I just read a very interesting post on Naijablog and would suggest it to anyone who is reading this one. I usually stay away from populist blogs like his but i suppose some of the stuff on there is pretty cool reading. That said, the slavery annivesary thing is coming to an end and hopefully, life will go back to normal....NOT! For lesser mortals like myself, it means university is almost coming to an end which translates to courswork burdens and exams. I don't mind it so much as it also means four months of summer holidays.The prospects are already bright as we've done away with our coats and jumpers already. I might just go to tuscany this year but first it's finishing uni work.
In retrospect, i am glad for the modules i took this year most especially the culture and subjectivity which has helped me understand the mechanics of contemporary society as it affects idenity issues, sexuality and the like. Isn't it funny how most of ethnic minority extract have something to say about the slavery antecedent as it affects our current social praxis but yet still do not exact change on similar/related issues such as sexuality. In our backyard (i.e. on the African continent), inequality is rife and we have the audacity to condemn the happenings here. Of course i say this from a strictly foreign/internationl student-only-temporarily-here perspective. There's killings in the Dafur region for ethnic supremacy and even the hideous anti-gay rights bill to be passed in the Nigerian legislature, yet nothing is done about it. How can we still get things so wrong? What makes people think they are better than others by virtue of skin hue or even more absurdly, sexuality? Here is where the artists of the African-American renassaince got it right! Challenging the issues of idenitity and subjectivity remain a huge hurdle to scale for the enlightenment of contemporary society. When i read Langston Hughes' Merry Go round, i could understand their arguments on the thin line between all these varied forms of discrimination. Here it is

Merry Go round (Langston Hughes)

Where is the Jim Crow Section
On this merry go round,
Mister, Cause i want to ride?
Down south where i came from
White and Colored
Can't sit side by side
Down south on the train
There's a Jim Crow car
On the bus we're put in the back
But there ain't no back
To a merry go round
Where's the house
For a kid that is black?

Hughes gives insights into racism in America and how it Affects black subjects . consider the poem as he tells this story through the eyes of a little black child. One can see how hideous these behavioural patterns of soceity are. Of course we are quick to think we do not fall prey to such utter tastelessness, but in our hearts of hearts; can we trully argue this point through?

The end of civilisation??

It's 200 years since the British Abolished slavery but not very much has changed has it. Except for the fact that the government doesn't condone such practices on paper, the society otherwise does. Black people in contemporary British society still seem to experience every difficulty available in this society, can it therefore be said that slavery has ended and the people are now emancipated? The recent killings of young black males in London, statistics which show young black males as underachieving and all related seem to prove this. Perhaps this discredits works by sociologists like Norbert Elias and their arguments on the civilising processes.
To digress a bit, i can't on the other hand understand the need for an apology from the British government. Does this change anything? Will this change society's attitude towards the descendants of the said victims? Most importantly, will the African governments whose fore bearers equally participated in the heinous crime apologise too?

Sigh yet again!

Lazy sunday afternoon with great weather outside. Listening to Diana Krall and clacking away on my msn....trying to concentrate on work, it's not happening though!!!

Feng Shui and new beginnings!

I finally got around to it! I wasn't going to do it but i eventually did. It wasn't solely of my own doing of course, Jean Francois helped. That's not fair, he prompted it! Lol, it's hilarious to think about it now as he hankered on and on in that Parisian accented English of his..."It eez not difficult a thing, no?"
So we eventually feng shuied my bedroom and finished at about midnight! I must admit, i can feel the positive vibes already! It also helps that i don't have to cross the damn bedroom to switch off the lamps. It is a nice feeling to be able to clack away at my computer and stare out of the window for the odd day dream, although i must warn that there isn't much of a view outside. Unless of course, the weather turns out for the better and then the blue Skies compensate!
I realise how important ambiance is to me. I know its awful for global warming but since my bedroom is my favourite personal space and i love being here, i do everything necessary to get the feel right! I perpertually leave nice music on in the background like SADE, Jill Scott or even Amadou and Mariam. Then there is the one lamp in the right corner of the room so it lights up the room with the right hues. It's great to come back to that after an exhausting day, the best therapy for me. Most would disagree of course, but i don't imagine going out on the lash is therapy for an exhaustive day.
Talking about new beginnings and clearing the air, rang HA yesterday after a long while. HA is an incredibly intelligent and beautiful woman who knows what she is doing. One of the few Nigerian women of a certain age one can have a cerebral conversation with. Our conversation reinforced my remembered impressions of her. We had dealings in the past when i lived in Nigeria but unfortunately parted on less amicable terms. However as can be expected, she put all that behind her and has gotten on with it. Incredibly posh and very stylish (not in the garish over indulgent way that is the Nigerian society woman), i grudgingly admit that she at some point established a position as one of my mentors. She has gone on to author two books including a children's book, an idea i think is marvellous in light of the Nigerian cultural loss and American ideological hegemony. I will be blogging about this as soon as i receive my copy. It is good to see someone with money finally doing things that could possibly effect societal change!
On the subject of people with money effecting societal change, read an entry on an enchanting blog called Bella naija on Nigerian rich kid Taofiq Okoya's new project on Nigerian Dolls. You can read about it here, but that was of little interest to me. I found it most interesting (as with most blogs) to read the wide range of comments for that entry, i suggest anyone reading this do the same. Yes the said dolls are size zero, with straight hair and big breasts but so what? Should they be fat with kinky hair? Would that reinforce African identity? Is that African Identity? Of course, if the said producer had any brains he would scan through the message boards to get a better understanding of what his potential consumers would like. That said, i believe it is a good starting point in combating the ideological conquer of the African continent. Perhaps, if we gave it a change; this might lead onto better things. For the moment i can't be any happier, new beginnings after all present new opportunities no?

Tony Blair isn't bovvered!

Tony Blair meets catherine tate for comic relief and he ain't bovvered! Glad to hear he isn't cos the rest of the country certainly is....it was hilarious though i must admit!1

Back!!

After a little Hiatus from blogging, i am back! I have been swamped with work, uni and otherwise. It's also been trying for me as i have just recovered from loosing all my zest for achieving and life really. Anyway, with all the rut behind me; i can almost feel myself rejuvenated. It helped that a friend and mentor sent me a lovely magazine and one of those inspirational daily guide book things called the word of today...It is quite easy to misconstrue religion for spirituality, the word for today just clarifies this. It helps to get people like me back on track, people like me who often get derailed easily.
The rant over, i can certify that i am sooooo on top of my game academically, I am embarrassed! It feels great to top every class in coursework and the like..so enough of my silly west African Idol rants and more on my books...got to get that first you know, lol!!
New edition of Vanity fair just came out in the UK with the Sopranos on the cover but perhaps More interestingly would be their take on Litvinenko's murder! Also, my friend jean Francois just loaned me his utterly desirable Amadou and Mariam CD, "Bamako"...you can listen to a bit of it here!!
Ton's of people had birthdays this month including my mate who I've known for ever Eniola...she's turned to a grand old madame now....lol
Meanwhile, will anyone help me pay for tickets to the POLICE concert here in Cardiff later on in the year, I'm skint!!!!

West Africa Idol again!!

Oh yes i have been watching the danm thing...so sue me!! I think ex- kush member lara's performance which you can see below was lovely although logically the song was too big for her as you can see at the end...however, she remains my sentimental favourite!Fof her sass, love omawunmi...whatever is happening to me? Reality show viewer now, whatever next?


here is omawunmi's performance



P.s i totally hate the judges....everyone one of them especially the fact that the american is so obnoxiously like randy Jackson from the US version and the Ghanaian lady has an awful false American accent!!