\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n
\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n
ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only 8 countries can boast of billionaires. This is a drop from 10 countries in the previous year. On the global scene, out of the over 3,000 billionaires, only 10 have a net worth of over $100 billion. Also, 9 out of the 10 billionaires worth over $100 billion are based in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The three African countries with the most billionaires remain Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria. Egypt has the highest number of billionaires (6) on the continent. However, their cumulative worth is still far less than that of South African billionaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only 8 countries can boast of billionaires. This is a drop from 10 countries in the previous year. On the global scene, out of the over 3,000 billionaires, only 10 have a net worth of over $100 billion. Also, 9 out of the 10 billionaires worth over $100 billion are based in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

African Countries with the Most Billionaires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three African countries with the most billionaires remain Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria. Egypt has the highest number of billionaires (6) on the continent. However, their cumulative worth is still far less than that of South African billionaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only 8 countries can boast of billionaires. This is a drop from 10 countries in the previous year. On the global scene, out of the over 3,000 billionaires, only 10 have a net worth of over $100 billion. Also, 9 out of the 10 billionaires worth over $100 billion are based in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The former richest man in the world, Bill Gates is now in distant fourth position. Also, Warren Buffet that used to be in the top 3 is now in a distant 9th position. In all of these, the resilience of African billionaires in the face of a harsh business climate remains commendable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

African Countries with the Most Billionaires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three African countries with the most billionaires remain Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria. Egypt has the highest number of billionaires (6) on the continent. However, their cumulative worth is still far less than that of South African billionaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only 8 countries can boast of billionaires. This is a drop from 10 countries in the previous year. On the global scene, out of the over 3,000 billionaires, only 10 have a net worth of over $100 billion. Also, 9 out of the 10 billionaires worth over $100 billion are based in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n
ALSO READ: African Vibes Magazine's African Billionaires of 2020<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The former richest man in the world, Bill Gates is now in distant fourth position. Also, Warren Buffet that used to be in the top 3 is now in a distant 9th position. In all of these, the resilience of African billionaires in the face of a harsh business climate remains commendable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

African Countries with the Most Billionaires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three African countries with the most billionaires remain Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria. Egypt has the highest number of billionaires (6) on the continent. However, their cumulative worth is still far less than that of South African billionaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only 8 countries can boast of billionaires. This is a drop from 10 countries in the previous year. On the global scene, out of the over 3,000 billionaires, only 10 have a net worth of over $100 billion. Also, 9 out of the 10 billionaires worth over $100 billion are based in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The cumulative network of African billionaires has grown from over $200 billion last year to over $350 billion. Elon Musk remains the richest man in Africa and the world. On the global scene, there has been a stunning shift in the billionaire list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: African Vibes Magazine's African Billionaires of 2020<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The former richest man in the world, Bill Gates is now in distant fourth position. Also, Warren Buffet that used to be in the top 3 is now in a distant 9th position. In all of these, the resilience of African billionaires in the face of a harsh business climate remains commendable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

African Countries with the Most Billionaires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three African countries with the most billionaires remain Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria. Egypt has the highest number of billionaires (6) on the continent. However, their cumulative worth is still far less than that of South African billionaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only 8 countries can boast of billionaires. This is a drop from 10 countries in the previous year. On the global scene, out of the over 3,000 billionaires, only 10 have a net worth of over $100 billion. Also, 9 out of the 10 billionaires worth over $100 billion are based in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The faces on the African Billionaires list have remained fairly stable over the last two years. At the onset of the pandemic, in 2020, a few of the African billionaires dropped off the list and never made it back. Nevertheless, others have remained resilient with only a few shifting from their net worth in comparison to the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cumulative network of African billionaires has grown from over $200 billion last year to over $350 billion. Elon Musk remains the richest man in Africa and the world. On the global scene, there has been a stunning shift in the billionaire list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: African Vibes Magazine's African Billionaires of 2020<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The former richest man in the world, Bill Gates is now in distant fourth position. Also, Warren Buffet that used to be in the top 3 is now in a distant 9th position. In all of these, the resilience of African billionaires in the face of a harsh business climate remains commendable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

African Countries with the Most Billionaires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three African countries with the most billionaires remain Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria. Egypt has the highest number of billionaires (6) on the continent. However, their cumulative worth is still far less than that of South African billionaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only 8 countries can boast of billionaires. This is a drop from 10 countries in the previous year. On the global scene, out of the over 3,000 billionaires, only 10 have a net worth of over $100 billion. Also, 9 out of the 10 billionaires worth over $100 billion are based in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n
\"African<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The faces on the African Billionaires list have remained fairly stable over the last two years. At the onset of the pandemic, in 2020, a few of the African billionaires dropped off the list and never made it back. Nevertheless, others have remained resilient with only a few shifting from their net worth in comparison to the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cumulative network of African billionaires has grown from over $200 billion last year to over $350 billion. Elon Musk remains the richest man in Africa and the world. On the global scene, there has been a stunning shift in the billionaire list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: African Vibes Magazine's African Billionaires of 2020<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The former richest man in the world, Bill Gates is now in distant fourth position. Also, Warren Buffet that used to be in the top 3 is now in a distant 9th position. In all of these, the resilience of African billionaires in the face of a harsh business climate remains commendable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

African Countries with the Most Billionaires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three African countries with the most billionaires remain Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria. Egypt has the highest number of billionaires (6) on the continent. However, their cumulative worth is still far less than that of South African billionaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only 8 countries can boast of billionaires. This is a drop from 10 countries in the previous year. On the global scene, out of the over 3,000 billionaires, only 10 have a net worth of over $100 billion. Also, 9 out of the 10 billionaires worth over $100 billion are based in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"African<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The faces on the African Billionaires list have remained fairly stable over the last two years. At the onset of the pandemic, in 2020, a few of the African billionaires dropped off the list and never made it back. Nevertheless, others have remained resilient with only a few shifting from their net worth in comparison to the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cumulative network of African billionaires has grown from over $200 billion last year to over $350 billion. Elon Musk remains the richest man in Africa and the world. On the global scene, there has been a stunning shift in the billionaire list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: African Vibes Magazine's African Billionaires of 2020<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The former richest man in the world, Bill Gates is now in distant fourth position. Also, Warren Buffet that used to be in the top 3 is now in a distant 9th position. In all of these, the resilience of African billionaires in the face of a harsh business climate remains commendable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

African Countries with the Most Billionaires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three African countries with the most billionaires remain Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria. Egypt has the highest number of billionaires (6) on the continent. However, their cumulative worth is still far less than that of South African billionaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only 8 countries can boast of billionaires. This is a drop from 10 countries in the previous year. On the global scene, out of the over 3,000 billionaires, only 10 have a net worth of over $100 billion. Also, 9 out of the 10 billionaires worth over $100 billion are based in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania\u2019s billionaire, Mohammed Deji remains the youngest billionaire on the African continent. Since there are no new faces on the billionaire list, Africa is battling with an aging billionaire list. Another worrisome observation is the drop-off of all the female billionaires on the continent. From<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, Africa has no female billionaire and the likely cause is multi-faceted. Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Al Fayed who is now 93 is Africa\u2019s oldest billionaire. The big question is, why are new billionaires not emerging in Africa. You can share your thoughts in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Jack Ma Takes 38 Billionaire Investors and Entrepreneur Advice To Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list is a snapshot from the Forbes Real-time wealth calculator<\/a> on 4th January 2022. The list changes drastically within hours meaning the figures may drastically change at a later date. The individual\u2019s public holdings and private company value are used to determine their net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, currency exchange rates play a significant role in the size of the fortune of non-American billionaires. Interestingly, most African billionaire list only tracks Africans in Africa. However, our list tracks billionaires with African ancestry regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 African Billionaire List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picture<\/th>AV Africa Rank<\/th>Forbes Rank<\/th>Name<\/th>Net Worth<\/th>Age<\/th>Wealth Source<\/th>Hometown\/ Residence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"elon-musk_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>1<\/td>#1<\/td>
Elon Musk<\/td>
$304.2 B\u25b2<\/td>50<\/td>Auto, Space Exploration<\/td>South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"aliko-dangote_100x100<\/a><\/td>2<\/td>
#171<\/td>
Aliko Dangote
<\/td>
$12.7 B \u25b2<\/td>64<\/td>Cement, Sugar, Flour<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nassef-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>3<\/td>
#324<\/td>
Nassef Sawiris<\/td>$8.3 B \u25bc<\/td>60<\/td>
Construction, Chemicals<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"nicky-oppenheimer_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>4<\/td>#343<\/td>Nicky Oppenheimer<\/td>$8.0 B -<\/td>76<\/td>Diamonds<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrick-soon-shiong_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>5<\/td>
#354<\/td>

Patrick Soon-Shiong<\/td>
$7.7 B \u25b2
<\/td>
69<\/td>Pharmaceuticals<\/td>
South Africa \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"mike-adenuga_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>
#445<\/td>

Mike Adenuga
<\/td>
$6.6 B \u25b2<\/td>68<\/td>Telecom, Oil<\/td>Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"abdulsamad-rabiu_\"<\/a><\/td>7<\/td>
#719<\/td>
Abdulsamad Rabiu<\/td>$4.4 B \u25bc<\/td>61<\/td>Cement, Sugar<\/td>
Nigeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"nathan-kirsh_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>8<\/td>
#670<\/td>

Nathan Kirsh<\/td>
$4.7 B \u25b2<\/td>89<\/td>Retail, Real estate<\/td>Eswatini (Swaziland)<\/td><\/tr>
\"issad-rebrab_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>9<\/td>#644<\/td>
Issad Rebrab & Family<\/td>
$4.8 B \u25b2<\/td>78<\/td>Food<\/td>
Algeria<\/td><\/tr>
\"patrice-motsepe_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>10<\/td>
#1312<\/td>

Patrice Motsepe<\/td>
$2.6 B \u25bc<\/td>59<\/td>Mining<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>11<\/td>
#1360<\/td>

Mohamed Mansour<\/td>
$2.5 B \u25bc<\/td>73<\/td>Diversified<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"naguib-sawiris_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>12<\/td>
#1046<\/td>
Naguib Sawiris<\/td>$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>67<\/td>Telecom<\/td>
Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"haim-saban_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>13<\/td>
#1045<\/td>

Haim Saban
<\/td>

$3.1 B \u25b2<\/td>
77<\/td>
Communications, Investments<\/td>
Egypt \/ United States<\/td><\/tr>
\"koos-bekker_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>14<\/td>
#1379<\/td>

Koos Bekker<\/td>

$2.4 B \u25b2<\/td>
69<\/td>Media, Investments<\/td>South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"yasseen-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>15<\/td>
#2487<\/td>

Yasseen Mansour<\/td>

$1.1 B \u25bc<\/td>
60<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"aziz-akhannouch_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>16<\/td>#1651<\/td>
Aziz Akhannouch<\/td>
$2.0 B -<\/td>61<\/td>Petroleum, Diversified<\/td>\u00a0
Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"youssef-mansour_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>17<\/td>
#2100<\/td>

Youssef Mansour<\/td>
$1.5 B \u25bc<\/td>76<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohamed-al-fayed_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>18<\/td>
#1787<\/td>

Mohamed Al Fayed<\/td>

$1.8 B \u25b2<\/td>
92<\/td>Retail, Investments<\/td>Egypt<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-dewji_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>19<\/td>#2006<\/td>Mohammed Dewji<\/td>$1.6 B -<\/td>46<\/td>Diversified<\/td>Tanzania<\/td><\/tr>
\"othman-benjelloun_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>20<\/td>
#2336<\/td>

Othman Benjelloun<\/td>

$1.3 B -<\/td>
90<\/td>Banking, Insurance<\/td>Morocco<\/td><\/tr>
\"Strive<\/a><\/td>21<\/td>
#1369<\/td>
Strive Masiyiwa<\/td>$2.5 B \u25b2<\/td>60<\/td>Telecom<\/td>Zimbabwe<\/td><\/tr>
\"Michiel<\/a><\/td>22<\/td>
#2193<\/td>
Michiel Le Roux<\/td>$1.6 B \u25b2<\/td>72<\/td>Banking<\/td>
South Africa<\/td><\/tr>
\"mohammed-ibrahim_100x100\"<\/a><\/td>23<\/td>
#2515<\/td>
Mohammed Ibrahim<\/td>$1.1 B -<\/td>75<\/td>Communications<\/td>Sudan \/ United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","post_title":"African Vibes List Of African Billionaires Of 2022","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"african-vibes-list-of-african-billionaires-of-2022","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 11:47:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=329191","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":328348,"post_author":"10055","post_date":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-29 13:00:00","post_content":"\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the enormous contributions of Africans to the success of soccer and basketball teams and leagues in the west, you will understand the need for urgent action. From time immemorial, Africans have been important components of NBA-ring winning teams. From Hakeem Olajuwon to Giannis Antetokoumpo, the contribution of African talents remains immeasurable. Sadly, the game as it is played on a high level is not what we see in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why, in a year that saw the NBA partner with Africa to boost basketball development, the continent is set to take the next step towards becoming basketball's second home. After the partnership, another African son who thrilled the American viewer returns to water the land from which he sprouted. His name is Ujiri Masai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Masai Ujiri?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Masai
Masai Ujiri is re-shaping the future of African basketball. [Credit: Complete Sports]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri was born to a Nigerian family in Bournemouth, England, on July 7, 1970. His parents were international students studying in England. He grew up in Zaria, Nigeria after his family returned to Nigeria when he was two years old. Ujiri's father is a hospital administrator and nursing instructor from Aviara in Delta State is an Isoko while his mother is a Kenyan doctor from Machakos County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began his basketball career as a 13-year-old in northern Nigeria, where he was playing with friends on outdoor basketball courts. American sports periodicals and VHS recordings of NBA games or basketball movies fueled this fascination. He adored NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon, who was also Nigerian. After a decent playing career, Ujiri joined the Orlando Magic and later the Denver Nuggets as a scout in 2002. He joined the Toronto Raptors' backroom staff in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri is a man of many firsts. When he joined the NBA's Denver Nuggets in 2010, the Nigerian businessman became the first African general manager in American professional sports. Another watershed moment came in 2013 when he became president of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to an NBA title, a first for a team outside of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a013 Unbelievable Places In Africa That You Must See For Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foray into the Western World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His parents encouraged him to follow his ambition of playing collegiate basketball by letting him join a team in one of Europe's premier leagues as he entered high school. He moved to Seattle to play for Nathan Hale High School while living with a Nigerian family. After a period abroad, Ujiri Masai enrolled at Bismarck State College in North Dakota where he played basketball for two years. He transferred to Montana State University Billings following community college but dropped out after one semester. He left Montana to pursue a professional career in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri Masai played professionally in Europe for the most part of his career. He spent one season with the Solent Stars of the National Basketball League Division 3, then the fourth tier of English basketball, prior to attending college. With a 20\u20132 record, Ujiri and his squad won the championship that season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his college career, Ujiri spent a season in England with the Derby Rams. After a brief stay with Belgian side Tournai-Estaimpuis, he returned to Solent Stars for two seasons, followed by a single appearance with Hemel Royals. Masai Ujiri then spent three months with BC Nokia in Finland, where he appeared in two preseason games before being released. He most recently played in Denmark. He also represented the Nigerian Basketball national team, D'Tigers, during his playing days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Africa to Empower a Continent of Dreamers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, he guided the Canadian basketball team to a first NBA title outside of the United States. However, Ujiri had an argument with a sheriff's deputy during the on-court celebration<\/a>, which he feels occurred because he is Black. Ujiri, who signed a contract extension with the Raptors in August that made him vice-chairman and president, said the event has inspired him to devote more time to his humanitarian work, which he does via his Giants of Africa Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0All You Need To Know About Professional Basketball In Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the nonprofit, he hopes to draw more Africans to the sport, hosting basketball camps for over 5,000 boys and girls in 16 African countries since 2003. He is currently on a mission to build 100 basketball courts across the continent. The first set of courts was rolled out recently in Nigeria. The initiative is also targeting Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Kenya. In an interview with CNN<\/a>, when commenting on his motivation to empower Africans to play basketball, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/OIowrtmgYD4\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 \"You have the pride in you to say you are leading the way and that's where it ends. Because if there are no other people that follow after me, that means I didn't do a good job. I'm the only one, and I actually hate it. I want there to be more Blacks. I want there to be more Africans. It's very prideful for me to bring young African coaches, young African women to come and speak to these kids because they see that if I and you can do it, they can do it too. So yeah, I don't want to be the only one. I hate that. It's fine, being the first\u2014I have a problem with being the only one\".<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Ways African Nations Can Benefit From Masai Ujiri's Humanitarian Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the presence of the NBA in Africa increases, the continent is in a position to benefit in several ways. If harnessed, these benefits can start a chain of events that could trigger massive economic development in Africa. We highlight some of the benefits below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1. A Bigger Window to the Big Leagues<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two seasons ago, Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo burst onto the scene, winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Although an anomaly, Giannis\u2019 path to the NBA was made smooth by the existence of a strong basketball structure in Greece, his place of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Asisat Oshoala Is First African Female Player To Win European Championship<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, one of Masai Ujiri's objectives is to create a gateway for talented and ready African starlets to travel overseas and play elite basketball. Through NBA-style drafts, NBA and European franchises can come over and select players for their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Improved Basketball Culture in Africa<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Africa is heavily endeared to soccer against other sports. However, basketball can stake a claim at attracting and keeping as many Africans as it can, through this initiative. Since Masai Ujiri's idea is to permeate the hearts of young Africans, the next generation of Africans may grow to love and play the sport. Through this and the Basketball African League, more Africans can watch along National lines, leading to an improvement in the basketball viewing culture of Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Future Massive Investment in Africa <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This initiative can also serve as a pipeline for talent into the Basketball African League. In doing so, the initiative can in turn bolster the quality of the League, which leads to more sponsors. Currently, the Basketball Africa League, has foreign investments towering north of $100 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The League was able to attract sponsorship from multiple multinational organizations, including Air Jordan, Flutterwave, French Development Agency (AFD), Hennessy. Others are New Fortress Energy, Nike, Pepsi, RwandAir, and Wilson. With better players and a better League, more investment can come into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Masai Ujiri's Future Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the basketbal camps and courts, Ujiri is now looking to bring in more Africans into basketbal leadership. While talking to CNN, he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First of all, we have to give more Black people opportunity in our own institutions and organizations. We have to continue to figure out a way to be decision-makers, be in these boardrooms. It's not only hire an intern or hire a diversity and inclusion officer\u2014we have to be in positions where decisions are made. For me personally, there are a couple of projects that we are working on that I cannot speak too much about now that I am 100% excited about.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Boston-Based Somali Basketballer Is Breaking The Cultural Limitations Facing Muslim Women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a large number of Africans are in love with soccer, the Basketball Africa League is here to stay. As more efforts continue to go into basketball development in Africa, stakeholders are hopeful that this new venture will drive growth and investment across the continent. What are your thoughts about Masai Ujiri's court initiative? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: See How Ujiri Masai Wants To Make Africa World\u2019s Basketball Capital","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ujiri-masai-make-africa-worlds-basketball-capital","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-29 23:43:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=328348","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":324578,"post_author":"10053","post_date":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-06 13:22:03","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_324592\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"832\"]\"South South Africa airways affected by the travel ban (Photo credit: sunnewsonline.com)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nProminent Africans\u2014including the AU\u2014have condemned what they termed the developed nations\u2019 rush to ban South Africa and other African countries. The travel ban was announced by several nations over the discovery of a new coronavirus variant classified as Omicron\u00a0<\/strong>(SARS-CoV-2) Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.\n\nSouth Africa and Botswana first discovered the first cases of the Omicron variant in their respective countries and immediately informed the world. South Africa\u2019s health minister, Joseph Phaahla, during media briefing said South Africa was acting with transparency. He also said that travel bans were against the norms and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).\n

ALSO READ:\u00a0Who Is Suffering More From Climate Change: Developed Or Developing Countries?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe travel ban has renewed a debate over whether it would prevent the spread of the new variants. Some say that, at best, the restrictions can buy time for the U.S and EU to put in place public health measures. However, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are strongly against the travel ban.\n

What we know about the Omicron Variant so far<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Health Organization on Nov. 26, 2021, designated the variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern and called it Omicron. The choice of name was from the advice of the WHO\u2019s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution<\/a> (TAG-VE). According to TAG-VE, Omicron has several mutations that may impact how the virus behaves, this includes the severity of the illness it can cause and the ease of spread.\n\n\n\nPreliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection. However, experts do not know if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains. The WHO said, \u201c<\/em>The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all South African provinces\u201d<\/em>.\n\nAlso, preliminary evidence suggests that people with prior COVID-19 infection are at a higher risk of reinfection from the Omicron variant. WHO is working with technical partners to know if the currently available vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Thankfully, the PCR test currently in use can detect infections including from Omicron. See the emerging details from Omicron here<\/a>.\n
ALSO READ: UNESCO Announces July 7 As World Kiswahili Language Day. See Why<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nThe South African Medical Association (SAMA) has said people infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms. The Chairwoman of SAMA Angelique Coetzee has said research on the Omicron variant is still in its initial stages. Furthermore, scientists say that Omicron could be more transmissible and can evade the body\u2019s immune defenses, making vaccines likely less effective.\n\nEvery variant of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, particularly for the most vulnerable people. Scientists are still unclear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease than infections with other variants.\n\n\n

South African countries fume<\/strong><\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_324593\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"814\"]\"President President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo credit: CGTN Africa)<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSouth Africa\u2019s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on every country that has imposed travel bans to reverse their decisions urgently. Also, the president urged these countries to lift the travel ban before it causes more economic damages. South African scientists first discovered Omicron, and President Ramaphosa commended their work. He said,\n\n\u201cSouth African scientists are world-renowned and deeply respected.<\/em> What we know about Omicron so far reflects their work. [South Africans are] deeply disappointed by the decision of several countries to prohibit travel from several Southern African countries following the identification of the Omicron variant.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n\nHe mentioned that it is a completely unjustified departure from the commitment made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month. Also noting that countries pledged at the G20 meeting to restart international travel safely and orderly.\n\nFurthermore, the G20 Rome Declaration acknowledged the predicament of the tourism sector in developing countries, and they promised to support a \u201crapid, resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery of the tourism sector\u201d. The President also said that the travel ban is \u201c<\/em>unjustified and unfairly discriminate against South Africa and its sister countries\u201d.\n
ALSO READ: Africa Industrialization Day: A Peek At 10 Of The Most Industrialized African Countries<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Should we condemn countries for shutting their borders?<\/h2>\nWhen the coronavirus pandemic was first discovered in China in 2019, the WHO was blamed for acting too slowly. The popular opinion then was that shutting down travels to and from China would have helped to stop the spread. However, the pattern of spread of COVID-19 since its discovery shows that travel ban, alone, is ineffective in stopping the spread.\n\nAccording to the South African resident,<\/i>\u00a0instead of prohibiting travel, developed countries need to support the efforts of developing economies to access and manufacture enough vaccine doses for their people without delay.\n\nIn a Facebook post<\/a>, Malawi\u2019s president, Lazarus Chakwera, has also described the travel ban as \u201cAfrophobia\u201d. He said that the whole world owes South African scientists an appreciation for identifying the new strain before anyone else, and South African countries shouldn\u2019t be punished.\n\n\n\nNevertheless, the governments placing a travel ban on South African countries acted with the intention of buying time to better understand the variant. Interestingly, emerging details show that the variant may have already been in circulation weeks before the announcement from South Africa. This discovery nullifies the intent of the travel ban.\n\nJohns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security. He also said imposing restrictions makes politicians \u201clook as if they are doing something\u201d but doesn\u2019t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0 Why Is WHO Telling African Countries To Use Expired COVID-19 Vaccines?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Reactions trailing the travel ban on South African countries<\/h3>\nMany social media users continue to express their opinion on the Omicron variant as well as the travel ban. However, the majority of the opinions condemned the travel ban.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/henruga\/status\/1465188765736050689\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/AslamBava\/status\/1466305835974410243\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fiona_chembot\/status\/1466245689684504581\n\n\n

Global COVID-19 vaccine distribution<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe ban punishes countries that have not had the resources to vaccinate widely. South African countries may not have the infrastructure to distribute the vaccines quickly or, in some cases, store them at the necessary ultracold temperatures, forcing them to\u00a0turn down shipments<\/a>\u00a0of additional doses.\n\nAfrica lags behind other continents in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, WHO officials have attributed the vaccination gaps to the unequal distribution of vaccines. They noted that wealthier nations have acquired enough doses to offer booster shots. In contrast, citizens of poorer countries are struggling to get their first doses.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Zimbabwean Sculptor Is Fighting COVID-19 With Stones<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSadly, only fifteen countries in Africa have fully vaccinated 10% of their citizens against Coronavirus as of September 2021. In May, the World Health Assembly set a goal for countries worldwide to fully vaccinate 10% of their population by Sept. 30. Almost 90% of high income-countries have met this target.\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven though the WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, they recommend countries to undertake other measures instead of the travel ban. Such measures include enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases and sharing genome progressions on publicly available databases.\n\n\n\nAccording to the WHO Director-General, \u00a0Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more variants will continue to emerge until there is equitable distribution of vaccines. The WHO DG says the only way of stopping the emergence of new variants is to ensure at least 50% of the population of every country is vaccinated.\n\nSo do you think placing a travel ban on South African countries due to Omicron is right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.\n
\n

TAKE OUR POLL<\/h2>\n[totalpoll id=\"324768\"]\n\n<\/div>","post_title":"DISCUSSION: Do You Think The Travel Ban On South African Countries Due To Omicron Was Right?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"do-you-think-placing-a-travel-ban-on-south-african-countries-due-to-omicron-is-right","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=324578","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":311059,"post_author":"10056","post_date":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-25 13:00:00","post_content":"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311060\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1067\"]\"Souadou Souadou Niang, director - Palms Luxury Hotel [Photo credit: Mazzaltov<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Across Africa, ambitious women are running successful businesses in different sectors. Female entrepreneurship in the continent is rising quickly as many African women continue to defy the odds and unleash their potential. In today\u2019s spotlight, we feature one of these fearlessly ambitious women. Her name is Souadou Niang. We will tell you her inspiring success story including how she moved from cleaning toilets to owning her own five-star hotel.\n

Who is Souadou Niang?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNiang is a Senegalese businesswoman and the owner of The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. While pursuing studies in the United States, she held a toilet cleaner\u2019s job at one of the renowned hotels in Washington, DC.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Henri Nyakarundi Returned To Rwanda To Alter The Digital Space<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nAfter completing her degree, Souadou was promoted to a management position before leaving the hotel and returning to Senegal to establish her own. Today, she runs her own 5-star hotel that employs 60 people. She believes that women are born managers. Thus, most of her employees are women who hail from low-income communities.\n\nShe has trained many women particularly those who didn\u2019t get the chance to acquire education. Niang is truly a symbol of resilience and women\u2019s leadership. In addition, she demonstrates that the hotel industry is very important for local employment.\n\n\n

A peek at Niang\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\nLittle is known about Souadou\u2019s background. But what we know is that she was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. Hospitality is one of the main values of the Senegalese culture. So, children are taught to be hospitable and welcoming right from a young age.\n\nPerhaps this is what inspired Souadou Niang to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Right from a young age, she had a dream of becoming a hotel manager. She also knew that her only hope of achieving this dream was acquiring an education.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Silas Adekunle Is Bringing Robotics Revolution To Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nNiang worked hard in school. She didn\u2019t allow the less privileged status of her parents to stop her from performing well in her basic education. Her zeal to succeed in life clearly suggests that she was a good performer in school and she knew what she wanted to become in the future.\n

Souadou Niang\u2019s Journey to the US<\/strong><\/h2>\nAt the age of 18, she got an opportunity to travel to New York. Thereafter, she moved to Washington, DC. By this time, she had completed high school. With her good grades, she was eligible for higher education in the US. However, since she wanted to become a manager of her own business, she decided to pursue management studies.\n\n\n\nConsequently, she acquired the necessary knowledge and expertise to become a successful manager. In a new country with no one to pay for her school fees, Niang started thinking about how she could fund her education. One day while Souadou was moving around the US capital, she spotted a classy hotel, the famous Ritz-Charlton<\/a>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_311067\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1000\"]\"Ritz-Charlton, Ritz-Charlton, Washington, DC [Photo credit: DeSimone<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]The ambiance and magnificence of this establishment moved her greatly. Niang developed a burning desire to work in such a place. Considering that she was already looking for a job to help pay her fees, she felt this hotel was the right place for her.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: From A Street Hawker To Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story Of Segun Fatumo<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe couldn\u2019t help but check in to Ritz-Charlton and ask for a job. The only opportunity available at the time was for a toilet cleaner. Given the nature of this role, many might have quickly turned down the offer. However, the young Senegalese didn\u2019t hesitate to take up the job. During an interview with the BBC, she explained,\n\n\u201cI gladly accepted the job, worked hard, and studied hotel management\u2026 I worked as a cleaning lady while studying. My vision was to be part of the management.\u201d<\/em>\n\n\n

From a Toilet Cleaner to a Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\nShe started cleaning toilets and also enrolled in hotel management studies. Juggling her studies and cleaning job wasn\u2019t easy. However, Souadou knew what she wanted and she was determined to work hard to achieve it. Souadou Niang recalls that people from different nationalities and races including Mexicans and African Americans frequented Ritz-Charlton.\n\nGiven this diversity, she believed that the luxury hotel had something for her as well. As time went by, Niang paid for her studies and completed the hotel management course. After graduating, she focused fully on her job. It didn\u2019t take long before the management started noticing Souadou\u2019s excellence in her work.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: Alan Knott-Craig Quit A Job In USA To Build The Largest Wireless Broadband Network In South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nSubsequently, she was promoted and rose through the ranks to become one of the managers at Ritz-Charlton. With her degree certificate, Souadou Niang took advantage of every available opportunity, and through her determination, she climbed up the ladder.\n

Reason for Souadou\u2019s Return to Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with Ritz-Charlton's management team made the Senegalese entrepreneur develop a strong zeal for the hotel business. After learning the ropes in this sector, Niang felt that she wanted to run the same business on her own, not in the US but in Africa.\n\n\n\nAlthough she seemed to be already living her childhood dream of becoming a manager, she felt that offering the same services in Africa would be more impactful. Thus, Souadou made plans to return to her country and develop an establishment that would offer high-quality and luxurious services that she witnessed in the United States.\n

The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/strong><\/h3>\n[caption id=\"attachment_311065\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"950\"]\"The The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel [Photo credit: Senpages<\/a>]<\/em>[\/caption]Niang says that she achieved her dream after establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel<\/em> in 2017. This 5-star hotel is located in Dakar, Senegal. She runs the hotel with a workforce of 60 employees. Interestingly, 80% are women and the rest are men. The founder says, \u201cAs a woman, I knew what I was capable of and I saw it in African women\u201d.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: How Salma Okonkwo Built Blue Power Energy, One Of Ghana\u2019s Biggest Solar Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nShe strongly believes that women can make good managers because they have the ability to manage many things. According to her, women require less training to learn how to run a business. Thus, Souadou\u2019s luxurious hotel has created employment opportunities for many Senegalese women who previously struggled to provide for their families.\n\nIt is worth noting that Souadou Niang\u2019s success in the hotel industry didn\u2019t come on a silver platter. Setting up the hotel was difficult because no one seemed to believe in her including many banks. Some said that her business would only last for a while because she is a woman. Other Senegalese doubted whether she would establish a successful business since the hotel industry was perceived as a reserve for men.\n\n\n\nWhat her naysayers didn\u2019t know is that she was not new to the hotel business. Right from the start, Souadou knew the ins and outs of setting up and running a hotel. She believed in herself and her idea. Also, her passion and resilience helped her to get over the initial challenges of establishing The Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel. <\/em>She says,\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with working hard, being alone, never giving up, the passion and enthusiasm to always move forward have brought me to the point where today I am the owner of my own hotel.\u201d<\/em>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Returnee Spotlight: After A Trip To China Patrick Ngowi Returns To Build The Largest Solar Energy Company In East Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\nSouadou Niang exemplifies a woman who rose from grass to grace. Her story is that of hard work, courage, and determination. Souadou knew what she was capable of and she saw the same ability in African women. With her team, she is making a significant impact not just in people\u2019s lives but also in the hotel industry. Her success story is a source of inspiration to many African women. She encourages them to rise up to the occasion and become managers of their own businesses.\n\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g5ZNaONJ6QY","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: From Toilet Cleaner To Luxury Hotel Owner. The Story Of Souadou Niang","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-from-toilet-cleaner-to-luxury-hotel-owner-the-story-of-souadou-niang","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:11:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=311059","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

You cannot copy content of this page

Receive our latest updates

Subscribe To Our Newsletter