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Showing posts from November, 2006

Ponder On This

From my inbox, forwarded to me. I am supposed to forward it also, but I am extremely lazy at doing that. 1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for. 2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way. 3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you. 4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you. 5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep. 6. You mean the world to someone. 7. You are special and unique. 8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you. 9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it. 10. When you think the world has turned its back on you take another look. 11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks. So............If you are a loving friend, send this to everyone, including the one that sent it to you. If you get it back, then they really do love you. And always r

The View From a Balcony

Okay. So what if I am not Kelechi Amadi or Uche Iroha. I can still take some pictures. All I was doing was storing memories of that day, you know. Just like my Mya sang: I wanna take a picture, so I can remember this moment forever. I wanna take a picture so I can show my children someday. This picture was taken from the balcony of the building where the Framemaster is located. I cannot see the front of that skycrapper, so I cannot tell you the name of the building. And because I am not so good with names of bridges on the Island, I can't tell you which is by the building. But of course, that is Peak Milk's advert. I guess my skills are getting better with the camera. I am not the Agama Lizard.

The Kids In Action

My camera actually got working inside the gallery, before it came outside, and I said I wanted to take pictures of a nice view from the balcony. This is what I took, and it isn’t so pleasant, but it is part of Lagos. The building on the other side of the dead fence (forgive my English), which is uncompleted is the popular mama put joint on King George V road. A pity I didn’t go in there to eat. We were in a hurry to return to the mainland. That was when the kids’ action began.

The Kids In Action - Two

When my friend and I were leaving the building where an exhibition was holding, we saw two little girls on top of this uncompleted building ( Mama Put joint ) and started yelling for them to get off else they fall. We were wondering who left them unattended to go upstairs. But they knew what they were doing, as they got a mat and dragged it to the position that you can see. My camera couldn’t zoom more for a clearer picture, but I am sure you can make out what is there.

The Kids In Action - Three

With their mat arranged, they stood, deciding on what to do.

The Kids In Action - Four

Suddenly they sat down and the one on the left began the gist. Let me tell you one tory.

The Kids In Action - Five

Then the one on the right responded with her own gist.

The Kids In Action- Six

Obviously, the one on the right had better gist because soon, she was demonstrating to her friend.

The Kids In Action- Seven

Is it laughter on the part of the baby on the left, or just another demonstration? Then we got noticed and they were distracted.

The Kids In Action - Eight

What could they do but look at me and wonder what is wrong with me for disturbing their gist.

Framemaster

Do you know that one of the beauty of an artwork is the additional makeup? What I am talking about is the frame used on an artwork. Like Alex Nwoloko , an artist said to me on the day of his maiden edition of miniature artfair, 'frames are like clothes, they bring out the beauty.' And he was right. Frames help to define the tone of the painting and helps to bring out its beauty. This work here is of mixed media. The artist used wooden combs, popularly called cutting combs, to send across a message An Alex Nwokolo work. Paper collage is how it is described. Alex Nwokolo is a framer. According to him, because no has done an exhibition like this, he decided to give it a shot. All the works were miniature. From mixed media to etching, sculptures, paper collage, acrylic etc. This here is a work done by Ndidi Dike on leather. She used wood and wooden fibres to do magic. From all his works at the gallery, I wouldn't be wrong to say that Oliver Enwonwu is taken with women, beca

I FEEL STUPID THAT GUYS WANT ME - Mr Kool

Taken From National Mirror Newspapers. He is simply known as Mr. Kool and has being in the music industry for over a decade. With his second album which is about to be repackaged, Mr. Kool has shown that indeed, he has arrived in the industry, and intends to stay. Wanted by both girls and guys, Mr. Kool is the guy with that cool voice who sings to bring peace to people’s hearts and lives. In this interview with UZEZI EKERE , over a plate of fufu and Egusi soup in a restaurant at Maryland, Lagos, where he spotted a blue body hug top and jeans, Mr. Kool spoke on his work, his love and passion for it and women. What’s more, he reveals the fact that guys actually chase him and that it is embarrassing. Excerpts: Is there any particular reason why you like dressing in white in your videos? Yes, I’ve always loved white, because it signifies purity. I’m not saying I’m pure, but I’m pure in spirit. I think I’m almost a perfectionist and when you are talking about perfection, it doesn’t mean you

Inside SOS Village

These pictures show part of the SOS village. The environment is really so cool, calm and clean. I bet you had no idea that the children in the village live a very structured family life, just like you and I and those who grow up in the same family house cannot marry each other because they are siblings. Imagine such open grounds, beautiful field. What's more, the children are divided into family houses. Each family house has a mother who stays with them always. She goes home once in a while to see her own family. There is a primary school in the premises, but according to our escorts, for secondary education, they go out to mix up with the world. I bet you didn't know a medical doctor has materialised from there. She works abroad. This here, is a family house. Sorry no pictures of some of the lovely children we visited. It isn't allowed because people use them to collect donations that never get to SOS.

A Visit to SOS Village

It was on Nov 11 when some friends and I visited SOS. After making some donations, we went on tour. Things happen in this world that we don't know, unless we are involved. Sit down to think of your life and things that you take for granted. Think of others who do not have your opportunity and put a smile on somebody's face. It will make a whole lof of difference. In the picture, from left to right: Ayo, the one who brought us all altogether. The others didn't turn up,due to some reasons. Next time, it will be all of us. Next to Ayo is Pat, who came there to meet up with me, and ended up being part of us. Then after Pat is yours truly. Next to me is beautiful Kudi, then Niyi, who didn't mind dropping off Pat and I at Maryland.

Death of Nigerian Theatre is Normal

This interview was published in National Mirror Nespaper in July Other than the immediate past Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Dr. Hyginus Ekwuazi, there may be no other Nigerian academic that has done work on the phenomenon of the film and home video in Nigeria as Dr Onookome Okome, Associate Professor at the Department of English and Film Studies, University of Alberta, Canada. At the African Literature Association summit held recently in Ghana, Okome was there with a paper on “The African New Cinema.” UZEZI EKERE caught up with him in between engagements and extracted this interview from him. What are you presently working on? I am just concluding my new book on the video film. I’ve been interested in video film for a long time and I think it’s a very important part of our cultural history that we must not take for granted simply because it is mainly patronized at this moment by people we don’t consider intellectuals or people who don’t speak the intellectual vocabulary.

When Chimamanda Adichie Spoke

I conducted this interview over a month ago with the author of Purple Hibiscus , Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie , who has just released her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun . The interview was published in National Mirror. What are you working on presently? Some short stories What writer living at home did you read recently? I think Tolu Ogunlesi is very talented. Have you been following the prizes available for literary works in Nigeria? What's your take on them? I have not been following them. You were in the country on a book tour, to promote your first book. How well did it go, and how were you received? I think it went well. I was very happy to see that people were genuinely interested in literature. When you left the country, what did you really go to do abroad? Work? I left Nigeria to go to college. I wanted an opportunity to study something that was not a science as I had started off studying medicine at Nsukka. When you were in Nigeria, were you writing then? Yes. My first pub

Young & Free

Just imagining the possibily of blogging my National Mirror column every week. It will mean some people who buy Tuesday Mirror because of that column won't buy, because they will get it free of charge. Nay! I will blog Young & Free articles, but only when they are really old. As per our Young & Free Club , the subcribers are much sha. I no no say people dey like this kind thing. Even some guys wants to be members. We shall see. Eh, before I forget, the shoe. I am imagining me in it. Got it from one of those Jessica Simpons adverts on internet. But I have finer shoes sha. And real stilettos. This girl is vain, but who cares?

The Activist by Tanure Ojaide

Kachifo Limited, the publisher of Farafina Magazine and FarafinaBooks, is proud to announce the release of an affordable, paperbackedition of Tanure Ojaide's novel The Activist. (N1,000) SYNOPSES The Activist is a thought-provoking novel about the Niger-Delta andits people. It is a compelling story that underscores the need forunity amongst the various peoples of the Niger Delta in order tosecure equity for themselves and all other nationalities withinNigeria. The novel dwells on environmental degradation, the antics ofthe oil companies and corruption among the local elites. The novelschronicles The Activist's struggle to set things right for his people.He leaves the comfort of his home abroad to join in the struggle toensure its success. It is a story of courage, sacrifice and defiance.It is a message for the need for change, set in a contemporary Nigeriasteeped in corruption and avarice.Exploring the political and social tensions of recent times, TheActivist probes the depth

NO SENSE OF LIMITS MAKES ME FEEL VERY NIGERIAN

This interview with Araceli Aipoh came out today in National Mirror. I hope her next novel will take us back 25 years to her high school days with Batch '81 I still find it difficult believing a foreigner wrote a book that is so Nigerian. How does that make you feel? It makes me feel so Nigerian. The vigour I noticed with which you started the book, weakened in the middle and picked up again before the book ended. Is it that you were unsure of the plot and almost got stuck? There was never a time when I was unsure of the plot. Before I sat down to write, I already knew what was going to happen to all the characters from the beginning to the end. Besides, it’s not just possible to have at least one character get killed in every chapter. You will end up with an unrealistic story. Why did you create Kate to be that kind of desperate woman who unfortunately lost it all? I didn’t exactly create Kate. She exists in our midst, not just in Nigeria but in any place where you see women. All