Musiwa419:
I couldnt make it to the IYF Camp in August. Where you there ? How was it ?

Yes, i was there. It was wonderful. Hope you make it to Ghana in December/Jan. Make we no derial o. Make general no ves.

totit:

Like serious!!!!..... Yoruba people rock!!!

We're beyond rocks now, egbon. E be like say Yorubas should patent "Yorubas galaxy" because that's our limit.

Hopefully soon enough, that Yoruba doctor will go to space.

http://howafrica.com/this-young-nigerian-doctor-could-be-first-nigerian-in-space/

Aareonakakanfo:
BRIEF HISTORY OF OKUN PEOPLE for those who do not know



Okun people are Yoruba descendants in Kogi state. Kogi is a multi ethnic state and Okun people are up to 20% of Kogi State population, smaller than the other two major completely different tribes, Igala and Ebira. Okun people spread across six local government areas in Kogi State, known as Kabba-Bunu, Yagba-West, Yagba-East, Mopa-Muro, Ìjùmú and Lokoja local government Areas.

They speak varied dialects…Owé, Ìyàgbà, Ìjùmú, Bùnú and Oworo, but their language is generally called Okun, Okun has become a form of greeting among them.

They understand one another to a greater extent and large numbers of them speak Yoruba. Their dialects are influenced by various factors. Such factor is that Kogi state shares boundaries with Kwara, Ondo, Ekiti, Niger, Benue, Nassarawa, Anambra, Enugu, Edo and Abuja. Also, The Nupe wars of the 19th century and interaction with the Hausas due to geographical zoning left an indelible mark on the Okun people and their dialects.

According to oral source, Okun people migrated from Ile Ife when Yorubas were spreading to occupy more lands, before spreading out, each and everyone was instructed to report to Ile Ife for a yearly meeting. The man, that led group of young people to a location (now called YAGBA) in Kogi state did not return over a long period of time.

When eventually returned and explained that he lost larger part of his acquired land to some other migrants. He was blamed for the loss and said in yoruba, ”ÌYÀ ÀGBÀ LÓ JEMÍ” meaning that invasion of his acqured land was due to lack of having elderly people with him. Since then, they started mocking him at Ile Ife, calling him Iya agba . They associated this name with him whenever they wanted to send messages across to him after returning to his occupied area, now called Yagba.

Okun people faced lots of challenges, ranging from geo political zoning, marginlisation and problem of identity. Their problem started during the colonial era when they were politically ceded to the Northern protectorate by Lord Lugard, the Governor-General of Nigeria. The abolition of the provincial and regional administrative units in 1967 led to their merging with Ilorin to form old Kwara state. Then, Igala was merged with old Benue State. However, on 27th of august 1991, Okun people was removed again and merged with Ebira, Igala from Benue state and some other tribes to form Kogi state.

Okun indigenes moved against merging them with completely different tribes but they were forced into this marriage. Since then, Igala and Ebira have used high population to merginlise Okun people politically and in resource allocation. When an Igala man tells you ‘Omi na kaye, ma joje ma mu du’, he is telling you he would consume whatever available in his surrounding. And that is exactly what is presently happening to in their resource allocation. Their efforts to break away and form Okun State, which could make it possible for them to be more closer to their Kiths and Kins in the South West, failed to materialise.

Concerning Identity problem, The Yorubas in South West are trying to link the identity of Okun people to their Kiths and Kins in South West going by history and shared traits but their counterparts who want Okun people to remain a minority tribe in the entity called Nigeria, claimed that Okun people are not Yorubas and Yoruba is only trying to expand their Kingdom. Okun people bear Yoruba names like Edo people, lots of them speak yoruba and many of their settlements are named in yoruba language such as Kajola, Egbeda, Egbeda Ega, Okedayo, Odo Ere, Odo Eri, Ife, Iyamoye, Agbaja, Igbo Nla and Obajana. Even, groups that make up Bunu people of Okun are Okemeta, Okemesan, Akumerindinlogun and Kiri groups.

STFUareyouGod

Continuation of amazing stories of wealthy Ijebu entrepreneurs


RAZAK AKANNI OKOYA I love this man no homo

Razak Akanni Okoya is a billionaire industrialist and Aare of Lagos, a Yoruba man from the south-western part of Nigeria born on the 12th of January 1940 to Tiamiyu Ayinde and Alhajha Idiatu Okoya.

He had his only formal education at Ansar-un-deen primary School, Oke popo, Lagos.
He worked with his father’s tailoring business which also included the sales of tailoring accessories. The experience he got gave him the confidence to start mini tailoring activities on his own. He saved every penny he made until he had 20 pounds. His mother gave him the extra 50 pounds, with the blessings of his father, he needed to start importing and trading goods from Japan.

Razak Okoya’s business expanded swiftly, he traveled far and wide and learnt how things were manufactured having the strong feeling that Nigeria could match that quality if not better.

His first wife, Kuburat Okoya, was obsessed with costly jewelry and he was always baffled at how much she said they cost. He strongly felt the prices were outrageous since the metals could be designed at a cheaper price and the metals were readily available in Nigeria. Challenged his perceived healthy demand, he traveled abroad, bought the machines. That marked the birth of Eleganza Jewelry. The success was phenomenal.

They could not keep up with the demand because, the products were beautiful, durable and cheap. They were instant best sellers. He also started manufacturing buttons and jewelry.

He began the importation of shoes in large quantities, subsequently. On one of these occasions, the shoes were not delivered despite his payment. He traveled to Italy to see the manufacturer only to discover that they had used his money to settle their bills. He was so angry that he decided there and then to start manufacturing his own shoes. He imported all the machines and brought in some experts who trained his workers.

The Eleganza Industries produces a wide range of household goods and utensils including cutlery, collieries, food warmers, ice chest, electric fan, cosmetics and ballpoint pen. His factory locations include, Oregun-Ikeja, Isolo, Alaba and Iganmu, the Company now directly employs over five thousand Nigerians and non-Nigerians including those working in his RAO Property Investment Company.

Okoya’s Eleganza Group is one of the biggest homegrown conglomerates in Nigeria today, with over six factories, and its products are household names in Nigeria and the neighboring African markets.

He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award as Business Entrepreneur of Our Time from Thisday Newspapers.
He built a magnificent and outlandish estate, Oluwa ni shola (The Lord creates wealth) Estate at Lekki/Ajah Expressway as his primary residence. The Oluwa ni shola Estate, which is also described as an expatriates Estate because of the high number of expatriates living there, is equipped with uninterrupted power and water supply, marble floors, central air-conditioning, sauna, lush gardens, billiard room, tennis court, swimming pools.

Aareonakankafo ,what city do you reside,and at what time is the yoruba hour.

I see emperor musiwa viewing sometimes i wonder if the dude is pro or anti yoruba.

The Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the organiser and executive producer of Yoruba Movie Academy Awards (YMAA), Mr. Tunde Oshinibosi aka Laface.

Signed on Thursday July 31, 2014, the agreement is geared towards the actualization and continued development of the Yoruba Movie Academy Awards and the Yoruba movie industry in general. The historic event took place at the corporate office of the DAWN Commission located at Cocoa House, Dugbe, Ibadan, Oyo State.

In furtherance of its five pillars of development, which include economic competitiveness, building inclusive institutions, infrastructural development, social and human development, and home affairs, the DAWN Commission admits that the Yoruba Movie Academy Awards is a viable socio-economic and regional integration project with a strong emotional connect, to aid the overall development of the Yoruba race.

The maiden edition of the awards took place in Abeokuta, Ogun State in 2010 while the 2013 edition held in Ibadan, Oyo State amidst glamour, style and panache.

According to Tunde Laface, YMAA has further enhanced its popularity with the overwhelming support and endorsements from the Yoruba movie industry’s practitioners, distinguished Yoruba sons and daughters, and stakeholders across board.

“YMAA focuses on propagating the rich Yoruba culture globally through the overwhelming popularity of Yoruba movies and the vision of making the awards the biggest and most glamorous in Africa and the Diaspora in the next three years. This is in furtherance to creating an all-encompassing Yoruba film festival, the first of its kind in the world,” he said.

Laface expressed his sincere gratitude to the Director General, DAWN Commission, Mr. Dipo Famakinwa and his team for their tremendous endeavours in the socio-economic development and regional integration of Western Nigeria. He also thanked movie enthusiasts, practitioners, stakeholders and the general public for their overwhelming support for Yoruba Movie Academy Awards and Yoruba movie industry.

I've got a question I'll like to ask the house:

Why do folks openly disrespect Yoruba folks in Yorubaland?

I remember vividly that the weasel, GEJ, went to Yorubaland and called everyone a rascal. And now Kwacoonfool just did the same in Yorubaland by telling everyone to shut up. Why? Who are Yorubas?

Even in politics, Yorubas are more or less pawns folks use and dump. GEJ used them to become president - got there - and discarded them. And now Buhari is doing basically the same - albeit the VP is Yoruba and he gave them some crumbs. Even in UK politics elected PMs always look after the constituents/regions that put them in power - hence in Cameron's government there's only one cabinet member from Northern England. And that's cos they don't vote for the Tories up there. Why?


[img]http://media./media/gAeNCzO3dXgli/giphy.gif[/img]

IlekeHD

Jackie Aina is a bad chic. When it comes to fashion...she's ahead of time and definitely one of the top 20 black fashionistas on the planet.

And ol'girl is crazy as fvck. My type of chic right there.

where in Ekiti are u from?

IlekeHD:


In 2005 when I went to my village in Ekiti, we had no road, come 2014, we actually have a good road network within the city. I don't know which government made it happen, but the Ekiti Parapo organization all over the US/UK work together to discuss issues within Ekiti. I know about this because my parents are active members.

If you go to Ekiti, especially Ijero and Ikun, you'll see huge houses. A lot of Ekiti families I know are building houses and businesses in Ekiti state.

I was shocked at the 2014 Ekiti, it's quite different from my 2005 visit.

quimicababes:


I do understand both your and cabbieac points.The point is government can only do so much especially understanding Nigeria financial problems.As well as her myriad of other problems.As delpee said :

"We should all strive to do something to improve the current condition of our schools individually and collectively through alumni associations. It goes a long way towards improving academic performance and moral upbringing of the students."

I quite agree with helping immediate family etc.My point is that despite Naija issues...despite her hunger etc...there will be genuine persons on ground in naija that you should be able to work with.If we are pessimistic to say no such individuals exist in naija due to hunger...are we saying there are no NGOs,FBOs etc impacting a few ppl lives in Naija in no small measure? Look at what delpee and a few other folks are doing. on social media also started a charity and he gives account of every dime spent and they have helped in small measure by helping a widow in Kwara to start a business,donating medical supplies to newborn babies and school bags.Rampant transparency helps also in doing those type of stuff as done by both delpee example and fans charity.

The reality is Yorubas back home in naija will not make the proper choices once they are not properly educated and empowered.It is well known naija politicians exploit that hunger to their advantage...how then do we try to uplift and empower folks?Perhaps I am too optimistic but I doubt that lol.I do think there are decent naija folks who will run those programs just as how there are decent blacks in the ghettoes that try to help and uplift fellow blacks in those areas.All can't be bad.The headache is crossing paths with those kind of people.

I hear that.

How about those who are neither alumni of any schools in Nigeria nor ever lived in the country, but are connnected to Yoruba/Nigeria and would like to contribute? I never schooled in Nigeria and there are tens of thousands of Yoruba folks like that out there...and a lot are even more Yoruba than a lot of Yorubas from Nigeria.

Cursory look at all the people I posted would show that most of them were not born and raised in Nigeria. And even the ones born there weren't raised there. However, a lot folks with the same experience are connected to their Yoruba roots and would like to contribute their part towards the development of Yorubaland. So how can they contribute?

Great boxing prospect right here trained by the boxing hall of fame coach, Freddie Roach.

Wale Omotoso



Wale Omotoso (1985 born in Nigeria) is a professional boxer in the Welterweight class. Is originally from Nigeria but has been based in Australia for several years where he turned professional. In 2011, he signed with Top Rank and is now trained and managed by Freddie Roach at the Wilcard Gym in Los Angeles, California.

He is one of five children whose mother died when he was young and whose father did the best he could until he, too, died a few years ago. Wale learned to fight on the streets of one of the world’s most dangerous cities, Lagos. He calls himself ”Lucky Boy”, because he is lucky to be alive, let alone to have parlayed his natural ability into a ticket from the mean streets of Lagos to the clean streets of Blackburn. As kids, he and his brothers had to run with a street gang. He’s seen people shot, bashed and slashed with machetes. He learned to run zigzag to avoid bullets. Six days a week the ”street boys” preyed on shopkeepers, passersby and weaker gang.

Omotoso had a reported 48 amateur fights with only one loss. He was an all African champion, and one of his toughest fights was with King Davison who currently lives and is boxing in Australia.

Boxing record
Total fights 21
Wins 21
Wins by KO 18
Losses 0
Draws 0

Femi Emiola



Femi Emiola is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the TV series Wicked Wicked Games and in the web series If Looks Could Kill. Her first name is a Yoruba translation pronounced "F-eh-mi" meaning "love me" or "marry me".

Femi Emiola was born in Iowa City, Iowa to a Filipina mother and a Nigerian father, then both PhD candidates at the University of Iowa. Femi lived her early life in the Philippines and in Nigeria before returning to the United States as a teenager. While in Nigeria, she was educated at the Federal Government Colleges and the International School Ibadan. Both her parents are chemists.

She trained in Theatre Arts at Iowa State University and studied in New York City with director and acting teacher, Wynn Handman, a former colleague of Sanford Meisner and artistic director/co-founder of The American Place Theatre.

Emiola made her film debut in an award-winning short film "The Living Silence". Her performance in the film helped garner the filmmaker, Tanya Steele, a Directors Guild East Coast Student Filmmaker Award.

Between 2006 and 2007, Emiola played Lani Walker, the assistant to vindictive and psychotic Blythe Hunter portrayed by Tatum O'Neal in the My Network TV telenovela Wicked Wicked Games, which premiered on December 6, 2006 and aired to completion (65 episodes) in March 2007.
Emiola appeared on the television shows ER, Ghost Whisperer, Scrubs, Las Vegas, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and The Practice.

In 2000, Emiola posed for the artist Meredith Bergmann. Emiola's profile became the foundation for Bergmann's Phillis Wheatley, which was part of the Boston Women's Memorial, unveiled in 2003 on Commonwealth Avenue Mall in Boston. The sculpture included Lucy Stone and Abigail Adams, is crafted from bronze and granite, and is Bergmann's largest public commission.

In June 2008, Emiola became the face of a marketing campaign for the Toyota Camry. The campaign launched on June 9, 2008 and targeted affluent African-American women ages 25–40. There were no television commercials; instead Toyota created an interactive website, Iflookscouldkill.com, which included a video series and an online game. The online campaign was also supported by billboards and radio ads with Emiola's voice prompting listeners to logon to the website.

The $5 million campaign centered on the website and a six-episode video series, promoted as "where espionage and high fashion collide." The target audience for the campaign was African-American women with an annual income of $70,000 and up. Emiola starred as Bianca Turner, a fashion designer and Toyota Camry owner who becomes unwittingly involved in an espionage plot. Viewers could navigate within scenes and play along, picking up clues to assist Bianca as she tries to solve the mystery. Print and online ads on BET.com and Essence.com also supported the campaign which ran from June 9 through July 27, 2008. 42 Entertainment in Pasadena, California, developed the game and the site. Burrell Communications, Chicago, is Camry's agency

[color=]TEN MOST FAMOUS AFRICAN TRIBES[/color]


YORUBA AT 4TH


http://answersafrica.com/african-tribes.html

Toks Olagundoye



Olatokunbo Susan Olasobunmi Abeke "Toks" Olagundoye (born September 16, 1975) is a Nigerian television and film actress, writer and producer. She is known for her role as Jackie Joyner-Kersee in the ABC TV sitcom The Neighbors.

Olatokunbo Susan Olasobunmi Abeke Olagundoye was born in Lagos, Nigeria, to a Norwegian mother and a Nigerian father. As a youth, she was educated in Nigeria, Switzerland, and England. Her name is pronounced "Tokes Awlahgoondawyay". She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre from Smith College.

Olagundoye made her screen debuts on both TV and the big screen in 2002; in an episode of the television series The Education of Max Bickford; and in the film Brown Sugar later that same year. She appeared opposite Ruby Dee in an off-Broadway production Saint Lucy's Eyes in April 2001, and in 2005 she cofounded the theater company Three Chicks Theatre, which produced Andrea Lepcio's One Nation Under in 2008. Olagundoye has guest-starred on Ugly Betty, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Switched at Birth, NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Prime Suspect. Her film credits include A Beautiful Soul, Come Back to Me, Absolute Trust and The Salon.

In 2012 Olagundoye was cast as a series regular in the ABC comedy series The Neighbors,playing the part of Jackie Joyner-Kersee until the series was canceled after two seasons in 2014. She later had starring roles in the two television pilots: Feed Me, opposite Mary-Louise Parker for NBC; and Amazon's Salem Rogers, co-starring with Leslie Bibb. Olagundoye joined the cast of ABC comedy-drama Castle in 2015 as a series regular in the role of Hayley Shipton.

mo ki yin o eyin omo 'odua.

I have followed this thread from its inception and there have been some really good suggestions/ideas. It would be great if we can get them (some or all) across to the different state governments or at the very least DAWN.

Why is a regional system difficult to achieve in present day Nigeria? Is it because we are not fighting for it enough or most of us (Yorubas) aren't interested? Once we understand the underlying issue, we can begin to come up with strategic solutions to achieve our objectives.

I have to say coming to Nairaland has opened my eyes and made me more pro-Yoruba but a lot of my friends and acquaintances still form "sophistication" and are quite nonchalant. This is probably the biggest task we have as a people - we need to get the average person more interested in all things Yoruba and committed to our advancement as a group.

I will be back with some ideas of my own.

Good job guys.

Darn!

I lost my handle to spambot again.

Kayo Shekoni

[img]http://www.healthyliving.se/kayo/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2015/04/kayo.png[/img]

Kayode Maria Söderberg Shekoni (born 17 April 1964), better known as Kayo Shekoni, or just Kayo, is a Swedish pop/dance singer, TV personality and actress of Nigerian descent.

Kayo has been working with a lot of things, in the 80´s was she a big star in Sweden when she got a smash hit with "Vill Ha Dig", with the group Free Style (2). Kayo left the group in 1981. She then worked as a backup singer and dancer for various Swedish artists such as The Creeps and Anders Glenmark. She is a classically trained ballet dancer and performed professionally for many years.

She has done four solo albums, the first came 1990, named "Kayo - The Album", it was one of the first CD´s with dance music. 1993 came "Kärleksland, 1996, "Out There" was a album with world music, 1997 "Le Click feat. Kayo, only released in the USA.

Pauline Black



Pauline Black (born 23 October 1953) is a British singer, actress and author. She is mainly known for her role as the lead singer of the ska group The Selecter.

Black was born in Romford, to an Anglo-Jewish teenage mother and Nigerian father. She was adopted by a white middle-aged couple and given the name Pauline Vickers. Her biological father, Gordon Adenle, had come to London from Nigeria to study engineering and was a Yoruba prince. Black was unaware of her Jewish heritage until the age of 42 when she traced her birth mother. Black studied science at Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University) before training as a radiographer in Coventry. Upon completion of her studies she worked for the NHS for five years before she entered the music industry.

Rolling Stone said of Black "Hands down, Pauline Black possessed the best voice that ever graced a 2-Tone release. Blessed with a bewitching soprano and dramatic panache, Black's voice reached plateaus that made every other musical detail sound like part of a backdrop painted just to set the stage for her entrance.

After Selecter had split up, Black was co-host, with Bob Carolgees and Spit the Dog, of the children's television quiz show, Hold Tight. She developed an acting career in television and theatre, appearing in dramas such as The Vice, The Bill, Hearts and Minds and 2000 Acres of Sky. She won the 1991 Time Out award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in the play All or Nothing at All. She also starred alongside Christopher Lee in the horror film Funny Man. In 2010, she appeared in a Series 24 episode of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, presented by Robert Webb, in the Identity Parade round

Trying to catch up is werk mehn!! Been engrossed with the staking & frying of the protection seekers & the millions of threads on top his head...


@shymm3x, prof, * insert any here*, can't keep up with your handles..

The reason they disrespect us in our land is same reason our land is called "No man's land", we are too laid back, we are also not the violent sort but with the recent SMS (supreme maximum shishi) in Akure, sure some medulla has done a reset...

I served in the North, nothing takes most female corpers towards their mosque on a Friday afternoon cos we know they don't approve of our "sluttish" mode of dressing , so who wants to provoke a flogging or lynching? WE RESPECT THEM COS WE KNOW THE REPERCUSSIONS are GRAVE INDEED.

The Nigerian political terrain is a funny one, when OBJ was there, he basically did nothing to further the cause of the yoruba, hopefully we will make headway now...

Don't compare a country where everyone speaks the same language to a place where, Religion, Language & cultures are in clear disparity...

Lord Lugard did us a great disservice in Yorubaland, maybe we would've sent a man to the moon by now.



*Modified*
cc... zimoni......agree 100% but no visa....

Ayo

[img]http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Chanel+Outside+Arrivals+Paris+Fashion+Week+OV09T67KbjIl.jpg[/img]

Ayo (born as Joy Olasunmibo Ogunmakin, 14 September 1980) is a Nigerian-German singer-songwriter and actress.

Soul singer Ayo's childhood was torn apart by her mother's drug addiction. Now, on the verge of international stardom – and the mother of a small child – she has drawn on the harrowing experiences of her past to inspire her haunting debut album
There is something particularly touching about the way that Ayo – the German-born singer-songwriter being hailed as a cross between Sade and Corinne Bailey Rae – interacts with her 23-month-old son Nile.

The bond between him and his 27-year-old mother (whose Nigerian name is Yoruba for 'joy') is so strong that when she talks about him and his father Patrice (a German musician) she cannot keep the tears from her eyes.

For me, family is more important than my career. I think my son gave me the strength to do what I am doing now.

'I gave birth to my son, and then, when he was two months old, I went into the studio and gave birth to my album.

'His Yoruba name is Abiola, which means luck – and he has brought me a lot of luck,' she says, smiling down at him.'

Ayo's determination to be a good mother to her son and to put family first in her own life is – you cannot help but think when you meet her – a reaction to her own traumatic childhood experiences.

Born in Cologne, Ayo is the youngest of four children of a Romanian mother and a Nigerian father. Growing up as a dual-heritage child would have been difficult enough without the added problem of having a mother who became a heroin addict.

When Ayo was six – after her mother had left the family – she and her elder brother and sister were taken away from their father (her eldest brother was deemed old enough to stay) and put into care by German social services who felt that their father was not capable of raising four children on his own. It was a decision – presented to their distressed father as the 'only option' – that would set a pattern, which continued on and off until she was 14.

But Ayo's disturbing memories of her childhood have not only influenced the way in which she approaches her own family, they have also inspired her music. Many of the songs on her haunting debut album Joyful were written as a form of therapy. Creating her music was, she says, the way in which she tried to make sense of what happened during her childhood.

In one of the songs, 'Life is Real', she accuses herself of being 'too open', and as we sit down to talk about her life, her openness reveals an honesty and an innocence that is remarkable when you hear her story.

'As a child, I saw things that children should never see. My mother was a good mother when I was very small and she really loved us, but she became addicted to heroin and drugs turn you into a different person.

Sometimes she'd take us with her when she scored, sometimes she would bring her junkie friends home and take drugs in front of us, sometimes she would disappear, sometimes she'd come home and take things from the flat to pay for her drugs.'

Of all Ayo's experiences – she recalls, for example, the time when their mother, who would occasionally come back into their lives, broke into a toy factory in order to give them Christmas presents, which were taken back on New Year's Eve when the police raided their home – the most painful moment was being separated from her father.

'We were woken up at six in the morning and there were three policemen and a female social worker in the room. They told us they were taking us to a nice place where we would be happy with lots of other children.

My father came with us to the home, then he said, “OK, I have to leave you here, I will come soon,” and then he broke down and started crying.
It was the first time I had seen my father cry and after that he cried many times in front of us, but that first time was such a shock; it's something I can never forget.'

Ayo and her siblings stayed in the home for six months, during which they were only able to visit their father three times.

IlekeHD:


Aare and I discussed this top last night. We can't exactly help if we don't trust these associations. The one you spoke about is not yet transparent, nor have I seen examples of their project.

Great initiative, but .......

Actually it's more of personal CSR and we are quite transparent within our group. We're not soliciting for funds - just trying to manage what we can raise among ourselves. Its all to God's glory! I only want people to know that with determination, everything is possible. The mind is very powerful. What it conceives becomes reality when we believe and work towards it. Many small groups taking on projects in different schools will have a major impact on our education system. Several schools in Lagos have experienced complete turnaround in the last 10 years due to the untiring efforts of old students e.g. Igbobi College, St Gregory's, Holy Child etc

We've learnt a lot from them and we're doing great so far. It gladdens our hearts that we're making a difference in our own small way. We are committed to giving back and willing to weather the storm. We had very good education and want the same for the younger generation. Most of us are professionals in different parts of the world. We want to mentor the young ones to understand that they can accomplish anything if they set their minds to it.

Considering the current situation in our schools, i believe that those who are not academically inclined should be encouraged to try other areas like sports, entertainment, IT, arts and crafts etc all of which are veritable paths to success. This okada riding, hawking and aristo mentality must stop. It's derailing our youths. This is long term though.

HAKEEM OLUSEYI

(Associate professor of physics)

Oluseyi’s enthusiasm is infectious, making him an inspiring educator. Besides conducting research, he teaches astronomy in Africa and leads the One Telescope Project to supply every country with at least one research-grade telescope. He also appears regularly on four Discovery Channel series. In How to Survive the End of the World, which debuts on the National Geographic Channel on Tuesday, he explains how to survive a killer pandemic, volcanic cataclysm and other doomsday scenarios.

As a kid, Oluseyi moved with his single mother from one inner city to another. When she noticed him getting in trouble with the law, she moved him to rural Mississippi to live with his dad. When Oluseyi wasn’t acting up, he was tinkering with his chemistry set. “I just love to discover and invent,” he said. “It’s what always fulfilled me.”

Oluseyi doesn’t see himself as the next Carl Sagan or Neil deGrasse Tyson … ”I want to be the next Albert Einstein.”
After high school, Oluseyi enrolled at Tougaloo College in Jackson, where he struggled to stay afloat. Although he aced his physics classes, he got Cs in math and kept getting in trouble on the streets. Dejected, he dropped out during his junior year and took a hotel janitor job. But when he couldn’t move up to a bellhop position, even after months of working, he’d had enough.

So he returned to Tougaloo. But this time, he resolved to do things right. While his friends partied, he worked on solving every problem in his calculus textbook. To master math, he majored in it.

Oluseyi had another breakthrough when three black physics students from MIT and Harvard invited him to meet graduate school recruiters at a conference in Washington, D.C. Recruiters from Stanford University ended up accepting him to the school’s physics PhD program.


But Oluseyi had to fight through Stanford too. He had trouble navigating social norms. On his first day, he asked a classmate, a little too loudly, “Man, see all these squirrels on campus? How come nobody eats them?” The room fell silent. Other students were just mean. He isolated himself from them and retreated next door to East Palo Alto, the murder capital of the country at the time.

I'm very proud of this guy here. I met him a few times while I was Uni (he used to live on the block with my boys - I believe he just started working as a solicitor then) and though I never really liked the guy cos he talks too white despite being from South London (Lewisham) - thought he was fake - I can't but salute his achievements. Don't blame me for not feeling endeared to someone that's "too white" - I was young, dumb, and wild back then, but I understand things better now. He does speak Yoruba fluently though. Tom is one the brightest young black barristers in the UK.

Tom Lawal




Barrister

(Year of Call 2008)

Joined Chambers: 2009

Qualifications:

LL.B (Hons) (Top 5).

LL.M (International Human Rights) (Merit).

Bar Vocational Course (Very Competent).

Prizes and Awards:

Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards 2011 - Pupil Barrister of the Year

Bank House Chambers Criminal Moot. First place and the award for Outstanding Individual Performance.

Undergraduate Law Prize for Outstanding Contribution to Law.

Mayor of Greenwich Award for Outstanding Achievement in Education.

National Holocaust Memorial Day Society: International Student Representative and the House of Commons Presentation Runner-up.

Background:

Tom obtained a First Class in his Human Rights Law module during his Undergraduate studies. Tom went on to obtain his Masters in International Human Rights Law a year later. Tom continued to excel in the subject of Human Rights, obtaining an 'Outstanding' in his Immigration Law module whilst studying on the Bar Vocational Course.

Prior to joining St Ives Chambers, Tom worked for Refugee and Migrant Justice often appearing before the Immigration Tribunal on matters relating to Refugee Law and the Immigration Rules.

Tom is currently the Secretary of the Midlands' Human Rights Lawyers' Group. He has held this post since the Group's inception in 2010.


Memberships:

Midland Circuit.

Amnesty International.

Liberty.

Midlands' Human Rights Lawyers' Group: Secretary-2010-present.

Appointments:

Visiting Lecture (Civil Litigation), College of Law

Midlands' Human Rights Lawyers' Group: Secretary-2010-present.


Barrister Tom Lawal honoured at Black British Business Awards

A Birmingham barrister has been recognised for his professional work at the Black British Business Awards held in London.

Tom Lawal of Birmingham’s St Ives Chambers was presented the Leader of the Year Award for Professional Services at the EY sponsored event, now in its second year.

The Black British Business Awards, founded by Melanie Eusebe and Sophie Chandauka, celebrate and promote the significant contribution by black professionals in business in the UK.

Mr Lawal was called to the Bar in 2008 and joined chambers in 2009.

Also honoured at the event was Sir Trevor McDonald, who was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his ground-breaking career in journalism.

Ms Eusebe, chair of the awards, said: “I congratulate all of the nominees and winners of the second Black British Business Awards – each one of them are role models and demonstrate excellence in the work they do.

“I am delighted that Tom Lawal has won Leader of the Year Award for Professional Services.

“His individual achievement highlights that diversity in business makes for better business and diversity throughout the workforce is a commercial imperative for businesses in Britain.”

Shymm3x:
I've got a question I'll like to ask the house:

Why do folks openly disrespect Yoruba folks in Yorubaland?

I remember vividly that the weasel, GEJ, went to Yorubaland and called everyone a rascal. And now Kwacoonfool just did the same in Yorubaland by telling everyone to shut up. Why? Who are Yorubas?

Even in politics, Yorubas are more or less pawns folks use and dump. GEJ used them to become president - got there - and discarded them. And now Buhari is doing basically the same - albeit the VP is Yoruba and he gave them some crumbs. Even in UK politics elected PMs always look after the constituents/regions that put them in power - hence in Cameron's government there's only one cabinet member from Northern England. And that's cos they don't vote for the Tories up there. Why?


[img]http://media./media/gAeNCzO3dXgli/giphy.gif[/img]

I have always thought about this question you asked.


1. Culure. Our Omoluabi culture will never work in a country like Nigeria where people only understand violence and respect the violent ones. Our parents teach us the omoluabi bullshitt and sometimes beat us if we don't respect elders the way they deem fit. For example, my Dad used used to konk our head(I don't know the appropriate english) when we don't prostrate very well to greet him or a visitor. Our parents kill morale of a child before he becomes a man, they tell him bullshitt till he grows up. The dude will always be afraid to engage in a brawl because he knows his parents would beat the hell out of him if they learnt he fought outside. For example, someone once slapped me when I was in JSS 3, I was timid at first but later summoned courage when my friends started mocking me. We fought for some minutes, he injured me and vice-versa. My friends hailed me and later separated us. I will enrol my children into martial art class early, teach them practical omoluabi that Nigerians understand and tell them to kick the azz of any azzhole. I gat their back.

2. Religion. That useless verse that says 'turn the other cheek' has done more harm than good to our people. For christ sake, why would I turn the other cheek if someone slapped my cheek? The person will get the visa that he asked for. I don't talk too much, I believe death is the reward of sin. Someone F with me, I issue him visa. No time. Some muslems are even better than we christians because many of them learnt martial art, especially the educated ones - they learn it at higher institution, hence they are good fighters. We christians are pathetic, especially the educated christians. So-called sophistication combined with christianity, is a disaster. You dare not mess with muslems especially the ones we call alfas in SW(the ones who wear 3/4 pant and beards). They will beat the hell out of your life and teach you the lesson your parents failed to teach you. Those dudes don't smile. Apart from their religious fanatism, I really like them.

3. Class. Some of our people live a fake life which they call class. When a man is supposed to stand on his feet and fight like a man, he would timidly let it slide. Why? Because the goat believes he's got class and should not be seen engaging someone in a street brawl. The goat doesn't want to be seen as a tout, instead he will allow an azzhole to F with him and go scot-free.

These have been happening for years and have made our people to become weaklings. The same people who fought wars for many years some centuries ago are now weaklings. Now, we are Muntullars. Just imagine that? Could any azzhole F with our people 200 or 300yrs ago? The answer is NO. Now, every azzhole want to F with us. Some even chant our ancestral land is NO MAN's LAND. I don't blame them. They are covered by One Nigeriya for now. We shall issue them that visa when One Nigeriaya expires. Nansense.

The only advantage of the madness is that people see our region as a stable and peaceful region where they could set up their business/investment and rest of mind. That is the only advantage.


I have never issued any visa to anyone sha, yet I believe before I exit this world I'm gonna issue visas to some bastardds. No baggar can F with me and go scot-free. The Wages of Sin is Death. I don't speak too much turenci.

Thank you ProfShymmex. You are doing a good job.


Still, I follow.

Dr Tunde Ogowewo



Dr Tunde Ogowewo is a Senior Lecturer at The Dickson Poon School of Law, Kings College London. He teaches Corporate Finance Law, Corporate Governance, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law at postgraduate level. Read less

He is also a Joint Global Hauser Professor of Law at NYU Law School, New York and Visiting Professor of Corporate Governance at the National University of Singapore. He was co-editor of the Journal of African Law (Cambridge University Press) between 2000 and 2007 and is presently on the editorial board of the African Journal of International and Comparative Law (Edinburgh University Press) and the Securities Market Journal. He is a qualified Barrister (Middle Temple) and Solicitor (England and Wales) and a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He also sits as arbitrator and has also acted as Counsel to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in investment disputes. His expertise is regularly sought by City firms and governmental agencies in litigation in the UK and in ICC and ICSID arbitrations

Please avoid putting people who simply collect paper certificates, politicians and pastorprrneurs on this thread. It should be about omoluabi achievers and those contributing to humanity.
That barrister up there should not be on this thread. There are thousands let like him.
When they reach the pinnacle of their chosen careers, come back then we can dance.

@ oduastates

E Kaabo Si Ori Eto.