Mixed-Race Royal Engagement
Amid all the fanfare over Prince Harry’s engagement to Meghan Markle came the article saying that they are not the first mixed-race royal couple!
According to the article in The New York Times “Race/Related” series, several European royals have black or mixed-race spouses. This despite the long-standing perception that princesses, from Sleeping Beauty to Princess Diana, “have skin as pure white as the driven snow.”
The article describes a few of these mixed-race royal unions. It also says that one historian speculates that one or two royals of past centuries may have had African blood.
Apparently Meghan has charmed the people she has met so far. I wish them well and trust you do too!
LOFT and Literature
Two door prizes, one with my memoir, the other with a book by children’s author Clare
We had a fun event at LOFT in Westport on Thursday evening. My publicist Aline is a master at these. She prepared two marvelous door prizes, one with my memoir and the other with one of Clare Pernice’s books. My friend Jo won the door prize with my memoir!
Aline and LOFT provided refreshments. I sold five books and have two new subscribers to my blog list.
I enjoyed meeting people, especially the other author Clare, but my pleasure was dampened because I had a cold and sore throat coming on. I came home from the event and went straight to bed.
Jo, door prize winner, me, and children’s author and illustrator Clare Pernice
I did not get to the Saturday events I told you about – the Pauli Murray exhibit at the Yale Law School Library and the James Baldwin event at The Unitarian Church. Instead I spent Friday and Saturday mostly lying on the couch!
Jo was gone by the time we drew the prize names. She lives in Westport as I do. I brought home her door prize. This morning I emailed her to tell her she was the winner. We’ll get together soon so I can pass it on!
Nigeria’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad – a Target
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/251271-endsars-police-mum-nigerians-recount-atrocities-special-anti-robbery-squad.html
SARS is Nigeria’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad. It was established in the early 2000’s to combat, “the growing cases of armed robbery and other violent crimes.”
Because of complaints, police produced this form. Do you think the phone numbers work?
Why the decision to create a special force? I’m sure some of the leaders are now doubting the wisdom of the move. It has become a scourge in the country.
A year ago Amnesty International took on SARS, accusing it of, “torturing detainees in its custody to extract confession or lucrative bribes under duress.”
The Premium Times article says, “Although the police initially denied the allegations and accused the foremost rights group of exaggeration, Inspector-General Ibrahim Idris convened an emergency meeting a day after the report was published to demand that SARS commanders turn a new leaf in their conduct.”
But there is still widespread dissatisfaction with SARS. There has been a social media campaign over the weekend, with the hashtag, #EndSARS. Dozens, if not hundreds, of people have recounted their horrific experiences with the force.
Sam and Trace
What fun to see our son Sam pictured in today’s This Day Live in Nigeria! I loved reading the article.
Clem was surprised by one of Sam’s comments. Clem looked up as he read, and said, “What? He’s wearing my watch from the 1960’s?” That’s what Sam said, so I guess it’s true.
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/12/03/sam-onyemelukwe-the-helmsamn-of-trace-naija/
Don’t fret about the misspelling of helmsman or other errors in the article. It’s unfortunately par for much of the Nigerian media.
But there’s more! Sam was also featured in the French press! Scroll down in the article to see him in a photo with President Macron!
He went to Ghana last weekend when President Macron was there for EU and Africa Union meetings. The French head of TRACE, Sam’s company, was there.
Sam participated in an interview of Macron and then spoke with him privately for several minutes. President Macron said he had lived in Nigeria for six months in 2002 so was eager to hear about the country today.
Nigerian Visa
Spent nearly two hours tonight applying for a visa for Clem. His Nigerian passport expired, we discovered in late October. We applied for a new Nigerian passport, filled all the forms, paid the fees, but have heard nothing.
So now we’re trying for a visa! Wish us luck!
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