17 Years of Jazz at Drew

At the historic Leimert Park "Black Township," banners and pamphlets were all over in advance for the 17th Annual Jazz Festival at Drew University in Los Angeles. It has become a tradition as Jazz at Drew has been one of Southland's most treasured musical event, taking a look at the line-up for this year's festival. The two day event (October 6-7) had a line-up of local jazz ensembles and some jazz greats.

Folks at the World Stage Performance Gallery, including the Leirmert Park All-Stars Band whose all session drum beat entertains the neigborhood every Sunday afternoon, performed to kick-off the two day event. Sponsored by Honda, the event was founded in 1991 with the lofty goal of promoting and training medical professionals who're underprivileged.

News Desk Monday, October 8, 2007

Darfur Town Where Nigerian Soldiers Were Killed Razed Down

A Darfur town where seven Nigerian soldiers were killed recently has been razed, the United Nations said on Sunday. The destruction of the town was in apparent retaliation for a rebel attack on a nearby African Union peacekeepers including seven Nigerian soldiers were killed last week. MORE>>

American 'Spy' Who Loved Us

She’s American, she’s 60 and, according to the State Security Service (SSS), she’s a spy. She’s Chief (Dr) Mrs Judith Asuni. She’s Nigerian as well. She holds a Nigerian passport, having married and divorced a Nigerian, has chieftaincy titles, and knows Nigeria—particularly the Niger Delta—like the back of her hand. She loves everything Nigerian. MORE>>

US Govt: We're Interested in Asuni's Case

The United States government yesterday indicated interest in the trial for espionage of one of its nationals resident in Nigeria, Dr. Judith Asuni and urged the Federal Government to ensure that she is treated in accordance with Nigerian law. MORE>>

Olajuwon and Mutombo: Compare and Contrast

Without a doubt, Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutombo are NBA greats and have contributed in different ways in basketball. But how do this duo differ in terms of worthy causes? And how are they similar in terms of playing the sport when it comes to setting records and winning championships?

Olajuwon is a devoted moslem, and his background are family, culture and tradition. He grew up in Lagos, a city compared to New York for being conjested and noisy. Played a little bit of basketball in his native land before enrolling at University of Houston for a full basketball scholarship.

Selected in 1996 as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. A member of the Houston Rockets' 1994 and 1995 back to back NBA champion teams, earning finals MVP honors both seasons, and also appeared in the 1986 NBA Finals. Olajuwon became the first NBA player in NBA history to accumulate both 2,000 blocks and 2,000 steals with a steal against Seatle on November 20, 1999. Closed the 1997-98 season as the Rocket's all-time franchise leader in points, rebounds, blocked shots, steals and ranks third in assists. Named to the 1984-85 NBA All-Rookie Team, was runner-up in the Rookie of the Year Voting after averaging 20.6 ppg, 11.9rpg and 2.68 bpg.

Mutombo was born Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Muhamba Jean Jacque Wamutombo on June 25, 1966, in Kinshasha in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He's NBA's first four time recipient of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award (1995, 1997,1998, 2001). He was voted to the All-NBA Defensive Team three times (1997, 1998, 2001). He was honored with the President's Service Award in 1999 and the NBA J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2001. He created the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, a charitable organization established to improve the health, education and quality of life for people in his homeland of Kinshasha. His foundation focal point has been the construction and opening of the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center named after his late mother.

Both Olajuwon and Mutombo played basketball and set records in their own standards but they were totally different in their endeavors. Olajuwon, a moslem and reserved; Mutombo, very outspoken, pragmatic, diligent and did all he could for worthy causes. Olajuwon speaks dialectic Yoruba and English. Mutombo speaks English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and five African dialects.

News Desk Friday, October 5, 2007

Okonjo-Iweala Named World Bank MD

By this appointment, Okonjo-Iweala will join two other Mds — Juan Jose Daboub and Graeme Wheeler, as well as, Executive Vice-Presidents Lars Thunell (IFC) and Yukiko Omura (MIGA), and Chief Financial Officer Vincenzo La Via at the top level of World Bank Group (WBG) management. MORE>>

S-East Senators Storm Court, Demand Uwazuruike's Release

ABUJA — SEVEN South-East senators led by Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, yesterday, stormed the Federal High Court, Abuja to solidarise with the incarcerated leader of the outlawed Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Ralph Uwazuruike, and nine others to demand their release. MORE>>

Dokubo, Balarabe, Gani Call For Revolution

Leader of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Asari Dokubo, former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and the Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Mr. Gani Adams, on Thursday called for revolution in the country. MORE>>

NLNG: Why I'm Opposed to IBB, by Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has restated his objection to the choice of General Ibrahim Babangida as keynote speaker at this year’s Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) grand awards night saying that the erstwhile head of state subverted the very ideal, which the Nigeria writers community hold dearly. MORE>>

News Desk Thursday, October 4, 2007

N400m contract scandal brews in Senate

ABUJA — SENATE President, David Mark, yesterday moved to suppress possible mutiny against his leadership, with a denunciation of attempts to link him with a N400 million contract for the renovation of his official residence. MORE>>

Court Refuses US Spies Bail

THE Federal Government on Wednesday arraigned a Nigerian-American, Judith Asuni, before a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged espionage and felony against Nigeria. She was refused oral application for bail by Justice Binta Murtala Nyako and ordered remanded in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS). MORE>>

Bush's Emergency Programme Donates $100m To Hospitals

A sum of $100 million has been donated to Nigerian hospitals to support the effort being made in the nation's health sector in promoting safe blood transfusion medicine in the country by President George Bush Emergency Programme for AIDS relief.
MORE>>

Obasanjo's Third Term Bid Would Have Been Disatrous - Nnamani

A former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani, on Wednesday in Lagos said had the planned third term bid of former President Olusegun Obasanjo succeeded, Africa would have been doomed for it. MORE>>

Attorney-General's Letter Set Ibori Free

Fresh facts emerged on Wednesday that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), personally wrote a letter which might have played an important role in the acquittal of ex-Governor James Ibori of Delta State by a London court. MORE>>

UK: Balance of Dariye's Loot Still With Us

The British authorities yesterday shed more light on why only N29.3 million of the looted money seized last year from former governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye, by the Metropolitan Police has been returned to the country. MORE>>

Andy Uba Goes To Court Over Mandate

About four months after he was ordered to vacate the Anambara state government’s seat, Andy Uba, Senior Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has begun moves to regain the position. Uba, who contested under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, emerged winner in the April 2007 governorship election in Anambara State and was duly sworn in as the governor. MORE>>

Soyinka Lambasts Babangida, says "Don't Honour Him"

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka this morning lambasted former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd), saying he is not fit to be in the gathering of writers whom he hated so much while he was the head of state. The playwright took a swipe at Babangida at a press briefing he addressed this afternoon ahead of the NLNG Awards Night which Babangida was invited to attend and which comes up tonight at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos. MORE>>

That 370 Plus Miles Drive and Ikeji Arochukwu at Fremont, California

By Ambrose Ehirim

Isn't it amazing how time certainly fly by? It seems like only yesterday when I use to hang out at "Okpuruisi" L. N. Obioha's compound at Nd'Akeme, Arondizuogu. I remember clearly as little brats talking about Ikeji Nd'Izuogu, emume iri ji ohuru, New Yam Festival, some kind of stuff really strange to me back then. Okpurisi's kids were my good buddies and we did a whole lot of stuff together as kids trying to belong in the funktified era when disco boomed, jamming in every social gathering. I can also recall the gist about the uniqueness of Ikeji Nd'Izuogu with Cornelius Kanu, Richard Obioha, Louis Obioha, George Okeosisi, Henry Igwe, Uche Obioha, Enuma Ukabam, Victor Udorji and the rest who insisted Ikeji Nd'Izuogu surpasses all Aro New Yam Festivals on the ground Arondizuogu is said to be the largest of all Aro settlements in Igboland.

As reflected, Eddie Onyeador, attache to the Nigerian Embassy in South Africa visiting the shores of America had called asking me to be his special guest by accompanying his cousin Obinne Onyeador to the 2007 Annual Ikeji Festival of Arochukwu in Northern California. There was not much line up for the weekend in Los Angeles. And I thought I needed to stay away from the Hollywood hype for a minute. I had agreed to breeze in and witness the Ikeji, live, once again.

So, when Obinne called me to find out if his cousin Eddie had talked to me regarding the trip to Bay Area, I told him "I just spoke to Eddie and we will be travelling together."

Obinne is just a fun guy and he loves hanging out the old-fashion way. He loves music of every genre but reggae is top on his list of every music category. He still wonders how Bob Marley made Jamaica what it is today. He loves jazz, too, and John Coltrane is his best. He is not crazy about rock music, because, to him, heavy metal is for lunatics. But his trade is the arts. He had bid goodbye to being programmed as a criminologist at UC Berkeley - clocking in and clocking out - to being his own boss selling artifacts. He has every print of any artist and that's what he does for a living. And his passion has become his profession.

Our trip was suppose to have taken place on Friday, September 21st but we had to put it off the next day due to series of activities in Los Angeles. Besides, it was pouring like crazy and driving at night under the rain was not a good idea.

On Saturday, September 22nd, Obinne had called me as early as five o'clock in the morning. I was still lying down half awoke. I went back to sleep for another couple of hours and Obinne had called wondering if I was going to make the trip.

Finally, I was up and the time was a little bit past seven o'clock in the morning. I took a shower, got dressed and vroomed to Obinne's house and he was ready like Freddy. We drove to his gallery at Leimert Park's "Black Township" where he picked up some artifacts he thought Nd'Arochukwu might use in the festival. We left his shop to gas up for an estimated five hours and half journey to the Bay Area. When we left the gas station heading to the 10 Freeway, knowing Obinne loves reggae a whole lot, I flip-flopped Peter Tosh' "Equal Rights" CD, inserted it to the car stereo and Tosh' roots reggae began to blast taking us back to memory lane.

Obinne was just a good company. He talked and talked to keep me alert since I was the one driving. I was swirving and changing lanes doing some 90-plus miles an hour. We start to talk about how reggae changed everything and how the trio Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, founders of The Wailers made a significant impact to music and U Roy's initiative which took reggae to another level metamorphosing to what is today rap and hip-hop. Tosh' track African considered by many to be his best touched Obinne's heart when it played and he read meaning into it.

After Tosh' blast, I went local since all politics are local according to Tip O'neil. I took out Baba's finest recordings I had compiled at Samaka Studios and when the first track Upside Down began to show the real stuff, I mean the superb arrangements and compositions of the Chief Priest, Obinne went nuts saying "he was way before his time." But when the singing and chorus popped up, he had no idea who the female singer was. The singer was Sandra Iszadore, a Black Panthers fanatic who had introduced Chief Priest Fela Anikulapo Kuti to the philosophies and writings of Malcolm X, Eldridge Cleaver and other black thinkers of the day when Baba took his Koola Lobitos Band to Los Angeles in 1969.

As Fela jammed, we talked politics and culture. On Nd'Igbo, Obinne acknowledged the fact that after our generation anything Igbo will definitely disappear, and that Igbos are indeed a finished people. "Look at our kids, do you think they will have anything to do with our culture when we're gone?" Obinne curiously ask.

"Well, I have said this long time ago and I'm weary of pointing out," I said back to him.

"But, you see, if our local musicians had challenged the establishment through their music, probably a whole lot would have changed, like Fela hammered the system and today he left a legacy. Not only that, Fela is a legend. Show me any Igbo musician who did what Fela did other than chasing money?" Obinne throws back.

"When you have a jumbled and bellicose so-called Igbo elites, what do you expect to happen? It's a tragedy, man!" I would say.

By the time Fela's jam session was over, we were already half way and the smell of Central California produce could be felt through our nose on both sides of the freeway. It was Obinne's request time. He wanted a different taste of music and had brought out his own CD, a compilation of Soukous musicals which blasted non-stop until we exited the freeway, cruising on Foothill Boulevard by California State University, Hayward Campus. A beautiful and quiet town, not to my taste, though. I love Los Angeles. We landed at where Eddie was staying at this university village and hanged out a little bit before the all night long carnival at downtown Fremont's Golden Peacock Banquet Hall.

The origin of Ikeji surfaced in our discourse. According to legend, the Aro people who migrated from place to place started celebrating New Yam Festival about 200 years ago. We talked about other festivals in Igboland and how similar they all tend to be with the appearance of a masquerade being involved.

At about 9:30 in the evening we were at 3681 Peralta Blvd., in Fremont, where the stuff of Aro culture was taking place. The place was packed and Northern Calis had begun to notice the strange faces rooted from Hollywood. Los Angeles area folks had been introduced and the disk jockey, Goddy Okereke, had begun to chant L.A. is in the house, L.A. is in the house! Booze, chatting and series of introduction took its course.

The group dance was awesome and the masquerade a sense of belonging to a cultural heritage. The Abriba war dance was good, too. I enjoyed every bit of it and made a whole lot out of it tracing back to how we lived in the past. One of the locals who noticed I was not an area boy, asked if I was from Aro. "No" was my answer. I was only there to celebrate with them, courtesy of the Onyeadors, and I think I enjoyed it.

Women, Water & Wells

The photograph here is one of 62 photographs now on display at UCLA's Fowler Museum, culled from Gil Garcetti's new book Water is Key. Back in the day, while the men were out hunting, women went to the stream and river to fetch water for food. Garcetti's Water is Key is to "underscore the link between water and human health.

News Desk Sunday, September 30, 2007

Seven Reps fight for Etteh’s seat

AT least seven members of the House of Representatives from the South-west are now jostling to clinch the position of Speaker if the incumbent, Mrs. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, is removed from office following the report of the nine-man ad-hoc committee that investigated the N628 million contract scam in the House which indicted her. They include Hon. Dave Salako, Hon. Dimeji Bankole and Hon. Kayode Amusan all from Ogun State. Others are Hon. Lad Alaba Ojomo from Ondo State, Hon. Wole Oke and Hon. Leo Awoyemi both from Osun State and Hon. Festus Adegoke from Oyo State.

OBISIA WARNS SAMUEL PETER

Peter, who has not landed a punch in a fight since defeating James Toney in a January elimination bout, was named the interim titleholder, days after Oleg Maskaev withdrew from a mandatory defense against him because of a back injury.
When Maskaev is able to fight, he would be required to face Peter or be stripped. And if he is stripped, Peter’s interim tag would be dropped.

Ibori to appear in London court tomorrow

The eagerness of the elders to prosecute Ibori is sequel to an earlier report that the Metropolitan Police in London had arrested a mistress to the former governor, and one of his sisters, in connection with an alleged multi-million pound money laundering case against him.

Babangida raises the alarm over threat to govt

The government, according to a statement issued on Saturday in Minna, the state capital, has uncovered ”some clandestine moves by some selfish individuals and groups to cause disaffection and mislead the people of the state by portraying that they have the capacity to operate what may appear as a parallel government.

We ‘ve suffered enough —Nigerians

Among the eminent Nigerians who spoke on the Nigeria’s 47 years of nationhood are former Petroleum Resources Minister, Senator Jibirl Aminu, former president of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Pascal Bafyau, Secretary-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Abdulateef Adegbite, former Attorney-General and justice Minister, Prince Bola Ajibola and an Ogun State-based Islamic leader, Alhaji Munirudeen Nusirudeen.

Yar’Adua Explains 7-point Agenda to Military

President Umaru Yar'Adua yesterday explained his administration's seven-point agenda to the top brass of the military and tasked them to go beyond their traditional defence role by becoming advisers and drivers of the requisite peace and security necessary for sustained economic growth and development.

Address by Pres. Yar'Adua to the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly

Address by
His Excellency, President Umaru Musa Yar‘Adua, GCFR
At the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly
New York. 26th September 2007

Mr. President,

I stand before this Assembly for the first time as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and wish to reaffirm Nigeria’s complete dedication to the ideals of the United Nations. We declare our total support for the organization’s efforts at facing up to the multiple humanitarian, social, peace and security, and development challenges confronting our world today.

Mr. President,
At the onset, may I, on behalf of the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, congratulate you and your country, the Republic of Macedonia, on your election as President of the Sixty-¬Second Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
I assure you of the full support and cooperation of the Nigerian delegation as you lead the deliberations of the Session.

Mr. President,
I wish to formally extend my sincere congratulations to His Excellency, Mr. Ban Ki-moon on his assumption of office as Secretary¬-General of the United Nations. I commend him for his resolute leadership and determination to carry through the requisite reform of the United Nations system and assure him of the full support of my Government/Administration.

May I also pay tribute to the immediate past Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for the commitment, diligence and courage with which he piloted the affairs of the United Nations in the last 10 years. We are proud of the enormous contributions made to our Organization by this illustrious son of Africa.

Mr. President,
Since coming into Office, my Administration has anchored its pursuit of a re-energized, stable and prosperous Nigeria on the fundamental principles of democracy, good governance, free enterprise, and the rule of law. These are worthy principles which Nigeria shares with the United Nations family.

Mr. President,
The theme of this Session's General Debate, "Responding to Climate Change" is most apposite. The African continent is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In our collective determination to face up to this challenge, African leaders at the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa last January, decided to integrate climate change issues into all sustainable development initiatives at national and regional levels.

Nigeria reiterates its commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC). While applauding the successful outcome of the High Level Event on Climate Change which was held here two days back, we affirm that much more needs to be done.

Mr. President,
It has been seven years since world leaders at the Millennium Assembly met in this hall and committed themselves to ridding Africa of its most pressing socio-economic and political challenges, in order to allow the continent move with the rest of the world. While tangible progress has been made in a few areas, the continent is still bedeviled by great challenges.

The continued festering of the Darfur crisis remains a blight on the collective conscience of the international community, one which this august assembly needs to address with utmost urgency.
The Abuja Peace Agreement, which Nigeria helped to facilitate, remains the reference point for a comprehensive settlement of the crises. However, the lack of full implementation of the Agreement raises serious cause for concern and we call on all parties to respect their commitments and help drive the peace process forward. We continue to support the process and reaffirm our support for the AU-UN Hybrid Force in the Sudan

Mr. President,
It is imperative that the concerted fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, malaria, tuberculosis and related diseases must not lose momentum. At the national level, we have consistently taken concrete measures to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and to increase funding for the National Action Committee on Aids (NACA).


Nigeria appreciates the financial and material assistance from our development partners in this regard but our continent cries out for even more intensified collective efforts at ridding Africa of this and other pandemics.

Mr. President,
Two years ago, we appraised our performance against the set targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and realized that unless concrete and more determined actions were taken, the over-arching aim of meeting the 2015 targets of poverty eradication would remain a mirage.

We recognize that the primary responsibility for social and economic development rests with individual States. Within the ambit of the African Union’s (AU’s) New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the nations of Africa are practically facing up to the continent’s economic and socio-political development challenges through the adoption and engendering of a new political culture that will be conducive to long-term development. Taken along with the AU’s African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), our programme of self-monitoring and self-assessment; as well as the institutionalisation of the ideals of democracy and good governance, Africa has clearly defined an assured course to economic regeneration and political stability.

Mr. President,
What Africa seeks from the international community is genuine partnership for economic development. This should be manifested in a global economic system predicated on fairness, justice and equity; one that ensures fair trade terms and recognizes the centrality of mutuality in prosperity. More specifically, Africa requires massive, focused foreign investment in the infrastructural development across the continent.

Mr. President,
Nigeria is wholly committed to the Global Counter Terrorism Strategy in the fight against international terrorism. As a follow-up to that commitment, Nigeria has established four counter-terrorism centres in the country in addition to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit which, together with the Central Bank of Nigeria, monitors banking transactions as part of the mechanism to locate and terminate the illegal transfer of funds for terrorist and other criminal acts including money laundering. Nigeria reiterates its condemnation of all acts of terrorism and calls upon the international community to muster the necessary political will to confront and check this menace.

Mr. President,
Nigeria reaffirms its abiding faith in the ideals and objectives of the United Nations Organization. We believe that a strengthened and restructured United Nations would be best placed to address the complex challenges facing our world.

In this regard, my delegation will continue to collaborate with Member States to press for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations system, including the much-desired expansion of the Security Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories in order to reflect the realities of today’s world. The situation whereby Africa is itself totally excluded from the permanent membership of the Council is unfair and untenable and must be rectified.

In conclusion, Mr. President, the challenges which confront our world today call for renewed purpose, renewed resolve, renewed courage and renewed respect for human dignity. Posterity beckons us to a real test of our sense of duty.
We cannot afford to fail this test. I assure you that Nigeria will continue to support the United Nations in our collective aspiration for a safer, fairer and more prosperous world.

I thank you.

News Desk Thursday, September 27, 2007

Panel Report Indicts Etteh, Deputy, 10 Others...

THE nine-man panel set up by the House of Representatives on September 5 to investigate the contract scandal involving the Speaker, Honourable Olubunmi Etteh, submitted its report on Wednesday indicting the speaker and the National Assembly management on the omissions over the contract. MORE>>

We’ve seized N9bn from Dariye, Alamieyeseigha - Britain

THE acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. James Tansley, said on Wednesday that the Metropolitan Police had seized about £34.6 million (about N9 billion) from two former state governors, Chiefs Joshua Dariye and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. MORE>>

Nigeria Improves on Corruption Rating - Ranked 32nd Most Corrupt nation

THIS year’s corruption index report was on Wednesday released by the Transparency International with Nigeria improving on the list. Nigeria, which was named the second most corrupt nation in 2005 and the sixth most corrupt in 2006, improved significantly and became the 32nd most corrupt country in the world. MORE>>

FG Seizes Nnamani's Properties

Sequel to the order of Justice Tijani Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Lagos, the Federal Government on Wednesday took over the properties of former governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, located in different parts of the state. MORE>>

EFCC Nabs NURTW Chieftain Over N50,000 Bribe

A top official of the Imo state branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) (names withheld) has been arrested by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as he attempted to bribe an official of the commission investigating a case of fraud against his boss. MORE>>

Serah Onyeachor's Hollywood Debut

Raised in Enugu and Abuja, Serah Ogechi Onyeachor had made up her mind she was going to be making movies in the future. I had been called by Nollywood actress Stephanie Okereke to come visit the set near Warner Bros Studios in Burbank where Onyeachor was making her debut in acting and directing. Also, filmmaker Pascal Atuma had called me earlier to tell me about it, and had requested I should go and show my support since "she is our own and needs our support" to keep up with the happenings in Hollywood.

I got to this movie set and was greeted by Okereke who said she came to show her support and will be appearing in the supporting cast. Walking around the movie set and seeing all the props and cameras used in making this short movie to be released sometime next year, I was really impressed to see a very young girl driven by passion to achieve her goal in life. Spending two years at New York Film Academy, Onyeachor who studied Communications in England told me the movie industry had been her dream which is why she moved to the United States.

Her debut is about a 17-year-old girl called Amanda, who lost her father to an automobile accident while the agony of that loss made her mother commit suicide because she "couldn't take it no more." Meanwhile the 17-year-old had hidden the death of her parents until she found love to relieve her pains. The movie stars Nicole Clifford, Cheyenne Davidson, Carlos Knight, Rainier Kenny and Travis L. Carter, and featuring Pascal Atuma and Stephanie Okereke.