Nigerians Representing!

Nigeria is the ninth most populous country in the World and it has a population of over 130 million. For a country with so many citizens we have been for too long underacheivers on the World stage. The few Countries with larger populations have all excelled in some way or the other, Brazil the worlds greatest footballing nation, India has one of the largest film industries with Bollywood and Indian restaurants can be found in all the worlds major cities, Russia has the A-bomb and was one of the worlds superpowers, so what happened to the perennial underacheiver Nigeria?

Fortunately recently Nigerians have started doing us proud in all industries on Screen Chiwetel Ejiofor fast becoming a Hollywood heavyweight, other Nigerian Hollywood players are Sophie Okonedo and Caroline Chikezie. On the small screen, stateside Americans have just been treated to the talent and beauty of Nnenna Agba in America's top Model, on UK TV Phina Oruche is in the Australian Jungle in the reality TV Show "I'm a celebrity get me out of here". The clip above is from the show "Little Miss Jocelyn", a sketch show featuring Jocelyn Jee Esien - one of less than 10 black people to have their own show on mainstream TV in the UK. In fact, in Japan (yes Japan), representing Nigerians in diaspora is Bobby Ologun a Japanese TV celebrity! In music we have Lemar, Keziah Jones and Tunde Baiyewu just to mention a few. We are representing our nation positively in literature, entertainment, sports and industry, now all we need is our politicians back home to step up to the plate.

Still waiting for the Naija Spice Girls

So we've got Styl-Plus (see their Call my name video below) our equivalent of Boys 2 Men, P-Square the Naija K-Ci & Jojo and we've had a number of other relatively successful boy bands in the last few years ie Plantation boyz. When are we going to have our first equivalent of the Spice girls? Is our society supressing the talents of young girls that want to go into the music business? Are women in entertainment in Nigeria considered promiscuous?

Why Nigerian Men marry European Women

I came across this article at this site and tears almost came to my eyes when I read it. (the error in numbering is hers and not mine).

I’m an Irish woman and have worked in a refugee centre as a paralegal for five years representing asylum seekers to remain in Ireland. In my time served in this field I have learned the main reasons as to why they marry European Union nationals and it is as follows.

Ten reasons why Nigerian men marry European women (please note this does not include those with full refugee status recognition, doctors, engineers, or those who have ordinarily been resident in an European Union member state for at least five years):

1. Stronger legal basis to remain in the European Union.

2. More freedom to move i.e. change jobs, travel

3. To qualify for European Union fees in colleges etc.

3. To appear to be more successful.

4. More time spent in state will be taken into consideration.

5. To gain citizenship of that country with a view to moving to another European Union member state upon receipt of same.

6. Easier to meet people, easier to integrate,

7. Cannot receive a deportation order and much less likely to warrant the attention of the authorities.

8. Use a white woman, milk her, give her ‘milky’ babies and make mince meat of her for five years for everything she has.

9. Trying a white woman an getting the things that an African lady wouldn’t do in bed although I wouldn’t either but most would (talking bj’s etc) only beauty in white women is things like this.

10. Finally, to have Nigerians when you go home on holidays (especially when choosing a wife) kissing the ground you walk on because you live in Europe people will fling themselves in desperation at you. So overall you get a higher status. What an honour, thanks silly white woman! Job well done!!!!! Now I can go and make my twelve kids, real kids that isPersonally if it was done to me, there will be heads rolling!Then again I know what tribe is more fond of this type of behaviour! together with the uneducated. (Sorry blue eyed Britney nice try but a white man would appreciate you more!)

Yasmeen.

To appear more successful? WTF? My reaction is in two parts. One would be to the bastard sellout Nigerian men (in the minority I pray) who have given this ignorant woman the reason to write this stupid article. I must admit I've missed my true vocation in life and that should have been to work in the British High Commission in Nigeria as the Senior Visa officer. I believe this must be an issue of lack of education primarily so if you don't have at least a OND (ordinary national diploma, as issued after 2 years of study at a College of Technology in Nigeria) you would need to give me some serious reason to let your ass leave the shores of the country.

Secondly this stupid Yasmeen woman that despite her five years of paralegal work is still unable to count. Unless I missed it somewhere did this biatch mention love? In a top ten list? What gives her the audacity to feel superior to Nigerians? Call it 'reverse' racism if you will, but this is why I won't even date a white girl talk less of marrying one. Like Eddie Murphy said "my soul belongs to the black race". Oya lets us dedicate the next five minutes to rain epe (curses) on Yasmeen's head!

Do you know your HIV Status?

I just read a post on this site where the blogger is trying to comfort someone who has just found out they are HIV positive. Its extremely sadening and while there weren't a lot of details on the article, I must admit that I wouldn't know how to react. What do you say?

A few years ago I had to do a HIV test as part of a mortgage application process cause "I've lived in a country which is high risk for HIV" ie Nigeria! (WTF?) They kept me waiting for the results for 2 weeks and once I received the negative results I swore off unprotected sex for life (well almost).

I also just read here about how Washington DC has plans to do voluntary HIV tests on all its population aged between 14 and 84. They reckon about 43,000 Americans became infected with HIV in 2004, and over 1 million Americans carry the virus of which number a quarter are unaware of their status and are thus liable to be spreading it.

I've had the discussion about HIV status with a couple of friends and they said like Mario Winans they don't wanna know. Do you want to know? (Your HIV Status that is).

Wimbledon and Equal Pay

In addtion to death and Taxes, rain during the Wimbledon fornight has got to be the third certainty of life. As soon as I looked out my window on waking up yesterday morning and saw the rain, I knew Wimbledon had started. Only 44 minutes of play took place yesterday on the first day of the tournament.

Fortunately the World Cup has stolen a lot of the attention away from the tennis tournament and thus British hopes aren't being built up again unrealistically - well at least not in the tennis. Henman wasn't seeded and if he gets past the Swedish Soederling in his first match today he will probably face the reigning champion and world number one Roger Federer later in the week. So Englands best hopes probably lie with Andy Murray who should he get to the third round will probably have to meet the talented Andy Roddick, its just as well the football is on.

Meanwhile Venus has gone and restoked the controversy over Equal Pay for women at Wimbledon. The Womens winners gets prize money of £625,000 with the mens winner taking home £655,000. Venus reckons that its a human rights issue as since the difference in prize money is less than 5% the tournament organisers use it to make a social and political point rather than it being recompense for the effort put in. I say since the women only play best of 3 sets compared to best of 5 sets like the men then the prize money needs to reflect this. Chikena.

Who gives a fuck about Togo?

Those idiots - the players - are threatening to boycott their next game against Switzerland if they are not paid the huge bonuses they are requesting. With France drawing against South Korea today this represents their best opportunity to qualify for the next round. They would be banned from the next world cup and fined heavily if they boycott their next game and give Switzerland an automatic win. My feeling is that for them to be threatening to boycott a match for 3/4 days they don't have much hope of winning it anyway.

Thank God for Ghana.

Gina Yashere

My African Queen: 2Face Idibia

FaZe Alone (Remix) - Faze

2Face Idibia - Live at Kora Awards

Nfana Ibaga (No Problem): 2Face Idibia

Its my Life: Dr Alban

Bizzy Body: P-Square

Senorita: P-Square

Omoge Mi: P-Square

Olufunmilola: Styl-Plus