Story & photo by Niyi Tabiti
Chief Reporter
When I went for the African Movie Academy Award press conference on Tuesday 22 April 2008, I had it at the back of my mind that some foreign experts and visitors would be there as usual. So, it was not a surprise when some of them were introduced as Americans.Shortly, after the conference, there was an interactive session between journalists and the organizers. So, I met this American lady. She speaks so fast and my ‘ears’ were running a race after her lips. Thank God, I heard everything she said. There was no ‘I gonna’, gonna’ like one of my friends in the United States will always say.
She told me that she is an African American from the United States of America (USA) and that she hails from Los Ageles, California. So, I asked of her name and she brought out her complimentary card. Guess what? Her name reads ‘Asantewa Olatunji’.I was shocked. She saw the surprise look on my face and her lips beamed with a smile. Yes, we are African American. Our forefathers were taken from here to the States durning the slave trade” she explained.
“I know about the slave trade issue but why are you bearing Olatunji”, I asked curiously.
Looking at me straight in the eyes, she told me there are lots of African-Americans who still bear their native names in the USA.
“Our forefathers were taken there durning the slave trade but we are not completely lost when it comes to our origin. I am of Ghanaian and Nigerian descent. That is why I bear Asantewa, a Ghanaian name and Olatunji from Nigeria. A lot of us are now in search of our roots”
Asantewa is very passionate about Africa. She told http://www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com/ that she has been studying the Africa traditional religion for long. I am not saying people shouldn’t be Christians or Muslims but they should also be interested in their own African religion.
Asantewa is the General Manager of Pan African Film Festival in the United States (http://www.paff.org/).
We later shifted our discussions to personal issues. I asked what she would be wearing for AMAA.She laughed and hollered that it would be a surprise. I persisted and she told that it could be a dress by Ahneva Ahneva, an American fashion designer who lives in Nigeria.
She became more excited when I asked if she was married. She pointed in the direction of her husband, Ayukobabu, who was present in the hall. We went out the building and they posed for photos for www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com
She told me that she is an African American from the United States of America (USA) and that she hails from Los Ageles, California. So, I asked of her name and she brought out her complimentary card. Guess what? Her name reads ‘Asantewa Olatunji’.I was shocked. She saw the surprise look on my face and her lips beamed with a smile. Yes, we are African American. Our forefathers were taken from here to the States durning the slave trade” she explained.
“I know about the slave trade issue but why are you bearing Olatunji”, I asked curiously.
Looking at me straight in the eyes, she told me there are lots of African-Americans who still bear their native names in the USA.
“Our forefathers were taken there durning the slave trade but we are not completely lost when it comes to our origin. I am of Ghanaian and Nigerian descent. That is why I bear Asantewa, a Ghanaian name and Olatunji from Nigeria. A lot of us are now in search of our roots”
Asantewa is very passionate about Africa. She told http://www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com/ that she has been studying the Africa traditional religion for long. I am not saying people shouldn’t be Christians or Muslims but they should also be interested in their own African religion.
Asantewa is the General Manager of Pan African Film Festival in the United States (http://www.paff.org/).
We later shifted our discussions to personal issues. I asked what she would be wearing for AMAA.She laughed and hollered that it would be a surprise. I persisted and she told that it could be a dress by Ahneva Ahneva, an American fashion designer who lives in Nigeria.
She became more excited when I asked if she was married. She pointed in the direction of her husband, Ayukobabu, who was present in the hall. We went out the building and they posed for photos for www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com
Photo-Asantewa and her husband, Ayukobabu on Tuesday 22 April 2008
More to them o. They are very much welcome in Naija. Aireh. Jah Rastafarai. Niyi, abeg, make u no embarass us o. Ebe like say we go give u crash course for dis Americana accent. How u take see am. Niyi, no mind me o. U know say i dey joke, nah.
ReplyDeletecool post Niyi
ReplyDeleteNas' Father is another good example.
ReplyDeleteThere are alot here, and it's actually more of a older thing. I"ll say 90% of New generation Americans don't really give 2 pieces about Africa and finding their roots(except for for people of the Ilutunji Village in the Carolinas).
Niyi, Cool post. You need a website for real.
great post Niyi, love that you now proof read your write-ups cos i hardly saw any errors in your writing. this is soo professional. more grease bro!
ReplyDeleteloves it.
ReplyDeletethey're quite alot of them here. even tho sometimes it does send out mixed signals. let me not delve n2 that sha.
and niyi ur just 2 funny jare.
ReplyDeleteHey Niyi,
ReplyDeleteYou know I've been reading your blog since it started.
I saw the press conference on TV yesterday too, and I saw my friends Ayuko Babu and Asentewa. 'Babu' as he is fondly called is the organiser of the Pan African Film Festival in LA, very cool guy. Met him first time when my film was screened at PAFF in 2001 and we've been friends since. Asentewa is also a very cool person. You know they both never wear anything except for African clothes?
Anyway, every year at PAFF, the opening night is a big affair where the best of Black Hollywood come out and most of them are always dressed in their best African dress.
Try and get an interview with him when you get to AMAA, he has a lot to say and contribute to black film development, not just his 'Africanness'. He first came to Nigeria as Stevie Wonder's road manager in 1977 during Festac, he will tell you some stories man! You can mention my name to him and tell him you want to do a full interview with him.
The next PAFF is February, maybe you should come with us and cover the opening night in Los Angeles for your blog. It'll be fun.
Keep up the good work, although easy on the gossip o!
Ayo Shonaiya, R70 World UK
Beautiful! Its time for African Americans to start visiting Nigeria. Ghana is not the only stop shop!
ReplyDeleteLMAOOOO @ gonna gonna hahaha bobo yi.. ajepako lomor lati le.. hehe
ReplyDeletemwah
i hope the agberos and ole's (thief thief) wont give them reasons to spoil our name the more.
ReplyDeleteand for you niyi waz you thinking you found a wife or what? God help you. what is in a name by the way?