CHRONICLE OF PAINS: MANDELA’S TRIALS By Abayomi Zeal Akinmade Soyinkzeal@gmail.com FOR MANDELA’S 100TH POSTHUMOUS BIRTHDAY, July 18,2018 It is an extremely difficult task to eulogise anyone, it’s even more herculean to grasp the right words to describe any man who had remained guileless and steadfast to a particular struggle, any man who had shown grit in trying times and came out shoulder high, soaring, let alone describe a liberator, a giant of history, a man who acted on the behalf of justice, a man who moved his nation towards unity when it threatened to break apart in those trying times. How can one describe a man who nearly earned himself a pedestal with God by moving his nation towards justice in the trying times in the history of South Africa? One cannot get it right. One can only fumble for words and at least describe facts and dates of history. It’s tempting to remember Nelson
Music in Nigeria has taken an entirely newer and better look. As the days go by , awesome symphonies keep emanating from this part of the world. From the city of Port Harcourt comes this ground-breaking symphony From Ify Dan Excell, titled 'Simply Beautiful'. I have to admit , Port Harcourt artistes have decided to do away with the conventional gospel sequences that have made gospel music to be largely uninteresting to a lot of youngsters. These contemporary sounds have been greatly welcomed by the younger generation. The song 'Simply Beautiful' has subtle pastiches of Disney-kind of symphonies; and Ify Dan Excel's lyrical clarity makes the song to be even more spectacular. Every note comes out stronger and firmer in her warm mezzo-soprano range. The picture she paints in the lyrics of her song makes me visualise the medieval beauty of a world that is untainted with modern technology.😃 The song reminds us of how simply beautiful God is, how he cre