The Vim Views & Versions - Blogs of a MIghTy African

It was nice to see Nadia Buari finally in a Sparrow Productions movie after Majid Michel and Jackie Appiah. The fifth move from the stable of Shirley Frimpong-Manso is Checkmate. My brother saw it at Tech (KNUST) and gave it a thumbs up. I waited patiently for the next time I could buy or get someone to buy me the movie. After my cousin sent me a text saying she had watched the movie online and liked it, I had to forego my initial plan of buying it to watch it online too. I was not disappointed. I've seen Checkmate twice and I am still going to buy the movie. You should too. The movie stayed true to this chess game idea the trailer seemed to portray. The movie's tag line was "play smart or lose everything". The movie stars Nadia Buari, Ekow Blankson, Naa Ashorkor Mensah Doku, KSM and introduced Khareema Aguiar, Kwaku Boateng and Senanu Gbedawo. There was also a role for Veeda Darko, the former miss Ghana America who's been cast in a couple of Nollywood movies and...

The NBA Finals ended a while ago but I haven't been able to comment on them because of the World Cup. Hey, even Kobe Bryant was in South Africa recently taking in the Mzansi Mundial. I was cheering for the Boston Celtics to win their 18th NBA championship banner but they lost out to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7. The Lakers won their 16th championship and more importantly defended their championship won in 2009. This was the first time the NBA champions had successfully defended their title since... yes, the Lakers of 2000-2002. So, I'll call it now, it is very likely that the Lakers will go for the three-peat. Some of these things in the upcoming free agency period may change that, but we'll see. But what does the Lakers win mean for Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, Phil Jackson, the Lakers, the Celtics, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Doc Rivers, etc? Here are some thoughts. The Lakers deserved to win the NBA championship more than the Celtics did. It's clear the Boston Celtics p...

The conclusion of the NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers beating the Boston Celtics for the championship officially set the free agency frenzy into overdrive. For a couple of years, we've been made to wonder where Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh would land at the start of the 2010-2011 NBA season. It's a couple of days till July 1st, the first day NBA teams can talk to free agents. There's been a lot of speculation about where players would go, who would join who, etc. As an NBA fan, I have interests in where different players go. Whether these free agency moves change the NBA power play much, we'll wait to see. Here is what I wish would happen. The LA Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Orlando Magic are definitely three of the best NBA teams but they are not really in position to sign any of the top free agents. There's been talk of the Lakers signing Chris Bosh through a sign and trade and the Phoenix Suns can also hold on to Amare Stoudemire. I think many p...

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post about the work of Free Generation International, and their Red Card Campaign to raise awareness about Human Trafficking at the World Cup. With your support, the campaign received wide circulation and the campaign’s logo was featured in the inner back cover of the U.S Government’s 2010 Trafficking Report. As you may recall, Free Generation International (FGI) is an abolitionist organization committed to fighting human trafficking and slavery throughout Africa. It is estimated that out of the 800,000 people trafficked yearly, 450,000 of them come from Africa. FGI uses innovative and culturally relevant methods to sensitize the African public about human trafficking in the African context, and are mobilizing a Pan-African youth movement against trafficking on the continent. Their programs are crucial to the fight to end human trafficking, but they are doing it with barely any funding. This is your opportunity to help them without having to contribute...

Wow! On my way home, I was tired and the first things I was going to do when I got home were check my email, Facebook, etc and then head straight to bed. I saw a friend, Kwabena Poku , post a link from Afroklectic saying the "the weight of Africa is on the Black Stars". What I found at that link was very heartwarming. Later, still on Facebook, I stumbled upon a status of Lydia Forson's on Facebook. It said "The HEAT Is On;GHANA vrs germany.I Lydia Forson Beleive in the Black Stars of Ghana.DO YOU???" This whole World Cup season, I've been calling on all who would listen to 'believe' in the Black Stars. Earlier this week, I realised this 'belief' is even more about things bigger than the Black Stars. That, I will revisit in another blog. For now, let me tell you about what has me excited. I saw a couple of videos about the Vodafone Flashmob . These videos below will tell you everything you need to know. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjt-Mu...

My friend Paa Kwesi Imbeah sent me this link just now. When I opened it and saw it, I had to blog it. It was directions on Google Maps from from: 10th Street, Accra (Buka Restaurant) to: Kotoka International Airport, Box Ka PMB 36, Kotoka International Airport, Accra (Dgaa). Awesome huh? View Larger Map See the directions themselves It gives suggested routes sef! Giffard Rd - 7.2 km 16 mins Liberation Rd and Giffard Rd - 8.2 km 16 mins Josiah Tongogari St - 7.9 km 18 mins From Buka Restaurant, 10th Street, Accra 1. Head northwest on 10th St toward 3rd St - 71 m 2. Take the 1st right onto 3rd St - 300 m 3. Turn right at Ring Rd E - 140 m 4. At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Cantoment Rd - 1.2 km 5. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Cantonments Rd - 600 m 6. Turn left at Second Circular Rd - 900 m 7. Take the 2nd right onto Giffard Rd - 1.5 km 8. Turn left - 350 m 9. Slight left toward Burma Camp Main Rd - 1.3 km 10. Slight left at Burma Camp Main Rd - 750 m To Dgaa K...

I just watched the Black Stars of Ghana play the Latvian national team in the team's final friendly before the start of the Mzansi Mundial, the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa which starts June 11. After the news of Michael Essien missing out due to injury, Sulley Muntari being doubtful, Bra Laryea Kingston left behind at Kotoka, and the poor performance against Holland where we lost 4-1, many Black Stars fans were worried. I wasn't but I believed we had to do and prepare better. After this game against Latvia, I have great confidence. The boys are gewd! They've always been. They have to believe that "Aha yɛdɛ o, beebia awu! Ka sɛ vim, vim! I am excited for the World Cup, the Black Stars will shine and do us proud . The Black Stars played with some swagger in this game. Hey, I know it is Latvia, but this is the kind of the game they needed. They bossed the game, had some slick passing, created chances, etc. We only scored one goal, and that was by a substitute, Qui...

I missed the G-Ghana - Google event/conference in Ghana . Of course, I wasn't in Ghana but I also missed taking part through Twitter. Bummer. But that's why I follow some awesome people on Twitter who were going to keep me informed anyway. And because you follow my blog and happen to chance upon my blog through various means, Facebook and even Google itself, you can be a part of G-Ghana. I have some awesome tweets about G-Ghana #GGhana. Now one thing Twitter needs to do is figure out a way to show the timeline from earliest tweet down to the latest tweet. Wow, isn't that an idea? Sadly, someone is gonna come see this and make money of it. Eureka! I just had an epiphany. I should stop blogging, because people will read my thoughts, have eureka moments and go make money of it before I can even say "'the'; thetime is now". Sigh. But hey, we want to see great things happen for the betterment of mankind. I want to see things happen for the betterment of my pock...

I first learnt about Canoe Magazine while in Ghana over the Christmas holidays in 2008. I had gone to visit an aunt and she showed me their first issue. She had one mostly because her grand-daughter (one of my cousins I had never met and still haven't met) Efua Odunton was featured in it. I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the magazine and the content. It oozed African excellence. They featured rising stars like Efua Odunton , stories about Africa, and other interesting things. If you find a copy of the Canoe Magazine in one of these stores , you should buy it. The magazine aims to celebrate the best of Africa. It's such a high class magazine that to advertise in it costs $1,500 to $10,000. It's circulated in Accra, Abuja, Lagos and Johannesburg through various outlets. CANOE magazine will be distributed in Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, South Africa, Liberia, Egypt, Gambia and Sierra Leone in Africa; the United Kingdom; and New York, Atlanta, Califor...

African musicians involved are Freshlyground , Lira , Nneka , Nameless , TKZee , Angelique Kidjo , Uju, Siphiwo, Soweto Spiritual Singers, Louise Carver, etc Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album is a collaboration by various artists, both local African and international. The album was be released on May 31, 2010. See the Tracklist here. Check out some of the songs # 1. R. Kelly feat. Soweto Spiritual Singers - Sign of a Victory (The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Anthem) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lAq1xbgCyE #2. Shakira feat. Freshlyground - Click here for Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) (The Official Song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup) #3. Nneka - Click here for Viva Africa #4. Matisyahu feat. Nameless - One Day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNhpRerXfgk #5. Ternielle Nelson, Jason Hartman, UJU, Louise Carver, Aya & Deep Level - Shosholoza 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T1xV91s15c #6. J Pre, Wyclef, Jazmine Sullivan, and B Howard - Ke Nako http://www.youtu...

Lizha James, Dama do Bling, Amr Diab, Ralph Anselmo and Perola emerged multiple winners of the inaugural Museke Online Africa Music Awards (MOAMAs). The MOAMAs sought to award best of African music over the last year and put the winners in the spotlight as Africa prepares to host the globe at the World Cup in South Africa. The awards were organized by Museke.com, an African music site which seeks to unify Africa through its music and its partners. The winners would be awarded packages where their music will be promoted through various media while their online presence will also be enhanced. The winners were selected based on African music fan votes. Voting took place from April 6 to May 29, 2010 on http://awards.museke.com/ ( http://moamas.com/ ). Users were allowed to vote once everyday. The nominees were selected over a 3 month period by an academy made up of African music enthusiasts and fans. The organizing team encourages music fans to learn about all the other nominees, since th...