LADIES, WHAT'S IN YOUR PURSE?

Bag Lady, You Gon' Hurt Ur Back

So I just got my July edition of True Love magazine. There's an interesting article in it that I thought was brilliant in its simplicity. It's basically taking a look into women's purses and exposing what they carry in it. It's so interesting how the content of ones purse can tell ones personality or be totally different from it. Well I was so intrigued by the concept of finding out what's in women's purses that I decided to do a knock-off of the article. This time I ambushed unsuspecting ladies at STV and even volunteered myself randomly. No time to pull out the Sunday best designer bag here. LOL. So let's check out what interesting things you can find...(I think you should all try this with your friends and family members, if not out of curiosity, then do it out of boredom.) You are welcome to analyze the victims below based on the content of their purses.

THE PURSE PATROL VICTIMS

Amanda Akpan, Production AssistantAmanda's bag shows a different side to her. Amanda is a go getter who can be 'stern' and 'aggressive' with work but the girly color coded appearance (mostly pink) and self help books showed a softer side.

The Content: 

Diva Principle by Michelle Mckinney Hammond, Street University by Helen Sosu, a pink journal and organizer labelled Bad Girl, Just for U magazine, pink nail polish in different shades, medication and a pair of sunglasses

Victoria Pepple, Production Assistant and Presenter (411 on J.A.J's Top 10 Countdown):

Victoria's bag was highly pathetic, well except for the fact that it's a real Coach bag so she got a cool 'babe point' there (lol...do you know how much that costs in Naira).  The experiment made her realize the content of her bag which was mostly make-up made her look like an air head (her own words), which she is so not.

Content: 

 Always (for when Aunty Flo crashes the party), Mac Powder, Mary Kay powder, a jumbo powder brush, Estee Lauder Lip Gloss,  3 lip liner pencils, a comb, a pen, a Nokia phone, a christian novel, The Oath, and a pair of real Ferragamo sunglasses (another babe point..had to fish for something for her now)

Vivian Akinyosoye, news anchor and business reporter Vivian is a working reporter 24/7 and that reflects in the content of her bag. She's been hanging around a lot of younger people just by being at STV and confesses that she needs help converting to our side of hippness.

The Content: 

A Sony camcorder and charger, a box of mini dv tapes and some extras, a Starcomms and Nokia phone, pens, a number of well worn out organizers and diaries, 3 check books, a shaving stick, a yellow toothbrush, a range of matching Mary Kay products ranging from brush to powder and eye shadows Estee Lauder lip gloss, the wine floral scarf, hand cream and an empty bottle of perfume. She also had some chocolate cake wrapped in tissue which she is munching on in the picture. (lol)

Abigail, Production and Programming Assistant Abigail is very quiet and soft spoken. I am not sure her purse said much, except for how important her religion is to her.

Content:

The Holy Bible, A Word For Today booklet, her glasses, a black wallet, make up pouch, a compact foundation (Revlon, I think) A strawberry lip balm, a hair brush, a yellow compact mirror, some q-tips, a bangle, a can of Nixoderm (don't act like ya'll don't remember that one for the pimples) and a tube of Bleaching Cream (for the black raccoon ring around her eyes from wearing glasses)

Layole Oyatogun, Entertainment Reporter and Segment Producer ('Page 3')

Layole's purse was majorly dry. Even she admits it. There wasn't much in it.

The Content: 

2 combs, a lip liner, a toothbrush for her hairline 'bunions', a pair of sunglasses (she confesses they are GSB --Go Slow Bones -- the ones the hawkers sell in traffic jams), a floral make up pouch, hand cream, clear nail polish, white powder, Glow By J-LO hand cream, a black Pashmina, a compact mirror in silver case and a set of keys with a girly key chain.

AND TO THE MOTHER OF ALL BAGS -- MY BAG!!

Ok I have always been a serious BAG LADY. I carry 3 bags to work. A back pack with all my computing and interneting gadgets, a medium 'kwanangida' type bag with my changing clothes and tennis shoes and my BLUE ALL WEATHER bag that Aldo will probably reject when they hear what I put in it.  Interestingly I'd just reduced the content when I had changed purses over the weekend and forgot to put things back. Ya'll know about me so let's get straight to the nitty gritty

THE CONTENT:

a black journal that serves as my reporter's note book, a dvd documentary on Ethiopia -LALIBELA, a camera, a Nokia communicator, a hair brush,  one comb, 2 pairs of sunglasses Diesel and Liz Clairborne (I keep the GSB in the car), MAC C8 powder, 1 pink black radiance lip gloss, pink shimmer lip gloss by Tara Orekelewa, Candy Pink lip gloss by Sleek and generic lip glosses in brown and clear (trying to achieve Angelina Jolie lips with all that puckering up), my check book, a tampon, Fashion Fair hand cream, PK chewing gum from the Mallam at La Casa, some generic Eye drop for smog/dust irritation, Dr. Miracle Hair Gro for my receding hairline, camcorder battery and pack (never got around to taking it out with the camcorder),  blue bead and gold chain necklace I got from the Franklin Street Thrift store in Chapel Hill,  A Flag of Nigeria lapel Pin,    

A CD of MAY7EVEN's single, a powder brush, breathe mints in a blue case, Bvulgari perfume just because the bottle is cute and people always ask for perfume but I hardly wear it cos perfs gimme a head ache, different earrings and necklaces and the most interesting of all, carry overs from the Sahara trip, Flagil and Imodium because you never know when the food you eat won't augur well with your system. You best never leave home without 'em.

My sister's I-pod which I borrowed (I don't won one yet), 3 mini DV tapes, an adaptor plug for my random travels, a sewing kit, my company ID, my wallet, a MY LAST CARD -- few Naira, dollar and Ghana cedi notes (as you can see I'm broke)

Here's what I took out; My mosquito repellent spray, my sleeping eye mask for the doggone traffic and a tub of balm for mosquito and sand fly bites 

That's all the crap I carry in my bag, what's in yours and good luck trying to figure me out with this one. Lol. You know whose bag I really wanna take a peek at...My mother's. I can't just imagine what I'll find now. Back then she would carry all sorts, from sweets and biscuits to 'guguru and epa' (Nigerian style sugared popcorn and peanuts). She would not tell you she brought  something home from work but would send you on an errand to go and bring her bag. That's when you'll se the Ben Johnson's of the Achumba Family, racing to get the bag first to win the prize of 'Guguru and Epa'. Gone are those simple days. Now all everyone wants is Debonair's Pizza and Cactus Forest Cake...unhealthy junk food. C'mon lets eat more nuts people (uh uuh... not that kinda nuts... get your mind out the gutta and into some bleach...lol). Anyways check out the July Edition of True Love West Africa for more cool stuff.

NIGER DELTA PICTURES

FINALLY!!

Here are the pictures of my trip to the NIger Delta from last spring. I hadn't been able to upload i because of poor internet bandwidth. Then Kodak gallery started messing up so I had to switch to shutterfly which I am not too familiar with. So it's taken me forever to put this up. Anyways better late than never, the situation in these areas rarely changes in the space of a year. If you didn't catch the post on the trip you can always check them out below. Let me know if you have trouble viewing the pictures and I'll figure something out. I've about given up trying to get video onto this blog, it's such a challenge. Anyways here's to trying to blog more often but thanks for understanding why that's can't happen as often as I would like.

NIGER DELTA PICTURES
NIGER DELTA TRIP PART 1
NIGER DELTA TRIP PART 2
NIGERI DELTA TRIP PART 3

Looking For Addy?

LIFE, WORK and shamefully FACEBOOK have taken over. However I have just sorted out myself with high speed internet. I'll be back with all the details of the Sahara Expedition. Thanks for your patience and understanding. Do check up on me soon. Cheers and Peace.

Addy

SAHARA EXPEDITION

DAY 8

We finally made it to Bamako in Mali this afternoon after hours of driving. The fact that we had camped out in the desert on the outskirts of Mopti didn't help. We were all in need of a bath, sleep, food and air conditioning. It's ridiculously hot that I have begun to have a greater sense of appreciation for my humid tropical region of Nigeria with its pelting raindrops, sinking islands and encroaching ocean. I'll take that any day so long as I have a raft for dooms day.  But let me back track a bit here. We left Accra for Kumasi and spent two days there talking and meeting with members of the Nigerian community. Some of them were from the northern region, which as you know is affected by desert encroachment. However there were also a lot of the from Ogbomosho. We visited the Asante Kingdom Palace museum and met with some professors and the dean of environmental sciences at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Technology. Friday was my birthday and I must say I consider this trip is the best birthday gift yet. I say yet because I have not gone round for collection and I am hoping my potential gift givers read this to know they have their work cut out for them. Meanwhile, I got a pleasant surprise from Papa Jibs and the crew when they presented me with a signed card and a birthday cake. The cake has now been smashed and will serve as peace meal when we run into Touregs in the desert. I hope they like vanilla.

 From Kumasi we drove up into Burkina Faso. That also took hours. Thank goodness I am not driving since I don't have an international drivers license. Although I kinda feel bad that I can't help in that department. We spent the early morning talking with local farmers and doing some on air hypes and interviews in pidgin-french (bad french) on the community farmers radio. And for the very first time the Burkinabes had the pleasure of hearing TY Bello's Greenland over their airwaves. I wonder if there'll be a french version (hint, hint). Anyways, Bamako is so hot that the motel stewards are putting us in a 3rd room, where hopefully, the AC would actually work and cool the room. I know I cannot be a diva by any means but considering that I had to sleep inside the car with one eye closed and the other opened and sat in a car for over 8 hours in full view of the desert sun (translation: the AC may have been on full blast but it was not reaching me), the least I can get is a cool room to sleep in. Think about it...it's about 85 F degrees now at midnight. You can imagine how hot it was today. Let me help you 110 F degrees or there about. Well we head for Senegal on Tuesday. Plans might change because the plan was to drive up to Timbouktu and Gao in Central Mali. As I see it, I secretly cannot wait to get to Dakar so I can fly back to Lagos. Not just to get away from the heat but because I am in a wedding. Lol. After this trip I swear I shall never complain about Lagos being hot.

SAHARA EXPEDITION

DAY 4

Hello guys
Sorry to leave you out of the loop on this one. So I am in Ghana right now borrowing someone's laptop since I left mine in Lagos. Didn't think I'll have any need for it considering that not all of Africa has wireless internet and the fact that I was trying to be light. Oh well I thought wrong. Anyways no fears, you can still keep track of the expedition, read Ebun's Reports and see all the cool photos that Kelechi and all of us are taking at WWW.FADEAFRICA.ORG/GREENDESERT. The route changed so it looks like I will be dropping of in Dakar Senegal with just a taste of the Sahara's edge. I am shooting video ofcourse and the view from the lens/lcd is only getting better and better as we go further. Well I am not sure when next I'll get online but as I said you can keep track of the crew on that website. There's also a cool map to show you the distance we have covered and where we are (look for the blinking dot...lol) That's all for now folks. Peace

FIGHT AGAINST DESERT ENCROACHMENT

Newton Jibunoh's Green Desert Expedition

Have you met this 70 year old man who has conquered the Sahara desert twice and is gunning for a third? When some nigerians hear about his love for this suicide mission, they think this man must be crazy, bored and must have nothing else to do with time and money. But Newton Jibunoh is far from that description. He is just a simple man who is passionate about the fight against desert encroachment, global warming and the environment. Chief as he is fondly called went on his first lone expedition across the Sahara when he was just 27. Then at 62 he tried again for the second time. No one went with him on that one and it seemed like no one was getting it. Perhaps it's because he did not document those first two trips to show what his fight is all about. Now at 70 he's taking a cue from fellow environmentalist, Al Gore and is going to do just that. Put it in pictures so that WE CAN ALL GET IT. This time he is not alone. Some people have gotten the message and have volunteered to join Nigeria's very own desert warrior as he makes history. It's sort of like a reality show in the making but for a good cause. The cast includes Ebun Olatoye a journalist, from True Love West Africa, ace photographer Kelechi Amadi-Obi, filmmaker Titi Laoye, Afam Ugah an IT specialist and, Joseph (?) a mechanic. The crew will be going through the coast of West Africa to Accra and access the route to the desert through Northern Ghana. That's where I'll be getting off, in Tamale and wishing the expedition team the best of luck. Unfortunately I can't go all the way. I second guessed myself and didn't sum up the courage to ask for myself to go on the trip. Lesson learned--NEVER HESITATE UNLESS YOUR GUT SAYS SO!! Anyways Silverbird TV is a media partner on this expedition along with NTA and CNN. I am looking forward to this trip and hoping to get cool video material. I have taken a few tablets of GESTID to also make sure I don't have any emergency along the way. Well visit the FADE website at fadeafrica.org and read some of these articles below to get the full scope of things.

Adventure of a lifetime at 70
Attempting the Impossible
Combatting Desert Encroachment in Nigeria

You can also read his book, Me, My Desert and I where he chronicles his second trip across teh Sahara. There's a wealth of articles on the subject via google, so enjoy the read and share your views. Here are some pictures from the official flag off with the Lagos State Government

Newton Jibunoh and some newspaper reporters

Silverbird TV's environment correspondent Vivian Irikefe interviewing Ebun Olatoye
Kelechi Amadi-Obi with his 'baby' striking a pose
' FADE-SUZE 1' -- One of the 3 desert mobiles -- This is 'JIBS' mobile with his bed attached above
' Papa Jibs the Desert Ranger', Addy and the 'FADE SUZE 4'

THE SEARCH FOR MBGN 2008

Silverbird's Most Beautiful Girl In Nigeria

The search for Silverbird's Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2008 is on and for the first time there will be a screening in London. Folks in the London area who are interetsed in participating in the pageant have the opportunity to audition on March 1st at the Holiday Inn Express in Stratford on 196 High Street, London. The final screening will hold on March 5th 2008 at Eko Hotel and Suites. There are 5 crowns up for grabs. MBGN World, MBGN Universe, MBGN Ecowas, MBGN Tourism and MBGN Model. This year, the total prize money has been increased to 5 Million Naira, a brand new car and one contestant gets the opportunity to be the face of La Casera, as Miss Lacasera 20o8 with a salary of One million Naira for the year. Participants must be Nigerian Citizens (parentage) between the ages of 18 and 25, have at least a high school degree and 5ft 7in and above in height. The pageant is scheduled to hold on March 28th 2008

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PS: Part of my new year resolution this year was to visit at least four countries in Africa that I have never been to. Fortunately it's happening sooner and it's free too. Lol. I am off to Congo Brazzaville with MBGN 2007 for the Ms Congo Pageant. I have no clue what to expect and it is not funny that I cannot find my french dictionary. Anyways I'll let you know how it goes

ONARIETA THE KID PAINTER

Nigeria's Youngest Painter "This is my Happy Face." Onarieta's most recent painting, of herself.

"My sad Face?"

"My Funny Face..."

Carrying her lunch box and dressed in her signature look - tiny head scarf covering her beaded, braided hair, a contemporary top and a long african print skirt to match her scarf - it's hard not to notice how artsy this cute little girl is. I'd first heard about Onarieta Aminisisi sometime last year as she was preparing for her first exhibition in December (I could have sworn I'd heard about her at the end of last summer). I'd been meaning to blog about her but I didn't have much on her other than this article on ONARIETA from the DAILY SUN. Fortunately for me I got to meet her on saturday while recording the 100th episode of Today on STV (the breakfast show). I was so enamored by her and since I was interviewing her I had to bond with her. We did bond but she was a little shy and soft spoken so I couldn't get much out of her. She's a 3 year old introvert, so there's not much I could get her to talk about in public. But she did understand the word ice-cream so we shared that and a few soda drinks. Whne time came for the interview I had to play it off with a few laughs and cheesey comments but how about in the middle of the interview with her dad doing most of the talking, little Onarieta decides to interupt. Guess what she said...Daddy I want to wee-wee. Kids do say the darndest things. That was a good time for Aunty Addy to call for a break and make a run to the little girls room. Let me not even start on little madam Jemi 'jem-jem' Doyle (in red, she's my co-anchor, Ireti's daughter) who is an old woman in a 3 year old's body.

This girl can rival Oprah when it comes to talking. The fruit they say doesn't fall far from the tree and with talent running in the family, it's expected. So ya'll better watch out for 'jem-jem' in a few years when she'll be ruling the screen. Their cuteness melts ma heart...can we skip the 9 months, the terrible twos and go straight to 3 with mini-addy when she comes around. Seriously!





ON THE VALENTINES DAY TIP

For those of you who celebrate Valentine. HAPPY VALENTINE O. But since we are all on teh topic of love, let me extend some love to all you readers out there. If you don't get anything for vals day, at least you are getting a hug from me. You can't feel it? Hmh...ok put you right hand across your body and towards your back... to the left... yeah... that's it...do the same with the left hand...good... good..ah ah... you are flexible o..have you been doing yoga...ok squeeze your self...don't choke o...ehen...now try to use your hands to rub your back...there you go..a world class hug from Addy...you too much jo!!!! Lol. Anyways since I am not getting a PRADO JEEP anytime soon, I decided to treat myself to a late xmas/new year/compensatory vals/ early birthday gift by replacing my phone and finally getting the Nokia E90 Communicator. Yes I had to take half a year to psyche and convince myself that I needed that phone. I suffered abuses because of the 55 something dail-n-recieve phoning machine that I was using. A phone with no keyboard or browsing capacity and no ability to download tunes or ringtones. Anyways my new tool is all the gifts of the year rolled into one so it's justified. Lol. Come Thursday night I shall be in my room snoring away while the rest of Lagos is dooking it out in traffic, trying to get to the restaurants. It's a do or die affair on Vals day in Lagos but please 'takirizy' out there. Dare to be different this year in spreading your love.

THE WINNER OF THE EVENING WITH PSQUARE TIX GIVE AWAY

The winners are Bunmi (from the Agogo post) randomly selected AND UZO from the Eve with post. He/she had the closest answer with BASKET MOUTH being the second installment and the yella fella was Ifeanyichukwu aka I'm From LA MEN....SHIIIIEEEEE!!!! (he said his name in the promo).

SEND ME AN EMAIL WITH YOUR PHONE NUMBERS SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE AND WHEN YOU CAN PICK UP YOUR TICS!!