🔅 "How Do You Like Them Visas, Westeners?”
Hair Art and Weaving Social Issues & Meta's Nigerian Scam Purge
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Namibia to Western Tourists: "How Do You Like Them Visas?”
Pack your bags, your sense of entitlement, and $90, folks! Namibia's about to give Western tourists a taste of their own bureaucratic medicine.
Starting next April, visitors from 33 countries, including the US, UK, and Canada, will need to get a visa on arrival. Namibia is essentially saying, “Time for some visa karma!"
The country’s been extending "gestures of goodwill" to these countries for years, letting their citizens waltz in visa-free. Meanwhile, Namibians have been jumping through more hoops than a circus performer just to visit these same countries.
But don't worry, Western tourists. The visa process will still be a walk in the park compared to what Africans face. No need to provide six months of bank statements, a detailed travel history, or a vial of your tears. Just slap down $90 at the airport, and you're in!
Social media is having a field day with this news. One commenter suggested Namibia should require visitors to "submit a bible of documents, take medical tests, [and] Namibian language tests."
"Strands & Structures": Weaving Ghana's Social Issues Through Hair Art
In early 2022, while driving through Teshie Bushroad in Accra, Ghana, hairstylist and designer Asia Clarke was inspired by a partly demolished building with exposed iron rods. The structure's unfinished state sparked an idea to explore Ghana's social, environmental, and economic challenges through the art of braiding.
Clarke reached out to photographer and creative producer Christian Saint, and together they developed the concept for a photo documentary exhibition titled "Strands & Structures."
The duo created striking images that personified various issues facing Ghana:
In "Transportation," models don headpieces made from bicycle tire rims and braided synthetic hair, reflecting Accra's complicated transportation problems, such as air pollution, road erosion, and safety.
"Energy" features a headpiece made from electrical circuit wire connected to a prepaid electricity meter, highlighting the country's frequent power outages and their impact on citizens and businesses.
Saint, who has worked with notable artists like Afrobeats sensation Davido, intentionally captured the images in a documentary style to keep them authentic. The artists also collaborated with writer and researcher Brian Owusu-Konadu to interview individuals about the challenges they face in their communities, creating an immersive soundscape that demonstrates the interconnectedness of these issues.
A Successful Debut and Plans for Global Impact
"Strands & Structures" debuted at The Mix Gallery in Accra on January 5 to great acclaim, with the show being extended until February 2.
The exhibition included a panel discussion, an outreach program for students, and hair sculpture workshops.
Encouraged by the positive reception and inquiries from diaspora members about touring the exhibition, Clarke and Saint decided to bring the show to Toronto, Canada. From June 14 through July 28, "Strands & Structures" will make its North American debut at Unit 270 Gallery, aiming to provide context about the multifaceted reality of living in Ghana and showcase the beauty and complexity of Afro-Caribbean hair sculpture throughout the diaspora.
So if you’re one of our subscribers reading this from Toronto, why not check it out?
"Strands & Structures" speaks to the power of creativity in raising awareness and inspiring change. Clarke and Saint hope to continue touring with the show, potentially expanding it to explore issues in different parts of the world through the art of hair sculpture.
Meta's Great Nigerian Scam Purge: When "Yahoo Boys" Get Unfriended
Meta's just pulled off the digital equivalent of fumigating a roach-infested apartment. The tech giant has kicked out about 63,000 Nigerian accounts from Instagram that were trying to pull off financial extortion scams.
These scammers, known as "Yahoo boys", have been busy little bees.
They're the masterminds behind emails promising you millions if you just send them your bank details. You know, the ones that make you wonder, "Do people actually fall for this?" Spoiler alert: They do.
But Meta didn't stop at Instagram. They also showed 7,200 Facebook accounts, pages, and groups the digital door. These weren't just your run-of-the-mill scam accounts; oh no, these were the scam influencers, if you will. They were out there providing tips on how to scam people.
Now, before you start feeling too sorry for these poor, misunderstood scammers, remember what they're up to. We're talking about "sextortion" here. That's when someone threatens to release your compromising photos unless you pay up.
The good news is that most of these scam attempts were about as successful as a snowball's chance in the Sahara.
Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers are not amused. They're accusing Mark Zuckerberg and his social media cronies of having "blood on their hands" for not protecting kids from online predators.
Food for Thought
“The death of an elderly man is like a burning library."
— Ivorian Proverb
Asia Clarke and Christian Saints creative collaboration is so extravagant, powerful and beautiful. Big respect!