On Half Naked Women and Male Magazine Covers

This cover has made it to most Nigerian blogs and it's easy to see why. The ladies on it are beautiful, hardworking and well known in the entertainment circles. However, this blog is not to call them hot chicks or exalt that "Nigerian Girls are getting bolder". While I'm usually not one to call out fellow women on the choices they make in their life and work, I just had to say this. Permit me.

I don't know the other two very well, but Toke I had sorta been following, she has a blog, also vlogs, and was campaigning against cancer the other day. I equally saw an interview she had with Ebuka Obi Uchendu not too long ago. In it, she referenced a small, or if you will, big, fall out with Linda Ikeji on who is and who isn't supposed to be a role model. And then I see her pimping herself in underwear on a male magazine cover?

Ihuoma Mambo Atanga's True Story of Nollywood

Ihuoma Mambo Atanga is a young up and coming filmmaker of Nigerian/Cameroonian descent, and a member of the New York Women in Film & Television. She is also the producer of True Story Nollywood, a film documenting the opinions about the authenticity of the African narrative in Nollywood films (a fast growing African film industry thought to be losing itself to Western culture).

The film highlights various subjects of discourse surrounding the topic, among prominent Nollywood filmmakers and people based in her current city of residence, New York City including renowned Nollywood director Tunde Kelani.

True Story Nollywood examines the educated opinions, gossip, lies and truths behind the evolution and authenticity of Nollywood stories from the perspective of industry connoisseurs, Michael Nwaesi, Oliver Mbamara, and Tunde Kelani.

Prince Amukamara - February Man Candy #9

Prince Amukamara is an Nigerian-American football cornerback for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL), and was a member of the Giants' Super Bowl championship team as a rookie. Prince's parents are Nigerian born and have royalty in their family line :)

How to Cook Fried Rice 1

Fried Rice may not be as ubiquitous as Jollof is in Nigerian households but it has its own place which is somehow classier, it is used for special occasions and parties. In prep terms, fried rice is barely cooked rice stir-fried into a vegetable and meat/seafood  mixture. For each making, even for myself, the ingredients and the method of preparation differs. On this occasion, I used diced cooked beef as the meat accompaniment to the chopped vegetables.

Ingredients
3 cups of long-grain rice
1 pack of Chicken drumsticks
3 ladles vegetable oil
1 pack of frozen mixed vegetable - defrosted
Cooked Beef - diced
2 small fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
2 Teaspoon of dry pepper
4 Knorr Chicken cubes
Salt and Spices to Taste

Nse Ikpe Etim Writes on her Personal Journey to Love

It is not often that one finds a true love that lasts through the decades, and so when I read this Real Love Story from Nse, I just had to share. Enjoy...

Becoming Her by Nse Ikpe Etim

I had been immunized against the bug and this is received through all the amazing lessons life hands you on a platter.  I had a boyfriend when it was a taboo to have one. I was 17. Our first meeting was as ordinary as it gets. I went on a stroll which was not uncommon those days on our estate, and there came this young man driving his father’s car.

He stopped, chatted with me for a while and I wonder what he said that made me get into his car and have him drop me off. He called the intercom and we talked again but he knew the times to call when mum would not do the picking. Little did I know that the day he picked me up was the day I would begin the journey.

We spent our spare moments together, talking, walking and when we walked the streets, word travelled swiftly to our parents. On my arrival home, a cane was the welcome party. We always paid dearly for those nights because our parents wanted us to be straight kids, but we didn’t mind.

40 Romantic Movies For Your Valentine

Valentine’s day is practically just days away and love in the air any way we turn. We have been discussing things to do this Valentine, and one way that we both enjoy is to watch movies. While there's one we want to catch at the cinema the weekend after, we can also relax at home that evening with some oldies but goodies.

When I started thinking about romantic movies, I realised how many I'd need to go through to decide. My head seems filled with movie titles, and it's possible I've seen over a thousand! From romantic comedies to tear jerkers, Nollywood to Bollywood, Animations to Drama, Classic to Modern, I've seen them all. Okay Most of them.

Below are some I can remember right off the cuff, starting with the first two romantic movies I probably ever saw.

The Sound of Music

The King & I

When a Guy thinks the Lady knows Everything

My friend is a very pretty, intelligent, and confident lady who makes her own money. She is also a single mum who is on the dating scene. You would think her job or money was the sticking point for guys, but no, it is how well rounded and versatile she is intellectually and emotionally. She left this status message and it got me thinking, is this really an issue?

I need help! I met this dude a while back, we've been on a few dates, spend time on bbm, many phone calls, and many "oh-my-goodness-I-can't-believe-you-have-two-kids-you-are-so-pretty" compliments (heehee!). So here I am thinking a relationship is about to begin...until I got a text a minute ago.

Apparently, he was sending it to his friend but he mistakenly sent it to me. Text: "I like her a lot, I think I even love her but she is one strong woman, she knows everything. I feel like I'm never going to be able to add real value to her. I don't think I'm man enough to handle her..." Biko, what is he talking about???

On Adoption - Love Makes a Family Not Blood

I've always been comfortable with adopting, and since we've had trouble conceiving and I found out I was infertile, the plans to adopt have been moved forward. We've recently started the process of becoming foster parents, and hopefully adoptive parents. I plan to blog about that as I have more to say since it is not a day's journey. In the meantime, the topic "Does the Baby Have To Be the Fruit of Your Loins?" and the comments it generated got my attention on BN. Testimony submitted this awesome comment that I just had to share;

Love doesn't know blood. It is love that makes a family, not blood. I was raised by a single mum at the beginning. On getting to secondary school, my sperm donor said he wanted me to live with him, my mum reluctantly agreed. In under 2 years of living with him, I was abandoned, yes abandoned my my biological father. I annoyed him one night, and he dragged me in my night gown with no slippers on.

I was just 11years old, and he drove me to my grandma’s house, not even my mum’s house and he dropped me off, and he said he never wanted to have anything to do with us, this includes me, my sisters (also his children), and my brother, whom he denied from pregnancy (as the Lord always does these things, my brother is the SPITTING image of him).

O. T. Fagbenle - February Man Candy #8

O. T. Fagbenle was one of the nominations that came in on the very first post. And to think I never knew him before now. He is a British actor writer and director, and has appeared in several films, stage and television productions.

Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop

To enter this contest, leave a comment below with your email address. What's up for grabs?

One eBook copy of my first novel A Heart to Mend (International!)

Gladys moves to live with an estranged aunt in Lagos and to continue her search for a job. Before long she lands the job of her dreams with the foremost oil company in the city and makes several new friends. She also gradually resolves the mystery of why her aunt previously cut all ties with their family. But the best part about her new life is meeting Edward Bestman.

Edward is good-looking, super rich but emotionally scarred. Gladys gets him to see that she loves him and that together they can surmount all their differences. However, when they return from a romantic trip abroad, they find that some unnamed people are about to take over his business empire. Edward's past has come back to haunt both of them.