Monthly Archives: May 2014

SMALL TOWN MENTALITY- A POEM BY TONY TOKUNBO FERNANDEZ

Image

 

 

          Between The Sheets,

          Lie the same old prisons of stagnant voices

          Stained …..

          Chained ….

          Constrained

         By the Dark shadows of forgotten fantasies

         And the cobwebs that you the in the corner

         Are anxious to define the width of the ceiling

 

       Between The Sheets

       Lie the bareness of a detached world

      The expired stories from Local Champions

       The monotony of an isolated palace

       The perfection of boredom

       A sea of The same faces

       Confined to a world of predictable safety

 

      Between The Sheets

      YOU

       I

      Head above Water

      Perhaps its Time

     To merge the little castle

     Into the mindset of A Mighty Ocean

 

    

      

ROLE MODEL OF THE WEEK – TV PERSONALITY/PR CONSULTANT, BROADCASTER AND MEDIA AMBASSADOR BASED IN THE STATES

Image

 

 

  

Marion Amanambu aka FAB is a TV personality/PR consultant based in the United States of America. – She is a Broadcaster who started her career in Nigeria as a TV Host to a Home Improvement Show that was aired in Lagos & Abuja. She later joined a pioneering group to Co-Produce and Host DAYBREAK NIGERIA, the first LIVE breakfast Television Show in Africa comparable to Goodmorning America or the Today Show in the USA. DAYBREAK NIGERIA shot her to stardom and opened many doors for a visionary career. DAYBREAK NIGERIA was aired on the NETWORK service of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) – the largest TV Network in Africa with more than 50 stations nationwide. Her unique creative talent later pioneered her TV show THE ENVIRONMENT – a first of its kind on any African TV Station. Her accomplishment with this revolutionary TV show led to an invitation by the United Nations to participate in a conference for “Sustainable Development” in 2001. Marion now lives in the United States of America where she continuously strives to positives portray the image of Nigeria and its people to the rest of the world. She believes that Nigeria is full of creative talents and the world needs to acknowledge that Nigeria has more to offer than just “scam artistry” – thus the basis for her founding the NIGERIAN CELEBRITY NETWORK. Marion is actively involved in show business and runs a PR firm (Marion Entertainment & Consultancy) where she manages Nigerian Celebrities. She also writes a column for Dejavu International Magazine titled “STR8T FROM DA HORSE’S MOUTH” and is also actively involved in Volunteering and charity for people with traumatic brain injuries. To find out more about MARION AMANAMBU or for special bookings around the world, please contact info@nigeriancelebritynetwork.com
 
 Marion Amanambu has her own show title Pillow Talk which is a totally unscripted, unrehearsed, spur of the moment, straight from the heart discussion of social issues that we can all relate to. Marion Amanambu taps into her diverse life experiences to give her opinion on a wide range of topics. Her video is available on YouTube.
 
She has won multiple Awards for Entertainment in the USA and received an Honorary Achievement Award in 2012 for her outstanding contributions to Nigeria Entertainment globally.

 

AN EVENING TO REMEMBER- ZIMBPRAISE- THE INTERNATIONAL GOSPEL GROUP LIVE IN WATFORD – WITH AFRICA4U AND ZIMLINK CONDUCTING VIDEO INTERVIEWS WITH THE GROUP MEMBERS

Image

 For years, for decades and for generations, Music not only represents the voices and the engine of Life, it entails the spirit of our stories, the tempo and the substance of societal norms and values, but most importantly, Music represents Life.

In Africa, Music is Life and Life is Music and from different regions, the same old story is painted with metaphors of different shades.

Sunday the 17th of May, was more than just  A Dejavu, It was a day that everyone had been waiting for as ZIMBPRAISE- An International Gospel Group from Zimbabwe, visited Watford for the very first time and embraced the evening with Soft notes, electrifying voices and puzzles of crafted music beyongd words.

From Start to finish, the fusion of the most beautiful voices empowered the audience with an organised gospel engine of structured collective voices.

Zimpraise is an International and Praise Worship Group of Christian musicians from different backgrounds and denominations that have come together as a Praise family. They were founded in 2006 with head office at 69 Central Avenue, Harare.

AFRICA4U and ZIMLINK were at the event conducting Video Interviews with the talented performing artists of The Zimbpraise Team.
The precision, The craft and the collective harmoony of family voices was an art in itself that left me speechless and tickled the substance of my bones with a raw moving feeling.

To put the icing on the cake, each of the members wore a smile filled with life, love and new energy.

Also present at the event was The Gospel Music Icon and legend – Mr Mechanic Manyeruke who also entertained the crowd with a deliberate craft of nostalgic numbers. Here is a picture with me and The Gospel legend below

   Image I got talking with this great man during the interlude and was instantyl overwhelmed by his humility and his grace.
He told me of his previous music tours to Germany, Austria and Holland

ZIMPRAISE – is definately an International Family Gospel Group to look out for – definately one of the best International Gospel groups i have watched for a very long time

WITH LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AWAY- AFRICA4U WILL BE CONDUCTING VIDEO INTERVIEWS WITH SOME OF THE BEST NIGERIAN PERFORMING ARTISTS, ROLE MODELS, COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS AND PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE- MONDAY THE 9TH OF JUNE AND TUESDAY THE 10TH OF JUNE IN LAGOS

Image             

   BREAKING NEWS

Africa4U WILL BE LIVE IN LAGOS IN THE MONTH OF JUNE

WE WILL BE CONDUCTING VIDEO AND AUDIO INTERVIEWS WITH NIGERIAN PERFORMING ARTISTS, WRITERS, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS, ROLE MODELS AND PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO LIFE, TIME SLOTS WILL BE ALLOCATED ACCORDINGLY
AFRICA4U IS ALL ABOUT PROMOTING AND CELEBRATING THE GREAT WORK OF AFRICANS AROUND THE WORLD AND SHARING THEIR STORIES ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

AFRICA CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

AFRICA4U MEDIA
AFRICA4U ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS-
THE AFRICA4U MENTORING ACADEMY

DATES FOR THE INTERVIEWS CAN BE FOUND BELOW

MONDAY THE 9TH OF JUNE FROM 10AM TO 5PM AT REKIS EYE CENTRE, 5 SANUSI FAFUNWA STREET, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS

TUESDAY THE 10TH OF JUNE FROM 10AM TO 5PM AT REKIS EYE CENTRE 5 SANUSI FAFUNWA STREET, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS

FOR MORE INFO YOU CAN CONTACT ME – afripoet@hotmail.com

ROLE MODEL OF THE WEEK- RADIO BROADCASTER AND COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR- LOUISE CHANDLER

Image

 

 

   Louise is a British broadcaster specialising in radio programmes. She began her career at the age of 17 by volunteering for a community radio project and her career developed from there. After 4 years of study at university and work experience Louise started to become more involved in broadcasting – from 2005 producing BBC local radio programmes. In 2006 Louise launched a new African Caribbean specialist show on BBC Radio Berkshire that discusses topical current affairs with music. The show ran for 7 years. In 2006 she began to work for Immedia Broadcasting – a radio company that provides live retail broadcasting story. Louise ran services and also launched pilot services like U-Live – a School radio service for students, the first of its kind. Louise’s career has included news reading, live outside broadcasts, reporting on location, making podcasts and radio documentaries, interviewing guests and providing news stories for BBC Radio stations across the country. Louise has had the privilege to work on Investigative BBC TV programme Inside Out to present, research and produce items. At the moment she is the voice of Superdrug live – a national retail radio service and runs her own venture – Soundbite Media that focuses on Media Relations, broadcasting and training courses.

AFRICA4U VIDEO AND AUDIO INTERVIEWS WITH NIGERIAN PERFORMING ARTISTS, WRITERS, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS AND COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS IN LAGOS NIGERIA ON THE 9TH AND 10TH OF JUNE

Image

BREAKING NEWS

Africa4U WILL BE LIVE IN LAGOS IN THE MONTH OF JUNE

WE WILL BE CONDUCTING VIDEO AND AUDIO INTERVIEWS WITH NIGERIAN PERFORMING ARTISTS, WRITERS, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS, ROLE MODELS AND PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO LIFE, TIME SLOTS WILL BE ALLOCATED ACCORDINGLY
AFRICA4U IS ALL ABOUT PROMOTING AND CELEBRATING THE GREAT WORK OF AFRICANS AROUND THE WORLD AND SHARING THEIR STORIES ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

AFRICA CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

AFRICA4U MEDIA
AFRICA4U ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS-
THE AFRICA4U MENTORING ACADEMY

DATES FOR THE INTERVIEWS CAN BE FOUND BELOW

MONDAY THE 9TH OF JUNE FROM 10AM TO 5PM AT REKIS EYE CENTRE, 5 SANUSI FAFUNWA STREET, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS

TUESDAY THE 10TH OF JUNE FROM 10AM TO 5PM AT REKIS EYE CENTRE 5 SANUSI FAFUNWA STREET, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS

FOR MORE INFO YOU CAN CONTACT ME – afripoet@hotmail.com

ROLE MODEL OF THE WEEK- WAYNE BOUCAUD- RADIO PRESENTER, PERFORMING ARTIST AND COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR FROM TRINIDAD

Image

 

 

RADIO BIOGRAPHY – WAYNE BOUCAUD-D.O.B. 08/09/’62 – RADIO PRESENTER/DJ BORN IN LONDON OF TRINIDADIAN PARENTAGE. CAMDEN COMMUNITY RADIO 2004-2008 MY FORAY INTO RADIO STARTED AT CAMDEN COMMUNITY RADIO IN 2004.

IT WAS THERE THAT HE LEARNT HIS CRAFT AS A RADIO PRESENTER/DJ,FROM SCRIPTING/EDITING/PRODUCTION AND PRESENTING. HE ALSO COVERED AND BROADCASTED VARIOUS MUSIC FESTIVALS FROM THE SOUTHBANK. THE STATION FOCUSED MAINLY ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY OF CAMDEN AND SURROUNDING AREA’S AS WELL AND THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY PODCAST BASED, HOWEVER FOR A STUDIO BASED SHOW,  WAYNE WOULD PUT TOGETHER A MONTHLY SHOW AT SOAS UNIVERSITY,THOSE SHOWS WERE VITAL FOR HIS GROWTH AS A PRESENTER. WAYNE RECALLS HAVING A DESIRE TO REACH A WIDER AND MORE DIVERSE LISTENERSHIP,

HE GREW UP LISTENING TO SOUL/RnB/JAZZ/FUNK/GOSPEL/INDIE AND ROCK AND FOR MANY YEARS HE WANTED TO CONCEPTUALIZE A SHOW THAT COVERED ALL THOSE GENRE’S,NOT ONLY THAT BUT THE ARTIST OF WHO’S MUSIC HE PURCHASED AS WELL WAS NOT GETTING AIRPLAY SO HE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND TAKE INITIATIVE AND GAINED THE SKILLS TO PUT ON A GREAT SHOW.

WAYNE  IS FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR CAMDEN COMMUNITY RADIO FOR A  FANTASTIC FOOT IN THE DOOR ON HIS PURSUIT INTO RADIO. PLAYVYBZ.COM – 2008-2012  AND THE MORE EXPERIENCE  HE GAINED,  HE FELT CONFIDENT TO PRODUCE HIS OWN SHOWS WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY HAD PRESENTED ITSELF AND THAT CAME IN THE FORM OF PLAYVBZ.COM.

ACCORDING TO HIM, “I WILL FOREVER BE THANKFUL TO PLAYVYBZ FOR ALLOWING ME THE FREEDOM TO PRODUCE THE KIND OF SHOW I’VE DREAMPT OF DOING. THERE, I WAS ABLE TO HARNESS MY SKILLS AS A PRESENTER EVEN MORE SO. THE GUEST’S WHICH HAVE GRACED MY SHOW HAVE BEEN MY MUSICAL HERO’S FOR MANY YEARS FROM PATRICE RUSHEN/ MINT CONDITION/ STEVE ARRINGTON/ SOWETO KINCH/ ESKA/ ERIC ROBERSON/ MELBA MOORE/ LARRY GRAHAM/KEZIAH JONES, AND MANY NEW AND UP AND COMING ARTISTS. REGARDS MY RADIO INTERVIEWS MY APPROACH HAS ALWAYS BEEN FROM A CONVERSATIONAL AND IN-DEPTH MANNER,

IN EFFECT ALLOWING MORE DEPTH TO THE ARTIST IN QUESTION. I’VE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED IN OUTSIDE BROADCASTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OXFAM FOR THERE MUSIC SHOWS/FESTIVALS. AFTER PLAYVYBZ HAD CLOSED DOWN AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE MY SHOW/FORMAT CAME IN THE SHAPE OF URBANJAZZRADIO.NET,ONCE AGAIN SAME SHOW,SAME FORMAT. OUTSIDE RADIO”

WAYNE HAS RECENTLY BECOME A QUALIFIED YOUTH WORKER AND VOLUNTEER TWICE A WEEK, . DURING THAT TIME HE HAS  PUT ON VARIOUS RADIO WORKSHOPS FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE,ALLOWING THEM THE SKILLS TO PRODUCE THERE OWN SHOWS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE IS AS FULFULLING FOR BOTH PARTIES. THIS IS SOMETHING HE WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN IN THE FUTURE.

WAYNE IS VERY LOYAL AND SUPPORTIVE TO HIS STATION,WHOM EVER THAT MAY BE, AND WOULD ALWAYS STRIVE FOR THE BEST THAT HE CAN BE,

HERE YOU CAN LISTEN TO A 10MIN. SAMPLE OF MY INTERVIEWS – http://i.mixcloud.com/CBq0Gl HERE YOU CAN CHECK ALL HIS SHOWS www.mixcloud.com/blackin3d email – wayneboucaud@btinternet.com Facebook – www.facebook.com/wayneboucaud Twitter – www.twitter.com/boucaud1 Podomatic – http://www.podomatic.com/profile/wayneboucaud

BRING BACK OUR GIRLS BRING BACK OUR GIRLS BRING BACK OUR GIRLS

Image

 

 

Words are not Enough …
Words will never be Enough
And the Soil has been stained- Even before I was born ..
Its skin polluted into new layers of rotten fragments
And for many years … Pools of tears untold
Stories which never made the HEADLINES,
Bodies that grew into Shadows
Vanishing into the dirge of a Bleak Sadness

Words are not Enough
Words will never be Enough ..
Dark Riddles embrace the mystery of the same old anguish

The laughing voices remain faceless
Raping our land
Raping our spirit
Raping our home
Raping the content and the fruits of our energy
Raping our WOMEN …

And then – SILENCE
And over the years, more SILENCE
The world keeps QUIET
The same old story in different LANDS
and many more stories which never make The HEADLINES

Words are not Enough
Words will never be Enough
And when you put the puzzle pieces together
A new HELL lets loose

Slowly our homes begin to burn
But even the most educated minds cannot see the FIRE
Sometimes it takes COURAGE
Sometimes it takes TRUE LOVE
Sometimes it takes UNITY
Sometimes it takes the start of a NEW SONG and an Old Revolution
For what is a NATION without WOMEN

Silence
Then more Silence
Then more common phrases

“God Dey”
“E go better”
“It is well”

But these are just Words
JUST WORDS

POEM BY Tony Tokunbo Fernandez

PICTURE DESIGN BY Dark Zac

 

                                                                               

ROLE MODEL OF THE WEEK- JEN- TITILOLA DA SWEETNEZZ – SINGER, SONGWRITER, POET AND MUSICIAN

Image

 

Da Sweetnezz” (real name; Jennifer Titilola) began singing in around 1994; when she was very young joining the St Anthony’s Primary School Choir, it was from then on that her passion to be heard grew and grew. Years later she then went on to join the local Church Choir in 1998, and also her Secondary School Choir; St Angela’s. It was here in music classes that Da Sweetnezz discovered a thirst to write her own lyrics, and from then on she never stopped! After she left school, for a while Da Sweetnezz’s singing was put on hold so that she could concentrate on her university studies.


However in Summer 2005 she took part in a Youth Project to get young people off the streets, which took place in East London, Canning Town and was organised by a Youth Club called ‘Community Links’ which is well known over London and in connection with the ‘Jack Petchey Foundation’. Da Sweetnezz and two of her closest friends signed up for a music course at this Youth Project; whereby they formed a band called; Lyrics 2 Kill or ‘L2K’, and Da Sweetnezz was the oldest member at the time. At only 16 years old and being the lyricist of the group she acted as the heart and soul of the trio. There was not and still isn’t a day that goes by without a pen being put to lyric pad. Through this music course, by using the facilities available to them, instruments, recording studio; and with the help of some professional music producers and a singing coach the trio recorded one track. The track was entitled “You”, which ‘L2K’ then went about promoting.

 Firstly by taking part in a talent show and disco held for the youth members at the Community Links Youth Centre, and secondly by performing at a music, fashion, arts ‘n’ crafts, talent showcase “The Mayors Newham Show”; held at different local parks situated around Newham. For her participation in this Youth Project and her achievements as a musician with ‘L2K’ Da Sweetnezz was awarded the Jack Petchey Achievement Award for “Outstanding Achievers” in 2006. Her group ‘L2K’ were a truly unique girl singing group and a fantastic example of how young talent should be utilized.

I can confirm that “Da Future Is Sweet” is a masterpiece of new school jumpy beats, with lyrics one hundred per cent written by Da Sweetnezz; the two latest’s singles off the EP are entitled “Funky Soul” & “Funky Love”, and Da Sweetnezz currently promotes them at every gig and live performance; the official release date was in January 2012, and it is available for free download here: http://soundcloud.com/da-sweetnezz/sets/da-future-is-sweet/

 To book Da Sweetnezz please email / contact: managementlush@gmail.com