Tag: Nigerians in America

Business

Nigeria Expects $3 Billion in Diaspora Investment Funding

Nigeria expects $3 billion in investment funding from citizens living mainly in the U.S. to support the agriculture, power, mining and transportation sectors, a senior presidential adviser said.

The government will support “a diaspora investment fund,” Abike Dabiri-Erewa, President Muhammadu Buhari’s adviser on diaspora affairs, said in an interview in Abuja, the capital. “They’re planning a $3 billion investment in Nigeria. The fund will be driven by Nigerians in America.”

Continue reading “Nigeria Expects $3 Billion in Diaspora Investment Funding” →

People

Meet Ibra Ake, the Nigerian-American who produced Childish Gambino’s “This is America”

BY AMARACHI NWOSU

Ibra Ake is a Nigerian-American visual artist, creative director and writer based in Los Angeles, California. Living in cities around the world from Lagos to New York has played a major role in his unique approach to visual art.

From shooting covers of magazines to being the creative director for artist’s like Childish Gambino as well as writing on the hit show Atlanta, Ake is no stranger to expressing himself through different mediums.

Having been introduced to art through animation and drawing, he later picked up photography through a class in art school before he decided to leave, and go into creating full time.

Continue reading “Meet Ibra Ake, the Nigerian-American who produced Childish Gambino’s “This is America”” →

Music

Nigerian-American, Ibra Ake grabs first Grammy for producing Gambino’s ‘This is America’

Nigerian-American producer, writer and filmmaker, Ibra Ake snagged his first Grammy Award at the 61st ceremony. He won the award for Best Music Video for producing Childish Gambino’s critically acclaimed visuals for ‘This is America’.

Reacting to the win, Ake excitedly tweeted @ibralikezebra, “I can’t believe I just won a Grammy. Where’s the catch? Royalty forever.”

The visual artist, creative director and writer based in Los Angeles, California and shuttles between cities around the world from Lagos to New York.

While he has spent most of his life in America, he constantly credits his Nigerian upbringing for allowing him to understand the value of documentation and storytelling.

Ake, who grew up in Nigeria and New Jersey, is also a writer for hit TV show, ‘Atlanta’ which also features Childish Gambino.

Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America’ won a total of four Grammy awards on Sunday night.

Giving Back

US community donates relief materials to internally displaced persons in Nigeria

The Town of Lincoln in Massachusetts, a community in the United States has donated tonnes of relief items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria through the Peace Institute.

Founder of the Institute, and also a Nigerian Human rights lawyer, Hauwa Ibrahim said the materials include clothes, bicycles, a car, tents, beddings mosquito nets amongst. Professor Hauwa who is a lawyer at Harvard University and the winner of  the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize  for Human Rights in 2005  said the need to assist the less privileged stemmed from the need to assist the Chibok Girls and with the situation surrounding their abduction and the communities displacement and others.

While distributing some of the relief materials, Professor Hauwa said the aim was to put smiles on the faces of the less privileged and assist them in what little way she can. Continue reading “US community donates relief materials to internally displaced persons in Nigeria” →

Business

Taste of Nigeria Serves Up a Ton of Tribal Cuisine Near the Galleria

By Alaena Hostetter

A brand new restaurant Taste of Nigeria just debuted a lengthy menu of Nigerian eats near the Galleria. The new eatery, located at 5959 Richmond Avenue, is from Ayo and Tiffaney Odewale, the husband-and-wife team behind Cafe Abuja.

“We opened Taste of Nigeria based on demand in the Galleria area; there’s a decent population of Nigerians here,” Tiffaney tells Eater. The new spinoff is larger and has a more upscale feel than its predecessor. Diners will find seating for about 50, wood-clad walls, punched copper pendant lights, and a bar (unlike at Cafe Abuja).

As far as the menu is concerned, the Odewales expanded that also to accommodate more Nigerian tribal cuisines, according to Tiffany. “There are a lot of tribes in Nigeria,” she explains of her husband’s home country, leading to a rather lengthy menu of more than 50 dishes. Continue reading “Taste of Nigeria Serves Up a Ton of Tribal Cuisine Near the Galleria” →

Events

Nigerian Seun Kuti and Malian Fatoumata Diawara to perform at Grammy Awards

Seun Kuti, the Afrobeat singer, and son of the late legend, Fela has been listed as one of the performers at the 61st Grammy Awards.

Kuti, who was nominated for Best World Music Album will perform with Malian singer/songwriter, Fatoumata Diawara, at the award’s Premiere Ceremony on February 10.
This was contained in a recently published statement on the Grammys’ website.

Continue reading “Nigerian Seun Kuti and Malian Fatoumata Diawara to perform at Grammy Awards” →

Business

U.S.-based Nigerians to attract $3bn investment to Nigeria

A Nigerian professional forum in the U.S. have put measures in place to attract an estimated $3 billion investment into the Nigerian economy in the next three years.
The Nigerian American Business Forum (NABF) stated at its 2019 Investment Conference with the theme: Entrepreneurship in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities at Tampa, Florida.

The President of the forum, Mr Kenneth Shobola, said the forum aimed to impact the wealth of experience of accomplished Nigerian Diasporas for the rapid development of their homeland.
Continue reading “U.S.-based Nigerians to attract $3bn investment to Nigeria” →

Appointments

Nigerian-born, Titilayo Ufomata Appointed Provost at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana

Titilayo Ufomata has been named provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. The school enrolls about 1,600 students. African Americans make up 2 percent of the undergraduate student body. Dr. Ufomata will begin her new role on June 1, 2019.

Continue reading “Nigerian-born, Titilayo Ufomata Appointed Provost at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana” →

Visit to Africa

I splurged on an 8-day, $3,000 trip to Nigeria for myself, and it was worth every penny

Sometimes, the best recipient of a holiday spending splurge is yourself. Here, author Adrienne Jordan details how she spent $2,881 on an eight-day trip to Nigeria. It was Jordan’s first time away from her family over the holidays, but she says the experience was “more than worth it” as detailed in this report in Pulse

Continue reading “I splurged on an 8-day, $3,000 trip to Nigeria for myself, and it was worth every penny” →

People

Meet The Young Nigerian Robotics Entrepreneur Who Got A Dream Deal With Apple

Last September, news of a young Nigerian  robotics engineer, Silas Adekunle, who had just inked a deal with Apple hit the airwaves after he developed “MekaMon” the worlds first gaming robot. The deal reportedly made him one of the highest paid robotics engineers in the world. But even before he hit the limelight with that report, Forbes had noted his potential in the 30 under 30 list for European Technology. This report by Parmy Olson introduced the Nigerian prodigy to the world. Continue reading “Meet The Young Nigerian Robotics Entrepreneur Who Got A Dream Deal With Apple” →

Business

Nigerian Airline, Boeing Announce Largest Aircraft Deal in Africa to Date

Nigeria’s Green Africa Airways is off to a flying start with the launch of its commercial operations, thanks to a commitment for the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer. Boeing and the Lagos-based airline inked an $11.7 billion deal for up to 100 737 MAX 8 aircraft, evenly split into 50 firm aircraft and 50 options, Boeing announced in a Dec. 21 press release. The agreement is the largest aircraft deal for the African continent to date.

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Communities

The Spiciest Dish in Houston Is at Aria Suya

Timothy Malcolm, writing in  Houstonia magazine , shares his experience at a Nigerian restaurant in Houston where he had suya and jollof rice. The city hosts one of the largest African communities in the USA.
Continue reading “The Spiciest Dish in Houston Is at Aria Suya” →

Communities

More Africans seek education in America. Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana lead the pack

The 2018 Open Doors report on international education has revealed that the United States hosted 1.09 million international students during the 2017/2018 academic year.This marks a 1.5 percent increase over the prior year. The number of Sub-Saharan African students hit a record high at 39,479, marking a 4.6 percent increase over the prior year. This report from modernghana.com gives more details
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Sports, Uncategorized

From Nigeria to Toledo, Richard Olekanma has lived quite a journey

American college football might as well have existed in another universe for University of Toledo senior linebacker Richard Olekanma. Like many kids growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, Olekanma simply was worried about his next opportunity for ice cream, and his athletic aspirations were dominated by the Nigerian national pastime of soccer. The report by BRIAN BUCKEY in The Blade.

Continue reading “From Nigeria to Toledo, Richard Olekanma has lived quite a journey” →

Communities

Data show Nigerians the most educated in the U.S.

BACHELOR’S AND BEYOND
In America, Nigerians’ education pursuit is above rest Whether driven by immigration or family, data show more earn degrees. This report in the Houston Chronicle using census data sheds more light on the accomplishment of Nigerians in the US.

Continue reading “Data show Nigerians the most educated in the U.S.” →