#BringBackOurGirls Day 365 – A March and A Song

Today marks one year since more than 200 girls were abducted by Nigerian militant Islamist group Boko Haram.

TODAY APRIL 14th Join the Global School Girl March, one year since 270+ Nigerian school girls were kidnapped via https://www.facebook.com/bringbackourgirls

News via BBC Africa reports –

 The abduction of the girls in Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria sparked global outrage, with nations such as the US and China promising to help find them.
There have been sightings of the girls reported, but none have been found.Boko Haram say the girls have converted to Islam and been married off. One witness told the BBC that she saw more than 50 of them alive three weeks ago in the north-eastern town of Gwoza.A procession is being held in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, with 219 girls taking part to represent each missing girl. Nigeria’s incoming president, Muhammadu Buhari, said his government would “do everything in its power to bring them home” but said he “cannot promise that we can find them”.

The #BringBackOurGirls kidnap inspired a song that I wrote titled ‘Aeroplane’ from my upcoming album, ‘Organically Singing’.  It’s a nostalgic, ambient,  emotional song where I incorporated a yoruba children’s folklore song in the chorus, usually sang when kids see an aeroplance fly by. For every airplane those girls might sight in the sky, I can only imagine how they will have hopes and thoughts of a rescue mission. The lyrics of the second verse  is about the Chibok girls that have not been brought back. This is music to pull your heartstrings and hopefully move us all to action.

AEROPLANE LYRICS
Verse 1
There’s a little boy
With hopes and dreams
To one day be a man
Always wondered what the future really holds
Crying on the streets
Daddy’s gone, mama’s working so hard
He looks up to the sky and sings a melody

Chorus
Aeroplane o dabo (Goodbye Aeroplane)
Ba mi k’iya mi eleko (Say hi to my mom who sells wrapped corn meals)
Eko meji oyomi (Two corn meals will be enough for me)
Oyomi o Oyomi (Enough for me, enough for me)
E gbam gbam E jigi jigi (A vocal simulation of the sound an aeroplane makes when taking off)

Verse 2
There’s a little girl
She goes to school
Learning for tomorrow
Evil comes and takes her far away
Night and Day, she’s wailing
Waiting for her rescue
She looks up to the sky
And sings a melody

Chorus
Aeroplane o dabo
Ba mi k’iya mi eleko
Eko meji oyomi
Oyomi o Oyomi
E gbam gbam
E jigi jigi

Bridge
Aeeeeeeroplane
Flying So High
I wish I can touch the sky 2X

Chorus
(c) Written, Performed and Arranged by Tosinger

Beautifully Dreaming.. Positively Doing

Tosinger

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Beautifully Dreaming and Positively Doing…

Tosinger

#BringBackOurGirls Day 57- Two Videos, One Cause

#BringBackOurGirls Day 57

Out of Sight is not Out of Mind

Here’s presenting two recent works of media that seek to  bring attention to the facts and the reality of the abduction of the Chibok girls of Nigeria by Boko Haram. The first is a docu-short put together by David Adeogun of GlassVisuals for the Merry Hearts Foundation;  a 7 minute piece about “Girls, Education, Nigerian reform, and the urgency and necessity of bringing these girls back”. The second is a music video by Ayoola in collaboration with other Nigerian artistes.

Empowering Youths in Africa

 Founded by Bunmi Babajide,  Merry Hearts Foundation  is a non-profit organization committed and dedicated to encouraging and helping youths and children to reach their full potential through education.The Merry Hearts Scholarship Fund is an initiative of The Merry Hearts Foundation (MHF) Inc.

The Merry Hearts Scholarship Fund’s main objective is to provide financial assistance in the form of a scholarship to students in need, while promoting an environment of encouragement to let the students know and understand that they are of value not only to their family and school, but to their nation and the global arena.On a daily basis, due to lack of education, too many of our talented youths are being denied a chance to  achieve  their dreams.

#BringBackOurGirls Video by the Merry Hearts Foundation.

 

David Adeogun of Glass Visuals, a London based filmmaker whose work I have become familiar with over time compiled, produced, and edited the piece. He says:

“This issue is very serious… Every second, every sign, every yell, every action, is needed. Everyone working together is actually a sign of unity and focus. We want this piece to be global. We want it to go beyond us. We want this video to be played on a speaker in front of GoodLuck Jonathan’s mansion. We want it to roar on the computers & screens of every wifi handler in Lagos, Abuja, Victoria Island, the village- Every place, e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e.! We want Boko Haram and every organization that has limited Africa to be fed up and gutted by the cries of the people world wide. United we can send even more chills down the spines of every man and woman until something is done”

Ayoola, a Nigerian Artist who won MTN Project Fame West Africa (Season 5) also recently released a song collaboration (with other notable Nigerian Artistes) for the #BBOG cause

AYOOLA FT. SOUND SULTAN, VECTOR, MOEAZY, ZAINA, G_FRESH – FREEDOM (#BRINGBACKOURGIRLS)

 

Keeping hope alive…

Beautifully Dreaming… Positively Doing..

Tosinger

The Role of the Creative Arts to #BringBackOurGirls

It is a proven fact that the creative arts can be weapons of social and political change. The Arts have and do still play a role in the struggle for justice. History confirms that some works of art, music, poetry, film are linked to waves of  social, economic and political change all over the world e.g  Playwright and Writer Pushkin’s work as it affected Russian politics in the 1800s, or Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat music as a tool to address the corrupt government, numerous ‘Free Mandela’ songs in the fight for apartheid and many more.

Listed below, are creative works, specifically Art, Photography, Music, Fashion and Literature that have in one way or the other attracted public awareness and media attention to the unsettling issue of the abducted Chibok girls in Northern Nigeria. The social media outcry which got the attention of international media eventually moved the complacent government to seek the help needed. As at today, the kidnapped girls by extremist Islamic group Boko Haram, are still being held with reports of 2 already dead, and 20 sick. Boko Haram also released a video saying they intend to sell the girls.

In today’s age, new media is playing a great role as a great platform to exercise the voice of the people through social media, as seen in the case of Libya and Egypt also. On Twitter, the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls led to rally formations and protests across different cities globally

Photography

At the Atlanta rally, where I was present, Atlanta based Photographer Terrell Clark had an artistic vision to capture all the ladies who came out to #RockACrownfor234 and highlighted their headwraps against a dark and moody backdrop of their faces.

Terrell says:

In the spirit of “darkness” surrounding our sisters, I intentionally underexposed the photographs under the banner of “until our girls are found and brought home, we are all living in the shadows”

View gallery here, password ‘girls’

Fashion

Headwraps hold a significant meaning and symbolism to Africans everywhere.It is the African woman’s crown, a fashion statement, an accessory. Head wraps have served as a head cover for Africans,  since the early 1700s.The colorful cloths represent the history of the African people and are worn proudly by both men and women – ehow. It was worn as a representative of a cultural significance and an item of solidarity for the missing girls.

Click photo below for gallery from Finding Paola:

Music

KennyK’ore , a popular Nigerian Gospel Singer released a song ‘Bring Down Boko Haram’

Annoyed and livid at the gruesome killings and bombings happening in Nigeria, popular gospel artiste Kenny Kore has decided to cry and plead to God in this new single ‘Bring Down Boko Haram’ for Nigeria’s deliverance and salvation. “I love the northerners, but I hate Boko Haram. Bring down Boko Haram, cut down Boko Haram, shut down Boko Haram”…K’ore sings. He features vocals from the Late Benson Idahosa – PraiseWorld

Download/Listen here 

Art

 Numerous graphics are everywhere on social media with the trending hashtag #BringBackOurGirls . Visuals are the running engine of social media, and these are just a few that caught my eye.

with the names of the girls embedded by MADC

Art by Abinibi

Art by E5Studioz

Unknown

Art by Laolu Senbanjo of Afromysterics

Literature

A short story by Patrick Elay, a Switzerland based Nigerian Writer/Scriptwriter

“If you open your mouth, I’ll kill you!” His eyes shone red in the night and his hands held firm to the axe as he drew her hair with her lips quivering beneath her hands. They all sat lost in the reality of the moment. The cries had gradually turned into sobs, fading into gasps and finally had become silence. … continue to read here

So what can you do?

Let’s continue to use the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. Every little bit goes a long way.  Call or write your government – Change.org petition Let us come together and tell the world that we do not condone violence and  we want our girls rescued, the Nigerian government should work hand in hand with international governments and organizations to rescue the girls, because at this point it is obvious help is needed. Pray for the girls and the families, this is also a spiritual battle. Join www.facebook.com/bringbackourgirls for news and updates. Prayers, Protests, Petitions and Platforms of expressions …all go a long way in effecting the change we want to see.

Malala lends her voice

 

Beautifully Dreaming, Positively Doing…

xoxo

Tosinger

Rock A Crown for #234 #BringBackOurGirls

Parents of the abducted Nigerian schoolgirls are still holding out hope for their safe return, two weeks after they were kidnapped.Unconfirmed reports emerged yesterday that some girls may have been taken to neighbouring countries and sold as brides.The Government Girls Secondary school in the Chibok area of Borno state was stormed by gunmen believed to be from the separatist group Boko Haram on April 14. Official figures say 129 girls were abducted but the school’s principal said 230 were taken and about 187 are still being held – aworldatschool.org. The complacency of the Nigerian government incited a social media public uproar to get the international  community’s attention to help track down and rescue  the girls with the hashtag – #BringBackOurGirls #BringBackOurDaughters

There is a petition on change.org that can be signed also.

Creatives are weighing in anyway they can and in New York city on May 3. Finding Paola  (Paola) of Fanmdjanm and LoveFola (FolaSade) of 1953 who both own headwrap lines, are coming together to to be part of a headwrap/gele wearing rally to bring awareness to the issue, an event tagged “Rock A Crown for #234” taking place in various US cities.

Folasade  of 1953 collection says on her instagram:

234 female secondary school students were abducted from their boarding school by a group of people who are believed to be a part of the Boko Haram sect in Chibok, NorthEastern, Nigeria. The girls (between 16 and 18-years-old) had literally just finished their final school exams and were rounded up at gunpoint. New reports are suggesting the missing were sold as brides to Islamist militants for 2,000 naira This literally hit very close to home. I have young cousins both Christian and Muslim living in Nigeria who value their education. And to think that they can’t achieve the education they desire without worrying about their lives is quite baffling, shocking and heartbreaking … So this actually did hit home because I’m praying that this will never happen to my family members and praying for the families who are suffering at this very moment. WEAR YOUR CROWN WITH A PURPOSE || Please join us on Saturday, May 3rd, 2014 in Union Square for a prayer and to bring awareness so that this situation can be given the right level of coverage in international media. I will also be providing headwraps from the #1953Headwrap Collection. Wear your crown with a purpose! These 234 girls need to be found and returned to the safety of their families and homes. KINDLY SPREAD THE WORD!! #1953for234 #234#bringbackourgirls #rockacrownfor234#my234crown #gelefor234 #1953#howiwearmycrown #wearyourcrownwithapurposeSigns and Posters are WELCOME!! See you Saturday.

For more info about LoveFola/1953 check her site

Folasade , owner of 1953

LoveFola.com 1953 – How I Wear My Crown

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Paola Mathe is the Owner of Fanm Djanm. Fanm Djanm means strong woman. A headwrap line and brand to celebrate strong women around the world. For more info, check the site

Paola Mathe (Owner of Fanm Djanm)

As we keep prayers up for the girls and the affected families, we will all weigh in on what we can do to get our leaders, home and abroad,  to overpower this jungle army and bring the girls back home, every little bit of effort goes a long way….

Parents of kidnapped Nigerian girls. Photo from @toptennaija

And in Atlanta

Beautifully Dreaming.. Positively Doing…

Tosinger

 

Disheartening News From The Home Country – A Trio of Songs

There it goes again… the news that makes your heart sink…. that makes worry creep on you like tangled snakes trying to eat the flesh of one’s heart away..

 Abuja ( Capital City of Nigeria) – 88 killed, over 200 injured in Abuja bombing – “A total of 88 people were killed today when a car laden with improvised explosive devices (IEDS) went off at the Nyanya Motor Park” – VanguardNG …………………and then followed by “More than 200 people are feared dead in an explosion which rocked an outskirts of Abuja, the Nigerian capital, this morning” – PremiumTimesNG.

So disheartening and unthinkable what humans can do to one another, the wickedness, the inhumanity… Gory pictures fill our screens, we cannot take it any longer… As Aton Ulzen Appiah (of Ghana Think Foundation)  wrote on his G+ ” Sad news of this Abuja bombing that’s thought to have left about 200 dead. The root of the Boko Haram problem must be solved immediately.” Someone replied on his post “I doubt something like that can happen in ____ . In _____ , we fight with our mouth not our hands and weapons” 

But

The day we start to think of ourselves as part of a same body, Christians and Muslims, Nigerians and other African countries one to the other, as brothers and sisters – (Africa Oh Africa, we should unite to help one another, sympathy and empathy ), the day we understand that killing others means we are actually killing ourselves, then that day the world will be at peace. As it is, this spiritual truth is yet to be comprehended. Praying for comfort for the affected families.

Comfort For The Tears

Africa Unite

 

We have to BE FREE, we are all together in the same boat of humanity.

Beautifully Dreaming… Positively Doing..

xoxo

Tosinger