UPDATES

Crazy Week But....


I had to stop by and give you some 'Addy Styleee' updates






INAUGURATION RUNS


It was interesting as I said but not without some quirkiness. First of all, who said the leaders are inaccessible (sarcasm). Practically all the beggars moved to Abuja just to see Yardie (more sarcasm). Or could it be that the Northerners just couldn't wait to get back into power (below the belt sarcasm). Oh don't chastise me! You lot know that's what you are thinking, I just have a big mouth enough to say it out. Well I am probably on the optimistic side of things and hoping Yardie and Goodie will not be like their predecessors and play on tribe, religion and be corrupt. Anyways I really just wanted to write about my experience trying to get past the sea of beggars to get into the island of wealth that was packed inside the banquet for the Inauguration. After all we are all aspiring. First of all the invitation and protocol passes did not account for anything because somehow random people had gained access into the banquet hall for this 'exclusive' shindig. Serious security breach to say the least. Presidents of countries (Algeria and VP of Egypt I think) were locked out while several 'non-exclusive crowd' individuals had seats. Not that I am in the 'other' crowd but me and and little my mid-level crowd crew could not find seats so we opted to leave and have an early start to the house party. How about it took us 30 minutes just to be allowed out of the building. We and the Canadian high commissioner went from one room to the other including the kitchen to find an exit but each was either jammed with people trying to get in or locked. Did I hear someone say FIRE HAZARD. Not just that. My mind went very far and I got very scared. I mean with the way the Niger Delta Militants operate, bombing peoples homes and s***. In my mind, I kept on thinking OMG this is some serious prime target here and Addy can't even get out to safety. Oh well we eventually left when the High commission started getting prickly with the security personel. Everybody else left eventually because it was probably boring. Let's just hope the disorganization is not a reflection of what's to come. I mean seriously Yardie... Abuja ain't Kansas...I mean Katsina. You have to step your game up dawg. You can keep it real with the common folk. You know....shake a few beggars now and then, toss them a few change here and there but that's really as real as you can keep it. Especially in the 'dirty south' cos there's some hommies that ain't pleased you got 'ASO ROCK ON LOCK'.. (Whoa!! that's some tight rhyme courtesy of 'queen slim mack of the underground'...my rapper alter ego. By the way the dress was made by one of my tailors. I knocked the style off one of my 'vintage' purchases in NC. Meanwhile I am still looking for more tailors. Know any good ones? I am trying to re-invent 'Addy's Closet' so I don't burn my purse... I still have grad school tuition to save for.)




MORE BOOKS CONQUERED


So I am done with both of Jude Dibia's books (Walking with Shadows and Unbridled). Great reads. It took me two sittings to finish the first and teh second I was done with in under 8 hours. Unbridled was tight. Captivating and engrossing. The drama was just deeeeeep all the way to the end. It was just a little bit predictable but it's the journey to the end that kept me gropping for more. I guess I am putting my 'ameboness' to good use by getting my does of gossip in books and not 'blogs' (lol) or peoples drama filled lives. Not that I did in the first place really... but every now and then I did dip and dabble. But I have to admit, and this without bias, that my best read for the week has to be Ken Wiwa's tribute to his father titled In the Shadow of A Saint.




For someone who prides herslef in being a supporter of the Ogoni struggle and Ken Saro-Wiwa, you'ld expect that I should have been standing in line when this book first came out. I know. I am ashamed to even say I am just reading the book now. I'd been meaning to buy the book for a while (almost borrowed Kulutempa's copy way back in NC) but my cheap ass was waiting for a free autographed copy from the author which never came. I guess Kulutempa's message delivery system FAILED. I have to confess to my cheapness because the week before I met the writer, I had actually picked up the book and walked to the counter to pay, but was like 'awww hell no. why should I pay when I can get a free copy' (wide grin...out come the jackie o. sunglasses). Anyways I finally got my free signed copy and I have to say that I could not put the book down until I got to the very last page. DEEP and STIRRING. You just have to get a copy. (And with that I am expecting a check from the royalty revenue for June...lol... just kidding) Now I am off to read Tanure Ojaide's latest book titled The Activist.



Yeap... he's of the 'North Carolinian-Nigerian' stock. There are some mixed reviews online but I am on the second chapter and I already like the writing style. The main character, the so called 'activist' doesn't even have a name yet .. JUST PLAIN BRILLIANT!!!













Meanwhile our girl Chimamanda Adichie keeps showing she's a force to reckon with in the literary world. According to This Article on BBC.com, she is tipped to win the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction for her book Half of A Yellow Sun. THAT'S RAD GURL!!! Many of us here are huge Adichie fans and I am sure we are all rooting for her to win (by the time you read this the winner may have been announced). And in the words of ICY 'RAWK ON!!' (UPDATE: SHE WON THE PRIZE)

ESCAPE


On Thursday I found myself in a robbery panic situation near the Lekki Phase 1 roundabout that was too close for comfort. Ain't Lekki supposed to be the safe haven for the rich and privileged. Well looks like the ill elements of the mainland are leaving it to the pot holes alone to encroach the plush existence. It was just about 8.30pm. There was some unusual traffic along the Lekki Epe express way going towards VI. The opposite lane was dead and by now curious drivers had already started coming out of their cars to find out wassup. I locked my doors and continued jamming my music while keenly observing movement around me. I have heard of the random traffic jam robberies but never thought I would ever be so close to one. After a while I just saw people running towards me in panic. Omo!!! Reflex came into operation. I took my phone, my bag, turned off the engine and got out of the car in less than 5 seconds. I locked the car and abandoned it in the middle of the road as everybody else did and just followed the crowd into the bush. In my head I was thinking, I hope 'Blu Cantrel' doesn't get broken into or jacked because I would really hate to be walking or jumping okada in this Lagos especially in the rainy season. I ran as far away as I could because the gun shots could be heard from a distance. After a little over to 20 minutes, the cars seemed to start moving. I found my way back and got in but instead of driving straight through, I branched off on to the Lagoon School road in a bid to find an alternative route home. WHO THE HELL IS THE IDIOT WHO PLANNED LEKKI? WHAT A MORON!!(surprise, surprise... but aren't they all morons) It took me another 30 minutes to find a route to get home, eventually using a road that was not too far from the highways. It really made no difference because by now the vigilante boys in their reflector vests had come out with their guns and machetes. Still no police or operation sweep or whatever in sight. YET I SEE THEM EVERYDAY WEAVING THROUGH TRAFFIC WITH SIRENS BLARRING. BLOODY BAGGARS!!! I guess we are truly at the mercy of kind robbers now, whom we either have to TOAST so that they don't rob us (true story...happend to my friend). IMAGINE. Yardie and Fash (Gov. Tunde Fashola of Lagos) have their work cut out for them and right about now I'ld hat to be them because they'll get the blame even if it isn't their fault. Goodluck boys!!





IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK




Nigeria made history this week by electing the first woman speaker to the House of Representatives in the person of Patricia Olubunmi Etteh. (This is the position that had been speculated to have been reserved for Iyabo Obasanjo, the former first daughter)





And NEPA bosses are getting a Serious Warning from President Yar'adua. ENOUGH WITH THE EXCUSES PALS...Come up with a plan or 'get the phuck out' (not his exact word but you can infer that). And all the hommies say 'JUS GIMME THE LIGHT'





And that's all for now. I guess I must admit my rapper ego was the guest blogger today. If I can spare a moment this weekend, I'll be back with my '6 MONTHS IN LAGOS REVIEW'. Later peeps.







BY THE WAY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY DESMINA!!! I didn't forget, just kept forgetting to send an email when I log on and the battery in my old sprint cell phone is dead and I don't have a charger. So send me an email with your phone number.Love ya.