Saturday, March 1, 2008

New Month, New Theme

Sorry for the hiatus folks - i've been very ill but i'm back (THANK GOD). To be honest, the absence hasn't only been due to illness (30%) and general work craziness (70%), it's also been due to a general lack of positivity about my homeland (100%)...(yes, i missed that addition class in pre-K). I won't go on the usual tirade of how so many things are not right with Nigeria at the moment. Nope, we're not going there, not this month.

In honour of the merry month of March (yeah, i made that up, i'm a March baby so i'm allowed), all posts this month (i'll try my best to make sure there are more than 4 ;)) will be about positive things going on in the country/continent - Things that make you go YAY! I talk as if i actually know what i'm going to write about - nope, no clue. But if i don't find the positive stuff (which i'm hoping you guys will send my way - info@theafrobeat.com, even if it's just a name and where i can find more info about it), then i won't write. C'est simple. Happy March people!


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The Vagina Monologues Coming to Nigeria

This play has been performed in Nigeria for a few years now but I believe (please correct me if i'm wrong) that this is the first time a nigerianized version will be performed, with monologues written by and for nigerian women. The play always gets people talking but I am so pleased that this time, it's been written for your average Nigerian to relate to. This is a great initiative being funded by several organizations in Nigeria, and I hope this will not only spur the dialogue on ending violence against women but will also continue to raise the standards and general appreciation of the arts & entertainment industry in Nigeria.


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Vagina Monologues again - By Sunday Ojeme (PUNCH Newspapers)

The Kudirat Initiative for Democracy, with support from the Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development Aid based in Netherlands, has announced that the Nigerian version of the controversial Eve Ensler’s play, The Vagina Monologues, will be held this year.

Through this version, KIND, in collaboration with Project Alert on Violence Against Women, Media Concern for Women and Children, Civil Liberties Organisation, and the Ajegunle Community Project, intends to draw more attention to the plight of many women in the society.

“Two cosmopolitan cities, Abuja and Lagos, have been selected as the venues for the play with the premiere performance taking place in Abuja,” the organisers add.

As with previous editions of the show, this year’s edition will reflect the traumatic plight of many women in Nigeria. It will focus on themes such as rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation sexual slavery and emotional repression. CEO of Jason Vision Productions, Wole Oguntokun, has been chosen to direct this year’s production.

According to KIND’s Programme Manager, Amy Oyekunle “The Nigerian monologues will be a unique experience and a must-see. This year, we have a collection of over 150 women telling their stories. Some of these stories are humorous; some are sober but all very real.

With Wole Oguntokun directing the play, it will be interesting to see the male perspective to women issues.’

The Monologues are parts of the contributing efforts of the V-Day celebrations taking place in Africa.

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"V Monologues" opens in Abuja on March 6th and will also be showing in Lagos on the 12th, 13th, 19th and 20th.

9 comments:

Sherri said...

am glad u're feeling better luv

the election ratification is def a positive direction and monumental for naija.

the v monologues is def going to be fabulous. the cast is solid and the able mr wole oguntokun, the girl whisperer himself is a woman's man.

i don't mean to raise ur bp but, the proposed bill on indecent dressing is one we all shud rise up against.

Hephzibah said...

Glad ur feel good enuf to blog, do echo ur notions about Nig and work craziness- still got no clue how i coped last 2 weeks, baffles me till today as i slept average of 2hrs per day...and am a salaired employee, not fair!

anyways, back to monologue, yippee its coming yo nig, i auditioned for the 2006 one @ Oxford...didn't read teh script until i got there and girl, i knew i cldn't do it...my eyes were popping as I was auditioning, thanks to my Nigerian background + xtain upbring, lol.

But am so glad its comn to nig and wished i cld do another audition now as am better prepared!

Thumbs up for sherri on that spot about that carzy bill, but since March is our month, I'd not say much for now.

TheAfroBeat said...

ah, Naija chic, we have way too much in common (pele about work by the way, how birthday?). I almost auditioned for the monologues back in college too (and this was in California where you KNOW for sure they were going to take it to another level way too intense for the naija in me). I love the fact that it gets people talking though, coz we are way too conservative in Nigeria, and not always for the right reasons.

Which brings me to this indecent dressing bill. Thanks for bringing it up here Sherri so that we can discuss while still staying true to the positive March theme (btw, pls o, any WOW news you hear, e jo, pls share with us!) It's really quite scary how close this thing is to being passed. And being championed by a woman at that. It's just the most absurd things, one of those things that just makes you hiss and turn the page, but as Sherri points out, it's going to bite us in the ass if we're not careful. But how do we go about doing sth coz i feel my hands are tied here. Is it prayer? Abi, does someone know anyone in the House? It seems one way or another, the Assembly's going to have a field day with this one and the people's voice isn't going to be heard. I'm all for any ideas anyone might have. A letter to the house which we sign and put up in the Guardian? Does anyone have newspaper connections?

Hephzibah said...

Am feeling you rite now, tAB, I might get sum newspaper connections, lemme check with the orixas,wink. Will be back after consulting!

Today's ranting said...

Nice post! This issue of opression of women calls for a great deal of concern.The v monolugue sounds realy cool.I watched a bit of the one done in I Think lagos last year on tv and it was so touching. The indecent dressing bill pending in the house is just one thing that drives me crazy and it's really heart rendering to see female legislators involved in the frivolity. Chei! may God save Nigeria. Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your comment.

Ms Sula said...

Wow! I love the V monologues! And I love the idea of doing for and by Nigerian Women... I hope it spurs many more in different nations... Violence to women in Africa is often trivialized as a "custom". Good that light is being shun on it.

What does the Indecent Dressing bill state?

Ms Sula said...

and I am a March baby too! :)

Naapali said...

Firstly, Pele! Glad to hear that you are doing better. This time of year has seen all sorts of ailments afflicting many of us. Beloved and I went to Ohio the weekend before the primaries and I fell very ill but have recovered also.

Isn't it sad but interesting that while KIND et al are trying to raise awareness on all forms of violence to women, Ekaete and her cohort are trying to inflict their own version of violence on women.

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