Adichie in Hollywood

Chimamanda Adichie in Hollywood

I love to see what Chimamanda Adichie is wearing! Adichie in Hollywood, according to Brittle Paper’s post, didn’t stick to Nigerian designers as she usually does.

But for the Hollywood After-Party, she did accessorize with Nigerian items!

Adichie looks good, whatever she wears.

https://brittlepaper.com/2018/03/chimamanda-adichie-attended-vanity-fair-oscar-party/

Brittle Paper, Ainehi Edoro’s blog, had another story about Adichie, or at least about her novel Americanah. More than a year ago, maybe much longer, I read that Lupita Nyong’o had agreed to make a film from the novel.

Now there will be a mini-series instead of a film, it seems. I’m looking forward to whichever comes out!

The actress Danai Gurira has joined Lupita Nyong’o to write the screenplay.

Gurira is in the film Black Panther, which I haven’t yet seen, but intend to. Have you seen it?

Bribery and Nigeria

I long for the day when those two words, bribery and Nigeria, no longer seem to fit together! Will it happen in my lifetime? I don’t think so. But maybe in the lives of our grandchildren! Maybe even in our younger son’s life.

“A corporate bribery trial billed as the biggest in history opened Monday against the Shell and Eni oil companies as well as former and current executives,” ABC News online, with the story courtesy of Associated Press, reported.

According to the article, the companies and their executives are “all charged in a $1.1 billion scandal to win control of one of Nigeria’s most lucrative oil blocks.”

The trial which opened in Milan, was later put off until May. There are also cases pending in Nigeria and in the Netherlands about the same charges of bribery.

Four NGO’s – non-governmental organizations – and the Nigerian government have, “submitted requests to be considered damaged parties in the proceedings, which would allow them to participate in the prosecution.”

I read the article several times but don’t understand who filed the initial charges. If you can understand it better, post a comment to enlighten me!

My husband says I should point out that corruption is not only carried out by Nigerians. Foreigners are equally culpable, and are sometimes leading the corruption!

Darien International Book Group 

I had the pleasure of meeting with the Darien International Book Club this week. Joanne, whom I met at the Seven Sisters Alumnae Conference last October, invited me. She said they had read my memoir Nigeria Revisited, My Life and Loves Abroad and would be delighted to meet the author.

I gave a brief introduction, including how to say “Onyemelukwe.” Then they asked lots of really interesting questions! They had read thoroughly.

One that I’ve been asked before, and it still stumps me: “Where did I get the courage to live the life I wrote about?” I answered that it didn’t feel like courage to me. It was just how I lived, one day at a time.

Perhaps having a father who came from Germany as an adult made it seem natural to leave one continent for another. I didn’t know I was going for twenty-four years; I thought it was only two. But following the same thought, my father married and stayed in his new home. I did the same.

Toward the end, one woman asked what my husband’s reaction was to reading about the affairs. I answered, “He was shocked and angry.” I explained that I introduced the topic to him, at Tengda, a restaurant in Westport.

Someone else must have had a deep conversation there! She said quickly, “Yes, Tengda is a great place for important discussions.”

“But he recovered,” I said. “Not right away, it took time. And we’re still together.” I loved being with the women at their meeting!

CSW and USNC Event 

Do you recognize the initials CSW? They stand for the Commission on the Status of Women. The 62nd CSW takes place at the UN, with lots of side events in other venues.

I’m attending a pre-event on Sunday evening. The Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN is presenting “Unity in Diversity,” a 2-hour program which features “Hear Word,” a drama written, directed, and produced by my friend Ifeoma Fafunwa. Really she’s my friend’s daughter, but I’ve known her forever.

I wrote about visiting with her mom Carol in Austin a couple of weeks ago.

The US National Committee for UN Women is presenting an exciting panel discussion on Thursday, “The Depiction of Women and Women Leaders in Film, History and Society.” You can read about it here. Come if you’re nearby!

Dog-Sitting in New York City

And I’ll be staying near the UN! I’m going to New York tomorrow to dog-sit for a few days.

I’m doing this for my grandson Kenechi and his girlfriend Mary while they go to Florida for a few days with our daughter Beth.

So I’ll take care of Buddy! I guess taking him for a walk three times a day is a small price to pay for a room at 39th and 2nd Avenue, near UN Headquarters!