Faces of OAU at EMUfest

Fourth year Law student Victoria Ojo 

The crowd mobs Beautiful Nubia

Yinka Davies and fans

Yinka Davies with OAU Director of Socials Wale and friends

Nubia in a group photo with OAU students

Dancing time

Victoria Ojo and Yemisi Akingbola

Ijo Soul time

Seven lives that's what I've got I'm an African boy

Students from the English department

Post grad student Tokunbo Dada and alumnus Femi Morgan

Sador and friend

Professor Webster

We saw Beautiful Nubia live, yeah!

Images from EMUfest at OAU, Ile Ife

Beautiful Nubia in concert 

Beautiful Nubia wows the Ife crowd

Jimi Solanke

Beautiful Nubia plays the drums

Orlando Julius Ekemode

Yinka Davies

Davies and Julius performing the 70s hit track Ijo Soul

Lone wolf

Rottweiler puppy howling like a wolf.

Sunset

Shot this image of the sun setting over Ikeja.

Traffic

A scene like this is typical of Lagos during evening rush hour. This is a shot of the Michael Otedola Estate interchange along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Three Elders: Lagos White Cap Chiefs

This statue of three Lagos white cap chiefs is one of the most famous monuments in Lagos. They reside on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where they welcome travelers into the city. I had a post two years ago that talks about the legend.

The sculpture was created by Olugodun Shodeinde in 1991 and it was commissioned by the government of Raji Rasaki. The statues that represent Idejo chiefs in traditional greeting mode are about 12 feet tall.

This sculpture was part of those made by world famous painter Kehinde Wiley in his The World Stage: Africa Lagos-Dakar collection.

Beautiful Nubia in concert III

Revelers dancing to Beautiful Nubia's music at a concert in Ikeja, Lagos in May. His concerts are always full of vigour. It can be a family's day out. And I hope many people get to attend the EMUfest this weekend.

Beautiful Nubia in concert II

Beautiful Nubia (right) and poet Edaoto in one of those moments when the music just takes you over. It is an amazing sight to behold, one where there's no restraint.

Beautiful Nubia in concert

Here's Beautiful Nubia performing one of his fan favourite tracks Seven Lifes with a calabash gourd rattle. I look forward to the EMUfest to hear his insightful lyrics again.

EMUfest: Festival of folk music

Folk singer and recording artiste Beautiful Nubia (seated) will be headlining the premier edition of the EniObanke Music Festival next weekend in Ile Ife and Osogbo, both culturally important cities in the South West of Nigeria. The festival holds at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife (by the way its my alma mater) and at the Delightsome Hotel Resort in Osogbo on November 27/28.

Other artistes billed for the festival are Afrobeat innovator Orlando Julius Ekemode and folklorist Jimi Solanke as well as diva Yinka Davies.

Beautiful Nubia (a.k.a Segun Akinlolu), someone I deeply respect, is a leading light in the cultural renaissance movement in Nigeria. A poet, song writer and band leader whose hit album Jangbalajugbu served as soundtrack during my final year at university six years ago.

In the next few days I will post images of him from a concert I attended in May.

West Africa's Tallest Xmas Tree

For several years, the Coca Cola brand has sponsored the erection of this Xmas Tree which is billed as the tallest in West Africa. When completed after about three/four weeks of construction work, it'll stand at 32.5 metres tall. Massive!

It is in front of the National Theatre. I will post another shot of it when it is finally completed.

A History of the Yoruba People

One of the other books that caught my fancy at the fair is this one. Definitely voluminous and rich in the history of my people, I will acquire it soon.

The image on the cover is a bronze statue of the Ooni of Ile Ife, the ancestral home of the Yorubas. The Ile Ife people were adept at bronze casting since 700 AD. Most of the works depicting royalty are now held in European museums after they were plundered during colonialism.

The Abyssinian Boy

On sale at the Lagos Book Festival, The Abyssinian Boy by award winning writer Onyeka Nwelue is one of the books I'd like to read. Even though I have a feeling I don't like the author because of some things I have heard, I will give it a shot one of these days as soon as I've cleared up the backlog on my reading list.

Lagos Book Festival

The Lagos Book and Arts Festival (LABAF) was held last weekend at the National Theatre. I was there on the second day where I shot this image of my friend buying a book.

The LABAF is in its 12th edition. It has served as an avenue for book lovers and culture enthusiasts to exchange ideas.

Fela's Shrine

Located inside the Afrika Shrine is a grove dedicated to Fela himself. Hanging is the prototype shirt he wore during his playing days. Also dedicated to him are his saxophone and statues of some of the deities he worshiped. Incense is regularly burnt at his altar by minders of the shrine as the man in this photo is doing.

Even in death, Fela is still an enigma. He is Africa's Elvis, Bob Marley and John Lennon all rolled into one. Like Graceland, fans of Afrobeat flock to the Afrika Shrine every night to bask in the splendour of the music while they revel in the unfettered opportunity to indulge in weed smoking.

The Afrika Shrine is a bohemian paradise in its full glory.

The New Afrika Shrine

Located in the Ikeja central business district, the New Afrika Shrine is the commune where Afrobeat music lives. Patterned after Fela's original Afrika Shrine, it is a meeting place for progressives and music groupies.

American rapper Mos Def once described Fela thus: "Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was James Brown, Huey Newton, Rick James, Bob Marley, Duke Ellington, and ODB all rolled up in one black African fist..."

Femi Kuti at Felabration 2010

Afrobeat star Femi Kuti speaking at the Felabration 2010 Fela Debates at the Afrika Shrine in lagos. His father Fela was the iconic creator of Afrobeat and Femi has taken the music a notch higher. He has been twice nominated for the Grammy Awards.

Gani Fawehinmi

A year after the passing of famous Nigerian human rights lawyer Gani Fawehinmi, the Lagos government immortalised him with this statue last month. Situated at the Ojota quadrangle junction, it stands as a brilliant testimony to the brave fight fight put up over fifty years by Gani (a.k.a Senior Advocate of the Masses) against military tyranny and despotic leadership.

Well done Gani and may the issues you fought and lived for become things of the past in no time.

Burglar fencing

A common sight in Lagos homes, burglar proof fencing is meant to deter would-be assailants from forcing their way into peoples' houses.

Idanre Hills

This is the town of Idanre from atop the Aghagha Hill. It's a view that takes one's breath away. When it rains, mist covers the hills like a heavenly umbrella shrouding the town.

Holiday makers can find some nice hotels to stay in while they explore the many beautiful features of the hills. The town is also home to a large cocoa growing community. Its restaurants make some of the best pounded yam meals in the country.

According to guides, it takes between four days and a week to fully climb all the hills and see the impressive works of nature.

Idanre is located in Ondo State, about four hours from Lagos by road and 30 minutes by air from the Akure airport.

Idanre Hills

Signboard announcing the world famous Idanre Hills. There are 662 steps to climb to the landing of the hill where several amusements await as this sign shows.

Giant Maltina

Saw this 35 foot Maltina bottle during a recent trip to Idanre, Ondo State where my friends and I went rock climbing (Idanre is famous for its rocks).

You can my friend Seun posing beside the huge replica. Her 6"2 frame is dwarfed by its sheer size.

Ferry ride

A passenger strapped in life vest riding on a ferry across the Lagos Lagoon towards Apapa.

I took a joy trip just to be able to snap photos and my last few posts have been a result of that.

It is only my second ever ride across the channel. The first time was six years ago and I'm happy that the owners have improved on the boats now.

They are a lot better than back then, lighter and much safer.

Theme Day: Open Air Market

This open air market is in Ibadan. I passed by last weekend and shot this frame from the comfort of a car.Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Navigator

A ferry's navigating compass. Notice where the pin is pointing, NW; reminds me of the Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint movie North By Northwest.

Boatman

A boatman guides his boat into the Apapa quays.

Barges

Everything comes in two just like yesterday's ferries. These barges are anchored on the Apapa quays.

Ferrries

Two ferries are anchored at the jetty on the Lagos Lagoon.

Central Business District

Another view of the Lagos Central Business district. Many of Nigeria's banks have their head offices in these high rise buildings.

Lagos Business District

Shot this frame of the Lagos Island business district from the Apapa quays today. In the middle of the image is the highest building in Nigeria, the Stallion Plaza owned by the Union Bank.

Our president dies...

Nigeria's President Umaru Yar Adua died last night in Abuja after prolonged illness. It's a sad time for the nation and we're in seven days mourning now.

I say may his soul rest in peace.

His prolonged illness had almost polarised the country and pushed us to the brink of collapse. Perhaps it is best we finally got a closure on this matter. God knows best why things happen.

So we now have a new president, the former Vice President Goodluck Jonathan was sworn into office this morning.

Long live Nigeria!

Theme Day: Statue The African Renaissance Monument

I was recently in Dakar, Senegal where the country launched this huge monument called the African Renaissance to mark its 50th independence anniversary.

Standing at almost 50 metres tall on a 100metres high hill in the Oukam district of Dakar, the renaissance monument which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean is a testimony to the taste of Senegalese in high art.

It depicts a woman, a man and a child emerging on top of a hill. It is very breezy on top of the hill and it gives a wonderful view of the whole of Dakar. It is something many Senegalese will be very proud of many years to come.

Cape Town's Table Mountain

I was in Cape Town, South Africa last week where I photographed the world famous Table Mountain from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. It is such an awesome sight to behold and it has a pride of place in Cape Tonian culture.

I plan to go on a hike to the mountain next time I visit the city during the World Cup.

Lagos Carnival

Lagos held a carnival on Easter Monday as part of activities to mark the Black Heritage Festival. It is part of a bid at turning the metropolis into a preferred tourism destination.

Colourful floats with beautiful costumes paraded the streets of Lagos Island and converged at the Tafawa Balewa Square for a spectacular finale.

Togo at the polls

Togolese went to the polls yesterday to vote for a president. Leading candidates include Faure Gnassingbe, incumbent and Jean Pierre Fabre of the opposition UFC.

Togo will turn 50 this year alongside 16 other African countries including Nigeria that got her independence in 1960 (Africa's magic year).

I am covering the elections and it has been peaceful so far and one hopes it remains that way.