So you need some assistance?

I recently advertised MNIA, Inc's first contest. I am sad to report that no one has won. I realize this is a difficult task but it just goes to show how much we need to know our history and recognize the movers and shakers of our repective countries. But I am always here to help. If you don't know already here are the rules for the contest:

In the picture to the right of this message are 20 famous Nigerians. The first person to correctly identify, in order, the people depicted wins the contest. To enter, please send an email, with your answers to me at ronke@missnigeriainamerica.org. You can submit as many entries as you want but please remember that THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE A CORRECT LIST wins the contest. The winner of this contest gets an official MNIA prize pack!! We will mail it to you and I promise that it is something you definitely want.

Contest ends SUNDAY MARCH 8, 2009!!!!

So now that we all know what's going on here are some clues:

1. He wrote a famous book about Ibo life. Very popular. Everyone has read it!

2. His 'Odu' album was nominated for Best World Music album in the Grammy awards.

3. A famous drummer who influenced musicians such as Carlos Santana, Mickey Hart, John
Coltrane and Bob Dylan, and died from diabetes.

4. She is/was the Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives.

5. Born on April 22, 1938, he is a Nigerian author, publisher, philanthropist, social critic, and human and civil rights lawyer. He has written openly about Former President Obansanjo.

6. He was the chairman for the Campaign for Democracy. In 1997 he was awarded the human rights award of the city of Weimar. He was inprisoned on July 25 1995 on charges of treason to the Abacha government.

7. An Afrobeat musician who formed the band Koola Lobitos (later changed to Africa '70), the Kalakutu Republic, a commune, and a recording studio.

8. A famous Nigerian writer who is mostly known for being the first African woman to publish a book in English.

9. He was the President of Nigeria from 1976 until 1979.

10. Basketball player for the Houston Rockets.

11. Basketball player nicknamed the Kandi man

12. First African writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986.

13. Married to Heidi Kloom.

14. Has an album entitled, "Juju Jubilee"

15. Soyinka's book "The Open Sore of A Continent" was, in part, a dedication to him. He was the leader of the human rights activists for the Ogoni people, until he was executed in November 10, in 1995, along with 8 other leaders

16. Famous songs include, "Smooth Operator", "The Sweetest Taboo", and "No Ordinary Love"

17. He is one of the two 1998 recipients of the Freedom-to-Write award. This is an award to honor "writers who have produced work in the face of extreme adversity and have defended freedom of expression and fought against censorship.", and he won because he "risked his life and a promising literary career to write on behalf of his friends and colleagues who were imprisoned by the regime of Nigerian General Sani Abacha."

18. This man took his precious time off his pharmacological exploits and cure of Ebola to conduct the worst election in human history.

19. Former Nigerian President

20.The current President of Nigeria.

21. He is an inventor and computer wizard.


Hope this helps,

Ronke A. Oke
Miss Nigeria in America