Erieka's Magical Realism

By Erieka and Sandy Rogers

This book is about a woman who takes you on a journey of how one's experiences, battles, and obstacles can be the very things that empower you to greatness. If you find yourself depressed by the standards the world has placed on your shoulders find out how Erieka turned her social fantasy into a magical reality. This book will not only change your life but transform you in a magical way. Reading this book will introduce you to the real you, discovering your purpose through Erieka's magical realism. Not everyone can be famous, but everbody can be great, because greatness is determined by Service: Erieka is a great woman.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 3, 2011
• ISBN: 9781463400088

Erieka

" Erieka " has traveled, worked and lived in Africa for over 35 years. As the Convening Founder and Head of Mission of the (AU) African Diaspora Forum, that will link Diasporan Africans and their talents to the development of Africa she has been a valuable asset to the African Union’s development of Diasporan issues. Erieka was at the forefront of the development of AGOA and was an advisor to the architects of NEPAD. Also a selected member of the first AU ECOSSOC. "Erieka" strong love for the Africa Woman was given concrete expression in March 2004 when she was one of the supporters of African Woman 2004 which produced the Abuja Accords, the historic document on the Aspirations of the African Woman which was developed at the first ever African Woman’s conference held in Abuja, Nigeria, March 2004. This document is being submitted to Beijing plus ten for forum development and adoption as a major voice for the African woman at the United Nations Forum for women. She was elected as Africa Women 2004” in the category of mentoring. "Erieka's "devotion to her work as a bridge between the Diaspora and Africa, and her work in promoting Diaspora Affairs, has also earned her quite a number of awards, such as the African Global Leadership Award in London in November 2007, the Civil Rights Walk of Fame Awards in the United States of America in September 2009, as well as the Pan African Women of Excellence Awards in South Africa in October, 2009. Recently she received the Visionary Leadership Award 2010 in Washington, D.C. "Erieka" is a trusted Advisor to ECOWAS and she also served on the Advisory Counsel of the Past President of Ghana. She assists in providing guidance to the development of this progressive West African nation. She has been an informal trusted Advisor to several Presidents. Erieka monitors actives of African development through her involvement with international discussions such as the African -African American summits, ECOWAS meetings, AU summits . With economic development at the forefront of her planning for Africa, "Erieka" served with distinction for two terms as the International Vice President of the African Business Roundtable, the oldest indigenous African Business Group on the Continent. Under her able leadership, the African Business Roundtable grew in distinction and prestige, enabling African Business to gain another voice. Erieka is the President of African Communications Agency that convenes a yearly media summit that deals with the Image of Africa. ACA under Erieka direction was partially responsible for the creation and launching of Inside Africa Show, one of CNN’s most popular shows. ACA was the first communications agency that represented CNN in Africa. She is a Media Executive specializing in Branding and image strategies. The Legacy, a pictorial history of President Bill Clinton’s historic linkage to Africa and its development was published under her direction. Erieka is a well versed educational facilitator. Founded "The Bridge Inc." in 1985, training and consulting firm which creates a viable linkage between Africa and America. Developed and managed training programs for Government Agencies in various African Countries. Training and management for Hotels, airlines, – creating new levels of excellence in service standards. Erieka counsels regularly a virtual "Who's Who in Africa" list of clients including Heads of States, Ministers, Ambassadors and prominent businessmen. She is recognized the world over for her tremendous charitable contributions, she is generous benefactor of several children's causes. " ERIEKA " : “AFRICA’S ADVOCATE”, WEARING MANY HATS….

Book preview

Erieka’s

Magical

Realism

Written By:

Erieka

In collaboration with Sandy Rogers

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AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2011 Erieka : in collaboration with Sandy Rodgers. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 4/28/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4634-0010-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-0009-5 (dj)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-0008-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: applied for

Printed in the United States of America

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Editorial Consultants:

Alice Dear

Daisy Saunders

Dana Dixon

Elizabeth York-Westbrook

Ivory Dorsey

Lurma Rackley

Cover Design by:

Rana O. Hall-Bragg

Contents

THE GLOBAL VIEWS OF ERIEKA:

PROLOGUE

REFLECTIONS

BIG EYES, BIG EYEDEAS

Dedication:

Introduction

ERIEKA ON ERIEKA

CHAPTER ONE:

WHO IS THIS WOMAN?

CHAPTER TWO:

GROWING UP

CHAPTER THREE:

DEFINING ERIEKA

CHAPTER FOUR:

ERIEKA AS A PARENT

CHAPTER FIVE:

HISTORY IS MADE

CHAPTER SIX

NEW LIFE AT 60 (THE BIRTH OF THE BOOK)

CHAPTER SEVEN

PRINCIPLES iNTHE

MAGICAL FLOW OF LIFE

CHAPTER EIGHT:

TRANSITIONS

EPILOGUE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

GLOSSARY

SYMBOLISM

CONTACT INFORMATION

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THE GLOBAL VIEWS OF ERIEKA:

Dr. Ada Adler, retired State Department Employee:

Who is this woman who reaches out to inspire, to strengthen, to uplift, to support, to encourage, to bring hope to the hopeless, to make possible the seemingly impossible? Who is this woman that builds bridges of understanding, of support, of love, of caring, of concern; who builds bridges connecting the United States and Africa? Who is this woman who sees in each of us the work of the Creator, The Hand of the Creator, and the Face of the Creator? Who is this woman who speaks for those unable to speak for themselves, who strives to make this world a better place? This woman is Erieka. She is all this and more. She is truly blessed and is a blessing to those of us who know her. She has never ceased to amaze me. Her brilliance, her energy, her creativity, her focus, her commitment, and her compassion, have set a very high standard. Who is this woman Erieka? I am blessed to call her FRIEND.

President John Agyekum Kufuor, former President of Ghana, appointed Erieka to serve on his Private Sector Advisory board in Ghana:

Erieka is an incredible woman whose advice was immeasurable in helping to move Ghana’s economy forward.

The Ashantene, Otumfour Osei Tutu II, the King of the Ashantis, publicly describes:

Erieka is my wife, sister, mother, friend, one woman who gives her all to the people she loves.

President Olusegun Obasenjo, former President of Nigeria:

Erieka is a phenomenal woman who has dedicated her life to Africa. We need more Eriekas in Africa.

H.E. Ruth Sando Perry, former Interim Head of State for Liberia:

Erieka is my daughter, my friend; she has worked tirelessly for the Liberian People during some of the most difficult times in the Liberian history. She stood with us when the world turned its back on us. She is an incredible woman who has saved my life. May God continue to give her the strength and the power to reach her greatness! As Martin Luther King said, ‘Not everybody can be famous, but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by Service’. Erieka is a Great Woman.

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PROLOGUE

Erieka, at age 60, is the 1st Ambassador in the history of a Diaspora Movement in Ghana. She is the Founder and Head of Mission of the African Union (AU) Diaspora African Forum (DAF). Recognition of her extremely powerful work spans the globe.

In 2007, she received the African Global Leadership Award endorsed by the World Bank in London. She is Vice Chair of the African Communications Agency, the first CNN International marketing partner in Africa. She was elected as Africa Woman of the Year 2004 for her contributions in the creation of the historic document Aspirations of the African Woman, utilized by the United Nations Forum for Women.

She has served as the International Vice President of the African Business Roundtable, the oldest indigenous African business group in Africa. Erieka is a frequent traveler to airports worldwide, going where she is called to serve. She was awarded the Civil Rights ICON Award, and her footprints are imbedded at the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Her bio reads like that of any dignitary, with but a sampling of her amazing accomplishments. Her work is done with a graciousness that is her signature mark on the planet.

She has led her life by following her inner guide - the voice of God. It is a life that can be instructive to anyone who desires to fulfill fondest dreams and contribute to the betterment of mankind. Erieka’s venue for effecting change is Africa. From her birth in the segregated US south, she has exceeded expectations at every turn and now ranks as a leader among Africa’s champions and promoters of the African Diaspora’s possibilities.

I am honored to have been chosen by God to co-write this amazing story with Erieka. The synchronicity of events leading to this completed manuscript is confirmation of living in faith. To assist in telling the story of this unparalleled woman is truly my blessing. My respect and admiration for her tireless contributions to humanity surely define her as a Shero and my inclusion in this writing is simply awesome. Prior to receiving the email from Erieka extending the invitation to join her on this project, I had said a prayer petitioning God, the Archangels and my Ancestors what is it that YOU would have me do! Actually the exact moment that I said the prayer 12:30 a.m. EST Erieka was sending me the email 5:30 a.m. There is a five hour time difference between Atlanta and Accra, Ghana. So here in your hands is the answered prayer. May you be richly blessed by the reading. This is indeed Erieka’s Magical Realism!

Written by: Sandy Rodgers

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REFLECTIONS

Taking Action to Forecast the Future

By: Lurma Rackley

In the 1970s, young professional women like me saved up for our vacations instead of charging them. So, we usually had modest accommodations on our island jaunts. This was the case in the middle of the decade when my friend Erieka and I took a trip to San Juan and St. Thomas, checking out the fine men and the lovely sites, spending our money cautiously. But on our last night there, we decided to splurge.

We located what looked to us to be the ritziest spot in the whole of St. Thomas - a restaurant at a resort hotel on the ocean. The place fairly dripped with elegance, reeked of money, and we seemed to be the only young black women in there. Settling at our grand table with a view of the sea in the dining area, dimly-lit chandeliers faintly sparking over our heads, we felt like princesses, nowhere near the reality of our bank accounts.

This is the way I am going to live, Erieka announced, spreading her arms to encompass the room. I want all this. The diamonds, the rich clothing, never having to wonder if I can afford the cost of a meal in a place like this.

Such a lifestyle didn’t seem to be on the horizon. How do you think you’ll get it? I asked, aware that my job as a newspaper reporter and hers in public relations for a nonprofit didn’t have us on the big money track.

I don’t know how. I just know I will, she answered confidently. This is where I belong.

And get there, she did. She didn’t just use the power of positive thinking, though that’s what she says counts most. She didn’t just employ the spiritual method of believing and manifesting, though she puts great stock in that, too. This girl got busy professionally and mapped out a plan. She aggressively sought jobs in her field that took her not only around the United States but around the world. She did her homework, researched opportunities and stood directly in the path of influential people. And when they turned their eyes on her, she was ready to impress them with her ideas, her knowledge, and her network.

Recently, I attended the first of a series of conferences on Rebranding Africa that Erieka hosted in Accra, Ghana, where she now makes her home. Her conference had the support and participation from the highest levels of the country’s government and of the African Union. And while I sat there listening to her deliver the opening remarks, I couldn’t help thinking how far she’s come and how she knew she’d get there.

But I was also impressed by how profound she’d become over the years. Yes, she’d reached the power circles, but there was nothing shallow about her being there. She was not a trinket on someone’s arm. Yes, she wore lovely outfits and rings on her fingers, but those trappings didn’t define her. Person after person at the conference talked about her legendary and uncanny ability to bring people together, her awareness of global issues, and her commitment to the race throughout the world (the Diaspora, as we Pan-Africanists like to say).

On one of the rare breaks in the conference (where journalists and experts in public relations and marketing brainstormed with government officials on ways to uplift Africa’s image in media), Erieka and I kicked back to reminisce about old times: parties we’d gone to in DC, stars we’d met, tears and laughter, disappointments and triumphs. Raising her brow and grinning, she told me You could spill my dangerous secrets to these people. I laughed. Yes. I sure could. But I wouldn’t, because you could come right back with mine.

But, of course, that’s not the real reason I wouldn’t spill the beans. Not even for a big chunk of money from a rag magazine. (Ha ha) I wouldn’t tarnish my ace girl and betray our 35-year-old friendship, not only because I wouldn’t want to but also because she’s playing too vital a role to be derailed. If the past is prologue, then my friend Erieka might be the one to give the necessary push to shift the paradigm of thinking about Africa.

Since she believes in Africa like she believes in herself, there’s no stopping her. Instead of the general public looking at the motherland and seeing its scars and wounds, its devastation and conflicts, we will begin to concentrate on its lush beauty and magnificent resources, its unparalleled strengths and awesome power. And, together we will manifest the reality of Africa as the continent with the world’s smartest leaders, the biggest tourist attractions, and the fastest growing economies.

With leadership like Erieka’s and the people she can pull together, it’s a safe bet.

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Article written for Sister to Sister Magazine.

Reprinted and reproduced with permission from Sister to Sister Magazine and the author, Lurma Rackley.

A published author, Lurma Rackley started her professional career in Washington, D.C., as a reporter with The Evening Star, The Afternoon Daily. She spent nine years there, the last two as an editor on the City Desk. She worked in Communications with the Government of the District of Columbia for 11 years, ending as Press Secretary to Mayor Marion Barry in 1989 and 1990. She has worked in media relations for the international human rights organization Amnesty International, as Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Eddie Bauer in Redmond, Wash., as Public Relations Director for the humanitarian organization CARE, in Atlanta, GA, and she joined Habitat for Humanity International as a writer in 2009. She also writes for a number of clients independently.

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BIG EYES, BIG EYEDEAS

Putting It All Together

By: Daisy Saunders

When I think of people who have used this approach, I immediately think of my friend, mentor, and mastermind partner, Erieka. For Erieka, achieving optimum success didn’t just happen nor was it an overnight story. She started with a plan and worked her plan. Along the way, there were wilderness experiences that could have broken her focus, her resolve, and her spirit. But they didn’t because she was a woman with compelling purpose and she viewed these experiences as lessons she was to learn as she moved toward what was hers by divine right.

Erieka’s story clearly validates the strategies set forth in her preceding chapters. When I met her in the late 1980’s, she had already decided that optimum success was her destiny. At that time, what struck me most was her level of confidence in herself as well as in me. She always felt that I would go on to do great things. She had faith in me even when I doubted myself. She often referred to me as a GG- one of God’s Girls. In a soft voice and with a serious look on her face, she would say, All of God’s children are special but you’re extra-special. And you’re a money magnet. Often I had to step back and ask myself, "What is she talking about? Why is she saying these things?" You see, at that time, my level of confidence was nowhere near Erieka’s, and though I was accomplishing a lot of things, I didn’t exactly see what she saw. And regarding her belief in herself, I would ask myself, How did she get all of that confidence?

In the late 1990’s, something happened called LIFE. And I lost contact with Erieka. In 2006, now at another stage of my life, I began to reflect on the people who had had the most influence on me: people who believed in me, supported, and empowered me. I wanted to reconnect with those people, to include them in my inner circle. Erieka was at the top of my list but I had no idea where she was or what she was doing nor was I in contact with anyone who knew her. Instinctively, however, I knew she was still onto get what was hers by divine right.

So I began an internet search for Erieka, starting first with her name. Nothing came up. Later I learned that I was spelling her name incorrectly. Then I asked myself, What was her path, her passion, her deepest desire? I remembered that her passion was Africa. Her deepest desire was to work in Africa - to help the general public see the beauty of Africa and its people. She often said she wanted to be the companion or business associate of a high-level African dignitary or businessman. This would position her to truly make a difference in the lives of people living in Africa. It would also enable her accomplish her own goals. Erieka was so entrenched in the African culture that she began dressing, exclusively, in the traditional dress of an African princess or queen. Her color was purple, symbolizing royalty. Even then, she had an awareness of global issues surrounding the African continent.

With this in mind, I then resumed my internet search. This time, my search included words and phrases such as consultants and advisors to Africa. Within minutes, several sites appeared with her name. Within days, I had reconnected with Erieka. After several e-mails and phone conversations, I learned that all of her dreams have come true. Yes, she has reached the power circles. She now resides in Ghana where she has diplomatic status. She participates in the highest levels of the country’s government and of the African Union. She walks among high level dignitaries and influential people from all walks of life - not only in Africa but other countries as well.

How did she do it? She started with a strong intention and a belief. She also knew what success looked like to her. Then she got busy. Her eyes were already open wide; yet, she opened them even wider to envision all of the possibilities the Universe had in store for her a life that was hers by divine right.

And get it, she did. She hasn’t just achieved success but optimum success. She has reached great heights, but states, I am not finished yet.

If you asked the average person the key to success, you’d probably get many answers but the one you’ll get most often is: hard work. Rarely, if ever, would you get this Big Eyes approach that the Eriekas of the world use.

While working hard is important, hard work alone has never brought success. The world is filled with many hard working people who are barely surviving - perhaps some are even enjoying a certain degree of success but it’s highly unlikely they’re experiencing optimum success.

What, then, is the key? I can’t count the number of times I’ve been asked this question. There is no one key; no magic formula. I can say, however, that we all have within us the capacity for achieving optimum success. It starts with a consciousness and an intention. It doesn’t just happen, it takes application and practice.

So take Erieka’s strategies I have given you: apply and practice!

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This is a chapter in the book Big Eyes: Big Eyedeas for Achieving Optimum Success in Business and in Life by Daisy Saunders and dedicated to Erieka.

Reprinted with permission of Advantage Media Group and author Daisy Saunders from her bestselling book Big Eyes.

Daisy Saunders is a speaker, trainer and founder of Big Eyes International, a consulting firm specializing in personal empowerment and leadership development. With 15 years of experience, Daisy helps maximize potential at organizations like NASA, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Freddie Mac and more. She is also author of Big Eyes... Big Eyedeas for Achieving Optimum Success in Business and Life.

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Dedication:

This book is dedicated to the loving parents of Erieka,

The late Sergeant Erie L. and Mrs. Dessaree

And one of her greatest cheerleaders, the late

Charlette

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Introduction

IT’S ALL ABOU T ERIEKA’S MAGICAL REALISM

Magical realism "...relies upon the presentation of real, imagined