wmnumia9ner--..
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I am very methodological in my approach relat-

FBI Magazine 48|

Francis John
Why Africa Should Not Expect Covid-19
Vaccines In Africa Anytime Soon

| 49 FBI Magazine

Well, if you call him the meetings at United Nations, World Bank/IMF, Afri-
man of the moment, can Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), to bring
you won’t be wrong opportunities to Africa. And currently, I’m working
as that is what Francis John on several franchises for the continent of Africa, Afri-
is at the moment. As the can Americans Economic Exchange program, starting
Founder of HOPe Africa, a with Nigeria, doing 10 million pencils and 10 million
not-for-profit, public char- sanitary pads campaigns for rural pupils and the girl
ity organization formed to child in Africa respectively. I am an author-publisher,
provide for the poor, elderly, and into international business, and charity. I have a
veterans, and people with great passion for African Americans because of our
disabilities in America and interconnectivity, history, and their interest to invest
Africa needing healthcare in Africa. I have represented two blue-chip compa-
services, medical equip- nies, Law Denis and Bluestar in the United Kingdom
ment, medications-vita- and worked with two in the United States, Amazon,
mins- nutrition, basic daily and Cerner. To mention but a few, above are some of
needs, Francis John opens my charisma and influences.
up to Amb. Adebayo Ogun- As Board Member of Civil Society Advocacy Leg-
jobi on several deep secrets islative Centre, one of your responsibilities is to
you can only find in high promote democratic and accountable governance
places including why Af- for socio-economic development of Africa. Can you
rica should not expect the Eshvaernetshoomugehomf tyhbeoaacrhdiemveemmbenertsshoipf tihs iosfcCeinvtiel rS?ociety
Covid-19 vaccines in Africa Legislative and Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) Global,
anytime soon. incorporated in the United States with IRS 501C3, its
operational office is in New York City. My responsibil-
ities are indifferent to activities addressed in the Af-
rican Continent. One of its most imperative achieve-
ment is its establishment in the United State, which

Can we know you and how your background influ-
eTnhcaendkwyhouatfyooruthdeootoppdoayrt?unity to participate in this
edition of FBI Africa magazine. Addressing your
question, my background from childhood was in-
fluenced by several factors: family, communities,
schools, business, faith, communal clashes, refugee
camps, lecturing, and early international travels. All
brought significance to my personality not limited to
winning the US Diversity Visa Lottery in 2004. These
journeys were undulating. Nevertheless, my parents
were not educated but were able to educate eight of
us to become graduates from petty trading business.
After graduating from Kaduna Polytechnic and lec-
tured at the Department of Mining Engineering, l
joined Nigerian Field Society (US Embassy, Kaduna)
and Nigeria British Association (Kaduna) to become
the youngest assistant secretary. In the US, I have or-
ganized functions, working with the Nigerian embassy
and consulates to address passport and related issues,
and brought over 200 Nigerians to attend business
round table meetings and opportunities. This earned
me an award from the City Mayor in 2014. Since
then, l have become relevant in tying entrepreneurs
in America and Nigeria together. Annually, I attend

FBI Magazine 50 |

brings the association closer to funding partners for
dispatch decision making in urgently addressing
burning issues and cannot be deterred by local stan-
dards in the continent of Africa.
Fortunately, it is a renowned voice of the Transpar-
ency International and MacArthur Foundation. The
foundation awarded $1,090,000.00 between 2013 and
2017, including 3 grants in Population & Reproduc-
tive Health in Nigeria. CISLAC achievements are
remarkable and traceable in every nook and cranny,
carried out with collective approach in a participatory
democratic process. Some of the additional achieve-
ments include: Strengthening the Capacities of Civ-
il society Organizations for Effective Advocacy in
Budget Analysis, Allocations, Tracking, Monitoring
and Reporting; Corruption Perceptions Index 2018:
“More is Required in the Fight against Corruption in
Nigeria and many more.

You were selected twice to accompany Former Assembly of Heads of State and Government. I have
President Olusegun Obasanjo to participate in the been exposed to the work of the transformation as a
Transformation and the Inaugural ceremony of Or- Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) contributor to a
ganization of Africa Unity (OAU) to African Union workshop on how the organization can relate to the
(AU) in Addis Ababa and South Africa, how would media. This participatory opportunity was my second
you describe this experience and, in your view, how regional outing prior VOWIA summit in Libya. My
Twheell AisftrhiceanAUUndiooinngchaatnugneitoinf gnaAmfreicaan?d its transfor- experience is buttressing the common denominator
mation agenda, inviting stakeholders could not but between member NGOs and their relationship with
be cosmetic. I have been exposed to the work of the their mandate. Networking is undertaken by
transformation as a CSO contributor to a workshop NGOs to develop a comprehensive development
on how the organization can relate to the media in vision and strengthen their analytical methods, in the
Ethiopia and its launching at Durban, South Africa.
My invitation was based on my position as the Exec-
utive Secretary, Voice of Women in Africa (VOWIA).
Its highest decision-making organ continues to be the
Assembly of Heads of State and Government. Directly
beneath the AU’s apex body is the Executive Coun-
cil, made up of foreign ministers of African countries.
This is the most important body of the organization,
for it is responsible for preparing decisions for the