in just a few hours

It would not be quite the same without these butterflies flapping their busy little wings in my gut. I feel them, this is how I know its real.

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Up, up and away

I leave in just over 24hrs from now & needless to say I am very expectant. And I have some amazing news, I have no need to find an eager assistant when I arrive, because my extremely talented & camera savvy younger sister Lala (Uwaila Oyegun) will be my right hand woman! I would like to welcome her on board to what is sure to be an AMAZING first work experience for her. Keep coming back to see pictures taken by us both and also vidoe clips of our exploits to wet you appetite for the film.

Next post will be from DAKAR!!!

Senegal?

I chose to work in Senegal primarily because it is familiar to me. I spent the summer before my final year in college interning at 2 women's organistions in the country, and needless to say the country continues to command my attention. I also wrote my senior thesis project on Senegal; I investigated the history of Ceebu jen the national dish. I focused on the importance of the dish as a female contribution to the society & as a cultural emblem both in Senegal and its diaspora. My research has left me with many questions about the role of cultural markers as tools for community organising and activism. My work on this film will certainly look to answer as many of these questions as possible, whether as an endpoint or a channel into further inquiry.

Aside from my personal interest, there is the historical significance Senegal holds within the Black world. More contemporarily Senegal is a hot vacation spot unlike many other West African nations. There is also a high concentration of iNGO's within its borders, because of the political consistency of the nation. However, there are still many concerns, economic an otherwise. Despite the involvement of women in many sectors of the society women still have a lot to gain in all areas of their lived experiences. The organisations I continue to work with are dedicated to furthering the women's rights movement.

Thank yous

I would like to thank all my sponsors, both those who have given in cash and in kind. You have carried me through the entire preparation phase of my project. I leave for Senegal in just over a week so check back to see what your money and my drive are going to accomplish through this film project.

Please continue to give :)

Leads

1. Coverage of the Human Rights violations in the women's prison in Rufisque, focusing on what the Association of Female Lawyers in Senegal is doing to help. Taking a closer look at the what elements of the women's human rights struggle result in these women's incarcerations. The issues range from extra-marital relations, abortion, inheritance, divorce, etc.

2. To continue my senior thesis project work by further investigating the life story of Penda Mbaye, the first woman to prepare Ceebu Jen the national dish in its present form. My main questions are: What do people know about her life? Does her story live on? and how does her legacy continue to inspire women activists in St Louis and Senegal at large?

3. Shadowing a few womens NGOs and showcasing the intersection of their work amongst rural & lower income urban populations, particularly around HIV/Aids, disability, Literacy, and marriage rights. I want to look at how these organisations can either focus on one area of need, or pick a target population (perhaps according to region) to maximise thier impact and efficacy.

The inquirer

Iyayi-Osazeme Chinyelum Odigie-Oyegun, aka Lobuhle, aka Chichi, born in Lagos, Nigeria to a Nigerian father and British mother. She grew up all over the globe, making her an Afropolitan; not a citizen of any country but an African of the world. Number 5 of 6 daughters she is a jewel in the Oba's crown, holding all things African very close to her heart from the cuisine to the couture right up to the ever changing custom.

She is a recent graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University. She double majored in Africana Studies and Human Rights Studies, a choice of study she feels is the best way to maintain a tangible connection with her beloved, Mama Africa even beyond her collegiate experience. Her chosen interdisciplinary approach to study has exposed her to an array of subjects during her undergraduate experience, giving her a keen desire to follow the story, wherever it may lead. Her undergraduate senior thesis explored the use of Ceebu jen, the Senegalese national dish, as a uniquely female tool used by Senegalese women to nourish and inform the Senegalese nation building enterprise.

Her love and affection for Africa, and its many nations, runs deeper still. Iyayi has been writing and performing poetry since her early teens, focusing her writing on issues of femininity, blackness, motherhood, womanhood, sexuality and religion within an African context. Her love for the power of words was fostered under the tutelage of her radical (almost jailed) lawyer mother and a turned feminist pastor father, whose influence is too enthralling to escape, even if she tried. Iyayi writes under the alias Lobuhle, a siSwati name meaning the essence of beauty, because that is what she strives to acheive through her art. She has received awards for her poetry, and most recently she published an anthology with her friend and colleague Sonya Shadravan, about the middle passage experience.

She speaks over 5 languages and her repertoire is ever increasing. Iyayi has a profound passion for communication as a means to obtaining truth, particularly in relation to economic justice, women’s rights, and children’s rights. Her past work in the theatre, with various NGO and community based organisations in Africa and Central America has enabled her to appreciate the utility and value of performance arts. In her work, Iyayi has witnessed the power of theatre and dance as a vehicles to inspire social change, particularly in relation to women's activism. At these crossroads, she has decided to channel all her creativity, skill, talent, academic experience and passion into a new venture, film making. Through this new endeavour, she is eager to explore the use of film for the same purposes as in her previous work, and anticipates using this medium to reach a wider audience beyond Senegal. Her work on this project will segway into the next phase of her academic career, a graduate degree in Journalism and Communications.

Iyayi O
'Mayibuye Afrika!'