Category: Arts and Culture

Art is greatly appreciated when it reflects the happenings around us, offers insight into others’ lived experiences and teaches us a thing or two about our history or holds a mirror up to our own lives. If we’re lucky, it’s all of the above. Irrespective of your background, adding more diverse films to your movie night diet shows Hollywood how important they really are. Not only does watching more movies about Black History and films that center on Black stories offer a learning experience, but it helps the cause of aligning media with what the world we live in actually looks like.

According to the most recent UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report, the United States population is currently 40% non-white, but the screen doesn’t quite reflect that. People of color are still underrepresented in every facet of the industry, outnumbered two to one in onscreen leads and three to one among directors and five to one among writers.

In celebrating Black History Month, we have come up with 5 movies you have to see.

Malcolm X (1992)

This powerful Spike Lee film starring Denzel Washington which chronicles the life and influence of Malcolm X. Malcolm X was a minister, a leader in the civil rights movement and a supporter of Black Nationalism. He urged his fellow Black Americans to protect themselves against white aggression “by any means necessary,” a stance that often put him at odds with the nonviolent teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. The movie is a tribute to the dogged black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the ’50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left a legacy of self-determination and racial pride.

Freedom Riders (2010)

Renowned director Stanley Nelson chronicles the inspirational story of American civil rights activists’ peaceful fight against racial segregation on buses and trains in the 1960s. The movie tells the powerful, harrowing and ultimately inspirational story of six months in 1961 that changed America forever. From May until November 1961, more than 400 black and white Americans risked their lives—and many endured savage beatings and imprisonment—for simply traveling together on buses and trains as they journeyed through the Deep South. Deliberately violating Jim Crow laws, the Freedom Riders met with bitter racism and mob violence along the way, sorely testing their belief in nonviolent activism.

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)

This is a 2021 biographical crime drama film about the betrayal of Fred Hampton (played by Daniel Kaluuya), chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party in late-1960s Chicago, by William O’Neal (played by LaKeith Stanfield), who was a FBI informant. O’Neal infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party, with an aim to keep an eye on chairman Fred Hampton. But as Hampton’s power grows, so does O’Neal’s moral quandary in this stunning portrait of the Black Panther movement. Fred Hampton was eventually shot in his bed by the FBI.

Hidden Figures (2016)

Based on a true story, the film tells the incredible story of the Black female mathematicians who worked at NASA during the Space Race. They play a pivotal role in astronaut John Glenn’s launch into orbit. Meanwhile, they also have to deal with racial and gender discrimination at work. Until the book of the same name was released, the story was hardly known and often untold. Both the film and novel are worth exploring.

A Most Beautiful Thing (2020)

The movie follows the story of the first African American public high school rowing team in the United States. Formed in the 1990s at Manley High School and based in Chicago’s West Side, the team was made up of young men, many of whom were members of rival gangs. Reuniting after 20 years, the team gets back on the water to prepare to race in the 2019 Chicago Sprints, the largest rowing regatta in the Midwest. In the process, Arshay Cooper, the team’s captain, takes inspiration from the past and reaches out to the Chicago Police Department to show that rowing can bring even people with the most disparate backgrounds together. A Most Beautiful Thing features interviews with former US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Olympic coach Mike Teti, Olympic rower David Banks, and Olympic International Committee Member Anita DeFrantz.

There’s no denying the fact that the devastating effects of the slave trade in Africa can still be felt till this day. This is evident in some of the existing slavery sites in today’s West Africa, from Nigeria to Ghana, The Gambia, Senegal and the Republic of Benin.

‘The Woman King’ may just be another documentation of the slave era and the bravery of African female soldiers. Set in the West African kingdom of Dahomey, now known as the Republic of Benin, during the 1820s, the movie tells the story of the Agojie, an all-female group of warriors who protect the kingdom. They are fierce, vowed to a life of celibacy, and no man is allowed into their training ground.

The opening sets the tone for what’s to come when the Agojie liberates prisoners from the Oyo army. In that era, the ninth ruler of Dahomey, the new King Ghezo, tries to see things from a different perspective. His kingdom has a tributary pact with the mighty Oyo Empire. Included in the contract is the use of the Ouidah Port as a slave route.

As the king puts it, “the slave trade is the reason we prosper, but at what price?” The kingdom is torn between paying the tribute, which comes with a heavy trade tax, or not to pay, which is a declaration of war.

To raise an army strong enough to dare the Oyo army, the leader of the Agojie, General Nanisca, is tasked with training a new generation of warriors to fight against an enemy.

Nawi, a 19 years old girl, refuses to bow to culture by being a child bride. So her father gives her off to the Agojie. She is taken to the palace of women, where no men are allowed. Her presence in the army changes the course of events in the war that is to come.

Not many historical movies look into the pre and colonial era exploits of the black race in a positive light. Films like ‘Roots’, ‘Amistad’, ‘The Birth of a Nation and, more recently, ‘The Underground Railroad’ all tell of that dark era with an undertone of a conquest of the black race. While ‘The Woman King’ mirrors this notion, the movie is one rare opportunity that sheds light on the collaboration of Africans in one of perhaps the darkest tragedies of humanity: the slave trade.

King Ghezo sought to end slavery and replace it with the palm oil trade. He was told explicitly by members of his court, “no one fears a ruler of peasants.”

It also cleverly highlights the existing civilisation at the time. The fact that the Europeans, the Portuguese and other slave dealers met well laid out cities and the current system of governance and, of course, an almost impregnable army on arrival at the African shores is rarely discussed.

As King Ghezo tells the Portuguese who came to do business, “I wish for my people to prosper as those of your land do… We are under no illusion that you see us as a commodity.” 

The movie also subtly touches on sub-themes like the existing patriarchy-fueled child marriage. Nawi is that heady child who has no respect for established authority until she realizes that General Nanisca is her mother, who gave her up for adoption many years back. Another plus for the movie is the use of the authentic African accent.

The choice of Viola Davis as General Nanisca might make the viewer almost tempted to believe that she is of African descent. It is not surprising, though, as she has earned veteran status in Hollywood. John Boyega and Jimmy Odukoya who play the roles of King Ghezo and Oba (the leader of the Oyo army) respectively have received acclaim worldwide for their beautiful interpretation of both roles. Both roles were pivotal to the film’s direction, and their delivery sold its different themes. Other cast members like Thuso Mbedu (South Africa) and Sheila Atim (Uganda) provided a balance that seems lacking in movies of that nature.

The movie is definitely one to see as it promises to be one of the most talked about movies that tells an African story for years to come.

The Center for Igbo Studies at Dominican University, Illinois Chicago will be starting a new academic year with plans for a more “vibrant” series of educational programs. It is also continuing its efforts to seek historic designation of a Georgia site linked to an 1803 slave revolt just three years after its founding.

The center, which was established in 2019 at the request of the Igbo Studies Association, is dedicated to facilitating the greater understanding of Igbo history, civilization, religion, culture, and language, while also analyzing the current state of the Igbo nation. It is charting new progressive directions that will enhance its intergenerational growth and advancement through the creation of sustainable institutional frameworks for an organized, dedicated, strategic and scholarly production of good knowledge and analysis of critical issues and policies that affect Ndi Igbo, both at home and abroad. The Igbo is an ethnic group originating from Nigeria, West Africa, with a sizable population in the United States and the Chicago metro area.

According to Rev. Austin Okigbo, who is chairman of the advisory board to the Center for Igbo Studies, the center will be an outlet for communicating Igbo contributions to science, medicine, athletics, education and American history itself. “We have stories that are not often told,” Okigbo said. “But Igbo history in North America and the new world — in both the old and new diaspora — is very strong. It all points to one thing: A group of people who are very resilient, innovative and creative, and who have contributed much for humanity.”

Director of the Center for Igbo Studies and a professor of philosophy at Dominican University,         Dr. Nkuzi Nnam said there is a continuous and concerted effort to raise awareness of the center this year after the pandemic prevented a more formal launch.

“We want people all over the world to know about it,” he said.

Dr. Nnam who is also the author of the book “Colonial Mentality in Africa” went further by stating  that the goals for this year are to continue hosting educational lectures — which have largely taken place virtually — featuring scholars and specialists from across the globe. A formal inauguration of the center is envisioned for May 2023, and relaunching the Igbo language and culture classes for the greater community is also desired.

Nigerians of Igbo extraction all over the USA and beyond have applauded the steps taken by Dr. Nnam and the center to promote the Igbo language and culture. Dr. Ngozi Ezike who is the first Black woman to lead the Illinois Department of Public Health in its 143-year history and also serves on Dominican’s Center for Igbo Studies Advisory Board commended everyone who has been involved in the promotion to see that the ethos and values of the Igbo culture is studied extensively and said that she had brought her four children to the campus every Saturday for over a year for Igbo language classes.

Dr. Obioma Paul Iwuanyanwu, a Professor of World Literature and Critical Theory at Central State University also joined in showering praises for the work the center is doing and said that all must be done to ensure that the “Igbo culture must be sustained.” He lamented the relegation of the Igbo Language and culture by the people themselves urging them to reverse the situation urgently for posterity’s sake and called on more sons and daughters of Ndi Igbo to join hands and support the center in whatever way possible.

Perhaps most significantly, the center, in collaboration with the Gullah Geechee Community of the Southeast United States, has been working to obtain a national historic designation for Igbo Landing on St. Simons Island, Georgia, to commemorate the group of enslaved Igbo people who rebelled against their captors and committed suicide by drowning in 1803 rather than face lives as slaves in America.

“One of our plans this year is to turn that site into a memorial site for Igbo people all over the world to visit,” said Dr. Nnam, who traveled to the island this summer.

The events of St. Simons Island are a testimony to the Igbo spirit of resistance, countering the narrative that enslaved people willingly accepted their fate, noted Okigbo. The Black experience in America, he explains, has always been one of resistance and the quest for freedom.

“Igbo Landing is an important historic moment that tells the story from the very beginning,” Okigbo said. “Here are people brought as slaves, but they resisted. They would rather die than live out their lives as slaves.”

The Center for Igbo Studies was created through a $55,000 endowment funded by donations.            A $25,000 contribution came from the organization of 100 Igbos USA, and another $25,000 from former Dominican University President Donna Carroll, Nnam revealed.

Several sites around the country were considered for the center, but Dominican was ultimately proposed based on several factors, including its proximity to Chicago and O’Hare Airport, Chicago’s sizable Igbo population, and the university’s welcoming nature, Nnam and Okigbo said. Dominican’s Black World Studies major was another important reason behind the selection, Nnam noted, while Okigbo pointed to the many Igbo who are members of the Dominican order around the world.

Even before the center was established, the Igbo Studies Association’s annual conference has been held at Dominican University for a number of years.

“Our hope is that by the time the center is fully operational and the story of the Igbo becomes much more mainstream, this will lead to the establishment of new centers in other institutions,” Okigbo said.

The African continent provides so many amazing destinations for tourists. The most attractive places of interest in Africa include its roaring wildlife, rustic historical sites and sprawling landscape. With the abundance of stunning tourist destinations, it’s no surprise that people often find it hard to decide on the places to visit.

Senegal is one of the African countries with several spectacular tourist sites. This West African country has great transportation, communication, and security systems which puts it among the safe and delightful places for tourists. One of the destinations that are certainly worth visiting in Senegal is the Pink Lake.

The Pink Lake, also known as Lake Retba lies north of the Cape-Verde peninsula of Senegal, some 30km northeast of the capital, Dakar. The lake is so named for its stunning waters that change color depending on the intensity of the sun and in the dry season. The color is due to a particular species of algae called “Dunaliella Salina” (an algae used in cosmetic and dietary supplements), which produces a red pigment that absorbs sunlight thus giving the lake its stunning appearance. The pink lake is particularly noticeable during the dry season (November to June), which is also the best time to visit Lake Retba. The bacterium is completely harmless to humans and swimming in the lake is allowed

The Atlantic Ocean borders the lake, separated from the lake by sand dunes. The lake means different things to different people. To the tourists, it’s a beautiful exotic place to be and gaze at. To the locals, it is a source of livelihood from which their daily food comes from.

The lake is mainly a tourist attraction and valuable in the production of salt. Lake Retba is known for its high salt content (up to 40% in some areas), which is mainly due to the ingress of seawater and its subsequent evaporation. The locals scoop up the salt with their bare hands from the bottom of the lake, put it in baskets and carry them ashore. To protect their skin from the long hours in the water, the workers use shea butter, known in Senegal for its cosmetic properties and are an emollient produced from shea nuts which helps avoid tissue damage. Salt extracted from the lake is exported across the region and used by locals for preserving fish.

About 38,000 tonnes of salt are harvested from this lake each year, which contributes to Senegal’s salt production industry. Senegal is the number-one producer of salt in Africa.

Not many living organisms are able to survive in Lake Retba because of its high salt content, so it serves mainly as a tourist point and for salt production.

Local experts are worried that the lake’s salt is being overexploited. Although action has been taken to protect it – the government has banned seashell mining and the lake is now given an annual biological rest – there is still a risk that if the environmental situation were to deteriorate, the effects could be quite severe.

Lake Retba is the only pink lake in Africa and is the largest natural pool of its kind. Its area is about 3 square km, and the maximum depth is 9.8 ft. This natural wonder of the African continent is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow strip of land rich in vegetation and sand dunes that contribute to its spectacular landscape.

Lake Retba is well known for having been the end-point of the famed Dakar Rally, which has since been relocated to South America and has been a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status since 2005 and is fast becoming one of Senegal’s most popular tourist destinations on the continent.

A Visit to Africa’s tourist capital

My first glimpse of the majestic Victoria Falls was from the airplane as I touched down at Livingstone airport in Zambia. The stories I had read and heard about this UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of  the Seven Wonders of the Natural World got me all giddy and excited in anticipation of what would be a most memorable experience for me.

After checking in into the Zambezi Sun Hotel in livingstone, which is located on the green banks of the Zambezi River and is only a few minutes walk away to Victoria Falls, i took a glance at my wristwatch and saw it was 6pm already, had a shower, fell into the bed and slept off immediately as i was exhausted from all the traveling i had done in addition to the delays i had at the Livingstone airport upon my arrival.

I woke up around 11pm and started preparing for my trip to the falls the next day. I was so caught up in the excitement of my visit to Victoria Falls that I almost forgot I hadn’t had anything to eat all day bar a quick snack I had in-flight.

I headed to the hotel’s restaurant and ran through their menu. I was keen on sampling some native cuisine so I ordered for “Chikanda”, a meat-like delicacy prepared using wild orchids, which are dried and pounded with a thick mixture of groundnuts and chili alongside some “Nshima”, a widely consumed dish in Zambia made from maize and serves as the country’s main staple food.

I retired back to my room and had a few minutes on my laptop before I eventually went back to sleep. Woke up the next day feeling refreshed and ready for my visit to see the Falls. The journey from my hotel to the falls lasted about 10 minutes by foot. 

As you walk along, you will be immersed in the sprays and mists of the Falls. You will also encounter the Rainforest that fringes the Victoria Falls while taking-in the sight and sounds of the great River Zambezi as it makes its way down basalt gorges.

The strength with which the water falls is tremendous, and coupled with the heat, causes the evaporation of what looks like a gigantic wall of smoke several meters up in the air (during the rainy season). It was this enormous plume of mist that I could clearly see from the plane on my arrival. It’s no wonder the locals call it ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ , the smoke that thunders. 

In all honesty, nothing prepared me for the spectacular sight of Victoria Falls. Striking doesn’t even begin to describe them. It was like nothing I’d seen before and it beggared belief. Drenched from head to toe in the Zambezi water, I fell in love with this wonder of nature.

After spending two days taking in the sights of the Falls from my current location, I decided it was time to head over to Zimbabwe and see what it would look like from that side of paradise. 

Victoria Falls forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and to cross into Zimbabwe from where I was, I would need to use the Victoria Falls Bridge. Of course one would still need a visa to cross into Zimbabwe and that is issued on arrival as long as the visa that brought you into Zambia is a tourist visa. 

Viewing the falls from the bridge was also another thrilling experience. I couldn’t spend much time on the bridge though as one has to constantly be on the move due to the amount of human traffic crossing the bridge in both directions, added to the fact the bridge isn’t exactly the widest.

Arriving in Zimbabwe, I stayed in a lovely old colonial-styled hotel where Zebras strolled along the pool and gazelles pranced about in the compound.

Viewing Victoria Falls from Zambia was an amazing experience and will forever live in my memory, but Zimbabwe was breathtaking. The huge body of water at the foot of the Falls creates a constant rainbow and in some instances, two. 

As history has it, for centuries local African tribes around the region approached the falls in sacred reverence. In truth, Victoria Falls is so uncanny; so unlike anything else that the reverence in which the locals approach it makes perfect sense.

Victoria Falls is one of the world’s most incredible natural wonders. Locals call this raging expanse of water “Mosi-oa-Tunya,” or “The Smoke That Thunders.” Cascading over the edge of 1.7 kilometers of craggy gorge and plunging 100 meters to the rocks below, the waterfall gives off such a huge volume of mist that the plumes are visible for miles in every direction. The noise of Victoria Falls can be heard from a distance of 40 km and see the mist from a distance of 50 km away. In 1855, Scottish missionary and explorer, David Livingstone was the first European to see the waterfall. He named it Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria who was the Queen of Great Britain at the time.

While they are neither the tallest (Angel Falls in Denmark) nor the widest falls (Khone Phapheng Falls in Laos) in the world, the falls are classified as the largest in the world due to the sheer amount of water that flows through the edge per minute. Roughly 625 million liters of water flows over the edge per minute making it the biggest curtain of falling water in the world.

The number of tourists like me who visited Victoria Falls was overwhelming. Tourists from all over the world visit the site annually to witness this breath-taking natural wonder. According to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority over 1.8 million people came to Zimbabwe in 2018 just to visit the site which has been dubbed Africa’s tourist capital.

Victoria Falls is more than enough to merit a trip all the way to Zambia and Zimbabwe. Everything about my trip to see this UNESCO World Heritage Site was exhilarating and left me with immense joy and sorrow in equal measure. Joy because Africa is undoubtedly beautiful, rich and blessed. Sorrow because despite the resources and talent that abounds on the continent we still haven’t been able to harness our riches, resources and culture for the benefit and upliftment of everyone.

The experience of my visit to Victoria Falls will live long in my memory.