There’s no doubt that African music has taken center stage and it’s no surprise considering the impressive level of talent emerging from the continent. More and more talents are breaking onto the scene and causing a stir with their fresh, genre-bending sounds.

Over the years, global music streaming platform, Audiomack has provided platforms and avenues for artists to receive maximum effulgence with opportunities for them to connect to a wide audience through its platform and initiatives that foster artists’ growth. An example is the Rising Star Competition which is held annually in partnership with Afrochella. The competition has become a mainstay for rising African artists in the past three years, with thousands of entries received each year.

Jess Eta, a Nigerian producer, singer, and songwriter who won the Rising Star competition in 2020, captivated many hearts with his afro-infused R&B, pop, rock, and soul. In this chat with him, Jess shared that he was originally a member of his church choir and used his knowledge of music theory to harness his craft.

• How did you hear about the Rising Star Challenge?

I came across the challenge on Audiomack’s Instagram account

• When you submitted your entry, what was the inspiration behind the song you created?

I was working on a couple of songs and I wanted to intentionally create an Afrobeats hit song. Adding my unique flair to an Afrobeats instrumental, I created the building blocks of that song.

• What was the most exciting thing about going through the challenge for you?

Every time Afrochella sent an email explaining that I had advanced to the next round, I got excited.

• What did you learn from the Rising Star Challenge?

I learned not to doubt myself and it became clear to me that my music was appreciated by a wide range of people.

• What advice would you give other artists who are currently taking part in the challenge?

I would advise that they put their best into whatever song they put in for the competition and also understand that even if they don’t win, it doesn’t undermine their music. There is just a lot of talent in Africa.

• What should your fans look forward to from you? Any exciting projects we should look forward to?

It’s only been a few months since I dropped my 11-track project titled “Playing With Fire” and the project describes a lot of the things I feel right now. The future is indeed very bright and I am excited to express the things I want to express in the coming months. For now, I have a couple of features coming out.

Jess ETA’s journey holds so much promise, and judging from his strides and wins so far in, fans and listeners can expect the best of afro-influenced music from him in the future.

Audiomack, which has a presence in all 54 African countries aims to reinforce its vision to support upcoming African artists’ growth and development through various initiatives.

Since 2019, Audiomack x Afrochella Rising Star competition has continually provided visibility for artists across the African continent. This year’s competition promises to reward the winner with a $1 000 cash prize and a studio session with Accra-based BBnZ Live. The first runner-up will win a cash prize, an article spotlight feature on Audiomack World, and a one-on-one personal studio session, while the second runner-up will receive a cash prize, personal mentorship with industry experts, and a spotlight on Audiomack World.

We can eat nuts as one of the healthiest foods. They are nutrient-dense and loaded with fiber and good fats. Almonds are loaded with probiotics. Pecans are full of beneficial antioxidants, and chestnuts are high in vitamin C.

Nuts are a powerhouse of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. They make great baking ingredients and are a go-to for quick snacks. And everyone’s preferred schmear on bread is nut butter, of course.

Cooking can be made much more interesting by treating nuts like beans or other proteins and embracing the meaty aspect of some of them, especially ones like peanuts, which are technically a legume. Look for raw, unsalted nuts whenever possible, unless otherwise specified, to use in your savory cooking. When cooked, roasted nuts will not react the same, and you want to be able to regulate the salt in your food.

Nuts are incredibly adaptable. They are suitable for snacks, desserts, lunch, dinner, and breakfast. They can be made into nut cheeses, sauces, and butter. You can learn about allergies caused by a food allergy course. It will give tips and Tricks to avoid certain nuts if they are allergic. To coat foods and give them a crunchy feel, nuts can be used in place of bread crumbs. They can also be utilized to create healthy pie and tart crusts, which let us feel better about indulging in desserts. Nut milk and nut meat can both be made from nuts!

When using nuts in food, cooks need to be aware of any allergies their guests may have. A food allergy course can help you understand how to deal with allergies, both about the food preparation process, communication with those dining, and also what to do if a reaction occurs.

A few dinner ideas with nuts are

Walnut Cake

The flourless walnut cake is quite likely the simplest. Three simple ingredients—walnuts, eggs, and raw, unrefined sugar make this recipe incredibly moist.

Chicken Salad with Walnuts

This light salad from the summer can be served when a lighter dish is required. It has a sweet crunch from the apple and cherry tomatoes, which is well offset by the watercress’ peppery undertones.

Peanut Caramel Slice

This recipe for peanut slices was given resist the delicious, with sticky golden syrup and peanut topping. A food allergy course will give details if there is any allergy for certain people.

Truffles with coconut and almond butter

Because carob has a delicate malt flavor and pairs well with a little maple syrup to sweeten, we can choose to use it. A tiny amount of coconut shreds offers a lovely lightness and crunch to balance out their richness. It is simple to make and makes a good snack to keep in the cupboard.

Tart with pumpkin and nuts

It will be useful to have a block of puff pastry in the freezer. When you go to see friends or go on a picnic, use it to quickly prepare this simple pumpkin tart.

Balls of pork with nuts

The nuts give flavor and an unexpected bite to these pork and peanut balls. You can cook them all on one tray in the oven to prevent a mess. Serve them hot either alone or with your preferred sauce. Sweet chili is always a favorite and the perfect companion with this.

Brazilian-Nut Cake with Pears

The prominent flavors in this cake include pear, cardamom, and brazil nut. In this golden, textured cake recipe, they complement one another naturally and are extremely nice for early spring.

Nuts are frequently used as a garnish or it is used in addition to salads or wonderful side dishes of rice or other grains. But by increasing the proportions to roughly 1/3 to 1/2 the volume of the dish, you give it a lot more significant flavor and fantastic protein. It will make these a great option for a vegetarian or a vegan main dish. You should be able to maintain the rest of the ingredients in the dish by lowering the amount of rice or other grains and increasing the number of nuts. Nuts also give a rich taste and flavor to all the dishes.

I am Ghana

I never let Africa down

Never have

Never will

Ask Mandela

Forget the scores. Fry FIFA. Freeze history. All because it is the first Friday in July 2010. The lesson of the day? History has two versions- the one which happened and the one which should have. And on the night Ghana lost to Uruguay in the 2010 World Cup, Africa at the threshold of the semi-finals is the living history.

The Jabulani flew up, grazed the post and went up, up and out with our dreams. A nation’s heart was cracked. No need for pretence. If you are reading this with hurt feelings I was writing with teary eyes. For once, during the tournament, Sultry Shakira’s ‘’Waka waka’’ did not sound sweet. As for K’naan’s ‘‘Waving Flag’’ chorus, nothing could be more jarring.

For us in Ghana, ‘’disappointment’’ is no longer an abstract noun but a physical pain that we have nursed since the dying seconds of a 120 minute-drama that saw a series of quick events drown our dreams. After the match, Coach Milovan’s theoretical ‘‘this is football’’ explanation would not heal a nation. We have to complete the therapy.

So let us let it out, folks. I need to throw a few things at who, I don’t care. Oh, yes, Africa. What a sorry place. Once again, an entire continent was looking for a hero in Ghana. Ghana must beat Uruguay. Ghana must go to the semifinals. Ghana must wipe Africa’s shame. Ghana must this, Ghana must that.

Why should it always be Ghana? Quick flashback: in the last World Cup, Ghana was also the only African country to have gone beyond the group stage. There are 53 countries. There were six of us at the tournament, including the host nation. What did South Africa do? Where was La Cote d’Ivoire? Which manner of men played for Nigeria? Who sent Algeria there? How could Cameroun stoop so low?

Why should it always be Ghana bailing out this continent? Well, I have got news for Africa. Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana need not reach the 2010 World Cup semifinals to become the hero. We have always been champions. It is ingrained in our genes. So don’t cry for me, Africa.

What a continent! When others lump us up we complain. We blame them for their ignorance and assert our respective sovereignties. Yet we are quick to cower together behind a single country when a whiff of glory is in the air. OK, so everyone knows Ghana pioneered Pan-Africanism. (‘‘I still know there is hope in the Black Stars’’ said a text message I received after the match from a friend in Barbados). But that does not excuse this African paradox.

What happened to our twinkle, twinkle little stars was that, on the field, they had to carry the burden of an entire continent on their young shoulders. How cruel. Suddenly, all sorts of bored and recycled African organisations found it opportunistic to tag into a Black Stars semifinal berth.

When they were playing Ghana, Uruguay was not doing it in the name of South America. Against Paraguay, Japan was not fighting for Asia. And when the Germany ‘’machine’’ was blitzkrieging Argentina 4-0 they were doing it for the sake of their Vaterland.

I suspect the ghosts of Kwame Nkrumah and Marcus Garvey would be hovering above me with reprimand. But even these two would understand that on this continent we are not the only stars. In fact, foxes, lions, eagles, and elephants have all paraded and trumpeted their virtues, n’est ce pas?

Can I break it down? If this continent must up its game and earn global respect, each country must up its individual game. Simple.

For all those who predicted that Ghana was going to win the World Cup, I doff my hat. You are prophets in your own right. After Uruguay, the Netherlands would have been our easiest conquest. Then at the finals even FIFA, would have their hearts pounding for us (if for nothing at all, for the ‘good of the game’). Something really happened on the way to Heaven, that Friday.

The Jabulani flew up, grazed the post and went up, up and out with our dreams. But it didn’t end there because this epic tragedy keeps coming back. It is the kind of scene that replays in your mental video.

It was the last kick of extra time. But leading to that so much had happened. The imminence of penalty kicks, a missed goal, a hand ball, a red card… All in the spate of a few seconds. Players and fans alike did not have time to take it all in. The Jabulani ball was shot up, at an angle meant for the roof of the net. It was all so familiar. The kicker, Asamoah Gyan had done it same way, successfully, before.

As the ball continued its trajectory, the goalkeeper was clearly beaten. In the background, a partisan crowd bleated, practically to shoo the ball in. We widen our eyes. The world stood still. At crunch time the ball refused to take the critical dip under the post. Wickedly, the Jabulani hit the bar and went up, 90 degrees. Before one could say ‘’vuvuzela’’, it was over.

Has anyone seen Asamoah Gyan lately? I saw him on TV dancing, though less energetically. When Gyan told the BBC, ‘‘I don’t think I am worried’’, many doubted it. Now, he appears to be handling it well. Still, let us keep him in our prayers. That boy is probably scarred for life.

Again, Africa is part of the reason. Had one or two other teams been in the reckoning the pressure would have been much less. In our eagerness to ’’rescue Mother Africa’’ we the Ghanaian people also played along. If we feel so much hurt it is because we were all caught up in that save-the- continent agenda. Now we are experiencing twice the pain.

In a sense, we are like the English. At each soccer tournament the Merry England folks gear themselves up big time. Fuelled by a pub culture and roared on by a loud press, they declare their own version of ‘‘Ke naako.’’ It is time for the Brits to show the world who invented the game. But too often, they have had to fold up the Union Jack too soon. Their lesson: it is one thing hosting a prestigious soccer league and another presenting an unbeatable national side.

For Ghana, the lesson to learn may be a bit more complicated. Self knowledge. In this very important international enterprise, self knowledge precedes all. It comes even before team strategy.

As a people, the ability to focus is part of our bane. This has been a weak point for our soccer players. Many of the factors that affect our team’s concentration during a tournament happen off the field. The point being made here is that managing the physical and psychological environment of our ‘’boys at war’’ is serious business. It involves understanding each player as well as assessing how emerging issues would impact the entire team.

We may have to re-examine the management of the environment of the team in camp. For instance, morale boosting is good. However, psychologist would tell you that when the stakes to perform become too high all the human body does is recoil naturally to its, neutral, ‘‘I am only human’’ mode.

Just for an example, our Venerable Nelson Mandela is larger than life. Could the Madiba’s invitation to party have been kept from the boys (as a pleasant surprise) until after the game? I cite this for a personal, if not shallow reason. If I, an eager writer, am informed just before writing an exam that I will be meeting Mandela, chances remain that I may, be bowled over with over-excitement.

Then there is the issue of how our boys psyche up before matches. Are we sure that the active drumming and the shi’ing of jama by players who have 90 minutes of physical engagement ahead of them is the best? It is on record that after Brazil had beaten Ghana 3-0 at the last World Cup, our opponents expressed shock at the fact that prior to the match our Black Stars spent excessive energy singing and praying.

By all standards the 2010 World Cup has been an unusual one with an unusual ball. The Jabulani seems to be the most talked about ball in World Cup history. The first time I heard the word, I couldn’t help but notice that it rhymed with ‘’Fulani.’’ However, more was yet to come. In terms of movement, the Jabulani is just like the Fulani cattle herd, unpredictable.

The ball has caught many a player off guard. In the game against Australia, Asamoah Gyan’s own kinsman, Kingson was dealt a treacherous blow, so was Keeper Rob Green of England and Faouzi Chaouchi of Algeria.

To coach Capello of Team England, the Jabulani is the worst ever to be used at a World Cup.

‘’I’ve seen that the ball arrives really fast and the players are having problems controlling it.’’

But not every player bears the Jabulani a grudge. Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech had some positive comments. He said the ball has good visibility due to the colour design plus it feels good to handle. English midfielder Frank Lampard also happens to be among the few players who are Jabulani-friendly.

In fairness, if the Big J was horrible it was horrible for all players. The Jabulani flew up, grazed the post and went up, up and out with our dreams…

kofiakpabli@yahoo.com

July 7, 2010

Dr. Christian Kwasi Agyeman President of Taabea Group of Companies has been adjudged the man of the year at the maiden edition of Home Builders Africa Awards which was held over the weekend at the UPSA Auditorium in Accra.

Aside his contributions to the economic development of Ghana through the creation of his numerous companies, Dr. Agyeman has been engaging in a lot of philanthropic works such as offering of scholarships to his staff and other needed but brilliant people to upgrade themselves in education, supporting orphanage homes and KATH Children’s Ward, Schools and other social responsibilities within and outside his environs.

Dr. Agyeman believes the best way to be happy is to make others happy in your own small way hence the passion to support the less privileged and the vulnerable.

Taabea Company Limited which was founded by him in 2008 and producing one of the best herbal medicines for malaria, loss of appetite and general body pains won the best herbal manufacturing company of the year.

The company also produces Taabea Zanecare which is for general well-being and also boost the immune system and help fight infections within the body. Taabea Taacum which enhances men with low sex desires due to old age or other factors.

Dr. Christian Kwasi Agyeman in his speech thanked God for such an honour and expressed his gratitude to the organizers, his family and most especially his hardworking staff for all the successes they have chalked.

Runewords can be found throughout Diablo 2 Resurrected, regardless of whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a complete newcomer. It is extremely valuable in the game to find items that can be upgraded with the help of runewords, and they can be found in a variety of locations throughout the game. As a means of assisting you in achieving your goal of selecting the best Runewords for each character while simultaneously increasing the power of each character, this guide introduces you to the eight most powerful Runewords to use in Diablo 2 to help you achieve your goal of increasing the power of each character.

It’s been resurrected and updated to reflect the most recent revisions to the Beginner’s Guide to Runewords in Diablo 2, which can be found at the link above.

According to the game’s statistics, the Spirit Runewords are among the top eight most overpowered  available in Diablo 2 Resurrection.

In particular, this runeword is beneficial to caster classes, particularly the sorceress, due to the fact that it grants a +2 bonus to all skills level 35 and higher, as well as a significant increase in mana and vitality. The addition of this item will make your hat collection that much more complete. In light of the low requirements of the crystal sword, it would appear that this rumored device within a four-socket weapon would be the most likely candidate for construction, as previously stated. If you are not a Paladin, you can still create a shield, though you will only be able to use the monarch shield because it is the most powerful. Absent a slight advantage in terms of resistances over the weapon variant, the shield variant performs nearly identically to the weapon variant in every other respect. Many players will re-roll this rune word multiple times in order to achieve the 35% Faster Cast Rate, which is a very common occurrence in the game world. Caster classes that must meet the Faster Cast Rate break points, in particular, will find this to be extremely advantageous.

Take into consideration the following considerations:

In Diablo 2, it can be placed into a four-socket rune word and given to a mercenary to aid him during his mission. In addition to providing a nice bonus to the enhanced damage of your mercenary’s weapon, this rune word grants you a Meditation Aura of levels 13 to 17, which can be extremely useful in a variety of situations. Because of the Meditation Aura he has equipped, he has the ability to regenerate mana at an extremely fast rate, which means that once you have a mercenary equipped with this Meditation Aura, all of your mana concerns are essentially resolved at that point as well.

You can overcome adversity if you work hard enough.

Additionally, as with the previous item, it is a fantastic mercenary enhancement to have on hand. This results in a significant bonus to enhanced defense while also providing a significant bonus to enhanced damage, resulting in it being a rare modification to find on armor as a result of its dual benefits. In addition to significantly increasing the output damage of your mercenary, you will also receive a life bonus, which will be extremely beneficial to your mercenary, as well as a nice bonus to all resistances of 30, which will be received as a result of this. Once all factors are taken into account, this runeword represents an excellent value for your mercenary while also being exceptionally effective.

Infinite possibilities exist in the world of possibility.

This item is a favorite of high level end game sorceresses because it has the ability to cause immune monsters to no longer be immune to spells and abilities when used. It also has the ability to break enemy resistance in difficulty, which makes it a favorite of high level end game sorceresses. This is not true of all hell difficulty monsters, despite the fact that there are a significant number of them that fit this description. In order to account for this, monsters in hell difficulty will typically have resistance values of 110 or 120, depending on the level of difficulty selected. Damage resistance of any item that has a resistance of 110 immunity to the effect will be reduced by half as a result of this effect. However, the fire slayer will eventually become more vulnerable to the conviction aura; however, the lasher will have a higher resistance to cold than the conviction aura at some point in the game. As a result of this action, his immunity is not jeopardized. Your mercenaries will also benefit from the infinity rune word’s significant damage enhancement bonus, as well as a pleasant faster run walk and a significant increase in vitality.

A person’s life is made more difficult when they experience a loss.

A melee weapon equipped with the D2R items word is the most powerful spell in the game, according to the game’s developers. As well as providing a significant bonus to attack speed and damage, this skill also provides a flat bonus to damage and a 15 percent increase to enhanced damage, among other benefits. As an added bonus, it increases damage by a significant amount. When used against demons, it completely disregards target defense and provides a significant bonus to damage, as opposed to other abilities, which provide an increase in damage based on character level. Additionally, the use of the runes ether, low mal, and ral in conjunction with one another results in a 20% lethal strike in addition. It is less difficult to obtain than other runic words, such as the zod rune word, for example.

This is a general call to arms that is open to anyone who wishes to participate.

It has now been made possible for characters of any race or ethnicity to use battle orders and battle commands, something that was previously impossible for them to do. In addition to increasing your mana and health by 74%, the use of battle orders also improves your skill by a similar amount. Typically, this is used as a secondary weapon, which means that you have your primary weapon and then use call to arms to increase your health and stamina as if you were in combat.

Located within the tree, the Inner Core of the Oak is a spherical structure with a hollow center that can be found.

The result will be a significant +3 to all skills as well as a 40% increase in Cast Rate, a pleasant Replenish life bonus, and a pleasant 15% increase in maximum matter, which can result in a significant amount of additional mana depending on your total mana pool. As a result, all resistances receive a significant boost of 40, which is applied to all of them simultaneously. Aside from being beneficial for elemental druids, it is also beneficial for hammer hemorrhages and even functional for sore sources, among a variety of other applications.

An Engima is an informal term in English that refers to someone who is advanced or has a high level of proficiency in a particular subject.

When the item is used, all skills receive a +2 bonus, and run/walk speed increases by an incredible 45% as a result of the item’s effect. According to the character’s level, it also provides a significant bonus to defense and a significant bonus to strength, among other benefits. The use of a monarch shield, for example, will reduce the amount of time characters must spend investing points in their strength, allowing them to devote those points to more advantageous traits. In addition, it has a significant impact on the overall performance of Magic Find, as previously stated. Due to the fact that it allows any character to teleport simply by equipping the appropriate skill, this item is the most frequently used item in D2R.