2010 Holiday Gala

Pinnacle Award

Dr. Chika Onyeani

According to a citation from Dean Burney J. Hollis of Morgan State University, awarding him the Distinguished Achievement Award in 2000, Dr. Chika Onyeani was described as “’A Man for All Seasons.’  An International diplomat, a pace-setting journalist, and a distinguished author, for over three decades he has been both pioneer and path-finder, beacon and trail-blazer, commander and mighty warrior.  From his current post as Editor-in-Chief of the African Sun Times and his various stations in the worldwide Pan-African Movement, Dr. Onyeani has achieved singularity and honor as one of Africa’s foremost statesmen.

“...He has been a courageous and forthright advocate of excellence and achievement for peoples of African descent around the world, and he issued this year a stentorian call for Black people to rise above being dependent and complacent consumers and become independent, reformed producers  - of culture, language, food, clothing, values and economies.  In his landmark publication - ‘Capitalist Nigger: The Road to Success’  - he issues an angry, but compassionate, cry for Black people around the world ...  to wake up to the reality of their own enormous potential and become economic warriors in the world.  He has penned an historic and ground-breaking economic, political and cultural treatise....that according to one critic, is the ‘definitive book on the Black race that every Black person would like to have written, but didn’t have the courage [to write.]’”

Chika Onyeani is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Africa’s No.1 newspaper in America, the African Sun Times, which he started publishing in 1999.  It is the only African newspaper on newsstands in the U.S., and which has been acclaimed by the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) as “the champion of the African agenda in America.”  The African Sun Times was voted the “Best Black Newspaper of the Year 2009”, by the Black Press Foundation.  He is the host of the only commercial radio program in English in America, “StraightTalk with Chika Onyeani on the AllAfricaRadio,” on WPAT 930 AM every Friday evening in New York, which is listened to by more than 60% of the over 600,000 Africans living in the tri-state area, as well as all around the world by millions of people with internet connections.

In 2005, Onyeani was one of only six experts invited by the African Union to Cairo, Egypt, to discuss the formation and launching of the Pan-African Television and Radio Channel.  In 2002, Onyeani led the Black Press to the launching of the African Union in Durban, South Africa.

Onyeani, who has been interviewed on more than 200 radio stations across the country, has also appeared on NBC-TV, ABC-TV, WOR-TV, CNN, Radio France International, and numerous times on Voice of America and the BBC, is recognized as the Dean of the African media in America, and was named by the New York Times as a “Fellow of the New York Times Institute of Journalists” in 2005. He has been profiled in more than 100 newspapers and magazines, the last one being a full-page article and photograph of Onyeani in the New York Daily News of November 13, 2008.  Just last Tuesday, April 7, 2009, Onyeani was interviewed for one hour on the Joey Reynolds Talk Radio on WOR 710 AM radio, which is one of the largest radio stations in the US, and syndicated throughout the country.  Voice of America’s television Focus on Africa interviewed Onyeani on May 11, 2009 for its continental wide broadcast.  In June, the New York Times featured the African Sun Times as one of three ethnic newspapers reporting on the World Cup in South Africa – the others being Italian and Spanish.

A former diplomat, Onyeani is the author of the explosive and internationally acclaimed No.1 bestselling book, “Capitalist Nigger: The Road to Success – A Spider Web Doctrine,” which stayed on the No.1 bestseller list for 7 months, as well as a blockbuster novel, “The Broederbond Conspiracy.  The first of Onyeani’s African Folk Tales series, “Odum The Lion,” was published in March, 2009.

Onyeani has received more than 65 awards, including twice being appointed “Goodwill Ambassador” for the State of Tennessee, as well as being presented with the Key to the City of Nashville.  One of the greatest honors accorded Onyeani was as a recipient of the February 22, 2004 Black Heritage Humanitarian Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), New York.  In May 2008, during its 33rd Congress in Tanzania, Onyeani received Africa Travel Association’s “Outstanding Achievement in the Promotion of Responsible Tourism to the Continent” award.

Onyeani has been a paid keynote speaker in many cities in the U.S., as well as Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, (South Africa); Manchester, England; Harare, Zimbabwe; plus pending invitations to keynote speak by the African National Congress, South Africa; Mayor of Durban, South Africa; the highly rated Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Germany and others in the US.

This May, Onyeani was honored by the Gambian Tourism Board with award of appreciation, and in August, he received the “SPIRIT OF AFRICA” Award in company of actor Jeffrey Wright and educator and former New York Regent, Dr. Adelaide Sanford.

On Friday, October 22, 2010, during a two-day Diaspora Meeting called by the African Union, Onyeani was nominated as one of six members to serve on the African Diaspora Strategic Task Team of the African Union, which then elected him Chairman.

Onyeani is founder and former National Chairman of the United African Congress, and sits on the board of directors of many African Diasporan organizations, including being the founder and chairman of the Celebrate Africa Foundation.  He is on the Board of Directors of Philip H. Michaels School in the Bronx, and the The Museum of African-American History.

Onyeani was educated in Nigeria, England and the U.S.  He is married to Loretta Hand Onyeani, a principal in the East Orange School District for 29 years.  They have two sons and two grandchildren.

Distinguished Professional

Tayo Okusanya

Omotayo Okusanya ("Tayo") is a Managing Director in the equity research department at Jefferies, and senior analyst responsible for coverage of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Prior to Jefferies, Tayo was employed at UBS Securities LLC for seven years, and was the lead analyst responsible for coverage of Healthcare, Biotech, Self Storage and Data Center REITs. Prior to UBS, he worked in public accounting at PriceWaterHouseCoopers LLC.

Tayo graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School, and has a B.Sc in Accounting and Computer Science (Summa Cum Laude) from Rutgers University. He is also a CFA charter holder and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). His research has been recognized in annual analyst rankings published by the Wall Street Journal (2008), as well as Forbes Magazine (2009 & 2010).

Image Award

Somi Kakoma

When Somi was growing up, her mother told her that the rain, ever unpredictable, could be as much a blessing as a challenge. The blessings might come before the rain, or they could come after—it's all in the timing, she said. That notion has stayed with the charismatic singer and songwriter all her life and now provides a metaphorical focus for her third album, If The Rains Come First. The album, which is out now on the ObliqSound label, is a stunning collection of self-penned story-based songs, a meditation on opening ourselves up to life's blessings and challenges much in the way that we accept the rain and all that it brings.

If the Rains Come First builds upon elements that first surfaced on Somi's two previous recordings: the electric soul-jazz of 2003's English-language Eternal Motive (SanaaHouse) and the acoustic, culture-merging elegance of 2007's multilingual Red Soil in My Eyes (World Village/Harmonia Mundi).  But her further evolution becomes immediately apparent as If the Rains Come First unfolds.  As The Boston Globe recently put it, Somi's new album "glistens with the sheen of an almost impossibly perfect cosmopolitanism, but that shouldn't be held against her."  Singing in English and three East African languages, Somi's vocal delivery is subtle yet the power she exerts is enormous.

A true multicultural woman, Somi was born in Illinois to immigrants from Rwanda and Uganda, then spent her early childhood in Zambia. The African cultural legacy, always crucial to her sound, is as vital as ever in her current music, which Somi likes to call New African Soul. But so too is the music she heard upon relocating to New York, with American jazz singers like Nina Simone and Sarah Vaughan as essential to her artistic development as the legendary African female voices of Miriam Makeba, Cesaria Evora and Sade.

With If the Rains Come First, Somi's songwriting has taken on a new sophistication and depth.  Co-produced by ObliqSound founder/president Michele Locatelli and labelmate Michael Olatuja, the percussive thrust at the heart of African music is also a fundamental component of If the Rains Come First.  That thrust is brought to bear by an all-star African rhythm section of Ivorian percussionist Madou Koné, Senegalese guitarist Herve Samb, and Nigerian bassist Olatuja himself. Somi recorded the album's 11 songs in Paris in order to take advantage of the city's sizable African music scene, then finished it in New York to avail herself of the world's greatest jazz community. Among the exemplary musicians who provide the coloring that fleshes out Somi's songs are longtime collaborators Toru Dodo on Fender Rhodes and piano, and guitarists Liberty Ellman, David Gilmore and Locatelli.  The album also features the legendary Hugh Masekela, a longtime Somi fan who has become a mentor, guesting on trumpet.

From the album's opening track, "Hot Blue," Somi's delicate yet pliant vocalizing is matched by the band's flair for establishing a potent groove against a sweet melody line. "Rising," a song about faith and navigating life's challenges, is all forward motion, a flawless juxtaposition of sizzling rhythm, instantly memorable melody and a vocal style that JazzTimes magazine describes as "the earthy gutsiness of Nina Simone blended with the vocal beauty of Dianne Reeves," Billboard calls "all elegance and awe…utterly captivating," and Vogue simply calls "superb."

"Somi has an incredible subtlety and different colors in her voice," notes Locatelli. "Her music has many different personalities, and she is an amazing songwriter with beautiful ideas. For this album, we wanted to bring out her intimate side, as well as her gift for melodic storytelling."

As her career has taken off, Somi's talents have been called upon for collaborations and live performances with such greats as John Legend, Cassandra Wilson, Mos Def and Paul Simon. Most recently, internationally renowned Israeli singer-songwriter Idan Raichel featured her vocals on his latest album Within My Walls (Cumbancha), on the track "Maisha," which Somi also co-wrote. In addition to her own works, Somi also aims to bring other important cultural gems to light, and has founded a non-profit arts organization, New Africa Live, committed to producing multidisciplinary events that celebrate contemporary African artists.

As active as she is, Somi always takes the time necessary to finesse each song she crafts. If the Rains Come First reveals the careful attention she pays to getting the details right. "I never force a song out" she says. "Usually having quiet space for introspection and meditation inspires me deeply.  I've also begun doing more co-writing with the musicians in my band for stronger harmonic arrangements and the opportunity to share the music with them in a more personal way. The songs on this album show where I am emotionally and spiritually today. At the end of the day, I still know who I am and where home is before, during, and after the rain—it's in the music."

Community Hero

Immaculee Ilibagiza

Immaculée Ilibagiza is a living example of faith put into action. Immaculée's life was transformed dramatically during the 1994 Rwandan genocide where she and seven other women spent 91 days huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor's house. Immaculée entered the bathroom a vibrant, 115-pound university student with a loving family - she emerged weighing just 65 pounds to find her entire family had been brutally murdered (with the exception of one brother who had been studying out of the country). Immaculée's strength in her faith empowered her to stare down a man armed with a machete threatening to kill her during her escape. She also later came face to face with the killer of her mother and her brother and said the unthinkable, "I forgive you." Immaculée knew, while in hiding, that she would have to overcome immeasurable odds without her family and with her country destroyed. Fortunately, Immaculée utilized her time in that tiny bathroom to teach herself English with only The Bible and a dictionary; once freed she was able to secure a job with the United Nations.

In 1998, Immaculée immigrated to the United States where she continued her work with the UN. During this time she shared her story with co-workers and friends, who were so impacted they insisted she write it down in book form. Three days after finishing her manuscript she met best selling author, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, who, within minutes of meeting her, offered to publish her book. Dyer is quoted as saying, "There is something much more than charisma at work here - Immaculée not only writes and speaks about unconditional love and forgiveness, but she radiates it wherever she goes." Immaculée's first book, Left to Tell; Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust (Hay House) was released in March of 2006. Left to Tell quickly became a New York Times Best Seller. To date it has been translated into seventeen languages worldwide. Immaculée's story has also been made into a documentary titled The Diary of Immaculée. She has appeared in numerous media including 60 Minutes, The CBS Early Morning Show, CNN, EWTN, The Aljazeera Network, The New York Times, USA Today, Newsday, and many other domestic and international outlets. She was recently featured in Michael Collopy's Architects of Peace project, which has honored legendary people like Mother Teresa, Jimmy Carter, Nelson Mandela, and the Dalai Lama.

Immaculée has received honorary doctoral degrees from The University of Notre Dame, Saint John's University, Seton Hall University, Siena College and Walsh University. She has been recognized and honored with numerous humanitarian awards including: The Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace 2007; a finalist as one of Belifnet.com's "Most Inspiring People of the Year 2006," and a recipient of the American Legacy's Women of Strength & Courage Award. Left toTell has received a Christopher Award "affirming the highest values of human spirit," and been chosen as Outreach Magazine's selection for "Best Outreach Testimony/Biography Resource of 2007." Left to Tell has been adopted into the curriculum of dozens of high schools and universities, including Villanova University, which selected it for the 2007-2008 "One Book Program," making Left to Tell mandatory reading for 6,000 students. Immaculée has written three additional books in recent years. Led by Faith: Rising from the Ashes of the Rwandan Genocide, Our Lady of Kibeho and If Only We Had Listened.  She has also signed a contract with MPower Pictures to produce a major motion picture about her story. Today Immaculée is regarded as one of world's leading speakers on peace, faith, and forgiveness. She has shared her universal message with world dignitaries, school children, multinational corporations, churches, and at many conferences.

Friend of Africa

Dr. Bruce Charash

Dr. Bruce Charash is a graduate of  Cornell University (1977), Cornell Medical School (1981) and is currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at NYU Medical School, and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.  Dr. Charash is Board Certified in both the fields of Internal Medicine and Cardiology. 

Dr. Charash is the founder and Chairman of the Board of  “Doc to Dock” a non-government organization which collects medical supplies from the American medical community (doctors, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry) and ships them to health care providers in developing nations (throughout Africa). 

Dr. Charash is Vice President of the James R. Jordan Foundation International, which is building a women’s and children’s hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.   Doc to Dock has formed a partnership with the James R. Jordan Foundation in this Nairobi project, and will fill the hospital with medical supplies and equipment once the physical structure is complete.

Dr. Charash is also the founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Apple P.I.E. (Partners in Education), a non-profit initiative directed at improving science education in public schools by creating and providing teachers with a free curriculum supplement explaining their grade level science curriculum.  Dr. Charash has recruited scientists in the private sector, with special communication skills, to help explain the scientific theories to the teachers, as well as to provide the relevance and practical perspective of the scientific topics. 

Dr. Charash is the author of the book Heart Myths, Viking 1991, which explained many of the common misunderstandings of heart disease to the public.  He has appeared on over 200 call-in radio shows and on over 30 television shows discussing public health and heart disease prevention.  He has given over 800 lectures to his peers, and over 200 lectures to the public on various medical topics, including heart disease prevention and treatment. 

Dr. Charash received the New York State “Outstanding Physician of the Year Award” in 2008 from the Greater New York Hospital Association.

Officer of the Year

Elizabeth Omondi

Elizabeth Omondi currently works with the New York City Agency Human Resources Administration
and Department of Social Services. Prior to that she worked for the law firm of Muthoga, Gaturu and
Company Advocates in Nairobi Kenya working on various litigious and non litigious matters. She
has also worked with the World Economic Forum Disaster Resource Network New York where she
provided programmatic support on communication preparedness initiatives globally and at the UNDP
Millennium Development Goals Carbon Emission Facility Project. She is the founder of Africa Project
53 a non profit organization whose mission is dedicated to promoting and supporting development
initiatives within Africa with initial projects focused on Somalia. Elizabeth has an LL.B. in Law from the
University of Reading, United Kingdom and a Masters degree in International Affairs from the Center for
Global Affairs, New York University. Born and raised in Kenya,she has a particular interest in economic
and social development within the African continent.

Member of the Year

Nekpen Osuan

Nekpen Osuan recently completed her Masters at Columbia University and graduated with Honors from Baylor University, where she studied Economics and Leadership. Nekpen finds joy in supporting efforts to improve access to quality education for the poor and marginalized, and considers it a privilege to be able to support the mission of AfriMETRO, Inc. Nekpen is a former DMI Congressional Scholar and a PFAW Foundation Young People For Fellow with particular interest in public service and organizational leadership. A Leadership Fellow in the Baylor Academy for Civic Engagement, she served in a number of roles as an undergraduate including serving in residential student life, the Baylor NAACP, the Student Government and the Pi Mu chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.. Nekpen identifies her most formative experiences working alongside elected leaders in Texas and the District of Columbia whose humility strengthened her understanding of servant leadership. Prior to moving to New York, Nekpen completed a year-long service fellowship working with underprivileged youth at the MATCH Charter High School in Boston, and she currently serves as a Resident Fellow at the International House of New York. In her free time, Nekpen enjoys following politics, reading biographies and cooking international cuisine."