The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 549 (July 14 - 27 2021)

TheTrumpet 

Africans now have a voice... Founded in 1995 

V O L 27 N O 549 J U LY 14 - 27 2021 

Masks still matter (Photo Credit - US Navy) 

PEER & CO 

IMMIGRATION SPECIALISTS 

15 Years experience with UK 

Immigration, Appeals, 

Deportations, and Removal cases. 

* Judicial Review. * Prison and 

Detention Centre Legal Visits. 

* British Citizenship Applications. 

* Visas and more... 

Free Initial Consultation and Competitive Legal Fees 

Birmingham: 0121 554 0565 

London: 020 7183 3706 

Watford: 01923 901150 

Emergency: 07833 675415 

Email: shiraz@peerandco.com 

Head Office: 420 Witton Road, 

Aston, Birmingham B6 6PP 

Masks 

still matter 

Continued on Page 2> 

Tax credit 

claimants 

urged to 

renew ahead 

of July 31 

deadline 

United Kingdom’s Her 

Majesty Revenue and 

Customs (HMRC) is 

reminding 440,000 tax credits 

customers they have one month left 

to renew their tax credits claims 

ahead of the 31 July deadline. 

More than 2.5 million annual 

tax credits review packs were 

posted to customers between late 

April and early June. Customers 

will have either received an ‘autorenewal’ 

reminder or a ‘reply 

required’ notice. All ‘reply 

required’ customers must renew 

their claims or contact HMRC to 

notify them of any change in 

circumstances ahead of the 

deadline to continue receiving tax 

credits payments. 

Renewing online is quick and 

easy. Customers can log into 

GOV.UK to check on the progress 

of their renewal, be reassured it is 

being processed and know when 

they will hear back from HMRC. 

Customers can also use the HMRC 

app on their smartphone to: 

· renew their tax credits 

· check their tax credits payments 

schedule, and 

Continued on Page 3>

Page2 TheTrumpet JULY 14 - 27 2021 

News 

Masks still matter 

Continued from Page 1< 

Pandemic Action Network, 

the Africa Centres for 

Disease Control and 

Prevention (Africa CDC), the 

African Union, 3M and over 50 

global, regional, and local partner 

organizations have announced 

the launch of World Mask Week 

2021 (July 12-18) - a global 

campaign underlining a universal 

truth: masking in public, in 

combination with handwashing 

and physical distancing, is still 

one of the best ways we can 

protect ourselves and others 

against COVID-19, especially 

our most vulnerable community 

members as countries race to 

vaccinate their populations. 

According to WHO, 2021 is 

already a deadlier year in the 

pandemic than 2020. Today, we 

are seeing a two-track pandemic 

emerge: some regions are up 

against the spread of variants and 

rising case numbers, while others 

with access to vaccines are lifting 

masking and other public health 

restrictions. 

“Everyone who has worn a 

mask in public has helped slow 

the spread of COVID-19,” said 

Deputy Director of the Africa 

CDC, Dr. Ahmed Ouma Ogwell. 

“As the pandemic continues to 

spread and access to vaccines has 

been slow across much of Africa, 

we must fight against pandemic 

fatigue and continue to do what 

we can to keep everyone safe.” 

The campaign encourages 

people and organizations around 

the world to rally behind the 

continued importance of wearing 

a mask. People will be asked to 

show their support by sharing a 

statement on social media with 

#WorldMaskWeek, and a picture, 

or video with their favourite 

mask, tagging others with the 

message of “Thanks For 

Masking”. 

“The pandemic is not over. We 

should rightly recognize and 

encourage our progress, but we 

must also put our expertise to 

work and stay vigilant in fighting 

the pandemic,” said Dr. Denise 

Rutherford, Senior Vice President 

and Chief Corporate Affairs 

Officer, 3M. “3M and our team 

members will continue to do our 

part. We are proud to participate 

in World Mask Week because 

when you wear a mask, you are 

helping protect the most 

vulnerable. To all who are doing 

their part to stop the spread of 

COVID-19, we thank you.” 

Rallying to continue masking to stop the spread of COVID-19 

Face coverings block the spray 

of droplets from sneezing, 

coughing, talking, singing, or 

shouting when worn over the 

mouth and nose. Consistent 

mask-wearing can also reduce 

the spread of the virus among 

people who are infected with 

COVID-19, but do not have 

symptoms, or are unaware they 

have it. While a COVID-19 

vaccine will prevent serious 

illness and death, the extent to 

which it keeps people from being 

infected and passing the virus on 

to others is still emerging. 

“Last year, with the first World 

Mask Week, we sparked a global 

movement in 117 countries to 

wear masks. This year, as the 

pandemic persists in much of the 

world, we’re coming together 

around the message that masking 

still matters and to show gratitude 

for those who have worn a mask 

and continue to mask up,” said 

Eloise Todd, Co-Founder of the 

Network. “In order to end this 

pandemic for everyone, we must 

deploy all the tools available 

around the world to fight 

COVID-19 – and that includes 

mask-wearing.” To mark the 

urgency of this moment, 

Pandemic Action Network has 

released a Why Masking Still 

Matters (bit.ly/36yMtrY) policy 

brief including key messaging 

and recommendations for 

governments, businesses, and 

individuals. 

The Pandemic Action 

Network was launched in April 

2020 to drive collective action to 

help bring an end to COVID-19 

and to ensure the world is 

prepared for the next pandemic. 

Since launching, the Network has 

been working with influencers to 

promote mask-wearing, along 

with social distancing and 

handwashing. World Mask Week 

provides the opportunity for 

global unity around a single 

message: Let’s keep masking — 

not just for ourselves, but for our 

families, our communities, those 

who are most vulnerable, and the 

world. 

For more information about 

World Mask Week, please visit: 

bit.ly/2Vz6lJb 

PEER & CO 

IMMIGRATION SPECIALISTS 

15 Years experience with UK 

Immigration, Appeals, 

Deportations, and Removal cases. 

* Judicial Review. * Prison and 

Detention Centre Legal Visits. 

* British Citizenship Applications. 

* Visas and more... 

Free Initial Consultation and Competitive Legal Fees 

Birmingham: 0121 554 0565 

London: 020 7183 3706 

Watford: 01923 901150 

Emergency: 07833 675415 

Email: shiraz@peerandco.com 

Head Office: 420 Witton Road, 

Aston, Birmingham B6 6PP

News 

JULY 14 - 27 2021 TheTrumpet Page3 

Convicted for brutal murder of two men 

Two men have been found guilty 

of murder after two friends were 

lured to a north London street 

and brutally attacked. 

33-year-old Kaziku Tuwisana of no 

fixed address and 43-year-old Besnik 

Berisha of Martock Gardens, N11 were 

found guilty of the murders of 30-yearold 

Arber Fesko and 36-year-old 

Shkelqim Paja following a trial at the 

Old Bailey. 

The court heard how Shkelqim Paja 

and Besnik Berisha had known each 

other for around three years prior to the 

murders. In the last year, their friendship 

had become strained – this is believed to 

have been over a sum of money – 

around £15,000 - that Berisha owed to 

Shkelqim. 

On 18 December 2019, Shkelqim 

raised concerns that Berisha was 

planning something behind his back 

which worried him. However, the next 

day (19 December) Berisha contacted 

him again stating that he was ready to 

pay back the money owed in full. 

That evening, Shkelqim went to 

Courtlands Avenue, NW7, close to 

where he lived, in the company of 

family friend Arber Fesko. 

Berisha – who owned a distinctive 

white Peugeot van – had met Tuwisana 

that afternoon in Stratford. From there 

they had travelled to the Highbury area 

of north London where they entered 

several hardware shops and purchased 

items such as lighter fluid, disposable 

gloves and cloths. 

Shortly after 19:00hrs, CCTV 

captured the van outside Highbury and 

Islington station. From there the van 

travelled to Courtlands Avenue, NW7. 

Just after 20:00hrs, two separate 

witnesses making their way along 

Courtlands Avenue reported seeing a 

Besnik Berisha 

group of men who appeared to be 

attacking another man. Further along the 

street, a second man was seen collapsed. 

Police were called but on arrival no 

people could be found; however – 

blood, later found to be Shkelqim’s, was 

discovered along with both his, and 

Arber’s mobile phones. Items including 

cable ties, a knife and an empty knife 

sheath were also discovered; the knife 

was later forensically linked to 

Tuwisana and the sheath to Berisha. 

Officers also identified an unopened 

packet of disposable gloves, identical to 

the ones purchased by Berisha and 

Tuwisana just hours earlier. 

Shortly after being called to the 

scene of the attack, police received a call 

from the London Gateway Services on 

the M1. Tuwisana had gone into a venue 

there to report he had been attacked; he 

was suffering a stab wound to the arm. 

Officers arrived and Tuwisana claimed 

to have tried to intervene in a fight and 

had himself been attacked and bundled 

into a black Mercedes car before being 

Kaziku Tuwisana 

dumped at the services. The car 

remained abandoned outside. When 

officers searched it they found the body 

of Arber Fesko in the boot who had been 

stabbed multiple times; they also found 

cable ties and a crowbar. On searching 

Tuwisana, he was found to be in 

possession of a stun gun. Further checks 

established that the car belong to 

Shkelqim Paja. Tuwisana was taken to 

hospital for treatment and subsequently 

arrested. 

The body of Shkelqim Paja was 

found the following day, dumped in a 

hedgerow in Radlett, Hertfordshire. He 

had also been stabbed multiple times. 

Items including a baseball cap and cable 

ties were also found. 

CCTV analysis also showed the 

white Peugeot van belonging to Berisha 

being driven to and from the deposition 

site. Berisha was arrested on 23 

December 2019 but claimed that he had 

sold his van on the day prior to the 

murders. Checks with the DVLA 

revealed a transfer document had been 

received in relation to the van, but not 

until 23 December. The person and 

address listed on the transfer was visited 

by police but they had no knowledge of 

the van. 

The vehicle itself was found 

abandoned in Barnet on 30 December; 

when officers checked CCTV from the 

area, they established it had been 

dumped at the location on 20 December. 

Inside the back of the van, Shkelqim’s 

blood was found confirming that his 

body had been transported in the 

vehicle. Further analysis showed blood 

belonging to Arber on the glove box in 

the front of the van, revealing someone 

with his blood on their hands had 

touched this area. 

Officers also recovered a knife from 

the van which fitted the sheath 

recovered at the scene of the murders in 

Courtlands Avenue. 

Detective Sergeant Pete Walker, 

from the Met’s Specialist Crime 

Command, said: “Throughout this 

investigation, the two defendants have 

refused to say why they carried out this 

brutal attack on Shkelqim Paja and 

Arber Fesko. However, the weight of 

evidence my team has gathered has 

spoken for itself and provided 

irrefutable evidence that both of these 

men were involved in carrying out two 

brutal murders. 

“This has been a challenging 

investigation but the diligence of the 

evidence gathering and tenacity of the 

officers involved has ensured Berisha 

and Tuwisana have been held to account 

for their actions. 

“Nothing will ever bring Shkelqim 

and Arber back, but I can only hope that 

these convictions can bring some sense 

of justice to their families.” 

Tax credit claimants urged to renew ahead 

of July 31 deadline 


· find out how much they have earned 

for the year. 

Customers do not need to report any 

temporary falls in their working hours 

as a result of coronavirus. They will be 

treated as if they are working their 

normal hours for up to eight weeks after 

the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme 

closes. Any self-employed individuals, 

who have claimed a Self-Employment 

Income Support Scheme grant, will 

need to declare the grant payments. 

Search ‘working out your income for tax 

credit/self-employment’ on GOV.UK. 

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director 

General for Customer Services, said: 

“We know how important tax credits are 

to our customers, so we’ve made it 

quicker and easier to renew claims 

online. There’s no need to wait for the 

31 July deadline – do it now by 

searching ‘tax credits’ on GOV.UK.” 

If there is a change in a customer’s 

circumstances that could affect their tax 

credits claims, they must report the 

changes to . These include changes to: 

· living arrangements 

· childcare 

· working hours, or 

· income (increase or decrease). 

Post Office card accounts will close 

on 30 November 2021. HMRC is 

reminding any tax credits and Child 

Benefit customers who use this account 

to receive their payments that they will 

need to notify HMRC of their new bank 

account details. HMRC is encouraging 

customers to act now so they do not 

miss any payments once their Post 

Office account closes. To find out how 

to open a bank account, visit . 

HMRC is urging customers to be 

careful if they are contacted out of the 

blue by someone asking for money or 

personal information. There are a lot of 

scams around where fraudsters are 

calling, texting or emailing customers 

claiming to be from HMRC. If in doubt, 

customers are advised not to reply 

directly to anything suspicious, but to 

contact HMRC straight away – search 

GOV.UK for ‘HMRC scams’ for more 

information.


TheTrumpet Group 

News 

Minimum wage rate 

reminder for summer staff 

Field: 07956 385 604 

E-mail: 

info@the-trumpet.com 

TheTrumpetTeam 

PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: 

’Femi Okutubo 

CONTRIBUTORS: 

Moji Idowu, Ayo Odumade, 

Steve Mulindwa 

SPECIAL PROJECTS: 

Odafe Atogun 

John-Brown Adegunsoye (Abuja) 

DESIGN: 

Xandydesigns@gmail.com 

ATLANTA BUREAU CHIEF: 

Uko-Bendi Udo 

3695 F Cascade Road #2140 Atlanta, 

GA 30331 USA 

Tel: +1 404 889 3613 

E-mail: uudo1@hotmail.com 

BOARD OF CONSULTANTS 

CHAIRMAN: 

Pastor Kolade Adebayo-Oke 

MEMBERS: 

Tunde Ajasa-Alashe 

Allison Shoyombo, Peter Osuhon 

TheTrumpet (ISSN: 1477-3392) 

is published in London fortnightly 

THINKING 

OF 

WRITING 

A BUSINESS 

PLAN? 

We can help you develop a 

professional business plan 

from only £250. 

For more information, contact us 

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tolu.oyewole@consultant.com 

Students and seasonal staff are being 

reminded by HM Revenue and 

Customs (HMRC) to check that 

they are being paid the National 

Minimum Wage (NMW). 

All workers are legally entitled to be 

paid the NMW. This includes temporary 

seasonal staff, who often work short-term 

contracts in bars, hotels, shops and 

warehouses over the summer. 

Last year (2020-21) HMRC helped 

155,000 workers across the UK to 

recover more than £16 million in pay 

which was due to them. HMRC is 

reminding workers to check their hourly 

rate of pay, and to also check any 

deductions or unpaid working time. 

One person who has benefitted from 

HMRC’s enforcement of the NMW is 

Amber, a marketing apprentice. She was 

concerned that she was not being paid 

correctly, so contacted HMRC online. 

HMRC looked into Amber’s concerns 

and spoke with her employer. Amber was 

being underpaid and she received £1,900 

in back pay. 

The National Minimum Wage hourly 

rates are currently: 

Bubble In Christ Music Band 

For your Music band with 

classic rendition for all 

occasions, with traditional, 

contemporary African 

international and Gospel filled 

with professional decent 

Presentation. 

More Musicians, Singers, 

Instrumentalists, handy men, 

Music directors band coordinators, 

Audio and/or video 

technicians, Drivers, 

Marketing Personnel are 

welcome. 

Contact: Olugbenga on 

07438 264613 

CHERUBIM & SERAPHIM MOVEMENT CHURCH 

Amazing Grace District -London Branch 2 

God’s Promises 

never fail: 

* Before they call I 

will answer; while 

they are still 

speaking I will hear 

(Isaiah 65: 24) 

· £8.91 - Age 23 or over (National 

Living Wage) 

· £8.36 - Age 21 to 22 

· £6.56 - Age 18 to 20 

· £4.62 - Age under 18 

· £4.30 - Apprentice. 

Steve Timewell, Director Individuals 

and Small Business Compliance, HMRC, 

said: “We want to ensure that seasonal 

workers and students are being paid what 

they are entitled to and, as the economy 

reopens, help employers if they are 

unsure of the rules. 

“Workers should check their hourly 

rate and look out for any deductions or 

unpaid working time which would reduce 

their pay. It could take them below the 

minimum wage. 

“HMRC investigates every complaint 

made about the minimum wage, so 

whether you are selling sun cream, giving 

a hotel room a clean, or serving a 

strawberry smoothie, if you think you are 

being short-changed you should get in 

touch.” 

Anyone not being paid what they are 

entitled to can complain online at . If they 

want to speak with someone they should 

WEEKLY DELIVERANCE SERVICE 

Deliverance: Every Wednesday 

Time: 6.30pm – 7pm (Individual Prayer & Counselling) 

Midweek Church Service: 7pm – 9pm 

Venue: Orange Room, Albany Theatre, Douglas Way, 

London SE8 4AG 

Other Service: Sunday Thanks giving 11am – 1.30pm 

phone the Acas Pay and Work Rights 

Helpline on 0300 123 1100, who may 

transfer the call to HMRC. 

Employers can also contact the ACAS 

Helpline for free help and advice or visit 

GOV.UK to find out more. 

* He will call upon me and I 

will answer him: I will be 

with him in trouble, I will 

deliver him and honour him 

(Psalm 91: 15) 

For further information, contact - Church Secretary: S/M/I/I (Dr) I Oni-Owoyemi 07788 745231 Or 

Church Elders: S/A T Owoyemi 07956 996689 or / M/S/A W Ojomo 07939 836499 or / Apostle T Gbolasere 07484 243990 

Email: amazinggracebranch2@gmail.com

JULY 14 - 27 2021 TheTrumpet 

Page5


News 

Police Commissioner pays tribute to 

first black female officer 

London’s Metropolitan Police 

Commissioner - Cressida 

Dick, has paid tribute to its 

first black female officer - Sislin Fay 

Allen, who sadly passed away earlier 

this month. 

Sislin Fay Allen joined the 

Metropolitan Police Service in 1968 

at the age of 29, and was the first 

black female police officer in both 

the Met and the UK. 

Sislin was working as a nurse at 

Croydon’s Queens Hospital when 

she decided to make a career change 

after seeing a recruitment advert for 

male and female officers. She trained 

at Peel House and her first posting 

was at Fell Road police station in 

Croydon, near her family and where 

she lived. 

After spending a year at Croydon, 

she was posted to the Missing 

Persons Bureau at Scotland Yard and 

was later transferred to Norbury 

police station. 

In 1972, Sislin resigned from the 

Met and returned to Jamaica with her 

Jamaican-born husband and two 

children. During her time in Jamaica, 

she continued her policing career and 

joined the Jamaica Constabulary. 

Sislin later returned to the UK 

with her family and moved to south 

London for a brief period before she 

again returned to Jamaica, where she 

sadly passed away at her home in 

Ocho Rios. 

Commissioner Cressida Dick, 

said: “I was so sad to hear that Sislin 

has passed away at the age of 83. 

“Sislin was a pioneer of her time 

and an inspiration for many when she 

became the first black female police 

officer in the Met and the UK. She 

paved the way for so many women 

that have followed in her footsteps 

and joined the Met after her. 

“Sislin’s legacy lives on and 

today we will remember her life and 

her unique contribution to policing.” 

Sislin Fay Allen 

Health 

How Senegal prepared for COVID-19 surge 

As the second wave of COVID-19 

infections surged in early 2021, 

Senegal stepped up measures to 

cope with the anticipated rise in the 

number of patients needing critical care. 

Professor Daye Ka, Infectious and 

Tropical Disease expert and member of 

Senegal’s COVID-19 Task Force, 

explains the steps taken to avert hospitals 

being overrun by a drastic rise in 

critically ill patients. 

What measures were in place to 

better handle a rise in COVID-19 

infections? 

The whole country was affected 

during the second wave of COVID-19 in 

February when around 300 cases were 

being reported daily. We were faced with 

a shortage of beds, especially 

resuscitation beds. We had 311 beds that 

had oxygen supply and an occupancy rate 

of 73%, with only 76 resuscitation beds 

that had 56% occupancy rate. So, we 

added around 20 beds in [the capital] 

Dakar and in the regions. Medical oxygen 

supply in terms of quality and quantity 

was also overstretched. We set up 

additional temporary sites in some 

COVID-19 treatment centres in Dakar 

and in the regions as well as increased 

oxygen supply to avert shortages. 

With the rise in cases came an 

increase in mortality, notably among 

older patients with underlying conditions 

such as hypertension, cardiovascular 

diseases, diabetes, obesity, asthma or 

chronic respiratory illnesses. To improve 

treatment and reduce deaths, in addition 

to increasing the number of beds, 

especially resuscitation beds, we also 

brought in more experts in critical care. 

They included resuscitation specialists, 

respiratory disease experts, cardiologists, 

diabetes and kidney doctors, 

gynaecologists and obstetricians as well 

as experts in the care of older patients. 

We also developed a treatment 

protocol to determine which patients 

were to be hospitalized and which were 

to be cared for at home, the type of 

treatment depending on disease severity 

raging from mild to moderate, severe to 

critical, as well as depending on 

comorbidities. By closely monitoring the 

treatment centres, we were able to 

determine weaknesses and areas to 

reinforce with equipment, supplies and 

personnel. 

How were these measures 

implemented and what difference did 

they make? 

All treatment specialists working in 

treatment centres or in home-based care 

service were trained in the new treatment 

protocol. In anticipation of a surge in 

cases, a new resuscitation centre was set 

up, but it was never used as cases began 

to drop. It is not easy to assess the impact 

of these measures - they were ready when 

infections started to decline. So, it is not 

possible to make a correlation between 

the measures put in place and their 

impact. Further analysis may be 

necessary to determine any link. 

What lessons have been learnt in 

stepping up readiness for COVID-19 

upsurge? 

Firstly, it is important to share the 

treatment procedures and protocols with 

everyone in the health sector. It is also 

pivotal to include a variety of specialists 

to improve COVID-19 treatment because 

those most affected have comorbidities. 

Thirdly, we had to regularly provide 

guidance to all the treatment specialists 

so that they were up to date with the latest 

scientific advancements about the virus 

as well as the therapies. Without ramping 

up personnel, especially resuscitation 

experts, COVID-19 treatment would not 

have been efficient. Improving oxygen 

production, in quality and quantity, 

played a crucial role in better equipping 

treatment centres. We also stepped-up 

diagnosis and patient monitoring, 

particularly analysis and imaging. 

What can be further improved to 

avert a new COVID-19 surge? 

To forestall a new COVID-19 surge, 

we need to work on several fronts. We 

need to strengthen disease surveillance at 

How Senegal prepared for COVID-19 surge 

all levels to swiftly detect cases – this is 

critical for isolation and monitoring. 

From the onset of the first wave, Senegal 

opted for home-based care for mild cases 

with no comorbidities as well as for those 

aged below 60 years to avoid 

overwhelming treatment centres. A 

proper home-based care and observance 

of preventive measures are therefore very 

important to limit the spread of the virus. 

Additionally, people who have been in 

contact with COVID-19 patients must be 

monitored. Crucially, vaccination must be 

expanded as much as possible. Despite 

the COVID-19 fatigue among the 

population, preventive measures such as 

wearing of masks, physical distancing as 

well as working with communities and 

educating people more about the virus 

must be stepped up.

Relationships 

JULY 14 - 27 2021 


Page7 

Angelic Diamonds, a leading UK diamond ring specialist, has launched an interactive feature called ‘Love Dilemmas.’ 

The feature acts as an agony aunt, allowing you to seek relationship advice to some of the most searched questions online, from falling in love, 

engagement and marriage, to breaking up and everything else in between. 

The Love Dilemmas platform offers a light-hearted and interactive way for lovers – or ex-lovers – to find helpful answers to their relationship 

problems. 

What does gaslighting mean in a 

relationship? (600% increase in searches 

YOY) 

Expert Advice: 

Gaslighting can be very difficult to cope 

with within a relationship, especially because 

it is so often hard to identify. Gaslighting is a 

form of manipulation in which someone 

makes you doubt yourself or question your 

own perception. In an intimate relationship, it 

can cause insecurity and confusion, and once 

you’ve identified it, you need to take action. 

Be sure to talk to others outside of your 

relationship so that you don’t feel alone, try 

to remain confident in your own view of 

events, and confront your partner about their 

actions. 

- Elizabeth Overstreet, Relationship 

Expert 

https://elizabethoverstreet.com/ 

How to be romantic in a relationship 

(267% increase in searches YOY) 


Noticing your partner is a powerful way 

to make them feel loved. Anytime your 

partner needs some verbal appreciation, tell 

them three things you love about them. Try to 

find new things every time. It’s easy when 

you have romantic mindfulness. Use your 

senses to connect. 

Physical intimacy is imperative for 

closeness and romance but erotic 

communication that connects a woman to her 

beauty is something women crave. We want 

to be adored and found irresistible and we 

want details! Sometimes this kind of verbal 

appreciation can take practice for men of few 

words. But the effort to tell your lady what 

you love about her frequently pays off in the 

long run. Men love to do a good job and be 

the champions. 

- Susan Bratton, Intimacy Expert 

https://www.instagram.com/susanbratton/ 

How to deal with trust issues in 

relationships (150% increase in searches 

YOY) 


The most important thing a couple can do 

is be proactive by talking about their needs 

and expectations within the relationship. 

Talking it out continually, when you are 

Continued on Page 9

Page8 TheTrumpet JULY 14 - 27 2021

Relationships 



Page9 

Love dilemmas 


starting to feel disconnected from one 

another, and practising things that can keep 

the two of you close can help a couple stay 

closer to one another. 


Expert 


How to spice up your relationship 



Variety and novelty are what keep 

relationships exciting. Since there are five 

kinds of romance, try ideas from every 

category. Noticing your partner is a powerful 

way to make them feel loved. Thank your 

partner every time they do something well or 

that you appreciate. Use your senses to 

connect. Physical intimacy is imperative for 

closeness and romance. Playful adventures 

keep you young at heart. Try a hot make out 

in the back seat of your car, spoil your partner 

in bed, try a new cuisine, or have her model 

sexy lingerie for you. 



Why is sex important in a relationship 



Physical intimacy is part of good health. 

When we touch, we co-regulate and calm 

each other’s nerves. Pleasure resets our 

nervous system. Lovemaking releases 

powerful hormones and feel-good 

neurotransmitters. We are symbiotic naturally 

and the more we bring our hearts, our gaze, 

our breath, our touch, and our love, the closer 

and more connected we feel. That being said, 

not everyone craves physical intimacy, and 

that is ok too. 



How often should you have sex in a 


YOY) 


It really depends on the two people in the 

relationship. Each relationship dynamic is 

different, and people need different things for 

intimacy within a relationship. It might be a 

daily occurrence for some couples, others a 

couple of times a week, and some when the 

mood hits them. The important callout is to 

have a level of intimacy within your 

relationship that makes the two of you most 

comfortable and connected. 


Expert 


How long is too long without sex in a 


YOY) 


There is no magic number of times a 

person should have sex in a relationship. It 

depends on the partners and their level of 

health, libido, and desire. If you and your 

partner have a commitment to keeping your 

lovemaking on the upward pleasure spiral, 

you’ll want to make love more than you have 

time for. A good rule of thumb is intimacy 

twice a week. Scheduling play time where 

you learn new things makes the relationship 

bloom and keeps the new relationship energy 

high. You can learn new pleasuring skills, 

new positions, try new locations… there are 

many ways to keep sex fun, so you want to do 

it. The health benefits are worth the intention 

to keep your desire burning. 



How to keep a marriage alive (100% 

increase in searches YOY) 


A successful marriage is where two 

people can accept one another for who they 

are without forcing them to change into who 

they want them to be. There is a saying, 

“Women marry men hoping to change them. 

And men marry women hoping they will stay 

the same.” If you can marry someone and 

look at the current state of who they are and 

be happy with that person in their current 

state, you will likely have a satisfying 

relationship. 


Expert 


Why is marriage so hard? (75% 



Marriage does make two people come 

together, and naturally, there will be some 

more self-awareness and change. But the key 

is easing into that process with the acceptance 

of who someone is currently and building on 

that foundation. Trust, good communication, 

resolving conflict respectfully and pretty 

quickly, and having like-mindedness on some 

level help support a healthy union. 


Expert 


When do you fall in love? (67% 



The ingredients to a long term, 

committed, happy relationship requires that 

both partners have the capacity to be a good 

partner. Both must have great communication 

skills (which can be learned) connection, 

compatibility, chemistry, and the single most 

important quality is that you have a shared 

vision for the future. When their happiness is 

as important to you as your own, when both 

of you are “all in” and are devoted to each 

other, that is what real, mature adult love is 

all about. 

- Arielle Ford is a celebrated love and 

relationship expert, author, and speaker 

www.arielleford.com 

How to know if you’re in love with 

someone? (22% increase in searches YOY) 


When their happiness is as important to 

you as your own, when both of you are “all 

in” and are devoted to each other, that is what 

real, mature adult love is all about. 




What does it mean to love someone? 



Love is a choice. Love is connection. 

Love is a feeling. Love is a behaviour. Love is 

the juiciest part of life. Love opens our hearts, 

expands our world, and brings a smile to our 

lips. For love we make commitments and 

agreements to share our life with another in 

good times and bad. 

Neil Dutta - CEO of Angelic Diamonds 

When we pledge our love to another, we 

say to them: I will love you on your good days 

and your bad days. I will be your safe place to 

land. I will share with you my attention, 

affection, and appreciation. With you I will 

become a better person and with me you will 

become a better person. I will be your best 

friend, lover, partner, and protector. (and, if 

things don’t work out, I won’t sell you out) 

Love is as much about giving as it is about 

receiving. And it’s also about being willing to 

forgive. And let’s not forget, LOVE is also 

about truth-telling. Love is WHO we are. 

Love is why we are here. 




What to write on dating profile (23% 



Keep it succinct but authentic. Give 

people a sense of who you are as a person. 

Show what you enjoy doing and put out a few 

things (not everything) that you desire in a 

partner. Dating (even online dating) is a trial 

period in which you can get to know 

someone. Insert some humour and include a 

sense of the values you have in the person you 

are dating. 


Expert 


What do you talk about on a first date? 



Dating is a trial period in which you can 

get to know someone. Give people a sense of 

who you are as a person. Insert some humour 

and include a sense of the values you have in 

the person you are dating. 


Expert 


How much should you spend on an 

engagement ring? (60% increase in 

searches YOY) 


The rule of thought is generally two 

months of salary, but this is dependent on the 

couple. Each couple will have different needs 

and expectations regarding their engagement 

ring. 


Expert 


Over the last year, there’s been huge 

spikes in online searches for advice on love, 

dating, affection, marriage, breakups and 

more. Some of the UK’s top love dilemmas: 

How to make your crush fall in love with 

you (600% increase in searches YOY) 

When should you have your first kiss in a 


YOY) 

What is true love in a relationship? (600% 


What do you talk about on a first date? 


How to spice up your marriage (550% 


Why does he want to hug me so much? 


When to kiss on a date (400% increase in 

searches YOY) 

How to turn friends with benefits into a 

relationship (400% increase in searches 

YOY) 

Why do I sabotage my relationships? 


Why does love hurt so much? (357% 


How do you get over someone you 

love? (357% increase in searches YOY) 

What is my love language? (357% increase 

in searches YOY) 

How to do online dating successfully 


What to do during a break in a relationship 


When to stop waiting for him to propose 


How to solve relationship problems without 

breaking up (267% increase in searches 

YOY) 

How to end a relationship on good terms 


How long to text after first date? (200% 


Credits: 

https://www.angelicdiamonds.com/lovedilemmas/


Food & Drink 

How the internet is changing the 

life of a Ghanaian beans seller 

By Bennet Otoo 

August 21 1995, will forever go 

down as a special date in the 

history of Ghana. This is the day 

the first line went into operation, making 

Ghana the first country in West Africa to 

have a permanent Internet connection. 

The internet, previously a special 

reserve for a few I.T inclined people, 

rich folk and people who have lived 

abroad has now become a powerful tool 

in world development. The 

transformation of this amazing 

phenomenon from a basic medium of 

messaging and communication into a 

very important tool has changed the 

lives of many in Ghana. Today, after 

over 26 years of its existence, we can 

confidently say that the internet has 

opened many doors that have impacted 

our country and the world at large. 

One important industry that has been 

born through the internet is e- 

commerce. The ability to buy and sell 

our physical goods and services in a 

convenient, safe and fast manner is 

sometimes overwhelming to 

comprehend. Over the past few years, e- 

commerce has made it possible for small 

businesses to have access to millions of 

customers and improve their sales. 

One exciting yet very touching 

example is that of a table top beans 

seller in Accra Ghana who has been able 

to grow her business into a popular fast 

selling and highly profitable local 

restaurant in just under 2 years. 

Once upon a time in 2019, Madam 

Evangeli who sells beans with ‘gari’ and 

fried plantain also known in local 

parlance as “red-red”, “gobɛ“ or “yo kɛ 

gari” on a table top in Accra, hadn’t 

even heard of selling food on the 

internet. She started her business selling 

to only physical walk-in customers. She 

started it all by herself and later 

employed one more worker to support 

her as she used to cook the food and dish 

it out alone prior to that. Her beans joint 

called “OJ’s Kitchen” was known by 

only a few people in and around East 

Legon, American House where her 

tabletop business was located. “Gobɛ,” 

being a favorite of many low to middle 

income people and a few high-income 

earners usually does well provided the 

food is tasty and accepted by all. 

A few months after she started the 

business, she got introduced to an online 

food delivery platform. At the time, she 

only knew that platform was into online 

shopping. One of her first customers 

was an employee of Jumia and he 

mentioned to her that the company had 

an online food delivery platform as well 

BEANS-STEW-FRIED-PLANTAIN 

that supported local restaurants to boost 

sales, reach more customers and grow 

their businesses. She was sceptical about 

it because she didn’t fully understand 

how the entire process worked and what 

the actual benefits were. After a few 

days of explaining and convincing, she 

decided to list as a vendor and test the 

platform. According to Madam 

Evangeli, just when she listed on the 

Jumia Food portal, the country was 

forced into lockdown in March 2020. 

Her customer base began to reduce 

drastically since there were restrictions 

on movement and there were practically 

no customers around to buy from her. 

This became a problem since the 

business was her primary source of 

income and livelihood. She recounts 

having to sometimes come to work to 

prepare the meal only for a handful of 

people to purchase. It was having 

serious implications on her business and 

personal life. 

She then remembered that she had 

listed on Jumia so the love story began. 

She started using the platform 

frequently and contacted Jumia Food to 

see how best she can increase sales and 

grow the business amidst the Covid-19 

lockdown and restrictions. A week later, 

the number of orders had tripled and 

things began to normalize. This 

continued for months as many of her 

customers now had a way to stay in the 

comfort of their homes or offices and 

still get their meals delivered to them 

STALLIONS AIR 

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safely. Sales started increasing rapidly 

and demand was beginning to get 

overwhelming. She then had to employ 

a few more workers to assist her while 

also expanding her kitchen and stall 

area. By December, more employees 

were brought in as the demand kept 

increasing and at a point, she couldn’t 

handle it anymore. Sometimes, she has 

to temporarily close her shop on Jumia 

Food in order to serve some offline 

customers too. She is enjoying her time 

on the platform and hasn’t regretted 

listing as a vendor on Jumia Food. 

She mentioned that people now 

know her from far and wide. She gets 

calls for group orders, she caters for 

events and even sometimes some 

celebrities visit her local restaurant. She 

has expanded and added other meals 

such as boiled rice to her menu and 

intends to add other local dishes soon. 

She has been able to take care of all her 

OJ's 

domestic needs and has plans of starting 

other projects as well. Madam Evangeli 

also has plans of opening more branches 

in other parts of the city in order to also 

support young unemployed people by 

offering them job opportunities. 

Her life has been transformed 

through the internet and she is grateful 

to God and Jumia for this. 

There are many more small-scale 

food vendors like Madam Evangeli who 

are benefitting from ecommerce and the 

power of the internet. Ecommerce is the 

future and it is important that every 

stakeholder play their part in ensuring 

that more lives are touched through the 

internet. 

* Bennet Otoo is the PR & 

Communications Manager of Jumia 

Ghana.

JULY 14 - 27 2021 TheTrumpet 

Page11


Earn money as a Trumpet Ambassador 

campaign. 

Sale of Banner Adverts, ‘Highlights’ and 

Mail-shots our in Email Newsletters. 

With rates ranging from £100 to £500 per 

insertion, we pay Ambassadors a 15% 

Commission. 

Sale of Advertising on our Social Media 

channels. 

With rates ranging between £100 to £200 

per channel per post, we pay a 15% 

Commission. 

Sale of Sponsorship, Advertising, 

Exhibition spaces and Tickets for GAB 

Awards and Trumpet Connect. 

With most products and services ranging 

between £100 and £20,000, we pay a 15% 

Commission. 

Engagement Status 

Our freelance Ambassadors run their own 

business, work from their own home or 

office, and choose the amount of time 

they devote to the programme. They work 

towards the amount they want to earn. 

They choose their legal status in terms of 

whether they operate as a Self-Employed 

individual or a Limited Company or any 

other appropriate status depending on the 

country they operate, but we suggest you 

take professional advice on this. 

Ambassadors are fully responsible for 

ensuring their tax affairs and other related 

issues fulfil the legal requirements of their 

country of operation. 

Incentives 

From time to time, to incentivise our 

Ambassadors, we may run special 

promotions, or reward achievements, 

milestones and introduction of other 

Ambassadors to the programme through 

cash or advert credits. 

About Us 

Trumpet Media Group is an 

international media organisation with 

various media products, services and 

events targeting Africa, Africans and Friends 

of Africa in the Diaspora and on the 

Continent. 

Its first media venture - Trumpet Newspaper 

started 23 years ago - in 1995, closely 

followed by the founding of the prestigious 

Gathering of Africa’s Best (GAB) Awards in 

1999. There are a number of other niche 

products, services and events - with plans to 

grow our portfolio over the coming months 

and years. 

Sales Ambassadors 

Our planned future growth has given rise to 

the need to take on talented and ambitious 

Sales Ambassadors who share our vision of: 

promoting the positive image of Africa and 

Africans, and are able to sell some (or all) of 

our growing number of products and services 

on a freelance basis. 

Products and Services 

We are introducing our portfolio of products, 

services, and events below on to the Trumpet 

Ambassadors Programme (TAP) in phases. 

Print Newspapers: The Trumpet Newspaper 

and Trumpet Ghana Newspaper. 

Website: www.TrumpetMediaGroup.com 

Email Newsletters: Trumpet Newsbreaker, 

Trumpet Kenya, Trumpet Nigeria, Trumpet 

Sierra Leone, Trumpet Gambia, Trumpet 

Ghana 

Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, 

Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+ and WhatsApp. 

Events: GAB Awards and Trumpet Connect. 

The Opportunities 

Opportunities to earn revenue through 

Commissions are currently available by 

way of: 

Sale of Subscriptions to any (or both) of 

our Print Newspapers. 

With Annual Subscriptions starting from 

£60, we pay a 10% Commission. 

Distribution and Sales of bulk copies our 

Newspapers. 

We pay a 35% Commission - split between 

the Ambassador and the Sales Outlet. 

(Outlets will usually take between 15% 

and 25% depending on its type and your 

negotiating skills.) 

Ambassadors may choose to sell directly 

to their clientele or at events and keep the 

entire 35% Commission. 

Sale of Advertising Spaces in our Print 

Newspapers. 

With most Advert Spaces ranging from 

£80 to £4500 per edition, we pay a 15% 

Commission. You receive a Commission 

on all editions in the campaign in line 

with the Client’s payment - for example, if 

an advertiser books and pays for six 

editions, you get a Commission on all six 

editions. 

Sale of Banner Adverts on Website 

With Banner Adverts ranging between 

£50 and £200 per week, we pay a 15% 

Commission for the length of the 

Payments 

Commission Payments to Ambassadors 

are made by the 15th day of the month 

following payment of Clients - For 

example, Commission on Clients’ 

payments in January will be paid by 15th 

February. 

Distribution and Sales of bulk copies of 

Newspapers (4.3) are excluded from the 

payment arrangement above (7.1). 

An Ambassador buys and pays for bulk 

copies in advance at a discounted rate 

with the TAP Commission deducted upfront. 

For example, if an Ambassador 

orders bulk copies worth £100 in advance, 

the Ambassador only pays us £65 

(deducting the 35% Commission upfront). 

We operate a No-Returns policy on 

Newspaper Sales. 

Joining the Programme 

It currently costs £100 per annum to join 

the Trumpet Ambassadors Programme 

(TAP). 

Introductory Offer - Join the programme 

by 31 August 2018 and accumulate sales 

of at least £1000 across any or all of our 

products by 30 September 2018; and we 

will reward you with 100 TAP Points 

worth £100 - which you can spend on any 

of our opportunities (4.2) - (4.8). 

To join the programme, please request the 

Trumpet Ambassadors Programme Form 

and via email: info@the-trumpet.com

Sport 



A healthier and more competitive 

football for all 

Page13 

Recently, FIFA President Gianni 

Infantino was a special guest of 

the second edition of the EFE 

Sport Business Forum, broadcast from 

Madrid. 

In an interview spanning almost an 

hour, the President discussed a myriad 

of topics. The following is an abridged 

version of the full interview. 

Watching football games these last 

few days, football is back at the top of 

the entertainment industry, isn’t it? 

Yes, definitely. I believe football is 

bringing us a lot of excitement these 

days, with the [UEFA] EURO and the 

[CONMEBOL] Copa América. The 

[CONCACAF] Gold Cup will also take 

place soon. Because of the pandemic 

there was a moment in which, football 

stopped all around the world. This 

hadn’t happened since the war and it 

was very tough for everyone. 

There are many people who have 

suffered and who are still suffering, but 

the fact that football is back, although 

the stadiums are not full yet, gives us the 

feeling that we are going back to 

normality. 

What kind of new things are to be 

introduced related to the global 

transfer market. What will be the role 

of the clearing house that FIFA wants 

to create? 

If we think of last year before 

COVID-19, $7billion was spent in the 

international transfer market. Of that 

figure, $700 million went directly to 

agents and only $70 million went to the 

clubs that trained and developed the 

players. 

Our principle is to reform the 

transfer market because we don’t think 

that it’s positive to have such a huge 

flow of money with almost no rules. A 

clearing house will ensure that clubs 

training players will be able to receive 

the money they are owed, because there 

is a solidarity mechanism which 

establishes that 5% of the transfer must 

be paid to the clubs that provided the 

training. This is already in our rules. But 

the truth is that only $60 or $70 million 

is paid out. 

Why? Because these clubs are small 

clubs who don’t have the means, who 

don’t know they can receive this money. 

Who don’t have enough time to ask for 

it or can’t pay lawyers to go to court. So, 

we want to automate all this to ensure 

the process is completely transparent. 

FIFPro have requested a fairer 

and more reasonable football 

calendar. Are so many competitions 

really needed? What is the situation 

right now regarding the 24-team 

FIFA Club World Cup project? 

I am convinced this is the opinion of 

the vast majority of football 

associations, leagues, clubs, fans, 

players around the world: we want 

football to be healthier, less 

discriminatory and more competitive. 

To achieve this, we have to look at the 

entire international schedule. We have 

asked Arsène Wenger, whose football 

expertise and professionalism no one 

would deny, to take charge of this 

process. 

In this consultation process we have 

undertaken, we started with the key 

stakeholders. With players, and 

managers, to get to know their opinions 

and how they want football to be run in 

the coming years. 

What do they think about the Club 

World Cup? The World Cup, the EURO, 

the [CONMEBOL] Copa América, 

about the [CAF] Africa Cup [of 

Nations], the [AFC] Asian Cup? What 

are their thoughts on clubs? What do 

they think of traveling in September, 

October, November, March from one 

continent to another? What are their 

opinions about playing two matches and 

going back or playing four games with 

their clubs and then playing again with 

their national teams? All of these issues 

are very important, and we also want to 

hear the fans’ thoughts on them. 

Our goal, is to globalise football. We 

might ask ourselves whether football is 

global or not. Of course, football is the 

number one sport in the world, and 

football is perhaps global in regards to 

passion, emotion and the heart, but it is 

absolutely not global in regards to 

opportunities to play, the opportunities 

to compete, the chances that players 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino 

have to play at their best in an important 

tournament. 

My ambition, my dream, our idea, 

our philosophy, is to have maybe around 

50 clubs from every continent being 

able to win a Club World Cup, and to 

have around 50 countries, 50 national 

teams from every continent being able 

to win a World Cup. If we manage to do 

this, I think football will be in great 

shape. 

Let’s talk about women’s football. 

What steps are you taking in the short 

or medium term to expand, in this 

field? 

Women’s football is the sport out of 

all sports that’s going to see the biggest 

growth in the next ten years. I don’t 

know where I will be in ten years, but 

we’ll talk again, we’ll check the figures, 

and we’ll compare women’s football 

growth with any other women’s or 

men’s sport, and we’ll see the numbers. 

I’m not just talking about revenues, 

but general figures. The last [FIFA] 

Women’s World Cup, that took place in 

France and was such a huge success, 

was seen by 1.2 billion people around 

the world. 1.2 billion. More than one 

million people in the stands. For the 

final alone, we had 263 million viewers. 

It’s a sport we have to develop across 

the world. That’s why, we at FIFA have 

decided to invest $1bn to develop 

women’s football, for example, in 

projects all around the world, so that 

girls can more easily access football in 

every country in the world. 

I remember the last [FIFA] U-17 

Women’s World Cup in Uruguay. 

Mexico and Spain contested the final, 

and they aren’t countries you’d 

historically associate with the 

development of women’s football. So, 

we have to keep on developing more. 

And also, for women’s football, we hold 

the same consultation as we do for 

men’s football in terms of the 

international calendar. 

Let’s talk about the World Cup 

2030. There are several candidates. 

How do you view our Spain-Portugal 

bid? 

After the FIFA reforms, the FIFA 

President doesn’t even have a vote when 

it comes to this because it’s the 211 

countries who will vote. As President of 

FIFA, it’s important to note that once 

more there is a renewed interest from a 

lot of countries around the world in 

becoming candidates. What does that 

mean? That means people have faith in 

the FIFA process. That may not always 

have been the case but it is now because 

we have already held votes, for example 

for the [FIFA] World Cup 2026 two 

years ago, in an open, transparent, and 

public process. 

There are experts observing the 

process, it all gets audited, and the votes 

are public and transparent. So, what we 

can guarantee Spain and Portugal, what 

we can guarantee every country that 

wants to host the next World Cup, after 

2026 in North America, is that the 

process will have total integrity and total 

transparency. The more candidates there 

are, the better it is for the President of 

FIFA, or for FIFA. May the best one 

win! 

We’re in 2021 now. Could you 

briefly explain what the next two 

years of FIFA will look like? 

Our vision is to make football truly 

global. If we grow, we can all grow. In 

order for football to grow around the 

world, we cannot discriminate against 

anyone. 

Football cannot be reserved for the 

few; it has to be open for everyone. And 

even the big stakeholders will benefit 

from football being open for everyone. 

I believe that the gap between the big 

and the small is becoming increasingly 

wide. Our job must be to globalise 

football, starting with young people in 

the youth World Cups in development, 

to give every talent in the world a 

chance, and every boy and girl the 

chance to dream. 

This is the 2023 vision: to make 

football truly global. We have to be 

devoted, very open to ideas. We have to 

be brave also, because some people 

might be scared of change. But, I think 

that we have to go with conviction, 

positivity; it is necessary to include the 

world and make football even more – 

much more – global than it is.

Page14 TheTrumpet JULY 14 - 27 2021 

We are recruiting: 

Independent Sales Consultants 

Trumpet Media Group - an 

international media 

organisation targeting Africa, 

Africans and Friends of Africa 

in the Diaspora and on the 

Continent was founded 24 

years ago - in 1995. 

Our growth has given rise to the need to engage the services 

of self-employed Independent Sales Consultants and 

organisations to sell some (or all) of our growing number of 

products and services on a Commission-only basis. 

The Opportunities 

Opportunities to earn revenue through Commissions are 

currently available by way of: 

· Sale of Subscriptions to our Print Newspapers. 

· Distribution and Sales of bulk copies our Newspapers. 

· Sale of Advertising Spaces in our Print Newspapers. 

· Sale of Banner Adverts on Website. 

· Sale of Banner Adverts, ‘Highlights’ and Mail-shots in Email 

Newsletters. 

· Sale of Advertising posts on our Social Media channels. 

· Sale of Sponsorship, Advertising, Exhibition spaces and 

Tickets for GAB Awards and other events. 

To apply, please email: info@the-trumpet.com

Sport 

JULY 14 - 27 2021 TheTrumpet Page15 

Henok Mulubrhan steps up to the 

WorldTour in 2022 

The 21-year-old from Asmara, 

Eritrea, makes the progression following 

two years spent with Team Qhubeka’s 

UCI Continental team based in Lucca, 

Italy. 

Henok Mulubrhan 

Henok Mulubrhan has signed his 

first professional contract and 

joins the Team Qhubeka 

NextHash () WorldTour team from 1 

January, 2022. 

The 21-year-old from Asmara, 

Eritrea, makes the progression following 

two years spent with Team Qhubeka’s 

UCI Continental team based in Lucca, 

Italy. 

2021 has proved to be an excellent 

season, so far, which has included placing 

second at Giro del Medio Brenta, third 

place on stage two of the under 23 Giro 

d’Italia where he also placed 17th overall 

on the general classification and a hugely 

impressive sixth at Giro dell’Appennino, 

among others. 

Mulubrhan has also raced this season 

with our WorldTour team, as a member 

of our squad that competed at Trofeo 

Andratx and Trofeo Calvia. 

He joins an illustrious list of riders 

including the likes of Daniel 

Teklehaimanot, Merhawi Kudus, 

Nicholas Dlamini, Ryan Gibbons, Stefan 

de Bod, Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg 

and others, that have taken the step from 

our team to the WorldTour and gone on 

to compete consistently at the very 

highest level. 

Henok Mulubrhan said: 

“I am very happy to receive my first 

professional contract. It was always a 

dream of mine to be a professional, from 

the age of 17 when I was racing with the 

Eritrean team. I need to thank my family 

for their support, particularly my father 

and my uncle. My Father always believed 

in me, he told everyone I will be a 

professional one day and supported me a 

lot. 

“He came to every race I did and if he 

could get a visa, I know he would want to 

come to all my races in Europe too. My 

uncle did a lot to help me financially in 

my career, even now he still helps me. I 

need to thank them a lot but also to the 

whole Eritrean community, my fans, who 

always support and encourage me. 

“To the team, I am very grateful to the 

Qhubeka Continental team for the 

opportunity. With them, my dream 

changed from just being a dream to 

becoming a realistic goal. They gave me 

opportunity to experience racing in 

Europe and to increase my level. Thank 

you to Kevin (Campbell) and Daniele 

(Nieri) and all the Continental team staff 

and also to my teammates who helped 

me. Last year I lived, trained and raced 

with guys like Natnael Tesfatsion and 

Leonardo Marchiori. They turned pro 

from this team so it gave me a lot of 

motivation to train hard and keep 

believing I can do it too. 

“Now I start from the beginning 

again, and it is time for a new dream as a 

professional. I want to start a grand tour, 

that is my next goal and after, in a few 

years my family dream is to see me win a 

stage in a grand tour. This is what I will 

work towards.” 

Douglas Ryder – Team Principal said: 

“One of the greatest pleasures that I 

have is seeing young riders taking the 

opportunity to establish themselves in our 

Continental team and then earning their 

spot to ride on the highest level with our 

WorldTour team. That is exactly what our 

team is about, to create hope and 

opportunity for a successful career as a 

professional cyclist and continue to 

inspire hope in others that their dreams 

can come true. 

“Henok’s hugely impressed all of us; 

he’s not only ridden so well with our 

Continental team but also spent some 

time racing successfully with the 

WorldTour team. His hard work and 

adaptation to international racing is 

showing incredible improvements which 

we hope will go from strength to strength, 

and we look forward to playing our part 

in that journey to see him realise his 

dreams.” 

Tel: +44 (0) 7956 385 604


Sport 

Three weeks of Rugby Africa 

action in Nairobi 

International Rugby returned to Kenya for 

the first time in nearly two years when 

the Kenya Rugby Union () concurrently 

hosted three Rugby Africa events at Nairobi’s 

Nyayo National Stadium between June 26 

and July 11. 

These events - U20 Barthes Trophy, 

Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and the Rugby 

Africa Cup were held under a collaborative 

effort from Rugby Africa and its partners, the 

Government of Kenya through the leadership 

of Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Amina 

Mohammed of the Ministry of Sport, Culture 

and Heritage, the Local Organizing 

Committee as well as the Kenya Rugby 

Union and its partners. 

It saw Kenya’s national teams battle it out 

Kenya's Dominic Coulson in action against Zambia 

Kenya Lionesses and Lady Makis in action 

against opposition from Madagascar, Senegal 

and Zambia. 

Rugby Africa Women’s Cup 

When Kenya’s Lionesses stepped out on 

the Nyayo National Stadium turf to play 

Madagascar’s Lady Makis, everyone knew 

that the higher ranked Kenyans would 

dominate both fixtures against their visitors. 

The two sides had met once before, the 

Lionesses running off with the 35-5 result 

over Madagascar during the 2019 Rugby 

Africa Women’s Cup. 

Not even the fact that Kenya were 

breaking new ground, fielding a team devoid 

of their Sevens players who are in Tokyo 

representing the country in the Rugby Sevens 

tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic 

Games was going to deter the puritans from 

proclaiming a Kenya sweep. 

Well, the Lady Makis had other ideas, 

winning both fixtures 27-15 and 10-0 

respectively. The two results not only saw 

Madagascar register their maiden test wins 

but they also soared to new heights in the 

global rankings, 27th overall while Kenya 

went down one place from 24th to 25th. 

U20 Barthes Trophy 

This was originally meant to be a fourteam 

fixture before former champions 

Namibia due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Kenya, Senegal and Madagascar played a 

round robin fixture to determine the African 

U20 champion for 2021. 

Kenya started the tournament with a 50- 

3 win over Senegal on Saturday 26 June. 

Madagascar would then face the Senegalese 

a week later, defeating them 34-3 at the same 

venue, setting up an exciting title decider 

against Kenya. 

This fixture did not disappoint! 

Defending champions Kenya were made 

to fight by a never say die Madagascar side 

who took the game to their more illustrious 

opponents. Eventually it was Kenya’s U20s, 

Chipu as they are fondly called, that retained 

the African U20 title with a 21-20 result over 

Madagascar’s Junior Makis. 

Rugby Africa Cup 

The senior national teams of Kenya, 

Senegal and Zambia converged in Nairobi in 

Pool B of the Rugby Africa Cup which is the 

U20 Barthes Trophy Winners 2021 

African continent’s pathway to the Rugby 

World Cup 2023 in France. 

Kenya’s Simbas and Senegal’s Lions met 

in the opening fixture on 3 July, one that was 

expected to be straightforward for the Simbas 

who were ranked 32nd heading into this 

clash. 

The 54th ranked Senegalese ripped the 

formbook to shreds, stunning the hosts 20-19 

to have a foot in the tournament’s 

quarterfinals in 2022. They then made sure 

of being in action next year with a businesslike 

20-5 defeat of Zambia’s Copper Eagles 

on 7 July. 

There was everything to play for when 

Kenya and Zambia faced off four days later, 

a winner takes all fixture. The Simbas raced 

into a 32-3 halftime lead, eventually claiming 

the 45-8 win at full time. The result saw them 

join Senegal in the next round of the Rugby 

Africa Cup, their Rugby World Cup 2023 

dream staying alive. 

The return of Rugby action truly 

showcased the rugby values of Teamwork, 

Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and 

Sportsmanship. It further epitomised the 

resilience of the human spirit, rising from 

what had seemed a hopeless situation nearly 

two years ago when the COVID-19 

pandemic struck, throwing the world into a 

spin. 

Nairobi is set to host more international 

action when the Kenya Lionesses play 

Colombia in a Rugby World Cup repechage 

qualifier on a yet to be confirmed date in 

August. 

Action between Senegal and Zambia 

Madagascar pre match ritual 

TheTrumpet is published in London fortnightly by Trumpet 

Field: 07956 385 604 E-mail: info@the-trumpet.com (ISSN: 1477-3392)

The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 549 (July 14 - 27 2021)

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