Author: scriptech

Well, I’m going to paint my nails for that fight and I’m going to knock him out with my painted nails.’  ISREAL ADESANYA

The last stylebender  also said  ‘I don’t listen to people [telling me I should win],’ Adesanya said. ‘That’s [how]. I only listen to me and my team and this guy, he’s already pissed me off with his energy. The way he comes across and the way he tries to antagonize me.’

‘I don’t like the way he conducts himself,’ Adesanya said. ‘Even his sparring footage will pop up in my feed sometimes and I’m just like what the f***? Who does that? He’s a gym hero.

‘He’s just an idiot and he’s not the kind of person I associate myself with and also he’s fugazi.’

Speaking last year ahead of UFC 281, The Last Stylebender explained why he chose to wear nail polish in the build up to fights.

‘My nails are, they just, you know, fresh,’ he said. ‘I mean if you’re gonna put this in someone else’s face, on someone else’s mouth, it would be rude not to paint them. So I got the drip tips, fashionable, vibey. I call them “kick ’em in the face, send them to space”.’

Adesanya is in the midst of his second run as middleweight champion after knocking out Alex Pereira to regain the title earlier this year.

Strickland, ranked no 5, has won his last two fights and holds a record of 27 wins and 5 losses.

TheAfricanDream® is a media and consulting entity that focuses on showcasing the positive stories, achievements, and potential of Africa and its diaspora. It was founded by Oral Ofori, a Ghanaian-American entrepreneur and journalist.

The company aims to challenge stereotypes and promote a balanced and accurate narrative about Africa through various media platforms, events, and initiatives. In this late August 2023 question (Q) and answer (A) interview with its Founder, the company shared the driving force behind its work culture, successes and what some of their values are…

Q: How does your company foster a positive and innovative work culture? 

A: TheAfricanDream LLC promotes a diverse and inclusive workplace. Our teams are from different backgrounds; they are valued and included into our ‘work-family’. We encourage a culture where failure is seen as a learning opportunity rather than a setback. We provide flexible work arrangements like remote work options and flexible hours. This has helped our teammates balance their work and personal lives, and boost their morale. 

We believe everyone’s mind is valuable, and here at TheAfricanDream everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas and concerns. We have been able to implement diverse innovative ideas through this approach. We value training and mentorship programs to keep ourselves updated with the latest industry trends and ideas. We believe in a culture of continuous learning and growth.

Q: What are the latest forward-thinking theories in management consulting for you?

A: Digital transformation consulting has always been an essential bedrock for what we do here at TheAfricanDream. The idea behind it is to help companies use the latest digital technologies to improve efficiency, agility, and competitiveness. Clients are taken through a deep understanding of digital trends and how we can help apply them to their various business functions. Data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) is also becoming central in consulting. Data-driven insights and recommendations are usually more accurate since they are based on real-time data or relatable statistics. Consultants are now using this to augment their clients’ decision making processes, and optimize their operations.

With the advent of a global pandemic like the COVID-19, there has been a shift to remote working and virtual collaboration. Consultants are now taking companies through ways to manage remote teams effectively and redesign business processes to fit and make profit. This notwithstanding, TheAfricanDream as a consultancy still makes room for our existing and potential clientele who prefer the human touch and sentimental values in fast changing world by discovering ways to effectively accommodate this group too.

Q: What are some of your most notable accomplishment in the last 5 years?

A: TheAfricanDream is a multi-award-winning Ghanaian-American and Pan-Africanist organization. In the last quarter of 2023 we provided digital consultancy services for the government of Loudoun County in Virginia and the Metropolitan Authority in Tema of the United States and Ghana respectively, this service was very crucial in the successful signing of a sister city agreement. We have consulted for and with African Ambassadors and Embassies accredited to the U.S. (in the Washington DC areas), including the Embassies of Botswana; Ghana; Benin; Georgia; and Sri Lanka. TheAfricanDream was also featured on Update-1 Podcast of the National Press Club of the United States in September 2022.

We have also worked with Events DC of the District of Columbia US, one time African Union permanent representative to the US, and the Voice of America; the Washington Diplomat newspaper; and The Afrikan Post, all respected news media outlets (in the Washington DC metro area of the US) respectively too.

In 2017, we helped initiate and organize the first official ‘Jollof Festival in Washington DC’, celebrating one of West Africa’s favorite culinary delicacies with global acclaim – Jollof. A year after in 2018, we helped coordinate and organize the first-ever forum at the Embassy of Ghana in Washington DC to advocate for the passage of the Right to Information (RTI) bill of Ghana into law.

By the last quarter of 2023, the firm had produced over 87 episodes of #TheAfricanDream — a human-interest 30-minute TV chat show broadcast on Fairfax Access Public Television – in the US that is viewed by an approximate 250k households annually and shared online via YouTube with a larger global community.

Q: What’s the meaning behind your logo?

A: Our new logo’s primary color is green. The logo unravels a simple shape of the continent of Africa, like the former but featuring three prongs that gets thicker as they rise. Then a semi-thickened circle bordering around the shape of the continent. The three prongs on the new logo represent an Africa that is working at rising together as one people with a unity that gets thicker at every pace of the journey. The semi thickened circle around the shape represents a half baked advancement that will only become a full circle when we rise together in unity. An idea boldly represented in our new catchphrase — “We Rise Together…”

Q: Is there anyone you want to appreciate?

A: We’ve been able to chalk all the above successs thanks to the excellent efforts of our team here at the Consultancy and TheAfricanDream is honored to mention just a few of them as we say a big THANK YOU to: Kwame Asante Ofori, Daisy Mina Antwi, Rexford Nkansah (KhoPhi), Edward Asare and Abeeb Lekan Sodiq. We are also thankful to our clients for trusting us with their businesses.

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Follow them on social media as theafricandreamdotnet on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok or visit their website at www.theafricandream.co or trail their work with these hashtags below to learn more or do business with them:

#theafricandreamconsult

#theafricandreamdotnet

#theafricandreamllc

PR TIMES AFRICA IN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH OUR GUEST

Qstn. Sir, how did you find career path in sports management?

Ans.

My background as a lawyer lured me into Sports law and that got me closer to taking a key decision in getting involved in sports administration and management to improve sports as an industry.

Qstn. What are the lessons learned so far in sports management?

Ans.

Sport is a result-based industry, so finding solutions to achieving results is a fundamental skill for

– Crisis management

– Managing players, staff members, and fans.

– Understanding the organization, politics, and socio-economic foundations of football at local, national and

international levels.

Qstn.What is the most challenging parts in your current job?

Ans.

Competition is a fundamental basis for sports, so succeeding in each chance to compete and achieve the

club’s goal is recurring demand.

Qstn. What are your personal contributions to the success of Enugu Rangers international football club ?

Ans.

Ongoing efforts to restructure the economic framework of the club. To ensure the financial viability of the

club. Ongoing efforts to restore the club’s relationship with its teeming fans globally

Efforts to generally ensure best practices across all aspects of the club’s operations including recruitment,

daily operations, technical and administrative aspects.

Qstn. As the Administrative head of this club Enugu Rangers, how do you motivate your team?

Ans.

(1) Ensuring that all entitlements are paid and when due

(2)Application of the performance base contract factor to improve and stabilize player performances

(3)Ensuring quality working conditions for all staff members also by

Awarding the player of the month for each month

Renewal of the insurance policies of the club As well as staff of the month

Qstn. Sir, what excites you about the future of Nigeria football leagues and Enugu Rangers football club in particular?

Ans.

The steps to the league body to partner with a media company for Live streaming matches across match venues in each match day. This will improve the marketability of clubs and the league.

– Efforts of the league body to review and encourage good performances of referees as well as sanction poor

performances

– Increasing the league prize money to N150m

– Realigning the league calendar with major leagues in Europe to encourage followership of the league, balance

players transfer windows and ensure that clubs representing the country in CAF tournaments are in good match form.

As for Rangers, we are on course to restore the club’s tradition of winning both domestic and continental trophies Ensuring that the club attains its great commercial potential

Qstn.What are the Enugu Rangers plans for the club’s football Academy?

Ans.

The Rangers Academy is the club’s great pathway for both sporting and financial success.

The club is on course to set up a viable U13, U15, U17 and U19 Academy structure with quality coaches, modern training curriculum, equipment, and operational practices,

The Academy is to promote players progressively up to senior teams and also produce high-quality players for transfers to the international football market. The club is already negotiating a partnership with two clubs in mainstream Europe as a transfer pathway and to

enhance the technical aspects of the Academy.

Qstn.

Government aside, how does Enugu Rangers International Football Club generate revenue?

Ans

The club has launched a club membership platform that enables fans to officially register their membership with the club at various fees and categories. The aspect of the commercial dividends of the Youth team has already been elaborated

Benefits from the media rights from the partnership between the league body and GTI And also the plans to sell replica jerseys

Qstn. Africa Football in general and youth development

Ans.

Article 8 , Section 1 of the CAF Club licensing regulations demands a functional and well-managed Youth

section from each club as a condition for licensure. So, CAF is deliberate about Youth development.

An improved quality in the organization of CAF u17 and u20 tournaments in Morocco and Egypt

respectively further indicates the milestone that youth football development is achieving in Africa

Football generally offers an invaluable platform for youths to be meaningfully engaged as playing and non

playing staff, fans, the press and beyond there by distracting them from social vices and drugs.

Qsn. And finally any partnership with an European Football Club and which ?

Asn.

FINALLY – As mentioned, Rangers is in active negotiations with 2 clubs in Europe and this will amount to

technical, media and commercial benefits for both the senior and youth teams. As soon as the partnership is concluded, our fans will be the first to know.

Conclusion

Thank you so much, Barr. Ferdinand Ugwuarua for making out time for this exclusive and exciting

discussions with the PRtimes Africa.

From Diplomacy to General Secretary of FIFA: Fatma, The First Female Scribe of Football’s Governing Body Has Always Been Guaranteed a Place Among The Stars

From Diplomacy to General Secretary of FIFA: Fatma, The First Female Scribe of Football’s Governing Body Has Always Been Guaranteed a Place Among The Stars

FATMA SAMOURA: A TRAILBLAZER TO ALL WOMEN

The Secretary General of FIFA, Fatma Samoura is a woman that has been adored my all in the past months. She recently broke the news to the world as she plans on stepping down from her current position in the world of football.

The 60-year-old was a former United Nations official who hails from Senegal.

Madam Samoura has held her high-ranking position since 2016 and has decided to take a step back by the end of the year. Her appointment is one that left the world shocked as she was the chosen one for her current role amongst others. What made her stand out is the fact that she was selected despite the availability of qualified men to handle the position.

She is leaving this prestigious role as the first black individual, first Muslim, first Non-European and of course, the first woman to be a major administrator in FIFA.

She has helped to supervise the Men’s World Cup played in Qatar and Russia, she is currently overseeing the present Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

She stated that” I will leave FIFA with a high sense of pride and fulfillment”. She also said “FIFA today is a better governed, more open, more reliable and more transparent organization.”

Fatma Samoura is definitely a woman for the books and can be seen as a role model to young women in Africa and the world at large.

Public Relations has been an established industry for many years. As the world develops, brands also develop and look for better means to expand their reach by collaborating with channels such as newspapers, magazines, and others to shape perceptions. In this digital world, PR has followed suit and has made changes such as promoting brands through online news sources, blogs, and websites.

Of recent, Content Marketing just became prominent. It is also in the business of raising brand awareness for a company through strategic approach and this is achieved through infographics, influencers, testimonials, and customer reviews, etc.

In the end, Public Relations and Content Marketing both aim to increase brand exposure and gain mentions of the company.

When choosing between Public Relations and Content Marketing, it is important to know that combining both can be the most effective approach for achieving exactly what you want for your business.

While Content Marketing can help right away, Public Relations can take things to the next level by providing journalists and writers with stories they can use right away.

Instead of competing, Content Creators and Public Relations professionals can collaborate to maximize a brand’s potential and increase awareness.

Next generation leaders from the global North and South come together to work on pragmatic approaches to the environmental crisis in a bespoke Climate Challenge Leadership Programme launched by the Africa Finance Corporation in partnership with Common Purpose

LONDON, United Kingdom, July 26, 2023/ — Pressure to reduce carbon emissions and regenerate biodiversity is increasing as the global climate crisis intensifies. However, a clear distinction must be drawn between the starting point for the global South and that of the global North.Africa, for example, produces less than 3.8% of carbon emissions, yet the continent has been disproportionately impacted by climate change, with frequent droughts, heavy rains and severe heatwaves.[1] Conversely, many of the highest emitting nations are feeling relatively little impact, undermining the sense of urgency. These differing positions need to be bridged if we are to reduce emissions and drive the regeneration of biodiversity.In response, the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (https://www.AfricaFC.org/), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, is collaborating with Common Purpose (https://CommonPurpose.org/), an international leadership development organisation, to launch the Climate Challenge Leadership Programme which will offer a different approach. The programme will aim to strengthen the capacity of a cohort of 50 dynamic emerging leaders from Africa and the rest of the world, who – as they progress in their careers – will build bridges between the global North and South and find new ways to address the environmental crisis. The programme will be funded by AFC and run by Common Purpose and will take place later this year.”In order to address the climate crisis, we need leaders who can cross boundaries and collaborate to transform the systems that support our way of life,” said Adirupa Sengupta, Chief Executive of the Common Purpose Charitable Trust (UK). “The next generation of leaders will be at the heart of tackling these issues and we want to equip them to lead a different conversation between the global North and South. AFC is a natural partner for us because of their knowledge of, and ambition for, Africa and the global South.”The programme is the latest iteration of the Common Purpose Innoventure Leadership Development Programme, which for the past 13 years has assembled young changemakers from across the globe to tackle everything from the reduction of the cost of surgery to the optimization of societal benefits derived from new technologies. This latest edition will focus squarely on the practical challenge of bridging the gap in positions and perspectives on climate between leaders from the global North and South.”The programme will be fertile ground for innovative solutions to be crafted by the next generation of leaders from Africa and beyond,” said AFC´s President and CEO, Samaila Zubairu.”For far too long, Africa has been viewed by the rest of the world as a place of ‘problems’ – and yet Africa holds the solutions to many of the fundamental problems facing the world today, particularly in relation to climate change,” said Mr. Zubairu. “This is why we are supporting Common Purpose in the development of a rising generation of leaders from Africa and beyond who are enabled and empowered to offer global solutions to the climate challenge.”AFC, through its investments and project advisory function, has a three-pronged approach to supporting Africa’s contribution to combating climate change: localising production to minimise emissions from shipping and other forms of transport; rebuilding infrastructure in a way that will be resilient to changing climate conditions and that anticipates, prepares for, and adapts to climate risk; and using financial innovation to crowd-in investment to support everything from reforestation to renewable power plants. AFC’s white paper, ‘A Pragmatic Path to Net Zero’ (https://apo-opa.info/3N68VNN), calls for African leaders to engage in a unified narrative with the rest of the world to assert the continent’s role in combating global warming and its impacts.[2]Successful applicants to the Climate Challenge Leadership Programme will be emerging leaders with at least five years of professional experience and will come from different sectors, countries, and communities across Africa, the wider global South and the global North. By the programme’s end, the participants will have increased their ability to ‘Lead Beyond Authority’ (https://apo-opa.info/3OhdPZg),  a pre-requisite to solving any complex problem, and will have made new connections with leaders across the global North and South. They will have developed their analytical and creative skills and enhanced their influence by tackling a complex challenge within a diverse group. Applications are now open via the Common Purpose website. Apply at CommonPurpose.org.  [1] Africa accounts for the smallest share of global greenhouse gas emissions, at just 3.8 per cent, https://apo-opa.info/3Q8wN6M [2] Roadmap to Africa’s COP: A pragmatic path to net zero,  https://apo-opa.info/3N68VNNDistributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). Find out more: Alison Coburn Chief Executive Common Purpose International Mobile: +44 (0)7852 914 670 Email: alison.coburn@commonpurpose.orgMedia Enquiries: Yewande Thorpe Communications Africa Finance Corporation Mobile : +234 1 279 9654 Email : yewande.thorpe@africafc.orgGavin Serkin New Markets Media & Intelligence Telephone: +44 20 3478 9710 Email: gserkin@newmarkets.media About Common Purpose: Common Purpose is a leadership development organization that specializes in cross-boundary leadership. The not-for-profit organization runs programmes in over 100 cities worldwide. Founded in 1989, Common Purpose has over 115,000 alumni globally. The organization’s leadership development programmes inspire and equip people to work across boundaries. This enables them to solve complex problems in organizations and in society. https://CommonPurpose.org/About AFC: AFC was established in 2007 to be the catalyst for private sector-led infrastructure investment across Africa. AFC’s approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development, and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.Sixteen years on, AFC has developed a track record as the partner of choice in Africa for investing and delivering on instrumental, high-quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications. AFC has 40 member countries and has invested US$11.5 billion across Africa since inception. www.AfricaFC.orgSOURCE Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)