#THEBLINGLAGOSIANS BY BOLANLE AUSTEN-PETERS MY SINCERE TAKE.

Grace Renner & Calabar Girl 

Latasha Lagos 

Kelechi Amadi-Obi

Tunde & Grace Renner

#theblinglagosians
I was honored yesterday to have been one of those, about 10 of us in all, invited to have a sneak peek (they called it special screening of the newest or better still latest movie in town, by a Nigerian called #theblinglagosians.

Leaving my place as early as 9am on a Saturday to attend a film premiere must have meant either the people were extremely important or there was just a reason that could have galvanized me to want to go catch such a movie and at that early hour of a Saturday. One of those things that pushed me was that, I had seen the trailer and it gotten to me, so my curiosity was heightened. Secondly the main person involved, that being Bolanle Austen-Peters, the super humble promoter of Terra Kulture, who is also the promoter of a few of the best stage plays of recent is someone I particularly hold high up there. So I wanted to see what she had to offer as per her first directorial debut, if I am right?

I have been disappointed by many of the Nigerian movies that have been packaged of late, which I greatly believe have been totally over hyped, in every sense of the word. So I had my heart in my mouth, praying that this one, wouldn't join the league of such crass & arrant nonsense that have been released for consumption, gba jen sinmi (abeg take let me rest). Just because there isn't much to compare with, must we see or watch bullshits in the name of entertainment??? I must specially commend the producers of 'King of Boys' though, for that special movie. Kemi Adetiba deserves a salute and plenty of accolades for that movie.

So going to see #theblinglagosians I had my heart in my mouth and it was because I had made up my mind that friendship or none I was going to be brutally frank about my assessment, not minding whose ox is gored. For we need to be truthful if we truly want improvements of any kind in what we do.

So I got to the venue and was ushered into the exclusive seating area like others were. I was offered popcorn and a drink and we settled down to watch what after seeing it through, for me I consider  "the best movie" shot in Nigeria by a Nigerian so far, in a long while. I was glad, I was honoured to watch this movie amongst the exclusive crowd first.

From the get go, at the appearance of the 1st set of actors my attention was gotten. Let me make a small confession here. 80% of the time as I watch a movie at the cinema, after just about 15 to 20 minutes, I normally always sleep off only to wake up, just before the movie ends. For me to be awake, it must mean that the movie/film must be captivating. It must grab my attention from the get go. #theblinglagosians got my attention from the beginning through out till the very end. It was a sweet, sonorous, captivating, well scripted, well acted movie with an excellent play track or music score, that told the story at wherever it injected. I must especially doff my hat for one of the truest musicians in this land, the one and only Brymo for his songs. This is in fact one of the first time that I wouldn't mind buying the soundtrack of a Nigerian movie. It was very obvious that attention to detail was in full effect.

Just because the movie is just coming out, I cannot be too explicit about it, but I ll try to say what I am permitted to say as much as possible. The opening scene was awesome. I particularly love the "wafe ku la leyi" part, which was epic as those words actually came to morbid past.

From that time on, those casts executed their parts exemplarily. These for me are some of the best Nigerian actors I have encountered. From Gbenga Titiloye, to Elvina Ibru, to Alex Ekubo, to Osas Ighodaro, To Bros Shaggy, to Helen Paul, to Adeola Aiyeola, to the incomparable Toyin Aimakhu, to just about everyone including the Waka pass, that played nominal but functional roles. There's no way, that this movie wouldn't pack all the awards. In fact it was a consensus that it must win both the individual and all other awards.

That Gbenga Titiloye could act is now a giving, but Elvina Ibru deserves special commendation for role adaptation, so also the incredible Alex Ekubo, the super hilarious Toyin Aimakhu who would win an Oscar any day for her comedic abilities. Alex, Bro Shaggy, Deola, Tana Adelana,  Helen Paul were all mesmeric.

The storyline had a great flow, those who edited did a super fantastic job. The make up and costumes were on point. Characterization and cinematography excellent. Role Interpretation on point. A movie must pass across a message at least or several messages as a whole to make a good one. This particular movie made sense no be small. You can fall or fail, but your ability to rise after the fall or fail is what would set you apart.

The Movie #theblinglagosians depicted the very plastic Lagos life at its best. It was real, relatable, fun, intriguing, captivating. I must say kudos to every one involved in the movie.

Would I watch it again? Oooo yes. In fact, again and again. Would I recommend it? Highly too at that. Far better than one bullshit that was totally top heavy that was over hyped of recent.

I must commend and thank #bolanleaustenpeters for putting her money where her mouth is and especially for not seeing us that would watch as nitwits that just about every nonsense can be thrown at. Nice movie. 4.75 stars out of 5 stars from me.


Abiola Olatunde Aloba

GBAMMEST!!!! WE HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT OR DISCOVERED WHERE TO BUY ALL THOSE CHEAP BUT NEAR PERFECT BIRKINS & CO.

We are pretty sure you can still remember very well that our expose on that UK based stylist/buyer who is very well connected to our so called celebrities and stars and who helps them to procure most of their designer bags, shoes and whatever needs?

We have since discovered where either she herself and or some of those connoisseurs of those luxury items or should we say purveyors of the nearly originals get their fixes from!!!

You see them carrying and flaunting bags of between $5000 to $15000 dollars each or even far more about. Showing off their new limitless acquisitions on the gram, some of these things which under normal circumstances would or could have set them back by not less than $100000 (that's at least N36,,000,000 Naira). That's because they look like they own between 5 to 10 of such bags and more. So the total cost of the collections could be reaching between $50000 to $120000. And in trying to rationalize it, you examine and find out that most of what these people claim they do as their jobs or profession/occupation, cannot readily ever pay for those things. For example does Nollywood actually pay that much for some to spend $10000 or more on just one bag or a pair of bag and shoes????

So it's either there's so much more to what their so called profession or occupation is, or that they are actually engaged subtly in the well packaged and glorified form of the oldest profession known to man. And that's what???? And that's what we believe you know what it is.

Just imagine that most times you even see these fashionable lot, carrying some colours of these bags, shoes etc that even the actual makers/manufacturers/designers have not even thought to make or release into the market yet and that's what you see some of our delightsome celebrities and stars flaunt about.

Let's even judge it by logic alone. How can a designer or manufacturer of certain lifestyle items create the thing and be selling at an amount, and you buy from them at an amount and you are given a margin and a recommended price to sell so as to make profit and then you that sells, now sell it for far less!!!! Is that not crazy????

Let's take for example a Birkin bag by Hermes, here we are talking about the original. The cost to buy is between $10000 & $15000 Dollars and that's just for the normal leather alone. It could even go as high as & $50000 to $100000 or more if it were alligator or crocodile or ostrich or others or even if it's encrusted with gems. And then a retailer or a seller now comes and sells for between $3000 to $6000!!! That's how much you can get some of the ones in the pictures above.

So who is deceiving who? Would you truly claim not to know the real cost against the cost for the near original fakes? So the truth must be that the one buying and the one that sells are in active connivance. The seller knows its a fake she's selling and is either intentionally hoodwinking the buyer and is making a very tidy profit or the buyer in actual fact is hoodwinked because he or she doesn't actually know nothing about the original in the 1st place and even the cost, but just want to join the Joneses by fire by force. And to such carrying those fakes, wearing those things are easy ways they think they can use to penetrate this fickle crowd the see as the standards by which society must be judged. Fact IS, much as you try to belong these fickle crowd actually snigger and laugh at these ones behind their backs, for trying too hard. The so called elite are the most terribly snobbish set in the whole world and would only accept new comers for their own advantage.

So where can you get these near original bags, shoes for far far less? Check out all the pictures on the post above.