Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Nollywood Captured
"In Africa, Nollywood movies are a rare instance of self-representation in the mass media.
The continent has a rich tradition of story-telling that has been expressed abundantly through oral and written fiction, but has never been conveyed through the mass media before.
Movies tell stories that appeal to and reflect the lives of its public: stars are local actors; plots confront the viewer with familiar situations of romance, comedy, witchcraft, bribery, prostitution. The narrative is overdramatic, deprived of happy endings, tragic. The aesthetic is loud, violent, excessive; nothing is said, everything is shouted."
To see the gallery of his work on Nollywood please click here
Or check out his entire website here
Nigerian beheaded in Saudi Arabia
The execution of Nigerian, Qorbi bin Mussa Adam, in Saudi Arabia has sparked serious concern with Amnesty International. According to the organization, an alarming number of foreign nationals have been executed in Saudi Arabia recently.
Qorbi bin Mussa Adam allegedly murdered a Saudi national. He was the second Nigerian to be executed in Saudi Arabia this year after another Nigerian, Jamil 'Abbas Shu'ayb, who was beheaded in May. Saudi Arabian authorities have disclosed very little information about the trial of both cases.
Another Nigerian, Suliman Olufemi was sentenced to death in 2004 and awaits execution. Olufemi's trial was held in secret and conducted in Arabic which he does not understand. He had no legal representation or any legal assistance and it is feared that he was tortured in pre-trial detention in order to force him to confess.
Qorbi bin Mussa Adam was the 51st person to be executed in Saudi Arabia this year alone, according to monitoring conducted by Amnesty International. Out of the 51 people executed in Saudi Arabia this year, 36 were Saudi Arabians and 15 were foreign nationals.
Related stories: Nigerian executed in China
Video report of Nigerians rioting in China, first ever protest by foreign nationals in China
50 year old man beheads his wife
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Monday, August 10, 2009
Interview with the Father of Nollywood
Okechuku Ongunjiofor talks about how he started what we now know today as Nollywood and how piracy is affecting Nigeria's movie industry.
Related stories: Nollywood will win international award
Nollywood actress and wife of late M.K.O. Abiola, Remi Abiola passes away
Nollywood in Retrospect-Video documentary
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Chimamanda Adichie on African Voices
Acclaimed Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie reflects on her career on CNN's African Voices.
Related stories: Nigeria's Wole Soyinka on African Voices
Nigerian Legend Wole Soyinka on Democracy in Nigeria
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Brazil to Play in Lagos, Nigeria
The three time champions Brazil have been given special status and will play at the Lagos Centre during this year's FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
Brazil have been seeded automatically as the top team in Group B. While hosts Nigeria are the top seeds in Group A and will play in Abuja.
Brazil and Nigeria are the two most successful countries in the Under-17 World Cup at this level, each having split six titles equally between them.
Related stories:Football Legend Pele predicts Africa has a great chance of making it to the World Cup Final
Jay Jay Okocha appointed Football Ambassador
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