tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90771069214029121402024-03-12T21:20:42.690-07:00Artsville; A city where art livesThis blog will discuss the Nigerian arts scene with its main focus on the Nigerian movie industry-nollywood.Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-26629420850618454772014-10-14T23:23:00.001-07:002014-10-14T23:23:28.930-07:00A Case for Linda Ikeji<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
Linda Ikeji, the most successful Nigerian blogger was</div>
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recently accused of plagiarism. She wasn’t sued but majority had already sentenced her to death.</div>
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Fortunately, Google has found her not guilty. Mr. Ayedee whose real name has</div>
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been rumoured to be Muhktar or Emmanuel or both claims she used content from his blog without</div>
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his permission or giving him due credit. Linda insists it’s not true; she</div>
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didn’t seek permission but she credited him.(The post was taken down). She</div>
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further adds that she has no time to wait for permission as she’s in the</div>
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business of breaking News but she always adds ‘culled from’. Is this enough? I</div>
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do not know. <em> </em>I’m no lawyer. But from a lay man’s perspective,</div>
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I did not think Ayedee’s case would survive in court. I was really hoping this</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">would end up there so I would be proved right or right.</span></div>
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I am not a big fan of Linda and here’s why. I’m uncomfortable about</div>
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people who display their material wealth. </div>
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It worries me that owning Prada bags have become more important than</div>
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content of character. I feel that celebrities birthed this trend. From the</div>
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musician who posts pictures of his new house online to the actress who</div>
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instagrams her entire shopping trip in Italy, one designer bag after another, to</div>
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Linda who recently posted pictures of her newly acquired Range Rover. </div>
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What are we teaching our children? But I</div>
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respect the young lady. She’s worked very hard and she’s made me very proud of</div>
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my generation and gender. This is a clear case of building something, something</div>
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very big out of nothing. I stood up for her because I felt she was being</div>
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bullied. I still do not understand why we chose to swallow an anonymous</div>
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blogger’s allegations hook, line and sinker and completely disregarded</div>
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Linda’s. I believe in crime and punishment but it must be in a bid to correct and not to destroy. Linda's case seems to be to me, a matter</div>
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of class. How dare Linda succeed when she didn’t go to an Ivy league</div>
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university, when she didn’t return from the Diaspora to show us how to do</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">things, when she doesn’t speak with an acquired accent?</span></div>
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</div>
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Ikhide Iheloa, a literary critic pointed out that while he</div>
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is not dismissing the allegations against Ms. Ikeji, he wanted to understand why</div>
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she was being singled out, he reminded us of an online magazine</div>
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who still owe him money and other atrocities they commited, If</div>
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anyone responded to him, I missed it or they missed his Tweets. They were too busy</div>
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chanting crucify Linda! Someone even said, in justifying Google’s take down of</div>
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her blog, that she had gotten away with murder for too long and it was time</div>
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justice caught up with her. Hian! It reminded me of our political class,</div>
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patting politicians on the back for stealing millions, and sentencing a goat</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">thief to life imprisonment. This is Nigeria. We choose whom we love. And hate.</span></div>
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I am a writer, as such I understand intellectual property. But Ms Ikeji is one of the very few young</div>
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women who have excelled at her craft with very little or no help. It is not</div>
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what she does but how she does it. That girl is diligent! We should seek to build and not destroy her.</div>
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Did any one of the intellectuals write her,since they know so much, telling her to</div>
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stop using other people’s content? Did anyone reach out to her to help her take</div>
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LIB to the next level? She could be Nigeria’s Oprah. LIB could easily become a</div>
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talk show, a TV station, and more but she cannot do it alone. We cannot continue to berate the younger</div>
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generation while we make no attempts at helping them grow. Mark didn’t build</div>
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Facebook alone. People identified the</div>
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talent, the potential and helped him take it to the next level. Nigerian youths deserve the same if they must</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">shine bright.</span></div>
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Ironically, the person who encouraged her would turn around</div>
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to be the person who would seek to destroy her. </div>
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History has shown that many people who bring cases on Twitter are</div>
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seeking vengeance and not justice. People who want justice go to courts of law.</div>
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But Nigerians do not remember history.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Even when it repeats itself a thousand times.</span></div>
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In a lot of ways, Linda reminds me of Nollywood. An industry</div>
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that has built itself from nothing and is constantly condemned by the middle/</div>
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upper middle class.( I initially typed upper class but upper class people don’t</div>
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watch films, do they?)Why? Because it didn’t come from them. A people with basic or no education built</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Nollywood and sustained it. As Linda Ikeji built her blog. Deal with it.</span></div>
Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-27733104402537660562014-02-19T06:46:00.002-08:002014-02-19T06:46:25.964-08:00Can I sit on the fence?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lo<span style="font-size: large;">ng ago, when I was an active blogger, I wrote on
homosexuality. My stance was and still is: I cannot judge what I do not
understand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">This is probably one of those articles one should use an
alias but I will brave the verbal stones that will be thrown my way, and use my
name.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I’ve heard from the pro-gay and the anti-gay. Now, I will
attempt to speak for those of us who are neither here nor there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I’m curious about what brought on the bill. Did an important
wife find her husband in bed with another man? In Nigeria we have learnt that
there’s always more to it than meets the eye. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I think a lot of the anti-gay people are extreme in their
stance but so are the pro-gays. I do not
have the right to decide for you your sexual preferences but neither do you have
the right to insist that I accept them.
If it is live and let live as you claim, then should you not also let me
live? I think both parties should give each other respect and perhaps space,
then the road might begin to smoothen out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Since the announcement of the gay bill, many have lost
friends. I, personally have unfollowed and muted several gay activists on
twitter. I do not have anything against
people. How can I? But I have everything against someone trying to beat me up
to accept or fight the homosexuality battle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I stand against violence against women and rape etc. Some
other people are fighting poverty and global hunger etc. We all reserve the
right to choose our battles. If you want to fight for the gay, by all means, do
so. But to insist that I must do so with you is to trample on the same right of
choice that you accuse us of trampling upon yours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In our very gossip filled industry, I have come to believe
that some people are gay for pay. We hear stories of who is sleeping with one
big man or the other. I cannot judge them anymore than I can judge the married
woman who spends weekends in Abuja, sometimes to her husband’s knowledge. Perhaps some people are biologically
homosexual. I do not know. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have friends that are gay. I love them dearly and cannot
be bothered about their sexuality, the same way I do not expect them to be
bothered about mine. But it seems to me
that often, the gay is asking to be defined by his sexuality. This is what
bothers me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I will only define people by the content of their character;
not by their religion, nor class, nor race, nor sexual preference nor anything
else the world might come up with tomorrow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I agree that criminalising homosexuality is unjust and
unfair. It should not be our business what two consenting adults get up to
particularly behind their closed doors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">At a recent festival, a gay film was screened, when two
teenage girls started to kiss, I stepped out. I was uncomfortable. The act
makes me uncomfortable. I will not apologise for my discomfort. But my
discomfort does not in any way make it a criminal offence.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I refuse to judge homosexuals. The Lord alone reserves that
right, and He will do so on judgement day.
But if you’re asking me to accept homosexuality; I can’t. Forgive me.</span></div>
</div>
Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-77722723398001543142013-08-26T11:34:00.002-07:002013-08-26T11:34:27.095-07:00While we were yet sinners......<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /></div>
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I don’t know if this is a rejoinder to Tolu Ogunlesi’s
article on Punch mobile but it was certainly inspired by it. </div>
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I will start by saying that I got born again at 13. I might
not have been the brightest student but I wasn't dull so it wasn't out of a
desire to excel at school. It wasn't so I could pass JAMB, find a good husband,
have a successful career etc. Much as I have most of these things now, and will
attribute them to God’s grace and favour upon my life, at the time, I was
simply seeking the kingdom of God. </div>
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Although it hasn't been all smooth, I have fallen several
times and a few more for good (okay, bad), measure. And every time, He has picked
me up, His mercy being new every morning. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A lady has recently come out to speak about an affair with
her pastor. My first questions were: was she raped? Was she drugged? Is she
underage? NO. Then, accept my apologies, but I cannot sympathise with her. If
you’re a woman in Nigeria, you’d be very aware of sexual harassment. Sadly, it’s
not really frowned upon. When we’re still fighting over rape? If you get raped
here, you’re likely to be blamed. What was she wearing? Why was she there etc?
In my Movie, Kokomma, a 17 year old maid is raped by the Oga of the house
causing his wife to leave him. While censoring the movie, a greater number of
people thought she took it too far. ‘It was only rape and not murder’ they
said. Very recently, an acquaintance of
mine was raped, she reported to the police and they laughed at her, asking if
she didn't enjoy it. This is the present reality for the Nigerian woman. So the
woman needs to learn to protect herself. I see no reason why a woman should
visit a man be it pastor, carpenter, senator or guardian in a hotel room alone
except she absolutely trusts the man.
That’s why hotels have lobbies. I think it’s a failure in the family
system. What are mothers teaching their daughters? Where are the values? The
man will always be attracted to the woman, and the woman to the man. It is nature. In the early days, they had
chaperones keeping their eyes on suitors. In our days, you couldn't accept
gifts from just any man, now the toaster hasn't started if he has not yet
bought you that smart phone. </div>
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My friend says I'm double minded because the lady could have
been raped, and had it been rape, my stance would have been different. And it
would have been. I insist that nothing justifies rape: It is a criminal offence
and must be treated as such. But consensual sex between two adults? That’s a
totally different story. We have to be
careful not to confuse crime and sin. </div>
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Is adultery/fornication a crime? I don’t think so. Is rape a
crime? Most definitely.</div>
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I think that most Nigerian men still see the woman simply as
a sex object. Perhaps it is cultural, perhaps it is the woman who has first put
herself out as a sex object but that is a debate for another day. The more women you've had, the more pats on
the back you get, never mind your marital status or political or religious
positions. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm very careful not to judge people by my own moral
standards. However, because I openly say that I am a Christian I expect to be
judged by the precepts of Christianity and if you are Church leader, you’re not
just accountable to God but to the thousands under your flock and more. In Timothy 3:2&3,
the Bible says that the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one
wife, temperate, self controlled, respectable, able to teach, not given to
drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a love of money. I
suggest you read the whole chapter. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
None of us is above sin, yes. We live under grace, yes. Does
grace justify sin? NO!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the allegations on Pastor Biodun are true -- this is my
theory and nothing but a theory -- that it might not be the first time, that
the church and his wife might have been aware but swept it under the carpet, I
think the church board should have cautioned him, prayed for him and found a
way to help him and if he was unable to control himself, he should have been
made to step down. The Church would have
been spared this embarrassment. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But unfortunately, our leaders - Religious, political, and
corporate - have come to see themselves as demi-gods. And we the people have
fuelled this belief. From the madam who kicks his house girl at home, to the
church leader who uses his position and power to manipulate his audience, to
the politician who steals from the nation’s treasury to the boss who calls his
staff ‘fool’ every other day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How can we ask them to be accountable when we have shared in
their loot, when we have come to enjoy our docile position? The pastor said so,
then it must be right. It’s easier to take his word than to read the Bible and
know God’s word. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because I am by nature simple, I attend a simple church presided
over by a simple pastor. While I cannot beat my hands on my chest for my
pastor(can I even beat my hands on my chest for myself?) there are some things
that I can say for him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I often wonder what it is that attracts people to churches
where the pastor is boastful, does not give, does not impact society, is more
concerned about the crispiness of his shirt than the welfare of his members. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As long as we continue to go to church to seek husbands (you
would have thought husbands were to seek wives), wealth, miracles etc instead
of God then these things will keep happening.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So while we must check the church, we must also check
ourselves. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bible says that the time will come when men will not put
up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather
around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to
hear.1Tim 4:3.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Again, I suggest you read the whole chapter. </div>
</div>
Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-68851412717174918152012-05-08T04:57:00.000-07:002012-05-08T07:18:45.610-07:00The police is your friend.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="background-color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">May
4. Morning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">There’s
bird shit on my windscreen. Usually means good luck but not this time. This
time it’s different. The left side of my eye’s been twitching since I woke.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">Bird
shit and a twitching eye, more than enough reason to visit the mountain. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">On
the mountain, I’d be made to shake my head violently and declare my enemies
dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ones who sent the bird or
became it. But I didn’t go. And bad luck came.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">At
a hotel. In Aguda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Afternoon.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">We’re
filming at the bar. A pot bellied man is following one of my artists around. He
wants to see her AGN ID card, he says. I step in and ask for his but he cannot
produce it. He’s a member of the AGN task force. Everyone around there knows
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course they would. The stench of
alcohol oozing from him is enough identification. He calls for reinforcement.
They threaten to disrupt my set, I threaten to sue them. Reason prevails.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">3pm.
Aguda. Another Location.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">‘I’m
the landlord’s child, this is my father’s compound.’ A cracked voice bellows at
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘But we’re not in your compound, we’re
on the streets,’ I retort, attempting to reason with him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">‘Arrest
the Production Manager and seize their equipment,’ He barks at the truck load
of policemen he’s come with. The policemen look confused. We soon learn that
the landlord’s child – this barking man - had a quarrel with our PM, his
tenant, and this is open season for his vengeance. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">The
policemen regret that they made the trip but the order came from above. It had to
be obeyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naturally, they cannot return
empty handed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">I
shake my head, disillusioned. I remember when we called the police during a
robbery. They had no free car, they told us, but here they are. Here to settle
a squabble between neighbours, nay, here to settle their thirsty pockets.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; tab-stops: center 225.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">8pm. Police station.</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">The
Location Manager has arranged a police station for us to film in. We arrive
there, and Cally, the DCO, asks to see me. He wants to renegotiate, he
says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not have many options, not at
8pm. I agree to his terms. He’s not a bad man, he tells me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">And
I believe him!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">The
crew begin to set up. Cally, now brandishing a green bottle, stays with us,
sharing jokes. They’re not funny but we laugh, feeling obligated to. Our laughter
is poorly executed but then, we’re not actors. They would have better performed
but they’re preparing for the scene we’re making ready to shoot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">When
satisfied with the level of progress, I leave, and Cally leaves several minutes
after me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">10:30pm.</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">Barely
five minutes after he’s gone, two police vans arrive from another unit, stopping
the crew, saying they can’t shoot there. The crew call me but there’s nothing I
can do from the phone. I ask them to pack up. My phone rings again. They want
the crew to follow them<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to a larger
police station close to this one. I call Cally, who says he’ll make a U-turn. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">There’s
a high tempered officer in their midst. He fiercely cocks his gun and threatens
to shoot if the crew don’t follow them to the station. His temper is the kind
responsible for police murder of innocent civilians.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">‘Who
does the actress think she is? Her stardom ends on TV. Here, he I am king.’ His
voice is now very high.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">‘What’s
my offence? Why am I being taken to another station?’ the actress is perplexed.
Perhaps this is her crime, for daring to question an officer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">He
cocks his gun again but he can’t shoot. Too many spectators. And when
spectators become witnesses, that cannot be good for him. He deflates her tyres
instead. All four of them. Still, he wants more. It’s become a battle of the sexes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An ego has been enlarged. The crew decide to
follow him and his unit to the other station before his ego explodes, taking
them down with it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">11:45am.</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">Cally
proves his worth. He arrives at the station. He insists that he gave the
permission to the crew to shoot but still, Divil won’t let his captives go. No
one had yet been charged. No officer seems to know what to charge them with or
hadn’t decided which they would create. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">We
make frantic calls. But it’s midnight and not many phones are still switched
on. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">Divil
has now disappeared. Probably gone home to boast to his wife. ‘I locked Awele
up’. I can imagine him using the pertinent Nigerian question, ‘Does she not
know who I am?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">5<sup>th</sup>
may. 8am</span>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">I
arrive the station with a lawyer. A representative of AMP(Association of movie
producers) is also here. The DPO arrived early. Cally and Divil are both
present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I want to know is our
offence. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">Unlawful
use of police premises to film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s
a new law that stipulates one must get a permit from the Commissioner of Police
after our script has been vetted. We’ve shown the police in bad light for too
long and this must stop, the DPO lectures.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">But
Cally let us in, admitted to letting us in, why hold us?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tells me Cally has been queried and will
face disciplinary committee. I’m still not satisfied. Is this why my crew were
held overnight?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">If
one of them came home to find us filming in his house and his wife says she let
us in, will he punish us or punish the wife?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">I
don’t get an answer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">The
AMP representative calls for a truce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Ghanaian among us is apologised to. The Nigerians, we don’t deserve
any. We’re lucky to be alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">Our
hotel is in Ajah. Eight rooms paid for. Not slept in. The day is gone. Wasted. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">In
a country where there are no jobs, where sixty seven million youths are reportedly
unemployed, we struggle to create ours and are prevented from working by the
same people who swore to protect and serve us. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">There’s
a poster on the wall, someone has handwritten a word in the middle.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft";"><span style="font-size: large;">The
police is <s>not</s> your friend. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier Final Draft"; font-size: large;"><o:p>PS. Names are not real names.</o:p></span></div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-41781135939820377732012-01-17T13:05:00.000-08:002012-01-17T13:08:01.260-08:00Now that we are off the streets<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">It was a long walk to freedom. For five days thousands of Lagosians walked several kilometres to and fro freedom park, Ojota to protest against the sudden removal of fuel subsidy by the Nigerian government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A journey that has been long overdue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A walk that we should have taken years ago, when Nigeria was still pregnant with corruption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps, it could have been delivered still born. Unfortunately, the baby was carried to term and delivered as a bouncy baby boy. It now walks tall threatening to destroy our land. </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Thankfully, it’s better late than never. Nigerians finally took the streets, protesting, not just the subsidy removal but against the corruption that has eaten so deep into our nation. A country where the office of the president budgets 1billion for feeding in a year while the average Nigerian lives on $2 per day. Where the senate president reportedly earns 40million per month and civil servants are fighting to be paid a minimum wage of 18,000 per month. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You wonder when we became like this or have we always been this way? </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">On Friday, as we walked back from the protest sight, a car lost control and skidded off the roads, nearly knocking down several pedestrians. The men among us rushed to the scene to offer assistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Close by were stationed some policemen. They remained unmoved, unconcerned. One puffed out his cigarette at us when we questioned their indifference. There seems to be such a disconnect between the government and the people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The protests have been a huge step in the right direction and though we have left the streets now, we must go on to occupy the lives of these corrupt leaders.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">We must stop celebrating them. Our religious organizations must cease to harbour them. If the polity refuse to prosecute them, then we the people will ensure that they become outcasts in the society. When thieving politicians are booed in public, allowed to sit only at the back seat of churches if allowed in at all, their children snubbed for their undeserved wealth, then would we truly have occupied. As long as we celebrate them and allow them to reign as kings among us, then all our efforts in the past week would have been in vain.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">The road to freedom park might have been long but it has brought freedom a few steps closer.</span></div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-48952556225250989922011-10-12T04:45:00.000-07:002011-10-12T04:45:25.692-07:00IN THE TIME THAT I WAS GONE:<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had a baby. She’s the cutest little thing in the world and I do not say this because she is my daughter. She really is cute. Of course she has my genes.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I made a movie: OkonLagos which was financed by my brother. It is only family and friends who will take the risk of investing in your first work. I set out to make a commercial movie and I succeeded. It’s done very well, particularly in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states for obvious reasons. My feeling is that of gratitude because it could easily have gone wrong. Despite putting what I considered the elements for a successful Nollywood movie, there are simply no guarantees. As one of my friends would say, Nollywood is spiritual. You can’t explain why one person would rise to become an A-lister in one year and some others will remain D-listers for a lifetime despite being better actors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I celebrated 5 years in marriage. Who would have thought. Even my husband is surprised I haven’t yet cooked him for dinner. Yes, he has plenty wahala but so do I.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I visited home: Ikot Ekpene. I couldn’t believe how much it’d changed. Expanded roads, street/traffic lights, more companies etc. PHCN remains a problem. One day maybe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Zazugist.com was born. Unfortunately I am anti-pidgin so that one would be passing over me. I do not listen to Wazobia or any of those stations. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that there is already a huge divide between the upper/middle class and lower class and pidgin just makes it worse. You know, like we’re saying, we’ll speak Queens English and teach our children same, you guys stay down there and speak your pidgin. Everyone in my opinion should have a chance of getting to the top and language is key. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Steve Jobs died. I didn’t know him much while he lived but in death we seem to be getting close, I know, that sounds spooky,right. I read his Stay hungry, stay foolish speech and what popped out at me was not that he dropped out of school but that he dropped in on some classes, one of which was calligraphy which laid the foundation for the gadgets he would later create. In Nigeria, we’re quick to mention that some of the world’s geniuses were school drop outs but we quickly forget that they never stopped learning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something we seem to be averse to in Nigeria. Everyone wants a university degree but no one wants to read and actually learn. Your certificate may get you the job, but it’s your knowledge/skill that will keep it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m making the blog more personal, we’ll still talk Nollywood and Arts but we’ll talk me too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enjoy the rest of the week.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">PS. Congratulations to Adeleke Adeyemi who just won the NLNG prize for literature for his children’s book: The missing clock. Adeleke and I attended the first Fidelity bank sponsored Chimamada Adichie’s workshop. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I’m famzing.</span></div><br />
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</div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-74962623612816662622011-07-29T05:47:00.000-07:002011-07-29T05:50:04.355-07:00Uche Jombo;The D in Determination<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Uche Jombo , a multi award winning actress came into Nollywood in 1999 in the movie: Visa to Hell. I have followed Uche Jombo’s career closely for many years and happened to be on set the day she nearly got fired on the set of ‘Girls in the Hood’ Uche did not impress the director nor the producer and was going to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">decast</i>. She asked for a second chance and got it. That second chance redefined her career. Uche returned to set the next day on fire. Her acting skills had drastically improved overnight to the shock of the entire cast and crew. I suspect that she didn’t sleep that night but rehearsed and rehearsed till she could rehearse no more.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I speak to upcoming actresses, Uche is a name <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am quick to mention. She <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is a clear example that hard work, determination and passion pays. She’s climbed to the top of the ladder by sheer hard work and a strong determination to succeed. Just when you think she’s about to slow down, she comes up with something new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2010 she funded and co-produced Nollywood Hustlers. And on Sunday the 31<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>st</sup> of July, 2011, Jombo will be premiering her first solo production: DAMAGE at Silverbird Galleria.</span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nollyarts congratulates her and wishes her a successful career as a producer. </span></div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-19353274275105914462011-07-03T07:50:00.000-07:002011-07-03T07:50:14.145-07:00Domestic Violence. Aren’t we all guilty?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="fsm"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Akolade Lukeman Arowolo allegedly beat his wife and the woman died. Titilayo Oyakhire was a beautiful hardworking mother. Now she’s dead. Her three year old daughter will grow up without a mother and a father. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="fsm"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Domestic violence in Nigeria didn’t start with this family unfortunate lady and sadly won’t end with them. But it is not only Akolade that should be tried for Titilayo’s murder but the entire Nigerian society. From the mother who insists there will be no divorce in her family to the church who constantly harps on submission to the journalist whose only question to celebrities is the date of their marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="fsm"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s easy for us to all play sanctimonious now and rebuke the late Titilayo for not leaving her husband while she could. But could she really? Had she gone to her family or any of her friends, would they have taken her in?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="fsm"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">An acquaintance of mine was being battered by her husband, one day her brother walked in on them, gave the guy the beating of his life and took his sister out but as soon as he returned to his abode in Canada, the mother took her right back, claiming there was no room for divorce in their family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="fsm"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When Monalisa Chinda walked out on her marriage, the media went crazy. She was labelled names that I cannot type here. Nobody wanted to know the reason, because the reason didn’t matter, in Nigeria you are supposed to marry and stay married. Period. The name calling even extended to the friend who took her in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="fsm"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I just read excerpts from a Genevieve Nnaji’s interview in Tell Magazine. You would think that with all the lady’s achievements, the interview would centre on her works, but it doesn’t, it’s the same old marriage questions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="fsm"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We have made marriage more important than life, than happiness, than the fulfilment of dreams. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="fsm"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We’ve lost Titilayo but we don’t have to lose another woman at least not by the hands of her husband. We die from too many things already in Nigeria, accidents caused by bad roads, during childbirth due to poor hospital infrastructures, and very recently bombings and more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="fsm"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Several women have been wounded, maimed, killed in marriages. We can help stop or reduce this by reducing the pressure on women to marry. It would be nice if the media were not so interested in the marital status of our celebrities, if our parents were not so eager to marry us off and hear the cries of their grandchildren, and the church, oh, the church did not make the man feel so superior and the woman the greatest sinner for not attending to his whim.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="fsm"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As Akolade gets charged to court, let us each charge our conscience.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-8922682345187840172011-05-29T03:17:00.000-07:002011-05-29T03:19:33.337-07:00The Youths are not smiling.<span style="color: black;">And the president said, let there be food, and there was. And he saw that the food was good, so he made it better by adding money.</span><br />
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Social media has been agog with news of the Lunch with the president. Was it right? Was it not right? Gloria Edozien, who attended the lunch but left before money was shared has an interesting piece on Bella Naija. Most of the comments do not condemn the lunch in itself, but the distribution of money to youths. The money is rumoured to have ranged from 50,000 to 150,000. Some group leaders may have received up to 500,000, it is said. A commenter asked why it was clouded in silence? I wonder too. Most of the invited youths blog and tweet every few minutes but apart from Tolu Ogunlesi who was several miles away, I did not see it mentioned until after the lunch. It sounds awfully suspicious, like they knew there would be more than just lunch. But twitter or no twitter, we still heard. <br />
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It is said that you cannot claim to be a thief until you have been in a position to steal and you didn’t steal. So since I was not at the lunch, was not offered any bribe, sorry, transport money. I will not point accusing fingers at anybody. I am however concerned that it is these same people who chewed D’banj and spat him out for accepting to interview the president. They said he was paid to do so, said he was not a true representative of the Nigerian youths. And I asked, who is the better representative? The bloggers, the twitterers, the ones who sit in the comfort of their homes and claim to be youth activists? While I am not undermining the impact of social media or anybody’s effort at change, it bothers me when these people feel superior to others. When they think that university degrees place them higher than the youth on the street. In my opinion D’banj is the better representative; he is hustler and has achieved much success in spite of. <br />
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I am extremely concerned about how our president is doling out money. There have been several gatherings of such in recent times and each time money was shared. 500 people were invited for the lunch, let’s say 400 got the minimum amount shared, that would be 400x50,000=NGN20,000,000. Imagine what this would do in equipping one General Hospital in the country? Could the youths not have said no, we don’t want money, use the money to buy ultrasound machines for hospitals etc and used their activism experience to ensure this is done? But in true Nigerian style, we collected the money, thereby justifying Government’s spending, tomorrow we ask that they be probed. <br />
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These youths may have smiled home with money in their pockets but there are several youths on the streets, homeless ,jobless, powerless and these youths are not smiling.<br />
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To be a youth activist, you must first be an altruist. Are there any still standing?Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-20543569543932974752011-03-24T08:46:00.000-07:002011-03-24T08:46:24.042-07:00MONALISA CHINDA CATWALQS WITH STYLE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K5s2ZlSDRuI/TYte-OLByNI/AAAAAAAAAKE/YxWGLPOwJ9U/s1600/DAY14.BUBA%2B079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K5s2ZlSDRuI/TYte-OLByNI/AAAAAAAAAKE/YxWGLPOwJ9U/s320/DAY14.BUBA%2B079.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br />
In Nigeria today, women are expected to marry, never mind if they have to drag the man screaming to the altar, they are also expected to stay married, never mind if the man is beating here everyday and may soon send her to her grave. And should you decide to go against these traditional beliefs and remain single or get a divorce, then all hell will break loose. You’d think it’s a criminal offence in Nigeria to be 35 and above and still single and worse to be divorced. Our society seems to hate it when women succeed without men beside or over them as the case may be.<br />
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But in spite of this, some single women have continued to rise in their chosen careers. <br />
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From Funmi Iyanda who was recently honoured by the World Economic Forum as a 2011 Young Global Leader.<br />
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To Peace Anyiam Asigwe who runs one of the biggest African movie Awards. <br />
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To Emem Isong who is one of Nigeria’s most successful producers.<br />
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To Evelyn Oputa, the managing director of Bank of Industry, to mention but a few.<br />
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Monalisa Chinda is one of these women, having gone through a messy divorce where her ex husband granted interviews to as many press people as he could, she’s still come out with her head held high. <br />
When asked why she didn’t respond to any her ex-husband’s allegations, she very simply replies that she has a daughter to protect and that the truth was very boldly written between the lines of his allegations, if anybody had cared enough to look.<br />
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‘<strong>Catwalq</strong> is one of the biggest things I have done professionally; it’s not a comeback as I never went anywhere in the first place. When you’re divorced or sometimes even widowed in Nigeria, people always find ways to make it the woman’s fault. You’re expected to cower in shame and fear for the rest of your life. But for God, good friends, fans and family who have been with me through all the pain and hurt, I, too, like other broken women, may never have been able to hold my head high.’<br />
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<b>Catwalq</b> tells the story of three ladies who run a fashion magazine. It follows their work, passions and travails. Lisa plays the role of a single mother in the movie but insists it’s not the story of her life. ‘I wasn’t even part of the story writing’ she says.<br />
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<strong>Catwalq</strong> has something for everyone, it was important to me that we didn’t leave anyone out.<br />
Asked why she chose to invest in a soap as against a movie, she responds that the soap opera ,<strong>Heaven’s Gate</strong> brought her to fame and it was only natural to produce one, perhaps as a way of giving back to the society that had given her so much. <br />
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‘I also wanted to discover new talents to whom I can one day pass the baton. In soaps, you don’t necessarily need to use stars, the entire cast of Catwalq were newcomers to the industry.’<br />
On her last words to the newcomers in Nollywood, she says: ‘Hard work, hard prayer, hard faith.’<br />
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<strong>Catwalq</strong> will hit TV screens in the 2nd quarter of 2011.<br />
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Enjoy some pictures from the set of Catwalq below.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iuOenGoXCBw/TYtiYwvFiJI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/Av9MhQq_KuU/s1600/sdrt+177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iuOenGoXCBw/TYtiYwvFiJI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/Av9MhQq_KuU/s320/sdrt+177.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SNRJViLqc3Y/TYtjLOlA9_I/AAAAAAAAAKU/Kp4_gIFkbX8/s1600/sdrt+175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SNRJViLqc3Y/TYtjLOlA9_I/AAAAAAAAAKU/Kp4_gIFkbX8/s320/sdrt+175.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GKVqfc8RN9E/TYtkm5NCoKI/AAAAAAAAAKY/r2rFpPAjMOI/s1600/DAY9+383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GKVqfc8RN9E/TYtkm5NCoKI/AAAAAAAAAKY/r2rFpPAjMOI/s320/DAY9+383.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-v1J0kgzjLL4/TYtlNmJnA0I/AAAAAAAAAKc/1J0whMrWH78/s1600/Copy+of+DAY11+035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-v1J0kgzjLL4/TYtlNmJnA0I/AAAAAAAAAKc/1J0whMrWH78/s320/Copy+of+DAY11+035.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-l1zdrqKoRyI/TYtmEQeFkFI/AAAAAAAAAKg/gPnNsx2yYhI/s1600/DAY12+249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-l1zdrqKoRyI/TYtmEQeFkFI/AAAAAAAAAKg/gPnNsx2yYhI/s320/DAY12+249.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-9107485743115758322010-12-18T03:59:00.000-08:002010-12-18T03:59:31.158-08:00Happening this month.<span style="color: red;">Anchor baby</span> which premiered on the tenth of december continues to show in cinemas across Nigeria.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Through the glass</span>: Out on dvd.Available in stores nationwide.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Bursting out</span>: Out on dvd in America.<br />
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COMING SOON<br />
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Tango with me<br />
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Memories of my heart<br />
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Ma'ami<br />
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Black Gold.<br />
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Watch this space.Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-22757211366220843572010-11-03T02:40:00.000-07:002010-11-03T02:54:56.555-07:00The new Sodom and GomorrahI know recently there have been a lot of sex movies in the market but most of them have come from Ghana so I have ignored them. Until yesterday, when I saw the trailer of Dirty Secrets. It's probably all in a bid to sell( I understand these movies are hot in demand) more copies but isn't this stooping a little low? Particularly when popular acts are involved? <br />
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Do people actually find these things interesting? I think nudity on the black man looks disgusting. <br />
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Surely there must be other ways to get the public attention. We are an African nation please: discretion and moderation being some of our core values. Let us not lose everything that we are for a few wads of naira.<br />
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Most families watch Africa Magic in the evenings with their children, never mind that it is 9pm and the movies are rated 18. Makes you remember Frank Oliseh: 'It's 9pm, do you know where your children are'.<br />
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Should these movies make it to cable, will our children be watching these soft porn movies? The movies are obviously not censored. There's no way they would get past censors baord with such graphic details.<br />
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Below are some of the trailers. As one of my favourite TV characters,John Cage would say, I am troubled.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cobject%20width=%22480%22%20height=%22385%22%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22movie%22%20value=%22http://www.youtube.com/v/mHsTxe4dYJ8?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mHsTxe4dYJ8?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>"><object althtml="<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mHsTxe4dYJ8?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed>" height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mHsTxe4dYJ8?fs=1&hl=en_GB" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /></object></a><br />
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<object althtml="<param'>http://www.youtube.com/v/cMmLLexMskE?fs=1&amphl=en_GB"><param</A> name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="<A href="http://www.youtube.com/v/cMmLLexMskE?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB">http://www.youtube.com/v/cMmLLexMskE?fs=1&amphl=en_GB</A>" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed>" height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="<A href='http://www.youtube.com/v/cMmLLexMskE?fs=1&hl=en_GB" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /></object><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cobject%20width=%22480%22%20height=%22385%22%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22movie%22%20value=%22http://www.youtube.com/v/bsT9hxujj4w?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bsT9hxujj4w?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>"><object althtml="<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bsT9hxujj4w?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed>" height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bsT9hxujj4w?fs=1&hl=en_GB" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /></object></a>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-50123911594727140812010-08-04T09:00:00.000-07:002010-08-04T09:00:40.958-07:00Great Movie Trailers.Holding Hope leads the bunch with this amazing trailer.<br />
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<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qOmoUy-VrHg&hl=en_GB&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qOmoUy-VrHg&hl=en_GB&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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Inale follows. I think the cinematograpghy is just awesome.<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z1J0sXp9cEE&hl=en_GB&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z1J0sXp9cEE&hl=en_GB&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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Then there's Bursting Out.<br />
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<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dPOBIGtgGrI&hl=en_GB&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dPOBIGtgGrI&hl=en_GB&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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It just keeps getting better.<br />
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Holding Hope and Bursting Out will premiere this sunday, 8th August,2010. We will keep you posted on the release date of Inale.Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-85398765798763051412010-07-27T12:34:00.000-07:002010-07-27T12:34:55.877-07:00KajolaPeople say that Nollywood is dying but optimists like us insist the industry is being rebirthed. Kajola is a futuristic drama/action movie directed by Niyi Akinmolayan. <br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TE8z1qPR9SI/AAAAAAAAAIE/9A3rBOIMrsI/s1600/kajola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TE8z1qPR9SI/AAAAAAAAAIE/9A3rBOIMrsI/s400/kajola.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: blue;">Kajola is the Yoruba word for commonwealth. In the year 2059, Nigeria becomes a totalitarian state. After a second civil war, the rich relocate to the Island areas of Lagos state and turn it into an ultra modern city. The war torn mainland of lagos state is disconnected and abandoned.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">A rebel leader, Allen learns of a plot code named kajola to build cities on the mainland and eliminate the remaining survivors. He leads a rebellion against the government and must be stopped by Yetunde, the police chief. Though mortal enemies, both discover that everything they thought they knew was nothing but lies. It’s a story of love and lust and it heightens the fact that if we don’t deal with the segregation and negligence issues facing the country today, then our future is quite predictable because TOMORROW IS TODAY.</span><br />
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The movie shows at Silverbird cinemas, V.I from the 30th of July. Make it a date. I would usually not be interested in sci- fi but coming from one of our own, I'll be sure to see it.<br />
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Congratulations Niyi!Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-89196420770895127942010-07-19T12:37:00.000-07:002010-07-20T02:50:29.327-07:00City people award winners<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVskmWe5aI/AAAAAAAAAG0/9o2SqrdNqUw/s1600/IMG00031-20100718-1537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" hw="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVskmWe5aI/AAAAAAAAAG0/9o2SqrdNqUw/s320/IMG00031-20100718-1537.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVsKjRzA8I/AAAAAAAAAGc/lr9RRzjGt0c/s320/IMG00023-20100718-1532.jpg" /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVsRogS3mI/AAAAAAAAAGk/JMT8wODZVRU/s1600/IMG00028-20100718-1535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVsRogS3mI/AAAAAAAAAGk/JMT8wODZVRU/s320/IMG00028-20100718-1535.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVsces9P0I/AAAAAAAAAGs/640U1DJLmUE/s1600/IMG00029-20100718-1536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVsces9P0I/AAAAAAAAAGs/640U1DJLmUE/s320/IMG00029-20100718-1536.jpg" /></a></div>Boldly written on the I. V as the start time for the city people entertainment award was 2pm. Even bolder was: NO AFRICAN TIME. However, in true Nigerian style, the show did not commence till about 5pm. <br />
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The first award was presented by Ali Baba and it went to ‘The Place’ as the most patronised club. Coming from Ali Baba, I thought it was a joke, didn’t they say it was entertainment awards? Well, a place that hosts entertainers is part of entertainment I guess.<br />
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Here are some of the winners:<br />
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Most popular female artist: Keffi<br />
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Best Collabo of the year: Keffi and Timaya<br />
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The award came just as Keffi entered the hall, so she went straight to the stage and before she could get back to her seat, she was called for the second award.<br />
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Best International promoter: Yinka Farende<br />
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Best film Producer: Kunle Afolayan<br />
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Best movie director: Kunle Afolayan<br />
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Movie of the year: Figurine<br />
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Songwriter of the year: Cobhams<br />
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Best new musician of the year: Skookie<br />
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Best new actor of the year: O.C Ukeje<br />
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Best radio station of the year: Classic F.M<br />
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Best actor of the year(English) Desmond Elliot<br />
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Screenwriter of the year: Emem Isong<br />
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Best actress of the year( Yoruba) Toyin Ayimata <br />
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Music video of the year: Banky W(strong ting)<br />
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Best Hip Hop artist: M.I<br />
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Best Rap Artist: Dagrin<br />
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Best R&B song of the year: Banky W(strong ting)<br />
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New comedian of the year: Emeka Smith<br />
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Best group: Artquake<br />
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Best gospel act of the year: Lara George<br />
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Best supporting actress of the year: Funke Adesina<br />
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Best Comedian of the year: Lapacious Bose<br />
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Most popular song of the year: Terry G.<br />
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Actress of the year(Ghana): Jackie Apia<br />
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Actress of the year(English): Uche Jombo<br />
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Helen Paul and AY were the anchors. Helen Paul may be small in stature but she's got great wits. <br />
So many musicians attended the event and there was a beautiful performance in honour of Dagrin. <br />
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Congratulations to all the winners and to City people. God bless y'all.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVth7EvL3I/AAAAAAAAAHU/wdf6KfYU0v0/s1600/IMG00043-20100718-1624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVth7EvL3I/AAAAAAAAAHU/wdf6KfYU0v0/s320/IMG00043-20100718-1624.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Madam Kofo</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVtQK0nhZI/AAAAAAAAAG8/O10GlyUcMhE/s1600/IMG00033-20100718-1538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVtQK0nhZI/AAAAAAAAAG8/O10GlyUcMhE/s320/IMG00033-20100718-1538.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVtcg6nBKI/AAAAAAAAAHM/GASGe3FLBEE/s1600/IMG00036-20100718-1609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVtcg6nBKI/AAAAAAAAAHM/GASGe3FLBEE/s320/IMG00036-20100718-1609.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">zacky</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVtW-vqEhI/AAAAAAAAAHE/T47dz84XSRI/s1600/IMG00034-20100718-1540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVtW-vqEhI/AAAAAAAAAHE/T47dz84XSRI/s320/IMG00034-20100718-1540.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVusxaUmZI/AAAAAAAAAH8/nZTj2yVONgU/s1600/IMG00055-20100718-1647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVusxaUmZI/AAAAAAAAAH8/nZTj2yVONgU/s320/IMG00055-20100718-1647.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eucharia in gold</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVuWZKvYyI/AAAAAAAAAHs/VG8maOPcY5Q/s1600/IMG00069-20100718-2006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVuWZKvYyI/AAAAAAAAAHs/VG8maOPcY5Q/s320/IMG00069-20100718-2006.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Susan Peters</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVubF0rwmI/AAAAAAAAAH0/EH4pvDbBilk/s1600/IMG00106-20100718-2131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TEVubF0rwmI/AAAAAAAAAH0/EH4pvDbBilk/s320/IMG00106-20100718-2131.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The winners in celebrations</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-32467688048007576172010-07-13T03:08:00.000-07:002010-07-13T03:08:26.517-07:00Nollywood as a social tool7,000 copies of EDIKAN- A Royal Arts Academy film has been purchased by Steppingstones Nigeria for free distribution in Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers States. This is in a bid to educate parents on the ills of labelling children as witches and causing them bodily and pschological harm.<br />
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More information on this can be found <a href="http://www.ssncef.org/EDIKAN/">here</a>. <br />
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Please visit <a href="http://www.ssncef.org/">SteppingstonesNigeria's</a> website to lend a helping hand. Let's join hands to stop this wickedness to our children.Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-54264305591435185642010-06-21T13:06:00.000-07:002010-06-21T13:06:15.764-07:00UCHE JOMBO HOLDS ON TO HOPE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TB_A4qX85-I/AAAAAAAAAGM/D-Xre1qCprw/s1600/uche" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ru="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TB_A4qX85-I/AAAAAAAAAGM/D-Xre1qCprw/s320/uche" width="298" /></a></div><br />
If you’re looking for the definition of a ‘success story’, Uche jumbo is the person to look at.<br />
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Several people said she couldn’t make it, others even bet on it. But the determined beautiful young lady defied all her critics and has come out to be one of the biggest brands in Nollywood.<br />
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Watching Uche play bitchy roles in movies and play them to the T, you’d think that there was a bit of her in those roles. But if there’s something Uche isn’t, it is bitchy, except of course the bit that is in every woman, the one Shakespeare was talking about.<br />
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‘That’s the beauty of acting’, she says, ‘ I can be anything I want to be and get away with it.’<br />
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On locations, she’s the crew’s favourite. A good word for someone here and a smile for another and the thing that Nigerians love best, a tip.<br />
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Uche is probably one of the biggest givers I know, and that may be the explanation for her rise and rise in the industry and in life generally. <br />
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‘Givers don’t lack, it may seem like such a cliché but it is so true, I have found that the more I give, the more the blessings just keep coming my way.’ She says with that bright smile of hers.<br />
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Jombo says she wants to empower everyone around her, I believe God blessed me so that I may bless others. If I sit on my blessings then what’s the point?<br />
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Uche has starred in several hit movies namely: Celebrities, Games men play, Girls in the hood, Darkest night, Girls cot and so many others. <br />
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‘What you need most is passion, that’s what kept me going. I wanted to act and even when it seemed difficult, I knew it was something I wanted to do so I stayed on it. It’s also important to develop one’s craft; the competition is fierce now particularly for new comers so if you’re coming into Nollywood, you must bring something to the table. Producers are not here to do favours, if you have something they want, they’ll find you. So the question upcoming actors should ask themselves is: how can I make myself stand out? If you’re lucky to get a role, even if it’s one scene, play it like you’re playing the lead and someone will notice you.’<br />
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According to Desmond Elliot, the new kid on the directing block, Uche is any director’s delight, She always has her lines, it doesn’t matter when she got the script and she doesn’t spend five hours making up. He adds with a mischievous grin. He also expresses pleasure over her interpretation of roles. ‘She’s good, that one, makes your job real easy.’<br />
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Uche Jumbo is presently one of Glo’s ambassadors and has an NGO: <span style="color: red;"><em>Uche Jombo and you</em></span> geared towards the empowerment of youths in Nigeria. There’s also something that’s in the pipeline that’s making her smile a lot, but she’s not ready to say yet. <br />
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Her movie: <span style="color: blue;">HOLDING HOPE</span>, co-produced with Desmond Elliot and Emem Isong will be premiering next month. <span style="color: red;">NOLLYWOOD HUSTLERS</span>, where she is executive producer will also be released next month.<br />
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On her words to young people looking up to her, Uche quotes Aristotle: <br />
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‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore is not an act but a habit.’<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TB_FtW6MHbI/AAAAAAAAAGU/S4he92M1BH0/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ru="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/TB_FtW6MHbI/AAAAAAAAAGU/S4he92M1BH0/s200/images.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-59573348935246709092010-06-08T13:36:00.000-07:002010-06-08T13:36:24.775-07:00Literary Yahoo Yahoo. A certain Mfonobong Nsehe has been acused of intellectual property theft. It's embarassing, particularly as he is a young Nigerian student studying in Kenya. Why must we always drag the name of our dear country in the mud? See more details <a href="http://news.book.co.za/blog/2010/06/07/media-watch-molara-wood-under-shameful-attack-from-africas-best-stories-supporters/">here</a>.<br />
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So Fidelity bank has lost Chimamanda Adichie to Farafina Trust. There's no need to be bitter, Fidelity, it's only natural, Farafina published her, promoted her. And the creative workshop idea was hers, she's got every right to pitch her tent else where.<br />
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Fidelity still holds its own creative writers workshop in Abuja with Helon Habila. I'm not sure about the choice of Abuja but Artsville wishes them well. Molara wood has more on <a href="http://wordsbody.blogspot.com/2010/06/fidelity-bank-gets-catty-with-adichie.html">this</a>.Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-43909936463250682892010-05-23T05:09:00.000-07:002010-05-23T05:12:37.592-07:00I DO NOT COME TO YOU BY CHANCEA beautiful title for a beautiful book. Adaobi last weekend read from her book at a fully packed reading which held at Quintessence. Adaobi reminds me of Adichie in a funny way though the only similarity I can quickly point to is the simplicity of their writing. Nwaubani has written a very easy to read book, not one of those tedious writings common to the Nigerian Literary world. It is a book that has the potential to sell thousands of copies in Nigeria alone if aggressively marketed. We're looking to you o Cassava republic!<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cobject%20width=%22480%22%20height=%22385%22%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22movie%22%20value=%22http://www.youtube.com/v/sIoEEQHlu8U&hl=en_GB&fs=1&%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22allowFullScreen%22%20value=%22true%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22allowscriptaccess%22%20value=%22always%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cembed%20src=%22http://www.youtube.com/v/sIoEEQHlu8U&hl=en_GB&fs=1&%22%20type=%22application/x-shockwave-flash%22%20allowscriptaccess=%22always%22%20allowfullscreen=%22true%22%20width=%22480%22%20height=%22385%22%3E%3C/embed%3E%3C/object%3E"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sIoEEQHlu8U&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sIoEEQHlu8U&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></a><br />
A new one from ROYAL ARTS ACADEMYArtsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-53273608345485383472010-05-10T13:56:00.000-07:002010-05-10T13:56:20.665-07:00Helon Habila reviews The Memory of Love.<div style="text-align: justify;">Helon Habila, in my opinion is one of Nigeria's best. WAITING FOR AN ANGEL is a book you do not forget easily. I did not, however, understand MEASURING TIME. In this review of Aminatta Forna's book-THE MEMORY OF LOVE, Habila shows that he is still the master. It is a brilliant piece, sure to arouse anyone's interest in the book. Below is an excerpt:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="color: red;">Forna writes like a scientist, not only in the accuracy of her descriptions but in the way she selects which incidents to highlight, turning each scene into a metaphor that reverberates with meaning beyond the event itself. One character can't walk, and the doctors are carefully breaking his legs and putting them back together to help him do so. This procedure becomes a symbol for the nation, determined to regain the use of its legs after the crippling civil war.</span></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>The full review can be found <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/may/08/memory-love-aminatta-forna-review">here</a>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-81946427108383628382010-04-08T11:22:00.000-07:002010-04-08T12:57:04.322-07:00THE ERA OF E.<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/S74dw1quBFI/AAAAAAAAAF0/u0aVOgB_OPI/s1600/cover_-_Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/S74dw1quBFI/AAAAAAAAAF0/u0aVOgB_OPI/s320/cover_-_Copy.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nigerians are mostly known for their can do spirit. Long before Obama started screaming yes, we can, Nigerians were showing that yes we could. That even without electricity supply, we would build a multimillion dollar entertainment industry. With most of us self taught, we used candle lights to write scripts and generators to power equipments and birthed Nollywood. The music guys, with most of them coming from not so porche areas of Lagos produced Tu face, Wande Coal, Psquare, Asha and several others that the world has come to recognise. All these without a health care system, electricity supply, security and sometimes even shelter. Fashion has also grown big, the designers probably used chineese made lamps to sketch their designs and now they walk red carpets in major cities across the globe. Yes, certainly, the young Nigerian has shown that he/she can.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now in our usual self taught manner, we've taught ourselves new media skills. Probably tired of waiting for publishers, <strong>Myne Whitman</strong> self published and released her book-<span style="color: red;">A heart to mend</span>- online. A group of bloggers followed suit with a collective work: <span style="color: red;">In my dreams it was simpler</span>. Both books are available for purchase on Amazon. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This goes to show that with a little empowerment, a few more resources made available, an enabling environment and the average young Nigerian can take on the world. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">O leaders, that thou hadst ears to hear and eyes to see.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/S74eaMvdNiI/AAAAAAAAAF8/GtX9BAknVro/s1600/in+my+dreams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V5_UTbbZHbs/S74eaMvdNiI/AAAAAAAAAF8/GtX9BAknVro/s320/in+my+dreams.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Nollyarts felicitates with these fresh talents and encourages other youths to do something positive not withstanding all the forces against us in this our dear country. Someday, we will overcome.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-58988017001696691242009-12-22T09:07:00.000-08:002009-12-22T09:07:28.079-08:00I missed Toni Kan<div style="text-align: justify;">I had planned to attend the reading for two reasons:<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I like Toni Kan. I have followed his works since he was a writer for hints. He is for me, a male writer that successfully writes like a woman. And his recent book: nights of the creaking beds: that’s a very good one. My second reason was Teju Cole. While his words at NEXT follow me and I admit that he is a brilliant writer, this was that my reason for wanting to see him. My friend has a huge crush on him. So I was going to confirm if he was crush worthy. Unfortunately, Nigeria, Nupeng, Pengasson, deregulators and all those responsible for fuel scarcity had other plans. I have been unable to move about for the past three days. No fuel for car, no fuel for generator, no fuel for stomach: can it get any worse?<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I missed the reading but I hope it went well and I hope I get the chance to meet Teju somewhere else.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: red;">PART TWO<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nollywood and Repackaged films.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In my last write up, I should have added that some of Nollywod’s enemies are within.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">These repackaging moving business is getting really bad. I didn’t realise how bad until I recently bought a pair; you know they come in two parts now: Eg. The wrong woman 1 and 2. Followed closely by The return of the wrong woman 1 and 2. These two movies or should I say four movies are the same. It’s unfair to say the least. Unsuspecting consumers are spending their hard earned monies buying four movies when really they are buying two or is it one. Outside Nigeria, the movies are simply being split into 4 parts but trust me, 3 and 4 are the same as 1 and 2. It’s actually quite confusing. Some old movies are being resold under different titles. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At silverbird the other day, I noticed a movie shot some years back-‘Enslaved’ had now become ‘Voices.’ It is mostly marketers that are guilty of this practice as independent producers have not sunk that low (may they never). I suppose it’s a survival tact but it’s fraudulent. They are simply scamming the unsuspecting customer. Nollywood has become tough and if a practitioner cannot no longer survive, this may be the time to bow out gracefully.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is certainly not the time to devise devious means to cheat Nigerians. It gives the entire industry a bad name.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So if you know anyone who knows anyone who knows anyone who is into this practice, please tell them to desist. Artsville is watching!<br />
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</div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-4156691445857672582009-12-15T09:48:00.000-08:002009-12-15T09:48:19.290-08:00NOLLYWOOD AND ITS MANY ENEMIES<div style="text-align: justify;">The minister of communication; Mrs Dora Akunyili certainly tops the list of Nollywood Bashers. Every time she talks about Nigeria’s problem, she is quick to attribute it to Nollywood. All Nigeria’s image problems lies with the fact that we’re making Juju films, she couldn’t be more wrong. In the past few years, Nollywood has produced mostly love stories, I would even welcome a movie bordering on rituals just for a change. Yes we had our session of rituals. It’s the way it works; one person starts a trend, succeeds, everyone else follows till someone else breaks the trend. Hollywood is particularly guilty: They came with NEXT and PREMONITION and DÉJÀ VU etc, and then for a while, the Directors all visited Africa, LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, BLOOD DIAMONDS, CATCH A FIRE etc. Now they’ve all gone surreal: TIME TRAVELLER’S WIFE, GAMER, 2012 etc. <br />
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Mrs. Akunyili is minister of information, an extremely sensitive position, before she can inform people, she must first be informed. All she needs do is grab a few copies of Nigerian movies from Idumota or sit facing Africa Magic for a few hours and she’d know a bit about Nollywood. It’s a bit embarrassing every time she makes a statement in error. In a recent statement, she blames Nollywood for the movie District 9. She says if we had been making movies about how Nigerians contributed towards ending apartheid, then District 9 may not have been made. Is she for real? The director of District 9: Neil Blomkamp clearly stated that he believes most of the crimes perpetrated in SA are by Nigerians, he’s probably never seen a Nigerian film.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nigeria’s infamy is from corruption and internet scam, nicknamed yahoo, yahoo. And that’s the image she’s trying to clean, where does Nollywood come into the matter? Only recently, Amnesty International just accused the Nigeria police of extra- judicial killings stating that they ‘kill at will’. Someone will probably blame Nollywood for this development.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even if we were making juju films as claimed, is this why my green passport is scanned a thousand times by immigration officers outside the country or why the guy in the bus in Germany shifts beside me uncomfortably, clutching his bag tighter. Or why the shop attendant in Dubai immediately becomes more alert when I mention that I am Nigerian. I bet they don’t even know we have a movie industry in Nigeria, all they remember is the number of crimes that have been perpetrated by Nigerians in their country. Why then is Mrs. Akunyili bent on blaming Nollywood? Only months ago, she asked Nollywood to help her rebrand Nigeria, now she turns around to rebrand Nollywood<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The minister would do well not to tongue lash the Arts for it is the Arts that has saved Nigeriá’s face and given us global recognition. It is Uwem Akpan’s book that was selected by Oprah for her book Club, Asa who has gained acceptance world wide, I personally heard her on radio Leicester, Femi who has been nominated for the grammies, Chimamanda Adichie who has won several international awards, Lancelot Imasuen who has been featured on CNN and Genevieve Nnaji who was featured on Oprah.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But it is not only the minister that hates Nollywood. There are several websites dedicated to just spew venom on Nigerian movies and particularly at more successful producers. Most members of these sites are Nigerians in the diaspora or more specifically, Nigerians in the United States. Someone summarised their problem as beef(Nigerian English for envy) We succeeded where they couldn’t. We didn’t wait for them to return home with their Harvard or nursing degrees(not sure how nursing would help develop the country), we went ahead and produced an industry out of absolutely nothing. With most of us self-taught, we wrote scripts with candles, powered equipment with generators and made movies that have left the world gaping. How did we do it? Everyone is seeing the opportunities and potentials, except these set of Nigerians. South Africa, realising that winning the Oscar(Tsotsi) is not the all and all, have decided to go Nigeria’s way by creating Jollywood which they say will compete with Nigeria’s Nollywood. Ghana’s Gollywood is also following closely behind with the full support of their Government.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was invited to a film makers workshop in Berlin based on a Nollywood script. The participants couldn’t believe my script had been shot as a feature film, they all wait for grants, grants that may never come and their dreams will be buried with them but in true Nigerian style, we found a way out without waiting for the Western Messiahs to come lead us right.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nollywood has given me as a writer, a platform to be heard. I am privileged to write both screenplays and literature, while I enjoy both, in writing literature, my audience is mostly Western and I am forced often to look back to be sure that they are following me as I paint my dear continent black but with Nollywood there’s a freedom to be you.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nollywood has also contributed towards bringing back the middle class in Nigeria. An average practitioner lives comfortably, travels round the globe, most times without having to pay for tickets.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">While this profession will always attract its fair share of criticism, for most of the critics, it’s not aimed at bettering the industry, it’s sheer envy and hatred, they would give their left arms to see it fail so they can continue to feel justified for some of the conditions they live under abroad. Loads of them have tried to do it ‘better’ and few if any have succeeded so far. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">While some movies make you cringe, some send you reeling with laughter or with tears. I choose to celebrate those ones.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Apart from Joy Isi Bewaju’s review of Guilty Pleasures and Molara Wood’s review of Figurine, a lot of what you read online is sheer balderdash. Ini Edo’s hair didn’t match her figure or Mercy Johnson should go learn how to kiss. These for movie reviews? <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I read several reviews of Clint Eastwood’s ‘Invictus’: Some by critics and some by viewers. It left me with a prayer: Lord send us some intelligent critics in Nollywood. Chikena!<br />
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</div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-39157310783940379722009-11-12T09:00:00.000-08:002009-11-12T09:05:42.665-08:00Nollywood takes a leap!I saw <span style="color: red;">Through the Glass</span>. I liked it but what I liked more was Stephanie's Okereke's tenacity. I doff my heart for her. She has really done well. Survived a near death accident, went to New York film School, made a film and saw it through cinemas. It grossed 10 million, the highest any Nigerian film had ever done. And then came the <span style="color: red;">Figurine</span>, that just left me feeling good for a long long time. Well done Afolayan and the entire team of Figurine. Good job. Not just the movie but the entire package, He thought out of the box, took a big risk but it paid off. He has taken Nollywood to a whole new level. The movie is still in cinemas and is expected to gross even more than Stephanie's film. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The next big one is <span style="color: red;">Guilty Pleasures</span>. It's already out in America but will be hitting the cinemas in Nigeria from the 29th of November. It is a must watch. Not just because it's from Emem Isong and Desmond Elliot, both of whom are my family(lol, yes, I know I am name dropping) but because it's really great. It thrills you from start to finish. If you don't watch it for anything else, you must watch it for Ramsey's Stellar performance. He deserves an oscar for that one, he was at his best.<br />
</div>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9077106921402912140.post-29332934460427923982009-09-23T03:44:00.000-07:002009-09-23T03:44:08.413-07:00DISTRICT 9 AND THE NIGERIA FILM AND VIDEO CENSORS BOARD<span style="color: #0b5394;">Just a quick question,how did the movie get past the bulging eyes of the Nigeria film and video censors board? They censor Nigerian movies before they are released into the market and foreign films before they are shown at cinemas so how did District 9 get past them to be shown at Silverbird cinemas?</span><br />
The things D9 said, we dare not try a quarter of it in Nollywood, Censors board would ask you to yank it immediately so why did they approve D9 for the general public. Is this a case of double standards? Wouldn't it have been simpler to simply dissaprove the movie from day one than to now run round banning it?<br />
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A one time winning short story of the commonwealt short story writing competition was titled: Bill Gates goes to Hell. The States or Gates family decried the title, and the award had to be withdrawn so everywhere people do not take kindly to their names being used negatively.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">I think it was highly irresponsible of the movie makers particularly at a time when emotions are still raw from the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. What exactly was neil Blokamp hoping to achieve by this? To start a war? I know that as writers, we want to make a statement but they are subtle ways of saying things. The use of the name Obasanjo was a very cheap jab. But I guess Neil has gotten his cheap popularity.</span>Artsvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07996309685278345634noreply@blogger.com1