The Green Concert - Celebrating Nigeria's Golden Jubilee

My beloved Nigeria is turning the big 50 on Friday October 1st, 2010!!!

Preparations for celebration of this Golden Jubilee are underway from street corners to the Presidency!! Needless to say, every Nigerian all around the world should be unleashing their inner party animal to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our great nation!!

The GREEN CONCERT is perhaps the biggest Independence Day Party which will be holding in Lagos come October 1st. Organised by DuJour Events,a frontline Event Company in Lagos, it is set to feature the richest blend of Nigerian Artistes who will be on ground to tear the roof apart in Celebration!!



M.I, Durella, Ikechukwu, Terry G, Sauce Kid, General Pype, DJ Zeez, Skuki, Lara George and many more of the hottest Artistes in the Nigerian music scene will be on ground to give Nigeria the birthday performances she deserves!!

The legendary DJ JIMMY JATT will be in the building rolling out the hottest party tracks!!

You also don't want to miss the grand FIREWORKS display which will be bringing the Event to a climax!!

Tickets can be purchased from the following locations:

> 160, Awolowo Rd, Ikoyi, Lagos
> Ground Floor, Silverbird Galleria, Ahmadu bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos
3rd Floor, E-Center, Commercial Avenue, Sabo, Lagos.

Regular Tickets cost N3000, VIP - N10, 000 & VVIP - N20, 000

TARIERE will be there and is also offering 7 FREE tickets to the first TARIERE followers to indicate interest in attending!!

'Bars' & The Collective National Psyche

Tones and I were just having a conversation about 'Bars' in Lagos.

No..not alcohol serving Bars, but iron bars that barricade most homes and general buildings in Lagos and other parts of the country.

The purpose of these bars is to protect the inhabitants of a building from Armed Robbers and other such 'Visitors of the Dark'.

Tones is of the opinion that they are very necessary for every home to have if you want to be safe.

I agree.

However, I wonder about the fact that in this country, we need to imprison ourselves to feel safe.

What differentiates us from the inmates of Rikers Island or Kirikiri?!

Goodluck Jonathan in his Election Speech, spoke about fighting crime and putting punitive measures in place...sounds good!!

But we also need to SEE it happen by feeling safe in our own homes without the ominous prescence of 'Bars'.

I also wonder about how jaded we've become as a people if our illusion of safety is with us behind 'Bars'.

We really do need an overhaul in our collective national psyche. Imagine the state of mind a child who is being delivered right now in St. Nicholas Hospital or at a Maternity Centre in my village, Patani, is being born into.

Please people, let's vote wisely in this Elections.

Our Collective National Sanity depends on it.

Go Team IBB!!!

Bumped into an interesting group of people at Base Lounge, Silverbird Galleria, Lagos.



They were like the usual everyday young people we know, only that they were boldly proclaiming their support for Former Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida!!

I couldn't resist going over to speak to them; I was shocked and impressed at their audacity to publicly identify with the One who majority of Nigerians regard as the Enemy.

They claim to not be paid for their support...they say they actually believe in him as the solution for Nigeria!!

In their words, "Let the person who spoilt the country come and fix it by himself"

Alright...and there I was thinking nothing could shock me anymore in this Lagos of mine!!

LIVE from Le Petit Marche - August Edition

Sunday 29th August, 2010, Fashion Enthusiasts in Africa's Most Stylish City, trooped to GET Arena for what is fast becoming the most relevant Fashion Emporium in Lagos.

LE PETIT MARCHE is definitely the place to be every last Sunday of the month; I was there, and of course I brought you some eye candy!!


LPM Vendor


Omowunmi Akinnifesi & Sola


Olawunmi Shobowale


Nicole Chukwueke


Makida Mouka


MAI Atafo, Lola & Dele


Juliet David-West of JIDZ


JIDZ - LPM Vendor

TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR AFRICAN VOICE.....SIGN THE PETITION


Tari, Ugo & Adaku


LPM Vendor


Jasmine Bruce

CELEBRATE YOUR AFRICAN-NESS....SIGN THE PETITION


LPM Vendor


Funmi Owuye


Funke Majekodunmi


Folake Adeniyi & Doyin


Femi Oladokun


Doyin Odunsi


Dara, Femi, Nkiru & Noble Igwe


Damilola, Joke, MAI & friend


Chioma Nwachukwu


Bewaji Adeniji


Adebayo Oke-Lawal of ONYX & PEARL

BE A PROUD AFRICAN....SIGN THE PETITION

Meet The Most Outstanding 'Underground' Artistes

On the 31st of July, 2010, UNDERGROUND, a musical platform established by Inner Circle for the promotion of upcoming Nigerian artistes, held their 2nd edition at Zamunda Lounge, in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Eight young, talented Upcoming Artistes were given the opportunity to perform their tracks before Record Label Executives and established Artistes in the Nigerian Music Industry.

Three Artistes emerged as the Most Outstanding of all the featured Performers. Meet Karma, Steaze & Jazz, three extraordinary talents you need to watch out for in the nearest future...

1st Place) Olumide Harding a.ka. Karma is a Nigerian-born Hip-hop Artiste who has been following his passion since the age of fourteen when he wrote his very first verse, while still a student at Kings’ College, Lagos.



Not even the years spent studying and eventually gaining a degree in Pure & Applied Physics from the Ladoke Akintola College of Technology, Ogbomosho, could separate him from his first love.

Karma draws musical inspiration from whatever environment he finds himself, as well as his mentors, Jay-Z, Method Man, Sound Sultan, Ghostface Killaz, amongst others. He proudly represents Satellite Town, which he declares is ‘the home of the Realest’!!

You can follow @Karmatherapper on Twitter

GET MTV AFRICA & ZAIN TO STOP LYING TO YOUNG NIGERIANS...SIGN THE PETITION


2nd Place) Folake ‘Steaze’ Johnson is a woman of many dimensions!!

Rapper, Copywriter, Basketballer, Artist and Graphics Designer, Steaze has the balls to explore all her passions and abilities, with the zeal of an Amazon.



She began her career as a Rapper with a little gospel band called ‘Outstanding’, from Daystar Christian Center, Lagos. Since then, she has done numerous stints with different groups and was even signed on by a Record Label, none of which yielded any fruit for her.

Listen to Steaze's track

Steaze stands solo right now, and has fully embraced Rap music as a medium to communicate the gospel of her life. There is no stopping this graduate of University of Lagos, who earned the nickname ‘Steaze’ due to her ability to always provide fun activity for her peers.

TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR OWN AFRICAN VOICE...SIGN THE PETITION


3rd Place) Lanre Aluko-Olokun popularly known as JAZZ is a young gifted independent Singer/Songwriter and Designer who is currently studying in England.



He currently performs with an England-based Jazz/ Swing band called ‘Tuxedo Swing’ with whom he performs hit songs from the likes of James Brown, Etta James and Cab Calloway. Jazz has also featured at various shows such as Pride of the Motherland at the Indigo O2, London and most recently, Taruwa, in Lagos, alongside Alternative Soul Singer, BEZ.

Listen to Jazz's track

He describes his style of music as a blend of Soul and R&B. Jazz is also interested in other genres of music especially Dance and Pop. As a Songwriter, he writes from his heart and experiences, which he believes allows most people relate to the stories he tells through his music.

His major musical influences are Lauryn Hill, Whitney Houston and Frank Sinatra.


YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE...SIGN THE PETITION

Two-Timing Tari : The Classic Man VS The Smooth Man

I can’t escape this life that I’m living. I’m in a mix; I’m in love with two Men.

Two insanely attractive and hugely successful men of the highest quality, who are on the brink of driving me insane with their magnetic allure.

They live on two different frequencies and have uniquely distinct attributes, which somehow makes it easier for me to two-time them without getting busted by either of them.

They are The Classic Man, who lives on the 97.3 frequency & The Smooth Man who has his lair on the 98.1 frequency.

These two Men contribute in giving me the most exhilarating experiences during my weekends and also on week-days.

The freedom to move from one of them to the other, without implicating myself, also adds to the thrill of my exotically sinful romantic liaisons with them.

Let me tell you a little about both of them:

The Classic Man makes me high.

He is like a drug which has become legal because of the euphoria it gave even those who were responsible for the enforcement of its ban. Think the Chairman of N.D.L.E.A becoming the Chief Advocate for the legalization of Marijuana, as a result of how the grass changed his own life.

That is how my Classic Man makes me feel. He uplifts my soul in so many different ways. He takes me through the sands of time, elevating my consciousness to different planes of musical indulgence.

He touches me in places I reserve for myself and makes me want to put an ‘Exclusively Reserved For The Classic Man’ sign in those doorways.

Thoughts of him even when I am absent from him, make me release bubbles of laughter, which swallow me up in their cocoon and take me on a delightful sail in the clear skies.

My Classic Man is a happy-go-lucky guy who is as infectious as the song on his lips.

The Smooth Guy on the other hand..aaahhhhh..a darkly sensuous rush makes its way through my body as I even mention his name.

Yes, that’s the one word I can use to describe him right now; Dark.

Think creamy, luxurious Dark Chocolate; Rare and refined, being poured all over the buttery brown skin of an ancient African goddess.

I’m a very opinionated woman who likes to express her knowledge at a given opportunity, but when I’m around my Smooth Man, I rest my case.

Every single sense in my system is shut down, making room for the awakening of a single sense: The Sense of Savoury.

I loose myself in my Smooth Man. I become so enraptured in his enchanting power and sensuously rhythmic motion that I completely forget everything I am and am not, and take on the luxury of his presence.

His voice is like the melting of ice on a warm mountain bed.

His touch is like a King’s release of passion after a long period of war.

The way his gaze falls on me is like the awareness the Ghost Leopard brings to the forest as his eyes fall upon a waiting prey.

My Smooth Man does things to me that make me wonder if I dreamed them even while they’re still happening to me.

Nothing else exists when I’m with my Smooth Man. It is at the point when I have to leave him that I remember that there is a world outside of the velvety magnificence of him.

This last Sunday, I actually felt the first pang of guilt at my two-timing. I was with The Classic Man, and he had filled my morning with intense lovemaking which had awakened layers of my soul that go deeply beyond the realms of this Dimension.

Knowing my love for God and the journey God has brought me through, my Classic Man signed his name on my heart forever, by singing to me the song ‘Balm of Gilead’.

That took me back to every moment in the past in which I had been hurting, broken and afraid, when God like a Balm, healed me and shaped me into this beautiful person you now see.

By this thoughtful and invaluable gesture, my Classic Man was affirming me, and acknowledging the beauty he beholds when he looks at me.

“How can one Man make a woman feel this special?” I thought to myself as I lay in his arms comforted by the stroke of his fingers against my side.

Then, shortly after, without giving him any notice at all, I broke the serenity of our union and rushed out of our love enclave, without even knowing what I was going after myself.

I found myself unconsciously making my way to the 98.1 frequency to join my Smooth Man for Brunch.

His kind eyes and disarming smile welcomed me as he served me with the quiet dignity of a King providing for his Queen.

If only he knew where I had been only moments before. I wondered if my Classic Man’s breezy scent still lingered on me.

I soon forgot that and everything else as my Smooth Man drew me into himself with his grand chariots and enthroned me upon the sacred throne of his heart.

Oh God, why have you blessed me with the love of these two glorious Kings, and then imposed the curse of a conscience upon my unfaithful heart?

I don’t want to lie and cheat these two men anymore. They don’t deserve to be treated this way by me or even anyone else.

I’m going to come clean with both of them by letting each one in on the existence of the other, since I'm definitely not willing to let go of either.

I hope they’ll be satisfied in the fact that there is no Main Squeeze or Side Chick in my affair with them.

They are both my Kings and I promise to love them both with equal passion and commitment.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN.

Let the Children BE Children

There was the recent International uproar about the marriage of Senator Ahmed Yerima, to a 13year old Egyptian bride, who is the daughter of the Distinguished Senator’s driver.

The debate dominated Internet Chat-rooms, Radio & Television programmes, living rooms, Beer parlors and every other gathering of Intelligent and gossip-minded folks.

Collective angst at the callousness of such a high-ranking Government official was rife and no-one hesitated in expressing their disgust and disbelief at how such a blatant abuse of a Minor can be celebrated in broad daylight.

Through all this, I remained silent.

Silent because I’ve vowed within myself not to get caught up in all the hogwash we Nigerians love to engage in.

Silent because, correct me if I’m wrong, but what exactly is new about what Senator Yerima has done?

Child Marriages have been a part of most Northern cultures for generations!! We have ALL known about this…abi is it your first time hearing about thirteen year old virgins getting married to older males?

It’s one of those things that are condemnably wrong, but we have all accepted and actually embraced as a part of our collective consciousness. The only reason there was uproar about this particular incident, is because the person in question is a Senator, and an easy victim to make a scapegoat.

Marriage or sexual intercourse with a minor is a clear violation of the provisions of Section 21 of the Child Rights Act, which states:

“No person under the age of 18 years is capable of contracting a valid marriage, and, accordingly, a marriage so contracted is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.” Section 22(1) states: “No parent, guardian or any other person shall betroth a child to any person. (2) a betrothal in contravention of sub section (1) of this section is null and void.” Section 23 goes on to specify that “a person (a) who marries a child, or (b) to whom a child is betrothed, or (who) promotes the marriage of a child, or (d) who betroths a child, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N500, 000; or imprisonment for a term of five years or to both such fine and imprisonment’’.



Is someone going to try to convince me that between now and 2003 when the CRA was established, there have NOT been any Marriages to minors anywhere in Nigeria?!

Why has no-one been prosecuted? Why has there not been a National debate about it since? Why has no-one risen up in the Media to defend the rights of the tons of children whose rights are daily being infringed upon right here in Nigeria? Why do we only acknowledge wrong when it is being committed by someone who has a lot to lose if we judge him?

I first came into contact with the CRA early this year, while doing Research for Content of the ‘Heart of the Matter’, which is a talk-show I produce. We invited a Child Advocacy Group called the African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse & Neglect (ANPPCAN), to the Show, and for the first time, my eyes were opened to the harsh brutalities children are made to suffer in this country.

For the first time, I realized that children actually had clearly laid-out Rights, and my heart ached at the fact that witnessing these Rights being taken away from them had become a normal part of my everyday experience.



Everyday, I watch children on the streets of Lagos, rush to clean my window shield at 11am; a time when they should be in school.

Everyday, I see little girls and boys being made to carry load on their head, earning a living for their families, while their little bodies are burdened by the back-breaking labor.

Everyday, I see children go to school during the day, and hit the streets at night to hustle to make ends meet for their families.

I see little girls transported from remote villages to urban cities to slave away their formative years as house helps to the Rich.

All these, and more of the things we have accepted to be normal, are clearly defined Violations of the Child Rights Act.

Yes, Senator Ahmed Yerima has abused a little girl by marrying her and possibly engaging in sexual intercourse with her.

But so have we.

By ignoring the cry for help from the little ones on our streets, have we not abused them?



By accepting as ‘Normal’ the suffering of innocent children within our environment, have we not teamed up with their Abusers?

By doing nothing, when we see a young child being mistreated, manhandled and forced to become adults in their childhood, have we not become a part of the violation of their Rights?

We certify ANYTHING to be Ok the moment we Accept it.

Please, let’s STOP accepting the brutal rape on the rights of our nation’s children.



Let the Children BE Children.

(All photographs courtesy Oladipo Oladapo...www.phunshots.com)

The 10/10 Way To Express Yourself

Nigerians are known all over the world to be very EXPRESSIVE people..we take pride in saying just what we want, exactly how we want it said..not giving a hoot about who's sucking their breath in at our Audacity!!



A new Lifestyle Clothing Line called 10/10 (Ten over Ten), takes pride in giving young Nigerians a direct platform from which they can scream whatsoever they desire at the world around them - from their T-SHIRTS!!


Benjamin Oligbo - 10/10 Founder 10\10 Exclusive \Chief Consultant

Lagos has been completely taken over by this RADICAL form of Self-Expression, and young, hip people are falling over themselves to grasp their hands on one of these T-shirts, which allows them communicate their deepest thoughts and opinions to the world.

The Mo'Hits Crew, Shank, Richard Mofe-Damijo and some of the current Big Brother All Stars have also gotten a 10/10 mark!!! Also, certain very Prominent members of the Lagos State Government have ordered their very own customised 10/10 T-Shirts!!



The Girls are loving these T-shirts as much as they're loving their men..









It also helps the Crackberrians...



Errr...and the Male Gigolos as well...LOL





..And I think I'm gonna grab these ones for myself...





To schedule your own 10/10 Consultation & Delivery, call 08136615995 and get a 10% Discount by mentioning TARIERE!!!

AYAKA Nights in Lagos

On Saturday 17th July 2010, AYAKA, an Online Magazine, hosted their first ever 'Ayaka Nights', a forum for open discourse which is inspired by Literature.

Adaobi Nwaubani, award-winning author of 'I Do Not Come To You By Chance', was present for an intimate reading of her scintillating novel.



It was all laughs, stimulating conversation and of course, lots to sip and nibble on....OH and Alternative Singer, BEZ, gave us some more enjoyment with his feel-good music!!


Adaobi Nwaubani & Moi


Victor Ehikhamenor of 234NEXT


Designer, Kiki Kamanu




My Plate


Jide Adedeji - Flavor Scientist


Bez

You see that painting behind him?! I couldn't take my eyes off it ALL night..sooooo beautiful!!


Amaechi Okobi


Writer, Amy Ava

*singing & dancing* "Adaobi signed my book!!" (2ce)



Oh YES, I will!!


Me & Our Hostess, Awele Okigbo of AYAKA