What's Going On? Eyes on Africa and the Caribbean

This episode is dedicated to the memory of the late Abimbola Ogubanjo, former head of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and an esteemed figure in Nigerian corporate law, who died in a helicopter crash in California on February 9. The crash also claimed the lives of the CEO of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe, his wife, and son. Their legacy continues to resonate around the world.  Our conversation with Ab...

When your career is no longer fulfilling, it's time to explore how to switch it or ditch it, says author, human resources expert and executive coach Dr. Shelley Cameron, who joins us to illuminate the path to success and work-life balance. Dr. Cameron unpacks her empowering book, "Your Career: Ditch It or Switch It," which not only provides insight into the success strategies of Afr...

Ever wanted to decode the mysteries of the Caribbean fantasy genre? Our riveting exchange with author Maurice M McCallum gives you an insider's glimpse into this captivating world in his novel, "Return of the Owl." In an intricate blend of Jamaican folklore and fantasy, McCallum weaves the tale of the Ol Hige, a shape-shifting witch, alongside three young protagonists on a quest to...

Several traumatic experiences encouraged Jamaican author, Kadian Snow, to follow her therapist's advice to write about her experiences. Four books later, Kadian is living her best life and looking to help others to heal through writing by coaching writers through the process of writing. Her books, all of which are available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, include: Black Woman is Queen: Pamper...

Dr. Catherine Ngila, Africa's leading expert on water technology, is on a mission to make clean drinking water a reality for people in Africa, particularly those in rural areas, but accomplishing that goal will require more than just her scientific skills and prowess.  In the meantime, she is also devoting her energy to helping African girls and women become leaders in science and technology....

In December 1994, a peace concert took place in Freetown, Sierra Leone, during a civil war. You won’t find much information about it online, but you will find the story on Afropop Worldwide and here on Eyes on Africa, courtesy of Afropop Worldwide. In this episode, Yinka Rickford-Anguin delves into the story behind the making of Jamaa Fest and gives us a first-hand account of the show’s inception,...

This episode features Segun Johnson, a young entrepreneur,  who explains the struggles of small business owners in the tech industry in Nigeria. Segun owns Johnsonscode, a digital agency that does web development, graphic designs, and branding. Johnsonscode services clients from all over the world.  It's no secret that entrepreneurism is the backbone of a growing economy. Over the years, entr...

In 2015, The New York State Common Retirement Fund, one of the largest US Pension Funds began investing in Africa-- with plans to invest as much as 3% of its assets on projects on the continent in the next five years to diversify its portfolio and boost returns. The New York City Employees Retirement System (NYCERS) may be following suit, according to Gregory Floyd, president of the International...

In this episode, we talk to Scott Hilton Clarke of Trinidad and Tobago. Scott is the Founder and Managing Partner of Inspiration Laboratories, a firm that is focused on advancing early-stage ventures and helping later-stage companies expand internationally. For over 25 years, Scott has been advising and inspiring senior executives and entrepreneurs to raise their level of personal leadership effec...

Global African Business Association, led by President and CEO Akindele Akinyemi, is on a mission to foster a pipeline for two-way business opportunities in community development between investors in Africa and those in the United States.  Global African Business Association (GABA) accomplishes this by becoming a business education, business support network for African- and African-American-based b...

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to batter economies worldwide, people around the world are reassessing the state of affairs and their country's wellbeing. In November 2021, Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo,  the head of Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), hosted the first annual NGX Capital Markets Conference that brought together leading policymakers, financial experts, business leaders, investors, inte...

The story of Roy Hastick is not your typical immigrant story.  On arriving in New York from his native Grenada in the early 1970s, Roy had a dream beyond just improving his own economic status.  His dream was to create access to business opportunities and wealth for people, particularly those in underserved communities so that their families have a chance to grow and to develop successfully.   Roy...

In this episode, What's Going On? Eyes on Africa and the Caribbean brings you powerful and inspirational messages about life and happiness from Sandra Elaine Scott, an award-winning American author of adult and children’s books.    Her much-acclaimed book,  Mañana Starts Today! is an Amazon bestseller. She has appeared on several national and local news shows to discuss her books and other pr...

We continue our conversation with Dr. Fiona Vernal about an oral history project on the life and times of early West Indian settlers in the State of Connecticut. Dr. Vernal is an Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies,  and Director of the Center for Engaged, Public, Oral, and Community Histories (EPOCH) at the University of Connecticut. In our previous episode, Dr. Vernal talked to u...

This is part one of two episodes on The Caribbean Mosaics: A Home Away from Home in which Fiona Vernal, professor of History and Africana Studies at the University of Connecticut, explains how West Indians became the largest ethnic group in one New England State.  In this episode, Dr. Vernel takes us through the history of the West Indian Social Club and the migrant workers from the West Indies wh...

This is Part 2 of two episodes on the British Government's immigration policy called the "Hostile Environment Policy " that targeted UK's Black immigrant population and forced the deportation of thousands of Caribbean and African immigrants. In our last episode, British lawyer and University Law Lecturer, Colin Bobb-Semple explained what is now known as the Windrush Scandal, wh...

This is Part 1 of two episodes on the British Government's immigration policy called the "Hostile Environment Policy" instituted under then Home Secretary Theresa May, who later became prime minister.  The "Hostile Environment Policy" targeted UK's Black immigrant population and forced the deportation of thousands of immigrants from the Caribbean, many from the Windru...

 In this episode, Alex Martin an African Caribbean medical student at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra /Northwell Hospital in New York discusses telemedicine and how it has been aiding the COVID-19 pandemic, based on research from his recently published co-authored article: Wound Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Improving Outcomes Through the Integration of Telemedicin...

In today's episode, we are talking to LoriAnne Jones about her work as one of few Black women in the field of architecture in the United States and her efforts to bring in candidates from underserved communities into the profession through long-term mentoring. LoriAnne is a licensed architect, and project manager at DIGroup Architecture, one of the largest black-owned firms.  DIGroup is drive...

In this episode, we talk to Mark Dalgety, an entrepreneur,  founder, and CEO of Dalgety Herbal Teas in the UK. The company is said to be one of the most successful Caribbean-owned businesses in Europe.  Dalgety  Herbal Teas muscled its way into the highly competitive and well-established tea markets in 1993.  Dalgety Herbal Teas and other natural products are sold worldwide from China to Europe, A...

With a history of famines and wars that have helped create ecological disasters, it's hard to imagine Africa becoming the world's food basket, yet Ghanaian agriculture expert and businessman Thomas  Abanga sees this possibility with the right agricultural architecture in place and commitment from national leaders. "We've got to wake up because in the next 15 to 20 years, the en...

Episode Summary In this episode, Grace Oyerinde and Sandra Sinclair talk about the Accoutre Centre for Learning in London and how it brings children from the black community together to elevate their skills and their understanding of who they are as children of color in Britain. Highlights ·       George Floyd was the catalyst for the school.  ·       Accoutre means “ To provide with equipment or...

Episode Summary In this episode, Barry Adedamola talks about the Nigerian energy market, education system issues, the role of the youth in Nigeria, and infrastructure problems that are slowing the growth of the country and its population.    Highlights ·       CNS Marine supports international companies working offshore in exploring for oil and gas. Providing vessels and personal. ·       Barry be...

What's going on in Jamaica? In this episode, we get the scoop from our guest Irwine Clare, Sr., the co-founder and managing director of the New York-based Caribbean Immigrant Services, Inc. and a radio host whose show on IrieJam radio is a staple for Jamaican immigrants.  Irwine Clare is a man on a mission to help new immigrants from the Caribbean find their feet and to inspire young people t...

In Episode 12: United Nations Communication Specialist, Kingsley Lington-Ighobor returns to the show to explain how Africa has been able to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus on the continent while new cases and deaths continue to skyrocket in other parts of the world,  notably the United States and Europe.