A VISIT TO THE FAMOUS IGUN STREET...ON A PATH TO SELF DISCOVERY

MARCUS GARVEY...The founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association said.." The Black skin is not a badge of shame, but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness" and  "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots."...BLACK MAN KNOW THYSELF...
Charity they say begins at home. My own PERSONAL JOURNEY TO SELF KNOWLEDGE lead me to embark on a trip to the famous IGUN STREET... Home of  the Guild of Benin  Bronze Casters: World Heritage Site” is boldly written on the ARCHED OPEN GATEWAY...that leads you into a TOURISTS PARADISE..A beautiful world of Bronze Castings, wood carvings and paintings. Edo state being a land rich in culture started telling their stories and keeping track of history through bronze casting, many ancestors ago. Bronze casting was their own way of telling stories and keeping history through images....A form of photography in those days..With the help of two noble gentle men , Mr Johnbull Enobakhare ,the Managing Director of Enobakhare Arts Gallery and a renown bronze caster , Ebony wood and Ivory carver and his brother Mr Elliot Enobakhare who is by no means a less important personality were more than willing to assist me in this journey of self discovery by sharing and allowing me take pictures of the beautiful bronze artifacts and antiques in their shop which is situated in No 3 , Igun Street, off Sakponba road. They were more than glad to share the stories behind some of these bronze castings and after much research I will share some with you..

OBA EWAKPE AND OUEEN IDEN

Oba Ewakpe and Oueen Iden.

Queen Iden the beloved wife of Oba Ewakpe the great was the pride of femine gender, in her days as a Benin Royal Queen who stood behind her husband in a turbulent period. Ewakpe became king in the ancient kingdom in about 1700 A.D. and was the 26th monarch of the hereditary title of Benin dynasty.He reigned for about 12 years which was characterized with series of set backs during the early period to the extent that all subjects in the kingdom revolted against him.

The fundamental cause of grouse was to protest against the monarch's high handedness and his flagrant disrespect of human lives which culminated in the mass killing of his subjects at Uselu during the funeral of his demised mother Queen Ewebonoza in about 17.15 A.D when it became apparent that the elders and the citizens of the Kingdom could no longer accommodate the excesses of the King they were compelled to severe their disreputable connections. This uprising also affected all his wives (Iloi) the royal slaves (ovien) and other palace attendants.

Queen Iden became the only friend of Oba Ewakpe in that time of need, as she made herself present as the kings only hope in time of great calamity when it became apparent that there was no solution to his predicaments, the king decided to seek refuge amongst his mother's relations at IKOKA village but the monarch was also rejected in his matenal abode.

In his sad state of mind he came back to Benin City on the arrival of the Oba, Queen Iden observed his hopelessness and decided to do something about it by consulting an oraclelist on behalf of her husband Oba Ewakpe, to seek the oracle instruction on what should be done to ward off the calamity bedeviling the ancient kingdom and its monarch. After a thorough divination by the oraclist he concluded that all that was needed for the peace of the kingdom and the restoration of its throne was a human sacrifice.

 She headed for the palace to give the message of the gods to his majesty the King in their empty harem. The message from the diviner seemed to aggravate matters for Oba Ewuakpe because there was no other human being in his palace, free or bonded beside his dear wife Queen Iden ,who incidentally was the conveyor of this report. 

Queen Iden offered herself as a sacrifice to appease the gods in exchange for the restoration of the kingdom and Oba Ewuakpe's royalty.

As soon as Queen Iden suggested to her husband that she submit herself for the supreme price determined by the ancestors, Oba Ewuakpe became nervously embittered as he could not comprehend the possibility of himself killing his dear wife, who had stood with him in times of calamity of this magnitude in order to atone for the sins she had not committed. But the determined Queen encouraged the royal hands to shed her blood. If only that will appease the ancestral spirits of the land of Benin. So as to put aside the upheaval in the kingdom.

And as it became glaring on Oba Ewakpe that there was no other way out of the predicament he conceded reluctantly to the pressure mounted by his real lover the Queen and atone the gods with the precious blood of Queen Iden, as he buried her alive on the spot near the Oba market in the heart of Benin metropolice.

Before Queen Iden voluntarily offered her self as an atonement to the gods, she requested for one favour from the king, that he should make sure her grave side is kept clean at all times. In addition, she cautioned against the reality of any person treading on her grave or else such trespasser should be killed on the spot as a mark of respect for her blessed remembrance.

Consequently her desire was strictly adhered to till the invasion of the British forces in 1897. This Queen had paid the ultimate price requested for by the ancestors but she did not know the outcome of her cherished kingdom and the reign of her beloved husband.

As soon as Oba Ewakpe finished the sacrificial rituals, some of the prominent chiefs in the kingdom called for a trace between the throne and it’s aggrieved subjects. Other Benin Chiefs started paying homage to the Benin monarch again and pledge their loyalty to the bereaved Oba Ewakpe.

Then all other Benin’s came in the same spirit to pledge their allegiance to his authority over them as their king. Consequently, the entire kingdom was reconciled back to the king and remained loyal to the royal majesty till the end of his reign.

Since it was necessary to celebrate such re-union, the Benins came together at the palace and rolled out drums to give such occasion a memorable one. During his happy mood the people were taken back to see their own king weeping profusely in the midst of merriment instead of being happy for the reunion of his subjects with him. This made his subjects to find out from the Oba why he was weeping at the time of celebration , the Oba replied that the motive behind his tears was because of his desire to mourn the sacrificial demise of his dear wife queen Iden.

He went further to narrate all the ordeal in the palace at the time the kingdom fell apart which resulted in the untimely exit of his best friend and beloved Queen who because of her unfeigned love for the unity of her fatherland, offered herself as a scape goat to the gods of her pedigree. For the redemption of their intergenetional equity and social cultural heritage.

Retrospectively therefore, in view of what transpired in Benin Kingdom during the reign of Oba Ewuakpe about 500 yeas ago and the role played by a woman in the person for Queen Iden to ensure the continue existence of Benin monarch is a testimony to the fact that she is the greatest heroine of the millennium. This was culled from EDOWORLD.NET

OBA OVORAMEN

Oba Ovoramen being taken to Calabar

In 1892 The British delegation could not be received by the Oba of Benin immediately they arrived because of the need to check out their real mission. When the Oba signaled readiness to receive the delegates, they arrived in encased dress (millitary uniform), to the palace. In other words, they were in military uniform to the palace of an Oba who was weary of visits of Europeans. After the incidence of the Dutchman, Commandant Willem Hogg, who pulled a pistol and shot at Oba Oresoyen in 1735, while on a courtesy visit to the palace to discuss business matters with the Oba and his chiefs, Benin Obas became a little more careful about granting direct audience to European visitors.  He had made up his mind before the visit and was looking for excuses to set up Benin kingdom for British invasion. To emphasize that Benin was a special case to crack, the British rushed to force treaties on neighbouring territories. They attacked the Nana of Itsekiri, in their ´palm oil war´ in 1894 and exiled Nana to Ghana; attacked the Koko of Nembe in 1895, and the Ashanti Prempeh of Ashanti in 1896, to produce duress inspired spurious treaties to take control of the kings´ respective areas of influence.

The British accused Oba Ovonramwen of lack of cooperation, and to look good in the eyes of the rest of the world, added human sacrifice, as their reasons for launching their full-scale war on Benin in January 1897. The real reason for the British Expedition was that the British viewed the Benin kingdom as the main obstacle in their expansion drive into the agricultural interior of the West African coast from the River Niger. The war lasted for eight days from January to early February 1897, and went in their favour because of their big guns and cannons, which the Edo army did not have. After capturing the ancient city of Benin and slaughtering thousands of the natives in cold blood, to grossly depopulate the city, and the few survivors had escaped to farms and villages, the British ransacked the palace of the Oba, homes of nobles and chiefs, artistes´ workshops, and shrines, to rescue pagan art and relieve Benin of the evil. Then the British burnt the entire city down to the last house. The palace of the Oba of Benin, according to Joshua Utzheimer, 1603, was about the size of the German City of Tubingen. This was razed down by fire by the British invading force, claiming to be on a civilizing mission. Oba Ovonramwen who could not be captured but who surrendered to the British in August, 1897, was exiled to Calabar (in south-east Nigeria), where he died in January, 1914.

From accounts of members of the British army that invaded Benin City in 1897, we learn that the floors, lintels, and rafters of the council chambers and the king´s residence in the palace were lined with sheets of repoussé, decorated brass covered with royal geometric designs and figures of men and leopards. Ornamental ivory locks sealed the doors and carved ivory figurines surmounted anterior. A brass snake, observed for the first time by a European in the early eighteenth century, was still to be seen on the roof of the council chamber house. All of these, along with other invaluables, including precious works of arts, the invading British stole in the name of their king and country. What they could not steal or burn, they destroyed, including invaluable records of the Bini scintillating civilization, to allow their historians to falsify human history and African contributions. This was culled from Ihuanedo.ning.com

EVBEOTO

Evbeoto (Palace Slaves)

These will be appreciated by an ANTIQUE ART COLLECTOR. This is bronze and it hasnt being repolished to celebrate its worth. These are palace slave heads and they are 85 years old and cost quite a fortune. I was informed that usually banks or other cooperate bodies rent them during cultural or heritatge celebrations. The one to the left has a snail on the head while the other one has a crocodile strategically placed on the head.

THE POT OF LIFE

Traditional West African techniques of lost-wax casting dating to at least the sixteenth century were used to make this intriguing work of art.

In Edo mythology, those who search for and find the pot of life are able to visit the spirit world. There they right the wrongs of injustice. They also encounter a range of beings before returning to the physical world. 

POT OF LIFE

This particular POT OF LIFE IS 75 YEARS OLD. It features a horse rider on the lid and it is a COPMCENT of BINI WARRIORS. This particular Artifact is also rented by movie makers, cooperate bodies during cultural and heritage celebrations and the asking price is 1.2 MILLION NAIRA .

Pot of life

Strange enough, The Pot of Life is the first contemporary Benin 'bronze' commissioned for a British Museum. It was made in 2005 by Lucky Oboh. The contemporary Pot of Life is an innovative design based on a nineteenth-century bronze from Benin City.

The lidded bowl is decorated with wild animals and sacred regalia. It sits on a stand composed of two snakes and a base, with a further tableau of wild creatures.

It is an imaginative exploration of a forest where powerful beings inhabit the borders between the physical and spiritual worlds. Get more info from here

THE LEOPARD HEAD.

In Bini tradition, the LEOPARD is a messenger of the gods and is highly revered. This bronze statue is 120 years old.

Leopard Head!

OTHER BRONZE CASTINGS

An Ancient Hip Mask..

A Mermaid (Mammy Water)

more bronze castings.

An Ancient Bell used in communicating with the Ancesstors

Bronze Leopard

Another Ancient bronze casting

wood carvings of a boat regalia

The famous praying hands done in wood and fibre glass, made to look like bronze for  !

bronze Ancestral bell

A hunter

the arched gateway leading to Igun street.

According to Wikipedia , Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal. The word bronze is borrowed from French: bronze, itself borrowed from Italian: bronzo (compare Medieval Latin: bronzium), whose origin is unclear. It might be connected with Venetian: bronza "glowing coals", or German: Brunst "fire", but it could equally go back to, or be influenced by, the Latin name Brundisium of the city of Brindisi (aes Brundusinum, meaning "copper of Brindisi", is attested in Pliny). However, perhaps it is ultimately taken from the Persian word for brass,

Igun-Eronmwon quarters popularly known, as Igun Street Benin City {listed as Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO} is the home of the brass/bronze casting industries in Benin. It constitutes one of the 31 guilds of the Oba of Benin, in the ancient Benin kingdom.

The ancient guild is so secretive and exclusive that outsiders have found virtually impossible to penetrate in the hundreds of years it has existed. All members of the guild are related by a common ancestry and descended of Ine Nigun, the custodian of the street and the bronze casters.

The exact origin of bronze casting in Benin kingdom is hard to establish. What is very certain is that the art has been in practice from primordial reign of the Ogisos, the first royal dynasty without any break, though with discernible chronological stages of development. This ancient craft passed from father to son, from generation to generation continually to this day.

In traditional Benin; before the invasions, of Benin Empire, in 1897 by British forces. The Oba controlled the production and the distribution of brass/bronze arts work no single individual have any right to own any of the production process in those days except with the permission of the Oba of Benin.

The story is very different today, visitors  are free to admire, witness bronze casting from the various stages purchase any piece of their choice without let or hindrance. This is probably one of the most patronized tourist attractions in Benin kingdom/Edo state. You can get more info about Igun street and bronze casting from The vanguard .

Urs sincerly in IGUN STREET..without any form of makeup and rocking an oversized denim jacket..trying the conservative look..aferal na cultural waka! lol

MARCUS GARVEY...

Born in Jamaica, Marcus Garvey formed his early ideas of black separatism under the island's caste system. In 1914, he formed the Universal Negro Improvement Association to promote black self-reliance. Garvey moved to the U.S. in 1916 and spread his beliefs with his Negro World newspaper. His paper and ideas were very successful, but he never achieved his dream of blacks returning to Africa. In 1922, Garvey was arrested and later convicted of mail fraud in connection with his Black Star Steamship Line. After his deportation to Jamaica in 1927, he never regained a leadership role.

Just when I was about to upload this post , I caught a glimpse of Joan rivers on T.V wearing a glorious coral necklace while presenting fashion police. Unfortunately many Nigerians especially the youth and celebrities will cringe at the idea of  wearing a coral bead bracelet but will gladly adorn their wrists with  2 or more SHAMBALLA bracelets which by the way is a celebration of INDIAN AND TIBETAN cultures. AGAIN  I JOIN MARCUS GARVEY IN SAYING...BLACK MAN KNOW THYSELF....

A POSSIBLE YOUNG MONEY AND WIZ KID COLLABORATION

We @ Ngozigold.com like the collaborations between our very own Nigerian acts and the internatioal market.its nice that for once Nigerians are being associated with great achievements!

ALL OF THE LIGHT ON WIZ KID JOOR!

...........WE NEED MORE POSITIVE VIBRATIONS JOOR!

TYGA OBVIOUSLY ENJOYING SAMCLEF'S BEAT!

NIGERIANS ARE HAPPY GIFTED PEOPLE..THE WORLD WILL RESPECT US.

..NICE ONE SAMCLEF AND WIZKID AND BANKY W

TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING THAT PRICEY IPAD!!

iRESEARCH, iBLOG, uREAD, uCOMMENT and uFOLLOW...lol. Browsing and 'Big man' status changed when Steve Jobs introduced us to the Virtual world of ipad. iPAD made it sexy to use technology. Suddenly it became a status symbol to own one ...especially in these days and times when people check the end part of your facebook posts and tweets to know which IT gadjet was used...maybe  to know if your finances are on point ..afterall no be poor man dey use Blackberry, Android or IPAD applications! lol
But unknown to many, there are other tablets or technologies which are cheaper, more use friendly and  have much more practical advantages than the Almighty IPAD..but this will be dealt with on a latter date.

Lets look at some of the things your dealer might tell you to convince you to part with that huge amount of money...........

• Some say its the most beautiful , perfect, necessary and helpful electronic device ever made....hmmn...(THATS LIKE SITTING ON A LONG TIN JOOR lol)
• The iPad combines each and every one of the most common tasks in regard to digital entertainment: it can play videos, photos, allows us to access and view changes in social networks, read eBooks, throwing million applications, games, play music, keep up to date our agenda, make notes, access to Google maps and many more things that very few devices offer, and best of all is that the same taste and style used in the product, apply it to each of these tasks.
• Other people switch on the laptops and by the time their laptops finish the booting process your usually done with upload.it's magical and super innovative.  Pretty fast (unless you want to watch a FullHD video with it)
• Watching movies is charm. There are several websites that streams full length movies to iPad for free. The quality is much better than any regular flash based sites. And you won't get any pop up or advertisement banner. So it's definitely better than PC
• Typing on iPad is pure bliss , especially when for example you have tons of emails to send out. 70 words or more per minute on iPad is very possible. Book reading is definitely out of this word. You have huge book store on it.
• A lot of Apps. Apple has just passed the 100,000 mark for apps available that are tailored specifically for the iPad, according to the App Store itself. That’s up from 50,000 at the end of 2010, and 2,000 at the iPad’s launch. By contrast, Google’s Honeycomb Android operating system launched with just 16 optimized apps according to Kevin Tofel, and now has only around 170 according to recent counts, after four months on the market. Apps are becoming the preferred method for consuming web enabled content on mobile devices.
• Long lasting battery (unless you want to play resource intensive games), 

and what your Dealer is praying you don't find out...when buying an ipad or ipad2

• No USB support. You can't connect your a PC keyboard, USB flash drive, USB hard disk, USB headset, wireless USB modem....  Well you actually can a USB port, but you need an adapter...which is extra unnecessary expenses
• Flash is not supported, so you won't be able to watch most online videos or play online games.  I agree that Flash is not stable in Mac, Linux and it needs lots of resources, so HTML 5 should be used instead.
• No camera  .Want to use your Instant Messenger with a web-cam... Not on Apple iPad. But ipad 2 and ipad3 took care of this problem. 
• No built-in card readers. Want to transfer your pictures of videos from your digital camera? You will need to buy a couple of adapters from Apple .
• Although you may enjoy multi-touch and applications for Apple iPhone, you can't use most programs, because they work in Windows, Mac OS or Linux. There is simply no multitasking ability.
• No remote administration
• No multi-tasking. iPhone OS on Apple iPad works the same way as on Apple iPhone
• iPad allows to read ebooks.... but it doesn't use eInk screen, so the feature doesn't have much sense
• Wi-Fi is not stable on many iPads (will probably be improved)
• No CD/DVD/Blu-Ray.... Not really a disadvantage. These devices only collect dust 
• You need to hold iPad in your hands when watching videos (unless you can find a better way)
• No HDMI (HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a compact audio/video interface for transferring uncompressed digital audio/video data from a HDMI-compliant device ("the source" or "input") to a compatible digital audio device, computer monitor, video projector, and digital television 

However there was IPAD, IPAD2 and along came IPAD3, Here is a comparison between IPAD 3 and its predessecors  .Here is a predicted comparison of its advantages and disadvantages from a common user’s perspective.

• iPad3 is expected to come with 2 variants in its screen size. The first variant is of 7 inch screen size and the second one is about 9.7 inch screen size. You will be able to find the best pick that will fit your pocket-size with these variants.
• High definition viewing will be enabled with its Retina display technology. This technology will support the extended graphics system of QXGA that features 2048×1536 pixels with 4:3 aspect ratio. The disadvantage factor with this feature is that it is already available in its iPhone version. There will not be any sort of difference using an iPad3 and an iPhone 4S.
• iPad3 is expected to be powered by A5 dual core processor which does not offer any extra functionalities and features when compared with its predecessor A5 processor in iPad2. It is going to be a big disappointment for the end users. 

• The presence of SD card slot is good news and cheering. It will allow the end users to transfer heavy files easily and in a faster manner. This provision was not available with iPad2. Features similar to this are creating a sensation in the market.

• Using Thunderbolt port should create ripple of waves and anticipation in the market. This enables high-speed connectivity and supports data transfer rate up to 10Gbps. You can enjoy the high-definition movies better in a larger screen as Apple is expected to have this feature in its Mac laptops.
• iPad3 is expected to have 8 MP camera which should be an additional advantage. iPad2 had VGA capable front camera. However, experts argue that 8 MP camera is not up to the expectation for the much hyped tablet.

• iPad3 supports Near Field Technology that allows the mobile phone users to pay to the retailers while on the go by waving the handset across the readers. It is good news that people can do shopping with the help of their tablets too.
• Last but not the least, the battery is expected to be slimmer to deliver high performance. However, the battery is going to be available at a price of 20 to 30% higher than its iPad2 variant.

Disadvantages of iPad 3

No siri, the most amazing part of iPhone 4S

Requires iTunes for uploading

Screen reflects too much in outdoors

No Adobe Flash support in browser

No standard USB port

Non user replaceable battery

Heat sync not impressive

No stereo loudspeakers

No GPS receiver in Wi-Fi version

Can not use it till it is plugged on for charging

No memory card slot

Now it is up to you whether to buy iPad 3 or not.

People are in no mood to accept the disadvantages of Apple products because of its brand value. The brand name stands high and lives up to the expectations of the fan frenzy crowd..however remember helpful technology is fashionable..hence you can take ur geek style up a notch with these designer ipad pouches..

TEN REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT BECOME YOUR BOSS'S EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH ONE TOO MANY ANNOYING TIMES JUST BECAUSE YOU OWN AN IPAD3 lol (This means no time for yourself no pun intended..lol)

1. Portability: The biggest advantage of using an iPad at work is that the device is portable and can be used anywhere. This applies to both the WiFi and 3G+WiFi models. The iPad is completely portable and there are dozens of accessories to help make computing power even more portable. You can get cases, keyboards and other devices to make your office work portable.

2. Cloud Computing: The iPad is generally used with productivity apps where the data is stored in a remote location. The benefit here is that the information created and edited on the iPad can be accessed from anywhere and by anyone with proper access. This is great news for people who travel or visit out of office locations and need to make information available on an immediate basis.

3. Enhanced Communication: For those who value and rely on constant communication for their jobs, the enhance communication options on the iPad make it simple to stay connected. There are a myriad of apps that make it possible to read email, monitor and post to social networking apps including Twitter, Facebook and others. If communication is a big part of your office work, then the iPad will definitely be a great device for you.

4. Low Time Overhead: The iPad turns on immediately and unlike a traditional computer there is no warm up time required. Apps are also loaded immediately. There is a huge time savings involved when using an iPad.

5. Cheap Apps: Most of the productivity apps that you would need to do office work on the iPad are far less expensive than if you purchased similar software for your laptop or desktop computer. Therefore, one of the advantages is that at least for certain tasks, you can do them cheaper.

6. Scheduling and Calendar at Your Fingertips: Saving time and being efficient are important in office work, right? Well with the iPad, you have immediate access to your calendar and schedule. Whether you are in the car, in the office or at a coffee shop, you can get to the information you need.

7. No Lost Files: The iPad comes with autosave. This means that you will never suffer a loss of information because you forgot to save your file. With cloud computing and the iPad autosave feature for all documents, you will find that you are not wasting valuable time recreating information and files that should never have been lost in the first place.

8. Simple to Use: Anyone can use an iPad. If you have staff members who do inventory constantly or just need a few simple touch screen apps, then you can use iPads to replace traditional computers. As said above, most people will not use an iPad exclusively. But for some people, the simplicity of the iPad makes it a good option for a primary office work computing device.

9. Constant Email Access: If you like to stay connected and prefer the convenience of using a mobile device, you can use your iPad to complete this task from anywhere. Wouldn’t it be nice to read your email on the way to work so that you can deal with more pressing issues once you actually arrive. It can help you to prioritize your day based on what needs your attention the most

10. Anytime Research: If you are on your way to a meeting and need information about a venue or location, or some fact for the meeting itself, you can do the research with your iPad. While it may not be as simple to prepare a report using the device, it will be very easy to find the content for that report. The ability to get the information you need without having to remember to find it later is a huge convenience for busy professionals..

For more information, please visit the following author sites

http://www.techlila.com

http://gigaom.com

http://stream-recorder.com

http://techdusts.com

http://www.knowyourmobile.com

As usual for your viewing pleasure

MEET OUR OWN REGGAE AMBASSADOR..RYMZO

DOB: 23/04/??
MARITAL STATUS: Double
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND :Bsc pol science ,UNIBEN
DISLIKES: Haters, Eye service, Too much bragging, Materialism, Disrespect, Thieves etc
LIKE : Love, Respect, Kindness, Straightforward, Sincere and down to earth, Music, Travels, Good books etc
HOBBIES : travels, recording music, concerts

He has the voice of an angel,  the carriage of a king, the aura of a saint, a scream that warms the coldest   heart and A MESSAGE  OF HOPE TO HIS GENERATION AND BEYOND....MEET RYMZO...The REGGAE PROPHET!

NGOZI :  Who is Rymzo ?

RYMZO: Rymzo is Churchill Sosa Gusto, a Nigerian reggae/dancehall artist born and based in lagos with family roots from bayelsa/edo states, a 12 tribes of Israel Rastafari , a calm and collected simple dude, Conscious and very serious minded no bullshit kind of guy.

NGOZI : Interesting! How did you get the name RYMZO ?

RYMZO: Rymzo was created from my previous hiphop name Koolrhymes .

NGOZI : Who inspired you to go into music ?

RYMZO: My first inspiration was U'roy then I'roy before the likes of Bob marley, Mighty diamonds, Delinger, jimi Hendrix, fela, Naughty by nature, Shabba ranks, Cocoa tea, Capleton, Tiger, Ninjaman, Supercat etc .

NGOZI: Why Reggae ?

RYMZO: Reggae music had the magic that seized my attention as a child, and I grew up in a home where reggae music was the soundtrack of daily living, then as I grew into the musicianship I figured reggae was my most comfortable genre to express myself since I was more into very conscious type of music that is mostly inspired by my everyday living and experiences...Reggae music is my life's soundtrack .

NGOZI: What are the challenges You face as a Reggae musician in Africa and what solutions do you suggest ?

RYMZO: The challenges are just that the main stream media aren't really interested in feeding their listeners with reggae music, basically because some on Air personalities think reggae is too archaic or rebellious to air on their swag oriented programs...majority of Nigerian media is only interested in honies,hennesey and champagne music..and the predecessors of reggae music before I came in also didn't carry the youths along so since I've been here I work extra hard to entice the youths in following reggae music around here by having some fusions and collaborations with some artists of other genres and introducing more appealing topics e.g love songs, since the perception created earlier is that reggae music is usually about complains over system floors or political situations or ganja smoking etc

NGOZI:  hahaha (in perfect pidgin english ofcourse) which one be 'swag oriented, honies and hennesy programmes ..abeg explain..

RYMZO: I mean songs that's about champagne and hennesseys and girls n party.

NGOZI: Can you tell us your best 3 collaborations and why are they your best ?

RYMZO: "Salute jah"  feat 2face, because its about giving thanks to yahweh for sparing our lives ,  "these loads" feat 100 degrees, because its a song to encourage all those who are almost giving up on themselves and feeling helpless , "No class" feat villa dutch, because its  a song about always being my natural self ... regardless of fame and fortune!

NGOZI: What has been your greatest accomplishment as an Entertainer ?

RYMZO: My greatest accomplishment as an entertainer as at this point is the fact that I've been able to gain recognition in areas where I never dreamed possible, and also I have been able to be on same stage with the pioneers of Reggae and Music icons who inspired me..My music has taken me to beautiful places and experienced their cultures, and My MUSIC HAS BECOME A SOUNDTRACK TO THE LIVES OF MY PEOPLE WHO FEEL MY MUSIC...   , I don't know what else can be more rewarding and fulfilling at this stage of my life and career .

NGOZI: You have been in the Music industry for a long time! You've paid your dues as an artiste !  Do you think  Present day Music sensations have what it takes to remain relevant?

RYMZO: Well as of today in our Nigerian music industry I've seen youths who actually have all it takes to stay relevant and blow up beyond our shores...we've paid so much dues to get our music industry to where it is  today...and I also see new youths who will contribute to further strengthen the level and milleage....loads of legends in the making are begining to show and blowup, I'm proud I'm one of the pioneers of this new age Nigerian music acts.

NGOZI: Do you think music pioneers like yourself get enough appreciation & respect and from present day acts ..after all People like you paved the way for them!! Wat do you think about the Muna and Mode 9 faceoff ?

RYMZO: Well... what I know is because of the Nigerian factor , You only command respect in the eyes of anyone when your material success is very visible...In other words, the younger artists of today will surely respect the pioneers as long as you stay ontop of your game both professionally and personally....as for the mode 9 and muna stuff, I really didn't get the real gist so don't have an idea what it was about.

NGOZI: Wen will you give us a new album? You've left us hungry for some time O!lol

RYMZO: Trust me I'm on my toes now to make sure my fans get the new songs. I've been in the  studios working hard and cooking raw for y'all....very soon ina couple of months.... I'm gonna use this medium to appeal to my beloved fans to bear with me for the delay and I'm sure when this album drops they will be pleased and understand why it took this long to get to them....HOTNESS ,FRESHNESS & FIERCENESS is gonna be unleashed in the album..THE LION HAS ROARED!

NGOZI: Wow! I almost cant wait..now thats's how to roll joor!..So which artistes have you and will you like to work with and why ?

RYMZO: I have worked with 2face, and that's because he's one of the best in our country, I also may work with some of the best rappers and female singers soon cos I'm feeling a couple of them baad!

NGOZI: Interesting, which of the female entertainers are you feeling baaad? lol

RYMZO: I'm feeling Goldie, Eva the Rapper, omawumi, kel, chidyma and more I will unveil when the time is right.!

NGOZI: Your stage performances are always energetic! How do you attain that level of oneness with your music so much that the music takes complete control of your soul!

RYMZO: Well I'm called a lion or prophet because of my stage act, performing my music is the real chance for me to make my audience know that music to me isn't just to entertain, I see it as my weapon to push for what I believe and stand for so most time. When on stage its not just about the music but more about my message so that's why sometimes I may act according to how to vibes pushes me to act

NGOZI: you are definitely Y3k compliant! You have a website which is www.rymzo.com and your positively active on social networks how has it helped your music and What do you say to Analog entertainers ?

RYMZO: Well the world has gotten more into the computer age so staying online will keep you in view....just imagine that I wasn't present online, everyone knows  Rymzo's album has been scarce for sometime ..so...if not for the internet some of my new chunes that's already making waves in various cities or countries wouldn't have not have been heard until the album gets to those regions....being online has also opened me up to regions that wouldn't have heard bout Rymzo.

NGOZI: Do you have other interests other than music?

RYMZO: Hahahaha....I have interest in very many other areas, I love writing, I'm a motivational speaker too, I love to strengthen people verbally and otherwise, I love boxing, travelling, drawing and sculpting, I'm very interested in touring with motobikes, I also love to try my hands in some business outside entertainment


NGOZI: Hope you don't want to spoil this your fine face with boxing O?  Is Art for relaxation or is it another source of income ?

RYMZO: Nah!!!! Never will I throw a punch, but I love to watch boxing, Art for me is strictly for relaxation and a catalyst for creativity!

NGOZI: Also does this mean you write all your songs?

RYMZO: Definitely I write all my songs and even write and produce for other artists too. I've worked with, Charlie boy, sound sultan, Dr sid and 2short, Djinie, tunde and wunmi obe, segun obe, sunny neji and I've produced female acts like: Modele, Kefee, Goldie, Omotola Jalade ekeinde, Kween, Sasha P along with da tribe, Mima , wunmi Obe along with tunde obe, etc

NGOZI: Your Dreadlocks are phenominal! Even longer than mine!! What story do your locs tell and how do you maintain them?

RYMZO: My dread is my mane, I'm a lion, I bath with it and keep it clean naturally and make sure I dry it properly, its bcome part of me since the last 12yrs though I grew up with a previous dreadlocks that was cut off by my mom, my dreadlocks keeps me conscious of the fact that I'm an african king and should carry myself as such...lol

NGOZI: As a function of your personal style what is that one fashion statement you can't live without ?

RYMZO: I just love to always have my glasses and all colors must match.

NGOZI: You have a song I love so much 'The Man'..Its a love song!! When ever you hear that song who comes to mind..can we know her?

RYMZO: Hahahaha....i'ld rather keep that a secret cos if I tell u I'll have to kill u..."wink" lol

NGOZI: You are a father and a Husband! How do you Balance being a Father and being an entertainer

RYMZO: Not easy....you just have to be one at every stage, when with family then I have to be churchill, when in public I have to be Rymzo...and it bcomes easier when you don't mix showbiz with your personal or private life, keep your family out of showbiz.

NGOZI: If you were stranded on a lonely Island and Bob Marley appeared to you..What 3 things will be on top on your wish list!

RYMZO: Some assorted fruits, my guitar and his bus used in the "Babylon by bus" tour dvd

NGOZI: Interesting wish list! Lol! Ok which fruits?

RYMZO: Mango and grapes and banana.

NGOZI: I know you play the guitar very well! Can you tell us a lil story about that.

RYMZO: It just helps me relax, and during meditation I just play .

NGOZI: Are you a guitar boy ? The one Sir VICTOR UWAIFO sang about ...lol and why that particular bus?

RYMZO: hahaha! Sort of but I saw no Mermaid..lol..The feel in the bus with the entire wailers band will be inspiring..

NGOZI: Where do u see your self in the next 5 yrs

RYMZO: Where ever Jah takes me will be fine, can't project for I and I self...but I hope my music reaches out to more lives and make all better

NGOZI: Yah..and finally the PATOU comes out..lol ..We say a big AMEN to that and we @ NGOZIGOLD.COM celebrate GOD's mighty deliverance in your life against early death ...... May GOD continue to protect you and yours and preserve you  from all your enemies!! .....Thanks so much for your time

RYMZO: Amen ....Amen....Amen...Your welcome Dear..Anytime!!!!

...And for your viewing pleasure.....we go back..way back into RYMZO's Past..enjoy my personal favorite:

Also the world needs a dose of  RYMZO'S REALITY..PLS WATCH!

BUTTOCKS, ASS, DERRIERE, RUMP, TUSH, IKEBE, RUMP, REAR!!!

Goldie asked Roki on BBA7..'Are you a MAMMARY PERSON OR A BUTTERY PERSON?'..Well we have done the MAMMARY and it time to be BUTTERY! lol.
Seriously ladies have you ever worn a nice pair of jeans, felt good and sexy with your self ..until you caught an evil mirror image of  a very flat backside..anyway dont despair Nicki Minaj and Coco once felt that way!
Lets take a look at the BUTTERY KNIFESTYLES of the rich and famous!

BRAZILIAN BUTT AUGMENTATION
The brazilian butt lift is a type of butt augmentation procedure which results in a youthful, prominent,in your face, perky buttocks and a more sensual and BUTTERY body profile. People of all ages are having the butt lift procedure.Fat is harvested from selected areas of the body, purified then the selected donor fat cells are reinjected into the buttocks. The process of fat reinjection involves scores or hundreds of injections and BROS wont be allowed to smack that ass for a while! lol. The procedure is designed to fill the upper quadrant of the buttocks so that the butt appears lifted and perky.

The buttock is first contoured by performing liposuction in the areas around the buttocks to make them stand out more. Common areas liposuctioned include the back- directly above the butt, the stomach, and the thighs. Note that even the liposuction alone will give your lower body a more attractive look.
The fat suctioned from these areas is carefully processed and purified such that only a fraction of the donor fat removed will qualify for re-injection to the buttocks. After liposuction, The fat is placed or transferred to the buttocks with special cannulas.
Small amounts of purified fat is reinjected into different areas of the buttocks and at various depths so that the patient will get the highest permanent absorption rate. Thus, the procedure usually involves 'hundreds' of micro fat injections. Correct injection methods are essential to achieve a uniform, smooth, natural appearance to the buttocks..there is a great suspicion this is the method Nicki uses because the more she looses weight the more her DERRIERE gets bigger!!

This procedure costs up to $18,000

Nicki Minaj

Nicki in a bathing suit

Serena Williams

Serena Williams in a swim suit

Kim K

Kim K....BEFORE MEETS AFTER! Her ex-hubby Kriss humphries threatened to dish the dirt  about her ass

SILICON BUTT IMPLANTS

Skiny women do not have enough fat on their body and want  to perform the brazilian butt lift procedure will have to subscribe to implants, a small incision is made in the crack between the buttock cheeks. The butt implants are then carefully placed in the tissues of the buttock avoiding the areas where important nerves lie. When the incision heals it is difficult to detect. The result is a round and prominent butt.
Insertion of the implants will fill out the upper and outer parts of the buttock. It is more difficult to fill out the lower part of the buttocks. The implants cannot be placed in this region because of the risk of nerve damage. To fill out the lower part of the buttocks, fat injection is used. There is a great suspision this is the method used by Coco! This procedure will cost you atleast $10,000

Coco before meets after

Coco's derriere implants are prominently in your face!

Scar marks where Coco's implants were inserted

Lil Kim..before and after

 Following either the brazilian butt lift or the butt implants procedure, you must not sit directly on your buttocks for up to three weeks. This ensures for a permanent result. Most people can return to work in 2 weeks. You must wear a special garment (to control swelling) for two weeks. There may be a small amount of swelling for up to 6 weeks. However, you should be able to resume all normal activities at 4 weeks post operation..

BUTT AUGMENTATION GONE BAD...VERY BAD...ewwwhhhh

I comment my reserve!

This is load na!...she is subject to back pain o! haba

This transgender fake doctor with bum implants as big as a tow truck almost killed a woman by injecting cement into her bum and sealing with super glue

All surgery has potential complications. Although complications are not very common in cosmetic surgery, they do occur and when thinking about procedures such as buttock implants (as with breast implants) you should be informed, before you decide on the surgery.

INFECTIONS - Implant infections are probably less common than they should be if one considers the area we are working with. Typically it would happen within 4 to 5 days and may require the implant to be removed for a few months. Patients may require hospitalization on antibiotics. Infections if untreated can become quite serious.

PAIN - Buttock implant is indeed a painful operation, but this is solved by strong pain medications. The pain can last up to a month though  but most report the first week is the worse. There are special techniques available where no pain is felt for several days.

SWELLING - Every surgery  causes some tissue swelling and this is typically short lived. With buttock implants it may take longer than a month for noticeable swelling to go down.

BLEEDING - This is possible as with any surgery. This in the worse case may require another operation to stop the bleeder although this is seldom required. The pocket  created to place the implant is typically tight so its not very common for this surgery.

NERVE INJURY - Small and large nerves could be injured during the operation but this is very rare. Common is some numbness or funny feelings which is temporary.

SKIN DAMAGE - It is possible that the overlying skin can become scarred or stretched. This may be temporary or permanent. This may also result if there is an infection.

NEED FOR ANOTHER SURGERY - an artificial device is placed into the tissue. This as with all implants may require a revision operation, perhaps to change size, shape or to improve the position.there was one case where the implant cracked in half and had to be replaced.Sometimes the body might even outrightly reject the implant.

IMPLANT BREAKAGE - Although these implants are considered strong, it is possible to break them and they may require replacement. The procedure to correct this is rather simple since the pocket for the implants is already created and to change the implant is typically quick with a short recovery. The pocket was already formed with the first operation so the change is quick.

COSMETIC PROBLEMS : these are visual problems such as one being too low or too high. One may see the edge of the implant through the skin. Typicall these complications are not seen when the implant is placed below the muscle. This may  require a revision operation to make for more symmetrical appearance.

FLUID COLLECTIONS: Sometimes a clear fluid called a seroma may develop around the implant. This may be drained with a simple office visit with a needle. This may reoccur or leak through the incision site could occur. Sometimes the doctor may drain a blood collection called a hematoma which is another form of fluid collection.


CHANGES IN SKIN SENSATION: This is a normal consequence that occurs in everyone to a different extent. You may experience "paresthesia," which is an altered sensation at the site of the liposuction. This may either be in the form of an increased sensitivity (pain) in the area, or the loss of any feeling (numbness) in the area. This sensation is permanent in very rare cases. However, in almost all patients it goes away within the first two to four months after surgery. Massaging the area of liposuction helps increase circulation, and facilitates return of normal skin sensation

BRUISING: There will be bruising in many areas that are liposuctioned or grafted, as well as in adjacent or dependent areas. For example, you will also note bruising and swelling in the back of your thighs and your genitalia. This is not because these areas are actually liposuctioned. However, bruises usually move downward due to gravity, and can thus temporarily accumulate in the genitalia. Some bruising can last a long time or even lead to permanent skin pigmentation. Sun tanning immediately after surgery can cause these bruises to become permanent skin stains.

SKIN IRREGULARITIES OR DIMPLING: The areas of injected with fat can develop contour irregularities, including bumps and dimples depending on your skin elasticity and the extent of fat injection. Usually, post-operative massage helps to smooth these areas.

MUSCLE CRAMPS: It is very common to get temporary muscle spasm or cramps in the buttock muscles. This usually resolves quickly by itself or can be helped by gentle heat and massage.

DEPRESSION,EMOTIONAL AND SEXUAL CHANGES: There have been reported incidents of post-liposculpture depression similar to postpartum depression. While this is usually temporary, patients need to address it with their physician.

FAT ABSORPTION AND SCELEROSIS: Approximately 30% of the injected fat does not survive and gets absorbed. If this happens unevenly, there could be areas were you feel or see dimples or dents due to excessive resorption or fat. Also, in the areas of fat absorption scarring can occur which makes the tissue feel hard. Gentle massage over the buttock area helps even out and smoothen these areas during the recovery phase.

ADDITIONAL COST-With any surgery sometimes the unexpected can happen and you may incur additional cost. If for example the heart rhythm became irregular after anesthesia you may be required to go to the hospital.

TIME TO SHINE THE LIGHT ON OUR VERY OWN DR MILLICENT ODUNZE

DR MILLICENT ODUNZE

Dr Millicent Odunze performing liposuction of the flank in preparation for  a bum augmentation

Millicent Odunze M.D., M.P.H. is a female plastic surgeon in Los Angeles, California. She has managed to break into an industry dominated by men.She had a seven-year residency at Northwestern University, Dr. Millicent Odunze trained in all aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery. In addition to her surgical training, she was active in clinical research and has presented several research projects at local and national medical conferences on the topics of wound healing, racial differences in facial aging patterns, and surgical treatment for localized chronic pain. Dr. Odunze has authored several scientific plastic surgery articles and has authored a chapter in a plastic surgery text. As a volunteer plastic surgeon with Operation Smile, she uses her skills to help provide free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children around the globe.

SHAPE YOUR TUSH THE HEALTHY OLD FASHIONED WAY

OR YOU CAN JUST BEAUTIFY UR DERRIERE THE LAZY WAY WITH BUTT PADS

AND THE NOMINEES  FOR THE NGOZIGOLD.COM BEST TUSH IN HOLLYWOOD GOES TO

Kim K..takes pride in showing off her lady junk

The queen of AZZ dance! Nicki M inaj

Serena Williams controlling more than one ball! lol

J-LO and her famous behind

....AND THE AWARD GOES TO......

.....SERENA WILLIAMS....I dunno if she got it from her MAMA or its her KNIFESTYLE...the size of her bum is proportional to the rest of her body, the texture is the same with her other body parts...firm....and she works it good on the tennis court and its not visually offensive.....WATEVER THE SHAPE AND SIZE OF YOUR TUSH BE GRATEFUL TO GOD YOU HAVE ONE!!!
FOR FURTHER  RESEARCH CLICK HERE AND HERE