Nigerian New Yam Festival - 'Iri-ji'

The New Yam Festival (in Igbo: Iri-ji or Iwa ji) is named after the most common and important food crop in Nigeria. According to All-Africa, 'yam' in Igbo cosmology, is regarded as the king of crops. It symbolizes also the virile qualities of a successful man, prowess, progress and prosperity. 

The New Yam Festival is a harvest festival by the Igbo people celebrated annually at the end of the rainy season (beginning of August). This culturally rich festival symbolises the end of harvest, the abundance of the produce and the beginning of the next work cycle. 

Yam - Vegetable (Wikipedia)          Yam porridge (All Nigerian Recipes)

Traditionally, all the previous year's yams (now regarded as old) are consumed or discarded weeks or days before the festival.  Only yam dishes from the current harvest are served during and after the festival. To read more about this festival, click here.

  

 The Eze Igbo of Lagos State, Eze Nwabueze Ohazulike, in his address during the New Yam Festival 2011 at Obi Ndigbo in Lagos, said the new yam festival had remained one of the strongest vehicles for the preservation of Igbo cultural identity in the country and in the diaspora. (All Africa)

Click to find out more

Event 

This October, ICSN, a  UK networking non-profit organisation for young adults of Nigerian Igbo descent that was founded in 1998 by Umunne Olie as a forum to empower young Igbo people will be hosting the Nigerian Igbo Cultural Festival Iri-ji at Hackney London.

ICSN - Igbo Cultural Support Network

"We are passionate about our rich cultural heritage and are committed to enhancing cultural awareness amongst Ndi-Igbo and friends of Igbo land.  ICSN provides the opportunity for young people to learn about their culture, build professional and social relationships and to support one another in every aspect of life."  

To find out more about ICSN, Click the links below:

Website   Facebook   Twitter

Being Mary Jane by Gabrielle Union

Entertainment News

 

Image from vibevixen, only1spotlight

After losing the role of Olivia Pope on ABC's 'Scandal' to Kerry Washington, Gabrielle Union landed a much sought after role of Mary Jane Paul in the new hit TV episode ''Being Mary Jane".which premiered a 2 hr special on Tuesday, 2nd of July 2013 at 10:30 p.m. on BET Channel.

According to Eonline, even though she didn't get the part, Union says she drew inspiration from the fact that this kind of role was available to her.

During her interview with Associate press, she reveals:
 "I said to myself, 'Oh my God, these roles are out there. It showed me that you don't have to settle. Luckily, the success of her and the show bred more work. Just from the audition process, I knew that I couldn't go backward."

"I didn't get Scandal, but I got something better—which is my own show. It's all about building a legacy. This new opportunity is something I feel that can grow."

Gabrielle a talented and successful actress has starred in many plays and movies like Think like a man with Kevin Hart, Deliver us fro Eva with LL Cool J, Bring it on with Kirsten Dunst, Bad boys II with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence plus played a medical doctor in the CBS drama series City of Angels.

Gabrielle Union plays 'Mary Jane Paul' in the new movie/ comedy drama series 'Being Mary Jane'. During the annual Upfront presentation to the advertising community where BET Networks revealed its new programming, including scripted programs and original movies for both BET and CENTRIC as well as new web series for BET.com, BET has this to say about their new movie for “BET PREMIERE CINEMA”....

'This is a story to which millions of modern women will both relate and respond. Mary Jane Paul has it all: she’s a successful TV news anchor, entirely self-sufficient – an all-around powerhouse who remains devoted to a family that doesn't share her motivation. As Mary Jane juggles her life, her work and her commitment to her family, we find out how far she’s willing to go to find the puzzle pieces that she, and society, insist are missing from her life as a single Black female. '

"If you loved me for one thing and may not have liked me in something else, this role gives the audience a chance to see that I can do more than one thing," ....Gabrielle Union

It was reported that the 2hr long pilot’s big premiere on the 2nd of July drew in 4 million viewers and a 2.0 adults 18-49 rating. Congratulations Gabrielle.

Sneak Peak!!!

Sneak peek from bet.com

Sharon Osbourne's Unbreakable

Showbiz News

Unbreakable: My New Autobiography

The X Factor Judge Sharon Osbourne let the cat out of the bag in her new book Unbreakable, a tell it all autobiography of her life. 

 
Images from Planetradiocity and  Yahoo

In her book 'Unbreakable', Sharon reveals: 

There were texts going back months, asking people for drugs and saying ‘Don’t tell the old girl’. It was all there. Everything I knew I’d find but desperately hoped I wouldn't. My husband was abusing again.

He (Ozzy) said: 

I think I need to be a bachelor

She (Sharon) replies  

Whaaaat? A bachelor? Have you heard yourself? You’re a f****** pensioner. You need a bus pass, that’s what you need

And on fued with Danni Minogue, Sharon shares:

I was in turmoil and let rip with, 'Dannii Minogue did this', and 'Dannii Minogue did that' as Ozzy sat opposite me. After a couple of minutes, I noticed him looking faintly perplexed. 'I didn’t know Kylie had a brother,' he said.

Book Description
Sharon Osbourne's life has always been an extreme roller coaster ride. And despite her best efforts, the last few years have been the most dramatic and turbulent of all.

In her gripping new autobiography Sharon reveals the truth behind the headlines. There have been times of huge joy and pleasure - becoming a grandmother for the first time and seeing both Jack and Kelly come through testing times to find happiness and contentment at last.

But there has also been a lot of heartache. Sharon describes the shocking and unexpected battle to save her thirty-year marriage to Ozzy - and the devastating betrayal that lay behind their separation. She also lived through every mother's worst nightmare when Jack was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis - and writes movingly of her hopes and fears for her beloved son.

A tough but fair judge on the X Factor, Sharon is just as hard on herself. She is honest about the mistakes she has made - from misguided plastic surgery to her battles with her weight and body image.


Filled with laughter, tears and hard-won wisdom, Unbreakable is as funny, frank and fearless as Sharon herself.

Kimberley Walsh of Girls Aloud in "A Whole Lot of History"

Showbiz News

Buy Kimberley Walsh's autobiography
A Whole Lot of History - Signed Edition 

Image from \Musiceyz

Kimberley Walsh's autobiography discloses how the girls struggled to finish their reunion tour when issues started to arise again between Nadine and the rest of the girls from Girls Aloud.

According to Nikki of Yahoo OMG, she admitted: "By the time we got to the actual shows, some of the old problems and niggles we had with Nadine started bubbling to the surface again too.  Nothing had really changed. There was a definite change in her, which became more evident each time she came back from LA. In the end, I felt like there was no common ground between us."

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