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Ghanaian designer Dede Ayite becomes first black woman to win Tony Award for Best Costume Design

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Ghanaian costume designer, Dede Ayite, has become the first black woman to win an award for Best Costume Design of a play at the 2024 Tony Awards which held at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York.

Ayite picked the prestigious award for her work on the now-closed “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.”

The show which opened in October 2023 and closed the following month is set in a bustling Harlem salon where West African immigrant hair braiders create masterpiece hairstyles for local women amid uncertain circumstances that ultimately face the community to confront being an outsider in a place they call home.

While speaking during her acceptance speech, Ayite, who was also nominated in the same category for her work on “Appropriate” and in the best costume design of a musical category for “Hell’s Kitchen”, said it was a huge honour to be the first black woman to win the award.

“People like me that are just starting out and aren’t sure and are fearful and just don’t know what it’s going to take, and you don’t know how to find that step to take you forward, so I’m just hopeful that this moment says, ‘Just keep at it.’

“You know, tell the stories that matter to you, tell the story that you find value in, and the moment will meet you. That’s what’s happening for me right now,” she said.

“It’s not just about me, but we did it: the community that supports me, the community of people that love me each day and cheer me on. For me, I just feel like it’s not just about me right now. It’s the community. It’s that we have done it together.”

The 77th Tony Awards was held on June 16, 2024, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2023–24 season.

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Culture

GWR: Nigerian lecturer hits 100-hour mark in marathon lecture

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A Nigerian lecturer, Dr Nsikak Akpan, has hit the 100-hour mark in his attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the marathon lecture series, a record currently held by an Indian Professor, Arvin Mishra, who clocked 139 hours, 52 minutes, 42 seconds in 2014.

Dr Akpan, a lecturer at Foreign Links College of Health Technology, Moro, Osun State, had embarked on a 150-hour marathon lecture in a bid to set a new world record for the longest lecture stretch.

Each session of the lecture lasts four hours before the record chaser takes a break and returns after 20 minutes.

While speaking with journalists ahead of the event on the campus of the college, Akpan disclosed that his application sent to the Guinness World Records for him to embark on the marathon lecture was approved.

Delivering a lecture on a topic relating to mental health, Akpan reached 100 hours of continuous lecture at about 12:30 pm on Friday.

“The mental health of a man is a product of different things, most especially his environmental and spiritual well-being,” Akpan said on reaching the 100-hour mark.“

There are health conditions and seasons that one may have and will not contribute to the mental health of workers. The environment by which someone works has a direct effect on his health,” he noted.

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Nigerians are angry that British actor Idris Elba is selected to play lead role in ‘Things Fall Apart’ adaptation

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Nigerian social media users are wondering why British actor, Idris Elba, has been selected to portray the character of Okonkwo in the adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s classic novel, ‘Things Fall Apart’, in a new TV series by American entertainment company, A24.

According to English tabloid, Variety, apart from playing the lead role as the protagonist, Elba will also serve as executive producer alongside Gina Carter under their 22Summers production banner, while Nigerian filmmakers, David Oyelowo and Amanda N’Duka, will be the executive producers.

“Things Fall Apart states it is the “story of Okonkwo (Elba), one of literature’s most iconic characters—a fearless African warrior and leader who is resolute about preserving his people and culture,” the tabloid wrote.

“As British colonisers disrupt his world, Okonkwo’s struggle to maintain power and tradition spirals into a heart-wrenching confrontation. His fierce resolve, a fatal flaw in the face of unstoppable change, makes him an unforgettable character, embodying the tension between strength, vulnerability and adaptability,” it added.

However, Nigerian Netizens are not happy with the arrangement as they believe a Nigerian actor in the mould of Pete Edochie should have been the right fit for the role as he had played Okonkwo when the novel was first adapted as a movie in 1971 and later as a mini-series in 1987.

They are also wondering how Elba who is British, will be able to handle Igbo words and proverbs which made the Okonkwo character unique.

Others were also quick to point out Elba’s bad ‘African’ accent as noticed in the movie Wakanda accent.

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