Sunday 30 December 2012

Through the Looking Glass

ijecandy self reflection

Why bother with New Year resolutions if we don't keep them? If I want to be reminded of failures I know where to look, hehehehehe.

A friend asked recently, 'What would you like to change in 2013?' I replied 'Nothing'. He was surprised. My logic is simple, in my opinion, if I want to make a change I try to work on it then and not save it for the coming year. No doubt resolutions help us plan for the future but as a one-day-at-a-time person its harder to do that. 

Rather than making resolutions, I mourn the tragic loss of lives of the 4 guys in the ALUU community, the shooting of the kids and teachers in Connecticut and the dead girl from New Delhi who was a victim of a gruesome rape. All of whom and their families didn't get to celebrate Christmas like the rest of us. If I am to make a resolution it is to acquire a scientist who can fuse gamma with my DNA or a Tony Stark to create a suit for me so that I can hunt down these criminals!



Reflecting on a personal level, this year has been a very enlightening one, in my relationship, dealing with friends, work and family; these lessons will guide my steps in the coming year. I know what it means to love a person and to be loved back, to loose a loved one, be strong, to cry, not to say no to chocolate, to be a bitch hehehe and be grateful!! There's so much to be thankful for not to mention making it through the year in one piece, albeit a slightly modified version :D

Overall, this year was better than the last and I can be happy with this knowledge because it shows progress! I can't wait for 2013 and what it has to offer because it will definitely be a very exciting year. Oh yes it will! Hahaha!  


Thursday 20 December 2012

Life Ever After?


Google's doodle, end of the world, Brother Grimms

I have been thinking about that all night, last night. With the end of the world bull going around, yes I call it bull because I don't believe the world will end tomorrow, I found myself being sucked in that pensive mood. IF it was all true, how would I want the last page of my life to read?

Me and my thoughts are a dangerous combo so I try to stay realistic...with a touch of daydreaming to balance it all out :D I don't know how my end is going to be but I can enjoy it now till then. With family, friends, lovers and chocolate how can I not see something to look forward to or live for?

Ironically, going on Google this morning I saw that today is the anniversary of The Brothers Grimm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_Grimm they are real brothers who collected folklore and popularised Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel and other fairy tales we loved growing up. I have always found Little Red Riding Hood the scariest of all the fairy tales growing up. Guess its a close representation of life...

Well, whatever the case might be I am sure that this year has been a major turning point for me, with the good and not-so-good, this is one year I will never forget because I am a changed person as a result of it. You know what I'm talking about :)



Saturday 15 December 2012

Simple and Delicious!



In preparation for Christmas I decided to try out in advance a new recipe I found for roast chicken with rice stuffing. Was it successful? Hmm, I'll say that I'm 70% satisfied with the recipe for the fact that the rice I place under the chicken burnt to a crisp! I'm going to take my sister's advise and use foil to line the pan next time.

It is kitchen friendly, no mess, simple to make and SUPER tasty. This is one recipe for the keeps!

Serves 7

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (2 to 3 pound) whole chickens
3 cups cooked white rice
1 cup raisins
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a small skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil. When oil is hot, saute the chopped onion. Add turmeric and raisins. Saute. Add cooked rice and salt. Mix well.
Butter the outside of both chickens and sprinkle a little pepper on both. Stuff the rice mixture into both chickens. Place in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish and bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour (or until chickens are nice and brown and the juices run clear).







Sunday 9 December 2012

The IMSU Diary - 1


I have always been intrigued by how people's minds worked and understand the experiences that lead people to think the way they do and act. What better way to do that than to spy into their diary....with their consent or not, hehehe!

This is only a first of a short series of a photo diary kept by a student.

..............................................

That is the main entrance into the higher institution Imo StateUuniversity (IMSU). Straight from IMSU junction which is located at Okigwe road in Owerri west L.G.A of Imo state.



Staring through this gate on my first day was like seeing a fast-forward vision of what my time there would be like, realising that iconic jump my life had taken, the countless adventures and strangers who will soon become friends and help shape my life.




Through the gates of IMSU that's students lane over there, I'm told. Students moving in and outta campus 12hrs daily, non-stop.

Talk about crazy!


- Chimezie

(to be continued)...

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Women who cheat are worse than men who do?


"Men are not perfect but some women now say, if men can cheat why can't we? Can you imagine that?"

Hahahaha! That statement up there is hilarious! Did such men think they could carry on cheating indefinitely without any consequences?

This topic has been overflogged no doubt but it never gets old. I do not support cheating from man or woman but it is ludicrous that people think when a woman cheats its much more worse than when a man does. Such archaic sentiments from the same men that want independent women who can excite and challenge them intellectually. I laugh in pidgin!

I am not fighting for equality here cos there aren't enough hours today to get into that subject. Extremism of any type is bad and I am better off forming my ever dynamic values and tenets, living in a way that will yield satisfaction for me and my partner.

There are certain situations that will drive a man or woman to cheat on their partner and I can understand that. However, why is it worse for her than him when caught? Why is so much expected from women than men? Shouldn't it be the other way around especially for those men who cheat and claim to be superior over women? Lol, that one is another topic for another day cos now I no fit shout! Is it not women that these men cheat on their partners with? Are they not someone's daughter, sister, partner? Hehehe, blood of God! Double standards of the highest order. Keziah Donatus, you dey vex say another man dey chop when you dey distribute your akamu everywhere? I dey hail una o! :D

What is worse is fellow women who think the same way. A man will cheat on them countless times and they will keep taking him back but the moment a woman they know cheats they rain curses and abuses on her and will even tell the man not to forgive her or take her back. Why are you women so heartless? Is it because you have been eyeing her man or that you are yet to be courted by a man let alone married? Bad belle!

Abeg let me not give myself a migraine. These problems will be remain when I come back.








Saturday 1 December 2012

24 Days to go!

I picked up my phone to read the message that just came through. I punched in my reply and after 5 minutes a deal was set. Do up Christmas tree for lots of chocolates and cookies with a movie afterwards. Not a bad way to spend ones day :D 

 Not that I'm a 'good conventional' christian but in order not to get caught up in the show of what Christmas is turning to I'm thinking of making this one more meaningful. So I'm going to inspire myself and do up my home, get the family involved, go to church this advent hoping this time it'll be permanent and not to forget the food, muffins and cakes to sweeten this yuletide season. 

 Another thing I think I'll do is select 3-5 random people who don't have much and gift them a Christmas hamper. Don't know what I am going to put in hamper yet but probably a mix of little items that will be useful to whoever gets the hamper. Any thoughts? 

 Anyhoo, so after all the work, gossip, cookies, laughs and movie, I'd say we did a pretty good job :)


Thursday 29 November 2012

The Wizard School!


No I don't mean an actual wizard school like Hogwarts - although I wish that were the case and I succeeded in gaining admission (if wishes were airplanes) - but a mere university in Canada, can you imagine that? Did I say mere? If more schools where like this I am sure everyone would want to be have an education!

About
A university in Quebec, Canada with incredible scenery where the Great waterfall in front of the campus just make this university the most unique location for university. The model of buildings like the royal buildings and only one deficiency of the campus, there is no welcoming Banner “Welcome to wizard’s campus”.

Collège de Valleyfield is a College of general and vocational education (CEGEP) in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 169 rue Champlain. It was established in 1967. (wiki)

Lucky thingsss! :o






One month. Yaaay!!



So it's been a month since I opened this blog and I have been thinking on what achievements I have made so far no matter how minuscule. I will let you know when I have the answer :p

Haha! What I can say is that I found it very 'freeing' to be able to put up whatever I felt was of interest to me and things I wanted to share with the rest of you. Be it happy, sad or idle fun. I am having a good time with this blog and I keep waiting to get bored or procrastinate my way out of blogging but it is yet to happen. This place has become a sort of comfort feel place, being cuddled on my sofa with a good read or what surrounded by my favourite sugar treats *evil grin*

To come I have some interesting sections that I will be including on the blog shortly and I am excited about this. I have had some of the most amazing people mail in contributions that really made my heart leap! Stay tuned!
Oh and maybe I should say that between the close circle of friends the number of pageviews to date, from 10 different countries, brought out a smile to my tired face because it shows that my dear ones take the time to visit my hiding place :)
Its starting to feel a little lonely though so please don't be shy to say (in Tonto Dike's voice) hi hi hi! Lol!

Lots of love
xoxo

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Ghost in the Elevator (Best Prank Ever!)


I gave myself a very bad headache laughing over this video so I would advise you not to have any liquid substance or delicate items close by as you are sure to knock them over in your delirium!

 Enjoy. Hehehehe!

Video Link


  

Sunday 25 November 2012

Watch: Teaser of Lions of '76


One of my highly anticipated Nigerian movies, can't wait to be amazed by Izu Ojukwu!



The movie is set around the 1976 Nigerian coup, and it features Ramsey Nouah, Chidi Mokeme, and Rita Dominic. Ramsey Nouah and Chidi Mokeme both play army officers in the movie.

A teaser of the highly anticipated movie, Lions of ’76 has been released. Lions of ’76 was shot on celluloid, and it was helmed by ward winning director, Izu Ojukwu.

Also featured in the movie are Ibinabo Fiberisima, Memry Savanhu, Adonijah Owiriwa, Daniel K Daniel, Nelly Ekwereogu, and Shuaibu Ebenehi Adams. Although a synopsis is yet to be released, it is known that it explores the experience of the young pregnant wife of a soldier accused of involvement in the 1976 military coup.

Teaser:


Flavour N'Abania in Dubai


On Friday I went for the Flavour N'Abania show in Dubai and it was awesome! Nothing like a sexy Igbo man who can song a sang :D


 



Wednesday 21 November 2012

Listen: New Music by Ice Prince and Niyola



These latest releases have been added to my playlist and they are going to be on play for a long time.

MORE by the rapper Ice Prince sounds melodious and beautiful. This song was produced by Chopstix of the Grip Muzik and was directed by Mr MOE MUSA in London.
Nothing like chilled rap music to brighten your day!



The second is by EME latest  beauty Niyola with her first video Don't Go There, produced by legendary hit maker Spellz.  Cameos from Lynxxx, Gbenro, Dammy Crane, and EME acts Skales, ShayDee & Dj XClusive.
Enjoy




Tuesday 20 November 2012

Watch Episode 3 of #howsheleftmebrother

Enjoy :)


New Music from Banky W

I have listened to these tracks a thousand time already. Such a refreshing change, a much needed one. Love them!!



EME Superstar, Banky W is back with two hot new tracks for the ladies! Listen to “Yes/No” & “Good Good Loving”.

Download Yes/No

Download Good Good Loving

You can listen to more of his tracks online at http://www.bankywonline.com/


I spy...


It's been a while!
I have received some interesting mails from friends that I will be sharing on this blog at intervals. This  is one of many from the photo journal of a fellow blogger, Code88, who will be making regular contributions here :)

***********

I spy...



I remember years ago, the vision of me in New York was a dream. That was it, just a dream. a far one...

2012. Me. The Empire State building, New York.

- Code88

Sunday 18 November 2012

Howl-a!



I have always been fascinated by wolves - and no this is not because of Jacob Black from the movie Twilight - for as long as I can remember I have been endeared to them. I think it started with the cartoon, Balto, if you remember it. It tells the true story of the Wolf-dog Balto who helped save children from the diphtheria epidemic in the 1925.

The story goes thus:
Its dogsled race day for the dogs in town with Balto is in the competition getting ready when he sees a young girl named Rosy and her pet, a female husky dog named Jenna. He is immediately smitten by Jenna, and when Rosy loses her hat to the wind, Balto outruns the sled team and retrieves the hat to show off. However, when he brings the hat back to Rosy, Rosy's dad pulls his daughter away from Balto, believing that he may be dangerous, like everyone else did.

The night after the race, Rosy and several other children fall ill. As Jenna worriedly watches through the hospital window, Balto appears and takes her to the underfloor area of the hospital, where they watch the doctor give the diagnosis — Rosy has diphtheria along with most children in town. A request is sent via telegram for the antitoxin but when sea and air routes fail it is then decided to take a sled team to a far away town to get the medicine.

After overcoming three near-catastrophes, Balto makes it back to Nome in time to save the children and the whole town which once shunned Balto gives him a hero's welcome.


How can you not fall in love with that as a child? Not to be disillusioned, wolves are deadly animals though they almost never attack humans. Wolves are considered one of the animal world's most fearsome natural villains. They do attack domestic animals, and countless wolves have been shot, trapped, and poisoned because of this tendency according to National Geographic.

However, like any other pet once tamed they are very loyal, protective and loving.

OK, so we know all about werewolves (or Lycans like I like to call them so I'm cool like that ;)) but did you know according to the Roman tradition, a wolf was responsible for the childhood survival of the future founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. The twin babies were ordered to be killed by their great uncle Amulius. The servant ordered to kill them, however, relented and placed the two on the banks of the Tiber river. The river, which was in flood, rose and gently carried the cradle and the twins downstream, where under the protection of the river deity Tiberinus, they would be adopted by a she-wolf known as Lupa in Latin, an animal sacred to Mars. As a consequence, the Italian Wolf is the national animal of the modern Italian Republic.(Thank you Wiki).

There have been bad legends about wolves being evil, like Fenrir. In old testament wolves are either agents of God sent to punish sinners, or agents of the Devil sent with God's blessing to harass true believers to test their faith. Even the Qur'an references wolves as devourers.

The legends surrounding Saint Francis of Assisi show him befriending a wolf. According to the Fioretti, the city of Gubbio was besieged by the Wolf of Gubbio, which devoured both livestock and men. Francis of Assisi, who was living in Gubbio at the time took pity on the townsfolk, and went up into the hills to find the wolf. Soon fear of the animal had caused all his companions to flee, but the saint pressed on and when he found the wolf he made the sign of the cross and commanded the wolf to come to him and hurt no one. Miraculously the wolf closed his jaws and lay down at the feet of St. Francis. “Brother Wolf, you do much harm in these parts and you have done great evil…” said Francis. “All these people accuse you and curse you… But brother wolf, I would like to make peace between you and the people.” Then Francis led the wolf into the town, and surrounded by startled citizens he made a pact between them and the wolf. Because the wolf had “done evil out of hunger” the townsfolk were to feed the wolf regularly, and in return, the wolf would no longer prey upon them or their flocks. In this manner Gubbio was freed from the menace of the predator. Francis, ever the lover of animals, even made a pact on behalf of the town dogs, that they would not bother the wolf again.

The wolf scenes in the TV show Game of Thrones sealed my love for them once more and I am nursing the idea of having a pup :) Aren't they just adorable!!


    





Thursday 15 November 2012

THE PASSENGER



Why is it that no matter how busy life gets or the number of people around you, there is this feeling of being alone that seems to be forever present?

Or the calm after the storm, where once you've completed a project that has been in the works for far too long, you finally have the time to do all the things you longed for only to miss the rush of being active.

Or wanting so badly to offload to your friends but it seems like an invisible force is pulling you away and all you can do is watch them disappear gradually in the distance.

Certain days this dark passenger decides to make its presence felt, tired of being ignored. What I have realised is, for me this is a 'reboot' period like a sort of hibernation, my mind telling me I'm on overdrive and need to slow down. The difficult part in this is for people to enjoy the company of this dark passenger, talk, share rounds of tequila with it even...just ride it out till it goes back to where it came from. This is something I have long embraced (with caution) because I had come to realise that my dark passenger makes me a much better person.

It's not that the people around me don't matter; I guess I need to be reminded once in a while that we are alone in this world. Yes, we die alone. There's a part of the mind or self that can't be shared with anyone else. It’s a part of me that doesn't communicate in words, there's no human language to translate this melodious cacophony of emotisounds inside.

What is stranger is that it only takes one moment, a smile, a face, a word, a thought, to dispel this darkness and see myself in the light once again which, if I might add, looks even better than before. In everything there is reason to smile and be grateful :) #onedayatatime

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Funny Video: Dragon Baby



Check out this video of Dragon Baby that is going viral on YouTube. This video tells the tale of one baby’s deadly mission to protect the backyard from a stuffed dragon. LOOL!

I miss good kung fu movies!

Also a video interview of father and son on MSNBC http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/49787759/#49787759





Watch Episode 2 of #howsheleftmybrother


Another week with Ejiro. What is she up to? 

Enjoy!


Monday 12 November 2012

Hilarious, ridiculous Prayers!


It is Yvonne Nelson's birthday today, the beautiful Ghanaian actress turns 27 and I wish her all the best and success in her life.

However, one thing that prompted me to take interest in her today is this one scene in a movie she featured in that sends me into fits of laughter whenever I remember it. Its funnier because I can relate to it and have been guilty of such. Well, not exactly the same words but the same prayer said with passion and brazen familiarity!

So Yvonne plays a single woman in the movie 4 Play - Reloaded, who is sick of all the lost and messed up relationships and is looking for 'love'. In this scene she gets down on her knees for a heart to heart chat with God.



Her prayer:
Father, everlasting Lord and King. Father it's been 4 weeks since I last Were Intimate but you know me now, that's a very very long time. Lord I don't know if you know how it is living in this part of the universe, it's really really hard. I'm a woman without a man to call her own. 
Father I have come this morning to ask you a little tiny favour, just a small one. Father I need a man in my life, not some small boy or not a man like Jake who likes other men, or is trying not to like men. Hmmm! God I need a real man, a man in whose arms I can lie in all day. God its not like I'm giving you conditions or anything you see this man shouldn't be too rich or too poor. he should have 2 to 3 cars, oh wait no, 4, yeah 4 cars, one for him 3 for me. But u see he has to be a tall guy, nothing below 6ft, chocolate complexion with a dimple but listen no pot bellies please I beg you!! 6 pack straight up! 

God in my modest estimation I prefer a model to be husband after all, listen he should be an American or British you know wha I mean? that's what's up! he should have a 6 zero domiciliary account with Barclay bank and he should be willing to make me a co-signatory to that account. God no wait wait wait, he should actually make me the co-signatory of that account. God I know you are a good God and I know you've heard my prayer. God if you have been then give me a sign God let me have a phone call from someone right now someone I least expect. God I'm waiting (she waits) ....

Hahahaha, African women and prayer!

At one point in our lives, there is a moment of desperation, over what seemed like life-and-death at the time, where we make all sorts of promises in return for a favour. I can't help but feel a little sorry for the big guy upstairs LOL!

Watch the clip here:


Must Read: What A Touching Story




Please read this: This is a real story of a young Ex-Unilag girl who passed away last month. Her name is Lola. She was hit by a car at Oyingbo on her way to work at Apapa. She was working with MTN. She had a boy friend named Emeka, a banker who was recently transferred to Abuja. Both of them were true lovers. She spent half of the day and most nights talking with Emeka on her phone.

Lola's family knew about their relationship. Emeka was very close to Lola's family in spite of the tribal differences. (just imagine their love).

Before she passed away at LUTH, she told her friends "If I pass away, please bury me with my cell phone" she also said the same thing to her parents.

After her death at LUTH, the attendants couldn't carry her body to the mortuary. A lot of them tried to do so but couldn't. So they went to call a priest in church who had the gift of communicating with the dead. He sprinkled some salt and water on the body and started speaking to himself slowly. After a few minutes, he said "this girl is missing something".

Then her friends told them about her intention to be buried with her phone. They asked them to bring a coffin, and then they opened it and placed her phone inside the casket. After that, they tried to carry the body which could now be moved and they carried it away easily.

Everyone was shocked. A day later which was Lola's birthday, Emeka came to their house with gifts but was so shocked to receive the news. He couldn't believe because he still spoke with Lola the previous day, he then tried calling her phone again in their presence and behold! It rang and Lola picked it and they were chatting. They called the priest to come and intervene and when he came and prayed for 5 hours, it was revealed that MTN is everywhere u go.

Chill,, don't hate me yet, cos I'm also looking for the idiot that sent me this......lolz. Buh una like gist sha.

Oya pass it on...share it with your friends.

*Taken from Ladun Liadi blog

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Mrs Somebody - Uche Jumbo At Her Funniest!


I stumbled upon this video clip on YouTube and it really cracked me up!! This is a clip from the Nollywood movie Mrs Somebody (2012).

Mrs Somebody synopsis
After a motivational speech from her pastor, a woman of marriageable age who is desperate to get married proceeds to purchase a wedding gown, in anticipation that her boyfriend will propose to her. 
Starring Uche Jombo, Yemi Blaq, Kenneth Okolie and Directed by Desmond Elliot & Tomrobson

After watching the clip I just had to go on iROKO TV to watch the full movie and I wasn't disappointed. Uche with her usual 'gra-gra' was fun to watch at the same time it was quite sad seeing the lengths Nigerian women will go through to get married, all because the society makes it that way.

Imagine Uche with a cane her whip in both hands, flogging the floor as she makes this 'prayer':


"Spirit of singleness, I command you
Spirit of loneliness, DIE, DIE, DIE
Spirit of late marriage, DIE, Fall down and die
Spirit of Promise and fail, I reject, I rebuke, I reject
I cast, Fall down and DIE, DIE, DIE
I am killing them, DIE
Whether the devil likes it or not,
I am getting married this year"

Hahahaha! I learnt alot and this is one movie I won't be forgetting so soon. 


Some good lines from the movie:
You’re not exactly a spring chicken at 35, you know. Do you want your kids to call you grandpa?
- Barbara Soki

There I was thinking I had misjudged you. Your mother’s a good sales person, you’re just a bad product.
- Uche JR

I’d rather travel by road than by air. At least that way my corpse will be found

-Barbara Soki

Uche’s friend: You bought a wedding dress without choosing a wedding date

Uche: The pastor challenged us to take a bold step of faith. That (wedding dress) is my bold step of faith
Uche’s friend: Has he even proposed
Uche: He'll propose in Jesus name.

Uche Jombo: There was this dream I had about Coco Jnr. By the way Coco is our first son obviously after we get married
Yomi Blaq: We’re not going to get married. In fact, this relationship is over. Tomorrow morning, get your things and leave
Uche Jombo: I bind, I rebuke, I reject, I cast back to the abyss!!! Jehovah Jireh, you said we should possess our possessions. I release, I release, My Bible tells me whatever is bound in heaven is bound on earth.

Film Clip



Trailer

Monday 5 November 2012

Watch Episode 1 of #howsheleftmybrother




Here is Episode 1 of #howsheleftmybrother, an experimental short-form dramedy about a webcam, siblings, high heels, hidden cameras – “and getting rid of your older brother’s obnoxious girlfriend.

”

The cast of this dramedy includes Ivie Okujaye
, Chris Attoh
, Eku Edewor
, OC Ukeje
, Vanessa Kanu
Victor Godfrey

. Written and Directed by Victor Sanchez Aghahowa

. Produced by TatafoHQ andThe WongFaeHong Prod. Co.

Enjoy, because I know I did :)


Sunday 4 November 2012

The Real John Okafor (Mr Ibu)




Mr Ibu interview


In an interview with Entertainment Express 2 days ago, John Okafor spoke about his childhood, career and marriage. He accused his ex-wife of poisoning Mandela and also trying to kill him. What he said below:
My ex wife and her cohorts planned and kidnapped my wife and child; they were later released after 10 days... That child later died a year after through poisoning. The fact later came out, but I don’t want to act on it now; I don’t want to massacre anybody…”

***

Let’s start with your recent trip to the US, what took you there?
Over the period, I was busy with a preparation for my American trip. I went there (US) for a movie which is a collaboration between Nollywood and Hollywood production. It’s a production that belongs to Nollywood. Basically, I’m the man at the helm of the production; I’ll play the lead role for the work. For the first time some celebrated Hollywood actors will be coming to Nigeria to make a movie. The title of the movie is Ibu Runs Mad in America. All through the movie I will be playing the role of a mad man- both the Nigerian and American parts of it.

You are used to playing the roles of an slowpoke and sometimes a mad man; what efforts do you always make to fit into such characters.
The issue is that once you are a good actor, you can go ahead and interpret any character no matter how tedious. The role of an slowpoke which I have played in the past in a movie entitled Agony is far different from the role of a mad man. Apart from bringing in my ingenuity as an actor to interpret any role, I also ask God for idea=s to creatively interpret it beyond the ordinary.

While most of your colleagues are fading, you’ve remained evergreen in the industry; what is the secret?
That is what we call consistency in the profession. For you to remain relevant after many years in any profession, there must be element of consistency. There must be something spectacular about you and you must be the kind of person that always seeks to improve. That is what I do every day, trying to improve myself, and I believe that is exactly what has been keeping me, and more especially, the grace of God.

Are you not worried by the emergence of many talents and younger faces in the industry which has practically displaced most of your contemporary?
It has only displaced those who are not consistent and don’t know what they are doing. If you are in business or topping your class in school, the admission of new students should not be a threat to you. Movie-making is not like football that you abandon whenever you get old. In this industry, one should even get better as he grows older.

For your fans that don’t know how the acting journey started for you, can you share with us how it all began?
I can’t really pinpoint anything physical that lured me into acting. However, I can say that my getting into acting was all about a spiritual realization. When I was growing up, I lived with my grandfather who happened to have had an uncanny sense of humour. I enjoyed him more than I enjoyed myself today.
I started acting on December 3, 1978. The issue is that I had never seen myself coming in front of the camera. I was initially involved in Continuity, not until the directors and producers started persuading me to come on board to act. They saw my interpretation of movie roles to be better and more original. It wasn’t as if I was running away from acting, I only wanted to specialize in my Continuity job, being behind the cameras. So at a point I started acting once in a while. I later asked myself, ‘Ibu, wetin you dey wait, go and concentrate on the thing’. So I took the advantage of the opportunity from my Producers and Directors who loved me so much. Even when I was in elementary school, whenever I commit any offence that deserved punishment, the way I would act, my moves would make everybody to start laughing. By so doing, I was escaping from lots of punishments in the school. Even now that I’m seriously into the game, I still go back to some of those things I used to do in the past; I only refine it to suit this generation.

Does that mean your grandfather introduced you to comedy/acting?
My grandfather was a better comedian than myself. I started living with him when I was four. I kept being marveled by the way he humorously related to people. He was good with herbs so he was always treating people with ailments. I saw his patients laughing in the face of their agonies, just because of the jokes he cracked. He was not a native doctor, but he knew and believed in the power of the leaves. So I used to stay very close and listen attentively to him. I later began using the name he was called which is Ibu. He used to answer all manners of funny names including Nshi (poo), Otiokpo (boxer), Ibu, etc. So before I knew it, the man’s attitude hypnotised me. I became silly (laughter). It was the stupidity in him that he imparted on me and he had everything that could make you laugh. And funny enough, because of the materials he imparted on me, sometimes people will begin to read meanings into my movements, my face, my eyes, whenever people look at me even without me doing anything they will start laughing. That’s just the trouble I’m into today. I can’t walk on the streets. Living with my grandfather rubbed off on me and as I got on in life, I began noticing that uncanny sense of humour in me. This realization, which to me is spiritual, is what got me into acting, particularly comedy.

When you got your first movie role, what quality of yours was responsible for it?
I remember that my first commercial work was an Igbo movie shot in onitsha, it was produced by Solomon Eze. In that work, we had about 24 people contesting for that role. The issue was that each time I came out to read my lines, before I even say a word, everybody, including the producer would start laughing. All other of my colleagues still got it well, but the executive producer and other persons in charge of the production all said it should be me or no other person. Sometimes, I would be asking myself ‘how did I do it’. That is why acting has to come from the inside, if you fake it you might not go far. If you don’t have the content that can make people laugh, forget it, you are not a comedian.

Are you saying that the hilarious aspect of you is natural?
Are you also saying I’m naturally silly? I didn’t start acting from my mummy’s womb, so it can’t be natural. But what I do is to properly interpret my roles. It’s that property of proper interpretation that made me the Ibu I am today. I feel if I must do anything I must do it well. I don’t do it to favour anybody, I just do it the way it comes to me. Names I answer today are just too many because I’ve almost answered all kinds of names in movies including ‘Bone, Flesh, Nshi, poo, Ikwe’, several names like that.

So do you see yourself as more of a comedian?
I see myself as a versatile actor. It’s just that this stereotype thing has enveloped my person, but generally I can act anything.

With this your naturally funny personality, how do you cope with such serious roles as that of a bank manager?
I’ve done a number of such serious roles in the past. But the issue is that will fans see me as a bank manager in such movie? They will be expecting me to do one or two funny things in the course of that movie, because there is a trade mark already. If I play the role of a Bank Manager the way it ought to be played, some people would start wondering, what is Ibu doing. They will see me as faking it. That is the problem. As for me, I can act all roles. But I don’t want to keep them away from the ‘me’ they know. The only thing I try to change is the fact that whenever I act, there must always be something new, something different from what they’ve either seen from me or from any other actor. When I handle any script, another of me will appear. The movie we are about to release-Ibu Runs Mad in America-is another thing entirely; you will see me breasting another mad white woman with feeding bottle. All these things come up when I’m acting. They are not in the script, it comes naturally.

So many up-and-coming actors are struggling to rise to the top, what were the major challenges you faced while trying to rise to the top?
I don’t think this young generation can pay the sacrifices I paid in the past. I used to trek on daily basis from Ajao Estate to Festac. It was a daily trekking for me except when there was no auditioning or rehearsal.

Why were you trekking?
I was trekking round Lagos because after auditioning there would be about a week or two weeks rehearsals; any day you didn’t report for rehearsals might be the end for you in that movie; because there were so many others waiting to take over. But even whenever there was no production that I was involved in, I used to go there to see if I could see one or two producers. My slippers then had lots of holes (laughter). There was no need again for slippers because my toes were always touching the ground even when I was wearing the slippers.

Was your family that poor?
My family was the poorest in my village. When I lost my father, breeze pulled down our house and we became tenants in our own village. That was Umunekwu Village in Eziokwe, NKanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Are you the first born?
We were eight in number; five men and three women. We were given a room in our maternal home; there we all slept at night as if we were in a cell. One leg here, the other leg there! (laughs).

What was your most memorable experience while growing up?
Once you are poor you are poor. You will be forced to see so many things from another angle. My father stopped training me when I was still very small. He died in 1975. That was how we became fathers to each other and to our mum. I was training myself in secondary school. I was doing all sorts of odd jobs. I sold fire wood, I did hair dressing, I was assembling wooden crates of minerals, I was involved in the snapping of wait-and-take pictures; I was a butcher; if you want to kill a goat, cow, pig, etc, I would do it for you, cut it to your desired sizes, and take it to your place. That was how I was surviving. It was from those petty jobs that I got money to see myself through school. My elder brother later came in when he began earning money. When I was picking up my admission form to study Mass Communication at the Institute of Management and Technology, IMT, Enugu, my brother told me to choose part time, because it was going to be hard if I should enter full time. There was no time for rest because it was struggle all through; struggle to go to school and struggle to feed ourselves and our mum. We lost two members of the family along the way. My brother, I had a poverty-ridden growing up experience.

In the face of all these difficulties, what was your consolation, and what served as the catalyst that propelled you to limelight?
I believed that one day there would be a turn around. I did Karate; I was teaching Karate on the black board at the Federal Government College, Onitsha; just to put food in the stomach. At a point I even went into boxing. My intention of going into boxing was because boxing was becoming lucrative then. Unfortunately, the first day I entered the boxing ring, people around had to carry me home (laughter); the that was my opponent nearly killed me (laughter). That was how my boxing career ended. My fellow man used hand and scattered my face. Nobody told me to quit boxing.

Apart from the Ibu we see on the screen, who is the real John Okafor?
John Okafor is a tactical, calculated and an organized human being who does his work strictly without offending anybody. If I offend anybody in the course of my work, I used to apologize once I notice. But if you offend me and you are claiming right, I would only go my way. The fact is that anger is a small madness. When I’m angry I don’t do anything. If one does anything when angry, what it would cause could be more than what caused the anger. So before you see me nagging or angry with anybody, that person must have pressed me against the wall.

How do you let people know you are serious whenever you intend doing serious business?
I don’t have to put off people by trying to be serious. I always want to make them see me as that comedy man; this allows me to carry them along even when I’m doing such serious business.

At what point did you see yourself as having been financially liberated?
The issue is that nobody is rich in this industry, but we are not poor. We are not hungry. The reason we are the way we are is simply because we are still lacking in a whole lots of things. Don’t you think it’s a shame that as big as Nollywood is we still don’t have a secretariat? Not even a film village, for a giant of Africa like Nigeria. It’s a shame that no government has made it a priority to set up one or two structure and call it film village. Yet government collects forty thousand naira (N40, 000) for each movie on censorship. If you produce up to part four, that is about N160, 000. With all the impact the system has created, government is not looking at the industry. Now we have a deadly virus called piracy. These pirates are still Nigerians; all they do is to wait for us to sweat and shoot movies; they even eat more money than the owners of the work. Tell me, why won’t God punish them? God will punish anybody anywhere that has an interest to reap where he never sowed. Why can’t government set up a body to manage piracy? They set up a body for corruption (EFCC); they set up a body to manage fake drugs (NAFDAC), why not piracy? I still believe that one day, somebody will hear our cry.

What mistake of your past would you love to correct?
The past for me is already a past. All I look forward to are the things ahead. All the mistakes I have made in the past are now in my past. And I don’t regret my past. The only thing I will never pray to happen to me again is the kind of poverty I experienced while growing up.

Wouldn’t you have loved to remain married to one woman?
I have come to understand that marriage issue is a spiritual thing. You will suffer if you marry who is not your wife. I keep telling the young generation, pray if you want to marry. If you are not good in prayer, learn it whenever you want to marry. As I talk to you now, about 18 girls and 18 men married through me, they trusted me and I looked for partners for them; till today, they are still living happily. If you marry who is not your wife as a man, you are finished. I’m talking out of experience because I have experienced a failed marriage. I don’t want to go into it because now I’m happily married again.

Does it mean that your first wife was not really meant for you?
The answer is yes.

Was it infatuation that lured you into the marriage?
I was lured into the marriage by my mum and my younger sister. She was trying to consolidate an old friendship the family had with the other family; not minding the lady’s attitude and so many other things. I don’t want to go into that.When the marriage crashed, we felt it was the usual celebrity kind of marriages that don’t last-I think I’m the best husband in the world; when you marry good wife you will “chop beans and mess in your house.”

Basically, what attracts you to a woman?
I like good things. I like natural women. If you are black you must remain black and if you are light skinned you must remain one. I don’t like this idea of women putting silicon to increase their bosoms; I don’t like such fake women. As Mr. Ibu is ugly now, I won’t go for a surgery to enhance my face. I also like slim tall girls with good hips and moderately endowed bosom-wise (Laughter). My kind of girl must be flexible with her body and dresses smartly.
I don’t like heavy weight champions, I don’t like loquacious women. I like clean girls because I can’t condone odours. Odours from women get me angry.

So how do you cope with the large number of female admirers that flock around you?
Women will always admire and flock around any man who is successful in his chosen career. This is normal and found in all spheres, not just movie stars like me. I’m happy that a lot of the female folks have fallen in love with my acts.
All I do is to play with them and diplomatically relate with them. But ‘I dey run o!’.

I understand you are running because you are married; how many were you able to ‘combine’ as a single man then?
I’ve always had a policy that has been guiding me. Upon my ugliness, I’ve always had a choice.

How does the first woman you had a romantic affair with as a wretched man see you now that you are famous and rich?
The very first woman in my life. I think her name is Jen, from Delta state. We were dating until I got admission to IMT. I left to process my admission, but by the time I came back after two months she was already pregnant for another man. That was how the relationship ended, after four years.

How does she see you now?
I’ve not seen her for some time; she must have been married by now. She must have been looking for means to reach me anyway. The affair was as far back as 1993.



Hope we won’t hear any story of divorce again from you and your new wife
We pray for devil’s work not to come to pass; because we don’t need it. Many things have happened in this marriage. My ex wife and her cohorts planned and kidnapped my wife and child, they were later released after 10 days. That child later died a year after through poison. The fact later came out, but I don’t want to act on it now; I don’t want to massacre anybody. Only God in heaven knows. I call my current wife a first class wife because I haven’t encountered so many women like her, I saw something different in her. If you see how my wife treats me, you will be surprised.

How were they eventually released?
It’s now a past thing; I paid the ransom. I dropped the money where they asked me to drop it. I did and they asked me to go and I left. It was 12 hours after that my wife and son came home.

Does it mean you actually parted on sad note with your ex?
Definitely, but I don’t want to go into it. You will be surprised the day you will hear what happened.

We heard that your separation was because her family wasn’t in support of the marriage.
You will hear it when the day comes. I don’t want to massacre anybody; I don’t want to spoil anybody. God has everybody’s case file.

We also thought the kidnap case was because of your wealth.
No, it was planned. I was even thinking they were going to kill them. Thank God they were released after I paid certain amount of money.

Why are you not fully involved in the activities of Actors Guild of Nigeria?
Some of the members are diabolic; that is why I’m not fully involved. I’m not interested in anything involving fetish practices.

It‘s widely believed that there are homosexuals in the industry; you must have encountered them, so share your experience with us.
One came toasting me o! That is true as funny as it would sound. Something is happening in this Nollywood. These up and coming actors are being used by some of the established producers who are gays. If you want to get a job as an up and coming actor, you must sleep with them. You must be sexed to get a job. We are no longer in the era of the female actresses suffering from intimate harassment; it is now man to man. Abomination! God has a lot of things to judge. Man to woman is also bad, but we can easily overlook that. Why not put your joystick in the right place. There is something spiritual in that thing (frowns). Why would you bend down for one to penetrate you, thereby destroying your future? You left God and bowed to devil…by the time you get up, you get up as a woman, while the that penetrated you walks away majestically! Their payback is sudden death, and it keeps happening.

What else would you have become if you were not an actor?
‘I don try boxing, e no work, I no go fit run, I no go fit play football. Militancy na attempted suicide. God knows very well that I would have been something else. I dey suspect say I for dey village dey drag land’ (Laughs).


Bonds and Winning


I have been meaning to update this blog for some days now, and for the life of me I cannot say exactly what has been holding me back but I made it! I dodged the frontal assault of idle browsing, jumped over the incoming tackle from distraction, avoided the taser shot from Nairaland that keeps me occupied and TOUCHDOWN! Oh yeah *high five*

Last week passed with a little less adventure, except for an endorsement I got at work, got a title (actually 2) and had a sleep over at one of my besties. With the pressure of work, daily struggles and commitment it is hard to stay in touch with those people that matter but last Thursday my bestie and I made it a point to put all that aside and relax on her birthday. There was food, gossip, ass-shaking, project runway in our nighties and lots of cupcakes! I got back home feeling drained but excited only to be told I'm too old for this sort of thing. Don't mind him, bad belle!

I was in an intense conversation earlier with another bestie on lost friendships, being the best person we can in the face of hurt and having a conscience. During this conversation I noticed that over the past month the universe has been reminding me of humanity. How fragile, ugly, vulnerable and beautiful it is! Not all friendships are meant to last and that is because there is something we are meant to learn from that experience to shape all other friendships and relationships yet to come.

Reading the interview of Nigerian comedy actor, John Okafor (Mr Ibu), which I will post next, shed some light on his childhood, career and marriage. For all the hardships and struggles he went through to be successful it payed off in the end. I couldn't help but smile at the end of the interview and I thank God for his life.

On this Sunday my prayer for myself and you all is that for all we go through in our lives, we will come out victorious and winners, live to enjoy it and tell our story. Amen.


Wednesday 31 October 2012

Wizkid on the Juice with Toolz

The Ndani team and Toolz were able to kidnap Wizkid long enough for a quick interview. He spoke all about his new celebrity friends, his long-standing crush on a particular Nollywood actress…and not to mention toolz' favourite thing ever….SHOES!!!! Happy viewing!



IT’S A NEW MONTH!


Happy new month friends! The weather is noticeably getting cooler, no threats of being sun burnt, heat stroke not to mention sweating all over your favourite dress and please don’t get me started on the stickiness! Ahhh, sweet November.

While I love winter there is always the threat of tonsillitis which has always been my companion during this time for some years now so I look forward to it in excitement and dread. The irony.


Is it just me or are you guys also freaked out by how quickly this year is coming to an end?!! Where did it all go? If I am to go over my resolutions and achievements this year would it amount to much?

Looks like the end-of-the-year blues is getting to me early. Rather than wait for it to settle in and kill my joy I better get working on striking some things off my list. Procrastination is a killer and I only seem to realize it when it’s almost late. Is there any such thing as a chronic procrastinator? I guess it would make me feel better about myself if there was one to admit that :D

Come to think of it, I was meant to clear my statements before making dinner then going to meet someone. I’ll be right back!



What Ije is listening to