Fatai Rolling Dollar, Nigerian Music Legend

December 4, 2013, 6:24 am

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  From cradle to grave (literally) Prince Olayiwola Fatai Olagunju, popularly known on the music scene as Fatai Rolling Dollar (FRD) was born on the 22nd of July 1927 and served music lovers with unrivalled entertaining tunes. His stage performances were ones to behold; energetic displays with irrepressible enthusiasm. FRD's His love for the melodic art was not to be disputed because he never made us question his passion. He started his musical career in 1953, mentoring a number of musicians including Ebenezer Obey and the late Orlando Owoh. One of his skills was his finesse and dexterity at playing the guitar. In 1957, he formed an eight-piece band called 'Fatai Rolling Dollar and his African Rhythm Band', and they recorded numerous seven-inch singles for Phillips West Africa Records. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Source: tribune.com.ng[/caption] Among several of our beloved musicians doing us proud in Nigeria and beyond, FRD created a style of music and was popularly known for the track “Won Kere Si Number Wa” (meaning “They cannot match us”). Fatai’s fusion of the agidigbo thumb-piano with broader traces of highlife and Latin themes influenced the likes of Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade and many other West African musicians. He was also described by the BBC as a "nationally celebrated performer." Unfortunately, FRD disappeared from the music scene for about 25 years battling poverty in Lagos before finally making a comeback.Musician Ade Bantu told the BBC that FRD had lost none of his talent and was still entertaining on stage. "You are talking about a gentlemen in his 80s still performing and recording and playing very well - he was like a metronome." [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Source: jideodukoya.com[/caption] In an interview with AFP newS agency, Frd bemoaned the hip-hop music that now dominates in Nigeria and the tendency for young musicians to hide under such umbrella instead of doing music the right way. He also emphasised that "a good musician should know how to play any instrument", showing his irritation with artists he accused of sometimes being "lazy" and simply seeking "easy money." He passed away on 12 June, 2013 at the age of 85. FRD had three wives and 16 children. He died as the oldest surviving artiste  in Nigeria. The guitarist and singer had "enthralled his teeming followers with a musical career of more than 64 years", Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said during a tribute to the music icon. Jonathan therefore believed the vacuum FRD's death has created in the Nigerian entertainment industry will be hard to fill. By Azeez Sanusi

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NEW MUSIC: Wahala by Kryptic

December 4, 2013, 7:14 am

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Teenage Music sensational group, Kryptic, is here with a teaser to their highly anticipated 'Mumu For Your Love' single which drops soon! Kryptic have evolved over the last 2 months, setting up their record label 'MOB Music' and parting ways with Rosey Records. This track is titled 'Wahala' and it was produced by 'Drummer Boi'. Continue to anticipate 'Mumu For Your Love'  (produced by Sarz and mixed by Sheyman). Download here [audio mp3="http://www.aphroden.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WAHALA-Produced-By-DrummerBoi.mp3"][/audio] Enjoy!

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Top 10 Movies From The 90s!

December 5, 2013, 2:20 am

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  It’s Throwback Thursday today, guys, and this time, we’re picking out the best 10 movies in the early 90s! This holiday season is the perfect time to pull out that dusty old cassette and watch your favourite three or four.

 

Home Alone (1990) - Home Alone tells the story of an 8 year old who was accidentally left behind while his family travelled to France for Christmas. This young lad isn't just home alone, but has to defend his home against idiotic burglars. Oh, and did I tell you it is the perfect movie for Christmas? You’re welcome. Problem Child (1990) - The central character in the movie is a monster. A loving man and his wife pick him up from a catholic orphanage and he pushes them to the limits and takes them on a maddening journey (which us viewers enjoyed)

Jurassic Park (1993) - Jurassic Park is an American sci-fi adventure movie. Didn't you ever wish a place like Jurassic Park really existed (excluding the T-Rex and raptors)? The hit movie also started the dinosaur craze that was big back then. Baby’s Day Out (1994) - Baby's Day Out is a comic movie and centres on a wealthy baby being kidnapped by three foolish men. In this beautiful movie, we see how baby Boo was able to escape and how adventurous he was, we also get to see how these kidnappers tried to catch up with him. Pulp Fiction (1994) - This American crime film has an ironic mix of violence and humor. Good movie. Titanic (1997) - Everybody cried after Titanic-- or almost everybody did. Titanic is like the highest grossing movie in history. It's a story of love on a ship. Written, co-produced, co-edited and directed by James Cameron, this epic romantic tragedy tells of two members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its ill-fated voyage. Coming to America (1998) - This is a beautiful comedy-- I still watch it every time the need arises. Coming to America has Eddie Murphy as the central character. Eddie is in search for a bride and he's not impressed with the people from his home-town. Star Wars : Episode I - The Phantom (1999) - This tells of two Jedi knights who escaped a hostile blockade to find allies and in this process, they come across a young boy. Need I say more? Watch it for yourself. (No spoilers :P) Toy Story 2 (1999)- Tell me you didn't watch this? Very beautiful animation. A toy collector steals Woody and his friends, Buzz and other toys vow to rescue him. The Matrix (1999) - The Matrix is a sci fi action film: well-written, well-played, one of the greatest sci fi movies ever. It tells about a future in which reality as perceived by most humans is actually a simulated reality called "the Matrix", created by sentient machines to subdue the human population, while their body heat and electrical activity are used as energy.    What are your favourite movies from the 90s? Share them with me in the comment box!   -By Franklin Ugo

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Africa’s Biggest Literary Award Winners of 2013

December 5, 2013, 2:47 am

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UNPUBLISHED POETRY

Brunel University African Poetry Prize is a literary award aimed at the development, celebration and promotion of poetry from Africa; sponsored by Brunel University (London) and partnered by Commonwealth Writers, the Africa Centre (UK), and the African Poetry Book Fund (USA). It comes with a $3,000 honorarium. It is aimed at unpublished poets with a manuscript of ten poems. Winner: British/Somalian, Warsan Shire (born 1988 in Kenya) was presented with Brunel University's inaugural African Poetry Prize on 30^th April 2013. She was chosen from a shortlist of six candidates out of a total 655 entries. October 2013, Shire was also announced as the first Young Poet Laureate for London. Her works include - the poem "For Women Who Are Difficult to Love" and Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth (2011), a poetry pamphlet.   PUBLISHED SHORT STORY The Caine Prize for African Writing, described as Africa’s leading literary award, is an annual literary award for the best original short story by an African writer, published in the English language. The Caine prize is supported by four African winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature acting as patrons: Wole Soyinka, Nadine Gordimer, Naguib Mahfouz and J. M. Coetzee. And it comes with a £10,000 prize money. [caption id="attachment_5634" align="aligncenter" width="460"] Source: static.guim.co.uk[/caption] Winner: Nigeria’s Tope Folarin (born in Ogden, Utah, U.S.A.) was announced on Monday 8^th July as the winner of the 2013 Caine Prize for African Writing at a dinner at the Bodleian Library in Oxford for his short story entitled ‘Miracle.’ Tope is also a recipient of writing fellowships from the Institute for Policy Studies and Callaloo, and he serves on the board of the Hurston/Wright Foundation. Tope was educated at Morehouse College, and the University of Oxford, where he earned two Master's degrees as a Rhodes Scholar. He now lives and works in Washington, DC.   PUBLISHED BOOK The Nigeria Prize for Literature is an award sponsored by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited in partnership with the Nigerian Academy of Letters, aimed at making known to readers, publishers, booksellers and distributors, literary critics and reviewers, the latest achievements of the best writers in Nigeria; which comes with a $100,000 prize money, making it the largest African literary prize and the 25^th richest literary prize in the world. [caption id="attachment_5635" align="aligncenter" width="683"] source: writeparagraphs.blogspot.com[/caption] Winner: Lawyer and poet, Tade Ipadeola (born September 1970 in Ibadan, Nigeria) emerged the winner of the coveted 2013 NLNG Literary Prize, October 2013 with his book of poetry, The Sahara Testaments, beating a total of 201 books. Tade has published three volumes of poetry - A Time of Signs (2000) and The Rain Fardel (2005). In 2009, he won the Delphic Laurel in Poetry with his poem “Songbird” in Jeju, South Korea.   OTHER NOTABLE WINNERS

• Nigeria’s Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie won the 2013 The Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize (a biennial award) for her novel “Americanah”.
• Nigeria’s E.E. Sule is the 2013 Commonwealth Book Prize Regional Winner for Africa for his novel “Sterile Sky”.
• Uganda’s Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi is the 2013 Kwani? Manuscript Project (a new literary prize for unpublished fiction by African writers) Winner for her novel “The Kintu Saga.”
• Mozambican, Mia Couto was awarded the 25th Camões Prize and is also shortlisted for the Neustadt International Prize 2014 for his literary merit. The Camões Prize is the most important literary prize for the Portuguese language, often regarded as the Portuguese equivilant of the Nobel Prize; its prize money is a €100,000, making it among the richest literary prizes in the world.
• Morocco’s Fouad Laroui won the 2013 Prix Goncourt de la Nouvelle (a prestigious French literature prize given by the académie Goncourt to the author of the best and most imaginative short story) for his novel “L'étrange affaire du pantalon de Dassoukine.”
• Kenya’s Tony Mochama a.k.a Smitta, who is a columnist for the Standard Media Group  emerged winner of the 2013 Burt Award for Literature (a literary prize that recognizes excellence in young adult fiction from Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana and Kenya, with a prize money - ksh795000) for his book, “Meet the Omtitas.”

NB: The Etisalat Prize for Literature (which was created by Etisalat Nigeria in 2013) is slated to announce its winner February 2014. The winner receives a cash prize of £15,000, a book tour, a Samsung Galaxy Note, a Montblanc Meisterstück and a fellowship at the University of East Anglia (UK).   -By Olusola Agbaje 

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Aphroden Spotlight: Yejide Kilanko

December 5, 2013, 4:37 am

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Born October 1975 in Ibadan, Oyo State (Nigeria), as the first of five children to a University professor (father), Yejide was introduced to literature as a result of her love for travelling the world, after her father showed her slides (from his projector) from his travels across Australia and New Zealand. She fed her imagination by immersing herself in pages of books; and this love for reading translated into writing poetry when she was 12. Then the teenage years arrived and the passion died. Year 2000, after her wedding, she joined her husband in Maryland, USA. The next 8 – 9 years consisted of Yejide being a stay-at-home mother, raising the children; till the family moved to Ontario, Canada and she went back to university and obtained a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Victoria and a Masters from the University of Windsor, (as she graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1998 with a BSc in Political Science) to become a Social Worker. June 2009, Yejide had just started work as a Social Worker in child protection services and crisis counsellor; a role which guaranteed a constant exposure to heart-wrenching stories of child sexual abuse. Yejide struggled to adjust to her new career, which led to a lot of sleepless nights; and this experience resurrected her literary passion, which inspired her debut novel – Daughters Who Walk This Path. The book originated from a poem she wrote in June 2009, titled Silence Speaks. After sharing the poem with friends, she spent the next eight months writing the first manuscript for the novel. August 16, 2010, Yejide sent out queries to literary agents in the United States; on that same day, she received a request for a full manuscript. Exactly a week later, she had an offer of representation from an agent. In May 2011, after polishing the manuscript, she made submissions to Canadian publishing houses; and she heard back from an editor at Penguin Canada, about three days later. A few weeks later, Yejide received a publishing offer. Daughters Who Walk This Path was published in Canada on April 10, 2012, and on May 5, 2012, the novel debuted on the Globe and Mail bestseller’s list, where it remained for six consecutive weeks. The novel has now been published The United States, Germany and Thailand. Today, Yejide (besides being a Social Worker and Counsellor) is a long-term therapist in children's mental health. She’s working on her next novel, a contemporary women’s fiction, which is scheduled for publish by Penguin Canada in 2014. Her next project is a children’s middle grade book set in Canada and Nigeria; and she’s expressed interest in writing a psychological thriller set in Africa as well. For more: Website Twitter Facebook   By Olusola Agbaje 

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NEW MUSIC: Pursuit of Happiness by Egbezi

December 5, 2013, 5:50 am

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Most times, humans tend to conceal the emotional turmoil and pain that's eating them up for different reasons. Maybe as a result of pride, fear, or what the society in general may say, or think of us when thoughts are expressed. But, Egbezi is an emcee who isn't afraid to wear his emotions on his sleeve. With that, he's giving us a piece of his heart with a single that expresses some of his deepest and most sincere feelings. RSQ produced this music for the soul, titled "Pursuit of Happiness ".  Do listen, and share your thoughts with us below. Download here

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NEW MUSIC: Won Beri by Cassie B

December 5, 2013, 6:32 am

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After the release of 'Gudu Gudu Feeling' featuring S2DB Jumabee, Cassy B has just dropped another club banger "Won Beri". The Nigerian born Ghanian artist has this new single from her forthcoming album "New dawn" and "Dollar bills" also from the same album that will be dropped next year. Cassy B is blazing a trail for others to follow in the Nigerian music industry! Download here

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12 Things You Didn’t Know About Jude Dibia

December 6, 2013, 2:30 am

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  “I believe that as a writer, just write and keep writing to enlighten people… never focus your writing on winning a prize no matter how prestigious, lest you get very distracted.” Jude Dibia Early Life Born 5th January, 1975 in Lagos, Nigeria and raised along with four brothers. Jude attended the University of Ibadan […]

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J Moss Live in Concert in Lagos!

December 6, 2013, 3:00 am

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8090Connect of This Present House is set to host award-winning American gospel singer, J.Moss, in a live concert in Lagos, Nigeria on Saturday, December 14, 2013. Other notable guest artistes, including Tim Godfrey and Xtreme Crew, will also grace the stage in a concert that aims to establish God’s Kingdom through music. The free concert is scheduled to kick off by 5pm at The Dome, This Present House, located at the End of Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. “Through this concert, we aim to touch lives, heal souls, and direct the hearts of hundreds, if not thousands of young people back to God”, a statement read. J. Moss (real name James Moss) is an award winning American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, and producer. This will be his first time performing in Nigeria. He released his latest album "V4...The Other Side of Victory", with hit songs "God's Got It", and "The Prayers" featuring Hezekiah Walker and Dorinda Clark-Cole. He has several popular hit tracks including “Give You More”, “We Must Praise”, “Praise On The Inside”, to name a few. This event looks to be an awesome time with J.Moss. Make it a date!

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NEW MUSIC: Chillin’ by Seriki

December 6, 2013, 5:00 am

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Seriki on a Snoop Dog beat? What would you predict?

Seriki Omo Owo jumped on a Snoop Dog's beat and decided to give his fan a feel of what to expect from his December single.

 After the Etisalat CliqFest Tour, Seriki has been on Club Tour with Barcadi Martini for the Barcadi 150th Anniversary and he's also on the MTN Loud in Naija Concert Tour. Despite his busy schedule, Seriki made time out of no time to do a freestyle for his listeners

[audio mp3="http://www.aphroden.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Chillin.mp3"][/audio]

Connect with Seriki on Twitter or on his website.

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Social Media Week Lagos partners with Volkswagen, announces 2014 venues

December 6, 2013, 6:00 am

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Social Media Week Lagos (SMW Lagos), produced by Dragon Africa and AFRIKA21, is a week long event that is part of the Social Media Week global platform and takes place in Lagos February 17 - 21, 2014.  After a hugely successful inaugural year that hosted 110 events, had over 8,000 registrations and garnered over 31 million online impressions, SMW Lagos looks to build a bigger, bolder and better connected conference. [caption id="attachment_5667" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Speakers at SMWLagos[/caption] Bigger through a partnership with Volkswagen, the SMW Lagos headquarters (#SMWLagosHQ) will be hosted at the 850 sqm (9,000 sq ft) Volkswagen Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos. This unique venue will enable SMW Lagos to accommodate large groups in a theatre style set up, as well as feature dynamic installations to enhance attendees experiences. Bolder.  New for 2014 is SMW Lagos #AfterHours. Lagos is known around the world for it’s nightlife.  As a supplement to daytime programming SMW Lagos will curate a week of memorable and shareable post conference evening events.  The SMW Lagos #AfterHours Hub at Club Pravada will host a variety of night time activities and programming. Better Connected. For 2014, a key goal for SMW Lagos is to engage citizens across Lagos by bringing programming to different communities.  With this in mind SMW Lagos introduces #SMWSatellite venues, smaller venues throughout Lagos that will host engaging programming in a more intimate setting. The newly opened Enterprise Creative HotHouse, a co-working space for creative and digital entrepreneurs in Ikeja, will serve as 1 of several #SMWsatellite venues. HotHouse will host a variety SMW Lagos crowd sourced programming including masterclasses and workshops. In addition, Terra Kulture located in Victoria Island, Lagos returns for 2014 as out Music, Arts, Culture & Entertainment Hub (#smwMACE).  SMW Lagos hubs/venues will host a variety of dynamic programming produced by local and international event partners.  Event partner submissions are currently being accepted through this Friday, December 6, 2013.  Event proposals should be submitted via the SMW Lagos webstie at: http://socialmediaweek.org/conferences/become-event-partner/ MORE INFO ON VENUES: www.socialmediaweek.org/lagos/venues   About Social Media Week Social Media Week is built on the belief that we should better understand how technology is providing new inspiration for how we live, work and create. In a little over five years Social Media Week has built a dynamic platform for communities across the globe to discuss how social media and communication technologies are impacting lives on a local level. To date 26 cities and over 80,000 people have participated in SMW.  In 2013 the SMW Lagos Team had the pleasure (and challenge) of widening the lens to include for the very first time an African city – Lagos, Nigeria.

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17 on Lola Shoneyin, author of ‘The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives’

December 10, 2013, 2:34 am

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“Live hard, read hard, write hard.”

Lola Shoneyin

[caption id="attachment_5699" align="aligncenter" width="466"] Source: wanawana.net[/caption]   Early Life Titilola Atinuke Alexandrah Shoneyin was born in Ibadan, Oyo State (Nigeria), in 1974, to a family of eight, as the youngest of six children and the only girl. At the age of six, she was sent to the UK where she attended Cargilfield School, Edinburgh, The Collegiate, Winterbourne, Bristol and Fettes Junior School, Edinburgh (Scotland). She then returned to Nigeria to attend Abadina College, Ibadan, and obtained a BA degree in English from Ogun State University. Lola’s early works were strictly poetry and short stories, and she published her first volume of poetry, So All the Time I was Sitting on an Egg, in 1998. Afterwards, Lola attended Iowa International Writers Programme, Iowa (USA) in August 1999 and the University of St Thomas, Minnesota the same year. She moved to the UK in 2000, and published her second volume of poetry, Song of a Riverbird, in Nigeria (2002). She obtained a teaching degree from London Metropolitan University in 2005. 2010, Lola released her first published novel, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, a third poetry collection, For the Love of Flight, (February, 2010) and a children’s book, Mayowa and the Masquerades (July 2010).   DID YOU KNOW THAT… 1.      Lola’s father, Chief Tinuoye Shoneyin, wanted her to study law in University, but she filled English on her JAMB form. 2.      Lola started taking writing seriously till she was in university, and she wrote a series of poems which her lecturers praised very highly. 3.      The late Chief Bola Ige gave her N10,000 in 1996 when she wanted to publish her first collection of poems, So All the Time I Was Sitting on an Egg (1998) 4.      Lola has also written for several newspapers, including The Scotsman and The Guardian; and she writes a weekly blog for Next newspapers. 5.      Lola has written articles and publicly come out against polygamous marriage in Nigeria. 6.      Her father-in-law, Professor Wole Soyinka, never saw the manuscript of her first novel; Lola surprised him by sending him the published novel. 7.      Lola sings, and she’s contacted Ade Bantu and Funsho Ogundipe about a collaborative endeavour, where she would write the songs. 8.      Her maternal grandfather, HRH Abraham Olayinka Okupe (1896-1976) was the traditional ruler of Iperu-Remo and had five wives, influenced her debut novel The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives (2010). 9.       One of her early short stories appeared in Post Express in 1995, about a Nigerian woman who leaves her husband for an Austrian woman. A story which initiated dialogue into lesbianism within a Nigerian context. 10.  Lola created The Ake Arts & Book Festival, and the maiden edition took place on the 19th – 24th November 2013 at Abeokuta, Ogun State (Nigeria). [caption id="attachment_5700" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Source: flickr.com[/caption] 11.  Her unpublished collection of short stories was shortlisted for an ANA (Association of Nigerian Writers) prose prize in 1999. 12.  Her novel, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, is actually her third novel, as the first two were never published 13.  Lola was born in Oluyoro Nursing Home in Ibadan, and she was delivered by an Indian doctor. 14.  Her poem Kiitan is a tribute to her child, whose pregnancy was terminated because the baby had a crania anencephaly (meaning - the baby’s nervous system didn’t develop, so the baby was unlikely to live beyond twenty-four hours). 15.  And the poem Jolademi is about and named after her younger son. 16.  Lola has stated that she would not be writing a sequel to The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives. 17.  Her favourite book is Sula (1973) by Toni Morrison. Lola is married to Olaokun Soyinka, a medical doctor and the son of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka. They have four children and four dogs (though one has three legs).   By Olusola Agbaje

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NEW MUSIC: Osama by Mr Smith ft Bra’him & Lonli

December 10, 2013, 2:54 am

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After working in the production booth for the likes of Vector, Shank and Pelli, -producer and MC, Mr. Smith decides to come through with a project of his own: "The Audacity of Mr. Smith" mixtape, due to be out in the first week of 2014.

Osama is the first cut off the mixtape and he pulls upcomers, Bra'Him and Lonli on the laid back joint - a perfect combination of flows and a nice chorus. Do listen and enjoy!

[audio mp3="http://www.aphroden.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Osama-Mr.-Smith-feat.-Brahim-and-Lonli.mp3"][/audio]

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PIN Hosts 250 Students from 15 tertiary institutions at TENT Gathering 2013

December 10, 2013, 3:58 am

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  Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) is a social enterprise that connects Nigerian youth with ICT-enabled opportunities. Having worked with government, civil society, private institutions and international organizations, PIN's projects build on years of combined experience and focus on socio-economic development. PIN organized the second edition of its annual Techie Entrepreneurial Nigerian Talented (TENT) event from Tuesday 26^th – Thursday 28^th November 2013 at the Lagos eLearning Centre.

TENT is a platform that showcases, connects, adds value and inspires. The platform fills an existing gap and will also provide a place where budding Nigerian technopreneurs can showcase their work, connect with resources, add value to market and inspire innovation, while building a sustainable business that they will run after graduation. TENT features an annual event, and also searches for unconnected tech enthusiasts who have the potential of building on globally accessible technology products or leading a new product development cycle for local companies.

Keynote speakers at the TENT gathering 2013 event were Prof Pat Utomi, Mario Valle Reyes, Business Development Director (Emerging Markets), Electronic Arts and Simdul Shagaya, CEO of Konga.com. Other speakers at TENT were Tomi Davies (Chairman, Lagos Angel Network), Moji Rhodes (Lagos State Deputy Chief of Staff/Coordinator of Innovate Lagos), Adebola Williams (RED Media), Emeka Okoye (Vikanti), Oreoluwa Somolu (W.TEC), Osayi Alile Oruene (Chairman, WimBIz), Victor Asemota (Swifta) and Emmanuel Oluwatosin (Nokia). Participants of TENT 2013 include students from 15 tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Participants were encouraged to be innovative and come up with tech and business ideas that can change the world starting from their immediate environment. Speakers also urged them to collaborate, compete and build competent business and tech solutions.

Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, emerged winners of the Clash of The Campuses competition thereby winning the Taiwo Bankole Ogunyemi Prize. Other winners of the Top 3 prize include Federal University of Technology, Akure (1^st Runner Up) and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2^nd Runner Up). TENT 2013 was proudly sponsored by MainOne, Innovate Lagos and Microsoft, and the live webcast of the event was powered by MainOne.

PIN Executive Director, ‘Gbenga Sesan announced that the 2014 edition of TENT will be hosted by Benson Idahosa University. He also announced a N1M support fund endowed by TENT 2012 Keynote Speaker, Nick Jekogian, as part of the TENT Angel Investment Scheme that is available to students who are part of TENT’s 5-year mentorship project as it continues to roll out in tertiary institutions across Nigeria. “Our role is to help students make the best of their time in school so that they graduate with tech businesses, or business plans that are ready to fly, and not just CVs. By the time their peers are cutting and pasting 10,000 words just to get an A in a 6-unit course, TENT@School participants would be testing models and prototypes towards providing value through their tech products or services. Our partners and event sponsors make this happen, and we are grateful for their continued support,” he stated. ### If you would like more information about this topic or further project description on TENT; please visit www.pinigeria.org/tent. To schedule an interview with Mr. ‘Gbenga Sesan; the Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria; please call Tope on +234 0803 538 4144 or mail tope.ogundipe@pinigeria.org      

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The Icarus Girl: Helen Olajumoke Oyeyemi

December 10, 2013, 4:49 am

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“Writing a sentence makes me happy! Writing a whole novel makes me anxious.”

Helen Oyeyemi

[caption id="attachment_5720" align="aligncenter" width="198"] Source: fictionwritersreview.com[/caption] Early Life Born 10^th December, 1984 in Nigeria, she moved to London with her parents when she was 4 years old (1988). Helen was raised on a council estate in Lewisham, London, and she wrote her first novel, The Icarus Girl (2005), while still in school studying for her A levels at Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School before her 19^th birthday. While studying Social and Political Sciences at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, two of her plays, Juniper's Whitening and Victimese, were performed by fellow students and were later published. In 2007, Helen’s second novel, The Opposite House, was published; two years later, her third novel, White is for Witching (2009) was published in May. The novel was a 2009 Shirley Jackson Award finalist and it won a 2010 Somerset Maugham Award. Her fourth novel, Mr Fox, was published in June 2011; and in 2013 she was included in the Granta Best of Young British Novelists list.   DID YOU KNOW THAT… 1.      Helen moved out of London, after she was assaulted in broad daylight at a park; she moved to Cambridge, then South Africa, New York, Paris, Toronto, Washington, Prague and Berlin; today she’s still looking for a homeland. 2.      Oyeyemi wrote her first novel, The Icarus Girl (2005) to avoid revising for her A Levels.; which she has identified as her most explicitly autobiographical work. 3.      Oyeyemi is a lifelong Catholic who has done voluntary work for The Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD) in Kenya. 4.      Helen has expressed interest in teaching fiction writing in America; as a result, she applied for the revered Creative Writing programme at New York’s Columbia University. 5.      Her fourth novel, Mr Fox (2011) took two years to write; while she was living in Paris. 6.      Mr Fox is loosely based on the French folktale "Bluebeard," about an aristocrat who seduces, marries and kills his wives. 7.      In December 2007, Helen abruptly left her Masters in Creative Writing programme at New York’s Columbia University, as she said it interfered with her writing style. 8.      As a young girl, Helen battled depression, and she tried to commit suicide by overdosing on pills, at the age of 15. 9.      Helen’s mother is an employee of the London Underground and her father is a supply teacher. 10.  Helen can’t bear to watch horror films, but she loves gothic literature, delivered ‘in little doses, skilfully done.’ 11.  She graduated from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge with a second class honours degree. 12.  Helen spent five months in 2006 in Paarl, a village outside Cape Town, volunteering at a centre for children born with HIV. 13.  While she was secretly writing the novel that would become The Icarus Girl, she sent 20 pages to an agent she found in the phone book, he’s remained her agent till date. 14.  Helen started writing short stories when she was 13 years old. 15.  The Opposite House (2007), Helen’s second novel’s title was taken from Emily Dickinson’s poem ‘There’s been a Death in the Opposite House’ and each chapter heading is a reference to the poet’s work. [caption id="attachment_5723" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Source: wikipedia.org[/caption] Helen Oyeyemi's next novel, Boy, Snow, Bird, will be published in 2014.   By Olusola Agbaje

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D’banj, Tuface, and other Nigerian stars in collaboration with EbonyLifeTV initiate ‘The Legacy Concert’– a tribute to Mandela

December 10, 2013, 6:36 am

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  As the world mourns the passing of the late African and global icon, Nelson Mandela, Nigerian stars and other production partners, in collaboration with  EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first Global Black Entertainment Network, have initiated and concluded plans for an unprecedented and star-studded tribute, titled “The Legacy Lives … A Tribute Concert”, in celebration of the extraordinary life and times of the legendary freedom fighter, nation builder, liberator, humanitarian, democrat, unity promoter, instrument of change, philanthropist, Nobel Peace Prize winner, the first democratically elected black South African President and an inspiration to leadership for the rest of the world.

Headline acts for the concert include Dbanj, Tuface, Darey, Burna Boy, Ikechukwu, Eldee the Don, Zaina, Mo Easy, Engager, Chioma, DJ Babus, Timi Dakolo, Waje, Julius Agwu, Mike Aremu, J. Martins, Niyola, Omawunmi, Tiwa Savage, Rocksteady, amongst others. Production partners for the tribute include Beat FM, Eko Hotel, Maverick Equinox, Bella Naija, Red Media Africa, 360 Nobs, Linda Ikeji and Noel Productions. Behind the scene support will be provided by African Events, GQ Acoustics, No Surprises Events, Pisces Power, Edi Lawani, Prive, South African Airlines, Discovery Brands Management, Damell Photography and K-Square. The commemorative event, which is scheduled to hold on December 18, 2013, at The Oceanview Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos, promises to be a very befitting and groundbreaking honour in memory of the extraordinary life and unselfish contributions of one of the greatest beacons of hope, inspiration and freedom to ever walk the surface of this earth. According to Funmi Victor-Okigbo, Chief Executive Officer, No Surprises Events, “We’ll ensure that the event is orchestrated and executed to perfection according to world-class standards.” For Mo Abudu, Chairman and CEO of EbonyLife TV, “It’s one of the least of things we can do as Nigerians, Africans and Global Black citizens of the world to honour a unique, caring and very humble global character.” She continues, “Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela lives on as a beacon of hope and a true icon of inspiration; a man of extraordinary vision who has left such a great legacy of humanity that Africans and the rest of the world must strive to aspire to. So we are indeed very proud to put this together. It’s a free concert for the expensive price of liberty paid for by the selfless Madiba. We made a call to the industry and we got really tremendous response. For all our music stars and partners, we cannot thank you all enough for your sacrifice, kindness and generosity, which themselves typify the spirit of ‘Ubuntu’, which is South African for humanity. God bless you all.” There is already a groundswell of activity and anticipation about the event which already has everything it takes to go down into history as a major rallying point for the celebration of the life and legacy of the man, The Madiba.   About Mo Abudu Mosunmola Abudu popularly known as Mo Abudu, is the Chairman and Chief Executive of EbonyLife TV, Hostess and Executive Producer of Moments with Mo, a Media Personality, Human Resource Management Consultant and Entrepreneur/Venture Capitalist.  

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Aphroden Spotlight: Msindisi Fengu

December 11, 2013, 3:25 am

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    Journalism is a profession that places one at the cutting edge of life and is often regarded as the fourth estate of the realm. It is a profession with ethics just like other professions but with less tolerance for personal opinion, hence the saying: "fact is sancrosanct, opinion free."   African journalism has developed over time and the continent's pen pushers are more respected now more than ever as a result of their determination to prove that truly, the pen is mightier than the sword. Among this generation of reporters is a shining quintessence of how hard work in the profession can help advance ones career, no short cuts.

  South African journalist, Msindisi Fengu, was Born on October 15th, 1984 in East London, South Africa. He had his secondary education at Mthombe, King William's Town, South Africa in 2001 before proceeding to Border Technikon/Walter Sisulu University East London, South Africa for his tertiary education where he was awarded NDiploma: Journalism - Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs in 2006.   Msindisi Fengu was recently awarded the top prize at this year’s CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards Ceremony. Fengu and Monakali shared the overall ‘CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year’ Award for their work ‘Investigation series: School hostels of Shame’, which appeared in South African daily print newspaper Daily Dispatch and was chosen from 1387 entries from 42 nations across the African continent.   The work investigates appalling conditions being experienced by thousands of pupils in the Eastern Cape, uncovering hygiene and safety risks in school hostels and lifting the lid on corruption within the education department.   His story which exposed horrifying conditions in the Eastern Cape's rural school hostels has also won the 7th Taco Kuiper Award for outstanding investigative journalism by South African media. He is a Senior Journalist at Daily Dispatch in South Africa.   He is an Award-winning journalist with a brief experience in marketing and public relations. According to him, "As a journalist, I strive to expose and report on any injustices to improve the lives of our communities. While, in the marketing, communication and public relations, I learned, hands-on, the workings of corporate communications at one of the South African universities. Which makes me to have, in a way, experience in both 'worlds'."   By Azeez Sanusi      

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NEW MUSIC: Yodi Remix by DJ Mewsic ft Jah Bless

December 17, 2013, 6:03 am

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Brila fm 88.9 in-house  DJ and Reminisce Official Dj, Dj Mewsic, released a single some months ago titled" Check Up" featuring Hakym, Skales and Vector‘. After, he dropped the much anticipated street anthem"Abge o" featuring Olamide, Kidakudz and 2kriss. The Prince Of Mixes has decided to take a step further and this time he hires street-hop heavyweight, Jah Bless and Edge’s new cat, Akymz. He titles this "Yodi(rmx)"; an Enrique Iglesias "Tonight" cover and a certified song to enjoy! DJ Mewsic promises to put out a couple of videos for his singles and release the LP of his official DJ album "Hustle O'Clock" from  Mame Inc. Click here to download Yodi remix.  

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Atiteh’s Notes: Uncle Joe (2)

December 18, 2013, 5:34 am

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Titilayo continues her short story this week! You can read the first chapter here The principal! We were in morbid fear of him. As soon as he walked in, we immediately stood to greet. It was all we could do to keep from trembling. After telling us to serve our punishment at the school orchard during break, he left us with the order, “Will you stop messing around this minute and face your studies?” Although we never did tease Uncle Joe after that, we couldn't help giggling when he twisted the principal’s words so: “Thop mething around.” Irene giggled the loudest and muttered under her breath, “The principal didn't say thop or mething. He said stop and messing.” If Uncle Joe heard, he pretended not to and returned to writing on the board.   *                                                                      *                                                          * “Why did you call him Uncle Joe?” the voice of my therapist brings me back to the present. Suddenly, I’m not an eleven year old anymore but a twenty four year old in therapy. Therapy! I chuckle bitterly as I play with the word in my head. I begin to wonder why I let Seyi talk me into this, this whole thing. His exact words the first time he suggested it were, “It’ll be good for you.” I didn’t see how then and now that I sit in front of a therapist, whose deep set eyes remind me of a cat’s at night, I still don’t see how. In fact, I wonder if I didn’t make a mistake by giving in to Seyi’s pressures. “Although the school didn’t quite approve, we called most of our teachers, especially those we liked, Uncle or Aunty,” I reply. “He was well liked by the students then?” the therapist pries with her intense gaze. She looks rather small behind the huge desk, on which is placed a small wooden piece with the name ‘Dr Akintola’ carved neatly. “Oh yes, he certainly was,” I say hugging myself with my arms. Outside, it’s starting to rain and although the windows are shut, I feel gusts of cold wind on my face and bare arms. I regret leaving my shawl on the arm of one of the sitting room chairs at home. It wasn’t until I was about to leave the house that I changed my mind about taking along the green shawl Seyi had bought me for our second wedding anniversary. The sleeveless dress I was wearing would do just fine without a shawl, I convinced myself. Presently, there is some silence except for the sound of light steady rain that is gradually replaced by loud, tumultuous rain drops. I hug myself again as goose bumps break out on my skin. I’m not sure it’s the cold but I’m certain that the rain unnerves me in some way. I wonder if it’s because it brings back memories of that cold, rainy Monday morning in March, thirteen years ago. The dormitory’s alarm bell didn’t ring, even after six o’clock. Students, thus, found the perfect excuse to sleep on except for a few that got out of bed. This incensed Uncle Joe, who upon his arrival at the dormitory fumed about how “pa---pa---tho----patholo--gically la--lazy” the girls were. He then showed no mercy in meting out punishment to them all. Although I escaped punishment along with the few others that got ready for school early, we were all stunned by our house master’s reaction. We had never seen him so angry. It certainly seemed ominous, combined with the dorm’s alarm not ringing and the raging storm, which was in no hurry to stop. The day, however, continued quite normally until mid-morning when Uncle Joe sent for me. It wasn’t unusual for him to do this. Since my parents had made him my guardian at the all girls boarding school – he was mummy’s relative of sorts - he often sent for me to deliver messages from home. He was also in charge of my weekly pocket money and while I still had some left with me, I was almost certain that that was what I was sent for. The bell signaling the start of the long break had just been rung and Mary, the senior girl who was sent to call me, seemed in a haste to get to her break. "Can you move your tiny legs a little faster?” she yelled out to me as I practically ran after her. I wasn’t surprised when she took the path that most students used as a short cut to the dormitories. The staff living quarters, where Uncle Joe lived, was close to them and I had used this same path once or twice while running errands for him. Still, I asked, “Isn’t Uncle Joe in the staff room?” I might as well have been speaking to a tree trunk for Mary kept mute. She spent just enough time to hand me over to Uncle Joe wordlessly before returning to the school area. “Your mummy asked me to give you something,” Uncle Joe said as soon as I was alone with him. I stood at a corner of the room that obviously served both as his living and dinning area. Because it smelt of stale sweat and cheap perfume, I got the impression that the clothes strewn awkwardly all over the scarcely furnished room were dirty. “Do you want to see it?” “Yes!”  I said, in a flurry of excitement. All I could think of was mummy’s recent promise to buy me a dress for the end of term party. In my excitement, I didn’t notice when Uncle Joe moved swiftly to the door and bolted it. Even more quickly, he crossed the room to clench his hands tightly around my shoulders. I didn’t know which was worse, the numbing terror that gripped me or the pain that came from his tight grasp. When I looked up at him, I thought I was looking at a monster from one of the movies I had watched. I could scarcely reconcile the fierce looking man now pinning me to the wall and making fearful sounds with the pleasant house master I knew. Before long, he started to unbutton my school uniform as well as his shirt hurriedly like he was being chased. Frightened and confused, I screamed, or I screamed in my head, because no sound came out. I tried again but still no sound, so I shut my eyes instead, telling myself that if I shut them hard enough, the madness would all go away. It didn’t. Then suddenly, Uncle Joe went quiet and froze. Save for one large hand placed over my mouth, he had completely loosened his grip on me. It was then I heard foot steps retreating from the front door.  I knew this was my chance to scream for help, so I bit on my attacker’s fingers and screamed. The sound of the hard slap that followed reached my ears before I felt the sting on my right cheek but I was undeterred. I screamed even louder and harder until the foot steps returned to the door step, slowly at first, then rapidly. Someone tried the door handle and knocked repeatedly before thumping hard at it. “Hello? Who’s there? Uncle Joe?” I recognised Mary’s voice and screamed with all the might an eleven year old could muster. But this time, Uncle Joe would have none of it and hit me harder than I had ever been hit. The hot liquid that ran between my legs told me I had peed in my pant before I realised it. My head began to spin. A noisy Boy Scout band was playing in my head, beating against the delicate nerves of my brain, and when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, the huge black monster in front of me melted away. I was later told by the school matron hovering over me that I fainted. Had Mary not returned to Uncle Joe’s front porch in search of her missing pen, I might have sustained much more injury, she told me. Thirteen years, a husband and child later, I'm still dealing with the emotional “injury” I sustained. Seyi has been very understanding but I fear that my problems might get too overwhelming for him to bear. My frequent nightmares, and my clawing and gnashing at him each time he comes close to me, might one day push him away. Now, more than ever, I’m grateful for his persistence about the therapist. I hope she can help in some way. I watch as she ruffles through some sheets of paper on her desk, picks one and studies it quietly. I know the quiet is only for a short while till she asks a question or makes an observation. Still, I appreciate it and mentally block out every sound, even the sound of the rain drumming on the roof.   By Titilayo Olurin

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Orin’s Story: Tango

December 18, 2013, 5:40 am

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Orin's story continues this week! You can read previous chapter here    Myself, Sunmade and Ire are at home this calm Saturday afternoon. My son and his father are watching television. I am in the kitchen cooking. As you already know, I ruminate on my life’s happenings while I cook. I added Tiwa on my instant messenger that day at the restaurant. Guilt has settled on me like a garment ever since. Especially when I steal away to be with him… Telling Sunmade that I love him has become a lie. Sunmade. Firm as a rock. Stable. Ever present. I cannot describe Tiwa in this manner, yet, I find myself, irrevocably attracted to him. Once, I dreamed that I divorced Sunmade and went back to Tiwa with Ire. And Sunmade did not mind much because he found someone he truly loved. I woke up to Sunmade’s kisses. Madness. Perhaps it is true what they say about love…that it is as powerful as death. Lunch is prepared. “How does this work babe? Ire gets boob for lunch and I get amala? Why can’t we ever switch places?” I find Sunmade tickling a giggling Ire as I carry Sunmade’s lunch through the living room to the dining. “Ire is one. You’re 34.” “Oh so there’s an age limit for boob now?” I chuckle. “It appears there is.” I gingerly lift Ire from his father’s arm and put him on mine as I settle down to breast feed. Soon I will be leaving to see Tiwa at the Mall. I tell Sunmade that I will be meeting up with Amaka. He nods. A satisfied Ire coos and smiles up at me. He has his father’s piercing eyes and smile. Knowing eyes. Ire will fall asleep soon. “When will you get back?” He asks. “Later…in the evening.” He nods and stares at me. His eyes seem to be saying “Orin, two can play this game.” It is loud enough for me hear. His eyes are screaming. I seek solace in Ire’s eyes but find the same accusation: You are cheating. I turn to look instead at the television. At a certain Joseph Kony and the horrible things he is doing in Uganda. They are not far more horrible than the things I am doing here.

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