Good Hair

Sometimes you watch something that compels you to keep on watching.....it’s often a strange You Tube video like the one of the little person miming to Rihanna's Only Girl - I'm not sure if car crash TV is the right expression but essentially you find yourself mesmerised, glued to the images even though every fibre in your body tells you there is something so wrong going on and that your time would be better spent reading a book or rewriting that CV.

Chris Rock's documentary 'Good Hair' however, compels you in a more positive way; it should be a must for every black person and for every person who has a child with afro hair. The comedian's depiction of the black hair industry as documented in this film left me at a loss for words. I get the hair thing of course; I grew up with a clear idea of what was considered 'good hair' and 'bad hair'. Like most little girls, regardless of colour, I dreamt of having long flowing hair à la Rapunzel. I also had my hair relaxed in my teens as a special treat after pestering my mum for years on end. Therefore I get the issues relating to black hair; however I had no concept of the complexities of the black hair industry. For instance, I know about weaves but never imagined for a second that women spent that much money on them or that they came from hindu temples in India. Chris Rock opened my eyes to a world that I was relieved to note, I no longer inhabit.

He interviewed a lot of black celebrities from Rev. Al Sharpton and his permed hair to Maya Angelou who confessed to relaxing her hair for the first time at the age of 70. It was quite refreshing to see Stars like Nia Long, Salt n Pepa and Meagan Good being honest about their weaves and opening up about the all important but rather delicate subject of black women and their hair. In a superficial world where the thin, long haired, beautiful Hollywood Stars all like to pretend that they look as good as they do with little or no effort, it was nice to see Raven Symone demonstrate that she was wearing a weave (which she loves) by giving it a playful tug. Likewise it was brave of Nia Long to admit that getting her hair wet whether in a pool or the shower was a no-no.

I doubt Good Hair will change people's habits but it may make them think a little bit more about what they do especially where children are concerned. Although I largely believe that the hairstyles people choose do not necessarily reflect who they are, I do think knowing the composition of what you put on your two year child's head should play some part in your quest for her to have manageable hair.

Whilst hair can be fun and playful and about changing your appearance, it can also have some pretty serious health consequences. Good Hair is an eye opener of a documentary that had me strangely captivated.
Good Hair

Fela! the Musical – It's all about the exclamation marks!!!!

Energetic! Superb! Phenomenal! I could go on using laudable words and exclamation marks to describe this brilliantly directed and choreographed musical about a Nigerian musical icon.


I heard about Fela! earlier this year, even though the musical started off Broadway in 2008 and made its debut on Broadway with the backing of entertainment heavyweights Jay Z, Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith in November 2009. A year later it has come to London and everyone seems to want a piece of Fela!

The show started with Rolan Bell as Fela, the small in stature, giant of a man engaging the audience and asking us all to say ‘Yeah Yeah!’ It was clear from the beginning that this was not going to be a ‘sit in your seat and observe passively’ kind of show. At one point the audience was asked to stand up and follow Fela and his beautiful and incredibly agile dancers as they did the ‘clock’ dance which involved the Queens (his female dancers who he later ‘married’ simultaneously) showing us how to use our behinds much to our's and his amusement.

Most of the scenes take place at the Shrine, Fela’s club where there is everything in abundance, music, dancing, weed or ibo smoking and beautiful women. The Director, Bill T Jones does a superb job of giving us a glimpse into the life of a man who became notoriously political, denouncing the corruption not only of Nigerian politicians, including military leaders Generals Obsanjo and Buhari but also of the international community, companies like Shell that plundered the wealth of the Nigerian people and propped up oppressive regimes. The influence of his mother who died tragically of injuries sustained at the hands of Obasanjo’s soldiers who raided Fela’s compound is evident throughout this powerful musical.

Rolan Bell who is currently understudy to Sahr Nguajah (who I believe in ‘on loan’ from the Broadway Production) was a pleasant surprise, having appeared in Eastenders as the perhaps forgettable love interest of the character Chelsea, Theo, he was at his best as Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. What an incredible British talent! He played the saxophone convincingly, sang amazingly well in between rather long and complex delivery of his lines which were sometimes in Pidgin-English. He was able to improvise effortlessly with the audience taking his cue from the braver theatre-goers who did everything from confess to having spent time in jail to request a drag from his spliff (weed). He even did a good job on the Yoruba and Pidgin pronunciation, apparently even better than Ngaujah according to a Nigerian friend who ‘ought’ to know. If I had a criticism it would be length of the scene ‘Dance of the Orisas’ and the fact they chose a Soprano for the part of Fela’s mum. It didn’t sit well in my humble opinion with the rest of the very Afrobeat tunes but of course that did not take away from the fact that Melanie Marshall who played Funmilayo Kuti is an incredible talent.

It was extremely refreshing to see so much British and International talent, although a good portion of the cast were British, there was also representation from Cape-Verde, Ghana, Guinea, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Kenya, the USA, Jamaica and of course Nigeria. The dancers were AMAZING in a word! They moved so effortlessly with incredible precision. My favourite choreography was to the track ‘Zombie’ – it blew me away completely and had the entire theatre giving them a standing ovation. My favourite musical interpretation was definitely ‘Kere Kay’ – overall the show was Superb and without a doubt a Must See!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjxMQqGlB94

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

I started reading this book and felt like I could carry on until the last page and even then I would have wanted more. The writing is superb, simply put it’s beautiful. No need for head scratching or reaching for dictionary just a plain yet meaningful use of the English language. Tóibín superbly conveys the main character, Eilis Lacey’s sentiments and the reader is able to experience everything she does, from the close family ties that she leaves behind in Ireland, to the newness of her experiences in Brooklyn, to the colourful characters she meets and their hopes and aspirations and perhaps the most poignant of all, the beautiful depiction of her feelings of loneliness and powerlessness at being so far from home.
Brooklyn gripped me from the start and I devoured every page of it. I was so drawn into the book that I found my heart beating faster as we reached a critical point in Eilis’ life where she’s faced with a difficult decision. At this point I had already formed my allegiances and I became irritated and even angry at her actions but I guess that is a testament to Tóibín’s talent.

To say the book is an easy read would be missing the point even if it is that….it is also so much more. Simply put, Brooklyn is a beautiful book that will make you want to go on an adventure, discover new things but most of all cherish home and family, these elements that we sometimes underestimate yet that often hold the key to our happiness.

Brooklyn: A Novel

Happy Birthday to me...la la la la la la.

Birthdays are special, regardless of how old you are. The day you, the wonderful human being that you are today should be celebrated!
I've always been big on birthdays, I plan and inform friends and family so that there are no excuses for forgetting to wish me a happy birthday or not attending whatever event I organise. Call me shameless but why keep schtum if it's going to mean having to spend the most important day of the year angry with everyone for having either forgotten your birthday or made plans that clash with your big night out!

Besides what's the big idea of not wanting to celebrate because you're getting older, as though sitting at home and sulking will stop time. Whether you like it or not, you will turn 30 and then 40 and so on, so why not cram as much fun and living into those years as possible so that you don't end up regretting them?

My recipe for a good birthday includes atleast 3 days of activities, one with the family, one with friends and one with just yourself. If there's someone special in your life this could extend to 4 days or you could simply allocate a night for your better half. You should spend some of the time being thankful for your life, what you've achieved and those who love you but also reflecting on what you want to do with the future that lies ahead of you.
When it comes to presents - don't ask for vouchers or money, let people who know you choose something that's personal. I always enjoy getting presents that I would not ordinarily choose for myself but nonetheless reflect me and my personality. There are times that loved ones will miss the mark and get you something that you may not like but I still think its important to look at each gift for what it is - an expression of someone's appreciation of You. So what if the earrings are a bit bigger than you would like, keep them in your jewellery box and you may end up wearing them when the 80s make a second comeback.

Celebrating your birthday is like taking part in life - sometimes we seem to sit on the fence, refusing to subscribe to this festival or that trend, but what are we really gaining? So what if you're above Valentine's day - how often does someone offer you a bunch of flowers throughout the year? And yes Christmas has become commercialised and turkey isn't the nicest of meats - but when was the last time you and your entire family spent the day together? In a similar vein birthdays are about participating - take part in the celebration of you. If you're not happy with your age, just don't tell anyone but let your hair down, eat good food and pamper yourself, simply because it's a day that is all about You!

Stop that snooping now!

I know it seems like a contradiction to say that people shouldn't snoop on each other's Facebook as that is after all the raison d'etre of social networking sites - legitimized 'curtain twitching'. For this reason, I would suggest that everyone carefully vet who they add to, and what information they divulge on their Facebook. My gripe however is with those 'friends' who are proud to say that they never include any information on their Facebook or update it, the ones who are opposed to including pictures of themselves and their families but are quite happy to view my pictures and visit my page every day. That strikes me as a bit of a one-sided relationship where you, my 'friend' get to take and give nothing in return so I've decided to make it my goal to pull the plug on you.
It's like this....either you're interested in Facebook or you're not, if you're not...I would respect you for simply not opening an account. If you do however decide to open an account then you should populate it, granted not everyone has time on their hands or anything worth posting about to update their wall or profile or status everyday or every week for that matter but when the last activity on your wall was you becoming friends with someone 3 months ago then that tells me it's time for you and I to part company...atleast in cyberspace.

I know for a fact that some people take pleasure in observing the lives of others, passing judgement and boasting that they give nothing in return which is why I want you to forget the numbers game, it's about quality not quantity people. I think everyone should periodically delete inactive Facebook friends. It's extremely therapeutic - honestly, you should try it.
I'm sure like me you hate the thought of someone who hasn't dropped you line in a year or more since they asked to be added as your 'friend' ...and yet still have access to your family photos and details of things you find interesting. On a personal note, I consider Facebook a useful tool for keeping in touch with family and friends all over the globe, and in some cases keeping in touch with people I admire or find interesting... it's less about getting in touch with the old schoolmates or random friends of friends who for the most part I will have little or nothing in common with, but more a way of allowing my friends who I once saw regularly but no longer see because either I or they have moved to another country, access to photos of my children, so they get to see them grow and to hear about my new life wherever that may be.
The 'takers' as I've decided to call snoopy passive facebook friends defeat the purpose of social networking sites. My question is if you're too busy or too private to update your status, or add a personal photo or post articles or things of interest, then what on earth are you doing on Facebook? Television is a far better medium for you as it requires a passive audience....shows like 'Gossip Girl' or the Hills work best as their format is like watching a CCTV recording of someone's life. I would advise you stay away from the likes of X factor or Strictly Come Dancing ('Dancing with the stars' in the USA) as they too may require some audience participation.
But for crying out loud, do stop accumulating friends who you have no intention of interacting with.

En Vogue in Concert

As we stood waiting for Maxine, Terri, Dawn and Cindy to come on stage, I was baffled by the presence of a number of men in groups waiting excitedly to watch En Vogue in concert at the Indigo2 in London. I assumed it was going to be a Galfest....a ladies night where we would get to sing along to all the oldies but goodies. Then I had a flashback to the 'Giving him something he can feel' video and it became crystal clear that these men were here to witness their fantasies on stage, albeit 18 years since they last performed in the UK.
True to form, they did not disappoint, the four members of En Vogue appeared on stage to screams and cheers. They looked amazing dressed in black and silver and sang their hearts out from the moment they came out until they gave their final thank you's and left the stage. There were no antics, no costume changes, no special effects... just good ole fashioned entertainment. It was easy to forget that three of them are in their late 40s; their bodies are still incredible and they moved the way they did 20 years ago. They did a medley of motown songs paying tribute to the likes of Tina Turner and Diana Ross and the Supremes and ended with the infamous choreography of 'Giving him Something he can feel', at which point most of the men who had pushed in front of us by this time were now pressed against the barrier near the stage, gawking at the four sexy, sultry women like pubescent boys.

We sang along to hits like 'Hold On' , You're Never Gonna Get it', 'Free your mind' and 'Don't let go'. Dawn Robinson who was also in the group Lucy Pearl treated us to an all female version of 'Dont mess with my man' which had us all gesticulating and doing a diva-esque head roll. It was a blast of a night and reminded us of what real entertainment is - we were there to see these four women, to hear their incredible vocal ranges and witness their energy and their personalities. Each of them have their own individual style and unique singing voice and we were left in awe. If they look this good as they approach their 50s, my guess we haven't seen or heard the last of En Vogue yet. Bring on the new album and hopefully many more exciting concerts.
Very Best of En Vogue

Say you're one of them

 
This is not the Africa I know....Akpan depicts an Africa of victims and oppressors...there is no in-between...children are left to fend for themselves and of course the Western world has lapped this up as it no doubt reinforces their one-dimensional view of Africa.
I have lived and travelled all over Africa - and been to all but one of the countries depicted in this book and what I take away time and again are stories of hope and ambition. Many years ago, I worked in Kenya with someone who lived in the Kibera slums, but to look at this well turned out young man with dreams bigger than mine, you would have no idea of his living conditions or that he was surviving on one basic meal a day and supporting a family of 8. Likewise I have heard many stories of national solidarity in Rwanda during and following the 1994 genocide. People who live in poverty in Africa in my experience have dreams and aspirations as big as anyone else's.

The story that carries the book's title and deals with the Rwandan genocide is over simplistic at best....the round dark faced Hutu versus the light Tutsi with fine features....the evil Hutu genocidaires, the apathetic UN soldiers and ofcourse the vengeful Tutsi RPF soldiers - again we find ourselves in a setting where African children have nowhere to turn, no one to save them.

Say you're one of them' depicts an Africa of victims, one where Africans cannot rescue one another because they are all either evil or poor and helpless. I suppose this presumes that we are a continent waiting to be rescued by the benevolent Western world. While I do not question Akpan's ability to write, I do find it sad that so many reviews have suggested that his stories are in some ways the 'true' Africa and I find it even sadder that Akpan himself sees no hope in his continent or his own people. Had this been a story of one country and one perspective it would be forgiving but to put it forward as in some ways depictive of Africa as a continent and African children's life is a shocking indictment of the continent and in my humble opinion one that is wholly inaccurate.
The following is a review from Amazon.com:
"This book [sic] is really opened my eyes to how children in Africa live and suffer. You always hear about how things are bad there generally, but this author really brings the point home. And that is why I could not finish the book - I felt like it's not really fiction, some variation of the short stories is happening right now to many African children."
How very sad ......as if the BBC and CNN have not done a brilliant enough job of depicting an Africa of wars, corruption, famine and suffering with not much else - here we have an African writer cementing their already skewed views of the continent - is it any wonder we're still dismissed as a basket case?

Say You're One of Them (Oprah's Book Club)