The Draughtswoman Making Her Point In Art

BY PEACE HYDE

Art can have many expressions. Jacqueline Suowari’s is as a draughtswoman, with larger- than-life drawings using a ballpoint pen.

Jacqueline Suowari. Image: Flikr

FOR AS LONG AS JACQUELINE SUOWARI CAN remember, she had wanted to become an artist. Born in Zaria in Kaduna State, Nigeria, Suowari developed a passion for art the moment she chanced upon a sculpture made by local artists in her neighborhood. Her only problem was convincing everybody else that this was what she was born to do. This was when she was only nine.

“I said I wanted to be an artist, and literally had to fight that battle with everyone. I was being ignored by everyone because they thought I was a child and they wouldn’t take me seriously. Even when I didn’t know what it entailed or what it meant, I stuck to it,” says Suowari.


As she was leaving secondary school for university, her teachers too tried to convince her otherwise.

“But I had to stand my ground and say that being an artist is the thing I want to do even in the face of the impending doom they painted. I knew I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else.”


As the years passed, she eventually became a painter, but that too led her to reinventing herself.

“I went to school as a painter, I trained as a painter. I was second-best graduating student in my department as a painter, and then I finished and then three years down the line, I realized I was not happy. Yes, I went to school, I studied fine art, I am a painter but I am not happy. After some serious introspection, I found out that it was drawing that made me happy. It wasn’t the painting. And I wasn’t drawing anymore because I was now a painter.”


She read a profile on Toyin Odutola, a Nigerian-American contemporary visual artist known for her vivid drawings on work and paper, and that brought Suowari back to her childhood calling.

“She draws with a ball point pen and I saw on her bio on Twitter the word ‘draughtswoman’ and that was the first time I saw that. I checked it in the dictionary and at thetimetherewasn’t any word like that,” says Suowari.


That was the light bulb moment she needed.

It took Suowari a while to find her style but


once she did, things began to slowly materialize.
“At the time, nobody was buying my drawings. Imagine what it’s

like to build four years as a painter and then stop and start again as a draughtswoman. It was crazy but I wanted to draw so I kept on doing work, getting better and building on my skills. I found out my passion was to do bigger work, not just small ones. I wanted to go bigger and bigger to a point where I couldn’t find paper to draw on in Nigeria.”


She started importing paper that could take the size of the drawings she wanted to create. This was her new-found love for drawing with a ballpoint pen.

Alongside, Suowari also offered children art lessons to pay the bills until she got her first big break.


“People were saying nobody has houses with this kind of space and nobody will buy [the drawings]. But I thought to myself, my market is not just restricted to Nigeria. Yes, I’m a Nigerian in Nigeria but I’m making art for the world and the owners of these paintings will find me. When you are passionate about something, you don’t put the money in front, you put the passion in front,” says Suowari.

And she was right. Suowari was signed up between 2014 and 2017 by the Avant Gallery in New York. Today, she is a name in contemporary art exhibitions in Nigeria and overseas; selling from between $10,000 to $40,000 depending on the size of each work.


Her larger-than-life pieces are overlaid with beautiful colors and are in demand but for Suowari, nothing is better than the joy of picking up a ballpoint pen; it’s the same joy she discovered as a wide- eyed nine year old.

SOURCE: FORBES AFRICA

Nigeria-Born Tope Awotona Poured His Life Savings Into Calendly. Now He’s One Of America’s Wealthiest Immigrants

This story appears in the April/May 2022 issue of Forbes Magazine

TOPE AWOTONA. IMAGE JAMEL TOPPIN/FORBES

BY AMY FELDMAN, FORBES

Calendly was built out of frustration. Now the scheduling app is worth $3 billion—and the subject of a heated Twitter spat among Silicon Valley elite.

Tope Awotona, the 40-year-old founder and chief executive of Calendly, leans back in his chair and lets loose a loud guffaw.

“You call it on message, I call it the truth,” he says, slapping his hands on the table. The truth, as Awotona has it, is that everyone needs Calendly, his scheduling software, to lead better, more productive, happier work lives.

Nine years ago, Awotona started Calendly, pouring his life savings of $200,000 into it and later quitting his job selling software for EMC. Today, the company has 10 million users and counts Lyft, Ancestry.com, Indiana University and La-Z-Boy among its customers. Revenue last year passed $100 million, double what it booked the previous year. It could double again this year.

The company, which was founded in Atlanta but no longer has any physical offices, has been profitable since 2016. Last year it raised $350 million in funding from OpenView Venture Partners and Iconiq Capital at a price that values the business at $3 billion. That means Awotona’s majority stake is worth at least $1.4 billion, after the 10% discount that Forbes applies to shares of all private companies. Awotona is one of just two Black tech billionaires in the United States, along with David Steward, the 70-year-old founder of Missouri-based IT provider World Wide Technology. “Tope could be the most successful African-American tech entrepreneur of his generation,” says David Cummings, founder of Atlanta Ventures, which led a $550,000 seed investment in Calendly seven years ago.

Calendly doesn’t have the scheduling business to itself. Square, Microsoft and Zurich-based Doodle offer competing products. But Calendly has gained traction with its sleek, consumer-friendly design and its freemium model that lets it gain paying customers with no marketing.

Awotona is now moving beyond scheduling meetings to creating tools that help recruiters, salespeople and other white-collar workers manage those meetings before and after they occur. That means routing meetings to the right person at a large company and adding relevant documents, such as agendas and budgets, that are needed to make the meeting run more smoothly in the invitation itself. It also includes integrating with productivity tools like Salesforce to track results. Others may view scheduling meetings as drudgery, but Awotona sees it as key to making connections to everything that happens within an organization. This expansive view allows him to speculate that the global market Calendly is selling into is potentially worth $20 billion.

“In my life, I’ve benefited from not taking the conventional wisdom,” Awotona says. “It’s benefited me personally, and I think it has benefited the business.”

Awotona was born in Lagos, Nigeria, into a middle-class family. His father was a microbiologist and entrepreneur; his mother worked at the central bank. Lagos, a city of 15 million, is economically vibrant but dangerous. When Awotona was 12 he witnessed his father get shot and killed in a carjacking. “There was a part of me, from a very early age, that wanted to redeem him,” he once said.

In 1996, when he was 15, he moved with his family to Atlanta. He studied computer science at the University of Georgia, then switched to business and management information. “I loved coding, but it was too monotonous,” he says. “I’m probably too extroverted to be a coder.”

Instead, he sold software for tech companies, including Perceptive Software, Vertafore and EMC (since acquired by Dell). He also founded a few businesses on the side: a dating website, a company that sold projectors and another that sold garden tools. All three were flops.

His idea for Calendly was different in that it was sparked by his own frustration as a salesman setting up meetings—a task that would sometimes take dozens of emails and days of delay. “The obvious idea to me was that scheduling is broken,” he says. In 2013, he launched Calendly from Atlanta Tech Village, a coworking space for entrepreneurs. To fund it, he raided his 401(k) and maxed out his credit cards. “It could’ve gone really badly,” he says. “With my previous businesses, I hedged my bets a little bit and gave myself a way out. With Calendly I flew into a war zone and put in every cent I had. If you’re going to do something, you have to go all in.”

For programming help he contracted with Ukrainian firm Railsware. Awotona was in Kyiv eight years ago as protesters battled government forces in the streets. Now, amid the war, Calendly has helped relocate its 10 Ukraine-based contract developers at Railsware and has provided financial support to them and their families.

By late 2013, Awotona had a viable product but no cash left. Seed investors, led by Cummings, came to the rescue with a half-million-dollar infusion. Calendly is free for individual users, but typically costs corporations $25 per user per month. “Employees sing the praises of our product to their higher-ups and it bubbles up,” Awotona says. “That’s the Trojan horse of how we get into companies.”

Enterprise customers can set up customized landing pages, route meetings to specific groups of people and connect their Calendly software to other tools, such as Salesforce, Stripe, Zoom and Hubspot. Large customers, which Calendly defines as those paying more than $100,000 a year, have grown tenfold over the past 12 months as Calendly has built up its internal sales team. Publicly traded car shopping site CarGurus, for example, has scheduled some 2,000 sales meetings with its dealers through Calendly since signing up last May. That has meant savings of 500 hours of employees’ time, says CarGurus senior digital strategist Michael Riley, who led the Calendly rollout.

Last June, US Foods, a large food supplier based outside Chicago, rolled out Calendly to 100 people who work with independent restaurants, mostly mom-and-pop shops. The deal let US Foods set up customized templates for meetings, in both English and Spanish, and incorporate new sales and other outcomes into its strategic planning. “That visibility was a huge selling point for signing an enterprise agreement with Calendly,” says David Eschler, vice president of restaurant operations at US Foods. For its corporate customers, Awotona says, the cost of Calendly is more than offset by productivity increases.

The power dynamics of Calendly can be complicated—who invites, who accepts—especially for those professions, like venture capital, in which that kind of thing really matters. Awotona, who says that hasn’t been an issue for the typical recruiter or salesperson, watched in amazement as his firm became the object of a Twitter war this winter. Sam Lessin, a VC with Slow Ventures, tweeted about his hatred of Calendly on January 26, calling it “the most raw/naked display of social capital dynamics in business.”

“Who hurt you Sam,” riposted Dustin Moskovitz, the billionaire Facebook cofounder whose project manager business, Asana, is a Calendly customer. Added VC Marc Andreessen (net worth $1.7 billion) in a since-deleted tweet: “Notice with immediate effect: Anyone who disregards my Calendly links will be permabanned from raising venture capital in Silicon Valley.”

Awotona says the kerfuffle led to tens of thousands of new users signing up. “Our marketing team has spent a lot of time thinking about how to get people talking about Calendly this year. We didn’t know the easiest way was to put out some tweets,” he says. “We couldn’t have planned it better.”

Now Awotona, who took the 424-person company fully remote last summer, plans more features to push Calendly further into what needs to happen before meetings (such as having candidates’ résumés attached to recruiters’ calendar invitations) and after them (such as increased analytics). He’s also planning international expansion, believing that the pain of scheduling is felt across all geographies and languages.

“The opportunity to make each meeting efficient and achieve its stated purpose is what we’re about,” says Awotona, who confesses to spending 25 hours in meetings in an average week. “We see scheduling as an opportunity to set the meeting up for success—how you schedule the meeting, simplified preparation and follow-up. That is our grand vision.”

Russia And Ukraine -- Oil And Gas Fallout For The World, Now And Looking Ahead.

BY IAN PALMER

Martin Rylance. Image: Martin Rylance via Forbes

Martin Rylance is the Discipline Lead and Distinguished Advisor for Reservoir and Well Enhancement at THREE60 ENERGY Ltd. Previously he worked at bp, their NOJVs and partner companies for more than 37 years. Having lived in 12 Countries (30 years connected with Russia) and pumped in 45 he has a truly international footprint in fracturing and stimulation services, well control and multilateral drilling. He is a co-author of several books, including “Modern Fracturing: Enhancing Natural Gas Production”, and author of more than 200 industry technical papers, articles and patents.


Rylance has been an SPE Distinguished Lecturer in 2007, 2013 and again in 2018. He is a Distinguished Member of the SPE and received the SPE Completions Optimization and Technology Award for the SPE GCS in 2015 and Globally in 2021.

Natural gas prices increased by 150% in UK and EU since the Ukraine war. But only by 10% in US. Why is this?

Gas prices in the UK had already dramatically increased in the last 6 months, due to a variety of reasons, one of these is wholesale gas price rise (300% over last 12 months) and the government recently shifting the CAP which suppliers are allowed to charge. The Russian invasion of Ukraine will exacerbate this further, although the UK has relatively low import levels of Russian Gas < 3%. Countries in the EU are more exposed to imports of Russian gas, with Germany at 49%, Italy at 45%, and France at 25%. Certainly, in North America, the wider availability of gas either as a direct or secondary (with oil) production phase has insulated the USA from the full magnitude of these effects.

Can Russia survive loss of oil and gas income, from oil and gas bans on Russian exports and consequences of bp, Shell, etc. offloading their businesses in Russia.

The amount of revenue that Russia can access will be driven by the oil and gas market. Even under sanctions Iran and Venezuela continued to ship and sell oil and gas, albeit at a discount from the primary market. It is certainly likely that those countries which abstained from the recent UN General Assembly vote will have no qualms about buying cheaper oil and gas if directly available from Russia. Countries like this will continue to find ways and means of trading and purchasing cargoes, through a range of complicated approaches. This discounted secondary market, and the pricing of oil and gas as it stabilizes, will determine how much revenue Russia is able to replace. Note that the USA, only, has directly banned Russian oil and gas imports, although the UK will phase them out through 2022, but these amounts are both relatively insignificant.

Can liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar, Australia, and US fill the gas shortage in Europe?

As far as I am aware, Russia is continuing to pump gas to Europe, so no change so far. As noted, there are some countries that have quite a large exposure to the Russian gas market, but those offtakes are not directly subject to sanction. If they should become so or if Russia closes the taps to Europe, then it is likely that the sources that you name as well as others such as Algeria, Nigeria, etc. could come into play to fill the gap. Some short-term deficit is likely to take place until infrastructure and logistics catch-up with the changing nature of the supply, but this is likely to be manageable. A number of EU countries, such as Germany, may consider temporarily restarting mothballed nuclear power plants to help fill that gap.

What are your predictions for the future of oil and gas production, and the prices of oil and gas, if Russia does takeover Ukraine and stay in there to sustain a Russian-imposed government?

As Niels Bohr, the famous quantum physicist, once stated “Prediction is very difficult, especially if it is about the future”. However, we can look at past trends/occurrences and speculate what might occur. I would expect a higher stabilized oil-price once the global market is settled, perhaps in the 70 – 90 USD/bbl range, and gas at a healthy pricing as it has been for some months now. Countries such as Libya, Iran and even Venezuela may likely play a larger role in the primary market with Russia servicing a secondary market at a discounted pricing.


Additionally, I believe that there will also be a new drive for enhanced recovery within our existing unconventional developments, particularly shale oil and gas, and that the well and gathering system and infrastructure will have a new lease of life as a result. I don’t believe that it is beyond the bounds of reasonable consideration to think that the recovery factors could potentially be doubled. Techniques such as tailored Huff n’ Puff with specialized approaches long proposed, developed and applied by companies like GaStimTech are now gaining impetus with a number of operators performing pilot studies. Continued innovation if combined with competent fiscal control in North American unconventionals, offers a bright future as oil and gas takes its place in the energy mix and also assists with technologies in the renewable and sustainability efforts such as conventional geothermal, Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) and Carbon Capture Use and Storage (CCUS).

Nigeria Faces A New Wave Of Violence By A Daesh Affiliated Group

Boko Haram terrorist group

BY EWELINA U. OCHAB

In December 2019, news began to filter out of Nigeria that a Daesh affiliated terror group has been responsible for the brutal murder of several Christians. The new wave of killings does not come as a surprise. Nigeria has been haunted by such acts of violence against Christians for many years. Indeed, the spike in atrocities perpetrated by the Daesh affiliated group, Islamic State in West Africa, adds to the terror unleashed by Boko Haram (a terror groups that pledged allegiance to Daesh in the past) and the Fulani militia. Again, this should not come as a surprise. The growing impunity in Nigeria is an open invitation for such atrocities to continue. This impunity must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Having ratified the Rome Statute, the International criminal Court (the ICC) has territorial jurisdiction in Nigeria to investigate alleged crimes amounting to international crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. On November 18, 2010, the Prosecutor of the ICC opened a preliminary examination of the situation in Nigeria. This followed several communications received by the Office of the Prosecutor (the OTP) to the ICC in as early as 2005. However, today, almost ten years later, this preliminary examination has not yet been finalized. Without its conclusion, a formal investigation cannot be opened.

The preliminary examination has focused on the crimes committed in the regions of central and northern Nigeria and the Niger Delta, and the crimes committed by Boko Haram across Nigeria. It has examined political and sectarian violence since approximately 1999, including clashes between Berom groups and Hausa-Fulani, Gamai and Jarawa, and between Hausa-Fulani Muslims and Igbo. Having identified multiple issues which require scrutiny, in its 2015 report on the progress of the preliminary examination, the OTP identified six potential cases of Boko Haram committing crimes against humanity and two cases of such crimes being committed by the Nigerian security forces.

The OTP confirmed that there is a reasonable basis to believe that since 2009, Boko Haram has been committing crimes against humanity in Nigeria. These include (i) murder pursuant to article 7(1)(a), and (ii) persecution pursuant to article 7(1)(h) of the Statute; and war crimes including “murder pursuant to article 8(2)(c)(i); cruel treatment pursuant to article 8(2)(c)(i) and outrages upon personal dignity pursuant to article 8(2)(c)(ii); intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population or against individual civilians pursuant to article 8(2)(e)(i); intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to education and to places of worship and similar institutions pursuant to article 8(2)(e)(iv); pillaging a town or place pursuant to article 8(2)(e)(v); rape, sexual slavery and sexual violence pursuant to article 8(2)(e)(vi); conscripting and enlisting children under the age of fifteen years into armed groups and using them to participate actively in hostilities pursuant to article 8(2)(e)(vii) of the Statute.” Over the years, the OTP continued to expand its focus. In its 2018 report, the OTP confirmed that it has been considering the “attacks allegedly carried out by Fulani herders and Christian settlers in the context of the violence in Nigeria’s North Central and North East geographical zones.” It goes on to state that “this violence, which has been observed by the [OTP] since 2016, is often referred to as a conflict between Fulani herders and Christian farmers, stemming from limited access to water, land and other resources.” The ICC is yet to confirm whether the acts fall within its jurisdiction.

The very long time taken to deliberate the situation in Nigeria is discouraging and does not give hope that the ICC can secure justice for the victims. What is even more concerning is that the continuing impunity will encourage further crime. This new wave of atrocities perpetrated by the Daesh affiliated terror group is the very evidence that the situation will only deteriorate.

What is also concerning is that the issue of violence based on religion or belief in Nigeria is greatly neglected. For example, Boko Haram has largely targeted Christians in Northern Nigeria, targeting that amounts to persecution as a crime against humanity. Boko Haram has been abducting women and girls, and forcing Christian women and girls to convert and marry. Among the abducted women and girls, Leah Sharibu, a 16-year-old Nigerian girl, one of the 110 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram members from their school in Dapchi in February 2018, continues to be enslaved despite the fact that all of the other girls have now been released. According to one of the other girls, Leah declined to renounce her Christian faith and this is the very reason Boko Haram continues to enslave her.

Similarly, the atrocities perpetrated by the Fulani militia show clear signs of targeting Christians, including the destruction of churches, the seizure of land and properties belonging to Christian farmers. Reports have also emerged of the Fulani militia kidnapping ‘Christian schoolgirls to marry them to Muslim men.’ In its 2015 report, Open Doors lists detailed examples of such targeted attacks. The report rebuts the argument that the clashes were caused by environmental degradation and result from migration. The report presents a more comprehensive picture incorporating some elements of religious persecution. Indeed, the conflict is extremely complex. However, the religious element of the atrocities cannot be swept under the carpet.

To ensure justice for the victims, it is essential that the OTP's preliminary examination proceeds quickly to a formal investigation. Furthermore, justice must be achieved for all the victims of the atrocities in Nigeria. Justice will not be achieved if the victims in the Middle Belt continue to be neglected and forgotten in this process. Furthermore, as the Daesh affiliate terror group unleashes terror, it is paramount to ensure that their atrocities are included in any investigations and prosecutions. The vicious circle of crime and impunity must be broken once and for all.

SOURCE: FORBES

Meet Mark Essien: Nigerian Entrepreneur Transforming The Travel Industry Across Africa

Hotel, NG Team. Image: Mark Essien via Forbes

BY TOMMY WILLIAMS

Much can be said about the budding tech scene in Africa, with many startups founded within the last decade making big wins in the industry. However, in the midst of the hype, there is a distinct lack of local talent that is being nurtured and brought into the businesses, with many founders opting to import expensive expatriates. This strategy is not just inefficient for startups in the longer term, but also for the African economics. One serial entrepreneur who has established a number of successful businesses (including Africa’s biggest hotel booking platform Hotels.ng) whilst training up the next generation of African tech leaders is Mark Essien.

Early Beginnings

Essien was born in Nigeria to business-minded parents who owned a number of schools and was a high school student during the tumultuous military coup in the late nineties. He went on to graduate and accepted an offer at a German university. Unsurprising, with Germany being one of the world’s most innovative countries, he quickly recognised the rise in demand for digital products during the ‘dot com’ era. He became fascinated and, although he did not own a computer at the time, his older sister, who was also based in Germany, allowed him to use her own, along with her dial-up internet.

Essien was soon hooked on everything internet-related and invested all of his spare time into trying to understand it. After mastering the basics, he purchased some visual basic software and learned how to develop software. His first idea was a file sharing service (similar to Napster) called Gnumm, a platform that would go a step beyond peer-to-peer sharing by allowing individuals to share data via multiple networks. The app soon had many downloads. The app garnered attention and eventually an acquisition proposal from Snoopstar, an augmented reality platform which was part of the Bertelmann group. After the acquisition, he postponed his studies and started working for Bertelmann as part of the software development team.

After a few years at Bertelsmann and having experienced a taste of entrepreneurship with Gnumm, Essien now focused on computer programming. He tried his hand at a number of different projects, writing the code himself from his university dorm. At this time, he had returned to Beuth University of Applied Science to complete his degree. He created a platform named Standard MPEG, which was one of the first MPEG encoder software available for the DirectShow platform. Essien sold his software to a number of notable clients, including Disney and the US military. The income from his endeavours meant he was able to support himself financially through his studies, whilst also developing his entrepreneurial flair.

Although Essien has become an expert in building software for PCs, the age of the smartphone had begun and the popularity of the devices had skyrocketed. Smartphones transformed the way we use technology and so, Essien adapted accordingly. Over the next few years, he developed apps for the Apple’s App Store with mixed success. The market for apps in Western countries became saturated and so Essien saw an opportunity to take the technology to Africa. He had researched the start-up climate in the continent and saw that things in South Africa had started to take off. However, the industry in wider Africa was nascent, so he shifted his focus to consumer facing startups. The travel industry in Africa was active but many providers lacked an effective consumer experience, particularly the travel booking process. Essien identified an opportunity to develop an efficient technology solution.

Establishing Hotels, NG

Essien moved back to Nigeria to build his hotel booking platform. Although Lagos is the commercial capital of Nigeria, he set his sights on the city of Calabar, a popular holiday destination for natives and other Africans. The dense population of hotels in the city provided a large number of potential clients. He divided his time between developing the website and visiting hotels in order to share his platform with their management. The sign-up responses were positive as the platform was mutually beneficial, given that each hotel could advertise its products and gain new customers. Ultimately, “no hotel wants fewer guests,” Essien states.

After signing up the majority of the hotels in the Calabar market, it was time to expand. However, larger cities do not benefit from the same density of hotels and the higher levels of traffic make transportation challenging. Seeking investment, Essien met with a well-known African entrepreneur, Jason Njoku, founder of iROKO Partners Limited, who, at the time, had started his own investment fund. Njoku offered him USD 75,000 in seed funding. Given the lean business model and Essien’s ability to develop the website himself, the funding was mainly used for recruiting sales agents, who would sign hotels up to the platform. As the business grew, the number of agents increased to 300, many of whom were contacted and hired via Facebook.

Today, Hotels.NG has a team of 150 people, serving hotels and customers across Nigeria, with plans to expand across Africa and to eventually offer the full end-to-end travel experience. The journey has been tough but rewarding for Essien. When asked about the biggest challenges that he has faced so far, he mentions recruitment, as the tech industry in Africa in still in its early stages therefore finding trained talent proved to be difficult. The problem is compounded by international companies and startups who outsource or hire expatriates to fill their technical roles. Essein was reluctant to adopt this strategy as he is passionate about seeing the African technology ecosystem and economy grow and thrive. With this in mind, he established an initiative to train local developers, some of whom have become some of Hotels.NG strongest employees.

Creating The HNG Internship

HNG Internship is an initiative which came about when Essien needed to hire three local developers. The search was challenging, however he eventually found three talented individuals who were also keen to develop their technical skills. The next year, he decided to advertise the programme and 170 people applied. Rather than filtering through CVs, he gave the applicants a technical task and each day he eliminated the weakest 10. Eventually, he was left with 10 candidates who proved to be exceptional interns. He repeated the process in the following year and received 800 applications. Neither Essien or his team has the capacity to mentor the interns personally, so he brought in the previous 10 winners to filter through these applicants using the same recruitment process. The most recent cohort of the internship had 13,000 applicants and 40 mentors. Essien feels proud that, although he is not able to hire all of the applicants, local developers are being exposed to practical programming experience, which can be difficult to obtain in the region. Essien is considering launching the initiative out of Hotels.NG, so he can reach even more talent across Africa.

After reading about many of the challenges faced by high-profile startups in Africa over the last year, it’s exciting and encouraging to learn about Essien’s his entrepreneurial journey. His genuine passion to see Africa thrive will continue to be key to his success.

SOURCE: FORBES

What Is This Young Nigerian Scientist’s Passion? Pangolins!

Long-tailed pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla), Mangamba, Littoral Province, Cameroon. Image: Getty

BY ANDREW WRIGHT
Charles Emogor’s childhood passion for nature, forged while growing up in rural Nigeria, will soon take him back to his home country to study his favorite animal: the pangolin.

According to Emogor, there is an urgency to understand and protect this quirky animal: It is the world’s most trafficked mammal, with more than one million individuals are believed to have been taken from the wild between 2004 and 2014.

While the species that Emogor is most passionate about is the White-bellied Pangolin, which is found across tropical Sub-Saharan Africa, 8 species exist in the world, with four each in Asia and Africa. The White-bellied Pangolin was recently reclassified from vulnerable to endangered.

“A few years ago, when I was doing other field work in Nigeria, I was in the forest for two years, “ he said, “but in that work, I only ever saw them in the local bush meat market.

Now, he’s studying a doctorate in zoological studies at Cambridge that is going to take him back to Nigeria.

“I'm going to be doing the first ever pangolin research in the Cross River Rainforest in Nigeria,” he said.

According to Emogor, pangolins fill an important ecological niche.

“They maintain a balance of insects, particularly ants and termites, “ he said, “but they usually aren’t prey animals because they are pretty hard to prey on once they roll up.”

Part of the reason why this defense mechanism works is that Pangolins have something no other living mammal has: large scales made of keratin, the same protein that makes up fingernails and toenails in humans.

“It’s not big or fierce like a lion or a cheetah, but there’s something the public an plug into,” he said.

But these creatures are notoriously hard to study – and becoming more so as they are threatened by local bushmeat demand and international trafficking.

According to Emogor, the international trade in scales and meat is even a bigger threat.

“Most of the demand comes from China, Vietnam, Germany and the US – for China, the demand comes from their scales for use in traditional medicine.”

Emogor says the demand out of Vietnam is quite different – a hallmark of prosperity.

“In Vietnam, it is a luxury wild meat, it is eaten as an exotic luxury.”

Emogor is joining a growing number of scientists across the African continent who are using a combination of old-fashioned on-the-ground field work and the latest technology to study the biodiversity in tropical zones.

For example, a project focusing on low-costs, high-quality sensors underwent field trials in December.

The team from FieldKit, including Shah Selbe – founder, engineer and conservation technologist at Conservify – will be putting up a long range wide-area network (LoRaWAN) around the Congo Basin Institute Bouamir research camp in the Dja Reserve in Cameroon and deploying a new generation of weather stations.

In Senegal, Lucy Keith-Diagne did her PhD work collecting and analyzing genetic samples, which made her the first person to define four distinct genetic populations of the species of African Manatee.

Even with the dire straits pangolins find themselves in across Africa, there is hope to be found.

“Cameroon has a great conservation group and in South Africa, there are some good Pangolin researchers,” he said.

Emogor says that more and more funding is available and they even have their own day: World Pangolin Day on the third Saturday of every February.

SOURCE: FORBES

At The Door Of The New Decade, We Must Strive A Better Legacy For Human Rights

Boko Haram Islamic Group based in Northern Nigeria

BY EWELINA U. OCHAB

We closed the last decade with a very poor human rights record. It was a decade which saw two genocides, several instances of crimes against humanity and multiple cases of severe violations of human rights.

What should we do to ensure that this does not continue into the new decade? Among others, we must ensure that international crimes and human rights violations do not happen again. Prevention is key. However, we must also ensure an effective response to the crimes that were left unaddressed from the previous decade. What does this involve?

We need to make sure that crimes against the Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, Myanmar, are duly investigated, the crimes are recognized for what they are and that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The events of the last decade in Myanmar have attracted attention from two international actors. The world awaits the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on provisional measures requested in the case brought before the court by the Gambia. Furthermore, the situation is also being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The victims and survivors of the Daesh atrocities must see justice being done. Daesh fighters need to be prosecuted in countries where Daesh perpetrated its genocide and crimes against humanity, or in other countries by way of the universal jurisdiction, or at an ad-hoc tribunal. Furthermore, the perpetrators must be prosecuted for the litany of crimes Daesh fighters were involved in, including murder, rape and sexual violence, torture, enslavement, forced labor, outrages upon personal dignity, forced displacement, using, conscripting and enlisting children; whether they amount to genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. The last decade has secured very few convictions. This is far from any sense of justice.

Boko Haram members in Northern Nigeria and beyond need to be brought before courts. The last decade triggered a preliminary examination at the ICC only and no further developments, a weak response to such a tragedy. Furthermore, the atrocities of the Fulani herdsmen in the Middle Belt, Nigeria, must not be dismissed as consequences of the climate change, but treated as crimes that need to be stopped, investigated and prosecuted. The last decade has not secured any developments in this direction.

Practices such as the so-called “re-education camps” and incarcerations of thousands (if not millions) of Uighur Muslims and forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners must be investigated and addressed. Other human rights abuses in China must be brought to light as well.

Considering only the above mentioned cases, it is clear that the last decade has left us with a legacy of crime and impunity. This vicious circle of violence and impunity must be put to an end once and for all. The new decade we are entering must bring hope in the international justice system and human rights frameworks - something that the international community aimed to achieve since the atrocities committed by the Nazis in the first half of the 20th century.

However, it is also important to emphasize that the above examples are only the tip of an iceberg. The last decade has seen violent attacks against those who exercise their right to a peaceful protest, be it in Hong Kong, Cameroon, Nicaragua, India and many more.

The last decade has seen severe censorship of those speaking up against injustice.

The last decade has seen severe limitations of the right to freedom of religion or belief, targeting numerous minorities as the scapegoat.

Again, only the tip of an iceberg.

The last decade has seen severe attacks on human dignity that cannot be ignored anymore. We must seek new ways to improve human rights records all over the world, and so strengthen the protection of human dignity for everyone everywhere. Time for reflection was yesterday. Time for action is now. Otherwise, there will be no tomorrow.

SOURCE: FORBES

MacKenzie Bezos Will Donate Half Her Fortune To Charity

Jeff and Mackenzie Bezos. Image via Forbes

MacKenzie Bezos is the latest billionaire to sign the Giving Pledge and commit at least half of her $35 billion fortune to charity. Bezos joins Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, and Robert F. Smith on the list of donors to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett’s initiative.

In a letter published by Giving Pledge, Bezos writes of having “a disproportionate amount of money to share” and credits “an infinite series of influences and lucky breaks we can never fully understand” for her wealth.

Bezos’ signature, alongside hedge fund billionaires David Harding and Paul Tudor Jones, Brian Armstrong chief executive of cryptocurrency company Coinbase, and WhatsApp’s co-founder Brian Acton, brings the total signatories to more than 200 people.

The Giving Pledge began in August 2010 when 40 of America’s wealthiest individuals made a commitment to give more than half of their wealth away. The scheme is described as an “open invitation for billionaires … to publicly dedicate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy”.

Although MacKenzie Bezos doesn’t list any particular causes she writes, “My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won’t wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty.”

Who is MacKenzie Bezos?

MacKenzie Bezos will become the world’s third richest woman later this year after announcing the terms of the divorce settlement with her husband and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Although amicable, the settlement is biggest of all time with MacKenzie receiving 4% of Amazon stock, worth more than $35 billion on April 4 2019.

With Amazon’s current market cap of $897.66 billion, MacKenzie’s 4% stake is now worth $35.9 billion.

MacKenzie is also a successful novelist, described by author Toni Morrison as “one of the best students I’ve ever had.” She met Jeff Bezos while both were working at hedge fund D.E. Shaw in New York and they married in 1993. MacKenzie Bezos confirmed her divorce on twitter, stating she was, “Grateful to have finished the process of dissolving my marriage with Jeff.”

L’Oreal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers is the world’s richest woman with a net worth of $53.6 billion, while Alice Walton of Walmart fame is the only other woman ahead of MacKenzie with a $47.1 billion fortune.

-David Dawkins;Forbes Staff

This Blogger Earns Over $1 Million Per Year While Sailing A Luxury Sailboat

Michelle on her luxury sailboat PHOTO CREDIT: MICHELLE SCHROEDER-GARDNER
BY JEFF ROSS

FORBES MAY 10, 2019

When Michelle Schroeder-Gardner started her lifestyle website Making Sense of Cents in 2011, she didn’t know anything about blogging — or that she might one day earn a ton of money writing online.

“I had absolutely no idea what I was doing,” she said. “I started my blog just for myself so that I could learn more about personal finance.”

Since then, Schroeder-Gardner has learned so much, not only about how to write engaging content, but also how to monetize. Through affiliate advertising, sponsorships, and her course — Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing — Michelle regularly earns over $100,000 per month on her blog. She also does exactly what she wants. And that includes living in a boat.

Yes, you read that right. For several years, Schroeder-Gardner and her husband Wes actually traveled the United States in an RV with their dogs, but these days they travel the world in a luxury sailboat with living space, a kitchen, and several bedrooms. They crave the freedom that comes with scenery that changes all the time, and of course not being tied down to one place.

The overwater sunsets aren’t bad, either.
How Schroeder-Gardner Balances Work and Play

Earning more than six figures per month blogging while floating in the sea may sound like a pipe dream, but it’s a reality for Schroeder-Gardner, who can work remotely thanks to her mobile wifi connection. But she may work less than you think for this type of income. According to the blogger, she probably works 20 to 30 hours per week on average, although her work can be somewhat sporadic.

She spends her time writing, researching content, brainstorming new ideas (including new products she could launch), learning more about blogging, running her social media accounts, making graphics, and dealing with email.

And yes, she does it all on her sailboat. Schroeder-Gardner says she and Wes just sailed back to Florida after spending several months in the Bahamas. This summer, the pair plans to sail up the east coast for hurricane season and explore different cities that pique their interest. They may also travel to Europe, or to Colorado to hike and explore the outdoors.

“After hurricane season is over, we will most likely head back to the Bahamas and eventually the Caribbean,” she said.

While the blogger, who is still in her 20’s, has already accomplished more than most people could dream of in a financial sense, she still has goals for the future. Specifically, she plans to continue growing the reach of Making Sense of Cents. She took too much time off growing her blog in 2018 to focus on the transition from RV life to sailboat life, she says.

But she wants 2019 to be different — she wants to find a better balance between the two. That may mean launching new products meant to help bloggers grow their own businesses and earn more money, but it also means writing more useful content readers can lean on for inspiration when chasing their own dreams.
Her Secret to Success

Anyone who has given blogging a try knows that it takes a stroke of luck to land in your niche at a time people are searching for the content you create. But it also takes hard work and having a knack for blogging and somehow getting people to care what you say.

Schroeder-Gardner says she thinks the secret to her initial blogging success is that she always tries to make personal finance enjoyable.

“I do this by writing in a personable tone,” she told me. “Readers often tell me that my writing sounds like I am having a casual conversation with a friend and that it's more enjoyable to read this way. For me, this is just naturally how I write so I'm glad that my readers enjoy it!”

Beyond having the ability to connect with readers, Michelle is also passionate about the subjects she covers whether that day’s post is on budgeting, early retirement, or full-time travel. She cares about the content, so it’s much easier for her to convey her message.

Finally, she says one thing that sets her apart from other bloggers is the fact that she always responds to readers — whether it’s an email, a Facebook message, a comment, or a note through some other medium.

“I am always responding to emails and I spend a good chunk of my time helping readers solve their problems,” she said.
Michelle’s Tips for Success

If you’re eager to build a blog that brings in a big income one day, Schroeder-Gardner does offer some tips anyone could use. For starters, every blogger should try to build more somewhat passive income, she says.

Her favorite way to monetize is through affiliate marketing, which is a type of marketing that helps bloggers earn affiliate commissions when someone signs up for a product or service through a link on their website.

“For me, I regularly earn around $50,000 a month from affiliate marketing and it's almost all income from past blog posts,” she says. “These old blog posts still generate me income even years later.”

Also consider creating your own product, whether it’s a course, a printable product, or a physical product such as books or clothing.

“Creating your own product is a great way to earn more money because you can provide your readers with a solution to a problem they may be having, you can diversify your income, and you are in charge of what it is that you are selling or promoting.”
The Bottom Line

This blogger’s story may sound like a fairy tale, but this is just the regular life of someone who started blogging on the right topic at the right time. There are plenty of ways for you to get a piece of the action with your own blog, and plenty of money to go around, too.

I know, I know...there are so many bloggers these days. It’s easy to think that some bloggers have monopolized the market, but you have to remember that billions of people use the internet — and that affiliate deals will always be there are long as companies want people to promote them.

Michelle proves earning a real income with a blog can be done in a big way — no matter how old you are, and even if you’re floating on a sailboat in the middle of nowhere.

Nigerian Multi-Millionaire Oilman Igho Sanomi Raises $1.5 Million For Cancer Research UK

Igho Sanomi image via Forbes 

BY MFONOBONG NSEHE

LONDON, ENGLAND (FORBES) -- Nigerian multi-millionaire oilman Igho Sanomi has received a commendation from Cancer Research UK and the Bobby Moore Fund for his philanthropy towards bowel cancer research in the United Kingdom.

At a recent Dining with the Stars Charity Event which held at One Whitehall Place in London, and which was graced by top British corporate executives, distinguished British MP’s and Sports personalities, Stephanie Moore MBE, co-founder of the Bobby Moore Fund, expressed her appreciation to the Nigerian business mogul for his company’s generous donations to the fund over the years. Since partnering as a sponsor of the Bobby Moore fund and Cancer Research UK six years ago, Taleveras DMCC, Sanomi’s Dubai-based oil trading company, has helped the organization raise more than $1.5 million.

The Bobby Moore Fund was set up in memory of World Cup winning England soccer captain Bobby Moore, who died from bowel cancer in 1993 at the age of 51. The Bobby Moore Fund, which is a charity in the United Kingdom, was founded by Moore’s wife, Stephanie Moore, in partnership with Cancer Research UK (CRUK) in order to raise money for research into bowel cancer and create public awareness of the disease. Since its inception, the fund has raised more than $30 million to tackle bowel cancer.

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK. It is also the second most common cause of cancer death with more than 44 people dying from the disease every day in the UK according to the Bobby Moore Fund.

Igho Sanomi, one of Nigeria’s most successful young entrepreneurs and emerging philanthropists, is the founder of the Dickens Sanomi Foundation, a Nigerian-based charitable trust that supports the education of Nigerian children from impoverished and vulnerable backgrounds. In 2017, the Dickens Sanomi Foundation spent more than $50,000 in funding the surgery of Ali Ahmadu, a seven year old boy who became paralysed after he was run over by the militant Nigerian Boko Haram forces when they attacked Chibok Town in Nigeria’s Borno State. After the surgery, the paralyzed Ali Ahmadu regained the use of his legs and is now attending school in Nigeria courtesy of the Dickens Sanomi Foundation.

Igho Sanomi, 43, is the founder of Chairman of Taleveras Group, a $1.2 billion (annual revenues) commodities trading company, which trades millions of tons of oil and refined petroleum products annually. Taleveras is also active in the Power sector and has investments in oil producing assets in Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea.

Ethical Fashion Startup Jumpstarts Impact Entrepreneurs In Africa

Alice and Tom Cracknell with a weaver in Ethiopia. Image via Forbes

BY ANNE FIELD

FORBES

A few years ago, husband and wife Tom and Alice Cracknell were looking for a way to stimulate local business growth in developing countries. Tom, a doctor specializing in global health, and Alice, a lawyer who also worked for a variety of international charities, had met while working in Mali. But they both were struck by the underwhelming effect of traditional development aid. What they wanted was a sustainable way for local people to support themselves, build growing enterprises that addressed critical needs in their communities and proviothers in the community.

With that in mind, and inspired by the writings of Grameen Bank's Muhammad Yunus, last year they founded ORIGIN, a UK-based nonprofit selling ethical fashion—organic cotton sweatshirts and t-shirts decorated with artisanally made pockets.

That, however, was only part of the puzzle. The enterprise would then invest the profits into helping to start locally run social impact companies based in the areas from where some of the fabric originated.

According to the web site: “They are a leg up to local social business entrepreneurs who want to make a sustainable economically viable solution to a real life problem that keeps locals in a state of poverty and deprives them of the very freedoms that we enjoy as part of daily life in the UK.”

Or, as Alice says, “We felt there was a better way of providing funding and development aid, using the capitalist engine to do that.”

More about ORIGIN's ethical fashion business: Each item of clothing is adorned with a pocket made from hand-woven and hand-dyed fabric created by local artisans using traditional techniques. Garments are produced in wind-powered factories in India that use fair labor practices and are Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified.

But the point of selling those products is to provide funding to launch businesses that are run by and employ local people. The first enterprises are based in Mali, Ethiopia and The Gambia, areas where Alice and Tom have spent time.

Example: Green Latrine, based in Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains, where ORIGIN sources some of its cotton. Last year, the Cracknells did a simple on-the-ground assessment to understand what local residents needed. From there, they came up with the idea for a sanitation business that would provide basic toilets and running water to communities in the area. Specifically, the enterprise would build ventilated improved pit latrines, which are designed in such a way to keep away flies and other disease-transporting insects.

Initially, ORIGIN supplied startup costs, from training to such materials as concrete and piping. It will continue to provide ongoing support. “This isn’t a traditional charity,” says Tom. “We’re trying to give people the opportunity to start enterprises that are sustainable.” Through an African conservation charity, they also found a local entrepreneur who wanted to champion the enterprise.

Other enterprises include a seamstress school in Mali and a new hospital for HIV care in The Gambia, among others.

ORIGIN is self-funded. But it's now running a crowdfunding campaign, aiming to attract money to fund expansion. It's raised £10,535 of a £25,000 target.

Europe Names And Shames Nigeria, Panama And Saudi Arabia Over Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing

E.U. Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourova. (Photo: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images) via Forbes

BY DOMINIC DUDLEY

FORBES

The European Commission has unveiled a list of 23 countries which it says have “strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing frameworks”.

The announcement is likely to set off a fierce lobbying effort by the affected countries, which include the likes of Nigeria, Panama and Saudi Arabia which have extensive financial dealings with Europe.

“We have to make sure that dirty money from other countries does not find its way to our financial system,” said Věra Jourová, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, when announcing the list on February 13. “Dirty money is the lifeblood of organised crime and terrorism. I invite the countries listed to remedy their deficiencies swiftly.”

Other countries on the list include Botswana, Ghana and Libya and a host of small Pacific and Caribbean island states such as Guam, Samoa, The Bahamas and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

European banks will have to carry out increased due diligence checks on any transactions involving customers or other financial institutions in these countries, in order to try and identify any suspicious activity.

The Commission has not specified what the problems are with each jurisdiction, but it says it reviewed each of them based on the level of existing threat, the controls they have in place to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing and how those rules were being implemented. The 23 countries were all judged to have “strategic deficiencies” in their anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing regimes.

The Commission says it also took into account the work of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF). In September, FATF issued its own warning about Saudi Arabia, saying Riyadh was failing to effectively investigate and prosecute individuals involved in large money laundering scams, failing to co-operate with other countries to go after the proceeds of crime and ignoring terrorist fundraising by groups active outside the kingdom.

The new list – which replaces a previous list of 16 countries issued in July 2018 – will now be submitted to the European Parliament and Council for approval. Some E.U. member states have reportedly been lobbying to keep Saudi Arabia and Panama off the list – the U.K. is thought to be particularly concerned about Saudi Arabia’s inclusion, while the Spanish government has been pushing to remove Panama.

Their efforts may not be in vain, given that other countries have been successful in being delisted ni the past. Bosnia-Herzegovina, Guyana, Lao, Uganda and Vanuatu all featured on the July 2018 blacklist but their names have been omitted from the revised version. However, 10 countries from the previous list also feature on the latest version, including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq and North Korea.

The blacklist is part of a wider push by Brussels to force other countries to do more to clamp down on dubious financial transactions. In December 2017, the Commission issued a list of 17 jurisdiction which it said were failing to meet good governance standards on taxation. Since then, many of them have been delisted after making specific commitments around their tax systems, but five remain: Guam, Samoa, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Trinidad and Tobago.

While such efforts are welcomed by campaigners, some observers say there are notable shortcomings in the Commission’s latest list, which doesn’t include more powerful countries or any EU member states.

“An E.U. money-laundering blacklist that doesn’t include the world’s biggest secrecy jurisdictions – such as the U.S. – is an exercise in diplomacy, not a tool to fight corruption,” says Nienke Palstra, Anti-Corruption Campaigner at Global Witness. “With huge global money laundering scandals coming out of Europe, such as Danske Bank, the EU should urgently be tackling financial crime within and beyond its borders.”

Dominic Dudley is a freelance journalist with almost two decades' experience in reporting on business, economic and political stories in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe.

We Should Be Pouring Time And Money Into Hemp, Period.

Cannabis entrepreneur and activist Bonita "Bo" Money poses with plants in a field of hemp. (Courtesy Bonita Money)CREDIT: BONITA MONEY via Forbes

BY JANET BURNS

(FORBES)--For centuries, North Americans have utilized hemp in their homes, diets, and health regimens. For decades, we've also turned to imported products to meet much of our growing need.

And now, after years of major change for US agriculture and industry, real investment in this versatile crop stands to significantly elevate our economy and quality of life for generations to come.

The idea of upping hemp production is already common ground politically. As farmers have faced water shortages, unstable markets, and punishing seasonal conditions, communities around the country have pressured lawmakers to help them restore US agriculture with more profitable, sustainable plants.

Hemp has long been seen to fit that bill. Best known for its use in textiles, it offers wide-ranging applications that countless sectors are keen to get in on.

For example, hemp seeds in whole or processed form contain an impressive amount of protein, nutrients, and essential fatty acids, among other things — offering an efficient way to boost nutrition in human and animal diets — while hempseed oil has increasingly become a preferred ingredient in common food, beauty, and health products.

Its sturdy fibers have also been put to growing use in high-quality plasticsand auto paneling, durable building materials, and other common industrial commodities. And when it comes to environmental impact, hemp is not only a low-fuss crop capable of flourishing in US farmland; it can also clean up tainted water and soil, bully weeds away, and be converted into biodiesel.

Unlike other Cannabis sativa varieties and hybrids, which are mostly grown for their chemically potent flowers (or 'buds'), hemp is also legally distinguished from marijuana in the US as containing less than 0.3% of the cannabinoid chemical THC — considered to be the most intoxicating, psychoactive component in cannabis plants, as well as a treatment option for certain serious illnesses.

So while hemp crops can be used to extract the non-intoxicating chemical cannabidiol, or CBD, which has a demonstrated and growing list of compelling health uses, they can't get anyone high.

In short, it's no wonder that hemp has been described as an industrial 'miracle plant.'

See also: Coca-Cola Is Considering CBD For Infused Beverage Line

For Rocc Johnson, owner and operator of New Orleans' Uptown Hemp, the plant has become both his calling in life and a way to revitalize the economy in his home state.

"I'm so excited and humbled to be part of the [cannabis] industry that's coming to Louisiana," he commented by phone. "For me, it's not about money at all; it's about a better way of life, and helping people get the knowledge to help other people."

Johnson said he got the idea to get involved in marijuana and hemp from his uncle, a member of Louisiana's National Guard, and from his mother, who died from cancer in 2011 after "never smoking or drinking in her life."

Prior to 2005's Hurricane Katrina, which caused widespread destruction and fatalities across New Orleans, Johnson had moved to California, and spent years there soaking up knowledge and culture around cannabis plants and the industry. After witnessing the pain and nausea his mother experienced during her treatment, Johnson decided to help bring the medicinal and economic value of cannabis back to his hometown, starting with hemp.

Today he sells numerous hemp-made items, from shoes to shirts, as well as a range of hemp-based health and medicinal products. After some productive networking at recent cannabis conventions, he's also in talks with Julian Marley to distribute his products around the country, and hopes to help bring a full-scale hemp festival — codename Hemp Hop — to New Orleans next year.

Down the line, Johnson also plans to create an onsite grow-space in the large two-story building where he's set up shop. In addition to getting deep satisfaction from the relief that customers say his CBD products provide, Johnson remains enthralled with "the fun side" of hemp production: namely, planting a seed and letting it grow. "It's just like in life," he added. "I can't say enough about the process, about the feeling of actually producing something."

The arguments for hemp's advantages are mostly long-standing (aside from ongoing discoveries about cannabinoids, new applications in nanotechnology and industrial oils, and so on). But our current opportunities to advance hemp's status as a crop — as well as a transformed cultural climate for cannabis generally — certainly qualify as 'groundbreaking' conditions.

One way that proponents have sought to steer US agriculture toward hemp is through the next federal 'Farm Bill,' an omnibus package of food and agriculture policy that lawmakers can renew every five years.

Since 2013, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Rep. Earl Blumenaur (D-OR), and other members of Congress have been gathering support to bolster hemp production through this process; they also helped to pass a 2014 version of the package, currently in effect, with new allowances for agricultural hemp pilot programs.

Like most major bills, the latest Farm Bill has not been free of controversy. At present, legislators have seemingly missed their Sept. 30 deadline to approve the package, which has stirred numerous arguments in Congress over its core principles, funding levels, and a proposed work requirement for low-income recipients of food assistance.

Under the Senate-approved version of the bill, hemp and derivatives, hemp extracts, and cannabinoids derived from hemp "would be treated as agricultural commodities and removed from the purview of the Controlled Substances Act and the Drug Enforcement Administration," according to CannaLawBlog.

The more recently House-approved version, which introduced the well-publicized provision affecting up to two million Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, doesn't take such steps to remove federal barriers around hemp. It also stipulates that anyone with a felony drug conviction would be barred indefinitely from participating in federal or state hemp programs.

According to many industry members, the latter provision — which would become permanent law, requiring change at the federal level to get rid of — would also exclude key populations from contributing to and benefiting from an enriched industry.

Cannabis entrepreneur and organizer Bonita "Bo" Money called the idea of blocking members of the previous illegal industry from joining the new, legal one "ridiculous" — much like hemp's continued Schedule I drug status, she said.

Money, who founded the National Diversity and Inclusion Cannabis Alliance (NDICA) and left a Hollywood career to promote equity in cannabis businesses, explained that the programs she helps run in California and Wisconsin take the opposite stance on prior experience.

"Here in Los Angeles, we make sure that applicants to our equity program have a cannabis conviction," Money said. "For [lawmakers] to ban people with experience working in hemp from doing so again is ridiculous."

In Wisconsin, she and her team are in the process of setting up the only social equity, Black-owned hemp farm in the state, where they hope to create more jobs for black farmers, and plan to primarily hire military veterans and ex-offenders under the US' long drug war — in other words, people with the need and skills for this new career.

As in Los Angeles' equity program, the group will offer participants mentorship, job placement, and help with starting businesses in Wisconsin's hemp industry, where close to 220 hemp licenses have already been issued under the current Farm Bill; they also plan to provide on-site housing for participants struggling with homelessness, which often impacts veterans and those recently released from prison.

"By not allowing ex-offenders to work, and not giving support and licenses to black farmers and small businesses, [officials] are trying to keep people of color out of a billion-dollar industry that they payed the price for."

Rather than keeping people out of the industry, Money thinks regulators should focus on helping farmers sell their products: for example, by connecting them with the "biomass brokers" who deal in the fibers, stalks, and seed matter produced by industrial hemp. "What I'm finding is that a lot of farmers in Wisconsin don't know what to do with their products," she said. "We tried to get a list of licensed farmers to help connect them with brokers, but the state wouldn't release that list."

In the mean time, Money said, the hemp industry is continuing to grow under current legal conditions, though a Wisconsin rule prohibiting hemp extracts had been requiring her to export hemp from the state for extraction. Still, business is good, she said. "We have investors approaching us all the time, wanting to be a part of what we're doing."

Hemp activist and entrepreneur Joy Beckerman, who has spent decades building the US hemp movement, and assists many of the world's leading hemp advocacy and industry groups, said it's still likely that Congress will pass a pro-hemp version of the Farm Bill in the coming months — hopefully without added blows to communities that have been hurt mostby nearly a century of cannabis prohibition.

“As data have proven over and over again, the war on drugs has dramatically, disproportionately impacted minorities and people of color, and [bans on ex-offenders] would continue that discrimination,” Beckerman commented by phone.

She also believes that the Senate's Farm Bill would alleviate confusion caused by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)'s issuance of conflicting “guidance” to state and federal agencies, which leaves them "scratching their heads," and often "bullies them into making decisions that directly contradict the legislative intent and spirit of the last version of the Farm Bill," Beckerman said.

"This version of the Farm Bill deliberately amends six different Acts and broadens the definition of ‘hemp’ to fully and finally remove all ambiguities and make way for hemp as agricultural commodity in the United States of America, with crop insurance and all,” Beckerman explained.

To illustrate how hemp programs can wither without proper support, she pointed to California, where regulators continue struggling to keep up with rules and infrastructure for the more potent (and popular) marijuana industry, from lab tests to license approvals; the state's hemp operators, meanwhile, are still waiting for their official license application to come out.

Even if Congress doesn’t pass such a bill in time to move on from the 2014 version, Beckerman said, farmers and leaders can continue under the protections of the current agricultural pilot program pathway to learn how and where to invest their time and resources in the industry, rather than dive in without a strategy in place.

“Folks at the various state Departments of Agriculture are so excited to bring in hemp – excited to introduce any crop, really, and especially to reintroduce this extraordinarily versatile one,” Beckerman said. “But they’re not experts; they’re learning like anybody else. So getting in there, looking at proposed legislation and rules to make sure [proposals] actually make sense for the crop – on an agronomic level, on a regulatory level – and monitoring changes to that legislation, regulation, or industry, is common sense.” She went on,

The repeal of prohibition of marijuana, the repeal of prohibition of industrial hemp, has never been done in the US before. And right now it’s about the chopping of the wood, the carrying of the water, and engaging in the process, and bringing it all the way home. The work is just beginning. The work is just beginning.

Beckerman also urged supporters of hemp (and of its danker cousin) to be more vigilant than ever about federal and state-level law and policy moves going forward. “Special interests and residual hysteria will continue to try to get in there, to stomp on the little guy, and on consumer rights and safety, and to over-regulate, so it’s more important than ever that we organize and engage,” she said.

"Farmers are suffering around the country; the soil is suffering."

All told, a strong American hemp industry could provide billions of dollars in renewable revenues and hundreds of thousands of jobs, especially in regions that have been devastated by damaging and/or departed industries and under-invested social resources, Beckerman said.

Money pointed out that hemp is already poised to outshine recreational and medical cannabis production, and that CBD products (which hemp can provide) are currently outselling THC products at a rate of 10:1.

"Moving forward, hemp will be even bigger than cannabis," she said. "[Lawmakers] need to look at the history: when George Washington was president, people were required to grow hemp. If they didn't, he'd throw them in jail."

She continued, "Hemp affects so many industries — its uses are never-ending — and I think the government is afraid of that."

" Hemp could change the world, not just the US. It will change communities, it will change the way we treat medically. It will improve our lifestyle, completely."

Money added, "Everyone deserves the opportunity to create generational wealth for their families, and to have that quality of life."

Janet Burns covers tech, culture, and other fun stuff from Brooklyn, NY. She also hosts the cannabis news podcast The Toke.

Is Eritrea Becoming The North Korea Of Africa?

Girls chat in a dormitory for unaccompanied minors in Shagarab camp, Kassala, Sudan. Tens of thousands of refugees live across the camps, after escaping mandatory, unending military service and repression in their home country. Young females are more at risk of kidnapping and sexual exploitation, meaning smugglers will charge them more if they want to leave the camps. (Photo credit: Sally Hayden/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

BY EWELINA U. OCHAB

ERITREA (FORBES)--At the end of May 2018, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eritrea, a group of UK Parliamentarians from across both houses of Parliament, held a session at the UK Parliament to examine the ongoing religious persecution in Eritrea. The meeting was entitled ‘Religious persecution in Eritrea: A crime against humanity’ and was co-organised with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief (another cross-party group consisting of over 110 UK Parliamentarians) with the support of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Open Doors UK and Aid to the Church in Need. It was chaired by Lord Alton of Liverpool who, over the years, has been a vociferous advocate for international religious freedom. During the event, religious leaders representing the Evangelical Protestants, Muslims and the Orthodox Coptic Christians, spoke of the challenges faced by their respective religious communities in Eritrea. Lord Alton speaking on the religious persecution in Eritrea, described Eritrea as the North Korea of Africa. Lord Alton raised the fact that the UK government appears to downplay the atrocities perpetrated against religious groups in Eritrea in order to ‘normalise relations’ with the Eritrean government. He claims that crimes against humanity are being perpetrated in Eritrea, yet the world continues to look the other way.

The session coincided with a debate in the House of Commons (the so-called Westminster Hall debate) organised by Chris Philp MP, focused on the persecution of Christians worldwide. The debate raised the issue of religious persecution of Christians in Eritrea and, in particular, the case of 33 Christian women who were imprisoned for taking part in a prayer. Both events helped to shed light on the fact that not only is the religious liberty of Eritrea threatened, there is a strong argument that it does not exist in the first place (not in accordance to international standards). Religious persecution in Eritrea affects several religious groups, including the Jehovah’s Witness and Muslim communities. These communities were the first religious groups to experience such challenges in Eritrea before other religious groups came under threat.

Indeed, Eritrean law incorporates very few protections on religious freedom. Theoretically, the Eritrean constitution provides for a protection for the right to freedom of thought, conscience and belief. Yet, despite the fact that the Constitution was ratified in 1997, it has yet to be implemented. More worryingly, it looks unlikely to be implemented since President Afwerki announced plans to draft a new constitution in 2014, rather than to implement the existing one. As a result, religious freedom does not have any effective protection under the Eritrean law. The fact that the constitution has not been implemented detrimentally also affects the protection of other fundamental human rights.

The question is then, is Lord Alton correct to claim that the religious persecution in Eritrea amounts to crimes against humanity? In short, certainly yes. He is certainly not the only one to have reached such a conclusion. In fact, in 2016, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea (the CoI-E) stated that there were reasonable grounds to conclude that crimes against humanity were being perpetrated in Eritrea. For this reason, the CoI recommended that the UN Security Council refer the situation to the International Criminal Court. In July, the CoI-E recommended that ‘an accountability mechanism to investigate, prosecute, and try individuals accused of committing crimes against humanity in Eritrea, including engaging in torture and overseeing Eritrea’s indefinite military service, which the CoI-E equated to slavery’ be implemented by the African Union.

Eritrea is a religiously diverse country and the government encourages a multi faith tradition, so long as the religion is officially recognised. The problem lies in the fact that the Eritrean government recognises only four religious groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Church, Sunni Islam, the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea. Other religious groups are subject to registration. Any religious group that is not registered is not allowed to conduct any religious activities until such time as the registration is granted. Having said that, according to Pew Research Centre, ‘the Eritrean government has not approved registration for any additional religious group since 2002.’ 

The result of the requirement to register religions is that certain religious factions become effectively outlawed. Evangelical and Pentecostal religious groups are two such examples of religions which were effectively outlawed after the introduction in 2002 registration requirement. Groups practicing these religions face the risk of arrest followed by indefinite detention without charge or any chance of redress, as well as the physical and psychological violence often experienced in detention.

In its 2017 report, USCIRF found that:

"Systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations include torture or other ill treatment of religious prisoners, arbitrary arrests and detentions without charges, a prolonged ban on public religious activities of unregistered religious groups, and interference in the internal affairs of registered religious groups."

According to USCIRF, religious prisoners are routinely detained in the harshest of prison environments where they are subjected to cruel punishments. The report further states that:

"Released religious prisoners have reported that they were kept in solitary confinement or crowded conditions, such as in 20-foot metal shipping containers or underground barracks and subjected to extreme temperature fluctuations."

USCIRF identified that the situation is particularly severe in the case of unregistered Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians as well as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

As a result of these challenges, USCIRF indicated that Eritrea meets the requirements for a country of particular concern (CPC) designation under the International Religious Freedom Act. Indeed, the religious persecution in Eritrea is of concern and needs to be addressed urgently. As long as the Eritrean government is willing to engage in a constructive dialogue with the UN and individual states, there is some hope that the dire situation of persecuted religious groups will change. However, if that dialogue fails, Eritrea may well deserve the designation of being the North Korea of Africa.

Ewelina U. Ochab is a human rights advocate and author of the book “Never Again: Legal Responses to a Broken Promise in the Middle East.”