Nightlife

Tag: Achievements

  • New Year Address from Rugby Africa President, Herbert Mensah

    New Year Address from Rugby Africa President, Herbert Mensah

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, January 11, 2024/ — Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com), the continental governing body of rugby across Africa, issues end of year message reflecting on 2023:

    Amidst our joyful farewell to 2023, I am thrilled to share my reflections as the President of Rugby Africa, the continental governing body of rugby in Africa. Together, our collective accomplishments have not only defined this year but have also laid a foundation for the promising future of Rugby Africa.

    Milestones and Achievements

    As we reflect on the remarkable journey of the past nine months, it is with immense pride that I share the highlights of our accomplishments. From the success of the Rugby Africa Women’s tournament in Madagascar to the significant Rugby Africa Men’s Olympic qualification tournament in Zimbabwe, the thrilling Rugby Sevens tournament in Mauritius, and the vibrant scene in Tunisia’s Monastir, our efforts have truly shone on the rugby stage. Notably, a significant portion of our achievements this year has been dedicated to francophone countries.

    We celebrate the re-admittance of Nasser Bougja as Vice President, the return of the Moroccan Rugby Federation to Rugby Africa, an established pathway solution for Cameroon, Ghana and management of other upcoming elective Annual General Assemblies and the momentous milestone of signing the long-awaited agreement with the French Development Agency (AFD) to foster the development of women’s rugby in Africa.

    We have addressed administrative challenges by rectifying loose agreements within Rugby Africa that were either uncontracted or unpaid. Internally, administrative efficiency has been enhanced with the establishment of committees, each equipped with clear terms of reference and KPIs for committee members.

    Looking ahead, we are committed to annual reassessments, ensuring that our committees maintain the highest standards of performance. It’s important to note that accountability remains a cornerstone, and those unable to meet expectations will be subject to be reassigned from their roles.

    Commitment to Progress

    As President of Rugby Africa, I continue to call for a mindset change recognizing that sport is big business. This plea heralds a new era, challenging the status quo with a comprehensive constitutional review—a ground breaking initiative unprecedented in our history.

    This review, initiated by Rugby Africa through the Executive Committee, involves input from various committees, our judicial council, external legal experts and a final presentation to member unions for ratification. This transformative process signifies our commitment to transparency and progress, setting a new standard for Rugby Africa.

    Strategic Planning

    We have successfully developed and received approval for our strategic plan, a blueprint aimed at providing financial support to all 39 member unions of Rugby Africa. Considering the limited funding from World Rugby, which primarily supports 21 out of the 39 Rugby Africa member unions, this strategic plan is a significant milestone for Rugby Africa.

    The plan, meticulously reviewed and presented across our committees, places a strong emphasis on securing financial backing to ensure that all Rugby Africa member unions have the necessary support to play competitively and thrive in the world of rugby.

    Financial Initiatives

    In a strategic effort to maximize our resources, Rugby Africa has introduced a series of financial initiatives. For the first time ever, hosts are now entrusted with covering all hosting grants- a move anticipated to result in cost savings.

    Guided by our Competition Manager, Johnbosco, calculations are underway to access the potential impact of these changes. Furthermore, Rugby Africa is in discussions for multiple sponsorship opportunities, with an official announcement expected mid 2024.

    These initiatives underscore Rugby Africa’s commitment to foster more opportunities for rugby across the continent, reshape competitions and elevating the overall rugby experience. Among our own initiatives, we remain hopeful to receive greater levels of financial support from World Rugby, to further support our development and advance the growth of rugby in Africa.

    Unity Among Unions

    We approach the future with a sense of optimism and gratitude. My sincere appreciation goes to all the unions that have embraced the challenges. In Southern Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Botswana, have successfully organized a spirited competition, reflecting the true spirit of rugby.

    Burkina Faso actively engaged in a Seven’s competition, demonstrating their dedication to the sport. Guinea participated in an international match with Sierra Leone, fostering unity in our rugby community.

    Over the past two months, Ghana has actively engaged in matches with Benin and Togo. Beyond borders, collaborative efforts between Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania are gaining momentum as they work towards organizing their own competitions.

    I was particularly enthused by the huge efforts of Uganda’s test matches in Tunisia and Algeria’s proposed test match against Senegal. Furthermore, the 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games hosted by Madagascar, with countries such as Mauritius participating, provided an additional opportunity for increased game time. I am deeply grateful for the collective enthusiasm displayed by the unions across the continent. Together, as a federation, we are charting a path of enthusiasm and progress in the world of rugby.

    Acknowledgement and Gratitude

    I extend my heartfelt gratitude to APO Group, South Africa Rugby Union, French Rugby Federation (FFR), French Development Agency (AFD), and World Flair for their invaluable support. Their commitment and collaboration have provided us with a powerful platform to champion our firm belief that the development of rugby in Africa is not just a sport but an investment in the future of the continent.

    Together, with the support our partners, we are building a foundation for the growth of rugby, fostering community engagement, and contributing to the overall development and well-being of Africa. Thank you for your unwavering dedication to this shared vision. This year, Rugby Africa has asserted itself on the global stage, making it abundantly clear that Africa is key player in the world of rugby.

    During the Bloomberg Gateway Conference in Morocco, our message reached an audience of over 3.5 million people, emphasizing the vast business opportunities inherent in investing in rugby across Africa, showcasing our continent at the forefront in the global marketplace.

    At the Africa Investment Forum in Marrakesh, I had the privilege of engaging in discussions with the President of the African Development Bank, highlighting rugby’s potential to drive economic growth through investment opportunities emerging from the continent itself. These events are instrumental in shaping Rugby Africa’s global positioning, paving the way to a future where rugby across Africa can ascend to new heights.

    We continue to ask ALL to accept a mindset shift to give the opportunity of sports (Rugby) a chance. Sport is NOT a charity it is BIG business!

    Reflections and Greetings

    A substantial amount of work has been accomplished by members of the executive committee, along with dedicated efforts of staff members and myself. As President of Rugby Africa, I believe it becomes evident that 2023 has been dedicated to laying the foundational groundwork.

    We anticipate that the fruits of our labour will begin to manifest from the second half of 2024 onwards. In extending my sincere gratitude, I wish season’s greetings to everyone, embracing the diversity of religious traditions that enrich our continent. This is a time for unity, for coming together, breaking bread, and celebrating the strides we made collectively.

    God be with all of us!

    Herbert Mensah
    President of Rugby Africa

    Download official letter here: https://apo-opa.co/3SdGAsV

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rugby Africa.

    Media contact:
    Nicole Vervelde
    Communications Advisor to the President of Rugby Africa
    rugby@apo-opa.com

  • El Anatsui creates gigantic artworks from recycled materials – why the world fell in love with him

    El Anatsui creates gigantic artworks from recycled materials – why the world fell in love with him

    By: “The Conversation”(Original Article)

    The artist El Anatsui was born in Ghana and has spent the bulk of his career in Nigeria, but is a citizen of the world. News of a major new installation of his work coming to the prestigious Tate Modern gallery in London is just one in a string of major international exhibitions and awards in the past decade.

    The 79-year-old artist has become so renowned that in art circles his brand of work is a kind of art movement with its own name, Elism. His work is influenced by – and in turn influences – Nigeria’s famed Nsukka school of artists who draw inspiration from the uli art style, derived from the mural paintings of the Igbo people. Nsukka is the city where I live and make art and where I have taught Anatsui’s work to students for years – as he once taught me.

    His best known works are large scale sculptures in the form of drapes, wall hangings and installations made from flattened, repurposed aluminium bottle caps that are sewn into tapestries, making them dazzle and shimmer in a mixture of hues and colours. The tactile quality gives it part of its sculptural relief. The colours and shapes also resonate with the Kente cloth motifs that are native to Anatsui’s Ewe people.

    His 2019 retrospective exhibition in Germany, Triumphant Scale, firmly established him as a leading global voice. It was co-curated by the late Okwui Enwezor, who is famed for bringing African art into the western mainstream.

    In truth, Anatsui’s work has evolved steadily over time and it can take many forms. Compartmentalising it does not do justice to it. He has helped establish African art as a global force. But, as I also discuss here, he is much more than just an artist. El Anatsui is also a humanitarian, a teacher and a philanthropist.

    His life

    Anatsui is from Anyako, in the Volta region of Ghana. He identifies as Ewe, an ethnic group that extends up to Togo. His creative genes are probably inherited from his father, a craftsman. The last born of 32 children, he grew up with his uncle, a priest.

    After completing his education in sculpture and art at Kwame Nkrumah University in Kumasi, Ghana, he worked as an art lecturer in Ghana for several years before moving to Nigeria.

    El Anatsui discusses his work.

    One cannot discuss Anatsui without mentioning Nsukka, a university town in Enugu State, south-eastern Nigeria. The University of Nigeria, the first indigenous university in the country, is located here and Anatsui today serves as emeritus professor in the faculty where I also teach.

    He was 31 when he arrived in Nsukka 45 years ago and talks about that day with excitement, mentioning iconic cultural figures like activist musician Fela Kuti as one of the reasons he was attracted to Nigeria and decided to stay. Anatsui is honoured as Ikedire of Ihe-Nsukka kingdom, a chieftaincy title bestowed on him by the local community that points to the impact he has had here.

    I first encountered Anatsui as an undergraduate in basic drawing class. In his class you realised that once you can draw a bold line then you can do great art. He could find the lone confident stroke embedded in a sea of others.

    Anatsui was a member of the Aka group of artists who were popular in eastern Nigeria in the 1980s and 1990s. But he always looked to conquer the global art scene. He never subscribed to attaching artists to a particular continent.

    After years of work as a lecturer and artist he built himself homes in Nsukka and in Tema, Ghana. It was only in 2018 that he felt he could buy himself a new car – in Nigeria most civil servants can only afford used cars. The large studio he built also points to years of consistent hard work.

    Less known facts about Anatsui are that he eats a plant-based diet, is a masterful chess player and a sports enthusiast who plays squash. He is also better known in Nigeria as a philanthropist and a teacher than just an artist of global standing. One of the examples of his philanthropy is how, from 2017 till 2021, he gave young artists an all-expenses-paid trip to Senegal to attend the Dak’Art bienniale.

    His work

    Anatsui was creating three-dimensional works long before his famed bottle cap tapestries. His earliest works were made from wooden trays found in markets in Anyako. In Nsukka in the 1970s he created ceramic pieces from clay and manganese. In the 1980s he worked with concrete and terrazzo to produce sculptural works, some still found on the Nsukka campus. His hardwood works became popular and his influence expanded.

    This creative restlessness to find materials from his environment led to the collecting of aluminium bottle caps that sat in bags for months before becoming art materials. The bottle caps suited a new art form, distinct from painting and sculpture.

    Today Anatsui works in different media. He recently experimented with prints, the metaverse and augmented reality but still employs tropical hardwood works alongside bottle cap pieces.

    In a time of climate crisis, Anatsui’s work has become increasingly relevant through his sustainable sourcing of materials and his repurposing of found objects often discarded as waste.

    No doubt his Tate installation in October will reflect his greater body of work: fluid, malleable, polymorphous, flexible and mesmerisingly colourful … the shimmer, size and materials speaking to freedom, mobility, decolonialism and environmental responsibility.

    His influence

    The Elism trend focuses on use of materials that are locally available, frugal and minimalist. However, the work is also an expression of humanist concepts – emanating from human activities in relation to the work and its environment.

    While the scale of his bottle cap works speaks quietly to the magnitude of global consumption, it also presents aesthetic beauty rooted in ancient cultural forms. In his extraordinary career Anatsui has, in the process, helped bring African art to the world stage.

    Credit: (The Conversation)

    Photo:AFP Via Getty Images