6 <strong>NIGERIAN</strong> <strong>WATCH</strong> 28 Aug - 10 Sept 2015 NEWSWAtCh Follow us on Twitter @NigerianWatch Manchester hails 101-year-old Pa David Emare Edo-born Nigerian Pa David Emare has become the first centenarian in the UK to have his story recorded in a book. Commissioned by the Nigerian community in Manchester, the biography has been written to honour his long and remarkable life and place on record the experience of a first generation diasporan. Africa Centre The book about Mr Emare’s life, entitled The Long Journey of Pa David Emare, written by community leader Emmanuel Nwene-Osuh, is out now. Pa Emare's son Christopher, said his father is the oldest surviving African in Manchester, which is a feat in itself. Born in Igbanke village in modern day Edo State in 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, Pa Emare has lived in Britain since 1940. Both his parents died when he was young and after learning a trade as a blacksmith he bought and sold prayer mats to make ends meet, travelling to Ghana to do so. At the age of 26 in 1940 after the Second World War broke out – Pa Emare sailed to Britain in search of a new life and the ship he travelled on docked in Edinburgh that winter. Pa Emare recalls, “It was night time and heavy snow was falling down and I thought it was sugar. The immigration office sent me to Newcastle and from there I was told to go to Manchester. They said you’ll see many of your African country people there. In those days it was not too nice but it is changing now.” Despite his lack of a formal education, he found a job at Bradford Gasworks and later worked for Manchester salvage company Goldberg on Oxford Road, where he stayed for 55 years until his retirement, travelling all around the UK during that time. According to Pa Emare, he settled in Manchester, although he recalls he was not always made welcome. As well as enduring racist insults, black people were banned from many places like the old Salford Racecourse. Pa Emare met his partner Alma Howard through mutual friends in 1958 and went on to have four children with her. They are Helen, 55; Godwin, 52; Christopher, 50, and Paula, 49; as well as raising her eldest, Carol, as his own. As a couple, they were together for 18 years before separating, but remain good friends. Pa Emare, who still lives independently in Fallowfield, also has a son in Nigeria as well as several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren in both countries. AfrIcA rocKED thE WESt END AS thouSANDS cElEBrAtED thE MuSIc AND culturE of thE coNtINENt WIth (ABoVE clocKWISE); Simo Lagnawi, Asa and Fuse ODG performing to a packed Covent Garden Square during the Africa Centre Free Festival, on a glorious sunny August 1. Alongside the live music there was a fabulous fashion show, Afroluso dance lessons and African food stalls. uK lAuNchES DEDIcAtED ANtI-corruPtIoN uNIt Britain is to assist President Muhammadu Buhari in his quest to locate looted Nigerian funds after setting up an International Corruption Unit (ICU) to investigate issues of public graft in developing countries. Over the years the UK has been a favourite destination of public servants from Nigeria and other developing nations who have embezzled public funds. Many of them own choice homes in the UK and transfer their illgotten wealth to the City of London where they invest it in stocks, bonds and company shares. The UK ICU has been established in response to the growing clamour for the UK to do something to close the banking bolt hole as its inaction was seen as encouraging corruption. A spokesman for the Nigerian Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), said that with the UK corruption unit the fight against the menace would receive a great boost in Nigeria. He added, “The UK government is aware that unlike before, Nigeria is very serious in the fight against corruption and that is why they are lending their support to join the country and other developing nations who are serious about the fight against corruption. Our stolen money will surely be recovered in no time and this will help in the development of infrastructure in the country and the masses will benefit immensely in the gesture.” The UK is stepping-up its work to investigate cases of international corruption affecting developing countries through a new specialist unit launched by international development secretary, Justine Greening. The new International Corruption Unit (ICU) brings together existing investigation units funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), the Metropolitan Police Service, the City of London Police and the National Crime Agency. Ms Greening said corruption is not only picking the pockets of the poor but is an enemy of prosperity and a brake on a country’s development. She added that through the ICU, the best of British law enforcement will step up their aid work combating corruption head-on across the developing world. Jon Benton, the joint head of the ICU, said the work they will be doing is absolutely vital to help countries get back what is rightfully theirs. He added that the message to individuals and companies who see developing countries as fair game, is that the UK has zero tolerance for overseas bribery and corruption. Since 2006, DFID-police units in the UK have investigated more than 150 cases of overseas bribery and recovered £200m of stolen assets as well as successfully prosecuting 27 individuals and one company. Under the new arrangement, the DFID will provide £21m to the ICU for five years up until 2020. This combined intelligence and investigation approach is expected to deliver a significant increase in money laundering and overseas bribery cases. It will also place a greater focus on preventive action and a more strategic approach to identifying and tackling corruption in DFID priority countries.