The views expressed here do not in any way reflect the views of The Future.. Awards; but that of the mixture of writers whose views shape this link

In the blink of an eye – Eugenia Abu

The core of his book is compelling = not unlike its author. Eugenia Abu draws people to her by the quiet reserve that speaks of an inner depth; and the same is true of her writing. Anthologies do not usually seem an interesting read especially for young people! Quiet reserved, but very strongwilled, the writing can bring out your screaming passions, but this tempered by its informed authority – once that inevitable comes from years of experience in various aspects of the media. Although little is known about Eugenia Abu apart from her face [watching her cast news bulletins], one finishes the book feeling like Eugenia’s friend already. In the blink of an eye is certainly a must-read for any young person seeking to tap into the wisdom of a sage – now you know she is!

Get on Board

With no surprises, LEAP Africa scores bull’s eye again this year with their sophomore publication. This sequel to Defying the Odds is aimed at encouraging corporate governance through effective boards of organizations. But what is most crucial about the experiment is that it teaches very practical steps and advantages in setting up boards to oversee organizations against the current trend of having friends and relatives run down organizations due to lack of experience. With detailed research of about 20 very successful organizations with effective boards your excuse for failure (yeah, yeah, God forbid!) in business definitely wouldn’t be for want of good material!



TY - GREENLAND
Just when we thought TY was basking in the euphoria of making it big in photography, TY Bello proved the cversatility that has made her a darling of the Nigerian public. TY’s music is unapologetically gospel, but good music finds a way to defy genres, especially when you are as brilliant a songwriter as TY, able to drop nuggets and hints of the message that guides your music, whilst making sure to retain the magic to draw audienced beyond that very message. Listening to the album, Greenland, the hit and the album, is no-doubt a beautiful journey – iot is a finely produced, very dependable, very wholesome journey; one that welcomes TY back to our hearts with a kiss and an embrace. Welcome back, sweetheart …

DURELLA – IN THE ZANGA

Controversies await this young artiste…. not just because he sounds so much like another, but because they are too just too similar. The first person that comes to mind when listening to him is DBANJ. Durella is so identical; it’s difficult to believe or distinguish. His confident voice helps to make him sound more like the koko-master. It also compels you to listen on, believing there’s something more to it. While Durella is no doubt talented, he may need to find himself a distinct style – one that will soar him above the cloud of his peers!

PLANTASHUN BOIZ – PLAN B

With the razzmatazz that preceded this album, come on a little wouldn’t have hurt the three young men that used to be Plantashun Boiz. Jeez, where is the magic, where is the synergy, where is the brilliant brilliant balande that made the the kings of hearts around Nigerian campuses. Not even T.joe’s millions, not even the Jeep it bought Blackface, or the otherwise skilled hands of Kabassa could save this 15 track album. PLAN B clearly reveals shoddy preparations, second-rate writing skills and average production techniques, or just another sweat gone down the drain.As far as this reviewer is concerned, it was qa monumental waste of my time. The verdict? Plantashun Boiz are should make sure avoid themselves from now on!


Caught in the middle

Proudly branded …a Charles Novia Think! RMD and Dakore make this film one many would kill to see. Do they live up to the name of the game? A handsome bloke is bound to be tempted by his looks from time to time. What this self esteem lures him to do remains a decision he must take responsibility for…RMD’s the bloke, Dakore the ‘seductress’ who is after him to make him fall. Does she succeed? Does she fall hopelessly in love? Can he toy with her like the other girls? Or is this fruit too good to be forbidden?

100 Days in the Jungle

If a father thinks he can have two adult sons working in his organization and living with him peacefully, when he obviously loves one more than the other, his life is about to crumble before his eyes. Chief Okito becomes the victim of his partial behaviour when his son is almost murdered and he then dies mysteriously in his place. Great props…I wonder where the Producer got the title from. The storyline’s and the plot make a lot of sense. The continuity almost distorted the entire effort making the movie a little painful to watch towards the end. It’s a pity the projected and expected standard of Project Nollywood isn’t reflected in this production as it ranks below average. The sponsors should have ensured a measure of promoting standard and not just endorsing movie scripts… Also, coming from Chico Ejiro, 100 days…is a disappointment for a director of his calbre.

GULDER ULTIMATE SEARCH IV
Did Gulder Ultimate Search happen? I mean, seriously. One small blink and it was gone like it never came. Anyways, for those who were glued, thanks to the power of brand loyalty, it took place at the Sheria Hills in Jos and this time around, the organisers replaced Austin “Tin Tin” Imevbore with Nollywood actor, Bob Manuel Udokwu as the host (thank GOD. The reality show started off amidst mixed feelings owing to the tragic death of one of the contestants Anthony Mudiaga Ogadje who died in an accident in the pre-show formalities. This year’s target was the discovery of the key that unlocks the golden age which would be exchanged for five million naira, a brand new Ford explorer Jeep and five hundred thousand worth of clothing accessories. The show began with the usual daunting tasks with which came the evictions. Dominic Mudabai eventually emerged as the ultimate contestant while Kimberly Egbunna was the last woman standing. Painfully, the Gulder Ultimate Search seems to be gradually losing the hype with which it stormed the market – where is the plot? Where is the supense with which we fell in love? And what happened to intelligent censorship that saves us the torture of profanity that constantly erases the line between morality and entertainment? Gulder Ultimate Search gets a 5 out of 10 from me. Scratch that – I don’t know if that score is courtesy of nostalgia or the painful reality of its present.

Next Movie Star
And it just gets worse. NMS has never been a good show, let’s just get that straight up, and anyone who seeks to argue with that can … keep on talking to himself. But what’s worse is that as other shows begin to find their feet, this one just seems content with bruoowing deeper into the sands of crass. That’s the word I was looking for: crass, crass, crass! Wait, it’s supposed to be international this time – and then all that hype was about 45-minutes-trip away Ghana? And couldn’t the quality of participants be elevated in any case? Is our country a haven for brain-dead teenagers? Not the last time I checked some other reality shows. It doesn’t seem NMS has any intentions of improving – good enough, I have no intentions of giving them breathing space!