IJAPA and Friends, is the second of England-based Adefemi Adebajo’s series of tortoise stories drawn from the vast repertoire of Yoruba folklore. Published in 2013, in the United Kingdom, by El Roi Publications Limited, Ijapa and Friends, one of the most recent story books plotted on the hub of trickster tales – tortoise tales, comprises 14 fables (each assigned about six pages), spread across 14 chapters. These are inextricably linked by a dominant character named Ijapa – Yoruba word for tortoise, ‘the cunning and wise tortoise’, according to the blurb on the back of the publication, who is ‘always getting into trouble’ as seen in virtually all the stories in the volume.

After the successful hosting of the Open Door Series Project WS79 in Lagos, Ogun and Osun where the 2013 project for the 79th birthday of the grand inspiration behind it, Prof. Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka aka WS, kicked off, the train moved to London.

Concerned citizens of Nigeria who have hitherto been perturbed by the woeful performances of students in Mathematics in their external examinations can now heave a sigh of relieve as a new book written to improve students’ result in external examinations, was last week, at the Lagos Resource Centre, presented to the public.

TO many, especially parents who discourage their wards from taking visual art as a profession, recent developments within the art terrain is a pointer to them that art is capable of turning people into millionaires. Apart from raking in millions from sale of art works during art auctions, three millionaires will emerge as the Nigerian Breweries and African Artists’ Foundation (AAF) get set to reward three lucky winners of the 2013 National Art Competition.

LEKKI Wives is a drama series written, produced, and directed by Blessing Effiom Egbe. She has amazingly carved a niche for herself in the crowded Nigerian movie industry. The sensational actress cum model who is a theatre arts graduate is a breath of fresh air in Nollywood setting out to push the envelope in her movie productions. Her movie’ Two Brides and a Baby’ got twelve nominations from the revered Nollywood awards The Best Of Nollywood(B.O.N)

LAST month, established writers,literary aficionados, Rainbow Book Club members gathered on at Le Meridien, Ogeyi Place to discuss Chimamanda Adichie’s latest novel, Americanah. Those present grappled afresh with issues like race (‘blackness’), immigration, deportation and class, thanks to Adichie’s skilled writing that allows readers to form their own opinions. The novel was Rainbow Book Club’s book-of-the-month for July.

The high rate of corruption in the land can be attributed to the inability of people to do their duties well and worse still those who fail to obey the law are not punished. It is a binding duty for all to pay their taxes, partake in environmental sanitation exercise, use the pedestrian bridges while crossing the express ways and other civic duties. But to many, the Nigerian factor where anything goes has taking the upper side to the extent that when you see one who wants to follow due process, the person is regarded as not normal.

The MUSON symphony Orchestra, which is notably Nigeria’s only professional symphony orchestra, renowned for its high standard performance of various repertoires recently staged an extraordinary concert at the Agip Recital Hall of the MUSON centre, Onikan, Lagos.

The Last Dictator authored by Ned Tony Emeni, is hard cover book with 1029 pages that is in the same size category as the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.

It was another credit to Nigeria, especially music lovers as one of the country’s choir group, the Lagos City Chorale which participated in the first European Choir Games,Austrian Open Competition for choirs worldwide made the country proud by carting away the highest number of awards at the event held in Graz, Austria.

The Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos was filled to capacity with the literati and dignitaries from the media, showbiz, business society, etc, who congregated in an event held to honour posthumously, Africa’s most quintessential writer, late Professor Chinualumogu Albert Achebe.

As part of its efforts to catch them young, the National Gallery of Art, (NGA) organised an exhibition to showcase talents of the children. The exhibition tagged 1st National Children Art Exhibition held at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture, Abuja, provided another opportunity to showcase the artistic ingenuity of Nigerian children.

The Benin kingdom is one of the oldest institutions in Africa, noted for its rich cultural heritage and ruled by great Kings known as Oba of Benin. Presently, the city is ruled by Omo N’ Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, the 38th Oba of Benin and head of the traditional state of Benin. Since he ascended the throne, many great reforms have taken place in the kingdom and recently he celebrated his 90th birthday in style.

With two highly successful novels under her belt, it is perhaps unsurprising that with her third novel, Americanah, Chimamanda Adichie has scored a hattrick. Adichie is adept at speaking to her readers through authentically created characters, weaving a tale that captivates, from the first chapter till the very last sentence.

Those who think that great contemporary art comes only from developed countries in the West, or from cities in fast-growing parts of China, India or Latin America, should make a re think as Anatsui’s immense and astonishing creations have revealed that Africa is very much a continent to reckon with, artistically speaking.