Abuja Carnival Runs Into EFCC Troubled Waters
August 15, 2008 by 
Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
The office of the Abuja Carnival located at Aminu Kano Crescent was last Friday raided by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). At the end of the raid, cases of documents were carted away with no arrest made.
But at the turn of the week, the Chairman of Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Otunba Olusegun Runsewe was arrested and queried for two days by the EFCC before he was granted administrative bail and told to report again to the EFCC office off Adetokunbo Ademola crescent Wuse II Abuja. Also invited to the EFCC include the administrative staff of the Carnival secretariat. A good number of them had their houses raided at about 8 PM, in front of their children. At press time, these administrators are answering questions from EFCC operatives.
A reliable source at the EFCC said that the investigation is in connection with the 2006 Abuja Carnival held while Chief Femi Fani-Kayode was the minister of culture and tourism.
Chief Fani-Kayode had been picked up by the EFCC in connection with his role over the aviation intervention fund. At a Senate public hearing Chief Fani-Kayode accused his predecessor in the aviation ministry of unaccountable 9 Billion Naira. This led to the arrest of Chief Babalola Borishade at the premises of the National Assembly.
Our source at EFCC reports that it was during the interrogation of Borishade that he squealed that certain money was misappropriated by Fani-Kayode as minister of Culture and tourism.
It was further learnt that the misappropriated carnival fund was used to finance the failed third term bid by the PDP under Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
There is no doubt that the Abuja Carnival put Nigeria on the international tourism map. This EFCC probe as commendable as it is, should not kill the hard earned clean image of Nigeria gotten with money invested in the Heart of Africa project.
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Chris Okotie: A Divorced Pastor Marries A “Widow”
August 9, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · 4 Comments
Wanting to trap Jesus by hearing him contradict the Torah, the Pharisees asked him if it is right for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus among other replies said whosoever marries a divorcee, commits adultery (Matthew 12 Vs. 3-6). The above passage in the holy book popped up when I heard about the wedding ceremony between Pastor Chris Okotie and once married with two children Miss Stephanie Henshaw. The thanks giving takes place on Sunday 10th August 2008.
Informed source have it that Miss Henshaw’s first husband was Okotie’s friend while they were in the University. The first husband died and the woman became a live in lover with a man. For those accusing the Pastor of adultery, should be sure that the new man in Miss Henshaw’s life didn’t marry her. But what a careful observer cannot help but see, is that Pastor Okotie, a Pop musician turned pastor, have been having a dog fight with his wife of over sixteen years. The cat and mouse game ended between Okotie and Tina in 1998 via a divorce, making the man of God a divorcee.
By the Bible Pastor Okotie preaches his status qualifies him as an adulterer and unfit to be a pastor of the Household of God. It should be remembered that there was the war of the Chris, over a visit to T.B. Joshua’s Synagogue of All Nations.
Pastor Chris Okotie accused Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of receiving powers to heal the sick from a dubious source as T.B. Joshua. The umbrella body of Pentecostals took sides and in the infighting, miracle crusades where banned from being telecast on Nigerian TV. With this direct violation of the Bible, I hope Bishop Ayo Oritsejafor will have the courage to excommunicate Pastor Chris Okotie from the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). A Pastor cannot live in sin and the nation won’t suffer if the watchmen refuse to denounce him. I guess we are getting to the root of backwardness of Nigeria, despite the speedily mushrooming churches in the land.
Pastor Chris is not the only “man of God” to have fallen for the flesh while yielding to the calling of the Lord. Kathryn Kuhlman, the fire brand miracle worker, could not hold herself and took to a divorcee and her ministry suffered for it. When she finally left the relationship, the quantum of anointing was no longer the same. The Anglican Communion is still battling the issue of ordination of Gays. I have always had problem with the modernist interpretation of the Bible and the doctrine of once saved always saved.
Also in the Bible, the almighty Samson compromised and was shaved on the laps of Delilah, there by terminating a promising Judge of Israel.
Whichever way the coin of this Okotie’s marriage this weekend is viewed, Okotie has lost it. Not only will his female members feel betrayed, what advise will he give those having difficulties in their marriages? (1st Timothy 3; Titus 1 Vs.6)
With this marriage, the requiem of the bombastic, big grammar speaking pastor has gone to stanza two. Stanza one, was when he insisted in 2003 that the Lord spoke to him and told him he will be the next president of Nigeria. This gave birth to Fresh Party. I have no problem with men of God being patrician, as it is an indicator that their Sunday Sermons have not groomed the right men to take up political posts.
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Press Release: Name and Logo Contest for the Ghanaian and Nigerian Film Industries
July 14, 2008 by OCI · Leave a Comment
Call for Entries
We, the African Council for Arts & Culture eV (herein known as AFCAC), are a Pan-African Organisation working to keep the African Civilizations alive while promoting International Understanding. We stand for the Dialogue of Civilizations. As a Diaspora-based organisation with a global African focus, we are currently registered in Germany. Our registration details are No. 43 VR 13311 Amtsgericht Koeln and Steuernummer 218/5751/0602 Finanzamt Koeln-Ost.
We have been closely studying the development of the Ghanaian and Nigerian home video sectors since 2004 and we feel very proud to witness how Africans are single-handedly floating a vibrant home grown creative economy without foreign aid and donor preconditions. The Ghanaian and Nigerian home video phenomena are a testimony of the self-reliance and ingenuity of Africans who are tired of the aggressive negative portrayal of their rich Civilizations. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Director General of the National Film and Video Censors Board of Nigeria, Mr. Emeka Mba and his progressive staff for tirelessly leading the sanitization of the home video sector.
While we recognise the huge fundamental challenges facing the young and volatile Nigerian and Nigerian home movie sectors, we have decided to set up shop in West Africa with the aim of working with all sincere stakeholders in securing the respective place of the Ghanaian and Nigerian creativity on the global stage. Our technical partner and focal point in this regard is “Afromedia Film & Television International Group” (herein known as Afromedia with no relation to Afromedia Nigeria Limited) a Pan African multimedia business entity promoting the production and distribution of African Cinema, TV and allied media products under the motto: Deliverer of Highest Quality Programmes from Africa.
We have launched a decade long COMPREHENSIVE GLOBAL BRANDING AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME (2008-2018) to help boost the Ghanaian and Nigerian motion pictures and entertainment sectors as catalyst of a dynamic Panafrican Creative Economy. We also hope to correct the negative portrayal of Nigeria as a “419” fraud country through this programme. Every country has good and bad citizens. It is therefore very unfair to stigmatize Nigeria’s 140 millions wonderful people through the greed and arrogance of a few thousand “be-rich-quick” selfish fraudsters.
For the first programme component, we hereby invite all lovers of the new African Cinema and Music to submit NAME and LOGO proposals for the following categories:
1. GHANAIAN FILM INDUSTRY
The Black Star of Africa boasts of a long history of quality film making. The arrival of the digital technology has however sift the paradigm to Digital Video as in the case of Nigeria. The Ghanaian home movie sub sector is informally nicknamed “Gollywood”. We feels this “gollywood”, name which resonates like “gullibility”, is an insult to the creative talents of Ghana. We therefore invite all fans to submit a serious name and logo proposal for the upcoming Ghanaian Movie Industry.
The prize money is 200,000 Naira (two Hundred Thousand Naira or equivalent in Ghanaian Cedi)
A jury comprising representatives of the Ghanaian filmmakers sitting in Accra will be commissioned to vote for best logo and name entry.
2. NIGERIAN FILM INDUSTRY
The Nigeria home video sub-sector is currently nicknamed „Nollywood“. “Nolly” means “nothing” and we AFCAC and Afromedia do NOT feel comfortable promoting „nothingwood“ on the world stage. We will also be disrespecting the pioneers of the Nigerian home video like Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Tunde Kelani, Prince Alade Ayomire, Dr. Ola Balogun, Zeb Ejizo, John Amata, Amaka Igwe et al, if we jump into the “wood” bandwagon just because the Indians call theirs “Bollywood” and the Americans “Hollywood.”
There are globally recognized brands that are working working without the “wood” suffix. For instance Sundance, Cannes, Sithengi, Fespaco, et cetera. We need a Nigerian way. Therefore a name and logo that celebrate the intelligence of Nigerian filmmakers without „wood“ or „nothing“ deserve their relevant places.
The prize money for the name and logo that will complement and eventually replace the “nothingwood” name is N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira).
A jury comprising representatives of the Nigerian practitioners and concerned government agencies sitting either in Lagos, Abuja, Jos or Calabar will be commissioned to vote for best logo and name entry.
The winning name and logo will be launched during the 2009 edition of the Zuma Fim Festival of the Nigeria Film Corporation in Abuja, FCT.
Those wishing to stick to the “nollywood” name for the chaotic home video sub-sector are free to do so. However, the names and logos that win this contest, will be jealously protected under the Copyright Laws of Ghana, Nigeria, Germany and will be used exclusively by stakeholders who agree to a set of Code of Conducts to be adopted at an impending stakeholders conference. This is meant to for check abuse and, to promote quality branding, sanity, passion and confidence. The new name and logo (identity) will help the passionate stakeholders launch a serious Nigerian Film Industry according to international common sense.
3. YORUBA LANGUAGE FILMS
The history of the Nigerian motion pictures industry is linked with that of the Yoruba language films. The Yoruba Culture is still very much alive in and out of Africa. This can be verified by the Candomble and Capoera in Brazil, the Orisha/Santaria traditions in Cuba, Calypso in Trinidad and Tobago and similar living heritages in other parts of the African Diaspora. Looking at the Mother Continent of Africa, we AFCAC and Afromedia are however disappointed by the fact that traditional African practices like the voodoo are portrayed in the home videos as forces of evil that are negative and inferior to the Abrahamic religions of Islam and Christianity.
While we blame this sad development on the psychological wounds of Colonial/Jihad curriculum, the hypocrisy of the brainwashed African decision makers, the sponsorship of home movies by the aggressive evangelical churches and, the domination of African TV screens by alien media content (copycat reality TV craze, Mexican leftovers, etc), we irreversibly challenge the practitioners, advertisers and programme sponsors to rethink this myopic promotion of “African inferiority complex” in their products. As progressive cultural diplomats of Africa, we feel the blame game is not sustainable. It is therefore time for self criticism and attitudinal change towards our African Heritage, Ancestral Archives and Cultural Orientation. For, only the most progressive, dynamic, creative and vibrant cultures will survive the tough competition of globalisation.
We pray the brave Yoruba filmmakers, artistes, designers, politicians, intellectuals and millionaires take the lead in branding and placing the Positive Progressive Virtues of our African Civilizations in their moves, music and lifestyle for posterity.
Coming to the name issue, we hear acronyms like “Yoruwood” being whispered for the Yoruba home movies but we need a serious name and logo that will best market filmed Yoruba traditions and Culture across the globe.
The prize money for the name and logo of the Yoruba Film Genre is N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira)
A jury comprising representatives of the Yoruba /Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners sitting either at the Holy Historic City of Ile-Ife or Oshogbo will be commissioned to vote for the best logo and name.
4.THE HAUSA LANGUAGE GENRE
Despite the changes posed by the strict interpretation of Islam by some conservative forces, a promising sub sector of the Nigerian home video with Hausa language is emerging from the Northern Nigerian commercial melting of Kano. We are however monitoring, with great concern, the counter-productive suffocation of Hausa-Muslim Creativity by the Kano State Censors Officials and the Hisbah Vigilantes. Islam, according to our Sharia Consultants, is not against creative freedom and we strongly believe the placement of the centuries-old traditional Hausa/Fulani music, language, romance, etiquette and other living heritages in movies, music and allied artworks with some contemporary adjustments do not contravene the teachings of Islam.
We hope to work with the Authorities in Kano, the sister Hausa/Fulani States and the Hausa/Fulani theatre arts practitioners in all progressive manners that will help the Modern World celebrate the rich Hausa/Fulani Heritage without any exaggerated Stone Age restriction. For, the Creative Arts are also there to, among others, provoke debate on outdated rigid taboos, dogma and traditions that are stifling prosperity. We say “yes” to Usman Dan Fodio and no to Osama bin Ladin. Yes to Hausa/Fulani Folklore and no to radical petrodollar hate sermons. Yes to African Creative Freedom and no to “Talibanwood” and “Inquisitionwood!”
We need a serious and respectful name and logo for the Hausa or Fulani language films to replace “Kannywood.”
The prize money for the name and logo of Hausa or Fulani language movies is N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira)
A jury of Hausa or Fulani theatre arts practitioners and cultural officials sitting in Yola, Adamawa State will be commissioned to vote for the the best name and logo suggestion.
5. IGBO LANGUAGE MOVIES
Another interesting pillar of the Nigerian home video sub-sector is the Igbo language movies coming largely from the Eastern Nigerian City of Enugu. Though a name like “Ikenga” is making informal rounds as brand for Igbo pictures, we are yet to recognise an stubborn similarity with the Gollywood, Nollywood, Yoruwood and Kannywood madness. Notwithstanding, we needs a serious name and logo for the Igbo language films.
The prize money is N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira)
A jury of Igbo movie practitioners sitting in Enugu will be commissioned to vote for the best name and logo entry.
6. CROSS OVER MOVIES
The promotion of unity and diversity is a paramount component of our objectives. Wile we encourage increase portrayal of rich Yoruba, Hausa, Gha, Pidgin (broken English) Kiswahili language and all other African virtues in films, we strive to promote progressive exchanges between the various Nations of Nigeria and Africa, on the Continent and in the Diaspora. We will continue to support the co-productions of movies, music and artworks that stimulate dynamic interaction of cultures. In the meantime, we need a name and logo for the crossover branding.
The prize money is N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira)
7. ADULT CONTENT AND EROTIC ARTS
We, AFCAC and Afromedia, believe in the promotion of rich native African cultural sexuality, romance and beauty in the creative arts for civic education. We will support all brave filmmakers and artistes who place African sexuality in their movies and artworks with the aim of educating the young people and couples on sexual health and satisfaction with African specifics. We have no time for cultural hypocrisy and double moral. We shall work tirelessly with all concerned stakeholders and censors officials in promoting anthropological nudity and intimacy as part of the genuine components of our indigenous African values without crossing the red-line to the aggressive commercial pornography imported from abroad. We will, with the next 24 months, organise “Stakeholders’ Workshops on Sexuality, Cultural Sensitivity In African Cinema & Related Arts” to draft and approve a binding Set of Code of Ethics for practitioners. Meanwhile, we need a serious Logo and Name for African movies and erotic arts with adult, nude or sexual content to help guide consumers and practitioners.
The Prize Money for the Name and Logo for this category is N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira)
8. AFROMEDIA NIGERIA FILM & CULTURAL ENTREPRISES DEVELOPMENT FUND (ANFCED)
We have discovered that the rampant incidence of piracy, the chaotic distribution network and pariah structures are suppressing the growth of a serious distribution and funding mechanism. Investors as still reluctant to put their money into the chaotic African film sector due to the afore stated and similar challenges.
Notwithstanding, we are at AFCAC and Afromedia shave decided to risk it by forming the “Afromedia Nigeria Film & Cultural Enterprises Development Fund (pronounced Anf-ced). This Fund will strive to support the development of a reliable and sustainable financing mechanism for Nigerian and African creative talents. The Fund will be managed by Afromedia. We are conscious of the fact that the huge financial losses in the first years of operations will make us fit for the next level. The name “Nigeria” is borrowed to pay tribute to the Nigerian pioneers and to reflect on the potentials of the world’s Leading Black Nation, the sleeping Giant of Africa. ANFCED will at all times maintain an open door policy to all creative people in and out of Africa who meet the set funding criteria.
The prize money for the logo of ANFCED is The Prize Money is N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira).
See: afromediafilmtelevision.net/name and logo contest 2008 for more
SOME IMPORTANT NOTES:
1.The deadline for entry is September 30th 2008. Entries that arrived after this date will not be considered. To counter any possible delay in postal delivery, we recommend entrants to post their artworks on or before August 21st 2008. Exemption will be granted to entries that arrived after the August 30th deadline provided the post office stamp on the envelope indicates “August 21st 2008” as date of postage. The envelop/ postal package should be clearly marked with “NON-COMMERICAL CULTURAL GOODS ONLY.” Only winners will be contacted and invited to receive their cash prizes during the launch of the respective Name and Logos.
2.The complete list of all eleven (11) entry categories (not published above) can be printed from:www.afromediafilmtelevision.net/nameandlogocontest 2008
3.Entries should be sent in the first instance by REGULAR POST to out technical advisers and focal point :
H.S. Prince Bubacarr Sankanu
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Afromedia Film & TV International Group
REF: Name and Logo Contest for The Ghanaian and Nigerian Film Industries
Gerhart-Hauptmann-Str. 31
D-51067 Cologne
Germany
or to Box: Postfach 800144, D 51001 Cologne, Germany
For clarification kindly email: bubacarr@gmx.net, or call : 0049-152-0444-1246
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Nollywood or Nollynude?
June 29, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · 7 Comments
One of the greatest sources of influence is the television. This is because the family has failed. We now have over ambitious career mothers, who have no time to train their children. The house girl and DSTV take over. Many children know the names of all the cast in Barney, CartonNetwork and Disney but cannot identify their Uncles, or recite States and Capitals. Asking them to say the Lords prayers, recite the 66 books of the bible or the heroic deeds of the Prophet in Medina, the Nigerian national anthem, is a death sentence.
Of the DSTV channels, none is watched more voraciously by Africans than African Magic. This channel carter for African films. It was created solely for African films because most African movies cannot compete with movies shown on Hallmark, Movie Magic and other movie channels. Another reason is because the capitalist owner of DSTV, wants to retain the teeming TV watching Africans and absence of an African movie channel, will rob them of a market. And nowhere is this market growing in limps and bounds than in Nigeria. Nigerian film industry Nollywood, dominates Africa Movie Magic. I have expressed by opinion about the poor quality of Noollywood films in my article Oh Nollywood! published by LEADERSHIPWEEKEND’s ORACLE of January 12th 2008.
My major concern here, is the message content and the moral content of the Nollywood actors and actresses. Since the TV has taken over parenting and teaching (most play group centres teach nothing but to on a Carton CD/DVD for the toddlers to rock them to sleep), there is need for all concerned to scrutinise what the younger generation of Nigeria watches. The film censor board has disappointed me. Check out the film they rate 13 and PG? The subtle sexual content will make am imp blush. Another watershed is the rewriting of African cultures by the producers of these films. Africans are not violent people. The gun culture Nollywood is trying to plant in the psychic of our children, should be resisted. When you watch a Nollywood production of a campus scene, you ask yourself, is this not the same University you went to? Another poor content is the use of American accent to act a movie whose setting is 18th century Africa. Another disturbing trend, is found in the Yoruba film department of Nollywood. No Yoruba movie, is complete without magic/juju. Is this a true representation of the Yorubas? A race that has the highest number of Pentecostal pastors and pride herself on the exploit of her returned slave Samuel Ajai Crowther. The canny Hausas, not wanting anything that will abuse Sharia stayed away from Nollywood, started Kannywood and Hausanized India, Arabian and Chinese film. To their shame, one of the pervert sex symbol of Nollywood (Omotola) is now starring in their movies.
Calls I have received from onyibo friends after watching a Nollywood movie are embarrassing. I have been able to address the issue of texture of the films. I blame it on technology and that we are still growing. America has started Mars exploration while in Africa we are yet to find solution to gabarge disposal. I point out to them that Europe underdeveloped Africa and America and Asia are furthering it via importation of inferior goods which kill the indigenous industry.
When they hit me with complains about rituals, taboos in the Nollywood movies, I am at sea without a rudder. One actually asked me, “Do the Igbos still insist that a widow drink the water used to wash her husband’s corpse?” Instantly, I knew one nna men is finding it difficult to convince this lady. I blame is squarely the fault of Nollywood. Nollywood should stop scaring Nigerians and other members of the global village with twisted half truth. Let us rebrand Nigeria.
Movies, Cinema, TV, Music, just name any arm of entertainment, is a powerful tool of influence. Before I had first hand information from USA, I thought all the streets in America are lit up like Christmas tree, that there is an ambulance at the end of each street, that zooms into crime scene before the smoke fades away from the pistol. Most Nigerian ladies dream of elusive Mr. Right, who will open the car door, kiss her good night without going all the way, cook for her while she gist on the phone as a result of Hollywood movies of ideal American family. Forget it. Check your records, misogynists, failed marriages abound in USA but movies depicting these won’t be sold massively in Africa. This onyibos are better than Africans mentality was foisted by Hollywood and her counterparts in other onyibo’s country. Even India’s Bollywood, has improved the world wide image of Indians, from the Snake Girl and the over reincarnation (they always kill themselves and reincarnate to take revenge without the murderer getting old) to a Technological and scientific India. Indian movies now showcase India as emerging IT giant.
Having agreed that movies are important agent of socialisation, I dare ask, will you allow a prostitute to train your child or a naked house girl serve your husband dinner? Pick a copy of these glossy fashion/love magazines or any national daily on Saturday or Sunday, the pictures of Nollywood actresses on the centre spread gives me the feeling I am watching pornography forget what happens to my third leg. These papers not okay with page 3 girl, splash colour on these half nude actresses and go the extra mile of doing a pull out. Most Newspapers now sell their weekend edition by highlighting these nude actresses on the front page.
Some of them are not contented with being confined to the pages of the Newspaper. At every award, charity show and even strictly children’s programme, they bare it all. At the just concluded Nigeria Musical Award in Owerri, it was breast baring galore. Different sizes gravitationally pulled out of shape by age and rough squeeze, were forced into undersized bra to give the impression of a Honda prelude headlight were on display, showing a cleavage that will make my grandmother look like a virgin. It baffles me that a woman will pay so high to have a dress that covers nothing to be designed for her. We now have more lewdness in Nigerian movies than the American films we wanted to escape from.
The male counterparts are not innocent. Their conducts in nightclubs and recreation centres dotted around town is a letdown. A good number are paedophiles, deflowering teenagers, in need of role models or a role in a movie. To crown their moral bankruptcy, their marriages are collapsing like a pack of cards at a rate that will make Elizabeth Taylor feel like a Nun.
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Oliver De Coque joins Sunny Okosun
June 22, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
The High life legend Chief Sunday Akanite popularly known as Chief Oliver De Coque died on Friday, a day designated as World Music day at the age of 59. Reports are still trickling in with regards to the cause of his death. The Ogene exponent was the rave of the town throughout his musical career, which spanned over three decades, entertaining his fans with deeply rooted philosophical lyrics.
In the hay days of 419, he attracted the wrath of critics with ana ewe obodo enwe,. Which was adjudged a national anthem of 419ers and ndi igbo who made money through questionable means. His later day music were seen as a shadow of his former self and a mere entertainment to eke out a living from the nukwu nmawu (big boys)
The last public appearance of Chief Oliver de Coque was at the last musical award held in Imo State. At the AMA award, the Chief was looking frail but cheerful.
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Sonny Okosun: the immortality of death
June 2, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
And David said to Solomon “I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore and shew thyself a man”-1st Kings 2 Vs. 2
The timely departure of King Sonny Okosun to join the legion of African Soldiers who are constantly looking for a medium to reincarnate and address the lingering African problems, have made me to re-examine death and its misunderstanding by people. It still baffles me that men are afraid to die. Peter Tosh was apt when he said everybody wants to go to heaven but na na them wants to die. I believe every man by his works should prepare for the hereafter and once you have over stayed your usefulness, please expire! Death is the only means to immortality and preservation of your works on earth.
At the death of a colossus, the road seems clearer. The people left behind have new perspective of things, for when the colossus was alive; he obscured and occupied a lot of space that it is difficult to examine his actions and inactions.
Though this article is not about the leadership crisis among the sons of Oduduwa, suffice it to say, leaders emerge and not imposed. It is the quality of a man that makes him an iroko tree where all birds flock to. There was no coronation to make Pa Adesanya the leader of the Oduduwa Republic. His firm defence of the interest of the Yorubas threw him up as an uncompromising leader of the Yorubas in the league of Pa Awo and other African Soldiers .The sons of Oduduwa, should ask themselves, who among these bunch using the press to position themselves as the next Yoruba leader have done well for the Yoruba race to be entitled the suffix Yoruba leader? Are some of them not actively involved in the tsunami that ripped Alliance for Democracy (AD), off the face of Nigerian Political landscape? The peoples of Nigeria can now see that the proud race, who gave the world a rich and enviable monarchy and attendant check and balances-Ogboni, do not have a political leadership succession pattern.
Another clear seeing after the departure of a dinosaur, is the new meaning the foot prints resonates among the dwarfs, who could not fart when the dinosaur held sway. I replayed Luck Dube’s songs when he joined the legion of African Soldiers and it gave me a new insight into the man made problems of Africa. In all honesty, if the youths of South Africa can listen religiously to the ever-green songs of Lucky, they will find solutions to their problems and not blame foreigners for their woes. Prisoner-graphically tells the true story. In the heat of Apartheid most South African youths refused to get an education. Now “independence” has come, they do not have the tools to fit into the emerging global market, hence their brother becomes the enemy. Sure this is what Bob Marley called ambush in the night.
Out here in Nigeria, Sonny Okosun’s songs also have evoked new meaning. I played his album Mother & Child and the track My Chere Koko woke up memories and I renewed my vow to my wife. His entire albums as Ozzidi freedom fighter before he torpedoed into born againism, are visionary. Replaying Whichway Nigeria revealed the prophet in Sonny Okosun. In whichw way Nigeria as Fela will say, it was seeing the end from the beginning. The mess we have found ourselves as a country could have been avoided if this song was taken seriously by our leaders. But our ambitions to be millionaires and build castle on the moon blinded us.
Over twenty years since the gods of Nigeria spoke through Sonny Okosun’s poser-Which Way Nigeria, we are yet to find the way. The oil we discovered thinking it was a boom is now our doom. Nigeria has been perambulating, making motion without movement; taking one step forward and 10 steps backward.
I recommend Which Way Nigeria as praise and worship song to all Nigerians who are asking what is wrong with the giant of Africa. A land so abundantly blessed that God wishes he is a Nigerian!
Adieu Sonny, you fought gallantly like the true African Soldier you are. We shall keep the flag hoisted and must in our generation find the way for Nigeria and establish it so that generations after us, will hoist Nigeria’s flag on the moon.
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Is This Nollywood?
February 1, 2008 by OCI · 2 Comments
This Is Nollywood screens in the US
Need one say more,? The prophet that has been castigated, rejected and un-sung is being celebrated in a far country, infact accross the ’seven oceans’.
For those that do not know, This is Nollywood is a movie on its own about Nollywood. It tells the Nollywood story and the phenomenom it has become.
Is it not time we drop away unfounded criticisms about the storylines, uncouth actors and all worth not and honestly find ways to encourage this would be foreign exchange earner for Nigeria when the oil would have long dried up. At least, the money trickles down unlike the ‘black curse’.
Is this really Nollywood or something else, is anybody out there?
This Is Nollywood Photos
This Is Nollywood Trailer
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