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HON WEEKLY; Covid19 Pandemic; Read; Watch

H.O.N Weekly : Your Weekly Round-Up Of Trending News

Trending this week : The curious case of the South African” Decuplets”, Self Care Takeaways from Naomi Osaka and Chimamanda Adichie sparks online debate.

Welcome to this week H.O.N Weekly’s edition . Each week, I (try to) bring you the top- pop culture, current affairs, lifestyle and entertainment news- that are currently trending.

But first, a quick life update:

Life is still happening fast as usual and, the past few months have been filled with the same pandemic patterns as in the previous months: Life + Work in the new normal, we’re still dealing with the uncertainties of COVID-19 and Africa is entering a 3rd wave. Plus technical issues has been delaying my content plan. (my website won’t let me be great and has been crashing every other day since my last post in March.)

But so many events these past weeks have motivated me to push past my writer and technical blocks.

N.B This week’s feature is like a goodie bag, you will find a mix of everything: it covers for my missed monthly musings of the past months, offer my take on the last couple of weeks’ trending stories and, a list of my favorite things. All in one.

Here are 4 stories that have been on my radar and a list of random stuffs that I’m currently enjoying.

  1. South Africa: The curious case of the decuplets

On 8 June 2021, South Africans felt like proud uncles and aunts, when a local newspaper exclusively reported that a woman gave birth to 10 babies. The announcement followed the record birth of 9 babies, by Halima Cisse, From Mali, in Morocco. Soon after, the hashtag #nationalbabyshower started trending with concerned people offering their assistance and donations. However, many gaps in the so called exclusive story, led the media and the public to start doubting the existence of the decuplets. Furthermore, local health officials have denied recording the record breaking birth at any of the provincial healthcare facilities.

Few days after, the media, officials and the public started demanding proof of the babies’ existence. Parties involved (the journalist who broke the news, the alleged decuplets father and mother) started making sketchy and contractidory declarations. Eventually the father made a statement, saying : “The family has resolved and concluded that there are no decuplets born between Tebogo Tsotetsi (A.K.A ‘the dad”) and Gosiame Sithole (a.k.a ‘the mom”) until proven otherwise and wishes to apologize for any inconvenience and embarrassment.” Yikes!

This story surely raises many concerns regarding ethical journalism, the propagation of fake news on social media and the credulity of the general public. Mental health issues even!

Here is a BBC video summarizing the saga :

2. From H.O.N Instagram: 3 self-care lessons from Naomi Osaka French Open’s withdrawal

The backstory: Japanese tennis (Naomi is half-Haitian, half Japanese) recently quits the French Open after she said she will have refused to participate in the compulsory after-game press conference. After winning her first match, and refusing to take part in the after game conference she was fined 15 000 USD. She announced her withdrawal from the competition and announced she was suffering from depression and social anxiety.

Here are 3 lessons from her decision :

  • Top athletes and celebrities are humans too and can suffer from mental health issues. Naomi is helping bring more awareness by talking publicly about it.
  • People can suffer from a range of invisible issues and diseases, such as depression, and should be afforded the same empathy and care as people suffering from physical diseases.
  • No social or professional commitment is more important than your well- being, it’s OK to take time for yourself and say NO to others.  

4. South Africa COVID-19 update

Picture of a vintage typing machine to illustrate my weekly feature

In my previous posts, I chronicled the first weeks of the pandemic in South Africa.

After being praised for a quick response plan to the pandemic, South Africa is now in the middle of a 3rd wave and is overwhelmed by rapid infections rates, slow vaccination roll-out, unfortunate corruptions cases from health government officials and over burdened hospitals are now painting a bleak picture. Many other African countries are also reporting higher numbers of infections and deaths.

Is the worst-case scenario that the WHO were predicting is coming to realization ? Let’s pray not !

4. Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie sets the internet ablaze with her 3-part essay.

The back story:  In case you never heard about her, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian author who received huge praise and critical acclaims for her literary body of works , Americanah and Half-the yellow sun among others.  Her novels, through complex characters and eloquent storytelling talks about immigration, gender roles in African society and its diaspora Nigerian history, culture and feminism. Her essay We should all be Feminists, was made popular after its narration was used by singer Beyonce in her song ***Flawless.

Chimamanda rapidly became, over the past few years, the face of modern African anglophone literature and a darling of the media and social media.

In an interview with a British TV station, Channel 4, the author declared that “trans women are trans women”. Meaning the experience of trans-women could not be equated with those of cisgender women. Her statement sparked controversy and she is, since then, labelled by some as transphobic.

What’s the latest buzz ?

Last week, Chimamanda published on her website a 3-parts essay titled “It is Obscene”, where she reflects on her relationships with 2 past students of her writing workshops, who took part in the public backlash she faced. She writes, “the assumption of good faith is dead. What matters is not goodness but the appearance of goodness. We are no longer human beings. We are now angels jostling to out-angel one another. God help us. It is obscene.”.

The essays of course set the internet abuzz with some people defending her and others less impressed by her latest publication.

Her essay made me ponder on personal image/ branding in the age of social media, bad publicity, public fallout and of course on (the tote word) “Cancel culture”.

Watch/Listen to her Ted Talk ” We should all be feminists here”.

5. A list of my favorite things this month

Here are some of the random things that I’m currently enjoying, reading, watching or listening to:

  • Lupin on Netflix with French actor Omar Sy. I’ve known Omar Sy for more than 2 decades. His rise to international audiences makes me feel like a proud sister.
  • The #TouchIt challenge on Instagram/TikTok. Boy, I love how creative are people are with fashion and video.
  • I was finally able to catch up with all the cool kids and binge on Insecure and can’t wait for the final season.
  • My first read of the year was the memoirs of Mariah Carey, titled “The Meaning Of Mariah Carey”. I really loved how she narrates her complicated life story, lacing it with her musical creative process behind her biggest hits.

Thanks for reading and tell me what trending story has surprised or entertain you?

Let’s get social, let’s connect!

Website:    http://houseofnzinga.com/

Facebook page : https://web.facebook.com/houseofnzinga/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabulous_trysh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/house_of_Nzinga/ 

Portfolio : linktr.ee/PatriciaYumbaM

H.O.N Weekly : Your Weekly Roundup of Trending News

Welcome (back) to H.O.N Weekly, your weekly roundup of the top lifestyle, current affairs and enter/edutainment trending this week.

Nicholle Kobi’s illustration of the upcoming animated series on Africa queens. Nicholle Kobi Instagram.

1. COVID-19: is South Africa losing the battle against COVID-19?

After what seems like a great start at managing the pandemic, South Africa is unfortunately now ranking 5th worldwide, on an international COVID-19 chart. Cases in the country are spiraling, despite a strong involvement of the government. The country was first praised by the WHO for its early strict measures and national testing program . What went wrong then? According to an opinion piece published in Quartz Africa, it’s because South African’s leaders want to emulate the” First world” while it is a country being ‘both first and third world”. The article points out to a capacity problem to correctly execute the wide-scaling testing initiative, elitism and exceptionalism views. (Source : Quartz Africa)

2. Edutainments: Artist Nicholle Kobi teams up with Erick Barmack to bring animated African queens’ series to life

French Artist and illustrator Nicholle Kobi, known for her empowering illustrations of black women on social media, is teaming up with Erick Barmack, a former Netflix executive, who is credited with overseeing the streaming giant ‘s game-changing drive into production around the world, on the production of “Queens” a high-concept, stylish animated series about six extraordinary real-life African queens. They will mesh real-life events ranging over thousands of years of history and authenticated by historians with a dash of magic and, as the series’ central visual look, Kobi’s character art. The pair is working on another animated project, a series called ‘La femme noire’ for BET. The series will feature stories of Queen Amanirenas of Kush (Ex-Sudan), Queen Nandi the mother of Shaka Zulu (South Africa) and Queen Amina of Zaria (Nigeria) among others. While waiting for the series learn more about these amazing African queens here. (Source : Variety)

3. Tech/business: The faces of startups in Kenya

An info-graphic of start-ups in Kenya has been making the rounds on social media and causing a stir because it is revealing the demographic of start-ups founders : they are mostly whites. Unlike South Africa and Nigeria, (along with Kenya, these countries make up the three most-funded start-ups hubs in sub-Saharan Africa), expats founders are more likely to be funded more than locals.

As per data compiled by WeeTracker, Kenya-based start-ups raised a total of USD 428.9 Million in total disclosed funding deals recorded in 2019. Expat-founded start-ups were the recipients of 87.8 percent of that sum, raking in a staggering USD 376.7 Million. (Source Weetracker.com /digest Africa)

4. Viral/US Politics: Watch US presentative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez brilliantly shut down misogynistic slurs

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is often referred to by her initials AOC, is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district. AOC is fearless and outspoken while defending her points of view. Earlier this week, she reportedly was accosted and called a ‘fucking bitch’ by a republican congressman, Ted Yoho. Watch belowAOC’s poignant and classy response, a real masterclass in standing up to your bullies and handling misogynistic bullies in the workplace or elsewhere. Her speech has stricken a chord with many women across the world, as the majority of us have, one way or another, had to deal with such mistreatment. Watch the full speech here. (Source: HuffPost)

5. Music : Aya Nakamura is the most listened to French singer

According to Spotify’s world ranking, artist Aya Nakamura is the “most listened to” French singer. She is ranked 288th, in particular thanks to her massive hits like “Djadja”, “Pookie” or “Copines”. With 13 million monthly listeners, Aya is way ahead of the other top 3 most successful French artists on the platform, the rappers Jul (3.3 million per month), Booba (2.3 million) and the duo PNL (2 million). Of Malian descent, Aya has been dominating the French airwaves and international festivals with her unique blend of French pop and afro-inspired beats. Unfortunately, Aya is regularly the target of cyber-bullying and frequent racist attacks highlighting the issues faced by black women in the show-business (misogynoir). Allez Aya! (Go Ava!). (Source Web24.news)

Et voila for this week’s round up. What’s happening on your side of the world that we should know.

PS: Before you go, do not forget to check the latest blog posts

Let’s get social, let’s connect!

Website:    http://houseofnzinga.com/

Facebook page : https://web.facebook.com/houseofnzinga/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabulous_trysh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/house_of_Nzinga/ 

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/houseofnzinga

Portfolio : linktr.ee/PatriciaYumbaM

H.O.N Weekly : Your Weekly Roundup of Trending News

Picture of the 2 protagonists in Atlantics. Picture Netflix.

Welcome to my second installation of HON Weekly.

Last week, we discussed the Covid-19 crisis and how some African countries are managing the pandemic.

25 May it’s Africa Day !

Today, it’s all about celebrating the motherland. Happy Africa Day!

A bit of history

Africa Day was first held in 1963 in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, when 32 countries formed the Organisation of Africa Unity (O.A.U). The O.A.U was renamed the Africa Union (A.U) in 2002 and includes today 55 countries.  This year’s theme is: “Silencing the guns by 2020 and creating conductive conditions for Africa’s socio-economic development, and intensifying the fight against Covid-19”. (Sources African Union).

While we celebrate Africa day, let’s all make sure that all these unity and development goals are implemented and don’t remain wishful slogans.

Virtual Africa day events

Africa day is usually commemorated and celebrated across the continent via diplomatic and cultural events. This year virtual events will take place instead, such as the Africa Day benefits concert hosted by Idris Elba on MTV Base Africa (DSTV channel 322) and I am WAN event, hosted on YouTube and Facebook. Both events will feature international African artists and from the diaspora, such as Fally Ipupa, Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Youssou N’dour and Khadja Nin just to name a few.

3D Fashion show by designer Anifa Mvuemba breaks the internet

On May 22, Congolese Anifa Mvuemba literally broke the internet when she debuted the latest collection of her contemporary fashion brand, with a revolutionary digital fashion show on Instagram live, featuring 3D models. Clips of the innovative show quickly became viral short afterwards, and trended all week-end. Talking to Teen vogue magazine, the Maryland born said she had ideas of putting a 3D show long before the stay-at-home regulations where put into place.

“The news came out about how serious things [ then pandemic] were and I started to feel a bit anxious about everything going on. I started feeling like maybe it would be insensitive to create and share a new collection online while people were facing very difficult realities”. She continues “my decision to keep going could impact our customers for the better in ways I never imagined. That’s when I knew it was time”. Anifa began the fashion with a documentary to raise awareness on the issue of conflicts minerals and how it affects women and children in her country of origin, Congo-Kinshasa, stating how storytelling and being intentional is important in her craft.

African Proverb

“I am not African because I was born in Africa, but because Africa was born in me” Kwame N’krumah”, first president of Ghana and of the architect of panafricanism.

Watch+ Read + Listen

Do not forget to catch up with Netflix’s Made In Africa collection in honor of Africa month ( see last week post)

Editor’s pick : Atlantics

Atlantics ( 2019) is an award-wining supernatural love story, directed by Franco-Senegalese director Mati Diop. Set in Dakar (Senegal), Atlantics highlights the issues of exploitation of cheap labor by crooked bosses, the weight of traditions on young women, their dream of freedom, against the backdrop of clandestine immigration.

Quiz : so you think you know Africa?

Bantunauts Raydio wants to know how well do you know Africa. Take this quiz and tell us your results. Share it with your friends on your social media pages and tag us!

Quiz: So You Think You Know Africa?

Have a great week ahead !

Xx, PYM

Let’s get social, let’s connect!

Website:    http://houseofnzinga.com/

Facebook page : https://web.facebook.com/houseofnzinga/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabulous_trysh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/house_of_Nzinga/ 

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/houseofnzinga

Portfolio : linktr.ee/PatriciaYumba

H.O.N Weekly :Your Weekly Roundup of Trending News

HON WEEKLY-16 May 2020

Hey there and welcome to H.O.N Weekly (I hope you know by now that H.O.N stands for House of Nzinga, if not, what kind of friend are you?! serious eyes rolls, lol). It’s a feature, that I plan to bring to you weekly, where I share with you my commentary on the top stories of the week, in lifestyle, pop culture and current affairs or the latest buzz or trends on social media. I will also talk about not to be missed important events and things to look out for during the week.

Trending/Worldwide/Health&Wellness

To kick off this series, I wanted to tackle a subject still trending worldwide: the COVID-19 pandemic naturally, and to look at some African countries’ response.

  • South Africa’s response to the crisis

In South Africa, we just reached the “50 days into under lock-down” milestone. The government has divided the lock-down into phases and, since May 1st, we were downgraded from phase 5 ( the highest level alert) to phase 4. Most of the general public are however still confined at home, with just few more essential workers and business activities being able to operate such as : Uber, Uber Eats and delivery services at restaurants.  South Africa has among the highest numbers on the continent and understandably one of the strictest lock-downs. It is interesting to watch how the lock-down situation is igniting robust discussions on social classes and races divide, privileges, etc. in post-apartheid South Africa.

  • Why is Africa still not ravaged by the pandemic ?

Many western health experts are wondering why Africa is not as badly affected as it was predicted. These interrogations go from genuine medical questions to some more condescending, rooted in Afro-pessimism (even racists) affirmations. It feels as if the world is waiting, sadly, on the pandemic to ravage the ‘dark continent’, natural habitat to deaths, famine and diseases. In the world of Senegalese scholar Felwine Sarr, “Europeans are worried about us, but we’re worried about them.”  

Some experts have started to give some tentative explanations to this like the low median age in Africa, which is only 19, in contrast to the aging population in Europe and elsewhere. Also, Africa is still relatively less connected (in term of international traffic) than the rest of the world and has probably been shielded from the pandemic longer than other countries.

  • It is time to value Africa’s expertise?

One major thing that seems to be underestimated in media reports, is that most Africans government, have been proactive and implemented early measures to control the pandemic, despite the many local difficulties encountered.  

For instance, South African management of the pandemic has been praised by the WHO (early and strict lock-down measures and nation-wide scale testings). Furthermore, Senegal has been developing rapid and cheap tests kits (1 dollar testing kit used to test Dengue fever) and engineers are developing locally manufactured ventilators. All this combined has afforded the West-African country one of the lowest mortality rate combined with some of the highest recoveries rate worldwide. 

Above all this, Africa’s health practitioners have a wealth of experience in dealing with life threatening epidemics and large-scale public health issues such as HIV (South Africa) malaria (most of sub-Saharan countries) and recently Ebola (DRC & West-Africa). It’s easier for them to replicate some treatments and protocols put in places for these diseases to the COVID-19 recent pandemic.

Although we still at the beginning of the pandemic, and it is way too soon to declare victory and relax, (we should absolutely not), let’s hope that the pandemic evolution in Africa continues to defy these somber predictions.  

Finally, it is time for the world to listen to Africa’s contribution and expertise in global public health, medical and pharmaceutical research.

Watch+ Read + Listen

Social media

Although there is not much life happening right now in the big outside world, artists and content creators are carrying us all through this weird time. From social media challenges like the #DontRushChallenge, which show the multi-faceted beauty of black women (quickly emulated and declined into men, babies, doctors, lawyers, bearded men versions), to Tik Tok viral dance challenges and finally to the epic Versuz Instagram battles..I must say, black content creators are literally giving me life! I’m sure you’ve watched or heard of the epic Babyface/TeddyRiley battle, followed up by the soul-soothing, battle of nu-soul divas, Jill Scott/Erikah Badu last week. Be sure to catch the next one, rappers Ludacris Vs Nelly, tonight.

Don’t miss on Netflix’s Made In Africa content

To celebrate Africa Day on 25 May and following its announcement of curating more African content, Netflix has launched “Made In Africa” and made available a collection of African titles on the platform. Be sure to catch Atlantics (Senegal), The boy who harnessed the wind (Malawi), Chief Daddy (Nigeria), Queen Sono, and many more documentaries and series. See the promotion below for more available titles.

Important dates and things to look out for :

To celebrate Africa Day, on 25 May, and to continue to raise awareness around the Covid19 pandemic effect on the continent, several initiatives will take place from this week-end and beyond.

  • 16 May : Africa at home, an evening with artists and international African celebrities such as Congolese rumba artists Fally Ipupa and Ivoirian group Magic system, hosted on the FrenchTV channel Canal Plus.
  • 25 May : #IAMWAN/ #JeSuisWAN : another pan-African initiative with the participation of superstars like Youssou N’dour (Senegal), Oumou Sangare (Mali) , Wizkid (Nigerian) and Kassav  (French Caribbean) to name a few. For more info, check here.

What have you been up to this week?

Xx, PYM

Let’s get social, let’s connect!

Website:    http://houseofnzinga.com/

Facebook page : https://web.facebook.com/houseofnzinga/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabulous_trysh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/house_of_Nzinga/ 

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/houseofnzinga

Portfolio : linktr.ee/PatriciaYumba

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