Paper Prose

Jowhor Ile's And After Many Days was recently announced as the winner of the Etisalat Prize for Literature, 2016. Frankly, if I hadn’t won this book in a giveaway much earlier, I probably wouldn’t have bought or read it till now. But that would have been my loss, because behind the simple, unassuming, yet beautiful cover lies a poignant theme-the effects of crude oil extraction on the minority tribes of the Niger Delta. Still one would still have to dig through the drudgery of the mundane and ordinary everyday life to get to this. Tip- the author does not arrive at the point until the middle of the story. Set in Nigeria in the late ‘80s to the mid-2000s, And After Many Days covers themes of childhood, religion, family, loss, corruption, politics and injustice. The Utus are a modern, middle-class family based in Port Harcourt with strong ties to their hometown in the Niger Delta. Paul, the first son is dutiful, responsible and well-behaved. Ajie, the second son and th

Year : 2017 Director : Patty Jenkins Producers : Geoff Johns, Jon Berg, Wesley Coller Screenwriter : Zack Snyder, Allan Heinberg, Jason Fuchs Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright Genre : Action, Adventure, War film Based on original DC comics characters created by William Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter Official Synopsis “Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny" So you heard about the release of the first female dominant superhero film in over a decade, and all the hype has only served to increase your curiosity, after all, Wonder Woman Is the first ever female-direc

When I got this book in February, I had no idea it would take me this long to finish. I hadn’t even heard about the book before, as it was published over 10 years ago, when I would have been to young to appreciate it. However, I was book shopping, and two things attracted me to it. First- that it was written by one of my favourite Nigerian authors, Helon Habila; and secondly, that it won the Caine Prize, which is a pretty big deal if you ask me.   Mamo and LaMamo, twins born in Northern Nigeria are raised mostly by their aunt, and partly by their father. Each followed a very different path from the other, having contrasting personalities. While the one is outspoken and radical, the other is more reserved and intuitive. LaMamo goes off to war; Mamo is held back by sickness. The long separation makes the brothers respect and admire each other’s differences.   Each twin finds himself held down by something that proved not to be what it seemed. LaMamo wants to fight, to be a

Two sisters grow up with their parents and friends in 1980s Ibadan. A major event happens, causing a tear in the fabric of the close-knit family. One daughter, Morayo, changes, growing up to be the opposite of what they were both raised to be, putting her at odds with her family members. Yet, she finds solace in an older female family member, who becomes a mentor and guardian, Aunt Morenike, whose encouragement and mentorship early in Morayo’s life would later help her to come to terms with her lot, and let go of fear. Daughters Who Walk This Path is didactic, seeking to educate, to enlighten its reader on societal issues that need more attention. First is the stigma that comes with having albinism. Morayo’s sister, Eniayo, from the day that she is born, becomes a subject of gossip and superstition, even from her own family members. Her lack of pigmentation is seen as ‘bad luck’, and she is subjected to taunting and jeering from her peers throughout childhood. Anot

Year : 2016 Director : Morten Tyldum Produce rs : Stephen Hamel, Ori Mamur, Neal H. Moritz, Michael Maher Screenwriter :Jon Spaihts Cast : Jenni fer Lawrence, Chr is Pratt, Michael Sheen Genre : Sci-fi film, Action Film, Romance Fil m   Two people find love in an unusual place when they set out on the journey of a lifetime aboard a spaceship Rating: 3.5/5 This may be a long shot, but imagine waking up too early in a spaceship bound for another planet. 90 years too early. Scary, right? That’s exactly what happened in Passengers featuring Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. I saw a trailer of the movie on TV and I was fascinated by the duo. I mean, who wouldn’t want to see a combination of the humorous star lord and a badass arrow shooting tribute. See what I did there? Movie geeks will get me. In short, I would have dismissed it as another sci-fi movie with lots of holograms, artificial intelligence, floating talking computers and othe

Year : 2016 Director : Dami e n Chaz elle Produce rs : Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Marc Platt, Gary Gilbert Screenwriter : Dami en Chazelle Cast : Ryan Go sling, Emma Stone, John Legend Genre : Musical, Comedy, Romance Film, Drama Film   Sebastian, a struggling jazz pianist, and Mia, an aspiring actress, fall in love with while pursuing their dreams in present-day Los Angeles.  Rating: 4/5 The opening act of this film was impressive in that it was different from the usual and had some of the excitement and action usually associated with a climax. From beginning to end, every action or dialogue is mesmerizing, purposeful and bold.  Sebastian and Mia are a bit new to Los Angeles, and still adjusting when the story begins. Mia works as a barista in a coffee shop while often attending auditions in an effort to realise her dream of becoming an actress. Sebastian plays the piano at a high-class restaurant, where he is really unhappy be