THE BOSTON BOMBER FOUND GUILTY

#Tsarnaev found #GUILTY on all 30 counts. LIVE COVERAGE now on FOX25 or in app. #FOX25 pic.twitter.com/Pd0GdpjLYw
— FOX 25 News Boston (@fox25news) April 8, 2015

Two years ago, on the 13th of April,  two young horrors, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev  planted bombs at the Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring several people. Today, a verdict was reached and the surviving of the two  who caused so much pain and chaos- has been found guilty on 30 charges; making him eligible for the death penalty.
It still baffles me how anyone could have such a low regard for human life. It's  heartrending to see Islam's teachings blackened and misunderstood  and used as a reason to cause mass destruction. For those two to do what they did, one cannot imagine exactly what was in their heads when they planted those bombs- nothing except the intention to cause a major tragedy and for what? 
The Tsarnev boys chose to throw their lives away; Tamerlan's now dead and Dzhokhar, at 21, will probably be given the death penalty. He's probably not afraid of death since he regards his brother as a martyr in paradise, one wonders if the thought of being executed would  even terrify him.
Looking at his pic on the internet, I'm filled with nothing but disgust for him. When I think of the people who were killed and injured on that fateful day, I'm reminded of how he and his brother showed no regard for human life and causing  Muslims to be likened to terrorists. Killing and bombing is not way to win God's favour!
Whatever punishment that awaits this young man, he more than deserves it. I can say no more than that.

FRESH : FURIOUS 7 (FAST AND FURIOUS 7)

Latest in "The Fast & Furious" franchise;  FURIOUS 7  has additional cast members; Jason Statham (The Transporter), Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond) and veteran actor, Kurt Russell.  Sadly (As we all know) this is the final movie of original cast member Paul Walker who died in a car crash on November 30th, 2013.
Spoiler: Look out for a fight between Jason Statham and The Rock!
When I watched the first FAST & FURIOUS so long ago; I never imagined it would go this far- six sequels! 
Rest in peace Paul Walker.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC's GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

Image: www.movieguide.org

If anybody asked me the first time I watched THE SOUND OF MUSIC, I wouldn't know. This movie was an "often-watched" one when I was a child, mostly on weekends. Dad would pop in the tape in the VCR, and my brothers and I would watch the beautiful woman (Julie Andrews) appearing on the mountain and burst into song- a sight we were never tired of! The nuns didn't have to give their differing opinions about Maria- the main one being "Maria is not an asset to the abbey"- it was obvious to us even then that Maria stood out, despite her protests, the abbey was her home and life. So we were rather glad the Reverend Mother (Peggy Wood) sent her off "only for a little while" to experience the world by being a governess to the Von Trapp children (Lisel, Friedrich, Louisa, Brigitta, Kurt, Marta and Gretl). Little did Maria know her life would be changed forever after meeting their handsome and initially forbidding father, Captain Von Trapp( Christopher Plummer).

Image: www.theguardian.com

Maria proved to be the family's guardian angel as she made some positive changes in the household, befriending and earning the trust of the children, teaching them to sing, and there's the epic scene where she stood up to Captain Von Trapp and accused him of shutting out the children, drawing him back to their arms. I think the part where he realised she was right and apologised to her afterwards was when I started liking him; I couldn't see why any father would treat his children the way he did, even if he was still grieving their mother (how I hated that whistle he initially used to summon them). Hence, it was wonderful watching the change from a cold man to a warm father.
Even a heart warming story like this wouldn't be complete without a little conflict, the conflict was in the shape of the elegant Baroness (Eleanor Parker) who immediately saw what the Captain felt for Maria before he even realised it himself and her subtle move of keeping them apart only brought them closer and I must say, the woman showed maturity by gracefully admitting defeat and leaving them to be together.

 To this day, the scene where Captain Von Trapp admitted his love to Maria at the gazebo is my favourite and the song 'My Favourite Things' was actually the inspiration behind this blog's title.
And there's the other conflict, the Nazis occupying Austria and the Captain, refusing to be one of them- "and joining them... unthinkable"- hence their flight from Austria to Switzerland and the beginning of a new life. As this is a true story, to the uninitiated fans, the Von Trapp family became professional singers, their legacy still continuing to this very day, one of which includes a music institute.

I have The Sound of Music on DVD presently, and I rejoice with the cast as they celebrate its 50th Anniversary. I remember its last anniversary, where Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews appeared on OPRAH (still handsome, still beautiful), but I was more enthralled when the children were summoned, via whistle! It's so great to see them all together again to celebrate this wonderful classic's anniversary. The Sound of Music is a tale of faith, unexpected turns of life and the importance of family. It will always be a delight to me and millions of fans around the world, and I wish it a very happy golden anniversary.





The Lonely Goatherd - The Sound Of Music, Sung by Julie Andrews as Wonderful Original Maria from Isaac Sarayiah on Vimeo.

HEADS UP CARBOS... PETER'S RETURNING TO DAYS!

tvguide.com

This is a piece of info I found after a comment left on facebook and I wanted to see if it was true. And yep, it is true; Peter Reckell's handsome face will be seen in DAYS OF OUR LIVES after leaving 3 years ago. And no, he's not the only one coming back but alas... the cast member returning won't be our beloved Crystal Chappell reprising her role as Dr Carly Manning, (Bo's most significant ex who was written out of DAYS  twice).

soapoperadigest.com

 Instead it's a past cast member I personally didn't expect would ever  return to DAYS, Stephen Nichols who is going to reprise his role as Bo's brother-in- law and close friend; Steve Johnson. According to what I found out, Bo is to return to Salem to wrap up his storyline with *cough* Hope (Kristan Alfonso), who from what I heard (I stopped watching DAYS after the end of Bo and Carly's story) has moved on with a new dude called Aiden Jennings, who has a son from his previous marriage.

It seems DAYS will clock 50 years old this year and naturally two key cast members' (and characters) presence is needed. 

A huge pity I've given up on soaps- DAYS especially- because I would so want to see Peter Reckell reprise his role; and I don't know how long he and Nichols will be be in DAYS. Info says one thing but things  can change- will Peter and Stephen be staying after DAYS 50th anniversary, with new storylines? That might just happen.

Anyhow, it doesn't matter if they do, DAYS stopped being a soap to look forward to after the huge disappointment us carbos got 4 years ago so I'm not even going to bother watching Bo and Steve's big return to Salem. If there's anything that will get me to watch DAYS again, it would be Carbo 3.0 but sadly I don't think we'll ever get that.

And I have to add this. I'm a huge Carbo fan; no mistake about that and I'm not into Bope bashing, I always try to be diplomatic. But I can't but feel that DAYS or rather the producer and writers were never really fair about CC's character. First they write her out in 1993 after reuniting her with sleazy Lawrence Alamain (her real life husband Michael Sabatino) who caused caused them a lot of trouble. Then she returns in 2009 and made a pariah; people in the story acting as though she was the reason Bo and Hope's marriage was on the rocks and what they had was new and wrong. And don't get me started on how her daughter was made to treat her, EVEN THOUGH Carly's action had been coerced!
But the real upset is this development.

 Apparently Bo is returning to make his break up with Hope more respectable. With a  25 year history, they are DAYS signature couple, fine. But it's not like he didn't have a significant past with Carly. Unlike Billie, Carly never did all she could to separate them. When she returned, Bo fell in love with her again. And then the Carbo fans had to painfully watch Carly left in the cold eventually and turned into a lonely, heart broken drug addict.  And Bo was turned into a cad; we didn't even get to see him say goodbye to her and show some remorse by asking for her forgiveness, it was all abrupt and disrespectful. At least such a scene should have been shown and a montage of their past as Bo watch her leave with Nicholas because they had a significant past even if it was only for 3 years; like it or not!

And did any  notice that during Frances Reid's (Alice Horton) tribute, how a lot of characters got flashbacks of past conversations with Alice but Carly didn't, even though Mrs. Horton was a mother figure to her?

This makes me even more disappointed with DAYS and I'm glad it's no longer on my 'to watch list'; after what happened in 2011, I've long given up on soaps, DAYS especially. Bo and Carly's final parting wasn't handled well at all but now they are able to get him back for DAYS 50th anniversary to wrap up his story with Hope but back in 2011, they couldn't write a proper goodbye scene with Carly. If they had let them exchange a goodbye at the airport, with Carly quietly giving him her forgiveness, maybe I wouldn't feel there's a lot of bias on the part of the DAYS producers.

Wuthering Heights: Heathcliff & Catherine

This intensely gothic classic, penned by the younger sister of Charlotte Brontë, best known for Jane Eyre, should have been titled Heathcliff and Catherine or just Heathcliff instead of Wuthering Heights. Having read Jane Eyre several times over, Emily’s only novel was a surprise as it was a lot darker in tone; a love story, yes, but a doomed one. After reading this, one wonders if two people who are too much alike can actually make a relationship work!

THIS CAN'T HAPPEN ON N.T.A!

Weather report turns to a hilarious tug of war between weatherman Mike Sobel and Ripple the dog! I can't imagine this happening on N.T.A... lol

CARBO FAN FICTION - CARLY'S DIARY: CHAPTERS MAP

CARBO FAN FICTION- CARLY'S DIARY PART 18 (FINAL PART)

PART 18

They fell asleep in each other’s arms, waking up just before dawn to make love again, this time slowly but not less thoroughly; their mouths and bodies locked in heated delight.

CARBO FAN FICTION- CARLY'S DIARY PART 17

PART 17

A month after and completely recovered from her illness, Carly was sitting in a wicker chair on the patio, Starr in her arms. 

CARBO FAN FICTION- CARLY'S DIARY PART 16

Part 16

‘Frankie, you have to be reasonable and not make this about you,’ Molly said. ‘Melanie, Nicky and Abby here acted on Carly’s best interest, nothing more.’

THE CHARLIE HEBDO ATTACK

I just had to write a few words on this. What happened in France recently was a terrible tragedy and as I continue reading the news posts on the Net and following it on T.V; I keep thinking how it could've been avoided.

Journalists are known to take risks, they do anything to get a story, they protect their sources and live up to the ‘Free Speech Act’ and the ‘Freedom of the Press thing’; that’s no news. But surely there has to be a time when they do not cross the line and put their lives at risk. I am not defending what those terrorists did. In every religion, you will find the fanatics and extremists who think they are fighting for a right cause and then proceed to take things too far by “killing in the name of God.”  The cartoon depicting the Prophet was a slap on the face of Islam; and they had no right to use ‘Freedom of Speech’ to insult the Muslim faith.

But Islam deploys violence and is definitely notaffiliated with terrorism. The magazine insulted the Muslim faith via that published cartoon but the loss of life WAS NOT JUSTIFIED. Will the Prophet (Peace be unto him) be happy at such a blatant disregard of human life?  No!  Would God approve of this terrible attack? NO!!!

This is not the first time the Prophet was depicted in a drawing and the cartoonist behind it had to go in hiding after the death threats behind. One would think from then on, ‘publications’ like that would be avoided completely. Freedom of Speech is one thing but maintaining peace is another. What exactly where they trying to prove by publishing it in the first place, if their intention was not provocation? And how does killing the Charlie Hebdo staff make things right, except further blacken the name of Islam, Muslims accused of being terrorists and the families of the slain staff suffering under a great loss.   

I am very sad and heartsick about the whole matter. When will it all end; news about terrorist’s attacks, shootings, bombings where lives are taken and people left to grieve and speculate by asking that one question… why?

God help us all. 

THROW BACK: MY FIRST MOBILE

Compared to my current phone which has the usual smart phone features, my first mobile phone looks like a mere toy on sight. It was a Siemens A35 and I remember the day I got it clearly. My preference at the time was actually the Nokia 3310 but the Siemens was what was within the price range. I loved that phone, mostly because it was my very own and in those days, you get excited at the idea of having a phone you can carry around in your pocket or purse, choose your ringtone and phone settings, you can store your numbers in it without the hassle of looking them up from a little book and best of all… the novelty of “texting” if you don’t have enough money to make a call. Back then, a phone was simply a handy gadget one used to make calls and send texts and with some of the old models play games in; for example the Nokia 3310 had the classic ‘snake’ game.

My A35 didn’t have games, which pissed me off a bit but I was too excited at finally owning a cell that it didn’t bother me… at least until I came across the Siemens C-35 some time later; which not only had games in it but also a model you could compose ringtones, with it I was able to compose Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” and Missy Elliot’s “Git Ya Freak On”. What made the next model different in those days was the size, the games in it and being able to compose your own ringtone using what you can get from “ringtone” websites. Camera phones  were yet to happen, at least in the mind of the unsuspecting public. Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson however… they had other ideas of course.

Several phones later, I now use a second hand Samsung Duos; camera, music player, e-book reader, Bluetooth, radio, video player- you name it. Smart phones have out sat the features phones and as more models are brought into the market, the more the older ones are cast aside.

My little Siemens A35 is still with me, and will stay with me for a long time- God Willing. Every time I see it, I look back at the day I first held it in my hand and feeling so proud I was finally a cell phone owner. And it reminds me of simpler times; when the only thing we had to worry about is having enough phone credit to make calls and keeping the battery full. 

CARBO FAN FICTION- CARLY'S DIARY PART 15

Part 15

Before he even got Melanie’s forwarded email, Bo had felt a sense of dread and anxiety about Carly but assumed it was because he’d left town without seeing her. The last attempt had brought forth bottled bitterness and pain and he’d found himself unable to ever face her again. He never imagined the next time he would, she would be lying in a hospital bed.

CARBO FAN FICTION- CARLY'S DIARY PART 14

Part 14

 Ciara Brady felt her heart skip at the sight of their baby sister nestled in the incubator, falling in love with her immediately. ‘Oh…’ she whispered, unable to stop staring at her. ‘She’s so cute and pretty!’

BYE BYE 2014...

Going over this year; it was happy and uneventful, even though half of it was spent working very hard to clear the rest of my papers at the University (taking the final exam in April) so I'll finally get my B.Ed in English Education. I also got to  finish the manuscript for my third children's book (STILL waiting for the editor's response on that) and while I hoped to finally write my novel, I ended up changing the story's plot over and over again! 
Yet there were the good parts. I got to go to Dubai with some friends, I clocked 35 and celebrated in a small way and created a third blog MY BOOK CABINET.  I  also learnt to stop being such a worrier and be more optimistic about the future and achieving my goals. Of course there was the reminder from some family members and friends that at 35 I'm not getting any younger and see about finding a husband and having babies. 

I believe 2015 will be a good year and I hope to achieve a lot of things. For example, finding a steady good paying job,  finally finishing my novel and getting it published with more to follow, finally moving to Canada and having my own life as a successful writer and other stuff like maybe finally a man who's definitely the one. While I'm not enthusiastic about marriage, it's not like I've completely ruled it out; I just don't want to be constantly reminded about my single status, it's not like it's a sin anyway (or anybody's damned business). I also hope there would be less reports about terrorists' attacks, shootings and whatever and  I and every member of my family will be there this time in 2015 to welcome 2016. 

So... bye bye 2014... PLEASE 2015, be a great year! 

CARBO FAN FICTION- CARLY'S DIARY PART 13

PART 13

Melanie composed the email herself; making sure it showed no exaggeration but at the same time explaining  to Bo the seriousness of Carly’s condition and the urgency of his presence.

BAH! HUMBUG!: A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Like most of the read classics in my book cabinet, I read the simplified and coloured edition of Charles Dickens' Christmas novella, back when I was about 10 years old. That was the first time I was introduced to Dickens' unforgettable character, Ebenezer Scrooge, a grumpy, cold-hearted old miser who actually hated Christmas!  That part was what got my interest because the author's opening line Marley's dead: to begin with- rather put me off a little.


How can I describe this Christmas tale? One word: UPLIFTING. The tale is about an old miser who paid a night visit by his late business partner Jacob Marley who (after lamenting of what he could have done besides making money during his life time) warned Scrooge he would be haunted by three spirits, "you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate",  Marley explained, so it looked like the three spirits were coming to open his eyes to his mundane and friendless life, which never bothered Scrooge before.

'Without their visits,' said the Ghost, 'you cannot hope to shun the path I tread. Expect the first one tomorrow, when the bell tolls one. Expect the second one the next night at the same hour. The third upon the next night, when the last stroke of twelve has ceased to vibrate. Look to see me no more; and look that, for your own sake, you remember what has passed between us!" 

And so did Marley's words come to pass. The first 'spirit' was the Ghost of Christmas Past- who took him to the time Scrooge was a boy, which causes a huge hit of nostalgia on Scrooge especially when he got to see his little sister Fan again, Fan had died young and left behind a son (who was more than kind and good-natured enough to invite his grumpy uncle to Christmas lunch but was coldly turned down). Then he saw himself as a young man just starting his path with young Marley under the employ of jolly Mr. Fezzwig then the sober scene of his fiancée Belle breaking up with him because he loved money and making money than wanting to marry and have a family with her... very sad and Scrooge couldn't bear seeing this repressed memory of his greatest mistake, - 'Spirit... show me no more! Conduct me home. Why do you delight to torture me?' 

The Ghost of Christmas Present came next and Scrooge saw people enjoying and celebrating Christmas which he'd described as 'HUMBUG!', his nephew's Christmas party where Fred spoke how he pitied his uncle who had money but no friends and then the humble house of his poorly paid clerk Bob Cracthit who was having a simple Christmas with his family, the brightest person there despite his fragile health Tiny Tim, the youngest child. One thing to note here, even though they were poor, the room was filled with love and Tiny Tim lifting their spirits with the words, 'God Bless us, Everyone!', which stabbed Scrooge with the guilty realisation that the very low salary he paid Bob couldn't cover Tiny Tim's medical bills.

'Spirit, tell me if Tiny Tim will live.' 

'I see a vacant seat in the poor chimney corner and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.' 

'No, no... oh no, Kind Spirit! Say he will be spared.' 

Before the Ghost of Christmas Present left, he showed Scrooge two emaciated children; the boy was Ignorance, the girl was Want and warned Scrooge to beware the first especially. And when Scrooge cried if they had no source of help, the Ghost calmly repeated Scrooge's earlier cold words, 'Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?'  Talk about a guilt trip! 

Then the final 'spirit' appeared to Scrooge... the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come- the most memorable because it never spoke and:

It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand.  

What Scrooge saw now, after viewing his mistakes of the past, which shaped his present, were the consequences. He saw people talking about a wretched man who had just died, and his funeral would only be attended if food was provided (eww, by the way), and the man's possessions were being sold cheaply. The next scene was of a debtor and his family who were glad of the man's death as they would have more time to pay or not pay at all, and the last, very scene was of the Cratchit family as they mourn (though they try so hard to be brave) Tiny Tim's death, which upsets Scrooge greatly. The spirit then takes Scrooge to the graveyard, and the moment of truth is revealed to him via a neglected gravestone; the wretched man is him to his horror; unloved, unmourned, forgotten.

Spirit! Hear me, I am not the man I was! I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why would you show me this if I am past all hope? 

Christmas morning, Scrooge is a changed man (and then some), spending Christmas with Fred and his family, who were surprised yet delighted to see him, sending a turkey incognito to the Cratchits and making a donation, incognito, of course, for it is not said that one who is silent in his good deeds reap the bigger reward? And of course, a huge pay raise for Bob, which contributes to Tiny Tim's survival.

Like Oliver Twist, this story is more than meets the eye- it's not just about an old man who found redemption. It glaringly portrays Dickens' sympathy for the poor, particularly poor children (Tiny Tim being a representative in the story), the joy of giving and sharing, especially during a festive season like Christmas and how the wealthy should do their part in helping the poor. And let's not forget how past mistakes could shape one's present and future; Life is short, and it's never too late to repent. 

Quote from book:

Many laughed to see this alteration in him, but he let them laugh and little heeded them, for he knew that no good thing in this world ever happened, at which some did not have their fill of laughter. His own heart laughed, and that was quite enough for him. And it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well if any man alive possessed the knowledge." The story closes with the narrator repeating Tiny Tim's famous words: "God bless us, everyone!

CARBO FAN FICTION- CARLY'S DIARY PART 12

PART 12

Frankie was very pleased to see Shawn D, while Molly exclaimed over the now  handsome adult version of the little boy she remembered. Shawn D explained how Roman had called him to inform him of Starr’s birth and Carly’s condition; after finally able to get off work, he’d flown in last night.

JUSTICE FOR ARNELLA KAMANZI

I first saw the infamous video some time back, and I was immediately sickened and horrified at what I saw: a maid physically abusing an 18-month-old baby left in her care, and she had no idea there was a hidden 'nanny cam' placed in the room when she was hurting that poor little girl. It wasn't until I read the story in detail yesterday that I discovered that the little girl's father was the one who planted the nanny cam after he noticed the poor child's bruises and limping walk. To his credit, he didn't fly off the handle and accuse the maid outright (which would have put her on her guard),  instead the camera was planted to get proof, a risky move since the child may have gotten beaten to death (but THANK GOD that didn't happen ) which he handed over to the police and Jolly Tumuhiirwe was arrested.
I used to think the practice of planting nanny cams was a blatant breach of trust, but NOT anymore. What happened to Arnella Kamanzi was really terrible; I can't imagine why anyone would want to harm a helpless baby like Tumuhiirwe did. Didn't she have a shred of conscience when she hit and kicked the poor thing? And the audacity to tell the court she did it because Mrs Kamanzi had beaten her, hence the attack on the poor child was actually payback. I have no idea if what she said about Arnella's mum was true, but that does NOT justify physically abusing an innocent child.

So now, the 'monster maid' has been sentenced to 4 years in prison, and she's just lucky she didn't do what she did here in Nigeria; I can only imagine how the parents and family of the child would've heavily descended on her before handing her over to the police. With what happened to Arnella, many families across the world, not just Uganda, would be more vigilant and careful when hiring maids and nannies to look after their children; character references from previous employers should be the main criterion before hiring at all. Arnella was very lucky, and her father was very clever, and I think many more parents with young children should install nanny cams in their homes to make sure the nannies are really doing their jobs. That nanny cam, along with the grace of God, saved Arnella Kamanzi's life, and I pray she is healing both physically and psychologically and will have no memories of that horrible incident.
As for Jolly, I hope she uses her time in prison to think over what she did and try to find some redemption. In court, she asked the magistrate and the world to forgive her. SEE VIDEO
 Jolly, you should seek forgiveness from God.

CARBO FAN FICTION- CARLY'S DIARY PART 11

PART 11

Melanie wept as she watched Carly take off her engagement ring, her cheeks wet with tears as she kissed it, placed it in Bo’s hand and kissed him one last time before turning away to climb up the boat’s stairs, then at Bo who was staring up after her, tears rolling down his cheeks.

CARBO FAN FICTION- CARLY'S DIARY PART 10

PART 10

Melanie never envisioned she would feel anything but anger and resentment towards Bo Brady for what he put her mother through but as Isabella’s ghost took her further into his past with Carly, she found herself   feeling heart wrenching compassion and pity for him and hating Emmy Borden more.

MY TALE YET UNTOLD

Writers aren't allowed to give themselves excuses NOT to write. The main thing we firmly tell ourselves is GET ON WITH IT! After completing the manuscript of my third children's book (at least I pray it will become a book eventually) my mind turned to the next thing; my first novel. After discarding several ideas, I decided to try my hand in writing  a 'coming of age' story. But after a few lines I drew a blank... except when I write fanfiction; probably because I'm trying to create my own characters now and leave subtle messages in the story besides telling the story. And there's still the fear; that I wouldn't measure up to the really established writers out there; writers like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie- who has three novels and a collection of short stories under her belt. I actually met her years ago at the University of Lagos when she introduced her second novel, Half Of A Yellow Sun (now a major motion picture). While signing my copy of Purple Hibiscus (her first novel) I nervously showed her my two children's books which she briefly leafed through, nodded approvingly then asked me, what it only children's books I would keep writing?
That question struck a chord in me and I began asking myself the same question since then. My children's books (particularly the animal fables) are much liked, but should I stick to them ore try harder to be a novelist? Some say, "do what you know", but others say, "expand your horizons and think outside the box". To test myself, I indulged in "practice writing"- writing Days of Our Lives fanfiction and from the kind responses, it seems I can actually be a novelist. 
With all the advice and tips I've gleaned from the Internet on the best way to write a novel, I'm focusing on the best one... GET ON WITH IT; JUST WRITE! Ms. Adichie and other writers didn't sit down and dream or wait for inspiration and I don't intent to do that either. I shouldn't be afraid of mediocrity, but of not achieving my objective at all; which I will do via hard work and determination. And eventually,  my tale will finally be told.

CARBO FAN FICTION- CARLY'S DIARY PART 9

PART 9

Melanie found herself in the Brady Pub, or rather what it used to be; the Fish Market. She couldn’t help but think how beautiful young Carly looked in the red and black pants suit she was wearing, her hair pulled back from her face. But her expression was rather sad as she sat at one of the tables with Caroline.

WHAT NIGERIAN T.V REALLY NEEDS...

Let's take a look at what we have on Nigerian TV these days...

 Tinsel, Super Story, Dear Mama, Civilian Barracks, Face To Face, Papa Ajasco and Company, One Big Family, So Wrong; So Right, reality shows like Gulder Ultimate Search, Project Fame, Nigerian Idols, foreign shows including telenovelas (unfortunately several of them are airing at the same time hence, hard to follow),  Avatar: The Last Airbender, iCarly, etc.

 In the past, there were Desperate Housewives( for a short time), N.Y.P.D. Blue, 24, Profiler, The Pretender, Matlock, Diagnosis Murder, Jake & The Fat Man, The Wonder Years, Dr Who, Watch Over  Me, Twin Peaks, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, etc.

The Soap Operas: The Bold & The Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, Passions, Dallas, Generations, Another Life, Santa Barbara, General Hospital, The Young and The Restless and Sunset Beach. And there were the sitcoms: The Cosby Show, 'Allo, 'Allo, Some Mothers Do 'Ave Them, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Cosby, Sanford and Son, Family Matters, Friends, For Your Love, Different Strokes, The Jeffersons, Good News, Dharma and Greg, Just Shoot Me!, The Golden Girls and so on. Nigerian TV had Family Circle, Everyday People, House Apart, Palace and Fuji House of Commotion- a spin-off of Checkmate.

America in particular has a huge TV history; sitcoms, series and soap operas. The one I'm particularly impressed with is Guiding Light; the longest-running soap in history, as it began as a radio program in 1937 and 1949 and then made its television debut in 1952 and went on until 2009.

Nigeria has its own share of past memorable shows... but how many people still remember them enough to list them and talk about them, and I mean people who are old enough to remember them at all and yearn to watch them again. Nothing against the new Nigerian shows, but they do not hold a candle to the past shows, shows that seem to be locked away in the studios' vaults these days and half forgotten.

 NTA 10 occasionally shows The New Village Headmaster (which started as The Village Headmaster)  and it's really a treat to see the old stars; some of them-alas- late now; Justus Esiri (Headmaster C. Ali), Joe Layode (Mr. Garuba), Oba Funsho Aleolu; Alaaye of Ode- Remo (Councillor Eleyinmi), Oba Wole Amele; Alara of Aramoko (who played the very quarrelsome  Councillor Balogun) and  Elsie Olusola (who played the village seamstress 'Sisi' Clara and was the real life wife of the now late creator of the show, Chief Segun Olusola).
But seriously, are we expected to simply forget the past shows altogether and remember them via word of mouth? I don't think so.
Oh no... if other countries- from the old to the present generation fans can vividly talk about their old shows- the sitcoms and TV series in particular, we should be able to do the same from now on. And how are old shows really and vividly remembered? Via Reruns!
How hard is it to set aside a particular slot and bring back the old shows for the veteran fans to re-experience and the new ones to feast their eyes on and enjoy? There are several I can mention and very certain Nigerian fans will love to see again, the veteran actors and actresses, besides the actual shows, let us go back and see how Nigerian entertainment was back in the 70s- 90s and compare them with what we have today. Reruns are what Nigerian TV needs, going down memory lane instead of allowing the memories to die. In other countries, old shows aren't just re-run on TV, they come out on DVD!
I can definitely mention more than a few shows that should have reruns- aside from The Village Headmaster. Even if they can't be made into a DVD (because of piracy), it doesn't mean they can't be brought back to the screens.

Basi & Company: comedy/satire created by Ken Saro Wiwa about the misadventures of a con man/loser (Albert Egbe, later Zulu Adikwe) who would rather rely on  'get rich quick' schemes to become the millionaire he so badly wants to be instead of getting an honest job. "To be a millionaire, think like a millionaire," was his catchphrase.

SECOND CHANCE: NTA's version of the classic British sitcom, Mind Your Language; the long-suffering English language teachers (played by Sonny Irabor and the late Funsho Alabi) attempting to teach students of different ethnic tribes (in the original, the students were of different nationalities) how to speak proper English, with hilarious results. Also starring were Olu Jacobs and Lai Ashadele.

COCK CROW AT DAWN: Bello (the late George Menta) returns to his village with his family after harrowing experiences in the city and must cope not only with the new country life but also with his stern and resentful uncle, whose care he'd left the farm. The iconic theme song was performed by Bongos Ikwue. Click on the link to listen.

BEHIND THE CLOUDS: A drama series that revolved around the lives of families living in Jos. In particular was the Okonzua family was ruled by a very stern father (Zack Amata), rigidly opposed to his daughter Efe's (Evelyn Ikuenobe-Otaigbe) music career, Efe receiving support from her younger brother Nosa (late MacArthur Fom) and their caring mother, Adesuwa (Franca Brown). There was also the story arc involving Funmi-Efe's friend and Bayo-Efe's boyfriend (Ene Oloja and Dan Emeni), who found themselves on opposing sides when their estranged father, Jide  (late George Menta), returned, much to the dismay and anger of their uncle, Dapo (late Matt Dadzie). The series later lost its stream for several reasons.

                                          

       Efe and Bayo's story arc grew sour and irritating.

Being Behind The Clouds  'super couple', it was rather disappointing to see Bayo becoming more jealous and rather possessive of Efe,  which led to them fighting for a while. Even after they made up, the story arc where Efe was mistakenly pronounced pregnant by her doctor during an unexpected illness led to them drifting apart again, because Efe stubbornly refused to forgive Bayo for his behaviour towards her during the mistake. They bump into each other again under unexpected circumstances, but the soap was cancelled before fans could see them properly reconciled.

                                                  

                                                     

 Zach Amata's long and unexplained  absence

Zack Amata, who played Efe and Nosa's stern father, was absent from the show for a long while. Hence,  for a long time, viewers had to put up with the 'Papa Efe is missing' storyline in Behind The Clouds, which prompted the addition of late Christopher Erakpotobor as his visiting brother. 

Ironically enough, Amata returned not long after the tragic passing of MacArthur Fom, who played his son, Nosa. The reason for 'Papa Efe's' long absence from his family was never explained in the soap. 


                                                          

 

MacArthur's Fom's death  

The handsome young actor was a huge fan favourite, so his unexpected death- on the 5th of December, 1989- left the soap's cast members and viewers in shock and deep grief. His character was written out of the soap and was never recast. But let's be real... would fans have tolerated another actor playing Nosa? 

 For the rest of Behind The Clouds' run, Nosa was referred to as dead, but the cause of the character's off-screen death was never mentioned or explained. In the memorable episode where Papa Efe (Zack Amata) asked after Nosa from his wife (Franca Brown) had fans at the edge of their seats. But when Adesuwa began with 'It's a long story...', the scene cut to a commercial. Back to the scene, Adesuwa was shown weeping while Papa Efe's comforting hand was on her shoulder, his expression sad. 
 In the real world, Fom's actual cause of death was  Cerebral Spinal Meningitis. 



                                                          

 Ene Oloja's departure 

The actress who played Bayo's sister, one of Efe's closest friends  (and their late mother in a flashback), Ene Oloja, left the soap and shortly after,  her then marriage was announced in the papers. 

Funmi's recurring presence in the soap was cut when she was transferred to a remote area, no thanks to the angry father of a spoiled brat she administered punishment to during school hours. Funmi made one more appearance several episodes later, when Bayo and a friend went to visit her. 

Fortune's story arc. Fortune- the son of a club owner (played by Matt Dadzie's then wife, Gladys Bilqis Goubadia Dadzie) was played by Charles Oloja. Fortune was a temperamental young man, many times causing his mother embarrassment and seemingly having no direction in life. When he had an accident, his father offered his blood to save him, only to get a shock when it was revealed he was not a match, hence not Fortune's father. His father allegedly turned out to be one of his mother's close friends, and Fortune was last seen going to the man's house with a travelling bag. 

                                

Felicia's temporary and permanent departure

 Felicia, a journalist, was Efe's friend besides  Funmi in the soap, and ended up sharing her flat with Efe after Efe's father finally threw her out of the house. Her story arc was mainly dating a married lawyer, Buba,  and becoming pregnant by him early in the series.  Felicia was more interested in being an independent single mother than Buba's wife. Even after Buba proposed to her and Buba's wife finally accepted the situation and wanted to welcome her and her eventual baby boy to the family, she coldly rebuffed them, so this character was not exactly a fan favourite.  While still pregnant, Felicia disappeared for several episodes; her sudden return was baffling as she was shown returning home in a taxi with no bag and silently weeping in her sitting room. Her absence was explained; she had been kidnapped...most likely for something she'd written in her professional capacity as a journalist. 
After her son was born, Felicia took him on a trip to Lagos and was never seen again for the rest of Behind The Clouds' run.

CHECKMATE: Long before Tinsel, Amaka Igwe's creation reigned, filling the void left by Behind The Clouds' cancellation. The families featured in this soap, the Haastrups  (centring on the 3 siblings Anne, Benny and Richard), the Edems, the Fujis, the Kadris, the Ola-Daniels basically had one thing in common, family disharmony. And let's not forget the Udoka (Bimbo Manuel)  and Ada (Mildred Iweka) storyline; how Udoka's family did all they could to break up their marriage and force a village girl, Nkemji (Uche Osotule), on him as Ada was an 'osu'. This soap, which ended on an ambiguous note, had a comedy spin-off years later, The Fuji House of Commotion. 

                                                 MIND BENDING

Created by Lola Fani-Kayode (creator of Mirror In The Sun), this drama/documentary mini-series was made up of four stories- each split into episodes- about three drug addicts and an alcoholic. Through each story, the effects and consequences of drug addiction and alcoholism were realistically presented.


                                     MAGANA JARI CE (Eloquence Is An Asset)

 Adapted from Abukakar Imam's book, I would describe this as a Hausa version of  The Arabian Nights. In every episode of this series, a fluently talking parrot narrated a tale to its reluctant and sometimes irritated master; each tale was acted out by a cast of talented actors and actresses.


                                                      THE THIRD EYE

Detective drama series featuring veteran actor  Olu Jacobs as Inspector Best Idafa, whose over-enthusiastic and inquisitive daughter Uze (Yomi Adeyemi Wilson)  provided (most of the time unintentionally) vital clues to solving his cases.  After Olu Jacobs and his character later departed,   another detective was introduced in the series,  played by Nobert Young.


                                                           RIPPLES

  Created by Zeb Ejiro, this soap mostly revolved around the Dehinde-Phillips family, who experience tragedy and family turmoil after the only son, Melvin (Patrick Doyle),  is killed in a car accident but leaves the bulk of his estate to his ex girl friend Onome and their son Elo,  instead of his widow Mimi (Bimbo Odekunle) and their daughter, Doris.
 Richard Mofe-Damijo (credited as Evans Damijo at the time) played a police officer investigating Melvin's death and had a romantic relationship with Mimi for a time, then moved on with an old girlfriend, Daphne (Barbara Soky), which didn't work out either.

Other story lines included a turbulent romance and marriage between Melvin's sister, Bukky (Yetunde Funmi Idowu, later played by two other actresses) and Nnamdi Udogwu (Sola Fosudo), who have an on-and-off and on-again relationship all through the series. The main villain is Talab Abass (Alex Usifo), who was suspected of being behind Melvin's accident but was never convicted, as they could never really prove he was responsible. As more characters and an additional family were brought in, the soap somewhat lost its direction and got boring. But airing the earliest episodes won't hurt.







SAMANJA:    (which means sergeant major) was a comedy series starring Hausa actor Usman Baba Pategi as the main character, Samaja, a soldier in the Nigerian Army and the comical antics of his men as they work and fight in the barracks and headquarters.

NEW MASQUERADE: Comedy series revolving around two main households, and their neighbours, one headed by Chief (Dr.) Zebrudaya " alias 4.30" (Chika Opalla) and consisting of his wife Ovularia (Liz Iboeme) and their bumbling houseboys- Clarus (Davis Ofor) and Giringory (late James Iroha, who was the series creator). The other household was headed by 'Prince' Jegede Sokoya (late Claude Eke), who nearly always quarrelled with his wife, Akpenor (late Christie Essien Igbokwe). Later in the series, he got an even more temperamental wife, Ramota. Other memorable characters are the free-loading, presumptuous Nati, played by  Romanus Amuta, the conniving but likeable Zaki (Tony Akposheri) and equally bumbling Cyracus (Christopher Ekweonye).



Seriously, these shows have to come back!