The Crown Troupe of Africa, one of the country's leading dance companies will perform on the Second Sunday of every month in 2006 at Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island.
February's performance will be on the 12th and dance titles for the month include Fall of a King and Phellow Countrymen. Tickets will cost N1000 each

Victoria the bride, and Ivy, friends for more than a decade... A Lagos Wedding-December 2005 

The King is dead. Long live the King. Femi Anikulapo-Kuti, an international award-winning Afro-beat singer in his own right, and son of the legendary Fela, does his thing at the new African Shrine.  

Morounke (Bukky Sanu), left, and Ishola (Seun Kentebe) break down the facts in Wole Soyinka's Camwood on the Leaves as directed by Wole Oguntokun at the Muson Centre on Friday the 30th of December 2005. Camwood was presented as part of the legend series, an initiative started by Oguntokun in 2004 wherein evergreen plays by some of Nigeria's best are presented at one of the most prestigious Art venues in the country 

JAMES EVERSHED AGATE (1877-1947)

Dined last night with an old manchester friend and he vouches for the authenticity of this letter from a native of Lagos to the owners of the vessel which he was helping to load:

Sir,

My statement to you about my speech to my lawyer when he came to demand as per legal orders the sum of 50 pounds for my poor damaged body by falling in company's lighter while doing my honest due on account of which I might have gone to heaven that day. Praise the Lord I did not go.

But, Sir, when you said to my legal adviser:

1st that I was drunken

2nd that cause of drunkeness was stealing gin from lighter.

Well, Sir, those two speeches, 1st and 2nd proved that you are a son of the father of lies i.e. Devil because said gin had been freely drunk at 8am prompt. I fell headlong into lighter at 11am prompt. AT 11am gin had passed through body, so cause of top-heaviness had finished. Therefore you are the very first born of the father of lies, to wit the Devil. Because 2nd charge of stealing gin is libel. Beware Sir,do not take away my poor character beside thousand pounds are often lost legal by libel, as legals cost plenty money.

Now Sir, for God's sake try and sign for 50 pounds for damage to poor frame of mortality as follows:

Fell down in lighter on tons of metal

One head splitten

One nose useless (very grave)

One shoulder broken (blood extracted)

One arm bent (blood ditto)

One thick leg dashed (ditto ditto)

One private member damaged (slightly bent)

One leg half broken (blood freely)

General conditions (breakings, dashings-all blood freely etc)

Now Sir, this hurts are cheap at 50 pounds...I will come for book re 50 pounds to morning, meantime may God watch and protect your slumbers tonight so as to keep you safe till morning and I get my 50 pounds

-Yesufu Illorin

Ibrahim and Bukky (kneeling for prayers) at their traditional wedding on Saturday the 14th of January. In dark glasses, backing the camera is the bride's mum. The formal "English" wedding took place a couple of hours after this. I was the Master of Ceremonies for the reception that held after. I'd promised myself it would be my last MC stuff at a wedding except for my cousin, Bomi's, but I must say I enjoyed myself at this one, a great deal. "let the journey begin"

Old house at the country-side in Ikenne, Nigeria. 

Henry J. Toe, a Liberian at the Oru-Ijebu Refugee Camp in Ogun State,Nigeria, stays in a room on the camp with his wife, his daughter and son-in-law as well as his grand children. The occupants of the room are eight in number. I was invited into the shack to see what it looked like. The floor was earthen, the walls were bare planks and there was no insulation against the elements. He lost a grandchild to pneumonia as a result of this. In his hands, he holds his staple diet, snails gathered by a small stream that passes through the camp. His primary concern is feeding, as the authorities are spasmodic at best in this regard. "Think twice...", Phil Collins sang, "...It's just another day for you and me in paradise" 

Met this local hunter as I walked the dusty streets of Ikenne, Ogun State, Nigeria and asked to take a picture of him. He had about 5 or 6 dogs (a couple were too busy at toilet to participate in picture taking). I asked what he hunted and he replied..."from rabbits upwards" 

The celebration of the life of the literary icon, Professor Biodun Jeyifo who turned 60, continued at the Arts Theatre of the University of Ibadan on Saturday, January 7. Professor Femi Osofisan presented his dramatic adaptation of Wole Soyinka's prose-Isara -with Biodun Jeyifo as a special guest. Here, Jeyifo (in glasses, picture centre) greets friends and other well-wishers outside the theatre, after the performance 

Action from the stage drama-Isara-written and directed by Professor Femi Osofisan. January 7, 2006- Arts Theatre, University of Ibadan

Cast members of Isara, Professor Femi Osofisan's dramatic adaptation of Wole Soyinka's work, on stage at the Arts Theatre-University of Ibadan-January 7, 2006

The Nigerian Literati paid tribute to one of the country's best at the Jazzhole, Awolowo Rd, Ikoyi, Jan 5, 2006. Professor Biodun Jeyifo-Teacher, Activist and Literary Icon had just turned 60. Professor Wole Soyinka was unavoidably absent but was ably represented. Seated from left are the historian, Professor Akinwunmi Ishola, Professor Biodun Jeyifo (Centre) and Professor Femi Osofisan  

Toyin Akinosho, Writer and Art Critic with Sola Olorunyomi, literary activist, at the Jazzhole tribute to Professor Jeyifo-05-01-06 

Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, former M.D. Daily Times of Nigeria at the tribute to Professor Biodun Jeyifo-January 5, 2006 

Jahman Anikulapo, Editor-Sunday Guardian (left), and Kunle Tejuosho, Proprietor- Jazzhole at the celebration of Professor Jeyifo's 60th birthday 

Dr Ahmed Yerima (left), Director-National Troupe of Nigeria and "Otunba" Tunji Sotimirin-Drama Lecturer and Musician at the celebration of Professor Biodun Jeyifo's 60th birthday-Jazzhole, Ikoyi, Lagos 

The Immigrant

I’m trying to lose this accent
trying to blend into my surroundings
like insignificant wallpaper
I’m trying to smile
when you laugh at my mistakes.
Trying to be a good sport.

I’m trying to appreciate John Keats
and William Butler Yeats
I’m trying to put up a jolly good show
I’m trying to sit in this blood-red bus
and act as if I know this city
and I’m trying to look inconspicuous.

I’m trying to be dismayed
when you catch a corrupt official
Trying to forget
he’d be a lord in my land
Trying not to think of those I left behind
Trying to forget
how I almost didn’t make it out.

I’m trying to be you, curse this clumsy tongue.

(c) Wole Oguntokun

CAMWOOD ON THE LEAVES-
Mrs. Olumorin(Jennifer Osammor), Ishola (Seun Kentebe) and Mr. Olumorin (Kenneth Uphopho) square up in the last rehearsal of Professor Soyinka's play. The drama was directed by Wole Oguntokun-The Muson Centre, Friday, Dec 30, 2005