Last week after Arik cancelled their Wednesday flight to Lagos I had to make the trip via Accra and i landed at Mohamed Murtalla Airport on Friday night. Tired and looking forward to resting my head in a fancy hotel, i was instead ushered to wait in a bus for some 2 hours before I could head to the Four Points Sheraton.
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the pots at the chop bar in Surulere, main land Lagos |
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view of VI from the elevator at the Sheraton Four Points |
A couple weeks ago I contacted Airtel Sierra Leone (formerly zain) about the possibility of producing a show for the 2010 MTV African Music Awards and I got the green light. Four local subscribers from Kenema, Taiama, Freetown, and Glouscester won the MAMAs promo including; two farmers, a retired teacher, and a pakistani business man with 20yrs in Salone. My job was to follow the around in Lagos capturing their experience of the MAMAs.
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with Mo_Cheddah MTV Africa Best New Artist 2010 |
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with Nneka at Bogobiri, nominated and should have won best female artist 2010 |
One of the farmers prior to winning the promo had never been to Lungi let alone get on a plane. We followed them with the camera as they explored Lagos and accompanied them to the MTV awards were I brushed shoulders with JJ Okocha, Tuface, Dbanj, Genevieve, Nadia Buari, Nneka, Mo_Cheddah and all of the African allstars. Okay so i didnt rub shoulders with them but i did see them at the awards.
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with Dare Art Alade at MTV Africa Music Awards |
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on the bus back to the hotel with Victoria, all smiles but feet on fire |
My Lagos experience can best be described in a cliche ” Lagos Na Wa”. Spent many hours in traffic between the mainland and Victoria Island, drove around trying to shoot an african adventure and learnt that perhaps in another state but certainly not in Lagos, there was no chance we would be allowed to record anything without interruption. On the upside got two interviews; one with Nneka and Mo_Cheddah. Not sure i will be going back soon but Lagos was a ride.
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at the MTV Music Awards after party |
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with Angola’s Cabo Snoop Best Lusophone artist MTV Awards 2010 the boy can shake |
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me trying to be a Diva with my plastic smile |