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By Uganda on Thu 21 of Jan., 2010 00:13 GMT

seems almost unbelievable. Her story perfectly illustrates some of the hardships thousands of African women go through. Prostitution has reduced her to a drug addict and an alcoholic with aids pulling her into the doomed path of the grim reaper.

Prostitution among African women is snowballing in Europe. Amely-James? Bela, a business school graduate, has a long history of humanitarian and community work. She has been fighting to stop the traffic of women and children for prostitution. Her book La prostitution africaine en Occident sounds an alarm on this phenomenon. Afrik.com has also decided to follow her example by bringing this trend to light.

“If only I knew what was in store for me here, in this crazy place, this place that so many people admire, this place they all want to come to (…) a place where we, Africans, are considered as good for nothing, slaves who are made to eat human excrement and drink their urine. Some find it normal that sick people, perverts, rich people… use their money and influence to gravely abuse other humans.

They say that we are adults and therefore consenting, but this is not true because no one asked for my consent before throwing me into this hell hole. I was forced and threatened… and if we are adults, what about the kids who find themselves in this milieu? Those people pay a lot to abuse the youngest ones. Poor people do not pay such ludicrous amounts of money for such things, simply because all their money will still not be enough to buy these…

"I am not afraid anymore"

I am disgusted and no more afraid, and by the way, who cares? My days are numbered anyway. My aids is in its final stages. They have more respect for dogs than for us. I know that not all the girls go through what I have been through. But I know what goes on in this milieu and why the girls deny all those horrendous things so as not to fall victim to their anger. Their riches give them the right over our lives… If their drugs, their aids and alcohol had not brought me to my death bed, their filth and the filth of their dogs that I was made to swallow as well as their violence would have done it anyway.

I have prayed to God to forgive me and take me back. No human being can live with what I have in my head. I only have to close my eyes for a few seconds for all the horrors to come rushing back. Everyday and every night I go through the same torture. I need someone to help me end it all, I have no energy in me to even try it. My God! I want just a moment of silence to rest. I just want it over and done with and just go, go, go…

Recruited via the Internet

My troubles began in Lagos. I came across an internet announcement, which said that a businessman was looking for women who wanted to get married for his dating agency. There were photos and stories of happy and successful marriages. Apart from the internet announcement, I also answered to announcements posted in these magazines that we find everywhere now. It all went very fast. The man contacted me and we started communicating via the Internet. He promised me things that no woman would refuse. A dream. In a matter of three months, I had every single paper needed to leave for London. He also gave me the names of persons I had to meet and everything went well. I also had to go to Benin City (a city in Nigeria, ndlr) to collect a small parcel for him. I was a bit taken aback when I realized that the little parcel he was talking about were three young boys between the ages of eight and twelve. Their passports and visas were ready. Everything was ok. I went to see a guy called “wizard” for instructions.

Our trip took us through Ghana where someone provided us with Liberian passports with which we traveled to London. This was to help us obtain refugee status with ease. We left after spending three days in a shantytown in Accra where we were hidden to “avoid being spotted by jealous people who were not as lucky as us!” hmmm… The youngest boy was gripped by fear. He cried a lot, his whole body shook and could not utter a word. His only refuge were my arms and the only moment he left my arms was to allow me to go to the bathroom...

Defenceless children

At the airport, my fiancé and the person who was to collect the children were waiting. The separation was very painful. A lot of force was needed to tear the little boy from me. I never heard of those children again. I followed this man whom I knew nothing about apart from the fact that he called himself “Bryan”. We barely got to his house when the nightmare began. First of all, he wanted us to do it right away. But I told him that I needed a some time as it is not too easy to open up to someone I did not know, just like that. But his violent grip made me give in immediately. My first hours on the English soil were marked with rape and violence on somebody’s living room floor. He took a rest, drank whiskey and came back to do those horrible and painful things that I didn’t even know existed, again and again. I thought I was going to die.

I was forced to do what he wanted, I knew only him and he had kept all my papers. After sexually abusing me, he asked me to watch films in which girls were having sex with animals. He said to study what the girls were doing because I was going to do the same soon. He said that my arrival had cost him a lot of money and I was going to have to pay him back. He also said that because he is a very nice man, he would find good business and film contracts and split the money between the two of us. He gave me a little something to give me courage, but not to worry because there was a lot of money to be made. Lots of money. That little something to give me courage was, in fact, drugs. This is how, three weeks after my arrival in England, I became a bestial porn star addicted to drugs and traveling through eruopean capitals; Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris and London, my residence.

Women and animals

Once or twice a week, I was sent to film sets or individual homes to tape these nasty pornographic videos. Sometimes the master and his dogs would join in. It gave me nausea. His wife would look on, amused, while mixing herself cocktails. I took drugs and drunk before doing those scenes, because without getting high on drugs, I just couldn’t do it. These animals in me, their slaver, their hairs, their bad breathe, the scratches from their claws, while obeying their masters who would order them to go slow or use violence with me under them, forced to obey. I cried, I screamed, I prayed for the good lord to take me away. What was I doing? My poor mother would die if she knew. To prevent her from asking too many questions, I sent her money along with carefully staged photographs Bryan and I made.

The worst moment came was when I was made to perform oral sex on these animals. Sex with the animals were unprotected and the man told me that I was not at risk since God had made sure that animals could not impregnate humans. For years I did only that. Litres of animal sperm in my stomach. My body is so filthy that not a single child could possibly be conceived in it. One day, to spice up the scenes, the producer’s wife went and fetched puppies to suck my breasts. It was very painful because they sucked violently as there was no milk. The professionals sell these films across the world while others watch them during parties.

My family lives well and I live with aids

I have to confess that I made a lot of money. I had a house built back home and my family lives well. I pay the school fees for the young ones and I am respected and adored. My family is very proud of me because they know nothing about what I do. Out of greed, I worked more to get more money, which also meant more drugs and alcohol. Sometimes Bryan rented me out to a friend of his in the south of France, because in summer, the arrival of a number of yachts and celebrities at the côte d’azur means a big market for prostitutes and drug dealers. There are all night long orgies and they pay a lot. It is a change from the usual work and brings in a lot of money.

I think that is where I was infected with aids… and because I did not have regular medical check ups the disease was discovered too late. I was abandoned on the beaches of Saint Tropez. Bryan disappeared and changed his address. A prostitute from Poland came to my aid but since she was not able to cater for my drug needs as well as all she was doing for me, she introduced me to an African girl who was also involved in the same line of work, who introduced me to an association that takes care of African women with aids…

My disease is in its terminal stage. I won’t live past thirty. My body is covered with leeches, I am a drug addict, anorexic, alcoholic… I still work as a prostitute, but I am careful not to put my clients, who know nothing about my situation, at risk. I do it to help me buy drugs and alcohol. I take those things to speed things up, you know, my death. The images torture me and it is like a poison killing me in small doses. It is the worst kind of death. I regret so much for coming to Europe. Back home, I would be healthy, married and by now a mother…”


Source:afrik.com

By Uganda on Tue 08 of Dec., 2009 02:21 GMT

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African women are the most beautiful women on earth. In this feature we shall be showing you some of the few beautiful african girls we have for you in store.


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To be continued:
By Uganda on Mon 26 of Oct., 2009 17:12 GMT

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Free Uganda will be featuring the Best African Artist of the month.
This month we look at mr.soul of the City of Ink, Atlanta’s best dressed tattoo shop and art gallery

On a professional level, I am self-motivated hustler of trill creative skillz that range from design and illustration to fine art and computer graphics.

I have spent much of my professional life operating as an independent creative studio called VISUAL SOUL (Creative Lab). That journey has led me to the opportunity to provide creative services for many artists/companies within the entertainment industry whose work, music or movement i've followed or respected.
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On a personal level, I'm a variety of interesting things. Intellectual, clown, revolutionary-in-training, loyal comrade, lover and fighter. This blog serves as your access to learn more...

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I spend much of my time in front of my MacBook? Pro or some type of apparatus that will allow me to vent my creative energies. When I'm not doing that, I'm at The City Of Ink with my creative crew and comrades conversing about the beauties and struggles of life, and the world which we intend to conquer.

This is his work
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By Uganda on Mon 26 of Oct., 2009 17:08 GMT

Queen Ifrica
In the music industry today, finding artists who truly understand the importance and effect of their image is rare. Even moreso when it comes to females. It can seem like socially conscious musicians like Queen Latifah, Lauryn Hill, Tanya Stephens, and India Arie are anomalies of the industry. Compare their success to the stars who get the magazine cover shine today. Sometimes when I listen to the radio or watch music videos on TV, I’m filled with an overwhelming feeling of despair and unbelonging.
Queen Ifrica
See, I’m a bella who’s constantly seeking music that uplifts, enlightens, and informs. So when Queen Ifrica came on the scene, I sat up and took notice.
Queen Ifrica
I clearly remember the first time I heard her voice — at first I thought she was a dude, simply because her intonation in the chorus of Daddy is so deep. The lyrical content is so heavy. In case you’ve never heard Daddy, click here to experience it. Be forewarned – it’s not every day a song
about incest becomes a hit reggae song.

Queen Ifrica
Tackling heavy subject matter head on is what Queen Ifrica does. Name another female artist who’s addressed a topic as controversial as skin bleaching in the Caribbean — a chronic problem as revealed here

“My complexion is better than ever!”

I love her spirit and her sentiment.

Queen Ifrica
I recently had an opportunity to interview Queen Ifrica, and it was beyond fantastic. We chatted for an hour about everything from her musical influences to Michael Jackson, to her views on hair and homosexuality. Will this post end in a giveaway? ;) read on and find out!

Queen Ifrica was born into music. The daughter of ska legend Derrick Morgan, she was mentored by the legendary Tony Rebel. Music has always been her destiny.

Queen Ifrica
“I can say that music realy chose me. I was living in the rasta community, so I’m just being myself in my belief of self-fulfillment,” she revealed.

Queen Ifrica

Although Queen Ifrica’s music is steeped in reggae — she is equally adept at chanting as she is at singing — her sound cannot be limited to traditional reggae music
. Elements of R&B and modern soul are evident on her latest album, Montego Bay.

Queen Ifrica

Lioness On The Rise is the first single, and I love the down-to-earth vibe of the video.

Ifrica admitted to having diverse interests and influences. “Reggae is the foundation of it, but I don’t put a boundary on my music. Music has no boundaries.”
Queen Ifrica
One thing I particularly wanted to ask Ifrica about was her position on the other females making waves in music today. Whether it’s in Jamaica or around the world, sex sells and artists are doing everything up to and including bending over backwards to get attention and sell records.

Queen Ifrica

“I guess that’s what the culture of what society is all about. Sex is a big market. But if you don’t think about who you are and what you stand for, then what is it worth? My thing is, when all of this is past and gone, what are you going to think when you look back on life? You don’t want to look back on your legacy and be ashamed of anything. Especially for Caribbean women in the music, don’t let yourself be a platform for someone else’s message. Female artists – we might be in a male dominated industry, but you don’t have to play their role to fit into it. It’s about personal reponsibility for your actions. But at the same time, I am not a saint!” she said with a knowing chuckle.

Queen Ifrica
Ifrica credits the female influences are leading the path that she’s currently on. And I found some of them a bit surprising!

“My female role models are Miriam Makeba, I love Sister Carol, Sister Nancy, and Nina Simone. I admire Beyonce and Alicia Keys because of what they do outside of music. Same with Angelina Jolie because she is a humanitarian. We can all be responsible and make a difference in this world.”
Queen Ifrica
Being charitably conscious is of tremendous importance to Queen Ifrica, and many of her songs address the inequalities and poverty that plagues Jamaica and other Caribbean islands. But Ifrica wanted to make clear – her songs aren’t solely targeted at her homeland.
Queen Ifrica
“The topics I address aren’t just things that affect us here in Jamaica. It is wherever the poor are concentrated all over the world. Men make war and rumors of war. But love is the greatest defense.”

We chatted about several of her songs and the motivations behind them, but one in particular lingered with me and motivated me to seek out this interview to begin with. I had to ask her about Mi Naah Rub, her anti-skin bleaching anthem. So few artists have addressed this topic, particularly in a sensible and outreaching manner. I could tell it was close to Ifrica’s heart.

Queen Ifrica
“In Jamaica here, it is sad to walk into the garrison and see the level of skin bleaching. There is no label on these products and the smell is beyond terrible. The goverment doesn’t intervene and there is nobody coming in to combat the importation of these products.
Queen Ifrica
The insecurities is what they are feeding on. I have so many ladies who come to me and tell me about the problems it has caused them. I tell them – love yourself, look at yourself in the mirror and love yourself. And artists are encouraging women to bleach their skin and walk about naked. Why is it so important to then to destroy a nation that used to love itself and see itself as beautiful? From the forums I do, I see that love and self love are hard to find in the community. It is a slavish mentality many have, and it is the individuals who have to be willing to change.”
Queen Ifrica
All of our talk about skin bleaching and learning to love one’s appearance led us to discuss an individual who came to symbolize so many of our collective issues — Michael Jackson. Ifrica became extremely animated when discussing the tragically deceased King of Pop.

“I’ve been a Michael Jackson fan from day one. Michael Jackson was a youth who was a victim of this very same thing, this self hatred. I think he is the ultimate example. His dad was his greatest downfall in this life — telling him he is ugly, he is black, he has a big nose, don’t love yourself as you are born to be. There are so many men and women like Missa Joe, so hard to the world. It is a subliminal thing. Until we as a people learn to overcome it, there will not be change.”

One topic I especially wanted to ask Ifrica about was — duh — hair. That’s what so much of Afrobella is about, and being a proud rasta woman I knew she’d have wisdom to share. Ifrica gladly went back to the roots.
Queen Ifrica
“I started growing my locs, really at age 15. I had locs before that and my aunts combed it out. So briefly I had straightened hair,” she recalled. But of course, that didn’t last long.

“You don’t have to be a rasta who hails Jah Rastafari to grow dreadlocks. But for me it was a part of my life, of my tribe. There was something in me that — it is an inborn need.”
Queen Ifrica
I noticed that she referred to her hair as “dreadlocks.” Having been previously chastised by readers for using that term, I had to ask her — how does she feel about the word? Would she call them locs, or dreadlocks? Why or why not?
Queen Ifrica
“I am a dreadlocks rasta woman,” she stated simply, and with great pride. “The debate over words… it comes from people who are familiar with it but they don’t truly overstand what it means, or the significance behind it all. It’s RASTA, it’s DREADLOCKS. That is what I believe,” she said.

Well alright, Queen!

I understood where she was coming from; as someone who grew up in a country where this hair is more than a style, I never before encountered anyone who shunned the word “dread” until I moved to America. Where many will argue that there’s “nothing dreadful about locs,” Ifrica and many of the rastafarians I have known in my life would counter, “there’s nothing dreadful about being a natty dread.”
Queen Ifrica

Either way, it’s semantics. We quickly moved past questions about words, and I had to ask for some tips for my rastabellas. What was the best advice she could pass along to those who wear locs? Queen Ifrica had much knowledge to impart. Here are her best tips:
Queen Ifrica
– “For those who love to twist… it’s not the healthiest thing to do. It can thin out your hair and break it. Locks are formed from the residue you would normally comb out from your hair, that is what grows it. So just let them grow.

– Castor oil is a VERY good thing. And for those who hate the smell, there’s a scented castor oil now.

– Wash your hair only when it is itching. You don’t need to wash it all that often. The natural oils are important to the health of your hair. Washing can strip them out.

– The hair is very soft, no matter how it looks – it is actually very soft to the touch. So you need products that nurture it. In Jamaica there’s the Mango and Lime products. They are excellent. I love the leave in moisturizer. It has all natural ingredients, cactus is part of it. Any hemp based products are very good for dreadlocks, too.”
Queen Ifrica
Before the interview ended, I had to ask about a touchy issue that quite honestly, I make a point to ask every reggae artist I’ve been lucky enough to interview thus far. I ask the question simply because I want to know and understand the root of this controversial issue as it affects reggae and dancehall musicians. I want to understand, because I don’t agree with the hatred. So I asked — Queen Ifrica, what are your views on homosexuality? I was extremely, pleasantly surprised by the complexity and consideration of her response.
Queen Ifrica
“I don’t delve into it a lot, but I believe we have to fully understand what being gay is before we have a discussion. There needs to be hope, and an acceptance of every individual. I don’t think everybody who is gay truly wants to be gay. I say this because, especially since I wrote the song Daddy, I have been in touch with many gay people who will tell you they have been abused at some time in their life. Until we can sit down and see eye to eye, we should reserve judgment. I would love to sit down and have a televised, public, eye to eye discussion with the gay leaders here. But In Jamaica, we are so hypocritical. It is not as homophobic as it seems. There are actually a lot of gay people who live and are happy and safe here in Jamaica,” she said.
Queen Ifrica
I was surprised to hear that, because it’s not the impression you get from the horrific news articles that make international headlines. But the same goes in Trinidad – as I have already stated on more than one occasion, I’ve got gay relatives and grew up with close friends who are gay. And growing up in the Caribbean, you’re exposed to a great deal of ignorance about what “causes” homosexuality, and I’ve had to cut good friends off for intolerable levels of ignorance over this very touchy topic.

Queen Ifrica
“I was watching a documentary on TV about a gay teenager recently, and he was in so much turmoil. He needed a hug. I wanted to hug him and tell him, don’t force yourself to be who you are not. Go through what you have to go through. But on the other hand, I would love the gay community to allow people to speak their mind. Look at the Miss California scandal. You should be able to express your feelings without being shouted down.”

Queen Ifrica
Ifrica ended that topic on a straight talk note — “People need to think more about situations like Darfur and look at people who don’t have a gay or straight problem. They have a surviving day to day problem.”

It is those people who Ifrica is focusing her attentions on most of all these days. She’s working on getting her foundation off the ground, dedicated to a close friend who lost his life due to senseless violence. In his honor, she ventures into poor communities and speaks to children who need a boost in knowledge and self esteem. In his honor, she’s donating computers and books to the youths in Jamaica’s garrisons. She plans to tour, for sure. Check the VP Records website for details on that. But more than anything, Ifrica plans to do good works for those who listen to her music and her message, and for those who she can physically affect with her presence.
Queen Ifrica
And now here’s your turn, bellas! My friends at VP Records will give 3 copies of her brand new CD, Montego Bay to three lucky readers. All you have to do is leave a comment below, telling me which of Queen Ifrica’s songs you like the best — she’s got several videos on YouTube?. I’ll close comments Friday and pick winners over the weekend.
Queen Ifrica
Big, big respect to Queen Ifrica. I sense we’re going to hear a lot from this beautiful lioness on the rise in years to come.

By Afrobella

By Uganda on Sun 18 of Oct., 2009 21:25 BST

A model showcases an outfit by African Mosaique designers in Johannesburg
A model showcases an outfit by African Mosaique designers in Johannesburg


Fashion designers in Africa have come together to help nurture talent and commercialise modern African wear. But in reality, its the usual suspects from Europe imposing their Eurocentric tendencies on the African woman.
The fashion industry in Africa will continue to suffer as long as its the western image makers continue to be behind the scene.

Model Grace Jones walks the runway at the This Day/Arise Magazine: African Fashion Collective Falll 2009 fashion show
Grace Jones walks the runway at the African Fashion Collective fashion show


Let the African people decide for themselves the beauty that is before them than waiting for outsiders to decide for them.

This is our the European Bogus Beauty

Bogus African Fashion
Bogus African Fashion

Western misrepresentation of African people
Western misrepresentation of African people

Cultural Engineering and distortion
Cultural Engineering and distortion

Miss Africa USA, looks like a frog on heat
Miss Africa USA, looks like a frog on heat

Poor Barak Obama's image - not in our name
Not in our name-Very Bogus

This is how they want African Grandma's to dress
This is how they want African Grandma's to dress

Just like how they got it wrong with music, I doubt if they're the right people to decide what African beauty should look like.

By Uganda on Sun 13 of Sep., 2009 22:07 BST

African women

African beautiful girls of the day

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By Uganda on Sat 12 of Sep., 2009 23:22 BST

Hip Hop Pantsula, better known as HHP arrives for the MTV Africa Music Awards
Hip Hop Pantsula, better known as HHP arrives for the MTV Africa Music Awards

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By Uganda on Sat 12 of Sep., 2009 22:51 BST

No Girl Can Break our Heart

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By Uganda on Sat 05 of Sep., 2009 17:03 BST

La ville de Mbuji-Mayi
La ville de Mbuji-Mayi


Encore une fois, une bande des contrefacteurs vient d’être démantelée après avoir tombé dans leur propre piège à Mbuji-Mayi?. C’est une opération devenue monnaie courante dans cette capitale diamantifère congolaise.

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By Uganda on Sat 05 of Sep., 2009 16:34 BST

Thomas Sankara
Thomas Sankara

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