Nigeria: A Major Buffer Zone

Hahah you guys must think I'm full of phonetics huh...buffer zone abi? Hehehehe, okay it all started when a fellow blogger and I were reading a couple of posts and I realised, Nigeria has a lot to do with crews, demarcations, Classism (I don't know if that is a word but you know what that means - Class discrimination) so I entered "demarcation" in the Thesaurus and got a whole load of results, hence the word 'Buffer Zone' - I quite like that one.

Anyway, so Nigeria, like a lot of other societies, is very Classist but in Nigeria it is definitely made worse and very in each others' faces.

Take Taureanminx's post on Lagos Crews for instance, where in Lagos there are different crews and bla bla. The funny thing is that just like in Lagos, or wherever in Gidi, there are crews with the Asians, Jews, Western Europeans, Eastern Europeans, and Americans in LA for instance. But Naijanaz highlighted that why it is distinct in Nigeria is because we are Naija and there is no middle class. "There is a differentiation between the Rich, the Really Rich and then the others". Sad innit?

How about Ayoke's blog about Minnie, Mickey and Barbie classes in a school in Nigeria? That is absolutely ridiculous but we are guessing it is the parents of those children who wanted their kids in Minnie/Mickey classes and asked for them to be created, so we can all know which children's parents have names by the classroom they are in. Losers. We are very fickle sha.

Anyways, I cant say I have a solution or want to criticise because we are all in this whole Buffer zone shizniz when we say euuggh - I went to this secondary school compared to that secondary school or where we hear ourselves saying things like "JAND IS A LEVELLER" LOL! God help us sha.

Speaking of Demarcations, who remembers Alayescoro with his amazing blogs on Janded guys and girls? Anyways he has something very funny on The Dichotomy of Naija. Stuff like:

Income - Legit and Illegit

Babes - Prepaid and Postpaid

Football fans - Those who support the villains and all the others who don't

Universities - Ife and the rest (yea right!)

It's quite funny sha...I might start my own soon when I have time but check it out on his blog.

No More Piss Takes

....That should be the name of all my posts this week cos frankly I should be spanked! So much for my all mouth no action. I need to win my audience back meeeen. Okay four words (lol) - watch out this week!


Deck the Halls - Gidi Style!

An almost perfect Christmas present to send to your loved ones in Lagos from England, unfortunately it's only Lagos so if you have someone outside Las Gidi, get them to drive down and pick it up from the post office! Lol okay only joking don't really know how it works but you can enquire from them via their website. Buy securely online using PayPal from just £19.99. Their other services include - cakes for Baby Showers, Weddings, Valentines Day, cookie bouquets and have and eBay shop launching soon i.e. on eBay Shops. So get-a-ordering!

Miss Nigeria USA in Atlanta

I think this was held last Saturday, yea I should have blogged about it earlier actually. I don't know who the winner is yet - or maybe I didn't navigate the site well but click here to see pictures of the event.

Terrorism - Naija Style?? (Not funny)

What is this story about?? I'ts not funny sha. Can you just imagine how they tortured the Michael Dickson! LOL he looks funny in the pic. God help us! And this story about Nigeria being a Haven for Terrorist Internet Communication?? God really help us!

Fashion Passes, Style Remains (or NOT!)

Lastly, looking back at the ThisDay Music Festival and actually finally reading the articles and pictures, I realised that Nigerians are amazing, when people said so many people overdressed I thought they were exaggerating but the next few pics you are about to see make you wonder, if Nigerians know anything about Style at all. Arrrgh! Style and fashion are totally different - Get it in your heads! Check em out here and here and for the rest click NEXT or PREVIOUS at the top. Some people sure looked good though!

Back in the game....

Mona is back! Apologies for the inconsistent blogging, it seems there is something in the water sending us bloggers all on some sabbatical or the other. Anyways I'm back and back with something new. Every week or every other week, I will publish a section of my friend, Naijanaz's NYSC camp diary to which he gave me exclusive rights to publish (so I wonder why he is now writing about it on his own blog - hiss! Anyways we women are more creative, I trust you'll read mine instead ;o) ).

So, for all of you who are interested in doing NYSC or are looking to do it pretty soon or at some point in your lives (don't leave it too late), Naijanaz's diary entries give you an insight to first hand experience on a typical NYSC camp.

Did I say typical?? LOL don't hold your breath cos it depends on where you are posted to, luckily he was in Lagos, given his overseas status. With every entry, I will also include some form of resource with regards to NYSC so here goes:

To Register or not to Register (Day 1)

For those eager beavers who want to register on the first day I got one word for you: DON'T. Or at least if you feel you must make sure you get there at like six in the morning or earlier. Those of us who rocked up at 12, 1 on the first day had a good view of the sky above as we sat down on the camp parade ground looking up at it for like six seven hours. I got there at one and was number 1157, and by the time I left at 10 they had processed up to 7 something. Since I had not registered I was able to get out of the gate without the customary tax required. Second thing about registration if you don’t have a friend who is going with you, you’d better be willing to do anything to get one. This is because the frustration that registration creates is better spread amongst more than one person. I saw a few of these unfortunates and trust me you don’t want that to be u. The other thing friends are good for is bag watching. You want to go to the canteen and get food you can, you walk to the front for like the tenth time to see what is going on you can. You want to hit on that hot girl you can… well if you are going to do any blocking, do it early. Unless you’ve got sugar in your mouth by the eight or the ninth hour you shall be getting the coco!

Not bad huh? ;o)

Source of pic - NYSC Delta site

NYSC Link (1) - NYSC in Wikipedia

Thanksgiving approaches....

So we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Nigeria but we have a lot to be thankful for......most of all, for life, so many tragic events, plane crashes, people passing away, we should all be thankful.

I just realised I never announced on my blog that one of Nollywood's finest actors JT Tom West, passed away after a car accident at the end of September, more on the story here.

Bella Naija also had a post sometime ago on survivors of cancer, its sad to also see the passing away of Tola Okoya Thomas, who died of breast cancer at the age of 28. Here is her memorial site, you can pay a tribute or light a candle.

As I am a soul music fanatic, it is really sad to have confirmed that Gerald Levert died last Friday after a heart attack, more on the story here.

Also, today would have been Stella Obasanjo's 61st birthday, visit her memorial website here to pay condolences.

May their souls rest in peace. This post may seem sad but it also tells us that we have a lot to be thankful for, so quit complaining and thank God for today.

On a brighter note, thanksgiving celebrations (in yankee) are in order! Click on the flyer below:

Amplifyd will also be there i.e. in Atlanta on the 24th of November for thanksgiving. For more info - click here. Visit their myspace at http://myspace.com/amplifydmusic

Thanksgiving in Chicago - see below:

Milklady's Clicks

LASTMA TRAFFIC REPORT

Now you can get the traffic report in and around Lagos, before you set out on your journey. Just click here to check what the traffic status is (lol - only there is no status, they haven't updated it in yonks, God help us!)

However, you can call their traffic hotline (which is not toll-free) on 01-7743026 and 01-4703325. I can imagine a frustrated aunty answering those phones telling you she doesn't know because she is not on the road at the moment.

TAUREANMINX ON NOLLY

Check out taureanminx's post for the new Nollywood movie trailer of "Amazing Grace", it is a high quality production by Jeta Amata.

CALL-A-CAB LAGOS

I'm sure many are aware of this, you can now call a cab (24 hours a day) in Lagos oh and youll be sure it'll get to you asap, given there is no traffic and if LASTMA are doing their job click here to check it out.

BELLA'S HOT PICKS - OPRAH STYLE

Source - bellanaija.blogspot.com

Bella Naija has some amazing Naija picks this week featuring stuff like Peridot & Ruby's new skirts, etc. Click here to look at her list.

LASPAPI'S COLLECTION

Laspapi has an interesting list of the unsolved murders in Nigeria and other absurdities - a good read/glance! Click here (p.s. Laspapi is extremely talented, he has produced several plays, his most recent was The Gods are not to Blame, check out pics on his blog, scroll down).

P.s. Call me the milklady cos I always deliver ;o) ;o)

Some Mid-Week Humour

Is that a goat on that African's back? (LOL)

This was taken outside a Nigerian Mosque - as in HANDS OFF!

Zinedine Zidane in Mortal Kombat

The Matrix - Warri Style (put your speakers on)

EXCLUSIVE: My favourite mag

............This is a tribute to my favouite magazine True Love West Africa. I am a self proclaimed collector of True Love where I have all the issues since its debut. It is a glossy, sophisticated and cosmopolitan mag which features almost everything related to today's woman (young and old) such as food, travel, parenting marriage, relationoships, singledom, work, sex, fitness, health, fashion, dating, cosmetics, competitions and entertainment. I highly recommend it to any lady (or gent) and even to non-Africans.

I don't think it's sister magazine, True Love South Africa (see pics above) is as popular as TL West Africa and ours is gaining such a huge following, I wonder why Media 24 have not yet created a TL West Africa website - can you believe this! So TL SA has a website but we don't. (Crappy!)

I can imagine how cool the True Love site would be. Ah well, until we get one we can only imagine and salivate over the glossy pics we come across online (Google and Aunty Bella's blog) and the alternatives on TL South Africa's site. This month features Caroline Ekanem on the cover (forgot to scan the copy will do and upload) who is an up and coming nollywood actress. More info on her here .

Since it's debut in January 2005 we have had the following personalities on the cover. Click on their names to see their pics:

January 'o5 - Agbani Darego

February '05 - Stella Damasus, Stephanie Okereke and Kate Henshaw.

March '05 - Adebisi (model)

April '05 - Ene Maya-Lawani (Ex - Miss Nigeria '04)

May '05 - Funmi Alaiyemola (model and runner-up Face of Africa '00)

June '05 - T Naija (singer)

July '05 - Yinka Davies (musician)

Aug '05 - Rita Dominic

Sept '05 - Oluchi Onweagba (now Oluchi Luca)

Oct '05 - Doyin, Deola and Opeyemi (Face of Africa girls)

Nov' 05 - Dakore Egbuson

Dec '05/Jan'06 - Ronke Apampa (presenter - see www.ronkeapampa.com)

Feb '06 - TY Bello (photographer)

Mar '06 - Omotola aka Omo Sexy

Apr '06 - Iman

May '06 - Genevieve Nnaji (they called her Gene on the cover so as not to publicise the name of their competitor, Genevieve magazine - smart innit?!)

June '06 - Asa (musician)

July '06 - Joan (of Big Brother Nigeria)

Aug/Sep'06 - Ojy (model)

Oct '06 - Ronke Onitiri aka Karima (Nigeria's MTV Base Presenter)

Nov '06 - Caroline Ekanem

Anyways, I wonder who will be on December's cover. Hmmm, watch this space.

P.S. A lot of this info would not have been possible if not for a blogger friend so many thanks!

P.P.S. Speaking of Nigeria, before you could search Google in yoruba but now we have our own page oh! See:

Google Nigeria or search Google in Yoruba!