Inside TEDxEuston

We asked Chioma Onyenwe to do a 'simple' job ...tell the story of TEDxEuston in 10 minutes! We saw her walking around the venue with her crew doing her thing .....and we had no idea on what to expect. She captured the essence of TEDxEuston beautifully in this short film titled- "Inside TEDxEuston". The Story of the how it all started, and the hope for the future. One for the Oscars?

Chioma is a budding Nigerian filmmaker. With a background in economics and management, and behind the scenes experiences, she plunged into full time film making over a year ago. She has undertaken film courses in the London Film Academy and Met Film School in London with interests spanning through film, television, and documentaries. Her debut web series ‘Goddammit It’s Monday’ -  A show targeting the growing young professional class in Lagos will be released shortly. If you have an interesting project, contact her on - chioma.onyenweATgmail.com

Watch her amazing film at TEDxEuston 2011 here.....and share it!

TEDxEuston - Kwame Kwei-Armah - 'Standing on shoulders of giants'

In an interview with the Financial Times, Kwame Kwei Arma describes how he spent 6 hours on the roof top of the residences of one of Senegal’s greatest musicians Baaba Maal - which ended up in his being appointed -  artistic director of the third World Festival of Black Arts and Culture, held in 2010, in Dakar. Kwei-Armah has explored his roots in the Caribbean and before that in Ghana - and we were privileged to have him on the stage at TEDxEuston 2011.

Kwame Kwei-Armah is an actor, playwright and director. Kwame was born Ian Roberts to immigrants from Grenada. His father was a factory worker, and his mother worked three jobs to put her three children through private schools. He changed his name in his early twenties after tracing his family ancestry to Ghana. He is currently Artistic director of Centerstage Baltimore- the State theater of Maryland. He was artistic director of the 2010 historic 3rd World festival of black arts and culture in Dakar Senegal and is an associate artist at the Royal National Theatre.  He is Chancellor of the University of the Arts London was the first black playwright  to have his play Elmina’s Kitchen produced in London’s West End.

Watch his amazing talk at TEDxEuston 2011 here.....and share it!

TEDxEuston - Lola Shoneyin - 'Boys, sex and control'

It is difficult to put Lola Shoneyin in a box - novelist, poet, teacher, mother, activist. Perhaps that is what makes her so unique and interesting. Perhaps that is why we chose her to start off TEDxEuston 2011 - with no idea of her topic. What a start it was....

Lola Shoneyin says that she considers herself very lucky to have a day job that she absolutely loves: teaching English and drama at a secondary school in Abuja, Nigeria. She is also Deputy Principal of the school and first says that she writes in her spare time, and then admits she really writes 'all the time', constantly trying to memorise a catchy line or jot down phrases on paper. Lola wanted to be a writer because of the many stories she had to tell, having spent exactly 7.673% of her life day-dreaming. Her best seller; "The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives" is set in modern-day Nigeria. It explores the intricacies of a polygamous family. It has been described as "A fiercely funny, endearing and provocative novel" and as "...a powerful, mature and absorbing work of fiction". Lola has four children and is married "to a lovely, compassionate man who used to have a huge moustache."

Watch her amazing talk at TEDxEuston 2011 here.....and share it!