PR TIMES AFRICA PRTimesAfrica (March 2016) | Page 7

THE FIVE STARS
PEOPLE ARE AFRICA’S GREATEST ENDOWMENT
Africa is a continent whose dyna-
mism has never ceased to amaze
close observers; the sheer amount
of talents in various fields of en-
deavour is rather mind-boggling.
The dawning of each new day births
several grass to grace stories across
the continent with the highest youth
population. These young men and
women have held a watching world
spellbound with their immense
talents and indelible contributions to
their chosen field of exertion.
From sports and entertainment, Afri-
ca has never been in short supply of
heroes and heroines, what has been
lacking is the willingness to cele-
brate their achievements and to hold
them up as examples for the younger
generation to follow and surpass.
Africa has an abundance of young
men and women, whose rise from
relative obscurity through difficult
journey of self-discovery & self-ex-
pression in a tough environment is a
study in resilience. These ones have
given and continue to give their very
best, for the improvement of the lot
of humanity and have made unmis-
takeable contributions to the story of
mankind.
While out of ignorance or plain old
malice, some try to portray her
negatives, PR Times Africa exists
to create what the popular Nigerian
writer Chinua Achebe calls “a bal-
ance of stories”. This continent that
is ever bustling with life and survival,
against seemingly impossible odds,
has emerged as the new frontier of
growth and a force in the current
global economic space.
Africans have excelled on the world
stage, creating impact like never
before, and this magazine will always
document their giant strides that
continue to break all barriers that
centuries of colonialism, robbery and
rape have set before our people.
In this edition, we choose five Africans who have excelled
in their areas of ability, but each has employed the leverage
that success brings, to contribute to the creation of a better
mother continent, one that holds its own in a world that is
ever determined to shut the voice of Africa. This list is by no
stretch of the imagination an attempt to capture the totality
of African enterprising spirit but merely a pointer to the very
essence of the never-say-die attitude of the African.
While on the surface the list may seem like a gathering of
strange bed fellows, an Eto’o for example with his bullishness
on the pitch and outspokenness off it, may come across as
the alpha male who couldn’t possibly sit well with self-con-
fessed feminist like Chimamanda, beneath the surface of
these two, lies an undying love for African interests and a
strong desire to always advocate for same through celebrity
power. Akon is dreaming big and using his popularity and
wealth to impact on a key area of need, the power sector.
Constance Swaniker, started from the very bottom like Don
Jazzy and grew to the very top in an industry that wasn’t
friendly to women breaking barriers along the way like Eto’o
and Adichie.
“Five Star Five” represent’s the spirit that underlies this beau-
tiful continent, the spirit that birthed a billion dollar industry
called Nollywood out of practically nothing, the very spirit that
drives the many African men and women whose daily lives is
a seemingly endless struggle in the face of life and death. It is
our hope that these ones and the countless others like them
will serve as a reminder of what being an African truly means
and an inspiration to the dreamers among us that dreams do
come true.
7 | PRTIMES AFRICA MARCH 2016