Award-winning Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has been elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts & Sciences, one of the highest honors for intellectuals in the US. She is the second Nigerian after Professor Wole Soyinka to be bestowed with the honour and her induction comes up in May. Chimamanda was listed among 40 Foreign Honorary Members from 19 countries elected by the Academy.
Among the people elected are some of the world’s most accomplished scholars, scientists, writers, artists, as well as civic, business, and philanthropic leaders. They will all form the 237th class of the academy.
“It is an honor to welcome this new class of exceptional women and men as part of our distinguished membership,” said Don Randel, Chair of the Academy’s Board of Directors. “Their talents and expertise will enrich the life of the Academy and strengthen our capacity to spread knowledge and understanding in service to the nation.” “In a tradition reaching back to the earliest days of our nation, the honor of election to the American Academy is also a call to service,” said Academy President Jonathan F. Fanton. “Through our projects, publications, and events, the Academy provides members with opportunities to make common cause and produce the useful knowledge for which the Academy’s 1780 charter calls.”
The new class will be inducted at a ceremony on October 7, 2017, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Full list : www.amacad.org/members.
Akinwunmi Ambode appoints Joke Silva and Kunle Afolayan into board of arts and culture
Nollywood heavyweights, Joke Silva and Kunle Afolayan have been inaugurated as board members of the newly constituted Lagos state Arts & Culture, by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State.
Speaking at the event which was held at the Banquet Hall, State House, Ikeja, Lagos, Mr Ambode said though the State Government in the last 23 months have covered a lot of grounds in terms of design and structure of the arts and entertainment sector, there is so to be done if it must realize it’s goal to become a global hub for music, theatre and film.
“The commitment of our administration to harness the huge creative talents that abound in the State in the fields of Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Sports has never been in doubt. The ultimate goal is to use all of these to drive tourism, create employment and increase the contribution of the non-oil sector to the State’s gross domestic product.
“The Council for Arts and Culture which we have just inaugurated has a huge responsibility to translate our vision in this regard to reality,” the Governor added.
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Governor Ambode said the Board is expected to ensure the sustainable management of arts and culture facilities and infrastructures in the State and create a sustainable framework for the sector. He urged the Board to generate local and international events to showcase and promote the State’s rich cultural heritage, diverse talents in the field of creative arts, music, entertainment and sports.
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Members of Board include, Mrs. Polly Alakija, Joke Silva, Kunle Afolayan, visual artist, Mr. Kolade Oshinowo and foremost artist and designer, Chief Mrs. Nike Okundaye, Mobee of Badagry, High Chief Patrick Yodenu Mobee, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Adesina Adeyemi and Director of Culture at the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs. Saidat Otulana.
Cristiano Ronaldo sets new UCL record
Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first player in history to score 100 goals in UEFA European competition. The Real Madrid legend recorded the new feat today after scoring the second goal during his aide’s UCL spell with Bayern Munich.
Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored 96 goals (15 for Manchester United, 81 for Real Madrid) in 141 appearances in the Champions League.
The Yobos celebrate their first child at 7! (Photos)
Ex Footballer, Joseph Yobo and his beautiful wife, Adaeze Yobo’s first son, Joey turned 7 yesterday and the family hung out to celebrate the lad’s birthday.
Sunday Oliseh reveals he was meters away from bomb explosion scene in Germany
Former Super Eagles player and coach, Sunday Oliseh has revealed he was some meters away from an explosion scene in Germany yesterday. Explosions were heard 13 kilometers from Westfalenstadion, aka Signal Iduna Park, and it hit a Borussia Dortmund team bus as they were preparing to face AS Monaco in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals yesterday, a defender Marc Bartra was injured in the process.
Thank God! I Was just 200 meters from the Dortmund stadium when D bombs struck Dortmund team Bus! Really Scary day but grateful to be safe!
— Sunday Oliseh (@SundayOOliseh) April 11, 2017
When quizzed further by irate and sympathetic fans, the Fortuna Sittard coach added.
We were +- 200 metres from D stadium AND NOT D Dortmund team bus when D bomb exploded! Thanks 4 your sympathy.Grateful 4 d players' safety
— Sunday Oliseh (@SundayOOliseh) April 12, 2017
The Art of Showing Off: How Celebrities with Low Self-Image Ridicule Themselves Online |By: Tony Ogunlowo
It’s the in-thing now: if you have it you must flaunt it – your wealth, status, possessions – in the most public way possible.
In this new age of online social media it’s not uncommon to see celebrities – and wannabes – flaunting their wealth on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and other platforms much to the annoyance, and envy, of others.
Showing off has now become an art form with each mindless individual trying to outshine everybody else with their material possessions; whether they be Floyd Mayweather or an overpaid footballer showing off their exotic car collection, Davido bragging about spending a million dollars in three months on luxury goods or Kim Kardashian showing off her diamond rings (sic – and we all know what happened to her in Paris!).
Even bit-part Nollywood actresses, socialites and musicians are busy flaunting their designer handbags (- often fakes!), flashy expensive cars and homes. Some take showing off to a ridiculous new level – posing with huge wads of cash, washing their hands with champagne or wearing multi-million dollar watches!
All this showing off trying to say you’re better off than the next person just says one-thing about the individual – insecurity!
Many will argue that it’s the culture of our people to show off what they have but I disagree; any insecure person feels the need to be seen and known as they have no other way of ascertaining themselves. And the best way for them to announce to the world that they have ‘arrived’ is to show off all their materially possessions.
Not only is this stupid and childish it also attracts a lot of unwanted attention from those who don’t have making them susceptible to being robbed or kidnapped.
Most you show off your wealth?
If you have the good fortune to become successful and wealthy keep it to yourself! Showing off and rubbing peoples’ noses in it is not necessarily a good thing and can send out the wrong message to a lot of impressionable people out there who want to have what you’ve got without putting in the effort. Hence the reason why the crime rate is always high as people steal, kidnap and rob to get instant wealth they can show off. It’s strange that you’ll never see people like Bill Gates or Aliko Dangote showing off their wealth.
A quick peek at richkidsnaija on instagram will show you how ridiculous it’s become: people in houses with gold-plated furniture – even toilets! (- why do you need a gold-plated toilet?) people posing beside private planes and expensive cars whilst carrying shopping bags bearing well-known labels from Versace, Gucci, Hermes and Louis Vuitton, showing off expensive watches and jewellery (Why spend over a $100,000 on a watch that can only tell the time and do nothing else?). And that’s not forgetting the big high society ‘Owambe’ parties where the crème de la crème go to spray dollars, euros and pounds (- sorry naira holders keep your money in your pocket!).
Nobody needs to know how wealthy you are especially in a country where half of the population can’t afford a single square meal a day.
“..The greatest wealth is to live content with little, for there is never want where the mind is satisfied…” – Lucretius
But the most interesting group of exhibitionists are the wannabes who can’t even afford to show-off. In an attempt to show-off they deck themselves in fake designer clothes and shoes, clutching the latest iPhone and iPad pretending they are rich before slinking off to their nondescript boys’ quarters or rooms in the ghettos. Some even pose for pictures besides other people’s big cars pretending it belongs to them. How many people wear expensive clothes and drive big cars but can’t afford to even feed their own children? All because they want to ‘pose’.
As a Yoruba man will say – “ we meet money in this world and in this world we shall leave it”.
Follow me on Twitter: @Archangel641 or visit http://www.archangel641.blogspot.co.uk
One injured as explosion erupt near Borussia Dortmund bus in Germany
Explosions hit a Borussia Dortmund team bus as they were preparing to face AS Monaco in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals today. The blasts broke windows on the bus injuring former Barcelona defender Marc Bartra in the process.
According to reports, the team had left its hotel about 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. ET) en route to the match, and between 40 and 50 people, including the trainer and medical support staff, were on the bus when three explosions were heard about 13 kilometers from Westfalenstadion, aka Signal Iduna Park, where the game was scheduled to be played., a spokesman revealed.
“Due to tonight’s incident, the UEFA Champions League match between Borussia Dortmund and AS Monaco has been postponed until Wednesday at 18:45CET,” UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, said in a statement. “This decision was made after a meeting held at the BVB Stadion Dortmund between UEFA, representatives of the two clubs and local authorities.”
Source: CNN
Efe Appointed Ambassador Of Entertainment By Plateau Governor
It is bursting at the seams for the newly crowned Big Brother Naija winner, Efe Ejeba.
Barely a week after he won the second edition of the reality TV show, the Delta native has been appointed ambassador Of Entertainment And Creative Industry By Gov Lalong of Plateau Statement. Below is a press statement by Samuel Emmanuel Nanle, Director, Press & Public Affairs to the Governor.
“According to the Governor, the victory of Efe is a further prove of the brotherhood, excellence, courage and determination that characterizes the Plateau Spirit. It will be recalled that the Executive Governor had on Friday the 7th April, 2017 called on all Plateau Citizens to stand in solidarity with Efe by voting and mobilizing others to vote for the home grown Actor, who was at the verge of joining the team of successful Plateau Citizens who have won the TV Reality event in the past.
The Executive Governor is also using the opportunity of the Victory of Efe to call on all citizens of Plateau State, to ensure that the value they place on the common humanity of her citizens in a multi cultural and cosmopolitan setting, is always seen in the unity of purpose exhibited by all in the collective pursuit of a common goal. The Governor added that though Efe is by ethnic extraction from Delta State, Plateau is proud to lay claim to his entire life’s orientation having been groomed for excellence in life with the values that distinguish the Plateau person.
The Executive Governor in his commendation assured the people of Plateau and Delta States, that the success of Efe will provide the additional platform for the consolidation of the relationship between the people of the two States, which had existed right from the early Tin Mining days of the twentieth century.
The Governor has further confirmed that he will be receiving Efe as the newest Ambassador of the State in the entertainment and creative industry on his arrival from South Africa soon.”
Neymar banned for 3 games
Barcelona’s Neymar has been handed a 3-match ban for showing contempt at a match official during the Catalans’ game against to Malaga on Saturdayy.
After the Brazilian picked the second yellow card, he clapped sarcastically at the referee as his side were beaten 2-0 at La Rosaleda, unfortunately referee Jesus Gil Manzano included Neymar’s reaction to the fourth official in his post-game report and that earned him a hefty fine.
He will miss the second leg of the el-clasico.
The outfit that won Selly Galley, Glam Africa's VGMA Best Dressed
Stunning outfit!
Ghana’s biggest award event, Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, came off over the weekend at the Accra International Conference Centre. The Awards came with its usual razzmatazz, as many artistes, celebrities and music lovers swooned the conference center to find out, whose works will be recognized. Besides the biggest VGMA category, “Artiste of the year”, another attraction that was anticipated on the night, was the presentation of Glam Africa’s Best Dressed.
Glam Africa partnered with the VGMA’s to award one celebrity the “Glam Africa’s VGMA Best Dressed” title, an initiative aimed at celebrating and rewarding that celebrity whose style stunned and sparkled on the night. Thanks to Vasties eye wear and Glam’s makeup, Glam Africa Magazine gave out thousands of Cedis worth of accessories and beauty products, to that one celebrity who undeniably stunned, and this year it was ever stylish actress Selly Galley in her Sima Brew hand made couture gold dress styled by Kelvin Vincent.
As well as the title, Selly will be featured in Glam Africa’s next edition, and she couldn’t hide her excitement as she thanked Glam Africa and its sponsors.
All in all, the night of glitz and glam was climaxed with nothing but anticipation for the next VGMAs. Who would be Glam Africa’s VGMA 2018 Best Dressed?