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Human Trafficking: Next2None Rallies African Celebrities In Accra

By Chuks Nwanne
21 November 2015   |   1:06 am
Accra, the capital city of Ghana, is poised to play host to an array of African stars as they march in solidarity against the social menace of human trafficking.
Sam Obu (left) with ex-footballer John Fashanu.

Sam Obu (left) with ex-footballer John Fashanu.

Accra, the capital city of Ghana, is poised to play host to an array of African stars as they march in solidarity against the social menace of human trafficking. The African ambassadors are also billed to play a charity football match at the Accra Stadium, after the morning match.

Next2None support initiative, a non-governmental agencies dedicated to fighting human trafficking across Africa and organisers of the Africa My Africa Walk Against Human Trafficking/Legendary Football Match, has released the first 50 African celebrities billed to be part of the project. The list include Senator George Opon Weah, Ambassador Roger Milla, Lucas Radebe, Gen Lanre Apata (RTD), Chief Awa U Kalu (SAN), Rear Admiral Peter Ebeleheme (Rtd), Major Gen Yakubu Usman(Rtd), Prof Ernest Ojukwu (SAN), Rev Biodun Fatoyinbo (Minister-in-Charge COZA),Pastor Mrs. Modele Fatoyinbo (COZA), John Fashanu, Rachel Bakam, Chief Acho Ukaha and Hajia Titi Abubakar.

Others are Christian Chukwu, Hajia Laradan Shuaibu, Keppy Ekpeyong, Zack Orji, Coach Samson Siasia, Juliet Ibrahim, Mrs. Mary NS Obu, Etoo Fils, Apostle Eucharia Anunobi, Sammy Kuffor, Anthony Baffoe, Paul Ajogwu Oseni, Abedi Pele Ayew, Monalisa Chinda, Shaffy Bello, Ireti Doyle, Garuba Lawal, Patience Ozokwor, Chief Kingsley Okeh, Lexy Mojo Eyes, Bimbo Akintola, Ruth Africa and Richard Mofe Damijo(RMD). The list also include Tuface Idibia, Yemi Blaq, Don Jazzy, Ben Iroha, Ben Kwasi, Frank Nelson, Zik Zulu Okafor, Justin Akpovi Esade, Uche Jumbo, Oshinbimbo Abimbola, Florence Onuma, Ngozi Ezeonu, Tonto Dikeh Churchill, Ufoma Ejenobor, Yvonne Okoro, Mercy Aigbe Gentry, Ice Prince and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.

Speaking on the project, abuja based lawyer and founder/Chairman BoT of Next2None Ndukwe Sam Obu said, “we are glad to announce to you that the event is 90 per cent ready. 90 per cent ready means that the very difficult part of it is as good as accomplished. The most difficult part was to travel many African countries to get the endorsement of the various Ambassadors of those nations in the entertainment industry, such as football, music, movie and comedy, literary works. We have travelled in the last one year and six months; from Liberia to South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya, Cameroun to carry out a survey as to the present situation as it relates to human trafficking.”

Obu informed that the programme enjoys the endorsements of reputable African stars that are ready to come in as partners.

“We intend to have for the very first time, a convergence of African celebrities in Accra, Ghana, to have a celebrity walk against human trafficking. Each celebrity will carry the flag of his country to showcase the solidarity of that nation against human trafficking. We have the cooperation of Ghana police, the Ghana MTU (Ghana’s version of Nigerian Road Safety Corps) have mapped out a 15- kilometre road network for this celebrity walk. The Ghana government has given us the Independence Square for all the stars to converge before the walk against human trafficking will commence,” he said.

The walk, according to the Abuja based lawyer, is to show the world that Africa is ready to fight human trafficking.

“We are now ready to compliment and even do more, what CNN and Al Jazerra are doing in that regard. After the walk in the morning, African legends will be playing against Ghana legends in an exhibition football match. Legends such as Senator George Weah, Roger Miller, Jay Jay Okocha, John Fashanu, and Lucas Radebe of South Africa among many other football legends will feature in that match.”

Meanwhile, an ongoing documentary by the group against human trafficking, features Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, who have spoken against the menace and proffered solutions too as well as retired army Generals among many others.

Obu also hinted that Africa My Africa project is more than just a novelty match and a walk.

“It is a project geared towards resuscitating the dreams of our founding fathers, the dreams of our Pan Africanists who have made Africa what it should be, but has refused to be by the president day situation. We remember the likes of Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, Chinua Achebe, Koffi Annan, Jomo Kenyatta. These are people who have laid a solid foundation upon which Africa is built. But sorry to say, Africa has departed from this very foundation and has embarked on a journey of oblivion.

“A journey where Africans are the ones, who are trafficking themselves against the idiosyncracy of Walter Rodney in his book, How Europe Under Developed Africa. In that book, we were made to believe that Africans are being humiliated, being transported as slaves in other to develop the European countries.”

He continued: “The fundamental question at the moment is, at what point we saw ourselves in this macabre dance? At what point did we have ourselves beaten by this uncalled for rain? It is in this light that Next2None support initiative deemed it necessary to bring to consciousness to all Africans of repute, to concerned citizens of Africa from various nations to ask herself; what do we do? Where have we gone wrong? What is the brain behind Africans being the facilitators, being the brains behind enslaving ourselves by ourselves for ourselves? At what point did Africans decide never to be our brothers’ keeper? At what point did Africans slip, while those we have accused of trafficking us are at the forefront of liberating the world from human trafficking,” he quizzed.

The current trend of human trafficking, according to Obu, includes organ transplantation, semen and seed sale, trafficking by nightclub owners through kingpins, the highway border trafficking, donation of blood for financial gains by students and baby factory trafficking.

“Does this not shock any sane human what we do to ourselves and others? Take a look at what is happening on CNN Freedom Project. CNN is supposed to be an American media that was extended to the rest of the world; they are now the ones fighting human trafficking through their project. Al Jazz era modern day slavery project belongs to the Asian world, extended to the rest of the world; they are in the forefront of fighting human trafficking. Africa as a continent has blatantly or unconsciously refused to create a platform to fight human trafficking. Fight against human trafficking is not supposed to be left in the hands of government agencies alone. It is not supposed to be left in the hands of only but a few, who actually understand that this dangerous trend is taking a very unprecedented approach in other to encapsulate us, in order to dehumanise our citizens,” he said.

Next2None support initiative deemed it necessary to provide a platform where Africans will come together to speak for the voiceless, hopeless and against the inhumanity against human beings.

“That is what Africa My Africa project is all about and we intend to prosecute this cause using the celebrities of African extraction. Celebrities in sports, movie, music and comedy are not left out.”

He informed that Rev Biodun Fatoyinbo, the senior pastor of, Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, COZA, has decided to go into partnership with organisation.

“They are concerned as a church that no human being or part of a human being should be placed on sale. COZA is not a corporate body, but they have decided to join in this fight because trafficking in humans is morally and religiously wrong.”

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