ABUJA ART AND CULTURE

PAINTING EXHIBITION AT THE ITALIAN EMBASSY
Art lovers in Abuja gathered at The Studio of the Embassy of Italy on Wednesday, 21st of January, for a painting exhibition by Joe Musa, Director-General of the National Gallery of Art.

Joe Musa is an alumnus of Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has held over 16 solo exhibitions as well as participated in group shows at home and abroad. In 1990, he was awarded Executive Membership of the International Art Galleries Association (IAGA) in recognition of his contribution to creative excellence. Joe Musa is a recipient of the 1996 Nigeria National Merit Award (NMA) for Arts and Culture. VIEW PHOTOS of the painting exhibition here...


CHINUA ACHEBE VISITS NIGERA
After nine years of being away from Nigeria and 50 years since he wrote his legendary novel, THINGS FALL APART, Chinua Achebe arrived in Abuja on January 19 to participate in a month-long festival of art and culture marking Igbo Civilisation in Owerri, the capital of Imo State. Nigeria’s beloved novelist sounded upbeat and happy as he met with Abuja-based journalists and writers at a press conference and cocktails held in his honour at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel on the same day he arrived.

Accompanied by members of the Planning Committee of the Festival of Igbo Civilization and immediately surrounded by everyone as soon as he entered the venue, Chinua Achebe started off by saying, “I did not come here to give you a lecture. You are the ones who are here.” He then answered questions on various topics from the journalists.

Chinua Achebe has always maintained that he does not have a favourite among his novels because that is like asking a father to choose the best among his children. At the conference he said, “Things Fall Apart is not the only book I wrote. I wrote many other books and you should read all of them.” And having worked in a media outfit himself in the late 1950s while working on the his first novel that went on to sell close to 10 million copies, he told the reporters to “continue the good that you are doing.”

Things Fall Apart is reported to have been translated into 50 languages and is on the list of required readings in many schools and universities all over the world. VIEW PHOTOS of Chinua Achebe here...

AIWC COFFEE MORNING
At 10:00am on January 21, 2009, members of the Abuja International Women’s Club (also known as AIWC) gathered at the residence of the club’s President, Lola Lundgren, for tea, coffee and cakes. This is a way to start the year off.

AIWC is a voluntary, non-political, non-sectarian, non-profit organisation established to promote deeper understanding and appreciation of the diverse social and cultural values of its members. The main purpose of the club is to promote friendship and understanding amongst women of diverse nationalities by organizing social, recreational and humanitarian activities. Its current Executive Officers are: Lola Lundgren (President); Mary-Lou Herron and Daphne Herrenschmidt (Vice-Presidents); Claudia Rackl (Treasurer); Aditi Basu (Assistant Treasurer); Karima Radwan (Secretary -Membership/Correspondence); Lata Poulsen (Secretary - Newsletter); Shirley Bowry (Events Coordinator); and Glynis Taylor and Lola Lundgren (Charity Coordinators). Club members usually meet for socials and lunch at least once a month respectively. VIEW PHOTOS of the AIWC gathering here...

MORE ABUJA IN PHOTOS:
Diwali Festival
Julius Berger Nigeria Bazaar
Nigerwives Nigeria
Veteran Golf Tournament
ASOHOM International Food Festival
Spanish 3rd Cultural Week
International Community School Bazaar
Millennium Park in Focus

ANA RECEIVES CHINUA ACHEBE

The President (Dr. Wale Okediran) and members of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) were at the International Airport in Abuja in the early hours of January 19 to receive Nigeria’s literary giant, Chinua Achebe, who was accompanied by his wife, Christy, son, Chidi, and daughter, Nwandu.

In a short discussion with Okediran, Achebe who appeared very relaxed and agile expressed his appreciation to ANA for the wonderful celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of THINGS FALL APART. He was particularly thrilled that ANA was able to take the celebrations to his family home and primary school in Ogidi.

When Okediran apologised for the technical difficulty that made it impossible to have the much advertised telecast interview with him during the celebrations, Achebe also apologised for his inability to be in Nigeria for the event. He put this down to some health issues which needed sorting out. He explained that his inability to fully relocate home is due to the poor facilities in the country which will further handicap his life now that he is confined to the wheelchair.

Achebe, who started his career as a medical student before switching to the arts, jokingly asked whether Okediran still had time for medicine in view of his heavy schedule as ANA President. Okediran replied that he was now more into the policy aspect of medicine instead of the usual bedside medical practice.

When showed the latest edition of the ANA REVIEW with his colored photograph on the front cover, Achebe was full of smiles and appreciation to the current ANA leadership for keeping the association going.

And when Okediran informed him that the last ANA Convention took place in Zamfara State, Achebe expressed his happiness that literary activities are being taken to different parts of the country.

View photos of Chinua Achebe and the welcoming team at the airport here.
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EDITORIAL

About four years ago in this city, four expatriate ladies got together to write a guide book called AROUND AND ABOUT ABUJA. Those ladies were Francine Rodd, Jewell Kidd, Willie Cohen, and Taniko Noda.

I’ve always wondered about these authors ever since I got hold of a copy of their book (it was given to me as gift), so a few days ago, I sent an email to abuja-expats asking members for any information on the authors’ whereabouts.

The feedback? All four ladies have left Nigeria.

The Minister of the FCT at the time the book was published, Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, who wrote the Foreword, described AROUND AND ABOUT ABUJA as “an excellent companion and one of the most in-depth and complete books ever written about the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory. It represents a well-researched, descriptive, illustrated and richly informative piece of work.”

The scope of the book is really wide and all-encompassing, such that it is all you require to put you through if you arrive here for the first time. Like most guidebooks, however, AROUND AND ABOUT ABUJA contains chapters and sections which need to be updated, especially when it comes to a fast-growing city like the one where we are now. For sure, many establishments have sprung up since 2005 when the book was published. The scenery is changing constantly. There’s hardly no place here now where a crane is not obstructing your view. And new roads have been created, needing a review of existing road maps as well. In the midst of all these changes – and fortunately for us who have made Abuja our base (whether permanently or on a temporary basis), much of Abuja is still green and fresh. The parks located in different parts of the city make it so. Thanks to those who have made it possible, Millennium Park (bottom pic) for instance is one of those divine places where one can literally take a breath of fresh air early in the morning – and we hope that it remains that way forever and ever, which of course is a topic entirely for another day. (We need to talk about the heaps of garbage that park-goers leave on the grounds every weekend and how it should be stopped.)

Back to the book: Even though some of the sections or chapters need to be updated, the rest are definitely still very much relevant today as they were three or four years ago. We therefore plan to seek permission from the authors so that we can publish on this website excerpts that visitors and newcomers may find useful. To start with, this is what they wrote on the Acknowledgement page: “We decided to donate our share of the proceeds of this book to the Abuja office of Family Care International. There is a Nigerian proverb that says, ‘Hope makes a good breakfast but a bad supper.’ Our hope is that this book will not only help make your stay in Abuja more enjoyable, it will also help to ensure a brighter future for those in need of a good super.”

Well, that sounds good to me...

The Editor
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ABUJA PARKS

Millennium Park, Maitama, Abuja
Photos by Araceli Aipoh
January 16, 2009

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NEW READ

The release into the market of a novel, The Abyssinian Boy by Onyeka Nwelue, has been announced.

Born in 1988 in Nigeria, Onyeka Nwelue travelled extensively to Asia, particularly to India, after graduating from High School. He has received a grant from the Institute for Research...

Read more...

MOVIES: NOW SHOWING

SCREENING HOURS, SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, CEDDI PLAZA
080-3080-9460, 080-3588-1220

Valid till January 22, 2009

Title: Eye of the Dolphin
Actors: Carly Schroeder, Adrien Dunbar
Screening Hours: 11:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:00pm, 7:30pm

Title: Ghajini
Actor: Aamir Asin Thouttumkal
Screening Hour: 7:30pm

Title: Taken
Actor: Liam Neeson
Screening Hours: 3:20pm, 5:20

Title: Quantum of Solace
Actor: Daniel Craig
Screening Hours: 7:30pm

Title: Madagascar 2
Actors: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith
Screening Hours: 11:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:00pm

Title: Eagle Eye
Actors: Shia LeBeouf
Screening Hours: 11:00am, 1:10pm

ABUJA WOMEN

Event: Coffee Morning
Organization: Abuja International Women's Club
Date: January 21, 2009
Venue: Jabi, Abuja




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ABUJA ART SCENE

Event: Painting Exhibition by Joe Musa
Date: January 21, 2009
Venue: The Studio, Embassy of Italy

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Event: Painting Exhibition by Joe Musa, Director-General of the National Art Gallery
Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Venue: The Studio, Embassy of Italy

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CHINUA ACHEBE IN ABUJA

Event: Chinua Achebe Press Conference
Date: January 19, 2009
Venue: Transcorp Hilton Hotel

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

CINEMA OPENS IN ABUJA

One of Nigeria’s entertainment giants, Silverbird, has taken over the management of the cinemas at Ceddi Plaza. Officially opening to the public on Tuesday, January 6 of this year, Silverbird Cinemas are currently showing the following movies: Quantum of Solace, Madagascar, Taken, and Eagle Eye.



Ticket Price:
Monday to Thursday
Adults – N1000
Kids – N500

Friday to Sunday
Adults – N2000
Kids – N1000

In a chat today with the Cinema Manager, Eniola Idowu, Inside Track learned that the Silverbird Cinemas start screening at 11:00am until 8:30pm.

Silverbird Cinemas is an ultra modern multi-screen cinema complex - the first of its kind in Nigeria. Presently, a Multipurpose Entertainment Center for movie lovers, young and old, is being built at the heart of Abuja. It's set to accommodate 12 Cinema Halls.

Silverbird Cinemas is a subsidiary of the Silverbird Group, which also includes Rhythm 93.7/94.7,Silverbird Television, Silverbird Galleria and Silverbird Entertainment.

A timetable of their screening hours at the Ceddi Plaza will be posted here within the next 24 hours. Watch this space.

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INTERVIEW: Jochen Theis

Arriving in Nigeria middle of last year, 24-year old Jochen Theis, a student from the University of Mannheim in Germany, agreed to an interview on his 6-month stint in Abuja. He talked about his Nigerian experience - including having developed a liking for pepper soup. This interview was first published in the November Edition of Inside Track. Photo shows Jochen at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel with Rose Akah and Salve Santos during the 3rd Spanish Cultural Week. Jochen has gone back to Germany...

Why are you in Abuja and how long have you been here?
I am in my last year of Business Administration studies at the University of Mannheim and I came to Nigeria to work as a trainee for a construction company with the intention to gain more working experience. For this time, I will only stay for six months and I’ve been here since the beginning of July.

What negative aspect of Nigeria did you hear before you came?
Plenty. After I got the job offer, I started making research about Nigeria, mainly through the internet. The information you get in the beginning does not really invite you to think about taking the job in Nigeria. But even if you intensify your search for information, you come across negative articles.

What positive aspects?
The most helpful for my decision to come here was a conversation with a former trainee of the same company who was here in the beginning of the year. He really gave me a positive impression not only about Nigeria and Nigerians but also about the job situation. The most important for me was just to get a good scale for risks and opportunities in Nigeria.

What Nigerian food has appealed to your taste?
I regularly enjoy the rich choice of Nigerian vegetables and I also usually spice up my dish with the famous Nigerian pepper. Speaking about meals, I found shawarma and pounded yam to my liking. Besides that, I also like the pepper soup, but only if the cook respects my limits for “spicyness.”

What places in Nigeria have you visited?
In general I am in Nigeria for work, so the possibilities to travel are limited. Nevertheless I try to use every opportunity to experience the country in which I decided to live for six month. So far I was in Jos and at the Gurara Falls. For the future I hope to be able to see Lagos and the Yankari Park, too.

What do you like most?
It is hard to say what I like most, because I like quite much. To provide just a selection, first of all, as the dominant part of my life here, I am satisfied with the job. As I am very much into nature, I also appreciate Nigeria´s rich landscape. Last but not the least, I like Abuja´s nightlife and the possibilities to enjoy the rare free time here.

When you go back to your country, what will you tell your friends about Nigeria?
I will probably describe Nigeria as a country of contrasts and struggle. While it is a country with unique richness of natural resources, the differences in living circumstances for Nigerians are probably bigger than in many other countries. As all verbal descriptions could not picture Nigeria, my recommendation to everybody would just be to get a personal impression by visiting the country.


Abuja in Pictures: NW CHRISTMAS PARTY, DIWALI FESTIVAL, AIWC SUNSHINE WALK, JBN BAZAAR, ICS BAZAAR, VETERAN GOLF TOURNAMENT, ASOHOM INTERNATIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL, 3RD SPANISH CULTURAL WEEK.

NIGERIAN LITERATURE

The release into the market of a novel, The Abyssinian Boy, by Onyeka Nwelue has been announced. Read about the author below:

Born in 1988 in Nigeria, Onyeka Nwelue travelled extensively to Asia, particularly to India after graduating from High School. He has received a grant from the Institute for Research on African Women, Children and Culture (IRAWCC) and is a contributing reviewer of Farafina magazine. In 2004, he was described in the Guardian as a 'teenager with a steaming pen'. His writings have appeared in The Sun, Wild Goose Poetry Review, Kafla Inter-Continental and the Guardian. He's presently a student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The young author has been described by Jude Dibia (runner up for the 2008 NLNG Literature Prize) as- “..... an interesting new voice. For one so young, he shows rare insights into the lives and sensibilities of people faced with racial integration; a concern as relevant today as ever before." Set mainly in India and in Nigeria, The Abyssinian Boy is based on the marriage between an Indian man and his Nigerian wife, the novel weaves a tale of love, faith and the many paradoxes of culture clash with a witty and often adventurous
narrative style.

The Abyssinian Boy will be presented to the public for the first time at a Book Launch / Book Party on Saturday 24th January 2009 at The Rotunda Hall, National Library, Opposite Casino Cinema, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos, from 12noon till 4pm. Senator S. N Anyanwu (Imo North Senatorial Zone) and Sir Bright Nwelue (former Chief Press Secretary to the Imo State Government) will be Special Guests of Honour at the event while Mr. Toyin Akinosho (Art Critic, Publisher, Africa Oil & Gas Report) will be Guest Speaker / Reviewer.

Though The Abyssinian Boy is his first novel, Onyeka has already made a name for himself, particularly on the internet through his blog and other websites where he has posted his interviews with writers from different parts of the world. Now taking his time to work through his second novel while savouring the history surrounding the idyllic Nsukka campus, Onyeka will travel again in 2009 to attend different literary festivals around the world and to promote his first novel. Copies of the The Abyssinian Boy are currently available at TerraKulture, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island Lagos.

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- by Ayodele Arigbabu.

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Read more about Onyeka Nwelue here...