Friday 290208

Freebies

Soul/Funk/R&B
Skyy - Call Me

Homeland
Prince Nico Mbarga - Sweet Mother
[Happy Mothers day to all the mothers out there]
God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers. ~Jewish Proverb

Slow Jamz
Betty Wright - Tonight Is The Night

Reggae
Gregory Isaacs- Night nurse

Gospel
Sounds of Blackness - Be Optimistic

p.s I need a better way to share my music. Some of the images on zShare are - should we say, inappropriate. Any ideas, please drop me a line

Site of the week
LifeHacker

Rant of the week
Superhero T.Y. Danjuma describing the assassinated former Head of State, Aguiyi-Ironsi as "a useless, desk-clerk Head of State". Its alleged that he murdered the aforementioned.

Gadget of the week - useful or useless
BeerTracker - For every bottle you pop with this is recorded on the display so that when you’ve had enough, you can stop


Photo of the week

Yulong River - China

Habiba Garba

After a week during which we have been subjected to some of the most horrendous recitations of murderous violence against women here in the UK, it is desperately discouraging to read about this event in Kano.

A few days, a woman politician, Mrs Habiba Garba was ‘allegedly’ beaten black and blue and left to die by some beast, ‘dishonourable’ labaran abdu madari. This animal - a ‘politician’ from Kano - supposedly carried out this brutal attack in a police station (of all places) in front of many witnesses. The swine was been arrested, and is in custody.

Days after the attack, a Nigerian Newspaper (state owned) published a picture showing Mrs Garba's injuries. The picture is said to have shown part of her naked torso (I haven’t seen it yet). This in itself has led to an uproar. It appears that some mysterious and nameless women's rights group has complained to the Kano State Government about Mrs Garba’s rights been infringed by the publication. Apparently publishing nudity is forbidden under Sharia law because it violates rights to privacy! One wonders how you can show such injuries with your clothes on - A question for the rocket scientists out there.

Mrs Garba wants these pictures published. She wants to highlight the reality of violence against women in northern Nigeria, and I guess the rest of Nigeria. Violence against women is a big problem in Nigeria. It is a cowardly act, and an act that shouldn’t be condoned at all. I have written on this before.

Anyway, the ‘Mullahs’ in Kano, are putting pressure on the Editor of the newspaper to resign. They seem bent on hoodwinking people in the state into believing that this violation of Sharia laws (i.e. the nude picture) is of greater consequence than the aggression on Mrs Garba.

As Expected....

Once again, Sahara Reporters were ‘bang’ on the money. A Nigerian ‘judge’ today dismissed both opposition petitions asking that President Umaru Yar'Adua's election last year be annulled.

I really can’t be bothered writing on this. As of now, I simply don’t give a French Connection UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7263534.stm

Albeit a Nigerian 25

As remarks go, these ones attributed to David Moyes, the Everton manager about Yakubu Aiyegbeni, has stirred some controversy. After his team’s victory over FC Brann last week, Moyes was quoted as saying “What people don't appreciate is that he’s only 25, albeit a Nigerian 25, and so if that is his age he’s still got a good few years ahead of him.”

What has led to all hell falling apart; well some of it is his sarcastic comment “albeit a Nigerian 25”.

These remarks have caused the Nigerian FA to respond as follows.
“His statement is insulting to the Nigerian nation and unbecoming of a Premiership manager. We don’t take kindly to snide remarks about our players, or our nation, and we will be lodging a strongly-worded complaint to the English FA to sanction him." Some Nigerian commentators have gone a bit further and called Moyes a racist.

One might think there is an overreaction here. For the NFA it’s a bit of a tough call to make. Paying no attention to the comment could be seen as an acknowledgment that Mr Moyes is probably spot on. Responding the way they did may put the spotlight back on what most people consider to be true in Nigerian/African sport – Age falsification. They may look ridiculous in the long run (some say they already are) if a single case can be proven.

Many of us have taken part in arguments that had a lot to do with the ages of countless Nigerian players. In almost all cases, we have dissimilar opinions of the subject’s age. Statements akin to “Kanu is 42, I know someone who went to Primary School with him” or “Obafemi is 23 - really? let him come and suck breast now” are pretty common. We however seem to all agree on one thing - that the person is definitely older than he claims he is. So we are not really out of step with Mr Moyes, we (well the NFA in this case) just don’t seem to like the fact he said it. We should, not him. Its more along the lines of a white person shouldn’t use the ‘N’ word. It’s insulting, but it’s only OK if we (black people) use it.

Suspended

Some killjoy said I was encouraging piracy. Another folk suggested that I slice the mp3’s I post. Why don’t you host a player on your blog asked another.

I tire - freebie Friday is suspended this week. It will be back in some form next Friday.

In the meantime, if you enjoy my work (lol), then please visit my other blogs.

Soul Bible

Slow Jams

There is a lot out there…

Our Super Tuesday

The Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal may deliver its verdict on Tuesday next week. It will be an apprehensive and expensive weekend, some people will make a tidy mint on the back of all this, others may not live to tell the tale – It’s the naija way. The famed 'rule of law' principle will be put to test.

Yardy at the start stated that if is he was sacked by the tribunal he would pack his bags and head back to rural Zamfara. That tune has now changed; Yardy is not immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power.

A lot rests on the judgment that may be delivered on Tuesday. Tuesday may possibly be a very significant date for Nigeria and her future.

My Prediction: Yardy to hang on.

Old School Freebies (2)

Grab & Enjoy

150208

Soul/Funk/R&B
Gwen Guthrie - Getting Hot


Homeland
Felix Libarty (or Liberty) - Ifeoma


Slow Jamz
Anita Baker - Lead Me Into Love


Country
Dolly Parton - You are


Reggae
Third World - Lagos Jump


Gospel
Tramaine - Fall Down

There comes a time when....

Aretha Franklin 'The Queen of Soul (get that Beyonce Knowles)' is a LEGEND. She is arguably the greatest female singer of all time. She is free to wear whatever she likes, wherever she likes… Hell, she can afford to wear whatever she likes.

Still….

@ the 2008 Grammy Awards - Courtesy of Yazmar

Back in the day....





Oops - Happy Valentine's Day everyone

February 13th 1976

32 years ago, Murtala Mohammed was killed in an abortive coup attempt led by Lt.Col B. S. Dimka. He was only 37, and was the Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria.

His death gave Nigeria its first taste of a then hesitant Olusegun Obasanjo. A number of top officers, including his predecessor and at the time, Yakubu Gowon, were accused of planning his demise.

On a personal level, I am not an admirer of Murtala Mohammed. I still see him, based on what I have read and heard, as a perpetrator of various war crimes during the Nigerian Civil War.

That said - there are many Nigerians who unwaveringly believe that given a chance this man would have transformed Nigeria. Like most Nigerian dictators, he had a good start. But he was cut short 7 months into his reign.

Who knows....

November 8, 1938 - February 13, 1976

Old School Freebies (1)

Every Friday (with a bit of luck), I will drop a few old school tracks from a wide range of genres.

Grab & Enjoy

080208

Soul/Funk/R&B
52nd Street - Tell Me How It Feels

Homeland
African Rhythm Messengers - Suzanna Kpango

Slow Jamz
Chaka Khan - Through The Fire

Country
Juice Newton - The Sweetest Thing

Reggae
Peter Tosh - Johnny be good

Tanzanian PM to resign over graft

Tanzania's Prime Minister Edward Lowassa has tendered his resignation after being implicated in an energy deal corruption scandal.

Unparalleled!!!

Full Story

Sky: Channel 331

Until quite recently, I wasn’t a big aficionado of the Nigerian entertainment industry; to a certain extent I almost detested it. OK, it wasn’t at the same levels of loathing that I have for the countless commercial and misleading Christian organisations that flourish in our country and abroad, but it was close.

In Nollywood I saw yet another occasion where mediocrity was about to take centre stage in our lives. Corners were being cut, the industry was saturated with folks that quite frankly couldn’t get a walk-on role in a second rate soap opera. Professionalism played second fiddle. Musical videos were produced on the back of watching a clip on MTV. We had people shamelessly copying mannerisms, accents, dress sense, intellectual properties, and just about anything they could get on the cheap. I have a couple of cousins who are ‘prominent’ figures in Nollywood, my step cousin is one of the guys that runs Storm Records. I also have a few of friends that hedge big money on Nollywood. In conversations, I have always maintained this position – not good enough + lacks crossover appeal + amateurish.

Watching the output from this industry at the time was a bit uncomfortable, and that is being kind.

That was then..

I started taking a closer interest in this industry when I sampled some of the work done by Storm. Posts from experienced entertainment bloggers like Bella, Naija Vixen, Linda Ikeji and Adaure helped in giving me a proper insight into what was what. My friend’s FilmAFRICA’s Premiere – Across the Niger - last year in Leicester Square, London also helped. One has to acknowledge that it’s all changed. The lazy copy-cats are gradually having a shorter relevance span. The folks running the industry were now well travelled, properly trained and exposed to the basics and hard work required in this industry. Gone are the days when an usher in the Odeon @ Lee Valley went back home to become a Nollywood Executive Producer. There is a more professional feel to the industry. It’s simply better quality, PERIOD.

So just like many easy to fleece Nigerians, I have seen the light, I am now converted – not to KICC, MFM or any of the many {I better not say what I think, lets just say they are too many to mention} - to Channel 331 on Sky [Nollywood Movies]. My tithe is £5.99 per month (Sounds high, but its £4 cheaper than what I shell for Setanta Sports). It’s currently free till the end of this month. Also note that unlike Ben TV, they don’t cut programs half way to link up with NTA Nigeria. In line with spreading the word, (I should be getting paid for this) there is a buy one month, get another month free offer. Not sure if I got that right. Check their web site (If you can, it appears that they haven’t thought thru the whole process) for more details

That Stephanie Okereke girl, she sabi act oh! She was quite good in…………..

Another Reality Check

We lost. We were beaten by a better side, a side that wanted it more – The home side. I am not in low spirits (Its weird, but an Arsenal loss will put me in a worse mood than a Nigerian defeat – Strange!); I believe it’s a good thing for the tournament, for Ghana and ironically for Nigeria.

In Nigeria’s case, it is yet another dose of reality. Most Nigerian fans I know have a lot in common with our English counterparts. Before any football tournament commences we already establish ourselves as favourites. In our heads we already work out who we will play on the final and what the score will be. On paper, I am told, player for player we have the best team in Africa. Sadly, football isn’t played on paper. We have ‘stars’ that play for some of the biggest teams in Europe. On our day, we will beat any team put in front of us. Unfortunately, we haven’t had many ‘on our day’ moments. And like the English, we don’t have enough trophies to back up this illusion.

Nigeria didn’t qualify for the last world cup if I remember. I watched this team get ‘hammered’ by Ghana @ Griffin Park last year. And to be honest, nothing has changed. In the next few days, we will adopt the lazy option, the one that serves our clear delusion. We will blame the coach and a couple of scapegoats, the so-called Super Eagles Mafia, the lack of Federal Character in the team, everything and everyone apart from the obvious – The fact that perhaps we are not good enough.

P.S. It was good to see our ex captain - Sunday Oliseh on BBC 3 TV last night. I haven’t heard him speak before, so it was comforting to listen to such an eloquent and intelligent guy.

SoulBible Updates: Feels So Good [Midnight Star]; Do Me Right [Dynasty]; Walking into Sunshine [Central Line]; Back and Forth [Cameo]; Who do you love [Bernard Wright]