₦airaland Forum

It is beyond rthe structures or even the academic records; it is a way of life that is placed within you that tells you that you must be the best at what you do because every member of the Ife family is expected to be the best at what they do.

It is that which can not be stolen away from any Ife product. You may not like or believe it but that is our reality. We are the best and that is exactly what we believe about ourselves. We are just reminding everyone else living in denial of that reality. Make Una no vex o! We are the best!! we are not ashamed to say it because we are proving it daily!

Another Great Ife is a counterfeit!!!

@yemai,

papas don't have what to shout about.

I think that so many UNILAG grads are mostly unaware of schools elsewhere. This I realised when they hosted NUGA game in 98. They kept telling us how their just constructed sports center is better than ours. I asked them to attend OAU's inter hall football competition finals that is played in the night, about 7:30pm under flood lights and they were like is that true?'

This is an online. I have friends who will not even dignify Unilag students with an argument in terms of education.That is how low some Ife folks think of UNILAG. UI, we can agree as they gave us most of our first generation lecturers as they did other school.

Ife is not on the same pedestal with most Nigerian schools. It is beyond the structures  or the 'Aluta'. Once you come in to register as a student in Ile Ife, you realise that you are part of a great family that transcends education and enters an almost mafia like commitment to the school and to one another. It is this that makes Ife great and keeps us striving to be the best anywhere we find ourselves. It is something that you can not excuse away.

An example will suffice at this point. In 98, we lost to UNILAG in the finals of the Football game in NUGA. Since they had complained that we were oppressing them in their school and in Lagos. They were es tactic and drove to their school from Onikan in wild celebrations, thinking that we would be depressed. Our response was in the Great Ife tradition as we started singing 'A du pe ko ju meji lo' ( yoruba for 'we are grateful the goals were not more than two') on our way back to the campus. The UNILAG students who were waiting to humiliate us as they have finally shut our mouth were shocked to see us singing back. The lesson? It is not whether we win or lose on the outside;on the inside we are great. we only try to rtemind people who may have forgotten about it!

Once I saw the thread, I remembered our days in the University and arguments with UI students about which was better. UNILAG
was never in the picture because there was an unwritten rule and the assumption that they were not a very serious school and that their
relevance was only because the school is in Nigeria's commercial capital.

Ife is more than a school; it is a culture. Once you are an Ife product, you are bonded with every other Ife person irrespective of social
status and achievements. It was something that stood us out while in NYSC camp in 98 and it is always happening in workplaces
all over Nigeria where people stumble on each other. You could meet a great Ife product in the banking hall in Birnin Kebbi and he or she
is obliged by the culture of the school you went to to help in whatever way he can.

We are not unmindful of the educational challenges that all universities face in Nigeria but Ife products are conditioned to be the best at whatever they are
doing. It is soemthing that is drummed into your ears once you get in. This is Ife. They put a burden on you that you excel at what you do.
Ife nurtures people from everywhere and molds them into a loyal force. Among other things, that is what made Ife great- to put guts in a man
and that cannot be taught on the pages of a book. I have friends fro the University all over the world and the great Ife tradition is still there.

I can list the number of firsts but then, it will be as if we are bloating again. UI is a great school too but as someone said, the vision is different.
The founders of Ife wanted to build one of the greatest universities in the world, not just a regional college as it was common then. That vision has driven the Ife
development even in the face of challenges.

The 'Great this Great that' that universities shout all over the place was started by Ife in the year they won the NUGA and West Africa Universitiues game.
That is why the alumni sticker reads great Ife. nothing else. It is the history baby. As for UNILAG people, they will continue to live under the shadows of these
two other schools because they do not have any heritage whatsoever. It is just a University in the City!

In 98, when lag hosted the NUGA games, it was so much fun 'oppressing' them in their school. Ife sings the old Nigerian Anthem at school occassions, no matter what or who the
guest is followed by our school Anthem. when Ife graduates marry, we sing the school Anthem. We love our school and the experience of going there.
I wont exchange that for anywhere else. As a second choice, I 'd choose UI. They are aso focused on education too. UNILAG students are too distracted and
they dont have any school culture. The tragedy is that, they dont even realise it.

more pictures!

One of my friends has been transfered abroad by his company and he wants to sell his new car these are the details:

Renault Megane
1.6L engine
Mileage: 26,000KM
Use: 1yr 6mths (personal)
ACAuto windows
Triptronic gear systemAuto wiper (self activating)

Price: 1.8M

He can be recahed on this number for those who are interested.

0802-501-9610


photos are attached. please call only if you are interested.

I helped my neighbour sell his maxima on this site. The car had been lying there for weeks until I thot to post it for him, especially since the price is very competitive. The car was bought yesterday and the owner came to pick it up this morning!

I think the key to selling on nairaland is to give the buyers good bargain. If the price is too steep or just about the same on the market, it may limit interests. You also have to realise that there are people who want to buy but whose only shopping oppurtunity is online from their office. They can book and come and view the car and make their deductions from there!

Yes! cars can be sold on nairaland!

Hello People! Thanks to those who showed sincere interest in the car. It was sold yesterday for 500k! The buyer just came to pick it a few minutes ago. Funny enough, someone who heard about it here almost picked it for 450 after haggling but could only produce 400k readily and the oseller changed his mind. Its sold now!

Yes! cars can be sold on nairaland!

Brand new laptops for sale.

Hello People! An older friend just came back from the states and came with brand new laptops for sale. The prices are pretty competitive. These are the configuration that I could discern from the shipping documents. He is not very tech savvy but he is straightforward.

His name is Gbenro Williams and you can reach him on 0708 775 4324
Aspire Acer 5520-5290 (model ICW50)
LCD 15:4”
1024 Memory
80 GB HDD
DVD super layer
Webcam
Price: N110,000

Compaq Presario C751NR Intel Pentium
120 GB HDD
1024 Memory DDR2 SDRAM
8x DVD+R/RW
Window Vista
Webcam Camera

Dell
Intel Celeron 1.88GHz
15.4 inch Wide Screen XGA LCD
1GB DDR2 567MHZ DIMM
80GB SATA HD
8x DVD+/-RW with double layer DVD+R write capability,w/o Rixio creator
Integrated 2.0 mega pixel webcam 1500


Cheers!

Another view. The pictures speak for themselves. Serious enquiries should call the number listed above. The car is in surulere. You can come for viewing.

another

another!

first pix

here!

still too large. Viperman, the mail kept coming back. will try again later.

My neighbour wants to sell this nissan maxima.

It has AC, double airbag, cassette and Cd player, leather Seat.
The Speedometer reads 130,000k

He is asking for N550,000

If you have seriou enquiries call his direct number:0802 329 1529

The Car is in surulere.

All enquiries concerning the car should be directed to the number.

will be posting the pictures as soon as I have them reduced.

I will challenge all those who have been so articulate in outlining the many bad things about Nigeria to state what steps they have taking in this life time  to deal with the situation in their own little way. Seeing problems are no big deal;it takes more to provide solution. I know that the thread says what is bad about Nigeria. Iwill really appreciate it when people use all that energy they put into stating the negatives into providing solutions. The progress we have made have been brought about by people who do just that!!

I have tried not to get into this Asa argument but I truly think that Asa is unique.  This thread has nothing to do with her but I need to reiterate what was ssaidearlier. No one will really invent music again;we all build on what others haver done. If we do our work well, we will be good but when you are intelligent and fail to do the creative work necessary to be good, then something is wrong.

lLuca you said Asa is like Tracy Chapman and I ddisagreewith you. The fact that she wears dreadlocks and carries a box guitar does not make her music sound like Tracy's. If you had said India Irie or Erika Badhu (even some strain of Bob Marley) which she admits, I'd agree with you but Tracy. No!! Musically, Tracy does not have the soul that these artistes have. Her vvoicepattern is also different.

And I do hope no one is trying to compare Asa with the subjects of this thread. Like someone said, do not ccomparedeep sleep with death.

I am alarmed that this discourse has gone on for this long. I am amused by it all and almost afraid at the iimpacton the reputation of the young men, who should have showed some tact. They are in the business of music not awards.

Is it not even funny that the Artiste that got the most awards was not at the show to receive the awards? That should be instructive for P-Square and their brother. while they are fighting and defending their position here in Naija, Asa is busy packing halls in Europe and doing her primary business. Even if she had not won any award or nomination, she would not have minded or noticed.

That is the real lesson. Awards are subjective. They have always been. That is where P-Square got it wrong. Especially in an award they swept the previous year.

To their brother, what he should be doing now is called D.A. damage Assessment. It is too late to deny the comment and it is spreading so fast to erode the value of the duo. Let them move on please!!!! It is getting very boring and childish now!!! PPeoplemay have formed their opinion about them.

@JUde Okoye,

I am simply assuming that you are truly the same Jude Okoye who allegedly made that remark.
First, thereis something you still have not gotten. You are serving 'your public' the people who make the duo what they are. This controversy is needless. It does nothing to who or what they are.

You guys need a publicist whose duty is the shaping of public perception of the group. A PR person wouldnot have mouth off the way you did. NO matter who is on your side. There are many artistes who left that place feeling they deserved an award. Guess what? How many of them are on facebook or nairaland?

You are in the business of making and selling music. That is your priority-not getting awards! If you think you will persuade people through forums like this to understand you, you must be naive than I thought. Do you know the implication of that needless statement to the public perception of the group P-Square? What you should have been doing damage assessment and nothing else. I will recommend a classic book by Mr Dale Carnegie how to make friends and keep them.

Nigerians would prolly forget the awards but the tribal bit is something that divides us- it will show up here too in some ways- and you brought your business to that divisive level. Let this die a natural death. Don't stoke the fire. Don't even try defending yourself.

The day that story hit the press, you should have issued a statement denying it and stating how you were misinterpreted. NOTHING MORE! you can then settle issues with people on a personal level. You can even protest by not attending the next award!

@lucabrasi

Nope. I am not into cameras. Lets just say I work in the creative industry and I read stuffs. Since the advent of HD Digital Camera, there have been battles about which is better between the 35mm Camera (known by many as celluloid) and the digital Camera. This post from another site by Ayo Shonaiya should be a great read- and it was posted before the HIp hop awards: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=22540343544

[b]I am sick and tired, not to talk of embarrassed, by the new craze in the Nigerian entertainment industry. Yes folks, never thought I'll see the day when shooting on 35mm IS the main focus in a film or music video. Only in Nigeria!

I have noticed the new trend of shooting music videos on 35mm by Nigerian artistes over the past year, and although it's not a bad idea, why do they make noise over what format or gauge it was shot? Is that little information supposed to generate more than usual interest in the video, or these artistes are just trying to flex and brag about how much money they spent on the video?

The most expensive video ever was for the song Scream by Michael Jackson (ft. Janet Jackson), can anyone tell me the difference between that video and D'Banj's Why Me, or Soul E Baba Dey Here? Besides, how many units did Michael sell on the HIStory album that was credited to the fact that Scream was shot for $7m? MC Hammer shot the video for Too Legit To Quit for close to $5m, less than 3 years later he was bankrupt!

In the last year, we've seen the likes of P Square (Do Me), Ikechukwu (Wind Am Well) and even Sammie Okposo shoot music videos on 35mm, good videos no doubt but shouldn't music videos be judged on the concept (and song) and the art direction? If you're looking for creative concepts in videos, check out Kween's Come With Me and Jobele, and of course Gino's No Be God and Asa's Fire On The Mountain.

I swear, 35mm is the new Hummer Jeep, everybody wants one! As it happens, the effizy kings of Nigeria, Kenny and D1, who tuned Nigerians in to the Hummer Jeep craze were the first cats to hype music videos on the cost and also claiming to have painted a whole aircraft in Kennis Music colours for Eddie Montana's video. Where is Eddie now? I think I better leave dat one.

Just like most things Nigerian in the entertainment world, we tend to make a lot of noise about unnecessary features; so and so artiste's wardrobe was imported from Germany, hey, but he's singing crap but who cares, I say his jacket was specially flown in by Gunther Jacketmaker himself!

Shooting on 35mm is good if you can afford it, or know how to use it for that matter, it does not however make your video the best or anything special if your concept is not tight. If you can afford to shoot 35mm and produce a good video, the good video part is what we should applaud, not the fact that it was shot on film, or it cost so and so amount to make, or it was taken to Los Angeles to edit, you can edit as good an hour away in Ghana.

It brings to mind the on-going debate about how big the Nigerian film industry is but we don't make film, the Nigerian delegation to Cannes Film Festival went to France last year and threw the best party to celebrate Nollywood and there was not one Nigerian film entry at the festival! But hey, we threw the biggest krunking party, yes sir, Nigeria we hail thee!

Jeta Amata (my good friend) made a film, The Amazing Grace, on 35mm and the whole publicity for the film was anchored on it being the first Nollywood film on 35mm, like we should all rush to the theatres now now now. Abeg, pleeease, stop telling me what format you shot your video on, I can see it on screen, it's like telling me your car runs on unleaded or diesel, who cares.

A little Film 101 for all the 35mm "wannashoots" out there, It's all about the LENS and LIGHTING! You can get crisp pictures with a good HD body and some cool Canon lens for a quarter of the cost of shooting and developing 35mm, unless the South African guys are giving you rock bottom bargains (which I doubt, they know you don't know). 35mm is industry standard for film set for theatrical release (the big screen), music videos are often set for television (the small screen). If you want to shoot on film, you can shoot on 16mm or even 8mm if you want to really rough it. Your fans don't really know the difference between video and 35mm, all they want to see is YOU, the artiste, because they love you, they want to see you dance, sing, rap, show off your 12-packs (note to P Square) and so on, please stop insulting their intelligence by telling them what you shot the video with or how much it cost, even though it's true, let us enjoy you and your art.

My ultimate insult upon injury came this morning when I visited Linda Ikeji's blog and saw a piece about Kingsley Ogoro (Usofia in London) who just bought a 35mm camera. Not only was he telling us how much he bought the camera for (N6m), he said he didn't want to join the 'bandwagon' before, and that he just bought the camera now because the 'spirit' directed him to do so. Kingsley totally finished me by saying he believes [buying the camera] "is a great plus for the Nigerian entertainment industry"! There was not one mention of improving storylines, art direction or production in general. I guess Kanayo O Kanayo growling on celluloid is a sure-banker Oscar winner next year then.

To cap it all, Linda sef added her own stroke of the cane by ending the article with "35mm is currently one of the most advanced cameras in the world". Chineke God!

I rest my case.

Ayo Shonaiya, Filmmaker[/b]


As for Asa, this is my answer that has been said: every musician is influenced by so many other musician. The dreadlocks and guitar does not make her exactly Tracy Chapman.Maybe in terms of look but definitely not musically. Asa is more soul (even raggae as in 'Fire on the mountain').

P-square were deluded by the fact that they used a 35mm camera to shoot the video, in which nothing but a bunch of rump-shkaing girls were dancing to their 'music'. What is the great concept behind the video? In Visual Communication, there is the concept and execution. The execution is good but the concept was non existent. I imagine that they gathered aroung the 35mm camera, bowing before it telling themsleves they have won the award for that matter. So many other Nigerians have followed suit-the 35mm madness that is. That is wha is causing the wahala and Jude referred specifically to the video of stylee. I was going to refer to the playtime stylee got on MTV base to buttress my point but some one has gracefully done that.

The Nigerian awards-any awards for that matter-will be questionable, except you have not been around long enough.FRom the Oscars to the Grammies, you will wonder why. We all cant win. I persoannly felt that Asa's video should have won the category that Jude is contesting so much but as someone said, she realesed it so late and Stylee was all over the place.

To P-Square fans, I think that they are great performing artistes and almost ordinary musician. They are realy taking their perceived status more than it really is. They are not that great. There are more talented artistes in Nigeria and at that award. I am not a big fan theirs but I can tolerate them. The yoruba awards thing will come to affect the ways people will now see them. Those who like them prolly do so for other values apart from their ethnicity and they should have kept it that way except they want to be performing for their ethnic group alone.

Artistes come and artistes go. It is only musicians that will stay.


To the guy that said Asa is not all that, I disgaree with you and so do hundreds of people who enjoy seeing ehr sing without half aked girls shaking their back side in the camera.

I will be more concerned if a 34 year old does not have the basic IT skills to survive in any decent job in Naija. Driving is not that special. You can learn to drive when you want to. I have a friend who will only be driving in a few weeks when his car is delivered. Friends had tried to embarass him into driving before then but he does not see the urgency in it. He has multiple work place/enterpreneur skills that he considers more urgent than driving.

You can pick up practical driving skills in a day or two. why are we making it look like its something special.

GTBank!

I have used severa banks and I has always complained until I started using GTBank. THese days, when I go to other banks for transactions of any kind, I am amazed how GTBank is years ahead of them. I have abandoned my UBA account when STB bought them over.

Why cant the Nollywood ( I hate that word!) practitioners try to do it the time tested way of making some of their money through screening the films first before they go to the sit at home audience.

It is even worse here cos they dont get any money from the people who rent their works and really, most of the films are not worth buying in the first place (this may be subjective tho)

wonders shall never end!

The Greeks had three different words for love. One is the sensual love, another the sibling love and the third is the God kind of love. The man staying committed and still doing the things he used to do will depend on the the third kind that goes beyond your looks and stats. Some day after the chasing, the breasts will sag and the skin wont be all that firm anymore. It is then that the other kinds of love sustain the relatiionship.

All of us must assess our basis for relationship and see that it does go beyond the number of calls and cakes. They are good but the truly dsiscerning woman (not girls) will look for character in the man. He may not call you 20 times in a day but he holds you dear in his heart. But then, these days people are not raised that way anymore. I have a har time telling my pretty female friends who are all into cakes, chocolates and cinemas without looking at the guys character that this 'soon shall pass' and you will be history. Prettier girls will be born and they will take over from you if the basis of your relationship is all the call and attention youwant to get.

Ladies. Take care of yourself. get a career going. take interest in the things your man is into (why are you hanging out with him in the first place?) Men never mistreat anyone they respect! My closest femal friend is married and her husband treats her like a queen after two kids. And he is a good looking man! She is good at her job. watches her weight and takes care of herself. She has great self esteem and does not nag.

I totally agree with Combrazor. Absolutely! There is no basis for direct comparison. Most foreign film followers I know rarely get interested in our local home videos cos of the lack of content appeal. I buy mostly Yoruba films and even though I pay more for them, it has never bothered me. I also noticed that Nigerians who follow this home videos dont have any complains about their price in comparison with the foreigh DVDs that are available everywhere.

For the local movie producers, it is imperative that they step up their game in every area in order to accomodate the many Nigerians who dont find the quality of their work appealing enough. It is then that we can really talk about any semblance of competition.

The sum total of  all your angers and emotional outburst was exactly the same as it was when Westerhof (now called a hero) came in 89 and we did not qualify for the world cup because of the decision he was making not very popular with many Nigerians. Everyone called for his head but the powers that be decided to keep him. In 1990, he got a silver, in 92, a bronze and in 94, he goty the gold and a place in the world cup as well as giving Nigerians a generation of footballers who made a difference and even got an olympic gold.

We forget very quickly in this country. The Malian team we drew against have been together for about a decade.THEY ARE A TEAM!!! Same with the Ivorians! WE do not have a team. Individually capable footballers, YEs. A team? NO! It is that reality that we do not want to confront. Leave Berti Vogts and his players and lets look towards 2010! The world cup qualifiers are starting soon! Two weeks in Malaga cant cancel out a decade ot even five years of lnowing the individual connections between players.

Westerhof took five years to build a formidable team of players who are familiar with one another! They did not play for any particularly big European teams but they were a team. If we can be patient enough to create that team, the sky is the limit especially with the youing talents that are emerging.Otherwise, we will be back to sqaure one and we will not just be changing coaches, we will be exchanging on scape goat for another!

The sum total of all your angers and emotional outburst was exactly the same as it was when Westerhof (now called a hero) came in 89 and we did not qualify for the world cup because of the decision he was making not very popular with many Nigerians. Everyone called for his head but the powers that be decided to keep him. In 1990, he got a silver, in 92, a bronze and in 94, he goty the gold and a place in the world cup as well as giving Nigerians a generation of footballers who made a difference and even got an olympic gold.

We forget very quickly in this country. The Malian team we drew against have been together for about a decade.THEY ARE A TEAM!!! Same with the Ivorians! WE do not have a team. Individually capable footballers, YEs. A team? NO! It is that reality that we do not want to confront. Leave Berti Vogts and his players and lets look towards 2010! The world cup qualifiers are starting soon! Two weeks in Malaga cant cancel out a decade ot even five years of lnowing the individual connections between players.

Westerhof took five years to build a formidable team of players who are familiar with one another! They did not play for any particularly big European teams but they were a team. If we can be patient enough to create that team, the sky is the limit especially with the youing talents that are emerging.Otherwise, we will be back to sqaure one and we will not just be changing coaches, we will be exchanging on scape goat for another!

A few months back, a radio deejay friend of mine asked that I should come and listen to an artiste that she had become hooked on. Incidentally, I had seen the artiste on television at a women's event somewhere in Lagos. I was very eager especially since I rarely listen to the radio these days. For weeks I overplayed 'Eye Adaba' and 'Iba' that my colleagues were sure something was wrong with me. I told them this is real talent here.

It was sometime last month that another friend that I had introduced this artiste to called me-all so excited- that the artiste's album is out. I knew she had left the record company she was associated with along with Cohbams but I went to my Cd seller who told me all her copies had sold out that same. He asked who the lady was= who is this Asa sef?

The next day, I was in his shop to pick up my copies. Alas! there were two types; a white and and blue coloured CD-which is originally hers and a Red one released by the company she was in dispute with. I bought the Blue and white one. I wanted to be on her side! Since I had 'Eye Adaba' and 'Iba' in my head, I knew she had worked on them since the record company (question Mark) failed to release the master tape of her first album.

The CD is out and it is only 150 or thereabout. It is the original. Nigerian Artistes dont market those expensive Cds anymore to beat pirates and make money straight away. No pirate will 'pirate' a 150 naira Cd. that is why our artistes can now but houses and cars. In the past, they used to put a more expensive price on their works which pirates reproduce at lower rates and sell. Now, the pirates are compelled to pay for the artistes works and sell.

Asa is the artistes that I have warned my friends about. This is Music. I am loving every track. its work that has gone into her album. This is Music. I loved 'Awe' so much. TY Bello is also good. They are the first Nigerian artistes whose works I bought that I really love practically all the tracks.

Buy the Blue and White CD. I have listened to both. She worked on the Blue and white album and it is purer i terms of production. Besides, I really think money for the Red one will be going to the Question mark people who have been fighting a lot of people- including their artistes. All the lies about how they signed Cobhams and Asa to international record deals were mere hypes.

I dont mean to digress but In think you all got my point! If you love great music, get Asa's album!

The whole concept of Big Brother is amusing. People become very famous for lazying about and doing nothing in front of cameras for people who themselevs have valuable time to spare or waste. Our forefathers who fought for something will defintely find our generation very strange indeed!

As for Ofunneka, I think she will slip into oblivion given the events that were associated with her. No brand will want to associate with her. She prolly went to be a celebrity and came out to be the victim.

To the poster, I may be wrong but women have the capacity to smell trouble ahead. If she is not really digging this new girl-friend of yours and you value your relatioship, maybe you just let it pass;except that is the way she acts with all your new friends!