LET WOLE SOYINKA BE
The media and social networks have been awash with the news of the celebrated Nigerian writer and Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka's noticeable absence from the renowned African novelist and master story teller,late Chinua Achebe's funereal. Wole Soyinka has typically been roundly criticized for being too busy to pay his contemporary his last respect.
This is rather uncharitable. People have diverse ways of paying dead people their last respects. Being physically present in the day of the final burial or lying in state does not translate to genuine love. After all, your sworn enemies could attend your final burial out of sheer curiosity and taunt to be doubly sure that you have actually been dispatched to the world beyond.
Come to think of it, in his lifetime, Achebe and Soyinka were never particularly close. Being in the same profession and being contemporaries does not automatically translate to affinity. It reminds me of the sleeky footballer and super star, Christian Ronaldo who recently confirmed that he is definitely not a personal friend to the four times World Footballer of the Year winner,the immensely talented Messi. According to Ronaldo,they only relate on professional level;no more,no less.
Please,we should allow Achebe to rest in peace and let sleeping dogs lie. Enough of the bashing on Soyinka over a normal issue.
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Thursday 20 June 2013
Wednesday 19 June 2013
THE BRAZILIANS' PROTEST
THE BRAZILIANS' PROTEST OF JUNE 18,2013.
For the past two days,a wave of unrest has,like a tsunami,swept across the popular South American country, Brazil.
The masses have been protesting stridently over the country leaders' misplaced priorities. Within the spate of four years, Brazil will be hosting three major tournaments: the ongoing FIFA Confederations Cup; the FIFA World Cup in 2014; and the 2016 Olympic in Rio De Jainero,the capital of this great country.
These hostings which normally should have been a cheery news have not gone down well with the masses who are justifiably angered by the monumental amounts of the tax payers' money being expended on these global fiestas. The 2014 FIFA World Cup alone involes 12 stadiums including the world's largest stadium, Maracana Stadium.The contruction of new stadiums leave a deep gash in the`government coffers.
The protesters complained bitterly of the security challenges in the country,the parlous state of the economy and the government's lackadaisical attitude towards their plight. To compound their woes,the cost of food and other necessaries is skyrocketing. According to them,rather than focusing on the revamping of the nation's economy,the government is busy hosting the world.
Admittedly,the Brazilians have every right to protest. Charity begins at home,so goes a maxim.
At the same time,Brazil should consider herself extremely lucky to have grabbed the hosting rights of three global events in quick succession.
For the past two days,a wave of unrest has,like a tsunami,swept across the popular South American country, Brazil.
The masses have been protesting stridently over the country leaders' misplaced priorities. Within the spate of four years, Brazil will be hosting three major tournaments: the ongoing FIFA Confederations Cup; the FIFA World Cup in 2014; and the 2016 Olympic in Rio De Jainero,the capital of this great country.
These hostings which normally should have been a cheery news have not gone down well with the masses who are justifiably angered by the monumental amounts of the tax payers' money being expended on these global fiestas. The 2014 FIFA World Cup alone involes 12 stadiums including the world's largest stadium, Maracana Stadium.The contruction of new stadiums leave a deep gash in the`government coffers.
The protesters complained bitterly of the security challenges in the country,the parlous state of the economy and the government's lackadaisical attitude towards their plight. To compound their woes,the cost of food and other necessaries is skyrocketing. According to them,rather than focusing on the revamping of the nation's economy,the government is busy hosting the world.
Admittedly,the Brazilians have every right to protest. Charity begins at home,so goes a maxim.
At the same time,Brazil should consider herself extremely lucky to have grabbed the hosting rights of three global events in quick succession.
Monday 17 June 2013
CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE'S STEADY LOSS OF LITERARY INNOCENCE
In her award-winning first novel, Purple Hibiscus, the prodigiously talented Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie narrates the gripping story of Kambili,a self effacing girl whose fanatic father unleashes terror in his household. One striking feature of Kambili's character is her innocence and chastity,especially at the early stages of the narration. However,as the plot of the novel thickens,she encounters and falls in love with Father Amadi.Remarkably,it is a case of love devoid of romantic exploits.
Like Kambili, Chimamanda Adichie is,slowly but steadily,losing her literary innocence. She is becoming more and more daring in her description of sexually explicit scenes in her novels.
In Purple Hibiscus, Adichie studiously refrains from talking about sex,let alone vividly describing it. In her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, Adichie loses her chastity. The multiple-award winning novel is an epic story of love and civil war set in Nigeria during the 1960s. It recounts the lives of three enigmatic characters: Ugwu,a young houseboy working for an idealistic university professor; Olanna,the professor's mistress;and Richard,a British expatriate in love with Olanna's twin sister, Kainene. Their relationships are thrown into jeopardy when Richard spends one drunken nightwith Olanna, as the war escalates.
In this novel,Adichie graphically give sexual details. The professor's sexual escapades with his mistress and Richard's dalliance with Kainene are vividly described.
In her third and newly published novel,Americanah, Adichie evinces a complete loss of innocence as far as the issue of sex is concerned. Americanah is a powerful story of love,race and identity which centres around the characters of Ifemelu and Obinze who,as teenagers, fall in love in Lagos, Nigeria, and later move to America and Europe respectively for greener pastures and security.
Ifemelu once gets a jobof massaging a libidinous tennis coach for 100 dollars. She spurns the disgusting job offer. Ifemelu had sexual intercouse with Curt,a white American. Adichie's descriptions of their sexual bouts are graphic. She employs words like 'breasts','ass', and even the 'F.......word, 'f.......king.' Ifemule even had a fling with Rob,a shabby young man whom she feels will be a stud on bed.
In the climax of the novel, Ifemelu and Obinze relocate to Nigeria,and reestablish their old relationship. They make love repeatedly.In one particular love making,Adichie graphically describes how Obinze removes Ifemelu's blouse,bra and pants.
In conclusion,the aim of this write up is not to disparage Adichie's creative genius as a writer but to highlight this writer's observation.
In her award-winning first novel, Purple Hibiscus, the prodigiously talented Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie narrates the gripping story of Kambili,a self effacing girl whose fanatic father unleashes terror in his household. One striking feature of Kambili's character is her innocence and chastity,especially at the early stages of the narration. However,as the plot of the novel thickens,she encounters and falls in love with Father Amadi.Remarkably,it is a case of love devoid of romantic exploits.
Like Kambili, Chimamanda Adichie is,slowly but steadily,losing her literary innocence. She is becoming more and more daring in her description of sexually explicit scenes in her novels.
In Purple Hibiscus, Adichie studiously refrains from talking about sex,let alone vividly describing it. In her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, Adichie loses her chastity. The multiple-award winning novel is an epic story of love and civil war set in Nigeria during the 1960s. It recounts the lives of three enigmatic characters: Ugwu,a young houseboy working for an idealistic university professor; Olanna,the professor's mistress;and Richard,a British expatriate in love with Olanna's twin sister, Kainene. Their relationships are thrown into jeopardy when Richard spends one drunken nightwith Olanna, as the war escalates.
In this novel,Adichie graphically give sexual details. The professor's sexual escapades with his mistress and Richard's dalliance with Kainene are vividly described.
In her third and newly published novel,Americanah, Adichie evinces a complete loss of innocence as far as the issue of sex is concerned. Americanah is a powerful story of love,race and identity which centres around the characters of Ifemelu and Obinze who,as teenagers, fall in love in Lagos, Nigeria, and later move to America and Europe respectively for greener pastures and security.
Ifemelu once gets a jobof massaging a libidinous tennis coach for 100 dollars. She spurns the disgusting job offer. Ifemelu had sexual intercouse with Curt,a white American. Adichie's descriptions of their sexual bouts are graphic. She employs words like 'breasts','ass', and even the 'F.......word, 'f.......king.' Ifemule even had a fling with Rob,a shabby young man whom she feels will be a stud on bed.
In the climax of the novel, Ifemelu and Obinze relocate to Nigeria,and reestablish their old relationship. They make love repeatedly.In one particular love making,Adichie graphically describes how Obinze removes Ifemelu's blouse,bra and pants.
In conclusion,the aim of this write up is not to disparage Adichie's creative genius as a writer but to highlight this writer's observation.
NIGERIAN MOVIE STARS' DISTURBING TENDENCY
NIGERIAN MOVIE STARS' DISTURBING TENDENCY
There is a disturbing trend rocking Nollywood. Nigerian movie stars who are supposed to be role models now grab the headlines for all the wrong reasons lately.
The hottest gist in town is the delectable Yoruba movie star,Laide Bakare's being enmeshed in a paternity mess over her newly born baby.
Not long ago,the media was awash with the juicy story of the voluptuous Foluke Daramola allegedly snatching another woman's husband.. The story of Bisi Ibidapo Obe's dalliance with the controversial law maker,Dino Melanye. The resultant pregnancy[which,mercifully,has been delivered safely] is still fresh in memory.
Tonto Dike allegedly chainsmokes. Stella Damascus is said to be having an affair with Doris Simeon's estranged husband who claims that theirs is only a business relationship. Jim Iyke recently settled out of court with an Abuja based businesswoman over a business deal which went awry.
We can go on and on,but the message is the need for our movie stars to polish up their moral credentials.
There is a disturbing trend rocking Nollywood. Nigerian movie stars who are supposed to be role models now grab the headlines for all the wrong reasons lately.
The hottest gist in town is the delectable Yoruba movie star,Laide Bakare's being enmeshed in a paternity mess over her newly born baby.
Not long ago,the media was awash with the juicy story of the voluptuous Foluke Daramola allegedly snatching another woman's husband.. The story of Bisi Ibidapo Obe's dalliance with the controversial law maker,Dino Melanye. The resultant pregnancy[which,mercifully,has been delivered safely] is still fresh in memory.
Tonto Dike allegedly chainsmokes. Stella Damascus is said to be having an affair with Doris Simeon's estranged husband who claims that theirs is only a business relationship. Jim Iyke recently settled out of court with an Abuja based businesswoman over a business deal which went awry.
We can go on and on,but the message is the need for our movie stars to polish up their moral credentials.
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