FELA KUTI 20 YEARS AFTER - A VERY SPECIAL CELEBRATION AT THIS YEAR'S FELABRATION BY Zainab Yuguda8/2/2017  The members of the Felabration committee held their press conference for Felabration 2017 on the 2nd of August 2017, This event took place at the Kalakuta Museum (former home of Fela Kuti). Felabration is an annual musical festival which was conceived by the eldest child of Fela, Yeni Anikulakpo-Kuti in memory and celebration of her great father who is most known for his human right activism and also as the pioneer of the Afrobeat genre of music.  The press conference which was well attended by members of the press kicked off with Dotun Ransome Kuti, a member of the Felabration committee, asking other members to join him on the high table, they included: Yeni Kuti, Theo Lawson, Kunle Kuti, Funke Kuti, Nike Nedum and Sam Onyemelukwe. Mr Dotun noted that this year is a special one for Felabration as it is the 20th anniversary, and also informed the audience that the aim of the press conference is to enlighten the public on what the plans of Felabration 2017 are, He said that there have been new additions like the dancing competition, children’s debate, the Dress Like Fela Pagent, street carnival, and the symposium and that we should be expecting a tight package this year, as this might be the best Felabration yet. A short documentary on the previous Felabration events was shown.  The Chairman of the members of the Felabration committee, Theo Lawson in addition to what Dotun Kuti discussed, touched upon what they (members of the committee) strive to do, which is to keep the legacies Fela stood for. Mr Theo announced the theme for this year: THE PROPHECY which is in line with the fact that all of the issues Fela spoke about in his day are still very much happening in our society today. “Nothing has really changed”. He added that the members of the committee hope to act as catalysts to get some positive change which hopefully the 20th anniversary of Felabration will initiate.  Theo Lawson announced that Lagos state has promised to support the event, and also for the very first time they will be a part of the Notting hill carnival coming up later in August, also other cities abroad like Argentina, Brazil, Japan, London, New york and Ghana will be taking part in the Felabration 2017. Furthermore, he highlighted that the members of the committee are planning a tourist package for those who will like to be a part of the festival from abroad, and in respect to this, there are rooms on the top floor of the Kalakuta museum which are being worked on to become boutique hotels where the tourists can lodge comfortably. In conclusion, Mr Lawson shed some light on the importance of the symposium which will be held on the first day of Felabration and encouraged everyone to attend.  Yeni Kuti, gave the vote of thanks and we all proceeded to take a tour of the Kalakuta museum which was an awesome experience, there were interesting sites like Fela’s bedroom in its original state, photographs of the family, and clothing items that belonged to Fela. Now we look forward to an exhilarating Felabration 2017. Zainab Yuguda PRESS RELEASELagos State is 50 years this year, Festac was 40 years ago and Fela Anikulapo Kuti joined the ancestors 20 years ago. That year, the world watched as almost a million people trekked with Fela's remains from TBS to his resting place at Kalakuta. Yet Fela lives, he lives in many of us through his music, his felasophy, his activism and his charm. We must continue to keep his memory and message alive and that is what Felabration is about. This year’s theme is 'The Prophecy' as it was foretold by our 'Chief Priest', Black President, Original Sufferhead, Fela long ago.."suffering and smiling", "no bread...no light...no water". The official theme song is “Pansa Pansa”! To mark the 20 years, Felabration is bigger and better; Join us to give a befitting global celebration to the true African hero. Dates are October 9-15. We expect to entertain and engage over 250,000 people this year with over 30 events in 20 Some of the key highlights are listed below and we are excited to announce that we will give updates every few weeks leading up to the Festival. Lagos State participation and support – Lagos has supported Felabration in the last but this year, His Excellency, The Executive Governor and the entire State Government has stepped up to officially recognize Fela’s iconic status and legacy. -Tourist package – We are in the final phases of organizing a Tour package to capitalize on the power of Fela’s celebrity to benefit the local economy. The package will help Fela fans across the world travel to Lagos for Felabration. We will make more announcements about this in the coming weeks with Lagos State. -Crowd funding – As Felabration continues to evolve and modernize, we are leveraging on technology to offer Fela fans across the world the chance to get involved by contributing. -Trace TV partnership – The FOC has partnered with Trace to raise the profile of Felabration and the Tour package on their channels in 160 countries across Africa and beyond. Trace is also producing a new Felabration documentary. The FOC and Trace will have more announcements in the coming weeks. “Fela is the single most important foundation for Nigerian and African music and social movement. His life, music and message have paved the way for creatives over the last five decades and it is our honor to partner to celebrate and remember the legacy and “The Prophecy!” Said Sam Onyemelukwe, Managing Director, Trace Nigeria. -Island and Abuja concerts – For the first time ever, we will be holding crowning versions of Felabration on the Island and Abuja this October with details to be announced before the end of the month. We have licensed Felabration events are being planned in Europe, the US, Asia, other parts of Africa and Nigeria. Secondary Schools Debate Competition- Topic; African History; Curriculum Necessity or Not. Participating schools are Dowen College (last year winner), Cayley College Kings College, Vivian Fowler. Apata Memorial College, Vettland College, Oke odo Senior Secondary school, Wesley Girls Senior Secondary school, Ogudu Senior Secondary School, Epe Girls Senior Secondary School. Felabration is now listed on Fest300. New Felabration events include the Felabration Artwork competition in which entries from as far as Japan and France have been received. The winning entries will be displayed throughout Felabration. Felabration Afrobics Dance Competition. Date of entry to the competition closed on the 31st of July 2017 and qualifying rounds will take place in September 2017. The winners will perform at Felabration. There' are plans for a Dress Like Fela Day during Felabration and details will be announced soon. Authorized merchandise dealers will make their products available during Felabration. There's a plan to live stream F17 and more details will follow. Other Features – The Symposium: "40years after Festac, 20years after Fela; wither the Pan African dream?" Keynote speaker: Prof. Patrice L.O. Lumumba (Kenya), celebrated speaker on African issues. School debates and a street carnival will be announced shortly. Felabration 2017 will feature in the Notting hill carnival and in many cities around the World. Visit www.felabration.net for more information*
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  The annual tree planting campaign day in Lagos state took place at the State Junior High School (special) on the 14th of July 2017 at 10am. This event is an initiative of the Lagos state Government, adopted for restoring the ecological glory of the state and combating the impact of climate change. It also aims to enlighten the general public on the many benefits of tree planting in our society. This event which was anchored by Lanre Babatunde commenced with an invitation of dignitaries to the high table amongst which were: The representative of the Governor of Lagos state, Dr Babatunde Aweleje, The chairperson for the council of arts and culture in Lagos state, Mrs Polly Alakija, representative of the commissioner of environment Honorable Sherrif Balogun and few others. All guests then proceeded to recite the national anthem. The first speaker of the day was the public affairs officer for Lagos state office of disability, Mr Adeniyi Adebowale , He explained that the reason why the event was held at the State Junior High School for special students is because those living with disabilities are not to be left out in this initiative. The representative for the commissioner of environment, Honorable Sherrif Balogun welcomed guests and also congratulated Governor Ambode for this development which has been on for a decade. He explained that the theme for this year which is Think green, Plant trees and Live green is to inculcate Lagosians on the habit of tree planting. He added that the over population in Lagos has caused tree planting to reduce and how the government has been able to plant 1.5 million trees in 2016, which helped to create 27,500 new jobs. Honorable Sherrif made it very clear that cutting of trees without the permission of LASPARK is an offence which is punishable by law. He concluded by urging Lagosians to team up with the government to help reform the environmental sector. Students of the State Junior High School presented an impressive cultural dance display as well as a drama presentation which left the guests in awe of their talents. The last speaker of the day was the representative of the Governor of Lagos state who read out the speech which was sent by the Governor. In this speech Governor Ambode noted that the annual tree planting campaign is critical to the administrative agenda. He also stated that the theme of this year is in line with environmental sustainability and that over 6 million trees have been planted in the state so far. He added that trees are essential as they provide food, shelter, health benefits and also they are the cheapest mitigation options. Governor Ambode concluded his speech by appreciating loyal partners of this event like Eco bank and urged them to sustain their support, so together they can achieve their aim. He wishes all Lagosians a happy tree planting day. The event closed with closing remarks form the principal of State Junior High School Mrs. Osude. Zainab Yuguda  Before railroad development opened up the region, the area known as the Mississippi Delta was covered in virgin hardwood forests. The area between the Yazoo and Mississippi Rivers, and between Memphis and Vicksburg is generally a flat alluvial flood plain interspersed with many meandering rivers and bayous. Even though there were some cotton plantations in the region, it wasn’t until the building of the railroads that region began to develop. The Illinois Central mainline between Jackson, Grenada and Memphis skirted well east of the delta region. The Louisville, New Orleans & Texas RR was built through the heart of the region in 1882-4, and acquired by IC subsidiary Yazoo & Mississippi Valley in 1892. Y&MV built a network of branch lines throughout the delta. As railroads were built in the region, timberland was bought by lumber companies and sawmills built in the region. Land was cleared and cotton planted in the rich soil in the region. Few people today realize the area once was home to many sawmills and logging railroads. The Sardis and Delta Railroad was one such line that was built as a logging railroad. The owners came south to Mississippi as the great white pine and hemlock forests of the northeast were depleted. Even though the railroad lasted almost 30 years, far longer than most logging railroads in the region, it eventually met the same fate as the rest after the timber was cut.  The story begins as C. M. Carrier’s hemlock sawmill at Carrier, Pennsylvania, cut out and closed in 1897. As an investment, Carrier purchased a tract of 35,000 acres of hardwood timber land in Panola and Quitman Counties, Mississippi. After a cruise was made to determine the value and quality of the timber, Carrier decided to build a sawmill to cut this timber instead of selling it as originally planned. The business was known as C. M. Carrier & Son. A single band sawmill was built on the south side of Sardis, a town on the Illinois Central mainline. This mill opened in September 1901, and had a capacity of 60,000 feet of lumber per day. The plant also had the standard auxiliary equipment- a planing mill, dry kiln, and electric light plant. Later a hardwood flooring factory, veneer mill, and box factory were added. As the timber was located in the flat bottoms several miles west of Sardis, a railroad was necessary to bring the logs to the sawmill. The Sardis & Delta Railroad was incorporated on December 13, 1900, and built westward to the timber holdings in 1901-2. The railroad’s capital stock of $100,000 was issued to the parent lumber company in payment for the property. The standard gauge railroad was built westward through rolling hills as economically as possible to reach the edge of the company timber holdings in the flat delta. With a minimum of grading, the line was curvy and hilly. Grades on this section were up to 2 per cent. The railroad was laid with new 60-pound rail. Ballast was minimal- dirt with a few stretches of cinder ballast. A logging camp was built at Baptist, in the hills on the edge of the delta, to avoid the mosquitoes prevalent in the swampy areas in the delta. The lumber company was officially incorporated as C. M. Carrier & Co. in early February 1903. A year later R. M. Carrier, J. A. Reichman, and W. B. Burke bought the interest of C. M. Carrier. In 1905 R. M. Carrier bought out his associates, and the name of the company was changed to Carrier Lumber & Manufacturing Co. R. M. Carrier served as president; A. P. Steele, secretary, and T. B. McCormick, general manager.  By 1908, the railroad equipment of the Sardis & Delta consisted of 3 locomotives, 60 log cars, 1 coach, and 3 flat cars. The railroad extended 28 miles to a point known as Red Gum. Two short branches extended from Red Oak to Dye and from Burke Jct. to Eckles, each being about two and a half miles long. Logging spurs were built from connections with the Sardis & Delta into company timber holdings. The lumber company used oxen, horses, and mules in logging operations, along with two Lidgerwood combination skidder-loaders. The company was cutting cypress, oak, ash, gum, and hickory. In 1913, the company purchased a 3-drum skidder from Clyde Iron Works. A McGiffert loader was bought from the same firm in 1920. By 1917, the mill capacity had been increased to 75,000 feet per day, and a large logging camp was built at Lake Carrier, 21 miles from Sardis.     Starting January 2017, a talent show (similar to the X-Factor) starts at the Freedom Park, Lagos, Nigeria, culminating in June 2017 where final winners will be selected.
Participants will have the opportunity to showcase their African creativity:
Gate is N200 per person. Sponsors and advertisers are welcome. For more info contact Mr. Bola Browne, producer. Raymond@brownehillradio.com. The inaugural show will take place on Tuesday, January 31, 2017, from 5pm – 8pm. ABOUT: Africa Boku Talent (ABT) is an NGO founded in 2014 in Los Angeles, California USA with a mission to showcase and support African creativity in music/dance, film/stage, fashion/style and more. www.abtinc.org Freedom Park Lagos, born out of the ruins of Her Majesty’s Broad Street Prisons, was reconstructed to preserve the history and cultural heritage of the Nigerian People. Freedom Park Lagos is a National Memorial, a Historical landmark, a Cultural site & an Arts and Recreation center. www.freedomparklagos.com FREEDOM PARK LAGOS is located at Old Prison Ground Broad Street, Lagos Island. Nigeria Tel: +2348095006567. Producer: Mr. Raymond Bola Brown Raymond@brownehillradio.com Associate Producers: Sadiq Ayuba and Seyi Obagun Executive Producer: Dr. Peter Deji Osilaja Founder/CEO, Africa Boku Talent Executive Producer: Mr. Theo Lawson, Founder/CEO, Freedom Park  A brand new Home video from from the stables of High-waves Video Mart Now Available in Video markets around you....
"A pair of shorts to change our world" Support this initiative by Pop.Beach.Club.. Donate NOW!!!1/11/2017  PoPbeachclub is seeking to raise funds to meet the minimum order requirements (10,000m) to buy certified recycled polyester to be used in the production of board shorts       Talented saxophonist Daniel Chia is one of Singapore's fastest rising young talents in the contemporary jazz scene today. Although classically trained in the music of Bach, Mozart, Chopin and Bartok, Chia's work is also deeply influenced by the work of jazz legends like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk, alongside the R&B and soul music of the 70s' and 80s'. The burgeoning musician has been impressing in America recently where he was invited to session for famed guitarist Zoux, and also played live with smooth jazz luminary guitarist Peter White and Grammy-nominated vocal group DW3. But he's no stranger in his hometown either, having cut his teeth with hip-hop group SIXX, pop and R&B stars like Sezairi and Gareth Fernandez, and many others within the English and Mandarin adult contemporary music landscape. Furthermore, Chia is also Singapore's youngest saxophone artist signed to Yamaha, and a Silverstein's first pro artist signing from Singapore. Now ready to go solo, Chia has just recently finished recording his debut album In The Moment in Los Angeles under the guidance of two-time Grammy award winning producer Paul Brown. Featuring his special brand of "disco jazz", the forthcoming record has already got insiders buzzing thanks to his smooth compositions and an all-star band of internationally recognized musicians. Recently, Chia took to Kickstarter on 17 November to get his record off the ground, hoping to reach a stated S$10,000 goal. Now barely a week into his campaign, the smooth jazz prodigy has already amassed well over his aim, earning S$13,231 as of this publication. And with four days left to go, fans can still continue to pledge to help him out even further. As you can see, support for Chia from the music scene is pretty healthy at the moment, and with very good reason. Check out a preview of In The Moment below to find out more.     MEET THE HIGHLY TALENTED LADIES WHO WILL BE ON THE INDIE ARTIST'S JUKEBOX TUESDAY 20 DEC 201612/20/2016  Zanderland Asante . . . CEO/Founder Zanderland (Zan) Asante is the founder and CEO of Poet in Flight Studio, Poems in Bloom Academy, Creative Seasons Music Publishing, BMI, and UP Ministry. She has served as a communication professor at Morgan State University and Howard University; talk show producer at WBAL radio (Baltimore) and WBZ radio (Boston); and development director & announcer at WEAA radio (MSU). With a love for music, she is a voting member of the Recording Academy (Grammy Awards) and a member of BMI (Performance Rights Organization). Zan holds a B.S. in Communication Studies from Morgan State University and a Master’s in Public Relations from Boston University. She has been a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. for nearly 30 years. The Poet . . . Zan’s writing style is comforting, inspiring, and healing and many describe her voice as velvet that soothes the soul. Her poetic melodies are gracefully being shared throughout the world. As a spoken word with music artist, she did not wait for record labels, rather decided to start her own music label and publishing company to market her unique gift. Her latest CD “Poems in Bloom” is a fresh collaboration of poetry, music, Psalms, and other Scriptures to inspire, refresh, and heal. It is a reflection of her healing journey through faith, strength, and courage. “Poems in Bloom” was included on the first round ballot of the 59th Grammy Awards and received positive acknowledgement from Grammy Award winning musicians. Family . . . As a wife and mother, Zan says family is precious! She has been married to Minister Tony for 23 years and they have two beautiful children (Kofi, 22 and Zanbria, 20). The Minister . . . Zan is a prophetess, intercessor and pre-marital small group leader. She and her husband teach classes and mentor couples. “We are thankful & trusting in The Lord Jesus Christ.” The Athlete . . . A 4 time All-American athlete, Zan ran track for more than 10 years. Excelling in the 100, 200, 400 meters, 4x100 & 4x400 relays she competed in high school (Fowler in Syracuse, NY) and college (Morgan State Uni.). Testimony . . . In Her Own Words “At the age of 8, life changed for me as my lens went from colorful rays of childhood happiness to a view that struggled to find the sun and rainbow. My father died of a massive heart attack at the age of 44 and less than one year later my mother was murdered (a victim of gun violence). “I am always thankful for the love and embrace from my big brother, grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and mentors. Although I continued to move through my journey with those who loved me, I still did not have the skills needed to process these tragedies and realized later in life that the grieving journey is manifested in several stages. In retrospect, I experienced all of them, including shock (denial), anger, depression (loneliness), restoration, and acceptance & hope. Running served as therapy for me. It represented both physical and spiritual hope and healing. Physically, the exercise helped to boost my mood and often relieved grief. Spiritually, I embraced God’s Word, ‘run with endurance the race set before you.’ God has truly blessed me and I thank Him for His Son Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of my Faith.” "My message . . . Don't give up! Stay in the race"  Tawana Lael is considered a triple threat in the entertainment industry and she is quickly claiming her place on the world's entertainment radar. Her song, "Plan B" from her debut album 'Journey To Love" was recognized as one of the top songs in Billboard's 17th Annual World Song Contest.  Kristinia DeBarge knew she wanted to be a singer at the age of three. She grew up listening to strong female vocalists like Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, and Alicia Keys. She credits DeBarge, Mariah Carey, Prince and Aaliyah as her musical inspiration. As a young girl, DeBarge had big dreams of being a singer but kept it from her father until he took her into a recording studio at age twelve. They worked until 4 A.M. recording a duet, which made him realize she was serious about beginning a singing career. At thirteen, she appeared on American Juniors, a younger version of the wildly successful American Idol. She made it to the Top 20. At fourteen, she met Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and spent the next four years developing her voice and writing skills. At nineteen, DeBarge signed a record deal with Sodapop/Island Def Jam.
Her debut album, "Exposed" was released on July 28, 2009. The album debuted at number 23 on Billboard's top 200. Her first single, "Goodbye" debuted at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and later reached number 15 on the charts. And in Canada, it reached number 15 on the Canadian Hot 100. The single sold over 2 million copies reaching Platinum status and later reaching Gold twice. The music video received an MTV VMA nomination. DeBarge's second single, "Sabotage," was sent to radio a week before the release of "Exposed." The remix of "Future Love" (featuring Pitbull) was released as the third single. This remixed version was released on November 2, 2009 in the UK and November 10, 2009 in the US. "Exposed" received positive reviews from major critical websites, such as Blues & Soul, People Magazine, and AllMusic. DeBarge opened up for pop singer Britney Spears, during the 2009 world tour, "The Circus Starring: Britney Spears" and received an NAACP Image Award nomination for "Outstanding Artist." In November 2009, The Wet Seal, Inc., a leading specialty retailer to young women, announced a partnership with her. She independently released a single entitled "Cry Wolf." The music video was featured on VEVO. She was also featured on Redrama's single, "Let Go," which reached number 3 on the charts. DeBarge made her acting debut in Christmas in Compton (2012), starring Keith David,Omar Gooding,Eric Roberts and Sheryl Lee Ralph. DeBarge played the female lead (Anastasia) in a film written and directed by Nick Cannon entitled School Dance (2014). DeBarge was cast as the female lead (Melody) in The Mint (2015). In early 2016, DeBarge starred in Growing up Hip Hop, a reality TV series on the WE network, with Boogie Dash, Egypt Criss, TJ Mizell, Angela Simmons and Romeo Miller; and its second season is currently airing. Kristinia is currently collaborating with some of the industry's top producers and songwriters in anticipation of releasing her third studio album.  Sharon McConnell-Dickerson is an artist, lecturer, teacher, and speaker. Her work is featured in numerous exhibitions and included in museum, university, and private art collections. Originally from New England, she worked as a flight attendant and chef on corporate jets. In addition to heads of major corporations, she flew with such notables as George and Barbara Bush, Donald and Ivana Trump, Al Haig, Henry Kissinger, and others. After working in the corporate world for seven years, a turn in her life took place at the age of twentyseven. She woke up in Chicago blind. She was eventually diagnosed with Uveitis, a degenerative eye disease. After several years of surgeries and treatments she became involved with sculpture. "Sculpture is the vehicle by which I access a lost sense," she says. She moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1996 to study all aspects of art. Taking a traditional approach, she learned from teachers and mentors including Arlene Siegel, Robert Refvem, Sam Scott, Dean Ericson, Ulrich Franzen, and Agnes Martin. She also went to Paris, France. There with the assistance of the curators and education directors of the museums and galleries did intense hands on sculpture and art studies in premier galleries and museums. After only ten months of study, she had produced a body of work consisting of eight bronze sculptures. Her earliest influence was Native American Blind Sculptor Michael Naranjo who showed her what was possible and rewarded her with her first solo exhibition at the Moxley, Ross, Naranjo Gallery. Her first life-sized work is reminiscent of French figurative sculptor Maillol. Her life-cast work is in the same tradition and methods of master life caster George Segal. It is for her life-masks of legendary blues musicians that McConnell-Dickerson is best known. "I wanted to discover the faces behind the music I love, so I went to Mississippi to map out the visages of the real Delta Blues men and women." Her project took root and found a strong direction of its own, leading her to create masks of fifty-two musicians. This body of work has been exhibited in the New Mexico State Capitol Rotunda, the Albuquerque Museum, Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation in Chicago, Blind Faith Gallery in Clarksdale, Mississippi, The Blues Music Awards in Memphis; the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis; the Mississippi Arts Center in Jackson, Mississippi; the Tunica Museum in Tunica, Mississippi; Blues Passions Festival in Cognac, France, and at the Galerie le Clos d’Epicure in Cahors, France. It is currently touring with Exhibits USA-Mid-America Arts Alliance. Another edition of 40 masks are also touring the U.S. She donated the original life-casts to the Delta State University Archives. Now almost totally blind, Sharon is seeking venues to exhibit her works, conducting lifecasting workshops, lectures, and demonstrations, and travelling. She is also painting large scale minimalist works in oil on linen. Sharon insists that all of her exhibits (with the exception of the originals) be fully accessible to people with disabilities, and are please touch exhibits. Sharon moved to Mississippi in 2006, where she met her husband David. They, along with her guide-dog Avatar are residents of Como, Mississippi. For more information aon her works go to http://mcconnelldickersonart.com/..   |
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