As the Holiday Ends....

...I look back on both this year and this short holiday I have had. It was very eventful being in Lagos so do I say I enjoyed it? As the Naija to the Core lady, I tried to achieve everything and go everywhere in 13 days - c'est nes pas possible! Well I managed to do about 85%, which to me is really good - went for lunch/dinner, attended a play, went out at night, went to bars and went for a few weddings, get-togethers, engagements.

Very stressful as it was not relaxing in any way, sleeping for three hours each night and spending half of my days at the tailors, I wouldn't say it was a holiday - plus there was family stuff to do! All in all, it was still fun cos now I miss it :-/

I would like to very much highlight our younger generation in this post (well not really younger as we are in the same generation but at this age, we still call them juvvies). I have two sisters so I had first hand experience. I have to say, apart from being the rockers of today i.e. our time has passed, they are very much involved in other stuff such as charity work, fashion shows, concerts and as such, they organise them. What did WE do when we were that age and on holiday apart from pose here and there? I guess they are doing all this stuff in our hindsight as they are also starting businesses and the like. I have some of their events below:

(i) Fusion - Fashion Show (link)

Charity Fashion Show in aid of the fight against illiteracy, poverty and aids with appearances by D'Banj, Banky Wellington, Ikechuckwu, Amplifyd crew, etc.

Click here for facebook link

(ii) Do Sumthing Positive Nigeria Event

Charity fundraiser for Friends of the Disabled organisation.

Click here for facebook link

(iii) Home Sweet Home Party Video

Click here for facebook link

(iv) On Angels Wings - Charity Benefit Fashion Show

I blogged about this earlier.

Click here for facebook link

(v) The Official Hypnotiq Launch in Nigeria

Click here for facebook link

MORE GREASE TO THEIR ELBOWS - I didn't attend any of them but I heard most went really well.

To those still on holiday in Naija, for more info on what's on/new or what to do in Nigeria, visit these sites:

• What's New? NG
• Where to Go in Lagos dot com
• Cube Street International
• The Palms, Lekki (new, refurbished website)
  
  

Please come back for my next post which talks about 2007 going forwards and Nigeria. Happy New Year! xxx

Tis the Season............

Merry Christmas everyone!!! Ok so I blogged on Christmas day (at like 11pm Naija time tho! hehe)

Well not much to say today, I'll be back tomorrow.

R.I.P. James Brown - The King of Soul who died at age 73 from sever pneumonia.

Click for his obituary here and here for a James Brown profile.

Broadway Nigeria.........

Nigerian Theatre and Arts have always been in the picture, long before Nollywood. However the popularity of the Nollywood Home Video has camouflaged the novelty of watching plays and going to theatres and shows.

The National Theatre - built and established in 1977 has long been the heart of Nigerian Arts, Culture and Entertainment.

Muson Centre - even though founded much later, has also seen thousands of plays dating back to the early/mid '90s.

Terra Kulture - opened in 2004 is also another hotspot for shows and the likes and things that are art-related. It is a nice place to visit where you can see artifacts and experience a Bedrock feel....lol when my friend told me it looked like Bedrock, I asked her if she'd ever been to Bedrock lol - madam Flintstone!

Anyway Laspapi is a fantastic playwright lol I sound like I've already seen his work anyways I've seen pictures and read his blog often and he sounds too good not to be lol! He's done quite a few and its a shame I missed his The Gods are not to Blame - sounds like that was a major one. So you can take a look at his blog or the CORA blog (which is for the Committee for Relevant Art ).

Happy Holidays and to those in Lagos, I advise you all who are around to go and watch his play showing on the 26th of December - Wole Soyinka's - The Swamp Dwellers (see flyer below).

More later - I have given myself the challenge to blog on Christmas Day lol (sad I know).

Did You Know?!

GUESS WHO'S IN LAGOS TONIGHT AND BENIN TOMORROW?!

I didn't! Well I heard something vaguely but I didn't think it was true.

This is thanks to Naijavixen of course! More info on her post here. I will update more stuff later today - I am swamped! More details of events in Naij coming later.

P.S. Look out for Plays going on this Christmas courtesy of Laspapi.

Have a good one! :o)

Naija Television!

i) Atmost Fear

Me I didn't know about this o! Nigeria's version of fear Factor, thanks to Laspapi. It will be worth watching - they have a website. I wonder what challenges they will give - how gory can it get? Or maybe since we are Africans, even gory-er (hehe that was a joke).

ii) Nigeria's Next Movie Star

More and more reality shows in Nigeria, NaijaVixen recently published info on the winner - Portia Yamahan who one this year's Next Movie Star reality tv show, a KIA Rio car, 3 movie contracts and N300,000 cash. Not bad abi? She is from Edo state and attended the University of Abuja. Congrats to her!

iii) The Intern Show (Nigeria)

Who knows whether this is still on? I need more info, the website doesn't really tell you much, I mean it tells you about the prizes, the contestants, what is going on or what went on on the show but when did it end or who was the winner? Holler!

iv) This is Nollywood!

This I got from Aderemi's notebook, about a documentary on Bond Emeruwa's goal which was to make a feature-length Nollywood action film in 9 days (rather long by Nolly standards don't you think?) Click here for the website. Very interesting!

v) Amazing Grace (full preview)

You can now watch the full version of Jeta Amata's Amazing Grace on Youtube. I posted some stuff on this about two weeks ago thanks to Taureanminx.

Jeta Amata is a brilliant producer. I recently watched Last Game. That is the best Nollywood movie I have seen so far sha. Anyways watch the trailer for Amazing Grace below:

vi) NTA AM Express!

The most watched breakfast television show - very varied, very modern, very cool, very refreshing lol! Click here for the website.

Ever heard of the MERIX?!

BIG LOLLLLLL, if you have seen this video then cool if you haven't you need your earphones to enjoy this remix of Gnarl's Barkley's Crazy (listen to the original song here on Soundpedia) by Zimbabwean Violet Moyo lol! The girl has some weird talent, I think she has lost it. Watch the entire video here:

I think this girl bastardized the whole song but I prefer her version lol! We Africans sha. Click here for the original Gnarl's Barkley video.

Happy Birthday NaijaNaz, he has some interesting posts so visit his blog. Have a good week!

Sun re....Pastor Bimbo :o)

Sun re - means sleep well or rest in peace in the Yoruba language. Today is the remembrance of Pastor Bimbo Odukoya who died a year ago in the Sosoliso Aircrash. So this post is dedicated to her, she lived a good life and for this I am grateful. Please visit her memorial site to light a candle and also visit the Single & Married website - a show/theme she was popular for. You (whether married or single) will definitely learn a lot. There are also a lot of useful resources here and on her blog here.

Have a good week y'all, journey mercies and God bless xxx

Holiday is Coming, Holiday is Coming!

.......Sorry oh, I just remembered one razz song we sang in our primary school and I dare not say which! (But if you want the lyrics to the song just email me). Hehehe so Happy Holidays everyone! This is the first time I am celebrating an all-round official holiday on Naija to the Core lol cos we had Thanksgiving, bla and bla but Christmas, to me, is an official holiday - don't care what anyone else thinks. Like how my cousin was telling me, his company (a very big, global newspaper firm) have changed the title of their Office's Christmas Party to End of Year Party i.e. there shouldn't be Christmas in the phrase as it is offensive to some - ARE THEY FRIGGIN MAD?! They shouldn't get me started...just like how they won't be calling Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns anymore...probably just Hot Buns! Imagine!

Anyways forget that side, so I suppose a lot of us will be spending Christmas with family - all over, abroad and in Nigeria. Unfortunately, I am turning my attention towards Nigeria as I will be going there by God's grace and also because this blog is called Naija to the Core lol. For those going back home for Christmas, your itineraries must be full (like mine) as there is always so much to do and if you don't know then you have come to the right place.

I have several resources for Nigeria this Christmas:

• LagosLive website gives you a guide to the Best Beaches and Resorts this Christmas.
• You can do a lot of your shopping at The Palms in Lekki - which also has a bar, cinema, gaming store and supermarket.
• Taureanminx gives you some insight on what to do in Lagos and getting around in Lagos - very useful info.
• NaijaVixen has all the details and flyers of parties in Nigeria.

• Lagos is not the only place to go to you know! I also have info on something going on in Port-Harcourt, our younger generation are really doing big things! (more on that next week). Check out On Angel's Wings being held at the Shell Club in Port-Harcourt.

• If you are a member of facebook, you can find a list of events being held in and around Lagos - just login and search for Lagos in All Networks and click on the Events tab and you'll find stuff going on at:

1. Tanjia (website)
2. Saga VIII
3. AstroTurf 2000
4. The Vault
5. VGC Sports Centre
6. Eko Hotels and Suites (website)
7. SilverBird Galleria (website)
8. Churassco
9. British International School (website)
10. TerraKulture (website)

Amazing innit? More info next week! Have a good weekend and safe journey to those already travelling or travelling within a week! xxx

Naija Funnies!

Hell - Nigerian Style

A man dies and goes to hell. There he finds that there is a different hell for each country. He decides he'll pick the least painful to spend his eternity. He goes to Germany Hell and asks, "What do they do here?" He is told "first they put you in an electric chair for an hour. They lay you on a bed of nails for another hour. Then the German devil comes in and whips you for the rest of the day".

The man does not like the sound of that at all so he moves on. He checks out the USA Hell as well as the Russia Hell and many more. He discovers that they are all similar to the German hell. Then he comes to the Nigerian Hell and finds that there is a long line of people waiting to get in. Amazed, he asks, "What do they do here?" He is told "first they put you in an electric chair for an hour. Then they lay you on a bed of nails for another hour. The Nigerian devil comes in and whips you for the rest of the day. "But that is exactly the same as all the other hells why are there so many people waiting to get in?"asks the man.

"Because there is never any electricity, so the electric chair does not work. The nails were paid for but never supplied, so the bed is comfortable to sleep on. And, on top of it, the Nigerian devil used to be a Civil Servant, so he comes in, signs his time sheet and goes back home for private business."

Igbo Business Man

A Nigerian business tycoon was at a social gathering where other moguls and wealthy men were present. The Ibo businessman looked for all ways to oppress the other rich men who were present at the gathering. Just for that foolish reason, he sent for his driver and had this conversation with him:

Driver, go to my house, not the green one, the red one. Not the red one in Ikoyi, the red one in Victoria Island. Not the one in Adeola Odeku, the one on Etim Iyang Crescent. Not No. 22, but No. 11. It is a black gate you will see, fling it open. You will see a green Honda Civic. Perpendicularly, adjacently opposite tothe Civic is a blue Toyota Carina E. It is not that one. Trigonometrically, geometrically, hypotenously 90 degrees to the 306 is a Mazda 929.
It is not that one.

The Madza is very close to a regular Benz, the regular Benz is behind a 406, the 406 is beside Volvo S40 which is in front of a Honda Accord blocking a Toyota RAV4 opposite a Honda CRV. That makes a crescent to the Prado Jeep. On getting to the Prado Jeep, make a diagonal sharp turn to the left extreme right top corner, on your way to where I parked the M-Class, very close to the E-Class in front of the Beast at the back of the swimming pool is a lovely S. Type Jaguar. Dont touch the bonnet. Go to the boot, fling it open.

You will see red, white and blue briefcases. The red one contains dollars, 10 million dollars. Dont touch it. The blue contains pounds, 8 million pounds. Dont touch it. The white one contains Naira, 500s, 200s, 100s, 50s, 20s, 10s denominations. I arranged them in hierarchical order. 500 Nairas in first layer, 200 Nairas in second, 100 Nairas 3rd layer, 50 Nairas 4th layer, 20 Nairas 5th and 10 Nairas top floor.

Take one 10 Naira. Go and use it to buy pure water, and don forget to bring my change.

Have a stress free day!

A Bit out of the 'Bloginary'

(i) Carol's Daughter

What do Jada, Mary J, Erykah Badu, Jay-Z and Will Smith have in common? It seems they all use Carol's Daughter cosmetics. When I first heard about it I thought it was just another typical cosmetic line but it seems to be pioneering a lot of Black Skin and Hair Care products oh. The founder, Lisa Price was a stay-at-home mum, who as a teenager, created beauty products and sold them at local flea markets in her neighbourhood, Brooklyn.

Today, it is a multi-million dollar empire with Jada Pinkett-Smith and Mary J. Blige as the official spokeswomen of the line who appeared with Lisa (above) on the Tyra Show back in November. More info on Carol's daughter here.

(ii) Competition - Univ of Hertfordshire

Like I said, this entire post is very out of the ordinary - not your usual Naija to the Core. There is a competition (no entry-fee) open to anyone to submit a short story of up to3,500 words on the theme of 'vision'. 1st prize - £1,000, 2nd - prize £500, 3rd prize - £300, 4th prize - £200.

One section of this competition invites any work that tells the story of what happens when a member of one culture finds him/herself in relationship with members of an "other" culture is eligible. Other, hypothetical examples of plots might include:

* A Brit living in Thailand

* A Native-American college student at an Ivy League university

* An African-American family moves to an all-Caucasian suburb

* A wedding brings together a Latino family and a Jewish family

* A Muslim academic goes to the American South for a conference

* A Nigerian woman and African-American man meet on Match.com

Competition closes on January 15th 2007. More info on Laspapi's blog here.

The winner will also be able to apply for the UHWriting Award three-year scholarship to the Universityof Hertfordshire, study commencing in 2007.

(iii) Memorable Quotes from Basic Instinct (1992)

LOLLLLLL - Now this is one of the randomest things I've ever seen online. If Basic Instinct is your favourite movie, I'm sure these quotes will come as nothing of a surprise. However, I would assume most people know all the lines in Scarface - compare and contrast (hehe!)