THE HERALD CHRONICLE Dec. 15, 2007 - Dec. 21, 2007 B1

BSECTION AUTO REVIEW BRINGS THE ENCHANTMENT OF AFRICA TO CINCINNATI

Mazda CX-9 page B3

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DECEMBER 14 After Midnight at The Greenwich. Enjoy a live video taping for the upcoming Channel 38 program "After Midnight”, highlighting a variety of musicians and artists from around the region. The banquet hall at Jungle Jim's complex in Fairfield was set for a chief, His Royal Highness Charles Mbah, Igwe of Nigeria, for the NuWay Foundation gala. The Greenwich. By Dan Yount DECEMBER 15 The Cincinnati Herald Get into the Christmas Spirit the old-fashioned way by making your very own Christmas craft. incinnatians mingled with royalty and vil- William Howard Taft National lagers from far-off Nigeria during an enchant- Historic Site. Time 12 p.m. ed evening hosted by locally-based NuWay My Nose Turns Red Theatre Co Foundation to raise money to help the people presents: The New Millennium Youth Circus Holiday of the village of Awa in that country own Extravaganza. Forty area small businesses and develop medical, water, children ages 6-18 perform amazing feats and comic and other community services. routines celebrating the Awa village Chief Charles Mbah, Igwe called the Bianu or coming art of the theatrical clown. Ctogether event, “The greatest day in my life.'' He said he was elated and Time 2 p.m. Aronoff. happy to attend the event. “Thank you, America, for your contributions and in the other ways you NuWay Foundation Board Chair Evans Nwankwo, at left, DECEMBER 19 make these things possible for our village,'' he ount presents the foundation's 2007 International Bridge Award to "Rhetoric". Spoken word exhibi- Y said. Robert "Chip" Harrod of BRIDGES for a Just Community. At right tion features open mic sessions At the foundations' Bianu/A Coming Together is Cathy Nwankwo. and musical guests. Time 8 p.m. gala, the magic was in the air at the Oscar among people. Harrod was The Greenwich. Banquet Hall at the Jungle Jim's complex in originator and founding gg Smith and Dan Fairfield Nov. 30 as relatives, friends and acquain- president of the National Blue Wisp Big Band. tances from the two countries, many in colorful y Gre Underground Railroad Time 8:30 p.m. African dress, enjoyed African music and dance Freedom Center. Blue Wisp Jazz Club. while they dined on Nigerian stew of chicken and Photos b Founded in 2006 by Evans and Cathy Nwanko, FRISCH'S THE NUTCRACKER. NuWay Foundation seeks Tchaikovsky's dazzling score to transform the lives and sets the scene for a fairytale economic conditions of the adventure starring Marie and her less fortunate through edu- beloved Nutcracker doll turned cation, community build- Prince. Keep an eye out for ing, and economic develop- magicians, dancing rats, living ment. In its first year, dolls, and of course, sugar plum NuWay focused its efforts fairies! Aronoff. in Awa, installing four Through Dec 29. fresh water pumps, provid- ing school supplies and page funding five additional His Royal Highness Charles Mbah, Igwe A Nigerian dancer from Awa schoolteachers for the vil- B4 (Chief) of Awa village, Nigeria, addresses the village performs in a high-ener- lage. crowd at the NuWay Foundation gala. gy dance performance at the Evans Nwankwo is NuWay Foundation Gala. NuWay, continued on page B2

These Cincinnatians attending the NuWay Foundation gala CLASSIFIED have been in Awa, Nigeria, to work on a water project. From left, are Ian McCullough, Matt and Lisa Taulbee, Bobbie and Larry McCullough. The McCulloughs said they like volunteering with NuWay because they can really see the fruits of their work in Need a job? Nigeria. beef, Chin Chin seasoned dough, SuYa meat gar- Take a look. nished with peanuts and spices, fried plantain and orange coconut cake. page The dinner started with the traditional cola nut ceremony, in which the oldest person seated at the B9 table divided a chewy, but bitter, cola nut from southeastern Nigeria for the table to share as a ges- ture of welcome. To have your event included in The event, the second of its kind, was the NuWay The Cincinnati Herald Foundation's annual fundraiser to help the people B Section send information no later than three weeks of Awa. in advance to: Also, as part of the evening, Robert “Chip'' “Jungle Jim” (James The Cincinnati Herald, Harrod, executive director of BRIDGES for a Just Bonaminio) worked 354 Hearne Avenue, Community, was awarded the foundation's 2007 behind the scenes to make the NuWay Cincinnati, OH 45229 International Bridge Award for his commitment to or email at [email protected] Foundation gala a justice, equality and building strong relationships success at his complex in Evans Nwankwo's mother, Margaret Nwankwo, at right, and an aunt, B. M. Nwankwo, at Fairfield. left, and Chief Larry Ozah, of Atlanta, were present for the NuWay Foundation gala.

THE HERALD CHRONICLE Dec. 15, 2007 - Dec. 21, 2007 B2 Hyman lives in Strength of a Woman By Kim Tolley and founded his own publish- Herald Contributor ing company, JAM Books. “It was a struggle writing hen Phyllis Hyman the book,” he said. “I had first appeared on some lean years and ended up Wthe national music filing for bankruptcy. But I'm scene more than 30 years ago, very happy with the finished fans were taken by the singer's project. This was a labor of exuberance on songs such as love.” Betcha By Golly Wow and After butting heads with You Know How To Love Me. Hyman's longtime manager With her vocal talent, Glenda Gracia, Michael and humor and supermodel looks, his book received Gracia's music industry observers fig- Phyllis Hyman blessing. ured it was just a matter of “She is very protective of Event Emcees Cammy Dierking, anchor for WKRC Local 12, and Wayne "Box" Miller, host of the Prime Time Sports Show on WDBZ-1230 "The Buzz,'' (both on the left) are shown with NuWay Foundation Board Chair Evans Nwankwo and time before Hyman became a superstar. But Phyllis,” Michael explained. “It took a minute Cathy Nwankwo at the foundation gala. through the next two decades, Hyman's early for us to get on the same page but eventually, exuberance gradually gave way to songs and she realized that my intentions were honor- founder, president and CEO of interviews expressing pain and loneliness. By able.” Megan Construction Co. of the time she committed suicide a week before As he reconstructed the details of his sub- Cincinnati, which built the her 46th birthday, Hyman, who had been diag- ject's life, Michael talked to Hyman's family Freedom Center. nosed as bipolar a decade earlier and bal- and friends who were blunt in their recollec- According to information pro- looned up to nearly 300 pounds, made it clear tions of the singer's problems and complex vided by Nwankwo's brother, to family and friends that she was over- personality. Hezekiah Nwankwo, and other whelmed by her addictions to alcohol, drugs “Phyllis always put it out there in inter- Nigerians attending the banquet, and food. views so most folks were candid from jump,” the Federal Republic of Nigeria As her biographer Jason A. Michael Michael said. “They didn't sugarcoat it.” has a population of 135 million recounts in the new book, “Strength of a Raised by a mother who suffered from people, who live in poverty as Woman,” Hyman was also frustrated by her chronic depression and alcoholic father in they share a country the size of stalled career and the success of what she con- Pittsburgh, Hyman's emotional turmoil started Texas and Oklahoma combined. It sidered lesser singers. early. Her troubled relationship with her moth- is the most populous country in “Her insecurity came out as intense agita- er lasted until the older woman's death in Africa and the ninth most popular tion,” Michael explained during a recent inter- 1993. In addition, several of Hyman's siblings country in the world. view. “When she was up, she was critical of would also suffer from depression and sub- Although the county has vast the singers who were less talented but stance abuse. oil wealth, the average worker Three of NuWay Foundation Board Chair Evans Nwankwo's sisters, now received greater recognition. When down, she “I think it was always a strained relation- living in Atlanta, attended the foundation gala in Fairfield. They are, from left, makes about $2 per day. Only 20 couldn't understand why people would want to ship with her mother,” said Michael. “As a percent of the population has Ngozi Nwankwo, Joy Nwankwo, and Kate Okpukpara. Their professions are respectively pharmacist, lawyer and nurse. see her.” child, she was verbally abusive to her mother safe, clean water. Six percent are Hyman's insecurities also led her to sabo- after watching her father verbally abuse his infected with HIV, and 1.8 mil- for a villager to establish a small business by tage any opportunities that would have wife. I think she felt enormous guilt over that. lion people have AIDS. Health care is lacking, using his or her talents or by purchasing brought her a bigger audience and mainstream The parents' issues affected all of the children. with one in five children dying before the age equipment, he said. A $300 donation provided recognition. One major break was the role of Communication was not always easy among of 6. The average life expectancy is about 43 a villager enough money to purchase a corn blues singer Shug Avery in the film, The them.” years. grinder so residents do not have to walk for Color Purple. Although Hyman initially Michael believes that Hyman's addictions hours to another village to wowed the film's casting director, she “acted to drugs, alcohol and food were worsened by gird their corn. He and Cathy out” during the first cast meeting with Steven her career in the entertainment industry. are now working to establish a Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey “Performing in nightclubs where she was medical clinic in the village. and Danny Glover. The role eventually went to surrounded by alcohol probably exacerbated “We want to concentrate the Margaret Avery, an actress whose singing had the problem,” he stated. “Her weight was foundation's focus in helping to be dubbed by performer Tata Vega. always an issue. She couldn't cook on the road people with their education,'' “She would have been an amazing Shug so coming off stage, she'd eat and go to bed Nwankwo said, referring to Avery,” Michael said. “But she was terrified exhausted.” how his mother, Margaret of letting her guard down so she sabotaged The Detroit native, who was diagnosed as Nwankwo, who attended the herself in both her career and personal life.” bipolar while writing his book, believes he has event, emphasized the impor- Michael, who was working for singer Betty an affinity with Hyman. tance of an education to him. Wright in Miami, knew there was a story as “When I first listened to the Living All “We want to give people the he observed Wright's reaction to news of Alone album, I felt really connected,” he said. opportunity to fend for them- Hyman's suicide. “Having suffered depression, I spoke that lan- selves. This is not a handout.'' “Betty was devastated but not surprised,” he guage.” A long-term goal is to estab- recalled. Despite Michael's difficulties in finding a lish a base for people to come Michael started working in earnest on publisher for his book, Hyman continues to and stay in Nigeria while on Hyman's story in 2002 but encountered have a loyal group of fans long after her death. mission work there, he said. numerous obstacles as he approached various “I think the book helps the reader see inside He said the foundation also publishing houses. Although editors loved the themselves and their struggles,” he said. “The provides opportunities for Now living in the United States, Swazi Nkosi, of South Africa, and Osi, of book, Michael and his agents encountered moral of Phyllis' story could be, take care of New Jersey, a nephew of Evans Nwankwo, attended the NuWay Foundation relationship building with the resistance as they moved up the publishing your issues before your issues take care of gala. chain. Predicting poor sales, staff in the pub- you.” lishing houses' sales departments argued that This West African country is Hyman either wasn't well known or had been For more information about Phyllis Hyman a federal constitutional republic forgotten after her death. So the Detroit based and “Strength of a Woman,” visit modeled after the United States writer finally took matters into his own hands www.phyllishymanstory.com. government comprising thirty- six states and one Federal Capital Territory, where the capital city of Abuja is located. We’re online at www.cincinnatiherald.com The people of Nigeria have an extensive history, and archaeological evidence shows that human habitation of the area dates back to at least 9000 BC. The Benue-Cross River area is thought to be the origi- nal homeland of the Bantu migrants who spread across most of central and southern Africa in waves between the 1st millennium BC and the 2nd millennium AD. Two women from Nigeria, Ashlee Carlisle and Randa Fiador, attended the The current president of NuWay Foundation gala. Nigeria is Umaru Musa Yar'Adua who was elected in 2007. people of two different countries. Ethnocentricism, tribalism, sectarianism He noted it is important to give to help peo- (especially religious) have played a visible role ple in one's own country, but small amounts of in Nigerian politics both prior and subsequent money go a long way in Nigeria. Also, he has to independence in 1960. Many members of discovered that people who go to other coun- the Nwankwo family have immigrated to the tries to help people there, come back inspired United States following civil unrest in the to do the same in their own country. 1990s. Some said they are anxious to return to For more information about NuWay the homeland. Foundation or to make a donation, visit the Evans Nwankwo said the foundation sup- organization's Website at ports the start up of micro businesses in Awa. www.nuwayfoundation.org. Just $1,200 provides the capital necessary