Jackson apologises to Nigerians - Sorry, I should have come earlier

L-R: Estelle Skimson, Marlon Jackson
(in fez cap), Mayor Al Dixon, Walter
Emmanuel Jones and Gary Lobster.Celebrated musical family, the Jacksons re-
cently visited Motherland Beckons with a delegation made up of Africans in the Diaspora.

Marlon Jackson, has also accepted to be the international spokesperson for the Motherland Beckons initiative worldwide. It was with a great excitement that Marlon Jackson and his team were received on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on May 4, 2008.

With him were former Chairman of US Conference of Mayors, Mayor Gary Lobster, the first ever-black Mayor in the history of Michigan, Mayor Jack Sims, Estella Skimpson, Mayor Al Dixon, Fred Cleveland, Kareem Ali, road promoter to "the greatest" Muhammad Ali and Walter Emanuel Jones of the now rested television serial, Power Ranger.

Marlon who has a vision for Nigeria said by physically being in the country, he was confirming to his fellow African American brothers, sisters and other Africans in the Diaspora that Nigeria is a safe place for tourism as against the negative media the country receives abroad.

He has therefore awakened a general interest in Nigeria , which he confirms at a press conference later, "Coming to Nigeria for me is a great fulfillment. I must apologize to you all that we delayed for too long in coming here. Please accept our apology. For I can see Nigeria is a great place with great potentials, enormous resources and I can assure you, I am taking this message back to our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora."

Before he left on May 9, 2008, Marlon and his entourage undertook a crash course in learning the African ways of life under a program called, "Taste of Africa", at Lacampagne Tropicana Beach Resort, the corporate headquarters’ of Motherland Beckons. Here the visitors were taught African foods, dances, meaning of African names cultural histories etc.

Motherland Beckons, for those who are still in the dark about this major growing phenomenon, is the initiative which makes a clarion call on Africans in the Diaspora to come back home to Africa to integrate themselves back into the system. The program takes into consideration the fact that most Africans have lost touch with the African way of life, while some have never been to Africa . For the latter, Motherland Beckons provides for a root tracing and goes further to provide lodging when they come, with Kamp Afrika , another program to teach their kids about the African ways.

Bola Are clears air on conflicts in GOMAN

Bola Are THE body for gospel musicians in t he country, the Gospel Musician Association of Nigeria (GOMAN), headed by world-renown minstrel, Evang. Bola Are has come to stay and is not in any crisis as been rumoured in some quarters.

The above statement aptly captured the words of Evang. Bola Are, the President of the association in a chat with newshounds at her Ibadan palatial residence on Wednesday.

According to her “GOMAN is intact, there’s no problem whatsoever, there’s freedom of association, it is either you’re in GOMAN or you are out. We know our members.

“GOMAN is the only recognised body for all gospel musicians in the country, just as PMAN is the only recognised body for all musicians in the country. I don’t know of any other association, it is the only body registered at the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja.”

She thanked members of the association and the general public for their support during the burial of late Evang. Bayo Adegboyega while also urging them not to forget the family of the deceased.

The woman of songs equally admonished her members to make the issue of the association paramount in their hearts. “I want all GOMAN members in the country to join hands with their leaders so as to move the association forward.” she said.