BelCanto Ensemble concert - organized by the Embassy of Italy in Nigeria

A concert by an Italian group called the BelCanto Ensemble took place on the 17th of October 2011 here in Abuja. Held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, the concert was in commemoration of the Italian Language Week.

The members of the BelCanto Ensemble who came all the way from Italy for the concert were Rosaria Buscemi (soprano), Alessandro Vuono (piano), Antonio Arcuri (clarinet), Massimo Celliberto (horn), and Francesco Clemente (violin). They performed classical and contemporary music by renowned composers. 

Loy Krathong Festival 2011, at the Sawadee Oriental Cuisine in Abuja

The annual Loy Krathong Festival (please google that for more info) was observed in Abuja with a dinner and some dancing, organized by the Embassy of Thailand and the Thai Citizens Association on the 12th of November 2011 at the Sawadee Oriental Cuisine. Photos by Araceli

Nigerwives - Abuja Branch: End of Year Party

Members of Nigerwives Nigeria, Abuja Branch, with their families and friends, held their annual End of Year Party on the 10th of December 2011, here in Abuja. Nigerwives (NW) is an association of foreign women married to Nigerian citizens. All women who are married to Nigerians and residing in Nigeria are welcome to be a part of this organization, which, in addition to Abuja, has branches in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Benin, to name a few. The Abuja Branch, of which I am a member, meets every last Sunday of the month. These photos were "borrowed" from my friend Izabella's FB wall.

An afternoon of traditional Indonesian cakes at the Indonesian Ambassador's residence in Abuja

The wife of the ambassador of Indonesia, Mrs. Dian Sudirman, and members of the Dharma Wanita Persatuan (Indonesian Women’s Organization), invited INSIDE TRACK ABUJA and other guests to the ambassador’s residence on the 13^th of December 2011 for a taste of delicious Indonesian traditional cakes. The most enjoyable event was held in conjuction with the commemoration of Mother’s Day which is celebrated in Indonesia on the 22^nd of December every year. These photos were taken at the event.

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Birthday of the King of Thailand 2011

Every year Thailand celebrates the birthday of their King, His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej. Homes and businesses all throughout the country are decorated with his portraits as well as with royal and national flags. Religious ceremonies are held as the people pray for the King’s wellbeing.

To commemorate this occasion in Abuja, the Embassy of Thailand and the Thai Citizens Association held a dinner for friends and well wishers on 5th December 2011 at the Ambassador's Residence. These photos were taken at the event by INSIDE TRACK ABUJA.

Birthday of the King of Thailand 2010

Reception held at the Abuja Sheraton Hotel

Abuja Nigerwives White Cane Day

Accommodation in Abuja

Abuja International Women's Club: Cookie Exchange and Christmas Bazaar 2011

The Abuja International Women’s Club (AIWC) is organizing a COOKIE EXCHANGE AND CHRISTMAS BAZAAR on Thursday, 15th December 2011 at 10am, in Asokoro. For directions on the exact address and if you would like to sell something at the bazaar or know somebody who has nice thing to sell, please contact Petra at petra.leukert@yahoo.de or call 07064324048. 

Abuja International Women’s Club is a non-political, non-religious, non- profit making organisation established for women from the international and local community residing in and around Abuja. The main purpose of the club is to promote friendship and understanding amongst women of diverse nationalities by organising social, recreational and humanitarian activities. For further information email abujaiwc@yahoo.com. 

How to Become a Member 

Ladies from all nations, including Nigeria, who are living in Abuja can be a member of Abuja International Women’s Club. For information, send an e-mail to abujaiwc@yahoo.com. You can become a member by joining one of their social events where you put down your name, address, phone-number and e-mail-address and pay the membership fee which is Naira 5,000 for one year. (When you join from January 1 you pay Naira 3,000 for the rest of the year.)

Members of the Executive Committee, Abuja International Women's Club,
during their monthly lunch on September 27, 2011; at The Clubhouse, Tak Life Camp, Gwarimpa.
Photo by Araceli

Abuja International Women's Club at their monthly lunch, held on September 27, 2011
at The Clubhouse, Tak Life Camp, Gwarinpa, Abuja.
Photo by Araceli

Operabuja 2011 - the story and the photos

Cecilia Toledo De Schmillen,
Founder and Artistic Director, AMEMUSO

The Abuja Metropolitan Music Society (AMEMUSO) held the 5th edition of the annual music festival, Operabuja, on Sunday, 27th November 2011 at 7.30pm, at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.

What made this year's edition different from the previous editions was that the AMEMUSO Choir interpreted the 9 songs vying to win the UNITY SONG CONTEST (with a cash prize of N500,000.00) organised by AMEMUSO.

According to the founder of AMEMUSO, Mrs. Cecilia Toledo De Schmillen, wife of the former ambassador of Germany to Nigeria, “this year’s event is aimed at celebrating Abuja as a centre of unity in Nigeria and internationally. As such, the theme of this year’s festival is ‘Unity Song Contest.’”

Mrs. De Schmillen said she has travelled “all the way from Peru to Nigeria to keep this great Nigerian dream alive” and that the attendance at the event of her friends and supporters will certainly encourage her “to continue to work for the realization of the dream.”

The show featured Omo Bello (Nigerian soprano); Walter Michael Vollhardt (conductor); Sodi Breidi (Nigerian pianist); Lucia Luque (Argentinian violinist); Lucas Brunnert (German violinist); Marcelo Montes (Argentinian cellist); Ohimah Igbuan (Nigerian pianist) and Abednego Okafor (Nigerian pianist.)

Also present were Onyeka Onwe Onwenu, who was one of the judges, Prof. Viola Onwuliri (Hon. Ministor of State, Foreign Affairs) who represented President Goodluck Jonathan, and Hon. Bala Mohammed (Minister of the FCT). 

These photos were taken at the event. 

Cecilia Toledo De Schmillen, Founder and Artistic Director of AMEMUSO

The AMEMUSO Choir

Onyeka Onwenu

Omo Bello

Hon. Minister of the FCT, Bala Mohammed

Cecilia Toledo greets the Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria

Onyeka Onwenu greets the Hon. Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Prof Viola Onwuliri

N500,000,00 cheque for the winner of the song competition

The orchestra

Some of the audience

Posted by Araceli Aipoh

Sweet tooth in Abuja

I'm not a great fan of cakes (not these days anyway), but I got tired of staying indoors during the last Muslim holidays, so I decided to venture out, towards Wuse, near the Sheraton Hotel, and ended up at the Cherry Plus Bakery, one of the more popular outfits that sell cakes and pastries here in Abuja.

I had a slice of their chocolate cakes, but what I really wanted to do was to take some photos, so I asked the manager if I could, and here are some of the photos I came up with....

Assorted cakes at the Cherry Plus Bakery,
Zone 4, Wuse, Abuja

Assorted cakes at the Cherry Plus Bakery,
Zone 4, Wuse, Abuja

Assorted cakes and pastries at the Cherry Plus Bakery,
Zone 4, Wuse, Abuja

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Posted by Araceli

Thai Citizens Association Bids Farewell to the Ambassador of Thailand

Members of the Thai Citizens Association in Abuja (under the Chairmanship of Mrs. Amy Uzoewulu) organised a Farewell Lunch in honour of their Ambassador, H.E. Manop Mekprayoonthong, and wife, on the 24th of September 2011 at the residence of the ambassador.

Ambassador Mekprayoonthong's tenure in Nigeria is over and he and his wife have gone back to Thailand.

Posted by Araceli Aipoh

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