Goodness! That must have hurt real bad.

This is the picture on msn website today that has become, for me, the biggest advert against boxing and I have been a big fan of boxing most of my life. But by word, seeing this picture of Nigerian Samuel Peter's face crushed by the mean gloves of Ukraine's Vitali Klitschko during the World Boxing Council (WBC) title fight in Berlin Saturday, 11th of October 2008, I felt the pain in my head. I pray to God that Samuel has heard the last of that killer punch - that is, no brain damage or serious side effect. What is the entertainment value of subjecting oneself to this type of punishment?

Nnorom Azuonye

Nollywood Focus

Nollywood Focus is a new ezine published by Eastern Light EPM International and edited by Nnorom Azuonye profiling milestones and people in the Nigerian film industry.

Nollywood Focus features Articles, Interviews, Reviews, Biographies and Filmographies, Nollywood News and Premieres.

Nollywood Focus

Ngo Wind blows by

Fading away like the stars of the morning
losing their light in the morning sun
thus shall we pass from the earth and its toiling
only remembered by what we have done.
- Ira D Sankey

Mrs Ngozi 'The Wind' Ezeobi (nee Azuonye)

(January 1956 - July 2008)

Blow along dear sister
blow smiles in the faces of angels
in the heavens
as you blew smiles in our faces here

my sister, my friend, blow along dear sister
boldly in celestial plains where;
angels sing and dance
diabetes has no power
pain does not exist
there is only music and joy

Your world, Ngo Wind, seven worlds
you will live your earthly life again.
Your world, Ngo Wind, seven worlds
you will be my sister again.

Blow on by in peace, Ngozi the Wind, blow on in peace.


- Nnorom Azuonye

Ike Anya - The Reluctant Celebrant

Ike Anya is something to everyone. To some, he is an astute travel writer. To others, he is a poet. He is also a good interviewer and a keen blogger. However people get to know Ike, they eventually get to know he is actually a medical doctor with one foot in the arts and the other in medicine.

Ike was recently appointed a Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the Hammersmith and Fulham Primary Care Trust. To the man who has achieved this great feat, it was just another blessing for which he was grateful, and not something to shout about. Ike's childhood friend and fellow public health doctor/co-blogger, Chikwe Ihekweazu felt differently about it, and together with his wife Ijeoma, they set up a fantastic reception in Ike's honour at the Cicada in London's Farringdon area on Friday, the 4th of July 2008. As the event kicked off I looked around. No Molara Wood. Shit! Who is going to write about this night?

Chikwe made a moving speech that traced his friendship with Ike from primary school at the University town of Nsukka, through med school at the University of Nigeria's Enugu campus, to their stint in Public Health Medicine training in Bristol. Looking at the mix of guests on the night; lawyers, doctors, artists, bio-technicians, writers and civil servants, Chikwe stated that it was to the credit of Ike's multifarious activities and nature that he attracted such a spread of people from different backgrounds. He joked about Ike's simple way of life that belied a man of such varied professional strengths - "Ike had no TV. You visit Ike, you couldn't even watch the news. He lived in London, but he had no car. I always asked him, what kind of Nigerian are you?"

Chikwe then introduced me to talk about Ike's other side - his writing. I kept it short and sweet, about his travelogues and interviews but homed in on his poetry; the often sentimental, short, snatched reflections on relationships, friendship, and society. Having had the privilege of publishing Ike Anya's poetry in the March 2003 issue of Sentinel Poetry (Online), I pulled out a print out of the pages of the magazine and I went on to give an impromtu reading of his poems, ignoring his 'Oh no!' - futile protestation. His friends loved to hear his poems. I wished him well and expressed the hope that the workload that would come with his new position does not tear him away from his writing.

A musical interlude followed. Live jazz by the South African singer Aletia Upstairs. Chikwe had seen Miss Upstairs in performance at the Eastern Light Literary Evening with Nduka Otiono and loved her music. He invited her to perform especially for Ike on the night. Aletia did not disappoint, belting out such tunes as African Girl, Show You Africa, and Malaika.

Ike himself then followed with a vote of thanks. He spoke of how moved he was by such a gathering in his honour, and in the short speech lasting all of five minutes, he probably said it 7 times that he had not wanted the celebration, yet since Chikwe had insisted, he was happy all the same, and humbled by the people who had come to share his joy. Self-effacingly, Ike said that it does astound him sometimes when people talk about all the things he has achieved and said it was all down to the love and staunch support of his friends and family, and the understanding of all the people who bore with him when he had failed to promptly return a phone call, or reply to an e-mail or attend one important family event or the other. "This is what has allowed me to do achieve some of these things, which I think are more than I deserve. I am at a stage in my life where I could not ask for more. I am very grateful."

As he spoke, I sipped at my second glass of champagne and ate amazing skewered beef, chicken and mushrooms, and if my mouth had not been so full of meet, I might have said allowed, "Ike, listen mate, you deserve every bit of what you have achieved, and we are here to urge you on unto greater things in years to come."

Nnorom Azuonye

PS: Sorry, I did not have my camera with me. No pictures from the night. I will post some when/if I receive them.

Eastern Light Literary Evening June '08

You are invited to an Eastern Light Literary Evening hosted by Nnorom Azuonye featuring Nigerian poet Nduka Otiono reading from his new book, "Love in a Time of Nightmares". Music on the night will be from Jazz singer/songwriter Aletia Upstairs and Nnorom Azuonye shall also read on the night.

Time: 6.30pm - 8.30pm

Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Venue: Waterloo Gallery, 14 Baylis Road, London SE1 7AA

Tickets: £5.00, £3.00 (Students/Concession)

Nearest stations: Waterloo, Waterloo East, Southwark.

see http://www.easternlightepm.com/entertainment/events.htm

RSVP nnoromazuonye@easternlightepm.com Tel: 07812 755 751

Interview with Nnorom Azuonye by Sumaila Umaisha

This interview was first published in New Nigerian Newspapers on 29th March, 2008.
It is now available online in the interviewer's blog at this location