Limewire is shut and for many Africans in the diaspora, this is sad news. They used Limewire to legally share music from their respective countries. After 4 years of an ongoing legal battle, Limewire was shut yesterday by a court in Manhattan. The company was asked to cease any "searching, downloading, uploading and file trading." The Limewire website had the legal notice: "This is an official notice that LimeWire is under a court-ordered injunction to stop distributing and supporting its file-sharing software. Downloading or sharing copyrighted content without authorization is illegal." The Law is the law, and should therefore be enforced and respected. A Malawian living in Washington was clearly disappointed by the development saying that Limewire was used to share music with his friends and family from Blantyre and Lilongwe in Malawi. He also said that he must find another way to listen to Malawian classic artists like Saleta Phiri, Alan Namoko, Esau Mwamwaya and Evison Matafale.
Many have outrightly said that Hazel Warren is not Malawian and she is older than she says. In this Exclusive Interview,2008 Malawi Personality of the Year(2008 Malawi Web Award Winner), Hazel Warren answers to all the allegations circulating around and she also talks about her present and future plans. Hazel Warren is Big Brother Africa 3(BBA3) runner up.
Mmalawi Blog: First of all it’s a pleasure to have you here for this interview.
Hazel Warren:I think this is a big accolade, I did not see this coming, this must be my Christmas present! The feeling is great, it really shows that my contribution has been appreciated most of all I feel blessed.
Mmalawi Blog: So did you expect any of the fame you received before you went to the BBA House?
Hazel Warren: I thought of life after the show and I did not see the FAME I have now, I did know that I would be noticed here and there but it is definitely BIGGER than I thought.
Mmalawi Blog: Many people have been wondering about you, Could you please tell us about your Childhood.
Hazel Warren:I am born and bred in Lilongwe, I was born at the KamuzuCentralHospital on Feb 6, 1983, the second born in a family of four children, the only girl! So I hung out with my brothers quite a lot from when I young. The family lived in Kawale 1 and 2 for most of my childhood, we also lived in Biwi and Chilinde and now Ilive in area 14.
I went to different schools, from Chisamba in Kawale, St. Maria Gorret (LilongweGirlsPrimary school), Livimbo and Nanjati then I went to Carewell Private and Walani Private and finally BwailaSecondary School.
From There I went to Shareworld open University where I studied Travel, Tourism and Hospitality. They have also offered me a three year scholarship so I will be back to Shareworld soon.
Mmalawi Blog: Who or What do you consider as your love?
Hazel Warren: God Almighty!
Mmalawi Blog: What is your advice for young Malawians and Africans?
Hazel Warren: I think we should take pride in who we are, we are what we are and where we are for a reason. We should also develop a mindset of not waiting for someone else to do things for us, we should take the initiative and take the leading role.
Mmalawi Blog: What are your present and future plans?
Hazel Warren: There are a few projects I am working on, I would still like to keep the “Hazel” brand going so there are some activities that I am working on. I will also take up the scholarship offer, I am working on a recipe book (all of those BBA recipes and more) I would like to work with the youth, I find that most youths copy what their friends do in order to fit in, but I would like to make them see that you can be YOU and still be really cool.
Another area is in empowering women, in the sense that they can use readily available resources to better their lives.
MmalawiBlog: Who do you consider as your Malawian Hero?
Hazel Warren:John Chilembwe of course, he laid down his life for our sake, that’s heroism.
Watch the 2008 Malawi Web Awards, where Hazel Warren won 2008 Malawi Personality of the Year:
Mmalawi Blog: What kind of Music, Movies, Activities do you like?
Hazel Warren: I like R&B, but I am not limited to that, I like a song that lifts up my spirits and also music that will make me dance, I also like some of our local music. I like real life dramas for movies and comedies also like some horror.I also like to cook; it was nothing new in BBA house, I like to look at nature, listen to the wind, the sound of water and birds in the wild.
Mmalawi Blog: What is your reaction when people are not happy with your success?
Hazel Warren:They definitely have a right to their opinion and expressing it, I am well aware that it is impossible to please everyone so that is inevitable.
Mmalawi Blog: Any words on the AIDS pandemic in Malawi?
Hazel Warren:It is a fact AIDS is affecting everyone, my personal opinion is that the unmarried youths should abstain and those who are married should remain faithful. I think abstinence is the best choice because you have no doubts, you know where you have been. For those who cannot abstain/be faithful should definitely condomize, Let us spread the love not the disease!
Mmalawi Blog: Your Perfect Malawi how do you describe it?
Hazel Warren: Being around the friendly people, peace, no hunger, healthy people and people who are not poverty stricken, to this add our amazing organic food and our unpolluted air!
Mmalawi Blog:Any last words?
Hazel Warren: I am definitely grateful for this accolade, and I am ever so grateful for the support I am getting both during and after Big Brother Africa.
I feel that Malawians have a lot to offer and we should step up and do more for our country and for ourselves.
