Entertainment
Focus On Cultural Dynamics Of Rivers State
The existence and use of
exceptional customs and traditions in African myths, songs, poetry and tales cannot be adequately accounted for in terms of socio-anthropological ideas.
Such incidents as traditional burial and marriage ceremonies as well as wrestling can be regarded necessarily as expressions of actual human experiences conveyed in strict accordance with the principle of verisimitude to life. This offers the “mirror” or “charter” of traditional code of conduct.
There are such fantastical incidents and situations best seen and understood as being essentially the products of an artistic process evolved out of the peoples traditional and moral realities. In this way, the use of such incidents in all their grossness and psychological improbability is in itself only a manifestation of the cultural principles of art.
The process of justifying the idea of African Culture as a valid and aesthetically satisfying art form has produced in ways, not quite intended, a number of important and desirable effects on the people. Some of the more habitual and distinctive modes of moral cultural expressions are employed and used by different ethnic groups as integral parts of their artistically creative process.
These forms of expression can be audibly noticed in an instance of the actual performance of a given ethnic group and composition.
For example, the Kalabaris, Ikwerres, Ogba and the various ethnic groups in Rivers State have elaborate funeral obsequies and have identified various forms of burial and marriage ceremonies for various classes of people. Just as the Kalabaris as an independent body per se have two main degrees of marriage showing the different extents to which the woman belongs to the husband, so the Ikwerres, have three main categories of burial ceremony, and marriage. For older people or chiefs who die, the Kalabari have elaborate wake-keeping ceremonies at which the corpse is moved from bed to bed in rooms of increasing elaborate decoration. For the Ikwerre, several cows ranging from 6 to 10 are slaughtered for the burial of an old man of about 100 to 120; years for an average person of 50 to 70 years, one cow is killed with a tortoise, goat, dog and a cock in a ceremony to be performed by the first son of the dead man. These rites are not accorded to anyone below the stipulated ages.
For many African Cultures, the actual condition of traditional forms are often very difficult to analyse and describe accurately. For many cultures, there are forms and effects that are not given proper attention in the Nigerian context. The idea of the traditional African use of the various cultural elements as additional modes of traditional expression has now became sufficiently recognised that these elements are generally considered as very important dimensions of aesthetic appraisal of our cultures and customs.
Shedie Okpara
Spotify yesterday revealed a significant surge in heartbreak song streams in Nigeria during the Valentine’s Day season, with a 626 percent increase between 2022 and 2024.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Lagos, Nigeria by Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa Phiona Okumu.
Okumu said, “Spotify data reveals a surprising trend, a massive surge in heartbreak song streams.
“Nigerians are turning to their playlists to express their emotions, with a staggering 626 per cent overall growth in heartbreak streams from 2022 to 2024.
“This Valentine, the sound of love is accompanied by the sound of heartbreak, and the data shows it’s louder than ever before.”
She said on Valentine’s Day, most surprisingly, male listeners streamed heartbreak songs at a significantly higher rate than female listeners, with a 362 per cent increase compared to 169 per cent among women.
“This could suggest that men resonate with the feeling of heartbreak more and turn to music as a private outlet for processing emotions.
“Whatever the reason, one thing is clear, when love is in the air, so is heartbreak and Nigerian men are pressing play on their pain more than expected.
“While Valentine’s Day is often celebrated with grand gestures, heartbreak is a common theme on Valentine’s Day -more than what’s publicly shown,” she said.
Nigerians will join their counterparts across the world to mark the 2025 Valentine’s today.
Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has joined MLS side San Diego FC’s ownership group as a club partner.
SDFC announced today that Tems joined the ownership group through her company, The Leading Vibe.
In the process, Tems became the first African woman to be involved in MLS ownership.
“We are delighted that Tems has joined San Diego FC as a club partner,” SDFC chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour said in a statement.
“Tems is a globally significant artist who will help us reach new audiences and spread the word about our unique project, which, of course, has its foundations in sub-Saharan Africa through the unique Right to Dream organisation.”
Reacting to her addition as the latest partner in SDFC’s ownership group, the singer said: “I am thrilled to join San Diego FC’s ownership group and to be part of a club that celebrates creativity, culture, and the power of community.
“Football has a unique way of bringing people together, and I am excited to help build something special in San Diego, a city that thrives on diversity and innovation.”
Fashion and beauty entrepreneur, Toyin Lawani, has claimed she is enduring back pain and that her spine is degenerating.
Lawani revealed this in a video posted on social media last Tuesday.
In the clip, she opened up about her experience with epidural anesthesia, an injection administered to pregnant women in the spine to reduce pain during childbirth.
The mother of three claimed that since receiving the injection, she has not felt like herself.
She accused doctors of not fully informing women about the long-term side effects of epidurals.
According to Lawani, she received the anesthetic injection during the birth of her last two children.
She said, “When you hear ‘epidural,’ run. Doctors tell you about the side effects but do not tell you about the long-term effects on your body. I have about three friends having the same issues that I am having.
“Like, I am just 42, how did I end up with spine issues? I have a degenerating spine. I have implants in my spine. I go paralyzed. I can’t stand for a long time. I can’t even breathe properly sometimes because it affected so many things in my body when I had the surgery.
“They will not tell you because you just want the pain to go away. I have had two epidurals. I had my first as natural birth. The last two were epidural. The last one I had epidural because I had to undergo a surgery and I had no choice.
“See, the pain does not stop. My back is killing me and my spine is degenerating.”