Africa is one of the most blessed Continents, endowed with so much beauty and the best of nature! Her people are uniquely endowed, as if ‘carefully hand -picked’ by the Creator Himself and Ooohh so talented, richly gifted with hardworking men and women ready to work round the clock to fend for their families. We have deep-rooted tendencies, most of which still remain untapped. I’ve been privileged to move across Africa and the experience has been an eye-opener. The people are blessed and have come a long way. From the man who walks miles and miles with a stack of firewood on his head, with which he makes a single chair that he sells for 2shillings after working the whole day; to a merchandise…. yet there is more! Africa is gifted with Great talents! We have got so much in the world of Arts and Culture; very rich creativity when it comes to music, photography, film making,poetry, so much. I just wish we can diversify and stop relying on mineral resources; which are just additions and not all we are made of. Art brings us together.Through the creation of painters, sculptors, photographers, potters, poetry and music; we find a common ground in beauty and human expression! Africa is one of the fastest growing regions in the world. However, much of its growth is tied to the resource sector and calls are being made for economies to diversify. One sector that holds strong promise for the continent is the Creative Sector. While it’s contribution may be small today, it’s potential is HUGE! Together with a blessed and dear sister of mine, IJEOMA NWANKWO, we have been drawing up programs for students in schools, building crafts, encouraging vocational studies and above all chanelling pathways for a total ‘mind overhaul’; because schooling is a system to inform, inspire and reform man to become resourceful, creative andproductive by a given course of life. The proof of education is NOT a certificate; rather, it is CREATIVITY. To grow, we must think. When last did you think? Yes, I mean THINK?? Great ideas are never allowed in systems, you must think outside the box. When you have an idea, don’t allow the business system, economic system, education system stiffle it. If Jesus was in the system and died in the system, none of us would have accessed Him or what He carried. GET OUT OF THE BOX!!!! Valentine’s day is a day to show LOVE between spouses, families and loved ones. But this year; we are taking it across nations and that is why we have chosen to have a special time with over 800 prisoners, in the Bushenyi prison; Uganda, East Africa. Sharing life, giving hope. The push for integration has led to pulling youths and students close from different nationalities across Africa. This is because moral decadence is fast becoming ‘next to none’ and slowly drowning our youths. The venom of HIV among others, is digging deep, poverty crippling the system, violence destroying all we have worked so hard for over the years; curruption biting badly into our economy! Do we fold our hands and watch these cankerworm bring destruction? NO! Just this week, we were with a young lady whose family is already battling with theplague of HIV, only for her to discover she was pregnant. This coming just at the brinks of a new reformation in her life. You can’t imagine how distraught and devastated she was. Yet, it will amaze you to know that by the time we discovered and sat her down to talk with her on the issue, she had already gone ahead to terminate the pregnancy, just the previous day. Even at that, she could not get over the guilt feelings that she is as good as a murderer with blood stains in her hands. Guilt can kill. Oooh how she cried as I held her in my arms that day, with a realization that a suicide attempt was looming ahead, if not well managed… there is no length to the distance our sin takes us away from God, that His arms of love are not willing to pull us back. It took long getting her to see from that perspective, forgive herself and move on! The lives of many are full of wonder, sorrows, happiness, sadness, love and loss. No matter who we are, or where we come from; the people of the world share an unbreakable connection…. our common humanity. A stunning glimpse into the stories of people from all works of life reveals the need for us to reach out in love to the next person standing right by, because you never know what they may be going through. I met four, adorable children yesterday, all from the same family; Anita, Caro, Arnold and Andrew Kimsita. Despite the predicament the family may be in; Anita nurses the hopes of becoming Uganda’s president some day! Hmmmmmmnn… Pablo Piccasso once said; “Every child is an artist, the problem is how to remain an artist, once he or she grows up” Anything is possible! If that child is taught to believe same, coached to realize all the gifting he/she carries on the inside guided and mentored adequately, then indeed anything can happen. If all sectors of our economy collaborate, then perhaps, we can make sure that the Continent’s children remain artists when they grow up. Two decades ago, there was little foundation to develop a passion in the creative sector. Young Africans who had passion and talent in art, music and film could not develop them into a profession. This was partly because they could not locate individuals who could put them through or access institutional support such as schools where they could develop their career. Fortunately, the situation is changing across theAfrican continent. So much revenue can be generated from the creative economy which originates from cultural expression; such as literature, music, performing and visual arts along with other creative industries such as films, museums, galleries, libraries and photography. Related industries including advertising, architectural design, fashion and wider cultural industries such as publishing,/print media, TV, radio, sound recording, video and computer games all play a part. Find your niche. You can do something creative…come; You can develop on some ideas of the past…come. You have something new that can showcase the African culture in a self advertising way… come. Lets learn to use the raw materials we have here to devolop the things we can use here. Lets encourage and patronise each other in the things we can create with our own gifted hands. In all, we would discover we have all it takes to raise the giant in Africa’s economy! Many years ago, as a child, I remember a little boy in my neighborhood who constructed an airplane out of tinker and somehow, had a remote with which he could control it’s take off from the ground and movement for some few minutes in the air. It was a great fascination for us then as kids. But thinking about it now; I wonder what that child’s life has amounted to now.i mean these are the ‘creators’ we are talking about that this age needs. In another environment; that child could have been taken up instantly and tutored to perfection! What makes our case different? This is where LOVE comes in. If I love you enough, then I would encourage and fan to flames the tiniest bit of passion for creativity that I see ignited in you, without being threatened at your rising. This is why the story of #Olajumoke the bread seller-turned model discovered by T. Y. Bello, is intriguing. Lets search out talents in love, encourage one another in love. When I bring together three different ankara materials to tie one head gear, I discover they only beautifully complement each other, because there is beauty in diversity. When we join hands together, we discover there is uniqueness in diversity and that’s what colors the transition. Color is Love, Agreement and Unity….all in one. Your tribe does not matter, your mother-tongue does not matter….all that matters is what you carry. We can manufacture things here with perfection for export far across the seas. This is the renewed Integration Push! THE LOVE DIMENSION Coloring a New Transformation….. By Gabriel Whyte Nwachukwu The world needs love Let’s show it Africa needs love Let’s spread it around Stretch forth your hand and give Because love is a gift that must be given If happiness must reign Love the beggar on the street And put some penny in his hand Love the poor child on bare feet That cringes for a hand to hold Be the pillar of those around you And you will find real happiness Because when they are happy You are happy Where is joy outside love? Where is happiness to be found outside love? The world is growing old before its time Because she has been starved of love Spread it to the passenger you don’t know Show it to the cab driver with a smile Love those that mock you For in showing them love.