Ake Festival, Desmond, Mordi Others Win at the 2019 Freedom Awards
The inaugural Freedom Awards and Gala event was held on December 17 at Four Points by Sheraton with winners consisting of social activists passionate about issues like women rights, feminism and domestic violence.
Nominations for The Freedom Awards 2019 which opened and closed just days ago saw an impressive number of entries.
A brainchild of The Initiative for Equal Rights, the inaugural award is prepped to recognize and award the efforts of individuals and organizations in Human Rights Activism in Nigeria by honouring those individuals, organizations, agencies or brands who are working to create an equal society free from discrimination and marginalization.
Find below some of the winners of the 2019 Freedom Award.
AKE BOOK & ART FESTIVAL
Ake Festival won the Allyship Award for being a safe space for people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities in Nigeria, and for being intentional about starting much needed conversations.
VINCENT DESMOND
The amazing @vincentdesmond_ wins The Young Activist Award for his media advocacy and starting new conversations around issues concerning LGBTI+ issues in Nigeria.
DOROTHY AKENA
Dorothy Aken’Ova wins The Trailblazer Award for her groundbreaking work for the last 20 years on sexual and reproductive health and rights, and human rights generally.
KIKI MORDI
@kikimordi wins The Freedom Fighter Award for her work exposing sexual harassment in universities with the @bbcafrica Sex For Grades Documentary.
KAYODE ANI
@Kayode_ani for his tireless work to bring light to issues surrounding Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics. Congrats to Kayode Ani as he wins the SOGIESC Activist of The Year Award!
KEIRA HEWATCH
@KeiraHewatch wins the Womens Rights Activist Of The Year Award in recognition of her heroic rescue of Ene who was stranded at Ajah. Ene is now healthy and reunited with her family.
About The Initiative for Equal Rights
The Initiative for Equal Rights (TIERs) is a Nigeria-based registered non-for-profit organisation working to create a society where human rights are guaranteed regardless of status, identity, orientation and affiliation.
MAMMA MIA – The Musical hits Lagos.
Calling all Dancing Queens and Kings! Prepare to be thrilled by a cast of amazing singers, dancers and actors at SHELL HALL- Muson this Christmas, as we deliver a story of epic proportions and memory. From London’s West- End, to Broadway and now in Nigeria & West Africa for the first time ever, with an ALL NIGERIAN CAST & CREW.
Showing from Dec 25 to Jan 3. Produced by Soji Akinkugbe & Ireti Bakare-Yusuf (Ajibayo Akinkugbe Foundation).
Directed by Najite Dede, with veteran Jide Kosoko as Father Alexandrias.- ‘MAMMA MIA – The Musical’ (Lagos edition) is the show of the season!!
Something for the whole family to excite your CHRISTMAS DAY(7PM ONLY) 🎄🎄
(Rated: 10+; tickets available at Ariiya and Afritickets. https://www.ariiyatickets.com/event/mamma-mia/
https://www.afritickets.biz/events/promoter/25462 ).
Follow us @mammamianigeria for more details. Just come in your dancing shoes! This Christmas, it’s about YOU!
Munachi Mbonu, launches Yet another book titled, Fathers Will
Sunday, December 15, was no doubt an eventful evening when distinguished personalities, led by His Excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwoolu; family, friends and well-wishers gathered at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos to launch yet another book, written by Munachi Mbonu.
The book, Fathers Will: a book woven around a Super Cup who consistently solved earth shaking cases, that shook the country was yet another incisive book written by the 12 year old, JSS 2 Atlantic Hall student, after previous ones, titled Concealed and Chidubem authored by her 2 years ago.
The books which were products of leisurely exercise done while telling stories to her cousins, centered on a group of young friends in school learning what is valuable, moral values and love, was inspired by TV drama series, Friends; while Chidubem, which features a boy adapting to city life after relocating from the village, was influenced by her interactions with her cousins who had similar experience. The book quickly became a best seller in schools particularly among her peers and parents.
A visibly impressed Governor Sanwoolu commended Munachi and encouraged her not to relent on her oars noting that she no doubt is on a path to greatness.
According to him, very few people realise their chosen career path early. “Munachi has defined her own path and i must say without a doubt that beyond the sky is her limit”.
“Speaking on how she realised her passion and gift for writing. Munachi said, “I started by putting down my thoughts into a paper, when the house got noisy, my Mummy tells us to go to our rooms and read and do book reviews. She doesn’t like us faffing round”. So from there what initially felt like punishment resulted into a fruitful passion”
“The first book was from TV drama shows; the second book was inspired by my cousins who moved from the village to Lagos. They did not like some things we liked here but were willing to learn new things and adapt,” she said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police and Commander IGP’s Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, who inspired the book was full of praise for Munachi, noting that her zeal and determination to stand out at this age was one that should indeed be commended and supported by all. ” If we start encouraging young ones like this, the brain drain gradually experienced will become a thing of the past also crime will reduce drastically because our young ones will become more purposeful and aim for their personal growth.
While giving the vote of thanks, Munachi’s Mum, Ifeoma Mbonu said,
“She’s been writing from seven. I got her first laptop at five. So she would sketch some things and write about them. At age seven, she started writing. During the holidays I buy a lot of books and tell her to do a book review. She has written about five or six books.
“I remember when she first started, she was scared at first but I encouraged her. We met with an editor who saw the manuscript and she was impressed,” said Mbonu.
Advising other parents, Mbonu urged parents to invest in their wards, “I will advise parents to invest in their children first before investing for their children. Expose a child to multiple activities and through that you know what the child likes,” she said.
Publishers of the book, Frank Momoh, called on parents to support and always encourage their children whenever they notice similar zeal and passion in them, adding that they never can tell one might just be nurturing them to becoming great writers the world will come to look up to.
” I want to say to Mum and Dad, this girl is doing something great; encourage her. I have travelled all over the world, and encountered very few young minds with this much zeal and willing to impart their society and by extension the world with her own creativity. This is indeed worthy of encouraging and should be supported”, he concluded.
Realness African Screenwriters Residency Now Open
The Realness African Screenwriters Residency is an incubator for African screenwriters. It provides residents with the practical support needed to refine their projects from a creative perspective, as well as to position their projects to industry partners for potential financing and production.
The residency acts as a year-round support system to alumni, helping them take their scripts from the page to the screen, and fostering a new wave of authentic African cinema in the process.
Programme outline
Comprised of two six-week sessions, as well as a market experience, the programme provides screenwriters with the space and support to hone their skills and refine their projects.
Operating from the stunning Cradle of Humankind in South Africa, the first six-week period is focused on incubation – residents write in an inspiring and relaxed environment while being coached by script consultants and mentors.
Read more here
https://www.realness.institute/realness-residency
Moses Akerele Releases Teaser For His Movie “Closure” Starring Chy Nwakanma
MTV Shuga actor Moses Akerele has released the official teaser and poster for the adaptation of a poem titled “Closure“.
“Closure,” originally by Moses Akerele and Sonia Nwosu, is the story of love lived and lost, and the journey to moving on. The adaptation features Chy Nwakanma as well as Moses Akerele himself.
This is the first of more visual adaptations of the filmmaker, of which he titles “Moses Akerele’s Musings“, to be released in early 2020.
Watch the teaser
