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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Nigerwives Celebrate White Cane Day with a Bazaar and Food Fair

The annual WHITE CANE DAY & INTERNATIONAL FOOD FAIR organised by NIGERWIVES NIGERIA (NW) Abuja Branch,was held on the 15th of October 2011 from 10am to 4pm at the FCT School for the Blind, No. 15 Audu Ogbeh Street, Jabi, Abuja.

Nigerwives Nigeria is a registered association of foreign women married to Nigerian citizens, and it has branches in many parts of the country.

Nigerwives Nigeria Abuja Branch has been involved in various charity activities, adopting the FCT School for the Blind as its pet project when the school was still located at the College of Education in Zuba. Nigerwives organize reading sessions and math lessons, and generally look after the welfare of the children. A milestone in this collaboration was the formal opening of a computer center at the School for the Blind on July 15, 2011. The children can henceforth learn how to use the computer, thanks to a special 'talking' software.

Most of the proceeds from the WHITE CANE DAY BAZAAR & INTERNATIONAL FOOD FAIR will go a long way in satisfying some of the needs of the students at the School for the Blind in terms of Braille books, basic medical care, basic equipment,

Photos by Araceli Aipoh

Thai restaurant opens in Abuja

The Sawadee Oriental Cuisine which serves Thai foods and located at No 42/45 Kumasi Crescent in Wuse 2 has just opened for business here in Abuja.

I was invited to the Grand Opening on 13th October 2011 and had a chat with Dr. Ratanaporn Dhamakosol (co-owner) and Mrs. Supporn Jong (manager) who gave assurances that they are fully prepared to satisfy their customers with authentic Thai dishes prepared by cooks from Thailand, and using only the finest ingredients.

Sawade is owned by Dr. Dhamakosol from Thailand and her Nigerian partners, Mr. Feyi Agagu, and Mr. Oluwadare Bello, Chairman of Citec Group.

Sawadee Oriental Cuisine is definitely worth a try for those who are looking for something new to satisfy their palate as well as those who are familiar with Thai cooking.

I took these photos during the Grand Opening.

Posted by Araceli Aipoh

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