CARTOON: Dele Giwa's Past Plays On

SOURCE: GUARDIAN NEWSPAPERS

Spike Lee's War Movie

When I first watched Eddie Murphy's 'Berverly Hills Cop' back in the day, and Hollywood film critics and reviews describing it as the biggest non summer release, I had thought nothing could surpass that when it comes to a regular black guy making a movie or becoming a big score in Hollywood.

Lee is a big score without a doubt.

Starting tomorrow 'Miracle at St. Anna,' based on the novel of the same name by James McBride and a dozen other war movies and documentaries later on will be playing at theaters near you. Lee's 'Miracle at St. Anna' is about four American infantry men from the 92 Division of US Army who had arrived a small Italian village where massacre was the order in a total of four battles in its quest against fascism and got caught behind enemy lines during World War II.

Like 'Miracle at St. Anna' and other war movies made in Hollywood over the years with more and more popping up, I had requested in many of my moves in persuading my good friend and filmmaker Pascal Atuma to talk Nigeria's Nollywood into making movies of human events and tragic moments of our time as we will be seeing a whole lot of these movies through the Fall and into Winter.

'Miracle at St. Anna' stars Italian actress Valentina Cervi and Derek Luke and rated R.

What's Happening

Well, looks very much like the comic strip has been 'reloaded' and this time around it's going to be more fun when Opa Williams "Night of a Thousand Laughs" echoes at the Shell Center, Muson Hall in Lagos on October 1 for Nigeria's independent anniversary.

According to Williams who sits as CEO of the show, he gave props to the comedy show as:

"the premier and very obviously the premium comedy show in Nigeria. Nite Of A Thousand Laughs has come of age and accordingly it has decided to be more dynamic in its outing. This year, the event which is now a highly accepted show is now a brand of its own and in keeping with that, we have decided to look inward and give it a proper definition of what it is suppose to be; A Nite of A Thousand Laugh- strictly comedy and comedy only with a tinge of music. This is to give it a distinction from other comedy events, which are off shoots of the programme. We intend to feature only the top comedians and nothing else, so what you see is 70 per cent comedy from those that rule the game and 20 per cent music and 10 per cent upcoming comedians."

It's also good to know that afro beat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti will soon be getting a street in his name in Abuja alongside Ken Saro Wiwa, Wole Soyinka and several others the government now thinks have done something worthy for the country to be recognized.

Nigeria Body Parts Dealers

Tunde Adenuga and Suleiman Ogunyemi excavates human skulls for a living. They are here being paraded by the cops in Lagos for what they do for a living. Read related story

Photo courtesy of The Punch's Olalekan Adetayo

News Desk (Early Edition) Thursday, September 25, 2008

FOI bill: Senate committee introduces stiff terms for access to information
The Senate Committee on Media and Information has introduced fresh conditions into the Freedom of Information bill which, if accepted and passed into law, will hinder journalists and other Nigerians from having access to information. MORE>>>

Iwuanyanwu Blames Yar’Adua’s Health Controversy On Poor Inform

An Abuja-based public communications consultant, Chief Chyna Iwuanyanwu, has called for an immediate overhaul of government information machinery to save Mr. President and the nation from further embarrassment and ridicule. MORE>>>

Culture dictates your boozing level

The study, in seven countries found that young people's views on alcohol and drunkenness were influenced more by culture than by factors such as age and sex. The research, sponsored by the International Centre for Alcohol Policies (ICAP), also finds striking similarities about drinking among young people in different parts of the world including: MORE>>>

Yar’Adua delays cabinet reshuffle

President Umaru Yar’Adua on Wednesday failed to dissolve his cabinet as the Federal Executive Council held its weekly meeting in Abuja with nearly all the ministers in attendance MORE>>>

News Update

Ex-Pa. radio host pleads guilty in NYC
NEW YORK - A former Pennsylvania radio host has pleaded guilty to victimizing the Federal Communications Commission, Bard College and others in a $4.3 million forged check scheme. MORE>>>

Rep. Jefferson's Case Argued in Federal Appeals Court

RICHMOND, Sept. 24 -- Nearly all of the corruption charges against U.S. Rep. William J. Jefferson should be dismissed because prosecutors improperly presented evidence of his legislative activities to a grand jury, attorneys for the Louisiana democrat told a federal appeals court Wednesday. MORE>>>

New Report Finds Green Economy Could Create Millions of Jobs

This is the first comprehensive study on the emergence of a so-called green economy. The new report finds efforts to reduce climate change are underway and are generating new jobs in many sectors and economies. MORE>>>

Terry Venables emerges as Newcastle managerial favourite as odds dramatically fall

Although embattled owner Mike Ashley is desperate to sell the club after conceding defeat to the club's disgruntled supporters, who demanded his departure following the resignation of the popular Kevin Keegan... MORE>>>

PHOTO OP: Marah Walter Wins Miss Caribbean World 2008

Last Saturday September 20, at the Multipurpose Sports Complex in Tortola, the British Virgin Islands, 21-year-old Marah Walter from Dominica Republic was crowned Miss Caribbean World 2008.

Photo courtesy of BVI News/SKNVibes

News Desk (Early Edition) Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Yinka Craig, ace broadcaster, dies of blood cancer - Govs, Nigerians mourn

ACE broadcaster and sports analyst, Mr. Olayinka Craig, is dead. He died on Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America. He died of blood cancer which he had been battling since 2006. He was aged 60. MORE>>>

UN meeting on Bakassi put on hold

UN spokesperson, Michele Montas, told UN reporters that the postponement was because "President of Nigeria, Umaru Yar’Adua, will not be attending this year’s ordinary session of the General Assembly’’ MORE>>>

EFCC recorvers fake $2.1m in Kano

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it had recovered fake $2.1 million (about N247.8million) from a fraudster, Emmanuel Okoro, in Kano. MORE>>>

Newcastle FC’s Nigerian consortium place deposit of £200 miilion

Football circles in Nigeria and the United Kingdom are buzzing over the mysterious eight man consortia that are said to be in talks to purchase the English Premiership side Newcastle United. The group said to be in the Nigerian oil industry are represented by UK football agent Chris Nathaniels. MORE>>>

Nigeria improves on corruption ranking - Now 121st in the world

The efforts of the Federal Government at ridding the nation of corruption may have started yielding results as Nigeria further improved in the latest assessment of nations with corrupt practices globally. MORE>>>

Nigerian patients love to deny illnesses – CMD, others

Medical experts, including the Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Akin Osibogun, recount their experiences about patients who prefer spiritual homes to orthodox medicine. NIYI ODEBODE writes. MORE>>>

Exit of Mbeki

In a subdued television address he announced that he had submitted his letter of resignation to the speaker of parliament and would officially leave office once parliament chooses an interim successor, as it is expected to do within a month. MORE>>>

News Desk Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Govt names streets after Fela, Saro-Wiwa, Dele Giwa, others
There is a major rethink by the Federal Government, which has named major streets and roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a symbol of Nigerias unity, after these eminent citizens, who are often regarded as the nation's "forgotten icons." MORE>>>

West Africa's wars leave scars on cultural heritage experts say

DAKAR (AFP) — West Africa's wars have taken their toll on the region's cultural heritage, both in terms of tangible artifacts as well as knowledge that doesn't get passed on, museum officials said Tuesday. MORE>>>

Oil settles lower for first time in a week

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Oil prices declined Tuesday as investors refocused on how the struggling economy thwarts demand for energy and wait for more developments concerning the government's proposed $700 billion bailout plan. MORE>>>

Nigeria militants report military attacks

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said in an e-mailed statement that the reported attacks on the bases of Ateke Tom would not undo their unilateral declaration to end six days of violence that roiled the southern region last week. MORE>>>

PHOTO OP: Life in Lagos

The oil rich nation claims to be the most populous African nation and the giant of Africa coupled with its human capital, yet, squatter camps and run of the mill houses are spread everywhere. Only in Naija!

Well. I guess, life goes on in the 21st Century.

Photo courtesy of The News

News Update

San Jose police auditor to advise Africans with police oversight

The non-profit CLEEN Foundation invited Independent Police Auditor Barbara Attard to join an international police oversight training panel in Nigeria, and has offered to pay the transportation and lodging costs of the five-day trip in November. MORE>>>

The Nigerian national blindness and visual impairment survey: rationale, objectives and detailed methodology

Despite having the largest population in Africa, Nigeria has no accurate population based data to plan and evaluate eye care services. A national survey was undertaken to estimate the prevalence and determine the major causes of blindness and low vision. MORE>>>