abrat: KUDOS to GEJ for restoring rail transport and Nice1 from Aregbe for making it free this festive period.

I don't know why you're giving kudos to GEJ for "restoring rail transport". GEJ restored nothing. This project was awarded by OBJ and then canceled and reawarded by Yar'Adua.

It’s very hard to represent slavery in a way that isn’t clichéd,” director Rufus Norris tells me. “You have images, moments you like, but as soon as you put them up, you think, ‘Oh God, that really is terribly naff’. But this isn’t a play about slavery, it’s about survival, in the broadest sense, and celebration.”

We’re in a chilly studio in west London watching a group of actors, dancers and musicians rehearse the Young Vic’s new epic, Feast, about the voyage of the Yoruba diaspora from southern Nigeria across the Atlantic and back again. Feast travels from 18th-century Nigeria, via Cuba and Brazil, to contemporary London. It has been created by playwrights from five countries where the Yoruba legacy has had great impact on life today: Yunior Garcia Aguilera (Cuba), Rotimi Babatunde (Nigeria), Marcos Barbosa (Brazil), Tanya Barfield (US) and Gbolahan Obisesan (UK).

In the opening section of the play, written by Babatunde, we meet three sisters (played by Noma Dumezweni, Michelle Asante and Naana Agyei-Ampadu) incarnating three Yoruba divinities, or Orisha. They are on their way to a feast when they are separated at a crossroads by Esu, the trickster god (played by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith). It takes them four centuries — and incredible adventures — to be reunited in modern-day London.

Part road-movie, part dance-theatre piece, Norris’s goal with Feast is to create seamless “transitions” between the five stories, using live music, projection and choreography. The cast need to become a chain gang, a congregation, even civil rights activists at a moment’s notice. This approach is in keeping with the Yoruba belief in reincarnation, that when you die, you enter the realm of the ancestors and still have influence on earth.

“The circle of life is present in everything,” says Norris, who is keen to have this “cosmology” close to the surface of the play. “Increasingly the work I’m drawn to is about rootlessness. Your home is your culture but your belief system is something you carry with you. And that, in a way, is what the piece is about.” The multi-award-winning theatre director of Festen, Vernon God Little, London Road and Dr Dee partly grew up in Nigeria when his civil servant father was posted to Africa. In 2009 he directed Death and the King’s Horseman at the National about the end of British colonialism in Nigeria, and has long been fascinated by the vast numbers of descendants of Yoruba slaves stolen away from Nigeria and now scattered around the globe.

In fact the enforced dispersal of Nigerian captives played a critical role in broadcasting the Yoruba faith (known as Ifa) across the Atlantic. Slaves would disguise their Orishas as Catholic saints in order to preserve their ancestral beliefs. Today many people in Latin American countries such as Cuba and Brazil pay homage to the same deities as the Yorubas.

Many of the cast and crew of Feast have Yoruba ancestry — including Cuban choreographer George Cespedes (who has worked with Carlos Acosta), British contemporary dancer Ira Mandela Siobhan (who performed in DV8’s Can We Talk About This?), Cuban-born dancer Alexander Varona (formerly a member of the Russell Maliphant company) and Jamiroquai percussionist Sola Akingbola, who is giving traditional Yoruba drumming an experimental sonic twist.

A Young Vic and Royal Court co-production, Feast is part of World Stages London, an unprecedented project where eight London producing venues collaborated on work to mark the Olympic year. But the play’s genesis came about in 2007, when Elyse Dodgson, head of the Royal Court international department, was running a playwriting workshop in Nigeria. At the leaving party on the beach, she mentioned their next workshop would be in Cuba, and the Nigerians became very excited because Cubans practise Santería, the Yoruban belief system that survived the Atlantic slave trade.

In Havana, the Cuban writers were equally curious about Nigerian diaspora culture. “Please bring us some soil from Nigeria!” they begged Dodgson. Later, working with writers in Brazil, she discovered that the Brazilian faith, Candomblé, also has roots in Yoruba culture and knew that the inter-connectedness of this robust African philosophy had the makings of a great play.

The five playwrights were invited to London to meet Norris and together they devised the narrative arc of Feast — which incorporates key moments in black history — then returned home to write. Brazilian writer Marcos Barbosa’s segment is set in Brazil in 1888, when the abolition of slaves became an imperial decree. US playwright Tanya Barfield brings the action to 1960s Nashville — the time of the sit-ins of the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

British playwright Obisesan (whose play Mad About the Boy, about problems facing black youth, sold out at the Young Vic this summer) is writing the London segment, which he says, references the Olympics but, “with the familiarity also has otherworldliness”.

Obisesan was born in Nigeria and is Yoruba but moved to south-east London aged nine. Feast has encouraged “a lot more investigation and introspection” about his identity. “There’s a sense of pride — and responsibility to be really careful about how things are treated.”

All the playwrights feel it has been life-changing. “I was particularly impressed with the way Rufus stitched what often appeared like disparate elements and thematic material into a cohesive whole — much like the syncretic nature of the Yoruban religion itself,” Barfield enthuses.

His choreographers serve Norris’s structure as well as adding colour and excitement to the theme. “My role is to help Rufus find solutions for spaces, for rhythms on the piece,” says Cespedes.

“With movement you can tell stories instantly,” agrees dancer Mandela Siobhan. “You can chop and change and jump in. Sometimes with dialogue you have to explain what you’re talking about.”

Norris is a big fan of contemporary dance — Javier Frutos did the choreography for his 2006 production of Cabaret — but this is different. He doesn’t want us to think, “Oh, they’re doing a dance number now”. I watch a sequence where Dumezweni (who won an Olivier for A Raisin in the Sun and played Captain Magambo in Doctor Who) clambers over a “roof” of bodies as she makes her 100-year journey across the globe. An upturned table becomes a church, a bed, a shelter. By day three of rehearsals, it’s raw but extraordinarily powerful.

Feast is ambitious all right. This versatile director describes it as throwing “darts” in the “dartboard of history”. The trick is to take the audience on a journey without giving them a history lesson. “It’s got to be resonant, rather than literal,” Norris says.

At this point, it looks to me as though it will succeed in wrapping spectacle and information in one lively show. And, given that many of us don’t even know that Yoruba is Southwark’s second language, hopefully it might also give us Londoners more idea about the life of a market trader or a Nigerian priest in Peckham.

http://www.standard.co.uk/arts/theatre/spirit-of-modern-london-8423330.html

ola_pluto: I find this stat amazing. Does this say anything about promiscuity in some states?

Pray tell what does promiscuity have to do with HIV

Clueless governor leading clueless people.

Great effort.

Finally!!! Government has finally decided to stop selling bomb to their own people. If GEJ can do this...

This is good news for biafra

Two Lebanese, Hassan Rmaiti and Talal Hammoud who were arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on November 26, 2012 with $2,073,160 (Two Million, Seventy Three Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Dollars) have been convicted by Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

While Hassan Rmaiti was arrested with $1,971,920 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty Dollars) Talal Hammoud was caught with $101,240.00 (One Hundred and One Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty Dollars). The convicts were on their way to Lebanon when they were arrested for failure to declare the money to Customs at the airport as required under section 12 of the foreign exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provision) Act cap F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigerian 2004 and section 2(3) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011. The offence is punishable under section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

The one count charge against Hammoud reads: “That you Talal Hammoud on or about the 7th of November, 2012 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court while transporting in cash the sum of $101,240.00 (one hundred and one thousand two hundred and forty Dollars) from Nigeria to Lebanon failed to declare to the Nigerian Customs Service the said amount of $101,240.00 (one hundred and one thousand two hundred and forty Dollars) as required under section 12 of the foreign exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provision) Act cap F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigerian 2004 and section 2(3) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011 and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Pr0hibition) Act ) 2011”.

One of the two count charge against Rmaiti reads “That you HASSAN RMAITI on or about the 23rd of November 2012 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos within the jurisdiction of this federal high court while transporting in cash the sum of $1,971,920 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty Dollars) form Nigeria to Lebanon failed to declare the said sum of $1,971,920 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty Dollars), to the Nigerian Custom Services as required under section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act cap F34 Laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004 and section 2 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act 2011”.
When the charges were read to the accused persons, they all pleaded guilty.

Based on their plea, prosecuting counsel, ABC Ozioko prayed the court to convict them. Defence counsel, Chris Emeh however pleaded with the court for leniency as the accused persons were first-time offenders.

Justice Okeke accordingly convicted the accused and ordered that they forfeit $25,310 (Twenty Five Thousand Three Hundred and Ten Dollars), being 25% of the undeclared sum to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

http://saharareporters.com/press-release/efcc-release-two-lebanese-convicted-over-207m-bulk-cash-smuggling

Electricity will gradually become stable from early next year when Manitoba fully take over TCN. Patience.

This is good news for southeast.

T.A Orji of Abia State without a doubt. He has been governor since 2007 with nothing to show except kidnapping.

Aba

boast or boost?

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/nigeria-one-kidnap-too-many-theatre-of-crimes/

Thus: Abia, a neighbouring State to Rivers State became a den of kidnappers. With the development in Abia, Anamabra and Imo State in the south east got affected. It was such that for almost two years, Aba , the commercial hub of the south-eastern Nigeria was constantly terrorized by the hoodlums. This literally paralyzed business activities in the city and brought Aba to its knees forcing many residents to relocate.

http://www.nigeriannewsservice.com/nns-news-archive/news-blocks/army-arrests-449-suspected-kidnappers-armed-robbers-in-abia-others

The 82 Division of the Nigerian Army operating in Abia State, under the leadership of its General Officer Commanding (GOC), General Sarkin Yaki Bello, says that it has arrested about 449 suspected kidnappers and armed robbers from different locations in Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Imo and Rivers states since September 28.

The army said that out of this number, a total of 79 suspects had been handed over to the Abia State Command of the State Security Services (SSS) for further investigations and where necessary for prosecution.

Very very safe indeed.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/anti-corruption-network-exposes-five-properties-owned-minister-orubebe

An anti-corruption group led by former House of Representatives member, Dino Melaye, has revealed five properties purchased by the Minister of the Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe.


The choice properties were acquired in the last three years that Mr. Orubebe has been a minister, first under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and later as one of the most powerful figures in the cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr. Melaye’s group revealed that a construction company, SETRACO, built and delivered a brand new mansion to Mr. Orubebe less than six months after the company received a contract to build part of the East-West highway in the Niger Delta region.

Mr. Melaye’s group obtained documents indicating that Mr. Orubebe was the owner of the properties they identified. One of the documents is the certificate of occupancy for Plot 2722, Kyami District in Abuja. The plot contains 1883.63 square meters. Another certificate of occupancy obtained by the group shows that Mr. Orubebe owns Plot 2460 in the notoriously expensive Maitama area of Abuja. In addition, the minister, who is reputed as one of the most corrupt associates of President Jonathan, also owns Plot 1736 in the Guzape area of Abuja. The certificate of occupancy for the plot was issued in 2008. The Minister for the Niger Delta also acquired Plot 2057 in the Asokoro area.

A source at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told SaharaReporters that he was not aware that the anti-corruption agency had opened any investigation into Mr. Orubebe’s land deals or other financial activities. “As far as I know, the EFCC is not investigating Elder Orubebe,” said the source, adding that the agency was unlikely to act “unless the Presidency specifically orders us to go after him.”

LOL at these people fighting tooth and nail to remain backward. Motorbikes as taxis does not project progress so Fashola is right to restrict now and eventually remove them totally from Lagos. They shouldn't have been introduced to begin with.

So sad. RIP.

ngozievergreen:
Ur point being ?

You're still midnight, let me not wake you. Ciao!!!

ngozievergreen:
^^ Ur point being?

The point is pretty obvious. If the southwest have more energy demands its understandable why it would also command more investments. This is the type of data that made Ibadan one of the five African cities to watch.

Another fact that I've just came across. Reading the customer base of the Electricity Distribution Companies that were created to unbundle PHCN, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Plc (which cover the southwest plus Kwara but minus Ondo and Ekiti states and of course minus Lagos state) have a total customer base of 952,878 and its the largest while the Enugu Electricity Distribution Plc which covers all of the southeast have a total customer base of 768,258 and it is the second largest. Ibadan Disco have 4832 maximum demand customers i.e industrial demand while Enugu has 4069 maximum demand customers.

According to the document on the Ibadan Zone:

The business opportunities in the distribution zone are vast. It has within its franchise area, the prominent Sango-Ota industrial estate, the Oluyole industrial estate in Ibadan and the recently launched White Farmers Programme in Kwara State. All of these require adequate electricity supply to power their operations. It is important to note that the zone alone accounted for 13% of the total energy consumption in Nigeria in 2002 alone.


http://www.naptin.org.ng/index.php/resources/downloads/

I would rather wish the late Prof. Kenneth Dike a happy birthday, born this day 1917. He was more substantive than the coup plotter.

Useless yeye pastor. Nothing but doom and gloom.

Ileke-IdI:
Na wa o, please stop attacking me.

Don't throw a chair at me. Noo, drop the T.V!! Violence is not the answer.

Manny please calm down.

So if Ibadan develops, how will it not help NIgeria? We need more Lagos in the sw so that more Non-SWners can also find a better way of life.

Abi my brother. See us see trouble. These people tired me oh. Taking pills for other peoples' headache!! We are talking about development in Ibadan, they want fight us. Why??

This thread was not suppose to turn ugly. It was simply to report what the Financial Times said, i.e that Ibadan is one of the five cities in Africa to watch for future investment. Some of our Igbo brothers don't like that for whatever reason. Talk of bad belle.

Biafra rep: Ignorance is not bliss brother, Aba is the second most industrialized city in Nigeria. Now go to this site and become enlightened. http://www.businesslist.com.ng

Oh really??

Abdullahi Ibrahim & Company
45 Haile Selassie Street, Off Thomas Sankara (by ECOWAS Secretariat), Asokoro District, P.O.Box 9285, Garki, Abuja, Abia, Nigeria

http://www.businesslist.com.ng/state/abia

Abex Express Parcel Service
29 Isaac John Street, Off Ikorodu Road, Fadeyi, Lagos,Abia, Nigeria

Abfr & Company
13 Military Street, Onikan, Lagos, Abia, Nigeria

Abimbola Nursery & Primary School
207 Igbosere Road, Lagos Island, Abia, Nigeria

And:
Abundant Life Gospel Church
34, Omuma Road, Aba, Abia, Nigeria

Shandong Tiansheng Machinery Co.,ltd.
tiansheng road, Aba, Abuja, Nigeria
http://www.businesslist.com.ng/company/149781/shandong-tiansheng-machinery-coltd

SINOTRUK
Wuyingshan Zhong Road, Aba, Lagos, Nigeria
http://www.businesslist.com.ng/company/148092/sinotruk

Abia 419 companies

shymexx:

Bro, it's better to ignore them and their rants, and focus on more important things... Most empty and superficial people are always the loudest, anyway...

These people are also very shiesty and fraudulent - imagine some of them went to this business directory and changed the addresses of some businesses registered in Lagos, Abuja, and Kaduna to Abia... Just to make Abia look like it's a business haven for big enterprises...

Check out this link and look at how they manipulated the addresses: Companies in Abia, Nigeria http://www.businesslist.com.ng/state/abia

That site is 419 run anyway.

Here is a better site for Nigeria's business directory: http://www.nigeriagalleria.com/Nigeria_Business_Directory.html

nice development.

Desola:

do you feel better now that you have got it off your chest?

We accept, you'r di.ck is bigger than ours.

Hope that makes you sleep better tonight.

That individual's obsessive need to tell us that her southeast cities are better than Ibadan is just simply baffling. No one brought up the east. We are just happy that Ibadan is finally enjoying some development after years of doldrums yet here they are with their obsessive chest thumping.