🔅 Lupita's Oscar Speech Brings the House Down & Nigeria's Kidnapping Crisis
Plus: West African Cuisine Conquers London & The Rising FGM Challenge
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Lupita's Oscar Speech Brings the House Down
Hollywood's glitziest night turned into heartfelt emotion when Kenya's own Lupita Nyong'o made everyone reach for their tissues. In a moment that had Da'Vine Joy Randolph—and, let's be honest, probably everyone watching—at the brink of tears, Lupita paid homage to her fellow actress's Oscar-worthy role in "The Holdovers".Â
If you haven't watched it, we recommend you do.
Lupita's words were a nod to the healing power of storytelling, and a touching tribute to Da'Vine's grandmother, whose glasses she wore in the film as a heartfelt homage.
Da'Vine Joy Randolph, the breakout star and fan darling, scooped the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, adding a shiny golden guy to her already impressive award season haul.
Nigeria: Over 300 Kidnapped
This weekend, the Nigerian security forces combed forests and set up roadblocks in a frantic search for over 280 schoolkids, aged seven to 18, who were kidnapped and vanished into the thicket from Kuriga on Thursday last week. Another 15 kids were snatched from Sokoto two days later.
Villagers like Lawan Yaro, who now counts five of his grandkids among the missing, are grappling with a new level of insecurity, one that's reached a frightening crescendo. With over 3,500 people abducted in Nigeria last year alone, it seems the country's armed forces have their work cut out for them, battling not just armed criminals in the northwest but also a jihadist insurgency in the northeast that's been wreaking havoc since 2009.
FGM: A Growing Concern
According to the latest headcount by Unicef, the tally of girls and women who've undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) has shot up by 15% over the last eight years. That's over 230 million individuals; in 2016, it was 200 million.
Unicef highlighted a trend of younger girls increasingly becoming the targets of FGM, with many not even making it to their fifth birthday before being subjected to the practice. If the world is to make FGM history by the UN's ambitious 2030 deadline, we'll need to shift gears and speed up our current efforts by 27-fold.Â
While FGM isn't gaining popularity on a global scale, the issue lies in the booming birth rates in countries where FGM is practised, skewing the numbers and making the fight against it all the more challenging in these areas.
The bulk of this practice is concentrated in Africa, with a sizable chunk also found in Asia and the Middle East. The Gambia and Sierra Leone have become recent battlegrounds in the debate over FGM, highlighting the complex web of rights, religion, and culture that activists must navigate to advocate for change.
West African Cuisine Takes London by Storm: A Tale of Culinary Triumph
In the heart of London, under the arches of Victorian grandeur and amidst the culinary giants of Borough Market, a new chapter in the city's food saga unfolds. Here, Akara, a beacon of West African cuisine, stands proud—a testament to restaurateur Aji Akokomi's vision that West African food isn't just passing through; it's here to claim its rightful place at London's gastronomic table.Â
Gone are the days when West African cuisine was tucked away on the side streets of Little Lagos in Peckham. Today, restaurants like Akara (and others, such as Chishuru and Chuku's) have emerged in the spotlight of London's dining scene, blending hospitality with innovation without losing an ounce of authenticity.
Conde Nast Traveller tells us why it's clear that London's appetite for West African cuisine is growing. It's a culinary journey that's just beginning, and if the success of these African chefs and entrepreneurs is anything to go by, the future of West African cuisine in London is not just bright; it's blazing.
Food for Thought
“When the roots of a tree begin to decay, it spreads death to the branches."
— Nigerian Proverb
My issue is with UN/World hypocrisy on blazing display, if it happens in Africa or Asia it is called FGM and is a curse to be stamped out. If is happens in Europe or the USA and Canada etc. it is Gender Affirming Care and is praised for 'following science'. The twisted perversion of the truth on display and celebrated. Both and wrong, both must be stopped.