Come sunday 3rd February,one of the greatest rivalries in football will be re-enacted in the African Nations Cup, when Nigeria's Super(?) Eagles square up to hosts Ghana's Black Stars.Since I started following football actively in the 70s,there are certain fixtures that I don't joke with: Super Stores v NEPA in Lagos,Brazil v Argentina, Man U v Liverpool in England,Milan v Juve in Italy,and of course Nigeria v Ghana.The atmosphere that envelopes these matches is pure fantasy - indescribable!
In the early years,I think Ghana used to have the upper hand,and truly the Black Stars played sexy,champaigne football which made many to dub them the "Brazilians of African soccer".But that was until one cool evening when a coach Onigbinde - tutored Eagles made nonsense of bookmakers' predictions by thrashing the Stars right on their home soil.The star of the Nigerian team that day was a youngster by the name Chibuzor Ehilegbu.Can the Super Eagles repeat that feat on sunday?
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
NIGERIA'S MOST BEAUTIFUL CELEBS
It's almost midnight,and I'm all alone (yes you are right,she isn't around).Initially bored,but my mood just got better after reading some exciting blogs from Tayo Odukoya and Aworan .Watching the classy Africa Nations Cup match between Senegal and Angola did much to revive my spirit early on,but the drab follow-up b/w SA and Tunisia threatened to send me to an early sleep.But somehow I still find myself awake,TV turned off and my mind just drifting to nowhere.A stroll to the balcony sets me on direct collision with the mild harmattan breeze;a familiar feeling envelopes me -you know what I mean now -but I could handle it.Afterall I did it only yesterday!
Now I pick up a magazine,it's a pull-out from This Day on Sunday.Very cool.The pictures were glossy and inviting,and the women(sorry, ladies) posh and gorgeous.Then I had the idea:why not write on Nigeria's most beautiful women?Yeah! Now I'm lively, just thinking about it. Nigeria is truly blessed with beautiful women;not just beautiful but sexy as well.Okay,here let me begin with (some of) the most beautiful Nigerian female celebrities as seen by my naughty eyes!
No.1 is Julie Coker.Queen of the tube and former Miss Nigeria(one of the truly worthy ones).Greatest asset:the eyes,the eyes,the s..y eyes !!
No.2 is Funmi Odubekun.If Julie was queen, she was the Princess.
No.3, Toyin Money and Mandy Brown-Ojugbana.Both just stuck in my memory as the aje-butter damsels.Mandy was a class hip-hop act even before the genre became legit,while I think Toyin was a Model (not too sure now).
No.4 Mary Afi Usua,velvet voice with seductive,pure calaba style waist dancing
No.5 Binta Sukai,the pearl from the north
No.6 Regina Askia and Linda Ikeji.Delicate,natural, and provocative to the senses.Linda is class on the runway,believe me.
No.7 Alexandria Lopez and Clarion Chukwurah. Both are natural when it comes to sex appeal.Alex is one of the very few Nollywood stars that interprete romantic scenes well.
8.Warebi Martha and Blessing Effiom:Similarly endowed.Through them I see beauty in slimness (or thinness,or lepaness!)
9Ama Peterside.Put the controversies aside,she is a true representetion of Naija beauty
10.Funlola Aofiyebi.Latest owner of (Hummer?) jeep,but nontheless a very beautiful woman proudly representing Ni-ge-r-i-a!
Be assured that this list is not exhaustive.I'll continue with "part 2" in due course.Particularly watch out for the list of beauties outside the entertainment industry.You'll find it interesting.
Now I pick up a magazine,it's a pull-out from This Day on Sunday.Very cool.The pictures were glossy and inviting,and the women(sorry, ladies) posh and gorgeous.Then I had the idea:why not write on Nigeria's most beautiful women?Yeah! Now I'm lively, just thinking about it. Nigeria is truly blessed with beautiful women;not just beautiful but sexy as well.Okay,here let me begin with (some of) the most beautiful Nigerian female celebrities as seen by my naughty eyes!
No.1 is Julie Coker.Queen of the tube and former Miss Nigeria(one of the truly worthy ones).Greatest asset:the eyes,the eyes,the s..y eyes !!
No.2 is Funmi Odubekun.If Julie was queen, she was the Princess.
No.3, Toyin Money and Mandy Brown-Ojugbana.Both just stuck in my memory as the aje-butter damsels.Mandy was a class hip-hop act even before the genre became legit,while I think Toyin was a Model (not too sure now).
No.4 Mary Afi Usua,velvet voice with seductive,pure calaba style waist dancing
No.5 Binta Sukai,the pearl from the north
No.6 Regina Askia and Linda Ikeji.Delicate,natural, and provocative to the senses.Linda is class on the runway,believe me.
No.7 Alexandria Lopez and Clarion Chukwurah. Both are natural when it comes to sex appeal.Alex is one of the very few Nollywood stars that interprete romantic scenes well.
8.Warebi Martha and Blessing Effiom:Similarly endowed.Through them I see beauty in slimness (or thinness,or lepaness!)
9Ama Peterside.Put the controversies aside,she is a true representetion of Naija beauty
10.Funlola Aofiyebi.Latest owner of (Hummer?) jeep,but nontheless a very beautiful woman proudly representing Ni-ge-r-i-a!
Be assured that this list is not exhaustive.I'll continue with "part 2" in due course.Particularly watch out for the list of beauties outside the entertainment industry.You'll find it interesting.
2 FACE + R.KELLY : I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS
Well this has been in the gossip mill for some time,but after reading today's papers it appears 2 baba himself has confirmed the news ( and you know Tu is not given to frivolous statements).Am I excited ? You bet! Two of the most gifted vocalists and creative songwriters of this generation coming together is nothing short of a thriller, and of course a big lift for Nigerian music too.And who knows, we may just get to see the great mr Kelly live on stage in Naija this year.....or did someone say this day?!!!!!!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
WILL SUPER EAGLES WIN NATIONS CUP ?
Is Berti Vogt's army good enough to give Nigeria it's third Nations Cup trophy ? As a patriot the answer will always be yes,but I have my fears.I witnessed our triumphs in 1980 and 1994, and still remember vividly that the feeling of an imminent victory was palpable even before those tournaments kicked off.That does not existt in this case.Why?
In 1980 we had a solid team on ground long before the tournament.Every single position from 1 to 11 had an estalished custodian whom Nigerians had come to have confidence in: Ema Okala in goal,Chairman Chukwu at the heart of the defence, Mathematical Odegbami and Chief Justice Adokie on the wings.Even the players on the bench were good enough to play whenever the need arose,which was why coach Otto Gloria could mesmerise the Algerians in the final with a novelty combination of two natural left-wingers Adokie and Felix Owolabi.
Tunisia 94 was no different.Clemence Westerhoff's four-year team construction had matured.Amunike,Amokachi,Okechukwu,Yekini,Finidi and the rest were already feared as a deadly bunch throughout the continent before Nations Cup began,so winning the trophy was only a confirmation of their supremacy.
With Vogts army nobody has a clue of the character of the team.The man most likely to lead the attack,Yakubu,as recent as two months ago did not even seem to feature in the coach's plans.The entire defence,minus Yobo,is indeterminate. Obi Mikel the only recognised world class act based on current form, has yet to put up a convincing performance for the team.So where does this leave us?
I know many will say naija fighting spirit.Okay that's cool;at least fighting spirit gave us the olympic gold in Atlanta.So good luck boys !
In 1980 we had a solid team on ground long before the tournament.Every single position from 1 to 11 had an estalished custodian whom Nigerians had come to have confidence in: Ema Okala in goal,Chairman Chukwu at the heart of the defence, Mathematical Odegbami and Chief Justice Adokie on the wings.Even the players on the bench were good enough to play whenever the need arose,which was why coach Otto Gloria could mesmerise the Algerians in the final with a novelty combination of two natural left-wingers Adokie and Felix Owolabi.
Tunisia 94 was no different.Clemence Westerhoff's four-year team construction had matured.Amunike,Amokachi,Okechukwu,Yekini,Finidi and the rest were already feared as a deadly bunch throughout the continent before Nations Cup began,so winning the trophy was only a confirmation of their supremacy.
With Vogts army nobody has a clue of the character of the team.The man most likely to lead the attack,Yakubu,as recent as two months ago did not even seem to feature in the coach's plans.The entire defence,minus Yobo,is indeterminate. Obi Mikel the only recognised world class act based on current form, has yet to put up a convincing performance for the team.So where does this leave us?
I know many will say naija fighting spirit.Okay that's cool;at least fighting spirit gave us the olympic gold in Atlanta.So good luck boys !
Sunday, January 13, 2008
THE 2007 AWARDS - FROM ME
I always enjoy watching all those "best this" and "best that" awards,and usually envy the organizers for being able to put their views across and make it count.Well since I now have this opportunity,I'll also now let the world know who and what caught my fancy in 2007.
BEST STAGE ACT: D'Banj.No arguements:A David Beckham in looks and Sisquo on stage,he is
simply awesome.
BEST ALBUM: Tu Face - Face 2 Face.Oozes class and pure enterainment from the first note to the last.
BEST SONG: This is the era of dance music,and we had a lot of them.Kolomental (Faze),Yahoozee(Olu Maintain) and the late comer,Do Me(P Square) were the loudest.It's dificult to choose one.
BEST VIDEO: Another tough category,with so many quality contenders I can't even start listing them.Okay,please check out Pasuma's Initiator if you're into Fuji.
WORST VIDEO:Tu FACE - True Love.Absolutely no link between the video and the song.A very good way to waste money and waste a world-class song.
BEST MOVIE: Caught In The Middle.For those who think Nollywood is all about rituals,violence and mediocrity,please watch this.
COMEDIAN: Basketmouth. An embodiment of the huge improvent in quality of our comedians.
MODEL:Biola Boris,for still going strong after all these years.Where are Theodora,Ndidi and Lara Agbeyegbe?That was a generation of exciting Models.I hope the industry will start appreciating our Models and help them sustain economically meaningful careers, just like the musicians and actors now have.
TV PROGRAMME: Q, Mo Ments(not an Oprah Winfrey show,but I enjoy it)
FASHION PERSONALITY:Zizi,Tiffany Amber and Modella.But whatever happened to Dakova?
FAVORITE BLOGGERS: Naijagal and Ladybrille.I'm doing this because those sites made an impression.Thanks and keep it up.
BEST STAGE ACT: D'Banj.No arguements:A David Beckham in looks and Sisquo on stage,he is
simply awesome.
BEST ALBUM: Tu Face - Face 2 Face.Oozes class and pure enterainment from the first note to the last.
BEST SONG: This is the era of dance music,and we had a lot of them.Kolomental (Faze),Yahoozee(Olu Maintain) and the late comer,Do Me(P Square) were the loudest.It's dificult to choose one.
BEST VIDEO: Another tough category,with so many quality contenders I can't even start listing them.Okay,please check out Pasuma's Initiator if you're into Fuji.
WORST VIDEO:Tu FACE - True Love.Absolutely no link between the video and the song.A very good way to waste money and waste a world-class song.
BEST MOVIE: Caught In The Middle.For those who think Nollywood is all about rituals,violence and mediocrity,please watch this.
COMEDIAN: Basketmouth. An embodiment of the huge improvent in quality of our comedians.
MODEL:Biola Boris,for still going strong after all these years.Where are Theodora,Ndidi and Lara Agbeyegbe?That was a generation of exciting Models.I hope the industry will start appreciating our Models and help them sustain economically meaningful careers, just like the musicians and actors now have.
TV PROGRAMME: Q, Mo Ments(not an Oprah Winfrey show,but I enjoy it)
FASHION PERSONALITY:Zizi,Tiffany Amber and Modella.But whatever happened to Dakova?
FAVORITE BLOGGERS: Naijagal and Ladybrille.I'm doing this because those sites made an impression.Thanks and keep it up.
BBA,OFUNNEKA AND ALL THAT CRAP
Whenever I think of the furore generated by Richard's so-called raping of Ofunneka in BBA 2, I get amused ,not really deciding whether to be dissapointed or elated.The whole thing just smacks of hypocrisy at its best (or is it worst ?).I mean even if we never saw Big Brother in Holland or UK, at least we saw BBA 1, so we can't pretend not to know what the show is all about.
Big Brother anywhere,wherever is an adult, absolutely x-rated show.It is purely entertainment for voyeurs- and there are many of them around.But at least the show is aired on pay -tv,which means there is an effective dicretion over who watches and who doesn't.By voluntarily enterring for the show Ofunneka had made a honest statement of the kind of person she is (which in my opinion should not in itself remove anything from her intergrty or self-esteem), therefore you wouldn't for instance say she is a Nun! And viewed within the context of the show,she actually performed "below expectation" by not giving in to the more amorous aspects of the BBA house.Didn't she always take her bath with her over-sized panties on?
Incidentally, my partner had been away and my libido was high when I first read about this rape thing (I mean the National Assembly had just querried the producers) so I scurried to my computer and searched the web with great expectation.I was dissappointed.Yes I saw images of drunk housemates behaving exactly as you would expect drunk people to.I saw people frolicking on the bed,under the bedsheet,and yes a finger playing games inside someone's panties(with the receiver clearly enjoying the moment!).But where was the sex,or better put,the rape?
What was the point in "banning" a show that had already run its full course?When people pay for pay-tv,what are they expecting - morning ride?Then what kind of signals are we sending to existing and potential foreign investors? Let's just admit that globalization has its "side effects".You can't eat your cake and still have it.
Big Brother anywhere,wherever is an adult, absolutely x-rated show.It is purely entertainment for voyeurs- and there are many of them around.But at least the show is aired on pay -tv,which means there is an effective dicretion over who watches and who doesn't.By voluntarily enterring for the show Ofunneka had made a honest statement of the kind of person she is (which in my opinion should not in itself remove anything from her intergrty or self-esteem), therefore you wouldn't for instance say she is a Nun! And viewed within the context of the show,she actually performed "below expectation" by not giving in to the more amorous aspects of the BBA house.Didn't she always take her bath with her over-sized panties on?
Incidentally, my partner had been away and my libido was high when I first read about this rape thing (I mean the National Assembly had just querried the producers) so I scurried to my computer and searched the web with great expectation.I was dissappointed.Yes I saw images of drunk housemates behaving exactly as you would expect drunk people to.I saw people frolicking on the bed,under the bedsheet,and yes a finger playing games inside someone's panties(with the receiver clearly enjoying the moment!).But where was the sex,or better put,the rape?
What was the point in "banning" a show that had already run its full course?When people pay for pay-tv,what are they expecting - morning ride?Then what kind of signals are we sending to existing and potential foreign investors? Let's just admit that globalization has its "side effects".You can't eat your cake and still have it.
GIANT STRIDES IN NIGERIAN MUSIC
Thankfully the good days are here for Nigerian musicians.When kris Okotie's Just for You album ruled the airwaves in the 1980's,even outselling its monumental forerunner I need Someone,the artiste was given a gold disc for selling 100,000- 200,000 copies - a rare fit that was usually celebrated by the entire industry.I also remember attending an epoch ceremony at the Eko Hotels where Sir Shina Peters was awarded gold discs for selling 200,000 copies of the then "national anthem" Ace and Shinamania.Majek Fashek however refused to accept the figure of 100 and something thousand copies which his record company declared for the monumental Prisoner of Conscience (widely reputed to be the most popular album after Nico Mbarga's Sweet Mother),and quit the label in frustration.
However things seem to have changed dramaticaly,even at a time when many analysts say that the music industry in Nigeria is dead!I've read no less than four reputable Journals report that P Square sold well over a million copies of Game Over in less than one week!I've also observed that most artistes with known hit records today ride flashy cars,dress in true celeb fashion,and generally live hollywood-like lifestyles- something that will make Alex O,Oby Onyioha,and Dizzy k curse their lucks for arriving a shade too soon!
Does this then mean that a viable music industry now exists in the country?I don't think so,but I think what the artistes are enjoying today is largely a result of the bold and creative intervention of Kennis Music about a decade ago.Apart from deeply traditional music such as fuji,we are yet to have a distinctly Nigerian popular music with international appeal,which is largely due to the failure of the system to exploit the huge potentials of Fela's afro-beat.We are still aping and copying foreign genres - which modern studio technology has made easier though.There is as of today no properly structured record company that provides all-round grooming and other label services for artistes.It is a hit-and-run system that exists,where the artistes cannot boast of any defined career path.
Credit must however go to the marketers for sustaining the artistes: at least piracy is now viewed with less disdain,eventhough it's still a big problem.Another major positive change is the fact that Nigerian music is played a lot more on the airwaves and on upscale nightclubs across the country;at least our studio egineers have become adept at sampling whatever beat the americans come up with,while the problem of intonation is eliminated by infusing local dialect into the vocals-so no one is pretending to be a Michael Jackson here!
A few artistes though are genuinely trying to be original in their works.Tu Face,Lagbaja and Asa readily come to mind,but songs like Sample Ekwe sound more like what the industry should be encouraging.In sum, I,m happy with the progress achieved, but there's still a long way to go.
However things seem to have changed dramaticaly,even at a time when many analysts say that the music industry in Nigeria is dead!I've read no less than four reputable Journals report that P Square sold well over a million copies of Game Over in less than one week!I've also observed that most artistes with known hit records today ride flashy cars,dress in true celeb fashion,and generally live hollywood-like lifestyles- something that will make Alex O,Oby Onyioha,and Dizzy k curse their lucks for arriving a shade too soon!
Does this then mean that a viable music industry now exists in the country?I don't think so,but I think what the artistes are enjoying today is largely a result of the bold and creative intervention of Kennis Music about a decade ago.Apart from deeply traditional music such as fuji,we are yet to have a distinctly Nigerian popular music with international appeal,which is largely due to the failure of the system to exploit the huge potentials of Fela's afro-beat.We are still aping and copying foreign genres - which modern studio technology has made easier though.There is as of today no properly structured record company that provides all-round grooming and other label services for artistes.It is a hit-and-run system that exists,where the artistes cannot boast of any defined career path.
Credit must however go to the marketers for sustaining the artistes: at least piracy is now viewed with less disdain,eventhough it's still a big problem.Another major positive change is the fact that Nigerian music is played a lot more on the airwaves and on upscale nightclubs across the country;at least our studio egineers have become adept at sampling whatever beat the americans come up with,while the problem of intonation is eliminated by infusing local dialect into the vocals-so no one is pretending to be a Michael Jackson here!
A few artistes though are genuinely trying to be original in their works.Tu Face,Lagbaja and Asa readily come to mind,but songs like Sample Ekwe sound more like what the industry should be encouraging.In sum, I,m happy with the progress achieved, but there's still a long way to go.
WAS 2007 A GOOD YEAR ?
First let me apologise for my inactivity since commencing this blog stuff last year:I simply could not create the time.Perhaps my working on the debut music album excercebated an already tight schedule.However I've been reading great stuff on the net,particularly from the naija bloggers,and I must say I've thoroughly enjoyed myself.In fact for this reason alone I'll say 2007 was a good year!I hope I will find a way to make my blogspot as beautiful and appealing as naijagal's or ladybrille's for instance!Since I've had a little rest and can now muster some strength,I'll proceed to recap some memorable events of 2007 -the good and the not so good,and share my impressions with you.It will be interesting knowing what you think of these.I extend to you all my fervent prayer for a blessed and fulfilling year in 2008.
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