#Private Universities in Nigeria

[just-a-ghost00]

Your next significant relationship - Who? When? Where?

Group 1 - Controler

Letters : N U Z E D M L K I O S Significant words/names/signs : SKZ, nudes, suki, soul, miso, sun, zen, Leo, kids, Nike, Mike, lion, Leon, noise, sound, Link, links, Dion, Zeus, Odin, Oden, onze (french for 11), douze (french for 12), uno, dos/due, dom, Muse, likes, silk, sold, DMs, solid, kudos, doki, slime, smile, Milo, miko

WHO ? - The Empress / STRENGTH / Herkimer diamond : power wash your energy This person is not what they seem. They may look harsh on the surface but deep down they are as fragile as Quartz. People may only judge them based on their looks and not who they are at there core. They are beautiful without a doubt. Extremely sensual and feminine. Their beauty feels ethereal. They are highly sensitive and spiritual. They could be a healer. The Herkimer diamond card mentions New York's Mohawk Valley where it can be found. So maybe this person is a New Yorker or they would like to travel to New York. With the strength card being related to fire, this person could have important fire placements in their chart (Leo, Sagittarius, Aries). They are powerful and determined. They know what they want and they won't back down no matter what you put them through. Though this person is affected by what people think of them, they would rather die than show it. They could have red hair. Their hair is rather long and straight. They like to wear bracelets. They are connected to the stars. They are grounded and protected by the universe. The Empress is also assiocated with Taurus. They present themselves as a woman. They feel close to their ancestors. It might be that there were warriors in their bloodline. Especially women. Their women ancestors were fierce in battle and they like to take after them and ask for their guidance. I'm feeling a strong connection to witches and shamans.

WHERE ? - 9 of swords / UNDERWORLD / Barite : get answers to your biggest questions. Places this person could be from or have been to at some point are : USA -> Nevada, Misouri, Georgia, Texas / China / India / Morocco / Mexico / Iran / Kazakhstan / Canada / Australia / Thailand / Nigeria / Peru / UK -> Scotland The 9 of swords card shows imagery of a woman lying down in the snow, with mountains in the background. So this person could live in a cold climate country/region. I'm thinking of the Alps, Himalaya, Caucasus, Alaska range. I'm thinking about Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Russia, Groenland, Iceland. Any city starting with a U or a B. Furthermore the character on the card has a dress with an important amount of stars on it, which reminded me of the European Union flag. In terms of the meeting, it could be through social media. The underworld card gives me a sense of mystery, of something being hidden. So it could be the dark web for some. Or on a website that keeps things hidden from people (i.e. content available only for subscribers or a private account). Also you could meet them in your dreams before you meet in 3D. Also, the underworld could be a metaphor for rave parties, clubs and so on. They could live or you could meet near an important building or monument.

WHEN ? - XXI The World / NATURE / Labradorite : protect your magic. The labradorite card mentions Aurora Borealis and the sign of Pisces. So Winter could be relevant, as well as the period from mid February to mid March. The number 21 could be relevent. So if we think in terms of dates it could be 02.21 or 03.21. The World speaks of cycles as well as the long term. So it could represent several years in terms of timing. When it comes to zodiac signs, The World is related to fixed signs. So Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius season could be relevant as well. Which means that you could meet them between mid April to mid May, mid July to mid August, mid October to mid November or mid January to mid February. The World could also represent a time of your life when you are traveling abroad. Again, the character depicted on the card has a lot of stars in their hair. So I'm thinking of the USA as well as the EU. As she is dressed in red, holds red roses and has horns on her head, I'm also being reminded of Spain. The nature card could talk about a time of your life when you are in the wild, connecting with nature, taking a break from the drama of big city life.

Group 2 - Phone

Letters : T E N N U L N O R I S Significant words/names/signs : tennis, Noris, Noe, Noel, runs, Euro, sun, tenor, soul, norns, nine, tunes, Sonne (Rammstein song), Uriel, notes, nuns, trio, route, routines, Riolu (pokémon name), Loire (region in France), Lorie, LOTR, rise, sonnet, soir (french word for evening), nuit (french for night), riots, Lise, lotus

WHO? - IV The Emporor / Sacred Sexuality / Sapphire : find your tranquil place. This person is very masculine and grounded. They could be a father and/or a leader, a mentor, an entrepreneur. The sign of Aries could be significant. They are incredibly determined and strong. Their sexual drive is high. They pay a lot of attention to their health and appearance. They have a lot of sex appeal. This person could be in the fashion industry or could even be that they get money from people watching their body (selling pictures of them, having access to private erotic content). They could have a bit of a bad temper. Piercings also seem significant. On the sacred sexuality card, there’s a full moon and roses. This tell me this person is a romantic and is more of a night owl. They have an important status. We’re talking about company owners, freelance artists, lawyers, head officers, doctors, headmasters of big schools, politicians and so on.

WHERE? - 6 of swords / MOVEMENT / Garnet : get into your depth. -> places they could be from or have gone to : Czekoslovakia, Kenya, Madagascar, India. The 6 of swords depicts a beautiful woman rowing a boat on a lake. Behind her is a white mountain. In her boat are two herons. So Africa seems significant, particularly Tanzania where Kilimandjaro can be found. I’m also thinking of the Mt Fuji in Japan, in Yamanashi. This person lives near an important body of water. Or you might meet them there. Another thing that is significant is movement. So you could meet them where you’re going on a trip, as you travel or relocate. You could meet them on a boat. Anyplace you want to create something (art, music, writing and so on). When looking at « get into your depth » this gives me the feeling you could meet this person in the 5D before meeting them in person, like through dreams or meditation.

WHEN? Queen of wands and VI The Lovers - DARE TO DREAM - Citrine : manifest your masterpiece. First of all I have to say, when I was shuffling the cards for the WHEN? the bells of the nearby Church started ringing. So this tells me when you're going to Church either for communion or for a wedding. Summer is significant, especially from mid June to mid July. I would even say the month of June is the most significant of the two. When you go after your dreams, you will meet this person. On the DARE TO DREAM card, you can see a diamond trapped in an eagle's claw. For some reasons it reminded me of metal and rock bands, of concerts and big events like the Superbowl. So maybe one of your dreams is to go watch your favorite band/artist live or to go to Hellfest or any big convention that is happening in Summer. If there are any French people here, I'm thinking of the Olympics happening this Summer in Paris. And also the Japan Expo convention. In terms of timing, I’d say in a few months.

Group 3 - Mirror

First of all I want to say my coffee spilled as I did your reading. So either you or this person is super clumsy and/or coffee is significant in your relationship. Letters : E L I C O O E U J I A Y

Words/names/signs : Jay, Jey, Joy, Jolie, Julia, Julie, Jule, July, Lucy, cool, jail, Luc, Loïc, Alice, ciel (French for Sky), clue, juice, école (French for school), eco , CEO, Lucie, Lucia, Cloe

WHO? - XVII The Star / Ancestors / Obsidian : protect your soul. Aquarius comes in strongly for this reading. This person is an introvert. They are often seen as a daydreamer, someone that doesn’t care about earthly life. They look like their head is in the stars. Which, in some way is true. This person connects strongly with the Ethers. Social media seems to be important. They could be an influencer or have a certain amount of followers that they help. Think of tarot readings, raising awareness about certain subjects (mental health, disabilities, menstrual cycle, sexuality and so on). This person could be famous in some type of way or they are going to be at some point in their life. Overall they have a good reputation among their peers. They are valued for their work ethic and their deep insights. They are divinely protected. Family business comes to mind. They care about family a lot, especially the deceased ones. This person would be the type to seek out advice from their ancestors or try to honor them as much as they can. Scorpio is also a sign that seems relevant. I don’t know why but I thought of a surgeon. So maybe they have undergone an important surgery. Or they are very sharp. Because I definitely don’t feel this person is a surgeon. Well it could be, but honestly I feel more the energy of influencers and public speakers, like ambassadors of NGOs and stuff like that. Soft and caring, they feel and look rather feminine. Giving more than receiving. They love animals. They draw a lot of attention just from their presence. I think their aura is pretty strong and vibrant. Connected to nature, especially trees and plants.

WHERE? - 7 of pentacles / movement / Herkimer diamond You could meet at work, as you’re changing jobs or they are. During a break at work while you’re printing/scanning papers. In sacred spaces. New York. Somewhere in a lot of greenery like a park or a farm. As for places they could come from or have been to, we have : Norway, Ukraine, Arizona, China, Afghanistan, Herkimer county. If not these places, there could be farms where this person lives. Also they live in a place where there is a lot of activity, especially work wise. So this makes me think of hot spots like La Défense in Paris where a lot of businesses and political administrations can be found. Other places like that would be : Midtown New York, La City London, Marunouchi Tokyo, The Loop Chicago, Bankenviertel Frankfurt, Zuidas Amsterdam, Gangnam Seoul and so on.

WHEN? - 4 of swords / Death / Aquamarine : Keep your cool. You could meet on the fourth of a month, in April. At a time when you’ve lost your voice or when you are going Hermit mode, when you are sick or when you are mourning a loss. During a period of depression. During Scorpio season. In several weeks. Also it could be when someone or something pushes your buttons but you can’t express your frustration somehow. That could be anything really. Like queueing for registration in a building and someone is trying to take your spot. Or shopping at the mall and a customer is being super rude but since there are children around you can’t fully tell this person what you think of their attitude. Stuff like that.

[hopefulromances]

Long Time Coming I Chapter Three I It's Nice To Have A Friend

Summary: Being hired as the first female assistant coach in the league was a challenge of it itself. Being a football protigy and University Football Legend was easy enough. Coaching Jamie Tartt was a challenge all on its own.

Word Count: 2498

Warning: I have literally no clue how football works.

A/N: Hey fellas! I hope things are going well for y'all and that you're enjoying the story! I am like a puppy dog and thrive on words of affirmation so if you're enjoying pls let me know!

Prologue One Two

            “She said what?” Keely gaped, looking up from her laptop at Jamie.

            “She said that I made her feel like… like she didn’t deserve to be here,” Jamie repeated, leaning back in his chair.

            “Aw, poor girl,” Keely pouted at him. “What did you say?”

Jamie shrugged. “Nothing, she walked away before I could say anything.”

            “Well, what would you have said if she stayed?” She pressed.

            “I… I don’t know,” Jamie admitted, after a second. “It just made me think about… me dad.” Keely frowned at that. She didn’t know a lot about his dad, Jamie had always stayed mainly private about that part of his life, but what she did know wasn’t great. He continued. “I was just such a dickhead.” Keely snorted. “What? I’m opening me self up to you. Can you try not to laugh at me?”

            “No, Jamie, no! I’m not…” She cleared her throat, trying to appear serious. “I’m not laughing at you. It’s just, I’m pretty sure you’ve called yourself a dickhead about a hundred times since you’ve been back.” Jamie rolled his eyes and leaned forward in his chair. “Have you talked to Dr. Fieldstone about it?”

            “Yah, I have. She said I need to forgive me self so I can let them forgive me. Cause if I won’t forgive me why should they. Whatever the fuck that means.” He was frustrated with himself. It was like she could understand what the ball was doing before it even moved. Why couldn't he just tell her that. “I just want her to know I’m sorry. It doesn’t help that the rest of the team hates me to.”

            “Well Jamie, they aren’t going to just forgive you. You have to show them you’ve changed.”

            “Ted said not to buy them all PS5s.”

            “No, not like that! Just… let them show you how to make it up to them,” Keely clarified.

Jamie looked at her for a second processing what she said. “…. Keely?’

            “Yes, Jamie.”

            “Can you return 30 PS5s?”

            “Oh, Jamie.”

The next game was against Coventry City. The coaches didn’t usually spend a lot of time with the lads before games, but I loved the energy in the locker room. I walked around the room, talking with the boys, giving last minute tips, handing out fist bumps. I could feel Jamie’s eyes on me as I did. Every now and then I would glance over at him as he tied his shoes. I warded him off with a small smile, but I didn’t dare get too close to him.             

“(Y/N)! Look at this!” It was Colin, excitedly showing me his boots. “Had Will shine these bad boys this morning.”

            “Yes, Colin your shoes look great,” I rolled my eyes whilst giving Isaac a fist bump.

            “You’re not even looking!”  

I turned a looked at Colin. They did look really great.

            “You know what Colin, those do look great,” I conceded, reaching over to give him a high five.

Just then the sound of stretching tape caught our attention. I turned to see Sam pressing black tape over his Dubai Air logo. Someone cracked some joke about Dubai Air not paying him enough but he quickly explains that it was more than that. That Dubai Air owned by a compnay that was destroying the environment in Nigeria. There was silence in the locker room.

Then Jamie stood up.

I eyed him, ready to step in if he decided to make a stupid decision here. But instead, he stretched the tape and put it over his own Dubai Air logo.

            “Gotta wear the same kit,” he explained. As if it was simple. As if it was expected.

He patted his jersey before tossing the tape into the center console. I studied his face, looking for any signs of mockery, but there was none. Soon the whole team had stripes of black tape over the kits. The whole game, all the focus was on Sam, even though it was Jamie’s big return. But he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he celebrated Sam when he returned from the post-game interview. We lost the game, but no one seemed to mind.

            “All I’m saying is that objectively, this red looks better than the blue boots,” Colin insisted, motioning to his feet.

            “Colin, the red is going to get dirty so much more easily than the blue,” I counter, pointing at my own shoes.

            “Now that’s just- “

            “Hey, (Y/N), can I talk to you?” Jamie interrupted.

Colin and I took simultaneous sips of our beer, making eyes at each other before I nodded. Colin took that as his cue to leave, giving Jamie a cheer as he left. Jamie looked down at his shoes, looking a little nervous.

            “What’s up, Jamie?” I asked, trying to force him to meet my eyes. Then he pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me. It was a ticket. “What is this?”

            “It’s my ticket to your final game at Imperial,” he explained, motioning to the ticket.

Surprised I looked down. Imperial College. Where I had gone to uni and played football all four years. This final game I lead my team to the league championship.

            “I-I don’t under- “

            “Me and some friends had heard about this crazy talented football girl,” he began, still not meeting my eyes. “I thought, there was no way a girl could be as good as they were saying.” He laughed a little. “So, we bought tickets to see you play. And you were that good. Like… even better than they was saying.”

My mouth was agape with surprise. I looked down at the ticket, shaking my head in disbelief.

            “Jamie, I- “

            “Wait, let me finish, please,” he interrupted, again. “You really were incredible that night. I thought I would see you in professionals but.... your name never popped up. Anyways, when I found out you were coming to coach here, I suppose I thought that I needed to prove me self to you. Make myself look bigger and better. But it was really because I was intimidated by you. I was dumb, and really stupid. And I know I’ve been saying it a lot but I really am sorry. I’m sorry I made you feel like you weren’t good enough for us because the truth is, you’re really better than most of us.”

I was shocked by his sincerity. “Thank you, Jamie.”

He finally looked up at me. His eyes were big and searching, it almost broke my heart. I smile at him and raise my beer towards him.  

            “We’re okay, Jamie,” I reassured him.

His face broke out into a smile, that stupid cocky smile that I had seen so many times before.

            “Good, good,” he clinks his beer against mine. We both took a long sip of the beers looking around at the room.

            “You know, what you did today, for Sam, it was really good of you,” I told him, sincerely.

He shrugged. “Any of the lads would have done it.”

            “But they didn’t, you did,” I press, nudging his shoulder. “It was good.” He kept his cocky smirk, but I could see his cheeks turning a slight shade of pink. “Doesn’t excuse you playing like rubbish out there today.”

            “What? I did not!”

            “Oh, yes you did!”

The two of us sat there bickering and chatting about the game until long after everyone else had left. But I barely noticed. Jamie was funny. He was sincere and honest in a way I didn’t expect. It was too soon to tell but I felt my heart jump. The same way it had that night with the ghosts. Maybe, just maybe, that Jamie was here again.

I had a routine. Since moving back to Richmond, I stayed in the same schedule. I woke up at 7:00am. Get up, get a quick workout in, shower, eat breakfast, and get to work early so I could have some time on the pitch. Occasionally, when I was leaving my house, I would run into a pap or two asking me some inane questions about my place in the league and what I was doing to single handedly fix sexism in the football industry. Keely just told me to keep my head down and keep walking.

But now there was a new part to my schedule. Now when I arrived at the pitch, Jamie was there waiting for me. We’d play against each other, throwing sharp jabs at one another for whatever tiny mistakes the other would make. It was fun. Jamie was a fun friend. Wasn’t that great. Friends? Almost best friends, I might say. It was distracting.

            “So, hows that puzzle coming?” Ted asked, as I walked into the coaches room after my daily session with Jamie.

            “Huh? Oh! Good, I suppose? He’s doing well,” I responded, sitting in my seat. “He’s a fun guy to be around.”

Ted gave an understanding grunt. “Aint, that just great. A new friendship. Beard, didn’t I tell you I knew what I was doing.”

            “Don’t gloat,” Beard grunted from behind his book.

            “Hooh! I love it when he gets bitter,” Ted giggled, smiling at me. “Turns his eyes a lovely shade of hazel!”

Beard lowered his book just enough to show me his eyes. They did look lovely.

The game that weekend didn’t go great. We ended up in the video room watching the loss on the television. Isaac’s leadership was taking a steep turn. His fear was coming out in aggressive rages on the field when his teammates didn’t make the plays they were supposed to. After one particularly bad defensive move by Jan Maas, Ted paused the tv.

He began his motivational speech. This time about romcommunism. An interesting play on words about getting through the dark forest of the season.

            “What about aca-teamwork?” I suggested referencing my personal favorite romcom.

            “Oh, that is a Pitch Perfect comparison,” Ted quipped, snapping his fingers. “Becca thought she was cool by trying to be independent but what she needed was teamwork.”

            “But wasn’t the real lesson in Pitch Perfect the understanding of sisterhood and how surrounding yourself with people you love creates strength?” Colin pointed out.

            “Exactly, Colin,” I agreed, leaning back in my chair.

Ted came to sit next to me as the lights went down. I scanned the lads to watch their attention levels when my eyes landed on Jamie. He was smirking at me. When he caught my eyes, he gave me a fist pump a la The Breakfast Club. I shook my head at him and motioned for him to pay attention.

As the boys were changing and packing up for the day, I erased the strategies off the board.

            “Good call today with the Pitch Perfect reference, I love that movie,” Colin shared coming up behind me.

I capped my marker and turned to look at him with a smile. “It’s only the greatest romantic comedy in the 2010s!”

            “I agree. We don’t talk about the sequels, though,” he pointed out.

            “What sequels?” I joked, raising my eyebrows. “I’m still waiting on Becca to choose a song for the next auditions.”

            “You get it, alright, I’ll see you around girlo!” He gave me a pat on the arm as he walked out of the room. As I watched him leave, I noticed Jamie sitting on his bench listening to us talk. I quirked an eyebrow at him.

            “Something to add, Jamie?” I asked, grabbing my bag.

He picked up his own bag and slung it over his shoulder. “Nah, I ain’t seen that one.”

            “What! You haven’t seen Pitch Perfect?” I gaped. Though I knew it wasn’t super surprising that Jamie hadn’t seen it.

            “I prefer 10 Things I Hate About You, I like… what’s his name…” He approached me as he thought about the name. “Heath Ledger’s character.”

            “Patrick?” I offered, shocked that Jamie knew about one of the best rom coms of all time.

            “Exactly!” He started towards the door. I followed him, walking close enough that our shoulders were brushing. “What are your plans for this weekend?”

            “Uh, beating Sheffield Wednesday?” I replied, raising my eyebrows at him.

            “I mean besides that.” He rolled his eyes.

            “Dunno, maybe sleep in for once? Eat a French fry?” I shrugged. “What about you?”

As we rounded the corner to leave the room, I spied the newest sponsorship that Keely had hooked up for the boys. Keurig coffee makers.

            “Woah, maybe make too much coffee with my brand-new coffee machine,” he gloated, picking up his coffee.

            “Change of plans, I will be at your place drinking too much coffee with your new coffee machine,” I joked, glaring jealously at it.

He laughed. I decided I loved that sound and smiled at him. When I went to follow him, I heard a loud throat clearing. I turned and saw Rebecca and Keely looking at my expectantly. I frowned at them and turned back to Jamie.

            “I’ll see you around, yeah?” I called after him.

He turned back and for a second it looked like real disappointment on his face. But it cleared up quickly when he saw Keely standing behind me.

            “Oh alright, see you at Sheffield,” He turned to walk away but not before calling out, “Bye Keely!”

I don’t know why but it made my heart drop to hear him address his former girlfriend. I waved at him before turning back to face the two women behind me.

            “What do you two want?” I pouted, leaning against the wall next to Rebecca.

            “You like him!” Keely shouted, clapping her hands excitedly.

I snapped my head in their direction. “What are you talking about?”

            “She’s right,” Rebecca concurred, starring at her phone. “Everyone can see it.”

            “Everyone?”

            “Everyone,” Keely concluded. “Except, apparently, you and Jamie.”

I looked incredulously between Rebecca and Keely. I do not like Jamie. JAMIE! Of all people. Just a few weeks ago I couldn’t stand him and now they think I like him.

            “Seriously, that is just ridiculous, Jamie is just my friend,” I clarified, shaking my head.

            “Your friend that you go to work with, hang out with while at work, and walk home with?” Rebecca inquired, finally looking up from her phone. Her stare as piercing. But no, there was no way that I liked Jamie like that.

            “I think the two of you need to get laid,” I finished, pushing myself off the wall. “Instead of getting in other people’s business.”

I walked away from them, back to my office where I could pretend to be mad at them. I wasn’t mad, not really. Just annoyed. So, what I wasn’t able to have a friend in Jamie? I wasn’t able to admire his physique in a friendly way? Or laugh as his naivete and honesty? I finally felt like I had someone who respected me in this field. That’s all he was. A friend.

Tag list:

@optimisticsandwichgladiator, @oxxolovemelikeyoudooxxo, @ajax-petropolus-wife

[notwiselybuttoowell]

In the past two years Glasgow has become the first UK museum to repatriate objects to India. Newcastle and the Horniman in south London followed an example set by Aberdeen and Cambridge by returning looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria. Exeter handed sacred regalia to the Siksika Nation in Canada. Oxford returned the remains of 18 indigenous people to Australia.

Earlier this month Manchester completed a landmark return of 174 objects to the to the Anindilyakwa community, who live on an archipelago in the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the northern coast of Australia.

The scale of repatriation – or rematriation as it was proudly labelled by a Scottish national museum returning a totem pole to Canada – is unprecedented but missing from all this, campaigners say, are the nation’s London-based national museums who look increasingly isolated.

“Regional museums are so far ahead of national institutions,” said Lewis McNaught, who runs the not-for-profit Returning Heritage project.

“It has been led by Glasgow and it really just remains for national collections to wake up to the trend which is, actually, now global. The UK is really falling behind quite dramatically.”

Dan Hicks, a professor of contemporary archaeology at Oxford University as well as curator at the city’s Pitt Rivers Museum, said repatriation has become part of the “fake culture wars” with some on the right seeing it as “wokery”.

“What that means, sadly, for our national institutions is that they are being forced into a position of inertia and making themselves increasingly irrelevant with every week that goes by and every restitution that we see from the regions and elsewhere around the world.

“Everyone else is getting on with it.”

The big reasons for the two different narratives is that the London-based national museums are hamstrung by legislation.

The British Museum Act 1963 specifically forbids the museum from disposing of its holdings. The National Heritage Act of 1983 prevents trustees of institutions, including the V&A, Science Museum and others, from deaccessioning objects unless they are duplicates or beyond repair.

Regional museums, whether they are run by local authorities, universities or are regimental museums or private, don’t have the same issue.

But the picture is more complicated, said Hicks, and repatriation is also not a new issue or debate.

“There is a deep and long history to restitution in this country. Edinburgh university was returning human remains two generations ago, never mind one generation … there are scores if not hundreds of stories over the past 40 to 50 years.

“It should be part of what museums do. It’s a part of the job.”

Glasgow is seen as a leader in the repatriation conversation since an agreement in 1998 to return a Sioux warrior shirt acquired at the end of the 19th century from Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

The return of the Lakota Sacred Ghost Dance Shirt to the Wounded Knee Survivors’ Association established criteria that have been widely adopted in the museum sector.

Duncan Dornan, the head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, said repatriation should be seen as a two way process and recalled the joy at the signing ceremony last year for the repatriation of artefacts to India.

“It was a very emotional event and Glaswegians of Indian heritage were very emotional. Their response was that they were very proud of their city.

“We see repatriation as establishing a relationship of equals and emphasising Glasgow as an outward-looking modern city.

“This is about a 21st-century relationship rather than a historic relationship.”

The recent Manchester Museum return of objects was seen as important because they were not giving back things that had been looted. They were everyday objects, including dolls made from shells, baskets and boomerangs.

“We believe this is the future of museums,” said Esme Ward, the director of Manchester Museum. “This is how we should be.”

Unesco hopes that Manchester will be a model for other museums to follow. Krista Pikkat, Unesco’s director for culture and emergencies, said: “It is a truly historic and moving moment. This is a case we have shared with our member states because we felt it was exemplary in many ways.”

The UK government has no plans to change the law that could then lead to movement in some of the most high-profile repatriation debates such as the Parthenon marbles and the Benin bronzes.

Campaigners say the UK is looking increasingly isolated and there is a growing movement for a change in the law.

Lord Vaizey, a former long-serving Conservative arts minister, has said the 1983 act “makes it almost impossible for UK museums to establish themselves as outward-looking, modern institutions fit for purpose in the 21st century”.

There are ways of getting around it. The V&A announced last year that it was returning the Head of Eros, a life-sized marble carving dating back to the 3rd century AD, to Turkey to be reattached to the famous Sidamara sarcophagus.

It made good a promise made by the British government in 1934 but the return is essentially a long-term loan, not an unconditional return.

Across the world, from the US to France to Germany and the Vatican, countries are repatriating objects. “Almost everywhere you look, items are being returned,” said McNaught.

In July, for example, the Netherlands repatriated nearly 500 looted objects to Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

The objects going to Sri Lanka include the famous and fabulous ruby-inlaid Cannon of Kandy dating from 1745, one of six objects from the Rijkmuseum that represented the very first return of colonial items from the museum’s collection.

The Vatican has also voiced willingness to return indigenous artefacts. “The seventh commandment comes to mind: If you steal something you have to give it back,” Pope Francis said in April.

The London-based national museums are undoubtedly hamstrung by law but that does not stop the regular calls for the return of objects.

Some cases are indisputable, say campaigners.

McNaught pointed to Ethiopian tabots that have been in the British Museum’s stores for more than 150 years.

The wood and stone tabots are altar tablets, considered by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as the dwelling place of God on Earth and the representation of the Ark of the Covenant.

“They have never been exhibited and they never will,” said McNaught. “They have never been studied. They have never been photographed. The only people who can release these items are trustees and they can’t see them either.

“So if you are a trustee and you say, ‘Let me see what all the fuss is about,’ then you can’t.”

[rockislandadultreads]

Disability Pride Month: Genre Fiction Recommendations

Noor by Nnedi Okorafor

Anwuli Okwudili prefers to be called AO. To her, these initials have always stood for Artificial Organism. AO has never really felt...natural, and that's putting it lightly. Her parents spent most of the days before she was born praying for her peaceful passing because even in-utero she was "wrong". But she lived. Then came the car accident years later that disabled her even further. Yet instead of viewing her strange body the way the world views it, as freakish, unnatural, even the work of the devil, AO embraces all that she is: A woman with a ton of major and necessary body augmentations. And then one day she goes to her local market and everything goes wrong.

Once on the run, she meets a Fulani herdsman named DNA and the race against time across the deserts of Northern Nigeria begins. In a world where all things are streamed, everyone is watching the "reckoning of the murderess and the terrorist" and the "saga of the wicked woman and mad man" unfold. This fast-paced, relentless journey of tribe, destiny, body, and the wonderland of technology revels in the fact that the future sometimes isn't so predictable. Expect the unaccepted.

Fortune Favors the Dead by Stephen Spotswood

It's 1942 and Willowjean "Will" Parker is a scrappy circus runaway whose knife-throwing skills have just saved the life of New York's best, and most unorthodox, private investigator, Lillian Pentecost. When the dapper detective summons Will a few days later, she doesn't expect to be offered a life-changing proposition: Lillian's multiple sclerosis means she can't keep up with her old case load alone, so she wants to hire Will to be her right-hand woman. In return, Will is to receive a salary, room and board, and training in Lillian's very particular art of investigation.

Three years later, Will and Lillian are on the Collins case: Abigail Collins was found bludgeoned to death with a crystal ball following a big, boozy Halloween party at her home—her body slumped in the same chair where her steel magnate husband shot himself the year before. With rumors flying that Abigail was bumped off by the vengeful spirit of her husband (who else could have gotten inside the locked room?), the family has tasked the detectives with finding answers where the police have failed.

But that's easier said than done in a case that involves messages from the dead, a seductive spiritualist, and Becca Collins—the beautiful daughter of the deceased, who Will quickly starts falling for. When Will and Becca's relationship dances beyond the professional, Will finds herself in dangerous territory, and discovers she may have become the murderer's next target.

This is the first volume of the “Pentecost and Parker” series.

Borderline by Mishell Baker

A year ago, Millie lost her legs and her filmmaking career in a failed suicide attempt. Just when she’s sure the credits have rolled on her life story, she gets a second chance with the Arcadia Project: a secret organization that polices the traffic to and from a parallel reality filled with creatures straight out of myth and fairy tales.

For her first assignment, Millie is tasked with tracking down a missing movie star who also happens to be a nobleman of the Seelie Court. To find him, she’ll have to smooth-talk Hollywood power players and uncover the surreal and sometimes terrifying truth behind the glamour of Tinseltown. But stronger forces than just her inner demons are sabotaging her progress, and if she fails to unravel the conspiracy behind the noble’s disappearance, not only will she be out on the streets, but the shattering of a centuries-old peace could spark an all-out war between worlds.

No pressure.

This is the first volume of the “Arcadia Project” series.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases—a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice—with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan—from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but crave all of the other things he's making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic...

This is the first volume of the “Kiss Quotient” series.

[ijemma-okafor]

Name: Ijemma "Jem" Okafor Age/Birthday: 38 (July 31, 1986) Gender & Pronouns: woman, she/her Occupation: Chief Information Officer Affiliation and Position: Obsidian Holdings, Executive Board

"You know good things are happening when the jackboot needs to jump."

BIOGRAPHY.

Born, raised, and educated in the nation's capital, Ijemma Okafor Roosevelt is the result of generations of strong, patriotic citizenship. Her grandfather immigrated from Nigeria to attend Howard University and quickly became one of DC's most successful private investigators. Her father managed one better--worked his way up to Deputy Director for Science and Technology at the CIA. A third generation Howard graduate, Ijemma realized that working for the government meant an awful lot of effort and risk for not nearly enough reward.

After graduating with a Master's degree in IT Management, Jemma spent a year working for the CIA. But her undergraduate minor in business administration piqued her interest in the corporate sector. After a surname change to reclaim her heritage--and break the nepotistic line of prim government service--she found Obsidian Holdings. The irony, of course, was that they loved her connections to DC.

She discovered she had a knack for research early in her career. She was better than most IT people but not as skilled as some. She proved to have a set of skills that made it handy to catch so-called criminals. As a result, most of her career in the CIA revolved around cyber-crimes. Her work with Obsidian requires the same kind of research, but often to totally different ends.

She began her work with Obsidian as a consultant. But once she was hired on permanently and made a board member, she had no trouble uprooting her life and moving to Arizona. Her abrupt departure from the CIA and equally sudden move across the country left her father devastated.

Jemma is a realist. Generally in life, she aligns with good over evil. but she's of the opinion that her work is truly neutral. Information is information, there is no morality attached. If someone gets destroyed because of her work, it wasn't her doing, it was the information.

She knows deep in her bones that she's working for The Man and that her personal morals don't align with that, but she's not ready to admit it to herself yet--she may never be ready.

CONNECTIONS

TBD

PLOT ARC.

As the master of secrets, she tends to know things before most everyone else does. Whether or not she chooses to share everything she knows is entirely up to her, as she's been known to withhold information until it benefits her ambitions…which this town is only a small piece of the bigger picture.

[kemetic-dreams]

I don't hate any tribe. Ask me who's Nigeria's best president ever and I will gladly tell you Yar’Adua. The man was good. He lived a simple and honest life. Served his home state for 8 years and Nigeria for 2+ years. He did not buy private jets, did not establish private university, did not build private estate, did not loot money and stash them in foreign account, did not build private radio/tv station, did not build private hotel/shopping mall, did not oppress his opponents. He obeyed the rule of law. On assuming office he publicly declared his assets. He initiated electoral reforms and gave the judiciary a free hand to do their job. In his days, the ruling party lost several states to opposition via court judgments and the good man kept his cool.

He brought peace to Niger-Delta via amnesty. He created the Ministry of Niger-Delta and granted scholarship to thousands of former militants in different universities abroad.

He was learned, he spoke coherently and acted responsibly.

It is a selfless man of his kind Nigeria needs as a leader at this critical time, not an insatiable political capitalist who has acquired virtually everything on earth and still want more please follow-up this page

[dailyanarchistposts]

Conclusion: building working-class struggle for a better world

The organisational power and strategic location of the Nigerian trade union movement, representing over five million workers organised both in the private and state sectors, should be the point of departure for building a counter movement among the broader Nigerian working class allied to the peasantry and other poor sections of society.

The strength of the Nigerian working class both in white collar and blue collar jobs should be translated into a viable political and social movement with a clear agenda for change — a movement that can provide an alternative to the current state system that is ruinous to society. To struggle to fix the current state system would continue to be an exercise in futility. Even the best politicians are powerless to change the state. We dare not tinker with reform that fails! Rather, we need systemic change that can guarantee equality, fraternity, self-management and socialisation of the common wealth guided by a bottom-up approach to decision making. We need a labour movement guided by the following dictum:

“…a multicultural and international movement with a profound feminist impulse, a movement with an important place in union, worker and rural struggles, prizing reason over superstition, justice over hierarchy, self-management over state power, international solidarity over nationalism, a universal human community over parochialism and separatism — anarchism and syndicalism is this and much more” (van der Walt & Schmidt, 2008: 10).

This is our appeal, and that is our message as we commemorate this May Day, in a country in which the storm clouds gather over humanity — but in which the hope of a better future can break through, if we organise. May Day began as an example of globalisation-from-below and it continues to be a rallying point for workers everywhere facing social and economic injustices some 120 years later.

Let us rally to it!

References:

Hashim, Y. (2001). “Co-option, Control and Residence: the State and the Nigeria Labour Congress”, in Beckman, B. & Sachikonye, M. (ed). Labour Regimes and Liberalization: the Restructuring of State-society Relations in Africa. Harare: University of Zimbabwe Publications.

van der Walt, L. & Schmidt, M. (2009). Black Flame: the Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism. San Francisco, Edinburgh: AK Press.

[richincolor]

New Releases

Five new books coming out this week to add to your growing list. I'm reading Nigeria Jones for this month's review and I'm excited to get started. Keep an eye out for that upcoming review. What books look interesting to you?

Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian Balzer & Bray

2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself.

1978. Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country’s burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises. And even worse—he’s forced to live with the American grandmother he never knew existed.

1939. Bobby, the son of a calculating Hollywood stage mother, lands a coveted MGM studio contract. But the fairy-tale world of glamour he’s thrust into has a dark side. Bobby is forced to hide his sexuality for fear of losing everything.

Set against the backdrop of Tehran and Los Angeles, this tale of intergenerational trauma and love is an ode to the fragile bonds of family, the hidden secrets of history, and all the beautiful moments that make us who we are today. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi HarperCollins US

Warrior Princess.

That’s what Nigeria’s father calls her. He’s raised her as part of the Movement, a Black separatist group based in Philadelphia. Nigeria is homeschooled and vegan and participates in traditional rituals that connect her and other kids from the group to their ancestors. But when her mother—the perfect matriarch to their Movement—disappears, Nigeria’s world is upended. She finds herself taking care of her baby brother and stepping into a role she doesn’t want.

Nigeria’s mother had secrets. She wished for a different life for her children, which includes sending her daughter to a private Quaker school outside of their strict group. Despite her father’s disapproval, Nigeria attends the school with her cousin, Kamau, and Sage, who used to be a friend. There, she slowly begins to blossom and expand her universe.

As Nigeria searches for her mother, she starts to uncover a shocking truth. One that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about her life and her family.

You Don’t Have a Shot by Racquel Marie Feiwel & Friends

Valentina “Vale” Castillo-Green’s life revolves around soccer. Her friends, her future, and her father’s intense expectations are all wrapped up in the beautiful game. But after she incites a fight during playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she’s been working toward seems to disappear.

Embarrassed and desperate to be anywhere but home, Vale escapes to her beloved childhood soccer camp for a summer of relaxation and redemption…only to find out that she and the endlessly aggravating Leticia will be co-captaining a team that could play in front of college scouts. But the competition might be stiffer than expected, so unless they can get their rookie team’s act together, this second chance—and any hope of playing college soccer—will slip through Vale’s fingers. When the growing pressure, friendship friction, and her overbearing father push Vale to turn to Leticia for help, what starts off as a shaky alliance of necessity begins to blossom into something more through a shared love of soccer…and maybe each other. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

The Iron Vow: The Iron Fey: Evenfall #3 by Julie Kagawa Inkyard Press

After leaping through the portal to Evenfall, Meghan and her companions find themselves in a terrifying new world where Nightmares roam and glamour is nearly nonexistent. As their magic wanes and the creatures of Evenfall rise against them, the race to find the Nightmare King grows ever more desperate. But what they discover–about Evenfall, about the Nightmare King, about themselves–will shake everything they thought they knew to the core.

The Nightmare King stirs. A world hangs in the balance. And as twilight descends upon all the realms of Faery, Meghan and her allies must make one more impossible choice. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

I’m Not Supposed to Be in the Dark by Riss M. Neilson Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Seventeen-year-old Aria Cayetano dreams of ghosts. She used to see them too, but thanks to a special tea brewed by her grandfather, Aria’s connection to the spirit world has been severed. Until a decades old rosebush suddenly dies across the street, convincing Aria that something supernatural is happening in her neighborhood.

She aches to investigate it, but the rosebush sits on her ex best friend Derek Johnson’s front lawn, and she can’t question him because he hates her now. Aria doesn’t know what drove them apart years ago, but she does know Derek’s been acting strange for weeks, sneaking out in the dead of night to who knows where.

Then, days after the rosebush dies, Derek begins speaking to her again. At least Aria thinks it’s him. Until she discovers there’s a ghost inside of Derek that will take his life if it doesn’t find what it’s searching for. As Aria and Derek race to uncover the mystery, another kind of magic takes them by surprise: love. But Aria has to decide how far she’s willing to go to save Derek, especially when helping the ghost means tapping into whatever the tea has buried inside of her.

Bone-chilling and spellbinding, I’m Not Supposed to Be in the Dark is an alluring ghost story that’s about exorcising the past to find a future to believe in. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

[aestralia]

I'm going to sound like a conspiracy theorist but bare with me

every Nigerian president that has step foot into office is a fucking puppet of the UK. oh their smart don't get me wrong but everything they do benefits the UK and lines their (that is the presidents) pocket!

why is 100 naira on the verge of being useless? once upon a time (I'm talking about 2022) I could walk into a store a get a small loaf of bread and a pepsi! not the healthiest but that shit keeps you full for four hours at least. heck in 2017 you could get a full plate of rice and stew with fried beef/fish from a "mama-put" but now in the year 2024 a 100 naira isn't even getting you a loaf of bread!!! what the fuck is happening in our country? where's all the money?

no one can afford to eat, health care is fucking expensive, insurance isn't accessible to everyone, there's a housing crisis even though houses are being built everywhere, public infrastructure is depleting, more than half the fucking population is living below the poverty line, public school education is shit, the private schools are kicking prices to the sky (2021-2022 academic school year my parents paid 1.7million naira in fees. if I was still in Nigeria, I'd be paying 2.5million but the quality of education hasn't changed!!!), all the teachers in the public universities are on strike, SARS is at an all time high, and there are NO JOBS!! EVERYTHING IS BEING RESERVED FOR THE BOURGEOIS

people are dying in cargo ships trying to cross the atlantic because facing whatever evil is out there is better than dying because of their circumstances. and then we have fucking illiterates (as the country is designed to keep us stupid) having religious and tribal wars!!!

"vote according to your tribe" "yoruba people are this" "igbo people are that" "don't vote for the fulani's" "the Islam's will force us to convert" "xxx is a babalawo" SHUT THE FUCK UP!!

how do we suffer every year with people from different tribes and it still has not clicked for people that the government is going to be shit if we continue with the system we have in place right now! we are all fucking arguing everyday as if we aren't still disenfranchised by colonial powers. we are given the illusion that we can vote but it never fucking matters!! they destroy ballot boxes, look us dead in the eye and call out a random number for votes even though it does not match what's on the voting website. how does this tie to the UK?? because every president that wins is buddies with the UK prime minister!! I don't mean cordial work relationships, I mean "flying out of the country every two weeks to rub shoulders with this asshole even though my citizens are being shot at by the police and military" type of buddies

this turned into a rant but whatever 🥴 FUCK YOU TINUBU! FUCK YOU BUHARI! FUCK YOU AS WELL JONATHAN! AND FUCK THE UK

[dhaaruni]

Do you have any good books/sources for combating marxist arguments? I'm in a course where we have to contrast capitalism and freedom and our professor has assigned all marxist writers (except for one essay from a Neoliberal) who critique all private property/capitalism and I feel exceptionally unprepared because I am NOT knowledgeable on politics or economics.

On one hand I feel for the case marxists make but I'm just so suspicious that it would ever work out in real life much less applied to our modern society? If communism is so great why has literally every communist country train-wrecked yknow? I come from an immigrant fam and this country has honestly transformed us in 3 generations top and I 100% understand the inequality but also there seems to be a lot of good opportunity compared with former USSR countries. I'm not saying things are perfect just that I'm skeptical of the proposed "solution".

(I'm a lost stem girl and they're making me take this for English)

I sort of get what you mean.

One of the main arguments against Marxism is that capitalism is the worst economic system for women other than every other economic system. The patriarchy is universal, there's no society in the world that isn't patriarchal (and no I'm not making exceptions on this statement for tiny 100-person communities in Papua New Guinea that for the record, are still patriarchal because it's only the WOMEN who are forced to carry babies, and pregnancy is and always has been dangerous for the mother even though it's obviously way better than 200 years ago).

Look at it like this: in India, I am not the victim of racism but I'm still victimized by misogyny, this isn't a complicated statement! Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said this same thing about Nigeria, that in Nigeria, she wasn't perceived as African-American but she was still subject to cultural misogyny since that didn't go away.

Like also, sure, a communist utopia sounds great in theory for everybody is equal economically but who's going to enforce that? Won't they be in positions of power if they have the ability to enforce that? Also, in a communist utopia, who's going to make sure that people don't commit violent crime? Like, are people really claiming that rape is caused by poverty because think long and hard about what that statement implies. Rape is the oldest crime known to humanity, there are accounts of it in ancient times! And for the record, rapists WERE censured even before the modern era, even if obviously, there were varying definitions of rape, marital rape wasn't a crime like it is today etc.

But yeah, I don't fully understand the economic arguments for and against it, but those are just off the top of my head.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Today in Christian History

Today is Thursday, April 20th, the 110th day of 2023. There are 255 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

1479: Death of Alexander who founded the Orthodox monastery of Oshevensk, experienced miracles, and was a notable spiritual counselor.

1529: At the Second Diet of Speyer, the term “Protestant” is first applied to participants of the Reformation. The term was taken from the Protestatio, a statement by the reformers challenging the imperial stance on religion.

1558: Death of Johannes Bugenhagen, a leading Lutheran reformer, a professor at the University of Wittenberg, and the pastor of the city church there. Bugenhagen had helped Luther with his German Bible translation as well as translating the Bible into Low German himself.

1653: Cromwell dissolves the Rump Parliament, so-called because it consisted of only a few representatives who still remained. Cromwell lectures them on their vices and their uselessness, saying he is doing this at God’s command: “Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. Go!”

1676: Death of Baptist minister John Clarke, a founding father of Rhode Island, and the agent who obtained the colony’s charter from King Charles II in 1663.

1898: C.H. Spurgeon’s London tabernacle burns down. Efforts to rebuild it commence at once.

1962: Theologian Karl Barth is featured on the cover of Time magazine.

1988: Wilson Rajil Sabiya, a Lutheran theologian, writes a letter to General Ibrahim Babangida, President and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, alerting him to Muslim efforts to make Nigeria an Islamic country by infiltrating the police force.

2001: A Peruvian Air Force aircraft shoots down a private airplane carrying missionaries, killing Veronica Bowers and her infant daughter, Charity.

[curlyhairedbibliophile]

Cover Art | Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi

From Ibi Zoboi, bestselling, award-winning author of American Street and co-author of Punching the Air, comes a bold new YA coming-of-age story, which explores race, feminism, and complicated family dynamics, about a girl whose father is the leader of a Black liberation group. The ideal next read for fans of Roxane Gay, Jacqueline Woodson, and Elizabeth Acevedo. Warrior Princess. That’s what Nigeria Jones’s father calls her. He has raised her as part of the Movement, a Black separatist group based in Philadelphia. Nigeria is homeschooled and vegan and participates in traditional rituals to connect her and other kids from the group to their ancestors. But when her mother—the perfect matriarch of their Movement—disappears, Nigeria’s world is upended. She finds herself taking care of her baby brother and stepping into a role she doesn’t want. Nigeria’s mother had secrets. She wished for a different life for her children, which includes sending her daughter to a private Quaker school outside of their strict group. Despite her father’s disapproval, Nigeria attends the school with her cousin, Kamau, and Sage, who used to be a friend. ­There, she begins to flourish and expand her universe. As Nigeria searches for her mother, she starts to uncover a shocking truth. One that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about her life and her family.

Artwork by Nettrice Gaskins

Release date | May 9, 2023 Goodreads

[rockislandadultreads]

Read-Alike Friday: The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

Dele Weds Destiny by Tomi Obaro

Funmi, Enitan, and Zainab first meet at university in Nigeria and become friends for life despite their differences. Funmi is beautiful, brash, and determined; Enitan is homely and eager, seeking escape from her single mother's smothering and needy love; Zainab is elegant and reserved, raised by her father's first two wives after her mother's death in childbirth. Their friendship is complicated but enduring, and over the course of the novel, the reader learns about their loves and losses. How Funmi stole Zainab's boyfriend and became pregnant, only to have an abortion and lose the boyfriend to police violence. How Enitan was seduced by an American Peace Corps volunteer, the only one who ever really saw her, but is culturally so different from him--a Connecticut WASP--that raising their daughter together put them at odds. How Zainab fell in love with her teacher, a friend of her father's, and ruptured her relationship with her father to have him.

Now, some thirty years later, the three women are reunited for the first time, in Lagos. The occasion: Funmi's daughter, Destiny, is getting married. Enitan brings her American daughter, Remi. Zainab travels by bus, nervously leaving her ailing husband in the care of their son. Funmi, hosting the weekend with her wealthy husband, wants everything to go perfectly. But as the big day approaches, it becomes clear that something is not right. As the novel builds powerfully, the complexities of the mothers' friendship--and the private wisdom each has earned--come to bear on a riveting, heartrending moment of decision. 

The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland

In 1997, grunge is king, Titanic is a blockbuster (and Blockbuster still exists), and Thursday nights are for Friends. In Bellport, Connecticut, four best friends and high school seniors are ready to light the world on fire. Melissa Levin, Priya Chowdury, Tara Taylor, and Suki Hammer are going places. Their yearbook superlatives confirm it: Most Likely to Win the White House, Cure Cancer, Open a Michelin-Starred Restaurant, and Join the Forbes 400.

Fast forward twenty-five years and nothing has gone according to plan as the women regroup at their dreaded high school reunion. When a forgotten classmate emerges at the reunion with a surprising announcement, the friends dig out the yearbook and rethink their younger selves. Is it too late to make their dreams come true? Fueled by nostalgia and one too many drinks, they form a pact to push through their middle-aged angst to bring their teenage aspirations to fruition, dubbing themselves the "Most Likely Girls."

Through the ensuing highs and lows, they are reminded of the enduring bonds of friendship, the ways our childhood dreams both sustain and surprise us -- and why it's deeply uncool to peak in high school.

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi 

Feyi Adekola wants to learn how to be alive again.

It’s been five years since the accident that killed the love of her life and she’s almost a new person now—an artist with her own studio, and sharing a brownstone apartment with her ride-or-die best friend, Joy, who insists it’s time for Feyi to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career.

She’s even started dating the perfect guy, but their new relationship might be sabotaged before it has a chance by the dangerous thrill Feyi feels every time she locks eyes with the one person in the house who is most definitely off-limits. This new life she asked for just got a lot more complicated, and Feyi must begin her search for real answers. Who is she ready to become? Can she release her past and honor her grief while still embracing her future? And, of course, there’s the biggest question of all—how far is she willing to go for a second chance at love?

Late in the Day by Tessa Hadley 

Alexandr and Christine and Zachary and Lydia have been friends since they first met in their twenties. Thirty years later, Alex and Christine are spending a leisurely summer’s evening at home when they receive a call from a distraught Lydia: she is at the hospital. Zach is dead.

In the wake of this profound loss, the three friends find themselves unmoored; all agree that Zach, with his generous, grounded spirit, was the irreplaceable one they couldn’t afford to lose. Inconsolable, Lydia moves in with Alex and Christine. But instead of loss bringing them closer, the three of them find over the following months that it warps their relationships, as old entanglements and grievances rise from the past, and love and sorrow give way to anger and bitterness.

[sageglobalresponse]

Top 10 richest black people in the world

In a world where success is often measured by wealth, the richest Black people stand out as remarkable figures.

These individuals are pioneers in diverse fields, from business to entertainment, and their achievements not only shatter barriers but also pave the way for others to follow.

Take a look at the top 10 richest Black people in the world:

David Steward $11.4 billion USA

David Lloyd Steward, born in 1951, is an American billionaire entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of World Wide Technology (WWT), which is among the largest African-American-owned companies in the United States. In 2024, Steward was ranked 344th on Forbes’ list of billionaires globally, with an estimated net worth of $11.4 billion.

Aliko Dangote ($11.3 billion)

Aliko Dangote, born on April 10, 1957, is one of the richest Black people in the world. A prominent Nigerian businessman and industrialist, he is notably the first person to build a private oil refinery in Nigeria. As of October 2024, Forbes ranks him as the 211th richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $11.2 billion. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his wealth is estimated at $27.7 billion.

Robert F. Smith ($10.8 billion)

Robert Frederick Smith, born on December 1, 1962, is an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm. Smith earned a chemical engineering degree from Cornell University and later an MBA from Columbia Business School. Before founding his company, he worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. In 2019, during a commencement speech at Morehouse College, Smith made headlines when he pledged to cover the entire $34 million in student loan debt for the graduating class of 2019.

Mike Adenuga ($6.6 billion)

Mike Adenuga, Nigeria’s second wealthiest person, amassed his fortune through telecommunications and oil ventures. His mobile network company, Globacom, is the second-largest in Nigeria, boasting over 60 million subscribers. In addition to telecommunications, Adenuga’s oil company, Conoil Producing, operates six oil blocks in the Niger Delta.

Globacom also established Glo-1, a 6,100-mile submarine internet cable linking the U.K. with Ghana and Portugal. Adenuga holds a 74% stake in publicly traded Conoil and owns just under 6% of Nigerian bank Sterling Financial Holding.

Abdulsamad Rabiu ($ 4.7 billion)

One of the richest Black people in the world, Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu is a prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist. As of 2024, he ranks as Nigeria’s third richest man. His father, Khalifah Isyaku Rabiu, was one of Nigeria’s leading industrialists in the 1970s and 1980s. Abdul Samad is the founder and chairman of BUA Group, a Nigerian conglomerate focused on manufacturing, infrastructure, and agriculture, generating over $2.5 billion in revenue. He also serves as the chairman of Nigeria’s Bank of Industry (BOI).

In July 2020, Forbes valued his net worth at $3.2 billion, placing him 716th among the world’s billionaires. By January 2022, he was recognised as Nigeria’s second richest person. In April 2022, he ranked as the fifth-richest person in Africa with a fortune of $6.7 billion, and by January 2023, he climbed to fourth on the continent’s wealthiest list.

Michael Jordan ($3.5 billion)

Widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan won six championships with the Chicago Bulls. Throughout his career, his total salary amounted to $90 million, but his earnings from partnerships with brands like Nike, Hanes, and Gatorade have reached an astounding $2.4 billion (before taxes). In 2020, Jordan became a special advisor and investor for the sports-betting company DraftKings and also co-owned a NASCAR team. In 2023, he sold his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets in a deal that valued the NBA team at $3 billion.

Oprah Winfrey ($3 billion)

Oprah Winfrey turned her 25-year-long talk show into a powerful media and business empire. The profits from her show, combined with earnings from films like ‘The Color Purple’, ‘Beloved’, and ‘Selma’—which were co-produced by her company, Harpo Productions—have brought her wealth to an estimated $2.5 billion.

In 2011, she launched the OWN cable channel and later sold most of her shares in it to Warner Bros. Discovery in 2020, receiving company stock in return.

In 2015, Winfrey purchased a 10% stake in WeightWatchers, and in 2024, she generously donated her shares to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Winfrey also owns an extensive real estate portfolio, including homes in California and more than a dozen properties, along with 2,100 acres of land in Hawaii.

Patrice Motsepe ($3 billion)

Patrice Motsepe, founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, became a billionaire in 2008, making history as the first Black African to appear on the Forbes billionaire list. In 2016, he established African Rainbow Capital, a private equity firm focused on investments across Africa. Motsepe also holds a stake in Sanlam, a publicly traded financial services company, and is the owner and president of the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.

In March 2021, he was elected president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the governing body for soccer on the continent. His business journey began in 1994 when he became the first Black partner at Johannesburg law firm Bowman Gilfillan, later launching a mining services company. In 1997, Motsepe acquired underperforming gold mine shafts, which he successfully turned around

Jay-Z ($2.5 billion)

Since becoming hip-hop’s first billionaire in 2019, Jay-Z has significantly increased his wealth, largely due to his successful liquor ventures. In 2021, luxury conglomerate LVMH acquired a 50% stake in his champagne brand, Armand de Brignac, also known as Ace of Spades. In February 2023, he sold a majority of his ownership in his cognac brand, D’Usse, to Bacardi.

Beyond liquor, Jay-Z’s wealth includes assets like an art collection featuring works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, his extensive music catalog, and stakes in companies such as Block and Uber. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2022, he won an Emmy for producing the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Strive Masiyiwa ($1.8 billion)

Strive Masiyiwa faced huge government resistance when he launched the mobile phone network Econet Wireless Zimbabwe in his home country in 1998. He holds a 38% stake in the publicly traded Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, which is part of his larger Econet Group, as well as about 33% of EcoCash, a mobile money transfer company.

Masiyiwa also has an investment in Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a private firm that offers fiber optic and cloud services to telecom companies throughout Africa. His portfolio includes investments in fintech and power distribution companies across the continent, along with stock options in Netflix, where he has been a board member since December 2020. He and his wife, Tsitsi, founded the Higherlife Foundation, which assists orphaned and underprivileged children in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Burundi, and Lesotho.

[richincolor]

Book Review: Nigeria Jones 

Title: Nigeria Jones

Author: Ibi Zoboi

Genres:  Contemporary

Pages: 384 

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Review Copy: ARC by publisher

Availability: Available now

Summary: 

Warrior Princess.

That’s what Nigeria’s father calls her. He’s raised her as part of the Movement, a Black separatist group based in Philadelphia. Nigeria is homeschooled and vegan and participates in traditional rituals that connect her and other kids from the group to their ancestors. But when her mother—the perfect matriarch to their Movement—disappears, Nigeria’s world is upended. She finds herself taking care of her baby brother and stepping into a role she doesn’t want.

Nigeria’s mother had secrets. She wished for a different life for her children, which includes sending her daughter to a private Quaker school outside of their strict group. Despite her father’s disapproval, Nigeria attends the school with her cousin, Kamau, and Sage, who used to be a friend. There, she slowly begins to blossom and expand her universe.

As Nigeria searches for her mother, she starts to uncover a shocking truth. One that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about her life and her family.

From award-winning author Ibi Zoboi comes a searing, powerful coming-of-age story about discovering who you are in the world—and fighting for that person—by having the courage to remix the founding tenets of your life to be your own revolution.

Review: Ibi Zoboi’s newest is really a telling of revolution - specifically individual revolution. It is a moving story, one experienced by many teens, as they desire to break away from their parents and find their own path. Those moments are crucially developmentally, but are often fraught with tension as parents and teens battle in a conflict for independence. Teens want more, want to express who they truly are and parents only wish for their child to be safe, to accomplish the dreams the parents had for their child. By setting this novel amongst a Black separatist group, Ibi Zoboi really highlights this conflict between child and parent. 

Because of her mother’s disappearance, Nigeria is at an age where she is starting to question everything, including her father who is the leader of their Movement. She’s always believe what her father has taught her, but now she wonders if maybe his beliefs are too extreme and maybe there is a different way to bring about change. Having her mother missing, Nigeria starts to see how patriarchal the Movement is and how some parts of the Movement are toxic. As she searches for the reasons why her mother left, she learns more and more about the world outside of her little bubble. She begins to push back against her father, creating some epic arguments, and sneaks out behind his back. She decides to attend the same school her cousin Kamau goes to and her world is broadened. She meets all sorts of different people, including being around the most White people she has ever been in her life. She experiences micro-agressions and must decide how to react (sometimes she gets it right, sometimes she doesn’t) and eventually begins flirting with White boy named Liam, whom she knows if her father were to find out he would lose his mind. I actually loved Nigeria’s revolution because her story showed that not all revolutions result in a teen acting out. Sometimes they just want to find their own path, create their own destiny. Nigeria was torn between the love of her little brother, her friends in the Movement’s Youth Group, and even the love she had for her father. She knew she was fighting against her father’s expectations of her but she made those decisions anyway. Nigeria’s parents had raised a very smart, head strong young adult, and when Nigeria decided to break away from the Movement it was not just an emotional decision, but one she had truly thought over. Her growth throughout the story was truly inspiring. 

There is a plot twist in the novel that I could see coming, sorta, because I was wrong about what actually happened, but when it was revealed my heart broke for Nigeria. At the same time, though, I realized the twist is what set her on her journey of revolution and she would be stronger once she understood what happened with the twist. I know that my last statement doesn’t make much sense, but you just have to read the book to find out. 

I absolutely love Ibi Zoboi’s novels and Nigeria Jones is no different. This is a moving story that will drag you in with the wonderful characters who fill Nigeria’s world and her fight for independence. 

[komal7676]

Study MBBS in Georgia: Affordable, World-Class Medical Education

Georgia has become one of the most popular destinations for students pursuing medical degrees. With high-quality education, affordable tuition, and globally recognized degrees, studying MBBS in Georgia is an excellent opportunity for aspiring medical professionals. The country offers various benefits that make it a top choice for international students. Below are some of the reasons why you should consider Georgia for your MBBS journey, along with information on some of the best medical universities in the country.

Why Choose MBBS in Georgia?

Globally Recognized Medical Degrees Medical universities in Georgia are accredited by major organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Medical Commission (NMC), and other global health institutions. This recognition ensures that graduates from Georgia can practice medicine in multiple countries, including India, the USA, and Europe, without facing extra barriers.

Affordable Tuition and Cost of Living One of the main reasons why students choose Georgia is the affordability. Tuition fees in Georgian medical universities are significantly lower than those in countries like the USA, UK, or Australia. The cost of living is also student-friendly, making it a highly economical option for international students.

English-Taught Programs Georgian medical universities offer MBBS programs in English, eliminating the language barrier for international students. This makes it easier for students from countries like India, Nigeria, and others to study without worrying about language proficiency in Georgian.

Safe and Friendly Environment Georgia is known for its safety and friendly atmosphere. International students find Georgia to be a welcoming place with a diverse culture and a supportive academic environment. The country has a relatively low crime rate, making it a secure destination for students.

Hands-On Training and Modern Infrastructure Medical universities in Georgia offer cutting-edge facilities and hands-on training in top hospitals. This ensures that students get practical experience during their education, preparing them to excel in real-world medical settings.

Top Medical Colleges in Georgia

1. New Vision University, Georgia

New Vision University is a highly respected institution known for its modern teaching methods and advanced medical programs. The university offers a comprehensive MBBS curriculum that is taught in English and focuses on both theoretical and practical aspects of medicine. The university is recognized globally and offers students access to excellent clinical training in affiliated hospitals.

Duration: 6 years

Annual Tuition: Approx. USD 6,000

Recognition: WHO, NMC

2. Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University

Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University is another top choice for students pursuing an MBBS degree. Located in the beautiful coastal city of Batumi, the university provides world-class medical education, focusing on clinical experience and research. With highly qualified faculty and modern facilities, students receive a well-rounded education.

Duration: 6 years

Annual Tuition: Approx. USD 4,000

Recognition: WHO, NMC

3. East European University, Georgia

East European University is known for its modern infrastructure and international partnerships, offering students the opportunity to gain experience in international healthcare settings. The university provides an MBBS program in English and focuses on innovative medical practices, clinical research, and student development.

Duration: 6 years

Annual Tuition: Approx. USD 5,000

Recognition: WHO, NMC

4. Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy

Founded in 1992, Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy is one of the oldest private medical universities in Georgia. It offers a high-quality MBBS program that emphasizes medical research and clinical practice. The university is well-known for its focus on student development and international standards of medical education.

Duration: 6 years

Annual Tuition: Approx. USD 5,500

Recognition: WHO, NMC

Benefits of Studying in Georgian Medical Colleges

No Entrance Exams: Unlike many countries, Georgia does not require entrance exams like the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) to get admitted into medical programs.

Multicultural Environment: Georgia hosts students from all over the world, offering a rich and diverse cultural experience.

MCI and NMC Preparation: Many universities in Georgia provide preparation for medical licensing exams such as MCI (Medical Council of India) and NMC (National Medical Commission), which are essential for practicing medicine in India and other countries.

Conclusion

Studying MBBS in Georgia is a great opportunity for students who are looking for affordable education, globally recognized degrees, and modern teaching facilities. With a safe environment, English-taught programs, and hands-on medical training, Georgia offers everything an international medical student could hope for. Universities like New Vision University, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, and East European University provide excellent academic programs and prepare students for successful careers in medicine.