ktravula – a travelogue!

An Old Book

I came across this in the shelves of my professor’s library a few hours ago. It is a special edition of Drumvoices Revue (Spring-Summer-Fall 2004) that featured a set of Nigeria’s Third Generation writers. Introduced by Nigerian poet Remi Raji who was then in the United States, the section in the publication was a result of earlier collaboration between this University and the one in Ibadan. Even the cover said as much, with Lola Shoneyin taking a choice spot in the corner. Other writers featured in it were Toni Kan, Tade Ipadeola, Francis Egbokhare, Toyin Adewale-Gabriel, Unoma Azuah, Obi Nwakanma and Angela Nwosu.

Drumvoices Revue is a publication of the Eugene Redmond Writer’s Club and edited by Eugene B. Redmond itself. I’m going to find out if they still publish works. Those were good times when Eugene came to Ibadan seeking new voices around Nigeria, and seeing the book brought back good memories.

One word: nostalgia.

An Old Book was published on August 22nd, 2010, with the tags , , , under the Literature, News, Observations category. There are currently no comments on this article so far.

A Weekend Around Town

There is a place not far from St.Louis called Fairview Heights. Why they call it by that name is for now beyond me, but it has the same pulse as every other town in this area. We visited it yesterday. The eating spot we visited yesterday is called Hooters. Hooters has outlets in much of every state in the US but  I’d never been there before. And the accomplices were Chris, Abdiel and Mafoya.

Hooters is distinct for it’s scantily-dressed waitresses and nothing much else. The fries, chicken or drinks are much like everywhere else. The waiters would all be younger than 22, for sure, working to add some change to their tuition fees or saving for a holiday somewhere. They were cheerful and lively. One of them allowed us to take a picture with her. I’m hoping it didn’t have anything to do with the lie Chris had told that I was an African prince. ;). The Nigerian outfit I was wearing might have helped too.

At a corner, one boy had turned 16 and was placed on the table with paper beaks in his mouth. All the waiters gathered around him and sang him a Hooters birthday song. I’m sure he enjoyed it. Pity my own birthday is still a month away. Who knows who gift I might have got from the Hooter girls. In any case, I’m doubtful that a perching on a table in the middle of a bar would have sufficed for a birthday for a quasi-adult like me. Who knows though, I might have enjoyed it too.

We have all now returned to our various hideouts to regroup as soon as the semester gets into full gear. America is up for exploration, and here we are as volunteers for the great cause. California, Texas, Connecticut, New York, Colorado, Minnesota, Seattle, and even Alaska, here we come, slowly.

A Weekend Around Town was published on August 22nd, 2010, under the Fun, Observations category. There are currently 4 comments on this article so far.

Film in Focus

The Focus Features Africa First Short Film Program supports films that aspire to artistic excellence and accomplished storytelling, and substantially contribute to the development of local film industries. Award recipients of the 2010 Focus Features Africa First Short Film Program can use award money received from Africa First to complete initial production and to pay for post-production costs such as laboratory fees, sound mixing, and editing.

More information here.


Film in Focus was published on August 21st, 2010, with the tags , , under the Art, News, Observations category. There are currently no comments on this article so far.

Summer Ends

The warm evenings and rainy evenings haven’t really changed the face of the season. It’s summer still, in the last days of its rampage. Fall, at least the semester by that name, begins on Monday, and every part of the campus is experiencing warm bubbles of its coming.

Reham’s here, and Chris, and Mafoya, and Abdiel, and Tola, and Clarissa, and pretty much everyone else: the usual suspects, the deer and the geese. There are also some new faces: the new Arabic teacher, the new Yoruba teacher, and a generally new campus experience with its coming excitement.

This should be good.

Summer Ends was published on August 20th, 2010, with the tags , , , under the Soliloquy category. There are currently 2 comments on this article so far.

Chicago-St.Louis

O’Hare International Airport looked ordinary. All that concerned me was that I was able to use the internet though I had to pay for it. A few hours later, on the megabus from downtown to St.Louis, I was able to continue, just before I dosed off and found myself back in St. Louis early in the morning. Even that city hasn’t changed, and it welcomed me with the warm breeze of the morning.

I definitely have changed, even if I say so myself. I carry some baggage of stress from all my “summer” travels, but it feels good to be finally “home” in one piece. Thank you for all the “congratulatory” messages. I appreciate them :). Now, time to get back to work.

Chicago-St.Louis was published on August 20th, 2010, with the tags , , , under the Fun, Soliloquy category. There are currently 2 comments on this article so far.