News
& Politics
- August 2008
Our special analysis for this issue focuses on the Spanish influence in Africa. There are close to three hundred million Africans who speak Spanish as a native tongue in the world. However, most of these are not Africans by birth, they are often referred with a peculiar appelative, “Afro”, an hairstyle. “Afro”, the one time descriptor of African Americans is still used to describe Africans from the diaspora that number in the tens of millions in Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela, Panama and other Latin American nations. These, the transplanted diasporic sons and daughters of Africa have a sovereign continental nation they can point to and proudly identify with on a language basis. That nation’s name is the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, the sole Spanish speaking country in the continent of Africa, and the focus of our analysis.
The Republic of Equatorial Guinea, a member of the oil exporting producing nations(OPEC), is a fast changing society, with a relatively stable political climate. Pronounced República de Guinea Ecuatorial, in Spanish, Equatorial Guinea is located in Central Africa. It is one of the smallest countries in the continent and comprises two regions: Rio Muni, a region that includes several offshore islands; and Insular Region which contains the Annobón island in the South Atlantic Ocean South Atlantic Ocean and Bioko island (formerly Fernando Po) that contains the capital, Malabo.
The island of Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just north of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the east is the mainland region. Equatorial Guinea borders Cameroon on the north, Gabon on the south and east, and the Gulf of Guinea on the west, where the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe is located between Bioko and Annohttp.
Most of the Equatorial Guinea’s people are of Bantu origin. The largest tribe, the Fang, is indigenous to the mainland, but substantial migration to Bioko Island has resulted in Fang dominance over the earlier Bantu inhabitants. The Fang constitute 80% of the population and comprise 67 clans. Those in the northern part of Rio Muni speak Fang-Ntumu, while those in the south speak Fang-Okah; the two dialects have differences but are mutually intelligible. Dialects of Fang are also spoken in parts of neighboring Cameroon (Bulu) and Gabon. These dialects, while still intelligible, are more distinct. The Bulu Fang of Cameroon were traditional rivals of Fang in Rio Muni. (The Bubi, who constitute 15% of the population, are indigenous to Bioko Island.)
The traditional demarcation line between Fang and beach tribes was the village of Niefang (limit of the fang) inland from Bata.
In addition, there are coastal tribes, sometimes referred to as “Playeros” (Beach People in Spanish): Ndowes, Bujebas, Balengues, Kombis, and Bengas on the mainland and small islands, and “Fernandinos”, a Creole community, on Bioko. Together, these groups compose 5% of the population. Some Europeans (largely of Spanish or Portuguese descent) – among them mixed with African ethnicity – also live in the nation. Most Spaniards left after independence. There is a growing number of foreigners from neighboring Cameroon, Nigeria, and Gabon. Equatorial Guinea received Asians and black Africans from other countries as workers on cocoa and coffee plantations.
Other Africans came from Liberia, Angola, and Mozambique. Most of the Asian population is Chinese, with small numbers of Indians. Equatorial Guinea also allowed many fortune-seeking European settlers of other nationalities, including British, French and Germans. After independence, thousands of Equatorial Guineans went to Spain.
Formerly the colony of Spanish Guinea, Equatorial Guinea post-independence name is suggestive of its location near both the Equator and the Gulf of Guinea. It is one of the territories in mainland Africa where Spanish is an official language, besides the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and the UN-recognized but Moroccan-occupied Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara). Interestingly enough, however, in spite of its name, no part of Equatorial Guinea’s territory lies on the equator.
Politics
The current president of Equatorial Guinea is Retired Brig. Gen. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. The 1982 constitution of Equatorial Guinea gives Obiang extensive powers, including naming and dismissing members of the cabinet, making laws by decree, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating and ratifying treaties and calling legislative elections. Obiang retains his role as commander in chief of the armed forces and minister of defense, and he maintains close supervision of the military activity. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and operates under powers designated by the President. The Prime Minister coordinates government activities in areas other than foreign affairs, national defense and security.
Equatorial Guinea at a Glance
President: Theodoro Obiang Nguema
Ambassador to the United States: Purificacion ANGUE ONDO
Capital: Malabo
Total Population: 640,000
Official Languages: Spanish and French
Independence from Spain: October 12 1968
Recognized Regional Languages: Fang, Bube, Annobonese
*Information from Wilkepedia, the free enclyclopedia, and the CIA world fact book, was used for this special analysis
The real estate market has changed dramatically in the past 5 years. A record number of families are losing their homes to foreclosure and mortgage companies swept up in the sub prime mortgage crisis have been forced to close their doors. According to RealtyTrac.com, the number of foreclosures in Chicago has increased 1.5 times the national average and second highest among five of the countries largest metropolitan areas.
American Street Mortgage Company aspired to help reach out to the families in the community who were facing uncertain times by sponsoring their 1st Annual American StreetBall Classic, hosted by Chicago radio personality Candi Gomez. A portion of the proceeds raised by the charity basketball tournament is to be donated to the Latin United Community Housing Association (LUCHA) to help families facing foreclosure. The American StreetBall Classic was held Saturday, August 2nd at the Moody Bible Institute’s Solheim Center. The event was from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and was open to the general public.
Daniel Chookaszian, Vice President of Sales for American Street Mortgage Company said the company employees did charity work to help those less fortunate each month and felt it was very important to help with the foreclosure crisis in Chicago.
“We thank God that we are surviving the storm of this market thus far and continue to be a successful company,” states Chookaszian. “We see it as our responsibility to help homeowners in our area make it through as well.”
LUCHA is a non-for-profit organization that offers free services to people in need of assistance with keeping their home, Eliseo Barbosa, Jr., Director of Neighborhood Reinvestment states.
“We want to help our clients stay in their homes. It means a lot to have a company like American Street Mortgage donating to our organization,” Barbosa says. “Things have changed, about three years ago we may have five to ten clients in foreclosure a year. This year alone we have advised at least 100 clients.”
American Street Mortgage raised over $5,000.00 from the silent auction and donations. Items auctioned off included an autographed Scottie Pippen NBA basketball, Bulls – Luol Deng pennant, Cubs – Mark DeRosa photograph and Steelers – Rashard Mendenhall NFL Football. The remainder items from the auction such as NFL, Chicago Sky and Chicago Hawks jerseys will be used for upcoming charity events. After several games team East Bank lead by Ken Caldwell of Chicago, Illinois, won the basketball tournament. Winning the slam-dunk contest and a pair of Michael Jordan shoes from Self Conscious store was Osirir Eldrige, of the Illinois State basketball team.
