Ego Trippin'

In celebration of Africa Women's Day, RUNWAY AFRICA presents, EGO TRIPPIN' a Fundraiser Event, featuring designer Ngozi Odita of Harriet's Alter Ego, a RUNWAY AFRICA 2007 presenting designer. RUNWAY AFRICA will introduce and unveil the creative aspects of Africhic couture designs, through an Africhic pictorial viewed from the cinema screen in the center of the venue. Mingle with fashion industry professionals, boutique owners, and local fashionistas. Receive information on Africhic and its importance within the international fashion industry, while shining a spotlight on its impact on African women and their livelihoods, socially and economically. Get all the details by clicking on the flyer.

MIMI Style Links: Spring Fling: Harriet's Alter Ego www.mimimagazine.com/2007/april/03-04-harrietsalterego01.html 'Tis The Season To Get Gorgeous www.mimimagazine.com/december2006/02-09-harrietsalterego01.html

UK's Most Beautiful Nigerian Girl

20 contestants will by vying for the title of the UK's Most Beautiful Nigerian Girl this Friday 3rd, August at the Porchester Hall (Porchester Rd, Bayswater, W2). Comedy by Fumnbi, live music, dancers and Pa's from Shady Blue, Komo and Ada Snoop are all slated to perform. In addition to crowning the UK's most beautiful Nigerian woman, the event seeks to raise HIV/AIDS awareness. Get the details at www.mbnguk.com and purchase tickets at www.ticketmania.co.uk

The 2007 Nigeria Entertainment Awards

The Nigeria Entertainment Awards (NEAs) doled out awards to some of Nigeria's most celebrated performers and entertainers this past Saturday (July 21st). The event, which was held in New York City, was attended by Nigeria's finest ... super model Oluchi, former Miss World Agbani Darego and recording artist Tolumide were just a few of the stars who were in attendance. The show also featured some hot performances by Tolumide and gospel singer Sammy Okposo. The NEA's have definitely stepped up their game from last year and set the standard for award shows honoring Africans. Here are some photographs from the fabulous event:

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L-R: Producers Kid Connect & Mic Tunes. Both were nominated for Best International Producers of the Year. Mic Tune won the category.

Bola of Ariya Entertainment. Nominated for U.S. Based Entertainmnet Promoter of the Year.

R&B Recording Artist Tolumide Performing at the 2007 NEA Awards. Tolumide was the 2006 NEA's R&B Female Artist of the Year.

R&B Recording Artist Banky W performing at the 2007 NEA Awards.

CNN Entertainment Reporter Lola Ogunnaike at the Night Gala event.

L-R: Julius Agwu, Sammy Okposo and Mike Aremu at the Night Gala event. Julius Agwu won Funniest Comedian of the Year Award and Sammy won the Gospel Artist of the Year. All performed at the event with Julius hosting.

Julius Agwu on the Red Carpet with Sammy next to him.

Sammy on the Red Carpet.

L-R: Steve Sugunro, Tosin Ola and Alfred Ali of Atlanta based We3 Entertainment, which was nominated for U.S. Based Entertainment Promoter of the Year.

L-R: Super Model Oluchi & Former Miss World Agbani Darego.

Super Model Oluchi.

L-R: Iceberg Slim, Alache, Blak Jesus presenting at the Award.

R&B Recording Artist Tolumide Presenting at the 2007 NEA Awards.

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Looks like fun times were had by all! On the fashion front, Bola of Ariya Entertainment was the best dressed male (taking a risk with that pink bowtie and all those pinstripes really paid off). As for the females, although Agbani Darego's dress was fabulous (that color was h-o-t), Oluchi takes the cake for head to toe fabulousness. Lola Ogunnaike's hair was on point—that's definitely the look to rock for the summer (long weaves are overdone). Too bad there weren't as many artists representing Nigerian inspired designs.

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Find out more about the show at www.nigeriaentawards.com where you can find a larger photo gallery, video footage from the event, as well as a complete list of nominees, categories and winners.

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(Photo Credits: NEA Press)

Reaching Out To Africa's Male Youth

ASPIRE Africa Football Dreams has created incredible momentum across the whole of Africa as 500,000 boys, with dreams of becoming professional footballers, test their ability in front of specialist coaches from the Academy. These three young footballers have their hopes set on a footballing future with a chance of a scholarship to ASPIRE following the latest round of ASPIRE Africa Football Dreams, which concluded in Johannesburg, South Africa this week. The talented 12 year olds beat tough opposition from more than 85,000 South African boys drawn from across the country as part of the largest football talent search the world has ever seen. The whole world will also be able to experience the incredible emotional journey of ASPIRE Africa Football Dreams, through the partnership with ART Sports Channel.

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It is important to strike a balance and emphasize both athletics and academics as providing viable futures for male youths (with the latter being more important for the majority); however, it is inspiring to see that male youth around the African continent are being provided with the opportunity to develop their football talents.

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(Photo Caption: Aspiring African Footballing Talent Left to Right Simon Pono, Tshepiso Lietsisa and Siphiwe Ntuli) (Photo Credits: PRNewsFoto/ASPIRE)

Summer Reading: The Opposite House

In a dazzling follow-up to The Icarus Girl, Helen Oyeyemi explores the thin wall between myth and reality through the alternating tales of two young women and their search for the truth about faith and identity.

Maja was five years old when her black Cuban family emigrated from the Caribbean to London. Now, almost twenty years later, Maja is a singer, in love with Aaron, pregnant, and haunted by what she calls “her Cuba.” Growing up in London, she has struggled to negotiate her history and the sense that speaking Spanish or English made her less of a black girl. But she is unable to find herself in the Ewe, Igbo, or Akum of her roots. It seems all that’s left is silence. Meanwhile distance from Cuba has only deepened Maja’s mother faith in Santeria —the fusion of Catholicism and Western African Yoruba religion—but it also divides the family as her father rails against his wife’s superstitions and the lost dreams of the Castro revolution.

On the other side of the reality wall, Yemaya Saramagua, a Santeria emissary, lives in a somewherehouse with two doors: one opening to London, the other to Lagos. Yemaya is troubled by the ease with which her fellow emissaries have disguised themselves behind the personas of saints and by her inability to recognize them. Lyrical and intensely moving, The Opposite House is about the disquiet that follows us across places and languages, a feeling passed down from mother and father to son and daughter.