Allegations Of Abuse At The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy

Oprah Winfrey has visited her school at Henley-on-Klip near Vereeniging, South Africa at least twice in the past few weeks, after allegations that one of the matrons fondled a girl and that other pupils had been physically abused. Students accused the principal, Dr. Mzimane, of failing to take action, although the girls had often complained of being grabbed by the neck, beaten and thrown against a wall, and being sworn at.

News 24 reports that during an emergency meeting, Oprah had tears in her eyes as she asked parents to forgive her for alleged abuse at her girls' school. "I've disappointed you. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Oprah told parents at an emergency meeting in a packed marquee tent on the school premises. "I trusted her (Dr. Mzimane). When I appointed her, I thought she was passionate about the children of Africa ... but, I've been disappointed." Oprah gave the girls her personal telephone number, her e-mail address and her postal address so that they could contact her at any time, day or night. Apart from the matron apparently involved, Oprah sent the principal, a Dr Mzimane, and at least one other matron on leave two weeks ago. Only the principal was on paid leave. Get more details at News24

(Photo Credits: PRNewsFoto) (Caption: The Oprah Winfrey Leadership For Girls—South Africa Officially Opened On January 2, 2007 In Henley-On-Klip, South Of Johannesburg. The School Welcomed 152 7th And 8th Grade Students)

African Contenders Countdown To MTV Europe Music Awards

Upbeat Nigerian R&B sensation D’Banj, Kenyan underground hip hop king Jua Cali, Ghanaian Dancehall king Samini, Ugandan hip-hop ragga crowd pleaser, Chameleone, and HHP, South Africa’s hottest hip-hop MC, fly into Munich, Germany this week to participate in the 2007 MTV Europe Music Awards, which takes place at Munich’s OlympiaHalle Thursday 1st November. D’Banj, HHP, Samini, Jua Cali , are battling it out for the third Best African Act Award, which was won in 2005 by Nigeria’s 2-FACE and in 2006 by South Africa’s Freshlyground. Senegalese hip hop star Akon's album Konvicted is also nominated in the Album of the Year category.

Continuing their multidimensional view on broadcasting, this year’s awards will be shown simultaneously on TV and on the web through the MTV EMA website www.mtvema.com. Stay tuned!

Maker Faire

Lucky Dube Murdered

South African reggae superstar Lucky Dube was murdered yesterday (October 18) during an attempted carjacking in a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa whilst dropping off his children at a family members house. Although Lucky attempted to escape the scene, he had been fatally wounded from the hijacker’s attempt to steal his motor vehicle, and he died almost instantly.Senseless and random, the death of Lucky Dube leaves a great void in the music industry, as 25 years of music suddenly ends in tragedy.

South African born but globally revered, Lucky Dube (known as "Africa's Reggae King") was one of the country’s most toured and beloved artists ever. His music touched millions around the world, primarily through his 22 recorded albums—in Zulu, English and even Afrikaans—many of which have been record breakers with phenomenal sales from around the globe. With his long-time sound engineer and best friend Dave Segal, he created some of the most legendary pieces of reggae music ever recorded, including the tracks Prisoner, Taxman, Slave, Victims, Together As One and Respect—all social anthems that garnered him the adoration of the people of his country—and across the globe.

Dube is survived by survived by his wife Zanele and his 7 children Bongi, Nonkululeko, Thokozani, Laura, Siyanda, Philani and his brand new three-month old baby Melokuhle. Should you wish to send a message of condolence to Lucky’s family, please email lucky@gallo.co.za or fax +27 (0) 11 340 9471. Dube's record company, Gallo has more information about Dube on his official website www.luckydubemusic.com

Standing Up Against Poverty

Over 38.7 million people,in 110 countries have broken the Guinness World Record—set last year at23.5 million—for the largest number of people to "Stand Up Against Poverty" in 24 hours. The "Stand Up and Speak Out" record attempt took place over 16th and 17th October and was jointly organised by the United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC) and the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) with a wide range of other partners. The challenge saw millions of people physically and intentionally standing up against poverty, inequality and in support of the Millennium Development Goals. They spoke out to demand a more urgent political response to the growing crisis of global poverty.

United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, who led a stand up action at UN Headquarters in New York, said, "Today tens of millions of people are making their voices heard by standing up and speaking out against poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals. They are sending messages that call on their leaders to keep their promises. They are calling for the actions of citizens to be matched by the actions of Governments, in developing and developed countries alike, to demonstrate the political will required to end the scourge of poverty once and for all."

For 24 hours from 9pm GMT on the 16th of October, people around the world from all walks of life came together in their schools, streets,market places, in front of government buildings and local councils, in work places and houses of worship, at sports and cultural events and at public landmarks to demonstrate their frustration that we still live in a world where 50,000 people die daily from preventable causes. The mass mobilisation provided a platform for global civil society seeking more active involvement in the current aid architecture debate, debt cancellation processes, trade negotiations and public accountability monitoring. The largest numbers of people who took part in this mobilisation came from developing countries. Visit www.standagainstpoverty.org for a full list of events from around the world.

(Photo Credits: PRNewsFoto/Global Call to Action Against Poverty)

Homecoming

I wore this little numer.
Grecian Cut black velvet dress, $8
Faux Mink Stole, $3
Brooch, Mom's

RICHARD COLMAN.
more on fecalface.com

Faith Drama Productions

MIMI Contributing Writer, Belinda Otas interviewed Faith Drama Productions' Gbemisola Ikumelo for the story Love's Labor Found. Here are some photographs from Faith Drama's stage productions:

Daniel Green (Left) as "Pops" and Charles Olakun (Right) as "Jacob"

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Dwane Walcott (Left) as "Kame" and Kingsley Amadi (Right) as "Raymond"

Dwane Walcott (Left) as "Kwame" and Happiness Adama (Left) as "Kwame's Mum"

Laura Hansan (Left) as "Julia Peters" and Nelly Elessa (Right) as "Miriam"

Charles Olalekun as "Jacob"

Dwane Walcott as "Kwame"

Kingsley Amadi as "Raymond"

Modupe Ogunniyi as "Gabriel"

Cast "Uptown Market Scence"

You can also read about Faith Drama Productions in MIMI's story Keeping Up The Faith and find out why Gbemisola Ikumelo was selected as one of MIMI's Women of the Year in 2006.

(Photo Credits: Provided Courtesy Of Gbemisola Ikumelo)

The Naughty Secretary Club

Luella has joined. I loved this look at fashion week, the disheveled hair, thick rimmed glasses and classic cut clothing with amazing SHOES. I guess what really got me was that i can just see myself wearing this. It's easy to create on a budget, unlike that Pucci mini dresses and Karen Walker's amazing prints.

Buying Fashion

After browsing through outfits on the notorious Teen Vogue forums I came to the consensus that nearly all the "fashionable" transformations users have gone through are not due to the development of person style, but rather going to urban outfitters on a Saturday. It is amazing how a pair of Skinny jeans tucked into vintage boots can make an outfit go from "eek" to "chic" (i hate the word "chic"). I have always been a style person, I'm not keen on buying into trends because they last for a season. So, I'm not trying to hurt anyones feelings by saying this, - although i inevitably will - Those of you who sport the run way goods a la targét or a la old navy, are only mediocre photocopies of the author of style bytes who is a mediocre photocopy of Balenciaga, who in the end is a mediocre photocopy of that kid on the face hunter who's style is the source of all fashion inspiration.

Fab Mama!

Designer Marianne Fassler is one of MIMI's favorites and definitely one of the biggest South African designers on the scene, if not the biggest (she designed Leleti Khumalo's dress for the Oscar's the year that Yesterday was nominated as well as Terry Pheto's Oscar dress the year that Tsotsi was nominated). Marianne Fassler's Johannesburg Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2007 collection included some beautifully designed dresses for the fashionable mama and daughter duo, and earned her a standing ovation fitting for an icon!


MIMI Style Link: Defining Afri-Chic: Joburg Fashion Week www.mimimagazine.com/2007/october/03-07-joburgfashionweek01.html

(Photo Credits: Simon Deiner)

A Walk To Beautiful Documentary

The feature-length documentary A Walk to Beautiful tells the stories of five Ethiopian women (Ayehu, Almaz, Zewdie, Yenenesh and Wubete) who suffer through prolonged, unrelieved obstructed labors. Although they survive the near fatal childbirth experience, they are left with a stillborn baby and feeling, as Ayehu tells us, that "even death would be better than this." Worse still, as a result of the difficult labor, each woman is left incontinent. In most of their cases, this is as a result of an obstetric fistula, a hole in the birth canal. According to The Fistula Foundation, "[t]he root causes of fistula are grinding poverty and the low status of women and girls. In Ethiopia, the poverty and malnutrition in children contributes to the condition of stunting, where the girl skeleton, and therefore pelvis as well, do not fully mature. This stunted condition can contribute to obstructed labor, and therefore fistula." Rejected by their husbands and ostracized by their communities, these women are left to spend the rest of their lives in loneliness and shame. The trials they endure—and their attempts to rebuild their lives—reveals a story about the intractable problems facing women in the developing world, including malnutrition, child marriage, and lack of obstetric care.

A Walk To Beautiful is slated for broadcast on the acclaimed series NOVA on PBS in 2008. In the meantime, find out more by visiting www.walktobeautiful.com and www.fistulafoundation.org
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MIMI Features Related Link: Restoring Health And Dignity To Young African Women: The Fistula Foundation www.mimimagazine.com/may2006/02-05-fistula01.html
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(Photo Credits: Provided Courtesy Of The Fistula Foundation)

Award Winning Jewellery Design

Designer Ilze Oberholzer of Cape Peninsula University of Technology created this award winning gold bangle manufactured by Ida-Marie Dubber and Carena Janse van Rensburg of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. A sweeping curve of gold pierced into organic shapes which create a web of gold veins. The veins translate into a bangle which forms the HIV/AIDS sign symbolizing the fight against the disease.

MIMI Style Link: The Gold Standard: AngloGold Ashanti AuDITIONS

October 2007: Infinite Possibilities

MIMI's October 2007 issue, Infinite Possibilities, is now available online. Covergirl Menaye Donkor opens up in the feature story Mighty Menaye about achieving what some called "the impossible" by founding a successful charitable organization and school in Ghana. In this issue of MIMI, read about others, who like Menaye, remind us of our infinite potential.

All About MIMI Link: Volume 3, Issue 7: Infinite Possibilities www.mimimagazine.com/2007/october

Tuface Idibia Shot

In a press release released on Friday October 5, DJ Abbas reported that multi award winning superstar 2-Face Idibia was shot in Lagos on Thursday evening by armed bandits. African news agency, Panapress has confirmed the story. According to DJ Abbas, "The incident occured between 9 and 10 p.m. The award-winning star was shot in the thigh by armed bandits along the Airport Road while he was driving home from Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, after arrival from London, where he recently bagged 'Best African Act' at the Mobo Awards. He was then rushed to an undisclosed hospital in the Isolo area of Lagos, where he is receiving treatment." It appears that two years ago, gunmen suspected to be armed robbers attacked Tuface Idibia. There has been no report that this prior attack is related to Thursday's shooting.

(Photo Credits: Provided Courtesy of MTV Base Africa)

Little Golden Slippers?

I went to Urban Outfitters today and these just happened to be on sale for $20. I'd been eying them for a while and i couldn't resist. I had to get them. But now i have no idea what to wear with them!, anyone have any suggestions? or should i just return them?

The shoes of my dreams

Matthew Williamson RTW S/2007

First Thursday 10/04

Gladiators

These are amazing shoes, and for $5 I couldn't pass them up.

October 2007 MIMI Mambo Preview: Loide Jorge

In MIMI's upcoming October 2007 issue, writer Nabila Isa-Odidi interviews jazz singer Loide Jorge in the article The Jazz Singer.

Loide's take on her music ...

MIMI: "Don't Forget" is a beautiful song that you co-wrote in honor of your father. Can you tell us a little bit about what that experience was like, what the song means to you, and what it means for those of us who live abroad and constantly struggle to maintain a sense of who we are as Africans.
LJ: Well a few years back I was participating in a program for which I had to present my music in away that captured my African heritage…and I got stuck. See, I was born in France, raised in California, but my papa and mama where born and raised in Bissau and Mozambique, so the constant conflict would revolve around " How African are you?" or "Can you even call yourself 'African'?" etc.., so when I had the task of displaying my heritage through the music I was like "Oh gosh, what the heck do I sing and how will do I sing it?!" That's when I sat down with a local jazz pianist/friend and we just talked it out…the song just unfolded, I am African because of who I come from, and regardless of where I am now, as long as I do not forget… my roots are secure. Simple as that, the story is universal on so many fronts! And as natural as the story came out, the song does as well.

Loide's take on today's music scene ...

MIMI: Music today is dominated by pop acts such as Beyonce and Rihanna. How do you see yourself fitting into the current musical landscape, and do you think that you might one day change your look and/or sound?
LJ: Well pop is pop, I'm not pop, but I respect the pop. And I'd be a lying chic if I said that I didn't listen and dance to pop either! I'll be the first to take my hat off to Beyonce, I can't do what she does…that is for sure! But you know what? She can't do what I do either, and that's because my mama is from Mozambique, my Papa from Guinea Bissau … my sound is in my blood, in the voices I heard growing up and hear even still. Will I change? Sure, I don't sound the same as I did only a few years back, and my hair's different too (laughs). If you are asking if I'll start wearing mini's and curly hair pieces, probably not, what would my mother think of me then?

You can read more about Loide Jorge in The Jazz Singer, which will be published in MIMI's upcoming October 2007 issue.

(Photo Credits: Provided Courtesy of Loide Jorge)