SuperSport viewers on DStv can look forward to a special dedicated to the best African players which have graced the Premier League through the years.

DStv is the only true home of football in Africa, offering a range and depth of action from one of the most trusted sports brands in the world – it’s ‘Unbeatable Football’!

Friday 24 March 2023 will see the Premier League channel air a ‘PL GOATs African XI’ special (at 20:00 CAT) in which SuperSport, in conjunction with Premier League Productions, will feature a special 52 minute show in which Thomas Mlambo, Leeds legend Lucas Radebe and former Premier League star, John Barnes, select their greatest African PL XI of all time in celebration of 30 years of the Premier League.

After the March 24 broadcast, fans will be able to vote for the Premier League’s greatest African XI from a shortlist of 30. A vibrant mix of talent and star power who have shone through the years and revealed between the 7th and the 24th of March on www.supersport.com/africaxi

From March 24 to May 25, fans will be able to vote online (www.supersport.com/africaxi) for their 11 best-ever African players – no formation required. The campaign will culminate in a gala awards dinner in Lagos, Nigeria to unveil the chosen African All-Star XI as per the fans’ selections.

The day of March 24 – in the build up to ‘PL GOATs African XI’ – will feature interviews, stories and features on some of the African stars past and present that have plied their trade in the English Premier League, including the likes of Tony Yeboah, Didier Drogba, Mohamed Salah, Jay Jay Okocha, Lucas Radebe, and more.

These interviews, stories and features will underline how African players have helped to define what today is regarded as one of, if not the, greatest sporting league in the world – from Radebe’s inspiration leadership on the field and his community work off it; the power and desire of Drogba which helped transform Chelsea to a powerhouse of the game; Salah’s wondrous scoring exploits for Liverpool that have guaranteed him hero status on Merseyside for all time; and everything in between.

No rival can compete with SuperSport’s coverage. Our viewers on DStv enjoy an unrivalled selection of football from around the world!

Don’t miss the best football action on SuperSport on DStv. Visit www.dstv.com to subscribe or upgrade and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on the DStv App.

Slamm Technologies Limited – a leading global Information Technology (IT) services provider – has partnered with AmaliTech Ghana Limited to provide employment opportunities and industry experience to young Ghanaians in the technology space.

The collaboration, formalised with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), will focus on three areas upskilling students in web and software development; mentorship programs, as well as employment, National Service, and internship opportunities at AmaliTech.

Speaking at the ceremony, Head of IT Training Support and Services at Slamm Technologies, Prince Carl Tuffuor Frimpong, who signed the MoU on behalf organisation explained that the partnership aims to bridge the skills gap in the country and equip young persons with the necessary tools to excel in the digital world.

“This MoU is to support the development of Ghana’s youth by providing them with valuable employment opportunities and industry experience in the technology sector. As part of the initiative, Slamm Technologies will seek to connect its graduates with digital and non-digital programs offered by AmaliTech and these programmes are designed to equip participants with the skills needed to work as freelancers or secure decent job opportunities upon completion of their training,” he said.

He stated that the agreement forms part of Slamm Technologies’ effort to contribute to the rapidly growing tech space and the country’s overall economic growth.

“The partnership between Slamm Technologies and AmaliTech Ghana Limited represents a valuable opportunity for Slamm Technologies to expand its reach, improve the employability of its graduates, and support the growth of the tech industry in Ghana,” Mr. Frimpong further remarked.

On his part, the Director of Operations at AmaliTech Ghana, Matthew Opoku-Darkwa, reiterated the need to train more young people, especially women, in the digital space. According to him, Slamm Technologies represents the ideal partner to help recruit people operating in the tech space, particularly women, to their service centre.

“This agreement is in place to encourage more participation in the tech sector, and we need to support our young people who are interested in technology, particularly women. This agreement aims to prepare these students for the local as well as the global job market,” he said.

He was optimistic that the union will achieve its objective of giving young people who are interested in technology jobs that require technical skills for both the domestic and global markets.

Elaborating further on the opportunities presented by the partnership, Executive Secretary at Slamm Technologies, Cinzia Amartei, stated that graduates of the Software Development programme would be considered for promotion to Level 2 of AmaliTech’s GTP programme.

This, she added, would hinge upon passing assessments in areas such as HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

The graduates would also have access to AmaliTech’s Digital Innovation Programme for National Service and freelancing opportunities, she noted. “The primary objective is to connect Slamm Technologies’ graduates with AmaliTech’s Graduate Trainee Programme, with a focus on web and software development, although not limited to it. Successful completion of the programme would lead to employment as a software developer,” she said.

With passports and chessboards in hand, six Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students will travel 6,000 miles to Chorkor, a small fishing community in Accra, Ghana. There, they will teach and play chess and learn about local culture from the experts: Ghanaian students. Sponsored by a grant from the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, this trip is designed to promote cross-cultural understanding for urban youth in both countries and to expose youth to the power of citizen diplomacy.

“Chess is a universal language, spoken by people from all walks of life through the centuries,” said Matthew Kearney, Executive Director of the Chicago Chess Foundation. “This international trip demonstrates how chess has the power to break down barriers—including geography, religion, race, and gender—to unite people.”

The students are a part of the Ghana-Chicago Chess Exchange, a partnership that started online during the pandemic as a way to create cross-cultural relationships between students in Ghana and Chicago. Over the past two years, the teens have participated in virtual meet-ups to play chess and have conversations about their lives and cultures. The visiting Chicago students are from the Austin, Belmont Cragin, Edgewater, Gage Park, Jefferson Park, and Norwood Park neighborhoods. To broaden the visit’s reach, additional Chicago students will participate in online chess and cultural activities with Ghana students during the trip.

The Chicagoans have prepared an itinerary of chess learning and competition for the Ghana students during their week-long visit. In addition to chess, the Ghana students will learn about U.S. history and play American football. They will host a free street chess festival to give local adults and children the chance to learn and play chess, as well.

“All of the students are excited to meet and talk with their new friends from Chicago and learn how to become more competitive chess players,” said Patricia Wilkins, founder and Executive Director of BASICS, aThe hosts in Ghana will prepare cultural visits to areas of Ghana, including the capital city of Accra and Cape Coast, which is known for its dark history of transatlantic slave trading. Chicago students will learn about African drumming and screen printing.

“I am really excited to visit Ghana and share my passion for chess with the students and community in Chorkor,” said CPS student Jack Heller, 16, a U.S. Chess Federation-titled Expert and 501(C)(3) nonprofit in the US and a recognized non-government organization (NGO) in Ghana. “They are also eager to show off the beauty, culture, and history of Ghana to our visitors.”

Since 2000, BASICS International has impacted over 300,000 through community outreach, and provided more than 3,000 educational sponsorships, of which half was provided to girls. one of Chicago’s top chess players. “I may be going there as a chess teacher, but I am definitely a beginner student when it comes to Ghana culture and history. I think this will be a life-changing trip for me.”

The Waakye Summit, one of Ghana’s largest food festivals, has once again brought Accra to a standstill with its fifth edition held earlier this month at the Mmofra Place, next to Marvel’s mini-golf, at Dzorwulu, Accra.

The festival, organized by a group of young and enterprising business executives, saw about 4,000 people from all walks of life converge to eat, drink, play and network. The event served not only as a chance to celebrate and enjoy delicious Waakye, but as an opportunity for businesses to network and build partnerships.

It brought together some of the most renowned and best Waakye vendors in the capital including Sisters Waakye, Adabraka; Hajia Waakye Boutique, Madina; Rockz Waakye, Rockstone’s Office; Fulera Waakye and Waakye Wifi, both at Madina. Others include Waakye Exclusive, (Nyaho) Airport Residential Area; Anadwo Waakye, East Legon; The Lord is My Shepherd Waakye, Adjiringanor; and Assibi Number 1 Waakye also located at East Legon.

These were accompanied by other local delicacies including palm wine, sobolo, asana, lamogin and also suya, grills, ice cream and pancakes. Side attractions included paintball, video games, painting sessions, a kids’ area, and music from a live band and brass band; it was once again a top-notch memorable experience.

Beyond Accra and Ghana – a tourism initiative

The festival is also in line with the ‘See Ghana, Eat Ghana, Wear Ghana, Feel Ghana’ campaign, which aims to promote domestic tourism and enhance the economic viability of Ghana’s cultural identity while growing local markets and gaining access to global markets. The ‘Eat Ghana’ agenda is given top priority, and the festival offers the perfect platform to promote Ghanaian food and culture.

Consequently, in line with expanding the national ‘Eat Ghana’ agenda, the organizers of the Waakye Summit have set their sights on taking the event to other cities in the country and then beyond the shores of Ghana, in the process becoming the biggest food festival on the continent.

“We have seen first-hand the reception from local and foreign participants and we are optimistic that this could be one of the country’s major tourism exports. The goal is to promote tourism in Ghana through this initiative,” said Derrick Crentsil, the Founder and Lead Organizer.

The origin

Recounting its origin, Derrick Crentsil said the Waakye Summit started through the @Waakye_Radar blog on Instagram and Facebook, which he founded with Jessica Poku, a partner, and they sought to share their reviews and direct lovers of the Waakye delicacy to the best joints in Ghana.

“As the community of Waakye lovers grew, I created the festival as the next step in bringing both the followers and Waakye vendors together to celebrate and promote this delicacy in an effort to make it known globally. I am grateful to be working with a team who are equally as excited about the idea and passionate in making this vision a reality,” Derrick Crentsil noted.

The maiden edition was held in December 2018 at the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra with seven Waakye vendors, and was attended by about 500 attendees. Subsequent editions saw steady growth in patrons and vendors.

Empowering women and promoting digital inclusion

The Waakye Summit, according to Lady Mardell Masopeh, one of the organizers, is particularly concerned about ensuring that vendors, most of whom are women, receive payments at the lowest cost possible. Consequently, the Waakye Summit is viewed as an intersection between women empowerment and technology.  In this recent edition, the vendors were set up to receive payments via GhQR.

“About 75 percent of the vendors were women, and as organizers, who are passionate about promoting digital transactions, we have taken steps and ensured that about 40 percent of the transactions were done digitally. Our goal is to drive this up significantly in subsequent editions,” she added.

Next edition

According to Caleb Darko, a co-organiser, the sixth edition of the Waakye Summit scheduled for December 26, 2023, will be even bigger, and will provide the opportunity for more corporate participation, a wider catalogue of side attractions and businesses of other local products, and most importantly, an increase in the number of participating Waakye vendors.

The fifth Waakye Summit was sponsored by Maggi, Malta Guinness, Fidelity Bank, Bel Aqua, Uber, and Vigor Security Services. Media partners were Asaase Radio, Mx24 TV, NET2 TV, and Oman FM.

Ghana’s elite had a once-in-a-lifetime experience at a recent event where they got to taste The Macallan Reflexion, one of the world’s most prestigious Scotch whiskies priced on average at $3,000 a bottle.
Part of The Macallan Masters Decanter Series, Reflexion was created to showcase the beautiful range of The Macallan’s natural colours.

The event tagged “The Macallan Experience” was a rare opportunity for Ghana’s elites to experience the luxury of the brand in an eco-friendly location, Country Club, Accra.

The guests were wowed by The Macallan’s unparalleled quality and taste making it the world’s most renowned single malt whisky.

One of the attendees who chose to remain unidentified expressed his delight, saying, “The Macallan Experience was truly an unforgettable evening. Getting to taste some of the most exclusive whisky in the world and learning about the distillation process was truly unique.”

Apple Music today announced the latest featured artist in its Africa Rising artist development program is Port Elizabeth-born pop singer-songwriter Lloyiso (real name Lloyiso Gijana).

“It’s an honour to be selected as the next Africa Rising artist on Apple Music,” Lloyiso says. “Apple has been a major supporter of mine from the very beginning and I’m so excited to continue working together via this program. This is just the start of what’s to come – I’m taking my music all the way from South Africa to the world!”

With a love for music grounded in his participation in the church choir growing up, Lloyiso caught the attention of the public after he entered SA Idols in 2015. After placing fifth, Lloyiso went on to perform wherever possible around the country, but it was his covers of popular songs from artists like Rihanna, Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi that gained him viral notoriety.

After making history as the first South African artist signed to Republic Records in America, Lloyiso made his mark with stunningly honest singles “Easy On Me” (2021) and “Speak”(2022), tapping into an emotional vulnerability far beyond his young years.

His debut album Seasons (2023), available to stream on Apple Music in Spatial Audio now, is a 7-track culmination of his artistic growth spearheaded by soulful track “Run” and emotive ballad “What Would I Say”.

The latest music from Lloyiso along with that of Africa’s hottest new artists, is available now on the Apple Music Africa Rising Playlist.

Discover Africa Rising here: applemusic.com/africarising

Apple Music’s Africa Rising, is an exclusive artist development programme and companion playlist geared towards identifying, showcasing and elevating rising talent and introducing the next generation of African superstars. Africa Rising alumni to date include: Omah Lay, Manu Worldstar, Tems, Amaarae, Ayra Starr, Yaw Tog, Blxckie and Nikita Kering. Africa Rising sees Apple Music select six artists every year who each receive a minimum of two months of editorial support across the Apple Music platform including a launch interview with Nadeska on Apple Music 1. Nadeska has also launched a new weekly Africa Rising feature on her show highlighting the hottest new artists on the continent.

Africa Rising is the latest of many Apple Music initiatives aimed at taking African talent to the world. Now available in 33 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, Apple Music 1 is home to Africa Now Radio with host LootLove which has featured interviews with some of the continent’s hottest artists such as Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Cassper Nyovest, Mr Eazi, Patoranking, Rayvanny, Kiddominant, Mayorkun, Fireboy DML, Adekunle Gold, Master KG, Yaw Tog, Blxckie, Nikita Kering, Buju, FAVE, Nomfundo Moh and Moliy.

Apple Music also selected Nigerian Afrobeats singer-songwriter Tems as its Up Next artist in 2021, Nigerian Afropop star Rema in 2020, Grammy Award-winning Afrofusion superstar Burna Boy in 2019, and Nigerian singer and entrepreneur Mr Eazi as the first recipient in 2017. Up Next is Apple Music’s global emerging artist program.