#ThrowbackThursday - 2face Shares Old Family Photo With Late Father, Mother and Brothers

2Face Idibia recently shared these old photos of his dad, mother, brothers and himself on social media. Last November, the talented musician laid his late father who passed away in August of the same year after battling prostrate cancer for two years. See another old photo of just his dad below..

Happy Independence Day Nigeria!

Happy 54th Independence Day Nigeria, and to all RML readers both those in Naija and abroad. And Happy New Month too. Things may not look so good now, but slowly we'll get there.

The current Mr. Nigeria and Mr. World 1st runner up, Emmanuel Ikubese, just released these new pictures to celebrate Nigeria’s 54th independence today. See more below...

Blast From the Past - Hubert Ogunde and His Wives

Herbert Ogunde and 8 of his Wives

Hubert Adedeji Ogunde was born in Ososa, near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria (31 May 1916 – 4 April 1990). He was a Nigerian actor, playwright, theatre manager, and musician who founded the Ogunde Concert Party in (1945), the first professional theatrical company in Nigeria. He has been described as "the father of Nigerian theatre, or the father of Nollywood. Hubert Ogunde is one of the few Nigerian actors who have starred in international productions. He featured in Mister Johnson, the 1990 motion picture shot on location in Jos, that also had Pierce Brosnan in it.

Hubert Ogunde was also famous for being a polygamist, he had 12 wives, 8 of whom were part of this theatre productions. They were featured in the American Ebony Magazine of October 1969, and the following pictures are from there.

Blast from the Past: Awolowo, HID and Their Children

Awolowo and HID

Obafemi Awolowo (March 6, 1909 - May 9, 1987) was a Nigerian politician and leader, a Yoruba Chief, and considered a founding father of Nigeria, he was the first premier of the Western Region in 1954. He married Hannah Idowu Dideolu in 1937. I've shared a picture of Awolowo and HID on their wedding day here. They had two sons and three daughters. He was a practicing Wesleyan Methodist. Awolowo died in his home town, Ikenné on May 9, 1987.

Blast from the Past - Nnamdi Azikiwe and his Wife, Flora

Pictures have a way of being the only things that survive when we pass on, and as someone who loves taking pictures, I also love looking at them especially the ones from the past. I was able to find a few old pictures, [see Awolowo and HID on their wedding day] and once in a while I'll share some of the others with explanatory news clips I can find.

Nnamdi Azikiwe (November 16, 1904 – May 11, 1996), popularly known as "Zik", was one of the leading figures of modern Nigerian nationalism. He was head of state of Nigeria from 1960 to 1966, serving as the second and last Governor-General from 1960 to 1963 and the first President of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966, holding the presidency throughout the Nigerian First Republic.

For a man of Azikiwe's stature in the history of Nigeria, not much is known about his first wife, Flora, or his family life. However, a few snippets crop up here and here. According to Emeagwali,

Blast from the Past: Awolowo and HID on Wedding Day

This picture is an amazing memorabilia. It's of of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his wife HID Awolowo on their wedding day, 26th December, 1937. Most of us know about Awo's political exploits, but less about his wife. She looks so meek and mild here, right? But she went on to be just as ambitious and achieveing as her famous husband. And she lives on.

A few days after her 92nd birthday [she's now 97] she granted an interview talking about the first days after she met her late husband, around 1934. “In those days,” she recalled, “a man would propose to you in writing. Obafemi wrote a letter to me that he was in love with me and wanted to marry me.” [How sweet :)]

Wisdom teaches that women are like diplomats. Do not expect a straight answer from them to such a request. They would never say yes. They would say “No” when they actually mean “Maybe” and “Maybe” when they mean “Yes.” So it was that young Hannah said “No” which late graduated to a “Maybe.” At this point, young Obafemi knew he had won the battle.